NaNoWriMo and me

November is nearly upon us and this in the writing world means National Novel Writing Month. It is all about writing the first draft of a novel in a month. (Not the draft you will submit but the first draft -- they are vrey different kettle of fish).
I have agreed to take part with two others from the Pink Heart Society. So I have gone and actually signed up for NaNoWriMo  It is only 50k.
This is slightly huge. Mostly I get a rabbit in the headlight feeling when I say something about doing a novel this quickly. But I am putting this on record as I want to get this novel done and dusted. I want to get back to writing several thousand words a day.
The main caveat is that IF my editor gets back to me with her thoughts -- that one takes precedence and all bets are off. Summer is under contract after all and I write for money. It is my day job.

So I am going to start the manuscript which comes before the M&B that I originally thought I would write at the beginning of the month. Basically the characters decided it for me and I am not a writer to allow good narrative action to go to waste.

So right now, for the next 5 days (I have to start writing on 1 Nov) I have to make sure my planning is up to scratch. I am more a pantser in many ways but there are certain bits which need to be done.
Updates will be forthcoming.

Please wish me luck.

Cover reveal for Taming His Viking Woman

I know I should be less bouncy than I am and do AN event but I am far too excited!!!

The sea-king's warrior bride 

Legendary shield maiden Sayrid Avildottar will marry no man unless he first defeats her in combat. And in powerful sea-king Hrolf Eymundsson she has finally met her match. 

Hrolf may have won her lands—and her body—but can Sayrid welcome a stranger to her bed? The world of fighting is all she knows! With a husband intent on seducing his new bride, perhaps, just this once, Sayrid will discover that surrender can bring the greatest pleasure of all… 

"Maintains the myth while adding sexual tension, nonstop action and spice." —RT Book Reviews on The Viking's Captive Princess

As a side note I appear to be channeling pixie cut hair and so no prizes for guessing how my hair is going to be cut come Thursday.

Delving into the 7th century

Yesterday saw the release of my Victorian trio -To Marry a Matchmaker, Compromising Miss Milton and Breaking the Governess's Rules in the North American market. Cue banners and trumpets. I have waited a long time for this to happen.
Currently I am working on two projects while waiting to hear my editor's thoughts about Summer of Her Viking Warrior. The only really successful approach to keep the Crows of Doubt at bay is to write another book or several books. IN short to become excited about something else.

My first project is a historical fiction project set in the 7th century. It is on an epic scale and requires an epic amount of research.  I need to get things straight in my head. There is much which has been lost and will probably never be found. We are not talking 7 kingdoms but many kingdoms and the written historical record starts about the time I want to focus on. Fascinating but frustrating. Where precisely was the decisive battle of Degsastan which put an end to Dal Raidic ambitions in England for over 130 years... It will be interesting to see if I can bring it to life.

My second project is a more conventional M&B Viking set historical but this time in the Western Isles. I loved visiting Islay in September. Very little remains of their Viking heritage (apparently Colonsay is much better) but it is utterly fascinating.  The Vikings did not just raid, they came and stayed. And the land being the land, it grew into their very souls and the Vikings became Gallowglass -- foreign Gaels.  It is where the term Galloway comes from.
Somerled who wrestled the Isles from the King of Man (and Norwegian control) was  at least half Norse. It is thought with a Norse mother and a Celtic father (some dispute this saying he was fully Norse).
The full integration of the Western Isles into Scotland didn't really happen until after 1607. Some might it never has as the Western Isles maintain their own identity.
It is when you are there that you can a sense of the Sea Kingdom that once was.
But again it is not a very well researched time.  I think mostly people prefer to concentrate on the Celts or Gaels, forgetting that the Vikings did really shape Scotland.
And I have to keep remembering that Scots in the 9th century meant Irish, not where we think of it today.

And the kilt or short kilt was invented in 1707 by Thomas Rawlinson, an Englishman who had moved his factory up North to back take advantage of the fuel. However his workers were getting too hot and discarding their Great  kilts. or getting burnt. So the short kilt was a compromise. It proved so popular that it soon took off. The great kilt dates from the late medieval period. Apparently one battle was known as the battle of the shirts as it was too hot to fight in the Great kilt and so they were discarded.  I am afraid the mental image amused me.

US Cover for Breaking the Governess's Rules

And this is the US cover for Breaking the Governess's Rules. More of a Regency feel than an early Victorian but still a decent feel about.

‘How delightful to meet you again, Miss Louisa Sibson.’

Jonathon Lord Chesterholm’s eyes bored holes into Louisa Sibson’s back. The former fiancée he’s thought dead is very much alive…

Louisa has rebuilt her life, after being dishonourably dismissed from her post as governess for allowing Jonathon to seduce her. Now Louisa lives by a rulebook of morals and virtue—the devastating Lord Chesterholm will not ruin her again!

But Jonathon will get to the bottom of Louisa’s disappearance – and he’ll enjoy breaking a few of her rules along the way…!

US cover for Compromising Miss Milton

The US cover for Compromising Miss Milton (to be released as an ebook in the US --finally in October 2014). One of my least favourite covers. The clinch is fine , but the clothes and the hair!  The year is 1837, not 1893. Women did not wear Gibson Girl style hair then. Neither did they wear bustles. I spent ages  scouring through various books etc to find appropriate clothing and hairstyles but these were ignored. When it was out originally it got listed by Amazon on their Western list. It is set in Cumberland at Gilsland Spa.
The blurb for it is:

Marrying the Governess!
Buttoned-up governess Daisy Milton buries dreams of marriage and family life in order to support her sister and orphaned niece. But maddeningly attractive Adam, Viscount Ravensworth, is one distraction that shakes Daisy’s safe, stable existence.
Now ghosts from Adam’s past in India threaten Daisy’s future. Just what will it take to convince a tightly-laced miss to forgo society’s strict code of conduct…and come undone in the arms of a reformed rake?

US cover for To Marry a Matchmaker

I love the feel of this cover so I am very pleased that it will be used for the North American version of To Marry a Matchmaker which is released digitally on 1 October.
It is the prequel to An Ideal Husband? and I am hoping US readers will enjoy it.

Some news

Awhile ago (June 2011 to be precise) I found out that three of my books To Marry A Matchmaker (An Ideal Husband? is the sequel to this and has been out for over a year -- so much for me trying to force the issue), Compromising Miss Milton and Breaking the Governess's Rules were caught up in the transition to simultaneous publication for the Harlequin/Mills and Boon Historical series. They had already appeared in the UK but not in the North American market. They were supposed to go out digitally.
I found out that all three (!) are listed to be published electronically in October 2014.  I don't have anymore info than this but I am trying to find out.
It is a bit like waiting forever  for a number 7 bus and having three come along at once. I am just thrilled that my US and Canadian readers who read electronically will be able to get these books.
I knew this was happening and so have saved a few print copies which will be used for giveaways.
But it feels good to be moving forward.

3 Years of TAM

Today I officially completed three years of exercising with Tracy Anderson. I also finished Y3 Month 6 and am officially done with the band and the pole.

My thoughts on the band  (after using it and reading about others experiences). The band you can buy from her site appears to be junk. It often snaps after the first few uses. She has sold two different bands. The band which is currently on offer is the smaller band which is suitable for 3.2 but not 3.1. 3.1 has moves which you need to be able to be completely within the band.
I used a yellow theraband. I bought a roll off Amazon UK and tied it to a about a metre length. I found when I went shorter, it had tendency to snap. I needed the whole roll in the end and did retie when various loops broke.
Some people say that yellow therabands are too light weight resistance. I don't know.I went with what people were using. Some people have seen bulking. The bulking seems to be solved by making the band longer and using a lighter (ie yellow) resistance.
The moves are hard what ever the resistance. We are talking generally 50+ min of intense MS work. L7 on 3.2 is 41 min. L8 is 1 hr and L9 is 56 min for example.
For all the *trouble* with the band snapping, I did like the moves and felt v much puppet on a string in 3.1. the band is used in a slightly different way in 3.2. There are more pole moves. The pole can be painful but good. It does really stretch your triceps, for example.
I have seen how my strength has grown. I can do rollover type planks without too much difficulty. The plankorama is coming up so this is good. My balance is much better. In 3.2 L9, the easiest exercise for me was the modified headstand.
I have come a long way in three years. I am an on-going work in progress. I do like doing TAM. I enjoy the challenge.
But I am looking forward to no added equipment except for handheld weights and the ankle weights.

'15 significant anniversary?

In 1915, we had WW1 in full swing
In 1815 we had Waterloo
In 1715 we had the Jacobite rebellion with Bonnie Prince Charlie.

I just realised this when I heard a woman at the Tourist Information speaking to a lady at Dilston Hall. Dilston was the home of the Earls of Derwentwater. The Earl was beheaded for his part in the Jacobite rebellion. It is why a lot of land in Haydon Bridge  belongs to  Greenwich Hospital.  It became part of the Crown's lands as a result of the rebellion.
All three events really changed society. As a result of the Jacobite rebellion, many left Scotland and went to the US, primarily the Carolinas including some of my forebearers, Their sons and grandsons later took part in the American Revolution. The fighting was absolutely bitter in the Carolinas.

Did I raise my daughter to be a feminist?

This morning the Times had an article on how to raise your daughter to be a feminist.
As my daughter is 21, it is perhaps too late. There again as she just her BSc  in Geography (2.1) and is about to do a Masters in Rivers Environmental management plus nearly slotted her grandfather when he suggested that she might make some man a good wife (my father in law is of a certain generation and I often have to  rise above, darling, rise above), I believe she is a feminist. For the record, she also likes to bake and seems to prefer short skirts (too short for my dh's taste but then he is her father...) to trousers and inhales romance novels.
In short, she is a Modern woman who refuses to be defined by narrow stereo types. Hopefully some day she will decide to make an honest man out of a man who adores the ground she walks on, but it is her choice (as she keeps telling me and I am not supposed to hold my breath for grandchildren).
She is also between two brothers. She says you can tell who has brothers and who doesn't. And she doesn't take many prisoners as she knows what brothers can be like.
My sons are  for the most part polite and I like to think treat women in a courteous and considerate manner. There are times that they are MEN. (And it is hard when despite your best efforts, genetics take over and your sons become MEN)  Thankfully they have decided not to share their doings with the rowing club or the kayaking club. I don't friend them on Facebook as well I prefer to think of them as not being MEN but nice, polite humans.
But  I did realise when a woman becomes a mother, she wants her children to succeed -- whether or not they are of the same sex as her. When you become a mother of boys, you discover that boys just like different things.  You want to push all your children (I do have tiger mother tendencies at times).  But it is important to treat your children like people. And I think everyone has a mind and a mind is terrible thing to waste. And I do hate it that journalists feel they comment on how many times Angela Merkel wears a jacket but not how many times David Cameron wears the same suit.  But hopefully as the generations grow, it will become a more equitable place.
So did I raise my daughter to be a feminist? No, I raised her to be a person. There is a subtle difference.

Faulty logic

Today a story in the Daily Telegraph reminded me of faulty logic -- you know the one  which goes cats has four legs, whiskers and a tail A dog has four legs whiskers and a tail. Therefore a dog is a cat.
After a protest outside its doors, urging a boycott of Israeli produced food, a Sainsbury manager decide in order to avoid trouble, he would clear all KOSHER food from its shelves and duly did. I am not about to debate the rights or wrongs of boycotting food produced in Israel, but merely want to point out that no all Kosher food is produced in Israel and not all food produced in Israel is necessarily labelled Kosher.
In a country famed for its tolerance of religion like the UK, it alarms me to see creeping Antisemitism and the banal response from Sainsbury. There is a huge difference between people who are Jewish and the Israeli government's actions. It is like blaming everyone who happens to be Muslim for the actions of the IS.
I suspect the better response would have been to call the police and to ask them to deal with intimidating protesters.  Lawful protest is fine but intimidation is not.

Nearly three years of doing the Tracy Anderson Method

On 25 August 2011, I started doing TAM with Tracy Anderson's book -- The 30 Day Method. After finishing that, I then went on to her Metamorphosis and Continuity programmes.
I continue to do TAM to this day.  I am on Year 3 Month 6 L9. In many tangible ways TAM has changed my life.
Thus far I have survived the ball, the chair, the hoop (easily my most hated), the band  and the pole. When I start Y3 Month 7 (3.3) is a plank-o-rama but no added additions beyond the hand held weights and the  strap on weights. It apparently is very hard but I am sure I will be up for the challenge.
Something that I started for very shallow reasons has become necessary for my mental health. I enjoy doing TAM and it makes me feel better. This year has been horrendous in many respects (my mother in law was taken into care with severe dementia and my father in law now lives in what was our dining room. He  had a hip replaced in June. He is not a good patient. He shows no sign of wanting to leave... It is complicated but we are muddling through) TAM has helped me keep my sanity.
It is the one exercise programme that I have kept up. My life is littered with exercise programmes  I started and didn't keep up for more than a few weeks. To have kept for three years really is astonishing. I tend to workout 6 x a week with one rest day.
Year 3 with its longer muscular structure workouts has necessitated me taking rest days, sometimes even the odd extra day. I find I am more likely to get sore now than in the early stages of Meta. I do like the longer MS workouts in some ways. I know I am certainly sweating lots. MOre during the MS than during the DC.
I still do my Dance cardio, normally 30 min. I used to do an hour of the DC and then brought it down to 45 min, but with the longer MS, I just don't have the time. I am a better dancer than I was which is possibly not saying not much. But I enjoy it.
I do the DC straight after the MS and it does loosen my muscles.

And my body? I am happy with it. I am 50 and apparently really don't look it (I also started dying my hair about a year ago -- brown and I do think people judge women on if they have gray hair or not. My gray stopped at my ears so the back of my head was completely brown while I had gone v gray/white at the front)
 I have kept the weight off for the most part (see about the above situation -- I am not perfect, nor am I a saint and sometimes...eating for emotional reasons can assist. It has truly been a nightmare). If I had not been doing TAM, I hate to think what would have happened! TAM has really had my back. (And I do know the stats for people who have lost as much I did!) My current slight increase in weight might also be due to the decrease in the DC. But I am fine with being a UK size 8/10 (US 6). When I was US 2/4, I was far too boney up top and strangers used to tell me not to lose any more weight!  I have noticed that since things are settling down a bit, I seem to be losing again/my clothes are fitting better.
I can see myself getting stronger and more capable. My balance is excellent (although I do on occasion tumble -- not good when you are holding a pole!)
My posture is better and my confidence has grown. I like being able to eat what I want (within reason). I like not having to count calories.
So TAM works for me. It is something that I do. I will have to see what I am like at the end of 5 years -- will my body have been completely re-sculpted? I know I am having fun trying.
I think it is important for people to exercise. I don't think there are any real shortcuts. I have found something that works for me and right now that is enough.

I should probably write more but I have a 1 October deadline for my latest wip.

Saved by the Viking Warrior on sale

As today 1 August, Saved by the Viking Warrior is on sale at  Harlequin and Mills & Boon.

I also found out that two of my earlier books -- An Impulsive Debutante and A Question of Impropriety are being republished (officially in April 2015) but you can get them as part of a boxed set with 22 other great books set in the Regency as part of the In Regency Society series.  AID and QI are titled Prejudice in Regency Society. I love the cover!

And Taming His Viking Woman comes out in February 2015.
Now to get the next one done...

Good reads giveaway for Saved by the Viking Warrior

As Saved by the Viking Warrior comes out on 19th August, I am doing a Goodreads giveaway.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Saved By The Viking Warrior

by Michelle Styles

Giveaway ends August 18, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Cover Reveal for Saved by the Viking Warrior

This has to be one of my favourite covers.

Available for preorder on Amazon, AmazonUK,  Barnes and Noble, , Book Depository.

Back cover blurb for Saved By the Viking Warrior

My editor just sent this through and I really love it.

"THERE IS NO ONE. I TRAVEL ALONE. I LIVE ALONE. ALWAYS."

Battle-scarred Thrand the Destroyer has only one thing on his mind: settling old scores. But with the beautiful Lady of Lingfold as his prisoner, the unyielding warrior starts to dream of a loving wife and a home to call his own.

Cwen is also seeking justice, but she knows the fragile alliance she’s built with Thrand will only last as long as they share a common enemy. Unless they can find a way to leave revenge to the gods to forge a new life together.

It comes out in September 2014. And you can read an excerpt here.

Goodreads giveaway for Return of the Viking Warrior

My Goodreads giveaway  for Return of the VIking Warrior is now live.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Return of the Viking Warrior

by Michelle Styles

Giveaway ends April 28, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Return of the VIking Warrior excerpt

Time swiftly marches on. I am currently working on my latest but suddenly realised that I have not put up an excerpt for Return of the Viking Warrior. You can find it here. And if you are interested I have alos put up an excerpt for Saved by the Viking Warrior. The two are not linked btw.

The Goodreads giveaway will be sorted in the next few days.
I am expecting my author copies to arrive within the week....

Cover Reveal Return of the VIking Warrior

Events have rather over taken me which is the reason for the long silence. Long story but my father in law is living with us now and my mother in law who is later stage dementia has been taken into care.

I am slowly writing my current wip but it is slow going.

Not entirely sure why Ash is ginger but I love the cover model for Kara. Overall it has a good feel.

The Back Cover blurb for The return of the Viking Warrior

This is the back cover blurb for my book which comes out in May 2014:

THE VIKING CLAIMS HIS WIFE
Kara Olofdottar thanked the gods when she married her childhood hero Ash Hringson. But this fearless raider has been gone so long, his proud arrogance is the only memory she retains of him. Now she must remarry to protect her lands for her son.
But then, on her wedding day, the conquering warrior returns to gasps of horror and surprise! After all, Ash was supposed to be dead, though to Kara's starved gaze he seems very much flesh and blood…and less than impressed to find his beautiful wife intent on marrying someone else!

Harlequin Historical Author Giveaway 12 December: Michelle Styles

Update 14 December  the first name out of the hat was Jo Major and she has been contacted. Many thanks to all who entered. Your names will go forward to the grand prize draw on 23 December.
Currently my Regency Hattie Wilkinson Meets Her Match is on super special discount for Amazon.co.uk kindle users of 59p ! Iive no idea of the price on Amazon.com because it doesn't allow me to check prices (sigh!)
Paying the Viking’s Price is on sale at Amazon.co.uk (£3.74 print, £2.99 kindle)

Harlequin Historical Advent Calendar Giveway

The Harlequin Historical Authors Holiday Giveaway is back. In the spirit of an Advent calendar, the authors are giving away daily prizes and a Grand Prize of a Kindle Fire HDX Wi-Fi (or equivalent tablet depending on your location). Play every day for more chances to win.

The Rules:

Each participating author will have an activity planned on their website for their special day. You may be asked to comment on a blog, find an ornament, or visit a Facebook page. For each day you participate, your name will be entered into the Grand Prize drawing. At the end of the month on December 23, one day from the calendar will be randomly selected. One of the entrants from that day will then be randomly selected to win the Kindle. The more days you visit, the better your chances! Happy Holidays and we look forward to seeing you. Click here for official rules and eligibility.

Participating Authors

Cheryl St. John - November 27 Elizabeth Rolls - November 28 Michelle Willingham - November 29 Annie Burrows - December 2 Ann Lethbridge - December 3 Marguerite Kaye - December 4 Barbara Monajem - December 5 Amanda McCabe - December 6 Louise Allen - December 9 Blythe Gifford - December 10 Kate Bridges - December 11 Michelle Styles - December 12 Georgie Lee - December 13 Jeannie Lin - December 16 Diane Gaston - December 17 Terri Brisbin - December 18 Julia Justiss - December 19 Lynna Banning - December 20 Grand Prize Drawing - December 23

OneNote and the author

One of the things I'm attempting to do while waiting for my editor's thoughts ( they are now down on apper apaprently but she wants to add some other colleagues' insights) is to come to grips with OneNote.

Jami Davenport put something on the PAN loop about a cheat sheet for authors which explains the basic thinking.
OneNote comes with Microsoft Office. If you don't have it, you can download a version.
OneNote is an easy way to share various info  -- think authors creating a continuity and needing to have a *bible* of notes which is shared between several people and can be updated by them.
It is also easy to transfer research between notebooks.
In theory it means capturing images/urls from the internet is easy. And I should not have to rely on my scraps of paper.
There are apparently apps for various tablets and smart phone.
What it is not -- a replacement for Word or for getting the words down on paper.

It is a great way to capture thoughts and images and have them there at your fingertips. This is particularly useful when you come to revise a project that has been sitting for several months and you discover you have to write a new scene and have forgotten various bits and what you had is now lost somewhere. You then lose an hour searching, can't find the scrap of paper but do unearth several interesting bits of info. You then proceed on a wing and prayer, knowing that the one last read through should bring any discrpencies only to have an eagle eyed copy editor mention that you have given two different very minor characters the same name etc. There are reasons why I keep of list of all named characters (if I can find it!)

OneNote does have a searchable feature whic will search through all your notebooks. There is even a place to put unfiled notes.

Having played around with it for a bit, it does make sense. However, I still like to do my plotting with pad and pen. Totally off screen
It is best to have a notebook for each project. You can have various sections such as character, plot, settings, research info etc.
Under character, you can have different pages. There is a tab on the right side which lists pages and subpages. So you could have a list of characters, a seperate page for each main character and within the main characters page, have subpages for backstory etc.

Goodreads Giveaway for Paying the Viking's Price

Paying the Viking's Price will be released on1 November so I am doing a giveway in conjunction with Goodreads.

I will also be sending out my newsletter soon which will have another chance for people to win a signed copy. So if you haven't signed up, please do so. I only send out newsletters when I have a book out...

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Paying the Viking's Price

by Michelle Styles

Giveaway ends October 30, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Two Years of The Tracy Anderson Method and counting

This weekend meant I passed the 2 year mark of doing The Tracy Anderson Method and basically 3 years of my weight loss journey. And whispers very quietly I did it. I have kept it off.
Something like 80% of people regain back all of their weight plus a few extra pounds within 2 years of losing it.  Of the people who do maintain for any length of period, over 90% do at least an hour of exercise per day.
To maintain your weight over a significant period is not an easy task but I knew from quite early on that if you want to keep the pounds off, you have to be prepared to sweat. And so I sweat -- about 1 1/2 hours a day at least 6 x a week. Occasionally when I am holiday, I do take time off but I will put the days in before I go and then when I get back... It is also better for my mental health. No matter how I'm feeling, I always feel better when I've done my TAM.

Doing so much exercise also allows me to eat more liberally. I see lots of people who are constantly on a diet or denying themselves things. It does get much easier when you don't have to but instead listen to how your body responds to various foods. This means in general I try to limit my dairy, in particular milk and rich cheese. I limit my intake of processed foods and very rarely have fast food.
On a day to day basis, I have learnt I do better with something in my stomach before I exercise. So when I'm exercising first thing (most mornings), I start with a large glass of water and a banana as bananas are easy for my system to digest. I will then eat a proper breakfast -- generally fresh fruit with flaxseed after I finish. Lunch tends to either a salad or soup and I do try to incorporate healthy whole grains such as quinoa or barley. Supper tends to whatever my husband makes but he cooks from scratch. If I eat bread, I try to make it homemade. If I eat cake or cookies (which I do, possibly too often), they tend to be homemade.
I have significantly decreased the amount of dried fruit I eat as it kept sending my stomach into knots and my blood sugar everywhere. If you want to maintain your weight, it is much easier when your blood sugar is stable.
Drinking lots of water also helps.
I tend to drink green or herbal/fruit tea instead of my old ordinary tea with milk.

BUT the underpinning to everything is TAM. I do 45 min of Muscular Structure work and then 45 min of the Dance cardio. By the end I am drenched in sweat. One thing I love about TAM is that my mind is constantly challenged and the brain to muscle connection is always being worked on. Every ten days, the Muscular structure changes. The challenge for this level 2.3 L7 for me is the hoop on the working knee fire hydrants while balancing both hands on upturn weights. I think I have finally got it -- really seriously invert the supporting knee...but tomorrow will be the proof.
I'm not sure I'm a good dancer. I just enjoy myself. When I first started, the dance cardio was something I had to do but now it is an enjoyable part of the experience.

And I do like wearing my UK size 8s (US size 4). To remind you all I was US size 20 when I started. It was a hugely sobering moment when I realised the LLBean red shorts which fit were a size 20.

Finally TAM  has been hugely empowering for me. I think it is the whole mastering various levels. But it does provide more brain to muscle connections because after all dancing is the one  physical activity that helps ward off dementia. ( you see the research from Stanford here ) I figure the more brain to muscle connection and pathways I have, the greater chance I have of having fewer senior moments as I age.
I have also been surprised at how my over all health has improved. I have far fewer colds, flu and gneral lurgy these days than I did before.

Anyway onwards towards the five year mark...I determined to maintain my size and the most important weapon in my arsenal is TAM.

Do women have to be Kick ass to be strong?

Apparently at the RWA Nationals there was a buzz/discussion about how there are so many kick ass heroines in historical romance these days. By kick ass -- these are the women who are unafriad to go toe to toe with men on the battlefield etc. But is this mecessary? There are other ways to be strong.

There is some evidence -- the tradition of the Valkeries and shield maidens plus a few sagas which mention women warriors. However, no graves have been found where there is clearly women's items such as spindles as well as swords.

Appearing unfeminine was also frowned upon in other periods. However this does not mean that women were weak or pliant or indeed could not influence events.

In England, women lost the right to vote with the advent of universal male sufferage. Prior to that if you were a large enough landowner, you could vote. And some widows did.
Women tended use their power when husbands were absent or dead. Unmarried women also could have power.
From reading Philippa Gregory's Cousin War books as well as watching the White Queen, I was reminded of exactly how much power a woman could exercise and how she was often pilloried for seeming to do it in an overt manner. Another case in point was the excellent Catharine Edwards series on Roman Mistresses, Murderers and Mothers: the Empresses of Rome. You could argue that Livia, Augustus's wife who basically ruled as co-emperor with Augustus and then with her son Tiberius was not a one-off but part of the women who had such influence at the end of the Republic.  there are reasons why their names have come down to us.

As Livia shows the pursuit of feminie virtue can be used as a positive. The person who controls the behind the scenes and grants access to the nominal head may actually have more power than the warrior.

Anyway it bugs me when people equate strength with physical combat. There is more than one way to exercise power and brute force doesn't always cut it.

The five most common mistakes Romance authors make

One of my other hats is to edit the Pink Heart Society blog. It is a labour of love but I enjoy it
Anyway, the PHS is very fortunate in that Tessa Shapcott who was a legendary editor at Harlequin Mills & Boon until she left the company earlier this year has agreed to do several posts on writing romance. Tessa is one of the main reasons that Harlequin Presents enjoyed such success over the years.
Her first blog The Five most common mistakes Romance authors make (and how to avoid them) went live on Saturday. If you missed it (and it should be required reading for any Romance author), you can access it here.  Tessa has agreed to do a few more posts for the PHS in the coming months so keep an eye out. I will try to highlight them as well.

And I should be over at Unusual historicals later today/tomorrow with a post on five fascinating facts about Viking controlled Northumbria which is where Paying the Viking's Price is set.

A cake and champagne day

My youngest son will be going to St Andrews to read zoology this September. I am so pleased for him and all he has achieved.

I am also pleased that this is the last time I have to go through the stress of teenagers waiting for their exam results...

Some days are Special Occassion Cake and Champagne days and today is one for my family.

Congrats to everyone else who passed the A levels.

The Red Queen and self-belief

Margaret Beaufort, the heroine of Philippa Gregory's The Red Queen is a hard woman to like. But one thing she is not lacking in is self-belief. She truly seems to have believed that her son was destined for the throne and God had ordained it and so it would happen.
It is doubtful that Henry Tudor would have become if not for Margaret Beaufort.
She did go through some pretty dark times but her belief sustained her.
I thought about this, this morning. Sometimes I need to have more faith in myself and my dreams. It is to manufacture hurdles rather than looking at them as stepping stones.

The tv series -- The White Queen is brilliant btw. Good escapist Sunday night viewing. It is the only way to treat the Wars of the Roses -- to look at it from the women's POV. Ther are just too many male protagonists (none of them v nice).

But my God, sometimes I do wish I had Margret Beaufort's self belief.

Tracy Anderson Method update (nearly two years in)

As someone asked:

Yes I am still doing TAM. Every morning, 6 days a week.

I make sure I have a banana and a large glass of water before I workout. This has solved several problems including falling asleep in the evening and being ravenously hungry.

I am currently on 2.3 and coming to grips with the hoop. Rather than pay for shipping, I went to the local plumbing store and bought tubing plus connectors. The hoop is 18.5 inches in diameter. There are specific reasons to its size. It works for me.
The hoop requires precision and concentration. The key at times is not to have it swinging wildly on your foot or ankle which means I have to move more slowly. It kills. But I suspect it also kills the remains of saddle bags etc.

I do the MS first and the n the DC as I started to bulk up a bit. Switching it has made the difference. I repeat the arms and abs after I finish the MS and then I do 45 min of the DC.

I am maintaining my size very successfully. I am a solid US 4 as I looked too bony up top when I was 2/4.  As this makes nearly 2 years, I reckon I'm doing better than 95% of the people who lose significant amounts of weight. I eat what I want to but my diet is very heavy in unprocessed food with a huge emphasis on fresh fruit and veg.

Losing it is relatively easy. Keeping it off is the hard part.  It gets harder as you get older as our metabolisms naturally slow down. thankfully TAM has helped. It is all about making a lifestyle change.

In other bits of news:
I am trying to defuse my persistently critical self. It is very easy to take a negative view of things but sometimes you need to realise that things are not personal and that it is better to take a positive approach rather than the negative to define you.

Paying the Viking's Price -- cover reveal

Yesterday the cover for Paying the Viking's Price arrived in my inbox.
Apparently the model is  Taylor David.  He certainly has a good Viking look...
Anyway I think it a great cover.

 

You can read an excerpt of Paying the Viking's Price here. It is published in November 13.

 



Know why your narrator needs to tell the tale

There are  reasons why I love to go back over my writing book library.
The story I am working on at the moment is a non-HQN project and is in the first person because it seems to write like this.
But a small problem for me is that I have never written first person before. What I am doing is reworking a story I wrote a few years ago because well there were certain things I loved about it but it wasn't quite right.
Anyway, I remembered that Orson Scott Card has a section on First Person narrator in his wonderful book Characters and Viewpoint. In that he discusses the why of choosing narrator, particularly when the story is told in first person. For example with Sherlock Holmes, Watson is by far the best choice as Sherlock is far too knowing.
What he does mention as well and it really resonated with me last night is to make sure you understand why the character needs to tell the story. And that the character is the sort of person who would feel comfortable in telling the story. In other words, tale-telling has to be part of the character if you choose that character to be the vehicle or vessel to tell the tale. An emotionally closed character without a compelling reason to put the story down may not be the best choice even if they are the protagonist or driving the story. You also have to know who the narrator is telling the tale to. Is it the tale for general consumption (aka memoirs) , a journal (so ultimately for their later self) or for someone else entirely.If you are going to use first person, you have to know. it affects the choices you make in telling the tale.
This is less of a problem with 3rd person limited because it is more like the reader is watching a film.
Anyway, I found it interesting and it has given me insight into my narrator.

My heart goes out

Last night I listened in horror as the events unfolded at the Boston marathon. So senseless. So tragic. My heart goes out to all those who are affected.
Back in 1999, I stood on the finish line sidelines with my three children, waiting for my husband to finish. Probably very near to where the explosion happened.  Boston is a lovely city full of wonderful people. Everyone was so kind. I can clearly remember someone handing out juice bars and making sure that my lot got some. People were just kind to a woman with three young children, including one in a pushchair. They made space so we could see the racers and cheer them on. I have very good memories of the city and the people.
When my lot were young, we went to a lot of races to cheer my husband on. Marathons always have a special atmosphere. People are relaxed and excited. Everyone is working together. And the runners are the focus. It is a shame that the innocence has been lost.
The Boston marathon is a great race  and I hate that it was targetted in this manner.
There is never any justification for this sort of behaviour. Ever.

Get Lost in a Story interview blog

Today (10 April) I am visiting with Angi Morgan at Get Lost in a Story. I reveal the playlist I used for An Ideal Husband? plus have a giveaway for a signed copy.

A really lovely piece of news was that Happily Ever After the USA Today column which is devoted to all things in the Romance genre featured An Ideal Husband? in the latest column. I was totally thrilled as it was so unexpected!

Writing wise I am busy working on my non HQN project (and enjoying it very much!) as well as waiting for my eidtor to get back me with her thoughts on my latest Viking.

November release title and giveaway

My editor FINALLY let me know what my Nov release will be called  Paying the Viking's Price.
It really works for the story where a Anglo Saxon lady is forced to become a Viking's concubine as the price for keeping her people safe.

Today you can find me doing the Quick Six for Tawny Weber. A signed copy of An Ideal Husband? is up for grabs to one lucky commentator. It is an either or question.  The winner will be chosen on Sunday.

And I promise to update this blog more. I did however turn in my latest Viking and am now working on my paranormal from ages ago (but it is a total rewrite as I went badly wrong). The great thing about writing is that you can always rewrite.

Goodreads Giveaway for An Ideal Husband?

Because An Ideal Husband is due to be released on 5 April, I have organised a giveaway with the good people from Good Reads. I think I have remembered to put most countries in...
It can be hard but I do ship everywhere for contests etc.

I will be doing my newsletter later in March but first I need to finish my wip and submit it.It is getting getter, depsite my head hitting the desk moment on Monday when I realised that I had stretched out a plot point for far too long and had thus disapated the tension and the pacing was off.
An extended period of ripping and writing is currently happening but the book will be better for it.
I do like my new editor as I get light bulb moments, even when I am being a bit dim...

You can enter the Good reads giveaway  here:

Goodreads Book Giveaway

An Ideal Husband?

by Michelle Styles

Giveaway ends April 04, 2013.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

In the Hexham Courant

The Hexham Courant has done a lovely article about me and my study for their My Favourite Room Series. The url isn't up yet but I managed to procure a copy and am posting the photo of me in the study.

                                                                                                         My husband will say that it is visual proof that my studdy can be tidy!!!

A quick update -- latest Viking sold etc

First of all, my latest manuscript sold on 18 January. No title or schedule release date and no word if it is going into retail in North America.  Persoanlly I think it is excellent with really strong plot hooks, well developed characters and an exciting plot line but I would say that.

I am hard at work with the next one and very excited about it. It is another Viking. A berserker this time. My new editor is allowing me to have darker heroes.

The No Sugar month was a success. I learnt lots. Going no sugar/sweetners is very hard. There are times when the body demands sugar, particularly in stressful situations. Nutrient rich starchy carbs really do have a part to play. The excessChristmas weight has dropped plus some more. Other than being no sugar, I have not been dieting -- so I have been eating my own homemade bread for instance.
I had birthday cake on my 49th. I made the frosting. It was far too sweet. I much prefered the walnut/coffee cake part. I also tried some custard I had made a day earlier. Again far too sweet, even though I had put in less sugar than the recipe called for. Fingers crossed that I am losing my sweet tooth. I have not been really tempted.
Going forward, I am doing limited sugar which basically means sugar/sweetners on Special Occassions.
I did read Rob Lustig's Fat Chance --the Bitter Truth about Sugar -- it is always good to read a book that confirms one's research into the topic.
Basically all successful diets really limited sugar and increase fibre (high in micronutrients). They are also low in trans fats and omega-6 fat. If you do consume fat and carb mixed, you have an equal amount of fibre. The rest is really window dressing.
Other good tips for losing weight are: eat protien with your breakfast. Never skip breakfast. get enough sleep. Wait 20 min before having seconds. Exercise.
Very basic but practical. The real is to eat real food. Avoid the processed. And listen to your body.
The fibre connection is interesting. Nurtient rich strachy carbs all have a lot of fibre. Fibre contributes to making you feel full and getting rid of toxins. It also speeds up transit times.

Right I need to get this partial off to my editor...

Tracy Anderson Meta Y2 update

Right I am on 2.1 L5 Day 46. Tracy Anderson takes it to new heights in Year 2. There is the added challenge of the chair. It is used in a number of ways -- a blocker to ensure you are reaching the right angles, a balance bar and a support for planks.
Thus far on omni I have managed without having arms on my chair. I simply adjust my hold. I saw no reason to shell out more money for a chair with arms. The important things is that the chair needs to be sturdy enough to climb on and easy enough to move about.
You should be able to get under it but in the first level, I found I was getting claustrophobic and so Imagined the chair about me. It worked.
Tracy uses ankle and wrist weights -- both lighter (1.5 lbs). I have taken to stopping the dvd and transferring my wrist weights to my ankles. It works. You only want to add the weights AFTER you can do the exercises with perfect  form and for the required number of reps. The fact that she is wearing the weights is an invitation, not a commandment for every workout on that level.  I did check with the TAM team. It makes sense.
I have also learnt that precise form is essential. Not only do you want to hit the angles (the higher the leg, the tighter, the bum) but you also want to keep the tempo. Sometimes going too quickly can make the exercises easier. This is unfortunately true of the planks so I am trying to be mindful and slow down. The positioning of the knee is key in many leg lifts. A slight shift in the foot position during a lunge can make a difference to where you feel it.  And arm positioning can mean the difference between balancing or falling. I learnt this the hard way on this level when in the second to the last exercise I didn't have my support arm down at right angles to my body. I keep gently toppling and then I looked and saw. Adjusted and I could do the bloody exercise.

My No Sugar January is going well. I do feel a lot less bloated. My mid morning cravings have gone and I am often no hungry for an afternoon snack.  I went through a period last year of feeling like I was  starving all the time which was when I discovered nutrient rich starchy carbs. 
My daughter made some pretzels the other day which had honey as the fifth ingredient. they tasted wonderful but my body reacted badly. I was up half the night with stomach cramps from bloating. I am not sure if it was from the sweetener, the sesame seeds or the poppy seeds. I had wondered if I had an yeast overgrowth (because of the craving for sweet things) and hence part of the reason for the No Sugar Jan. The reaction could have been the yeast going into over drive. Anyway, I shall be terribly strict for awhile and then test. again. I really don't want a repeat...

I am currently writing a synopsis for my latest Viking partial and preparing to send it to my editor -- whenever she lets me know about the revised one. Fingers crossed.

Collie and Cat alarm clocks

Ever since his brother died, Heathcliff has been allowed free run of the house at night instead of being locked in the kitchen.
One consequence is that if I don't get up when my alarm goes, Heathcliff comes over and either meows very loudly or puts his cold nose on the inside of my wrist which shocks me into action. He doesn't sleep on the bed. We moved his basket up and he does sleep there. He also will sleep on my eldest's bed (if my eldest is away) or even my daughter's bed (again she has to be away).  But once the alarm goes off, he is there on my side of the bed. He totally ignores my sleeping husband and simply goes for the hand who will feed him.

Using this principle, I have been sending the collies upstairs to wake up the children if they are not down at suitable time. They have a habit of ignoring me. I often have to go and open their bedroom doors to allow the collies access... but once they have access, the collies know what to do. Tess is polite and merely noses the sleeping child. Hardy however gets into the swing of the game, leaps on the bed, normally landing on said child's stomach and then proceeds to wash the child's face.
This goes on until said child actually moves. Strangely enough, my eldest only had to have it happen once...my youngest though waits for it. Hardy is far more polite with my daughter and only noses her, rather than jumping on her bed.
The collies are not normally allowed upstairs and know this so they have to be invited. They are intelligent in that way...

My No Sugar campaign is going well. My writing less well but it is getting done. This VIking should be excellent when done.

No Sugar January

As part of my New Year resolutions, I am doing a no Sugar Janaury. It should help me detox. Refined sugar is one those things which is bad for you in large quantities. How large depends on your own metabolism and hormones. Anyway after feasting through out Christmas, I have decided to give my digestion a break and take a rest.
Funnily enough, it is currently easier than I thought it would be.
It feels good not to be eating the sweet stuff or drinking the alcohol. Alcohol has a lot of sugar. I am also avoiding processed food (which normally has sugar added) and not adding any sweetner (including honey).
After one day, I can feel the bloating dropping. One of the problems with lymph oedema is that I do swell up if I don't eat properly.

I have contined to do my TAM over the Christmas period.  Year 2 is challenging but good fun.

My writing has been slow because I have been concentrating on my family.

An Ideal Husband? cover

I just had my first peek at the cover for AnIdeal Husband? I think it captures the mood of the book beautifully.
Iti s my last Victorian for awhile as I am concentrating on Vikings and so I am pleased that I have a good cover

Revisions etc

It has been a little while.
My lovely editor got back to me at the end of last week and had a few more tweaks she wanted for my latest Viking. They really made sense so I did them over the weekend. And I think the manuscript is much stronger. Hopefully my eidtor will think so as well.
I have started on my next Viking. I am using the Alexandra Sokoloff index  card method for plotting as it does help.  It was the whole idea of using post it notes, rather than actual cards. It does give me an idea of the structure so I can concentrate on the important bits -- the characters and their interactions. It also reminds me of things that are needed. And I can write little notes and move them about. I also don't need to just have a certain number of cards.
Sokoloff's other idea of thinking of words and images with will reoccur through the story is very interesting. How do you show the changes and make the images truly count?
At the moment, it is how my mind is working and so I am going with it.
I have learnt that my mind is apt to go off on some tangent at some point but it is all about working with what works for the book.

Harlequin Historical Advent Calendar Day 3

Today (30 November) is my day and I am offering a Take a Break gift book filled with a signed book of mine (winner's choice), biscuits, Christmas tea, a tea towel (you can never have too many of these and I do like choosing them) and a mug. Total value £20. I will draw the winner on 8 December 2012.
All entrants go forward to the grand prize drawing.
Please email me  at contest@michellestyles.co.uk with 2012 Harlequin Historical Advent Giveaway in the title the answer to the follow question:
Where is Harriet Wilkinson on her way to when she hears the stifled noise? (hint read the extract)

Tracy Anderson Method:360 Workouts completed

Since starting Tracy Anderson Metamorphisis Omni at the end of September 2011, I have officically dripped with sweat 360 times, conquered 36 different set of exercerises, particularly the challenging leg lifts (more of which later, mastered 4 different Dance cardio routine (aka Hippo dancing as my children call it).
My most hated levels were Meta L2,C1.1 L3, C1.2 L3 and C1.3 L7. I think of all of the hated levels, it was C1.1 L3 which I just wanted done. Could I get the coordination of the lunge? It took until D8.
But I did master them all.
I started out hating planks. Somewhere in Meta, I started to enjoy them which was good as some of them were fairly circus moves. The last crazy plank in Y1 is C1.2 L5. Then there was the balance moves. The key is balance, Tracy would I say and the problem is that I have none, I would mutter, tumbling over yet again. In C1.3, I started not minding the balance moves and I don't fall over that much...
A few exercises stand out: the headstand in C1.1 L8 (the trick was to make sure your elbow and supporting knee touched and you put your weight on your arms), C1.2 L3 the first balance both hands on a weight annd lift leg off the floor, and C1.2 L3 the crazy plank where you had to be coordinated with a controlled collaspe.
I learnt a lot about myself. I leanrt that I can do things that I thought I could never do.
My fexibility and balance have improved. I am not sure about my tempo.
I now love exercising. it has become a part of my life. I am in far better shape than I have ever been.
C1.3 has seen a massive improvement in my bum and thighs. There is something to strengthening the deep gluteal muscles so that your hamstrings naturally lengthen (something from pilates but of relevance here) as they no longer have to act as stabilising muscles. It really is all about balance and getting the correct balance between deep glutes, hip flexors and deep ab muscles so that the mobilising muscles don't have to act as stablising muscles. This is one of the reasons TAM takes time and why she doesn't really go after the inner thigh until mid way through Y2. Don't get me wrong -- my thighs are looking good but apparently lots of people have over developed quads etc and it is about effecting real change. I still have loose skin on my lower abs. But I have hope!
I have started the Dance Cardio 2.1 with her master trainers Stacey and Maria. They are taller than Tracy. I am beginning to get the hang of it. Having my own playlist helps.
I have previewed Y2 L1 for tomorrow. The chair comes into play. As do ankle weights.  it is supposed to be a step up. I foresee a lot more sweating in my future.

In other news:
1. My writing on my current project is going well and I am thoroughly enjoying myself. It remains to be seen if it is *pants* when I am done. It is a contemporary, rather than a historical...

2. As some of you may already know -- last Thursday we put our very elderly Lab to sleep. His race was run. the legs which had carried him on so many runs and walks had worn out. I will write something about him. I have been meaning to but keep tearing up. Most of the time though I am fine. The collies and the cat are adjusting.

3. Still waitng to hear if my editor likes my revisions but I am keeping busy (see above).

4. the Harlequin Historical Authors will be doing our annual Advent Calendar this year...watch this space.

The Next Big Thing

Katherine Garbera who writes Desire and is another American living in the UK (actually she lives in the same town as my in laws!) ask me to do this meme. You can read her answers from last week here. And her books are wonderful as well. Well worth a read.

What is the title of your next book?

An Ideal Husband? comes out in April 2013 in the UK and North America. I believe India as well and Australia/New Zealand follow in May 2013

Where did the idea for the book come from?

The idea for the first scene popped into my brain several years ago when I was trying to write a single title. Then I used it when I was crafting To Marry A Matchmaker as back story but last year my heroine, Sophie Ravel sat me down  and said I had to write her story and that she knew I really wanted to.

What genre does your book fall under?

Warm, witty and intimate historical romance. It is set in the 1850s so it is an early Victorian. Some places it will get marketed as a Regency. It is very odd to me but Rengency in publishing is a very flexible term.

 

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

A Keanu Reeves type  from around his Point Break days for Richard and a Sally Pressman type for Sophie.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

These books are traditionally published by Harlequin/Mills & Boon.

 

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

I started about mid January 2012, and then had to change quite a lot after my editor had seen the first three chapters. I was explaining to a dear friend about the problem  and she said the hero can’t  be like that. Then suddenly everything was clear and  I wrote the story (all 72 k) as I had to almost start from scratch in 3 weeks. It was great fun to write once I had everything clear.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypass and Georgette Heyer are all writers whose style I admire. I wanted to write a warm, witty and intimate romance which had a lot of accurate historical detail.

 

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

My daughter in addition to the Sophie character demanded I write Sophie’s story as she wanted to know what happened to her after  To Marry A Matchmaker.

What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?

It is a pretend engagement which develops into something more story. And there is a nod to PG Wodehouse with pigs. I adore PG Wodehouse.

 

I was going to tag various authors but they appear to have done this so if anyone wants to take up the baton, please do so and tell me where it is posted.

11 November Remembrance Sunday

Today is the anniversary of the ending of World War I. It is a day to remember the fallen and injured from all the wars and know that they died to keep us safe and allowed our way of life to happen.
It is a day to thank the living who served and continue to serve, risking their lives so we can enjoy ours.
I wear my red poppy with pride because it does help to highlight the marvellous work the British Legion does with service families. It also shows that I do understand the sacrifice and am grateful for the sacrifices made.
Last night I watched the Festival of Remembrance on BBC 1. It does bring a lump to my throat. (There wasn't anything like it in the US when I was growing up) Anyway, one of the higlights for me is the Chelsea Pensioners. When I first watched it as a bride, there was a man who had served in the Boer War. Slowly the active memories of various wars fade as one by one people die, but it doesn't mean people should forget.
So hopefully people will take a moment today to remember and to be grateful.

My poor neglected blog

It has been awhile.
My excuse is that my mother came over from the States and we did a whirlwind tour of the universites where my elder two are studying.  And my revisions for The Return of The Viking Warrior hit.
My mother went back home last week but I wanted to get the revisions done as I have a New Editor. I found my New Editor''s thoughts really useful and hope she loves my manuscript now. I think it is far stronger but it is always a worrying time when you change editors. You never know quite how they will react or if you interpreted their thoughts correctly. On the plus, sometimes you get overly comfortable with your editor and know where her quirks and hot spots are and this can mean that you are not pushed. I couldn't do anything about the change and so am rolling with it. My new editor loves Vikings so this is good. She also knows how to pronouce the names correctly.

I did draw the name out of the hat from my newsletter and Tracy had her package sent off to her.

I am still doing my Tracy Anderson Method and have nearly finished the first year of my transformation (ie 360 workouts). And then comes Year 2 with the Chair and lots of challenges for my abs.

I will try to be better at keeping up with this blog but work and family have to come first.