New Voices 2011 Some Stats

New Voices 2011 -- the Mills and Boon contest where one unpublished author will get a chance to be published  in one of the series  starts on 13 September. More info plus lots of hints and tips on www.romanceisnotdead.com

There are lots of stats on the Internet about how easy it is to fail. For example 95% of first time authors do not publish another book or 90% of people who start writing a novel fail to finish. Yes, make no mistake about it  publishing is a tough business (as well as being crazy). It also remains many people's dream.

So if you are wavering  about entering  here are some stats:

1. 100% of all Mills and Boon authors once had not finished a manuscript
2. 100% of all Mills and Boon authors once did not have a Mills and Boon editor working with them.
3. 100% of all Mills and Boon authors once had a dream of being published and did some thing about it.

If you don't enter, you can't win. Mills and Boon bought 3 authors as a result of last year's contest -- Leah Ashton who won, Lucy Snow who made the shortlist and Louisa George who did not even place but used the comments to make her manuscript sparkle and submitted it through normal channels.

Mills and Boon has a very good track record at building authors. They have quality editorial, good distribution and unparalleled  good relations with their customers. The vast majority of their authors publish more than one book with them. A significant percentage have published more than 25 books with them.  When you reach 25, you get a diamond  pin. Same for 50. 75 is a keyring. It is a big ceremony.
  They are also notoriously tough to get published with. Some 90 -95% of slush is rejected. They only take on about 10-20 new authors per year in a GOOD year.  The number of submissions is astonishing. BUT you can't think about other people, you can only think about your voice.

So why the contest? Most of their authors are long time fans of series romance and they know that many of them had a dream. The contest is their way of kick starting the dream and there is lots of help. The best way to find out about the series is to read the books as Mills and Boon does make a specific promise to the reader.
Do visit www.romanceisnotdead.com for more information.

Remember no one is born published. It is what you do to follow your dream that ultimately decides whether it remains a dream or becomes a reality.

Small Blogs Big Giveaway

34 books+ 9 GC = 43 prizes!

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Organized by: Reading Romances

hosting other giveaways now? US$100 gift card giveaway!

Letters Inside Out
hosting other giveaways now? Yes – Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. It will be international.

The Book Nympho

Kindle Fever

Reads With Wreckless Abandon
hosting other giveaways now? Monthly Book Giveaway- It’s international your choice of 1 from 5 books.

So Many Books, Here’s Mine
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Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews
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Will be giving away a $10 Gift Card (winner’s choice, Amazon, B&N, Book Depository) and more books.

The Magic Attic
‪hosting other giveaways now? Blog tour for Static by Tawny Stokes, and a The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton swag giveaway

Alice White Blogs

Pretty Deadly Reviews

Book Savvy Babe

BookHounds

Gabrielle Bisset: A Writer’s Blog

A Bookish Affair

Forbidden Passions Reviews

My Book Addiction

Frequent Reader, Infrequent Blogger
‪hosting other giveaways now? a tour giveaway from Stacey Thompson Geer on the 24th + 3 other contests still open one for a DVD of Something Borrowed, My 300 Follower Giveaway and another Tour Giveaway for the Gift of Illusion.

Red Hot Books
hosting other giveaways now? Storm’s Heart by Thea Harrison (paperback) — US/Canada

Michelle Styles

Rage, Sex and Teddy Bears

Frugal Experiments
hosting other giveaways now?The Spa For Ma Giveaway Event $100 spa basket giveaway Runs from Aug 18-31st
and The Back To School Giveaway Hop $25 school supply package Runs from Aug 22-26th

Book Nerd Reviews
hosting other giveaways now? August giveaway will be running from August 1st – August 30th. This month the winner will win two books though instead of one. And they will be able to chose from three genres. It will be international – anywhere Book Depository delivers to.

IngaSilbergBooks

Can’t Put It Down
hosting other giveaways now? it ends when my Facebook page gets 150 Likes.

I’m a Book Shark

FEAT. AUTHORS

Felicia Rogers

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hosting other giveaways now? Yes, 2 double prize packs featuring current release Girl in a Vintage Dress & Overtime in the Boss’s Bed

Ley Mesina

Bella Street

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We’ll be selecting a random participant to win a gift card for every 100 entries till we reach 600!The first winner will choose 15 items from the prize list (including the maximum number of 1 gift card)

The 2nd will choose 12 items after the 1st winner has chosen (2 gift cards maximum)

The 3rd will get 10 items after the 2nd winner has chosen (2 gift cards maximum)

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1.2Read the blog rules to know how to sign up for the prizes other blogs might be providing.

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4.The contest will end on AUGUST 29th at 11:59 pm GMT and winners will be posted after they have been selected.

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5.1The winners will be notified by email and announced on all hosting blogs.

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A levels and my daughter

What is worse than waiting for your own results? Waiting for your child's, particularly when it is the second child. My legs are like jelly. My nerves shot. With my eldest, I had the naivete of assuming he would make it. Then I had friends whose very bright children had to go through clearing (best thing that could have happened and they are thriving btw) and in the back of my mind I worried about my daughter. Had she done enough? I barely slept for days. We took long walks discussing why she would have made the grade. Thinking logically. One never thinks logically.
Early this morning she went on UCAS (before the official opening time of 8 am) and discovered her offer with her first choice university had changed to UNCONDITIONAL. She had made the grades. The scream echoed through the house.
She then waited to go down to get her grades. She got -- A*, A, B, B

Let the celebrations begin! She is going to university and I am so happy for her. There will be CAKE!!!
Two down. One to go in two years time.

Happiness is...

Happiness is...My eldest son coming home today. He has been in the US for 15 months -- working and doing his exchange year at university.
I saw him in NYC when I went for the RWA Nationals but the time was way too short.
Having gone abroad for my Junior year of university, I knew there was no way that I was going to stand in his way but I'm just glad that he is coming home. After all he is my baby boy -- although now he is all grown up.
Skype has been invaluable over the last year. Phone calls are great but to actually see someone you love in nearly real time and talk to them, even though they are thousands of miles away is priceless.
About 15 years ago, my mother's partner  wrote a paper on the fact that soon people would be using  the internet to do video phone calls, particularly grandparents to grandchildren. He was thinking about my mother. Various people in the know in the Silicon Valley laughed at him and said -- it would never happen. At that time a super fast modem was 28. It could take 20 minutes to download a simple picture. And apparently there was no demand.
This weekend, my son FINALLY set my mother up on skype (at his request she got broadband) and so it has happened. I am very glad that I will be able to skype my mother as well.
Long distance families require things like video conferencing and I am glad that skype does such a great job.
But you still can't hug a computer...

Does an author have to be on every social media site?

The best way for authors to get ahead is to concentrate on their product -- i.e writing the next book and making sure it is the best that it can possibly be. You can't sell anything if your shop window is empty. However, more than ever there is  the siren call of social media. Since I started writing seriously, there  any number of social media platforms -- Facebook, Goodreads, twitter, myspace, blogging have sprung up eharlequin etc.  Now kindle social, a.noblii and google plus, furthermore there are places springing up
The clarion cry goes  up a la the 1849 California Gold Rush, they are bringing up gold nuggets the size of boulders in Red Dog Flats! And the poor romance author wonders if she should be there as well.So also looks at the clock, the deadline she signed in blood and her family and her heart sinks.
Some respected social media people like Kristen Lamb -- say that you don't have to be EVERYWHERE. (Btw her book We Are Not Alone is a very good primer for authors..even if it does need a bit of updating) However, I think the statement needs slight tweaking. An author doesn't need to be everywhere but the ability to contact her does.  An author needs to be contactable by her readers. It is why one of the most important things for an author is her website (yes I know mine needs updating...) It is about allowing readers to contact you using their chosen medium.
So you don't have to everywhere but it is no reason why you can't make use of the RSS (Really Simple Syndication) that is embedded in many things.
For example, when I post this blog to blogger, through the magic of RSS, it also goes out  Facebook, twitter, Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk. Amazon.fr and Good Reads and possibly one or two other ones that I have forgotten. I know that it is part of the British Library Internet preservation programme for example.  The main point of the exercise is to allow people to read my blog using THEIR chosen medium, rather than mine.
I also enable comments and get notifications via the email. I do try to response to all comments wherever they are posted. I really value my readers. I also value the friendships that I have developed through modern technology.
So where can you find me? Hopefully everywhere, but I also use modern technology to be there and be able to write at the same time.
Eharlequin should hopefully get RSS capability soon btw. At the moment, I want to post there I do have to do a cut and paste thing.Time consuming) I love the eharlequin (and the Mills and Boon) boards. They helped to keep me sane when I was unpublished and still maintain that function these days. I enjoy Good reads, particularly its never ending book quiz. Good reads giveaways are brilliant btw. And shelfari's end notes are linked to Amazon so that when a person downloads one of my books via kindle, they can get additional info (some of this is an ongoing project as it is a labour of love)
I do twitter (@MichelleLStyles) and do follow people back as I am interested. I go on FB. I have started sharing music that inspires me on myspace (and no it does not start playing)  I love interacting with people but mainly I try to remember that my job is to write books and that I am in the midst of a multi-book contract where once I deliver those books, they will eventually be in the hands of readers the world over. Therefore I make no apologies for using RSS and other modern linking devices.
So work smarter, not harder but allow the public to find you in whatever social media platform they chose.

Hourglass figures

It had to happen. After being out for many years, one of the latest trends is the forties/Marilyn Monroe shape. FINALLY my natural figure is a bit fashionable. Waists are in as are the clothes I like to wear -- pencil skirts, belts, fitted tops. It is lovely to see in the papers clothes that I might actually wear being touted as fashionable. Many times I look and think nope, not for me. Forties style actually looks good on a wide range of ages, and is not just for the very young. Rubs hands with excitement.

Added incentive to keep up my exercising and keep a waist. To wear fitted, you actually have to work at it. I am getting there but it is easy to get complacent. It is why having a fitted waist instead of an elastic one makes sense. I know when I have over indulged...
Long may the fashion trend continue!

How to Find the Time

If you don't think you have time to exercise or write, try keeping an activity diary. For several days (at least one 24 hour period) write down everything you do without comment and the time spent. Put it away for a week. Look at it again and see if it reflects the sort of person you want to be. Are you using the time wisely? Or do you have dead time? You may find time that you can carve out.
I know after Bob Mayer's Write It Forward suggested this exercise, I did it and discovered where I was just frittering time away. Doing the exercise gives an illusion of control.  It is a matter of deciding on your goals and how you are going to get there.
You need to know where to change before you can change.
And I have deadlines to meet.

The Page 56 Game

My daughter discovered this  meme on FB in honour of National Book Week.
The way it goes is that you post the sentence from the fifth line on page 56 of the book you have just finished , the book you are currently reading, and if you desire something from your own work.

I have just finished The Return of the Stranger by Kate Walker
 The house she had grown up in had been neglected enough when she had been a child.


I am currently reading  Italian Doctor, No Strings Attached by Kate Hardy.

'Marco, I...' She swallowed hard.

From my latest published work To Marry A Matchmaker.

'What I was going to do is of no import now.'

And to round it off from my current work in progress (Kit and Hattie)
She refused to go back to that needy deluded girl who believed romance happened when two people's glances met across a crowded room.

In many ways, it reads quite well...a totally different story to the actual stories.
This is open to anyone to try and please let me know if you do.

For less than the price of a large latte

Over the past few days, I have downloaded two books to my kindle which have helped to revitalise my interest in writing. Both from the micro-publisher Who Dares Wins. The first was Bob Mayer's newly revised take on the business of publishing and writing -- Write It Forward. One of the first things he suggests doing is revisiting your goals. I blogged a bit about this on my Fill the Well Friday column for PHS today.
The book is heavily biased towards micro-publishing and is not as slick as you'd expect from a more established publisher. There are a few copy editing errors (after ten I gave up counting) plus the formatting could have been better. The ease of jumping about the book in kindle was not there. I contrast this with the Brandilyn Collins which did allow me to jump between sections.
I also objected to some of his figures. With my publisher, Harlequin, 90% of first time authors do not fail. Harlequin is very careful in its selection and I would say a high proportion of the authors (maybe even as high as 90%) succeed in selling more than one book. Harlequin is looking to build authors and their careers. But I do accept other publishers are not as focused. But then Harlequin has always listened to its readers and seeks to fulfil that promise. They are choosy about the authors they take on. They have also have more unagented authors than the larger publishing houses. this is because Harlequin understands its product and does not need necessarily the agents' filtering system.
At one point Mayer also comments about how no one goes in and says that they want the latest Random House. Interestingly Mike Shatzkin made the same comment on his blog this week. For most publishers this may be true but not for all publishers. Harlequin has one of the most enviable brands in publishing. People do go in and grab the latest Harlequin. They speak about their Harlequins. Eventually they go for the individual author but they do tend to look with favour on the whole publisher in a way that no other publisher enjoys.  They have done so for years. It is one of the reasons why they are able to offer lower royalty rates for series (and why authors continue to chose them as their publisher) -- the author gets the benefit of the brand.
Ignoring the power of the Harlequin brand  or pretending it doesn't exist is wrong. Harlequin has carved out a good position in digital and that is mainly done to the intelligent forward thinking of the people at the top of Harlequin. They put the time and effort in early. They also continue to lead and innovate. They also produce a high quality product with tremendous attention to copy editing and formatting.  I also have every expectation that they will soon figure out a way to deliver their books by subscription to whatever device so their readers can get all the books in their chosen series on the first day of the month without having to individually preorder month after month. Amazon kindle has subscriptions for newspapers and magazines. They will get it for Harlequin, even if it is just the month that the books hit the retail market. *rant over*
I agree with Shatzkin and Mayer that the future is digital and that Content is King.
The book We Are Not Alone -A Writer Guide to Social Media by Kristen Lamb is a hugely practical guide to using social media without allowing it to overwhelm you. Again it has a few copy-editing errors but in the main is sound. It did give me some hints and tips. And if such things interest you, get the book.
For the price of two lattes, I have learnt a lot and become really refocused on my work. My editor is off on holiday and I will get the current wip finished before she gets back. It is my challenge!

Lovely Review for To Marry A Matchmaker

Julie Bonello has reviewed all of my books for cataromance and has just posted her review of To Marry a Matchmaker. It made my day. She gave TMAM 4.5 stars but more importantly she said:

To Marry a Matchmaker was an absolute joy to read! Wonderfully absorbing, deliciously witty and absolutely impossible to put down, To Marry a Matchmaker is a superb historical romance that kept me riveted from start to finish. I absolutely adored Henrietta, a wonderful heroine who was smart, plucky and resourceful and Robert was simply perfect: honorable, brooding and charismatic, he’s a hero romance readers will be unable to resist. I also loved how Michelle Styles brought to life the colourful community of Corbridge which made the background of the novel more believable and real.

You can read the full review here.

Thank you very much Julie.  I adored Robrt and Henri and it does my heart good when they connect with others.

Currnetly I am working away on my latest. I am enjoying it more but I do want to get it done before my eldest comes home mid-month. My deadline is 1 Sept.

The Tracey Anderson Method and time

The Times has been featuring the trainer Tracey Anderson and her famous Method for losing weight and shaping up. Tracey Anderson is Gwyneth Paltrow's trainer and used to train Madonna. She runs a studio in NYC.  It is 2 x 1 hour exercise sessions per day plus following a strict diet of about 1,000 calories per day for 30 days. Tracey Anderson is famed for the baby food diet(ie eating freshly pureed fruits and vegtables rather drinking fruit juice)  The exercise sessions are divided up into one hour cardio -- dance and one hour -- strengthening exercises that concentrate on the smaller muscle groups.
I am sure her system works.  It is an increase the movement, decrease the food intake (drastically) type of thing.
But do I have 2 hours per day to devote to it? As my husband pointed out, even when you are training for a marathon, you are rarely spending 2 hours every day on exercise. At the moment, I do one hour per day -- either cardio, strengthening or a combo. I don't do dancing (except at the Harlequin party) because I have two left feet. Dance routines invariably end up with me putting out someone else's eye. I do see the point of combining both cardio and muscle strenthening toning exercises. I also agree that theses exercises need to be for long and lean muscles rather than body building bulk.
Yes, I could eat better but I like my food. I like solids, have done ever since I was a toddler. The key is keeping your calories down and incorporating more veg and fruit is not a bad idea. Having less than 1,200 calories per day though is not very good for you and certainly is not sustainable in the long term. I suspect that it coudl be done for one month. But goodness me, I get hungry just thinking about it. Purees for a whole month? Oh yuck and depression.
So for the moment, I am going to keep this method on the back burner for when I really decide that I need to get super fit.
It all comes down to finding a system which you are comfortable with.
If she intrigues you, she has written a book which includes a dvd of the exercises. She also has several full length dvds. But now I know and can stop feeling guilty every time I read an article about her in the Times.

Finding Inspiration to Keep Going

As everyone knows I am currently attempting to get my writer's bottom under control. I have come a long way but still have further to go. And everyone needs inspiration some days. My inspiration this week comes from the fabulous Angi Morgan who wrote about her journey on the Healthy Writer's Blog -- 99 lbs in about 9 months (plus coming off five serious medications). I had the privilege of meeting Angi at this year's RWA.  It floored me when I realised how much weight she has lost. It is one of those things -- people who didn't know you before  do not have anything to judge you by. Given her vibrant personality, I thought she must have been one of those people who are just naturally thin and beautiful. Or if she worked out, it was because she always had done so. The bottom line was that she looked great because she worked hard. And she continues to work hard.
Being fit is not a get down to that weight by starvation thing and suddenly you will always be there. It is about working hard. After a certain age, you do have to work at it and you have to keep working at it. This is why I prefer exercise and healthy eating to hugely restrictive diets. It may take longer but it has become a life style rather than a regime. Moderation.
It also has to come from within. Something hits you between the eyes and you and you alone take responsibility and make the changes necessary.
So if you need some inspiration to get you started on your journey to looking fab or to keep you going, read Angi's story. It is never easy but it is worth it!

Writer's Wednesday

I  am at the Pink Heart Society today, talking about personalisation and why it is necessary to go beyond character sheets and really dig deep to find out more about your characters and how you can use it to make sure your characters act consistently.

Currently I am working away on my wip which is due 1 September. It will get there. It just isn't there yet. However I have discovered what I meant to do in the latter bit won't work. It is unnecessary and over the top.

I did do the draw from my newsletter -- Anne Graham and Lorraine were the people and they have already been contacted and responded. Thank you to everyone who entered.

Update on lymphoedema and my writer's bottom

Last week, the physio visited (I had the wrong day down)  and did her measurements. Although I had my bandage on when she arrived, I will admit to getting slack about my bandages. However, it showed. ( some thickening in the left arm, Michelle said with a shake of her head) The physio is quite relaxed about the whole thing and said it meant I was starting to accept the condition more. She gently pointed out that I should be wearing the compression bandages while I type or do exercise because I am actively moving muscles in my arm.  Typing does cause my arm to be held in one position for a long time.

So it is back to wearing the bandages almost all the time. And I can see a difference. In the mornings, my wedding ring is wedged solidly on. After a few hours of wearing the bandages, I can move it.

I am also now wearing the bandage when I do my exercising dvds.
However I have also discovered that I can wash them in the washing machine and use the dryer. They do retain their shape. It means they are getting clean. Handwashing (manfacturer's rec) was just not doing it.

The important thing is that I have thus far avoided serious infection. It is the pooling of the lymph and the opportunities it presents for cellulitus that is the real worry with lymph oedemia.

With exercising, I noticed after the RWA, the waist bands of several garments were tight.  Wearing something with a fixed waist is better than an elastic waist band -- it gives instant feedback and is less forgiving.  It meant I went back to the Jillian Michaels Burn Fat. Boost Metabolism and really have worked hard.  If you want to lose the fat, you have to sweat and burn calories. The 10 minute solution total body one is also good. Things are improving again. But it was that early warning of the waist band which provided the wake up call.

The rain lingers but not as heavy. It did rain on St Swithin's Day and that generally means more rain. It has to do with how the Jet Stream moves.  No more flooding but Northumberland County Council have not cleared the highway drains...
The ducklings are growing and know which is their safe house now.
And I am working away on my wip. The deadline is 1 September but I want it finished by 16 August as that is when my eldest returns home. (To say that I am excited about the prospect is an understatement)

Dealing with floods

It has been RAINING here. Hard. The gutters overflowed yesterday, sending water cascading into the sun room. Urgent action had to be taken so I ended up a ladder in the pelting rain, clearing the gutter. However before I could get there, my daughter noticed that the drains were not being able to cope with the water. This was strange as I recently had the drains cleaned. I may have done but Northumberland County Council Highways Department has not. Their drains backed up, water flowed down  the North Bank and into our gate. The hardstanding where we park the cars became a lake. And the water was inching ever closer to the front door.
We built a levee outside the gates and managed to divert the water away. It flowed further down the bank and became someone else's problem.
We now have gullies where pathways used to be and silt blocking up the drive. The road on the North Bank is crumbling even more.
 On the plus side, the gutter on the sun room is clean and the water didn't reach the new carpet (much).
However, as the Highways Agency swears its drains are unblocked (they are covered in silt and mud), I can see that this is going to keep recurring. We are in the process of getting new granite curb sets (a permanent levee) as then  the water will not be able to flow into our property.
More heavy rain is forecast for today.
The ducklings were singularly unperturbed by the rain. The dogs and cats decided indoors was by far the best place to be.

Ducklings

The four ducklings have settled into their life in the pen. However, I had forgotten how troublesome ducklings can be.
They are supposed to go into the apex house to sleep as none other ducks are using that house at the moment. The mother duck keeps forgetting so my youngest and I have to catch her with the fishing net, put her in and then catch the ducklings.
This is all accomplished in the evening gloom.
It is made more difficult by the fact that the pen is covered in netting and it has to be done in a crouch.

After capture, we close up that duck house and open the other two duck houses, unblock the route into the pen the grown ducks like to use and release Hardy and Tess to help with the round up. In the morning the process is reversed.

The ducklings have to be checked several times a day for food, water and escape potential. Yesterday my youngest had to play rescue duckling as several had escaped into the stream. The mother duck couldn't get out, but the ducklings could and did. They chirped loudly but kept wriggling away from my youngest. That route has now been blocked.
But ducks are not the brightest creatures...

By the time, my eldest gets home, the ducklings will have fledged and the entire palaver can be forgotten until the next time...

Getting into Character

When Fiona Harper recommended Getting Into Character -- Seven Secrets Novelists Can Learn from Actors by Brandilyn Collins  at her RWA workshop, I knew I had to read that particular craft book. It was even better that it was available on kindle! (As a side note, I was annoyed Micheal Hauge's Writing Screenplays that Sell is NOT available on the UK kindle. I did get the book but would have preferred the kindle version...my bookself space is very limited) As Fiona likes the same sort of craft books, I tend to trust her judgement.
Ever since Natasha Oakley explained that she had no difficulty in developing characters because of her acting background and Susan Elizabeth Philips also mentioned how acting helped her develop her characters, I have been after finding a book which explains the connection. I don't come from an acting background and felt this part of my craft knowledge was severely lacking.
This led me in the first instance to Orson Scott Card's brilliant Characters and Viewpoints but that book didn't really go into the nitty-gritty of how actors operate. Getting Into Character does and it also explains the reasoning and the adaptations novelists can make.
 Collins used Stavinsky's Method Acting as a launchpad for delving into character. She details the 7 secrets -- peronsalizing, action objectives, subtexting, colouring passions, inner rhythm,  restraint and control and finally emotional memory (how a novelist can use emotional memories of seemingly mundane things to understand the highly charged emotions of their characters).
For example, we have all been intent on murder at times -- mosquitoes and flies generally being the target. It is a matter of harvesting those emotions to give resonance to the character. She also gets you thinking about how to portray a wide variety of emotions on the page. Anger can take many forms from mid irritation to cold blooded revenge to explosion. And how that anger is portrayed will depend a lot on the character and her back story, values, and the way she sees herself.
So now I know and the book does make me think. It is useful and is one way to approach character building, although not the only way.

Changing Taglines

Over the next few weeks (and months) you should be seeing a few changes on my website and blog etc.
After taking a class in Marketing and Branding from Harlequin, I realised that my tagline -- Passionate about History, Passionate about Romance was too general.An author's brand is her voice and her tagline should reflect this. It needs to be specific to the author and reflect the heart of her stories. And that tagline could be applied to any number of authors.
 At the conference, Malle Vallik who led the course agreed with my assessment. It is fine but it could be applied to any number of authors and doesn't really go to the heart of what I write. I  trust Malle. She has forgotten more about author branding than most authors will ever learn.

Luckily, I had already come to the conclusion that it needed to be changed and had taken soundings. My editors were very helpful. Editors do know what they want from an author...
My new tagline is Warm,Witty and Intimate Historical Romance from Michelle Styles.  It is far more specific and goes much more to the heart of what I write. For the record, Malle thought it better as well.

I will be working to overhaul my website so it better reflects my warm, witty and intimate approach. So if there are elements that you think should be there, please tell me. One thing I know that has been missing are BUY buttons. I want to make it easier for people who might like my books to buy my books.
It will be a work in progress for awhile but the plan is to have it done before my books are released as digital exclusives. Funny how things can concentrate your mind!

Reshaping my writer's bottom line: A comparision

As it was a picture (well several) from last year's Harlequin party in Orlando which finally made me face the fact that I really had to work at it, I thought I'd give last year's picture and this year. Note: no waist last year. (I was also wearing two layers of magic knickers) Rather more waist this year.

The black dress belonged to my grandmother and was orginally bought for Fasching in 1949.  It is now at the dry cleaners. They were rather worried about the beading but what can I do? I did dance all night in it.

I think the picture from the digital day shows my waist better. Again the top is my grandmother's. When she died, I gained a new vintage wardrobe.... The picture is with Blythe Gifford and my cp Donna Alward who is looking fab.
HOWEVER, I did eat rather too much and didn't any exercise so this week it has been back to Jillian Michaels 6 weeks 6 pack flat abs fast. I have the AMBA lunch at the end of October as my next goal. Professional pride is a great motivator.

Highlights from the RWA Nationals were the parties (what else?)
1. The Book blogger tea. My daughter is still wearing the fascinator that I acquired. It was utterly fantastic to meet so many reviewers including Pearl from Realms on Our Bookshelves and Lyn Spencer from All About Romance. I had a great discussion about late 18th century novels with Anime June. I think that they will repeat this next year and it is worth while going.
2. The Harlequin PJ Party. I went in my PJs much to my son and daughter's disgust. Deb Hale was there and so finally after many years, I was able to meet an author whom I consider a real mentor and who really encouraged me to write historicals when I was just toying with the idea. The eharlequin Library lives long in my memory.

3. The Hussie's breakfast. Every year the Harlequin Historical authors meet for breakfast and a chat. This year we went to the Glaxay Diner which Michelle Willingham found (Michelle W is great at organising) and it was wonderful just to catch up, particularily as Historical is going to simultaneous publication. Also the Historical authors were able to plan some upcoming events as we really do believe in the power of the series.
4. The Historical Tea. We took a stretch limo to the tea which was at the Mt Vernon Hotel Museum (a hidden gem of NYC). It used to be called the Abigail Adams Smith House  but the curators decided that the link was tenous and they wanted to protray it as a day hotel from the 1820s. I was able to stay for the tour which was precisely the sort of thing I love but not the tea as I had doubled booked.
5. The Harlequin Black and White Party. It was truly amazing. Everyone bare one or two was in either black or white. The venue was sublime. They gave out black Harlequin socks so I was able to kick off my shoes and dance. It is the ONE time I get to dance without anyone commenting about how rubbish I am. I stay to near the end...ALl I can say is that if you can go, go.
6. finally the Rita awards ceremony. It was fantastic to see the amazing achievements of the women who won. Sharon Sala's speech had me in tears.  Afterwards we went up to the View, which is a rotating bar and had a drink. The view of NYC at night is unforgettable.

Newsletter and contest

My July newsletter has finally gone out! It has its usual contest for a copy of my latest.
The big news is that Harlequin Historical is going to simultaneous publication in the US and the UK. This means my books will be out at the same time! Hooray.
HOWEVER, 3 of my books will be going as digital exclusives in the North American market (dates to be confirmed but before May 2012) -- Compromising Miss Milton, Breaking the Governess's Rules and To Marry A Matchmaker. I shall be doing a FREE prequel to Compromising Miss Milton which will be available wherever ebooks are sold. Harlequin is supporting me in this and my very lovely editor has agreed to edit the short novella. While I would have loved the books to have print editions in the US, I have decided to be really excited about the challenge and to embrace the opportunities this change presents. The digital revolution is really gathering pace and it is great to be in the forefront.
If you want a print edition of one of those three books, I recommend getting the UK version. New copies of Compromising Miss Milton are hard to come by. In fact, I don't have any personally. My editor is working on getting me a few copies for giveaways when it is released as an ebook.  New copies of Breaking the Governess's Rules and To Marry A Matchmaker are easy to come by. The best place to get copies if you live in the US is The Book Depository (www.bookdepository.co.uk)  as they do free worldwide shipping. Mills and Boon does flat rate shipping and then there is Amazon.ca or Amazon.co.uk.
A number of other UK first Harlequin Historical authors are also caught up in this, so you would need to check if they are going to be digital exclusive or not. This is so the inventory can be caught up. In the UK, unreleased US first books will be going as special 2 in 1 books. Again check your favourite Mills and Boon Historical author's website to see what is happening!!!!
When Ben and Eleanor comes out (sometime after May 2012), it will be going as print and digital in both markets at the same time. Once I know the dates, I will let people know. And this will be true of all my future books as well.

The RWA Conference

The RWA conference was amazing but then it always is.
It was a bit different for me this time as my daughter, son and sister were there.
The main theme of the conference for me was the growth of digital and so it was appropriate that the first person I saw when I arrived at the hotel was Malle Vallik who is the head of Harlequin Digital. If there is anyone who knows more about what is going on in the digital sphere, I would like to meet them...
We were able to have a private meeting during conference and lots of lovely things flowed from that. My website will be getting a makeover and I have a lovely new tagline -- Warm, witty and intimate historical romance from Michelle Styles.
Digital is growing expontentially. No one is sure when or where it will stop. After only a few weeks with my kindle, I can understand why avid readers are going digital. It is just easier.
The Ethan Ellenberg workshop which was given by an associate of Ethan Ellenberg as he had a family emergency confirmed some of what I was thinking. If you are interested in contracts and the nitty gritty about ebook publishing, it is worth listening to as it was recorded. Basically you do want a publisher with clout and authority. Yes, digital has changed things but you still need distribution. The gate keepers remain and unless you know about metadata, platforms and searchability, you will be lost. Self-publishing does remain vanity. Very few people make money from self-publishing. The barriers to entry may be lowered but...you are essentially becoming your own publishing house and have to create your distribution network etc.
If anyone ever needs to be inspired, it is worth reading Sherrilyn Kenyon's keynote speech on Facebook. There was not a dry eye in the house.  My daughter who was sitting beside me was in awe. You never see the failures and hard work. You often only see the success. But Sherrilyn Kenyon deserves every piece of success that she gets. She got there because she was determined.
Another great workshop which can be downloaded from the RWA is Michael Hauge's on Uniting Plot Structure with Character Arc. Very impressive.  He does run a website and send out a newsletter. But the workshop was excellent. I have ordered his screenwriting book which for some unknown reason is not on Kindle UK...
The Historical Round Up was disappointing. I had hoped to hear about what was going in the genre but the three panelists had ignored Harlequin. For example, Love Inspired Historical is going to 4 books per month starting in Jan 2012. It is one of the fastest growing series in the company. They are actively acquiring Westerns. Harlequin Historical is 6 books per month and they are actively acquiring books from all time periods with G/R/V being the most popular. HH Undone is still going strong (despite Spice Briefs stopping and Nocturne changing) and they are looking to acquire sensual romance across all time periods. The one thing that all the panelists got right was that it is the STORY that counts. I was interested to learn that Pocket calls G/R/V simple Regency.
The one piece of interesting news concerns Love Swept. Ballantine/Bantam/Del Rey used to have a series imprint called Love Swept. When I saw the old covers, I knew I had read it. It folded but they are bringing it back in digital. First with old beloved books but they are also acquiring. There are no slots to fill so they can afford to be picky.  It is currently digital only and pays 25% NAR. The best way to find out what they want is to follow Sue Grimshaw on twitter. That is how their first signing (Jessica) was taken on.
I will be back tomorrow with bits about the social side. The parties were great...

Off to NewYork and the RWA conference

Tomorrow I leave for New York and the RWA conference. Next week should be full of meetings and greetings. I also expect to learn quite a lot about what is currently happening in publishing. All next week, I will be updating the Pink Heart Society blog with my doings and various bits of gossip etc.
This conference is highly important for a number of reasons. The one being e-books and how they are dominating the growth of the industry.
There is a sea change going on with the advent of the e-reader taking a bigger proportion of sales.
In some ways it reminds me of what happened in the early 2000's with digital cameras.  Suddenly you go from needing film and processing to not need them very much.
Will print books ever truly go out? I don't think so and indeed most of the industry's sales still come from print. However,it is about economies of scale and how people purchase those books. The only place there is growth is in digital but that throws up a whole other set of problems. For example -- how much is cannibalisation and how much is new growth as people rediscover the joys of reading?
I have had my kindle for over a week now and really enjoy it. There is a feeling of wow, I can just get a book. The free sample bit is fantastic. It allows me to browse and try an author and a book before I buy. I know I have purchased several books that I might have just thought about getting before. Equally now I have a toy. It needs to be used.
But when you have a revolution or sea change, the entire world gets reshaped and remoulded. And so I shall be interested to hear what is happening.

So I shall report back here on the 4th with pictures and updates.

On a personal note: I get to see my sister whom I haven't seen for 5 years and my son whom I haven't seen for a year. They are travelling to New York and will be hanging about. I spoke to both of them last night and it is all terribly exciting. Will I get any sleep?

RWA Nationals 11 Tips

Less than a week to go before I jet off to NYC and the RWA National Conference. This is my second time and so while I remain new, I do know a bit more about what to expect.
Everyone seems to be giving tips so here are mine.

1. Smile and be friendly. A smile goes a long way.  Everyone who is at the conference has a great love of and respect for the genre. Many are writers -- ask them what they are writing.
2. When you get to a workshop early, introduce yourself to the people who are sitting next to you.  You are there for the same purpose. You meet the nicest people that way.
3. Conferences are what you make of them. Positive attitude counts.
4. Take time out and put your feet up each day. Schedule in your decompression time.

On getting a dedicate e-reader

Yesterday my husband gave me a kindle for our wedding anniversary with a pink leather cover.  I have officially entered the digital age. I had slightly resisted e-books for myself as I tend not to travel much and couldn't justify the cost. So it is great to get it as a present, particuarly as I was about to need yet another bookcase.
Kindles are sinfully easy to set up and use. One of the great perks is being able to download a sample chapter. It is like being able to browse at the bookstore but with no one looking over your shoulder or complaining that you are taking too long. The samples are far easier to read than the look inside feature on Amazon.
The slightly annoying thing is that as I live in the UK, I am limited to downloading UK available books, rather than the wider selection of US books. Yes, I can buy the paperbacks from Amazon but that rather defeats the object...
It does read like a book...but it is harder to skip ahead. This is a bad habit of mine. Lately with the GRR Martin's, I have found myself reading certain threads because he does have this tendency to end on a cliff hanger and only return to the story much later. But I suppose it means I will go faster as I will want to get to the end.
It is nice and light and does mean when I go to New York next week, I will have things to read on the plane going out there.
I do like playing around with the font.
Having got one, I suspect soon I will wonder why I  resisted the change for such a long time...

Update on reshaping my writer's bottom and bees

The big news is that a nucleus of bees arrived yesterday. Long time readers of this blog will remember when beekeeping came easy. Then there was the attack of the mice in 2009 and starvation and frozen bees at the beginning of 2010.  A fellow beekeeper knew he normally gets swarms and offered to capture one for us, if we'd supply the hive. A few weeks ago, he captured the swarm and put it into the hive we provided. He then allowed them to expand. Yesterday, he stuffed cotton wool/sheep fleece in the entrance and drove the hive over here. A very brave man is Mr L.
 The bees have a feeder full of 50/50 water and sugar. My only fear is that the wonderful Mr L doesn't live far enough away and the worker bees will fly back to his hive, leaving the nurse bees and larvae behind. This happened when we first got bees. Starvation is never pretty and I learnt my lesson -- always feed for the first few weeks.
The recent cold weather is not doing the bees any good. Mr L was going back to feed his own bees as they had eaten up their stores because of the cold weather. When it rains, bees don't fly.Plus there is often a drought of good nectar plants in June.
My youngest is now in charge of the bees. He says that I am not to do anything because of my lymphoedemia and the potential for getting stung. There is a suspicion that a bee sting or three might have contributed to the problem initially. I will be good.
In my efforts to reshape my bottom, I have started doing the 10 minute solution Perfect Pilates. I did 5 days of their total body blast off which was excellent and had never attempted Pilates before. The fact that Pippa Middleton did pilates gave me the push. Pilates is not easy but it is less intense..in some ways. It takes loads of concentration because it is all about form. As the days went by and I began to understand more what I was supposed to do, and therefore I could work harder. I did like the fact that there was no jumping. And the back of my legs were sore so I was definitely using differnet muscles. Tomorrow means the start of the 10 min belly fat blast off dvd for 5 days. This was the first 10 min solution dvd I tried and focuses heavily on the core. I enjoyed it the first time I went through it. 50 minutes of intense abs work.
The key with this is persistence and working out every single day.
Special mention should be made of my bee suit. the last time I had it on, it was snug about the beam as it were. This time, it looked like I had borrowed a suit that was three sizes too big and I was completely swamped! My son says that as I shall not be wearing the suit that often, this is not a problem.

Cat pictures

My youngest  has been using photos of Heathcliff and Mr Darcy as evidence why certain things can't be done.Why he can't do the washing up

Mr Darcy is occupying the draining rack and is on the dish cloth.
Why the clothes can't be put away

Heathcliff resents  being disturbed in the middle of a nap.
Why his bed can't be made

It is best to let sleeping cats lie.
Basically his scheme is doomed to failure as I keep telling him to just move the cats. His response is that the sentiment is typical of my narrow minded outlook on life. And that I care nothing for the struggles of the proletariat and other oppressed peoples or cats.

My very lovely editor has sent through her thoughts so I need to process them and take action. My pacing is off and chapter 1 and 2 need to become one so that the focus is more fully on the growth of the relationship. But she likes the over all idea. So the Single Title Project is shelved for the time being and it is back to my current couple who should be great fun.

Accountability

A few weeks ago, I suggested to a fellow writer who was suffering from writer's block that she might try emailing me her word count as it might help. I promised to do the same. Mutual support as it were, holding each other to account.  She did and she has been brilliant. She had last week off as it was half term and she had family commitments.  I have been waiting for my lovely editor to get back to me on the partial. However, I was supposed to be working on the single title project as part of my drive to be more efficient. Over the weekend, it slipped. I did other admin type things and pretended. Then last night, I woke in a cold sweat. I was about to get a word count and would have to confess. I prayed for a miracle. Sure enough my wonderful friend emailed me her word count. And I was the one who had to come up with the feeble excuse. I hate making excuses.
It was enough to get my rear in gear and to start working on The Project. Words have been written. At the moment it is a POS but it has potential. It will get there.
In the meantime, I am sitting here, hoping for my editor's wise words on my partial. Those characters are whispering and I remain super excited about their possibilities. And another set of characters are whispering for the HH after that one.
I think my daemon doesn't like being ignored. But I shall have to hold myself more accountable from now on and not simply play at it. I do have a deadline and more importantly I have dreams. Dreams like breaking out or writing a blockbuster do not happen if you fail to take positive action.
I am capable of more than I think. I can hold myself to account.

Update on reshaping my writer's bottom line

This week, I decided that I couldn't face Jillian Michaels and as I had bought the 10 minute blast off belly fat dvd back when this whole exercise kick began, I would take it out of the wrapper and see what it was like. After all I had bought it. I opted for the full 50 minute workout. Suzanne Bowen is clear, concise and works you hard. She is a different personality to Jillian Michaels. It is a bit like changing editors.  Her manner may be gentle but she works you hard and goes on about the burn and feeling your body changing. I didn't think I was working as hard but I ended up marinated in sweat.
Suzanne is very keen on getting the right form and actually gives lots of tips like tucking your hips, navel to the spine etc that I think Jillian assumes you already do. It was quite fun to do and the next day my abs were sore. Within two days, I noticed more definition, a lot more. So on that basis, I ordered the two other dvds in the series that Suzanne does -- Blast Off Body Fat and Pilate's Perfect Body. Each are divided into 5 segments lasting ten minutes a piece. Body Fat came with a bonus dvd that includes 5 best of segments. Each segment is self contained so if you are pressed for time, you can do one segment. My current plan is to do a rotation of 5 days of each until I get to the RWA conference. I finished the first five days of Belly Fat one yesterday and so went for the Blast Off Body Fat. On the reviews on Amazon, someone mentioned that they had unwisely done the thighs and bottom segments in the same day and could not walk afterwards. Ha, I thought, but I am used to Jillian. Give me your worst!
I did the entire sequence.
My legs were like jelly after the trim thighs. I am capable of more than I think, and kept going. After the bottom one, came the abs and then total body which I remember in a dull haze of sweat and pain. There is NO jumping, just lots of little moves including a sadistic put the weight in the crook of your knee and lift sequence. 'Are your muscles shaking?' she asks -- to which the only answer is YES
 Suzanne is cheerful and perky. She does all the exercises herself, taking time to offer tips and hints and when she talks about it burning etc, you know she is experiencing it as well. Except she seems much more in control. She is also hugely encouraging but without  the forthright exhortation of Jillian.  When I got to the end, I understood and continue to understand that I will ache in a good way tomorrow. I was more than marinated but currently I can walk. Bring on tomorrow.

In a few days time, I will get to do the Pilate's one. It can't be too difficult, right? Hollow laughter here.
Some of it is having the motivation to do the workout. To a certain extent, it doesn't matter which one you do as long as you do it and are lathered in sweat by the end. The good part is that I am excited about exercising again.

And The Viking Princess gave me a Sweet Blogger award. The viking Princess has a very interesting blog so do take some time to visit)

The Rules of this award are pretty simple:

1. Thank and link to the person who nominated you.

2. Share 7 random facts about yourself.

So, here are my random facts about me:

* My maternal grandfather was Swedish/Norwegian

* I have discovered in order to lose weight, I have to sweat

*My next full manuscript is due on 1 September

* Thus far in my career with Harlequin I have had six different editors and have learnt tons from each one. I adore my current editor who is tough but with loads of heart.

*I have lymphoedemia in my left arm. It is under control.

*I am left handed

*I suffered from early onset cataracts due to my Swedish ancestry (7 generations and counting. I also blame the ancestry for my bad back) Having them sorted five years ago helped to transform my life.

 

I am supposed to nominate other people but really if anyone feels so inclined please do so and let me know that you have done it so I can visit!

To Marry A Matchmaker on Sale

It is 1 June and that means To Marry A Matchmaker is on sale at Mills and Boon -- both as a print and ebook. It is the quickest way to get your hands a copy. My paperback authors copies have not arrived. Apparently they were supposed to be dispatched but somehow have forgotten. My editor is on the case... It will come out on kindle on 1 July btw.

Video Review of Viking's Captive Princess

A very lovely reader let me know she had done a video review of The Viking's Captive Princess. It was a wonderfully sweet thing to do and the first time it has happened to me. Luckily, she really liked the book. So thank you very much. I am very honoured.
Anyway, in case anyone is interested:

Devil in the details

Over the weekend, I happened to read a contemporary romance. The writing was well done and I was really enjoying the story when the details pulled me out. She had gone into the recent past, given a named date, made a cultural reference and my suspense of disbelief was shattered. The reference was to a character in a Disney film which appeared in 1994. The time in the story was supposed to be 1991. I went and looked it up because it had been one of my children's faves and I could remember how old my eldest was when it appeared and wondered -- did I get it wrong? There were a few other references that then had me wondering and in the end, I didn't enjoy it as well as I could have done as it seemed sloppy. The writer in question is particularly known, according to Donald Maass, for her sense of place and her use of detail to really create that place. So while I was reading for enjoyment, I was also reading for enlightenment.
When you have a named date, you do need to check that books, movies etc have appeared by that time and what was known about the author. This is important in the first half of the nineteenth century when pen names were often used. For example, Charlotte Bronte published Jane Eyre in 1847 as Currer Bell and it wasn't until after her brother and sisters' death in 1849 that she was persuaded to reveal her identity. Saying that a character was reading Charlotte Bronte in 1848  wouldn't work as she would have been Currer Bell. Equally a charater could not have been certain that she was even a woman. When you are writing about the past even in an extended flashback, a character can only know what was known at the time.
I do slightly blame the copy editor as she should have queried the reference. The author in question might have been told to change the date in revisions and forgot to change the reference. These things happen. She is a good storyteller and a NY Times bestseller.  It is a measure of her story-telling that I did finish the book.  However, I will be a bit wary the next time one of her books comes out.
Details really give a sense of time and place but they are a dual-edged sword as they can pull readers out. As a writer, you have to check and check again, particularily if you alter the date. You owe it to the reader. It is good when I get a reminder.