Guest Blogger - Sara Ramsey

I met Sara last year when we served on the RWA awards ceremony committee together. And I knew very quickly that I liked this girl! She's smart and dedicated and I can't wait to read her book! Please give Sara a wonderful Playground welcome.

I’m really excited to visit the Playground today – the Instigator has lived up to her name by inviting me and letting me wreak havoc. I’ll try not to break anything!

I love the idea of a Writing Playground, even though I was always way more into books than monkey bars. I grew up on an eighty-acre farm in Iowa that was miles away from the nearest kids, so my play tended to be dress-up and make believe rather than basketball or soccer – it’s no wonder I still love making up stories.

Playground took on another meaning when I was twelve. My father accepted a year-long assignment with an agricultural nonprofit in Ukraine, just after the fall of the Soviety Union, and my mother, younger brother, and I moved there with him. My mom homeschooled us so that we would stay caught up with our classmates, but my dad took it upon himself to teach ‘playground’ – all the slang and bad behavior he thought we would have learned on the playground back home. Let’s just say that, between my father’s playground lessons and the Johanna Lindsey romances I started reading that year, it was pretty much inevitable that I would grow up to be a romance writer!

Nowadays, I still love to dress up, even though it’s more expensive to buy my own shoes rather than tottering around in my mom’s heels. And I still like to exchange dirty stories with my friends, although doing it over drinks is way more fun than passing notes in chemistry class. But I’ve found a couple of other kinds of play that I absolutely love, even though I couldn’t imagine liking them a few years ago.

The first is going to the gym. I’m the antithesis of an athlete, and at 5’ tall, I’m at a serious disadvantage when it comes to running, walking, reaching the machines, doing step-ups – basically, everything. But I started working out with a trainer last year, and it turns out that I love having a couple of hours a week where I think of nothing but breathing (and trying not to pass out). It’s probably the best kind of play I could recommend to other writers, since I think we all need some downtime in order to bring renewed energy back to our work.

The second is interacting with other romance readers and writers, particularly on Twitter. When I first started using Twitter, I thought it was just a stupid marketing tool. But as I’ve gotten to know people through it, it’s fun to connect to other writers when I’m struggling, excited, happy, sad, needing a distraction. Even though I work from home, I can still feel like there’s a water cooler conversation waiting for me to join in. I just have to be careful not to spend all day at the water cooler, since it’s easy to get sucked in!

Regardless of what your passions are, I think it’s really important for writers to play at something every day. If you don’t have some way to relax and blow off steam, how can you find enough quiet within yourself to let your stories and your voice come out?

What do you to do relax and play? I’ll give one lucky commenter a copy of my debut Regency romance, Heiress Without a Cause – it’s all about a proper heiress who indulges her very improper desire to play as an actress, so it seems fitting for the Playground.

Heiress Without a Cause – Muses of Mayfair, Book #1

One title to change his life...

A disgraced son with a dark reputation, William “Ferguson” Avenel is content to live in exile – until his father dies in the scandal of the Season. With rumors of insanity swirling around them, his sisters desperately need a chaperone. Ferguson thinks he’s found the most proper woman in England – and he won’t ruin her, even if he secretly desires the passionate woman trapped beneath a spinster’s cap.

One chance to break the rules...

Lady Madeleine Vaillant can’t face her blighted future without making one glorious memory for herself. In disguise, on a London stage, she finds all the adoration she never felt from the ton. But when she’s nearly recognized, she will do anything to hide her identity – even setting up her actress persona as Ferguson’s mistress. She’ll take the pleasure he offers, but Madeleine won’t lose her heart in the bargain.

One season to fall in love...

Every stolen kiss could lead to discovery, and Ferguson’s old enemies are determined to ruin them both. But as their dangerous passion ignites their hearts and threatens their futures, how can an heiress who dreams of freedom deny the duke who demands her love?

Sara’s website: http://www.sararamsey.com

Sara’s Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Sara_Ramsey

P.S. Instigator's guest blogging at Okay Listen Here today. Stop by for a chance to win a signed backlist book.

Guest Blogger - Lynn Raye Harris

Lynn has been a friend to the Playground almost from the very beginning. And we're always excited to welcome her back! I have to admit that I've heard a lot about this book over the last few months and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy! Not to mention that I have serious cover envy. So clear off a swing and give Lynn a warm Playground welcome.



THE MAN WITH THE MONEY - Book 5 in the Notorious Wolfes Series



I love this book trailer! It’s my first book trailer ever, and my first continuity (a set of stories with an overarching theme). Harlequin did a fabulous job making this trailer. It’s moody, sexy, and intriguing! Who are these Wolfe brothers (and one sister, ahem) and what happened to make their lives fall apart?

To find out, you’ll need to read the series! There are eight books, and mine is number five (each book stands alone, but if you want to know about the central conflicts of the Wolfe family, you’ll have to read them all).

THE MAN WITH THE MONEY is available in stores right now, and it still doesn’t get old to see my book on the shelves. I love the cover of this one, and the fancy cameo around the couple. It really stands out!

Jack Wolfe is a loner who gets his thrills from high-stakes finance – whether it’s cards or the markets, Jack is a whiz. He needs no one and nothing, but when a card game goes wrong, he finds himself on the run across France with the lovely croupier who’s been dealing the cards.

Cara Taylor is tough, smart, and determined. She’s been working hard to funnel money home to her family in New Orleans, who are still suffering the effects of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation on their lives, and she has absolutely no time for a gorgeous, useless gambler like Jack Wolfe.

But of course Jack is much more than a gambler, and Cara can’t help but be pulled in by his dark, delicious charm. I have to admit that Daniel Craig’s Bond was my inspiration for Jack – not the physical Jack, but the broody, moody, dangerous man who is utterly addictive.

*shiver*

I hope you enjoy reading about Jack and Cara! Today, if you leave a comment, you’ll be entered to win a signed copy of THE MAN WITH THE MONEY.

RT Book Reviews awarded this story 4 Stars and said it has, "intense emotional turmoil, a tortured hero and toe-curling intimate encounters." Rawr!

Back cover:

Jack…Red-Hot. Renegade. Restless.
Notorious gambler Jack no longer gets a buzz from the risks he takes at the card table. In fact it bores him. Until one night he wins more than he ever bargained for…
His prize is stunning Cara Taylor – she might be down on her luck but she certainly doesn’t need rescuing by a card-shark like Jack! Now she’s stuck with him she doesn’t know whether to love him or loathe him.

For more information, including a red-hot excerpt, visit my site at http://www.lynnrayeharris.com/books/the-man-with-the-money/

Lynn Raye Harris is a USA Today bestselling author who writes powerful, sexy romance for Harlequin Presents. You can learn more about Lynn and her books at http://www.lynnrayeharris.com/. You can also follow Lynn on Twitter @LynnRayeHarris or visit her author page on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/AuthorLynnRayeHarris

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

Yes, I've been watching too much Guy Fieri on Food Network. Today is a mish-mash blog focused primarily on all the contests we've had lately and have been neglectful in announcing winners.

So... first, the winner of Free Book Friday is.... Diane Rains! Email me at smartypants @ writingplayground (dot) com with your snail mail info to claim your prize.

Next, the winner of Maven Linda Winstead Jones's Fairy Tale giveaway is... Laurie G! Email me at smartypants @ writingplayground (dot) com with your snail mail info to claim your prize.

The winner of Paula Graves's blog giveaway is... Chey! Email Instigator at instigator @ writingplayground (dot) com with your snail mail info to claim your prize.

And finally (NEW ADDITION) the winners of Christina Hollis's giveaway are Petite and Desere. Email Instigator at instigator @ writingplayground (dot) com with your snail mail info to claim your prize.

There are still more prizes to be won. You have until the end of the month to enter to win the Everything You Desire Contest! Enter here to win some great books and things every woman wants - things that smell good, things that feel good and things that taste good! The winner will receive:

Four Autographed Harlequin Desire Titles and an Autographed Showcase 2-in-1

• Dante's Honor Bound Husband by Day LeClaire


• The Proposal by Brenda Jackson


• King's Million Dollar Secret by Maureen Child


• Acquired: The CEO's Small Town Bride by Catherine Mann


• The Littlest Marine & The Oldest Living Married Virgin by Maureen Child

Black Fleece Throw Blanket
Love Candle
Yardley English Lavender Soap
Bath Scrub
Lindor Truffles

I'm also running a second contest. Join my mailing list by clicking here and you'll be entered to win a second, super sekrit prize! Right now I have 15 people (and most are ineligible, like Angel), so I'm feeling a little sad. Good news for you, though, if you join, your odds of winning are GREAT! :)

SP

Guest Blogger: Rita Henuber

I'd love for y'all to welcome one of my fellow Ruby Sisters, Rita Henuber. Her first book will be out in August with Carina Press, and we are all excitedly following her progress to publication. Let's have a nice sitdown under the pavilion on the Playground, for protection from all the stormy weather around here, and talk about the stories we all love.


I'm Rita and I write romance. Romantic suspense. I write about strong women, not Alphas, who know what they want and go after it. Women in the military or law enforcement. They are attracted to strong men who love them for who they are and stand beside them.

When Danniele invited me to blog my first thought was to tell you all about me (boring), my book being released in August with Carina Press (exciting- to me anyway) and my views on writing (this has the potential of being double boring).

My mind was changed after a ladies gathering where the discussion turned to books. The conversation led to "why isn't there a book about…?" The ladies said they were tired of searching the local book store for something different and how few books were actually on the shelves. I explained about the economy. Booksellers were being careful with inventory and publishers have to go with stories that sell and make the best sellers lists. One lady harrumphed and asked how Kate Gosselin's book make the NYT list and still hasn't sold seven thousand copies. She had me there.

I have my own wish list of books. I love a good historical, but honestly I would sooo prefer to read a story about the women who left everything in Europe and came to the New World. The adventures of those strong, brave women who made homes in the wilds of North America. Strong men with long flowing hair and muscled bodies who could ride a horse, build a cabin, kill a bear, and make love to his woman the way she needed. A Revolutionary War story, a Civil War story. A long list of potential plots there. Like Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, a physician in the Civil War. She received the Congressional Medal of Honor and was an advocate for women's rights. Some generals, who shall not be named, tried to take the medal back. One reason they felt her unworthy was she wore pants in battle field hospitals. Dr. Walker refused to give it back. I have a friend writing a YA about the Civil War based on her own ancestor's journal. Can't wait to read it.

There are amazing stories out there. How many of you know about the Orphan Trains? Between 1854 and 1929 an estimated 200,000 orphaned, abandoned, and homeless children from large cities in the US were gathered up, some say rounded up, placed on trains heading west and to Canada. At each stop the children were taken off the train and displayed. Families took them in and treated them as their own. In some cases they were little more than slaves working in households and fields. Can you imagine what these children went through? I had no knowledge of it until a friend's great grandpa shared his story at a family gathering.

What about women who cared for family while her man went off to find work in the depression? Did you know that Canada held German prisoners of war in camps scattered across the country? After the war many stayed and became Canadian citizens. Did you know that the whole US East coast was blacked out during the WWII because German U-boats cruised the coast? Many cargo ships were sunk by the submarines within sight of land. Spies came and went via the boats.

Okay I've gone on too long. What I'm getting at is there is a rich history of intrigue, love, strength and evil right here, all around us. I would love to see these stories told.

Now tell me, what kind of stories do you want to read? Can you find books written on the subjects you like to read?
The really big question is, are YOU writing these books?

Rita

Though Rita's book isn't out yet, I'll be giving away a romantic suspense book to one lucky commenter today! Angel

Rita Henuber grew up running the beaches of a barrier island on Florida’s east coast. She married a Marine and feels fortunate to have lived many places and traveled to the states and countries she didn’t live. She writes contemporary women’s fiction and suspense thrillers weaving her experiences into her story telling.

Her first, as yet to be named, book will be released from Carina Press in August 2011.
The story follows Coast Guard helicopter pilot Olivia Carver and sexy DEA agent Declan O'Conner from a torrid one night stand to a fierce gun battle at sea as they work to take down a drug cartel.

Visit her web site http://ritahenuber.com .

Guest Blogger - Molly O'Keefe

We're excited to have RITA award winning Superromance author Molly O'Keefe guest blogging with us today! I can't wait to find out more about her upcoming series...and about what it felt like to win a RITA. So, someone give up a swing so Molly can have a seat and share! :-)

Thank you so much for having me! This is my kind of crowd - Lots of advice and information, lots of commiserating and a swing set! What's not to love?

I am celebrating the publication of my Notorious O'Neill Series with Superromance for next two months. Inspired by Paul Newman and pralines, The Notorious O'Neill series takes place in Bonne Terre, a fictional town in Louisana. Savannah, Tyler and Carter are siblings who were left on their grandmother's doorstep twenty years ago by their con artist mother. Each of the children has spent the last twenty years battling, or in Tyler's case embracing, the notorious reputation attached to the O'Neill name.

The siblings are in danger of falling out of touch with each other - pulled in separate directions by their fears and lifestyles - when the fall out of a seven year old jewel theft shatters all of their lives.

For Savannah, the baby of the family, it's a matter of learning to trust again, only the man she chooses to trust ends up breaking her heart. Tyler has to go home to Bonne Terre to face down his father, his demons, and Juliette Tremblant - the girl he loved and left years ago. Carter, as a Baton Rouge politician has been trying to keep his own skeletons in the closet - but when a beautiful stranger publicly claims Carter got her pregnant his life and lies begin to unravel.

Throw in a devious grandma with a tarnished past, a couple of stolen gems and a family home with plenty of secrets - and you have the Notorious O'Neill series.

I have two young kids, a husband and a pretty busy writing schedule. And the key to my life is compromise and discipline. I have to write - so I do. And because I write - LOTS of other things don't get done. In fact, as I sit in my office, my laundry is towering over my shoulder and the smell of dirty diapers from the full diaper pail wafting through my dirty house. But I have all the ingredients for dinner tonight and I've written five pages. That's my compromise.

TOP FIVE THINGS THAT MAKE MY LIFE DOABLE

1. Salad in a bag. This is dinner most nights a week. You'd think I'd be skinnier.

2. Rachel Ray -- hate her talk show LOVE her cookbooks. I'm not kidding. It takes 30 minutes and it's good. She's not lying. She's annoying as all get out but she's not lying.

3. Lap top computer not hooked up to the Internet. For those of you who don't have this and lament about not getting any writing done - this is the key. Free Cell has brought down many a writing day.

4. Coffee in massive amounts. I am not a coffee enthusiast. A recreational coffee drinker - nope. When my son was first born my husband asked if I thought maybe, just maybe I was drinking too much coffee and I told him (getting his drift and not taking kindly to it) - with sincere and utter heartfelt rage - that coffee was the only recognizable thing I had left from my old life. The coffee stays in the picture.

5. Deadlines. I'm not talking about editorial deadlines - though they are good but they are so far away. I could procrastinate forever. Nope. I have deadlines from my critique group. It's supposed to be at least a scene or a chapter every week but we've strayed from that - but if I go longer than two weeks without handing in a chunk of writing for them to critique I know I am falling behind. This is so invaluable because I know if I had a deadline just for myself I'd blow it every week. Like I do with dieting and working out.

So that's it - much like writing it's not glamorous. It's a little sad actually - but it's what I do in order to make this little dream of mine doable.

So, what are your tricks? How do you keep all your balls in the air?

Thanks for visiting with us today, Molly! Three lucky commenters will receive a book from her newest trilogy so be sure and let us know you're here. And don't forget to visit her at her website http://www.molly-okeefe.com/index.html to find out more about her upcoming releases.

Guest Blog - Tawny Weber

Tawny Weber is no stranger to the Playground. She's been with us before and we absolutely love it when she stops by! It's always fun to see what she has in store. So, please give Tawny a warm Playground welcome.

Fantasy Vacation

Summer is winding its way to an end and I’m winding up for a new release this week! Both of these had me thinking… My book, RIDING THE WAVES, opens with my heroine’s fantasy vacation. Well, for her it’s more living out a boy toy fantasy while ON vacation, but my thoughts turned more to the whole vacation itself dream.

There are as many versions of fantasy vacations as there are vacationers. I know people who’d kill for a vacation in Europe, others whose idea of a great time is kayaking and camping. Both sound fun, but also sound like work. Educational, healthy, exciting. But not quite my version of vacation fantasy. My kids adore Disneyland for vacation, but as much as I love the Mouse, spending the day with a few thousand strangers waiting in line to for an elevator to take a dive isn’t quite my idea of relaxation. And road trips? Oh no, that’s more nightmare than fantasy in my book!

So then what is my fantasy vacation? It all revolves around pure indulgence. A warm beach is preferable, but I’d take a nice lakeside resort in a pinch. Just as long as there is water. A great bar, with a cute bartender who flirts just a little, and keeps my margarita glass topped off with a deliciously frothy, perfect margarita. A fabulous spa would be available, with a masseuse with hands like magic. Romantic restaurants with delicious –and shockingly low-calorie—meals, soft music playing in the background. And a hotel suite filled with sensual pleasure (not that kind!) Silk sheets, velvet pillows and the scent of flowers wafting in from the French doors leading to a balcony that overlooks the water.

Yep. That’s my fantasy. Pure relaxing indulgence.

Have I been able to live out that fantasy yet? Nope. But it’s on my dream list now and I’m hoping to make it a reality someday soon.

How about you? What is your fantasy vacation? And have you taken it yet? Did you get to have a vacation this summer and how was it?

Ooh, one of my most favorite topics...running away from home. :-) Be sure to comment because Tawny is giving away a copy of her newest release RIDING THE WAVES to one lucky commenter. Thanks for visiting with us, Tawny!

P.S. Playground Monitor's winner from yesterday is Rebekah E. Please send your snail mail info to Playground Monitor to claim your prize.

Guest Blogger - Julie Miller

Julie Miller has long been a friend to the Playground. She's a fantastic writer, a generous person and someone we're very happy to count as a friend. Please show her a warm April welcome!

RT Does Series Romance Right

Ha! Tricked you. You thought I’d be blogging about April Fool’s Day today. I figured most bloggers on the web would be, so I opted for something different. I’m just one of those out-in-left field kind of gals.

Happy spring! Besides the thankful end (fingers crossed!) to all the snow and cold of our long winter in Nebraska, did you know that spring is also the time for the Romantic Times Convention?

That’s right, the magazine/website that profiles authors and publishers, and reviews so many wonderful books every month also hosts an annual Book Lovers’ Convention. This year it’s being held in Columbus, Ohio at the Hyatt Regency Hotel from April 28-May 2. I call RT a “schmoozefest.” It’s a great opportunity for readers to meet with their favorite authors, to network with readers and librarians and booksellers and authors and publishing professionals, to pick up LOTS of books (many of them free!) and other goodies from authors and publishers, for aspiring authors to get some one-on-one advice from established authors and attend several invaluable sessions led by authors and industry professionals, to meet some gorgeous cover models, and to have a boat load of fun! Whew!

This year, in particular, I had the honor of being selected to captain the Series Romance panels at the convention. That means lining up some of your favorite Series Romance authors to speak at not one, but two, different workshops. I’ve also arranged for Harlequin/Silhouette/Kimani/Spice to give away free books to workshop attendees—and we’ll have a stellar bag of books, goodies and prizes to give away to one lucky winner at each workshop. This is a win-win event for everyone who comes to RT (have you registered yet? If not, check out all the details at http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?e=39f9fb57-5ebc-49a4-b572-a2316b792e98). Free books? Great prizes? Your favorite authors? Some so new, their books haven’t been released yet. Plus, reader favorites and NYT and USA Today bestselling authors. They ALL write Series Romance. And they’ll be at the convention to meet with you.

RT is doing an amazing job of promoting Series Romance this year. Check their website, flyers and magazine. And check out the great reviews Series romance books are getting now. Series Romance books are no longer just those books that your great aunt Fifi read. They’re comfort reads. Thrilling reads. Emotional reads. Complete reads. They aren’t just a stepping-stone to writing single title books. They make bestseller lists. Single title authors are looking to break in to Series Romance. In fact, they’re the biggest, most consistently-selling section of the romance market during these tough economic times. RT even features at least one Series romance cover on the Top Pick! page of their magazine now.

My workshop authors will be on hand to answer questions about their books, the lines they write for, and more. If you’re a writer, we’ll be talking about tips and tricks for breaking into the series romance market, and about how you can have a career writing series romance. So come and pick our brains (gently, if you don’t mind). If you’re a reader, this is your chance to ask about favorite characters or tell us about story trends you’d like to see (or would like to see go away ;))

And if registering for the convention is out of the question for your time or pocketbook, how about coming by the hotel to attend one of the two great author booksignings—one for ebook and independent publishers on Friday evening, and another huge signing on Saturday of the conference featuring the print (and Series Romance!) authors in attendance. You may bring your own books to have them signed (be sure to register them when you enter) or purchase the latest release by your favorite author.

Now, let me rattle off the names of the Series Romance authors who’ll be at RT on the Series Romance panels with me. Brenda Jackson. Debra Webb. The Playground’s own Problem Child, Kimberly Lang. Lisa Childs. Anne Calhoun (a brand-new Spice Briefs author with 3 upcoming releases!). Delores Fossen. Ann Voss Peterson. Kimberly Kaye Terry. Nina Bruhns. Donna Hill. Lynn Raye Harris. And yours truly, of course.

Sounds pretty diverse and exciting to me. I hope we can see lots of readers there. I’m not schlepping all these books and prizes on the plane for nothing . Hope to see you at RT. If you’re there, be sure to introduce yourself and say hi. If you’re a reader, I just might have a book for you!

So, tell me what you love about Series Romance. What are your favorite lines? Authors? What would you like to see more of/less of in Series Romance books?

If you haven’t read a Series Romance in a while (and especially if you’re a big fan!), I hope you’ll pick up a copy of my April release from Harlequin Intrigue, TAKEDOWN. It’s everything you love about romantic suspense packed into a neat package that you can read fairly quickly. And then move on to your next Series Romance novel!

I’ll give away a copy of TAKEDOWN to one lucky poster today.

Happy Reading,

Julie Miller

www.juliemiller.org

Walkabout Wednesday goes grave with Julie Cohen

It's Walkabout Wednesday, and my buddy Julie Cohen asked if she could take us on a field trip. Silly me forgot to ask Julie *where* we were going on this field trip, so she's taking us to a graveyard...


Hello and thank you for having me back in the Playground!

One of the greatest things about being a writer is being able to research anything you want and put it into a book. I decided to set my latest book, NINA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF GLOOM (out this week!) in the North London area of Highgate, just so that I could make a key scene happen in Highgate Cemetery.

Highgate Cemetery is, as far as I’m aware, the best cemetery in the world. And I’m a bit of a cemetery fan, I must admit. It’s a Victorian temple to death, completely over the top and Gothic and wonderfully creepily beautiful. It’s actually two cemeteries; the eastern side is newer and open to the public to stroll about and holds such notable corpses as Karl Marx and George Eliot. The western side is wilder and darker, fallen into picturesque decay, and only open to visitors at certain times and by guided tour.

It’s an important habitat for London wildlife, both plant and animal, and it feels like an alternative universe. The minute you step into the cemetery, by climbing a stair up into a row of gravestones, you can forget you’re in one of the world’s greatest cities; in fact you can forget you’re in a city at all. It is hushed, and green, and special.

It even has its own vampire legend, an undead creature who prowled the night in the 1970s preying on unwary Highgate residents and, er...foxes.

Here’s an excerpt from NINA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF GLOOM, about the western side of the cemetery. Nina Jones is taken there at dusk by her mysterious upstairs neighbour, Viktor, and they walk along tomb-lined paths to the incredible Circle of Lebanon, a circular construction of mausoleums with a giant Lebanese cedar growing from the centre of their ceiling.

****

The stone stairs in the curved wall climb upwards, and are pitched in such a way that I can’t see to the top of them. “Are we the only people in this place?”

“The only living people, yes.” He smiles at my hesitation and that’s enough to get me moving up the stairs. At the top, I gasp.

Trees loom over the gravel path, forming a canopy. And between them, behind them, around them, through them, a city of graves.

“Holy crow.” I wander forward. You can’t hear the city, only a rustle of trees and our feet on the gravel. The gravestones crowd together, some spiky like jagged teeth, some elaborately carved, piled on top of each other as if jostling for position. In the deepening shadows I see a stone angel, a shrouded pillar, a weeping woman without a hand.

“This way,” says Viktor, leading me up the path. Leaves crunch and whisper. They are orange and brown, and the foliage around us a muted curtain of colour in the fading light. Against this, the graves are subtler hues of grey and pink and brown stone, greened over by lichen and moss.

“It’s beautiful,” I murmur. A slow riot of life and decay. I try to read the inscriptions but it’s difficult in the shadowy light; anyone could lie here, deep beneath, sleeping.

It’s definitely getting darker as we ascend, but my eyes adjust to it and so I can see adequately, within the tunnel of trees at least. It feels as if the cemetery stretches in a labyrinth for miles around us.

“Last week I was spending most of my time in an alley behind a dry cleaners,” Viktor tells me. “This place has more perks, if you don’t mind it being a little spooky. Speaking of which, here we are.”

“Oh, wow.” Suddenly, out of a wall of trees, there’s a big stone gateway, flanked by improbably elaborate pillars. “It looks like a set for an Indiana Jones film.” I point through it, to an upward-sloping stone corridor. No roof, just doors either side, their entrances pitch black. “You can so imagine a big ball rolling down through there to crush us both.”

“Want to take a chance?”

“Sure.”

This is creepy. This is really creepy. I don’t need to be told that these are crypts. There are skeletons lying behind these doors. Skeletons, rotting grave clothes, and lots and lots of spiders. Our footsteps echo slightly and the air has grown distinctly colder.

“Are you scared?” Viktor asks me. The fingers of his free hand brush my arm.

The hairs on the back of my neck are standing up. My heart is pounding. Every shadow seems poised to leap out at us.
“I’m not scared.”

****

What’s the most magical place you’ve ever visited? I’ll give a signed copy of NINA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF GLOOM to a commenter.

Julie’s website: www.julie-cohen.com

Buy NINA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF GLOOM with free worldwide shipping!

Guest Blogger Donna Alward (Returns!)

The Playfriends are tickled to welcome Donna Alward back to the blog today. (Note to self: ask Donna what she's blogging about before posting to be sure you won't be starving afterward...)

But back to the fabulous Donna... this award-winning author for Harlequin Romance is also a hoot to hang out with, and I'm so glad she's back today, because her topic is one that's a fave around here...

Cooking it up between the pages

If any of you have read any of my books, you’ll find that no matter what, there’s food in there. Even when the heroine can’t cook (Hired By The Cowboy, Montana, Mistletoe, Marriage) there’s food. Even when they eat in fancy restaurants (Hired: The Italian’s Bride) or leave it up to someone else (The Rancher’s Runaway Princess) you’ll find scrummy food. And sometimes it IS the heroine whipping up a gastronomical delight.

Cuz I love food. I love to eat it, I love to cook it. I hate to do dishes. That’s why you’ll hardly ever (don’t want to say never) see one of my heroines toiling away lamenting her dishpan hands. She probably won’t be seen cleaning toilets either. Not just because it’s not romantic. But because I hate cleaning the bathroom and I hate doing dishes.

Anyway *ahem* back to the food.

I’ve got another book out this month and the heroine is a secondary character from The Rancher’s Runaway Princess. Jen O’Keefe runs the local bakery. I know. Not just food but CHOCOLATE. Her signature item is chocolate brownies. Brownies based on my favourite brownie recipe ever. Brownies that have caused some people to raise their eyebrows at me and say “No, you can’t possibly mean that much butter, sugar and eggs!”. Not only that, but Jen is making a change. No more Snickerdoodles Bakery – she’s upgrading to a catering business too! And she’s catering Andrew Laramie’s party at the Lazy L Ranch.

That meant I could think of all kinds of things for her to make. For her business – things like Italian sausage penne. Spinach and pecan salad with poppyseed dressing. For Andrew’s party, the Alberta rodeo staple – Beef on a Bun. I get hungry just thinking about the shredded beef in a rich sauce on a chewy Kaiser roll…

You won’t find a lot of fancy foods in my book, because while I love to eat’ em, I usually keep to good ol’ comfort food. Then again, you never know when I’m going to throw in homemade Veal Parmigiana or a stir fry pan of spicy hot Kung Pao…

So…what’s for dinner at your house?


You can check out the recipes for foods found in my books on my Recipe Corner page of my site.

In the meantime, you can read about Jen and Snickerdoodles Bakery in One Dance With The Cowboy, out this month from Harlequin Romance and book 1 in my Cowboys and Confetti duet.


Visit Donna's page at www.donnaalward.com







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Win An Amazon Gift Card!!!

The Playfriends are celebrating the new look of our website for 2010 by giving out a big prize this week – a $50 gift card to Amazon.com . The catch? You must answer a question about the website from the blog to be entered to win. www.writingplayground.com

Check in each day of this week and answer the question found at the bottom of the blog post by sending the answer to webmaster@writingplayground.com . Each question you answer gives you 1 chance to win, up to 5 entries for the week. Additional entries may be earned by reporting any broken links you find on the website to the same email address. The more you play, the bigger your chance to win!

The winner will be announced on Saturday, so be sure to check in then too. If the prize is not claimed within 7 days, we’ll be awarding it to someone else. Okay? Let’s play!

Monday’s question: From “Roll Call”, who dubbed us “The Children”?

Email your answer to webmaster@writingplayground.com to enter!


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P.S. Winners from Free Book Friday’s very challenging post. :)

Becky J. Heath wins the 3 Presents book pack for her creative post.
Mariska wins last month's Holiday FBF prize featuring Linda Winstead Jones and Rhonda Nelson's Christmas Novellas.
Virginia wins the copy of An Affair Before Christmas by Eloisa James.
Please send your snail mail address to smartypants@writingplayground.com

Martha M is the winner of the Revenge contest against SP. Kimberly chose her because "she is sick and twisted and I love her." Martha, send your snail mail address to problemchild@writingplayground.com

Guest Blogger Melanie Milburne

Please welcome the fab Melanie Milburne to the blog. Another Aussie author, Melanie writes for both Presents/Modern and Medical. She joins us today with a very timely and smart blog...

Procrastination and Presents

Hi everyone,

For those of you who haven’t done your Christmas shopping and sent off your cards, don’t panic-you are not the only one! What is it about this time of year that everything gets left to the last minute?

I am not by nature a procrastinator. I like to be organised, I need to know what I need to do and when and I am always super punctual.

But…

Yes, there is always a but!

People are not always consistent and I am a pertinent example of that. I have never missed a writing deadline but I procrastinate on other things, usually things I am not so good at or find threatening or imagine will be. It’s amazing how overwhelming a task can be once you give it enough room inside your head. If you ruminate enough about it, it will spread to every corner of your brain until it is all you are thinking about.

Christmas shopping is time consuming and I would rather be writing, but this year I have forced myself to set goals so I don’t have that racing heart and panicky feeling the closer the big day gets. So yes, the tree is up, some but not all presents are wrapped and under it, and I am back at my desk.

But…

Yep, another but.

Life is full of left field surprises and the trick is being flexible enough to deal with them when they arrive. I have learned to be more flexible over time. I guess having two very energetic full on boys taught me that over the years. They are adults now, but wow, was I on a huge learning curve while they were growing up!

My characters are another way I have learned to be more flexible. They – like my boys – very often have a mind of their own. They go off on tangents and do things I hadn’t planned for them to do. It’s the weirdest part of the writing process, how these imaginary people somehow morph into real personalities with real desires and wants and needs.

I think a lot of new writers (and I did this too when I was trying to break through) try too hard in crafting their characters into a stereotype or cliché of what they think a hero or heroine should be. My hint is to imagine them as real people, someone you would see on the street or sit next to at a restaurant. Study them: what do they look like? What are they wearing? What mannerisms do they use? What is their back story? Who do they care about? What is their most important goal? What do they have yet to learn?

Some writers use pictures from magazines and I do too occasionally. I once wrote a book on the basis of a picture of a man with blue-green eyes that I had pinned to my blind in front of my computer. His character came to life right there in front of me. Actually, he’s still there smiling that sexy half-smile right now!

Writing is a process and just about every writer has a different way of going about it. Some leave things to the last minute and fret over the deadline, and yet get it done by the skin of their teeth and still manage to write a best seller. Some like to set a daily word count and I have done that too in the past, but some days are diamonds and others are duds. There is no way sometimes of predicting what will get done, but one thing is certain: nothing will get done if you don’t at least try.

I love the following quote and I hope it encourages you all to make 2010 a fulfilling and happy year.

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men (women) with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “press on” has solved and will solve the problems of the human race. ~Calvin Coolidge, US President 1923-29

With best wishes,
Melanie Milburne

Visit Melanie's website at www.MelanieMilburne.com.au to get more information on these upcoming releases:
Presents:
The Future King's Love Child-USA December 09
The Marcolini Blackmail Marriage-Aust December 09 Christmas Gift Pack
The Venadicci Marriage of Vengeance -Presents Extra USA Feb 2010
Castellano's Mistress of Revenge- UK Feb 2010, Aust March
The Melendez Forgotten Marriage-UK July 09, Aust Aug 09
Medicals:
The Doctor's Rebel Knight-UK January, Aust Feb 2010
The Emergency Doctor and Cinderella- UK April 2010 Aust May

Um, wow. Just wow. That's a lot of books. Melanie's obviously not a procrastinator...

Guest Blogger Week Winners!!!

What a great turnout for our guest blogger week! Thanks to all of you who dropped by and commented. We enjoyed having you play with us and our guests.

As promised, here are our winners for this week:

Monday—Mariska, please email Angel at angel@writingplayground.com
Tuesday— RachieG, please email Instigator at instigator@writingplayground.com
Wednesday—Sheila Deeth, please email Playground Monitor at playgroundmonitor@writingplayground.com
Thursday— Virginia, please email Problem Child at problemchild@writingplayground.com
Friday—Sherry Werth, please email Smarty Pants at smartypants@writingplayground.com

Please send your snail mail addresses to the emails above, so we can get your gifties out to you. Thanks again! Tune in next week for Theme Week!

Angel

Guest Blogger: Julie Miller

Today, the Playground is pleased to welcome Julie Miller! When I had questions about Intrigue and Blaze, she was more than helpful and when I saw her newest release - Beauty and the Badge - was coming out in December, I knew we had to invite her over to play. Give her a warm playground welcome!

Intrigue-ing Themes

Thanks for inviting me to come play on the Playground this week—it’s great to be here!
In November, Harlequin Intrigue Senior Editor Denise Zaza hosted an Intrigue Pitch contest on http://www.eharlequin.com/ . And while the winners have been chosen (all the finalists were invited to submit their mss, btw!), the Intrigue Authors Blog and boards there are still buzzing with questions and discussions about writing for the line.

We’ve been chatting a lot about writing for Harlequin Intrigue—some of the qualities that are unique to the line, like fast pacing, larger-than-life heroes, ending scenes with hooks, heroines who are smart/scrappy/strong, villains who demand the best and more from our hero/ine, sexual tension and deep emotions, how much sex to have in the book, the differences between Intrigue and Silhouette Romantic Suspense, and so on. And as we were discussing what kinds of stories work well for an Intrigue, I got the idea for my blog post here.

Traditional romance storylines.

Yep. Amidst all the shoot-em ups and explosions and clues and daring escapes, the most popular storylines for Intrigue are ones that feature traditional romance story hooks. Of course, with Intrigue, we take that familiar story and twist it up with danger and heart-stopping passion and villainous show-downs. That traditional story of a woman with amnesia, a hero in uniform, a Cinderella tale, friends becoming lovers, cowboys and on and on are all storylines that sell really well in Intrigues.

Take my December 09 Intrigue, BEAUTY AND THE BADGE. Hmm… Any clue what that storyline will be about? I’ve taken a romance classic—the Beauty & the Beast fairy tale—and turned it into an Intrigue. I made my hero, Detective Kevin Grove, a “beast”. He’s big, he’s bad, he’s scarred inside and out, and you guessed it, he’s not handsome. But, ooh, does he ooze masculinity. And he’s got a protective streak in him that runs straight down to his bones. Both traits that make him a perfect Intrigue hero. My heroine is the beauty who wakens him in the middle of the night, needing his protection. She’s also the one woman who can break the spell of mistrust that encases his heart. She’s stumbled upon murder and conspiracy at the company she works for, and has nowhere else to turn. There’s even a wise grandmother/fairy godmother who plays matchmaker. He’s gruff—she’s stubborn. He’s sexy—she notices. When he falls, he falls hard, knowing he’ll probably wind up with a broken heart—but she’s the one with the magic, remember? It’s her love that ultimately saves him. After they get the bad guys and he saves her life, of course.

I thought it’d be fun to turn some traditional romance story themes into something Intrigue-ing today. I challenge you to put your own suspenseful twist on a favorite romance storyline of yours. What’s something you’d like to see in an Intrigue?

Here are some examples:

Plain Jane—spinsterish secretary sees her boss get murdered. Her boss’s handsome son, a cop, comes to her, demanding answers to the murder. When he sees that the killer has his eyes on her, too, the cop steps up as her personal bodyguard—keeping the witness safe. What he doesn’t count on is how close quarters with the surprisingly sexy secretary not only fuels his passion, but soothes his grief and awakens his heart as well.

Cinderella—another secretary takes her boss’s place at a charity ball, dressing in jewels and a gown. She even dances with a mysterious Prince Charming. But, terrorists attack at midnight. Mistaking her for her boss, the terrorists kidnap her and other wealthy patrons, holding them for ransom, intending to kill them off one by one until their demands are met. But Prince Charming turns out to be a government agent. The two of them use all their skills to free the hostages and escape themselves. She loses her shoe in the chase and spends most of the story barefoot. At the end, realizing how well they work together, and how well they love together, the hero presents her with a new pair of shoes… and an engagement ring.

Get the idea? You don’t have to be as detailed as I’ve been. I tend to be long-winded.
I’ll give away a copy of my brand new release, BEAUTY AND THE BADGE, to one lucky poster. You can see all my books on my website at http://www.juliemiller.org/.

Have fun. And good luck!
Julie Miller

Ooh, fun - a challenge! Thanks, Julie. Everyone, be sure to comment, even if it's just to share your favorite themes and check back in Saturday for our lucky list of winners!

Guest Blogger: Annie West

The Playground is tickled to welcome Presents author Annie West to the blog today. (Annie is also our guest in the Sandbox this month, so you can really get to know this fab Aussie author!) Everyone here is a sucker for a happy ending, right? Well, Annie is talking about just that today..

‘The End’

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for having me over at The Writing Playground. This is my first visit and I’m thrilled to be here!

I thought I’d talk briefly about endings, wrapping things up and making them tidy. Maybe because Christmas is in the air. Or maybe because I’m almost (so close yet it seems so far) from the point of handing in my current story. I’ve done some of the hard work but the hardest is yet to come – rewriting the ending. After all, typing ‘the end’ on a book is enormously satisfying, especially when a writer sometimes has doubts if she’ll ever get there.

I’m a girl who loves happy ever afters. I adore that sigh-worthy finale to a book that makes you sink into your chair with pleasure. I dislike movies that end suddenly, without resolving issues, leaving you feeling stranded, high and dry. If I’ve invested my time into a book (or a film for that matter) the end is the pay off for me. OK, so I don’t need to know precisely how many children the hero and heroine will have and whether they decorated their home in pastels or vibrant colours, but I do like to know all the issues have been resolved. In a romance that means that they each admit their feelings (even if heroes may be a bit laconic about it), they confront their issues and find a way to move forward together.

I’ve been waiting right through the story, hanging on every word through tense scenes, following the highs and lows of a rollercoaster ride that’s full of emotions, surprises and doubts. Hopefully it’s been a nail biting ride – after all I want my money’s worth. Is it any wonder I, and other readers, want to luxuriate in an ending that not only wraps up the story but resolves all doubts?

This is where I’ve run into trouble with my current manuscript. I wrapped up the issues OK, but I was galloping along so fast, trying to get it down between major interruptions. The result: I rushed it. Yes, there was emotion, but really, it needed more layers, more depth. There wasn’t enough to really hit the reader with the intensity of the hopes and fears and finally the joy that I was trying to deliver. It didn’t live up to the promise of the earlier chapters. So, I’m revising to get it right before I send it to my editor.

I think it’s because by the time I get to the final chapter I feel a little like a horse who’s been out on a long trek and sees its home paddock ahead. I pick up pace, I become focused on where I’m going and I don’t take as much time as I should to enjoy the scenery as I go. Do horses enjoy scenery? Well, you know what I mean!

Having said all that, I can report there’s enormous satisfaction in going back and fixing this. The bones of the ending are there. It’s just fleshing out the all important emotional detail. Normally I aim to write all of that together, but at least this means I know where I’m headed and what I have to do. And, fingers crossed, it seems to be working. My poor heroine is having a terrible time. So is my hero. Great! That way we’ll really enjoy it when they overcome the obstacles between them.

I’ve always been a fan of a terrific beginning in a story. Yet, as I think about endings I realise some of the strongest scenes come at the conclusion of a story. Think about Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, going off with his old foe/friend Claude Rains, talking about ‘the beginning of a beautiful friendship’. Just after he’s given up the woman he loves because he believes it’s the right thing to do. Or the memorable ‘Frankly, my dear I don’t give a damn’ at the end of Gone with the Wind. Or the destruction of Manderley in Rebecca.

Are you someone who loves the delicious wait till the end? Do you enjoy not knowing how a story is going to be resolved? Or do you do as one reader I’ve met and read the ending before you start the story? Do you want a long, slow ending, or do you prefer a short sharp scene with maximum impact? A fan of epilogues or not? Or maybe you like a twist of surprise in the tail. Do you have favourite endings you’d like to share?

To make it enticing to share, I’ll offer a copy of my December Harlequin Presents Extra release: BLACKMAILED BRIDE, INEXPERIENCED WIFE to one person who contributes to the discussion. Easy! If you want to find out more about the book visit my website or go to eHarlequin where you can read the opening. I’m happy to say I can guarantee Dario and Alissa get their happy ever after ending.

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Guest Blogger: Heidi Rice Returns!

The Playground is tickled to welcome back our good friend Heidi Rice -- even if she does seem to have a pastime I don't quite understand the allure of...

Oh, well, she's always fun to have around!

Heidi Rice Outs Herself…

I have a secret passion, which I’m going to confess to here, even though it makes me seem very sad and extremely dull… I’m a jigsaw puzzle junkie.

There, I’ve said it, and I’ve probably lost a few billion cool points in the process — especially if you knew some of the puzzles I’ve got hooked into doing by my mum. Yup, she’s a fellow addict. In fact I blame her for my affliction as I believe it may be hereditary — all three of my sisters being afflicted with the same puzzle-junkie gene. Anyway, my mum plays a lot of golf, and she buys most of the puzzles — get the picture? Pretty damn scary, eh? Have you any idea how boring a puzzle of a golf course can be to look at for several hours at a time?

But you see I can’t stop myself. It’s a compulsion. I see all those squiggly shaped pieces lying before me and I just have to fit them together or die trying. And there’s a very specific process to be followed to do it.

First I’ll judge the colour and texture of each section of puzzle. Next I’ll group all the relevant pieces (of which there has to be at least a thousand – anything less is for wimps, folks). Then I’ll put together the easy bits (any part of the picture with writing on or people is usually a good place to start). My mum meanwhile always does all the edge bits (we do make a pretty good team actually, despite her golf issues). And then, as things start to hot up, there’s the long hours staring at individual sections, visualising in my mind what each missing piece would look like and then piddling about endlessly sticking the wrong bit in the wrong hole till you finally get one of the little bastards to fit. Of course there are some highs if you manage to pop a piece into place at a glance that your mum and/or your sisters have been agonizing over for hours. (NB I never puzzle alone, because that would make me a dotty old dear). And to finish off there’s always that huge expanse of sky (puzzle makers always stick it in there, because they’re sadists) which all looks exactly the same and drives you totally nuts.

Have I bored you into a coma yet? Excellent! So now that I’ve got you begging for mercy, I’m finally going to get to the point of this blog post. And what is the point?

Well, originally I had this fab analogy planned about how the desire to fix a puzzle is the same desire I have when I build a story. First I have to create my characters, then work out their conflict and their backstory – which is like that initial sorting exercise - and then when I start writing it all out it’s a matter of slotting everything into place. Figuring out where each emotional development, each turning point, each character revelation, each line of dialogue goes in your story. And not giving up when you get the wrong piece in the wrong hole and have to start over….And sometimes you may need some help with that from your editor or your critique partner … And …

But actually, after I thought about it, I realised that analogy was pretty lame. So this is actually just a blog post about Heidi’s sad obsession with sticking little bits of squiggly shaped cardboard together! Sorry.

So do any of you guys have sad obsessive hobbies that you want to share? I’ve outed myself, now you can too.

And to give you an added incentive to ‘fess up (and so I don’t look like the only dotty old dear here), I’ll pick a comment at random to receive a free copy of my latest book, Public Affair, Secretly Expecting, which is the second in the Brody Brothers duo (and not due out in the States until next March). It features bad boy Irish movie star Mac Brody, shy London dress shop manager Juno Delamare…. And not a puzzle in sight. Honest.

Visit Heidi at www.heidi-rice.com

Guest Blogger Donna Alward

I'm so pleased to have Donna Alward on the blog today -- she does a fab job posting my guest blogs over at the Pink Heart Society. :-) She's also a great writer and and I had a blast getting to know her at the RWA National Conference this summer. Welcome, Donna!

Real Heroes

Today is Remembrance Day here in Canada. At 11 a.m. on November 11, World War I ended and today we remember those men and women who died in combat and who continue to serve in our military.

What has always struck me when I’ve spoken to veterans or watched programs on television – be it fictional or documentaries – is that no one is willing to accept that they are a hero. There is this insistence that it is the men and women that died that are the true heroes. And I can understand how someone would feel that way. Those people gave their lives. They will not be coming home. They have left mothers, fathers, siblings, wives, husbands, children behind. They have sacrificed in the ultimate way a person can sacrifice themselves for their country – with their lives.

And yet, I humbly assert that there is more to a hero than someone who has died on the battlefield.

When I looked up hero in the dictionary, I got this: 1. a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. 2. a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal.

Nowhere does it say one needs to die to be a hero.

Those men and women who returned home are heroes too. They are left to deal with the consequences of battle, the deaths of friends, possibly their own injuries…they bear their own scars and do it willingly. They have done, and continue to do, the jobs we turn away from and pretend don’t need doing. They put themselves on the line. If that isn’t a hero, I don’t know what is.

When I go to the cenotaph, it is not only to remember the dead, it’s to honour those still living, and those willing to put themselves in the line of fire for my freedom.

To me, those are the real heroes. Is it any wonder I enjoy writing military heroes in my Romances?

My current release is A Bride For Rocking H Ranch in Montana, Mistletoe, Marriage, out this month. My next military hero is coming up in March in the second book of the Cowboys and Confetti duet (Once Dance With The Cowboy is book 1, and out in January). In March you’ll meet Noah Laramie in Her Lone Cowboy. Noah is a man of extraordinary character who is soldier, brother, cowboy and lover. I hope my readers love him as much as I do.


Visit Donna at www.donnaalward.com

So let's talk about men in uniform today. Or cowboys. Or both :-)
One commentor will win a copy of Donna's current release.