The Night Before the Ball...

And I'm giddy with excitement!  Come join me at the Dashing Duchesses romance blog Monday the 14th to discuss the romance, fascination, and celebration of history! If any of my visitors are unfamiliar with historical romance, let me assure you it runs a full gamut, from prairie school marms to the ballrooms of Regency England to eighteenth century Japan to the Ottoman empire!  There are a wide variety of sensuality levels as well, from erotic to inspirational.

The Duchesses adore all historical romance, so come dressed as your favorite heroine.

Stomp those cowboy boots!         Twirl those flapper beads!





Our doorways arch nicely, so don those exquisite Georgian gowns. We have plenty of room, and the party won't be the same without you!

What's your favorite historical time period or location?

NANO Day Six: Possibilities

 Our thoughts and imagination are the only real limits to our possibilities.
Orison Swett Marden

 One of the great things about Nano (I think) is exploring the possibilities of your story line.  And the very best thing (I'm certain) about exploring those possibilities is the time limit-because you have no time. You should be writing, baby!

You don't get to agonize over the implications of your secondary character's decision in regard to what will happen to the heroine sixteen chapters from now.  You don't get to contemplate the psychology that's driving your hero to act like a madman.

You just write it! Two chapters later, you might not recognize your original story. Hurray! Maybe it's a better story! Maybe your tangent will inspire a completely different book!

Best of all, you don't have to (or get to) worry about it until December 1st.

You just get to savor the possibilities.

Word count: 7489  (I didn't add in the last couple of days individually, like I should. Oh well. :)

NANO Day Two: Motivation!

Day two count: 1346   Total: 2303

 So, in between spitting out a few paragraphs and wondering where my secondary characters are guiding my heroine, I love to procrastinate by reading author advice. Love it! Romance writers love to offer writing guidance, support, mentoring, encouragement. They are one generous bunch!

 Julie Leto, NYT and USA bestselling author, has a rockin' website, which nicely complements her rockin' books. Under the heading "Articles and More", she has a reprint of her 2003 RWA National Conference workshop:  Ditching "The Book of Your Heart" for "The Book of My Voice".

Wow and wow. This article gave me so much to think about, in the best possible way. Most importantly, after I read it I was fired up and ready to attack the Nano again!

Motivation is a good thing. :)

NANO For You?

Well, I'm in.

To be specific, I'm 953 words in, as of midnight, November 1. Around nine o'clock last night,  it hit me--approaching re-writes as if this was a completely new book (which it will be) and the friendly peer pressure of National Novel Writing Month ( the best peer pressure around!) means I can expect a great deal accomplished by the end of turkey day.

Anyway, that's the plan. And who doesn't need a great excuse to ignore cooking dinner or cleaning the house?

Are you NaNoing this month?

Win a Copy of Shine!

Ok, winning a book catches everyone's attention...but the reason behind the giveaway will touch every writer's heart.

Go here:  Read the blog.  Be outraged. Go buy a copy of Shine. Then spread the word....

God Bless America

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,

Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,

Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,

As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.

God bless America,

Land that I love.

Stand beside her, and guide her

Through the night with a light from above.

From the mountains, to the prairies,

To the oceans, white with foam

God bless America, My home sweet home

God bless America, My home sweet home

Take a moment today to Remember, to Honor, to Give Thanks, and to Share an Act of Kindness with a stranger.

Thanks, Mom

Mother's Day pleasures....

Watching Phineas and Ferb with my girls...It makes me laugh every time...and they are never "snarky", sarcastic, or mean....

I haven't read more than a couple of pages here and there in over a month....Reading more than one book....again, I'm big on emphasizing humor these days, so it will be some classic, snort Coke out of my nose Stephanie Plum, and then a new (for me) cozy mystery series about a Mom who's a private detective (so appropriate, right?)

Indulgent, over-priced, coffee drinks will be involved....I'm stuck on iced Hazelnut with soy (and a shot of half-an-half once I've had a big drink and there's room in the cup). Yum.








And I will tell my Mom thank you today.  She's amazing. So is my dear, dear mother-in-law. All you "Mom's" out there, whether you have kiddos of the two or four-legged variety, or are the official "mom" to a dear child related by the heart, if not the blood, I hope you have a beautiful day.