Sandra's Last Book

Our wonderful friend and fellow author, Sandra Hyatt, passed away in August 2011. Her last book Lessons In Seduction has now been released by Harlequin "Desire" and we are all spreading the promotional word.

“The romance community is great at helping one of its own. Sandra Hyatt’s posthumous book Lessons In Seduction, is out tomorrow and her writing friends are spreading the word in the hope of increasing royalties for her family.”

Sandra's writing is fresh and heartfelt - I thoroughly recommend this book.

Hugs.

Finally - to the Bat Cave!

Okay - it's not really anywhere near as cool as the 'real' Bat Cave on the Batman TV series (i.e. it has no butler). In fact, the bat reference is more in relation to my love of vampyres, than a shout-out to Batman - but still - my little writing wardrobe is like a cave of sorts.

And, I'm back-into-it ... I'm-a-writing-liza. And, it feels good, da da da da da da da!!!

99% of bulls have gone out and they won't be back until January/February 2012! ergo -  I have major writing time and I'm not gonna waste a moment of it.

Over the last month of full on bull-pimping, I've been able to fully develop the 'New Voices' entry in my head with the characters now shouting at me to get written - which means that in my world -  all the moons have aligned and it's time for the BatCave.

As a small stop-over (not procrastination :) ) I checked out what's been happening on the New Voices Facebook page and caught a post by Wendy S. Marcus with a link to her blogpost about external plot devices - very timely!!  I was going to have Hero/Heroine meet again in hospital because of emergency and an outsider (fairy-godmother-anaesthetist) let slip that the hero wasn't leaving the country like she thought. Whoops! Have now re-thunk that plot point and changed to the hero confronting her instead (on a mountain biking course - but you'll have to buy the book to find out why :) ).

I'm so excited! - To The BatCave (and no more procrastination!)

New Voices

Well, I didn't get through to the top four - but considering the shock I received when I got in the top twenty-one - I'm not complaining!  This has been an absolutely fantastic experience. Wendy S. Marcus is now my new hero!! Her mentoring, was spot on and stretched my writing muscle completely out of shape; into a new sassy, flirty voice that makes sense to me (it didn't to start off with because I didn't recognise it).  That might sound a little weird but VOICE has been one of my toughest challenges because I couldn't see it on the page. 

 To everyone who voted for me and supported me with comments I give my heartfelt thanks. The facebook friends were brilliant and our RWNZ members went the extra mile to make sure I did the best I could. Extra special thanks to Kamy Chetty for being the "Critique Partner Extraordinaire".
Over a thousand writers put themselves out there with the first chapter and I give a standing ovation to all.

Chapter Two - New Voices Top 21

The link for my second chapter of The Not So Secret Seduction of the Surgeon is here.

My mentor ROCKS, M&B ROCKS, basically - EVERYBODY ROCKS

Top 21 - M&B New Voices

I found out the news yesterday and I still can't comprehend it.  I made the cut to the top 21!!!!

It's fantastic news - and incredibly scary - the second chapter has to be just as good but I don't know how to write when I'm so blimmin' nervous.  PLUS the editors have judged my first chapter as being Flirty and Sassy - I don't know how I did that - what if I can't do it again?

Self doubt, much?

Thank goodness I have the guidance of Wendy S. Marcus, M&B published author extraordinaire who's already been a tremendous support. She's just as excited as I am!

I'm going back to writing now, procrastination moment over, thinking flirty, thinking sassy ... oh heck!

Bulls

This is a quick post to say I haven't fallen off the edge of the world ... I'm swamped by bulls.

Five hundred leased out - fifteen hundred to go.  Bring on Christmas ;)

On the writing front (because life still goes on), I'm taking a workshop for the RWNZ C2C regional meeting this weekend.  A workshop about 'Writing With Pace'.  Quite fitting considering the way my life is at the moment.

Happy writing everyone.

New Voices - First Take

I've entered!!!!  It's the first time for me (I didn't have the confidence, or the chapter, to enter last year).

My entry - The not so Secret Seduction of the Surgeon is here. Everyone is welcome to have a read and leave a comment or, just as important, vote on the rose vote-o-meter. Five roses would be lovely - thank you :)

A small comment on the format of this competition - it's welcoming and friendly - but completely intimidating to put a first chapter out in cyberspace for the public to vote on. Wow - good luck to everyone who's had the guts to enter.