Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I'll love ya, Tomorrow...

It's only a day, away.


Tomorrow is release day for my second entangled novella in the Under the Hood Series - Love for Beginners, and I'm excited! I'm shamelessly hogging the blog today to tell everyone about it, and to say that if you intend to buy, tomorrow - 27th May - would be the PERFECT DAY to do so, as it will give the book a good launch day boost. Of course, if you like it, I'd also appreciate a review in any of the regular places. You know me, I love writing sexy, funny heroes, and Heath is one of my favorites. I had great fun writing this one - it pairs capable mechanic and co-owner of Under the Hood, Melody Swan with Alice Starr's (who was the heroine in the previous book, Under the Hood) brother, Heath - known far and wide as The Ladyslayer.... 

She needs a lesson in love, and he’s the perfect teacher.
Mechanic Melody Swan is looking for a man who can share her hopes and dreams, but she swore she would never lose herself to passion. When sexy Heath Starr agrees to temporarily sub in the Under the Hood garage for his sister, Mel sees the perfect opportunity to enjoy being with a man without becoming attached.
Heath came to Meadowsweet to photograph nature, not find a hookup, especially since his last relationship ended in disaster. He vowed he’d never break another woman’s heart, and in turn, protect his own. Still, when Mel offers to serve as his outdoor guide, he can’t refuse.
Mel may say she’s only looking for right now, but her body is speaking a whole different language. And Heath’s viewfinder is drawn to her time and again. When the two find themselves isolated in a rustic cabin, they could both break their promises if they aren’t careful…

A Double Minx Entanglement!

We've had a good start to the year this week, with TWO minxes receiving contracts from Entangled!

Me (Sallyminx) and Maya (Mayaminx) are delighted to squee today as we've both signed contracts, and will have Entangled Publishing releases this year....

Mine is a Flirt featuring a female mechanic - And Maya's is a scorching Dead Sexy. More on both in the following weeks as things shake out!

Woo!

In other news - Blaze, the Minxes of Romance's anthology is currently #10 in the Preeditors and Editors Poll of Anthologies published in 2012, and if you've read it and loved it, we'd love your vote! http://www.critters.org/predpoll/antho.shtml

The Minxes grow wings

As of Monday 1st October, you can expect a new look, new feel Minxes of Romance blog. Rather than three blog posts a week, you'll be getting just two action-packed, full of fun posts. Minxy Mondays stay as they are, and our Author Spotlights move to Thursdays.

But because this is YOUR blog, we Minxes would like to know what you enjoy and what you'd like to see more of. Why do you keep coming back?

Let us know, and we'll do our best to make your wishes come true.

* * *

In further happy and happening news, Minx Sally has a new novella out today.

You can get Angel All Year from Amazon or Amazon UK. This is a short, easy and delightful read which I guarantee you'll fall in love with. I did!

Princes and Princesses

It's the Queen's Diamond Jubilee - the perfect excuse for a royalty based blog post. And I have a question. Is Royalty Romance live or dead?

Royalty Romance. The reluctant prince, the princess in trouble. Unexpected heir to the throne, conceived in a moment where the prince dallies with a commoner, without revealing his royal pedigree...

So - back to the question. Alive or dead?

Here's my pros:
First, because I love location, there's the opportunity to create a country, because it's impossible to use a real one.... the typical royalty romance kingdom is hot (that's a must for me, anyway) and beautiful. The writer and reader alike can be sucked in to this mysterious kingdom and it's people.

Second, a royal price or princess have a strong inner conflict - after all, being royal brings with it its own challenges, and we've seen those again and again. Everyone can identify with how tedious it is to be a reluctant heir to the throne, constrained by duty and honor. Or be:
1. Forced into a marriage of convenience with another royal (for the sake of the country)
2. Not allowed to do things commoners can (like go out into the world) due to being controlled by a bossy King.

Third, there's usually an easy excuse for flashing lots of cash around, lots of private jets, beautiful homes, sparkling jewels, and excellent clothes.

Here's the cons:
First - predictability. If we're dealing with a prince, we know that however he starts, returning to lead his country is going to be in there somewhere. And princesses always get there own way, so although there may be problems along the way, it can be pretty much guaranteed that she'll get her HEA.

Second - unreality. In life, princes and princesses in Europe can do what they like, mostly. In real life, there are princesses who have run away to the circus - had multiple affairs, and married who they like without constraint.

Thirdly - country building. With a completely fictious country it can be difficult to see how that country fits in to the world. Is Starnovia part of Europe? If so, is it in the Eurozone, and how is it coping with the financial meltdown of the Euro? If it's in Europe and this isn't an issue, are we totally in fantasyland?

My answer to the question posed at the top, is that I think Royalty Romances struggle today because the fairytale princes and princesses of yesteryear don't really exist any more, and so there has to be a suspension of disbelief in order to really be sucked into the story. In the same way that marriage of convenience plotlines can be dated, as there are so many other options than a forced marriage available today, that they can seem contrived.

What's your take? I'm ready to be contradicted!!

The Year of the Minx

Happy birthday to us!

This week this blog turned 2. To celebrate the occasion, Sally Minx is generously giving away free copies of her first published novel, Catch Me a Catch, to all our lovely blog followers. You can download the book from Amazon or Amazon UK.

A year ago we were just like any other one year old. We were just standing on our feet and taking our first wobbly steps. A few of us were published with smaller presses, a few were working with editors, a few of us were still clinging to the nearest chair and wondering how we were supposed to get across the great divide between published and unpublished.

But 2012 is a whole new ball game. We're excited toddlers now, running around as fast as we're able and sticking our fingers into every open lighting socket we can find. It's been so electrifying a start to the year that we're calling this The Year of the Minx.

You already know that Maya Minx has sold to Harlequin Presents, but behind-the-scenes we have 5 (!) Minxes all working on revisions for various editors, one with very exciting news we're not quite ready to share, and the remaining two both have editors excited about their work.

Can it get any better? Yes it can!

To continue the festivities, we'd like you to share your good news with us. Today is the day for sharing the joy, whether it be big or small. All good news is worrth celebrating. And in return for sharing, you get to help yourself to a cupcake.

Expanding your options

Happy New Year everyone!

I'm doing a blog post today about options-with the message that there are many ways to be published, and this year should be the year that all romance writers should open themselves up to opportunities, and investigate them.

When I first started putting my writing out there, I had a couple of goals.
1. To find an agent.
2. To be published by my ideal publisher, sign a contract, and see my books in print on the shelves of my local bookshop.
I haven't achieved either. Things just didn't work that way for me. I certainly tried it, I have a drawer full of lovely rejections to prove it. I was despondent about it. Dispairing even. But after a few rejections of what I considered to be good work, I altered my approach, and it seems to be working for me.

My first romance wasn't good enough to achieve publication. I had a lot to learn, and the more courses I did the more I realised I didn't understand all the components that are needed writing romance today. The second romance I wrote is Bound to Love. Agents weren't interested. My ideal publisher turned it down at partial stage. Another publisher read the full, and turned it down. I worked on it, changed it and rewrote. Then I wrote another story. This one followed the same route. Agents weren't interested. My ideal publisher turned it down at partial stage (but gave good feedback). And then a second publisher, The Wild Rose Press, liked it enough to buy it. Woo!

Last February for the first time I achieved half of one of my goals. I had a book out in print, although it wasn't available on the shelves, but rather through Amazon. I was happy, up until the publisher went bust, and my rights reverted to me. To be honest, the temptation to stuff the book in a drawer and sob on the sofa was strong.  Years had passed, and I still hadn't achieved my goals. But like all writers out there, I had options, if only I'd consider them.

I decided to re-release Bound to Love as self-published. Sure, I hadn't achieved my goals, but it was time to modify those goals. To readjust my thinking. Since then I've had 2 more books accepted by Wild Rose, and at the end of December, had 2 more fulls out with publishers. I'd love to say I was selling lots, but I wasn't. The self published route or small publisher route is a hard one, there's a lot of promotion and networking to be done to get reviews, build an online presence etc. But all the writers I know are doing this anyway, published or not. We have to.

For me, I realised that my goals were based on giving me validation that my writing was good enough. I wanted an agent to like it. And being accepted by my ideal publisher would be fantastic. But when it didn't happen and I took a fork along the path to publication, I got what I wanted anyway. Readers. People who liked my writing enough to buy one of my books. And found a group of fabulous friends who have helped me so much along the way. Things went crazy for me last week when 19,000 took advantage of the opportunity to try Bound to Love for free. That's 19,000 people who hadn't read a book of mine before. I hope all of them like it.

So this year, if you haven't achieved your goals, maybe it's time to listen to your critique partners when they tell you your writing is good. Have faith in your writing. Explore your options. Don't let a rejection crush you (or at least, not for long). Try something different. I'm glad I did!

Author Spotlight - Sally Clements

I'm test driving some new minxy spotlight questions today - here goes!


• What is your writing process?
I write in the mornings, after getting the kids off to school, and write until 2.00 which is my first school run. Apart from that, I grab random moments on my Alphasmart, and download them onto computer the next morning!

• Everyone who writes knows it's not easy - what methods do you use to keep at it on days when it would be so much easier to go shoe shopping?
Um...I tend to go shoe shopping! No, seriously, I don't because there are too many days when it's difficult to keep to it, and I have a cupboard full of shoes... What I do is grab a coffee, sit down and promise myself a reward (usually licorice all-sorts, a handful) if I get 1,000 words done. Once I've done that, I'm happy, and usually that kick starts the muse. I listen to music, and also burn scented candles too, to help get me into writing mode.
• Keeping fit: Do you have an exercise regime to counterbalance all those hours sitting at a computer?
Gosh, no. I should have though...terrible writer's spread going on here! I walk around the garden, and weed.
• Do you believe in writer's block?
No. But I believe in writer's burnout. Sometimes it's important to do something else - concentrate on other areas of your life, and be gentle on yourself. If you are hassling yourself to write and giving yourself a hard time, you can be darned sure the muse will disappear!
• Have you ever used an incident from real life in a book? If so, did it get you into trouble?
No, I haven't. But I have got about half a book full of real life incidents that I write to release tension. It's a biting comedy, but I'd get sued if I published it!
• In what way is being a published writer different to how you thought it would be?
I spend a lot more time on the internet than I'd anticipated - and a lot more time doing promotion.
• Promotion is no longer a dirty word. In what ways do you strive to reach more readers?
I never turn down the opportunity to meet new readers. I blog regularly, tweet constantly, do every interview I'm offered, and am polite. I also try to put my personality out there - build genuine connections with like minded people. I've been published about a year now, and I'm still learning! (tips gratefully accepted!)
• What is your top promo tip for other authors?
Make sure you have a blog, twitter, and interact. Be helpful and polite to others, good karma bounces back!
• What did you learn while writing this book?
My heroine, Melo, is a caring, nurturing person, and she could easily have become a bit of a pushover. She made me examine my own feelings about giving - she gives, and other's take. But she learns to stay true to herself and not be taken advantage of. She owns her power, and squares up to grumpy, gorgeous Cade - with lots of fiesty fireworks. I learnt a lot of what I believe deep down, writing her!
• What was the most fun part of writing this book?
Definitely immersing myself in the warm heat of Isola dei Fiori. Researching Tuscan recipies, looking at pictures of lovely islands, imagining myself breathing in the scent's of lavender and rosemary...sigh... with Cade by my side, of course!
• And just for fun: what would your hero’s honeymoon destination of choice be?
He loves his cabin in the woods in Canada, on the lakeshore...I think that's where he'd love to be with Melo.

Here's more about the story:
Capable, financial advisor, Melo Bellucci always knew when it came to organising her sister’s wedding she’d in charge. After all, her sister, Rosa is notoriously scatterbrained. But there’s a silver lining in the form of the Best Man, Melo’s childhood crush, Cade West.

When Cade returns to the Tuscan island, Isola dei Fiori, he’s prepared to mix business with pleasure, especially when he meets Melo again. The confident, sexy woman is a world away from the lanky tomboy he remembers, and attraction burns between them instantly.
But when he discovers that the perfect site for his hotel. idyllic Paradise Beach, belongs to Melo, rather than her father, can their relationship survive, when there are two plans for Paradise?

Marrying Cade is available now for Kindle at Amazon.uk, Amazon.com and for other email formats at The Wild Rose Press, and ebook sellers worldwide.
 
Sally is @sallywriter on twitter.
 
And her blog is here.
 
Thanks for having me, Minxes!

More Winners and some Minxy excitement :-)

The winner of the beautiful necklace Suzanne is giving away is Suzy Doodling. Congrats, Suzy, you will soon be the new owner of that fab jewellery!! Please either contact the Minxes using the email address minxes[]of[]romance[]@[]yahoo.com (remove the brackets and spaces) or leave a comment for us under this post with your contact details and we'll arrange posting your prize out :-)

The lucky winner of Rae Summer's hot historical is L'Aussie--please use the above contact details or otherwise contact Rae through her blog to claim your prize.

Thank you so much to all those who entered and those who are following our blog either here or using Facebook's Networked Blogs--we appreciate you all and are excited to see who will be our Grand Prix winner!!

Our Minxy excitement this week is the RNA Summer Party and specifically the Joan Hessayon award which takes place after the RNA's AGM. The reason we're so excited, of course, is because our own Sally Minx in on the shortlist for the Joan Hessayon award. Sally is attending the party and will be joined by Lorraine who will be cheering her on. Go Sally!!


This week's prize is a scarf from The Rainforest Site offered by Romy Minx. Don't worry if it's cold where you are, we're quite happy to offer the winner a Winter scarf if they'd prefer :-)

The question this week is related to the RNA summer party--can you tell us the date? Leave your answer in the comments below to be in with a chance of winning one of those gorgeous scarves.

Author Spotlight - Sally Clements

I checked the blog to see who was up on Wednesday, and it's me! Argh! I love asking the questions much more than answering them, but here goes!

1. Where were you in your writing career 5 years ago?
Five years ago I was writing only in November during Nanowrimo, I made the decision to really put everything into my writing by dedicating time and effort into it full time about four and a half years ago.

2. Where did you get the idea from for this particular book?
While on a 'writing romance' course organised by Inkwell Writers Workshops in Ireland, we had a number of exercises to do. One was to think of the first line of a romance novel. A little voice muttered in my ear 'you can bite me if you have to.' It was my heroine, Tempest MacKenzie to my hero Jake. The book took form from that moment, although the first line changed!
3. Where do you hope to be in 5 years time?
I hope to still be happy and fulfilled writing. Being published is lovely, but writing is my joy, so if I can hold on to that I'll be happy!
4. Which was the last book you read that you wish you'd written?
I love romance, but I also love crime. The answer to the question for me has to be Marcus Sedgewick's Revolver, such a slim volume, but totally fascinating and really well written.
5. Was there any particular author or book that made you want to be a writer?
I love Patricia Cornwell's books and Jeffry Deaver's and looking back there were so many influences through the years. I loved PG Wodehouse, Agatha Cristie and Ed McBain (especially Ed McBain, I have an awesome collection!) and always wanted to write something that someone else would love.
6. Do you find writing love scenes giggle-worthy or cringe-worthy?
Never cringe-worthy, but I have to work up to them. I can't write a love scene cold, I always have to start at the sensuality and write like mad to the end of the love scene. They are so important to the story and the characters and I love writing them. My characters often are teasing, tender and witty in love scenes, and that's all them, so it's a lovely surprise to me when they open up in the love scenes. (I'm a bit of a pantster!)
7. What's the most romantic moment of your life so far?
I couldn't isolate just one - and like many of our authors who have been spotlighted, I think its the little things that are really romantic, like gifting me with a lie in and taking the school run!
8. What do you wish you'd known about being an author before you were pubbed?
I started a blog and connected with other writers before I was published, and finding a community of like minded souls was fantastic, and the day that the minxes formed was the icing on the cake for me. I wish I'd known that I would one day not find the dreaded R quite so painful, I guess I'm growing a thicker skin, but at the beginning every rejection was a complete body blow, because I didn't realise that I was perhaps not sending my stuff to the right publishers (or maybe my early stuff really was that bad!). It helps to know that everyone gets them.

9. What's the best writing advice you've ever been given?
To saturate your writing with all five senses. And to rewrite (constantly!)
10. Tell us about your latest release.
Bound to Love is the story of impetuous Tempest MacKenzie who dives headlong into danger without regard for herself to rescue others, which gets her into a lot of trouble! When she sees a gorgeous stranger being kidnapped on his way from the British Museum, she comes to his aid, but finds herself kidnapped too. My hero, Jake, is cautious and logical, and Tempest is his idea of a complete disaster, but they are forced together in a plot to thwart a heist and save his mother, and find love along the way.
11. What’s next for you?
I was asked to do revisions for a new story, and have sent them off and am waiting (nervously) to hear what the editor thought of them - and I'm about six thousand words off finishing a new story, Marrying Cade, with another new story bubbling in my subconcious!

Bound to Love is available as an e-book from all the usual places, and also available in paperback from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com and Salt Publishing. (Don't be frightened by the giant picture of me that comes up on the Salt site!)

Thanks so much for letting me be Gabby Minx for the day, Minxes!

A Minxy Valentine Celebration

In addition to the obvious reason to celebrate on February 14th, we Minxes have a very special reason to celebrate this Valentine's Day: it's release day for our very own Sally Minx's Bound to Love.

Bound to Love is Sally's second novel, and its a launch title for Embrace Books, a new imprint of Salt Publishing. You'll be able to find out more about Sally, and get an inside look at her inspiration for this story, when she appears in our Author Spotlight on 2nd March.

Until then, here's a glimpse at the gorgeous cover for Bound to Love, and the blurb.

About Bound to Love

Jake Forrester, a controlled, self-reliant security expert scarred by his father's murder, is pursuing his goal of an independent life, relying on himself and logic, until he's forced to accept the help of an impulsive, spirited goldsmith who follows her instincts, wherever they may lead.

When Tempest MacKenzie witnesses a gorgeous stranger being bundled into a van, she tries to help him, but becomes tangled in a complex web of intrigue. Tempest finds stubborn Jake attractive, compelling and infuriating, his logic the complete antithesis of her reliance on her instincts. And Jake is fascinated and attracted to the feisty redhead.

As they spend time together trying to thwart a heist at the British Museum, the attraction between them flares out of control. The thief has a grudge against Jake, and danger stalks their every move. Will Jake learn to trust Tempest's intuition, before it's too late?

Bound to Love is available in paperback and as an eBook from Amazon, Amazon UK and direct from Embrace Books.

Sally's being a busy blogger today, so we'd be really grateful if you could support her. She'll be at the RNA blog, amongst others, andyou can find out more at Sally's own blog, Love and Chocolate.

Later this week, we'll be hosting another new Embrace author, Rachel Lyndhurst, so watch this spot!