Oops! and congratulations

Oops! You may have noticed that due to a technical error (yeah, right!) we skipped a post on Friday. Actually, this is for very happy reasons: the Minxes are all really busy right now.

At this moment in time, we have five Minxes beavering away (at least, you'd better be beavering, ladies!) on requested manuscripts, one Minx moving house, one Minx just finished moving house, and another Minx has gone back to work after a break. And two are doing everything they can to distract themselves from NTAI.
To all of you - here's wishing you lots of strength, patience, and a truckload of Minxy dust for your submissions.

Rachel Bailey has selected BrooklynShoeBabe as the winner of a copy of Million-Dollar Amnesia Scandal. Well done, Rakisha. You can contact Rachel through the contact form on her website: www.rachelbailey.com/

Finally, today's your last chance to vote for your favourite Rugby hotties. There'll be a new set of dishy heroes here on the blog on Friday.

Author Spotlight - Rachel Bailey

Today we welcome Harlequin Desire author Rachel Bailey into our spotlight. Rachel lives in Australia with a handful of dogs (you can meet them on her website).

She's giving away a copy of Million-Dollar Amnesia Scandal to one (non-Minxy) commenter, so don't forget to leave comments when you get to the end of this post to stand a chance to win.

What is your writing process?

Slower than I’d like! :) I need to give my editor a synopsis of the book for approval, so I always know where the story is going before I write it. Then I break the plot down into quarters from the synopsis and write one section at a time. By the time I move onto the next quarter, I’ve edited and polished the one before it then sent it out to my critique partners who are pretty ruthless with telling me what’s not working. Then when I have the four quarters done, I do some more editing on the book as a whole. I’d love a simpler process, but this one seems to be working for me so I don’t want to mess with it!

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?

Deadlines. No question. Which is why, when I was unpublished, I found the contest circuit invaluable – not only for feedback, for to keep me writing to deadlines.

Keeping fit: Do you have an exercise regime to counter balance all those hours sitting at a computer?

I play dog tennis twice a day (I hit the ball with a tennis racquet and the dogs retrieve it), but that exercises the dogs more than me, so I also have a walking machine in the lounge room.

Do you believe in writer's block?

Yes and no. I think lots of things can get in the way of writing, from stress to tiredness to fear to burnout. What you need to do about it depends on what the ‘writer’s block’ really is.

Have you ever used an incident from real life in a book? If so, did it get you into trouble?

I’d find it hard to stay in the character’s head if I knew the incident had really happened to me or someone I knew, so it’s not something I’ve ever done.

In what way is being a published writer different to how you thought it would be?

I had a few friends who were published before me, so I was already aware of most aspects of the life of a published author, but it’s still amazing how much writing time gets lost in non-writing activities aspects of the job.

Promotion is no longer a dirty word. In what ways do you strive to reach more readers?

I blog at the LoveCats DownUnder and eHarlequin, have Facebook and twitter accounts as well as a website. But I’m also wary that promotion doesn’t take over too much of the time and brain-space I need for writing.

What is your top promo tip for other authors?

Pick the promo methods you enjoy the most and do those ones well.

What did you learn while writing this book?

I researched New York and New Jersey pretty thoroughly to give me a feel for the setting, and I had pictures of random NY and NJ scenes on corkboards around my walls. I *love* immersing myself in new settings and learning about other places!

What was the most fun part of writing this book?

I really enjoyed the spark these two have – part of that comes from them having known each other so well as teenagers, and part from their personalities.

And I loved writing the little appearances of Winston, Pia’s cat. :)

And just for fun: what would your hero’s honeymoon destination of choice be?

JT spent most of his childhood and youth moving around, so going away somewhere wouldn’t appeal as much as it would for other heroes. JT simply wants to be alone with Pia – anywhere that’s possible is good with him. :)

Book Blurb:

He's returned for a fortune and is confronted by memories. Though tycoon JT Hartley is a success in his own right, he's set on claiming his share of his late father's legacy. But first he has to get past the estate executor - none other than Pia Baxter, a woman he's never forgotten.

Theirs had been a fast-and-furious union that ended all too suddenly. And though desire still courses between them, JT knows starting anything with Pia again is just asking for trouble. His future is set in stone. But even the best-laid plans are no match for true passion.

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You can find Return of the Secret Heir at Amazon, Amazon UK, Book Depository, Barnes & Noble and Harlequin.

You can find Rachel at her website, LoveCats DownUnder, on Twitter and on Facebook.

How To Win NaNoWriMo 2011

In 8 days National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) will be upon us.   Writing 50K in 30 days is no small feat but it's absolutely achievable. 

Here are the Minxes' ten top tips for winning NaNoWriMo:

1. Sign up.  You can sign up on the official NaNoWriMo site to keep track of your word count, download badges and other fun things.  You'll also find a copy of the official rules, so you can get a better idea of what to expect.  Alternatively, keep an eye out at the Harlequin forums for their version of NaNoWrimo (you can pick your word count goal for the month).  Or, sign up for both.

2. Get supported. Tell your family and friends what you're doing, or at least warn them that pizza is making a comeback and they could be required to be responsible for keeping themselves alive. Also, having a support network and encouragement helps.

3. Work out your word count.  The world's not going to stop while you do NaNoWriMo, so if you have a big event and know that you're not going to get your 1.7K written that day, you’ll need to find a time to make that up. If you work out how many words you need to write each day around your commitments and stick to it, you’ll have a completed draft of 50K novel at the end of the month.

4. Steal time from your schedule.   Here's where you can get creative.  You may not have significant blocks of time to write but if you can snatch 15 minutes while you’re commuting, on your lunch break or before dinner then you'll find that your word counts starts to add up.  There's also very little in life that can't be put off for 15 minutes.  

5. Prepare.  While the rules state you can't start writing your novel until midnight November 1.  But you can plan it, plot it and identify your characters before then.  You don't have to be a plotter and get the manila folders and label maker out (but by all means do if you wish), however, having your character names and a general idea of what you're writing each day will help. 

You can take this one step further with character sheets, sketches or collages, and chapter summaries.  Chapter summaries are a great trick for NaNoWriMo because the less time you have to spend thinking about what comes next in your story, the more time you have to do the writing and reach your daily word count goals.

6. It doesn't have to be perfect.  NaNoWriMo founder, Chris Baty, is a big fan of just getting the words down.  If you're having a day when you absolutely cannot work out what to write next he suggests adding a spaceship.  The spaceship may have to go in the first round of edits but it'll keep your word count growing and may also help you work through your plot problem.  Also, if you find yourself on a tangent, explore that tangent, explore the world, you'll be surprised about what you can discover about your characters and their conflict this way. Just don't give up.

7. Go on an edit detox.  There's no time for editing in NaNoWriMo, that comes next month. You may be tempted to go back and reread what you've written but at most, you’re allowed to reread the last couple of paragraphs before you start writing each day. Reading from the start of a chapter or chapter one is banned. Editing can be your downfall.

8. Beware the week 2 blues.  Everyone hits a wall about week 2.  Suddenly the writing's harder, everything's garbage and you start thinking about regrouting your kitchen tiles. It could all be garbage (unlikely) but if it is it doesn't matter.  The point is to push yourself beyond your normal limits.  There's a lot to be learnt about your writing and writing process from NaNoWriMo.  You can’t edit a blank page!

9. Upload. Make sure you record your final word count on the NaNoWriMo official site before midnight November 30 so that you are considered an official winner and can access their winner blog badges.

10. Don't be too critical.  If you finish NaNoWriMo be aware of your achievement.  You've just done something that most people only talk about, you've written the draft of a novel and you did it in a month! Get the champagne out.

If you didn't get the whole 50K down, don’t throw in the towel. Your word count will be a lot higher than it would be if you hadn’t taken NaNoWriMo on. Writing 50K in 6 weeks is just as impressive and your draft will still be finished by Christmas.

Either way, you’re going to need a lot of champagne.

Are you NaNoWriMoing this year?

Musical Inspiration

Does music inspire you when you're writing, or do you find it a distraction?

I'm firmly in the inspired camp. Some songs are almost a romantic novel all of their own, aren't they?

I'm slightly obsessive about it and always create playlists for my wip, and have been known to stop the car to text myself the title of a track I hear on the radio in case I forget it between there and home.

Even more geeky than that, I create playlists for my main characters, and play their songs when i'm writing in their pov. My current leading man, for instance, is a funeral director, so his playlist is quite dark and angsty, full of Muse tracks and other atmospheric stuff (and yup,  I get that his profession is a hard sell in a romance novel, but he's not as bad as he sounds, I promise!)
He also happens to be deliciously Irish, so there's a smattering of old Del Amitri tracks in there too. See where I'm going? I build the character through music in my head.

Do you do similar things? Please tell me i'm not alone in this?

 I'm a recent convert to Lady Antebellum (Thank you, Romy!) Their romantic lyrics and cool laid back country vibe really melts me - not to mention their extremely easy on the eye frontman. All round fabulousness.

Check 'em out, people, and then tell us who inspires you...

Author Spotlight - Christina Hollis

To readers of Mills & Boon romances, Christina Hollis is a household name. We are excited to have her here in the spotlight, talking about her latest release, Weight of the Crown.

What is your writing process?

I like to make sure I’m never faced with that deadly combination of no ideas, a blank sheet of paper and a deadline. I jot down ideas all the time - when traveling, in the middle of the night, or while working in the garden. Snatches of overheard conversation are a great starting point. My favourite way of working is longhand, in pencil, on the right hand side of a refill pad. I start with the characters, who then suggest a conflict, and off I go. My actual writing day starts after the morning school run and continues until pick up time, in late afternoon.

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?

I’ve recently been introduced to #1k1hr on Twitter: it’s great to know I’m working with others towards a goal on the same timescale. The Pomodoro technique is good when working alone: basically, I set a kitchen timer and focus religiously on my writing with no distractions for 25 minutes, then take a break. Incidentally, I’m sorry to say I hate shopping: fresh country air is my big distraction.

Keeping fit: Do you have an exercise regime to counterbalance all those hours sitting at a computer?

I wear a pedometer practically all the time. My aim is to walk 10k steps per day, but I don’t always manage that many. I’m scrupulous about taking a break and moving about every hour to avoid DVT, though.

Do you believe in writer's block?

Only in the same way I believe in bricklayer’s block, teacher’s block or postman’s block, I’m afraid! Writing is my full time job, but it’s also my hobby and my therapy. If one project isn’t progressing, I switch to something else to give my brain a workout, then try again.

Have you ever used an incident from real life in a book? If so, did it get you into trouble?

To answer the second part of your question first, my aim is to write books that make people happy, not to upset them! My husband is so thoughtful a lot of the romantic treats - picnics and candlelit dinners - in my books are based on things he’s done for me. Many tiny details or sayings get into my work via my note-taking, and I put a lot of my own experience into my books. For instance, Kira in The French Aristocrat’s Baby (US Title: The Count’s Challenge) owned a restaurant and when younger I considered training as a chef, but writing won.

In what way is being a published writer different to how you thought it would be?

The amount of things that must be done before I can actually start writing each day. Dealing with emails and correspondence, organising competitions, giveaways, appearances, updating my website and blog - I thoroughly enjoy each and every contact with readers, but I do tend to get carried away if I’m not careful!

Promotion is no longer a dirty word. In what ways do you strive to reach more readers?

Social networking is key to reaching the largest number of readers in the easiest way, and it’s so enjoyable. I hold regular competitions and giveaways on my website and Blog.

What is your top promo tip for other authors?

Use a pen name - it allows you so much freedom to go out and be someone else when you’re promoting your work.

What did you learn while writing this book?

I discovered how much fun it is to invent my own country. Weight of the Crown is set in Rosara, a combination of all the places I love: big skies, breathtaking scenery and a prince who’s tall, dark, handsome and just waiting to be tamed by the right woman...

What was the most fun part of writing this book?
This is the question I’ve had to think about for longer than anything else you’ve asked me, because I loved it all. Writing is the best job in the world, and inventing Rosara (‘Land of Roses’) and its gorgeous prince Lysander was like opening a big box of chocolates every time I sat down to start work!

And just for fun: what would your hero’s honeymoon destination of choice be?

Lysander would love to go to a totally deserted tropical paradise where he could escape the Weight of the Crown and get back to nature. However, he’s so concerned that Alyssa works too hard, he’d make sure there was plenty of seven-star luxury on hand for her!

Now duty is his only mistress

For notorious playboy Prince Lysander Kahani, playtime is over…Left with a country to run, he draws the line at playing nanny to his orphaned nephew!

Instead he sends for a professional. But one glance at buttoned-up Alyssa Dene and Lysander’s wicked side re-emerges! Wary of his scandalous reputation, Alyssa tries to keep her distance – but Lysander draws her like a moth to a flame.

Lysander is fighting a battle between public duty and private desire, but he is determined to make Alyssa a royal offer she won’t refuse…


Thank you so much for this invitation - I really enjoyed it.

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Weight of the Crown is available from Amazon, Amazon UK and direct from Mills & Boon.

You can find Christina on-line at her website, her blog, on Twitter, on Facebook and at Romance Book Paradise Promotions.

Christina is giving away one of her backlist books to a lucky (non-Minxy) commenter ... so you know what to do!