head down, bum on seat

Revisions have arrived for my latest Modern Extra THE BEAUTIFUL STRANGER which is fantastic timing as always. I had planned to spend a day on my tax, but alas ;).

It's a lovely relief that certain scenes within the book, which I thought may be too risque (intrigued???) and others I thought might be too down home for MX have gone through with a flourish. Just have to give my darling lovable Damien a little more backstory which is in my head but not on paper quite enough and the conflict will tighten immeasurably. And I get to spend more time with this guy. All worth it to be sure ;).

Also good timing because I'm finding it tricky to get into my new story right now. Am thinking of beginning something completely afresh. Anyone got any ideas they'd simply like to give away? Maybe with a couple of chapters thrown in for good measure? Hmmm?

new cover!

I stumbled upon the cover for my second Modern Extra Sensual STEAMY SURRENDER online today. Steamy enough for you? I reckon!

Funny thing is she looks kinda like me! Same colour hair, same skin type. And he could just as easily be my handsome hubby with the dark hair and olive skin. Not sure that we'd be out and about dressed like that right now as its the middle of winter in Melbourne but... Morgan and Saxon could be a whole other kettle of fish.

Here's a sneak peak of some of their tale which hits bookstores in the UK this November:

‘What’s good here?’ Morgan asked.

It was simply too good a line to leave be. Itch or no itch. He held both arms wide to take in the whole shop. ‘Everything here will be the best you’ve ever had.’

Morgan laughed. Out loud. For she had no doubt the guy behind the counter had included himself in that statement. Cocky as well as cute, she thought. Though she only said, ‘That’s quite some claim.’

He placed a hand over his heart. Long fingers splayed out across a wall of cotton clad muscle. ‘I back it up with my own personal guarantee.’

'Brave business practice.’

‘Bravery suggests doubt. I’ve simply never had any complaints.’ His smile slid easily into a grin, all strong cheekbones and creased eyes and light-handed persuasion.

Morgan cleared her throat and trained her expression back towards ambivalent politeness. She was here to case the joint. Not to admire the merchandise. ‘I’ll take your word for it.’

You can pre-order STEAMY SURRENDER at Amazon UK, or check out more about the book on my website.

And if you like a bit of steam, my first sexy book, GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS is available online now in Australia and New Zealand from eHarlequin.com.au, or if you prefer to browse bookstores as I do, you can wait until next month.

And do keep an eye on Kate Walker's fabulous Fiftieth Book blog party as I'll be making an appearance there later this month with a fabulous giveaway! And Sid just chose me as the winner of a prize in appreciation of the crazy menagerie I have at my house. Thanks Sid!!!

sigh...

Cause you all liked my Riley so very much, here is some more of him ;).

Yes, it is a young Paul Newman. I'm sure my mum would argue there has been no better looking man ever to walk the planet . When I was young and silly and didn't know any different I was very much a Robert Redford girl. I guess he was younger, less complaex, had a cute smile. I mean there's no getting past the fact athat he was Hubble, right?

But Paul Newman, with that bone structure, those eyes, that love for his wife, those pasta sauces, and passion for what he does he's the winner in my book.

So now, well not now but hopefully in two days time when I've handed in my proof edits on FALLING FOR THE REBEL HEIR, I'll certainly hope to translate some of that, plus a huge dollop of lovely stuff brewing in my imagination, into creating Riley Jackman: one time truant turned Cambridge grad, family lawyer who has no idea what he's getting into when he's sent on a mission to track down one Felicity "Flick" Morgan on the other side of the world in coastal Victoria...

tangled

I have a half dozen stories floating around in my head, some are Romances other Modex's and others again feel caught halfway in between. But finally the decision has been made.

Meet my new hero and heroine. They are Felicity "Flick" Morgan, feisty beachside tattoo artist and Riley Jackman, uptight London lawyer. Coming together in a book with the working title Tangled. Aren't they pretty?

I wrote the first chapter a few years back. Loved it. But the heroine was so full on it kind of floored me. The story reared its head again early last year when Trish Wylie, Natasha Oakley and I threw around the idea of writing a trilogy together. The heroine didn't feel quite so difficult at that time, but it never eventuated.

But now I have recast, replotted ( as much as a flimmer like me can) and am in the process of juicying up the first chapter ready to write the thing in full. Flick is still feisty, but I'm big enough and experienced enough now to can handle her.

Tell me I can handle her!

I've shared biccies with a RITA winner

A huuuuuge congrats to the delightful Barbara Hannay who won the very last RITA for Best Traditional Romance last weekend at the Romance Writers of America conference in Dallas. you could have heard my whoop from here when I just read the news!

There I was, having lemon shortbread biscuits and coffee at Barb's place in Townsville with her and hubby a mere couple of weeks ago, having no clue I was in the midst of such a champ. Okay, well I had some clue. She was nominated, and not for the first time. And she has written two of my favourite ever Harlequin Romances: Her Playboy Challenge which was also nominated for a RITA, won the Romantic Book of the Year in Australia a couple of years back and has one of the best heroes ever put to print, and Wedding at Windaroo one of her glorious outback stories, and one that made me cry and sigh and all the things a great romance is meant to do.

Her RITA winning book, CLAIMING HIS FAMILY is still on my humungous to be read pile and I am in for such a treat!!!

Congrats Barb! Much deserved. Wish I was going to Sydney on August for the Romance Writers of Australia conference to see your gorgeous award and give you a hug but alas big belly does not allow. Hugs from here Barb!

i should have kept my mouth shut

In no less than five minutes after getting up this morning I had two packages arrive by courier.

First came a biffy pressie from my hubby!!! He bought me this goooorgeous new mobile phone. My old one had no camera, rang no more than six times before hanging up on people, couldn't do polyphonic ringtones. This one is very fancy with moving pictures as wallpaper, a camera, MP3 capabilities, a notebook, a calendar and I'm gonna get a new schmick red cover for it! Which is all very timely as the book I delivered to my editor yesterday is all about two people and their mobile phones...

Next came the proof edits for my last romance FALLING FOR THE REBEL HEIR. Could my editor possibly have planned it this perfectly?

Now what to do today. Ray-Anne suggested I do what I have to do then what I want to do. That sounds like a job for someone who eats their veges first. Not me I'm afraid. I am a girl with no willpower! So new phone is on charge and I'm looking up ringtones for my fave TV shows on the net right now ;).

done! sent! now what?

Okay, so it's done. It's sent. My latest Modern Extra hopeful is off and away to take up space on my editor's cluttered desk.

And tomorrow looms wide and bright and devoid of plans of any kind. The square on my calendar is blank. Empty. White as a fresh Word page. What should I do?

Foist myself on an unsuspecting friend, and beg for entertainment to take my mind off the story still swimming around in my head? Head down to the DVD store and get out a movie my husband would never ever watch? Shop for stuff for upcoming bub? (Like I haven't done enough of that in the past two weeks :)) Do my tax? Mmmm... Clean out back room? Clean out office?

Or do I stay on the straight and narrow and use the creative energy coursing through me to narrow down what my next Harlequin Romance story will be about? It is due in two and a half months after all...

Help!

random thoughts

Edits are going beautifully! Have slashed a couple of thousand words and am inputting changes into computer right now. Well not right now, as I would need at least four hands for that. But soon. Any minute now. When I leave you good people alone.

Have you all been keeping up with Trish's Travels through the US of A? If not, do head on over to her blog for a hilarious read about the perils of fair skin in hot climes. And say hi to Sean the Leprechaun for me!

Oh, and I had another weird pregnancy dream last night. I dream a lot anyway, but these have been very strange and thematic. Somehow in every one of them my mother ends up with her hair in curlers or too busy packing her own suitcase - yes, suitcase - for the hospital to help me when the time comes! (Hi mum!!! Take note!!!)

Now, I've had my weekly fix of Senator McAllister in Brothers and Sisters which always gives me a nice leg up to my hero Damien who looks very much like Rob Lowe in my head. Come next Monday I'll be telling you more about that on the Pink Heart Society's Male on Monday spot, so don't forget to come along for a visit!

So off I go to slash slash slash!

back in the saddle

I'm home from my lovely holidays. And its taking days to recuperate. Isn't that always the way??? But especially this time, traveling with a big belly in front is logistically more difficult. Who knew?

But I did get the chance to shop up a storm with my beautifully pregnant sister Suze, to eat decadent biccies while looking over a lovely view with the fabulous Barbara Hannay and her equally fabulous husband, to catch up with my godmothers and my family and hubby's family lots and lots and to bring back a collection of teddy bears I've had since I was in my teens - they'll look so spiffy in bub's room!

I am deep into edit mode today, cutting a few thousand words from my - always - too long current work in progress. I love this part of the job, getting out my red pen and slashing whole paragraphs at a time, watching the word count slip away. And after all the hard work it took to put those words there you'd think It would be more painful. But no. Slash! Burn! Cull!

And after weeks of having no interest in M&Ms, I am back in the saddle again. Bub has a taste for them now. Woohoo! M&Ms and steak, and cheese and bacon flavoured Cheetos, and mandarins. Nice combo hey?

And have you all heard they're making a Sex and the City movie. Excited moi? I reckon they must have finally come together and agreed to do so because it's my birthday today. Happy Birthday me!

sexy moi?

My first ever Sexy Sensation novel is online now in Australia and New Zealand!!!

If you prefer shopping in person, GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS hits book stores in those countries mid-August, just in time for the Romance Writers of Australia conference in gorgeous Sydney, which unfortunately I won't be attending this year for the first time in something like 6 years due to the fact that I will be as big as a house by that stage. Pout pout... But surely the moula I will save on the trip can go towards more baby clothes, and toys, and bedding, and cute stuff, right?

Anyhoo, back to the book. Here's a little taste test from the opening chapter to prepare those of you who are used to my sweet books ;).

Abbey bit at her bottom lip, a nervous habit from long back. And she was nervous, for she felt like she had stumbled into the male version of a boudoir.

All dark wood furniture. A huge four-seater sofa with leather so soft it she would have been surprised if the cow from which it had come had ever seen the touch of the Australian sun. Pictures of sail boats and thoroughbred horses lined the oak-panelled walls. And a massive red twist rug that spelt the life’s work of a million silk worms swept across the huge carpeted floor at her feet until it butted up against the base of a roaring wood fire.

The room was so overtly masculine it made her feel queasy.

A scraping noise ricocheted into the room from a half open doorway at the far end of the long office. She caught sight of the corner of an unmade bed in the room beyond. The intimation of red scatter cushions piled haphazardly on the floor and draping chocolate satin sheets skittered unnervingly through her chest.

Abbey breathed deep through her nose to bring oxygen to her parts that were feeling the lack thereof, and reminded herself that the very fact that this room was an ode to power and testosterone and pure male fantasy only meant that she had come to the exact right place.

And to add to the fun. BILLIONAIRE ON HER DOORSTEP is on bookshelves in Australia and New Zealand right now!!! If you live in North America you can still find this book in stores until the middle of July as well, so if you haven't yet, run out and grab a copy now!!!

And just to see the different feel to how a Romance character and a Sexy Sensation character go about making different assumptions about the soon to be loves of their lives, here's a little bit from my latest Sweet book:

The room Tom was in was empty. No furniture. No pictures on the walls. Nothing. Well, nothing bar a twisting cream telephone cord snaking across the middle of the room to the far wall where a large grey drop cloth, buckets of paint, several flat square structures draped in fabric, a rickety old table which held numerous jars of coloured water and different sized paintbrushes, and an easel with a three-by-four foot canvas slathered in various shades of blue.

And in front of it all wearing no shoes, paint-spattered jeans, a t-shirt that might have at one time been white, and a navy bandana covering most of her biscuit blonde hair was the lady in question.

Tom cleared his throat and called out, ‘Ms Bryce?’

She spun on her heel with such speed paint from her brush splattered across the all-blue canvas.

Tom winced. It was red paint.

‘Holy heck!’ she blurted in a toned down version of the language from earlier. Her voice was husky, her high cheekbones pink, and her pale grey eyes aglow.

Well what do you know? Tom thought. My lucky day. For Lady Bryce was a knockout. He wished his cousin Alex was there with him now so he could poke him hard in the side and tell him, this is why you never say no to a damsel in distress.

‘Who the hell are you?’ the lady asked, seemingly not nearly as impressed with him. But the day was young. ‘And what are you doing in my house?’

Hope you enjoy!!!