Thanks for Attending Bloggiesta Ole

Thanks to all of you who spent the weekend here at  Romance Author Buzz and commented.  Please check back tomorrow in the afternoon, to see if you've won!

Australia's Queen of Romance

VALERIE Parv, an internationally best selling author who is known as Australia’s queen of romance, will be Armidale Dumaresq’s Australia Day ambassdor.

Already a successful writer of non-fiction, Valerie has more than 70 books to her name, translated into 26 languages.

A qualified trainer and counsellor with a Master of Arts in creative writing, Valerie conducts seminars and workshops based on her best-selling guides for writers, Heart & Craft (Allen & Unwin, 2009); The Art of Romance Writing (Allen & Unwin 1993, 2004) and The Idea Factory (Allen & Unwin 1995).

The State Library of NSW began to acquire Valerie’s papers in 1994 for their collection and continues to acquire material from her. Her next romance novel debuts in the US in March 2011, and she will speak at the Romantic Times Book Lovers Convention in Los Angeles in April.

Valerie has received a number of awards for her community contributions and dedication to helping new writers achieve their full potential.

In 1988, she was presented with a Bicentennial Medallion from the Society of Women Writers, Australia. During the 2001 Centenary of Federation, she was honoured with a figure in Peoplescape, a unique art installation celebrating the lives of notable Australians.

In 2004 she received a certificate of appreciation from the Chief Minister of the ACT Government for her work following the devastating Canberra bushfires of 2003 when she arranged for more than 2000 new books to be signed and donated by her fellow authors around the world to community members who had lost everything in the fires.

She mentors new writers through the Valerie Parv Award, created in her honour by Romance Writers of Australia, and has been an Australia Day Ambassador to Goulburn Mulwaree, Harden, Grenfell and Cooma.

Article Source:  The Armidale Express

Mills and Boon New Line......RIVA

Mills and Boon has launched its exciting new line, Riva, in London, with a pop-up shop in the Selfridges store in Oxford Street. The Riva books are on sale alongside labels such as Agent Provocateur.

Riva books are “sparky, sassy stories of life and love…from first flicker to burning flame. Delightfully, tempting, these books are must-haves for passionistas everywhere.”

To see February's line up, here

One of my favorite authors, Nicola Marsh and her post at Author Sound Relations.  Nic will also be writing for RIVA.

Meet Robyn Grady - Harlequin Presents & Silhouette Desire Author

Robyn Grady's Bio:

One Christmas long ago, Robyn received a book from her big sister and immediately fell in love with Cinderella. Sprinklings of magic, deepest wishes come true - she was hooked! Picture books with glass slippers later gave way to romance novels. When she was older, she wanted to write one.

However, in junior high, Robyn hit a stumbling block - a disheartening grade of one out of ten for a book review. Confused and hurt, she asked her hundred-and-thirty-year-old English teacher why the low mark? The wizened schoolmarm sniffed, "You obviously had a senior do it for you." Thankfully Robyn's business teacher was a honey.

Following a fifteen-year career behind the scenes in television, Robyn knew the time was right to pursue her dream of becoming a published author. Late in 2004, she received a phone call from a London editor. She'd submitted a manuscript to the Sweet line, which were featuring lighter, sexier stories to be released under the Tango banner. The editor was very interested in her story, but for a brand new line.

Robyn didn't stop smiling for a week, but sometime later learned her revised manuscript hadn't hit the mark. Then she received another call and another request for revisions to a second manuscript! That didn't sell either. On a third manuscript she received a very long, very detail email, asking for, what would turn out to be, a complete rewrite. Having torn out most of her hair, but with 13 contest finals in 2006 (including winning the Golden Pen and Where the Magic Begins), she finished the rewrite then contacted a New York agent. That wonderful agent took her on, and Robyn sold in a matter of weeks, first to Silhouette Desire, then Modern Heat (Sexy Sensation/Presents) with a two book deal! She is currently writing manuscript number seventeen.

Robyn lives with her own modern-day hero on Australia's Sunshine Coast with their three little princesses, as well as two poodles and a cat called Tinkie. She has majors in English literature and psychology, and loves new shoes, worn jeans, visits to the theatre and lunches at picturesque Moffat Beach with her writer friends.

Robyn Grady’s January release


The last woman Samuel Bishop expected to have in his arms was his ex-wife. Left with amnesia from an accident, Laura had no memory of their bitter divorce. In her mind, she and the business tycoon were still newlyweds. With her ready to pick up where she thought their scorching-hot marriage had left off, he couldn't turn her down.

But soon Bishop realized he was playing with fire. He wanted to reclaim the wedded bliss this Laura had shown him, but what would happen when her memory returned?

And what would happen if it didn't?

MEET ROBYN GRADY:

Robyn, welcome to Romance Author Buzz.  How long have you been writing and what was your call story?

Robyn:     I’ve been writing romance for thirteen years (wow!) and received interest from a wonderful Mills & Boon editor in 2004. Took me another couple of years, and numerous contest finals and wins, before a friend from New Zealand called one day to suggest I contact her agent. I belted out an email (as if a New York agent would be interested in me!) and received a response within minutes asking for partials. I signed with that agent and sold to New York’s Desire in December 2006 and London’s Modern Heat (then Extra) 6 weeks later. It was an amazing feeling! I feel very fortunate the way things worked out and appreciate every moment of ‘being published’.

What are you currently working on?

Robyn:   I’m finishing up a manuscript connected with this year’s Desire Texas Cattleman’s Club series. I was stoked to be invited to be part of a collection alongside fabulous authors like Brenda Jackson and Maureen Child. (I’m still pinching myself!) And then I’m onto a series of my very own, which will involve locations from all over the world and heaps of (dare I say it?) sex and scandal.

Of all of your characters, do you have a favorite you identify with and why?

Robyn:   I think it’s true to say that the characters you’re working with at the moment are your faves. It takes a while before you’re really in their head (or them in yours!) but then you have to identify and empathize deeply with them so that your readers will too. I must say I really love my couple from The Billionaire’s Fake Engagement. They both were strong, good-hearted people who had lost a lot and were willing to give up more to keep the love they had come to share.

What is the best thing about your job as an author? What is the hardest thing?

Robyn:   Everything! I’ve always, always loved books and writing i.e. playing with words, creating emotion through language. I wish I’d started down the publishing path years before I did. I’m grateful to be able to work my own hours and from home. Being there for family is a priority.

Describe a day in the life of Robyn Grady.

Robyn:   I sleep in as late as I can, make lunches and get the kids off to school. Three days a week I work out with a personal trainer. (I’d put on *heaps* of weight in less than a year and now I’m determined to keep healthy. I feel great after a good slog at the weights or treadmill! See how I’m talking myself into it??) During the day I do business stuff and also go over and edit what I’ve written the night before. I’ll usually grab an hour or two’s sleep then do the school run. Cooking dinner (ugh), homework. Around 10pm I come alive and slip into my writing zone. Maybe one day my weird internal clock will reset. But right now, I write best in the quiet of the night.

What is something you definitely want readers to know about you?

Robyn:   I’m a big believer in doing what you can while you can.

Scene you like most and would never cut.

Robyn:   I have a few scenes that live with me. Maybe the one I love best is the final scene from The Fake Billionaire’s Engagement. I can’t tell you what that scene entails and give the ending away! But I can almost guarantee a giant lump in your throat.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:

Robyn:   What an interesting question! I thought hard about it, and I think it’s fair to say that each heroine and hero is so different. I interview my characters and ask them questions like this and they always tell me something different, even if at the seat of their fears are emotions with which we can all identify.

Scene in the book that moved you the most as you wrote it, or made you the most happy?

Robyn:   Maybe a scene from my first book, The Magnate Marriage Demand. The hero has married a woman pregnant with another man’s child. Without malice, he has decided that this child cannot occupy the same place in his heart that children of his own blood will hold. He is alone when he views a recording of the fetus he will soon call son. The emotions those images inspire within him, the impact of insight and understanding of self, was moving for me as well as for Armand DeLuca. That was one very happy ending.

Have you learned or found any bizarre facts while doing research?

Robyn:   Oh research! For my offering in the Presents Bad Blood collection, due out in NA in June, I researched Formula One inside out. My husband is a huge car racing fan. He drowned me in information regarding terminology and history and equipment – for which I was extremely grateful. He couldn’t quite understand why I didn’t want to know anymore about chicanes or Fangio once the book was finished. Having said that, for me, research is a really fun part of developing a story.

What is one thing in your history that has influenced your writing, whether it’s a character, your work habits, or your favorite plot conflict?

Robyn:   If I wasn’t a writer, I’d want to be a psychologist. I have a double major in psychology and am fascinated by the workings of people’s minds...why we do what we do. So whenever I write a character, I’m constantly analyzing her/him.

What’s next?

Robyn:   I’m itching to get into my Desire series!

Before I let you go is there anything I forgot to ask that you want the readers and fans to know?

Robyn:   Queensland, my home state in Australia, has recently suffered the worst natural disaster in its history. The rest of the east coast of Australia is also flooding. Lives have been lost and the reconstruction is monumental. Authors have put together an auction to raise funds to contribute to the flood relief appeal. If you’re a reader or writer looking to be published, drop by the following e-addy to pick up some great deals!

 

For a chance to win a copy of Amnesiac Ex, Unforgettable Vows, follow Robyn on Facebook and come back here and post your email address. Contest is International and winner will be announced on January 24th.

Robyn’s website:
Robyn on Facebook:
Robyn on Twitter:



Meet New York Times Best Selling Author Susan Mallery at Bloggiesta Ole

In honor of New York Times Best Selling Author Susan Mallery and because we both reside in Seattle, Washington, today I would like to talk about her Buchanan Series.  Why?  Because it takes place here in the Emerald City

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Cal Buchanan needs a top-flight chef to take over his failing Seattle restaurant, The Waterfront. He can afford to hire the best in town—the only problem is that the best happens to be his ex-wife, Penny Jackson.

Penny really needs this opportunity, but she doesn't need the distraction of working with her ex. She's sworn off romance—she's even having a baby on her own. But before she knows it, the heat is on…and the attraction between her and Cal moves from a low simmer to a full boil!

The rest should be easy as pie, but a secret from Cal's past could spoil everything. Maybe it's true that too many cooks spoil the broth—or maybe two is enough to make it irresistible.

When ex-Marine Walker Buchanan stops to help Elissa Towers change a tire, he tells himself it's just the neighborly thing to do. And when Elissa finds herself baking him a thank-you pie, she's just returning the favor…right?

Both of them have sworn off dating—Elissa's determined to protect her little girl, and that means ditching her taste for dangerous men…especially former Marines with dark secrets. Walker knows that he's not cut out for hearth and home…his own crazy family made sure of that. But the sparks won't stop flying between them.

Now the two are struggling to keep their relationship "just friends," but with every kiss, their rules fly out the window…

Reid Buchanan was always a fan favorite on the baseball diamond. But between the sheets?

A spiteful article about the former pitcher and current playboy questions his talent in the bedroom. And the newspaper's just the first bad news. Reid's grandmother Gloria's broken hip means she needs constant care—but Reid hired Nurses 1 and 2 for their bedside manner with him. So for Number 3 he chooses Lori Johnson, the first candidate who seems immune to his brand of charm.

Lori's never wasted her time with amoebas like Reid Buchanan. So why are her well-fortified defenses starting to crumble under the force of his sexy smile—and the kindness he shows her at every turn? There's only one explanation for the feelings flaring between them—chemistry. Chemistry so hot, it's sizzling!

After three romantic flame-outs in a year and a restaurant career going nowhere, Dani Buchanan needs a fresh start. She goes looking for her biological father, but never expects to find a senator running for president. As his long-lost "love child," Dani could seriously derail the election—something his handsome campaign manager Alex Canfield isn't going to let happen. Dani isn't about to let Alex run her life, no matter how tempting she finds him—and Alex isn't going to allow Dani to melt his cynicism, no matter how close he has to get. The last thing either of them wants is love, especially with scandals brewing and family trouble on the way. But Dani and Alex are forced to trust each other, and when trust turns to passion, the potential for disaster is only a tabloid scandal away.

About Susan:

Susan Mallery is the New York Times bestselling author of over one hundred romances and women’s fiction novels, and she has yet to run out of ideas! Her funny and sexy family stories consistently appear on the USA Today bestseller list and have landed as high as #5 on the New York Times list. She has won many awards, including the prestigious National Reader’s Choice Award. Her books have been named to the Top 10 Romance Novels lists of 2007, 2008, and 2009 by Booklist, a publication of the American Library Association, and she was the only author on the list all three years. Because her degree in Accounting wasn't very helpful in the writing department, Susan earned a Masters in Writing Popular Fiction.

Susan makes her home in the Pacific Northwest where, rumor has it, all that rain helps with creativity. Susan is married to a fabulous hero-like husband and has a six pound toy poodle...who is possibly the cutest dog on the planet.

Susan's website
Susan Mallery on Facebook
Susan Mallery on Twitter

In honor of this Seattle based series and author Susan Mallery, I'm having an International Contest.  To win a $10.00 Starbucks card if you're not part of Susan's Members Only Lounge, join.  Come back to this post, comment and leave your email address.  If you're already a member, follow Susan on Twitter and/or Facebook which you'll find listed after her bio.  Happy Bloggiesta Ole!

Meet New York Times Best Selling Author Christina Dodd

Christina's Bio:

Readers become writers, and Christina Dodd has always been a reader. As she was growing up, she read everything, but discovered, because she liked humor, that she liked romance best. In romance, the relationship between one man and one woman holds center stage, and that’s always good for a laugh.

A woman wants things like world peace, a clean house, and a deep and meaningful relationship based on mutual understanding and love. A man wants things like a Craftsman router with attachments, undisputed control of the TV remote, and a red Corvette which will miraculously make his bald spot disappear.

So while Christina was working as a draftsman, she would read during the lunch hour, go back to work to design a sawmill, and plot the conclusion of the story in her mind. The book never ended like that, and she liked her endings better. When her first daughter was born, she told her husband she was going to quit work and write a book. It was a good time to start a new career, because how much trouble could one little infant be?

Quite a bit, it seemed. It took ten years, two children and three completed manuscripts before her first novel, CANDLE IN THE WINDOW, was published.

In the seventeen years since, her novels have been translated into twelve languages, featured by Doubleday Book Club, recorded on Books on Tape for the Blind, won Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart and RITA Awards and been called the year’s best by Library Journal. Christina Dodd herself has been a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle (11/18/05, #13 Down: Romance Novelist named Christina.) Christina is a regular on the USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and the New York Times Bestseller Lists. Publishers Weekly praises how Christina’s writing style “showcases Dodd’s easy, addictive charm and steamy storytelling.”

Christina's releases for 2010 included her first new historical in four years, IN BED WITH THE DUKE. Yes, IN BED WITH THE DUKE is one of the Governess Brides as well as the much-requested story of Michael, the brother from MY FAIR TEMPTRESS! In July and September, Christina publishes CHAINS OF ICE and CHAINS OF FIRE, the highly anticipated continuation of her acclaimed paranormal series, the Chosen Ones. In 2011, another Governess Brides historical, TAKEN BY THE PRINCE, will be released for your pleasure, and more stories of the Chosen Ones will be out in the autumn.

Her legions of fans always know that when they pick up a Christina Dodd book, they’ve found a story “For the wild at heart!”

Source:  Christina's website


Book Description:

Blessed—or cursed—with the ability to change into a sleek panther, and driven by a dark soul he's accepted as his fate, Adrik Wilder abandons his family and his honor to pursue a life of wickedness. He excels at every vice, including kidnapping Karen Sonnet to use for his selfish purposes.

But Karen's spirit and passion make him question the force of his family's curse. And when a new evil emerges, Adrik must choose whether to enact revenge on his enemies and redeem his soul, or save Karen from a fate worse than death…

32 Amazon customers rated Into the Shadow 5 Stars!

The latest Dodd saga following the Wilder and Varinski clans features third brother Adrik Wilder, who, transforming into a panther, goes feral and becomes a vicious warlord. As such, he comes to strong-willed, nocturnal construction supervisor Karen Sonnet; he's soon her secret lover, then her savior in a very rocky situation. As the two maintain a complicated relationship, Adrik's evil Varinski cousins discover that Karen possesses one of the icons that the Wilders have been collecting to stop the Varinski curse. While the story is fairly inaccessible to those who have not read the previous books, readers familiar with the story will find the action brisk and immediate. Adrik's story is as intense as that of his brothers, and Karen is a tough, worthy sparring partner. Though the series' larger plot lines don't much advance, the cliffhanger ending is sure to whet appetites  Source: Publishers Weekly

USA residents, for a chance to win a copy of Into the Shadow by this incredible author, join her membership page and friend her on Facebook.  Come back here and post a comment along with your email address.  Winner will be announced January 24th.

Jane Porter - How to Use Emotions to Power Up a Story

Bestselling Romance author Jane Porter was the speaker for the January meeting of the San Diego Romance Writer's of America..  Porter's presentation was about how to use emotions to power up a story.  Here are ten tips from yesterday's presentation.

1. State the emotion.  Porter said that this technique, while the most basic, is best used when the author is writing in 1st person.
2. Explain the emotion by stating it and then conveying details.  "Frank was angry and his fists were clenched."
3. Use dialogue to show the emotion.  Porter told the San Diego attendees that if a wife says, "Forget it!" to her husband, this conveys a great deal of emotion in two short words.  Such exchanges are "bullet like" and make great dialogue.
4. Using actions such as in a love scene can convey what characters are feeling without the need for words.
5. Introspection is another way to help readers understand a character's thoughts.  Perhaps a character is doing one thing while thinking another.
6. Porter also said that she uses opposing goals for characters to set up emotional conflicts.  She finds that this technique brings readers in touch with the characters' emotions right away.
7. Certain settings also enhance emotional scenes.  For instance, a love scene set in the desert at night becomes suddenly much smaller due to the dimness and twinkling stars.
8. Emotions will ring true with readers when they are authentic.  Stripping emotions bare is even more effective, yet melodramatic outbursts or descriptions have the opposite effect.
9. Suppressing emotions can be very dramatic.  Porter says that she uses this technique with male characters or with female characters who have "shut down."  Underneath, they feel their emotions, yet on the surface they refuse to show them.
10. Mix it up.  Be sure to use a variety of techniques and not get locked into using the same options all the time.

Special thanks go to Linda McDonald for taking meeting notes.  One special piece of advice that Porter passed along to the San Diego writers in attendance: "Draw on the emotion from your own life to power your writing." Source:  San Diego Examiner.com

Jane's latest women's fiction is She's Gone Country.

Shey Darcy is a thirty-nine-year-old model who once graced the covers of Vogue and Sports Illustrated. She has led a charmed life in New York City with her photographer husband and three sons. But when Shey's husband reveals that he's leaving her for a man, her world falls apart. Unable to find solace amid the noise and confusion of the city, Shey moves back to her family ranch with her kids. However, the quaint small-town Texas setting doesn't offer the type of relief she hoped for. Shey's mother and brothers can't help meddling and to make matters worse, her ex-crush has walked back into her life. Shey is strong-minded and independent, and all she wants to do is figure out how to get through this rough patch alone, without the help of her family or the sexy, rugged cowboy Dane Kelly. Despite her efforts, Shey's life just seems to get worse. Her sons are failing in school and want to move back to New York, and their money situation isn't improving. Shey soon realizes that in order to reinvent herself, she must let go of an uncertain future and a broken past, and allow for the possibility of new love in the present.

Jane's Website

Susan Mallery Giveaway - US Residents Only - Chasing Perfect (Fools Gold Series - autographed)

Fools Gold Series

Fool's Gold is the Land of Happy Endings. This charming small town, set in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas, is know for its friendliness, its festivals and its strong sense of community. Despite the man shortage, there seems to be plenty of romance to be found. All of it fun, much of it complicated! The Fool’s Gold series will continue in 2011 and 2012. To learn more about Fool’s Gold and to enjoy between-the-books updates on the characters from the books, go to http://www.foolsgoldca.com/!

Meet Author Susan Mallery

Susan Mallery is the New York Times bestselling author of over one hundred romances and women’s fiction novels, and she has yet to run out of ideas! Her funny and sexy family stories consistently appear on the USA Today bestseller list and have landed as high as #5 on the New York Times list. She has won many awards, including the prestigious National Reader’s Choice Award. Her books have been named to the Top 10 Romance Novels lists of 2007, 2008, and 2009 by Booklist, a publication of the American Library Association, and she was the only author on the list all three years. Because her degree in Accounting wasn’t very helpful in the writing department, Susan earned a Masters in Writing Popular Fiction.


Susan makes her home in the Pacific Northwest where, rumor has it, all that rain helps with creativity. Susan is married to a fabulous hero-like husband and has a six pound toy poodle...
 Source  Susan's website

CHASING PERFECT

Welcome to Fool's Gold, California, a charming community in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. There's lots to do and plenty of people to meet, especially women. Because there's just one tiny problem in Fool's Gold: the men don't seem to stick around. Maybe it's the lure of big-city life, or maybe it's plain old bad luck, but regardless of the reason, the problem has to be fixed, fast. And Charity Jones may be just the city planner to do it.


Charity's nomadic childhood has left her itching to settle down, and she immediately falls in love with all the storybook town has to offer—everything, that is, except its sexiest and most famous resident, former world-class cyclist Josh Golden. With her long list of romantic disasters, she's not about to take a chance on another bad boy, even if everyone else thinks he's perfect just the way he is. But maybe that's just what he needs—someone who knows the value of his flaws. Someone who knows that he's just chasing perfect.

To win a copy of Chasing Perfect, join Susan's membership page. or follow her on Twitter and/or Facebook.  Come back here and tell me what you did, share your favorite Susan Mallery Book.  Don't forget to post your email address.  Winner will be announced January 24th.

Susan on Twitter

Susan on Facebook

Meet Historical Author Delilah Marvelle - Bloggiesta Ole

Around three years ago, I met the beautiful Delilah Marvelle at a Reader/Author Conference (Celebrate Romance) which was held in Portland Oregon.  She is absolutely beautiful inside and out plus charming.  Since then we have connected at luncheons sponsored by the Portland Romance Writers of America and in Seattle at the Emerald City Writers Conference.  Her workshops are amazing, full of insight and humor.

Meet Delilah Marvelle and 28 facets about her from her website:

1.) Delilah is her real name.

2.) She actually met a guy named Samson in her lifetime. It was back in college. He even wore his hair shoulder length. She had to show him her picture ID with her name on it when they first met because he refused to believe her name really was Delilah. She never tried to date him. She knew it wouldn't end well...

3.) She speaks Polish and English fluently. And while she took four years of French in high school and can still understand quite a bit of French, she hasn't had much practice. Please do not send her emails in French unless you include a translation.

4.) She is married. Thank God.

5.) Her favorite authors are all dead. They include: Edith Wharton, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, Henryk Sienkiewicz, the Bronte sisters, Chaucer, Henry Fielding, and Hemingway.

6.) Her favorite living romance author who got her hooked on reading the romance she sought to write: Judith McNaught.

7.) All of the heroes in her books are based on her husband. Which is why her husband refuses to read any of her books. He is a model and a firefighter. No, she will not post pictures. If you ever wish to see Mr. Marvelle in person, Delilah recommends you come to a book signing. Taking photos of her husband will cost extra.

8.) The etiquette book she is holding (in the right hand picture) is from the year 1881. It inspired her to write the scandal series featuring a red little etiquette book by an Unknown Author. It was used in the scandal series book trailer and is now sitting on her writing desk.

9.) She can type 90 words per minute. She thanks the Lord every day for signing up for that typing course back in high school. She did it to avoid taking chemistry. She still had to take chemistry the following semester. She was not happy.

10.) She cannot write without having at least one Starbucks Frappucino. She intends to sue Starbucks if they ever discontinue making Frappucinos.

11.) She is not as young as she looks. This is a good thing. She hopes it lasts.

12.) Her favorite food is sushi.

13.) Her favorite color is red. Can you tell?

14.) She loves animals but does not own any.

15.) She has always secretly wanted to be a race car driver.

16.) She has a culinary degree. She even won a national cooking contest for the most original cookie, winning $10,000. Despite this, the only real chef in the house is Chef Boyardee because Delilah's writing is keeping her out of the kitchen. Her family does forgive her every Thanksgiving when she goes all out and makes everything from scratch. Even the gravy.

17.) Delilah was born and raised in Chicago.

18.) She now lives in Portland, Oregon. The rain ensures she is always writing. She usually takes the summers off because that is the only time the sun ever comes out.

19.) Her favorite movie is Amelie.

20.) She once walked in the jungles of Belize in her flip flops at night to go to the bathroom. When these black things were skittering beneath her feet, she stupidly asked the locals what they were. Tarantulas. She never wore flip flops in the jungle again.

21.) Her grandmother calls sex "poom-poom." Seriously.

22.) Delilah is not decedent of royalty. She wants to be. BUT...her great-great-GREAT grandfather was knighted by a King. Sadly, he was poisoned shortly afterward. This is, in fact, true. Unless her relatives are big fat liars. Which would explain where she gets her incredible story-telling skills.

23.) She loves kickboxing and running.

24.) Her favorite sinful snack is salted dark chocolate.

25.) Delilah cannot write when there are other people around. She cannot even have anyone in the house and must have complete silence. Why? Because she talks aloud in a British accent as she is writing. It helps her characters come alive but she knows if anyone heard her doing it, they would think she is a freak.

26.) She was involved in theater for four years.

27.) She played the pianoforte for 10 years and competed regionally for about 5, taking first place several times. She also took five years of ballet.

28.) Delilah is impressed that you made it this far. You are either really freakin nosy or a real fan. She hope it's the latter.

Delilah Marvelle loves writing historical romances with scandalous twists she digs up from history. She is a two time Golden Heart Finalist, an RT Reviewers Choice Nominee and a double finalist in the Bookseller's Best Award. You can visit her at her website at www.DelilahMarvelle.com or visit her blog, A BIT O'MUSLIN which explores the naughtier side of history at


The Official Scandal Series

 
Delilah's latest release Prelude to a Scandal

Lady Justine is willing to trade her good name, her reputation and her place in London's gossip-hungry ton to secure her father's release from prison. But when the notorious Duke of Bradford counters her offer with a proposal of marriage, the stakes grow higher still. For while the smoldering lord is famous for his conquests, the man is oblivious to both her devotion and her charms. And Justine is soon afraid she has wagered all for naught….

A recent fun interview from SOS Aloha

I purchased Prelude To A Scandal today and I'm going to offer it to US Residents Only.  To win a copy,  go Delilah's Facebook Page and tell her what you liked about this post.  Come back, post a comment and your email address.  For a second chance to win, follow this blog.  Winner will be announced January 24th

Meet Author Mira Lyn Kelly

Mira’s Bio:

Mira Lyn Kelly grew up in the Chicago area and earned her degree in Fine Arts from Loyola University. She met the love of her life while studying abroad in Rome, Italy, only to discover he’d been living right around the corner from her for the previous two years. Having spent her twenties working and playing in the Windy City, she’s now settled with her husband in rural Minnesota where their four beautiful children provide an excess of action, adventure, and entertainment.

With writing as her passion and inspiration striking at the darnedest times, Mira can always be found with a notebook at the ready. (More than once she’s been caught by the neighbors, covered in grass clippings, scribbling away atop the compost container!)

When she isn’t reading, writing, or running to keep up with the kids, she loves watching movies, blabbing with the girls, and cooking with her husband and friends.

Front Page Affair

Book Description

Payton hasn't seen Nate Evans in years—not since he used to hang out with her brother in high school. But now she and Nate are guests at the same wedding where the notorious millionaire offers her a wild proposal—a sexy, scandalous and irresistible affair!

Nate's outrageous proposition was supposed to stay only paper-thin; it was merely a ploy to distract the tabloids from another, all-too-real scandal. But neither he nor Payton expected such a very public affair to prove so very hot in private…

Or to have such lasting consequences


Mira Lyn, welcome to Romance Author Buzz and Bloggiesta Ole.

Mira Lyn:   Thank you so much for having me—I’m thrilled to be here!

Is there a back story to Front Page Affair?

Mira Lyn:   I’m a complete junky for friends-to-lovers and reunited-lovers stories. FRONT PAGE AFFAIR sort of sprung up when the two came together in an idea that incorporated a little bit of what I love best in both themes…the simmering tension of a past almost realized, and the easy rapport of two people who know just enough about each other to be dangerous.

Do you plot your stories or let your characters lead you.

Mira Lyn:   A little bit of both, to be honest. I generally have an idea for a hook. The meeting and first sparks. It’s usually what becomes the first scene in the story, though in FRONT PAGE AFFAIR it was actually the second scene in the storage closet I couldn’t ignore. My bridesmaid on the lamb just kept sneaking into my head…talking, lol, until I sat down and started plotting her out.

How long have you been writing and what was your call story?

Mira Lyn:   I’ve been writing most of my life, but my first attempt at an actual book began about ten years ago. I wrote an ill-fated suspense that really wanted to be a romance…only it didn’t know it at the time. And if there’s any doubt as to why said book was not published… the heroine was an abducted, amnesiac, suffering from acute agoraphobia. (Oh, come on, now you’re hooked—I know it!)

This will sound crazy, but I think the best part of my call story for WILD FLING OR A WEDDING RING, is that I actually tried to talk the editor I was working with out of requesting it. I hadn’t written it for the line and was sure it wasn’t right. Fortunately, she suggested I let her look anyway…and thank goodness I have this thing about accommodating editors.

What are you currently working on?

Mira Lyn:   An opposites-attract story (working title: Mr. Right-Now) about a woman so overwhelmed by the demands of her family, she doesn’t have room in her life for romance…That is until she meets a man so completely wrong for her, he couldn’t be more right… for a single night. Only we all know how those string-free single nights have a way of turning into something more… it’s a lot of fun.

Of all of your characters, do you have a favorite you identify with and why?

Mira Lyn:   Lol, I do. She’s in the current book I’m working on. And no, sadly, it’s not the vivacious, sexy, so much fun heroine… but her older, less cool, completely frazzled sister!

What is the best thing about your job as an author? What is the hardest thing?

Mira Lyn:   The best thing about being an author has to be the free license to dwell in fantasy land. I’m there most of the time anyway, so the justification goes a long way. The hardest thing is accepting that forcing creativity to happen on a timetable just doesn’t always happen.

Describe a day in the life of Mira Lyn Kelly.

Mira Lyn:   Okay, brace yourself for the excitement (suggest a strong cup of coffee to help keep you awake, lol)! I’m usually up at 5am trying to squeeze in a few hours of writing before the four kids join me at seven. Then it’s breakfasts, book bags, and the mad dash for the bus. From there, things open up and I write around whatever calamities life happens to be serving up (this week it’s a crack in the foundation and a frozen sump!). By four the kids are home and I’m back in mommy mode, running everyone to swimming, wrangling homework, and pushing dinner onto the table. It’s been a long time coming, but now that everyone is in school, I’m definitely enjoying the split of working during the day and spending my evenings focused on the family. I’ll admit though, I don’t make a lot of time for housework.

What is something you definitely want readers to know about you?

Mira Lyn:  I like to have fun and think life’s a lot better when you can laugh through it.

What are you currently reading?

Mira Lyn:   Rachel Gibbons – Simply Irresistible.

Before I let you go is there anything I forgot to ask that you want the readers and fans to know?

Mira Lyn:   I’m just very excited to have the chance to share my stories with you. Thanks so much to you, Marilyn, for having me to your blog today and to everyone who has been kind enough to check out my writing.

Mira, thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview with me!

To win a copy of Front Page affair, follow Mira on Facebook or her blog, tell you what you thought of her interview and come back here and post your email address. A winner will be announced January 24th.

Mira’s Blog
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INTERNATIONAL CONTEST – To win a copy of Front Page Affair, follow Mira Lyn on Facebook and/or follow this blog. Post a comment, along with your email address. Winner will be announced January 24th.

Welcome to Bloggiesta January 21-23, 2011

Welcome.  I hope you enjoy your time spent here this weekend.  Don't forget to check back daily for posts and giveaways.  I hope you enjoy your time here and will also follow Romance Author Buzz.

To see other participating blogs, click on the Bloggiesta located on the sidebar.  It will take you directly to MAW Books Blog where you can see those bloggers who are participating.

Today I'm sharing an interview with you beginning with Linda Conrad.  .  Stop over to the interview, follow Linda on Faceboon and leave your email address for a chance to win Lilnda's latest release.  Winner announced Jan 24th