Win a copy of Hot-Shot Tycoon, Indecent Proposal for May Day

Just popping in to say if you fancy a copy of my latest Modern Heat Hot-Shot Tycoon, Indecent Proposal (which isn't even out until next month in the UK and September in the US) then nip on over to The Pink Heart Society for my monthly Must-Watch Friday blog tomorrow.

I'm waxing lyrical on the gothic teen romance Twilight (and somehow managing to compare it with Jane Eyre!!) and also giving away a copy of my book to one lucky commentator.

In other news I'm offering 'An Author Critique of a Full MS Aimed at Harlequin Presents' (as well as some other odds and sods) on Brenda Novak's Online Auction So if you're an aspiring author and want the benefit of my vast knowledge brought to bear on your very own ms (and haven't been reading my blog, so you are completely unaware of how many mistakes I'm still making with my own manuscripts), shoot on over here and stick in a bid. It's for a good cause, namely Diabetes Research.

Blogging on Alpha Heroes...

Just a quick note to say I'm blogging on one of my favourite topics over on Kate Walker's blog today.... Namely 'Writing Alpha Heroes in a Modern Heat Stylee'. Which of course is a perfectly good excuse to slap up a prime tottie picture of my current favourite hero inspiration David Gandy.

So pop on over to Kate's blog and leave me a comment, pleeeeease. It'll be mortally embarrassing if I'm the only writer who doesn't get a single comment.

In other news, I dropped a quick email in the name of hero research to the fabulous Richard Rogers Partnership (RR is a top British architect whose partnership is responsible for such amazing buildings as Heathrow's Terminal 5 and The Dome incase you don't know) asking if they could give me some info on a top architect's daily life, qualifications, etc. Got a reply almost straight away from a very nice lady who has said that one of their 'ravishing and talented' young architects would be more than happy to have a chat. And let me tell you his name already makes him sound like a real-life Presents hero. But isn't that sweet of them?

 Poor guy doesn't have any idea what he's getting himself into, of course, but I'm already feeling quite nervous. Now I'm really going to have to come up with a plot (and some serious questions to ask him).  Ahhh, a writer's life, full of stressful decisions isn't it.

Recharging the Batteries.... Still

So I'm taking a week off (or is that two weeks off now??) to recharge the batteries and refill the old creative well and all that... In other words I'm taking lots of coffee breaks, reading some great books (Susan Mallery is my latest discovery. I love that woman's writing, as she has a similar hankering for bad boys it's a bit of a no-brainer really) and doing a few spin classes to lose the extreme writer's butt I seem to have acquired. Oh yes, and I'm also trying to think up something resembling a plot for my next story. 

I already have the hook (something to do with a fake singing telegram girl in an exclusive gentleman's club - who everyone, the hero included, mistakes for a stripper!!) and I've got a good grip on the characters. Can't decide whether to make my hero an architect, though. Is that too arty? Maybe not, if I channel Paul Newman in The Towering Inferno (but probably without the burning skyscaper)... 

Which means all I really need now is a nice big fat juicy conflict and that elusive plot thingy. I have to admit for my conflict I've taken some advice from Julie Cohen and delved into the mysterious world of Enneagrams. As her books always have such fabulously well-rounded characters and great conflicts I'm thinking it can't hurt. I'm currently leaning towards my heroine being a Reformer (moral, crusader, a fixer) and my hero being a Challenger (strong, dominant, individualist). Or something like that. It's all rather fascinating really.

And for the oomph to get me going, a great big box of my June release Hot-Shot Tycoon, Indecent Proposal landed on my doorstep today. I love the cover, definitely think it may be my best yet.. and the back blurb goes like this:

"Caught, claimed... Contracted for marriage?

Tycoon Connor Brody has just apprehended an intruder! One clad in lacy satin underwear... and not a trespasser at all, but his feisty neighbour Daisy Dean. The red-hot encounter leaves him aching for more - could the luscious Ms Dean be the answer to his prayers in more ways than one?

Connor needs to safeguard a business deal, and he fully intends to finish what they've started. Unable to resist his lethal charm, Daisy finds herself agreeing to two hedonistic weeks in New York - as Connor fake fiancée." 

Has that caught your interest? Good. You can read a sneak peek on my website. And I'm going to be offering a free copy or two on my next PHS blog, so keep an eye on this blog to know when that will be (or you could just go and buy a copy if you're feeling particularly daring).

BTW, Aideen, if you're reading this, your copy is in the post as promised. Let me know what you think of my first Irish hero??

The Mile High Club goes Greek... And other inspirations.

Found out today about Harlequin's new Greek website so of course I could not resist browsing it to discover if any of my books are available. And lo and behold I found The Mile High Club coming out as a Desire in Greek! At least I'm assuming it's that book, my Greek not being all that fluent.

Just check out that fabulously sexy and romantic cover art — Mel and Jack exactly as they appear in the book snogging on the balcony of his bijoux Parisian residence with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Honestly I think it's the best book cover I've ever had. I absolutely adore it. 

I also stuck the title and blurb into a Greek Translator and discovered it's been retitled A Kiss for Christmas - which may not be quite as sexy as the original title, but is very cute nonetheless and as the story's set over Christmas and New Year also surprisingly appropriate.

It's moments like this that make the whole process worth all the effort. In fact, I was so excited by the discovery, I've just written the first four pages of my next story, all complete tripe of course, but the enthusiasm's back which is all that matters at this stage. 

And just in case you were wondering, my hero's a Brit this time around (a little bit bad boy, a lot sexy billionaire) just to be on the safe side for a change. And my hero inspiration (in the looks department mostly) is coming from a male model called David Gandy who I read an interview with in last week's Observer Woman magazine. Models don't usually do it for me - too much style over substance I guess - but Gandy does take a very good picture (if you've seen those Dolce and Gabana ads that's him) and more importantly he comes across as a nice guy in the article (journalist Polly Vernon certainly seemed to take a shine to him anyway), which is pretty crucial when you're looking for hero inspiration I always think.

And if you fancy buying The Mile High Club in Greek, click here.

Come Back Col, All Is Forgiven

Ha, got a very nice email from my lovely ed this morning to say that she'll be recommending my sixth book for acquisition under the title Public Affair, Secretly Expecting! Fingers crossed it should be out this November in the UK.

Can't tell you what a relief it is to have this book done and dusted... And to know that in the final analysis all the pain was worth it. Although, having said that, I'd still like a lot less pain the next time thank you very much.

So anyway, enough about the pain and onto the pleasure. As I'm currently feeling so magnanimous - and have a great big silly grin on my face to prove it - I'm posting a pic of a gorgeously young and sexy Paul Newman in one of my favourite films, The Long Hot Summer, which I'm blogging on tomorrow at the PHS. And I'm even going to forgive Colin Farrell for mucking me about as my muse...

Wishing everyone a happy Easter with lots and lots of chocolate...