Have emerged from my self imposed “editing prior to submission” jag in time for the end of the month deadline.

Only proofreading to do, then off book 4 will go.

In the meantime – a delicous surprise.

Thanks to the lovely Donna Alward and the Harlequin Romance Authors BlogSpot I have just found out that ‘Always the Bridesmaid ‘ had been translated into Spanish! And been given a new Title.

I think I am allowed to be extra thrilled since this is my very first translated book! SQUEEE!

And I ADORE the new title. DULCE AMOR. Which I think means ‘Sweet Love’ in Spanish.

Think a Patisserie. Think Jared and Amy. Spot on. And IMHO it is a sweet story in every sense of the word.

WOOT!

I had no idea. So thank you Donna.

It is interesting that the same photo has been used so creatively in the different covers for this book.

 

And it does create the nicest possible kind of problem.

Since I still need hard evidence that I have a book published, I have framed the book covers for ‘Always the Bridesmaid’ and ‘Hired: Sassy Assistant’ using scans/cover flats of the books so far. And I have to say I think they look rather good on the wall of my office.

[Sorry about the pic quality - it is dark wet and windy outside my cave.]

So. More frames required. But how many?

These trivial things do provide excellent forms of procrastination LOL. Now on with the show.

‘Hired: Sassy Assistant’ is A Pick of the Month for January.

Have just received an e-mail about the January Issue of the Romantic Times Magazine.

And colour me more than a little stunned.

And has been given a star rating of 4 1/2 points.

This is my second book for the Romance Line and the first one, ‘Always the Bridesmaid’ had a 4 point rating.

Even better – or is that worse – I am on the same page as Dan Brown and Tami Hoag!!!

On my desk at the moment is the print out for Book 4  which I am about to start revising.

Pressure… what pressure? SHREEEK!!! I may need to lie down.

On the other hand, I am totally thrilled and find this enormously encouraging and motivating. I loved the story behind Hired: Sassy Assistant and am delighted the reviewer agreed.

Thanks to the lovely Donna Alward, here is the Review from Catherine Witmer:

“HIRED: SASSY ASSISTANT (4.5) by Nina Harrington:

Assisting Dr. Kyle Munroe with his new book won’t be easy for bookkeeper Lulu Hamilton — because he was her late mother’s friend and protege. But the paycheck will make a difference to the hospice where her father spent his final days, so Lulu agrees to do it. The work itself is rewarding, and Kyle is a man in a million. But after living with her mother’s absence for years, and seeing its effect on her father, Lulu’s not prepared to give him her heart. Rich with emotion, and pairing two truly special characters, this beautiful story is simply unforgettable. A keeper.”

I know that this is only one person’s opinion. But I am now grinning like a loon.

Shallow. I know. [ grinning again]

Can I also send congratulations to my fellow Romance Line authors Cara Colter and Shirley Jump for ‘Just Married’ and pal Kate Hardy for her Modern Extra title: ‘Temporary Boss: Permanent Mistress. ‘ Both books were given a score of 4 1/2 points.

Now if you excuse me I have ironing to do, a book to revise like a maniac – and possibly a sip of some alcoholic refreshment later.

Am trying to decide which scenes to cut from my current WIP – oh I shall save them just in case, but I am at the 45K stage and my target is 48 … and I know there are still 3 scenes still to write.

Head down, no nonsense, BICHOK.

So in the interim – here is a sweet gem from an artist I came to courtesy of the lovely Kate Hardy. Enjoy!

melody gardot

and

 

I am still catching up with my reading, and noticed that in October, The Times Newspaper has a truly jaw dropping Photo Gallery of Mills and Boon Book Covers through the decades.

I usually consider myself blessed, but after ONE WHOLE YEAR of being a contracted author, I have to say that I still feel a total fangirl and utterly, utterly thrilled that I have actually MET IN PERSON and SPOKEN to some of these authors.

Oh my. Swoon.

In other news – and for blatant self promotion and publicity- any of my pals in North America who order real paper books from E-Harlequin can treat themselves to a Free Book tomorrow as part of the Freebie Friday offer.

This week it is a Romance Line Book from a ‘ sparkling New British Talent’ called Nina Harrington. [ blush]

Sorry gals in the UK - offer does not apply to E-Books.  But I am still delighted at this opportunity to promote my debut book to readers who would otherwise not pick up an unknown author. Hope they like it!

Must dash off now to write more. Happy writing.

 

Writer’s Girth.

Why did no one warn me?

How to do a Virtual Makeover?

I have been thinking about a new hair style recently.

So. Since I am now frantically working to my own deadline to finish this book, I leave you with this fun site where you upload your own photo and then lay on different hair styles/ make up and accessories.

It does take a few minutes to set your photo up – but then you are away. AND you can email it and scare your pals into thinking that you have turned blonde or brunette.

As for my current hair. Let’s just say that it a work in progress. Snarf.

  *Pic – A door to the Fantasy Land by Sakura Yuna

Some of you may have noticed that I enjoy music. A lot. YouTube is amazing. There are people who have gone to the trouble of loading video and music tracks onto the system so that the rest of the world can enjoy them for the price of broadband.

 When I am writing I need background instrumental sounds.

 Such as a recording of Glenn Gould playing Bach or the wonderful guitarist Andreas Oberg in a live jazz performance.

 Or mood music from movie soundtracks which can be combined into playlists for a particular book -or a particular length of time. 40 minute slots are perfect to allow eye and wrist breaks while typing.

 And then of course there are the wonderful combinations of stunning lyrics and clips from TV programs or movies.

 Richard Armitage features in one of my favourites but there are so many others like this which act as emotional triggers. LOL.

 Mood music. Have to have it. Don’t you?

 

If you are going out tonight to enjoy the fireworks display - I hope the weather is dry and you have brilliant fun.

In the meantime I came across this post on the excellent CataUniversity site on a great technique to identify and cut out all of those redundant words that are your favourites and sneak into paragraphs under the radar.

 Use the Find Function to pick out the little horrors, then – if you are using MicroSoft Word – you click the Highlight option so that you see where they beam out at you from the page like poppies in a corn field. Of course the word or expression could be perfect in that context, but….

I am going to save that for the editing stage. At the moment I still have a book to finish, set in lovely sunshine in an area I am lucky enough to have visited:

 

Vineyards and wild flamingoes – flamant rose – in the Carmague delta in the South of France.

So, Izzy whizzy, lets gets busy!

I have recently seen a documentary on the mountaineer,base jumper and SlackLiner Dean Potter who is a specialist in walking on lines strung across canyons and high level mountain peaks… without a pole and without a safety net.

Now I know that some authors might have a SLIGHT Problem with high level ‘ gaping void beneath their feet’ situations – not looking at any one in particular of course Debs – but the more I think about it, the more I think that there are parallels in what these guys – and some gals – do for the adrenaline rush.

For me, writing is sometimes like SlackLining between two mountain peaks where I am walking on a narrow ribbon of bouncing nylon in bare feet with nothing between me and certain death except:

* Craft and training

* Self-belief and self knowledge

* You know the fear, you feel the fear, and that fear is paralysing and terrifying and exhilarating - and you step onto that narrow line and you do it anyway.

Dean Potter is actually extremely shy and lives a reclusive life in the Yosemite mountains and he freely admits that when he is standing on the side of the rock and takes off the safety line, every cell in his body is telling him to get himself off this mountain and down to a safe place.

Here is how Dean describes his motivation:

“I just want them to understand that it’s absolutely not for adrenaline-junkie reasons that I do it. It brings me silence and peace, and I come closer to the pure me. What I call the ‘death consequence’ removes all the other forces, the lesser motivations, the ambitions and the competitive feelings. They fall away and then there’s just that primary motivation, which is staying alive. It’s so pure.”

“In The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran says something about perfection only being reached by stripping something to the point of nakedness,” …. “That’s the ultimate project—the naked climber doing the greatest climb.”

The naked climber doing the greatest climb.

Oh yes. I get that.

 

Diversion is required as reward for current writing binge before three plumbers invade my house for a few days and generally rip the place to bits in exchange for central heating, hot water and water softener etc etc.

So I treat myself by ogling at SHOES

My guilty secret.  Calorie free and you can even put them on your feet!

Especially on sites like this and this. Oh My.

Enjoy.