Sizzling Summer Reads Party--Giveaway coming soon!

I'm setting up for The Romance Reviews Sizzling Summer Reads Party from June 1-30. For my part, I'll be giving away a Kindle copy of THE PRINCE OF VAL-FEYRIDGE. Pop over to TRR's site on June 17th and correctly answer a multiple choice question on the book, and you'll be entered for a chance to win.

Next week I'll be at the Von Stiehl Winery in Algoma, Wisconsin, for a Wine and Romance event. Twelve Wisconsin romance authors, including yours truly, will be pairing our books with Von Stiehl's wines for a combination tasting and reading. Details can be found here: http://vonstiehl.com/event/an-afternoon-of-wine-and-romance/
I've chosen their 2012 Stony Creek Red for its ruby color and dark cherry and oak flavors to match BLOODSTONE. Hope you can join us on Saturday, May 16th!

Author Appearances, Book Club Talks, and--oh yes--Giveaways!

Despite a bitterly cold March and April, I've had the good fortune to get out and about to a number of events.

Most recent, a local book club appearance where the group had chosen to read THE PRINCE OF VAL-FEYRIDGE. This was my first book club experience, and I thoroughly enjoyed discussing my work with readers. It was very interesting to see what they took from the book and what they saw in it. After all, a book is really a conversation between the author and the reader where both bring their unique experiences to the text on the page. Most of the time, however, they don't get to share their insights face-to-face.

Last weekend I took in the Wisconsin Romance Writers of America (WisRWA) conference in Milwaukee where I got to hobnob with my fellow romance authors. Since the conference was held in conjunction with the Barbara Vey's Reader Appreciation Luncheon, I also got to play fangirl and visit my favorite authors, including the always amazing and personable Jade Lee, long-time favorite Lori Handeland, and the generous Jeannie Lin, who stopped at my signing table and picked up a postcard on BLOODSTONE. Yay!

At the end of March I was invited to speak to a writers group at the Northern Lights Arts Council in Amery, Wisconsin. This time my objective was to explain romance to writers who didn't write in the genre and most likely still held misconceptions about it. Nonetheless, they were very welcoming, and I'm told WisRWA gained a new member from that group. It was a treat to be there even if it took me a week to get my talk ready. Here's a couple of photos:

 

Currently, I've launched a Goodreads Giveaway for PRINCE OF VAL-FEYRIDGE. Click on the icon on the right if you'd like to enter.

Upcoming in May is a Wine and Romance Event in Algoma, Wisconsin, along Lake Michigan. Pairing wines and books is such a no-brainer, I'm astonished I've not seen it done before. Looking forward to May 16. Maybe I'll see you there!

Happy 451st Birthday, Will!

That is, William Shakespeare, otherwise known as “The Bard of Stratford,” national treasure of England and bane of English students everywhere.

That’s unfortunate because Will Shakespeare wasn’t a literary writer, although we’ve since enshrined him as such. He was instead a writer of popular fiction, fiction designed for the masses, meant to fill the theaters for a week before the audience in London demanded something new. He was in competition with the other writers of his time, looking for his spot on the Elizabethan equivalent of the best-seller list. Over nearly two decades, he was prolific enough and popular enough to retire to the country with a small fortune.

Good old Will wrote edge-of-the-seat drama, slapstick comedy, witty repartee, and sizzling romance.

That’s right, romance. In a two hour play, using just the lines of dialogue, this Bard guy gave us all the emotional insight we need to understand how two characters who verbally rip each other apart each time they meet can find their way to admit fault, apologize, and find love. Of course it takes some prodding by meddling friends, but that’s to be expected in a romantic comedy.

And then there are the two guys who want the same girl who runs off with one of them because her father wants her to marry the other one, but then “true love never did run smooth.” Of course there’s another girl spurned by the second guy who just has to chase him while he chases the lovers. Meddling fairies literally drag them through the mud until they sort out their true affections during a harrowing night in the woods

.

Fun stuff. Sounds like something you’d see on “Once Upon a Time” on TV today. Definitely not what critics would call “literary.”

If you’ve not seen Much Ado about Nothing starring Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh or A Midsummer Night’s Dream featuring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kevin Kline, visit your local library today and check out their movie section.

There’s a lot we romance writers can learn from this 451-year-old guy from Stratford-upon-Avon.

You rule, Will!

BLOODSTONE Giveaway

The Romance Reviews month-long March Anniversary Party and contest is going on now! 

I'm delighted to take part in celebrating romance books and reading in general. On Saturday, March 14th, one e-copy of BLOODSTONE will be up for grabs. 

To enter, go to The Romance Reviews.com, log in, and correctly answer a trivia question about BLOODSTONE. Hint: You can find the answer on my BLOODSTONE preview page here: Bloodstone page.

Go there, go often. There are literally hundreds of participating authors giving away lots of great books. 

Happy Reading!

Valentine's Day Booksigning!

I'm excited to be taking part in an awesome event celebrating romance on February 14th. An amazing group of WisRWA members in Chippewa Falls, WI, have organized an author meet-and-greet and booksigning for nearly 20 authors at a local coffee shop in Chippewa Falls. Authors from Wisconsin and Minnesota will be there, eager to meet readers and talk romance on the most romantic day of the year. There will be goody bags and great fun for all. I hope you'll join us for this debut event.

Guest Interview

Today I have the pleasure of visiting another Wild Rose Press author, Abigail Owen, as a guest on her blog. She and I share a fascination for big cats (like mountain lions), fantasy and paranormal elements, and great epic fantasy (The Lord of the Rings).

Stop by and see what information she coaxed out of me in her interview: http://abigailowen.com/2014/12/23/bloodstone/

"Write what you know" Good Advice? Or Not?

Starting Monday, Nov. 24, I'm guest blogging on fellow Wild Rose Press author, Debbie Peterson's blog: http://debbie-peterson.blogspot.com/

I was approached by an aspiring romance author recently and that made me think about the advice often given to writers to "write what you know." I'm in general agreement with that advice. Not knowing what you're writing about definitely is a dead giveaway--and turnoff--for readers. Having read and graded many a student essay where the writer clearly did no research gives me the authority to pronounce that judgment. 

However, I began to wonder about how that advice applies to fictional worlds that have never existed--fantasy, sci-fi, some paranormal. If you'd like to find out what I came up with--and join the conversation--drop by http://debbie-peterson.blogspot.com/ and add your thoughts.