Lust In Time

New Celtic Spice Site!

2009-07-13T10:13:00.003-04:00

Well, the Lit Ladies are off to the RWA National Conference in Washington D.C., but check back later in the week, as we'll (hopefully) be blogging and uploading some photos (note to self: remember to pack the camera cord for downloading pics!).

But in the meantime, we proudly announce the launch of our new collaborative web site:

www.CelticSpice.com

There's not much there yet, but soon we'll be populating the site with all kinds of interesting tidbits related to Celtic legends and lore, and our seasonal-themed Celtic Spice anthology series (kicking off with WINTER'S DESIRE in Nov. '09).

Be sure to check it out, and bookmark the site! Kudos to web designer extraordinaire Rae Monet for the stunning design.

And if you're headed to the RWA conference, safe travels, and see you soon!

Winner.....

2009-07-10T21:22:00.005-04:00

The winner of the Wicked Wednesday "Caption This" contest is Mari!

Mari, email me at KCHWriter @ aol. com (minus the spaces) to claim your prize!

Thanks to everyone who participated--you guys are SO funny!!

Have a great weekend, everyone, and hope to see some of you next week in D.C. Don't forget the LIT Ladies are giving a workshop on Friday at 8:30 a.m. ("The Art of Collaboration")--we've got some really cool giveaways for attendees! And we'll all be signing at the Literacy event on Wednesday at 5:30.

And stay tuned for an announcement coming very soon about our new Celtic Spice web site launch! It should be any day now...

Wicked Wednesday -- 'Caption This' Contest!

2009-07-08T14:41:00.005-04:00

Nothing says "wicked" more than blood, right?! Looks like a sexy vampire who just ate...

I think I'm going to use this pic as the inspiration for the vampire hero of my Samhain-themed Celtic Spice novella, "Midnight Sins" (in DARK PLEASURES, Fall 2012).

Yum! How about a 'caption this' contest...everyone post a caption, and I'll pick a winner on Friday, who will receive a surprise pack in the mail.

Sorry us LIT Ladies are so quiet these days--Amanda is traveling, Charlotte is chained to her desk with deadlines, and I'm busy with page proofs for one of my fall releases.

But be sure to check in next week, when we'll all be blogging live from RWA Nationals!

In the meantime, don't forget to post your captions--winner picked on Friday!

Real-life Heroes

2009-07-07T21:03:00.007-04:00

Here at the LIT blog, we do a fair amount of discussing our favorite fictional heroes--the ones who leap off the page and make our pulse leap or our heart wrench. There's even...yes, I admit it...a fair amount of appreciation expressed for their physical (albeit sometimes imaginary) attributes.

But let's talk a bit about those real-life heroes in our lives (or even the ones we *wish* were in our real lives). Occasionally my hubby does something that I deem 'hero worthy,' even if it's a small gesture. Like yesterday. I needed to go to the mall to buy a gift, and to pick up a few new things for the RWA conference next week. Unfortunately, my best friend and usual shopping buddy is out of town and I was complaining over breakfast that I'd have to go to the mall alone. So hubby takes the kids to day camp, comes home, and announces that he's staying home from work and going to the mall with me. I think that's pretty heroic! He actually sat around watching me try on clothes for hours.

And there have been other times, too--like the time I was pregnant with daughter #1 and desperately craving banana Popsicles, which apparently aren't all that common up north (but I grew up eating them in the south). So hubby jumped in the car and drove around the entire metro NYC area, looking for banana Popsicles. Unsuccessfully, I'm afraid, but the effort counts.

And I won't even go into all he did for me following my brain surgery almost 15 yrs. ago, before we were even married, stuff that included basically playing nursemaid and caretaker when my mom wasn't around.

In real life, I don't really need someone to save me from villains, or to defend my honor in a duel, or even to save me from wagging tongues at Almack's. But help me find a cute shirt to go with my white skirt? That I need. Feed my pregnancy cravings? Yep. Take the kids to a movie so I can have a few hours alone to write? You betcha.

So....here's to my hubby, my real-life hero, and to the little things that make me feel like a true heroine.

How about you? Any real-life hero stories to share? C'mon, let's give the real-life men in our lives some love!

*the pic above is my hubby many years ago, by the bust of James Joyce in St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland*

Road-trip Inspiration

2009-06-26T17:15:00.006-04:00

I recently returned home after an almost two-week road trip, filled with happy memories and loads of inspiration--there are just so many stories to tell, and so little time to tell them all! I'm a serious history buff--not to mention the fact that both my undergraduate and graduate degrees are in history--so it doesn't take much to inspire me. Pretty much every history-filled place I visit leaves me desperate to write a book about said place. Is it just me, or do others experience this, too??

A few years ago I visited the North Carolina Outer Banks and Roanoke Island, and came away desperate to write a YA book about the mysterious disappearance of the original Roanoke settlers. My bookshelf is full of research books I bought and read, and I brainstormed ideas for quite a while. Unfortunately, I never got around to writing the book.

But this recent trip similarly inspired me. First up, Williamsburg, VA. I'd LOVE to write a Colonial America-set romance. Armed with a new knowledge of the streets, residences, and life in Colonial Williamsburg, I can totally picture a book set there.

Same with nearby Jamestown--I've always wanted to write a YA romance between an early settler and a Powhatan (in the vein of Pocahontas and John Smith--only with teenage protagonists). But after visiting Jamestown....I swear, it was like stepping back in time. I could hear the voices of characters just whispering in my head as I walked alongside the James River and through the shady woods where the Powhatan tribe lived.

Later on the trip, we spent a couple of days in Savannah, GA, which left me longing to write a Civil War era romance set in that moody and atmospheric southern city! And later, we toured the Antietam Battlefield, further fueling my musing about a Civil War set book.

It's amazing how a vacation can fuel my imagination, and how, whenever I'm visiting a historic site, the 'voices' come out to play in my head!

How about you? Any place you've visited that has inspired a book or just a story in your mind? Or made you want to write a book set there? Any historical site/place you've visited that has made you want to read a book set there?

*Photos from top to bottom: Sunken Lane at the Antietam Battlefield; Draped bed in the Governor's Palace, Williamsburg; Path alongside the James River, Jamestown; Dunker Church, Antietam Battlefield.

Wicked Wednesday!

2009-06-24T07:56:00.008-04:00

It's been a while since we've done this, but it was always so much fun! So, this is for all the creative hussies out there.....

Eye candy and captions....
Here we go! CAUTION: Fans, ice, and additional undergarments could be required!!!!

Number One!

Number Two!

Number Three!

Number Four!

Special thanks goes to LIT lady and hussy, Amanda who sent me these 'pick me up' dudes last night while I was writing Sinful. Gotta love a writing bud like that!!!!

Happy Midsummer Everyone!

2009-06-21T11:37:00.007-04:00

Just taking a short break to wish everyone a Happy Summer Solstice!
The LIT ladies are deep into life the past week-one of us enjoying a family vacay, the other two madly writing and trying to meet deadlines! Balance! Isnt that what we all strive for?
Just asked the question, "how do you nurture your creativity?"(on an author loop this was directed toward writers) but it does affect us all.
To me one of the most difficult tasks I had to learn (and I'm still learning) is the importance of balance between work and "play"--
When I was growing up, summer was a time of "total play"--whether that meant a long visit to my grandmother's house or a family road trip. It meant a seemingly endless stretch of long, hot days, dotted with lemonade stands, catching turtles in the creek, playing out a blanket in the backyard coloring for hours with that great box of crayons, or catching lightning bugs in your pj's--

The whole world was a wonderland of discovery and delight. Where you could play outside for hours in the heat and you didn't mind that you smelled like fresh mown grass and kid sweat;))
Now I'm grown, but the sense of discovery and wonder exists still as it always has if we take the time to notice-ask me if I believe in fairies, I'll tell you yes. Ask me if I believe that stones carry an aura of history and I'll say yes.

There is so much to learn, so much to discover. Despite being grown up-I hope you have a moment of absolute "kid" inside you today and that it makes you smile to know that that "inquisitive , creative child " is alive and well, still discovering the world and all its wonder!

From all of us here at the manor~Happy Solstice!

Amanda, Charlotte, Kristi & Lord C.M.

And the winner is.....

2009-06-17T19:13:00.003-04:00

I wanted to get your attention ;))

Raneria!

Lucky lady! You win a pdf copy of Genella's romantically haunting " REMEMBER ME"
Just email Genella and she will hook you up!

genella_degrey@hotmail.com

Congratulations and our thanks once again to Genella for stopping at the manor for a visit!

Watch for more coming soon from this rising star!

Amanda M

Welcome Author Genella DeGrey to the Manor!

2009-06-16T09:20:00.010-04:00

A little bit about Genella:
By day, Genella deGrey is an executive assistant to a Senior Vice President and a Vice President at a major motion picture studio, by night she is a romance author. She’s had stories rattling around in her head since high school, and has been writing off and on ever since. In her spare time (what spare time?) Genella enjoys reading historical romance, collecting healing crystal and stone jewelry and participating in historical reenactments.

In addition, she is a makeup artist for independent films and does occasional set dressing. Her favorite set dressing gig was with the Resort Enhancement Team where she refurbished,created, and displayed Christmas decorations for the Walt Disney Resort. She has worked for the resort in many capacities, both back stage and on stage, and for her, Disneyland will never lose its magic.

Genella also has a keen interest in the spiritual. She loves wandering around in graveyards and haunted places, the older the better. New Orleans is one of her favorite haunts,as is Tombstone, AZ.

Welcome to the manor, Genella! I have to say, you are one beautiful lady both inside and out!

How you were inspired to write this particular book?
We hear all the time about bad boys and tortured heroes - but there is something innately sexy to me about a man who dedicates his life to honor, goodness and humility. We find these types of men care about the environment and are conscious of every living thing in God's universe. They are good humans, hold manners in high regard and treat all others with a deep respect. And if he's smokin' hot, I'm a gonner and you may as well serve me to him on a platter. LOL

I found this Angel picture so long ago that I don't remember where I got it from - and if anyone knows who the artist is, please let me know. I'm sure they have many other works I'd gladly purchase. After the concept of Dacious fully fleshed himself out in my mind, this picture was one of my inspirations. :)

So, I had in my hand - or rather, head, my perfect man- strong, sensitive, perfection to look upon, humble - I knew he was the type to fall completely in love "come ruin or rapture" (to quote 'Shakespeare in Love.') He was going to need a very special soul mate to complete him. Thus, Gemmah Parker appeared and the rest of REMEMBER ME wound itself around the two.

Hum...I can defintely see why you'd be inspired!! LOL What's the most gratifying part of writing for you?
The most gratifying part of writing for me is creating a character that inspires and stays with readers. I aspire to write characters like Diana Gabaldon's Jamie Fraser from the OUTLANDER series, and Stephenie Meyer's Edward Cullen from TWILIGHT. If your heart went pitter-patter at the mention of these guys, raise your hand. Yup. Me too. ;)
And then there is this Thomas Rodin guy I seem to have developed a crush on lately. (Wink, wink, Amanda!)

Your check is in the mail, Genella,LOL, thanks! ;) What do you have coming up?
I am anticipating hearing from a few publishing houses who have some of my other stories - One in particular is about a client of REMEMBER ME's Gemmah, Valerie Hempstead, and her journey to Paris, France. It's a sexy historical romance entitled, 'The Art of Temptation' and it's about the opening of the Moulin Rouge.

What would you like to write that you haven't tried yet?
As far as writing something I haven't tried yet . . . Fantasy has been calling to me lately. The Fae wish to be heard! ;) I know the industry urges you to find that 'one thing' and stick with it - but I can't stick with one sub-sub-genre within historical romance. I'd get terribly board. If you look at my 'what's in the can' page on my website, you will see that I'm all over the place, historically speaking. They say to write what you know, and I know I have a deep interest in all things historical; when coupled with a yummy hero and a happily ever after, sign me up.

I understand that you have a spectacular review for "REMEMBER ME"? If I may quote a portion here?
"Genella deGrey has a gift for storytelling and I look forward to future tales from her. This is a treasure to anyone who needs a get-away read that has it all, romance with heat burning up the pages, a historical set in polite society, and even an angel or two."~PNR Reviews

Thats' an awesome review! Can you share the link so we can catch the rest of that wonderful review?

Sure, it's Paranormal Reviews

You also have a hauntingly beautiful boooktrailer! Can you tell us a bit about its creator?
I've been blessed in this life with the presence of many a talented person. Artists, actors, writers, singers . . . One of my friends, Jeff Mclane, who covers the gamut of gifts, made this trailer for me. If you wish to inquire about his book trailer services, you can find him on my MySpace page.

He is quite good! We loved that you were able to squeeze in a bit of time in your busy schedule for a visit and hope you'll come back again to the manor! Lord C.M. so loves it when we have guests! (particularly of the female variety) Is there someplace readers can contact you to find out more about your books?

I wish to thank the LIT gals for having me - and for fun, I'd like to give away a PDF of REMEMBER ME. Winner will be chosen by random from list of those leaving a comment. You can find out more about my books at my website! I love hearing from my readers! Genelladegrey.com

Sneak Peek at next weeks guest!

2009-06-13T01:21:00.003-04:00

Our special guest at the manor next week just received her new booktrailer and it was so hauntingly beautiful that I thought we could enjoy it over the weekend!

Join us Tuesday when Genella DeGrey stops by the manor to talk to us about her fabulous new book, "Remember Me," and whats coming up for this talented lady!

And the Winner is.....

2009-06-12T06:49:00.002-04:00

Hi guys!
Well, the marketing department at NAL have made their decision about the series title. I know I gave you till noon today to enter, but they were unamimous in their choice, and knew it wouldn't change.

I'd like to say that all the entries were great, and that when I get some promo stuff made up for Velvet Haven, I'd like to send everyone who made a suggestion a signed covered flat (if you want one) for all your hard work and creative juices!!!

So, without further ado, I announce the new name of the Annwyn Chronicles it's a variation of a suggestion. Immortals of Annwyn

The winner of the contest is flchen1!!!!!!!

Congrats!!!!!!!! Will you send me your name and address at sophie@sophierenwick.com
Thanks to everyone who stopped by and participated. I REALLY appreciated it!

And I thought I'd let you lovers of Lord Wallingford know that on my Charlotte Featherstone blog, I've been spreading little breadcrumbs about him and his book Sinful on the blog. I updated with a few little excerpts yesterday if you're interested.

Happy Friday everyone, and a good weekend ahead!!!!

Wicked Wendesday....Research

2009-06-11T08:54:00.006-04:00

I know, you were all waiting for some man candy to pop up, weren't you! Well, maybe at the end of the post! lol!

Currently, two of the three LIT ladies are writing and researching. I'm one of the two. Personally, I ADORE research. I read research novels for pleasure. I know, some of you are cringing, but it's the truth. You wouldn't believe the mundane facts you come across. In one second it's an obscure fact that has tickled your fancy, the next, you have the seeds of a plot. It's really rather fascinating.

I've done a lot of research this winter/spring. First there was my research into the Druid relgion and way of life. I delved into the Druidic black arts like death and sex magic. Which utterly absorbed me. I found obscure references to Celtic terror machines and more about human sacrifices. I learned how to cast a dark sex spell....well, the steps to it, I haven't actually practiced it in theory!!!! I read six books on the occult, the modern day gothic lifestyle and modern day Druid religion. I have pages and pages of small details that I did write into Velvet Haven, and want to incporporate into future books.

Right now, I'm in 1850's London. I'm researching cholera, there was an epidemic of it in London, as well as the first grassroots movements of nursing and the early thoughts/views on women's rights. I'm also having fun reading about London College hospital and the shennanigans that went on there! I was astounded to learn that the wealthy actually had operations in their own home, on their own beds!!!! BLECH! I suppose though, the hospitals were rather dirty and the indigent and down on their luck were the usual patients. There is no way a duke would want to be in the bed beside a dirty consumptive! I'm just thinking of the mess in their homes, but then, the rich had servants!

While glutting myself on a new supply of Victorian research books, as well as some new romance pleasure reading, I got to wondering about how people of the Victorian age found their reading pleasures? Was it through ads in the newspapers? Word of mouth? How did the best sellers of the times become bestsellers?

Myself, I find that I wait for my monthly issue of Romantic Times to come out so I can scan the upcoming releases. I find many books in that magazine. I sometimes look at the 'also recommended' at Amazon. Something that is new in my research, are blogs. I seem to be getting alot of books that are receommended by readers who run their own blogs and do reviews. I especially enjoy the 'I'm eagerly anticipating' or 'I can't wait to read' venues of the blog. Nothing is more exciting than to find someone who shares your reading tastes. And to find new books, from someone you know likes what you likes makes the book buying process easier.

I must say that I no longer scan the romance shelf, perusing covers and blurbs looking for something to raed. I don't know why. It might be time constraints or the fear of parting with money on a book that may not satisfy my cravings. It may be the huge availability and my inability to choose what I want to read.

There is a vast choice for us readers today. How do we chcoose? Perhaps that's what's different for us. The Victorians didn't have the choice we do? So, what did those Victorians do without blogs, the web, Amazon and and RT? How do you research your books?

Can You Help a Brother Out???

2009-06-08T20:08:00.005-04:00

Let me introduce you to my new best friend, Bran, King of the Night Sidhe (pronounced Sith as in the Scottish way, not Shee as in the Irish) Sophie does love to reprimand! I especially like it when she gets out that little leather strap...However, I digress....

Bran is a lovely fellow and a royal pain in the arse. He's been giving Sophie fits for weeks now and I have sat back in my chair with my news sheet and port and have a had hearty chuckle watching the two of them go at it. Bran actually made Sophie conceed defeat and he got his own way during a pivotel love scene! Which is more than I can say for moi!

Brans a good bloke. So it is because we are kindred spirits that I come to you, our fellow LIT followers and self confessed hussies, to issue a call to arms for my brother Bran. It seems his series needs a name, and despite a few gallant entries on the part of Sophie and her editor, the marketing department is, using the modern day vernacular, 'not feeling it'.

I have informed Bran that if there is anyone on the face of this earth who knows books, (and men!) it is LIT's followers. So, listen ladies, to what our brother needs. Then hear what I managed to wrangle out of the tight fisted ba...err...his Kingship.
Without further ado, here's what Bran needs....

A series title for what is now now known as The Annwyn Chronicles. They would like to try to keep in the word Annwyn if possible. It can't be too long, should convey the fact that the series is paranormal/fantasy and should be dark, sexy if at all possible.

Now, here's the blurb for the first book, along with the cover. Warning....bring the bounty picker uppers! I'm just saying, because Sophie is standing over me, drooling like a rabid dog over this damn Cover!

Hidden from mortals for all eternity, Annwyn, the Otherworld, is home to shapeshifters, wraiths and dragons. But in a nightclub called Velvet Haven, desire brings humans and immortals together…

Built atop the mystic passageway to Annwyn, the gothic nightclub Velvet Haven has seen its share of lost souls—both mortal and immortal. It is here that Bran, the shapeshifter king of the Sidhe, searches for his brother, who is ensnared by a centuries-old curse. When a vision foretells his own death, he knows his time to find Carden is running out.

For help he must turn to Mairi, a mortal woman with an unusual aura. Bran has never liked humans, other than using their sexual pleasure to restore his magic energy. But with Mairi everything is different. Her lush curves and teasing caresses enflame him like no Sidhe has ever done. He has no idea that the woman he’s falling for holds the key to his destruction – or his salvation.

This contest runs all week,and will close on Friday,May 12th at noon EST. All entries will be submitted to Sophie's editor who will forward them to the marketing department at NAL.
So what's in it for you??? (greedy vixens! I love it!)

If your suggestion is chosen, Sophie will announce the news of your genius thither and yon.

She will dedicate the first book, Velvet Haven exclusively to you!

She will send you your very own signed copy of Velvet Haven before the release date and make certain the 'yummy' (her words not mine) cover is prepared for full out stroking.

She will throw herself at your feet and thank you a million times over because she is currently now verging on the sidelines of madness with having to think of coming up with yet another title!

So that it is, mon chers! Come up with a series name and win some swag. (Couldn't resist. I've been hanging out with the Smart Bitches too long!)

Adieu.
Hugs and Kisses,
Lord Craven-Moore.

Rainy Day Musings....

2009-06-05T09:49:00.004-04:00

It's a gray, rainy day here in NYC (not good, because today is the kids' school carnival!)--hard to believe that summer is just around the corner. But it is, despite the chill in the air! I LOVE summer--everything about it. The heat, the freedom from regular schedules, the greenery everywhere.

But this time of year I always feel as if I have so much to do, so many loose ends to tie up, projects to work on, before I can truly relax and enjoy summer. Right now I'm tinkering with a YA paranormal manuscript that I've been working on for years, trying to get it ready for my agent to send out. I love this book--I probably had more fun writing it than anything else I've ever written--so I'd love to see it in print one day. It's just a matter of revising the heck out of it, which I've been doing for more than a year now, between other projects. I just finished copyedits for my Dec. '09 Harlequin NASCAR release, FORCE OF NATURE, and I'm trying to patient as I wait to see the cover art. I'm also batting ideas around in my head for my next Edwardian-set historical romance, trying to get the story to come together in my mind before I start writing it.

But there's also a lot to look forward to in the relaxing summer months. RWA Nationals are coming up soon--I'm really looking forward to that! All the LIT Ladies will be in attendance, and giving a workshop together on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. on author-initiated anthologies (if you're there at RWA, we hope you'll come!). It'll also be my first year to attend the annual Harlequin authors bash--can't wait!

Other summer plans include a trip to Florida to visit family and a few days at Universal Studios in Orlando, and now it looks like we'll also be taking a trip out to the Los Angeles area (one of my FAVORITE places to visit!!) in August--my 9 yr. old daughter is in a short, independent film and we just found out that the film was selected in the Short Film category for the Indie Fest independent film festival held annually in Anaheim, CA. It'll be our first chance to see the film on a 'big screen' and so I think we'll go and check it out!

So, what about you? Any summer plans? Vacations or conferences? Projects you're working on for the summer?

Winner of Hot In Here

2009-06-02T07:38:00.003-04:00

Good morning! Just wanted to give a big thank you to all of you who stopped by and asked questions, made comments, and generally showed Tracy all kinds of love! She said she had fun!

So, randomly picked from the hat as the winner is.....

Allison(s) Reads!!!!

Congrats, Allison! If you'd email me a sophie@sophierenwick.com with your address, I'll get Hot to you.

To all of you who'd like another chance to win a copy of Hot In Here, go to
The Good The Bad The Unread on Thursday, June 4th. I'll be there giving away two copies!

Happy Tuesday to all!

NAL Editor Tracy Bernstein in the Manor!!!

2009-06-01T07:25:00.002-04:00

All of you on the blog know me as Charlotte Featherstone, but some of you might not know that I write erotic contemporaries, (and soon, erotic paranormals) under the name Sophie Renwick. Well, tomorrow is the official relase date of my debut erotic contemporary, Hot In Here And I'm really excited about it!

A few months ago, I asked my (Sophie's) editor to come and visit us and tell us about herself and her job. Tracy is an awesome editor, and I count myself very lucky to have her in my corner. She's a hands-on editor, and I love that. We've brainstormed plotting snaffoo's, sex scenes, and my new Annwyn world. She's read countless rough drafts, and helped me forge my contemporary voice!

Without Tracy, Hot might not have made the light of day!
So, without further ado, here's Tracy B (as I call her). Don't be afraid to comment, ask questions, she doesn't bite, regardless of what you've heard about editors! Tracy is going to be checking in periodically throughout the day, too. I've already warned her about our rakish lord. Perhaps you might want to rouse Lord Craven-Moore, I'm sure he'd love to make an appearance! :)

Leave a comment, question etc for Tracy and you'll be entered to win a signed copy of Hot In Here!

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m the mother of two (brilliant and talented) children, a proud native New Yorker, and started in publishing many years ago (I won’t say how many!) as a summer intern. I fell in love with the business immediately and have never done anything else. Since then I’ve worked at publishers large and small, literary and commercial. I absolutely love my current job at NAL because it gives me the most freedom to do all kinds of books.

What type of books do you edit?

Everything from memoir, health and parenting to women’s fiction, romance and mysteries. On the side I run our Signet Classics program, so I can pretend I’m Jane Austen’s editor!

In your free time (I know, that’s funny ) what kind of books do you read for pleasure?

For fun I definitely prefer to read fiction, but my taste therein is pretty broad: I love historical fiction, women’s fiction, comic novels, historical mysteries, dark suspense. . .

What makes a book hot for you?

A really conflicted relationship! I think that push-pull is what makes a relationship hot – and a book gripping.

What makes a book better for NAL’s Signet line as opposed to the Heat line (In regards to heat/sex)?

Signet books can be very explicit and steamy, but no matter how erotic they get they follow the basic rules of romance: the hero and heroine love only each another and they end up happily ever after. In Heat, those rules do NOT apply!

What kind of book would you love to get your hands on?

Some amazing new kind of contemporary romance. It’s time to reinvent the genre! Anyone have a great idea?!

What genre/theme/ are you tired of?

Nothing, really. A great writer can make anything seem new.

I know we shouldn’t write to trends, but do you see any trends emerging?
Romances that are darker and grittier.

Favorite celebrity crush.

Hugh Jackman. And Pierce Brosnan. Oh, and Jimmy Smits.

Favorite type of hero.

Someone surprising, someone who defies the heroine’s expectations. (Of course he has to be strong and sexy too!!)

I hate heroine’s who are....

Foolish, who make stupid choices. We all make bad choices, but stupid I can’t forgive!

What’s your favourite scene in Sophie’s Hot In Here?

Wow, that’s personal! Well, OK—the one in the alley that starts with an ice cream cone and ends with. . .something else entirely!

Thanks for visiting today! Since we're getting personal, my favorite scene is when they're in Tuscany and Bryce makes Jena that omelet and they share it! Sigh...wish my husband would tear the page out of that book and follow the instructions! :)

Brenda Novak's Auction for Juvenile Diabetes

2009-05-29T17:46:00.005-04:00

Just a reminder that I have a lovely Victorian suitcase filled with wonderful treasures that is being auctioned off for a very good cause over at Brenda Novak's online auction for this very worthy cause!

She has some special auctions and great bargains as well! For writers, readers and all who would like to aid in this monumental outpouring.
Here is the link: Amanda's Victorian Treasures

Go take a peek & thanks!
Amanda

Friday Fun

2009-05-29T12:40:00.006-04:00

Congrats again to Caffey! I know she is thrilled beyond belief to have won such a treasure! And thank you, Vanessa again for honoring the manor with your visit, please know you are welcome anytime! We have had a wonderful group of guests stopping in the LIT manor lately, haven't we? And more to come starting on Monday, next week when Charlotte brings a very special guest to the manor!

Friday fun news--I'm officially global now. The other day I received boxes in the mail and discovered inside copies of Diary of Cozette-in Italian. I was told that apparently we get copies of all editions of our books-whatever nationality. Kinda cool! so for fun, I thought I'd share the cover art with you. The Italian website for Harlequin is eHarmony (not to be confused with the matchmaking online service) but you can check it out at www.eHarmony.it

Apparently we Spice authors receive copies of all editions that our books publish in. So, I thought it would be fun to share the cover. To be honest, I do not speak Italian, but it was kind of a trip to go through and read the words.

And a bit of exciting news from my editor today! After seeing the mock ups of my WIP called "The Muses" the powers that be decided to reinstate the original title (The Master and the Muses) to better coincide with the cover art chosen out of several possible mock up covers. While all were beautiful (as I'm certain they were!) one in particular hit the "zowie" factor, off the scale! I, of course, am thrilled and, yes...cannot see it just yet.;) But the news of having the original title back and their enthusiasm is, as it is for all of us, terrific inspiration!

So here's the completely UNRELATED question for your weekend: HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU SEEN THE NEW STAR TREK MOVIE?

And the winner is.....

2009-05-29T08:26:00.002-04:00

Okay, the randomly selected winner of Vanessa Kelly's MASTERING THE MARQUESS is....

Caffey!

Congratulations! Email me at KristiAstor @ aol.com (minus the spaces, of course!) with your snail mail addy, and we'll get you hooked up!

Thanks so much for Vanessa for visiting with us, and thanks to everyone who participated.

Welcome Vanessa Kelly to the Manor!

2009-05-28T08:35:00.005-04:00

Everyone please welcome author Vanessa Kelly to the Manor! Vanessa's sizzling debut, MASTERING THE MARQUESS, just hit shelves in April and is already getting rave reviews.

One lucky commenter will be selected to win an autographed copy of MASTERING THE MARQUESS, so don't be shy! But those of you who don't win, take heart--check out that price tag! The book is part of Kensington's groundbreaking Debut program (where yours truly got her start!) and you can buy this book for less than you spend on a grande latte at Starbucks! Now, without further ado, here's Vanessa....

IS THAT LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT?

Or is it lust?

I’m so happy to be guest-blogging at LUST IN TIME, and I want to thank my hostesses—and Lord Craven-Moore, of course—for letting me play in your delightful corner of the blogosphere.

Now, back to my original question. One of the most popular tropes in romance fiction is that of the hero and heroine clapping eyes on each other and falling instantly in love, usually to the sound of swelling violins and an angel’s over-wrought harp. When I was young—and I’m not going to tell you how young—I used to be ok with that. In fact, I don’t think it ever occurred to me to question whether love at first sight was even possible. Romance was all about the impossible, and not letting commonsense or realism intrude on the story.

But most romance readers today are skeptical of that trope, and rightly so. After all, love—real and enduring love—has to build itself on a solid foundation composed of many things, including mutual respect, honesty, intellectual and moral compatibility, and a desire to share everything life throws your way, good and bad. Still, in most romance novels something electrifying happens when the hero and heroine meet. What happens in that first meet can be so strong and visceral that it seems like love at first sight. In many cases, though, I think what is happening is lust at first sight. To my thinking, that’s a good thing, not a bad thing, since lust—or sexual attraction, physical desire, or whatever you want to call it—is a pretty powerful force that can bind the hero and heroine and keep them together through all the ups and downs of the story until they fall in love, surmount their obstacles, and reach their HEA.

It’s also a hell of a lot more realistic than some dewy-eyed encounter that settles everything in the first 30 pages. And, being honest here, I think a healthy dose of lust is a hell of a lot of fun.

In my book, Mastering The Marquess, my hero and heroine have that immediate, visceral reaction to each other. When my hero, Lord Silverton, first sets eyes on Meredith, this is how he describes her:

“Their gazes locked on each other. He felt as if he had been nailed to the floor, so captivated was he by the sight of the feminine whirlwind who had swept into their midst...more than anything, her eyes captured him by surprise. They were extraordinary: large under straight, determined brows and framed by thick black lashes. It was their color, however, that had caught his attention so forcefully. They were gray, but not the insipid, neutral color one associated with the term. No, they reminded him of a winter rainstorm—turbulent, untamed, and full of secret depths.”

Now here’s Meredith’s description of him:

“But then she turned and saw him and thought she had stepped into a fairy tale or an ancient legend. Her overactive imagination had decided on the spot that the golden-haired man looked exactly like a valiant knight of old.”

Fairly poetic descriptions, don’t you think? The reader might even be forgiven for thinking that I was indulging in that age-old trope, love at first sight. But read on a bit more and you’ll find that’s not the case. Both Meredith and Silverton react to each other very strongly, but it’s mostly on the physical level. Just a few short passages after her initial description of Silverton, Meredith notes with irritation that when he smiled at her, her knees actually wobbled. And when Silverton reflects later on his first encounter with Meredith, what he most remembers is how she looks, and that “she exuded a subtle yet powerful sensuality that promised a myriad of delights to the man lucky enough to bed her.”

That’s not love, that’s good, old-fashioned lust—on both their parts. And that’s ok. There are other qualities they recognize in each other, even in that first meet, but there are many obstacles that stand between them. That intense physical attraction—particularly for Silverton—is partly what pulls them together in the initial stages of the story and gives them the opportunity to develop a romantic relationship. And isn’t this often the case in real life, especially for guys? Women may find other, more ephemeral qualities attractive when they first meet a man, but for most guys I know, physical attraction is a very powerful motivator. And to my mind that’s fine, as long as the romance doesn’t begin and end there. Lust is a basis on which relationships can build and develop into real love, one that is both physically, intellectually and emotionally grounded. That’s the kind of story I like to write, and that’s the kind of story I like to read.

But not every reader is comfortable with blatant depictions of lust, and they even express real discomfort with the word itself. They see it as negative, and essentially antithetical to love and romance. For those readers, to be lustful is to be greedy, one of the Seven Sins, rather than a source of delight.

So, what about you, dear reader? Do you like a little (or a lot!) of lust in your romance? Or do you think it hinders rather than helps the love story?

MASTERING THE MARQUESS

Since the loss of her parents, Meredith Burnley has contented herself with a solitary life looking after her half-sister, Annabel. But Meredith’s peace is shattered when her uncle schemes to marry her off to his son in order to gain her inheritance. Desperate, Meredith has only one choice: to flee with Annabel to their estranged grandparents’ home. But their arrival soon reignites a family scandal—and kindles unexpected romance.

Happily reunited with the girls, Annabel’s grandmother resolves to convince her nephew, Stephen Mallory, the Marquess of Silverton, to abandon his rakish lifestyle and wed Annabel. Stephen is clearly captivated—but with the wrong sister. Determined to make Meredith his own, Stephen embarks on a seduction that will leave her with no choice but to surrender to his touch.

For more information about Vanessa, visit her online at www.vanessakellyauthor.com

Winner of Wicked...

2009-05-27T07:05:00.001-04:00

Hi all, the winner of Jennifer Haymore's sexy historical, A Hint of Wicked, and picked by Jennifer herself is.....

CECILE!!!!!!

Congrats, Cecile!
Email me at charlotte@charlottefeatherstone.net with your address and I'll forward it to Jennifer.

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Getting Wicked--Jennifer Haymore at the Manor!

2009-05-25T06:14:00.004-04:00

Please welcome Jennifer Haymore to the manor! I'm super excited to have Jennifer here becaue her book, A Hint of Wicked has been on my radar for months now! I have it on pre-order and I can't wait to dig in. But of course, our lucky LIT readers will have a chance to win Jennifer's awesome book (a week early, too!) by commenting on the blog.

Since today is Memorial Day in the states, and admittedly this Cannuck didn't realize it when she booked Jennifer in, we'll leave her post up today and Tuesday so all our readers have a chance to find out about this book and enter to win a copy!

So, without further ado, let's welcome Jennifer to the manor!

REAL-LIFE LOVE TRIANGLES

Next week, my novel A HINT OF WICKED releases from Grand Central Publishing. It’s a spicy Regency romance about a woman completely torn between the two men she adores. Here’s the blurb:

---

CAUGHT BETWEEN DUTY AND DESIRE . . .

Sophie, the Duchess of Calton, has finally moved on. After seven years mourning the loss of her husband, Garrett, at Waterloo, she has married his cousin and heir, Tristan. Sophie gives herself to him body and soul. . . until the day Garrett returns from the Continent, demanding his title, his lands-and his wife.

TORN BETWEEN TWO HUSBANDS . . .

Now Sophie must choose between her first love and her new love, knowing that no matter what, her choice will destroy one of the men she adores. Will it be Garrett, her childhood sweetheart, whose loss nearly destroyed her once already? Or will it be Tristan, beloved friend turned lover, who supported her through the last, dark years and introduced her to a passion she had never known? As her two husbands battle for her heart, Sophie finds herself immersed in a dangerous game-where the stakes are not only love . . . but life and death.

----

While I was writing A HINT OF WICKED, I wasn’t aware that so many people had such strong opinions about love triangles! Some people love ‘em, some hate ‘em. Others are ambivalent. There is no consensus, it seems, on the wide world web.

I was talking about romance tropes one of my chat groups, and someone said she hated reading about triangles because based on her real-life experience, love triangles aren’t ever honest. Another person came on and said she was involved in a very honest, very difficult love triangle, and is now happily married to one of the men involved!

The memory of my own personal love triangle experience came rushing into my mind. You know, I thought, in writing A HINT OF WICKED, I never once thought of my own love triangle experience! How can that be?!

Then I realized I must have blocked the experience. It wasn’t an honest love triangle at all. It was actually pretty painful, and super awkward. It happened my senior year in high school, which probably says a lot in and of itself. Here’s the story:

Within a few days of one another, two guys asked me to the prom. I liked them both—one of them was tall, dark, and handsome, and Latin…yumm…and I knew he had a thing for me. The other guy…well, not so tall. Maybe three inches shorter than me, in fact. But in the previous few months, our friendship had grown by leaps and bounds. We had a lot in common, and I was starting to feel like something might happen between us.

I said yes to Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome (TDH). I told my “friend” that I’d already said yes to someone else, and I couldn’t back down. But I felt absolutely awful.

It was still a month or so to prom, and in that time, I actually hooked up with my friend. But I was resolute that I’d said yes to Mr. TDH and I couldn’t leave him hanging. My friend (let’s just be completely honest and tack a “boy” to the front of that “friend” word…sigh) wasn’t happy. He invited another friend (this one 10 years older and even taller) to the prom and said he was going to watch me the whole time.

I went to prom with Mr. TDH, and during the lulls in action, I skipped into a corner to make out with my boyfriend.

Argh. I feel awful even confessing that! Even now, many years later, I don’t know how I should’ve handled that situation. I probably should have told Mr. TDH right away that it wasn’t going to work out. But, man…I really, really wanted to go to prom with him.

I’m so glad high school is over!

My boyfriend broke up with me about a month into college (we happened to go to the same university). It wasn’t pretty. About a week later, I hooked up with the man who is now my husband. Happily ever after? Absolutely! But not with either of the guys I was in that messed-up triangle with!

What about you? Have you ever been involved in a love triangle? Honest or not? And how did it work out?

A Safe and Simple weekend to all!

2009-05-22T08:57:00.005-04:00

Here in the States, this weekend is traditionally the unofficial start of summer. For me it means, cleaning off my deck and unrolling the hammock. A ritual well deserving of a trumpet fanfare though Ive not yet been able to convince either boy child to accompany me on Tuba or Trumpet, go figure;)

In a more serious vein, it is also a time of remembrance-not only for veterans , but for all who have touched our lives in some way. It is marked by a visit to my dads grave, where I place the first baseball of the season amid the flowers there.
You see, my dad worked as a rep for a New York publishing house for books and magazines when I was growing up. One of my most cherished possessions is a paperback dedicated to him by an author friend he helped to critique. My dad passed away long before I began writing, but I often wonder what he would think knowing his daughter had become an author. The influence of his life, his profession may or may not have affected me directly, but its something I ponder now and again.

"Gratitude," is one of my favorite words. I think its one of those words that you learn to appreciate with time and experience. Just taking a moment to think on this word can put life into perspective rather quickly. For me that's what this weekend is all about.

So to all traveling, to family get together, to all those we remember this weekend, or if you're just rolling out that hammock for the season--may your mind and heart be touched by gratitude.
What are your plans for the weekend? Will you be on the road? Is it a big camping weekend? What are you grateful for this weekend?

Thrilling Thursday

2009-05-21T06:33:00.007-04:00

Good morning LIT readers! Allow me to apologize on behalf of Lord Craven-Moore who was supposed to get his well formed tush over here last night to announce the winner of Evangeline's contest. Instead, Kristina, Amanda and I found him lounging in Gideon's study, drunker than a skunk on Gideon's excellent port. And might I just add that Gideon was in no better shape! Grrrr, it's a good thing that man is reliable in other areas! *g*

Alas, I have dragged myself out of bed to see to the duty. Kristina and Amanda are still draped over his lordship, but I console myself with the knowledge that come the end of June, when Kristina and Amanda are feverishly writing, and I am done my deadlines, that I will be the one draped all over Craven-Moore!

So, we've got a few things for you today. First is the winner of Evangeline Collins' excellent debut Her Ladyship's Companion. So, the winner was picked randomly, and random in the Featherstone MayFair Mansion consists of writing out the names on a piece of paper, folding it and dumping it into a Dale Earnhardt Jr baseball cap. Then, the official name picker in the form of my 10 yr old daughter comes along and squeals and feel she's very important, then draws the name. It's not random.com but it usually works.

So, last night, kidlet drew the name......

Lyoness2009!

Congrats!!!! Please email me at charlotte@charlottefeatherstone.net with your snail mail addy and I will forward it along to Evangeline! Thanks to everyone who entered and stick around the blog because in the coming days and weeks we've got more book giveaways!

In other freebie news, my friend, and awesome writer, Karin Tabke has a free download read at Simon and Schuster. It's a medieval short. I'm a HUGE fangirl of Karin's Bloodswords, and book three of that series releases next week. It's Stefan's story, and I love me some Stefan! It's entitled Master of Craving. (okay, seriously, who could not resist that title!!!) So, if you've been interested in this series and haven't bought it yet, or if Karin is new to you and you want to know what's got me all hot and bothered about this brotherhood of knights, then head on over to S&S and get yourself a free download and try her out. I know you won't be disappointed. Karin writes very hot, alpha Norman Knights!!!

Here's the link: Karin Tabke free download

Well, that's it guys! Have yourself a thrilling Thursday!!!!
Be well, lusty and happy!

Man on Man, Lord Craven-Moore and Gideon

2009-05-20T07:16:00.004-04:00

I knew right away when I saw the back cover copy of Charlotte’s Her Ladyship’s Companion, that I would have to meet up with this Gideon fellow. After all, the LIT ladies are forever encouraging me in my endeavours. They say I need to find ways to amuse myself. Little do they know....

So, being eager to please my ladies, I decided to read Her Ladyship’s Companion and discover for myself why Charlotte was walking about with pink cheeks and a familiar glow which I, myself, have put there many times.

Imagine my shock when I discovered the object of her fascination. Gideon.
A male prostitute...upon my word, I was intrigued, and a trifle miffed that Charlotte appeared to be rather smitten with the bloke. So, never one to let opportunity or research pass me by, I set out to Evangeline Collins’ place in search of the hero and the on dits of his past.

Upon first meeting Gideon, I’m rather taken aback. Immediately I feel a trifle ruffled. Gideon, you see, could make a lady swoon at a hundred paces. Currently my swoon worthiness is seventy-five paces! I begin to wonder where else this man might out measure me. But then, I immediately brighten. Gideon cannot claim the affections of the LIT ladies. In that, I am one hundred percent certain.

I take the wingback chair by the fire and reach for the snifter he has filled for me. I must concede, he has excellent taste. The brandy is smooth and a fine vintage, and his clothes, well tailored and expensive, are in the first stare of fashion. Upon close inspection, he is every inch the gentleman. Nothing like the tawdry Haymarket street walker I had envisioned. Damn his eyes, I can see why the ladies pay to have this man pleasure them.
He allows me to study him, but then I suppose he’s used to having his stock taken in and...measured.

With an arch of his dark brow he waits, although I’m aware his patience is wearing thin. I cough. I suppose I am staring. Bad form, that.

“Well,” I ask, bristling under his intense scrutiny, “what thoughts ran through your mind when you were travelling to Scotland to meet Bella?”

“I fully expected it to be the same as every other appointment, but I will admit to a level of curiosity. I was being sent quite the distance to visit a lady who, to my knowledge, had never laid eyes on me. In my experience, women tended to prefer to make their selection themselves. And I was to be this lady’s guest for a fortnight. Definitely outside the realm of the usual.”

Tell me how you felt the first time you ever laid eyes on her?

“She quite literally took my breath away. So exquisite, so lovely, so beyond anything I had expected, yet at the same time, she was exactly what I had expected.”

I find myself wanting to ask if ever found himself in the position to pleasure a lady of less pleasing attributes. What must that be like to be forced to pleasure one who did not stir the blood? While the question burns in my brain, it is rather gauche. And while this man was essentially a hired servant for a lady’s pleasure, he was not tactless. I could not bring myself to ask, even as I pondered the dilemma he must have faced at times during his....career. Something told me, though, that this fellow could find beauty in even the most plain woman. Which, of course, made him a very great threat to the rest of the gentlemen out there.

“Bella is a beauty, for certain, but what else did you discover about her upon your first meeting.?

“I did have a few moments to take in my surroundings before coming face to face with the lady of the manor. The grounds, the manor house, and her formal drawing room led me to expect a refined, sophisticated English lady. And Bella is every bit of that, and yet so very much more. I definitely had not expected to find such a beauty tucked away at a remote Scottish estate.”

What made the lovemaking different with Bella than with your other...patrons?

I notice the frown that flickers across Gideon’s perfect lips. Perhaps I have rubbed him the wrong way. I realize that he is trying his damndest to appear unruffled. I wonder why the question would upset him so, and if he would, indeed answer it.

“Bella cannot be compared to another.”

I have, indeed, offended him. Perhaps it was adding Bella into his past, or cataloguing her with the other women who had once purchased him. Perhaps it is that he and I are not so very different in our pasts except for the pesky fact he had accepted money for his services.

The tone is now a bit tense between us and I strive for a question that will set us once again on the right footing.

Evangeline confessed her favourite naughty bit of the book, what was yours?

The frown vanished, replaced with a slow grin. “Sometimes it is better to simply sit back and…enjoy. Truly a rare luxury, and one most graciously bestowed upon me. Though I’m not certain if I’d term it ‘rare’ anymore. And that’s all I will say on the matter. We are speaking of a lady, after all.”

Damned gentlemanly facade! Good breeding was highly overrated. Besides, I could be silent as the tomb when required. I lean forward and demand that he spill the details of the scene, but he merely smiles and sips his brandy. I make a mental note to scour every damn page of that book in search of that scene.

What is your favourite seduction technique?

"Might I ask why? Is it because you require some assistance in that area, Lord Craven-Moore? For if you do, I would be more than happy to offer my assistance…for the sake of your lovely ladies, of course. And I will offer this piece of advice - every woman is unique, and each moves at their own pace. One cannot just be interchanged for another. Therefore seduction is not a static technique. It is more about discovering what a woman desires, carefully fanning those desires…and then fulfilling them.”

Hmmm, I’m trying to decide whether to call him out or laugh at his audacity. Me requiring assistance? Just who does he think he is? I will give him this, though, he’s an intelligent fellow, even if he has too high an opinion of himself. I know women, and especially my ladies. Nothing goes un-noticed by me and I can safely say that I provide ultimate satisfaction. Although, I have quite quickly decided that Charlotte will not be allowed anywhere near this man. He’s exactly the sort she could cause a scandal with.

What is your favourite piece of clothing to remove from a woman?

“Silk stockings. And preferably saved for last. The only sight that compares to a woman in nothing but her stockings, is a woman clad in nothing at all.”

"In that we are agreed. Myself, I do enjoy removing corsets. I have a very great love of them. Now then, tell me which is first for you kissing or touching?

“While touching a beautiful woman does hold more than a certain amount of appeal, the power of a kiss can never be discounted. A kiss reveals a woman’s true nature. And with Bella, her kisses are the very definition of a promise of more.”

And that, darling readers, is Gideon. I tried to ply him with brandy to loosen his tongue but he stayed steadfastly stubborn and the consummate gentleman. He would not say a word against his lady or his past paramours. And while I have every respect for a lady’s reputation, I am not above spreading, or listening to a bit of tittle tattle.

In the end, my opinion of Gideon is this, stay away from my ladies because I feel you are far too smooth and accomplished. He knows women, and more than what they want in the bedroom. If I did not have every confidence in my own sexual prowess, I would be deuced worried about my ladies transferring their affections.

I have a good opinion of Gideon and I think you will too. If you would like an opportunity to win his book, comment, ask him a question, or myself, and you’ll be entered to win a copy of Gideon’s book, Her Ladyship’s Companion. Gideon and myself will be back later this evening to announce the winner.

Hugs and Kisses
Lord Craven-Moore