tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9874946383949464872024-03-21T07:01:53.125-06:00Chocolate & SpiceStina Lindenblatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13923143841924752849noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-878532920159551622011-06-14T07:32:00.000-06:002011-06-14T07:32:16.765-06:00The Morning After<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">There's nothing quite like the awkward silence, the bashful glances and tender touches. Don't forget the bad breath, lack of makeup and stale perfume smell.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Ahh, the morning after!</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">They're one of my favourite scenes to read and write.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">There are so many places we can take our characters following the emotion and physical buildup. Whether we have our characters making out, steaming up the mirror in the bathroom or its the hot and sensual love scene - there is always the emotional let down that follows. The uncertainty, self doubts, nervousness and awkwardness all come in to play.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">It's at this moment that I find real life comes into play. This is where we take our experiences, our memories and use them to their advantage. Do you remember what happened after your first kiss? Or the first time you woke up and realized that it wasn't all a dream - there was someone sharing your bed and they were breathing on you?</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">There's also the tiny flare of hope that comes along with the morning after. The flashes of a future you've been dreaming about, hoping for, wishing for. The whisper of longing for what could be.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">What is it about the morning after that you love?</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">(A word of personal note - today is my Morning After from The Master's release! Yes - it's now Available!!!)</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><em>Anya</em></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Visit my Author Page: <a href="http://www.anyawinter.tumblr.com/">Anya Winter</a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a _mce_href="http://www.king-cart.com/cgi-bin/cart.cgi?store=linda018&product_name=The+Master&return_page=&user-id=&password=&exchange=&exact_match=exact" href="http://www.king-cart.com/cgi-bin/cart.cgi?store=linda018&product_name=The+Master&return_page=&user-id=&password=&exchange=&exact_match=exact">The Master</a> - now available!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5JCuHv_usGaFFjVydUMfJoKkCSQXRkHJII7nnnKNF4fWDlsKAZyGkrKzq917uBHYwR4dJdD2vyyWERCBNPdl1a3-YqnBuUGlwTSLys0SpkmbWFVKbLeTHIpjgCjH04S2nGGPuT-peBs5/s1600/The+Master_banner.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br />
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</div>Anya S. Winterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15938059712990028046noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-50497275665726638502011-06-09T04:52:00.000-06:002011-06-09T04:52:24.977-06:00Near MissesLet's face it, we all enjoy reading about a good snogging every now and again...maybe even like it when things get steamier. That's what romance is about right? The hugs, touches, kisses, intimacy.<br />
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But, in fiction, none of that is as much fun if the <em><strong>"near misses"</strong></em> aren't there. You know, those scenes where the hero and heroine are just about to break and give in to the attraction one--if not both of them--has been trying to deny. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5T47li9Hl8qpUAgXwVErrlaTtxMpj0DRB0aQY23DlL3ovSqHZSj3i8R_vNJqPMihm3aNZDycPew26dpuJ-acOMSLdUFYpmIAeq5xLDJAMumvUGaMtxbf8lrewxcLTBQIeAzDxB3XfyIY/s1600/jacob+kiss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5T47li9Hl8qpUAgXwVErrlaTtxMpj0DRB0aQY23DlL3ovSqHZSj3i8R_vNJqPMihm3aNZDycPew26dpuJ-acOMSLdUFYpmIAeq5xLDJAMumvUGaMtxbf8lrewxcLTBQIeAzDxB3XfyIY/s400/jacob+kiss.jpg" t8="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
In that moment, <em><strong>they</strong></em> want it to happen. <strong><em>We</em></strong> want it to happen. <strong><em>Everyone </em></strong>wants it to happen.<br />
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But...it doesn't happen.<br />
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Something stops them before they're able to be fully swept away. Whether it's a pair of teenagers interrupted mid-makeout by a parent, or an adult couple sidetracked by some other force of life, they aren't allowed to cross the finish line.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIeyTpNW2qzcmmUZObrDAMOMLVuvQ1LSaJJ7YW_GyCzFE_X0vOfvCQ-Fm_BFkX7ijrhexWp69lrgBKgFue3wQD6K4Pr_Nvv4Mnm-_i6uEoa4PdFXV9xw-PSV0Dlrw6j99Eun4-o8wL5mb/s1600/near+kiss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIeyTpNW2qzcmmUZObrDAMOMLVuvQ1LSaJJ7YW_GyCzFE_X0vOfvCQ-Fm_BFkX7ijrhexWp69lrgBKgFue3wQD6K4Pr_Nvv4Mnm-_i6uEoa4PdFXV9xw-PSV0Dlrw6j99Eun4-o8wL5mb/s1600/near+kiss.jpg" t8="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.links2love.com/teens_kissing.htm">credit</a></td></tr>
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It's this dissruption--this sense of <strong><em>"Damn it! What would have happened if the phone hadn't rang just then?!?"</em></strong>--that drives us insane as readers and makes us root for the couple to get together even more. <br />
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So while all the hand holding and stares of longing are great, and we're happy for the tremendous sex once the couple gets together, it's the near misses that truly set the scene.<br />
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The better the near misses and frustration we feel as a result, the better the satisfaction when our heroes finally break through all their barriers. Make sure you don't skimp on this part while you're writing your story...the potential payoff is too great.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-85341935362485906812011-06-02T05:23:00.001-06:002011-06-02T13:24:45.338-06:00Head-Butting Romantic Conflicts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxVgwpl_vGvNlfGYsjqvIIdrx8B_U4ZEeHC5AP5aKYAOqToj-clGX7CZzQ1gbuRSp8vNxMKDGvp3acc84S_FUxU2NJ59yRH8kSBc-4eFPONQWH_3lHnicwbtPanV52I93awDVHMzV5eAP/s1600/Jak+%2526+Kate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxVgwpl_vGvNlfGYsjqvIIdrx8B_U4ZEeHC5AP5aKYAOqToj-clGX7CZzQ1gbuRSp8vNxMKDGvp3acc84S_FUxU2NJ59yRH8kSBc-4eFPONQWH_3lHnicwbtPanV52I93awDVHMzV5eAP/s320/Jak+%2526+Kate.jpg" t8="true" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">According to <em>Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies</em>, by Leslie Waigner, there are three common issues facing the hero and heroine:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><strong>Trust:</strong> Need I say more?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><strong>Control:</strong> Who needs the guy to control you—and ultimately your heart—when your skills and confidence make you a kickass [fill in the blank]? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><strong>Self-image:</strong> How could he possibly be interested in me when XX is much prettier, smarter, skinnier (the list goes on)?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The benefit of using an issue such as above is that it keeps your hero and heroine together plot wise, but keeps them apart emotionally. This helps drives the conflicts (both internal and external) while allowing the happy couple to eventually fall in love.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Does anyone have any other issues to add to the list?</span><br />
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Don't forget about our contest going on for SoloPlay right now. Any comment left between now and Friday will be entered to win Miranda Baker's new ebook. Of course, if you'd rather not win it - just make sure you put that in your comments too :)</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-36050890321347696442011-05-31T05:30:00.004-06:002011-05-31T05:30:01.688-06:00Come Play with SoloPlay & WinWant to win a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004X2ADGC"><span id="goog_1311916552"></span>SoloPlay<span id="goog_1311916553"></span></a> by <a href="http://www.mirandabaker.wordpress.com/">Miranda Baker</a>? Sure you do! I promise, you won't regret it. Keep reading to find out how.<br />
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<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51vLCzNGKYL._SL500_AA266_PIkin3,BottomRight,-16,34_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51vLCzNGKYL._SL500_AA266_PIkin3,BottomRight,-16,34_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a>I don't think it's a secret anymore. I have a bit of a crush on Miranda Baker. She's soft, sensual, erotic and knows how to bake. Just the baking alone is what sold me on her. But all that aside - this woman knows how to write. When I first read Bottoms Up, I knew I had an addiction. SoloPlay is just as good.<br />
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She had me right at the beginning. A woman (librarian) having lacklustre sex (yes, that's how it opens). We've all been there, done that and have all tried to burn the bra with it - right? The man blames her - of course...and then it hits you. You're hooked. You meet Crystal who blows your mind away and find yourself in a place where you ignore your husband, children and supper that is burning in the oven. The only thing that matters is that you find yourself wet and wanting. Wanting the kids to either be invited to a sleepover and go play over at someone's house so you can have time alone with your 'other' to try some of these moves Miranda mentions in SoloPlay.<br />
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Whether you are someone who likes to use toys or not, it won't matter. You'll either find yourself wishing you had some or googling the nearest toy store to buy some. This story is full of erotic whispers and longing. But more than that - it's a story that every single woman can see herself in - at one time or another. Doubt. Self exploration. Passion. Love. This has a HEA that will bring a smile to your face and a sigh to your heart.<br />
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You'll love it.<br />
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Wanna own it? You can. Here's how. You must be a follower and leave a comment. Simple as that. No hoops to jump through. Oh wait - it would be nice if you would share your favourite chocolate dessert. For my benefit - selfish I know ;) I'll leave it up until Friday at midnight.Anya S. Winterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15938059712990028046noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-60910204044615419882011-05-19T05:00:00.002-06:002011-05-19T05:05:05.226-06:00Get Them While They’re Hot!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhji71rTp7vFvqUqvCct4fjLGN3Vm6Jc6uysVOYX_KPC7S6V5YLosOCfa8tPHG6qUwfcEjrjGmWv591QfmIU2LlDXLDf_hpob3maMu7HNZu2shzvRNCWKN24DfbEGVs0QXceb7Qart0_ugP/s1600/slushpile+hell.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhji71rTp7vFvqUqvCct4fjLGN3Vm6Jc6uysVOYX_KPC7S6V5YLosOCfa8tPHG6qUwfcEjrjGmWv591QfmIU2LlDXLDf_hpob3maMu7HNZu2shzvRNCWKN24DfbEGVs0QXceb7Qart0_ugP/s1600/slushpile+hell.bmp" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Are you one of the lucky writers attending the RWA national conference in NYC next month? If not, you can still benefit from some awesome <a href="http://www.rwa.org/cs/rwa_annual_conference/schedule_of_events/workshops/2011_rwa_workshops">handouts now available online</a>. One of my favorites is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Character Mining</i>. Judging from the handout, I can’t wait to attend the workshop.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Is anyone else going to be there?</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-26586075899196550552011-05-17T11:04:00.000-06:002011-05-17T11:05:16.781-06:00What POV is it?<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=642150117-17052011>Have you ever read a scene where you were confused about whose POV you were in? </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=642150117-17052011></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=642150117-17052011>What about writing it? Especially during those "oh so naughty" body action scenes. Have you ever written the scene and realized that the male POV was perhaps too feminine or that the girl POV wasn't feminine enough?</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=642150117-17052011></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=642150117-17052011>I found a fun blog with a tool called the <A href="http://bookblog.net/gender/genie.php">Gender Genie</A>. Plug in a paragraph and it'll tell you whether the POV is male or female. </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=642150117-17052011></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=642150117-17052011>Try it! Let me know how it worked for you.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>Anya S. Winterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15938059712990028046noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-38174446577356915752011-05-11T20:34:00.000-06:002011-05-13T14:30:23.952-06:00Page Turners in Romance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5zQ2WN-7DW52SNhWFLU0tK7rNzPf-3nFieoKHpo0aFGwJcsfD_p7WzLYtb294wfLQT6JannAtnkBtX6Pk2412XXr-5gEQcvzCL_LxyfkoVLSCc7l3DxaPNJUK-QBYEx8osZBru67nCI/s1600/Thor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5zQ2WN-7DW52SNhWFLU0tK7rNzPf-3nFieoKHpo0aFGwJcsfD_p7WzLYtb294wfLQT6JannAtnkBtX6Pk2412XXr-5gEQcvzCL_LxyfkoVLSCc7l3DxaPNJUK-QBYEx8osZBru67nCI/s1600/Thor.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Why do readers of romance keeping turning the page instead of rushing off to clean the toilet? (I mean, other than the obvious reason) It’s because they want to know what happens between the hero and heroine. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">But it’s not enough to give the two characters a happily-ever-after from page one (save that for the ending). You need to create tension and conflict between them, which is maintained throughout the story. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">According to Leslie Waigner (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies</i>) this can be achieved by creating an emotional conflict (one that grows from the heart) between the two characters that has nothing to with the plot. After that, you can throw all kinds of complications at them. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">However, don’t confuse emotional conflict with intellectual conflict. Intellectual conflict comes from the head, such as opinions. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Remember, at the end of the day, the reader cares more about what’s in the hero’s and heroine’s hearts than what’s in their heads. (Okay, you know what I mean.) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Is there anything in a romance that keeps you from turning the page?</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-86250028938044390002011-05-10T09:12:00.000-06:002011-05-10T09:12:48.740-06:00Dirty Birds Inspiration<div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="912365414-10052011">Did you hear? </span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.stlawrencemarket.com/about/chocolate_strawberry.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" j8="true" src="http://www.stlawrencemarket.com/about/chocolate_strawberry.gif" width="141px" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="912365414-10052011"></span></span> </div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="912365414-10052011">I was over at the <a href="http://www.dirtybirdsauthors.blogspot.com/">Dirty Birdies </a>this Sunday to talk about inspiration. </span></span></div><span class="912365414-10052011"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">What a fun group! If you haven't had the opportunity to visit these girls, you need to. Regardless if you are a writer or a reader of erotica, you will find this to be informative and tempting at the same time. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div><div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="912365414-10052011"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span> </div><div><span class="912365414-10052011"><span style="font-family: Arial;">What inspires you? If you read my post over there, you know that real life inspires me. The chocolate strawberry my husband hands me, the child skipping down the street, the couple arguing at the bistro over steaming cups of coffee. </span></span></div><div><span class="912365414-10052011"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span> </div><div><span class="912365414-10052011"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Now it's your turn. Tell me where you find your inspiration!</span></span></div></span><span class="912365414-10052011"><span style="font-family: Arial;">So let's talk inspiration. </span></span>Anya S. Winterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15938059712990028046noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-59506384691327974822011-05-05T05:00:00.000-06:002011-05-05T05:00:04.018-06:00The Big “O”<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnC2sO0Vdwm8H-klxf-D5_pqfoaSaf-fdMZVNKS-ppBS3W0SHs7aPJPncK8OefRYyxEAWdGed8aZorWIZvd34bHwVKuz-SlKgkYdNeUlko8KhK8p4ZTaui4o6nWas5u8XELCPB57nDwfI/s1600/the-big-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnC2sO0Vdwm8H-klxf-D5_pqfoaSaf-fdMZVNKS-ppBS3W0SHs7aPJPncK8OefRYyxEAWdGed8aZorWIZvd34bHwVKuz-SlKgkYdNeUlko8KhK8p4ZTaui4o6nWas5u8XELCPB57nDwfI/s320/the-big-O.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">From the time we’re old enough to read the magazine covers lining the checkout counters, we know the big “O” is important (not that we know what it means). But I wonder how many people actually buy the magazines for the advice. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Okay, I’ll admit I have, but they don’t tell you anything you can’t learn from a steamy romance novel. And if your husband times it wisely (i.e. you’re reading one when <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he’s</i> in the mood), you’re already in the mood before you’re IN THE MOOD, if you get what I mean. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">So my questions are: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Do you buy magazines that promise to tell you the 75 Sex Moves Men Crave (don’t laugh, it was an interesting article), do you buy books on the subject, or do you learn your fancy moves from novels (or none of the above)? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">And if you write steamy love scenes, where do you get your inspiration (knowledge) from?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-61510830651976618982011-05-03T11:21:00.000-06:002011-05-03T11:21:06.478-06:00Blogger & I had a Fight.There's one thing you should all know about me. <br />
<br />
I don't play fair. <br />
<br />
I had the 'bestest' post for today. I wrote up my post early and have looked forward to your reactions today to it. How to write a shower scene from the POV of the woman and the man. There was nothing obscene or vile. Just funny.<br />
<br />
But it wouldn't show up. Even my delicious chocolate refused to show. <br />
<br />
So I took away the chocolate. None for blogger. All for me.Anya S. Winterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15938059712990028046noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-75406407530015910132011-04-29T05:00:00.004-06:002011-04-29T05:00:12.677-06:00What If I Don't Like Her?We spend a lot of time, in love stories, focusing on the hero. Is he cute enough? Strong enough? Sensitive enough? Funny enough? Charming enough? Etc., etc., etc.<br />
<br />
It makes sense, because most of us -- whether single or married, content or yearning for something more -- want to put ourselves in the shoes of the lead female character, and live vicariously through her.<br />
<br />
But what about the heroine herself? Don't we have to like her too?<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, there have been quite a few books that I started . . . and eventually stopped reading because the heroine got on my Last. Damn. Nerve.<br />
<br />
The hardest part of writing a story geared toward a female <i>audience</i>, can be writing a female <i>character</i> that the majority of readers WANT to spend more time with. For me, I have to either want to <u>be</u> her -- or at least be her friend -- for me to stick with the gal through thick & thin.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>She has to be humble, without being weak.</b></span></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4yHygKls1H2joHPA1mXv64dxgVPbnxuCHf8plpB1FKL7MGDAak14MQNvJTSnJnTvmEPRwm4vKKaj1iaiw-Ma67syBCQJWF_Hjbf8QgheTX07hIpRqR_9hgw-kyY56605jFO7LEZCIY5MV/s1600/Elizabeth+Bennet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4yHygKls1H2joHPA1mXv64dxgVPbnxuCHf8plpB1FKL7MGDAak14MQNvJTSnJnTvmEPRwm4vKKaj1iaiw-Ma67syBCQJWF_Hjbf8QgheTX07hIpRqR_9hgw-kyY56605jFO7LEZCIY5MV/s1600/Elizabeth+Bennet.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;"><b>Elizabeth Bennett -- Pride & Prejudice</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>She has to be able to take care of herself, and still retain her femininity.</b></span></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZl9Oo2px3inRUWMjMpEHecsZn8Uf6ozLvUNpdMqp315LYcHHIJBpE4fegcbJ-sp8CxO11IMCElYK2J9olbDXYBVVOLigJ4l7rDXXv1vh39_DNIYDOj2vxbfKgNc8Ck0828VqOLUxHRuVC/s1600/Guinevere-king-arthur-1969861-1024-768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZl9Oo2px3inRUWMjMpEHecsZn8Uf6ozLvUNpdMqp315LYcHHIJBpE4fegcbJ-sp8CxO11IMCElYK2J9olbDXYBVVOLigJ4l7rDXXv1vh39_DNIYDOj2vxbfKgNc8Ck0828VqOLUxHRuVC/s320/Guinevere-king-arthur-1969861-1024-768.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;"><b>Guinevere -- King Arthur</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>And she has to be just as willing to rescue the hero as she is to let him rescue her.</b></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubCKe5bN-SxiBkxS3Xz1vm-Rpc_DfTbBhRBb84xUoPP0KA2TCXrNgfQJAN_WiXWriwJcS2UFAc8FlGFCkMloykgVggIXGwvjkVuGZ6b3SzcEjYX3V_InHKuNw-9Juj_w3AbENhoKyvb2W/s1600/pirates-of-the-caribbean-dead-mans-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubCKe5bN-SxiBkxS3Xz1vm-Rpc_DfTbBhRBb84xUoPP0KA2TCXrNgfQJAN_WiXWriwJcS2UFAc8FlGFCkMloykgVggIXGwvjkVuGZ6b3SzcEjYX3V_InHKuNw-9Juj_w3AbENhoKyvb2W/s320/pirates-of-the-caribbean-dead-mans-.jpg" width="268" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;"><b>Elizabeth Swann -- Pirates of the Caribbean</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7;"><b>(Apparently, I have a bit of Keira Knightly fetish)</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Bottom line -- It's not an easy job being the heroine. Not only does she have to make the hero fall in love with her . . . she has to make us (the reader) love her too.</div><br />
What about you? Anything that a heroine has to do/be in order to keep you reading? Anything that completely turns you off and causes you to close the book, never to return?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-67035240401477488962011-04-26T09:27:00.003-06:002011-04-26T19:59:46.699-06:00Real Life or Romance?<div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZD_NrO_FcZXbvhFa4DOxjdTJ8_JpDeCU7zKK_869hhT46SS18BSMxe-pcNDjf0HQoT87hW9IKLAeVw4Jv3UNhI2MOHPPJ_SoNMWp60MX-J8Xli-hPgrN78NAeJWPHfhE0CjLlvZcURdvR/s1600/Audrey+Hepburn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; height: 255px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; width: 268px;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZD_NrO_FcZXbvhFa4DOxjdTJ8_JpDeCU7zKK_869hhT46SS18BSMxe-pcNDjf0HQoT87hW9IKLAeVw4Jv3UNhI2MOHPPJ_SoNMWp60MX-J8Xli-hPgrN78NAeJWPHfhE0CjLlvZcURdvR/s320/Audrey+Hepburn.jpg" width="312" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="715360715-26042011">I used to believe in Fairy Tales. You know - the HEA types. My Fair Lady with Audrey Hepburn was my heroine of choice. My mom used to warn me that life wasn't like the fairy tales I loved but I never believed her. </span></span><br />
</div><div></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="715360715-26042011">Not after my heart was broken from too many boys with winning smiles and dangerous glints in their eyes. Not after my best friend married at age 18 and then divorced a year later. Not even after I experienced rape first hand. </span></span></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="715360715-26042011">Nothing would shake my belief that HEA is real. </span></span><br />
</div><div></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="715360715-26042011">When I met my husband, he proved it to me. My white knight who drove a hard core Mustang. It was love at first sight. </span></span><br />
</div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="715360715-26042011">My Fairy Tale come true. </span></span><br />
</div><div></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="715360715-26042011">But we all know life gets in the way of love. And that's why we dive into the romance novels. Not for the hard core body action, not for the sighs of delights, the handsome Scots in their kilts, the Tall Dark & Handsome stranger who rescues the damsel in distress. Nope. We read it because of the ups and downs our heroines go through, the conflicts, the stupid choices made throughout the story. </span></span><br />
</div><div></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="715360715-26042011">Don't get me wrong. All that other stuff is CRUCIAL to enjoying the story! We need the naked bodies, the titillating heart throbs, the love at first sight. But deep down, I think we like to read a story when someone else's life is WORSE than ours. When the choices THEY make end up making our choices look 'not so bad after all'.</span></span><br />
</div><div></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="715360715-26042011">We lose ourselves in these stories because they take us away from our lives. They give us our fairytale when we feel like Cinderella before the ball. </span></span><br />
</div><div></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="715360715-26042011">That's my thought at least. What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Why do you read romance novels? </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="715360715-26042011">Better yet - why do you write them?</span></span></div>Anya S. Winterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15938059712990028046noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-47770405147727347852011-04-21T05:00:00.000-06:002011-04-21T05:00:09.545-06:00Soul Mates?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jfbOJtN96cxbtsCIizswWzUk-on0vIpQOd6xoGA6ZSoro724G7hRMb39ii3ODO-dRjUky5GGKHeVXDi8hJ8X6g85ibt1XPsaxSurX-eCbNBIALOoqBSpLHhxKwnqK5xlSFK6znIoEl0/s1600/soul+mates+two.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jfbOJtN96cxbtsCIizswWzUk-on0vIpQOd6xoGA6ZSoro724G7hRMb39ii3ODO-dRjUky5GGKHeVXDi8hJ8X6g85ibt1XPsaxSurX-eCbNBIALOoqBSpLHhxKwnqK5xlSFK6znIoEl0/s1600/soul+mates+two.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">In romance, the ultimate ending is the heroine capturing the heart, and vice versa, of the hero—her soul mate. But does that elusive individual really exist? And how do you know if you’ve found him? It’s not like he has [Insert name here]’s Soul Mate tattooed on that sexy ass of his. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">What if he exists but doesn’t live anywhere near you? Maybe he’s in another country or even another continent. Is there some divine intervention that will lead you to him? I mean, can you imagine if your soul mate is out there but you don’t know where he is? That would burn big time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Now if fate would have it that you find your soul mate, what would happen if he dies before you? Does that mean you’ll never find love and happiness again? And if you do, and you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i> end up in heaven together, what happens now? You see where I’m going here? (I know the erotic romance writers’ minds are spinning with possibilities.) </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadWAFuEk3FLg9cMP0lw2TXHrABE1Inz4YIQvMeTo2qnPcUK891V-31no1tvSYPHsP8sZqmhrzhC8RtkGxKHMl5gpP2AYYRJo_9QCISTo6AuYdK3tD7KBE1PHmHtqfEUlsJaJSVlbMous/s1600/soul+mates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadWAFuEk3FLg9cMP0lw2TXHrABE1Inz4YIQvMeTo2qnPcUK891V-31no1tvSYPHsP8sZqmhrzhC8RtkGxKHMl5gpP2AYYRJo_9QCISTo6AuYdK3tD7KBE1PHmHtqfEUlsJaJSVlbMous/s320/soul+mates.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">And what about in paranormal novels? If one of the lovers is immortal and the other one is mortal, and they’re soul mates . . . well, what does that mean for the poor immortal individual? Man, that sure would suck if there was only one soul mate for him, wouldn’t it? Or maybe if you’re immortal, you get to have several soul mates scattered throughout the centuries. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if not, well, you’d better come up with a way to turn your soul mate into an immortal too. I’m just saying, ya know.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Of course, there’s always the possibility of reincarnation. Great, if you’re a teenage immortal. Not so great if you’re much older. Now you’ve got an even longer wait ahead of you. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">So what about you? Do you believe there is only one person out there for you? And do you believe you’ve found him (or her), or are you still searching? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">(Okay, this post is what happens when Stina drinks too much caffeine.) ;)</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-34848842046304791452011-04-19T05:30:00.006-06:002011-04-19T05:30:00.573-06:00Mastering the Flashback<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIltuEoEXtiNqiXy6n3HMXwUay1468h7OWY4JLuGVIF6EM9L-Fov_xbREMJHAqWwHKRtNj8Nx55WTJ08sks9W9wXHATvcj5PjoP0A9Q3nmwSg4FIl7khoQ8BIko-l71ELxHf88SIp4rw3c/s1600/Richard-Armitage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIltuEoEXtiNqiXy6n3HMXwUay1468h7OWY4JLuGVIF6EM9L-Fov_xbREMJHAqWwHKRtNj8Nx55WTJ08sks9W9wXHATvcj5PjoP0A9Q3nmwSg4FIl7khoQ8BIko-l71ELxHf88SIp4rw3c/s200/Richard-Armitage.jpg" width="150" /></a>There's something about a flashback that always draws a writer in. We love to use them. Sometimes too much. New writers will become dependant on them while seasoned writers will realize their value and use them wisely.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">But how do you write a successful flashback? They're not easy. If we're not careful, the flashback can do more harm than good in a story. They offer more problems than solutions. Why? Because they are events that have already happened. They take the reader out of the story - if not written correctly.</div><br />
So how does one master the flashback? There are ways to keeping your flashback from destorying your story. Keep the flashback as brief as possible. Make sure you don't slow the action, bog the pacing or lose our readers interest. If the flashback must be long (longer than a paragraph), then transition into and out of in ways that are clear to your readers. Use signifiers that will help the transition for your readers - like a phone call, someone at the door, being shuffled in a crowd, coping a feel at a party ... you get the idea.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Verb tenses are crucial in flashbacks. If your story is being told in the past tense, then write the first few verbs of the flashback in the past perfect and the rest in simple past. For example use words like she knew, if she had to remember, she had thought ect. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It's important not to confuse your readers, so <a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/article/3_Tips_for_Writing_Successful_Flashbacks/">Nancy Kress</a> suggest that to signal the start of the flashback, puts its first five verbs in past perfect ("had done," "had dressed," "had bought," "had come," "hadn't even seen"). After that, tell the rest of the flashback in past tense ("eyes were," "they passed," etc.). The reason for this is that an entire flashback in past perfect would be cumbersome, especially if it's very long. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Here the most important piece to remember: when you're ready to end the flashback, revert to past perfect for the last few verbs. Then use past tense to resume story time. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Have you mastered flashbacks in your novel? Did they cause problems for you? Do you find it easier to master your flashback during the revisions? Do you even think about them?<br />
<br />
P.S. if you are wondering why Richard Armitage is in this post - its cause I can't stop staring into his eyes ;)Anya S. Winterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15938059712990028046noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-71035055595520673372011-04-14T05:00:00.001-06:002011-04-14T05:00:20.612-06:00It's The Little Things That CountYes, when it comes to romance we tend to appreciate the big sweeping gestures. We're not fully satisfied until we've gotten the happily ever after where the hero was willing to risk it all for the sake of the heroine.<br />
<br />
Those grand gestures are all fine and good, but it's the little things that make us (and our heroines) fall in love with the hero.<br />
<br />
To prove my point, I've borrowed examples from a couple movies I'm sure most of us have seen before:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgita5RVJD5xHDV8OBG9DoPsq5yISm90K84SP0QewDyOlTQrfS93k3RGyvg5OLAMF7BzqpyGjxIf0EwUADTp4WzVD7kFSUwjqY4xASmZksdxh0koZpTGMp9YO5Tg0M14qFW22-YBKWb3iiT/s1600/Never+Been+Kissed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgita5RVJD5xHDV8OBG9DoPsq5yISm90K84SP0QewDyOlTQrfS93k3RGyvg5OLAMF7BzqpyGjxIf0EwUADTp4WzVD7kFSUwjqY4xASmZksdxh0koZpTGMp9YO5Tg0M14qFW22-YBKWb3iiT/s1600/Never+Been+Kissed.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;"><b>NEVER BEEN KISSED</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Josie realizes how special Sam (Mr. Coulson) truly is when he volunteers himself to ride the Ferris Wheel, despite his fear of heights, simply because she had no one else to ride with. And then he tops it off by telling her he feels like he can really <i>talk</i> to her. *sigh*<div><br />
<div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhgZbZpnotW82xKc7gQZPfelEMtLt-XwT7lYwiZcL0J2ZmCh2mDGXIwN_qyTWC-uA_yQPkE4Wx8qL2cStCqf9F3mhumH97pHhSAX3w6qHvArZA_4TtDEht82HCHOYXOFBgeskpKYeyxc9/s1600/27+Dresses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhgZbZpnotW82xKc7gQZPfelEMtLt-XwT7lYwiZcL0J2ZmCh2mDGXIwN_qyTWC-uA_yQPkE4Wx8qL2cStCqf9F3mhumH97pHhSAX3w6qHvArZA_4TtDEht82HCHOYXOFBgeskpKYeyxc9/s1600/27+Dresses.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;"><b>27 DRESSES</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>Jane and Kevin can barely stand each other, until one little song plays on the jukebox in a dive bar out in the middle of nowhere. Next thing you know, they're dancing on the bar and getting hot & steamy in the backseat of his car. Who knew "Benny & The Jets" karaoke could provide the spark for true love?</div></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_8EfEqDfg5jOBFlLf8cC8LJKvvAt_F5K6jefn6G5IYrq39Uik2d6rwcSQwQ7yKhhBzMdCFu0diM9o1tgYN8vQq_IVCI2XnrAEgjVcoHUMGRNeIlGdwLz2IXWOPCa0CXLknmb2YPd8m1K/s1600/howtoloseaguy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio_8EfEqDfg5jOBFlLf8cC8LJKvvAt_F5K6jefn6G5IYrq39Uik2d6rwcSQwQ7yKhhBzMdCFu0diM9o1tgYN8vQq_IVCI2XnrAEgjVcoHUMGRNeIlGdwLz2IXWOPCa0CXLknmb2YPd8m1K/s320/howtoloseaguy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;"><b>How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Andie and Ben were both secretly using each other in an attempt to further their careers. Neither expected to actually fall in love, but for Andie things changed quickly after an afternoon spent playing "Bullshit" with Ben and his family. Watching him interact with his family shot an arrow straight to her heart, where all his smooth loverboy lines had missed the mark.<div><br />
</div><div>Bottom line, it's all the little unique pieces of a man that make us fall in love with him. Don't forget to add those things into your stories. We tend to fall in love in fragments, our characters should too.<br />
<div><br />
</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-36944771540580685792011-04-12T05:00:00.016-06:002011-04-12T08:39:03.444-06:00Call for Submissions<a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/files/u248/writing%20sample.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.psychologytoday.com/files/u248/writing%20sample.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 148px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 267px;" /></a> I love Twitter for so many reasons. <br />
<br />
I've met some amazing authors, writers and readers. I get up-to-the-minute news in life and in writing. For instance ... yesterday the editors at <a href="http://carinapress.com/blog/2011/04/editor-call-for-submissions/">Carina Press posted a call for submission. </a><br />
<br />
Did you see it? <br />
<br />
<strong>Rhonda Stapleton</strong> is looking for epic world building and any romance open to steaminess. <br />
<strong>Mallory Braus</strong> wants fun & quirky heros and a good zombie hunter romance. <br />
<strong>Allisa Davis</strong> is hungry for a good foodie. And BDSM. <br />
<strong>Melissa Johnson</strong> wants a prehistoric romance. She explains what she wants. Think Jean M. Aurel. <br />
<strong>Gina Bernal</strong> has a first love - with historical romance ;) <br />
<strong>Lynne Anderson</strong> - romance. Any kind and length. <br />
<strong>Deborah Nemeth</strong> is looking for characters on the margins. British, M15, steampunk ... <br />
<br />
These are just tastes of what they are looking for. Each editor goes into length in what they are looking for. <br />
<br />
If you have a story you've polished and know its ready for <a href="http://carinapress.com/blog/2011/04/editor-call-for-submissions/">Carina Press</a>, then be sure to check out their guidelines and how to submit. <br />
<br />
Are you going to send one of these fabulous darlin's a story? Good luck and let me know how it goes! I'll be here rooting for you!Anya S. Winterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15938059712990028046noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-1494915670427724012011-04-07T05:00:00.001-06:002011-04-07T05:00:09.084-06:00Twelve steps to Steamy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLptwney56Bkq8V2iNc7Aod1ZQy6-_guzVx8Em7A-bDDopwAhA1QACAgn4zCWsH3e9hqEju3RkfLK_8xXWH3DEz-McxyZZZ6l_0vyq-aomGTWqjby5FBKD2Yaj_WfI2OEHxs662bReLRA/s1600/kissing_better.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLptwney56Bkq8V2iNc7Aod1ZQy6-_guzVx8Em7A-bDDopwAhA1QACAgn4zCWsH3e9hqEju3RkfLK_8xXWH3DEz-McxyZZZ6l_0vyq-aomGTWqjby5FBKD2Yaj_WfI2OEHxs662bReLRA/s320/kissing_better.jpg" width="287" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Whether you write YA novels or any other genre were romance occurs, there’s no emotional satisfaction if your characters meet one second and are making out (or having sex) the next. You need to build up to the moment. Tease your characters and readers. Take things slowly. And take them through the <a href="http://www.redroom.com/blog/terry-odell/12-steps-intimacy">12 steps to intimacy</a> as originally described by author Linda Howard: </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Eye to body</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Eye to eye</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Voice to voice</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Hand to hand (or arm)</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Arm to shoulder</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Arm to waist or back</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Kissing<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(mouth to mouth)</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Hand to head</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Hand to body</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Mouth to breast</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Hand to private parts </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Private parts to private part (okay, you know what I mean).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Your characters don’t have to go through all the steps in the first meeting (though they can), and the steps don’t have to be done in this order (though don’t try #12 without hitting the majority of the others first). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-US">I personally think it’s sexier when the guy’s lips travel over the female’s temple, jaw, throat, or shoulder before finding her lips. And don’t forget the kiss can range from the brushing of his lips against hers to the deepening of their kisses. Maybe the guy leans in to kiss her (maybe he even gets as far as brushing his lips against hers) and the kiss is interrupted by someone or something else. Always a favorite trick of mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, by introducing just a few steps at a time, you can build the suspense, leaving your reader wondering whether the first kiss (or the more intimate, deepening kiss) is going to happen and when. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-US">But please, don’t make your reader wait too long. Nothing drives me crazier than having to wait ¾ of the book before the main character and her love interest finally kiss (as in the YA paranormal novel I recently read). What I do love, though, is not knowing if they’re going to go all the way. Obviously that doesn’t work for all subgenres of romance. If you’re reading an erotic romance, you’re expecting some action to happen pretty quickly. Heck, you’re expecting action. Period. This is why it’s important to be well read in the type of books you want to write. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Questions: do you like waiting for the first kiss to happen or get frustrated if it takes too long? Do you prefer things to get steamy pretty quickly (depending on the genre, this could be a steamy make out scene or a mind numbing rump between sheets)? And what is your favorite type of first kiss?</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-15288525126922059982011-04-04T06:02:00.006-06:002011-04-05T13:01:41.275-06:00The Secret About Corsets<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnia0uouwqfcY6NOe2h8uI7H6fZzfhJtnqjsPp7ZibEUoq-2LKTN78Zu41_Nl4XhKBdRStJxK-6uGYxVp4WtRQhGuRgr5DbDffZM6f4p_-Hh3OTgWPZq_nuvy12aXq79cNa-sYrG3XZg/s1600/fairy-goth-mother-red-corset.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnia0uouwqfcY6NOe2h8uI7H6fZzfhJtnqjsPp7ZibEUoq-2LKTN78Zu41_Nl4XhKBdRStJxK-6uGYxVp4WtRQhGuRgr5DbDffZM6f4p_-Hh3OTgWPZq_nuvy12aXq79cNa-sYrG3XZg/s1600/fairy-goth-mother-red-corset.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 331px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 222px;" /></a>What's the first word that pops in your head when you read the title? Sexy? Appealing? Victoria? RWA? BDSM? <br />
<br />
For me - SEXY. 100% The lovely, sexy, intelligent and totally awesome Camryn Rhys took me corset shopping this past weekend. The shop we went to was iffy to say the least from the outside but omg women - it rocked inside. Why we didn't buy any shoes I have no idea. (Camyrn - why girl? Why?) <br />
<br />
I might not be attending RWA this year but I didn't want to be left out of the whole 'corset' revolution. I've read about these torture devices in my historical romances, seen them squeeze the life out of women on the screen but NEVER had any idea why they held the appeal they did. Until now. I want one. I feel greedy. But damn it all - I had curves for those few moments and I felt SEXY. Rip clothes sexy. Granted - my breasts were almost touching my throat (my girlies are large and proud) but I had an hour glass figure and I miss it. Damn it. <br />
<br />
For those like me whose girlies can't handle a corset, go for a cincher. They still emphasize your curves without the whole 'tea cup resting on chest' look. Sure, I couldn't breathe for a moment or two. But the look? OMG. Okay, and yes, my shoulders felt like they were raised to my ears .. but that was only with the corset and not the cincher. One day ... one day ... Have you ever tried a corset? Tell me you didn't feel sexy as all get out! <i><span style="font-family: "Lucida Handwriting"; line-height: 115%;">Anya</span></i>Anya S. Winterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15938059712990028046noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-52204684045589354562011-03-31T05:00:00.089-06:002011-03-31T05:00:09.885-06:00Young Love -- YA RomanceEver wonder why so many of us (non-young adults) can't seem to get enough of reading stories about teenage love? Not that some YA can't get pretty steamy, but there are far smokier scenes in adult romance novels. So why do we still love our regular doses of young love?<div><br />
</div><div>Some of my guesses?</div><div><br />
</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">We Miss Being the Center of Attention</span></b></span></div><div><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifl3cxr6PdC0jQMaaDA0xd4uSRm1bu7EZZoX6LZsshwY5yaDaWYkg1VLUMObcE8h0_CZpgBpWHcqPZGkPOSlyg2xNpxhFC8gkAnNQmktRTT5jKQFEZcsilMn-DQ5PVMTdPVYZx3QtEv59q/s1600/Bella+%2526+Edward.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifl3cxr6PdC0jQMaaDA0xd4uSRm1bu7EZZoX6LZsshwY5yaDaWYkg1VLUMObcE8h0_CZpgBpWHcqPZGkPOSlyg2xNpxhFC8gkAnNQmktRTT5jKQFEZcsilMn-DQ5PVMTdPVYZx3QtEv59q/s320/Bella+%2526+Edward.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bella & Edward - Twilight<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>There is nothing like that rush of realizing -- for the first time -- that his sun (pardon the pun, Edward) rises and sets for you. Adult men have just as many responsibilities as we do. Teenage men can make the girl of their dreams the center of their world.</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">Our Complicated Isn't Really So Complicated</span></b></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXYFCNjDjSaXD6ieEWyCs4dcxxClAu984jjWxVJf3fqO5G78TYTKJ_sLSQm4mAp0cVP9nOwE7ifHRcBi5k9E_XShyTNWJenW-Qn49Lif8G_dO4HVrhj2829Yh8vzZ93f1pLd8mOQjKDiQ/s1600/Elena+%2526+Stefan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXYFCNjDjSaXD6ieEWyCs4dcxxClAu984jjWxVJf3fqO5G78TYTKJ_sLSQm4mAp0cVP9nOwE7ifHRcBi5k9E_XShyTNWJenW-Qn49Lif8G_dO4HVrhj2829Yh8vzZ93f1pLd8mOQjKDiQ/s1600/Elena+%2526+Stefan.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elena & Stefan - Vampire Diaries<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>It may not feel that way, but our lives are fairly unfettered during our teenage years. Emotionally challenging, you bet, but most are spared the worrying about bills, mortgage payments, shuttling the kids to soccer practice. A teenage girl can enjoy falling in love without a mile long To-Do list waiting for her when she gets home.<div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">You Can Only Experience Your First Time Once</span></b></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu99UnT1W3WrYUIfcLkK9EElXqMgQQ5K_dXtoOvBOBRl0NC7LbTDxlxjDb2MhuCyRMJBwBjAKJic2D8YdP3Zdi_SIdHyiYOt9C9mSy2NOzEarHVVboVM4YgVpbFs7fGehfjrevSB-cPNSc/s1600/Joey+%2526+Pacey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu99UnT1W3WrYUIfcLkK9EElXqMgQQ5K_dXtoOvBOBRl0NC7LbTDxlxjDb2MhuCyRMJBwBjAKJic2D8YdP3Zdi_SIdHyiYOt9C9mSy2NOzEarHVVboVM4YgVpbFs7fGehfjrevSB-cPNSc/s320/Joey+%2526+Pacey.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joey & Pacey - Dawson's Creek</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><br />
</div><div>First kiss. First love. First sexual experience. First heartbreak. Those things only come along once, and because we don't have any experience with them all our senses are running full tilt. We're constantly caught in a state between terrified and exhilarated.</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">We Still Believe Fairy Tale Endings Are Possible</span></b></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieM8T7HLzh7h86549OtPLNTkC4o47DNsU_jp2VQyArR4vLDECJn_e75rRn7oChrLv9DYhMI6luIs4av4-A8zl94rNQ39eusqe851O-Jspe32AdV1j0IPyHxuPE-EIGIMokmaq9hul36j4x/s1600/Cinderella+Story.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieM8T7HLzh7h86549OtPLNTkC4o47DNsU_jp2VQyArR4vLDECJn_e75rRn7oChrLv9DYhMI6luIs4av4-A8zl94rNQ39eusqe851O-Jspe32AdV1j0IPyHxuPE-EIGIMokmaq9hul36j4x/s320/Cinderella+Story.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sam & Austin - A Cinderella Story</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div>Not that we all turn into jaded shrews as we age. . . but after we suffer a broken heart or two, we often guard our emotions a little more carefully. After we lose our first love, we tend look at new romantic partners with the <i>hope</i> that he'll turn out to be our Prince Charming. Whereas the first time we fell in love we were sure it was going to last forever.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Those are just some of the reasons why I think I tend to get swept up so easily in a good YA romance. How about you?<div><div><div><div><br />
</div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-39515005792811790242011-03-29T12:40:00.002-06:002011-03-29T12:44:22.467-06:00Writing for the Market?<a href="http://www.thedaisyharris.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/sexy-question-mark.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 144px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 147px" alt="" src="http://www.thedaisyharris.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/sexy-question-mark.jpg" border="0" /></a> <br /><div dir="ltr" align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="300081815-29032011">This past weekend on Twitter I tossed around a phrase I heard about on a few blogs.</span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="300081815-29032011"></span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="300081815-29032011">"Write for the Market".</span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="300081815-29032011"></span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="300081815-29032011">I don't know about you, but writing for the market doesn't generally work. Or does it?</span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="300081815-29032011"></span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="300081815-29032011">what if you were to take what I said about and use the following formula: </span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="300081815-29032011">Write one project for the market and one project for yourself. </span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="300081815-29032011">Does that make a difference?</span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="300081815-29032011"></span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="300081815-29032011">I have two thoughts. I haven't quite drank my pot of coffee yet, and I'm chocolate free for the morning, so my thoughts might be a bit scattered, but ....</span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="300081815-29032011"></span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="300081815-29032011">This works if you are writing short stories or novellas for epublishers. But for novels? Writing about something your not passionate about, or something totally away from your genre just because it's hot - doesn't sound like a winning formula to me. </span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="300081815-29032011"></span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="300081815-29032011">This also works if what is hot is something you enjoy writing about. If I'm a contemporary romance writer and the market is screaming for sci-fi, well ... no amount of chocolate is gonna help me then. </span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="300081815-29032011"></span></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="300081815-29032011">I'm curious. What do you think? Since this works mainly for novellas and short stories - do you use this formula? Write for the market and for yourself? You make money with your backlist, or so they say. If your backlist includes what's hot right now, then fantastic. If it doesn't - will it make a difference?</span></span></div>Anya S. Winterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15938059712990028046noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-1493602406770682512011-03-24T05:00:00.000-06:002011-03-24T05:00:03.585-06:00I want to be like . . .<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">For the last two weeks, Tracy, Anya, and I have focused on the mouth watering guys. But what about the heroines? Which of these four would you prefer to be like?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Kick ass . . . </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_iMtMcQan1m0Yqd70IEcgj0IT7ihLHzx-fHdHpmnNWt9jNbWtEkJ9iac-fP96XPSyGGXqUsMdG1ktfnQnwFIqz-Olef7h6OF8znOkUt4RaAkDnBGAh4YD901vvlcJn-P4fllYleiIGds/s1600/kick+ass.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_iMtMcQan1m0Yqd70IEcgj0IT7ihLHzx-fHdHpmnNWt9jNbWtEkJ9iac-fP96XPSyGGXqUsMdG1ktfnQnwFIqz-Olef7h6OF8znOkUt4RaAkDnBGAh4YD901vvlcJn-P4fllYleiIGds/s1600/kick+ass.bmp" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Proud yet witty. Not ready to swoon for any handsome man . . . </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACllpAheLkgZJDKAxnlkifd-GIJGnJZCoLqxpUw-WgCjbC2D57WHmv1nStzRiJG5g7Mtb54xjGW8oHQK4urkvJEU2Vr_uLA0lS8eXG4zku52YR9F0UekqWe_HWftWSRhN86e0WPFFRNw/s1600/proud+and+witty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACllpAheLkgZJDKAxnlkifd-GIJGnJZCoLqxpUw-WgCjbC2D57WHmv1nStzRiJG5g7Mtb54xjGW8oHQK4urkvJEU2Vr_uLA0lS8eXG4zku52YR9F0UekqWe_HWftWSRhN86e0WPFFRNw/s1600/proud+and+witty.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Sweet and innocent . . . </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWRdcr94b8j38LvI_A64usxESuHXqFzTgMxfSZQXDbYLYr0f3Wv7J5_pV6ufKNyGSkAlavUECgH7XfN24t53Qp9uo9Y8KSonR6WCTI7vUGxn4ayIu6-LyqKMOoxSzvm6EKRfwEbH8OLyU/s1600/sweet+and+innocent+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWRdcr94b8j38LvI_A64usxESuHXqFzTgMxfSZQXDbYLYr0f3Wv7J5_pV6ufKNyGSkAlavUECgH7XfN24t53Qp9uo9Y8KSonR6WCTI7vUGxn4ayIu6-LyqKMOoxSzvm6EKRfwEbH8OLyU/s1600/sweet+and+innocent+2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or sexy. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDoAo79veAXIBRAQ__z6fX1dGWQREDyqYKu4vfyckKO6wN3Sc_B3f54DDVltwW2TSvsdArgE3JPj-kTf-qcopjRtyC5YYjaIUJPLQuJLCChzhev9tM3ABdG5wdwY7AsC6CaF-F8fFogcs/s1600/sexy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDoAo79veAXIBRAQ__z6fX1dGWQREDyqYKu4vfyckKO6wN3Sc_B3f54DDVltwW2TSvsdArgE3JPj-kTf-qcopjRtyC5YYjaIUJPLQuJLCChzhev9tM3ABdG5wdwY7AsC6CaF-F8fFogcs/s1600/sexy.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">And, of course, I can’t have a post without some yummy eye candy. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4_RxMJFzNGKZUZb1wVlkgXeQBsomCpUry-pElgwWSrkIAuOnbE_50R_bhV6Evk0b6dktWk58A_5hhwuOa-8aX8_vi4xb9ncWYJm8hSGGxPswudoF3jKpTJKlciNAgVsRqKh3QogYNTc/s1600/Ryan_Reynolds_786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4_RxMJFzNGKZUZb1wVlkgXeQBsomCpUry-pElgwWSrkIAuOnbE_50R_bhV6Evk0b6dktWk58A_5hhwuOa-8aX8_vi4xb9ncWYJm8hSGGxPswudoF3jKpTJKlciNAgVsRqKh3QogYNTc/s400/Ryan_Reynolds_786.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-8307686405280664432011-03-22T05:30:00.005-06:002011-03-22T09:49:35.621-06:00What's Your Heat? Sweet and Sensual or Hot and Steamy?<span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%;font-size:12;" ><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic"><span style="font-size:130%;">How hot can you handle your romance?<br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><em><span style="font-size:130%;">A</span></em>re you the kind of gal who likes to blush while reading your roma</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">n</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">ce story but not necessarily get aroused? Maybe you prefer stories focused on</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"> the relat</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">i</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">onship more than anything else. A little bit of kissing, touching is okay</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">. To you, the sex isn’t an integral part of the story and if you skipped over those </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">steamy pa</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">ges you would still be able to follow the plot without noticing any gaping holes. HEA or Happily Ever After is necessary for this type of story. Sex is just </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">an added spice.<br /></span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold;font-family:webdings;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXN31uygdPNH8TUcdvsSbc16fnVNfdrG-bFGvmbRrxTdhbfv4W-GYEEIg76xzjKxoL-dq-QmdS-OCSb6hYg03k4Ub5qS-zMxP0RPZ8pAlp_P8FH8FD03rSgYf5JsyVqDKspQHxSKj-6b8/s400/Sweet+romance+kids+rare+wallpapers.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 258px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 193px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXN31uygdPNH8TUcdvsSbc16fnVNfdrG-bFGvmbRrxTdhbfv4W-GYEEIg76xzjKxoL-dq-QmdS-OCSb6hYg03k4Ub5qS-zMxP0RPZ8pAlp_P8FH8FD03rSgYf5JsyVqDKspQHxSKj-6b8/s400/Sweet+romance+kids+rare+wallpapers.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold;font-family:webdings;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">But what about the stories that get your body flustered? You know, the ones where you experience heat flashes just reading about the rippling muscles. The relationship growth of you</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">r characters is developed through sex, not around it. If you skip over all the juicy details, you’ll miss the whole story – and wouldn’t that be a shame! The only time you put the book down is when you want to test the au</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">thors theory on certain positions ;) When you finally do close the book you’re be</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">aming from head to toe because the HEA is exactly what you thought it would be.<br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold;font-family:webdings;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080216/080216-whenstellahmed-630a.grid-6x2.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 313px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 241px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080216/080216-whenstellahmed-630a.grid-6x2.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-FAMILY: webdings"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%;font-family:georgia;" >But – what if those are too tame for you. Then my friend, you turn to a pure erotica story. Yep, the full dirty ;) The sexual jour</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%;font-family:georgia;" >ney is crucial to the character’s growth – notice I didn’t say romantic growth? You could have two strangers meet and have the most amazing sexual experience and still part ways. But something inside of them changed. HEA’s are rarely an integral part of erotica. It could happen, but don’t expect it.<br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-FAMILY: webdings"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.todays-intimate-couple.com/images/up_close_intimate.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 120px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 111px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.todays-intimate-couple.com/images/up_close_intimate.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold;font-family:webdings;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Alright – if that still isn’t good enough – what then? Porn. Good old fashion porn, where plot, character development and romance have nothing to do with what you are reading. As long as your body is aroused from start to finish, then the author</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"> did his/her job.<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%;font-size:12;" ><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zDlHnXuqW6UJ3FKeSE4Ji8jAofOaw-OQDQumiK81YmxqTZPbPAMf75MhyphenhyphenYB_Rd0DkLV1Ak8OlJ0KNTSz10IqdkIo9CQp-FhD4vQ75BKcftmylLh2TxArR5WwJdJh7leAtsJsGK44dHgK/s200/romantic.bmp"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zDlHnXuqW6UJ3FKeSE4Ji8jAofOaw-OQDQumiK81YmxqTZPbPAMf75MhyphenhyphenYB_Rd0DkLV1Ak8OlJ0KNTSz10IqdkIo9CQp-FhD4vQ75BKcftmylLh2TxArR5WwJdJh7leAtsJsGK44dHgK/s200/romantic.bmp" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: centerfont-family:webdings;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><span style="font-size:100%;">(You'll have to use your imagination for this picture ... )<br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold" face="webdings"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><br /></span></span></p>Anya S. Winterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15938059712990028046noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-1028987883803889312011-03-17T05:13:00.000-06:002011-03-17T05:13:21.654-06:00Forever = SexyIn honor of St. Patty's Day, I was planning to post pictures of hot male leprechauns. Unfortunately, after an extensive Google search, I've learned there really aren't any.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>So instead, I decided to take a quick gander as to <b><i>WHY</i></b> the paranormal market is so booming. From young adult to adult. Dystopian to romance. Paranormal characters are taking the literary world by storm and have been for quite a while. </div><div><br />
</div><div>But <i>why</i>?</div><div><br />
</div><div>I think the answer is pretty simple. Because the larger majority of readers are female. And though we all have different tastes there are some common themes most of us have a hard time denying.</div><div><br />
</div><div>1) <b>We're greedy with the idea of romance.</b> We want to be loved like we're the most important thing in his world. To win a man's heart & devotion for one lifetime is a wonderful thing, but to win it for eternity . . . VICTORY!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5eZc95gZyCg1rbYFZgTcFm7p9pNpVtRyNT23KbqeJ-oigvsquqvw02uFQao-SMl2eeDK7uOvMUAgYaCcNbA4PdGz0ykf-Mh0vcFNH7mmlpb0BvXd1kmmHbeOCdxWw5Ab9_4M1yh3QlFM/s1600/Legolas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5eZc95gZyCg1rbYFZgTcFm7p9pNpVtRyNT23KbqeJ-oigvsquqvw02uFQao-SMl2eeDK7uOvMUAgYaCcNbA4PdGz0ykf-Mh0vcFNH7mmlpb0BvXd1kmmHbeOCdxWw5Ab9_4M1yh3QlFM/s320/Legolas.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Legolas - Lord of the Rings</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><br />
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</div><div>2) <b>We love men with depth!</b> The more delicious layers we can peel from a man to get to the center of who he truly is, the more we fall in love with him along the way. We melt over the notion of all the late night, post-coital, secret-sharing talks it'll take to begin skimming the surface of the man who's been through so much. </div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAIH6QXyamP07gee46Ruz1x_swM8I7zVg3YX4uBywtPl_J4slnSqaDLoD2uOtnVAKUTEkZTF1My1lzRQZQOVESyF4rxO7_VuSRfk4ZCCiA2h_605BQtyJxj70yLl_ZwYMIusgpydzZPgU/s1600/Brad+Pitt+Louis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlAIH6QXyamP07gee46Ruz1x_swM8I7zVg3YX4uBywtPl_J4slnSqaDLoD2uOtnVAKUTEkZTF1My1lzRQZQOVESyF4rxO7_VuSRfk4ZCCiA2h_605BQtyJxj70yLl_ZwYMIusgpydzZPgU/s320/Brad+Pitt+Louis.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Louis - Interview with the Vampire</td></tr>
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</div><div>3) <b>We're more superficial than we'd like to admit.</b> Yes, we want a man who stirs our heart first and foremost, but that doesn't mean we wouldn't also appreciate it if he had a face & body we could stare at for hours! Immortal men provide the best of both worlds: They possess the wisdom of age & the beauty of youth.</div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewYu5Qh3p9-38FTTgyLaqoN543-_Hj-B4iq9GCyzjJPHuKM9ytNwrUW9YSWODNWMhZAVZzFYcGJWirOfhXc_d1DxIVmgCeU0gKjWUzhMqg06VAAw5KA0QrZlcHikvM_r6qQTvCY6QsFpx/s1600/Damon+Salvatore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewYu5Qh3p9-38FTTgyLaqoN543-_Hj-B4iq9GCyzjJPHuKM9ytNwrUW9YSWODNWMhZAVZzFYcGJWirOfhXc_d1DxIVmgCeU0gKjWUzhMqg06VAAw5KA0QrZlcHikvM_r6qQTvCY6QsFpx/s320/Damon+Salvatore.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damon Salvatore - The Vampire Diaries</td></tr>
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</div><div>I think this is just the very tip of the iceberg when it comes to tapping into why, as a reading community, we just can't seem to get enough of the sexy creatures of the paranormal variety.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Any personal faves?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-25668227051667643982011-03-16T16:17:00.004-06:002011-03-16T16:22:59.910-06:00Yummy Treat of the DayI'm in the mood for some fun ;) We all enjoy eye candy, so why not indulge on a daily basis?<br /><br /><br />I'll be posting a daily 'yummy' with thoughts on how he would fit a story.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 210px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CSsnOM2cdPfUx6B0AP-CxOgURl3Ev5cVn1w9IyYeeIdJsErfyVt8tAq21QieLiAToXv4pg4pNe0S4EXuEHYazva0fxzQc9mGKGVKalx2xUMaEXwDvV3ofhBNhyPAdngz2nUNOLLRXWI/s400/Male+Models+toward+Fashion+Modeling18sep.jpg" border="0" /><br />This one is a treat for sure. I see him in a YA novel (oh Stina .....). His smoldering gaze would set off a flood of butterflies in my teen body when I was that age, for sure! I wouldn't trust him with my daughters though, he has that 'I'm so innocent' look down pat. Wonder if he has a 6-pack under that sweater or not?<br /><p>What about you? How would you use him?<br /></p>Anya S. Winterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15938059712990028046noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987494638394946487.post-57938367421283141582011-03-14T12:20:00.005-06:002011-03-14T12:36:20.802-06:00E-Pub, Self-Pub or Agent? How To Choose?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh8cKitMX7pMJcc17kIguyREm_A-f8eAo4r2ES1-UBpVX26AwP-e2U4Ssdh3gfTqWuNlMreEw5U77Y2Wfbdpa1dmhB16smkY674U4RtcqwH_UVEqpj1H2iah1yHqDZf3evmYOlgAVn3N_n/s1600/how-to-choose-career.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584005975317455266" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 132px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh8cKitMX7pMJcc17kIguyREm_A-f8eAo4r2ES1-UBpVX26AwP-e2U4Ssdh3gfTqWuNlMreEw5U77Y2Wfbdpa1dmhB16smkY674U4RtcqwH_UVEqpj1H2iah1yHqDZf3evmYOlgAVn3N_n/s200/how-to-choose-career.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Most writers have a goal. Many writers have plans to achieve that goal. Few writers actually make the goal. </div><br /><div></div><div>So what happens if you are one of those writers who not only have a goal in mind but find yourself passing the goal before you have the time to hit the breaks?</div><br /><div></div><div>I'd like to think we (writers) all have the same want/need. Publication. How we reach it is another matter. Do you spend years throwing your novel out there to agents and wait for one to see the passion? Do you decide to do it yourself and self-pub? Or do you decide to forgo the agent and send to the publisher directly? Either of these ways will work. Which one you choose is up to you.</div><div></div><br /><div>For me, I decided to bypass the agent (with this story) and sent it directly to an e-publisher. Why not? With our market today in romance, the ereaders are expanding faster than anyone thought to project. To be honest though, it was a crapshoot for me. I wrote a story in a weekend and spent a month editing it. Then decided to just 'do it' - I hit send.</div><br /><div>Can you imagine my surprise when Liquid Silver Books wrote me back saying they wanted it? Anya is my pen name - with my 'real' name, I've been trying for over a year to grab an agent's attention for a women's fiction I wrote. Go figure - I can write steamy romance - something I decide to try as a 'distraction' ;)</div><br /><div></div><div>There are many ways to reach our goal, but I think as writers we need to be a 'tad bit' pliable when choosing the path to take. What works for one (hello ... Amanda Hawking) may not work for another.</div><br /><div>Although, on that note ... have you noticed that some agencies are now bringing on agents who only deal with ebooks? Hmmm .... another venue to pursue perhaps?</div><br /><div></div><div>What about you? Have you thought of a plan to reach your goal? Are you open to other means or are you stuck on the one path?</div><br /><div></div><div>(thoughts on my contract and ... OMG ... my books is getting published ... later)</div>Anya S. Winterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15938059712990028046noreply@blogger.com2