Christina Phillips Give-Away Winner Announced!

Thank you to everyone who commented and participated in Christina's give-away!

A name was picked at random and the lucky winner is...

Peta

Congratulations!

Please contact Christina directly  - ChristinapPh(at)gmail(dot)com - and she can arrange for your prize (book or gift card depending on your location) to be sent to you.

(You have until Tuesday, 12th April to claim this prize. If it remains unclaimed another name will be drawn).

Who's that girl? Interview - Anita Joy

Our next guest hails from Oz!

Name? Anita Joy.

Where are you? Brisbane.

How many years have you been a member of RWAustralia? 3 years.

What genre do you write? Category SuperRomance.

Who are your favourite authors?
That is such a hard question to answer so I'll just list the authors on my 'over my dead body will I part with them bookshelf' - Dick Francis, Gerald Durrell, LM Montgomery, James Herriott, JK Rowling, Stephenie Myer, David Eddings, Terry Brooks, Jean M Auel, Anne McCaffrey, Agatha Christie and Stephen Donaldson.

What inspired you to write romance? 
I started out writing fantasy in my teens, but when I looked at what I was reading, it didn't matter what the genre the book had to have romance in it. Seemed natural to start writing pure romance.

Who's your dream agent and/or dream publisher?
Agent - Jen Schober, Spencerhill Associates; Publisher - Harlequin

What's the best thing about going to conference?
Gosh, so many things... me time, socialising, spending time with people who understand(!), soaking up everything I can about writing and  immersing myself, the inspiration it leaves me with when I get home

And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...my determination.
A sexy hero needs...to be someone I fall in love with.
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...a fish out of water in a great Aussie setting.
When I write I like to...be in an empty house and lose track of time.
My best writing milestone to date is...when I finished my very first ms - still love the memory of that feeling.

Thanks, Anita, for joining me today! If you'd like to read more about Anita check out her website.

GUEST AUTHOR: Christina Phillips

Fellow Berkley author, Christina Phillips, joins me today to share her love for ancient historical romance.

Let's begin by finding out a little bit about her...

Christina Phillips has always loved writing, and while her efforts in eighth grade usually involved space ships, time travel and unfortunate endings, as soon as she discovered romance novels a whole new world opened up.

She now writes ancient historical romances about strong heroines and gorgeous warrior heroes who, no matter how torturous the journey, are guaranteed a happy-ever-after. Christina was born in the United Kingdom, but now lives in sunny Western Australia with her real-life hero and their three children.

Christina is represented by Emmanuelle Morgen of Judith Ehlrich Literary Management.

Christina, welcome back to my blog (she visited last August)!

It's great to have you here and I'm looking forward to hearing more about CAPTIVE! It's a great book (I read it in a day!)

So, tell us when did you start to write and how long did it take you to be published?At school I loved nothing better than to write tragic stories that involved time travel to ancient Rome or the fascinating Pharaohs in Egypt, but it never occurred to me to write a historical romance with the aim of publication.

And so for ten years, after moving to Australia from the UK at the end of 1998, I wrote contemporary romances, first aimed at Harlequin Mills and Boon—where I received huge encouragement and revision requests from editors but never the elusive contract—and then, when I realized my secondary characters were desperate for more page-time, single title.

But although, once again, I received positive feedback from agents something was still missing. As an experiment (and because my awesome CPs insisted!!) I wrote a dark paranormal erotic romance.

Within a week of submitting it to The Wild Rose Press I was offered a contract. This boosted my self-confidence no end, and after my second novelette was accepted by them a sexy Roman Centurion marched into my imagination and refused to leave.

At first I thought this was the idea for my third novelette but within days realized I was totally wrong about that! And so I wrote FORBIDDEN, a full length erotic ancient historical romance with a fantasy element and despite the setting, the time period (AD 50) and the protagonists (Roman and Druids) it hooked my agent’s interest and three months later sold to Berkley Heat.

Are you a panster or plotter? Is it your characters or your plot that influence you most? What's your writing process from start to finish when writing a book?

Before I start writing I spend time thinking about and getting to know my hero and heroine’s background. I don’t discover everything about them before I start their book but I need to know the major events that have occurred in their lives before they reached this point.

I also have a vague road map in mind—a few crucial turning points in the plot of the story but I rarely have any idea how my hero and heroine will a) reach those turning points or b) how on earth they’ll resolve them when they do.

So as far that goes, I wing it. I can’t write out of sequence, either, since my characters dictate exactly how events unfold, and until each scene is done I’m not at all sure what’s going to happen next. This means that often my original vision of what’s going to happen changes, but since my characters drive the plot I’ve come to expect that.

I also edit and polish as I go. I’ve tried writing other ways but they don’t work for me, so I now accept that if a single sentence takes me twenty minutes to write before I’m happy with it, then that’s just the way it is!

Can you tell us about CAPTIVE, your new release?

CAPTIVE is my second ancient historical romance set in my Roman/Druid world, and begins six months after FORBIDDEN ends.

The heroine, Morwyn, is not only recovering from the realization that the man she once loved brutally betrayed his own people, but has also turned her back on her Druidic heritage. She sets off to join the rebels fighting the Roman invaders but is ambushed and captured by a tough Gaul mercenary.

The hero, Bren, is haunted by his violent past and far from being Morwyn’s bitterest enemy as she imagines, has been undercover in the Roman Legions for the last three years. The problem is he can’t tell Morwyn the truth, because the truth could get them both killed.

What’s the most unusual book you've read that’s made a lasting impression on you?
Jean M Auel’s CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR. I first read it when I was a teenager and it completely blew me away. I love the world building and even to this day I find it hard to convince myself that Neanderthals weren’t driven to extinction because of the way their brains had to adapt in order to accommodate new ideas.

Do you have a pet that keeps you company when you write? If so, write about him or her. Has your pet taught you anything about writing? If so, what?
I often baby(kitty)-sit my daughter’s two kittens. They are completely adorable and very distracting! They’ll often wander into my study when I’m working and either knock over all my photo frames or play tag with each other with anything they can find. Then they might decide to have a nap on my desk, stretched out over my notes and diary. I feel very mean when I have to wriggle out bits of paper from underneath them and disturb them!

Christina, thank you for joining me today. I learn a little bit more about you or your books every time you visit. Now for some extra fun!

Christina has a give-away of CAPTIVE (for locals - Australia only) or a $10 Amazon gift card (for everyone else). If you'd like to go into the draw for the give-away, share with us something about your pet by 12 noon (AEST), Friday 8th April 2011.

Christina's other books:
 



If you'd like to know more about Christina, she has a website and blog or you can follow her on Facebook.

April Fools' Day

The origins of April Fools' Day, or All Fools' Day as it's sometimes known, is a little murky but it seems it may have originated around 1582 in France.

This was the year the Gregorian calendar was introduced and celebrating the new year changed from April 1st to January 1st. It's claimed that some of the locals, out of ignorance or sheer stubbornness continued to ring the town bell on April 1st to mark the New Year, hence the term "April Fool" was born.

Nowdays, the tradition has evolved into a day where we can play harmless pranks, create hoaxes or play practical jokes on friends, family & co-workers. Even the mass media have constructed elaborate hoaxes for viewer consumption and entertainment.

Beware the April Fool!

Sources: 
The History of April Fools' Day
Urban Legends
April Fools' Day: Origins & History

Who's That Girl? interview with Eleni Konstantine

Please welcome one of my fellow Dark Side DownUnder members!

Name: Eleni Konstantine.

Where are you? Adelaide, Australia.

How many years have you been a member of Romance Writers of Australia? Hmm….about 13 years. They can’t get rid of me!

What genre/s do you write? Fantasy and paranormal fiction, both in the short and long forms.

Who are your favourite authors? Tough, tough question….so many to name. But here I go - David & Leigh Eddings, Jennifer Roberson, Diana Gabaldon, Keri Arthur, Tracey O’Hara, Denise Rossetti, Jennifer Crusie, J.R Ward, J.D Robb, Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, Barbara Hannay, Marion Lennox, Nikki Logan, Rachel Bailey, Anne Gracie, Anna Campbell, and many many more…..

What inspired you to write romance? I’ve always loved romance in stories but didn’t’ realize I wanted to write romance myself until I read Diana Gabaldon’s CROSS STITCH (OUTLANDER in the US). I totally fell in love with the characters. Jamie – phwar!

I also loved fantasy, so the cross seemed like a great match to me. It hasn’t been easy to place though.

Who's your dream agent and/or dream publisher? Basically someone who believes in my work and wants to work with me to on my writing as a career instead of just one book. It’s a hard market out there and I have queried some top agents. So far, I’m still waiting. Maybe with the next project… But publishers that I would love to be published are Tor, Ace/Roc, DAW, Berkley – the big names with speculative fiction.

What's the best thing about going to conference? Oh the gas-bagging, hands down.

There is nothing like being with a group of your peers. No one understands me as a writer as other writers do. They don’t think it strange that I have voices in my head. They nod, understanding perfectly.

I suppose I love all aspects of the conference – the networking, the information at sessions, the functions, the pitching, the support, and basically relishing in being in such a great learning atmosphere. It’s such a buzz and I would recommend it to anyone—if can make it, go for it.

Having said that, there is still a feeling of fun and camaraderie with the RWAustralia Clayton’s Conference. So if you can’t make it in person, all is NOT lost.

And lastly, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...ha, strength? That I’ve persevered despite barriers to health. I can be a stubborn thing at times. *wink *
A sexy hero needs...a sense of humour, a great smile, and eyes you can get lost in!
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...OK, which WIP? There’s the fantasy story of a princess and a dragon, who quest to find the lost tribe of dragons. Romance comes in the form of a Traveller. There’s also the novella of the Gateways to Hell and the Warders who guard against evil.  Or the short story about a Gypsy and another about a female paranormal detective.
When I write I like to...eat! And the sad thing is it’s either chips or chocolate lately. I try and substitute with nuts and fruit but it doesn’t always work. Hmmm…I’m feeling peckish!
My best writing milestone to date is...being requested for a full.

Thanks for answering my questions, Eleni!
Thanks for having me here on your fantabulous blog, Kylie. You know how much I love it here!

You can visit Eleni at her website, her blog - Eleni’s Taverna, Twitter, and of course, don’t forget to visit the Dark Side DownUnder blog, where Eleni is the blog mistress.

Happy Release Day - Children of Scarabaeus!

If you haven't read a book written by Sara Creasy yet then get thee to a bookstore now and buy, buy, buy!

I devoured her debut novel, SONG OF SCARABAEUS, and I'm slavering to get my hands on a copy of CHILDREN OF SCARABAEUS, the second book.

Can I just say, few SF adventures rival my Firefly obsession, but Finn and Edie (the hero and heroine in Sara's series) are incredible.

I don't know about you but I find something really appealing about a hero who's a freedom-fighter turned slave and a heroine who has enough computer technology implanted in her to rival the Borg. Throw in a starship load of secrets between them, a greedy corporation, some rebels with dubious motives and you have one heck of story! If you love techno-jargon, suspense, action, and a dash of romance, then these books are for you.

CHILDREN OF SCARABAEUS hits shelves today (in North America)! And Sara is celebrating its release with giveaway goodness, open internationally! Woohoo!

Interested? Check out the details at Sara's blogsite!

If you miss out there, then mark this date in your diary - April 11th - as Sara is visiting here AND she's bringing a copy of CHILDREN OF SCARABAEUS to giveaway!

GUEST AUTHOR - Cathleen Ross

Please welcome my next guest to sit in the interview hot seat!

But first a little bit about Cathleen...

The first year she joined the Romance Writer of Australia, she heard a new publisher was asking writers for erotic stories for their anthologies. Although she'd had never written a sex scene, she sent in her first erotic story Sweet Vengeance. The editor bought it and asked for more, and she hasn't looked back from there.

She's written an erotic partial for Black Lace, Virgin Publishing, London, which was then the largest publisher of women’s erotic fiction in the world. They took on three new authors that year and she was one of them. The editor contracted her and her book MAN HUNT became the best selling erotic book on the Virgin Publishing website in 2006.
Her motto is "Be game. Be creative. Be brave." She also believes it helps to go to conferences, meet editors and introduce yourself.

An author of several books and short stories, her latest book - LOVE, LUST & LIES was out in January 2011 with MLR.

What name do you publish under? Cathleen Ross.

Where do you live? Australia.

How many years have you been a member of RWAustralia? About 15 years.

What genre/s do you write? Erotica, romance, paranormal, mystery, single title, short stories. Lately I’ve been fiddling with historical short stories. I have trouble staying in one genre because my muse doesn’t seem to work that way. I often dream my stories and I don’t think the guides that channel them know it’s better for an author’s career to stay in one genre.

Who are your favourite authors? Angela Knight, Gena Showalter, Anita Diamant, Linda Howard, Keri Arthur, Kandy Shepherd, Chris Stinson, Isolde Martyn, Jay Ford, Anna Campbell, Annie West.

What inspired you to write romance? I’ve always thought about writing it from the time I was a teenager and read my way through all the Mills and Boon I could get my hands on.

One of my life goals was to be published by Harlequin. I just had to wait until they became “hot” enough and I could keep my characters out of bed long enough to have a romance. Thank God for menopause because my characters hold out longer now.

Who's your dream agent and/or dream publisher? I really like Harlequin and I would also like to sell to Berkley as I love their books and many of their writers too.

I’ve just signed with The Lori Perkins Agency. I met my agent Marisa Corvisiero and Lori Perkins recently in the USA. I feel like I’m in the right place. I have a lot in common with Marisa. Lori also has a lot of experience with the “hot” markets.

Why did you write LOVE, LUST and LIES?
I was brought up and married into a large Italian family. Although it’s been a fantastic journey and I love all my in-laws, some of the conventions, particularly that it’s the women’s role to hold the family together, don’t sit well with me.

Men can do no wrong, with the exception of not working hard enough to provide for their family, in this culture. I wanted to explore the role of infidelity in my novel LOVE, LUST and LIES, so I turned convention on its head.

My heroine, Gabriella, throws her husband out when she finds out her husband has had an affair and she has a fantastic cougar affair of her own, except she has to confront her own culture and it’s a difficult life journey for her. It’s sexy, it’s funny but it’s also very real because the book takes readers on a journey of what it’s like to experience infidelity and how a lot more people other than the two protagonists, are affected.

Buy link here.

You mention in you bio that a writer can learn a lot about going to writing conferences. For you, what's the best thing about going to conference? I love catching up with my writer friends who I don’t see regularly.

Kandy Shepherd and I organized the last conference, which I really enjoyed. It was fascinating getting the single title publishers all together for the first time. I feel that writing markets in Australia are finally opening up for our members.
When I first joined Romance Writers of Australia there were only a few people published with Mills and Boon. I was in awe of them. Now I’m in awe of lots of authors and the list of people getting published is growing.

It is great to see our ranks growing, isn't it.
OK, Cathleen, finish these statements...
My greatest strength as a writer is...my tenacity. My ability to get over rejection and move on. My ability to process the excellent advice of my writer’s group and make the needed changes. My dedication to writing so that I’m prepared to sit on my butt even though it is growing bigger and get the words down.
A sexy hero/heroine needs...a hero/heroine who can match him/her. And don’t forget a great body if it is the hero. A guy who knows how to put the heroine before himself even if she doesn’t want him to, especially when she doesn’t want him to. I love playing with power balances in a story.
My latest WIP (work in progress) is about...an ex commando and a book keeper acting out her "bad girl" fantasies.

When I write I like to...have the house to myself, be totally in the zone and have meditation rest stops. Make sure all my animals are fed because my chicken is very annoying when she is hungry.
My best writing milestone to date is...up to two thousand words in a school day when on deadline or when I’m obsessed with an idea.

 

Cathleen, thanks for taking the hot seat, and to your chicken for making a cameo appearance!

If anyone has any questions for either of them, feel free to post them in your comments. :-)

If you'd like to find out more about Cathleen, then visit her website.