Favorite Days of Summer - RWA
My favorite days of summer include the Romance Writers of America Conference. I'm just back from there as of Sunday July 19. This year it was at the Marriot Wardman Park Hotel in Washington DC, or about 20 miles from my house.
Here's a nice
article about the conference, with quotes from fellow Noodler, Colleen Gleason.
Favorite Parts of the Conference:
1. Seeing old friends
I love walking through the hotel and greeting people I only see at conference. I've been attending since 1999 and I've managed to meet so many people and so there are lots of friends to greet. I loved seeing our Noodlers at the conference. Anne Mallory had her darling baby with her and Jennie Lucas always looked so strikingly pretty. We were unable to all get together like in past years, though.
2. Making new friends
Every year it seems I meet someone new. It might be a new writer or it might be a new published author. This year I got to know Miranda Neville better. We'd met years ago at a New Jersey RW conference, but this time we had time to chat. She even helped me with a plotting problem! I also met
All About Romance Sandy Coleman's sister at a dinner and found we had lots in common.
3. Spending time with dear friends
I never have enough time with my local writing friends and the conference gives us the chance to just hang out together, especially after the hectic conference day is over. We hung out in
Mary Blayney's room one night, which was just the respite I needed after the Harlequin Party.
4. Spending time with colleagues
It was a treat to spend time with the other Mills & Boon authors and the Harlequin Historical authors, and to exchange information with them.
5. Seeing the industry professionals
The Mills & Boon editors seemed very visible at this conference. In fact, all of Harlequin had a big presence, from providing the tote bags with a vintage Harlequin cover on them, to giving workshops and attending parties. I had the pleasure of having a drink with Karin Stoecker, Mills & Boon editorial director.
Mostly, it is a unique and wonderful experience to be around so many people who love what I love--Writing Romance!
If you attended RWA, what did you love about it? If not, where have you gathered with friends this summer?
Check out Diane's new
contest!
Labels: Anne Mallory, Colleen Gleason, Jennie Lucas, Miranda Neville, RWA, Sandy Coleman
Q&A
When you’re a writer, being good to yourself often involves setting and meeting writing goals. How do you set realistic goals? What are some tips you can share?
Sometimes being good to yourself involves a warm afghan, a cup of hot tea, and a good noodler romance. Our January new releases are sure to meet your goal of savoring a happy ending.
Delle Jacobs
Aphrodite’s Brew
It’s just an old family recipe for a restorative tonic for women that Sylvia secretly sells to fund her step-daughter's coming Season. But when the Tons most confirmed bachelors begin to elope, the Earl of Vailmont suspects fraud. Fearing he will expose her dabbling in trade or, worse, her weakness for handsome men, Sylvia concocts an old family charm to protect her fragile heart from disaster. But neither logic nor charms can combat the stubborn love that sweeps them into a whirl of unbridled passion. And, from somewhere in the forgotten mists of time, a nameless god is laughing.
Jennie Lucas
Italian Prince, Wedlocked Wife
Single mom Lucy Abbott is working as many hours as she can, but still can barely afford to feed her baby daughter. Then Prince Maximo d'Aquilla offers her millions, and a way out of her desperate life. Max whisks her away to Italy…and soon she's totally his! Max has seduced her completely. But is he driven by revenge, or desire? And is he ruthless enough to walk away from his captive bride?
Merrillee Whren
Mommy’s Hometown Hero
His objective: marriage. His opponent: a stubborn single mom. After ten years, Rachel Charbonneau is finally back in South Dakota. But she intends to sell her family's farm and rush "home" to the city. Ex-solidier Matt Dalton won't let her go without a fight. Well, a secret fight. He can't let her know he's loved her since they were kids. Or that thoughts of her saved him through the worst of times. And Rachel seems scared to tell him the real reason she wants to leave. So, his strategy: arm himself with all the faith and love necessary to be her hometown hero.
Anna DeStefano 
“Weekend Meltdown”
Winter Heat
(along with Vicki Lewis Thompson “Weekend Fling” and Jade Lee “Weekend Tigress”)
Unforgettable
For two cynical best friends who believe beginning an affair would be too much of a cliché…until they decide to share a vacation—and a bed!
Unbelievable
For a schoolteacher eager to exchange her schoolmarm nature for that of an insatiable tigress and the undercover agent who knows how to bring out her wild side!
And completely mind-blowing! For a corporate gal looking to shed her office shackles with the one man who can't afford to get carried away… Labels: Anna DeStefano, Delle Jacobs, Jennie Lucas, Merrillee Whren, setting goals
This week on The Wet Noodle Posse
August is Inspiration month. Noodlers and their guests will blog about everything from what inspires them to write to practical tips on how to be ready for those moments of inspiration. We invite you to share in the discussion. At the end of the month, we'll raffle off a Barnes & Noble $20 gift certificate. Each post counts as an entry into the raffle.
This week's schedule:
Monday, August 4th: Tori Scott "Getting Stories from the News"
Tuesday, August 5th: Terry McLaughlin "Read, Read, Read"
Wednesday, August 6th: MJ Fredrick "Dreams as Inspiration"
Thursday, August 7th: All Noodlers "Quotes that Inspire"
Friday, August 8th: August Noodler Releases
Don't miss these great reads from our authors this month:
Labels: Colleen Gleason, inspiration to write, Jennie Lucas, MJ Fredrick, Terry McLaughlin, Tori Scott
Noodler May Releases
The Noodlers have a great line up of books this month, including a first book from debut author Esri Rose. Check it out:
Bound to Love Her
Release Date: May 6, 2008
From Zebra Books
Bound to Love Her is the story of Erin, who owns a New Age shop but doesn't believe in the supernatural, and Galan, a supernatural creature who doesn't trust humans. When Erin accidentally saves Galan, the two are bound to each other in a mysterious way. Can they defeat the dark elf Fellseth, who wants to finish Galan off and turn Erin into a mindless slave? Probably they can, but you'll have to read the book to know for sure.
(Debut-author price on this book is $3.99.)
Check out Esri's blog (and contest) by visiting
Elves Among UsThe amazing Colette Gale returns to form in:
MASTER: An Erotic Novel of the Count of Monte Cristo
Release date: May 6, 2008
NAL/Signet Eclipse
HE WANTS ONLY TO MASTER HER....In Unmasqued, Colette Gale led readers through a labyrinth of dark, extravagant eroticism* in her lush re-telling of Phantom of the Opera.
Now she revisits two of literatures most famous star-crossed lovers in a bold new tale of sensual revenge.
Edmond Dantes spent years imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. Now free, he has returned to Paris in the guise of the powerful Count of Monte Cristo seeking vengeance on those who sent him to jail. But his plan also includes a different kind of revenge on the woman he has never forgotten, the lover he has made it his mission to possess.
Mercedes Herrera was devastated when the man she loved disappeared. Trapped in a loveless marriage, her passions are reignited by Edmond's return. She alone sees through his disguise...but this harsh, angry man sends chills down her spine even as his very touch reminds her of the passion they once shared. She realizes soon enough that his plan to avenge himself on the men who incarcerated him also includes another sort of revenge...on her.
From the seaside town of Marseille, to the exotic caves of Monte Cristo Isle, unfolds an erotic battle of wills in the most electrifying game of love ever played between man and woman...between master and slave.
(*Pam Rosenthal, author of THE SLIGHTEST PROVOCATION)
Anne Mallory's latest historical:
Three Nights of Sin
April 29, 2008
Avon Books
Three nights of danger . . .When her brother was arrested for murder, the ton shut its doors to Marietta Winters. No one would help her save him from the gallows - no one but Gabriel Noble. In exchange for taking the case, Gabriel requests three favors from the desperate young beauty, and Marietta has no other choice but to make a deal with the sinfully handsome devil.
Three nights of pleasure . . .Searching for clues in the rough underbelly of London, Marietta must masquerade as a shamelessly wanton wench - much to Gabriel’s delight. But Marietta swears to herself that her passionate moans are just for show. She could never fall in love with such a maddening, arrogant, seductive stranger . . . could she?
Three nights of sin . . .Night after night, she satisfies his wicked cravings. But soon Gabriel wants more from Marietta than just three nights of sin - and even a sordid secret in his past won’t prevent him from trying to possess her forever.
Mid-month, the always popular Terry McLaughlin has:
A Small-Town Temptation
Release Date May 13, 2008
Harlequin Superromance
All work and no play would make Jack a very dull boy...Charlie Keene has poured everything she's got into running her father's concrete company, and now her brother wants to sell. Worse, handsome acquisitions specialist Jack Maguire's arrived in town...and he wants to buy. Charlie's worked too hard to let the family firm go.
One delicious dance and an even more surprising dinner later, all bets are off, as Charlie draws Jack into her Carnelian Cove world. But what does he really want–her or her company? And can Charlie ever trust a man in love if she can't trust him in life?
Built to Last - Making dreams come true on California's Lost Coast.
You can visit Terry's blog by clicking
here.
Labels: Colette Gale, Esri Rose, Jennie Lucas, Noodler Book Releases
December Releases
We have another great month here at the Wet Noodle Posse for releases.
Debut Author
Jennie Lucas, The Greek Billionaire's Baby Revenge.
His mistress…Working for Nikos Stavrakis was exhilarating—until one night, when he made love to Anna…
His baby…Anna believes Nikos is unfaithful, and flees. Nine months later, she is left nursing a tiny baby…
His wife?Nikos is furious when he discovers Anna's taken his son. He vows to seek retribution! He will make Anna his bride, and teach her who's boss!
Brent Borden has always imagined that Leslie Durrance is happy on her pedestal. Until she runs—in the midst of a rainstorm, dripping diamonds, wedding dress and all—into the construction worker's arms. With the whole town buzzing about the juiciest scandal Collingwood Station has ever seen, the embarrassed debutante needs to lie low. Brent takes her in, but it's a Christmas-themed fund-raiser, complete with hot Santas in tuxedos, that gives Leslie a chance to get the tongues wagging about something besides her almost-wedding and get the wallets to open for a worthy cause. And also makes her see that the greatest gift has been in front of her all along…
Labels: Jennie Lucas, Lee McKenzie, Noodler Book Releases
Confidence: How to Get It. (It's Easier than You Think, Duh)
Confidence: How to Get It. (It's Easier than You Think, Duh) by
Jennie LucasAuthor’s note: are you unsure if you’re confident or not? Check out the original quiz posted in yesterday's blog!
Okay, posse girls, it’s brutal confession time: What will it really take for you to feel good about yourself?
According to recent polls, the main reason for your lack of confidence is …
- 8% of you drive the crappiest piece of junk ever called a car (made in Taiwan, in 1974).
- 14% wear clothes that are so dumpy even the garbage man won’t take them (when did frayed sweatsuits picturing droopy-eyed kittens go out of style?).
- 32% have no man, or wish they had no man.
- 41% have the suckiest careers that ever sucked (and you’re tossing five days a week down the drain in your panting eagerness to make it to Freedom Friday).
- 98% of you avoid the beach, the pool, and life in general due to intense shame about your flat chest/ big boobs/ short legs/ cottage-cheese thighs/ weirdly shaped toes.
Sharp-eyed readers will notice that the percentages, when added up, don’t precisely equal 100%. That’s due to a rare statistical anomaly. (i.e. I made them up.)
The point is: most of us are lacking in confidence in some area of our lives. But getting a better job, a better man, a better body or whatever won’t give you confidence. Look around – there are plenty of people who have those things, and yet still feel insecure.
The truth is, the reasons we use are excuses. The reason we don’t feel confident is because we choose not to be.
“What?” you gasp. “I’m not getting anything out of feeling insecure! I’m stuck in a dead-end job! I never meet anyone new or try anything out of my comfort zone! I’m not only depressed, I’m bored out of my friggin’ skull!”
Maybe, but there are some benefits to your rut that you’re conveniently ignoring. Stuck where you are, you’re safe and comfortable. Which is a lot better in some ways than the alternative: nervous and out on a limb.
That’s why some people just stay out of the game. You know the ones I’m referring to. The talkers. The ones who are constantly yammering away about the diet they’re on, the manuscript they’re writing, the jerk they should dump. And yet mysteriously, the weight stays on, the manuscript never materializes, and the jerk stays.
It’s because, in our heart of hearts, we all do what we really want. We just don’t always realize what it is.
Sure, you might think you want to lose weight – but the real truth is that junk food gives you more pleasure than imaginary size-8 jeans.
You might think you want to write – but the real truth is that you love sacking out on the couch and watching TV more.
You might think that you should dump your boyfriend – but the real truth is that, even though he’s not perfect, you’re afraid to be alone.
So here's the deal:
1. Confidence means paying attention to what you really want. You might find that you’ve been far more successful than you realize.
For years I beat myself up for not traveling more. I yearned to see the world, and yet every time I had an opportunity – a year in Russia, a boarding school experience in England, a month in Africa – something would mysteriously prevent me. I felt like a failure for not following my dream.
Then I saw the truth. Deep down, I didn’t want to leave my family and go to Russia for a year. I wanted to dream about Russia from my safe, cushy sofa. So I wasn’t a failure. I’d actually been 100% successful at doing what I really wanted to do.
If you’re not putting your dreams into action, maybe it’s time for you to reexamine your dream, too.
2. Confidence means looking out for yourself. Selfishness has gotten a bad rap. But here’s a novel thought: what if you treated yourself with as much kindness and care as you give everyone else? You deserve respect and love. Give it to yourself!
As the old cliché says, if your plane runs out of air, make sure you have oxygen first and then assist others. We’re more generous and loving to others when we feel strong and nourished ourselves. So read that book, take that class, go to the gym. You need it, and your family needs you to be happy, not exhausted and resentful.
If you choose to spend every drop of your energy on others, then act like a martyr and whine about it, it’s a choice. And what are you getting out of that, really? An excuse not to go to the gym? An excuse to blame the people you love for everything you hate about your life? How selfish is that!
3. Confidence means practice, practice, practice. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to make progress. That means practice!
The next time you’re tempted to take the easy way out, turn it into a challenge. Feel too intimidated to go into an uber-cool boutique? Listen to the little voice that whispers I dare you. Feel scared to submit a manuscript to the agent of your dreams? Terrified to ask for a raise at work? Hyperventilating at the thought of taking your dream trip to France – alone? I dare you. I dare you.
Each time you practice, you win. Every time you take a risk, even if it doesn’t turn out perfectly, you win. Because you’re practicing being brave and strong and free. You’re showing the world – and showing yourself – that you’re a force to be reckoned with.
Sure, being lazy can be great. And being afraid can keep you safe. But there’s a time and place for everything. If you’re bored, if you’re blue, then it’s time to be bold. That’s where adventure lies, and as Helen Keller said, ‘Life is either a great adventure, or it is nothing.”
Just don’t use lame excuses to be less than you are. If you’re choosing junk food instead of size-eight jeans, either change that or accept it – but either way, be at peace. You are the star of your life story. Why not have some fun?
So get a toe ring for those weirdly shaped toes. Get a nice wax job on that 1978 Pinto. Because you’re beautiful, smart, funny, and wise, and the whole world is waiting to benefit from your glory.
What are you waiting for?
Labels: Confidence, Jennie Lucas, Self-Esteem
Do You Have Confidence? Take the ‘Posse Girl’ Quiz and Find Out!
Today and tomorrow's posts are from Jennie Lucas who now writes for Harlequin Presents. Her first book arrives on the North American bookshelves in just a few days! You can visit her website here.
This post originally appeared in October of 2005.
1. You took the weekend off and didn’t wash a single dish, floor, or sink. Monday morning, your perfectly groomed sister-in-law drops by for a quick visit. Your living room is trashed and your sweatshirt is stained with last night’s hummus.
You:
**a. Pretend not to be home.
**b. Storm out on the porch and angrily say, “Why didn’t you call first?” Then you blame her (and your messy family, and the hummus-drooling dog) for forcing you to be rude, when you’re really a gracious hostess!
**c. Let your sister-in-law come in, but follow her around the house making embarrassed noises about the mess.
**d. Let your sister-in-law come in, and after shoving aside a spot on the couch, you forget all about the mess. After all, she’s come to see you, not the house!
2. At your office’s holiday party, a superskinny co-worker looks down her nose at your well-filled plate and says, “Aren’t you worried about gaining weight?” In reply, you:
**a. Feel self-conscious at the size of your hips, and put down the plate. After the party, you stop by Krispy Kreme and eat the whole dozen donuts in the privacy of your own home.
**b. Snarl back, “Go back to South Beach, you Diet Nazi!” Then defiantly eat a whole pumpkin pie. And you don’t even *like* pumpkin pie.
**c. Make whining excuses about why you “deserve a few treats”. You’re so focused on making your co-worker agree with you that you hardly notice as you clean your plate.
**d. Look her straight in the eye, and say with a gleeful grin, “Nope.”
3. A new member of your writing group, a lovely twentysomething, announces that she’s just sold the first draft of her first full manuscript to Jen Enderlin at St. Martin’s Press. “And there’s even going to be a book tour!” Your reaction:
**a. You leave the meeting, drive straight home, and pull a blanket over your head. You were stupid to ever think you could make it as a writer. You’re giving up, forever. Again.
**b. You wait for the bright-eyed newbie in the alley after the meeting. A friend holds her down as you punch her in the face, screaming, “Jen Enderlin is mine, do you hear me?! MINE!”
**c. You ask the newbie’s advice and hang on her every word. You assume she must know more about life than you do, even though she’s 20 years younger than you and thinks you’re talking about an appliance brand when you mention Jane Eyre.
**d. You feel a brief stab of jealousy, but it’s gone before she can even finish the phrase “significant deal”. A flooding tide rises all boats, right? Her dreams came true and so can yours. You even avoid smugly considering the stressful nightmare her next attempt at a book will be.
Finished? Okay, you Posse girls, you know the drill.
If you picked mostly As: What are you hiding from, little mouse? Your life is passing you by while you’re quivering in your comfort zone!
If you picked mostly Bs: Can we say anger management? You think you’re a rebel, but guess what? You’re still allowing your feelings to be controlled by someone else!
If you picked mostly Cs: You’re so desperate for the approval of others, you don’t even have an opinion of your own! (So you’ll believe me when I call you a sad little suck-up, whether it’s true or not!)
If you picked As, Bs, and Cs: In all these cases, you’re giving other people, even complete strangers, the power to decide if you enjoy your life.
If you picked mostly Ds: Welcome to the heady world of being the ultimate ruler of your own country: YOU.
Author’s note: I have a point, I promise! Look for the rest of my semi-serious Posse Girl’s Guide tomorrow… “Confidence: How to Get It (It’s Easier than You Think, Duh)”
Labels: Confidence, Jennie Lucas, Self-Esteem
My favorite days of summer include the Romance Writers of America Conference. I'm just back from there as of Sunday July 19. This year it was at the Marriot Wardman Park Hotel in Washington DC, or about 20 miles from my house.
5. Seeing the industry professionals
