Stuff etc

It's been a busy week since my mum has arrived and as well as having some lovely lunches out and dressing up to go to the Napier Art Deco festival, my husband and I also went to see Gin Wigmore in concert, which was awesome. I've been loving Gin since I listened to her first EP and then when I got Holy Smoke, I loved her some more. If you get a chance to see her sing then you truly must.

Anyway, this is just a fast swing by - I'm blogging over at Tote Bags and Blogs today where I talk about trying to wrestle the remote control from my mother.

Normal operations return on Tuesday and as well as working on Djinn book number two I'm almost done with my Rita books--which is a good thing since they are due back in a couple of weeks. Then I will be diving into Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld which looks so fabulous that I might need to roll it in chocolate!!!! I'm also reading Percy Jackson to my kids which is loads of fun! What's everyone else been up to? Retweet this button on every post blogger

Making Hearts Singh

There is a great interview with Nalini Singh in one of local NZ papers. The thing i liked best about it was that the words bodice and ripper weren't used once. So nice when journalists can ignore out-of-date romance cliches for a few minutes!!!!! Anyway, you can check it out here!

My mum and her partner are over for the next couple of weeks, plus now that my proposals are finished, I need to get writing so things are going to busy, but I will try and pop back now and then!!!!! Retweet this button on every post blogger

Beautiful Stan

I'm actually in the middle of doing some work right now but after listening to Stan Walker I just felt compelled to share a song with you. For those who don't know, Stan is a Kiwi who lives in Australia and he was also the winner of Australian Idol and everything about him is beautiful from his voice to his personality. Enjoy!

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Stuff-o-rama

Not much to report really! I've been hard at work on some new proposals for my agent. Two of which are sent off and the third will be done by tomorrow and then I will have to once again get my mindset into that out of an eleven year old girl. An eleven year girl who is actually an orange djinn (and that's the just the good part of her life).

Actually, it should be fun. I'm very fond of Sophie, my heroine and I'm even more fond of Malik, her ghostly djinn advisor. In fact Malik has sort of become one of those runaway characters who completely tries to steal the show. Anyway, it's always good to find out what ridiculous things he will say next - and what mess he will get Sophie into.

Apart from that, I'm over at TFC today talking about blogitis, which is naturally a highly riveting and entertaining post. Okay, not really, but I've got blogitis so you have to cut me a break!

Also, for some unbeknown reason, there has been a sales spike with Zombie over at Amazon. So to all of you lovely and adorable people who have been buying it almost a year after it was released, thank you! I'm ridiculously grateful to you all - in an attractive and cool sort of way of course (as opposed to a pathetic and needy way!!!)

And finally, I've had to put my regular reading on hold to make my way through eight Rita books. I'm halfway through book number four now and so far, so good. I read the small press books first and was pleasantly surprised by all of them so let's hope those NY published books live up to the standard!!!!

What's everyone else been up to? Retweet this button on every post blogger

GCC presents Suzanne Young

Yay - today I'm touring another new GCC member, Suzanne Young and her brand spanking new book, The Naughty List, which is one book that I've sooo got to read. Even better, it's actually a series, with two more books coming out later this year!!!!! She has also just sold another book called A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL, in which a 17-year-old discovers that by performing the good deeds that her body compels her to, she will disappear into the Light and be forgotten, but by fighting "the Need," her fate could be even more dire.

I know, I know - the word over-achiever springs to mind but I think I can forgive her because all her books sound so amazing! Anyway, today it's all about The Naughty List and here is the skinny:

As if being a purrfect cheerleader isn’t enough responsibility! Tessa Crimson’s the sweet and spunky leader of the SOS (Society of Smitten Kittens), a cheer squad–turned–spy society dedicated to bringing dastardly boyfriends to justice, one cheater at a time. Boyfriend-busting wouldn’t be so bad . . . except that so far, every suspect on the Naughty List has been proven 100% guilty!
When Tessa’s own boyfriend shows up on the List, she turns her sleuthing skills on him. Is Aiden just as naughty as all the rest, or will Tessa’s sneaky ways end in catastrophe?

The Naughty List. Is your boyfriend on it?

And now that we're hooked, let's find out a bit more about Suzanne (aka what TV shows she likes to watch because it's all about priorities!)

What was the inspiration behind this book?

Ninja Cheerleaders. But eventually that evolved into girls who could bust cheating boyfriends. Even though I didn’t use my own experiences, I did tap into those emotions—the pain and loss. And I also used a lot of lipgloss references.

Are you a panster or a plotter and do you find your writing process changes from book to book?

I think it changes for me. With THE NAUGTY LIST sequels, I’ve found I have to outline—probably because it’s a series. But I don’t outline any of my other books. When I do… I get bored of them and start something new. Not knowing how the story will end always keeps me interested.

I'm a quote queen and there's nothing I like more than reading other people's words of wisdom. Do you have a favorite quote that motivates you or sums up the way the you write?

I really enjoy “Don’t sweat the small stuff” and “No news is no news”.

What's your favorite television series right now?Okay, I know this isn't a writerly question but I'm a very nosy person who has a very large television habit to feed!!!!

Oh, man. Last year I would have said Battlestar Galactica! But now… I really love Modern Family and Glee. With an occasional Vampire Diaries thrown in there.

Everyone has a talent. Mine is being able to discover
chocolate no matter where it is hidden in the house. What about you? What is
your secret talent (apart of course from being a fabulous writer!!!!!)

I can read the minds of animals. Just kidding. I’m great at finding lost things. Lost dice, missing socks, mail keys? They always call on me: the object whisper. It’s a gift. ooooh, I want this. Nay, I need this because my son always loses very small pieces of Lego and I seem to spend my entire looking for them. Not fun!!!!!!! Retweet this button on every post blogger

Let's hang with Caitlin Crews

You know there aren't many people who I am willing to share David Boreanaz with but Megan Crane is one of them. Not only is she gorgeous and uber-talented (not to mention one of my fav, fav writers ever) but she is so darn clever that she now has another name!

Yes, that's right she is also writing Presents books for Harlequin Mills and Boon under the name of Caitlin Crews and guess what? Her first book, Pure Princess, Batered Bride is out in the NA market this month and Aust/NZ in March.

Now I don't know if any of you have ever met any Presents writers before but I've meet loads of them and without fail they are the nicest, coolest (biggest party-animals) that I've ever had the pleasure to hang with and I can just tell that Megan is going to fit in just fine!!!!!!!!

So here is the skinny on Caitlin's new book

Bartered, betrothed and bedded!

As quiet and dangerous as a jungle cat, achieving the impossible is one of Luc Garnier’s defining characteristics.

Princess Gabrielle is invaluable – a pearl beyond price. Yet Luc has defied the odds, and a contract for marriage is drawn up. This will be a union on paper first, and of flesh later…
Except Gabrielle is just the same in private as in public – well-bred, well-behaved, and a credit to her country. Luc is determined to find the wanton within and leave his pure princess in total disarray!

Ooooh, I can't wait to get a copy of this book. It's been too long since I've read one of Megan's books but at least the wait is almost over. Another thing that is almost over is the wait to see what my stunning new tour questions for 2010. As normal they are incisive and cutting edge and will lead you all to wonder why I ever gave up journalism to write fiction instead!!!!

Are you a panster or a plotter and do you find your writing process changes from book to book?


I've spent my whole life as a panster, but I find that the more books I write (I am just starting #15--crazy!) the more I require a bit of plotting. Some people like to break down chapters and bullet point and flow chart--and the very idea of THAT gives me hives. But I do like to plot out the emotional turning points in the story, and figure out a broad map of the action. I'm talking maybe a page and a half of said mapping, with a lot of vagueness left in so I have a lot to play with as I write. So... I guess I'm a hybrid!

I'm a quote queen and there's nothing I like more than reading other people's words of wisdom. Do you have a favorite quote that motivates you or sums up the way the you write?

I keep a blank journal and fill it with quotes. I love reading what other people think about writing and art and life. Here are some favorites:

"The two hardest things about writing are starting and not stopping." --Stewart O'Nan

"Anyone can write. The trouble with writers is that they can't do anything else." --Mignon McLaughlin

"But you know, to be a writer you have to be in touch with that stubborn, rebellious dreamer who stared out the classroom window rather than listen to the teacher droning on. You do what you have to do, not what you should do." --Anne Stuart

"But I myself have shamelessly spoken in semi-colons, and I am not alone." --Doris Egan

"'Literature' changes with the times; good storytelling is forever." --Jennifer Crusie

"The universe is made of stories, not atoms." --Muriel Ruykeser

"Rules, for me, aren't meant to be broken just because they exist. That's ego. They should be broken if the story demands it. That's writing." --Nora Roberts

Clearly, I could go on for days!

What's your favorite television series right now? Okay, I know this isn't a writerly question but I'm a very nosy person who has a very large television habit to feed!!!!

Oh, let's see. I'm loving White Collar. I'm OBSESSED with Vampire Diaries. I still love Supernatural and Gossip Girl. And I love Fringe and Mercy, too. And thank goodness we have a DVR, or I would never get any writing done! What is this White Collar? I must go and google immediately and then hope like crazy that we will get it in NZ!!!!

Everyone has a talent. Mine is being able to discover chocolate no matter where it is hidden in the house. What about you? What is your secret talent (apart of course from being a fabulous writer!!!!!)

Oh, I'm very talented. When I was single, I used to have the near-supernatural ability to walk into a crowded room and unerringly pick out the most emotionally unavailable, stunted and destructive guy there. I can't say that was fun, but it certainly led to many books! Now my talents are more mundane. I have one much like yours: if something contains sugar and it is anywhere near me, I can automatically locate it. I usually notice right as I am stuffing it in my mouth! Obviously we were separated at birth!


So please everyone make sure you go and buy Caitlin's new book because I know it's going to be fabulous. As for me, my wild children are finally back at school and I'm getting back into my second Djinn book and wildly trying to write out all the proposals that I sorta/kinda/maybe told my agent I was going to do over the holidays before lethargy over took me!!!!!!

Oh and I will back tomorrow with a new GCC tour!!!! Retweet this button on every post blogger