Best wishes for 2013

Balloons, chocolates and champagne. Holidays and limousines. Love, romance, mystery, excitement. Family gatherings and me-time. Understanding bosses, pay hikes, every success. A clean bill of health from the GP and dentist. Sunshine with just the right amount of rain. Blue skies, clear waters, crunchy snow. Good books, great books, unputdownable books. Happiness.

Happy Holidays!

A quick Christmas read

Can't get into the Christmas spirit this year? Then try The Cat Who Stole Christmas - a quick, quirky story that's guaranteed to put you in a festive mood. Currently at #6 on the Bestseller List.



The Cat Who...

Coming out really soon!

Romantic Comedy Movies 2012

What were your favourite romantic comedy movies this year? Mine - anything with Ashton Kutcher. OK, so there weren't actually any romantic comedies with Ashton in 2012. Oops.

OK, which will it be?

• Ruby Sparks?
• This Means War?
• Friends With Kids?
• 30 Beats?
• Seeking A Friend For The End Of The War?

Or maybe I'll just drop the comedy part, and declare the best romantic movie of 2012 to be... Safety Not Guaranteed?

The most dangerous question a woman can ask

According to my guy, the number one most dangerous question a woman can ask is:

• Does my butt look big in these pants?

He says it's an issue laced with treacherous sand vortexes and swampy black holes. Answer yes, and she'll think she's fat. Answer no, and you're insulting her, because she should know damned well guys like big butts.

(Note that this question is different to:

• Does my butt look too big in these pants?

The answer to that is always, Of course not honey.)
Now personally I think he's got it wrong. The answer to Does my butt look big in these pants should always be Your butt looks perfect, bring it over here. Problem solved.   The truly dangerous questions, and guys, do listen up, are these:

• Are you listening to me?
• Where is is relationship going?
• Is this how you pictured yourself when you were 18?

The Grinch Who Stole Christmas... I Mean, The Cat Who....

The Cat Who Stole Christmas is the 17th romance title by Eve Summers, available from Red Rose Publishing this Christmas. Hot off the press is the gorgeous Christmas cover featuring a calico cat.

GenreCon Sydney 2012

I came, I saw, I had heaps of fun. Let Rosie Courtney tell it in her own unique voice.

What Eve Summers is reading now

Loving it!

Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney - Eve Summers was here

Last weekend, I went to Sydney for GenreCon. The romance writer in me couldn't get over the hotel I stayed at. The Shangri-La Hotel is truly everything its name suggests: a mystical, earthly paradise. I can totally imagine a wedding here, or an anniversary celebration.

We asked the hotel staff what celebrities had stayed in the hotel. Apparently, it's a secret. However, they are welcome to tell the world that Eve Summers was here, and she loved it!

This is the opulent lobby

This is my bedroom - the lounge is next door

The hotel restaurant

The hotel pool and spa pool

Not Complicated

This is the cover for Eve Summers' upcoming release, NOT COMPLICATED. I love the colours, the faces, everything!

7 reasons not to want a vampire boyfriend

It's because I don't get TWILIGHT. I know it's a contemporary classic. Hard as I try, though, I can't understand why anybody would want a vampire boyfriend. They can't keep you warm at night and I don't even want to imagine what it's like to kiss one.

So, here are 7 reasons not to want a vampire boyfriend:

1. Ashton Kutcher is not a vampire.
2. Josh Holloway is not a vampire.
3. Ryan Gosling - not a vampire.
4. Josh Lucas - not, either.
5. Wentworth Miller - ditto.
6. 
   Ashton Kutcher - just have to mention him twice.
7. And, most importantly, who wants Edward when you can have Jacob?
   

Love Story

LOVE STORY by Erich Segal is one of the best romance books ever written. Agree or disagree?

Eve Summers in Sydney

RATED [A] [S] [V] [N] [L] [D]

Conan Doyle Room; Friday, 8:00pm

Stays up late and discusses the craft of writing adult themes, from sizzling sex-scenes to acts of horrific violence. What phrases are best avoided? When is it time to stop letting yourself get carried away? Are there any lines that shouldn't be crossed? Our panellists will talk frankly about what works, and what doesn't.

Participants: Yvonne Eve Walus (Eve Summers), Denise Rossetti, Martin Livings; Chair: Rosie Courtney   See more details.  

10 Best Fictional Boyfriends

Chelsea Fagan compiled this list of 10 Best Fictional Boyfriends. While I don't agree with all her choices, I think her Number 3, Aidan Shaw of Sex and The City, beats Big hands down. I would also put the same actor in my list of top 10 as Chris In The Morning from Northern Exposure.

So, my own list, in no particular order:

1. Christ Stevens, Northern Exposure
2. Aidan Shaw, Sex and The City
3. Ed Chigliak, Northern Exposure
4. Gale, Hunger Games
5. Reacher, books by Lee Child
6. Sawyer, LOST
7. Charlie, LOST
8. Rhett Butler, Gone With the Wind
9. Sam Vimes, the Discworld series
10. Burr, Gods in Alabama

Whom have I missed?

Nora Roberts and Nora Roberts of New Zealand

Eve Summers has been called the Nora Roberts of New Zealand, because she writes science fiction as well as romance. So, here is a TV interview with the real Nora Roberts - click to see it.

Can love survive marriage?

Can love survive marriage? Eve Summers' latest title, LOVE, RECYCLED, has a look at what really happens when they live happily ever after....

Romance for Men

The only site on the English language internet devoted exclusively to romantic fiction for men, with reviews and news covering romantic books, films, tv, anime, etc. 

Check out Romance News Dot Net.

Preview: a new Eve Summers

A new Eve Summers title, LOVE RECYCLED, will be available in December 2012. Check out the cover!

Jane Porter in Pasadena

One of my favourite women's fiction authors, Jane Porter, is having a book signing at Vroman's in Pasadena (6 September 2012, 7PM). Go say hi if you're in the area and have a chat. She's awesome!

Lust at Auckland Museum

Lust at Auckland Museum. What next? A reading of hot romance books?

Eve Summers Makes The Front Page

Bestselling erotica author, Eve Summers, has made front page news.

One more sleep...

One more sleep till the amazing Romance Writers of New Zealand Annual Conference. Here's what I'm looking forward to:

• Saying hi to Katie Hayworth of Penguin NZ.
• Meeting Harriet Allan of Random House NZ.
• Listening to Nephele Tempest, literary agent, comment on the cold reading of manuscripts.
• Finding out what the Snowflake Guy (Randy Ingermanson) has to say about the Hunger Games.
• Drinking countless cups of tea - they have an awesome selection at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
• Not having to make morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner for three whole days!
• Getting freebies in my conference bag.
• Winning at least one raffle.

Most of all, I'm looking forward to giving my presentation on how to write sex. Weekends don't get much better than this!

Eve Summers - new website

Here is my new website address: http://www.yvonnewalus.com/Eve-Summers.htm.
Watch out for th enew design, coming soon!

Let's welcome Debbie McClure

Debbie McClure is a fellow Echelon Press author, and she's visiting this blog today with two fascinating tales:

• first, of her life story;
• and her new book.

Over to you, Debbie.

Debbie: "Raised the first of four children in London, Ontario, Canada, I married my high school sweetheart. Two children and twelve years later, we divorced. Working as a medical office administrator, the next ten years as a single parent on one income was definitely a struggle. Twelve years ago I met my current husband and remarried. Now, five step/bio children and five grandchildren later, we live in the thriving resort village of Grand Bend, Ontario. We try to get away to the beaches of S.W. Florida during the colder winter months, but after thirty plus years of Disney World, sharing it with children and grandchildren is magical.

Although the last ten years was spent in mortgage or real estate sales, three years ago I decided it was time to pursue my dream of writing. It has proven to be every bit as exciting as I’d ever envisioned, with a learning curve the size of a tsunami. At long last, I’m following that dream."

In The Spirit Of Love - Blurb
A ghost story is just a story-until it happens to you. Claire Jacobs took a vacation to England with her best friend, and changed her life forever. From the beginning, Kent Estate evoked a sense of coming home with Claire. A guided tour of the reputedly haunted mansion reveals a story of love and murder that resonates deep within her heart. Of course sensible Claire doesn’t believe in ghosts or reincarnation, but the ensuing days, and an all too handsome resident ghost, will prove her wrong. Despite her own better judgement, Claire finds herself deeply attracted to Richard, but there can be no future in loving a ghost-can there?


Wrongly accused of a murder he didn’t commit, Lord Richard Abbotsford is the ghost bound to Kent estate for the past one hundred and fifty years. From the moment he sees her, he is convinced his beloved Lady Olivia Kent has returned to him-as Claire. His lady long since dead, his family and friends gone, Richard had become increasingly disillusioned and bitter. The unexpected return of Olivia, as Claire, gives him new hope for release from his eternal prison. He knows Claire has returned to Kent Estate for a reason, and is determined to remind her of their shared past. To do so, he must first change her mind about ghosts-and himself. Discovering love again is the last thing on his mind.

Two weeks to go!

In two weeks' time, Yvonne Walus will speak at the Romance Writers of NZ Annual Conference about writing sex.

Reclaim the Summer!

Are you spending your Summer indoors, with a tray of chocolate pralines, watching the Olympics? Don't waste this beautiful season! Spend it indoors, with a tray of chocolate pralines, reading romance novels!

Here are a few suggestions of romances you can read to get your spirit into that Summer mood:

• Fiji On Fire, Fiji On Ice by Eve Summers (!)
• Flirting With Forty by Jane Porter
• Welcome to Temptation by Jenny Crusie

Fifty Shades Of Grey - Satire of Fanfic?

An interesting blog post theorising that Fifty Shades of Grey could be a satire.

Showcasing Echelon Press Authors - Karen Syed

Lost and Found


Allison is not having her best day. Thanks to the weather, an insignificant flyer on her windshield opened up a big ol' can of worms. Even the rain can't smother the sparks that fly between Allison and her new neighbor.



About the Author

Karen Syed owns Echelon Press. Every day is a success for her as she grows herself and her business. She has several novels published, along with articles and short stories. As a previous bookstore owner, she was nominated for PW for Bookseller of the Year. She is committed to encouraging everyone she meets to seek a more positive quality of life by reaching for their dreams.


She is currently writing a Steampunk series called Petticoat Junction. With more than a twenty-five years experience in the book industry, she hopes this one will propel her into the bestseller category.

Mommy Porn

This is what Eve Summers has to say about Mommy Porn.

RWNZ Annual Conference - Woo Hoo!

Reminder: the RWNZ Annual Conference is around the corner. Quoting from the RWNZ Newsletter:

The following editors and agents are attending the RWNZ Conference, Love is in the Air, and will be taking pitches on Friday 24 August and Saturday 25 August at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Auckland.

• Joanne Grant, Senior Editor, Harlequin Presents
• Haylee Kerans, Publishing Manager, Harlequin Enterprises (Aus)
• Nephele Tempest, Agent, The Knight Agency
• Erin Niumata, Agent, Folio Literary Management

If you have registered for the Weekend Conference and would like to book a pitch with one or more of the editors and agents listed below, then send an email to this year's Pitch Coordinator, Jo Fereday, at jo@jofereday.com listing your choices in order of preference. Please note that we cannot guarantee you will obtain a pitch appointment with all of your choices, but we will do our best.



 

The Ice Cream Girls

The Ice Cream Girls by Dorothy Koomson is by no means a frivolous romance read. While the writing style is light and easy, the subject matter is not, for it deals with the heartbreaking issue of an intimate relationship between teacher and his teenage pupils.

The book poses an important question: what is love? What's the difference between a loving and a controlling relationship? Why don't abused partners simply walk away? All this and more camouflaged by a pastel-coloured cover of girls in pink and yellow dresses.

A beautiful, compelling novel. I'll be searching out more of Ms Koomson's books.

Wicked Appetite

Do you know how some books always make you hungry? Janet Evanovich's Wicked Appetite, a book that features seven deadly sins and two gorgeous hunks (blond Diesel and dark Wulf), made me crave carrot cake and raisin bread. How weird is that?

Here's an excerpt from the book:

My name is Elizabeth Tucker. I’m Elizabeth to my


mother, but for as long as I can remember, I’ve been

Lizzy to everyone else. And for as long as I can remember,

I’ve baked cupcakes. I enrolled in the culinary arts program

at Johnson & Wales in Rhode Island right out of high school,

hoping to someday get a job as a pastry chef. I graduated

J&W in the top ninety- three percent of my class, and I would

have graduated higher, but I flunked gravy. My gravy had

lumps in it, and that pretty much sums up my life so far. Not

that it’s been all bad, more that it hasn’t been entirely smooth.

I grew up in Virginia and when I was in third grade, Billy

Kruger gave me the nickname Buzzard Beak, and I carried it

with me all through grade school. I got my brown eyes and

distinctive nose from Grandpa Harry, and while the nose

wasn’t great, I told myself it could have been worse, because

Billy Kruger’s nickname was Poop Pants.

And then when I was in eighth grade, during a moment ofmisguided curiosity, I made out with Ryan Lukach, and the

jerk told everyone I wore a padded bra. I mean, give me a

break here. I was a late bloomer. Anyway, the truth is, my bra

was so padded I didn’t know I was getting felt up.

I got engaged to fellow classmate Anthony Muggin while I

was at Johnson & Wales. Two weeks after graduation and a

week before the wedding, Anthony and his Uncle Gordo

were caught hijacking a refrigerator truck loaded with sides

of beef. It turned out to be a lucky thing, because after I

visited Anthony in jail and returned the ring, I sobbed myself

through a couple tumblers of vodka, fell off the toilet

in a drunken stupor, crashed into a sink, and broke my

nose. When they patched me up, I was no longer Buzzard

Beak.

So here I am with the cutest nose in town, and I’ve finally

grown breasts. They’re not huge, but they’re better than a

poke in the eye, and I’ve been told they’re perky. Perky is

good, right?

Straight from the HOT Sellers List at Red Rose

Today we're hosting Betty Ann Harris and her very own special agent, LOL.

Q: Betty, tell us about the book.
A: My Very Special Agent is the only erotic book in the Special Agent Series-

Q: Now I'm really listening. Well, actually, I'm interrupting. It's just that I love, love, love erotic books, when they're well written. Go on....
A: The hero, Stephen O'Leary is an extremely good-looking and eligible bachelor, and a top-notch FBI Special Agent. The damsel in distress is the beautiful romance author, Maggie Tyler, who is a young widow, having lost her husband in Desert Storm. A psycho-fan of Maggie's has been stalking her and things have gotten out of control. She's afraid, alone and lonely. The FBI is involved in the case and Stephen is assigned to do whatever he needs to do to keep Maggie alive. He takes her to a rural area in upstate New York where he has a cabin. But Maggie's stalker is closer than they realize, and she is in grave danger. Amidst a beautiful backdrop and surroundings, the two fall in love. But will Maggie's stalker end up killing them both? The psycho is jealous of Stephen and wants Maggie all to himself. Will they survive?

Q: Wow, that's quite a ride! Where can we read it?
A: The book is available in ebook, Kindle and paperback, and you can buy it here:
http://redrosepublishing.com/books/product_info.php?products_id=577



(I'm clicking on the link. Are you?)
 

One of these authors _is_ Eve Summers!

Fifty Shades Of Grey

I tried to read it, really I did. Fifty Shades Of Grey is a hot topic nowadays. You can't be a writer and not have an opinion about it. I did not get past Chapter One.

Guess that in itself is an opinion.

Emerald City by Melody Knight

I'm feeling sad today. Remembering people who passed away. Pop artist Robin Gibb. Sir Edmund Hillary. Writer Melody Knight.

Here's an interview I did with Melody a few years back:

Welcome, Melody Knight. Melody is the author of Emerald City published by Red Rose, her third book with them.

(Click here to buy the book now, without reading anything about it. Come on, be spontaneous!)

Q. What inspired you to write Emerald City, Melody?

A. I've been studying archeology for several years now. My goal is to eventually become a contract archeologist - that is, I'll go to sites and explore the archeological ramifications of construction, and whether building will damage our cultural heritage. As for Emerald City? It combined my love of the paranormal with Egypt, artifacts, and a heated romance. It's difficult to go wrong with those elements!

Q. Is this your first erotic romance? Do you feel the eroticism overshadows the rest of the story?

A. Until two years ago, I'd never written a romance novel. Oh, I'd penned a number of action/SF/fantasy works, but nothing in the romance genre. Last year I attempted my first erotic novella, and quite enjoyed it. Writing erotica makes me feel just a little decadent and unexpected. As for overshadowing the rest of the story? No. I merely heat up the love scenes, making them more explicit. After all, sex is the culmination of a romance. Why shouldn't we write about it?

Q. Tell us a little more about Emerald City. Why that name?

A. Berenike is the Emerald City of the ancients. It was a port and a trading center. At that time, most of the world's emeralds were found within several hundred miles of Berenike, and Cleopatra herself is rumored to have purchased emeralds to give as gifts to foreign dignitaries, often with her face inscribed on the stone surface. The Berenike region is where the story is set, and it's all about Claudia, an archeologist fairly new to dig sites. She has come to Egypt to learn, to be the resident expert on trade networks, and to rid herself of her past life, which includes Nigel. Nigel is her lover, only she has never known him "in the flesh". When she meets CT, another archeologist on the dig, she has to decide between her love for these two men: one living, and the other, dead.

Q. And now, an excerpt from Emerald City...

A. First, Yvonne, I'd just like to thank you for hosting me on your blog!

From Emerald City:
It was midday on the second day when it happened. According to her map, and her sources, there was a small town a mile or so off-road, which the mine workers had once inhabited. No one had done much more than note its existence, and Claudia felt the thrill of discovery. Who knew what a place like that might hold? Other Mons Smaragdus towns had yielded pottery and metals, low grade gemstones, and a variety of other, more homely items. There were sure to be buildings, if the place had been impressive enough to be noted on the map. Gooseflesh danced down her back. The wadi region was laden with small piles of rubble -- the remnants of ancient huts. This township held the promise of oh, so much more.

She readjusted her hat, conscious of her thirst. It seemed she was always conscious of her thirst in this wretched heat! She sucked on her canteen then mustered ahead. No track, so she'd just have to make her way. A couple of times she glanced back at the truck, even climbing one of the little hills to make sure it was still within sight. It was only on the last check that she saw it had disappeared, but that was what she expected. This was hilly country, after all, and the town should be just ahead.

Only, it wasn't, nor could she find the truck. She tried tracing her own footsteps, but this area was rock, rather than sand, and it was no use. Her compass was erratic, due to magnetic deposits, leading her nowhere. Two hours later, dragging her body through the heat, Claudia had to admit it -- I'm lost. Lost in the damned desert. Her water bottle was dry, but she refused to panic. If I don't check in, they'll come looking.

The sun had never been so hot, and Claudia knew she should have been resting midday away instead of hiking. But it was too late -- too late for anything. She rooted around in one of those piles of rocky debris, picking up rocks that burned her hands to pile them into a wall that might offer her partial shade -- if it didn't fall on her head first. She didn't possess the building secrets of the ancient Romans or the Bedouin. And her blistered hands were shaking so badly she didn't know how she'd survive the next few hours.

It was then an icy chill came on her, colder than death.
Nigel!

She didn't speak -- she didn't have to. He was there…for her.

And that link again: http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=243

http://melodyknight.com/

http://www.ndhansen-hill.com/

http://melodyknight.com/

Red Rose Publishing Rocks!

Earlier this week, author Eve Summers received a gorgeous 7-inch e-reader (which is also a notebook and an internet browser) from her publisher, Red Rose Publishing. Wendi Felter, you rock!

The rise of sexy books

In case you missed the article "The rise of sexy books" featuring an intervie with Eve Summers, here it is.

Eve Summers interviewed by the Dominion Post

An interview with Eve Summers (talking about erotica writing and THE SHADES OF GREY) will appear in this Saturday's Dominion Post (12 May 2012). Buy the paper and turn to p12 of YOUR WEEKEND!

A beautiful and clever romance

It'll tug your heart. It'll make you groan and laugh and cry. Read Sophie Kinsella's I'VE GOT YOUR NUMBER and find out who's Mr Right for the woman who's lost her engagement ring.

RWNZ Conference - online registration

You can now register online to attend the annual RWNZ conference in Auckland (August 2012). You can come for the whole three days (Friday to Sunday), or choose one or two days that best suit you. Hey, and if you choose Sunday, you can attend my workshop How To Write Sex....

Chocolate and the Titanic

I loved reading the first class dinner menu for that last dinner on the Titanic....

Romance a la Jane Porter

For a less steamy, more thinking-girls' type of romance, look no further than Jane Porter's excellent books. Particularly if you're a sucker for a semi-true love story, and like surfer boy hotties, read FLIRTING WITH FORTY.

Happy Easter!

Easter special: buy Eve Summers' DANCE LIKE EVERYONE'S WATCHING and let me know. I'll throw in another Eve Summers title of your choice for free.