The Dynamic Trio - Blog

I have a special guest over at my blog today. Jennifer Leeland is talking about the character who refuses to die. She’s also giving away a download of her recent release, Taking Command.

Come on over and say hello. Tell us what makes a character stand out for you.

Shelley

I’m all about kisses lately. Today I’m having a kiss-a-thon over at my blog. Post a comment and you go into a draw to win a download written by me. While you’re there don’t forget to check out my Thursday thirteen, which was also about kisses.

http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog

Writers - you’re welcome to post a short kiss excerpt (no more than 500 words) from your books along with a buy link. Aspiring writers are also welcome to post excerpts. Come over and say hello.

Shelley

It’s the weekend here in New Zealand, and all our clocks go back an hour tonight. It’s getting pretty dark in the mornings and noticeably cooler. I’m going to have to dig out the jeans and long-sleeved shirts and put the shorts and T-shirts away. Sigh. I like warm weather.

Firstly, psssst! Did you notice Lauren has a new release today. Check it out at Ellora’s Cave.

As TJ mentioned I received an awesome review for Fancy Free. Here’s the link to my Joyfully Recommended review.

I have a contest to give away a download of my upcoming release, Wanderlust at my website. Yesterday I also blogged about the setting for Wanderlust - India - and there are loads of photos. You can check out that post here.

Mr. Munro is busy with the potager garden. He’s ripped out all the old plants and is getting ready to plant potatoes. He’s photographing the entire process of layering for the potager. Why? you ask. A few months ago I blogged about our potager gardens and I’m still getting dozens of hits a week from people wanting to know how to make a potager garden. So, for the gardeners amongst you, check out my blog in the upcoming weeks and you’ll get how-to instructions regarding a potager garden.

In writing news, I’ve completed another Middlemarch story - that makes the third in a row - and I’m working on another. I seem to be in the groove when it comes to Middlemarch!

Have a fun weekend.

You wanna know what happens? Well, you’ll have to read the upcoming anthology featuring what Loveromances calls: Fasten your seatbelt, because four of the best authors of the erotic romance genre take you on a wicked and wild trip to Sin City. 

Now, here’s the thing - you can wait until May 1 when the book comes out or come by the Pittsburgh Hilton on Saturday April 19 and get one there.  OR

You can enter to win one of the shiny, pretty author copies I received.  

If you choose the latter, simply use the handy dandy contact form at my website and be sure to put VEGAS CONTEST in the subject line.  I’ll begin choosing winners at random, oh any old time I want to and up through they’re gone. Just make a note of where you’d be putting your review up (and no, it’s not going to make a difference if you post at Amazon v a review blog) - it just helps me to know where things may be going up.

Is there a catch? Not really. What I would like is if you’d put up a review of the anthology either at your blog, another review blog or at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com.  A good review is obviously desirable but not required - all four of us want you to love our stories but we want you to be honest too.

So that’s it - you want a free, early copy, enter to win!!  I’ll be notifying winners via email so be sure the address you use is valid.  ONE ENTRY PER PERSON PER HOUSEHOLD PLEASE

Fancy Free is out from Ellora’s Cave today. Yay!! I’m so excited to have another Ellora’s Cave release.

To celebrate, I’m guest blogging at Lillian Feisty’s blog where I’m talking about Condoms and the Romance Writer.

I’m also answering Danette’s Fantastic Five questions over at her blog and giving away a download from my backlist.

I hope to see you there.

Shelley

Yesterday I, along with countless other writers, started on the 70 Days of Sweat challenge. This is my first time and so far I’m doing all right and have written more words than I normally would. Here’s hoping I can keep it up because I know I have some edits on the way. Is anyone else doing the challenge? Let me know if you are. I like to know my fellow sweaters.

On Friday I fell off my bike. My left knee looks like I’ve attacked it with a grater while my right leg is sporting four fist-sized bruises. Yep, looking pretty colorful today. On Saturday my knee was painfully sore but today I’m feeling much better and walking normally again. It’s fine as long as I don’t make any sudden moves. My bike tire caught the lip of the footpath after I’d passed an elderly gentleman and over I went. The man asked me if I was okay and picked up my bike for me before hurrying off. I think he thought I might cry. I didn’t but I said, “Bugger” twice - the extent of my swearing. So, my lesson learned - watch out for lips on pavements. Unfortunately, all the new footpaths have a few inches drop down to the grass and it’s not always easy to avoid them.

Today I’m giving away a download of Playing to Win over at The Romance Studio.

And if you haven’t already entered this one - CONTEST: Win a download of Fancy Free. Read the excerpt on my website and answer the following question. What stopped James and Alice from making love? Email your answer to shelley munro@ gmail.com (no spaces) and I’ll announce the winner on 6 March.

And that’s all the excitement at the Munro house. Oh, apart from the fact I’ve finally purchased an Ipod. It’s only a 1GB one but they were so cheap hubby and decided we might as well buy it. I have my songs loaded up, heavy on the NZ music, and I’m good to go. Life’s good.

What are you up to this week?

Ideas - they come in the strangest places at the funniest times. A writer’s life is never dull that’s for sure!

Mr. Munro and I were catching an Air New Zealand flight from San Francisco to Auckland. We hadn’t been on the plane long and I was settled back with my inflight magazine. It’s always the first thing I read when I get on any plane since they have interesting travel articles. Air New Zealand have this new products section and one of the items shown was a vibrating condom.

“Oh,” I said to hubby in a loud voice. “Look!” (and I have to point out hubby is always growling at me for muttering. I don’t but that’s another story. Anyhow, I spoke rather loudly.)

“What?” he asked.

“It’s a vibrating condom. Hmmm, I wonder how they test them?”

“Shush!” he said glancing at our neighbors who WERE looking at us.

“But it’s a vibrating condom!” I said. “Let’s buy one. How do you think they test them? Do you think people test them?” I asked, full of questions. The muse was at a full gallop, considering all the possibilities.

“Shush,” hubby said again. “I’m trying to read.”

“Oh, but don’t you think it would make a great story?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“All right,” I said, a trifle grumpy now. “I’ll think to myself about how they test the vibrating condom.”

“Good idea,” hubby said.

So, I did. All the way back to New Zealand I thought about condoms and how they’d be tested. I thought about the possibilities of a girl inheriting a condom company and the rest, as they say, is history. I wrote Fancy Free, a story about a girl who inherits a condom company and is heavily involved in testing…

If you’d like to learn how my twisted mind works, Fancy Free releases from Ellora’s Cave on 7 March 2008 - next Friday!! And meantime, if you’d like to read the blurb and excerpt go here.

~*~*
CONTEST: Win a download of Fancy Free. Read the excerpt on my website and answer the following question. What stopped James and Alice from making love? Email your answer to shelley munro@ gmail.com (no spaces) and I’ll announce the winner on 6 March.

~*~*

Lillian Feisty is my guest today at my blog and she has written a great post about body image and romance. Check it out here.

And I was guest blogger over at Romantic Inks. Check out my post here.

So the winner hasn’t claimed her prize and it’s been over seven days so I re-drew and this time it was for post #4 - Lori! Okay Lori, email me with your format preference and I’ll get it your way!

Just to reiterate with all of my drawings here - the winners have seven days to claim a prize or I’ll redraw. Folks need to check back to see if they’ve won or not - thankya!!

Ellora’s Cave authors are taking over the Latte forum at the CoffeeTime Romance board today with contests and excerpts. You need to register first but it’s free and they always have lots of fun there. I have a contest running for a download so make sure you enter that.

The wonderful Mechele Armstrong is guest at my blog today. She’s giving away a download and talking about the small stuff that makes for rich characterization.

And finally, I’ve sold another Middlemarch book this week. Cat and Mouse is the fifth Middlemarch book and has a cowboy hero - that’s rodeo New Zealand style!

Have a fun weekend.

So the winner of the ARC of Cascadia Wolves: Standoff is reply #19 - Melissa! Melissa, email me with your format preference and I’ll get it out your way!

There’s still a chance to win an ARC at the Bradford Bunch blog (runs until tomorrow, Wednesday the 20th!) - just look for my last entry.

And speaking of contests and books - you can check out my blog for a chance to win a copy of Ann Aguirre’s Grimspace (a very fabulous book)

Yesterday was the Monday from hell! Ugh, total projectile vomit from oldest child. Like a scene from the Exorcist! I’m scarred for life by the clean up.

Today I’m better. I’ve got a sneak peek up at my messageboard for those who’re interested.

I’m working on Sensual Magic and plugging along quite happily. I think if I can keep the momentum up, I’ll be done by the beginning of March, which leaves me time for crit and revision without feeling stressed. I’m really digging this world, it’s been a while since I’ve created a whole new paranormal universe so I’m pleased.

My kids are on school break this week and my middle son, aside from a few scary moments yesterday when it looked like he’d join his older brother in projectile vomit land, has not shut up since Friday. Friday of 2001. He’s a really busy kid! Right now he’s got some elaborate game going with legos and of course they’re slamming into each other and he’s narrating the whole thing for me. Lord. Every once in a while he’ll make a joke about bodily functions, bleah, such a boy!

I’m off, my kitchen is a freaking mess! Enjoy your Tuesday everyone!