Okay, I have to admit I got this idea off the RT boards but it got me thinking. Is there any connection between romance in books and romance for real or is it all fiction as much as a time-travel or vampires or ghosts?

Do we read romance knowing it’s fiction and we need an escape or does it connect to reality?

Do you think there are real heroes our there somewhere? Those guys with the ripped bods, jet-black hair, to-die-for smile and perfect teeth? Do men come in and sweep women off their feet and make them dizzy? Has it happened to you for real?

And what about those perfect dates? Do they exist? And those perfect settings for love-making? Are there any or in real life is it doing the deed in the dark in flannel pjs?

Is all this romance a real problem? Does it give women false hope that there is the perfect guy out there for them? Does it give them false hope that everything will be okay?

What is a romance book to you? All fiction that gives you a chance to escape or is it more? Have you ever taken something from a book and used it in your life?

Maybe made a perfect setting for love-making? Have you ever written your mate a love note because you read it in a book and thought it was a good idea and decided to try it? And what about buying sexy undies or lingerie? Have you ever bought it because you got the idea from the heroine?

Has a romance book ever given you hope and courage to go on in your own life when it was falling apart?

I’ll draw a name from the responses and give away a Hot and Bothered tote.

Thanks for chatting!
Hugs, Dianne Castell

DianneCastell.com
DianneCastell@hotmail.com
Hot and Bothered
Kensington BRAVA
April 08

In every author’s life, there comes a time when her fortitude is put to the test in the most grueling challenge the literary life has to offer. No, I don’t refer to scrambling to write the last three hundred pages of your manuscript in about three weeks flat because that pesky scoundrel of a deadline went and snuck up on you. Nor do I refer to the reading of Amazon reviews (although that does require great fortitude). Ladies and gentleman, I give you… the author tour.

Picture it. Ten days. Seven cities. One author. It would make a brilliant sort of reality television show. We could call it “Last Author Standing”, or, perhaps, “How to Lose an Author in Ten Days.” Facetiousness aside, I adore author tours. It’s absolutely fascinating to see cities you might never have otherwise visited, meet people as batty about books as you are, and get lost in airports all across America. Trust me, I can get lost anywhere. But I can always find my way to the nearest Starbucks. Everyone has her own talents.

The last author tour I went on was all of three days long– at least, that’s what my calendar claimed. I was in law school at the time, so three days was all I could steal away. In those three days I (a) got lost in no fewer than four different airports, (b) spoke to a group of historians who asked more questions about my stalled doctoral dissertation than about my novels (hmm, must really get back to that dissertation one of these days), (c) sat in front of a display of my books at a supermarket where I ate my weight in ice cream (brought to me by the extremely lovely and kind staff) and signed all of two books, and (d) drank about fifteen grande toffee nut lattes in three days, a new personal record. After three appearances on the last day, I rounded off my tour by sprawling amoeba-like across the bed in my Houston hotel room, gorging on room service chocolate cake and watching “Pretty Woman” on TBS. I can’t wait to do it again.

In a week and a half, my latest book, The Seduction of the Crimson Rose, hits the shelves and I hit the road. This time, my author tour is rather longer than three days, which raises the fascinating question of how many lattes can one author drink?

Before I embark on my grand adventure, do you have any crazy travel stories to share?

For those who are interested, here are the details of my transcontinental journey:

Cambridge, MA
Wednesday, February 6, 7:00 p.m.
The Harvard Coop
1400 Massachusetts Avenue

San Francisco, CA
Monday, February 11, 7:00 p.m.
M is for Mystery
86 East Third Avenue

Houston, TX
Tuesday, February 12, 6:30 p.m.
Murder by the Book
2342 Bissonett Street

Dallas, TX
Wednesday, February 13, 7:30 p.m.
North Park Barnes & Noble
7700 West Northwest Highway

Nashville, TN
Valentine’s Day! 7:00 p.m.
Davis-Kidd Booksellers
2121 Green Hills Village Drive

New Haven, CT
Saturday, February 16, 2:00 p.m.
Yale Bookstore
77 Broadway

Hope to see some of you there! As an apology for my shameless self-promotion, one poster, selected at random, will receive an advance copy of Crimson Rose.

In The Beginning

It all started in a Reno hotel suite at the 2005 RWA conference, when Silhouette Desire’s senior editor Melissa Jeglinski (MJ) told the gathered authors that she’d love to see some author-led continuity. Something like the family-based series which have been so successful for the line…only different.

I was instantly enamored. I would get to brainstorm with friends! In a meaty project I could sink my teeth into! But I had other contracts going as did my friends. The timing wasn’t right.

Fast forward eight months and Desire had just signed two new authors from Australia and New Zealand. MJ suggested that now there were six authors from “down under”, we might like to think about proposing a continuity series. When five of the six authors put up their hands to participate, we set about brainstorming a premise.

Putting The Series Together

MJ wanted scandal, passion, high drama, and glamorous exotic settings. We thought: Dynasty Down Under. We needed a series backdrop and were inspired by Argyle Diamonds. The Argyle mine in northwest Australia produces a quarter of the world’s natural diamonds but is best known for its signature gem, the rare and valuable pink diamond.

Diamonds extracted from the harsh outback earth, cut and polished to reveal every hidden facet, then crafted into exquisite designs. The billion-dollar business, the illusion of glamour and sophistication, the diamond ring’s symbolism of romance and commitment. This all sounded like the perfect setting for a Desire series. All we had to do was think fantasy and forget the reality of a tightly controlled industry.

Our family dynasty was created through the marriage of Howard Blackstone to Ursula Hammond more than 30 years ago, a union that caused a family brawl amid allegations of diamond greed and sly business ethics and straight-out theft. Much fun was had creating the backstory, the family tree, the structure of Blackstone Diamonds, and in brainstorming reasons why the animosity between the Hammonds and the Blackstones had spilled into the next generation.

Distinctive pink diamonds go missing for decades before reappearing. A Blackstone and a Hammond die in a plane crash, igniting rumors of an adulterous affair. Add a paternity dispute, a prodigal daughter, a missing heir, several reading-of-the-will shocks, and a twist of surprise. Mix and shake vigorously. And you have one delicious soap-opera-inspired cocktail. We named it Diamonds Down Under.

Putting My Book Together

We’d created a larger-than-life world filled with juicy external events, but within that world we had a family. Real people with virtues and flaws and emotional hang-ups that were about to be tested by those external events. And by the prospect of love.

My key character from the family tree: Kimberley Blackstone, Howard and Ursula’s only daughter. My key situation: the fatal crash which kicks off a chain of reaction within both families and the company. How would the death of her father impact on Kimberley? Apart from shock and grief, what else?

I decided that Kimberley was estranged from her father and working for “the enemy” at House of Hammond. His death would cause tremendous guilt due to a recent row in which angry “over your dead body” words were spoken. And later disillusionment, because he — the man she’d grown up adoring, who’d shaped her ambition and life choices — had let her down again.

With that backstory, Kim’s romance had to be a reunion story. The hero had to work for Blackstone Diamonds. He had to be involved in Kim’s alienation from her father. And he had to be the one who traveled to New Zealand to break the news of the jet’s disappearance.

And so Ric Perrini was born. Alpha, Italian-Australian, sexy as sin. But beneath the good looks and polished façade, lurked a boy still dealing with the childhood rejection that fired his ambition. To prove himself he’s climbed the ladder to second-in-command at Blackstone Diamonds. He is a success, a real golden boy, whose one big mistake was letting Kim go. This time he will do anything to make sure she stays where she belongs, at Blackstone Diamonds and in his bed.

Kim has plenty of reason to mistrust Perrini’s motivation. Is he acting out of vengeance, to win her back from his adversary at Hammonds? Does he need her onside to secure his position as chairman? What part will her inherited shares play in that struggle for boardroom control?

That’s the set-up to VOWS & A VENGEFUL GROOM. The story is set mostly in Sydney, at the Blackstone family’s palatial harbourside residence, the corporate headquarters of Blackstone Diamonds, the Blackstone Jewellery flagship store, and at Perrini’s home on a clifftop overlooking the Pacific Ocean. There is plenty of drama and passion and heat; there’s more than a touch of bling; but the book’s heart is Kim and Ric and their struggle to deal with the intense emotions of love and loss.

Pieces of trivia:

• We ended up with a six-book six-author series after Paula Roe sold in late 2006.
• My working title was Perrini’s Boardroom Bride. MJ came up with the alliterating titles.
• Originally Kimberley was Alexis Blackstone, but MJ pointed out that Rick and Alexis were a power couple on a daytime soap. Who knew?

So, are you a fan of soap operas? How about the big glitzy prime-time soaps of the 80’s like Dynasty and Dallas? Is there a more recent family drama that has captured your attention — Brothers and Sisters, perhaps? Or do you prefer your family series in books and if so, what is your favorite long-running family dynasty?

Join the discussion for a chance to win my January giveaway: a copy of Vows & A Vengeful Groom, a fun book titled “Everything You Didn’t Need To Know About Australia”, and a packet of delicious pink Tim Tams. And keep a watch out for further giveaways at Bronz Blog.

As I tried to think of something to write for this blog, I discovered a trailer for a recently released horror film called The Orphanage. I was hooked after seeing the trailer and jumped over to the website. I found a wealth of information on a movie I know I’ll want to see. Other movies I’d put in the same realm of creepy but wonderfully done would include The Others, The Haunted (1963 version), The Sixth Sense, Pan’s Labyrinth, The Exorcist, Rosemary’s Baby, and a few others. The Orphanage doesn’t rely on gore to scare, making certain the horror aspect evolves from many angles and that there is “story” and “character building” to make for a truly engaging emotional experience.

What does this have to do with Poe? For Christmas I got this huge leather volume of all Poe’s works. I’d been eyeballing this book for some time and my hubby grabbed it as a surprise gift. The delightfully twisted, thrilling, and shadowy stories Poe created have always intrigued me, and you might say he was one of the authors that made me want to write my own Things That Go Bump In The Night.

Now you might ask what a romance author is doing with the creepy supernatural story line. It’s very hard for me not to include the supernatural in some way, shape, or form in all my romance novels. Granted, I’ve actually written more romantic suspense than I have straight paranormal romance. One of my earlier paranormal romances, which isn’t in print right now, was the reincarnation romance FOREVERMORE. When I wrote my vampire trilogy, DEEP IS THE NIGHT (Ellora’s Cave www.ellorascave.com), I sank my teeth (pun intended) into the vampire genre with the idea of creeping out the reader at the same time I treated them to a flame-thrower romance. I wanted readers to discover they could truly be scared out of their wits, on the edge of the seat, and thrilling to the romance at the same time. My interest in Poe slipped into this novel where the heroine, a true Poe fan, finds herself remembering lines from his stories when something odd happens to her. Micky has been haunted by Shadow People her whole life. Here’s a snippet from DEEP IS THE NIGHT: NIGHT WATCH, to give you a peek into what I mean:
(more…)

So, I was thinking about what to write and tried to come up with what’s different about my latest release THORN’S KISS that makes it stand out among other werewolf tales and the one thing that stood out most (well, besides strong, sexy characters) was the setting! I looked around for a city with enough character to set the tone. At first I thought New Orleans. But no, it’s overdone. Then I thought Seattle…too wet. What about New York…too big, same with Chicago and Miama. What had a really hot, sticky feel to go with my hot, sexy characters with enough histoyr and darkness to pull off a werewolf story?

I closed my eyes and took a mental walking tour of all the cities I’d been in and my visit to Memphis kept coming back. I know, I did  the normal groupie thing and toured Elvis’ mansion–what a hoot! But I drove through the city at night and passed by the jazz clubs on Beale Street and thought, wow, this could be a really fun and creepy place.

That’s how I chose Memphis, TN for the setting for Thorn’s Kiss and its prequel, Shewolf. It’s a terrific river town with old mansions and the flavor of jazz on Beale Street–you can hear the music if you close your eyes. My werewolves even have their own nightclub where they can hang out with others of their kind called Three Dog Nightclub. Turn the lights down, throw in a creepy villain trying to kill the heroine and you have a match made in Memphis! And who knows, maybe they’ll even see Elvis! (just kidding).

What settings stand out most in your mind? Cities? Small towns? Foreign locations? Where would you like to see a story placed?

Hello, ladies, how good it is to be back with you!

I hope you had a fantastic holiday season with a little ‘down time’ just for you.

Going on my own experience of this hectic time of year, I’m guessing that was just a pipe dream for you too

But please allow me to take this opportunity to wish each of you a truly wonderful New Year, full of good things- health, happiness and plentiful success, both for you, and for those closest to you.

One of the questions I’m asked most frequently is: Where do you get your ideas?

Well, for my latest Harlequin Presents title, Bought: One Island, One Bride, that’s an easy question to answer.

I took a fab holiday in the Greek islands and had the opportunity to set sail with a passionate environmentalist who explained so much to me about the fragile underwater world.
Jamie (he) loathed the big white super-cruisers, whose very presence in those shallow waters threatened the delicate balance of life- Jamie scathingly called them ‘Water born caravans’.

That gave me the idea for my heroine (most definitely a she!) protecting her island from my hero (very much a he) from his veritable flotilla of water born caravans.

My second Harlequin title out in February with Harlequin, The Tycoon’s Virgin, is practically a mirror image of my own city girl introduction to life in the country (except I kept my knickers on) (sorry, I have to be naughty sometimes)

Now, this book used to be entitled, Dirty Weekend, so I don’t want any mix ups for those of you who bought it first time around- it was only a few months ago, after all

But here it is in all its glorious US colours- same book, different cover, different title…

(I just this second learned I won this!!!!)

Now we have the explanation for what drove me to write these books, but when I flesh out the stories the words just come to me- I don’t know how.

So, here’s our competition question for today: have you had any experiences like this to share with us? Ideas that come to you out of the blue, or any other spooky experiences you can think of??

I’ll pick out a winner completely at ramdom from all your posts- and something tells me, this is going to be an interesting chat.

And don’t forget to sign up for my Birthday Babies club on www.susanstephens.net to receive a gift, a special Birthday Day Babies button, and a birthday card on your special day- Bring a friend along and you get two chances to win a prize in our Birthday Babies competition- and there are other contests on the site for you too.

Looking forward to seeing you there :razz:

Can’t wait to chat- Get at it, girls!

All my very best to you,

Susanxxx

Forgive me, okay?

My fourth romance novel, Sweeter Than Revenge, is now on shelves, and I have to lapse into shameless self-promotion mode for a minute or two. Please bear with me while I toot my own horn and tell you why you should buy this book.

Ready? Here goes:

1. David Hunt, the hero. I don’t know about you, but I just love a hero that’s wounded, flawed, and just a teensy bit arrogant. David is all of those things. He’s also bitter and vengeful because beautiful pampered princess Maria Johnson married some other guy years ago. So now David’s come back to Cincinnati to extract a pound or two of Maria’s sweet flesh, and he’s too clueless to realize how desperately he still loves her. Heh.

2. Maria Johnson, the heroine. Spoiled Maria meets the cold cruel world for the first time in her life when her father forces her to work as David’s underling. The poor thing believes David hates her (little does she know!) and struggles to hide her continued feelings for him.

3. The sexual chemistry and emotion. These two go head-to-head in the workplace and pretend, all the while, that they are, at most, completely indifferent to each other. *SNORT!* From their first scene together, sparks fly and their skin all but bursts into flames when they lock gazes. The big turning point, when David confronts her and demands to know why she married someone else, is one of the most emotional I’ve ever written. And I have to confess that I just love tossing characters into these charged situations and watching them rip each other’s hearts out. Is that wrong? *VBG*

4. Authorzilla. David and Maria are publicists in charge of managing Anastasia Buckingham, the erotic-romance-writing diva who pens her first literary novel and thinks she should win the National Book Award. Anastasia wears purple, has a new outrageous wig for every day of the week, has a *slight* drinking problem, and goes everywhere with her astrologer-stooge, Uri. To say that Anastasia makes David’s and Maria’s lives miserable would be a mild understatement.

5. The sex. It’s pretty hot. I’m just saying.

Okay, that’s it. I’m out of shameless self-promotion mode, so you can relax now. And to apologize for having to do this sort of thing to you, I’d like to give away two copies of Sweeter Than Revenge to commenters at the end of the day. Just tell me which (if any!) of these reasons piques your interest the most.