Taste of Kiwi: Blog of Author Shelley Munro

Masks in a Chinese craft shop

Since I’m off on a mini holiday and leaving before the birds even think about chirping tomorrow morning, I thought I’d give you a virtual tour through China during the next four days. I hope to pop in and chat during the day, so I’m going to leave you with a question.

If you could pick any mask to wear what would it be? Something elegant, something silly or something else?

My husband would probably pick a snorkel mask since he loves snorkeling. I have trouble getting him out of the water when we’re on holiday! I’d pick a half mask–one that would be perfect for a Regency masquerade ball. A mask to conceal yet seduce…

What would you choose?

I’m visiting Lex Valentine’s blog today as part of her Christmas giveaway. Drop over and say hello and go into a draw to win one of the three books featured today. My giveaway is for a download of Fancy Free, which is set in the same world as my upcoming Ellora’s Cave release, Christmas is Coming.

Here’s the link to Lex Valentine’s 30 Days of Christmas

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

~ Grab your current read
~ Open to a random page
~ Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
~BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
~ Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this week comes from my first Christmas read of this year. I’m just about to start Holly Lane by Toni Blake.

Sue Ann trudged through the department store, feet tired, shopping bags in hand, and in the spirit of Christmas nowhere to be found despite–or maybe because of–the sound of “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” echoing through the loudspeakers overhead.

Oh, God, it was the day after Thanksgiving–she had a whole month of this private hell to go.

page 5, Holly Lane

Blurb:

The weather outside is frightful, but kisses by the fire are so delightful …

Sue Ann Simpkins is working hard to rebuild her life and find some holiday spirit. A weekend away from Destiny in a cabin on nearby Bear Lake seems like the perfect Christmas gift to herself—until her ex’s best friend, Adam Becker, shows up at the door, claiming the cabin is his! And if that’s not trouble enough, how had she never noticed how gorgeous he was?

Alone for the holidays and forced to play a reindeer at the local department store, Adam’s been feeling rather Scrooge-ish himself. But finding the smart, sexy woman he’s admired since elementary school waiting in the house he rented is helping to brighten his humbug mood. And when a sudden snowstorm strands them together in very close quarters, leading to one very hot night together, Adam soon realizes that what he really wants for Christmas is a second chance at love. Now all he has to do is convince Sue Ann…

Purchase Holly Lane

Share a teaser from your current read in the comments section or leave a link. Do you enjoy Christmas reads? Do you have any recommendations for me?

My guest today is author Aubrie Dionne who is here to talk about her release Paradise 21, out at Entangled Publishing. Aubrie is an author and flutist in New England. After reaching a high point in her flutist career Aubrie decided to pursue other creative passions.

Over to Aubrie…

Every science fiction book has technological gadgets that do crazy things we only wish we could do in the real world. I had a lot of fun making up the following devices for Paradise 21. Every tool I used furthers the plot in some way, so it’s more than just a bunch of scientific nonsense!

Locators – Integral to the plot, locaters are tracking devices embedded in everyone’s arm on The New Dawn. Locators can be turned off when you eject the energy cell, but to remove it completely risks setting off an alarm. Lieutenant Barliss uses this device to find Aries once she escapes and crash lands on Paradise 21. Ironically, Striker uses Aries’ locator to find the coordinates of The New Dawn in order to get her back.

Ultrasonic tranquilizer ray – Lieutenant Barliss takes this weapon with him to Sahara 354 in hope of using it on Aries. One blast from an ultrasonic tranquilizer ray can knock the target out for days. This weapon employs basic ultrasonic principles. Ultrasonication generates alternating low-pressure and high-pressure waves in liquids, leading to the formation and violent collapse of small vacuum bubbles. This emits a shockwave which tranquilizes the target instantly.

Flurometric pliers – An instrument for detecting and measuring fluorescence, and removing certain particles within that spectrum. Striker uses this instrument to dislodge Aries’ locator. It’s not easy, but he’s the ultimate handy man.

A really neat website that can generate a bunch of science fiction names is Seventh Sanctum.

If you could design your own science fiction device, what would it be, and what would it do?

Aries has lived her entire life aboard mankind’s last hope, the New Dawn, a spaceship traveling toward a planet where humanity can begin anew—a planet that won’t be reached in Aries’ lifetime. As one of the last genetically desirable women in the universe, she must marry her designated genetic match and produce the next generation for this centuries-long voyage.

But Aries has other plans.

When her desperate escape from the New Dawn strands her on a desert planet, Aries discovers the rumors about pirates—humans who escaped Earth before its demise—are true. Handsome, genetically imperfect Striker possesses the freedom Aries envies, and the two connect on a level she never thought possible. But pursued by her match from above and hunted by the planet’s native inhabitants, Aries quickly learns her freedom will come at a hefty price.

The life of the man she loves.

Purchase Paradise 21

To learn more about Aubrie and her books visit her website or blog.

Bella is a year old now but still very much a puppy. Thankfully, she seems to have stopped growing and is a small/medium size. Just right for us. She keeps us constantly amused with her behavior. Here are a few recent shots.

Bella playing with a brown paper bag

Bella asking permission to jump up on a chair

Bella comfortable on the chair

Last week over at the Smut Writers’ Soap Box Amie Louellen wrote a fun post about romance writers. She asked everyone to finish this sentence – You know you’re a romance writer when…

Here’s the link. Go ahead. Click over and read it. I’ll wait until you come back.

While I was wondering how to entertain you all during the Black Friday blog hop, I suddenly thought, “Hmm. What if I stole Amie’s idea and tweaked it a little?”

So that’s when I came up with THE idea—the perfect idea to entertain my blog visitors today.

We’re all fans of reading, and a lot of us read romance. Romance readers are different because we like to read a lot. We always have our noses in a book and when we’re not reading, we are talking about books.

But how do you know you’re a romance reader?

That’s what I want you to tell me today. I’ll give you a couple of ideas to start you off.

You know you’re a romance reader when the piles of books at the side of your bed are mini-mountain size.

You know you’re a romance reader when you finish reading your book and immediately need to jump your husband. (that’s an erotic romance, of course)

Now it’s your turn. Finish this statement: You know you’re a romance reader when…

CONTEST: Leave your suggestion in the comments section. Everyone who completes the statement about romance readers goes into a draw to win a download of their choice from my backlist.

Don’t forget to check out the other authors participating in the MFRW Authors’ blog hop. There are some great prizes up for grabs. The links are below.

Chris Redding
W.Lynn Chantale
Christine Ashworth
Chelle Cordero
Tammy Dennings Maggy
Shelley Munro
Debra Holland
Jane Wakely
Smoky Ziedel
Ann Siracusa

I’m going fishing with my Thursday Thirteen this week and listing fishy terms.

1. Fish stew – bouillabaisse

2. Fishing from a moving boat – trolling

3. Fisherman – angler

4. Fish eggs – roe

5. Large group of fish – school

6. Raw fish – sashimi, sushi

7. Branch of zoology – ichthyology

8. Fishing bait or decoy – lure

9. Fish tank – aquarium

10. Fish hook – barb or gaff

11. Young fish – alevin, larva, parr, smolt or fingerling

12. Fishing spear – gig or leister

13. Fishy tale – something suspicious!

I have to admit that fishing is not my thing. I think it’s a cruel sport and prefer to stay well away. Hubby loves to fish and goes as often as he can fit it into his weekend schedule.

Do you enjoy fishing?

Source: Flip Dictionary by Barbara Ann Kipfer

With summer almost here in New Zealand hubby decided it was time to get Bella’s swimming pool out for those warmer days when she needs a swim to cool down. She had a ball tonight chasing the bubbles while he was filling it with the hose. I was cooking dinner and turned around to find puppy Bella sitting on the mat outside the kitchen, water dripping off her onto the carpet. Cue one screechy cook! I shouted and waggled my finger. Hubby has also put new sand in Bella’s sandpit so that should keep her busy and out of mischief for a few days.

This year I’ve been in a bit of a writing funk. It’s true that my jaunts overseas didn’t help much, interupting my flow. This week it finally feels as if I’m back in my groove. I’m working on something new and added 2100 words today.

I have a release date for Christmas is Coming. Look for my new contemporary on 9 December from Ellora’s Cave.

Last week on the Marketing for Romance Writers Yahoo list we had a special guest telling us about author signatures and critiquing the signatures of a few brave volunteers. I volunteered my signature. This is the one I’ve been using recently:

Are you up to PAR?
Provocative, Adventurous Romance
http://www.shelleymunro.com

The teacher liked my signature but suggested I change it around a little and reverse the order.

Shelley Munro…Provocative, Adventurous Romance
http://www.shelleymunro.com
Are you up to PAR?

Some writers include details of their recent releases, their blog, Twitter and Facebook links in their signatures. My personal preference is to keep things brief. There’s nothing worse than scrolling through heaps of signature when I’m trying to read my email. I’d be interested to hear how you do your email signatures and what your preferences are – long or short?

One good suggestion was to use WiseStamp to do email signatures. I thought this looked promising, and I intend to explore it more this weekend. It’s on my to-do list!

How is your writing going? What is your preference for email signatures? Do you change your email signatures on a regular basis?

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

~ Grab your current read
~ Open to a random page
~ Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
~BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
~ Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I’ve just picked up Ghost Story by Jim Butcher. I like this series, and I was very disappointed when they cancelled the TV series.

I frowned. “What, like . . . purgatory?”
Jack shrugged. “if that works for you, call it that. But you aren’t here because you need to cleanse yourself. You’re here because there was an irregularity with your death.”

page 10, Ghost Story

Blurb:

Meet Harry Dresden, Chicago’s first (and only) Wizard PI. Turns out the ‘everyday’ world is full of strange and magical things – and most of them don’t play well with humans. That’s where Harry comes in.

But he’s forgotten his own golden rule: magic – it can get a guy killed. Which didn’t help when he clashed with unknown assailants intent on his murder. And though Harry’s continued existence is now in some doubt, this doesn’t mean that Chicago’s resident professional wizard can rest in peace. Trapped in a realm that’s not quite here, yet not quite anywhere else, Harry learns that three of his loved ones are in mortal danger. Only by discovering his assailant’s identity can he save his friends, bring criminal elements to justice, and move on before he becomes trapped in his own unending nightmare.

It would just be easier if he knew which three friends were at risk. And had a (working) crystal ball. And had access to his magic. Instead, he must accomplish his mission unable to interact with the physical world – invisible and inaudible to all but the most specialised of magical talents. He’s far from the only silent presence roaming Chicago’s alleys. Hell, he put some there himself. And now, they’re looking for payback.

Purchase Ghost Story

Goodreads Giveaway – I’m currently doing a giveaway for my latest print release Sex Idol. Enter today to go into the draw to win. Here’s the Goodread’s link.

What are you reading this week? Leave a teaser or a link in the comments because I love to add to my wishlist.

I’d like to welcome author Meg Mims to my blog today. Meg is an award-winning author and artist who writes historical, western and mystery/suspense. Her first book, Double Crossing, is currently available from Astraea Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble as an ebook and will soon be in print. Meg is also a staff writer for RE/MAX Platinum in Michigan and for Lake Effect Living, a West Coast of Michigan tourist on-line magazine. She earned an M.A. from Seton Hill University’s Writing Popular Fiction program in January of 2010. Today Meg is talking about romance and romantic suspense. Over to Meg!

How much romance does a Romantic Suspense have to include? Some are quite tame, some have hot sex scenes, and some include only a hint or promise of romance. Are readers pretty tolerant in this genre?

Romantic Suspense was once considered a “crossover” – blending traditional romance with the intrigue of mystery or crime, or even plain adventure. Juggling more than one plotline is necessary, along with striking some kind of balance. If the romance is stronger, then it must end “HEA” or Happily Ever After. If the suspense is stronger, then the outcome can be iffy—as long as justice is served in the end in some fashion.

In Double Crossing, heroine Lily Granville is focused on tracking her father’s killer. Like in many romantic suspense plots, she meets a man who can help her—and sexual attraction plays a part in the relationship that grows from necessity to friendship and total trust. The focus stays on the twists and turns of why Lily’s father was murdered, and how to avoid being the next victim. Being classified as “clean” fiction, the characters maintain a fairly “hands-off” level of romance and the ending reflects that. However, the promise is there for more adventure.

There are plenty of top-notch authors in romantic suspense. Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series blends romance, adventure, suspense, mystery—and sometimes a violent murderer. While Stephanie tracks down her bond skip, she has run the gamut from killers to a donut thief. There’s Ranger danger, hot sex at times with cop Joe Morelli, and adventures with Lulu the ex-whore or her Grandma Mazur at the local funeral parlor. Bizarre at times, irreverent, thrilling and funny, yet satisfying to a large readership, Stephanie always collects her bounty hunter fee.

Tess Gerritson’s thriller-suspense books incorporate romance also, but with more depth when she explores politics, business and intrigue style plots, with betrayals and gripping tension. You can find whatever you like in the romantic suspense genre, from inspirational to erotic, from historical to contemporary, from fantasy to science fiction, even ghosts or paranormal elements.

Oddly enough, if you do a search on Amazon for “romantic suspense,” you won’t find a single male author listed with a book. Perhaps “they” classify this genre as geared to and written by women only. A shame, because this genre can get down and dirty with the most complex plots and deep emotional characters.

The key is to keep the reader on their toes, to twist and turn the plot threads and produce a page-turning success.

Question from Shelley: How much romance do you prefer in your romantic suspense reads? Lots or just a dash to spice things up?

Blurb: A murder arranged as a suicide … a missing deed … and a bereft daughter whose sheltered world is shattered.

August, 1869: Lily Granville is stunned by her father’s murder. Only one other person knows about a valuable California gold mine deed — both are now missing. Lily heads west on the newly opened transcontinental railroad, determined to track the killer. She soon realizes she is no longer the hunter but the prey.

As things progress from bad to worse, Lily is uncertain who to trust—the China-bound missionary who wants to marry her, or the wandering Texan who offers to protect her … for a price. Will Lily survive the journey and unexpected betrayal?

Read an excerpt

Purchase Double Crossing from Astraea Press, Amazon or Barnes & Noble

To learn more about Meg and her books visit her website Meg Mims