Taste of Kiwi

Bottle Top Bay is a small community not far from where I used to live. We used to go there for a drive some weekends and take Scotty for a walk. I used it as the setting for Summer in the City of Sails or at least that’s where Summer lives with Nikolai. Her Uncle Henry lives at Bottle Top Bay too. Louie and Mac from Soldier of Fortune vist Summer and Nikolai at Bottle Top Bay.

The other day hubby and I went for a bike ride together and took some photos.

These are both shots of Bottle Top Bay, taken from the other side of the estuary. As you can see the tide is out, and when it’s out it is really way out! It’s pretty though, and out in the country, but still not far away from the amenities of town.

I’ve finally signed up for Twitter. I have no idea what I’m doing. Heck, I’m still working out FaceBook. This is my Twitter address if you’d like to follow me.

I have two questions for you today: Do you like Twitter, and if so, why or why not? Do you enjoy background information about stories i.e. family trees, photos, info about where the idea came from etc?

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It’s the time of the year where everywhere looks back and thinks of their favorite and sometimes least favorite things for the year. I thought I’d list my top romance reads for both print and e-books. NOTE: Most of the above books came out in 2009, but a few of these are 2008 releases. I read them this year and therefore they’ve made my list.

Favorite Romance reads in no particular order.

1. Wicked Burn by Beth Kery (erotic contemporary)
2. Pleasure Unbound (Demonica, Book 1) by Larissa Ione (paranormal)
3. Able-Bodied (Harlequin Blaze) by Karen Foley (Blaze)
4. Amorous Liaisons (Harlequin Blaze) by Sarah Mayberry (Blaze)
5. Bound to Shadows (Riley Jensen, Guardian, Book 8) by Keri Arthur (paranormal)
6. On the Prowl (Tales of an Urban Werewolf, Book 2) by Karen MacInerney (paranormal)
7. She’s Got It Bad (Harlequin Blaze) by Sarah Mayberry (Blaze)
8. The Education of Madeline by Beth Williamson (historical)
9. Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels, Book 3) by Ilona Andrews (urban fantasy)
10. Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas (contemporary)
11. Bound to Please by Lilli Feisty (erotic contemporary)
12. Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carrigan (historical paranormal)

Favorite Romance e-books in no particular order.

1. Hard Fall by James Buchanan (m/m)
2. Branded as Trouble by Lorelei James (erotic contemporary)
3. High Line by TA Chase (m/m)
4. The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks by Josh Lanyon (m/m)
5. Rough Stock by Cat Johnson (erotic contemporary)
6. Happy Ending by LB Gregg (m/m)
7. Hara’s Legacy by Bianca D’Arc (futuristic)
8. Gray’s Awakening by Cameron Dane (m/m)

The interesting thing is that while I’ve read plenty of e-books this year, many of them have been by NY published authors. I’ve purchased far more books in e-format than print this year. There are some books in my to-read pile that I suspect would have made this list, if I’d had time to read them such as Tere Michaels’ Love & Loyalty and NJ Walters’ Alexandra’s Legacy. I’ve been drowning in edits for the last two months, which cuts into my reading time!

Which books made your “best of list” for 2009?

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Travel-Ready Packing: Pack Light, Dress Right—Anytime, Anywhere
by Julie Ann Martin
Publisher: Argo & Cole Publishers
ISBN: 978-0-9791186-1-6
Publication Date: 1 Jan, 2010
Website: www.travelreadypacking.com
Amazon link: Travel-Ready Packing: Pack Light, Dress Right – Anytime, Anywhere

Any of my friends or family or people who visit my website knows how much I enjoy traveling and exploring different parts of the world. Since my marriage, my husband and I have spent months in Africa, America, Europe, Central America, India, Asia and Australia. Sometimes we traveled with our backpacks, and at other times, we went more up market. You’d think with all my experience in traveling that packing would be a breeze. Not so. It’s one thing that remains a bit of a trial for me, so when I saw that Ms. Martin’s publisher was offering Travel-Ready Packing for review, I grabbed the chance to learn from an expert.

Travel-Ready Packing has an intro which discusses things such as culture in different countries, fabric types and types of climate. The next part of the book is split into sections for each country or region of the world. Each of these sections gives the temperatures for different months of the year, a list of recommended clothing for both males and females, the risk of danger at the destination, recommended colors to wear and how casual or formal the dress-code is in the country being visited. There are also sections for business travelers and those who travel to adventure destinations, multi-climate packing and also a list for expatriate packing. At the rear of the book there’s a world map, which makes it a simple matter to find the country you’re visiting and look up the corresponding page reference. In fact the book covers everything I could think of from clothes to bags to accessories.

When I decided to “test” the book and relive my trip to Africa, the packing list was spot-on—exactly what I should have taken for my trip. It was also very accurate for my recent trips to Samoa and Phuket, Thailand. The only gap I could see was for a cruising holiday, but I think the lists for the South Pacific, which is where my cruise holiday is taking place, will do the trick nicely. I found the book easy to use, very readable, and as I mentioned very accurate with the suggested packing lists. No more back-breaking suitcases for me!

I recommend this book for anyone who intends to travel for work or pleasure. And romance writers, if you’re heading to a conference and you’re not sure what to pack, this is the book for you.

Shelley Munro

You can see from above that I’m all sorted with my packing now since I have this book to refer to. How do you approach packing for a trip or a holiday? Are you a good packer or do you forget half the things you need?

I’m doing a guest spot at The Rainbow Studio (part of the Romance Studio) and talking about reality shows and Fallen Idol. Here’s the link to my post at The Rainbow Studio.

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Today Soldier of Fortune is out at Ellora’s Cave. It’s an erotic contemporary romance that’s set in both Iraq and New Zealand. Two years ago, I watched a documentary about private security companies operating in the war zone and the New Zealanders who take up contracts with them to make big money. It’s a dangerous job, yet some of the men go back for more than one contract. They’re in it for both the money and the adrenaline rush.

I’ve been wanting to write stories about some of the secondary characters in Summer in the City of Sails, and this documentary provided me with a possible plot line. I did lots of research, watched heaps of documentaries on British and American soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan in order to make my story realistic. I didn’t want to overwhelm the reader with war so hopefully I’ve managed to strike the balance between realism and romance.

In my story, there’s a female correspondent who works for CBS. One of the jobs of the private security force is to keep her and the other CBS employees safe when they go about doing their job, reporting on the progress of the war. It takes a clear head to calmly report a story while dodging bullets, and I know I couldn’t do it. Female correspondents are often able to interview local women about their experiences and get answers to quite intimate questions. Male correspondents would not have the same access, and many women refuse to talk with them.

I’m taking Soldier of Fortune out on tour. Yes, it’s true—you’ll get to hear more about me and my Ninja Turtle soldiers. Here’s a link to my blog tour schedule.

Would you like to be a reporter? Would you like to be a reporter in a war zone?

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A couple of weeks ago I purchased an item manufactured by Durex. It proved faulty, and I couldn’t find a consumer address on the packaging. My next move was to go to the Durex website where I found a contact address. On Sunday I emailed their customer contact address with all the relevant details. And no, I’m not telling you what the product was—suffice to say I write erotic romance and like to do my own research! On Monday morning at 9.00 am, I received a response. They apologized and offered to replace the faulty product. On Thursday, I received my replacement item plus a few freebies. This is excellent customer service, and I’m impressed. I will happily continue to research Durex products (the inspiration for my contemporary romance, Fancy Free, which is about a woman who inherits a condom factory.)

Throughout my working life, I’ve held jobs that dealt with the public: a bank, a pub, an accountant and administration. In my last job as administration for the local McDonald’s franchisee, it was my job to field telephone complaints and write letters to customers who had problems with their McDonald’s experience. I know what it is like on the other side, and quite frankly, there were some horrid, rude customers who were completely unreasonable. Because of my experience, I’m very sensitive to customer service. While I expect good service, I try not to take out my frustration or a bad mood on hapless shop assistants. I smile and say thank you to the guys who pack my groceries. I know what it is like to be on the receiving end of an unreasonable rant.

I actually think that customer service has declined in a lot of businesses here in New Zealand. I don’t know why this is, but there are times where I lose patience and will walk away to spend my hard-earned money elsewhere.

In CatNap, book eight of my Middlemarch Mates series, brother and sister Rohan and Ambar Patel run the family grocery store. (They consequently sell it and move to a new grocery story in Middlemarch) The cornerstone of their business is customer service. Their strict parents have taught them that the customer is king and this is the way they run their business, going the extra mile to please their customers. Good customer service works for them.

What do you think about customer service? Is it better than it used to be or worse? Do you have any experiences to share?

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When we visited Zanzibar, one of the things I remember was the spice tour. Up until that stage my main acquaintance with spices was the ones purchased at the supermarket. It was a bit of an eye-opener learning where some of the spices came from.

Thirteen Types of Spices

1. All Spice – the dried berries of an evergreen tree that’s native to the West Indies. It’s used in baking and the whole berries can be used in stews or casseroles.

2. Cardamom – these pods can be used whole or ground and is used to flavor spiced vegetable dishes and pilafs. It’s used in Indian ice cream and the Middle Eastern Halva.

3. Cloves – are dried flower buds. They’re delicious with stewed apple /apple pie.

4. Cinnamon – made from dried bark. It’s mainly used in cakes and biscuits. Cinnamon toast is yummy.

5. Ginger – the root of a flowering plant that’s native to China. The root is used fresh and grated or it can be dried to a powder. I use the fresh ginger in savory dishes and the powder in sweet dishes.

6. Nutmeg – dried kernel of an apricot-like fruit. It’s often used in sweet dishes, but it goes great with vegetables and rice.

7. Tamarind – the dried fruit of the tamarind tree. It’s used in curries and Indian dishes. I love tamarind sauce with samosa.

8. Vanilla – snake-like pods of a climbing orchid. They’re very expensive to purchase. Vanilla goes great with fruit dishes, custards and milk desserts.

9. Turmeric – it’s also a root or rhizome like ginger and it’s a bright gold color. It’s used in Indian cooking and the British add it to their piccalilli (piquant pickle).

10. Poppy seeds – widely used in Indian and Jewish cooking. It’s often sprinkled on top of bread. Don’t ever drop these because they take ages to clean up!!

11. Peppercorns – They come in different colors but black are the most common. I have a pepper grinder and use it liberally on savory dishes.

12. Cumin seeds – come from a plant related to the parsley family. The seeds are best roasted before use. It’s used in curries and savory vegetable dishes.

13. Soldier of Fortune—it’s a spicy contemporary tale written by Shelley Munro and it’s coming out next week on Nov 18 at Ellora’s Cave. Read the blurb and an excerpt here. You might have met the hero Louie in Summer in the City of Sails.

What is your cooking favorite spice?

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I’m doing two guest blogs today.

The first is at RomCon where I’m talking about big cats and feline shifters. I’m also giving away a download from my backlist to one commenter. Here’s the link to my RomCon post.

I’m also blogging at Access Romance where I’m talking about baking for Christmas. Here’s the link to my Access Romance post.

In writing news, I’ve learned my next Ellora’s Cave book Soldier of Fortune is due for release on 18 November. That’s next week!! I don’t have a cover to show you yet, but I do have a blurb and excerpt available to tempt you. Soldier of Fortune features Louie Lithgow who first appeared in one of my earlier books, Summer in the City of Sails.

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As a writer I’m always interested in craft books, and I’ve been meaning to pick up this particular one for a long time. The title—First Draft in 30 Days is a bit misleading because if you follow the methods prescribed you’ll end up with a very detailed outline rather than a first draft. Ms. Wiesner does state though that because you revise the outline so much before starting to write, the end result is more like a final draft, which will require only minor polishing before submission.

The first part of the book deals with preparation and the things the writer should do during thirty days. Days 1 – 6 are for the preliminary outline and include character, setting and plot sketches and a summary outline. Days 7 – 13 are for research. Days 14 – 15 are for story evolution, internal and external conflict etc. Days 16 – 24 are for a formatted outline where research, character and setting are incorporated into the outline. Days 25 – 28 are for evaluating the outline and days 29 – 30 are to revise the outline.

The book includes a series of worksheets for each day, which are helpful. They can be handwritten or done in a computer file.

The second part of the book shows how to incorporate the 30 day method when you have a completed manuscript or a partial one that is perhaps not working. There is also a section on setting goals for projects and book promotion.

One thing Ms. Wiesner stresses is the importance of brainstorming throughout the outlining process, which is something I agree with. She says constant brainstorming during your day means you’ll never sit down in front of a computer and wonder what to write.

I’ll admit that I’ve always been a determined pantser, but after reading Ms. Wiesner’s book I think I’ll try her outlining method. I’ve decided to plan a new story while I complete my current work-in-progress. I am a little worried about sticking to a rigid plan because I’ve always thought too much planning spoiled the story for me, so it will be interesting to see how I go during the next 30 days.

The methods outlined in this book will not work for all authors, but it is definitely worth reading.

First Draft in 30 Days by Karen S. Wiesner is available from Amazon.

Writers: Do you read craft books? Do you have any favorites that you reach for on a regular basis?

Readers: I’m always on the lookout for book recommendations, in particular young adult stories at the moment. What are you reading this week?

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The theme this week is the first paragraph. I’ve chosen my Quickie story Lovers at Last, which is available in the print anthology Provocative Pearl or as a download.

Lovers at Last by Shelley Munro

A thump on Justin Collet’s door jerked his attention from the Auckland versus Canterbury rugby match playing on his television. Before he could push to his feet, he heard his front door fly open and hit the stopper. Seconds later it slammed shut. The strident tap-tap of high heels echoed in the hall and Pearl MacInray stomped into his den. Justin took a moment to admire the temper glowing on her face, the flashing pale blue eyes and golden tumble of curls before doing a scan of her curvy body. Immediately he tensed, his cock shooting to partial arousal. Damn, she was one fine woman. Pity they were merely friends. Pearl came to a halt in front of him, magnificent breasts heaving with the force of her ire.

To read other Snippet Saturday posts follow the links below:

Jody Wallace
Moira Rogers
Sasha White
Shelley Munro
Taige Crenshaw
Vivian Arend
Lauren Dane
Jaci Burton
Juliana Stone
Lacey Savage
Elisabeth Naughton
Victoria Janssen
Ashley Ladd
Shelli Stevens
Leah Braemel
McKenna Jeffries
Anya Bast
Kelly Maher

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Today I’m both provocative and risque. I bet you didn’t know that! Yes, it’s all quite true. I have two new print releases today from Ellora’s Cave.

Provocative Pearl and Risque Ruby

Aren’t the covers pretty? Both books are currently available from Ellora’s Cave at a reduced price so now is the time to buy. Here are the links:

Provocative Pearl
Risque Ruby

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