Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Shoulder to the wheel and nose to the grindstone etc...

It felt odd, reverting to snail mail submissions, but I sent one off yesterday, complete with sae and irc's, and set my computer to remind me when a response is due. (the latter is a largely pointless exercise, but I always do it.)

That out the way, I returned to my WIP and started worming my way into the story again, following the voyage to the point where I left it, assuming the cloaks for the four disparate characters who carry the tale.

One of them reminds me of Toby Meares, from the "Callan" series long ago. It is fun imagining the circumstances that would produce a similar character in 1802, although he seems less of an anachronism than I expected.

The cover art for "The Widowmaker" is not yet finalized, although I know I'll be pleased with it, my last two cover artists have been great to work with, and the edits for the story should arrive soon(another interruption to the WIP).

It's a great life.

Amy(for the moment)

Monday, February 25, 2008

Fancy Free


A fellow Antipodean with an offbeat sense of humour and a very engaging writing style has a new release at Ellora's Cave. I'll let her tell you about it in her press release.
Responsible Romantic Heroes Use Condoms

Some readers prefer heroes to use condoms while others say the dose of reality kills all the spontaneity and romance. It’s a debate that repeats all over romance land—to use condoms or not to use condoms—since, after all, it is only fiction…

New Zealand erotic romance author, Shelley Munro took this a step further in her upcoming release Fancy Free, the story of an accountant who inherits a condom company. When Ms. Munro caught an Air New Zealand flight from San Francisco, she came across an advertising article about a new condom on the market. The ideas flowed and by the time she landed in Auckland, she’d outlined her plot for Fancy Free.

It’s not every day a girl inherits a condom company, and to say accountant, Alice Beasley is astonished and out of her depth is putting it mildly. For an almost virgin, she needs a quick education in all things condom because her inheritance is in danger. Someone is intent on sabotage and playing nasty, trying to destroy her new company.

Alice is suddenly getting down and dirty with charismatic James, the factory manager, all in the name of business, testing new condom designs. The sex is hot. Mind-blowing. It’s a dark thrill and an erotic journey. Yeah, it’s a hard job but a girl’s got to do what a girl’s gotta do.

The testing turns personal. Alice wants James. She craves his talented touch and sultry kisses, she desires passion and physical pleasure on a permanent basis but first she must convince bad boy James to give up his fancy free ways.

Note: condoms were tested and a few harmed during the writing of this story.

Fancy Free releases on 7 March 2008 from Ellora’s Cave www.ellorascave.com and is Ms. Munro’s eighteenth release from the pioneer erotic romance publisher.

From the time Shelley Munro was a little girl living in New Zealand, she wanted to be a detective. She read all the Famous Five mysteries by Enid Blyton before graduating to Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Her favorite television viewing was Scooby Doo where she, in her invisible guise, helped Scooby solve the crime.

As happens with children, Shelley grew up and boys distracted her from childhood dreams. She found one she really liked and married him, traveling the world at his side until returning to settle in New Zealand to write hot and spicy tales for Ellora’s Cave, some of which contain the odd body or two.

Publishing Notes:
Title: Fancy Free
Author: Shelley Munro
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
ISBN: 9781419913341
Release Date: 7 March 2008
Genre: Contemporary erotic romance
Setting: Present day New Zealand

Adventure into Romance with Shelley Munro
http://www.shelleymunro.com
shelleymunro@gmail.com
It, and her blog, are well worth the time.
Amy

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Anniversary Presents


It's our forty-fifth wedding anniversary and I am gloating over a personal present on the right, the initial run of the cover art for The Widowmaker at Whiskey Creek Press. The far background behind the motorcycles may change, but already the cover artist has done me proud.

The real anniversary present is the forty-five years we've already shared. Add three children we consider friends, five grandchildren (with the prospect of more) who've stolen our hearts all over again, and a relationship that has weathered life's storms remarkably well, considering our faults. (largely mine, of course)

We'll celebrate by baby-sitting one of our grandchildren while our younger daughter celebrates her own anniversary (our children have Machiavellian minds), and tomorrow we'll go out, just the two of us, and have afternoon tea at a favorite place.

In the meantime, I have edits, a WIP and a submission to prepare.

It's a great life.

Amy

Monday, February 18, 2008

The Final Ritual

Our friend has gone.

We attended the final ritual of her life last Thursday and it was no surprise to find how many lives she had touched with her grace and personality. A "Preps" teacher at a prestigious girl's school, she came into our lives when she became our neighbour, attended plays with us, became part of the "Birthday Girls".

They handed out jellybeans, an integral part of her classroom, and we all took one thankfully as her final reward for good behaviour.

As always, she gave generously.

Amy

Monday, February 11, 2008

Fare Thee Well

A very gracious lady left this place yesterday, putting aside a body that could no longer sustain her spirit.

She will be missed.