Inspiration for Book 3

So, who is your inspiration for your writing?  Do you actually have someone in mind to play your characters when your book becomes a Silver Screen Film?  Or is it all just in your head?
I've started writing what I hope will become my Book three.  And even though I didn't think I'd ever do it, I'm doing a sequel to Book Two.  There was a really interesting leftover character from that story that really needed a story of his own. And in my head, this is him...

Yes, yes I know.  It's a medical and I've picked Patrick Dempsey.  But I have to, because
a) I love him and
b) this was the picture that came into my head as I sketched out the story.  But Patrick has a new identity, he's now Lincoln Adams, Neonatologist Extraordinaire!
Now this is where you might get mad with me.  Either that or you'll know what I've been watching to death, because here is my heroine

Yes, it's Amy Adams.  and yes I've been watching Enchanted.  A LOT.  However, this is not the princess Amy Adams - this is the hardass Amy Adams.  Who knows exactly what she wants and how to get it.  And her name in the story is........Amy.  But to be honest, I'd already picked my names before I picked my inspirational pictures.  So, it's stuck.
I plan in the near future to use an equally gorgeous picture of Sawyer aka Josh Holloway, who will play a distinct bad boy in a story all of his own.
And for some reason in Books 1 and 2, I find I've been writing LOTS from the male POV.  I wonder why this is?
So who are your current Hero and Heroine?  Share, please.
And finally, for those who were wondering - I went with the Mr Men for the Easter Egg Competition and yes, we did win!

Let's be Frivalous!

So I could post about doing revisions etc but that would just be boring.

I'm starting to get excited.  I've booked my place at the RNA conference in July this year.  The conference is in Wales this year and it's going to prove a little tricky to get to from sunny Scotland.  I think I'm going to arrive just as the opening address is taking place, however I'm happy to go in dragging my case behind me!

So when planning the conference there is a dinner on the Friday night and a barbeque on the Saturday night.  Mmmm, so what will I wear.......
Well my new writing name is Scarlet therefore

Isn't it gorgeous!  And look at the ruffles - they will hide a MULTITUDE of sins!
So that's Friday taken care of.  What about Saturday??
I'm swithering here.  I have two outfits.  One probably a bit too formal for a barbeque and the other?  Well, I'm not quite sure if I'm brave enough!

Wow, that came out bigger than expected!

I've bought the "jumpsuit" but I just don't know if I'm brave enough to wear it!  What do you think?
And finally the RNA conference is all about the shoes.

So what do think of the shoes?  And is there votes for the dress or the jumpsuit for the Saturday night?

The fiercest Easter Egg competition in the World!

I've been a very bad blogger lately and I know that, but never mind, now I need some help.  Because it's coming up to Easter time again, and let me introduce you to the fiercest competition in the world!
Let me explain, every year at our church we have a boiled egg decorating competition for the Sunday School.  This sounds simple enough - but believe me, it's not.  It takes weeks to decide what your egg is going to be this year.  Weeks to design your "costume" and "set".  This is NOT a competition for kids!
Let me introduce you to Nemo.

This was a winning egg, but it took nearly a week to create.  Let me let you into a little secret of boiled egg decoration.  Car spray paint.  Yes, car spray paint.  It's the only thing that sticks to a blinking egg!
Here's another winner.

Happy Feet.  And yes, that penguin did fall over.  It was propped into place for the picture!
Then there was.....

Ratatouille.  Is anyone seeing a pattern emerging here??????
Yes, I like children's films.  And I always seem to find a character in them.
Then there was last years effort.  And I mean that, an effort.  It was the worst ever!

Daleks.  From Doctor Who - just in case you couldn't possibly recognise them.  Yes, I know they look awful.
Which is why this year I need some help.  Some suggestions.  Some prize winning suggestions.  But remember it has to be a decorated egg - so try and imagine how it should look.
Last year my son wanted to make WWE wrestlers.  Any idea how to make them out of boiled eggs?  No, neither did I.
So, help PLEASE!!!!!!!
All suggestions gratefully received.

News and the Shred

I am in a happy place.  I heard back from my editor today with revisions for book 2.  I am delighted.  This is the book I wrote while waiting to hear back from Mills and Boon about It Started with a Pregnancy.  So, my editor had never heard anything about this story, hadn't seen a proposal and hadn't agreed it at all.  After I got The Call for book 1, I sent this in and held my breath.
So now I am breathing a huge sigh of relief.  I don't need to write something completely different.  I have to make changes, but that's fine.  The revisions seem reasonable so I'm going to bury my head in the sand for the next month and work away on them.
Next, I've joined the Craze.  The Craze for the Shred.  I've heard other people talking about it and finally decided to see what it was all about.  I'm currently only on Day 4 and I'm still at level one of the 30 day Shred.  Apparently if you follow this 20 min exercise routine every day for 30 days you can lose 7-10lbs, change shape and drop a dress size.  Now I hate exercise.  I'm practically allergic to it.  I danced up until I was 17.  Then did nothing for years.  I went swimming for a bit, only because I'm not a particularly good swimmer and wanted to get better.  But it annoyed me.  The grey-haired swimming brigade kept swimming in front of me (going breadth wise instead of length wise - why would people do that?) and as I can't tread water, every time they swam in front of me I sank like a stone.  Recently I've been going to a Zumba class once a week and have quite enjoyed it, but an hour a week is not going to sort out my flabby tum.
So, Shred it is!  I've decided not to weigh myself until the end of the 30 days - so I'll let you know how it goes.

And what do you think of this?  It's my banner for my new website which is being built by a work colleague.  Hopefully it will be ready soon.
Finally a huge congratulations to Leah Ashton, the winner of New Voices who just sold her book to Mills and Boon.  I look forward to reading it!

After the Call...

First of all, thanks to everyone who sent their good wishes following The Call.  You might have been able to tell I was on a high...
So what happens next?  Quite a lot actually.  I wasn't asked to do any final tweaks to my manuscript so have been able to sleep soundly.  My editor let me know that my book will be titled It Started with a Pregnancy and will be published in Sept 2011.  WHOOPEE!
I also had to agree a date to have my next manuscript ready.  I've agreed on the end of May but have just finished writing a medical romance that's a little different.  It's been off to my critique partner and had some changes and has now been sent on to my editor, who will get back to me in a few weeks.
I'm not delusional.  I know that revisions will be required.  And hopefully now I've had some practice I will be better at them.  My big worry is that my editor will tell me she doesn't like it and I'll have to start something new completely.  Because I love this story and I love that it features a profession I've never seen in a Medical Romance before.
In the meantime I've started revising something I wrote last year and has room for improvement - oh, and a POV!
I've just had my first set of Author Alterations sent to me and I plan to work on them tomorrow.  This is the last time I get to see my book before publication.  Yikes!
I also received my contract, which made my knees tremble as I printed it out.  So I just need to sign that and send it back.
I also purchased a domain name for my website and a friend at work is going to build my site for me.
Finally I found out that my first book will be eligible for the Joan Hessayon Prize with the RNA as it went through the New Writers Scheme.  So next year I get to go to the RNA Summer Party!  Yippee!
So how is everyone else getting on?  I know some people are still waiting for their SYTYCW entries and my fingers and toes are crossed for you all!

The Call!

At 1.34pm today my life changed. The phone rang. The Call. As I was driving. The number came on the dashboard and I thought 0208???? is this a marketing call? But I pressed the button on the steering wheel and it was the lovely Sally Williamson from Mills and Boon.
Now at first I was worried. When other people have got the "The Call" they've usually had an email to arrange a time to talk. I hadn't had an email. But the day before I'd emailed Sally asking if she'd had time to look at my revisions and if she liked them or not. So I was worried. The crows of doubt were definitely circling.
My first thought was - she's phoning to let me down gently. So when I heard the words "We want to buy your book" I screamed so loudly I probably deafened her. Then I had to pull the car over as I started crying. Happy tears. Lots and lots of happy tears.
Then I heard the words "forward" and "two book deal". It was all a bit of a blur after that. I phoned my beloved and shouted "I can pay off the Visa bill!"
Then I ran into work and started shouting "I write for Mills and Boon!" The people I work with are wonderful and have known that I was waiting to hear for a while, so flowers and cake seemed to appear out of thin air.
Then I took two minutes to go and email my critique partner Nancy, my other online colleagues, Rachael, Jackie, Joanne. Then I emailed the poor Mills and Boon medical authors I've been stalking for a while Kate Hardy, Wendy S Marcus and Anne Fraser.
Then I had to go and tell my mum, dad and sisters. None of whom knew about my exploits to write for Mills and Boon - so that was fun.
So tonight I've finally sat down. I've read the confirmation email that Sally sent me. This ISN'T a dream. It is true. I've got to pick a pseudonym as there is another Romance writer in America called Susan Wilson. So what will I pick? I have no idea. But I have a whole weekend to decide. Feel free to make suggestions... Friends have already told me to call myself Scarlet, as I spend my life wearing red, but I'm going to take a bit of time.
Finally to say, that this all came about because of a Pitch on the eharlequin website in March last year. Wendy S Marcus, myself and two others won the chance to pitch our stories to Lucy Gilmour from medical romance. A partial was requested and then I was passed to Sally who requested the full. The rest as they say is history!
Now, to find the wine...........

How many do you have?

Writing books that is.  Or How-to books.
I must confess I've been a bit naughty again.  And it's all Mulberry's fault.  She recommended a book on her blog and that's all it took.  To be fair to her I'd heard this book mentioned before, but this was in a workbook style so I felt like it was a message for me to do something.  And I can't blame her for the second purchase.  So, lo and behold, off I trundled to the Book Depository and bought
Save the Cat by Blake Snyder  and
Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook by Donald Maass.

Now I'm sure that I'll like these books.  Because I seem to like ALL of these books.  Then I took a little wander through to my "office".  You know I don't really have one, but it's the part of the house that's designated mine, with my old clanky computer, a filing cabinet and a bit of a bookcase. 
And guess what I find.  A treasure trove of how-to books.  Some that I'd forgotten that I'd even purchased!
So what was in that store?  Wait for it folks and take a deep breath.....

Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies                                       Leslie Wainger
Revision and Self-Editing                                                             James Scott Bell
The Everything Guide to Writing the Romance Novel                   Christie Craig & Faye Hughes
The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes                          Jack Bickham
On Writing                                                                                  Stephen King
Hooked                                                                                       Les Edgerton
Solutions for Novelists                                                                  Sol Stein
The Romance Writers Handbook                                                 Rebecca Vinyard
The Writers Journey                                                                     Christopher Vogler
The Enneagram made Easy                                                           Renee Baron & Elizabeth Wagele
12 point guide to Writing Romance                                               Kate Walker
The Romance Writers Phrase Book                                              Jean Kent & Candace Shelton
How to Write Romances                                                              Phyllis Taylor Pianka
How to Write a Blockbuster                                                         Helen Corner & Lee Weatherly
Manuscript Makeover                                                                  Elizabeth Lyon
Scene and Structure                                                                     Jack Bickham
Goal, Motivation and Conflict                                                       Debra Dixon
Getting the Point                                                                           J Hadden & E Hawksley

WOW!!

I really need to get out more.  But to be honest some I've liked some more than others.  And they're not all writing books, some are about editing, some about characters, and some about punctuation. 

It's a weak defence - I know!

Most of all my favourite is still the one I bought first - Kate Walkers 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance.  It's still the one I find most useful.  And what's better, she's just released a new updated version.  There are a number of websites currently offering copies as prizes, but I won't be telling you where they all are because I'll be entering them myself!!!!

There are others I've enjoyed like Leslie Wainger's Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies and, now don't laugh, The Romance Writers Phrase Book.  It may be a little outdated, but it helped me write my very first story aimed at Mills and Boon.  For my latest story I didn't use it at all, but I think that just shows me that I've finally made some headway and progressed.

So, what about you?  Do you own any of these books?  Do you have a secret stash somewhere?  Which one do you like best?  Or, dare you recommend something else to me?  Remember - there may be repercussions!!!