Having turned in my October release and gone through with revisions (I’m waiting on copy edits), I’m getting close to starting a new book. I’m not jumping into it right now because of the struggles in the last book – I just needed a break. One of the good things about being in the middle of a series means I don’t have to brainstorm a completely new idea. My couple has been pre-selected. But there is still much to be done.

Last night I did my collage, just pictures and words clipped out of magazines that caught my eye and glued on a poster board. I’m not positive, at this stage, what all the images mean. Perhaps they mean nothing, but things are coming together in my mind. Next up will be all my character pre-work. This used to involve tons and tons of worksheets, but I’ve since streamlined my process. It still entails worksheets, but far less and the ones I used now are specific and detailed and really help me dig out the hidden goodies in my characters.

This digging stage is one of those love/hate parts of writing. It can often be the most exciting and most frustrating. For the upcoming book, I know the heroine is Willow and I know quite a bit about her; I’ve been looking forward to her book (which is never a good sign .) And I know who the hero is and I think I know their basic external conflict, but I don’t yet know the big, deeper issues. Not only that, but I only have a kernel of an idea for the external plot, not much when you have to write an entire book. On deadline.

So in the next few weeks, I’ll pull out my notebook (3-ring binder I use for each new book) for this book and tackle the worksheets. In doing so, I’ll discover Willow and her hero’s internal and external goals, motivations and conflicts. I’ll uncover their biggest errors in thinking and the lessons they need to learn in order to achieve their happily ever after. Not only their conflicts and issues will come to light, but the other stuff, the fun stuff, the reasons why they’re going to fall in love (something you aspiring authors don’t want to forget to put it).

There are a couple of books I use in my character development. They’re really useful to get my mental juices flowing, but I would warn against using only the information you find within them, and not creating beyond. The point is to develop real, people-like characters that readers can readily identify with. But, I digress, the books are: The Complete Writer’s Guide to Heroes and Heroines by Tami Cowden, Caro LaFever, and Sue Viders; and What Type Am I? by Renee Baron. The first book deals with 16 archetypes (8 male, 8 female) that the authors identified after examining 100’s of movies. It’s amazing once you start using this system how you’ll find archetypes in all the books and movies you enjoy. The second book is based on the Myers-Brigg personality test. I love how this book is formatted, with bulleted lists, it prevents from over digging, so that you’re just using this to create yet another layer of your character.

All the while I’m working on these worksheets, scene ideas are percolating in the back of my mind. So eventually I’ll come up with a book out of all my brainstorming, and scene ideas. That doesn’t mean the writing then just flows out on to the page. There are still struggles. I might get to chapter 4 and realize that something isn’t working. At this point, I usually call my critique partner in a panic, but it’s always fixable. Many more panic sessions ensue through the writing process, but ultimately you hope you end up with a finished product you can be proud of.

So I’ll enter the next stage with a lot of excitement and a bit of trepidation at what this book will bring. Each one is different, not only in content, but in the journey itself. You just never know what each day will bring.

I recently got some basic training on how to update my own website, but I’m overwhelmed! There are so many great sites out there, and ways of attracting readers …

Like Robyn’s site http://www.robyndehart.com/ – it’s so full of news, recipes, a contest – but it doesn’t look cluttered.

I like Anne’s, too http://www.annemallory.com/. It’s warm and friendly, and I love the words of the day.

Or Shirley’s http://www.shirleykarr.com/ – great colors plus the added bonus of her pearls.

Cindy’s new website http://www.cindykirk.com/has a great contemporary look and it’s crisp and clean, without a lot of clutter to distract the eye.

I love the dark blue of Kim’s website http://www.kimberlylogan.net/ and her eye-catching graphics. And I enjoy seeing what her monthly picks are!

Shane’s colors are great, too http://www.shanebolks.com/articles.html – and her articles page is well worth checking out.

So how do I incorporate all these great features into my website? Right now, the site is fairly plain. I plan on doing a contest at some point, but what else? Suggestions on making it more dynamic, anyone? http://www.margomaguire.com/

Anyone following March Madness? The NCAA tourney is well under way and non-basketball fans beware – all your Thursday and Friday night CBS shows are on hiatus.

This year I took part in a a bracket pick game with/against family members. Everyone makes their picks and then gnaws on their fingers hoping their teams for the Final Four don’t go out in the first round.

I can’t tell you how fun it’s been! Usually I watch March Madness for Big 10 teams, or ones I have other ties too, but this year it’s all about rooting on every team that I picked to win. Too fun.

March Madness can be a little overwhelming, especially in the first two rounds, with so many teams playing. Playing with the bracket picks keeps things on point. I’m not a gambler, I play games for the fun of them, it’s all about getting into the spirit – rooting for a winner or an underdog. That’s what makes the whole thing fun for me.

Anyone want to share their thoughts on who will win or be in the Final Four? I, unfortunately, had Ohio State as one of my four. Ouch. *shakes fist at OSU and MSU*

My Final Four: Duke, UCLA, UConn, OSU (should have picked BC!) — Duke to win.

I confess: when people ask me what I write, “romance” is not usually among the the first words of my answer, simply because of the stereotypes about the genre that persist. I usually answer “Regency historical romance,” because I know that by the fifth syllable, most people’s eyes will glaze over. Then, because I can’t resist the opportunity to expand their horizons and fill in a lamentable gap in this person’s education, I will explain that that means my stories are set in England in the early 19th century, and they have a happy ending. Then they will invariably nod their head wisely; yes, of course they understand now. Occasionally I have been bold (rude?) enough to ask them to impress me, by knowing what the term Regency means.

I love to read. I haven’t been able to read nearly as much as I’d like, especially in the last few months of a deadline (12 days to go, not that I’m worried…). What precious little time I can give to other people’s books has been mainly for research. I’m in the midst of one now, someone else’s work of fiction, that I justify the time away from my writing because it has to do with spies, and I’m writing my first spy characters. Aside from getting wonderful research ideas, things to go off and look up on my own, it is so refreshing to read someone else’s writing, and a bonus that it’s excellent writing at that. Ooh, what a great way to avoid using first draft stock phrases and words, such as stand and turn, glance and look. And “scurry” — what a nice word to use instead of hurry. Sometimes I need a reminder of other words in our rich language. Reading is a feast for the senses that you just don’t get from watching TV or movies — they’re too passive.

I’ve learned more about history from reading fiction novels than I ever did in all of the classes I ever took at school. I just found out that a movie version of Crusade in Jeans is in preproduction. I loved that book as a child — I still remember the hero’s agony over not being able to save his friend, dying from appendicitis — and it was the only thing that got me researching the Crusades. In the last few months, the anticipated release of another movie had me researching John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester — a gifted but troubled Restoration era writer and poet who lived life to the extreme, and burned himself out at far too young an age, much like Jimi Hendrix or Jim Morrison.

How about you — are there works of fiction that have inspired you to fill in gaps in your education?

I went to see “Failure to Launch” this week. Our local film critic had panned the movie and although I thought the premise was cute, I went with low expectations. I should have known that I would LOVE it. (I even laughed out loud in a couple of places)

I should have remembered that when our local movie critic pans a movie, it’s a sure bet I’ll love it…

In a lot of ways, movie critics are similar to book reviewers. Just because one person doesn’t like a book doesn’t mean I won’t like it. And, I have to confess that I rarely look at a review before buying a book (it’s usually the back cover copy that sells me on the book)

How about you? Do you find yourself liking the same movies as the critics? What movies have surprised you? How about books?

Well, I’m married now, and enjoying a luxurious week in Costa Rica. Check back next Friday for all the scoop on the wedding.

In the meantime, I thought I would blog a bit on a book that’s played a big part in my relationship with Ultimate Sportsfan. It’s called The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. We had to read it as part of our pre-marital counseling, and it’s been really great for us.

We had read relationship books before. We tried Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus, but it was hard to remember all the things we were and were not supposed to do. We (or maybe I) wasn’t good at implementing what I’d learned. The love languages seemed to make more sense to me, and it taught me more about myself as well.

My love language is quality time, followed closely by Acts of Service and then closely by Physical touch. Ultimate Sportsfan says this is another example of how high maintenance I am. I can’t just have one love language. His love language is, of course, not mine. He is Words of Affirmation.

Sometimes I think he could be happy just talking to me on the phone a few times a day and hardly seeing me, whereas I have to have a lot of quality in-person time. That means without football, baseball, golf, wrestling, basketball, or CSI on TV. I like all the attention on me.

I think it’s also interesting to look at other people I know and to try and figure out their languages. I think my good friends are those whose languages are similar to mine. I’m not really a gift-giver and I fell weird receiving them, so when I’ve had friends like that, our relationship has always felt awkward. My close friends and I can just sit and talk forever. We can spend a whole weekend together and not turn on the TV once.

So, the 5 love languages. Do you know what you are? Chapman says to think about what you always ask for from your spouse. What do you argue about (“you don’t spend enough time with me”, “you never give me flowers anymore”, “you never help me with the laundry”). That’s probably your language. Choose between Quality Time, Acts of Service, Gifts, Words of Affirmation (Compliments), or Physical Touch (not just sex).

See you with wedding dish next week!

As I wait for approval from my agent and editor for my proposal for the second book in the Daventry Sisters series, I have been keeping myself busy–and distracting myself from chewing my nails to the quick, LOL!– by working on two other possible proposals. One is for another historical in a new series. The other is for (GASP!) a short contemporary.

Yep, you read that right. As much as I love historicals and would never want to abandon them entirely, I have been known to dabble in other romance sub-genres before. I have completed two short contemporary manuscripts and have various other unfinished manuscripts that run the gamut from paranormal to teen romance, and I have often considered re-working and submitting these ideas for publisher consideration.

Ah, I can hear the panicky buzz beginning to spread already. Is another romance writer getting ready to abandon her historical roots for something else? Well, no. But in a genre where there are so many categories to choose from, so many great possibilities, you can understand why it might be tempting to branch out a little. When an author writes one thing all of the time, it can get to feeling kind of stale. It would be like going in a Baskin Robbins and ordering vanilla every day of the year. As much as I love vanilla, by about day 365 I’d be ready to try a different flavor on the menu.

Authors may choose to switch genres for several reasons. Perhaps their work in one area isn’t selling, so they restart their career by going in another direction. Or perhaps, like me, they simply enjoy trying their hand at writing something else every once in a while. Some authors may move on to other genres and never look back, while still others may continue to write in more than one. It isn’t unusual for a romance author to be successful in several different areas. Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter vampire series is wildly popular, but so are the historicals she writes as Kinley MacGregor. And Kat Martin has made a niche for herself in both historicals and in single title contemporaries.

However, like so many readers, I admit to feeling a bit frantic whenever I hear that a favorite author is going to try something else. As much as I enjoy Julie Garwood’s contemporary romantic suspense, I miss her wonderful historicals. And historical author Lisa Kleypas has set tongues to wagging with her announcement that she is writing a contemporary. Never mind the fact that Lisa could probably write a pamphlet for Rogaine and make it exciting reading. Some of her die-hard historical fans can’t help but worry.

Authors, would you ever consider writing something outside the genre you are currently writing in? Readers, how do you feel about an author trying something new? Does this disturb you, or do you cheer them on? And what if a favorite author should move on to a genre that you don’t usually read? Would you follow them? Or not?

On February 28th, my second book hit stores. This was both a curse and a blessing. A curse because now it is out in the world where people can hate it, pick it apart, or even worse, throw it against a wall. Not only that, but once it’s out there, I have no more control. I can’t change one more word, or rearrange this sentence or tighten this scene. It’s done, finished and now it will be judged.

But there is the blessing part too. The part that consists of the fact that I’m living my dream. I’m published with Avon – sometimes that’s still hard to believe. The part where I see my name on the cover, where I’m strolling through Wal-Mart and ta-da! There’s my book. The reviews start coming in and I love reading people’s synopses of my books, I love pulling out quotes (I really love being compared to Amanda Quick!) And the best of all, you get fan mail.

Every once in a while a reader will take the time to send you a quick note to let you know how much they enjoyed your book or how much the character’s journey meant to them. I can’t tell you how my heart skips a beat when I see “website email” in my in-box. I’ve got mail. I don’t think readers can begin to know how special it is to know that the words and characters and stories we send out into the world actually touches people.

So for those of you who write fan mail – thank you. We wholeheartedly appreciate it. And for those of you who don’t because you think we’re way too famous to actually read your notes, HA-HA-HA….ummmm, sorry, got a little carried away. In any case, thanks for buying our books and reading them and loving them.

We were out to dinner the other night with another couple, and my friend’s husband made some remark about romance book covers … he was asking about my cover for The Bride Hunt and wanted to know if it was a “bodice-ripper.” Now, this guy is very well-read, so it’s not surprising that he’s heard the term, or that he made a snide remark about whether the guy on the cover had a shirt or not. [[gah]] It was all a backhanded way of dissing the romance genre, even though he knows I write romance.

Anyway, it occurred to me later that we need a different name for our genre and a new image. Because the minute you mention ROMANCE, the book is written off as one of those books: foolish and trite. I explained to my husband that ‘Romance’ is an umbrella term for suspense and historical books, vampire and witch stories, mysteries and adventures … with the only thing in common being that two characters, a man and woman, will fall in love over the course of the story. Now, that is an aspect that is not exclusive to “romance” books. But when my adventure story is released by Avon as a “romance,” half of all readers will automatically assume it’s cheesy and without merit. They’re not going to care that it’s full of interesting dialogue or that it’s historically accurate and full of great details of the era. Or that it’s a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat and turning the pages. The word “romance” puts people off.

Why?

I’m watching three reality shows now – American Idol, The Apprentice and Survivor. Here’s how they stack up for me so far…

American Idol. A nice crop of singers this time. I think I might be throwing my support behind Mandisa for the girls. I liked Ayla, even though she stood no chance of winning, and I was sad to see her go. Taylor and Chris are my favorites for the guys, and even though he doesn’t stand a chance, I kinda’ like Bucky too.

The Apprentice. There seem to be a number of level headed people on this season. We shall see though as we get further in. So far I’m digging Roxanne. I really liked Michael before this last episode, and I’m hoping he stages an editing comeback. Lenny makes me laugh. I hope he doesn’t go anywhere.

Survivor. Gotta love Terry. And Cerie, while my least favorite the first episode, has me cheering her on. That’s Mark Burnett and his evil editing for you!

Anyone else following these shows? I know we have some Idol fans here. And any other shows are fair game too. Who are your favorites and how are the seasons shaping up for you?