Congratulations, Quilt Lady, for winning a digital copy of THE SINNING HOUR when it’s released!

If everything goes according to plan, my first work as Elise Rome should be out next week.

THE SINNING HOUR is a novella in my new Unmasked series, and I had a lot of fun writing it simply because I was able to write outside the lines of what we tend to think of as a typical 19th-century historical romance. I enjoy writing about the English aristocracy (the balls! the gowns! those handsome lords!), but in THE SINNING HOUR I decided I wanted to explore different characters with different dynamics.

First of all, although my hero is upper class, Simon Astley actually has a job (hooray for hard-working men!)…although I doubt he considers painting portraits of nude women too arduous of a task. As for the heroine, Miranda Post, she is a housemaid. And while she once had dreams to do something more with her life, she accepts the role given to her by her circumstances and takes pride in the work she has. I really love writing strong, independent women no matter what their class or status, but I have to admit that I especially enjoyed writing about a woman who has such different issues to deal with than we usually see with our upper class heroines.

The history behind Simon and Miranda is that she used to be his housemaid. Because Simon lived in a relatively small house and didn’t employ many servants, and because he became fascinated with what he considered to be the perfect symmetry of Miranda’s facial features,  their relationship gradually developed into something resembling a friendship of sorts. A reluctant friendship. Although they were attracted to one another, Miranda knew it was impossible to ever dream of more, and Simon didn’t want to take advantage of his position in acting upon his attraction for her. Finally, rather than give into temptation, Simon fires Miranda.

This part of their history–when Simon dismisses Miranda rather than seducing her–appealed to me for two reasons. First, there’s the inherent tension built into the novella. She probably resents him for terminating her employment, especially when she wasn’t at fault. Simon must prove himself worthy of her to gain her trust and forgiveness. And we know they have a whole heck of a lot of desire built up between them. The second reason is that I found it fascinating to explore the dynamic between the employer and the servant, the upper class gentleman and the lower class maid, in a way that exposes flaws as well as virtues. I also hope that this novella meets the romantic requirement I wrote about in my previous post about needing more romance in romance novels.

I already included a short excerpt in a previous post, but to whet your appetite a little more, here is the blurb for THE SINNING HOUR.

A man accustomed to having whatever he wishes…

A year ago, the last thing portraitist Simon Astley expected was to become fascinated with his new housemaid. Although Miranda Post was no great beauty, he found his attraction for her continuing to grow until—rather than giving in to his wicked inclinations—he sent her away. No man could have regretted this momentary indulgence of conscience more.

A woman whose wishes have never come true…  

Now a maid at London’s most exclusive gaming hell, Miranda has no time for either bitterness or the soothing of her bruised heart. She works hard and struggles to care for her dependent father, forbidding herself to dwell on either her dreams of the future or her memories of Simon.

At night all they need is one another…

Yet both her dreams and memories collide when Simon is commissioned to paint the portraits of the hell’s owners. Determined to right his mistakes, he offers to pay Miranda for the pleasure of painting her, too—but only in the privacy of his studio. She agrees to take his coin, even while knowing that every moment in his presence once again decimates her defenses…and threatens her heart.

***

What’s that you say? You want me to whet your appetite even more? Very well. =) Here is a love letter written from Miranda to Simon and one from Simon to Miranda as part of the book blogger Sealed with a Kiss event.

***

Have you read a book recently where you felt the author “wrote outside the lines” in a wonderful and unusual way? Please share your recommendation! One random commenter (open internationally) will win a digital copy of THE SINNING HOUR upon its release.

Okay, I know some of you are going to laugh at me and roll your eyes because of this post. And I fully give you permission to do so. <g> But the truth is, although I’ve realized in recent years that…well, the years were passing by, I’ve just lately come to the conclusion that indeed, yes

I AM GETTING OLD.

Looking back, I remember when I was a little girl and thinking that people in their 20s were old. *snort* As a teenager, obviously I thought my parents in their 40s were old. Now that I’m about to turn 28 in a couple of months, I might think that people in their 90s are old…and sometimes I still think that’s too young. What happened to Methuselah and living 800+ years?!?

But I can’t pretend anymore. This week, I noticed in the mirror that I have crow’s feet when I smile. I’m not sure why, but I always thought that when you get crow’s feet, that’s a sure sign that you’re maturing. (Maturing? Is that the best “nice” word society could give us for getting older??) I also have constant bags under my eyes from staying up until 2-4am every morning, when in the past I could get little to no sleep and only need a dab of concealer to cover the evidence. I promise, no amount of concealer is covering up the evidence now.

Also this week, as I was reading beneath a lamp, I kept seeing a gleaming hair at the edge of my vision. I don’t know what made me do it, but I put the book down to peer at my hair. Now, my husband is five years older than I am, and I make fun of him all the time because of his gray hairs (hey, it’s fair exchange for every comment about his greater wisdom and life experience <g>). But as I was peering at my hair, I swear I found not one, but at least TWO white hairs. I can’t be sure, because my hair is blonde/light brown, but just thinking that I saw them was enough.

I used to think my grandmother was old because she had odd, stray hairs growing from her chin. Surely, I thought, that is a sign of old age. Hair like that doesn’t belong on your chin (ha! I rue my words now)… or, also in my recently discovered case, growing from your earlobe (my earlobe? really??).

And let’s not even go into what happens to your body after you gain post-wedding weight and have two children.

But here’s the thing. Among all of these realizations that my body is showing the proof of the ravages of time striking, distinguished changes that have occurred as I grow older, I’ve realized that I’ve changed on the inside, too.

I’m happier in my own body than I’ve ever been before. I think part of this is probably being so far away from high school and college and the clique mentality, and a large part of it is also probably from having two young children and being proud of myself for whenever I remember to put on mascara, but the truth is that I’ve finally reached the age where I feel comfortable being me. I know, as a woman, that this is huge.

I’m not saying I don’t think I still need to lose weight, because I do. But instead of obsessing about a number on the scale, I’m more likely to obsess about eating the right foods that will help me feel better and maintain my energy. There’s something…empowering in the knowledge that food doesn’t have to be your enemy anymore.

And I’m not saying that I wish I didn’t get those lucky genes which pretty much required the addition of stretch marks during my pregnancies, or that I don’t wish that one of those lotions that people say work on stretch marks actually would work.

But at the ripe old age of 28, I do feel like I’ve finally passed the hurdle that keeps us from being kind of anxious about what life holds in store to fully embracing whatever may come.When I was younger, I was uncertain who I was or what I wanted, what my boundaries were and what it took to make me stand up and hold my ground. Now that I have crow’s feet around my eyes, odd stray hairs growing from my chin and earlobe, and possible white hairs taunting my peripheral vision, I finally know myself.

And the greatest realization that I made this week is this: knowing myself is worth all of that and more.

To celebrate this realization, I’m already planning on how to mark my 30th birthday in a couple of years. I’m leaning toward either getting a motorcycle (am I the only one who’s wanted one ever since seeing Tom Cruise in Top Gun?) or going skydiving. Have you ever done something extraordinary or crazy to mark a special birthday? And, to bring it back to the romance genre, how do you feel about reading books that feature maturing striking, distinguished heroines?

Happy Friday and Happy 2012! I know it’s the middle of the month already (already?!? *sigh* Time just flies by faster the more brain cells my children kill… ), but this is my very first post of 2012, and I am thrilled to see what this year holds. I’ll get to the reason for the post title in a moment, but for now, I’d like to list a few reasons why 2012 is already off to a great start for my family.

1) SuperGirl (my 2 year old) has officially started potty training. Although terrified of the process (truly, there seems to be nothing as horrifying as this in our parenting experience so far), my husband and I started with her after the first of the year. I am excited and *relieved* to report that after a few horrifying incidents (see, we knew it would be bad, although I must say these incidents DID happen on my husband’s watch ), it looks like it’s working. I’m keeping my fingers crossed still, though.

2) My husband is chasing after his dreams. Not only does he plan to publish his first upper middle grade novel at the end of the month under his pseudonym Lukas Holmes (seriously, the book rocks, and I’m not just saying that because I’m his wife. Well, maybe I am a little bit…but it still rocks ), he also has decided to start performing as a stand-up comedian. If you’ve read any of his guest interviews with me this past year on various blogs, you know that this is ideal for him, as he’s one of the funniest people I know. As much as I love what I do, it’s a wonderful feeling to see my significant other having the chance to do what he loves to do, too.

3) WonderGirl (my 1 year old) is still not sleeping through the night. Okay, I have to admit, this isn’t something I like saying. I’d *prefer* for the sake of my sanity to be able to say that she sleeps through the night every night, especially since SuperGirl began sleeping through the night when she was 7 months old. But I’m choosing instead to say that this is a wonderful thing because, the truth is, I love that she still needs me. It seems like the time with SuperGirl has gone by really fast, and knowing this makes me treasure the very early years with WonderGirl even more. (And can you really complain when all she wants to do is snuggle? It melts my heart.)

And now for the reason of this post’s title. If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you probably already know this, but for those of you who haven’t heard, I’ve decided to change my name to Elise Rome in celebration of the new journey I’ll embark on this year with self-publishing.Very soon, the name on the Jaunty Quills website will change from Ashley March to Elise Rome–but I promise, it will still be me! =)

You probably know a lot of authors who have changed their name over the course of their writing careers, most often because they switch genres or publishers. While I still intend to write Victorian romances (they’ll always be my first love), I also intend to explore other historical periods in the coming years, such as the 1920s and the Elizabethan era, World War II and the medieval ages…and more. And I even have ideas for contemporary novels rolling around in my head, too.

For now, though, I’m looking forward to publishing a new Victorian series under my new Elise Rome name at the end of January/beginning of February (I’ll be sure to keep you posted with a specific date!). The UNMASKED series is about four women who discover their independence by becoming owners of a gaming hell after the previous owner dies and leaves the establishment to his lover (Rachel, his lover, is the heroine of the second full-length book). They create an exclusive environment where only people who receive an invitation may enter the hell, and to protect their identities and add to the mystery of the place, the women all wear masks. The series launches with THE SINNING HOUR, a novella featuring Miranda, the hell’s maid, and Simon Astley, her former employer–whom you may recognize as the portraitist who painted Charlotte’s nudes in my Ashley March title, SEDUCING THE DUCHESS. I’m so excited about this series. I’ve always wanted to write about a gaming hell, and here I also I get to explore characters of different classes along with the changing roles of women in the Victorian era.

Here is a sneak peek at Simon Astley, the hero of THE SINNING HOUR.

***

Simon lifted a brow at the sight of yet another door—the seventh so far. Unlike the others, this one was covered in green baize, a relief to the previous monotony of uninspiring brown wood.

To any other man, this change might have signaled that something interesting was soon to come. Another man might have leaned forward, anticipating his entrance—at last!—into the secret rooms within. Yet, since Simon was unreasonably perverse, he neither leaned forward nor encouraged himself to care what lay ahead; instead, he allowed the color of the door to summon thoughts of her.

He tried to recall her eyes, the emerald green of the baize taunting his powers of recollection. Had they been jewel bright like this, or a softer, darker moss? For a moment she wavered before him, her lashes thickly fringed, her gaze wary as he attempted to coax her from her shyness. Her irises—

Simon blinked, dismissing the vision. Enough. Attempting to remember her clearly had become something akin to self-flagellation, and he’d never been one to enjoy the cutting whips of his conscience.

His giant of an escort knocked against a grate inlaid within the baize, and soon a different pair of eyes peered through at Simon.

“It’s the artist. Let him in.”

At the mildly disgusted way in which his escort said artist, Simon’s other brow lifted. He waited wordlessly as the seventh door swung open to reveal— Ah, the inside of the hell. At last. Then again, he supposed eight doors would have been too much.

With the barest trace of a smile–to annoy the guards, not to show his amusement–Simon acknowledged the summary of directions from his escort, then continued forward on his own.

The gaming hell was much as he’d expected and yet surprising all the same. He climbed the grand staircase to the first floor, studying the mark of wealth and privilege on each side. Ivory silk hung on the walls, adorned with gold flecks and glinting beneath the heavy crystal chandeliers. Plush carpet sprawled underfoot, the soft, welcoming color of a woman’s bare thigh. Smoothing his hand along the stair banister, he admired the gleaming mahogany, the polished slide of it sensuous beneath his palm. Velvet curtains were drawn at the windows, blocking out the harsh invasion of the afternoon sun. At night he presumed they guarded against envious gazes, maintaining the hell’s reputation of exclusivity while keeping safe the identities of those fortunate enough to have been invited inside.

It was this, perhaps, which roused his curiosity. Finally stepping onto the floor of the gaming area, he searched for something magnificent, a clue as to why the proprietors felt confident enough to demand a hundred pound fee simply for entrance into the establishment. A reason why the most coveted invitations in all of London for the past month came not from the Queen or the Duchess of Sayers’ pen, but rather from 114 Jermyn Street.

He glanced at the hazard table and roulette wheel. The balcony to his right and the ceiling above. The building carried the hushed air of a museum, silent and provocative with secrets, concealing a spectacular history of things which had gone before. He wasn’t a man who usually cared to wager recklessly on a spin of the wheel, but even he felt a tug of promise as he surveyed the room, a whisper of possibility for winnings beyond imagination.

A man could begin anew with such a fortune. Doubtless he could also acquire a new sort of morality, something which wouldn’t cause him to surrender to tireless nudges of nobility and honor.

Alas, he hadn’t received an invitation to play. He was here to sketch.

Following the guard’s directions, Simon ducked inside an alcove set into the right corner of the room and climbed up the private stairs. He paused outside the owners’ suite and listened, his satchel of paper and instruments tucked loosely beneath his arm.

He’d heard the rumors, of course. Most everyone in Mayfair was privy to the stories of those sated with victory and broken by loss, of the men who had passed through the hell’s doors and returned to regale those less fortunate. Even so, and even though the notes Simon had received were written in a decidedly feminine script, he’d had his doubts.

But the voices and shouts of laughter echoing from within the room were obviously female. Yes, they could belong to the proprietors’ mistresses or hired doxies. Or the rumors could be true. The gaming hell could actually be owned by a group of women, masked and mysterious, beautiful and wickedly remote. It was impossible. Inconceivable. And also…rather delightful.

Simon rapped against the door and waited.

***

Hope you enjoyed the excerpt!

One of the things I’m most looking forward to in writing as Elise Rome is being able to continue to write Victorian romances as well as romances in other historical periods. If you could ask your favorite historical authors to write about specific times/places outside of the Regency or Victorian England, what would those time periods/places be?

For your convenience, here are my new links:

www.eliserome.com

www.facebook.com/eliseromeauthor

www.twitter.com/eliserome

I recently wrote an article about how I fell in love with romance novels. Namely, how romance made me feel: the breathlessness at the beginning of the attraction, the physical ache in your chest when it seems the hero and heroine won’t end up together, and the near heart-bursting joy at the end of the book when they do. I was thinking about this, about all three of the feelings that–in my opinion–are requisite for a wonderful romance novel, and I realized something.

A lot of romance novels I’ve been reading over the past few years simply don’t meet all three requirements. And–also sadly–I have to admit that even my books to date have focused on one or two of these rather than all three.

Digging further, instead of “romance novel”, a lot of books that I’ve read in the past few years could be described as “lust-sex-heartbreak-HEA” novels. To me, they’re not the same at all. Part of it, I think, is that we as a society have become more skeptical and cynical in this first decade of the 21st century. It’s easier to believe in the heartache of a romance novel than in the actual romance (and please understand that I’m not talking about the HEA, but the journey of the couple to that HEA). I recently read my first book from a bestselling contemporary author, and I loved it. It didn’t need an intricate plot or anything extraordinary, because what made me fall in love with the characters and the book itself was how romantic it was. Imagine that. Yes, there was sex in it as well, and well-written sex, but the main focus of either character was not how to get into bed with the other; the focus was on their relationship and their growing love. (Edited to add: the book was EVERYONE LOVES A HERO by Marie Force.) It seems lately that I’ve read too many romance novels (and I’m not talking about erotic romances) where more attention is paid to physical desire than emotional development (i.e., turning the reader on instead of creating those warm, gushy feelings that made me fall in love with romance in the first place). I, like most readers, enjoy great sex scenes in the romance novels that I read–I believe they’re an integral part of the love story–but I want to see more from the relationship, to be honest.

This perspective has already changed my view toward my own writing. Recently I was plotting out a novella that, for some reason I couldn’t quite put my finger on, didn’t feel right. There was something missing. I knew there would be angst (lots of it!) and sex (of course), but something felt as if it were lacking. I would like to say that this was a momentary obtuseness on my part, but the truth is that until I wrote the above-mentioned article about why I fell in love with romance novels, I didn’t realize that the plot was focused more on heartache and lust than romance. And I’m a romance writer!

I truly felt as if a lightbulb had gone on in my head. When did the genre start moving away from the romantic side of romance? I’m certainly not saying there aren’t any books out there that are focused on romance (other JQ authors have wonderfully romantic books!), and I’m not even saying that this is prevalent among the genre–but it is something I’ve seen increasing lately. And it’s something that I’m committed to correcting in my own writing from now on.

Perhaps this is an epiphany only for me, but I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject, as either a reader or a writer. Have you noticed a declining trend in the romance in romance novels? What are your requirements for a satisfactory “romance novel” that truly fits the term? Thank you for your comments!

This past Tuesday I had the opportunity–nay, the pleasure–of watching A Michael Bublé Christmas. To be honest, the show itself wasn’t that impressive. But I didn’t turn the TV on to watch the show. No, I turned it on to watch (and listen to!) Mr. Michael Bublé. And that’s it. For research. For a hero I want to write about…sometime down the road… It’s true, I swear.

Now, if you’ve never heard of Michael Bublé before, please don’t be worried–I forgive you. With our hectic lives and all the media screaming at you for attention, it’s easy to miss pieces of awesomeness. However, I would be remiss in my duty as a romance writer–nay, in my duty as a woman–were I not to share the goodness that is Michael Bublé with you.

Please note: I am not in any way related to (he has a gorgeous Argentinian wife–*sigh*) Michael Bublé (you can’t just say Michael; he’s a first name and last name sort of guy), nor am I getting paid for my gushing (I wish!).

First, a few pictures. (I don’t know what you’re doing looking at these, but as I said, I’m doing research. )

I think I’d like this one made into my own personal romance novel cover.

Here he’s telling me you not to be shy. He’d like a hug.

And now he’s looking soulfully into my your eyes, torn because he just can’t express how much he adores me you.

But wait! At this point you might be thinking to yourself: “I guess he’s alright looking. I’m not that impressed.” If you have a crush on Richard Armitage like I do, you probably thought the same of him before you watched the BBC’s North & South and heard his voice (please tell me you’ve done this!). Well, my friends, prepare to fall in love while you watch this very short video.

Link to YouTube

I admit, I did have to watch several videos to find just the right one for you guys–one where you could hear his speaking voice and his singing voice. And in case you were wondering…yes, it was a hardship.

Now that you’ve been treated to a little Michael Bublé to get your weekend started off right, what do you think? Were you already a fan? A new fan? Shall we all go to his next concert together?

I have to admit it–Thanksgiving is a tiny blip on my radar. It’s not that I’m not thankful, really, it’s just that to me the holiday season doesn’t truly start until the day after Thanksgiving. You know, when I don’t have to sing Christmas songs under my breath anymore because my husband might become the ol’ “it’s-not-even-Thanksgiving-yet!” Scrooge. The truth is that I’ve been ready for Christmas ever since Halloween was over. I have my Michael Buble, Straight No Chaser, Harry Connick Jr., and Louis Armstrong Christmas CDs, and I’m ready! We already took out all of our Christmas decorations yesterday, and in the next couple of weeks we’ll venture out on the new family tradition of taking SuperGirl and WonderGirl to get their Santa picture taken together. The most fun? Guessing who will be crying and who will be smiling (or–as SuperGirl did last year–who will be showing their diaper as they try to escape from Santa’s lap).

But as we get into the holiday season here in the March household, one of the things I’m really looking forward to this year is making our gifts meaningful. When I was growing up, I was blessed to always have something underneath the tree come Christmas morning. In fact, my parents went wild–it seemed that the more presents spread out and piled up on the tree skirt, the better. And my husband’s family seems to be that way, too. As they say, giving is better than receiving, and our families have certainly held to that tradition. But I’ve decided (and am trying to convince Mr. March) that we need to change this tradition in our household. Instead of our children receiving a quantity of presents, I’d like them to receive meaningful gifts. Last year I stumbled across this in relation to Christmas gifts, one family’s chosen “rule” of gift-giving:

“Something you want

Something you need

Something to do

Something to read”

Each person in the family only received four presents for Christmas (and I know that might still seem a lot to those less fortunate), and I like this because to me it doesn’t teach children that Christmas is about extravagance. There’s the “something you want” category–maybe this would be a dollhouse. “Something you need”–the ever celebrated package of socks? “Something to do”–I love this one. I’m thinking maybe a board game, that the whole family could play together. And my favorite? Of course, the last one: “Something to read.” If every family at least had this requirement for a gift, it seems to me that we’d have a lot more readers in our society than we do now.

What about you? Does your family do anything special in terms of gift-giving during the holiday season? Do you have family traditions (such as giving each person a pair of pajamas)? What do you think of the 4-gift saying above?

…If I only had a babysitter…

Ever since my oldest (now approximately 2.5 years old) was born, my husband and I have realized what all parents soon realize after the arrival of their firstborn: our wild days are over. Our freedom is over. Okay, granted, we weren’t very wild to begin with–hiking in the “wild” foothills of Colorado is about as wild as we get–and when we did have free time, we usually spent it going out to catch the latest movie, because my husband is a huge movie fan (note that I didn’t say cinema buff, because that implies a certain connection to the arts; he just likes to see things blown up .

Which brings us to our topic for today. Movies. I recently found a list of movies that are coming out in the next couple of months, and I have been oh-so-envious of you childless or babysitter-possessed people ever since. I’ll probably catch one of these in the theaters (my husband and I have had a date to go see the new Sherlock Holmes since we heard it was going to be filmed–yay!), but for the rest I’ll most likely have to wait for Netflix.

Without further ado, here are the movies I am longing to see:

Happy Feet Two (November 18th)

Yes, I included the Happy Feet sequel. I actually went to see the first Happy Feet with my husband and our nephew when it came out (obviously, we were childless then, hence the freedom ), and I really loved it. Plus, we’re all huge Disney/Pixar fans in our family–even before the kids were born. And yes, there was some weird environmental emphasis at the end of the first movie, but I’m still looking forward to this sequel. Singing AND dancing penguins? Could anything get cuter? (Besides my own children, of course–she amends quickly.) And actually, I might take SuperGirl to see this with me. Hooray for making movies children can see!

A Dangerous Method (November 23rd)

Let’s put aside the fact for a moment that Michael Fassbender (on whom I developed a crush in the recent Jane Eyre) and Viggo Mortensen are in this movie. It’s about Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud getting into it over Jung’s “involvement” with a patient. If you’ve read my books, you know that there might be a little angst in them. And this just sounds like such a good angst-y movie. And if you have one of those families that always seem to fight over the holidays, I’d like to suggest watching this movie first to see how psychiatrists analyze their patients, and then practicing their analysis on your various family members. Good times will be had, I guarantee it.

Arthur Christmas (November 23rd)

I’m not generally a sucker for animated Christmas movies. but for some reason the commercials I’ve seen about Santa’s son remind me of How to Train Your Dragon, which I absolutely loved. AND James McAvoy is the voice of Arthur. (Which reminds me, why hasn’t anyone thought to get Richard Armitage to do a voice-over for an animated movie? It could be the most horrible movie in the world, and I promise you I’d pay to go more than once just to hear his voice. )

Hugo (November 23rd)

I have a vague idea what this movie is about (a boy and what looks like a robot are involved), but if you’ve seen the commercials for this movie, then you know how *gorgeous* the cinematography looks. And I admit it, I get weak in the knees for beautiful cinematography. Not to mention that the movie is set in 1930s Paris. *wistful sigh*

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (December 9th)

Okay, this might be the movie where I make Mr. March watch the kids while I go out with friends. I’m seriously dying to see this movie. Yes, it stars Colin Firth (a major bonus). And Gary Oldman (another of the best actors of our time, I believe). But it’s also based on what most consider to be the greatest spy novel of the 20th century. I love a great action/drama movie, and this one appears to be right up my alley. (And do I have to say it again? COLIN FIRTH )

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (December 16th)

So you already know Mr. March and I are planning on seeing this one together. Since we don’t often get the chance to go out on dates, we’re planning to make a big deal out of it. Lunch, the movie, and afterward, the Christmas lights at the Denver Botanical Gardens. Ah, romance. The Marches-in-December Christmas-style.

As for the movie itself, we loved the first one so much that there was never any doubt that we would go to see this one. Although I think Jude Law plays a good supporting actor, and I’ve acquired a pretty big crush on Robert Downey, Jr. since the first movie, I have to admit that the two of them acting in a movie together wouldn’t get me near as excited if the setting were different. Victorian England? Yeah, baby!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (December 21st)

I haven’t read this book. (I know, I know.) Now I normally don’t want to see every movie that’s been based on a book, but Daniel Craig is in this one. And while I’m not sure I’ve yet forgiven him for the horrendous movie that was the James Bond Quantum of Solace, I typically enjoy his other films. I also haven’t seen a good thriller in a long time.

In the Land of Blood and Honey (December 23rd)

This was written and directed by Angelina Jolie–and honestly, I don’t care about that. What I do care about is that it features a love affair set against the backdrop of the Bosnian civil war. I doubt this one ends with a HEA, but I’d like to see it, anyway. I love war movies, just as much as I love romantic comedies. Although I don’t necessarily agree with the politics and philosophy of war, it interests me to see what people reveal of themselves during wartime. And the fact that this is in Bosnia, during a war which has been mostly forgotten by the American public already, makes me even more anxious to see it.

The Iron Lady (December 30th)

As soon as I saw that this movie was about Margaret Thatcher, the first female British prime minister, I was hooked. (This reminds me of the scene in Love Actually when Hugh Grant–playing the prime minister–looks up to Margaret Thatcher as if for advice. Now that’s a movie I need to watch 20 times during the holidays. Have to beat my record of 10 times last year. )

Beauty and the Beast-3D (January 13th)

I must confess that I really, really hate 3D movies. They hurt my eyes and give me a headache. (Wow, I feel old saying that, lol.) But this is such a Disney classic movie–with some of the best songs–and I never saw it when it was first released in theaters. This would definitely be one that we take SuperGirl to go see.

Red Tails (January 20th)

This is the story of the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II. I love seeing anything World War II, period. But this movie is also a view into part of the war that’s never been told on film before, and it’s directed by George Lucas. Even better.

And that’s it for my round-up of the movies coming soon that I’m looking forward to seeing! What do you think? Did any of these make it on your to-see wish list, too? Are there any movies I didn’t list that you’re excited about? Perhaps you’d like to recommend a good babysitter for SuperGirl and WonderGirl?

Happy weekend, my fellow romance lovers!

Yesterday I turned in the final final final final edits (I say this so many times because it seems like I’ve been on a perpetual deadline for the past two months) for my third NAL Penguin book which will come out in May, MY LADY RIVAL. I cannot even begin to express how excited I am. I might even go to sleep one night before midnight sometime soon just to spoil myself. I’m certainly looking forward to having a chance to respond to all the reader email which I haven’t been able to get to (unfortunately, email is one of the first things to go; otherwise I get sucked in and am good for nothing else). I’m also looking forward to reading some amazing romance novels! (First on my list: the new Kristan Higgins book and the new Joanna Bourne book–yes!)

But I have to tell you the truth, and this might make me sound like I’m simply a glutton for self-punishment. I’m also *really* looking forward to starting in on writing a new book or two. I have so many characters and ideas running around in my head, and they’ve been getting very impatient while I’ve spent so much time with Alex and Willa, the characters in MY LADY RIVAL.

You’re the first ones to know what I’ll be working on next (seriously–even my writer friends don’t know this). First, there’s the love story between Joanna and Ethan, two secondary characters from SEDUCING THE DUCHESS that readers have been asking me about ever since SD came out. (I’m so happy to be able to write their story!) And I’m also thrilled (when I say “thrilled”, I mean I’m giddy because I get to conduct a lot of research, which just goes to show you how much of a dork I am ) to announce that I’m also going to be working on a new romance series set in 1920s Long Island (likely with a spin-off series in 1920s Chicago). It was very difficult to decide on these two projects when I have so many ideas, but they’re the ones knocking on my heart the loudest right now and I hope you’ll love them when they’re done.

And if I eat an extra piece (or ten) of Halloween candy this weekend, just know that it’s all in my plan to party first. I am nothing if not a disciplined hedonist.

As you can see, writing really is a passion for me. As soon as I finish with one book, I’m off to the next! What are your passions? And what other romance books do you think I should add to my TBR list after Kristan Higgins and Joanna Bourne? Hope everyone has a great weekend!

“Drain Bamage” and “Spread-osis” by Mia Marlowe

First of all, let me thank the Jaunty Quills, and my hostess Ashley March in particular, for letting me reschedule today. I still cringe when I think about missing my blogging date with the lovely and talented Shana Galen earlier, but romance writers are a forgiving bunch. Wonder if it’s because we’re all “drain bamaged” half out of our minds because we live in alternate realities for major portions of each day?

Anyway, I’m tickled to be with you today and thought I’d talk about another chronic writer ailment (besides “drain bamage!”). It’s “Spread-osis.” Sitting at a keyboard for hours at a time means we’re not the most fit of folks and some of us tend to pack on the pounds.

To be fair, even before I started making things up for a living, I struggled with excess weight. I was the little kid who took up two spaces in the kindergarten class picture. All my life, it seems I’ve either been on a diet or cheating on one.

Last year, I scared myself by hitting the highest number my scale has ever seen. I took immediate action and worked my way back into familiar territory, but I’m still not where I’d like to be. So my DH, who had a few pounds to lose himself, offered to do Jenny Craig with me. We’ve been at it since late July. I’ve clawed my way down another 16. 5 pounds. My DH cheats like a fiend and still has lost 18. Truly, there is no justice in the world.

But there is hope. I’m down 35 pounds from that “scary” weight. My clothes are fitting much differently and I’m able to wear things I haven’t gotten into for about four years.

Of course, they’re all out of style now, but my fashion-phobia is best saved for another post.

How about you? Do you struggle with weight? Or is there another challenge that dogs you? Share it with us and you’ll be entered in a drawing to receive a copy of IMPROPER GENTLEMEN, my anthology with Diane Whiteside and Maggie Robinson.

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Mia Marlowe writes historical romance with a sparkle of magic for Kensington and Sourcebooks. She loves torturing her heroes and making them work for their HEA. She also loves connecting with readers. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook and MiaMarlowe.com.

Her newest release is A Duke for All Seasons, an e-novella that features the Duke of Winterhaven, a man who has good reason to mistrust women. Unfortunately, Arabella St. George will give him a few more before their love affair runs its course! But as in all of Mia’s stories, “happily ever after” is guaranteed. You just may be surprised at how her characters get there!