Fall’s coming and for me that sense of excitement is in the air. Even though it’s been longer than I care to admit since I was in school, I still love shopping for supplies. Ah, the excitement of a new binder or pencil! I also love to shop for new clothes, makeup… And I come up with a plan for reinventing or improving upon myself. Right now my goal is to work on improving my writing, so I thought I’d share with you a few authors who make me want to be better than I currently am, or who push me to pay attention to aspects of the craft I may not have focused on earlier.

As writers, we all have our strengths and weaknesses when it comes to getting the words on paper. I’ve always had trouble tooting my own horn because I figure there are always people willing to tell me I suck, but I will tell you all that I believe my strengths to be character and emotion. For the sake of my own ego I’m not going to delve into the plethora of weaknesses to which I subscribe, and will instead jump into my current list of faves:

Married With Zombies by Jesse Petersen. Can the Zombie Apocalypse save Sarah and David’s marriage? Does a zombie only want you for your mind? I had the privilege of reading an ARC of this fabulous book (Aug 31st) and I wish I could pace like Petersen does. The scenes progress at a clip that adds a level of anxiety to the reading, and you’re totally invested in the characters thanks to Sarah’s first person narrative. My characters tend to think too much, but the characters in this book *act*. Only afterward did I realize that there’s not a lot of description in the book — not of characters at any rate. And you know what? I didn’t miss it, because they’re so well set up and so real in their actions and dialogue, that I already have an idea of what they look like. That’s good writing.

Ilona Andrews is one of those authors who make it seem effortless. Her plots are smooth and manage to keep you guessing without jumping all over the place. Her characters are incredible, but it’s her world building that really makes me green with envy. She (Actually husband and wife team Gordon and Ilona) really knows her setting. I imagine it must be so incredibly real inside her head. But it’s not just setting, it’s what has happened to the world and how it affects characters as well. Genius.

Stacia Kane’s a relatively new author to me and already she’s inspired me to the place where I love how good she is and hate her for being so good! lol. She builds entirely real characters that are so full of flaws you shouldn’t cheer for them, but you do because they’re so completely and wonderfully human. Her world is strange and yet terribly familiar, her pacing a mix of languid moodiness and frenetic tension. This woman is the complete package, and reading her makes me want to be so much better myself.

These are just a small sampling of authors whom I hold up as examples of real story tellers. They suck you into their work and don’t let go until the end, leaving you with that good feeling of a satisfying ending, and the equally melancholy realization that it’s all over until the next book. They’re part of the yard stick upon which I measure myself. Now, I’m not trying to write like them, or beating myself up for what I perceive to be my own short-comings, but I think it’s healthy for authors to think there are those out there from whom we can learn and improve our own work.

So, who or what inspires you to do better?

The USA Network uses the title of this blog as the channel’s slogan. It’s a truthful one. The shows are generally a simple concept, but filled with interesting characters that keep viewers coming back, because we care what happens to them. I think this is perhaps the most important aspect of writing. The challenge is creating sympathetic characters. USA has a stable of them from shows such as Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, Burn Notice… the list goes on.

Your gratuitous hero -- Timothy Olyphant plays Marshall Raylan Givens on FX's 'Justified.' A less than perfect man and a fabulous character.

In my book When Seducing a Duke, I set out to create less than perfect characters. The hero — Grey — is a man who has done awful things, and if he hadn’t been injured, he probably would have continued on his path. Readers had two reactions to Grey: love and hate. Some thought he was fabulous and others thought I should be burned at the stake for writing such a man. To me, these intense reactions mean I did my job. I made him real. Was he sympathetic? Obviously a few people thought so, but even people who told me they tossed the book on several occasions admitted to coming back, because they had to know what happened with Grey and Rose. So, I won some and I lost some, and I’m okay with that.

I find perfect people very uninteresting. Luke Skywalker didn’t become interesting until the Dark Side started working on him. Han Solo on the other hand, was interesting right from the beginning. Jack Sparrow is interesting. In fact, anyone Johnny Depp has ever played is interesting, because he makes them 3 dimensional people.

Right now I’m working on a project where the heroine is… different than those around her. Because of how I’m setting her up, there needs to be aspects of her that might be unsettling to some readers. I realized I was hesitating to do this because I’m worried readers might not like her.

Here’s the thing — I don’t think readers need to *like* a character, they just need to be able to *understand* the character. My job is to bring them deep enough into the heroine’s head to make that happen. I’ve often thought that to be a writer a person has to be something of a psychologist as well. A great example of this are the writers of the show Dexter. I say the ‘show’ because I haven’t read the books. Clearly they know what they’re doing if they can make a serial killer into a hero, but Dexter’s first person narrative is crucial for getting inside his head and seeing his struggle with his own nature. I find him fascinating.

Another way to make characters more realistic is to give them friends and family — even if it’s only one or two people. Parker on Leverage didn’t have a family growing up, and she’s aware that she’s broken in many ways, but now she has people who care about her and vice versa, and the writers are doing a great job of exploring how that character reacts to these relationships. This is why I watch so many cable shows now. I think the smaller networks take more care in building characters than trying to build platforms for their advertisers. But that’s a different soapbox.

So, as I visit my family (and take notes! lol), I want to know who some of your favorite characters are (TV, movie or book) and why these creations are like real people to you.

Meanwhile, look for new characters from me next June with the release of When Tempting a Rogue.

Hiya!  It’s Jaunty P. Quills again, back for the second consecutive day. Hmm… I’m thinking maybe we should talk about changing the name of this gig to something like Sisterhood of Adoration for Jaunty P. Quills. Has a nice ring to it, huh? But I suppose that’s another matter for another day. Right now, I’m here with our very own Nancy Robards Thompson, ready to dish about her about her brand new Silhouette Special Edition, Accidental Father. Hey, Nancy! What do ya think about the proposed name change?

Nancy: Jaunty, you know we adore you, but I think the others Quills will agree we should leave the blog’s name alone.

Jaunty: Ah, you’re breaking my heart. Will you at least salve my wounds by sharing the inside scoop on your inspiration for Accidental Father? <nudge, nudge, wink, wink>

Nancy: I’d love to! Thanks for asking. Actually, three separate components led to the inspiration for this story—

Jaunty: What? I thought I was your one and only muse? I’m crushed.

Nancy: You’re a funny guy, J. Now, to answer your question — Julianne and Alex’s story first gelled after my daughter’s flute teacher said, “Hey, why don’t you write a story about a flutist?”   And I said, “Hey! Why not?”  Then, around the same time, I’d stumbled upon a sad news story about a young woman who was killed in the line of duty as she did humanitarian work in war-torn Afghanistan; and another story about an organization that was bringing music education into the lives of inner-city children who couldn’t afford instruments and lessons. The three ideas melded and emerged as Accidental Father, a story about three unlikely people coming together to make a family. But don’t worry, it’s not a sad story. It’s a tale of the redemptive powers of love.

Jaunty: Ahhh, l’amour …

Nancy: I know. That’s why I love writing romance.

Jaunty: So how did you blend those elements into one book? I mean, what’s Accidental Father about?

Nancy: Here’s the back-cover blurb:

All Julianne Waterford knew about Alex Lejardin was that he’d rejected her sister and never claimed their baby, Liam, as his own. But she didn’t know that he was a royal—or that he’d never known the child existed. And from the moment she saw Alex’s unexpected tenderness for his son, Julianne discovered that the not-so-wicked royal posed a passionately tempting danger…to her.

Alex always felt guilty for letting Liam’s mother walk away for good, and vowed to do whatever it took to be a father to the son he hadn’t known he had. But earning Julianne’s trust was a formidable task he’d never expected. And winning her heart was a challenge he couldn’t resist….

Jaunty: Yowsa! That sounds like good read.

Nancy: Well, thank you! I hope so. RT Book Reviews liked it. They gave it 4½ stars (out of five). Reviewer Melanie Bates says:

“When Julianne Waterford confronts French attorney Alex Lejardin, she expects to be in and out of his office within a few hours with a commitment from him to support Liam, his son by her late sister. Instead, her life takes an unexpected turn as she and Liam end up staying with Alex’s family on his home island of St. Michel. Though Alex is the enemy, as his intent is to keep Liam with him, Julianne falls for him. Alex is amazed at the change in his life now that Liam and Julianne are in it and he soon finds he doesn’t want to live without them. This heartwarming story with strong, genuine characters and a strong plot to match is definitely hard to put down.”

Jaunty: So, this is the third book you’ve set in St. Michel, right? Where is this place?

Nancy: I see you’ve been reading my books, Jaunty. I’m impressed! Thank you!

Jaunty: Yep! Do I get a kiss for that? <puckering>

Nancy: No.<giving him the hand> But you do get my undying gratitude. Come on, let’s stay focused. You asked about St. Michel. Accidental Father is the third book (joining Accidental Princess and Accidental Cinderella) set on the fictional island of St. Michel. I’ve imagined it to be right off the coast of France… and very similar to Monaco. Accidental Father is available now, and there will be one more in this series – Accidental Heiress – out in November 2010. There may even be a few surprises after that, but it’s too soon to say.

Jaunty: Thanks for giving us the Accidental scoop, Nancy. Now if you could help me accidentally change the name of this blog -

Nancy: Jaunty, you’re impossible! It’s a good thing we all love you so much. Thanks for interviewing me!

Jaunty: Wait, aren’t you giving away any free stuff?

Nancy: That’s a great idea! How about if I give away the first two books in the Accidental series? One copy each of Accidental Princess and Accidental Cinderella. I’ll draw a name from all who post today and send the books to the winner. You can post about anything – your plans for the 4^th; how your day’s going; or you can just say, ‘Hi!” Whatever you feel like. I’ll post the winner’s name tomorrow.    

Hello! It’s me, Jaunty P. Quills, Porcupine Extraordinaire! Miss me? I’ve been away on sabbatical. (That’s a fancy way of saying I haven’t been doing any work!).

But I had to return when I heard about Shana’s new book, The Making of a Porcupine. I’m sure she won’t admit it, but she certainly based it on moi. There is no sexier porcupine, and who but moi could give lessons on—

Shana: Jaunty.

Jaunty P.: –how to become a sexy por—

Shana: Jaunty!

Jaunty P.: What? You’re interrupting.

Shana: That’s because you’ve got everything wrong again. The books doesn’t have anything to do with porcupines. It’s titled The Making of a Duchess. Duchess, not porcupine.

Jaunty P.: What? I-I don’t understand.

Shana: Jaunty, the book isn’t about you at all. It’s about a simple English governess forced to spy on Julien Harcourt, the duc de Valére. He’s an émigré from France, forced out by the French Revolution, and the British government thinks he’s a traitor. Sarah, my governess, has to uncover his treachery.

Jaunty P.: Yes, yes, all of this sounds very exciting. But what has it to do with porcupines?

Shana: Nothing. That’s my point. There are no porcupines in the book.

Jaunty P.: I see. You think people would rather read about duchesses than porcupines?

Shana: Um, yes.

Jaunty P.: I see.

Shana: Jaunty, is that a little tear?

Jaunty P.: No. I’m too manly a porcupine to cry, but let me just say I won’t be buying any more of your books until you add a porcupine.

Shana: Jaunty, where are you going? Don’t be like that.

Well, readers it looks like I can either add a porcupine or have Jaunty angry with me forever. While I think about how to add porcupines to a story set in Regency England and Paris, France, let me just say The Making of a Duchess is in stores today. It’s full of adventure, romance, passion, and humor. I think it’s the perfect summer read. I hope you’ll grab a copy (even though there’s no porcupine).

Check out an excerpt of my website, and enter my contest to win a signed copy.

Jaunty: Hi there – It’s me, Jaunty P. Quills, just coming out of hibernation.

Margo: Jaunty, porcupines don’t hibernate.

Jaunty: Well, this one does. Did you see what it was like last winter? Geesh! No way was I leaving my den. And since I’m the enormously wealthy prince of the forest—

Margo: Anything like the prince in my new book, The Rogue Prince?

 Jaunty: Exactly! And just as sexy. 

Margo: Somehow I don’t think so. There aren’t many porcupines who can compare to Thomas Thorne, the hero of my new Regency-era romance from Avon Books.

Jaunty: What’s so special about Thomas Thorne?

Margo: First of all, he’s not a prince at all. He’s a man who wants revenge against the two spoiled jerks – Shefford and Blackmore –  who framed him for a crime he didn’t commit. Tom was sent away to a brutal penal colony for it, and now that he’s back, he’s going to destroy Shefford and Blackmore and ruin their families.

 Jaunty: Well, I once—

 Margo: Don’t even go there, Jaunty. You were never in prison.

 Jaunty:

 Margo: Don’t sulk. It’s fiction, Jaunty! Fiction!

Jaunty: If Tom Thorne went to a penal colony, how did he get to be so rich?

Margo: That’s all in the book. But let me tell you about the problem he runs into when he returns home to get his revenge.

Jaunty: My quills are all aquiver.

Margo: He meets a young woman – the mother of two little kids – and falls for her.

Jaunty: So? They live happily ever after, right?

Margo: Well, maybe they could if she didn’t happen to be Backmore’s widow and Shefford’s sister.

Jaunty: Ouch. That’s a dilemma

Margo: To say the least. For years, he’s been planning a sting that will absolutely destroy the two culprits who set him up. And now he has to choose between love and revenge. 

Jaunty: What does he do?

Margo: You’re going to have to read it to find out. Luckily, The Rogue Prince hits bookstores today!

Jaunty:

Margo: You are so transparent, Jaunty. OK, I’ll send you a copy.

Jaunty: [clapping his little paws together]. Tell us more about The Rogue Prince!

Margo: I came up with the premise for this book after reading The Count of Monte Cristo (again). It’s one of my favorite books with the themes of revenge and forgiveness, but for my tastes, there’s not enough romance.

I decided to fix that, and ended up with a completely different story. So in reality, the germ of the idea came from The Count of Monte Cristo – but The Rogue Prince is a tale all its own.

I hope you’ll give it a try!

Jaunty: I’m going out by my mailbox to wait.

Margo: Mailbox? Porcupines have mailboxes in the forest? That’s rich.

Jaunty: Don’t mock our forest culture, Ms. Maguire.  There is plenty to love in a . . .

Margo: I’ve got things to do, Jaunty. Maybe you can tell me about your forest culture next time.

A few weeks ago I went to a conference in Shreveport where I gave a workshop and then participated in a booksigning with several other authors. I happened to mention the booksigning on Facebook and a reader contacted me and said she lived in that area and would try to come by to meet me. I hoped she’d be able to make it.

Come time of the booksigning and things were going well, my books were selling, many of whom had attended my workshop and had favorable things to say. Always nice to hear. But then in walks this lovely woman clutching my first book, Courting Claudia, to her chest. She comes over smiling broadly with her husband following behind her. After a brief introduction she holds out the book and says she’s read all my books and loves them, but that one is her favorite. What a wonderful moment, perhaps for her (she seemed excited enough) but most definitely for me.

It’s always a joy to meet readers, but there is something magical when you meet one who comes just to see you. Who comes in with a tattered and loved copy of one of your books and holds it tightly to them gushing and grinning. It makes all those hours I spend tolling away alone in my office so worth it. All those times when the book isn’t working and the writing isn’t flowing or the revisions seem insurmountable so worth the pain, sweat and tears put in to reach that finished product.

So all you readers out there, please know that every time you send us a note or come meet us at a signing, you make us want to rush right back to our offices and write you another book. So thank you. And as a small token of my appreciation I’m giving away copies of one of my backlist books to three of you. Just make a comment on what makes a keeper book for you and you’ll be entered.

And don’t forget to enter my contest with Fresh Fiction.

If you’re a writer, I bet you’ve been asked, more than once, “Where do you get your ideas?” And if you’re a reader, maybe you’re reading our blog wondering, where do these authors get their ideas?

I can’t always say precisely where an idea came from. Once in awhile I hear something or see something that triggers an idea and a book comes from there. BLACKTHORNE’S BRIDE began this way. I heard a speaker tell a story about two couples who eloped to Gretna Green and the drunk anvil priest accidentally married the wrong couples.

But it’s rare for me to have such obvious inspiration. I couldn’t begin to say where the idea for WHEN DASHING MET DANGER, PRIDE AND PETTICOATS, or GOOD GROOM HUNTING generated.

I’m not exactly sure where the idea for THE MAKING OF A DUCHESS, my June release, came from either. But I have my suspicions.

When I was in high school, one of my favorite books was A TALE OF TWO CITIES. You’ve read it, right? If you hated it, or hated Dickens, please, please go get a copy and give it another try. Really. You’ll like it better now that you’re not 14. Not only did I love that book in high school, I ended up teaching it to sophomores for four years. It was then I learned to really appreciate the stylistic elements and Dickens’s skill as a writer.

But it was always the story that drew me—the bloody French Revolution, the father locked in a prison cell for almost eighteen years, the love triangle between Lucy, Charles Darnay, and Sydney Carton. I wanted to write a story with the backdrop of the French Revolution, and I wanted to write a story set in London and Paris.

I think when you read THE MAKING OF A DUCHESS you’ll see elements from A TALE OF TWO CITIES that inspired me.

What about you? Are there any books that inspired you?

Lynz is the winner! Please send me your mailing address to janette AT jankenny DOT com and I’ll get your autographed novel in the mail.

Thanks to all who commented!

See, I have always wanted to write a story set around the Mayan Riviera with the vast sisal plantations and their sprawling old haciendas.

It’s such an exotic locale, so steeped in violent history, grandeur, and romantic lore.  So the Yucatan Penninsula was the perfect location for my second Harlequin Presents romance.

My editor told me that Proud Revenge Passionate Wedlock was the first Presents set in Mexico, which surprised me. Yes, I’ve read a lot of Presents over the years, but I thought that I’d just somehow missed the ones set in Mexico.

I loved writing this novel because it allowed me to explore a theme that I’d always wanted to do. A couple whose marriage had hit the rocks, yet both still loved the other. With deceit, lies and grief swelling between them with each breath they took, was it possible to reclaim that love? Could they start over  and build a stronger marriage this time? Should they even try?

For Allegra, she’s returned to the Yucatan for one reason. Closure. She can’t sleep, can’t eat, can’t think of a tomorrow until she’s buried her past.  Until she’s let go of the man she loved with all her heart.

I’m giving away an autographed copy of Proud Revenge, Passionate Wedlock to one commenter. Your choice if it’s a Harlequin Presents or Mills & Boon Modern edition! Tell me what was your favorite reconcilliation story. And if you haven’t read one, what was your favorite Modern or Presents title? I’ll announce the winner on Sunday.

I’ve always loved Christmas and have always thought that there was a certain magic surrounding the Victorian celebrations. The caroling, gathering of family and friends, and the overall joy that seemed to dance in the air.

The majority of Victorians decorated lavishly — inside and out. It was an era when the dangerous lit candles on trees were replaced with the newfangled electric lights by Mr. Edison. Delicate ornaments were shipped from Germany and many housewives lovingly crafted their own decorations, right down to the stockings hung by the mantle.

But for the pioneers on the plains and those living in the Wild West, Christmas could be a very lonely holiday with nothing around but miles upon miles of unbroken snow. In fact many people never celebrated it at all.

That was my hero, Reid Barclay. He was raised in an orphanage that didn’t do much more than give the orphans an orange or apple for the holiday. There was no tree, no presents, no merriment.

For Reid, the Christmas appoaching meant one thing — it was the due date on the devil’s deal he’d made and things weren’t looking good for him or his dreams.

His new ranch cook had a tendancy to burn everything she put in the stove, overheating the house, and him, in more ways than one! The last thing he wanted was for her to turn his home into a glittering forest, or tempt the cynic in him to believe he had a chance of finding forgiveness or happiness.

Ellie Jo adored Christmas, and this one held even more joy for it was the first time in years that she’d spend it with her outlaw father. But with her pa and Reid at odds, and trouble set to descend on the ranch, even an optomist like her had trouble believing in the magic of Christmas, and a forever kind of love.

I’ll give away an autographed copy of A Cowboy Christmas to a commenter on this post. Tell me what was your absolute favorite Christmas-themed romance novel, or share your most cherished holiday tradition.