Clock Watching!

It's Friday and oh my winey goodness, London is HOT! Perhaps this is the summer we never had? Whatever it is, I'm certainly not complaining... but let me tell you, wine o'clock is coming early ce soir! A picnic in the park is definitely in order. 

Today, I'm over on Amlokiblogs, talking about my next novel (official announcement on Monday, yay!) and various other bits and bobs. Sign up to the Rule of Three challenge over there for a chance to win a copy of Willow. And in other yay-worthy news, to celebrate being short-listed for Best Romantic Read, The Hating Game ebook is now on for a reduced price of 98p and its US equivalent. 

Now over to the lovely Elle Strauss, who is celebrating the launch of Clockwise!

Chick lit Isn’t Dead and Why chick lit is Needed in YA

Recently I read somewhere that chick lit was dead. Obviously no one told the very talented Talli Rolland that!  And I’m with Talli, there will always be room on the shelf for chick lit now that the genre exists.

I remember when it didn’t.  I have very clear memories of a younger me scouring library shelves wondering why no one wrote Romantic Comedy.  It did great at the box office as movies, but nothing came close to it on the shelves.

I think that’s why I read a lot of mysteries back then. Besides liking mystery, it was the only genre that had a “cozy” line.

Then came Bridget Jones’ Diary by Helen Fielding . Oh my gosh—finally! That’s what I was talking about! She opened the door to a whole new genre.  Which filled up fast.  Maybe too fast, thus the “dead” talk. 

But not in YA.  With the rush of Paranormal and Dystopian, and don’t get me wrong, I like me a bit of Paranormal and Dystopian,  anything on the lighter side seems to be getting not much more than a sideways glance.  Not everything, a few choice nuggets are getting through, like the spy books by Ally Carter.

Sometimes I think chick lit gets a bad rap. Like it’s just meaningless fluff, and flirty words.  And maybe there is some like that. But just because something is light and fun, doesn’t mean there can’t be a, a thought provoking deeper message of substance.

So, I say, let’s keep chick lit coming—both in women’s fiction and YA. Because sometimes you just need to read something that makes you smile and go, ahh.

Clockwise is launching electronically this week and it’s only 2.99 on Amazon , £2.17 on Amazon.co.uk! To celebrate, Elle Strauss is giving away five debut books by authors that you can meet on her blog tour which is happening now.

LOSING FAITH by Denise Jaden

THE CLEARING by Anne Riley

THE SECRET OF SPRUCE KNOLL by Heather McCorkle

PERILOUS by Tamara Hart Heiner

THE HATING GAME by Talli Roland

How to win? Sign up for Elle’s newsletter to enter. For extra entries just comment on any blog in the tour. The more blogs you visit and comment on the more chances you have to win. Five books, five days, five winners!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Sunny London Skies

Wheeee! It's Wednesday! Thank you all for your lovely words on my award short-listing -- I'm still happy dancing, which I can assure you is not a pretty sight. The official press release is here!

There are some days the world just seems to love London, and today is one of those days. It's sunny, about 25 C, and my parents are in town -- we've been busy exploring Little Venice, Camden Market, Primrose Hill, Regent's Park and Marylebone. A few photos from our travels are below.

No 'real' post today since I'm in lazy mode and I need to rest up for dinner tonight (tough life, I know), but I am in the hot-seat over at Cally Jackson's blog. Pop by if you get a chance!

Primrose Hill, looking down on London.

A boat on the Grand Union Canal.

Little Venice.

Have a great day, everyone!

Top of the Morning!

Just picture me saying that with an Irish twang... :)

Bad accents aside, I am feeling pretty tops right now. Why? Because I just found out The Hating Game has been short-listed for Best Romantic Read at the upcoming Festival of Romance Awards! Okay, so the novel might not be your typical romance, but to me (and hopefully to the judges) nothing is more romantic than two people who decide to be together not because they need to be, but because they want to be. I'm so thrilled to be in the running with the likes of Carole Matthews, Fiona Harper, Sue Moorcroft and Juliet Archer.

And just look where I found out the good news:

The Treetop Walkway at Kew Gardens -- 180 steps up!

In the treetops! Fabulous location for great news, eh? And even better, Mama and Papa TR were by my side -- they're here in London for a visit after a rainy few days in Scotland. We spent a lovely morning at Kew. Here are a few more photos:

The Mediterranean Garden.

Kew Palace.

And in other news, I've been over at lovely Mariam Kobras' blog, spouting off about... you guessed it, chick lit! And the winners of Kate Walkers' Bedded by the Greek Billionaire are Glynis Smy and Janice Horton! Kate decided to throw in an extra copy -- thank so much, Kate.  Congrats, ladies.

I won't be around much until Thursday when M&P TR head back to Canada, although I'll try to visit as much as possible! Have a fantastic Monday, all.

Greek Billionaires and Handsome Strangers

I'm suffering from severe attacks of the sleepies these days, so a big TGIF! Before I pass you over to the wonderful Kate Walker (who has a very relevant and timely post on covers), I want to give a giant shout out to Leigh T Moore. She's just opened up an editing business, so if you're looking for someone experienced to cast an eye over your MS, she's your gal.

I also want to say a big thank you to everyone who has and is continuing to spread the word and review Willow! I'm so thrilled to be a part of such a wonderful group of supporters.

So, here's fellow RNA and romance writer extraordinaire Kate Walker, on 'Finally Getting the Book Cover I Wanted'.

One upon a time, as all good stories should begin, my editor would ask me to contribute some ideas for the way the cover of my book should look when it was finally produced.   I used to think long and hard about this – describe my hero very carefully, give glowing descriptions of my heroine’s beauty, the style of her hair . . .  I’d give a scene that I thought would look great, something atmospheric, sensual, passionate. Hopefully something that would really represent the book I ‘d written. But when the covers finally appeared, often it seemed that – well, either I hadn’t written the book I thought I’d written, or the art department didn’t see my  story – or my characters in quite the way that I thought they should.

There was my very first book – The Chalk Line (1984) . The hero was described as having jet-black hair  - I got an ice-cold blond . Admittedly I’d asked for a snow scene, but I’d never imagined that the weather was going to bleach my hero’s hair quite so badly!   Then there was The Golden Thief. (The hero, an actor named Leigh Benedict was the ‘Golden Thief’ of the tile –he was meant to be gorgeous – tall, blond, devastating. A Robert Redford in his heyday type.  Hmmm – what I got was RR well past his heyday – or perhaps it was Robert Redford’s older, fatter, uglier brother.   And his heroine wasn’t quite the young, fabulous blonde I’d hoped for either.  In fact I did rather wonder if she was meant to be the hero’s mother, rather than the sexy, passionate love of his life.

Fast forward a few years and there was  Wife For A Day  ( 1998)– obviously being the wife of my hero Ronan Guerin, even if just for a day, had all been too much for Lily!  Her hair – her strange, wild, crazily bouffant hair had turned totally grey or again perhaps that was his mother  the hero was trying to force feed with a strawberry.

I began to wonder if I really had written the book I thought I had. Or were my heroes developing some strange mother fixation?   I’m still forced to wonder at times because the cover of Sicilian Husband, Blackmailed Bride (2007) seems to show a  mother – in a bridal dress – together with her  tall – v-e-r-y tall  . . er – husband?  No, he only looks about 16. Or perhaps I’ve got it wrong again and I really wrote a story about a cougar heroine and her 16 year old toy boy?

There was my first ever sheikh book –  Desert Affair (2002) - and I was truly sheikhen when I saw the cover. My son thought someone had spilled ink all over the book  -  and for ever after this one was affectionately known as The Blob because of the big dark stain that spread across the cover. It doesn’t look too bad in the paperback, but believe me, when it was in a hardback edition with the top of what is now clearly a towering sand dune cut of by the title and my name, it just looked exactly like – The Blob.  The title was a little iffy too – you see, Desert Affair was actually set mostly in London – in a wild, fierce snowstorm.  But what with the Blob and Desert Affair, it sold pretty well!

I tried everything I could – I went into even more lyrical and detailed descriptions, I cut picture out of magazines, I  pointed out just who had been my inspiration for the hero of each book  (Hugh Jackman as a Spaniard, Hugh Jackman as an Italian, Hugh Jackman  as an Argentinian. None of them looked at all like Hugh Jackman).   My very first cover in the ‘new style’ covers that came out recently – The Proud Wife (2011)  really wasn’t bad at all – it  featured a glamorous, beautiful woman – it was a stunning photograph. But – well, my heroine was a passionate, voluptuous heroine, fiery and feisty, not the glacially calm creature on the front of this book.

So when my latest book –  The  Return of The Stranger -  the one that’s out on 2nd September  (4th October if you’re in  America) was accepted, I really just gave in. A tall dark hunk was my hero – the book is inspired by Wuthering Heights  so I probably added ‘gipsyish’ or some such. Nothing  more.  And I didn’t hope too hard and I got . . . .

 Perfection!  That’s my hero just as I imagined him – he’s dark and sexy . . .  and everyone I’ve shown this cover to loves him. There’s no blob, no sign of his mother . . . it’s just Heath Montanha  - the hero of The Return of the Stranger, very close to the way I’d imagined him. There’s a moral to this story – say little, keep it zipped – and hope, just hope that someone in marketing has read the book and decides to give it the cover it deserves.

For now, I’m happy – so I’ll settle for that

THE RETURN OF THE STRANGER

 Standing high on the windswept moors, the lone figure of Heath Montanha vows vengeance on the woman who destroyed the last fragments of his heart...Lady Katherine Charlton has never forgotten the stablehand with dangerous fists and a troubled heart from her childhood. Now the rebel is back, his powerful anger concealed under a polished and commanding veneer. When ten years of scandal and secrets are unleashed, with a passionate, furious kiss, Heath's deepest, darkest wish crystallises...Revenge - and Kat - will be his!

Amazon UK, Mills & Boon, Ebook at Harlequin, Amazon, M&B Australia

 Website, Blog, Facebook Author Page created by Romance Book Paradise Promotions.

Kate is generously giving away one copy of her novel, Bedded by the Greek Billionaire (pwoar!) to a lucky commenter (commentator?). Thank you, Kate! Happy weekend, everyone.

Let Them Eat (Cup)cakes

It's Wednesday, and it's hard to believe the week is half-over! A big thanks to Arlee Bird for his review of Willow, and a shout-out for a lovely new blogger Emma Pass, whose YA dystopian is due out in 2013. Pop by and check out her blog if you get the chance.

On to today's topic! I debated blogging about this, because there's already been so much discussion about it -- at least on this side of the Atlantic. Not to mention, I'm getting pretty tired of defending my chosen genre of chick lit.

So I'm not going to rehash the event that's led to me write about this. Instead, I want to ask why women writers, in particular, need to defend what they write. Do we see popular male writers like Nick Hornby defending their humorous, light fiction? No, we do not. Do we see men apologising for throwing in multiple football references, the same way woman do with shoes or cupcakes? No. And do male readers complain that black and red covers are limiting their readership? Um... negative.

So why do women writers need to do this? Why are we constantly having to justify what we write, the appearance of our novels, how they're labelled... and on and on? What's the next step, to apologise for having breasts? Bah!

There is nothing wrong with liking pink. Shoes. Cupcakes. Or even NOT liking any of those things, but wanting to read stories that are relevant to modern women. Yes, I understand packaging and marketing everything with one set of 'symbols' can be grating, but we shouldn't let our constant defence of the labels overtake the fact that we're proud of what we write, and that we write entertaining novels that connect with our readers (at least, I hope I do!). How about being on the offensive?

Let's focus on the positive, and let the critics eat (cup)cakes.

(Now I want a cupcake...)

Odds 'n' Sods

Happy Monday, one and all! Hope you had a great weekend. Mine was fabulous, filled with lovely pubs, great wine, rain (booo!) and fantastic reads.

And now it's a fresh new week. I'm half-way through my novella called Miracle in the Museum of Broken Hearts for a Christmas anthology with some other wonderful writers. I have to tell you, it's so good to be writing again after months of editing!

There are a few things on the Talligenda today, so let's get down to business. First up, the winners from my launch  day contest!

The winner of a selection of Marilyn stuff is... Leigh T Moore!


The winner of an ebook of Willow is... Rachel Brimble!


The winner of a £10 Amazon gift certificate is...Teresa Morgan!


Congratulations! I'll be in touch shortly. And thanks so much to everyone, again, who took part.

Oh, would you like a look into my brain? (Yes, I know. Scary.) Gird your loins... and, er... other bits, because at Nik Perring's blog today, you can peer inside the void. 

Onto the next item! Hilarious, fantastic rom-com writer Tonya Kappes has started her own blog recently. Head over and say hi if you get the chance.

And last but by no means least, fellow Canadian writer Isabelle Lafleche has recently launched a book trailer for the US release of her novel J'Adore New York. Have a look!

And that's Monday done, phew! Have a good one.

Miniskirts and More!

Happy Friday, everyone. Wow, what a week!

Before I get started on the miniskirts (don't worry, I'm not going to make you watch a video of me in one), I want to say thanks again for making my launch day so fantastic! Somewhere along the way, I ended up agreeing to wear my Marilyn costume in an author fashion show at the Festival of Romance. The reality of the costume ain't pretty, so if you're going, consider yourself forewarned!

A few links to share from the past couple days: first up, I'm on High Heels and Book Deals talking about my Freedom Shoes. Dance, baby, dance! There have also been lovely reviews of Willow at Bookersatz, One More Page, Kim the Book Worm, Surrounded by Books, and Thoughts in Progress.

And you can win an ebook of Willow at One More Page and Chick Lit Plus.

Phew!

Well, this wasn't just launch week for me. Today is the launch of the fabulous Carol Wyer's Mini-Skirts and Laughter Lines! It sounds like a fantastic read, and Carol is such a warm and lovely lady. I'm a guest in one of her 'rooms' (she's got a fab house party going on!). Drop by and say hi and congratulations if you get a chance.

I'm still working away on putting everyone's name into the bucket for launch day prizes -- so many people took part (yay! thank you!) it's proving quite the task. I hope you don't mind waiting until Monday. 

So until then... have a fab weekend, everyone!

How to Say...

...a big enough thank you? I don't think I can put into words how thrilled, grateful and overwhelmed I am with all the wonderful support I received yesterday from bloggers, Tweeters and Facebookers. It was amazing, and it made my launch day another incredible experience.

I hope I've got around to everyone to say thank you, but if I've missed anyone, please know how much I appreciate your participation! Yesterday was a bit of blur, as I went from Twitter to Facebook to blogs when I could, and back again. I tried to make it through all the amazing 'If I Could Be Anyone, I'd Be' entries last night, but I ended up collapsing in a heap on the sofa around 10:30 pm.

But what amazing blogs people posted! From Glynis Smy's hilarious video, to Gina Dickerson's fab Lady Gaga, to Jabba the Hut, astronauts, cartoon characters, artists, Buffy, Lenny's brave mongoose... wow! I learned so much about loads of fascinating characters. It was fantastic.And to have Pam Reader live tweeting as she read Willow -- so much fun!

And although my goal was mainly to spread the word about Willow, I'm pleased to report my novel cracked the top 100 of Amazon UK on release day and was number 2 on Movers & Shakers (and it's actually still at number 3 right now!). And all down to the people I've been luckily enough to meet here, on Facebook and through Twitter.

So, how to say a big enough thank you? Well, I really can't. But my heart is full. *wipes tear*

(Winners of the Amazon gift cert, ebook and Marilyn stuff will be announced Friday.)

Yay! It's Watching Willow Watts Launch Day!

I can't believe the day has finally come. After months of struggle, blood, sweat, and wine-soaked tears, launch day for my second novel, Watching Willow Watts, is here!

If you're so inclined, you can buy a copy of Willow on Amazon UK for £1.71, or on Amazon.com for $2.99. Paperback coming in November!

Right! Now that's out of the way, let's get started on the fun stuff. First up, my Marilyn Monroe vlog (cringe!). Since in the novel, Willow becomes an overnight sensation after a YouTube video of her Marilyn Monroe impression goes viral, it seemed only fitting I go on YouTube, too. I apologise in advance!





Have you survived? Hope so! Because today is the 'If I Could Be Anyone, I'd Be...' web splash! Almost 150 bloggers have signed up to post about who they would be, if they could choose anyone. Pop by and visit other participants, if you have a chance. I can't wait to see who everyone has chosen!

So who would I be, if I could be anyone? I wouldn't be Marilyn, that's for sure. I would be Emily Carr. Now, chances are you haven't heard of her. I actually had to Google the name to make sure I had it correct. She's a Canadian landscape painter, born in the late 1800s. Back in the days before I'd heard of Cezanne and Monet and anything else, I remember staring at her paintings and thinking: wow. I loved the colours and the vibrancy.

Carr was also a writer, although I didn't know it at the time. I remember seeing a photo of her and her easel in the midst of the Canadian wilderness, and I thought: 'I want that'. That solitude; that absorption. That dedication to art and creation.

Defying the role of women at the time, Carr is a true Canadian icon. But more than that, she's a true creative.

So... the million dollar (pound!) question. Who would you be, if you could be anyone? And even if you're not posting, feel free to Tweet (with the tag #watchingwillowwatts) or Facebook (tag @Talli Roland) to be in with a chance to win prizes!

A million thank yous to everyone supporting me today. I can't say it enough -- it means the world to me.

One Thousand and One Thank Yous!

I already know it's going to be a great week. Why? Because my blog has now topped one thousand followers! I'd like to thank everyone over the past year and a half who has read, commented and supported me and my novels. It means the world to me.

*sniff sniff*

Okay, enough sap for a Monday! Today, I'm over at fellow RNA'er Nell Dixon's blog, talking again about why I don't talk about writing. (I seem to talk a LOT about not talking, though!) And I've spent the past hour or so recording my vlog, resplendent in my Marilyn wig and dress. Oh yes. Drop by Wednesday (launch day!) to see it and cringe.

And I'd be remiss, of course, if I didn't mention launch day and the 'If I Could Be Anyone, I'd Be...' web splash this Wednesday! Even if you're busy that day and can't post, you can still tweet, FB or G+ it! Use the tag #watchingwillowwatts or tag me on FB and G+ (Talli Roland) so I know you've taken part, and you can be entered in the draw for priiiiiizes! Fingers crossed it all goes to plan!

Until then, I'd like to know: what funny piece of writing advice would you give to someone? 

Mine would be this: Never keep a full packet of Twizzlers within arm's reach of the laptop. The aftermath is not pretty.

Lush, Links, Love

One of our friendly bottles of wine, posing in the Jardins Luxembourg.

Phew. I'm back from Paris, where there was plenty of wine, bread, wine, cheese, wine... my liver is in recovery! Plenty o' fun was had by all, except perhaps by the men we forced to open our bottle of wine in the grocery store. Oh, the humiliation.

A few quick things! If you'd like to win an ebook copy of Willow, you can enter at Chick Lit Club or Chick Lit Reviews.

This week, I've also been lucky enough to be a guest over at Christa's wonderful blog. Drop by to say hi and for the chance to win a copy of The Hating Game! And over at The Naked Hero, I'm stripping off a Frenchman. Go on, take a peek. You know you want to! :)

A massive thanks to everyone taking the time to read, review, sign up for my launch... I really appreciate it! And as you know, well, next week is going to be an exciting one for me. So I'm going to gather my energy and say have a fantastic weekend.

See you Monday!

Introducing: TalliMarilynstein

I'm not actually here. I'm in... *pause for dramatic effect*... PARIS! Yes, my friends, as you read this, I will be stuffing myself silly with every croissant and macaron (not macaroon) I come across, skipping merrily down the cobblestones streets with a little red beret perched jauntily on my head. Hm, I think that's all the stereotypes I can work in for now.

So I'll keep this short, with a small reminder (not like you need it, with the way I've bleated on) that Willow's launch party is one week from today. Still loads of time to sign up to post on 'If I Could Be Anyone, I'd Be...'. Now's your chance to be whoever you want.

And to celebrate the one-week milestone... I give you a brand new creature, TalliMarilynstein! Yes, I've been having loads of fun playing around with my Marilyn wig and dress for an upcoming vlog (shudder) -- it's hours of entertainment, I tell you. Why Marilyn? In the novel, Willow's Marilyn Monroe impression gets spotted on YouTube and catapults her to insta-fame. The only problem? She's so not Marilyn material (kind of like me)!

Holy hair!

I'm trying for a cheeky look but it's not really working...

Well, at least I had fun! :) A bit too much, quite possibly...

I *Do* Read Other Things...

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend, and to all my North American friends... have a great Labo(u)r Day. Just a quick announcement: if you'd like the chance to win an ebook copy of Watching Willow Watts, just head over to Chick Lit Reveiws and fill out the tiny tiny form. :)

I talk a lot about how much I love chick lit, but I didn't spring from the womb as a fully formed chick lit reader. (Surprising, I know.) In fact, it wasn't until my late twenties and after I'd moved to London that the chick-lit bug really bit. I remember wandering into bookshops and being surrounded by lovely pretty covers... sigh!

But as much as I enjoy chick lit, that doesn't mean it's the only thing I read. Growing up, I loved science fiction by Monica Hughes and historicals by Janet Lunn. As an English Literature student, I read -- and enjoyed -- almost everything from every era (a big BLAH to Restoration comedies, though. Not my kinda humour.).

Now, I have a particular fondness for non-fiction. I'm currently reading and loving an ARC of Backpacked by Catherine Ryan Howard, I've got Karen Walker's Following the Whispers on my list, and I enjoyed Ann Best's In The Mirror.

This year, I've also read and enjoyed Alex Cavanaugh's science fiction novel CassaStar, Stephen Tremp's action-packed book Breaththrough, Karen Jones Gowen's House of Diamonds and Jessica Bells' literary fiction, String Bridge.

So, yes. I love chick lit. But I do read other things!

How about you? Do you stick with one genre, or are you open to most anything?

Live It, Love It

Welcome to all BBQ'ers arriving from Karen's! Please say hi so I can visit with you, too. :)

Today I feel like a chicken who's been injected full of caffeine then had its heard cut off! My best friend from Canada arrives this weekend, and while we have a fun week planned of wine, wine and PARIS, I've got about five zillion items to cross off my to-do list. Spending an hour yesterday playing with my new Marilyn get-up (oh, yes) was not exactly time well spent, either.

A few links to share with you before I pass you over to today guest blogger, the wonderful Shirley Wells! First off, I was on Fabulosity Reads yesterday talking about why I love chick lit, and at The Naked Hero spouting off on why I love London. There's a new review of Willow here, and a nice one of The Hating Game here (I almost forgot I wrote that novel, ha!). Phew. That's everything, I think.

Oh! My favourite donut-loving, writer friend India Drummond's Ordinary Angels is available again on Amazon! Yay!

And now... over to Shirley!

Thank you, Talli, for inviting me to your utterly gorgeous home. I’ll try not to drop crumbs or spill anything while I’m here.

For those of you who don’t know me, let me say that Talli and I are practically identical. We both write. Talli writes wickedly humorous books and I write mysteries, but it’s close enough. We both love wine. Talli gets mistaken for super-model Agyness Deyn and … well, I’m working on that.

What else is there to know about me? Well, I’m an internet addict. I’m still not sure how that happened, but thanks to Facebook and Twitter, I can give you daily weather updates for Florida, Lanzarote, Arizona or just about any place you could want.

Am I jealous of these exotic locations? Well, yes. And no.

I was born in the Cotswolds, but I’ve lived in Cyprus where I wrote several holiday romances, and in Orkney where I continued writing romance. I still remember my horror when Mr W’s job changed. He was promoted and we needed to move to the north of England. “No,” I cried. “It’s nothing but whippets, flat caps, and racing pigeons. It’s always raining. And it’s all grimy old mill towns. There’s a reason people say it’s grim up north, you know.”

Despite my pleas, I had to move north. And I love it. It has a beauty all its own. I live out in the countryside, amid the rolling Pennine Hills. Instead of walking along picturesque beaches, I take the dogs across bleak, windswept moors.

When a heavy mist falls, it can get quite spooky on those hills and instead of working out the storyline for my next romance, I began to think “Hey, this would make a great place to hide a body” or, more often, “What was that noise?”. Instead of the happy-ever-afters I’d been writing for years, my mind was turning more and more to crime.

In 2006, I wrote my first crime novel and my eighth has just been accepted. So although I turn a particularly unattractive shade of green when I see white sandy beaches and hear of 30 degree temperatures, I know that moving to Lancashire was the best thing I ever did.

What about you? Do you love where you live?

Thank you again for having me, Talli. (And don’t worry, the whippets are house-trained.)

Having had several hundred short stories, ten serials and ten novels published, Shirley Wells is finally getting the hang of this writing lark. Her latest Dylan Scott mystery, DEAD SILENT, is available from Carina Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and all good e-retailers. Connect with Shirley via her website, follow her on Twitter or find her on Facebook.