Finding Your Voice

Well, it's Friday. Thank goodness, is all I can say! What a week.

Before I hand the blog over to the wonderful Carol Kilgore, I want to give Sangu Mandanna a huge shout-out for the release of her debut novel, The Lost Girl. The cover is fabulous, and I can't wait to read it. Many congrats, Sangu! If you don't know Sangu, hop over and follow her blog. She's one of the friendliest, loveliest bloggers out there.

Secondly! This weekend, from today to Monday, all my novels (including The Hating Game and Watching Willow Watts) are 99p/ 99 cents as part of the Labor of Love promotion, with other great authors like Michele Gorman, Elle Lothlorien, Juliette Sobanet, Dina Silver, Beth Orsoff, Donna Fasano, Barbara Silkstone, and many more. It's our way of saying thank you to all the wonderful readers who have helped us in so many ways. Click the link above for more detail, or click here for my Amazon page: UK; .com. Happy reading!

Thirdly! I am a guest today over at Jera's Jamboree, talking about author superfoods. Drop by if you get the chance!

Phew. Okay, now over to Carol. 

Talli, thank you so much for hosting me. Your blog is the last stop on my blog tour to promote IN NAME ONLY.  I can't think of a better place to end what has been a fantastic summer. This my first visit to London, and I'm noticing the differences. Older buildings and much cooler weather, for starters! But I see a lot of smiles, like in Texas, so I feel right at home. (Talli says: Londoners smiling? In public? At strangers? Carol must be out clubbing after midnight....) Since your blog is my last stop before turning off the light, I suppose it's appropriate to tell a bedtime story.

Once upon a time, I lost my voice.My writer's voice.One day I had it, clear as a bell; the next, it went missing.

Voice is a terrible thing for a writer to lose. Mine was dark and twisted. It hung out with killers and sociopaths. Psychopaths and kidnappers. Thieves and scorned women. My voice was a lean, mean voice. It loved getting into the nitty-gritty of things, getting good and dirty, and getting out as soon as possible.

The day it went missing, I looked everywhere for it. I looked in the short stories I was writing, in essays, in travel articles, in personality profiles. Wasn't in any of those places. I searched through a couple of novels. Wasn't in those, either.

Then one day, when I'd grown tired of chasing after it, there it was! You'll never guess where I found it, so I'll tell you. I found my voice on my blog—Under the Tiki Hut—soaking up the salt air and listening to the surf roll in. Lazing in my hammock playing Words for Friends and drinking a Margarita.

I was ecstatic! We celebrated long into the night and professed our undying love for one another. Or something close to that…as best I remember. Did I mention I had a headache for a day or so? Ouch!

My new-found voice is different from the lean, mean one that vanished. While it was missing, it lost its love of looking at life through a dark lens. My new voice is lighter and has a hard time resisting a funny retort, but enough of its former self remains to get to the heart of what makes the villain tick.

Losing my voice happened a few years ago, but my memory of the horrible experience is still fresh. I don't ever want to lose my voice again, so I give it lots of exercise. I hope we live together happily ever after!

How about you? Have you ever lost your writer's voice? Or had a hard time finding it to begin with?

This post was inspired by Linda Grimes and the post she made on The Debutante Ball on August 10. Thank you, Linda!

No home. No family. No place to hide. For Summer Newcombe, that's only the beginning.

The night Summer escapes from a burning Padre Island eatery and discovers the arsonist is stalking her, is the same night she meets Fire Captain Gabriel Duran. As much as she's attracted to Gabe, five years in the Federal Witness Security Program because of her father’s testimony against a mob boss have taught her the importance of being alone and invisible.

No matter how much she yearns for a real home, Summer relinquished that option the night she killed the man who murdered her father. But Gabe breaks down her guard and places both of them in danger. Summer has vowed never to kill again, but she's frantic she'll cost Gabe his life unless she stops running and fights for the future she wants with the man she loves.

Thank you, Carol! You can learn more about Carol and follow her here: Blog; Website; Facebook; Twitter; Amazon; Amazon UK. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Getting Creative with Holidays

Happy Monday, everyone! Here in the UK, it's the August Bank Holiday Weekend, which entitles us to one day off before plunging headlong into back-to-school, the Paralympics, and general September goodness.

I have to say, calling long weekends 'Bank Holidays' cracks me up. Is there really not a better name to celebrate a day off? When I first moved here, I remember asking people, 'But why is it a holiday?' I'd get a shrug accompanied by the very unsatisfying answer: 'Because the banks are closed.'

But why are the banks closed, I wanted to scream (but didn't -- I was already getting the British equivalent of the evil eye: the poker face). I need a reason to party, damn it!

So I've come up with my own handy-dandy names for bank holidays throughout the year:

Official Name                                Official Talli Roland Name                         
Early May Bank Holiday                  The long weekend in early May when it rains; 

                                               OR: The Maypole Capering Holiday

                       
Spring Bank Holiday                        The long weekend in Spring when it rains;

                                               OR: The Drink Outside Without Freezing Holiday

Summer Bank Holiday                     The long weekend in Summer when it rains;

                                               OR: Get Off Yer Head Before Summer Ends Holiday

And while I may not be able to get off my head at the moment, with the Notting Hill Carnival on just down the street, at least I can now party with ample justification! 

What would you rename your favourite holiday?

To Blog, With Love

I think anyone who's blogged for a few years eventually stops and thinks: what the heck do I write about now? It's hard to come up with new, different, and engaging posts when you've already covered everything from writer's arse to a brain like noodles.

And lately, I must admit I'm kinda tired. I love blogging and all the wonderful people I've met -- and I'm nowhere near giving it up -- but I find myself gravitating more and more towards Twitter and Facebook, where the interactions are immediate and it's less labour-intensive to respond.

This summer, I experimented with posting twice a week, and I have to admit it's really increased my enjoyment of blogging! I can comment more proactively and get around to other blogs without feeling rushed. Blogging has actually been fun again.

To that end, I've decided that I'll maintain my twice-a-week schedule, posting on Mondays and Fridays (until my schedule of guest posters runs out in the autumn, and then I'll switch to Thursdays). With some major changes coming up in my life (eep!) along with lots of work I want to get finished before Christmas, I think this new schedule will work a bit better for me.

I hope you'll keep popping by and seeing what I'm up to! I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store for you, too.

Have you changed your blog schedule since starting your blog?  What works for you?

Consult the Oracle

Happy Monday, everyone! London had a scorching weekend, much of which I spent stretched out on a picnic blanket in Hyde Park, thinking of frigid climates and praying the humidity would break. I'm pleased to report it's much cooler this morning, just in time for me to face the full horrors of starting my second draft. I always have heart palpitations when I face the 80k words I banged out, wondering how on Earth I'm going to make this into a novel people will want to read!

Anyway, to celebrate her debut novel, thankfully JC Martin has dropped by with this delightful quiz to help distract me from my novel worries. Pop your name in the box below and hit 'start' to see much you know about the Olympics. In my case, it should be a lot, given my viewing addiction.

ORACLE London 2012 Quiz » funny quizzes

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

Did you get up to anything fun this weekend? Have you discovered how to stay cool amidst humidity?

I'll see you back here on Wednesday! 

Friday Fail!

So, yeah. It's Friday, and I completely forgot to post earlier! I almost had a heart attack thinking I was meant to have a guest poster and had let down the side (not to worry, future guest posters, you're all on my handy-dandy schedule!). Having finished the first draft of my next novel yesterday, I'm having a rather lax day, enjoying the summer's last hurrah before diving into edits (ahh!) on Monday

So, since I am now currently brain-dead from an afternoon of scouring Westfield (giant mall - my idea of hell) in an attempt to find something to fit: a. my growing belly; and b. my amazingly inflatable bust (too much info? Sorry! But seriously, it's like cosmetic surgery without the surgery), I shall leave you with one of my favourite summertime photos, from the isle of Lopud in Croatia. Oh, to be there now.

And I apologise for the over-use of the parentheses in this post (but I like them).

Have a lovely weekend, everyone.

This Little Author Went to Market...

Happy Monday! Well, after a stellar two weeks of sports, the Olympics rocked to a close last night. This morning the city seems quiet, although it could just be that everyone has a mammoth hangover from watching the ceremonies last night.

Although I'm not suffering from a hangover, I admit I'm a little tired from staying up way past my bedtime to see the Games close in a blaze of glory -- and I've used up my last bit of energy churning out my words for the day! I'm nearing the end of the first draft for The Pollyanna Plan, and I'm eager to tie up the loose ends.

So I shall bid you adieu and direct you this way, where I'm at the lovely Laura Howard's blog expounding on all things (okay, some things) social media and marketing-related.

Now off to nap...

Have a great start to the week!

Book Bliss

This week was my and Mr TR's anniversary, so we braved the traffic-clogged Olympic roads of London and headed to the South Bank, the scene of the crime a few years ago. As we entered the Royal Festival Hall on our way to dinner at Skylon, a wondrous sight greeted us.

A book labyrinth! Does it get any better?

Corridor upon corridor of books, some stacked way over my head.

One of the passages. 

Books! Books! Everywhere, books!

Sheer heaven.

I made it out! Starving and slightly stunned by the book Nirvana.

My friends, if only real life could be as good. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Sobs, Sports, and New Novels

I've no idea how it's Monday again, but here it is! I think I've slipped into a very pleasant Olympics-induced coma, punctuated by occasional sobs (mine) as athletes climb the medal podium and 'God Save the Queen' rings out in venues across the greater London area. It's rare to see the Brits being patriotic (self-deprecation and all that), so when it does happen, it's jolly good to see.

Hey, I got to finally type 'jolly good'! Maybe I am becoming British, after all.

The best moment for me was watching the Athletics Saturday night, as Team GB pulled in three gold medals within an hour: Jess Ennis in the heptathlon and Mo Farah in the 10k, both under extreme amounts of pressure and typical scepticism they'd be able to perform. And then to top it off, an unexpected gold by Greg Rutherford in the long jump! Watching was somewhat bittersweet for me, as I'd applied to get tickets for that session and was sadly denied. Boo.

With sports in the air, it's only fitting that I take a moment to talk about fellow blogger Kyra Lennon's début novel, Game On. I'm rubbish at writing long reviews, but suffice it to say this novel is a fun, enjoyable read with a hero you'll love to hate until you love to love him (does that make sense? It does in my mind...).

Sparks definitely fly between the two main characters, with numerous twists and turns until . . . well, you'll have to read it to find out!

An entertaining novel perfect for the summer.

On that note, I'll see you on Friday! In the meantime, tell me... are you watching the Olympics? Do you have a favourite spectator sport?

The Big Ideas

It's Friday! It's not raining! I've finished my words for the day! I'm excited!

Ahem. Now that I've managed to control myself, I'm very pleased to be hosting Mel Sherratt on my blog today. Mel and I met on Twitter, and over the past year or so, we've become firm friends in real life. She's a wonderful support and a person you can count on whenever you have any author-ly wobbles. Plus, she has the cutest dog ever.

Not only is Mel a fab person with a dog you just want to smush (if you can get him to stop bouncing for just a second), she's also a wonderful writer. Her debut novel, Taunting the Dead, was an Amazon top ten best-seller for ages, and she's just released her second novel, Somewhere to Hide. I've read them both and as clichéd as it sounds, I really couldn't put them down.

So, over to Mel!

People often ask me where I get ideas from. The problem with writing books about ordinary people is that they come from everywhere. It may be a snippet overheard in the local supermarket. It may be an article in a newspaper. It may be a news bulletin on the radio or television.  I have far too many ideas, if I’m honest. But that’s people for you. We’re complicated!

I got the idea for TAUNTING THE DEAD from watching television clips of news reports on murders. Often, friends or neighbours come on camera to say how they knew the murder victim and how he or she was a lovely person. I got to thinking what if someone was murdered who people tolerated rather than liked. This then led to the fact that maybe several family and friends could have committed the murder. So it became a tangle of lies as everyone tried to cover up their tracks.   

I’ve just launched the first book in a new series, SOMEWHERE TO HIDE. The idea for these books, emotional thrillers as opposed to police procedurals, came from two sources. For eight years I was a housing officer for the local authority. It isn’t the people that I worked with on the estate that are the inspiration for the sub plots, more the community spirit plus the background knowledge of the job that I use – especially in BEHIND A CLOSED DOOR, book two which is out in October. That book follows Josie Mellor, the main character, as she works on the estate and the cases she deals with. 

The other angle was I watched an episode of THE SECRET MILLIONAIRE. There was a woman who looked after young teenage women and she was so inspirational – putting herself in danger at times but always trying to give the girls who came to stay with her some sense of belonging. I watched the program halfway through writing the first draft of SOMEWHERE TO HIDE and it was a light bulb moment. It meant the book’s main theme became about strong women. And as my writing is gritty and I like writing about fear and emotion, it was perfect. 

Thank you, Mel! If you want a good read for the weekend, hop over to the 'Zon and get Mel's books (click here for UK links). Have a good one, everyone. I'll see you all on Monday. 

Let the Games Begin

Happy Monday, everyone. It's sunny in London, and the city is still on a high after the totally bonkers but completely amazing Opening Ceremony for the Olympics on Friday. Although I heard NBC butchered it for those of you Stateside, I hope it was still enjoyable.

Today, I'm part of another great opening ceremony. Author JC Martin releases her novel, Oracle, today. To celebrate, she's holding a month-long Oracle Olympics Blog Tour, with tons of games and prizes, including a possible grand prize of an iPad3 (for more details, visit J.C.'s blog). And it all kicks off with today's Opening Ceremony! Read on to find out how you could win a signed paperback copy of Oracle right off the bat! 

To win a signed copy of the book, visit all the blogs in the Parade of Nations in order (for a complete list of blogs, visit Olympics HQ here).  Each blog will have a secret letter. Collect them all to decipher the secret message. Then go back to J.C.'s blog and enter your answer in the Rafflecopter for your chance to win. The contest will remain open till midnight EST on Friday 3rd August, with the winner announced on J.C.'s blog!

 So here is my secret letter: S. Click on over for the next letter. Good luck!

In keeping with my letter, I'm on author Nicky Well's blog today, talking about strong women. And author Jessica Bell has re-released her debut novel, String Bridge. Yay for S!

With London gearing up to host the Olympics, the city doesn't need a serial killer stalking the streets, but they've got one anyway. Leaving a trail of brutal and bizarre murders, the police force is no closer to finding the latest psychopath than Detective Inspector Kurt Lancer is in finding a solution for his daughter's disability. Thrust into the pressure cooker of a high profile case, the struggling single parent is wound tight as he tries to balance care of his own family with the safety of a growing population of potential victims. One of whom could be his own daughter. Fingers point in every direction as the public relations nightmare grows, and Lancer's only answer comes in the form of a single oak leaf left at each crime scene. Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

In keeping with the lazy summer, I'll see you on Wednesday - maybe! But definitely on Friday. Have a great week!

A Little Kryptonite

Happy Friday, and happy start of the Olympics! Today, I'm thrilled to have Amy Saia here talking about her new novel. But first, a picture of the Olympic Torch passing through my 'hood yesterday.

And now, over to Amy!

When people think about young adult paranormal romance, they typically don’t associate it with Superman. But somehow, in this twisted brain of mine, I was able to connect the famous superhero with a beautiful ghost guy who hangs out in a small-town library everyday. Guess it’s part of that mantra: write what you love. 

I really do love Superman. I mean, really, really love Superman. Kal-L, Clark Kent, the man of steel. Buns of steel? Ahem. We can only make the assumption. I love his little forelock, greasy though it may be. His sparkling eyes, his thick jaw with demure cleft in the chin. He’s just hot, okay, and if Lois Lane ever gets on his nerves too much I wouldn’t have any problem letting him 3-D my clutch. 

To be honest, I think I subconsciously picked Superman as a sort of role model for my book’s main love interest, William Bennett, because I needed someone that was too good to be true. A figure noble and past young Emma Shay’s reach. I guess William being a ghost wasn’t enough of a challenge, I had to make him a totally unattainable hot ghost. But if you’re going to risk your life on the dead, it might as well be worth it. Obviously, Emma loves him for more than his looks. He’s mysterious, well-read, kind, protective, funny . . . blah, blah, blah. 

The other thing was that, to me, Superman epitomizes the 1970’s. As you may know, I have a complete and unmedicated obsession with the decade. I won’t tell you how extremely old I am, but I will say that before Christopher Reeve the world was still recovering from Vietnam and Watergate. Not to mention Polyester. When he showed up the world became cool again. He flew in with one arm raised and a smirk on his face that said, “There’s nothing to fear. I’m hot and awesome and I can make the world go ‘round.” And he totally did. I remember my mother actually sighing in the darkened theater when he flew Lois Lane around Metropolis. That’s power. Mom never sighed at anything. But, what was up with that stupid inner dialogue Lois Lane was having with herself? Totally corny. 

Of course, Star Wars was big at that time too. But try fitting the entire Galactic Empire in the back of a tiny library. And Yoda as a love interest? Not so much. 

Nope, it had to be Superman. And if I get any monetary compensation with the new movie coming out, that’s totally fine with me. Mostly I just want people to read my book. It’s called The Soul Seekers and will be out August 7. I thank you for reading this, and thank you so much to the amazing Talli Roland! Until next time, up up and away!

Amy Saia lives in Kansas where she keeps busy as a writer, artist and musician. She has two very imaginative children, a cat named Grape, and a long-haired dachshund named Henry. You can find her online at: http://thatamysaia.blogspot.com/ and on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/amy.saia.3

Thank you, Amy. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Here Comes the Sun... and the Olympics!

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a good week? Here in London, the city is awash with confused tourists, traffic snarls, and copious doses of Olympic fever.

But none of that matters. Because . . .

It's finally summer! Yes, my friends, after months and months (and more months) of rain and grey skies better suited to winter, the sun has made an appearance just in time for the start of the Olympics. It was lovely yesterday, too, and we took advantage of it by strolling through nearby Kensington Gardens with lunch at the Serpentine Lido, then a quick jaunt through Yoko Ono's exhibit at the Serpentine Pavilion.

Kensington Palace in the Sunday sun.

A sculpture across a branch of the Serpentine Lake. The reeds are the highest I've ever seen them, thanks to all the rain!

Yoko Ono's wish tree, where members of the public write their wishes on paper and attach them to the tree.

And in other news, today I'm over at Kim the Bookworm's blog with fellow authors Emma Burstall, Alice Peterson, and Janey Fraser. Pop over to say hi if you get the chance!

I will be making the most of this week's good weather, but I'll be back on Friday with a post from the lovely Amy Saia. See you then!

Recovery Mode

Happy Monday, everyone! Hope you all had a lovely weekend, filled with sun and plenty of Pimms. I spent the weekend at the RNA Conference in beautiful Penrith, Cumbria, where -- believe it or not -- we only had a sprinkle of rain!

As always, the conference passed in a blur of smiling faces, wonderful chats, and lots of useful workshops. I'm happy to report my talk on online marketing went off without a hitch, despite my nerves at the beginning and the lack of promised heckling from the Irish contingent. About ninety attendees turned up bright and early on Saturday morning for it, and I was happy to see so many friendly faces.

Me (looking very happy!) on the first day of the conference, with Sue Fortin and Catherine Miller.
Photo: Liz Fenwick.

Passing out hand-outs right before my talk.
Photo: Liz Fenwick.

I am now in full-on recovery mode and gearing up to speak on a panel about digital publishing at The Ivy Club tomorrow evening. The rest of the week will be writing, writing, writing! Now, off to nap...

Have a great week, everyone. I'll see you next Monday!

Longing for Lobster... and Sun

Happy Monday, everyone!

Well, the Great Hope (aka Andy Murray) may not have won Wimbledon, but hey, at least he provided a very good reason to pig out on strawberries and cream along with pear cider (non-alcoholic, sigh) on a Sunday afternoon. *pats belly contentedly*

And in total non-sequitur, I'm at Mel Chesley's today, talking about my books and such... and Mel has a lovely review of Build A Man.   I'm also at Carol Hedges' blog, discussing my reasons for self-publishing. Carol is a wonderful, sparky writer starting out on the self-publishing journey herself, so pop by if you get the chance!

I'll only be posting on Mondays for the next two weeks, due to a hectic schedule. This Friday, I take off to the wilds of Penrith for the Romantic Novelists' Association annual conference! Where's Penrith, you ask? I haven't a clue. (Ah, okay, I've just looked it up, and it's on the edge of the Lake District.)

Sounds idyllic, but for the fact it's only supposed to be around 15 C and rainy the whole time. The autumnal weather is, as you can imagine, prompting a wardrobe/ shoe crisis the likes of which has never before been seen. My previous plan had been to spend the weekend in lovely floaty maxi dresses with comfy yet stylish flat sandals. The dresses had the dual function of not only looking passable, but also hiding my bulging pot-belly which looks more like I've ingested too many pastries  rather than a 14-week pregnancy. Now, I'll be squishing myself into trousers paired with random tops that make me resemble the Michelin Madam.

Where's that lobster outfit when you need it?

Have a lovely week, and spare a thought for those battling the elements while you bask in glorious rays of sunshine, wearing the lovely floaty summer dresses I long for!

Ghostly Hanky-Panky

Happy Friday, everyone! Today I am pleased to welcome fellow romantic novelist Linda Gillard to the blog, writing about some of the, er, issues with ghostly sex. 

Take it away, Linda!

When I set out to write THE GLASS GUARDIAN, a supernatural love story with a ghost hero, I didn’t realise how hard it would be. I don’t plan my novels much and tend to let the characters dictate the story (which in this case gave a new meaning to the phrase “ghost-written”.) 

The problem was spectre sex. Vampires are (apparently) solid flesh and blood and very fit. Ghosts? Well, ghosts aren’t. So how could I give an insubstantial ghost lover an erotic power and a physical presence without cheating? Could something traditionally thought of as cold, ever be hot?... 

I hit upon the idea of water. Water can be sensuous and sexy; cold, but invigorating. Maybe my ghost’s element could be water… 

“He grabbed my hand, pressed the palm to his cold face and closed his eyes. His flesh yielded, but my hand didn’t penetrate his form. There was an uncanny resistance. Had he felt more solid, I suppose I might have thought of a corpse, but Hector was no more corporeal than a waterfall, or a river in spate. I could sense that energy, that force in him.” 

Well, it worked for me in a weird sort of way… 

“I took his chill, long-fingered hand and slid it inside my dress so that his palm lay on the curve of my breast. The sensation was one of cold, silky water trickling over my body, then he pulled me toward him and pressed his mouth on mine. For a second I panicked. Inundated by the cool liquidity of Hector’s form, I felt as if I was drowning, until I realised I didn’t need to hold my breath or prevent him from entering my mouth. I was quite safe...” 

Water in its various forms actually became a theme in the book. A snow-bound Isle of Skye provides the wintry setting. The dramatic climax takes place in a glacial world where ice can be a killer. And of course my watery ghost melts Ruth’s frozen heart. 

If you like your love scenes aquatic rather than athletic, he might melt yours too.

Love, loss and loneliness… Ruth Travers knows all about them. She’s lost a lover, both parents and her job. Now she thinks she might be losing her mind. For Ruth’s falling in love again – with a man who died almost a hundred years ago...  THE GLASS GUARDIAN (£1,90/$2.99) Amazon UK; Amazon.com

Thank you, Linda! And for anyone who hasn't yet read my novel Build A Man, there's  a chance to win it over on I Heart... Chick Lit. Have a great weekend, everyone!

My Favourite American Things

Happy Fourth of July to all Americans everywhere!

In honour of the holiday, I've decided to post my favourite American things. Okay, so I'm not a citizen of the States, but I did live in Texas for three months, so that must count for something, right?

So, in no particular order, here we go!

1. New York City. The energy of this place is amazing. It's like being on uppers 24/7. Love it.

2. Target. Okay, need I say more?

3. Dry zones. Really makes you appreciate the wet zones! (Dry zone = area where you can't buy alcohol.)

4. New Orleans. Oh my, what a crazeeee place. Definitely has a vibe all its own. I love the back alleys of the French quarter.

5. Friendly people. Canadians are friendly, too, but Americans have the hospitality thing down pat.

6. Sonic. I LOVE Sonic milkshakes and burgers! Oh so good.

What are your favourite American things?

Grunt It Out

Happy Monday, everyone! Thank you all for the lovely wishes on my last post.

Well, it's July! Can you believe it? I certainly can't. But Wimbledon's here, strawberries and cream are gracing the grocery aisles, and the weather -- well, let's not talk about that. To top it all off, I've started writing my next novel, The Pollyanna Plan. It's always difficult knowing where to start, but I've found the best thing to do (after the preliminary planning) is to plunge right in. I'm very much of the mindset that I can fix it later, and I just need to get through the first draft.

Which brings me to the grunting! (Can you tell I'm watching Wimbledon as I type this?) Although everything always starts off perfectly clear and harmonious within my novel-writing brain, as the pages progress, I often find myself complicating matters. New characters crop up, plot twists occur . . . and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love the surprises that happen when I'm creating, even though it leads to a lot of grunt work later. And now I can't even console myself with wine!

So, ladies and gentlemen, for the next few months, I'm looking for a new self-soothing method to get me through. If I can't drink wine... what on earth is a novelist to do? Grunt like a tennis player?

Help!

News! My wonderful friend Mel Sherratt has a new book out! It's a brilliant read -- take a look if you get the chance.

Works in Progress: Inside and Out

Happy Friday! You'll be happy to hear the road resurfacing nightmare is over, and we now have a pristine street out front that really didn't need any work done in the first place. Must be the end of the fiscal year... our tax dollars hard at work.

London is bursting with construction from one end to the other in preparation for the Olympics, actually. Everywhere you turn, the city is polishing itself up in readiness for the five bazillion visitors who will soon be descending upon us. Should make for some interesting times!

Apart from the joys of asphalt, there's been another little development in my life -- currently about the size of a lemon! I'm happy to report that Mini TR will be joining us in early January. Mr TR and I had our first peek as he happily bounced around inside me yesterday, and the doctor informed us the baby was 'very male'. Yikes!

So, that's my latest work in progress. Thankfully, he'll do all the hard work himself -- no revisions or editing needed!

What are you working on these days, internally or externally? :) Have a great weekend, everyone!

Talk Talk

Brace yourself: this post is going to be boring. (Can you imagine if I started a novel like that? I wonder how many people would read on...) Anyway, I do apologise. I'm utterly brain-dead after a torturous night listening to heavy BEEPING machinery scrape the asphalt off the street in front of my flat all night until 5 a.m. And even worse? They'll be back tonight!

(I've tried earplugs. They don't work.)

So, in lieu of a functioning brain, I thought I'd share a couple talks I'll be doing over the next few months.

July 14: The Romantic Novelists' Association Annual Conference, Penrith. Marketing for Writers. I'll be talking about the many social media platforms and strategies writers can use to market themselves. And I assure you, one of those will NOT being DM'ing everyone on Twitter your Amazon buy-links! Grr!

July 17: Byte the Book, Digital Literary Soirée, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., The Ivy, London. The Author Experience of Publishing in a Digital Age. 

Sept 7: York Festival of Writing, 2 to 6 pm. How to be a Professional Self-Publisher and Succeed (mini-workshop)


Sept 8: York Festival of Writing, 4:40 pm. Traditional or Self-Publishing: How to Know What's Right for You

Nov 16-18: Festival of Romance, Bedford. TBD.


Are you still reading? Hope so! A small shout-out for a very supportive chick lit reader, Kevin Loh, who has just started his own review blog. You can check it out and follow here.

Happy Wednesday, everyone. Think of me while you're sleeping soundly this evening.  

Guilty Pleasures

I won't even tell you what kind of photos I found searching for 'guilty pleasures'. My eyes, my eyes!

I've started plotting my next novel, The Pollyanna Plan, but as you know, lately I'm been embracing the faff. And to that end, I've indulged in a few guilty pleasures. So here they are... in no particular order.

1. Afternoon naps. There's something so decadent about shutting your eyes and drifting away...

2. Phil and Kirsty. Give me any property show with these two, and I'll watch for hours. I don't care how boring real estate is -- I love their chemistry.

3. Staring into space. Mr TR calls it 'being a horse' (like animals in fields staring at nothing), and I love it. I can only manage a few minutes before getting bored, though.

4. Window shopping. I'm lucky enough (well, not for my budget) to live close to High Street Kensington, a street lined with loads of shops. Although I'm not much a browser, I do love looking into shop windows and people watching.

5. The Daily Mail. Every day, a story in this paper makes me laugh. From cancer-causing veggies to sperm-squirting squids (don't ask), the more ridiculous, the better.

So there you have it! A few of my tamer guilty pleasures.


What are yours?

The Yin and Yang of Wine and Coffee

Happy Friday! I'm still occupied with my faffing, so today I'm pleased to host the lovely Hart Johnson, talking about hew new novel, The Azalea Assault. I loved this book --  the cast of characters were all interesting and varied, and I liked that Cam was intelligent and interesting. The wonderfully lush setting in Roanoke really come alive, too. I'm not a big mystery reader, but this one has whet my appetite for more.

Over to Hart!

First I want to thank Talli so much for hosting me as part of my blog book tour! I think Talli is such an amazing presence, always cheerful, always fun, but MAN can she nail that marketing creativity thing! She's had some of the most unique ideas for really getting herself out there, and I think all of us can learn from her. She pushes all of us to up our game!!!

I thought, because Talli is a coffee and wine gal, I'd talk about the ongoing struggles my MC and her best friend have on exactly these topics (and how it's symbolic for their character differences overall) See, Camellia Harris (Cam) is pragmatic, calorie conscious (sort of a light weight where liquor is concerned) and prefers things mild. Annie, her long-time best friend, is sassy, bold, spicy... all about life's little pleasures (and big, if you can find them). [Cam is a PR professional and Annie owns a cupcake shop]

 In the very opening scene there is a debate about CREAM... Cam using the non-fat, non-dairy substitute and Annie insisting she is missing the point entirely, lecturing her about TEXTURE. Likewise on the wine. Cam is white, not too dry, not too sweet (a nice grigio). Annie is red and bold, usually choosing a merlot, but enjoying unusual twists. I had such fun setting up their personality contrasts in terms of flavor—seriously.

There is also an ongoing beer debate and Annie constantly pushing Cam to add a little spice to her palate. (And swear more, but never mind) I think the details like this can be so telling, and give a great sense of personality without having to... you know... describe personality.

 So the coffee or wine bar are open, depending on what time it is: How do you prefer yours? I am a black coffee drinker most days (though at Christmas always need at least one eggnog latte) and drink wine like a high school kid (pretty and sweet—I get that from my grandma).

 The Azalea Assault 
 Cam Harris loves her job as public relations manager for the Roanoke Garden Society. It allows her to combine her three loves, spinning the press, showing off her favorite town, and promoting her favorite activity. She's just achieved a huge coup by enlisting Garden Delights, the country's premiere gardening magazine, to feature the exquisite garden of RGS founder, Neil Patrick. She's even managed to enlist world-famous photographer Jean-Jacques Georges. Unfortunately, Jean-Jacques is a first-rate cad—insulting the RGS members and gardening, goosing every woman in the room, and drinking like a lush. It is hardly a surprise when he turns up dead. But when Cam's brother-in-law is accused and her sister begs her to solve the crime, that is when things really get prickly.Available at: Barnes & Noble Paperback or Nook Amazon Paperback or Kindle (pretty much any book store and some big boxes) 

Alyse Carlson is the pen name for the author some of you may know as Hart Johnson. She writes books from her bathtub and when she isn't writing, does research for a large, midwest University or leads the Naked World Domination Movement (your choice). Alyse/Hart/The Tart can be found at: Confessions of a Watery Tart.


Thank you for your kind words, Hart (I didn't pay her, I swear!). Before I go, you can read about my fifteen firsts over at the Chick Lit Bee, and there's a chance to win a copy of Construct A Couple at the wonderful Book Chick blog.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Embrace the Faff

Although in my normal life, I'm extremely goal-oriented to the point of obsession, I'm an expert faffer when I put my mind to it. And with the launch of the book behind me, most of the accompanying activities squared away, and a few free days looming before diving into my next novel, that's exactly what I intend on doing.

'Faffing' for me usually entails a few hours aimlessly surfing the 'net (Daily Mail, anyone?), entering random Google searches and snickering at some of the ruder results. What can I say, in this current state, it doesn't take much to amuse me! Then, when I finally haul my arse off the sofa and away from Whiny Housewives of Orange County -- strangely addictive, I might add -- I'll wander down to Kensington High Street and peruse the shops for red trousers (!!), grab a yummy strawberries and cream drink thingy from one of the gazillions of Starbucks along the way, and saunter through the park past Kensington Palace on my way home.

Perfection.

What's your favourite way to faff?

In the Headlights

Hope everyone had a great weekend, and that all the dads out there had a fantastic Father's Day!

I'm in the headlights at Rebecca Leith's blog today, answering some very interesting questions about temptations and animals. Drop by to say hi if you can!

And in other news, there's a chance to win Construct A Couple over on Chick Lit Central. Just comment on your favourite dad to enter.

I'll keep this short and sweet as I think I've said it all over at Rebecca's. Have a great Monday, everyone!

PS! Blog buddy Stephen Tremp is having a Breakthrough Breakout Book Giveaway today and tomorrow. For these 2 days, his debut novel Breakthrough will be available for free on Amazon. Check out Stephen's blog for the details.

The Aftermath

TGIF, everyone!

First off, a massive thanks to everyone who popped by on Wednesday, helped spread the word about Construct A Couple, or even took the time to review my novel. I am constantly amazed by the level of support in the writing world!

It's a funny thing when launch activities die down, the hoopla fades away, and you're left staring at the computer screen wondering what to do next. Of course, there are plenty of things I should be doing, but I find I always need a little time to regroup and recharge. Next week, I'll start in on The Pollyanna Plan, due out in the autumn, and I've already got a draft cover designed for Marriage To Measure, the next in the Serenity Holland series.

But until then, I'm going to sit on my arse, eat raspberry trifle to my heart's content, and ogle the monitor mindlessly.

Have a great weekend, everyone, and thanks again!

(Today is the last day Build A Man is free on Amazon (.com; .co.uk). Yay! Grab your copy now if you haven't already.)

Launch Day!

Yippee! It's launch day for Construct A Couple (.com; .co.uk for 99c/99p), and there's lots of exciting stuff going on! 


Over on High Heels and Book Deals, I'm talking about how many drafts I go through, among other things. 

On Trashionista, you can enter to win a copy of Construct A Couple. 


The lovely Meredith Moore has posted a rather nice review of Construct A Couple on her blog. Thanks, Meredith!


And to celebrate the launch, Build A Man will be free on Amazon for the next three days (.com; .co.uk). Yay! Grab your copy now if you haven't already. 


A big thank you to everyone in blogland who, as always, is super-encouraging and supportive. So grab a glass of wine, champagne, or wine, and tell me:


What do you think makes a successful couple? 


I'm going to say patience. For both Mr TR and me!


Have a great day, everyone, and thanks for dropping by to help me celebrate!

Into the Light

Happy Monday! You'll be stunned to hear it's still raining (har). Hope everyone had a wonderfully dry weekend.

Things have been pretty quiet of late at TR Towers. As I may have mentioned one or thrice, I've had my head down, working away on Construct A Couple. My deadline was originally the end of May. I'm a sticker for deadlines, but this time around I just needed that bit more time to finesse the text, and make sure I was happy.

After working like mad for the past few weeks and neglecting everything but bodily functions (TMI?), I'm pleased to report Construct A Couple is now up on your friend and mine, Amazon (.com; .co.uk) for 99c/99p! Phew.

There's always a sense of relief when a big project is finished, mixed with nerves about people actually reading the novel. Not to mention, I have a list a mile long of everything I pushed to one side while trying to get this book out the door! And part of that includes catching up on my blog rounds, which has suffered a little over recent weeks.

I hope you'll come by on Wednesday for the official launch, when there will be wine, wine, wine and wine. And if you don't like wine, there's always wine!

Have a fab day, and I'll see you then!

Give Poetry A Chance

Happy Friday, all! Today, I'm delighted to welcome Jessica Bell to the blog, in celebration of Fabric, her new book of poetry. I'm a massive poetry fan, and this book is not only beautifully laid out, it's very accessible. Drawing heavily on Greek terminology and mythology, Jess's poems are an assault to the senses - it's writing you can't be neutral about. 

Jessica says:
My poetry will not baffle you with phrasing that scholars award for academic genius and that can only be understood by those who wrote it. My poetry is for the everyday reader. In fact, it is even for those who don’t like to read poetry at all. Because it is real, stark and simple.

The poems in Fabric are no different. They explore specific moments in different people’s lives that are significant to whom they have become, the choices they’ve made. It’s about how they perceive the world around them, and how each and every one of their thoughts and actions contributes to the fabric of society. Perhaps you will even learn something new about yourself.

So, even if you do not usually read poetry, I urge you to give this one a go. Not because I want sales (though, they are fun!), but because I want more people to understand that not all poetry is scary and complex. Not all poetry is going to take you back to high school English, and not all poetry is going make you feel “stupid”.

You can still say to people that you don’t read poetry … I really don’t mind. Because if you read Fabric, you’re not reading poetry, you’re reading about people. And that’s what reading is about, yes? Living the lives of others? 

The e-book is only $1.99 and the paperback $5.50. Here are the links: Amazon US; Amazon UK; Goodreads

About Jessica:

If Jessica Bell could choose only one creative mentor, she’d give the role to Euterpe, the Greek muse of music and lyrics. And not because she currently lives in Greece, either. The Australian-native author, poet and singer/songwriter/guitarist has her roots firmly planted in music, and admits inspiration often stems from lyrics she’s written.She is the Co-Publishing Editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal, and co-hosts the Homeric Writers' Retreat  Workshop on the Greek Isle of Ithaca, with Chuck Sambuchino of Writer’s Digest. Website

Thanks, Jess! Have a great weekend, everyone.

The Sequel Cometh

Ladies and gentlemen! Dogs and cats! Children and... okay, I'll stop. But you can see how excited I am to share the news that Construct A Couple, the follow-up to Build A Man, will be available as an ebook next week! And even more delightful (for me, anyway), I'm really happy with it.

If any of you would like a review copy, please let me know -- either in the comments or by emailing me at talliroland AT gmail.com. I'll gleefully fire one your way with the utmost of thanks!

With a great job at a reputable magazine and a man who’s the perfect match, Serenity Holland thinks she’s laid the foundation for an ideal London life. When a routine assignment uncovers a shocking secret threatening her boyfriend’s company, Serenity decides to leave nothing to chance, taking matters into her own hands. Soon, though, she realises keeping secrets isn't as easy as she thought . . . and the consequences are far worse than she ever imagined.


All I can say is... phew! With every novel I've written, there's always a sweaty-palmed, heart-fluttering moment where I think that I'll never be able to turn my pile of crud into something readable. This novel has been written through Canada and Egypt, house-guests galore, some very exciting news, and more. And it's finally done! Just a few more read-throughs, and it's ready to go. 

I'm off to collapse in a corner now...

Have a great Wednesday! (It is Wednesday, right? I've lost all track of time.)

Rivers and Romance

It's Monday, we're in the middle of a four-day weekend, and if you caught a glimpse of the Jubilee flotilla yesterday, you'd see the weather has returned to its usual Apocalyptic self! Mr TR and I had contemplated heading to the Jubilee Piccadilly street party, but with wind and rain lashing down, well . . . the comfort of our sofa beckoned.

It was wonderful to see the Thames in such splendour, though -- the river is one of my favourite London spots. Since I'm still in a Jubilee kinda mood, I thought I'd share some photos from my own celebratory flotilla: my wedding reception, which was held on The Edwardian on the Thames. And I'm proud to say I spotted our boat in yesterday's spectacle!

(All credit goes to Monika and Marek of Gold Lens Photography.)

The bell of The Edwardian, with Blackfriars Bridge in the distance. 

The Millennium Bridge.

Chatting on board.

Wonderful jazz singers atop the boat, with County Hall in the background.

Canary Wharf. 

London Bridge, lit up pink.

The National Theatre, with the London Eye in the background.

And even more cause for celebration! Tomorrow is the launch of DJ Kirkby's novel My Dream of You. Everyone who leaves a ‘pick me’ comment on the online launch party blog post or shares the post from DJ's Facebook author page or Tweets using the #MDOY hashtag making sure to copy @djkirkby gets their name entered into a draw for the following prizes:

• A Bothams of Whitby champagne afternoon tea hamper custom made for the My Dream of You launch party (UK only).
• One of five limited edition (signed) paperback copies of MDOY (open to worldwide entrants). 
• A character named after you in my next novel (open to worldwide entrants). 
• One of 15 MDOY fridge magnets (open to worldwide entrants). 

Have a great day, everyone. 

Jubilation Nation

You'd have to be living under a rock in this nation to escape knowledge that this weekend is the big'un: The Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The city is awash with Union Jacks, road closures, street parties, and a rubbish weather forecast (in keeping with the British theme). And to top it all off? A four-day weekend! I ask you, what could be better?

As this Land of Hope and Glory is my adopted country and one to which I've become a citizen, I hereby present my own Best of Britain, the very things I love.

In no particular order...

1. Free museums! I was astounded when I first realised 99.9 per cent of the wonderful museums you don't need to pay for. What a fantastic thing.

2. Drinking outside pubs. Drinking in parks. Heck, you could even drink on the tube until our kindly (ha!) Mayor put a stop to it. I like that alcohol beyond the bar confines isn't automatically vilified.

3. Black cabs. They cost a pretty penny, but they're roomy, plentiful, and the drivers knows the city like the back of their hands.

4. Markets. From Camden in the North to Borough in the South, London has a market for almost everything. They're colourful, vibrant, and perfect for people watching.

5. Rule Britannia. Seriously, what other country has a song that goes: 'Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves. And Britains never never NEVER will be slaves.' That never bit cracks me up. I get it, people. Never. Never ever.

6. Sticky toffee pudding. Moist sponge base, gooey toffee sauce . . . *slurp*

7. The Proms. Every summer for something like 100 nights, you can pay a fiver for access to the Royal Albert Hall to see legends of classical music. Over the past few years, I've heard Yo Yo Ma, among many others.

8. Red trousers. Okay, so it's a love-hate relationship. But it makes me giggle!

9. The fact that Canadians can simply exchange their driver's license without taking a test. Words cannot express how much this boosted my love for Britain. I was a bit of a danger on the roads until I figured out what half the signs meant, but . . .

10. Red double-decker buses. There's nothing better than grabbing a set at the front of the top deck and watching the city rush by.

So there you have it! What do you love about your country? (Besides freedom, la la la...)