Welcome to the first challenge of the New Year. The wonderful Lyra Parish has posed these questions:

How did you be spend your New Years? What literary goals have you made for 2017?

It’s been a long time since I’ve made it to midnight on New Year’s Eve. I guess I just get up too early in the morning, since I find myself falling asleep around ten. I know…boring.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t welcome the chance to start a brand new year with all of the possibilities. Last year this time I was just finishing “The Dream Dancer”, the first of three. This year so far, I have almost completed “Jester’s Dance”, which is the third book in the trilogy.

“Payback” just came out and I am hoping people like it, even though it’s very different from my historical/historical paranormals.

Very soon, my next romantic suspense, “Once Upon a Tablecloth” will be out.

And then…Book Ten. I have no idea what it will be about or where it will take place. That’s part of the fun. The whole world is open to choose. Any time, any place, any hero and heroine.

This year I want to write book ten and at least two more. And to be better as a writer with each one. Those are my goals for 2017.

I hope you all make resolutions you can keep and you have joy by the armload. Oh, and of course, keep reading!

Let’s see what the incredible Jenna Da Sie has planned for the New Year.

http://jennadasie.com/

Happy Tuesday and welcome.

This week’s challenge comes from the incredible Jenna Da Sie:

What are some helpful tools and resources that you use for writing?

I can sum that up in one word: Google.

I have no idea how we ever managed without it. Oh, yes, I remember hours and hours at the library, pouring through research books, which sadly never gave me enough of the details I was looking for. Google can tell me how far apart castles are in England, what food people ate in the 17^th century and the symptoms of cyanide poisoning.

I found out what medicine was available during the Civil War and how many Black doctors there were then (fifteen). I discovered Smokey Row and what a sailing ship looked like in the 18^th century. And the best part is I can stop writing just long enough to clarify a detail to make sure it’s accurate and get right back to the story. Because sometimes I don’t know what questions I need the answers to until I’m in the scene.

I am grateful for Google every day.

Some writers listen to specific music or light candles or dress up to write. Me? I make sure the dog is at my feet (or on the couch behind me), the room is quiet and Google is ready to go.

And coming soon…..

Let’s hop on over and check out what tools and resources the fabulously talented Brenda Margriet uses to enhance her work.

http://www.brendamargriet.com/blog

This week, the challenge comes from the incredible A.S. Fenichel:

When doing research for a book, what fun facts have you discovered that have no place in your book but they are too fun or awesome to not share? Give us one or two and if you can remember what you were trying to learn, that would be great too. 🙂

While researching medieval times, I came across some very strange facts about babies. First, most were swaddled tightly to keep their limbs from growing crooked. It also kept them out of trouble, since it kept them from moving. Claustrophobia anyone? And, in some instances, they were hung on a hook by their swaddled clothing while their parents were otherwise engaged. This was to keep them safe. Now, does that sound like a good time? Does give new meaning to ‘hanging out’.

Potty training was to be accomplished before the babies were six months old in some cultures long ago. Their clothes were designed with an opening at the bottom and they were taught to sit on a small hole in the ground.

As children got older, they were literally tied to their mother’s apron strings so she always knew where they were.

And then, of course, when boys of the nobility were at the ripe old age of seven or eight, off they went to be fostered with someone who could teach them the knightly arts.

Another fun fact was the origin of the royal name Plantagenet. It came from a sprig of broom with yellow flowers, a little plant that the Count of Anjou liked to stick in his hat.

From Wikipedia: Henry II, 1154-1189, is considered by some to be the first Plantagenet king of England. Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York, adopted Plantagenet as his family name in the 15th century. “Plantegenest” (or “Plante Genest”) had been a 12th-century nickname for his ancestor Geoffrey, count of Anjou and duke of Normandy.

I found this out when I was looking for Old English names. And led to discovering where other surnames came from. Fascinating.

I love research and finding tidbits that inspire. I was Googling (what did we do before Google?) facts about the Civil War when I found out about Smokey Row. Which was the beginning of the plot for “Hannah’s War”.

Sometimes the story demands the research and sometimes it is the other way around. But learning about the people who lived before us is always an adventure.

So let’s hop on over to the lady who asked the question and see what she has discovered.

http://asfenichel.com/blog/

This week the challenge comes from the wonderful and talented A.S. Fenichel:

Choose one of your books and tell us where the idea came from. Was it a dream, an overheard conversation, did it spark from a previous book you wrote? How did the idea come to you and how did it evolve into a full story. If you want to share a snippet, that would be awesome too.

Funny she should mention dreams….

“The Dream Dancer” did not come to me in dreams, but rather when I was alone in the middle of the night and all was quiet. I was thinking about a man. I did not know if he was aware of me or not, but I wondered what it would be like to convince him he should pursue me. If I could appear to him, when he was not distracted by reality…

One thought led to another and I imagined all the magical places we could go if we were unfettered by the world.

“The Dream Dancer” led to the soon-to-be released “Emma’s Dance” which is leading to “Jester’s Dance”. All three are historical and all three have essences of the paranormal. So much fun! Here’s a bit from “The Dream Dancer”….

            He had been asleep for what seemed like mere minutes when he sensed her presence. My God, she was so beautiful, so irresistible. He saw her float above him and her scent, that magical combination of spring garden and woman, teased his senses. She held out her hand and he did not even think to resist.

            “Where do you take me tonight?” he asked as he floated behind her.

            Her laughter rang out like bells from a distant church. “To water.”

            They were in a forest and then, a clearing covered in soft, deep green moss. In the center was a pool of sparkling water, a color of blue he had never beheld. He blinked and her damp skin shimmered in the beams of sunlight filtering through the trees. She was magnificent.

Let’s see how the fantastic S.C. Mitchell comes up with his inspirations.

https://scmitchell.wordpress.com/

This week’s challenge comes from the fabulous Brenda Margriet:

Describe your perfect writing space/retreat. Do you need hustle and bustle or peace and quiet? Coffee shop or secluded cabin?

Quiet, quiet, quiet. Wait, did I say quiet? Yep. No phone, no teenagers wandering around the house holding computers blasting old sitcoms. Not even a husband lurking at my office door thinking that’s not distracting. I love what Nora Roberts said about family disruptions. It better involve blood and by that she means arterial blood.

Now, I am pretty good about tuning out peripheral noise (okay, the earmuffs help), but when the house is empty and the dog is sleeping…perfect!

If I had my choice, though, I would have a small cabin in the woods with a refrigerator full of food. Next to it would be a (forgive the cliché) babbling brook I could wade in when I needed a break. Of course, life being what it is, it would have to be next to my house. Well, not too close. Out of shouting distance. Ah, the things of dreams….

Hey!  I’m having a Goodreads Giveaway for “The Defiant Bride”. Please check it out!

Let’s see what the incredible Jenna Da Sie thinks is perfect….

http://jennadasie.com/

Wow…the phenomenal Carrie Elks has presented us with a secret-baring challenge.

What did you Google? The internet is an invaluable research tool for writers, but sometimes we google some searches that would raise more than a few eyebrows if seen out of context. So this week I challenge the Romance Weekly writers to ‘fess up on what the strangest thing they googled was, and then give them a chance to explain why they were grubbing around in that particular search string.

What do I google not related to writing? Well, I could claim that everything I do is related, since maybe I might use some of this unusual information in a book…someday. It’s possible. But truth be told, I google everything from recipes to where to buy hard to find stuff. One of the most unusual things I have googled is more information on The Bachelor/Bachelorette. I admit it. I love those shows. Of course I do. I write romance.

I also googled this question: how do actors keep their eyes open when they play dead on camera. I was curious. After all, it was just Halloween and so many played dead on TV. The answer: The camera shots are usually only five seconds long and the actors are told to visualize breathing in their throat, not their chest. Fascinating.

But mostly, I look up information pertaining to my writing. Everything from historical facts to how to change smart quotes to curly ones. I know. Boring. Sometimes I follow headlines to get more information, but overall I use google as the phenomenal information tool it is for research. In the olden days, when I first started to write, I would spend hours in the library trying to find a single fact so I could be accurate. Now, I type in a key word or phrase and boom! And the fabulous part is that one thing leads to another, which has helped me in more than one plot construction. It is a wonderful tool and I don’t know what I ever did without it.

Let’s see what the incredibly prolific and talented Betty Bolte has to share.

www.bettybolte.net

Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all….. About our writing of course! Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.’

And now the incredibly creative Fiona Riplee, who clearly believes in a challenge, has come up with this:

Write a flash fiction of 250 words or less about a long lost love. Include the words: hammer, chisel, and coping saw.

So, here’s mine…..

A truck sat outside the house with ‘Jamison Construction’ emblazoned on the side. Could it be? Her heart was hammering in her chest. She still smelled of airplane fuel and cramped quarters and there he was, working on the home across the street from hers. Jonas, with his chiseled features and ripped abs. The hole in her heart throbbed painfully. He had been her first, the gold standard, and everyone else fell short by comparison. Perspiration trickled between her breasts.

Why had she left town again? Oh, yes. He wasn’t ready to give up his “so-called” freedom.  He needed to see the world. And yet, here he was, seemingly as settled as any one man could be.

Shaking, she emerged from the cab and heard footsteps pounding across the asphalt.

“Lisa?”

She pretended not to hear.

“Lisa?” he repeated. “I know you can hear me. Just tell me one thing. Are you married?”

She screwed up her face, unsure, confused, tamping down hopeful. She just stared at him as the cab chugged down the street.

“Because, if you’re not….”

He skidded to a stop, still holding a coping saw in his hand. He always was an artisan.

“You want to cut me?” She glared at the tool.

He laughed out loud and dropped the thing at her feet. “Well, are you?”

“No, Jonas.”

“Do you want to be?”

“What?”

“My wife? I can support you now.”

“What about seeing the world?”

“I’m looking at it.”

Let’s see what the incredibly wonderful Tracey Gee came up with…..

http://www.lovextra.com/category/blog/romance-writers-weekly/

‘Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all….. About our writing of course! Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box. 

The wonderful Fiona Riplee wants us to list 5 of our favorite villains and with one sentence tell us why said villain is a favorite:

Number 1 on the villain hit parade: Has to be Dolores in “Texas Summer”. She slept with her stepfather, murdered her sister, among others, and tried to frame her half-sister.

Number 2: Cedric in “The Defiant Bride”.  Kills without remorse and is so filled with hate and jealousy, he doesn’t care who he destroys.

Number 3: Jabez Howard in “Mariana” by Susanna Kearsley. The man was such a tyrant and so loathsome, he threw his own baby against the hearth and killed him.

Number 4: Roberta in “Ashes in the Wind” by Kathleen Woodiwiss. Lied, cheated and tormented everyone, spreading misery everywhere she went.

Number 5: James in “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer. He stalks Bella and tries to kill her just for the sport of it.

Villains without hope of redemption. Bad to the bone! Gotta love ’em!

Let’s see who   A.S. Fenichel thinks of as the lowest of the low.

http://asfenichel.net/blog

‘Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all….. About our writing of course! Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box. 

The very talented Veronica Forand wants us to do some Flash Fiction this week- 100 words- using the words…Spring, coffee, and lizard.

Warm spring sunshine bathed me in its golden glow. I was sitting out on my patio, sipping morning coffee and breathing in the fragrance of new life. Suddenly, a handsome face appeared over my fence.

“Hi. I’m Josh, your new neighbor, and I was wondering if you’ve seen my pet lizard?” His voice was as caressing as the sun.

“You have a pet lizard?”

“No, not really.  I just wanted an excuse to talk to you and looking for a dog is so cliché.” He smiled and I was dazzled.

“Well, maybe I can help you look for something else.”

Let’s see what the wonderful and gifted Carolyn Spear comes up with.

http://www.carolynspearromance.com/blog

‘Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all….. About our writing of course! Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box. 

Raine Balkera, the incredibly talented author of “Sing to Me”, has presented this week’s challenge.                                                                                                                                                            

She wants to know what everyone is working on ATM. Details & conundrums, plus five bonus points for including a wee bit of your favorite scene.

History fascinates me, especially the more obscure times. So, for my newest novel, I decided the setting should be the time of James VI of Scotland, son of Mary Queen of Scots. (Yes, he was also James I of England).

Enter Rowland, who is a bit of a dog when it comes to women. And Lady Bryce who wants him. She has secrets and talents that obsess him. What happens when he finds out about her power? And what of the King? He will most likely frown on such abuses. Here’s a bit….

He looked across the table at Bryce and wished she was sitting nearer. He wanted to inhale that scent again. He actually ached with want of her. He must settle this soon so he could concentrate on more important matters.

In the meantime….

I wonder what the talented Fiona Riplee is working on….

http://fionariplee.com/blog