Cold Winter Nights

How many of us are tired of this scene? Cold days, cold nights, what's a girl to do?

These sub zero temperatures are just what I need because when the temperature is above twenty degrees, I have a tendency to feel guilty that I should be doing something other than curling up with my laptop in front of the fire. Yet, I long for the days of walking on the beach with sand between my toes.

This weather is far from desirable, but the cold winter nights are a writer's paradise. Love scenes in front of a raging fire. Being stranded in a deserted cabin to shield your loved one from a storm. A Highlander removing his kilt as a makeshift blanket. Och, aye. What was I saying? Oh, yes. The weather can definitely inspire an author.

But sometimes we're fortunate enough when an idea comes out of nowhere. I love those! In my latest novel, To Wed a Wicked Highlander, this was a scene I created in order to torture Lady Sybella MacKenzie. And yes, I had a strong desire to bathe after this one. I was kind enough to leave out the bug scene in the excerpt below. lol

* * *

In the middle of the night, she walked through the darkened halls in her bare feet dressed in nothing more than a nightrail and a blanket. She shivered, but it wasn’t from the cold. The pit was where her father threw the most unsavory of men…until they died. Their faint screams could sometimes be heard from the kitchens. Perhaps her father only had the men escort her to frighten her. Of course, that was it because her sire would never treat her this way. He couldn’t. She was his daughter. The daughter of the MacKenzie laird. A lady.

Sybella quickly pushed back the thought when they descended the cold, damp stairs. The smell overwhelmed her senses, reeking of bodily excrement and making her gag. The guard reached down and lifted the gate from the floor while the other lowered a ladder. They forced her to climb down.

She took one step and tears welled in her eyes. “Please donna do this. I beg ye.”

“We donna question our laird’s command. Please climb down, m’lady.”

With no choice but to descend into the devil’s dungeon, she reached the bottom and the men lifted the ladder. The gate locked over her head and she was embraced by darkness. Muck of unknown origin squeezed between her toes and when she tried to step, she slid and fell into something thick and wet.

She screamed.

The hole was dark and foreboding, and she felt a wretchedness she’d never known before. A raw and primitive grief overwhelmed her. She pulled herself to her feet, and when she slid again on the slimy floor, she sat down.

Sybella felt something move on her lap. She reached down and grabbed a ball of wiry fur, whipping it away from her body. Dear God, her father left her alone with the rats. She gulped hard, hot tears slipping down her cheeks. Perhaps Mary or Colin would hear her.

“Please help me! Please help me! I’m here! I’m here!” she screamed. “Mary! Colin! Help me! Let me out!” When she heard no response, she bellowed, “Mo mhallachd ort!” My curse on you!

When cursing her father didn’t work, Sybella’s tears choked her. Her throat was raw from her screams of terror, her teeth chattered, and her body trembled. A sensation of intense sickness and desolation swept over her.

She jumped.

“Where is the stone, Sybella?” Her father’s voice echoed from above. “Tell me where ’tis and I’ll lower the ladder.”

“Cha leig thu leas.” Don’t bother.

Temptation in a Kilt  2012 RT Reviewers' Choice nominee

X Marks the Scot     2013 RT Reviewers' Choice nominee

To Wed a Wicked Highlander  RT Book Reviews and Night Owl TOP PICK

Sold! + Giveaway

You read it right. Sold! This author couldn't be happier. Sourcebooks has blessed me again by offering another contract on a new series.

I have to admit that I'm a little sad saying farewell to Ciaran, Declan and Alexander, especially since a lot of readers have been begging me to write James Montgomery's story. But who knows what the future holds? Perhaps James will surface again. 

My career has definitely taken some unexpected turns. Who would've thought Temptation in a Kilt would be nominated for a RT Reviewers Choice award for Best First Historical? And who would've believed X Marks the Scot received a Top Pick from Night Owl Reviews and a 4 1/2 star review from RT? Honestly, not me! This is quite a delightful surprise. 

But ask me what the most exciting part of my career has been thus far, and I will tell you the readers. I have received some of the most heartfelt messages from fans who thank me for sharing my talent and tell me to never stop writing. I find myself much like the scene in Harry Potter where Hagrid tells Harry he's a wizard and Harry replies, "But I'm just...Harry." That's exactly how I feel. 

Whether it's speaking to members of an adorable book club...

Fans who are grateful for my giveaways...

Hitting the Amazon bestseller list...

 

Signing with Nora Roberts...

I couldn't enjoy this rollercoaster ride without the support of family, friends and fans.

To Wed a Wicked Highlander, Alexander MacDonell's story (Rosalia's cousin from Glengarry) is scheduled for release September 2013.  

Look for more information on the Royal Rebellion series coming soon. The first book is tentatively titled My Highland Spy.  

Short Blurb:

Lady Ravenna Walsingham, working as a spy for the Crown, poses as a governess in the Scottish Highlands, but she soon discovers Laird Ruairi Sutherland has plenty of troubles of his own besides plotting against the king.

I hope readers enjoy the new series and tag along with me on this exciting ride!

Answer the question below for a chance to win an autographed copy of X Marks the Scot and a Bad Boys of the Highlands t-shirt. Winner will be announced next Friday. Please don't forget to leave your e-mail address. Thank YOU, readers!  

Ciaran or Declan?

A Thanksgiving Letter

There is nothing like the love between a mother and daughter. And today I discovered that even more. 

My eleven year old daughter came into my bedroom and said, "I wrote this in class. I thought you should have it." She handed me a letter written in her own hand and then simply left the room. 

I sat down on the bed and read... and cried. This is what she wrote for class and nothing has been edited.

October 18, 2012

Has someone in your family ever become an author? Well, mine has. My mother. It's pretty cool being a daughter of an author. Here is how my normal Mom became a published author.

She started reading books that her friend was giving her to read. She then got inspired. So she started by just taking some notebook paper and writing a short story. Little did she know that this story would land her a three-book deal.

My mom started to think that she might have a chance to be published. She worked really hard every night and was writing and writing. It took her four years to write her book. She started talking to publishers and seeing if they were interested in her book. Then one day she got a call. She was an author.

I was so happy for her when I found out. We went out that night and celebrated. Then she told me some more good news. She not only was an author but got a three-book deal. I didn't know how to express myself. She worked so hard to accomplish this much. My happy meter exploded because I was just so happy.

Right now, in the present time, my mother has published two books. She is now done with her third book and editing it. She has a lot of famous friends, like Nora Roberts. She always orders cookies when she goes to a book signing to interest people in her books. I help her a lot with giving her ideas and my opinions on her books. Even my little brother helps. He wears a kilt (man skirt) because my mom writes historical romance. Everybody says he's so cute.

The incident affected me a lot. I could never be so proud to say I am Victoria Roberts's daughter. She has a great imagination and personality. I hope you enjoyed my story on how an ordinary mom could become a famous author.

Nuts About Nora and Gaga for Grace

I had another wonderful opportunity to return to Turn the Page Bookstore for Girls' Night Out yesterday.

Rather than having a formal book signing, the authors had the chance to chat with readers and other authors. When my daughter and I arrived, we met 10 year-old author McKenzie Betts who wrote Blue Bear Finds a Rainbow. In the picture below, McKenzie is signing her book for my niece.

She will be the next Nora Roberts before you know it! 

Fellow Marsal Lyon Literary Agency sister Erika Robuck returned with her beautiful novel, Hemingway's Girl. Erika is truly the epitome of grace and character, and she's quickly becoming my hero. And since it's a small world in which we live, Erika and I met agency sister Melissa Foster, Chasing Amanda.

 

After chatting several times on-line, I finally met Anita Clenney, Awaken the Highland Warrior. 

One of the highlights of the night for me had to be when fellow Sourcebooks author Grace Burrowes walked into the room. I immediately scoffed up Lady Louisa's Christmas Knight for her to sign for my CP (critique partner.)

After I told Grace I was star-struck, she laughed and said, "Oh, please. Two years ago I wasn't even published." She certainly made me feel comfortable, and let me just say that Grace Burrowes is awesome! I met Grace Burrowes! *jumping up and down*

I picked up a new novel from K. R. Flanagan called Thane: The Fae Prince of Fir Manach and I can't wait to dig into that one. K. R. Flanagan was very charming and I can't wait to see what comes next from this author. 

The readers were phenomenal. I was honored that Alison Rush drove two hours to see me. Of course I hooked her up with some serious Bad Boy swag. Alison and readers like Alison make this journey all worth while. I thank you for reading Temptation in a Kilt. As long as you keep reading, I'll keep writing. ;-)

And the night could not be complete without once again chatting it up with the infamous, the multi-talented, Nora Roberts.

 

Please do not wake me from this dream...

Release Day

It's finally here. Release day for Temptation in a Kilt.

As I unleashed my new baby into the world, I took a step back, realizing my emotions were so out of whack. Frankly, I don't know how debut authors do it. How can one feel excited, thrilled, joyful and scared to death all at the same time? Seriously. If anyone knows, please fill me in.

"Get a grip, Roberts." That's what I keep telling myself over and over.

I know one thing for certain. My heart and soul went into this book and I hold my head high with pride. It touches me dearly when a reader takes the time to send me a personal note to tell me how much this book touched them. And you know what? That one reader makes it totally worth the ride. 

I'd like to thank the following people for their support.

Sabrina Jeffries, for making me realize it’s never too late to try something new.

Hannah Howell, for her support while I was bogged down in synopsis hell.

Eliza Knight, for giving me the courage to put myself out there.

To my agent, Jill Marsal, for her endless support and encouragement.

To my editor, Deb Werksman, for giving me a chance.

To my critique partner, Mary Grace, there are really no words to express the tremendous amount of gratitude I hold for you. All those times I ruffled your feathers about having your nose planted in a book, even when you walk… For your brutal honesty and endless reads, your unwavering support and encouragement, these Bad Boys came to life. Thank you for believing in me.
 

To my family, for their unwavering support and dedication to this Bad Boy. For my son, who understood at such a young age that Mommy was editing. For my daughter, the only Gaelic-speaking lass in the fifth grade. And for my husband, who makes dinners countless nights. I could not ask for a more encouraging bunch. I love you all, and you have my heartfelt thanks and appreciation. I could have never done this without you. 

  

Mom, Dad and Michelle, thank you for believing in me. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about you or miss you, Mom. I hope I made you proud.

 

Thanks for helping me spread the word, and I'm raising a cyber glass of champagne to all of you.

You're a What?

I've lost count of how many times I've seen this look upon the faces of many. What causes such a judgemental, horrified expression?

I would like to think I'm a nice person, easy going, and I do genuinely care about my friends and family. I want to know how the people in my life are doing. And I enjoy meeting new people. But what I don't like is a one-sided conversation. Particularly this kind.   

It irks me when someone pretends to play nice in the sandbox. You know the feeling. You had a nice time, chatted, got to know one another. And like a bucket of cold water was thrown over the conversation, it changes, becomes cold. 

For the umpteenth time. I'm a romance writer! I write Scottish historical romances! No, I am NOT ashamed or embarrassed. Why would I be? My family supports me. My CHILDREN support me. YOU. KNOW. NOTHING about me. 

No matter how many times I prepare myself for these type of people and conversations, it's completely annoying. If that's not bad enough, some of them choose to continue their rant. 

"So... you're published. How did you manage to accomplish that?" Snicker.

Straightening my spine, I hold my head high and say, "I won a writing contest and was asked for a full submission." I pick up my glass and take another drink before other words escape me. 

"Really?"

"Yep. Imagine my surprise when the publisher not only loved it, but she asked me to pitch three, a series."

Smirks. "So... do you have an agent then?"

"Of course."

"Well, I suppose you don't make enough money to quit your day job."

Is life not too short?

God, if they only knew of the blood, sweat and tears, edits and re-edits, writing goals, countless hours, 2:30a.m. revisions to make a deadline, the dreaded synopsis, copy/edits, galleys, hooks, marketing, sales, reviews...

I want to scream at the top of my lungs, "I hate stupid people!"

My writing friends know this feeling all too well. Tell me. What is the best line you ever used on these type of people?

Celtic Guide

Imagine my surprise when I opened an e-mail from Jim McQuiston, Editor and Publisher for the Celtic Guide asking me if I'd like to be a contributing author for the on-line magazine. That was indeed a no-brainer. The purpose of the Celtic Guide is to promote and preserve Celtic culture. What another amazing opportunity for Bringing my love of Scotland to life...

When I wrote the article for the April issue, I knew two things. First, I wanted the readers to connect with my love of all things Scotland. Second, I wanted a way to bottle the mystical lands of Alba. And what better way to express the breathtaking beauty of the lochs and moors than by my favorite Scottish photographer, Cameron Morrison, providing the pictures? Cam's photos amaze me on a daily basis.

Please check out the latest issue of the Celtic Guide and let me know what you think. I always love to hear from readers!

This Bad Boy is Done!

There is nothing sweeter than finishing a manuscript. All of the blood, sweat and tears, fist pounding, hair pulling, more gray hair (which in turn leads to coloring), swearing at the CP for yet another redo and a year of your life buried in your writer's cave... You better believe it was worth it! What a ride!

I am pleased to announce that Bewitching a Highland Rogue, Book 2 of the Bad Boys of the Highlands series is complete! Declan MacGregor. I think everyone will love his arrogant alpha arse. Think of him as the Gannicus of the Highlands--a Highland rock star. Of course the beautiful Lady Liadain Campbell sees right through his roguish act. In fact, she's been known to put him in his place a time or two. ;-)

Highland Savior, Book 1 of the Bad Boys of the Highlands series is scheduled for release in Fall 2012. Sourcebooks is deciding on the launch date this week. Woo-hoo!

That pretty much leaves me plotting Book 3. Mmm... Heroes and heroines are named, plot(s) are forming, I might need a few names for villains. Anyone tick you off as of late? Let me know and I'll slip them in or behead them. Frankly, I'll leave it up to you. 

Interview with Author Maeve Greyson

I am thrilled to be chatting with the winner of RT’s Writing with the Stars, amazing author extraordinaire, fellow chapter sister of CHRW and my friend, Maeve Greyson.

Welcome, Maeve! I’m so happy to have you here for a visit. You’ve had quite an exciting jump start to your career and I’ve been amazed by the amount of support you’ve received surrounding the contest. Did this surprise you?

MG:  Before I answer, thank you so very much for inviting me over for a chat at your lovely blog, Victoria, and you are too kind with your lovely praise. I’m blushing!  I’m so glad to be here. Now --did the amount of support surprise me? Yes and no. I’ve always found the writing community to be a warm friendly bunch so I wasn’t really surprised by all their help and enthusiasm at the beginning of the contest. However, I was amazed, awe-struck, gah-gahed and all those other words you might use to describe a state of total disbelief when they all continued to rally around me throughout the duration of the contest. The challenges lasted a grueling six months and I couldn’t believe the patience of all my wonderful supporters. Even though they must’ve been sick of listening to me beg for their votes, they still supported me and didn’t hire a hit man to shut me up.

VR:  *waves hand in air in dismissive gesture* Of course we didn't hire a hit man! Your husband has done some pretty amazing things to show his support. Care to share some of his most supportive moments? (Can you tell the Stefan Pinto is my boyfriend story? That is hilarious!)

MG: Hubby is undoubtedly my biggest fan and supporter. He’s nudged me when I needed a push, held me back when I was ready to throw it all away and always reminded me that I matter. I have worth. I never had that before I met him so he’s worked miracles with my self-esteem. And yes, we still laugh about his “boyfriend” encounter at RT.

Hubby and I were at the Kensington morning mixer at RT in Los Angeles. Of course, Hubby was snapping photos of me with my new Kensington editor, my wonderful mentor, Rebecca Zanetti, and a host of other talented Kensington authors.

Stefan Pinto, a VERY NICE cover model and contestant for Mr. Romance, was also there and he was more than happy to have his picture taken with a shy writer from the backwoods of Kentucky. While Stefan and I stood there smiling into Hubby’s camera, Stefan asked if this was my first RT. I replied that it was. He gave me a quick hug and whispered in my ear, “Watch this. It will be very funny.” He dug around in his bag and pulled out two promotional buttons decorated with his scrumptious, bare-chested photo and some words written around the edge of the button. He pinned one on my collar, gave me a wink, then walked up to my hubby and pinned the button high enough on my husband’s shirt so that he couldn’t bend the button to see it. Then Stefan patted Hubby on the shoulder, grinned and walked away. I joined Hubby, read the button and started giggling. After twisting the button every way possible, Hubby finally looked at me and asked, “What does that thing say?” I winked at him and patted him on the chest. “It says that you have a new boyfriend and his name is Stefan Pinto.”

VR:  *giggles* Your husband is definitely your biggest fan and supporter. It's heartfelt to see that he remains by your side every step of the way.  Beyond a Highland Whisper was your first release and I could not put it down! What was your favorite part of the story?

MG: I love the part where Latharn is jealous of Nessa’s date with Gabriel. A jealous Highlander who’s not about to allow ANY man take what belongs to him is just my idea of a yummy scene. I adore a man who’ll fight for what he wants and then be damned if he lets anyone attempt to take it away.

VR: I loved that scene as well. Verra alpha male. When will your next book, The Highlander's Fury, be released? Are you able to give us a little sneak peek?

MG: I don’t have a release date yet for The Highlander’s Fury. Edits have gone well with this one as well as for Eternity’s Mark (release date: April 2012). Here’s a snippet from The Highlander’s Fury that I hope you will enjoy. But keep in mind – we’re still in edit mode, so this could very well change. ;-) In this scene, Ciara finds out exactly what her goddess mothers would like for her to do in order to save the world.

At Brid’s nod of encouragement, Cerridwen passed her hand over the waters once again. A new image shimmered into view. Wild. Furious. Pure, unadulterated strength. The man’s aura pulsated power and control. Sleek black brows knotted over angry flashing eyes. Hair the black of a raven’s wings perfectly matched his surly demeanor. His square jaw was shadowed with a day’s growth of beard. Nostrils flared on a slightly crooked nose that must have been broken at some earlier time. Full, sensuous lips curled back into a sneer. Teeth clenched in barely held rage. Ciara didn’t know who this compelling human was but it was obvious he was sorely displeased.

“Who is he?” Ciara leaned closer to the waters. This mortal might be worth her interest.

Brid smiled, nodding her approval. “That is the chieftain of Clan MacKay, their powerful and well respected leader, Faolan.”

Now she knew they plotted something. Brid loved dabbling with Scotland. Straightening from the cauldron’s edge, Ciara crossed both arms over her chest and fixed the smiling goddesses with a suspicious glare. “Laird Faolan MacKay. And in what year exactly does Laird MacKay reside and what does he have to do with your solution for Danu’s world?”

Cerridwen circled the massive black cauldron, bent to scoop her hen from the nest of pillows, and cradled the chirruping bird to her chest. “Ye are currently looking at the year 1415 in the Highlands of our beloved Scotland. As to our solution, perhaps Brid could explain the plan we’ve put together better than I.”

Brid turned to glide across the polished floor and held out her hand for Ciara to join her at the balcony. Gazing out across the mist swirling over the dusky waves, she smiled as the whorls of sparkling fog formed into her beloved eternal spirals. “The MacKay family has been very dear to my heart now for many a year. Many of their clan is mystically blessed and they’ve kept the legends and rituals alive. However, Faolan has experienced a great deal of loss in his life. Grief and heartache has turned him away from the Ways. He has abolished the workings of magic and ritual among the clan and has forbidden the practicing of the old religions.”

Ciara ran her hands across the smooth surface of the railing; the velvet-like marble soothed her emotions with its cool, solid touch. The life force embedded deep in the stone called out to her, begging her to save the beloved earth and all its denizens. “So, you want me to talk to him? Convince him to turn back to the Ways? You do realize diplomacy is not one of my strongest traits? And just how exactly is getting one man to return to the old religions going to save the fate of the world?” Ciara tapped her fingertips on the railing. She couldn’t believe they’d called her back through the veils for this. She could’ve vanquished at least three dozen unrepentant mortals and punished who knows how many lower level immortals in the time she’d been here at the keep. Why had they called her here for this task? Cerridwen and Brid were slipping.

Cerridwen joined them at the railing after shooing the fussing black hen back through the veils into the room. Cerridwen’s gaze met with Brid’s and she gave a subtle nod.

“We need a child, Ciara. Fathered by the magical wolf and blessed with the talents of an immortal mother. Such a child could help ensure the old religions would never be forgotten and the magic would never die.” With this statement, Brid faced Ciara and waited for her reaction.

They couldn’t be serious. Ciara opened her mouth then closed it again. No. Surely, they had something else in mind. Her mothers couldn’t possibly be suggesting what she thought they had just said. She looked to Cerridwen and then turned back to Brid. Taken aback at what she thought Brid proposed, she repeated the words to ensure she understood what Brid had in mind. “Fathered by the wolf? Born of an immortal mother? Are you actually asking me to join with that mortal from the Highlands and bear the man a child?”

“Is he not pleasing to the eye, Ciara? Any man able to hold such fury must be capable of great passion as well.” With a wave of her hand, Cerridwen floated the cauldron to where they stood so they could gaze once more down upon his image.

Faolan MacKay electrified the waters. He was dark and dangerous, a delightful temptation to watch. The man towered over most in his clan, the breadth of his shoulders balancing his mountainous height. Ciara’s palms itched to touch the cut of his muscles straining against the leather of his tunic. Her gaze traveled lower, appraising his fine narrow hips and his powerful, well-muscled legs. Cerridwen was right. Faolan pleased the eye and Ciara would bet her finest torque he pleased in bed as well.

VR: *fanning self* That was a great excerpt! I can't wait to read it! Since we are kindred spirits for our love of all things Scotland and Highlanders, what was your most awe-inspiring moment on your recent trip to Scotland?

MG:  It had to be the moment I walked onto the field at Culloden.

I felt such a sense of sorrow and loss that I couldn’t control my tears. I started shaking and felt a bone-chilling ache and the longer I walked among the clan stones the worse the feeling became. I finally had to leave the field and take refuge in the gift shop at the entrance to the memorial. It’s so difficult to explain but it was almost as if the land cried out. Almost as if the blood spilled from long ago wanted to make certain the carnage that occurred that day never would be forgotten.

VR: Extremely powerful words, Maeve. Can you tell us what's next for Maeve Greyson?

MG: Hmm…well. I’m working on the second book in my “Mystical Gateways of the Highlands” series. Eternity’s Mark is book one. I’m nearly finished with book two and book three is pestering the daylights out of me the rest of the time.

VR: Maeve, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me today and sharing your stories. Maeve will be checking in today and answering any posted questions or comments.

MG: Thank YOU, Victoria. You’re a true gem and I appreciate all you do.

For more information on Maeve Greyson or to purchase her books, she can be found: 

Website: http://www.maevegreyson.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/maeve.greyson.page

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/maevegreyson

The Wild Rose Press: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=177_139&products_id=4401

I Got the Call (Again)!

These past couple months have just been full of excitement. I signed with my wonderful agent, Jill Marsal, in April. The fabulous Rae Monet finished my website this week. Jimmy Thomas is the cover model gracing my website and blog and I just received the most important call in my career. 

I just landed a three book deal with Sourcebooks!

As any writer can attest, this was a tedious journey with many ups and downs. It's definitely been a roller coaster ride on the road to publishing. Fortunately, I'm still on that high and have not thought long-term about reviews and marketing. *waves hand in air in dismissive gesture* There's plenty of time for that later. Right now, I'm just living in the moment.

I want to take this opportunity to thank my CP, writer/chapter friends and family. I have a great support team and you make my job so much easier. Thanks to my husband who has made countless dinners while I'm knee deep in the Highlands. Thanks to my beautiful daughter for her endless support and praise. You were right. I only had to believe in myself. And how could I forget my handsome little lad in training? Even though you were the only one in Kindergarten speaking Scottish Gaelic, I appreciate your support!  

I'm sure I'll be up late tonight tossing and turning and pondering things to come. For right now, I've accomplished my dream. *sigh*

Career. Onward. Now. 

I Signed!

And I believed writing a manuscript was the hardest part! Yep, that's pretty much what I thought. Boy was I naive!

Between synopsis hell--I mean writing, query letters, hooks, marketing, agents... it gives me a headache even thinking about it. Finishing the manuscript is only half the battle. What's your strategy? How are you going to sell it? Who's going to represent you? How are you going to market it? It is by no means easy. 

I finished Highland Savior. I completed the synopsis. I fine tuned the query letter. I polished my hooks. Now I have the most exciting news of all...

I just signed with Jill Marsal of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency!

Career. Onward. Now.

And Let the Gaelic Begin!



I love the sound of a velvety Scottish brogue. Frankly, it fascinates me. Dragging the clan to as many Scottish festivals around the area as possible, my ears perk up as soon as I hear the rolling tongue. 

Writing Scottish historical romance, I love to place a little flair of Scottish Gaelic into my manuscripts. I think it gives the reader a little taste of Alba. My CP's only request is that I must put in the translation. It frustrates her when the novel she's reading has Gaelic and she must inference the meaning. Donna want to upset the CP! 

Last year, I was able to attend a Gaelic class at one of the festivals. Whenever I get my hands on any material, I'm like a kid in a candy store. Hand-outs? Hand them over! Books? I'll buy them! Class? Sign me up! My kids can speak more words in Gaelic than they can in Spanish. I still haven't decided if that's good or not, but they're supporting mom's writing career. ;-)

As a pre-published author, I have attended classes on GMC, synopsis and query writing, etc. Yep, a necessary evil, but what excites me is when I get to attend a class that I know I will enjoy wholeheartedly. Gaelic class starts April 1st with one of our resident chapter experts and I am so thrilled.

To all of those attending... I'll try not to be the annoying kid in class sitting in the front row asking all of the questions. ;-) Anyone else attending Sharron's class?

Channeling Your Muse

Sometimes she deserts me. Now and then she awakens me in the early hours of the morn. At times she's my biggest obstacle and every so often she's my best friend. My muse. *sigh* What a fickle creature.

I have to admit, she does cooperate the majority of the time, but there are moments when I could literally (no pun intended) strangle her. How can the words flow out onto the keyboard as if I am a mere vassal serving her brilliant mind and then other times I have absolutely no idea where her thoughts wondered off to? What was she thinking? My 6 year-old could have written better than that.

On occasion, she surprises me. Believe me... those times are not only welcome, but treasured. The other day while riding and writing on public transportation, *cringe*, I was deep into an emotional scene between my hero and heroine. Verbal swords were drawn like daggers and disparaging words were thrown like stones. "Last stop" is announced over the speaker just as I clicked off the Alphasmart. Perfect timing.

Bypassing the herding cattle, I show my ticket to the poor agent enclosed in the metal box and climb the stairs to my car. All of a sudden, I take a mental step back? What is the matter with me? My heart is racing a mile a minute. My blood is pounding. In fact, it's boiling. I was cognizant of the fact that I'm actually angry... for no reason. 

PMS? Not quite! The muse not only kicked into gear, but she was in overdrive! Almost as if I was an actor immersing myself into a role, my characters came to life within me. Needless to say, Liadain and Declan's sparring match impacted my mood. After a few calming breaths and laughing at the depths of my creativity, I only pray she decides to grace me with such gifts again.

Tell me. Has your muse ever influenced your life?

A Writer's Thanksgiving

A WRITER'S THANKSGIVING

T- Thankful for those in your life that support you through thick and thin. Your unwavering support is heartfelt.

H- Happy for other writers that receive 'the call' and paving the way for those of us that have not. You make us realize that dreams do come true. Congratulations! You've earned it!

A- Anticipating great things for all in the upcoming year.

N- Never giving up your goals or your dreams.

K- Knowing when to hold fast to what you believe in. Believe in yourself!

S- Smiling when your family is proud of you even when someone used your m/s for toilet paper.

G- Getting over the latest rejection with a smile upon your face and realizing you can't please everyone. It's inevitable.

I- Insightful friends that lend support with their words of encouragement and answer your panic calls no matter the time. I've been known to do that a time or two ;)

V- Victory to all those who work hard to meet their goals.

I- Idiots who give you your latest material. Your inspiration is appreciated and you are always in abundance.

N- Never admitting defeat.

G- Gin and tonic if none of the above work.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my chapters and writing friends! May you all find happiness and a publishing contract in the upcoming season!

I Got the Call... From My Mother

In my local chapter, we had conversed a time or two about letting family members read our own material. Just the thought chilled me to the bone. I had absolutely no intention of letting any blood relative read Highland Savior. My first m/s? My baby? My love scenes? Yikes!

Even though I write historical romance and the scenes are nowhere near as juicy or hot (no pun intended) as erotica, the thought of actually having a close relative read my literary masterpiece... *shiver* was too close to home. Then again, what did I expect would happen when I'm published?

Having one m/s under my belt, I started working on Bewitching a Highland Rogue and tucked away the memory of Highland Savior. So when my mom asked me to send her Highland Savior so she could read the finished product, I did what any daughter would do in the same situation... I dodged. 

She does not read romance novels. She reads everything else. What would she think of her oldest daughter writing romance? She's never read anything I've written. OMG! What would she think of my love scenes? *cringe* As you know, you can only put off your mother for so long. It did not take her long to call my bluff. 

Stammering a bunch of malarkey, I told her my concerns and she waved me off.   

"I will skip over any sex scenes and just read the rest. Besides, they say to write what you know," she chuckles, winking.

Note: Oh, yes. The dh takes pride in admitting he was the test subject for those scenes ;) 

Men.

Biting the bullet, I attach the m/s and press 'send.' OMG! What was I thinking? What had I done? She hates romance novels. I guess it's just like any other critique and I would just have to suck it up and pray for the best. I immersed myself in writing and forgot about it--intentionally. Oh, God. I wonder if she's at the part where Ciaran... You get the idea.

My phone rings and imagine my surprise and my speechlessness (which does not occur too often) when intense seriousness greets me on the other end. 

"I just called to tell you that I finished your manuscript and I'm just going to tell you honestly what I thought."

Oh, God. Here it comes. She hated it. Why else would she be so serious? *closing eyes and mentally preparing self*

"Once I got through all of the Scottish crap, it was really good."
Note: Mom hates romance novels and Scottish crap.

Recovering, I wipe my brow. "Really? Did you have any trouble with the dialogue?"
Note: I write with a slight Scottish brogue and throw in the occasional Gaelic.

"No! It was a quick read and I was done in four hours. I didn't have any trouble with it. I am not lying to you when I say that I could not put it down. I just had to finish it and know what happened. You tell a really good story. I enjoyed it and I was really impressed. You didn't preach to me or try to teach me a lesson and just entertained me. I even read the sex scenes and thought they were fine. I didn't even have to skip over them."

I had to admit, that was certainly a welcome shock. I guess when it comes down to it, a story is a story regardless of genre. Does it entertain? Romance or not. There's your proof. 

What about you? Do you let your family read your material and what do they think?

The Waiting Game

Waiting sucks. No truly, it does!

When you sit back and think of how many times in your life you have wait for things, it's astronomical. You get to work in the morning and can't wait to go home. You can't wait to have fun with your friends this week. You have something fun planned for the weekend and can't wait to celebrate. The vacation of a lifetime is coming up and you can't wait to experience the adventure. Wait, wait, wait... it seems like that's all we ever do is wait!

As an aspiring author, waiting is torture! You submit to several contests and patiently wait to see if you're one of the finalists. Sorry, the results aren't out until 2011. You'll just have to wait. You finish your next chapter and give it to your CP. God help you if it's given to her on a Friday. You'll just have to wait until Monday to find out if it passed. Sitting on the edge of my seat until Monday, CP!

What I've learned is to forget about it. No matter what, you will not change the outcome. So why sit and drive yourself crazy? Move on. Submit, deliver and forget about it. If it was meant to be, it was meant to be. Did you try your best? Then that's all that counts. Focus on the now and do not think upon the future. *Repeating several times to self.*  

With all of the hustle and bustle in today's society we all have to wait in traffic, wait at the doctor's office, wait in a restaurant, wait in the check-out line, wait for 'the call.'  

What are some things you cannot stand waiting for?

Writing Romance

5:10a.m.  Alarm goes off. Big sigh. Ugh! It's Groundhog Day again. I am not one to hit the snooze. Once the alarm goes off, I'm up. Springing out of bed, I think of a reason why I should go to the day job today. The bills need paid! Grunting to self, I had to be logical. Dressed, check. Hair, check. Make-up, check. Wake daughter--not an easy task. Do her hair before school. Oh, crap. I forget my dress shoes. Back to the closet, get shoes.

6:00a.m. Downstairs. Throw lunch and shoes in my bag and grab my Alphasmart. Bye! Love you! Out the door by 6:05a.m. and drive to the Park and Ride.

6:25a.m. Cringing, I board public transportation. Editing the pages I wrote for the previous day, I sigh. Not my best work. It could be better. Fix this, fix that. That should work. Pull out the Alphasmart. Needing to get back into the groove, I read the last paragraph I wrote. Oh, that's it. It's flowing now. "This is the last stop." Great, I was really in a groove. Throw Alphasmart back into bag.

7:00a.m. Exit public transportation. Walk briskly to work, bypassing my favorite morning drink. Stick to your diet!

7:05a.m. Arrive at day job. Unpack bag and sigh. This is truly Groundhog Day. Put out fires until lunch.

12:15p.m. Heat up lunch and race back to cubicle. Let food cool and pull out Alphasmart. Read last paragraph and let the creative juices flow. "Can I ask you a question?" Ugh! Answer question, eat lunch, back to writing. Read last paragraph and continue. Crap, time is up! 

1:45p.m. Wow. Day job work is done and I have 15 minutes until a meeting. Read last paragraph and write, write, write. Hurry before the thought is lost! Time is up.

3:05p.m. Outta here.

3:15p.m. Board public transportation and pull out Alphasmart. Read last paragraph and write. Darn it! I need to stop and use the Thesaurus. What is another word for that? Oh, that's it. Continue. "This is the last stop."

4:00p.m. Entering car and driving to daycare to pick up son. Package received.

4:35p.m. Home. Place bags down and immediately help daughter with homework. She's done. OK. What does my son have today? Finish that. Done.

5:15p.m. Unpack bags. Run to computer and download work from Alphasmart. Print out work for editing tomorrow morning. DH starting dinner (again).

6:45p.m. Tonight is basketball. Run daughter to basketball and write during practice. 30 minutes up. Game time. Watch daughter play basketball.

7:15p.m. Home. Kids showered and in PJ's. Mom too!

8:30p.m. Put kids to bed.

9:00p.m. Write for an hour or so until my eyes burn and I can no longer see. Go to bed, check alarm and make sure it's set for 5:10a.m. Done. Head on pillow and sleep like the dead.

And they wonder why I write romance!

A Little Red Dress and a Whisper of Encouragement

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine I would complete a romance manuscript. I have literally placed almost two years of my life devoted to this project. Sitting back, I sigh. I actually did it. Frankly, that was the easy part compared to now. I'm prepping for the Golden Heart and I will be actively pitching and querying soon. This has been quite an adventure.

When I started writing Highland Savior, I just wanted to get my ideas down. I wasn't even sure this was going to go anywhere. I was probably 1/4 of the way through my manuscript when I joined Romance Writers of America.  Through their wealth of information and on-line courses through my Chapters, I realized something very quickly. Boy, have I got a lot to learn!

Between first lines, beginning and ending hooks, goals, motivation, conflict, character development, pacing, synopsis writing, etc. it's enough to make a sane person crazy. After several edits, rewrites and hard work, it's done!

Frankly, I could have never done this without the support of many people. My husband has made endless dinners while I'm writing or editing. The kids know when 'Mommy is editing.' My CP, Mary Grace, for her unwavering faith in me and the strength to tell me when something really sucks or I wrote something really great.  Beth, my third set of eyes and now lover of everything Scotland--well, men in kilts ;) My late-night panic calls to L. Shannon for some last-minute advice, knowing that night-owl is up all hours of the night working on her next series or twisted plot. 

Whether it was Sabrina Jeffries giving me pointers on back story drop or Hannah Howell giving me advice on synopsis hell, I mean writing ;) , I cannot stress enough how important it is to have support. 

Some of my fellow Chapter members were mentioning that I should now be attending writing conferences and I have to admit, I was a little nervous about taking that next step. Now that I have one m/s under my belt, I need to do this. And just so I don't get cold feet and back out, I already booked my flight for Nationals next year in New York City.

I received a card the other day (pic at the top) from one of my friends and I really need to share her words. Whenever I feel the nervousness settle in or wonder for the millionth time why I'm doing this, I will pull out this card to refresh my memory. I am a romance writer!

* * *

Dear Vicki,

Red is the sign of self-confidence and success.

This is your gown for the formal you will have to wear in New York--the big reward for all the hard work and two years of everything in your heart and soul on paper to be read by millions of people. The satisfaction that people like me will be taken back to a different time, a romance we had or wanted.

The struggle, the passion that will take us with the characters to the ending. Where we will feel (with a sigh and a smile) the warmth of brighter futures, our feelings of love and dreams fulfilled.

Good luck. I will be praying for you.

Love,

Flo

*happy sigh*