Michelle Styles:

TAM Continuity L2 and a new story challenges

2012-01-23T12:25:00.000Z

Right I have started Level 2 of TAM's continuity and Tracy really does work your legs...and your arms.
Level 1 was a brief and welcome respite. It gave me a chance to learn the new Dance Cardio. It is very much Hippo Dancing 2.0 as my eldest would say but I am enjoying it more. Tracy continues to work you hard. One of the things I do like is that there is only one of her. You are not looking at advanced and beginner moves. The advancement comes from the new levels and your body is constantly challenged. You don't have to think -- I can't face seeing this particular dvd one more time! Every 10 days the MS changes.

I have started my latest story and am looking back at my notes for Shackled to see if I did anything differently which contributed to its more completed form. The big thing I noticed was that I started with fleshing out the backstory far more rather than going for the appearance. Even though the back story did change a bit, I still was solid on the character's inner values. Knowing the inner value means that you know how the character will react and what is important and why. My deadline is 1 April and s

Shackled to the Viking accepted

2012-01-21T09:28:00.000Z

My editor phoned yesterday to say that Shackled to the Viking's tweaks were fine and the book has been accepted. She is really going to try for the title. So fingers crossed.
In case anyone was wondering it is a Viking warrior v Anglo Saxon lady tale set in North Yorkshire in 876.
My editor thinks my enjoyment of writing the story showed. And the next story is also supposed to be a simple premise as well so that I can go into greater depth with my characterisation. Sometimes I do get too convuluted for my own good.
Obviously no date for publication yet. I suspect it will sometime in 2013.
It is back to the Victorian era for my next one and thus lots of beautiful dresses. There is just something about a full skirt. My youngest has been dispatched to the Lit and Phil for the fashion books that I use. And I've been busy reading about the Great Exhibition. My deadline is 1 April.

Revisions in, TAM Continuity begun

2012-01-17T13:41:00.000Z

Friday brought my editor's thoughts on the work-in-progress Shackled to the Viking. My editor has promised to fight for the title so fingers crossed. Anyway, the revisions were short and sweet. Three minor points of clarification. I finished them and sent the revisions in on Monday.Now fingers crossed that my lovely editor thinks it is enough.
As I wait, I have started my next one (due 1 April -- what was I thinking?) It is a Victorian. It is nice to get back to pretty dresses! One part of my job that I love doing is researching the dresses. Personally I love how the nipped in waists look as opposed to the high Empire/Regency waist. I know other people are just the opposite. What is good that once you do hit the late Georgian period, many more textiles have survived. Trying to discover exactly what people wore in late 9th cnetury is fraught with difficulty.

I found the Georgette Heyer biography interesting. Apparently she didn't believe in women working outside the home and so didn't think it right if her heroines did.

Last Tuesday I started the Tracy Anderson Continuity. It has meant learning a whole new Dance Cardio and I am getting to grips with it on the 7th day. It is the Hippo Dance 2.0 as my eldest son calls it. He was told tough -- I do it for the results, rather than performing in public. The MS work carries on from Meta and I am really trying to focus on the muscles and the cross vectors, the push-pull thing. I had to laugh when the Times was going about Tracy Anderson devotees at the Gloden Globes showing off thier shoulders and lack of bingo wings. My arms have certainly improved. COntinuity has bonus arms with wrist weights. I have just used my ankle weights. As a result of my eldest's complaints I have started doing MS, bonus arms and then 2 lots of the Dance Cardio. It makes more sense and I'm not getting the exhaustion I had when I last tried doing the MS first. So progress.
Next Thursday my PHS column Secrets of the Fit and Fab begins. It is one thing to lose the weight but it is quite another thing to keep the weight off for any length of time. The column is to keep me motivated as it were.

My eldest two are back at uni and the house is quiet. They both seem settled which is good.

I shall try to be a better blogger as this has had a lower priority as of late.

Tracy Anderson Meta Completed

2012-01-09T09:46:00.001Z

I have finished Meta with a total of 18 lbs lost. Over all since starting TAM, I have lost 38 lbs.
I am now a UK size 6/8 (US 2/4). Bring on Continuity!!!

Happy 2012

2012-01-01T10:30:00.003Z

Wishing everyone who reads this a Happy 2012. May the new year bring peace, joy and fulfilment to your life.
My big resolutions are
1. To maintain my weight (this is the first time in a LONG time it has not been to lose more than 20 lbs) There is a terribly sad statistic that the vast majority regain ALL of their weight plus within a year of losing it. That is not going to happen to me!
2. To organise my priorities better and remember that I have only so many creativity apples. If I give them all away, there will be none left for me.
3. To make all my deadlines.

Sometimes life gets in the way

2011-12-21T14:26:00.000Z

This blog has been neglected recently I have been attempting to finish my Viking. Many apologies.
My first draft is now done and I am on editing. It has potential and I really want to make it stronger (plus a bit longer as I am under the required word count by a few thousand!) I am really excited about it. But it is a small of matter of polishing amking it sing. The character arcs have to make sense.

In Tracy Anderson Method news: I am on Level 8 Day 4. My continuity is backordered (boo hiss). My fingers remain crossed that I will get before I finsih the Meta portion. Otherwise I will be repeating levels 7,8 & 9. I am currently using ankleweights for the MS work and can really feel it in my legs. The 2.5 lbs ankle weights give an added pull and burn to the leg lifts.
My weight has dropped slightly but I remain within my green zone. I have done a ton of reading on nutrition. Elizabeth Lipiski Digestive Wellness (4th edition) is very good. Tracy seems to have used a variety of good digestion techniques to try to get people's bodies to absorb the nutrients. There is a theory that we overeat and have cravings because our bodies fail to digest the proper nutrients.

The Times had a piece yesterday that pointed out that lutein is particularly good in fighting wrinkles. Kale is full of lutein. Spinach, watercress and red papers are also good but not as good as kale.

My children are home from university and the house is full again. My eldest objected to my exercising so early so I have compromised and now do the MS before the DC so he can sleep. I don't like it as well but obviously my endurance has improved a bit as I am not falling asleep at 9 pm!

Winner (s!) drawn for 7 Dec Take A Break giveaway

2011-12-10T14:29:00.001Z

I was so excited to see over 450 entries that I have drawn two names for the Take A Break gift box.
Venetia Atherton and Elizabeth Pawson. I have sent emails and look forward to sending the prizes out.
If your name wasn't chosen, all is not lost. ALL entries go forward to the grand prize draw on 23 Dec for the kindle.
Many thanks to all those who enter.

Harlequin Historical Advent Calendar Dec 7 giveaway!

2011-12-07T00:15:00.000Z

Today is my day for hosting the Harlequin Historical Advent Calendar!
To enter Take a Break Gift Box (includes a signed copy of your choice of one of my books, tea mug, tea, and biscuits) giveaway:
Please email contest@michellestyles.co.uk with the answer to What year is To Marry A Matchmaker set in? (hint read the excerpt) Please put Advent Calendar 2011 in the subject line.
To get an additional entry please like the Michelle Styles Romance Author page on Facebook. All entries will go forward to the Grand Prize draw for the Harlequin Historical Advent Calendar to be held on 23 Dec. The Take a Break contest will be drawn on Saturday 10 December but I will continue to accept entries for the grand prize until 22 Dec.
Full details of the Harlequin Historical Advent Calendar here.

The Tracy Anderson Method Meta Omni: L6 Day 4 -10: digestion

2011-12-05T10:23:00.001Z

Today was a measuring day and basically my measurements remained the same. Given that I had a bad Friday and ate 2 slices of chocolate cake. I was reasonably happy. I have been snacking too much on peanut butter and apples as well as handful of raisins. I am in full writing mode as my deadline looms.
It is about being in for the long haul. I do have to get a camera cord as I have reached the 60th workout and need to take pictures. My arms are much more sculpted than before and my abs firmer. I have come to realise how much of this is a journey and that my body will continue to shape up and change.

Because I am seeking to understand why Tracy's Lifestyle Menus worked so well for me, I have been doing a lot of reading about nutrition and digestion. It is also to help me formulate a workable maintenance plan. The theory of the gut as a second brain is one which is gaining prominence. There has been a lot of academic research which does show that moods etc are affected by what you absorb.There are reasons for cravings. And it is possible to reset your body. This is what Tracy's diets are attempting to do. Being over weight/a slow metabolism is often a function of your digestive system not working as efficiently as it could.
I have started reading Patrick Holford -- Improve Your Digestion and will probably go on to Elizabeth Lipiski. As I did suffer from gall stones and had my gall bladder removed, it is a subject which interests me greatly. I also know that I have so much more energy when I am eating in a way which really babys and pampers my digestion. It also has given me advice on how to stave off cravings when I am writing. And why certain food stuff work better than others. I was interested to read about oatmeal(porridge) and how that does contain gluten and can cause cravings in some people. For me, I used to find that after eating a huge bowl of porridge at 8 am, I was starving by 10 am. If on the other hand I eat a steamed apple combined with blueberries, I'm not hungry until 1 pm. Apples provide a different sort of carb than oats. I am beginning to understand the importance of eating slowly and making sure that my food is well chewed, rather than rushed. Digestion starts in the mouth.
As anyone who reads this blog knows -- I am determined to keep the weight off and stay within my green zone. I am NOT going to become one of those people who gain all the weight plus back. TAM workouts are the foundation but I have to understand in my own head the reasoning behind the diet and see how I can apply it.

On Wednesday, it is my day for the Harlequin Historical Advent Calendar. There will be a couple of bonus ways to enter. The grand prize is a Kindle Fire.

Harlequin Historical Advent Calendar

2011-11-29T00:15:00.000Z

Win a Kindle Fire! The Harlequin Historical Authors Holiday Giveaway is back. In the spirit of an Advent calendar, the authors are giving away daily prizes and a Grand Prize of a Kindle Fire. Play every day for more chances to win.

The Rules:

Each participating author will have an activity planned on their website for their special day. You may be asked to comment on a blog, find an ornament, or visit a Facebook page. For each d ay you participate, your name will be entered into the Grand Prize drawing. At the end of the month on December 23, one day from the calendar will be randomly selected. One of the entrants from that day will then be randomly selected to win the Kindle. The more days you visit, the better your chances!My day is 7 December and there will be a Taste of Northumberland bunch of goodies up for grabs.For international readers: THE PROMOTION IS OPEN TO U.S., UNITED KINGDOM, IRELAND, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, AND EUROPEAN COUNTRIES WHERE A KINDLE MAY BE SHIPPED.Official rules and eligibility

Participating Authors

November 29 - Michelle Willingham

November 30 - Elizabeth Rolls

December 1 - Charlene Sands

December 2 - Diane Gaston

December 3 - Annie Burrows

December 5 - Elaine Golden

December 6 - Barbara Monajem

December 7 - Michelle Styles

December 8 - Deborah Hale

December 9 - Marguerite Kaye

December 10 - Lynna Banning

December 12 - Carol Townend

December 13 - Blythe Gifford

December 14 - Julia Justiss

December 15 - Terri Brisbin

December 16 - Ann Lethbridge

December 17 - Bronwyn Scott

December 19 - Sarah Mallory

December 20 - Kate Bridges

December 21 - Amanda McCabe

December 22 - Jeannie Lin

December 23 - Grand Prize Drawing

Tracy Anderson Method: Meta Omni L 5 - L6 Day 4

2011-11-28T09:43:00.001Z

This was Thanksgiving weekend and my daughter coming home for the first time since I took her university. There was no way I was going to miss out on eating and socialising. And I also refused to feel guilty for doing so. It was not about being *good* but having that 20% guilt free enjoyment of unhealthy eating. So I did enjoy clam dip with tortilla chips, two types of pie, chocolate cake and quick croissants. I also did not weight myself and kept up with my workouts (including taking a rest day on the Sunday). But now it is back to the 80% controlled nutrition. Splurges are fine as long as they don't become the norm. It is a mental thing -- the weekend is over and therefore it is time to get with the programme again. Weight is much easier to put on, rather than take off and I did make sure that i was well within my green zone before the Thanksgiving splurge started. Hopefully when it comes time to measure and weigh myself when this level is done, I will remain in my green zone!
Among other books I read this week were The Inflammation Syndrome and Stop Prediabetes Now (both by Jack Challam). I started with The Inflammation Syndrome because of a remark by the TAM community moderator that Tracy had worked hard to remove all possible inflammation culprits from her diet. Basically I wanted to find why I felt so well on her Lifestyle Menu and why I didn't have cravings etc. The Stop Prediabetes Now came about because I thought it might have more info on obesity, prediabetes and diabetes (type 2) and the whole connection. Prediabetes means you are living a lifestyle that makes type 2 diabetes much more likely. Indicators include a waist over 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women, the need to take naps after eating a heavy meal, and feeling mood swings. I know I was definitely headed that way in August 2010 as my waist was about 35 inches (it is now 23 inches). And while I don't have any symptoms currently, I am aware that I did have quite a number. Type 2 diabetes is a disease which is caused in large part by lifestyle and if a person changes their lifestyle before the onset of full blown type 2 diabetes or before type 2 becomes firmly eastablished, it is possible to utterly reverse the effects. The recent University of Newcastle study is the most recent confirmation.
Although Challams diets are different from Tracy's, I did find out lots.
For example, the Lifestyle Menu is definitely designed to stabilise blood sugar. It is a Protein and Produce type diet, rather than high protein diet. There is a difference. A P and P type diet does emphasise both, rather than exclusively focusing on one particular food group/building block as it were. And the emphasise of the produce is on non starchy, high fibre type fruit and veg.
To stabilise your blood sugar -- the first thing you do need to do is cut out all gluten products and porridge. Oats despite their low GI can cause problems for some people. I know for myself, I feel less hungry when I don't eat porridge for breakfast. High quality protein like an egg, chicken, turkey or cold waterfish or fresh fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or kiwifruit will go a long a way towards making you feel full. Processed foods because of their high sugar, trans fat and high salt content sabotage diets and make cravings worse. Equally eating grain fed beef rather than grass fed beef can lead to more cravings. (I thought this interesting as Tracy does specify grass fed beef in her dynamic eating plan). Caffienne makes you feel thirsty and it is easy to confuse hungar and cravings with thirst. So it is best to cut all coffee. Green tea helps. Eating slowly and making sure you are consuming nutrient dense food goes a long way. Ease of digestion can really help as your body is getting the nutrients it requires delivered in quickly. Fresh food is best.
This is one of the reasons when they talk about Tracy's diets are being baby food diets that it gets me so annoyed. Tracy is all about pureeing and juicing fresh food, rather than buying jars of baby food. There are sound reasons why she says to steam apples and pears rather than buying apple sauce, for example. Purchased apple juice and apple sauce will probably have added sugar and stabilisers. Equally the vitamins do start to deteriorate fairly quickly. You want to consume fresh apple juice within 15 minutes before it starts to oxidise to get the most kick from the vitamins sort of thing.
Anyway I am starting to understand why her Lifestyle Menu worked so well for me and why they do such a good job of containing my cravings.

Swooning with Boon and Sara Craven

2011-11-23T09:51:00.001Z

Yesterday was the Swoon with Boon event at the Stockton Central Library to help celebrate the refurbishment of the library. The library looks wonderful with the books in pride of place. The other speaker was the great Sara Craven. Sara's first book was published in 1976. She had been a journalist in Stockton before that but now lives in the Midlands.
When I was at university, and later when I first came to the UK, Sara was one of my go to authors. There was just something about her heroes. So it was a fantastic opportunity for me to hear her speak and generally chat with her.
Sara Craven is wonderfully witty and the entire evening was a joy.
Given how much I love my editor, I now know to be worried if she takes me out somewhere really and truly posh as according to Sara they tend to do that when you are being shifted to another editor. Although her last lunch with her editor was at the Ivy, just because. She currently adores her editor and was more than a bit apprehensive but her editor soon put her at ease.
I loved hearing about Alan Boon and her first editor, the legendary Frances Whitehead, and the past as well as her extensive reading list as a child. It somewhat mirrored my own. Sara chose her pen name (in those days most M&B authors had pen names plus she was a journalist) in part because of her deep love for The Secret Garden. I happen to love this book and one of the reasons we bought our current house was the garden gave me the feel of a secret garden, waiting to be brought to life again.
Several in the audience said that they had never read a M&B, although their mother in laws were avid readers and because of the talk, they were now tempted to have a go. One lady was very intrigued by my Vikings.
I came back home thoroughly refreshed and ready to really push forward with my current Viking.

TAM L5 Day 3 - 8: Differing Centrics

2011-11-21T12:51:00.001Z

The big thing this week was the launch of Tracy Anderson's Body calculator. If you know about her Meta, you know that in order to order it, you have to decide if you are hip, glute, ab or all of the above/unsure. For me, I know I put weight on all over and so have always assumed that I was omni.
Lately I have wondered if I was glute but then my stomach still has fat etc etc. Lots of people have and so Tracy and team offered to look at photos but quickly became overwhelmed so they developed a short survey programme.
Two things happened which really enhanced my knowledge. First, a lovely TAM lady emailed to ask if I could tell what she was -- hip or glute as she had emailed Tracy's team and hadn't received a reply. And then the body calculator came out, plus Tracy's team started to reply to those people who emailed the photos so I could tell more about what the thinking was.
This lady's photos taught me that it is far easier to tell what people are at the start of Meta, then when they are going through it, and you need to know what you are looking for.
This is what I decided about the centrics for the info I could glean.
Glute means you tend to gain weight first at the back -- on your backside, your back and the BACK of your thighs and you lose it last there. Your bottom tends to flow into your thighs and you could really do with a butt lift. If you are sitting, balancing on the edge of a chair, your weight will flow to the back.
Hips means you tend to gain weight first on your hip bones, and the SIDES of your thighs as well as at the sides of your calves. You lose it last there. If you are balancing on the edge of a chair, your weight will flow to the sides.
Abs means front. You have a pot belly. Depending on your physical condition, you might carry weight on your thighs and hips but really it is the stomach region that gains. In worst case scenarios people will ask you if you are pregnant. Or pat your stomach to make it quiver. Siblings can be such fun when you are growing up.
Omni means you have a combo of problems or simply that you gain weight all over.
People being people often have a multitude of problems and there is a spectrum. Equally people may be more sensitive about one area than another (for example their mother harped on about the stomach but really they have saddle bags) , even though once they start that problem shapes up very quickly. Or they find they were thinking hips but it was really back of hips sort of thing. Plus there is the whole I am putting a hell of a lot of time and effort in, I want to know syndrome. In other words, there are emotions involved, rather than pure objectivity. You try telling someone that her abs are not the biggest problem when she has spent 30 years hating her stomach because she was teased at summer camp. It is hard. It doesn't fit with her body image and that causes problems...
Anyway, I looked at the lady's photos and to my eye, it was obvious she was glute. In her before picture she was sitting and you could see the weight hanging from her thighs, rather than flowing out over the rock. (With me, I think my thighs would have flowed out to the side as well as to the back...) With her other pictures, it was far more difficult because this lady is absolutely stunning and her legs are to die for (imho) except she has a little bit of a bottom and weight to the back of her thighs.
I said glute. She heard back from Tracy's team who said glute. I wiped the sweat from my brow with relief. I think I have FINALLY figured out the rationale. Front, back and sides. But ultimately everything will be sort if you have the patience.
I took the body calculator and didn't measure my hip bone to hip bone right (guessing) and came out with Hip. I knew this was wrong. I definitely have a stomach. It is less than it was but it is still there. Plus my backside needs a lift and I do put weight on my back. Anyway, I went back, remeasured.accurately and came out omni. I tried again to make sure and again came out omni. I am omni and it suits my ego so I am staying that way.

Omni means all parts are going to be hit and eventually everything will really tone up. I don't have to worry because my front, back and sides are all going to get hit.
Some of it is being patient and letting Tracy work her magic. It took Gwyneth Paltrow 3 years to get her current body. It took Tracy herself about that long for her body to be pulled in tight. My body has changed so much since 25 August when I started. It is continuing to change.

Because I have also realised that the POSITIONING is really important. The order in which you do the exercises so that the contraction is held is also important, but with the leg lifts (from what I can glean) you work different angles. I have really concentrate on making sure my knee is turned out the way Tracy wants. But I know she will be working my thighs from all angles and eventually the weight will go from my hips and bottom. And some day, I might not have a pot belly (or loose skin there)

And TOMORROW I will be doing the Girl's Night In: Swoon with Boon lecture at Stockton Central Library at 6 pm. It should be fun. Luckily a friend is coming with me so I won't have to walk in alone and I know there will a friendly face in the audience. Always useful. The great Sara Craven is also speaking so I will be able to soak up her knowledge. I used to love reading Sara's books when I was a teenager, at university and in my early 20s. I only hope I give a good account of myself. An account will be posted on Wednesday.

No more excuses

2011-11-18T10:03:00.001Z

My editor emailed me early today. She really liked my Viking partial and wants to see the full, rather than needing me to rework the partial or put in the next 3 chapters. I had been prepared for her to hate it and have to do both options. But apparently it has a good structure and well-motivated characters. I need to make sure the emotional complexity of the main characters, in particular the hero, is there but other than she is very happy to see the full. (NB I expect her to tear the full apart and help me to make the story as strong as possible)
Emotional complexity does tend to come for me after the first draft is done. It is no fun knowing absolutely everything. But I will re-read the Collins book so that I can make sure the characters have several inner values which end up at odds with each other.
Anyway I have run out of excuses for not writing. It is back to chunking the words -- ie writing 750 words and then taking a break. It is going to be an excellent story when it is done.
Not getting this story in before the 1 January deadline is not an option!

The TAM Meta Omni: L4 Day 6 - L5 Day 2:The key is balance

2011-11-14T10:02:00.001Z

This week I did my first measurements since starting Level 4 and reached several key decisions. First was that I do enjoy doing the Dance Cardio first. When I do it second, I tend to fall asleep around 9 pm. Luckily someone on the TAm community pointed me towards a Youtube video of Tracy explaining which one to do first. I do not tend to bulk up and do has loose skin aka surface fat so doing the Dance Cardio first was the correct choice.I have also started really trying to put the everything in moderation/nothing forbidden 80% controlled direct nutrition thing into force. My weight did go down by about 2 lbs. And it is slightly freeing to know that I won't be weighing myself until the end of L5.The weighing myself every day did help me to realise which foods helped to trigger my bloating and weight gain so I am pleased that I did it. It is about learning to eat in moderation, listening to my body and keeping up with my workouts. ANd yes, the holidays are coming up, so it is about having a plan to deal with them and listening to my body when it says it is full, rather than overeating. I don't have to be a fully piad up member of the Clean Plate Club any longer.

One of the things which really attracted to TAM was Tracy's attitude that she does not promote a diet for life or fad diets. She likes to eat and so workouts.Her appearance on My Last Supper was a case in point. She does have a healthy attitude towards food.Equally I have enjoyed reading the Skinny Chicks book. The author's assertion that people have different metabolic rates and therefore need to think about their individual combinations of exercise and eating hit a chord. Some people have naturally faster metabolisms and don't have to exercise as much as I do. I choose to eat a bit more liberally but like wearing UK size 8, so it is getting the exercise, and in particular the Dance Cardio right for that. Note I have no desire to be a UK size 6 or US size 2.
This journey is about me developing the body I want. It is NOT about the woman with the smallest size wins.
I have noticed much more definition in my upper arms and that some of my loose skin in my stomach region is starting to disappear so this is good as I had no wish to resemble a Sharpie dog.
I also now know that I can take rest days and then look forward to restarting the next day.

Level 5 is much difficult for me than L4. I really feel it in my abs and legs. I am trying to be very precise with how I hold my legs -- the angles and where I put my knee down in the lifts. Part of the whole centric thing does involve the various angles and it is important to really pay attention to how Tracy is doing things. The exercises in each level are often variations on a theme from what I understand but where you put your foot or how your knee is turned out changes. Little things to really activate the cross vectors.
I do feel my body is stronger. I like the buzz I get after the workout and I do crave it. Another Skinny chick tip which I have put into action is to write a list of changes that I like about my body since starting TAM and to say them out loud every day. It is about owning my new body, rather than thinking that it is borrowed.

So You Think You Can Write...

2011-11-09T12:25:00.001Z

Harlequin's Second annual So You Think You Can Write kicked off this week. If you are inspired you can enter your full manuscript in their contest which closes 15 Dec. The best manuscript will be published. So the website for full details.
However even if you just want inspiration, it is worth reading some of the posts as various editors and authors give hints and tips on writing. Personally I found Leslie Wanger's post on asking yourself Why do I need to write this manuscript really useful. It gave me a whole new way of thinking and opened up a load of possibilities as well as helping me solve a conflict problem.
I loved the Meet The New York Editorial Team video. I have had the pleasure in the past of seeing some of the editors at the RWA and it was great to hear how passionate they are about what they do. Obviously I am hoping for a London one but the editorial team are just recovering from NV... NY might be lovely but London totally rocks. Not that I am prejudiced or anything...
There is a ton to inspire..even for a multi-published author. So take some time and explore SYTYCW.
It is a wonderful opportunity.

The Tracy Anderson Method: L4 Days1 - 6: Secrets of being fit and fab

2011-11-07T09:58:00.001Z

This last week included a rest day and two dinner parties. Note the picture is from AMBA and does show off my new figure. The second party proved problematic as I ate too much. Simon Hopkinson's Stilton biscuits and cheese at the end proved too much. My husband had made this really rich meal -- chestnut and wild mushroom tagliatelle, cassolet, orange and watercress salad and chocolate pithivers. My stomach ached. I had to do the dishes while our friends were still over as I felt so sick. It is the last of the entertaining for awhile and I can back to normal. It is easier when we go out to other people's houses. I really guilty refusing my husband's food as I know how hard he has worked to make it.
Anyway, the scale was heavier on the Saturday so I made sure that I really worked out hard and dialled everything back. The result was that the weight gain has disappeared by Sunday and I am back into my green zone. (Yes I did weigh myself as I knew I'd eaten more than I should)
This week I read The Secrets of Skinny Chicks by Karen Bridson. An awful title for a fantastic book. It should be called the Secret of Being Fit and Fab, no matter what what your jeans size!
It is about looking at how women who are slender or who don't have problems with their body image cope and it is hugely practical. She profiles 21 women and gives 50 tips which are examined in detail with action plans. Most of profiled women are US size 2,4 or 6 with one size 10. The common theme is a six day a week exercise regime. If you want to be size 4 or below, it includes an hour of cardio plus muscular structure work, so it was a huge tick for me there. It is about making exercise like brushing your teeth, something you just do. Very few women look good at my age without working out. End of story.
The women eat around 1600 calories per day but the important thing is that they burn all the calories. If they know they are going to be eating more, they make sure they exercise or dial it down. Everything in moderation. Some allow themselves a designated cheat day.Others just go for the moderation approach as it is a Lifestyle rather than a diet. Once you feel like it is a lifestyle rather than a diet, you are less apt to feel deprived.
When the holidays or dinner parties come up, people who feel good about their bodies develop a strategy to deal with them. For example, looking at menus before hand to decide what to eat if going out to a restaurant or exercising more. If they spend time eating too much, they don't abandon the good work they have already done. It is not an all or nothing approach. They simply return to their programme, making adjustments as needs be.
One of the big take aways for me was the concept of a traffic light system with my weight. To think about it in zones. Red (above 145 or 10 st 5 lbs for me) means immediate retreat to full TAM Lifestyle Menu. Amber (140 - 145 or 10 st - 10st 5 lb) means cut back on portions and watch. Green (under 140 or 10 st) means I can eat with the family and am allowed a few treats as long as I do the exercise. The decision of where the zones are is entirely subjective but they should be within a Healthy BMI. Basically I am happy with being a size 4. I don't want to go to a size 2. I want to tone, rather than lose more weight.
A lot of being slender is from your neck up. It is about thinking about those parts of your body that you like and realising that you do have the figure you want (if you work for it).
She also has some strategies for combating emotional eating and other forms of self sabotage. Except for some of the wording (skinny chicks and gals -- nails on blackboard time for me), the book was a good read. There are very few books that deal with maintenance after a weight loss and how you restore your body image. This is one.
Much of what she says tallies with what Tracy Anderson's philosophy so that was good.
Level 4 Omni is hard work but fun. I am still really enjoying TAM. I shall see what my measurements are at the end of this level. However, I am v glad that my thighs don't touch any more. There are bits that still need to be toned (I can see them on the photo!) but I am confident that TAM will get me there. Consistency and persistence.
With my writing, I promised my editor my partial today and am not entirely happy with it so I need to work on that. It just needs more depth. Consitency and persitence for that as well! I suspect when it is done, it will be awesome.

Writing: Adding Unpredictability

2011-11-02T16:25:00.001Z

One of the big buzzwords with Harlequin editorial is unpredictability. However, it can be hard to assess what that means. What it doesn't mean is an end to HEA or indeed the books suddenly not being a romance.
My personal take on this is that is akin to Page Turning Quality and holding the reader within the story. If a story becomes dull and predictable, the reader is more apt to put it down. If she is totally drawn into the world of the story and finds it difficult to guess what is going to happen next and therefore has to keep turning the pages, then the story be definition is a Page Turner. If you can keep the reader (and in this case the hard-boiled editor) turning pages and perhaps even missing a meeting or staying at work late, you will have conquered unpredictability.
How to make the story unpredictable -- it starts with the characters and making sure that they are fully developed and well-rounded. Make sure you really know their personal values and how that translates on the page. In other words, how is the reader going to be super-engaged with the characters? Why is she going to identify with those characters and their journey, and why is that journey going to be different than the 1000 other romances the reader has read?
Characters who are 3 d and who are placed in situations where they have to grow and continually challenged will give the reader unpredictability.
Long ago, there used to be an idea that Harlequin was written with really tight parameters. By page 6 a kiss and exactly page 128 you had to have some sort of sexual encounter while on page 157, not 158 or 152, they had to have a fight. Ummm, hopefully you can see the idea was false in the extreme and has led many unpublished authors to have more manuscripts rejected. There has NEVER been a precise formula. Ever.
The only thing that is sacred is that the focus is on the growth of the emotional relationship of the couple AND that there is a HEA with a closed story line. In other words, the reader is not left wondering if this couple will be fine. (Very occasionally, Harlequin has done a 2 part story line but these are well-flagged in advance and many readers can't read the books until they have both parts!)
But other than those two bits, the journey and the manner of the journey is up to the writer. It is dictated by the characters and their reactions to specific events. The line is determined by the type of story that the author pens. For example, all historicals are set in the defined past. Modern/Presents have an escapist glamour about them etc.
So you want to inject unpredictability in to your story? Make sure you start with two strong well rounded characters who are forced to challenge their core beliefs and see where that leads you. And when you are developing the characters, think beyond the cliche and develop the sort of characters which attract you. Who do you want to write about? What are you passionate about? Why will the hero sweep the heroine off her feet? What is about him that makes him a hero in her eyes? Why are these unique characters? Why will the reader want to read about them? How are you going to show their uniqueness on the page?

The Tracy Anderson Method Meta Omni Days 26 - 30: To AMBA and beyond

2011-10-31T15:18:00.000Z

Last Friday saw me at AMBA, the annual gathering of Mills and Boon authors in London. We meet for lunch and in the early evening, the editors host a toast. Its origins go back to the legendary Charlotte Lamb.
Anyway, it was motivation to keep doing TAM as I wanted to look good.
I succeeded.
People didn't recognise me and I spent a great deal of time talking about Tracy Anderson and her programme -- both to authors and editors. One of the editors reminded me that she had lost a lot of weight a couple of years back. She looks great now and was very interesting to talk to about the whole adjustment process.
When Kate Hardy sent me the photo of my back (I'm in the centre of the photo), I had visual confirmation that I am no longer FAT but tiny. It means I have to tone and maintain, rather than try to lose weight.
There are lots of books about losing weight, but relatively few about what happens after you have lost the weight and how your world view changes. This is why talking to that particular editor was so useful. I know I suffered or still suffer from body dysmorphia. I tend to think of myself as heavier. It is only when I see myself out of my surroundings or put on one of the UK size 8 (US size 4) clothes that I do have to pause and readjust my image.
But I have accepted what everyone said and I don't want to be a UK size 6 (US size 4) or smaller. It gets hard to find clothes. But I still have a lot of toning to do. Your skin is always the last thing to return to the muscle and I can see my saddle bags etc. Also I know TAM helps my lymph oedemia. I shall have to sweat 6 x a week for the rest of my life. But it was a lot of fun to go and have people be astounded. A number of the editors and senior management had seen me in NYC in June so they knew what I looked like then!
Today was the last day of Level 3 and tomorrow starts Level 4.
I am taking my rest day on a Sunday. I had 3 rest days because of London and discovered that I did not magically balloon up. My measurements stayed the same on Monday as they had on Thursday.
I am also starting to do the MS and then the DC. I do still like doing an hour of DC as I enjoy sweating and the feeling that I can eat more freely. I tried it this morning. It was fine and I know that I will do the Dance Cardio. I have previewed Level 4 and as per usual it looks tough. It will get better once I start doing it.
Now though I do have my deadline looming. Having heard some many positive things from the senior management about what is going on in the publishing revolution, I need to make sure that my stories play their part.

The Tracy Anderson Method Meta Omni: Days 20 -26 Dealing with Transitions

2011-10-24T14:35:00.000+01:00

Last week marked the end of Level 2 and the start of Level 3. Level 3 has no planks! In theory this makes it easier. But the challenge is to really be precise.
I was super pleased with my measurements, but this week also marked the point at which I reached 140 and I bought a pair of UK size 8 jeans (US size 4) and have been wearing them as they fit. My super skinny H&M pencil skirt also arrived. It fits (just). The new goal is ensure the super skinny pencil skirt fits comfortably and then to work towards maintenance and toning. In other words, I don't want to go to a size 6. I have already noticed a distinct lack of stock in M&S and other places. It is all about balance and learning to make healthy choices so all the hard work is not destroyed. I know that the Dance Cardio and the MS work will be done for the rest of my life, but I love my food too much to be on a constant diet.
The losing weight has happened far more quickly (in some ways) that anticipated. I did plateau for a long time around 170. But it is also coming to terms with my image in the mirror. I find I see myself as a size 14/16 UK (10/12 US). Before I put the skirt on, I thought how tiny and there is no way... then it fit so I am that tiny even if I don't see it. Aspirational clothing does help as you do lose from more than your measurement points.
One of the ladies who is currently doing TAM, Leah, has a blog Rumspringa and she talked about how a book The Secrets of A Former Fat Girl by Lisa Delaney helped. As I was struggling, I downloaded it. It proved an enlightening read. Delaney lost her weight over 20 years ago. The book is part memoir of her struggle and part helpful hints for dealing with some of this. Delaney is the former executive editor of Health. I was gratified to learn that some of my tactics she employed. For example the Not An Option mantra. I first used this when I was trying to get published and have found it works wonders with exercise as well. At the moment, it is Not An Option for me to skip workouts. I know that you are supposed to rest after 6 days but...I worry about my little voice, the one who continually tells me that I can loaf off. It is part of the reason that I do 1 hour of Dance Cardio and do the Dance Cardio first. I know I'd skimp otherwise. Dance Cardio is hard work. While it is enjoyable in a sado-masochistic way, I know that given a ghost of excuse, I'd be finding reasons why it should be less. My results depend on DC and so it is NAO. Equally, NAO about upping the reps on the leg work when I can do them easily. It is about pushing. And it has always NAO to miss writing.
I was gratified to learn that she didn't diet until her exercise regime was firmly established. This happened a bit to me. I did get exercising into my blood with the exercise dvds earlier in the year and it was part of the despair at plateauing that led me to TAM.
She also gave strategies for dealing with people etc. If you have a lot of weight to lose, I do recommend the book. It is a very positive life-affirming sort of book and shows that just because you have lost weight, it doesn't mean that you are destined to gain it all back. You do have a choice to choose the new you.
This Friday is the annual AMBA lunch and I should get photos from that. (Still being lazy about a camera cord here). The dress I was going to wear is now slightly too big but that is fine. It still looks nice (I think)

News of a sort

2011-10-22T10:44:00.001+01:00

On Thursday, my editor let me know that the book which was accepted in May has now been scheduled -- August 2012 in both the UK and US/NA markets. It will be going as an ebook and print in both markets. No title yet. I think I sent loads of suggestions way back when it was accepted. It is my Regency businesswoman who has to find a husband or risk losing the family business due to her stepfather's will. The book is very close to my heart and I feel so relieved that it is now in the schedule.
Still no word about the three book which are going digital exlcusive in the NA market -- Compromising Miss Milton, Breaking the Governess's Rules and To Marry A Matchmaker. They should in theory be out in the first half of 2012. They have already been out in the UK and Australia as well as several foreign markets. This has to do with the move to simulataneous publication in the UK and US markets due to the growth of ebooks and online buying habits.
I turned in the prequel to Compromising Miss Milton to my editor last week. For people who had read CMM, it is about the heroine's brother in India and helps to flesh out the CMM backstory. All being well it should go out as promotional short when CMM is released in the NA market. She has passed it on to the Historical team for their thoughts and will get back to me with collated thoughts after her holiday. Because it is to be promotional, I want it to be AWESOME. Harlequin have been very supportive with this idea so my fingers are crossed about it.
In family news:
The duckling is thriving. This is the single duckling who I had thought would be harrier fodder as it kept getting separated from its mother. It has now adjusted to life in the pen...
The dogs are fine. Chile the Labrador gets slower as he is nearing 15 but still enjoys life. The collies are busy.
Mr Darcy and Heathcliff know they are in charge of the house. Last night, Mr Darcy decided that Tess's tail was a cat's toy. Rather than confront him, Tess moved away and tucked her tail under her, protectively.
The bees are ready for winter. Fingers crossed here.
My youngest has started working at Langley Castle as a waiter for wedding in the same way that my eldest did when he was in 6th form. It teaches good people and life skills.

Writing: Sunshine and shadow

2011-10-19T10:51:00.000+01:00

One thing I have to remember is that you want a variety of emotion when you are writing women's fiction. The intensity of the emotion matters but too much makse it samey. If everything is light, it can feel airy and insubstantive. Equally if everything is dark and brooding, you can end up very quickly being depressing. You are looking at the full palette of emotion and how it is portrayed rather than just one aspect.
The contrast can help to ring the changes. Think about shadows and how much darker they look against the bright sunshine. If a painting is monochrome, you lose that intensity. Show the changes when you are writing, think about the contrasting emotions and how you can show the mood shifts. There are always gradation of moods. You can't just protray anger in the same way all the time. The character becomes one dimensional and wooden. She always screams. He always clenches his jaw. Equally your characters should not always be angry. They need to have moments when they lighten up. When they are amused or find a measure of peace. The opposite of anger is not always happiness. It can be peace, tranquility, contentment, acceptance or resignation.
When you want to show a passion at its height, it will show up most clearly when you contrast with its opposite. The conundrum for every novelist is how to portray its opposite in a convincing fashion. How can you show both in a scene? Hint: look within your characters, Find more than one inner value for the character. How can these two values be in opposition to each other? What will finally drive your characters that height? What is your character passionate about? Strong emotions require strong characters and they deserve to be shown in their complexity.
Do not be afraid to show the opposite of an emotion to increase whether the sunshine or the shadow. Make sure you understand the different variations of emotions and how the character will react. The inner value + conflict = emotion. But to really make those emotions stand out, you need the contrast.

Tracy Andreson Method Meta Omni Days 12- 19: A jumbo sack of dry dog food

2011-10-17T09:56:00.003+01:00

I realised on Friday that since starting TAM I have lost the equivalent of a jumbo sack of dry dog food or one of the sacks of poultry layers pellets (they weigh about 15 kg). I know how hard it is to carry that for even a short distance so it is little wonder that I have so much more energy!
Tomorrow is my official measurement day but my clothes are getting looser. I think I am now more a size 8 UK (US size 4) than a size 10 (US size 6). It means though I need a whole new wardrobe from underthings on up. This will take time. I have ordered a H&M pencil skirt size 8 as a reward. It feels strange to shop in a shop where fashion is on the cutting edge, rather than thinking I can't. However, I do like the styles at the moment and they do show off my waist. My body type is currently in after years of being neglected...that sort of thing spurs me on.
Level 2 has been challenging for me as my balance is not stellar. At first I kept falling over but I have mastered it. One of the main things I have learnt is to keep my weight on my forearm, rather than on my knee.
The Dance Cardio remains doable. I do have to really focus while I am doing it, rather than allowing my mind to drift. It is so important to really perform the cardio, rather than going through the motions. It is all about being bathed in sweat.
I also discovered that salt really makes me bloat. A low sodium diet is supposed to help with idiopathic lymphoedemia. See www.actiononsalt.org.uk I was utterly amazed to see the amount of salt in bread, particularly high end bread and other places. There is a lot of hidden salt, particularly in processed foods. Unfortunately, I love salt. Olives and salami are some of my favourite foods. The salt bagels I had in NYC live in my memory. I routinely added salt when I was cooking and then at the table. Now I don't to either. I shall just have to be really cautious. Such things need to be absolute treats and on days when I know I am going to really work out (and on the day after).
I also learnt why my dairy requirement is best served by Greek yogurt. It has to do with the bacteria and the fact that strained yogurt has more. Dairy can make me bloat as well. But it is lucky that I love and adore smoothies made with Greek yogurt. They take very little to prepare in the morning and I find I am full most of the day as opposed to porridge where I'd feel full but was tempted to snack mid-morning.
Next TAM update: Monday
Next writing update:Wednesday

Creating warmth in your ms

2011-10-12T10:00:00.001+01:00

If you are writing series romance or really commercial women's fiction in general, one of your most important tasks is to create warmth. You want the readers to love your characters as much as you do. Remember these are comfort reads or escapist reads for people. It is not about making readers feel uncomfortable.
My senior editor sometimes says to me that often I have the warmth in my head and not down on the page until after the revisions.Apparently I talk about my characters with great warmth and humanity but sometimes it is not translated on to the page. It is a lesson I learnt well when I had that ms rejected (asked to put aside) last December. Part of the problem was a lack of warmth, particularly in the early chapters.
So how do you go about it?
First love your characters. Sympathise with them. Understand where they are coming from.
Second, make sure you give the readers early on a reason to like your characters. Writers often write lists of points of conflicts but you also need to know why they will get on. What is there to like about this character? And why? Why should the reader like this character and feel sympathy. A small note; Depressed heroes or heroines can be hard to like. If you are writing a redemption story, show possibly via a prologue that character is capable of being redeemed.
Show a small act of kindness. Give an insight into why the character is angry with the other. If you are doing a revenge story, show the reasons why the person feels driven towards the revenge? Why are they doing it? The other character doesn't have to know but the reader should. Have a *Save the Cat* moment for each character in the opening chapter. The heroine doesn't have to fall for the hero straight away but the reader does. Why is the reader going to love this hero? Why will she want to walk in the heroine's shoes?
You are the character's best friend. What little thing do you notice about your friend and how can you show that in the first few pages? How is the reader going to identify with that character? As Orson Scott Card says in his book Characters and Viewpoint we like what is like us. First impressions in books as well in real life matter. It is hard in a series romance to overcome a bad first impression. In longer books, yes you might, but it takes a lot of work. To create that moment look to the character's dreams and hungers. What is their motivation? Why is that dream important? Where is the integrity? What about courage? Dependability? Creating warmth and likability starts with the very first time the character walks into the story.
Above all make sure that warmth is on the page and not in your head!
Donald Maass did a brilliant blog last week on warmth on Writer Unboxed. It is well worth a read.

Tracy Anderson Method Meta Omni Days 1- 12

2011-10-10T09:46:00.001+01:00

Because I have received so much inspiration from reading other blogs about women's journeys with the Tracy Anderson Method Metamorphosis, I have decided to blog about mine.
As regular readers will know, I did her Bootcamp from 25 August to 25 September, hit my Healthy BMI and generally became a huge believer in her system. I order the Omni centric because I tend to gain weight all over. It arrived after a spell in customs and I started it on 28 September.
Rather than doing the Meta eating plan, I am sticking mainly to her Lifestyle Menus from the Bootcamp and eating with the family at night. My husband likes to cook, so it is a small matter of keeping my portions smaller and making sure that there are lots of veg.
I love the Omni. It was a change to do only one hour of exercise and I kept thinking with the Dance cardio -- is that all there is? So I have started repeating the Dance Cardio to get in an hour of DC as well as doing the muscular structure work. Because I have AMBA and the Toast to the Authors at the end of the month, I haven't been taking rest days. Professional pride kicking in here.
I do my workouts in the morning first thing and I do the DC first because otherwise I'd be tempted to skimp. Contrary to what some might say, the Dance Cardio does not take up that much space. I do it in my study and move the carpet every morning., creating a 6' by 7' free space. The upside is that my floor is no longer littered with papers. The Muscular Structure work is confined to a yoga mat.
My weight is continuing to go down. I have lost 4 more pounds since starting the Omni and 4 3/4 inches. This means since starting TAM, I have lost a total of 28 lbs and about 28 inches. On Friday, I bought an aspirational UK size 8 LBD dress (US size 4). I can fit into it but it is a tight fit. The UK size 10 dress I bought near the end of the bootcamp fits like a dress (this is the one I plan to wear to AMBA).
Level One was relatively easy for me because I had done the bootcamp. Level 2 is more challenging. I have trouble with getting my balance right and keep falling over when I do the hand to foot thing. However it is only the second day on Level2 and I know by the end, I will have mastered it.
Apparently there are a lot of planks in Omni and it is important to distribute my weight through out my abs. I have also learnt the importance of putting a lot of weight on my hand, rather than on my knees.
My favourite part of the MS work is the standing abs. It feels great to learn how to wriggle.
I love the empowering feeling of doing something to change my body. I love how I feel after I complete the workouts. I like the fact that something is finally really working.
The next Meta update will be next Monday.
Tomorrow I will do something on creating warmth in your wip so a writing post as Chris pointed out that I hadn't done a writing post in awhile.

Sweetness of acceptance

2011-10-08T10:08:00.000+01:00

Late yesterday my editor emailed to say that my revisions did the trick and my latest wip has been accepted. I burst into tears. I had been convinced that there would be more revisions and that I hadn't done enough. I had.
I don't think it will ever get old -- having a book accepted. As an author I put so much time and energy into the story that means a great deal when a book is accepted. I never take it for granted.
I know my editor worked very hard to get the book up to the standard required and I can't thank her enough. She has been absolutely marvellous.
Hopefully when it comes out, people will enjoy Kit and Hattie. It doesn't have a title nor does it have a release date. Those will come. For right now, I can savour the acceptance.
It means onto the Viking and making my deadline.
But for now I am celebrating.

Keep Calm, Eat a Cupcake and The Heroine's Journey

2011-10-05T08:59:00.000+01:00

The wonders of skype. I was able to see my daughter's room. She has a lovely pink and white poster which says Keep Calm and Eat a Cupcake. It made me smile.
There is also a slight irony as my daughter would much prefer a biscuit or proper peice of cake as she finds cupcakes a bit too sweet. But the sentiment is there.
She seems to be doing fine. Okoay more than fine. She looks like she is having a great time.
I really recommend skype for any parent whose children are far away. We discovered its advantages last year when my son was in the US and so it has continued. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.

Because of a post on The Healthy Writer's Blog, I dug out my copy of The Heroine's Journey by Maureen Murdock. Less well known than Joseph Campbell/Chris Vogler's The Hero Journey. The Heroine's Journey gives a structure for a more internal conflict type book. You can find it in use in many works of commerical ficition. She developed it because Campbell told her that there was no need for a woman to go on a journey as she was already THERE. Murdock knew she wasn't. The heroine's Journey is all about healing the psyche. It is about the integration of the feminine and masculine.
Many authors of commercial women's fiction already use elements of the journey in their work. For example, the father's daughter who has turned her back on her feminity only to have it reawoken by the hero and in the process to discovering her true and strong identity is standard fodder for series romance.
Anyway, it is useful sometimes to remind myself that such structures do exist and for good reasons.

Good luck to all who are entering the New Voices this year. Remember it is not the end of the journey but the start and it is what you do after, and how you continue to pursue your dream that is important.
Equally keeping calm and eating a cupcake is a good thing to do in times of stress.

The weight of expectations

2011-10-03T09:47:00.000+01:00

This Saturday was spent ferrying my two children to university. For my son, it was a return to where he'd spent his first year after spending his second year abroad. I was used to him going. He is an adult.
For my daughter, this is her first year at university. She has chosen to go where her father went, where I went as a JYA and met her father and where her brother goes. She is in a different college and studying a different subject.
My daughter also pointed out that not only did her mother go to university (Carleton and Lancaster) but my mother went (Vassar) and my mother's mother also went (University of Minnesota). I believe both my maternal great grandmothers went to finishing school/teaching college. Education is a big deal on that side of the family. I know at least one of my paternal great grandmothers went to college (Converse) the same as her mother before her. My paternal grandmother went to USC. My other paternal great grandmother went to music college and was for a time a concert pianist. Going further back, I am less certain. While my daughter was waiting for her results, she kept thinking about this and worrying.
I told her that it didn't matter. For one thing, my husband was the first person in his family to go to university. For another, although I loved going to university and really believe in the concept of a liberal arts education, I do know that other people have different routes to success. It is about what you do with your choices.
Now, having got the trauma of parting behind us, I am looking forward to hearing about her adventures. I hope she finds it as wonderfully exciting as I did. The opportunities are there but you have to reach out and grasp them. University has so much to offer.
My daughter has already decided that she isn't sporty and won't be trying out for any teams. I don't think she even owns a pair of trainers. She is going to be going on a trip to the Lakes instead which the Student Union has organised. Very sensible. She marches to the beat of her own drum and has always done.
My only expectation for her and for my two boys is that they work hard and make the most of it. Then years later they can look back on the time with great fondness rather than regret.

Starting something new

2011-09-26T14:33:00.000+01:00

Revisions went off late on Thursday and my editor let me know she had them on Friday. I spent the weekend researching the Vikings in England and have decided what I want to write. I now get to work on something bright and shiny new until I hear from my editor. Character sketches and plot outlines. I want to know this pair before a word goes on the page. It is going to be fun. My play list is going to include a lot of Runrig. I find writing Vikings to a background of Runrig throughly satisfying.

It is less than a week before my eldest two leave for uni so there has been lots of shopping. I managed to snag a pair of cords (UK size 10! You should have seen my daughter's face when she realised that they fit. The elderly lady who was waiting for someone to emerge from the dressing room gave a snort of laughter.) and shoes. I have ordered a new pair of heels for AMBA. I know what I wanted but they didn't have the right colour in stock...

A war hero horse -- Sgt Reckless

2011-09-21T09:25:00.000+01:00

Sometimes you hear an exploit and wonder why it has not been made into a feel good movie. Sgt Reckless is one such story. The horse served with the US marines in Korea and made 51 trips up a mountain in the height of a battle (Operation Vegas), resupplying the Marines with ammunition. The horse saved countless lives and was decorated. She retired to Camp Pendleton where there is a memorial to her.
You can read more about Sgt Reckless here.
And there is short video about her:I do hope that they will do a movie about the horse. It does sound like the sort of tug at your heart movie for all the family.

Reshaping my Writers Bottom: Healthy BMI reached!

2011-09-14T10:21:00.001+01:00

Today is Day 20 of the Tracy Anderson Method 30 Day Boot Camp. The last ten days have made a believer out of me. So much so that even though I haven't finished my revisions, I have ordered the TAM 90 Metamorphoses and have enrolled in her continuity programme for after the 90 days are up. (Metamorphoses is only available on via her website www.tracyandersonmethod.com . You can get the book that I have been using: Tracy Anderson Method 30 Day Boot Camp from Amazon)
Right so the good news. I am finally at a Healthy Weight BMI for my height. Just. But it has been a long time coming. Back in August 2010, I started trying to reshape my writer's bottom with a BMI of 32.3. I wince as I write this. I was fat by any measure. When I started the TAM 30 Day bot camp my bmi was 28 or in the over weight region and stubbornly refusing to move. My BMI is now 24.9 or just healthy. I would like to lose 15 lbs which would put me at a bmi of just under 23.
Because I am in a healthy BMI, my reward will be NOT to do the TAM cleanse -- five days of pureed foods but rather to continue on with her lifestyle menus. The purees sound disgusting. I understand the chocolate blueberry mousse is great but corn and sweet potato puree, no thank you. I did brave the kale juice this morning and it is fine -- mostly tastes of apple with an underlying tone of kale. I can understand why people would do it, but I don't think it necessary. I figure with the cleanse you will lose more weight but I am already losing a fairly good clip. Thus far, it is 18 lbs. The first ten days saw the most dramatic weight loss of 13 lbs and the last ten days have seen 5 lbs.
My inches are going down. To go back 20 days ago, 19 inches have been lost. I am now wearing things that I haven't worn in years! Included amongst are silk tops I made when I was in my early twenties and which I dearly loved wearing. When I went to NYC at the end of June, I couldn't even button them.
I fit into an orange A line skirt that I have had since I was about 16. Again, I couldn't fasten it when I was going to NYC. Not sure why it was kept either but that is another story.
I have come to enjoy getting up and doing my exercises. Today is a change day so I had some new and killer moves to learn for the mat portion. I can tell they are effective. I have also increased the cardio to 60 minutes. 50 minutes full on with 10 minutes step-touching. I love that NO weights are involved. Just me, the mat and a kitchen chair. The dance cardio is actually fun.I never ever thought I'd say that!
I have so much more energy! The lymph oedema in my arm continues to improve as well.
Anyway it is tremendously exciting. It works for me which is all that really counts. I suspect with this, I shall check in after the 30 days are up to give my final stats but really having reshaped my very large Writer's Bottom, there is no need to keep updating publically. I am just so glad that I FINALLY found something that worked for me. And yes, I have sweated tons and it has been hard work. If you have plateaued and are in despair, do think about trying The Tracy Anderson Method. It has worked for me.
My revisions are on going.

Sometimes you have to change the POV.

2011-09-13T12:35:00.001+01:00

I have been working on my revisions and reached an important scene. It worked in the heroine's POV, but it wasn't right, considering the scene which now has to follow. So I changed it to the hero's POV and it is working better. The words are also flowing.
Sometimes, it is worth seeing if a scene doesn't work better from the other character's POV.

New Voices 2011 is now open. See www.romanceisnotdead.com for more details and details of the author mentors (not me this year...but a whole array of writing stars) Good luck to everyone!

And I have cut my hair short, very short. Picture to follow when I get around to getting it taken.

Debunking a few Daily Mail created myths about the Tracy Anderson Method

2011-09-08T11:32:00.001+01:00

I have seen the Daily Mail do hatchet jobs over the years but I was surprised to read the inaccurate info in a March article about the Tracy Anderson Method. The journalist claimed alternatively to be on the 30 Day Method and then on the follow up 90 Day one -- Metamorphoses. The photos claim she was on the 30 day Method and she states in the article that she was on the 90 day one.
I can only say that she obviously did not read directions. For example she started with the Cleanse/Detox for a week. If you are on the 30 Day Method, it comes at the end and is only 5 days. Yes the Cleanse is severely limiting and hard but it is done as a detox (if you want it) at the end after your endurance is built up. Tracy Anderson is quite specific. She wants you to have enough energy to do the cardio and exercises as they are the main part of her programme. The portion size is a guide. The main emphasis is on her muscle design mat work and the cardio.
The Lifestyle menu is really built on the concept of low sodium, low starch, reasonable amount of protein, and lots and lots of fruit and vegetables. Very little diary. It is about using the freshest ingredients to create delicious and filling meals. the portion sizes are a guide but if you are hungry, you are supposed to eat more of the menu, rather than supplementing from other foods. No powders or pills or processed foods.
My blender has been getting a workout as there are blended soups and drinks.
I was also surprised to see Wilcox saying that all you had for lunch was a protein bar. Lunch on the 30 Day Menu has been things like grilled salmon salad, carrot ginger soup, turkey roll up, grilled chicken salad. There are no protein bars in sight. In fact, in the 30 Day Method, Tracy Anderson makes it quite clear that she wants fresh foods, simply cooked. The recipes do not take long. Suppers are generally white fish, chicken or turkey with roasted or braised vegetables. There is a snack which tends to be more desserty -- so fruit or her version of a chocolate pudding. She also does some savoury ones -- cucumber mint relish or fresh chopped veg. Breakfasts vary from strawberries and mint or fresh fruit to egg roll ups -- egg white omelettes filled with vegetables.
Anderson is also quite clear that it is a diet and is not intended for the long term. It is to help you lose weight and learn to reconfigure your eating habits so you know what full is and what is good to eat.
Wilcox also claimed that the 30 Day Method Exercise portion took 3 hours per day and involved over 40 exercises. Ummm no. Depending on your fitness level, the cardio portion will take as little time as 10 minutes step touching or as much as 60 minutes full on dancing. You work up to the 60 minutes. It is about building your endurance. It was comforting to read that Gwyneth Paltrow and a few other celebrity clients of Tracy's started with step touching. The dvd consists of 2 10 minute cardio dance sequences which you do. Because there are no instructions, you can mute it and choose your own playlist.
The over 40 exercises in the book are divided into three ten day segments. When you finish 10 days, you move on to the next segment. Each segement consists of 15 exercises. One of Tracy Anderson's abiding philosophies is that muscles get bored and you need to constantly challenge those muscles and make them work in different ways. You need to do the reps on both sides and you do increase the reps. You start at 20 if you can and work up to 60. If 60 is too easy and you can do them ALL without stopping, you can move on to ankle weights.
So it would have been helpful IF Rebecca Wilcox had managed to read the directions and follow what she was supposed to do rather than making it up as she went on along.
Perhaps the 90 Day metamorphoses has a completely different menu. Perhaps she skimmed read the 30 Day Method book and didn't bother to read the chapter headings. Perhaps she was after good copy. Who knows what her agenda was but she obviously didn't bother to read the 30 Day Method in anay great detail.
Currently I am on Day 15 of the 30 Day Method. I have not fainted, nor have been in any danger of fainting and I have strictly followed the diet. I have also not bothered with some of the snacks as they didn't appeal. I know enough about nutrition to know that it is a reasonably sensible diet -- lots of fruit and veg with reasonably sized portions.
Time wise it takes me 2 hours per day to do 50 minutes of full on dance cardio and the 15 exercises required for this portion. When 50 minutes becomes easy, I will move up to 60 minutes but won;t go beyond that. I am on 50 reps and am working on being able to do them without stopping.
In terms of weight loss, I have lost 16 lbs so far and 16 inches from my thighs, waist, hips, and stomach combined. When I did Jillian Michaels 30 Day shred, I lost inches but only about 5 lbs.
I haven't measured my upper arms as I have lymph oedema, BUT it has been a marvel for my left arm. My wedding ring is now loose and I have to remember to wear my bandages. I suspect it is a combo of the low sodium and the arm exercises which is helping the arm to drain and the fluid to move.
I remain undecided about doing the Cleanse as some of the food sounds disgusting and I don't think I will need it. the lifestyle menus are working just fine. It might not be Anderson's exact method but I think she will forgive me.
Once I have done my revisions, I am planning on ordering the Metamorphoses 90 day dvd set as a treat. I may eat my above words after seeing it, but right now all I can compare Wilcox's article with is the 30 Day Method and she made mistakes
You can order the book -- Tracy Anderson 30 Day Method from Amazon. The 90 day programme is only available from her website.

Revisions and rethinking

2011-09-06T10:48:00.000+01:00

My revisions have hit and I had a long and productive conversation with my editor about the way forward.
A good editor's eye is crucial. She saw some things that mean the entire reading experience is going to be so much better. She also challenged me to think about how I done things and why.
It turns out the one scene that I thought was central to the novel wasn't and there is a BETTER way.
I shall now retire to my cave and work things out. (My daughter points out that I don't have cave per say, just a study. However she likes the idea of me having a cave as I would make a very good cave dweller.)
This is going to be a great book when I get done.

Suddenly my baby is an adult

2011-09-05T15:02:00.000+01:00

21 years ago I became a mother. The c-section was supposed to happen a week later but my son had his own ideas (he always does). They weren't overly busy in maternity that day and it did seem like I was in labour, so out he came. He had been breech -- just to be different. My other two were normal births but he was the c-section. It is a MAJOR operation and people just toss the word around like it is normal. It takes a long time to recover. It is not an easy option. I still sometimes talk about how my eldest scarred me for life. He doesn't find it amusing.
When he was about 6 weeks old, I can remember taking him to the clinic and thinking that I had all the time in the world before he turned 5 and started school. After all at that point with a child who didn't sleep, every day felt like a lifetime. But I had once stitched something for a friend that said at the end, I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep. And I did remember that.
Five rolled around and he started school. It seemed like an age until... But now it doesn't and he is an adult. Luckily I remembered that children don't keep either. And despite absent mindely agreeing to let him to go Moscow once when I was writing, I like to think that we made time for each other.
I am terribly proud of the adult that he has become. Life and all its wonders beckons.
All I can say is hug your babies and enjoy your children at whatever age they are because they don't keep.

Reshaping My Writer's Bottom: The Tracy Anderson Method Boot Camp

2011-09-03T15:57:00.001+01:00

It came to a crisis point last Tuesday. I knew for several days that my clothes were getting tight. There were the excuses -- my son had just come home, my daughter did wonderfully in her A levels and we had family celebrations which included champagne and cake. But this time, I had had pasta and one of the last pieces of cake. My head started spinning and I realised I was at a crossroads. Either I could buckle down or I could go back up to the weight I was. (There are reasons for wearing non elasticated clothing) I knew I'd plateaued but I was not about to climb. I opted for -- buckling down.
But I wanted to do something different. I hate dance cardio so I decided to stop fearing it and start doing it. I had read about the Tracy Anderson Method and saw she has a book -- The Tracy Anderson Method 30 Day Boot Camp. I ordered it. It arrived the next day.
In the first chapter, she asks for a month and promises she can remake your body if you follow her plan. This includes doing her muscle strengthen exercises, her cardio and eating her meal plan.
I have been learning to love Dance Cardio. 40 minutes of performance cardio rather than instruction plus performance. She provides a dvd with 2 routines 10 minutes each and then you repeat. If you get good enough, you go up to 60 minutes. I can do 40. I am no longer tripping over my feet. I do the cardio first as otherwise I'd find an excuse. It is now oddly enjoyable.
The mat workout is something else. Tracy Anderson focuses on accessory muscles rather than the large muscle groups. You start at 20 and keeping adding 5 more per day. She demonstrates how to do the exercises on the dvd and has illustrations in the book. You do them at your own pace. The pain is addictive. This takes about 40 minutes.
The menus are based on FRESH food -- lots of fruit and veg with mainly white meat. She isn't anti anything. The dishes are delicious and surprisingly filling. Strawberries with mint and agave syrup, poached cod with roast asparagus, puree of broccoli soup. It is not baby food by any stretch of the imagination. I am on the meal plan for 25 days and at the end is the Cleanse with lots of purees. (I am not looking forward to the cleanse). Mainly she wants to reeducated your palate and make sure you have enough energy to do the exercising. It is low sodium, low carb, low fat and controlled calories. She give portion sizes which certainly fill me up. You can eat more of the foods on that day's menu if you are hungry.
So I have been on for 9 days and have lost 12 pounds!!!! I broke through the plateau and am hoping to see a lower figure in the tens column tomorrow. My clothes are much looser. But the best thing is my left arm, the one with lymphoedemia. It hasn't moved for ages. My wedding ring has generally been tight, although sometimes after I have worn my sleeve, it loosens. Even without wearing my sleeve, my wedding ring is loose. My hands and wrist look about normal. I don't know if it is the exercises for arms or the low sodium in the diet, all I know is that it is BETTER and that's all that counts.
I can't wait to see what the next 21 days bring.

Ballet Shoes hits 75!

2011-08-30T08:54:00.000+01:00

One of my all time favourite books -- Ballet Shoes by Noel Streafeild has hit 75. Penguin has just released a special 75th edition.
As a child I loved the story of the Fossils -- Pauline Petrova and Posy and the way they go to stage school. I think I read all the Shoe books that my local library had. I loved the world Streatfeild created. I suspect all of the shoe books contributed to my love of England and eventually helped me make the decision to come over here for my Junior Year Abroad.
However, the true reason I remain in Streafeild's debt is her in valuible advice on afternoon rest periods. When I read the book to my children, my eldest was about 7, my daughter 4 and my youngest 2. It was during the summer holidays. The squabbling reached a cresendo and then I read about afternoon rest periods and how the Fossils spent an hour on their beds each afternoon, reading. I implemented this straight away. The children didn't need to sleep but they did have to stay on their beds. Amazingly, it cut the squabbling down to nothing. It allowed they all to get some rest.
They all needed a time out. It also helped develop a love of reading that remains to today.
My daughter tells me that they used to play games with the timer.
As my youngest wasn't sleeping very well, I used to rest as well.
You do not know how much of a lifesaver this was.
There are also many great ideas in the book like having children learn Shakespeare. And showing that children can contribute to a household. Equally that stage and dance is a lot of hard work. You do have to be dedicated. I loved the detailed descriptions of everything worked.
I think my favourite Streatfeild heroine was Rachel from Dancing Shoes who over comes a wicked aunt and spoilt cousin to become the lead in a movie version of A Secret Garden (another favourite book of mine). The Streafeild books had different names in the US to take advantage of the huge popularity of Ballet Shoes.
If you haven't encountered Ballet Shoes, do.
So what was your favourite Straetfeild book/heroine?

Small Blogs Big Giveaway Reminder

2011-08-27T10:17:00.000+01:00

A reminder that Small Blogs Big Giveaway has 2 more days to run. Have you entered yet? Lots of lovely prizes including signed copies of my latest two -- Breaking the Governess's Rules and To Marry A Matchmaker.

This weekend is being spent working on the novella -- a prequel to Compromising Miss Milton. It is tremendously fun as I have wanted to do Tom Milton and Kamala's story for ages!
I finally have a bit of writing time (having spanked my deadline last Monday) and am determined to get it done. In my writing world, contracted work comes first so I do have to make sure that it is done and on time.

My youngest has gone off to walk part of the Pennine Way with two friends as his reward (?) for doing so well on his GCSEs. It is wet out there. They are walking 60 miles in 3 days. I suspect they will have great fun but will be glad when it is done. My youngest and another lad are very prepared with lists, training walks etc. The other friend seems less prepared but no less determined.
The drive up to Bryness was lovely despite the rain. I always forget how truly wild the Border region is. Beyond the relative gentle rolling of the Tyne Valley, you have Redesdale -- this is the area where you did have the Border Reivers and the Border Wars. It remains rugged moorland with few transport links and the odd ruined castle or more likely bastle. With the mist rolling in waves, it was very much the land that time forgot.

Dans Les Bras Du Comte Giveaway

2011-08-24T07:17:00.000+01:00

To celebrate A Question of Impropriety being released in French next month, I am giving away one signed copy of the American version. Simply email me at contest@michellestyles.co.uk with the answer to the following question: In which year does A Question of Impropriety take place? Hint read the excerpt. Please put QI Giveaway in the subject line. The winner will be drawn on 31 August.

I love the French cover btw.

Northumberland, 1813.Après le scandale provoqué par son fiancé, dont elle ignorait le passé dissolu, Diana Clare part oublier Londres sur les terres de sa famille, en Northumbrie. Dans cette campagne anglaise, aucun vil séducteur ne viendra bouleverser une deuxième fois son existence. Du moins, l'espère-t-elle de toutes ses forces. Cependant, quelques semaines à peine après son arrivée, elle est secourue par le comte de Coltonby alors que sa voiture s'est embourbée dans un champ. Lord Coltonby, le plus célèbre débauché de Londres qui était présent le soir où le scandale a éclaté... Troublée par les souvenirs que cette rencontre ravive en elle, effrayée à l'idée que le comte ne révèle son sulfureux secret, Diana décourage l'entreprenant libertin. Mais lord Coltonby n'est pas le genre d'homme à se laisser éconduire ...

The French version can be purchased at Harlequin Francais or www.amazon.fr

The English language version of A Question of Impropriety can be purchased as an ebook whereever ebooks are sold.

New Voices 2011 Some Stats

2011-08-23T06:57:00.000+01:00

New Voices 2011 -- the Mills and Boon contest where one unpublished author will get a chance to be published in one of the series starts on 13 September. More info plus lots of hints and tips on www.romanceisnotdead.com

There are lots of stats on the Internet about how easy it is to fail. For example 95% of first time authors do not publish another book or 90% of people who start writing a novel fail to finish. Yes, make no mistake about it publishing is a tough business (as well as being crazy). It also remains many people's dream.

So if you are wavering about entering here are some stats:

1. 100% of all Mills and Boon authors once had not finished a manuscript
2. 100% of all Mills and Boon authors once did not have a Mills and Boon editor working with them.
3. 100% of all Mills and Boon authors once had a dream of being published and did some thing about it.

If you don't enter, you can't win. Mills and Boon bought 3 authors as a result of last year's contest -- Leah Ashton who won, Lucy Snow who made the shortlist and Louisa George who did not even place but used the comments to make her manuscript sparkle and submitted it through normal channels.

Mills and Boon has a very good track record at building authors. They have quality editorial, good distribution and unparalleled good relations with their customers. The vast majority of their authors publish more than one book with them. A significant percentage have published more than 25 books with them. When you reach 25, you get a diamond pin. Same for 50. 75 is a keyring. It is a big ceremony.
They are also notoriously tough to get published with. Some 90 -95% of slush is rejected. They only take on about 10-20 new authors per year in a GOOD year. The number of submissions is astonishing. BUT you can't think about other people, you can only think about your voice.

So why the contest? Most of their authors are long time fans of series romance and they know that many of them had a dream. The contest is their way of kick starting the dream and there is lots of help. The best way to find out about the series is to read the books as Mills and Boon does make a specific promise to the reader.
Do visit www.romanceisnotdead.com for more information.

Remember no one is born published. It is what you do to follow your dream that ultimately decides whether it remains a dream or becomes a reality.

Small Blogs Big Giveaway

2011-08-22T00:01:00.000+01:00

34 books+ 9 GC = 43 prizes!

ENTER TO WIN and read the full list of prizes!

Follow the event on twitter

HOSTS

Organized by: Reading Romances

hosting other giveaways now? US$100 gift card giveaway!

Letters Inside Out
hosting other giveaways now? Yes – Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. It will be international.

The Book Nympho

Kindle Fever

Reads With Wreckless Abandon
hosting other giveaways now? Monthly Book Giveaway- It’s international your choice of 1 from 5 books.

So Many Books, Here’s Mine
hosting other giveaways now? Yes

Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews
hosting other giveaways now? YES – A Bonus Giveaway
Will be giving away a $10 Gift Card (winner’s choice, Amazon, B&N, Book Depository) and more books.

The Magic Attic
‪hosting other giveaways now? Blog tour for Static by Tawny Stokes, and a The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton swag giveaway

Alice White Blogs

Pretty Deadly Reviews

Book Savvy Babe

BookHounds

Gabrielle Bisset: A Writer’s Blog

A Bookish Affair

Forbidden Passions Reviews

My Book Addiction

Frequent Reader, Infrequent Blogger
‪hosting other giveaways now? a tour giveaway from Stacey Thompson Geer on the 24th + 3 other contests still open one for a DVD of Something Borrowed, My 300 Follower Giveaway and another Tour Giveaway for the Gift of Illusion.

Red Hot Books
hosting other giveaways now? Storm’s Heart by Thea Harrison (paperback) — US/Canada

Michelle Styles

Rage, Sex and Teddy Bears

Frugal Experiments
hosting other giveaways now?The Spa For Ma Giveaway Event $100 spa basket giveaway Runs from Aug 18-31st
and The Back To School Giveaway Hop $25 school supply package Runs from Aug 22-26th

Book Nerd Reviews
hosting other giveaways now? August giveaway will be running from August 1st – August 30th. This month the winner will win two books though instead of one. And they will be able to chose from three genres. It will be international – anywhere Book Depository delivers to.

IngaSilbergBooks

Can’t Put It Down
hosting other giveaways now? it ends when my Facebook page gets 150 Likes.

I’m a Book Shark

FEAT. AUTHORS

Felicia Rogers

Nicola Marsh
hosting other giveaways now? Yes, 2 double prize packs featuring current release Girl in a Vintage Dress & Overtime in the Boss’s Bed

Ley Mesina

Bella Street

Sign up to HOST the 3rd edition of this event, by answering this form!

OPTIONAL INFO:

Winners:

We’ll be selecting a random participant to win a gift card for every 100 entries till we reach 600!The first winner will choose 15 items from the prize list (including the maximum number of 1 gift card)

The 2nd will choose 12 items after the 1st winner has chosen (2 gift cards maximum)

The 3rd will get 10 items after the 2nd winner has chosen (2 gift cards maximum)

The remaining books and giftcards will be given to one of our lucky hosts – who’ll be selected using random.org!

**Rules:**

1.Sign up using the RAFFLECOPTER tool.

1.2Read the blog rules to know how to sign up for the prizes other blogs might be providing.

2.This is an INTERNATIONAL giveaway

3.You must be at least 18 years or older, or of legal age in your country.

4.The contest will end on AUGUST 29th at 11:59 pm GMT and winners will be posted after they have been selected.

5.Winners will be selected using the RAFFLECOPTER tool or random.org

5.1The winners will be notified by email and announced on all hosting blogs.

5.2 The winners will have THREE days from the date they are posted to provide a mailing address. If you do not contact me within three days a replacement winner will be selected. NO EXCEPTIONS.

6.Each blogger will be responsable for mailing the prize they provided. No replacements will be made. Your email address will not be saved or used for any other purposes then to contact the winner in the contest for their mailing address.

6.The Bloggers not responsible for other prizes that are not honored, distributed in a timely manner, lost, stolen, or damaged during transit.

7. Prizes are subject to change/cancellation without prior written notice.

A levels and my daughter

2011-08-18T08:57:00.000+01:00

What is worse than waiting for your own results? Waiting for your child's, particularly when it is the second child. My legs are like jelly. My nerves shot. With my eldest, I had the naivete of assuming he would make it. Then I had friends whose very bright children had to go through clearing (best thing that could have happened and they are thriving btw) and in the back of my mind I worried about my daughter. Had she done enough? I barely slept for days. We took long walks discussing why she would have made the grade. Thinking logically. One never thinks logically.
Early this morning she went on UCAS (before the official opening time of 8 am) and discovered her offer with her first choice university had changed to UNCONDITIONAL. She had made the grades. The scream echoed through the house.
She then waited to go down to get her grades. She got -- A*, A, B, B

Let the celebrations begin! She is going to university and I am so happy for her. There will be CAKE!!!
Two down. One to go in two years time.

Happiness is...

2011-08-16T07:25:00.000+01:00

Happiness is...My eldest son coming home today. He has been in the US for 15 months -- working and doing his exchange year at university.
I saw him in NYC when I went for the RWA Nationals but the time was way too short.
Having gone abroad for my Junior year of university, I knew there was no way that I was going to stand in his way but I'm just glad that he is coming home. After all he is my baby boy -- although now he is all grown up.
Skype has been invaluable over the last year. Phone calls are great but to actually see someone you love in nearly real time and talk to them, even though they are thousands of miles away is priceless.
About 15 years ago, my mother's partner wrote a paper on the fact that soon people would be using the internet to do video phone calls, particularly grandparents to grandchildren. He was thinking about my mother. Various people in the know in the Silicon Valley laughed at him and said -- it would never happen. At that time a super fast modem was 28. It could take 20 minutes to download a simple picture. And apparently there was no demand.
This weekend, my son FINALLY set my mother up on skype (at his request she got broadband) and so it has happened. I am very glad that I will be able to skype my mother as well.
Long distance families require things like video conferencing and I am glad that skype does such a great job.
But you still can't hug a computer...

Does an author have to be on every social media site?

2011-08-13T07:45:00.000+01:00

The best way for authors to get ahead is to concentrate on their product -- i.e writing the next book and making sure it is the best that it can possibly be. You can't sell anything if your shop window is empty. However, more than ever there is the siren call of social media. Since I started writing seriously, there any number of social media platforms -- Facebook, Goodreads, twitter, myspace, blogging have sprung up eharlequin etc. Now kindle social, a.noblii and google plus, furthermore there are places springing up
The clarion cry goes up a la the 1849 California Gold Rush, they are bringing up gold nuggets the size of boulders in Red Dog Flats! And the poor romance author wonders if she should be there as well.So also looks at the clock, the deadline she signed in blood and her family and her heart sinks.
Some respected social media people like Kristen Lamb -- say that you don't have to be EVERYWHERE. (Btw her book We Are Not Alone is a very good primer for authors..even if it does need a bit of updating) However, I think the statement needs slight tweaking. An author doesn't need to be everywhere but the ability to contact her does. An author needs to be contactable by her readers. It is why one of the most important things for an author is her website (yes I know mine needs updating...) It is about allowing readers to contact you using their chosen medium.
So you don't have to everywhere but it is no reason why you can't make use of the RSS (Really Simple Syndication) that is embedded in many things.
For example, when I post this blog to blogger, through the magic of RSS, it also goes out Facebook, twitter, Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk. Amazon.fr and Good Reads and possibly one or two other ones that I have forgotten. I know that it is part of the British Library Internet preservation programme for example. The main point of the exercise is to allow people to read my blog using THEIR chosen medium, rather than mine.
I also enable comments and get notifications via the email. I do try to response to all comments wherever they are posted. I really value my readers. I also value the friendships that I have developed through modern technology.
So where can you find me? Hopefully everywhere, but I also use modern technology to be there and be able to write at the same time.
Eharlequin should hopefully get RSS capability soon btw. At the moment, I want to post there I do have to do a cut and paste thing.Time consuming) I love the eharlequin (and the Mills and Boon) boards. They helped to keep me sane when I was unpublished and still maintain that function these days. I enjoy Good reads, particularly its never ending book quiz. Good reads giveaways are brilliant btw. And shelfari's end notes are linked to Amazon so that when a person downloads one of my books via kindle, they can get additional info (some of this is an ongoing project as it is a labour of love)
I do twitter (@MichelleLStyles) and do follow people back as I am interested. I go on FB. I have started sharing music that inspires me on myspace (and no it does not start playing) I love interacting with people but mainly I try to remember that my job is to write books and that I am in the midst of a multi-book contract where once I deliver those books, they will eventually be in the hands of readers the world over. Therefore I make no apologies for using RSS and other modern linking devices.
So work smarter, not harder but allow the public to find you in whatever social media platform they chose.

Hourglass figures

2011-08-10T12:45:00.000+01:00

It had to happen. After being out for many years, one of the latest trends is the forties/Marilyn Monroe shape. FINALLY my natural figure is a bit fashionable. Waists are in as are the clothes I like to wear -- pencil skirts, belts, fitted tops. It is lovely to see in the papers clothes that I might actually wear being touted as fashionable. Many times I look and think nope, not for me. Forties style actually looks good on a wide range of ages, and is not just for the very young. Rubs hands with excitement.

Added incentive to keep up my exercising and keep a waist. To wear fitted, you actually have to work at it. I am getting there but it is easy to get complacent. It is why having a fitted waist instead of an elastic one makes sense. I know when I have over indulged...
Long may the fashion trend continue!

How to Find the Time

If you don't think you have time to exercise or write, try keeping an activity diary. For several days (at least one 24 hour period) write down everything you do without comment and the time spent. Put it away for a week. Look at it again and see if it reflects the sort of person you want to be. Are you using the time wisely? Or do you have dead time? You may find time that you can carve out.
I know after Bob Mayer's Write It Forward suggested this exercise, I did it and discovered where I was just frittering time away. Doing the exercise gives an illusion of control. It is a matter of deciding on your goals and how you are going to get there.
You need to know where to change before you can change.
And I have deadlines to meet.

The Page 56 Game

2011-08-08T09:01:00.000+01:00

My daughter discovered this meme on FB in honour of National Book Week.
The way it goes is that you post the sentence from the fifth line on page 56 of the book you have just finished , the book you are currently reading, and if you desire something from your own work.

I have just finished The Return of the Stranger by Kate Walker
The house she had grown up in had been neglected enough when she had been a child.

I am currently reading Italian Doctor, No Strings Attached by Kate Hardy.

'Marco, I...' She swallowed hard.

From my latest published work To Marry A Matchmaker.

'What I was going to do is of no import now.'

And to round it off from my current work in progress (Kit and Hattie)
She refused to go back to that needy deluded girl who believed romance happened when two people's glances met across a crowded room.

In many ways, it reads quite well...a totally different story to the actual stories.
This is open to anyone to try and please let me know if you do.

For less than the price of a large latte

2011-08-05T08:02:00.000+01:00

Over the past few days, I have downloaded two books to my kindle which have helped to revitalise my interest in writing. Both from the micro-publisher Who Dares Wins. The first was Bob Mayer's newly revised take on the business of publishing and writing -- Write It Forward. One of the first things he suggests doing is revisiting your goals. I blogged a bit about this on my Fill the Well Friday column for PHS today.
The book is heavily biased towards micro-publishing and is not as slick as you'd expect from a more established publisher. There are a few copy editing errors (after ten I gave up counting) plus the formatting could have been better. The ease of jumping about the book in kindle was not there. I contrast this with the Brandilyn Collins which did allow me to jump between sections.
I also objected to some of his figures. With my publisher, Harlequin, 90% of first time authors do not fail. Harlequin is very careful in its selection and I would say a high proportion of the authors (maybe even as high as 90%) succeed in selling more than one book. Harlequin is looking to build authors and their careers. But I do accept other publishers are not as focused. But then Harlequin has always listened to its readers and seeks to fulfil that promise. They are choosy about the authors they take on. They have also have more unagented authors than the larger publishing houses. this is because Harlequin understands its product and does not need necessarily the agents' filtering system.
At one point Mayer also comments about how no one goes in and says that they want the latest Random House. Interestingly Mike Shatzkin made the same comment on his blog this week. For most publishers this may be true but not for all publishers. Harlequin has one of the most enviable brands in publishing. People do go in and grab the latest Harlequin. They speak about their Harlequins. Eventually they go for the individual author but they do tend to look with favour on the whole publisher in a way that no other publisher enjoys. They have done so for years. It is one of the reasons why they are able to offer lower royalty rates for series (and why authors continue to chose them as their publisher) -- the author gets the benefit of the brand.
Ignoring the power of the Harlequin brand or pretending it doesn't exist is wrong. Harlequin has carved out a good position in digital and that is mainly done to the intelligent forward thinking of the people at the top of Harlequin. They put the time and effort in early. They also continue to lead and innovate. They also produce a high quality product with tremendous attention to copy editing and formatting. I also have every expectation that they will soon figure out a way to deliver their books by subscription to whatever device so their readers can get all the books in their chosen series on the first day of the month without having to individually preorder month after month. Amazon kindle has subscriptions for newspapers and magazines. They will get it for Harlequin, even if it is just the month that the books hit the retail market. *rant over*
I agree with Shatzkin and Mayer that the future is digital and that Content is King.
The book We Are Not Alone -A Writer Guide to Social Media by Kristen Lamb is a hugely practical guide to using social media without allowing it to overwhelm you. Again it has a few copy-editing errors but in the main is sound. It did give me some hints and tips. And if such things interest you, get the book.
For the price of two lattes, I have learnt a lot and become really refocused on my work. My editor is off on holiday and I will get the current wip finished before she gets back. It is my challenge!

Lovely Review for To Marry A Matchmaker

2011-08-02T06:47:00.000+01:00

Julie Bonello has reviewed all of my books for cataromance and has just posted her review of To Marry a Matchmaker. It made my day. She gave TMAM 4.5 stars but more importantly she said:

To Marry a Matchmaker was an absolute joy to read! Wonderfully absorbing, deliciously witty and absolutely impossible to put down, To Marry a Matchmaker is a superb historical romance that kept me riveted from start to finish. I absolutely adored Henrietta, a wonderful heroine who was smart, plucky and resourceful and Robert was simply perfect: honorable, brooding and charismatic, he’s a hero romance readers will be unable to resist. I also loved how Michelle Styles brought to life the colourful community of Corbridge which made the background of the novel more believable and real.

You can read the full review here.

Thank you very much Julie. I adored Robrt and Henri and it does my heart good when they connect with others.

Currnetly I am working away on my latest. I am enjoying it more but I do want to get it done before my eldest comes home mid-month. My deadline is 1 Sept.

The Tracey Anderson Method and time

2011-08-01T12:18:00.000+01:00

The Times has been featuring the trainer Tracey Anderson and her famous Method for losing weight and shaping up. Tracey Anderson is Gwyneth Paltrow's trainer and used to train Madonna. She runs a studio in NYC. It is 2 x 1 hour exercise sessions per day plus following a strict diet of about 1,000 calories per day for 30 days. Tracey Anderson is famed for the baby food diet(ie eating freshly pureed fruits and vegtables rather drinking fruit juice) The exercise sessions are divided up into one hour cardio -- dance and one hour -- strengthening exercises that concentrate on the smaller muscle groups.
I am sure her system works. It is an increase the movement, decrease the food intake (drastically) type of thing.
But do I have 2 hours per day to devote to it? As my husband pointed out, even when you are training for a marathon, you are rarely spending 2 hours every day on exercise. At the moment, I do one hour per day -- either cardio, strengthening or a combo. I don't do dancing (except at the Harlequin party) because I have two left feet. Dance routines invariably end up with me putting out someone else's eye. I do see the point of combining both cardio and muscle strenthening toning exercises. I also agree that theses exercises need to be for long and lean muscles rather than body building bulk.
Yes, I could eat better but I like my food. I like solids, have done ever since I was a toddler. The key is keeping your calories down and incorporating more veg and fruit is not a bad idea. Having less than 1,200 calories per day though is not very good for you and certainly is not sustainable in the long term. I suspect that it coudl be done for one month. But goodness me, I get hungry just thinking about it. Purees for a whole month? Oh yuck and depression.
So for the moment, I am going to keep this method on the back burner for when I really decide that I need to get super fit.
It all comes down to finding a system which you are comfortable with.
If she intrigues you, she has written a book which includes a dvd of the exercises. She also has several full length dvds. But now I know and can stop feeling guilty every time I read an article about her in the Times.

Finding Inspiration to Keep Going

2011-07-29T06:54:00.000+01:00

As everyone knows I am currently attempting to get my writer's bottom under control. I have come a long way but still have further to go. And everyone needs inspiration some days. My inspiration this week comes from the fabulous Angi Morgan who wrote about her journey on the Healthy Writer's Blog -- 99 lbs in about 9 months (plus coming off five serious medications). I had the privilege of meeting Angi at this year's RWA. It floored me when I realised how much weight she has lost. It is one of those things -- people who didn't know you before do not have anything to judge you by. Given her vibrant personality, I thought she must have been one of those people who are just naturally thin and beautiful. Or if she worked out, it was because she always had done so. The bottom line was that she looked great because she worked hard. And she continues to work hard.
Being fit is not a get down to that weight by starvation thing and suddenly you will always be there. It is about working hard. After a certain age, you do have to work at it and you have to keep working at it. This is why I prefer exercise and healthy eating to hugely restrictive diets. It may take longer but it has become a life style rather than a regime. Moderation.
It also has to come from within. Something hits you between the eyes and you and you alone take responsibility and make the changes necessary.
So if you need some inspiration to get you started on your journey to looking fab or to keep you going, read Angi's story. It is never easy but it is worth it!

Writer's Wednesday

2011-07-27T07:44:00.000+01:00

I am at the Pink Heart Society today, talking about personalisation and why it is necessary to go beyond character sheets and really dig deep to find out more about your characters and how you can use it to make sure your characters act consistently.

Currently I am working away on my wip which is due 1 September. It will get there. It just isn't there yet. However I have discovered what I meant to do in the latter bit won't work. It is unnecessary and over the top.

I did do the draw from my newsletter -- Anne Graham and Lorraine were the people and they have already been contacted and responded. Thank you to everyone who entered.

Update on lymphoedema and my writer's bottom

2011-07-22T07:29:00.000+01:00

Last week, the physio visited (I had the wrong day down) and did her measurements. Although I had my bandage on when she arrived, I will admit to getting slack about my bandages. However, it showed. ( some thickening in the left arm, Michelle said with a shake of her head) The physio is quite relaxed about the whole thing and said it meant I was starting to accept the condition more. She gently pointed out that I should be wearing the compression bandages while I type or do exercise because I am actively moving muscles in my arm. Typing does cause my arm to be held in one position for a long time.

So it is back to wearing the bandages almost all the time. And I can see a difference. In the mornings, my wedding ring is wedged solidly on. After a few hours of wearing the bandages, I can move it.

I am also now wearing the bandage when I do my exercising dvds.
However I have also discovered that I can wash them in the washing machine and use the dryer. They do retain their shape. It means they are getting clean. Handwashing (manfacturer's rec) was just not doing it.

The important thing is that I have thus far avoided serious infection. It is the pooling of the lymph and the opportunities it presents for cellulitus that is the real worry with lymph oedemia.

With exercising, I noticed after the RWA, the waist bands of several garments were tight. Wearing something with a fixed waist is better than an elastic waist band -- it gives instant feedback and is less forgiving. It meant I went back to the Jillian Michaels Burn Fat. Boost Metabolism and really have worked hard. If you want to lose the fat, you have to sweat and burn calories. The 10 minute solution total body one is also good. Things are improving again. But it was that early warning of the waist band which provided the wake up call.

The rain lingers but not as heavy. It did rain on St Swithin's Day and that generally means more rain. It has to do with how the Jet Stream moves. No more flooding but Northumberland County Council have not cleared the highway drains...
The ducklings are growing and know which is their safe house now.
And I am working away on my wip. The deadline is 1 September but I want it finished by 16 August as that is when my eldest returns home. (To say that I am excited about the prospect is an understatement)

Dealing with floods

2011-07-19T09:34:00.000+01:00

It has been RAINING here. Hard. The gutters overflowed yesterday, sending water cascading into the sun room. Urgent action had to be taken so I ended up a ladder in the pelting rain, clearing the gutter. However before I could get there, my daughter noticed that the drains were not being able to cope with the water. This was strange as I recently had the drains cleaned. I may have done but Northumberland County Council Highways Department has not. Their drains backed up, water flowed down the North Bank and into our gate. The hardstanding where we park the cars became a lake. And the water was inching ever closer to the front door.
We built a levee outside the gates and managed to divert the water away. It flowed further down the bank and became someone else's problem.
We now have gullies where pathways used to be and silt blocking up the drive. The road on the North Bank is crumbling even more.
On the plus side, the gutter on the sun room is clean and the water didn't reach the new carpet (much).
However, as the Highways Agency swears its drains are unblocked (they are covered in silt and mud), I can see that this is going to keep recurring. We are in the process of getting new granite curb sets (a permanent levee) as then the water will not be able to flow into our property.
More heavy rain is forecast for today.
The ducklings were singularly unperturbed by the rain. The dogs and cats decided indoors was by far the best place to be.

Ducklings

2011-07-13T09:42:00.000+01:00

The four ducklings have settled into their life in the pen. However, I had forgotten how troublesome ducklings can be.
They are supposed to go into the apex house to sleep as none other ducks are using that house at the moment. The mother duck keeps forgetting so my youngest and I have to catch her with the fishing net, put her in and then catch the ducklings.
This is all accomplished in the evening gloom.
It is made more difficult by the fact that the pen is covered in netting and it has to be done in a crouch.

After capture, we close up that duck house and open the other two duck houses, unblock the route into the pen the grown ducks like to use and release Hardy and Tess to help with the round up. In the morning the process is reversed.

The ducklings have to be checked several times a day for food, water and escape potential. Yesterday my youngest had to play rescue duckling as several had escaped into the stream. The mother duck couldn't get out, but the ducklings could and did. They chirped loudly but kept wriggling away from my youngest. That route has now been blocked.
But ducks are not the brightest creatures...

By the time, my eldest gets home, the ducklings will have fledged and the entire palaver can be forgotten until the next time...

Getting into Character

2011-07-11T08:45:00.000+01:00

When Fiona Harper recommended Getting Into Character -- Seven Secrets Novelists Can Learn from Actors by Brandilyn Collins at her RWA workshop, I knew I had to read that particular craft book. It was even better that it was available on kindle! (As a side note, I was annoyed Micheal Hauge's Writing Screenplays that Sell is NOT available on the UK kindle. I did get the book but would have preferred the kindle version...my bookself space is very limited) As Fiona likes the same sort of craft books, I tend to trust her judgement.
Ever since Natasha Oakley explained that she had no difficulty in developing characters because of her acting background and Susan Elizabeth Philips also mentioned how acting helped her develop her characters, I have been after finding a book which explains the connection. I don't come from an acting background and felt this part of my craft knowledge was severely lacking.
This led me in the first instance to Orson Scott Card's brilliant Characters and Viewpoints but that book didn't really go into the nitty-gritty of how actors operate. Getting Into Character does and it also explains the reasoning and the adaptations novelists can make.
Collins used Stavinsky's Method Acting as a launchpad for delving into character. She details the 7 secrets -- peronsalizing, action objectives, subtexting, colouring passions, inner rhythm, restraint and control and finally emotional memory (how a novelist can use emotional memories of seemingly mundane things to understand the highly charged emotions of their characters).
For example, we have all been intent on murder at times -- mosquitoes and flies generally being the target. It is a matter of harvesting those emotions to give resonance to the character. She also gets you thinking about how to portray a wide variety of emotions on the page. Anger can take many forms from mid irritation to cold blooded revenge to explosion. And how that anger is portrayed will depend a lot on the character and her back story, values, and the way she sees herself.
So now I know and the book does make me think. It is useful and is one way to approach character building, although not the only way.

Changing Taglines

2011-07-09T10:28:00.000+01:00

Over the next few weeks (and months) you should be seeing a few changes on my website and blog etc.
After taking a class in Marketing and Branding from Harlequin, I realised that my tagline -- Passionate about History, Passionate about Romance was too general.An author's brand is her voice and her tagline should reflect this. It needs to be specific to the author and reflect the heart of her stories. And that tagline could be applied to any number of authors.
At the conference, Malle Vallik who led the course agreed with my assessment. It is fine but it could be applied to any number of authors and doesn't really go to the heart of what I write. I trust Malle. She has forgotten more about author branding than most authors will ever learn.

Luckily, I had already come to the conclusion that it needed to be changed and had taken soundings. My editors were very helpful. Editors do know what they want from an author...
My new tagline is Warm,Witty and Intimate Historical Romance from Michelle Styles. It is far more specific and goes much more to the heart of what I write. For the record, Malle thought it better as well.

I will be working to overhaul my website so it better reflects my warm, witty and intimate approach. So if there are elements that you think should be there, please tell me. One thing I know that has been missing are BUY buttons. I want to make it easier for people who might like my books to buy my books.
It will be a work in progress for awhile but the plan is to have it done before my books are released as digital exclusives. Funny how things can concentrate your mind!

Reshaping my writer's bottom line: A comparision

2011-07-08T09:44:00.000+01:00

As it was a picture (well several) from last year's Harlequin party in Orlando which finally made me face the fact that I really had to work at it, I thought I'd give last year's picture and this year. Note: no waist last year. (I was also wearing two layers of magic knickers) Rather more waist this year.

The black dress belonged to my grandmother and was orginally bought for Fasching in 1949. It is now at the dry cleaners. They were rather worried about the beading but what can I do? I did dance all night in it.

I think the picture from the digital day shows my waist better. Again the top is my grandmother's. When she died, I gained a new vintage wardrobe.... The picture is with Blythe Gifford and my cp Donna Alward who is looking fab.
HOWEVER, I did eat rather too much and didn't any exercise so this week it has been back to Jillian Michaels 6 weeks 6 pack flat abs fast. I have the AMBA lunch at the end of October as my next goal. Professional pride is a great motivator.

Highlights from the RWA Nationals were the parties (what else?)
1. The Book blogger tea. My daughter is still wearing the fascinator that I acquired. It was utterly fantastic to meet so many reviewers including Pearl from Realms on Our Bookshelves and Lyn Spencer from All About Romance. I had a great discussion about late 18th century novels with Anime June. I think that they will repeat this next year and it is worth while going.
2. The Harlequin PJ Party. I went in my PJs much to my son and daughter's disgust. Deb Hale was there and so finally after many years, I was able to meet an author whom I consider a real mentor and who really encouraged me to write historicals when I was just toying with the idea. The eharlequin Library lives long in my memory.

3. The Hussie's breakfast. Every year the Harlequin Historical authors meet for breakfast and a chat. This year we went to the Glaxay Diner which Michelle Willingham found (Michelle W is great at organising) and it was wonderful just to catch up, particularily as Historical is going to simultaneous publication. Also the Historical authors were able to plan some upcoming events as we really do believe in the power of the series.
4. The Historical Tea. We took a stretch limo to the tea which was at the Mt Vernon Hotel Museum (a hidden gem of NYC). It used to be called the Abigail Adams Smith House but the curators decided that the link was tenous and they wanted to protray it as a day hotel from the 1820s. I was able to stay for the tour which was precisely the sort of thing I love but not the tea as I had doubled booked.
5. The Harlequin Black and White Party. It was truly amazing. Everyone bare one or two was in either black or white. The venue was sublime. They gave out black Harlequin socks so I was able to kick off my shoes and dance. It is the ONE time I get to dance without anyone commenting about how rubbish I am. I stay to near the end...ALl I can say is that if you can go, go.
6. finally the Rita awards ceremony. It was fantastic to see the amazing achievements of the women who won. Sharon Sala's speech had me in tears. Afterwards we went up to the View, which is a rotating bar and had a drink. The view of NYC at night is unforgettable.

Newsletter and contest

2011-07-06T08:46:00.000+01:00

My July newsletter has finally gone out! It has its usual contest for a copy of my latest.
The big news is that Harlequin Historical is going to simultaneous publication in the US and the UK. This means my books will be out at the same time! Hooray.
HOWEVER, 3 of my books will be going as digital exclusives in the North American market (dates to be confirmed but before May 2012) -- Compromising Miss Milton, Breaking the Governess's Rules and To Marry A Matchmaker. I shall be doing a FREE prequel to Compromising Miss Milton which will be available wherever ebooks are sold. Harlequin is supporting me in this and my very lovely editor has agreed to edit the short novella. While I would have loved the books to have print editions in the US, I have decided to be really excited about the challenge and to embrace the opportunities this change presents. The digital revolution is really gathering pace and it is great to be in the forefront.
If you want a print edition of one of those three books, I recommend getting the UK version. New copies of Compromising Miss Milton are hard to come by. In fact, I don't have any personally. My editor is working on getting me a few copies for giveaways when it is released as an ebook. New copies of Breaking the Governess's Rules and To Marry A Matchmaker are easy to come by. The best place to get copies if you live in the US is The Book Depository (www.bookdepository.co.uk) as they do free worldwide shipping. Mills and Boon does flat rate shipping and then there is Amazon.ca or Amazon.co.uk.
A number of other UK first Harlequin Historical authors are also caught up in this, so you would need to check if they are going to be digital exclusive or not. This is so the inventory can be caught up. In the UK, unreleased US first books will be going as special 2 in 1 books. Again check your favourite Mills and Boon Historical author's website to see what is happening!!!!
When Ben and Eleanor comes out (sometime after May 2012), it will be going as print and digital in both markets at the same time. Once I know the dates, I will let people know. And this will be true of all my future books as well.

The RWA Conference

2011-07-05T08:04:00.000+01:00

The RWA conference was amazing but then it always is.
It was a bit different for me this time as my daughter, son and sister were there.
The main theme of the conference for me was the growth of digital and so it was appropriate that the first person I saw when I arrived at the hotel was Malle Vallik who is the head of Harlequin Digital. If there is anyone who knows more about what is going on in the digital sphere, I would like to meet them...
We were able to have a private meeting during conference and lots of lovely things flowed from that. My website will be getting a makeover and I have a lovely new tagline -- Warm, witty and intimate historical romance from Michelle Styles.
Digital is growing expontentially. No one is sure when or where it will stop. After only a few weeks with my kindle, I can understand why avid readers are going digital. It is just easier.
The Ethan Ellenberg workshop which was given by an associate of Ethan Ellenberg as he had a family emergency confirmed some of what I was thinking. If you are interested in contracts and the nitty gritty about ebook publishing, it is worth listening to as it was recorded. Basically you do want a publisher with clout and authority. Yes, digital has changed things but you still need distribution. The gate keepers remain and unless you know about metadata, platforms and searchability, you will be lost. Self-publishing does remain vanity. Very few people make money from self-publishing. The barriers to entry may be lowered but...you are essentially becoming your own publishing house and have to create your distribution network etc.
If anyone ever needs to be inspired, it is worth reading Sherrilyn Kenyon's keynote speech on Facebook. There was not a dry eye in the house. My daughter who was sitting beside me was in awe. You never see the failures and hard work. You often only see the success. But Sherrilyn Kenyon deserves every piece of success that she gets. She got there because she was determined.
Another great workshop which can be downloaded from the RWA is Michael Hauge's on Uniting Plot Structure with Character Arc. Very impressive. He does run a website and send out a newsletter. But the workshop was excellent. I have ordered his screenwriting book which for some unknown reason is not on Kindle UK...
The Historical Round Up was disappointing. I had hoped to hear about what was going in the genre but the three panelists had ignored Harlequin. For example, Love Inspired Historical is going to 4 books per month starting in Jan 2012. It is one of the fastest growing series in the company. They are actively acquiring Westerns. Harlequin Historical is 6 books per month and they are actively acquiring books from all time periods with G/R/V being the most popular. HH Undone is still going strong (despite Spice Briefs stopping and Nocturne changing) and they are looking to acquire sensual romance across all time periods. The one thing that all the panelists got right was that it is the STORY that counts. I was interested to learn that Pocket calls G/R/V simple Regency.
The one piece of interesting news concerns Love Swept. Ballantine/Bantam/Del Rey used to have a series imprint called Love Swept. When I saw the old covers, I knew I had read it. It folded but they are bringing it back in digital. First with old beloved books but they are also acquiring. There are no slots to fill so they can afford to be picky. It is currently digital only and pays 25% NAR. The best way to find out what they want is to follow Sue Grimshaw on twitter. That is how their first signing (Jessica) was taken on.
I will be back tomorrow with bits about the social side. The parties were great...

Off to NewYork and the RWA conference

2011-06-26T06:50:00.000+01:00

Tomorrow I leave for New York and the RWA conference. Next week should be full of meetings and greetings. I also expect to learn quite a lot about what is currently happening in publishing. All next week, I will be updating the Pink Heart Society blog with my doings and various bits of gossip etc.
This conference is highly important for a number of reasons. The one being e-books and how they are dominating the growth of the industry.
There is a sea change going on with the advent of the e-reader taking a bigger proportion of sales.
In some ways it reminds me of what happened in the early 2000's with digital cameras. Suddenly you go from needing film and processing to not need them very much.
Will print books ever truly go out? I don't think so and indeed most of the industry's sales still come from print. However,it is about economies of scale and how people purchase those books. The only place there is growth is in digital but that throws up a whole other set of problems. For example -- how much is cannibalisation and how much is new growth as people rediscover the joys of reading?
I have had my kindle for over a week now and really enjoy it. There is a feeling of wow, I can just get a book. The free sample bit is fantastic. It allows me to browse and try an author and a book before I buy. I know I have purchased several books that I might have just thought about getting before. Equally now I have a toy. It needs to be used.
But when you have a revolution or sea change, the entire world gets reshaped and remoulded. And so I shall be interested to hear what is happening.

So I shall report back here on the 4th with pictures and updates.

On a personal note: I get to see my sister whom I haven't seen for 5 years and my son whom I haven't seen for a year. They are travelling to New York and will be hanging about. I spoke to both of them last night and it is all terribly exciting. Will I get any sleep?

RWA Nationals 11 Tips

2011-06-21T15:47:00.000+01:00

Less than a week to go before I jet off to NYC and the RWA National Conference. This is my second time and so while I remain new, I do know a bit more about what to expect.
Everyone seems to be giving tips so here are mine.

1. Smile and be friendly. A smile goes a long way. Everyone who is at the conference has a great love of and respect for the genre. Many are writers -- ask them what they are writing.
2. When you get to a workshop early, introduce yourself to the people who are sitting next to you. You are there for the same purpose. You meet the nicest people that way.
3. Conferences are what you make of them. Positive attitude counts.
4. Take time out and put your feet up each day. Schedule in your decompression time.

On getting a dedicate e-reader

2011-06-19T10:07:00.000+01:00

Yesterday my husband gave me a kindle for our wedding anniversary with a pink leather cover. I have officially entered the digital age. I had slightly resisted e-books for myself as I tend not to travel much and couldn't justify the cost. So it is great to get it as a present, particuarly as I was about to need yet another bookcase.
Kindles are sinfully easy to set up and use. One of the great perks is being able to download a sample chapter. It is like being able to browse at the bookstore but with no one looking over your shoulder or complaining that you are taking too long. The samples are far easier to read than the look inside feature on Amazon.
The slightly annoying thing is that as I live in the UK, I am limited to downloading UK available books, rather than the wider selection of US books. Yes, I can buy the paperbacks from Amazon but that rather defeats the object...
It does read like a book...but it is harder to skip ahead. This is a bad habit of mine. Lately with the GRR Martin's, I have found myself reading certain threads because he does have this tendency to end on a cliff hanger and only return to the story much later. But I suppose it means I will go faster as I will want to get to the end.
It is nice and light and does mean when I go to New York next week, I will have things to read on the plane going out there.
I do like playing around with the font.
Having got one, I suspect soon I will wonder why I resisted the change for such a long time...

Update on reshaping my writer's bottom and bees

2011-06-14T09:12:00.000+01:00

The big news is that a nucleus of bees arrived yesterday. Long time readers of this blog will remember when beekeeping came easy. Then there was the attack of the mice in 2009 and starvation and frozen bees at the beginning of 2010. A fellow beekeeper knew he normally gets swarms and offered to capture one for us, if we'd supply the hive. A few weeks ago, he captured the swarm and put it into the hive we provided. He then allowed them to expand. Yesterday, he stuffed cotton wool/sheep fleece in the entrance and drove the hive over here. A very brave man is Mr L.
The bees have a feeder full of 50/50 water and sugar. My only fear is that the wonderful Mr L doesn't live far enough away and the worker bees will fly back to his hive, leaving the nurse bees and larvae behind. This happened when we first got bees. Starvation is never pretty and I learnt my lesson -- always feed for the first few weeks.
The recent cold weather is not doing the bees any good. Mr L was going back to feed his own bees as they had eaten up their stores because of the cold weather. When it rains, bees don't fly.Plus there is often a drought of good nectar plants in June.
My youngest is now in charge of the bees. He says that I am not to do anything because of my lymphoedemia and the potential for getting stung. There is a suspicion that a bee sting or three might have contributed to the problem initially. I will be good.
In my efforts to reshape my bottom, I have started doing the 10 minute solution Perfect Pilates. I did 5 days of their total body blast off which was excellent and had never attempted Pilates before. The fact that Pippa Middleton did pilates gave me the push. Pilates is not easy but it is less intense..in some ways. It takes loads of concentration because it is all about form. As the days went by and I began to understand more what I was supposed to do, and therefore I could work harder. I did like the fact that there was no jumping. And the back of my legs were sore so I was definitely using differnet muscles. Tomorrow means the start of the 10 min belly fat blast off dvd for 5 days. This was the first 10 min solution dvd I tried and focuses heavily on the core. I enjoyed it the first time I went through it. 50 minutes of intense abs work.
The key with this is persistence and working out every single day.
Special mention should be made of my bee suit. the last time I had it on, it was snug about the beam as it were. This time, it looked like I had borrowed a suit that was three sizes too big and I was completely swamped! My son says that as I shall not be wearing the suit that often, this is not a problem.

Cat pictures

2011-06-08T09:39:00.000+01:00

My youngest has been using photos of Heathcliff and Mr Darcy as evidence why certain things can't be done.Why he can't do the washing up

Mr Darcy is occupying the draining rack and is on the dish cloth.
Why the clothes can't be put away

Heathcliff resents being disturbed in the middle of a nap.
Why his bed can't be made

It is best to let sleeping cats lie.
Basically his scheme is doomed to failure as I keep telling him to just move the cats. His response is that the sentiment is typical of my narrow minded outlook on life. And that I care nothing for the struggles of the proletariat and other oppressed peoples or cats.

My very lovely editor has sent through her thoughts so I need to process them and take action. My pacing is off and chapter 1 and 2 need to become one so that the focus is more fully on the growth of the relationship. But she likes the over all idea. So the Single Title Project is shelved for the time being and it is back to my current couple who should be great fun.

Accountability

2011-06-07T11:08:00.000+01:00

A few weeks ago, I suggested to a fellow writer who was suffering from writer's block that she might try emailing me her word count as it might help. I promised to do the same. Mutual support as it were, holding each other to account. She did and she has been brilliant. She had last week off as it was half term and she had family commitments. I have been waiting for my lovely editor to get back to me on the partial. However, I was supposed to be working on the single title project as part of my drive to be more efficient. Over the weekend, it slipped. I did other admin type things and pretended. Then last night, I woke in a cold sweat. I was about to get a word count and would have to confess. I prayed for a miracle. Sure enough my wonderful friend emailed me her word count. And I was the one who had to come up with the feeble excuse. I hate making excuses.
It was enough to get my rear in gear and to start working on The Project. Words have been written. At the moment it is a POS but it has potential. It will get there.
In the meantime, I am sitting here, hoping for my editor's wise words on my partial. Those characters are whispering and I remain super excited about their possibilities. And another set of characters are whispering for the HH after that one.
I think my daemon doesn't like being ignored. But I shall have to hold myself more accountable from now on and not simply play at it. I do have a deadline and more importantly I have dreams. Dreams like breaking out or writing a blockbuster do not happen if you fail to take positive action.
I am capable of more than I think. I can hold myself to account.

Update on reshaping my writer's bottom line

2011-06-04T12:37:00.000+01:00

This week, I decided that I couldn't face Jillian Michaels and as I had bought the 10 minute blast off belly fat dvd back when this whole exercise kick began, I would take it out of the wrapper and see what it was like. After all I had bought it. I opted for the full 50 minute workout. Suzanne Bowen is clear, concise and works you hard. She is a different personality to Jillian Michaels. It is a bit like changing editors. Her manner may be gentle but she works you hard and goes on about the burn and feeling your body changing. I didn't think I was working as hard but I ended up marinated in sweat.
Suzanne is very keen on getting the right form and actually gives lots of tips like tucking your hips, navel to the spine etc that I think Jillian assumes you already do. It was quite fun to do and the next day my abs were sore. Within two days, I noticed more definition, a lot more. So on that basis, I ordered the two other dvds in the series that Suzanne does -- Blast Off Body Fat and Pilate's Perfect Body. Each are divided into 5 segments lasting ten minutes a piece. Body Fat came with a bonus dvd that includes 5 best of segments. Each segment is self contained so if you are pressed for time, you can do one segment. My current plan is to do a rotation of 5 days of each until I get to the RWA conference. I finished the first five days of Belly Fat one yesterday and so went for the Blast Off Body Fat. On the reviews on Amazon, someone mentioned that they had unwisely done the thighs and bottom segments in the same day and could not walk afterwards. Ha, I thought, but I am used to Jillian. Give me your worst!
I did the entire sequence.
My legs were like jelly after the trim thighs. I am capable of more than I think, and kept going. After the bottom one, came the abs and then total body which I remember in a dull haze of sweat and pain. There is NO jumping, just lots of little moves including a sadistic put the weight in the crook of your knee and lift sequence. 'Are your muscles shaking?' she asks -- to which the only answer is YES
Suzanne is cheerful and perky. She does all the exercises herself, taking time to offer tips and hints and when she talks about it burning etc, you know she is experiencing it as well. Except she seems much more in control. She is also hugely encouraging but without the forthright exhortation of Jillian. When I got to the end, I understood and continue to understand that I will ache in a good way tomorrow. I was more than marinated but currently I can walk. Bring on tomorrow.

In a few days time, I will get to do the Pilate's one. It can't be too difficult, right? Hollow laughter here.
Some of it is having the motivation to do the workout. To a certain extent, it doesn't matter which one you do as long as you do it and are lathered in sweat by the end. The good part is that I am excited about exercising again.

And The Viking Princess gave me a Sweet Blogger award. The viking Princess has a very interesting blog so do take some time to visit)

The Rules of this award are pretty simple:

1. Thank and link to the person who nominated you.

2. Share 7 random facts about yourself.

So, here are my random facts about me:

* My maternal grandfather was Swedish/Norwegian

* I have discovered in order to lose weight, I have to sweat

*My next full manuscript is due on 1 September

* Thus far in my career with Harlequin I have had six different editors and have learnt tons from each one. I adore my current editor who is tough but with loads of heart.

*I have lymphoedemia in my left arm. It is under control.

*I am left handed

*I suffered from early onset cataracts due to my Swedish ancestry (7 generations and counting. I also blame the ancestry for my bad back) Having them sorted five years ago helped to transform my life.

I am supposed to nominate other people but really if anyone feels so inclined please do so and let me know that you have done it so I can visit!

To Marry A Matchmaker on Sale

2011-06-01T14:37:00.000+01:00

It is 1 June and that means To Marry A Matchmaker is on sale at Mills and Boon -- both as a print and ebook. It is the quickest way to get your hands a copy. My paperback authors copies have not arrived. Apparently they were supposed to be dispatched but somehow have forgotten. My editor is on the case... It will come out on kindle on 1 July btw.

Video Review of Viking's Captive Princess

2011-06-01T12:37:00.002+01:00

A very lovely reader let me know she had done a video review of The Viking's Captive Princess. It was a wonderfully sweet thing to do and the first time it has happened to me. Luckily, she really liked the book. So thank you very much. I am very honoured.
Anyway, in case anyone is interested:

Devil in the details

2011-05-31T07:39:00.000+01:00

Over the weekend, I happened to read a contemporary romance. The writing was well done and I was really enjoying the story when the details pulled me out. She had gone into the recent past, given a named date, made a cultural reference and my suspense of disbelief was shattered. The reference was to a character in a Disney film which appeared in 1994. The time in the story was supposed to be 1991. I went and looked it up because it had been one of my children's faves and I could remember how old my eldest was when it appeared and wondered -- did I get it wrong? There were a few other references that then had me wondering and in the end, I didn't enjoy it as well as I could have done as it seemed sloppy. The writer in question is particularly known, according to Donald Maass, for her sense of place and her use of detail to really create that place. So while I was reading for enjoyment, I was also reading for enlightenment.
When you have a named date, you do need to check that books, movies etc have appeared by that time and what was known about the author. This is important in the first half of the nineteenth century when pen names were often used. For example, Charlotte Bronte published Jane Eyre in 1847 as Currer Bell and it wasn't until after her brother and sisters' death in 1849 that she was persuaded to reveal her identity. Saying that a character was reading Charlotte Bronte in 1848 wouldn't work as she would have been Currer Bell. Equally a charater could not have been certain that she was even a woman. When you are writing about the past even in an extended flashback, a character can only know what was known at the time.
I do slightly blame the copy editor as she should have queried the reference. The author in question might have been told to change the date in revisions and forgot to change the reference. These things happen. She is a good storyteller and a NY Times bestseller. It is a measure of her story-telling that I did finish the book. However, I will be a bit wary the next time one of her books comes out.
Details really give a sense of time and place but they are a dual-edged sword as they can pull readers out. As a writer, you have to check and check again, particularily if you alter the date. You owe it to the reader. It is good when I get a reminder.

Carrier Pigeons, the Rothchilds and Jane Austen

2011-05-27T07:19:00.001+01:00

One of the great stories about Waterloo is the communication system that the Rothchilds used. Because of it, they received word about the victory first. There were some stories that they profited from this but apparently they go straight to Whitehall with the news. But until yesterday, I didn't know anything about the people who supplied the communications. It was done by a system of carrier pigeons run through a firm called Latham,Rice and Co who were also in banking. The senior partner, surprise, surprise was a woman --Sarah Rice. Sarah apparently made a lot of money personally from supplying the info.
Sarah inherited the senior partnership of the firm from her husband who got his start in the East India Company as a captain. Apparently if successful, the captain could clear about £10k per voyage. In order to secure Sarah's hand (she was an heiress with connections to Samsonware) he brought his ship into the Dover harbour and gave a ball. He won his bet and got the girl. He didn't bother to insure his ships. He made sure that they were copper-bottomed for use in the tropics. Her husband died 1797. Sarah then took over and ran the firm until 1811 when her younger son became the senior partner but continued to retain an active interest until she died in 1842.
She is perhaps better known to history as one of the potential inspirations for Fanny Price's disagreeable aunt Mrs Norris in Mansfield Park. Sarah's eldest son Henry took holy orders and married Lucy Lefroy. Jane Austen who consider Henry a pleasant boy with bright eyes wanted his mother to enable him to settle at a certain curacy Deane. She didn't. Sarah settle him at another one instead -- Great Hollands in Essex. Jane might not have liked having her will crossed and took revenge in this way. Who knows.
Henry as was his wont quickly sold the house as he was in debt and lived there as a tenant. Sarah did not trust his money skills, although she was scrupulously fair in doling up the money -- dividing the wealth between her profligate elder son who chose not to go into the family business, and the younger one who did. Henry had his money left to him in trust in her will and was constantly going into debt. He regularly sent his mother begging letters for more money.Apparently he liked to gamble. She could have the inspiration for Mrs Norris but that isn't to say that she was exactly like the character. Jane Austen had an unique outlook on certain aspects of her life. It is always in the point of view.
The younger son Edward married Jane Austen's niece -- Elizabeth Knight. Jane's brother Edward had been adopted by the Knights. Edward Royds Rice went into parliament and prospered.
Interestingly, Sarah specified that after Henry's death, his sole surviving daughter would get the bulk of his inheritance, again just the interest but that it was to go to her alone for her sole use and not for the debt of her husband or any husband she happened to marry. Sarah was obviously aware of the problem of married women not having any property to call their own.
Given that there are stories that Sarah 'persuaded' the Duke of Wellington to re-sight a gun battery as she didn't like the sight or the sound of the guns and the Duke complied very speedily, I suspect she was not a woman to be crossed. I also suspect that she knew her own mind and was scarily formidable. She had a reputation as being pain-stakingly honest. Towards the end of her life, letters addressed simply Mrs Rice, Dover reached her.
In short she was a successful businesswoman and not to be lightly crossed. And I had no idea that she existed until I read Women Who Made Money.
Successful Regency businesswomen were less rare than one might think. Actually as far as I can tell, there were more successful Regency businesswomen than there were late Victorian/Edwardian. This could be because of limited liability companies. The heroine of the book which was just accepted was a Regency businesswoman but I find the whole thing fascinating.

The two wealthiest bankers in the 1820s

2011-05-26T13:53:00.000+01:00

So who were the wealthiest bankers in London in the 1820's? Two women who were known as the Peeresses.
First was Sarah Child Villiers, Lady Jersey who was a lady Patroness of Almack's and responsible for introducing the quadrille aka square dancing to London. She had seven children and was the active senior partner in Childs from 1806 until her death in 1867. She retained the right of last say on all partners. She doesn't have a biography.
Second was Harriot Mellon Coutts who became Duchess of St Albans when she married the much younger Duke of St Albans, a man half her age in 1825. The Duke and Duchess of St Albans were united by a love of Shakespeare. She also does NOT have a modern biography. There are some early 19th memoirs about...Harriot Mellon is a rag to riches story. She started life as a child of a single mother and went on stage, particularly in the West End. She was incredibly prudent and practical, and always respectible. Her mother abused her dreadfully. She eventually married Thomas Coutts (four days after his first wife died) and when he died in 1822, she became the senior partner of Coutts and drew the biggest salary, basically four times the other partners. She continued in this position until her death. Like Lady Jersey, she kept the final word on who got made partner. Thomas Coutts's daughters aka The Three Graces were not overly fond of their stepmother and the eldest suggested that she get presented at court, thinking Queen Charlotte would refuse. Harriot was received with the most marked kindness by the Prince Regent. She lived a full and colourful life.
When she died the senior partnership went to Angela Burdett, the youngest child of Thomas Coutts youngest daughter on the condition she take the name of Coutts and not marry a foreigner. Harriot hoped she'd take an active part. Angela did not become an active partner and married an American at age 57. The bank was divided between her and her sister at that point and eventually it went to the sister's son 5th Baron Latimer. He didn't take an actuve role but his children and grandchildren did.
I am currently reading Women who made money -- Women Partners in British Private Banks 1752-1906 by Margery Dawes and Nesta Selwyn. My jaw is on the floor.
How can these women have been ignored like this? Why are they not considered influential? Why are more people not demanding biographies?
These are women who should be held up as role models. In 1812, fourteen women owned licenses to print money. And no one has had a modern in depth biography. The Dawes and Selwyn book was published last year by a small press publisher. Get it and read it. These women did not worry about glass ceilings. They got on and did it. Most had families.

Back from London and meeting my editor

2011-05-25T07:56:00.000+01:00

Yesterday, I did my annual trek down to London and had lunch with my editor and senior editor. It was very pleasant. The main consensus is to keep writing what I am currently enjoying writing -- warm, witty intimate historicals which are set in the North East and help give a window into the period.
It was the first time that I was able to have a long face to face chat with my editor. She is wonderful in person. She is tough but with loads of heart. Truly the Jillian Michaels of the editorial world. I am very lucky to have her as an editor.

We went to an Italian place and I had all 3 courses -- salad to start, salmon fishcakes and then espresso granita. A few glasses of wine were drunk. A real feast.

The editorial office has been moved downstairs and is very open plan. I loved that one of the conference rooms had a frosted window with the M&B logo and the word Intrigue. All the other editor I met were looking well - okay as young and beautiful as ever. There is a real feeling of comraderie.

One of the great things for me was wearing a burnt orange silk suit that had belonged to my grandmother. At this point last year, I could not get it past my knees! It fits very nicely now thank you. Various people were suitably complimentary (including an editor that I meant on the street on the way to the office who nearly didn't recognise me but liked the suit). It does show that all my hard work has paid dividends. Now to continue the hard work and get myself in shape for NYC!

Storytelling and writing: two different talents

2011-05-23T09:12:00.000+01:00

Last night, once again I was reminded that there are two strands to be an author of fiction. First and foremost is storytelling. This encompasses the creation of stories with its attendant characterisation, setting and plot structures. Then there is writing or the manipulation of language.
To tell a story, you don't have to write. Stories can be told in pictures or with sounds. You can tell a story orally. And to write, you don't need to tell a story. Writing can be a list, an essay and is simply the act of putting words on a page. It can be poetry or it can be as dry as dust. It can have a soul or not be very deep at all. But the act of writing does not guarantee a well-formed narrative.
When you have the marriage of the two, you get an author. It is the combination of two talents -- the ability to tell a story and the ability to manipulate language on the written page that creates an author. No one person is equally adept at both. In commercial fiction, the ability to tell a story outweighs nuanced language. Sometimes in literary fiction, it is the other way around and the poetry of the image and symbolism can hold more sway. There are reasons why commercial fiction is more accessible to the masses.
Once you accept that there are two types of talent, then the question becomes not how much talent do I have, but how can I maximise and make the most out of the talent that I am given. How can I achieve its potential?
The truth is that you are capable of far more than you think but you have to be willing to work at it. It is not easy. You have to learn to play to the strengths of your talents rather than playing to what others might think. If you adore heavy symbolism, do you want to write a rom-com? If you need the action and adventure rush, do you want to write a tale that is mainly internal and gentle? Conversely if your talent lies with exploring the depth of human relations within a family, do you want to write a thriller? Work with the themes you are drawn towards. Explore the ways you like to tell stories.
You have to accept that storytelling takes maturity because it deals with the human condition. The maturity to tell a meaningful story comes to us at different ages. The desire to tell stories may happen earlier. There are reasons why successful novelists as a general rule tend to be older --- unlike say mathematicians who tend to do their best work early for some reason. Life adds depth to storytelling, rather than taking from it. For example for women, having children can add a resonance and understanding that wasn't there previously. The stories you write in your forties will be different than those you wrote in your twenties. This doesn't mean that good story tellers don't exist in their twenties btw. It just means the average age for a successful novelist tends to be older.
But however the mix of your talent, it is up to you maximise it and work with it if you want to be a successful novelist.

Accepted

2011-05-18T14:23:00.000+01:00

My editor emailed this morning to say that my latest tweaks were great and the manuscript has now been accepted. Cue massive relief here. I adore Eleanor and Ben. Eleanor rocks basically. In the end, I think this manuscript really helped me define my voice and what I want to do. More Regency/early Victorian in my future which is fantastic.

I also learnt the Viking's Captive Princess (Le viking et la princesse) is doing really well in France.http://www.harlequin.fr/ It is number 9 on the French Harlequin and they have a great ad for all three.

Reshaping My Writer's Bottom: Update

2011-05-17T14:18:00.000+01:00

Sometimes, it feels like my fitness is not improving. Every single time I do a dvd workout, I feel marinated afterwards. I know I am better as I can get lower in my squats and I don't die on certain exercises. But I keep trying to give it my all and so my legs tend to be jelly afterwards. Slowly but surely the weight is coming off. But it is tempting to see how far I have to go rather than how far I have come.
There are two important dates looming -- first next Tuesday when I go down to London to see my editor for my annual visit. And second, the RWA National conference. I want to look good for that for a number of reasons... Having events on the horizons is helping me to keep focused.

I am still waiting to hear from my editor about the latest round of tweaks. It never gets any easier waiting (anyone who says it does could hide their own Easter eggs or is being disingenous) . But it is so important to put out a strong book. And I do love these characters. I just hope I have maximised the potential of this book. I want it to be a powerful story. This time working out is helping to relieve the stress.

I am currently working on the next book. It should be excellent but it is always about pushing myself to stretch and to go deeper. Discovery drafts are for discovering what doesn't work and what does.

Shelfari is now linked into Amazon and so I am slowly updating the extras, providing links to places and books that inspired that particular book, doing character lists etc. What sort of things do readers want to see? Or am I doing this for my own amusement?

Oh and why does HBO have to sex up Game of Thrones? The story is absorbing enough without the various couplings. My daughter and I kept going -- but that isn't in the book. I know they are trying to get important info across but they have used the same device in two different episodes -- basically talk during sex. My editor would not let me get away with that sort of Pope in the Pool backstory exposition.

Giveaway To Marry A Matchmaker

2011-05-14T06:58:00.000+01:00

Goodreads Book Giveaway

To Marry a Matchmaker

by Michelle Styles

Giveaway ends June 23, 2011.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Because it comes out on 1 July, I am doing a giveaway with good reads.

Blogger is being annoying. It will not allow me to use the tool bar.
I did a post at the Healthy Writer blog http://www.healthywriter.com/ yesterday and today I am the Pink Heart Society http://www.pinkheartsociety.blogspot.com/ talking about pacing. Tomorrow I am at Tote Bags.
With writing, I am waiting to hear back from my editor and have started the next one.
With exercising, I keep working out every day -- slowly but surely. It takes much longer than you think.

Biographies and the Lady Patronesses

2011-05-09T09:55:00.000+01:00

As part of my research, I have been trying to discover any recent or even not so recent biographies of the Lady Patronesses of Almack's. Basically we know the Lady Patronesses in 1814 because Captain Gronow mentions them in his bio of Brummell. The ones from the founding in 1781 are also known. Others are more shadowy. It is not known how often they changed or how they were chosen or indeed when they were elected. YOu can get sketchy biographies of the women and sometimes you can get the collected letters (Princess Lieven's to her brother Alexander for example) but there is not any really good modern biographies. Why not?
These women had enomormous influence. Both Princess Esterhazy and Countess (later Princess) Lieven played active roles in promoting their respective countries in England. Princess Leiven's letters give a much more cosmopolitian slant on London and the ton. Lady Castlereagh was the wife of the Foreign Secretary. Lady Jersey was the senior partner of Childs Bank, played an active role in its affairs and did not allow the men in her life to interfere with her duties at the bank. Lady Jersey and Countess Lieven's soirees were known for their political influence. Lady Jersey is credited for introducing the square dance (the French Quadrille) and Countess Lieven the waltz. The women had a number of affairs with influential men. Lord Palmerston figures quite a bit.
So why isn't there a series of modern biographies -- either of the place or the Lady Patronesses (here I am thnking specifically of Sarah Fane Child Villiers, Lady Jersey)? Note it is not my field. I write fiction, not non-fiction. It just irks. I wanted to know more!
Currently I am reading Lady Dorothy Nevill's Reminences from 1902. She is an untrustworthy narrator (her contra-temps in the summer house with George Smythe MP which led to her marriage to Mr Nevill and explusion from court is glossed over -- never mentioned) but fun.

Reshaping My Writer's Bottom Line: Update

2011-05-04T07:05:00.000+01:00

Now is the time of a woman's discontent and her thoughts lightly turn towards chocolate. I have been working hard for 16 weeks and yes, I have come a long way BUT I still have a ways to go. I know some of my eating habits have slipped. However, I am not beating myself up over it because I know why it happened (Easter) and what needs to be done. There are also several dates looming. I am going to London later this month to have my annual visit with my editor and then at the end of June it is the RWA National Conference. Two things to keep me on the straight and narrow.
With exercising, I have really been focusing on paying attention to the form. Making sure that my squats are low enough and my arms are raised high enough. Low weights, high reps. Sometimes, it is just the doing it that matters. Yes, it would be easier some days not to do it. Yes it is a pain in the butt to make the time, particularly when I have a very busy schedule and other claims on my time. BUT the reward is worth it. I want a better figure and the only way to get is to sweat and to put the time in.

The revisions for my full went in yesterday and I wait with baited breath to see what my editor thinks. The revisions were hard and the book is now very different. Is it better? It has a lighter feel which hopefully give a more upbeat read. Warm emotion.

I have also started working on my next one which I am very excited about. Again it is thinking about that warmth of emotion and trying to make sure that it is provides a rich but upbeat read.

Festival of Romance

2011-05-02T09:05:00.000+01:00

Hard at work finishing my revisions but I took time to join the new social media site for lovers of the Romance genre in the UK -- Festival of Romance. It is to promote the romance genre in all its forms in the UK. My dear friend Kate Allan with whom I wrote The Lady Soldier had a hand in starting it. You can join here

Wonderful news about Bin Laden's death. I am under no illusions that the struggle to rid the world of terror is at end. BUT an important symbol has been removed. Hopefully people will now realise that this man was a mass murderer who hid behind the shield of religion and perverted the nature of that religion. He was indiscriminate killer who will now have to answer for his crimes. I very much doubt that he has a place in Paradise.

It is a goregous May Bank Holiday and I hope everyone is enjoying it.

Revisions and The Game of Thrones

2011-04-23T07:28:00.000+01:00

First off I am busy with my revisions. My conversation with my editor on Thursday helped clarify matters and really set my mind turning over. She made several good suggestions. Part of the trouble with the old scenario is that to do it justice, the word count would have been too long. Word Count is important in series books. It is part of the economies of scale. I tend to be on the high end in any case.
So it involves re imagining things. Basically deciding I am a Banus (to use Diane Wynne Jones terminology from Hexwood). A Banus is a type of a highly intelligent computer which runs various game playing scenarios with real people. The scenarios change until the Banus gets the desired outcome. Sometimes, it is not about changing motivations, but changing events if the characters are set. I shall have the illusion of keeping some things but basically have to write two new chapters. On the plus side, I do get to move the action to London.
I have figured out how to do so. Finally and why that triggers other things.

I have also managed to watch the first episode of The Game of Thrones. It is interesting to see Martin's influences. for example he cites George MacDonald Fraser author of the Flashmen series, and Bernard Cornwell as influences. My daughter originally thought it was George MacDonald who is one of my faves and heavily influenced Tolkien and CS Lewis and a host of others, but no I checked on Wikipedia. It was Fraser who wrote about the Border wars. Martin is apparently heavily influenced by the War of the Roses and medieval history as opposed to Norse mythology. The problem is a bit like Treme, Game of Thrones is difficult to follow precisely what is going on and who precisely is who. Luckily they do use some of the fantasy land cliches -- for example, a woman wearing red is generally up to no good. Finding of small animals or eggs generally is a sign that they are symbolic and will bring good fortune if looked after. If you have a map, you can figure on going everywhere -- particularly to the remote places. Lots of sex, incest etc but that is to be expected with a HBO production. It is difficult to follow. However my teen aged children really enjoyed it and want to read the books as well.

Revisions hit

2011-04-20T06:53:00.000+01:00

My editors felt that things could be improved on my manuscript so I get to revisit the world again. The important thing is to ultimately give the reader the best read possible. One of my mistakes was to make an important confession triggered by an external event, rather than an internal to the relationship event. The external event happened to the heroine BUT the whole thing didn't move the relationship forward. I also had a two seperate turning points that would have been better as one turning point.
Sometimes, the mistakes in a manuscript can't been seen until they look at the whole thing.
Disappointing -- yes in a way but on the other hand I want to give my readers the best possible read. It is good to know that my editors care enough to send the manuscript back and say -- we know you can improve on this.

Reshaping my writer's bottom line and celebrity eating

2011-04-19T11:15:00.000+01:00

One thing I have learnt over the past few weeks is how hard you have to work at keeping fit. If you want to get fit, you have to SWEAT. If you want to keep being fit, you have to SWEAT. Yes, you can eat treats but you always have to balance things. For various celebrities to proclaim that their favourite indulgences are a variety of fried foods (as reported in The Times) is unhelpful in the extreme. They may eat them in public but in private? It reminds me of how someone once said the Astors ate -- huge multi-course banquets on the weekends when they entertained, tea and snippets of toast when dining alone. It is not a new trick but a rather old one.
The bottom line is that for many actresses their body is literally their fortune. They have a greater need to look well. But maintaining a myth that they do not have to work at it is far from helpful. To look that good, they have to work. They have to put on the slap, wear the right clothes and exercise plus watch their diet. They are human beings rather than androids. They also have to worry that someone else is coming along or that they will fall out of fashion...And they don't want to seem neurotic as eating disorders are bad news.
Know you are going to eat a lot? Plan for it. Increase your exercise before and after. Cut back at other meals. But above all enjoy and live in that moment. You deserve it if you plan for it. And indulgences make life much sweeter.
But to pretend that you are blessed with a better metabolism than other people is wrong. Admitting that they work damn hard and take pride in their accomplishment but are not afraid to splurge is much better.
It is a bit like pretending that as a writer, you never have to revise or that every book comes easy. Some do. Some don't. But hard work does pay off. And people should celebrate their achievements more.
For me, I have to force myself to make time to workout. I know the dvds will make me sweat and will work on getting me fit. If I do a 40/50 minute and end up marinated, I know I can eat more than a lettuce leaf. If I worked out for 4 hours a day which some celebrities do when getting ready for a part, I could eat much more. But really, life is too short!
It is a simple equation about calories in and calories expended. And it is HARD for everyone.

It WAS the monitor

2011-04-18T12:56:00.000+01:00

I took both the monitor and the tower in. It was the monitor. The technician was very nice. When I explained, he said he'd try testing them both. To his surprise, the monitor behaved as I said it would. I have a new monitor. The fan has been replaced on the tower and all is right with world.
However, I now know about backing up to external sources places (thanks Ros) and various other little lessons such as not having things saved in bookmarks means I spend less time faffing on the Internet...

The wip is calling...

It might be the monitor

2011-04-18T06:57:00.000+01:00

The computing saga continues...I managed to run a diagonostic report and everything passes according to my Norton 360. Everything is fine except the screen goes black when the account user notication comes on. And then continues to be black. The computer itself seems to work fine. I kept it on to se if it would automatically shut down etc. You can switch the monitor off and on and get about 5 seconds. My daughter and I used that time to transfer various files to the external hard drive. Her A level coursework is now accessible!
So this morning will be taken up with another trip to the technicians and I will hopefully get it sorted!

I have started my next wip as I wait for my editor's verdict on the current one. It is something that I feel very excited about. I just prefer working on my big machine. For one thing, it has my music on with various playlists. Equally my daughter keeps telling me that the Acer netbook is really hers...umm no not precisely. It will be returned to her once my computer screen is back...

Computer woes

2011-04-16T17:06:00.000+01:00

My normal computer is out of action for a little while. The fan went. It overheated and now there is a problem with the monitor staying on. A trip to the computer store got me the new fan. Only the same thing happened with the monitor when I returned home. SIGH. It is NOT just the fan.
Everything is backed up on the media drive -- auto back up EXCEPT do I know where the cable is to connect to this computer?
Luckily, I have been able to get hold of the full I sent my editor last week, so there are no worries there. Simple expeditent of forwarding my email to my editor back to myself and downloading that. My daughter will be able to access her history essay in the same fashion. To the children's relief I have finally caved and put Windows Office on the Acer.
I have several critiques to do. They were half done when disaster struck but I will get to them. I can access the bits that were sent!
It will be good to get the thing sorted.

Border Collie adventures

2011-04-14T12:40:00.000+01:00

Tess has managed to sprain her elbow. She started hobbling about and had to visit the vet. Tess decided that the vet who actually is the Border Collie loving vet was in fact the Devil Incarnate and attempted to hide underneath the chairs in the waiting room. After extracting her, she deigned to have her leg looked at. The vet explained she'd jumped wrong and would have to be kept quiet for a few days. A common occurance apparently. She has nothing in her paw. He gave her an injection. Tess then decided she had had enough and attempted to bolt of the vet's office, nearly tripping a cat carrying lady in the process.
Tess does not do quiet. She does life at double speed. Her greatest love is a game of fetch, preferably one which involves leaping. It is going to be a long few days...

Guilty Pleasures -- The Mills and Boon Documentary

2011-04-12T09:49:00.000+01:00

Guilty Pleasures, the documentary on Mills and Boon will be shown on More 4 at 10 pm tonight. It follows the lives of five people touched by Mills & Boon including Roger Sanderson who writes as Gill Sanderson. Part of the bit they filmed was Roger attending the annual Association of Mills & Boon Author lunch. That year was the last year I was in charge and the cameras did roll as I did my welcome bit. Right now I hope that it ended up on the cutting room floor. If not, then hopefully people will see that Mills & Boon authors are a family and we do actively welcome new authors. The amount of effort and sheer hard work plus determination that goes into selling to Harlequin should not be underestimated or valued. In fact it should be celebrated and that is one of the things AMBA does try to do. That year, new authors were given glass pendants in the shape of a leaf to remind them they were a part of a much bigger tree.
I didn't get to go last year as my daughter was ill but I understand the event was again warm and welcoming. I am looking forward to this year's event.
I just hope that the documentary does not mock the readers, the people who derive so much pleasure from the books. The books are escapist fantasy but they do provide a ray of sunshine in people's existence. They can help people through troubled times.

In other news, I had a lovely review from Julie Bonello of cataromance for Breaking the Governess's Rules. She gave the book 4.5 stars and wrote
Written with class, skill and flair, Breaking the Governess’ Rules is a beguiling historical romance by a true virtuoso of the genre. Michelle Style sure knows how to pen a breath-taking, heart-pounding and dazzling Regency and Breaking the Governess’ Rules sparkles with her particular brand of powerful emotion, intense passion and poignant romance.
You can read the full review here.

Julie has reviewed all my full length historicals and she has also recently started her own review site -- Bookish Jottings. She is a true lover of the genre and a tireless reviewer. And her reviews have provided a ray of sunshine in my life.

Finished and in

2011-04-11T09:17:00.000+01:00

The full of my latest one went in yesterday, in a haze of champagne enduced euphoria. I really like this manuscript and hopefully my editor will as well. It made me cry in places, even when editing which I suppose is good. I only hope everything is on the page, rather than in my head. There is the 90% rule -- 90% of the readers will only get 10% of the emotion I as a writer feel. ANd some times I only think things are on the page...
Time will tell what my editor thinks and if she can see room for improvement.
I have started thinking about my next one because it keeps me from worrying about this one. And it is one I have been thinking about on and off. I know the heroine but the hero only came to me last week. So as they are knocking hard on my door, it seems the most sensible thing to do.
Over the weekend, particularly on Friday, I was ill with some flu thing. Beecham's Powder was the only thing that worked. I ended up sleeping most of Friday and Saturday. That sort of half-dozing, half-waking. But I did manage to get the full ms edited. Perhaps this is because I stayed off the Internet!
This week I need to catch up on a few critiques that I owe people and other admin. Housework should be done as well but right now I am going to do one of my Jillian Michaels dvds as it needs to be done.

Wasting Away

2011-04-07T08:40:00.000+01:00

Over the past two days, I have had two separate and very dear people comment that I am wasting away. I beg to differ. I am sweating away. And it is NOT finished yet, despite the temptation of cake, crisps and other high calorie food as I wrestle this manuscription into submission.
Have I said lately how much I do love my characters? And how good I think this story is going to be? I did get to the end yesterday. This is the fun bit! And I pray that my editor (and eventually my readers) will love it as much as I do... The new method does seem to be paying off, although it seemed very frustrating at the beginning.
Last week in reshaping my bottom line, it became clear that I could no longer ignore my top half. My weeks of doing arm circles and oblique stretch exercises had caused a realignment. Plus I needed a sports bra with proper support... My bra has gone from a 40DD to a 34E. Thankfully my modiste is Rigby and Pellar trained and knows how to measure properly. Apparently I suffer from the same problem as my daughter -- small back with a sizeable frontage. Who knew? It may be that the proper fit has resulted in my waist looking smaller as well. I do know that exercising in a properly fitting sports bra makes a lot of difference.
So if you have lost weight recently (particularly through doing Jillian Michaels), I would urge you to get your bras checked by someone who knows what she is doing. Bras should not cut into breast tissue. And the right underpinnings can really help.

Made in Dagenham

2011-04-04T18:37:00.000+01:00

For Mothering Sunday, my family gave me Made in Dagenham -- a feel good comedy about women's rights in 1960's Britain, in particular the machinists at Ford's Dagenham factory. Because of their efforts, Britian enjoys an Equal Pay law (something I am not sure the US as a whole has yet). The movie had Bob Hoskins who is brill as the shop steward who got the fact that women deserve to paid the amount as men. The character was brought up by his widowed mother who earnt 40p for every pound that a man doing the same job would earn. Sally Hawkins shines as Rita OGrady, the reluctant leader of the women who grows in confidence through out the film.
It has sparked loads of conversation with my daughter about the unfairness of the situation. I am sure it has raised awareness about something that people in Britain now take for granted.
It should be seen by as many people as possible. It is wonderfully uplifting and it does restore your faith in human nature. Plus the soundtrack is brill.

Emotional Eating because of characters

2011-03-30T18:29:00.000+01:00

This week on reshaping my writer's bottom line I learnt that in times of trauma and stress for my characters, I am ever likely to mindlessly graze and over eat. I have cornered the market on tissue but what shocked me was that suddenly I was finding excuses to eat.
I knew that I get wrapped up in my characters' lives but seriously? Does this happen to other writers?
The real heavy lifting of emotional trauma has been done. So hopefully my eating will revert to normal. Sometimes though it is interesting to discover patterns. It is what to do about it. I suspect exercise more...and refuse to mindless graze even when your heroine's life has totally collasped!

I am doing my Jillian Michaels dvds in rotation -- though I have tweaked it a bit and am switching them each day. I have also gone back to level 1 of the Six Week 6 Pack with heavier weights as that is where a lot of the sculpting takes place. Interestingly, it is SO much easier in ways and I could do side planks with twists. I was, however, marinated by the end. I really found I could push it far more during the cardio and I made sure that I was doing the advanced version -- spider planks with push up for instance. I was capable of more than I realised.

And with my wip, I am capable of more than I realise.

Operation Auction: critique live

2011-03-29T13:38:00.000+01:00

My critique offering is now live. You can see it here. Hopefully someone will bid. I do promise to do a thorough critique.

The ARC for To Marry A Matchmaker is still open for bidding. I thank people from the bottom of my heart for bidding. Currently this book ranks as one of my faves. I am super proud of it.

There are all sorts of interesting lots. If you like the romance genre, you are bound to find something that suits. You can find the full listing here.

In other news:

I had a good chat with my editor about my current wip. It is all about stretching and making sure I fulfil the promise of the first few chapters. She has faith! It should get finished this week. Currently I have cornered the market on tissue...She does remind me of Jillian Michaels though -- she firmly believes that I am capable of MORE and she intends to get it. It is my story and I am supposed to make the most of it!

My airline tickets have arrived so I am all set for NYC and RWA conference. It is terribly exciting.

Operation Auction live

2011-03-28T14:09:00.000+01:00

Operation Auction -- the effort by members of the Romance community to raise money for Fatin, a long time support of Romance who lost her husband in tragic circumstances is now live. There are a host of items to bid on including 1.A hardback copy of To Marry A Matchmaker (I will send it anywhere in the world) and 2. A Critique for a partial from me (this has not gone live. I presume this will be live tomorrow) Hopefully someone will bid...
Among other items are critiques by people like Brenda Chin, Leslie Wainger and agent Laura Bradford. You can see the full listing of live items here.

RIP Diana Wynne Jones

2011-03-26T17:47:00.000Z

Diana Wynne Jones died today. I discovered her books in the late 1990s when she was re-released because of the Harry Potter craze. My eldest and I enjoyed her works very much before he moved into Terry Pratchett. My favourites tended to be things like the Dark Lord of Derkholm which is a send up of cliched Fantasyland. She also wrote Howl's Moving Castle which was turned into an animated film where Christain Bale voiced Howl and Hexwood which has complicated plot and involves a teenager who is not what she seems -- both books bear re-reading. I loved how her mind worked. The Homeward Bounders and Dogbody linger in my mind. Although sometimes, I had to wonder if she couldn't have gone deeper into her characters or maybe I just wanted to spend more time inthe worlds she created. My daughter preferred the Chrestomanci series. She knew how to create a world that totally drew you in. Plus she had this wonderful sense of humour. They couldn't be classifed as just one thing -- were they sci fi or fantasy? They often had elements of both. I suspect she drove the marketing bods insane!
When I first started writing, my editor Helen French learnt that I liked Fantasy and reccommended Tough Guide to Fantasyland. It was a singular lesson in cliche and thinking outside the box. If you are interested in the genre at all, it is worth a read...provided you can find it.
If you haven't discover DWJ, she is worth reading. Luckily with the authors, their work is their legacy and can be enjoyed by future generations.

Trying a another Jillian Michaels dvd

2011-03-24T11:26:00.000Z

Belatedly I realised that Banish Fat Boost Metabolism was a companion dvd to No More Trouble Zones. So I have purchased No More Trouble Zones which is the sculpting or strengthening part of her programme.
6 week 6 pack targets the abs. BFBM is ALL cardio (and no weights) 30 Day shred is short (20 minutes) but combines all 3 for a killer workout. Anyway I can do things in a rotation now. 3 days per dvd and can schedule rest days as and when they crop up. If I have less time, I can do the 30 day Shred.
No More Trouble Zones involves weights. It is mainly concerned with arms, hips, bum and thighs. Being a Jillian Michaels dvd, it has a few killer moves. The Surrender is akin to torture. And I still do not like side plank lifts. She suggests using lighter weights, because well you are trying to shred and tone rather than build up bulk muscle. Plus your arms know about it. Have I mentioned the Surrender? I wanted to die!
By the end of the 55 minutes, I was sweating but not as much as BFBM or the level 2 6 week 6 pack. However everything also ached. One would think after doing these other dvds that I wouldn't have sore arms or legs...uh no. I suspect as I get used to the moves, I will be able to work harder and really push. Change happens when you really push hard. JilThis reshaping has not stopped. I am enjoying the after workout buzz too much.

My daughter found Woman in Fashion at the Lit and Phil -- it had been wrongly shelved. I happened to re-read Moore's exposition on waists. The cut of a dress can effect how big your waist appears by up to ten inches. The three governing principles are 1. contrast -- for example shoulder pads or in the case of the 19th century a bustle or flowing train will make your waist look slimmer. 2. trimmings and decoration to carry the eye away from the waist and help camouflage less than slender figures. 3. Delusive focus which works the best. Basically by means of folds and emphatic converging lines, the eye is drawn to the centre point where there will be a point, buckle or ornament which takes attention away from the width.
I have taken to wearing a belt with my jeans making sure that my shirt is tucked in and the folds go towards the centre. It does work to a certain extent. My husband suddenly -- oh you have really lost weight!
Moore's theory about shifting waistlines and loose flowing gowns is that it shows the status of mature women in society. The Regency period and the 1920s were particularly favourable to fashionable women above 30 and waist lines were not emphasized.
And finally she pointed that the correct under pinning does much to support a figure. The correctly fitted bra and corset (or in 2011 magic knickers) can make all the difference!
I note in the coverage of Liz Taylor's death, there are a few comments about how she knew the angles at which she should be photographed. A good camera angle can help as well. KNowing how to hold your body -- shoulders back, chest out, head up etc can make a difference.
But it does start with SWEAT and working at it.

50 Quintessential British Novels

2011-03-21T12:52:00.000Z

I was sent this link to 50 Quintessential British Novels. It is interesting to see which ones I had read...all up to 31 and then only 5. I was slightly surprised by the omissions. For example, Ian Fleming and James Bond is listed but not Georgette Heyer and her novels. As Heyer basically invented that popular genre -- the modern Regency novel and to a certain extent historical romantic fiction, this is a glaring omission. Regency Buck is one of her better ones. You could also say that she had a huge influence on CS Forsterer, Patrick O Brian and Bernard Cornwell as she opened up that time period to popular fiction. The fact that they remain in print and are growing in popularity should say something.
Neither is Agatha Christie represented. To ignore her contribution to the literary canon is unfortunate. She basically dominated fiction in the middle years of the 20th century. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd for example with its dishonest narrator is a significant book.
If one wanted to get picky, one could say that Buchan rather than Fleming should be there as John Buchan basically invented the modern thriller with Mr Standfast and whole idea of the enemy within. Certainly Fleming acknowledged his debt.
And there is no Grahame Greene. Why is he out of favour these days?
There is unfortunately a preponderance of post 1990 literary genre which emphasis on the psychological or depressing fiction which may or may not withstand the test of time. It should be remember that Dickens was considered to be only a popular hack until the 1930s. It is probably just me but once you get the disconnect in the 1960s where literary imaging and the novel as poetry is taken up as opposed to the novel as a story, I find it hard to be enthralled with the writing. I have read far fewer literary genre novels because the subject does not excite me. It is when you get that marrying of literary talent with story telling talent that a truly great book is created. Of the two talents, story telling talent is alas far rarer. I want stories that I can lose myself in, not prose masquerading as imagery.
There again I am a historical romance novelist and write escapist fiction that hopefully makes people feel better. I am not a literary critic. I just wish that people wjho compiled these lists would actually think about the novelists who had the greatest influence.

Which figure? Betty Grable or Kate Moss?

2011-03-18T10:23:00.000Z

After Evangeline's comments yesterday, I started looking at other Hollywood starlets vitals from the Golden Age of Hollywood, and came across a very interesting article in the Daily Mail from 2009. Basically it was comparing the average women's physique in 1949 when the pin up was Betty Grable (5' 4" 36-24-35), Diana Dors ( 38DD-26-36) to the 2009 woman when the model of the day was Kate Moss (5' 7" 32-21-32) or perhaps Victoria Beckham (5' 34-23-33). The 1949 woman was on average 5' 2" and 37B-27-37. The 2009 average woman (5' 4" 38C-34-40). Shoe size has also increased from a 3 to a 6.
On the face of it seems obvious. The silhouette in 1949 must have been easier for the average 1949 woman (or indeed today's woman) to obtain, particularly in regards to bust size.I can understand that for designers, it is easier to design pencil shapes, sacks and clothes that good on hangers -- particularly for the mass market. When you start putting in tucks, stays and pleats, fitting becomes difficult. Busts and their different shapes make life difficult.
But is it really?
The size of the waist has increased dramatically for the average woman but not for the unattainables. Victoria Beckham's waist is not as small as Marilyn Monroe's for example. But given the difference in heights etc, are we comparing apples to oranges?

First look at the difference in bust to waist ratio (ie waist divided by bust -- and here I am using the straight bust measurement, not adding the cup size). For example Betty Grable had a 0.66 ratio while Kate Moss has 0.71. Marilyn Monroe had a 0.62. Victoria Beckham has a 0.68. The average 1949 woman had 0.73, and 2009 had 0.89. So the difference in bust to waist ratio was 0.07 for the 1949 woman using Betty Grable as an unattainable. And the 2009 version comparing the average 2009 woman to Kate Moss shows a difference of 0.18. So yes, there is a disconnect but more because the average woman's bust to waist ratio has increased, rather than the unattainable changing significantly. Because bust to waist proportions have increased for the unattainables, it should in theory be easier to get that 2009 figure.
And the hip to waist ratio has increased for average woman. The average woman 2009 was 0.95 and 1949 was 0.73
For the unattainables, if you will, it has remained at about a constant 0.7, although Marilyn Monroe was an amazing 0.63. She had a tiny waist -- rather than large hips to her bust. In fact her hip to bust is about the same, as is Kate Moss's. As indeed was Miss Average 1949. Those stacked starlets such as Diana Dors (38 DD to 36) Jane Russell (38 D to 36) tended to be around the 1.05 range. Victoria Beckham is in the 1.03 range. Whereas Miss Average 2009 was 0.95 -- becoming more pear shaped.
So what I have learnt (other than it is fun to procrastinate as I have to put loads of emotion in my current scene?) -- basically if you want to look like you have a good figure, make sure your waist is about 0.7 of your hips and bust measurement. If your hips are slightly smaller than your bust, you looked stacked.
Also it is not your clothing size that matters, it is the ratio of your bust to your waist and waist to hips plus bust to hips. Start with your bust size and work to that.
A waist larger than 32" means you are more likely to have undiagonosed diabetes type II. There are reasons why focusing on your waist size makes sense.
Doing ab firming exercises does help to reduce your waist size. It is not easy though.
Obtaining a perfect figure is always harder than it look.
And I should have been a lot more appreciative of my figure in my early twenties, rather thar than focusing on losing that extra ten pounds or trying to fit into a smaller size.

The Marilyn stats

2011-03-17T09:34:00.000Z

There is a persistent rumour that Marilyn Monroe was a size 16. Or that she was just bigger than today's stars. As I got curious about sizes, I went looking.
Her statistics were height 5' 5" 1/2. Her bra size was a 36 D. According to the studio, she was 37 -23 -36 and according to her dressmaker she was 35 - 22 - 35. In other words, she had a near perfect body. It is not a today size 12 or 16, more like a 4 or a 6! But I can well imagine that she was a size 12 in 1950 sizes. She had an hourglass figure and was perfectly in proportion. Disgusting really.
And as I happen to like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, I became curious about her co-star who recently died -- Jane Russell. Howard Hughes made great play of the fact that he needed to engineer a special bra for her)
Jane Russell was a 38 D bra size (so much for needing a specially constructed bra) Her stats were 38 -25- 36. She was 5' 7".
Sometimes, though you just have to say that nature made them that way. (But I suspect it was not easy to keep it up) Sweating does help. As does not eating processed foods. Plus youth was on their side.
I bring these women up because when I was a teen, it was very much flat chested and slim boyish hips. This is not a body type I will ever get. And I know having an hourglass figure means you are often over looked in the clothes stakes. Being 5' 6" with a bust and a waist (even if it is currently larger than I'd like), it is good to find role models or people to shoot for.
It is all about finding appropriate bodies to aim for. Kate Moss, Kiera Knightley, and many others, I will never ever get that figure even if I starve myself. BUT I can do hourglass... If you look around, you can find them. It is about doing things with what you have got, rather than hankering after the unattainable. And just as an aide- memoire for anyone who also suffers from an hourglass:

Weekly reshaping my writer's bottom line

2011-03-16T09:13:00.000Z

It is really easy not to push harder. This is true of my writing as well as my working out. One thing I have learnt this week is to keep pushing. I can drive myself harder and not faint! I may dissolve in a puddle or be marinated by the time I am done but I don't die. Not even close!
In this weird sort of way, it is enjoyable. The pounds are not melting off but I can feel myself getting stronger.
My measurements continue to improve. Not as dramatically but slow and steady. I happened to look at the measurements in the Land's End catalogue and was surprised to discover that a UK 14 is now a US 10! Clothing sizes have definitely become bigger in the US. For example, I have a skirt from the early 80s with a Land's End size 14 label. It barely fits. If I went for a current size 14 US Lands End, it would be way too big. (I know this as some of the clothes I discarded were Lands End). I also looked at the measurements.
It is funny you get used to thinking of yourself as a certain size and then you realise that your perceptions were all wrong.
Anyway, it is all about what fits now. And I can understand why I might eventually be a US size 6 (UK 10)...which would be odd to say the least. The measurements for that size are: Bust -- 35, Waist 28 Hip 38. My current ones are B-- 38, w --29 1/2. hips 39. It is my target now. When I started back in August my measurements were bust 45, waist 39, hips 48. So I have come a long way but still have some ways to go.

With my writing, it is about pushing and not taking the easy route. My editor believes that I am capable of so much more. Funny that! It is about putting the emotion I feel down on the page rather than hugging it to my person.

The Girls Night In at the Wellwood pub went well. I am not sure if it was the large glasses of wine that were served, but after we had finished, the entire audience of about 17+ stuck around, chatting and buying books. I forgot my camera but Janet MacLeod Trotter had hers and promised some photos.

To Marry A Matchmaker

2011-03-15T07:05:00.000Z

My hardbacks arrived yesterday and this is possibly my favourite cover ever! It works for me at any rate.

This is the book that is up for grabs on the Authors for Japan auction. There are 150 other lots so I have to hope someone will bid for this (and the critique).

The blurb reads:
The Matchmaker's Wager
Lady Henirietta Thorndike hides her lonely heart behind playing Cupid -- some might accuse her of interfering, but she prefers to think of it as improving other people's lives!
But Robert Montemorcy knows it has to stop -- his ward has just fled from a compromising situation in Lodnon, and the last thing she needs is to be embroiled in Henri's complusive matchmaking! He bets Henri that she won't be able to resist meddling...only to lose his own heart into the bargain!

From the front page teaser:
'I can stop any time I want,' Henrietta replied, her face taking on a muntinous expression as she crossed her arms over her full bosom, highlighting rather than detracting from her curves.
'Prove it.'
'What are you suggesting Mr Montemorcy?' Her carefully arranged curls shook with anger. 'I enjoy helping. People need me.'
At last. She'd walked straight into his trap. 'I am suggesting a wager to demonstrated that you are addicted to arranging others' love-lives and you have no sense of discipline in these matters. He watched her bridle at the words. He wondered if she knew how desirable she appeared when she was angry. Desirable but very much off-limits...

The first line -- as I happen to like it: Precise planning produced perfection.

It comes out as a paperback in July.