Welcome Michelle Douglas!
Today we’re thrilled to announce that we’re being joined by a new lovecat – Michelle Douglas, who writes fantabulous romances for Mills and Boon Sweet / Romance. Yay!
She has very good lovecat credibility, since she recently wrote a series with our other Sweet Lovecat, Nikki Logan (and the lovely Melissa James) and she has a Siamese Fighting Fish called Fernando (looking forward to meeting him on the catwalk, Michelle!).
To celebrate our new Lovecat, we’re giving away a pack of books, including Michelle’s latest three books:
The Cattleman, The Baby and Me,
Bachelor Dad on Her Doorstep, and
The Aristocrat and the Single Mum.
Plus the redr
aw of CC Coburn’s latest American Romance, The Sheriff And the Baby,
And both of my Desire books, Claiming His Bought Bride, and The Blackmailed Bride's Secret Child.
All you need to do is help Michelle feel at home by telling us about a time when you joined something new – a new family you married into, a new office you worked for, a new sporting team, etc.
Welcome, Michelle!
Welcome to the LoveCats, Michelle! It's so cool to have you on board!
ReplyDeleteAs for the last time I joined something new... ARGH! I think I've been a stick in the mud for way too long! Time to shake me out of the comfort zone... though maybe I could claim joining the LoveCats as my "new joining" credential too!
;)
hugs
Sharon
Welcome to LoveCats, Michelle. I'm sure you'll feel right at home.
ReplyDeleteI joined RWA nearly a year ago. Big move for me, but loved it from day one. To say I was nervous was an understatement. I put it off for two years. :0
Great to see you here!!!
Tam
Hi Michelle! Great to see you on LoveCats!!! My biggest NEW thing was when we moved to a small country town almost six years ago. It was the first time I felt like my fate was out of my control. I learnt that small towns have a lot of good in them but also a lot of clique-i-ness and snobbery. And the class system is still ripe. Six years later I'm still not 'at home' exactly but I feel a little more a part of the place. I'm sure your arrival with the LoveCats will be MUCH warmer!
ReplyDelete:)
Rach!
I joined the RNA New Writers Scheme in Britain 2 years ago and I can honestly say it was the best move I ever made. There is nothing more terrifying than sending your first story of to be critiqued, however it couldn't have been too bad because I did it all again this year!
ReplyDeleteSharon, joining the lovecats definitely counts for you too. =) And you also have the time you joined the Harlequin family when you sold your first book!
ReplyDeleteTamara, very cool on joining RWA! And how fabulous that something you put off and were nervous about turned out to be something you loved from day 1! Thanks for the story. =)
ReplyDeleteRach, I love your story - moving to a small town and having to learn a whole new culture. I wonder how different it will be for your boys growing up there, and being more 'at home'? Great example!
ReplyDeleteHi Susan - huge congrats on overcoming the terror and sending your work out via the RNA's NWS! I'm a huge believer in critiquing (in fact I regularly swap critiques with one of the lovecats!). Good luck with this year's entry. =)
ReplyDeleteOoh, what a lovely welcome! Thanks everyone :-) I have to say that I'm over the moon to be joining these "wonderfully, wonderfully, wonderfully, wonderfully pretty" LoveCats.
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon, it's so cool to be on board! I LOL at your stick in the mud comment. I think you're one of the least stick-in-the-muddish people I know.
Thanks, Tamara! Ah, joining RWA... I bet you're wondering what you were so nervous about now :-)
Rachel J, your country town made me roll my eyes. I grew up in one of those. I had friends who were still being called "The New Couple" after twenty-five years. I hope you wake up one day soon and feel completely at home.
Susan, I think the RNA New Writer's Scheme is a brilliant idea. Good luck with your manuscript this year!
Okay Ms Bailey, 'fess up. Tell us about a time you joined something new...
Hi Michelle,
ReplyDeleteLovely to see you here. What a fabulous prize on offer! I love your stories. Someone has a real treat in store for them.
Hm, joining something new? Well, joining RWAus was a huge thing for me. Instantly I felt like I'd found my niche among people with similar enthusiasms which was fantastic. It's led to great friendships as well as publication.
Tagging onto a local group recently for weekly trivia nights has been fun. They've known each other for years but have been very welcoming. I love our evenings together and get plenty of laughs from them.
First off - welcome to the new Cat on the block. Yay Michelle. So looking forward to having you play with us.
ReplyDeleteThere have been so many new things for me over the last 5 years. Joining RWA, becoming published, joining the lovecats and most recently joining the Supernatural Underground as my alter ego.
It has been a journey of newness since joining RWA really.
Hi, Annie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words about my books. You've made me blush!
You're right, RWAust is a great place for meeting like-minded people and I know the friendships I've made there have been invaluable (and among my favourites!). Your trivia group sounds such fun! Isn't it wonderful to be welcomed so warmly to an already established group.
Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks, Tracie, I'm looking forward to playing too!
ReplyDeleteYour last five years worth of new adventures have left me feeling a tad breathless. Think I'll go and curl up by the fire for a bit :-)
Hey Michelle - great to have you here at your welcome party. =)
ReplyDeleteMy experience of joining something new... well, the biggest story for me was when I sold my first book to Desire and joined the Desire family and the Harlequin family. *So* exciting, especially when I met the other members of my new family - authors I'd been reading and loving from afar!
Hi Annie - thanks for dropping by with your story! Joining RWAust was a big new experience for me too, and like everyone else here, I loved it. Finding people of like minds, getting the craft and industry information I needed, and making fabulous friends.
ReplyDeleteTrivia nights? How fun!
Tracie, that's a whole swag of new experiences! You must sometimes have to stop and look around to see where you are. Or as Michelle said, take a breath. So glad one of the new things was staring lovecats with us!
ReplyDeleteBtw, I had a peek at the Supernatural Underground blog and it looks fab!
Hi Michelle :) It's great to meet a new LoveCat.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, something new? That's tough (I obviously need to get out more, lol). The newest thing I've done was join a face-to-face writing group. We meet once a month over lunch for chats on anything and everything to do with writing. It's a lot of fun - as any gathering with people who 'get' you is. We've only met a few times, but already that time in my diary has become sacred, lol.
Hi Anita! I don't have a face to face writing group, but I certainly treasure the face to face time I get with any writing friends. Glad yours is working out for you and that it's become sacred time. =)
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle -- and WELCOME to LoveCats! So great to have you join the pack! (Or should that be litter?) Something new? Well, I have to echo several other people here and say that joining RWAus and RWNZ have been incredible experiences. It's marvellous being part of a large and welcoming group of people who want to do the same as me -- write romances!
ReplyDeleteHi, Anita! I have a face-to-face writing group too, and I wouldn't be without them!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Emily! It's such a thrill to be joining you guys :-)
Hey Sharon welcome to the LoveCats.
ReplyDeleteSomething new? My son finally proposed to his girlfriend while they were holidaying in Scotland. I was just telling the Bootcampers 109 this afternoon. It is also the best news I’ve had lately as well. LOL.
Sandie
OOoh... welcome to the sandbox, Michelle. So fab to have you amongst us. Looks like I'm bringing up the rear of the welcome wagon - as usual LOL.
ReplyDeleteSomeone's got to make sure no-one's following us (yeah, I'm the suspicious cat)
xxx
Emily, you make a good point about whether we're a pack or a litter. Or a pride? Perhaps we need suggestions for a collective noun for lovecats...
ReplyDeleteSandie, your son's proposal is definitely something to celebrate! A new family member for you, the same as Michelle is a new family member for us.
ReplyDeleteAnd to do it on holiday in Scotland? You brought that boy up right, Sandie. ;)
Dear Suspicious Cat - I think it's a cat's right of birth to be suspicious, especially of humans who have a habit of getting things wrong. No idea why God created such an uncoordinated and intellectually slow species as humans when cats were obviously superior. Oh, that's right - cats needed someone to put the foot in the dish and build the houses with sunny rooms. =)
ReplyDeleteThe only 'new join' I have in my head right now is my 80 y.o mum's femur finally joining the socket in her hip. She fell over 2 weeks ago, had a heart attack in hospital (which delayed surgery), had surgery, now has been isolated as there is a VRE outbreak in Coffs hospital - AGAIN. So she's stuck there until they clear her for rehab. Oh dear.
ReplyDeleteSo Michelle, I was going to say hip, hip hooray about you joining the cutest blog on the planet. But I'll just stick with the hooray part if that's okay. I've had enough hips for a while. As for that prize pack. I'd love to win it for my mum (oh and me LOL)
Welcome to the cat pride Michelle!
ReplyDeleteUm, the only new thing I can think of is a new ms LOL!!!
i know you'll love this group blog, these girls are the bomb =)
Jenn, that is the best example of using adversity to make comedy I've seen in a while:
ReplyDeleteThe only 'new join' I have in my head right now is my 80 y.o mum's femur finally joining the socket in her hip.
And:
So Michelle, I was going to say hip, hip hooray about you joining the cutest blog on the planet. But I'll just stick with the hooray part if that's okay. I've had enough hips for a while.
Lol! Thanks for dropping by. =)
Hey Mel, is that a vote for us being a pride? Certainly sounds more grown up than 'litter'. Didn't someone have a group noun for romance writers... Anne Gracie, maybe? Or Trish Morey? Might have to investigate.
ReplyDeleteAnd after reading your post about your muse coming back, I think your 'new thing' being your new story is perfect!
Ooh, Sandie, that's so cool about your son proposing in Scotland! How romantic - sigh. Sounds as if you're going to welcome your new family member into the tribe with as much gusto as I've been welcomed here!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nikki! So happy to be in the sandbox in such esteemed company... and thanks for watching our backs :-)
Oh, Jenn, your poor mum! Yep, you are definitely exempt from anything hip-related. Thanks for the hooray -- I know I'm biased but I think it's a pretty cute blog too :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mel! I'm already having a blast -- feeling very petted and purry from such a warm welcome!
Hi Michelle --
ReplyDeleteWow, some great prizes on offer!
So happy you've joined the LoveCats. It wasn't that long ago I was new to the LoveCats as well. I like the sound of us being a pride (-:
Hey Anna - you're right, it was just not so long ago that you joined the pride, but it simply wouldn't be the lovecats without you now. Am starting to feel the same way about Michelle already. Strange how quickly that happens, yes?
ReplyDeleteHi, Anna, and thanks! You're certainly looking suitably sleek and feline in the sandbox here... as if you've always belonged:-) And it has to be said that everyone is doing their best to make me feel welcome.
ReplyDeleteYou know what, Rachel? I'm feeling like "one of the cats" already!
Ooh, a collective noun for LoveCats... this could be a fun game. A Hearth of LoveCats? A Coolness of LoveCats? Pride does have very nice connotations, though.
Welcome to LoveCats Michelle. Please don't write any posts that out nowhere make me cry (like you seem to manage in your books!). Although I do wish I knew how you did it!! :-)
ReplyDeleteAs for joining something new, we moved almost 2 years ago, from inland to the coast, and everything was new. The most odd being the book club I transferred to. In my old book club average age was thirty-something, new book club, sixty-something. My old book club was laid back and relaxed. New book club has unwritten rules and is quite structured. It took a long while to settle in, but I look forward to each meeting now.
Cath
LOL, Cath, I'll do my best (she says really, really hoping you mean crying in a good way!).
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like your move was quite a culture shock! I really like the sound of both your book clubs. Glad to hear you've settle in :-)
Hi Cath - I laughed at your request that Michelle doesn't make you spontaneously fall into a heap of tears with blog posts!
ReplyDeleteOh, interesting culture shock with the new book club. I guess the fact that you're looking forward to each meeting is the proof in the pudding. Thanks for dropping by!
Michelle, I DEFINITELY meant crying in a good way! Cath
ReplyDeletePhew! Breathing a sigh of relief:-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cath!