Do You Vlog?

I have to admit it - I've become a fan of story-telling via vlogs - video blogs. Especially the vlogs for fictional characters. I've been thinking about this recently because a friend gave me a full set of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries. (Shallow Reader - and she's also responsible for introducing me to some of the vlogs below, so I'm muchly grateful.) 

So I want to show you a few of my favourites and if you follow any others, I'd love some suggestions!


1. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. 

This one was huge in 2012 / 2013 and won a heap of awards, including an Emmy for "Outstanding Creative Achievement In Interactive Media - Original Interactive Program". It's an adaptation of Pride & Prejudice, with Lizzie being a modern woman studying communications at uni and she starts a vlog as part of her assessment. Here's the first episode so you can see for yourself:





2. Lil Women.

These are set in the time period of Little Women, but the characters speak like modern girls. They make me laugh more every time I watch them. They don't really form a narrative together the way the LBD episodes do,  they're more for dipping in and making you smile.






3. Emma Approved

This is from the same team that brought us LBD, this time based on Austen's Emma. I haven't been able to get into this one as much, probably partly to do with the character of Emma being a tricky one to pull off. Or maybe I need to give it another try.






4. Kissing in the Rain

I'm new to this one but already I'm loving it. The episodes follow two actors who are regularly working together on scenes where they end up kissing in the rain. Then the cameras stop rolling and you see the actors interacting between takes. They can't stand each other, which makes the episodes quirky and fun.







5. Green Gables Fables


This is based on Anne of Green Gables, and is another one I'm new to, but I'm liking it. There are only 10 episodes so far, and they post a new episode each week.
 




There are heaps of others being made, which I find exciting. Have you ever watched any of these shows? Or other shows made of webisodes? I'd love some recommendations for future viewing!

 

Covers - a many splendoured thing by Amy Andrews

One of the biggest thrills as an author is when you start receiving your foreign translations in the mail. I love it! :-)
Someone suggested in Annie West's fab cover blog  last week how interesting it would be to see the same book in all its different foreign translations. Well....your wish is my command :-)

First book is The Devil and the Deep. I wasn't too thrilled with the English covers.

But I have loved the translations!

Korean!

Lithuanian!

German

Second is Driving Her Crazy. This is a book that was truly blessed by the cover fairies in just about every incantation. I loved the English versions.

UK Hardcover

UK Riva Edition

US KISS version

And the translations. Note how popular the original KISS version of the cover was with all the translation markets. I love how they've each altered the cover slightly though to give it their own twist! 

Italian

Poland

Sweden

German

Last is The Italian Count's Baby. Again I was underwhelmed by the English covers...

The UK hardback - eww! 

The Presents version

My first Manga

        Japanese version has a dust jacket

But I have 3! Japanese translations including my first Manga to make up for the other two :-)




 I particularly love this Italian version because I actually have a picture of me in this almost same exact spot in Ravello in the Amalfi coast hinterland. I was very excited to see this one!








So, what do you reckon? Mixed bag there, right?  Any of them stand outs for you?

Sunday Smooch by Amy Andrews

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from  Amy Andrews but first 


... the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is Helen Sibritt!


Can you please contact Jacqui Jacoby on jaxfacts (at) aol (dot) com to receive your prize


And now for today's Sunday Smooch from The Surgeon's Meant To Be Bride.......

Amy says -
My backlist is finally being digitalised (yay!) and the TSMTBB is one of the first. Its from 2006 and for many years was my fav book. I know we're not supposed to have favourites but...... :-)  Its a fast-paced medical drama/reunion story set in a MASH style unit in the middle of an African war zone and takes place over the period of one day - each chapter counting down the last 24 hours of their mission. And I think it has one of the best black moments I've ever written!

Unfortunately due to Geo-restrictions the new kindle edition is available only to US amazon customers (and only $3.82) a fact I am currently trying to remedy! You do however have a chance to win it below :-)

 

Nurse Harriet Remy and her surgeon husband, Guillaume, thought they had the perfect marriage. They loved working for an overseas medical-aid service and children were never part of their plan—until Harriet's fertility came under threat and her subsequent desire for a baby came between them.
After a year apart, they're together on their final assignment. Gill still adores his wife and for him the assignment becomes more than work, it becomes a mission to save his marriage. And this time he's prepared to do whatever it takes to keep his bride by his side—forever.

Scene set-up
Harriet has marched to Gill's room with the divorce papers.....

The door opened abruptly and Harriet was confronted with his magnificent naked chest. She looked into his grumpy face and watched as he bit off a retort and a slow lazy smile warmed his sleepy face. Oh hell! 

Of all the men in all the world she had to marry one that looked like a naughty angel.

“Harry,” he murmured.

His morning voice stroked across her skin, sending every nerve ending in her body into a complete frenzy. She knew where the line was today. And she was standing on it.

“I’m sorry I woke you,” she said lifting her eyes off his smooth pectoral muscles and trying to shut down her peripheral vision so she couldn’t see the bulge of his naked biceps.

“I’m not,” he said.

Harriet frowned at him. He lifted a hand and caressed the St Christopher hanging from the delicate silver chain around her neck. He had a mouth that was made for kissing and Harriet could feel herself teetering on the line. She wanted to lean forward and draw his soft bottom lip into her mouth and bite it.

She could feel his gentle tug on the necklace drawing her into the room. Harriet resisted. She knew that crossing the line was not what this was about. 

Give him the papers and go. Run like the wind.

Harriet brought the yellow envelope up between them, abruptly displacing his hand.

“What’s this?” he asked, a small smile playing on his lips and dancing in his grey eyes.

“Divorce papers,” she said, and felt stronger just saying the words.

Gill stared for a moment and shot her another slow smile as he took the envelope from her. He tossed it over his shoulder and Harriet heard it land on the floor behind him.

“Gill...” she chided softly. “I need you to sign them. It’s time.”

He stood to one side and gestured her into the room with a flourish of his deft surgeon’s hands.

Harriet shook her head vehemently. “No.” She knew what would happen if she put her foot over the line. His quarters were three meters by three and dominated by an unmade bed and an undressed man.

“Harriet,” he sighed, but she could see the sparkle of amusement lighting his eyes, “I’m not going to discuss our divorce with you in the corridor.”

His rich, deep voice oozed like warm chocolate, coating her in its sweet, sticky web. He held out his hand to her. It sounded so reasonable. She looked behind her at the empty hallway and hesitated only briefly before taking his hand and feeling the gentle tug pulling her over the line.

When he reached behind her and pulled her hair free she didn’t protest. Nor did she when he kissed her. In fact she welcomed it greedily, ready to join in this dance they did so well, eager to be naked with him one last time.

Are you a fan of reunions stories? Would you buy a couple re-uniting in a 24 hour period?? 

Leave me a comment for a chance to go into the draw to win a copy of The Surgeon's Meant-To-Be-Bride.

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced and a smooch from Sue Mackay will be posted!

Smooch Graphic by WebWeaver