A month of celebration

This is me with my Blush version
of Cassie's Grand Plan in Big W!

July has been a big month for me! Please excuse me taking a moment to review all the amazing things that have been going on, but I feel like celebrating! And to help make the celebrations even better, I've got a book giveaway too -- so read on!

1. The first exciting thing for July was that my first SuperRomance, "Cassie's Grand Plan" came out this month in Australia under the "Blush" imprint.

It first appeared in North America in March, and I was lucky enough to be in the US then and I got to see my book on the shelves there. But there's something quite special about seeing your book on the shelves in your home town. I can't explain what the difference is. Maybe it's not a different feeling at all, just a new kind of excitement at seeing your book is really real.

2. I received the advance author copies of my second SuperRomance "In His Eyes" which is out in North America in August and Australia in September. (And having just gone to Amazon to find that link, I've just discovered it's number 5 on the SuperRomance best sellers list -- yippee!) I am absolutely in love with this cover -- it's so atmospheric and dramatic.

I worked so hard on this book and I can't even tell you how many boxes of tissues I went through when I was writing it. I'm hoping that effort and emotional energy comes through to readers. I've already had someone "complain" about me making them cry! I guess authors are kind of unique in taking that sort of thing as a compliment...

The book has obviously been blessed by the cover fairies, because I've also received the cover of the Blush release of "In His Eyes" when it comes out in September -- isn't it gorgeous? I'm thinking the art department at Mills and Boon Australia decided to take the title of the book literally and went to find a cover model with the most amazing eyes ever. I think they succeeded!

3. Last, but certainly not least, I sold book number three to SuperRomance! It's untitled as yet, but for the moment it's going by the name of "Dean and Jess's story". I can give you a very sneaky previeiw and say that it involves weddings, dogs, vampires, Twitter, muscle cars and comic books. Intrigued? I hope so.

The rest of my July is going to be filled with writing as I get stuck into Dean and Jess and get their story ready to submit. It's exciting to have a deadline. I wonder if authors are unique in liking deadlines, too?

I hope July has been an exciting month for you. Please leave me a comment to let me know about anything fun or exciting that's happened for you this month. I'll choose a commenter at random to receive signed copies of both the Blush version of Cassie's Grand Plan and an advance copy of In His Eyes.

When does a newbie stop being a newbie?

by Emmie Dark

I've been considering this question this week, because I've just received the author copies of my second Harlequin SuperRomance, In His Eyes. (In His Eyes is out in August in North America.)

I have to say, opening this box was just as fantastic an experience as the first time around. But it also wasn't quite the same. I knew what to expect. I knew what it would look like when I slit open the tape and pulled back the cardboard flaps of the box. Which is not to say it wasn't exciting -- just that there was that element of "firstness" that wasn't there.

I've also just recently seen the Australian cover of Cassie's Grand Plan - my first international version. It's on sale in Australia next week (July)!

I've seen authors' photos of translations of their Harlequin books (even into manga) and I think it must be wonderful to see your work in a different language, reaching a whole new range of readers. I can't wait to see my first (assuming it happens!).

There's something about "firstness", isn't there? I mean, our first kiss, for example, isn't necessarily the best kissing experience of our lives. But we remember it, don't we? (And we can say the same thing for other more "grown up" firsts!)

And so, to get back to my original point, I've been wondering. If, now that I have a second book about to hit the shelves and my first book issued under a different imprint (two important author "firsts"), I can still call myself a newbie author. I still definitely feel like one -- I'm still so dependent on the wisdom of other authors and my editor to help when strange questions crop up or something unexpected happens.

I think there needs to be a new term invented. If I'm no longer an L-plater, then what's the authorly version of a P-plater?

In-keeping with my theme of "firsts", I'm going to make this post my first-ever Blush giveaway. Tell me about your favourite "first" (keep it ladylike!) and I'll send a copy of Cassie's Grand Plan (the Aussie Blush imprint) to the story I like best.