What's On the Box....

By Helen Lacey

I don't get to watch much television. With my writing, my day job, a husband, three horses, three dogs, two cats and an elderly parent (plus a sizable extended family), time often seems to be in short supply and if I do have any I generally prefer to read or spend as much time writing as I can. But there are a few shows I love....

- Big Bang Theory....I love the banter between the characters and it always makes me smile, much like Frasier or MASH have done in the past.

- Supernatural....okay, I'm a girl and a huge Dean Winchester fan. And because there's often a humorous element to the storylines, it really can't be taken all that seriously.

- Air Crash Investigation....yeah, I have a somewhat morbid curiosity about this show, but can't seem to help myself listen as they go through the clues to find out the how's and the why's of the crashes.

 - Bold And The Beautiful....half an hour of tossing hair and deep sighs and cued pauses....what's not to love? But I don't get to see this much as it's on during the day, so I catch maybe one episode a week (and can still follow the storylines....go figure)

- Downtown Abbey.... I did watch this until they killed off poor Matthew Crawley...my heart it seems is forever broken and I haven't quite summoned the heart to try again. So it probably shouldn't be on the list, but I liked it enough to give it a plug.

Now,  a week ago I gave in to all the hype and peer pressure and watched the first two episodes of Game Of Thrones....then I made a teeny comment on Facebook and people came out of the woodwork to tell how wonderful it was. Alas, I didn't find it so. The murder, rape, incest, betrayal, animal mutilation....to name just a few things....well, they kind of disturbed me and I felt like I was having a minor panic attack the whole time I watched the show. I was on edge and uncomfortable for the entre duration. And yes, I've never been one for graphic violence - I'd much rather watch When Harry Met Sally than The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. And I read mostly contemporary romance or biographies, although I love Austen and devour any BBC adaption of any of her  books. Murder and mayhem aren't generally my cup of tea - unless is wrapped up in a Sci-Fi movie, al-la Terminator or Start Trek. But as a writer I am interested in plot and characters and storytelling. So I tried with this show. And failed in spectacular fashion. Much to the despair and outrage of several of my friends. I was looking for a hero in the two episodes I watched, and couldn't find one - someone redeemable - but he or she never came. And the violence put me off because it seemed unrelenting.

So, did I bail too soon after just two episodes? Probably. And since my husband just bought the first couple of seasons of Sons Of Anarchy, I think I'm about to do the same thing again.

Have you ever bailed on a TV show or a book? Or walked out on a movie at the cinema?
Love to hear about it if you have.

Charming inspiration!

Today is release day for my new Destiny Romance novella, "Charmed"! Charmed is a spicy hot read that's a contemporary romance with a magical twist - Melanie, the heroine, just happens to be able to read minds. And is that a blessing or a curse?? Well, you'll just have to read to find out. ;)

A common question for authors is where they get their inspiration. It sounds like a straightforward question, but it's actually got a complicated answer for me, because inspiration for my writing comes from so many different places.

In the case of Charmed, there were two things about the characters that instantly came to my mind. Let's talk about Michael, the hero, first.

He's an accountant. Boring, right? No way! He's the rockstar of accountants -- he's a surfer boy, an adventure traveller, and I'm sure he's done all those dangerous holiday sports, bungy jumping, jet boating, etc.

The thing that stuck in my mind when I pictured him was his hair. I saw him running his fingers through his hair as a gesture whenever he was confused, or overwhelmed, or thinking things through. (Or, possibly, being driven out of his mind by passion!) One actor, famed for his gorgeous locks, came to mind.

Jared Padalecki is probably most famous for playing Sam Winchester in Supernatural. He often runs his fingers through his hair in that role, and that's exactly what I pictured.

My heroine, Melanie, didn't come quite so easily to mind. That is, in terms of her looks. The one thing that I was clear on very early on was her wardrobe. A strange little bit of inspiration, I know! But I could very clearly picture exactly what she would wear, and it was exactly like Nina Proudman from the Aussie TV drama, Offspring.

Those filmy scarves, and jangly beads, and boho-gypsy chic were very clear in my head.

It's Melbourne winter during Charmed, so the weather is typically changeable. That means it's more about jackets and warm coats than flippy skirts, but the aesthetic would still be the same. (There is, in fact, a whole series of blog posts dedicated to helping you dress like Nina Proudman!)

 

Mel and Michael have a few challenges thrown their direction, and they're not just about haircare and fashion choices. There's an entanglement with the magic council, a big matter in Michael's past, and pesky Aunt Gertrude always getting in the way.

 

I hope you'll enjoy Charmed -- it was such fun to write, especially with two such quirky, inspirational characters at the heart of it!

 

Before I go, I just want to add one other little piece of news -- you may know already, but I'm about to head off on a new adventure, living in San Francisco. This is my last blog post with the gorgeous Lovecats, and I'm saying a sad but fond farewell to all the other kitties! I do hope to come back and visit with special news every now and then. In the meantime, my heartfelt thanks to the Lovecats for being such wonderful authors to work with, and my fondest wishes to all the Lovecats readers for you comments and interaction -- wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a great New Year!

 

 

Covers, characters and a giveaway!

by Emmie Dark

Hi Lovecatters! It's an exciting month for me. Not only has my brand new novella Spellbound hit the e-shelves with Destiny publishing, I've also just received the cover art for my June SuperRomance!

I've totally been blessed by the cover fairies this month. Check out Spellbound:

Isn't it gorgeous? Sexy, a little mysterious, and somehow magical -- perfectly in sync with the quirky spice of the story. Personally, I also think that guy has one very sexy shoulder/chest. I think, maybe, it's because he's wearing a singlet and not showing just bare skin. What do you think? Are we in the romance world a little weary of naked-chested hunks? (Is such a thing possible??)

And here's the cover for Just For Today...

I've got a story about the cover for Just For Today. It's funny how different books can be. For me, most of the time when I'm writing, I don't usually have an exceptionally strong sense of how my characters look. I mean, I know what color their hair is, and their eyes,  as well as any quirks like scars, etc, but when I picture them in my mind's eye, I don't often have a crystal-clear image of their faces.

That was totally different with Just For Today. I knew exactly, right from the start, what my hero and heroine looked like.

My hero was the spitting image of Jensen Ackles from the TV show Supernatural. He seems to be a perennial favourite with romance authors -- I do see his mug pasted up on Facebook more often than most.

And I think you can see why.

Apart from the jaw and chiselled chin, the hair was a big thing. My hero, Sean, does his hair exactly like that. And it gets referred to a lot in the book.

My heroine, Jess, also sprang into my mind's eye just as quickly and fully formed. She was Erin Karpluk from the TV show Being Erica. (If you haven't seen it, you absolutely must! It's wonderful!)

Jess had that same long, flowing hair and very natural, down-to-earth look. She's also a little older than Sean (a little more world-wearied, too) and I thought the two of them worked perfectly together. (I was thrilled to discover, long after the book was written and submitted, that Jensen and Erin shared screen time in the show Dark Angel -- unfortunately not romantically!)

Now go back and look at the cover for Just For Today -- don't I owe the talent scouts in the art department at Harlequin a beer??

I haven't got my advance copies of Just For Today yet. But leave a comment and I'll send one lucky commenter a copy as soon as they arrive. You'll be among the first in the world to read it!

How much notice do you take of the way characters look on the covers as compared to how they're described in the book? How clearly do you picture your characters when you're writing?