Going Global Once Again!

Just had to share a quickie before I brave the icy mix in Boston to see my dentist today. Nynke, one of my international readers and cyber-pal, sent me the link to this Dutch version of VEXING THE VISCOUNT. She says the title has been changed (which happens a lot!) to WHEN HE KISSED HER. I love the colors!

Thanks, Nynke!

Will the Real Courtesan Please Stand Up?

Yesterday I got a call from my mom.

She's reading VEXING THE VISCOUNT and she was fascinated by the journal my heroine Daisy uses to learn about men. It's the memoirs of the French courtesan, Blanche La Tour, a woman who has plenty to remember!

Anyway, my mom wondered if there really was a Mlle. La Tour. I suspect she wanted to read the actual journal rather than rely on the excerpts from it at the start of each VEXING THE VISCOUNT chapter. She thought the courtesan sounded wise and witty and a little sad. She wanted to know more about her.


Imagine my chagrine when I had to admit there was no Blanch La Tour--other than the one who lives in my head! I had released my "inner courtesan" to create this rather naughty mentoring character. And the only parts of her ficticious journal in existence are the snippets "quoted" in VEXING THE VISCOUNT.

Mom was shocked. She totally believed there had been a living, breathing Blanche in the 18th century and I had somehow unearthed her memoirs. (I chose to take this as a compliment, but then I also have to square with the idea that my mother now knows I have a French courtesan in my head!) All I could do was point her to my website, where I talk a bit more about Blanche and a courtesan's lifestyle. All I know is the result of careful research (in the library!) I promise!

Is there something about you you'd rather your mom not know?

Going Dutch!

I'm soooo excited! I just have to share!DISTRACTING THE DUCHESS (which is currently up for a Book Buyers Best Award) is already available in the Dutch language. But I just received a letter from Dorchester letting me know that PLEASURING THE PIRATE and VEXING THE VISCOUNT have just sold to a Dutch publisher and will follow their older sister to the land of Hans Christian Andersen.



When I was growing up, my dad always warned me that certain things would get me "in Dutch," which was his way of saying "Stay out of trouble!" However, the Dutch language has been a lucky one for me. My debut Diana Groe book MAIDENSONG was my first title to sell in Dutch.


Then ERINSONG followed quickly. As you can see, the Dutch publisher produces its own covers for the books they choose to market. (Thanks again, Nynke for helping me find this cover art!)

As soon as I learn what the Dutch make of my PIRATE and VISCOUNT, I'll be posting those too!

Have a wonderful weekend. The DH and I are planning to go to Boston Harbor to see the flotilla of Tall Ships that are visiting now. What are you doing?

Join Me over at Joy's House!

IRL, I'm boarding a cruise ship today, but online I'm over at Joy Nash's COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER! . Joy asked me to post an excerpt from VEXING THE VISCOUNT and I'll be giving away a signed book from my backlist to someone who leaves a comment over at Joy's blog!

Come on over and join in the party!



Even though I'll be boarding a cruiseship in just a few minutes, I do have some posts set to go for you. Here's what's coming:

Monday the 11th: Tiffany James is popping by to guest blog. Please stop over and show her some love!

Tuesday the 12th: I posted a wonderful pic that's my inspiration for my newest hero, Crispin Hawke in STROKE OF GENIUS. He's totally delicious!

Wednesday the 13th: I'm in an island state of mind. Join me for some palm tree joy.

Thursday the 14th: Especially for aspiring writers! I post a little of my MEAT ON THE BONES workshop about developing characters who breathe on their own. Readers will enjoy a peek behind the scenes at what an author thinks about when devising her hero and heroine.

Have a fantastic week!

Romantic Times in Orlando

I'm on the move again! Today I'm blogging over at MyHumbleOpinion sharing a scene that almost didn't make it into VEXING THE VISCOUNT. Be sure to leave a comment or question there for a chance at TJ's monthly goodie basket!



Today, as promised, I'm sharing my RT Convention experience. As you can see from the pic above, the Orlando Wyndham was a lovely place--peaceful, serene, the only riot was in the profuse plantings of azaleas, magnolias and begonias. But if you go inside the Convention Center, it was a whole different animal.

You might just see a pirate kissing a mermaid in the hall outside of Club RT. And inside the club, you could chat with your favorite authors, shop for jewelry and "convention" clothes (lovely shawls and such), have your sketch drawn by an artist who was totally entertaining when he talked and fascinating when he drew, or visit with the companies who offered author promo services.


My roommate, NY Times Bestseller Bobbi Smith sponsored a photo op for S.O.S. (Save Our Soldiers) You could get your picture taken with the hunks who were competing in the Mr. Romance Contest, sponsored by Dorchester Publishing. These guys were not only fine to look upon, they were genuinely nice. (More about them tomorrow!)

After the sun went down, you could dance the night away. At the Vampire Ball, a seriously pregnant gal got up and led the crew in a hysterical rendition of Michael Jackson's THRILLER! (Pay no attention to the date stamp on this photo. That's only one of the many things I don't understand about the camera I was using!)

And you didn't have to be a 20-something to rock the house. The cute vampire on the right is 83 years young! You should have seen them in their fairy costumes! (I was unfortunately having a fight the camera the night of the Fairy Ball. Anyone who has picks from then, please send me some! emily (at) emilybryan.com No spaces. Thanks!)

But one of the biggest thrills of my week was meeting a couple of my "blog touristas." Here are Jane L and Maureen (aka 2nd Chance). What a treat! Jane wore my VEXING THE VISCOUNT button all week and I swear, she spoke to everybody at the convention about my books. Who needs a PR firm when you've got friends like that! Love ya, girls! (Oh! And they both pitched their WIPs and got requests from editors and agents! Woohoo!)


More tomorrow. Please remember to visit me at MyHumbleOpinion today!

Blind Fortune

Please welcome one of my online friends, Joanna Waugh!

Widowed in her late forties, Joanna Waugh retired from her job installing electric meters to read and write Regency romance full-time. (Unlike the heroines she writes about, Joanna’s choices weren't limited to governess or street walker when it came to keeping a roof over her family's head!) She lives a stone’s throw from Lake Michigan and the Indiana dunes. Her debut novel, BLIND FORTUNE, released in trade paperback from Cerridwen Press in February.

Joanna and I had a chance to sit down with a cup of cyber-coffee recently and talk about things. Help yourself to a cup, put up your feet and join us. As always when I have a guest, my words will be in bold, Joanna will be speaking italics today!

Thanks for inviting me to your blog, Emily. And congratulations on the recent release of Vexing the Viscount. I love the tagline – “you only vex the one you love.” My kind of book!

My pleasure, Joanna and thanks for your kind words about my VISCOUNT. Like my heroine Daisy, I loved vexing my viscount hero. Tell me, what do you love most about your hero?

I’m a fan of stories that start out with the main characters disliking each other, then wind up falling in love. I adore a flawed hero redeemed in the end by his love for the heroine. In the opening of BLIND FORTUNE, Lord Granville is rude and arrogant. The fellow nods off on the couch during a morning call on his prospective bride, for heaven’s sake! Not the behavior of a proper Regency gentleman. Neither is Granville’s response very gentlemanly when Lady Fortuna says she intends to do everything in her power to prevent him from marrying her young cousin. Despite her blindness, Fortuna sees the marquess for what he really is—self-serving and emotionless. As for Granville, he’s never been challenged so directly by a woman before! He thinks Lady Fortuna is a termagant in need of a lesson. But the real lesson is for him—and it’s about love.

Writers come from so many different backgrounds and I have to admit, you are the first I've ever met who installed electric meters! I so admire people who are clever with their hands. Who inspired you to start writing?

As a youngster, I loved biographies of early Americans--George Washington, Louisa May Alcott, Stephen Decatur. But it was Disney’s Swamp Fox television series that prodding me into writing historical romance. I taught myself to type so I could pen my first book, The British Are Coming! It was about an American girl falling in love with a British soldier during the Revolutionary War. Unfortunately, I never finished it. Right in the middle, I got sidetracked by the Beatles.

I don’t know what ever happened to that book. When my folks moved, it probably was tossed into the trash along with the rest of the flotsam and jetsam.

One short story from that time did survive, however. During my Beatles craze I had a British pen pal. We corresponded all through high school, then lost track of one another in our early twenties. A few years ago, Roger found me on the Internet and we started emailing. Back when we used to correspond by snail mail, I’d written a short story for him. Turns out, he’d kept it all these years! I was thrilled when he emailed me a scanned copy. It was fascinating to discover glimpses of the adult writer I would become in the wordy prose of my teenage self.

What fun! Reminds me of the time I cast myself and 3 of my girlfriends in a MONKEES episode. (Wasn't Davy Jones just the cutest thing?) That was probably my first novella, actually, scrawled on a yellow legal pad. Think I was all of 9. Back to adult fiction. What was the hardest part of Blind Fortune to write?

As the title suggests Lady Fortuna is sightless, which meant I couldn’t use visual cues in her point of view. Not an easy thing to do; it was so darned easy to slip up. Thank heaven for my crit group! They would catch me out every time.

Looking back, I see now that BLIND FORTUNE was another milestone along the road of my evolution as a writer. And not just because it’s my first published book, which certainly is important! BLIND FORTUNE taught me to think about every word I put to paper.

Fascinating and an interesting exercise in using your other senses. Just for fun, what's your favorite place/thing/person in the world?

I love to walk the Lake Michigan shore as the sun sets over the Chicago skyline to the west. I was born and have lived my whole life within the shadow of the Indiana dunes. I’ve always felt tied to the lake by an invisible umbilical cord. When I spend too much time away, it tugs me back.

As for my favorite person…Without a doubt it has to be my late husband, Gary. He was a great storyteller in his own right. No doubt due to those excellent Waugh genes, which my son also inherited. I loved Gary’s sense of humor. At a party once, he and a friend got into a “joke off.” They traded themed stories back and forth--one of them would tell a joke about a dog and the other would counter--until they exhausted each other’s repertoire. Then they started another topic. We poor spectators laughed until the tears ran down our cheeks.

When Gary lost his eyesight to diabetes, he could have turned bitter. No one would have blamed him. Instead, he worked hard to make others comfortable in his company. And he succeeded. When people met Gary, they often were shocked to learn he couldn’t see. BLIND FORTUNE is a testament to his intrepid spirit.

And a beautiful testament, too. Thanks so much for sharing him with us.

I understand you're going to the Romantic Times Convention this year, as I am. Tell me, do you do the whole fairy thing? If so, describe your costume.

(laughing) No fairy costume for me! If I was to dress up, it would have to be as a fairy godmother. I will be attending the fairy ball, however. Last year was my first Romantic Times Convention and I had a fantastic time! I met loads of wonderful people and hope to meet many more next week. And to encourage folks to introduce themselves, I’m holding a contest just for RT attendees.

Drop by my table at the book signing on Saturday, April 25th and register to win a set of custom-made jewelry. No book purchase is necessary. The winner will be notified by email on Monday, April 27th. To see a photo of the jewelry, go to http://www.joannawaugh.com/Reviews___Promo.html

Sounds like a great way to make some new friends, Joanna! Here's a blurb of BLIND FORTUNE.

When what a lady hears isn’t always the truth, she must learn to see with her heart and trust the rest to…
BLIND FORTUNE
by Joanna Waugh

They say love is blind, but Lady Fortuna Morley doesn’t believe it. Sightless since birth, she can think of only one reason a gentleman would wed her—for the dowry and three thousand pounds a year her father will provide. She’s in London the spring of 1814 to help launch her younger cousin into society, but prefers living quietly in country with her music. The last thing Fortuna wishes is to cross swords with the arrogant Marquess of Granville.

Charles Lowden, Lord Granville, has decided to take a wife. The bride he’s chosen is thirteen years his junior, but meets all criteria. What he won’t abide is interference from the girl’s impertinent cousin, the outspoken and opinionated Lady Fortuna Morley. The woman is determined to thwart the match. Charles is just as determined to charm Fortuna out of her disdain for him.

What neither expects in this battle of wills is to fall in love.

Here are some other ways to connect with Joanna on the web:

Read excerpts from BLIND FORTUNE, on my website

Purchase the book at:
Cerridwen Press
Amazon.com

Be sure to friend me on Myspace
and Facebook

Follow my blog about British customs and traditions at www.joannawaugh.blogspot.com

And last but not least, join my yahoo group

And for my blog readers, Joanna has a special treat!

Leave a comment today and your name goes into a hat for an autographed copy of BLIND FORTUNE. I’ll post the winner tomorrow in the comments section of this article. Be sure to check back!

Thanks again for having me, Emily! See you all at RT!

Thank you, Joanna. I look forward to seeing you in Orlando next week. Well, you heard the woman. Leave a comment or question for a chance to win! Enjoy!

Mr. Romance Contest

Every year my publisher Dorchester sponsors the Mr. Romance Contest at the Romantic Times Convention. That means all week long, aspiring cover models will be mixing with the attendees trying to garner the votes required to be named Mr. Romance (and be featured on a future Dorchester cover!) One of the favorite parts of the competition is the Pose Down. Each competitor appears dressed as a Leisure Book/LoveSpell Hero. Last year, Ryan Gardner appeared as Gabriel Drake, my PIRATE hero. This year, one lucky lad will get to strut his stuff as Lucian Beaumont, Viscount Rutland, my hero from VEXING THE VISCOUNT.

When Dorchester's marketing guru, Erin Galloway asked me to send her an idea about how Lucian might dress, I forwarded this example. Those of you who've seen THE DUCHESS movie will recognize it as one of Ralph Fiennes' (Thanks, Nynke!) outfits. Then Erin asked me to write a little blurb to describe Lucian so the Mr. Romance Contestant will have an idea how to portray him during the posedown. Here's what I sent her:

Lucian Beaumont, Viscount Rutland is every inch a gentleman. But don't let the silks and lace fool you. Beneath the civilized facade, he's darkly dangerous, a wicked swordsman who's not afraid to get his hands dirty. And he's even more dangerous without that silk shirt since the manual labor of excavating a Roman ruin has honed his body to rival a Roman god's. Best of all, Lucian is a rarity for his age and station. He's a virgin. He's been too busy rebuilding his family's fortune to court a bride, too poor to keep a mistress and too fair-minded to ruin a willing serving girl. But Lucian's a quick study and he's looking for the right woman to instruct him in love--a knowledgable woman who will complete his education and teach him all he needs to know about pleasing her!

Anyone want to apply for the position?

Doggone Cute!

A reader recently send me this pic of her puppy, Daisy Jane, with her copy of VEXING THE VISCOUNT! Isn't this too cute! Apparently, Daisy Jane thinks Vexing The Viscount is a "keeper!"



If you take a pic of you, your dog, your pet squirrel or your teddy bear with my book, I'll find a way to post it. If I get enough of them, I'll create a special page on the website (unless my DH who moonlights as 'O Mighty Webmaster' complains that I'm using too many bites.) But I'll find a way to display them one way or another.

Get those cameras clicking!

Interview with a Courtesan!

In VEXING THE VISCOUNT, our heroine Daisy Drake must masquerade as a courtesan in order to trick Lucian (the vexed viscount himself!) into letting her help him find a lost Roman treasure. Daisy knows nothing of sensual love but what she’s read in a real courtesan’s very explicit journal. I tracked down the author of that naughty bit of literature, the elusive Mlle. Blanche La Tour.

Emily Bryan: Hello Blanche. Thanks for taking time to visit with us today.

Blanche: (smothering a yawn) But, of course. You’re my author. Did I have a choice?

Emily Bryan: Well, no.

Blanche: (shrugging) Next time, may I request we meet later in the day? I rarely rise before noon, you know. Occupational hazard.

Emily Bryan: Ah, yes, the business of pleasure. Revealing your trade secrets in writing is a risky enterprise. Are you aware that Daisy Drake is using your journal to impersonate you?

Blanche: (looses a silvery peal of laughter that fizzes in the ear like champagne bubbles) How utterly delicious! If she’s pretending to be me, I’m sure Miss Drake will have a wonderful time.

Emily Bryan: You’re not angry that someone has assumed your identity?

Blanche: I support whatever helps a person release their sensual nature. You used to do a little stagework, Emily, when you sang professional opera. You know the liberating nature of an assumed identity. A little role playing is a healthy thing, don’t you think?

Emily: We’re not talking about me right now.

Blanche: (lips curve in a knowing smile) So you say.

If you'd like to peek in on the rest of this interview, click over to Dorchester Publishing! Blanche reveals more of her courtesan's heart.

And for even more from the notorious Blanche La Tour, visit my COURTESAN CLUB!

A Cosmic Joke

Just received the revisions from my editor for my novella MY LADY BELOW STAIRS for the Christmas anthology yesterday. Yeah, I know. Weird to be thinking about Christmas on the first day of spring.

The even weirder part was that there were so few changes. She LOVED the story. My manuscript was peppered with LOL's and happy faces. (It was wonderful to hear--we writers are a notoriously needy bunch!) But the thing that really surprised me was when she told me she laughed hardest during the last 30 pages or so.

Those were the pages I wrote while I was in serious pain recovering from my colon cancer surgery and blogging my head off with my 50day/50blog VEXING THE VISCOUNT tour.

The moral of this story is: Comedy springs from . . . pain? Maybe. (I won't give credit to painkillers. I was down to Advil by then and it didn't begin to touch the deep ache, but I'm already addicted to Cherry Coke Zero and M & M's. The last thing I need is a drug habit.)

At the heart of every joke is a reversal of sorts. You expect "X" and you're slapped in the face with "Y." Maybe the comedy in my story was my way of reversing the physical pain I was experiencing at the time.

Writing is still a mystery to me. Somehow, my subconscious fills the pages with things my conscious mind isn't even aware of till I read it back--usually after a bit of time has elapsed. Pressure turns coal into diamonds. Is it possible that pain yields the best comedic timing?

If so, next time, I'll settle for stubbing my toe before I write!

I'm getting ready to do a workshop at RWA Nationals on adding humor. What's the funniest thing you've read lately?

Whose Hand is That?

So my DH was looking at the shiny new Vexing the Viscounts that had come in a big box from Dorchester. His eyebrows drew together and he tipped the book sideways. Then he pointed to the hand partially hidden by the lettering of the title and asked, "Whose hand is that?"

I picked up a copy and squinted at it. I'd been so taken with the yearning between Daisy and Lucian (and his Colin Firth-ish good looks) I hadn't really studied the rest of the art work. From the breastbones down, my characters have quite a game of Twister going on. I think I have it figured out now, but just off the top of your head, whose hand is resting on Daisy's lap?

And while we're on the subject of covers, I thought I'd remind you this St. Patrick's day, that I did once write a romance set in Ireland under my Diana Groe pen name.

She's an Irish princess. He's a Viking raider. Their very births should have made them bitter foes. But sometimes, love doesn't recognize the enemy until it's too late. This story won a rare All About Romance Desert Isle KEEPER Review. And ERINSONG is available at Amazon and B&N.com


Foreign rights to many of my titles have sold, but I have more ERINSONG covers than any other. Here's how my Irish story appeared in German.



This is how the Italians visualized my big hairy Vikings. Love the dragonship and the heroine Brenna's emerald green gown.




Thanks to one of my Dutch readers (you know who you are, Nynke!) I found the Dutch version of ERINSONG online. Is it just me or does it look like there's a little friendly bondage going on here? My hero Jorand certainly seems to be strapped to the neck of the dragonship. And he doesn't seem to mind.

Hope you enjoyed my stroll down book cover lane. Don't forget to leave a note letting me know whose hand you think is on Daisy's lap.

Bon Mots

I love it when I find an intriguing turn of phrase and sigh when I hear tired, over-worked sayings. Today I'm blogging at Love Is An Exploding Cigar. That fresh enough for you? Pop over and share your pet peeve over-worked, trite or sad phrase. This is a great chance for you to win a VEXING THE VISCOUNT!

Wore Slick

That's how my dad would describe it. I'm totally exhausted. What a day! I flew from Boston to Seattle with a stop over in Chicago. I'm staying with my dear friend and she and I finally knocked off at almost 2AM my time! It's just so hard to stop once we get going talking about our stories and brainstorming new ideas.

I'll be speaking at EASTSIDE RWA on March 10--I almost said tomorrow night, but it's already tomorrow! If you're in the Great Northwest please check out their website http://eastsiderwa.org/ for directions and times. I'd love to see you there!

I'll also be blogging all week at BookTalk with J & J The first post is already up and everyday, there'll be more new material. Please leave a comment or questions, 'cause I'll be popping in to chat! And one lucky commenter will win a copy of Vexing the Viscount!

TTYS!
Emily

Two-fer

Today I'm beside myself. Yep, blogging in two places at once. Well, sort of. One post is at Much Cheaper Than Therapy--a fun romance blog and there's an opportunity to win a copy of VEXING THE VISCOUNT over there if you leave a comment or question.



The other is at The Chatelaines--the group blog I share with a terrific circle of historical writers. I'm using that post as a chance to talk about some things that are important to me and about what the definition of masculine really is. (Along with sharing a bit of Friday eye-candy!:))

Hope to see you both places!

LUST IN TIME!

Did you miss out on my 50day/50blog VEXING THE VISCOUNT Tour? Despair not! Today I'm giving an encore performance over at Lust In Time!


Pam and I had a lovely visit about VEXING THE VISCOUNT, the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice award that DISTRACTING THE DUCHESS is up for, and writing in general. As always, I'll be popping in to answer questions, so be sure to leave me a note letting me know you dropped by.

BECAUSE . . . one lucky commenter at Lust In Time will win a signed copy of VEXING THE VISCOUNT!

TTYS,
Emily

Looking for adventure?

Daisy Drake, my heroine in VEXING THE VISCOUNT, is dying for an adventure. Lucian's treasure hunt sounds like just the thing! But why should Daisy and Lucian have all the fun? If adventure and romantic treasure is on your "Gotta Have!" list, here's your jumping off point.

NightOwl Romance put together a totally fun Web Hunt, teaming up with a terrific slate of 14 authors (and they were nice enough to include me!). 4 lucky winners are going to walk off with a whole treasure chest of goodies. Check out the prizes and learn how to enter at http://www.nightowlromance.com/nightowlromance/2009webhuntmarch.asp

Enjoy!

Another American Title V Finalist!

On Thursday, I introduced you to Marie-Claude Bourque and today I'd like you to meet Edie Ramer. Edie is another one of those hardy souls who has made it through several eliminations in the American Title Contest sponsored by Romantic Times and my publisher Dorchester. Once you reach this level, every one of the writers is publication-worthy and like in the Olympics, the final winner is declared by a hair's breadth. When I realized Edie and I are chapter mates (WisRWA--yeah, yeah, I know! I don't live in Wisconsin, but I'm a Midwesterner at heart!) I knew I had to have her on my blog!

Edie has written a ghost story, which fascinates me because I've been toying with adding a ghost to my next historical! I sat down with Edie over a cup of cyber-coffee and had a little chat. (My words are in bold and hers in italics, just to keep things straight.)

Edie, your entry is titled DEAD PEOPLE. What can you tell us about it?

When Cassie Taylor talks, ghosts listen. She wants to heal their souls so they can leave earth. Brooding songwriter Luke Rivers wants to give his recently found daughter a normal home, but he discovers his new house in small town Wisconsin is haunted by a ghost with an attitude. His ghost whisperer has an attitude too--even before someone tries to kill her. So why does he have the hots for her? And why does she lust after him? He wants conventional; she wants acceptance. No wonder she thinks men are hard and DEAD PEOPLE are easy.


How about you? What should the world know about Edie Ramer?

My mother read fairy tales to me and my four siblings when we were young. Small wonder I love a touch of magic in books – and in real life. My favorite people are quirky and strong-minded, so that naturally shows up in my books. Tormented characters, too. Love happy endings, but first the characters need to suffer.

I torture my characters and husband and spoil my dog and cat in my southeastern Wisconsin home. My short stories have been published in National magazines. I'm a co-creator of an inspirational website for writers, www.writeattitude.net, and I blog with Magical Musings. In addition to ATV, I found out last week I finaled in the Chase the Dream contest. This is a great time for me!

Congratulations! Sounds like you're just inches away! And how wonderful to have a mother who read to you. I remember my mom reading Arabian Nights (the watered down version--Burton could get a little risque!) to me and my sisters.

Will have to bookmark your WriteAttitude site!

I've been told American Title is very much like a reality show for authors. Please tell us about your American Title experience.

It's an amazing roller coaster ride. First there's excitement and squeals, telling my family and all my friends. Helen Scott Taylor, last year's winner and author of THE MAGIC KNOT is the ATV mentor, but Mai Christy Thao, a finalist from last year, gave me a lot of advice, too. Everyone gives me advice. I have the best friends and family!

Then the rounds begin. I'm scrambling to let everyone know, and amazed at how many of my friends are helping me. It makes my heart feel bigger. No matter what happens, I'll take that away with me.

The worst part is the eliminations. That's tough on all of us. Every round gets scarier. This round there are only four finalists left, and two will be eliminated. Two will go on to the next round, and one will walk away with a publishing contract. Typing this, I'm getting an uncontrollable urge to eat chocolate.


LOL! Here, Edie, have a cyber-truffle. Decadent, satisfying, and no calories. But let's get back to DEAD PEOPLE. What inspired your story?


DEAD PEOPLE came to me in pieces. For a long time, I've been interested in the subject of life after death. I know people who've had contact with a loved one who passed. It's always been a comforting presence and a fleeting one. But what if the dead person's aim wasn't to comfort? What if she wanted to disrupt the house? What if she wanted to chase the new family away? And why hang around on earth instead of leaving for Heaven?

Another fascination is people who see and talk to dead people. I wondered how this 'gift' would affect a child. What if her father and stepmother treated her like a freak? What if she grew up to be defensive and prickly? What if she was so alone her only friend was a ghost?

In a previous book, I wrote song lyrics and enjoyed doing it. So why not a songwriter hero? A brooding one. Heathcliff with a guitar. Add an unhappy eleven-year old girl. A house that was once part of the Underground Railroad. And a murderer. Not all the pieces -- others I discovered as I wrote -- but enough to know I had a book I wanted to write.

Heathcliff with a guitar! I love it! Sounds like you've really created a wonderful cast and given them plenty to do! Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself or your manuscript?

DEAD PEOPLE was a big step forward in my writing. I had sent the full to an editor, and she called me on the phone, not to buy it, but to tell me she really liked my voice and the characters. She thought the beginning was great, but about a third into the book, it lost momentum. It needed more tension and higher stakes.

As soon as she said all that, I knew she was right. I ended up gutting the middle of the book, which made a lot of changes in the end. My fabulous CPs read the whole thing all over again. I know it's a much better book than the first time. I'm proud of it. Now I have a slip of paper taped onto my computer that says "RAISE THE STAKES!"

With every book, my goal is to write a better book than the previous one. So far I think I've succeeded.

Excellent advice, Edie! Think I'll tape "RAISE THE STAKES!" to my monitor too. Where can readers go to learn more about you and your work?

http://www.edieramer.com
http://www.magicalmusings.com
http://www.loveconquers.wordpress.com
Emily, thanks so much for having me here! It's been fun.

Fun for me, too, Edie. And because she's too Midwestern to say it, I'll tell everybody the most important thing. If you'd like to vote for Edie to continue on in the AMERICAN TITLE contest, please go to http://www.romantictimes.com/news_amtitle3.php and let your voice be heard!

Please post a comment or question for Edie here too. As you can tell, she knows a good deal about the craft of writing. Not everyone can disect a manuscript and reassemble it stronger and more vital than it was. I think I need to know some of what she knows.

VEXING THE VISCOUNT featured on Publishers Weekly

Barbara Vey, of the BEYOND HER BOOK Publishers Weekly blog has featured VEXING THE VISCOUNT today at http://www.publishersweekly.com/blog/880000288/post/490041249.html Barbara is such fun and her blog is always wonderfully entertaining. You'll want to bookmark it!

If you can, please swing by and post a comment for me. This blog is seen by tons of people everyday and is fantastic exposure for me. It would really help to have some reader comments as well. You don't have to sign up for anything in order to comment. Thank you soooo much.

I really appreciate YOU!

Hugs,
Emily

American Title--Down for the Count

Good Morning! My 50day/50blog VEXING THE VISCOUNT Tour is officially over (though I am booked at a few more sites--will keep you posted!) and my Midwestern heart is breathing a sigh of relief. I can finally start talking about someone else now!

I'd like to introduce you to Marie-Claude Bourque. She's an American Title Finalist heading into the final round and the brass ring is a contract with my publisher, Dorchester. I first met Marie-Claude through MySpace and was impressed by her spunkiness, business saavy and most of all by her story ANCIENT WHISPERS.


ANCIENT WHISPERS is a dark paranormal inspired by the poem Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie by Henri Longfellow (1847). It is the story of a bold immortal sorcerer and his obsession to be reunited with the fiancée he lost centuries ago

Gabriel Callan is the youngest member of the Priory of Callan, an ancient Celtic brotherhood of thirteen cursed sorcerers and alchemists, each deadly, each haunted by a tragic past.

Still tortured by the devastating events of the Acadian deportation in 1755, Gabriel wants nothing more than to reunite with his lost soulmate, now reborn to this century as you the cool-headed and practical Lily Bellefontaine.

But Lily, a pediatric nurse, yearn for a peaceful life in her own dream home. She seeks an existence far different from the experiences of her unstable childhood and purposefully ignores her latent psychic abilities. Will she ever be able to accept her fate? And can Gabriel let go of his tragic past to live fully in the present?

I caught up with Marie-Claude and had a little cyber-chat with her about her American Title run. To keep us straight, I've put my words in bold, MC in italics. Thanks for being with us today, Marie-Claude. Could you tell us a little about your experience in the American Title contest?

It’s definitely a wild ride. Past contestants have described it like this but it is only when you live through it that you can really understand what it’s like. It’s really hard because we all want success for all the contestants, but there is only one who will win in the end. So you are always happy to have made it to the next round but sad for those who didn’t.

Then there is this constant pressure of asking for votes. It’s exciting to network and also very tiring. Most people are extremely generous, but sometimes it is hard to have to ask them to help you once again. You feel like all you do is ask for favors. I have so many people out there supporting me and it is so so nice and yet I am constantly afraid to let them down by not making it to the next round. And the closer to the end, the harder it is.

One of the good sides is how much I have learned about networking, setting up my sites, blogging, banners, book trailers and quizzes and what not. That is really fun, trying to find the next thing that will attract people and make my book interesting to them. And of course, the best is all the new friends I have made so far and reconnecting with old friends and relative I have not talked to in a while. That is priceless.

Sounds a little like my blog tour! I've made friends with so many "blog touristas" over the last 50 days, I know if ever we meet in real life, we'll run toward each other for a big hug! But back to your manuscript. Ancient Whispers sounds fascinating. What inspired this story.

I’ve known the story of the Acadian deportation for many years because my family descends from deported Acadians and my grand-father had told me all about it. I was very saddened by the fate of Gabriel and Evangeline in the poem, how they are forced on separate ships on their wedding day and spend their life searching for each others. It got me to think of many tragic lovers of literature and legends, and I decided to use paranormal element to reunite them on paper. I’m a big fantasy geek, I’ve played Dungeons and Dragons for a while, so I used that for inspiration. I have also studied Pagan witchcraft for a few years now and I wanted to use that and portray realistic ritual magic using what I know.

I love that your family history and a poem are your inspiration. What else would you like us to know about YOU?


I’m a former oceanographer and fitness professional, currently a stay-at-home mom to my two beautiful boys, and going back to school soon to become a Physics teacher. I’m also a French Canadian from Québec City and feel like I have lived everywhere. I am now settled in the Pacific Northwest with my family. Besides writing, I like coffee shops, knitting, lifting weights and I read mostly fantasy and historical romance.

The American Title Contest is unique in that YOU the reader get to help a major publishing house choose its next acquisition. Let your voice be heard. If you'd like to vote for Marie-Claude Bourque's ANCIENT WHISPERS please go to:

http://www.romantictimes.com/news_amtitle3.php

And this is where you can find Marie-Claude and friend her on the web:

My website is at: www.mcbourque.com
My LiveJournal is at: http://mysticblu.livejournal.com
I’m on MySpace at: http://www.myspace.com/marieclaudebourque
On Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1322252310
My group blog geared to new writers is called Musetracks http://musetracks.wordpress.com

Hey that sounds like my favorite ice cream! No wait! That's MooseTracks! My bad.

Here's my Book trailer:




I also made a quiz tied to my book. The code can be found here:

http://www.quibblo.com/quiz/7VxSntb/What-Celtic-priestess-are-you?view_quiz=1

What fun! Now I'm starting to take notes, too. Sounds like you've learned alot about promotion during this contest. Ok. (Heavy sigh as I don my "promo hat" once more!) One last little zing from me too, then. VEXING THE VISCOUNT is now on the shelves at your local bookstore! Enjoy!

Thanks for being with us today, Marie-Claude. Aspiring writers will want to pick your brain so please stick around in case there are questions!

Encore! Encore!

The first time I met Michelle Buonfiglio, Romance Reviewer and Blogger Extraordinaire, I surprised her by translating her last name (Buonfiglio means "Good Son.") I explained that I used to sing opera and picked up a bit of Italian while I was at it. Then she surprised me by telling me that she, too, was a soprano! Anyway, as former divas, we both know that all performers love requests for an encore. After following my blog tour, Michelle offered me a chance to encore at her excellent site! Here's a special invite from the divine Miss B:



Ciao, Everybody! I know you're as big a fan of Emily Bryan and her books as I am, so I'm hoping you'll visit www.RomanceBuyTheBook.com Wednesday, Feb. 25th, when Emily takes the reigns as hostess for the day. We're celebrating her fabulous, sexy new romance, "Vexing the Viscount!" Can you believe viscount rhymes with EYE-count? I always forget that and slip in the "s". :)

Anywayz, Emily's always so much fun -- and, frankly, the GuestBlog she's written for us is one of the funniest I've ever read. So please join her, the RBTB Bellas and moi for great fun and a chance at winning a copy of "Vexing the Viscount." Can't wait to meet you!

Michelle Buonfiglio
Romance: B(u)y the Book
mbuonfiglio@rbthebook.com