Say what you mean (and mean what you say!)

I was watching a programme on television the other day called Come Dine With Me. In case you haven’t seen it, it involves a group of strangers being brought together and over the course of a week they each take it in turn to cook dinner. The guests award points at the end of the evening and the host with the highest score wins one thousand pounds.

Anyway, the episode I was watching was set in Yorkshire. When the first host opened his door to guest number one, he uttered the immortal words, “Hey up!” Roughly translated it means, Hello. Lovely to see you. Welcome. and it’s the perfect example of how we use English in a way that often confuses people from other parts of the world.

Have you ever commented that you’re spitting feathers when you’re really thirsty? Or replied to an enquiry after your health that you’re fair to middling? I know I have, and I’ve never given it a second thought either. But how confusing it must be to someone who doesn’t come from your particular area.

I love local sayings and think they are something we should cherish. In Liverpool, for instance, we might describe something good as being “boss”, while in another part of the country they might describe it as “wicked”. Then there’s all the local endearments: love, duck, hen, cock, my lover – the list is endless yet they are all terms of affection.

In Lancashire where I live, the standard reply to how are you is Oh, just keeping goin’ with me ‘ead down. Taken at face value, the words barely make sense but used in this fashion they perfectly describe someone who is well enough to be getting on with his life.

So, do you have any sayings particular to the part of the world where you live? When you open your door to your guests, how do you greet them? I’d love to hear them so I can add them to my collection!

The End Game?

Have you entered yet? Or are you too busy writing for the Fast Track to read this? I hope you’re taking a well-deserved breather, have a snack, a cup (or a cocktail glass) full of something delicious and a brain that is whizzing on creative overdrive.

I got my first nibble from Harlequin Mills & Boon Fast Track and BOY HOWDY was it ever worth the smoke coming out of my keyboard to take the risk. The truth? They didn’t want my first effort as the hero – despite my best efforts – kept coming across as a sexist pig. I was confusing Alpha with A******. Oops. So don’t do that. Feel free to learn from my mistake.

So – a rather fabulous editor encouraged me to join, later in the year, the SYTYCW (So You Think You Can Write) with a fresh story – but to keep my voice. Oh – and not have my hero be such a putz. So I shelved my ego and attacked a whole new story. A month or two later? THE PHONE CALL. And guess what? I scooped my hero out of the bin and he is now starring in One Night…With her Boss (out now) – Yippee!

Okay – I’m dithering…you know why? Because, it also transpired when I was writing my first (second and third books…okay, okay…and fourth and fifth – you get the idea)… I was writing and writing and loving it – and then came….The Ending. I couldn’t write them. I was TERRIBLE! My editor and I had an honest talk and we both agreed that endings were most assuredly were not my forte. Why? Because I hate for it to end! But let me tell you – what a great discovery to make. Now I almost always, whenever I am stuck – stop what I am doing ….and write the ending. Then I know where I am going. I maybe not know what’s going to happen before we get there…but what I knew was an undeniable truth – when two people are meant to be together? They are meant to be together. So…boom! Doesn’t always make it easy – but this is an extremely long-winded way to say, if you are at the beginning of your writing journey – don’t be shy if there’s a bit you think you could improve on. Hug the heck out of that thing and figure out a way to awkwardly dance your way to Improvement-ville. Getting better at something you love feels … magic.

If you are not at the beginning of your writing journey – here is me wondering what your amazing tips and techniques are for leaping over those writing hurdles we all encounter.

The beginning of March sees the release of the first book I wrote that just flew out of my fingers….until the end…..which received (ahem!) a rewrite or two. Here’s hoping you think it was worth it! I know just ogling the cover fills me with just a little too much pleasure. Enjoy….and make sure you keep yours eyes peeled for our super quiz which is coming out in February.

Announcing the 2016 Harlequin/Mills & Boon Medical Romance Fast-Track!

#MedicalBlitz

February 1^st-14^th 2016

Hi everyone! My name is Laura and I’m the Assistant Editor on the Harlequin/Mills & Boon Medical Romance team. We’re thrilled and grateful to have been invited to contribute to Love is the Best Medicine and look forward to getting to know you all and sharing our love for Medical Romance. If there’s anything you’d like to know please just ask. The Medical Romance editorial team (Sheila, Tilda and myself) would love to hear from you!

There is so much to love about our jobs on the Medical Romance editorial team but one of our favourite things is finding new voices to add to our spectacularly talented author base. And right now we’re looking for exciting new authors to join our amazing Medical family!

Medical Romances are stories with cutting-edge medical drama and settings, in some of the world’s most vibrant and beautiful cities! With pulse-racing medical drama bringing them together Medical heroes and heroines find themselves in a wide variety of intense, emotional situations—ER emergencies, heart and transplant surgeries, city hospitals, GP practices, paediatrics, Maternity wings, IVF clinics, jungle or outback settings and medical rescue just to name a few!

Our #MedicalBlitz is a fantastic opportunity for your Medical Romance to get fast-tracked!

What we want:

• A query letter that introduces you and your book – and any previous publishing credits, contest wins, or affiliations
• A 2 page detailed synopsis. Show us what drives your story forward, including the internal and external conflicts your hero and heroine face on the road to romance. We want to know what happens in your book, even the ending. (No cliff-hangers in the synopsis, please!)
• Your first chapter (up to 20 pages)

 Here’s how it works:

• From February 1^st until midnight (EST) on Valentine’s Day, we invite you to send in your submission. Go to http://Harlequin.Submittable.com and click on ‘#MedicalBlitz Submission Fast Track!’ to submit your first chapter and synopsis.
• Every contemporary Medical Romance submission will be read by one of the Harlequin Medical Romance editors and will receive editorial feedback by February 19^th. That’s quite a fast-track!
• We’ll then request to see more of the submissions that show the most promise!

This isn’t a contest but a chance to showcase your work to our editors and get some helpful feedback in an accelerated time frame, and maybe even become the newest Harlequin Medical author. If you’ve ever dreamed about being published, send us your submission. We want to read YOUR story!

And check out the hashtag #MedicalBlitz on Twitter. We’ll be sharing tips, insider details, our wish lists, and more throughout the Blitz. Planning on submitting? Have questions? Please leave a comment. I can’t wait to hear from you!

The Other Side of My Life

by Susan Carlisle

(Warming this is a self-centered post and has far too many ‘I’s in it. Read at your own peril.)

For years I introduced myself like this: “I’m Susan Carlisle and I have four children.” Laughingly I added, “By the same man.” My husband worked odd hours so people didn’t often see us together. Even then I felt as if there was more to me than that limited definition. These days I proudly state that I’m a writer but that still isn’t all there is to me. So today, I’m going to share a little more about the person behind the writer.

“Hello, I’m Susan Carlisle…

And I’m a lover of books. Books, books and more books. A library is a thing of beauty. One day I’d like to have a two story one that requires a ladder to get to the books on the top shelves.

I’ve have wanderlust in my blood. I LOVE to travel and I’m always wondering what’s around the next bend. (Sharon and Fiona, if you are reading this I’m envious of every one of your trips.)

I like the outdoors. Tent camping is a challenge that I’m up for anytime. Sleeping under the stars is a perfect night for me. I can cook as good a meal over an open fire as I can in the oven in my kitchen.

I sew. A lot. I make most of my clothes. I also do drapes, cushions, doll clothes, flags and outfits for my grandchildren. I can’t count the number of formal dresses I’ve altered through the years. I even been known to look at a picture and draw my own patterns. My kids had some great Halloween costumes that are now being recycled for my grandchildren.

I also enjoy handwork. That includes cross-stitching, smocking, and quilting. I have a project going all the time.

I hate to clean bathrooms. I don’t mind cleaning other areas of the house but the bathroom is the worst. My husband does that, which I love him more for.

I like nice cars. I don’t have one because I’m too practical but if I had the money I’d have a Rolls Royce. Then I’d have to worry about being hit. Did I mention I’m practical? And too poor.

 

I like sleeping on a screen porch when it’s raining. In fact, I like the rain in general.

I’m the handyman around my house. I can hang a door, lay tile, paint, replace siding, repair sheetrock and the list goes on.

Okay, enough about me. Please share something about yourself.

Surprise- it’s a wedding!

Last weekend our family travelled to country Queensland for a friend’s 50^th birthday. One hundred guests descended on their property (about 2000kms from us) for what we thought would be a pleasant afternoon of catching up with old friends, eating, dancing, telling stories and listening to speeches. Nothing unusual there until the birthday boy’s partner of sixteen years and mother of their four children had her turn with the microphone and she dropped to one knee and proposed!

Now, I know it’s a leap year but this was completely unexpected. Jaws dropped, tears flowed and everyone held their breath waiting to see what would happen next.

The birthday boy, along with a lot of the guests, was quite emotional but fortunately he gave all the right answers to any question for the rest of the day, starting with “Yes, I will marry you.”

I’m still not sure if he realised that his brand new fiancé meant they would get married immediately but that is exactly what happened! The bridal party (including the best man and groomsmen all chosen by the bride) were whisked away to change, the celebrant arrived and the guests, under supervision from a couple of others who had insider knowledge 🙂 got busy setting up for the ceremony and transforming the marquee for a wedding reception. I’ve been to engagement parties before which have turned into weddings but this was the first time that I’ve know the groom to be as surprised as the guests!

Two hours later, after possibly the world’s shortest engagament, the bridal party had been spruced up and we were ready to go.

The day had strated off grey, misty and drizzly – not a typical Aussie summer’s day at all – but the sky cleared long enough for the ceremony to take place under the gum trees by the creek. The best man arrived on a Ducatti and the rest of the bridal party arrived in the back of a ute (the non-Aussies would call this a pick-up truck). It was a gorgeous, personal and emotional ceremony and I was so thrilled that we could be part of it.

I only have a couple of girlfriends who have been the ones to propose and never quite so publicly as this one! Chatting to the other medical authors we were struggling to remember if we’d ever had our heroines pop the question.

I’d love to hear if it’s happened to you or how people would feel if they read a romance novel where the heroine proposed to the hero. Do you think it would ruin the story for you or enhance it? Would your reaction depend on the characters? On their situation? Is it something you’d like to see in the 21^st century or are you more of a traditionalist?

I have a copy of my current release, “A Love Against All Odds”, to give away to one commenter – you’ll just have to read it to see if there’s a proposal and by whom.

And be sure to visit our blog again on 29th February for a special leap year quiz hosted by Annie O’Neil. It just might revisit this topic 🙂

Emily

  Books available at Amazon, harlequin.com, millsandboon.co.uk and millsandboon.com.au

10 Questions to Get To The End

Romance writers get to play with plenty of fabulous words – for example, ‘I love you’, ‘I want you’, ‘You hurt me’, ‘Marry me’ and ‘I’m pregnant’, in all their various permutations. But the two words that fill me with a joyful satisfaction like no other are: ‘The End’.

The joyful satisfaction, however, is all about knowing exactly when you can let yourself type those two beautiful words. I’m actually quite superstitious about it, and can’t seem to whack them down just because the first draft is finished.

That’s because the frustrating truth is that my first draft never – as in never! – bears much resemblance to the version I ultimately send off to my editor. (Check out the examples I’ve included here of the start of my latest book, Escaping Mr Right – first draft, final draft!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Between the first draft and the final draft comes a lot of re-reading and rewriting, cutting and polishing, checking it for ‘impact’ and playing with words – which I know I’m not alone in doing ad nauseam. Even when I insist I’m on my last read, if I do anything more than change an occasional word or neaten up some punctuation, I can’t not read the manuscript all the way through again, just to make sure it all still hangs together.

I’m waxing lyrical about this just now because a week ago, I did in fact type ‘The End’ on my ninth story. And it seems to me that I’ve been announcing ‘final read’ on this one for the longest time, only to give it one more go.

So I wanted to share with you the 10 point checklist I use as I strive to reach The End.

The Checklist

1. Is the story itself sound – is there not only a solid tale to tell, but one where a lot happens?
2. Does the order of the scenes and the way the chapters flow allow the story to unfold naturally, with a little mystery sprinkled here and there to keep the reading experience exciting?
3. Is the right character driving the story forward in each scene, and is it clear whose head we’re in?
4. Are all the love words, all the fighting words, the sad and happy and sexy words, fresh and real, and does every single word mean something, even if it’s a character simply saying ‘Um…’?
5. Has the story made me want to laugh, and cry, and throw something in frustration?
6. Have I kept any repetition of distinctive words, action and dialogue to the bare minimum?
7. Has all the extraneous description, the boring minutiae, the dull dialogue and gratuitous sex been excised?
8. Have I caught all the spelling and punctuation mistakes? (This is an impossible quest, but at least I have to believe I’ve picked them all up)
9. Have I started changing things, only to change them back to the way they were?
10. Am I contemplating turning my romance into a crime novel and murdering my hero and heroine?

It’s not until I get to #9 and #10 that I know I’m really ready to get my hands off and send my manuscript out into the world to try its luck. And even if it doesn’t end up getting lucky out there, at least I can be proud of the fact that when I finally typed ‘The End’ and ushered it on its journey, it was wearing clean underwear and its best clothes, and was sporting a full face of make-up and a fabulous hairdo.

Meanwhile I’m in the lucky position of having my seventh book, Escaping Mr Right, out right now. And boy, oh boy, did I pore over this one – I had to, because I fell for the hero like a ton of bricks and wanted him to have the best story ever!

I’d love  to know if there are any triggers for you, as either a reader or a writer, that make you wonder if a particular book could do with a little extra cooking time…

Sometimes Mr Right is Mr Wrong, and Mr Wrong is definitely Mr Right . . .

Television reporter Chloe Masters is a woman of cool control . . . except when Casanova rugby league player Nick Savage is around. Then cool control goes out the window. Her boyfriend, Marcus, is everything she ever wanted – but it’s getting harder to deny her body’s reaction to Nick . . .
Nick Savage has been head-over-heels since he first laid eyes on Chloe – just a moment too late to stop her connecting with his team mate, Marcus. But when the goalposts shift and he and Chloe are thrown together on a week away, Nick dares her to get physical in whatever way she wants – with a kiss, a punch or anything in between. And if Chloe claims to feel nothing, he’ll leave her alone for good.

How can Chloe say no to a week of  mindless passion with the man she hasn’t been able to get out of her head?

Trouble is, a lot can go wrong (or right) in a week . . .                

Please feel free to check out my website, and connect with me on Facebook and Twitter.

Help me brainstorm, please? There’s a GIVEAWAY :-)

Let’s talk Christmas 🙂

I know, I know!  Most of us have finally finished the last of the Christmas cookies and chocolates, put away the decorations, and have dusted the New Year’s glitter from our feet.  But can we revisit the holiday season for just a moment, pretty please?  I’m about to start my next book which will be released at the end of the year, which means Christmas time, which means I have to think about it in January  🙂   I’d really appreciate some brainstorming help – will you answer some questions about your favorite Christmas story tropes?  I’m giving away my three 2015 releases to one of you who comments!

Enquiring minds want to know:

Do you prefer Christmas stories to be set in cold, snowy places?  Or do you enjoy something out of the ordinary occasionally?

Do you like a woodland cottage setting with a Charlie Brown type Christmas tree, or a traditionally beautiful, well-appointed home?

City versus country?

How about babies, toddlers, and children – important to a Christmas story, or are you just as happy to read a story about a couple finding their way to happiness without children in the mix?  Do you have a favorite trope that features them, such as secret babies?  Adoption?  Daddy and child?  Something else?  Any special age group you like? (Wow, that’s a lot of questions isn’t it?) 🙂

 

And lastly, is there any particular medical scenario or character you enjoy most?

Obviously, no need to answer more than one or two of these questions (unless you want to!) and any additional comments are more than welcome!  As I said, I’ll be throwing the names of everyone helping me out into a hat, choosing one to receive print copies of my three 2015 releases.  On Sunday, I’ll announce the winner and ask for you to send me your address so I can mail the books.

Thanks in advance – I’m really looking forward to hearing your comments!

Happy 2016!

 

 

 

Bring It On

2016 is here and already seems to be racing along. For three weeks our home was full with first family, and then friends; staying to enjoy the beach, fishing and generally hanging out on the deck eating great food and drinking wine among other things.

We had the best Christmas I’ve ever known. The wee ones really made the day, especially the three year old who got the hang of opening presents very quickly. Interestingly, his favourite was a tin lunch box with a cartoon character painted on the lid I’d picked up from the store. He took it everywhere for three days then replaced it with a stick from the beach for the next three days.

We celebrated New Year’s Eve with a dinner here with friends from away and neighbours. We also got to enjoy fresh blue cod and scallops gathered on fishing trips. When these friends left another couple arrived from Auckland and again the boat hit the water and we dined on food from the sea.

The summer has been hot and dry and perfect for all the holiday makers. We’ve been nervous about our water supply but so far it’s holding up. And now I’m ready to get back to work. There’s a story that’s been buzzing around in my skull itching to get out so I started the day after our last friends left.

After our break I’m feeling energised and ready for a new year of story telling and reading my writer friends books. Bring it on I say.

 

And a big Happy New Year to everyone.

5 ways to get over the post-Christmas blues…

Suffering from post holiday woes? Wish you were back in your sitting room relaxing, munching goodies and without a care in the world? I have some suggestions to help ease the new year in…

1. READ! Read and read some more! Whisk yourself away from reality with a good yarn.I have been buying up a storm and I really don’t know which book to read next. I’m currently loving the Midwives-On-Call series and am enjoying the spin-off 4 part series Midwives-On-Call at Christmas by Scarlet Wilson, Robin Gianna, Tina Beckett and myself. I was also totally intrigued by this black eyed susans cover, so this may be the next one on my TBR pile…
   

   

2. De-clutter! I have been perusing the book ‘Spark Joy’ by Marie Kondo, the tidying guru, who tells me that I must only keep things that give me joy and to throw the rest out. I made a start on my wardrobe and boy, do I feel better...there’s something very therapeutic about having a good sort out.

 

 

 

 

 

3. Spend time in the outdoors… breathing in fresh air apparently makes us smarter and less-stressed. Last week the Doc and I went a-hiking on the West coast and had a lovely time- apart from the mini landslide I got caught in, but thankfully the only thing really damaged was my ego 😉  It really was lovely to be out, using muscles that hadn’t been used for a while, listening to nature and thinking, planning…and sometimes just lovely silence.

 

 

 

 

4. Stroke a pet… I have always wanted a dog but we just don’t have a fenced property and the neighbours and a busy road are too close. But I just spent 5 days with two crazy labradors and now I absolutely can understand why people feel like dogs are part of the family- just being with them brings a smile to your face! Failing getting a pet- visit some animals and get hands on!

Me and some wallabies in Oz

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Make plans… life is always better when there’s something to look forward to, be it a lunch date with friends or a trip of a lifetime…always have something in the diary that makes your heart sing (even if it’s just a walk, some ‘me’ time, or window shopping)

What are your tips for staying positive post holiday?

 

NEW YEAR, NEW BOOKS!

Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were spectacular and now you are resting up and getting back into your routine. Between you and me, I’m glad 2015 is over. Once we hit Halloween, it seems to all go downhill and there isn’t a chance to blink before Thanksgiving and Christmas. Whew, what a wild ride.

The New Year is always something to look forward to. It’s a clean slate, a chance to start fresh, and many of us need that. Renewal is a good word, and we all need to renew our enthusiasm, hope, and perseverance with each new year.   I hope you’re looking as forward to starting again in 2016 as I am.

Speaking of 2016, I’m happy to say I will have three books out with Harlequin Medical Romance and I loved writing each of them for different reasons. January 1^st was the release of A MOTHER FOR HIS ADOPTED SON, and I am blown away by the early reviews. Check out these reviews from CataRomance and Booked Solid. A writer can’t ask for better reviews than those.

So let me tell you a little about this book. Here’s the blurb:

Notoriously cool, calm and always in control, single dad Dr. Sam Marcus is facing every parent’s worst nightmare. His adorable adopted son, Dani, has cancer, and Andrea Rimmer is the only woman who can help! 

As Andrea treats his son, Sam sees the warmth and compassion behind her independent exterior. Can he prove to Andrea that she’s the only mummy for Dani, and that together their family is a perfect fit?

Now you may be tensing up and thinking, a child with cancer? No! Who wants to read that, it’s too heartbreaking, and everyone knows you can’t kill a child or a dog in a book if you want anyone to read it. Believe me, this story was a tough one to write, but trust me, I didn’t kill anyone off!!!!

Here’s what Sam, Dani and Andrea looked like to me when I wrote the book.

Why did I write the book? Because a few years ago I read an article in a magazine about a lady who was an ocularist. A what? A person who makes artificial eyes. Prosthetics. I found what she did fascinating, and when I decided to write a heroine who was an ocularist, well, I needed patients for her to help. Also, I really pushed the envelope of medical professional with her particular talent. Surprisingly my editor was completely onboard with this pairing of doctor and apprentice.

Australian version

 

Before you make your decision about whether or not you want to read this book, I hope you’ll read the reviews on GoodReads, or at least the two reviews I linked to above. The main point is, this love story was both a challenge and a blessing to write. I had to delete and rewrite the original ending, about 5,000 words worth, then added 6,000 more words for the new ending, which was tough, but it made the book so much better. So it’s true, tackling hard topics isn’t easy and writing books where two people are supposed to fall in love in those difficult stories is an even bigger challenge. Believe me, I know! But I’m going to end by saying this, it was well worth the effort. I love Sam and Andrea’s story. That’s all there is to it, and that’s the best job satisfaction a person can ask for. Right?

Have you read or written a particularly tough storyline lately, or read one in the past that still sticks with you? Please share!