by Christine | Writer Wednesday, Writing
Maggie Marr
I have had the pleasure of getting to know Maggie through the Los Angeles Romance Authors chapter of RWA. She’s funny, terribly smart, and very nice. Please welcome the lovely and talented Maggie Marr!
CA: What made you decide to write a novel?
MM: I’m not sure I ever made a conscious decision to write a novel. I have been a writer since I was 8 years old. I’ve heard characters in my head telling me stories since I was a little girl. I grew up in the Midwest and the children who aren’t so good in math, but are really good with words are often steered toward ‘The Law’. Meaning a legal career. I didn’t grow up knowing any writers. I didn’t even think of writing as a potential career path. I kind of thought everyone heard these stories in their head. It wasn’t until after law school that I realized that maybe I could do something with all these stories I heard in my head.
CA: Wow. A law career. That’s using both sides of your brain, isn’t it? So what genre do you write in, and why?
MM: I write Women’s Fiction, Contemporary Romance and New Adult Contemporary. I’ve discovered the common thread in all three is sex. Lots and lots of sex. The Women’s Fiction books, I love writing because they are often about female friendships as well as a love interest. My women friends have been the solid foundation upon which my life was built. So I love writing about how those female friends often save my characters.
CA: Is this a series or standalone book? If a series, what is the name of this series, and how many books/short stories do you have planned?
MM: Hollywood Hit is part of the Hollywood Girls Club Series; however, it is a standalone book. Every book in the series includes Cici Solange and her cadre of close friends so while all three books inform each book it isn’t necessary for the reader to have read any one of the Hollywood Girls Club books to understand any book in the series. Hollywood Hit is the most romance oriented of the titles and introduces a completely new character in Nikki Solange, niece of Cici Solange. I think there will be 4 our 5 Hollywood Girls Club books total.
CA: Where would you live, if you could live anywhere in the world?
MM: I’d like to city hop. Three months in London, three months in Paris, three months in Berlin, Tokyo, Hong Kong–try them all. Then ultimately find a lovely little house, in the mountains, with a view of the ocean, with a lovely yard and a chair and a table in the lovely little yard on which to write.
CA: Name 3 simple joys in your life.
MM: 1. My family. 2. The time from 4am – 7am when I write. 3. Hot coffee.
CA: If you could have dinner with any person, living or dead or fictional, who would it be and where would you go to eat?
MM: The restaurant is easier than the person-I would like to try The French Laundry–I hear it’s the meal of a lifetime. As for the person…that is tough…I think Shakespeare. Here’s why–I love writers. I think writers are amazing. I have the best time with writers. When I’m with a group of writers, I am, I think, my best self. Plus, Shakespeare was a bit of a mischievous rogue. I think Will could party. Throw back a few. Tell some outrageous stories. Perhaps I take my latest manuscript and ask him for writerly advice? So maybe not the French Laundry– me and Will would get thrown out on our asses from the French Laundry for sure. I like a good night out — maybe just a local pub like The Local Peasant. I know everyone there, they will make sure I get home (can even call my hubs if Will and I get really out of line.) Yes–that’s it. A Friday night, with William Shakespeare at The Local Peasant.
CA: If you could give just one piece of advice to a writer starting out, what would it be?
MM: Write. Sit down in the chair and write. You can’t be a writer unless you write. It doesn’t matter if the first draft sucks, first drafts are meant to suck–that is their job. Don’t be afraid of a sucky first draft. Your job is to get the sucky first draft out and then use your craft, your skill, and your hard-won knowledge to turn that sucky first draft into a beautiful book.
CA: What do you do when you’re not writing? Do you have a Day Job?
MM: When I am not writing I am practicing law and trying to get movies made. As an attorney I represent some publishers, some authors, some screenplay writers and some entrepreneurs. I also work with Dahooma Productions trying to get a few independent films into production. In the evenings I freelance as chauffeur for two kidlets.
CA: Name one thing your fans would be surprised to learn about you.
MM: My memory is atrocious. Truly. I stack things so I don’t forget about them or put items in a ‘special’ place so that I will remember where they are and then…absolutely can’t remember where the ‘special’ place is that I put the item. I’ve recently resorted to placing sticky notes on the bathroom mirror so that I might remember things I need to know for the day. And yet…I can tell you in great detail events and characters that were in books I read when I was a child.
CA: Is there anything else you’d like to talk about?
MM: Thank you for reading my books. I love writing them and I want each book to be better than the last. I feel so much gratitude that people actually buy my books and spend hours reading them. Thank you.
Being the niece of the biggest star in the world isn’t easy–especially when someone is
Hollywood Hit by Maggie Marr
trying to kill you.
Nikki Solange is a small town Tennessee girl. When she hits Hollywood and tries to become a movie Producer, she’s in for the culture shock of her life–and finding a D-list actor turned up-and-coming director floating face down in the his swimming pool is the least of it. Now Nikki must walk the gauntlet that is Hollywood and try to stay alive because someone from Nikki’s hard-scrabble past is out to make sure that she ends up dead.
Pretending to be a Hollywood playboy film producer is easy when one of the world’s richest men is backing you.
Ex Marine sniper Rush Nelson is back from his final tour in Afghanistan and is now a security specialist for one of the world’s richest men, media mogul Tedd Robinoff. Backed by his boss, Rush has a solid cover-story that includes some serious Armani threads, a pulse-pounding car, and a limitless expense account. All to protect Robinoff, his business interests, and Robinoff’s family, which includes Ted’s superstar wife Celeste ‘Cici’ Solange and her pain-in-the-ass niece Nikki. Rush must achieve his directive without ruining his cover. Easy–except for one problem–Nikki Solange. Rush is falling for her.
The number one rule not to break when your mission is to protect.
Maggie’s Bio:
Maggie Marr is an attorney, an author, and an independent producer. Hard Glamour, the first book in her New Adult Glamour Series, publishes January 14, 2014. Hollywood Hit, the third book in Maggie’s much loved Hollywood Girls Club Series published December 17, 2013. As with any Hollywood Girls Club book, all names have been changed to protect both the innocent and the guilty, but if you read closely enough, you can sort out who you are…Maggie lives and works in Los Angeles.
Maggie’s Amazon Page
Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out Maggie Marr’s latest novel, Hollywood Hit.
)O(
Remember to take time for yourself as you rush around this holiday season. Breathe, enjoy the bustle, and be good to yourself. Cheers, my friends!
by Christine | Life, Observations
Three years ago today, my husband and I were sitting in the waiting room at UCLA Hospital along with about a hundred other people. The sun hadn’t yet risen. It was cold, and I was nervous. Tom was scared to death.
The summer between tentative diagnosis and the MRI that confirmed it.
He’d read more about this procedure than I had; he’d done more research. Since what I had read scared the crap out of me, I didn’t bother to read more than the basics.
An Acoustic Neuroma (or more accurately called a Vestibular Schwannoma) is usually benign, slow growing, and lays on top of the acoustic nerve and the facial nerve (nerves 7 and 8, I believe).
It used to be a rare diagnosis; but acoustic neuromas are showing up more frequently.
There are two types of treatment; surgical, and Gamma Knife Radiation. I chose surgical, because I wanted that thing out of me.
I walked everywhere that summer in Mammoth, always with a walking stick. My balance was beyond unpredictable.
So the surgery lasted 11 hours; for more detail, see this post here. I had a follow-up visit with my otologist at 9 months post-op – he said my recovery was going well but to keep up my walking and my balance practice, and he sent me to therapy.
That’s when I realized that the 3 to 6 months of recovery time was wrong.
For me, it’s taken a solid three years to recover, but I can finally say I’m good to go. My balance is good; the hearing in my right ear is gone, of course, having been taken out by going through the ear canal to perform the surgery – better than having my skull opened up! – but I’ve gotten used to being unable to easily echo-locate.
I’ve also gotten used to putting people on my left side, and reminding people if they’re on my deaf side that they might have to touch my arm to get my attention.
I didn’t go the “group” route when I was diagnosed; I’m not really that kind of person. But if you’re dealing with an acoustic neuroma, and if you ARE a group type person, there’s a good one called the Acoustic Neuroma Association. They have an interview with Mark Ruffalo, who also underwent surgery for an acoustic neuroma; his story is different from mine and totally fascinating.
I guess I just wanted to do a wrap-up, partly for me, partly for others out there who are undergoing the fear and fascination of having something growing in your head that doesn’t belong there. I do consider myself lucky. But the best part is, more surgeons are getting experience dealing with acoustic neuromas. More information is known. And more information is almost always better when dealing with someone mucking about in your cranium.
May all your days be blessed. Mine certainly have been. Oh – and Happy Anniversary to me. I think I deserve to celebrate.
)O(
by Christine | Writer Wednesday
My friend, Author Sally Felt. She’s almost always laughing!
Sally Felt is another one of my online writer hang-out group that I dearly adore. Way back in 2003, when there were four of us exchanging snippets and encouragement online, Sally blew me away with her writing.
So I’m extremely happy to note that two of the books she’d been working on back then are now (and soon to be) available for purchase. I’ve had her on Writer Wednesday before, but she deserves another showcase.
Her first romantic comedy is called Going Native, and I had the pleasure of watching this novel evolve from tentative first steps to the glorious thing it is now.
Here’s the blurb for Going Native:
“Violet Maison is house sitting a fabulous penthouse loft with a wardrobe to die for. Tired of worrying about everyone else’s expectations, Violet’s ready to walk a mile in her friend’s very sexy shoes. She embraces her new life by planting a jubilant, champagne-fueled kiss on the sexy stranger
Going Native by Sally Felt
next door.
Eddie is in town to help close a business deal—and lick his wounds after a bad breakup. The last thing he wants is complications. But surprise kisses from the tipsy redhead next door prove a Texas-sized distraction he can’t ignore. Violet is demure one minute and suggesting clandestine sexcapades the next. Eddie can barely keep up. Or wait to see what Violet does next.
Something about Eddie burns away Violet’s inhibitions, though discovering he holds the key to the future of her family’s business shakes her newfound confidence. But Violet finally knows what it’s like to feel sexy and powerful, and she’s not about to give that up. She’s ready to fight for the life, and the man, she wants.
A Romantica® Contemporary erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave”
Sally’s newest book, Flushed, comes out on February 6th, 2014 and is currently available for pre-order. Here’s the quick blurb for Flushed, also an Ellora’s Cave publication.
“Blush sensuality level: This is a sensual romance (may have explicit love scenes, but not erotic in frequency or type).
Flushed, by Sally Felt. Available February 6, 2014
Kissing her plumber in the middle of her dinner party is the very last way Isabelle expected to spend her night—after all, she’s sworn off dating. But when Kim Martin, plumber to the rescue, charms her guests and poses as her new guy to spare Isabelle the humiliation of an uninvited ex, she makes an impromptu exception—and gets carried away.
At first, being Isabelle’s faux beau suits Kim Martin just fine. She’s hot, intriguing and won’t get in the way of his plans to blow town and build a business he’s passionate about. But Isabelle just isn’t cut out to be a goodtime girl. She gets under Kim’s skin and into his head—and he’s not entirely sure what to do about that.
Kim should be everything Isabelle believes of men in general—confident, flirtatious and too attractive for his own good. Yet the more Isabelle tries to fit him into a box, the harder he fights his way out of it. He’d be maddening if he weren’t so intriguing.
A Blush® contemporary romance from Ellora’s Cave.”
Check out Sally’s Amazon Page, and her website.
Happy Wednesday, my lovelies!
)O(
by Christine | Cooking, Wine Friday
Mulled Wine
I’m copying an old post on mulled wine here, plus at the bottom there are recipes for other, hot and festive drinks for the holidays. Cheers!
Who “invented” mulled wine? Why? What’s supposed to go in it, and what type of wine should you use? All the sites I found on the internet seemed to crib off each other. To distill it for you, basically mulled wine has been around as long as wine has been around. It warmed people up in winter (and some people said it was to make bad wine taste better – a winter version of Sangria, I suppose) as well as gave them something “healthy” to drink (because water – well, it wasn’t very clean “way back when”). It can be found in almost every European country, and is often called “boiled” or “burned” wine. Of course, you don’t want to boil or burn the wine! (Boiling burns off all the alcohol.)
Ingredients
First off, start with a hearty red wine. Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel will work nicely. If you’re making enough for a crowd, use two bottles – pour into a non-reactive pan (or hey, use that crock pot you got for your wedding and has that thick layer of dust on it – make sure to clean it first). If just for two to four people, use one bottle. DON’T use the cheapest wine you can find (although if you must, go ahead…); but likewise, don’t waste an expensive bottle. Anything that you like the taste of non-heated should be fine.
Next, add the spices. This will totally depend on your tastebuds. I like two cinnamon sticks – hubby likes only one. I generally put six to a dozen whole cloves, and if I had allspice, I’d toss that in, too. You can add ginger – either 1/2 teaspoon grated, or a small slice; or you could put in 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger (but fresh is much better). I’ve seen recipes that include cardamom pods, star anise, even bay leaves. Experiment!
Your next addition should be another liquid. Amounts kind of depend. You can add up to a cup of plain water, a cup of fresh squeezed orange juice, or a cup of apple cider; many recipes call for adding 4 ounces of brandy (some say cherry brandy). I started with water; next time, I think I’ll add brandy AND some OJ.
Then comes the sweetener. The amount depends on how much wine you start with. So you can add anything from 1/2 cup of white or brown sugar to 1 and 1/4 cup of honey; start on the stingy side, and taste as you go. Add more if you need to. My guess is if you’re using Agave syrup or Stevia for your sweetener, you can use them here, too; just be VERY stingy with your amounts until it’s where you want it.
Lastly comes the fruit. Whether or not you’ve already used orange or apple juice, you might want to add strips of orange zest or lemon zest; thin slices of orange and lemon; either in the pot, or in the bottom of the mug.
Let everything sit on low; either on the back of your stove, or in your crockpot. As the day goes on, the spices and the fruit really open up into the wine, and turn it into something magical. Plus, it leaves your house smelling really festive.
Hot Buttered Rum
Here is my version of Hot Buttered Rum. Put the tea kettle on to boil. In the meantime, get out a couple of heavy mugs that feel good in your hand. Add a tablespoon of sweet, unsalted butter at the bottom; top with 1 to 2 teaspoons brown sugar (to your taste). Add a shot to a shot and a half of rum. Once the water is boiling, fill the cup with the hot water about half way. Stir briskly with a fork or a small whisk, if you have one (I do). Add the hot water the rest of the way. Cuddle up by the fire and watch Scrooge deal with some pesky ghosts!
Rachael Ray has her own way of doing things, adding spices and Captain Morgan spiced rum and doing it up with a blender. Go here for that recipe.
Of course, Martha Stewart also has a recipe. It’s a bit more complicated, but still sounds just as tasty. Go here for that recipe.
Other Hot Holiday Drinks
I found a fun spot online called Secret Tips to the Yumiverse, and they have eight hot holiday drinks to indulge you. Of course, there are the coffee drinks – Coffee and Bailey’s, Coffee and Kahlua, or Coffee and Irish Whiskey – but there are some other, really tasty drinks. Go give Yumi Sakugawa a look-see for some fun and festive drinks.
There you go, my dears. Enjoy this holiday season, be safe, stay warm, and hug your loved ones. Sending out love and big squishy hugs to you all! What’s YOUR favorite hot holiday drink?
)O(
by Christine | Writer Wednesday, Writing
Yvonne Jocks, Author (Isn’t this logo FABULOUS??)
I met Yvonne Jocks at my very first Romance Writers of America conference in 2002 in Denver, Colorado. Yvonne was not only signing books, but she was teaching a workshop on how to incorporate the use of magic in your writing. When I saw in the syllabus for the week that one of the books she used as a reference was one of my brother Scott’s, I of COURSE had to introduce myself. Big hugs and instant friendship – I count myself very lucky to have Von in my life (though it has been TOO LONG since I’ve hugged her!) She is also a part of the online band of intrepid writers that I belong to, along with Jenn Reese and Anne Nesbet, middle grade authors that I profiled last week.
Whether you pick up books by Yvonne Jocks or Evelyn Vaughn, the experience is always spellbinding. Harlequin has published many of her books (two series I adore, The Grailkeepers and The Bladekeepers, are written under Evelyn Vaughn for Harlequin), and she has a new series out now called Overtime, written under the Yvonne Jocks name. The Overtime series is the one I’m focusing on today.
Here’s the first in the Overtime series. SEARCHING
Overtime, Book 1 – Searching
When an 1870’s trail boss with no sense of humor rescues a pretty time traveler with no memory, there’ll be trouble on the cattle drive.
A girl doesn’t wind up naked in a Kansas creek bed without asking herself the tough questions. If the first one is “Who am I”, she’s in for a rough time … or maybe the wrong time completely!
Despite the reluctant help of an 1870s trail-boss, “Lillabit” finds only contradictions. Though she’s guileless, her language shocks Texas cowboys. Though independent, she can’t rein a horse. She’s smart, but not about “current” events. And her dreams feature elevators, electricity, plumbing–and impossibility.
Something awful has happened. So as Lillabit acclimates to the slow, steady world of an Old West cattle drive, is she really finding herself? Or is she, just maybe, losing worlds more than her memory?
And book 2…TURNING
Turning, Book 2 in the Overtime series
I FIGURED IT OUT. I’M NOT FROM AROUND HERE.
Amnesia was easier.
Stranded in 1870s Dodge City, Lillabit remembers: She’s Elizabeth Rhinehart, a modern woman thrown back in time against her will.
Also? Someone may be out to kill her.
Her only hope of returning home lies with a trio of scientists in Colorado. To get there, Elizabeth needs passage with someone she can trust… perhaps someone like the no-nonsense trail boss who first rescued her from the desert. But even if Jacob Garrison lets her rejoin his cattle drive to Wyoming–once he learns her secrets, will he let her go home? Will she WANT to?
TURNING is the 2nd book and continuation of the somewhat romantic, sometimes comic, cattle-drive time-travel OVERTIME series. It ties up several major elements of the story–but we have 2 books to go!
Don’t those sound fantastic? If you want to know more about Yvonne Jocks, drop by her website.
And if you want more information about the Grailkeepers, click on the Grailkeepers button over to the left – there’s a wealth of history and research and other fun stuff there.
Speaking of books, what are you reading right now?
)O(
