Kerrie Paterson

Today I’m welcoming erotic writer, Cate Ellink, to my blog.

Cate Ellink became intrigued by the erotic when her grandfather used to pass books to her father saying, “Don’t let the girls read page X.” Although her mother and sisters never bothered to chase those pages, Cate always did. Invariably, her imagination was better than what she read.

While pursuing a career in science, Cate amused herself by writing about ordinary events and giving them an erotic twist. It’s taken more than a few years to bravely expose her mind to the public. While the events in her stories may have occurred, it’s highly likely that her imagination is far more exciting than the reality.

Cate lives near the beach in NSW with a long-suffering husband.

Her latest story, The Virginity Mission, is available from Escape Publishing.

Please tell us about the last book(s) you read..

Electronic – Hiding Hollywood by Ainslie Paton (much to her horror because it was her early work… but I enjoyed it. I mean, three Hollywood heartthrobs, what’s not to enjoy?!)

Paper – The Specimen by Martha Lea. This was a strange story. I wanted more of the wonderful science in it, but I enjoyed what there was.

What are you currently reading?

Electronically I’m reading The Dark Rose by Denise Rossetti.

In paper, I’m reading Tears of Pearl by Tasha Alexander which I got out of the library.

What’s on your TBR piles?

Oh, gosh, this is awfully embarrassing – but at least my husband won’t read this (he won’t, will he?) (he he)

Electronic – this is pretty much only romance and I’m not counting them!

Killing Me Softly – Leisl Leighton

Untamed – Anna Cowan

The Bark Cutters – Nicole Alexander

Nowhere Else – Fiona McCallum

Fish out of Water – Ros Baxter

Crossing the Line – Katie McGarry

A Venetian Affair – Dana Mitchell

The Crystal Warrior – Maree Anderson

The Interrogator – JJ Cooper

The Border laird’s Bride – Allison Butler

A Basic Renovation – Sandra Antonelli

Man Drought – Rachael Johns

And so many more I’m too scared to count (but there are more read than unread – so that balances it, doesn’t it?)

Paper. Oh, gee, I started to count…but that’s a mistake. I stopped at 50 but there were more!

Black Caviar by Gerard Whateley

Fifty Bales of Hay by Rachael Treasure

Eugenia by Mark Tedeschi QC

The Shadow of the Wind by Carols Ruiz Zafon

A couple of Alex Miller, Diana Galbadon, Phillipa Gregory, Tim Winton, Janet Evanovich, Charlaine Harris, Katie Fforde, Judy Nunn, Kerry McGinnis

Lots of Peter Fitzsimons books that get overlooked because they’re so huge!

Lots of crime/action ones – Stephen Leather, Jeffrey Deaver, Vince Flynn, Sydney Bauer, Patricia Cornwell, Kathy Reichs, Tom Clancy, Peter Temple, Jonathon Kellerman (my Dad and hubby read these and I used to until I got immersed in romance! I’d still like to read them, one day J)

So many more it scares me!

Certainly a lady of eclectic taste there, Cate! Glad to see someone else has a towering TBR Pile!

Thanks for sharing your many TBR piles with us today Cate! All the best with The Virginity Mission – I have it ready and waiting to read

Find Cate on:

Facebook person (www.facebook.com/cate.ellink)

Facebook author page (www.facebook.com/CateEllinkAuthor)

Website (www.cateellink.com)

Email (cate@cateellink.com)

Twitter (@CateEllink)

I’m delighted to welcome S E Gilchrist to my blog today.

S E’s writing world is “one of passionate romance, adventure, intriguing settings, hot heroes and quirky heroines together with charming side-kicks.”  Her stories are “primarily romances : sci fi / futuristic, historical with fantasy elements, erotic, post-apocalyptic and dystopian.”

S E Gilchrist is published with Escape Publishing, a digital first imprint of Harlequin Australia and Momentum Books, a digital imprint of Pan Macmillan Australia. She’s also an indie author.

Welcome S E! Please tell us, what was the last book you read?

I’m going to say the last two books here as one is a ‘how to’ book. The Newbie’s Guide to Publishing (Everything a Writer Needs to Know) by Joe Konrath, Jack Kilborn and and Barry Eisler. I enjoyed reading this book which in part, details a writer’s journey and has some great tips for writing.

The other book I have recently finished is How to Murder the Man of Your Dreams by Dorothy Cannell. I’m a great fan of Dorothy Cannell’s Ellie Haskell stories which started with The Thin Woman.  These series are funny (often ROFL), with a touch of romance and an unusual murder to solve with lots of red herrings and very bizarre characters.

I love the title of that one! What are you currently reading?

The latest in the series by John Birmingham, Stalin’s Hammer which I admit I started to read at Xmas time and got side tracked. On the romance side, I’m almost finished The Ugly Duchess by Eloisa James. So you can see by my reading lists my taste in literature is quite varied.

And what book is / are next on your reading list?

Since I bought a Kindle late last year, Amazon is my ‘god’. I have way too many books on  my list but some of them are: (in no particular order) Passion in Paradise by Shirley Wine, Kris Pearson, Diana Fraser & Serenity Woods, Rules of Entanglement by Gina L Maxwell, Highland Song by Tanya Anne Crosby, Lily’s Leap by Tea Cooper, Outback Fear by Suzanne Brandyn, Taming the Wild Highlander by Terry Spear, Secret Reflection by Jennifer Brassel, Secrets in Time by Alison Stuart, Dark Vow by Shona Husk, Made for Her by Jessica E Subject, Lauren’s Dilemma by Margaret Tanner, Area 51 by Bob Mayer, The Convict’s Bounty Bride by Lena Dowling, Morgan’s Return by Greta Van De Rol, Redemption by Erica Hayes, Star Crash by Elysa Henricks, Behind the Sun by Deborah Challinor (paperback). Oh and the latest JD Robb book also paperback.  I have six over loaded bookcases and only last week bought another bookcase from Officeworks.  I think I have a problem.

Yes, your problem is you need more bookcases! That’s certainly an eclectic mix!

Tell us about your latest releases.

My latest release is an erotic short sci fi romance, Awakening the Warriors, set in the same world as Legend Beyond the Stars. Awakening the Warriors was a fun write and a challenge as it encompasses my first M/M/F romance.

BLURB: Fran must have been crazy to leave her ordinary, safe life and volunteer as a colonist to terra-form a new earth.

Now she is trapped in a prison cell on an alien planet a zillion miles from home and bound for a hideous death in notorious research chambers. She has one chance of escape: awaken the long dormant sexual urges of the Darkon Warriors shackled in the next cell.

It’s a desperate job, but someone has to do it.

You can purchase Awakening the Warriors via Escape Publishing.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend and a writer. My favourite words are ‘what if’ and ‘where’ and I have way too many stories in my head. I’m published in the romance genres of sci fi/futuristic, post-apocalyptic, fantasy/pre-medieval.  The current ms I’m working on is the follow on book from Legend Beyond the Stars and I’m also working on a short post-apocalyptic story, a short story in my fantasy/pre-medieval series and a YA novel.

For me, there is nothing like the anticipation of opening the cover of a new book and discovering the world inside.

You can find S E via her blog, website, Facebook or Twitter.

Thankyou for having me here today, Kerrie. It’s made me look at the number of books surrounding me and wonder whether I should open a library! Happy reading everyone.

Thanks for sharing your TBR pile with us, SE. And good luck with Awakening the Warriors.

I haven’t updated where my writing is up to for a while, so I thought I’d give a quick summary of the ups and downs over the last few months.

The downs

• I didn’t make it through to the final 3 of the Emerald BUT I’m very pleased with my 6th place result. I’m also very proud of my HRW writing buddy, Erin Moira O’Hara who did make it through! Good luck with Monique, Erin!
• I got my first rejection from an agent. It could have been far worse for my first rejection though – it was along the lines of “I don’t have the time to read your submission (ie my books are full)” rather than “what a load of rubbish!”

Please welcome Téa Cooper as my special guest today. Téa is a fellow member of Hunter Romance Writers and a prolific writer who writes both contemporary and Australian historical.

Téa writes historical and contemporary romance featuring strong-minded women and irresistible Australian men.  Her heroes and heroines have to fight long and hard for what they believe in before they reach their happy ever after. Many of her books are set in her own back yard and take their inspiration either from the fascinating local characters she knows and loves or those haunting the local museum.

So tell us, Téa, what was the last book you read?

Secrets in Time by Alison Stuart. I love Alison’s books particularly the ones set in the seventeenth century – I studied that period of English history at University. A swashbuckling cavalier who time slips – it made me laugh and it made me cry! You can’t ask for much more.

You can’t beat swashbuckling And what are you currently reading?

The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. It is hilarious! I’m trying to incorporate chunks of it into my WIP!

I tend to have two or three books on the go at once. I’m revisiting a book called Carve Her Name with Pride at the moment. It’s all about Violette Szabo she worked for the French Resistance. It’s another period of history that fascinates me. I think I’d like to write a story set during the Second World War.

Both books sound fascinating! What book(s) is/are next on your reading pile?

Forbidden Angel by Megan D Martin, about a woman captured by the Nazis who finds herself in a concentration camp is next on my Kindle. Cora’s Heart was given to me by a friend who shares a love of romance and knitting with Rachel Herron, the author and Jeanette Winterspoon’s Lighthouse Keeping that I stole from another friend’s library. I thought I had read all her books but I discovered I hadn’t.

You’ve been a busy girl lately. Tell us about your latest releases.

Congratulations on your releases! Tell us a little about yourself:

Téa Cooper lives in a stone cottage on one hundred acres of bushland just outside the time-warp village of Wollombi. When she is not writing, Téa can be found haunting the local museum or chatting to the locals, who provide her with a never-ending source of inspiration.

Tree Change her first contemporary romance novel was published in December 2012. Her second, a historical novel Lily’s Leap - set in Wollombi, was published in May 2013. Her first Australian rural/small town romance, The Protea Boys was also released that month.

Passionfruit & Poetry and A Winning Streak will be published in June and her second Australian historical novel Matilda’s Freedom in July.

When Téa is not in lurking in the museum she can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads or you can email her at teacooperauthor@gmail.com.

Every writer I know has a stack of craft books. Some of them have even been read I thought I’d share some of my favourites, in no particular order.

G.M.C.: Goal, Motivation & Conflict by Debra Dixon – Love, love, love this book! I use this at the plotting stage initially to try to come up with a Goal, Motivation and Conflict for each of my characters. Then tend to go back to it for inspiration when I get stuck.

The Breakout Novelist by Donald Maass – I have to confess to not having read this one cover to cover. It’s one I dip in and out of when I’m editing or when I’m looking for exercises to improve my craft.

On Writing by Stephen King – This is my inspiration book. I’ve never read a Stephen King story, and probably never will, but I find this very memoir gets me going when my enthusiasm for writing wanes.

The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler – I’m still working my way through this but am finding it very useful so far in terms of working out the character arc.

Save The Cat by Black Snyder – Fantastic book to help with structuring my novels. I love the beat sheet.

Writing Love by Alexandra Sokoloff – Another great book for structuring my novel. I use this one extensively to make sure the book flows well.

What’s your favourite craft books? Are you a fan of any I’ve mentioned? Or do you have a hidden treasure that I need to know about?

Historical and spicy romance author, MarianneTheresa, is my special guest poster today. She writes stories with sizzle and spice, with her first short story, Hidden Passions, out now with Momentum Books.

When Chad Whittaker receives a frantic call for help from the woman he loves he’s on the next plane home to Sydney.

But will he get there in time?

Cally Foster just kicked her boyfriend’s no-good, lying, cheating ass out of her apartment and her life. That’s what a girl gets when she falls for the wrong guy.

So why does she feel so desolate? Shouldn’t she be on top of the world?

Not when her fickle heart is crying out for another man she loved all along and may never see again.

You can find out more about MarianneTheresa at the bottom of the post.

So tell us, MarianneTheresa, what’s in your TBR pile?

My TB read pile is as much an assortment as a 20cent bag of lollies used to be at the corner store.

There is Paranormal holding hands with Historical dancing with Contemporary who is dining with Sci-Fi Fantasy & Spicy Romantica titles ….  I love ‘em all

Erica Hayes has a new series out, The Seven Signs. It’s based on the Biblical Apocalypse and set in the near future.  It has all my favourites, Hunky Hero & wonderful Heroine, Angels & Zombies and of course HEA… usually a must for me in stories. Book#2, Redemption, has just arrived and I can’t wait to get to it.

What I’ve just read:

The Last City by Nina D’Aleo

This story was fast paced and kept me reading till the end, hardly could I put it down. One of those, stir the gravy with one hand and hold the e-reader with the other kind of books

It’s a crime/ sci-fiction blend. The romance was not as strong as I prefer but in this story I did not miss it too much. A battle of Breeds, machines & races in a combat against time and evil.

What I’m reading:

Not being a great T.V watcher I read in preference, but I have been bitten by the MKR bug and it has *eaten* into my reading time.  So by the time this post goes to air I’ll probably have finished this book, but plans are for Bound By Lies to be next. It is the 2^nd in the Medieval Fantasy Series by S.E.Gilchrist (Bound By Love is #1) 

What I want to read:

Don’t you love it when you find a new author? Deborah Challinor is a New Zealand Author and she writes History (my favest genre) – Fiction & non-fiction. I’ve read her first Historical Trilogy set in NZ & now I want to start on her Historical Series set in Early Australia. The first one Behind the Sun is out now.

Here are some of the other books on my TBR bookcase

Here are some of the titles waiting to be read on my E-Reader:

The Contract – by Jae-Lynn Davies

House of Cards – by Terri Molina

Exotic Indulgence – by Lexie Couper Jess Dee & Vivian Arend

Winter of the Passion Flower -by Annie Seaton

Claimed – by K.R.Smith

Taken by Storm – M.J Schiller

Enslaved – by Cassandra Dean

The Wild One – by Danelle Harmon

The Reluctant Marquess – Maggi Anderson

These are just a few out of the 35 that are waiting patiently for me to get to them.

I’ve blogged over at the Hunter Romance Writers about how I use a corkboard to plot and structure my writing, as taught by Alexandra Sokoloff in her workshop at the RWA 2012 conference.

Do you plot? How do you keep track of your structure?

Please follow me over. I’d love to hear your comments.

Please welcome Juanita Kees as my guest poster today, talking about her To-Be-Read pile. Juanita is a great writer and I’m extremely lucky to have her as my CP. Check out her books listed at the bottom of the post. Now, over to you, Juanita…

Hello and thanks, Kerrie for having me here today.

There is something magical about a story, whether it’s told or read. I grew up on bedtime and camp fire stories. Television only reached the shores of South Africa in 1976 and even then, it was restricted due to the government’s opposition to its introduction. Starting broadcast at 6pm and ending at 10pm, it aired for a total of 28 hours a week with an equal split between English and Afrikaans.  Only the ‘well-to-do’ owned a television at first and later, with the release of colour television, the same applied. Hence, my family’s love of books and music—it was pretty much all we had!

So every night, we’d huddle around the radio to listen to episodes of the comedy and drama segments. There were the police heroes of Squad Cars, the scary bedtime stories of Ten O’clock Tales and the thrilling adventures of science fiction in The Mind of Tracey Dark. But most memorable of all was my very first hero – Jet Jungle.

 Jet Jungle was an adventure superhero and appeared in the hit radio play, The incredible adventures of the most amazing man of our time, broadcast on South Africa’s Springbok Radio. We used to hang out for the Sunday paper to read the comic too and only ate Jungle Oats for breakfast. The main character Jet Jungle, created and voiced by Brian O’Shaughnessy, was the strongest man in the world and oh boy, could he fill out a lycra suit! Along with his black panther Jupiter, they would hunt down and avenge criminals and occasionally encounter an alien or two.

So I guess the thirst for intrigue, adventure and suspense was nurtured in my creative mind from an early age and this is what eventually formed the foundation of my own stories to come. It started with Fly Away Peta, continued in Under the Hood and peaks in my work in progress, Under Cover of Dark. Not satisfied with a strong hero and feisty heroine, I wanted more…of everything. So in all my books, I hope you will find plenty of action to keep you glued to your seat. The same applies to what I like to read. I love historical, suspense, mystery, paranormal…in fact, I love reading anything!

What I’ve just read:

GRACE GROWS by Shelle Sumners (Allen & Unwin)

(Read the full review on The Other Side)

If you’re looking for a novel that’s not only unique but original, GRACE GROWS by Shelle Sumners is the book for you. Sex and the City lovers are going to adore Shelle’s writing voice. GRACE GROWS is upbeat, funny and a very sweet read.

What I’m reading:

MY WILD RIDE by Fiona Johnson (Allen & Unwin)

The true story of Fiona’s battle with cancer and her determination to overcome life’s greatest challenges.

What I want to read:

A GRANDMOTHER’S WISDOM by Catriona Rowntree (Allen & Unwin)

Channel Nine Getaway presenter, Catriona Rowntree has a memoir coming out 20th March. This is Catriona’s story, interwoven with her Nan’s homespun advice.  Her Nan’s words of encouragement, warmth and love helped to guide her behaviour and choices.

Books on my TBR bookcase:

Wow, if I had to name them all it would be a list fit for the Guinness Book of Records, so perhaps it’s best if I send you off to my Goodreads Page.

I can tell you that next up on my list to read is SILVER CLOUDS by Fleur McDonald.

On the Web:

Kees2Create:   http://www.kees2create.com.au/

Author Website: http://www.juanitakees.com/

Twitter:           https://twitter.com/#!/juanitakees

Facebook:        https://www.facebook.com/pages/Juanita-Kees-Author-Page/

Under the Hood:

When Scott Devin buys a struggling car dealership in a semi-rural area in Western Australia, the last person he expects to see in charge is a stilletto-wearing, mini-skirted foreperson. Exactly the distraction a struggling, male-dominated workshop doesn’t need! But there’s more to TJ Stevens than meets the eye.

TJ Stevens has two major goals in life: to preserve her grandfather’s heritage and protect her teenage rehabilitation program – and she’ll go to any lengths to do it. Scott Devin’s presence is a threat to everything she’s worked hard to achieve, so keeping him at arms-length shouldn’t be a problem…or will it?

Fly Away Peta:

Peta Johnson will go to extreme lengths to protect her daughter Bella. When Bella is kidnapped, the search for her takes Peta back to the small town of Williams, a place she’d vowed never to return to. The town where her dreams were shattered and her nightmare began. Back to the place she’d been destined to meet two very powerful, yet very different men. One would break her heart, the other would destroy her soul. Both would change her life forever.

It’s a tough question – when is your manuscript ready to stand on its own two feet and go into the big, wide world?

This is the challenge I’m facing at the moment. I’ve finished editing it (oh, but wait, I just thought of “one more thing” I need to do with it!), it’s been read by a couple of beta-readers who have given me feedback, I’ve written the query letter and the synopsis.

But like an artist, it’s hard to know when to stop. When is it time to put it away and say enough? At what point will that final brush stroke take it too far?

It’s fear that’s stopping me from sending it out. While it’s safely at home, I can continue to have my daydreams that my dream agent will snap it up and there will be a bidding war of publishers wanting to buy it. (A girl has to dream big, right?!) Once it’s out there, and I start getting rejections back, well … it’ll hurt!

So it’s time to put my big girl panties on and send it out.

As soon as I do these last few things…

I’m delighted to welcome Juliet Madison as my very first guest poster. Juliet’s debut novel Fast Forward is out now through Escape Publishing. And let me tell you, it’s a fantastic read. I challenge anyone to read it and not laugh (especially at the underwear scene!)

Aspiring supermodel, Kelli Crawford seems destined to marry her hotshot boyfriend, but on her twenty-fifth birthday she wakes in the future as a fifty-year-old suburban housewife married to the now middle-aged high school nerd.

Trapped in the opposite life of the one she wanted, Kelli is forced to re-evaluate her life and discover what is really important to her. Will she overcome the hilarious and heartbreaking challenges presented to her and get back to the body of her younger self? Or will she be stuck in the nightmare of hot flushes, demanding children, raunchy advances from her husband and hideous support underwear forever?                             

So tell us, Juliet, what’s in your TBR pile?

Thanks Kerrie for inviting me to your blog today!

Well it seems I’ve been doing more writing and blogging lately than reading, but still, I’ve always got a book on the go, sometimes more than one. I recently got a Kindle too, so now there is even more temptation to buy books because ebooks are so cheap and there are many novels only being published digitally that I want to read.

So, my To Be Read pile is a combination of print books in a bookcase and digital files stored nice and neatly in my Kindle. At least the latter don’t fall over or get warped from being squished because there’s not enough room in the bookcase!

What I’ve just read:

I’ve just read The Violet’s of March by Sarah Jio, an intriguing, romantic novel that tugs on the heart strings. It merges events from the 1940’s to the present day through an old diary the main character discovers while staying with her aunt on Bainbridge Island. It’s an absorbing read and the setting was nice and atmospheric, and it had interesting characters of different ages. The diary entries are just as interesting as the main story, and I found it easy to get carried away with them and what had happened to this woman in the 40’s. It seems to be a mixture of romance, women’s fiction, and mystery, and I’d be interested to read more from Sarah.

I’ve also just done some critiquing on my critique partner’s manuscript, and let me tell you – I can’t wait till a publisher snaps it up! It’s a fantastic, intriguing (I like that word), and romantic story revolving around the passion of the tango world, and spanning three generations of women and how their lives and relationships have been affected by the dance of love.

What I’m reading:

I’m just about to start Jenn J McLeod’s debut novel, House For All Seasons which I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of, and I’m really looking forward to it. The story premise has me hooked already, I love Jenn’s writing (having read some samples and her short stories over the past few years), and the cover just draws me in. I will be trying to have a few early nights in order to indulge in this book!

I’ve also been reading a writing craft book called 2k to 10k, which will hopefully have me upping my daily word count and getting all my books written faster!

What I want to read:

I cannot possibly list all the books I want to read, or poor Kerrie’s blog will go on and on and on! But I’ll share a few books I’m looking forward to reading soon. For Christmas I received Lisa Genova’s Love Anthony, which sounds like a book I’ll be needing the tissues for, especially as the story revolves around something close to my heart – autism. I also have my fellow Escape Artist (author from Escape Publishing), Alissa Callen’s book, What Love Sounds Like loaded on my Kindle and have snuck in a quick read of the first few pages and am looking forward to getting stuck into that one. Rachael John’s new book Man Drought is also high on my list, as is The Meryl Streep Movie Club by Mia March.

Here are some of the other books on my TBR bookcase (I’m thinking of creating a ‘what to read next’ system – jot down the names of the books and pick one out of a hat!):

Boomerang Bride – Fiona Lowe

Stella Makes Good – Lisa Heidke

The Secret Ingredient – Dianne Blacklock

The Time of My Life – Cecilia Ahern

Already Home – Susan Mallery

Star Struck – Jane Lovering

Jillaroo – Rachael Treasure

Pinch Me – Adena Halpern

Here are some of the titles waiting to be read on my Kindle:

A Basic Renovation – Sandra Antonelli

Bound By Her Ring – Nicole Flockton

Crazy Love – Nicola Marsh

Holiday Affair – Annie Seaton

Real Men Don’t Break Hearts – Coleen Kwan

Christmas with Mr Darcy – Victoria Connelly

Well, I better stop writing now and start READING!

But before I go, I’d like to hear what you’re reading at the moment. Leave a comment to go in the draw for a $50 Amazon gift card or the runner up prize of a $25 gift card. Comment on other blogs during my February blog tour in celebration of my debut release, FAST FORWARD, for more entries into the draw! Winners drawn 1st March.

You can also win a bonus $25 gift card by purchasing FAST FORWARD and emailing your receipt to fastforwardbook (at) gmail (dot) com.

Connect with Juliet online:

Website: http://www.julietmadison.com

Blog: http://www.julietmadison.wordpress.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/julietmadisonauthor

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/juliet_madison

***

You certainly have a long TBR pile, Juliet! (And please tell me you tidied that bookcase for the photo or I’ll hate you forever!)

Thanks for being on my blog – you’ve given me even more to add to my own TBR list – and all the best with Fast Forward!