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RWA National 2012

July 6, 2012 by in category Events, Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as , , , ,

RWA National 2012

It’s July–and my first Harlequin Romantic Suspense novel, UNDERCOVER SOLDIER, is available this month.


Also, it’s almost time for the Romance Writers of America National Conference!

This year, OCC members, it’s in our backyard. I’d imagine that most of you plan to attend.
As I do every year, I’ve been keeping track of all my upcoming meetings and parties at National on my online calendar, since it can be updated easily. I’ve unfortunately started running into conflicts, but I’ll do all I can to squeeze everything in.

That includes the panel I’m on, on Friday, July 27, at 2 PM. It’s on Writing a Series You’re Passionate About, and among the participants are OCC member Pat Wright (writing as Patricia Thayer) and our agent Paige Wheeler of Folio Literary Management. Come hear us–and bring questions!

I’ll also be at the Literacy Signing on Wednesday evening, so if you’re there come and say hi. I believe I’ll additionally be at the Berkley signing on Friday morning.

I hope to see you all there!
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A Fantasy Life by Janet Quinn Cornelow

June 28, 2012 by in category A Fantasy Life by Janet Cornelow tagged as ,

My newest book up at Kindle and Nook is Yesteryear’s Love with a new cover by Lex Valentine. It is a western time-travel.
Following clues in her great-grandmother’s diary, lovely Sarah Martin left the big city for Moose creek, Wyoming, hoping to trace her family history. As she stands in the town’s church, Sarah has a strange feeling that the figure in the stained glass window is calling to her. She turns away…
…and finds herself over a hundred hears in the past! It’s 1870, and suddenly Sarah must adjust to frontier life-and meet her great-grandparents. Then their friend, the handsome bachelor Joshua Campbell, arrives. He’s looking for a bride-and thinks it should be her. Sarah knows a dark secret about Joshua’s future and does not want to give her heart where there is no future. But this stubborn pioneer captures her heart before she can refuse him. Can they hope for lasting happiness-when the force that brought Sarah to Moose creek begins to call her back home?
My newest book, A Chance for Love, is also a western time-travel. It is coming along and I am down to the last 50 pages. There just hasn’t been much time to write, but the current term at school ends next week, so I should have time again. I would like to have the first draft done in August.
The sales for the self-published books has not been as good this spring, but seem to be picking up some. I am actually selling more at Nook than  I am at Kindle. I have no idea why the sales go the way they do and why some books sell more than others.
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Thanks, OCC

June 6, 2012 by in category Pets, Romance & Lots of Suspense by Linda O. Johnston tagged as , , ,


OCC is the Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers of America. We’re romance writers. But some of us also are mystery writers. Writers of romantic suspense. Both.
I’m always delighted to attend OCC meetings, but I’m especially looking forward to the one next weekend. Why? It’ll be chock full of excellent research info for those of us who are mystery and suspense writers as well as romance authors.

First, I see that Debra Holland is giving a morning workshop on “Creating Fighting and
Self-Defense Scenes.” That should be fascinating. The chapter’s published authors are even forgoing a Published Authors Workshop that morning to be able to attend Debra’s presentation.

And then, in the afternoon, our guest speaker Dennis Kee, a weapons expert, will present a program on “Don’t Blame the Gun, Blame the Writer.” It sounds as if it’ll be full of excellent information on weapons.

I had thought I’d be out of town next weekend, but fortunately my plans changed. I’ll be there! See you all soon–and I’m really looking forward to the June OCC meeting.

Linda O. Johnston
http://www.lindaojohnston.com/
http://www.killerhobbies.blogspot.com/
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A Fantasy Life by Janet Quinn Cornelow

May 28, 2012 by in category A Fantasy Life by Janet Cornelow tagged as ,

I have gotten the rights back to The River’s Treasure and put it up on Kindle and Nook. Lex Valentine made a new cover for the book. She does such a great job.
Genevieve Rawlings awakens on the banks of the Mississippi River, cold, half drowned and with no recollection of how she came to be there or of who she is. Cooper Monroe rescues her and makes her part of his family while he tries to figure out who she is and where she came from. Then someone tries to steal her diamond and ruby necklace and her life. Cooper must protect her as well as his family.
As they try to find out who wants the necklace and Genevieve’s life, they travel down the Mississippi and to New Orleans. Can they find safety for everyone? Can she convince him that she’ll be happy as a farm wife? Can they find true love?
Rob finally graduated from Cal State Fullerton a week ago Saturday. There were times I was beginning to think he was never going to make it. Of course it stated at 8 a.m. and went for two hours. Then there was a break while everyone changed locations. Rob’s group was small and he was sitting on the stage, so there was no sneaking out once he crossed the stage. I could see him and I was fairly well in the back. We had Bella with us and I was so tired from walking all over the place, I just sat. That campus is huge. I did get a picture of my three boys together and a picture of Bella and Michael. They were the most important.

Then we went to lunch and Rob picked a place that didn’t open until 3 p.m. and it was 11:30 a.m. Michael and Tom decided on Sizzler since it was nearby and open. Then both of them tried calling Rob’s dad, Rob, and Rob’s wife Loki. Did any of them answer their cell phones? Of course not. Everyone finally found us except Loki who Rob dropped at home because she wasn’t feeling well. She’s pregnant and seldom feels well.
My granddaughter Bella had her first birthday in May also. Boy, this has been a busy month. All this socializing is cutting into my writing time with my teaching seven classes. Bella looked so beautiful. We had a bit of trouble getting her to break her cake up to eat it since mom and dad always break her food into bite size pieces. Grandpa had to demonstrate taking a bite. Once she figured it out, she was into the cake. Mom doesn’t let her have sweets so she was happy. She didn’t get really messy. She is the neatest eating baby I have ever seen.
Hopefully by the time is my turn to blog again, I will be a lot closer to the end of my new time travel. I know every scene. I just need time other than the middle of the night to write. By then I am half blind and my grammar is gone from grading papers.
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Things That Make Me Go Mmmruh!

May 8, 2012 by in category Things That Make Me Go Mmmrrh . . . by Geralyn Corcillo tagged as , , , , , , ,


I Like to Watch 


by Geralyn Ruane


As gardener Chance innocently notes in 1979’s Being There, written by Jerzy Kosinski, “I like to watch.” Like me, he is referring to watching TV. 

Specifically, I like to watch romance. A few days ago, Barb and Jann blogged about what writers read while working on works in progress. For me, it’s more about what I’m watching. And I know I am not alone. 


Take, for instance, ABC’s Castle, created by Andrew W. Marlowe. I hear romance writers refer to this Nathan Fillion treat pretty frequently. The show reminds me of one of my eighties favorites, Remington Steele, co-created by Robert Butler and Michael Gleason,  with its by-the-book crime fighter and charming rascal of a sidekick motif. Despite Castle‘s silliness, or maybe because of it, the light cop drama keeps me hooked. So, don’t miss tonight’s Season Finale. As they do at the end of every season, the writers bring up Kate’s mother’s murder. But I’m really hoping that this year, Kate and Castle finally get together. And on screen, if you don’t mind! I cannot stand it when a show builds sexual and romantic tension all year or over several years, only to have the two characters finally unite during summer hiatus! (See The Office and the second time around for Doug and Carol on ER.)

This week is also the premiere of Masterpiece Mysteries Season Two of Sherlock, the tales of the adventures of Holmes and Watson in 2012 London. An alternate title could be Sherlock Holmes Meets The Internet.The show fascinates, galvanizes, and positively tickles. And, as February Afternoon Speaker Jennifer Ashley pointed out, Sherlock is an amazing creation to watch for tips on how to make a character unforgettable. And yes, Jennifer Ashley specifically referred to this modern Sherlock, recreated by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat and played by Benedict Cumberbatch. Martin Freeman’s Watson is equally awesome. This week’s episode, A Scandal in Belgravia, is fraught with sexual tension and unequalled in the series for its sheer brilliance.


For a more classic romance, Masterpiece Classic recently aired Birdsong, based on the novel by Sebastian Faulks and written for the screen by Sebastian Faulks and Abi Morgan. While in the trenches, a British soldier in World War I remembers his pre-war affair, and one day while on leave in a small town in France, he catches up with the life he left behind. What begins as a lush tale of romance juxtaposed with the heart-searing agony of warfare evolves into a profound story about life, death, love, camaraderie, and hope.


And if you are ever in the mood to “watch a contemporary romance novel,” one both delightful and satisfying, check out Chad Hodge’s I Want to Marry Ryan Banks, a television movie gem starring Jason Priestly, Emma Caulfield, and Bradley Cooper. A down to earth bookstore owner gets pushed into starring on a reality show that will determine which lucky contestant is to be the bride of gorgeous movie star Ryan Banks. The movie is light, romantic, sexy (but no sex), and fun, as our girl-next-door heroine finds answers and true love in the most unexpected places. 


Watching romance delights me, inspires me, and makes me consider options.


What have you watched lately? And what does it do for you?

Geralyn Ruane has been avidly watching television since she was very young.


       

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