Hi Romance Dishes!!! You’re all looking very delicious today! Thanks so much for asking me to blog here about my new release, CAPTIVE OF SIN, which came out on 27th October.I’ve known Buffie and PJ and Andrea and Gannon through the internet for a couple of years now and most recently we worked together at Romance Novel TV where we all wrote reviews. I loved Romance Novel TV – Maria and Marisa were fun and professional and smart and basically just great people. Sadly time pressure meant that the Ms closed up shop a few weeks ago.
And out of the ashes rises…
THE ROMANCE DISH!!!!
This will be one of the must-see romance sites. How can it fail with such wonderful chefs running the kitchen? The recipe of a few old favorites, lots of great new stuff, and fun and laughter for dessert is just right! So good luck to the RD! Long may you serve up scrumptious tidbits for your hungry romance-reading audience.
Right, I think I’ve milked that metaphor as far as I can! In fact, you might say I’ve battered it flat like a piece of veal for schnitzel!
New Beginnings is actually a really apt topic when it comes to CAPTIVE OF SIN too.
At the age of eighteen, the brilliant Gideon Trevithick is recruited from his studies at Cambridge to work undercover for the East India Company in India. He’s a despised younger son of a brutish father and he has to make his way in the world unaided by family fortune or influence. He spends the next seven years immersed in a culture that fascinates him, although his work is hard, dirty and dangerous. By the end of his tenure, he has become so disillusioned with his masters that he’s determined to return to England. But the Company persuade him to undertake one last mission which turns into a disaster. Through his colleagues’ incompetence, Gideon is captured and imprisoned for a year before he’s rescued.
He returns to England a national hero, the man who endured unspeakable torture without betraying his country’s secrets. More, while he’s been away, both his father and his older brother have died, leaving him heir to a magnificent if rundown estate on the Cornish cliffs. The possibility of inheriting Penrhyn had always been so remote, he’d never considered he might end up as its master.
But Gideon is a broken man. His imprisonment has left him scarred and tormented. He’s utterly convinced he’ll never lead a normal existence and that his life, to all intents and purposes, is over. Yet now he’s responsible for the people on the estate and coping with celebrity.Haunted by the howling ghosts of his past, he’s on his way home when he stumbles upon a runaway heiress, Lady Charis Weston. Impulsively he promises to keep her safe from her greedy and violent stepbrothers. Having been so recently the victim of violence and captivity himself, how can he abandon this spirited, determined woman? Little does Gideon know that this rash action will lead him to the most radical of new beginnings – a marriage in name only to a woman he desperately desires even though he’s convinced she deserves much better than a wreck of a man like him.
Charis vows that their marriage will be a true new beginning, the start of a life of love and fulfillment. Poor Gideon. He only has his honor to protect him from the woman he loves! His honor’s pretty unshakable, but you know…
So new beginnings galore in CAPTIVE OF SIN!
Do you have a favorite book that features someone’s life taking a 180 degree turn? Have you ever had to face a completely new beginning in your own life? And do you think Gideon will give in? Yeah, right…
Good luck! I look forward to lots of yummy answers. And my favorite serving will win a signed copy of CAPTIVE OF SIN! Good luck!
Hey, Andrea, that's one doozy of an introduction. Do you want to come and live at my place and give me a greeting like that to start every day? I think it would really add zing to my life!
ReplyDeleteSo happy to be here at the Romance Dish. I think you girls are wonderful. And man, you sure throw a magnficent launch party!
Well Top O' Mornin to ya...or what ever it is down in Australia. Its still Nov. 4th here, we have another 52 minutes! :)
ReplyDeleteI can't think of a "favorite" book that has someone's life take a 180 degree turn. (It is late ya know, my brain should work again tomorrow) BUT I did just finish Becca Fitzpatrick's first book hush, hush where someone's life takes a 180 degree turn. Well more than one someone, but I don't want to give away too much to those of you who haven't read it yet.
I didn't give away too much, did I?
OH, another book comes to mind...ok ok ok so actually I looked over at my book shelf and went 180, 180, 180, nope, nope, kinda, nope, ohh yes!
Karen Marie Moning's heroine (hope I spelled that right, I'm not talking the drug people, :) ) MacKayla "Mac" Lane is one of my favorites. Her life definitely takes a 180 degree turn! For those of you intrested, there are 5 books in the series, only 4 are out now, the fifth( ShadowFever ) due out in summer of 2010. The first 4 are DarkFever , BloodFever, FaeFever, and DreamFever. *side note, the books end in cliff hangers, not just "oh look there's a cliff" but "HOLY SHITE THERE'S A HUGE FLIPPIN CLIFF HERE! WHERE THE HECK DID THAT COME FROM?!?!" type cliff hangers. Just so you are warned.*
A completely new beginning in my life? Not really. My parents were military, so we moved a lot which meant new beginnings but never "completely" new because I always had them. The closest I've come is when I moved out on my own and when I got married, maybe when I had my first child, but I had my hubby so it wasn't "completly" new.
Then again I could be rambling...sorry if I am. I think I'll go to bed now.
Good Night everyone!
Hiya Miss Dorthy! Great to see you again! Honestly, you'll be on my Christmas card list if you keep this up ;-)
ReplyDeleteIt's heading for evening here and I'm just about to turn the computer off for the evening. Oh, and it's Thursday 5th. Honestly, a girl could go a bit loopy with all these time zones!
Actually I think all the KMM books I've read involve characters who do the 180 degreee turn. Great choice! I mean, time travel automatically means you're out of your usual, doesn't it? I haven't read the new series but I've heard great things about them. I absolutely adore the Highlander books. Dageus, yum!
Actually a book I thought of that gives that 180 degree turn (henceforth to be referred to as 1dt) is Virgin River by Robyn Carr. The main character is a nurse who leaves her big city emergency ward after a tragedy and moves to a tiny town up in the mountains.
Oooh, completely new beginnings!! I love them :-) I've had a couple and both ended up featuring having kids LOL. The first was just such a change of life to suddenly go from wildy irresponsible to mom. With my second daughter, I went from responsible mom(really!) with a job to full time stay at home mom who homeschooled.It was such a huge adjustment and made such a wonderful difference in our lives, but man, it wasn't easy!
ReplyDeleteAnna, I do love your books and am so excited about COS. What a tasty treat that will be to read *g*
Tasty post, Anna! What a way to kick off a great new blog. Congrats to all at the Romance Dish!
ReplyDeleteI'm full of admiration for people who leave everything that's familiar to them and move to a whole new country. My sister moved to Holland when she was 19. She didn't speak the language - but she was fluent in months. She had to be, because she'd enrolled in fashion school there. Since then she's become somewhat of a celebrity.
Hi Dishy Dames! Thanks for having Anna as a guest today. I keep raving about CAPTIVE OF SIN everywhere Anna goes. Gideon is such a lovely tortured hero and Charis gives him a sigh-worthy HEA--oops, was that a spoiler?LOL
ReplyDeleteI loved the television series Seachange (an Australian show) where a female city lawyer's life falls apart and she packs up her kids and moves to a quirky little seaside town. I think I was still working when it started and boy, did I envy that character sometimes! Then I had my own seachange moving from the law to writing, but the biggest change was having children. It's been almost 7 years and I'm still in shock over that one!
Hi All
ReplyDeleteAnna fantastic post Andrea's introduction is excellent so well said Andrea.
I have to say Gideon and Charis are an awesome couple I am nearly finished this book I am savouring it and I gotta say Gideons life change is my favourite
Have Fun
Helen
Oh, Gideon! My poor, scarred, sensational, sensual hero! You are a man after my heart.
ReplyDeleteTwo favorite "scarred heroes": Luke from "Healing Luke" by Beth Cornelison. Alistair from "To Beguile a Beast" by Elizabeth Hoyt. Both men were injured and disfigured, maimed and damaged. It took love and a change of heart for them to realize that their true masculine strength and attractiveness was more compelling than ever!
Twas beauty that tamed the Beast!
gcwhiskas at aol dot com
Hi Romance Dishes and Anna
ReplyDeleteI've just been having a look around on this blog site and it's beautiful! Elegant and fun! And you've even got a pic of Gerard Butler as a waiter - how cool is that!
Okay 180 degree stories... well, Gideon and Charis's story is a fabulous 180 story. And another one that leaps to mind is a Linda Howard book. Grace St John in Son of the Morning has her life tipped upside down when her husband is murdered while she watches. So from her comfortable happy marriage she's tipped on to the streets. And then later travels back in time to get help to foil a villain.
Thanks for serving up the delectable Anna for us, Dishes!
:)
Sharon
Hi Anna, it's lovely to see you and great to see the 'Dish' up and running - congratulations, girls!
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how life does throw those 180 degree turns at you, don't you think? Especially when you just think you're settled in a groove. I've had a few including a couple of times when life turned upside down because dh decided it was time to try something new somewhere completely different, and once of my own devising when I stepped off a cliff without a rope (ie. gave up a busy, stressful, fantastic, trying, well paid job and went into unemployment so I could spend time with my family). It was one of the best 180 degree turns I ever made.
Have to say, Anna, that I love your latest release. CAPTIVE OF SIN is one of your best books to date. In fact, I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a must-turn-the-page romance and hasn't read one of yours before. It's an unforgettable story, an intense passionate romance, with a great marriage of convenience and such yummy characters. Good one, Anna!
Your new book sounds awesome, Anna. Can't wait to get my paws on it!
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of books where someone had to make a radical change in their life, I think of Laura Kinsale's "Flowers from the Storm." Sigh...so romantic!
Entree Anna!
ReplyDeleteThe first character that comes to mind is Phoebe Sommerville who went from being an artist's muse to an owner of an NFL franchise.
My 180 degree changes...going away to college and realizing I could buy any kind of cereal I wanted!
Getting married, quitting my job and "commuting" back and forth between CA and NJ. It was tough. I'll never take California produce or a real carne asada burrito for granted again!
Gorgeous website, ladies!!!
Hey Anna! So great to see you here.
ReplyDeleteGideon and Charis sure enough have a 180 degree turn in their lives; the book is brilliant - I loved every minute of it! As I said yesterday - the prose is melodic and the story captivating.
I've had so many 180 degree turns in my life - one of the biggest was when I retried from dancing and started working in television. The first thing I did when I retired was eat anything and everything I could get my hands on.
I think the best thing to do when your life takes a turn in the opposite direction is to embrace it and find the humor!
YAY! Anna's in da house!!!! Anna, I don't think you truly know how happy we are that you are joining with us in this new venture. Now on to your yummy hero! He sounds truly tortured (my favorite kind!). Captive of Sin sounds like a book I can really sink my teeth into :)
ReplyDeleteMornin' to you, Dorothy! You know, I have heard so many great things about KMM's Fever books. I really need to read them. I have read all of her Highlander ones though. She makes some yummy heros -- Adam Black -- need I say more!!!
Hey there Tawny! Homeschooling IS a hugh adjustment. Those moms who do that have the patience of a saint! My kids and I argue over just homework, I can't imagine trying to teach them all day. My hats off to you.
Authoress, welcome to our place. Wow, your sister has got some courage. I don't know if I could live in a place where I didn't speak the language. Must be nice to have a designer in the family!
Christine, oh yes children are the ultimate thing to make you do a 180. Biggest life changing event evah!
Hey Helen! Sounds like Captive of Sin is a keeper (of course!). I can't wait to read it.
Virginia, you are so right -- Beauty did change the Beast. All it takes is the love of the RIGHT women.
Sharon, thanks so much for stopping by and giving those fabulous compliments. We hope you will visit us often. I have a feeling Gerry will be back ;-)
Annie, great to see you. Sounds like you have endured a few 180s. I understand what you mean about giving up a great job to stay home with the family. When my second child was born, I stayed home with him for a year. It made things difficult at home with one less paycheck in the house, but I won't give up that time for anything.
Thanks for stopping by Maria!
PinkPeony, LOL at your cereal comment! Wonder if my kids will say the same thing when they go to college. Thanks for the compliments on the site!
ReplyDeleteHey Marisa!! I bet you have a lot of 180 stories in your closet - LOL! Eating -- reason number 1 why I could never be a dancer. I love to eat too many good things :) Oh, and of course I am not coordinated at ALL! LOL
Hey Anna! I'm really looking forward to COS! It sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI've had a couple of 180's in my life, but oddly they did not end me up where I began! :-) Groan!
Moving away from my family was a big deal for me. So was deciding to leave one career for another. So far, though, they are working for me!
Morning Everyone!
ReplyDeleteSorry to be late checking in this morning but I was up late reading Captive of Sin. Congratulations, Anna! It's fabulous!
I've read many books with 180s in them and have had a few of my own in real life. Veronica Wolff's latest book, Lord of the Highlands has a big 180 when the heroine falls asleep in her present-day San Francisco apartment and awakes in a boat in 17th century England!
I have been saying this for weeks, but I canNOT wait to read this book. Congrats on all the accolades you've gotten for it. I am holding off until I get another 10,000 words in my current project. I figure that's as good a motivation as any to get through the middle-of-the-book-slog, dangling the delicious Anna Campbell carrot before my bleary eyes. I always run out of steam at 60,000 (I'm at 62,500 now and every word is torture) but once I pass 70,000 things pick up again. I hope. :)Knowing you'll be at the end of it gives me hope.
ReplyDeleteI've spent most of my adult life moving and starting over in one way or another.But I think change is good. Scary as it is to try new things (like writing when you're plucking gray hairs out of your eyebrows), they can be very rewarding.
If y'all haven't seen it yet, you should definitely check out the gorgeous video trailer for Captive of Sin made by Vanessa (Authorness). Be sure to turn up the volume on your speakers.
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/ykvvopk
Morning Anna & Dishers :)
ReplyDeleteWow, this book sounds so completely amazing! There are so many stories that feature the 180 degree turn, but one I think of is one of the BDB books, where Zsadist is a Brother full of hate, living on an edge where he could go off at any moment. Until he falls in love, and that love is returned. While he probably turns more 120 degrees than a 180, he does make remarkable changes in his life to accept being loved. It's a moving transition, and it's my favorite BDB book.
Good luck with this latest release :)
Oh, I so can not wait to read Captive of Sin!! It's calling me from the top of my TBR pile right now.
ReplyDeleteMust...resist...must...finish...ownbook first...
Congrats on another fabulous release, Anna!!
I've read so many wonderful stories wehre the characters' lives take 180 degree turns but one that's sticking out in my mind this morning is SEP's Natural Born Charmer. Love how both characters' lives change *g*
Metaphors aside (no small feat the way Anna can stack them up :-) I agree that this new site of the Dishes is going to take the cyber world by storm!
ReplyDeleteThey are smart, savvy and loads of fun!
COS is next on my TBR pile and since I just got sent home from work (too many nurses) a 360 degree turnaround I have till at least 3 pm,, I can get caught up!
Good morning, all! Anna, I'm glad to add zing! lol But, what can I say? You have a way with men. *wink*
ReplyDeleteWe are so glad you could join us! And we think you're pretty wonderful, yourself. :)
Good morning, Dorthy! KMM is another author I've yet to read. So many books, so little time...
ReplyDeleteBtw, check out the comments in yesterday's New Releases post. :)
Morning, Stacy! You know, one of these days I'm going to have to read those books.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
Hey, Tawny! I agree, becoming a mom is a BIG change. BIG. And I love being a mom, but I don't think I could homeschool my kids. I don't have that much patience. *bowing to Tawny*
ReplyDeleteBeth, take my advice. Don't start Captive of Sin until you have enough time to read the whole book. You'll have a hard time putting it down!
ReplyDeleteNatural Born Charmer is a great example!
Morning, Joanie! Sorry about the time off but happy that means you can hang with us! :)
ReplyDeleteThey are smart, savvy and loads of fun!
Turtles are in the mail. *vbg*
Thanks, Authorness! We are settling in and loving our new digs. :)
ReplyDeleteI absolutely could not move to another country. I don't mind small changes, but I could never do something that big. I admire your sister!
Good morning, Christine! Thanks for stopping by! You know, my son will be 10 soon and I just can't believe it. Double digits. Wow. It seems like only yesterday when he was born....
ReplyDeleteThanks, Helen! Anna makes is so easy to gush because she certainly has a handle on those heroes!
ReplyDeleteHey, Virginia! Oh, I loved, loved, loved To Beguile a Beast. Heck, I love all of Elizabeth Hoyt's books and this series is fantastic! I have the last book in my TBR mountain and can't wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteHey, Sharon! Yes, Gerard is our waiter and for some reason he just doesn't want to leave. Of course, that might be because we have him locked in....
ReplyDelete;-)
Thanks, Annie! We are loving the ride so far. :) I went from a full time job to a stay-at-home mom and I must say that it was a change, but I wouldn't take it back for anything. I love my job!
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Maria! I've heard so many people rave about Flowers from the Storm, but have never read it myself. If I ever get any spare time (haha), I should break down and read it.
ReplyDeleteThanks, PinkPeony! Wow, that is a big change commuting that far! I'm in awe.
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Marisa!
ReplyDeleteMarisa said: I've had so many 180 degree turns in my life - one of the biggest was when I retried from dancing and started working in television. The first thing I did when I retired was eat anything and everything I could get my hands on.
I had to laugh when I read this. I'm trying to picture you just totally pigging out and eating everthing! lol Was there anything in particular that you couldn't eat as a dancer that you just had to eat when you retired?
Good morning, Andrea and Anna!
ReplyDeleteOoooh, Anna, you've done it again. Served up a dark and delectable hero with a soft, gooey center. Boy am I looking forward to digging in!
As for turn-about stories, I can't think of any off the top of my head but I do really love stories where the hero and/or heroine are struggling to be something different from what they are. And somewhere over the course of 400 pages true love teaches them that they already are everything they need to be--inherently worthy, inherently lovable. I love the moment where they finally embrace themselves and the person who taught them this lesson.
big happy sigh.
I'll bet CoS might have a scene like that...
Hey, Deb! I had a similar experience. I've always lived near my parents, until they moved to Atlanta from Tampa to be closer to both sets of their parents. It didn't take long for my husband, our kids and me to move to Atlanta, too. And I love it here!
ReplyDeleteAndrea!!! Maven of the book lists, you HAVE to read KMM!!!! Have. To.
ReplyDeleteStart with her HIglander books (Daegus is fine, Anna but Adam Black is HAWT...and MINE). Her Fever series is romantic elements but also so fabulous that you just read in awe.
Turtles are in the mail. *vbg*
*wink*
Thanks for stopping by, Maggie! Good luck on getting your word count done! :)
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Stacy! See, now you've brought up yet another author I've yet to read--J.R. Ward. I know, I know. All I can say is that I'm a slow reader, so I can't read them all (much to my dismay)!
ReplyDeleteBeth, I'm so glad I'm not the only one that COS is calling out to! As soon as I finish a few review books, I will dive in!
ReplyDeleteAwww, thanks, Joanie! You can say you were there from the beginning. And I'm so glad for that. :)
ReplyDeleteAs for KMM, one of these days....
Good morning, Susan! And I couldn't have said it better myself. Very well said. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Anna and Dishers! To me, the classic 180-degree turn is Mary Jo Putney's The Rake and the Reformer.
ReplyDeleteExcellent example, Nancy! The Rake and the Reformer is a classic. Hmmmm. It may be time for another re-read. :)
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Nancy! Now, I have read MJP, but not that particular book. I'll have to check it out. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGood morning, all! Anna, COS is next on my must reads! You know how I love a tortured hero, eventually healed by love. *SIGH*
ReplyDeleteAnna, you are pretty wonderful yourself! *g*
Dorthy, KMM writes some fantastic books for sure. Like Anna, I'm partial to her Highlanders: tall, dark and verra sexy!
ReplyDeleteTawny, I know what you mean about motherhood; there is no bigger 180, life changing experience like it! I bow to your patience in homeschooling your children. I'm not sure my kids and I would survive the experience. ;)
Authorness, we are so glad you found us, and we hope you'll visit often. That's very cool about your sister. No quicker way to learn a foreign language than immersion.
Hi, Christine! It's always wonderful to have you drop by.
ReplyDeleteHelen, I can't wait to read Gideon and Charis's story!
Virginia C, the Beauty and the Beast angle is one of my favorites! *sigh*
Sharon, welcome and thank you for your lovely compliments. We hope that Gerard will agree to be our blog mascot. *vbg*
Hi, Annie! I can relate to your 180. I stopped working when my first son was born and stayed at home with all of my children. One of the best things I ever did. My youngest is 10 now and I work part time, so I still get the best of both worlds.
ReplyDeleteMaria, oh,yeah, Flowers in the Storm is a perfect example. :)
ReplyDeletePinkPeony, wow commuting between CA and NJ is huge. I've lived in CA twice and I know what you mean about the produce and carne asada. Yum!
"I think the best thing to do when your life takes a turn in the opposite direction is to embrace it and find the humor!"
ReplyDeleteWell said, Marisa! I'm going to copy that saying and put it with my other favorite quotes in my office.
Deb, moving away from your family is always a big change. My husband was a naval officer when we got married, so I spent nearly 20 years moving all over the globe. I missed my family, but the experience of traveling and living in another country was worthe it.
ReplyDeleteMaggie, keep writing! Anna's book is most definitely motivation to keep going and claim your reward! :-D
Hi, Stacy! Zsadist is my favorite of the BDB. His story just ripped my heart out. A definite 180 with a incredibly sigh-worthy happy ending.
ReplyDeleteBeth, good morning! NATURAL BORN CHARMER is another great example. It still has one of the best (and funniest) opening lines evah!
ReplyDeleteJoanie, you were there at the birth of this blog, so you are an honorary "Disher." ;)
ReplyDelete"They are smart, savvy and loads of fun!"
Right back atcha, Joanie! xxoo
"Ooooh, Anna, you've done it again. Served up a dark and delectable hero with a soft, gooey center. Boy am I looking forward to digging in!"
ReplyDeleteSusan, what a great description! I love it!
Awww...thanks G....
ReplyDeleteCan I be the gravy boat? (Gravy is my favorite beverage :-)
If my NaNo total hits 10K words today, I'm allowed to begin COS. Only another 3K to go. Here's hoping!
ReplyDeleteYou know, Anna, our favorite fictional Anna in Ibbotson's A Countess Below Stairs is a great example of a character whose life takes a 180 degree turn. She loses the indulgent life to which she was born, her homeland, and her beloved father, but the essence that is her very self survives the radical changes.
My personal favorite book for 180 degree turns is Lynn Kurland's This Is All I Ask, set in medieval England/Scotland. In it, the heroine is not a fierce, give-'em-hell vixen. Rather, she's meek and timid and is frightened of her own shadow--little wonder, as she has spent her whole life physically and verbally abused by her father. Through a series of events, she is foisted upon the very reluctant hero, who of course is a surly, bellowing ox of a man...one who has been recently blinded and definitely does not want to be roped into this duty or marriage of protection. Suffice to say, as the story goes on we find that he needs her just as much as she him, and the changes wrought in both by the end of the novel is tremendous. This Is All I Ask is both heartbreaking and breathtaking, one I highly highly recommend.
ReplyDeleteHi, Nancy! Glad to see you here!
ReplyDelete{{{{Anna}}} One of my fav Aussie writers and online friends. Congrats on the new release and I'm looking forward to the read.
ReplyDeleteCan't think of any 180s, but I've had plenty of new beginnings in my life, and usually at great pain to my heart and soul. But you move onward. *grin*
Anna, you Internet-traipsing woman you. :) I picked up Captive of Sin a few days ago at my local Books-a-Million. I love the sound of the characters, and I'm looking forward to reading it.
ReplyDeleteOh, Dorthy, I want to read hush, hush. I was "thisclose" to buying it at the store the other day when I was getting Anna's book.
ReplyDeleteOkay, a completely new beginning in my life would we when I went to college. That's when I truly started becoming the person I really was. I even changed the name I went by. I can always tell if someone knew me pre-college if they call me Patricia.
Hi, Romance Dishes! Wonderful site. I love the sliding picture show previewing coming events.
ReplyDeleteAnna, great summary of Captive of Sin, can't wait for Amazon to FINALLY deliver this sure-to-be wonderful book!
I love the concept of new beginnings. Reminds me of Browning's "a man's reach must exceed his grasp." That whole concept of going after what seems unattainable, which is only accomplished by redemption and overcoming the past.
Hi Anna! I'm heading out today to get your book, and then I'm going to hide away like a hermit and just read read read :).
ReplyDeleteWanted to hop over and wave hi to everyone at Romance Dish! You guys are bookmarked on my favorites now.
ReplyDeleteHi Anna! New Beginnings...does the fear and terror of facing the blank pages of a new book count as a new beginning? (grin) I have a tremendous respect for those that have the courage and fortitude to pick themselves up after a life-changing event and start a new beginning. I've been fortunate in my life that I haven't had to do that personally, but I think the books that start that way are the most interesting. Congrats on another fabulous Anna Campbell release!
Good morning, Dishie Darlings!!! I'm soooo happy to have The Dish to visit every day! It's the "real" happiest place on earth!
ReplyDeleteAnd Anna, my sweet! Metaphors be with you, dear. ;-)
Now look, Dishies, I'm on page 248 of CAPTIVE OF SIN, so don't anyone give away the ending!!
Anna, I'm so in awe of your beautiful writing. And what an amazing story you've told. I love Gideon and Charis more than I love my own family! And I'm supposed to be hiding in the deadline cave but I can't put down this book!!
Okay, some favorite 180-turn-around characters? Hmm. There's wonderful Sugar Beth Carey from AIN'T SHE SWEET; sexy Hardy Cates (who goes from bad boy to HERO in Lisa Kleypas' SUGAR DADDY and BLUE-EYED DEVIL); and my new favorite hero, Garth Duncan from Susan Mallery's Lone Star Sisters trilogy. He's the villain through the first three books, then is totally, completely redeemed in book four. Susan worked a miracle to turn him into a hero-to-die-for, who finally deserved his very own happy ending. :-)
Joan said: Can I be the gravy boat? (Gravy is my favorite beverage :-)
ReplyDeleteYours, too? My mom makes *the best* roast and gravy on this planet. So, when I'm making my plate I put gravy over everything. Everything. It's like soup. Needless to say, I use a spoon. *g*
I hope you hit your word count, Janga! :)
ReplyDeleteJulie, I have a friend who is a HUGE fan of Lynn Kurland. I've not read her (yes, another author I've not read), but my friend describes her books as "breathtaking", too.
Thanks for stopping by, Monica! Anna is one of a kind, isn't she? :)
Hey, Trish! You know, my brother did the same thing. Growing up, he always went by Jim and then as soon as he graduated from high school, he started going by James because it sounded better to him. So, he knows if someone ever calls him Jim that they've known him a long time.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jo! And thanks for stopping by!
Hello and welcome, Julianne! Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteThanks for bookmarking us, Donna!
Hey, Kate! So, does that make us better than Disney World? LOL I totally agree with Hardy Cates. Love, love, love Lisa's contemps and their heroes!
Wow! I go to bed and everyone else shows up, is this a sign? hope not. :)
ReplyDeleteAnna~ ya know I never thought about it that way, but your right time travel usually does make ones life do a 1dt. Take for instance Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. That heroines life really did a 1dt!
Another time travel, where a character does a 1dt, that I love is Lynn Kurland's The More I See You
There is also Terri Garey's Dead Girls Are Easy you can't get more 180 than that. Live, to Dead, and then back to life....or maybe that would be considered a 360 (2dt?).
Maybe I'm over thinking this, but I can't come up with another book off the top of my head (and staring at the book shelf) where a characters life takes a 1dt. There are quite a few where the characters lives chance in a significant way, but its only a 90 degree or 135 degree turn. Would those be 1/2 dt and 3/4 dt? just currious.
Take for instance Dara Girard's book Power Play the main character is a successful business woman that doesn't have much self confidence, and by the end of the book she is still a successful business woman but now she has self confidence. It's all in the journey.
Or Kerrelyn Sparks book The Undead Next Door the main character is a school teacher who....well actually this girls life really does do a 1dt now that I think about it.
You start out with a single mother who is also a school teacher, then she falls in love with a blood sucking fiend! Bruaahahaha! *cough gag, cough, gag* sorry gotta work on that evil laugh. Where was I? Oh yes she falls in love with a blood sucking fiend! Brua....I mean a very handsome Frenchman. :) You gotta read the book to find out what really happens! LOL
Good morning, Dishie Darlings!!! I'm soooo happy to have The Dish to visit every day! It's the "real" happiest place on earth!
ReplyDeleteOooooh, I like that! Thanks, Kate! I'm in the middle of COS too. Isn't it wonderful?
Great examples of 180 turns! Hardy and Sugar Beth are favorites of mine. I can't wait to read Garth's story and see how Mallery reforms him. That's going to take some doing!
Oh, Julie! You have me wanting to rush out and get This is All I Ask...right now! This one is definitely going on my order list. I hope it's not out of print.
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah! I just checked. It's a 2000 release and available. Doing the happy reader dance! :)
Hi Tawny! Thanks so much for sharing your 1dt. Well, you had two so that probably makes it a 2dt... Oh, man, now I'm confused! LOL!
ReplyDeleteActually I've had a few of these in my life - they're always painful but they almost ALWAYS teach me something and often they take me in new directions I'd never even have contemplated and those new directions lead to good things. I spent all my high school years thinking I'd make a career in somewhere in music. But then I failed my first year - oh, the horror! And all my expectations of my future went west. It all ended up being for the good but it certainly didn't feel like that at the time!
Buffie, if you like Adam Black, then you will definitely like JZB (Jericho Z. Barrons) actually if you like any of the Highlander men you'd like JZB!
ReplyDeleteVanessa, I guess you can say Australia was established by people doing the good old 1dt! Whether willingly or unwillingly ;-) What a great example about your sister and good on her for having the courage to follow her dream like that.
ReplyDeleteChristine, thanks for swinging by and saying nice things about lovely Gideon! I don't think mentioning a HEA counts as a spoiler ;-)
ReplyDeleteOh, man, I think Sea Change inspired about a million people to give up their city jobs and move to the coast. I know - I now live near the coast and I see them! Mind you, she was lucky meeting not just the gorgeous Diver Dan but the fabulous William McInnes and his impressive physique as well. Snort!
Hey, thanks, Helen! I was so hoping you'd love this book! Yay!
ReplyDeletePJ, I have just added Veronica Wolff's book Lord of the Highlands to my wish list. THANK YOU! :)
ReplyDelete*side note* the verification word I have to type is "pyroco" Pyro Co.
The Pyro Co. we start a fire when you can't! ok now back to our regularly scheduled program :)
Virginia, Beauty and the Beast stories are my favorites! I just love them to death. Hmm, that didn't come out quite right, but I'm sure you know what I mean. I love the arc of redemption you get in those stories.
ReplyDeleteWaving hello to Donna and Julianne! Thanks for stopping by. Hope you enjoy Captive of Sin. It's delicous!
ReplyDeleteHello, Miss Sharon! It's lovely to see you when I'm blogging! Isn't this a great site? I just love it. I think it's going to become a phenomenon, the new Squawk Radio!
ReplyDeleteOh, I love Son of the Morning. One of my favorite romances. Actually the fabulous Linda Howard specializes in 1dt romances now I think of it, often in a really heart-wrenching way. In All the Queen's Men, the heroine's husband is killed in the first few pages too. And in Cry No More, her baby is kidnapped from a Mexican market - oh, man, that's one of the best books I've ever read and it absolutely puts the reader and the characters through the wringer before the gorgeous ending.
Annie, lovely to see you too! Thanks so much for swinging by. And for saying such lovely things about Captive of Sin.
ReplyDeleteI think by their very nature 180 degree turns are ALWAYS scary. I'm so glad yours worked out so well. As I said, one of the things I love about those BIG changes is that all sorts of other changes flow from them and we grow as people. There's that wonderful John Lennon quote about life being what happens when we're making other plans.
Hi Christine!
ReplyDeleteSeachange sounds like it was a good show. I love stories where people are taken completely out of their element.
Hi Sharon! Happy you could join us! Please come visit again.
Welcome back, Dorthy! I love KMM's books!
Hi VirginiaC! I loved To Beguile a Beast! I've already read it twice and I know I'll be going back to it again.;-)
Hi Maggie! Good luck with your project. I'm looking forward to oohing and aahing over your debut book next year!
ReplyDeleteOoh, Maria, I'm blogging elsewhere today on virginal heroines and Maddy popped up as one of my all-time favorites. I think Kinsale writes her just perfectly and even better, as a complete woman of her time. Delicious! Oh, poor Jervaulx! Now he counts as the ultimate tortured hero but what happens to him makes him the man he always should have been. ADORE that story! Thanks so much for swinging by - hope you enjoy COS!!!
ReplyDeleteTrish, I've been hearing a lot of buzz about Hush Hush.
ReplyDeleteI did one of those name changes when I went off to college too.
Hey, Jen, isn't this a great dish. And you with you culinary skills should fit right in! Oh, you're right about Phoebe Somerville. That's such a great book - I love SEP's sense of humor. Actually she's another author who specializes in 180 d-turn books too. There's that one where the former mega-rich Tele Evangelist's wife is sleeping in a car at the drive-in. Or the one where the genius decides she wants a dumb man to father her child - and she gets a lot more than she bargained for. I'm beginning to wonder if EVERY romance involves a 180 degree turn!
ReplyDeleteJanga, do you know I've never read Ibbotson? I can see I'll need to correct that.
ReplyDeleteHey, Marisa, lovely to see you here! As you can probably tell, I'm very sad RNTV is no more but I appreciate that your life took another turn. Gosh, life can be naughty sometimes, can't it? ;-) Thanks for saying those wonderful things about Gideon and Charis. I'm so happy you loved this book. Ha ha! Laughed at being able to eat anything once you stopped dancing. I hope you had a right proper nosh up!
ReplyDeleteAndrea~ Thanks for the heads up on checking yesterdays post! and THANK YOU!
ReplyDeleteYou have to read KMM's books. I agree with just about everyone else though, you should start with the Highlander series first then check out the Fever series.
*side note* another funny verification word "inglasu"
"In glas U!" the wizard boomed pointing his gnarled finger my way.
Instantly I was incased in a glass bottle, and I knew how Alice felt floating on the sea of her own tears. Only my tears were filling the bottle and there was no rabbit hole to escape into.
Buffie, I think the excitement is truly mutual! I'm so looking forward to doing regular book reviews here. I loved writing them for RNTV and now I've got a new gig. As you know, I adore talking about romance novels I love! Thanks so much, Dishies, for having me as your guest today!
ReplyDeletePJ, I have just added Veronica Wolff's book Lord of the Highlands to my wish list. THANK YOU! :)
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! Be sure to check out her earlier books too. I especially loved Warrior of the Highlands which was released this past January.
*side note* the verification word I have to type is "pyroco" Pyro Co. The Pyro Co. we start a fire when you can't! ok now back to our regularly scheduled program :)
Oh, I love it!
Deb, great to see you. By the way, everyone, there's a really cool picture of Deb on my website at the moment. Taken in the bar (where else?) in Washington D.C.!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.annacampbell.info/fave%20things.html
So glad your changes worked out for you!
PJ, I'm SOOOOO glad you enjoyed Captive of Sin!!! Yay! Happy dancing down here.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any of Veronica's stuff yet but I met her in D.C. and she's delightful. I love time travels - I definitely think time travel counts as something that throws you off the path you thought you were travelling!
Hi Maggie! Keep writing - COS will wait! I want a follow-up to the extremely hot MISTRESS BY MISTAKE (I read this for a quote and hubba, hubba!). Thanks for swinging by! I think moving is always a 180 dt. I've done it a lot and each time, unexpected opportunities have arisen as a result. I actually think the universe likes to shake us out of our ruts for our own good sometimes!
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I adore talking about romance novels I love! Thanks so much, Dishies, for having me as your guest today!
ReplyDeleteIt's our pleasure, Anna! We're delighted to have you and Trish as part of our team. Ooh, that means you get to be called Dishies too! :)
Hey, PJ, thanks for talking about Vanessa's trailer! She did it as a surprise present - how cool is she? I think it's gorgeous. We're already talking about another one for MY RECKLESS SURRENDER in June.
ReplyDeleteThe link in case you missed it is:
http://tinyurl.com/ykvvopk
Hi Stacy! Actually I think all the BDB books involve that life-changing element, don't they? I mean, think about the first one where Beth discovers she's half-vampire. Whoo-weee, that would sure change my world ;-) My favorite BDB book is Rhage's - I found that such a touching emotional journey. But I definitely hear you on how wonderful Zsadist's story is too!
ReplyDeleteAnna, those are lovely DC photos at your site. I'm looking forward to seeing more!
ReplyDeleteHi Beth! Yes, I want your book to read - you definitely need to finish it! Thanks for swinging by from the lair. I've got a feeling the Dishies will end up being a second home for the Banditas. I love Natural Born Charmer! The character arcs in that story are just beautiful. And who can resist a book when our heroine starts out wearing a beaver suit? Snort!
ReplyDeleteOooh, Joan, extra reading time. Sounds good! Hope you enjoy COS. Yeah, you KNOW I love to stack my metaphors the way a kitchen hand fills a dishwasher ;-)
ReplyDeleteOh, Andrea, blushing here! ;-)
ReplyDeleteTurtles? PJ's TURTLES???!!! They're more delicious than a Susan Elizabeth Phillips hero. And that's sure saying something!
ReplyDeleteSnort! Andrea!!! A handle on my heroes? I think we're taking the crockery metaphor too far. I'm suddenly seeing a Gideon tea cup instead of a gorgeous tortured hero ;-)
ReplyDeleteWhat's that, Gerard? You're locked in? You stay right there, man! I'm coming to save you. Anna disappears into the cellar and is not seen again for many hours...
ReplyDeleteAndrea, I recently re-read Flowers from the Storm for an RNTV review - I loved the fact that that gave me a chance to revisit a whole stack of classics I hadn't read for ages. It was interesting going back to it - it's really dense, like a great fruitcake (actually there are few nuts in it too, and I don't just mean the hero!). It's long and intense and really gives you the most fantastic emotional payoff. And the writing is so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteSusan, you just might be right - she said mysteriously! Love your description of that sort of romance - yum. I agree with you. Actually one of the things I love when I'm writing the book is playing with point of view so only the reader really knows what's going on and the hero and heroine are completely mistaken about each other. That sure happens in COS!
ReplyDeleteNancy, I haven't read that book but Mary Jo was a fabulous guest at our last Romance Writers of Australia conference in August and she talked about that book. I think she re-wrote it more recently so clearly it's a story that really appeals to her.
ReplyDeleteOh, I've read a lot of MJP's other stuff and really liked it. I think the same sort of themes appeal to us!
ReplyDeleteAwww, thanks, Gannon. I think you're the bee's knees too! So glad so many of you are looking forward to reading about Gideon's travails in COS!
ReplyDeleteJoan, as you'd know from my Thanksgiving post (which by the way, I was completely unqualified to write as we don't celebrate Thanksgiving down here!), I'm a great gravy fancier too! My mum's gravy was an artistic masterpiece!
ReplyDeleteJanga, what a great example! I adore Anna - and the funny thing is it would have been so easy to make her saccharine and bit hard to put up with. But she's just so darn gutsy - I love the way her dad used to call her 'little star'. Always chokes me up in the book. As I think I said to you, there's definitely Rupert-like elements in Gideon. I'm sure you'll see them immediately! It was my hommage to one of my favorite books EVAH! Hey, write those words, girl! Good luck with Nano!
ReplyDeleteAnna said: Snort! Andrea!!! A handle on my heroes? I think we're taking the crockery metaphor too far. I'm suddenly seeing a Gideon tea cup instead of a gorgeous tortured hero ;-)
ReplyDeleteLOL! I'm talking love handles, Anna!!
;-)
Trish~ Its a great book! I've been recommending it to everyone.
ReplyDeleteSee, this is the only problem with the great success of this site. I'll never be able to read all the comments. LOL! Sorry if I repeat anything others have said.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing most books start with a 180 for the main character, hence the "inciting incident". LOL! Or so people keep telling me. Incite something! SEP's books come to mind instantly. The heroine inherits a football team ring any bells? LOL! Or perhaps loses her business in about 90 seconds.
So looking forward to reading this as one of my many rewards for NaNo. December is going to be my cozy up to wonderful books month!
Hi Terri! Good luck with NaNo! Can you hear me cheering?
ReplyDeleteCozying up with books sounds like a wonderful way to spend December!
PJ - I can hear your pom poms swishing! Okay, I couldn't hear them last night through my cold medicine induced haze, but I can hear them now and since the medicine worked, there should be a plethora of words tonight!
ReplyDelete(I've always wanted to use that word somewhere. LOL!)
(I've always wanted to use that word somewhere. LOL!)
ReplyDeleteYep, always fun using the big words! :)
Anna, I can't thank you enough for your generosity.COS is sitting right next to my bed, calling my name. I don't know how much longer I can resist...only 8,000 words to go...
ReplyDeleteThat's 2,000 less than last time, Maggie. You can do it!
ReplyDeleteJulie, that sounds like a great book. I remember reading a novella by Lyn Kurland and liking it very much. I'll have to check this one out. Seems like it keeps the characters very true to their time too, which I always like.
ReplyDeleteHoly cow!! I go to lunch with my hubby and then out to let my dogs romp in the woods and look what happens. Twice as many comments as when I left! Time for me to see what I've missed. ;)
ReplyDeleteJoanie, gravy should be considered it's own food group. :)
Monica, I think pain means growth. Hate to sound so new agey at this hour of the morning. It's VERY early here in Oz! Hey, I can't wait for Kismet! A sheikh and a courtesan? Now that sounds like MY sorta book! Hubba, hubba. Or PHWOARRRR as I seem to find myself going at distressingly frequent intervals at the moment. Poor Gerard is still trembling after my last rendition. Thanks for the congrats!
ReplyDeleteHey, thanks, Trish. I've heard from a few people that it's still making its way out to bookstores. So glad you found it in your neck of the woods.
ReplyDeleteJanga, I'm sure with COS as your reward, you'll reach your 10,000 word goal in no time. My goal is to reach 10K before I go to bed tonight.
ReplyDeleteYou've just made me want to put Ibbotson on my TBB list.
Julie, I guess I'll be adding Lynn Kurland's THAT'S ALL I ASK to my list. You had me convinced with the description "heartbreaking and breathtaking." Sounds like a winner!
Monica, why is it that new beginnings come with pain and heartache? Moving forward is the only way, I guess. Just put on our big girl panties and deal with it, right? ;)
ReplyDeleteI think we women excel in that area!
Wow, Jo, I'd forgotten that poem. But you're right! Actually another one that always gets me manning the barricades of life is the end of Ulysses by Tennyson - something about to strive, to fight and never to yield.
ReplyDeleteMust check...
Actually here's the whole last stanza! Phwoaarrrrr! Oh, poor Gerard, he's gone back to his corner to huddle!
Tho' much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
I like, the tho' much is taken, much abides line too.
Hmm, for some reason I seem to be on an English lit kick at the moment. I'm talking Samuel Richardson over on the Avon Facebook board!
Hope that Amazon pigeon delivers Cos soon!
Julianne, lovely to see you! I hope everything is going super duper. Good luck with finding COS! Anna gives fan girl squee!
ReplyDeleteHey, Donna, my lair buddy! Lovely to see you. I've certainly taken the 180 dt in my writing. Claiming the Courtesan was that for me - I thought my destiny was to write comedy! And man, did that scare the socks off me!
ReplyDeleteTrish, my husband went by a different name when he went to college (the Naval Academy). In high school, he went by Billy and after that he changed to Bill. Sounded more mature I guess. Since I've known him since I was 13, I still call him Billy, which some of his friends tease me about.
ReplyDeleteThe funny thing, over the years, several of our friends started calling him Billy because I do. *g*
Kate, great to see you! I laughed at you loving Gideon and Charis more than your family. I definitely had fictional characters like that. I wanted Daphne and Rupert from Mr. Impossible to move in next door. Seriously, they were wonderful - although Daphne might have had to worry about a Desperate Housewives kind of scenario with the next-door neighbour out to seduce (which for some reason I just typed sexuse, hmm, Freudian slip or what?) her man! SEP seems to be the mistress of the new beginnings novel - a few of her books have been mentioned. What I love is somehow she combines that riotous comedy with that deep emotion. It's such an amazing gift. I haven't read the Susan Mallery or the Lisa Kleypas although I've heard fabulous buzz about her contemps. Her historicals, of course, are classics!
ReplyDeleteHey, thanks for those lovely compliments!
Hey, Andrea, how cool about your mum's gravy. My mum's was really thick too - in fact, she used to say it wasn't classic gravy because it was closer in texture to blancmange than a liquid. But SOOOOOO delicious!
ReplyDeleteJo, we're so happy you're here and thank you for the lovely compliments about our site. :)
ReplyDeleteJulianne, enjoy COS. Sometimes, it's good to be a hermit and just read as much as you want.
Donna,*waving back*. Thanks for bookmarking us!!
ReplyDelete"Good morning, Dishie Darlings!!! I'm soooo happy to have The Dish to visit every day! It's the "real" happiest place on earth!"
ReplyDeleteKate, that is so sweet! Thank you!
Dorthy, you are so right about Claire in OUTLANDER! Being thrown into another time and place is about as big a life change as you can get.
ReplyDeleteAnd Nicki in DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY goes through another biggie. Dying, seeing the light and then coming back to life. Whoa!
Dorthy, I'm going to sound like Andrea here (which is fine!), but I've never read Outlander. It's on the bookcase but I've never actually cracked it open. One day! I'm laughing at your very mathematical take on this. Actually I think you're right about when we're on a path but just work out how to follow it better not being what I'm talking about. I'm looking at the top shelf of my office bookcase and there's some Anne Stuart books there. She does great 1dt turns there too - generally our heroine falls for a dangerous man and her life absolutely leaves the tracks! There's always a wild ride across the jungle then before the happy ending.
ReplyDeleteTerriO, I'm right there with you on NaNo. December is most definitely going to be my "catch up" month.
ReplyDeletePyro Co? Snort!
ReplyDeleteHey, PJ, keep this up and I'll send YOU turtles! ;-)
ReplyDeletePJ, Sea Change was a major hit here but for some reason they couldn't sell it overseas. Too Aussie, they said. Which seems ridiculous. And it starred the gorgeous David Wenham who was Boromir's brother (forgot his name but I'm sure someone will tell me) in LOTR.
ReplyDeleteLove handles? Oh, poor Gideon, now he's happy he's getting fat. Perhaps I should have tortured him a bit more ;-)
ReplyDeletePJ, READ IBBOTSON!!!! Seriously she's amazing! And thanks for checking out the photos on the website. Actually I've got a whole piece about A Countess Below Stairs by Ibbotson there as well.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.annacampbell.info/fave%20things%20content.html#may%2008
It might be a British expression, but 'dishy' here means you've got the PHWOAAAARRRR factor. I quite like being dishy! Oh, no, I've scared Gerard again. That man is a bundle of nerves since you girls kidnapped him!
Dorthy, you're having WAY too much fun with the verification words! ;-)
ReplyDeleteOoh, Terri, I really like to be part of your cosy December. Another SEP 180 dt fan, I see! It's definitely a technique a lot of writers use to get the story off with a bang. Actually I've used it. Poor Grace in Untouched, kidnapped when she's minding her own business to become a sex slave to a madman! Yep, I'd say that's 180 degrees!
ReplyDeleteTerri, plethora isn't used enough, I feel. Sorry to hear about your cold! Hope you feel better soon.
ReplyDeleteMaggie, write, write, write!
ReplyDeleteGannon, you'll love Ibbotson!!! Seriously. Hey, and good luck with Nano!
ReplyDeleteHey, I'm finding the name thing really interesting. For various longwinded reasons, my real name is actually a pronunciation problem. I really like being ANNA!!!! No questions on how it's said and not only that, it's a palindrome. I love palindromes!
ReplyDeletePhew! I've eaten all the comments on my plate now. Might go and have a cup of tea. Thank you so much for this uproarious welcome!!!!
ReplyDeleteTell me about it, Terri! Lots of comments = good times. ;-) Good luck with NaNo and I hope you feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, Gannon. We can do it!!
ReplyDeleteAnna - How could I forget Untouched? I love that book! Yes, kidnapped and thrown to a madman (alleged!) is definite 180. LOL!
May you sell a plethora of books!
Thanks, Andrea. And I forgot to say I'm feeling significantly better. Amazing what super meds and lots of sleep will do. Not even sniffling now!
ReplyDeleteGood Afternoon Ladies!
ReplyDeleteAnna, COS sounds fabulous and will be another one of many books that I will be stealing from Gannon! (after she finishes, of course)
I've had a few 180s in my life and since I'm only 26, that's saying a lot. But I've learned valuable lessons from each of them and have no regrets.
One of my fav. 180 characters would be Adrik from Christina Dodd's Into the Shadow. Actually...he's one of my fav. characters of all time! Sexy, mysterious and a complete mess until Karen saves him from himself! *sigh*
Hey, Megan!
ReplyDeleteMegan said: ...and will be another one of many books that I will be stealing from Gannon!
You sound just like my sister! LOL
A plethora of thanks, Terri! ;-)
ReplyDeleteMegan, I haven't read that Christina Dodd. Must check it out. Laughed at Gannon being your book supplier! Thanks for swinging by!
ReplyDeleteSeriously, Anna? People have trouble pronouncing your real name? I'm finding that fascinating.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of pronouncing names though, would you tell us how to pronounce Charis? I've been trying out different ways because, honestly, I have no clue what's right. ;-)
Anna, you definitely need to read Dodd's Into the Shadow but, because of the overlying story arc, I highly recommend reading all four books in the series in order. It's a fantastic series!
ReplyDeleteCassy and I just got home from the dog park. We had a great time. She ran, chased balls, sniffed (a lot), ran some more and I sat on a bench reading Captive of Sin. My kind of fun! :)
ReplyDeletePJ, it's to do with the Danish family! As I said, very longwinded story! Anna is so much easier! Actually a few people have asked about Charis! The 'ch' is hard like 'k' so it's Karis. It's Greek for 'love' and is from the same root as the word 'charity'. Or at least I think I'm right about that - nobody's corrected me yet!
ReplyDeleteHey, PJ, I'm lovin' this enthusiasm! ;-) So glad you and Cassie had such a great time at the park ;-) Mind you, poor old Gid and Charis aren't having such a great time! I'll definitely dig out the Dodds.
ReplyDeletePJ, I'm so glad you asked that question and that Anna answered it before I started reading COS because I thought to pronounce it with a "sh" like Sharis. I'll have to remember the hard k when I start it. ;-)
ReplyDeleteOMG! I just got in from work and look at all the comments!!! You all have been very busy today :)
ReplyDelete**waving hi to everyone who stopped by**
Andrea, honestly, I don't think it matters how the reader pronounces it. I was saying on another blog where this came up that the very first historical romance (in the sense that I write them) I ever read was The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen Woodiwiss. The heroine's name is Aislynn (not sure of spelling). Anyway, years later, I discovered that's pronounced Ashleen. I happily read and re-read the book numerous times saying Ace-lyn in my mind. Didn't affect my enjoyment in the least!
ReplyDeleteBuffie, this is such a party, isn't it? Wow!
ReplyDeleteWow your book sounds like something I would like to read. Guess I will have to check it out... since my grandmother was Irish.
ReplyDeleteMary Ann, great to meet you! Celts of the world, unite! ;-)
ReplyDeleteAnna what can I say I was getting some cool Word Verifications. LOL
ReplyDelete;-)
Buffie~ *Waves Back* HI! sorry you had to miss so much to go to work. But your here now, and I'm sure that we can get Gerard to serve you something nice and refreshing. :-) kick back and relax!
To everyone doing NaNo... WOW! my hats off to you. I tried it once. I think I lasted a week. After that it became work, and wasn't fun anymore and my brain shut down. Could be why I have a lot of WIP but nothing completed yet. *shrugs shoulders* oh well. I don't aspire to be published, I just write for my own enjoyment. :)
Another cool word Verification "meties"
"Me Ties, Me Ties" shouted the toddler as he sat in the middle of the freezer isle pushing his mothers hands away from his shoe. The poor woman who looked like she had been up all night sighed and stepped back watching her son as he tried to tie his own shoe.
OR
Met 'ies
I met 'ies mother today, oye let that be a lesson to me.
Anna -- FYI, Mary Ann is my mother, so Irish is in my blood too :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Dorothy! I have no worries what so ever that dearest Gerry will be able to erase the aches of today ;-)
ReplyDeleteoff to enjoy my one on one time with Gerry :)
Buffie, how cool! I've met your mum!
ReplyDeleteDorthy, you're cracking me up with these verifcation tag things!
One of the blogs - was it the Vagabonds? - used to have great verifications. They were all things to do with Regency romance like rake or Almack's or heiress or elopement or something. Very cool!
ReplyDeleteI think almost all romance is at heart about new beginnings. I like those where the characters' preconceptions about their world and their place in it are shattered. A man who has withdrawn from the world and thinks he will never have a place in it again has his privacy invaded by a woman who makes him want to live again. A woman who has decided romance has passed her by and that she is doomed to live out her life at the edge of the ballroom suddenly looks up into the eyes of a handsome man who sees the prize that everyone else missed. A nobleman secure in his place at the top of the foodchain suddenly finds out he is not who he thinks he is and that he can't control everything. A woman who has lived a cosseted comfortable life suddenly discovers that her father has gambled it all away and she is going to have to fend for herself. I'm a sucker for the story where it's the inner life of the character that suddenly goes 180.
ReplyDeleteAnna, "New Beginnings" reminds me of new worlds and I keep meaning to ask you. Would you ever consider setting a historical in Australia?
Hey, Clarisse, great to see you! Isn't this a fabulous new site?
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting comment. You're right. Sometimes the most interesting 180 degree turns are the ones that happen beneath the surface. I actually really like it when people are forced to grow beyond what they've been in order to meet new circumstances and I guess that at least partly explains the eternal appeal of these "your life is forever changed" stories. And as you say, you can make an argument for all romance fitting into this category.
I have to say I don't find Australian history particularly exciting. Ducks flying koalas from her compatriots.
I'm shallow - I like the glamour and the glitz of all that high society. And basically I'm writing adult fairy tales so having princes (or dukes or earls or whatever) suits me down to the ground. There's actually a mention of Australia at the end of COS which always gives me a giggle as it refers in very derogatory terms to Sydney, a place I absolutely love and lived in for over ten years.
Anna, this is a fabulous site. It is wonderful to see so many people commenting and I have loved the "proprietors" of this little bistro for years so it feels like coming home.
ReplyDeleteI love the glitz and glamour of regency too, but I just think the possibilities of new beginnings in a new world where you get to redefine yourself and where your ability can trump your pedigree is ripe with possibilities. A place where the rules are not rigid but are being written on the fly. Think a Lisa Kleypas self-made man.
Oh, and a koala as a pet would be a big bonus :)
ReplyDeleteAnna, can you give us any hints about MY RECKLESS SURRENDER, please?
ReplyDeleteMegan, I guess I'll let you read COS, if you say pretty please.
ReplyDeleteAnna, Megan is my niece, so she always has loads of books she can borrow. :)
And she's so right about Adrik. You must read Christina's Darkness Chosen series, in order. It's fantastic!!
PJ, glad you and Cassy had a good afternoon at the dog park. It was a beautiful day and my two goofy dogs had a ball running through the woods.
ReplyDeleteMary Ann, I have Irish roots, too. :)
ReplyDeleteClarisse, we're glad you're here, and that you are enjoying our new site. As you can tell, we are too! :)
ReplyDeleteGannon, I meant what I said about you all being old friends. I don't have a lot of real world friends who are heavy duty romance readers and it is a joy to find so many familiar faces here (plus it's a great site physically and I have been checking out your coming attractions and getting really jazzed about them).
ReplyDeleteThank you, Clarisse. It means a lot to us to be so warmly welcomed. I'm so happy you're enjoying our new site. We're worked hard to make it a positive, comfortable place to discuss the books we love.
ReplyDeleteClarisse, never saying 'never'! I did write an Aussie historical years ago for a contest - it had a lovely self-made man hero.
ReplyDeleteClarisse, I had to laugh. Koalas are really beautiful animals but they're as cranky as a bear with a sore head. Not great company. Oh, and they're stoned from eating fermented eucalyptus most of the day too. Snort!
Snort, Andrea! I hoped those subtle hints would arouse some interest ;-) Actually I probably can't say too much about it yet but it's set in Regency London (Perry's house from TEMPT THE DEVIL has a starring role in all its garish glory!) and it's about a dangerous seduction. And the hero, the Earl of Ashcroft is my first non-tortured hero. Seriously, didn't think I had one of those in me!
ReplyDeleteHey, I love meeting the family, guys! This has been great!
ReplyDeleteClarisse, before I joined Romance Writers of Australia, I didn't know many romance readers either. And this was before the great internet community really existed. I love the fact that I've got all these people to share my enthusiasm with now!
Can't wait to hear more about the next book, Anna!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for visiting with us today. You've been a wonderful guest!
Hey, everybody! Be sure to come back on the 24th for Anna's first monthly blog here at The Romance Dish!
Okay, I think I've used up my daily quota of exclamation marks. I'm off to bed. Thanks for stopping by today!
Oops...there goes another one. :)
Hey, thanks, Dishies and everyone, for a fantastic day of blogging! Wow, 193 comments! That's serious!
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to check back to see who won the signed copy of CAPTIVE OF SIN!
Dishies, I'll see you on the 24th November for my first book review! Whoo-hoooo!
Anna~ Glad I could make you laugh. those would be cool word verifications, but I'm sure we wouldn't get cool words like "pyroco" or "inglasu"!
ReplyDeleteYou have a non-tortured hero? Are those allowed? Cool!
Koala's are normally stoned? That's a funny tid bit of info that I'm going to have to pass on to my friends.
Clarisse~ oh, Koala's are so cute! Not sure I'd want one as a pet, but it would definitely be better than what my hubby wants as a pet. He want's a wolverine!
PJ~ There is a limit on how many exclamation marks we can use? OH NO!!!! Have I used to many?!?! I sure hope not. Don't want to get kicked off for using too many ya know. :) Oh, and Good night.
Dorthy, the most amazing piece of info about koalas I know is that they're the only animal whose brain is only a fraction of a size of their skull. Their skulls are mostly just filled with fluid to take up the empty bits. So they're cranky, stoned and stupid. Hmm, think I might have gone out with a koala once, LOL!
ReplyDeleteUgh, I'm so late on replies; sorry, work was loooong.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, I'm so glad I managed to convince some of you to try Lynn Kurland!
@Andrea: Your friend and I should talk. ;)
@PJ & @Gannon Carr: It is totally available! (Anybody else who wants to order it can find it here. You could also check your local bookstore (Borders has an extremely helpful "Check store inventory" option), but since this is one of her earlier books, it might not be in stock there.)
@Anna Campbell: It is quite excellent, if I do say so myself. *hugs copy to chest* I love a feisty heroine as much as the next gal, but you can't seriously expect all medieval women to be like that. What I love about Lynn Kurland's stories is the realism she injects; it pushes them into a completely different level.
Lemme know what ya'll think. :) I'm feeling a reread urge coming on!