Spotlight In Six - Rebecca Winters

One of the very best things about November and December are Christmas books and anthologies. I'm so pleased to bring you this spotlight...Rebecca is one of the authors I have read for a long time and now she's taken part in a gorgeous collection just in time for the holidays.

Christmas Proposals is out this month with other superstar authors CaroleMortimer and Marion Lennox. Here's a teaser:


HER CHRISTMAS ROMEO by Carole Mortimer

Italian executive Roberto Romeo seems very taken by his pretty sales assistant. So as the snow falls and the Christmas festivities begin, he sets about finding a new role for her…as his fiancée!

THE TYCOON'S CHRISTMAS ENGAGEMENT by Rebecca Winters

Annie can scarcely believe it when her dynamic boss, Mitch Reynolds, bestows a kiss beneath the Christmas party mistletoe. Could the tycoon really be thinking about making Annie's Christmas dreams come true?

A BRIDE FOR CHRISTMAS by Marion Lennox

After wealthy Guy Carver arrives in Australia to take over Jenny Westmere's wedding salon, he finds he has only one piece of business in mind: to make Jenny and her little boy his family—by Christmas!


Now....without further ado....your SPOTLIGHT IN SIX WITH REBECCA WINTERS

Where do you find new and fresh ideas?

From television programs like the discovery and history channels, from trips, from personal experiences, even a trip to the grocery store.

Writers often use photos of celebrities as “casting”. Do you do this, and who has inspired some of your characters?

I’m afraid I don’t. A picture is too confining for me. In my heart of hearts I believe I’ve always seen the ultimate hero in my mind. He’s Errol Flynn of the Sea Hawk and Captain Blood. He shows up with different colored hair and eyes, but he’s the same dashing, noble, thrilling, handsome, fantastic hero underneath.

What are your favourite and least favourite parts of writing a novel?

Each part has its own fascination for me. I love the research, the first moment the hero and heroine meet, their light and dark moments, but I have to say that if there’s a struggle, it’s in the first three chapters where I’m layering the problems they have to overcome. That can be a real challenge. You know—to dig deep enough into their character.

When you are not writing, what do you do? How do you pamper yourself?

I read a lot and listen to music of all kinds, but particularly classical. My grandchildren take up a lot of my time and I love spending hours with my children. Occasionally I go out to lunch with friends which is a real high point.

Imagine you’re stranded…where are you and who are you with?

That’s easy. I’m on the French Rivera with Errol Flynn. (When he was 26 and I was 23) He’s at home at the helm of his yacht the Sirocco, a fabulous swimmer and a devil may care adventurer. I would be endlessly enchanted.

Finally, please tell us what’s up and coming for you in the months ahead!

Nov, 07, THE TYCOON’S CHRISTMAS PROPOSAL from the Christmas Proposals anthology.

Jan 08, The Vow, Harlequin Everlasting Romance

Feb 08, Adopted Baby, Convenient Wife- an anthology

March 08, Along Came a Daughter- a Mother’s Day anthology

Apr 08, The Italian Tycoon and the Nanny

July 08, The Italian Playboy’s Secret Son

Oct 08, The Unexpected Bride

Look at those releases!

Thank you so much Rebecca for being with us!

November Releases!

It's that month before Christmas and time to think about getting in the spirit for the holidays! Harlequin Romance is no exception...there are some truly great offerings this month to kick off the holiday season!


Winter Roses
by Diana Palmer

Handsome, eligible ranch owner Stuart York was not one to mince words. Ivy Conley, his younger sister's best friend, found out the hard way. During a night's stay at his Jacobsville ranch, Ivy wound up in Stuart's arms. The resulting fireworks singed them both…and knowing she was too young, Stuart closed his heart to her.

Now, years later, Ivy is determined not to be treated like a little girl anymore. Although still an innocent, Ivy knows she has to fight her own battles, but for some reason Stuart is always fighting them for her, and keeping her from harm. And, safe in Stuart's arms, Ivy feels like a woman—a woman who belongs to him.

Read Excerpt



Appointment at the Altar
by Jessica Hart

Three steps to the altar!

Monday—Buy stylish suit.

Bubbly Lucy West has always thought she can handle anything. That's before she meets charismatic and utterly irresistible tycoon Guy Dangerfield, who challenges her to find a "real" job for a change

Tuesday—Find proper job

So, determined to prove she has what it takes, Lucy secures a top job—working for Guy!

Wednesday—Fall in love with the boss

Lucy thrives in her new role…and it's all down to her gorgeous boss. Lucy has a smile on her face, a spring in her step—and maybe, just maybe, Guy will put a ring on her finger!

Read Excerpt

Caring for His Baby
by Caroline Anderson

For the love of a tiny baby…Emily thought she'd never see Harry again. Then he's suddenly on her doorstep—cradling a little baby in his arms! The man she once knew, so strong and sure, now looks lost, and when Emily discovers why he's come to her with this premature baby, she melts.

For the love of a good man…Harry once broke her heart and, now a single mom, Emily can't afford to let Harry and his child into her life. But she can't deny the growing love she feels for this special man and for their patchwork family…

Read Excerpt



The Boss's Double Trouble Twins
by Raye Morgan

The last person Mitch Carver expects to walk into his office is Darcy—the woman who haunted his sleep for months. Despite the attraction, he knows they are just too different. She's happily ever after and he's here today, gone tomorrow. Darcy Connors can't believe it! It's been hard enough trying to track Mitch down, but now she must tell her new boss that their weekend in Paris has turned into a lifetime commitment…and it's double trouble! Mitch is about to trade in his playboy past for fatherhood and family!

Read Excerpt


Miracle on Christmas Eve
by Shirley Jump

Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is a family…

Jessica Patterson has tried to put on a brave face, but she misses the joy that love can bring at Christmastime. Until a handsome stranger in need of a Christmas miracle touches her heart…

Single dad C. J. Hamilton has discovered fatherhood is a little harder than bachelorhood! But he's mesmerized by Jessica's enchanting beauty and sincerity. She's perfect with his daughter—is it possible she's perfect for him?

It's lucky that Jessica can't resist a plea for help, because C.J. has a twinkle in his blue eyes that suggests her Christmas dreams will come true…

Read Excerpt


The Cowboy's Christmas Proposal
by Judy Christenberry

One snowy Christmas, wedding bells ring! Penny Bradford has inherited her family ranch, but she has no idea how to run it! So she hires rugged rancher Jake Larson to train her up and show her the ropes. Jake thinks it will be easy—he'll run the ranch and hold Penny's hand until she realizes she isn't cut out for ranching. Trouble is, Jake realizes he doesn't want to let Penny's hand go! As the snow falls thick and fast, Christmas begins to work its magic on the boss and her rancher…

Read Excerpt

Foreign Releases!

One of the very cool thing about writing for Harlequin Romance is seeing titles come out in a variety of languages. Every so often we're going to be showing some of the translations just before they are released, and today I'm going to put up just a few of the great romances coming out in the international market right now.

FROM SPAIN:

24 de Octubre 2007
ISBN: 9788467155150
Precio: 2,90 €

Valoración: Libro sin puntuar
Añadir a la lista personal

Mis tres amores

Tenía que hacerse cargo de dos bebés... y de su tutor

La vida de Rachel Adams cambió de repente cuando la nombraron tutora de dos pequeños huérfanos. Resultaba muy difícil convertirse de la noche a la mañana en la madre de dos bebés tremendamente exigentes… que no tardaron en robarle el corazón.
Entonces apareció el otro tutor de los niños, el guapísimo Ford Sullivan. Era evidente que Rachel estaba haciendo un verdadero esfuerzo para cuidar bien de los niños y que no recibía su presencia de buen grado. Pero pronto se dieron cuenta de que lo mejor para los pequeños era que unieran sus fuerzas. Tanto tiempo al lado de Ford hizo que Rachel comenzara a preguntarse si los tutores podrían convertirse algún día en marido y mujer…

From FRANCE:


Le bonheur en jeu
de Jackie BRAUN

Horizon n° 2135
15 octobre 2007

Prix : 3,60 € / Sfr. 6,10

Ajouter au panier

En apprenant que le dossier d’adoption que sa femme Rita et lui ont déposé des mois plus tôt est sur le point d’aboutir, Duncan Newcastle sent une joie mêlée d’amertume l’envahir. Car s’il sent son cœur se gonfler de fierté à l’idée d’être bientôt père, il sait aussi que Rita veut garder cet enfant pour elle, et, le croyant coupable d’adultère, a demandé le divorce. Pourtant, quand il voit le petit Daniel pour la première fois, et surprend dans le regard de celle qu’il n’a jamais cessé d’aimer un reste de la passion qu’ils ont partagée pendant tant d’années, Duncan se prend à rêver. Et s’il essayait de reconquérir Rita, et de construire avec elle une vraie famille ?

From ITALY:



Harmony
Jolly Romance
Ally Blake
October 2007

PREZZO: EUR 2.9
C.T.F.S. 6.2


Non cercavano l'amore, ma l'amore li ha trovati.

Quando Jodie Simpson incontra Louise Valentine, la sorella che non sapeva di avere, è al settimo cielo ed è disposta a fare qualunque cosa pur di starle vicino. La permanenza in Australia di Jodie, però, ha i giorni contati, dato che il suo visto lavorativo sta per scadere. Ma lei ha un piano: un matrimonio di convenienza che duri un anno, senza coinvolgimenti emotivi. Peccato che il marito che sceglie via Internet, Heath Jameson, sia uno schianto. Come farà a non innamorarsi?

LE SPOSE DI BELLA LUCIA Una famiglia divisa dai segreti, riunita dai matrimoni.

And in SWEDEN as a 2 in 1:


Två i en!

I själens djupaste vrår av Lucy Gordon

Evie Wharton fullkomligen älskar sitt jobb som språklärare och tar det på stort allvar. När en pojke börjar utebli från lektionerna söker hon upp honom – och träffar hans pappa, Justin Dane. Att låta någon komma nära är inte Justins melodi, men den levnadsglada Evie lyckas ändå nå fram till honom. Tillsammans bestämmer de sig för att ta tag i saker och ting för att vända allt till något gott. De ger sig ut på en resa som tar dem tvärs över Europa, till skilda världar – och in i själens djupaste vrår.


En sagolik granne av Nicola Marsh

Kommer han någonsin att släppa henne inpå livet?

Brody gör sitt bästa för att uppfostra sin sexåriga dotter Molly på egen hand. Han anklagar sig själv för sin hustrus död och är fast besluten att skydda dottern från allt. När grannen Carissa, som älskar barn, blir god vän med den lilla flickan blir han genast på sin vakt. Men det är uppenbart att Molly behöver en mamma, och hon vill att det ska bli Carissa. Om bara Brody kunde släppa det förflutna, så skulle Carissa kunna finnas där för honom också.

Reviews for the October Books!

Reviews!

The October releases are truly being lauded as WONDERFUL! We thought it would be fun to post some of the great things people are saying about this month's books.

Millionaire to the Rescue - Ally Blake

5 stars - CataRomance
"Millionaire to the Rescue (5) is a beautifully written story of an unrequited love finally coming true after so many years. I enjoyed all of the characters in this book, they were so larger than life that it was like I knew them all personally. Danny and Brooke were the quintessential star crossed lovers... Overall my experience with this book had me laughing, crying and enjoying each and every second of it."

4 1/2 stars - Romantic Times
"Ally Blake's Millionaire to the Rescue (4.5) has a solid plot with a built-in conflict and features two well-handled characters with a lot of chemistry."

Her Pregnancy Surprise - Susan Meier

4 1/2 stars, Cataromance
"Susan Meier builds her engaging story, HER PREGNANCY SURPRISE, with expertise, providing so many obstacles for her leading characters that there seems to be no hope for their romance to survive. But then her heroine, Grace, is given such consistency and compassion that she is able to break down each barrier. And Danny finally comes to terms with his demons and realizes what he is about to loose. HER PREGNANCY SURPRISE by favorite romance author Susan Meier is a “hold your breath” read that will delight all readers."


The Mediterranean Rebel's Bride - Lucy Gordon

4 1/2 stars, Cataromance
"Wonderfully moving, deliciously tender and totally absorbing, the fifth installment of Lucy Gordon’s spellbinding Italian saga, The Mediterranean Rebel’s Bride, will enchant readers with an intoxicating blend of superb characterization, intense emotion, poignant drama and heart pounding romance."

Found: Her Long-Lost Husband - Jackie Braun

4 1/2 stars, Romantic Times
"Jackie Braun winds up Secrets We Keep with Found: Her Long-Lost Husband
(4.5), a wonderfully written tale with excellent characterizations, great
dialogue and a surplus of sizzle."

And one more important mention: Romance author Natasha Oakley's offering in the NIROLI miniseries is out this month! It's not technically a Romance since the Niroli series is really Presents, but she IS one of ours and is a wonderful testament to the power of emotional, traditional romance! Her book in the series, The Tycoon's Princess Bride scored a 4 1/2 and a TOP PICK at Romantic Times:

"Natasha Oakley's beautifully crafted story shimmers with emotion. The Tycoon's Princess Bride (4.5), the newest addition to the Royal House of Niroli series, is a terrifically poignant tale about looking beneath the surface to the soul and recognizing your soul mate."

If you haven't picked up these books yet, WHY NOT???? Get Shopping!

Spotlight in Six with....Jackie Braun!

This month's spotlight features Jackie Braun, author of Found: Her Long Lost Husband. Let's get right to the questions, shall we????


After writing so many books, where do you find new and fresh ideas?
I’m currently working on books 16 and 17 and, honestly, I have no ideas where my stories come from. It’s one of the great mysteries. Ideas just pop into my head, usually when I don’t have a pen handy or access to a computer. Often, I get the idea for a character first and then find myself fleshing out his/her life and what challenges he/she might face, etc.

Writers often use photos of celebrities as “casting”. Do you do this, and who has inspired some of your characters?

Generally speaking, I don’t do this because then I start thinking of that celebrity’s speech patterns, mannerisms, etc. For my heroes I have been inspired by celebrities’ looks on occasion. I had a character with a Dennis Quaid grin and another with a Brad Pitt jaw, for example. I have loosely -- and I mean very loosely -- based a couple of female characters on celebrities. I started thinking about how people think they “know” these celebrities. What if these people were misunderstood and not at all like what the public perceived? How hard would it be to live down an image under those circumstances? Tempest Herriman, my heroine in the novella “Sex, Lies and a Security Tape” in the book titled EXCLUSIVE! is a Paris Hilton-type, or so she seems. Perception is one of the issues the hero has to overcome for their relationship to work. Likewise, Audra Conlan in A WOMAN WORTH LOVING, the first book in my Conlans of Trillium Island trilogy, is a wannabe actress who had been married to a much older wealthy man who dies and leaves her everything. In the opening scene she’s being strangled nearly to death by her stepson, who is upset about losing his inheritance. Anna Nicole Smith was sued by her late husband’s son rather than nearly killed, but her story (before her tragic death) was a bit of an inspiration for me. Audra was so flawed, so damaged. I wanted to explore how someone like her could rise above her very public past, heal and find redemption.

What are your favourite and least favourite parts of writing a novel? Is there a particular section that you struggle with?

Are you kidding? I struggle with the beginning, the middle and the end of each book! But I absolutely love it when my characters surprise me. When they take off in a direction I didn’t anticipate and I’m forced to scurry after them, those days are wonderful, exhilarating. The worst days are those when I can spend an entire morning at a computer and my characters refuse to come to life. They remain words on paper rather than interesting individuals with conflicts and quirks I want to explore.


When you are not writing, what do you do? How do you pamper yourself?
When I’m not writing fiction, I’m often doing freelance or reviewing children’s books for local newspapers. I’m also a mom. I have a seven-year-old son (and a toddler on the way via international adoption), so I’m busy around the house. I like to putter in my flowerbeds and take bubble baths. I just got some new lavender-scented bath stuff that promises relaxation. Sounds good to me!

Imagine you’re stranded…where are you and who are you with?

Stranded, eh? Hmm, it would have to be with my hubby. He’s the only one I’d wanted to be stranded anywhere with. He’s a pretty smart and resourceful guy. Sexy, too. We spent our honeymoon in Aruba way back when and had a ball lying on the beach and doing next to nothing, so a Caribbean island holds appeal. But can we be stranded in a luxury resort with room service? Now, that’s a fantasy.

Finally, Jackie, please tell us what’s up and coming for you in the months ahead!

Well, I have the last book in the Secrets We Keep trilogy, out in October. It’s titled FOUND: HER LONG-LOST HUSBAND. Liz Fielding wrote the first book, REUNITED: MARRIAGE IN A MILLION, which came out in August. Barbara Hannay’s NEEDED: HER MR. RIGHT was the second book and it came out in September. It was a thrill to work with Liz and Barbara. They are both gifted and generous writers. To recap briefly, our three heroines meet during a charity bike ride through the Himalayas and wind up sharing their secrets, things that have held them back from being happy and fulfilled. In my character’s case, she married young in an attempt to get out from underneath her father’s thumb. The marriage crumbled quickly as a result of secrets and lies, but in addition to feeling guilty about using Ethan Seaver, Claire’s always secretly wondered … what if?

I also have MOONLIGHT AND ROSES coming in January. When wealthy California vintner Zack Holland buys the vineyard Jaye Monroe helped her late father start, she never imagines she’ll also lose her heart to him. EXPECTING A MIRACLE is due out in April. Pregnant and alone, Lauren Seville is looking for peace in the Connecticut countryside. She finds much more than that when she meets Gavin O’Donnell.

Thanks Jackie for being here with us!

Awesome October Releases!

Fall is in the air - the days are turning cool - and what better time to curl up with a great book??? This month sees some great offerings coming your way from the Harlequin Romance line.


Married for a day…

Claire Mayfield met Ethan Seaver when she was young and naive. Their whirlwind romance ended in a Las Vegas wedding. It was supposed to be the first day of the rest of their lives together.…

In love for a lifetime…

But secrets and lies tore them apart all too soon, and years later their marriage is a distant memory. Or at least it should be. But Claire has never forgotten Ethan's passion for life, or the way he made her feel. She sets out to find her long-lost husband, and just maybe change their lives forever.
Read Excerpt


From playboy to parent!

Watching her tiny daughter sleeping cradled in her arms, Grace knows she would do anything for her. Even if it means meeting with the man who broke Grace's heart—the man who doesn't even know he has a child....

Danny Carson is Grace's former boss, and he's as gorgeous and brooding as ever. Little does he realize a business trip that turned into a whirlwind affair had a surprising consequence!

Playboy Danny is about to discover he's a father....
Read Excerpt



He had always been there for her…

Brooke Findlay visited agent Daniel Finch, only for him to tell her that her famous and once wealthy late husband had squandered everything. She and the kids were left with nothing.

Danny came to their rescue, giving them a home in his luxury mountain estate. Brooke was shocked to discover the intense attraction simmering between them. It was clear Danny had feelings for her, but after all the heartache she'd been through—her husband's lies, affairs, secrets—would she ever be able to trust a man again? Even a man as gorgeous and honorable as Danny?
Read Excerpt



The French duke's contract bride!

Lance Malbois, Duc du Lac: a hardened military man with a scar that crosses his cheek—and reaches right to his heart. But all he wants is to hold a child in his arms and be called 'Daddy.'

Andrea Fallon: pregnant, widowed and alone, she's determined to give her baby the father and family she never had.

The perfect solution: a marriage of convenience…?
Read Excerpt



Plain Jane and the Italian rebel…

Polly Hanson must go to Naples to find Ruggiero Rinucci, and what she has to tell him will surely end his bachelor ways—he is the father of her late cousin's baby! But nothing quite prepares Polly for Ruggiero's reaction…

Outwardly he's a carefree playboy; inwardly he once loved so passionately it nearly broke him. Polly wants to help him, yet she feels forever in her cousin's shadow. Can plain Polly tame this wild Italian's heart…?
Read Excerpt



Forty days till Christmas…can they open their hearts in time?

Kirsten Morrison runs the Secret Santa Society and loves making others happy. Although she knows opening your heart can be painful, her secret wish is to find a special man to share Christmas with.…
Volunteering to wrap children's gifts isn't something Michael Brewster would normally do. But, facing his first Christmas alone, he finds himself on Kirsten's doorstep.

As they work together, an undeniable attraction flares between them. Is a kiss under the mistletoe the start of their Christmas wish come true?

Read Excerpt

The Annual AMBA lunch

September marks the time of year for the annual AMBA lunch held in London, and since it's a rare occasion that so many authors get together, we at the blog though it might be interesting to our readers to catch a rare glimpse into the one day a year we get to be glamourous. Jessica Hart, one of this year's organizers, has provided a bit of background into what this particular day means, and Donna Alward, who attended from Canada, is supplying the pictures!

Every year in late September a very special lunch is held in London. To attend, you have to be a member of AMBA, which stands for the Association of Mills & Boon Authors. This makes is sound a lot more formal than in fact it is – there are no rules or regulations or membership fees. All you need to join is to have written a book published by Harlequin Mills & Boon. You’d be surprised at how many of us there are around the world! This picture shows us all lunching at the RAF club in Picadilly.

Writing can be very solitary, and the lunch is a great opportunity to meet up with fellow authors who really understand the highs and lows of writing romance. It doesn’t matter whether we’ve written one book or twenty or a hundred, we all know what it’s like!
Inevitably, most of us converge on London from different parts of the UK, but we’re always delighted when overseas authors can join us. This year, for instance, we welcomed Donna Alward from Canada and Carol Marinelli from Australia. (Picture: Romance Authors Trish Wylie, Fiona Harper and Donna Alward)


It’s primarily a social occasion, but we do also invite guests from Harlequin, who earn their lunch by taking part in a Question and Answer session about some aspect of the publishing business, marketing this year. And in the evening, Harlequin Mills & Boon host a champagne reception, a celebratory toast to their authors, which is usually held in one of London’s old gentlemen’s clubs and which rounds off the day in suitable style! This year it was held at the Oriental Club in Stratford House. Gorgeous, isn't it!

All in all it's a day to celebrate who we are and what we do - and we do it in grand style!



Jessica's Outback Boss, City Bride is out NOW... "Jessica Hart brings the Outback vividly to life in this captivating romance that will touch your heart and tickle your funny bone. ... RITA award-winning author Jessica Hart never disappoints her readers with her spellbinding and sophisticated stories brimming with warmth, wit, drama and romance" - Cataromance





Donna's September release is Marriage at Circle M - the follow up to Hired By The Cowboy and "A poignant, heartrending story about romancing and healing. You’ll love strong, protective Mike and cheerful, independent Grace — and wonder how these two can ever reach a happy ending. An emotional read, that belongs on your must-buy list for September." - The Pink Heart Society Reviews

Spotlight in Six with Barbara Hannay!

We're thrilled to have with us this month RITA award winner Barbara Hannay, all the way from Down Under! Barbara's current release is the second in the SECRETS WE KEEP trilogy, Needed: Her Mr. Right.

All right then...here we go!

After writing twenty-six books, where do you find new and fresh ideas?
I’ve been a dreamer all my life. As I child I didn’t have just one imaginary friend, I turned my home into an entire boarding school. My bedroom was a dormitory and I did my homework with a host of “friends”. My long-suffering family never realized that there were at least a dozen other girls dining at our table every night.

So with a weird brain like that, I have no problem dreaming up new story lines. I hope to keep them new and fresh by staying in touch with the ever-changing ‘outside’ world.

I read, read, read and I love movies and belong to a cinema group that shows many ‘art house’ and foreign films. I ‘people watch’ and I’m a great listener at parties and social occasions.

And I have a wonderful husband who consumes newspapers and non fiction books and, unlike me, can recall details later and who is happy to brainstorm story ideas with me.

Writers often use photos of celebrities as “casting”. Do you do this, and who has inspired some of your characters?


I can’t say that I do use celebrities, as I fear my knowledge of the actor or the roles he/she has played will intrude into my fictional world. That said, I do remember when I wrote my first book that I had a scene where the hero was testing the depth of a flooded creek on foot before he drove across it and I thought of Mel Gibson in the film Gallipoli. I asked myself how he would have played that scene and immediately I saw him turn back from that rushing flood water and give the heroine a grin and a wink, like a cheeky school boy.

That moment hooked the editor who eventually bought my book.

What I do use for inspiration are collages – collections of pictures of people (mostly anonymous faces from magazines), objects, settings and scraps of text that evoke the mood of my book and help to keep me in the ‘story world’ of my current work.

What are your favourite and least favourite parts of writing a novel? Is there a particular section that you struggle with?

I’m never completely at ease with my story until I get the hero and heroine together. I try, wherever possible, to get them together on the first page, but some stories just don’t lend themselves to that. But I’m always keen to get them together to make sure that the chemistry is working. Once I get a feel for their dynamics, I feel more comfortable about the overall story and I can bear to separate them, if necessary.

I love writing their exchanges of dialogue while they’re getting to know each other, or when they’re meeting again after some time.

And I’m rather cruel. I love to give them plenty of trouble. For me, trouble is story.

I often find the hardest part to write is the ending. Finding ways to make I love you. I love you, too feel new and fresh is a distinct challenge, but I know it’s a very important part of a romance story and I don’t want to cheat the reader out of a good ending. I sometimes think I should write the ending first! In fact, I may yet try that with my next book.

When you are not writing, what do you do? How do you pamper yourself?

My husband and I have a getaway cottage about four hours away, up in the Misty Mountains of North Queensland, where I usually escape. It’s cool and often wet. We light a fire, open a bottle of red wine and listen to music and talk about my next book, or we have friends around and I listen to their stories and tuck ideas away. My life is never completely divorced from my writing.

Imagine you’re stranded…where are you and who are you with?

I think I’ve just described that in my last answer. (grin)

Finally, Barb, please tell us what’s up and coming for you in the months ahead!

This month, of course, there’s Needed: Her Mr. Right, Book #2 in the Secrets We Keep trilogy, which is Simone and Ryan’s story, set in Sydney.
Coming in January 08 is another of my Outback books, The Bridesmaid’s Best Man, in which an Australian cattleman is best man at a wedding in London where he and the bridesmaid have a whirlwind affair that results in pregnancy. The troubled London bridesmaid travels to the depths of the North Queensland Outback to try to sort things out.

Later in July, I have my grandparent book! Yes, I’ve written a romance for grandparents, but they’re only thirty-nine. Their baby was given away for adoption when they were nineteen and now a twist of fate brings them together to care for their tiny grandson.


Thanks Barb for being with us! Needed: Her Mr. Right is OUT NOW at bookshops in NA and the UK and available on the Harlequin and Mills and Boon websites, as well as the amazons!

By Request: A Special Release

This month also sees a special release by MILLS AND BOON BY REQUEST: Bringing Up Baby by three leading ladies of Romance - Liz Fielding, Marion Lennox and Jessica Hart!


The Baby Plan by Liz Fielding

A successful businesswoman nearing thirty, Amanda Fleming’s biological clock was ticking furiously. When she met Daniel Redford, owner of a sexy, lopsided smile and gorgeous blue eyes, it wasn’t long before she had set her plan for motherhood in motion…


Her Royal Baby by Marion Lennox

Tammy is guardian of her orphaned nephew, Henry, who will one day be Crown Prince of a European country. Marc, the darkly handsome Prince Regent, wants Henry brought up as royalty. As Tammy and Marc clash, the passion between them becomes impossible to resist…


Her Boss’s Baby Plan by Jessica Hart

Single mum Martha Shaw is nanny to Lewis Mansfield’s niece, and about to spend six months on a tropical island with him and the babies! She quickly falls in love with her sexy boss – but Lewis is a carefree bachelor with no plans to settle down.

Stupendous September Releases!

It's that time again - when the new month's releases become available!

Check out what ROMANCE has to offer this month...and just save yourself the time and buy ALL of them, they all look SO good....in fact, if you click on the exclusive offer button to the right, you can even enjoy free shipping!


Needed: Her Mr. Right
by Barbara Hannay
Returning from a charity cycle ride through the Himalayas, Simone is determined to finally deal with the dreadful secret she's kept and move on with her life. Until the diary into which she poured her troubled heart is lost…and found by billionaire journalist Ryan Tanner.

Simone's never been able to open up, to get close, and she's immediately suspicious of Ryan. But there's something about him that invites trust. Maybe this beautiful, loving man can help her find the real her. He just might be her Mr. Right in a million.…

Read Excerpt



Outback Boss, City Bride
by Jessica Hart
Meredith West
Likes: coffee shops, nice shoes, London
Dislikes: spiders, the Outback, Hal Granger!

Hal Granger
Dislikes: cool, unflappable, distracting city girls
Likes: one city girl in particular…

Meredith's been forced to take a job on a remote cattle station, with a boss she can't stand! It should be easy to keep things professional—except their office is under the blistering Outback sun, and Hal's work attire is a bare chest and thigh-hugging jeans! Although they're worlds apart, it's getting harder to keep things strictly business…

Read Excerpt



Marriage at Circle M
by Donna Alward
Secrets are hard to keep in a small town…

But Grace Lundquist is determined to hide her pain. Hardworking and always cheerful, she's the town's sweetheart. Everybody loves her.…

Grace knows that one man isn't fooled. When Mike Gardner looks at her, she feels he can see right into her soul. But, try as she might to keep the strong, gorgeous cowboy out of her business, Grace can't douse the spark between them.…

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Promoted: Nanny to Wife
by Margaret Way
Marissa Devlin has vowed to protect her orphaned half brother—even if it means becoming governess to the daughter of dark, brooding Holt McMaster. Marissa soon feels like a mother to Holt's little girl, but the magnificent cattle baron's guarded heart isn't so easily won!

Holt has battled with trust in the past, so he's surprised to find that having Marissa in his home seems like the most natural thing in the world.

Is it possible that the new nanny may be the perfect wife…?

Read Excerpt


The Bridal Contract
by Susan Fox
Fay Sheridan is facing the bleakest moment of her life. As a fierce storm surges around her, one man plucks her from despair and into safety: Chase Rafferty.

Rugged rancher Chase knows there is a fun-loving young woman hiding inside Fay, and he'll do anything to see her start living again—even propose!

Fay thinks Chase is joking—a convenient business marriage would never work. But as the idea sinks in, the sparks slowly begin to ignite inside her. Maybe now is the time to embrace life and say yes!

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The Italian Single Dad
by Jennie Adams
An Italian single father, a motherless child…

Bella Gable never wanted to see rich, handsome Luchino Montichelli ever again! They had a brief romance in Italy when she was young and naive, but when Bella discovered Luc had betrayed her, it broke her heart.

Her first love, their chance for happiness…

Now, years on, Luc has come to Australia with his young daughter in tow. This Luc, who looks at his daughter with such tenderness, seems like the man Bella once fell in love with. But can she trust him enough to take another chance on this Italian single dad?

Read Excerpt

Available in bookshops, at www.eharlequin.com, www.millsandboon.com, and of course, the amazons!

Spotlight in Six - LIZ FIELDING

Welcome to a new feature of the HRA blog - SPOTLIGHT IN SIX! Each month a different author will answer six questions in a sort of "mini-interview" - and hopefully give you a glimpse into their writing and themselves!

This month we are priveleged to have LIZ FIELDING, whose "REUNITED:MARRIAGE IN A MILLION" is out as the first of the "Secrets We Keep" trilogy.

Without further ado:

After writing fifty books, where do you find new and fresh ideas?

The ideas are easy enough. The world is full of ideas patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharp enough to notice them. Unfortunately the ideas in my head seem to get more and more complicated, not very useful when the contract you signed requires the delivery of three short romances by the next January…

The secret, I think, is to keep it simple, not to get too wound up in complex ideas. To concentrate on the interaction between the hero and heroine. – the internal conflicts.

I read magazines, newspapers, listen to the radio and people watch, filling the well. Then I have to rely on the “girls in the basement” to sift through it all and come up with the goods.


Writers often use photos of celebrities as “casting”. Do you do this, and who has inspired some of your characters?

I don’t “look” for casting pictures as a rule, but sometimes a face, or an actor I’ve seen on film or television will seem just right and then I’ll go looking for photographs to stick on the whiteboard in my office.

Christian Bale seemed an almost perfect likeness for Max Valentine in The Valentine Bride, and Heidi Klum stood in for Louise, but I found them long after I’d started writing the book. I tend to find photographs to match the image in my head, rather than the other way around.

This photograph I found of Hugh Jackman seemed to portray the spirit of Ivo Grenville, the hero of Reunited: Marriage in a Million. He’s still, totally controlled, giving nothing away, especially not his feelings. Ivo to the core. Having a picture on my website and blog does, I think, help the readers to see the kind of man he is, too. It was much more difficult to find a picture that matched my idea of Belle. She is upfront sexy but, like Ivo, she’s hiding a lot and the bombshell image is no more than a veneer. The photograph I eventually found seems just about perfect – although I have no idea of my model’s true identity. Of course, the fact that the art department muddled up my heroine with Jackie Braun’s Claire in the third book in the “Secrets We Keep” trilogy, Found: Her Long Lost Husband, will now confuse the reader totally!

I’ve recently seen Alexander Niddiq in a couple of films and he has become the face of the Sheikh in the novella I’m writing at the moment.

What are your favourite and least favourite parts of writing a novel? Is there a particular section that you struggle with?

The favourite bit is where my editor says she likes it. It’s even better if she says there are no revisions -- rare enough to be a deeply cherished moment.

The truth is, that writing is hard and, like all creative work, it gets harder as you dig deeper each time. The need to lift yourself to write something new and fresh, within the confines of the romance genre, something that isn’t like anything you’ve ever written before, is akin to reinventing the wheel. It has to the do the same job, but not in the same way.

Fortunately all characters are different. They react differently to pressure and that’s the great part -- creating characters that live and breath so they carry my story forward is the most rewarding thing about writing.

The bits I hate are those moments when the characters hit a blank wall. They want to do something and you can’t see any way to make that happen.


When you are not writing, what do you do? How do you pamper yourself?

I pamper myself with books. My idea of the perfect break is sitting in some shady spot overlooking the sea, with a good book, a glass of something interesting and a few olives within reach. No music, no television, no interruptions of any kind. One day of that is probably all I could stand, but it remains the ideal!

What I actually do is catch up on all the stuff that goes by the wayside when I’m writing. Ironing. Dusting. Getting my eyes tested. Stripping wallpaper…


Imagine you’re stranded…where are you and who are you with?

Briefly, in a lift?

With the Prime Minister so that could tell him exactly where he’s going wrong. :)

In trouble, on a mountain?

With mountaineer hunk, Chris Bonnington.

Long term, on a desert island?

Can I have my own version of “Desert Island Discs”, here? In lieu of gramophone records, the question is, which eight men would you take with you…

Just to look at, obviously, as, stripped to the waist they gather firewood, built me a hut, caught fish, shinned up palm trees to pick coconuts…

Hugh Jackman
David Tenant
Paul Bettany
Johnny Depp
Alexander Niddiq
Gerard Butler
Denzel Washington

And for fabulous conversation (and because he’s sexy, too) …

Clive James


Finally, Liz, please tell us what’s up and coming for you in the months ahead!

Coming up in September in the UK, is BRINGING UP BABY, a three-in-one By Request, with Marion Lennox and Jessica Hart.

Then January 2008 sees the publication of my fiftieth book, THE SHEIKH’S UNSUITABLE BRIDE.

It was only when I’d agreed the title with my editor and was entering it in my log (vital to keep a note of the names of heroes and heroines – it’s so easy to think you’ve found a fabulous hero name only to discover you’ve already used it) that I realized that I’d hit the big five-o. It’s not that I can’t count, it’s that not all of them are “Romance” titles, so there are two logs.

In this book, Sheikh Zahir, who made an appearance last year in THE SHEIKH’S GUARDED HEART, knows that he can’t put off marriage any longer. His father wants a grandson and, since arranged marriages are the way they do it in his part of the world, he heads off to London for the biggest business venture of his life, leaving his mother to search for a suitable “mother of his sons”. And then, on his arrival in London, he’s met not by his usual chauffeur, but by Diane Metcalfe, a woman who has opinions by the bucketful and isn’t afraid to share them. Who talks non-stop, has a smile to melt perma-frost and red-gold hair that unfurls in tiny curls against her creamy neck. His head knows that any kind of relationship between them is impossible. His heart – and several other parts of his anatomy – are not listening.

You can find REUNITED: MARRIAGE IN A MILLION on http://www.eharlequin.com/, http://www.amazon.com/ (or co.uk) and of course in bookstores this month!

Thanks, Liz, for joining us!!!!!

Fabulous August Releases!

August marks some fabulous releases, including the first installment of the "Secrets We Keep" trilogy, launched by the terrific Liz Fielding! (And come back later this month for a spotlight on Liz!)

Without further ado, here's what Harlequin Romance has to offer for August...




Popular TV presenter Belle is married to gorgeous billionaire Ivo. But beneath the veneer of her perfect life is the truth of their marriage of convenience.
Belle knows that workaholic Ivo prefers their family of two, but somewhere along the way she fell deeply in love with her husband, and can't help wishing for a baby. Now they must find it within themselves to share the secrets they've never trusted each other with, and make their marriage one in a million again.

Read Excerpt




An only child, Shanni Jefferson doesn't do family. But temporarily homeless and jobless, she jumps at the offer of a live-in nannying position. How hard can it be to look after one little baby?
Pierce MacLachlan has been economical with the truth—instead of one child, there are five! He's out of his depth with the unruly yet lovable brood…
But every night, once the children are all safely tucked in bed, Shanni wonders whether family life—with gorgeous Pierce—might suit her after all.

Read Excerpt





Intelligent, sensible Della Hadley should've known better than to embark on an affair with a playboy Italian six years her junior, but vibrant and sexy Carlo Rinucci was just too hard to resist.…
Della knows that a fiery passion so quick to ignite should be fast to die out, despite Carlo's vow that their love is forever. But Carlo is Italian through and through, and determined to win his woman—and make Della his bride before the sun sets on their affair.

Read Excerpt






Carson Banick: The black sheep of the family is back—and now his family's future and fortune are in his hands. He must marry a suitable woman and provide an heir.
Beth Krayton: Carson's feisty PA is determined to succeed on her own, without a man.…
They shouldn't suit one another at all. They shouldn't even be together. But as the attraction grows between them Carson has to ask himself what's more important, saving his family or claiming Beth's heart?

Read Excerpt

For Adele and Nick Hughes this idyllic evening for two is the last place either of them wants to be. Their marriage over, they never believed they could find their way back to each other. But stranded in this picturesque cottage, Adele and Nick find they cannot resist the spark that has always fizzed between them.
As the twinkling firelight begins to work its magic, this couple discovers that the wonderful thing about breaking up is making up…

Read Excerpt

She's left to cope with twins…
Rachel Adams's independent life is turned upside down when she's named guardian to two orphaned twins! It's hard to suddenly be a mom to two demanding babies, but in no time they steal her heart!
…And their stand-in dad!
When gorgeous co-guardian Ford Sullivan turns up, he starts to take charge. Rachel realizes it's best for the babies if she and Ford work together. But being this close to Ford makes Rachel wonder whether stand-in mom and dad could become forever bride and groom….

Read Excerpt

Best Traditional Romance RITA for Romance's Barbara Hannay!

The RITA awards were handed out Saturday night at the RWA National Conference in Dallas. This was the very last year for the Best Traditional Romance category, and the finalist roster was spectacular:

Jackie Braun - A WOMAN WORTH LOVING

Barbara Hannay - CLAIMING HIS FAMILY

Fiona Harper - BLIND DATE MARRIAGE (also finalled in Best First Book)

Marion Lennox - THE SURGEON'S FAMILY MIRACLE and THE DOCTOR'S PROPOSAL

Sandra Paul - DOMESTICATING LUC

And the winner is.....

BARBARA HANNAY!

Congrats to Barbara for her win with this fabulous book!

A marriage renewal...

Erin has agreed to take her little boy to the Outback to meet his father – her ex-husband – whom she hasn’t seen for five years.

Seeing Luke again, Erin’s not sure how she’s supposed to act around the man she once loved so deeply. The memories of their marriage come flooding back... the happy times, and the reasons that tore them apart. Now Luke is determined for her to stay. Can Erin find the courage to give their marriage a second chance – and let them become a family again?

You can read an excerpt HERE.

And though this was a 2006 release, thank goodness for the internet! You can still get this book at amazon. Click HERE to be taken to Barb's amazon.com page!

Congratulations once again, Barbara, for being the Last - Best Traditional winner!

Back Online!

I'm pleased to announce that the Harlequin Romance Authors blog is back online! Join us every month for new releases, breaking news, and spotlights on your favourite Romance authors!

Coming soon:

News from RWA Nationals!
Fabulous August Releases!
Spotlight in Six with Liz Fielding!

Cheers,

Donna

OFFLINE

Due to deadline pressure, we're taking a break from posting our covers here for the time being. You can find information about next month's book -- and buy them a month in advance of publication -- online at:

Harlequin, US
Mills & Boon, UK
Mills & Boon, Australia

Links to authors websites and blogs are in the sidebar, or at

Harlequin Romance Authors

FEBRUARY 2007

HARLEQUIN "ROMANCE"

February is the month for lovers, and lovers of Romance. And this is the month when Silhouette Romance and Harlequin Romance combine into one great line, offering six titles a month of the greatest romances you'll find anywhere in the world. And you name the country, Romance will be there.

Here are books newly on sale at eHarlequin.com in the States and Canada, Harlequin Mills & Boon in the UK and on booksehlves come mid-February! They'll be available one month later in Australia and New Zealand.

Rancher and Protector
by Judy Christenberry

Jason Barton wants Rosie's ranch, and with his sexy square jaw and steely glare, he always gets what he wants.

Rosie Wilson is about to lose her family's legacy, but she's a fighter and can play hardball, too.

When Rosie and Jason get stranded under the starlit Western skies, danger is on the horizon. There's only one place Rosie wants to be: in the arms of her cowboy, who has vowed to protect her!

Read an Excerpt

The Valentine Bride
by Liz Fielding

Louise Valentine's just been offered a job. Max Valentine wants to use her famous PR skills to help save the family business. But since discovering she was adopted, Louise is feeling less than charitable toward the Valentines.…
Family loyalty wins, and sparks fly as she and Max work together. Even though Max has always been strictly off-limits, now they're both falling hard and fast. Will the past stand in the way of this special Valentine wedding?

Read an excerpt

One Summer in Italy…
by Lucy Gordon

But somehow Holly became enchanted by the pleading eyes of a motherless little girl and entranced by the girl's mysterious father, Matteo. Before she knew what was happening, she had been swept away to their luxurious family villa in Rome.
But as the long summer days slowly began to fade, Holly discovered that within the walls of this home and in the heart of the man she was coming to love, hid some dark secrets—secrets that would finally set them all free.…

Read an excerpt

The Boss's Pregnancy Proposal
by Raye Morgan

Working for her heart-stoppingly handsome boss shouldn't have been so hard, but could Callie Stevens let her attraction get the best of her when he asked her to have his baby? Of course, love wouldn't enter into the arrangement. Or would it?
A busy CEO, Grant wanted a family, but he'd been devastated by love. Sensible Callie was exactly what he was looking for. Yet as they prepared for their little bundle of joy, Grant's control slipped. Maybe Callie was exactly what his heart needed.…

Read an excerpt

Crowned: An Ordinary Girl
by Natasha Oakley

Just as Seb had tasted normal life, he was forced to do his duty. Accepting the crown meant losing his most precious gift—the love of an ordinary girl.
Now, years on, Marianne Chambers is visiting Andovaria. Seb has been given the second chance he's always longed for. But can he fight tradition and crown Marianne as his very own princess

Read an excerpt

Outback Baby Miracle
by Melissa James

As untamed as the Outback land he masters, cattleman Jake Connors is a mystery to Laila. Something hidden inside him calls to the woman in her, in a way no other man ever has.…
In the heart of the Outback, Laila Robbins discovers the heady power of a brooding man. Jake doesn't want Laila's wealth or her family name, but before he can give her his heart he has to stop running from the dark demons of his past.

Is Laila's pregnancy surprise the miracle they both need?

Read an excerpt

Go to eHarlequin to buy these fabulous books!