November 15, 2007 | Me, myself,News

I’m blogging over at Brava Authors today about James Bond, Chanel and me.

Please drop by and chat, if you get a chance!

Diane

November 13, 2007 | Me, myself

Okay, I admit it: I had a fantastic time last night watching Dancing with the Stars. Five good-looking guys strutting their stuff, happy as all get out – what could be better? There was music, too – whoohoo!

While I like TV shows and movies that focus on one guy, there’s something to be said for variety. Oh yeah.

First and foremost, I’m dancing because Maksim has lasted this long in Dancing with the Stars. Hard body, rippling abs, sense of humor, no problem being strong minded – what’s not to like? But his previous partners always got themselves – and him! – eliminated far too early for my viewing happiness. This season, he’s still here. Yes!

And then there’s the other four. Helio, whose ever present sense of humor reminds me of my darling brother in law. (The second time around, my sister got it so riight!) Jonathan, who really looks like a guy my father would have liked me to bring home. Cameron, who reminds me of a dancing superhero. (Could Flash Gordon defeat Ming the Merciless in a ten dance? Undoubtedly!) And, of course, Derek, who may be young but all my friends agree has hidden depths which need to be investigated. LOL

Survivor has a different appeal, with its ever present mind games. Project Runway starts up soon but I’ll start watching it when the contestants get down to a manageable few. (Maybe it’s because I just can’t keep too many trendy styles separate? Who knows.)

I’m addicted to American Idol, not necessarily because of the contestants (no, no, don’t hit me! LOL) but because of the music. The combination of the producers’ twisted minds (once making 21st century kids compete in big band standards? hellooo!) and the contestants’ varying skills and neuroses makes for an always unpredictable show. I’m always willing to be distracted by it.

Any other TV shows where you find interesting guys to watch? Reality shows or even a drama or comedy?

October 27, 2007 | The stories,Tuning the instrument

Some authors are plot-driven, others are character-driven. If you think that really means driven to insanity by voices in their heads, you’re probably pretty close to the mark. It’s probably why we learn to write books out of pure self-preservation: got to get those voices out of our skulls and down on paper!

But bless those darling characters’ hearts, they don’t talk all the time – especially when you’re staring at a page with a deadline looming over your head. That’s when I sometimes think I’m fumbling around in my brain’s dark caverns, hollering, “Yoohoo! Anybody want to come out and play? How about sharing a nice bit of gossip on your nearest and dearest? Or maybe your worst enemy? Hmm? Willing to listen to all your problems?” And all I hear is the echo of my own voice, drat it all!

Fortunately, my heroes and heroines can [usually] be lured in by playing their theme songs. Each theme song tells me quite emphatically what their core issue is in the relationship – and it’s not always what I expected when I started the book. Mercifully, they always tell me early on what their theme song is. (Well, except for one heroine – and that book is known to my friends as “The Tale of the Ever-Morphing Characters.”) Once I have the theme songs, I can play them and my hero and heroine will talk to me about their emotions. It’s a blessing that’s kept me going more than once.

Last week, I blogged over at Brava Authors about The Irish Devil‘s theme music.

As befits an entirely different book, BOND OF BLOOD’s hero expressed his preference for an entirely different theme song. Don Rafael chose “Drowning” by the Backstreet Boys. Absolutely and unequivocally.

“Girl, you leave me breathless
But it’s okay
‘Coz you are my survival.”

You can read a more precise version of the lyrics here.

The Backstreet Boys’ video is very elegant and romantic.

As befits a Spanish knight who’s lived for more than seven centuries, Don Rafael likes many more artists than the Backstreet Boys! He opened my eyes to a wonderful of artists, while I was writing BOND OF BLOOD. But that’s a subject for another blog, just like the theme songs for my other characters.

Hope music brings you as much joy and comfort!

Diane

October 26, 2007 | News

Listen up, friends! Deborah, one of my fellow Kensington authors, is raffling off editors to help one of our friends! To quote her,

I am raffling off editors!!!

Listen up!!

Tired of submitting to slush piles and getting rejected before the editors even see it?

Want a chance to get your book before a print editor???
Want a guaranteed that the editor actually reads it?
You don’t ever get that request for a FULL manuscript??

Well here is your chance!!

Win a chance to have your completed or nearly completed manuscript read and receive a one page critique from

Hilary Sares
Kensington editor
(Debut, Brava, Approdisia lines)

YES!!!!

FIFTEEN people will win this amazing opportunity.

Yes, 15 people will have their full or nearly completed manuscripts read and will receive a one page critique from editor Hilary Sares.

How do you win this amazing chance??

RAFFLE — $100 per entry.
Enter as many times as you want.
(All money is going to a worthy cause)

~~~~~~~~~ Rules: ~~~~~~~~~

You may enter as many times as you want at $100 a “ticket”.
The more times you enter, the better your chances are.

Winners will be randomly selected from a drawing of names on December 21st, 2007

~~~~~~~~ What do you get? ~~~~~~~~

15 people with completed or nearly completed manuscripts (any genre!) will have their manuscript read by Hilary Sares. (Impress her and she could even want to buy you ~~ if you are what she’s looking for!)

All 15 will get a one page critique of their manuscript.

But that is not all….

RUNNERS up will get….

2nd place Runners up…. (#16 and #17 winners)

Chris Keeslar,
Senior Editor, Dorchester Publishing (Leisure Books and Love Spell)
~~ will read and critique 100 pages ~~ you get to put a proposal of 100 pages before Dorchester’s editor, and receive 1 page critique.

Again, he will consider buying if you impress him! (Historical Romances, Magna, Contemporary, Paranormal)

Leah Hultenschmidt,
Editor for Dorchester Publishing (Leisure Books and Love Spell)
~~ will read and critique a 100 pages ~!
You get to put a proposal of 100 pages before Dorchester’s editor, and receive 1 page critique.
Again, she will consider buying if you impress her! (Historical Romances, Contemporary, Paranormal)

3rd place Runner up (#18, #19, #20 and #21 winners)

Leanne Burroughs
Publisher/Editor of Highland Press,
will read and critique 4 full manuscripts -the publisher/owner of Highland Press – will read and give each a 1 page critique.

Again, she will consider buying. (Historical Romance, Paranormal, Contemporary, Mainstreams YA, Childrens) Trade size PRINT Books

Details….

The raffle runs through midnight EST December 15, 2007

The random drawing will be held on: December 21, 2007

So 21 people will have a very Merry Christmas!!!

Winners will be notified by phone and email on that day.

All monies raised go to help author Dawn Thompson’s hospital and medical bills.Dawn recently had a bad fall. She is a new writer so has to wait for nearly a year or more to start receiving her royalties. She doesn’t have family to help her and has a lot of needs not being covered by her insurance. Money will go to help her pay for medicine not covered, and other needs arising from her recovery.

All drawings will be final. No Refunds.

Any questions about the contest: email

Deborah Macgillivray
Kensington, Dorchester, & Highland Press author
writer@deborahmacgi llivray.co.uk

To enter, send your
Name:

Email address (working email addy for you will be billed $100 through Paypal):

Penname, if any:

Your full address:

Your phone number:

The title of your manuscript:

The genre of your manuscript:

Is your manuscript completed? Yes/no If no – expected completion date

Once your email application is received, you will be sent a “ticket” bill through Paypal at $100.00 for each entry. You can pay to enter has many times as you want to increase your odds.

You will be helping a fellow writer get back on her feet after trauma, and you finally get that GUARANTEED chance to be read by some top print editors.

October 17, 2007 | News,The stories,Tuning the instrument

I’m blogging tomorrow at Brava Authors about music and my books. Please stop by and keep me company!

Diane
Diane Whiteside
THE IRISH DEVIL and BOND OF BLOOD, mass-market reissues – October 2007
“Caught by the Tides” in BEYOND THE DARK – December 2007
BOND OF FIRE, Texas vampires trilogy volume 2 – January 2008
www.dianewhiteside.com

October 1, 2007 | Quirky notions,Serendipity

So why do I write historicals? I’ve been asked that a lot over the years and the answer basically comes down to one thing: the men make me go weak at the knees.

Here’s a video by a lady with exactly the same reaction.

Hurrah for sisterhood!

Diane

September 26, 2007 | News,The stories

Hello again!

I’ll be blogging on Friday, September 28th at the Idea Boutique about how The Irish Devil came into the world.

Please stop by and check it out.

See you Friday!

Diane