"A Nile Romance" in 25

Cruise ship tour guide falls for archaeologist and splits with Egyptian boyfriend
(Now waiting for characters to surprise me with the rest of their story!)

Twenty Five Words on your WIP

I cannot do that. I never discuss my WIP with anyone ever.. Writing by the seat of my pants, I like the element of surprise…it’s thrilling!

"Toast of Clifton".

A King defeated in battle, old friends and one-time mistress are called upon to enact treachery against the state to save his royal hide.

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I couldn't resist the pic because King Charles II (in the novel) existed. The image smacks of brooding male, one who has had his fair share of mistresses and sired umpteen illegitimate childen and pondering which of several women might be next in line for his favours. ;)

Going up?

This week's challenge is to describe a WIP in 25 words or less. Here's mine:


"A high-stakes negotiation unexpectedly propels a competitive consultant into a karmic life-or-death struggle where the ultimate prize is her heart."

Whiskey Creek Press - Eight years old

I can't believe that Whiskey Creek Press has been in business for eight years! I thought it much longer. When I look at my first book published by them, I see the date of publication is 2006. Never! Was it only such a short time ago? Have I really written nine books for them in that short time. Facts don't lie!

Whiskey Creek Press is owned and run by two very special people, Steven and Debi Wormack. You won't find kinder or more helpful people in publishing than Steve and Debi. Believe me!

I confess to never having heard of e-books or Whiskey Creek Press, way back in 2000. My late, dear friend Loren Teague, told me about them. I had given up writing but she persuaded me to start again. I tried one company and that was ok, then Loren told me all about Whiskey Creek. She had two books out with them and her recommendation was all I needed. Loren was that special, when she said anything I listened.

My first book Fortune's Folly was duly e-mailed. I heard back really fast (a lot faster than today because let's face it WCP was in its infancy then and it publishes many more books these days). The care and attention I received, the excellent editor I was given (Gina Schneider I believe) and then finally Senior editor the fantastic Marsha Briscoe, proved I had chosen well. When I saw the cover by Jinger Heaston, well I was over the moon.

Thanks to Whiskey Creek's faith in me I went on to write those other books for them - Eden's Child and The Substitute Bride - were No. 1 best sellers. My latest was No. 3 last month, so I suppose it is a two-way street! I am grateful for all the care I have received over these five years.

I can't praise Debi and Steve and Marsha enough - and now we have Melanie too. Further success is coming to Whiskey Creek Press, in the words of a song "It can only get Better" The Womacks and their excellent colleagues deserve their success. The advent of kindle and other media that allows you to download books, will further add to their success.How many can say they have never had a cross word with their publisher. Well, I can.

There is an opportunity to win free books if you go to their store - do visit, you will have a lovely surprise.

http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/

Weather

I must admit I don’t use weather very much unless it’s significant in the story. In ‘His Leading Lady’, it wasn’t really relevant except when the h/h are in Scotland for a romantic weekend. Of course the weather is as perfect as their weekend although Kyle does says: “We’ve hit lucky. It can often pour with rain the whole day up here.”  And I should know, I once spent a very rainy week in Scotland.

In ‘Fragrance of Violets’ the weather does contribute to the story. It’s set in the Lake District and I know from experience how often it rains there!

So one important scene takes place on the valley road in the pouring rain, and it’s the rain which causes the collapse of a roof which in turn leads to .. no, I’m not going to tell you the story here!

But there are also beautiful spring days in Lakeland when, after the rain, the air smells so fresh and clean, and the mountains and lakes look stunning, so my h/h can enjoy that too.

My current WIP (with the working title ‘A Nile Romance’) is of course set in Egypt where it’s hot in winter and even hotter in summer!  There are blue skies and sunshine, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and warm, clear inky-dark nights. Perfect for a romance (as long as you have air-conditioning, of course!) but not a  lot of scope for using the weather, since it's the same all the time.

I’m not a fan of matching weather to the moods of the characters or the events in their lives. You know the kind of thing, you see it in so many movies – the ferocious storm before or during some traumatic event. Maybe a contrast between the weather and the characters’ feelings is more effective. A beautiful day when the heroine is going through hell at losing her man, or a dismal grey day when her heart is singing? In my experience, that’s probably more realistic :-)

The Weather

The Weather


Yes, the weather or climate is important in many of my books. I think that’s why I like setting my books in Florida. Here the climate is so different from England. Last year when I was there in the summer, it would be hot and steamy; you could guarantee that around 3.00 in the afternoon a violent electrical storm would occur. Magic.

Of course the British weather is very varied, as Bob Hope used to say “In Great Britain you have four seasons, all in one day” and that is so true. This is a boon to the writer. There is the thrashing cold rain, but there is the soft gentle rain of a warm early summer afternoon. The latter can be quite romantic, the perfect weather for a kiss!

A Poisoned Legacy published by Robert Hale Ltd
Florida

The next morning clouds drove across the early patch of blue blocking out the sun. It was hot, hotter than she had experienced before. It robbed her of energy and for the first time she upped the cooler in the house.

Stepping outside was like jumping into a full-on oven. Rivers of sweat broke out all or her body, dripping between her breasts and from her face. Her hair was lank though it had been freshly washed. Lethargically she moved back into the house enjoying the embrace of cool air on her overheated skin.



Florida - A Fatal Flaw – published by whiskey Creek Press

There was a back gate. It was always opened but because of the storm the bolts had been secured. Carefully, she slid her hand along the mesh and wood, feeling for the bolts. Remembering there were three, one at the top and she stood on tiptoe until she felt its coldness against her fingertips, she slid it open then sought the one in the middle and lastly went on her knees to slide the bottom bolt. That took longer than the others did to find, it was a small bolt. Then there was the catch, she raised it quietly, the moment she partly opened the door the wind gushed in, whipping the door out of her hands and banging it against the wall. The fearsome wind raided the lanai, upturning chairs, something was blown into the pool, but she knew she could not wait to see what it could be; she burst out through the door, knocked to her feet by the force of the wind. Scrambling up, she bent her body forward and hurtled herself into the wind.
Hugging the lawn, she ran between the trees. The rain lashed against her, the wind making progress difficult; she was no more than a flower stalk to its power. It invaded every part of her, lifting and ballooning out her jacket, yet there was too much adrenalin pounding away for her to feel the chill.
The gates at the end of the drive were not fastened; they were pushed wide open, unusual because they usually were closed and bolted at night. She had wondered if she would have to scale them, or look for an alternative way out.
There were gulleys at the side of the road, these now she saw were filled with rainwater that was being whipped along, white froth spilling up and over into the road.. She stepped out. As the lane was narrow the wind was less intense than in the open areas. The huge trees she could see were swaying like mad dancers. They were indigenous trees; they were pretty good at withstanding the storm but even so she noticed the road was littered with branches.
Pausing for a second to catch her breath was the worst thing she could have done. She felt a hand tight on her shoulders.
“And where do you think you’re going, little lady?”
Kerensa lashed out, grinding her foot into the man’s shoe, her trainer was inadequate, and he wore trainers too. Poke his eyes, she remembered that from observing a self defense class for a story, but as she reached up her hands he backed off, somehow whirled around to her back and getting hold of her arms, pinioning them to her back, his knee at her spine caused her to gag.

A Fatal Flaw, Cornwall.

Kerensa Mawgan put down the telephone and standing at the window, stared out at a view of the valley down to the undulating river. On the other side of the river was a tree covered high bank. Everything glistened in the warm, steaming mist that had come up river after the storm.
Laboriously, she pulled back the sliding window and stepped outside. The Yorkshire stone patio glistened with puddles of water; it gave the stone an intensity of colour, almost as if it were cast with purple dye. Everything dripped wetly in the weak sun that was successfully breaking through the mist. She felt that if she put her ear to any puddle, then it would give out the sound of sizzling.

So there we have descriptions of different weather, it’s marvellous to have it, imagine if it was the same weather day after day, pretty boring for the writer. Don’t you think?