I've been asked how, after writing so many books, I can make each set of characters different... The best way to make each set of characters stand out is to look at things through THEIR perspective -- how THEY view the world. What would THIS person see and notice most? What would THIS person think about? What would THIS person compare to whatever he/she is looking at? A heroine who's five feet two will have a different reaction to a hero's height than one who's five feet eleven. A heroine who's a cook will have a different reaction to a hero's physical presence than one who's a physical the ..read more

Back in January I wrote about the unintentionally-amusing consequences when an author who doesn't know the right word gets the almost-right one, or lets SpellCheck take over instead of consulting an editor. (You can read that post here.) Today we're back with More Head-Scratching Moments From Today's Books... “Mildred, a graying brunette with hair as black as her son's..." Really? Her hair is gray AND brunette AND black, all at the same time?  The building was modeled after the Pentagon, though it didn't have seven sides. I hate to tell you, Dear Author, but the Pentagon doesn't h ..read more

A fellow writer of historical romances asked this week: “What amenities did London hotels have in the 19th century for the proper lady to refresh herself in relative privacy in front of a mirror?” Now that’s an interesting question – and it’s one I don’t have a definite answer for. The best sources for information about what happened in particular historical periods are diaries, personal letters, and artifacts – surviving locations and/or possessions. For instance, we know what sort of undies people wore during various historical periods because examples have survived. And we know the basics ..read more

For years I've collected snippets and quotes from authors about writing. Here are a few of my favorites. Samuel Johnson: "No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Agatha Christie: "The best time for planning a book is while you're doing the dishes." Mark Twain on doing research: "Get your facts first, and then you can distort 'em as you please." Ken Kesey (author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest): "I like being a famous writer. The problem is, every once in a while you have to write something." Alan Jay Lerner (author of the screenplay Gigi): "A daydream I have often had abo ..read more

Suspense is what keeps the reader turning pages, anxious to find out why and what and when and how. Suspense is what makes the reader worry about the characters -- whether they’ll be all right, if they’ll finally reach their happy ending. Now, we’re not necessarily talking about suspense in terms of actual danger, here. The character's life doesn't have to be at stake for us to create suspense for the reader.   Suspense is the reader’s natural desire to know what happens next. Too often, the author – because she knows what’s happening and why and what’s going to happen next, sacrifice ..read more

This week I had the honor and privilege of being a visiting author at my granddaughter's third-grade class. Speaking to 9-year-olds about books and writing represents something of a challenge, considering that I write love stories, and some hot and spicy ones at that. Reading a passage from my books would require some pretty careful editing. So I decided to talk about research, and the many differences between their lives as kids born into the 21st century and what things would have been like for 9-year-olds and their parents 200 years ago, during the Regency period when many of my stories ..read more

On this rainy, gloomy day in Iowa, I got to thinking about my few days of glorious Florida sunshine -- and remembered that I hadn't downloaded all my pictures yet. Thank you to Entourage Member Extraordinaire Lynda Gail and Chef Joe, for taking me to Universal Orlando's Harry Potter World!                Lynda Gail (left) and me with the Hogwarts Express Hogwarts Castle Hogsmead Village ... complete with  butterbeer and chocolate frogs ..read more

Let's face it -- men and women are different, and the  ways in which they talk, act, and think differently cause all kinds of distress for writers. That's why a seminar called Writing Between the Sexes is the most popular program I do, not only for the writers who attend but for me.  Last weekend a great group -- First Coast Romance Writers -- gathered in Jacksonville, Florida, to share a day of discussion with me. And did we ever have fun! Writers fall into a trap when we write about characters of the opposite sex, because we make them act as if they were us.  Women ..read more

I'm blogging today about my office -- past and present -- with photos. Come take a look at the room where I write  -- and leave a comment for a chance to win either a signed ARC of The Birthday Scandal or a signed copy of Return to Amberley -- winner's choice. Leigh's office Each week author Norah Wilson invites fellow writers to post photos of their office space. Being the curious folks we readers are, it's fun to see where those stories we love are dreamed up and put on paper. I've loved seeing all the wonderful spots where authors write, and I hope you'll enjoy seeing mine. Norah is ..read more

When I started teaching romance writing, it took a while for me to realize that there's an aspect of romance we seldom consider in depth. We talk a lot about characterization and plot and conflict. But too often we assume that the love story -- the attraction and progression of our characters as they fall in love -- will just happen naturally. But that assumption is how we get so many characters in romance who move from "I hate you" to "I have to have you forever" with no logical reason -- leaving the reader scratching her head about how on earth these two could ever have fallen in love. To ..read more