Autumn Harvest Blog Hop - What does Autumn mean to me, my characters, & my readers?

Hey beautiful people!

Excited once again to be joining another of Carrie Ann’s amazing hops. Love the rush of being together with so many fantabulous authors, and the chance to meet so many readers and bookaholics during those tours.

I’ll admit this one nearly ran past me – I’m up to my eyeballs in deadlines, and wasn’t planning to post on the blog today. Thank goodness for reminders, lol.

So... Autumn Harvest Blog Hop. 200+ participants, as many opps to win books & swag & other goodies, and as many chances to enter the draw for these fabulous Grand Prizes. Check them out: I know I am tempted... J

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains 10+ paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!

 

 So we’re supposed to be talking about Autumn, and what we like about the season. I’m a bit out of my depths here, because right now, where I live in the southern hemisphere, it’s spring, not fall. And on my tropical island, Mauritius, we have mainly two seasons – summer, & winter. There’s a brief transition between the seasons that we can barely label spring and autumn, though around April, all the big maple trees in town start turning russet. The air also gets crisper, especially at twilight time, and during the day, there’s a sparkling radiance that shines from the deep-blue sky.

I love this change of weather, because it usually means a respite from the horrendous heat of summer. Down the line, winter will be coming – bringing with it lots of cold and humidity as I live in the coldest town on the island.

But there definitely is something magical about our Autumn when it happens, a sense of hovering between two mighty shores, suspended in an airy bubble...

 

Now this got me thinking – what would the characters from my books have to say about Autumn, the ones who do experience this season at the time we’re speaking? I asked them the question; check out the answers.

From WalkingThe Edge (Corpus Brides: BookOne) – a romantic suspense thriller on the backdrop of amnesia and espionage:

Amelia Jamison – the ‘bored’ housewife with no memory of her past life, who however feels something is off in her existence: I barely remember seeing autumn strike in this year... With me not remembering anything about my past, I hoped this time would be a transition to the real life I’m supposed to live... Then, my ‘husband’ took me home, and my hopes crashed.

Gerard Besson – the Marseille police commissaire who reluctantly finds himself running to Amelia’s rescue: Autumn on the Mediterranean coast is magical. Marseille never looks any better, though with night coming in earlier, that does spell a more active lookout for us cops where crime is concerned.

From BeforeThe Morning (Corpus Brides: BookTwo) – a high-stakes, espionage thriller on the backdrop of childhood best friends reuniting through marriage and heavy-handed, crazy family involvement.

Rayne Cheltham – the former espionage mastermind & skilled assassin who has just ‘retired’ and is looking forward to a peaceful, domestic life with the man she never stopped loving: Autumn is the time for slowing down and taking stock of your life, and the path you’ve taken. *sigh* For the first time in seventeen years, I’ll be able to do that, because this fall, I will not be undercover on any mission to rid the world of some of its biggest, baddest criminals.

Ash Gilfoy – the former policeman turned ambulance worker, who suddenly finds himself hitched in Vegas to a complex puzzle, the girl who used to be his childhood best friend, and now a woman with more secrets than all the secret services of the world combined: Autumn... Beer in front of a roaring fire inside the cosy comfort of your home. Doesn’t get better than that; not yet a biting sting to the cold, just enough chill to have your woman want to snuggle up with you in front of that fire. *grin*

From CallingHome (A Destiny’s Child Book) – a sweet, romantic contemporary tale between an uptight forensic pathologist who suddenly lands herself custody of a tween girl, and the young and sexy country doctor who steps in as a modern knight in shining armour.

Margo Nolan – forensic pathologist, clueless mother, half-dead/zombie-brained woman where love & relationships are concerned: Autumn? Kinda depressing. I mean, that’s the season when we get the most suicides, you know— *her ‘hero’ interrupts with a shake of his head here* Fine. The season where you bring the wide range of designer boots you own out. That’s the best thing about Autumn.

Jamie Gillespie – young, up-and-coming doctor who chose life in a quiet Surrey village over a lucrative career in London’s private practice world: Autumn is the time of hot chocolate with marshmallows, comfy afghans, and baking gingerbread men. Time well spent in the kitchen, making families tighter.

I think these people have it as for what Autumn truly represents...

What does Autumn mean to you? Answer in the comments to let me know – and enter to win a copy of one of the 3 books I feature above (winner’s choice!).

A comment here also gets you another entry into the draw for the Grand Prizes – just don’t forget to leave your email address, otherwise we cannot compute your entry in.

And check out the Blog Hop’s page with the list of all the participants here!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

A Hero's Hop: What's the recipe for the perfect hero? #HeroHop

Hey beautiful people!

It's my second blog hop, and the first of Carrie Ann's in which I am taking part. Totally stoked and absolutely excited to be joining the 128 other authors who signed up for this hop... and also to meet all the readers and visitors who will be doing the rounds. Welcome to my place, peeps!

So, what's the hope about? Heroes. As simple as that. *are you sure?* Nope, not that simple, as you'll see when you browse all the posts that will be going up. Come read what everyone of us authors conjures up in her mind when we heard the magic word "hero".

129 authors = 129 chances to win the Grand Prizes!

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: A magnificent swag pack you can check on the official hop page

AND there will be giveaways at every stop on the tour! So that means, 129 chances for you to win more goodies!

Want to enter to win in my giveaway? Then, let's get rolling with the post!

*****

Immediately when I think "hero", I imagine coming up with the perfect hero for each book. But is there a recipe for that?

Got me thinking – how do I go about creating the perfect hero in each of my books?

First of all – the hero 'works off' the heroine, and vice versa. I'm not a hard-core feminist; when I say "a woman doesn't need a man to be happy", I mean it. But I also say that, "a woman doesn't miss a man until he walks into her life", and that's when things change...

So based on these notions, I set out to imagine the perfect hero. And like a good dish (forgive me here – I am so not a cook and as far from domestic goddess Nigella Lawson as you can get!), you need some set ingredients:

Sugar
Spice
And all things nice!

Simple, innit? Not so much. Let's elaborate.

Sugar – we all agree; the hero is the foil of the heroine. He is her "good times", her "rock", her "anchor", the one she runs to. Faced with a box of Godiva chocolates and a plate of lime slices, which one would you choose? The Godiva, of course! And that's sugar...

But too much sugar gives you a high and then makes you crash; it's also bad for your teeth! In the same way, a hero who's too nice/good/sweet/awesome is bad for you. Yes, we women are masochists, and we love nothing more than a roller coaster ride of emotion... which you won't get with someone, well, too nice...

So what you do then, is spice things up a bit!

Anyone know what a jaffa cake is? If not, I'll wait until you Google it! A jaffa cake is a slice of heaven brought to earth for us common mortals, to allow us to know what decadence and indulgence are all about. Imagine a crackly shell of smooth, dark chocolate; slightly bitter, hard under your teeth, a hint of sugar that nevertheless gives you a total rush... Then you get to a fine layer of orange-flavoured jelly; tangy, and this jolts your taste buds, makes you sit up and notice; another little rush of sugar, a brush of coolness on your tongue... And finally, you sink your teeth into the softest, moistest, crumbliest sponge cake layer ever; feeling it melt in your mouth, that elusive hint of cake, and another layer of vanilla-like sweetness...

To think that so far you've just taken a bite! Now, go on, and actually eat the jaffa cake... An explosion of tastes, of sweetness, of tart orange tang, of rich chocolatey smoothness...

What's a jaffa cake, you may ask? It's sugar, and spice, and all things nice... exactly what your hero should be! Layers, contrasts, that merge to form a whole that is decadent and indulgent, and oh so good for you!

That's a hero, people! There's a subtle hint in this makeup, like a jaffa cake's, that stops the whole deal from giving you sugar and sweetness on all levels. There's a dose of spice, of tang, of a contrasting taste, that ramps up the sugar rush and gives you an experiment from a different dimension. Your hero is human; give him some flaws, some 'humanness", that all men have (dirty towels on the bathroom floor, anyone? *grin*)

And as for the "all things nice", what would they be?

Well, as I like to say, your hero can be anything in any time – a rogue, a cad, a doctor next door, a quiet best friend, a dangerous cop, a con man, a geek, a nerd, a secret agent, a starship captain – but one thing he always, always, is: Noble!

What's noble to you? And what's noble in your heroine's eyes?

Another thing in this "all things nice" category – good manners! Let me list a few here, grabbed from Gentleman Etiquette posts on Esquire.com, to give you an idea:

- a gentleman always stands up when a woman is coming to the table or leaving it.
- a gentleman always pays for a date.
- a gentleman sits on the men bench when he takes his lady shopping, and uses the time to reply emails on his Blackberry, but never to talk on the phone in public places.
- a gentleman takes his mother out for dinner a few times a year.

So there you have my recipe for the perfect hero! I'm curious to know what ingredients go into making yours! Why don't you leave me a comment and tell me about it?

And let me introduce you to my heroes:

Gerard Besson: Former undercover cop, recently promoted to the status of police commissaire in the French city of Marseille. Behind the appearance of the efficient cop, hides a beaten soul... because he lost the one woman who managed to worm her way into his cold heart. 7 months later, when a suspicious woman starts to trail him, Gerard is intrigued, because she reminds him of that woman who died... Who is she? And what does she want with him?
Get the book, currently FREE:  https://www.nobleromance.com/Books/304/Walking-the-Edge

Ash Gilfoy: Ministry of Defence cop turned paramedic, Ash hides a deep, dark secret - he killed a man. Investigation cleared him as he acted in self-defense, but Ash knows he's always wanted to murder the abusive man who ended up killing his wife when she tried to leave him, at Ash's behest. The prospect of hope, and a new beginning, of salvation, appears when Rayne Cheltham, his childhood best friend, walks into his life again. A humanitarian worker who's been away for 17 years, Rayne is everything good and bright in this world... Or is she? Because she seems to be hiding secrets, too, and they just might be deeper and darker than Ash could ever imagine...
Buy Link: https://www.nobleromance.com/Books/420/Before-the-Morning

Jamie Gillespie: A 29 years old trauma doctor, Jamie turns his back on the life his money-hungry father wants him to pursue when he comes to Surrey to fill in for his sick uncle. But just as he is settling, his uncle calls, to say he will not be coming back to his rural practice - it's Jamie's decision now to stay and embrace the life of a country doctor, or go a more lucrative private practice in the heart of London. But then the decision to stay becomes clear when forensic pathologist Margo Nolan and her headstrong tween daughter, Emma, settle into the other half of Jamie's house. Older than Jamie, cold and uptight, Margo is an Ice Queen. Or is she...? Jamie sees the woman in her, the struggling mother, the lonely heart. Can he convince Margo they could have a future together, and form a family?
Buy Link: https://www.nobleromance.com/Books/369/Calling-Home

Lars Rutherford: Half-British, half-Swedish expatriate living on the island of Mauritius as the regional director for his best friend's shipping company. Lars is not looking for love, and certainly not in this land that seems stuck in Austen times where marriage and trysts are concerned. His best friend, Magnus, convinces him he's in "dire need of a shag" and contacts Madame Eve's 1NightStand agency to arrange a date for Lars. Who will he find on that blind date? What woman will agree to spend that one night with him, no strings attached? Could everything be so simple? Lars does indeed find out that nothing is so simple, because Simmi, his date, awakens protective, lustful, and dare he admit it - loving! - instincts in him. Has he found his woman, here, on this island labelled as paradise on earth?
Buy Link: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=553&osCsid=joff4lkh610umgtpmk3mg4qvr4


MY GIVEAWAY: Leave me a comment, along with your email address, about what "ingredients" go into making your perfect hero, and let me know which one of my heroes wins your attention - you could win an ecopy of his book (in case I didn't spell that right *sorry, hormone-brain* I'm offering a random commentor a copy of the book of her choice from my releases, based on which hero is her favourite).

Thank you for hopping over here today, and don't forget to check the other 128 participants! Here's the link to view the whole list http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/p/a-heros-hop.html

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday & Where I stopped by this week!

Hello beautiful people!
TGIF, innit? For once, I'm glad it's Friday (coz I usually dread having the hyenas at home on weekends!) because guess what? I finally got back to work this week. Yep, good, forthright, actual writing!
The madness of promo and guest posts and everyone falling sick with a cold (including me!) finally died down and I've been able to sit down with Transient Hearts for the past 2 days and make some progress on the word count. 4, 393 words in 2 mornings - not too shabby, innit? Quite stoked with myself!

It finally feels like I'm back in the driving seat of my life and my writing, not having some weird pumped-on-speed automatic pilot steering me this way and that and not bothering if I crash into the curb or slam into walls (kinda like those Advanced races on Need For Speed where you can't control anything and you end up crashing more than actually doing a race...?)

So hopefully I get to finish this WIP next week, when I plan to sit down every single day to write (hope I'm not jinxing myself here!). Still on track with the deadline for submitting this one, so all's well. Not perfect, mind you, but hey, I know it could be worse, so... beggars are not choosers, are they?
Looking forward to a not-too-crazy weekend now - and the new plan is to focus on doing the week's promo posts and interviews on Saturdays and send them off to their respective blog owners.

Speaking of weekly stops, check out where I've been this week!

Author Tory Michaels asked me over... and requested a character interview with Ash and Rayne from Before The Morning!
So I put these two in the hot seat - come see their answers to my rather-nosy questions!
A tidbit:

'... A few words with Ash Gilfoy – a London-based paramedic, and the hero of this book.

How do you feel regarding this interview?

So-so. Not too enthusiastic. (Grimaces) Okay, can we get this out of the way already? You asked me to the bloody Ritz, lady, and everyone knows I hate having to wear a tie!

*chuckles* It’ll soon be over, once I get the answers I’m looking for...

(watches the dapper-looking, Josh Holloway lookalike squirm in his seat, and loosen his silk tie and undo the collar button. What a fine specimen of male perfection... Anyhow, he’s not mine, so... *sigh*) ...'

Read the rest...

 

And author DB Moon (who I found out is a fellow shoeholic!!) invited me over to her blog for an in-depth interview! Come check it out.

A snippet:

'... If someone wrote a biography of your life, what would the title be?

How to be a headless chicken and still get everything done! ...'

The rest of the interview here...


Last but not least, the amazing Felicity Lennie, whom I met and befriended on Twitter, asked if I'd agree to become a Castaway on the Castataway Island of Books blog, and if I'd nominate a book for the island's bookshelves. Come see my turn on the Castaway Island!!

Little bit:

'... If you could choose any author to be your 'muse' or companion who would it be and why?

My bestie, author Natalie G. Owens. She’s my soul sister and my best friend, as well as my writing/brainstorming partner. We get on like a house on fire, and I’m sure we’d never run out of topics to talk about. J ...'

My Castaway Author Index card answers here!


Hope you all have a lovely weekend, peeps!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday--strikethat Saturday!

Hey beautiful people!

Sorry I didn't post yesterday. I sat down early in the morning to write the last chapter of Before The Morning. Got into the action, I blinked, it was time to pick up my son from my mum's... and I was 5-10 pages short of finishing the book. Which I did in the evening. 8,922 words added yesterday, and that means...

The WIP is finished! I wrote 'The End' on the ms yesterday night at 9.17 p.m. It totals at 108,400-something words, and is the longest book I've ever written. Lol, told you that one turned epic on me.

Now I need to take a break from the book for a few days/a week, so I can go back to it with fresh eyes and work in the suggestions of my crit partners. Then it's another round of beta reads, before this baby is sent off to my editor (who is waiting for it eagerly, it appears *grin*).

I'm over the moon right now. This book has been a labour of love all the way. From devising the characters, to tying the overall arc of the Corpus Brides series over all 3 books in this lineup, to the sheer amount of research it took to get this one as beefed up as possible. This is one story where almost every physical location I mention in the book actually exists - from the houses in Mayfair, Notting Hill, and Hastings; to the city centre of Prague; the Roman necropolis at Alyscamps in the south of France; the tunnel shaft of the Brunel Tunnel, found under the Thames and the first ever tunnel dug under a river - each and every one of these places exists and I did my best to get the location and details right. Not to mention the absolute fest of guns and other weapons my characters use - I got a crash course on semi-automatic pistols and sniper rifles, and can't wait to share that with my readers.

So please forgive my lateness with my progress report. I had set my goal to finish this book by yesterday, come what may, and I did it. I started this ms on July 27, and through 3 weeks-winter-break with the kids and them going back to school, and the start of the summer break - I worked for 3 months, 3 weeks, and 2 days on this one. Not bad for an epic-length story, especially when life and other books' edits flitted in too.

I sit back to enjoy a nice, restful weekend now. What are ye all up to? I admit my brain is a tad fried, but it's a good kind of fried, lol.

Wonder what my CP and the sister of my heart, Angela Guillaume, has been up to this week.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday

Hey peeps

It's been of those weeks of total extremes - where everything that could go right went perfect, and everything that could go wrong went, well, to hell in a handbasket.

All of which leaves me tired, weary, washed out... you name it. Not helped by the fact that summer break kicked in today and I'll have the kiddo on hand for the next 9 weeks. Yes, I am sooo looking forward to that, you bet!

Nevertheless, thank goodness the one thing that went right this week went totally right, and that it was the writing. Clocked down a grand total of 7,714 words on Before The Morning, taking me through the end of one chapter, start to finish on another, and setting up for the remaining leg of the book. I can so see this ending in another 2 chapters/10K words (which does, yes, mean that I'll have gone epic on this, but hey, the story's asking for it and the only time I felt so in tune with my characters was on another story that went epic too).

As for the bad that went ugly... well, tomorrow's another day, right? Gotta buck up and face it head on, though I've got as much energy as a washed out and wiped down dish rag right now. But, onwards and forwards, right? We're each one of us responsible for what we make of your future and how we handle our destiny in the palms of our hands.

That's what my bestie, author Angela Guillaume, would tell me. I hope she's had a better week than I've had, so why don't we check out her blog and find out?

Hope ye all have a lovely weekend, peeps! XOXO

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Link Thursday: What You Can Learn About A Guy From His Shoes

Hey beautiful people!

It's been a busy week for me so far, and that's why I've been MIA here. Apologies - I'm plugging to finish Before The Morning and then we had two days of public holidays this week, so the whole crew was home. That, you know by now, equals no work. :) Add to it that my son is in his final trimester exams and I'm having to take time out to coach him with revisions and studies.

Anyhow, back on board... And I have something a little light and funny today.

We all know I'm a shoe-holic. Currently planning my next trip to Aldo at the end of this month, but I digress...

So, women love shoes, but what about men? See a woman in a stiletto heel and another in a pair of flats and we can judge the 'characterization' of that person right away. How does this happen where a man and his shoes are concerned?

Read on for this funny yet insightful article. I grabbed it off Betty Confidential and you can find it online here.

Enjoy!

*****

What You Can Learn About a Guy by His Shoes

Could his footwear be the key to his personality?

By PJ Gach

We women love shoes. We have shoes for every mood and occasion. We don’t think it’s odd to buy four pairs of black shoes in one shopping spree. In our minds, they’re all different, even though they’re the same color. We know what it means when our friends wear flats or dazzling red heels. We can size up work competition by simply glancing at their feet. So why aren’t we doing the Sherlock Holmes thing when it comes to guys and shoes?

I’ve whipped up a quick handy-dandy guide to figuring out what men are like based on their footwear. It’s not scientific and it’s definitely tongue in cheek.

Sneakers

Call them kicks, trainers, high-tops, whatever you call them; they’re really just an athletic shoe. If a guy wears them 24/7 it could be that he’s a jock. Or he’s a jock wannabe. Or has really bad feet. Don’t be around him when he takes off his sneakers, you could pass out.

Wing Tips

He likes money. A guy who wears Wing Tip shoes is in a buttoned down industry like finance, banking, insurance or any field where they talk in hushed tones and fling millions around like popcorn. If your guy wear these shoes, he’s a very serious guy. If he wears them with jeans, well, either he doesn’t have any fashion sense (you can help him with that) or he’s really, and I do mean really, buttoned up.

Boat Shoes/Moccasins

If his first name is Chip, Skip or a relative’s last name, you’re dealing with a preppy. Preppy guys have great smiles. They’re charming, funny, dress funny. Yeah, I’m serious, have you seen the embroidered lobster pants they’ll wear during the summer. And they’re really cheap. They don’t carry much money, preferring to borrow things for friends for amusements. Okay, these things could be yachts, summer houses or planes. Not a bad deal.

Cowboy Boots

If he’s a genuine cowboy working on a ranch, they’re cool. If he’s a country singer, they’re cool. If he works for an insurance company and cows make sneeze, he’s still a little kid inside.

Motorcycle Boots

He drives a motorcycle, speaks five languages, is math whiz, practices Shaolin Kung Fu, and is independently wealthy, incredibly kind and a great kisser. Oh, right, that doesn’t exist. Um, he wears moto boots because he’s got a bike. He wears moto boots because he’s into heavy metal. Or he just likes them.

Loafers/Oxfords

He’s Chip's/Skip's cousin and works for the family firm. He works out a lot and has a great butt.

Trendy Shoes

He knows the names of more shoe designers than you can dream of. The moment a new style or trend hits, he’s the first one to buy them. His shoes will always look better than yours. His wardrobe will always be better than yours. He knows the best brunch places in town. His apartment is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. He did it himself. He knows all the right people. Oh, and he’s gay.

Tell us: Do you check out guys shoes?

PJ Gach is Senior Editor: Style + Beauty at BettyConfidential.
*****

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday

Hey peeps

See this here? Yes, the ice... That's what I'm craving right now! We've been slammed by a heat wave like I've never experienced in my whole existence during this past week! Temps way beyond 30C, flirting with 90F - which used to be inconceivable for where I live! If we got 25C we considered that hot weather! The sun out there - don't even mention. It will burn your retinas if you don't wear sunglasses, and liquefy your brain after 10 minutes out. Not to mention that said brain has already been scrambled and fried with the heat in the morning... and also at night when you simply. Cannot. Sleep! because it's way too hot and any fabric touching your skin feels like you're being skinned alive.

*side note - should I start writing zombie stories...? I got quite gruesome up there, innit?*

So, this week... Not much progress. At least not as much as I'd have wanted. 5,637 words... which is a far cry from last week's 15K+, but I didn't have the same routine this week as the past one. And the kids finished school earlier, which cut down on my writing time (and as I said, brain was scrambled and fried and ran the risk of liquefying).

Good news though - I'm nearly done with Chapter 12, and then I see at most, 3 chapters left to write on this before I can wrap up this story (hopefully! And preferably before this year is over!). Ever had a story grow on you? This is what happened with Before The Morning. It took a whole new dimension and I never thought I'd get so in touch with the characters. I hope that comes through, and not just as overkill, LOL. I'm jumping into that stage where I wonder what my editor will think of this baby - so I know I'm nearly done with a story when I'm contemplating this part.

Hoping to finish Chapter 12 this weekend, and get some reading and critting done. What are ye all up to this weekend? And how was your week?

Speaking of the past week, I wonder what my bestie has up on her blog today. Drop by later and let's check out what Angela Guillaume has been up to. :)

And don't forget to drive by my Facebook profile later - pic of the Tide-Us-Into-The-Weekend hunk going up. This bloke has inspired me a new story over the past few days.

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday

Hey peeps

Sorry for the late posting today! I was on a writing spree! My son was on school break this week and I arranged to have him spend 2 nights and 2 days at my mum's place (blessed be my mum!). So he stayed over yesterday night and was at my parents' place all day today. Which gave me time to write...

2 writing sprees this week! I clocked down 23 pages and 5,425 words today alone! The WIP count jumped from 63.7K to 79K today. Well past my expected 70K word goal... which means I'll have to move the target to at least around 100K on this story now. I'm nowhere near done with it, and I think I'll need to rename Before The Morning as The WIP That Didn't Want To End. :)

A little more than 15,000 words written over the past 7 days! Not bad, I say (and tout my own horn, lol!). Based on the new goal now, I'm 79% into the story. I don't know if it'll reach 100K, but anywhere it reaches till that number, I'll take. I'm already well past my expectations, I who thought I wouldn't be able to even write 70K on this story.

So the other good thing about this past week is that it has shown me a working/writing routine that I can put in practise when the 10-week summer break will roll around on November 4. Gonna have my son go to his grans twice a week for the night and the upcoming day, and I get to work non-stop when he isn't home from morning till afternoon without interruption.

It's been a good week, I have to say! Jumped with huge progress on the WIP, and I even managed to take a day 'off' yesterday and spend some time with my son. We played games on the Playstation and watched High School Musical again, like the good ol' days. :)

Looking forward to a nice weekend now. Will try to clock some words down but not gonna sweat it if I can't. Gonna take the boys out a little tomorrow, and on Sunday is the birthday lunch for my father-in-law's seventieth birthday.

Plan is to catch up on some writing and get some crits done too.

What are ye all up to this weekend?

My bestie, author Angela Guillaume, has had a busy week too - I hope you'll drop by her blog later and take a look at her round-up.

And, if we're friends on Facebook, drop by my profile later and check out the Tide-Us-Into-The-Weekend-Hunk pic. :)

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday

Hey peeps

It's already Friday afternoon! Where did this week go??? I've got only one hyena at home today, and he's been bribed into submission with the prospect of watching the DVD of his choice this afternoon (and knowing him, I'll bet it'll be Godzilla or some other icky stuff!). Not out of the woods, I assure you!

So, yeah, where did te past week go, people? I blinked and it was Monday (weekend over!) and next time I fluttered my eyelashes again, five days have gone. And thank goodness I don't need to say that I got nothing done. I'm chugging along with the first draft of Before The Morning, and despite a setback yesterday of my husband behaving like a typical bloke and getting on my nerves, I managed to clock down some work.

Total for this week = 7,803 words (not there yet, but not bad either. *other sigh*)
Which brings me at a WIP total word count of 63.7K, at 91% completion. But like I might've mentioned before, the story looks like it'll go beyond 70K in all.
I saw the remaining parts of the book unfold in my head like in a total brainwave over the past few days and I know I'm not close close to done yet with it. So hopefully next week I'll get to that and actually finish this thing.

Good thing I did plan for contingencies (and my editor is really patient and understanding!) - my plan was to have the ms finished, beta-ed, revised, and polished by mid-October. Still on target somewhat, but will need to crack the whip again next week.

In the meantime, there's a weekend to savour. I finally get a chance to sink my teeth into Only His, the latest from Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold series, and my idea of chocolate-bliss-in-book-form.

Not much else planned on my end - what are ye all up to?

And speaking of what we're up to, don't forget to check out what my bestie, author Angela Guillaume, has been doing this past week.

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday

Hey peeps!

It's Friday and everyone in my household is going TGIF! Except that the boys are so excited they're using the walls to bounce off as if the house was one of those inflatable jumping castles, and they just won't shut up! I left them in the kitchen, bribed with cookies and chocolate milk, because the only time they're not talking/jumping around is when they're eating. So I might have 10 minutes tops to get this post done and uploaded. *sigh*

So, progress... Where do we start? I wrote a chapter this week that just went on and on and didn't seem to want to stop. :) The word total for this past 5 days is just a little under 9K! Woot - finally getting closer to my ideal writing goal.

But now my brain is fried, and I have to regroup and recover to be able to write the next chapter, all while I have to set my mind to "perk" mode so I can figure out the next sequence of scenes and all that's supposed to take place now.

So the first draft of Before The Morning sits in at just under 56K this Friday, ending the week at 80% completion! WOOT! I'm getting there!

Life-wise, I celebrate some progress today! Remember a while back I was complaining about my medication making me put on weight (and so I had to exercise daily and go on a diet, etc). Well, a little more than one week into the new customised eating plan a nutritionist has devised for me, I've lost close to 3 pounds and have just another 4 or so to lose. Whoo-hoo - go me! Lol.

And speaking of progress, I wonder what my bestie, author Angela Guillaume, has been up to this week. Drive by her blog if you get a chance.

And too, if we're friends on Facebook, drop by my profile later today for the Friday Tide-us-into-the-weekend hottie pic. :)

What have you all got planned this weekend? I'll be sitting down with some good reads - Lori Foster's When You Dare (that I'm about halfway through) and Susan Mallery's Only His (that I've been dying to read ever since I finished Only Yours last month *grin*). Plus I also have a beta read for a CP.

Have a lovely weekend, wherever you are in the world!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday

Hello beautiful people!

This seems to have been the week where I got my act together *touch wood!*. I've managed to write, move the story forward, work around some issues in the plot, and go over some hurdles in ways I hadn't imagined until the solutions were right there smacking me in the face! And I think I've beaten my insomnia!

So the 1st draft of Before The Morning jumps up 8.2K this past 5 days, to settle in the weekend at 67.2% completion. Not half bad!

I was itching and dying a slow, painful agony to get ahead with this story. It's as much a labour of love (since I absolutely love these characters!) as it's a pain to write (because said characters are so challenging. Want to know what I mean? Here's a hint:

She's a trained killer with borderline sociopathic tendencies;
He's a man burned by life and his own personal demons.
Both thinks the other is their redemption...until they discover how deep each one's edge of darkness goes...

See what this implies? Complex, I know.)

Still, I'll take what I have. It's been a rollercoaster this week on this project because we meet both sets of parents in Chapter 7, that I wrote this week - the crazy, one-brick-short-of-a-patio Chelthams (Rayne's family), and the staid, straight-laced and military-strict Gilfoys (Ash's family). Did I mention these two families are next-door neighbours?

Insomnia made its appearance a few times, but I seem to have found a way to beat it. The only thing is, I'm on the fence with this solution. I realized that on days when I exercised (the Flat-Ab Pilates routine), I usually went out like a log at night, and even if I did wake up, it was to fall asleep 1-2 minutes later, instead of the ceiling-staring 1-2 hours on insomnia-tinged nights.

So it appears that if I want to sleep well (and function properly and have a coherent brain to write), I'll have to exercise everyday, without fail. It's only when my body is physically tired that I can beat the insomnia. *sigh* High price to pay because I hate exercising, but what else can I do? I hate even more to feel like the beached-whale/wreck/zombie I become when I don't sleep.

Looking forward to a relaxing weekend... though I'm not betting on that coz the boys will be home and are already driving me nuts.

If we're friends on Facebook, drop by my profile later on for this Friday's Tide-us-into-the-weekend post. I promise a scrumptious piece of male candy!
And don't forget also to drop by my bestie, Angela Guillaume's, blog. She'll be wrapping up her week too and will have eye candy in the post as well.

Have a lovely weekend, ye all!

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday

Hey peeps

I know - this slot has been awol for the past 2 weeks. Reason? Let me stop being a total chicken and tell you the whole truth: I hadn't written a word in the past 2 weeks, and since I had no progress to show when I was supposed to be on deadline, I was ashamed of myself.

There you have it. Yes - I've heard it all (cut yourself some slack, take a breather, writers run into a funk sometimes), but none of that really helps when you're contemplating the fact that you are accountable for what is, inherently, your job. I'm an author and my job is to produce books, full stop.

I could try to explain my position the past 2 weeks. Week 1, my son was home on school break (plus there were 2 public holidays - whole family at home - and one of them was a personal celebration for us). In this case, forget about writing, unless you want to be downing Paracetamol tablets by the handful come tea time because writing and looking after a rambunctious 8-year-old equals the headache of the century.
So there, I had already lost my writing pace and groove, and that's the worst thing that can happen to me. When I lose my groove, it's hard to get back in, because I will be questioning myself and whether or not if what I'm writing is good, and will I ever be able to find the same pace and flow as before I was interrupted? That's my biggest Damocles' sword.

Week 2 saw me having a hospital appointment on Wednesday. And so what happens to me whenever I need to go meet my care team, I start getting worried... What if something has happened and I'm no longer in okay health? What if the doctors will have bad news? I'm a nervous wreck whenever I need to meet my doctors (and in case you didn't know, I'm a two-time breast cancer survivor. My second brush with the disease was less than a year ago). So there went the other week, and by the time the appointment came and went (with a clean bill of health for the past 4 months, thank goodness!), I was wiped and it took me the rest of the week to recover. So a cancer scare is my second Damocles sword.

Pair the two swords together, and you get me totally out of commission.

Until something happened to kick my arse and get me back in gear - my lovely publisher, Jill Noble, posted something on Facebook that had me glowing and basking with pride. It was this amazing , 5-star review by Just Erotic Romance Reviews for Walking The Edge.

This gave me faith, in myself and my ability to weave a story that would have readers (hopefully!) enthralled. I sat down and started writing again...

...and let me say the word count has been none too shabby this current week. About 8.4K added to the draft of Before The Morning, and this takes me across the half-way mark to end this week on the 55% line on the expected total word count! Woot!

Oh, and something else I wanted to share with you - my bestie (and she is like a sister to me!), author Angela Guillaume, kickstarted her writing blog this week. After a rev-up post on Monday, she hosted author Hope Tarr on Wednesday for the first of her Wednesday Interview slots. And today, she posts her own progress report. I'm curious to know what she's been up to writing-wise - join me to check out her Progress Friday post, over at her blog, angelaguillaume.blogspot.com

So that's it from me this week, beautiful people! Looking forward to a quiet weekend where I'll catch up on some (very late) crits for my CPs.

Oh, and if you're on Facebook, join me later today for the Friday/Weekend TideOver photo (hunky, yummy men... need I say more? *grin*)

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday

Hey peeps

Another week from hell - my son went back to school but left his cold bug home with me. With the runny nose, the sneezing, the awful headache, and the kinks in my body (as if a herd of oxen had happy-rolled over me!), I wasn't really in a state to get much work done.

So, the progress meter moves only by 6.8K - I wanted to strike my 10K goal but once again, no can do... I'm still on target with the book and its deadline, but stuff like what's happened this week and the last are why I prefer to give myself a tight deadline so in the end, I do have some wiggle room when the needs arises.

Before The Morning is about 43% completed (first draft) right now - not too bad after all. I hope to cross the 50% mark next week.

TGIF though, but I'm also looking at a busy weekend where there will be lots of shopping. Taking the boys shopping for clothes tomorrow - and I'm sure by the end of morning, I won't have any hair left! Planning to catch up on my reading, esp a full ms for a fellow CP.

What have you got planned? Hope you have a great weekend anyhow!

Oh, and I have some good news to share with you tomorrow! :)

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Link Thursday: 10 Simple Things Men Want

As you probably know by now, the Corpus Brides series, of which I am writing Book 2, Before The Morning, is about espionage, and the women (and some men!) caught in the meanders and workings of a clandestine agency.

So, espionage means spies - guzzling vodka martinis in glamourous settings, wearing designer clothing, getting the girls, and the men too (since this is a heroine-centric series)--BLEEP!!! Wait a second - that's a cue for a James Bond story. Not for one of mine!
For you see, a spy's work - as Michael Westen from Burn Notice (pictured to the left here!) will tell you - is not about glamour but mostly about using your wits before you even consider using your brawn.
Put in a spy heroine, and what's she expected to do? Understand how her targets work, right? And these targets are... Men! Of course!

Now how do you come into the skin and shoes of a super-efficient spy who also happens to be a master manipulator - as is the case for Rayne Cheltham aka Kali, the heroine of Before The Morning?

Simple - you learn everything you can about how men function. You find out what they like, and you give them exactly that, all while you do your work covertly right under their nose. :)

Take a look at this following article - it has come in handy when I've been penning Rayne as that master manipulator. You don't need to go to the lengths she goes to land your goal in the net, but every woman out there can take a few clues and cues from the following advice. Most of these are really no-brainers (duh!), but some will surprise you!

The article is from Cosmopolitan Australia, and can be accessed here (with the really snazzy pics in the slideshow!).

*****

Ten simple things men want

While it’s tempting to think that men only want two things – steak and sex – they actually have a secret wish list of emotional needs that you may or may not be meeting. Here are the top ten simple things that your man wants from your relationship.

1. Tone down the drama. Ever burst in to tears because your jeans suddenly no longer fit? Or hyperventilated because your fave celeb didn’t win Dancing with the Stars? Men generally put up with our occasional trivial freak-outs, but make sure you keep it in check. What happens in your own home is private, but do not cause a scene in front of his friends or family – ever.

2. Sex. While men love a consistent sex life (who doesn’t?) they love it even more when it’s consistently sexy sex. This means it’s obvious that you’re really getting in to it – and really enjoying it. Guys can pretend not to notice for a few times if you’re not that keen, but if it continues to happen it’ll begin to eat away at him and make him worry. You don’t need to be a porn star, but let him know how much you want him.

3. Romance. What guy would actually scoff at you for bringing him a present? Everyone loves being spoilt once in a while. Upload some new songs on his iPod, cook him a steak, or even send him a dirty message telling him what you’re going to do to him later. Yep, that falls under the category of romance for guys.

4. Be truthful. If your guy has control-freak issues, he either has a sixth sense that he’s being lied to, or alternatively he is simply a control-freak. Either way, always be up front and honest with your man. A little bit of honesty goes a long way, and he’ll feel completely assured knowing that you’re being honest about things.

5. Tickle his taste buds. You don’t need to pop on an apron and whip up a baked dinner every night, but men love food and love it even more when it’s homemade. Surprise him by making his favourite meal after he’s had an incredibly tiring day at work – it’s like the reverse of him taking you shoe shopping.

6. Sense of humour. Ask every guy what he looks for in a girl and this will always pop up. A sense of humour in a relationship translates in to being relaxed, in the moment, and having lots of laughs. If this isn’t happening in your relationship, your man is going to think you’re distracted or uptight.

7. Listen to him. Whether he’s had a tough day at work or has found out his favourite footy player is switching teams, sometimes a beer with the boys just doesn’t cut it and he needs someone else to listen to him. Listen to him, but then drop it immediately. When he’s ready to bring it up again, he will.
8. No game-playing. The original game-playing of acting disinterested and waiting a certain amount of hours before texting back has gone out the window. In the end, this will only have two possible outcomes. He’ll be put off by your lack of interest and go with a stronger choice or he’ll pursue you for so long that he’ll probably end up resenting you. You don’t need to act overly eager, but if you like him – let him know.

9. Silence. The old adage of silence is golden is certainly true when it comes to the male species. If he’s a little quiet, don’t pressure him. Unlike women, if a man is quiet it doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong – it just means he has nothing to say!

10. An independent woman. Men find independent women sexy, bottom line. It doesn’t mean you have to make a song and a dance when he offers to pay for coffee, but it’s attractive to have your own interests and do things on your own every now and again. Plus, when you’re feeling not so independent and want some TLC from your man, he’ll be more than willing to oblige.

*****

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday

Hey peeps

Quick one today - thought my son was doing better but today he's got a cough that could wake the undead during daylight! so he's with me today, and thus you know by now I'm not going to make much sense.

Just let me say that progress on Before The Morning is moving ahead. Just over 6K this week, which is pretty good considering the kid was sick and with me most of the time. I'll take what I got!

A little over 34% on the expected length - I think I'm on track. Here's to more and better progress next week.

Weekend will be hectic, I'm sure, what with a recovering 8-year-old on hand. What have you got planned?

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday

Hey again beautiful people

Friday!!! I just had my first week of intensive, daily writing. This is the way I worked it out - I get online at 8.30, browse around, check the inbox and reply important emails right away, drive by Facebook to update my status and see what my fellow peeps have been up to while I was sleeping (and it was daytime almost everywhere else for my contacts!).

But when 10.00 hits, I close the Internet browser and open my WIP. I work from 10 to 12-12.30, at which time I pause and go attend to other duties around the house. If I'm on a roll, I'll stick with the writing until 1 o'clock. Then when I come back after picking my son from school, I'll attend the rest of the email and online/crit business.

So, has it borne fruit? You bet!

For 4 days of writing (I didn't write on Wednesday as I had some other pressing matters to attend that morning), I have clocked down a little over 8K on Before The Morning. My goal was 10K, and I might just have made it if I'd written on Wednesday too.

I just cannot believe it! I mean, I knew a schedule would help, but I had no idea it would work this well. Now I just have to emulate this every week, and I'll be pretty set for my deadline. I also thought a self-imposed writing spree would stifle my creativity, but it is not the case. I might have to write a draft that is merely dialogue and some directional cues, but then I re-read and find ways to add in more detail, and these in turn trigger episodes for my characters. And being in touch with the WIP and with the characters means I get a better handle on these people with every day I spend with them. Also now, when I'm not writing, my brain is coming up with elements that will play in other upcoming scenes.

I think I've found the ideal working balance for my writing brain - I do manage to attend to my other duties fine, and the writing is moving on. What more can I ask for, eh?

Happy tidbit today - I managed to intro Book 3 of the Corpus Brides series into the chapter. Book 3's heroine, Anastasiya, and her backstory, conflict, and role inside the Corpus Agency, are foreshadowed already. Real happy this worked itself in. :)

So, weekend up ahead. What have you got planned? I'm tempted to take a leaf out of Bruno Mars' The Lazy Song, but I've still got crits to do and a household to look after.

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Link Thursday: How To Make His Family Fall In Love With You

Hi peeps!

I was doing research for my current WIP, Before The Morning, and so I've been trolling a lot of relationship/family websites. The thing is, the heroine in the book, Rayne, is going back home after 17 years to attend the wedding of her younger sister. Trickier part - she's taking her new husband, Ash, in tow, and he happens to be her childhood best friend... whose parents, the Gilfoys, live next door to hers. :) Can anyone say "awkward moment" here? And did I mention that Rayne is a former spy/assassin?

So, going back home, meeting the big, rambunctious family again, dealing with a neurotic bridezilla... and meeting the in-laws. The Gilfoys have always known her as the 'girl next door', whom they liked, but what will it be like when she comes on their doorstep as the new daughter-in-law?

Anyone who's ever been in a serious relationship knows that 'meeting the parents' is a dreaded moment. How do you navigate those tricky waters?

Here comes help, in the form of this article from Cosmopolitan Australia. You can read it with the cute pics in the slideshow here.

And even if you're past that first meeting - and unless you've been a total b*tch so far with your in-laws - the tips also come in handy to smooth your relationship with those important people no matter how long you've known them.

*****

How to make his family fall in love with you

Classic scenario - you’ve found The One and he adores you – but unfortunately his family doesn’t. When it comes to long-term relationships, your partner/fiancée/boyfriend isn’t the only one you need to impress. Here’s how to make his family fall in love with you, without the awkward “Meet the Fockers” moments.

1. Turn up.
The initial meeting of parents is always daunting, but the most important thing here is to actually turn up. (Extra points if you bring a bottle of bubbly). It’s easy to take the “I’m-suddenly-feeling-deathly-sick” route and put it off, but the more you do this the more they’ll think you’re avoiding them. Not a great start. Grin and bear it, no matter how nervous you are.

2. Offer your help.
Make an effort every single time you see his parents/family members. If you’re heading over for dinner, take dessert. Meeting at a BYO restaurant? Bring a bottle of his Dad’s favourite red wine. They’ll love the fact that you’re going out of your way to make an effort.

3. Be thoughtful.
Write down family members’ birthdays on your calendar and any other milestones (such as his little sister’s graduation). Always send cards, or make a phone call for birthdays if you can’t show up. And when it comes to birthday presents, be extra thoughtful and considerate. There’s no point buying a deluxe box of chocolates if his mum is lactose-intolerant. Do your research.

4. Play host.
Not only does it repay his family for all the times they’ve invited you around for dinner, but it shows you’re truly capable of looking after their perfect little child. If your cooking repertoire doesn’t extend past hotdogs, now isn’t the time to try out herb-infused lamb shanks. You might want to enlist in a friend’s help earlier on in the day so everything runs smoothly.

5. Show interest.
No matter what his parents’ hobbies are, show an interest. Needlepoint and pottery may not be at the top of your list but it is on hers – so pay attention and ask plenty of questions. Who doesn’t like talking about themselves? Nothing like discussing the pleasantries of quilting over a cup of tea.

6. Control yourself.
This includes any sexual references to you and your man, sitting on his lap, kissing with tongue, or doing the dirty on the dining room table. Do we really need to spell it out? His family is already well aware that the two of you have been naked together. Often. So be respectful and avoid any potentially awkward situations.

7. Do not rip off your partner.
You know the inevitable moment where his entire family teases him mercifully over every single embarrassing thing he’s ever done? Yeh, don’t join in. It can be very tempting, and might even seem like a form of bonding, but steer clear! Remind yourself that these people have known him for 20 years plus and they’re allowed to bring up the time he dated the girl that looked like Amy Winehouse. If any of his family senses you cross the line with teasing, they will drop you immediately.

8. Accept any advice.
Even if you don’t agree with it. Just listen and smile graciously, and try not to see it as “meddling”.

9. Steer clear from potentially awkward conversations.
This includes but is not limited to: politics, racism, religion, abortion, and anything else that could cause awkward silences or heated conversations. Stick to neutral, polite conversation topics.

10. Don’t be critical.
If the afore-mentioned awkward conversation has suddenly occurred, don’t be critical of his family’s point of view on anything. You don’t necessarily need to hide your opinions, but if their beliefs are completely different from your own, a smile and an “agree to disagree” will do just fine. Try and change the subject as soon as possible though!

11. Dress accordingly.
Clothes definitely make a difference on the sort of impression you give his family. Avoid anything too revealing. If you’re really not sure what to wear, ask your partner for a dress code. There’s nothing worse than being under-dressed.

12. Be sincere.
You’ve met them, made small-talk, and managed to survive. Now is the time to make a great closing impression. Tell them how great it was to meet them, and you enjoyed the evening/lunch/dinner. And if you’re really keen on your man, tell them that you hope to see them soon. A sincere thank you will leave a lasting impression, and your partner will love you for it!

*****

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Random Thoughts' Monday: It's okay to let go...

Hey peeps

New week, new start. My son went back to school today, and I, for one, am jumping with joy! After what seems like ages, I managed to sit down and write uninterrupted for 3 hours. Saw a scene I totally hadn't planned come together, and my heroine hijacked her characterization. I'm gonna have to adapt to the new direction she took this morning.

But back to this post's topic - Letting go. I am a completely anal compulsive perfectionist. Everything I do has to be, well, perfect... Lol, I am definitely not perfect, so maybe I compensate for that in all I endeavour to do.

We all know here that I am also not a domestic goddess. My one attempt to make bread resulted in a 'rock' that could break concrete. But thank goodness, other things I cook turn out okay. Mind though - I really don't like to cook, or eat, for that matter. I have a strange love-hate relationship with food, probably thanks to my past as an overweight gal.

In waltzes my 8-year-old son. He's a foodie if I ever saw one - loves to eat and loves to prepare food. He watches all those cooking TV shows - Nigella Lawson, Jamie Oliver, Sanjeev Kapoor, Chak Le India and Highway on my Plate. He even knows cooking techniques that I've never heard of!

But for God's sake, he's 8! I don't want a kid let loose in my kitchen, where there are bubbling pans, burning stoves, and very sharp knives. So what do I do when he approaches the very safe zone of the kitchen island when I'm preparing food?

This is what happened on Saturday, when I was making spring rolls for dinner. Filling was cooked and cooled, all the instruments I needed were laid out, and the only thing left to do was actually roll up the rolls. It looks like a tricky technique but is in fact quite easy... Guess you know where this is going - a little boy asked me if he could help...

My first instinct was to say No. But then I caught myself - he'd been home for 3 weeks and though we did do stuff together, we didn't do as much stuff as I believed a 'perfect' mum did.

We spent the following hour rolling spring rolls side by side. I showed him how, and his little hands were surprisingly deft and quick. Though there have been some mishaps along the way, in the end, you couldn't figure out which ones I'd rolled and which ones he'd done.

And that's when I realized that it's okay - important even - to let go sometimes. In an unexpected moment, my son and I bonded like we never have before, and I'm sure the first time we rolled spring rolls together will remain a treasured memory we'll carry for as long as we live. It was all about the moment, and in the end, it's the little moments that count; it's the little moments that assemble to create tapestries of memories and happiness.

I should learn to let go more, to trust that everything is not dependent on me to turn out all right. This is what my son taught me this weekend, and what I wanted to share with you all.

From Mauritius with love,

Zee

Progress Friday

Hey peeps

My WIP counter for Before The Morning is finally going up. I scraped some of last week's writing, so what you see today is not really the 4K increase it looks like, but more like a 7K addition to the story. Despite having the boys at home this week, I managed to get some writing done. Guess I'm getting used to having them around, but I won't be unhappy to pack them off to school on Monday.

Little by little, I'm getting into my characters. My heroine is a tricky mindset to conduit - she's a master manipulator and I have to think like her, which is, well, twisted... But my technique of daydreaming the scenes is working - little by little I see every little block assemble and give me the scene I need. Then I just need to write it down, and the next day, go back through the material and beef up the emotional response.

This book is also taking me all across Europe as an armchair traveller! I left Mayfair in London last week to travel to Nice, France, for the start of Chapter 2, and now the remaining part of Chapter 2 is taking me through the centre of Prague, in the Czech Republic. Definitely thrill-worthy, and an added dimension when I'm writing - that pic up there is of Charles Bridge in the heart of Prague; a pivotal scene in the book takes place there.

I'll prolly leave the WIP this weekend to do some crits for my CPs. I am way behind on returning the favour as they crit my work almost as soon as I post it up.

What have you all got planned for the weekend? Whatever it is, have fun! :)

From Mauritius with love,

Zee