A writing update in the middle of Angel Thief's release week? *raspberry* I'm sure there are people with that sort of discipline, but not me. Writing this week is squeezed in around my mad dashes here, there and everywhere. What can I say? I take my writing seriously, but I don't ever want it to become something awful that has to be done, like a hated job. Besides, I think my brain is currently made of pink fairy floss (cotton candy for non-Aussies).
Todayish you'll find me chatting over at Elyse Mady's blog.
Steph at Fangs, Wands and Fairy Dust reviewed Angel Thief and I loved her comments. Reviewers are a joy :)
30 November 2010
29 November 2010
Angel Thief -- Release Day!
Release Day! Of course, I'm half a day in front of New York, so Angel Thief won't actually be available till I'm contemplating sleep tonight, but still, it is definitely November 29 and I am happy!
I've been blog hopping and sharing reviews. Yesterday I posted at Australian Romance Readers Assoc blog. If you hop over there and leave a comment on my post, you'll go in the draw to win a copy of Angel Thief.
Check out the top left corner of this blog to join the Angel Thief Blog Hop. I'm enjoying it immensely, and much to my surprise have even acquired a couple of (very minor) tech skills. What are they? Well, the first is to convert the link address for Angel Thief to a shortened bit.ly one that I can actually remember and type from memory (http://bit.ly/AngThief). It saves a ton of linking hassle. Second, while Wordpress is a tool of the devil for non-techies, you can google for help and the html code you need to shove an image around on the page. I did this for my Carina Press post on Wednesday, and I really hope it works, now that I've bragged on it.
Okay, so that's it. I'm very, very happy. Very busy. And I can't say enough good things about my wonderful editor Deb Nemeth and the entire Carina Press team.
27 November 2010
Happy Weekend!
 |
| By en:User:Rayd8 (en-wp) [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-2.5 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons -- stupid auto attribution. Image is "Emu in the Sky" with thanks to Barnaby Norris and Ray Norris for sharing it. |
Star gazing is a perfect summer night entertainment.
Judy Prosser is one of my favourite Australian artists. Sadly, I can only afford prints and postcards of her work, but her website is a joy. Check out some of her work and dream with me :)
And if you have a few spare minutes, join me over at Natalie Damschroder's blog.
26 November 2010
Frill neck lizard
[Frill neck lizard by Tiny_Coop, http://flic.kr/p/4svDzr]
I thought I'd share my favourite littlest dragon for weirdness Friday this week. Australia is full of oddities (and I don't just mean its people!).
25 November 2010
Romance Round the Net
There's still time to pop over to Inez's party and win some happy reading :)
Beverley Kendall is over at The Season talking about her publication experience and how signing the contract is only the beginning of your publication journey with its ups and downs. I was interested in her concluding question, are people watching their dollars and only buying authors they know and trust?
I might be tech challenged, but I can appreciate how good some people make their sites look. Jaunty Quills is a great looking blog.
Readers/reviewers, are any of you Harlequin Ambassadors?
I have a secret! No, it's nothing I'm writing. There is the whiff of a new group blog in the air. Sssh, don't scare it away. More details soon.
Katie at BookingIt reviewed Angel Thief. She loved the angel/djinni combo, and so do I!
Shelleyrae at Book'd Out also reviews Angel Thief and as another proud Aussie, loves the setting!! We also share the belief novellas are perfect lunch break reads :)
How can I resist sharing this garden design concept, the turf maze as a game of love?
Beverley Kendall is over at The Season talking about her publication experience and how signing the contract is only the beginning of your publication journey with its ups and downs. I was interested in her concluding question, are people watching their dollars and only buying authors they know and trust?
I might be tech challenged, but I can appreciate how good some people make their sites look. Jaunty Quills is a great looking blog.
Readers/reviewers, are any of you Harlequin Ambassadors?
I have a secret! No, it's nothing I'm writing. There is the whiff of a new group blog in the air. Sssh, don't scare it away. More details soon.
Katie at BookingIt reviewed Angel Thief. She loved the angel/djinni combo, and so do I!
Shelleyrae at Book'd Out also reviews Angel Thief and as another proud Aussie, loves the setting!! We also share the belief novellas are perfect lunch break reads :)
How can I resist sharing this garden design concept, the turf maze as a game of love?
24 November 2010
Party Time!
Inez Kelley is hosting a Release Day party that doubles, no triples! as a Thanksgiving and Birthday celebration. The joy includes the chance to win free ebooks! If that sounds irresistible (and it should), then come and join in. Yep, it's on today, Wednesday 24 November from midday to midnight EST American time (so yeah, I'm a fraction early).The release Inez is celebrating is her red hot novella, Lipstick on His Collar.
I know Wednesdays on this blog are meant to be devoted to improbabilities. Believe me, Inez's party will be improbable in the funniest and most fun way possible.
I hope you join in. You might even win a copy of Angel Thief :)
Edited to add: Here is the list of digital books you can win. And huge thanks to Inez for hosting such a great party.
I know Wednesdays on this blog are meant to be devoted to improbabilities. Believe me, Inez's party will be improbable in the funniest and most fun way possible.
I hope you join in. You might even win a copy of Angel Thief :)
Edited to add: Here is the list of digital books you can win. And huge thanks to Inez for hosting such a great party.
23 November 2010
Writing Update
Angel Thief releases from Carina Press on Monday 29 November. Yup, less than a week to go! It's getting exciting.
Todayish is my new favourite word. One of the challenges of living in Australia is the timezone confusion when blogging in the US or UK.
So todayish I'm blogging at Seleste's blog -- and wasn't she a great guest here yesterday? I love hearing how stories grow for other writers. I'm chatting about how I've changed since that day a few years ago when I cleared my throat and said to the computer, "I am a writer". That was the point where I committed to finishing the stories I started.
Also todayish (and already underway) I'm blogging at Rites of Romance Reviews about fictional characters who become our friends -- Sherlock Holmes, Amelia Peabody and Patricia Briggs' werewolves. What makes some characters forgettable and others re-readable?
In between, I'm attacking Three Wishes, the third "Out of the Bottle" novella. The first round of edits are due soon for a May 2011 release!
Todayish is my new favourite word. One of the challenges of living in Australia is the timezone confusion when blogging in the US or UK.
So todayish I'm blogging at Seleste's blog -- and wasn't she a great guest here yesterday? I love hearing how stories grow for other writers. I'm chatting about how I've changed since that day a few years ago when I cleared my throat and said to the computer, "I am a writer". That was the point where I committed to finishing the stories I started.
Also todayish (and already underway) I'm blogging at Rites of Romance Reviews about fictional characters who become our friends -- Sherlock Holmes, Amelia Peabody and Patricia Briggs' werewolves. What makes some characters forgettable and others re-readable?
In between, I'm attacking Three Wishes, the third "Out of the Bottle" novella. The first round of edits are due soon for a May 2011 release!
22 November 2010
Seleste deLaney
Seleste deLaney is my very welcome guest today. She's here to share the story behind the story of Of Course I Try (which has won fantastic reviews). Like Kipling's cat that walked alone, Of Course I Try was meant to stand alone. But not any longer. Look behind the scenes to see the birth of a series and a husband who can drive and offer editorial support!
Birth of the Blood Kissed Series
Hi everyone! Thanks for joining me into this little glimpse of the way my series was born. Normally when I write something, I know right off if it has series potential, and some projects I even plan that way from the beginning. Blood Kissed wasn’t one of those; it was a difficult child right from the beginning…
When I submitted my erotic paranormal short story, Of Course I Try, to Decadent Publishing, I’d planned it as a one-off. The story was complete, there wasn’t anything left to tell. I totally believed that until my first reviews came in with people saying it was “too short” and that they wanted to know more about Jocelyn and her world.
Let me tell you, I never thought there was anything scarier as an author than hitting send on a submission, but when you read things like that on a story you had shoved aside to move onto the next project, your heart stops and your brain does something like this (I have two voices living in my head at all times, occasionally more, so bear with me for the argument):
OMG. I have fans.
Not for long because they want something you can’t deliver.
Crap, I don’t want to be one of those authors who has a ‘screw the fans’ attitude.
Don’t sweat it. You’ve got other stories. Better to tell them than try to force this one to keep going.
Um yeah…I suppose you could be right…
Of course, the voice that said not to worry is a tricksy one—huge fan of reverse psychology—because from the moment that all played out in my head, I couldn’t stop thinking about how I could keep the story going without ruining the initial short that introduced the characters to the world.
I was in the car with my husband as we were driving (back home to visit family I think) when the first part of the answer hit me. I turned to him and said, “I need to know if this is believable within the world of the paranormal.” After I explained my idea to him, my brilliant husband responded with, “Sure, but only if it happened for a reason.”
As he drove, I sat there and pondered why this particular piece of crazy magic would work. Other authors had done similar things (we could think of one at least), but I didn’t want to just rehash something old. Plus, I wanted it to be unique to the characters at hand. So I had to think about things like:
Why was Jocelyn able to reason past Max’s magic?
What made her so special that Max kept her around? Was it love or something more?
What about her could alter him so profoundly?
Each of those little pieces of a story less than 6000 words long clicked into place and opened up an entire world of possibility. The second story in what is now the Blood Kissed series, The Ghost of Vampire Present, will be out for the holidays. It follows Jocelyn on the next stage of her journey, introduces a couple new characters, and leads up to the piece I’m working on right now—the first actual Blood Kissed novel called (tentatively) Kiss of Death.
With the decision to make a series made (and moving forward), I’m both excited and petrified by the thought of those reviewers who asked for more reading the new pieces. What if they hate them? What if they love them? What if they want more than I can deliver?
I don’t know the answers to any of those questions. One thing I am sure of though is dealing with vampires always involves a certain level of excitement and more than a smidge of terror. After all, they might kill you, but they might also make you stronger.
***
Huge thanks to Jenny for having me here today. I hope you’ll stop by my website and say hi on the blog, maybe even friend me on Facebook or Twitter. With stories coming in the near future from Carina Press, Decadent Publishing, and Evernight Publishing, I hope each of you find something in my work that you’ll enjoy.
Birth of the Blood Kissed Series
Hi everyone! Thanks for joining me into this little glimpse of the way my series was born. Normally when I write something, I know right off if it has series potential, and some projects I even plan that way from the beginning. Blood Kissed wasn’t one of those; it was a difficult child right from the beginning…
Let me tell you, I never thought there was anything scarier as an author than hitting send on a submission, but when you read things like that on a story you had shoved aside to move onto the next project, your heart stops and your brain does something like this (I have two voices living in my head at all times, occasionally more, so bear with me for the argument):
OMG. I have fans.
Not for long because they want something you can’t deliver.
Crap, I don’t want to be one of those authors who has a ‘screw the fans’ attitude.
Don’t sweat it. You’ve got other stories. Better to tell them than try to force this one to keep going.
Um yeah…I suppose you could be right…
Of course, the voice that said not to worry is a tricksy one—huge fan of reverse psychology—because from the moment that all played out in my head, I couldn’t stop thinking about how I could keep the story going without ruining the initial short that introduced the characters to the world.
I was in the car with my husband as we were driving (back home to visit family I think) when the first part of the answer hit me. I turned to him and said, “I need to know if this is believable within the world of the paranormal.” After I explained my idea to him, my brilliant husband responded with, “Sure, but only if it happened for a reason.”
As he drove, I sat there and pondered why this particular piece of crazy magic would work. Other authors had done similar things (we could think of one at least), but I didn’t want to just rehash something old. Plus, I wanted it to be unique to the characters at hand. So I had to think about things like:
Why was Jocelyn able to reason past Max’s magic?
What made her so special that Max kept her around? Was it love or something more?
What about her could alter him so profoundly?
Each of those little pieces of a story less than 6000 words long clicked into place and opened up an entire world of possibility. The second story in what is now the Blood Kissed series, The Ghost of Vampire Present, will be out for the holidays. It follows Jocelyn on the next stage of her journey, introduces a couple new characters, and leads up to the piece I’m working on right now—the first actual Blood Kissed novel called (tentatively) Kiss of Death.
With the decision to make a series made (and moving forward), I’m both excited and petrified by the thought of those reviewers who asked for more reading the new pieces. What if they hate them? What if they love them? What if they want more than I can deliver?
I don’t know the answers to any of those questions. One thing I am sure of though is dealing with vampires always involves a certain level of excitement and more than a smidge of terror. After all, they might kill you, but they might also make you stronger.
***
Huge thanks to Jenny for having me here today. I hope you’ll stop by my website and say hi on the blog, maybe even friend me on Facebook or Twitter. With stories coming in the near future from Carina Press, Decadent Publishing, and Evernight Publishing, I hope each of you find something in my work that you’ll enjoy.
20 November 2010
Jazz Baby
[Where there's smoke..." by Russell Patterson, US Library of Congress (in public domain), on Wikimedia]
Flapper Fashion -- the desperate glamour of the 1920s. Fashion Era , 1920-30 and Jazz Age Style.
And a lovely Australian site for all things Art Deco. Funnily enough, it's called Art Deco World.
Fun Friday!
Yes, I'm aware that here in Australia it's already Saturday -- but I just intro'd my vampy bat to Caridad Pineiro's "Fun Friday" meme. I'm clueless about linkys and memes and whatever, but if you click Caridad's name you'll see all the people who've joined in and their fun posts. Who can resist a dog in sunglasses? Not me. The cool dog-dude is Cindy's contribution to the Friday fun :)
19 November 2010
Vampire Bat
[Shared on Flicker http://flic.kr/p/6cLScp by Deidara Hoshigaki. Thank you]
A lovely vampire bat for a weirdness Friday. So ugly he's cute.
But for truly cute vampires, you'll have to wait till Monday. That's when Seleste deLaney is visiting, bringing with her two hot covers from her series, Blood Kissed. [I've had a sneak peek. The covers sizzle.]
18 November 2010
Romance Round the Net
Join the First Gift Blog Hop. All you need is a memory (but a photo would be really cool).
And talking of blog hops, Shelleyrae from Book'd Out told me about the Gratitude Giveaway running from Nov 17 till Nov 28. With 175+ blogs there are lots of great places to visit and goodies to win.
Maria Zannini has mixed up insight and humour in her blog hop. Her post on networking falls in the insight category and is worth reading. In a sense, networking isn't about you. It's about what you can do for others.
Heather from The Galaxy Express is putting together her 2011 list of Science Fiction Romance releases. If your SFR book will release between 1 Jan and 31 Dec 2011, consider letting Heather know.
Y'all know how much I love Dear Author. They've started a new site to report lost sales -- those times you'd have bought a book but the sales system failed you. This is a real issue in Australia for digital books and the tangle of geo-restrictions. Go to lostbooksales.com.
The Author Info Pack at Ellora's Cave includes themed subs and their 2011 deadlines (Canadian pirates, anyone?) as well as mentioning "Blush" to replace Cerridwen Press, which will begin accepting non-erotic subs in Jan 2011.
And talking of blog hops, Shelleyrae from Book'd Out told me about the Gratitude Giveaway running from Nov 17 till Nov 28. With 175+ blogs there are lots of great places to visit and goodies to win.
Maria Zannini has mixed up insight and humour in her blog hop. Her post on networking falls in the insight category and is worth reading. In a sense, networking isn't about you. It's about what you can do for others.
Heather from The Galaxy Express is putting together her 2011 list of Science Fiction Romance releases. If your SFR book will release between 1 Jan and 31 Dec 2011, consider letting Heather know.
Y'all know how much I love Dear Author. They've started a new site to report lost sales -- those times you'd have bought a book but the sales system failed you. This is a real issue in Australia for digital books and the tangle of geo-restrictions. Go to lostbooksales.com.
The Author Info Pack at Ellora's Cave includes themed subs and their 2011 deadlines (Canadian pirates, anyone?) as well as mentioning "Blush" to replace Cerridwen Press, which will begin accepting non-erotic subs in Jan 2011.
17 November 2010
Self-organising Dust
.png) |
| By Pearson Scott Foresman [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
I was thinking about what I could do without in life (household chores are right up there, pushing and shoving with politicians). Then I thought about what I could do with.
Well, two things I consider a waste of time are dusting/vacuuming and furniture shopping. So I have a solution.
Dust should possess the ability to self-organise into something useful, like furniture. We modify a model we like -- the dimensions of the armchair we want -- then day by day the dust in the house swirls into the framework, knits itself together and voila! at the end of the year, a new chair! No fuss, no furniture shopping. Bliss :)
16 November 2010
Writing Update
Two encouraging reviews for Angel Thief from Arkali at The Romance Reviews and Dhympna at The Culinary Carnivale. I don't know if reviewers know how important they are in authors' lives, but you are. Feedback, helpful crit and encouragement on the writing journey.
I don't want to jinx the flow of words so I haven't spoken much about my current project. It's still in the paranormal romance subgenre, but I think it has a sharper edge, almost urban fantasy. Can't talk about it. The heroine is insisting that I just get on with writing because she has a heap of trouble avalanching down on her and she needs to blast her way out.
So I have to finish this untitled work, go back to "Persian Flames" from the Out of the Bottle series and finish it, and then, and only then, can I get on with a historical romance that's been nagging me for...probably a year, when I stop to think about it. This is such a good story. I love the adventure stories from 1920s England, those by Sapper, Wodehouse, Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham and oh hell, my memory...the author of Berry and Co. I know that it was a tough time for many, many people, but the romantic fantasy world of flappers and cocktails and weekend houseparties is irresistible.
I don't want to jinx the flow of words so I haven't spoken much about my current project. It's still in the paranormal romance subgenre, but I think it has a sharper edge, almost urban fantasy. Can't talk about it. The heroine is insisting that I just get on with writing because she has a heap of trouble avalanching down on her and she needs to blast her way out.
So I have to finish this untitled work, go back to "Persian Flames" from the Out of the Bottle series and finish it, and then, and only then, can I get on with a historical romance that's been nagging me for...probably a year, when I stop to think about it. This is such a good story. I love the adventure stories from 1920s England, those by Sapper, Wodehouse, Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham and oh hell, my memory...the author of Berry and Co. I know that it was a tough time for many, many people, but the romantic fantasy world of flappers and cocktails and weekend houseparties is irresistible.
15 November 2010
Elyse Mady
Elyse Mady's first book is, appropriately, The Debutante's Dilemma from Carina Press. Not that Elyse has a dilemma when it comes to her writing. She's found her voice, done her research (historical research, I mean!) and written a wow of a book.
***
Thanks for inviting me to your blog today, Jenny. I’m really excited to be here to talk about my new book, The Debutante’s Dilemma. It’s a Regency novella with some really wonderful characters in it and I’m thrilled that a great new publishing house like Carina decided to pick it up.
Who is your favourite side character in The Debutante's Dilemma? Tell us about them.
I really like Cecilia's cousin, Georgiana. She's such a firecracker and unfortunately, a lot of her back-story just didn't fit into the parameters of the novella and ended up on the cutting room floor. She's lively and vivacious and married to a man who truly loves her, for all that Edward's more reserved and less out-going. She and Cecilia have a real, lifelong friendship - the kind that distance and life can't erode and they know each other too well to allow for deceptions to come between them. She forces Cecilia to face up to the decision she's been avoiding, so she really acts as a catalyst for Cecilia's transformation.
Secret knowledge. Name one site on the web that no historical romance writer should be without? (even if it's just where to order emergency supplies of chocolate!)
Two words: Internet Archive. It's the best resource I know of for getting actual period documents that are so critical for a really believable historical novel. I love it and download books and pamphlets and images all the time. I'm doing research on Newgate Prison right now for my next Regency book and I couldn't have done it without the resources the site offers.
As for the chocolate, though, I'm afraid you're on your own, Jenny. See, I'm not really a chocolate, chocolate fan. I mean, I *like* chocolate but it's not one of the 'gotta have it on the desert island' things. But when I need me a pick-me up, that would totally be Anna Olson's cookbook, Sugar. Homemade cookies are very satisfying and her chocolate cake recipe is sooo rich and delicious. Even if my characters aren't behaving, I can go away, procrastinate by baking and end up with a delicious result that makes me feel productive, even if I haven't added to my word count. And as a totally weird aside, she's actually the pastry chef who made my wedding cake when I got married, so I figure using her cookbook is a good sign for the longevity of my marriage. The day I say, "Sweetie, I'm sorry, but I no longer like chocolate chippies" is the day I file with the lawyers. :)
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started writing romances?
That I intended to write a historical novella with a threesome! Geez Louise, I'm a nice small town girl who went to a Baptist summer camp, for Pete's sake. I mean, we had 'recreational square activities' instead of square dancing one summer and here I am, twenty years later, with a trio of characters who suddenly informed me half way through the book that no thank-you, they didn't feel like deciding between themselves and would I mind terribly writing them a really, really hot ménage scene?
After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I obliged and if I do say so myself *fanning* "Whew!" Now my husband, who, as I wrote in my dedication, is the kind of guy who if given the choice between reading a romance novel and being boiled alive in hot oil would ask, "How hot?", is totally loving the cachet of being married to an author who writes 'threesomes.' . We went out to dinner with an old group of friends after my novella had been picked by Carina and let me tell you, I had no idea he could work the word into just so many conversational openings! LOL
He was very disappointed to hear that my next historical book is strictly a one plus one kind of story. Perhaps I've set the bar too high for him and spoiled him for life? Who knows? Only time will tell. :)
Are you a one-book-at-a-time reader or do you have many on the go at once?
Hah! One at a time? No way, José. I'm a voracious reader so I always have multiple books on the go. Of course, with kids in the mix now, that often includes literary gems like "Trucks Go" and "Green Eggs and Ham" but when the opportunity arises between everything else, I always have a book in hand. Always.
If you could holiday anywhere in the world—with Bill Gates paying the bills—where would you choose?
China. I'd love to spend a couple of years living there and exploring the entire country and really immersing myself in its culture.
***
About The Debutante’s Dilemma by Elyse Mady, from Carina Press:
One woman in search of passion
Miss Cecilia Hastings has achieved what every young lady hopes for during her first London season…in duplicate! She’s caught the eye of not one but two of England’s most eligible bachelors. Both Jeremy Battersley, Earl of Henley, and Richard Huxley, Duke of Wexford are handsome, wealthy and kind, the epitome of proper gentlemen. But Cecelia doesn’t want proper, she wants passion. So she issues a challenge to her suitors: a kiss, so that she may choose between them.
Two men in love with the same woman
Friends since childhood, and compatriots on the battlefields of Spain, falling for the same woman has set Jeremy and Richard at odds, and risks destroying their friendship forever. But a surprising invitation to a late-night garden tryst soon sets them on a course that neither of them could have anticipated. And these gentlemen quickly discover that love can take many forms…
***
About the author, Elyse Mady:
An enthusiastic and voracious reader of everything from 18th century novels to misplaced cereal boxes, Elyse has worked as a freelance magazine writer for the past several years, specializing, in all things, in sewing and embroidery.
Her first work of fiction, The Debutante’s Dilemma, is published by Carina Press. She is also working on a number of contemporary romance manuscripts as well as a full length historical novel set in the 1780s.
With her excellent writerly imagination, she one day dreams of topping the NY Times Bestseller’s List and reclaiming her pre-kid body without the bother of either sit-ups or the denunciation of ice-cream.
She blogs at http://www.elysemady.wordpress.com/ about writing, research and romance novels, both historical and contemporary. You can reach her by email at elysemady@cogeco.ca or find her on Facebook for updates and upcoming titles.
***
Thanks for inviting me to your blog today, Jenny. I’m really excited to be here to talk about my new book, The Debutante’s Dilemma. It’s a Regency novella with some really wonderful characters in it and I’m thrilled that a great new publishing house like Carina decided to pick it up.
Who is your favourite side character in The Debutante's Dilemma? Tell us about them.
I really like Cecilia's cousin, Georgiana. She's such a firecracker and unfortunately, a lot of her back-story just didn't fit into the parameters of the novella and ended up on the cutting room floor. She's lively and vivacious and married to a man who truly loves her, for all that Edward's more reserved and less out-going. She and Cecilia have a real, lifelong friendship - the kind that distance and life can't erode and they know each other too well to allow for deceptions to come between them. She forces Cecilia to face up to the decision she's been avoiding, so she really acts as a catalyst for Cecilia's transformation.
Secret knowledge. Name one site on the web that no historical romance writer should be without? (even if it's just where to order emergency supplies of chocolate!)
Two words: Internet Archive. It's the best resource I know of for getting actual period documents that are so critical for a really believable historical novel. I love it and download books and pamphlets and images all the time. I'm doing research on Newgate Prison right now for my next Regency book and I couldn't have done it without the resources the site offers.
As for the chocolate, though, I'm afraid you're on your own, Jenny. See, I'm not really a chocolate, chocolate fan. I mean, I *like* chocolate but it's not one of the 'gotta have it on the desert island' things. But when I need me a pick-me up, that would totally be Anna Olson's cookbook, Sugar. Homemade cookies are very satisfying and her chocolate cake recipe is sooo rich and delicious. Even if my characters aren't behaving, I can go away, procrastinate by baking and end up with a delicious result that makes me feel productive, even if I haven't added to my word count. And as a totally weird aside, she's actually the pastry chef who made my wedding cake when I got married, so I figure using her cookbook is a good sign for the longevity of my marriage. The day I say, "Sweetie, I'm sorry, but I no longer like chocolate chippies" is the day I file with the lawyers. :)
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started writing romances?
That I intended to write a historical novella with a threesome! Geez Louise, I'm a nice small town girl who went to a Baptist summer camp, for Pete's sake. I mean, we had 'recreational square activities' instead of square dancing one summer and here I am, twenty years later, with a trio of characters who suddenly informed me half way through the book that no thank-you, they didn't feel like deciding between themselves and would I mind terribly writing them a really, really hot ménage scene?
After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I obliged and if I do say so myself *fanning* "Whew!" Now my husband, who, as I wrote in my dedication, is the kind of guy who if given the choice between reading a romance novel and being boiled alive in hot oil would ask, "How hot?", is totally loving the cachet of being married to an author who writes 'threesomes.' . We went out to dinner with an old group of friends after my novella had been picked by Carina and let me tell you, I had no idea he could work the word into just so many conversational openings! LOL
He was very disappointed to hear that my next historical book is strictly a one plus one kind of story. Perhaps I've set the bar too high for him and spoiled him for life? Who knows? Only time will tell. :)
Are you a one-book-at-a-time reader or do you have many on the go at once?
Hah! One at a time? No way, José. I'm a voracious reader so I always have multiple books on the go. Of course, with kids in the mix now, that often includes literary gems like "Trucks Go" and "Green Eggs and Ham" but when the opportunity arises between everything else, I always have a book in hand. Always.
If you could holiday anywhere in the world—with Bill Gates paying the bills—where would you choose?
China. I'd love to spend a couple of years living there and exploring the entire country and really immersing myself in its culture.
***
About The Debutante’s Dilemma by Elyse Mady, from Carina Press:
One woman in search of passion
Miss Cecilia Hastings has achieved what every young lady hopes for during her first London season…in duplicate! She’s caught the eye of not one but two of England’s most eligible bachelors. Both Jeremy Battersley, Earl of Henley, and Richard Huxley, Duke of Wexford are handsome, wealthy and kind, the epitome of proper gentlemen. But Cecelia doesn’t want proper, she wants passion. So she issues a challenge to her suitors: a kiss, so that she may choose between them.
Two men in love with the same woman
Friends since childhood, and compatriots on the battlefields of Spain, falling for the same woman has set Jeremy and Richard at odds, and risks destroying their friendship forever. But a surprising invitation to a late-night garden tryst soon sets them on a course that neither of them could have anticipated. And these gentlemen quickly discover that love can take many forms…
***
About the author, Elyse Mady:
An enthusiastic and voracious reader of everything from 18th century novels to misplaced cereal boxes, Elyse has worked as a freelance magazine writer for the past several years, specializing, in all things, in sewing and embroidery.
Her first work of fiction, The Debutante’s Dilemma, is published by Carina Press. She is also working on a number of contemporary romance manuscripts as well as a full length historical novel set in the 1780s.
With her excellent writerly imagination, she one day dreams of topping the NY Times Bestseller’s List and reclaiming her pre-kid body without the bother of either sit-ups or the denunciation of ice-cream.
She blogs at http://www.elysemady.wordpress.com/ about writing, research and romance novels, both historical and contemporary. You can reach her by email at elysemady@cogeco.ca or find her on Facebook for updates and upcoming titles.
13 November 2010
A Busy Weekend
Have you seen the Smithsonian's online collections? Stunning. A reminder how much data is available. The trick is finding the info you want/need.
Still have time and brainspace? Why not try classifying a galaxy or two? You'll want Galaxy Zoo.
And I'm blogging over at Dark Side DownUnder, intro'ing myself, my work and the Outback Monster (aka my golden retriever, Toby). I'd really appreciate a comment.
Happy weekend!
Still have time and brainspace? Why not try classifying a galaxy or two? You'll want Galaxy Zoo.
And I'm blogging over at Dark Side DownUnder, intro'ing myself, my work and the Outback Monster (aka my golden retriever, Toby). I'd really appreciate a comment.
Happy weekend!
12 November 2010
Brighton Pavilion
I thought pictures of the Brighton Pavilion would make a good Friday weirdness post -- both as illustration of rich men's follies and because on Monday Elyse Mady is visiting and her Regency romance, The Debutante's Dilemma, has just released from Carina Press. You've gotta love a risky regency -- and clearly people do. The Deb was in Carina Press's top five before it was even released!
Now brace yourself for folly:
And the man responsible:
Now brace yourself for folly:
 |
| By Xgkkp [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)] from Wikimedia Commons |
_edited.jpg) |
| Brighton Pavilion, John Nash illustration Wikimedia |
 |
| Brighton Pavilion Stable, John Nash illustration Wikimedia |
And the man responsible:
 |
| The Prince Regent by Sir Thomas Lawrence Wikimedia |
11 November 2010
Romance Round the Net
Dialect. As readers (and as writers) we either love it or loathe it. When it's well done, I love it. The Cockney language and rhythms in Mary Jane Staples (I can't remember the author's real name, sorry. I know it was a he. Reg?) is a good example. Patricia Wrede's blog post caught my attention, especially:
The thing people forget is that, like everything else in writing, dialect is mostly illusion. It’s important that it be convincing, not that it be an accurate reproduction in every aspect and at all times.
The Dark Side DownUnder blog launched on Halloween. It's the playground of Aussie and Kiwi RomAus spec writers, their readers and anyone else we can snare -- do not wander the web unwarily, authors are master hunters ;) I'll be blogging there on Saturday. Yes, this Saturday. Am I being too subtle? I want visitors and comments! *stamps foot*
Carina Press is going to brighten Mondays with a free book. I think it's a comment on the blog (or perhaps on Facebook?) and you go in the draw to win the ebook of your choice :)
Keira at Loves Romance Passion has a cheeky blogpost on how to wring emotion from a Harlequin Tycoon.
The thing people forget is that, like everything else in writing, dialect is mostly illusion. It’s important that it be convincing, not that it be an accurate reproduction in every aspect and at all times.
The Dark Side DownUnder blog launched on Halloween. It's the playground of Aussie and Kiwi RomAus spec writers, their readers and anyone else we can snare -- do not wander the web unwarily, authors are master hunters ;) I'll be blogging there on Saturday. Yes, this Saturday. Am I being too subtle? I want visitors and comments! *stamps foot*
Carina Press is going to brighten Mondays with a free book. I think it's a comment on the blog (or perhaps on Facebook?) and you go in the draw to win the ebook of your choice :)
Keira at Loves Romance Passion has a cheeky blogpost on how to wring emotion from a Harlequin Tycoon.
10 November 2010
The Wereshifter Conference Attendee
I was thinking the other night about the difficulties a wereshifter would have in finding a human female willing to accept him as he is in all his furry glory. Most sensible women would scream at the fang and claws and that whole fated-mate business. But romance writers are a different matter. We're used to shifters. We've learned how to boss around alpha males (damn, heroes, they're so much trouble to write). We are Woman, hear us roar! We're more than a match for a shifter.
So I have this vision of wereshifters infiltrating Romance Writer and Reader conferences, sniffing around as waiters and models and even masquerading as literary agents, looking for their fated mates.
Unfortunately, we're all too busy laughing, talking and drinking to notice.
So I have this vision of wereshifters infiltrating Romance Writer and Reader conferences, sniffing around as waiters and models and even masquerading as literary agents, looking for their fated mates.
Unfortunately, we're all too busy laughing, talking and drinking to notice.
09 November 2010
Kakapo
I watched "Last Chance to See" on Sunday night, and now can't resist posting a pic of a kakapo. Such gorgeous birds, but not sure of their survival instincts. When frightened, they stay still, hoping not to be noticed.
Writing Update
Last week was one of those weeks that word count wise I'd like to have as a do-over. *sigh* So let's hurry away from the whole notion of a writing update this Tuesday and talk about something more interesting -- stale bread, cleaning bathroom grouting, clipping the dog's nails.
Who else becomes a snarly hellhound when they don't reach their writing goals? Or is it just me? :)
Who else becomes a snarly hellhound when they don't reach their writing goals? Or is it just me? :)
08 November 2010
Anna Jacobs
I am so-oo parochial. Understandable then how excited I am to have another West Australian author visiting, especially one as talented and successful as Anna Jacobs! I know you know Anna from her historical romance novels, but her science fiction, written under the name Shannah Jay, is also available from Smashwords.
But today it's all about history. Anna is offering a prize to a randomly selected commenter -- a copy of her novel Farewell to Lancashire, the first novel in her Swan River Colony series. If an Australian commenter wins, Anna will sign the copy (sorry to everyone else who loves autographed copies, but international postage from Australia is not cheap).
Welcome, Anna! I have questions.
If you could meet any fictional character, who would it be? and what would you ask them?
I think, rather than fictional characters, I’d like to meet two of my favourite authors and I’d like to talk writing with them.
The first would be Georgette Heyer, the author who introduced me to historical romances and whose books I still re-read today. I love her wit and the brilliant minor characters who add sparkling colour to the main story. Ferdy, in ‘Friday’s Child’ is still my favourite minor character of all - and my husband’s.
I’d ask her how she developed her minor characters, whether they just ‘arrived’ as mine sometimes do, or whether she planned them from the start. In my recent book, ‘Beyond the Sunset’ a young man with intellectual disability, but a gift for working with horses, became an important minor character. I hadn’t the faintest idea that he would until he suddenly joined in the action.
You can read about this book at: http://www.annajacobs.com/book.asp?pageID=62
The other author I’d like to meet would be CJ Cherryh, who writes fantasy and science fiction. Her ‘Foreigner’ series is now up to Book 11 and I’ve had to buy them in hardback, something I rarely do, because I can’t bear to wait for the paperbacks to find out what happens next. As a reader, I love them; as an author who has written SF/F myself, I very much admire the way she’s kept this series going for so long.
I'd ask Cherryh how much she planned this series in advance and whether she had any idea it’d go on for so long? I had a four-part fantasy series published in the 90s (written as Shannah Jay) and as with my historicals, I hadn’t a clue what was going to happen until it did. All I knew when I started writing was that on this planet people had developed their psychic gifts, instead of relying on technology, and that would bring them into conflict with the Galactic Confederation.
I’m just putting my Shannah Jay books up for sale on line as ebooks. I wish I still had time to write in that genre, which I love, but I’m working for three publishers and I can’t squeeze any more waking hours out of the day. Isn’t it annoying how much sleep we humans need - and every single day, too!
You can find my books on Kindle and at:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=shannah+jay
What has someone said about your writing that you still treasure?
I’m still chuckling at the reader who said ‘The ironing is piled up, the dog’s begging to go for a walk, and my children are complaining that tea isn’t ready. It’s all your fault, Anna Jacobs, because I couldn’t put your latest book down.’ The reader’s comment made me laugh, but it was also a very great compliment. It makes me happy to give people pleasure.
Secret knowledge. Name one site on the web that no historical romance writer should be without?
Jenny, I don’t do a lot of surfing the web, so you’re asking the wrong person about that. I write three long novels a year and that keeps me extremely busy. What me, addicted to story-telling? I certainly am.
In "Farewell to Lancashire" Cassandra and her sisters journey to the Swan River Colony, the nineteenth century colonial beginnings of Perth, Western Australia. What do you imagine surprised them most about their new home? (I've only ever lived in Australia—actually I grew up pretty much where Cassandra begins her new life—so I'm curious about immigrants' perceptions. My great-gran is on record as taking one look at the summer dry bushland and saying "is sad". I think she regretted leaving Poland till the day she died.)
I think they’d be surprised at how few people there were. In 1863 there were only about 30,000 people in the whole state, which is big enough to fit ten Texases in. There were about 3,000 people in Perth itself and roughly the same in Fremantle, but nowhere else were towns as big as that. In fact, most places wouldn’t even be considered ‘towns’ today, and not even villages sometimes.
And since there weren’t any passenger railways at all in the Swan River Colony, they’d be very surprised about that. They’d have to go back to old-fashioned and much slower forms of horse transport. It was very different in the England they’d left behind. Even in 1851 a quarter of the population of England went be train to see the Great Exhibition in London.
And for anyone visiting Western Australia today, what would you say they absolutely had to see?
Well, everyone sees Perth and of course it’s a great city, but they shouldn’t miss the Margaret River wine-growing region. Not only are there vineyards and wine to try, but some excellent restaurants and great scenery.
***
Cassandra Blake has raised her three motherless sisters. The girls are the pride of their book-loving, impractical father Zachariah, and not in a hurry to marry.
Then the American Civil War cuts off supplies of cotton to Lancashire, the mills fall silent and there is no work. There is a stark choice, stay and risk starvation or pack up and begin again elsewhere.
Cassandra has fallen in love with Reece Gregory, but he can’t support a wife. When he’s given the chance to start a new life in Australia, he seizes the opportunity, promising to send for her.
Then an old feud tears the family apart. Cassandra is kidnapped and her sisters are forced to sail with a group of desperate cotton lasses to the Swan River Colony. Penniless and alone, Cassandra is determined to find them again but when she is offered a way, there is a painful price to pay. [Text from amazon.co.uk]
***
Since I'm so parochial, and since Farewell to Lancashire has a happy ending in my home state, why not add a comment on what you'd like to do or see in Western Australia.
Hot foot it over burning hot white sand to swim in the Indian Ocean? Eat the gorgeous food? Visit me? Yay! See the glorious spring wildflowers? Go kayaking underground? (I'm not kidding. This is a tourist attraction in our prison -- ask me about it!)
Add your comment and go in the draw to win a copy of Farewell to Lancashire.
But today it's all about history. Anna is offering a prize to a randomly selected commenter -- a copy of her novel Farewell to Lancashire, the first novel in her Swan River Colony series. If an Australian commenter wins, Anna will sign the copy (sorry to everyone else who loves autographed copies, but international postage from Australia is not cheap).
Welcome, Anna! I have questions.
If you could meet any fictional character, who would it be? and what would you ask them?
I think, rather than fictional characters, I’d like to meet two of my favourite authors and I’d like to talk writing with them.
The first would be Georgette Heyer, the author who introduced me to historical romances and whose books I still re-read today. I love her wit and the brilliant minor characters who add sparkling colour to the main story. Ferdy, in ‘Friday’s Child’ is still my favourite minor character of all - and my husband’s.
I’d ask her how she developed her minor characters, whether they just ‘arrived’ as mine sometimes do, or whether she planned them from the start. In my recent book, ‘Beyond the Sunset’ a young man with intellectual disability, but a gift for working with horses, became an important minor character. I hadn’t the faintest idea that he would until he suddenly joined in the action.
You can read about this book at: http://www.annajacobs.com/book.asp?pageID=62
The other author I’d like to meet would be CJ Cherryh, who writes fantasy and science fiction. Her ‘Foreigner’ series is now up to Book 11 and I’ve had to buy them in hardback, something I rarely do, because I can’t bear to wait for the paperbacks to find out what happens next. As a reader, I love them; as an author who has written SF/F myself, I very much admire the way she’s kept this series going for so long.
I'd ask Cherryh how much she planned this series in advance and whether she had any idea it’d go on for so long? I had a four-part fantasy series published in the 90s (written as Shannah Jay) and as with my historicals, I hadn’t a clue what was going to happen until it did. All I knew when I started writing was that on this planet people had developed their psychic gifts, instead of relying on technology, and that would bring them into conflict with the Galactic Confederation.
I’m just putting my Shannah Jay books up for sale on line as ebooks. I wish I still had time to write in that genre, which I love, but I’m working for three publishers and I can’t squeeze any more waking hours out of the day. Isn’t it annoying how much sleep we humans need - and every single day, too!
You can find my books on Kindle and at:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=shannah+jay
What has someone said about your writing that you still treasure?
I’m still chuckling at the reader who said ‘The ironing is piled up, the dog’s begging to go for a walk, and my children are complaining that tea isn’t ready. It’s all your fault, Anna Jacobs, because I couldn’t put your latest book down.’ The reader’s comment made me laugh, but it was also a very great compliment. It makes me happy to give people pleasure.
Secret knowledge. Name one site on the web that no historical romance writer should be without?
Jenny, I don’t do a lot of surfing the web, so you’re asking the wrong person about that. I write three long novels a year and that keeps me extremely busy. What me, addicted to story-telling? I certainly am.
In "Farewell to Lancashire" Cassandra and her sisters journey to the Swan River Colony, the nineteenth century colonial beginnings of Perth, Western Australia. What do you imagine surprised them most about their new home? (I've only ever lived in Australia—actually I grew up pretty much where Cassandra begins her new life—so I'm curious about immigrants' perceptions. My great-gran is on record as taking one look at the summer dry bushland and saying "is sad". I think she regretted leaving Poland till the day she died.)
I think they’d be surprised at how few people there were. In 1863 there were only about 30,000 people in the whole state, which is big enough to fit ten Texases in. There were about 3,000 people in Perth itself and roughly the same in Fremantle, but nowhere else were towns as big as that. In fact, most places wouldn’t even be considered ‘towns’ today, and not even villages sometimes.
And since there weren’t any passenger railways at all in the Swan River Colony, they’d be very surprised about that. They’d have to go back to old-fashioned and much slower forms of horse transport. It was very different in the England they’d left behind. Even in 1851 a quarter of the population of England went be train to see the Great Exhibition in London.
And for anyone visiting Western Australia today, what would you say they absolutely had to see?
Well, everyone sees Perth and of course it’s a great city, but they shouldn’t miss the Margaret River wine-growing region. Not only are there vineyards and wine to try, but some excellent restaurants and great scenery.
***
Then the American Civil War cuts off supplies of cotton to Lancashire, the mills fall silent and there is no work. There is a stark choice, stay and risk starvation or pack up and begin again elsewhere.
Cassandra has fallen in love with Reece Gregory, but he can’t support a wife. When he’s given the chance to start a new life in Australia, he seizes the opportunity, promising to send for her.
Then an old feud tears the family apart. Cassandra is kidnapped and her sisters are forced to sail with a group of desperate cotton lasses to the Swan River Colony. Penniless and alone, Cassandra is determined to find them again but when she is offered a way, there is a painful price to pay. [Text from amazon.co.uk]
***
Since I'm so parochial, and since Farewell to Lancashire has a happy ending in my home state, why not add a comment on what you'd like to do or see in Western Australia.
Hot foot it over burning hot white sand to swim in the Indian Ocean? Eat the gorgeous food? Visit me? Yay! See the glorious spring wildflowers? Go kayaking underground? (I'm not kidding. This is a tourist attraction in our prison -- ask me about it!)
Add your comment and go in the draw to win a copy of Farewell to Lancashire.
06 November 2010
The Swan River Colony
.jpg)
[King Georges Sound is south of the Swan River Colony. It's now known as Albany. Image via Wikimedia]
In celebration of Anna Jacobs visiting on Monday (with a giveaway of the first book in her Swan River Colony series, "Farewell to Lancashire") I thought I'd share a few random facts about the nineteenth century colonial settlement that became Western Australia.
The Swan River Colony began in 1829, a couple of years before Victoria came to the throne. Some of the "gentlemen settlers" had fought in the Napoleonic Wars.
For a start, the colony was isolated but not beyond the reach of Yankee whalers. They hunted whales along the south west coast as early as the 1830s.
There were coffee houses -- rough wooden structures, sometimes canvas tents.
Flies and mosquitos were a real nuisance (well, some things stay the same). The solution was cowtails fitted in "rather nice" wooden handles to flick the flies away.
Local Nyungar people acted as postmen, carrying mail between isolated farms.
There were no facilities in the early days of travel for people to wash their clothes on the journey from England to the Swan River Colony. They had to pack sufficient clothes for the journey and wash them on arrival. Ew. The journey was about 16 weeks.
One of the early industries was the sale of sandalwood. History turns full circle, and at the beginning of the twenty first century, Western Australia is once again a major supplier of sandalwood. And if you want to experience heaven, stand downwind of a sandalwood factory. Bliss.
05 November 2010
Create your own kingdom
Actually, that catchy title is a lie. This post is simply a couple of links to sites on the web celebrating (if that's the word) people's determination to be ruler of all they survey. Australia has quite a few such people. What can I say? We're independent minded ;)
http://www.imperial-collection.net/hutt_river_main.html
http://hubpages.com/hub/Weird-and-Wacky-kingdoms-in-Australia
http://micronations.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Australian_Micronations
http://www.imperial-collection.net/hutt_river_main.html
http://hubpages.com/hub/Weird-and-Wacky-kingdoms-in-Australia
http://micronations.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Australian_Micronations
04 November 2010
Romance Round the Net
For those with an interest in or wanting to write crime/forensic science, there's a new forensic psy blog, Witness, by Karen Franklin.
Maria Zannini offers some promo tips for authors over at Ian Healy's blog. I'm a big believer in the tip, "Be nice". Absolutely. Once you're online, any comment can come back to haunt you.
The Romance Reviews are looking for reviewers.
Kylie Griffin shares her (successful) agent hunting strategy.
Kat (BookThingo) highlights launch of Australian iBookstore.
The Book Pushers have an interview with Anne Sowards (who edits some of my favourite series, such as Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews -- speaking of whom, here's the new cover for Magic Slays). The busy-ness of an editor's schedule makes intersting (daunting) reading.
And finally a question from Dear Author to gladden any novella writer's heart, Are our attention span's getting shorter? I know mine is! I can't remember the last time I indulged in an epic fantasy.
Maria Zannini offers some promo tips for authors over at Ian Healy's blog. I'm a big believer in the tip, "Be nice". Absolutely. Once you're online, any comment can come back to haunt you.
The Romance Reviews are looking for reviewers.
Kylie Griffin shares her (successful) agent hunting strategy.
Kat (BookThingo) highlights launch of Australian iBookstore.
The Book Pushers have an interview with Anne Sowards (who edits some of my favourite series, such as Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews -- speaking of whom, here's the new cover for Magic Slays). The busy-ness of an editor's schedule makes intersting (daunting) reading.
And finally a question from Dear Author to gladden any novella writer's heart, Are our attention span's getting shorter? I know mine is! I can't remember the last time I indulged in an epic fantasy.
03 November 2010
Gaming Danger
I just read how game makers are looking to measure player response and tweak games accordingly to keep players high on adrenaline. Biofeedback and gaming. Can see increased risk taking in real life as a result of the fear factor being burned out/raised. The instinctive ability to assess danger reduced.
Not sure if this physiological danger real--so posting as an improbability Wednesday item.
Not sure if this physiological danger real--so posting as an improbability Wednesday item.
02 November 2010
Writing Update
Persian Flames is taking an unconscionable long time to write. The story fascinates me, but it's also slippery. It takes sudden twists which improve it, but then I have to go back and rewrite earlier scenes to make sense.
Sometimes I think writing is like how a sociology lecturer described reading Foucault. You're walking along the beach at night, in a storm. Suddenly there's a flash of lighting and you see everything. It's startling, new, brilliant. And then, the darkness closes in once more.
But because of that moment, the world has changed.
I had one of those moment the other day. I suddenly realised why Deb kept deleting my "he said/she said's". Unless they're necessary to show who is talking, why am I putting them in? Obvious in hindsight. A lightning flash when I first saw it.
So maybe my new definition of editors is "the people who hold the torch"?
Sometimes I think writing is like how a sociology lecturer described reading Foucault. You're walking along the beach at night, in a storm. Suddenly there's a flash of lighting and you see everything. It's startling, new, brilliant. And then, the darkness closes in once more.
But because of that moment, the world has changed.
I had one of those moment the other day. I suddenly realised why Deb kept deleting my "he said/she said's". Unless they're necessary to show who is talking, why am I putting them in? Obvious in hindsight. A lightning flash when I first saw it.
So maybe my new definition of editors is "the people who hold the torch"?
01 November 2010
Common Values, Common Action
Thanks to this article by George Monbiot in the Guardian Weekly, I looked up the report Common Cause by Dr Tom Crompton, published by WWF. So instead of a Monday morning ramble, you're getting my thoughts as jotted down while I skimmed the report.
I agree with the premise that seems to underpin the report, that values are a basis for action.
A "bigger-than-self" problem as a way to describe issues such as climate change or threats to bio-diversity feels clumsy.
People believe they are rational decision makers, but in fact are irrational, emotional decision makers. Yes, but...is my response to this. Irritatingly, I can't think of the theory/research that argues emotional/intuitive responses are shortcuts to rational response (ie if we think them out, they are rational responses). The thing is, analysis of our "emotional" response may reveal values we're not so happy to acknowledge as influencing us. Better to dismiss as "emotion" -- we're not really like that, just the heat of the moment.
It's not news that people take on board the info that supports their existing beliefs.
Nonetheless I like the report's model of intrinsic and extrinsic values. To quote from it:
Intrinsic values include the value placed on a sense of community, affiliation to friends and family, and self-development. Extrinsic values, on the other hand, are values that are contingent upon the perceptions of others – they relate to envy of ‘higher’ social strata, admiration of material wealth, or power.
What I don't like so much is the report's stress on the moral preference for intrinsic over extrinsic values. I agree with the argument, but the preachy tone rankles.
Similarly, extrinsic and physical-self goals (especially financial success) are associated with greater indifference to bigger-than-self problems, while intrinsic and self-transcendent goals (especially community feeling) are repeatedly correlated with greater concern about bigger-than-self problems, and higher incidences of corresponding behaviour.
Here's another quotation. The suggestion tucked in it that science is value neutral or that its values are so broadly accepted they need no discussion is interesting.
the impact that particular values have on our responses to the issues that science tells us are of most pressing concern – such as global poverty, climate change, and biodiversity loss.
Also interesting is the discussion on life goals (I refuse to copy the report and hyphenate "life goals"). My sociology degree makes me a sucker for a model. Ah, power point presentations.
"Framing" a discussion is a useful analytical tool for deconstructing media. Using framing techniques to promote your own agenda is important to winning the argument. It'd be naive to think otherwise. But it's a trick that enrages me. All the things you distort or leave out of the frame still exist. They can spring back and bite you. Transparency might be a jargon word, but I respect people who make their framing explicit. And actually, I think the choice of metaphor is often this sort of clear signal.
I enjoyed the report and the clarity of its argument.
I agree with the premise that seems to underpin the report, that values are a basis for action.
A "bigger-than-self" problem as a way to describe issues such as climate change or threats to bio-diversity feels clumsy.
People believe they are rational decision makers, but in fact are irrational, emotional decision makers. Yes, but...is my response to this. Irritatingly, I can't think of the theory/research that argues emotional/intuitive responses are shortcuts to rational response (ie if we think them out, they are rational responses). The thing is, analysis of our "emotional" response may reveal values we're not so happy to acknowledge as influencing us. Better to dismiss as "emotion" -- we're not really like that, just the heat of the moment.
It's not news that people take on board the info that supports their existing beliefs.
Nonetheless I like the report's model of intrinsic and extrinsic values. To quote from it:
Intrinsic values include the value placed on a sense of community, affiliation to friends and family, and self-development. Extrinsic values, on the other hand, are values that are contingent upon the perceptions of others – they relate to envy of ‘higher’ social strata, admiration of material wealth, or power.
What I don't like so much is the report's stress on the moral preference for intrinsic over extrinsic values. I agree with the argument, but the preachy tone rankles.
Similarly, extrinsic and physical-self goals (especially financial success) are associated with greater indifference to bigger-than-self problems, while intrinsic and self-transcendent goals (especially community feeling) are repeatedly correlated with greater concern about bigger-than-self problems, and higher incidences of corresponding behaviour.
Here's another quotation. The suggestion tucked in it that science is value neutral or that its values are so broadly accepted they need no discussion is interesting.
the impact that particular values have on our responses to the issues that science tells us are of most pressing concern – such as global poverty, climate change, and biodiversity loss.
Also interesting is the discussion on life goals (I refuse to copy the report and hyphenate "life goals"). My sociology degree makes me a sucker for a model. Ah, power point presentations.
"Framing" a discussion is a useful analytical tool for deconstructing media. Using framing techniques to promote your own agenda is important to winning the argument. It'd be naive to think otherwise. But it's a trick that enrages me. All the things you distort or leave out of the frame still exist. They can spring back and bite you. Transparency might be a jargon word, but I respect people who make their framing explicit. And actually, I think the choice of metaphor is often this sort of clear signal.
I enjoyed the report and the clarity of its argument.
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