Angus McKenna Hangs At Dawn....

It is often quite odd or even hilarious when and how my book ideas come to me. Sometimes, I'll be riding along in the car, or watching TV, or writing another story, or in the shower....we  just never know when that idea is going to pop into our heads.

So the other night, I was trying to sleep and an idea for Rowan's Lady kept popping into my brain. I couldn't fight it, so I decided to just let my mind wander and see where it ended up. That can be quite dangerous sometimes!!

Eventually, I fell asleep, knowing full well that the 'idea' my brain wanted to incorporate into Rowan's Lady was going to be difficult. But again, the voices in my head were quite insistent. Sometimes, I have to fight them until one of us wins. Usually, the voices win.

I woke up, with that same idea running around. The idea, while fun and intriguing, was going to be a stretch if I forced it into the book. A big stretch. Like trying to jump over a chasm with a skateboard and a bed sheet. I just didn't see how it would work.

Then, as I was tending to my morning ablutions, WHAM! There it was...one simple little sentence that took me by surprise and I almost forgot where I was and what I was doing! (Try to explain to the EMT how you broke your leg whilst sitting on the porcelain throne and voices screaming at you!)

Angus hangs at dawn.

Yes, our beloved chief of the Clan MacDougall, Angus McKenna hangs at dawn. I broke out in a cold sweat, unsure if it was the idea or another hot flash. How? Why did the voices insist on hanging Angus? What in the hell could he have done to deserve to be hanged by his neck until dead????

I sat still, waiting for the voices to explain themselves. Angus is a traitor...ordered put to death for crimes of treason, for plotting against the king.

WHAT??? NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

The voices raced on, so fast in fact, that I wondered if I hadn't finally had that break down my mother used to warn me about. I ran downstairs and sat in front of my lap top and started writing. Writing, writing, writing....

I realized, as I wrote, that this story was going to do a few things. One, it will tie in the idea that the voices are insistent must go into Rowan's Lady. Two, it will help tell a little more of Nial & Bree's relationship. Three, it will help with the eight year gap between Wee William's Woman and Rowan's Lady.

So I'm going to run with it. I must write this story. No ifs ands or buts about it. I must. I have to. The voices would never forgive me if I didn't.

At this point, I think it is a little novella or a short story. I won't know for certain for another couple of weeks.

In any event, I think my readers, those who have read the first three stories, are really going to like it! It will be more exciting and faster paced than the first three. It will be filled with intrigue, spies, plots, rescues, and yes, a wee bit of romance! ;o) But it won't be like the first three books in that we take one character and focus on him and write his romance. This one is going to be just a little different.

No worries in regard to Rowan's Lady! I'm still looking at a September/October release date. ;o) But trust me, when you read the as yet untitled book, and then Rowan's Lady, why I'm doing what I'm doing will make perfectly good sense.

This will be a stand alone book, one that won't require reading all the other books in order to make sense. But, when you put them all together, it will answer some questions left behind by Wee William's Woman and will set the stage a bit better for Rowan's Lady.

I love you all!!! Thank you for your support and kind words, and for sending the new subscribers my way! ;o)

Have a great day, enjoy a peaceful Sunday, and remember, I appreciate each and every one of you!

Hugs,
Suzan

Special Announcement

Hello everyone!

I have been hinting at Facebook this week that I have a special announcement to make. ;o) I do believe it is something you all will like! ;o)

I posted at Facebook a few minutes ago, that as soon as I get 25 new subscribers to my newsletter, I will let you know what my special little secret is. ;o) HINT: It does have something to do with a book....

Hugs,

Suzan

Newsletter Updates

Hello Everyone!

I'm so excited about the newsletter. Our target release date is May 1, 2013. My goal is to create something a little different.

I will have a few nifty features that I think you will enjoy.

Each month, I'm going to spotlight a new, never before published or very newly published author. It could be in any genre, not just historical fiction/historical romance. Everything from contemporary romance to science fiction. I really do believe in paying it forward and this, I believe, is the perfect opportunity to shine a little spotlight on those authors who have worked so very hard to write and publish that very first novel. 

As I've been in those 'newbie' shoes before and didn't have a clue what I was doing, I hope to help these new authors along the road to success. Now, chances are I haven't read their novel, so this will be a journey we can all enjoy together.

There will also be section for short stories and poetry. This is open to all authors, published or not, professional or amateur.  Nothing is off limits (save for erotica). I love a short story every now and again and I think you will too. So if you have a short story or a poem that you'd like to submit for possible publication to my monthly newsletter, send me an email.

I would also love to have a recipe section, preferably something you have made yourself before. Submit your recipes to me via email. Pictures would be nice to accompany the recipe. ;o)

I'm also going to spotlight a Hunky Guy In a Kilt each month. So submit your pictures and a little bio on how you know your handsome hunk! Husbands, sons, nephews, grandsons, friends...as long as he isn't a celebrity or a cover model, we'd love to have you show him off. You can submit the photos and bio via email.

We hope to have fun contests each month too, so make sure you sign up for the newsletter. You can forward the link to your friends too.

Thank you all for your help, your support, and your kindness. Have a great week!

Hugs,
Suzan

Voting Starts Today!

Here are our contestants:

Contestant 1

 Voting takes place at Facebook and HERE. With Facebook's new layout changes, it isn't very user friendly. So vote away here too! ;o) Poll is on the left hand side.

Hugs!

Suzan

Contestant 2

Contestant 3

Contestant 4

Contetant 5

Contestant 6

Contestant 7

Contestant 8

Choose the one you think is Hunkiest...go to my Facebook Page and you will find the poll. Just click on the contestant # you think is the Hunkiest! Have FUN!!!

Did You Know This?

Prefacing the following with this: "I'm a challenged individual and blonde."

Did you know about 'highlights' for books at Amazon? Apparently, you can highlight any sentence or section of a book. I knew I could do that, but didn't know why you'd need to unless it was for a text book for school.

I just discovered that people actually highlighted several different parts of each of my books! That is sooooo cool! Many of those highlighted were some of my favorite parts too.

I also just discovered that if you click on 'view more highlights' you can see what people are saying that might not be in the review section. WOW!

Not sure if I should hang my head in shame for not knowing or just be glad that I discovered it! ;o)

Now, if my daughter Debbi reads this, she is going to knock her head on the table. She knows me, lol. She constantly tells me I'm too old for my smart phone. Ha! I am not! This just goes to show you that I am learning! ;o)

I'm also quite certain that my friend, Laura Howard, will do the same head banging as my daughter. ;o)

You are never too old to learn something new!

Have a great day everyone!

Hugs,

Suzan

Steam or Not?

One of my Facebook followers posed the following question to me this afternoon:

Suzan, do you think a story can be too "Steamy"...inquiring minds want to know.

I LOVE that question! There simply wasn’t enough room to answer it completely or honestly at FB so I am answering it here.

Steamy scenes are like the old adage about art: I don't know what art is, but I know what I like. The same can be said for steamy scenes. Now, I do, on occasion, like to read a steamy scene or two. However, I don't want to feel like I'm a voyeur or that I'm watching porn. Steam, in certain degrees, can often times make a really good book even better. 

We're all big girls here. (By big, I mean grown up). We know what sex is. We know how to insert tab A into slot B. I don’t need to be beaten around the head with every conceivable way of doing it. Or even ways I hadn’t thought of before! However, there have been a few books where I did learn a thing or two, lol. 

 In my most humble and honest opinion, really good books can have a bit of steam, even a little debauchery.  What separates the very good books, at least in my mind, is this: If you can remove all the steamy scenes and still have a great book, then it is still a great book! Again, it is just my humble opinion that the entire book shouldn’t just be about sex. There has to be something else, otherwise, it is just sex.

When I read a romance I want the romance. I don’t like books where the main characters have just met and were so hopelessly drawn to one another that they’re having sex by the second page. I want the romance and the love to build up first. I want to see what obstacles, what trials and tribulations they might have to go through first. Otherwise, I find it an unbelievable story and again, its just sex. Call me old fashioned if you want. But I believe true romance should stand the test of time. 

For example, I present to you my in-laws. Two of the sweetest, funniest, most down to earth people you will ever meet. They've been married for over 50 years now. They've been through a thing or two. To this day, my father-in-law still gives my mother-in-law a sweet kisses! That is what I think true romance is: together for half a century, seeing each other at your worst, yet, when she steps into the room, he smiles at her like she's been gone for a month and he is so glad to see she's returned, when in fact, she simply stepped down the hall to the ladies room! Loving each other through thick and thin, good times and bad. And at the end of the day, he still makes your stomach do a little flutter and brings a smile to your face. 

That, my friends, is real. That is the type of love I try to put into each of my books. I want my readers to know that if I jumped ahead 50 years, my characters are still hopelessly, passionately in love with each other. But I think I digress....

Yes, I know in the real world people have one night stands on a regular basis. So what? That, in my opinion, is boring. Anyone can have a one-night-stand if they want to. It doesn’t take anything to pull that off except a pitcher of margaritas and a key to a Motel 6. Big deal. That isn’t romance.

Now, I’m no prude. Not by any stretch of the imagination. I like long, lingering, passionate, knee-buckling kisses. (My husband excels at this and it is one of the many, many reasons why I married him!) I like to read about those kinds of kisses in books. Its all part of what makes a good romance a good romance.

I am not the supreme omnipotent despotic ruler of the universe.  I do believe to each his own and what goes on behind closed doors is no one’s business and it especially isn’t mine.  Lots of people like really steamy, detailed, and highly descriptive books and that is quite all right! ;o) I have actually read one or two of those ;o)

I tried once, a year ago, to write a really steamy scene for Findley’s Lass. When I realized that my face had turned beet red and that I wasn’t even looking at the screen…I was just tapping away at the keyboard, had turned my head away in embarrassment, I realized then that that particular type of writing wasn’t for me. If I was too embarrassed to write it, then chances were, my readers were going to be too embarrassed to read it. There are other authors out there, far more talented than I, at writing steamy scenes, lol. I'll leave those to the experts. ;o)

I tend take a different approach to writing love scenes. I try to introduce as much humor to it as possible without being too over the top. Read Wee William's Woman for an example of what I mean by funny, yet romantic and passionate.

I mean honestly, when you really think about what we’re actually doing when we’re actually doing ‘it’, don’t you sometimes get the urge to giggle? I know that I do! And no, that isn’t a bad mark aimed at my husband, so please don’t think of it that way.  I won’t go into personal detail here, but suffice it to say that my husband is delightfully very talented at more than just those knee knocking kisses I mentioned earlier! ;o)

So, to answer the question, is there such a thing as too steamy? It is really up to each person. IF it is written well and IF the characters are believable and likable then steam is fine and dandy. But you have to start with a really good story first. ;o) 

So there you have it. My long answer to your question.

Hugs,

Suzan

Kilt Contest Reminder

Hello lovely readers!

Just a friendly reminder that you still have time to submit your photos for this month's Hunky Guy In a Kilt Contest! I'll post the picks on the 15th and that is when voting begins. Remember, we'll be voting at FaceBook simply because it is easier for me right now, lol. I'm still learning all this website stuff. I'd rather spend my time writing than learning HTML code. ;o)

Remember to either email me your pictures or send me a private Facebook message. No celebrity pictures, please. ;o) We want to see your men! ;o)

Rules and information can be found here.

Have a great day! 

Hugs,

Suzan

This Week's Poll Question

Hello beautiful readers!

I am taking a poll this week regarding audio books. Voting options are to the right at the top of the blog page.

If you do listen to audio books, I'd like to know where you prefer purchase them. Do you borrow them from your library or do you purchase them from somewhere. Do you belong to Audible? Do you prefer to download an audio book and listen to it via your Kindle or Smart Phone? Or do you prefer to purchase the actual CD?

Thanks everyone! I appreciate your help!

Hugs,
Suzan

New Website and Newsletter

Hello everyone!

I'm so excited to announce that I finally have my own website/domain name. ;o) It will be nice to have more control over content and lay out and everything else.

You can find my new site at http://www.suzantisdale.com

For now, I'm keeping the blog here at blogspot simply because it is so user friendly. But I'll have it linked to the new website. I'm still learning all the ins and out of page design so there will be tweaks along the way.

I hope to send out the first newsletter in a couple of weeks. Definitely that first week in May. Lots of you have signed up and that is exciting. I am accepting recipes from readers to put in the newsletter. You can send me an email by clicking here:  Recipes for Suzan's Newsletter

I would also like to have a section in my newsletter where you, the reader, can let your voice be heard. If anyone is up for writing a little piece -- at least three paragraphs -- on the topic of Why I Love to Read Historical Fiction/Romance send me an email! ;o) I LOVE to hear from readers on this topic.

And don't forget, you can still send me pictures of your favorite man! You can find the rules and info here or at my new website.

Have a great day!!

xoxoxoox
Suzan

Paying It Forward

I have declared today Pay It Forward Day.

I'm tweeting and posting Facebook messages throughout the day, giving 'props' to some very sweet people, people who have helped me along the way, or just nice people that I've met. This is just my little way of thanking them. A good number of them are authors, but there are also bloggers, photographers, and cover artists.

Paying It Forward is good for your soul. At least, I find that it is. ;o)

So as you go about your day today, remember to smile. Yours could be the only smile someone might receive today or even all week. Be kind and you will reap more rewards than you know what to do with! ;o)

Love you all!

Hugs,
Suzan

Ask and Ye Shall Receive!

Well ladies and gentlemen...you asked for it.

Repeatedly. ;o)

I am so happy to announce that coming in June or July, to Amazon, iTunes, and Audible, Wee William's Woman will be available in audio books!!!

No, I don't have a set release date yet as I've just hired my voice actor. He has a very sexy Scottish brogue! ;o)
No, I don't have a price yet, as the audio people will set that up for me. It is based on the length (hours) of the book.

We are so excited to be doing this! I do believe you will really like this man's voice. He did a little sample of Laiden's for us and it made me cry! (Yes, I cry when I'm happy, sad, angry, frustrated. I'm a crier.)

I will post updates here and in the upcoming newsletter as soon as I have them. Don't forget to sign up for the My newsletter. Sign up is near the top of the page here, on the right hand side, between the little Hunky Guy in A Kilt Contest and the cover of Laiden's Daughter.

Hopefully, by the end of the year, all three books will be available in audio format. We're going to work our way backward. I know, I know, that sounds weird but I have my reasons. ;o)

Again, I thank you all for your continued support and kind words. You are all just wonderful, beautiful people and I adore each and every one of you!

Hugs,
Suzan

Newsletter Sign Up Now Available!

Hello! Just letting you know that the sign up widget for the newsletter is now available. It is off to the left here on the blog. ;o) Simple, painless, and I promise NO SPAM FROM ME! ;o)

First newsletter should be ready in a couple of weeks. I plan on one a month for now. If I increase that, I promise to let you know. ;o)

Have a great night!

Hugs,
Suzan

Book Launch Party for Wee William's Woman

Yes, we're throwing another party!

Click here for more information

Paying it Forward

I am a huge proponent of paying it forward. Being kind and helping others along is a great way to live.  Life is simply too short to be selfish.

Over the next few weeks, there will be a few changes and new things happening here at my blog. Changes that I think you will all enjoy.

1. My new page, Welcome New Authors, is going to be dedicated to newly published authors. Never before published authors. People who just want a chance to tell the world their story. 

Most of the authors are friends of mine, nice people that I have met via twitter or Facebook. Chances are that they are afraid, like most authors are when they decide to publish for the first time. Many of them are like me, writing since childhood, needing to purge the voices in their heads, wanting simply to share what they've written with the rest of the world. Many of them will be independently published authors, like me. ;o) 

These will be books I've not yet read.While I may have seen a snippet or two here and there, I'm not here to judge, recommend or review. Those aren't my goals with this new page. My goal is simply to help them get the word out that their new book is here. To give them a boost up so to speak. ;o) 

This page will be up and running in the next few weeks.

2.  I'll be developing another new page that will be dedicated to authors and books that I absolutely love. Many of you might already know that I don't write a review unless it is a book that I loved, couldn't put down, enjoyed, or touched me in some deep way. That is what that new page will be dedicated to. Those really good books that you just want to tell the entire world about! 

3. In a few weeks I'll be starting a new page where  READERS can post about books they have enjoyed. The rules will be simple: Be kind, and be honest. ;o) And please, no authors touting their own books. This is going to be dedicated to readers only. At some point in the future, I'll set up a place where authors can talk about their new books, but that is a ways down the road. 

4. Another exciting thing I'll be adding is a newsletter. It will be filled with author interviews, book reviews, recommendations, maybe even a recipe or two! I might brag about my perfect grandchildren too, so be prepared! I have all sorts of things planned for it ;o) 

Have a beautiful day and may you be blessed beyond your wildest dreams!

Paying it forward. There is no better way to live.

Hugs,

Suzan