The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes

Jennifer Crusie, Eileen Dreyer and Anne Stuart have created something amazing - one novel about three sisters living in the same house, where each writer worked on the romance for an individual sister, then collaborated to create one book.

Ladies, I am in awe.

Three wonderful female quirky characters, three gorgeous but very different heroes, and three storylines where you could believe that these couples could fall in love over the space of a weekend.

The Magic is in colour. The love scenes are hot. The HEA guaranteed.

I bought it Friday and have read it twice.

Yes, I know I should have been writing, but it was the Bank Holiday and the sun was shining [ Ray-Anne slinks off with her head down feeling pathetic, but has written 4000 words in last two days as a feeble excuse].

Go here for the Little Black Dress Site and an extract: http://www.littleblackdressbooks.com/miss-fortunes.html

Go here for the Blog the three writers created during the writing of this book - which is remarkable: http://www.unfortunatemissfortunes.com/homepage.php

What's playing on my YouTube right now? Glenn Gould playing Bach Partita no 6. part 1. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag3atJSmgTM&feature=PlayList&p=FCACC9D977029D8F&index=4

Watching other writers on line

There seems to be a proliferation of online sites which now offer readers [ and other authors] the chance to hear and see their favourite writers in conversation.

Two of the most professional include;

* Simon and Shuster authors of all genres, including romance- and you can sign up for a weekly new video -the latest is from a writer/producer of 'McClouds Daughters' if you like that TV show, http://www.bookvideos.tv/

* Romance Novel TV, internet TV - with several big US names here, extracts and there is a message board with writing tips - http://www.romancenovel.tv/. Hearing Nora Roberts and Susan Elizabeth Phillips talk about when THEY got the call is inspiring.

And of course there are Romance online magazines, MySpace, YouTube interviews and PR slots, and websites for authors and publishers. Far too many to many to list. Far too many to watch and get involved with without serious procrastination/ work avoidance.

As Liz Fenwick reported in her notes on the presentation Cat Cobain, editor Little Black Dress, gave at the recent RNA Conference, there is a lot to be said for 'Quiet Time' when we don't fill our down time with blogging and internet work.

The dilemma is that I personally don't like to read other romance authors for pleasure when I am actually writing the first draft of a book. Not because I fear plagarism, but because my poor simple brain is then thinking/living the characters and the world created by the wonderful author. And not my own pathetic efforts. Ditto TV series and movies.

I have not see the latest Harry Potter film yet!

Since I have the attention span of a gnat, this leaves autobiography reference books, how to books and .. online. Domestic duties and gardening are way down the list.

Which means - I had better complete this first draft. Pronto. :-)