Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies

In love with romance novels? You’re not alone! Romance is today’s most popular fiction genre, accounting for more than half of all mass market fiction sold. If you’re looking to make a serious effort at writing a romance and getting it published in today’s multifaceted markets, you need to learn as much as you can about this highly successful field--especially how to create the perfect heroes and heroines. Now, in this easy, step-by-step guide, a top romance editor gives you the know-how you need to succeed as a romance novelist!

Writing A Romance Novel For Dummies is perfect for both beginning and more accomplished writers who are looking to get the leading edge on writing a romance novel and get it published. Leslie Wainger, Executive Editor at Harlequin Books, explains what it takes to become the next Nora Roberts, providing the techniques you need to:

• Select a pseudonym
• Write a compelling, heartfelt story
• Find the right agent and publisher
• Submit a manuscript
• Market your novel
• Join clubs and associations

Packed with insider advice, this plain-English guide helps you grasp the building blocks of a great romance, providing practical tips on the craft of writing as well as savvy pointers on how to hook your reader from page one, write with passion, and shape a proposal that will wow agents and editors. You get lots of expert tips on analyzing the marketplace, creating compelling characters, and finding your own voice. Wainger also:

• Demystifies the sub-genres of the romance world, from historical, contemporary, and multicultural to paranormal, romantic suspense, and Christian/inspirational
• Explains plotting, pacing, and writing those crucial love scenes
• Discusses how to conduct research, assign credits, and get permissions
• Helps you decide whether it’s best to write alone or with a partner

Complete with a manuscript preparation checklist, tips for revising your work smoothly and successfully, guidance in understanding and negotiating a contract, and a list of romance writing resources, Writing A Romance Novel For Dummies is your one-stop guide to becoming a published novelist!

Price: $19.99

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Writing the Great American Romance Novel

The complete guide to turning romances into cash

* Romance accounts for $1.2 billion in sales and 55 percent of the paperback market
* Takes writers beyond writing to selling and promotion

Romance novels are the top-selling genre in fiction. How can aspiring writers break into this lucrative field? With Writing the Great American Romance Novel, the most complete guide to writing that novel, getting it published, working with editors, agents, and publicists, and promoting it once it’s out! Step-by-step instruction shows how to create romantic heroes and heroines, structure a story, and write love scenes, as well as how to plan outlines, use timelines and grids, conduct personal interviews, and do historical research. With extras such as a list of publishers, a sample press release, a sample synopsis, and much more, this book is must-have for any aspiring romance writer passionate about writing.

Price: $19.95

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Between the Sheets

How do you have a life when everyone in America thinks you gave the president-elect a fatal heart attack during an illicit sex romp?
Emma Jamison never thought she'd have to answer that question, but here she is, smack dab in the middle of a political scandal that would make Monica Lewinsky blush. Trouble is, nobody believes that Emma wasn't the call-girl who killed the president-to-be with her, uh, carnal skills.
So Emma packs up and moves to small-town Chartreuse, LA, to escape her infamy and to start over. But when her grandmother starts dating the grandfather of district attorney Max Duval, the quiet life she was seeking blows up in smoke.

Price: $22.99

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Baseball Lacing Craft

Fine motor skills are often ones that traditionally marketed boys games and toys aren't as focused on as many girls are. To encourage the uninterested child ( boy or girl) make something in a theme they love, like this baseball lacing card.

1. Gather your materials. You will need a paper plate, hole punch, yarn, tape, scissors and a marker.

2.Start by cutting the middle of the paper plate out and drawing stitching on it with the marker.

3. Using the hole punch , punch holes along the stitching.

4. Cut a piece of yarn long enough to thread through the holes with slack. Tape the end on the back of the ball.

5. Wrap the end of the yarn with some tape to make it easier to thread.

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Christmas Shopping...in September?!

OK, here's a serious question for you-- have you started your Christmas shopping yet?

If you are anything like me, the thought of Christmas hasn't even entered your mind yet.

Last I checked, it's September. In my opinion, it's still practically summer. I haven't put away my sun dresses, I'm still wearing flip flops, and I know, deep down, we still have a few 80+ days left before the real cold weather comes our way.

So, imagine my surprise when I saw on Facebook that several of my friends have already started shopping for Christmas.

Really?? Are they really that organized?? Or are they just trying to make everyone else jealous of their admirable ambition? And, the real question is, why would you even WANT to start thinking of Christmas at this point?

It seems each year, the seasons get shorter and shorter. Summer is apparently over once the 4th of July has come and gone. Back to school supplies appear at the end of July. Halloween supplies start popping up at the end of August. And now, apparently, Christmas shopping start in September.

What happened to the Christmas shopping season? You know, the one that starts after Thanksgiving, which is still over 2 months away. In my opinion, that's when Christmas shopping should occur. There's something about that time of year that really instills the Christmas spirit in me.

So, to all my friend who have started Christmas shopping-- I admire your go get'em attitude, but really...slow it down. Enjoy the fall. Pick apples, drink hot cider, and take a hike outside. Leave the Christmas shopping for the appropriate time of year...winter.

What do you think? Is it too early for Christmas shopping, or do you like getting a head start on the holiday season?

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Horseradish Sauce

Horseradish is one of my favorite flavors, and yet, not very common in most recipes or cuisines. Perhaps it is my strong Eastern European heritage, with its cuisine that often incorporates horseradish, that is accountable for my love of horseradish; but I think more likely, it is just the wonderful flavor I enjoy.

Horseradish is commonly used in cocktail sauce, the vibrant tomato condiment used for seafood. It is also wonderful when paired with potatoes or meat. But recently I started tinkering around in the kitchen to come up with a new application for horseradish. After a few thoughts on using horseradish that weren’t up to par, I came up with a simple horseradish sauce that was a home run.

We used this sauce on green beans (with some chicken sausage, sauerkraut and pierogies—the perfect Eastern European dinner, in my humble opinion), but it could be paired with anything you desire. The recipe below has a mild to medium horseradish “kick” to it, but you can easily adjust the flavors to your palate.

Horseradish Sauce

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
½ cup skim milk
1 ½ tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon brown mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper

In a small sauce pan, heat the butter over medium heat until it melts. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, just to cook the raw taste out of the flour, and until the flour is fully incorporated into the butter.

Add the milk and whisk vigorously as to ensure the flour doesn’t lump until the sauce is fully mixed. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

Remove from heat. Add the horseradish, mustard, salt and pepper and stir to fully incorporate.

Taste, and add more horseradish as desired.

Makes about 2/3 cup sauce.

SPC

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Fan Letter Writing!

Getting kids writing can sometimes be a challenge. One fun and authentic writing lesson is to write a fan letter to their favorite athlete. My son is wild about Ichiro so we looked up the fan mail address on his team website , sat down and wrote. My son is only 3 so he dictated the letter to me and I wrote but he drew a picture to go with it. Then the learning was still not over. We took a field trip to the post office, bought a stamp, and mailed the letter away.

It's amazing what a huge hit this was and how with a little creative thinking a reluctant writer can find excitement in the task.

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