MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Magnificent! There's a reason Dame Agatha was called the Queen of Crime... it's because she was an amazing writer. This is my first Christie read, and now I know what all the fuss is about. Her mysteries are just as fascinating on the page as they are on the screen, and Murder on the Orient Express is every bit as fantastic a puzzle to read as it is to view.

I love the wit and subtlety of the writing, the small telling touches that bring to life not only Hercule Poirot but all the other characters. It's all so effortless and captivating.

I'm thrilled to think how many wonderful Christie reads I now have ahead of me!

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Naughty new cover for DESIGNED FOR SIN

Find out about books by "Dorothy Starr" here! ;)

Mid January update

I don't have any new covers or anything just at the moment, so I thought this cute new shot of Simon the Not Stray would make a nice alternative. Isn't he a handsome fellow? What a noble profile! :)

So, what's happening right now, with half of January already gone? I've been pretty busy since the beginning of the year, sorting out various stuff, writing, editing, trying to come up with new ideas. At the moment, I've finishing checking the page proofs for my 1st March Samhain title FAR FROM PERFECT. I'm really, really excited about this release because for the first time in a long time, it's not an erotica release. Far From Perfect is highly sensual, but not graphic. It's a category length contemporary, with a luscious alpha hero, Niccolo Lisitano, a rich and glamorous Italian businessman and sometime playboy. Nick is gorgeous, sexy, a perfect male specimen... but his complex relationship with Anna, the heroine, is hugely problematical, in fact, far from perfect... ta da!

What else have I been up to? Well, I've been working on an idea/outline for another Harlequin Spice book, to follow up my first one IN THE FLESH. Spice #2 is another hot Victorian story with central couple who have just as thorny a relationship and the above mentioned Anna and Nick. Adela and Wilson also have 'history', emotional and family complications that mean they are at odds as much as in lust with each other. I've subbed their story outline to my editor, and I'm hoping she'll be as excited about it as I am because I'd love to write Adela and Wilson's fiery story.

I'm also happy and delighted that I've already made a sale, even though it's only January. Legendary editor Rachel Kramer Bussel has accepted my story Concubine for her forthcoming anthology Obsessed. Am thrilled to be in this one because there are lots of wonderful writers involved.

Not so much resolutions, more guidelines...

It's no use me making cast iron resolutions at the beginning of the year, because my willpower has the consistency of a poorly set blancmange, and I know I'll only falter and fail miserably in some of the things I resolve to do. But I am going to try a bit harder in some areas...

1. going to try not to put off important decisions because they are uncomfortable
2. going to try not to be scared of things and people
3. going to try and keep doing a bit of writing every day, so as not to lose contact with my muse and my projects
4. going to try to keep reading more and maybe sample new genres and subgenres
5. going to try and be a bit more organised
6. going to try and procrastinate less generally
7. going to try not to go ballistic over small setbacks and disappointments, and to maintain a more c'est la vie outlook
8. going to try and self publish something
9. going to try and do something about the Dumpster Office of Doom [yeah, I know I said that last year]

I'm sure there are other things, and I might post about them later, but that seems like a reasonable list... and I'm just trying to do this things, not saying I'm going to do them... and then end up feeling pathetic because I didn't. :)

Thought for the New Year!

Found a link to this clip on a great author message board that I frequent, Romance Divas, and I thought it was an apt sentiment for the start of a new year. 

No brooding on the mistakes and mis-steps of the past. It's the fun and the challenges ahead that are important. Here's hoping that 2011 is a brilliant year for us all! 

ps. also appropriate for my March 2011 Samhain release FAR FROM PERFECT, which has a hot Italian hero who likes to drive fast cars! :) 

Happy New Year!

Look at this beaut!

Isn't this cover for the Mammoth Book of Hot Romance gorgeous?

My contribution is FIRE AND ICE, a somewhat wintry story with a warm, naughty centre. Lots of other fabulous authors between the covers too, notably my super writing buddy, Saskia Walker!

Seasons Greetings!

The God of the Hive

The God of the Hive by Laurie R. King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wonderful! I devoured this at top speed, desperate to know the resolution of the story that began in the previous book.

There were some great new supporting characters in God of the Hive. I'm not usually a fan of child characters, but I found Estelle to be very likable. And I loved Robert Goodman! He was intriguing and playful, tragic and yet somehow triumphant. With his blond puckishness, he somehow reminded me of my own current muse... ;)

I thoroughly enjoyed this fine addition to the Russell/Holmes saga and now I can't wait for The Pirate King next year.

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I'm Christmas visiting today...

with my buddy Madelynne Ellis, who's running a fun Advent calendar at the moment. Behind today's door there's a saucy excerpt from A GENTLEWOMAN'S PREDICAMENT!

Advent Calender Day 19: Portia Da Costa

The *other* Patrick and Miranda

Because I'm a colossal doofus and my memory is a bit dodgy, I've managed to write two pieces of fiction lately where the names of the hero and heroine are Patrick and Miranda. I'm not sure how I've got fixated on the name Miranda, unless it's because this wonderful lady is so funny, but obviously, the name Patrick is derived from my current Muse, the divine Patrick Jane, the clever yet tragic central character in The Mentalist.

A couple of days ago, I linked to an excerpt of TOUCH OF HEAVEN, my late 2011 paranormal erotic romance novella from Samhain - in which Patrick #1 is the mysterious and hunky next door neighbour of Miranda #1.

Today I have a link to the story of Patrick #2 and Miranda #2. This Miranda is a successful and dynamic businesswoman who's a bit of a workaholic and desperately needs a bit of downtime and a change of scene. Luckily, she has a remarkable and rather gorgeous male PA, who also happens to be called Patrick. When the pair go for a drive in the country, their roles are reversed, and Miranda discovers that the super efficient and normally subservient Patrick is actually a thrillingly dominant lover with a taste for kinky fun.

Why not not check them out as they set out on their excursion...

A VERY PERSONAL ASSISTANT

Unfortunately, there's a little bit of a wait to read the full story. It'll be published by Harlequin Spice Briefs in March 2012.

THE LANGUAGE OF BEES

The Language of Bees by Laurie R. King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another wonderful installment of Mary Russell's memoirs. I was a little bit slower to become immersed in this one than some of the others, but once I really got stuck in, I was as captivated as ever.

I think the slight problem for me was that I've never been a fan of Irene Adler, and have been even less fond since I discovered Mary! So it wasn't easy to warm to Adler's son, initially.

Clearly, it wasn't a problem with the writing, just my own prejudices. I've become quite protective of Mary and Sherlock's relationship and don't want echoes of past loves to intrude.

Silly, I know, but it just shows how skilfully the memoirs are written and how deeply I've been drawn into them. :)

Naturally now, I'm dying to read THE GOD OF THE HIVE!

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