Inspirational Photos for the Mason Siblings Series

It has been a long time since I have posted, and I thank you all for being so understanding! 

Whenever I create a new character in a novel, I always find a picture that inspires me, first. Since I have just finished writing my last novel in the Mason Siblings Series, I thought I would share with you the photos that inspired me to write each character. I have captioned each picture with the character they inspired and the novel their character "starred" in.

Miss Annabel Bradley from Book 1: Love's Misadventure

Lane Mason, seventh Earl of Devon, from Book 1: Love's Misadventure

Charles Bradley from Book 2: The Trouble With Love

Lady Charlotte Mason from Book 2: The Trouble With Love

Barrick Gray, Marquess of Withington, from Book 3: Love and Deceit

Lady Katherine Mason, from Book 3: Love and Deceit

Dr. Simon Claridge, heir to the Earldom of Merrington, from Book 4: Final Battle for Love

Lady Emaline Mason from Book 4: Final Battle for Love

 I worked with both families closely, as you could probably tell. Charles Bradley and Annabel Bradley are brother and sister, and both marry into the Mason family.

At a later date I will post the inspirational pictures for the additional side characters. Many of the spies that are seen in these novels will have the lead in their own novels in my upcoming Seductive Spies series.

Thank you for reading!

Can You Tell I'm Running Low On Time?

Hello, readers!

Once more I must apologize for not being on here all that often. I used to write two to three times per week, but sadly I've slowed to... oh, say once every 6 months. Eeep!

On my last blog post I mentioned all the things that had been keeping me from blogging at that time. Well, since then my twins have been born. We did a little bit of a stay in the hospital, but we've all been out and at home for about five months now. Life has been remarkably hectic, but I still manage to find time for my writing (when hubby is home on the weekends and in the evenings when the kids are sleeping).

I have recently been asked by a blogger if I have any other social media sites, and the answer is yes! I have Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest accounts.

My Facebook I use on a daily basis, doing updates and sharing pictures, etc. Please "like"me if you have an account! I give away prizes every once in a while, you may be a lucky winner! My Twitter I do not use as often, but it still available for those of you who prefer Twitter over Facebook. I also have a Pinterest account where I post fun Regency, scenery, inspirational, and pictures of my favourite things.

Thank you for your continued interest and support!

Tips for Writing a Steamy Love Scene

As a newly self-published Historical Romance author, several people have asked me just how I write those steamy love scenes. So I came up with these few important notes.

-Stay true to character – if the heroine is bashful do not make her the dominant, sexy seductress. If your guy is strong and confident in character, do not turn him bashful.

-Keep it ‘real’ – don’t contort your characters in such a way that the reader will not believe the act is physically possible.

-Use your imagination.

-Keep the reader engaged – static love scenes and repetitive language is not likely to keep anyone’s interest. Stay fresh.

-Use this opportunity to get to know your characters, and allow them to grow. It isn’t just sex, it is a future husband and wife falling for one another.

It is at this point in my blogs in which I usually ask a question to readers. As the content here is of a ‘spicy’ nature, I have chosen to change the topic for my question.

So now I ask you: Do you have any tips for writing that you would like to share?

For the Love of Reading

I love to read. As a mom, nothing quite rivals that moment of silence when the kids are asleep at the end of a long day, and I can sit down with a cup of tea and a good book.

My first novel.

Of course, when I’m in the middle of writing a novel, I abstain from reading; it gets confusing. But that does not stop me from buying books! When I’m writing a novel, I still browse the Romance isle of a bookstore or look online for the latest releases, and add any good finds to my “to-be-read” pile. When I’m done writing and editing, I will happily read through every single book that I purchased. Oh what a wonderful time that is!

As you may have guessed, I’m a Romance reader (and writer). Historical Romance to be precise. Although it is not all that I’ve read, it is generally what I prefer to read. I enjoy the adventure, the steam, the dictates of society in Regency England, the settings, and the fashion. Quite frankly, I think it is safe to say that there is nothing that I do not like about novels set in the Regency era.

Some of my favorite Historical Romance authors include Sabrina Jeffries, Celeste Bradley, Suzanne Enoch, Karen Hawkins, Lisa Kleypas, and Tracy Anne Warren. They are all excellent at writing Historical Romance. In fact, most of these women are part of a blog I follow, called The Goddess Blogs; check it out, it's good fun!

Like I mentioned, Romance is not all I read. I am very much enamored of ‘classic’ novels/writings, such as the work of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, the Bronte sisters, Daniel Defoe, and the works of Shakespeare. I also quite enjoyed the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling.

So now I ask you: What genre of books do you generally enjoy? Who are your favourite authors? Any tips on books that are a good read?