First I would like to thank my hostess for giving a new author the ability to chat on the day of her first release. Thank you, thank you.

Next, my name is Brigit Aine. I am a 36 year old mother of 2 (including one teenager). I am married, have a “day” job and write when I get the chance. I am very excited about the release of my very first fun, flirty, sexy novel “Red’s Wolf”. This is a classic fairytale with a great adult twist to it. Writing it was a ton of fun and I am really excited that Absolute XPress picked it up.

“Red’s Wolf” was the culmination of many starts and stops for me. It has been a lot of fun and actually turned out to be the start of a trilogy… or perhaps more. The 2nd book is with the editor of Absolute XPress now and I am hoping to hear back soon.
My own unique twist to the fairytale, outside of the adult factor, is that everyone in the town of Torrent, where I have set the story, has their own special ability. So as the stories progress, it isn’t just werewolves that are introduced. This has made for a great time researching some out of the way talents and incorporating other things that are important in my life into my stories.

“Red’s Wolf” is out today at Absolute XPress, http://www.absolute-x-press.com in e-book form for $2.95 or at Amazon in print form.

Please take a look.

I am also here all day so feel free to ask a question or leave a comment, I’ll be sure to get back to you.

Brigit Aine

Yep, a Red Letter Day for me… and a humungous learning curve. And yes, I’m here treating myself to a glass of Old Brown Sherry (it’s winter here in South Africa, and Old Brown is something of a tradition…) and feeling just a little smug and Cheshire-Cat pleased with myself… I have that kind of warm fuzzy feeling that comes along once in a while, and I’m gonna make the most of every minute of it!

So, you might well ask, why the self-satisfied smirk? Well I just did something I never thought I would. Not only that, I did a pretty darn good job of it too (even if I do say so myself). I DID MY OWN COVER for A Thick Black Line!

It’s an odd thing, really, how we writers somehow assume that our poor cover artists have a masters in mind reading… of course they can see right into our little writer heads and instantly transform the slightly fuzzy picture there into a masterpiece. What was I thinking? I have to tell you, cover artists now inhabit a place of awe and respect in my world…

First of all, there’s the matter of hunting for images… which of course have to look exactly like the couple in said little writer head. Nothing less will do. I just hadn’t realised how long it takes to hunt through megazillions of images, or how hard it is to find just the right hair colour, expression, mood, not to mention age… oh, and of course, couples with clothes on (once you’ve cropped and sized that wonderful him and her image, both in swimwear, you seem to end up with two people who look decidedly like they’re both stark naked…)

So fine, yippedy-do, we find and buy the image. Then we have to choose a background, the other significant bits that need to be brought in without detracting from the couple while providing important clues as to the plot, the feel, the mood of the book. Then it’s the text – which kind, how big, what colour… all on one line, or separated over two or more?… where exactly, how to balance it with the images…

Like I said, a learning curve… getting your (very) basic graphics software to behave like Photoshop is a challenge all on its own, not to mention which to fade and which not to fade, and how to avoid the different components looking like they’ve just be cut and pasted (which they have, lol, but shouldn’t look like it…)

Still it was worth the effort. And I’m really glad I made this somewhat lunatic excursion into the realm of cover artistry. (It might have frazzled the mind en route, but I think once I’ve got over that it will also have broadened it a little). And, aside from the stress and anxiety while awaiting the publisher’s response, it was a whole lotta fun. Fortunately the publisher thought it was great (and spared me the urgh! of having to deal with rejection, lol), and I now get to enjoy the fruits of my labours (and my dementia!) for a long time to come…

And here it is – my “masterpiece” (which I keep sneaking a look at) for the cover of A Thick Black Line which is due for release very soon. Just the right sense of the dramatic, the sinister, and the romance – and living proof that we can do pretty much anything if we’re committed enough. And I’ve included the blurb below so you can see what I mean…

Blurb:

Bo Carmichael has drawn a thick black line around her heart, and with good reason. She has worked hard to overcome the anguish of betrayal and the devastation it wreaked in her family’s lives, and she’s now close to realizing her dreams. There simply isn’t place in this equation for emotional entanglements, especially not with Nic Sinclaire, the only man who has the ability to breach her defenses.

From their first encounter, an impossible chemistry rages between them – a crackling heat that threatens to melt the ice surrounding her.

A bizarre twist makes Nic a constant companion and self-appointed protector. As Bo’s barriers shift and crumble, she can no longer ignore the powerful emotions his proximity evokes…

Here’s the link: http://www.bookstrand.com/product-athickblackline-13953-330.html

Thanks for letting me share – I’ll chat again soon.
Jude

Hey everyone! As promised, I’m going to share a little on the Classic Romance Revival, and what it’s all about…

We all know that a lot of things have changed in the Romance Books industry, and you’ll find any number of “new” genres out there. Since the advent of the “ebook”, the erotic and menage genre’s have grown in popularity and many of the publishers have altered course – or at least shifted their priorities – to accommodate this new demand and I think it’s safe to say that more than a few authors have struggled to find publishers to take on their “classic” romance work. I’ve been fortunate. Others haven’t been so lucky. Either way it seems the sizzle is around to stay and has definitely created a voice for itself in the marketplace.

But what about “classic” romance? As a writer who works strictly in the sweet / sensual range, I’ve found the issue a hugely interesting one and have made a point of trundling around in cyberspace, reading blogs, group discussions, forums… A lengthy process, but one which led me to believe that classic romance is alive and that there is a demand for the genre out there, albeit on a smaller level. I encountered any number of readers, and writers, bemoaning the seemingly absent “voice” of classic romance, almost as if it was a genre that was, or at least seemed on the verge of, dying out completely.

That’s where Classic Romance Revival was born – the concept was simply to gather together readers and writers of classic romance, to create a place where they could interact, support one another and find what they were looking for – a common voice. I have been astounded at the enthusiastic response and the encouragement. In just one month our Yahoo group has grown to 90, our blog is doing exceptionally well and our CRR Reviews starting to attract attention. The website is next, with all sorts of exciting things planned…

Like most other things, it requires hard work, commitment to the vision, and a willingness on behalf of everyone to participate. A group is only as good as its members. But I do believe that there is a bright future ahead, and that the group will grow and strengthen, and restore Classic Romance to the marketplace as a genre worthy of respect. We believe in the traditional values of Classic Romance, and our authors cover a wide field from sweet through sensual to sophisticated romance with books that encompass all these values and provide solid plots, multi-dimensional characters and great writing talent.

Great readers, great writers, great books… What more can you ask for?

To find out more and peek at the blog, or to join the group, click on the relevant banners below. Or email me on admin@classicromancerevival.com.

The Revival Has Only Just Begun!!

Take care, and see you there,
Jude

As any author will tell you, we have a peculiar relationship with reviews… First, you wait. And wait. Then wait some more. During this time, all kinds of things go through your head. They all hate your book and can’t think of a kind way to tell you… The blurb didn’t catch their attention and so no-one will ever read it… And so it goes…

At the same time, though, you wait with a kind of excited, fearful expectancy, scouring the review lists and holding your breath each time you check your mail. Then, when it finally does come, it gets dissected and analysed and reread a gazillion times, and every little nuance is turned over until it’s just about worn out. That’s what we do. Of course, as authors we want everyone to love our work. As humans, with all the frailties of “normal” people, we seem set to imagine the worst, to even look for it.

What I’ve come to see is that reviews are a lot like mirrors… and we all know what mirrors are like! Like the ones in the fitting rooms – have you ever noticed that all of them are sort of murky and seem to be especially designed to make you look as bad as possible? I usually promise myself to mention this to the management (doesn’t seem like very good sales policy to me??) but most times end up so frustrated and depressed that I forget.

And wouldn’t we all like a mirror that told us exactly what we wanted? The latest version of “mirror mirror on the wall”, except this time it couldn’t tell the truth, only what you needed to hear… Dream on, I guess. But it’s a nice thought, and definitely beats the typical fitting room mirror reality hands down.

Still, a lot of the time we see exactly what we expect to see, whether it be good or bad. Most times, in typical human fashion, it’s the bad. I’ve made a choice to look at the review mirror as a positive thing, irrespective of the outcome. Even criticism, if handled correctly, can be a useful learning tool – so long as I keep in mind that it’s impossible to please everyone all of the time. I find it immensely interesting looking at my work through the eyes of others, and I’m learning to evaluate and decide for myself what is relevant and how far to take it.

Okay, so I’ve been lucky. I haven’t yet had a really snarky review to deal with, and I sincerely hope I never do! But I write for the love of it, and because it’s something I simply have to do, like breathing. I don’t want that to change. Ever. I never want to write to please people, but rather to please people because I write. And I want to keep learning, and to hear what other people have to say, even if it sometimes isn’t exactly what I want to hear… And, most of all, I want to keep believing in what I do, and in myself.

If you’d like to peek into my review mirrors and see what they have to say, here are the links:

http://www.reviewyourbook.com/review.cfm?reviewid=1571

“Romance is in the air from the moment Josie met Cade. The sparks of anger and love fly between these two. The plot is endearing and the characters likable. Still Running by Judah Raine is sure to please the most astute fan of romance.” (5 Stars)

http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2009/04/still-running-by-judah-raine.html (4 Books)
“Still Running is a wonderful story that I found to be a very entertaining read. Josie’s journey as she learns to stop running is one that many should enjoy.”

http://www.classicromancerevival.com/blog/?p=243 (5 Wings)
The Look by Judah Raine is a sweet romance with lots of romantic tension and a glorious Happily Ever After. This reviewer read it on a rainy afternoon in one sitting and was transported to South Africa and the strong, protective arms of Blake Thornton.

Okay, I’m off to play “catch-up” – see you soon!
Jude