KATE WALKER
I’m reading one of Kate Walker’s wonderful Harlequin Mills & Boon Modern romances at the moment. The Konstantos Marriage Demand had somehow slipped behind my teetering tbr pile and, as always, it delivers on her emotional, sexually charged promise.
Her impromptu, generous masterclass posts on the art and craft of writing at the eHarlequin community have won her an enormous following. Her workshops at conferences, at Caerleon and Fishguard are sell out occasions. But you don’t have to travel to Wales to get the benefit of her wisdom and experience.
Her fabulous book, Kate Walker’s Kate Walker's 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance
, has just made it into its third edition and I have a copy, hot off the press, to give away to one lucky visitor to my blog this week.The 12 Point Guide is packed with the essentials that every writer needs.
• How to write emotion
• Why dialogue is the lifeblood of your novel
• Sensuality
• Discovering the vulnerability of your hero
• Pace
• Digging down to the vital “black” moment
• Creating the essential PTQ – page turning quality
Since this a book for writers, for a chance to win the copy sitting on my desk I’m asking you to share a quote from your own writing – maximum 100 words! This isn’t a writing contest – I’m not judging, the winner will be drawn from a hat — but it never hurts to get your work read.
And I’ll add a copy of Mistletoe & the Lost Stiletto to the prize – or another book from my backlist if you’ve already read that one.
Off you go!
“Liz is the biz!” It has to be true, Anna Campbell said so.
23 comments:
"Am sorry Dr. Clay but your wife was brought into my ward in the early hours of this morning, she was involved in a car accident"
"Is this some sort of joke?" his voice was heavy with displeasure at the level people would stoop to get a story.
"Not a joke sir,she is unconscious but her id lists her as Madeleine Clay and you are listed as her next of kin"
"You must have the wrong information, I am neither married nor willing to continue this conversation".
Hi Liz just in case i win(am optimistic), I am the one who was been screaming all over about LucyB, so one of your other books will be nice. I hope you like my piece
Roxi looked about the park, with the soft blue light that radiated from the moon the park seemed to look haunting. Long shadows were cast from the trees; she felt a shiver run down her spine as she tried to peer into that unwavering darkness. A rustle came from the shrubbery beside her; she nearly jumped out of her skin. Though she thought that Devlin should've been declared to a mental hospital the sheer tone of his words had unnerved her somewhat, something felt different about the world. As if suddenly a veil had been lifted from her eyes, the rustle came again.
I could use this book! Especially since I don't have that woman's intuition towards writing steamy romances. ;) My part is from my paranormal romance where the heroine realizes how right the hero is.
Baby names.
Kane absently scrolled up and down the two neat columns of boys and girls names and stopped again at its title: Baby Names.
Why did Rachel have a list of baby names on her computer?
The feeling that something was wrong had hit him as soon as he’d stepped off the elevator and it had only increased when his ever present and punctual assistant had failed to make an appearance. Now there was a list of baby names under a file name similar to his current client and he could feel a headache coming on.
Hi Liz!
I love the Anna Campbell quote :)
Congrats to Joanna and Lou on their excerpts.
The stillness spread as the darkness advanced like a grey cloud overshadowing a valley. Silence swept over the fields and mountains, and the only sound to be heard was the faint swish of leaves flirting with the wind. As if prompted by a silent gong, the animals withdrew to their refuges and left the pastures void of any life. We held our breath as we watched and waited expectantly to be plunged into darkness as the moon covered the sun on a summer afternoon.
--
I've heard such good things about Kate Walker's book, it is already on my wish list.
Later, they lay together under the covers as the English rain pelted down heavily against the windows.
“I love it here, with you. If we never left, I would be happy.” Then she remembered something, “You said that you would tell me one day where your favourite place was.”
Rufus lifted himself up onto one elbow, “Isn’t it obvious? My favourite place is wherever you are.” He lifted a hand to stroke the side of her face, “That’s the only place I intend to be from now on. I’ll make sure of it.”
Tried to buy this book a while ago but it was out of stock!
He wrenched open the door to his vintage Aston Martin. “I’m out of here.”
“Let me drive.”
“Nice try, Spencer. I’m not letting you drive my car. I still remember the time you put a dent in my truck. I’m not that out of control.” He slid into the driver’s seat.
“I was nineteen,” she muttered. “You need to let that go.”
She turned and opened the shower stall, fully prepared to launch into him about needing some help in the mornings. “You’ve been in here for half an hour, do you think you have any skin left?” He opened his eyes and replied, “I’m done. I’m coming out.” Her eyes caught the sinew of his broad shoulders as the water cascaded over him. His muscular arms bulged at the biceps, naturally exuding a brawny strength that enraptured her. She could see the definite lines of his pecs as they flexed with his every movement. She loved this part of his body. She instinctively wanted to reach out and flick the nipples that had puckered in the shower. Her mind instantly jumped to the night before when he had held her so tight against that very same chest, nuzzling her neck with his lips. She started to feel that familiar ache within her. As she raised her eyes to his again, he tilted his head in an open invitation, a playful grin on his face. She quickly stammered “I have to get to work. Remember the kids have soccer tonight!” As she rushed out of the bathroom, she noted the flush to her cheeks in her reflection in the mirror. How did he do that? He managed to elude her lecture once again. Damn that man!
I would love to win this book.
A big bay horse stood looking at them, head up, ears pricked forward. The light breeze stirred his mane and tail, but otherwise the horse was completely still.
Sean thought he'd never seen anything so powerful. The horse snorted and tossed his head, then wheeled around and left the bluff.
Melanie's innocent smile lit her pale blue eyes from the inside. "I want to ride a horse like that someday. I bet it'd be fun going real fast on his back."
That was when Sean decided he liked Melanie with the sunshiney hair more than he liked horses.
“Moki's the housekeeper,” Jesse explained with a pleased grin.
“Yeah, Mrs. Jesse.” The man spoke with the lilt of the islands flowing through every syllable, as if he'd stepped off a plane yesterday. Maybe he had. “You don't track in dirt, leave clothes on the floor or move furniture, we get along.”
Seriously? Everyone else in Texas had a housekeeper named Mrs. Gonzalez, but not Jesse. No, he had to hire a giant who ran the house like a Polynesian Nazi and insisted on attaching her to Jesse like an appendage.
Tres Lagos indeed. More like Three Alohas but not as welcoming.
I let him pull me into his embrace. He pressed his firm lips to mine.
I tried to remember myself, but couldn't. When I was all but lost to him, I pushed on the muscled chest.
There was a giant smack when our lips parted.
His darkest of blue eyes sparkled with amusement.
"Who the hell are you," I asked.
Mac's voice finally broke through. "There's my date for tonight."
A double shot of pure, green-eyed, jealousy flashed through Rachel. She couldn't even turn and look, knowing she'd see Diane dressed for a night out.
Two masculine hands grabbed her shoulders. "Hey, Sis."
She looked up, surprise washing away the jealousy. "Jake!"
"Good at that, ain't she?" Jake grinned. "She hardly ever gets her brothers mixed up."
Rachel looked at Mac in confusion as Jake took a seat. "Didn't you just say . . . ?"
He winked at her. "It's a poker date."
Hi Liz, the Anna Campbell quote is awesome and very fitting!
Please do not put my name in for Kate Walker's 12 Point Guide as I've already bought it, just waiting on delivery. But one of your book would be nice!
Here's the excerpt:
“You’re going the wrong way,” Ava said then asked him, “Isn’t the DiSilva mansion on the other side of the woods?”
“I assumed you lived with old lady Logan, at the end of the road.” Leonardo asked. “I’ll just cut through the woods to the other side, after walking you home.” With a hand at her elbow, he guided her over a rough patch on the path. “So who else stays with you?”
At his touch, she nearly stumbled. She was quite unprepared for her body’s volatile reaction to him.
“Oh, it’s only Gramps and me, since Avril’s been away.” She replied. “Not that she ever is home.” Normally she wouldn’t have said this to a stranger, but apart from being attracted to him, she also felt an uncanny connection with him. As if, she should know him. That felt peculiar to her.
Shakira screeched into the drive of Byron’s cottage and jumped out of her car almost before she’d turned the ignition off.
The white crushed shells crunched beneath her feet as she ran towards the door. She could hear Byron singing along with Bono.
She knocked, and there stood Byron…
…in his off-duty jeans, bare chest, bare feet, hair rumpled from the shower, beer in hand.
‘Shakira!’
‘Byron.’
Her heart was ticking over so fast she thought she might fall at his feet. ‘Can I come in?’
‘Sure.’ He held the door wide open for her. ‘What’s happening?’
‘This.’ Shakira launched herself at him.
Would love to win a copy of Kath's book. Thanks for the chance..:)
Wow, I wander off to do a bit of shopping and cooking and I come back to all this talent.
Loving it :)
Loving it 2, Liz! I love you for posting this fab contest - and I knew you'd have to ask for a question/comment - but I never reckoned on the 100 words thikng. What a great idea! I've been reading - and it's just too tempting. I want to find out what happens in all of these excerpts. . . And Sherry - you can't just end on 'Who the hell are you . . ' and go no further!!
Great excerpts everyone - Ill keep coming back and reading if there are more.
~Liz - again thank you for the wonderful compliments on 12 Point Guide!
PS I meant to say - Anna Campbell is SO right. Liz is the biz!
Thanks for dropping by, Kate - I know how busy you are.
And like you, I'm really enjoying these excerpts.
"The longest day in the life of Sheriff Raelinda McEnnis had started rolling at first light, with Rae being called out to the Carter place on a B&E claim. What was missing was Ed Carter's prize rooster, Jock, a mean, one-eyed old bird that was as much guard dog as it was alarm clock. According to Ed, he knew the bird was gone when he didn't give out his normal wake-up call, which was loud, persistent and startling enough to wake the dead. Resisting the urge to tell Ed that maybe Jock had just "flown the coop", Rae had dutifully taken the report with a properly concerned expression."
Happy Holidays! Thank you for a lovely giveaway : )
Hi Liz:
If anyone wants to read a very comprehensive review of Kate’s book – how it is ideal for teaching writing, learning how to write on your own, and. if you are a writer, how it is one of the best CPs you could have (given its checklists at the end of each chapter), then follow the link below.
http://vmres.blogspot.com/2010/04/still-best-kate-walkers-12-point-guide.html
As a teacher I can tell you that I would love to use this book in a romance writing class.
BTW: I’m reading “Mistletoe & the Lost Stiletto” now. Will you count my review as an entry? Pick any 100 words you want. : )
Vince
What an amazing review, Vince! Very valuable - and I'm like you, I need larger print to make reading easy. One of the reasons I love my eBook.
And 100 words of anything you write is worth reading :)
Here's my 100 (or less)!
Peyton sat on the edge of the tub, the cold fiberglass seeping into her jeans. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the side and tried to take an even breath.
She was pregnant.
Again.
She bit her lip. What was she going to tell Scotty? He was twelve. Sure kids grew up fast nowadays. More so when they spend too much time with their fifteen-year-old cousin who gets suspended from school more often than he attended, but how will her son understand the night he had a sleepover she had one of her own?
He wanted collars and long sleeves, a bell skirt and virginal white or least a soft pastel. He wanted a fresh scrubbed face and pigtails or bouncing curls. He wanted a shy and retiring violet or a bold and sassy tomboy. He wanted a child, a girl on the verge of womanhood, unsure, filled with doubts.
He felt angry, for some unaccountable reason, betrayed. He had come back to deal with an intractable child and faced a cool, poised woman who could smile a false welcome that didn’t light her eyes. That simply wasn’t how it was supposed to be.
great posts, what fun
Thanks so much to all of your for your inspired and inspiring entries. It was great fun reading them all and I'm hoping that some of them will be coming my way between glossy covers in the near future.
I've finally got myself organised, written all your names on bits of paper and had the best beloved drawn a name out of his best panama hat (not the battered one he uses when he's gardening!)
The name that came out of the hat was Linda S - so Linda send me an email at liz at lizfielding dot com with your snail mail addy and I'll get Kate's book in the post, together with a copy of Mistletoe. (If you've already read Mistletoe let me know and I'll substitute it for the something else.)
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