AWOL...

I know. It was inevitable. I mean with all the kids and stuff, there are going to be some patches where I'm not posting as often as I'd like. AND I've started my next book and am on the 1000 words a day (min) grind again. Which I love. And secretly I wish I had WAY more hours in which to blast it. It's such fun at this point. They've just met. Sparks are flying and there's so much fun in store for them! ;)
At the moment I'm going with Zach - but that could change.
Meanwhile, I'm about to start a pedometer challenge. I am the stay-at-home-mum representative in a 5 day challenge The Press is running. Check out the profile in the paper this saturday for my opponents. I think there's going to be a police officer, a nurse, a school kid...
I can't let the side down - need to step it out/up!
All while writing a new book and doing the behind the scenes promo stuff...
Life sure is busy!

Who's the boss?

Now this is what I LOVE about my cover - a few of you have asked the question... who is the boss... and that is sooooo fabulous. I love it that I can have my lovely alpha hero AND a heroine that is smart, funny, confident and every bit his equal... (ok, they have differing, complementary strengths).
That ROCKS.
I love it that she's teasing him (which she does, they have a playful side to their relationship) and I love her stockings in the background - she does wear stockings...
My DD loves the pink writing!

Meanwhile, I'm going with Rhys and Zach at this stage. Need to be obviously male for the back cover copy apparently... and we just want MANLY...

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Sooooooooooooooo Exciting!!!!!

The most exciting thing just happened - I found my COVER on Amazon!!! Check it out here...
Once I have my permissions sorted and figure out this whole blogger thing a bit more I'll post on on the side there...
Meanwhile, she's gorgeous, he's gorgeous, its fun and playful and just perfect for those characters! They LOOK like my Lissa and Rory!
What FUN!!!!!

Back to names tomorrow - this is too cool for now!

What's in a name?

OK, so I have to come up with first names for TWO heros (cos I'm working on the outlines for two new books). Now I find naming heros hard - there just aren't that many boy's names I like. By the time I've vetoed all the family names, ex-boyfriend's names - there aren't that many of those! ;), husbands of best friends names etc - well, the list just gets ever shorter.
Add to this the criteria where we want it to most definitely be a gender specific name (no Alex or Billy etc where it could in fact be a woman - yes, I've had to change my mind about Alex) and also a reasonably short name that's easy to say...

Any ideas?

Nappy changes = kazillion as ever; Did manage an extra long shower tho! VG!!

Esprit de Richie

Bridgey says:

"Am finding this whole rugby player as romantic hero thing quite interesting- there was a time, not that long ago Nats that you and I wouldn't have known a rugby player from Adam..."

- so true! But that's what being married to a Good Kiwi Bloke does for you ... you get to watch rugby. And well, one might as well pass the time admiring the men in their tight AllBlacks tops - I mean let's face it, that's why they're tight. It's nothing to do with aerodynamics or performance... purely aesthetic for the lay-dies in the audience...

But a rugby player as a romance hero?

Point to note - the character ain't gonna be a rugby player. Not a sports star or anything like it. But he will have certain qualities...
I guess what I'm looking for is, as I said earlier, a leader - someone who can command a group of men and (dare I say it?) a woman; someone who is an achiever - driven, highly focused, who tastes success from an early age and chases more, and of course someone who has a particularly fine physique...
But he can also be cheeky, my kind of hero is still on the young side, still fresh, flirty... ok a bit cocky.
Ultimately it's not so much a pretty face, as the essence of M.A.N.
So sorry Dan, you're cute, but you're not the leader-type I need...
I guess that's why it was and always will be Richie...
... and as Jude points out, he'd look great in a kilt!
(Legs again, need good legs for this one).

Ummmmm, Stephen Fleming????? Ya gotta be kidding me!

Michael Jordan is a possibility though! As for Euan - absolutely. But I think Clive beats him to it for my older, more angsty one...

Right-oh, off to check out the Fernando guy...

Nappy changes = too many, including TWO major leakages - ick!
Baby Puke tee-shirt changes = 2 (note to Bridgey - I have TWO refluxy babies. That equals a LOT of puke)

Richie's Royalties...

Dear dl - you know I'm really not sure who you are - have a couple of suspicions but I don't think 'dl' are your real initials so I'm going to say 'dl' must be 'Dream Lover' - is that really you Richie?! ;)
LOL.
Richie need not worry about his image on my blog - after all, it is a homage to his image. And if he DOES become my Alex, and Alex does end up published, why then I'd have to send Richie a copy wouldn't I? (Signed no less? Should I include phone number?)
Payment enough.
Bridgey you were indeed in on that convo and I knew your camp immediately ;)
But Dream Lover raises an interesting argument -
Valentine's for Non-marrieds? Anniversaries for Marrieds?
Hey, why can't we have it all?! Double the flowers, double the fun...

SG - here's another Bonnie number to take you through your day...

Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming round
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit terrified and then I see the look in your eyes
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart

Daniel Craig is a little too blonde for me but Clive Owen is a DEFINITE contender for the hero in the second book I'm contemplating at the moment - that little older and more angsty looking...

hmmmm

But Alex needs to be young and nawty but with really good legs (hence the rugby player fixation). And so I bring you Richie's competition:





What do you think? Dan or Richie?

And I need you now tonight
And I need you more than ever
And if you only hold me tight
We'll be holding on forever
And we'll only be making it right
Cause we'll never be wrong together
We can take it to the end of the line
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time
I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark
We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight.....

Happy things...

I got a Valentine's card today. Now wasn't that nice? And you know it reminded me of a conversation I had with some girlfriends last Valentine's Day where our little buddy group fell into two camps...

1. The 'it's all gone commercial and hubby should show me he loves me every day' ladies and the
2. 'Yes I know that and he does but I'm still wanting the flowers and dinner thanks all the same' ladies...

Hmmmm. Which side are you on?

For me, well my wedding anniversary was only a few days ago and it tends to overshadow Valentine's and right now the way things are so busy at home... I'm happy with a wink and a smile and a rendevous in the shower at 11pm... whoa! Too much info! ;)


Nappies changed by me = 13. (Unlucky, I got the preschoolers BIG one).
No. of times up in the night = 4 (ok. maybe I was checking to see if editor had emailed as well... LOL).
Tee-shirt changes = 1. Better.

I need a hero...

.. I'm holding out for a hero til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight...

.... ok. Not going to write lyrics to 80s pop tunes the entire post.
But, Ms SG, what a challenge - you don't think Richie's the one? Hmmm, I'll come up with an alternative for you then. Closer to home? ;) But Richies a Cantab, just like me!

I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life...

- so true Bonnie. So true.

Meanwhile, as my life is dominated by basic baby care, am planning a daily summary to save boring recital of domestic duties- a la Ms B Jones...
Nappies changed by me=4; Nappies changed by DH=10. VG.
No. of tee-shirt changes due to baby puke=3. Must do better.
No. of times actually left the house=2. Not bad!

There's a first time for everything...

Wahoo! I'm finally here! Been meaning to get this up and running for a few weeks now but what with one thing and another... well, no more excuses!

I'm Natalie, a new writer for Mills & Boon Modern Extra and very excited to be able to say my first book will be released in May in the UK. I'm getting together with another couple of May debutantes - Donna Alward and Michelle Willingham and we're going to come up with some easy and fun way for you to get hold of all three books! Now won't that be fun?

(Freebies anyone? Anyone??)

Well there are loads of things to say and do, I'm still gathering my list of useful websites and blogs I read (not that half of them know it - secret stalker that I am) and I am building a website so please pop back sometime soon and tell me what you think when I finally get personalised.

Meantime, can I interest you in a little inspiration? I'm in the process of dreaming up another couple of stories and am thinking our Richie here might just be my Alex. I need a leader, an achiever and someone very, very strong.

I know, I know. He's young - a kid. Just give him five more years. Meantime check out the body. And the possibility of naughty in the eyes...

nothing wrong with cocky?

For those of you who mightn't know, he's the captain of the All Blacks - New Zealand's rugby team. Some say he's the greatest player in the world right now...

... anyone care to play?