Natalie Anderson

Cute Kitten Pictures!!!

2012-01-27T13:25:00.000+13:00

You want to see them, right?! Then get ye over to LoveCats and see the pics of our two little cuties plus our bigger cutie called Curious :)

AND you have another chance to win MELT coming up soon over at The Caffeinated Diva - the blog goes up Friday US time, so be sure to go and leave a comment!

Blogging it...

2012-01-26T09:04:00.002+13:00

all over the place this week - come let me know whether you're a summer or winter person over at Manic Readers today to be in to win a copy of MELT, and I'm over at Entangled in Romance too - come and say hi!!!

52 Books: 3. Mackenzie's Mission by Linda Howard

2012-01-24T10:17:00.001+13:00

Who doesn't love a Flyboy???

Like his father before him, Joe Mackenzie was as wild as the wind, and not about to settle down. But he couldn't ignore a challenge - and Caroline Evans was just that.
Caroline was bright, beautiful and determined to keep her distance. But Joe had another mission in mind... making her his own.

This was such a great book and absolutely what I needed this week - a full on alpha hero with an intelligent, formidable heroine to match him. I loved the dialogue, the action and those steamy scenes - and I also loved the bit in Linda Howard's letter to readers at the beginning where she says she wrote a whole 'nother version of Joe's story that she scrapped and then started again with this one. So nice to hear as I completely overhaul my latest story myself!!!!!

Meanwhile, you head over to Pimpin' Reads - where I am today, talking about Summer vs Winter - do come and say hi!!!

It's a party!!!!

2012-01-18T11:54:00.000+13:00

Over at the LoveCats we're welcoming Annie West and Emmie Dark!!! Do come on over as there's a HUGE swag giveaway - in fact, there's two of them!!!

Giveaway over at The Wormhole!!!

2012-01-17T08:09:00.003+13:00

Get thee to The Wormhole - first stop on a blog tour for Melt!!! You'll find an interview and a giveaway of a copy of MELT as well. And here's what Beverly at The Wormhole said in her review:

Hunter and Emma are wonderfully created characters. They interact from the start with fun, flirty personalities...
An entertaining, fun, fast read. I enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the story. The ending was exactly what I was hoping for...

52 Books: 2. The Invention of Hugo Cabret

2012-01-15T21:29:00.000+13:00

The book I've been reading this week is children's book The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. The movie was released here in New Zealand just this week and I'd promised my eldest that we'd get the book, read it and then I'd take her to see the film with a friend.

She'd gotten Brian Selznick's latest book, Wonderstruck for Christmas and loved it but Hugo hadn't been easily available. Now, just two weeks later with the movie out, the book is back in shops and YAY that it is. There is something so wonderful about a massive, hardback that is just so richly and lushly illustrated. It is like dipping into a magical world - which of course, we are.

I love the whole presentation of the book - the text pages as much as the illustrations. It is just gorgeous. And the story is a heart-melting one too. It has so many classic elements of a great children's story - the mystery, the orphan, the isolation and grief, the discovery of friends, the fear of being found out - and the magic world that he discovers. And it doesn't let you down - it's a wonderful story. I just loved it. So did my daughter.

We went to the movie this afternoon - and loved that just as much although it does differ from the book (as movies tend to do). But it was such a treat to watch - I'd wondered HOW Martin Scorcese was going to get across the wordlessness - that sense of story-without-text which the book does so well - but he did - so much of that first part of the movie was ultra-visual (of course, given it was a movie, but you know what I mean??) but there seemed to be very little dialogue and yet so much expression was conveyed. Beautifully done. And it was so, so rich in terms of colour and the 3D element was magical. Both book and movie were fabulous :)

Sigh. I really want to go to Paris again.

The Naked Hero...

2012-01-14T21:19:00.000+13:00

I'm over at The Naked Hero today talking about when a hero really IS a hero - come and say hi!

... Plus the gorgeous Nicola Marsh is talking about my Walk on the Wild Side at her blog :)

Confessions of a former librarian...

2012-01-13T09:36:00.001+13:00

... my first library job was in the university library when I was studying for my BA - Music & Fine Art Collection - the BEST student job, gorgeous books to browse through, spiffy students studying at the tables nearby... I had to cover those big, beautiful art books too with this very expensive plastic protective stuff. I loved doing it - something my kids will never believe when they see the way I shriek at the darn coverseal for their school books!
Anyway, I ended up going on to do a Masters in Library Studies and learned how to Dewey. But here's the thing, I am SHOCKING with overdue books. Just shocking. I had one particular book out for YEARS. (Accidentally I might add, we moved house). Yes, I reckon I've paid for a fair number of new books for the collection what with the fines I racked up. And so I should, overdue books is BAD FORM.
As is talking in the library, which I may be guilty of at times too...
I've tried to get better, honest - my fine yesterday was only a dollar which is the best I've been in ages. And in the modern public library at least, a little chitter chatter is acceptable. While the big library is still closed due to earthquake damage, our local branch round-the-corner has reopened and is sooooooooooo busy it's wonderful.
There is nothing like browsing the non-fiction shelves when I'm in brainstorming mode (the point where I'm currently at). Right now I have an Encyclopedia of Mythology, a dreams interpretation book, a graphic designers at home' book and a 'how to be glamourous' book by the desk. (My new heroine is going to be VERY glam - or at least, appear to be!). And they're not enough, I'm going back today for more of a wander between the shelves, choosing books by their cover like you're not supposed to do. AND I'n going to return some of the books I got yesterday already - ha! No more fines this week!!!

Do you always return on time???

52 Books: 1. The Most Coveted Prize

2012-01-10T20:37:00.003+13:00

Over at the Pink Heart Society last week I talked about my resolutions and goals for the New Year - one was to read more. I've set myself the not-impossible aim of at least one book a week. To hold myself to account, I'm going to tell you all right here what that book was each week :) And I'd love it if you share with me what you've been reading too!

And yes, I'm a little past the first week already (I did read it last week, but didn't get to blog it. Blame the deadline). Anyway, when it came to picking a first book of the year, there was only one author to turn to.

I was very saddened to learn that Penny Jordan had passed away just over a week ago. I never had the privilege of meeting her, but I have read so many of her books. She was an absolute inspiration to me as a writer and as a reader, I adore her work. There was a lovely tribute to her over at the PHS.

So my first book for 2012 was The Most Coveted Prize - a 2011 release from Penny Jordan, featuring one very ruthless hero and a sweet heroine who learns to deal with him. I read it in one sitting and loved it.

The Most Coveted Prize.

His latest acquisition…
Russian oligarch Kiryl Androvonov has one rival: billionaire Vasilii Demidov. Luckily, Vasilii has an Achilles’ heel – his younger, over-protected half-sister Alena...
Kiryl’s master plan is to seduce the tantalisingly beautiful Alena. Then, once he’s had his fill, use her to blackmail Vasilii for the contract that will complete his business empire. It’s a winner-takes-all situation for the Russian tycoon, as Alena herself might well be the most coveted prize of all.
Until she discovers just how ruthlessly Kiryl has been using her…
RUSSIAN RIVALS
Demidov vs Androvonov – let the most merciless of men win…

What did you read and love this week?

Fresh Flirting & Sexual Tension...

2012-01-07T09:37:00.000+13:00

More reviews are in for MELT!

Night Owl Reviews says,

...the flirting is fresh and full of double entendre at every turn. And while Emma fights it almost every step of the way, they become friends long before they eventually become lovers. Both characters were multi-dimensional, both dealing with past hurts and betrayals. Both taking the opportunity to learn there are no fairytales, sometimes you have to work for something you truly want... a great look into life on the bases of Antarctica.

And Guilty Pleasures Reviews says,

I really like the fact that even though there was not a lot of smexin' in MELT, there was a lot of sexual tension between Hunter and Emma, there were several moments when he would simply touch her or look at her that made me catch my breath.

Emma is strong, funny and not scared to go after what she wants. Hunter is a super sexy Alpha, the kind of hero you fall in love with instantly. He is flirty, silly, caring and has emotional baggage. If I wouldn't have fallen in love with Hunter at the beginning of the book, I would have during the Christmas scene.
...MELT is a delightful read. If you like fun, emotional, sexy reads, do not pass on reading MELT.

I'm so pleased people are enjoying Hunter & Emma's story!

A new addition to the collection...

2012-01-06T12:48:00.000+13:00

Black & White Spiral Heart by Ntwowe
http://www,freedigitalart.net

A while back I talked about my black and white flower collection over at LoveCats and just recently I got a new one to add to the collection. Strictly it's not black but a deep reddish brown. The reason I love it so much and am letting it under the net is it's scent - Coco Chanel is a kind of chocolate Cosmos daisy - and yes, it actually smells of chocolate - yum!!! It's in a pot at the moment and when my new writing shed is built (more on that later) I'm going to put it under my window so the delicious chocolate scent will waft in to torment me - bliss! It has bright yellow pollen which is a bit of a giveaway as one of my five year olds discovered. I found her the other morning wandering round with a distinct yellow smudge on the tip of her nose.
"Have you been smelling the chocolate daisy?" I asked. She giggled and asked how I knew - total no brainer!

One Coco Chanel, chocolate cosmos daisy,
with the white geranium behind.

I've always loved these daisies - we used to have one when I was growing up and when I wrote the book His Mistress by Arrangement (Bedded by Arrangement in UK/Oz) I had an artist heroine who specialised in botanical drawings. She was illustrating a book that explained Floriography (the language of flowers) and referred to herself as a chocolate cosmos daisy (as she had a chocolate addiction!). It was such fun to add it in to the story :)

I do think it's amazing that there's a flower that smells just like chocolate!!! Nature is marvellous.

Writerly Resolutions

2012-01-04T12:00:00.000+13:00

Credit: Environment Balance
by Pixomar

I'm over at the Pink Heart Society today talking about those much loved/much hated resolution things - come and join me!

New Year, New Reviews :)

2012-01-03T08:00:00.000+13:00

I've had some lovely reviews come in for MELT - my holiday novella available now with Entangled Publishing

Jennifer at Romance Novel News said:

“Melt” is a great holiday read that is perfect for readers during this cold, holiday season (for those of us in the northern hemisphere at any rate).

I found “Melt” to be a cute and charming romance. The exotic setting rocked, and I felt as if I was l learning something about life in Antarctica (i.e. about all of the condoms that are shipped down there suggesting that there is quite a night life)...

Take a journey down and give “Melt” a try. It will put a smile on your face and give you an intriguing glimpse into life near the South Pole.

Nas of Romance Book Paradise said this in her online review:

MELT is a story which has a strong conflict and sizzling sexual tension. The characters are smart and sharp-witted and match up perfectly... the hero is alpha yet he flirts and is a funny loveable character who is not serious all the time! It was a pleasure to meet Hunter and go with him on his journey to discover love. And Emma was witty and charming. This was a fun read and the ending was simply excellent!

While other readers over at Amazon have been commenting too:

I just couldn't wait to read Natalie Anderson's book 'Melt'. I'm so glad I left the pile of books on my floor for another day...

I loved these two people. Both had sad pasts but it wasn't over done. They seemed real, the dialogue was real and I loved the setting. A fabulous read and a very satisfying HEA.

This is a little gem of a story, romantic, sexy, and funny, with a fascinating setting and warm and humorous characters. Highly recommended for a Christmassy read!

Natalie Anderson delivers another flirty, fun filled, page turner. One of Ms. Anderson's strengths is her witty dialogue and there isn't long to wait in this novella as a unique meet-cute leads to some saucy conversation on page two which is carried on throughout the story.

I'm so pleased readers are responding to this novella and having fun reading it! :)

And in other fun news, I was chuffed to learn that PLEASURED IN THE PLAYBOY'S PENTHOUSE (the one turned into a Manga the other week) has been riding high in the Australian iTunes charts - spotted at number 2 in the top 100 romance chart and number 25 in the top 100 book downloads - up there with the Dukkan Diet and the new bio-book by One Direction - yay!!! :)

If you're in Oz and want to buy my books from iTunes click here.

Sweet Treats...

2012-01-01T08:00:00.002+13:00

Our first home-grown strawberries
of the season!

... how's this for something delicious?! It's summer here in New Zealand and growing season. These are the first strawberries from our teensy patch = YUM!!!
I've been munching lots of raspberries too, fresh off the bushes over at my mother's place - in my opinion there's nothing tastier than sun warmed, sweet berries!!!

Best wishes for 2012!!!

2011-12-30T17:11:00.000+13:00

Happy New Year 2012 by Sarunyu_foto
http://freedigitalphotos.net

I hope those of you who celebrate Christmas had a wonderful day! Mine was filled with laughing children. We'd had our carol service and 'big dinner' the night before so after the present sharing we went down to the beach and went kayaking - and jumped off the wharf - such good fun!

Xmas Kayaking

Thanks so much to those who've been in touch over the last week - more big aftershocks are just going to happen unfortunately but that magnitude 6 quake just before Christmas was a bit full on. Fingers crossed they ease off much more over the next few months.

Meanwhile, I've been parcelling up signed books to send to some newsletter subscribers - are you signed up?! There's a free signed book offer for subscribers only - full details are in the next newsletter so be sure to sign up in the box in the sidebar :)

Getting books out to
newsletter subscribers :)

But for now, I wanted to wish you all the very best for 2012! Happy reading everyone!!!

The one book you MUST buy...

2011-12-23T08:16:00.002+13:00

I'm over at Lovecats today talking about the book I think all romance readers should buy - Sandra's last release is just fabulous and shows her incredible talent and her heart.

Buy it, gift it, love it.

Comic Book Cuteness

2011-12-22T08:09:00.003+13:00

Remember how last week I was talking about how nice it was to see PLEASURED IN THE PLAYBOY'S PENTHOUSE living on as an ebook and to know that readers were enjoying it!?
Well I just discovered it's gone out as a manga in Japan! It's my first book to go into manga and I'm very excited! Look at the cover - so pretty! I'm really hoping I get a copy in the mail in a few weeks because I can't wait to see how Bella's story has been illustrated :) Aren't the contrasting covers a hoot!

Meanwhile, reviews for MELT are starting to come in...

Natalie Anderson delivers another flirty, fun filled, page turner. One of Ms. Anderson's strengths is her witty dialogue and there isn't long to wait in this novella as a unique meet-cute leads to some saucy conversation on page two which is carried on throughout the story. Hunter our American hero is utterly gorgeous and sexually confident and Emma is an equal match for him.

Now be sure to join my newsletter list because I've a signed book giveaway opportunity for all subscribers going at the moment - just add your name and email in the box on the sidebar there :)

Only a couple of days until Chrismas now folks - I do hope all your plans are coming on and that you all get a chance to relax and enjoy it :)

You can MELT already!!!

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000+13:00

I'm so excited to say that MELT is now live and up for sale at Amazon.com , Barnes & Noble and Amazon.co.uk - I do hope you grab a copy and enjoy!!!

And right now I'm over at Tote Bags... come and say hi!

The great BIG Christmas Newsletter Giveaway!!!

2011-12-20T16:50:00.001+13:00

Be sure to SIGN UP to my newsletter as I've a great BIG giveaway detailed in it going out in the next day or so!!!

And come and see me over at Tote Bags tomorrow where I'm talking some more about my inspiration for MELT :)

Inspiration Point...

2011-12-19T08:32:00.000+13:00

I'm over at LoveCats today talking about finding inspiration for my upcoming novella MELT. Come and let me know if going down to the ice intrigues you as much as it does me!

Drive-by inspiration.

The School Holidays are Here!!!

2011-12-17T11:26:00.000+13:00

And it's only a week 'til Christmas - are you excited?! Our mountain of home-made decorations is growing at an exponential rate. I'm not sure how many more paper chains can be squashed into the house ;)

I'm very pleased as I managed to wrap most of the presents yesterday in the final hours before the children finished school and the shopping part itself is complete - hooray. We now have six weeks of summer holidays, although the summer part is lacking - I've even had to light the fire today to keep us warm!!!! And of course, while they're on holiday, I'm not. I've a book due and then another to get on with asap in the New Year. I had a chat with my editors last night to thresh out some of the complications with that book and the one after, so I'm feeling very excited (and a little scared about it - but I figure that's a good thing.)

Fingers crossed my holiday novella MELT will be out shortly with Entangled - I'll let you know as soon as I can!!! In the meantime, I reckon you should all get your hands on a copy of my writing buddy Nicola Marsh's new contemporary release, BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD. Nicola has written thirty wonderful romances for M&B and this is her first single title (i.e. bigger) - here's the blurb:

Shari Jones needs to get a life. Preferably someone else's.

Single, homeless and jobless, Indo-American Shari agrees to her best friend's whacky scheme: travel to Mumbai, pose as Amrita, and ditch the fiance her traditional Indian parents have chosen. Simple. Until she's mistaken for a famous Bollywood actress, stalked by a Lone Ranger wannabe, courted by an English lord, and busted by the blackmailing fiance.

Life is less complicated in New York.

Or so she thinks, until the entourage of crazies follows her to the Big Apple and that's when the fun really begins. Shari deals with a blossoming romance, an addiction to Indian food and her first movie role, while secretly craving another trip to the mystical land responsible for sparking her new lease on life. Returning to her Indian birthplace, she has an epiphany. Maybe the happily-ever-after of her dreams isn't so far away?

Nicola has been doing a fab blogtour with yummo recipes all over the place. BUSTED has been getting wonderful reviews all over the blogosphere and on Goodreads etc - so get thee to Amazon or Book Depository and grab your copy now!!! I promise you won't regret it :)

MidWeek Peek - The Playboy Pleasure of eBooks...

2011-12-14T10:00:00.030+13:00

The BEST thing about ebooks for any writer is that books that are no longer on the shelves are still available to readers! Given my books are only on a shelves for a month, this is great indeed!

So it's super cool to see recent reviews on books that were out a little while ago - so nice to know that people can get hold of and enjoy them!

One of my most fun books to write was PLEASURED IN THE PLAYBOY'S PENTHOUSE (I know, great title huh?)

At the red-hot millionaire’s mercy!

Bella has always felt like the ugly duckling in her family, but after one night with super-sexy Owen Hughes she feels like a beautiful swan. Until she realises Owen isn’t the ordinary guy she thought…

This struggling waitress is daunted by his multi-millionaire status – he is exactly the kind of man she avoids! But Owen won’t let Bella shrink back into her shell. Two weeks of pleasure in his penthouse and he’ll have her begging for more…

And it has one of my favourite opening lines:

Did she want a 'sex machine' or a 'slow comfortable screw'?

Later on, you might get an idea of what she ended up with that night:

"For all that success -" Owen underlined the word, knowing the concept annoyed her "I'm still the guy who made yur legs so weak you couldn't stand." He took a step back, determined to walk away now. He spoke softer. "I'm still the guy who made you alternately sigh then scream with pleasure." He paused. He'd leave her knowing exactly what his intentions were - plain and simple. He spoke softer still. "And I'm the guy who's going to do it all again."

It was reviewed last week over at The Romance Reviews - Ashia gave it 4 stars and had this to say:

I don't know how Natalie Anderson does it, but she creates these to-die-for heroes! Owen is one of them. He's so sweet to Bella, supporting and helping her when she needed, and perhaps that's what made him so irresistible...

I love this story! There are some spine-tingling warm-fuzzies-in-your-heart moments as Owen stood up for Bella against her family. Yes, we modern women sure can stand up for ourselves, but having a gorgeous guy do it for us is even better. Coz it means he sees something worth defending in us, and it's the same for Owen...

The story and the writing is top-notched, with great (flawed) characters that you just couldn't help but cheer on.

So, want to cheer these guys on?! You can buy the ebook direct from Mills and Boon here (you can be anywhere in the world and download it), from Amazon UK, or from the OZ/NZ Mills and Boon site here.

And with that title? I mean, don't you just want to be PLEASURED IN THE PLAYBOY'S PENTHOUSE?!?!?!

Of course you do! ;)

Fun in Cold Places...

2011-12-12T13:45:00.000+13:00

I love Snow Heart by Tina Phillips
at http://freedigitalphotos.net

I've spent half this weekend working on my next RIVA and the other half working on edits for MELT - the novella coming soon with Entangled!

I've had so much fun with this story - this is the one set in Antarctica. The ice has always fascinated me and hey, who doesn't love penguins?!

But it's not all serious science and conservation projects all the time down there you know - when you work long hours, you're going to need to have some R&R time!!! One of the 'traditions' they having going there is the 300 club - where you wait for a -100F day, then go get steamed in the sauna heated up to 200F, race outside and roll in the ice and then head back to that sauna.

All while naked.

I'm not sure about the ice roll bit myself! Would you do it??!!!

It's FRIDAY!!!! And here are my top 5 Friday tunes...

2011-12-09T01:00:00.022+13:00

I'm so in love with Friday - such a lovely day don't you think? And it's definitely a good day for a dance party.

So I've gathered some of the best (ok, one is the most notorious!) Friday songs for you - play 'em and rave on readers!!!

Friday on my Mind - The Easybeats

You've gotta watch this one, the guy is having a ball!

Friday Night - Katy Perry

Because Katy is so gorgeous and I just love the Kenny G cameo!!!

Friday I'm in love - The Cure

I HEART this one!

Friday Street - Paul Weller

Rock on!

Friday - by Rebecca Black

I know - how could I leave this one out?! So infamous!!! And so catchy... go on, singalong - you know you want to!!!

Happy Friday everyone :)

Midweek Peek - My Most Brazen Virgin...

2011-12-07T01:00:00.002+13:00

I've a little e-treat for you this week - a snippet from my next Mills and Boon release - FIRST TIME LUCKY?

I've written a couple of virgin heroines but Roxie is my favourite. She's a virgin by circumstance rather than choice - and now she's choosing to do something about it! She wants her new neighbour Gabe to help her out... so how does he react to the idea?

“I want you to be my lover,” she drew her lip in with her teeth and breathed the last. “My first.”

His eyes widened. “What?”

She waited, knowing full well he’d heard.

His hands gently shook her. “Your first?”

A different kind of tension rolled off him now.

Okay so maybe mentioning the ‘first’ had been a mistake. But she’d wanted him to know. Thought it was better to be honest. Thought it might tempt him all the more. Only a look of sheer panic scrunched his face. Now he dropped his hands and took a step back.

“Isn’t it every man’s fantasy?” she asked, suddenly a lot less confident.

“Not mine.”

“No?”

His jaw clamped for a moment, she saw the deep breath he dragged in. Then he lifted his chin “No. I don’t want some total novice who doesn’t know what she’s doing. Who’ll lie like a log expecting me to do all the work.”

Ouch. How to shoot her down. “I’m not a total novice. The actual virginity bit is a mere technicality,” she flung at him, furious that he could go cold so quick – and be so damn brutal about it. Chelsea had been right about him being harsh, he had really offensive kind of defence. But it was an act – she knew it. She’d felt the need in his body. “I know you’re interested,” she said defiantly. “I’ve seen the way you look at me.”

“How do I look at you?”

“Like you want to touch,” she moved forward, her boldness returning when he didn’t walk away. And damn it, she’d come this far, there was nothing left of her dignity to lose. So she wasn’t just flirty, she was shameless. “And I do know how to touch. Won’t be any kind of cold stone.”

“Really?”

She nodded. Hoped her hammering nerves weren’t obvious.

He stood like an immovable mountain. In fact she didn’t see any part of him move as he murmured, “Prove it.”

Roxie's story is available now direct from the Mills and Boon UK website. It'll be on the shelves in January and in the US as a Presents Extra in May.

Exciting News!!!!

2011-12-05T17:53:00.001+13:00

I can't believe it's Monday already! Instead of a real life romance story for you this week* I have some exciting news of my own!

I'm thrilled to announce I have an extra treat coming soon for you!!! I have an e-novella coming out with Entangled!

Tentatively titled MELT, it features one divine disaster zone engineer and a hyper-realist artist - and both are literally on ice for Christmas. But you know, even in Antarctica things can get hot!

I'll let you know the release date as soon as I do - I hope an e-reader is on your Santa list if you don't have one already!!!

Happy Monday everyone :)

*actually there was another 'up in the air' one at the top of a rollercoaster - cute or what?!

Beautiful Black

2011-11-28T01:10:00.002+13:00

A couple of weeks ago I blogged over at Lovecats about my black flower collection. This week my iris - "Black Suited" flowered, isn't she gorgeous?!

Taking it to the skies

2011-11-21T10:00:00.000+13:00

Okay - so last week one dude dressed up as Batman and abseiled down the centre of a shopping mall to propose to his girlfriend, while a couple of weeks before a guy proposed to his girlfriend on a skydive... and we have a New Zealand guy doing his thing by proposing to his girlfriend in the new Dreamliner airplane... so the proposals seem to be inspired by the heights recently! I guess it's a new twist on the 'top of the Eiffel Tower' or something!

It's really impressive the lengths some guys go to propose to their love in a unique, memorable way... Do you think more guys are feeling the pressure to do something 'out there' these days? (We could call it 'proposal pressure'!). Or have there always been some guys who've done a creative proposal and it's only because of the Internet (and YouTube) that we're more aware of them now... OR is it because of YouTube that they're doing the big show proposals?!

Christmas Kisses!

2011-11-20T08:29:00.000+13:00

Flying in to tell you to head over to the Lovecats where I've a Christmas kiss excerpt up - come over and be in with a chance to win a Christmas story anthology - because, yes - the season is almost upon us!!!!

The all singing, all dancing proposal... and the perfect date to do it...

2011-11-14T06:00:00.017+13:00

Oh there are so many to choose from now aren't there?! It seems flash mob wedding proposals are the new black... I think it takes a lot of confidence and co-ordination to master the public wedding proposal...

So here's the latest - from last week on the London train system - and very cute it is too!

I also love this one from back in August (it's taken me a while to get to see it having been offline so long!)

And apparently there was a spike in weddings just a couple of days ago - many couples wanting that 11/11/11 date for their anniversary - after all, it comes round only every hundred years. There were hundreds queuing in Vegas apparently and there was a mass marriage registration ceremony in Malaysia for 311 couples!!! Just imagine the perfume and hairspray in the room from 311 brides!!!! Not to mention the mothers of the brides!!! I reckon that must have been some event to say the least!!!

So, to all those newly weds from last week - congratulations!!!

And I saw too there was a baby girl born in the UK at 11/11/11 at 11:11 a.m - and was given the middle name Poppy - bless.

I wasn't born or married on a particularly auspicious date (altho both dates are very important to me of course!). Wonderhubs and I did get married in the year 2000 - which makes it really easy to remember how many years we've been married!!!

If you're married - did you select a date based around it's importance for other reasons, or mainly because your number one venue was available that day!? Is there a date that has special meaning to you?!

GoodReads Giveaway!!!!

2011-10-30T01:00:00.005+13:00

I've got a giveaway going over at Goodreads - three signed copies of NICE GIRLS FINISH LAST up for grabs - to enter click here!

New cover alert!

2011-10-29T10:16:00.002+13:00

Ok, so my next RIVA is out in the UK in January - FIRST TIME LUCKY? features the gorgeous Dr Gabe from NICE GIRLS FINISH LAST - and yes, Roxie is VERY lucky with him! What do you think of the cover?

Back home!!!

2011-10-28T10:25:00.000+13:00

Well we're finally home - and I finally have an internet connection again!!!

I can't quite believe it to be honest! I'm blogging over at Lovecats - so come on over and talk to me there!

Be back here again very soon :)

Broken Roof, Broken Blog...

2011-09-07T09:55:00.000+12:00

Okay - so I *had* been planning to blog a whole lot more but then I got home a week ago to find a roofer in the driveway who said "I don't want to panic you BUT..."

Turns out the roof on that house was structurally unsafe due to earthquake damage - heavy snow worsened it. In the course of attempted repairs more troubles were found - and more damage ensued from another aftershock - so we've moved out super quick, tossed all our belongings into storage and gone to stay with relatives for a few weeks. I have limited internet access and even more limited time.

As the thing I need to do with that all-too-rare spare time is WRITE my books, I'm just popping in now to say I won't be online much at all for the next couple of months - I figure you'd rather have a whole other book than some random blog posts from me, right?! ;)

Stay safe everyone - keep an eye on the blog/website as I'll try to update as new releases come up. But for now, here's the schedule in the next couple of months:

September: NICE GIRLS FINISH LAST on the shelves in the UK
October: NICE GIRLS FINISH LAST on the shelves in Aust/NZ
November: NICE GIRLS FINISH LAST on the shelves in the US

Take care all and I'll be back to talk in November :)

Friday Night Flicks: Easy A

2011-08-19T11:00:00.048+12:00

Wonderhubs and I are VERY regular customers at our local DVD store. So much so that I'm known for stalking the new release shelves and pestering the poor guys behind the counter over WHEN the next one I want to watch is going to arrive.

I watched Easy A a while back but thought I'd talk on it this week given it's all about that thing called reputation - which is a big theme in, you guessed it - Dating & Other Dangers! ;)

It was a great movie - about Olive who builds her popularity by getting 'known' as the easiest girl in school... but it's not just about her becoming popular - it's about what most of her high school mates want - to fit in, to be liked and all that...

I really liked the social media framing used to structure/narrate the film. I liked the kazillion cultural references. I liked her character especially.

It was a fabulous look at reputation - the way people change in their treatment of you according to your rep. (And let's face it, reputations DO still seem to matter). Olive, discovers who the people who truly know and understand her are. There's lots of quirk, lots of fun, but also lots of very astute observations.

She was great heroine who was smart, maybe a little misguided, but who wanted to do the right thing. There were some cringing - 'oh no!' - moments and there was a really sweet-but-smart romance to it. I loved it!

I really like Emma Stone - can't wait until Crazy, Stupid Love hits the cinemas here (I may have to make that one a cinema trip - I might not be able to wait for the DVD to see Ryan Gosling looking so hot plus I totally heart Steve Carell). I'm also looking forward to seeing her in The Help.

Have you seen Easy A? If so, what did you think. If not, check the trailer below - then go rent it!

Sneak Peek: Dating & Other Dangers

2011-08-17T11:00:00.064+12:00

So DATING & OTHER DANGERS is all about Nadia, who runs a dating reputation website called womanbwarned.com, and one Ethan Rush who's been named and shamed on this website as Mr Three-Dates-And-You're-Out.

Ethan - unimpressed with his online treatment - challenges Nadia to three dates - to 'prove' he's not the cad he's made out to be.
But Ethan has no intention of playing fair - no, he's out to take Nadia on in her own domain - online. So here's a little taste - he's setting up his own blog in retaliation - and he plans to be as provocative as possible...

He logged into one of the major blogging sites and thought for a second about the title.

GuysGetWise

Fantastic – not registered and his to use.

And his tagline?

– Taking on the Dirt-Dishing Dating Divette.

He could do alliteration too, see? And at least he could spell rather than using any basically illiterate abbreviations. The T-crossing, I-dotting legal writer in him detested those. Although admittedly "divette" was his own invention – but she was too itty bitty to be a true diva. He filled in the little grid detailing "all about this blog"…

Ethan Rush – supposedly ‘shamed’ as Mr Three Dates and You’re Out over on WomanBWarned wants those women to get real and for Guys to Wise Up to the dating reputation dross that’s online. Come hang out here boys, and get clued up to the reality. And get way better dating advice than any you’ll read over there…

Because he was so much more of an expert on dating than Ms OlderNWiser, and she was going to know it. He chuckled as he composed his first entry. There was nothing like a challenge to get his blood pumping. Grin wolfish, he started typing the beginning...

GuysGetWise: The Chick Flick is your Friend

According to the self-proclaimed guru over at WomanBWarned, Ms ‘OlderNWiser’, going to the movies is a dumb first date destination.

Wrong.

A cinema is a nice, totally safe environment that can push the defrost button on even the most hardened ice queen – like Ms OlderNWiser herself.

You can round it out more if you want by going for pizza before if necessary – NOT the usual cheap delivery guys, this first time it’s got to be gourmet. Be seen to be making an effort. But as we all know, there’s nothing worse than being stuck at a pricey restaurant with a vacuous woman who has no conversation while waiting hours for two strips of potato, a fifty pence sized piece of steak and some weird green oil drizzled in dots on the edge of an oversized white plate. Instead go for pizza to say hi and then ease off the pressure for a bit.

The movie gives you a couple of hours to settle into each other’s company – you’re close but not too intensely focused on each other. Afterwards, you’ve then got something to talk about to start you off. And then, once she’s started, she won’t stop. Babes like to talk – and they will if warmed up. After a movie she’ll be in the mindset. So let her share with you.

Immutable dating fact: the more you let her share, the more she’ll want to be with you. It’s that simple.

You might wince, but the chick flick in particular is your friend. She’ll get the warm fuzzy feeling. Then go for the one-two punch – the chick flick followed by dessert. She’ll be as gooey inside as the chocolate pudding she’s spooning in. And bud, you will benefit from the happy ending hormones she’s riding on.

Brace yourselves and get her to the rom-com, feel-good kissy flick. That’s what I’ll be doing with Ms OlderNWiser. It’s the perfect first date softener. And us guys like soft.

Ethan paused, his fingers hovering above the keyboard, his lips twisting as an evil urge gripped him.

Stay tuned for how to nail her on the second date.

He hit ‘publish’ before he had second thoughts. Hey, he’d said it all along, there was a lot of rubbish out there on the Internet. And she’d shredded his rep anyway right?

Here's a snippet from a recent review:

USA Today best-selling author Natalie Anderson continues to prove why she’s one of contemporary romance’s brightest stars with her sassy and sexy new novel for Mills and Boon Riva: Dating and Other Dangers! ... Dating and Other Dangers is a breezy summer read that perfectly balances light-hearted fun with red-hot sensuality and heart-wrenching pathos...

With a sexy hero, an independent heroine and plenty of heat, humour and heart, Dating and Other Dangers is another irresistible treat by the fabulous Natalie Anderson! - Cataromance

Dating & Other Dangers is on the shelves in Oz/NZ at the moment, but if you're in Oz/NZ you can also get it online here. It's available for UK customer from Amazon, or for anyone anywhere direct from Mills & Boon UK. It hits the shops in the US in February 2012!

Real Life Romance - those unusual proposals...

2011-08-15T11:00:00.008+12:00

I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker for the cute wedding proposal - we've all seen them, right?! The YouTube vids of the big screen at the sports stadium that has the proposal up in lights at half time, or that guy who made his own movie trailer of a proposal that played at the cinema when he took his girlfriend on a movie date night. There've been flash mob dancers swirling round a guy on bended knee... and then there was that novelist who proposed to his girlfriend in the acknowledgements of his book... oh yes, I like all those fun real life romance things.
So I thought I might include a few on the blog every now and then, so we can all enjoy them! Nothing like warm, fuzzy, romantic :)

So here's the latest one I tracked down - this one falls into the 'unusual venues' category - this from the Boston Globe just this week:

"A Pennsylvania couple sealed the first known engagement at an unlikely setting:the Samuel Adams Brewery in Jamaica Plain.
...
Why Sam Adams? Beer figures prominently in the couple's narrative.
[Mike] Pinto, 58, and his two brothers own a small beer distribution company and retail store, Three Brothers Beverage Inc., they started 24 years ago back in their own hometown of Bangor, Pa.
That store was where the couple had met, then in other relationships, some 20 years before he asked her out on their first date this past January. A regular customer at his store, she’d see him there often and had always thought he was “cute.”
On past journeys to Boston – a city they said they both love more than any other they’ve visited together – Pinto and Rebollido had made the brewery tour the first sightseeing stop of each trip.
So, the iconic beer manufacturing facility seemed like an ideal choice for Pinto to pop the question.
Plus, he said, “she’d never expect it.”
“Who’d propose at a brewery?" he asked aloud. “People probably wonder, ‘Are we alcoholics or what.’ ”
But, the venue was perfect to the only person to whom it really mattered.
“I love everything about this place,” said his new fiancée, adding of the proposal. “It was like a movie. I’ve never seen anything more romantic.”

And, she never saw it coming. “I was totally clueless,” she said. “Everyone here was in on it. I was the only one that didn’t know.”
As the couple strolled along the roughly 45-minute tour that began at 10 a.m., Pinto, who had notified brewery staff of his plans earlier this week, tried to keep his composure. He avoided making eye contact with everyone else around him who knew. In his head, he constantly recited what he’d planned to say since picking up the engagement ring on Tuesday.
Before embarking, the group was told cameras would be following them to shoot photos and videos for the company’s website. At the tour’s conclusion, just before the beer tasting was set to begin, the tour’s guide asked the group, “Does anyone have any questions.”
Pinto was the only one who had something to ask.
Still recalling the lines he’d been going over in his head for several days, he said by phone today that he had his girlfriend stand up while he got on one knee, looked up and told her, “It’s been eight months and four days since our first date, and from the beginning I knew you were the one. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“I kind of figured what he would ask next,” she recalled.
After she said yes, the crowd around them began cheering and applauding."

Awww, go Mike!!! Gotta love a guy who has the guts to go with a public proposal like that!

Wonderhubs and I got engaged on a walk through Regent's Park in London one Sunday afternoon - it was LOVELY.

So what's the most unusual place you've heard of a couple getting engaged? Antarctica? While skydiving??!!!

Updating & Contests!

2011-08-04T12:23:00.001+12:00

Okay, I've finally updated my website - it had been a while, but let me skip the excuses and say get thee over my Facebook page immediately!
I've got a promo going on there (click on the 'contest' tab) - you could win FIVE books, plus bookmarks, plus chocolate! So go on, enter - because the deadline is coming up - Saturday August 6 - so hurry hurry!
Meanwhile, for my Australian/New Zealand readers, DATING & OTHER DANGERS is on the shelves this month - I've had some fabulous feedbook:

"The verbal (and virtual) sparring from the two characters is brilliant, at times I couldn't help but laugh! There was so much chutzpah in these characters, I thought they were fantastic...The story is very original and fun and I really loved reading it."

You can read the whole review from RLA here.

Meanwhile Nas at Romance Book Paradise had this to say:

"Following Ethan and Nadia was a hilarious journey... characters come alive on the pages with the use of sharp and humorous dialogue and vivid atmospheric details that the reader is personally involved in their happiness. It is a story with real characters, inspired plot and delightful resolution... Nadia and Ethan’s story is hugely enjoyable and highly romantic tale readers will find absolutely impossible to resist... without a doubt, made it to my favorite list!"

Dating & Other Dangers will be on the shelves in the US early next year.
Those of you in the UK can grab a copy of NICE GIRLS FINISH LAST - direct from Mills & Boon from now! It's a little early for reviews yet, but here's the blurb:

Once she was bad...

After one very wild and heartbreaking affair in her past, Lena is now very, very good. She prides herself on her iron self-control - working for the hottest rugby team in New Zealand, it's all testosterone but no touching!
But he's tempting her to be wicked...

Spending day-in-day-out in the boy's locker rooms, Lena thinks she's immune to even the most honed set of abs. Then Seth saunters into her life, and suddenly her inner bad girl is back in the game!

Oh yes, people, we're talking rugby - just in time for the World Cup! ;)

Deadlines, blogs, contests...

2011-07-18T19:41:00.000+12:00

Okay I'm not really here. I'm really up to my eyeballs working on the wip - which is due scarily soon (especially as it's the school holidays here and I've got zero daylight hours when I can write - eek!).

Anyway, I've just drawn the winner from my contest newsletter and emailed her (yay Lorraine!) - thanks to everyone who entered :)

Meantime, I'm blogging this week over at Tote Bags tomorrow (Tuesday) and then Love Cats on Friday - be lovely to see you there!

Up and at 'em!

2011-07-05T14:33:00.000+12:00

Okay, so my deadline is looming which means that naturally here I am on the internet procrastinating! Actually, I got a goodly bit done on the book this morning, but only just got into the swing of it half an hour before I had to go pick up the twins... still, c'est la vie and I'm raring to get back to it tonight when the munchkins are all asleep...

After following the twitter stream from the Romance Writers of America conference in New York, I got all excited about our own conference in New Zealand next month. The Australian conference is the week before - I'm not going to that sadly, but I will be giving an online workshop that weekend as part of their 'Clayton's Conference, so if you're online that weekend and a member of RW Australia, be sure to come and say hi - there will be a giveaway of course! :)

Meanwhile, on the shelves this month The End of Faking It should be out in the US, while Dating & Other Dangers should be on shelves in the UK - I hope you find them and enjoy them! (Or get them online if you'd prefer!)

Come and win a book!

2011-07-03T09:29:00.000+12:00

Well RWA in New York is finished, so we Twitter Cinders girls are done too - but it was a great success, with many words written and/or revised :)

So I'm just dropping in now to let you know I've an excerpt from Dating & Other Dangers up today on the LoveCats Downunder blog - come, read, comment and be in the draw to win a copy!

See you there!

Blowing the cobwebs off the blog!

2011-06-28T19:18:00.000+12:00

Oh dear! I didn't realise how much time had slipped since I last blogged... BAD blogger me!!!

But I have excuses, you want to hear them? No, I agree, they're really not that fascinating. Ultra short version is that moving cities with four kids and short notice = chaotic. Yes, my brain is somewhere in that room where all the unopened boxes are still piled...

But never mind. We're here now and good to get on with it!

SO the writing side of life has been a little slow during the shift time - but there's a deadline looming and motivation is needed. This week is the Romance Writers of America national conference in New York. Harlequin is having a party at the Waldorf Astoria. I got an invite... but sadly, New York is just too far for this little Cinderella this year...
However, instead of getting down about all the fun that's going on over there and living vicariously through the #RWA11 hashtag on Twitter, I decided to set up a Cinderella hashtag #cinders - so any of you writers out there who want to kick butt writing wise this week, and want some company, come and play (if that link doesn't work, just go to Twitter and search on the hashtag #cinders). We're setting own goals for the week (mine is to write 6k by Saturday, others are doing 1500 a day, others are revising) - that makes it sound like there are a zillion of us, but actually I think fewer than 10 - we're small in size, but big on friendly - and focused.
Well, trying to be focused...

I do have some exciting news - my latest book has gotten a title and release date: FIRST TIME LUCKY? will be out in the UK as a Riva in January 2012 - so big YAY. And yes, I think Roxie is pretty lucky in her first time ;)

Don't forget that THE END OF FAKING IT is on the shelves in the US in July, while DATING AND OTHER DANGERS will on on the shelves in the UK in July. Be sure to come over to the LoveCats blog this Sunday 4th July for an excerpt from Dating - and the chance to win a copy!

Meanwhile, I'd better get down and write my tally so I keep up with my fellow Cinders!

With very best wishes,
Natalie

Lovely news for May

2011-05-10T11:42:00.000+12:00

I'm so pleased to report that HOT BOSS, BOARDROOM MISTRESS has finalled in the Short Sexy category Romance Writers of Australia's R*BY Awards (Romantic Book of the Year)!!!

There are so many incredibly awesome Australasian romance writers, I'm just so thrilled to have finalled :) It has been a doubly exciting time in the Anderson household as my hubby has finalled in our national media awards too. So, to celebrate, I'm doing some random giveaways over on my Facebook page - come join the party!

And there are a couple of other things that have been keeping us very busy and offline for a bit - but hopefully it will all come together soon. Please forgive my absence!

Writing-wise, I'm working on a last couple of tweaks to my latest and then need to get settled on a new story. But THE END OF FAKING IT is on the shelves in OZ/NZ right now, and will be out in the US very soon. While my internet duelling couple in DATING AND OTHER DANGERS will be hitting the UK very soon too.

For now, come on over to Facebook and celebrate with me :)

With very best wishes,

Natalie

XXX

Double Book Giveaway!!!

2011-04-19T22:38:00.000+12:00

I'm giving away signed copies of my UK and US April releases over on Tote Bags'n'Blogs today - come on over and tell me your favourite games to play :)

Happy April Days!

2011-04-01T16:36:00.000+13:00

Hey everyone - sorry have been absent from the blog a bit (blame the deadline). But we're into April already and that's a super exciting month for me because I've got double releases - WALK ON THE WILD SIDE hits North America, while THE END OF FAKING IT is on the shelves in the UK.

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE features my snowboarding super stud Jack and covered-up chameleon Kelsi - here's what some Amazon UK reviewers have said:

The characters of Kelsi and Jack were well developed and any dialogue between them, well written. I found I understood them both and rooted for them too. I was especially impressed by the fact that Kelsi wasn't your conventional stunning beauty, but had a freshness and quirkiness about her which was endearing. - Lizzie

Walk on the Wild side is a classic Mills & Boon type of romance, but unlike many of the genre its characters are really realistic and likeable. ..It's a feel good sort of book; it takes only a few hours to read and would be ideal for a long train journey or flight or just curling up with in front of the fire. I'd certainly recommend it both to anyone who's curious about what Mills & Boon are really like, and to die-hard fans alike. - Imreallyanelf

With a heroine who has some deep seated inadequacy issues and a hero afraid to stop having fun, this opposites attracts story is fun, hot and oddly sweet. Whether it's Kelsi's amazing array of contact lenses, or Jack's attempts to see the real her and make her believe she is beautiful, this tale is quirky and adorably feel-good. Even with both of them too defensive to take an emotional risk, this never wallos in self-pity or repetitive inner monologues, and the ending is adorable... Relax and enjoy the romance! - Book Gannet

You can grab a copy from stores in a week or so, or online now!

Meanwhile, THE END OF FAKING IT hits UK stores this month too. More reviews are to come - but here's what one reader said on the Mills & Boon website:

"What can I say other than another great read... Wonderfully written and Carter is such a great character and a perfect foil for Penny. A really enjoyable and racy read. More please!!"

This book will also be out on the shelves in Australia and New Zealand next month, but you can get it direct from M&B Australia now - and best of all, it's in a new duo format with THE MAN SHE LOVES TO HATE by the fabulous, RITA nominee Kelly Hunter!

So I've been busy meeting one deadline and am getting stuck into something new now, but please be sure, sure, sure to come find me at my Facebook page - I'm hanging there most often these days and as soon as my next box of author copies arrives (hopefully any day now) I'll be doing a snap giveaway of a bunch of them. So come and get connected so your name can be one of the ones pulled :)

Gotta love a giveaway...

2011-03-07T10:38:00.000+13:00

I know I do and to be honest I think the giving is as much fun, if not more, than the getting...

As you all know I'm a very proud New Zealander - never more so than at the moment - so together with my upcoming UK and US April releases, I'm giving away a little bit of Kiwiana. I have some more pretty pewter wine glass charms to giveaway - this time they're Kiwi fauna - so there's a pukeko, a little Blue penguin, a gecko, a fantail, a tui, and of course a little kiwi herself. (I'll explain all those during the week on the FB page). And, to make your drinks soiree collection Kiwi complete, there's a little china dip dish with spreading knife, with a local artist designed fern on it.

The winner will also get signed copies of up coming releases - WALK ON THE WILD SIDE and THE END OF FAKING IT. So you can have a nice girly drinks night and then curl up in bed with a couple of new books - sound fun?

I'll throw in a couple of books as second and third prize draws too.

So, how to enter? Well I do believe in making these thing as easy as possible - all you have to do is 'like' my Facebook page here. If you're already connected to the page, you're in the draw to win! Do call in and say hi tho, it's nice to catch up! The giveaway is open to anyone from anywhere, you just have to have liked the page by the time I do the draw - which will be next Monday 14 March (NZ time) so be sure to drop by the page and be connected by then!

The first day of March

2011-03-01T21:39:00.001+13:00

I’m not sure how it got to be March already, but here we are. Today its a week exactly since the earthquake in Christchurch. It’s a very difficult time for so many in my beloved home city. While I currently live in a town a couple of hours down the road, it will always be my home town. Indeed, we still have our home there. That house is still standing but far more importantly our tenants are all safe. I was very lucky to have left Christchurch almost an hour before the quake hit and all my immediate family are safe. So many others aren’t. This terrible tragedy is heartbreaking for our nation as it is for so many other countries who have lost citizens in it. If you did want to help at all, here’s the link for the Red Cross appeal.

In book news I have new releases this month. WALK ON THE WILD SIDE hits the shelves in Australia and New Zealand and is available direct from Harlequin in the US (it is on the shelves there in April). You can read the first chapter here

Also, THE END OF FAKING IT is available now direct from Mills & Boon UK – it will be on the shelves in the UK in April. You can read the first chapter
here.

My seventeenth story for Mills and Boon is finished. NICE GIRLS FINISH LAST will be out in the UK in September – other dates to follow. I’m planning to do a giveaway shortly for my double April releases so keep an eye on the blog and my Facebook page for details.

Thanks so much to those who’ve contacted me over this last week, your thoughts are truly appreciated, and mine too are focused on those in Christchurch who are facing such devastation and heartbreak.

~Natalie

Another night...

2011-02-09T22:59:00.000+13:00

... burning the oil. But I did get a lovely box-o-books in the post today. Is a reprint of my first story for Mills & Boon - ALL NIGHT WITH THE BOSS - in a "By Request" anthology together with stories by Anne McAllister and Anna Cleary. If you want a copy, head over to my Facebook page and 'like' the status about winning a copy... will draw 3 winners on Friday 11th, NZ time :)

Interrupting revisions for some SERIOUS COVER JOY

2011-02-06T18:39:00.000+13:00

While I make the final push on the never-ending-story, here's something that has brought the biggest smile to my face - the cover for THE END OF FAKING IT - out in the UK as a Riva in April (Jul in the US).

I just LOVE it. They've caught Penny's beauty-yet-vulnerability wonderfully.

It is so, so, so perfect I can't believe it. What do you think???

Happy days...

2011-02-04T11:52:00.000+13:00

It's hubby and my 11th wedding anniversary tomorrow. We're going on a date tonight. I've been playing dress-ups to decide what to wear... and to my delight can fit the cute dress I wore to our date that we went on the exact year before we married - our 'negative oneth' anniversary as I jokingly called it at the time. We went to a great veggie restaurant in Crouch End. Yes I still have the dress. Yes, it's 12 years old. It's an old Press & Bastyan number that I got from Selfridges in London at the time - we can call it vintage, right? ;)

Sunday Smooches & Giveaways

2011-01-30T22:39:00.000+13:00

So I'm officially back in the cave revising the story that is proving very tricky to get right - my heroine is two steps over the edge and I need to pull her back...
while I suffer with that, head on over to the LoveCats - there's another Sunday Smooch up - this one is from me AND if you leave a comment, you're in the draw to win a book - yay! :)

Blogging here and there...

2011-01-19T06:26:00.000+13:00

Officially I'm buried in deadline hell this week, but I am babbling about the internet a bit today - come and talk Golden Globes and Robert Downey Junior here or about books with babies (and some super exciting news) here!

Five on Friday: Refilling the Well

2011-01-14T22:42:00.000+13:00

Sometimes going from deadline to deadline (or lurching from one crisis to the next) can leave me more than a little tired. I run out of words or ideas and sometimes even the will to write. Any creative person will say that what we're supposed to do when feeling like that is to 'refill the well' - do something to inspire our souls, our imaginations and all that. I've been having a nice time burying my head in the sand about my deadline, and just refilling the well this week ... here are my 5 favourite ways to do it:

1. Read. I curl up in a comfy spot and read a book - with no analysis, just enjoyment. It's just bliss.
2. Fresh air. For me this automatically seems to include water - going for a swim, going down to the beach, overlooking a pond at the Botannical gardens or something like that... it revitalises me. At the 2010 Romance Writers of New Zealand conference, bestselling author Stephanie Laurens and Hollywood story consultant Chris Vogler had a fascinating discussion on the inspirational 'power' of water and the creative benefits of being near a spring...
3. And while we're on the water subject, there is nothing like having a long, hot shower. Maybe this is something especially good for the very busy mothers out there because it's something we can manage daily - I have several mates with young children and we all confess to taking long, hot showers for some time out. But I always get hit with ideas while I'm in there too - so fabulous!
4. Travel - even to the next town. Going somewhere new, sitting watching people from a cafe, walking the streets and looking at the buildings, reading the local paper, going down the main street and walking into a bakery or fruit stall... change is as good as a break...
5. Cultural experience - be it going to a concert or to an exhibition at an art gallery, nothing inspires me more than seeing the creative endeavours of other artists. Some people create the most amazing, beautiful things and I get blown away by them. I love to be reminded of the years and years and years of training and practice that classical musicians have gone through to master their instruments. It inspires me to practice and practice and practice my own craft. I love to look at a beautiful painting or sculpture and feel the pleasure from looking at it and remember how worthwhile it is to create something for others to simply enjoy or get amusement/pleasure or some kind of emotional response to. I am inspired to strive - to get more of that visceral response from readers by writing fun fiction that has deeply emotional truths at the core... to provoke a response, to provide an escape, to make someone laugh and cry and remind them of the power of our relationships... yes, it reminds me of my core purpose...

So, I've been reading books all week, in a different town, lingering in the shower, staying by the beach and paddling in the water and today I went to a fantastic exhibition at the local art gallery... and I am so ready to write!

Five on Friday: Finding the Time...

2011-01-07T08:40:00.000+13:00

I've had some great emails this week with readers and aspiring writers and one question that seems to come up a lot is the 'how do you find the time' one - and yes, it seems really pertinent at the moment for me when we're on our long summer school holidays and I have the four children home all day, a husband working six days a week and a book that needs serious revision... panic stations really.

But where there's a will there's a way - and I do think that if you want something badly enough, you'll find the time somehow. Here are my five biggest tips for finding the time to write around family/work and other obligations:

Kill your television. If you've a day job/family, then the sit-back-and-relax hours in the evening are not for blobbing in front of telly, they're for tapping on your computer.
Kill your internet connection. Surfing is my biggest problem procrastination wise. There's a great application called Freedom which you set for a period of time and it kills the connection for you. I'm sure there are PC equivalents. Or just unplug your modem.
Create a routine. If you can manage it, set aside the same time each day to write and try not to miss a day. EVERY day is the way. After a month it’ll be a habit and you’ll feel bad if you don’t do it. Often the best time for working in this way is early in the morning – get up at 5:30 and you can easily fit in one and a half to two hours good writing time. You just have to go to bed a bit earlier I guess! But you feel really ‘virtuous’ for the rest of the day because you’ve already got your stint in and sometimes it can be really hard to sit down and write having spent a full day at work already.
Spend time THINKING. When you're pressed for time, make the most of the moments you do have to dwell on plot problems/twists/conflict issues. Stacking the dishwasher is a great time for me, as is driving etc. Just set your mind a problem to think on. Showers provide brilliant thinking time as do those delicious moments just before you fall asleep.
Just do it. Put it at the top of the to-do list for the day. Prioritise it - let your friends and family know it's important to you and that you need their support. Make a deal with the kids - an hour quiet time for them and if they DON'T interrupt you, you'll take them to the pool after... (headphones work well for this too so you can be 'present' in the corner tapping on the sofa while they play on the floor...)

So there you go - harding reinventing the wheel there, but they're oft-repeated tips for a reason: they work.

Meanwhile, I'm off to take my own advice, get off the internet and get to writing!!!

January ramblings and a radio interview...

2011-01-05T08:46:00.000+13:00

We hit the pool yesterday rather than the beach and it was fab. The kids all got new dive sticks in their Santa stockings and they were brilliant to use – kept the big two swimming from one end of the pool to the other, and kept the little two submerged half the time (although it was hysterical because both twins are petite and struggle so hard to stay on the bottom long enough to scoop up the stick). Might have to go back today.

I finally updated my website yesterday with some new covers and titles and stuff, also finished the line edits on my July book and worked some more on the half-baked cake that is the next one. Now the edits and updates are done it’s really time to dig deep into that one and get it right.

Lastly, I recorded an interview with Radio New Zealand a couple of weeks ago and it aired yesterday. It’s a light interview and I’m talking about managing life with the kids and writing and basically how much I love my job. If you want, you can listen to it here.

Bag a book bargain...

2011-01-04T07:50:00.000+13:00

Just a quick heads up to let you know that the Book Depository has 25% off a couple of my upcoming releases - and free international shipping! Go on, order them now!

First up is REBEL WITH A CAUSE (out in North America in Feb) - this was released in the UK As UNBUTTONED BY HER MAVERICK BOSS so don't get confused! Lorenzo is one of my fave heroes and RT gave it 4 stars and said "... Well-developed characters will tug at your heart ..."

Also on sale with 25% off is my first RIVA title WALK ON THE WILD SIDE - out in the UK in Feb (as M&B's Book of the Month) and the US in April. I love this one too - Jack Greene is the ultimate dare-devil while Kelsi is kooky and vulnerable and stronger than either of them realise. You can get either version from the Book Despository - just click here!

Mmmmmmm Monday!

2011-01-03T07:16:00.003+13:00

Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2011 brings you lots of love and laughter. How are you getting on with your resolutions already? Did you make some?

I didn't actually - I have some goals already in place and am already working on them so didn't feel the need to revisit just yet. One of them is losing the last of my post baby weight (as my eldest is now 8, and my youngest are 4, it really is beyond time). I'm well over halfway there but of course it's those last couple of kg that are always the hardest, right?

Fortunately in NZ it is summertime and that means copious amounts of FRUIT. I've been vegetarian for over 21 years now and seriously, there's nothing nicer than fruit - not even the chocolate I have an on-off addictive/abusive relationship with! My current favourite breakfast is fresh pineapple and frozen blueberries (for some reason I prefer them frozen to fresh) - the pineapple is the best though. Just delicious! So I'm off to go munch on some of that, then continue with the 'summer-clean' the kids and I are attempting (actually, it's more of a major declutter mission), then maybe hit the beach because it's another stunner of a day here and we have to make the most of it. And of course, I'm working on the wip - slowly, slowly, slowly this thing will be fixed!

Hope you've had a great start to the new year too!

Christmas, New Year & Random Giveaways!

2010-12-30T07:50:00.008+13:00

I hope you all had a wonderful December - I don' t know what happened to mine - it has zipped by in such a blur I can't believe we're at the second-to-last day of the year already!!!

I've been head down working hard, and then head-up having fun with the family. Christmas was a blast - literally - as we were camping and had such huge winds a ton of our tent poles snapped... hooray for repair kits! It was such fun though :)

Revisions have landed for my latest, as have line edits for the one before and hubby is back at work and I've all four kids at home. We're having a 'Summer of Science' - and doing a zillion funky experiments a day - so it's just crazy busy.

I've had a few lovely, lovely reviews in. For Caught on Camera with the CEO, Marilyn's Romance Reviews had this to say:

Natalie Anderson has written one sensual and exciting romance with Caught On Camera With the CEO! .... So many personal emotions for both of them. However, in the end they shared their hurts with each other... Love making, intense emotions which they both had problems dealing with, hiding from it, putting their feelings on the back burner... The more intense their love making, the more it created problems for them both... Caught on Camera was an amazing romance.

While Julie at Cataromance gave it 4.5 stars and said:

Caught on Camera with the CEO is a hugely enjoyable tale that mixes humour, sensuality and sassiness with poignant romance and searing intensity. Natalie Anderson brings a fresh new twist to the much-loved office romance scenario and spices up her narrative with plenty of red-hot love scenes and sizzling sexual chemistry. Add to this a fabulous heroine, a delicious hero, witty repartee and a heart-wrenching conflict and you have the perfect Harlequin Presents Extra novel! Steamy, poignant and credible, Caught on Camera with the CEO is another one for the keeper shelf!

I also spotted a lovely new review for one of my backlist titles - PLEASURED IN THE PLAYBOY'S PENTHOUSE over at The Good, The Bad and the Unread. They gave it an A grade and had this to say...

Bella... learns to look at herself another way. Because of her affair with Owen, she reassesses and by the end of the story she’s a stronger person.
I loved that. Owen made Bella feel better about herself, not just by wanting her in bed, but by his encouragement and his interest in her. Owen is a hero you could like in real life, and he would do anything not to hurt her. And yet there aren’t any nasssty villains here.
Owen is confident, alpha and with a sense of humour I really enjoyed. Non-snarky, but when he and Bella share jokes, you can see some of the things they have in common...
Loved this story, it flowed really well and it was a pleasure to read.

You can still grab a copy of this one as an ebook on the Mills & Boon website or on Amazon. It's so cool how older titles are still available and being 'discovered' thanks to ebooks - yay! :)

Meanwhile, I've JUST gotten my author copies for my first Riva release! WALK ON THE WILD SIDE is out in the UK in February (North America in April, as a Presents Extra). So who wants a copy??? Head over to my Facebook page by January 4 (NZ time) and be in to win!!!

Competition Winners!!!

2010-12-01T14:03:00.006+13:00

Thanks to everyone who either joined the newsletter list or liked my Facebook page! I've done the draw and Linda E you're the winner of the November Party Prize pack! I've sent you an email :)

Just in time, I got a new box of books in the post yesterday too - copies of the anthology that's out in the UK in January titled UNFINISHED BUSINESS. It's a reissue of my "Bought: One Night, One Marriage" and also includes stories by the fabulous Nina Harrington and Robyn Grady - so I thought I'd give a couple away as 'runner up' prizes. So yay for Johanna B and Sandra G - I've messaged you guys as well :)

Keep an eye out for another giveaway coming sometime soon!

In a pickle...

2010-11-26T13:10:00.005+13:00

First up - Happy Thanksgiving to all of you in America - I hope you're having a fabulous day with friends and family :)

My day here in New Zealand is going a little bit too slow and too fast. I've only a couple of hours before the kids get home and look at the mess I've made on the lounge floor - in fact I got a mirror down to try to help me see clearly... but sadly, my story is right in the so-messy-I'm-scared-I'll-never-sort-it phase. My brain is taking too long to figure it out.

Argh.

Thank goodness for post-it notes and pens. But I'd better stop procrastinating!!!!!!

Nice review and blogging away from home...

2010-11-23T10:10:00.006+13:00

Okay, it's the last week of Nanowrimo and the clock is ticking louder and louder... so of course I've been web surfing... in my travels I discovered a lovely review for CAUGHT ON CAMERA WITH THE CEO - it was chosen as a December Top Pick over at The Season

Caught on Camera with the CEO by Natalie Anderson is a stellar emotional love story. This contemporary romance is complex but believable with two outstanding lead characters and plenty of passion to form the perfect quick read.

... Dani is smart, independent, and sexy. But most compelling about Dani is her strength. She’s been deeply scarred by life but she’s made the best of it by relying solely on herself. Even more interesting is that Dani is sarcastic and a romantic-pessimist who doesn’t believe in love-at-first-sight nor soul mates. This makes Dani an unusual Harlequin heroine as all these personality traits are usually those of Harlequin heroes. But as a reader it was so emotionally fulfilling to watch Dani stop living life as a loner and grow to love and trust Alex.

While true that Dani is an excellent heroine, Alex is her perfect hero... a departure from the traditional power-wielding, manipulative boss often found in the secretary/boss romances. He is warm, caring, and is the perfect counter-weight to Dani’s tough exterior.

... As Alex and Dani’s emotional relationship deepens so too does their physical relationship. This makes for a sensual read that is based less on the physical mechanics of who-does-what-to-whom-and-where and more about emotional connection through physical intimacy.
... it is a satisfying emotional romance with two lead characters readers will adore.

You can read the review in full here. And thanks so much to the reviewer, Janine, - it's wonderful motivation for me given I'm currently bogged the nitty gritty of my wip...

Lastly I'm over at Tote Bags later today talking about Nano non-failure - come and chat!

Shiny New Cover Alert!!!!!

2010-11-13T03:11:00.003+13:00

Ooooh - this just in - here's my first ever RIVA cover. WALK ON THE WILD SIDE (about my super gorgeous snowboarding hero) is out in the UK in February next year and here's a sneak peek at the cover. As you can see, it's also been selected as the Book of the Month for Mills & Boon for that month which I'm dead chuffed about. So what do you think of the new style cover???

Also, don't forget to go and 'like' my Facebook page and/or sign up for my newsletter to be in the draw to win the November Party Prize!

November Party Prize

2010-11-11T21:22:00.006+13:00

Here we are heading into party season and it is beyond time to have a giveaway! It’s been forever since I last did one and as we’re all heading into the festive chaos, wouldn’t it be nice to have a treat land on your doorstep just for you?

My November prize pack includes: signed copies of my duo – CAUGHT ON CAMERA WITH THE CEO and UNBUTTONED BY HER MAVERICK BOSS (which is being released in the US as REBEL WITH A CAUSE in February), plus a Harlequin bookmark, some chocolate from a very famous-in-New-Zealand company and a set of pewter wine glass charms. The charms are pure Kiwiana – based on New Zealand flora including fern, kowhai, flax plus pretty beads and baubles, so you’ll have pretty decorations for your wine glasses at party time!

The competition is super easy to enter – all you have to do is be a newsletter subscriber (fill in the box on the right there) OR a ‘liker’ on my Facebook page. If you're both a subscriber and a liker then you've double the chance to win :) I’ll draw the winner on November 30!

I’m flat tack getting my next book finished before Christmas and very much looking forward to holding my first ‘Riva’ – this is the new branding of our books in the UK and they’re very glam – I’ll put a cover pic up as soon as I can.

But for now I’ll leave you with a little teaser from CAUGHT ON CAMERA WITH THE CEO (out in the US in December) – because there’s nothing like a first kiss, even just a little one…
Poor claustrophobic Dani is stuck in a lift and freaking out – maybe a little distraction would help calm her fears? What if distraction comes in the form of her gorgeous new boss…

'We never have trouble with these lifts.'
Oh,yeah? Well, they were now.
'You probably confused it by making it wait so long with its doors open,' she said. The spark of anger pushed the bile back down.
'It's a machine. Machines don't get confused. Only people do that.'
She was confused now—her body wanting to run, her brain wanting to shut down altogether, her stomach wanting to hurl its contents.
'You're new here,' he said. 'I've seen you in the office.'
Distraction. Excellent.
'Yes,' she said, barely controlling the wobble in her voice. And after another stumbling beat she looked from the doors to him.
His eyes were very wide and very green and filled with a painfully gentle concern.
He took a step towards her. 'My name is—'
'I know who you are,' she cut him off. She couldn't think enough for conversation.
'You do?' His eyes narrowed and his smile twisted, bitterness thinning his sensual lips. 'Then you're one up on me.' He took the last step closing the gap between them. 'I have no idea who I am.'
The bitterness surprised her, blasted the smothering fog from her head. She looked closer at him. 'You're Alex. And you're stuck in a l-lift.'
She glanced at the walls; they were nearing her again. The fear crept back up. She gulped in air. Were they running out of oxygen already? And had she just whimpered?
'There's no need to be afraid.'
Wasn't there? Didn't she know exactly how frightening it was to be stuck in a small place for too long
'Hey.' He put his hands on her shoulders. 'It's going to be fine.'
At his touch she looked back into his face. Green eyes gazed at her, deepened by the dark lashes that framed them. Everything else in the world receded again. Yes, she'd look at him, focus on him, forget everything but green eyes. The colour swirled, the black centre spread. His gaze flickered, dropped to her mouth. Made her realise it was dry. She touched her tongue to the corner of it and then she found she was looking at his. It was extraordinarily fine, with lips that were currently curved up in a smile.
'You OK?'
She couldn't take her eyes off him. She couldn't answer.
'Sweetheart?'
Funny how just one word, said in just the right way, could change everything.
She gazed at him, feeling that restlessness inside roar, and her chin lifted.
His hands moved, dropping to circle round her waist.
'It's going to be just fine,' he said. And then slowly, so slowly, giving her all the time to turn away, he lowered his head.
But she didn't turn.
His lips were warm, firm but not forceful, not invasive, just gentle.
He lifted his head a millimetre and his green eyes searched hers. 'See?'

Excerpt from CAUGHT ON CAMERA WITH THE CEO by Natalie Anderson. Harlequin Mills & Boon, Presents Extra, December 2010
(ISBN-13:978-0-373-52796-0)

November!!!

2010-11-01T20:36:00.003+13:00

Wow - only a month 'til Christmas! Can you believe it?! Quite scary from my perspective as I've yet to start the Christmas shopping and I have a deadline before then!

But a new month means new books are out - and from today, Caught on Camera with the CEO is now available direct from eHarlequin as either a print book or an ebook. It'll be on the shelves in the US in December.

Also, I have a reissue coming soon - Bought: One Night, One Marriage is in the anthology titled "Unfinished Business" and it also contains stories by Nina Harrington and Robyn Grady. You can preorder it from Amazon and it'll be on the shelves in the UK in late Dec/Jan. Here's the cover for you - I think it's fab!

Speaking of covers, I've seen my first RIVA cover - for Walk on the Wild Side - and I love it! I'll share as soon as I get a jpeg for it. I'm also really chuffed as Walk on the Wild Side has been selected as the "Book of the Month" for Mills & Boon in February of next year - so I'm thrilled.

My 16th story is done and dusted - I'll give you a title and release date as soon as I can but meantime I'm hard at work on number 17.

Actually this month, over at the community on eharlequin I'm participating in the 'build your own nano' for November - and am one of the author sponsors, so if you're a writer who is trying to complete a romance this November, come over to the community and join in - there's books to be won of course!

I know I'm horribly out of date in terms of getting excerpts up - but do look at the widgets along the side as you'll get the first chapter there and I'll get onto it as soon as I get on top of this next story!

Meanwhile, best of luck to all the fellow 'nano' writers out there!!! It's going to be tough, but it's going to be fun!

With very best wishes,
Natalie

Here, There & Everywhere!

2010-10-19T12:20:00.005+13:00

Okay so I'm BACK from the most fab holiday in Australia's Gold Coast. Went with my extended family and discovered my inner adrenalin junkie and accompanied my niece on all the high thrill rides. My favourite was the Giant Drop (the world's tallest freefall drop, 39 stories - yeee-haw!) And I also enjoyed the Tower of Terror II, but The Claw not so much (being spun 360 while upside down and 9 stories up was just a bit iffy, closed my eyes and screamed for that one).

So now I'm catching up on everything - and yes, I'm totally behind on my website update - will get to that over the next week or so. I'm a few k into my new story and need to power on with that BUT I'm blogging it up here there and everywhere at the moment - come and talk with me over at the Writing Playground and I HEART Presents today and then Tote Bags tomorrow!

It's my journal and I'll write if I want to...

2010-09-23T21:11:00.006+12:00

Okay so a while back I posted over at the Writing Playground about my terrible notebook habit - I used to keep one for every book (plus future books) plus another for ideas, another for journalling etc etc. And I'd never have the right on on me at the right time etc etc and end up not remembering in which of the 20 darn things I had that fab bit of dialogue in... (and would even uselessly search through the stack of new ones in the drawer) so I switched to just the one journal for everything. Works a treat - I have it on me almost all the time and even though I switch from personal journal angst to character exercise to list of possible settings for some random book idea in the same entry, it makes sense to me...

I had about 5 pages of my current journal to go (pink, hardcover) so I went to the shop today and bought a new one. Took ages - had to get the almost-four year olds to make the final decision for me because I was umming so much over colour and size. But I got one (the one in this pic actually. It was that or red. Held onto red for ages as is my fave colour, but not quite the right shade and something about this blue spoke to me).

Of course, I want to write in it right now.

Still have five blank pages in old. Can't waste paper.

New journal beckoning...

... what would you do?

Fresh Starts...

2010-09-22T20:30:00.005+12:00

I love this phase of the writing 'cycle' - my latest wip is now in my editor's inbox and I'm now forgetting about it and dreaming up characters new.

It's always a huge rush of relief, excitement, and nerves when I send a book in but the best way to cope with the 'what will she think of it' worry is to get on with the next.

But I also like this time because I tend to slow down after the huge, intense period up to deadline - this is when I stick my head up and notice that all the blossom are on the trees - the daffodils are out as are the magnolias - just exquisite. I'm ready to recharge and the world is full of possibilities.

I have the best of intentions - to detox from the V (high caffeine fizzy drink) and M&Ms diet of the last few weeks, to get more sleep, to do more exercise, organise my paperwork... this will last until I suddenly get the rush on the new book (or the revisions on the last).

But I always find I write much more in my journal at this time and look at craft books a whole lot more etc.

It is Banned Books week in the US next week and on Twitter my attention got drawn to YA author Laurie Halse Anderson (no relation!) - I confess I hadn't read her book Speak (in my defence my eldest is 7 and I haven't read my YA in recent years. But I have it now and have started and am so drawn into it already) - anyway I went to her website when I read that her book had been questioned. She has some awesome things to say about censorship - and I don't believe anyone can watch her reading her poem based on reader response to Speak without going teary. So I trawled her website some more - and any writer who says they listen to lots of techno and house music while writing, and who suggests people turn off their telly - well, there's an instant connection for me. Then I found that back in August on her blog she had a Write For 15 Minutes a Day program - every day she posted some tips and a writing exercise. I know, I'm over a month too late but hooray for subject tags on blogs because yes, for this latest 'new beginnings' cycle, I'm going to do Laurie's WFMAD programme - to stretch the creative muscles and just do something different with the start of each day. I already have the habit of writing every day - but sometimes it's good to go sideways, hey?

Every writer should read her ten point list of advice to aspiring authors - do so here - at the bottom of the Writing & Publishing header.

Happy reading & writing everyone!

Writing Benders & Blogging...

2010-09-18T07:55:00.003+12:00

So I'm about to jump in shower, dress and head to my favourite cafe for the next 56 hours to try to nail down my latest story - I'm really looking forward to it - love having the time to just dive into the story and drown in it for a solid stretch of time. But I will be popping up for air a few times - so come and say hi to me over at Seven Sassy Sisters and be in to win a copy of Tis the Season which includes my Christmas novella :)

And now for something completely random...

2010-09-14T08:59:00.006+12:00

Okay, so I've been working hard on my latest story - its due very soon and I'm closing in on the final stages (where it all turns to custard - very hard to write sometimes!). Anyway, my heroine is involved with a few fictional online forums - one of them is 'Plastic Free Planet' - which is about 'living a life less plastic' by choosing to use less plastic products or whatever, to leave less of a plastic legacy... and in general, save the world...
Of course this gets a mention of about a paragraph in the book, if that. A par - because the book is a romance and its about her and the hero. But I have to say the PFP is taking over my mind!!!
Perhaps its a form of procrastination because I'm now at the point where I have to write the really hard stuff in the book and I'm avoiding it... but seriously, all I keep thinking about are plastic water bottles and using tiffins instead of plastic lunchboxes.

I have found over the years, the only way to rid myself of the madness of my nagging thoughts is to write them down. Hence being a writer I guess. So I decided to get rid of the PFP circling thoughts by putting them out there on the interweb... yep, there's now a page on Facebook for Plastic Free Planet. So come and say hi ;)

Maybe now I can get back to finishing the book...

Of course the VMAs sidetracked me a little too - did you see Gaga's meat dress? Hmmm.... was it cold do you think? Smelly?

September Spring :)

2010-09-03T09:32:00.004+12:00

Happy Spring everyone!

I'm loving the lighter starts to the day and seeing all the flowers coming out - definitely puts a bounce in my step. But for those of you in the northern hemisphere, Autumn pretty much rocks too - very beautiful.

I had the most fantastic time at the RWNZ conference - the most amazing speakers and vibe and general all around fun time. Feeling very inspired and motivated. This is a good thing because I have a deadline before the end of the month!

Ok, so Unbuttoned by her Maverick Boss is out on the shelves now in Australia & New Zealand.

Also available now in the US is my Christmas Novella, The Millionaire's Mistletoe Mistress - this is out with stories by Carole Mortimer and fellow Kiwi Alison Roberts. The anothology is titled TIS THE SEASON and you can get a copy now from here. (Just a note, this was titled CHRISTMAS WITH THE BOSS in the UK & Aust/NZ - but it's the same book).

In big news (for me) my old laptop died - which meant I lost lots of useful things (fortunately not any half written books) - so I've had to go back through and update my reader lists and all that - and finally gotten organised to get my newsletter database sorted. So if you want to sign up for my newsletter - which comes out once a month (never more, occasionally less) and includes exclusive competitions, excerpts, general chat and other fun stuff, then fill in the form in the column to the right!

I've also joined Twitter as @authornataliea and I have a page on Facebook - Natalie Anderson, Romance Author. (There are a lot of Natalie Andersons in the world, including a leading London actress, hence the 'author' handle on my IDs).

Again, there'll be special stuff on the FB page, just for you guys - once I've finished this latest book ;)

Meanwhile, have a great couple of weeks and I'll be back in touch again soon!

With very best wishes,
Natalie

XXX

August - part 2!!!

2010-08-05T09:37:00.004+12:00

Okay, so here's the book news for this month.

To Love, Honor & Disobey is out in the US now.

Caught on Camera with the CEO is on the shelves in Australia.

Also, Unbuttoned by her Maverick Boss is available direct from Mills & Boon Australia (search for it under the 'Sexy' series).

Coming up later in the year, my Christmas Novella will be out in the US - it's together with stories by Carole Mortimer and Alison Roberts and for the US is titled, 'TIS THE SEASON - you can pre-order a copy here!

Meanwhile, I'm thrilled to report that my fifteenth story for Mills & Boon has been accepted! As you may know already, in the UK the Modern Heat series is getting new covers, titles and even a new name from next year. So in the UK only we'll be known as RIVA. At this stage, we'll still be Presents Extra in the US, and Sexy in Australia.

So, I have a title for book number 14:

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE - will be out in the UK in February 2011 - and is about one extreme pro snowboarder, Jack, who likes to live his life literally jumping off the edge... Kelsi, is his one edge too far...

Number 15, title to be confirmed, is out in the UK April 2011 and features one of my most favourite heroines to date - complicated, razor-edged, funny Penny. Fortunately, she gets to meet Carter, an all-caps, to-die for, HERO!!!

So it's been a pretty busy time around here and as my next story is due next month, it's time to slink back into the woodwork and crack on with it.

Meantime, I hope all you writers out there targeting Mills & Boon are going to enter the New Voices competition - find out all about it here. It is such an exciting, innovative (almost X-factor-esque) competition and you have the chance to work with superb author & editor mentors!!! So get working on your entry NOW!!!

I hope you see some of you soon at the Romance Writers of New Zealand Conference!

And don't forget to come and visit me on my upcoming blog stops - free books are on offer! (Blog dates and details just below!)

With very best wishes,
Natalie
XXX

August - part one!

2010-08-03T11:54:00.000+12:00

I'll be back with more of an update in a few days, but I just wanted to let you know I'm blogging about a bit this week.
Come and say hi to me here:

Monday 2 August
Romcon

Tuesday 3 August
Novel Thoughts

Wednesday 4 August
Romance Australia (RWA)

Friday 6 August
The Writing Playground

Monday 16 August
I (heart) Presents

Tuesday 31 August
Tote Bags'n'Blogs

Also, coming up VERY soon is the Romance Writers of New Zealand annual conference!

We've got some amazing speaks coming - Christopher Vogler, Stephenie Laurens, Nalini Singh, Jane Porter, agent Laura Bradford, Harelquin editor Dianne Moggy, Grand Central editor Alex Logan and more!

I'm presenting a workshop titled "Putting the 'izzle' in Sizzle" - about crafting those emotional, sensual scenes! It's going to be fun so be there!!!

More in a bit,
~Natalie

July Update!

2010-07-01T21:03:00.006+12:00

Hello everyone!

Lots of book things happening this month with releases in the US, UK and Australia & New Zealand - and several more around the place - I've included some cute cover pics for fun - although I think the formatting may go wonky on me in Blogger... :)

In the US:

To Love, Honor and Disobey is now available direct from Harlequin or you can get it as an ebook. It will be on the shelves in the US in August.

In the UK:
Unbuttoned by her Maverick Boss is on the shelves in the UK this month and it and, Caught on Camera with the CEO (the first in the Hot Under the Collar duet) are both available direct from Mills & Boon UK.

In Australia/New Zealand:
Meanwhile Caught on Camera with the CEO is now available direct from Mills & Boon Australia, on the shelves there in August and will be out in the US in December!

Just a note, our books used to be known as Sexy Sensation in Australia but from now on, they're in the Sexy series - keep looking for the red covers and the sensation author names and you'll soon spot them!

Meanwhile, I'm hard at work on my next story and planning for the ones beyond that - got to say I LOVE brainstorming!

Also, I was featured in my university's latest alumni magazine. You can read it online - go here and I'm on pages 38/39.

I hope you're all well and happy and getting some time to enjoy some wonderful romance!

With very best wishes,
Natalie
XXX

Winter is here!

2010-06-08T13:28:00.002+12:00

So winter has arrived - and boy has it arrived here in New Zealand! It's freezing today and it has been raining and snowing a ton. Fortunately, I've got the fire going and have been making pots of soup and fresh bread - yum!

Anyway, a quick update from me this month - firstly, my all time fave hero is out in the UK! (I know we're not supposed to admit to favourites, but let me just this once).

Lorenzo is the hero in Unbuttoned by her Maverick Boss which is now available direct from M&B UK and will be on the shelves there next month. He had been patiently waiting at the back of my brain for almost a year and so when I finally got to writing his story down it simply poured out. He's a rogue but he's also intensely vulnerable - and does everything he can to hide that (even from himself). I really enjoyed putting Sophy in his life to mess it all up!

Here's the blurb:

Office gossip...

It's well known that rugged tycoon Lorenzo Hall comes from the wrong side of the tracks, and that opposites attract...

Apparently one glimpse of his pristine new assistant Sophy Braithwaite had Lorenzo itching to undress her - we wonder if she's as prim and proper as she looks!

Of course, to Sophy, her smouldering boss should be off-limits, but it's easy to see how Lorenzo's criminally hot body and the dangerous twinkle in his eyes could tempt her to break all the rules...

And of course his best friend and partner in crime Alex, who got Caught on Camera, is on the shelves in the UK now!

I'm still mainly in lurk mode online and working hard. My 14th M&B has sold and will be out next year (deets later) and I'm eyeball deep into the wonderful challenge that will hopefully be my 15th :)

Meantime, I do hope those of you in the UK pick up the Hot Under the Collar duet featuring Alex and Lorenzo and enjoy their delicious wickness!!!

Best wishes,
Natalie
XXX

May? So soon?

2010-05-03T15:55:00.002+12:00

Hello everyone!

Yes I'm still in deep lurk and working very hard. Just popping up to let you know Hot Boss Boardroom Mistress is now on the shelves in the US - I hope you enjoy it!

Also, the first of my Hot under the Collar: Naughty nights with the boss duet is available now from the Mills & Boon UK. It went onsale overnight and I got up this morning to an email from a reader who'd already bought and read it and loved it!!! I couldn't believe it. And trust me when I say how much an author appreciates getting an email like that - especially one drowning in revisions as I am!!!

Anyway, here's the blurb for Alex's story Caught on Camera with the CEO:

TO: All Staff - Is this the hottest kiss you've ever seen?

Finally our playboy boss plays around at work! Watch this steamy clip of Alex Carlisle getting down and dirty in the lift with the brand new-temp...

Heart-throb Alex has recently been spotted prowling the office floor - is brunette bombshell Dani Russo the reason? From this sizzling encounter, we think so!

Now Dani's lost her job, and the office grapevine says our bad-boy boss has moved her into his bachelor pad and found her a job - but is an X-rated replay on the cards?! Watch this space...

I really hope you enjoy these books!

Best wishes,
Natalie
XXX

P.S. I'm over at I (heart) Presents on Monday 3rd (I think!) - come say hi!

April already!

2010-04-01T21:24:00.004+13:00

I hope everyone out there is all well and happy! I'm in deep 'lurk' mode at the moment as I'm very hard at work on my next book - so forgive the minimal chat this month!

As far as current releases go, Hot Boss Boardroom Mistress is now available direct from Harlequin in the US either in paper or ebook form. It will be on the shelves there in May. This one got a fab 4 stars from the Romantic Times and they said:

Sizzling chemistry in the boardroom and well-developed characters make this a winner.

To Love Honour and Disobey is now on the shelves in Australia and New Zealand. One reader over at the Mills & Boon UK site had this to say about it:

Another first-class offering from Natalie Anderson. As always, a compelling and satisfying read. Complex and wholly believable characters forced to overcome their insecurities and the damage of their pasts to find happiness together. And no one writes about physical passion as Anderson does. A class act all round.

This one will be out in the US in August!

Both books are, of course, still available from Mills & Boon UK and if you like you can pre-order your copy of my next UK release: Caught on Camera with the CEO from Amazon which is out in the UK in June.

I hope you all have a happy Easter break!

Best wishes,
Natalie
XXX

Going on a cruise

2010-03-23T09:23:00.003+13:00

I'm unhitching from the great information superhighway for a while and taking a trip in an imaginary sail boat with beautiful wooden deck and big sails and no motor and hopefully calm seas... or rather I'm hoping I can navigate my way into calmer seas... admittedly I'm not the most regular blogger ever anyway, but I do have something of a bad internet habit... and it needs breaking because I need to focus on my time management and getting what I need to get done, done. So it's adieu for now and I'll see you when I'm back all refreshed like!

Awesome!

2010-03-07T17:45:00.003+13:00

Is what the seventeen year old male library assistant said when I rocked up to the counter this afternoon with about 20 or so super hot romances for him to issue - all with lots of skin on the covers and titles to curl your toes...

How can I still feel embarrassed about being seen in public with such glorious romances when I WRITE them???

Our library doesn't have a self-issue computer thing... I SO wish it did...

But I have to say the library manchild's unblinking, unblushing attitude made me smile...

March Update!

2010-03-04T18:16:00.003+13:00

March is here! Which means Spring has sprung if you're on that side of the world, while Autumn has 'officially' arrived in my neck of the woods. Although actually it feels more like summer has finally arrived - yay!

March means To Love, Honour and Disobey is available from Harlequin Australia - its also available as an ebook there which is exciting. And as I write this, its number ONE in the Top 10 Books - which is lovely. It will be on the shelves in Australia and New Zealand in April.

I've got a post up at I (Heart) Presents - talking about favourite nationalities for heroes - come and vote! I'm launching into a new book at the moment and really need to get my head down and get on with it! I hope you are all well and happy!

And if you missed the telly interview I did last week - you can catch it here

Best wishes,
Natalie

XXX

Completely & utterly behind...

2010-02-22T17:00:00.003+13:00

...on everything. How did it get to be the end of Feb already?!?!?!?!?

I promise to come and catch up properly soon - am brain fried to be honest - too many voices in there!!!

But I wanted to give any Kiwi readers out there a quick heads up... if you tune into Breakfast on TVNZ One tomorrow at 8:15am, you might see someone you know ;)

The weird workings of my little mind...

2010-01-20T01:10:00.005+13:00

It's funny how the brain works sometimes... I put something in at the start of this book I'm writing - with no real reason why or anything. It just popped out as a line in part of a conversation and I kept on writing thinking nothing much of it. It was just a flippant comment.

And now as I'm closing in on finishing the draft, the significance of it suddenly hits - and suddenly I have a whole new thread to help reveal character, and to show the change in the relationship. One throwaway line right at the beginning now has significance and symbolism later on. Ok its still a throwaway, flippant comment but it becomes so much more. Kinda like their relationship actually...

Cool huh? Well, I think it is anyway - others may not find this one so great, but it tickles me.

And what has that silly little bit of banter got to do with?

These beautiful creatures...

I so badly want an aquarium like that!!!!

(and for a bit of a price you can get one at Jellyfish Art)

Book Giveaway Winner!!!

2010-01-17T23:45:00.002+13:00

Thanks so much for your comments and emails this week :)

I've done the draw and am pleased to say BECKY has won the books!

Send me an email Becky and let me know your postal address so I can get them to you asap - I hope you enjoy them :)

Meanwhile, I hope to see some more of you over at facebook soon. I've got a wicked deadline coming up and will be working late, late, late in the next couple of weeks... so will be dropping in for some procrastination!

Cheers,
Natalie

Facebook and book winner!

2010-01-17T17:07:00.004+13:00

OK I finally signed onto Facebook - come and join me here - or click on the box on the right hand column! Meanwhile, I'll be doing the draw in a few hours - so some time for a last minute entry or two - email me to be in to win :)

A little extra exciting update & a book giveaway!

2010-01-10T17:56:00.005+13:00

I'm back again with some very exciting news - I'm beyond thrilled to be able to tell you that Ruthless Boss, Royal Mistress hit the USA TODAY Bestseller list for the week ending 3 Jan 2010!!!

This is a huge deal to me and I am very excited - it's such a buzz to see my name on a list with some absolutely amazing authors - I still can't believe it!!!

Thank you to all of you who bought this book - I hope you enjoyed it.

Anyway, I best get back to business and finish the next story before that fiendish deadline strikes...

PS: EDITED TO ADD:

In my excitement I forgot that I've just received my copies of To Love, Honour & Disobey - so to celebrate the USA TODAY listing, I'll run a spontaneous competition now - leave a comment or email me to be in to win a signed copy of both To Love, Honour & Disobey AND the bestselling Ruthless Boss, Royal Mistress!
You can comment from anywhere in the world and I'll draw a week today - Sunday 17 Jan (NZ time).

January already!!!!!

2010-01-05T21:58:00.001+13:00

Happy New Year!!!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and happy times with loved ones. Did you make New Year resolutions? I set myself a few goals but not resolutions as such.

It's summer here in New Zealand and we've been having fun camping with the kids. Okay, we cheated a bit by camping on my mother's property and then my brother in laws - but it was still fun!

In book news, Ruthless Boss Royal Mistress is on the shelves in the USA at the moment and has hit the Waldenbooks bestseller charts! I hope you enjoy Liss and James' story.

If you're in the UK you can get To Love, Honour and Disobey direct from Mills & Boon or Amazon and it'll be on store shelves in February. Here's the blurb:

With this ring...

Ana couldn't believe her luck when irresistibly sexy Sebastian Rentoul proposed. Seb made Ana feel less like a gangly, awkward beanpole and more like a stunning, desirable supermodel. Until she realised that being Mrs Rentoul didn't mean she had her husband's love...

I thee bed!

Now Ana's issued divorce papers and is getting on with her life. But Seb, fascinated more than ever by his reluctant bride, decides to make sure she fully understands how much pleasure she'll be missing out on...

And if you're in Australia or New Zealand, Hot Boss, Boardroom Mistress is available direct from M&B Australia now and will be on the shelves also in February.The Australasian version includes a bonus novella by the fabulous Jane Porter called "Mistaken for a Mistress" - now how's that for a treat!

I'm back at the coal face, typing word after word to meet my next deadline - must get back to it pronto infact because it is sneaking up that little bit too quickly!

I hope you are all well and happy!!!

December!!!

2009-12-19T15:16:00.006+13:00

I am so late with this month's update! But I wanted to wish you all the very best for the festive season. Are you organised or still getting things together?

Arrangements are in place at the Anderson household – I’ve almost done all my shopping and we have a shiny new tent for our family camping adventure – firstly we’re pitching on my mother’s lawn and then on my brother-in-law’s farm – not exactly roughing it but not bad for the childrens first time under a polyester dome. We have lots of kids and cousins gathering together this year – not to mention sheep and cows. Its going to be fun!

Book wise I have a couple of releases out at the moment – if you’re in the US you can get my contribution to the Royal House of Karedes – Ruthless Boss Royal Mistress. I was thrilled that this story got four stars from the Romantic Times. The reviewer said: This wonderful tale is a terrific mix of spark, sizzle and passion. The hero learns the importance of looking beneath the glitter to discover the real gold.

If you’re in Australia or New Zealand, its also on the shelves there now too!

In the UK you can order a copy of my next Modern Heat – To Love Honour and Disobey – what do you think of the cover? I love it! This is the one partially set in Africa – and yes, it’s hot!

You can still get Hot Boss, Boardroom Mistress online – this one will be out in Australia and New Zealand in February next year and in May in the US.

And if you’re in the mood for a Christmassy read, you can still order Christmas with the Boss . The Pink Heart Society said this about The Millionaire’s Mistletoe Mistress – You can always rely on Natalie Anderson to deliver a fun and feel-good read and The Millionaire's Mistletoe's Mistress is no exception! With a sexy hero, a loveable heroine and lashings of heart, sparkle and seduction, The Millionaire's Mistletoe Mistress is another fabulous read by this amazing rising star of M&B Modern Heat!

I’m typing this on my Christmas present to myself – a shiny little Alphasmart. I was looking at those dinky little netbook things because I wanted something portable and lightweight and that had good battery power but they had too many functions that I simply didn’t need. The Alphie with its nice sized keyboard and its millions of hours on only three AA batteries is going to be perfect for sitting in the tent! And even better there aren’t any functions that can distract me :)Already I’m taking it everywhere and making the most of a spare few minutes to catch up on things – like a well overdue update!

Anyway, I do hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. I’ll be back in January – hopefully having finished the latest book and working on plans for the coming year.

Thank you for your support this year and best wishes to everyone!!!

edited later to add - can you believe I'm so brain dead I forgot I'd shown you the new UK cover already? So sorry. So tired. (Children with chicken pox are to blame...)

Winner!

2009-11-07T14:20:00.002+13:00

OK, my book to celebrate Lorenzo's acceptance goes to:

Jackie Wisherd

Jackie - I already have your snail mail addy so will put a book in the post for you on Monday! Thanks for entering everyone.

I am off to a writer's meeting tomorrow in Christchurch (driving up tonight) - will be nice to hang with some writerly folk for a day. But I'm determined to get in my daily tally too!

Happy Xmas planning everyone! ;)

November book news...

2009-11-05T09:04:00.004+13:00

Only a month 'til Christmas! Scary how fast the year goes isn't it?

November means Hot Boss, Boardroom Mistress is now available direct from Mills & Boon in the UK. Here's the blurb:

Unfinished business...
Pampered princess Amanda Winchester was like an itch that Jared James couldn't scratch. But the tables have now turned: Jared is successful, Amanda has nothing, and he is her new boss. It's payback time - and bedding the delectable Amanda will be his reward!
Amanda hates that bad boy Jared has the upper hand, even if succumbing to his sensual demands will be sweet torture! But when Jared realises he's taken her virginity everything changes. Not content with one night, Jared is determined to make Amanda his mistress...

Jared-the-irresistible will be on the shelves in the UK in December!

Meanwhile Ruthless Boss, Royal Mistress and Christmas with the Boss featuring The Millionaire's Mistletoe Mistress are on the shelves in the UK now. Christmas with the Boss is also on the shelves in Australia and New Zealand in November while Ruthless Boss, Royal Mistress will be out there in December. You can order both now from Mills & Boon Australia.

In other book news, I have just got my cover for To Love Honour & Disobey - this is the one partially set in Africa - I'm thrilled with it. And I've also just found out the titles for my two hot, hot, HOT best friends:

CAUGHT ON CAMERA WITH THE CEO - is Alex's story (involving one sizzling Youtube clip!)

UNBUTTONED BY HER MAVERICK BOSS - is Lorenzo's story (involving wine, jewellery and graffiti!)

I'm back to being a busy beaver writing wise and sticking my head in the sand about all I have to do to get organised for Christmas. I hope your planning for the festive season is coming along better than mine! I am looking forward to it though, I'm getting together with my family and there'll be a ton of little cousins running around causing mayhem. It's be chaos, but it'll be fun. I hope you're looking forward to spending time with family too.

I'm so glad to be back online now the telephone technician has been and I'll be drawing a winner tomorrow for the other giveaway - so still time to enter if you want!

Cheers,
Natalie

Lucky 13

2009-11-03T11:55:00.002+13:00

November has landed and its been full on already. We moved house in the weekend - it was crazy. We still have boxes lining the hall and all the walls but we can find the school uniforms for the kids so we're hanging onto the daily routine - just!!!
Because of the move I had to finish Lorenzo's story pretty quickly - so I managed to get it in a week early (last Monday) - to my absolute delight my ed emailed on Friday to say he'd been accepted - with NO revisions! Ordinarily I like revisions - I know my editor's guidance is gold - and always makes my work stronger. BUT it has been like a Holy Grail for me to one day get one past her without needing any revisions and number 13 is it!!!
Wow - I am so thrilled. I love Lorenzo and he's been in my head for a while now so I guess it all just poured out pretty easily.
Hmmm. I guess the question now is can I do it again?!!!

I've no internet access at home until the technician comes later in the week but thought I might as well give away another book or two to celebrate Lorenzo's acceptance - I'll keep you all in the draw from last time but if anyone else wants in just email me or comment by Friday!

Happy days everyone!!!

~Natalie

It's my party...

2009-10-26T23:38:00.002+13:00

...and I'll giveaway books if I want to...

OK. so that didn't quite work but you know what I meant. Happy Birthday to me and here's some books for you! I've finally got some author copies in - not the UK ones but the US and Oz! So I can do my draw. How 'bout 3 winners:

Kerrin
Angie
Lacey

Email me gals so I can put one in the post to you!!!

Meantime, I am an absolute X Factor UK Fan - I log into YouTube to see who's singing what every Sat and Sun mornings. Well Michael Buble was the star mentor this week and he sang on the Sunday elimination show. As a wee birthday treat from me to you. Here he is.
Gosh, he's goooooooooooood! (Ihave a real hard time deciding between him and Josh Groban sometimes - anyone else suffer from this problem???)

October means...

2009-10-10T20:29:00.014+13:00

CELEBRATIONS!!!

In our house this month there are four birthdays (of the six in total) - lots of fun. It's also the anniversary month of my first sale - I think it was the 15th of October three years ago (when the twins were still in ICU) that I got the call from my wonderful editor. (I admit I'm a little fuzzy on the exact date!).

And I'm thrilled to be able to celebrate that this year with the sale of my 12th book! I just found out Dani & Alex's story has been accepted. Title and release dates to follow. Of course, I'm frantically busy again writing the story of Alex's best friend Lorenzo. He's such rogue and I'm so in love with him I'm jealous of my heroine ;)

Meanwhile, October also means I've a couple of books available NOW!
Christmas with the Boss features The Millionaire's Mistletoe Mistress - my warm (ok, HOT) Christmas story set in Edinburgh and starring the very delectable Ryan.You can order it online now from either M&B in the UK or M&B Australia. It'll be on the shelves in the UK, Australia & New Zealand in just a couple of weeks!

Also available online in the UK is my contribution to the Royal House of Karedes continuity - Ruthless Boss, Royal Mistress. This one features the gorgeous Princess Elissa Karedes and the handsome Australian who tries so hard not to fall for her. It'll be on the shelves in the UK in a couple of weeks.

Now seeing its the month of celebrations, I'm thinking its giveaway time. As soon as I get my author copies for these two (it *should* be any day now!) I'm doing a draw. To enter all you have to do is email me or leave a message here. It's that easy.

And lastly, here are some delish foreign covers that are out and about now - yum!

Bedded By Arrangement in Holland
Pleasured in the Playboy's Penthouse in Italy

Pleasured in the Playboy's Penthouse in Germany
Pleasured by the Secret Millionaire in Brazil

Bedded by Arrangement in Spain

Finally - an update!!!

2009-09-22T13:20:00.004+12:00

No - panic not, I've not ODed on the GG bikkies - in the interests of the waistline I gave half the packs away... Although yes, I did consume a fair few. Anyway, I've sent my wip away again - I know it will come back to me again, but I am prepared!
However in the meantime I've finally gotten my stuff together and updated my website - woo hooo. Had a couple of new covers to put up - have added them here.

First up is CHRISTMAS WITH THE BOSS which has my story 'The Millionaire's Mistletoe Mistress' together with stories by Carole Mortimer and Alison Roberts - yummy cover huh?! It's out in the UK and Oz/NZ in November:

Then there's HOT BOSS, BOARDROOM MISTRESS - out in the UK on December!

Go on then, vote.

Oh hang on, there's also this - also out in the UK on November - my contribution to THE ROYAL HOUSE OF KAREDES - mine is called RUTHLESS BOSS, ROYAL MISTRESS:

What do you think? Got a favourite?

As soon as I get some author copies (which may be a wee while away sadly), I'm doing giveaways :)

Meantime head on over to my website to read some excerpts - I've updated my news section too.

Ok, as I have a WHOLE DAY (well, 9:30-2:30) to work - I guess I'd better get to it!!!!

Here's hoping those books arrive soon - I feel like a party :)

15 Packets of Girl Guides Biscuits and Naked Men in Showers

2009-09-11T10:51:00.002+12:00

Ok, so we have 15 packets of GG biscuits with a best before date of Sept 22... fortunately I have some gnarly revisions to be drowning in and as I write best while chewing the GG bikkies are kind of a godsend ;)

The big kids are at school, the twins are at preschool and I actually have some DAY TIME HOURS to do said revisions (at least I do today - super exciting!)

So I've got my favourite Youtube Playlist up on the PC and am sitting in the big recliner chair next to it with my laptop on my lap and am busy working. Except a Mr Fix-it Electrician man had to come look at some lights etc and I was very not there and just kept writing - totally forgetting about the YouTube playlist and what was up on the big screen in front of him - not til after he went did I think about how funny he was looking at me. This is what was playing at the time - not SO bad, not really?!?!

;)

Yes I'm still here!

2009-07-28T20:20:00.004+12:00

Gosh it's been ages and what a busy time it has been- head down and fingers to the keyboard I can tell you!

So August means BETWEEN THE ITALIAN'S SHEETS is available direct from Harlequin Australia and will be on the shelves in the shops in New Zealand and Australia too.

I've a few titles in Europe at the moment as well - BOUGHT: ONE NIGHT, ONE MARRIAGE is out in France, Holland, and Italy, while PLEASURED BY THE SECRET MILLIONAIRE is out in Germany and Greece and MISTRESS UNDER CONTRACT is out in Germany.

It's been a really busy time writing wise and I'm thrilled to be able to tell you I've a couple of new titles and release dates to give you:
HOT BOSS, BOARDROOM MISTRESS will be out in the UK in December this year, and then,
TO LOVE, HONOUR AND DISOBEY will be out in the UK in Febrary 2010!

I've also been busy contributing to a new blog that's over at STUFF - one of New Zealand's biggest media websites. Now its not a blog abot writing - but parenting! I take on light topics - you can check out some of them like on kid's birthday party bags, and pocket money here.

August also means that its time for the Romance Writers of New Zealand annual conference. I am so excited about going! I've only been to one before and I am very much looking forward to mixing with so many romance writers in one place and meeting some of online buddies face to face.

And of course I've been nose to the grindstone on my latest WIP as well - it is due just before the conference - so I have one huge treat to look forward to after I hit the 'send' button.

I hope you are all well and happy - hopefully I'll get to see some of you at conference!

Best wishes,

Natalie

XXX

July

2009-06-30T18:24:00.002+12:00

I'm writing this on the last day of June - to tell you I'm going to be late AGAIN with the month's update because I'm under a pretty tight deadline.

But I wanted to link this Youtube clip.
Do you think that music - or any kind of art/creativity - can help change the world?
I'd like to think so... one individual at a time...
I don't know but it can certainly make us feel better right?
I love this song.

Competition Update

2009-06-16T16:46:00.003+12:00

Firstly, thanks so much to all of you who've emailed and left kind messages - it means a lot.

Now the interview I did a couple of weeks ago is up at Cataromance - pop on over, there's a chance to win books :)

June

2009-06-13T12:47:00.000+12:00

Once again I'm late - apologies everyone. This month has been a little rough as we've had a bereavement in the family. I am going to remain in retreat for a while yet - I am sure you understand.

I know I promised a competition - and that is going to happen. I've been over at I (heart) Presents recently and also due to appear over at Cataromance shortly too.

Thanks so much to all of you who bought PLEASURED BY THE SECRET MILLIONAIRE sending it up the Waldenbooks bestseller charts - I do hope you enjoyed Rhys and Sienna's story.

Best wishes
Natalie
XXX

Cover Delights

2009-05-14T21:17:00.009+12:00

I promised some foreign covers and here they are! I haven't reloaded my picture software so haven't resized but never mind...

First up is Pleasured By the Secret Millionaire in Dutch! (You can buy it here.)

Or how about Mistress Under Contract in French? (Available here.)

Or would you prefer Mistress Under Contract in Greek? (From here.)

Or perhaps Bedded By Arrangement in German (from here) - and yes I know they've used the US cover of Mistress Under Contract - very confusing!)

The question is, which is your favourite? Now I loooove the picture for Pleasured by the Secret Millionaire - I love the way he looks so strong and yet is holding her so tenderly... but I do rather like that French cover as well... oooh la la as they say!

May already...

2009-05-08T19:15:00.001+12:00

Hello to May already! Firstly apologies for not posting bang on May 1st, but we had a virus - of the computer sort - dreaded things. I am still reloading all my programs etc. Fortunately the family photos all survived - and that's the most important thing!

In book news, PLEASURED BY THE SECRET MILLIONAIRE is now available from Harlequin.com (click on the widget in the right hand column) and will be on the shelves over there in June.It had a lovely review in Romantic Times, getting 4 stars and they said "...This touching love-at-first-sight story is filled with heartfelt emotion, but the real treat is when the characters begin to open up to each other and reveal their secrets as attraction turns to love."

Also, in the UK, BETWEEN THE ITALIAN'S SHEETS is available direct from Mills & Boon now (again click on the widget to the right!) and will be on the shelves there in June.

You can buy both books as ebooks right away (yes, those widgets again!) and I'm thrilled to see PLEASURED has made it into the top ten ebooks list already over at eharlequin:)

Writing-wise I'm so pleased to report that I have sold my tenth title to Mills & Boon - release details to follow. I'm deep into the draft of the next and in the rethink/rewrite phase...

Family-wise it is an exciting month as my second child starts school! A very big day indeed and while I know he's ready (And I'm ready!) I do confess to feeling a little more heartbroken about it each day the moment draws closer...

Now, be sure to pop back in the next day or two - I have a fabulous selection of foreign covers to put up (and I'll add them here once I get my resizing program reloaded!) and now that my author copies have FINALLY arrived I can have a wee competition!!! See you soon!

With very best wishes,
Natalie
XXX

Cue total, utter, MAD excitement!!!!!!

2009-04-01T13:31:00.005+13:00

Ok so it is the beginning of a new month and that means that you can get new BOOKS - and I am BEYOND excited (in CAPS all the way!) to see that the wonderful Modern/Presents miniseries THE ROYAL HOUSE OF KAREDES is available from Mills & Boon!!!!

You can buy the whole set NOW (and on special too I might add)

I am SO excited about this series - I felt a HUGE honor to be asked to be part of it (and a tad intimidated too I must admit) - my book isn't on the shelves until October in the UK but you can get it NOW with all the others... its a wonderful story set on the two islands of Aristo and Calista... drama, beauty and sooooooooo much passion!

Here's the blurb from my story RUTHLESS BOSS, ROYAL MISTRESS:

From boardroom to the boss’s bedroom!
Princess Lissa Karedes, socialite and renowned party-girl, has been packed off to Australia to learn the meaning of work! But billionaire James Black, her wickedly sexy new boss has different ideas. He won’t be treating her any differently just because she’s royal. But he is tempted to break a golden rule and bed his assistant!
Lisa is dreadful at business…though there’s no denying she’s giving him pleasure! However when she nearly costs him his reputation, he issues her an ultimatum: she’s banned from his boardroom, but welcome to take a permanent promotion…to his bedroom!

Read ALL the blurbs and get your hands on the set here!

And aren't the covers just lovely! :) :) :)

**edited later to fix at least some of the typos I made in my mad, need-to-share moment! ;)