Carrie Lofty Dishes All About Scoundrels
*camera zooms onto the ship, winding down the spidery stairs to the galley below, where Carrie Lofty—author of WHAT A SCOUNDREL WANTS and SCOUNDREL'S KISS—is sitting on a barrel, next to the stove, warming her hands*
Carrie: Hi! Who would have thought the Caribbean would be so chilly? *holding hands out to the stove and rubbing them*
Jack: *pushing his chair near hers and draping an arm around her* We would not want you get sick, my fair Carrie. Are you quite comfortable?
Carrie: Quite! *realizing Jack is about a hairs breath from nuzzling her ear* Um, aren’t we supposed to be doing an interview? You said the galley is where the rum and crumpets would be.
Jack: Of course, of course. *drawing out a half-drank bottle of rum and a handkerchief, unfolding it to reveal a handful of Oreos* Nothing but the best for our author guests. Please, have one.
Carrie: Wow, this is nice. *clearing throat* You know, I think I’ll wait on the cookies for now. Oh, all right. *takes one* Now, what would you like to talk about first?
Jack: Sisters! I want to talk about sisters! I love sisters! Well, not so much the nun-kind, though occasionally I've met one of those who has been... *grins roguishly* Never mind. So your book is not about those kind of sisters, but the blood kind. Tell us more about Ada of Keyworth. What's she like? Is she into pirates?
Carrie: I can't speak for Ada regarding pirates. She crossed the waters between England and Spain, but no pirates accosted her. Such a pity! She probably wouldn't have noticed anyway, caught as she was in the throes of an opium high and seriously hating her sister, Meg. You see, Meg chose to be happy and stay with her husband, the roguishly awesome Will Scarlet. In-law bliss was spoiled by the fact that Will had arrested Ada by mistake, leaving her in the clutches of the Sheriff of Nottingham, who did some pretty terrible things to his favorite prisoner.
Now Ada...she bears a grudge. Against everyone. That includes her sister. So she leaves for Castile (in modern-day Spain) and decides that opium is a far better companion than pesky family members. Avoidance for the win! To say she has some forgiving and growing up to do is an understatement.
Jack: Tell me about it with the pesky family members. I have a cousin, Billy, who thinks he’s a pirate, but he’s the worst pirate. Always stealing my rum. Family should be avoided at all costs. Except for good-looking sisters, of course, for the obvious reasons.
Now your first book is WHAT A SCOUNDREL WANTS; and this book is called SCOUNDREL'S KISS. I'm sensing a pattern; and I myself as a scoundrel do enjoy reading books featuring scoundrels. Do you then prefer scoundrels? Is this why you research so many of them?
Carrie: Any woman who says she doesn't have a little soft spot for scoundrels is lying. Even Princess Leia couldn't avoid falling for first-rate scoundrel Han Solo. If you don't know her, Jack, just think of her as a space version of Elizabeth Swann--prim and beautiful, but who chooses the scoundrel instead of the pretty boy. As you can see, my research on the topic of scoundrels is extensive. It comes with the job, which makes mine just about the best job in world...outside of piracy, of course.
Jack: I’m glad to see you take your research seriously. *rakish look* We’ll discuss your research methods later. Privately. I note this particular scoundrel is not a typical rogue. He is in fact about to take his vows as a monk. Incidentally I dressed as a monk once to escape some of His Majesty's Navy, but I nearly gave myself away when we passed the nearby brothel. Your hero is not just dressing a part, is he? What kind of man would take a vow of chastity on purpose? Isn't one's adolescence enough?
Carrie: Gavriel probably claimed more female conquests during his adolescence than during the year leading up to this story. He was, well, a rather bad man--a slave raised to kill a king. So I don't imagine he'd have too many scruples when it came to women. But all of that immorality can wear on a soul. A little distance from his previous misdeeds shows Gavriel just how lost he's become. Not one to do anything by halves, he decides that absolution can only come through extreme sacrifice. Silly boy.
Jack: That is a silly boy. Glad he comes around to sense. Okay, now for the lightning round, the Trifecta of Writer Inquiries: what's your call story? What's a typical writing day like for you? And are you a plotter or a pantser?
Carrie: I finaled in a few contests in the spring of 2007, which prompted me to head to the RWA National Conference in Dallas that July. I was set to pitch to Hilary Sares of Kensington, but she was a few minutes late because mine was the first pitch after lunch. Tick-tock, tick-tock... No rain checks, baby! When she arrived, she sat down and read the elevator pitch I'd included on my business cards. She said, "I want the full." After returning home, I mailed it on a Monday and she called me two days later. Commence celebrating!
Writing day: We have one car, so I do the school and work run in the morning. After my husband and our two daughters are ensconced in their various buildings, I head home to the blessedly awesome silence of our condo. I try for 10-12 pages a day, book-ended on the couch by my two tabby tomcats, and then I tackle promo, networking, chores, etc. Notice how chores come last?
Plotter or pantser: I know my characters very well when I begin. I also do research regarding the setting and what sorts of plots might be possible for that time and place. With those preliminary considerations satisfied, I just start writing. Let's call me a prepared pantser.
Jack: What's next for you? Still going to write Robin Hood era historicals for the time being? (Going to see the Russell Crowe Robin Hood this summer?)
Carrie: I'll continue writing more Scoundrel books, if I find a home for them. Otherwise, I just sold a historical romance set in Napoleonic Austria to Carina Press, Harlequin's new all-digital venture. My book will help launch the line in June 2010. In addition, under the name Ellen Connor (http://EllenConnor.com) , I co-write hot'n'dirty apocalyptic paranormal romance with Ann Aguirre. Our "Dark Age Dawning" trilogy will be coming soon from Penguin.
As for the new Russell Crowe movie, I hold a grudge because it was supposed to come out *last* summer, when it would've made the perfect tie-in with WHAT A SCOUNDREL WANTS. Stoopid Hollywood. But I'll probably go see it anyway!
Hellion: *gate crashing the interview* I have to ask. I saw this on your website, and I was such a HUGE The Young Riders fan, it wasn't even funny: what do you mean you became the authority on Pony Express history? Did you watch the show? Any character favorites? Did you teach at a high school? Also you mention you wrote your MA thesis about the Old West and legend--will you write any Westerns, if you're given the chance?
Carrie: Oh, oh, oh--I totally watched The Young Riders. I had a massive crush on The Kid and seriously wanted to be Lou (although my tastes changed as I got older: http://lovelysalomearts.blogspot.com/2006/06/young-riders-1989.html).
Hellion: *squealing* Me too! I had all this fan fic where I was Lou…and never mind, keep going!
Carrie: The show had everything: hot guys, horses, romance, adventure, history, and smart, self-reliant women. I became obsessed and began studying everything I could find about the Pony Express. The obsession didn't wane, and I wound up writing my master's thesis on the impact of Jesse James' and Wild Bill Hickok's legends on post-Civil War society.
Shortly after TYR ended, I found historical romance. I was sunk. That's why when I was teaching at Ohio State, completing my MA, I decided that academia wasn't for me. All of my colleagues were busy fretting about getting published in academic journals...and I wanted to write romance!
As for writing a western in the future, who knows? I moved on after finishing my thesis--call it Old West burn-out--but it holds such a special place in my heart. There's still a part of me that wants to write about mail-order brides and resolute sheriffs and plucky, cross-dressing heroines and deadeye gunfighters...
Jack: *pinning Hellion and gagging her with a bandana* Sorry about that, Carrie. She gets a little carried away. I want to thank you again for coming to interview with us today. Is there anything you'd like to ask the crew?
Carrie: Hey, don't enjoy his rough treatment too much, Hellion. *grin* I'll ask about my favorite topic: unusual settings. Are you on-board with taking romance out of the British Isles? Keen on new-to-you times and places? Which would you like to see...and which wouldn't float your pirate boat at all?
Books by the Crew
77 comments:
Great interview, Jack. I wants ta be around when she gets that gag out and settles on some payback!
Tickets! Buy yer tickets now!
Carrie - I'd love ta see more romances set in the era a William Tell and, oddly enough, the Barbary Coast a' California...
I'm gonna fly in the face a' most others and say I could live without 'nother regency romance.
Sorry, pirates...but lets see something new! Please!
*duckin' now
Hi Carrie! Happy release day!
I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of your book. I loved the excerpt on your site!
I love unusual settings. Heart them to pieces. My debut is set in three exotic locales: Constantinople, the Isle of Corfu, and Brindisi, Italy.
I will read any setting as long as it's a great story!
Hi Carrie! Great interview, and congrats on your release!
I love unusual settings too. I just finished a contemp MS set in Belfast (well, that's still British Isles...lol), and am currently working on a novel set in Vitoria, Spain, in the Basque Country.
I died laughing when I read this:
All of my colleagues were busy fretting about getting published in academic journals…and I wanted to write romance!
I teach and do research at a University. In a meeting last week about publication credits on a new project, I said, "If there's not enough room for everyone's name, just leave mine off." Everyone in the room gasped at the same time. They were soooo horrified. I don't want my name on some boring, stuffy journal article, I want it on a romance novel!
Carrie - these books sound wonderful. I love the Robin Hood story. These are going to be so much fun!
As for exotic locations... I like reading them but I'm not sure I'd enjoy writing them. I was going to mention Tiffany Clare's debut but she beat me to it! LOL! It's got some fun locations. Very exotic. *swoon*
But I'm with Chance; I could live without another Regency set in a slew of ballrooms. I think authors are stretching out of that a little, thank goodness.
Tickets! Buy yer tickets now!
Smart marketing plan, Chance. Really go for it.
And believe me there are days--weeks--when I can do without another Regency England novel.
I like your choices though. What time in California? Early 1800s? Or earlier?
My debut is set in three exotic locales: Constantinople, the Isle of Corfu, and Brindisi, Italy.
We cannot wait until your book comes out, Tiff. You'll have to blog with us--we know how you love that *LOL*--and tell us more when it's closer to your release date!!
In a meeting last week about publication credits on a new project, I said, “If there’s not enough room for everyone’s name, just leave mine off.” Everyone in the room gasped at the same time. They were soooo horrified. I don’t want my name on some boring, stuffy journal article, I want it on a romance novel!
Amen, sister!
Marn, I think everything old is new again: retro romance. Because in the 80s, I could swear there were tons of books that were in exotic locales. It was more balanced; and now it feels like it's 95% England (mostly Regency era) and 5% everywhere else. Unless it contemporary and then you must be from New York City, because that's the only exciting place to live, of course.
Hells are you saying the my contemp set in MO is going to be boring? LOL
Happy release day Carrie! Congrats!
I actually prefer pre-civil war era romance novels. I grew up reading historicals set in England, in ballrooms and grand estates, but I have a love for American history, therefore, if I find any historical novels set in the Americas, I usually gobble them up regardless if I have the time to read or not. I love fresh adventures and Carrie it sounds like you've got them! Can't wait to read about the Scoundrels :)
Exactly what I'm saying, Sin: your contemp is completely boring. *LOL* You got me. I admit it here!
I used to read pre-Civil war era novels too. *LOL* Man, our PC culture has widely abandoned them. *LOL* No one wants to marry a Yankee or Confederate anymore. And yet the conflict is so brisk! And what I'd give for a Revolutionary war set romance. What if a patriot fell in love with a Torey! OMG!
Of course, that would only sell now if the patriot was also a werewolf, and the Torey was a vampire.
Congrats on the new release and the upcoming paranormal series with Ann Aguirre!
I've been surprised that I've really enjoyed some Medieval romances lately.
Like Tiff, I ADORE books set in Constantinople. It's so fasinating and such an important part of history that I love learning more about it.
That's so true, Hells. Sad but true. While I love my paranormal and urban fantasy novels, I love well written heavily conflicted American historicals. Is it politically incorrect to write them now?
Oh no! My contemp is set in New Mexico. I'm destined for obscurity....
Oh the horrors, Marn. LOL
I've got a series set in Phoenix (let's face it, I'm super boring) and the series set in MO.
We're doomed.
*laughing manically*
Marn & Sin: Obscurity...or notoriety! Maybe you'll blaze a new era of obscurely set novels!!
Hi Sabrina! Constantinople was like the center of the world...and few of us know it. *LOL* I bet there could be a lot of great Crusades era books set there...
Sin, I'm not sure about the American history ones. I think part of our fascination with England is that we're so far removed from the history of it that it's alluring, whereas our history is still almost too new. Plus you have to be careful about the historical you write because you'll get all those re-enactors writing you, telling you what facts you got wrong about battles or what they were wearing...
Obscure locations in novels. Maybe we'll make them new vacay spots. LOL
Oh, and to answer the question:
I think I'd like to read some historicals set in Russia. They have an interesting and dramatic history--and it's cold, so that leads to a lot of fireside makeout sessions. I miss historicals in the Caribbean and Australia. Romania, Chez Rep, Hungary, et al--those would be interesting settings.
I don't naturally gravitate to Africa or Middle East settings. Although the last historical I read had a hero who had gone exploring in Africa and that was interesting. On the whole though, neither of those places interest me. I think it's the fantasy thing. It's hard enough suspending into a fantasy of historical England and America with modern-thinking men who embrace women who are intelligent, strong, and independent, but to suspend it for countries that even today don't seem to embrace those qualities in women....
I'm also not a big fan of France set fiction, unless it's more Medieval era or Louis the 14th. (The Reign of Terror still frightens me and I don't find it romantic. Although I did recently read a vampire novel with the origins in France during the Reign of Terror and it was pretty good.) I think it's my prejudice: I'm not a fan of France. I'd rather read a Germany set novel than a French one.
LOL! The horror!! :)
Honestly, there's something very Batman about urban fantasy these days, I think. Not all of it, of course. And not that I hate Batman, but I feel like the genre could use a little bit of spicing up.
Hellie - in high school, I read this phenomenal series set in St. Petersburg, Russia, just before and during the Bolshevik Revolution, with a maid who falls in love with a Prince. There were castles and ballrooms and war and Siberian prison camps and dying farmlands and Lenin was in the middle of it all as a very young man (heroine's brother had been sent to a Siberian work camp with Lenin)....
I swear to god, half the reason I studied abroad in Russia was because of that series. I still adore Bolshevik history because of it.
And I devoured civil war books. I still remember my favorite - a Confederate Widow goes North to spy and falls in love with a Yankee soldier....sigh! And then of course, there's SEP's "Just Imagine", which is technically post-civil war, but still one of the best historical romances I've ever read (she should really do more historicals!)
Torey vamps? Oh lord. Watch, it's going to be the next trend. Jump on the bandwagon now *g*
Hal, what was this series? Hook a pirate up, woman!
I'll have to read Just Imagine--I haven't. And I do enjoy the post-Civil war ones too. Very good tortured heroes abound there.
Jump on the bandwagon? I invented the Torey vamps--I'm driving the bandwagon!
I just looked up "Just Imagine" on Amazon, and am a bit floored by all the negative reviews. *shurg* It has a super tortured hero with a very rebellious heroine who is trying to destroy him. And lots of sex. What's not to love?
LOL! Crack that whip and get those horses moving faster :)
I didn't name the series, because I read it 20 years ago, when I was only allowed to read inspirational romance. So not only is it poorly written, but it's also evangelical Christian. But still, it's very close to my heart, even if I probably couldn't stomach a re-read. It's Judith Pella and Michael Phillip's "The Russians" series: The Cross and the Crucible, A House Divided, Trivial and Triumph, and four more, I think. "Against the vast and formidable backdrop of pre-revolutionary Russia, the lives of two families, the Burenins and the Fedorcenkos, become inextricably intertwined, in this sweeping saga of love, faith, and courage"
Watch out if Hells is driving the bandwagon. You might wanna hold onto your hat too. And the Oh-sht-handle.
Hal, I'm thinking that if there is a tortured hero and lots of sex involved, I might be into reading that.
I just looked up “Just Imagine” on Amazon, and am a bit floored by all the negative reviews.
Well, you know the saying: one woman's Love Boat is another woman's Titanic. Same with books, I'm afraid. But on the upside, gives us lots of hope. For every negative review we'll have when we're published, there will be twice as many happy fans, singing our praises for our brillance!
Taste is subjective.
And I might still brave the series, even if they're evangelical Christian. I did enjoy the Love Comes Softly series...but maybe those are better written??
And the Oh-sht-handle.
Shows what you know about wagons. There are no Oh-sht-handles. Not even a lap seat belt. We Amish love to live dangerously.
Shows what you know about wagons. There are no Oh-sht-handles. Not even a lap seat belt. We Amish love to live dangerously.
LMAO!!!
For stuff I read way back, I can't really tell what was written well and what wasn't. I read everything Janette Oke (and will even admit to watching the Lifetime movie of "Love Comes Softly" - I adored Clark and that series). I *think* that the Russians were a bit better, but I wouldn't swear to that. I can tell you the first in the series is set partially during a war in the Caucasus, so there was tons of military strategy sessions I skimmed over until we got back to the castle and the love story *g*
you're totally write Hellie. Taste is so subjective. I always check out the reviews after I've finished a book to see where I line up in my opinion, so to speak. It's always comforting to see that everyone gets negative reviews, and for every negative, there are more positive. I can live with that *g*
Hal, I have such a crush on the guy who plays Clark in that TV movie. *LOL* I even cry. It's sad, really. He's beta, but you just don't mind.
If JK Rowling can get negative reviews, it just goes to show there are some people who just don't have good taste no matter how hard you try to show them the light. You can't win over everyone, but you can win over the ones with good taste. (Ha, ha. I just heard a handful of geek boys who are yelling at me about not reading LOTR...and my questionable taste.)
I've never read LOTR or Harry Potter. I know, I know. But I've seen all the movies and loved them, if that counts...
But he's the good kind of beta. The one that you know is always, always going to be there fore you in that quiet, dignified sort of way.
I cry too (shh!). And at the end of the movie, when he goes after her......*sigh*
As a bonafide LOTR fan, Hal...I grant you absolution. The movies were great. Now, will Hel grant me the same fer never readin' all the HP books? ;-)
The Barbary Coast, height a' the gold rush in San Francisco, a pleasure neighborhood in the 1840s... There always be a lot a' dangerous things goin' on there, fortunes bein' made and lost, sailors bein' kidnapped... There were a tv series, staring William Shatner, if I recall it correctly...
Were a great mysteries series set in San Francisco, set right after the earthquake that was also great. Had some romance mixed in... And one featurin' Jack London as a sleuth... Aye, I do like readin' 'bout me state.
As a disclaimer, I did give Hal a hard time about reading HP....
Now, Chance, would I be a good captain if I went around being merciful all the time? No....
I know. And you kinda want to rumple him up. He's a good beta.
I suppose it can count. Since that's my claim about LOTR. "I watched the movies! The extended versions!" But my beef with LOTR is that it's a buddy book rather than a boy-girl relationship book. Harry Potter at least has both types of relationships featured, though understandably it happens later, when they're like 15 or so on.
1840s would be a good era. And that would sound interesting with the Barbary Coast. (The minor bits of history I know about the Barbary Coast were around 1812, Thomas Jefferson, and some troublesome pirates.) Just so long as my characters didn't have to live there though. I'd rather they settled in California or something.
Yeah, well, I'll never catch up now. I'll have to read the comments tonight.
Welcome aboard, Carrie, and thanks for being so patient with Jack and our lovely Captain. Fancy TWO Young Rider fans on the same boat. What are the odds?!
That call story is amazing and my daughter and I found ourselves addicted to the British Robin Hood series. Too bad they destroyed it by the end. *sigh* But I'll definitely have to check out these books.
Congrats and I'll try to check back in when I did out from all this crap on my desk.
Nah, Hel, not that Barbary Coast...but the California Barbary Coast! I know, it be a bit confusin', but they hijacked the term and plopped it onta a section a' San Francisco durin' the gold rush era...
Terrio - Wasn't that call story unreal? Not enough sufferin'... ;)
Why would anyone want to be associated with the Barbary Coast? Make up a new name! It was 1840! It wasn't like all the best names were taken at that point!
Hi everyone!
Y'all are so chatty here. I love it! And I'm certainly loving all of the great vibes for unusual settings. The group blog I founded in 2006, Unusual Historicals, focuses on just those sorts of books. We're just trying to stay afloat and keep published until the wheel turns back to where it was in the 80s, when just about anywhere was a possibility! I'll just keep my fingers crossed for the Victorian South Africa and WWII books I just finished up...
Thanks to Jack and to Hellion for allowing me to drop by. And any ship that doesn't have two Young Riders fans aboard is worse off because of it ;)
All the best,
Carrie
That's what *everyone* says! I only hopes editors squee just as happily :)
Victorian South Africa?? Now that's a book I HAVE to read!
Yeah, I'm not a fan of Africa, but could see the appeal of Victorian South Africa. (But I think this is because I've read some British empire era India-set novels that were really good, so even though the histories are completely different, I can see the appeal.)
And I love World War II. I wish there were more romances set then. I can only think of two: Morning Glory by LaVeryle Spencer and Sentimental Journey by Jill Barnett.
Hi Carrie
I wouldn't mind shifting the romance away from Britain if its novels only that your thinking of.
Forget global warming, its global freezing over here in England at the moment. Too bloody cold for hot romancing!
Using your time-travelling skills perhaps you could take us back to warmer climes. Don't care where or when as long as its warm with sparkling blue seas and gorgeous girls bedecking the beaches, and perhaps a romantic mystery to solve.
Lovely to meet you on board the ship! :D
Q - If freezing over here too! I had to get gas this morning and it was 26 degrees (not sure what that is C but it's COLD.) Hellie is dealing with -4 which is like -60 over there I think. Things can warm up any time!
I'd love to see historical romances come back to America. But I also loved the movie Australia, so that would be fun in a book as well. Oh, and romances set in the West Indies are always fun. Though they usually go from there to somewhere else. Not sure why.
Close, Terri, it's -20 C in conversion terms. But if you factor in the windchill of -20, it's -29 over there. (What? That doesn't seem right? Only a 9 difference between the two when there is 16 points between them? Science does not make sense.)
I love it! And if you plug in -40 (which is the temperature in Springtime Alaska by the way), the Celsius converter also says -40. Clearly Celsius doesn't know how to convert once the temperatures get ridiculously high or low.
I was going by the temps they were giving out on the flights last Friday. I'd have sworn they said something low in F was like -50 in C. But this IS science and that is NOT my forte. As we all know.
No, I went to a "How to" article so I could convert by hand and got the same answers as I was getting from the "magical" converter, so Celsius is clearly just wonky.
Funny enough, the two choices for how to see the degrees on Weather.com are "English" and "Metric". So they don't use English in England. Ha!
Clearly that should be "American" and "Metric" since I think we're the only humans on the planet too stupid to use celsius.
I don't think keeping it simple necessarily makes us stupid. LOL! I mean, we're a world power! Or were for a very long time. We must be smart at something.
Well, I'm smart enough ta live where it's 57, sunny and the sky is a wonderful shade a' silvery blue.
Hey! I don't know why they called it the Barbary Coast...maybe 'cause it were very barbarous? And what's wrong wit' borrowin' good stuff from other places?
;)
dude. There's no way you can make the claim that the American system is simpler than the metric system. All we did was throw a whole bunch of wrenches in a perfectly good system and call it "English" :)
Seems simple enough to me seeing it's the only system I've ever known. Though I do remember them trying to teach us the metric system in school. Never took. Do they even try anymore? I think my kiddo had it in math not long ago, but not sure. I'll have to ask her tonight.
Chancey - That's just mean. LOL! But we're going to hit 41 tomorrow! *sings* We're having a heatwave....
All we did was throw a whole bunch of wenches in a perfectly good system and call it “English”
*grin* thats how I read it Hal...Freudian perhaps!?
Just have to remember that 32F is freezing point and 212F is boiling point.
So to get Centigrade from Fahrenheit you subtract 32 then multiply the result by 5/9 and voilà!
Temperature her this morning was -6C according to my car though since the blizzard I think its warming up a bit.
Hell Chance. I hope you're not gloating!
California does seem nice and cosy right now!
Loved the interview!
Carrie, I'm currently revising a post-civil war story set in Kansas. There is waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much information. Do you have any suggestions for good research material? Other than living in Kansas that is, since I'm already here.
As for the Scoundrels, I love the whole idea of the Robin Hood thing. While y'all were wanting to be Lou, I was wanting my own archer in tights.
Again, great interview.
-6C is tropical here. *LOL* I can't wait until the temps get that high again! *LOL*
Anyone feel like they're actually in the Bering Sea instead of the Caribbean?
I was thinking more the Arctic.
Hey, we're warming up tomorrow. 20 degrees, but we're supposed to get more snow.
;)
Me, gloating? Let me describe the walk I took with me Bonnie dog down ta the bluff, overlookin' the wondrous bay a' Monterey...
Still in the upper 50s, the sea be full a' wetsuited surfers. (Even when the outside temps seem nice, the water temp be frigid.) It be a deep bay, rich with marine life. Birds be skirtin' along the waves as they break. Pelicans seekin' fish where the water be all but transparent, wings touchin' the water. Sandpipers racin' with the waves as they wash the sand, lookin' fer telltale bubbles ta show where some tidbits might be hidin'.
The surf weren't big, but it were nice enough fer some short rides fer the surfers. The tide was high, lots a' folks out walkin' their dear doggies down on the sand. The bluff, partly covered wit' eucalyptus trees, held a scatterin' a' folks out enjoyin' the scene. Silver blue sea, low sun, filtered through a sky slivered wit' thin clouds...
The air be full a' sea scent, even a touch a' warmth and there be some sour grass flowerin'...bright yellow blossums bobbin' slightly. The longer grass be still damp wit' mornin' fog...
Ta me, there be some slight bit a' a pleasant summer hinted at in the depth a' California coastal winter.
Wish ya all coulda been there!
Chance, is this where I feed ya to the wee fishies? I'm sure Cap'n wouldn't mind one bit. Damn, but me bloody, feckin, frigid toes are turn'n black within me boots. Where's the rum, wench? :)
Make that a hot rum toddy. LOL!
If only this paradise didn't come wit a cost o'livin' that be out of this world. LOL! (Seriously, I'm still considering living out there someday. Once they get that economy fixed and me kiddo is well and grown.)
Aye, the cost a' livin' be terrible. And we do get earthquakes, Renee... And mudslides when the rain gets ta be too much...
I did some rum tastin' a few nights ago, as me DH made up fer losin' all the rum samplers we brought back from the cruise... I'll mix up somethin' good...
A blast a' California dreamin'...
Careful, Chance, you're just asking for a stabbing.
Give me a year and I'll have me guest room set up and visitors are welcome ta travel ta the lovely place I live...
I'll keep my snow thank you very much. Earthquakes scare the bejesus out of me, those mudslides don't look to fun either. Of course, we have tornadoes, but usually we have some sort of warning.
Well, we know what to keep an eye out fer wit' mudslides. They don't come outta no where. And earthquakes? Well, there ain't nothin' ya can do 'bout them 'cept be ready wit' supplies. Much like a tornado. 'Cept we don't have an earthquake season every year!
You're far mroe likely to get cancer from drinking the water in California than being in an earthquake. *LOL* California is lovely, though I still prefer the Gulf of Mexico for my ocean of choice.
What!? Where did you get that? Though...oh, you're probably right... I've lived here 50 years and only been in a handful of them... Only one that really scared me. And didn't live close enough to the big Loma Prieta quake to feel that one!
Renee, my only advice is a snarky comment from somewhere in the world of writing fiction. I don't remember where it came from, but I try to keep it in mind when I read: Leave out the bits you'd skip.
In other words, even though you love talking about your particular subject matter, cut the parts where you might be tempted to, you know...skim. It's kind of offensive to think that, like--oh, no, I never skim! But I do. All the time. But generally it's other people's books!
If you have too much historical info in your romance, it cuts in on the romance time. That's what your readers are really there for, so reward them with the hot lovin' and sizzling tension--or at least with some witty banter. The details we love to research aren't necessarily the details that make readers what to keep reading.
OK, that's all I have for this morning. We're due for 6-10 inches of snow here tomorrow. Good thing I live in a condo with a snow removal service! There's no other way to live in Wisconsin! Keep warm, everyone...
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