Tall, Dark and Wealthy

My husband has one of these three in the bag (no, I'm not telling which!) but if you're looking for a man who has all this and more, I have just the thing! The Tall, Dark and Wealthy collection, featuring my first novel, Hiding from Hollywood is out now for the bargain price of 56p. Yes, eight, eight, hot, wealthy available men, waiting for you over at Amazon. What are you waiting for?!

In other news, I'm starting to get back to work after my maternity leave! It's been a long, surprising, tiring, incredible seven months with my little girl, but I've purchased my back to school stationery, got a million ideas racing round my brain, and some beautifully pristine notebooks waiting for my attentions, and I cannot wait. Expect to see a bit more of me around here, and on the Facebook and Twitters - sorry about that!

Ellie

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Should All Romance Novels End with a Marriage Proposal?

I'm blogging today at my publisher's website - head over to -http://www.crimsonromance.com/featured/should-all-romance-novels-end-with-a-marriage-proposal/#sthash.EpRMuaTW.dpuf to check it out and leave me a comment!

Ellie x

It's here!

I can't tell you how excited I am to be able to finally announce ... HIDING FROM HOLLYWOOD is HERE!

The run up to today has been a combination of ridiculous excitement and sweaty-palmed nerves as I've gradually realised that those lovely, not so lovely and downright horrid folks who have existed in my brain (and the brains of a few trusted friends!) until now are going to be unleashed on the world.

I've loved spent the last two years with Abby and Ethan, working out who they are, making them fall in love, making them laugh, cry and *ahem* well, you know. I never believed when I was writing this story week after week, word after word, that one day I'd get to share it with the world but thanks to the brilliant folks at Crimson they're here! I hope you enjoy getting to know them just as much as I have.

The book landed on virtual bookshelves this morning, and hopefully those of you who preordered will have your copies sitting waiting on the ereader of your choice :) If you've not picked up a copy yet, it's available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk, iTunes, and Google Play and other ebook sites. If you've read the book, I'd love to hear what you think of it - leave me a review on Amazon or Goodreads or contact me directly on Facebook, Twitter or by email. If you're a blogger or book reviewer and want a review copy of the book then drop me a line at elliedarkins@gmail.com.

Ellie
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Media world domination starts here

Today  marked a huge milestone in my career as a writer - my first media interview!

Here I am in the studio of BBC Coventry and Warwickshire radio just before my interview with Bob Brolly.

The interview is here on the BBC iPlayer, and will be available for the next week.

I'm on from about 00:10 to 00:40 talking about Hiding from Hollywood, and my writing group, Harbury Writers. Also listen out for the surprise appearance from the husband-to-be discussing how he proposed to me!

Ellie x

Hiding from Hollywood cover reveal!

Happy Monday everyone! It's a happy Monday indeed here at Darkins HQ as I can now officially reveal the cover for Hiding from Hollywood! Are you ready? Here it comes ...

A big thank you to the team at Crimson for the fabulous artwork. The book will be hitting the virtual shelves in January, so save a spot on your Kindle (other eReaders are available). In the meantime, join me in gazing lovingly at the cover. Ah, Monday. Now my favourite day of the week.

Ellie
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Some very exciting news...

I'm so excited to be able to share some amazing news...

My first novel, Hiding From Hollywood, will be published by Crimson Romance next year! After years of scribbling away I'm so excited that my story will be out there in the world for people to enjoy.

And I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who's read drafts, provided feedback, brainstormed with me, made cups of tea (and glasses of wine!) and talked about my characters' problems as if they're real people. I really couldn't have written a word (never mind a book!) without such lovely, generous people encouraging me.

I can't wait to start the next step of the process, even though I'm a bit nervous of being on the other side of the editor's red pen, and will keep you all posted with everything that happens between now and publication.

At this time of year, I couldn't post without mentioning NaNoWriMo. I've written before (here and here) about how much I love this November writing frenzy, and have taken part every year since 2009 (Hiding From Hollywood started life as 2011's effort). But with my rewrites and edits for Hollywood due imminently, and other stories on the go, 50000 words is just not realistic this year (or at least not without dropping one of the other balls I'm juggling). But as I can't resist a November challenge, I've decided that I'm going to try and get myself halfway into a new story -- 25k -- by the end of the month. Check back here to see how I get on!

Is anyone planning to take on NaNo for the first time this year? Or if the full 50k just won't fit into your life right now, why not set yourself another November challenge? Write a short story, try a particular poem structure, write a detailed synopsis for your next story, set yourself a daily word target. To me, NaNo isn't just about getting the words on the page, it's about making space in my life for my writing, a month when leaving the ironing in favour of an extra 500 words isn't just allowed, it's positively encouraged. So whatever, and however much, you're writing this November, Good luck, and may your laundry mountain grow ever higher.

Ellie x

I'm back!

And I bring exciting news: the latest draft of Hollywood is finished! I think there may be a few comments to incorporate as I ask a few trusted friends and critique partners to review this draft of the manuscript – but to me it feels done. I’m happy with the character development, the plot, the romance, the sex scene *blushes furiously*, and all with a little time to spare before entries open for SYTYCW 2012.

And that’s not all. Remember my Old friends? Well, their story is starting to fall into place too. The setting’s become much clearer – these are definitely Tudor folk – and so the great research marathon has begun. I took some good advice from Vanessa Greene and am trying to research and develop a story simultaneously, and so far it’s working. Each nugget of information I uncover suggests an idea for the plot, or a facet to a character, and every leap I make in character and setting points my research in a new direction. I’ve now got a sizeable reading list, books on order from my new local library, and am close to the big ‘sticking post-its on a storyboard’ moment (one of my favourites in the writing process). And I haven’t even mentioned the DVDs I’m lining up for a Tudor marathon: The Other Boleyn Girl, Shakespeare in Love, The Tudors …

So the last quarter of 2012 is looking like a busy one writing-wise, and I cannot wait J What have I missed while I’ve been away – please share your writing news!

Ellie x

Tough love

I came to the realisation this week that the part of my novel I'm having most trouble with - a couple of chapters in the middle - is problematic because my characters are too darned happy. I ramp up the tension at the start; I build to a crescendo at the end. But for a fair few pages, right in the middle of the story, everything is going marvellously for my hero and heroine, and, frankly, it's boring me.

So at the risk of sounding like a sadist, my job this week is to make these two (mostly) lovely people unhappy. I'll keep them apart. I'll bring them together with unfortunate timing. I'll make them jealous and peevy, nervous and awkward, and really quite frustrated - in every sense of the word. Anything really, as long as they're not too happy about it.

Why do I take such pleasure in making them suffer? Because I'm writing romance! So I know they'll get their happy ever after soon enough, and they (and I, and hopefully you) will enjoy it all the more if they haven't taken the quickest, smoothest path there. I know they'll thank me in the end.

Ellie
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P.S. Feel free to share any ways you like to torture your characters in the comments box (within reason - no actual torture please :) )

Let's talk about sex...

Love it or hate it, Fifty Shades of Grey is changing the way women read, and talk about reading, sex. Suddenly we’re openly reading erotica on the commute to work and discussing it at barbeques. I don’t think I’m alone in wondering what impact this is going to have on the whole romance genre.

At the moment I’m working on revises to my first novel (currently nicknamed Hollywood) and I’m just about at the part where all the sex starts. But before I make any changes, I really want to try and gauge whether the success of Fifty has already changed what women want, sex-wise, in romance novels, and how (and if) I should reflect this in my love scenes. It seems as if there has been a huge shift in public opinion – or what women are willing to say publicly about their opinions – over the past few months, and I want to make sure I’m taking this into account when I’m writing.

So my question is this: Has Fifty changed what you look for in a romance – in either direction – do you select steamier reads these days, or has it made you realise you’re from the ‘less is more’ school of literary sex? Or are your predilections much as before? Share your thoughts below.

Ellie

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Such a tease...

After a request for more information about my book (from @ChickLitterEve) I realised that I’ve been all caught up in the nuts and bolts of writing and editing and haven’t shared anything with you about the plot or characters of my book. So I put pen to paper and here you go: the first teaser copy for my novel, which I’ve nicknamed Hollywood for now…

Abby Richards is waiting out her life serving burgers in a grimy LA diner. She’s succumbed to a life as a Hollywood cliché – actress-slash-waitress – though she has been trying hard to keep the ‘actress’ part of her life hidden from those around her.

When movie producer Ethan Walker walks into her diner, she’s terrified. There’s nothing she wants more than to run and hide, but Ethan is determined to drag her, and her secret, out into the open. 

I hope you like the sound of my story – let me know what you think!

Ellie x