Mariposa's Musings

What inspired you to become a writer? I’ve always loved the written word and have been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I thought I would be an English teacher or writer. However, for the longest time, my life seemed to take me in a different direction. I married, moved, and took the opportunities that came to me. That eventually led to my being a financial advisor for a number of years. A couple of days before my 36 th birthday, I woke up and found myself staring at the ceiling at 3 a.m. How had I gotten myself to this place where I was doing exactly opposite of what my interests or strengths were? How could I change my course so that I didn’t end up a sixty-year old regretting my life? I went to my husband and told him how I was feeling and what I was thinking and – to his credit – he didn’t laugh me out of the room. Instead, we came up with a plan, including a number of measurable goals to hit in the next year. After a year of working towards those g...

To celebrate the publication of Wedding Tango , I asked the production team  What is your favorite romantic locale? Marian Kelly-Editor-Ravensgate Editing Services Marian also writes Regency Romance as Colleen Ladd. My vote for the best place to take a romantic vacation is Salzburg, Austria . It’s a fairytale landscape, complete with a truly  old  Old Town, winter wonderland scenery, and an actual castle. Plus, it’s the birthplace of Mozart and home to absolutely gorgeous music to go along with the breathtaking scenery. There’s truly nothing missing—investigate the ancient buildings, tour the castle, go skiing on nearby Untersberg mountain, and when the day is done, cuddle close to your beau before a roaring fire. Perfect! Stevie DeInk-Formatting In addition to formatting, Stevie also does cover design. I'm not much of a swimmer but I think there's something peaceful and sweet about a secluded beach. A scenic place like Lake Tahoe , Nevada where yo...

"Without music, life would be a mistake."   Friedrich Nietzche I was fortunate to meet Courtney Kenney at the 20 Books to 50K conference in Las Vegas. Today I'm at her blog chatting about how the musical inspiration behind Ladies Man and Wedding Tango . Hope to see you there!

I'm thrilled to announce that Wedding Tango  is now available as a pre-order through Amazon! If you haven't yet started the Rhythm & Romance series, there's still plenty of time to read Package Deal and Ladies Man . Moira Williams is dismayed when her daughter, Tami, announces her engagement. Sure Jon’s a great guy, but why do they have to get married in Buenos Aires?  Though she dreads seeing her ex-husband, Alan, the gorgeous father of the groom has her pulse racing. Widower Alan Rochester buries his grief with non-stop home improvement projects, but a sexy redhead has captured his attention.  He’s eager to show Moira the sights of Buenos Aires from his college days, but is he ready to face the world again? South of the equator, nothing is as it seems.  Can Moira and Alan navigate through their feelings for each other and save their kids’ dream wedding from becoming a nightmare?

In honor of the holidays, I'm extending an invite to the Writers  Round Table to fellow-romance authors.  Please answer these two questions in the comment section. Include a link to your blog or website. In order to have plenty of room at the table, please limit your response to 200 words. What is one of your favorite marketing techniques? What is your favorite holiday treat? Hmmm marketing techniques....I have to admit I'm still learning the promo ropes especially advertising. As a lifelong chatterbox, I have learned to keep an ear open for new fans or potential guest interviews for my blogs. Keep the tag line of your latest book in mind and have your business cards ready.  Your next fan can't wait to meet you. As for holiday treats, I like my desserts like I like my romances...sweet with some spice. Soft gingerbread cake topped with cream cheese frosting is irresistible to me. Santa can have plenty of cookies, just leave me the cake. Wishing you all go...

Many women long for a boy-next-door type. But nice guys can be hard to find especially if you’re a witch from Greenwich Village.  When Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak) discovers her upstairs neighbor, Shep Henderson ( Jimmy Stewart ), is about to marry her college rival, she casts a spell on him to make him hers.  What starts as a vengeful impulse turns to love and Gillian must choose between the love of her life and her magical powers. The 1958 film was based on a successful Broadway play of the same title by John van Druten . Garnering two Academy Award nominations (Art Direction and Costume Design), the film is visually snazzy and headed by an “A” list cast. While the film is more style, than supernatural, it is definitely worth a watch for fans of Novak-Stewart and Siamese cats .

What inspired you to become a writer? I’ve always been somewhat of a writer, whether by writing poems and short stories, filling a journal, or torturing teachers who chose essay questions. But about ten or so years ago, I spent a little time soul-searching and decided I wanted to pursue writing more seriously. I wanted to write novels. I began taking writing classes and eventually I started writing more than flash fiction and short stories. I discovered my characters had a lot to say when I began writing novel length fiction. Who are your favorite romance characters (besides your own)? My favorite romance characters are old school. Romeo and Juliet (I think I was one of the only kids in the eighth grade excited about the assignment) and Rhett and Scarlett. Tell me what inspired this story. The usual question I hear (like most authors) is, “Where do you get your ideas?” My answer is often, everywhere since it’s a challenge to explain how a story brews in my brain and t...