New Interview

I'm emerging from my writer cave to let you know I have a new interview up at D. Renee Bagby's blog. Drop by and you might discover something new about me...and then again, you might not.

http://dreneebagby.blogspot.com/2009/07/author-interview-marie-nicole-ryan.html

Marie-Nicole
http://marienicoleryan.com

Cassie's Grooming

Since I'm totally besotted by my Sheltie Cassie, I had one of those mobile pet grooming vans (Aussie Pet Mobile) come and groom my little darling. Naturally I thought anyone who reads my blog would probably love to see the process. Shelties are a little shy, but Cassie warmed up to Groomer Amy very quickly.

Okay, now it's into the tub. Couldn't see much of my girl while she was in there, but she enjoyed the process which included a massage.

Now she's quite wet, and as soon as the drying process starts, the fur starts flying.

She she' really doing well, but drying takes a while for this hairy, hairy little gal.

All done with enough fur on the floor of the van to knit a nice soft sweater.

Now she's back inside and looking all beautemous. Note her stylin' yellow bandana.

And just because I couldn't resist, here's another picture of my sweet girl.

All right folks, I still have to write today. Enough with the fun and goofin' off.

Marie-Nicole

MCRW Golden Heart/RITA Dressup Party

It's not every day that a gal gets to revisit her childhood and play dressup, nor do so in Jody Wallace's 60s-70s vintage clothing. Since Music City Romance writers had three members who were finalists in the RWA's Golden Heart contest, those of us who didn't travel to D.C. for the festivities gathered at 2007 RITA winner Annie Solmon's house to party down and follow the award annoucements by Twitter.

Luckily our three members were in three different categories. Kim Law, Kelly Fitzpatrick and Xenia Navarre were the gals up for a Golden Heart award. Unfortunately only one of our members won: Kim Law. You may well imagine the squeals of delight that issued from our throats when her name was announced.

Only nine of us and so many clothes, so we might've changed clothes more than once. Here are some of the less revealing (LOL) ensembles.



Marie-Nicole and Monical McCabe aka Adventure Girl





Marie-Nicole showing way too much leg.-->>


Jody Wallace, slim and svelte in palazzo pants--is that what they called them?

Annie "Angel" Solomon (isn't Photoshop the coolest ever?)

It's Official: Seducing the Sheriff is a "Red Hot"

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When it comes to writing erotic romance, one of the best selling genres in electronic publishing, it's not very easy. It's not enough to add scorching hot love scenes to your novel. At least it's not enough for my publisher's "red hots" designation. I ought to know because I've tried the former. Too Good to be True was in my mind an erotic romantic suspense, and it even won a 2008 Eppie for contemporary erotic romantic suspense/mystery. But it wasn't a "red hots".











Holding Her Own wasn't erotic enough either because, let's face there was just too much story that didn't involve a sexual journey. An emotional journey--yes. And there were plenty of hot love scenes, but as my wonderful editor phrased it, "it isn't a story about sex."



So I set out to write a short story. Truth be told, I was aiming it for the Harlequin Historical Undone line with a word count of not over 15k. LOL That's how I ended up with a 45k word story called Seducing the Sheriff. Obviously it wasn't going to work for a short story. Luckily my Samhain editor loved it and offered me a contract.

I forgot an important step in the process. Before I submitted the ms to my Samhain editor, I sent it to my pal Jody Wallace who also happens to write erotic romance as Ellie Marvel for Red Sage. She offered some suggestions on story structure--most of which I took. She also told me what I'd have to do to bump it into "red hots" territory--which I did. I rewrote the ms in a marathon nine days and sent it off to my editor who then offered me a contract.

I've finished the first round of edits and I'm eagerly awaiting cover art, but that won't be for a couple of months yet. I will share a preliminary blurb, but don't hold me to it because Samhain has a great blurb writer who'll give it her magic twist.

This gal’s determined to brand the stubborn, hot-blooded sheriff as her own. And she’s not taking “no” for an answer.

Starlight Tyler returns home to Kenton Valley, Texas. A woman on the run from her mother, a Pinkerton, and a wealthy man she doesn’t love, she needs a husband fast. And who better than her long lost love, Cordero Tate?

Sheriff Cord Tate is bent on rounding up the gang of outlaws responsible for the death of his wife and unborn child. The leader of the gang is none other than Star Tyler’s half-brother.

Haunted by the loss of his first wife and child, he’s determined never to marry again, much less make love to another woman and risk impregnating her.

Star’s stubborn and means to get her man, but one moonless night, her past catches up with her. She's kidnapped and forced to the altar by the same wealthy man she ran away from in the first place. Will Cord find her in time, or will he wash his hands of her and say, “Good riddance”?

Of course, writing the kidnapping was the most fun of all to this primarily romantic suspense author. *Big Grin*

Marie-Nicole

Hold on the the ride.

http://marienicoleryan.com

There's a New Blog in Town

Now that I've developed a split personality and my next release is an erotic historical western, I realized my web site is totally geared toward the romantic suspense books I love to write. What to do?

For the short term, since a complete revamp of my site isn't feasible, I decided to set up a blog page where I could post cover art (when I get it) and the edited excerpts. It'll be an Over 18 page, so no fair peeking if you're underage. Wouldn't want to corrupt all the innocent minors out there.

Seducing the Sheriff will debut on 12/15/09 from Samhain Publishing. Due to its length of 45k, it won't be available in print, so it's time to bite the bullet and find a suitable e-book reader if you want to read this fun and very hot story. Hopefully the Lovin' the Lawman series will find a welcome readership among all the western historical lovers.

Marie-Nicole

htp://marienicoleryan.com

PS: I'm currently writing another contemporary Romantic Suspense novel, as well as starting to work on the next story in the Lovin' the Lawman series.

Which La Femme Nikita Character Are You?

I'm Nikita
You're a dreamer who cares deeply about others.
Your single-mindedness makes you impractical, and sometimes dangerous.

Which La Femme Nikita Character Are You?

Quiz by nancyn of MS4 Roy Dupuis