Mostly Books
How have we already made it through a whole month of 2019? It’s scary how fast things are going…
My review of Duchess by Deception (Gilded #1) by Marie Force
Harlequin: Romance Plot Clichés
Out Now: Ladies of Intrigue by Michelle Griep
Harlequin’s So You Think You Can Write blog has had a lot of interesting posts to start the year, and this one about plot clichés is pretty funny – and easy to relate to.
You can find the whole post HERE, but below are a couple of the things editors don’t want to see:
“Anything to do with the heroine falling down or being clumsy.” Variation: “She’s daintily eating potato skins and some sour cream doesn’t quite make it into her mouth. The hero leans over and dabs at her lips, smirking over how cute she is.”
“Stories that start with the heroine driving back to her hometown and thinking about all the backstory that got her to this moment.”
This has been a dramatic week both personally and for the world, and so I’ve run out of time to even take a picture of my Christmas decorations! Maybe next week…
Darth Putin is a parody account the Russians periodically try to get banned.
This week Russia’s war in Ukraine finally made it back into the news.
Tomi Adeyemi apologises to Nora Roberts
My review of The Good, the Bad, and the Duke (The Cavensham Heiresses #4) by Janna MacGregor
Helene Young: ‘I chose a career as a pilot over motherhood. I don’t regret a thing’
Behind the Scenes of a Harlequin Cover Shoot
I always share these articles when I come across them. My experiences growing up in the theatre, with a mother who was a wardrobe mistress, make me fascinated with all things “behind the scenes”.
You can read the whole article here: Go Behind the Scenes of a Harlequin Cover Shoot
I just love the picture below. Sometimes the most basic techniques are the best answers!
This week Harlequin Teen – the young adult branch of Harlequin books (obviously) – is being rebranded as Inkyard Press.
Maybe an attempt to attract more diverse readers who are turned off by Harlequin stereotypes…? The stereotypes frustrate me, but I kind of understand if that’s the case.
There are some interesting books in this line due out next year, covering the kind of topics that wouldn’t be accepted by other Harlequin lines (e.g. abortion).
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^^ The Royal Australian Air Force Roulettes flying over Old and New Parliament Houses in Canberra on Saturday afternoon (I took the picture from the car, so it’s not perfect!). New Parliament House turned thirty this year, and the celebrations were held this weekend.
What a week. For me it began in Qatar on the Arabian Peninsula, trying to stay awake through a 9.5 hour layover in Doha (note to self: flights from Manchester to Canberra have no good connection times!).
I arrived home on Tuesday morning, after two days of travelling, to the most gorgeous day. However, it was a real shock to see just HOW dry it is in Canberra. There was dead, yellow grass before; now it’s basically just dirt. It’s a huge contrast to green, green Ireland, and northern England, where there was a drought this summer, but nothing like this.
I didn’t get a chance for jetlag because it’s spring here, our local birds have had babies, and the desperate, overworked mother magpie has figured out which one is my bedroom window, and knocks on it with her beak at dawn until I get out of bed and give her some food for her kids!
Our recently deposed Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, had his penthouse by the lake up for sale this weekend. We actually parked outside the entrance to the building when we went out for lunch, and it was SO tempting to go in and have a look at it!
Yay for daylight saving beginning, and boo to all the countries losing their minds and getting rid of it. How could you possibly hate having an extra hour of daylight in the evening in summer??
My week finished with my passport sitting at the Chinese embassy, waiting for a visa – it’s not long before I’m off again.
Yet Another Netflix Adaptation
Easter (8th April) at the Ukrainian Catholic church in Queanbeyan
This week seems to have gone fast. I’ve spent most of it being frustrated with the Commonwealth Games coverage (a hint, TV networks: very few people in the world find lawn bowls fascinating!), while trying to get work done around it.
Of course, the week began with Ukrainian Easter celebrations, and this weekend is when the processions around the cemeteries take place (I said before: Ukrainian Easter is HUGE!). We’re still having summer temperatures in Canberra, which is just weird, because other years all these traditions take place in weather that is very definitely autumn-themed.
However, we had a freak windstorm yesterday. Here is the state border:
One thing that has suffered a lot the past fortnight is my reading. I have been focused on other things, and have not had time to finish a single book – even though some of them are books I’ve been looking forward to for ages.
Reread: Kiss of Crimson (Midnight Breed #2) by Lara Adrian
Harlequin Artist Honoured on Canadian Stamp
