Sourcebooks Casablanca Romance Authors

I am thinking we would all agree that one of the high points in writing our stories is to type "The End" in bold print at the bottom of that final page. Maybe it is just me, but I always flash onto the scene in Romancing the Stone when Joan Wilder types those words - on a real typewriter no less - and is dissolving into tears while searching high and low for a tissue. I love that scene! Of course, until recently it was just a humorous moment in a movie with no relationship to my life. Now I have typed those words a few times, most recently two days ago. And let me tell you, it is a fabulous feeling! Of course, we know that just because we type "The End" it really isn't the end. We will read it over a few more times before we click the attach and send buttons. We will add a little bit here, take away something there, find some typo or misspelled word, all before we are satisfied enough to turn it over to our editor. And then it will be picked over by a series of...

posted by Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy Truth is stranger than fiction. As a writer, I receive constant reminders of this phenomenon. No matter how creative my busy little brain gets, it still can’t compare with the crazy twists and turns that are reality. A perfect example is my September release, The Treasures of Venice . A city built entirely on water sounds more like the setting of a science fiction or fantasy story. But in spite of the improbability, Venice is a very real place, chock full of crazy and wonderful things that not even the most creative writers could come up with. For example, take gondolas... These skinny, pointy black boats symbolize Venice like nothing else. But honestly, as a writer, do you think you could have come up with an imaginary creation quite so... convoluted and unusual? Here's what I mean: Gondolas have been around for several hundred years and the design continued to evolve until the mid-20th century. Then the Venetian city governme...

It isn’t every day that we get the chance to provide food for a Romance party. We Casablanca writers take our romance very seriously – and our food! Tasty dishes are our forte, so when the opportunity arose to serve up something spicy, hot, delectable, and addicting for Publishers Weekly’s Barbara Vey’s Bash for her second anniversary of “Behind the Book,” we rose to the challenge. It had to be pleasing to the palate, every morsel mouthwatering, pleasurable while partaking, extremely satisfying when completed, and also make one hungry for more. Are we still talking about food? Maybe! W e will let y ou decide what you now crave – either way, the desired gratification can be found at our blog. Books to the left….. recipes below……. Read on, let your imaginations go wild, and be sur e to cli ck over to Barbara’s Romance Blow Out to join in the fun. Eve ryone is invited! There are dozens of giveaways (including th e Casablanca novels), numerous host s and special guests, hunks galore roam...

posted by Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy My local branch of the California Writers' Club (an organization founded in 1909 by Jack London) has asked me to speak at their February meeting. My topic? Why, writing a romance novel, of course! So as I was working on my presentation, I knew I'd need to distill a lot of information into a short timeframe for this group who write non-fiction and fiction in all lengths and genres. They want me to give them guidelines or a recipe for what to include in a romance novel. So here is my list of ingredients, things a romance novel needs: Three dimensional characters with believable goals and motivations. Not everyone has to be beautiful/handsome (in spite of what most covers show). Many romance novels have a less-than-perfect hero or heroine with any number of “undesirable” traits, and this can actually be a good thing. The reader needs to identify with the characters, feel sympathy/empathy for them, which might no...

posted by Aunty Cindy aka Loucinda McGary The loudspeaker crackled and a strained voice spoke, "Attention all passengers and crewmembers, this is the first officer speaking. We have been boarded by pirates. They have..." Screams, shouts, and general noise reverberated behind him and across the room as he choked, then continued hoarsely, "They have incapacitated the captain and at least 4 other officers. Please remain calm--" Total and complete pandemonium erupted. Tricia stumbled and fell to her knees as people ran screaming in all directions. Covering her ears, she crawled toward the nearest wall. "This way deary!" She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and saw the kindly face of the woman dressed as her Fairy Godmother. Tricia shook her head in confusion while the woman gave her a few soothing pats. "It's me, Merry Joyful Britewell, and we'll get out of here, don't you worry." Tricia was still debating whether to ask, "How?...

posted by Aunty Cindy aka Loucinda McGary Armand hauled Tricia out onto the dance floor and away from the smoldering gaze of the dark man, but she could still feel his eyes following her. Pieter glided past, a short woman in a feathered mask with garishly tinted red hair in his arms. “Damn!” Armand whispered hoarsely near Tricia’s ear. “That’s Anita Fitzhugh. I’ve been trying to get close to her all evening.” The dark man momentarily forgotten, Tricia craned her neck to get another look at one of the grand dames of Broadway. “She’d be a perfect customer,” Armand continued. The music stopped and Anita moved away from Pieter toward the exit. “She’s going to the powder room. Follow her!” Tricia blinked at him. “Me?” “Well I can’t very well go into the ladies’ room,” Armand replied, and gave her a not too gentle shove. “Go on! Don’t lose her.” Tricia stumbled for the door, the strap of her sandal coming loose as she moved, but she had no time to stop and fix it. She hurried into the hallwa...

Happy New Year from the CasaBabes! We wish you and yours a healthy, productive 2009! Here are a few words from each of us about resolutions and goals. Linda Wisdom 1. What's your NY resolution? Hm, they're too easy to break. 2. What's your writing goal for the New Year? Just to keep on writing my witches and do something with my YA urban fantasy. Loucinda McGary 1. What's your NY resolution? To have more patience... never seems to happen, however. Also to be sure and let the people I care about know that I care. 2. What's your writing goal for the New Year? To have the endurance and creativity to meet my contracted deadlines. WOW! It feels good to say that: contracted deadlines! Michele Young 1. What's your NY resolution? Write more, play fewer computer games. 2. What's your writing goal for the New Year? Write a bestseller. Marie Force 1. What's your NY resolution? Never make them, but if I did, I'd probably want to lose weight, work out more, eat b...

The Casa Babes are taking the day off to spend the holiday with their REAL families, so here we give you some Christmas cheer, Casa style. Enjoy! We'll be back on Friday. Linda Wisdom 1. What are you asking for from Santa? A Kindle, bath and body goodies and clothes. 2. What is the best gift you have given someone else either this year or in years past? Last year I gave my editor and agent their very own Fluff and Puff slippers. So far their toes have been safe! Marie Force 1. What are you asking for from Santa? A new purse! My DH has been slowing improving my previously sadly lacking purse collection. Looking forward to seeing what this year brings. 2. What is the best gift you have given someone else either this year or in years past? My favorite gift I ever gave anyone was the year I got the DH the sewing machine he'd been wanting for years. I giggled all the way out of Sears with it and he went nuts over it. He considers it a, ahem, power tool. You go girl! Loucinda McGary...

posted by Aunty Cindy aka Loucinda McGary That's what a former boss of mine used to say instead of Happy Birthday. Only within the last few years have I begun to appreciate the significance. Yes, today is my birthday, and no, I don't wanna talk about it, particularly my age, which really is older than dirt! And yes, it truly SUX to have your birthday the week before Christmas. First you have to wait ALL YEAR to get any presents, then they all come at once. Second, your birthday gets lost in the shuffle . Parties never come off because everyone is BUSY with the holidays. The weather is crappy (great rationalization to move to the Southern Hemisphere!) . Forget anything that's not Christmas themed. My mother was the only person who NEVER wrapped my birthday present in Christmas paper. Sometimes she had to use the comic section of the newspaper, but NEVER Christmas paper. Finally, DO NOT get me started on the people who try to pull the old "This is your birthday and C...