Samhain Publishing

The ideal romance features a sexy hero and an intrepid heroine. They meet. They fall in love, and they live happily ever after. But life is messy, and these days romance writers take a leaf from reality. They include some of the things we find in our own lives. There are divorces, remarriages, blended families. There are single parents with children, with pets.

Along with the man-woman thing, couples have to juggle children and pets and the courtship phase before they decide if they can take their romance further.

Some readers don’t like their romances polluted with children or pets. Some readers have enough children and pets at home. They don’t want to read about them too. For some people kids are the ultimate contraception!

Here are a few advantages and disadvantages of including children or pets in your romance:

1. Kids and pets need looking after all the time, which means romantic adventures require lots of planning in order to guarantee privacy.

2. Kids can’t be trusted not to blurt out things when they shouldn’t.

3. Kids and pets can make characters shine and show their softer emotional sides.

4. Kids and pets provide fodder for cute meets and sometimes matchmaking opportunities.

5. Kids are determined, and if they don’t like you, they’re sure to let you know. Their dislike gets in the way of romance.

6. Think of the worst time for a kid to interrupt, and they’ll probably time the interruption to the second.

7. Dogs have sharp teeth, and have no problem with using them.

8. Pets are easier to foist off on friends and neighbors.

9. Kids require babysitting if you’re going to move the romantic action somewhere other than home.

10. Romantic scenes usually have to take place in the bedroom. None of this trying out every room in the house, and forget the kinky stuff!

My personal thoughts on kids, pets and romance? For me, as a person without kids in real life, it depends on the author execution. Sometimes the stories work for me, and sometimes they don’t.

What do you think? Do you like romances featuring kids and pets? Dislike them?

 Shelley Munro is tall and curvaceous with blue eyes and a smile that turns masculine heads everywhere she goes. She’s a university tutor and an explorer/treasure hunter during her vacations. Skilled with weapons and combat, she is currently in talks with a producer about a television series based on her world adventures.

Shelley is also a writer blessed with a VERY vivid imagination and lives with her very own hero in New Zealand. She writes mainly erotic romance in the contemporary, paranormal and historical genres. You can learn more about Shelley and her books at http://www.shelleymunro.com.

One of my favorite TV programs is called Escape to the Country. Each week a couple who dream of relocating to the country are taken to visit three different properties. During today’s show, one of the properties had an amazing office. It was separate from the house and had incredible views out over the surrounding countryside.

I have office envy.

Just think – at the end of the day, all you’d need to do is turn off the lights and return to the house. Imagine the benefits. The next day you’d find your research books exactly where you left them. Children and puppies wouldn’t manage to create chaos with your nicely ordered piles of paper the minute you turned your back.

Ah, bliss.

I’m lucky enough to have an office, although a lot of the time I sit in my La-Z-boy and type away on my laptop. This isn’t always ideal because the puppy loves to sit on my La-Z-boy too. She thinks possession is nine-tenths of the law, and if I get up it’s almost a sure thing that there will be a defiant puppy sitting on it when I return.

Today I started to think about my ideal office. This is what I decided I'd like:

1. A view

2. A large desk

3. A comfortable chair

4. Walls lined with bookcases for my reference books

5. A handy restroom

6. A puppy-free zone (she keeps stealing paper from my trash bin)

7. No phone

8. A large white board so I can plot

9. A pleasing ambience with candles/music/pretty colors on the walls

10. A well-behaved computer/printer

11. Somewhere to make a cup of tea or coffee

12. A “Do Not Disturb” sign and perhaps a lock on the door

What would your ideal office look like?

Shelley Munro lives in New Zealand with her husband and a mischievous puppy. When she's not writing she  loves to travel, watch rugby (Yay, the All Blacks!), read books (romance, of course) and ride her bicycle. To learn more about Shelley and her books visit her website at www.shelleymunro.com. You will also find her on Facebook or Twitter

As I write this post, half my mind is on packing my bag to head off on holiday. The last couple of months have been full on for me. I’ve written, sold and gone through edits on three different projects and, during the last month, I’ve had my husband underfoot as he recovers from a severed tendon in one of the fingers on his right hand.

I’m tired. My brain is sluggish, and it’s definitely time for a break from writing.

These days we’re all busy. If we don’t multi-task people look at us as if we’re not normal. We focus on work and family activities and don’t take time out for ourselves. The result is stress, which isn’t good for anyone.

Hubby and I are heading off on a ten day Pacific cruise. Quite frankly I don’t care if it rains every day because it will be a real treat being able to read to my heart’s content and have someone make my bed for me every morning. I’ll be able to snooze when I want and won’t have to worry about food shopping or what to cook for dinner. The most difficult decision I’ll need to deal with is what sort of cocktail to choose at the bar. Ah, yes! I can feel the stress starting to melt right now.

Of course, a vacation isn’t the only way to take time out. All we need to do is step out of routine and do something a little different. Go for a leisurely walk in a park. Go to the movies with your sweetie. Take a class or start a new hobby. Play tourist in your own town or city. Have a massage or go on a picnic. The possibilities are endless and needn’t be expensive.

What are your favorite ways to recharge your batteries?

Shelley Munro lives in New Zealand and writes hot and spicy romance for Samhain Publishing. Her recent release, Seeking Kokopelli is available in both print and ebook formats. Her next release, Lone Wolf is due out on 23 Aug. You can visit Shelley and learn more about her books at www.shelleymunro.com

Remember the carefree days of childhood? The days when we didn’t have to do anything more than play and maybe tidy our bedrooms when our parents shouted at us? The days when we could pretend to do anything and be anyone?

My love affair with books started as a child. I always had my nose in a book, and they helped fuel my dreams. At first I decided I’d ride horses for a living and enter show jumping competitions. (My pony book phase)

Next, I thought I might be a vet. This came from reading James Herriot and Gerald Durrell books. My mother pointed out that a vet had to study even longer than a doctor. No, that didn’t bother me. Seven years? No problem! When that didn’t change my mind, my mother casually mentioned operations and blood. Eek! That changed my mind quick-smart. There’s a reason I’ve never tried writing a vampire book and resisted reading them for the longest time. I get a little squeamish when it comes to blood.

In my early teens, I started reading romances, and this started off my desire to travel. I wanted to see all these places I was reading about in person. Could I train as an air hostess? (Their official title at the time). My grandfather informed me they served a lot of coffee and had to put up with some very rude people. All true. I’ve witnessed the way some passengers carry on during a flight.

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"True friendship is never serene."
- Marquise de Sevigne

"When friends stop being frank and useful to each other, the whole world loses some of its radiance."
- Anatole Broyard

"True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation."
- George Washington

"A true friend stabs you in the front."
- Oscar Wilde

Most of us have close friends and, if you’re like me, you probably know good friendships take time and effort. Occasionally circumstances bring change or dissension and disagreement. Most times we work through our difficulties and our friendships remain intact and become even stronger. We forgive or we make compromises because we understand the value our friends bring to our lives.

The Bottom Line, my recent print release, features five friends—four women and one man. Two of the friends enter a friends-with-benefits deal and this shifts the dynamics amongst the group. Secrets lead to lies, love and more…

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At the beginning of 2010 I started having problems with my writing. I didn’t feel like sitting down to write and I was low on inspiration. I still lived and breathed writing yet my overall progress was almost nil. Something I loved doing had suddenly become a chore. Yes, I was suffering from burnout.

Taking a break wasn’t really an option because I had commitments to meet, but I came to a decision. I needed more balance in my life. The hobbies that I’d let slip and the things I enjoyed such as walking and cycling should make a reappearance.

The change in routine actually made a huge difference. I started cooking again and experimenting with new recipes. (Check out my blog to see some of the things I’ve made). I started walking again and cycling most days. I dabble in photography and take my camera with me everywhere. I’m not an expert but I enjoy it and that’s the main thing.

This year I’m starting Tai Chi, something I’ve always wanted to try, and later in the year I’m going to take a class in decorating cupcakes. Oh, and best of all, next week we’re picking up a terrier puppy we’re adopting from the Humane Society. (Our last dog died over a year ago so it will be fun to have a dog around the place again).

Here’s one of the recipes I tested last year. (I made non-food recipes too, and this is one of them)

Chocolate Bath Salts

1 cup Epsom salts
1 cup sea salt or kosher salt (coarse grain)
3 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tsp oil (almond, olive or sunflower will work)

Combine all the dry ingredients in a clean bowl. Add the vanilla extract and oil. Mix well to ensure oil is completely blended. Transfer to small clean jars or cello bags and close tightly. Sprinkle 1 – 2 spoonfuls in your bathtub, lie back in the water and relax.

Notes: I added some baking soda to my mix to make my bath salts fizzy. I also omitted the vanilla extract and added 5 drops of peppermint essential oil. I gave jars to family members for Christmas. The Epsom salts and sea salt is good for soothing sore muscles and aches and pains.

My change in routine has certainly helped me rekindle my love of writing. I’ve also noticed the hobbies I take part in have the added benefit of providing inspiration for my stories too.

For all you writers out there – what hobbies do you have outside of writing? And readers – when you’re not reading what hobbies do you take part in?

Shelley Munro lives in New Zealand and writes contemporary and paranormal romances for Samhain Publishing. You can visit Shelley at www.shelleymunro.com or on Facebook or Twitter.

Writing is my dream occupation, so I thought I’d do a list about writing—the good and the bad.

Thirteen Things About Life as a Writer

1. There’s nothing better than spending the day making up stuff.

2. There are incredible highs while the lows (rejection) can be very depressing and sap confidence.

3. Writing a book is plain hard work.

4. There’s always something to learn about craft or the business.

5. Promotion is an increasingly larger part of writing a book and it takes away from writing time.

6. Research is fun.

7. Long hours spent at the keyboard lead to bottom spread.

8. Fellow authors are generous in sharing tips and expertise.

9. You’re only as good as your last book.

10. Plot bunnies are slippery creatures and are forever teasing an unsuspecting writer. They taunt and tease and expect their poor author to put down everything and work with them!

11. Writing is a solitary business.

12. Leisure time for reading becomes in short supply.

13. There’s nothing as magical as holding your own book in your hands.

What do you like or dislike about writing?

Shelley Munro lives in New Zealand and writes contemporary and paranormal romance. She loves writing and can’t imagine a better job. Shelley’s recent release, The Bottom Line is available in e-format. A print version is also available for preorder from Amazon and The Book Depository. You can visit Shelley at www.shelleymunro.com

Hi, my name is Maggie. I’m an ordinary girl—probably much like you. I have friends, and I work for an Auckland accountancy firm. My life used to be pretty ordinary until I picked up an erotic romance that featured a little spanking. I don’t know what it was about the spanking that made me so hot or so curious, but suddenly I can’t think about anything else. Spanking has grabbed my imagination, and now I want to try it. The trouble is my boyfriend is a little traditional, and I’m not sure we’re suited anyway. While I work through all the complications, I’ve decided to start a blog about spanking and my adventures in spanking.

Here’s an excerpt from my blog:

Yesterday, the thing that worried me most about my new interest in spanking was telling my boyfriend. I worried he’d consider me weird. Kinky. Well, okay. I’ll admit to the kinky, since this is a blog about spanking, but call me weird, and I’ll deny it strenuously.

Today, I have a new problem. It’s obvious Mr. X and I aren’t suited. I don’t know why I didn’t see it before, or maybe I did and was too stubborn to admit the truth. He wants a quiet woman who will stay in the background and support his career. Dinners with the boss, look after the kids—that sort of thing. I guess my quiet manner fooled him into thinking I was the woman he could mold into the perfect wife.

We’re going to dinner tomorrow night, and I’ve made my decision: I’m going to end our relationship. Hopefully, I won’t hurt his pride. We work in the same firm, and it’s gonna be hell if he starts taking our breakup out on me there. We’ll see.

Meantime, I’m short one boyfriend. I’m going to have to go through the entire getting-to-know-you phase all over again with strangers before I can even casually mention my interest in spanking. I feel like I’m playing Monopoly and have gone straight to jail without collecting two hundred. I’m no beauty queen, but my friends say I look cute when I smile. Evidently, I’ve got the whole girl-next-door thing going on, complete with freckles. I have long, dark brown hair. It’s straight because I didn’t eat my crusts as a kid. That’s my mother’s story—her hair is beautiful with a distinct curl. Normally I wear it in a braid, because it keeps my hair out of the way.

I have plain brown eyes to match my freckles, a straight nose and good lips. I like my lips. They’re kinda plump and pouty. All this set in a plump face. My breasts are on the large side. Let’s just say it’s not comfortable to exercise or attempt to jog without a restraining bra. I’m tall and solid looking. My mother used to say I take after my father’s side of the family. Considering she’s five-foot two, and I tower over her, I’d agree.

The point of all this description? It’s not gonna be easy to find a replacement, so my spanking experiment will be delayed. I’ll have to find my kicks online. If any of you have suggestions about the best places to find a new boyfriend, please let me know. Oh, and I guess I should continue to collect tips about how to tell a boyfriend I’d like him to spank me. Keeping positive might bring me some good karma.

Purchase The Bottom Line today.

Shelley Munro lives in New Zealand and writes contemporary and paranormal romance for Samhain Publishing. You can visit Shelley at www.shelleymunro.com

Inspiration comes in many forms. Like many writers, I enjoy people watching. One of my all-time favorite things to do is go to the mall, grab a coffee and watch the world pass by. I also enjoy learning new things and trying new experiences, many of which find there way into my writing in some shape or form. My June 2010 release, Seeking Kokopelli came about after my husband and I visited New Mexico and Colorado. I’m currently working on a book set in Yellowstone National Park, which we also visited.

In the last month, I’ve done two new things to add to my experience “bank.”
Our local community has a retirement village. They were holding an open day so I went along to tour the facilities. I actually had a lot of fun learning how retirement villages work and seeing the facilities. My tour ended with free drinks and a meal, which was a bonus, especially since my glass seemed to magically refill.

During the weekend, our local primary school held a gala day. I enjoyed wandering past all the stalls and seeing all the different things they had on offer. I have an idea for a contemporary series and the gala day will work perfectly as part of my plot.

In just under a month, I’m going on a Pacific cruise. I cannot wait! I intend to sign up for a shipboard tour, and I’m sure the knowledge I gain will work its way into a book at some stage. I carry my digital camera everywhere I go and take lots of photos to help me remember the different nuances of any new experiences.

People always ask writers if they write about their own experiences. In my case, I do put a lot of myself into my books, although when it comes to love scenes I’m not telling. I add a little imagination to the things I learn and, hopefully, come up with a book that readers will enjoy.

Shelley Munro lives in New Zealand and writes contemporary and paranormal romance for Samhain Publishing. Her next release is The Bottom Line, which is about a woman who explores the world of spanking and finds love along the way. You can visit Shelley at www.shelleymunro.com

Have you ever visited the mall and seen a couple holding hands or kissing? That, my friend, is a public display of affection. PDAs (public displays of affection) are a more recent thing, something that has occurred with the relaxing of social rules and less stringent attention to etiquette. It’s quite common to see people getting frisky and many couples like to have sex in public places because it’s naughty and risqué and a bit of a turn-on.

But how much is too much? Does watching a PDA make you uncomfortable or a little turned on?

I’ve been thinking about PDAs. I mean I’ve been known to do the odd PDA myself—not that I’m telling.

PDAs come in degrees.

• Hand holding
• Touching
• Kiss on the cheek
• Hugging
• Walking arm-in-arm
• Sharing a smile
• Pet names
• Groping
• French Kissing
• Naked with limbs going in all directions

I can live with the hand holding—nothing is cuter than seeing an elderly couple holding hands as they go for a walk. A hand on an arm or shoulder—that’s not too bad. We probably all do this with our friends of both sexes. A kiss on the cheek or a brief peck of greeting—I think that’s very acceptable too, as is a hug. I mean if men hug on the sports field I think we can put up with the odd hug in a public place. Walking arm-in-arm isn’t too alarming either and we’ve all shared private smiles with our loved ones. The pet names—I’m not so hot on this one, but it all depends on what the names are and how often the couple repeat them. One Snookums or Sugar Bear goes a long way! Groping—for me this is a clear no. French kissing, partial nakedness with limbs going in all directions, and full nudity are perhaps better kept for those private times.

I think the best rule of thumb is if your PDA makes your friends uncomfortable or gets in the way of other people then you need to dial it down.

Here’s a great video that, I think, sums everything up nicely.

Dating Humor:
How To Make Public Displays Of Affection

How do you feel about public displays of affection?

Shelley Munro lives in New Zealand and writes contemporary and paranormal tales. Her most recent Samhain release is TEA FOR TWO where there are no PDAs because the characters are dodging the tabloid press. Her upcoming release THE BOTTOM LINE (due out in April 2010) doesn’t have any either. Maybe it will be third book lucky? You can visit Shelley at www.shelleymunro.com