Elizabeth hopes her remarkable voice and academic training will help crown her the new darling of the Met. But will her burgeoning romance with world-renowned philanthropist Lliam Dafydd benefit her career or derail it before it begins?
Elizabeth’s minutes-older twin, Jennie, plans to translate her impressive résumé into a successful medical research program, but her demanding academic pursuits leave little time for romance.
Feeling trapped by her girl-next-door image, Jennie adopts a daring alter ego who behaves as she never would. As “Ariel De Mer,” Jennie becomes captivated by mysterious photographer, Chance Bly. Handsome and suave, he smoothly awakens her desires, while Ariel’s sexiness and sassiness mesmerize her smitten lover.
But Jennie’s innocent charade has a powerful impact on the lives of those she loves, and she is not the only one playing games.
Well, here we are, my very first guest blog post, ever! Through the entire publishing process for my novel Angel of the Centerfold, I never thought far enough ahead to consider that at the end of the tunnel was not only a book that I could hold but…. horrors, a BLOG TOUR.
A blog tour that when my publisher said, "Are you ready for your blog tour?" struck terror in this author's veins. Excerpts, Guest Posts and Reviews…. Oh MY! What do I write about? How do I choose?
I'm sure you're all thinking, you're a writer, just write? But, it isn't that simple. When I'm writing a story, I have a plan. A plan I follow until my characters take control and go left when I meant for them to go right. A plan that has a target for where it should end. But, a guest blog, there's no plan, there's no characters there's just me.
After a deep breath, I decided why not have a plan? Maybe start by asking my gracious hostess if she had something she'd like to me to write about. With any luck, she will have an idea? Too bad she can't write it for me? What that wouldn't be a guest post then? Ah well, guess, I better get that email off.
Hmmm, my hostess had several suggestions… Perhaps one of those will suit…
Option 1: Behind the scenes…
Lliam and Lizzy… They are the most private people in the world. Plus, this isn't really their story at all.
Jennie and Charles are boring. Both do-gooders with no time for Romance.
Ariel and Chance… That could be a story. But, I wouldn't want to shock readers with their extracurricular activities. Their life is pretty out there… A photo shoot hot enough to steam up the pages of the nation's best men's magazines, clandestine meetings, mysterious shadows, sex in a cab, in a closet… Hmm, maybe too interesting, this is a GUEST blog post after all. I need to keep it PG-13, right?
Option 2: Did you Know?
Hmmm… there are possibilities here…
Did you know that Angel of the Centerfold is inspired by Jane Austen Fan Fiction?
Did you know that music features prominently in nearly every chapter of Angel of the Centerfold? Perhaps, because the author is a frustrated musician? But that's another story…
So, maybe option 2 isn't the best option for me either
Option 3: Fun Facts
Oooh, Ohh, OHH. I think this might be a winner. A topic I can get my teeth into. Who doesn't like FUN? Ariel and Chance are all about fun…. Fun on the beach, Fun in Atlantic City, Fun in New York City. Fun, Fun, Fun til Daddy Takes the T-Bird away… But, I digress. Back on topic…
Fun Fact #1: The first draft of Angel of the Centerfold was written entirely in cursive on legal pads during cross country flights. One week to the East Coast, the next a return to the West Coast. There is just something to be said about handwriting. I find that just the act of putting pen to paper and writing with a flourish is relaxing and frees the characters to take their own paths.
Fun Fact #2: While writing Angel of the Centerfold, I visited many of the Connecticut and New York locations for inspiration. What better way to get your settings right than to check them out. Yale.. check. Westport Theater… check. New Haven Train Station… check. Ride the Metro North from New Haven to NYC… check. (Although, I wouldn't recommend doing that at night. There are some pretty uh… unique fellow passengers at night.) Grand Central Station… check. Central Park… check. Upper east side… check. Well you get the idea. I got around.
Fun Fact #3: Once upon a time, yours truly was a music major. Instrumental music, I'm not much of a singer. I can carry a tune, but my Border Collie companion would tell you that it has a tendency to be a bit sharp. He thinks he is a music critic! I play flute, piccolo, saxophone, oboe, French horn and enough piano to get by. I used to be an accomplished musician. I'm still passable but never play in public any more.
Fun Fact #4: My grandparents homesteaded in Wind River Wyoming specifically the Riverton area and my mother was born there. They were farmers who lived through the great depression and raised a passel of kids on the farm, including my mother who was their youngest. It seemed logical that Lizzie and Jennie and their sisters ought to also be from Wind River Wyoming. It's beautiful, it's rural and there is lots of open range, enough to house the Blackwells and the Dafydds.
Fun Fact #5: I am nearly a quarter Scots-Irish. My brothers were married in Kilts. My heritage is why Lliam Dafydd has his name. Dafydd is the Celtic, specifically Welsh, equivalent of the English name David. It's pronounced Davith. Check out the correct pronunciation in this You-Tube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_0yfZV6rd4
Fun Fact #6: Believe it or not, I did a lot of research including compiling a list of all the available Men's magazines. I was shocked at the number and variety of titles available. I don't understand the phenomena, give me a romance novel any day. I also did some research on euphemisms for putting on a condom. Who knew there were so many truly funny slang phrases for that particular act. I did some research on fashions, including a visit to the streets of NYC during fashion week. Ariel and Chance are very concerned about what they are wearing so it seemed important to ensure that they were fashionable.
Whew, that wasn’t so bad. I feel like I did an admirable job of answering the mail… eh email and hopefully piquing your interest in Angel of the Centerfold.
In the immortal words of J. Geils….
My blood runs cold
My memory has just been sold
My angel is the centerfold
Angel is the centerfold
My sincere thanks to my hostess Lauren for her hospitality and a wave to all of you. I hope to see you on another stop on the blog tour!
~Michaela Robertson
A blog tour that when my publisher said, "Are you ready for your blog tour?" struck terror in this author's veins. Excerpts, Guest Posts and Reviews…. Oh MY! What do I write about? How do I choose?
I'm sure you're all thinking, you're a writer, just write? But, it isn't that simple. When I'm writing a story, I have a plan. A plan I follow until my characters take control and go left when I meant for them to go right. A plan that has a target for where it should end. But, a guest blog, there's no plan, there's no characters there's just me.
After a deep breath, I decided why not have a plan? Maybe start by asking my gracious hostess if she had something she'd like to me to write about. With any luck, she will have an idea? Too bad she can't write it for me? What that wouldn't be a guest post then? Ah well, guess, I better get that email off.
Hmmm, my hostess had several suggestions… Perhaps one of those will suit…
Option 1: Behind the scenes…
Lliam and Lizzy… They are the most private people in the world. Plus, this isn't really their story at all.
Jennie and Charles are boring. Both do-gooders with no time for Romance.
Ariel and Chance… That could be a story. But, I wouldn't want to shock readers with their extracurricular activities. Their life is pretty out there… A photo shoot hot enough to steam up the pages of the nation's best men's magazines, clandestine meetings, mysterious shadows, sex in a cab, in a closet… Hmm, maybe too interesting, this is a GUEST blog post after all. I need to keep it PG-13, right?
Option 2: Did you Know?
Hmmm… there are possibilities here…
Did you know that Angel of the Centerfold is inspired by Jane Austen Fan Fiction?
Did you know that music features prominently in nearly every chapter of Angel of the Centerfold? Perhaps, because the author is a frustrated musician? But that's another story…
So, maybe option 2 isn't the best option for me either
Option 3: Fun Facts
Oooh, Ohh, OHH. I think this might be a winner. A topic I can get my teeth into. Who doesn't like FUN? Ariel and Chance are all about fun…. Fun on the beach, Fun in Atlantic City, Fun in New York City. Fun, Fun, Fun til Daddy Takes the T-Bird away… But, I digress. Back on topic…
Fun Fact #1: The first draft of Angel of the Centerfold was written entirely in cursive on legal pads during cross country flights. One week to the East Coast, the next a return to the West Coast. There is just something to be said about handwriting. I find that just the act of putting pen to paper and writing with a flourish is relaxing and frees the characters to take their own paths.
Fun Fact #2: While writing Angel of the Centerfold, I visited many of the Connecticut and New York locations for inspiration. What better way to get your settings right than to check them out. Yale.. check. Westport Theater… check. New Haven Train Station… check. Ride the Metro North from New Haven to NYC… check. (Although, I wouldn't recommend doing that at night. There are some pretty uh… unique fellow passengers at night.) Grand Central Station… check. Central Park… check. Upper east side… check. Well you get the idea. I got around.
Fun Fact #3: Once upon a time, yours truly was a music major. Instrumental music, I'm not much of a singer. I can carry a tune, but my Border Collie companion would tell you that it has a tendency to be a bit sharp. He thinks he is a music critic! I play flute, piccolo, saxophone, oboe, French horn and enough piano to get by. I used to be an accomplished musician. I'm still passable but never play in public any more.
Fun Fact #4: My grandparents homesteaded in Wind River Wyoming specifically the Riverton area and my mother was born there. They were farmers who lived through the great depression and raised a passel of kids on the farm, including my mother who was their youngest. It seemed logical that Lizzie and Jennie and their sisters ought to also be from Wind River Wyoming. It's beautiful, it's rural and there is lots of open range, enough to house the Blackwells and the Dafydds.
Fun Fact #5: I am nearly a quarter Scots-Irish. My brothers were married in Kilts. My heritage is why Lliam Dafydd has his name. Dafydd is the Celtic, specifically Welsh, equivalent of the English name David. It's pronounced Davith. Check out the correct pronunciation in this You-Tube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_0yfZV6rd4
Fun Fact #6: Believe it or not, I did a lot of research including compiling a list of all the available Men's magazines. I was shocked at the number and variety of titles available. I don't understand the phenomena, give me a romance novel any day. I also did some research on euphemisms for putting on a condom. Who knew there were so many truly funny slang phrases for that particular act. I did some research on fashions, including a visit to the streets of NYC during fashion week. Ariel and Chance are very concerned about what they are wearing so it seemed important to ensure that they were fashionable.
Whew, that wasn’t so bad. I feel like I did an admirable job of answering the mail… eh email and hopefully piquing your interest in Angel of the Centerfold.
In the immortal words of J. Geils….
My blood runs cold
My memory has just been sold
My angel is the centerfold
Angel is the centerfold
My sincere thanks to my hostess Lauren for her hospitality and a wave to all of you. I hope to see you on another stop on the blog tour!
~Michaela Robertson
In the late 1990's, she began traveling extensively for her job, and being away from home and family created something she was previously unfamiliar with—spare time. Bowling, mixed-doubles darts, and touring temporarily filled the void. A chance encounter in 2004 with the 1995 Pride and Prejudice mini-series starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle led Michaela’s down a new path. Having read Fan Fiction in other genres, she went on a quest for Austen Fan Fiction and discovered a world rich in stories and history.
Music continues to be Michaela’s muse and has inspired her writing. Now a widow, she lives on a couple of acres on the edge of the world in the Pacific Northwest with the current love of her life, a border collie.
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Sounds like a must read! Thanks for the heads up!
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