Annette Blair’s Breaking News:  I just accepted an offer to write a contemporary comedic mystery series for Berkley Prime Crime! They’re still deciding on a name for the series but think ‘Stephanie Plum meets Bewitched.’  Not that I’m Janet Evanovich (unfreakingfortunately) but it’ll have my own brand of humor and yes, "something witchy this way comes."

The series is about a psychic fashion designer/soon to be a vintage dress shop owner, named Madeira, Maddy Cutler, who gets vibes, and snapshots in her mind’s eye, from vintage clothes that help her solve murders. (She’s psychometric, like my heroine in SEX AND THE PSYCHIC WITCH.)  Maddy’s mother was a witch, and, yes, eventually, the heroine will realize she has power too. The first book surrounds her sister’s wedding, an antique wedding dress, and the murder of the woman who wanted to take the bride’s place at the altar. I’m jubilant, psyched, ready to dance . . . except for the part of me curled up in a corner saying, "What did I do? What did I do?" 

Jumping out of one’s comfort zone is not always easy. I learned that when I wrote my first contemporary, THE KITCHEN WITCH, after nine historicals, but it was a great move creativity-wise, plus it put me on the bestseller lists and turned me into a paranormal comedy writer, which I love. I trust that jumping out of my comfort zone again to write mysteries will be just as rewarding. Plus I still get to keep writing bewitching romantic comedies.  Yay!

Change is always difficult, but change can be good as well. Sometimes that’s a hard pill to swallow when change is imminent, like now, with the blog. But the fact is that the Berkley Babes are so talented, there’s always a deadline looming, and it turned out that we all needed to strike a better balance.  We’re not really leaving you, because we all blog elsewhere. As a proud member of the delightful and talented Witchy Chicks, I’m extending a warm invitation from all of us–Candy Havens, Yasmine Galenorn, Linda Wisdom, Lisa Croll DiDio, Kate Austin, Madelyn Alt, Terese Ramin, and me, Annette Blair, to drop in and say hello.  http://witchychicks.blogspot.com/

Don’t forget that in a few weeks, August 7th to be exact, my newest releast, the first in my Triplet Witch Trilogy, SEX AND THE PSYCHIC WITCH, will be available.  Harmony, Destiny and Storm were introduced in THE SCOT, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE, so you might already know them.  In SEX AND THE PSYCHIC WITCH, the first triplet story is Harmony’s: 

He’s her psychic pot of gold . . . In an archaic island castle haunted by a malevolent spirit, the magnetic attraction between a psychometric witch and a sexy powerful castle-owner leads to the fulfillment of unspoken fantasies, and a struggle for dominance, in and out of bed.

Unlike so many of my peers, I don’t go out and work in my garden in the spring.  I live in a condo and I could fit my front yard in my living room, though I do have a few flowers out there.  It takes about 20 minutes a season to keep them up.

Because I have an August release, spring for me this year mean the business end of writing–promo to remind you that SEX AND THE PSYCHIC WITCH will be in stores soon.  The picture to the left is Paxton Castle on Paxton Island, which sits between Salem and Marblehead Massachusetts (only in my imagination) and it’s where Harmony Cartwright and King Paxton share their story.  I wish I could go there to write. 

It seemed the perfect spring scene to share with you.

Spring for me means taking my laptop out to my deck.  There is so much beauty in the woods behind us and the birds, foxes, deer, turkeys that roam the grounds, and the sun, blessed be, the sun is finally shining here in New England, that you don’t want to be working anywhere but outside.  I’ll also drive to the shore to sit on a blanket in the sand with pen in hand to plot while the waves of the Atlantic break on the coast. I’ve been a full time writer for a year now and the beach in spring is the best gift I give myself.  It spells freedom to do what I love in a solemn and creation-inspired environment.  There’s also a babbling brook near a local library where I like to go and sit with pad and paper to create.

Not that I don’t have deadlines, I have two book deadlines, going on five it seems, and galleys due in a week, and a book to read and give a cover quote for, and I have to prep for a workshop that I’m giving at a Massachusetts library tonight.  Meanwhile, I’m working on NEVER CROSS A WITCH WITH PMS, the second in my Triplet Witch Series, about Storm Cartwright.  Then THE LADY IS A WITCH, the third in the Triplet Witch Series.

I’ve had some good news in the past week.  MY FAVORITE WITCH has finaled in four contests for:  The National Readers Choice Award, The Write Touch Readers’ Award, The Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, and the HOLT Medallion Award–in the single title or romantic comedy categories.  In addition, THE SCOT, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE has also finaled for the Write Touch Readers’ Award–in the paranormal category.  A good spring so far.

Its not only a time for writing, though, it’s time to take the little ones to the playground, the zoo, the aquarium and my personal favorite: to ride the carousel.  I’m sure I enjoy that every bit as much as they do, though I believe their giggles are my favorite part.  Meanwhile, I wish you a spring filled with peaceful seas, colorful butterflies, giggle-filled carousel rides, and awe-inspiring places to read or write. 

HAPPY SPRING!

Annette Blair

www.annetteblair.com

Okay, so it’s a subject close to my heart. I write comedy, which is scary when you realize that no two funny bones are exactly alike.

I’ve been watching Psych on TV. I thought it was about psychics. Apparently not. Or maybe someone is psychic. I’ve watched several times, and I still don’t know. I call it slapstick meets dumb luck. But for some reason, it still amuses me. I think it’s a quirky combination of characters that play off each other with amusing results.

For romantic comedy type sexual tension and laugh-out-loud fun, nothing beats Friends.  A fun oldie is the modern version of I Love Lucy—The Nanny. Two and a Half Men is an up to the minute hoot, earthy and almost crudely funny, in an unreal sort of way, but aren’t the best characters larger than life?

For a fun read, nothing beats Stephanie Plum. Janet has character dynamics down to a science, and she gives you a pretty meaty story, and some good sexual tension, between Stephanie and Joe, or her and Ranger.

I like subtle humor, character quirk humor, questionable insults, sex-spiked conversations that only the minor characters don’t get. I love comedic foreplay and often an amusing commentary during the deed. Nothing like being able to laugh together in bed.

What kind of comedy do you like? Have you seen any laugh-a-minute movies or TV shows?  How bout books?  What are the funniest books you’ve read lately?

Oh, and what does this have to do with spring cleaning?  Hey, the witch is sweeping, which is more than I do.  Happy Spring!

Annette Blair

www.annetteblair.com

SEX AND THE PSYCHIC WITCH, August 2007

When I’m not writing, I’m plotting in my head, or finding plot ideas in the life around me.  Even the movies and television programs I watch are connected in theme to my work in progress.  There’s a beat, a rhythm, if you will, to every type of story, especially when comedy is involved, that I believe can be learned even when you’re not trying.  Plus there’s the question of what’s funny and what’s not.  And since I’ve written both contemporary and historical romance, I don’t dare watch a historical while I’m writing contemporary, or my historical voice will come out.  Likewise when I’m writing a Regency or Victorian historical, I watch movies like Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, again, to catch the rhythm and nuances of the language and romance of the time.  And when I’m writing an Amish Historical, I watch Witness and a dozen other Amish movies I own.

When I’m writing a contemporary romantic comedy, I watch romance and comedy on television and in movies.  Romantic comedies like French Kiss (my personal favorite) and While You Were Sleeping, I’ve watched dozens of times.  When I’m working with my witches, I adore Practical Magic, the X Files, Charmed, and now the Dresden Files. Yum. Not only do these movies and programs teach me the craft of storytelling, they teach me the beat, the ‘wow’ and ‘abracadabra’ of paranormal storytelling.  And there’s always Harry Potter. 

The movie Possession, though it contains both a contemporary and historical plot, was a clear inspiration for THE SCOT, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE.  I was fascinated by a love story in the past that influenced a love story in the present, and though my story is a romantic comedy, and Possession is clearly a drama, Possession presented me with the gift of plot.  My muse really liked that movie and we were compelled to take our idea and run with it. 

My favorites television comedies are Two and a Half Men, which I think is one of the funniest shows on television, and have you seen Psych?  A bit slapstick, but addictive, and there’s the psychic element involved that reminds me of my triplet witches.  How about Monk?  What a hoot.  Some not so oldies like Friends and The Gilmore Girls are must-see parts of my television faves, for their great writing, witty repartee, and laughs alone.

So I have a couple of questions for you, keeping in mind that I live sheltered here in my writing cave. 

1. Readers and Writers alike, what programs and movies are directly related to your reading and writing habits? 

2. I’ve been interested in mysteries lately.  Can you give me any suggestions for new ones I might like.  What’s on television for a mystery fan these days?  How about in the movies?

Thanks as always and Happy Spring!

Annette

www.annetteblair.com

ps:  My Favorite Witch is a finalist for Colorado Romance Writers’ Award of Excellence! 

Okay, so that’s how I started my day by getting into the jaccuzzi with a good book . . . after I slept until noon.  Sounds decadent, doesn’t it?  Actually it’s not the norm, believe me, though I do edit my manuscripts in the jaccuzzi.  But starting the day that was me trying to be upbeat.  My mom and dad both passed the first week of March, my father 30 years ago, and my mom 2 years ago, which seems like yesterday.  Makes for a tough week.  To support each other, my sister and I took a sisters day together, shopping, indulging ourselves by eating our favorite foods, no calories counted, and going to play the slots–a rare treat–penny slots, of course.  Every time I got over $5 ahead, my sister hit me in the arm and told me to cash out.  She also hit me in the arm every time she won a nickle.  After a day of memories, love and laughter, I came home bruised on the outside but healing on the inside.  So I decided to start the first day of the rest of my upbeat life with a bit more indulgence. 

The great book I was reading–when I remembered it was my day to blog–was Madelyn Alt’s THE TROUBLE WITH MAGIC.  If you haven’t read any of Madelyn’s books, you’re in for a treat.  When her heroine thought, "Life goes on, no matter what," I knew it was a sign, because I needed to hear it.

The more research I do for my books, the more respect I have for the basics of The Craft. I’ve learned to send positive, never negative, vibes into the universe, that what I do to others, good and bad, comes back to me, and I’ve learned to pay attention to the signs.  Reading that "life goes on" in Madelyn’s book was a wake up call.  Life is good.  I have so much to be grateful for–my incredible family and supportive friends, the Berkley Babes and Witchy Chicks, local chapters, brilliant brainstorming buddies, YOU, our wonderful supportive readers, and, of course, books!  Wonderful, wonderful books to read.  So many books, so little time; a truer cliche was never more abused, and with such well-motivated cause.

THE TROUBLE WITH MAGIC made me laugh.  I needed that.  The heroine is inexpertly peeling potatoes and her mother says, "Be careful, I just cleaned the ceiling."  Well, I hooted.  Talk about a great bit of characterization.  What does that say about the heroine’s mother?  I hope it says she’s an obsessive house-cleaner, because, well, I’m not.

I’m a writer; if I can see dust and crumbs on my kitchen floor, without my glasses on, I know it’s time to sweep, and I will . . . before somebody other than family comes over.  But my ceiling?  Oh, we’ve washed them to paint them, but really, as part of a cleaning ritual?  Though I do have this aunt who, I’ll bet, does clean her ceilings and quite regularly, though her genes, thank the moon and the stars, I did not inherit.

Seriously, how many of you clean your ceilings?  I really want to know.  Maybe I should add that to the list of the housecleaning I’m going to do someday.  Then again, maybe not.

And by the way, if March 17th is a day you celebrate: 

Have a wonderful "First day of the rest of your life" and pay attention to the signs.  One hug for the good days, and two for the tough days,

Annette Blair, www.annetteblair.com

Some of my story ideas come from the picture of a hero, like Tiago here, from You Can’t Steal First, my novella, in the Hot Ticket anthology.

Some story ideas come to me in dreams. The castle in Sex and the Psychic Witch was a vivid, colorful, living dream that made me get out of bed and begin to type the details. I started recreating it at 7 a.m. and finished at 5 p.m. that night. I knew then that this weird castle would be the home-base setting for all of my triplet stories. My neighbors, triplets who were my inspiration for my new trilogy, and who shared their triplet secrets, told me that someday, when they settled down, they would not be able to live far away from each other. Graduate school in different parts of Europe was very hard on the three of them.

The Antiques Roadshow was a clear inspiration for The Scot, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I love to watch the program and always wondered how people’s lives will be changed by discovering they own a National Treasure. What if somebody who had a vested interest in the antique that came to you was watching the program? Television is certainly an inspiration. I dissect each story as part of the entertainment process. An old Pat Boone Song called Friendly Persuasion, with the words, “Put on your bonnet, your cape and your gloves, and come with me, for Thee, I Love,” was the clear inspiration for my first Amish Historical, THEE, I LOVE.

I get ideas from the world around me. One day driving to school, I saw an ambulance going too slow, but weaving all over the road, as if it were being driven by a drunk. I got an instant visual of a little old granny who had escaped a nursing home in a stolen ambulance. I love the inherent creativity available in daily life. Another story I wrote was inspired by a Lifebeat newspaper article about a town in Connecticut where a church bell rang hourly, twenty-four/seven, and angered a new resident.

To the Berkley Babes, what inspires you? What was your weirdest inspiration ever?

Readers, what have you experienced that made you think “I’d love to see a story about that some day?

Happy Reading & Keep warm everyone!

Annette

www.annetteblair.com

I received a great Valentine gift from my editor, the cover of my August release, Sex and the Psychic Witch. I’m so excited I have to show it to you.  We’re going for a new look with the triplets.  What do you think?

Recently, our local television station, Channel 6 here in New England, contacted me about a “Preparing for Valentine’s Day Special” they’re doing as part of a pre-news evening broadcast.  They wanted to interview a romance writer on camera.  They said, “We want examples of romantic sayings people can use when sending greeting cards to their lovers. Something a bit more creative and sincere than your typical “I love you.””  The good news is they also said, “Bring your books so we can get them on camera.”  Yay.

We shot my part in the segment yesterday, and it was fun.  I figured I’d bring my list of romantic sayings I’d written and Julie would choose a few and read them.  But, yikes.  She made me choose and read.  The only thing that helped me through was the chuckling cameraman.  Either I tickled his funny bone, or I was completely pathetic. 

I tried to personalize the sayings, apply them to a relationship and say things that pertained to what a lover might cherish or appreciate.  In other words, I found that I needed to show a lover’s actions to elicit emotion.  Sound familiar?

I want to thank the members of Rhode Island Romance Writers for their suggestions.  Here are a few I chose, some from a man, from a woman, for the menopause set, for young marrieds, or young lovers. 

—————————————–

You’ve stood beside me at all the best moments in my life.  Be there for the rest.

—————————————-
Even though our life together sometimes reads like “A Series of Unfortunate Events,”
I’d rather bail out the basement with you than sail into the sunset with anybody else.

—————————————
You’re the sweetest voice in my head.  The others just annoy me.

—————————————-
Sometimes you make me crazy.  I need a little crazy in my life.

—————————————
I wake up thinking about you, and I fall asleep thinking about you.  That’s good, right?

—————————————
I love the way you amuse me, even when you’re annoying the heck out of me.

—————————————
You gotta love a woman who generates her own heat.  I do.

—————————————
Grow old along with me . . . even though the best is probably behind us.

—————————————
Let’s grow senile together.

————————————–
You’re still my best friend.

————————————–
Come to bed, honey.  My feet are cold.

My three year old niece recently learned that someone who bakes is a baker, and someone who fights fires is a fire fighter, so she asked her father what he did.  Not to cofuse her with big words, he told her that he fixed bones, and Emily promptly turned to her mother and told her that her father was a boner.

I’m in the process of working on the first chapter of a proposal, plus I’m working on the first chapter of WHAT A WITCH WANTS, the second book in my Triplet Witch Trilogy.  When I start a new story the question always arises as to where to start and how to hook the reader.  Because this is probably the section of the book that I revise the most, I tend to look at hooks very carefully.  Here are a few of my favorites:

“Dageus MacKeltar walked like a man and talked like a man, but in bed he was pure animal.”  The Dark Highlander by Karen Marie Moning.

“I planned to be the kind of old Southern lady who talked to her tomato plants and bought sweaters for her cats.”  A Place to Call Home by Deborah Smith

“At about 0530 that very morning, Ken “WildCard” Karmody became a terrorist.”  Out of Control by Suzanne Brockmann 

“I am living at the Villa Borghese.  There is not a crumb of dirt anywhere nor a chair misplaced.  We are all alone here and we are dead.”  Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller

“Ashford Blackburne, Fifth Earl of Blackburne, did not care where he married and planted his seed, so long as he did both before Christmas when his tyrannical grandfather’s archaic ultimatum ran out.”  A Christmas Baby by Annette Blair

“There are some men who enter a woman’s life and screw it up forever.  Joseph Morelli did this to me—not forever, but periodically.”  One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

“The vultures were gathering in the vestibule.”  Prince Charming by Julie Garwood

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”  Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen