Ashlyn Macnamara

Six Sentence Sunday

Ashlyn — Sun, 13 May 2012 10:00:04 +0000

Ashlyn MacnamaraAshlyn MacnamaraIn honor of Mother’s Day, how about a little mothering from A MOST SCANDALOUS PROPOSAL? Although the mother in question may not be the best example. Julia sat on the bed, rubbed what would likely show in the morning as five oval bruises, and took the tongue-lashing as her due, but all the while, she waited for Mama to pause for air. In no time, she lost count how often Mama pronounced the words “scandal,” “ruined,” “shameful,” and “utter, arrant catastrophe.” At one point, she uttered something that sounded suspiciously like a question. “Do you realize how hard I’ve worked toward this end, only to have you throw it away?” Julia didn’t bother with a reply. No excuse was possible, and at any rate, Mama didn’t stop long enough to allow a response. This article is copyright © 2012

Cover Art

Ashlyn — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:24:30 +0000

Ashlyn MacnamaraAshlyn MacnamaraIn my wild anticipation of my cover art, I’ve been considering the recent covers of other authors. Take a look: Gorgeous, isn’t it? And the perfect feel for a darker romance. I can’t wait to read this one. Unfortunately, it’s not out until November. Here are the covers of my four co-finalists from last year’s GH. I sincerely hope I’m this lucky when it comes to cover design. One last one, I really like it and I’m hoping for something along these lines. I just love the heroine’s mischievous expression. I can easily imagine Julia St. Claire looking like this. Crossing my fingers that the cover fairies are good to me. Seen any great covers lately? Show me in the comments! This article is copyright © 2012

Making Cakes Of Ourselves For a Worthy Cause

Ashlyn — Sun, 06 May 2012 16:08:02 +0000

Ashlyn MacnamaraAshlyn MacnamaraEvery year, Brenda Novak holds an auction to raise money for juvenile diabetes. This is hardly news to anyone in the romance writing community. When I first joined the RWA® and became aware of the fundraiser, I eagerly bid on critiques by various Regency authors. I had a Regency manuscript drafted, and I was concerned I might have gotten details such as title and gowns wrong. I won a critique from Vanessa Kelly. She didn’t have a lot to say about titles and gowns, but she did have a lot of suggestions along the lines of clarifying my heroine’s motivations and making my hero less passive. Thanks to her critique and follow-up phone call, I’m proud to say I finaled in the Golden Heart®. I went on to sell that manuscript, my debut. It will be coming out sometime early...

Six Sentence Sunday Steamy Edition

Ashlyn — Sun, 06 May 2012 10:00:55 +0000

Ashlyn MacnamaraAshlyn MacnamaraI asked my followers on Twitter if they wanted something steamy this week. One of them voted, so you’re getting steamy. This is from RUINED. Under the cut: “If we’re to do this properly, I shall require some guidance.” She tilted her head and raised herself up on her elbows. Lord, the sight of him seated thus, between her legs, face flushed, eyes burning, shoulders hitching in shallow pants. How utterly decadent that he should place himself as if at a feast. “Guidance? I’ve never done such a thing.” This article is copyright © 2012

Six Sentence Sunday

Ashlyn — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 09:00:12 +0000

Ashlyn MacnamaraAshlyn MacnamaraScheduling this one far in advance, because I’m flying home from Chicago and the Spring Fling conference today. So if, by chance, there’s some kind of glitch, you’ll know what happened. This is a random six sentences my brain conjured while I was waking up the other morning. Somehow I managed to retain them and wrote them down. I don’t know if they’ll actually fit anywhere. As Isabelle Marshall, she had known dandies, men who spent hours deciding which topcoat went with which pantaloons, men who drove their valets to distraction until their cravats were tied just so. Narcissists. Men whose best friend was the mirror. Men who were just as shallow and flat as that best friend. Something about Upperton struck her as different. With him, the emphasis on appearance was mere façade. This article is copyright © 2012

Six Sentence Sunday

Ashlyn — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 09:00:24 +0000

Ashlyn MacnamaraAshlyn MacnamaraCelebrating A HOUSE DIVIDED my Revolutionary War-era story set in Quebec (also wondering why I didn’t call it A HEART DIVIDED, since that sounds far more romancy, but anyway), because it was named a finalist in the Romance Through the Ages contest last week. [Papa] turned away, leaving her face to face with the officer. One dark brow arched, while the side of his mouth quirked in a fleeting half smile. “I don’t suppose you’d kiss me, too.” His words were light enough, almost teasing. At one time, if one of the boys from the Lower Town had said them, one of her own, she’d have laughed and complied. This man was another matter altogether. This article is copyright © 2012

Six Sentence Sunday

Ashlyn — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 09:00:19 +0000

Ashlyn MacnamaraAshlyn MacnamaraAnother snippet from RUINED, because I’m pushing to finish it in the next few weeks. Here, the hero has come across a sketch of himself, and he’s not sure he likes what he sees. Was this how the world saw him then? Nothing but a useless dandy whiling away the summer and autumn months until the fashionable returned to town and he could go back to sleeping off the days and haunting the gaming hells at night. But then that was exactly the sort of man his father wanted him to be. Shallow. Dissolute, if not quite debauched. George had been nothing, if not a dutiful son. This article is copyright © 2012

Six Sentence Sunday

Ashlyn — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 09:00:06 +0000

Ashlyn MacnamaraAshlyn MacnamaraSometimes I wonder about my sense of humor. I needed my hero and heroine to visit an older lady, and somehow she turned into the Regency equivalent of an internet spammer. And really, her name can’t be anything other than Mrs. Cox. From RUINED: “They think no one will catch on they’re having troubles if you know what I mean.” “Now see here.” He would have advanced on her, but she stood guard over her doorstep like Cerberus at the gates of the underworld. “I am not having troubles of a personal nature.” She crossed her arms beneath her considerable bosom. “That’s what they all say.” Hmm… and on Easter Sunday, no less. This article is copyright © 2012

Crits for Water

Ashlyn — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Ashlyn MacnamaraAshlyn MacnamaraEvery year, my agency mate Kat Brauer does an amazing thing. She holds a fundraiser where writers may bid on critiques from various authors and agents all in the name of providing clean water for people who need it. This year, she’s set a goal of raising $10,000. If a $20 donation can improve the life of one person by giving him access to a clean source of water, imagine how much good $10,000 will do. This year, I’m offering a critique of your historical manuscript of up to 25 pages plus optional synopsis. Bidding is open from April 6 to April 8. If my offering doesn’t tempt you, check out the list of critiques up for auction over the next three months. There are loads of great opportunities for feedback from published authors and industry professionals, including agents Sara...

Six Sentence Sunday

Ashlyn — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 06:00:03 +0000

Ashlyn MacnamaraAshlyn MacnamaraSix sentences from another one of my Revolutionary War stories. I’m probably going to pull this one out later this year and see if it’s salvageable. From GABRIEL’S SIN: She jammed an elbow backwards. It connected with a wall of muscle at her back, too close for the blow to make an impact. A second hand pressed flat against the glass next to her head. Warm breath grazed the back of her neck. She was trapped. “I thought I told you we were playing by my rules.” This article is copyright © 2012