Author: Jenn J McLeod

Australia's nomadic novelist living on the road a purple and white caravan called Myrtle the Turtle. Come home to the country: House for all Seasons (#5 top selling novel in 2013), Simmering Season (2014), Season of Shadow and Light (2015), The Other Side of the Season (2016), A Place to Remember (2018), House of Wishes (2019)
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How about you and Hugh?


Now here’s an interesting concept – custom made romance novels.
This online business allows the average Joe (or Jenn) to be the hero/heroine in a novel. Sure it can be you and hubby (booooorrrrrring!!!) but it can also be you and Hugh (or anyone else you fancy).

www.ustarnovels.com offers people this opportunity just be sending the names of yourself and your ‘significant’ other, along with a few salient facts, such as nicknames and physical attributes. Then you choose whether you want a subtler romance or something “steamy.” For the low, low price of $39.95, they’ll send you a 160-180 page book with you and your hero in it.

The novels are apparently set in an array of glamorous destinations throughout Europe, and depending upon the story you select, you might find yourself undercover on a secret mission in Barcelona, being chased by diamond smugglers in the exotic French Rivera or discovering a hidden tomb in Naples. (Oh, and if you’ve ever wondered about the ‘other side of the fence’ you can forget Hugh and do Paris (and I’m not referring to the city!) That’s right, same sex novels are available.
So if it wasn’t hugging Hugh in Havana, I guess I’d go for a Rumba in Roma with J Lo – LOL.

Cool idea or what?

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Are we there yet?

Remember those words? We all drove our parents mad with them on those long summer holiday car trips.

Well I’m back there. I’m a kid again and very excited. It’s like the car is loaded and on its way. At least from my backseat booster I can see the road ahead. I know that my final destination is getting closer. But I have no control over anything from this point on. I just have to wait.

So I ask, “Are we there yet?”
My mother would answer the same way. “We’ll be there, when we get there.” (I always loved that one!)

But she was right.
And her words echo in my mind today as I load my competition entries online so they can start their cyber journey to STALI and Selling Synopsis contest coordinators and judges.

Now comes the big wait for the results. Will I reach that ultimate destination?
I know I’m going to want to ask every day, “Are we there yet?” So pity help my partner at this time in my life.

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Happy Birthday Blog

Yep! It’s happy birthday to me.

I’m 49 today and very excited. Why? Because this is MY year. I can feel it (unless that’s just old age I’m feeling!) If it is old age, that’s okay, ’cause it feels pretty darn good.

What an amazing year of achievements (even if I do say so myself). Two mss finished, revised and finished again, three short stories, two 1 page synopses, two 3 page synopses, two query letters, an agent/publisher submission tracking database, a blog, (another blog/website), seven seperate entries over four RWA competitions (finalling once), two agent submissions out already.

Wow! No wonder I’m exhaused (unless it’s that old age thing happening again).

But this birthday toast is not about me. It’s about my very good Bootcamper and RWA friends who have inspired and encouraged me throughout the year. (As well as my partner – without whom there would be no ‘J’ in JennJMcLeod.)

So here’s to you all! If not for you I wouldn’t be nearly as excited about turning 49. I can’t wait for the next year to see what happens.

50 is going to be GREAT!