Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Guest Author: Nicola Marsh

LET’S TALK FANTASIES!

It’s great to be back in the convertible, Riding with the Top Down!

Now, down to business.

I’m an avid reader. I devour books; have ever since I was a kid. I read widely, across genres and could happily spend a day/week/month curled up with my nose in a book. For me, part of the appeal of reading is getting engrossed in another world, being so absorbed in the characters’ lives that I’m almost there alongside them, laughing and crying and feeling their pain.

It’s sheer pleasure to be swept up in the fantasy as I turn the pages, eager to reach the end yet reluctant to do so because I love the story so much.

In my books I tend to ground them in real settings, particularly my fabulous home city of Melbourne, which I adore!

Interestingly, in my current releases, there wasn’t much fantasising as certain scenes are based firmly in reality. In THREE TIMES A BRIDESMAID…(Harlequin Romance) many trips to the Melbourne Aquarium with my kids set the scene for the wedding there. And in OVERTIME IN THE BOSS’S BED (Harlequin Presents Extra), when lightning strikes Starr’s cottage? Yep, you guessed it, lightning struck my house last year!

While the odd real life experience can inspire books, it’s much more fun to fantasise! To celebrate my double release this month I’m giving away a signed copy of my recent Romantic Times finalist for Best Harlequin Romance 2009, A TRIP WITH THE TYCOON (set in India, it’s fantasy all the way!)

To win, share a fantasy with us (keep it clean, please!) in the comments. It could be a fantasy date, fantasy dinner, fantasy destination, fantasy celebrity. Go ahead, use your imaginations. :)

Thanks for having me in the convertible!

Nicola

http://www.nicolamarsh.com

22 comments:

Virginia C said...

Hi, Nicola! Congrats on all the good things going on for you! One of my favorite "mindcations" is "Under the Tuscan Sun". In my version, everything has the beautiful glow of Renaissance reds and golds. Even I am beautiful and glowing. Rustic, yet regal, my villa is filled with light, laughter, gorgeous food and great wine, good times and good friends. Only one thing is missing, the perfect someone to complete the fantasy. Will he be a mysterious Mediterranean magnate? Perhaps a charming, sexy, seemingly carefree Romeo? Maybe he'll be a fabulous continental chef who loves to feed me and cater to my desires. It's so hard to choose...I'll just have to take all three : )

gcwhiskas at aol dot com

Helen Brenna said...

Hi Nicola and welcome! Two releases in one month - amazing. Congrats!

Fantasies. I have to keep in clean. Hmmm. Gerard Butler and ... (you'll have to fill in the blanks yourself!)

Thanks for visiting with us today!

Christie Ridgway said...

Hi, Nicola! I love "boss books."

Hmm...I've been fantasizing about Tuscany as well. Characters in the book I'm writing spent a summer there 10 years ago and had a glorious young love affair that ended badly. Husband and I were hoping to make it this summer but so far our schedules are not lining up well...including my deadline for the book. Waaah. But a girl can dream...

Thanks for riding with us today!

Leanne said...

Congrats on your releases! They sound great! My fantasy is to own a condo in Grand Cayman where I can go during our chilly months of November, January, February and March. I love the water there. It's so crystal clear and you can always see your feet!

chey said...

Congratulations on your releases!
My fantasy is a trip to Australia.

chey127 at hotmail dot com

runner10 said...

Congrats on two releases!!
My fantasy trip would be to Hawaii. Hopefully, someday that fantasy will come true!!
csdsksds[at]gmail[dot]com

Jane said...

Congrats on the new releases. One of my fantasies is to be whisked away for the weekend and spend it on a beach in Tahiti.

Linda Henderson said...

My fantasy is to go to Australia and New Zealand. Since I have severe RA and a lot of walking is out of the question, I really don't get to travel or sightsee much. But I go there in my mind every time I read a book with that location. I do a lot of armchair traveling.

Cindy Gerard said...

Hi Nicola and like Helen said - wow on 2 releases in one month! That would be a fantasy for me :o)
Oh, yeah, and that Gerard Butler thing :::::

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

Oh wow, Virginia, that sounds absolutely gorgeous and decadent!

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

Thanks Helen.

I'm not surprised Gerard has made an appearance here...!

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

I'm a huge fan of boss books too, Christie (which is why I write a lot of them, lol!)

Ooooh...the book your writing sounds fascinating!

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

Oh wow, Leanne, Cayman villa sounds great!

I'm hoping to visit that part of the world one day...it's a mighty long way from Australia!

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

Australia is gorgeous, Chey :)

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

Hawaii is another gorgeous destination, runner10.

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

Tahiti sounds lovely too, Jane!

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

Armchair travelling is part of the beauty of books, Linda.

I love getting swept away to different locations.

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

With loads of juggling to slot authors in the Romance and Presents series, I think I was just fortunate enough to have both slotted at once.

Though always makes me wonder if it's an advantage; will my readers buy both books or only choose one? Hmmm...

And I see Gerard is a recurring theme here...is he a regular passenger in the convertible?
If so, I'm here every day :)

Laurie G said...

My fantasy would be a trip to New Zealand. I'd love to visit where LOTR was filmed . It looked so beautiful there!
Then I'd head over to Australia. I also loved Man From Snowy River.

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

NZ is beautiful, Laurie.

And I recently watched MFSR again, first time in years.
That part of Victoria (about 3 hours drive from me) is truly lovely too.

robynl said...

my fantasy dinner would be out on a deck overlooking a body of water; it would be evening with tiny white lights wrapped around posts and any bushes there might be. A lovely orchestra/music playing in the background. A waiter bringing us every course: lobster/shrimp/stuffed baked potato etc.
The sun has set but there still is a tinge of orange.
Dh and I are talking up a storm(not natural for us) and living the moment.

Laney4 said...

You said to keep it clean. So ... since Helen put Gerard Butler into my mind, and I can't seem to get him out of there ... my fantasy involves Gerard doing laundry. That's clean, right?