Hi all,

As regular readers might have picked up, I’m a big fan of the criminally little-known American TV drama Friday Night Lights. As in, I’m an ‘all I want for Christmas is a Tim Riggins hoodie to snuggle up in so I can pretend he’s my boyfriend, and I haven’t watched the final series yet because that will be admitting it’s all over’ type fan. The combination of nail-biting competition, physical prowess and good-looking actors in skimpy sportswear is just impossible to resist. (And why would you want to, anyway…?)

So, I shamelessly indulged myself last night with the first couple of episodes of Series One – a guaranteed evening in TV heaven. And do you know what I loved the most? That the sporting aspect managed to be both sweet (the hunky older kids playing with the pee wee football team) and sexy (Riggins – enough said).

Now, I’ve blogged about sporting heroes before (http://community.millsandboon.co.uk/forums/behind-scenes-romance-hq/sporting-heroes-lust-after), so we’ve already established that they are always winners at Romance HQ.

But what I want to know this week is whether you think they work best as super-sexy charismatic hunks (the Alpha male pushed to the max) or whether it’s the small-town football coach that warms your heart. And are there any professions that you think only work in one specific series?

Have a think, enjoy your ‘research’ and let me know…!

Love Flo x

(Or, alternatively, if you just want to share your fave FNL moments, that’s fine with me too!)

Hi everyone!

I’m digging for info here - what do you all think about ‘friends become lovers’ as a theme?

It’s something I can never make my mind up about. More than anything, I love an unrequited crush story - who doesn’t have an older brother’s best friend/equivalent heading up their secret ‘if only…’ wishlist? But to suddenly start sparking off someone you’ve only ever considered a friend…well, would that be a bit weird? Especially in the bedroom? (And especially if you’re close friends and have the whole brother/sister vibe going…)

But I’m perfectly prepared to believe that’s just me! So, for anyone who loves loves LOVES this theme, here are Romance HQ’s top tips on what to think about before putting pen to paper… 

1. Beware lack of conflict: they obviously know - and like! - each other so what’s keeping them apart? To avoid these stories going soft, dig deep into those intrinsic emotional barriers!
2. If you’re running with an unrequited crush scenario, perhaps steer clear of them still being close friends! The power balance here is really hard to pull off - it’s either the heroine pining over a boy who’s never looked at her that way, or a hero besotted with his fun-loving friend, which can get a bit beta… 
3. Be careful with what triggers the sudden onslaught of lust - highly contrived plot points are most definitely to be avoided. 

So that’s the advice part of the blog over, but basically, I just want to get your take on the whole idea! Is it a theme that appeals, or sends you running in the opposite direction? Any great examples to convince the naysayers – fact or fiction! Pitfalls from your own writing experience? All feedback welcome!

Love Flo x

Hi all,

Thanks for the great discussion about virgins last week – part of my secret plan to get you all geared up for this week’s even more controversial issue: what role (if any) bad sex should play in our books!

Now, category romance is all about universal truths and relationships. And I don’t think I’d be putting words in too many people’s mouths by saying an unfortunate universal romantic truth is that sex – even with someone you care about – can be underwhelming. Nice, not bed-breaking. Awkward, not multiple-simultaneous-orgasm amazing. (Particularly that first time…) Basically, a literal anti-climax!

To the doubters, however, Romance HQ is proposing this week that bad sex CAN work in a romance, and to really great effect! I laughed til I cried at Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis’s very mechanical, awkward-yet-still-successful first time in Friends with Benefits. Who couldn’t love either of their characters having watched them fudge their way through this encounter?! And in Sarra Manning’s recent book You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me, whilst the hero and heroine’s first attempt is excruciatingly embarrassing, it taps so perfectly into the heroine’s body issues that it’s awesomely powerful.

So, here are the top tips for anyone who wants to see a bit more realism in the bedroom…!

The benefits (!) of bad sex in a romance…

1. Bad/ awkward/ funny sex involves the reader in the moment much more intensely - sometimes it can be hard to stay with your characters whilst they’re miraculously and instantly zooming off to blissful, orgasmic happiness!
2.  If at first you don’t succeed…When the couple’s relationship has developed enough for them to sleep together in more style, you really believe it’s good! As the author’s been frank with you about any botched attempts, you automatically trust the improved fireworks.  

…and how to pull it off!

1. It’s ESSENTIAL to tie it into the character conflicts. Awkward sex between two virgins can be sweet and funny. Bad sex because one character, despite years of practice, is simply bad in bed…much less so!
2. This is also how you get around the common concern that  it reflects badly on the hero’s sexual prowess… for us at Romance HQ, his heroism can be proved just as much by how the hero handles the aftermath of bad sex than the gazillion orgasms he magically gives her.
3. Finally, keep that spark and romance going, even during the awkwardness. After all, it’s a romance – the reader needs to be reassured that the chemistry is sizzling and spectacular sex is definitely on the horizon!  

But this is just Romance HQ’s take…what do you all think? Is bad sex an underrated, underused scenario, or a TOTAL category romance no-no?

Love Flo x

Hi all,

This week, Romance HQ is pondering one of the most enduring archetypes of category fiction – The Virgin!

A traditional cornerstone of romance or an increasingly outdated convention?

Virgins abound in M&B books, it’s true. And for very good reason! A virgin heroine’s journey to Happy-Ever-After allows authors to tap straight into the heightened rush of emotion that comes with falling in love for the very first time. And what could be more special than losing your virginity to the man of your dreams, who will cherish you for ever? (A definite improvement on the usual ‘first time’ experience, I’d say…!) And none of this ‘virginity as a male prize’ stuff – this is all about what it means, as a woman, to take that leap into the unknown and give yourself up to passion with a man you adore.

But is it something that a 21st century reader can relate to? Of course, there are many powerful reasons why a woman in her, say, late 20s, might still be a virgin. Although, top tip - in today’s fully contraceptived-up world, those motivations do need to be absolutely watertight. There’s nothing worse than a 2-D virgin!

And let’s also spare a moment and consider the lesser known virgin hero. This is perhaps more challenging to motivate believably whilst also convincing readers of his latent sexual charisma, but done well, it can be scorching. (Anyone else with me on this, or is it a massive turn-off?!)

So that’s what I think. But what I really want to know is whether it’s a storyline you enjoy. Do virgin heroes or heroines appeal, or drive you up the wall? Is it something you’ve come to expect from Romance HQ, or feel is a required component of submissions? I’d love to hear from both writers and readers on this!

Over to you - let the Virgin debate begin…!

Love Flo x

Welcome back, everyone!

I hope you all had a fabby Christmas, brimming with enough festive cheer and happiness to cushion the shock of going back to work! (Anyone else also feeling somewhat ‘cushioned’ by post-Christmas podge? Looks like another January gym membership might be on the cards for me...)

But before the January blues can set in, let’s dwell a little more on the heady days of Christmas indulgence – what did everyone think of the TV?! I’m a complete sucker for both Christmas specials and costume dramas, so the one programme that I circled instantly in the Christmas Radio Times was, of course, ITV’s Downton Abbey. And wasn’t it a gem?!

As you might imagine, it was also a hot topic in Romance HQ come this Tuesday – Matthew and Mary’s will-they-won’t-they relationship has had us hooked for months. (Although, to be honest, it’s all about Thomas for me – he’s so deliciously evil!) Cue plenty of rhapsodizing about 1920s dresses and the amazingness of the servants’ ball, plus longing to see more of this incredible era in our slush piles.

However, the upstairs/downstairs theme got us thinking about one of the more awkward issues in romance – the importance of cold hard cash! Do you prefer heroes with bottomless bank accounts, or in this time of recession, is uber-wealth a turn off? Would you consider a hero to be less Alpha if he was poorer than the heroine, or does it add to his appeal? In historical fiction, would you rather read about the aristocrats or the servants getting their happy endings?

So, as we all live in fear of January’s credit card bills arriving, have a think and let us know…! 

Wishing you all a very happy 2012!

Love Flo x

Hi all

Hope everyone has been enjoying the Christmas party season! Romance HQ’s was on Wednesday so lots of fun had by all - so much fun, in fact, that any post-party blogging had to be put off by a day…I maybe overdid it slightly on the festive spirit!

Naturally, as an incurable romance junkie and after drinking some Christmassy bubbles, all the high jinks and socialising got me thinking about the wonderful world of office romances. (Please don’t read too much into this - as far as I’m aware, no new romances kicked off on Wednesday night!)

Heroes and heroines working together is a cornerstone of romance – the forced proximity allows for an amazing build-up of tension, plus invaluable insight into your hero and heroines’ true characters. Plus, if you’re anything like me, a hero in a business suit or scrubs always adds a little extra excitement!

BUT. Office romances are also something we see an awful lot of in our series, and it’s a scenario we’re always looking to be rejuvenated and refreshed.  So, for this last blog of 2011, working together comes under the Romance HQ spotlight… 

To begin with, the Romance HQ hit-list of things to avoid! 

1. Falling for a fellow employee (boss, equal, whoever) is NOT a sustainable barrier for the entire romance! The implications of an office romance should definitely be considered (all those awkward water cooler moments if it doesn’t work out…cringe!) but the tension should always come from the characters’ intrinsic emotional barriers.
2. Rooting your romance in a mundanely 9-5 world might make it recognisable to your readers, but it’s not likely to give them that escapist buzz they crave – keep those offices interesting!
3. Finally, ‘ambitious woman’ doesn’t automatically equal ‘ball-breaker’. Overwhelming professional drive always needs to be balanced by characteristics that make readers understand and appreciate where the character is coming from.  

What we are looking for: the top tips on how to make your working-together romances work for you:

1. Good office banter is an absolute must - readers want to see your hero and heroine giving as good as they get, in the boardroom and out of hours.
2. If your characters are at the top of their professional game, let’s see them in action – show us why we should respect their professional excellence! (A genuine vocation also always goes down a treat…where Medical romances work particularly well. People’s job choices can speak volumes about their personality, so choose wisely.)
3.  Don’t be afraid to delve into the specificity of the work and use it to engage your readers – gone are the days of the catch-all ‘business’ tycoon! Just think of the How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days ‘frost yourself’ slogan, or the tights ad campaign in Sarah Morgan’s Doukakis’s Apprentice – these are great examples of using characters’ professions in relatable, relevant and fun ways.
4. But above all, it’s all about fresh new takes on the premise! Woman-as-boss (anyone see The Proposal?), taking the couple outside the office walls - basically any new spin you can think of to make your office romance as different and surprising as possible! - will be an instant eye-catcher. 

That’s the Romance HQ lowdown on office romances, so let us know what you think – do you love/hate them, any particular fave examples, you know the drill! 

So all that’s left for me to say is HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!! Hope you all have a great one and see you in the New Year, 

Love Flo x

Hi all

Hope everyone has been enjoying the Christmas party season! Romance HQ’s was on Wednesday so lots of fun had by all - so much fun, in fact, that any post-party blogging had to be put off by a day…I maybe overdid it slightly on the festive spirit!

Naturally, as an incurable romance junkie and after drinking some Christmassy bubbles, all the high jinks and socialising got me thinking about the wonderful world of office romances. (Please don’t read too much into this - as far as I’m aware, no new romances kicked off on Wednesday night!)

Heroes and heroines working together is a cornerstone of romance – the forced proximity allows for an amazing build-up of tension, plus invaluable insight into your hero and heroines’ true characters. Plus, if you’re anything like me, a hero in a business suit or scrubs always adds a little extra excitement!

BUT. Office romances are also something we see an awful lot of in our series, and it’s a scenario we’re always looking to be rejuvenated and refreshed.  So, for this last blog of 2011, working together comes under the Romance HQ spotlight… 

To begin with, the Romance HQ hit-list of things to avoid! 

1. Falling for a fellow employee (boss, equal, whoever) is NOT a sustainable barrier for the entire romance! The implications of an office romance should definitely be considered (all those awkward water cooler moments if it doesn’t work out…cringe!) but the tension should always come from the characters’ intrinsic emotional barriers.
2. Rooting your romance in a mundanely 9-5 world might make it recognisable to your readers, but it’s not likely to give them that escapist buzz they crave – keep those offices interesting!
3. Finally, ‘ambitious woman’ doesn’t automatically equal ‘ball-breaker’. Overwhelming professional drive always needs to be balanced by characteristics that make readers understand and appreciate where the character is coming from.  

What we are looking for: the top tips on how to make your working-together romances work for you:

1. Good office banter is an absolute must - readers want to see your hero and heroine giving as good as they get, in the boardroom and out of hours.
2. If your characters are at the top of their professional game, let’s see them in action – show us why we should respect their professional excellence! (A genuine vocation also always goes down a treat…where Medical romances work particularly well. People’s job choices can speak volumes about their personality, so choose wisely.)
3.  Don’t be afraid to delve into the specificity of the work and use it to engage your readers – gone are the days of the catch-all ‘business’ tycoon! Just think of the How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days ‘frost yourself’ slogan, or the tights ad campaign in Sarah Morgan’s Doukakis’s Apprentice – these are great examples of using characters’ professions in relatable, relevant and fun ways.
4. But above all, it’s all about fresh new takes on the premise! Woman-as-boss (anyone see The Proposal?), taking the couple outside the office walls - basically any new spin you can think of to make your office romance as different and surprising as possible! - will be an instant eye-catcher. 

That’s the Romance HQ lowdown on office romances, so let us know what you think – do you love/hate them, any particular fave examples, you know the drill! 

So all that’s left for me to say is HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!! Hope you all have a great one and see you in the New Year, 

Love Flo x

Hi all Hope everyone has been enjoying the Christmas party season! Romance HQ’s was on Wednesday so lots of fun had by all - so much fun, in fact, that any post-party blogging had to be put off by a day…I maybe overdid it slightly on the festive spirit! Naturally, as an incurable romance junkie and after drinking some Christmassy bubbles, all the high jinks and socialising got me thinking about the wonderful world of office romances. (Please don’t read too much into this - as far as I’m aware, no new romances kicked off on Wednesday night!) Heroes and heroines working together is a cornerstone of romance – the forced proximity allows for an amazing build-up of tension, plus invaluable insight into your hero and heroines’ true characters. Plus, if you’re anything like me, a hero in a business suit or scrubs always adds a little extra excitement! BUT. Office romances are also something we see an awful lot of in our series, and it’s a scenario we’re always looking to be rejuvenated and refreshed.  So, for this last blog of 2011, working together comes under the Romance HQ spotlight… To begin with, the Romance HQ hit-list of things to avoid! -          Falling for a fellow employee (boss, equal, whoever) is NOT a sustainable barrier for the entire romance! The implications of an office romance should definitely be considered (all those awkward water cooler moments if it doesn’t work out…cringe!) but the tension should always come from the characters’ intrinsic emotional barriers.-          Rooting your romance in a mundanely 9-5 world might make it recognisable to your readers, but it’s not likely to give them that escapist buzz they crave – keep those offices interesting!-          Finally, ‘ambitious woman’ doesn’t automatically equal ‘ball-breaker’. Overwhelming professional drive always needs to be balanced by characteristics that make readers understand and appreciate where the character is coming from.  What we are looking for: the top tips on how to make your working-together romances work for you: -          Good office banter is an absolute must - readers want to see your hero and heroine giving as good as they get, in the boardroom and out of hours.-          If your characters are at the top of their professional game, let’s see them in action – show us why we should respect their professional excellence! (A genuine vocation also always goes down a treat…where Medical romances work particularly well. People’s job choices can speak volumes about their personality, so choose wisely.)-          Don’t be afraid to delve into the specificity of the work and use it to engage your readers – gone are the days of the catch-all ‘business’ tycoon! Just think of the How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days ‘frost yourself’ slogan, or the tights ad campaign in Sarah Morgan’s Doukakis’s Apprentice – these are great examples of using characters’ professions in relatable, relevant and fun ways.-          But above all, it’s all about fresh new takes on the premise! Woman-as-boss (anyone see The Proposal?), taking the couple outside the office walls - basically any new spin you can think of to make your office romance as different and surprising as possible! - will be an instant eye-catcher. That’s the Romance HQ lowdown on office romances, so let us know what you think – do you love/hate them, any particular fave examples, you know the drill! So all that’s left for me to say is HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!! Hope you all have a great one and see you in the New Year, Love Flo x

Hi everyone!

Well, the wedding was amazing – the bride was absolutely stunning and as for the speeches… no lady-like welling up for me, it was a full-on sob-fest, they utterly destroyed me!

But whilst the new bride has packed her bikini and jetted off for an exotic far-flung honeymoon, I’ve been digging out my ski jacket and thermals for a wintry few days in Edinburgh next week. Definitely a struggle to persuade myself that the 150mph winds predicted for Scotland are both Christmassy and fun! (Jealous much?) But inspired by the decorations that are now decking the halls of Romance HQ, I’m clinging on to my festive spirit, because we want to know about your Christmas (reading) traditions!

What’s your ideal Christmas to read about – warm, cosy and full of log fires and mulled wine? Or glam winter sun and urban, stylish Christmas decorations? A hoard of apple-cheeked kids, or just the hero and the heroine and a big bunch of mistletoe?! Any good recommendations?

Because here is my quite blatant ulterior motive – I need book-buying advice! Having just bought my sister identical copies of all our children’s books (we’re twins, I’ve just moved flats and taken them all with me, as the older sister she’s demanding reparation…you get the picture), I am now gifted-out with barely anything to show for it! Except a seasonal-yet-horrifying dent in my credit card and seriously sore arms after lugging the entire Anne of Green Gables, Harry Potter, Little House on the Prairie etc home on the train.

So, what books will you be buying your loved ones this year? Any stand-out romances you’d recommend - a ‘this is for you but really for me’ present? (My most recent discovery is You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me by Sarra Manning…absolutely lovely!)

Basically, please share with me your Christmas reading preferences and book-reading expertise so that I don’t end up desperately ransacking the shops at 5pm on Christmas Eve, again!

Love Flo x

Morning all!

Tomorrow, I have my first ever winter wedding – it’s going to be so magical! In fact, it’s going to be Mills-&-Boon-Christmas-romance magical, from the beautiful Christmas bride, her handsome groom to the fairytale setting. SO EXCITED! And also hoping madly for some miracle snow, just to make it even more perfect.

But before the wedding comes the hen party. And what a party it was. Dolled up in our 1920s flapper-style outfits, learning how to make lethally strong cocktails (thank you, oh hen party god, for the blind eye our cocktail waiter turned to the many additional shots added), it was a night of amazingly fun mayhem. Nothing like some fancy dress to get rid of those inhibitions!

Wobbling home, slightly worse for wear and maybe with a kebab (*ashamed blush), I remember wondering if you’d ever catch a self-respecting M&B heroine in a similar state. Now, I love a bad girl heroine – as long as I understand where it’s coming from, there’s no behaviour I can’t get on board with. Rudeness, a criminal past, a chequered romantic history… bring it on. I especially have a real weakness for a bit of drunken outrageousness - always so much funnier and more scandalous in books than real life!

But that’s just me. It could be that you’re put off by heroines who disgrace themselves on a regular basis, and find such behaviour a real barrier to identifying with them.

So my question to you this week is… when it comes to heroines, how bad is too bad?

At what point do you personally stop enjoying a heroine’s feistiness, and find her behaviour off-putting? What could a heroine do that would make her, in your eyes, completely irredeemable: be the other woman, kill someone, walk away from their child? Or perhaps the badder the better?! Any stand-out examples that you want to share? My personal faves are (as always!) Jilly Cooper’s Octavia, but also Kristin Scott-Thomas’s character in I’ve Loved You So Long – she’s gone to jail for killing her child, but when you find out why…well, your judgment just shifts.

Now, I’m absolutely playing devil’s advocate here, but we’d love to know where your personal limits were – so get thinking!

(And just in case anyone was worrying, don’t worry, we’re all going to be very well-behaved at the wedding!)

Love Flo x