Whirlwind worldwide

So I've done the unthinkable and dragged my eleven month old half way around the world to a completely different time zone. Happily I'm guest blogging with a bunch of people from all over, so whatever time zone you're in, there should be something for you!
I'm over with fellow July Indulgence writers Robyn Thomas (Australia) and Carmen Falcone (USA) on the 9th and am on a wee blog barrage for the next few days with:
crazyfourbooks

booktravels

avril-ashton

coffeebeanslovescenes

briannasbookshelf

andisbookreviews

lynelleclarkaspiredwriter

reading-withholly

alwaysabooklover

simplyali

Uh oh, I think the jetlag is starting to destroy my sense of self, this is turning into a list rather than a blog post. Sorry! 
I'll be popping up in a few other places over the next weeks. Starting with Manga Mania Cafe and The Readiacs on the 13th of August. Lots of these posts have the chance to win a copy of The Boss and Her Billionaire so do pop over and say hello!
I'm off to pretend that I know what time zone I'm in now. Night/morning
xMichele

Happy Dancing - Top 50 Baby!

So there's nothing quite like seeing your ratings move is there? Especially when you have a team of cheerleaders by your side! This week has been a fab one for me and The Boss and Her Billionaire, so today is a big thanks to those people who have been jumping and happy dancing all the way. We've made the top 50 on Barnes and Noble people! Sitting at number 48 today!
Cheers, Heather, Robyn, Jackie, Cassandre, and especially Nicola Marsh who is happy dancing herself pretty hard with the success of her Indulgence title too! Go team Entangled.
Then of course are all of you if you've bought the book. Massive thanks all round! You've made this debut authors week.

And to top it off, the Readiacs provided this great review:
"Immediately I was drawn to this because of the ‘role-reversal’ aspect of the novel. She’s the Cruise Director and while his normal investment banker career would have him in charge, he’s at her mercy. I loved it.
First of all, their chemistry? Off the page. Whew. Thank God they were on the water and could’ve jumped off the deck to cool off.
Michaela, I loved. She was burned once and no matter what, she was determined to steer clear of the new hottie on board. I’m grateful her will caved.
Dylan was just… Dylan.  Unf. He’s out of his comfort zone here and while it’s a culture shock to be in a different position, he handles it well. Very well…
Downside, I sang the Love Boat theme song throughout the entire reading."

Classic, I'm humming that theme song now too!

If you havent yet had a chance to check out the book you can read the first chapter free here or here.

Image: Free digital images

Happy dance - reviews, rankings, and raves.

Okay, so I was going to post something completely different but I woke to an email from Robyn Thomas telling me The Boss and Her Billionaire is at #99 on the Amazon Category Romance rankings. So I'll save my other thoughts till later and continue my happy dance here. Yeay.
For a first timer in the romance world, anything that gives you just a hint of what people are thinking of your book is great. Maybe it means that people out there in the real world are engaged with what you have to say. They're even taking time out to delve into your character's lives and loves.
Of course there is bound to come a time when I'm less enthusiastic about reviews and rankings as I will no doubt read everything, every word good or bad. But even a bad review is something to -- not exactly celebrate -- but something to take notice of. I figure if someone took the time to write a review when they didn't like the book, and especially if they really didn't like the book, then there must be something in it that is going in the right direction. Sounds very high and mighty doesnt it? I even cringe at myself. (And I know there are going to be the professional reviewers who arent exactly taking time out to slash and burn) But surely we write to get a reaction. In romance we want a blissed out escape, the faint glow of post-coital satisfaction, not angry disatisfaction. But a reaction is a reaction. Perhaps it means you put enough into your characters but not enough into the plot to make it satisfying. Or too much into the plot at the expense of your characters. And that's where, if I can take the emotion out of it, I hope the reviews will be helpful. It's all a learning experience.
But enough of all that. Today is about happy dancing. The knowledge that some of you, somewhere, are enjoying what I've written. Thanks!
What do you think? Am I being unbelievably naive? Or just optimistic? I'd love to hear your views.
xMichele