Coleen Kwan: 2013

I recently read an article about social media and how it's a waste of time and money for some enterprises. I would assume it's true for some authors too. In my case, I'm still ambivalent. Social media is not a natural fit for me. I think it's because I'm not a chatterbox. I'm more inclined to listen to conversation than to dominate it. So when it comes to Facebook and Twitter I feel as though I'm at a loud party and I'm listening in while everyone else is madly chatting away. I find myself 'lurking' rather than barging into people's conversations. Yet I keep plugging (sporadically) at FB and Twitter, and I do sometimes find it useful for communicating directly with someone. But I doubt very much I've sold any books because of my FB or Twitter presence.

I look on with some bemusement at the proliferation of other social media like Pinterest, Google+, Instagram, etc. My head spins at the thought of maintaining a profile on all of them. About a year ago I was convinced to get on the Triberr bandwagon. Triberr was a sure-fire way to increase traffic to your blog, I was told. So I signed up, joined a tribe, and dutifully sent out tweets for my tribe. My blog traffic DID go up, but I felt very uncomfortable sending out so many 'spammy' tweets. I didn't have the time to personally read all the blog entries of my tribe members, yet I was obliged to tweet about them. In the end, I took a break from Triberr, and although my blog traffic dropped, I felt a lot more comfortable. But there's always the fear that I might miss out on the next big thing. Recently, in a fit of enthusiasm, I signed up for Tumblr, but quite quickly realised I was out of my depth and backed out.

I've been debating the merits of keeping up this blog. Blogging used to be all the rage, and every writer had to have a blog and update it at least three times a week. But now there's an oversupply of blogs. Many authors are cutting back on their blogging schedules, or dropping their blogs altogether. I think blogging suits me more than Facebook or Twitter. It doesn't require witty repartee or popularity, and a good post can continue to draw readers to my blog months or years after it was written, thanks to SEO. So for now I'll keep to blogging (with side forays into FB and Twitter).

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Since SHORT SOUP recently won the Swirl Award, I thought I'd post an excerpt from this novella for my Teaser Tuesday.

In this scene, Toni and Dion have just met for the first time in five years. So much has changed - they've changed - and things are a little awkward between them.

“Welcome back, Toni.” A husky note lurked in his voice. An awkward pause developed before he moved forward and wrapped his arms loosely around her. “It’s good to see you again.”

As their bodies met, she found herself tensing. Over the years she’d received hundreds of hugs from Dion. But this one felt different. Now she was hyper-conscious of his physicality. His biceps were rock-hard, his chin rough stubbled, the mound of his shoulder disturbingly smooth. He smelt of sea and masculinity. Unfamiliar. This wasn’t the Dion she used to know. She pulled away, perplexed.

“Sorry.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I probably need a shower.”

She shook her head. “No, it’s just–” She broke off, unable to explain why she felt so off kilter. “I’m not exactly myself today. That’s why I stopped here for a breather when I arrived.”

He nodded in sympathy. “Not ready to show up at your folks’ place, huh?”

“I’ve been looking forward to seeing them so much, but now I kind of have to gather my thoughts first.”

He pushed sand around with his foot. “Your mum’s been worried about you. Your dad too, though he doesn’t say as much.” He pressed his sole down on the sand hill he’d created. “I know I’ve told you before, but I’m sorry about you and Nick.”

The words sounded flat, rehearsed. She couldn’t decide whether he meant it or not. Dion barely knew her ex-husband. She’d met Nick at Sydney University where they’d both been studying commerce. Nick’s busy social calendar meant he’d only accompanied her to Piper Bay a handful of fleeting occasions. Soon after graduation, she and Nick had married and migrated to London, both of them landing jobs at the same investment bank. They were going to work and travel all over the world, forging their careers, then when they tired of globetrotting they would return to Sydney, buy a house together and start a family. So much for their dreams.

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My REAL MEN DON'T QUIT blog tour continues at Read Your Writes where there's a chance to win some giftcards:)

In the meantime, here's a snippet from the book.

Background: Luke and Tyler have just had a rocky first meeting. After things have cooled, Luke is giving Tyler and her three-year-old daughter Chloe a lift to Tyler's work.

“You don’t look much like a writer to me,” she said as she threaded several silver bracelets onto her slim wrists.

“What do writers look like to you?”

“As I said, you’re the first writer I’ve met, but I’ve always imagined writers to be older, with beards and leather elbow patches, and either boring everyone in their uppity voices or swearing and getting roaring drunk on whiskey.”

“Sorry to disappoint you,” he said with a chuckle.

“Oh, I didn’t say you’re a disappointment.”

Startled, he glanced at her and caught the tail end of her insouciant smile. Was she flirting with him? The possibility sent a curious vibration through his nerves, as if he liked the idea of Tyler flirting with him. Shoot, he knew he shouldn’t have offered her a lift. “Where to now?” he asked as they reached the center of town.

“It’s just a couple of blocks up ahead.”

He eased off the accelerator as they cruised down the main street. He’d grown up in Goulburn and wasn’t too familiar with Burronga, even though the towns were an hour’s drive apart. Burronga was a more upmarket place than his hometown, with fancier shops and more expensive cars parked on the streets. They passed the Red Possum, a big, oldfashioned pub, before approaching a late Victorian building where Tyler indicated for him to pull over. The historic facade of the building had been preserved, but the ground floor looked like it had been recently renovated, with new glass doors and a wide, striped awning bearing the name Java & Joolz.

“So this is where you work?” he said as Tyler unstrapped Chloe from her booster seat.

“Yes. It’s an art gallery and coffee shop. As a matter of fact, I’m part owner,” she added, a note of pride edging into her voice.

“Oh.” He couldn’t help lifting his eyebrows, and she didn’t miss the gesture.

“What? Don’t I look competent enough to be part owner of a business?” Resting a hand on her hip, she gave him a razzing grin.

It wasn’t a question of being competent. He’d seen the chaos inside her house and that didn’t easily gel with running a business. “It must be hard work,” he answered diplomatically.

She hauled Chloe out of the car and balanced the child on her hip while she hooked her enormous bag over her free arm. “It’s bloody hard work. Why don’t you come inside and have a look?”

He shouldn’t. He should politely decline and be on his way, his good deed—two of them—done for the day. Deep down, he knew that Tyler, with her brilliant blue eyes and pert smile and purple underwear, plus her impish daughter, was exactly what he didn’t need. Exactly what he’d never need. The debacle with Jennifer had only hardened his resolve. He’d come to Burronga to bury himself in his writing, nothing else. It was his final chance to salvage something out of this disastrous year, and the last thing he needed was a sassy single mother distracting him. Especially considering how he’d reacted to her flirty grin earlier in the car. He should say no.

Instead, he said, “Sure. I’m in desperate need of a decent coffee right now.”

She smiled at him, and the candid radiance of her smile made him blink. “Coffee’s on the house. I owe you.”

He climbed out of his car, his blood still tingling from the aftereffects of her brilliant smile. Tyler Jones yelling at him in her underwear was quite a sight, but Tyler Jones beaming at him was something else.

The MFRW (Marketing For Romance Writers) Blog Hop is all about firsts—first kiss, first love, first whatever. So I’m talking about my first book for Entangled Publishing and the first in my series.

REAL MEN DON’T BREAK HEARTS is the story of Nate and Ally, two people with a bumpy history together, two people who are trying to break free of lifetime habits and make new lives for themselves, two people who suddenly find themselves attracted to each other despite their mutual dislike.

Ally Griffin is horrified to learn her new landlord is none other than the infuriating playboy Nate Hardy—the man she blames for getting her jilted at the altar six years ago. Plus, now her ex-fiancé is back in their hometown of Burronga, Australia, to marry his beautiful new bride…for real this time. Everybody’s treating Ally with kid gloves, as though she’s still heartbroken, but she’s just fine, thank you very much.

Nate Hardy is tired of his high-flying city career and bachelor lifestyle and is looking for something more real. The last thing he needs is to find himself undeniably attracted to Ally, the woman with whom he never saw eye-to-eye. But is he even capable of what Ally wants and deserves?
As Ally tries to pull her life out of the rut it’s fallen in, she doesn't count on Nate stirring up her emotions. A short-term fling with the resident bad boy is practically irresistible, but only if she can guard her heart…

I was truly delighted when Entangled Publishing accepted my book for their Bliss line and even more excited that I could write further books in my REAL MEN series. The next book to come out will feature Tyler, Ally’s best friend.

Blog hops are all about giveaways, and in keeping with the theme of Firsts, I’m giving away one ebook copy of my first book to be published, WHEN HARRIET CAME HOME (Carina Press, Oct 2011). Getting my first publishing offer was a memorable day for me. I was fortunate to work with a talented editor who guided me and taught me so much.

WHEN HARRIET CAME HOME was a Top Pick at Night Owl Reviews. For a chance to win this book just leave a comment below and include an email address. (Giveaway open internationally)

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Background: Nate catches Ally in a vulnerable state. She’s had a bit too much to drink, something she doesn’t often do, and Nate is concerned. He helps her back to her apartment even though she doesn’t want him there.

In her living room he steered her to the couch, where she sank down, the fight suddenly out of her. The bottle slipped from her hands and rolled over the carpet. On the coffee table sat an empty wine bottle and a used wineglass, smudged around the rim. Using his toe, he nudged the fallen bottle under the couch before sitting down beside her.

“How much have you had already?” He touched her shoulder tentatively.

“Just a couple. Honest.” She blinked up at him, her eyes huge and hollow in her pallid face. She screwed up her forehead. “Don’t look at me like that,” she muttered.

“Like what?”

“Like I’m some wino you stumbled across.” She pulled herself forward, resting her elbows on the knees of her jeans so she could press her forehead into her hands. “What are you doing here, anyway?”

“I was just out for a late-night meal.”

“Huh. Don’t let me stop you.”

He shook his head. “I’m not leaving until you tell me why you feel the need to get drunk on your own.”

“Has anyone ever told you how pushy you are?”

“All the time.” He tried to keep his voice light and level. “So why are you feeling so down? Is it because of my buying this building? You should know I’ve got no intention of changing anything. You can carry on renting—”

Stiffening, she lifted her head to glare at him. “I’m good for the rent,” she told him coldly. “I’m making big changes to the store. You’ll see; I’ll pay Mr. Cummings every last cent I owe him. And I’ll pay your rent on time, every month.”

He nodded placatingly. “Okay, so—”

“Did Seth ask you to keep me sweet?” Her eyes grew even harder, her mouth compressing to a thin line. “Is that why you’ve come snooping round here? He didn’t believe me when I said I wouldn’t blab to his fiancée?”

“Seth’s been to see you?” He felt his eyebrows draw together into a tight knot.

“Oh, yes. This afternoon. Didn’t he tell you? He dropped in just to say hello and, oh, by the way, would I mind not saying a word about us to Paige because the poor woman doesn’t know a thing about it.”

Nate clenched his hand on his knee. “I didn’t realize he was down here this weekend.”

She peered closer at him. “Interesting. So you already know that Paige is blissfully unaware of me and the past engagement.”

“Yeah.” He rubbed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’ve tried to convince him it’s best he tell her before she finds out from someone else, but he won’t listen to me.” Damn Seth! How deluded and insensitive could the guy get? He had half a mind to tell Paige himself but knew he wouldn’t. He’d interfered in Seth’s love life once; he wasn’t prepared to do it again. He studied Ally’s smudged face and his heart dipped. Had she been crying over Seth? Why did that bother him so much?

This is the last Saturday Snippet from Real Men Don’t Break Hearts. If you want to read more, the book is available at all major ebook retailers. Just click on the links on the right hand side of this page. ☺

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Real Men Don't Break Hearts - Snippet 3

Background: Nate is driving Ally home after she’s cut loose from a disastrous blind date. The conversation veers into dangerous territory when Ally can’t help asking Nate a very personal question:

“You don’t believe in proper, committed relationships, do you?”

He threw her a look as arid as the desert. “If people want to delude themselves, then that’s their problem.”

“And what about Seth and Paige’s wedding? Are you going to try and stop that one, too?”

He clamped his jaw. “No.”

“I see.” Her throat closed up. “I wasn’t good enough for Seth but Paige is.”

“What?” He slowed the car sharply, his face all cut angles in the dimness. “Is that what you think?”

“You can’t deny you tried to break up Seth and me.”

He squeezed the steering wheel. “Okay, I don’t deny that,” he said slowly through gritted teeth. “I thought Seth was crazy to tie himself down to one girl—”

“Oh, how—”

“But I never said you weren’t good enough for him. I told him he was way too young, that he should live a little before—”

“Shackling himself for life?”

He glowered at her, but he didn’t refute her words. “That was then. Seth is a grown man now. He’s old enough to know his own mind and to live by his decisions.”

Her windpipe ached as anger boiled up. “And six years ago you knew enough to make up Seth’s mind for him? Your arrogance is breathtaking. You think you know what’s best for everyone, but you don’t. It may come as a big surprise to you, Nate, but not everyone wants to be like you.”

She halted, breath heaving, appalled at her outburst. Where had all that come from? Nate pulled the car hard onto the shoulder of the road, gravel spitting as he braked. He turned to her, harsh and flinty eyed.

“Is that how you see me?” he snapped.

The confines of the cabin pressed down on them, a cage of glass and steel. Her heart skipped several beats. Why had she gotten so mad at him? Not because of Seth. No, more because of Nate’s opinion of her. She hauled in a breath, appalled by the realization. But it was true—she cared what he thought of her.

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