Masked Love by Nicole Zoltack, Doctor Who for IWSG, ROW80, and 50 States of Pray

Masked Love by Nicole Zoltack is here!

Title: Masked Love
Author: Nicole Zoltack
Genre: Holiday/Christmas Regency Novella
Publisher: Swoon Romance, on Twitter and Facebook
Publication date and formats: November 1, 2013; eBook (mobi and ePub)
Isabelle is content being a maid, and will do anything for her lady, even accompany her to a masquerade ball. Lady Theodosia needs extra support and encouragement on this night, for tomorrow she will meet the man her parents have pledged her to.
Isabelle has never had occasion to attend such an event, and is at first ill at ease. But meeting an enchanting young man during the course of the evening makes her wish for a life she can never have. Thinking she will never see him again, she returns his flirtation and even reveals her face. Imagine her shock when he shows up the next morning, announcing his claim on Lady Thedosia.
Isabelle does all she can to avoid Lord Adrian Wingave, but then he not only sees her, he recognizes her. To make matters worse, Isabelle fears her feelings are not one-sided. Torn between duty and desire, Isabelle hopes for something more this Christmas.
Nicole Zoltack loves to write fantasy/paranormal, romances, horror, and historical, for all ages. When she isn't writing about girls wanting to be knights, talking unicorns, and zombies, she spends time with her loving family. She loves to ride horses (pretending they're unicorns, of course!) and going to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, dressed in period garb. Her current favourite TV show is The Vampire Diaries.
Blog
Facebook
Twitter

I recently attended my first masquerade and I kept thinking of Nicole's characters while I was there! Such a great idea, to have two characters fall in love without knowing who they are at first. If you're looking for a holiday romance to read, this is a good choice!

I didn't wear a mask but got my makeup done instead:




NaNoWriMo is done!


My story isn't, though - I still need to write at least 10k if not 20k more to complete the story. On the other hand, during the last days of NaNo, I did come up with a title: Larksong

Today is Insecure Writer's Support Group Day! Which seems fitting, as I'm procrastinating on all the editing I need to do. No wait, that didn't come out right.

Well, how's this for inspiration? The BBC movie An Adventure in Space and Time, which details the creation of the first ever season of Doctor Who, fifty years ago.

So many moments where it could have gone wrong or been cancelled altogether!


Seeing Hartnell and Troughton - and then Matt Smith there too - made me all teary. The first two doctors are still my favourites. Hope they find all the missing episodes some day.

As for ROW80 goals, I posted a revised list of goals on the Forum:

1. Christmas Season! Cards and gifts and planning parties and...
2. finish NaNo story - 50k wasn't enough!
3. write my two installments for the December X! (This one's a jointly written story called Winter Solstice - read along if you like!)
4. keep up with the blogging and do my year-end books read review
5. keep knitting
6. edit my vignette and submit it somewhere - I must do this!
7. read!
8. organise photos from the last couple of months
9. promote the Whisky Trench Riders on the CBCMusic contest. Please vote!
10. print out Captive of the Sea from Scrivener
11. write another article for Bizim Anadolu
12. EDIT Druid's Moon and maybe try a couple more submissions

I threw in #7 to make sure I can cross at least one thing off this list!

Also this week, Mark Koopman's linky list for his 50 States of Pray event is open!

"I'm calling it the 50 States of Pray event and I'd love to find at least one person (but the more the merrier) from each U.S. state to participate.

But wait... as they say on TV... This is absolutely open to anyone, anywhere. Imagine if we got one person from 50 independent states (countries), too. That would be amazing!

All that's required is to take a moment and about 100 words. Then, on Dec. 24, 2013, please share a prayer, a thought, a memory, a hope and even a regret about the past and/or a wish for the future."
There's a new book recommendation site out there: Just One Book.

My problem is I would recommend The Lord of the Rings. But for them to feature me on the page, I'd have to come up with something truly original to say about it.

Which book would you recommend if you could choose only one?

Comments

StratPlayerCJF said…
Very cool makeup!

I also checked out the Whisky Trench Riders and voted for 'em (huh -- one of the guys seems to have the same last name as you. What a weird coincidence... ). Great tune! I'm not a Canadian, but I grew up in Michigan and definitely have developed some strong Canadian affinities over the years (Labatt Blue, 89X out of Windsor was my station when I lived in Detroit, Tragically Hip, etc) -- so I really liked the song.

And I'm looking forward to Mark's 50 States of Pray -- now that I'm a Hoosier, I'm representing Indiana. :)

Congratulations to Nicole and to you! Don't let the editing scare you.
And I did vote for your husband's band.
Michael Di Gesu said…
Hi, Deniz,

CONGRATS… you've accomplished TONS… I wish I could finish all the stuff I need to do before this year's end, but …

Congrats to Nicole… ALL the best.

Unknown said…
Glad I'm not the only one who writes 'gimmie' tasks on a to-do list so I can just cross them off! :)
Hooray fro the NaNo win, and a book near done, and a whole mess of new goals to dig into!

I perused your book list and grinned when I saw Alligator Baby!

I loved that, my kids loved it, and the kids at the day care where I taught at the time loved it, too...

But where the heck was the Star Trek book of opposites when these big kids who live here still liked to chew on their reading material?
Anonymous said…
I think your 50 States of Pray idea sounds really neat and I wish you good luck with it!
Hi Deniz .. love the sound of Nicole's book - and I'm looking forward to reading it ... sounds a great historical-romantic read.

Your make-up looks fantastic, as do you in the other photo - lovely ones of you ...

Good luck with all your goals for December .. cheers Hilary
Your Action Plan is every bit as eclectic as my own. It's so much fun to read about other ROWers' goals - not just the writing-related ones.

All the very best this Christmas season.

TTFN
Shah Wharton said…
Oh I love the makeup!

Congrats on NaNo (mine are never complete in 50k either) and good luck with the ROW80 goals. I must get back to mine now I'm back for UK.

Recommendations for books is difficult. It would have to incorporate all the genre I love. So for horror, for example, I'd choose The Strain. For gothic awesomeness I'd choose Dracula. For period drama I'd choose Emma or P&P. I'd say a collection by Maya Angelou for poetry too, if that counts? There are so many. :)
Old Kitty said…
I totally loved the Adventure in Time and Space - what a fabulous drama and really quite sad! I never knew Hartnell was such a torn and tragic figure! But loved how the young uns and a visionary Canadian rocked the BBC though!

WELL DONE and huge congratulations with your NANO win!! Yay!! Take care
x
Anonymous said…
1 book, eh? The Princess Bride, of course! Congratulations on winning NaNo -- 50K is too short to be a real novel anyway, right? =]
Zan Marie said…
I love the makeup! And LARKSONG is a wonderful title! Go, Deniz, Go!
S.P. Bowers said…
Everytime I see your title CAPTIVE OF THE SEA I think it's one of my FAR FROM THE SEA trilogy and I get really confused. :)
Happy to see NIcole here.
Recommend just 1 book??? Harry Potter series would have to be my answer.
I meant to mention I love the make up!
Deniz Bevan said…
Yay, thanks for voting Chris and Alex!

Thanks for dropping by, Michael!

I had to, especially this month, Lara. Been so lazy...

I still can't get over the Star Trek book, Shan. It's so much fun!

Looking forward to 50 Shades of Pray next week!

Thanks very much, Hilary :-)

Hope you have a lovely season too, Steph.

Do you know, I still haven't read Dracula, Shah? Still on the To Read list...

Thank you, Kitty!

Ooh, great choice, Milo!

Yay, thanks Zan Marie :-)

Oh, goodness, you're right, Sara. I hadn't realised the similarity before.

Thanks, Theresa!
Anonymous said…
I look forward to reading Nicole's book.

The makeup looks great and congrats on NaNo.
Mark Koopmans said…
Aloha Deniz,

Trying to work my way around everyone who's supporting 50 States of Pray :)

Hope your end-of-year list is going well and thanks for the heads up re that Dr. Who movie... *LOVED* that series growing up :)
Deniz Bevan said…
Thanks Mark! I'm drafting my post now!