Three Holiday Novellas in Audio - Only $2.99

Are you an audiobook listener? If so, now’s the time to grab A Royal Scandals Christmas. For a limited time, this collection of three holiday novellas is only $2.99 at Chirp Books.

Other retailers may match this deal, so check your favorite. (And let me know where else you spot it.) This audiobook contains the full text of Christmas With a Prince, Christmas on the Royal Yacht, and Christmas With a Palace Thief.

I never used to listen to audiobooks. I’m a visual person, and wasn’t sure I’d get the same enjoyment from hearing a story as I do from holding a book in my hands. A friend convinced me to give them a try, and I was hooked. Now I listen while driving, walking the dog, doing yardwork, and pretty much any time I can’t hold a book but want to. A great narrator helps, and I’m fortunate to have the fabulous Hollis McCarthy performing the Royal Scandals series. She’s amazing.

If you prefer to get your audiobooks at the library, the entire Royal Scandals series is available at libraries worldwide. Ask your librarian if you can’t find them and they’ll assist you.

Have a great week, and look for more Royal Scandals novels very soon. To receive updates on new releases (and a few bonuses!) be sure to register for my newsletter.

                                                                                                           

Chirp Audio Deal on Scandal With a Prince

Great news for audiobook listeners! Right now, Chirp Books is offering a great deal on the audiobook of Scandal With a Prince. For a limited time, you can get the audiobook for only $2.99. It's narrated by talented actress Hollis McCarthy, who's received fantastic reviews for her audio productions. I love her work and think you will, too.

If you haven’t heard of Chirp Books, it’s a sister company of BookBub, a website and newsletter that features book deals, reviews, author info, and new release updates. To use Chirp, you can download the app for either iPhone or Android, and then listen to audiobooks either via streaming or download.

Chirp is fairly new, so I’d love to hear what you think of the service. Post to the comments or drop me an email. Thanks!

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UPDATE: Apple Books has price matched this deal! You can download by going here, or by using the app on your smartphone.

A Don't Miss Sale

Quick post today to announce a phenomenal sale. Today through October 23 ONLY, you can get the ebook boxed set of Royal Scandals Books 1-3 for only $2.99/£2.99.

This set includes the full text of Scandal With a Prince, Honeymoon With a Prince, and the RITA Award finalist Slow Tango With a Prince. These books typically retail for $4.99 each, so take advantage of this fabulous opportunity to fill in titles that may be missing from your collection. If you have friends who’ve wanted to try the Royal Scandals series, let them know that now is the time. You can find your favorite retailer right here.

As always, subscribers to my email list also receive the bonus novella A Royal Scandals Wedding. There are links to join on my site, or inside each book. The novella is a behind-the-scenes story set at Sarcaccia’s first royal wedding in a generation, and it was a blast to write. I hope you enjoy it, too.

Two New Covers

Every so often, it's time for a refresh. In this case, two of my Royal Scandals stories have received all new covers. The updates will appear on my websites and across retailers for ebook, print, and audio versions in the coming days.

CHRISTMAS WITH A PRINCE has a romantic new look that fits with the story, which is set during a holiday wedding at a Mediterranean winery.

SLOW TANGO WITH A PRINCE also received an update, one that highlights a tender scene where the hero and heroine take tango lessons before visiting a milonga in the heart of Buenos Aires.

What do you think? Do the updated covers better fit with your mental image of each story? Let me know!

A Week of Royal Reads - Friday

Happy Friday! It’s the final day of royalty week, and today the featured book is…SCANDAL WITH A PRINCE!

Given that you're reading my blog, it’s likely you’ve already read this story, as it’s the first novel in the popular Royal Scandals series. However, if you missed it, now’s the ideal time to give it a read. In the coming months, there will be multiple releases in the Royal Scandals series. Though each book stands on its own, reading SCANDAL WITH A PRINCE (or doing a binge reread of the series) will get you revved for the new stories.

Here’s the cover and info on SCANDAL WITH A PRINCE, a contemporary royal romance set primarily in Barcelona:

A one night stand. A lifelong obsession.
 
One magical summer, Megan Hallberg met—and loved—Prince Stefano Barrali. But his royal duties took him home, and when she discovered she carried his child, she also discovered he was engaged…to a beautiful, worldly aristocrat. 

Ten years later, Stefano runs into Megan at the grand opening of a Barcelona hotel, and it’s his every sensual fantasy come to life. His memory of the stunning blonde and their passionate summer has haunted his dreams, and a night under the stars gives him the perfect opportunity to reclaim the woman he thought lost to him. 

Megan finds herself torn between passion with a prince and a fierce need to protect her daughter. Can the man who captured her heart so many years ago be her destiny…or her downfall? 

To read the first chapter, hear an audio sample, or see Behind the Scenes photos, check out the SCANDAL WITH A PRINCE page on the Nicole Burnham website.

Upcoming Royal Scandals titles will be available in ebook, print, and audio. To receive a notice when they’re released, feel free to sign up for my newsletter here. All subscribers receive the bonus short story A ROYAL SCANDALS WEDDING, which gives a peek into Megan Hallberg and Prince Stefano’s world after the events of SCANDAL WITH A PRINCE. You'll be able to select the version that matches your particular ereader, smartphone, or computer.

Thanks for joining me for royalty week. I hope you found a new author to enjoy, or a new title from a favorite author. If you have other recommendations for great royal romance stories, feel free to post to the comments.

A Week of Royal Reads - Thursday

Thursday is here, and with it a royal romance from author Victoria Pinder. If you’ve never read her work, you might enjoy FORBIDDEN CROWN, a marriage of convenience story.

Prince Antonio Aussa is almost out of time. If he doesn’t find a wife within the next two weeks, he’ll be forced to forsake his destiny and disappoint his parents. Kristin Wells is desperate for money. If she doesn’t find a well-paying job soon, her dream of finishing grad school will die.

When Kristin walks into Antonio’s Miami office, he sees a way out of his royal dilemma, but first he needs to convince her to go along with his plan. Before either knows what’s happening, their whirlwind pretend romance turns into something more. But soon their seemingly perfect union stirs up more trouble than they could have ever imagined, jeopardizing their agreement.

With everything on the line for them, can the couple from opposite worlds find a way to make their arrangement work, or will their deeper connection cause them to lose everything in the end…including each other?

For more info on FORBIDDEN CROWN, links to retailers, or to read about the other titles in the Princes of Avce series, check out Victoria Pinder's website.

A Week of Royal Reads - Wednesday

It’s Wednesday, which means it’s day three of royalty week! 

I’m happy to share Tara Wyatt’s newest release today. THE ROYAL TREATMENT is a contemporary standalone romance.

Princess Audrey of Clervaux is on a humanitarian trip to Ndola, a small country in southeast Africa. She’s focused on her work, and her immediate attraction to her sexy Scottish bodyguard, Callum MacLeod, takes her by surprise. When the ex-soldier kisses her, it becomes impossible to deny the chemistry between them. For Audrey, falling feels inevitable.

Callum MacLeod is damaged. Having spent years in the military, he’s seen horrors most can only imagine. He simply survives with his trauma, never looking for what he thought he couldn’t have. That is, until Princess Audrey stumbles into his life. She is beauty and light and goodness, and his need for her consumes him, even though he knows he’s too old and too broken for her.

How can a war-weary former SAS lieutenant and a virgin princess who come from completely different worlds have a future? Desire brings them together, but reality may tear them apart.

Sounds like the kind of story that will make you believe in love at first sight, doesn’t it? (And with a princess, no less.)

If you'd like to read the first chapter, or for links to your retailer of choice, click here to go to Tara Wyatt's website. You can read more about Tara and get a sneak peek of her other works, including Until The Sun Sets, a novella that was a finalist for the RITA award.

Happy Hump Day!

A Week of Royal Reads - Tuesday

Day Two of royalty week is here! Today, I'm happy to feature Kylie Gilmore's new release, ROYAL SHARK, which is out today. 

Here's the down and dirty preview:

Adrian

I’m a gentleman and a card shark, so taking the lead on the new upscale casino on Villroy is a natural fit. I’m proud to run the place, especially given our flagging economy. Except, after a month in operation, it’s been proving to be more than one prince can handle. I need a right-hand man (or woman) to make this operation a success, and hundreds of jobs are counting on me.

And then my twin, Silvia, gets in touch about Sara, a girl we were close to as children when her family summered in Villroy. Ironically, at twelve, we swore a solemn vow to marry when we were twenty-five. We’re now twenty-five.

But that’s not why Silvia contacted me. Turns out that Sara, like me, loves poker, but now she’s in trouble, running a poker game in New York and upping the pot high enough to attract the wealthy underbelly of the city. Of course, I ride to the rescue with the perfect solution—a job, working for me.

Except the stubborn woman won’t stop her game, won’t leave New York, and won’t leave her sister who’s all grown up. Now I find myself wanting her for more than just business, unable to leave her in such a dangerous situation. But my kingdom is counting on me to make the casino a success.

Something’s got to give.

This is the sixth book in Kylie's series about the Rourkes, but you don't need to start with book one. If you're interested in learning more about ROYAL SHARK or connecting to your retailer of choice, visit Kylie Gilmore's website. You can see the rest of the series and preorder upcoming titles. Enjoy!

A Week of Royal Reads - Monday

Recently, an email from popular author Tara Wyatt popped up in my inbox (always a good thing, right?) Tara and I both write romances set in the world of modern royalty. Given that readers who enjoy my stories are likely to enjoy other royal romances, and that there are several of us who write about contemporary royal families, she thought it'd be fun to pull together a week of royal romance for all of our readers. So, for the next five days, I'll share tales of princes, princesses, and their tangled romantic lives. Give them a try. You might discover a great read!

First up: Rachel Lacey and IF THE SHOE FITS.

This is the first book in Rachel's Almost Royal series, and a perfect first read if you haven't tried her books yet. Here's the quick summary:

NOT ALL FAIRYTALES END AT MIDNIGHT

Elle Davenport is no princess—she just dresses up as one for her job at a local theme park. But when she gets the call that she’s won a contest to live and work at a real-life castle in Virginia, she finally feels like she’s found her calling. If she’s successful, her venture could become permanent, and that sounds like Elle’s idea of the perfect modern-day fairytale. There’s only one problem: the castle’s grumpy—and sexy—new owner wants her gone as soon as possible.

Theo Langdon never imagined he’d inherit the title of Earl of Highcastle so young. With his grandfather’s recent death, he needs to sell Rosemont Castle so he can return to London. If only he wasn’t butting heads with the vivacious new property manager at every corner. Although he’s got a life waiting for him in London, Rosemont Castle suddenly feels a lot like home, thanks to Elle. As the clock winds down on her time at the castle, he’ll have to reconcile his obligations in London with the American woman who’s stolen his heart.

If you're interested in reading the first chapter, seeing the Pinterest board behind the story, or for links to your retailer of choice, visit Rachel Lacey's website. There's information on the entire Almost Royal series, including bonus material.

On Book Reviews

Ask a group of twenty authors their thoughts on book reviews and you’ll hear twenty different answers. Some authors read them, some don’t. Some read them occasionally. A few will only read reviews posted to certain venues. Others will ask their agents and/or editors to scan them and send along those they think the author would want to see. It’s a question of author, know thyself: if a scathing review is likely to send an author into an emotional tailspin, or cause them to self-edit work that a thousand readers will love into something intended to please a single reviewer, the author in question will likely adhere to an avoidance policy. Others are able to step back, take the reviews they receive as a whole—taking both the good and bad reviews in stride—and file them in their mental bank of useful information before moving on.

Every so often, I post my book discoveries on my Goodreads or Bookbub pages. I don’t leave reviews detailing what I liked or didn't like, but I do recommend books I’d give four or five stars. I read anywhere from fifty to a hundred books a year, so I don’t even cover all those. Today I posted about a read I adored, Jordan Harper’s She Rides Shotgun. It was a book I picked up on a whim and ended up blazing through, then recommending to a number of my friends. While I was on the site, I was alerted to recent reviews posted for my own books. It reminded me that, just a couple days ago, I received a question from a reader asking me what I thought about reviews.

My answer: I’m grateful.

I’ve had good reviews and bad. I’ve had reviews that are wildly inaccurate about facts in a story (no, nowhere in the book did it state that Venezuela was located in Spain) and some that were truly insightful (yes, that character probably would have made a comment to her mother on that topic, and I missed the opportunity.) However, whether or not a reader fell in love with one of my stories, I’m always glad they took the time to read and post their take.

The world is full of entertainment choices. Given that we all have a limited number of hours in the day, and a limited entertainment budget, it means the world to me when readers choose one of my books. The time they take to post a review helps potential readers know whether or not one of my stories will fit their tastes. I’ve discovered dozens of authors—and ended up binge reading their entire backlist—after reading a review that resonates with me. Sometimes, it’s even a bad review. There are cases where what one reader hates is just my cuppa.

I don’t comment on reviews—that way there be dragons—but if you’re reading this and left a review on one of my books, please take this as a thank you. I appreciate it.

The Day I Met Tim Conway

Tim Conway, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, and Lyle Waggoner

Clicked on the news during lunch today to see the announcement that actor and comedian Tim Conway passed away. If you’ve ever seen McHale’s Navy, the Dorf movies, or the Carol Burnett show, you’ll know Tim. He played everything from the world’s oldest man to a human-sized dog to a bungling dentist (a favorite in my family of dentists.)

Perhaps it was that famous dentist sketch that once made me believe he was a real dentist.

I swear, it’s not as idiotic as it sounds.

Years ago, I was in Georgia for a writers’ conference and had arrived at the hotel a day early. The place was quiet, as a large group had just checked out and no one else had arrived for my event. I wanted to see where a particular meeting room was located so I wouldn’t have to hunt the next day, when I knew the place would be crowded, so I took an elevator to the lower level and followed the signs along a wide, green carpeted hall.

Around me, nothing stirred. The entire floor boasted late twentieth century hotel conference center décor: large round overhead lights, the occasional tropical plant or gilt mirror, pairs of straight-backed chairs on either side of tables set at intervals along the wall so attendees would have places to chat. Most of the lights had been dimmed, given that no activities were scheduled that evening.

I was about two-thirds of the way to the meeting room when I spotted a man sitting alone in one of the chairs, reading a paperback. He wore khaki pants, a collared shirt, and a dark brown sport coat. He straightened as I approached, then smiled as if he’d been waiting for me. I slowed. The guy looked very familiar, but I was certain he wasn’t a writer or part of the conference I’d come to Georgia to attend. It felt as if I’d known him many years earlier, maybe while I was growing up. I couldn’t place him, though, and he didn’t speak to me, so I smiled in return, then rounded a corner and continued toward the rabbit warren of conference rooms.

As I walked, I scoured my mental database. I guessed that the man was older than my parents, but not by a lot. Thanks to my father’s career as an Army dentist, we moved around a ton when I was a kid, and I’d met nearly all of his coworkers over the years. I’d babysat for probably half a dozen of them and had been to picnics or dinners at many of their homes. Had my dad been stationed with the guy in the hall? He’d looked at me as if he knew me…or thought he might.

After a few minutes of being unable to place him, and having finally located the meeting room, I headed back toward my hotel room. When I turned the corner into the hallway where I’d seen the man, I was surprised to find him still in his seat. Once again, he sat up and smiled at me. This time, though, there was a slight furrow to his brow, as if he wanted to ask a question. I said hello, and he shifted forward in the chair.

He tilted his head, then said, “I think you might be looking for me.”

It was one of those moments where you feel awkward, but you know the other person does, too. There wasn’t another soul within shouting distance, and we were in a very long, very empty hallway in the bowels of a hotel. I said, “I was trying to find a conference room. Found it.”

He looked disappointed. I’m not sure what possessed me, but I said something to the effect of, “You look very familiar to me…you wouldn’t happen to be in the Army, would you? A dentist?”

A beat or two passed, then he gave me a wide, genuine smile, as if he’d just heard the greatest joke. “No,” he said, “I’m not in the Army.”

I was about to explain that he looked like one of my parents’ friends—but stopped myself when I realized he might take it as a statement akin to, “wow, you look old”—when we both heard footsteps coming from the direction of the elevators. A woman in a skirt and jacket approached, a leather tote bag hanging from her shoulder. Her hair and makeup were immaculate—television immaculate—and she moved with the speed of a person who knows they’re late, but doesn’t want to run and start sweating.

“She might be looking for you,” I said.

His gaze went to her leather bag, then back to me. “That’d be my guess.”

I left as the woman zeroed in on the man in the chair, who rose to greet her. It was apparent that she was there to conduct an interview of some type.

As the elevator doors closed, I figured it out. He wasn’t one of my parents’ friends, though we’d watched him together many, many times. The man in the chair was Tim Conway, and one of his most famous sketches on the Carol Burnett show was as the bumbling dentist who manages to inject himself with Novocaine.

 ­­

Tim, may you rest in peace. You gave millions of people joy and laughter. I hope, for that one day, I gave you the laugh.

On Heroes

There are certain authors whose books are automatic buys for me. Whether they deliver a twisted thriller, an emotional romance, or a wild ride into space, these authors have hooked me over the years with their engaging plots and characters. When I see an announcement for a new release, I preorder so I don’t miss it, then get a zing of excitement when the book arrives because I know I’m in for a treat.

Recently, a book arrived that was written by one of my longtime favorite romantic suspense authors, and no, I won’t say which one. The cover copy promised all the plot twists I’ve come to expect from that author, and I dove in immediately. The opening chapter introduced the hero, with his domineering personality made crystal clear. You know the type: broody, belligerent, and brash. Huge ego. Someone who acts as if he is more important than anyone else in the room.

Alpha heroes are a romance trope. They’re often described as being asses, but I don’t believe “ass” and “alpha” are interchangeable. There are plenty of fictional alpha heroes who aren’t capital-A Assholes, at least not by the end of the book. They have swagger, they have presence, but they don’t bring down those around them with their behavior or the force of their personality.

The guy in this book was a capital-A Asshole.

Now, I don’t have an issue with a hero who’s an ass on page one. In fact, it’s often a-okay with me. Humans are imperfect, therefore good characters are imperfect. It’s the tears in the fabric of their humanity—and the methods they choose in order to ignore, to hide, or to repair those faults—that make those characters interesting. Perfect characters are boring. They aren’t believable. Even sweet Glinda the Good Witch in the Wizard of Oz put Dorothy through some hellish trials. If a character is perfect, that perfection had better be a plot point.

However, when I encounter a hero who’s an asshole on page one, I want to know the reasons behind the behavior. I also want that character to grow. It may take some digging over the course of the story, and it may take some serious self-reflection or confrontation, but a hero needs to understand that he’s an ass—even if he has a damned good reason for it—and to question it. As a reader, if I’m supposed to cheer for this guy to beat the evil empire, save the world, and/or walk into the sunset with his true love, he needs to prove that he’s worthy. Over the course of the story, he needs to show improvement. At the very least, he needs to show that he desires to become a better person.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, aka GOT's Jaime Lannister

If you’ve watched HBO’s Game of Thrones, Jaime Lannister starts out about as repulsive as a human being can be. He’s involved in an illicit relationship with his sister. He throws a young boy from a tower. We're told that he killed the previous king. Yet over the course of the series, we see him struggle not only with the ramifications of his actions, but with the actions themselves. He begins to make choices that go against his own self-interest. He makes sacrifices to save the lives of others and becomes increasingly uncomfortable with killing in order to gain or maintain power. By the midpoint of the series, I wouldn’t say that Jaime is a hero, but viewers see that he has the potential. It’s not out of the realm of possibility for Jaime to prove through his actions that he deserves happiness. He’s also interesting. Viewers want to follow his journey, to see if he can overcome the odds and continue to redeem himself.

On the other hand, if a character who’s an ass on page one remains that way on the final page, and he makes no headway toward change, he isn’t a hero. If it’s a romance and he walks away with the love of his life despite treating everyone—likely including that love interest—like dirt, I’m going to regret every minute I spent reading that story. I’m also going to be annoyed with that love interest for displaying an utter lack of self-respect. If it’s a thriller, I’ll be happy the guy saved the world (duh), but I’ll be pissed to see him gloat about it. An ass doesn’t save the world for the greater good. An ass saves the world for his own enrichment.

And so it was with the book I’d been dying to read. The hero was an ass on page one. Reasons were given over the course of the story to explain the hero’s sullen self. He even says he’s a jerk. But he doesn’t care that he’s a jerk. He continues to treat people like dirt, and as the story progresses, there’s little to no change in his behavior. I became more and more annoyed with him as I flipped the pages, waiting for him to have a moment of revelation, to make different choices, to become a better human being. That moment never came.

The heroine of the story was an intelligent and likeable professional. She had friends and was respected by her colleagues. She treated others well, but refused to be a doormat…except when it came to the hero. He was repeatedly rude to her. In response, she huffed, she yelled, and she told him he was wrong. He inevitably responded with a variation of, “I am who I am,” and she sighed. At one point, she thought to herself that the guy was an ass, but the sex was fantastic, so she may as well stay put. That would all be well and good if she only wanted sex, but the heroine wanted a relationship, and she knew that. I wanted her to walk away. When she didn’t, I started to dislike her, too. When the two of them nailed the bad guys at the end of the book, my “goody for them” was sarcastic. I didn’t care. I wanted them to go into a cave together and never come out.

Heroes need to be worthy of that role. They need to live up to the promise of the premise. Readers want reasons to cheer for them to solve the mystery, get the bad guys, and/or fall head over heels in love with an equally worthy partner.

All that being said, I’ve preordered the author’s next book, because this is a writer who has delivered the goods time and time again. But if the hero is an ass on page one, I’m flipping to the midpoint to see what he’s doing before I commit to reading the full book. Life’s too short to deal with assholes when the bookstore shelves are filled with more interesting choices.

Academy Award Predictions, 2019 Edition

Once again, the Academy Awards are upon us (why does it seem to arrive sooner every year?), which means the time has come to make picks for your office pool or Sunday night Oscar party based, at least in part, on films you haven’t seen. And, once again, I’ll post my predictions in the hope you’ll have a better shot at taking home that Starbucks gift card or Solo cup of dollar bills set aside for the winner.

Need a printable PDF of the 2019 Academy Award categories and nominees? People Magazine has one here, or you can use this one from Vanity Fair.

My predictions:

Best Picture:

Black Panther

BlacKkKlansman

Bohemian Rhapsody

The Favourite

Green Book

Roma

A Star Is Born

Vice

There’s talk for Black Panther, Bohemian Rhapsody, The Favourite, Green Book, and Roma in this category. They’ve each won awards this season, yet several have their detractors. Some don’t think a streaming movie (Roma) or a Marvel superhero picture (Black Panther) should be named the year’s best. Then there are controversies around both Bohemian Rhapsody (accusations against its original director, Bryan Singer) and Green Book (the question of who best tells the story of racism in America.) That would leave The Favourite, but the quirky, darkly comic story about Queen Anne’s reign isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Current oddsmakers would urge you to pick Roma, particularly given that the Academy is becoming a more international body. I’m going out on a thin, shaky limb for Black Panther.

Actor In A Leading Role

Christian Bale, Vice

Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born

Willem Dafoe, At Eternity’s Gate

Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody

Viggo Mortensen, Green Book

I walked out of the theater after seeing Bohemian Rhapsody saying, “He’d better be nominated for an Oscar.” Now I hope he wins one. Malek’s Freddie Mercury was a riveting and memorable performance.

Actor In A Supporting Role

Mahershala Ali, Green Book

Adam Driver, BlacKkKlansman

Sam Elliott, A Star Is Born

Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Sam Rockwell, Vice

Actress In A Leading Role

Yalitza Aparicio, Roma

Glenn Close, The Wife

Olivia Colman, The Favourite

Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born

Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

The bookies in Vegas have Glenn Close as the heavy favorite. Keep that in mind if you go with my pick here. A win for Colman would be an upset.

Actress In A Supporting Role

Amy Adams, Vice

Marina de Tavira, Roma

Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk

Emma Stone, The Favourite

Rachel Weisz, The Favourite

Directing

Alfonso Cuarón, Roma

Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite

Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman

Adam McKay, Vice

Pawel Pawlikowski, Cold War

Cuarón won a BAFTA, Directors Guild, and Golden Globe for directing Roma. Though there’s a lot of sentiment for Spike Lee, I suspect Cuarón will walk off stage with the statue. If you want to take a risk with your ballot, this is a category where it could pay off if you pick Spike Lee.

Animated Feature Film

Incredibles 2

Isle of Dogs

Mirai

Ralph Breaks the Internet

Spider-Man: Inter the Spider-Verse

One of the few categories I’d call a lock.

Documentary Feature

Free Solo

Hale County This Morning, This Evening

Minding the Gap

Of Fathers and Sons

RBG

Free Solo won the BAFTA, but I’m going with RBG for the Oscar win.

Cinematography

Cold War

The Favourite

Never Look Away

Roma

A Star Is Born

Costume Design

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Black Panther

The Favourite

Mary Poppins Returns

Mary Queen of Scots

I think this category will be a race between Black Panther and The Favourite. I’m going with Black Panther, as the costumes were integral to the overall vibe of the film and the story behind the fictional Wakanda. However, Academy voters almost always go with sumptuous period pieces in this category, so be aware that traditionalists will cast their votes for The Favourite.

Film Editing

BlacKkKlansman

Bohemian Rhapsody

The Favourite

Green Book

Vice

I admit, this was a tough pick. Vice and The Favourite are also strong contenders here.

Foreign Language Film

Capernaum

Cold War

Never Look Away

Roma

Shoplifters  

Though Cold War has a lot of buzz and would win in many other years, 2019 belongs to Roma.

Music, Original Score

Black Panther

BlacKkKlansman

If Beale Street Could Talk

Isle of Dogs

Mary Poppins Returns

Music, Original Song

“All The Stars,” Black Panther

“I’ll Fight,” RBG

“The Place Where Lost Things Go,” Mary Poppins Returns

“Shallow,” A Star Is Born

“When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings,” The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Another lock. Go with “Shallow.”

Production Design

Black Panther

The Favourite

First Man

Mary Poppins Returns

Roma

As with Costume Design, I suspect votes will split between Black Panther and The Favourite, though Roma also has a shot here. I waffled, but went with Black Panther for the same reason I chose it for Best Costume Design. If one of the other films has your heart, go with it. This is one of those up-in-the-air categories that will make the 2019 ceremony interesting.

Visual Effects

Avengers: Infinity War

Christopher Robin

First Man

Ready Player One

Solo: A Star Wars Story

This is a coin flip between Avengers: Infinity War and First Man. I’m betting on First Man.

Makeup and Hairstyling

Border

Mary Queen of Scots

Vice

I’d never have imagined Sam Rockwell and Christian Bale portraying George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. When I saw the trailer for Vice, I was stunned by their physical transformations. The hair and makeup professionals on this film are true artists, and Bale gave them heartfelt thanks in his Golden Globe speech. Go with Vice.

Sound Editing

Black Panther

Bohemian Rhapsody

First Man

A Quiet Place

Vice

I wouldn’t be surprised to see First Man take this, but I’m circling Bohemian Rhapsody on my ballot.

Sound Mixing

Black Panther

Bohemian Rhapsody

First Man

Roma

A Star Is Born

Bohemian Rhapsody nabbed the BAFTA in this category, but again, First Man would be a solid pick for your pool.

Writing, Adapted Screenplay

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

BlacKkKlansman

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

If Beale Street Could Talk

A Star Is Born

This is one of the night’s unpredictable categories. BlacKkKlansman won the BAFTA, while Can You Ever Forgive Me? won the Writers Guild and If Beale Street Could Talk picked up the Critics Choice. I’m going with BlacKkKlansman. Academy members want to see an Oscar in Spike Lee’s hands, and this film is deserving.

Writing, Original Screenplay

The Favourite

First Reformed

Green Book

Roma

Vice

Another tough category to predict, as The Favourite won the BAFTA and Green Book picked up the Golden Globe in this category. Given the international voting pool and the unique script, I’m going with The Favourite.

Short Film, Animated

Animal Behaviour

Bao

Late Afternoon

One Small Step

Weekends

Short Subject, Documentary

Black Sheep

End Game

Lifeboat

A Night at the Garden

Period. End of Sentence

If you read predictions from five or more experts, you’ll see each of these films mentioned as the likely winner. Throw a dart at this category. I’m going for optimism.

Short Film, Live Action

Detainment

Fauve

Marguerite

Mother

Skin

Aside from the winners, I predict that: 1) Regina King will be one of the best dressed women; 2) Mahershala Ali will deliver a solemn but uplifting speech sure to be quoted on Monday morning news programs; 3) Lady Gaga will wear a necklace valued at over a million dollars, requiring her to have a separate security detail specifically for the jewelry; and 4) Barbra Streisand’s nails will be the star of her envelope opening.

What about you? Which movies and performances caught your attention? Any predictions for the show itself? Feel free to post to the comments!