One Word

WOW!! I want to thank all of you who have commented on the blogs this month. The discussions have been great! And boy am I keeping busy each day collecting names for our Summer Lovin' Contest!

So let's keep talking....if you had to describe an American Romance novel in ONE WORD what word would that be and why?

Happy Reading!
Matin Thomas
www.marinthomas.com

More Shameless Gushing

Oh boy! Yesterday was a great day for me. And then when Linda Warren offered to let me post this morning in her place (she's under deadline), the day got even better. Because now I get to tell everyone what I did after work. I went to my local Barnes and Noble and bought two copies of my first Harlequin American. Whee, hee!

I had a $10 B&N gift certificate someone gave me a while ago and couldn't think of a better way to spend it. So, off to the store I went. Good news, bad news. When I got to the store, the June Harlequin series books were there, all pretty and shiny in the rack. But, darn it, there were only two copies of each book.

I debated, not sure if I should buy both copies or leave one for the hoards of fans that were sure to come wandering into the store, looking for my book. I decided to take a chance and buy both books. I mean, oh boy! There was my book. In the flesh (or is that paper?) How could I resist? Hoards of fans would just be out of luck, I guess.

To celebrate, I bought a couple other books, one of how to housebreak a puppy in seven days. If you're wondering why I need advice on that, just take a look at the adorable cutie who came to live with us a month ago and hasn't quite gotten the knack of doing his business outside. I finished up my great shopping excursion by getting a Starbucks for the road.

I'm planning another trip to another bookstore in the near future. This time to Borders. Not to buy, just to look. Maybe take a picture of my book in the rack as a keepsake. Please don't laugh. I promise not to be this goofy and pathetic every time I have a new book. But, oh boy, what a great day it was yesterday!

Cathy McDavid
for free promo stuff check out my website
www.cathymcdavid.com

Time to Clean

With summer around the corner and the sun shining, it’s impossible to hide the grime on the windows. I’ve been putting off washing them—too many deadlines. But I really do need to carve out some time for cleaning.

I’ve made a deal with my husband: if he washes outside, I’ll do the inside. I also need to clean my office, which is a disaster. Of course I know what every pile holds, but the mess gets to me. We’re about to get new carpets, so I don’t have much choice.

I used to be so meticulous, washing the kitchen floor daily and never letting the clutter pile up. Now it’s more important to write than keep everything neat.

Sometimes I shake my head at the changes in me and wonder where that tidy woman went.

Who out there is like me?

Like a kid out of school!

Last time I blogged, I was looking forward to the end of my day job with a school district and the start of my summer break. Now, hard as it is to believe, a week of that precious time has already passed. How can that be?

When I was a kid, summer vacation seemed to last forever, filled with trips to the park and the sprinklers, days at the local pool, long bicycle rides around town, and even longer trips to visit Grandma and Grandpa.

For the times we felt lazy, we chased butterflies and fireflies, played box ball, and balanced on homemade skateboards more likely to tip us off than to take us anywhere.

And on those sweltering hot days, we had cold foods and drinks that felt sooooo refreshing: Lemonade. Kool-Aid. Popsicles in red and orange and purple that turned our mouths and lips and tongues all those same colors. And juice-dripping watermelon loaded with seeds we could spit across the yard...or at each other.

Sometimes, I miss those carefree days. Don't you?

Feel free to post some of your favorite summer memories. I'll be back to read them—as soon as I get my hands on a Popsicle.


All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com

GETTING OUT AND GETTING TOGETHER

The other day I was reading Jane Porter’s blog and she wrote something that just struck me as so ‘right’ that I’ve been thinking about it for the last week. In a nutshell, she wrote about making more of an effort to actually visit with people, face to face.
I can completely relate. Lately, I’ve had quite a few projects I’ve been working on, and therefore, I’ve been spending lots and lots of time in front of my computer. With uh, made-up people. When I get tired of writing, I go on the Internet and catch up with on-line friends. Phone calls, for some reason, have seemed to take up too much time, never mind actually having coffee or a dinner out with girlfriends.
With this in mind, I knew that Lori Foster’s and Dianne Castell’s 3rd Annual Get-Together was going to be very needed and appreciated. I went yesterday, and it was just terrific.
For those of you that haven’t heard about this, Lori and Dianne host a reader-writer get-together every June. Lots of readers come from all over, and even a couple of agents and editors attend, too. It’s casual, like Lori. People wear t-shirts and jeans. There’s a limited schedule…it’s all mainly just a time to reconnect with people.
But because Lori and Dianne are just so great, it’s also about helping other people too. Authors donate baskets and critiques to be raffled. 90 authors also contributed recipes for a cookbook. All the proceeds from these things go to two very worthy causes…soldiers and a local battered women’s shelter. This year, over $3000 was made just on the gift baskets alone!
I had a great time visiting with members from my local RWA chapter, other authors and readers. I met a great gal who’d flown all the way from San Diego to be there, and ate lunch with another woman who’d never wanted to write…she just loved to read romance! Especially Harlequins! I loved her!
Little by little, I found myself feeling more energized and excited as the day went on. I laughed and talked and listened…and realized Lori and Dianne are two very smart ladies.
They’ve found a way to help a whole lot of women reconnect and remember what is important: other people...readers and friendships and soldiers fighting for all of us. And a group of ladies in a shelter who really need a helping hand and a few extra prayers.
Tomorrow, I’ll go back to my made-up people. But today I think I’m going to spend another couple of hours recalling just how nice it was to get out and about. And laugh and talk. Face to face.