Hi everyone!
Well, today's post kind of snuck up on me, so I don't have anything very interesting to say. Did everyone have a nice New Year?
Last night we watched my daughter cheer. Today I'm hoping we'll finally go to the movies. I want to see Tom Cruise's new one. Has anyone seen it? Tonight is church. Tomorrow will be tough--we're going to have to get organized. That will involve lots of laundry, homework, nagging, and packing. On Monday, the kids will go back to school, my husband will fly out of town, and I'll need to wake up at six again.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, and a great Monday morning, too.
Shelley
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Friday, January 02, 2009
DECEMBER WINNER!!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Our December winner is Rachel Bailey!!!!!! Congratulations, Rachel!!! To get your free, autographed books, please contact Kara Lennox and Victoria Chancellor through their websites.
Tell all your friends to visit us. To enter the drawing, simply comment and your name is entered in our drawing.
Good luck!
(Magdalena, if you're reading this, please email me: ann@annroth.net. You won the November drawing and I never did hear from you. I want to send you your autographed book!)
Our December winner is Rachel Bailey!!!!!! Congratulations, Rachel!!! To get your free, autographed books, please contact Kara Lennox and Victoria Chancellor through their websites.
Tell all your friends to visit us. To enter the drawing, simply comment and your name is entered in our drawing.
Good luck!
(Magdalena, if you're reading this, please email me: ann@annroth.net. You won the November drawing and I never did hear from you. I want to send you your autographed book!)
Thursday, January 01, 2009
On the first day
In the blogosphere, where the old year dwells
Eternally in cyberspace,
Let’s grab the rope and ring the bells
To welcome the … human race … happy place… smiley face…
Too much sparkling apple-cranberry juice last night. Let’s try again.
There once was an old year, ’08,
That no one would dare celebrate.
It dashed all our hopes,
Threw us on the ropes,
And left my head in a terrible state.
Forget that! Who needs more gloom and doom?
Deck the mall with cards of folly
Tra la la la la (etc etc)
The banks are hoping you’ll be solly
Fa la la la …
Wait. Solly? Honestly! Once again into the fray:
While we wait for the economy to rally,
Let’s chalk up a personal tally:
One family well met,
Our home’s not foreclosed yet
And there’s plenty of lilies in the valley.
Sorry – I seem to have a poetic deficit this year. What I’m trying to say is:
To all my readers and fellow authors, Happy New Year,
Best of luck and love in 2009.
And may it be a much better year than ’08!
Eternally in cyberspace,
Let’s grab the rope and ring the bells
To welcome the … human race … happy place… smiley face…
Too much sparkling apple-cranberry juice last night. Let’s try again.
There once was an old year, ’08,
That no one would dare celebrate.
It dashed all our hopes,
Threw us on the ropes,
And left my head in a terrible state.
Forget that! Who needs more gloom and doom?
Deck the mall with cards of folly
Tra la la la la (etc etc)
The banks are hoping you’ll be solly
Fa la la la …
Wait. Solly? Honestly! Once again into the fray:
While we wait for the economy to rally,
Let’s chalk up a personal tally:
One family well met,
Our home’s not foreclosed yet
And there’s plenty of lilies in the valley.
Sorry – I seem to have a poetic deficit this year. What I’m trying to say is:
To all my readers and fellow authors, Happy New Year,
Best of luck and love in 2009.
And may it be a much better year than ’08!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Happy 2009!
Normally I post on the 30th, but I wanted to let Kara's great Q & A stay up an extra day. As I am currently spending my break between first and second semester writing and catching up on reading my TBR pile, I'm going to keep this short and simply wish you a happy 2009.
If you are going out and about tonight, or even if you are staying home with a loved one and watching the ball drop, have a wonderful and safe New Year's Eve. I'm thrilled to be the last post of 2009, and may all your resolutions and goals for 2009 be met.
If you are going out and about tonight, or even if you are staying home with a loved one and watching the ball drop, have a wonderful and safe New Year's Eve. I'm thrilled to be the last post of 2009, and may all your resolutions and goals for 2009 be met.
Monday, December 29, 2008
An Interview with Kara Lennox
In honor of Harlequin American Romance's 25th Anniversary, authors old and new have answered a series of questions. Here are my answers--but I only answered the questions I liked!
1) How long have you been published?
20 years. Is that scary or what?
2) What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?
Don't take everything so seriously. If you're in this for the long haul, there will be ups and downs. Go with the flow.
3) What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
Telling a good story. So long as you can keep readers turning the pages, nothing else matters.
4) You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?
The time I sent a private message to a friend--only I hit the wrong button and it went public.
5) What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?
A fish eye. It was dark.
6) What comes first: the plot or the characters?
For me, plot.
7) When you looked in the mirror this morning, what was the first thing you thought?
Who is that old lady in my bathroom?
8) Describe your writing space.
A total mess. Post-It notes everywhere. Can't see the top of my desk.
9) Do you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, what do you do about it?
I did for the first time this year! I waited it out. Eventually it went away.
10) What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
Victoria Holt and Mary Higgins Clark. Later, Janet Evanovich.
11) What are you reading now?
A Lisa Gardner book.
12) Do you re-read your books once they're in print?
Never.
13) What is your work schedule like when you are writing?
It's a pretty normal 9-5 workday, writing more in the morning and editing/brainstorming/plotting and problem-solving in the afternoon.
14) How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
I've sold 57 (as Kara Lennox and Karen Leabo) but I've written lots more that haven't sold. My favorite is a Silhouette Intimate Moments published in 1995 called INTO THIN AIR.
15) Do you hear from your readers much? What do they say?
I get letters and e-mail now and then. Many of my readers are teenagers and people from other countries. I've corresponded with readers from Africa, India and Bulgaria, and I love to hear from them especially.
16) Are you working on anything at the present you'd like to share?
I'm playing around with a young-adult paranormal romance.
17) Did you ever eat paste or Elmer's glue when you were a kid?
No. Blech.
18) What did you do career-wise before becoming an author?
I was an art director for a magazine, then a freelance nonfiction writer. I also did some crazy odd jobs. I was a blackjack dealer and a hamster wrangler for an entertainment company.
19) How has the American Romance line changed since you first began writing for it?
My first American came out in 1999. I think it's broadened a lot. You see more diversity in the line. It's more author-driven, I think.
20) What helps inspire you when you write? Do you have any ‘rituals’ (like music, candles, a favorite scent) that helps you find your writing zone?
I like groceries, that's what inspires me! No rituals. I just like it quiet.
21) What do you want to know about the future?
Nothing--I'd rather be surprised.
22) Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? If so, which do you prefer?
Yes, and I prefer Coke, though I seldom drink any kind of soft drink.
23) Have you ever made a crank phone call?
Yes. I was a horrible child.
24) What is your dream car?
A silver Nissan Roadster.
25) If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?
Any place with a beach and umbrella drinks. No, seriously, I love to travel, and I love going to strange, out-of-the-way places like Bulgaria.
26) If you were locked in a closet for one hour who would you want in there with you?
My husband. He has a black belt in Tae Kwan Do, and I would get him to kick the door down. I'm claustrophobic.
1) How long have you been published?
20 years. Is that scary or what?
2) What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?
Don't take everything so seriously. If you're in this for the long haul, there will be ups and downs. Go with the flow.
3) What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
Telling a good story. So long as you can keep readers turning the pages, nothing else matters.
4) You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?
The time I sent a private message to a friend--only I hit the wrong button and it went public.
5) What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?
A fish eye. It was dark.
6) What comes first: the plot or the characters?
For me, plot.
7) When you looked in the mirror this morning, what was the first thing you thought?
Who is that old lady in my bathroom?
8) Describe your writing space.
A total mess. Post-It notes everywhere. Can't see the top of my desk.
9) Do you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, what do you do about it?
I did for the first time this year! I waited it out. Eventually it went away.
10) What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
Victoria Holt and Mary Higgins Clark. Later, Janet Evanovich.
11) What are you reading now?
A Lisa Gardner book.
12) Do you re-read your books once they're in print?
Never.
13) What is your work schedule like when you are writing?
It's a pretty normal 9-5 workday, writing more in the morning and editing/brainstorming/plotting and problem-solving in the afternoon.
14) How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
I've sold 57 (as Kara Lennox and Karen Leabo) but I've written lots more that haven't sold. My favorite is a Silhouette Intimate Moments published in 1995 called INTO THIN AIR.
15) Do you hear from your readers much? What do they say?
I get letters and e-mail now and then. Many of my readers are teenagers and people from other countries. I've corresponded with readers from Africa, India and Bulgaria, and I love to hear from them especially.
16) Are you working on anything at the present you'd like to share?
I'm playing around with a young-adult paranormal romance.
17) Did you ever eat paste or Elmer's glue when you were a kid?
No. Blech.
18) What did you do career-wise before becoming an author?
I was an art director for a magazine, then a freelance nonfiction writer. I also did some crazy odd jobs. I was a blackjack dealer and a hamster wrangler for an entertainment company.
19) How has the American Romance line changed since you first began writing for it?
My first American came out in 1999. I think it's broadened a lot. You see more diversity in the line. It's more author-driven, I think.
20) What helps inspire you when you write? Do you have any ‘rituals’ (like music, candles, a favorite scent) that helps you find your writing zone?
I like groceries, that's what inspires me! No rituals. I just like it quiet.
21) What do you want to know about the future?
Nothing--I'd rather be surprised.
22) Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? If so, which do you prefer?
Yes, and I prefer Coke, though I seldom drink any kind of soft drink.
23) Have you ever made a crank phone call?
Yes. I was a horrible child.
24) What is your dream car?
A silver Nissan Roadster.
25) If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?
Any place with a beach and umbrella drinks. No, seriously, I love to travel, and I love going to strange, out-of-the-way places like Bulgaria.
26) If you were locked in a closet for one hour who would you want in there with you?
My husband. He has a black belt in Tae Kwan Do, and I would get him to kick the door down. I'm claustrophobic.
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