Favorite Heroes

Heroes are vital to a romance book. For me to love a book, I have to fall a little bit in love with the hero. Back in the olden days of romance books (when my nanny read them to me in my crib, lol), the heroes were silent Alpha brutes who mostly infuriated me. But the heroines were doormats, so maybe that's what appealed to readers then. For myself, I cried till Nanny threw them against the wall for me. (Is anyone buying I was that young? Oh. Well, I tried.)
Did y'all note in Shelley's post about heroes on Sunday, her first hero listed is her dad? My friend has a H.S. freshman daughter who has to do an English project gathering pictures and writing about her first love (really, I don't make this stuff up), and she's writing about her dad.
Maybe that's why I love writing the "Hero as New Father" character. In The Fake Fiancee, the hero gets involved with a woman who has two children--children who don't like him at first. Now, I could have written him not caring, as his relationship with their mom is a business deal, but that's not a guy I'd want to be with. So Joe takes on the challenge of becoming a Dad. I haven't written a baby-on-the-doorstep type book (yet) where two people are instant parents of a newborn/toddler, but I love that idea. There's something so manly and appealing about a guy falling under the spell of a child. Something so masculine and romantic about a guy crooning lullabies or walking the floor with a cranky baby.
Becoming a parent changes a person, man or woman. I believe it always makes that person "more," that parenthood adds dimension and depth to his or her basic character. I hope everyone feels the same, as I love writing about new dads. My husband, btw, is an awesome father. When we were dating, we babysat my sick niece, who almost immediately vomited chicken noodle soup all over him. His calm response and loving reassurances to the four-year-old distraught girl assured me he'd be the perfect dad for my kids. And he is.
Yes, it's almost Mother's Day here in America, but I'm tipping my bonnet to the fathers of the world. Here's to you.

Megan Kelly

It's Author News Day!

This month we’re sending out a big, warm welcome to three new authors who are joining the blog—Pam Stone (15th), Lisa Ruff (27th), and Laura Bradford (29th). It’s wonderful to have you aboard, ladies! We're sure your readers will love getting to know you as much as we have.

News

This year’s Rita finalists have already been announced on the blog, but some things truly cannot be said too often. THE RIGHT MR. WRONG (Feb. ‘08) by Cindi Meyers and TEXAS HEIR by Linda Warren (Sept. ‘08) are finalists in the Rita Series Contemporary category. Congratulations to both of you!

THE RIGHT MR. WRONG (Feb. ‘08) by Cindi Myers was awarded a Reviewer's Choice Award from RT Magazine for Best Harlequin American romance of 2008.

Linda Warren’s TEXAS HEIR (Sept. ‘08) won The Lories Best Published Contest in Series Contemporary, and ALWAYS A MOTHER (June ‘08) won the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence in Series Contemporary. TEXAS HEIR is currently a finalist in The Desert Rose Golden Quill, and ALWAYS A MOTHER is a finalist in The Desert Rose Golden Quill.

FAMILY BY DESIGN (January ‘08) by Roxanne Delaney is a finalist in the short contemporary category of Oklahoma RWA's National Readers Choice Awards. Winners will be announced at RWA's National Conference in Washington, DC in July.

FOREVER HIS BRIDE (Aug. ‘08) by Lisa Childs is a Golden Quill finalist, and FINALLY A BRIDE (Oct. ‘08) is a Write Touch Reader's Award finalist. The cover model for Lisa's ONCE A HERO (May ‘09) is none other than Justin Ryan of Colin and Justin’s Home Heist, a hit show on Canada’s HGTV network.

Kara Lennox is teaching a month-long online class called "Aim High, Shoot Straight: Setting and Achieving your Goals as a Writer." The class, hosted by the Yosemite Romance Writers, started Monday, but if you sign up any time this week you shouldn't have any trouble catching up. The cost is $25, and you can sign up by clicking on the Yosemite Romance Writers link above.

Cathy McDavid is...well...a little embarrassed to announce that REAL MEN SELL BRAS (Five Star Books ‘03) won the worst cover contest last week at Riding with the Top Down.

Cathy says the competition was stiff, but she managed to squeak by with a near landslide!

Reviews

A COWBOY’S PROMISE (May ‘09) by Marin Thomas

Dear. Ms. Thomas,

This is the second novel of yours I’ve read and I’m just as, if not more, impressed. Realistic setting, believable characters, conflict that is centered on the hero and heroine and, I can’t believe I’m saying this, two young children I adored. I think I need to go take my temperature after writing that last bit.

So, mark this day down as one for the ages. Jayne adores two toddlers in a romance novel. Maybe I’m being sucked into Harlequin’s baby centered world at long last? Hmmmm. Nah, I think it’s just Rose and Lily who charmed me in this charming story. ~Jayne at Dear Author.com Click here to read the full review.

Mark Your Calendar

May 8—Trish Milburn is guest blogging with Petit Fours and Hot Tamales

May 10—Check out Cindy Meyers’ author interview here on the blog

May 12—Harlequin American Romance release day! Four great new reads. Check out the covers in the sidebar.

May 25—This will be our next news day on the blog. Be sure to stop by to find out what’s “news” with the Harlequin American Romance Authors.

Update on the Orchard Mason Bees

Happy May, everyone!

Back in March, I posted about the orchard mason bees my hubby brought home from the nursery. I never thought they’d hatch, but two weeks ago, they did. At last! (And since I bet my hubby $.50 they wouldn’t, I owe him…)

They’re tiny, with blue bodies, and non-aggressive. With plenty of fruit and other blossoms everywhere, they’re very busy. Now I know where the expression “busy bees” comes from.

Time will tell if we actually grow peaches. I’ll let you know sometime this summer.



Ann
www.annroth.net
A Father for Jesse July, 2009

We're Trying Something New-- Authors' Favorite Recipes

Who doesn’t love a great recipe? Since many of us Harlequin American authors love to cook, we thought we’d share some of our favorite recipes with you. Starting today, we’ll post a different author’s recipe the 4th of every month. Let us know what you think–of the recipe, or anything at all.

This month's recipe comes from Marin Thomas.

CHICKEN SPAGHETTI
This is one of my husband's favorite suppers that my mother made for him before she passed away. Serve with freshly baked rolls and a salad.

Bake three to four chicken breasts, cool, cut up into pieces. Or if you're grilling chicken throw a few extra breasts on the cooker and use that chicken the next to make this meal.

Chop 1 white onion and fry in butter with 1 small carton of sliced mushrooms until dark brown.

Cook 1 ½ boxes of spaghetti noodles

In an extra large bowl combine the following and mix well with whisk:

2 cans of cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can full of milk
1 to 1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 package of dried Lipton Onion Soup Mix
Salt and Pepper to taste (I use McCormick's Peppercorn Medley Grinder and Lawry's Garlic Salt)

Fold chicken pieces, mushroom & onions, and noodles into the mix.

Use cooking spray on bottom and sides of a large baking dish and spread mixture in dish. Top with 2 packages of 8oz mild cheddar cheese and bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until the cheese is brown and crusty around the edges.

Marin Thomas
Samantha's Cowboy (August 2009)
A Cowboy Christmas (December 2009)
www.marinthomas.com

What Makes A Hero?

This month, a lot of the Harlequin American authors are going to be blogging about heroes. We’ll be writing about firemen and CEO’s, cowboys and soldiers. This theme has had me doing some thinking about the heroes in my books…and the heroes in my life.
While we’d all agree heroes are people who triumphantly save the day, get the bad guy, or save someone from a burning building, most men I know haven't done too many of those things.
But they're heroes to me, just the same. They've made my life better and happier. Those types of men are usually the kind of heroes I write about, too. I love writing about decent, hardworking, kind men. They’re the guys I’d want to know, or work with, or live near.
So here are some men who’ve been real heroes to me over the years:

• My dad, of course, who took me to college, planned my wedding, and cried when he held my newborn son.
• My husband who makes me laugh, talks up my books, drives me around in the snow, and always washes my car for me-since I have a weird car wash phobia.
• My son, who always kills spiders in the house,carries heavy things for me, and makes a big deal about Mother's Day because he knows it makes me happy.
• Mike, our insurance guy, who came right out when we had a mini-flood eight years ago and my husband was out of town and wouldn’t answer his cell phone.
• My son’s wrestling coach who made my son listen…even when he didn’t want to.
• Grant, one of the pastors at our church. Somehow he’s made ‘going to church’ something that all the high school youth want to do.

I know I’m not alone in knowing a bunch of heroic guys. Anyone have their own hero at home? In their neighborhood? At their grocery store? This month is the perfect time to remember them. Tell us who your personal hero is! I, for one, would love to read all about him.

Shelley

APRIL WINNER!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS Minna! You’re the April winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Marin Thomas and Kara Lennox through their Web sites.

To enter the contest simply leave a blog comment and your name will go into the drawing. Simple and painless. And FREE BOOKS.

So check back often and be sure to leave a comment. Good luck!

The faces of art

Most people associate Nashville, Tennessee, primarily with country music. Since I grew up there as the daughter of an artist, I’m much more keenly aware of its active art world and many talented artists.

Last week, I was there for the annual Temple Art Festival, a juried show of works ranging from jewelry to painting, photography, and ceramic sculpture.

My mother, Sylvia Hyman, is a sort of grande dame at 91, with an international reputation for her detailed and realistic fool-the-eye works. You can see these on my Web site, www.jacquelinediamond.com, or, with biographical information, on her festival page, http://templenashville.org/_taf/artist.php?id=176.

At the other end of the career spectrum was young photographer Michael Jones, whose mother Mary Loventhal Jones was a high school classmate of mine. Not only does Michael take terrific landscape photos (which you can see at http://templenashville.org/_taf/artist.php?id=162), he’s also articulate about his work and very personable. He’s just at the beginning of his career, which I hope will be long and rewarding.

Another gifted photographer at the show, Judy Nebhut, raised a family before pursuing her lifelong interest in the camera. Her serene and radiant work, which she manipulates through sophisticated techniques, is on view both at her personal Web site,
http://judynebhut.com/, and at http://templenashville.org/_taf/artist.php?id=53.

A painter whose work particularly struck me was Camille Torchon. He (yes, Camille’s a guy) originally hails from Haiti and has exhibited his work in France. He paints brilliant, stylized scenes of an island paradise, which you can view at http://templenashville.org/_taf/artist.php?id=168.

After seeing these artists’ work, you might never think of Nashville the same way, either.