Harlequin American Romance Authors

JANUARY WINNER!!!

2012-02-02T06:00:00.001-06:00

CONGRATULATIONS Tammy Yenalavitch! You’re the January winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Jacqueline Diamond, Cathy McDavid and Linda Warren 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.

My book cover quest continues

2012-02-01T01:00:00.000-06:00

What makes you pick up or click on a book? I mean, apart from the author’s name and the title?

I had no idea how tricky this subject was until I started revising and posting my older books on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. After all, Harlequin does a beautiful job of creating covers for my Safe Harbor Medical miniseries, as you can see for my February release, The Detective’s Accidental Baby. All I do is provide the art department with a few descriptions and the storyline.

Among the books I’m reissuing are half a dozen Regency romances set in Jane Austen’s era. They’re traditional, which means lots of fun complications but no sex. I’ve been using flowers as the background, simply because I like them.

A fellow writer, Anne Glover, who maintains the Regency Reader site (http://anneglover.wordpress.com/) , reviewed one of my books, Lady in Disguise. She loved it—except for the cover. I emailed her to ask why, and we began corresponding. Anne prefers the traditional type of cover, featuring a heroine of that era in an old-fashioned setting.

She recommended graphic designer Kelly at customgraphics.etsy.com. Kelly has now designed a charming new cover for my Regency The Day-Dreaming Lady. It tells the reader right away what genre this is, with an elegant touch. I’m posting it here. I’ll be eagerly watching the sales figures!

Then there are my contemporary romantic comedies. How do you stand out in the crowd? After rewriting and updating Unlikely Partners, the first of two books that form the Runaway Heiress series, I got inspired…by my teddy bears. I created the cover shown here and another for the sequel, Capers and Rainbows.

What do you think? Cute or confusing?

Meanwhile, I’m grateful to Harlequin for the terrific way the art department handles my covers. Thank goodness I don’t have to do those too!

A Sweet Sewing Project

2012-01-30T10:00:00.002-06:00

Wouldn't these cute 'n' cosy slippers make a great gift for your Valentine?

I found the pattern here at Craftsy.com and just had to share.

They would be so quick and easy to make for yourself or to give as a gift. I think they'd also be fun to have on hand for overnight guests, who could then take home and have a lovely memento of their visit.

Happy crafting!

Until next time,
Lee
www.leemckenzie.com
The Christmas Secret (November 2011)
The Daddy Project (TBA)
Daddy, Unexpectedly (TBA)

From Supers to Americans--Taking the Leap

2012-01-29T15:22:00.000-06:00

After writing about thirty books for Harlequin Superromance , this year I decided to try something exciting and new: writing for Harlequin American. So for the next few years I am going to be all about Cowboys and Montana--and what could be better than that?

My first American will be released in August as part of a continuity series called Harts of the Rodeo. I was honored to be included with a group of amazing and talented American authors. Do the names Cathy McDavid, Roz Denny Fox, Shelley Galloway, Marin Thomas and Linda Warren mean anything to you? J I thought so!

I’m excited about the new direction and want to celebrate by offering an autographed set of a trilogy I wrote for Superromance called: Three Good Men.

To enter the draw, please leave me contact me via my website: www.cjcarmichael.com . If you also “Like” my Facebook profile http://www.facebook.com/#!/authorcjcarmichael you will be entered twice. I will randomly select a winner on February 1^st.

Cheers from CJ!

Taking the Plunge

2012-01-17T04:01:00.005-06:00

So many "first" things in life can be scary, in my humble opinion.

The first haircut, when those awful scissors snip close to your ears.

That first plunge into your best friend's three-foot swimming pool, which looks about the size of the Atlantic Ocean.

And don't forget that very first walk into a classroom where everyone stands staring at you. They won't say a word because they're just as frightened as you are—but how can you think clearly enough to realize that when you feel like you're ready to upchuck on their shoes?

Just imagine, all those things can happen even before we graduate from kindergarten! It's a wonder we all make it into first grade. LOL

I'm talking about "plunges" and "firsts" today for a couple of reasons.

Caleb Cantrell, the hero of my February book,
THE RODEO MAN'S DAUGHTER, has literally taken a plunge. Thrown by an angry bull, he lands hard and does serious damage to his body—so serious, it's touch-and-go as to whether or not he'll survive. He barely makes it through and is left with the scars to prove it.

Those current scars are nowhere near as bad as the ones he's carried from the past. To heal those, he's got to take another plunge and go back to where his life began. To his little hometown of Flagman's Folly, where the reception he gets from folks isn't quite what he expected....

I'm taking a plunge today, too. Luckily, it's not a scary one. Then again, for someone who tends to stay at home with her characters and concentrate on telling their stories, it's a bit of a big deal. (smile)

With this post, I'm kicking off a virtual blog tour to celebrate the release of THE RODEO MAN'S DAUGHTER. There will be many stops along the way, and I look forward to seeing you on the Internet trail. (Visit my website to find the full list.)

Also, take a look at the end of this post for two chances to win a copy of A RANCHER'S PRIDE, the first book set in Flagman's Folly.

But first, please share! What's one big plunge you've taken in your life?

For a chance to win an autographed copy of A RANCHER'S PRIDE: answer the question asked above.

For a second chance to win: 1. Like my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, or sign up for my Yahoo group newsletter (link available at my website)—or do all three. (smile)

2. Then send me an e-mail via the Contact Form on my website letting me know which you've done.

(Drawings will close at midnight tomorrow, January 18. Check my blog www.barbarawhitedaille.com/blog on Thursday to find out if you've won and how to claim your prize.)

Thanks for reading and responding to this blog, and again, I look forward to seeing you on the trail!

All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
http://www.facebook.com/barbarawhitedaille
https://twitter.com/BarbaraWDaille

Girls Can't What?

2012-01-16T01:00:00.001-06:00

How often during your lifetime have you been told you can't do something because you're a girl?

The two most recent books for my Rodeo Rebels series (Arizona Cowboy Feb 2012 & A Cowboy's Duty Aug 2012) contain elements of women's bull riding. I did a lot of research for the books just to understand what makes these women tick. Of all the information I came across one thing stood out—these women have worked hard and sacrificed much to earn the respect of their male counterparts. And as you can imagine they've experienced their fair share of bumps and bruises along the way.

I came across a blog called World CowGirl. The blogger interviewed Polly Reich, the first female professional bull rider.

According to the interview…..

Polly started bull riding when she was 29 years old, an age that many bull riders have already hung up their chaps and rope. She was working as a dog groomer in Deerfield, Illinois and raising her twelve-year old daughter when friends took her to a rodeo to get her out of the house and her mind off of a break up with boyfriend of six years. Polly had never been to a rodeo before and was not excited by any of the events until the last event of the night – bull riding. Polly was captivated by the sport and left the rodeo thinking, “I could do that” a thought few others leave a rodeo thinking. Without telling her friends or family, including her daughter, Polly sought out a mentor to teach her how to ride bulls.

The interview delves into much more detail but the following paragraph was a real eye-opener and made me cringe when I thought of how much Polly sacrificed to blaze a trail for future female competitors.

Not everyone was excited about Polly competing as an equal with men. Some of her competitors on the IPRA circuit tried to intimidate her in very upsetting ways. While she competed on the IPRA circuit her dog, Sproket, was poisoned and died, the hood of her truck was deliberately unhinged-so it blew off of her truck while she was driving down the highway, and she was physically beaten by a group of unidentified men who ambushed her at night. If Polly was tough enough to ride bulls, she was also determined not to be “bullied” out of bull riding by her competitors. Her new teacher Lyle Sankey convinced her to leave the IPRA and ride in the more prestigious Professional Bull Riding Association (PBR) circuit instead. Fortunately for Polly the bull riders in the PBR behaved like gentlemen toward her and became some of her dearest friends.

I won't go into the gory details of some of Polly's injuries…you can read about them in the blog but suffice it to say she is one incredibly brave and lucky woman. You would never guess in a million years how her career ended….

Polly’s career ended in an abrupt and unexpected way. She was in Fort Collins, Colorado, riding her bicycle to warm up for a bull riding competition. As she cycled by the football stadium she was hit head on by a motorcycle policeman who was chasing a truck full of college students drinking out of a keg of beer in the truck bed. (There was a football game that day). He was driving the wrong direction in the bike lane with his attention was directed toward the truck and never even saw her coming. Polly’s shoulder was severely dislocated from her body because of the accident. Her career ended so suddenly and silently that there was a rumor circulating on the bull riding circuit that Polly had died.

After all my research I've concluded that women who ride bulls aren't so different from you or me…they just have an insatiable thirst for excitement and challeneges and proving know-it-alls wrong.

Care to share a time when you were told you couldn't do something because you were a girl?

Marin Thomas

Arizona Cowboy (Feb 2012)

A Cowboy's Duty (Aug 2012)

www.marinthomas.com

BUY!

Fort Worth Stockyards

2012-01-15T01:00:00.001-06:00

If you’ve followed my blogs over the past few months, you’ve probably noticed that my hubby and I have been making an effort to get out and do different things. Having moved to a small town, it’s been fun to check out the local culture and activities.

But this month was our anniversary and we decided to just go bumming around for the day. One of our favorite pass times. No agenda, no plan. One thing leads to the next.

Hubby is a Fort Worth historian. He has shelves of books, old bottles, and tokens he’s collected from Forth Worth. And my current work in progress is centered around a Texas cowboy. So we ended up in the Fort Worth Stock Yards. Toured the cowboy museum, watched the cowboys herd the longhorns down Main Street. Checked out the local shops and watched a couple two-step to the tune of a guy strumming a guitar in front of one of the shops. We ended our day at the Flying Saucer Bar in downtown Fort Worth, sipping a beer and watching the sun fade away.

Quite a fun day given that we had no plans. Something a little different than dinner and a movie anyway.

What type of local activities do you have where you live?

My Not So Glamorous Writing Life

2012-01-12T08:45:00.000-06:00

For several years, I attended a writers’ retreat that was held in a somewhat rustic location. Among the lists of what to bring (and what not to bring) where instructions that encouraged attendees to “dress in whatever you wear when you’re writing.” That always gave me a laugh ‘cause no one—not even door-to-door salesmen—see me in my writing clothes. I’ve heard there are authors who dress, wear makeup, select jewelry and shoes for the day before sitting down to the keyboard. I’m not one of them. My writing day, and those of my writing friends, is more about hard work than glamour.

A couple of months ago, I told you about attending Blaze author Candace Haven’s Fast Draft workshop, and how that amped up the pace of my writing. Candace encourages writers to form groups that hold individuals accountable for meeting daily word counts. Lately, several graduates of her course have taken that accountability to a new level by working together. No, we don’t write each other’s books. But we do meet frequently in each other’s homes for days we like to call writing marathons.

Of course, we all know what happens when you put three or four women in the same room—we talk. And email/internet shopping/texting can be such a distraction. Then there’s lunch and coffee and breaks to deal with. We found out quickly that we needed rules to keep our get-togethers from dissolving into coffee klatches. So here they are:

Arrive on time. 15 minutes, max, of chit chat while we settle in, power up our laptops, grab a cup of coffee. The house phone is taken off the hook, internet connections are severed. Cell phones are muted and stored out sight (where, hopefully, they’ll remain out of mind). No Spider Solitaire, Mah Jong or other computer games.

Here’s the kicker--Each participant must write 1000 words before the group can stop for lunch. (I’ve heard a few tummies rumble as everyone waits for me to make that goal.)

After a quick lunch break, it's back to work. The afternoon session is usually even more productive, and several of us routinely hit the 3000-word mark before the day is over.

So, no, writing for a living is not a glamorous life. It’s hard work. It requires persistence, dedication and it’ll put calluses on your gluteus maximus. :)

But seeing your work in print, especially as a Harlequin American Romance, that’s what makes it all worthwhile.

A NEW YEAR - A NEW COVER

2012-01-08T05:00:00.000-06:00

All authors have stories of how they started writing. I’m no different. I’d read so many wonderful Harlequins that I wanted to try my hand at writing one. I had an idea for characters and a plot so I started writing longhand in a spiral notebook (a true panster), just playing with it and enjoying it more than I’d ever thought. I wrote for a solid year when I could and I had about ten notebooks full. I wasn’t sure what to do with them until my husband gave me a computer for Christmas. I was in business. That book, The Silent Cradle, made the rounds of rejection, over and over. I finally put it away and started on another and another, which I never finished, but I was hooked on writing.

I finally finished another book and sold it. It took two years. I was still ecstatic. While my editor and I were working on revisions, she asked me about The Silent Cradle. Yes, she was one of the editors who had read the manuscript. She remembered the plot and wanted me to send in another proposal on it, keeping in mind that I’d have to rewrite the book. Again! I did and she bought it. The Silent Cradle was titled The Christmas Cradle and became my 10th book and my first Harlequin American in 2004.

This book is very close to my heart because it was my first attempt at writing. I rewrote it so many times I’ve lost track. The final manuscript hardly resembles my first clumsy effort. I learned by trail and error. I’m so happy it’s been given new life with a re-release and a new cover. I love it. What do you think? Which cover do you prefer?

Happy New Year!!
Linda
The Texan’s Christmas – Dec ‘11

.

Wave if you love cowboys

2012-01-05T01:00:00.001-06:00

Happy 2012, everyone! I’ve been gone awhile, but I’m now writing novels for Harlequin American again, and am so glad to be here. My new series, which debuts in February, centers around a fictional ranching town in Eastern Montana. (If you like ranchers and cowboys, raise your hand.) I’ve never written western-theme romances and am enjoying learning about ranch life–both from the western books written by my Harlequin American friends, and from my research.

In my research, I discovered a fascinating non-fiction book, The Cowboy Way, written by David McCumber, a journalist and magazine editor.

What a fascinating read! McCumber wanted to live the cowboy life and took a year off from his regular job to do just that. Some of the information in the book is a bit too gritty to put into a romance novel. (Such as the part about bulls who broke their, shall we say male apparatus, due to enthusiasm and an inaccurate aim! Not exactly romantic, is it?)

I hate to leave you with that image in your brain, so I’ll end with something far more pleasant–a few cowboy quotes and sayings I found online (http://www.coolnsmart.com/cowboy_quotes/). There are no names attributed to these, but they mostly show good, common sense. (Except for the first one, which is just plain true…)

“Whoever said a horse was dumb, was dumb.”

“The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back into your pocket.”

“Nobody ever drowned in his own sweat.”

If you get to thinking you’re a person of some influence, try ordering somebody else’s dog around.”

Great words to mull over, don’t you think?

In that vein, are there any common sense quotes that stick in your mind? Something your mom or grandma or maybe your favorite uncle often says/said? If so, feel free to share the wisdom.

Here’s to cowboys, common sense, and romance!

Best wishes from your cowboy fantasy to mine,

Ann

www.annroth.net

DECEMBER WINNER!!!

2012-01-02T06:00:00.001-06:00

CONGRATULATIONS Marcy! You’re the December winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Lee McKenize, Laura Marie Altom, Linda Warren and Marin Thomas 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.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

My resolutions for 2012

2012-01-01T01:00:00.002-06:00

Pray for forgiveness.

Ease up on yourself.

Remember that regrets are futile.

Face your shortcomings.

Emphasize what you can do now.

Change the flaws you can, accept those you can’t.

Take setbacks with a sense of perspective.

In all things, be grateful for love and friendship.

Obey the Golden Rule.

Never let envy guide your thoughts or actions.

Note that the first letters spell a word.

Best wishes to you all for the coming year.

Leftover Christmas Wrapping paper

2011-12-27T01:00:00.000-06:00

Christmas is over, and you're stuck with 8 rolls of snowflake and candy cane wrapping paper because you bought the 10 roll jumbo pack that was supposed to save you a lot of money. Now you have three rolls left and you don't want to save them for next year…because people do remember wrapping paper patterns!

Here are a few ideas to put that paper to good use from getgreeliving

Line Your Dresser Drawers with Leftover Paper

Drawer liners do wonders to protect your clothing. Believe it or not, wrapping paper makes great drawer liners. Cut pieces of wrapping paper to fit the bottom of your dresser drawers. Attach the paper with double-stick tape. Voila! Homemade drawer liners that are environmentally friendly because they are made of paper that didn’t end up in the landfill and they didn’t cost you a penny!

Use Leftover Paper to Protect Fragile Ornaments

When the holidays are over and you have to pack up the ornaments and other Christmas decorations, use scraps of leftover wrapping paper to protect the ones that are fragile. As an added bonus, you’ll be greeted with holiday cheer when you unwrap them next year! This is also a great way to protect ornaments and other fragile items when moving.

Shred Leftover Paper

Shred any leftover paper and use it in place of packing peanuts to protect valuables when you ship them. The shredded paper can also be used as a fun alternative to tissue paper when you use gift bags. It also makes a great bed for your kids’ Easter baskets!

Homemade Holiday Coasters by Martha Stewart

And finally...Clean the Windows with Paper

Like newspaper, wrapping paper is great for cleaning windows and leaving them streak-free – use it instead of paper towels or a cloth. (Avoid using the shiny/plastic stuff though.)

What do you do with your leftover wrapping paper?

Marin Thomas

A Rodeo Man's Promise (Dec 2011)

Arizona Cowboy (Feb 2012)

www.marinthomas.com

All My Heroes are Cowboys

Merry Christmas to You and Yours

2011-12-25T01:00:00.005-06:00

May your home be filled with love and happiness, today and always.

With warmest wishes from
the authors of Harlequin American Romance

'Twas the night before Christmas...

2011-12-24T09:49:00.001-06:00

Actually it's still the morning of the night before Christmas, my home is bustling with holiday preparations, and I love it! In a couple of hours we'll decorate the tree and then it'll officially be Christmas.

My whole family will be here and we usually have an informal buffet supper on Christmas Eve, but tonight I'm serving a four-course sit-down dinner—butternut squash soup, apple-pomegranate salad, boeuf bourguignon a la Julia Child, and lemon custard for dessert. Tomorrow, of course, I'll do the more traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings. For me, a Christmas filled with family and food is the best present of all, and I wish the same for you. Let's all have at least as much fun as these goats...

Until next time,
Lee
The Christmas Secret (Nov. '11)
The Daddy Project (working title, TBA)
Daddy, Unexpectedly (working title, TBA)
Lee's website
Lee's Facebook page

Holiday Wishes

2011-12-16T17:58:00.004-06:00

This year I'm on deadline during the holidays, which means the tree is half-trimmed, only a few packages have been wrapped, and the cookies may not get baked at all. Oh, well. I can't regret any of that, when I'm so happily immersed in the lives of my characters. (Besides, fewer goodies around the house means we'll get a jump on our New Year's diet resolutions!)

Still, for your sake, I hope your preparations are moving along much better than mine are. LOL

One not-to-be-missed event is writing my Harlequin American Romance Authors blog entry.

My December appearance here never gets old—to me, anyway (smile)—even though I say some of the same things from year to year. How could I not? A blog post almost smack in the middle of December requires some very specific messages, don't you think?

The first is a huge thank you for your support of my books and for your letters and e-mails and social media posts throughout the year.

I look forward to staying in touch, both here at the blog and "out there" in cyber space.

Meanwhile, no matter what special days you celebrate, I wish you a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season.

See you next year!

All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

Barbara White Daille
THE RODEO MAN'S DAUGHTER (February 2012)
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
http://www.facebook.com/barbarawhitedaille https://twitter.com/BarbaraWDaille

Christmas Party Games

2011-12-16T01:00:00.001-06:00

If you’re hosting family and friends at your house this Christmas holiday you can add to the fun with party games. Just think how much more fun these games will be if you spike the eggnog!

Party ideas from Wryte Stuff

Kiss it Relay: Place a large bowl of Hersey's kisses on a table. Divide your group into two teams and have them line up around 10-15 feet away from the table. Give the first people in the row mittens that are slightly larger than they would ever need. On the mark of "Go", the first player of each team runs to the table (with their mittens on), takes a Hershey's kiss out from the bowl and tries unwrapping it with the large mittens. After they unwrap it they have to run down and pop it into the next person's mouth. The next person takes the mittens and runs to the bowl to do the same.

Reindeer Antlers: Divide your group into teams of two to four people. Give each group a pair of pantyhose. Give each team eight balloons. Then, when "Go" is said, the race starts, and the teams start blowing up the balloons and stuffing them into the pantyhose. Once all the balloons are stuffed inside the pantyhose, a team member wears the "reindeer antlers" and the team yells "Rudolph" when finished. The first team to finish is the winning team.

Snowball Toss: Divide the group into teams each team forms a line. Place a 2 taped markers on the floor a few feet from the teams. Give each team a bag of marshmallows (large, not the mini size). The first team member in line stands behind the tape marker. On "Go" the 2nd one in line takes a turn trying to "catch" a marshmallow in their mouth. Once a team member catches a marshmallow, they get out of line. The team that finishes their line first wins.

Do you have a favorite Christmas game you play at your holiday parties?

Marin Thomas

A Rodeo Man's Promise (Dec 2011)

Arizona Cowboy (Feb 2012)

www.marinthomas.com

All My Heroes are Cowboys

To Grinch or Not to Grinch...

2011-12-15T01:00:00.001-06:00

…that is the question.

My hubby worked in retail for many years and to say he was a Grinch is an understatement. He was in a district position which required him to be at various stores during the day so between the traffic and the craziness that surrounds malls during December, he was not amused. Add to that all the Christmas music that malls begin playing around, hmm, October, and Christmas was a dreaded event. If I put on one of my many, many Christmas CD’s, he grimaced and groaned in true Grinch form.

But the past couple years he’s been in a different career and I love the change in his mood. I love Christmas so it’s refreshing that he’s now getting into the spirit of the holiday. He even decorated the outside of the house without too much grimacing. But when I came home from a weekend trip, I had to laugh. In a special salute to his favorite Christmas show, he’d decorated my palm tree in true Whoville fashion. He was quite impressed with his handy work. But if he pulls out his Scooge shirt, we’re going to war.

Anybody else have a Grinch in the family or a good Grinch story to share?

Having Myself a Very Weird Little Christmas!!

2011-12-14T08:27:00.000-06:00

Christmas Eve 2010

Christmas this year in the Altom home is following a little closer to fiction than I'd like. Similar to the characters of last story in my Buckhorn Ranch series, A Baby in His Stocking, our holiday will be much different than it has ever been before.

Hannah is still dating her New Jersey hockey player. We talked about maybe spending the holiday on the beach in Gulf Shores, taking Antonio with us, but as he's been away from his family for months, playing with a Minnesota team, he's of course spending the holidays in New Jersey. Here's where things get dicey. He invited Hannah to spend the holiday with him. Now that Hannah's not going to be here for Christmas, my parents have decided they're not coming, either. Suddenly, our typical houseful of fun has dwindled to Hubby, me and our sons.

Not gonna lie, I'm freaked out. With a family this small, each member counts. Having just lost my last grandparent literally like a week ago, the child in me feels like this is a time when we all ought to come closer, but instead, it feels as if everything's falling apart. I'll be the first to admit I'm a drama queen, but when it comes to Christmas traditions, I hold on tight. Now, I'm a little scared--like there's nothing left to hold on to.

On the flip side, all of my men are excited by this change-up in plans. A new video game has them all held captive. Skyrim--a sequel to Oblivion for you non-gamers--is a HUGE deal in the gaming world. I have a copy for my PS3, but I've had deadline after deadline and it's sitting in a drawer unopened. My guys have this new and--in their eyes--improved Christmas all planned out. Open gifts as fast as humanly possible, cook feast, play Skyrim with said feast on laps while casting spells and slaying dragons. No cleaning, no leisurely sitting around the fire cherishing each gift, no laughing at the dining room table, no cleaning or dressing up or using manners--just a full-fledged Man Fest they're promising me is going to be a great time.

Part of me is psyched about not cleaning, but another part is apprehensive, like if I let something as sacred as Christmas traditions slide, our family has a problem. Every book I write is focused on the sanctity of family, but the one topic I've never dealt with is what happens to my fictional families once the kids grow up and start their own traditions. Dealing with the transition from high school to college was tough enough, but this new kink in my world is a beast. One I'm in no way ready to slay.

I know Hannah will be with a huge, wonderful family having a ball. Not sure what my parents will be doing. I, however, will be surrounded by three of the best looking guys in the state, feasting on ham with all the trimmings, downing "magic" eggnog and embarking on a fantastic quest for gold and power. All of which, now that I think about it, doesn't sound half bad!!

How about you? Switching up your holiday traditions?

Harlequin Annual Christmas Open House

2011-12-13T01:00:00.001-06:00

On Wednesday December 14th Harlequin will is once again sponsoring their Annual Christmas Open House where readers can chat with the authors from the various Harlequin lines. Be sure to stop by www.harlequin.com for more information on the event and how to register for the chat rooms.

American Romance Authors, Ann Roth, Barbara White Daille, Jacqueline Diamond, Tina Leonard and Marin Thomas will be on hand to chat with readers or aspiring writers about everything and anything from holiday cookie recipes to upcoming books and series for the line. The authors will also be giving away copies of their books throughout the chat so please stop in and say "Hi".

www.Harlequin.com chat with American Romance Authors Wednesday December 14th from 7-8 pm (Eastern Standard Time)

Happy Holidays!

It's Party Time!

2011-12-12T06:00:00.006-06:00

No doubt, at this time of year some of us attend catered soirees where waiters in black tuxes circulate trays of canapés and caviar among the gowned and bejeweled guests. Much as I'd enjoy those events, the parties I'm usually invited to are much simpler affairs, gatherings of friends or family or--best of all--both. Events where I'm typically asked to bring "a dish."

What to bring? Each year, I search my recipes for something a little different, a little “out of the box.” Which is a challenge since I’m not a fancy cook. A good one, perhaps, but I wouldn’t know a piping tool if it bit me. So forget anything that requires carving radishes into roses or creating them out of icing.

This year, I’ve chosen a spinach artichoke dish as my to-go selection. To be honest, it started out as an Emeril Legasse recipe, and you can’t go wrong with Le Bam! I have, however, played around with the ingredients a bit. His version called for Brie and marinated artichokes. My crowd prefers Swiss and skips the marinade. Whichever suits your fancy, serve with good chips and enjoy.

Leigh's Version of Kicked-Up Spinach Artichoke Dip

2 boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed, rinsed and drained
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup Swiss cheese, grated
1 cup extra sharp, white cheddar cheese, grated
2 14-ounce cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
4 strips of bacon, chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Green onions, sliced (optional)
Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9-inch ovenproof serving dish with cooking oil. Set aside.

Fry the bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Squeeze excess liquid from thawed spinach and drain well.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic, salt, black pepper, cayenne and cook for another minute.

Sprinkle flour over onion mixture. Slowly add cream and milk, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat while continuing to stir, for 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture is thick and creamy.

Remove from heat. Add the Swiss and Cheddar. Stir until melted.

Add spinach, and lemon juice. Stir.

Set 1 tablespoon of bacon side. Add the remaining bacon and artichoke hearts to the spinach/cheese mixture and stir well.

Pour into greased casserole. Top with Parmesan cheese, reserved bacon and, if desired, sliced green onions.

Bake about 15 minutes or until heated through.

Serve with chips.

ENOUGH

2011-12-08T06:00:00.000-06:00

Is everyone in full holiday spirit? This time of the year life gets a little rushed and hectic. The planning, decorating, shopping, cooking, parties and on it goes. Sometimes it’s just too much. I’m always rushed to finish everything that I don’t take time to enjoy the moment. I have a poem on my desk that I cut out of the paper in 1999, the year I sold my first book. It’s very simple, a little sad, but says a lot. It was written by Jeremy Richard Frampton, one of the twelve who died in the tragic Texas A&M Bonfire collapse. The university is about ten miles from our house.

Enough
If I stare long enough
If I talk hard enough
If I touch soft enough
If I look good enough
If I love deep enough
Will I live long enough
To love life enough

I love this poem so I’ve decided to enjoy the holiday and my family because it’s time to say enough is enough. I plan not to agonize over gifts and drive myself crazy. And to keep everything simple. We’ll see how that goes. It’s really nice Mother Nature has decorated our yard. That’s even better. These are Texas Yaupon holly shrubs and the bright red berries are gorgeous. After the drought, I thought they wouldn’t make this year, but they did.

Are you ready for the holidays?

Wishing each of you the best holiday ever.
Linda
http://www.lindawarren.net/
The Texan’s Christmas – Dec ‘11

Fudgey Christmas Memories

2011-12-07T02:00:00.006-06:00

I have to keep with the spirit of the season posts here, as today I'm baking cookies. I've been gathering new recipes and might stir up some rum balls for a change of pace. However, my family demands I make Chocolate Chip cookies, and people tell me they hope I give them some in tins. Which is strange because my "secret" recipe is the Nestle Toll House Cookies recipe on the bag of semi-sweet morself. LOL So everyone could make them, if they wanted to. The only thing I do that's not listed on the bag is put foil on my baking sheets (because I reuse the cookie sheets during the baking of a batch). Here's what I made for Santa last year. He didn't eat all of them, but he made a pretty big dent.

I like rolled cookies that are pretty shapes and have icing, but not sprinkles or sugar. Making them is a chore, however, even though I like to decorate the ones that turn out. There's something about rolled dough that challenges me. You can use your Valentine heart cookie cutter for Santa, just put heart tip at the top for his hat. For a few years, I made Linzer cookies, which are basically shortbread-like cookies with red raspberry preserves. Again, they're not easy--too much rolling and cutting and perfecting. I'm more the drop-from-a-spoon type. Maybe that says something about me in general, but I'm not going there. :)

Could be I'm missing the rolling-dough gene. My mom wasn't a cookie or pie baker, but she made moist cakes with frosting that would make your knees buckle and FUDGE to die for, just from the smell. I'd love to be able to make it like she did. But Mom cooks by experience, not by a recipe, so we may have lost this treat forever. She can't cook with anyone in the kitchen, nor can she cook when trying to write down what she's doing. This doesn't bode well for us, especially as Mom hasn't been able to make Fudge for a few years now. Since I don't have a grasp of what a "hard ball or soft ball stage" looks or feels like (or how a drop of fudge cooked to that stage reacts in a cup of water!), I tried to make fudge using a candy thermometer. No luck. I tried different measurements of liquid to attain a "messy but not sloppy" consistency. I kid you not! That's how much milk to add, according to Mom. Now you're getting an idea of what I'm up against. I won't even try to explain how you know when you've beat it enough, but it includes the words shiny and glossy (however, you only want one and the other is bad).

But even if we can't have the Fudge itself, my siblings and I will cherish the memories of buttering the dish, getting to eat the fudge off a beater or scrape the bottom of the saucepan, waiting for the fudge to set enough to eat that first cut bite, still warm, or cheerfully assuring Mom that the "bad" batch of spoon candy (when it didn't set up) was not really a disaster because it tasted so good. Same with the rock hard, chisel-a-chunk-free batches. That smell of rich, luscious fudge cooking on the stove--aaah, my mouth waters!--would bring us from wherever we were in the house.

So, no, I never missed home-made cookies when we had something a zillion times better. Fudge, cooked with love, by Mom. Thanks for the memories, Mom.

Is this peculiar to my family, or is there a food in your family that no one else can make or there's no written recipe for? Do y'all have any suggestions for me--perhaps a good recipe I should try?

Wishing y;all a happy holiday season, with warm fudge, warm times with loved ones, and warm memories for your future.

Megan Kelly
www.megankellybooks.com

Red Kettle History

2011-12-06T01:00:00.001-06:00

In the midst of all your shopping, last-minute errands and trips to the grocery store as you prepare to celebrate Christmas, please remember those less fortunate in your communities. Make the holiday special for someone in need by dropping a few coins into the Salvation Army Kettles outside your local grocery store or favorite big box retailer. Dig between the sofa cushions, check beneath the seats in your car and ask your kids to spare a few pennies from their piggy banks…a little goes a long way!

Here's a little history on those famous RedKettles.

In 1891, Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee was distraught because so many poor individuals in San Francisco were going hungry. During the holiday season, he resolved to provide a free Christmas dinner for the destitute and poverty-stricken. He only had one major hurdle to overcome -- funding the project.

Where would the money come from, he wondered. He lay awake nights, worrying, thinking, praying about how he could find the funds to fulfill his commitment of feeding 1,000 of the city's poorest individuals on Christmas Day. As he pondered the issue, his thoughts drifted back to his sailor days in Liverpool, England. He remembered how at Stage Landing, where the boats came in, there was a large, iron kettle called "Simpson's Pot" into which passers-by tossed a coin or two to help the poor.

The next day Captain McFee placed a similar pot at the Oakland Ferry Landing at the foot of Market Street. Beside the pot, he placed a sign that read, "Keep the Pot Boiling." He soon had the money to see that the needy people were properly fed at Christmas.

Six years later, the kettle idea spread from the west coast to the Boston area. That year, the combined effort nationwide resulted in 150,000 Christmas dinners for the needy. In 1901, kettle contributions in New York City provided funds for the first mammoth sit-down dinner in Madison Square Garden, a custom that continued for many years. Today in the U.S., The Salvation Army assists more than four-and-a-half million people during the Thanksgiving and Christmas time periods.

Captain McFee's kettle idea launched a tradition that has spread not only throughout the United States, but all across the world. Kettles are now used in such distant lands as Korea, Japan, Chile and many European countries. Everywhere, public contributions to Salvation Army kettles enable the organization to continue its year-round efforts at helping those who would otherwise be forgotten.

Do you have a favorite charity you like to donate to during the holidays?

Marin Thomas

A Rodeo Man's Promise (Dec 2011)

Arizona Cowboy (Feb 2012)

www.marinthomas.com

All My Heroes are Cowboys

Nuts about the holidays! (recipes)

2011-12-04T09:12:00.005-06:00

Looking for tasty snacks to have on hand when family and friends drop by?

Here are two easy make-ahead recipes to put out for your guests.

And if you package them in pretty glass jars, they also make great hostess gifts!

Spicy Almonds and Pecans

1 cup whole almonds, with skins on
1 cup pecans
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until the nuts are coated with seasonings. Spread the mixture in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the baking sheet, let the nuts cool, and store in a tightly sealed jar for up to a week.

Curried Cashews

3 cups roasted cashews, unsalted
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons coarse salt
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Toss all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until the nuts are coated with seasonings. Spread the mixture in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the baking sheet, let the nuts cool, and store in a tightly sealed jar for up to a week.

The preparation instructions are pretty much the same but temperatures and times are different, so they have to be roasted separately.

Happy holidays!

Until next time,
Lee
http://www.leemckenzie.com/
The Christmas Secret (Nov. ‘11)
The Daddy Project (TBA)
Daddy, Unexpectedly (TBA)

NOVEMBER WINNER!!!!

2011-12-02T06:00:00.000-06:00

CONGRATULATIONS Marcie! You’re the November winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Lee McKenzie, Shelley Galloway and Julie Benson 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.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Holiday Spirits

2011-12-01T01:00:00.001-06:00

As I’m sure you’ve noticed, these days the Christmas decorations don’t wait until December. But I wish they would. For me, the magic of the season sparkles more if it isn’t stretched over such a long period.

Well, at last, it’s December, when the lights shine a little more brightly. To those of you living in Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica, happy midsummer! To those in northern climes, I hope you get just enough snow for a pretty holiday.

Here in Southern California, I’m still harvesting a few tomatoes and peppers. And still digging up weeds. Isn’t there always a tradeoff?

Last year, I had a December Harlequin to toot about. This year, after October’s release of The Surgeon’s Surprise Twins, I’ll have to wait until February. That’s when the seventh book in my Safe Harbor Medical series, The Detective’s Accidental Baby, will be available.

In the meantime, I’m pleased that readers are enjoying the reissue (for Kindle and Nook) of my earlier romance, A Warm December. There’s a hero who dresses as Santa, a heroine named Merrie who’s a veterinarian, and even an orphan. It’s set in my hometown of Nashville, Tennessee.

I wish you all a happy season!

Christmas Craft ideas

2011-11-28T20:09:00.000-06:00

Christmas is right around the corner...those of you Mom's who are room mothers or have been put in charge of coming up with holiday craft ideas for a school christmas party will enjoy this site I stumbled upon.

My kids are college age so the days of school Christmas parties...at least the kind with crafts and treats are long gone, but I still enjoy making a small craft that I can attach to a present or a tin of homemade cookies for my neighbors.

Check out this Link for lots of cute ideas. When you click on the picture of the craft you'll be taken to the blog where the idea originated.

Here are a few samples...

Reindeer Gift Bag

Christmas Peanuts Gnomes

Candy Wreath

If you have any cute Christmas craft ideas or Christmas cookie decorating tips please share them!

Marin
A Rodeo Man's Promise (Dec 2011)
Arizona Cowboy (Feb 2011)
All My Heroes are Cowboys
www.marinthomas.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T00:05:00.003-06:00

One of my favorite things about holidays is that every year, even though it’s a day steeped in tradition, a fresh new memory is made.

I live in Canada where we celebrate Thanksgiving in early October, so I thought I’d share something new I tried this year. First I should tell you that I love to set the dining room table for a special occasion so I tend to go all out with the china, crystal, candles, linens and fresh flowers.

This year I decided it might be fun to add placecards. I started by searching online for “vintage Thanksgiving graphics” and this one caught my eye.

I printed the image on white cardstock, trimmed it to size, glued it on a piece of gold paper, and added the names by hand. Then, at each place setting, I propped the card on tiny white pumpkins I found at a local farmers' market.

My pink-and-white china doesn’t lend itself to traditional fall colors, so the gold and white worked well with my color scheme. Best of all it was easy and inexpensive!

Now I’m planning my Christmas tablescape. I think moose placecards will be fun because I have a lot of moose-themed holiday ornaments. What do you think of this?

Or this?

I haven't decided how to display them, but I might use pinecones. If you can think of a better idea, please let me know!

For now I’m wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving filled with everyone and everything you love.

Happy holidays!

Until next time,
Lee
http://www.leemckenzie.com/
The Christmas Secret (available now!)
The Daddy Project (TBA)
Daddy Unexpectedly (TBA)

The thing about technology...

2011-11-17T17:08:00.004-06:00

Technology is a beautiful thing. I love my computer, couldn't live without the word processing program I use to do my writing, and—as my husband would no doubt be very quick to tell you—I am...oh, let's say...just a teeny bit captivated by e-mail. LOL

When you're a writer on a deadline, technology can be a wonderful thing. Or not.

Recently, I was plugging away at the work-in-progress when a new program I'd installed on the computer began acting up and my screen froze—and proceeded to freeze every ten minutes.

As I continued to plug away, the program began to spontaneously combust and shut itself down every five minutes.

Then, even though I had set the backup feature to do its thing every two minutes, I discovered it had decided not to do its thing at all. So I lost countless pages of writing.

And this program's designed to help make the writing process go smoothly! Grr...

But wait, there's more.

A few days later, I was deep into the best part of drafting a story, the part where thoughts burst into your brain so quickly, you can barely type fast enough to get them down before you lose them, and...and... The keyboard died. (sigh)

The computer settled down, finally, and that seemed the end of the catastrophes.

Although, today—I suppose just to make sure I didn't get too complacent—this blog post refused to go live....

Yes, technology is a beautiful thing, isn't it? When it works. LOL

Well, despite all the recent frustrations, the good news is that being on deadline means I'm due to have a new book out. (smile) That's just one of the many things I have to be thankful for in this week before Thanksgiving.

Another of them is you.

Thanks so much for stopping by. And, if you celebrate it, I hope you have a wonderful turkey day filled with family and friends and good food.

All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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

Growing Old Gracefully...or Not

2011-11-16T01:00:00.001-06:00

How many of you like to watch Doctor Oz's TV show? I've become an Oz junkie. There's just something about his no-nonsense approach to good health that appeals to me. He understands that being human is just that—human, not a machine. And even when we "know better" we still make bad health choices on occasion. But he forgives us and encourages us to keep trying. No matter what the topic on his show, by the end of the sixty- minute segment I already feel better about myself and I feel like I have control over my health. One episode that made a big difference for me was a show about hair color and how choosing the right color can make you look younger.
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/hair-colors-take-decades-your-face

For years I used boxed hair colors and I usually chose a dark shade of brown…the color my hair had been in my youth. Dr. Oz's show taught me to "lighten up". Now I'm a lighter shade of brown and have highlights that add depth and dimension to the color and make my face appear less harsh.

It's been a process of sorts, but over the past few years I've learned to embrace getting older….to be the best I can be for whatever age I am and the Dr. Oz show has been a great motivator in encouraging me to take care of myself.

Is there someone…a show…a book…that's given you sound advice on growing old gracefully?

Marin

A Rodeo Man's Promise (Dec 2011)

Arizona Cowboy (Feb 2012)

All My Heroes are Cowboys

Veterans Day and WWII

2011-11-15T01:00:00.000-06:00

After living in Waxahachie over two years, my husband and I finally went to the Veterans Day festivities this year. They had set up both an American and a German camp and they did battle for the bridge coming into town.There were vintage vehicles and airplanes. People dressed in vintage WWII uniforms and costumes. Even an evening USO show with Georgie Burns. Sorry, Bob Hope couldn't make it this year.

Such a wonderful opportunity to honor all the men and women who have served this great country, both past and present. So proud of my dad, sons, daughter-in-law, uncles and all the other people out there who have served.

WWII has always seemed like such a romantic time period to me. I grew up listening to my parents stories about how my dad was a tail gunner in a B-17. How my mom left her parents’ farm during the war and moved to Dallas to find a job. Looking back at my dad’s pictures from overseas. Many of the war and the planes and even a few of him dancing with women he met while in the military. He actually returned after the war ended and taught dance for a time. He was the king of the jitterbug. Our house was always filled with music . He’s been gone nearly twenty-five years, but I still treasure his vintage big band record collection.

Anyone else have a particular era that they find romantic.

Hockey is Waaaay More Fun Than Lounging on the Sofa!!

2011-11-14T07:59:00.000-06:00

Remember our Romance Road Trip? Gorgeous Louisa and her

super-talented Oilers goalie, Ian, are still an adorable couple!!

After a freakishly hot summer here in Oklahoma, it's cooling down and time for Oilers Hockey!! I've been sick for so long with that *&^%$ mystery tummyache, I was beginning to doubt if I'd even make it to the first few games. Finally, the last test with the last specialist showed a not-so-little problem that landed me in surgery a few days later.

Fast forward a little over a week and while I tire easier than I'd like and still have twinges of surgical pain, the mystery knife pain that's held me prisoner since May is gone. Can I get an Amen?

I'm not just being a drama queen when eluding to pain being the ultimate warden. After a while, I felt caged. Pain pills made me nauseous, which only made me feel worse. Thus, I've spent months on the sofa and it was getting old. Now that I'm sprung, I've been deep cleaning the house that's felt dormant and at least trying to catch up on laundry. Hannah and I went girl-shopping Saturday afternoon and I did lunch with Russell Sunday afternoon.

Another task Hannah and I tackled is buying silverware--more specifically, forks. We were down to three. How does that happen? Where did they go? We now have a nice, new set I'm counting after meals!!

Wish I had some clever moral to this story or a definitive reason for what I went through. I have gained a new respect for anyone suffering from chronic pain. Having had one doctor tell me it was all in my head, don't take that sort of disrespect!! Only you know your body and insist the search for the problem doesn't end until you say!!

Quick shout-out of thanks to my amazing family and friends who've suffered this with me--Big Terry, Little Terry, Hannah & Russell, Mom & Dad, Margaret, Winnie, all of my fab Facebook friends local and far away, and of course Sweet Pea, Cocoa and Daisy--at the worst of this, you all made life worth living.

As for my Oilers, they're doing great!! Yesterday, since Hubby's out of town and Hannah was doing her Ice Girl thing, Louisa and I cheered them on to a HUGE win over Wichita!! Let's Go Oilers!!!

SMELLY THINGS AT OUR HOUSE...

2011-11-08T06:00:00.000-06:00

The drought in Texas has caused many problems, the least of which is an armadillo rooting up our yard. Every time my husband waters the grass the next morning the yard is rooted up with deep holes. The armor-shelled creature is digging for ants, beetles, worms and other unpleasant little insects. In the photo below he burrowed into the ground. It’s ruining our lawn so the hubby devised a plan. He was going to trap the armadillo and take him far far away deep into the woods away from houses.

He went to Lowe’s and bought a trap. The instructions were to bait it with table scraps, fruit or sardines. Well, I wasn’t giving the armadillo my fruit and we didn’t have any table scarps so he baited it with stinky sardines. Three days went by and nothing. The armadillo rooted all around the trap but didn’t go in it. On the fourth morning my husband came in and said, “I caught something.”

“What?” I asked.

“Come out and see.”

I had on my robe and didn’t want to go out at 7 in the morning, but I did. This is what he caught. A SKUNK!!

I looked at him and he looked at me. ‘How do you plan to get that out of the trap?” I asked.

“I was hoping you’d have a suggestion,” was his response.

“No,” I told him. “I’m going into the house and lock the door and not let you in if you’re all stinky.”

“Thanks,” he called.

I went into the house and made my way to the front bedroom so I could see what he was doing. He got his long rod and reel he uses on the Texas Gulf Coast. He stood as far away as he could and slowly lowered the hook. The skunk couldn’t see him because of the solid aluminum piece in the middle. Several times the hubby tried to catch the latch with the hook. I was holding my breath. Finally he caught it and reeled the hook upward and the latch popped and opened. (photo taken after skunk was released. Didn't want to get too close) Hubby slowly laid the rod on the grass and walked several feet away and watched. The skunk turned around and trotted out of the cage and into the woods without spraying that foul stinky scent on anything. Ingenious. I was so proud of the hubby.

So far it’s armadillo 28. Hubby 0, if you don’t count the skunk. But fall has arrived with cooler temperatures and a few showers so he hasn’t watered lately and the little devil has moved on to someone else’s yard.

What’s happening at your house? I’d love to hear some stories.

Thanks,
Linda
http://www.lindawarren.net/
The Texan’s Bride – Oct ‘11

Only Precious To Me by Megan

2011-11-07T09:29:00.004-06:00

When I returned from the RWA National convention in July, I had strep throat. Bad. Coming home on July 2, a Saturday, meant my doctor wouldn't be in until Tuesday! I had three excruciating days of throat pain to endure. So I watched TV. lol

Yes, I watched Cardinals baseball--no surprise there. YAY to my team for their amazing comeback and World Series win!! (Y'all knew I'd sneak in a mention of the boys, didn't you?) However, I watched a lot of TV, and I tried different shows, one of which was "Storage Wars." For those of you who haven't seen it, when renters fail to pay for three months, their storage lockers are put up for auction. The show centers on four main buyers--two own thrift stores, one is a collector and one (I think) takes stuff to thrift markets. After winning a locker, they go through it and evaluate its worth.

I admit, I thought it was a trashy, low-class version of "Antiques Roadshow," the PBS program where people have their "treasures" evaluated by experts. And it may be, lol, but I've become hooked. I don't care for the bickering, but I love to see what's been stored, what treasures or unique items are found, and of course, how much they're worth. It's kind of like a pirate of old opening a chest to discover if it's clothing or doubloons.

My family didn't have antiques,--or doubloons for that matter. :) But we had some cool traditions that had props. On Thanksgiving, we would use the turkey salt and pepper shakers. Only on Thanksgiving. That's when my mom would also make Whipped Cream Salad, which I later learned was similar to Ambrosia, but since I never ate it, I had no idea. Whipped cream and the unused mandarin oranges and pineapple bits from the sweet potatoes, and sometimes coconut. [shudder] Had she thrown in chocolate, I might have at least tried it, but honestly, none of those things appeal to me, and coconut is a deal-breaker. She served it in what we called the Whipped Cream Salad bowl, a carnival glass dish she received as a bonus for buying gasoline or something back in the 50s.

For several years, I searched for a cute Thanksgiving turkey set to continue the tradition in my home. The only sets I found had two toms and no hen. No hen? I don't think so. Almost twelve years passed when my mom gave me the turkeys for my birthday. I've never had a more special present! No, they're not valuable, except for the memories. A couple of years later, she gave me the Whipped Cream Salad bowl. To me, these are priceless items. (I serve mashed potatoes in the WCS bowl,)

The other item in my picture is a potholder my mother-in-law made, which we only use in the fall. The guys on "Storage Wars" would no doubt throw this stuff out (even the carnival glass bowl isn't valuable), but these things remind me what I'm truly thankful for--my family.

And if I can keep my brother or sister from stealing them when they visit, I'll pass them down to my children. LOL

What beloved item/s do y'all treasure? I'd love to hear about them.

Best,
Megan Kelly

www.megankellybooks.com

OCTOBER WINNER!!!

2011-11-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

CONGRATULATIONS Jo! You’re the October winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Laura Marie Altom and Barbara White Daille 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.

Far-flung friends

2011-11-01T01:00:00.000-05:00

I hesitate to use the phrase “It’s a Small World,” because every time I do, that theme from the Disneyland Small World attraction gets stuck in my head and won’t go away. La-la-la-la…oh, just shoot me.

No, wait! I mean, shoot me over to Europe for a visit.

Once upon a time, I spent six months in Italy and another six months traveling on a playwriting fellowship. These days, I stick close to home in Southern California with my husband of 33 years, my garden and my wonderful writing friends from Romance Writers of America’s Orange County Chapter (check out www.OCCRWA.org. If you’re in the area, come to a meeting).

But it is, as they say, a diminutive globe.

I teach writing through Long Ridge Writers Group, and some of my students email their lessons from far-away places. South Africa, for instance. The UK. All over the U.S. and Canada.

The characters in my books, who often seem almost as real to me as the people I know, also come from a variety of places—almost always somewhere I’ve lived or visited. In my October release, The Surgeon’s Surprise Twins, the hero, Dr. Owen Tartikoff, is from Boston. He just moved to Southern California to head the fertility program at my fictional Safe Harbor Medical Center. As for me, I went to college near Boston (Brandeis University).

Then there’s Croatia. Never been there. But I have a friend in Zagreb.

It all came about because of a photograph. If I post it right, you can see the beautiful cover of my Regency romance, Song for a Lady, which I’ve reissued in a digital edition.

I found this photo on a website that allows people to download and use images for free. So far, so good. I credited the Croatian photographer, Darko Skender, in my publicity.

Then I heard from him. He never lets people use his photos commercially and was unhappy to discover his photo on my cover. Of course, I offered to take it down. Then this kind man—a retired police officer—decided to be generous and let me use it anyway. We emailed a bit, and ended up as friends. We even Tweet.

As it happens, my mother also has a friend in Zagreb, Hanibal Salvaro, a distinguished ceramic artist. No, he and my new friend aren’t acquainted, but I have a feeling they’ll meet one of these days.

After all, it’s a minuscule sphere.

Fall Quick Five

2011-10-26T08:39:00.002-05:00

Quick, give me your five favorite things about fall. To give you some ideas, here are my five.

1. Perfect temperatures. When the temps are between 65 and 75 with clear, sunny skies, it's perfect weather for outside activities, whether that's going for a hike in the woods or doing yard work.

2. Harvest festivals. When I worked for newspapers and magazines, I covered a lot of harvest type festivals. I loved the walk through yesteryear filled with blacksmiths, women cooking on wood-burning stoves, harvesting crops, the making of beeswax candles and cornshuck dolls.

3. The smell of the woods with the leaves falling and even the smell of fires if the smoke isn't too strong.

4. The color of the fall leaves. My favorites are the orange and yellow ones.

5. Pumpkin-flavored treats, particularly pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread.

Okay, your turn!

Happy Holidays!

2011-10-24T09:43:00.001-05:00

It’s only October and we haven’t even had Hallowe’en yet, but it’s already starting to feel a lot like Christmas. My next Harlequin American Romance, The Christmas Secret will be out next Tuesday and I’m having a lot of fun getting ready for the release. Great cover, don’t you think? I’ve loved all my covers but this one’s my definitely my favorite.

To help readers celebrate this new release with me I’m sending out holiday recipe cards. If you would like one, please send your mailing address via my website.

I’m also inviting readers to join me next Monday, October 31 at the Pink Heart Society. For their Male on Monday segment I’ll be blogging about one of my favorite kinds of heroes—the nerd. I do love a man who can talk nerdy.

Happy reading!

Until next time,
Lee
http://www.leemckenzie.com/

Seasons Changing and So Do We

2011-10-18T10:04:00.000-05:00

While the temps have just begun to reflect the change from summer to fall, the last few days are hinting that winter isn't far off. I don't mind the cooler weather and am happy to have turned off the AC. After surviving far too many recording breaking days of 100+, anything under 80 feels like heaven. But the newest addition to our family isn't very happy.

Toby, a 2 1/2 year old gray cat, came into our lives a month ago. Several times throughout the year, when the cat population becomes too high, our local Humane Society gives away free kittens and cats. I hadn't intended to take a new pet home, but out of curiosity we decided to see what was available at the latest give-away. After getting a number and walking through the crowd of people hoping to adopt a new pet, my youngest daughter and I weren't able to tear ourselves away, even though we were told that it was entirely possible there wouldn't be any kitties left by the time our number was called. As it turned out, Toby, who was being fostered by one of the employees and wasn't in the facility at the time, was the last cat available at the end of our four hour visit. We took him in a heartbeat.

Toby's description mentioned that he was a great personal assistant, and he's already proved that to be true. His favorite spot to snooze quickly became the window that overlooks over my desk. This was fine with me, until the temps started to dip into the low 50s at night, and the daytime temps stopped reaching 75. To Toby's utter disgust, the window had to be closed. All the windows had to be closed. So now when he discovers that his favorite sleeping spot will no longer accommodate his bigness, he gives up and settles for the top of my desk. At 34 inches stretched out from head to tip of tail, that's more than half of my desk, and I've spent quite a lot of time moving him so I can see the bottom of my computer screen. He still doesn't understand that assisting doesn't mean keeping me from working.

We're happy that, instead of a tiny kitten that would have needed training, we found Toby. Or he found us. It appears that he and I will be enjoying the changes of the seasons together. I'm already curious to see what he thinks of the view out the window when the snow begins to fall.

What's your favorite costume?

2011-10-17T12:40:00.004-05:00

It's almost the end of October, and Halloween will soon be upon us.

I love Halloween. And yes, it's partly because I'm a candy kind of girl. Don’t even get me started about chocolate! LOL

But for the blog today, how about we stick to something less fattening?

Let's talk about getting dressed up for the Big Night of trick-or-treating. Of course, like me, I'm sure you've worn many, many costumes over the years, from the most simple to the extravagantly elaborate.

As a teenager, my favorite costume was dressing up as a hobo. It was easy. It was cheap.

Heck, it was do-it-yourself:

Torn jeans, one of my dad's old flannel shirts, a pair of filthy, stinky sneakers my mom thought I'd tossed out long ago, and a worn-out bandana from the rag bag—and I was good to go.

Oh, along with the liberal application of black marker and eyebrow pencils to add that special down-on-my-luck touch. (smile)

My all-time favorite costume, though, was comprised of an old billowy ball gown with a "diamond" inset at the waist and a long gauzy train, strappy sandals, a pair of elbow-length gloves, and a "diamond" tiara. I felt regal and royal and really, really grown-up. That was probably the year I turned seven. LOL

And it does show that I've always been a romantic at heart, doesn't it?

How about you? Please share your favorite costume ever—one worn by you or one of your kids or grandkids!

All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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

Halloween...Scary Story

2011-10-16T09:20:00.000-05:00

October…

The month when leaves change color and begin to fall.

When farmers finish harvesting their crops and prepare the fields for winter. When days are cold, then warm, then rainy, then sunny all in the same week. The month when birds fly south, and apples and pumpkins are picked. The month when football hockey and the World Series compete for TV viewers.

However….it's Halloween that steels the show in October.

A night when wherewolves, Vampires and Witches walk together. When Princesses, Fairies, Batmans and Supermans share the sidewalk with Harry Potters, Hermonie's , Buzz Lightyears, Green Army Men and Aliens.

In honor of Halloween I thought it would be fun to share a scary tale. I came across Campfire Tales - The Scariest Urban Legends Ever at
http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/horrors/ss/Campfire-Tales.htm
and recognized a story from my youth—a slightly different version but the same general premise.

Scary Story #6 "The Boyfriend's Death"

A Girl and her boyfriend are making out in his car. They had parked in the woods so no one would see them. When they were done, the boy got out to pee and the girl waited for him in the safety of the car. After waiting five minutes, the girl got out of the car to look for her boyfriend. Suddenly, she sees a man in the shadows. Scared, she gets back in the car to drive away, when she hears a very faint squeak... squeak... squeak... This continued a few seconds until the girl decided she had no choice but to drive off. She hit the gas as hard as possible but couldn't go anywhere, because someone had tied a rope from the bumper of the car to a nearby tree. Well, the girl slams on the gas again and then hears a loud scream. She gets out of the car and realizes that her boyfriend is hanging from the tree. The squeaky noises were his shoes slightly scraping across the top of the car!!!

I bet you remember a scary story from your childhood...want to share?

Marin
www.marinthomas.com
Check out my new Blog "All My Heroes are Cowboys" at
www.marinthomas.blogspot.com
A Rodeo Man's Promise (Dec 2011)
Arizona Cowboy (Feb 2011)

Witches, Goblins, and Falling Leaves

2011-10-15T01:00:00.000-05:00

I never thought I’d be so ready for fall. I’ve always enjoyed all the seasons, but I’m a summertime gal at heart. I love warm weather and trips to the coast and all the things that come with summer.

But after a terribly hot, dry summer, I’m really enjoying the cooler nights. I’ve been on vacation this week and have taken time to sit outside on the patio in the evenings with my coffee and watch the gorgeous moon rise. And it’s been downright chilly. The house is decorated for fall, with Halloween spooks and lots of rich fall colors. We’re looking forward to fireplace weather, and Thanksgiving. I’m pushing my hubby to help clean out the greenhouse to make ready for the potted plants.

It's fun to watch the high school kids all dressed for Friday night football. And to think about some of the planned activities we have with friends. I'm even ready for the time to change so it gets dark earlier. Okay, that's not entirely accurate. I'm looking forward to an extra hour of sleep each morning. My grankidos are planning out their Halloween costumes and the stores are full of candy. I have this unhealthy addiction to corn candy.

How about you? What is your favorite season?

A Harley and a Girl Named Gypsy . . .

2011-10-14T06:51:00.000-05:00

Sweet Pea, who at the ripe old age of 98 dog years is the senior citizen of our family!!

Happy Friday!!

So excited for a mini-road trip to Arkansas I'm taking today with my kiddos and Daisy to meet a new family member--Gypsy! But before I tell you who Gypsy is, you have to suffer through the back story of how this 9lb baby entered our lives . . .

The last book in my Buckhorn Ranch series, A Baby in His Stocking, is released next month. UPS brought my author copies yesterday and I got all misty over the dedication. (I turn in books a good six months or more before they're published, so a lot of times what the dedication is has nothing to do with my current life, but was meaningful to me when the book was turned in.) We're a dog family, so I dedicated this story to Noodle, my parents' dachshund who lived to the grand, old age of eighteen.

When you think about how much happens in our lives over eighteen years it's mind-boggling. Our kids grew from infants to college, I think we've had three presidents, MTV stopped playing videos, cell phones are now postage stamps instead of bricks and TVs are flat as stamps!! Raise your hand if you remember how exciting seeing your first big screen TV was!!

Noodle the Wonder Wiener was there through it all, most importantly the passing of both of my grandparents and my favorite great-aunt and uncle. . . . Here I go again, making myself all weepy.

Losing Noodle was crazy hard on my mom. I think if she'd had her way, she'd have gotten a puppy right away, but my parents do a lot of traveling and Dad put the kabash on getting another dog.

Fast forward more than a few months and Dad is out riding his Harley--yes, you read right!! Mom loathes it, as the helmet musses her hair, but she does have all the latest Harley fashions that she sported for Fayetteville's Bikes, Barbecue & Blues. (I cannot keep that name straight, so sorry if I got it wrong.) Anyway, Dad's on his bike and sees this little dog weaving out of the weeds on the side of a country road.

He was in a fairly desolate area, and since it looked like a dachshund, he got off his bike to investigate. Sure enough, he'd found a starving, dirt-covered wiener!! Mom reports her being skin and bones, but still wriggling and kissing in true dachshund style. They asked all over Farmington if anyone had reported losing a dog, then took her to a vet for a check-up and to see if she had an ID chip (those weren't around when Noodle was born, either!). With no chip and my mother already in love, the vet urged them to give the dog a new home.

Mom called to discuss names and decided the usual Heidi and Pretzel wouldn't do. Dad refused to stand in the front yard in his robe yelling for Cupcake or Cutie so I suggested they name her something that told the story of how they found her. A few hours later, Mom called back and made the formal announcement that our new family member shall be christened Gypsy!!

Welcome anyone to your family lately?

Deadline Writing - Finding the Love

2011-10-12T10:25:00.000-05:00

My son once told me that a Chick-fil-A Biscuit would “change my life.” So, I traveled twenty miles to the nearest Chick-fil-A in time for breakfast and ordered up a chicken biscuit. It was good. Yummy, even. But it wasn’t life-changing.

Not like Candace Havens’ Fast Draft Method.

If you read my post here last month, you know I’ve hit a new stage in my writing—writing to tight deadlines. I have to admit, at first, I wasn’t all that thrilled with this new challenge. Oh, I was beyond happy with a two-book contract. I was super excited that my editor had so much faith in me. I’d already fallen in love with the characters. I knew their stories and really, really wanted to bring them to life on the page. But writing a book in two months? Ooooh, scary stuff for an author who labors over each manuscript for a minimum of half a year.

That was before I met Harlequin Blaze author Candace Havens who introduced me to her concept of Fast Draft writing.

Believe me when I say that, for an author, this method will “change your life.” And I’m not the only one who feels that way. My good friend, Roxanne St. Claire, experienced true epiphany when Candace spoke to our local RWA chapter last month. The author of thirty books, Roxanne put the Fast Draft method to work for her. Much better than I ever could, she talked about the experience yesterday on Murder She Writes.

If you write and are looking for a way to do it better, faster, check Roxanne's column at: http://www.murdershewrites.com/2011/10/11/standing-on-my-skyscraper-sampling-some-crow out

Password Pandemonium

2011-10-10T18:28:00.008-05:00

Password Pandemonium
The digital age is truly a wonderful thing, I love the way I can communicate with people around the world by email and skype (although I haven’t yet ventured into tweeting). I love being able to Google just about anything and find the answer. We’re presently contemplating a move to the UK from Australia. Being able to look at properties online and then take Mr.Google (I’m not sure if this is his real name) for a walk down the street the property is on and see if we like the neighborhood as much as the house is an incredible facility. I can keep up with friends on Facebook, view their latest albums and whatever wonderful things are happening in their lives and share ours with them.As one of our children lives overseas, we can keep in touch by email, skype and Facebook. We can share in her life, exchange ideas, take a walk around her new London flat with skype and feel almost as if she’s in the same room as us.Said daughter is marrying in England later this month. A few years ago, organizing a wedding from 12,000 miles away would’ve been impossible, but through the wonders of internet I’ve been able to search venues, then pop an email off to them and have an answer waiting in my inbox the next morning. We’ve been able view the galleries of venues, florists, photographers, cake makers, caterers, bridal boutiques and accommodation. Within a month of the engagement, everything was booked and invitations issued. Three months later, we’re about to board our flights from Australia to England, all courtesy of the Net. We’ve viewed and chosen our plane seats, chosen the meals we’d like to eat during the flights, booked transport to and from the airports, rented a car, a holiday flat in London and B&B’s throughout England. It’s truly marvelous!

BUTAnd yes, there has to be a BUT…While I love the internet and spend way too many hours trawling websites for any number of things, I absolutely HATE the whole password thing. Yes, I know it’s supposed to protect me, but if I can’t remember my password, or indeed which of the three email addresses I registered with, then it becomes all rather vexed. And useless. And sometimes downright nasty!One site I use a lot asks me for a number. If I don’t put that number in correctly and the password (the one I can’t remember) it gets very snippy at me. And then if I mess things up three times, it completely shuts down on me saying dire things about “failure” and “banning” access!And I know you’re going to say I should write down all my passwords somewhere, and I did, the only problem is, instead of calling the file something sensible like, oh… Passwords! I decided that would be a bit silly if I lost my laptop, so I’ve called it something else altogether. AND I’ve made it password protected…I’m on semi-friendly terms with sites that ask me politely, “forgotten your password?” and provide a link to security questions. Except on one of these sites, I’d accidentally mis-spelled my mother’s name in the security question. Took me months to work out where I’d gone wrong (and I have to confess I only discovered it when I retyped my mother’s name incorrectly) Of course I have no idea how to change the spelling in the original question. Other sites’ security questions are completely useless. One demanded I provide the name of my favorite sports team. I don’t have a favorite sports team, so I made it up. Now I can’t remember the name of that fictional sports team.It’s all very stressful when you really need to access one of these sites and are denied simply because you’re too silly to remember your password, or too lazy to write it down somewhere you’ll remember.However, I do remember my first ever telephone number (it’s only three digits, so not so hard, but it’s something I’m proud of and never get wrong!)So if I manage to post this blog, then you know I’ve successfully remembered my password and/or login name.What do you love and hate about the digital age? Do you have trouble with passwords, or do you have some helpful tips about them?

Till next month – and if I can manage to navigate my pictures album and upload a few photos of my daughter’s wedding in next month’s blog – did I tell you she’s getting married in a castle? (because she’s a princess of course) - I will. And if I can’t remember the password, then I won’t.CC!

LET IT RAIN!!

2011-10-09T14:59:00.009-05:00

I’ve blogged a lot about the drought here in Texas. Not today. It’s raining. A slow steady rain is tap-tapping against my window screen as I type. Wonderful. I went outside to smell it. There's not a more pleasing scent than fresh much-needed rain. I hope it keeps drizzling on into the night. It’s going to take many, many more days of this to repair all the damage that has happened in the last few months with wildfires and lakes and ponds drying up. But it’s fall and a new season is here. No more 110 degree days. Our mornings have been in the low 50s. That’s a blessing because that hot sun was scorching everything. Our green lawn has taken a big hit. We water and water, but it’s not the same as God’s water. So let it rain. Let it rain!

I love to write in this type of weather. I love to read in this weather too. What type of weather gets your creative juices flowing?

Let it rain.

Linda
The Texan’s Bride – Oct ‘11

Sisters by Megan

2011-10-07T11:44:00.002-05:00

I've had some hectic days lately. After attending the Georgia Romance Writers' conference, Moonlight and Magnolias, I spent three days with my sister, who lives in the Atlanta area. At the M&Ms, I presented two workshops. At my sister's house, I ate and slept and watched my Cardinals baseball team on TV (Y'all knew I was going to mention them, right?) and talked with my niece and nephew and my sister. I played with her grandchildren, and I walked with the new baby until he fell asleep in my arms. Is there anything more precious than a sleeping baby? (Except of course for my two kids, although they've long ago left the newborn stage behind.) Even after my niece rounded up her children and went home and I changed into my pajamas, I could still smell that newborn baby scent on my skin. What a lovely way to fall asleep.
NOTE--I did not have to stay up with him all night, or change his diaper, or soothe his tummy ache, or any of the myriad chores a new parent has to do. Trust me, I have not forgotten how tiring that is, and in no way am I wishing I was going through that again! But I love being an aunt, who hands the baby back when he cries. lol

When my sister and I were younger, we shared a bedroom for many years. I wore her hand-me-downs. We had sort of matching dresses (she had blue velvet and I had red velvet for Christmas, but they were the same style. The next year, I wore the blue velvet.) We bickered, we played together, we endured the same upbringing, we went to the same schools. There's so much about me I don't have to explain to her because she experienced it also. Our father passed away when we were young, and our lives changed. As the youngest, I had some of her teachers, and I had the "legacy" of all my siblings to live up to -- or to live down, lol. [waving to a certain sibling!]

This past week, I started out wearing my writer hat, presenting workshops, meeting other writers who I hope become new friends, and promoting my work. Then I was simply myself, enjoying my far-away family. I thoroughly enjoyed both ends of my vacation, and now I'm more than ready to be home.

I hope this post makes y'all think of the happy moments of childhood.
Megan

SEPTEMBER WINNER!!

2011-10-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

CONGRATULATIONS Cynthia D’Alba! You’re the September winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Megan Kelly, Roxann Delaney and Linda Warren 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.

Me among the birdies

2011-10-01T01:00:00.001-05:00

I swore I would never Tweet. Actually, I doubted I was mentally capable of mastering this new weird art form.

A few years ago, I tried. I set up an account and tried to figure out what to do with it. Who would I Tweet to? What wonders of the modern world would reach me via Twitter? How many zillion books would I sell with my brilliant twiddling and twaddling?

For about fifteen minutes, I clicked on things and got nowhere. Frustrated, I quit.

Recently, I’ve been reissuing some of my beloved older books, including Regencies and mysteries, in digital editions. (Quick sales pitch: On my website, www.jacquelinediamond.com, they’re all listed on the right side of the Books page, with links. Some as low as 99 cents.)

Now the hard work: publicity. A friend of mine, legal thriller author Rebecca Forster, insisted I learn to Twitter. I cried, moaned and threw a tantrum, but it was no use. She stood firm.

This is just a theory, but either someone improved Twitter or my brain has become magically attuned to the digital age. I figured out what to do in about five minutes. Well, it took me a day or so to find Rebecca. She had a little trouble finding me too, but we finally got our acts together and now we chirp at each other regularly.

Next issue: how to write messages in 140 letters and spaces or less. Fortunately, I had experience that made Twitter look verbose.

During my newspaper days, I not only reported but also did some editing in an age when there were still street editions with screaming headlines. One day, I was working on a copy desk and got handed a story about a Las Vegas brothel persuading the IRS to treat its payments to prostitutes as a business expense.

The headline requirement: three lines, each no more than 10 letters and spaces. Here’s what I wrote:

Wages of

Sin Said

Deductible

The editor liked it. He came out and praised my 20-something-year-old self. I remember it clearly 30-plus years later.

And so, this past month, I began singing with the birdies. My handle, in case you’re wondering, is @Jacquediamond. I post writing tips, news about writing and publishing, and stuff about my books. If you Tweet me, I’ll Tweet you back.

Thanks, Rebecca, for pushing me out of the nest.

Craft Idea ~ Hallowe'en Decorations

2011-09-30T10:26:00.002-05:00

My passion for thrift stores and my never-ending hunt for a good bargain took me to Value Village a couple of weeks ago. For years their stores have been Hallowe'en central, and now they even have a large rack of free cards filled with costume, makeup and decorating ideas using recycled items.

One that caught my eye was their Sinister Ceramics - Decorating Idea #2, with instructions for turning old ceramic figurines into hair-raising decorations. They used owls but for my project I settled on cats.

I found two cats and bought rhinestones at a bead store to use for eyes. Here's what I started with.

Okay, those cats were already pretty hair-raising! I removed the dried flowers from the pink cat, gave a both a light sanding to scuff up the surfaces, sprayed them with glossy black paint (I did this outdoors), and let them dry overnight. The next morning I used my hot glue gun to attach the rhinstone eyes, and they were done!

Here's what they look like now.

The total cost for both was about $7.00. I have them sitting in a little alcove in my foyer, but I think they'd also make cute decorations for a child's Hallowe'en party or for decorating a classroom. Or...?

You'll find lots of spooky ideas on the Value Village website or in one of their stores. Have fun, and have a safe and happy Hallowe'en!

Until next time,
Lee
The Christmas Secret (November 2011)
http://www.leemckenzie.com/

Autumn Harvest

2011-09-29T01:00:00.001-05:00

The arrival of autumn always makes me a little nostalgic for summer, but there are things I love about it, too. The crisp morning air, the fall colour—which we get a taste of, even here in the Pacific Northwest—but most of all I love fall produce. Apples are ripening on the trees, pumpkin patches are bright orange, and the farmers’ markets are brimming with cabbages and corn.

This year my daughter and I decided to try our hand at canning tomatoes. Those are the only things I buy in cans—everything else we eat is fresh and made from scratch—but as a two-time cancer survivor I’m becoming increasingly concerned about the carcinogenic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) found in the lining of almost all food cans.

So last weekend I purchased 35 pounds of tomatoes from a local organic farmer, borrowed my neighbor’s canning pot, bought two dozen jars with lids and rings, and looked up “how to can tomatoes” on the Internet. The printable PDF file on this site is easy to follow and includes great illustrations.

On Sunday afternoon my daughter and I rolled up our sleeves and got to work. The job turned out to be a lot less work and a lot more fun than we expected. Three hours later we were admiring the fruits of our labor—sixteen quarts of tomatoes, chemical free and no salt added.

The only thing we couldn’t figure out was why on earth we weren’t doing this years ago.

Do you have a fall favorite? What about canning tips? Please share!

Until next time,
Lee
The Christmas Secret
November 1, 2011
www.leemckenzie.com

Heroes of Alaska

2011-09-28T09:58:00.000-05:00

MY HEROES OF ALASKA

This month I ask all of you to come and write on my blog at my website (www.dominiqueburton.com), and sign up for my newsletter. For a chance to win two autographed books. I’ll be finding the winners by who writes the most pithy replies. While your there please stop by and learn how to recieve a free book plate signed by me. All you have to do is send in a S.A.S.E., to the snail mail address, I have located on my sight. This will be a fun month so keep looking and you just might find some more surprises.

In a mere couple of days my second book THE FIREFIGHTER’S CINDERELLA comes out as an October pick. It’s the sequel to my first book, A DAUGHTER’S DISCOVERY, found in the novella entitled A MOTHER’S WEDDING DAY.
I personally like to call these books my HEROES OF ALASKA SERIES. Another book in the series is due out next year.

THE FIREFIGHTER’S CINDERELLA features C.J. Powell, the twin brother of Ranger Jake Powell from A DAUGHTER’S DISCOVERY.

Captain C.J. Powell of the San Francisco Fire Department, the ruggedly handsome man who has broken many women’s hearts, is trying to escape the past he left in Alaska years earlier.

It’s been a year since his best friend and fellow firefighter Tim McGuiness died from cancer. During a marathon set up to honor Tim’s memory, C.J. helps the other firefighters cut off racing tags from the runners crossing the finish line.

One runner crosses the finish line who looks vaguely familiar and collapses in his arms. He rushes her to triage where he learns that the beautiful woman he’s caring for is none other than the one girl he could never have, Natasha Bennington. She loved his deceased best friend Tim without ever expecting love from him in return. Instead of being the heavier set woman C.J. remembers, she’s turned into a slim swan.

The sparks fly between these two friends who were friends of Tim’s. Now they unite and find out they really were meant for each other. Only Natasha’s work as a Pro-bono attorney has become dangerous. The people she’s trying to protect are working for a dangerous drug cartel ring leader named Mendez who’s making threats against her life.

Now C.J. must take Natasha and their new found love up into the wilds of Alaska until Mendez can be caught. Can their love survive ? Or will they fall prey to the dangers lurking in Alaska? Find out in this exciting read.
I’ve loved writing this book. The elements of the Cinderella story are all here as Natasha becomes the beauty that she always was on the inside, making this such an exciting part of the novel. I hope you fall in love with C.J. and Natasha’s story just like I have.

Ciao,

Dominique

www.dominiqueburton.com

Back-to-School Celebration!

2011-09-17T09:41:00.003-05:00

All around the country, our kids are back in school again. By this time—hopefully!—the students are settled into the routines of their new grade levels and the teachers have survived the new-school-year chaos. And it is chaos. I know too many teachers not to realize that!

Even a couple of my heroines are teachers. Kerry Anne MacBride, from FAMILY MATTERS, teaches high-school art classes. Kayla Ward, from A RANCHER’S PRIDE, teaches American Sign Language.

Of course, for the most part, it’s not the teachers or kids who are celebrating the start of the school year, but the parents. LOL

I’ve always been a student and probably always will be. There’s so much to learn in this great, big world—something as kids we don’t always appreciate.

But even as an elementary-school student, I looked forward to going back to school in the fall.

Did you?

There’s so much going on at the start of a new year. New teacher, classroom, textbooks. New classmates. New clothes! :-)

To this day, I get most excited over brand-new, never-been-cracked-open notebooks and an array of brightly colored pencils and pens. (I guess I was always meant to be a writer.)

How about you? What are your favorite items—or memories—from your first days back in school?

All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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

Thelma and Louise and Naked Men on Bicycles

2011-09-14T23:36:00.000-05:00

I've always been a believer that some people come into your life for a specific purpose and as wonderful as those friendships are, may or may not remain a part of your life. Not to discount the importance of those, but the friendships I want to talk about are the ones that stick. You know the ones. Those friendships we make that last a lifetime. Such is my good friend Jean.

This past week I was reminded of just how important those lasting friendships are. We've been friends twenty years and even after she moved half way across the country, we continue to stay in touch. About once a year we ditch our husbands and become Thelma and Louise for a couple days. Okay, we don't drive a classic T-bird convertible, but she did own a couple T-birds and I've had a couple convertibles. To be more precise, our goal is to avoid guys all together for a couple days and just relax and go someplace fun. This year she returned to Texas and we drove to Galveston. I was concerned as to whether she'd be impressed given that she lives two hours from the gorgeous Pacific Coast Highway, but let me say, our trip started out with a bang. Or a thud. You be the judge.

Thelma and Louise got Brad Pitt! We got, well you be the judge of what we saw riding along the Galveston seawall. Hey, it started our trip off with a good laugh.

Can anybody top that?

Dream a Little Dream--or a BIG One!!

2011-09-14T11:49:00.000-05:00

Me and Tulsa City Councilwoman Karen Gilbert!

Last night was a first for me--attending a candidate watch party after an election. The candidate--Karen Gilbert--has been a friend since our kids were in third grade. They're sophomores in college now, so you do the math!! Over the years, we've spent hours together at PTA meetings and school open house nights. I write about doing things, but Karen is one of those people who actually does things. Everything!!! She's a fireball I greatly admire. Any goal she sets, she doesn't just meet, but exceeds, with grace and integrity and great wardrobe flair. (Always a plus!)

Throughout the years, for as much as Karen has done for Tulsa Public Schools, I've urged her to go bigger. She's the kind of woman who inspires and isn't afraid of a challenge. She tirelessly fights for what she believes is right and is a champion of the underdog. She launched an anti-bullying campaign for which she was recently awarded by our governor. Karen worked SO HARD on her campaign for a seat on city council and as is usually the case when she sets her mind on accomplishing something, she got the job done. My dear friend is now to be addressed as Madame Councilwoman and the whole thing has me more than a little teary.

Why? Simple answer--I'm drawn to dreamers. There's nothing more thrilling to me than folks who have big dreams and aren't afraid to go for them. Karen put herself and family on the line in taking on this campaign. Sure, had she lost, no one would've died or anything, but it still would've been hard. Even knowing that, she trusted enough in her resolve to take on the challenge.

Tying all of this in to writers, or athletes, or anyone working for a job promotion, last night was a reminder that dreams seriously do come true. My sweet and funny friend is suddenly putting her talents to work on a pretty big stage and I couldn't be more pleased.

About a month before Karen announced her candidacy, I complained of a stomachache. Months later, after surprise gallbladder surgery and more unpleasant tests than I care to count, I still have a raging stomachache. Having been sick for months, I'm noticing a trend in myself that's distressing. I'm forgetting how to dream. I spend my days on the couch, nurturing this pain the way I used to nurture my family and friends and career. I despise this new side of myself and want to fix it. My next specialist appointment isn't until October, but if there's anything last night taught me, it's that I can't just shut down until doctors figure out what's wrong.

Karen's happiness and drive are contagious and fed me a huge dose of resolve to not let this temporary setback in my health beat me. My goals for today are writing five pages, unloading the dishwasher and cooking Hubby and myself a healthy dinner. Not much, but it's a start toward regaining normalcy. Another thing I'm going to do is make a fresh list of dreams. Some giant, some small, some a little nutty, but all mine and all achievable as long as I give them that initial seed.

What are your dreams? What are you doing to make them come true?

Writing By The Numbers

2011-09-12T11:27:00.000-05:00

Numbers.

Even if we aren’t very good at math, numbers play an important role in most of our lives. From the moment we’re born, nurses measure and weigh us, providing that first critical set of numbers for moms, dads and grandparents to bemoan or boast.

As kids, our growth is proudly recorded on the kitchen door frame or inside a closet, a yard stick or tape measure used to chart how tall we’ve grown. In school, we learn our 1-2-3’s along with our A-B-C’s while teachers carefully log our progress. Scores on standardized tests tell us whether we can progress to the next grade, graduate, get into college, go to graduate, law or medical school.

We have social security numbers, drivers’ license numbers, account numbers and phone numbers. We watch our weight, our cholesterol, our BMI. We exercise in reps, log miles on treadmills, count calories. We shop according to unit pricing, and in these days of high fuel costs, we compare price-per-gallon to miles-to-gallon before considering a new car.

All numbers. All important to our lives.

This summer, I added a new number to my daily record keeping when Harlequin American Romance bought my latest two book proposals. Because, in order to turn these books in on time, I had to write a certain number of words-per-day.

Now, I’m not big on math. Numbers aren’t my favorite thing. But I counted these because I wanted to share Mitch and Amanda’s reunion story with you.

He’s a driven prosecuting attorney, a single dad with a mercurial four-year-old. She’s a former barrel racing champion who never got over her teen-age crush on the boy she met at rodeo camp. But Mitch’s carefully structured world crumples when, following a playground mishap, a family court judge permits this doting father only supervised visitation…under the distrustful gaze of his former girlfriend, the woman he ditched at last year’s Saddle Up Stampede.

Mitch and Amanda's story should be available some time next year. I hope you'll watch for it.

ADUSTING TO CHANGE

2011-09-08T16:28:00.005-05:00

Recently my husband retired and I’ve had to adjust my writing habits. I was used to him leaving early and coming home between 5:30 and 6. I had all day to do my thing. I found I write best when everything is quiet. Now hubby is home and usually working on something that creates a lot of noise. That was an adjustment. But I love the man and he was worth a little change. It certainly keeps me on my toes, especially when I’m deep into a story and he hollers from the kitchen, “Have you seen my truck keys?” Or, “I wrote a number on a piece of paper and left it on the table. What did you do with it?” I can now write while questions are being fired at me. Muse gets a little cranky though.

So I was really happy when he took up a hobby. My family has been in ranching for generations and he’s helped many times to feed cattle and bale hay. He decided to buy ten Brangus cows and a bull and they have kept him busy. He’s gone most of the day and when the back door opens about 4 or 4:30 and he hollers, “I’m home,” I’m happy to see him. And to listen to his stories of what happened that day with the cows. With the severe drought we’re having in Texas, those cows are eating better than we are. Suffice to say we’re never going to make any money on these animals.

Hubby always carries a camera in his truck to get pictures of new calves when they are born. He came home a few months ago and said we had a new calf and then showed me this. A ram showed up out of nowhere and no one claimed him. My husband checked with all the neighbors. Now we had another animal to feed. Hubby wasn’t happy. After several months, he gave it away.

Brangus are Angus and Brahma mix and so far we’ve had only black babies...until recently. Then this little fella was born. He looks out of place with all the black animals. But he’s so cute. I might have to name him. Any suggestions?

Isn’t it wonderful that life keeps changing? It keeps life interesting. How do you feel about change?

Linda
The Texan’s Bride - Oct ‘11
www.lindawarren.net

Release Day Rituals

2011-09-07T01:43:00.004-05:00

Recently on a different blog, a debut author asked what she should do on the day her book went on sale. I figured someone would say do a booksigning or go on a blog tour. Other authors suggested the typical answers: celebrate with chocolate, wine, and/or champagne. Go out to dinner. Buy herself jewelry. My answer is always the same: go write on your next project. It affirms you're a writer, no matter the sales or reviews.

I wasn't sure if I have a ritual for celebrating the day, although chocolate is always on the menu for good times. (Or bad times or indifferent times...) Going out to dinner is one of my favorite things, but we do that on the day I sell a book and/or the day my first advance payment comes in. (Or, as my husband claims, any Wednesday. Or Friday. Or...well, you get the point.)

So I paid attention yesterday when Stand-In Mom hit the stands. I spent the morning reading in bed--a sure indulgence and definitely not a ritual. Then I did laundry. Changed the sheets on our bed. I lead a wild life, I know, lol. When I posted it on FaceBook, Harlequin author Shirley Jump replied that she was doing the same thing to "celebrate" the release of The Princess Test. Another author suggested chocolate, so I ate chocolate Oreos. I looked into a few blog posts I'm doing later in the month. I checked out the reviews--okay, I know reviews don't mean anything (and only the glowing reviews are true, right?), but I can't help being curious. Not only were the reviews uplifting, but I received an email yesterday regarding a review of my May book, The Marriage Solution! I hadn't expected that. So of course, I updated my website.

I was waiting for my new bookmarks to arrive so I could take them to the bookstore where I'm signing on Friday. They came after the store closed, so that's on the list for today. My plan to actually see the books on the shelf (my only real ritual) was delayed. I watched the Cardinals play (and win), which is a bonus, as it isn't always a baseball night on book release day. We ate leftovers, so I didn't have to cook, which is almost as good as going out. And I did find dessert in the fridge from going out last week, and I shared it with my husband.

Now I'm preparing for next time. Do you have any suggestions or any rituals I can adopt?

Megan Kelly
www.megankellybooks.com

Contest of Interest

2011-09-05T12:12:00.002-05:00

Our own Laura Barth, assistant editor, is the finalist judge at the Gateway to the Best contest. It closes Sept 9th. Here's what she's interested in and how to enter.

***Permission to forward granted and appreciated.*

Gateway to the Best has a Series Contemporary Category. And as of right now, we are very low in entries for this category.

The final judge for Gateway's Series Contemporary Category, Laura Barth, Assistant Editor/Editorial Assistant for Blaze and American Romance at Harlequin had this to say about what gets her excited in a submission:

For me, the most important elements when considering a contemporary series submission are fit, voice, characterization, conflict and freshness.
The first thing I look at is whether or not a new submission fits the line to which it’s targeted. Does the plot work with our editorial guidelines? Are the hero and heroine within the right age range? Is the setting appropriate? What role do secondary characters play, if any? Is the novel the right length?
If the submission is a good fit, I look at the author’s voice and writing style. The prose should be smooth, clear and natural. The tone should be right for the story and the author should engage the reader without intruding into the story.
Characterization is also very important. The hero and heroine must ultimately be likeable and believable. I want to see a heroine who’s strong enough to stand on her own, but vulnerable and human enough to make me care about her plight. I want to see a hero who’s masculine, but self-aware and mature enough to show compassion and concern for others.
A good romance cannot be compelling without conflict, and this conflict should be organic—it should not be based on misunderstandings and coincidences. For home and family lines, especially, there needs to be true internal conflict, not just external conflict.
Finally, it can be difficult, to say the least, to come up with a totally new idea for a romance novel and still have it fit within the parameters of your targeted line. But your approach still needs to be fresh. And hopefully your story will at least have a new twist, something that makes it stand out from the crowd.

Act now! Entries for Gateway to the Best are open until Sept 9th. No extensions.

For more information, go to: http://www.morwa.org/gateway.htm

Megan Kelly
Stand-In Mom, Sept 2011

AUGUST WINNER!!!

2011-09-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

CONGRATULATIONS Linda S! You’re the August winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Cathy McDavid and Shelley Galloway 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.

Every Book a Challenge

2011-09-01T01:00:00.001-05:00

One of the joys of writing books under contract is finishing one on deadline and sending it in. Somehow, miraculously, the plot threads have tied together, the hero and heroine worked out their issues—but not until the conclusion—and the author can collapse on the sofa with a well-earned dish of ice cream (my indulgence of choice).

There she will lie until the editor asks for revisions. Oh, wait. There’s another book on the contract? And it’s due when?

People ask me if writing books gets easier when you’ve sold ninety of them. My reply is that, as with ballet, it becomes not easy but possible.

Exposition or back story continues to be a challenge, especially with a continuing series such as my current Safe Harbor Medical. Book six, The Surgeon’s Surprise Twins, comes out in October and last month I started writing book nine. (Book seven, The Detective’s Accidental Baby, is due in February 2012, and book eight, The Baby Dilemma, in April.)

The trick to making each book fresh is to write as if this were a single book, standing on its own. I try to include only as much background and only as many characters as the reader needs. Learning to handle this is one of the skills I’ve acquired in nearly thirty years of published writing.

This brings me to a promise I made here last month, to show you a cover I designed using my fledgling knowledge of Photoshop. I turned my years of writing and teaching experience into a short book (roughly 80 pages if it were published in print) called How to Write a Novel in One (Not-so-easy) Lesson. I posted it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble for $2.99, and designed the cover myself. My husband took the photo.

Lest you think I simply paused in front of my bookcase one day, this is not my usual bookcase, which has a mirrored back incompatible with photography. I had to haul all ninety books and umpteen zillion foreign editions upstairs, strip a wooden bookcase of its assorted books, and set this up. Then I had to put everything back. Ouch.

So here’s my self-made cover to go with my self-made book. Meanwhile, it’s back to my favorite medical center’s fertility program, where everyone is guaranteed a happy ending (don’t we wish!).

Hot Fun in the Summertime

2011-08-18T06:00:00.001-05:00

Sly and the Family Stone sang about it in 1969, but “fun” isn’t the appropriate word for this year’s summertime in the Midwest, Mid-South and eastward. This is the year that spending a vacation on the West Coast would be cool. And I do mean cool.

Where I live, smack in the middle of the country, we had our hottest days in July, breaking records right and left. The day after a record breaking official 111 degrees, my AC went out. It was repaired the next afternoon and we thought we’d never get cool again. Ten days later, it quit again, and the temp in the house made it to 98 degrees. It was all anyone talked about for weeks. And as you can see, we still are!

I shouldn’t complain. I spent twenty-four years in a farmhouse with no AC. My oldest was born in what was the hottest summer on record—1980—until that record was broken this summer. We set several records this year, beating the ones that were set back then. It was the hottest July we’ve ever had, with twenty-four 100+ degree days. There have been thirty-six 100+ degree days this year thru July 31. I live a few miles from the Air Force Base, and the temperature there one day was 114, although not official for the U.S. Weather Service.

It has finally cooled off, at least for a few days. Today was 91 with a heat index of 98, thanks to 50+% humidity. Tomorrow will see triple digits again, or at least that's the rumor.

Those in Texas have had it even worse, with no rain since May and drought conditions only getting worse. I’ve heard there’s been a little rain in some areas. Linda Warren, I hope you’ve gotten some of it!

We’re expecting a few more 100 degree days here before this is all over. School started today, and I’m thankful that most schools are air conditioned. Trying to stay awake in a hot school building can be a struggle, even for the younger set.

If your summer has been hot, hot, hot, relief is on the way…in a few weeks. And if you’ve been one of the lucky ones with cooler weather, your turn will come, sometime in the future, I’m sure. ☺

New and improved...or is it?

2011-08-17T04:48:00.007-05:00

We recently went to see a little theatre production of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. For those of you not familiar with the story, here’s a brief description:

Ten people are invited to an isolated mansion on a private island. On prominent display in the mansion are copies of a poem about the deaths of ten little soldiers, as well as a grouping of ten small ceramic figurines representing...you guessed it. The soldiers. Not long after the guests arrive, they’re cut off from the mainland—and then someone begins murdering them one by one. The circumstances of the murders match the deaths in the poem, and as each victim is claimed, one of the statues goes missing.

The actors were great, the set appropriate to the time period, the mystery as intriguing as ever. They’d even found a clever method of eliminating the statues at the time of each murder. But...

The ending of the play didn’t match the ending of the book.

As a romance writer, I have to say, the different ending to the play satisfied me. But as a long-time mystery reader and a huge Agatha Christie fan, I’ll tell you truthfully, I was crushed. It didn’t help at all for me to learn that the new ending for the play had been written by Agatha herself.

FYI, all this didn’t come as a surprise to me; I’d read the book and seen both the play and movie versions many times before. But, still...

I was crushed. LOL

How do you feel about it when one of your favorite books is turned into a script for the stage or the big or little screen? Are you okay with the new version? Or do you wish they’d stayed true to the original?

All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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

Stress

2011-08-15T01:00:00.001-05:00

Everyone has stress, no doubt. One person’s is a little different than the next, but we all have it at times. And we all deal with it differently. I have a young friend who shuts down when things get on top of her. She just doesn’t deal with any of it. A boss I had years ago said she methodically dealt with it. She’d pick up something off her desk or open an email and wouldn’t move on until she’d successfully dealt with that one thing. Then she’d go on to the next until she was done. In her mind it was a waste of time to keep opening the same thing numerous times. Just deal was her approach when things were too much. My mother gets snippy and angry. Snaps at anyone about anything and if you try to help her, you’re the one who gets snapped at the loudest. I admit, I learned a bit of that technique growing up, but I’ve tried hard to break it.

When I have a bad time like this summer when it seems that one thing after another goes wrong, I feel out of control. Being somewhat of a control freak, that does not work for me. Often I can’t control the things that are really stressing me out, but I can control a few others. When my grandmother died years ago, I cleaned my house, my car, my mom’s house and her car. And I don’t mean surface cleaned, I mean, deep down get the cobwebs out of the corners clean. Later in years when my boys were teens, my house was always full of kids and chaos. Whatever I organized, just as quickly got disorganized. When I got stressed, I had the cleanest, best organized underwear drawer in the country. It was the only thing in the house that nobody but me touched. But hey, I was totally in control and it helped.

After putting in some extremely long hours at work this week, I was exhausted when I got off Friday night. But did I relax and maybe turn in early? No! I started cleaning. I vacuumed the bugs and spider webs out of the windows, washed the inside of all the windows and shutters, cleaned out a closet, cleaned and polished the kitchen counters, cleaned baseboards, even scrubbed the shower down.

I’m exhausted and my back hurts, but feeling a little less stressed. Since I fully realize that stress is just something we all have to deal with, I’d love some suggestions that maybe are a little less strenuous. Any thoughts?

Stuck on the sofa instead of my big green chair!!

2011-08-14T08:16:00.000-05:00

In the hospital, my toes were the only thing looking good!!

Where to start . . . Right after returning from NYC, I finally went to the doctor about a nagging stomachache that'd been dogging me for a few weeks. My doctor ordered a gazillion tests, most of which came back fine. Meanwhile, my formerly nagging tummy was now screaming!! Weeks and more tests passed and I had surprise gallstone surgery. I was actually pretty pleased about this, as now that I finally knew what was wrong, I could finally get back to living instead of frowning on the couch!! The surgery was a great success and soon I was back on my couch, only with the promise that in a matter of days I'd be mostly back to normal. Hubby was a fantastic nurse and my dogs even managed to stay off the worst of my ouchies!!

Fast forward a week and I'm off pain meds and guess what's back? My original stomachache!! Screaming louder than ever!! Grrr. Meanwhile, Hubby landed an amazing new job, which is great, but the downside is a transition in health insurance. Do we even have it? Once we got documentation proving we're insured, back to the doctor I went, and next week I'm all set up for a flurry of new tests with a new specialist. Yay!!

Daisy pouting when I wouldn't let her sleep on my tummy!

Until then, I'm still on the sofa instead of my big green chair. Seeing friends for a few hours at a baby shower yesterday reminded me how much I'm missing my usual life. Being upright for three hours might as well have been running a marathon. I went straight home to sleep. So far, the only good thing to come of all this is losing a few pounds, but as a diet expert, I know there are far easier ways to diet!! LOL!!

Have any of you had a mystery illness? If so, if you don't mind my asking, did it ever get fixed? I could really use a happy ending about now!!

TEXAS IN CRISIS

2011-08-09T14:11:00.006-05:00

I’ve lived in Texas all my life and we’re in the worst drought I’ve seen in my lifetime. The other day the headline in the newspaper read: Texas is on fire, which is partly true. There have been wildfires everywhere due to the severe drought. A few weeks ago one was about fifteen miles from our house. Too close for my peace of mind.

Now we have these insane high temperatures that are unbearable. It was 107 degrees yesterday (Thursday) and I think today was the same. When I go outside it feels like I’ve stepped into an oven. If you live in Texas, you know what I’m talking about. And the temperature keeps rising. Lakes and ponds are drying up and the rivers are low. Fish and wildlife are dying. If we don’t get rain soon, I don’t know what’s going to happen next. Well, I do. In our city they’re talking about limiting water usages and I heard on the news last night that if we keep having the high temperatures, rolling blackouts will start. Not looking forward to that.

Since the lakes and ponds are evaporating in the intense heat, it’s revealing things hidden beneath the water. We live on a lake and now all these stumps are showing which used to be hidden under water. Only the taller dead trees were showing. We never knew all that was under the water. And in an east Texas lake that is low they discovered a part of the space shuttle Columbia that exploded.

I’m going on the theory that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. So I decided to channel all this frustration into a book. I can write about the heat and the fires realistically. I think. It may not be much fun though, but it will create a lot of conflict and angst.

How’s the weather in your area? Please tell me it’s raining somewhere.

Linda
http://www.lindawarren.net/
The Texan’s Secret – Aug ‘11

Garden Woes

2011-08-07T00:21:00.002-05:00

I do not have a green thumb. That's why I'm thrilled my daughter and husband wanted to grow some veggies this summer. We planted late, due to the tornadoes and endless downpours. While they dug and seeded the ground, I tried one of those upside down hanging tomato planters. I bought a nice healthy plant, the more expensive soil, and fertilizer as the instructions suggested. My DH agreed to let me hang it on the birdfeeder pole, which he had to reinforce so it wouldn't fall over. But it started to bend anyway. eeks So I bought a special hook for the back fence, which put the plant in the sun all day. Then the weather turned deadly hot--in the high 90s for a week (which turned into high 90s most of summer--except when we hit the low 100s), and it had to be watered twice a day (although, I admit, my daughter did it 98% of the time). In three days it was paper dry and shriveled anyway.

I have a grape tomato plant in a bucket on my porch. I call him Gilbert. (It's okay if you don't think that's funny, but it makes me laugh.) He's been cossetted like an only child--watered twice daily, talked to, moved around to protect him from getting too hot. He had some pretty yellow flowers which turned into lovely nuggets.

My husband's tomatoes and lettuce fared better, although we haven't picked many tomatoes yet. One Roma, two grape. :( But the lettuce was delicious. He served it wilted (which I find amusing), but it was terrific.

Squirrels and chipmunks are enjoying my daughter's plantings. The baby bunny is plump now with a beautiful coat. I haven't seen a zucchini yet, nor a squash, but my daughter's been shooing out the critters. We have had green beans at least, which start as pretty purple flowers.

A new visitor arrived last week, this praying mantis. He's (well, I don't know if it's a boy) cute and harmless, so we left him alone. I hope he eats bugs and scares away the bigger critters, but I'm not holding out much hope for that last bit. (I don't begrudge the animals their meals, but they could have left me one of Gilbert's tomatoes.)

This is why we rely on the farmers and their local produce. Last week, we went to Wisconsin and had amazing fresh corn off a stand that was replenished from the field several times a day. Funnily enough, the white peaches everyone raved over were from southern Illinois, not far from St. Louis. I made sure to find some when I returned--they're sweet as candy.

So although our small garden is suffering, we're blessed with the farmers in the nation who keep food on our table. Have you grown anything this year? Do you have any tips to share for next year's garden? I need all the help you can offer.

Megan Kelly
Stand-In Mom, Sept

JULY WINNER!!!

2011-08-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

CONGRATULATIONS Barbara Scott! You’re the July winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Shelley Galloway, Leigh Duncan and Victoria Chancellor 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.

New friends and a bit of humility

2011-08-01T01:00:00.000-05:00

If you read my last post, you saw that I’m learning Photoshop to create covers for the Regency romances, mysteries and other
out-of-print novels I’m reissuing in digital format for e-book readers like Kindle and Nook.

I also announced that I’m running around taking pictures of flowers and beach scenes, seeing the world in a new light. My plan was and is
to use them for my covers.

Well, I’m learning a lot. Some of that includes how difficult it is to create exactly the right cover images. And how much work is
involved in fixing photos, moving images around, and so on.

Then a fellow author, Lex Valentine, turned me on to a
wonderful site called stock xchng (http://www.sxc.hu/).
Here, photographers and graphic artists from all over the world post images that you can download and use for free, with only a few reasonable restrictions (like no pornography).

I found some exquisite images that are perfect for my covers and better than anything I can create at this point. All I had to do was add the text with Photoshop and I was set to go.

In the process, I’ve “met” generous and talented photographers from Romania, Croatia, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Poland, Italy, New Zealand and several states in the U.S. What a small world this has truly
become. I feel privileged to be able to make these connections.

The cover I hope to post here (if I can figure out this Blogger software), for my Regency romance A Lady of Letters, uses a photographic image created by Michael Faes of Switzerland. He doesn’t list a
website, or I’d provide that so you could see more of his work.

Next month, I’m going to do my best to show you a cover I really did create from scratch (with a little help from my husband). But in the meantime, I hope you’ll go over to the Kindle store at Amazon.com and take a look some of my new Jacqueline Diamond covers such as Danger Music, The Eyes of a Stranger, Lady in Disguise, Song for a Lady, Shadowlight and The Forgetful Lady. Please let me know what you think!

Wild Hog Explosion

2011-07-16T01:00:00.006-05:00

This month the second book in my Rodeo Rebels series for Harlequin American Romance hits store shelves. The Bull Rider's Secret takes place in Bandera, Texas. Known in the Hill Country as The Cowboy Capitol of the World, Bandera is a unique town with lots of western flavor and a tradition of welcoming the Biker community. I love adding a bit of reality to my stories and that's exactly what I did in The Bull Rider's Secret when my hero Brody enters the Wild Hog Explosion contest at Mansfield Park in Bandera, Texas.

This real life event features a wild hog catch. Teams of two enter a ring to try and catch a Texas wild hog and stuff it into a burlap sack. I haven't had the fortune to attend this event in person but one day I hope to return to Bandera to watch these crazy hog-catching people!

I found this description for the town on the web and I can attest to it being 100% TRUE—right down to the cold beers served in the local saloons!

In a rugged county filled with hills, rivers, and a sprawling lake, the small town of Bandera holds a really big place in the hearts of Texans. Located in the beloved Texas Hill Country less than an hour from San Antonio, Bandera reminds us of a different, more authentic, era, when a handshake was all the contract you needed, self-reliance was the norm, and chivalry was a given. There is a spirit of independence and individualism here that speaks of the cowboy tradition of hard work and hard play. Bandera embodies the cowboy in its strong rodeo tradition. Even today you'll often see horses tied to downtown hitching posts. At local honky-tonks, the music is lively, the dance floor is full, and the beverages are cold.

And the former Bandera County Jail

You can read an excerpt for The Bull Rider's Secret HERE!

Happy Trails!
Marin
www.marinthomas.com
Buy a Marin Thomas Book!

The Magic of Music

2011-07-15T01:00:00.001-05:00

I have a new friend on Facebook from my high school days. He’s become my own personal DJ. Every evening he posts link after link to songs from our past. What he’s reminded me of is my eclectic taste in music. I love so many kinds. New Flash: I can’t carry a tune. If I were to sing in the shower, the glass walls would shatter, and not in a good way. The first time I went to church with my husband when we’d just started dating, he leaned over and whispered asking if I could lip sync. Grrr.

You couldn’t pay me enough to get up and sing in a karaoke bar, but I LOVE to listen to music.

Music changes my mood. If I’m having a down day, I start with music that fits my mood and gradually gravitate toward songs that are more upbeat. Almost always works to turn my mood around.

When I’m writing, I choose a couple songs that speak to my characters. At times a particularly well crafted lyric will even inspire a character of its own. Depending on the scene I’m working on, there are certain songs that fit, that help me stay in the mood of the scene.

When I was growing up, my dad always had music playing. He loved to dance and had a wonderful collection of the big band music from the WWII era. I know the lyrics to all the 50’s tunes. Classic rock, country. My oldest son is the same way. From time to time he and I will be on YouTube and we IM each other links to songs. He swears that he can’t clean house unless music is playing. The funny thing is that thanks to me, he cleans best to Neil Diamond or Barbara Streisand. Drives his wife nuts. But she gets help cleaning. Ha!

What kind of music do you enjoy?