Time For A Change

For a number of years, American Romance authors have shared successes...and a few failures, joys...and a couple of tribulations, hopes and the very best of dreams with our readers right here on the Harlequin American Romance Authors' blog.  More than any other single location, this has been the place where we reached out to you, our readers.  The place where we introduced you to the heroes and heroines in our stories.  The place where we talked about the small towns, the communities and the families that are central to American Romance.  

Today, though, there are so many other avenues for you to reach us, that this site isn't as effective as it once was.  So, the time has come to board up the windows and move on.  Instead of continuing with the blog, we invite you to visit us on our websites, drop in to chat on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and look below for a special good-bye from some of your favorite authors.  

We're in the process of setting up a new home on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AmericanRomanceAuthors), but it's not quite ready yet.  In the meantime, we'll continue to write the wonderful, heartwarming stories you've come to expect from Harlequin American Romance.  You can find all our new releases at the Harlequin website. 
 

Wishing everyone a happy Fourth of July while bidding adieu to the Harlequin American Romance Authors' blog makes for a bittersweet day to be sure.  It's been my honor to meet so many wonderful readers over the years, both here on the blog and at various booksignings and other events, and I hope you'll keep in touch. 

You'll always find my current and new releases on my website at www.LeeMcKenzie.com, and from there you can also link to me on Facebook and sign up for my mostly monthly eNewsletter, Life in the Slow Lane, featuring recipes, writing news, giveaways, and contests.

Wishing you many long and happy hours of reading,

Lee McKenzie...writing fifty shades of pink!

www.LeeMcKenzie.com
 

Thanks to all the loyal Harlequin American Romance readers.  It's been a pleasure connecting with you here.  Please visit our personal websites for updates on future books.  My Facebook and website links are listed below.

 

Megan Kelly

www.facebook.com/MeganKellyAuthorPage

www.megankellybooks.com

 

 





Thank you to everyone who's stopped by for a visit over the years!  Selling my first story to the Harlequin American line well over a decade ago was one of my Top Ten most favorite life moments.  The fun that's followed in meeting so many warm and funny and caring readers has been another tremendous blessing.  Please remember that, even though our blog is retiring, our line is still going strong!  As are all of our talented authors!  Please feel free to find us on Facebook and Twitter, or on our individual web pages.  Happy reading!

Laura Marie Altom
www.lauramariealtom.com
 

 

Happy Fourth of July, and a fond farewell to the Harlequin American Romance Authors' blog.  It's been my great pleasure to have participated in this group blog for a number of years and to have met so many wonderful readers here.  But this isn't a final good-bye! 

 

 Please drop by my website, where you can get in touch via e-mail and stay up-to-date with all my writing news.  I hope you'll visit me there and will also stop by to chat with me on Facebook and Twitter. 

 

All my best to you.

Until we meet again,

Barbara White Daille

http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com

http://www.facebook.com/barbarawhitedaille

https://twitter.com/BarbaraWDaille

 

 

The first entry I wrote for the Harlequin American blog was in December, 2006, so I bid farewell to this blog with much fondness.  I'll be guest-posting elsewhere and including links at my JacquelineDiamondAuthor page on Facebook.  Thanks to all of you for reading!

 

Jacqueline Diamond

www.facebook.com/JacquelineDiamondAuthor

 

 



 

All good things end.  It's been fun writing for this blog, and I'm sad to say goodbye.  But I'm not gone.  Visit www.annroth.net anytime, or drop me an email at ann@annroth.net.

Ann Roth

www.annroth.net

www.facebook.com/pages/Ann-Roth



The day I received an invitation to post on the Harlequin American Romance Authors' blog I literally danced for joy!  And I've loved participating here and meeting all our wonderful readers.  I hope you'll keep in touch!

Leigh Duncan

www.leighduncan.com

www.facebook.com/LeighDuncanBooks

 



 

      

Summer Living

Also known as barbecue season at my house. Here in the Pacific Northwest we tend to barbecue year round, but during the summer it's virtually every day. I love it because cooking outdoors means less mess in the kitchen and the food, while delicious, tends to be fresher and simpler.

Summer is also salad season, so I thought I would share this delicious potato salad recipe with you.

Lee’s Favourite Potato Salad

1-1/2 pounds red-skinned baby potatoes
1 sweet yellow pepper
2 or 3 green onions, sliced
1/4 pound sugar snap peas
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried dill (or 3 tablespoons fresh, chopped)
salt & pepper to taste

Cut the potatoes in half, cook till tender, drain and set aside to cool. Cook the peas in boiling water for 1 minute till they turn bright green, chill under cold running water and drain. Core and chop the yellow pepper into bite-sized pieces. Put the chilled potatoes, peas, pepper and onion in a serving bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard and salt & pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad, toss and enjoy. Serves four.

I love this salad because it's colorful, quick to make, and stores better than a salad with a mayonnaise dressing.

For those who enjoy collecting recipes, feel free to drop by my website and request a set of Ready Set Sold recipes cards. They're not just free, but I pay the postage! The newest recipe is for Lee's Luscious Lemonade, which just happens to be the same lemonade Maggie makes in Maggie's Way, my latest Harlequin Heartwarming.

While you're at my website, feel free to sign up for my newsletter, Life in the Slow Lane. One of the perks of being a subscriber is being eligible to enter my monthly contests.

Happy reading! Happy summer!

Until next time,
Lee
Daddy, Unexpectedly (Harlequin American Romance, May 2013)
Maggie's Way (Harlequin Heartwarming, May 2013)
www.LeeMcKenzie.com/

DIY ~ why Lee redesigned a designer handbag

For me, a handbag is the ultimate accessory. It's functional, and everyone who knows me knows there are few things I love more than a Kate Spade handbag. I own an undisclosed number of them, but this is the first time I've had to rescue one.

I recently discovered a previously-owned Kate Spade bag at one of my favorite consignment stores for a very reasonable price, but it was marred by some terrible stains.

 

Other than the stains, the bag was in excellent condition with pristine leather trim and interior lining.

 

What to do?

 

If I bought the bag, could I remove the stains? If the stains couldn't be removed, could I figure out some other way to repair the bag? Of course I decided to go for it!

 



I tried everything I could think of to remove those stains...hair spray, baking soda, a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser...and nothing worked.

What to do?

Since I couldn't remove the stains, I needed to find a way to disguise them, and since this is a Kate Spade handbag, I needed to find a way to do it tastefully. Grosgrain ribbon is a signature Kate Spade trim, so I decided that would be the way to go.

I headed to the fabric store and bought a wide strip of cream-colored ribbon and narrow strip of black ribbon, and found some adhesive that would work with both fabric and the bag's plastic coating.

At home, I tested the adhesive on a narrow strip of ribbon and it worked, so I went to work on the bag. And this is the result.

The wide band of cream-colored ribbon does a beautiful job of covering the stains and matches the bag perfectly. The narrow black band adds a nice bit of contrast and, I like to think, a bit of designer flair. And now I can't believe I paid so little for this lovely designer handbag, or that I had the nerve to redesign it.

Does it work? What do you think? What do you think the Kate Spade people would think if they saw it?

Speaking of redesigns and DIYs, my two May releases deal with those very things.

Daddy, Unexpectedly (Harlequin American Romance) is the third book in my Seattle-set Ready Set Sold series about three best friends who run a business that renovates, stages and sells houses while they search for their own home sweet homes and happily ever afters.

In Maggie's Way (Harlequin Heartwarming), the heroine hires a contractor to renovate her house into a natural beauty spa and decides to work some of her magic on him, too.

Thanks for joining me today, and happy reading!

Lee
www.LeeMcKenzie.com 

Fiber-licious Muffins, and other good things

Have you ever noticed how muffins that taste really, really good tend to be more like cake? And how muffins that are reasonably good for you can be a little like cardboard? I think I finally found a solution, and I'm calling them fiber-licious!

Lee's Fiber-licious Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup ground flax seed (not whole)
3/4 cup oat bran
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely shredded
2 medium apples, peeled and finely shredded
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup chopped pecans
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 melted butter
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in the carrots, apples, raisins and nuts. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and stir in the melted butter, milk and vanilla. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and blend just until the dry ingredients are moist. Line a muffin pan with paper cups and fill the cups 3/4 full.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, using a toothpick to test for doneness.
Makes about 16 fiber-licious muffins.
Enjoy!

I also have some rather delicious news this month!

The Daddy Project (Harlequin American Romance, December 2012) is being reissued as a Mills & Boon Sweet romance in Australia and New Zealand on April 1, and they've given it a brand new cover.

One book...two covers...worlds apart!

I'm also thrilled to have two May releases! Maggie's Way (Harlequin Heartwarming) will be available on May 1.

...and Daddy, Unexpectedly (Harlequin American Romancce) will be out on May 7.

I have a blog tour lined up for early May and will be doing lots of giveaways, including copies of my books and other fun stuff. Links and details will be posted on my website and in my newsletter, Life in the Slow Lane.

Happy reading! Until next time,
Lee
www.LeeMcKenzie.com

I "heart" hummingbirds!

Many people might find it hard to believe there are hummingbirds nesting and raising babies in Canada in the wintertime, but there is a population of Anna's hummingbirds that overwinters on southern Vancouver Island. For years I've kept feeders in my garden and have had the pleasure of watching them year round.

Here's a photograh I took several years ago, and yes, that's snow you can see in the background!

This year the weather has been milder, but not without its challenges. For the past week, a male Anna's has spent long periods of time perched on the largest feeder in my yard. I've never seen this behavior before and at first I thought he might be injured or sick, but he seems fine and now I believe he's just being territorial! I've started calling him Tuff because he often displays white tufts of underfeathers near both wings, and because he has happily turned out to be tougher than I thought!

Here's Tuff at the feeder.

And here's Tuff in the California lilac.

For even better photographs of hummingbirds, I've started following Hummingbirds Up Close on Facebook and visiting the Hummingbirds Up Close website. If you "heart" hummingbirds, you'll love these sites! Both have beautiful photograhs as well as truly amazing videos of hummingbirds building nests, incubating their eggs and caring for their babies.

While I'm talking about hummingbirds, I feel it's important to offer a few tips to those who might consider setting up feeders in their own gardens. Please do not add red coloring to the nectar. The birds will be attracted to the red plastic on the feeder, and the chemicals in the food coloring aren't good for them. Please do clean your feeder once a week and refill it with fresh nectar. This will prevent toxic mold that's lethal to hummingbirds from growing in the feeder. Make your own hummingbird nectar by dissolving white sugar in water. In the summer I use a ratio of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. In winter, when they need more energy, I mix a ratio of 1 part sugar to 3 parts water.

If nesting birds have you longing for springtime, I hope you'll consider entering my February contest because I'm giving away this adorable cupcake holder filled with yet-to-be-determined goodies!

To enter the draw, simply go to my website, subscribe to my newsletter AND send me an email telling me your favorite first sign of spring! Only newsletter subscribers are eligible, and the winner will be announced in the next issue.

I'm also thrilled to share the cover of Daddy, Unexpectedly, my next Harlequin American Romance (May 2013). I have loved all my covers but I especially love this one because the hero is very much as I imagined him as I was writing this story. Swoon!

This is the third and final book in my Ready Set Sold series about three women who own a Seattle-based real estate business. If anyone would like autographed bookplates for these three books (The Christmas Secret, The Daddy Project, and Daddy, Unexpectedly, please send me an email with your address and I'll pop them in the mail to you!

Happy reading!

Unitl next time,
Lee
Maggie's Way (Harlequin Heartwarming, May 2013)
Daddy, Unexpectedly (Harlequin American Romance, May 2013)
www.LeeMcKenzie.com

Summer Road Trip

Earlier this month we packed out bags and hit the road. Destination? Missoula, Montana. More about why in a few minutes.

The great things about a road trip, in addition to the final destination, are all the wonderful things to see along the way. Like this awesome view of the falls on the Spokane River from the deck a restaurant where we had dinner one evening.

You can imagine our surprise when, in the small and very quaint town of Wallace, Idaho…

…we discovered the Center of the Universe. There’s something you don’t see every day. Unless you live in Wallace.

A sign along the freeway…advertising a bookstore with 100,000 books in stock!...had us braking for the exit to Alberton, Montana. Who could resist?

In Missoula we stayed at the Gibson Mansion Bed &Breakfast, a beautifully restored home where we enjoyed the most amazing breakfast that started with coffee and scones delivered to our room and wrapped up with banana macadamia nut French toast.

And that brings me to the reason for our trip to Missoula.

Bob Dylan. Live. In Concert.

I couldn’t take my camera into the concert, but thrilled to find these professional photos on Ann Alhouse’s Flikr page, and I thank her for providing public access to them.

It was an outdoor concert on a beautiful summer evening, with the sun setting over the mountains, and one of my all-time favorite musicians. It was a night to remember, and my bucket list now has one less thing on it.

Gotta love a road trip! I hope you're having a wonderful summer, and that your bucket list is a little shorter, too!

Until next time,
Lee
www.LeeMcKenzie.com
The Daddy Project, December 2012
Daddy, Unexpectedly, May 2013

Raspberry Vinegar

One of my favorite restaurants serves its garden salad with a lovely raspberry vinaigrette, and this summer I decided to try making my own.

First I searched for a raspberry vinegar recipe online and settled on this one by Nigel Slater at The Guardian.

Then I calculated the ingredients as follows:

2 cups white wine vinegar
1 pound fresh raspberries
6 tablespoons granulated sugar

Per the instructions, I let the vinegar and mashed raspberries sit for two days, then I strained it overnight. I poured the liquid into a stainless steel pan, added the sugar, brought it to a boil and simmered it for ten minutes. So easy!

Here's the finished product.

The color is beautiful and it tastes every bit as good as it looks!

In addition to using this vinegar to make a vinaigrette, the recipe suggests other uses, like adding a little to iced mineral water or lemonade, but I really can't wait to try it on ice cream!

I might even make another batch, put it in pretty little bottles and use them for gifts. What do you think? Do you like receiving homemade gifts? And are you brave enough to put vinegar on your dessert?

Until next time,
Lee
The Daddy Project (December 2012)
www.LeeMcKenzie.com

A Summer Picnic Recipe

Summer's here, and with Canada Day (July 1)...

...and Fourth of July celebrations...

...just around the corner, I thought I'd share one of my favorite picnic recipes for a fresh new twist on a timeless classic ~ potato salad.

Lee's Favorite Potato Salad

1-1/2 pounds red-skinned new potatoes

1 sweet yellow pepper
2 or 3 green onions, sliced
1/4 pound sugar snap peas
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried dill (or 3 tablespoons fresh, chopped)
salt & pepper to taste

Cut the potatoes in half, cook till tender, drain and set aside to cool. Cook the peas in boiling water for 1 minute till they turn bright green, chill under cold running water and drain. Core and chop the yellow pepper into bite-sized pieces. Put the vegetables into a serving bowl and sprinkle with dill. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard and salt & pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad, toss and enjoy!

Until next time,
Lee
www.LeeMcKenzie.com
The Daddy Project (Dec. 2012)

Springtime DIY

It must be spring because for the past week I’ve been itching to get started on a DIY project. I’m also being inspired by the heroine of the book I'm finishing, The Daddy Project (December 21012). Kristi is an interior decorator and if you read my last book, The Christmas Secret, you might remember meeting her there.

What I have in mind is to convert my cluttered back porch into a well-organized mudroom. And when I say “cluttered,” I'm afraid you will have to take my word for it because I’m too embarrassed to post a photo of it in its current state. I’m also too busy to roll up my sleeves and dive into this project right now, but I have started to compile my mudroom wishlist.

Because the porch/mudroom is the transition to our back yard, I’m thinking it needs a nice fresh wall color, like Benjamin Moore’s Woodland Hills Green.

Green is such a calming color, especially compared to the hideous mustard yellow that's on those walls right now.

Along one wall I’d like to install beadboard wainscoting with hooks above for coats and umbrellas and shopping bags.

There will have to be a built-in storage bench, along the lines of this one from This Old House, for stowing footwear and the recycling bin...

…and a shelf over the window, similar to this one I saw on Pintrest.

Finally, I would love to swap the boring old ceiling fixture for something more nature-inspired, like this Whoopsie Daisy chandelier from The Land of Nod. Isn't it pretty?

So, what do you think? Do you have a springtime DIY project in mind? Please share, if you do!

Until next time,
Lee
www.leemckenzie.com

Teen Celebrity Crushes

We've all had them, those crushes on the famous and oh-so-unattainable guys we saw on the Ed Sullivan show, whose movies we swooned over at the Saturday matinee, or whose records we listened to over and over again. You know the guy I mean.

At various times I had several teen crushes. James Darren as Moondoggie in the Gidget movies. I was too young to have a crush when the movie came out but when I saw it on TV in the '60s, I was in love! George Harrison, my favorite Beattle, and Herman from Herman's Hermits.

We lived in a small town in 1967 and I remember begging my parents to let me and a girlfriend go a Herman's Hermits concert in the city. I might as well have asked to go to the moon.

Instead I had to settle for listening to their records, over and over again. I knew all the lyrics, and I used my babysitting money to buy Tiger Beat magazine so I could pour over all the tantalizing details of Herman's life.

Last year, almost forty-five years after surviving the disappointment of missing the Herman's Hermits concert, my mother and I went to see Peter Noone (Herman) perform.

It wasn't the concert I so desperately wanted to see in the '60s but it was fun, and I even got my old LPs autographed.

I haven't played these records in years, but I did have a look inside the covers before I went to the concert. I'm so glad I did, because look what I found.

Two drawings I made of Herman when I was about thirteen.

They were drawn on looseleaf paper, no doubt while I supposed to be doing homework. Peter/Herman was a good sport and signed them for me, asking if I'd become any better at drawing over the years. Sadly, no! But I did discover that while I got over my crush, I'll always be a fan.

Okay, now it's confession time. Who was your teen crush?

Until next time,
Lee
www.leemckenzie.com
The Christmas Secret ~ available now
A Christmas present with a hidden past
The Daddy Project ~ December 2012

A Sweet Sewing Project

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)

'Twas the night before Christmas...

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

Nuts about the holidays! (recipes)

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)

Happy Thanksgiving!

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)