Be prepared

Hi guys,
Later in the week I’m heading off for Las Vegas for a long weekend. And let me tell you, I don’t travel light. In fact, I’m usually prepared for anything that could be thrown my way. There’s a really good reason for that little bit of OCD. Let me tell you about a couple of times I was remiss in my packing. Sheesh! I hate it when I do that.

Several years ago I was in Chicago and got caught in a frog stranger-rain, thunder, lightening, the whole enchilada. By the time I made it to my destination, I looked like I’d been swimming in Lake Michigan. How about that for making a great impression? My next humiliating experience happened in New Orleans. I can hear you all saying-what, anything goes in the Big Easy. Yeah, normally that’s true. But even during Mardi Gras walking around with a man’s long underwear shirt wrapped around your head is a wee bit unusual. That actually wasn’t my fault!! It was sunny when I left my house (an hour away). Too bad I didn’t watch the weather forecast. Are you seeing the pattern here? Rain. No umbrella. LOL Now I live in the Pacific Northwest and I always have a bumbershoot handy (for you desert dwellers that’s an umbrella).

But the worst of the worst was the planning conference fiasco. In the middle of the night there was a fire alarm and we had to evacuate the hotel. My roomie had matching robe, slippers, yada, yada. I, on the other hand, had on a little pink Teddy. I didn’t even own a robe at the time. About three flights down my friend grabbed a tablecloth and shoved it my face. That’s how I ended up standing out on the street-with all my colleagues- wearing nothing but my pink teddy and a burgundy tablecloth. Did I get a few strange looks? Oh, yeah!

So, now you know why when I travel I’m prepared for heat or cold, rain or drought, and just about any kind of ailment you can imagine. Ditto for my characters.
Enjoy the rest of the summer, and be prepared.
Ann DeFee

Georgia On His Mind, Harlequin American Romance, August 2007
Summer After Summer, Harlequin Everlasting Love, September 2007
The Perfect Tree, Harlequin American Romance, November 2007

Watering your feet

We are blessed with an adorable grandson (our first!) named Jack. Jack is two, and knows just how to keep cool. By watering his feet instead of the flowers, of course. (Now, why didn't I think of that?) There's nothing cuter than Jack, standing on the deck with his tiny watering can, soberly and carefully wetting his toes. When the can is empty he holds it out. "More, please." Just thinking about that makes me smile.

The real gift for me is that Jack reminds me to take joy from the simple things. The sun on your face. A baby bird, chirping for her dinner. A new season of The Closer. Coffee with a friend. I could go on and on!

Take a moment and think of something simple that makes you happy. Then please share. Who knows, your pleasure could spark added joy in each of us.


www.annroth.net
Summer Lovin' Anthology: A Reunion Story, June 2007
Mitch Takes A Wife, August, 2007

We're all out of time, folks!

One of the headlines in today's paper announced that the 2008 model cars are in dealers' showrooms now. Used to be, these ads appeared in late Fall. But it's only August! And August 4th, to be exact! By the time 2008 rolls around, these same cars will practically be antiques.

(Or more likely in today's disposable society, they won't even be in as good shape as some of the genuine classic cars on the roads. But that's a blog topic for another day....)

Vaguely, as a kid, I remember being surprised when Christmas candy showed up in the stores before Thanksgiving. Naturally, I didn't complain about it! (smile) But it did have me worried....

After getting through the ABCs, cursive writing, and the number system, I aced the test on the days of the week and the months of the year. Seeing that candy in the stores made me afraid that maybe my teacher had gotten my A+ paper mixed up with someone else's.

The other thing that happened, again naturally, was that those sweets got me started thinking about what Santa would bring me for Christmas. And you know that's just what all those merchants wanted!

Holiday gifts and decorations crept up in line to gain a place before Halloween. Then before Columbus Day. I'm waiting for the stuff to show up on Labor Day!

It's the same with all the other holiday items, summer clothes, winter clothes, back-to-school supplies--the list goes on and on.

I can understand the value of getting people to plan ahead....

But there ought to be a time limit on it, don't you think?


All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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

Finishing Up A Book

I turned in a book this week. It’s for Harlequin American, and will be published sometime in 2008, I think. It was my fifth book for Harlequin and my fifteenth to sell. But it struck me, as I drove to the FED-EX office, how the process of completing a manuscript-and the feeling of elation-hasn’t changed much from the very first complete novel I wrote. I still feel giddy that someone else is about to read my work.
Before I turn in a manuscript I usually do a couple of things. After I’ve read, revised, and read it again (and this can go on for weeks), I double-check the story with a calendar. I learned with Cinderella Christmas that I have a bad habit of writing things like ‘one week later’, or the ‘next day’—or having too many chapters and scenes all on the same day. I also check for names and eye color. Usually I write more than one book at a time, so names of secondary characters get hopelessly confused. This is a source of amusement for my critique partners.
While the pages print, I rewrite the synopsis, since I’ve often changed things I never guessed I would do before the book was complete. Then, I write a cover letter. My final step is to type out a cover page to rubber-band on top of the whole thing, with the very fun words, ‘By Shelley Galloway’ right under the title. The people at FED-EX know me now. They smile when I turn in a book because they say they can always tell when one is just completed. My hair’s a mess. Make-up hasn’t been thought about. Ratty sweats are on. And a goofy, really pleased smile is on my face…always proclaiming~ I did it! I made up a story and finished it!
What do I do on that short drive home? Get a vanilla latte from Starbucks and do a little bit of cheering in the car. Then, of course, it’s time to clean up my office and take a shower. My family is pleased because I’ll be more concerned with their activities once again than a whole lot of made-up ones. I’ll sit around and watch TV and play with Suzy, our miniature dachshund.
And, of course, go do my favorite thing…go buy someone else’s hard work and read. That is I will, until the next deadline approaches.
Shelley

Healing Power of a Book

As promised, I'm announcing our harauthors.blogspot.com winner for July. Congratulations to Estella! She'll be receiving a free book from authors, Tanya Michaels (tjmc@mindspring.com) Victoria Chancellor (Victoria@victoriachancellor.com) and Linda Warren (LW1508@aol.com) Estella, you can contact the authors at their e-mail addys above to see what book you've won!

Judy Christianberry, Ann Roth, Ann DeFee and Marin Thomas are giving away a book for the month of August so keep those comments coming--we love to hear what you have to say!

I'm thrilled to announce the final book in my McKade Brothers miniseries, Ryan's Renovation, is out on store shelves this month. This particular book is especially dear to my heart because I was in the middle of writing it when my mother passed away unexpectedly from a brain aneurysm eight days following our annual family visit to her home in San Antonio. Finishing this book was to date one of the toughest challenges I have ever faced.

When I read this portion of a review the other day…

*The conclusion to Marin Thomas' McKade Brothers series is a beautifully written story about having the courage to live again after a horrible tragedy.*

…it hadn’t occurred to me that I had used Ryan's Renovation as a means to grieve for my mother and mourn her passing. But now, looking back on those months, I see that I did. The healing power of a book is truly an amazing thing.

I'd love to hear what book is dear to your heart and why…

Marin
www.marinthomas.com
Ryan's Renovation *McKade Brothers* Aug 07
For The Children *Hearts of Appalachia* Oct 07
In A Soldier's Arms *Hearst of Appalachia* Feb 08
A Coal Miner's Wife *Hearst of Appalachia* Aug 08

Empty nests

Earlier this summer, while pruning a hedge, I came upon a small jumble of sticks. The empty nest had sheltered – or so I believe – a family of hummingbirds that had been whizzing past my head for weeks.

Since its usefulness was over, I discarded it.

This week, I’m tackling a different chore: packing sheets and towels, cold medicine and ibuprofen, a stapler and everything else I can think of that my almost-eighteen-year-old son might need as a freshman at the University of Arizona. It’s probably the last time I’ll ever pack for him.

I’m turning over other responsibilities as well. For each of my two sons, I kept a scrapbook through high school graduation, so they and their future families will have a record of his childhood. Whether they choose to continue saving and organizing photos and mementoes is up to them.

In a few weeks, my husband and I will drive our younger son to Tucson. I’ll probably embarrass him by fussing over his dorm room, although I’ll try not to.

My own parents simply put me on a plane for Boston and shipped my trunk. Three years ago, my older son had a different setup when he enrolled at Vanderbilt University: although he flew by himself, his grandmother met him at the airport. His trunk, which I’d stocked during a visit to my mother that summer, was already in Nashville.

After our brief trip to Arizona, my husband and I will drive back to California, to a house that has no more children in it. Sadly, our cat, as I mentioned in a previous blog, has cancer and won’t be with us much longer, either.

We have lots of plans for what to do with our empty-nest time. More evenings out together. More visits with friends. More travel.

The years of raising kids seemed to stretch on forever. Now they seem as ephemeral as the whir of a hummingbird’s wings.

Pets in your stories

We got a new kitten at the end of June. Winnie's a cutie and at this moment she's sleeping on top of my printer. She's seen the big, adult cats in the household do it, so she follows suit. Mimi, my other tabby, is lying on top of the tub containing my American books. They're about a feet apart. If I turn around, Crystal is sleeping in the Longaberger basket where I keep the paper for the printer. (This is a 6-cat household, and yes, I've heard all the cracks about being a crazy cat lady. Actually, it's my kids who keep bringing them home.)

One of the things I do when planning out my American Romances is to decide if there are pets in the story. Pets, or the lack of, can say a lot about a character. For example, in The Christmas Date, my heroine has a cat. Marie gets a lot of pressure from her girlfriends to find a man, and she's told she'll be old and alone with just her cat to keep her company. In the book I'm working on now, the 10-year old girl hopes that she'll be able to finally have a kitten soon--she's never had a pet. The dad (hero) is already struggling to meet his kids' needs, but there are all these small ones, like a pet, that he's simply not aware of or hasn't realized how much of a priority they are. Hence, conflict.

Winnie took about a month to settle in. The big cats no longer hiss at her and for the most part tolerate her tugging on their tails and eating out of their food bowls. She's found the downstairs basement litterboxes (hooray!) meaning I was able to get the kitten-sized one out of my bathroom. She's stopped crying for her siblings (that was the heartwrenching first three days) and now crawls into people's laps and purrs. She was a wild thing, born outside to my daughter's best friend's grandmother's cat.

So as you go forth and read the next books, look for pets. My inclusion of them is a deliberate thing.

Michele

Inspiration for book plots

Hi guys,
I've had folks ask where I get the inspiration for my books. Actually, they come from a variety of places-the paper, the news, people I see walking in the mall (especially good looking guys), eavesdropping-you name it and I can create a story out of it. My first book was inspired by a group of older guys in the San Antonio airport. What I learned from "listening" was that they make a twice a year trip to Las Vegas to gamble. From there, I segued to having them murder young whipper-snapper drug dealers. In my vivid imagination, they were in the drug trade during the Viet Nam war and as their golden years came along, they became more and more concerned about their upcoming date with Saint Peter. That's when they decided to make amends. In actuality, all they were doing was enjoying life in their John Deere ball caps and suspenders.

I grew up in a small south Texas town, and eccentric people were the norm, not the exception. Maybe that's why I have such a good imagination.

So it's off to finish the second in my Georgia series. Have a great weekend.

Ann DeFee
Georgia On His Mind - Harlequin American Romance - mid- August 2007 (it's a cutie!)
Summer After Summer - Harlequin Everlasting Love - September 2007
The Perfect Tree - Harlequin American Romance Christmas Anthology - November 2007

Tomorrow's novelists

Recently I had a great opportunity to judge a contest for young writers (junior high and high school). For the most part, I saw the type of entries I expected--stories long on passion and enthusiasm and short on discipline. These kids knew what they liked to read and were attempting to duplicate it. I saw everything from an apocalyptic, futuristic war story filled with explosions to a YA chick-lit type story to something that read like a treatment for a B-grade slasher film. The pages were littered with hideous misspellings ("cereal killer" being my favorite), unintelligible sentence structure and random punctuation.

But I saw occasional flashes of brilliance, too--the subtle, sophisticated use of symbolism in one story; funny, sparkling dialogue in another.

My task was to offer abundant praise where possible and gentle suggestions for improvement--pretty easy for the most part.

Then there was Emily's* story. Oh, my Lord, could that little fifteen-year-old write. She described one pivotal moment in a teenager's life, and her story had it all--an endearingly flawed protagonist facing a difficult situation, a plot that hung together, a climax, and a satisfying conclusion. Her writing was filled with rich, sensory detail. Her point of view was solid. Her voice was fresh. Her spelling, grammar and punctuation--flawless.

It's a little embarrassing to be "judging" a teenager who can write circles around me! I hope someone in her life encourages her to pursue writing as a career, because she is certainly off to a brilliant start. I hope she will remember me fondly as the contest judge who gave her the encouragement she needed to pursue a dream.

*not her real name

No More Easy Sell for Me!

A few weeks ago I was watching Road Tested, where Jamie and Bobby Deen travel to towns and cities around the country to visit family-owned food businesses. There they help the owner cook up the specialty of the house, then sit down to eat. They smack their lips and rave about everything, making me always want a taste. I can get one if I want, since viewers can order all the products online. That particular night coconut (a favorite of mine) was the featured ingredient, and I could not resist. I went online and ordered several packages of both the plain and chocolate-covered treats. Neither kind was as good as Bobby and Jamie made them look. I’m thinking that with a little experimentation I could make far tastier versions of the darned things myself.

This is not the first time I’ve bought something I never realized I wanted, simply because someone talked it up. My hairdresser sold me the coolest tanning stuff for my legs. Never mind that I already had some at home, or that hers was pricey. She sprayed it on her legs and they actually shimmered. So I bought a can. Later I realized that the gel on my bathroom shelf does the same thing, plus it doesn’t pollute the air wash off in the shower. Sigh.

These are only two examples of the many times I’ve bought on impulse. It’s time for me to face the music: I’m an easy sell and always have been, and from now on, if I think I want something I plan to think about it awhile before plunking down my hard-earned money.

If anyone else out there an easy sell?

www.annroth.net
Summer Lovin’ Anthology: A Reunion Story, June 2007
Mitch Takes A Wife, August, 2007

Animal Rescue

I had planned to write about the RWA National Conference in Dallas, but all the excitement has already been summed up so well. And now that I’ve been home for over a week, other things are slowly starting to take priority. One of those things is animal rescue, and over the next few weeks I’ll be meeting and interviewing several people involved in this.

The first is a woman who operates a heritage farm. Tomorrow I’m going to meet her, tour the restored log barns on her property, and meet her menagerie. The animals on this farm are not traditional farm animals. Many were rescued by the SPCA and have had the good fortune to find a forever home on a farm with heated barns and a human willing to cater to every dietary whim. I’m writing a Superheroine article about her for the September issue of The Wet Noodle Posse ezine. I’ll try to remember to post a reminder, in case anyone’s interested in reading about this amazing woman.

My second interview will be with a couple who rescue Old English Sheepdogs. I became interested in sheepdog rescue because in my next Harlequin American Romance, With This Ring (December ‘07), the hero has a sheepdog named Max. Sometime this fall I’ll add pictures and information about sheepdog rescue to my website. And as a side note, if you’re an animal lover, I think you’re really going to love Max!

I deeply admire anyone who reaches out to help others, but there’s a special place in my heart for people who rescue mistreated animals, nurture them back to health, and give them a loving, caring home. Don’t you wish the world had more people like them?

Lee
www.leemckenzie.com
www.wetnoodleposse.com

Yet Another Post About Nationals

Oh, gosh. You're probably thinking, not another post about the RWA National conference. Over a week since I got home, and I'm still at loose ends. Just tonight, I looked at my calendar and thought, "Yikes! It's my day to post." And I still haven't even unpacked the last of my bags.

This year I had a particularly great time at conference, my first as a Harlequin author. One of the highlights for me is connecting with many of my long distance friends. I did get a chance to do that this year, but I also made a bunch of new friends among the Harlequin American authors.

Victoria Chancellor is just a hoot (I picked up your new book, Temporarily Texan, the other day, by the way). I think Lee McKenzie and I are twins separated at birth. We showed up at the Harlequin party wearing almost identical outfits! What with our hair being a similar color and both of us wearing glasses, it was hard to tell us apart in the dark. Cathy Gillen Thacker is my new idol. She has an amazing career, and I want to be just like her when I grow up. I also loved meeting Megan. She's so sweet and so excited about her first book coming out. Kim is another excited author. She recently won the Harlequin American contest (and who wouldn't be excited about that?) I hope to see her posting here one day in the near future.

Life immediately returned to normal by Sunday afternoon. I'm grateful my husband and daughter took such good care of the house while I was gone and that the laundry was caught up. Fortuneately, my son was out of town working on a construction job so the house wasn't quite as messy as it could be. My daughter left yesterday for her first big trip alone (she's starting her senior year in high school next month), and her first plane trip alone. I promise not to get all weepy on you. But in private, all bets are off. Cell phones are such wonderful inventions. I made her promise to call me everyday.

Well, it's back to the grindstone for me. I have a book due and line edits on the way. Too bad vacations don't last just a few days longer.

Cathy Mc

HARRY POTTER WEEKEND

I, too, had a great time at RWA. I loved seeing my editors and other authors, and I learned quite a bit at the workshops. But, I have to admit that one of my favorite activities at national was collecting free books. I always bring an extra suitcase and really look forward to standing in lines to meet authors, get books signed, and pack them away. This year, Harlequin had a book signing, and I was fortunate enough to pick up a whole lot of my favorite authors’ novels.

Seeing those books—and feeling that burst of anticipation to read them-reminds me of being in grade school. Every June I’d join the summer reading club hosted by our local library. I had a canvas tote to carry my books in...and a sheet of paper where I carefully recorded each book read.

Both my parents were avid readers, and my brother, sister, and I all love to read, too. Nowadays, I seem to frequent the local Barnes and Noble more than the library…but I still have that great feeling of grabbing a new friend when I hold a new book in my hands.

Especially a new book by a favorite author. So, obviously, this weekend was exciting for me because of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Though I half thought of visiting a store at midnight, I decided to get my copy yesterday. Last night, in honor of getting the new book, my husband took me to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at the movies. Then, way before my two teenagers made it home, I sat in bed with my prize and started reading.

I got up early to read, too. One of my favorite activities to do on the weekends is to read in the morning while the rest of my family is asleep. Sitting, watching the birds in my backyard and enjoying a pot of coffee of my very own has always been completely satisfying.

So, we’ll run to church today. I’ll make a big southern style breakfast of biscuits and sausage and gravy. We’ll get my son off to wrestling camp. I’ll do whatever else needs to be done…but in between all that, I’ll be reading Harry. And smiling.

Because the best news is that I’ve got at least thirty other books from RWA just waiting in line to be read next. No wonder my husband has been teasing me about my exceptionally good mood! So, anyone else reading a good book?

Dallas

Hmm…How to follow all these conference posts? Unlike everyone else, I came back with a head cold and lived on decongestants for six days. I’m just now starting to see the other side of it. I turned in my American on time and spent time recuperating by going to see Harry Potter and Ratatouille.

I think a lot of what got me was the hotel was a brisk 68 degrees, and outside it was a balmy 98 degrees. The temperature differential ate me alive as I was in and out a lot, including spending all day Thursday at Texas Motor Speedway.

I have to admit, I did skip the RITA/Golden Heart ceremony in favor of going out with a friend of mine who lives in Garland, TX. Carrie and I have been friends since our sophomore year in high school where we ended up sitting next to each other in Mrs. Folsom’s 10th grade English class. We went out and celebrated my birthday, which was yes, Saturday, July 14. We went to the top of the Reunion Tower in the restaurant there and revolved around the city for a few hours along with my friend Joyce Adams Counts.

Now back at Kirkwood High School, Carrie and I were what you call goody-two shoes who were worried about our GPAs. To Mrs. Folsom, we were two who listened tried to learn. In fact, she would use us to break up her troublemakers or talking. For example, she’d move Carrie over a few rows. I’d wait a day, go to her desk and tell Mrs. Folsom I was tired of sitting by the door and would like to be by the window—in that empty seat over by Carrie. Surprisingly enough, this worked about eight times, like when I got tired of the front and went to the back, etc.

Mrs. Folsom, however, wasn’t as washed up or as oblivious as a few of the D- kids in the class thought. Case in point was when she snapped at two boys in the back one day and told them to stop talking. One of them smarted back, “Well, what about Carrie and Michele? They’re up their gabbing away” (we were in the two seats closest to her desk) to which Mrs. Folsom replied, “When you have an A, I won’t hear you either.”

Now that I’m a teacher myself—high school English no less— I often tell this story to my students. Carrie is a music teacher. So we’ve been friends forever (bridesmaids in each others’ weddings) and because she doesn’t have much reason to get back to St. Louis since she has no family there anymore, I try to see her when I’m in Dallas. (PS--I'm the one on the right in the photo above.)

For more pictures of my trip, feel free to pop on over to my blog at http://www.micheledunaway.blogspot.com/

Michele

Conference excitement continues

Like everyone else, I’m talking about the conference. It’s been four days since I came home from the Dallas and I’m still energized. (Especially now that I’ve caught up on sleep. ☺).

What a fabulous time!

It’s always wonderful to see old friends and make new ones (hi, everyone!!). We Harlequin American authors gathered for an editor and author get-together that was crowded—maybe cozy is a better word?— but enjoyable. We don’t all know each other, and putting faces with names is always fun and interesting.

Touching bases Kathleen Scheibling and Paula Eyklehof and all the editors is wonderful, too. I am happy to report that Harlequin American is doing very well. Hooray! Kathleen loves our blog enough to mention it at the Spotlight: Harlequin seminar. She recommended that people visit. So be sure to post often—a Harlequin editor might be reading your comments.

Best of all, I came back eager to get to work. I have rolled up my sleeves and jumped into a new story, and am having a ball with it.

I’m already looking forward to next year’s conference in San Francisco.


Ann Roth
www.annroth.net
Summer Lovin’ Anthology: A Reunion Story, June 2007
Mitch Takes A Wife, August, 2007www.annroth.net

Echoes of Dallas 2007

If anyone reading this blog hasn't come to the conclusion that we love going to RWA conference each year, they haven't been paying attention. But of course everyone has been, so I'll add my .02 and echo the others here about what a wonderful experience the conference is, and this year was no exception.

My first conference was in Dallas in 1996 during the same dates in July. I was in shock when I arrived in Dallas that first time. Authors whose books I read were normal people, leading everyday lives, just like me! I walked around with my mouth open in awe, I'm sure. I had just become an RWA member and the opportunity of being with so many others excited me. I had even stumbled into a chatroom for romance authors, where I met a Golden Heart finalist for that year. Kathie DeNosky and I had only exchanged two or three emails when we met face to face in Dallas in '96, but we became critique partners and dear friends. This year, eleven years later, we were roommates for the first time. It just seemed fitting.

As a newbie to Harlequin American this year, it was wonderful to meet many of the other authors on this blog at conference. They are all the lovely ladies I knew they would be, and I hope we have the chance to spend more time together, both here on the blog and at future conferences.

Ladies of Harlequin American, I lift my glass to you all. Readers of Harlequin American, the next toast is to you for reading our books.

Authors and editors and books—oh, my!

You've probably noticed a trend in the blog posts this week, and I'm going to continue it.

I've just returned from the Romance Writers of America annual conference, held this year in Dallas, Texas, where I had the great luck to run into many of your favorite Harlequin American authors and be wined and dined by our wonderful Harlequin American Romance editors.

Well...okay, I drank water. (grin) But I ate enough to make up for the lack of calories from alcoholic beverages. I talked enough to develop a sore throat and raspy—though sexy—voice. And I partied enough to satisfy me until next year!

The best news I brought home from the conference is that romance is going strong in the marketplace, with 2006 sales up substantially from the previous year. Of course, when I shared the info with my husband, he said he already knew it, based on the ever-increasing size of my To Be Read pile! Then he moaned about the fact that, if only I'd asked, he could have saved me the price of the plane fare and the conference registration!

No way, I told him. So much more went on during my five fun-filled days in Dallas!

Picture two thousand-plus women and a handful of men, all focused on learning, networking, partying—and collecting autographed books.

Imagine seemingly endless days and nights of chatting, networking, partying—and getting to sleep way past the usual bedtime.

Believe me when I tell you, much as I enjoyed myself, I am more than ready to return to my usual routine.

Even better, I'm bursting with energy to write—and my husband surely can't moan about that! ;0)


All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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

Chicago Sight-Seeing

Happy Monday and a warm welcome back to the authors who spent last week at the RWA conference.

While some authors "partied" in Dallas I hosted a houseful of guests from San Antonio. We spent one day in Chicago sight-seeing. Chicago is such a beautiful city with so many gorgeous old buildings. We visited the Sears Tower--always fun to see people paying basketball and tennis on the rooftops of buildings! Then we hopped a water taxi and made our way over to Michigan Ave for some hard-core shopping--can't beat $2 a person and the boat is a lot safer than a cab.

For those of you who remember the old Saturday Night Live skits….we had lunch at the famous Billy Goat Tavern…

Ever hear of the "Curse of the Billy Goat," also known as the Cubs Curse?Do you recall the Saturday Night Live sketch in which a short order cook would yell out to incoming patrons: "Cheezborger! Cheezborger!No fries, cheeps! No Pepsi, Coke!"?

Here's a tidbit of info on the Goat:
The original Billy Goat Tavern location was "born" in 1934 when Greek immigrant, William "Billy Goat" Sianis, purchased the Lincoln Tavern. Billy Goat bought the tavern for $205, with a check that bounced but was later repaid with sales from the first weekend. The tavern was located across from the Chicago Stadium (now United Center) and attracted mainly sports fans. Sianis became known as "Billy Goat," when a goat fell off a passing truck and wandered inside. Sianis adopted the goat, grew a goatee, acquired the nickname "Billy Goat," and changed the name of the bar to the Billy Goat Tavern.

As I ate my cheezborger that afternoon I thought what a great setting for an American book. Who knows, maybe one day I'll think up a Billy Goat plot.

Our day ended with a few hours at the annual Taste of Chicago event, then a long train ride back to the suburbs. During the ride home I concluded that Chicago would be a wonderful setting for an American book. Yes, the city is huge but it's comprised of smaller communities throughout and the people are warm and friendly.

This is the final week of my e-harlequin daily serial, True Confessions. If you haven’t checked out the story of Pat and Dolly, two characters from my upcoming August release, Ryan's Renovation (The McKade Brothers) I invite you to stop by and join in the discussion. http://www.eharlequin.com/

Have a great week everyone!

Marin
http://www.marinthomas.com/
The Preacher's Daughter *Summer Lovin* June 07
Ryan's Renovation *McKade Brothers* Aug 07
For The Children *Hearts of Appalachia* Oct 08

Everything in the Garden

To many romance writers, the month of July brings to mind the annual Romance Writers of America national convention, which ended yesterday in Dallas. I usually attend, but this year family commitments ate up too much of my writing time.

Not a bad thing, right?

My younger son graduated from high school last month and starts college in August at the University of Arizona. Older son (a senior at Vanderbilt) is spending a rare summer near home on a computer internship at Harvey Mudd College. My mom – ceramic sculptor Sylvia Hyman – is celebrating her 90th birthday this year. She has a major exhibit at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts and is the subject of a DVD, “Sylvia Hyman: Eternal Wonder,” by filmmaker Curt Hahn (available at http://www.filmhouse.com/sylvia.php).

So here I am, between celebrations and at home in California, writing away. In addition to getting more pages done, there’s another advantage to staying home: enjoying my garden.

Every year, I experiment. That means growing a never-before-tried vegetable or variety, moving the zucchini to a different location, and so on. Unlike conventional square gardens, mine is scattered among a variety of planting beds with a variety of light patterns and drainage.

Whatever I did this year seems to be working. Plenty of zucchini – I love it! – and enough tomatoes without overwhelming me like last year. Delicious eggplant, tons of basil (even my younger son has learned to love pesto), lots of cucumbers, parsley and lettuce, which amazingly hasn’t bolted (gone to seed) in the 90-degree heat.

The only disappointment is the green beans. Whatever variety I planted turned out to be bush beans instead of pole, and only provided two meals before pooping out. I’ve replanted with my longtime favorite, Kentucky Blue, which hasn’t yet germinated. If you have favorite varieties of vegetables, please post them so I can try them next year! (I’m willing to consider all suggestions).

My cat’s enjoying the garden too, digging around the edges and chasing grasshoppers. Since he has cancer, this will probably be his last summer, but fortunately he’s unaware of that. Like all cats, he lives in the present, greeting me with meows when I work outside and hurrying over for a cuddle.

Lots of things grow in my garden. Including love.

Nap Time!!!

Whew!!! Nothing spells exhaustion better than R-W-A!!! For anyone out there who doesn't know, RWA stands for Romance Writers of America, and every year they hold a super fab party--um, I mean conference--for two thousand or so members. This year's was held in Dallas, so me and my BFF, Margaret Daley (who writes for Harlequin's Steeple Hill line), drove over and roomed together.

I was supposed to spend the week working on a project that's due August 1st, but then my other BFF Winnie Griggs showed up, and then Joanne Rock, and Lenora Worth and Connie and Donna and Eve and Pat and Denise and another cool Pat and Jan Hudson and Michelle and Cathy and Kara Lennox and Ann Roth--I could go for days!!! Bottom line, I didn't get nearly as much writing done as planned, but I had a SUPER time!!!!

Highlights of my trip were getting to chat with Shelley Galloway--a Har. Am. author I'd talked with online, but hadn't really gotten to know. Turns out we have tons in common. Alas, she lives in Ohio, so nice, long ladies luncheons are out!!

Also big fun was our swanky lunch with line editors Kathleen Scheibling and Johanna Raisanen. I had tenderloin brochettes and seafood bisque!! For dessert, Cathy Gillen Thacker and I split a peanut butter pie that was roll-your-eyes-back-in-your-head yummy!!!

Harlequin hosted a massive booksigning, and lots of free books were given away, then signed by the authors. My boys weren't too happy about having to haul in my heavy bags, but I'm excited about getting all those great reads!!!

Best of all was Friday night's Harlequin Party held at the Fairmount Hotel!!!! We danced barefoot and drank cosmos and gobbled strawberries dipped in the chocolate fountain till midnight!!! We arrived at the party in a stretch Hummer Limo, then left in a regular limo with a ceiling that sparkled like stars!!! LOTS of pics were taken, but not with my cam, because my BAD kids forgot to put the memory card back in my digital camera. I did have lots of other folks take pics for me, though, so I'll be sure to post those either here, or on my regular blog and/or web site.

Anyway, sorry to be late with my post, but I just got in, and now I'm going to bed for a week!!! ;-)

P.S. Until I get conference pics, here's a pic of our recent family trip to Colorado. Son #2, Daughter and I are somewhere on the raft. Our hunky guide Byron is in red. Hubby and Son #1 went on the scarier ride!!! This one was plenty nerve-racking for me!! :-)

P.S.S. Congrats to all of our Summer Lovin' contest winners!!! I haven't been home in a while, but now that I'm back, I'll get any prizes I owe folks right out!!

My very first sale

Right now I'm at the RWA national convention in Dallas, so Holly Jacobs is being a wonderful friend and posting this for me. Since I made my first sale because of RWA, I thought it would make a good blog while I'm away. So here goes!

I sold my first book as part of an editor appointment at the 1999 RWA national convention in Chicago. It’s rather funny. I have never owned a watch, so I showed up early like they say you are supposed to, checked in, and when some rather harried and stressed out volunteer told me to get in line and go in, I did. I was so nervous that I asked the editor if I could read her my pitch. Before I began, she said, "What line?" in this rather tired tone. See, she'd been moved to the line that spring and had tons of people trying to pitch her stuff for her old line. I can imagine her frustration.

So I said, "Harlequin American" to which she perked up and said, "Really?" and I said, "Yep," and named two top Harlequin/Silhouette authors who had helped me know she was the right editor to whom to pitch. The statements were true, although both authors had simply been kind enough to email me the information since I was a fan who loved their books. (We've since become friends.)

But before I could read my pitch, that harried volunteer was back. Seemed she'd put me in early, so I was in someone else's time slot! When they realized I was next, RWA just switched us since I'd already started. So I read my pitch, the editor requested it, and then we had about five minutes of chat time. So she asked me what Harlequin American books I'd read in the line lately (uh, none--they'd all been about two years old), so I named the Judy Christenberry book I'd picked up in the goodie room the day before (and which I promptly read that night). Then we talked about the line's upcoming direction--a much safer of a topic.

I got home from conference, mailed the book within the week, and in the middle of September (yep, that’s all it took), I got the call--and wasn't home. There was a 212 area code on my caller ID on a Friday afternoon. I had a local chapter meeting and everyone told me I'd sold, but I refused to believe it until I'd heard it directly.

So I got the call Monday at work, and went screaming out into the office--the school nurse where I taught thought someone was dying. The funny part is, during that call, the editor she said, “I met so many people that day, can you remind me who you were?” So I replied, “The one in the wrong time slot” to which she replied, “I remember you!”

But I sold my second manuscript right before convention 2000 and A Little Office Romance came out in October 2000, so I guess my mishaps turned out okay. I've sold a total of seventeen Harlequin American Romances, hit the Waldenbooks Series Best Selling list a few times, won Cataromance Best HAR of 2005 and been nominated for an RT award. The best part though, is I've done all this in eight years and you, the reader, have been with me all the way. So thank you. Dreams can come true if you're willing to follow them, no matter what mishaps occur along the way.

(PS--I never did tell anyone but my roommates about the tray of dirty breakfast dishes that my purse caught getting off the escalator following the appointment--and upended--after leaving that appointment. I don't claim to know anything about those and still don't.)

Michele Dunaway

Hart's Victory, Harlequin Stories Set in the World of NASCAR, 12/07

The Christmas Date, Harlequin American Romance, 12/07

The Marriage Recipe, Harlequin American Romance, 4/08

I'm off to the conference

As you read this, I'll be on my way to the Hyatt downtown for the RWA conference. (Or I'm already there!)

This is the highlight of my year, and lots of my fellow romance writers agree with me. We prepare for weeks and months: The clothes, the hair, the fingernails. We make the travel arrangements and check them ten times. We coordinate with our friends. We make plans for meals, shopping and touristy stuff. We practice pitching our books, in case we get stuck in an elevator with an editor.

I love immersing myself for days in this "other" world where I am Kara Lennox, author. I love sitting in the bar 'til all hours laughing myself sick with old friends and new. I love wearing my "dress-up clothes."

After running on adrenaline for four days, I'll crash when it's all over, barely able to stumble to the fridge and back to bed. I'll ask myself why I do it. Why do I spend all that money and time? But then I'll arise like a phoenix from the ashes, overcome by this incredible urge to write, write, write. THAT's why I do it!

Monthly Contest

Because of the success of the Summer Lovin' contest, the Harlequin American authors have decided to hold a monthly contest. The entry is simple--just read the blogs and post.

Here are the complete details:

Be sure to post your comments! Each month those readers who have posted comments will have their names entered into a drawing to receive autographed books. Details of who won and what you won will appear in actual blog posts. So check back often and be sure to leave a comment. Good luck!

(Please note, the blog administrators reserve the right to remove any inappropriate or bogus comments from both the blog and the contest.)

So that's it. Each month we will give away at least one book, if not more. The contest opens on the first day of the month and ends on the last. Winners will be posted after that and will need to email the authors (we promise you'll know who they are by then) who are giving away that month.

While this may sound a tad confusing (who am I, a writer? Sheesh) I promise it will all be easy and painless. Those of you already having posted--you're entered.

Good Luck!

Movies and Packing

Like Victoria I’m getting ready to attend the national Romance Writer’s conference in Dallas. The rain has finally stopped and the sun is out and shining brightly. We haven’t seen much of it lately and for once I’m glad to see it.

I’ll be signing Once A Cowboy at the Literacy Signing so if you’re in Dallas stop by and visit with all the American authors at the Hyatt Regency. We’d love to see you.

I’ve been packing for two days trying to figure out what to wear. (I hate that part) There’s a lot of parties, luncheons, meetings, workshops and just visiting with old friends and making new ones. It’s a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to it. On Sunday the fun ends and it will be time to go home and back to writing. Being around so much creativity recharges my batteries and I’ll be eager to see my computer and start weaving stories again.

As I was packing I got sidetracked with a movie on television—Jeremiah Johnson. I saw about the last forty-five minutes. I’d forgotten how incredibly handsome Robert Redford was in his younger days. He’s not bad now but, wow, I found myself staring at the screen a lot. If you haven’t seen it, it’s an old western set in the Colorado Mountains in the 1800s. I missed the first part and I don’t know how he ended up in the mountains by himself. I don’t even know if it was an actually movie or a movie made for television. I’d look it up, but I have to finish packing. Grrr!

Has anyone seen this movie? How did Jeremiah end up all alone? I enjoyed watching something a little different than what’s usually on TV. And Robert Redford was enough to keep me spellbound. I guess I like the strong, silent, gorgeous type. (sigh) Now back to the dreaded suitcase. I don’t think I can close it. Everyone, have a great week.
Linda Warren

Hello from Sunny Texas

Greetings from Texas, where the rain has stopped (for now) and we're looking forward to the Romance Writers of America conference here next week. If you are in the Dallas area, I hope you will come to the Literary Booksigning on Wednesday evening, beginning at 5:30 pm at the Hyatt Hotel. You can get more information on the RWA website - www.rwanational.org.

I hope to sign my July release, TEMPORARILY TEXAN, at the autographing if the books arrive. Publishers donate the books and all the proceeds go to literacy efforts.

TEMPORARILY TEXAN is the first book in my new "Brody's Crossing" series for HAR. Brody's Crossing is a fictional town in a real part of Texas, near the Young County seat of Graham. This is an interesting region where cattle ranches, oil and mineral reserves, and gravel pits exist with rolling hills, rocky mesas, and rampant wildflowers. My friend and fellow writer, Rebecca Russell, and I went to Graham, TX for a research trip last winter. The area hadn't changed much from the first time I visited with my late mother-in-law years ago to attend the wedding of a cattle rancher's daughter. I hope to have some of the photos uploaded on my website, but probably not until after the RWA conference!

Our July Harlequin American Romances will be out starting Tuesday, so please take a look. One thing about my book cover, though; the heroine's "real" haircolor is black. (Hint: Her name is RAVEN!) On the cover, she has light brown hair. I have no idea why the art department does this sometimes, but the setting is really nice inside Dewey's, a regular meeting place in Brody's Crossing, Texas. Come visit me there!

Victoria

Mistake made... and comments, anyone?

Unfortunately, Marin posted an incorrect email address for me. My contact info is ann@annroth.net. So Abamabecky, if you've emailed already and have gotten no reply, this is why. Please email again!

Here is a question for today. What are you reading this week? I was gone last week and picked up Sandcastles by Luanne Rice. So far it's excellent!

Bye,
Ann Roth
www.annroth.net
Summer' Lovin (A Reunion Story), June 2007
Mitch Takes A Wife, August 2007

I'm gone but not my post!

As you read this, I am in Ahsland, Oregon at the Oregon Shakespeare festival. This is our fifth time there. The festival opens in February and closes in November, but we always go in the summer. Ashland is a great town that boasts nature walks, a small university, and the best theater I've ever seen. (the acting! The sets!) There are three theaters and the festival offers plays by Shakespeare and other great playwrights, both modern and old. You can take a backstage tour and learn about what goes on behind the scenes. And it's only 12 miles from Medford, home of Harry and David and Jackson & Perkins roses. Touring the gardens where they develop new rose varieties is a real treat..

We love to drive down the Oregon coast and spend the Fourth of July in Ashland because the town puts on the best little parade ever. All the kids participate, and it's just plain fun. At night we skip the fireworks to see a play at the Elizabethan theater, which is a theater with no ceiling and looks out on the starry sky. Talk about fabulous. This year, Romeo and Juliet. How romantic.

I've left my laptop behind and won't be responding to any comments. But I'll look forward to reading them when I get home. (For a mere three days before I leave for RWA in Dallas!)
Congratulations to the June winners of books by Laura Altom, Marin Thomas and me! I don't even know who you are yet (I left town July 1, before the winners were chosen) and am excited to find out!

Ann Roth

Summer Lovin' Anthology: A Reunion Story, June 2007
Mitch Takes A Wife, August, 2007
www.annroth.net

My New View

Not long ago my son and I switched rooms. His bedroom is now in the basement, and my office is upstairs, overlooking the backyard. I didn’t particularly want to switch rooms, but it meant a lot to him…and well, you know how it goes.

So now, instead of looking at four walls and seeing light pour into a little window, all while listening to the washer and dryer, my desk now faces the backyard. And because sometimes the words don’t come as easy as I would like while I write, I’ve recently begun to take notice of a lot of things outside.

We have two new things in our backyard this summer. The first is a bird feeder. It's hanging on a black iron holder right next to a maple tree that has recently grown by leaps and bounds. Birds have discovered it, and I’m constantly filling the thing. And constantly watching for my new favorite pair of birds…a male and female cardinal. Now, Kara Lennox is a bird watcher extraordinaire! I’m just a cardinal watcher, I’m afraid. But I do get a kick out of seeing them together. I’ve never really been a fan of birds, but this pair is making me wonder if maybe I’ve been missing out on something and didn’t even know it.

The other new thing in our backyard is a garden my husband and son planted. There’s all kinds of things growing in it~ tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers. But the star of the show is my son’s pumpkin plant. Oops, excuse me, GIANT PUMPKIN plant. When they put the little plant in the ground, it was kind of cute. It fit in the little area, and we all envisioned a pumpkin or two for Halloween. Boy, were we wrong! I am pretty sure it grows at least a foot a day. It’s grown outside the wooden ties that border the garden, and just keeps growing…and going!

Frankly, my daughter and I find it a little scary. Its leaves are bigger than Phoebe-the-beagle’s head. We have to check it often to make sure it doesn’t go through the fence and into our neighbor’s yard. And so far, we’ve counted eight blooms. Eight! The thing’s enormous. People who know plants and gardens more than we do (which is pretty much everyone!) say we were idiots~I guess pumpkin vines need a place of their own. Right now, I’d guess that it’s trying to take over our whole backyard. I’ll let you know if it wins.

Oh, on another note…for those of you who might remember my Day of Extreme in Costa Rica…our family leaves for West Virginia tomorrow, with the highlight on Thursday being Class V rapids on the New River. However, I will not be white water rafting. Nope, I have a pedicure scheduled at a nearby spa.

I can’t tell you who’s more excited. : )

Shelley

And the Winners Are.....

Now that I have your attention….Before I announce the Summer Lovin' contest winners I'd like to invite you all to stop by www.eharlequin.com and check out my daily serial, True Confessions.

What happens when a confirmed bachelor falls for a girl he knows is the marrying kind? Turn to his parish priest to confess his sinful thoughts, of course!

Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned!

I, Patrick Felch, confirmed bachelor, have been having impure thoughts about my hot new neighbor, Dolly Mathews. She’s the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen, and has a body that…Well, anyway Father, I can tell she’s not the type to be interested in just a fling, but how do I keep myself from asking her out and trying to get her into bed? After all, there’s no way I’m looking for a serious commitment, not this guy, no way!

A new chapter is posted M-F until July 20th. Hope you'll stop!

Okay, back to business….I want to thank each and every poster for the month of June! Our Summer Lovin' Contest was a huge success. I hope all of you will continue to stop by our blog and share your thoughts and comments.

Brethe is the winner of Laura Marie Altom's US Marshals series, Saving Joe, Marrying the Marshal, His Baby Bonus and To Catch a Husband.

Abamabecky is the winner of Ann Roth's The Man She'll Marry and It Happened One Wedding, the first two books in her To Wed ... Or Not To Wed miniseries.

Kathleen is the winner of Marin Thomas's McKade Brothers series, Aaron Under Construction, Nelson in Command and Ryan's Renovation.

Each winner will need to contact their author with their full name and address.

lauramarie@lauramariealtom.com

annroth@comcast.net

marin@marinthomas.com


Congratulations ad thanks for participating in our Summer Lovin contes!!

Marin Thomas
www.marinthomas.com
Ryan's Renovation (Aug 07)
For The Children (Oct 07)

Summer reading -- just for fun!

Every year, newspapers and magazines run lists of recommended beach or poolside reading. I hope you’re all buying the releases from Harlequin American, but I thought I’d offer a few additional recommendations.

My all-time favorite is Pride and Prejudice. And I recently ran across the curious incident of the dog in the night-time, a charming coming-of-age story by Mark Haddon, written from the point of view of an autistic boy.

But mostly, I’m recommending books written by friends, because I love their work. You can find these at your favorite bookstore or on-line at www.amazon.com.

In the field of romantic suspense, Kat Martin’s The Summit is a fast-moving read about a woman whose dreams lead her to a rescue mission. Dead Shot by Annie Solomon tells the gripping story of an art photographer, her bodyguard and a dangerously obsessed fan. Don’t overlook Suzanne Forster’s The Arrangement and Diane Pershing’s One Cool Lawman (from Silhouette Romantic Suspense).

For an exciting foray into the vampire genre, try One With the Night by Susan Squires. A lighter venture into the paranormal comes from Maureen Child. Her More Than Fiends features a maid service owner who discovers that her centuries-old cleaning solution has hidden powers.

Looking for historical romance? Don’t miss A Lady of Scandal by one of my favorite Regency authors, Nicole Byrd. In the Western genre, you’ll enjoy Karen Kay’s Red Hawk’s Woman.

For a private-eye story with a humorous touch, check out The Sex on the Beach Book Club by Jennifer Apodaca and Meow Is for Murder by Linda O. Johnston.

As you can see, I’m blessed with wonderfully talented friends. Once you’ve read their books, I hope you’ll consider them your friends, too.

Fact & Fiction 3

Okay, here is the final installment in Fact and Fiction. It’s been fun sharing what’s been based in reality. The fun thing about writing is that yes, I really do write all of those 65,000 plus words you are reading, so a lot of thought and care goes into every one.

My next two books are both out simultaneously in December 2007. Hart’s Victory is a Harlequin Special Release—Stories set in the world of NASCAR. My daughter and I decided to go to Nashville for the first ever Sound and Speed in 2006. It wasn’t organized very well, and we, being silly novices, didn’t realize that Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans are rabid and they started lining up at 6 AM for the 9 AM autograph bracelets you needed to get in. While I adore Dale Jr., I won’t stand three hours in subzero temperatures to get his autograph. (We met Jeff Green.) Still, we made the best of the event, toured the Country Music Hall of Fame where an employee took a shine on my daughter and gave her a personal tour, and trotted back over for the last Q & A of the day, which featured Jo Dee Messina, Dale Jr., Montgomery Gentry, Keith Anderson and some others. My daughter got to ask a question of Dale Jr. While the question she asked is not exactly the same one that Charlie, my heroine’s son, asks in the book, she did, however, manage to stump Dale, and all of the sudden the wheels started clicking and on the drive home from Nashville, the entire story came together in my head. I wrote a proposal in two weeks, and sent it to my agent and it became my 15th sale.

The Christmas Date is a Harlequin American and it was actually inspired by a high school student I met at a scholastic journalism convention once. Nick Koenig graduated from Parkway Central High School in St. Louis and went to the University of Texas—Austin. He was determined to be a professional photojournalist at all cost. I wrote the book long ago, but when it finally sold just last year I rewrote the whole thing. While I’ve never seen Nick again, or even remember what he looks like, I’ve heard through a mutual friend he did all he set out to do, including climbing Mount Everest. Ten years later he’s no longer working as a globetrotting photographer (I guess after Everest, what’s left?), but ever since hearing his determination his senior year, he’d always had me wondering, what type of woman would that type of guy settle with? So you’ll find out when you meet Tyler Nichols in The Christmas Date, out next December. PS—I needed a southern city with a law school with night classes. Orlando fit the bill and I’d been to its airport. I have to admit, this is one of those books of the heart, and has a few funny moments in it, too.

Last, I’m scheduled to have a Harlequin American out in April 2008. Titled The Marriage Recipe, Rachel is a professional chef who graduated from the CIA. I have made the coconut cake she makes in the book, including scraping the coconut out of the shell myself. As for the plane Colin co-owns, that’s the very one I went flying in last February. For this book, I went back to Morrisville, Indiana, which I’ve since learned from a reader is a real town. However, the Morrisville I made up is just east of Batesville, the place where all the hospital beds and caskets are made, and where my cousin lives. So everything in Morrisville is very made up, but I was excited to go back there fictionally since I love the town so much.

Okay, that’s the end. I hope you’ve enjoyed some of these little tidbits.
And PS—don’t forget that today is your last day to comment to be entered in the contest. You don’t necessarily have to answer me this post. You can feel free to answer such things as, how have you liked the blog this month? What else would you like to see? Etc.

Also, because my next post isn’t until the 12th, Happy 4th of July.

Michele

I love it, I love it not

Every book I write goes through several predictable stages. When I first come up with the idea, I love it. It's the best idea I've ever had, and it will be the best book I've ever written. I love it until I finish a proposal and send it off to my editor, at which point everything changes. The moment the package is transferred from my hands to the postal worker's (or I hit the "send" button) I am sure I've made a terrible mistake. The book is the worst idea I've ever had, and it's going to end my career.

Then, a few weeks or months later, I get a call. The editor loves it and she's buying it. Yay! The book is wonderful again. I am so clever. But then I have to write the thing. Suddenly I'm seething with doubts. Why did I think this was a good idea? I can't write this book. I'll have to send the advance money back.

Yet somehow I do finish it. I've never not finished a book that was under contract. I lovingly polish the manuscript, falling in love with the idea all over again, and send it off. And immediately I am sure the book will not be accepted and I'll have to start from scratch. My career is once again over.

Happily, the editor usually likes it, and I feel like a genius again--until I receive the edited manuscript and I see in black and white all the mistakes I made, all the changes the editor wants me to make, and I feel dumb again. But somehow it gets done, though I'm positive readers will hate it and never pick up one of my books again. As if I'll ever sell another one.

I don't love the book agaiin until I receive the final page proofs. It's only when I read it again from start to finish, as if I were a reader, that I can see the story as a whole with fresh eyes, and fall in love all over again.

Of course, I continue to feel insecure about it. That's just how most writers are. Once the book is released I have to deal with reviews, comments from readers, and worries about whether it's selling well. It's a continual up and down. One day I'm brilliant, the next day I'm the village idiot.

Fortunately today I'm a genius. I just read through the page proofs for GOOD HUSBAND MATERIAL, my January 2008 book, and I love it again. For this week, anyway!

Gone Fishin'

Why is it that vacations sound so relaxing...until you actually have to go on one?

Even if my husband and I were going to spend the next week and a half lazing near the water (him fishing, me reading), there's still all the last minute stuff involving the house sitter, cat care, making sure we don't let any bills fall through the cracks and come home to no electricity or water, and I of course had to finish a book (Fed-Exed it today...yay!!!!)

So we have all that done. Is it time to relax? No. No, it's time to get in the van with our four year old and five year old for a drive through four states and down--way, way down--the Texas coast. At which point, tired and cranky, we will pile into a beach house with lots of in-laws and a single restroom.

So, someone remind me, as I stand in the middle of my room trying to get packed, why did I think this sounded restful when I agreed to it? Clearly, I had us confused with some other family's vacation plans!

Spandex

Hi guys,
I've been toying with the idea of naming my latest WIP Tough Guys Wear Spandex. The hero of the book is a pro football player with great buns, so that seems appropriate. In general I think spandex is a yucky fashion statement, but think of some of the folks (primarily of the male persuasion) who look darned good-football players, Lance Armstrong and crew, baseball players, Olympic swimmers, etc. And that brings me to the subject of people who should, and people who shouldn't (even under the threat of torture) wear that particular fabric.
I love to play tennis, and I avidly watch all the Grand Slam tournaments. There's a famous American player who really belongs in the "shouldn't" category. Unfortunately, she either doesn't know it, or is in denial. Yikes!

So, the moral of this story is if you don't look like Cameron Diaz, stick with natural fabrics-preferably cotton!

Ann DeFee

Georgia On His Mind - Harlequin American Romance - August 2007
Summer After Summer - Harlequin Everlasting Love - September 2007
The Perfect Tree - Harlequin American Romance Christmas Anthology - Nov. 2007

In the grand scheme of things

We’ve been remodeling around here and the dust and chaos are wreaking havoc with my preferred writing schedule. I have managed to write though. As an early riser, mornings are my most productive time. Now I write whenever I can, often in the afternoon and evening. It’s good to know I can work then, but I’m looking forward to returning my usual routine.

The company we hired said the job would take ten days. But remodels and repairs never go as planned, and we’re now into day sixteen.

As a glass-half-full woman, I’m working hard to make the best of the situation. Noise and dust? What are those in the grand scheme of things? When the work is over the improvements to our home will be worth the upheaval.

This is my last post before the end of the contest. Lots of luck to everyone!


Good news: At last I have a title for my second Halo Island book, out in March, 2008—The Pilot’s Woman. Whoever suggested that one, thanks!


Ann Roth
Summer Lovin’ Anthology: A Reunion Story, June 2007
Mitch Takes A Wife, August, 2007
www.annroth.net

Comfort Food

Whether comfort food is a guilty pleasure or a delectable treat that soothes the soul, I’m guessing we all have at least one. I have several!

American Romance editor Johanna Raisanen (remember her guest blog on April 13?) and I recently had a conversation about comfort food. She told me about her mother’s Christmas gingerbread cookies (my mouth is watering already) and her pulla—a Finnish sweet bread flavored with cardamom—and how delicious it was, especially “slathered with butter, right out of the oven.”

My grandmother used to make that bread as well! I don’t remember her using the Finnish name for it, but I do remember it warm from the oven. Oh, my.

That conversation with Johanna got me thinking about comfort food, and I realized that mine are all associated with my Finnish grandmother, who passed away in 1982 but lives forever in my heart. She was an amazing cook, and everyone in my family still raves about her breads and pastries.

She also made rice pies called piirakka, and although I haven’t had them in years, they are still one of my comfort foods. Piirakka are oval-shaped pies made from unleavened rye dough and filled with rice that has been cooked in milk, so its nice and creamy. I wish I knew how to make them, but my grandmother never used a cookbook and none of her recipes were ever written down.

My two other comfort foods are peanut butter cookies and butter tarts. Not specifically Finnish, but my grandmother made them all the time. She rolled peanut butter cookie dough into little balls and flattened them with the tines of a fork, so the tops had a crisscross pattern. To this day, a peanut butter cookie just doesn’t seem right if it hasn’t been flattened with a fork.

As for those butter tarts, what can I say? Still slightly warm from the oven, sweet and gooey with melt-in-your-mouth pastry . . . I can taste one now!

Wikipedia describes comfort food as “any food or drink to which one habitually turns for temporary respite, security, or special reward.” Accurate, but kind of cold sounding, don’t you think?

My comfort foods literally transport me back in time. My grandmother baked every day, and her kitchen was always filled with sweet, wonderful scents, not to mention a ton of love and laughter. A butter tart will take me there, every time.

What are your comfort foods? Do you associate them with someone or someplace special? I'd love to hear about them!

Lee
www.leemckenzie.com

PS: For more about my grandmother, please check out my SuperHeroine article at WetNoodlePosse.com.

Top Ten Favorite Movies

The other night my daughter and I watched the TV special, AFI's Top 100 Movies of All Time. It was fun guessing the movies on the list. I did pretty good, impressing my daughter. I agreed with some of those selected and not with others. When my daughter asked me what my favorite movies of all time were, I made my own top ten list. After I finished, I realized my list said a lot about me as a person (and not just that I grew up watching old movies on TV).

1. Spencer's Mountain
2. Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (1964 version)
3. Beauty and the Beast (Disney animated version)
4. Star Wars (the original)
5. Planet of the Apes (the original)
6. Little Mermaid (Disney animated version)
7. Dirty Dancing
8. The Quiet Man
9. Black Beauty (1994 version)
10. The Count of Monte Cristo (2002) version

All right. So, what does this list say about me? Certainly that I love movies — and books for that matter — with a happy ending or, at least, a hopeful ending. The AFI's number one movie was Citizen Kane, and I certainly didn't think that movie had a happy ending. Every movie on my list is either a romance or has a strong romantic element. Yes, even Black Beauty has his horse girlfriend (grin). The movies I like best aren't necessarily deep or thought provoking but rather they're entertaining, which is how I like my books, too. This isn't to say I'm not a deep person, rather that movies are an escape for me.

How did I choose these movies? Well, despite having seen them again and again (the top two 25 or more times), I'd sit down and watch them today if you asked me. Also, they each evoke a strong emotional response in me, either making me cry or giving me chills.

Now I'm curious. What are some of your all time favorite movies and why?

UDDERS AND PUTTERS

Something happened yesterday that my husband and I are still reeling from. Our son went to Udders and Putters without us.
Udders and Putters is a miniature golf course in southern Ohio in the middle of a dairy farm. Years ago, while on one of our summer car trips, we stopped and fell in love. Udders and Putters has two little putt-putt courses, a corn maze in the fall, lots of fake cows, a gift shop, and the best thing of all…a HUGE ice cream parlor with fresh-from-the dairy ice cream. Yeah. Miniature golf and ice cream and fake cows. You don’t need much else to make me happy.
Well, it’s been a family tradition ever since then to go at least once a year. We drive the ninety minutes together, always saying that it takes longer than we remembered. We play cutthroat putt-putt. (I’m the designated cheater) We tease my daughter about her fear of corn as we tromp through the maze and inevitably get hopelessly lost. Finally we celebrate another trip well done with bowls of ice cream.
To say I was in a bit of shock when my son called me from his friend’s car to say that he was going to Udders and Putter’s on his own (WITHOUT US!) is an understatement.
Part of me was really glad that such a place meant enough for him to take a friend. Another part was worried he would suddenly see the place through another teen’s eyes and discover that maybe it wasn’t quite as neat as the memories made them out to be.
Most of me was just plain jealous. My schedule yesterday involved swim team practice, volunteering at church, running to the grocery store and post office and finally writing seven pages. All were good things but…no dairy farm at all.
He got home about an hour before dinner with a full report. He told us all about Udder and Putter updates. He said he had a good time. No, he didn’t say anything sappy like “It would have been better with you, Mom.” But he didn’t say he wouldn’t go with us in August, either.
So maybe this is the first ‘turning point.’. Perhaps it’s one of our crazy, evolved traditions that he’ll carry on…Or maybe it will just be one of those things he’ll always remember about growing up in Ohio.
Please tell me that we’re not the only family who has a favorite quirky summer activity. Anyone else want to share?
Shelley

Fact & Fiction 2

Since the first post was so much fun, here’s another installment in Fact & Fiction. (For those of you who missed the first post, it was dated June 12.) I find it fun coincidence that I get to follow Ann Roth’s post on where she gets her ideas, for you’ll see that I’ve gotten a lot inspiration from events, and a lot of what happens in my life or the world around me makes it into my books in some form. It’s amazing how a writer can take reality, put a new spin on it, and come up with something totally fun and fictional.

From my book Legally Tender (January 06), the entire opening scene where the firefighters show up at an elementary Brownie troop Halloween party is completely real. Smoke machines set off fire alarms. It happened at my high school, my daughter’s school, and the YMCA during their Fright Fest. While airing out the gym at my daughter’s school, the firefighters showed them the truck. Add some what if, and Christina and Bruce’s story was born. In fact, my best friend was there and she told me, “you’ll use this in a book.” To which I said, “uh huh.” (PS—the end scene, where a beam comes down on his arm is also based in reality. That happened in my little town of Labadie when the Hawthorne Inn burned to the ground, a few months before I moved here.)

In Sweeping the Bride Away (2002), I’ve been through most of those home repairs poor Cassidy Clayton goes through. I actually spilt latex paint all over the ceramic tile in my very first house. My mother helped save the day. I also based both of Blade’s trucks on my contractor’s first Ford F150 and the new one he bought. One of my favorite things to do is research what cars my characters are going to drive.

From Emergency Engagement (Feb 05), where the younger daughter eats the cold medicine, the entire ER scene happened to my older daughter when she was about three and a half years old and ate two of my Drixoral pills thinking they were candy. My younger daughter fell and bit entirely through her lower lip once, and she’s the patient mentioned in the other room. However, Quinton and Beth, my heroine and hero are very made up, and although I’ve run across three Quintons in my life, none of them are a sexy ER doctor.

Nine Months’ Notice (April 2007) ended my three-book American Beauties mini-series. I set the story in Kansas City, but Jeff brought Tori Ted Drewes. This is a historic frozen custard stand on Chippewa, which is Old Route 66—the Mother Road. If you are ever in St. Louis, you have to go there. While other custard stands are just as delicious, you have to go to Ted Drewes and experience the original for yourself. Also, if you’re ever in St. Louis, the A.G. Edwards headquarters building is the place I set Jacobsen Enterprises (and Jacobsen is maiden name of one of my best friends) which is found in Catching the Corporate Playboy, About Last Night…, Capturing the Cop, and The Playboy’s Protégée. The park I took Darci and Cameron too really does exist, only further south than I set it. (I like to move things around.) By the way, Henrietta’s Restaurant pays homage to Tony’s, the fine dining establishment that is a landmark in St. Louis, and a place in which I have yet to eat. Maybe someday.

On June 30th, I’ll talk about my upcoming works and give you some teasers . (I am at 99.9 percent finished writing my April 2008 book—hooray!)

Michele

I get ideas at the weirdest times

When I’m driving through congested Seattle traffic, I always get to thinking. Often about my current work-in-process, interspersed with whatever happens to be on NPR. Sometimes I think of a brand new story idea or figure out a new facet to a character or a clever twist in the plot.

It’s weird how this stuff fills my head when I’m stuck in traffic.(Probably somewhat dangerous, too, as stories can be so distracting.) The unleashed creative ideas pour forth at other unexpected times, too, like when I’m making the bed or doing any dreaded housework. (Except when I’m changing the kitty litter box. That requires my full attention. ☺)

The experts say that when we work at mindless or repetitive tasks that don’t actively engage the mind, our brain is free to work out issues or solve problems. I guess that’s what I’m doing. That’s not to say I don’t get ideas other times. I do—first thing in the morning, after I wake up. On occasion while reading a book, or watching TV. But the majority of my ideas come when I’m busy doing something.

I’m curious about both writers and readers. When you get your best ideas and do your best problem solving?

Ann Roth
Summer Lovin’ Anthology: A Reunion Story, June 2007
Mitch Takes A Wife, August, 2007
www.annroth.net

Wisdom

Something we all need a little of sometimes, right?

A friend posted this to his blog this morning, and I thought it was worth sharing. Some made me chuckle, and others made me go hmmmmm. Which are your favorites?

* Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.
* Keep skunks and bankers at a distance.
* Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
* A bumblebee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
* Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.
* Meanness don't just happen overnight.
* Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.
* Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
* It doesn’t take a very big person to carry a grudge.
* You cannot unsay a cruel word.
* Every path has a few puddles.
* When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.
* The best sermons are lived, not preached.
* Most of the stuff people worry about,
ain't never gonna happen anyway.
* Don't judge folks by their relatives.
* Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
* Don't interfere with sumpin’ that ain't bothering you none.
* Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
* If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
* Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.
* The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin'.
* Always drink upstream from the herd.
* Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.
* Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.
* If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.
* Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.

Have a wonderful day!

Happy Father's Day

My message today will be short and bittersweet.

Today's a wonderful day to celebrate the men in your life: your grandfathers, dad, stepdads, and the father of your children. Enjoy the holiday, and treat these men the way they deserve to be treated—at least this one day out of the year. (smile)

Today's a sad one for me, as I lost my dad less than two years ago. Things get easier with time; they always do. I'm learning that the hard way. Still, anniversaries and holidays bring back the memories, making those events "touch and go" for years.

Since it's been such a short for me, things are pretty much "go" around my house today: go do something to distract yourself so you don't have to think much about it.

I'm glad my turn to blog fell on Father's Day, though, so I can ask all of you who have dads to love them and appreciate them, today and all days.

And when you give them a hug, give them an extra big one for me.


All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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

First Meets

Summer Lovin' Contest update…..had to ditch the cowboy hat and use a paint bucket from Home Depot for all the names I'm keeping track of daily. I want to fill the whole bucket, so keep posting away!!

I invite all of you to join me June 25th when True Confessions begins…my daily on-line read at http://www.eharlequin.com Come meet Patrick and Dolly, two characters that make an appearance in the last of my McKade Brothers series, Ryan's Renovation (August 07).

Okay, today's topic…First Meets--when the hero and heroine meet for the first time in a story.

One of the most fun "meets" I've ever written was in my first book, The Cowboy and the Bride, when the heroine gets caught up on a barbed wire fence in her wedding gown and the hero (rancher) has to figure out a way to get her unhooked before the bull in the pasture charges to fence. In the end the poor guy has to rip half the dress off to free her and just in the nick of time! The bull is left trotting away with the lower half of the heroine's wedding gown hanging from his horns.

Your turn…share one of your favorite "First Meets" that you've either written or read!

Happy Reading!
Marin
The Preacher's Daughter *Summer Lovin* June 07
http://www.marinthomas.com/

Rites of passage

Eighteen years ago, I was sitting on a curb in the small California town of La Habra where I lived, watching an old-time parade pass by in honor of the local Corn Festival. There were decorated convertibles, school marching bands, and members of the Shriners club riding in funny little cars.

Along came a clown who tapped my extremely round abdomen and said, “I bet you’ll deliver that today!”

She was right. About an hour later, my waters broke and I was on my way to the hospital to deliver a ten-and-a-half pound baby boy. By Caesarian section, thank goodness, considering his size!

Yesterday, on a sunny afternoon a few miles from there, I sat in a football stadium at Cal State Fullerton with my husband, older son, mother and two wonderful mothers-in-law (my husband’s mother and stepmother) and watched that young man graduate from high school.

Here’s how, as a novelist, I might have expected one of my characters to react: with nostalgia, a longing for loved ones who didn’t live to see this day, and an intensified awareness of the cycles of life. Plus, of course, joy.

Well, I experienced all those emotions. And another I wouldn’t have expected: amusement.

Before the ceremony, I couldn’t help chuckling at the guy behind me on a cell phone, loudly struggling to guide a relative who showed up at the wrong campus (Fullerton College) and couldn’t seem to figure out which streets ran east-west so he could join us. Okay, I shouldn’t laugh at someone having an even worse sense of direction than I do, but I’ve never actually gone to the wrong campus for an event!

I was also amused by my older son’s observation that, since his brother had to buy his robes and mortarboard, we now have a Halloween costume lined up. My husband and I then had a playful argument about which of us will go as The Graduate and who gets to be Mrs. Robinson (I won. I think).

Later, watching the graduates arrayed in the school coldors of green and gold, I reflected that, when my older son went through this ritual, I was grateful not to be finished yet with the parenting years. Yesterday, though, I saw what a difference three years has made. Come fall, I’ll miss those boys when they go off to college, but I’m ready for that empty nest.

It occurred to me that not only the students were graduating; a lot of us parents and grandparents were graduating, too. For us, too, I see this as a commencement.

We’re moving on to the next stage. I look forward to seeing what the future will bring.

I don't know about you, but when I think of summer, I'm envisioning long, lazy days at the neighborhood pool with the kids, great reads, Popsicles and plenty of watermelon. After finally getting all three kids successfully through their freshman year of high school, getting my new Harlequin American contract and setting the deadlines just right for allowing plenty of time for fun, my happy train has now come to a screeching halt. Why?

The January ice storm that's still haunting us even though it's ninety!!! ARGH!!!! Okay, so this winter, we had this crazy ice storm that lasted FOREVER, and coated our house in ice. An ice dam formed around our chimney, forcing melting water into our living room, which ruined the ceiling. After waiting FOREVER for the insurance company to make their move, we're finally all set to go, when the contractor who calls me "Darlin'" says we have trouble. Never something you want to hear in conjunction with having no living room ceiling!!! Turns out the roof the insurance guy said was fine, has been leaking since January!!!! The insurance guy insists nothing's wrong. Oh--but if there were something wrong, it'd be a $200 easy fix. Right.

This pic is of our living room after the ceiling was torn down. I asked the contractor why no drop clothes were used. He said, Hubby told him we're getting new carpet. After a few moments of wild laughter, I told him, "Um, not unless he won the lottery and didn't tell me." At this point, he says, "Darlin', don't worry, it'll all just vacuum right up." Uh huh.

I'm now switching writing genres from romance to horror!!! LOL!!! Guess who's going to be my first victim??

On to a waaay more fun topic, thanks to all of you entering Marin, Ann & my (is that grammatically correct? ) contest for our anthology, Summer Lovin'!!! The book was so much fun to write!!! I hope all of you enjoy reading it during what is hopefully turning out to be a way more peaceful summer than mine!!!

Summer Sales

Now that's a subject that makes me crazy - sales that start before the season is even in full swing. In our part of the world (the Pacific Northwest), the kids aren't out of school and the stores are already emptying the shelves of everything pertaining to summer. Next thing I know, they'll be advertising back to school supplies. Yikes!! By August you can't buy a pair of shorts for love nor money.

Not to mention the fact that we're probably the only place in the western hemisphere that hasn't had a glimpse of summer - lows in the 40s, highs in the 60s. Yep, I know - you're all playing
Poor Pitiful Pearl on your smallest violin. LOL But, when winter rolls around, we have RAIN!

So that's my rant for the day. It has nothing to do with writing, but I did make a pilgrimage to Coldwater Creek to their 60% off sale. Big smile - I got some cool stuff.

AnnDeFee
Georgia On His Mind - August 2007
The Perfect Tree - Christmas Anthology - November 2007

Fact & Fiction

Okay, we all do it. There’s an old adage that says you have to write what you know. Now that doesn’t mean you have to commit murder to write a mystery, for example, but writers are students of human nature.

There’s also an element of truth in a lot of writer’s works. Just look at John Grisham, who used his insider view of the legal world. And we all know that The Five People You Meet in Heaven was inspired by Mitch Ablom’s uncle Eddie, and that Nicholas Sparks used the romance of family members to create The Notebook. For today’s blog topic, I thought I’d share some insider secrets as to what was real, sort of, in two of my works.

From my first book, A Little Office Romance (Oct 2000), the scene at Busch Stadium (the old one) where Alex is in the bleachers and Julia’s in another section and the bleacher section starts calling her name: real. This actually happened to my friend, Lisa. Her friends couldn’t find her, so as the game time neared they abandoned her, and she didn’t have a ticket to get in as they’d taken it inside. Some nice businessmen gave her one of theirs and she sat with them on the third base line since the bleachers and the rest of the stadium didn’t directly connect. When her friends saw her on the Jumbotron, they got the crowd to call her name. I was up in the nosebleeds with the kids I was babysitting. When I wrote my story, it seemed a fun way to actually take the hero out of his element. As for where Julia went to college, it was Webster University, my master’s degree alma mater. (And this Lisa is the one to whom Nine Months' Notice is dedicated.)

The Wedding Secret (Dec. 2006) ranks as one of my favorite books. The entire scene at the wedding where the Luke declares Cecile to be his date is based in reality, right down to the switching of the bridesmaids because of height. This all took place at my friend Jane’s wedding, many years ago when she was the first of us to succumb and marry a great guy named Joe. The sad thing is, I showed up an hour late to the rehearsal. I felt like a real heel until I asked where Jenny was, and Jane admitted that her other bridesmaid hadn’t showed yet either. (Oops. That’s what you get for putting a rehearsal at 5 PM on a Friday and have poor working girl bridesmaids who can’t afford to take off.) So Saturday, before the wedding, we were jostling for who had to walk with whom, since we weren’t there the night before to get this important detail nailed down. I ended up with Paul, who thankfully was cute and sweet since I had to eat dinner next to him. (You know how those head tables work.) As one of my very single sorority sisters went by in the line for the buffet, which wound past our table, she started asking him all sorts of questions, including where his date was. He declared it me. Okay. First I’d heard of it, considering I’d just met him a few hours before. However, unlike Cecile, I didn’t imbibe in a magical sleepover or ever see him again as he lived in New Orleans. Mostly we danced and he spent the night pulling up the front of my dress which didn’t fit very well and kept threatening to fall down. Such was my life, and when I started this book, I knew that I simply had to use the memory as it simply would set the tone for the rest of the work. As for the rest of it, all made up.

More insider secrets in my next blog post!

Michele Dunaway

Ducks and Books

I am up at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday, in front of my computer. No, it's not because I have this creative urge to work on my current book (which is, by the way, 94 percent done). It's not because I'm doing online promotion, or even obsessively checking e-mail or my Amazon rankings.

No, I am watching wood ducks. Via webcam.

Wood ducks are a brightly-colored (males, anyway) species that nest in hollow trees as much as 60 feet up. After the baby ducks hatch they get to spend one night in the nest. Then the mother duck leaves the nest and calls to her babies to join her. They must jump or climb up to the exit hole (see picture), then take a big leap of faith and JUMP down onto land or into water.

Many people build specially designed nest boxes for wood ducks because they are declining due to habitat loss. Some clever person in Greenville, Texas, has put a webcam in her nest box. I've been watching since the first eggs were laid. Yesterday they hatched! There were 19 eggs (laid by two different females) but I don't know how many actually hatched. At least 10.

Anyway, today is the day. At some point this morning, these darling little fuzzy chicks will have to make that leap of faith, braving that jump and predators to join Mom, who will escort the brood to the pond for their first swim and their first meal. Those that can't get out of the box on their own will not survive.

That's how I think of my books. (You knew I would bring this back to writing, right?) Each one is lovingly brooded and hatched, but ultimately it has to go out into the real world and sink or swim on its own merits. Some won't hatch at all. Those are the half-baked ideas and stray chapters that I give up on because they're no good. And some, sadly, will be sent out into the cruel world, only to be eaten by crows (those mean editors who send rejections!) But no matter how scary it is out there on the pond, no matter how low the chances of surival, it's still better than staying in the safety of the nest box.

Better to risk rejection than sit in a box under the bed to starve from neglect.

By the way, before I even finished this blog, all of the ducklings--15!--made it out of the nest and safely to the pond.