Keeper Shelf

Congratulations, Maureen! You're the August winner of the HAR Blog contest. Claim your prize from the following authors, Ann DeFee, Judy Christenberry, Ann Roth and myself, Marin Thomas by contacting each author through their website and providing your name and snail-mail address. Author websites are listed in the sidebar of the blog.

Keep those comments coming--Jacqueline Diamond, Laura Marie Altom and Kara Lennox are giving away a book for the month of September!

A while back when the kids were out with friends and hubby was watching baseball on TV--I popped over to Amazon and perused their romance discussion topics. I'm always interested in what readers say or how they feel about romance books. The following are a few of the comments readers responded with to the question "What makes a romance novel a "Keeper?"

1) An unpredictable plot
2) An Interesting setting
3) Realistic characters

I have to agree with #3. For a romance to make it to my "Keeper Shelf" the story must have strong, believable and flawed characters. I want a hero and a heroine I can cheer for as they muddle their way through the obstacles keeping them from their Happy-Ever-After.

What's your "Keeper" requirement?

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

Standing up for a change

Authors are famous for sitting down. At our desks, with endless cups of coffee and the occasional doughnut or chocolate bar, typing away (rather messily) on our computer keys.

Occasionally we fire off letters or e-mails. The older I get (well past thirty-nine, thank you), the more outrage it takes to generate a protest from me. I’ve learned that a) if you aren’t careful, people misinterpret what you say and b) hardly anything ever changes, anyway.

Well, now I’m mad. Mad enough to stand up, tipping over a few cups of coffee with my usual klutziness, and possibly working off a chocolate bar or two in the process.

Here’s what happened. In addition to writing family-oriented love stories for Harlequin, I sold a paranormal romance to an ebook publisher called Triskelion, which went bankrupt. Okay, that means I lost whatever royalties they owed me. I can handle that.

Then I made a discovery that outraged me.

My contract contains a standard clause stating that, in the event of the publisher’s bankruptcy, all rights in the book revert to the author. That means I regain control over my own work, right?

Well, no. I discovered that federal bankruptcy courts routinely void these clauses. They contend that bankruptcies are adjudicated under federal law, while contracts are signed under state law, and federal law takes precedence.

In other words, a federal judge – not the publisher – intends to sell my rights and those of the other authors to the highest bidder. We don’t get that money; it goes to the secured creditors, most likely banks.

More importantly, the purchaser may be somebody I would never choose to do business with. He might rewrite my book and ruin it, or stick a pornographic cover on the front and advertise it on a porno site – with my name on it.

Sure, publishers aren’t supposed to behave that way. But what kind of clout do I have, when I never agreed to sign with this guy in the first place? He might not even be a legitimate publisher, just somebody looking to make a fast buck with Internet downloads. At the expense of my reputation.

Given the power held by federal judges, this situation can only be rectified by an act of Congress. So I’m asking everybody to write his or her senators and congressperson urging them to sponsor a bill barring bankruptcy judges from voiding these contract clauses for authors, illustrators and composers.

If you’re interested, just Google “find your U.S. senator” or “find your congressperson.” Our representatives maintain on-line message forms that are easy to fill out. If you’d like to borrow some formal wording, I’ve posted a statement on my website, www.jacquelinediamond.com.

Glad I got that off my chest. Now I can paste my rear end to the desk chair where it belongs, and go back to writing my next book.

Spreading joy

This week I've gotten to be like Santa Claus. We had 3 seniors who forgot to order yearbooks and I was able to find extra copies to sell them. While I did have to charge them, senior yearbooks are so important and all 3 parents were grateful and thanked me more than necessary. I'm just glad I had those books--they contain the memories (and photos) you look back at 20 years later when you're about to go to the renunion.

A good book is also like that. I have a bunch on my keeper shelf that I revisit from time to time. They are the ones that motivated me to write (or to think I might be able to do it). They are the stories that stuck with me.

What about you? What's on your keeper shelf?

Michele

A nice surprise

Have you ever seen the movie "Bowfinger"? Well, if you haven't, there's a scene where Steve Martin, a down-and-out screenwriter, talks about how he has this dream of someday seeing the Fed-Ex truck pull up in front of his house and deliver to him a big check from a producer.

My husband and I found that scene (in fact, the whole movie) hilarious, because of course we have similar dreams about big checks arriving from publishers. Whenever we see a Fed-Ex truck in our neighborhood heading up someone up a street that is not ours, we shout at it, "Wrong way! Our house is on the next block!" It's a very silly private joke between us.

Well, the other day a Fed-Ex truck did pull up in front of our house. And since neither of us was expecting anything, we were curious. It was a big box. But it was very lightweight, too light to be books or a manuscript. And it was from Harlequin. And I had just gotten a contract offer from Harlequin, but normally the checks arrive via my agent several weeks down the line.

Well, it turns out the box contained my 25-book pin. My long-awaited pin. My 25th book came out in 2000. I should have received the pin in 2003, the first year they started giving out pins, but somehow I fell through the cracks (probably because I write under two names). I've been begging for it ever since. Thanks to Don Lucey of Harlequin's public relations department for tracking it down and sending it to me with a very nice (but belated) congratulatory note.

Real Romance

I've been thinking about romance a lot lately (and not just because I had edits due yesterday on my March 08 HAR!) My husband and I celebrated our wedding annniversary this week--we took the kids out to dinner with us. Very romantic *g* We've been married nine years but together as a couple for several years beyond that. And this weekend, my step-brother and his very lovely fiancee will be getting married. They have a cute "meet" story worthy of any romance novel.

I realize I'm probably preaching to the choir here since I suspect most of you "get" the uplifting value of a good love story, but it always shocks me when people say they don't read romance because the books are unrealistic and don't paint the world the way it is. Let's pretend for a sec that I actually agreed with that (I don't)--what would be wrong about painting the world as it should be? People overcoming their differences to find trust, respect and compromise.

Romance novels are not about "too-perfect" people. My HAR Trouble in Tennessee featured a heroine who was, um, how shall I put this tactfully, a smart aleck with occasional self-sabotaging tendencies. Jennifer Crusie's contemporary novel Bet Me featured Min, a plump heroine who wasn't comfortable with her own body image. I just finished a historical romance this weekend by Elizabeth Hoyt (The Raven Prince) where the hero was considered "ugly" because his face was scarred from childhood small pox.

My retired aunt and uncle have been married since before I was born and they still flirt and steal away for romantic weekends--happy ever afters aren't just for fairy tales. Nor are happy endings reserved for romantic love. (One of my favorite five minutes of any movie is the opening sequence of Love, Actually where Hugh Grant does the voice over about standing in an airport watching old friends, reunited siblings, parents with their children, etc, and realizing love really IS all around us.) A friend of mine loves writing, but it can be hard to follow your dreams when publishing is a difficult and capricious business, full of bumps in the road. I'm proud to say that my friend persisted, as any worthy and determined heroine would, and today her wonderful novel, Garden Spells, is making its hardcover debut and will be excerpted in Readers' Digest in early September. I say, the world needs books that encourage love and following your dreams.

Viva la romance! Today, indulge your passion for something, whether it's finding time to dabble with those paints you put up in those closet, surprising your sweetie with a warmer than usual welcome home kiss at the end of the day, or making time to read a good book.

Where's my tiara?

Hey guys,
Do you have a tiara stuffed in your closet? I do, or at least I did until my granddaughter commmandeered it. Maybe all girls - young, old and in-between - harbor a secret desire to be a princess. That would explain the tiara phenomenon. This topic came up recently when my daughter's friend - the least likely person on the planet to own anything resembling a rhinestone - told us she'd been crowned Kick Ball Queen, complete with tiara and scepter. That was one for the books!

Maizie Carter, one of the characters in my Georgia series (Georgia on His Mind - August 2007 and Goin' Down to Georgia - March 2008) wears her Miss Peach Blossom tiara every chance she gets. Mama swears she'll be wearing it when she meets Saint Peter. She's one to talk, that woman wears pearls and a pill box hat to the Piggly Wiggly.

So the moral of this story is if you have a tiara, wear it with pride. And you might want to accessorize it with a little cleavage and something frou-frou - just for grins.

Ann

Ann DeFee
Georgia On His Mind - HAR - August 2007
Summer After Summer - Harlequin Everlasting Love - September 2007
The Perfect Tree - HAR Christmas Anthology - November 2007
Goin' Down to Georgia - HAR - March 2008

Lessons from bad television

Does anyone out there watch Amazing Grace? I do, but after what? four episodes? I’m not sure I’ll continue to tune in. The whole idea of the show, with Grace Anadarko a “fallen” human being and Earl, her guardian angel trying to help her clean up her act, sounded like a good and interesting premise. I like characters with deep flaws, and hoped the show would be as thought-provoking and well-written as Joan of Arcadia.

The writing is good—to a point. Warm-hearted, but terribly screwed-up Grace never seems to learn or grow from her experiences. She buries her problems with alcohol (she’s an alcoholic) and sleeps with a married man, as well as any other male who happens to be available when she needs someone to hold onto. Yet despite drunken nights she manages to show up at work every day and somehow perform very well as a cop. Not one of her peers seems to notice or care that she gets stinkin’ drunk every night.

When a father almost killed his son in one episode, did Grace learn anything? Not that viewers noticed. When her soon-to-die aunt confessed to sleeping with Grace’s father, did Grace learn or grow? Nope, she simply got drunk once again and slept with another officer.

If I wrote a book like that, where the sympathetic but self-destructive heroine never, ever changed, readers would toss it across the room and would never again pick up one of my novels.

I’m not saying, solve all the problems. I just want to see a little change and growth now and then. A little hope. I’m betting other viewers feel the same way.

I’m thinking that TV writers could take a lesson or two from us novelists.


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

The House That Joe Painted

Several years ago I was in a paint store where the staff had taped a cartoon to the counter. It showed a man buying cans of paint, and the clerk saying, “Sir, I’ll need to see a note from your wife.”

Until this week, that summed up me and my husband. He does a meticulous job of painting, but after several what-on-earth-were-you-thinking occasions when he made solo trips to the paint store—one of which resulted in the living room being painted with pink semi-gloss—I choose the paint and he chooses the brushes.

This week we’re painting the exterior of our house, which is not only a huge job, it’s also out there for the whole world to see. So we have to get it right.

The previous owners had always painted the house white with a turquoise gable and front door. If any of you are old enough to remember the turquoise trim color that was popular in the ’50s, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.

We’ve wanted to change the look of the house and add some personality to its charming 1940s cottage style, so we finally settled on a nice cheery yellow for the main color, white for the trim, including the gable, latticed porch, etc., charcoal for the concrete steps and porch floor, and an eye-catching dark red door. We actually agreed right away on the door color and that’s, ah, not always how things go around here!

For the past few months I’ve been taking note of all the yellow houses I’ve seen throughout the city. Turns out that yellow is not a forgiving color. We could either get it right, or we could get it horribly wrong.

This week, after two long days of power washing and paint scraping, we were finally ready to head to the paint store. I had already chosen a color that looked similar to other yellow houses I liked, but I still insisted we buy only one can and try it out. My husband is always in a big hurry to get moving on things, but I didn't want to buy multiple gallons of paint until I was absolutely sure we had the right color.

We were not even close. The yellow that looked bright and cheery on a two-inch-square paint chip was capable of doing permanent damage to the retinas when applied to an entire wall.

So I went back to the paint store, alone this time, and enlisted the help of a very knowledgeable woman who patiently discussed with me the pros and cons of various shades of yellow. We settled on a more subdued shade, but it still wasn’t right.

Meanwhile my husband was doing lots of silent eye rolling while he applied primer to the turquoise gable, and neighbors were stopping by to ask if we were really going to paint the house that color, in reference to Yellow #1.

I went back to my notes and decided to drive around one last time and look at the yellow houses whose owners had managed to get it right. My favorite even had similar siding to ours and the exact style and color of shingles. If they could get it right, so could I. So I knocked on the front door and asked the nice young couple who answered if they could give me a sample of the paint color they’d chosen. And they did!

Armed with a lid from one of their empty paint cans, I made yet another trip to the paint store. The same woman who’d helped me choose Yellow #2 came up with a custom color that’s a perfect match and exactly what I was looking for. And not a moment too soon! I think my husband and our neighbors were about to suggest I have my eyes checked. And then someone could draw a new cartoon, with the paint store clerk saying to the crazy lady, “I’ll need to see a note from your optometrist.”

We still have a lot of work to do but when it’s finished, it’s going to be fabulous!

Anyone else doing major home reno projects this summer? I hope yours are going more smoothly than mine!

Lee
www.leemckenzie.com

Bad News/Good News Week

I'm posting really late today, and I'm sorry. It's been one of those weeks. My son was in the hospital this past Friday and Saturday. All is well now but it was kind of a bad couple of days there (he'd had what should have been minor sinus surgery three weeks ago but something went wrong and he suddenly had this severe, uncontrolled bleeding from his nose).

And, I have a cold. Not that a cold is anything like losing two liters of blood through your nose, but I'm miserable. Maybe it's a sympathy illness for my son — he did have plugs in his nose for four days and sounded like he had a cold.

On a positive note, I typed "The End" yesterday on my latest book. Still have a lot of editing ahead of me before I have to ship it off next week, but it's a good feeling to be done. More than good. It's great! I counted, and this is my twelfth completed book (not including all those other ones I started and didn't get past chapter four or five). The two most thrilling moments for me in writing a book is the beginning when I'm falling in love with the story and the characters and the end when I've given them their happily ever after. I think it's probably that way with a lot of writers and readers.

Well, I'm off to nurse my cold, kiss my son and kick back on the couch for some more editing. Hopefully by my next post in September, I'll be deep in the process of falling in love with the characters in my next book.

Another birthday

Well, it was bound to happen. We had a major scheduling conflict on my birthday. I grew up celebrating just about every holiday. And, well, even though I now have two teenagers far more sophisticated than myself on most days, I still make a big deal about each person’s special day. They know I expect attention on my day, too. Oh, not all day long. Just dinner out.

But, well, everyone was busy on Saturday. My son had to work, my daughter had cheerleading. No problem, I said. How about we go out to eat on Friday night? You guessed it, Friday night wasn’t good either. Both my kids and my husband had plans. Thursday involved other commitments. On Monday, my husband was flying out of town. So, after much discussion and looking at social calendars, Sunday night was it. My husband made dinner reservations downtown. We were set…so I thought.

Sunday arrived. We went to church. Then there was the fun family activity of cleaning out the garage on just about the hottest day of the year. Everyone started getting grumpy. After an hour, I looked around…the kids had mysteriously found other things to do. Next thing I knew, my husband did, too. And then the phone started ringing. Actually, my family’s cell phones started ringing.

Uh oh, everyone started getting invited to all kinds of places, including a golf outing for my husband. I listened to everyone’s conversations, kind of feeling guilty when everyone cancelled…it was mom’s birthday. They had to spend time with mom. No, it wasn’t an optional thing. Mandatory~ just like they were in the army.

Well. I started feeling guilty.

The car was pretty silent during the drive downtown. I sat there remembering years that had passed, when the kids drew me pictures and the Dairy Queen ice cream cake was looked forward to with breathless anticipation. Yeah, I’ll admit it. I was kind of bummed and irritated with myself. How come I was making a big deal out of my birthday, anyway? I mean…I’ve had LOTS of birthdays.

But then, after we got to the restaurant, a series of things happened. My husband presented me with a special menu signed by the staff. The kids put away their cell phones and started chatting. We laughed about my daughter’s seventh birthday, when her birthday dinner consisted of Top Ramen. We remembered swimming parties, slumber parties, parties that I thought would Never End, and my husband’s fortieth. We had a nice dinner. We all dug into my slice of chocolate cake. And lo, and behold, my son and daughter both handed me cards. My new driving son had taken my daughter out shopping just the day before-without me saying a word!

So, I had a great birthday, even though it wasn’t actually on my birthday. And I got what I wanted-family time, even though I had to whine and put my foot down to get it.
Okay…anyone have a birthday story to share…either their own or a family member’s?
Shelley

Characters Live On!

I've been woefully deliquent in my blogging. My only excuse is that summer is hard! My daughter is a teacher and was off until last Friday, so we did lots of lunching, shopping and goofing around. Then in the afternoons I went to my part-time job in our company. Summer is our busy time, so I was very busy at work there. My life was a study in extremes these past two months.

I fear I am much better at goofing off than I am at hard work.

But just in time for the upcoming fall season, I have received a new contract for two more Brody's Crossing books. Yeah! My continuing characters will live on. The potential heroes and heroines mentioned in previous books will find love. The cattle, bison and other animals on the Rocking C will continue to be fed. My heroine in (tentatively titled) An Honorary Texan will restore the 1960s Sweet Dreams motel so visitors will have a place to stay. And best of all, everyone will get together again for the Christmas traditions, including the parade, Settlers Stroll, and chili dinner at the VFW post. I'm thrilled to have another Christmas book in 2008.

I hope your summer was great and you got more done than I did these past few months. Here's wishing we all get our deadlines met in the coming months! Best wishes from sunny, hot Texas.

Life in Howelltown

I missed my last post. No excuses whatsoever. Simply got busy and by the time I remembered I was to blog, it was the end of the day.

School started August 8 with teacher meetings. We worked August 8, 9, and 10, and then the freshman had a transition day August 13. By August 14, I was meeting my students, and they've already completed 4 out of 174 school days.

We also received our state test scores and last year's juniors did great on both the Missouri MAP test and the ACT. Our students were up a full point in the English section and are 2 points above national average.

This year's going to be different. The team of teachers who have been together for 4 years is split. Dave's the associate principal in our school. Andy has moved on to be a dean of students at another high school in my district. I'm no longer teaching American literature and composition but a full journalism schedule.

The new preps and getting used to my 5:15 AM wake up call have had me needing naps each afternoon when I get home. And I've got revisions in today.

So as I leave you until the end of the month, happy August. Enjoy those last minutes before school starts if you're one who has kids or is ready to go back to a school schedule. If not, do me a favor and sleep in one day for me. :)

Michele

Fried Green Tomatoes

I read Kara’s post about family traditions with interest. It got me thinking about food. (I’m always thinking of food!!) We all have cooking traditions learned through our families and the regions where we live.

I live in the Pacific Northwest (just outside Seattle) now, but I grew up in the Midwest, in Indianapolis. Land of the best corn ever and meat and potatoes. Fish and Asian foods are big in the Pacific Northwest. Combining both ways of eating has been wonderfully creative and tasty! One food culture that has always interested me is Southern cooking. I’ve made a few dishes (and I love to watch Paula Deen on Food Network). So...

We’ve had a cool, gray summer here and our tomato plants are woefully behind. Lots and lots of green tomatoes, and I’m wondering if they’ll ever ripen. So I asked some friends in the south about fried green tomatoes. Here is what they advised: Make sure the tomatoes are in that first pale blush before turning red, because they taste so great then. Dip each slice in egg, then in a mixture of cornmeal and flour, with salt, pepper and a little garlic. Fry until browned and crisp on both sides.

Doesn’t that sound wonderful? I tried it and it is.

Trying new things is always an adventure. What have you tried lately that was new and different?

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

Family

I've been trying to decide what to post about today. There were several choices, but I noticed that all of them had something to do with family. So I decided, why not? I'll throw out some thoughts and see what happens.

One of the things that makes Harlequin American the choice for readers is the element of family in our stories. Even those heroes or heroines without family have or had or even will have one, which shaped them into who they are. Well, who they are fictionally, of course. :) Even someone who has never known his or her family is effected in some way.

In my upcoming January '08 book, FAMILY BY DESIGN, the heroine, a struggling single mom, yearns to be a part a family like the hero's. Her mother is deceased, her father is living in Australia, and her current family is her three young children. The hero is from a large Italian family of six children and, at times, he has wished he had been an only child, like the heroine. But even he admits that his family has been a large part of making him the successful man that he is.

As an only child, I can remember wishing and hoping for a younger sister. In some ways, I can relate to the heroine. I envied friends and neighbors who had siblings of any kind. I also learned, after having four daughters of my own, that having siblings isn't the be all, end all that I thought when I was young. They argue and fight, they steal each other's clothes, they hate each other one minute, have been known to conspire against me during many minutes, but would defend them to anyone else outside of our family. It's been an interesting trip, and I've learned a lot from them. I've learned that families love and hate...sometimes each other, but even then, we're family, no matter what.

A couple of years ago, after Christmas gifted us with a ton of board games, I suggested that our family might consider having a Family Night once a month, when we could play Trivial Pursuit or Scene It? or whatever new game one of us had. That way, the games wouldn't go to waste. (We weren't a game-playing family while they were growing up, so this was, to me, a novel idea.) With two daughters married and one engaged and not living at home, this would give us the chance to spend some time together. They took the idea and ran with it. The once-a-month Family Night instantly became once-a-week Family Night. Participation is practically mandatory. The games aren't being played much anymore, having been replaced by talking and laughing. Believe me, there are some Saturday nights when I'd rather stay home and veg out with a good book or a movie. Family Night can get crazy. When all together, there are eleven of us, with another due any day. :)

I see by the old clock on the wall that it's after 4 p.m., which means it's time to get ready, once again, for Family Night. And after we've all enjoyed the barbecue prepared by my son-in-law, I'll join them on the porch or around the table and listen and share in their lives. They're still teaching this only child a few things about family.

Little Miracles

A few things this week were...not so good. So I went looking for something to be happy about.

And you know what? Every day, I discovered something! My own private, personal, powerful little miracle.

Monday through Thursday, I found little things that made the day better. The trucker coming out of the gas station who gave me the right of way. The computer guy at work who helped me out with a new program. The quarter I found in the grocery store. The parking space I found in the shade. Hey, I live in the Southwest and it was one hundred thirteen degrees that day. You'd better believe that was a miracle!

And on Friday, I found the best thing of all.

I came home from work, walked into my office, and found the avocado pit I'd started trying to root several weeks ago had sprouted! All right, that may not seem so wonderful, but let me tell you, I've been trying for a long, long time to start an avocado plant. I'm talking years. So I was beyond thrilled.

I've discovered little miracles make me very happy.

And notice the key word in a couple of the paragraphs above: I found those things. Because I went looking for them. It's a new game I've been playing, and I like it!

Now I'd like you to do me a favor, and do one for yourself at the same. Today or tomorrow, I would like you to find your own little miracles.

And then I'd like you to share them with me.


All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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

People make Small Towns Special

The jitters are building as the weekend approaches. I have my first-ever book signing by myself (Yikes) at the Waldenbooks this Saturday in my hometown of Janesville, Wisconsin. I'll be signing the last book in my McKade Brothers series, Ryan's Renovation. The PR work that has gone into this event has made me appreciate more than ever "small-town" people. No wonder these towns play such an integral part in many of our American Romance books. To me, the people are as important as the setting in this popular Harlequin line.

Today, with a population inching toward 60,000, most poeple no longer consider Janesville a small town. But when I grew up there things were much "smaller". Few fast food restaurants. Posted speed limits of 25 miles per hour. The biggest retailer was K-Mart and Farm and Fleet. But amid all this change and growth the people in Janesville have remained constant--warm, friendly and supportive of one of their own...

I was hoping to secure a blurb announcing the time and date of the book signing in the Janesville Gazette. (Local newspaper) The editors gave me a front-page story above the fold. Then someone in town heard about my signing and called the Beloit Daily News (next town over) and a day later I did a phone interview with a reporter from that paper.

Then someone told someone else at the Headberg Library and the adult services coordinator contacted me to do a program for the library in the near future and another book signing. Then a friend of my sister's (Lorri) posted my book signing news to all the local media (radio/TV) internet lists and high school alumni lists. This action prompted several phone calls to the Waldenbooks asking if this Marin Thomas person was really Brenda Smith, the girl who grew up in Janesville.

So here I am sitting in my office typing this blog, while those wonderful people in my hometown are doing what they do best--spreading the word about my book signing and supporting one of their own. No wonder I love writing American Romances--small-town characters are part of my roots and what I know best.


Marin
Ryan's Renovation Aug 07

For The Children Oct 07
http://www.marinthomas.com/

Muffin tops and such

Hi guys,
I just returned from a long weekend in Las Vegas with my extended family. It's a good thing the fashion police don't patrol the Strip. Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi. They could make a fortune giving out bad taste tickets. The "what not to wear" faux pas included muffin tops, belly button rings (yep, put those two together), wife beaters, tattoos, flip flops, yada yada yada. You name it-you saw it, in every size, shape and convolution.

So, I suppose the moral to this story is check the mirror before you leave the house. If you think small children might run screaming-don't do it. LOL

Ann DeFee
Goin' Down to Georgia - Harlequin American Romance - August 2007
Summer After Summer - Harlequin Everlasting Love - September 2007
The Perfect Tree - Harlequin American Romance - November 2007

Why I wish...

Here’s why I wish true life was like a Harlequin romance:
--If someone really wants a child, eventually she’ll get one
--All children are loved or, if they grew up in an unhappy home, as an adult they find someone who truly loves them
--As a reader, you’re the heroine of every story
--As a reader, you can love a different man every day but remain faithful to your husband
--The sex is great
--Money may be tight, but no one worries about it too much
--You might not have a perfect figure, but a gorgeous man will find you beautiful
--Villains invariably lose
--People have fabulous weddings without having to sit around addressing thank-you notes
--Nobody needs to keep track of the toilet paper, remember to pay the credit card bill or study for the SATs
--Old wounds heal; old wrongs can be forgiven; old sins find redemption
--The man who swears he’ll never fall in love, does
--By the time the woman falls in love, the guy’s already crazy about her (even if he hasn’t admitted it to himself)
--There’s always a happy ending.

Thanks for reading our books! My next, Twin Surprise, will be out in September. It's a particular favorite of mine -- the hero really touched my heart.

Family Traditions

When I was a kid, my father grilled hamburgers and hotdogs on his big charcoal grill every Saturday night. When we were very young, we would take our burgers and our potato chips wrapped in a paper napkin, along with our green bottles of Coke (only allowed once a week) and sit in the playroom to watch TV.

When I was a little older we turned it into a picnic outside, and we would watch fireflies and take out our star charts and telescopes and pick out constellations. I remember those days so fondly--before my siblings and I moved to the far corners of the country and the globe, before my parents sold the family home and retired to a lake house, before anyone died or divorced (at least that I recall).

So these days, whenever any pieces of my far-flung family manage to get together, we almost always have a hamburger cookout.

My niece and her boyfriend are visiting this week from Iowa. I've never gotten to see much of Pam--we've never lived in the same city. So of course, tonight we're having a cookout and I've gathered as many sisters as I can. I hope she associates happy memories with hamburger cookouts and continues the tradition when she gets married and has kids.

NEXT TIME...

Hi all,
Like Ann I was also on one of the floors at the Dallas Conference where the fire alarm went off. It happened at 12:30 p.m. and I was sound asleep. Suddenly an alarm was blaring, lights were blinking and a voice was saying over and over, “Hotel Emergency. Exit your room quickly. Do not use the elevators. Use the stairs.”

Now I’m in a wheelchair and this was a bit daunting for me. My cousin was with me and we scrambled out of our beds. I didn’t know I could move that fast. I didn’t bring a robe either, but I had on a very nice gown that covered me completely. My cousin on the other hand had on a pair of pajamas and the top was cut low. She also didn’t bring a robe so she grabbed our purses and a blouse to cover herself.

As we reached the door we could hear people running in the hall. My cousin said, “What are we going to do?” I replied, “You’ll have to go down and tell someone I’m still up here.” She was appalled. “No. I’m not leaving you up here.” Here we were debating this at the door. Finally I told her we needed to just go see what’s happening. She opened the door and people were running here and there looking for the stairs. Everyone was scared and not knowing what to do. Finally a hotel person came running and shouting, “False alarm. Go back to your rooms.”

Best words I’ve ever heard in my life. My heart was about to pound out of my chest. The alarm continued to blare and none of us were too eager to go back to our rooms. So we started chatting until we could breathe normally again. We were in our night clothes, no make up and our hair was sticking out in all directions, but no one seemed to care.

This all happened in about a minutes time, but it was like a tiny sliver of the fear the people of 911 must have felt—the fear of the unknown. From now on I will ask what arrangements there are for handicap people in case of an emergency. For heaven’s sakes my handicap room was on the 10th floor. Next time I will also carry a robe. Next time I will be prepared.

And if you’re checking into a hotel any time soon, make sure you know where the stairs are. That’s important. Happy travels to all.

Linda Warren
Once A Cowboy--Feb American
Adopted Son—Sep SuperRomance

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)