Hmm . . . Another Valentine's Day.

This year, Hubby and I will have been married 20 years. After just finishing four weeks of jury duty on a double murder trial, I'm now up at 4 AM with a sinus infection--a remnant of last week's flu. Hubby's still coughing, too. The second I got back to my day job, 3rd quarter grades were due, and guess who hadn't graded a single paper in four weeks?? ARGH!!! LOL!!

Yesterday, after having been at work since ten Monday night and eight last night, I came home, excited to finally have found time to write, when Son #1 tells me he's been coughing up blood!! (He's had flu, too.) Off to the doctor we went. After getting antibiotic for us both, I was relieved to hear Son#1 has been hitting the nose spray a little too much, which caused his sinuses to bleed. Yuck, but whew. Bet you're in the mood for love now, too, huh??

Okay, so here we are, back at Valentine's Day. Hubby's in bed, snoring. Daughter--just back from a pricey week in Disneyworld with her cheer squad--is furious with me for not letting her skip school yesterday because she was tired, and then deigning to ask her to do dishes!!! The horror!!! All of which got me to thinking about the characters I love to write about, and presumably--if you're hanging out on the Harlequin American blog--you love to read about!! I've often wondered what happens to these magical couples?

You know what I'm talking about, like after the initial rush of love fades and the mortgage is due, the hall bathroom toilet breaks (add that to my anti-romance list), work's long and tiring, and kids who were once cuddly and cute turn into pricey teen spit vipers!!! Do you think Harlequin American couples throw in the proverbial towel, screaming "Enough's enough? Get me off of this ride?" In all honesty, sometimes, they probably do.

But then there are other days, like yesterday, when you're sitting at your desk at work, and the school secretary strolls into your classroom with a huge vase brimming with roses. Not any old roses, but gorgeous, dusty orange ones, because Hubby knows I especially enjoy "wierd-colored" flowers!! My sixth-grade students all went, "Oooooohhhhhhhh, Mrs. Altom's got a boyfriend!!"

Breathing in the scent of my roses, it occurred to me that damned straight! I do have a boyfriend! He's been all mine for the past twenty years, and while at the moment, our lives seem to be mired in a "for worse" phase, once spring rolls around and we're all feeling our usual selves, we'll be back in the land of "for better." (For a glimpse of what this might look like, see the above pic!)

Until then, I'm thinking a Valntine's Day spent at home on the couch, sharing a blanket with Hubby, both smelly dogs and the cat, watching History Channel or Discovery sounds like a perfect night. It may not be especially romantic in the eyes of the rest of the world, but for us, it works. And sometimes love isn't passionate and wild hot, but comfortable and cozy--like trading your work clothes for sweats and slippers. Not glamorous, but just right!!!

My wish for all of you is just that. A love that has it's ups and downs, but in the end, not only on Valentine's Day, but everyday, feels just right!!

Another Snow Day

Today's another snow day in St. Louis. This time it's less snow and more ice on the roads that have schools closed. We haven't been hit like those in Washington State or Louisville, KY, this year, and St. Louisans are pretty laid back when it comes to school closings. We like rolling over and going back to sleep and cancelling everything for the day. We're fine with working two extra days past Memorial Day.

As I type this, at 1 PM, I'm finally up, showered and ready to go. Not that I really have any place I must be. I have things to do, like laundry and such, but days like today are not days I catch up on chores. They're the found, lazy days where I sit around and do nothing. Both daughters are playing video games. The cats are doing whatever cats do.

I have my manuscript revisions here--maybe later, as revisons are as exciting as getting teeth pulled. I have books to read--which is much more appealing. I finished a Rachel Gibson novel this morning and will pick up something else this afternoon as I loaf the day away. I'll work out, take my daughter to guitar lessons if I'm able to drive up the road. I do have to try that here in a little bit, I guess.

However, I'm much more interested in relaxing than trying to catch up. That's what the upcoming three-day weekend is for.

Michele

Chicken Dressing Catfish

You've probably heard of the highly readable grammar book, Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss. As a writer in love with words and their relationships to one another, I devoured this book and I'm always on the lookout for writing samples that are ambiguous and unintentionally funny.

Alas, I often find them in my own work. I was going over the rough draft of a proposal the other day, and the first sentence of the first chapter read something like this: "Jane Selwyn's knees wobbled as she made her way across the parking lot toward the tallest office building in town wearing an expensive but slightly outdated suit." I had to stop and wonder: How did the building find a suit big enough to fit it? (This sentence is so hideous, not even punctuation could save it.)

Thank God for revision, especially the ever-popular delete button.

Oh, you're probably wondering about the headline. A few days ago I went out to dinner at a neighborhood café with my husband, who is also a writer. We saw "Chicken dressing catfish" on the chalkboard menu, and we both immediately received the same mental picture: a chicken putting a coat and scarf on a catfish. (Turns out a bit of punctuation went missing from that menu.) Neither of us could stop laughing, and we couldn't even explain to the waitress what was so funny. (You had to be there.)

Writers often collect these unintentionally funny phrases. (I have a list of hilarious newspaper headlines that I unearth once a year or so and laugh until I cry.) Do you have any grammatical, spelling or punctuation funnies you'd like to share? (Please withhold authors' names unless it's your own. We don't want to embarrass anyone!)

Finally a title...

I finally have a title for my September American. We played name that book back before Thanksgiving. Do you remember? Kathleen has chosen TEXAS HEIR. What do you think?

This story is about the plane crash in west Texas. The hero is the heir to a chain of department stores. The heroine works for him and has been in love with him for a long time. He’s engaged to someone else. The plane crash suddenly changes everything as they are the only two survivors. Out in the middle of nowhere they are no longer boss and employee. They are two people trying to survive and discovering love in the most unexpected way.

Does the title fit? The original title was DOWN IN TEXAS, but that title had been used recently. I really liked DOWN IN TEXAS but TEXAS HEIR has grown on me. Yes, I think I like it.

What do you think?

Miss TV?

Are we suffering? I'm not sure the writers' strike is affecting my TV viewing that much. Sure I miss getting new episodes of Supernatural (gotta love that Dean!), but I've got both seasons on DVD. I read more, rent more videos, and have "more time" to write. PBS is airing new Jane Austen telecasts on Masterpiece Theater. (This week starts the Colin Firth version of Pride and Prejudice.) The writers may have valid complaints, but I hope they're not waiting for me to add my voice to the outcry. I'm doing fine.

How about you? Missing TV?

3 Dreaded Words

What are 3 words you never want to hear? You’re getting fat. Whoa! That one works. But no, that’s not it. Lately mine have been “It’s not working.” So far this year has been a rebellion of household goods, cars, technie stuff – you name it and around our house “It’s not working.” That phrase is always accompanied by a pithy expletive and a heart felt wail. It’s amazing how dependent I am on 21^st century technology. When the microwave went out I almost went into spasms. What? I can’t put the kettle on? Ditto for cars. When the car broke down it was like losing an appendage. And don’t get me started on the TV and the internet. Our internet tanked yesterday and when (company name deleted so I don’t get sued) came out to fix that problem the technician messed up the TV. All we get now is a picture that looks like a smeared 1^st grade watercolor. Don’t they realize that American Idol is back on!! So it’s back to waiting for the magic 1-5 PM appointment and trying to get my cyber Genie back up on long enough to post this to Blogspot. Wish me luck. I'm beginning to think the Luddites had it right.

Ann

Goin’ Down to Georgia, Harlequin American Romance, March 2008

A little slice of heaven

Here in Seattle, cupcakes are all the rage. There at least two cupcake stores (one with three locations) in the area. And man, these little babies are excellent quality at both stores. Cleverly, the stores offer multiple flavors and frostings to choose from, (naturally these change with holidays and seasons), and the cupcakes are made fresh once or twice a day. You can get yours to go or sit down at one of the comfy tables and enjoy your treat with great coffee, tea or cocoa. The stores even offer wireless internet. And the wait staff! Cute, young and friendly men and women. It’s not hard to figure out why every one of the stores is generally crowded.

For the second year in a row, the store with three locations has made a special chocolate confection just for Valentine’s Day. The ingredients are the highest-quality, including organic chocolate made at Theo, a local chocolate factory recently featured in O! Magazine. I have toured this factory twice. Fascinating, and they offer lots of free samples of their delectable product. (Are you salivating yet? I am!)

But I digress... Back to the Valentine’s Day cupcake. After reading an article about the aptly named Deathcake Royale, offered only from February1-14, I had to try the stuff now. I bought two, one for me and one for my hubby. At $6 each for a smallish cupcake (actually it looks like a tiny rectangular cake covered in rich ganache), this is quite the pricey treat. The woman behind the counter assured me that one Deathcake was enough for two people. But as a true chocoholic, I wanted a whole one just for me.

I hurried home, gave my hubby his, and eagerly opened mine. Mouth watering, I put it on a plate, grabbed a fork, and sat down. Let me tell you, it was a little slice of pure heaven. Without a doubt the best chocolate cupcake I have ever eaten. I ate it slowly, groaning each time I forked a new bite. About 2/3 of the way through, I was sated. But I simply could not stop until every bite was gone. Amazingly, I didn’t even feel sick when I finished. (Actually, I felt terrific.) Maybe there’s something to be said for the petite portion.

The big question of the day is, how many times will I go back between now and February 14? Or, not wanting to burst out of my jeans, will I rein in my cravings and wait until next year? Time will tell. ☺

Anyone out there with a chocolate story to share? I’m already licking my lips, waiting to hear it.


Until later,
Ann
www.annroth.net
The Pilot's Wife, March 2008, a Romantic Times top pick!

January winner

The winner of our January drawing is... drum roll, please... TAWNY!!!!

Tawny, you win free books from Roxann Delaney and Kara Lennox!

Please contact them through their websites.

Icy Obsessions

I have a sports obsession. But it isn’t the Super Bowl. It’s ice skating.

I once tried to stand up on ice skates. Talk about muscle memory! My muscles remember very well the sensation of plopping onto my derriere on a very hard, cold surface.

But watching the competitions and performances on TV fascinates me, even though I have a smallish set and those twirling, leaping figures are the size of ants. Somehow, even during the warmup sessions, I can recognize the styles and identify my favorites.

Oh, what a year this is! How can so many of my friends and relatives fail to recognize how everything depends on the way skaters perform at the World Championships? Don’t people realize that the skaters’ placements this year will determine the size of their national representation (one, two or three skaters in each of the four disciplines) in 2009, and that having fewer skaters next year might adversely affect the size of the nation’s team at the 2010 Winter Olympics?

Nobody seems to care except Dick Button and me. I’ve never met Dick Button, but the sportscaster/multiple Olympic gold medal-winner has personally attended 55 U.S. Championships. I’ve personally attended exactly zero.

But I’ve been watching on TV since 1980, when I was three years old (NOT).

Perhaps I’m a little overly emotionally involved. When 14-year-old skating whiz and former World Junior Champion Caroline Zhang moved from my hometown of Brea, Calif. to nearby Irvine, it broke my heart. When Kimmie Meissner flubbed her jumps at the U.S. Nationals, I wanted to cry for her. But my spirits leaped when I heard she’d been named to the U.S. world team anyway. A second chance!

Not that I’m blind to the brilliant talent from other nations. I swoon over hunky Swiss former World Champion Stephane Lambiel and Canada’s Jeffrey Buttle. I love the German pairs team of Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy, and thoroughly enjoy the talent and grace of Korea’s Yu-Na Kim and Japan’s Mao Asada. I want them all to win.

Okay. Splash a little ice water on my face and I’ll come down to earth. By April, the season will be over, anyway.

Just in time to get ready for this year’s Summer Olympics in China and those absolutely fabulous gymnasts from around the world! (Did I mention that I have two obsessions?)

My New Editor, Part 2

I got a chance to finally talk on the phone with my new editor. We'd been playing phone tag, mostly on my end as my daughter has been sick and I've been pretty busy.

Anyway, I wanted to give you a follow up.

I have to first say I'm excited to be working with her, and not just because I'm supposed to say that. She seemed like she got me. I have to tell you, that's probably pretty hard. But she's excited about having me as an author, and she's already read the proposals my agent turned in. Next week I'm getting revisions.

So she's working fast. I love that.

I was also able to talk frankly with her, and that's very important to me. I'm a "tell me how it is" person. I teach--I don't play corporate politics as I work in a place where there really isn't any. Maybe there is, but then that's my principal's job. And he's great too.

So everything seems pretty exciting. As for me, it's supposed to snow here tomorrow night and all the students are praying for a snow day.

Happy end of the month!

Michele

Top-Ten Post-Deadline Tasks

I turned in my latest Harlequin American manuscript to my editor yesterday (four days early, thank-you-very-much) and now I get to do all the things I've been putting off because I was "on deadline." Here is my top ten list of things to do after deadline:

10. Laundry. This one is essential or I will have to go to the store and buy socks and underwear.
9. Get my hair and nails done. The UPS man always smiles at me, but I'm sure he doesn't find gray roots and ragged claws all that attractive. The rest of the world wouldn't, either, and I do have to venture out of the house one of these days.
8. Buy groceries. When you're down to a block of moldy cheese, stale tortillas and some mustard, it's time to visit the store.
7. Pay bills. They haven't turned off the lights or water ... yet.
6. Answer e-mail. My box is getting so full, I'm threatening the one-gig max I'm allowed.
5. Exercise. Okay, I'll use any excuse not to. But it's time to dust off my sweats, brave the cold, and get my blood pumping again. I may even have to step on the bathroom scale.
4. Clean my office. Yes, there is a desk under there somewhere.
3. Clean the rest of the house. The dust bunnies have turned into mutants, and I haven't seen my cat lately.
2. Do more than wave distractedly at my husband. Yes, he's a very tolerant and understanding man, but he has his limits.

And the #1 post-deadline activity: START A NEW BOOK! I have one more Remington cousin to marry off.

Son of a Writer Mom

Because I spend so much time creating characters, it’s interesting to look at the “characters” in my family and note the personality traits that get passed on. My mom and I are loads alike—-people who see us generally assume we’re sisters (my mother has always looked annoyingly young *g*), we read a lot of the same authors, we have the same favorite stores and go to the same church. But I got my dad’s sense of humor. We have a shared love of standup-comedy and usually laugh at the same Monty Python or Mel Brooks lines that just make my mom shake her head.

My own kids are 4 and newly turned 6, and it’s just been amazing to watch their (very different) personalities emerge and take shape. I sold my first book, a romantic comedy, about two weeks after my son was born. At the time, almost all of my stories were intended for Harlequin’s humor line (no longer in publication, so it’s a good thing they don’t me cracking the occasional joke at American.) I’ll never forget the day that I saw clear evidence of my son’s burgeoning sense of humor. He was my colicky baby with a zillion allergies (many of which, thank goodness, he’s outgrown) and he wasn’t the outwardly happy baby that his little sister would turn out to be (she had an almost startling deep belly laugh by the time she was two months old, and it’s a sound I never get tired of.) But on this particular afternoon, in our kitchen, when my son was four months old and I was spoon-feeding him oatmeal cereal, he thought up his own joke. As soon as I fed him, he’d clamp the spoon between his lips and wouldn’t let me have it back, and his eyes would just light up as he giggled. After the first two times, when I went to give him the spoon he cracked himself up. He was anticipating the joke and couldn’t stop laughing. At that moment, I foresaw that the (somewhat warped) sense of humor had been passed on and one-liners, pranks and parent-teacher conferences were in my future. (By the time my son was five, he could recite three Bill Cosby routines and he often makes me laugh so hard it’s difficult to stay mad.)

My daughter, being the girl, has a lot of my similar interests and we are both counting the days to our first ever Disney vacation and dinner with Cinderella! But she’s actually more like her dad in his easy-going temperament. My son can be very…um, sensitive. His Lego tower once fell down and he stood with a flourish, announcing that it was the worst day of his life, his efforts had failed. My husband raised one eyebrow and asked, “So, where do you think he got his dramatic streak?” It’s true. Occasionally, some writers can be a bit…well, neurotic. I’m trying to temper that in our son, but I have to admit that I’m proud of his creative gifts. He’s already writing stories with beginnings, middles, ends and complex plots. And the very coolest part? When they put together little books in his kindergarten class, he had the TA help him write “dedicated” and then he wrote TO MY MOM.

So what about you? What traits or gifts do you think you’ve inherited from your family or passed on to your own kids?

Waiting for Spring

It's cold, it's rainy and there's record snow in the mountains - welcome to winter in the Pacific Northwest. And we wonder why so many people wander off to exotic destinations like Hawaii, Palm Desert, Arizona and the Virgin Islands. I'll admit it - I'm jealous and I'm also ready for spring. I want to see a little sun that's not accompanied by a 24 degree burr factor. and to be able to walk in the park without looking like Ralphie from The Christmas Story. But woe is me. Spring is far, far away. The good news is that every day the sun stays around a little bit longer.

So going with the glass is half-full optimism - I get a lot of writing done when it's nasty outside, and that's a very good thing. The moral of this story is if it's sunny and seventy, enjoy it. If you live in the UP of Michigan or New England or upstate New York or North Dakota - keep your chin up, this too shall pass. LOL

Ann

Goin' Down to Georgia - HAR - March 2008

Favorite heroines

I've seen lots of blog posts lately about favorite fictional heroes, and that makes sense because we often read romance or watch movies and/or TV programs because of the heroes. I have to say, I like a heroine who can hold her own too. I like heroines, and even write some of them, who can kick butt and take names and still be feminine at the end of the day. All you have to do is scan the bookstore shelves, the TV Guide or the DVD selection at Best Buy to find that this type of heroine is popular. I think it's because we, as women, want to feel that we can hold our own with men, we can be in control without giving up those aspects that make us uniquely women (oh, say, like enjoying buying cute shoes).

Let's take a look at some popular gals who fall into this category:

1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer -- I admire show creator Joss Whedon a great deal for the strong heroines he writes and his dedication to showing the strength a woman can possess. Buffy was a cute little blond teenager when she came into her powers, but looks were deceiving. She could kill vampires and various demons with an ease the grown men in her world couldn't even dream of. And the vast majority of the time, she was stylin' when she did it. Even if she was a badass, she still dealt with things like dating problems, losing her first love, and sibling rivalry. Willow Rosenberg, her good friend, was a very powerful witch who could even kick Buffy's behind if she fully tapped into her power.

2. Wonder Woman -- She was the first superheroine I remember, both on the Superfriends cartoon on Saturday mornings and in the Lynda Carter primetime show. Being a fan of Wonder Woman led to being a fan of other superheroines like Elektra, Firestar, Jean Grey, Rogue, Storm, Sara Pezzini/Witchblade, and Xena.

3. Max Guevara -- from the show Dark Angel (one of Jessica Alba's easier roles); she was a genetically enhanced super-soldier.

4. Bionic Woman -- Lindsey Wagner's version of Jaime Sommers was a childhood favorite, and I've been enjoying the new version played by Michelle Ryan.

5. The heroines of urban fantasy -- Urban fantasy is a very popular genre right now, and many of the protagonists are women. Authors such as Patricia Briggs, Rachel Caine, Laurell K. Hamilton, Tanya Huff (her Blood books have made it to the small screen in the form of Lifetime's Blood Ties), Rachel Vincent and others bring strong heroines to the reading public.

6. If I think about just the TV shows I watch now, there are very strong women in Bionic Woman, Blood Ties, Heroes, Supernatural, Smallville, and Stargate Atlantis.

Even though many of these heroines either have superpowers or are just trained to be able to handle themselves in tough situations, that isn't the end all and be all of strong heroines. An everyday woman like those who appear in our Harlequin American novels can be strong too. They can face adversity, weather it, and come out the other side even stronger. I'm in the midst of writing my second American (actually that's why I'm late blogging today -- oops), and the heroine has had to be strong because her life was totally turned upside down by something someone close to her did. She's having to start over even though she doesn't know if it'll work out. That takes a different kind of strength, but strength nonetheless.

Give me a heroine who is strong any day, whether that strength is superpower in nature or just the strength of the Average Jane. Just don't give me a wimpy, whiney heroine. That will make me close a book or click off the TV faster than anything.

Okay, now it's your turn. Who are some of your favorite fictional heroines from books, TV or movies?

The Power of Positive Thinking

No one likes to be sick and I’m sure there isn’t a person on the planet who likes being in the hospital, but I’m of the opinion that the power of positive thinking goes a long way to helping a person feel better and get well. This philosophy of mine was put to the test two weeks ago when I had surgery, followed by a two-and-a-half day hospital stay.

I was in a room with two other patients, a man and a woman, both elderly. The man had recently recovered from pneumonia, probably had emphysema, and was in the early stages of delirium. He kept taking off his oxygen tubes and getting out of bed without calling the nurse. The staff was concerned he’d fall break a hip, so even my first night, while I was still coming out of the anesthetic, I was having to buzz for the nurse to come and help the poor old fellow.

On my last night there, a nurse pinned the call button to his gown so he couldn’t get out of bed without calling her. But in the middle of the night he took off his oxygen and the gown and went to the bathroom, stark naked! Then the next morning, after yet another trip to the bathroom, he said to the nurse, “There’s a water problem on the floor in there.”

“What kind of water problem?” the nurse asked.

“I peed on it,” he told her.

In my opinion, the nurses all deserved gold medals. They had infinite patience with him, and although they seemed to be run off their feet, they did their very best to keep a close eye on him.

The other person in my room was one of the most cantankerous old women I’ve ever met. There didn’t seem to be much wrong with her, yet she never stopped talking about how terrible she felt, how much pain she was in, and how the incompetent doctors and nurses were doing nothing for her. She even complained to the cleaning staff, the people who deliver meals, and other patients’ visitors. It turned out that her malaise had been brought on by taking too much of two different kinds of medication. She lived alone, but I suspect needs to be in a care facility where her medication can be monitored. The nurses did their best to make her comfortable, although how they kept their patience with her I’ll never know. She didn’t acknowledge anything they did for her, and her litany of complaints never let up.

While I was recuperating, I did my best to let the staff know I appreciated the care they were providing and all the attention they were giving me. And because of that, I think I got even more attention than I deserved. One nurse helped my daughter fix my hair, which had managed to turn itself into a matted mess. Seriously, I managed to take a bad hair day to a whole new level. Another nurse helped me have a shower.

In spite of the great care I was receiving, it was a huge relief when my surgeon consulted with the nursing staff on my third morning there and decided I was ready to go home. Home! I was finally able to get a good night’s sleep, which further strengthened my resolve to think positively. Now, two weeks later, the surgeon says that as far as healing goes, I’m in the top five to ten percent of the population, and that I’m now at the stage where the average person would be in two months.

So yes, I do believe in the power of positive thinking. It’s working for me!

And while I’m at it, I’ll send a huge thank you to the nurses and other health care providers who did such an excellent job of caring for me. Thank you is something they don’t hear often enough.

Lee McKenzie
www.leemckenzie.com

One Chore I Don't Mind

The other day I was standing at the stove fixing breakfast for my twin son and daughter (they're seniors in highschool and will graduate in May). My husband came into the kitchen, stopped in his tracks, and said, "What are you doing?" Though I thought it was obvious, I patiently explained (grin). He couldn't believe it and started to lecture me on how the kids were old enough to fix their own breakfasts and hadn't they been doing exactly that since starting school in the fall.

Okay, he was right. I won't argue the point. But I'd been struck with a sudden and overwhelming case of my-children-are-almost-grown-and-will-be-out-of-the-house-soon. I can remember when they were in first grade and I'd fixed French toast sticks or scrambled eggs with cheese, then hurry them to finish eating before they ran outside to catch the bus. For just a little while, I wanted to be that mommy again. Not the one with a son who's a full nine inches taller than her or an absolutely stunning daughter who looks twenty-five when she's all dressed up.

I know my children are old enough to take care of themselves. Heck, I hardly see them anymore except in the mornings before they head to school. To my husband, fixing them breakfast is an extra chore to add to my already long list for the day. But to me, it's a chance to sustain the magic for just a little longer because soon enough, they'll be going off to college.

I guess when that day comes I could fix my husband breakfast but he just doesn't have the same happy reaction when I serve him French toast sticks.

Cathy McDavid

PS - how funny that Shelley's post is about breakfast, too. Must be on our minds.

The Pancake Breakfast

Lately I’ve been on deadline. Actually, I’ve had a lot of deadlines…so I haven’t been doing much other than writing and looking out my office window.

However, I do have yet another installment in my continuing drama as a wrestling parent volunteer. This involves the annual pancake breakfast, of which I was in charge.

I’m a very hard worker, but I’ve never been particularly organized. So, it was with a little bit of trepidation that I accepted this job. It basically involves getting about ten volunteers together, buying a bunch of pancake mix, orange juice, milk, and sausage, then making and serving it all to six wrestling teams after weigh-ins on a Saturday morning.

Now, I’ve helped with this before. Actually, I’ve helped every year my son’s been in high school. Last year’s parent in charge actually made a binder listing everything to do. I just had to do what she said. But still I was nervous.

Last week, in between writing and well, writing…I went to Sam’s Club and bought all the ingredients. I went to a parent meeting and solicited parent volunteers. I stressed over griddles, crock pots, extension cords, and storing five gallons of milk. Luckily, my husband helped with the heavy lifting.

On Friday night, it all began. I had to cook 250 sausage links. It took three hours. I finished at 1am. I had boys over who were running on the treadmill in the basement because they had to make weight for the weigh-ins. No, they did not appreciate the smell.

And, boy, did my house smell! The dogs were barking and begging. Grease was everywhere. I worried about keeping those darn sausages relatively moist until six am the next morning. It was a pain. My husband and I and all the boys were back up at five, loading cars, then going to the high school. You can imagine the next few hours. Setting up griddles and syrup stations, making pancake batter, carting those sausages around.

Finally, at 7:30, we were ready. Our team’s boys got to eat for free. Boy did they eat! The other teams, well, they elected not to pay the $3 for breakfast and brought their own food.

That’s when my pancake breakfast came to a screeching halt.

Yep, that’s right. Imagine 7 volunteers, two large containers filled to the brim with pancakes. Over 200 sausage links (still moist and very edible, I might add!) ready to go. 8 o’clock came. 8:30. 8:45. We only sold another 7 breakfasts. That’s when things got desperate. The emphasis went from making money for the team to getting rid of the food. Parents started eating pancakes. We asked the janitors and referees if they wanted free breakfasts. Only about half did. At 9, we had to clean up. I gave away four gallons of milk. We uh, threw the sausage out.

I ran to Starbucks, got more coffee, ran home and put on orange and black, and went back to watch my son wrestle. He won his first match. Yay! He uh, also threw up. Yep, several of the boys found that the pancake breakfast wasn’t really the best thing to have before wrestling in five matches. It was a pretty nasty thing to watch. The coach shook his head in dismay. I wished I could slink out the back door.

My husband looked at me and shrugged. He told me it wasn’t my fault this breakfast had become, well…The Worst In the Team’s History.

But I know better. There’s a reason I spend most of my days sitting in an office, staring out the window, making stuff up. Things just go a lot better that way!

Shelley

New Editor

On Friday, I found out I was getting a new editor.

As an author, getting a new editor can at first be like losing your boyfriend or spouse. You’ve grown accustomed to having that person in your life. You don’t want them to go. You have rapport and friendship. You’ve been through many books with them. You’ve leaned on them, and they’ve pushed you to make your writing better. You know what to expect.

The first time I got a new editor was immediately after I’d sold. Melissa Jeglinski bought my first book way back in Sept. 1999, and soon after I was shifted to Patience Smith since Melissa already had a full list of authors. I loved having Patience as my editor. She and I did many a book together, and while with her I got to work with a few other editors as well, for at times someone else in New York would guest edit a particular book. I remember the day Patience called me to tell me the line was moving to Toronto and that she would no longer my editor. I wanted to cry. I might have once I hung up the phone.

Then my new editor called me and introduced herself and we started working together. At first the transition was rough, but everyone kept telling me how lucky I was to have her. I’ll admit, it took a few books for me to know what her other authors were talking about. My new editor pushed me in new directions and made me work harder than ever before. She was demanding and relentless. Still, she worked tirelessly with me to sharpen my prose, and suddenly I was no longer a one or two book per year author, but a three-four book per year author. I’d reached a new level, and all because of her tutelage and refusal to let me settle. Then one day she called and said she was moving to a new line and I was getting a new editor. I wanted to cry again.

My new editor and I did three books together before she ended up being downsized in a Harlequin restructure. I went back to my former editor—hooray!—who I was with until the call came on Friday that she had left the company.

This time I took the news in stride, but still, I was depressed. I’ll miss her and I’m always nervous because now my new editor and I have to get accustomed to each other. It’s like getting a new English teacher. Each one teaches the same language skills, but all have slightly different techniques.

I’ll officially meet my new editor via a phone call next week, although we’ve chatted before. She’s reading a few of my books now to learn my voice. She’ll start by editing the book I just turned in, and on Monday she’ll have the proposals my agent just sent. Thus, we’re going to jump right in.

When it comes down to it, I’m sad to have lost my editor, because she taught me much more than I ever thanked her for. At the same time, I’m very excited and looking forward to working with my new editor. Each editor has pushed me in a new direction, and ensured my continued growth as a writer. I have no doubt my new editor is going to do the same, and I can’t wait.

Goodbye, Lizzy

For nearly 17 years our cat, Lizzy, was a part of our family. A long-haired tortoiseshell with a short manx tail, she was petite and adorable and pretty much ran things. At least she thought she did. When she was happy, that little tail vibrated with excitement, just like a dog’s.

That changed around the age of 14. Lizzy turned cranky. Mean, even. She’d as soon scratch you as cuddle. That was no fun for us or any of the well-meaning friends who ended up with claw marks on their arms or hands. The vet told us Lizzy’s thyroid was off, so we had to buy and feed her thyroid meds twice a day. Expensive, and quite a daunting taks. After a week or so of meds (and doling out a few nasty scratches), my husband and i got the hang of things. Lizzy never did like those pills, but her temper mellowed out some. Though not enough that we ever trusted her again. We let her tell us when she wanted petting, and it wasn’t often.

About six months ago she stopped grooming herself. For a long-hair cat, that means knots and filth and grossness you don’t want to know about. In November I found a wonderful kitty groomer who shaved her all over (she was that filthy) and washed her thoroughly. I made plans to bring Lizzy in once a month for a bath and combing.

Early Wednesday morning I headed for my usual workout at the gym. When I got back all the lights were on. At 6:00 am, this was strange. My husband met me with a sober face. Lizzy couldn’t move her hind legs. I sat with her, stroking head, which seemed to calm her, while my husband dressed to take her to an emergency vet.

Putting her down was the humane thing to do, the vet said. “Then do it,” my husband said.

After raising three daughter and numerous dogs and cats, hamsters, chameleons and fish, neither my husband nor I wants another pet. Lizzy was our last.

We buried her in the flower garden out back. She is at peace. We won’t be dealing with cat hair everywhere or those nasty hair balls or clawed-up furniture or kitty litter. No more twice-a-day battle to make her swallow those pills. We’ll be able to travel without worrying about her.

But I miss her.


Until later,
Ann
www.annroth.net
The Pilot's Wife, March 2008

2008? Already?

As the old saying goes, time flies when you're having a good time. As I get older, I've come to believe that it doesn't matter how good it is, time is going to fly, no matter what. And 2007 made me think of Gone in Sixty Seconds.

When I was younger, I was convinced that the moment between New Year's Eve and New Year's Day was magical. It was in that moment that certain things would change, just because I wanted them to...wished them to. The same was true for birthdays, when I'd stay up to see "my" day arrive at the stroke of twelve. But I'm older and wiser now, and I've come to understand that it's nothing more than a date on a calendar page and a number on a clock. Magic is what you make of it. Goals and hard work can help.

I'm not much of a goal setter. Oh, I have been. Too often I've set my goals too high or set too many, and failing to reach them was discouraging, at best. It's taken time and disappointment, but I've learned that small goals, taken one step at a time, help me succeed, even if it sometimes seems like baby steps. Especially when the goal is to get through a day without losing what's left of my sanity. And then another saying comes to mind: A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. So maybe those baby steps aren't so bad, after all.

I'm sure by now you've all realized that I didn't set any New Year's goals, nor did I bother with New Year's Resolutions, which I would break in record time. But if I were to make a resolution, I think it would be to take a deep breath whenever stress or frustration or worry start to overwhelm me.

So let it be said--eighteen days late--that my New Year's Resolution is to BREATHE. Besides, if I don't do that (breathe), I won't be around to avoid making more resolutions. And what fun would that be?

Have a happy one (year, that is) everyone!

Web woes...

Hello, and a belated Happy New Year!

Hope your holidays were wonderful, you got everything you wished for, and your new year has started off with a bang!

My old year ended in a fizzle....

Before the holidays even began, my computer started acting up, my e-mail followed shortly after, and I was unable to access the Internet for over a month. Talk about frustration!

Since my link to the Worldwide Web was broken, I had plenty of time to wonder how everyone else felt about working and playing "out there" in cyberspace.

Are you completely attached to your e-mail, your Instant Messages, your downloaded photos, and your chat loops?

Or are these things you can live without?


All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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

Reunions

Today I'm blogging about reunions. Some of my readers know from the Bio Page on my website that I played Division I women's basketball for the University of Arizona…way back when. I graduated from college in 1986. I returned to Tucson this past weekend for my first ever women's basketball reunion. What an awesome experience! Five of my teammates during the mid-80's made the reunion. We hadn’t seen each other in 22 years!!

In the above picture we're standing in the corner of the weight room at the U of A. I'm wearing the white western shirt.

It was as if no time had passed since we'd last taken the floor together. We waxed nostalgia--the good, the bad and the ugly of playing a collegiate sport. We reminisced about games, players and coaches and what they were doing today. We talked about our 7-21 season my junior year and how we got a new coach my senior year and turned the program around with a 21-7 season! It was an awesome feeling to go out a winner the year I graduated.

We were treated to a tour of the athletic facilities which made us all drool. We agreed that the athletes today don’t appreciate how good they have it. When I played we were given one pair of basketball shoes and one pair of running shoes for the entire year. The women's player's today get at least three pair not to mention a TON of athletic wear. (I'm positive the guy's basketball team gets even more than that). They have access to state of the art medical facilities--there's an x-ray machine right in the training room. The U of A has 1 of only 3 underwater treadmills in the country. I kid you not. When an athlete is injured and rehabbing their ankle or knee, they submerge the athlete in this pool and have them run on a moving belt while underwater video cameras record the movements of injured body parts to monitor proper healing.

The locker rooms had leather couches and flat screen TV's. The only thing we used the locker room for was to change into our uniforms. The weight training room had a Gatorade bar for athletes--we had a drinking fountain in the corner. There were enough exercise bikes for an entire basketball team to use at once--we had to wait our turn. It truly is amazing how far collegiate athletic programs have come. And they have academic advisors that now travel with each team to make sure the players are keeping up with their studies and to provide tutoring assistance on the road.

For a few days I felt like I was twenty again with a world of choices in front of me. But in the end when I walked off campus that weekend I knew that I wouldn't have traded my experience at the university for anything. I worked hard and played hard and was so very grateful for the opportunity to have my college education paid for. I will never forget what a privileged it was to play for the U of A.

I can’t wait until we meet up again in four years!

Marin
In a Soldier's Arms *Hearts of Appalachia* (Feb 08)
A Coal Miner's Wife *Hearts o Appalachia* (Aug 08)
http://www.marinthomas.com/

Me? Isolated?

Quiet descends.

Our two sons have returned to college after Christmas vacation, and the round of parties, meal planning and laundry has suddenly shrunk. It’s been leftovers and easy meals all week for my husband and me.

Many people believe writers work in isolation. In a sense, that’s true, yet I don’t feel isolated, even with the post-holiday letdown.

Last Saturday, at a meeting of the Orange County chapter of Romance Writers of America, I heard the ever-delightful Carly Phillips discuss how she consults with a critique partner and a plotting group on her best-selling novels. Also, over lunch, I enjoyed catching up with several writing friends, including popular Harlequin Spice author Jina Bacarr.

Tomorrow night, I’ll be attending a meeting of my critique group, the Fictionaires, which has about twenty members. This group – with a changing roster – has been around for more than forty years, offering constructive criticism as well as emotional support.

Plus, I’m teaching a writing course through the Long Ridge Writers Group. Through individual lessons submitted by mail or on-line, I meet eager students who share their insights and creativity. We may not confer face to face, but their personalities reverberate across the miles.

And that’s not all.

My husband once commented that I’d spent all day alone. That surprised me, even though I had in fact been sitting in my office that particular day, working on a novel – no on-line chats, no teaching. But my had hero flirted with me. My heroine confided her problems. Their friends and colleagues and relatives paraded through my brain, reminiscing and squabbling and demanding their own share of the spotlight.

What I really needed, after a day at the computer, was some peace and quiet.

Misc. Rambling!!!

Hey All!

Sorry for the late post, but I just walked in the door after a loooong day of jury duty. I REALLY wish I could discuss the case, but no such luck.

In other news, my new job is going great! I think I mentioned it in the last blog, but I'm now teaching reading at a local middle school. It's fun sharing my love of reading with kids. We just finished a lesson on urban myths which made me crave trying my hand at a paranormal. One thing about the Har. Am. line that I miss, from a readers' standpoint, are the great spooky reads. Anyone remember some of Anne Stuart's? Anyway, seeing how I enjoy featuring kids in my stories, it's big fun being with kids all day! Although it has been tough fitting in writing time.

If anyone happens to be in the OKC area this weekend, I'll be signing copies of my January anthology with Merline Lovelace and my best bud, Margaret Daley. Margaret just retired from over twenty years of teaching, and it's like some alternate universe thing for her to now be off from school and me to be teaching!

My own kids are doing great! Daughter's getting ready to attend UCA's National Cheerleading competition in Orlando. The boys aren't too happy about her getting to go to Disney again. Last year, I went with her and had a blast, but with this being my first year of teaching, I was too afraid to ask my principal for a week off!! (This month's pic is of Daughter and a friend during last year's trip.)

Hubby's been traveling a lot. Last week, he was in DC, and next week, he's off to Napa. I've always wanted to go!!! Although, in his defense, I doubt he'll have much time for wine tasting or seeing the sights.

Okay, time to get back to work on my wip, but in the mean time, stay warm by cuddling up with a great Har. Am read!!!

My resolutions

Unlike Kara, I made resolutions this year. I admit, normally I don't because I fail miserably within the first week, so I usually boycot them. However, this year, I made set some goals and decided to really stick with them. I started before Christmas the following:

#1. Sell 5 books this year, bringing my total to 25. This is one I do have control over, sort of. I've got 3 of the synops needed done, and as to the 4th, I'm struggling a bit. My editor and Kathleen have already seen my Harlequin American ideas and like them, so now I just have to nail everything down and get the 3 chapters I need to write done (so they can say yes!!!). As for book 5, I have until December to figure that one out.

#2. Lose 10-20 pounds. Yeah, this one's always on the list, but this year I'm serious. For the first time in years I've changed my diet and now find myself eating less and more healthy, while still enjoying foods I love. I'm working out weekly with a trainer and getting myself on the treadmill in between sessions. I'm doing yoga/pilates poses while watching TV. I also can't wait until spring, when I can get my bike out. Unlike those diehards, I don't do cold. Thus, I came off the holidays without gaining any weight and actually losing inches.

#3 Spend more time with my family. This is always a priority, and this time I'd like to see my daughters and I doing more things together aside from riding around in the car. I'm seeing if we can go on vacation over spring break. Somewhere warm sounds great. I'm skipping RWA (I have to teach that week anyway) and using the $$ for a family trip.

#4 Eliminate the negativity that often surrounds me. This one's the hardest of them all. I've discovered that the further I get in my writing career, the more insecure at times I feel. I mean, how do you keep being fresh and interesting to your readers? How do you get new readers? The above proposal was eye opening because, as I plotted, I was like, "I've already done that, so I need something else." This year I've discovered that the writing world is becoming very similar to the high school students I teach-- it's containing too much drama and being a little too illogical. So I'm stepping back from chapter listserves and relying more on my friends-for-life who could care less what I do or how many books I've written. I've found I'm a lot more productive that way. I need to stop comparing myself to others, the biggest flaw I think I have. I mean, I can easily get sucked into "my nose is too big, I'm too fat, I'm getting older, and I'm not making the progress I want compared to Writer X who seems on fire." So I'm stepping off that negative spiral and unsubscribing from the lists, especially since I'm not one who can usually keep my mouth shut.

5. Pay down debt. Ah, another goodie. I need to be a little more choosy, but I've already decided to keep the old junk heap that has 93,000 miles on it rather than buy new. I need to prioritize better. I also need to say no to my kids when they want something they really don't need. That's the tough one.

6. Sleep more. That one's obvious.

All six things above are designed to bring about one thing: a relief from the constant stress that was 2006 and 2007. I'll keep you posted as to how I'm doing.

Say No to Resolutions

By now, lots of you out there have already given up your New Year's Resolutions. Admit it! You swore you'd cut back on soft drinks, and you did ... for a couple of days. You were going to work out three times a week ... stop eating Cheetos cold turkey ... be nice to your mother-in-law if it killed you. And where did all those good intentions get you? Disappointed in yourself, probably.

Yeah, I've been that route. But this year, I haven't reneged on a single resolution! Eleven days and I'm exactly on track. No, I don't have extraordinary will power or a personal coach to keep me on the straight-and-narrow. My secret? I didn't make resolutions this year. My apathy was in keeping with my entire boycott of the holidays, and it's the best decision I ever made. This was the most relaxed, stress-free December of my life, and January is shaping up to be much the same. (At least I didn't start it with five extra pounds, which is how my New Year usually begins.).

I only have one goal for this month, and that is to finish my latest Harlequin American. It's the second in a trilogy (SECOND SONS ) that starts in June with RELUCTANT PARTNERS. This one doesn't have a title yet, but my hero is, well, a nerd! I'm having a great time with it. It's scheduled for December 2008.

Now, if anyone has any ideas for how I can give up Cheetos, I'm all ears.

The power of January

I'm still wincing over Linda's poor broken toe. Ouch! A little thing like that can really bring us low. I spent Christmas and New Year's fighting the flu. I'm still a little congested, but I feel soooo much better than I did. Just in time for a new year.

January here in the Colorado mountains means c...c...cold temps and lots and lots of snow. (Which you can see my dog, Katie, loves.) I know people who would gladly spend the whole month huddled under a quilt, like daffodils waiting for spring, but I find the weather invigorating. I love bundling up and taking the dogs for a walk around the neighborhood, or hitting the ski slopes. The whole world looks white and clean under its blanket of snow -- white like a blank piece of paper or a blank computer screen.

Perhaps I'm feeling this way because I started a new book this week -- another Crested Butte-set American. This weekend I'm headed there to ski and do 'research.' Starting a new book is both exciting and intimidating. I'm getting to know new characters and I'm looking forward to telling their story. But I always wonder if I'll do them justice. Will I be able to pull off writing a whole book again?

January is a time when we begin again, and I find such power and comfort in that. No matter how badly we screwed up last year, this year can be different. Of course, realistically we start over every day. But the beginning of the year seems a particularly auspicious time to begin anew. The days are gradually growing longer, and no matter how cold it is outside now, we know warmer days will arrive eventually.

Are any of you excited about a fresh start, new projects or new goals for the year? I hope 2008 brings you many wonderful adventures and blessings.

Cindi Myers
The Right Mr. Wrong, Harlequin American, Feb. 2008 RT Top Pick!
A Soldier Comes Home, Harlequin Super Romance, June 200

Better late than never...

Better late than never…

That’s true, isn’t it? Today is my day to post and I’m just now thinking about it. Sorry. But I have a good excuse, besides senility. I broke my blasted toe. And I really didn’t want to start 2008 this way. It’s better today not so purple and swollen. I’m still trying to get a shoe on without making faces.

That’s what I get for trying to take the ham out of the freezer to thaw for New Year’s Day. I should have waited for my husband, but oh no, I had to do it just then. It wasn’t on the top shelf, but the next, and as soon as I tried to lift it out, it came sliding out of there like a greased pig and land on my foot. I saw stars and said a few words I’d only heard other people say.

The thing thawed on the utility room floor until my husband got home. And, yes, we had the blasted ham for New Year’s Day dinner. Somehow I didn’t enjoy it as much as in other years.

My slogan for this year is to watch out for those flying hams!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone!
Is everyone enjoying the new year?

Linda Warren
www.lindawarren.net
TEXAS BLUFF—Feb Super Romance
ALWAYS A MOTHER—June Super Romance

New Year's Goals

Greetings!

Ann commented Saturday on a big issue for most women, and certainly for me: Time management. What to do, when, and how to do it all?

I'm preoccupied with goals and goal setting right now, as I'm due to give a mini-talk on that subject at my RWA chapter meeting later this month. I'm not great at it--I admit it. I'm a deadline person (as in, I don't do anything before I have to). LOL

But I'm also a list-maker, which is a way of goal setting. Last week, I had line edits due, I had to get a picture (yikes) and bio in to eHarlequin and to a website I just joined as an author, and I needed to get info to my web person for my newsletter to be properly set up (oops-missed that one). Reminders had to go out to the goal group I moderate (which is why I was asked to do the mini-talk) and to the critique group I moderate. As you'll notice, there's nothing personal on this list, such as laundry, cooking dinner, running errands for my mom, seeing a movie with my kids (a real priority--we saw I Am Legend), taking down the tree, etc. So I put the essentials on my list, with due dates or goal dates if no one else cares when they get done.

And I didn't do too badly. Of course, the edits had top priority and got completed (3 a.m. counts, right?) and I got the pic and bio in on time to eHarlequin. I saw the movie and ordered pizza, which is sort of like making dinner. The tree came down and my mom's errands got run. Sure, I have a few leftover items for this week, and more will be added, like plotting the next book, but I feel a real sense of accomplishment.

Do you set goals? Are you good at it? Maybe you have a tip or two I can use in my talk. I'd love to hear them.

Till next time,
Megan Kelly
www.megankellybooks.com

Where does the time go?

Is it already January 2008? By my calculations, it should still be summer of last year. The holidays and the months leading up to them passed in a blur. But nobody asked me, and alas it really is January.

It’s a funny (not really!) thing—the busier you get, the faster time passes. When I was a child time seemed to crawl. I remember waiting and waiting and waiting to turn six, which I thought was the magical age when I’d know more and be so much more knowledgeable and skilled than I was as a mere five-year-old. Of course I soon learned that six was nothing special. When you turned ten, then you knew it all. At ten, the magical age became thirteen. And so on. But that’s a discussion for another time.

There’s that word again: time. Supposedly time is infinite. When we’re all dead and gone time will continue to march on. (This is a good place to mention global warming and how our days may not march by, after-all, at least not as we know them now. But I’ll leave that lecture to someone else.) Here’s the question that plagues me: if time is infinite, why aren’t there enough hours in the day to get everything done? Why is it then when I finally have an hour to spare, it passes in a blink?

Stuff fills in the time. It always has and always will. For me, the only way to make sure I get things done is to make that list Trish mentioned back in December. And I do, almost every night before bed. If not then, first thing in the morning. Somehow, when it’s written down and I can see it, it gets done. Amazingly, I often have time to do even more than I planned.

Whether you use lists or not, I’m curious. How do you accomplish it all in twenty-four hours? How do you make the best use of your time?

Until later,
Ann
www.annroth.net
The Pilot’s Wife, March 2008

Pie, Anyone?

I’ve had my share of pie-making mishaps through the years. I’ve produced soggy crust, cardboard crust, and just plain terrible crusts under the fillings. And as for the fillings-well, I’ve had mistakes there, too. Burnt custard. Strawberry pie filling that would never get firm. Stuff that was just plain bad.

When I was making a Ritz cracker pie in fifth grade, the end of my hair got caught in the beaters of the electric mixer. In two seconds flat, a big chunk of hair was wound up in two meringue-coated beaters-with them still going! That little experience earned me a haircut and whole lot of teasing from my older sister.

When we lived in Colorado, I miscalculated the amount of butter needed in a buttermilk pie and, well, set fire to the oven. I’m still thankful to my mom-in-law who bought me one of those fire blankets for under the kitchen sink. My kids, who were preschoolers back then, still talk about the time Mom almost burned down the house.

Even though I’ve had plenty of, well-let’s just call them catastrophes- over the years, I have to admit I’ve made some great pies, too. My mother let me cook a lot when I was growing up, and that freedom has given me far more successes than failures in the kitchen. No, I still haven’t mastered my mother’s pecan pie or lemon meringue, but I can certainly bake pretty well. Except for one kind…for years one pie has evaded me…no matter how many recipes I tried, I just wasn’t happy with the results.

That all changed on Monday. Yes, on New Year’s Eve, I finally made a great coconut cream pie. Well, actually, my daughter and I made it.

Baking is one of the things we do together-it’s actually one of the few things my daughter and I do together. But once we get into the rhythm of rolling out pie crust, measuring ingredients, and carefully spooning in the filling, things just seem to go well. The years roll away and we only concentrate on the task at hand, not curfews and boyfriends and English grades. Obviously, I’d cook with her all the time if we could.

Back to that pie. When we brought it to the table after dinner, we beamed with pride. The meringue was lightly browned and dotted with toasted coconut. The filling was creamy and devoid of lumps, and the crust was crunchy and perfect. The boys in our family said it was good, ate a few bites, then went back to watch football. But Lesley and I savored every bite. We knew we’d done something special.

So, even though it’s a new year and we’re not supposed to be thinking about desserts…anyone have a favorite pie? Or does anyone feel like sharing a cooking mishap? Oh-and just in case you’re wondering, our coconut crème pie recipe came from The Taste of Home cookbook. I would whole-heartedly recommend it.

Happy New Year!
Shelley

December Blog Winner

Happy New Year!

Congratulations to Jennifer Shirk--the winner of our December Blog Contest!!

To claim your prizes, Jennifer, please contact the following authors through their websites:
Lee McKenzie
Michele Dunaway
Victoria Chancellor

Ann Roth will be taking over the Contest duties for the blog so be on the lookout for Ann's post announcing the winner the 2nd of each month.

On behalf of all the American Authors...we've enjoyed your company and hope you will continue to stop by each day and share your thoughts and comments.

Happy Reading!

Marin

Endings and beginnings

Our sons are home from college for the holidays. Older son overslept (“I turned off the four alarms I’d set and just lay down for a minute”) and missed his flight, but Southwest shoehorned him onto another that arrived only two hours later. Younger son arrived and blissfully turned his laundry over to me, leaving his wallet and keys in the pockets. You’d be amazed how well that stuff survives the washer and dryer.

In some ways, these are turning-point holidays. Older son graduates in May and will be moving on, either to graduate school or a job. We’re kind of hoping for the whole income-plus-medical-insurance thing, but either way, he’ll never be an undergraduate again.

We also said a sorrowful goodbye to our cat. Blue was a stray we adopted seven years ago, an affection gray-and-white striped tabby who developed a sore on his nose that wouldn’t heal. It turned out to be cancer. We let him enjoy his last days in the California sunshine, lasting longer than the vet had predicted, but then the disease picked up speed.

I’ve never been a fan of putting pets to sleep. Our last cat died peacefully at home. But when it became clear that Blue was miserable, we took the final drive with him meowing woefully in his carrier.

Goodbye, little fellow. Hope they have lots of catnip mice in kitty heaven.

These holidays also marked a meeting with our first grand-nephew. Hello to Frankie, a sturdy four-month-old who basks in the adoration of his parents and grandparents. His arrival marks the start of a new generation in my husband’s family.

And so, on this New Year’s Day, I wish you all many happy beginnings and a year full of love.

Happy New Year!

The Harlequin American author bloggers would like to thank you for spending 2007 with us and we look forward to blogging and chatting with you in 2008.

Have a wonderful New Years Eve and New Year's Day and we resolve that in 2008 we'll keep bringing you top-notch American Romance (and for all the years after that as well).

The best to you and your family,

The Harlequin American authors

Guilty Little Pleasures

My children are on vacation this week in Alabama, so ever since Dec. 26, my house has been quiet (minus the six cats sprawled out all over). I've been using the time to get my 20th book written and to simply do nothing. Some days I get up, work out, write, and go to bed when I finally feel tired. That's it.

Last night I went out with friends, something I never get time to do since life is always so booked solid, and I came home at 2:30 AM and then got up this morning at 11 AM. It's been an awesome week where I haven't set my alarm clock once. I'll go back to that "up at 5:15 AM" on Jan. 2. I'm in no hurry.

So my lounging around, which is something I can't do when my children are home, got me thinking of all those days pre-kids when it was just me and I had the freedom to come and go as I please, with no one needing to be at guitar lessons or the doctor or something. That time of my life seems so far ago, not that I necessarily would trade my kids and get it back. Okay, maybe when my two girls are fighting. :)

But parenting means you give up things like sleeping until noon. All those indulgences that I used to take for granted so long ago, like taking a candlelit bubble bath with a glass of a wine and a good book are things I no longer have time for. A vacation with kids simply means I'm somewhere else being on the go--so much to see, so little time to do it. Getting away for an hour for some alone time is only a brief escape--life's tension comes back the minute I leave the spa or get off the trail. There's simply so much going on.

So I'm enjoying the guilty little pleasure of not having my kids this week. They're having the time of their lives, and for a few days I've stepped off the treadmill, turned off the world, and freed myself up to be lazy and simply relax. Except for writing, which I love, I don't have to do a thing. This is when I recharge my batteries. And I am proud of the fact that my TV hasn't been on the Disney Channel once. That'll happen Jan 1, when they come home.

Happy New Year everyone and as you go into it, don't forget to carve out that time for yourself. And if you have any tips as to how to stay sane in a crazy world, don't hesitate to let me know.

Michele

Bird by Bird

There's a wonderful writing book by Anne Lamott called Bird by Bird. The author explains that when she was young, her brother was assigned to write a report about birds, but he put it off until the last minute, then panicked about how he was ever going to write such a long report in one day. His father told him to just write it "bird by bird." Ms. Lamott took that advice to heart, and that is how she keeps the enormity of writing a novel from overwhelming her--she doesn't think about the whole novel, just one scene, or one chapter, or even one good description, at a time. (I hope I am doing the book justice; it's been a while since I read it but I remember that it is wonderful.)

I am both a writer and a birdwatcher, and this month I've had the pleasure of spending a month in "the birdiest spot in the country," the Texas Gulf Coast near Corpus Christie. I'm really only a novice birdwatcher, so when I came here almost every bird I saw was foreign to me. I would walk along the beach and feel overwhelmed by the number and variety of shorebirds; I would stare at a bird, then check the field guide and find half a dozen different birds that looked just like it.

But gradually, with much studying, I started to sort them out. I learned what markings to look for, the length and color of the beak and legs, the way it flew or fed. Now I can spot and identify dozens of water birds with a mere glance.

To bring this back to writing, I think we learn to write a novel the same way. At first, all the terminology is baffling and overwhelming; internal conflict vs. external, motivation, pacing, point of view, internal dialogue, transition, scene and sequel, high concept, theme, three-act structure, hero's journey. If you try to take it all in while you're writing your first book, you'll drive yourself crazy.

But if you study just one aspect--point of view, maybe--and you read different books and passages looking for examples, suddenly it clicks. You'll understand point of view the rest of your life, just like I'll recognize a marbled godwit on any beach next time I see one. Pretty soon, you're incorporating all those esoteric writing terms into your stories without even thinking about it, because it's become automatic.

I could probably take the analogy further; learning to cook is the same way. Probably learning to sew or garden--bird by bird.

(By the way, this blog is very late because I was out birdwatching all day! My bad.)

Happy New Year to you all,

Kara

Congrats to the 2007 RT Award Nominees

THE MAN FOR MAGGIE Lee McKenzie Harlequin (June 2007)

FROM TEXAS, WITH LOVE Cathy Gillen Thacker Harlequin (April 2007)

THE TEXAS RANGER Jan Hudson Harlequin (May 2007)

HOME TO THE DOCTOR Mary Anne Wilson Harlequin (July 2007)

THE RANCHER'S CHRISTMAS BABY Cathy Gillen Thacker Harlequin (December 2007)

Ah, what a lovely list

I like this week between Christmas and New Year’s Day because it’s when I make my goals for the next year. It’s when I take stock of what I’ve done the past year and decide what I want to accomplish in the next 12 months in several areas – writing, personal improvement, home improvement, and entertainment/fun. This week of planning is just an extension of who I am the rest of the year. Hi, my name is Trish, and I’m a list maker.

My list making began when I started school (as in first grade). I made daily lists of what homework I needed to complete, what I needed to take to school the next day, and what I wanted to wear each day. These lists grew in complexity as I progressed through school. I eventually added calendars and daily planners. Okay, this is really nerdy, but I still like the look and feel of a fresh new daily planner. They have to show a week at a time, and the paper can’t be slick. I hate it when ink smears on glossy paper. I also enjoy printing off blank monthly calendars from the Internet too and plotting my daily writing progress, deadlines, blog dates, etc. There’s a nice sense of accomplishment when I’m able to check off one of those items as completed.

And you know what’s the coolest thing currently residing within the crisp pages of my new 2008 planner? My very first book release date! Come next September, my first Harlequin American will hit shelves. I might pass out from excitement. But in the meantime, I have to write in deadlines for my second American and my second young adult book. Let’s just say, my winter is going to be busy. But it’s definitely a good kind of busy.

So, are you a list maker? Do you enjoy setting goals for a new year? What are some of your goals for 2008?

White Christmas

Where I live on the west coast we won’t be having a white Christmas, but last night I watched the film version. Yes, White Christmas, the 1954 classic, starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. It’s my favorite holiday movie of all time and I watch it every year, even though my family thinks it’s cheesy and can’t figure out why I love it so much!

Maybe it’s the costumes. I adore the dresses with the full skirts and narrow waists worn by Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. Not that my waist was ever as small as Vera-Ellen’s. At least not since I was ten. My favorite dress is the black evening gown Rosemary Clooney wears to do her solo performance at the nightclub in New York. In my imagination, I look just as stunning as she does in that dress. Isn’t an imagination a wonderful thing?

I love that the sets and backdrops that so unabashedly fake. In an industry now governed by computerized special effects, it’s refreshing that the simplicity of a cardboard set still works. At least it works for me.

And then there are Irving Berlin’s masterpieces. After all, who doesn’t love the title song? And Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen’s "Sisters" routine? Although I must say, I love Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye’s version even more!

The humor and the love stories are wonderfully heartwarming and innocent. And then there’s the way everyone helps General Waverly. Would somebody please pass the Kleenex?

At the end of two hours everyone's hoping it'll snow on Christmas Eve—and it does!

White Christmas is one of my annual traditions. When my shopping is done, the gifts are wrapped, and the house is completely decorated, I settle in for an evening with Bing and Danny and Rosemary and Vera-Ellen, and then it truly feels like Christmas.

Today and tomorrow are my two favorite days of the year. As I post this blog, my husband is driving to the butcher shop to pick up our free-range, organic turkey. This afternoon, as is our family tradition, we’ll put up the tree and decorate it, and then family will arrive for a Christmas Eve buffet supper. Tomorrow morning we have our gift opening and brunch, and in the evening, a traditional Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. And although there won't be snow, everything will be perfect.

My very best wishes to all Harlequin American Romance readers and authors for a wonderful holiday!

Lee
http://www.leemckenzie.com
http://thewritersideoflife.blogspot.com

Holiday Cheer with Friends

I'm almost done with my holiday preparations. For the first time in two weeks, my husband and kids are out of the house. Finally, I can retrieve their presents from the back of my car and wrap them away from prying eyes. I do have a little shopping left to take care of this afternoon. Mostly food, we're having dinner at our house on Christmas day (a tradition I love). And, I have to find "one more thing" for my mother and my mother-in-law. If your Moms are anything like mine, they're hard to shop for, and I'm wracking my brain for ideas.

This last week has been very harried, as I'm sure it was for everyone here. But harried in a good way. Among my customary holiday celebrations is a dinner out with my critique group. We've been together four-and-a-half years, and I credit them with much of my success as a writer. More than that, they have become some of my closest and dearest friends.

Normally, we meet at more casual places, Starbucks, Ihop or the like. During the holidays, however, we go to a nice restaurant for dinner and exchange token gifts. It's fine that the gifts are just mementoes because what these wonderful ladies give me during the rest of the year is too valuable to put any kind of a price on.

Here we are at the Olive Garden. I'm the one on the far right. We took over a small corner of the dining room and for nearly three hours, celebrated with good food, stories, and enlightening conversation. If I could grant one wish for each of you, it would be for a close and supportive friendship like the one I have with these ladies.

To all our Harlequin American readers, authors, friends and family out there, have a lovely holiday season and a joyous New Year. Thank you for letting me be a small part of your life and for making mine all the better because of knowing you.

Warmest wishes,

Cathy McDavid

Moments To Remember

My daughter cut off most of her hair last Wednesday. She did it for a variety of reasons, but the main one was she cut that hair was she wanted to donate it to Locks of Love. For those of you who haven’t heard of this organization, this nonprofit accepts donated hair and makes wigs for cancer patients, the majority of them children. Yep, it’s a worthy organization, and I was proud of her willingness to make such a sacrifice.
But what was funny was that we didn’t know what a sacrifice it was until the hairdresser SNIPPED off her pony tail and presented Lesley with ten inches of beautiful brown hair that would never again be on her head. Well, Lesley took one look at that pony tail and let out a wail worthy of the most dramatic fourteen year old. “My hair!” Then, of course, she promptly started crying. Next thing I knew, I was crying, too.
Yep, it was a pretty big day.
It’s amazing how some things affect you way more than you ever thought they would. My husband and kids have the unique ability to either make my days or ruin them with one remark, smile, or smirk. A perfect fall day always lifts my mood. So does the first snow.
Other events are just as momentous as you’ve always dreamed them to be, such as a selling a book. When I sold my first Harlequin, I barely made it through the phone call with my agent, then as soon as I hung up, I sat on the stairs and cried. My husband was sure someone had died and ran up the stairs to comfort me. Nope, it wasn’t a crisis…just a dream turning into a reality.
Now, as we rush toward Christmas, where there’s always too much to do and not enough hours in the day, I’m going to do my best to take some time to appreciate all the moments that mean so much- like spending time with family and friends. Eating a really good piece of pie. Candlelit church services. Early morning squeals of joy. Quiet cups of coffee with only a brand new book for company. What are some of your favorite moments?
Shelley
PS…I won’t be around much to answer today. Wrestling Meet…and concession duty!

Happy Holidays

Hello, and happy holidays to everyone. I just returned from our company's annual Christmas lunch. (My husband owns a company that sells school furniture, and I work there part time as the accounting manager.) We had a wonderful, warm time. As I looked around the table, I really felt as if we were one "family" despite our differences in so many ways. Two employees brought children, which we've never had as guests for lunch before, and that made the get-together even nicer.

Our family will be celebrating Christmas with our 20 month old granddaughter, who is just the age to unwrap presents and squeal about everything. Next Christmas, we'll have two granddaughters. I am so glad that I have children back in my life as they are constant sources of joy . . . and of course, writing inspiration. For example, I wrote the proposal for my June 2008 HAR when my granddaughter was the same age as the baby in the book, and I finished it just about the time my daughter announced that they would be having another baby. If you read the epilogue, you'll know what I mean!

In the meantime, again, let me wish you and your family the happiest of holidays. Even if you don't officially "celebrate," a long winters nap or a steaming cup of hot chocolate could be just the thing to lift your spirits. And, of course, curling up with a good book!

Happy Holidays!

For today, I'm not going to write anything too profound. It's the last day of school for the year--the kids return Jan. 3, teachers are back Jan. 2. I have one final to give, and then I'm done.

I just wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I'll use my break writing--I have a book due 1/4.

I was also featured at the Motivated Writer. If you're curious about my office and my writing process, please stop by and check it out.


http://www.themotivatedwriter.com/12december.html

Michele

Not the usual holiday celebration

In two days it’ll be winter solstice, the darkest day of the year. If you happen to live in the pacific northwest (I’m in the Seattle area), that means it’s dark by 4:20 pm., and the sun doesn’t rise until nearly 8:00 am—a whole lot of nighttime!

My husband and I decided to do something to usher out the shortest day. Last year we hosted our first annual winter solstice party. We invited lots of friends, many whom we hadn’t seen in ages, and served great food. I even made a hot spiced rum punch. We lit candles in every room. It was great to see everyone and watch people who’d never met make friends .

Our winter solstice party was so successful, we’re doing it again this year. The party, held on December 21, starts as darkness falls, around 4:30, and goes until whenever. I plan to raise a glass of hot rum punch to everyone who makes writing this blog so enjoyable—readers, writers and all my Harlequin American authors/sisters.

Wishing everyone a Happy Winter Solstice and Happy Holidays!

Until later,
Ann
www.annroth.net
All I Want for Christmas, November 2007

Holiday Wishes

Wow! Christmas is almost here and before we know it, 2008 will be, too.

Before I became a big time romance reader, I'd buy all the women's magazines at Christmastime for the short stories. Redbook, McCalls, Good Housekeeping. It didn't matter. I just loved those happily-ever-after stories centered around the holidays. They always put me in a holiday mood and left me with a smile.

The year my youngest daughter was born, I discovered contemporary series romance and bought every Silhouette Romance that had a Christmas theme. (Yes, 18 years later, I still have them!) I never dreamed that one day I would be blessed with the opportunity to write my own books.

I've been incredibly lucky to have joined the wonderful Harlequin American writers this year, and especially to have my first HAR coming out next month. That it has a Christmas theme only makes it that much better.

If you're like me and would like to extend the joys of the holiday, I hope you'll find that Family by Design does the trick and keeps those after-holiday doldrums at bay, for just a little longer. Single mom Becca Tyler is at the end of her rope when her old flame walks back into her life. Nick Morelli still bears the wounds she inflicted when they broke up, ten years before, but he can't turn his back on her or her three small children. Can he keep the secret that would drive her away and still protect his heart and Becca?

This is such a special time of year, no matter what holiday is celebrated, and families play such an important part of the season. I wish you and yours the most joyful holiday this year, with peace and love flowing into the new year!

Okay, time to fess up. I bet there are some of you, like me, who use the holidays as an excuse to eat what you want and not worry about putting on those few extra pounds because, guess what? New Year's is right around the corner and so are those resolutions. The first on the list--lose five pounds. So breakout the eggnog, bake those cookies and make that fudge and don't you dare feel guilty--I'm not going to!

Dieter's Night Before Christmas
Author Unknown

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all round my hips

Were Fannie May candies that sneaked past my lips.

Fudge brownies were stored in the freezer with care

In hopes that my thighs would forget they were there.

While Mama in her girdle and I in chin straps

Had just settled down to sugar-borne naps.

When out in the pantry there arose such a clatter

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the kitchen I flew like a flash,

Tore open the icebox then threw up the sash.

The marshmallow look of the new-fallen snow

Sent thoughts of a binge to my body below.

When what to my wandering eyes should appear

A marzipan Santa with eight chocolate reindeer!

That huge chunk of candy so luscious and slick

I knew in a second that I’d wind up sick.

The sweet-coated santa, those sugared reindeer

I closed my eyes tightly but still I could hear;

On Pritzker, on Stillman, on weak one, on TOPS

A Weight Watcher dropout from sugar detox.

From the top of the scales to the top of the hall

Now dash away pounds now dash away all.

Dressed up in Lane Bryant from my head to nightdress

My clothes were all bulging from too much excess.

My droll little mouth and my round little belly,

They shook when I laughed like a bowl full of jelly.

I spoke not a word but went straight to my work

Ate all of the candy then turned with a jerk.

And laying a finger beside my heartburn

Gave a quick nod toward the bedroom I turned.

I eased into bed, to the heavens I cry–

If temptation’s removed I’ll get thin by and by.

And I mumbled again as I turned for the night

In the morning I’ll starve… ’til I take that first bite!

Merry Christmas and best wishes for a safe, happy, and healthy New Year!

Marin
*Hearts of Appalachia*
For the Children Oct 07
In A Soldier's Arms Feb 08
A Coal Miner's Wife Aug 08
www.marinthomas.com

Letting Go

My younger son has been at college since August. We carted his stuff into the dorm in Tucson, said goodbye and left on our seven-hour drive back to Southern California. His Thanksgiving break was short, so he stayed there (fortunately, his new girlfriend's family invited him home for dinner).

As a result of our driving him to Arizona, he hadn’t been on a plane since last summer, when he went to visit his grandmother in Nashville. On that occasion, I helped him pack on this end and my mother saw him to the airport on the other end.

So, naturally, this week I sent him an e-mail two days before his flight home for Christmas. Don’t forget to check in 24 hours in advance, I cautioned. Make sure you’ve arranged transportation to the airport. And remember not to try to go through security with a Swiss Army knife attached to your key chain the way your older brother did once, because you’ll lose it.

Just a few little reminders.

He wrote back a frosty e-mail. Okay, not that frosty, since it ended with one of those computerized, sideways smiley faces. But he addressed me as mother instead of mom, and even on-line, I could hear the sarcasm in his voice.

He’d already programmed his cell phone to beep him 24 hours before flight time. He knew perfectly well how to pack for a flight. And his girlfriend was driving him to the airport.

Sigh.

I’ve always appreciated the way my parents let go of the reins once I entered college. I flew alone from Nashville to Boston, took a cab to my dorm, and didn’t go home until Christmas. Aside from one visit during my junior year in high school, my parents never came on campus until I graduated.

I was much more self-reliant and highly motivated than my younger son, I tell myself. Nevertheless, it’s clearly time to drop those reins.

That’s what we parents have to do. Watch them like crazy when they’re little, hover on the sidelines while they stagger through adolescence, and then … let them go.

And hope they’ll find their way back again. At least for a visit.

I’m happy to report that he arrived without losing a single piece of luggage. He wasn’t mugged in the airport, he didn’t misplace his laptop, and he easily survived a one-hour delay in his departure, making his connection in Las Vegas with aplomb.

Welcome home, kid. And happy holidays!

Bah Humbug!!!!

Hmm . . . Where to start? This has been the worst week I've had in a looooong time.

(As we can't find the camera, I snatched this pic off the web. It was taken by Dayzella, and is representative of how things look around town as far as downed limbs. Only many are bigger, and on top of houses! I've never seen anything like this. It's like a tornado hit the whole town.)

That said, there are thousands in Tulsa faring way worse than me. Sunday night, we had a massive ice storm blow through that wiped out power and phones to over five hundred thousand folks. It's being called the worst power outage in OK history. Our house is cold enough to see your breath. Lucky for us, Wednesday, we hit the lottery by finding an open hotel room. By day, we keep our gas fireplace going for the pets to stay sort-of warm. Most every tree in town has been shredded by the ice. In some neighborhoods, there are so many downed limbs, you can't even drive through. Schools have been out for the entire week.

Seeing how I have a book due tomorrow, all of this free time should've been a major blessing, but with no power, it's been rough. I've written with my laptop plugged in at coffee houses, in the car, and even at the Olive Garden!

Last night, I called in our outage to PSO, and was told that our power should be on within minutes. We rushed over, planning to party, only to find more cold, darkness. Ugh. As of this morning, it's still not on.

Meanwhile, we just heard via text message that Daughter has cheer practice. Cheer practice??!! Um, I was talking with some other cheer moms, and we all decided our minds are a bit preoccupied about now.

The sad thing is that while our situation has been stressful as far as spending $$ for a hotel and eating out every meal, I can't fathom how folks who can't afford what we see as necessities are coping. Please, keep them in your prayers for power to come on soon, although PSO is now saying it may be next Wednesday before full power is restored.

Foreign Editions

One of the fun things about writing for Harlequin American is googling my name and finding wild things, like French editions, on the internet.

The above book came out in November 2007 and guess what, I have no idea what book it is. I'm guessing that this is one of the books set in Chicago, so I'm thinking it may be The Wedding Secret.

Sometimes I received author copies and other times I don't. Usually I recognize the picture, but oftentimes the photo is changed. It's strange--in Australia I'm a Presents author and in Japan I'm a Silhouette Special Edition author. In France I'm a Desire author.

What I really find fun this time is that I've been packaged with a good friend of mine, Patricia Kay. Neither she nor I knew Harlequin would do this. In fact, the authors don't know what books will be picked up for foreign editions. Harlequin does the translating.

Have a great day! I'm off to work--

Michele