Coas out your inner child

I write this from Siesta Key, Florida, where my husband and I are vacationing for nine days. We love Siesta Key, which is part of Sarasota. Some have said the beaches at Siesta Key are among the top 10 worldwide. I have to agree (though I’d love to visit the other nine to make sure ☺ ). The sand is as white and soft as talcum powder, and never seems to get too hot on your feet. I’m told it is made of crushed crystals.

This time of year the water is about 75 degrees, perfect in my opinion. Playing in the waves, body surfing, and just enjoying the pelicans and egrets—it all brings out my inner child. It’s been awhile since I laughed for the sheer joy of feeling a wave crash over me. My inner child is out and feeling fine.

I’d write more, but the ocean is calling and that inner child is dancing with anticipation.


Until next time, and wishing you all the joy of coaxing out your inner child,
Ann Roth
www.annroth.net

Nuisance Animals

For the past three summers I have tried everything to "encourage" the rabbits to leave my yard. This spring I counted six of them--the most I've ever had. I've tossed moth balls under bushes--all that did was make the neighbors curl their noses when they strolled past the house. I've put up fences around my tulips--the rabbits jump right over to eat the plant leaves. I purchased a "rabbit spray" from the local nursery and that worked for a few weeks, then the critters ignored the smell. I've sprinkled blood meal on the ground around my plants but then the dogs roll in it and stink to high heaven. Speaking of the dogs--they chase the rabbits out of the yard, but as soon as I bring the dogs inside the house, the rabbits return.

Just once I'd like to plant flowers in the ground and not have to put them in pots and hang them from tree branches. I've also had to resort to using my birdbaths as planters and although they look cute filled with flowers, I'm sure the birds would rather have water.

If anyone has checked out my website this month, then they know I've declared an all-out war against the rabbits in my yard. This spring I obtained a permit to catch a "nuisance animal" and bought a live trap. Check out www.marinthomas.com for information on my Elmer Fudd Wabbit Contest. I've bated the trap with fresh carrots and leafy vegetables and have witnessed two of the rabbits sniff the trap, eat the grass around the trap--but the darn critters won't go in.

Has anyone ever dealt with a nuisance animal in their yard and if so, did you have any success getting it to leave?

Marin

A Coal Miner's Wife *Hearts of Appalachia* Aug 08
www.marinthomas.com

He grew up

When did this happen?

Sometime next week, when I get my act together, I’ll be posting a new photo on my Web site (www.jacquelinediamond.com). It features a handsome, dark-haired young man and a short, beaming woman (me). Oh, one more thing. The gorgeous guy is wearing a cap and gown.

Must be trick photography. The truth is, he’s seven years old, it’s the last day of second grade and I can’t find him amid the swarms of children eagerly rushing toward vacation. Finally, around the side of the school’s main building, I discover my precious little bear bawling his head off, with a friend’s worried mom keeping watch over him until I show up.

You see what I mean? If I’m not there to hold his hand, he might get lost.

Only … he’s twenty-two years old. He just graduated after four years at Vanderbilt University with, incredibly, not one but two degrees. The first is a B.S. in computer science and math. The second is an M.S. in computer science. This is the result of working his tail off for eight years, completing half his undergrad work while still in high school and spending late nights meeting the requirements of an accelerated masters program. After his first free summer since junior high, he starts work next fall at his dream job with Google.

How can this be? When did he grow up?

Wait! There was one moment, as we celebrated his graduation with my parents and other relatives, when I mentioned that I didn’t plan to cook much this summer. For just a moment, a look of utter childlike dismay flashed across his face. There! The seven-year-old was back.

Okay, so it takes the prospective loss of Mom’s lasagna and homemade, garden-grown minestrone soup to bring out the lost little boy, and then only for a millisecond. But he’s still there.

What a relief! Although now I won’t be able to avoid cooking like a fiend all summer, it will be worth it.

Fun News!!

For those of you who have been with us a while, you know I generally talk about my kids, but today, I'm just talking about ME!!! LOL!!! Seriously, I've had a fun month, and want to share.

For starters, my editor, Johanna R. just agreed to a new four-book deal, so it looks like you'll be stuck with me a while longer!!!! Three of the stories are a series, loosely titled, Love & Lamaze. It's about some unconventional single moms who meet up through Lamaze class. The fourth, is part of a series the line is doing. Now, I have no clue what the official name is, so for now, I affectionately call it Hunky Men Across America!! If anyone knows the real name, please chime in!! LOL!!

Next in my fun news is the fact that I just heard yesterday that I've landed an AMAZING Art Teacher position at my kids' old middle school. Not only is the thought of teaching art a dream come true, but the school is a few blocks from home, and I already know much of the staff from my PTA days. Don't tell anyone, but I'm both crazy excited and crazy scared!!! I have the same nervous butterflies I had when selling my first book on proposal. Like, I kind of think I can pull it off, but maybe I'm not so sure!! LOL!!!

The only down side to my new gig, is saying goodbye to all of the friends I've made at my current school. One of my favorite things about teaching, is making friends. Sounds corny, but I sat home alone writing for a decade, and it got lonely. Anyway, while I'll miss my *people* here, I can't wait to dig into this new position.

For Mother's Day, we did the Muskogee Renaissance Faire. I'm still full!!! Aside from all the amazing costumes, my fave part is the food. Gotta love the turkey legs, fried cheesecake (which I'm pretty sure wasn't around in medieval times ), roasted corn and funnel cake!!!

Tell me what you all did for Mom's Day!! One of my student's reported giving his mom a new car!! Hmmm . . . all I got was a new key chain--but it was from the pricey Coach store!! LOL!!

Economy

I've been thinking a lot about the economy lately, especially gas prices. I drive 28 miles door-to-door, one-way, to work, and I don't have the option of selling my house and moving closer. (My mom & I live 1000 feet apart, and I can't move until she does. That way I can watch out for her; she's 70.)

I paid $3.49 the other day, which is 20 cents cheaper than the area average of $3.69. Missouri is a bit in the middle, and usually cheaper than the national average.

As I won't see my economic stimulus check until after July 4, I've been penny pinching everywhere. I know, authors are supposed to be fabulously wealthy, but that doesn't necessarily happen unless you're Nora. And I have horse camp, bible away camp, and a three-week intensive summer gifted program to pay for. I fired my trash guys and got new ones (savings of $76 a year) and got my internet provider to give me a monthly rate of $14.95 instead of $21.95.

I also broke down and downsized my car. My 2004 Malibu Maxx (fully loaded) had over 100,000 miles on it and was starting to have mechanical issues. Since Chevy was offering loyalty cash of 3,000 and I get a supplier's discount, I saved over $3,700 on a new Chevy Cobalt. My Cobalt is no frills. No heated leather seats. No DVD system. No automatic climate controls.

However, my payment dropped by a good chunk, my gas mileage went up by 6 MPG, and I now have a car with another 100,000 mile warranty, which means repair is free. (And trust me, I use the warranty.)

The upfront outpouring of cash (title, taxes, payoff/trade in) was a huge bite. But in the end, in three years I'll be in better shape to give a 3-year old car to my 16 year old instead of a 7 year old car.

I remember those days of driving a clunker that died at every stoplight...but that's another post.

So what are you doing to save pennies here and there? I've also unplugged all unused appliances and changed to those energy saver light bulbs. Now if I could just get my daughters to turn off the TV when they leave the room....

Feeling Left Out!

Mother's Day always leaves me feeling a bit left out. I have no kids, so nobody gives ME presents. My own mother passed away many years ago, and I have no aunts or grandmothers still living. I have a mother-in-law, but she lives far away and, well, of course I sent her a card but it's not quite the same.

This year, I decided I would just celebrate anyway. Heck, most everyone else is celebrating, I might as well, too! So yesterday I bought myself a piece of jewelry (nothing grand, just a beaded bracelet from a craft fair). I've wrapped it up, and I'll give it to myself tomorrow. We'll say it's from my cat, who is so spoiled she might as well be my child.

I also have a rose bush in the back yard that is exploding in huge yellow blooms. So tomorrow morning I'll go cut myself a bouquet. I might even be able to con my husband into taking me out to dinner. (He won't buy the "I'm a mother to our pets" excuse, but I'll think of something.)

Finally, perhaps I'll dig out one of my favorite "motherhood" books from my keeper shelf and snuggle in for a good self-indulgent read. Maybe I'll even re-read one of my own. Oddly, though I never chose motherhood for myself, I've written LOTS of books about secret babies, unplanned pregnancies and single moms. I guess these situations appeal more in fiction than real life!

I hope all you moms, and/or children with moms, have a great day!

A shout out for Step-moms and Mothers-in-law

On this Mother’s Day Eve, I wanted to take a moment to praise some mothers who don’t always get a fair shake. We’ve all heard the jokes and horror stories about wicked stepmothers and evil mothers-in-law, but most of the women I know who fill these roles are good gals who try hard to do the right thing.
In my own case, I’m blessed with a wonderful mother-in-law. Loretta Myers has been a friend to me for over 28 years. She’s fun, funny, and always supportive.
As for step-moms, my hat is off to these women who walk a tight-rope between their children’s birth mom and their new husbands. It’s tough to find the right balance, I’m sure.
I hadn’t really considered the step-mother question much until I wrote the Superromance book that’s coming out next month, A Soldier Comes Home. My heroine, Chrissie, falls in love with a man who’s just returned from Iraq. Ray’s wife left while he was oversees and he has sole custody of a three-year old. Chrissie loves Ray and his little boy, but she wonders if she has what it takes to be a step-mom. Writing the book really made me think about everything that goes into being a good step-mom
To all step-moms, moms, grandmoms, mothers-in-law and friends of moms – I salute you and wish you a very happy mother’s day.
Now it’s your turn – do you have a woman in your life – your mom or someone else – who has been special to you. Let’s hear her story.

A new cover. And what happens next.

A new cover. And what happens next.


I received my September cover and I’ll share it with you (if I can load it). It’s always a nervous time when my editor sends the attachment for a cover. I take a deep breath and hit download. I imagine it’s something like looking at your baby for the first time. You’re anxious and prepared for anything. But secretly you're praying you have the most beautiful baby (cover) in the world.

Most of the time I’m very, very pleased. The artists do a great job. I’ve only had one cover I didn’t like and that was years ago. Thank the cover gods.

I’m pleased with the cover of Texas Heir and I remember to breathe again. The hero is much as I have him pictured in my head. I’m happy, very happy. After the excitement ends, I notice his shirt. Or more to the point, the cuffs on his shirt. I’ve never seen a man wear a shirt like that, at least not in Texas. Maybe it’s trendy. It still doesn’t damper my pleasure in the cover, but I was wondering what you think. Will readers even notice it?

Welcome to the neurotic world of an author.

Wishing everyone a happy and relaxing Mother’s Day. May you be pampered beyond your wildest fantasy. And hoping it involves lots of chocolate.

Linda
www.lindawarren.net
Always A Mother – Super Everlasting – June 2008
Texas Heir – Harlequin American – Sep 2008

Birdies, birdies everywhere

There’s a bird nest in our front porch light. I discovered this when I watered the impatience in the flower box beneath the light and mama bird flew off in a blur of wings. We’re trying to not use the front door for awhile, instead going in and out from the deck or the back yard.

You may not be able to see this in the photo, but the nest sits between the frame and the light bulb. Mama bird is quite smart—she chose a sheltered place that is protected from rain (our front porch is covered on top) and safe from kitties, crows and other predators.

My husband thought he saw the female’s mate on the deck railing. He found a photo in a bird book and believes our guests are house finches.

We’re honored that they family settled here and are excitedly waiting for the day when the eggs hatch and the babies begin their lives.

Does anyone have a special animal story to share?

Until next time,
Ann Roth
www.annroth.net

Almost Real

It all started out innocently enough. My husband Tom and I were in our small group at church and taking part in a discussion about workdays. It turned out that quite a few of us worked from home, and while weighing the pros and cons of this, a few people mentioned feeling isolated. Someone asked how I felt-after all, I’m home by myself most every day since my husband travels and my kids are in school.

Before actually thinking about how it would sound I said, “Well, see, I spend most of my days writing. And by the time I’m about 50 or 60 pages into a book, I really feel like I know all my characters. So, I’m rarely by myself-I’m with a whole group of people who I really like because, well, I made them up.”

Dead silence. Warily, I looked to Tom who shook his head slightly. It was the same kind of look he gives me when I have food or something on my chin.

Oops.

Suddenly, I realized what I'd just said. Not only do I make up people and pretend they’re real, but I um, actually prefer their company to most others.

No doubt about it, I sounded weird.

That conversation got me thinking about characters so great that you wish you did actually know them. I read Debbie Macomber’s Twenty Wishes this week and cried while reading the last ten pages. I loved those women! (Come on, Debbie…you don’t need to sleep! Write what happens next! :)

As for my books, one of my favorite characters is Claire Grant. She’s the heroine of The Mommy Bride, and was a secondary character in Simple Gifts. I’ve been with her through homelessness, pneumonia, her first interviews, and now…falling in love. She made a lot of days in my basement seem like the absolutely BEST place to be in the world. I’m going to miss Claire.

Until I get busy with another Harlequin, I think I’m going to concentrate on real, live people for a bit. Wish me luck. : )
Anyone else have a character in a book or movie that they’ve really liked?

PS. If you have time, take a visit to Brenda Novak's website. She's hosting an amazing auction! All the proceeds go to help research for children's diabetes! I have a set of books up for auction there...all five of my Harlequin Americans! There's also books by other American authors, and even meetings with Harlequin editors!

Shelley

Contest winner!!!

The April winner of our monthly contest drawing is..... Christa. Way to go! Please contact Michele Dunaway, Megan Kelly and Linda Warren via their websites to collect your free, autographed books.

And remember, every time you comment you are automatically registered to win. Tell your friends!

Welcome home

An author can’t help using her own life in her books. That’s a scary thought, considering that among my 80 novels are murder mysteries, a fantasy novel and even one horror tale dredged from the darkest corners of my usually sunny psyche. Of course, there are also romances set in Regency England, so maybe I was a friend of Jane Austen’s in another life.

If you’d like to visit my present neighborhood, you can do so starting this month, when my hometown of Brea, California provides the setting for my latest Harlequin American trilogy. The books begin with The Family Next Door and continue in August with Baby in Waiting. In January 2009, Million-Dollar Nanny concludes the trilogy.

Of course, fiction isn’t the same as real life – it’s much more organized (usually) and doesn’t leave loose ends. So I created the fictionalized development of Harmony Circle, a neighborhood populated by personalities I hope will keep you entertained.

In each book, a hero and heroine resolve their own issues. In The Family Next Door, widow Diane Bittner is distressed to discover that her handsome new neighbor, Josh Lorenz, was the holdout juror in the murder trial of her husband’s killer. Although he honestly believed the man to be innocent, she’s convinced Josh let a guilty man go free. But how can she resist when their preteen daughters begin making plans to bring the two of them together?

A subplot running through the three books concerns a small cottage that’s part of Harmony Circle’s history. When an heiress and her fiancé propose to tear it down and build a mansion, some residents see the plan as a disaster. Then an unexpected twist changes everyone’s perspective.

I hope you’ll enjoy your visit to Harmony Circle. There’s nothing like making new friends in a kind-hearted neighborhood!

Rachel's last recipe

It’s been a month of fun! If you’ve made the rounds, you found the third of Rachel’s recipes, for brownies, on my agent’s blog. If not, go here http://micheledunaway.blogspot.com

For the last recipe, I’m going to give you an egg-less cupcake recipe that I use. There are no eggs in these and they are quick and easy to make. This recipe comes directly from Hershey, my all-time favorite company as they make chocolate, my diet staple. I make these and don’t even frost them. You can using the brownie frosting recipe (on my agent’s blog) but I like them just dusted with powdered sugar or left plain.

1 ½ cups all purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup Hershey’s cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt.
1 cup water
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 375. Line muffin cups (2 ½ inches in diameter) with paper baking cups (I have also used silicon baking cups and had them stand alone on a cookie sheet). In medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add water, oil, vinegar and vanilla, beat with a metal whisk just until batter is smooth and ingredients are well blended. Do not over whisk. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost as desired.

And for one last really awesome cookbook that I couldn’t live without, find the Hershey’s 100th Anniversary: 100 Years of Hershey Favorites at http://www.amazon.com/Hersheys-100th-Anniversary-Years-Favorites/dp/0785331646

So that’s it! I hope you have fun this month baking with Rachel and that you enjoyed both The Marriage Recipe and the romance. I don’t have any more Harlequin American novels out until January 2009, but don’t forget my two NASCAR books. Out of Line debuts in June. Check out my blog for a cover that's simply steaming. You may have to scroll a bit, but he's worth it.

Michele

Deadline Brain

Yesterday I turned in my completed manuscript to my Harlequin editor. The sprint to the deadline is always exhausting, but deadlines do something to my brain, too. I call it "deadline brain," and it causes me to have conversations like this:

Me: "Hon, I'm going to the store to buy some ...
Husband: "Some what?"
Me: "Some ... you know, the white stuff that comes out of a cow?"
Husband: "You mean milk."
Me: "Right, that's it! Milk."
Husband: "Okay."

The husband doesn't even blink anymore when I can't come up with the simplest words or remember something he just told me. Chances are, after the above conversation, I'll get to the store and buy a basketful of stuff ... and forget the milk.

Sometimes I'll catch myself just standing stock still, staring at a wall in a complete daze, and I'll wonder how long I've been standing there. Also part of this syndrome is a complete lack of interest in writing (and possibly the conviction that I'll never write another book, that I'm going to do something else now like weave baskets).

Fortunately, the condition of Deadline Brain passes in a day or two. A couple of nights sleeping long and hard usually helps. Gradually, a few creative thoughts will slip into my conscious mind, flashes of a new character or snippets of conversation, or something will stir a memory that will get me to thinking, "What if?" Then I'm off to the races again.

But not today. Today I'm lucky to get a blog post!

* * *

Writing News: My June Harlequin American, RELUCTANT PARTNERS, got a 4-1/2 stars TOP PICK from Romantic Times!

If you haven't yet entered my contest, you still have a couple of days. Visit www.karalennox.com, and click on the contest button. I'm giving away my January book, GOOD HUSBAND MATERIAL, and a few other goodies as well.

Spring - where are you?

Spring has NOT sprung in the Pacific Northwest. While most of the nation has been enjoying sunny skies and shorts wearing weather, the webfoot residents of the PNW have had 2 - yep, you heard right - 2 days without something nasty falling from the sky. One minute it might be snow, and then before you can turn around it's raining. Ah, don't forget about the hail. Ay, yi, yi, yi, yi! Our heating bills look like it's winter, we're running the gas insert and our coats have not been put away for the season. Did I mention we dipped below freezing almost every night in April?

Enough of the griping. Yesterday was beautiful. It was sunny (sort of) and sixty. People broke out the motorcycles and bicycles. They donned shorts and sandals. Picnic baskets came out of hiding. The golden orb was in the sky, birds were frolicking and folks throughout the land were celebrating. And guess what? It was sucker spring.

But hope springs eternal (no pun intended). When you folks around the nation are sweltering we'll be having enjoying sunny and seventy. And with the number of writers we have in this area, I'm convinced there's something about the weather that makes us creative - or is that crazy?

Back to watching the rain and finishing the revisions on my May 1 deadline.

Ann DeFee

My love-hate affair with spring

I love spring. I hate spring. For the last several years, I've had a love-hate relationship with spring. I love it because everything is blooming and greening, winter is a memory, and I'm finally warm again. I hate it because of...allergies. I developed allergies after I moved to where I now live back in the mid 1990s. The city where I live is one of the top 10 cities for allergy- and asthma-related illnesses because we have such a high pollen count and we sit in a natural depression, which makes it more difficult for the pollen to blow away.

So while I love being outside in the spring, my sinuses have a different idea. All I can say is, thank goodness for allergy medication. I've been on two oral medications for a few years, started after the over-the-counter stuff just stopped working other than to make me so sleepy I nearly fell over onto my desk at work mid-afternoon. Yesterday, I added eye drops. I really don't like putting stuff in my eyes, so it's actually difficult for me to put an eye drop in my eye. I have to look in the mirror and do it, can't just look up at the bottle and let that drop fall. I know, I'm weird. It's been said before. :)

I've noticed that I set a lot of my books in the spring and summer. I think that's because I really don't like winter, and I like my characters to be able to do things outside like hiking and picnicking and boating. Maybe I'll have to think up a wintry story just to say I've done one. It'll have to be around Christmas since I love the holiday. But I'm always a little jealous of my friends in Australia and New Zealand who get to have Christmas in the middle of the summer. :)

So what about you? What is your favorite season and why? Is there one you'd rather be able to skip each year? And if you're a writer, do you notice yourself setting your books during certain times of the year?

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Now that spring is here, I’m starting to plan my patio garden. Years ago I gave up on having a big garden plot because all the watering and weeding was too labor intensive. Containers generally stay weed free and require only a quick watering every day or every other day. That’s my kind of garden! So I’ve started to pour over seed catalogues, trying to decide what to plant this year.

I definitely want a few tomato plants. Even though the yield isn’t terribly high, I love being able to pick a vine-ripened tomato and have it in a salad just a few minutes later.

I’ll plant a few herbs—basil for making pesto, rosemary for seasoning biscuits and dumplings, and mint because it makes such a wonderful garnish. Green pea and mint soup is a summer favorite because it can be served cold—so refreshing, and such a great color!

This year, for the first time, I’ve also decided to plant some edible flowers. So far I’ve settled on lavender, nasturtiums and pansies. Lavender shortbread made with a little lemon zest is an all-time favorite at my house, and the other flowers will be fun to toss into salads.

I’m also thinking about plants that will attract butterflies and hummingbirds to my patio. Any suggestions?

Happy gardening!

Lee

Vroom, Vroom!

I've been bitten by the car bug. Actually, I've been talking with my husband for the last five months about getting a new car but it's only been this week I was suddenly motivated. The reason is, I fell in love. With a car.

Let me explain.

A few weeks ago my 18-year-old daughter was rear-ended by another driver (she's fine, just was scared). She happened to be driving my old Trooper for some reason and not her dad's car. The other driver's insurance assumed responsibility for the costs associated with the accident and made arrangement for me to have a rental car while my Trooper is in the shop. They gave me a PT Cruiser to drive.

I am in love.

Odd, this isn't a car that has ever appealed to me, though I see them on the road all the time. But from the moment I sat behind the wheel, I felt comfortable. It's an easy and fun car to drive, small, yet roomy, and has a lot of zip. It's also better on gas mileage than the Trooper. I've gone online to price out PT Cruisers and to read owner reviews. They're mixed, some love the car, others don't. Since I no longer have small children and the dogs don't care what back seat they're sitting in as long as they get to go on ride, most of the complaints don't apply to me.

Did I mention the car is fun to drive?

The best part about a PT Cruiser is that it's not a car the rest of my family would want to drive. It's too small for my husband's tastes. My son is into trucks and four-wheel-drive SUV's. And my daughter has her own brand new (used) car.

Yay! No having to share.

I'll keep you posted on the car situation. Because my husband and I are going fishing this weekend, I can't go car shopping until next week, dang it :-(
I'll just have to hope the repair shop takes a rrreeeaaalllyyy llllooonnnnggg time with the Trooper so that I'm forced to keep driving the rental.

Cathy Mc

Where Were You?

Last Friday, at 5:38 am, we had an earthquake. Okay, I better amend that. An earthquake hit in southern Illinois, but the tremors were felt all over the Midwest. Even here, where I live, in a suburb of Cincinnati. It was very exciting.

Here’s my story…I was actually working at my computer, determined to get revisions done on a book I’m writing for Avon Inspire, when my desk started shaking. Luckily, Phoebe the beagle was sitting right next to me, so I had a witness. We stared at each other, then looked at my desk again. Yep, the computer was definitely shaking. Next thing I knew, it was done. It lasted all of twenty seconds. I didn’t even think ‘earthquake’. No, I was thinking a train must be roaring by. Or a jet. I mean, really…we live in Ohio!

An hour later, after I woke up my family, I turned on the news. That’s when I heard the truth. It had been an earthquake! The tv anchors looked almost giddy with excitement. I felt the same way-something new and unexpected had happened and I was a part of it!

I made pancakes to celebrate. My kids and husband shook their heads at how easily entertained I was but wisely said nothing. Pancakes at 6:45 on a Friday morning is not a usual occurrence.

That wasn’t the best part. The best part was discussing the earthquake with everyone and anyone. Since no damage had been done, and no one got hurt, the ‘earthquake’ became a fun novelty for everybody around. “Where were you?” Became the question of the day, and boy, did everyone have answers! We discussed it during my critique group’s meeting. People brought it up in line at Starbucks. My friend at the gym was sorry she slept through it. Tremors woke up the guy doing my nails. The man at the framing store was in his car-he thought he was having tire trouble.

Obviously, it was just what everyone needed to perk up an otherwise ho-hum work week.

For me, it was kind of fun to hear a little snippet of other people’s lives so early in the morning. While discussing tremors, we talked breakfasts, coffee and tea routines, and sleep habits. People recalled visits to California, other natural disasters they were witness to, and everyone’s surprise to feel something here that happened so far away.

Today, we’re back to business as usual. School’s busy, there’s swim team practice this afternoon, and I need to go buy milk at the store. There's a chance of rain today. Oh, and I put out cold cereal for breakfast. My kids couldn’t help but wish something soon would uh, ‘shake things up’.

Anyone else feel the earthquake?
Shelley

Inspiring New Arrival

Greetings from Texas. I just arrived home after spending the night in my daughter's hospital room, helping her with their new daughter. Yes, my second granddaughter was born on Saturday, a few days before her scheduled delivery date. She and her mother are fine, getting to know each other and napping whenever they can.

In times like these (and really, how many "times like these" do we have our lives?) I do think of the values and premises of Harlequin American Romances. Heart, home and family. The themes of destiny, surprise pregnancies, humorous and near disastrous weddings, opposites attracting, families pulling together, and making a home together are all evident in our family, and that's just the past two years!

My two granddaughters are named after a grandmother (Lillian) and two great-grandmothers (Roxie and Grace) on my husband's side of the family. That continues the family traditions and gives them a link to the past, even though they will never know these women. Roxie lived to be 101 years old and kept her own home until she was 100. Grace was the oldest daughter and moved with her family from their comfortable farm in the Brazos River valley to a "soddy" in Oklahoma in the late nineteenth century. What stories she could tell! I wish she'd been a writer.

I thought about those family links a lot when I wrote my June release, An Honorable Texan. At the beginning of the book, the hero is an unhappy veteran who returns home to find everything changed. For someone who tries hard to maintain the past, this is a difficult pill to swallow. I hope he redeems himself with his love for his surprise son and his respect for the baby's mother, but he was a difficult hero to write. I like to write the happy-go-lucky heroes a lot, but like our relatives, we don't always get to decide. Sometimes, a character just walks through the door and says, "write about me!"

Thanks for reading about my good news. Roxie Grace will be coming home on Wednesday, and now I'm going to take a nap to get ready for that happy event. Best wishes!

Victoria

Rachel's Recipe #3

In the spirit of the first post celebrating the release of The Marriage Recipe, I am giving you another yummy recipe that both Rachel and I use, one for sugar cookies. Trust me, these are the world’s greatest and easiest sugar cookies. By the way, if you go to http://freshfiction.com/blog/ tomorrow, April 21, I am blogging about what food reveals about characters.

This recipe is modified from Just a Matter of Thyme, which is at Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Just-Matter-Thyme-Collection-Satisfying/dp/0740765345 (and while you’re there, don’t forget to pick up The Marriage Recipe if you haven’t already).

And if you missed the first two recipes, they are at www.micheledunaway.blogspot.com


Sugar Cookies

Main bowl
1 cup butter (softened)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cooking oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Side bowl
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Using a mixer (stand preferred), cream together 2 sticks butter, 1-cup-powdered sugar, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1 cup cooking oil until light and fluffy. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, and beat after each. Add 1-teaspoon vanilla. Set aside

In the side bowl, using a fork or sifter, blend together the flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda.

Add the ingredients in the side bowl to the main bowl a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then turn mixer to high speed and beat until light and fluffy. Using two teaspoons, spoon out quarter-sized dabs of dough and drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Take a glass, wet the bottom and dip it in a bowl filled with one-quarter inch of sugar. Press each dough blob lightly with the glass (once it has sugar on it, you do not need to rewet each time, just dip in sugar first before each cookie). Feel free to sprinkle on sprinkles or extra sugar at this time once cookies are flat. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 6-8 minutes or until the sides are a light golden brown. Transfer to a rack and let cool.

Baked Beans Fiasco

Shelley Galloway always shares her stories... so here’s mine. My grandson’s third birthday was last week. His parents had his kids, other parents and we grandparents over for barbecued chicken. I offered to bring baked beans. Not just any old beans, but homemade. I have a great recipe from the Barefoot Contessa I wanted to try.

These beans took 6-8 hours to cook. First problem: My bean pot wasn’t big enough. No problem, I crammed everything in, anyway. Of course a few hours later my oven was a disaster. The sad part came later. When it was time to go to the party, the casserole was still piping hot. I placed it in one of those shopping bags with handles, the kind you get at Macy’s or Nordstrom. The plan was, carry the beans in that. When my husband parked and I reached for the bag by the handles. My thought was to put my hands underneath the bottom. Before I could, the bottom of the bag ripped out. The casserole crashed onto the sidewalk and broke. Beans everywhere! I just about cried, but was too busy helping my husband scoop beans into the half of the casserole dish that wasn’t smashed to bits. “At least we won’t add to methane gas pollution tonight,” he joked. Ha ha, right? We dropped the mess into the trash, then headed inside. The pun part was that everyone there shared similar stories of their own food disasters, even my daughter, who’d once dropped a cake she’d made for a friend’s baby shower.


It’s nice to know I’m not the only one. What about you? Any food disasters you want to share?

Until next time,
Ann Roth
www.annroth.net

Writing Conferences

I'm preparing to attend the Chicago-North RWA Spring Fling Conference. www.chicagonorthrwa.org
They're hosting a great line up of authors this year--one of my favorites--Debbie Macomber.

As much as I enjoy the workshops, the multi-author book signing, schmoozing with area librarians and booksellers and touching base with other published authors… what I really enjoy most about smaller conferences is having more opportunities to chat with aspiring writers.

Writing a book is a challenging, exhausting and emotional endeavor--for me anyway. After the first few books, much of the glitz and glamour of the whole "Published Author" world disappears as we settle down to overlapping deadlines, proposals and promotion work. Is it any wonder some of the passion earlier in our writing career ends up smothered by the demands of the job? Conferences are a great way for writers to re-fuel, re-energize and get back the excitement that fizzles after those first few sales. I love being around aspiring romance writers. Their enthusiasm is contagious and serves to remind me again why I love what I do. It's even fun answering the same questions over and over: How long did it take for you to sell your first book? Your second book? Is such-n-such character going to get their own story?

If you've attended any...what inspires you most about writing conferences?

Marin
In a Soldier's Arms Feb 08
A Coal Miner's Wife Aug 08
The Cowboy and the Angel Nov 08
www.marinthomas.com

Fascinating People

The image of a writer used to be (and in some circles still is) a highbrow in a tweed jacket, smoking a pipe and discussing the literary scene with professors in literary salons. Yet after selling eighty novels, I still don’t own a tweed jacket and the only salon I frequent is the one where I get my hair cut.

On the other hand, as a writer, I do encounter fascinating people. For example, last Saturday, at a meeting of the Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers of America (www.occrwa.org), I ran into an old friend, D.P. Lyle, M.D., who was our guest speaker.

Doug is the author of several suspense novels and a number of nonfiction works. He wrote Forensics for Dummies and maintains a Web site that addresses medical matters of interest to writers (http://www.dplylemd.com/).

A practicing cardiologist, Doug gleefully tackles even the most obscure – and sometimes gruesome – details of true crime cases and fictional supposition. For instance, on the subject of DNA, he told us that the recipient of a bone marrow transplant would have the donor’s DNA in his or her blood cells (white cells only, he noted; the red ones don’t contain DNA). The person’s teeth, skin and other organs contain the original DNA.

How does a cardiologist get interested in forensics? Doug said that, at parties, just as the general public buttonholes physicians to ask about medical ills, writers cornered him – as a doctor and novelist -- to ask about forensics situations in their novels.

He began researching the subject and taking notes, and became so immersed that after a while he decided he had the makings of a book. Thus was a second – or, actually, a third -- career born.

Doug’s latest book is Forensics: A Guide for Writers, published by Writers Digest Books. I’m sure you’ll find his work as fascinating as I do.

(By the way, sorrow for the messed-up partial post below. Blogger hiccuped this morning and I can't figure out how to delete it)

Fascinating people

While it doesn't seem possible that another month has passed, here we are! LOL!! Of all the things I'd hoped to accomplish over Spring Break, the best I can remember is that I did a lot of lunching with friends!! Oh well, there's always next year to clean closets!!

With Spring testing all week at school, I'm guessing fun's not going to be in my vocabulary, so to liven things up after school, I bought a new Video game--Need For Speed Underground 2. Actually, it's not new, but pretty old in gaming terms, but still fun. I was not happy about having to go to bed last night just as I'd earned hydraulics for my car!!

Hubby just returned from LA. He stayed downtown and had quite a few run-ins with homeless folks, which was sad. Daughter's busy preparing for the upcoming cheer tryouts, and I've volunteered to be Cheer Booster Club president--pray for me now!!! Next year should be interesting!! Son #1 was promoted to the Dairy section at the grocery store where he works, so that was exciting, as he constantly complains about how much he despises checking out groceries. Son #2 is off to Atlanta this week for a school trip. Judging by the amount of grumbling he's doing, I'm guessing he's not all that thrilled.

In writing news, I'm awaiting word on some new proposals I've worked up for the Harlequin American line. My May release, THREE BOYS AND A BABY, is one of my favorites!! The cover still makes me smile!! Thank you, Cover Gods!!

In diet news, I'm failing miserably. Nothing much new there--LOL!!!

In garden news, it's been too cold here in Oklahoma to plant much of anything. Grumble, grumble!!

Sorry to not have more exciting news of any kind, but I'm kind of mired in a holding pattern of waiting. Waiting for warmth, waiting for summer vacation (six weeks and counting!!), waiting for exciting new book contracts, waiting for Matthew Mcconaughey to realize I'm the woman for him!!! Anyway, you get the picture!!!

So until Matthew calls, I'll keep eating Cheetos and playing my new racing game. As for all of you also stuck in Spring holding patterns, have fun, and don't do anything I wouldn't do--which pretty much opens you up for plenty of mischief!! LOL!!!

P.S. I'm at school right now, and don't have access to my May cover, but as soon as I get home, I'll post it, so you can hopefully smile at my cute baby, too!!!

Rachel's Recipes Part 1

As you know, the heroine in The Marriage Recipe is a pastry chef. Thus, to entice you to read (and to cook!), today I’m going to whet your appetite with one of Rachel’s favorite recipes. In fact, all month I will be blogging about food. If you follow me around (sort of like a virtual pub crawl), you'll pick up four recipes and one blog on characters and food. I will be at http://toberead.wordpress.com/ on April 14 with the next installment.

So back to that recipe.

Gooey butter cake is a St. Louis tradition and favorite. There are two ways to make it—with the evaporated milk, flour, etc., or the just-as-good cheat/shortcut version using cream cheese. Here is how you make that second gooey butter cake (the easy version).

1 box yellow cake mix
1 egg
1 stick butter—melted

Blend these together until smooth (it will be thick). Press into the bottom of a 9x13 greased (Pam is fine) cake pan.

8 ounces softened cream cheese (use the bar, not the spread stuff and do not use fat free)
2 eggs beaten
2 cups powdered sugar

Blend softened cream cheese, the 2 eggs and the powdered sugar until creamy and smooth. Don’t worry if there are a few cream cheese lumps. Spread this mixture over the first mixture pressed into he pan. Bake for 325 for 40-45 minutes until the cake edges are light brown. There may be a few brown patches on the cream cheese mixture—if there are, you are also done. Do not let the cream cheese mixture get more than a few or it’s overdone The middle will sink a little upon cooling. Cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. It gets tastier being one day old—so making it the night before is actually recommended.

Are you an Innie or an Outey?

I'm talking "introvert" or "extrovert." I think most writers are introverts. We turn to writing because we spend a lot of time alone, exploring our own thoughts. Most of us read a lot as children, which didn't do much to turn us into party animals.

It's not that I don't like people, or that I don't like to socialize and party and meet new people. In fact, I went to a writer's conference last weekend (Dreamin' in Dallas) and I looked forward to it for weeks. A couple of days in a hotel with other writers, away from day-to-day responsibilities, always sounds like a lot of fun, and it was. I reconnected with people I hadn't seen in a long time, made new friends, soaked up some good information, got inspired by some great speakers (Lori Foster and Kresley Cole). I got to wear some new clothes. I gave two workshops and had a pitch meeting with an editor. I ate large quantities of bad-for-me food and hung out in the bar drinking gin-and-tonics.

But by the time the conference was over (Saturday night) I was ready to go home. I was more than drained; I was genuinely exhausted. It took me several days to recover, and I grumbled if my husband even suggested I might want to leave the house for any reason.

Right now, I feel I could be very happy stranded on a desert island, never talking to anyone. (Well, okay, a desert island with a plug for my computer and an Internet connection. And a couple of good restaurants.) The older I get, the more I exhibit these hermit tendencies.

Being an introvert is great for writing--I get lots of it done. On the other hand, if I don't get out occasionally and live life, I run out of things to write about. I've been known to build an entire book around a chance comment made by a stranger.

I believe most writers are a little bit crazy, too, but that's a subject for another blog!

So how about it, fellow writers and readers. Introvert or extrovert, and are you happy with what you are?

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

As I sit here in my office, it's snowing hard outside my window. Spring still seems a long way away here in the Colorado Rockies.

Hard to believe that last night I was in the stands at Coors Field, watching another Colorado Rockies win a baseball game. Such is Colorado weather.

I love baseball. I started watching the Houston Astros as a girl growing up outside of Houston and have followed the game ever since. I love the history and traditions of the game, the strategy involved in every play, and the deliberate pace that allows for conversation between innings.

I love sitting in the stands at a game, the green playing field spread out below, the players in their crisp white and gray uniforms. I love listening to the music,and standing to sing along to "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at the seventh-inning stretch. I love eating peanuts and letting the shells fall at my feet, and hearing the patter of the refreshment vendors. I love visiting with the fans around me. I love the crack of a bat hitting a ball, and watching the ball soar into the stands.

Many other writers have referred to baseball as a metaphor for life. I draw inspiration from the game for my writing life. A baseball player can strike out 2/3 of the time and still be considered a great player. I can think of rejection slips as strike outs -- as long as I keep stepping up to bat (sending out submissions) my batting average is bound to improve. Baseball players have streaks and slumps. I think writers do too. When I'm in a streak, selling well, everything is wonderful. But when I'm in a slump (and I've definitely been there) it's helpful for me to remember that 'this too, shall pass.'

Every team in baseball starts the season with the same chance to get to the World Series. Sometimes the underdogs really do win. The Rockies were predicted to be in last place of their division when last season started and they ended up winning the National League Championship. Every writer has the potential to go on to be a bestseller. If not this season, then maybe next season.

In the meantime, I'm focusing on enjoying the game --whether in the stands at Coors Field, or here in front of my computer, working on my next book.

Any other baseball fans out there? What team do you root for?

WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING...

I’ve been bitten by the TV bug. Normally I watch very little TV except for the news. Scrubs is on late at night and I watch it to unwind from a day of writing. It’s crazy and funny, just what I need at the end of my day. Usually my story is running through my head as I try to figure out if I’m going in the right direction with my book. So I don’t invest too much energy into the show.

For the past few weeks March Madness has taken over our TV. Texas A&M, our local university, men’s and women’s basketball teams made the NCAA tournament and the women went on to become one of the teams in the Elite Eight, but lost to Tennessee. But we were hooked. I’m not that much of a sports fan so I’m excited I’ve widened my horizons. I wrote during the day so I could watch basketball with my hubby. I do believe someone has taken over my brain.

Of course, while commercials were airing I had to see what else was on. This annoyed my husband because he didn’t want to miss any of the action. About the third game I think he was secretly wishing I’d go back to writing. He wouldn’t admit that, though. I had to check in on American Idol, too, because a local kid, Jason Castro, is still surviving. Have to support the local kid. That’s what I told the hubby. He doesn't understand that women can multi-task without a problem.

Now I’ve really gotten hooked on Dancing With The Stars. I love that show. I had to go the bedroom to watch it. The hubby was getting really, really annoyed. It took me awhile to recognize Priscilla Presley, but she can dance. She said Elvis taught her a lot of dance moves. I found that interesting since the man seemed to have rubber hips. Kristi, not even attempting her last name (the gold medalist figure skater) is a natural. But then she knows all those graceful moves. Jason Taylor. Wow, he’s a hunk. I could look forever into his beautiful eyes. The rest of him is not bad either.

Well, basketball season will be over tonight and I’ll be holed up in my study again as I have deadlines ahead. It was nice to go TV crazy during March madness. I may have to record Dancing With The Stars, just to see who wins.

So what are you watching…

Anticipation

Does it seem the longer you wait for something, the more acutely you feel those last hours and minutes until it happens? Like baseball season starting (finally!) or Christmas morning as a kid, waiting for my parents to open my bedroom door, signalling Santa had come. (If we opened our doors, Santa would know we weren't sleeping and wouldn't stop at our house. My parents were wicked/clever!)
Why am I recalling Christmas when I'm eagerly awaiting a long-delayed Spring? Because I'm also eagerly awaiting the release of my first book, which should hit bookstore shelves tomorrow. The pit in my stomach (which, trust me, I'm trying to fill with any snack I can find!) just grows. I've had good reviews, but it's still like waiting on Christmas morning. I'm pretty sure there will be presents under the tree, but until that door opens, there's always the "thrill" of anticipation, watching for the turn of the doorknob, wondering what I'll find when I venture (run!) down the hall.
Does this happen to you? The minutes creep and you swear the clock ticks slower, even after you replace the batteries? Is it just me, being a crazy first-timer, or is this universal?
I'll be guest blogging at Lee McKenzie's blog on Thursday the 10th, so please stop by and say hi. http://thewritersideoflife.blogspot.com/
Especially if you have a method or any tricks to speed time!
Sincerely,
Megan

The Trouble With Superb Restaurants

I recently visited New York City for a conference. (Novelist’s Inc, one of the best professional authors’ groups around). The conference was exceptional and I came home energized and ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work.

And I will... after I share something about a very special restaurant. Does anyone besides me watch Top Chef? If you do, you know that the winner of the first season is Harold Dieterle. I found out that he used his winnings to open a restaurant in Greenwich Village called Perilla. Because watching that show always makes me wish I were there, tasting the delicious-looking concoctions the chefs whip up (with a little sweat and ingenuity ☺), I decided to dine at Perilla. It was pretty easy to book a reservation through the internet site, Open Table. (The fact that I reserved a table three weeks in advance probably helped.)

The restaurant is smallish with a warm ambiance and good acoustics that made conversation easy. From the start the service was impeccable. The wait staff made us feel as if were royalty, pampering us and seeing to our slightest needs. They didn’t rush us through the meal as happens in some restaurants. They let us split an appetizer. Presentation is key, and our fresh seared sea scallop appetizers were presented exquisitely.

At one point I dropped my knife on the floor. Before I could pick it up, someone did it for me and another person brought me a new one. It was like they were watching to anticipate our every need. Wow!

I hope no one is offended if I use the term ‘food orgasm’ here. That’s how it felt with every bite. The most delectable food imaginable. They didn’t heap our plates, either, or serve too-small portions. The portions were perfect, and along with a glass of excellent wine I savored that scallop appetizer, a piece of the freshest bread imaginable (soft inside and wonderfully crusty outside), a lovely roasted guinea hen served with squash, chestnuts, persimmons and spaetzle, a fabulous Brussels sprouts side dish (the sprouts were flaked into individual leaves and sautéed with dried raisins, cranberries and almonds), and a fabulous frozen milk-chocolate mousse. And a little homemade cookie and excellent decaf coffee, to finish off the meal. I left the table full but not overly so.

My only problem is that this was my first dinner in New York. Nothing else compared, not for me. I just hope eating at Perilla hasn’t ruined all other restaurants for me. One thing I know for sure: when I return to New York for a conference next spring, I will definitely return to Perilla.

I’m always looking for good places in cities I don’t know. Does anyone else have an outstanding restaurant experience to share? If so, speak up.

Until later,
Ann
www.annroth.net

The exciting life of a romance author

Hi!

This is going to be a drive-by blog posting today, because I'm late getting out the door on my way to Desert Dreams, a romance writers' conference sponsored by the Desert Rose chapter of the Romance Writers of America. The conference is held in the chapter's warm and sunny home state of Arizona.

Desert Dreams is held every other year, and I look forward to it as a place to reinforce the tools of the writing trade, learn new publishing info, visit with old friends, and meet new friends, too.

This year, the conference will be extra-special for me because I'll be spending some time with my editor.

If you're attending the conference, please look for me! It's always great to be able to meet cyber-friends in person and finally put faces to names.

All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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

Sometimes, You Just Know

Next weekend, on April 12 and 13, I’ll be in the St. Louis area. I’m going to be a MSketeer, participate in a walk-a-thon, and be part of a multi-author booksigning.

Here’s how it came to be. One of my critique partners is Heather Webber. She’s good friends with Laura Bradford. Over the years, Laura and I have become fans of each other’s books. Fan mail became email, which became, oh, I don’t know...cyber-friendship. Well, about a year ago, Laura was diagnosed with MS~ multiple sclerosis.

Laura’s a brave girl. She’s warm and funny, an incredibly hard worker, and a mother of two. She's also just the type of person to take what many would view as a very difficult situation and turn it into something positive. See, Laura decided to get a group of writers and friends to form a group and walk. She asked Heather. Heather asked me, and I said yes! So did a bunch of other writers!

Readers on her Good Girls Kill For Money blog (did I mention she writes mysteries?!) came up with our group name…the MSKeteers. That’s how I became one. And Laura-being Laura-decided to give us writers a little perk and is putting on a book signing at Borders on Saturday the 12th.

The best part of the weekend? I’m going to finally get to meet Laura face to face.

I bet we all have stories of friends of friends becoming friends of our own. Sometimes…you just know when a new, lasting friendship is about to happen. That's me and Laura.

So, next weekend, think of me. I’ll be the gal with the red acrylic nails and sore feet, walking proudly in my Team MSKeteer t-shirt.

I’m looking forward to the trip for a lot of reasons…but mainly because I want to help out Laura, my new friend who just happens to have MS.

Interested in learning more about the walk? Click on the site below.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Walk/MSWalkEvents?pg=team&fr_id=8152&team_id=113626

Shelley

March winner!

The winner of the March drawing is ....... Estella. WTG, Estella!!

Please contact Judy Christenberry, Tanya Michaels, and Ann Roth (visit their websites- see sidebar- for email contact information) to get your free, autographed books.

And tell all your friends to comment on our blog. All participants are automatically registered for the next drawing.

April Unfool

Big news! In a couple of days – Thursday, to be exact – I’ll be celebrating my 29th birthday.

Okay, since I’ve been published for about 25 years, I guess you wouldn’t buy that. Remember, this is April Fool’s Day.

I’m actually turning 59. Just beyond hovers the specter of 60, but so what? I’ve been dyeing my hair for years, so I’m not turning gray. And 58 has been a good year. Here are the highlights:

--Our younger son graduated from high school and successfully completed his first semester at college (yay!).

--Our older son plans to graduate in May with both bachelors and masters degrees in computer science, and has accepted a terrific job starting in September – only an hour’s drive from us (double yay!).

--I wrote three books for Harlequin American, of which the first, The Family Next Door, comes out in May.

--We celebrated my mother’s 90th birthday in Nashville, Tennessee. She’s not only going strong, she’s better than over (Google the name Sylvia Hyman and see for yourself).

--I signed with a new (to me) agent, the talented Laura Bradford.

--My niece Jessy and her husband Frank had the first baby of the next generation in our family.

Do I wish I looked like I did twenty or thirty years ago? Sure. Would I want to repeat those years? Nope. Once was enough. Besides, life’s way too interesting right now.

Happy birthday to me, and to all of you April babies!

My NC trip

Over my spring break I got to leave the rainy and floody weather in St. Louis and fly to North Carolina. As part of my day job as adviser to an NSPA All-American yearbook (that means it's pretty good), I'm also the holder of the purse strings. This year it's bid time--we are seeking a three-year yearbook printing contract. So I've been touring yearbook plants among other things.

On my trip to Winston-Salem, I flew into Charlotte, and got a rental car. That was an experience in itself as first I went to the wrong counter (oops) and then at the correct one, the woman tried to put me first in a car I didn't want. I'd driven that model before and sworn never again. So then she tried to sell me a more expense one. Uh, no thanks, even though I wasn't paying rental, I was paying for gas. Finally I told her to downsize me, and she put me in a Chevy Cobalt. I was fine with that--I averaged 35 miles highway.

I spent the first night in Mooresville, meeting in the hotel lobby happy hour a whole bunch of Lowes project managers. These are the guys who are in charge of opening stores and reconfiguring stores. They live all over the country and this was their two-week corporate meeting. The next morning it was off to PIT: http://www.5off5on.com/welcome.html

I'm a NASCAR fan, but even I didn't know that you can actually attend school to learn how to be a pit crew member. PIT also does a lot of "think inside the box" workshops for business executives. They even put my book cover on the front page of their website.

I also got to go on a shop tour of Red Horse Racing. What impressed me the most was that the race shop owner himself stopped what he was doing and gave us a personal tour. That's me with one of David Starr's trucks above.

I also got to very briefly meet Jeff Hammond, champion crew chief, who is a partner in PIT. He's a very busy guy and extremely nice.

The day was fabulous. I can't thank them enough. The funniest part was at lunch--where everyone found it quite "interesting" that I'd never had hush puppies and didn't even know what they were. Being me, I in turn asked them if they'd ever had toasted ravioli or gooey butter cake--which are local to St. Louis. No one had Ah, see, those regional differences. Since everyone was so wonderful, I've had a bakery ship them a gooey butter cake; they'll get it next week.

And, if you are curious about gooey butter cake I sent them, you can go here: http://www.hollyberrybaking.com/

Happy end of the month!

Michele

People are People

Last night I attended a crafting circle, and I discovered that writers and artists share some very similar challenges. The whole "selling crafts" world is new to me, so I mostly keep my ears open when I'm around the artists and try to absorb their collective expertise.

But here's what struck me last night: Selling art is every bit as challenging as selling books, and the same sorts of characters inhabit the art world as the writing world.

1. Every artist's product is unique, just like every writer's book is unique. It's not like selling Mary Kay or Tupperware, where years of experience and research have led to THE ONE WAY to sell the product. Every artist's path is different and what works for one artist might not work for another. This is also true of writers. I may love a certain agent or publisher, but my friend may have a miserable experience with these same people.

2. When artists get together, they all complain about how they can't make enough money, and brainstorm ways to attract more buyers. They brainstorm promotional ideas, they do link exchanges, they do paper giveaways (much like the bookmarks writers are so fond of giving away). They use the same cheap printers that writers do!

3. The art world is peopled with some standard characters--the ones who suffer for their art and never expect to make any money because that's crass; the ones who do it as a sideline but dream of someday making enough money that they can quit their day job and stay home all day doing art; the professionals, who actually do make a living as artists. These are rare, probably even more rare than self-supporting writers.

4. They complain about bad advertising. Whereas writers often are appalled by the grammar or spelling in an ad, the artists complain about the typography. ("He used Comic Sans for the whole ad, can you believe it?")

5. Artists are supportive and nurturing. As the newbie in this group, I feel completely welcomed. Everyone is free with their advice and resources. I've always found romance writers to be the same way.

6. And finally, artists like to eat and drink when they get together. Yes, we all want to work on a project as we network, but first things first--the gumbo and cheap wine! (That's what our host served last night.) With writers it seems to be chocolate and fancy martinis, but I imagine there's some cross-over.

I guess people are people, whatever their avocation. (Although I don't imagine gatherings of doctors, lawyers or engineers would bear much resemblance to gatherings of writers or artists. For one thing, doctors dress better.)

***

Writing news: I recently received the cover for my June book, which, if I did everything right, is posted here. I love the bright colors!

Thanks for spending this time with me,
Kara

The Conspiracy to Freak Out Tanya (or, gee thanks Trish!!!)

I posted not too long ago on a group blog that I've been watching DVD eps of Supernatural. Fellow HAR author Trish Milburn got me hooked even though she knows darn well what a wuss I am. I caught part of an episode on TV once and decided that perhaps the show was too scary for me, but Trish insisted I'd like the byplay between the brothers. She was of course right--the brothers alternately bring tears to my eyes and make me laugh out loud when they're harrassing each other. Sibling interactions are one of my favorite things to write, which is why a family/community oriented line like HAR is just perfect for me!

Anyway, I'm now working on a Supernatural essay for BenBella Smart Pop that requires me rewatching certain episodes, including a few that freaked me out the first time. So, last time I blogged about this conspiracy to keep me awake for the next ten years, I mentioned that my daughter came to complain that there was "something in her closet" the same night that an episode started with a little girl--you guessed it--telling her mom there was something in the closet (which, of course there, was).

Well, it's gotten worse. I don't watch anything scary until after my kids are asleep in their rooms, but it's like my daughter has a sixth sense (pun not intended) that I'm awake watching paranormal stuff late at night. Her most recent complaints were that there was something under her floor and that her bed was moving!(Creepy, but at least she doesn't claim to be seeing clowns. Once that happens, we sell the house).

The topper, however, was the other night, when one of the March storms blew through...and we lost power right in the middle of a 'sode!!!

It's not weird to sleep with a teddy bear and night light at 33 is it? Just, um, hypothetically...

Moving/real estate angst

Hi guys,
We're in the middle of real estate angst - buying, selling, new construction, resale, staging, yada, yada, yada. Did you hear my primal scream? In the fall we decided it was time to move back to the East Coast to be closer to our kids and grandkids, and that was the beginning of our odyssey. In early March we made a marathon trip that included 3 states (MD, VA and NC), 8 communities (Easton, MD, Columbia, MD, Fredericksburg, VA, Virginia Beach, VA, Chapel Hill, NC, Pinehurst, NC, Raleigh, NC and Williamsburg, VA), and heaven only knows how many houses. That reconnaissance trip was to help us decide exactly where we wanted to go. And the winner was Williamsburg. All we have to do is get the puzzle pieces to fit. Just thinking about it gives me a headache.

Now we're in the selling phase. Yikes! Talk about painful. We've interviewed 5 realtors. Yeah, I know - major overkill. But a couple of those were friends or friends of friends - you get the drift. Once we decide on the realtor, the listing/showing fun really begins. Whew, I'm already tired. And I have a May deadline. Guess who isn't even halfway finished. If someone should walk in and want the house ASAP I'm in big trouble. But considering the market, I think that's highly unlikely.

So wish me luck - I'm afraid I'm going to need it.

Ann DeFee

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

Spring has sprung

Spring has arrived here in the Pacific Northwest. I actually live in Canada, so I’m even a little further north than the Pacific Northwest. Most people—me included!—associate Canada with long, cold winters but here on the west coast, spring arrives early.

Last weekend my husband mowed the lawn for the first time this year, and this weekend he swept off the patio and set up the patio furniture. Other signs of spring are everywhere, from gardens to duck ponds. Ornamental fruit trees are in full bloom, there are daffodils everywhere, and ducklings will soon be paddling around our ponds.

I’ve lived on the Canadian prairies and I know a thing or two about winter, so I especially savor an early spring. Still, this year we’re worried about family and friends who live in places that still have severe winter weather conditions and the threat of floods and tornadoes. If we could send a little springtime your way, you can be sure we would.

We’ve had a grey Easter weekend and I'm one of the world's worst photographers, but I thought I'd post these pictures anyway. No matter what your weather was like, I hope you had a wonderful Easter!

Lee
Lee's website
Lee's blog

Happy Easter!

I hope everyone's having a wonderful holiday. My husband and I are at our cabin in Young, Arizona, this weekend. My phone reception is minimal so this is going to be a very brief post and my fingers are crossed that it comes through :-)

For any who's read His Only Wife and The Family Plan, my first two Americans, they are set in the town of Blue Ridge which is based on Young (Blue Ridge is a little bigger and has better phone lines). We got a letter in the mail recently that the town is putting in new phone lines during the next six months, and we'll have high speed internet. Part of me is glad - this dial up is a pain - and part of me is distressed. My lovely small town is growing bigger by leaps and bounds.

I think the turkey is finally done, it sure smells good, so I'm going to sign off. We're heading out early in the morning and I still have a few pages to edit. Happy Easter to all.

Warmest wishes,

Cathy McDavid

Happy Easter, Happy Spring

I'm sorry I'm just getting online to blog tonight. My wireless network apparently had a meltdown while I was gone this morning and I finally convinced it to cooperate. I just wanted to take a few minutes to wish everyone a very happy Easter weekend. Family, friends and community are so important at this time of renewal, and I hope that you have every opportunity to enjoy those you hold dear.

My thoughts are also with those affected by the flooding and the continued bad weather in the north. In Texas, we got a lot of rain, but nothing like the midsection of the country is experiencing. In 1992, my daughter and I went to the RWA conference in St. Louis and watched the phenomenal flood from our hotel room window and the foot of the Arch. I'll never forget the sight, and I hope it doesn't get that bad again.

My best wishes for a happy Easter weekend, a pleasant first weekend of spring, wherever you are and whatever the weather.

Dave and Church and Cell Phone Services

So, there we were, standing in our pew last night for Maundy Thursday services, listening to the pastor, when well, my son’s cell phone started singing. Yep, instead of having an annoying ringtone like mine, Dave Matthews sings a few bars every time Arthur gets a text.

I should probably back up a little bit and give y’all some background information. First, to my family’s dismay, I’m a front-of-the-church gal. If we sit in one of the back pews, I find myself looking around becoming distracted, so we almost always sit front and center in the third row. Also, I have never been especially nice to people who don’t turn off their cell phones in church, movies, theaters, you name it.

My kids know this. My son was ‘sure’ he’d turned off his phone. I can’t remember a time he hasn’t turned off his phone. Well, except for last night. But there it went-Right when the whole congregation was standing, respectful and silent. Right in the middle of communion.

Oops.

In a flash I went from concentrating on the service to worrying about what to do. Yep, within seconds I went straight into Mom Mode. The church was quiet. Our pastor began to speak. Dave Mathews had just made an appearance. I was not happy.

As soon as the choir began to sing, I whispered, “Turn. That. Phone. Off.” I wasn’t sweet about it, either. Has anyone else perfected that perfect Mom Order…used only in dire emergencies…the kind that your kids know NEVER to disobey? That was me last night.

My son swallowed. As the organ played, he whispered right back. “I can’t, Mom. If I turn it off the music will go off again.”

Oops!

Right as the choir sings the last chorus, off goes ‘Crash’ again. With one hand in his pocket, Art opens and shuts his phone. Dave Matthews stops. My daughter starts giggling. My son, who hasn’t blushed since he was well, 8, is beet red.

People are giving me that look. That same look that I usually give to people who can’t settle down. I’m now red, too. Talk about bad timing! This is terrible!

As the whole room drifted back to silent as our Pastor spoke again. I realize Yikes! We’re stuck! I can’t tell my son to leave. Nobody can leave! Now all I’m thinking about is ‘please no one text my kid during the next two minutes.’

Right as another prayer starts, Art somehow manages to pop out the battery with one hand. Hooray! The phone situation is finally taken care off. But, by now we’re all sweaty. Yes, my 16 year old’s problem has now become my problem. The stress of doing exactly the wrong thing at exactly the wrong time has gotten to me.

Finally we get to sit down and the service continues. But the whole situation has taken a life of its own. Every so often, my kids and I whisper. The one thing we all agree on was that it was good my husband was out of town. “Dad would have been so mad,” my son says. “Dad would have taken that phone,” my daughter proclaimed. I know they’re both right. So I made an executive decision. “We just won’t tell him about it.”

The church service ends. Everyone around us is teasing us, teasing my son. Now that the panic is over, I’m thinking the ‘cell phone service’ was a good thing to happen. So often, I forget that accidents happen, and sometimes things just don’t go as planned. Either I can be upset and worry, or settle down and just go with the flow. This was one of those times.

After the service, the three of us walk out to the parking lot. We’re relieved. We still can’t believe Dave managed to sing right at the absolute worst time. Talk about an intense church service!

Then, my son starts laughing. “I just found out who texted me. It was Dad. He was wondering what I was doing. When I didn’t answer, he kept trying. You know how you and Dad get when we don’t answer our phones.”

I know. I also know how mad I get when they don’t turn off phones at church. Now I also remember that sometimes accidents happen, but it’s okay. I still got my teenagers to go with me to church on a Thursday night. We still managed to laugh about an embarrassing situation.

And, well, now we have a good story. Something fun to share in a...blog. I’ll take that!

Happy Easter!
Shelley

Congratulatons!

Congrats to Megan Kelly whose Marrying the Boss (Harlequin American) received a 4 star review from RT! Megan's very first book debuts next month!

A Quick Note

I spent today (March 20) driving from Winston-Salem to Charlotte (NC) and then catching a 5:20 PM flight home to St. Louis. I'm high and dry, but the flooding is very close to where I live, about 15 minutes away.

So sorry for no fancy post, and a late one at that, but I've been visiting my mom and watching the news and trying to catch up.

I do want to wish everyone a wonderful Easter weekend!

Michele

What my GPS has taught me

Recently, my husband bought me a GPS. As a directionally challenged person, I appreciate this amazing tool. My GPS is female and talks in such a sweet voice. Very polite and genteel... Unless I fail to follow her directions.

“Recalculating,” she states in a slightly less pleasant tone. If I still ignore her, she becomes terse. By the third or fourth time she sounds both angry and... slightly drunk. It’s funny to me, but not to her. ☺ I have angered her several times..

The secret is to learn to trust her. It’s taken months, but I finally listen to her. She’s taken me to places using routes I’d never have thought of, avoiding traffic and getting me there much faster than normal. I’ve grown to like her very much.

But if I know where I’m going and want to do things my way, I turn her off. That makes us both very happy. ☺

What does all this talk about a GPS have to do with writing? you may ask. There are writers out there who know more than I do, or who know a different route to reaching a goal. Listening to them could get me there faster or help me become a better writer—something every writer wants.

On the other hand, trusting your gut instinct, that voice within that says, “Yes, that’s a good suggestion, something I’ll use,” or “No, I’m not going to do that” is equally important. Learning how to combine the two—that’s the trick.


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

The Changing of the Seasons

After reading through the most recent posts here, I see a trend. Yes, the seasons are changing, once again. What a relief to hear rain hitting the roof and windows and not having to worry about driving on ice or snow the next day! Not that we won't be blessed here in Kansas with either of those one more time before Spring really does, well, spring. It happens, but it seems more like a reminder from Mother Nature that she has the upper-hand, not us mere mortals.

Spring cleaning was on my list, along with a dozen other chores that have waited since before Winter began, but those will be put on the back burner for several months. Writing will take the place of the mundane. With two books to write before October and the rest of what life throws my way, I may even miss all the new episodes of my favorite TV shows, now that the writers' strike has finally ended. I won't complain though. What could be better than listening to characters tell me their story? But discplining myself to BIC-HOK, after several months of taking it easy on the writing front, means taking stock of all there is to do with family and friends, and then making sure the time that's needed is set aside for all. What's BIC-HOK? It's an old CataRomance phrase that means "Butt In Chair, Hands on Keyboard". That's where I'll be for the next six months, living the ups and downs of characters born in my mind and growing into stories I hope readers will love as much as I love writing them. And it gets me out of Spring Cleaning! :)

Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone, and may Spring bring new blessings to you and yours!

Spring Cleaning Treasures

The other day we had mild temps (low 50's), lots of sunshine and I caught the spring-cleaning itch. I promised myself I would re-organize family photo albums, scrapbooks and cookbooks that had been tossed every which way inside the basement storage cabinets. I came across a tiny little book that had belonged to my great-grandmother called West Bend Cook Book, copyright 1915.

The opening paragraph: If I were asked the greatest need of the American housewife of to-day, I should answer without hesitation, "A wiser and more complete training for services in the home."

The back of the book contains a section of "Helps To Young Housekeepers". After reading through the book I wondered how many of the recipes my great-grandmother had used. The book is worn and there are old food stains on some of the pages. Following are a few tips I found interesting--not that I've ever used them.

1) A piece of charcoal, tied in a muslin cloth, and put in the water in which cabbage, cauliflower, onions or ham is boiling will remove the unpleasant odor.

2) To remove skins from tomatoes, peaches or plums, dip them in boiling water a minute or two.

3) Boil a few onions, sliced, in a pint of new milk, with a sprinkle of oatmeal and a very little salt, until quite tender; then sip rapidly and go to bed. Excellent for colds.

4) Cure for Hiccoughs: swallow one teaspoon pulverized sugar without water

5) Diet for the sick: In serving a meal to an invalid, one cannot be too fastidious: too large a portion, a suspicion of grease on the broth, will often spoil the appetite. The linen, glass, dishes etc., should be the best in the house; a tiny flower laid on the folded napkin will do much to render the meal pleasant.

6) Coffee: one and one-half quarts boiling water, one-quarter pound best coffee, one egg. Break the egg into the coffee and stir until it is entirely absorbed, then put into the boiling water and let boil three minutes. Strain through flannel and serve.

What treasures have you come across during spring cleaning?

Marin
In a Soldier's Arms Feb 08
A Coal Miner's Wife Aug 08
The Cowboy and the Angel Nov 08
www.marinthomas.com

Ah, the glamorous life

Everybody knows how romance writers live: daily bubble baths with champagne on a tray, boxes of miraculously calorie-free chocolates, and gorgeous guys in tuxedoes awaiting our emergence (speaking of gorgeous, has anyone seen that incredible hunk on New Amsterdam? But I digress…)

Let me tell you what it’s really like.

On a recent day, after spending the morning working on a book, I set out for the dreaded California ritual of getting the car tuned and then having it smog-checked. Since I drive a car that predates 1995 – a 1993 Honda, to be exact -- it has to undergo extra testing, at extra cost. This, even though I work at home and drive a grand total of four thousand miles per year.

Okay, that part made me grumpy. But then I returned to find a box of books from Harlequin. It contained my May release, The Family Next Door, the first of my Harmony Circle trilogy. What’s especially fun is that, since the heroine’s a teacher, I’d dedicated it to my younger son’s biology teacher, who went out of her way to encourage him and write him college recommendations.

So I composed a note, packaged the book and got it ready to mail, along with copies for half a dozen Web sites that regularly review my books.

No sooner had I finished when a thud! on the front porch announced the arrival of my weekly teaching packet from the Long Ridge Writers Group (www.longridgewritersgroup.com), where I teach a distance-learning course. Half a dozen students had completed their writing assignments, so of course I wanted to start reading and commenting on those.

But first I figured I’d better check my e-mail. There I found an invitation to write an article for a new Web site that Romance Writers of America is posting for its published authors network. That’s quite an honor, and I was happy to agree. Ideas began running through my head…

Wait! Another e-mail! A friend reminded me that I’d volunteered to speak to a writing class she teaches. So of course I wanted to respond, picking a date and letting her know what topic I’d be covering.

Time to fix a cup of coffee and get back to work. Except … we ran out of milk, and I can’t drink coffee without it. We were also low on my favorite caramel-flavored frozen yogurt. Got to have that calcium, right? So I made a little trip to the supermarket.

It was close to five, which meant I had to prepare a casserole for dinner. Just throw a few items into the baking dish … You guessed it. An hour later, I was still downstairs, fixing the salad.

Never did get around to the bubble bath. But after dinner, my husband -- still handsome after nearly thirty years together -- rubbed my back while we watched a taped episode of New Amsterdam.

What more could a romance writer ask for?

Spring Has Sprung!!!

Happy Spring Break!! It's funny, but now that I'm back on an official "school schedule", Spring Break has regained its magical status. My students have been super hyper all week, but then I have, too, so I guess we've been great company! LOL!! (This month's pic is of Daughter and her cheer squad at Disney, but the looks on their faces is pretty much what I've faced all week!!)

Now that the big event is finally here, I've got such plans. I'd like to organize every room in the house, weed the gardens, trim all of the bushes, and finally clear the last of the ice storm remnants. I'd like to paint Son #1's room, and finish painting the downstairs hall and my office. I'd like to get my toenails painted, and do lunch with friends I haven't seen in forever. I'd like to finally sew the slipcovers for the holey sofa, and get the brakes on my car fixed and my laptop fixed and the hall bathroom leaky toilet fixed and the broken master bath outlets and--whew. I'm exhausted just thinking about all that needs to get done!!!

Alas, knowing me, I'll be lucky to get one closet cleaned out, let alone all of them!!! And I'm thinking maybe weeding the whole garden seems a bit ambitious. How about just sweeping the front porch and switching my decorator flag from Autumn to Spring?

Let me know if any of you have fabulously exotic Spring Break plans! While you're lounging on a beach or schussing slopes, think of me here . . . cleaning, cleaning, and er--all right, you got me. What I'll really be doing is lounging in the sun, losing myself and my chore list in the pages of a good book!!!