July Old-Timer Interview

Good morning! All of us Harlequin American authors are trying something new, which we hope will be fun for YOU--our readers--who are the most important part of our line!! (This pic is of Daughter and I.)



Twice a month, we'll be posting author interviews. One from a Newbie to the line, and another from an Old-Timer, which this month, happens to be me! Marin Thomas thought of these fun questions, so here we go:


1. When you looked in the mirror this morning, what was the first thing you thought?


How embarrassing!! But truthfully, I thought good Lord, I need a haircut and a diet--STAT!!!LOL!!!

2. Do you re-read your books once they're in print?


Never!! Who has time??


3. Did you ever eat paste or Elmer's glue when you were a kid?


Nope, but I did eat the plastic banana off of a stuffed monkey!! I display him proudly in my entry hall!! Also, I have a vague recollection of eating a few dog biscuits!!


4. What do you want to know about the future?


Will we ever fly to work? Do Bigfoot and UFOs exist? Atlantis? (Can you tell I'm a frustrated paranormal writer wannabe?) Most importantly, I want magic fat pills and exercise pills and anti-cellulite pills and oh yeah, world peace!!!


5. Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke?


Absolutely! Pepsi is sweeter. I prefer it, but for some warped reason think Coke is somehow cooler. Go figure.


6. If you were stranded on a deserted island, what kind of hero would you want with you? A cowboy, a Viking warrior, a CEO, a forensics investigator, a chef, or an accountant? Why?


This is HARD!! (Get your minds out of the gutter!! I'm not talking about all of those hard chests and abs!! LOL!! I'm seriously torn on this one. First inclination is the CEO, because he'd have the big bucks for folks to be out looking for him. But cowboys are resourceful guys. Real big on practical, common sense knowledge that would be important for island living. Oh--and when it gets too hot, I could borrow his hat!!


7. You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be.


Some biggees, would be deaths. My husband's father died way too young, so I'd for sure erase that. I miss Grandma and Grandpa, so they're coming back, too. There are a few real estate moves I'd have skipped, and a few mean people I'd have preferred to never have met.


8. What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?


LOL!! Please refer to question 3!! I think I ate chocolate-covered ants once. I can't even remember where. On a trip to the East Coast--maybe Maine--we ate smoked eel. It was actually pretty good.


9. How long have you been published?


In book form, since my twins were five. They turn sixteen this week--ARRGGHH--so I guess that makes eleven years. I sold quite a few magazine articles and stories before that.


10. Describe your writing space.


I used to write in a great office, but Son #3 is addicted to World of Warcraft, and the only computer in the house powerful enough to run it is the one in my office. Meaning, I'm usually on a comfy chair in the living room, using my laptop. I write better on my laptop, so I don't mind. My office is a gorgeous jungle green color, with white trim and piles of junk waiting to be organized!!


11. What advice would you give a writer just starting out?


Initially, figure out what line you want to write for and target it. Meet the editors, read the books, etc. I think early on, I had too much of an "I'll write what anyone wants to buy" attitude. While Harlequin American was the first line I ever submitted to, upon my first rejection, I gave up and tried elsewhere. Finally, it clicked that just because one book/idea didn't work, that didn't mean I couldn't try another and another and another!!


12. What comes first--the plot or the characters?


Characters. Because of them, my plots are constantly changing.


13. How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?


My new contract brings me up to 31 books!! My favorite would have to be Saving Joe, which actually is one of my all-time worst sellers.


14. What are you reading now?


This is so sad, but the only thing I've read all summer are art books, art lesson plans, art websites, classroom management tips, etc. I know, yawn, yawn. I'm alternately thrilled and scared to death about my new job!!


15. Are you working on anything at present you'd like to share?


I'm in the home stretch of a book due August 5th!! ARGH!!! My working title is Baby Brigade, which I just heard is changing, and I'm not at all happy about it!! LOL!! It's about a Marine who has a one night stand appear with twins she says are his. He hires a nanny and mayhem and lust ensue!! Just kidding, it's actually turning out to be a much heavier, richer story than I'd first intended. The heroine lost her baby to SIDs, and her ex-husband blamed her for the infant's death. Ema's in a rough emotional place, but Jace,being a Marine, is coming to her rescue!!!


There you have it. Everything you didn't want to know about me!! LOL!! Seriously, let us know what you like/don't like about our interview questions. We're a work in progress around here!!

Have a happy Monday!! ;-)

Being Superwoman

If you are reading this on Saturday AM, I am in Houston, Texas, presenting to the West Houston Romance Writers of America. I'm doing a workshop on finding your inner superwoman, which includes a lot of introspection, prioritizing and goal setting. It's an up/back trip, and then I'll be flying to Dallas on Wednesday for a multi-media workshop.

I realized something this year. I had a lot of my priorities out of balance. For the past two years, writing has taken top billing over everything. I wrote six books in 18 months. I am only writing 2 this year, and I have 80 pages left to do (it's due August 1). I'm a bit of a last-minuter.

There's a lot on my plate right now. I'm joining a new church. I've given up my boyfriend of 7 years--I simply couldn't get him scheduled in and it wasn't really going anywhere anyway. We're still friends. My daughter is away at a gifted camp for kids--and she may skip the entire eighth grade and go straight into high school. I took over the school newspaper, adding to my teaching duties. I also added a weekly meeting with a personal trainer to my schedule.

I also teach full time. I go back to work July 29 and my first day with kids is Aug. 11. So I go non-stop, and this is the focus of my talk. What are your priorities, what are your goals, and how often do your goals get sideswiped by your priorities, and what you can do about it.

So I invite you to be a part of my workshop. Here are two of the eight activities the group is going to do:
Make a list of the top five things in your life with number one the most important and number five the lesser of the five. If you can, make a list of six through ten.
What is important to you? This is your mission. This is what you are about.

Next make a list of your personal strengths. Start the sentences with I am good at… I can…. People look up to me because… The key here is to realize how truly awesome you are. As my personal trainer says, you don't focus on what you can't do, but your strengths.

Michele

It takes a village

Every year during July, two events consume all of my attention. The first is the Tour de France. Since my husband and I are both cyclists (well, me not so much lately!) we’ve been obsessed with this grueling bike race for the last six or seven years. What I love about the Tour is that, to win, it’s not enough to be fast. You have to have skills in all aspects of road racing—time trailing, sprinting and climbing mountains. You have to be tough and resilient. That means three weeks of hours in the saddle, no matter the weather. You have to stay healthy. One bad day is enough to ruin your time. You have to be attentive riding inches from other riders and hurtling down mountains at 50 m.p.h., so you don’t crash.

But even heroic individual effort isn’t enough. You have to have a team, and you all have to be willing to work together, help each other get over the mountains or lead out a sprinter or travel back to the team car to get water bottles.

I guess the Tour is a lot like writing! Great writing alone isn’t enough to build a career. You have to have many skills—plotting, characters, a compelling voice, and being in tune with the market. You have to be consistent (which means writing every day even when you don’t feel like it). You have to be able to market your work.

And there’s the teamwork. I wouldn’t have sold any books without the help of my critique group, my agent, the RWA, the various editors I’ve worked with, my family, the people who print the books, distribute them, sell them, buy them. No one does it alone!

Oh, the second July event that consumes me? The RWA conference, which is sort of like our Grand Tour. It’s always fun to see who wins our “yellow jersey,” the Rita and Golden Heart awards.

PLEASE NOTE: I’m hosting a contest this month with fellow American author Victoria Chancellor. To enter, visit my website (www.karalennox.com) and click on the contest button. We’re giving away some nice prizes.

ALSO PLEASE NOTE: I haven’t received an email from the blog prize winner of last month. My e-mail server has been randomly sending emails to the trash without my ever seeing them, so please try again! Karalennox [at] yahoo.com

Summer Vacation

When I was a child, summer vacation consisted of piling into the car for a long, hot drive to Mississippi or North Carolina to visit relatives. I always looked forward to those trips, not only because I'd get to see my grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins, but because I'd get to see new scenery and places along the way.

This summer, with high gas prices and the increased hassles of flying, we're sticking closer to home. (Except for a trip to San Francisco at the end of the month for the Romance Writers of American conference -- we're getting there by train.)

If I can't physically travel somewhere, the next best thing for me is to read a book that will transport me to that place. My question for you today is -- if you could go anywhere on vacation this summer -- where would it be?

Since this is Harlequin American, let's keep the locales in America. Bonus points if you can match your destination with an American book. I'll go first:

Alaska. -- I've always wanted to visit our largest state.

Montana -- I love the west and can't wait to visit Big Sky Country. American has had a lot of great stories set in Montana. I loved Charlotte Maclay's Montana-set books.

Vermont -- The northeast is gorgeous, especially in the fall. I have fond memories of Anne Stuart's American romances set in Crescent Cove, Vermont. Right now, I'm really looking forward to new American author Liz Daly's trilogy set in Vermont, out (we hope) next year.

Boston -- a great, historic city -- Penny McCusker's Emmy and the Boss is a fun story set in Boston.

Washington State -- another beautiful place in a country filled with beautiful places. Ann Roth's The Pilot's Woman is a terrific way to visit this fascinating locale.

North Carolina -- I haven't been back to visit since I was 14. I'd love to go again. Lynette Kent's Smoky Mountain Reunion, out this month, is at the top of my TBR list for my vicarious visit back to my mom's home state.

Now it's your turn? Where do you want to visit -- and what books will take you there?

Interview

I get to be the first author interviewed! (Get some caffeine.)

Q: How did you make your first sale?

A: I sent a partial (3 chapters and a synopsis of the rest of the book) to the Senior Editor, Kathleen Scheibling, in response to a "call for new Harlequin American authors" piece in Romantic Times magazine. She requested the complete, then bought it! I got lucky with the timing. The line had been "revamped" and finally my voice fit.

Q: If you had to pick one word to describe your writing, what would it be?

A: I'm a writer--I can't possibly pick ONE word! LOL I have many words for the writing process, depending on how it's going, :) but I'd hope the end result is "heart-warming." If I could have another word, I'd add "fun" because families and life are both.

Q: Tell us a little about your family and where you're from.

A: I have a wonderfully supportive husband and two great kids. We live near St. Louis, MO, and love to travel. Growing up the youngest of five children gave me lots of inspiration for escapism! :) My brother gave me his GI Joe action figure when he grew out of playing with it. Joe promptly starred in all my play stories with Barbie. When I first saw Ken, I thought, "No way." That Barbie knew a good provider for her little girls when she saw him!

Q: Tell us about your book.

A: I'm really lucky to have had two books out this year. The Fake Fiancee comes out tomorrow. :) I'm thrilled to have this book accepted for publication because the mom in the story gives her all for her kids. It's nice every once in a while to remember the sacrifices moms make, which we sometimes don't even know about. Of course, the heroine's sacrifice leads her to the man she'll come to love, but even moms deserve a treat! Joe Riley needs to tread carefully with his matchmaking mom until he's reassured of her recovery from a heart attack. Caterer Lisa Meyer agrees to pretend to be his fiancée in order to earn money for a special program for her son. Joe discovers parenting is nothing like heading up a company. It's way more work! So it'll stay strictly business for Joe and Lisa--unless love can find a way.

Marrying the Boss came out last April, but it's still available online. Mark Collins is driven to prove his worth to the powerful Chicago family that adopted him so long ago. But in order to earn his place, he has to win control of the family company in a contest with his late grandfather’s illegitimate daughter. Leanne Fairbanks, a savvy competitor with her own axe to grind, yearns to show the family what they missed by ignoring her all her life. This Apprentice-like showdown is soon overshadowed by the competitors’ interest in another prize—each other.

Q: What is your writing routine?

A: Ouch. I was hoping to skip this question. ;) I'm a deadline junkie (aka a procrastinator) so I barricade myself in my office when my deadline nears. I'd like to plot; it would make my life easier. But I've tried, and I get bored with a story if I know what happens, then I don't finish it. I start with a character or an incident, then plunge blindly ahead until I type THE END. Sometimes I have a vague idea or two for scenes, and I use them as guideposts. A couple of times, I've had the last line of the book figured out, which is very exciting. In Marrying the Boss, I typed that line, but the story didn't feel complete and wound up with an epilogue, which was more satisfying an ending. Here's the last line I've envisioned for my current work: "He grinned." I hope I'm not giving too much away. ;)

Q: What was the hardest part of writing your book?

A: Finishing Marrying the Boss was a whirlwind! Kathleen had requested the complete, and I just felt this was my last chance. Great motivation. But I started The Fake Fiancee sometime in the last century :0 and even though I only had three chapters to finish, I had a hard time getting to THE END. While stalled on this ms, I hit a "block" where I couldn't complete anything else. The "people" in my head left. One day about six years into this period, they just "came back." Marrying the Boss was the first ms I'd finished in years! So when it came time to propose a second one, I sent The Fake Fiancee, thinking if my editor bought it, I'd have to finish it. And I did.

Q: How long have you been writing? and What did you want to be when you grew up?

A: At seventeen, I knew I wanted to write category romance, but it wasn't until after the birth of my second child that I made the time. My first contest/conference/editor pitch/rejection was 14 years ago. That was the year I found our local RWA chapter.

Q: What got you interested in writing?

A: Reading books that didn't satisfy me. Long, long ago, when I was a young girl, the heroes were all alpha jerks. Honestly. A "hero" would treat the heroine like a doormat then declare his love at the end, as though she should have known all along. I got so frustrated, those books hit the wall. I thought, "I can write a better story." And while I can't claim mine are better, the endings are much more satisfying.

Q: Why did you target the American Romance Line?

A: My stories involve families and normal, everyday people. Marrying the Boss is the only story I've written without kids in it--and the mothers took over the scenes instead. American is the line that most closely fits my voice--heart, home, and family. I love to read them, and now I'm having a wonderful time writing them.

Thanks for interviewing me. I hope it wasn't too boring. I'll be doing some booksigning this month; please check out my website for the list. megankellybooks.com

Megan Kelly

Impressionists

From time to time we writers need to stop working and take time to fill our creative wells. A favorite way for me to do this is to spend an afternoon at a museum. Studying the art and artifacts, learning about artists and their mediums is always inspiring and replenishes my creative well in ways I can’t explain.

I’m amazed at the similarities between painting and writing. Each artist paints their own vision in their own unique way. (In writing, we call that uniqueness the writer’s voice.) Time and again, painters from times past broke with convention to create their visions. Despite criticism and sometimes ostracism their works withstood time and are as breathtaking and evocative as they were several hundred years ago. These courageous artists paved the way for other artists to break with tradition, unleashing all kinds of new schools and techniques. There are many examples of writers also breaking with tradition.

Whether I spend an hour or four in a museum, I return to my own work alive and refreshed. Not immediately following, as all that amazing mental stimulation leaves me brain dead. But after a good night’s sleep, my creative juices overflow.

Happily for me, here is Seattle our newly refurbished Seattle Art Museum is hosting an impressive art exhibit of Impressionist painters. And I do mean impressive. The colors, the various styles, the techniques. The artists themselves. Amazing stuff. My husband and I have been once and plan to go back several times.

For now, my well is lovely and full.
Readers and writers alike- how do you refill your creative wells?


Until next time and wishing you a well filled with creativity and joy,
Ann Roth
www.annroth.net

The Red, White, and Blue Game

First of all, I'd like to thank all our readers for their responses to my Father's Day blog (posted on June 17). I'm glad my memory of my dad helped trigger so many pictures from your past, too.

~~~

Here we are at another special day, the Fourth of July, a holiday that I'm sure is setting off many memories of its own--remembrances of cookouts with hotdogs and hamburgers; parades and fireworks; and flags flying high and snapping in the breeze, proudly flaunting their stars and stripes in red, white, and blue.

What comes to mind when you see those three colors?

You think for a minute about your choices; meanwhile, I'll tell you mine.


Red ~ fresh, juicy, ripe strawberries--especially since I'm being more careful about eating well and have discovered how much I love them.

White ~ diamonds! How could I leave them off the list--you know they're a girl's best friend! (grin)

Blue ~ a newborn baby's eyes, so innocent and clear.


Those are three favorite items that come to me when I think about red, white, and blue.

Now, how about you?


All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

Barbara White Daille

http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com

Happy Almost-Fourth of July!

Independence Day has a lot of good memories for me. Growing up in Houston, my father would host a big party every Fourth. Lots of his work and other friends would come to our ranch for the day. We’d have barbecue brisket, watermelon, potato salad, and all the usual fixings. My absolute favorite Fourth of July treat was pecan pie. There was something about tasting that first bite of pie at the end of a hot day that was just about perfect.

I think my dad’s last party was in 1998, so those parties are long gone. Since I love having things to look forward to, I usually have a little trip planned. Last year we went to West Virginia and went white water rafting. For a few years before that, we drove to Chicago and stayed downtown. When we lived out west, we used to drive to Lake Powell or Las Vegas.

But this year, we’re staying home. My son, who’s about to be a senior in high school (how did that happen?!) is going on a school trip to Europe on Saturday. So I’ll be packing him up and making fried chicken and apple pie (his Fourth of July favorites!).

Although I've tried my best, not all our Fourths have been fabulous. The worst was about six years ago. We were in Chicago with my sister-in-law and her family. A restaurant served my daughter their ‘special’ chocolate ice cream. Their ‘secret’ ingredient was peanut butter-which she is very allergic to! After two bites, her tongue started swelling up, and I was hailing a cab to the hospital. I watched the fireworks over Lake Michigan from a window next to my daughter’s bed in our hotel room.

One of our best holidays was two years ago. We met another family in Colorado and watched fireworks from the banks of Grand Lake outside Winter Park. It was a little chilly out, which felt great after a hot day hiking in the mountains. We sipped hot chocolate, piled on the blankets, and oohed and aahed over a batch of fireworks that looked so close we were sure we could reach out and touch them, if we really tried.

So,what makes the fourth special for y’all? Staying home, going to your parents’ place? Taking a vacation? Brisket, fried chicken, hot dogs?

No matter how you celebrate things, I hope everyone has a wonderful day, and happy Fourth of July!

Shelley

June winner!

This month's winner is Ivette!!!!!! Congratulations!!! To get your free, autographed books, please contact Kara Lennox and Victoria Chancellor through their websites.

Tell all your friends to visit us. To win, simply comment and your name is entered in our drawing.

Exciting Change

We are thrilled to announce that starting next month we will go indepth with two author interviews per month.

We will start in July with Megan Kelly, whose second book debuts. July will also feature the wonderful Laura Marie Altom. Look for Ann Roth and Lisa Childs in August.

Have a wonderful end of June (summer is going way too fast).

Michele

Author Road Trip

Romance authors know how to do a road trip better than anybody. Two of my critique partners and I recently proved that. Last Thursday we all desperately needed to get out of town. So we set a destination for historic Waxahachie, intent on doing a bit of antiquing and sharing lunch, perhaps at a tea room.

My partners in crime were Victoria Chancellor (fellow American author who also blogs here) and Silhouette author Rebecca Russell. And here are the reasons we are day trippers extraordinaire:

1. The schedule. We plan to leave at ten, but if we meet up at ten-thirty and spend twenty minutes trying to find some place to leave my car where it won't get stripped down to the chassis, that's okay. No one in this group worried about the time. The only thing we cared about was that we were getting the heck outta Dodge.

2. The car. We didn't just have an SUV, we had an Escalade. (I don't want to think about what the gas cost!) The Escalade had On-Star, which is GREAT for when you get lost. Which brings me to:

3. The route. We had all been to Waxahachie before. It's only about 35 miles south of Dallas. We didn't need no stinkin' map. We all knew to exit at the billboard. However, due to construction, the billboard was gone and we overshot our exit by, oh, another thirty miles. (Yes, we were talking.) In fact, we ended up in Hillsboro, another historic town with a cool courthouse. Did we care? Heck no.

4. The food. We found ourselves a funky diner on the town square (not exactly a tea room). We did not count carbs or fat grams. We used real sugar in our tea. (Strangely, they didn't offer "sweet tea," usually a staple in small southern towns.)

5. The shopping. We spent the next hour or so combing through an un-air-conditioned antique mall, ferreting out things we remembered from childhood and even bringing a few home with us.

6. The food again. Shopping burns a lot of calories, so we found ourselves a Starbucks on the highway and indulged in mochachinos.

7. The shopping again. If we'd gone straight home, we'd have hit I-35 in rush hour. No one does that on purpose. So we doubled back and hit Waxahachie after all. We took the requisite pictures in front of the courthouse (that's Victoria, left, and me. Rebecca took the picture.) We found an awesome scrapbooking store--all of us are crazy about paper. Must be a writing thing. Then more antiques.

Finally, exhausted, we headed home with our flea-market treasures and more bits of small-town trivia to add to our research arsenals. Don't be surprised if you see bits and pieces of this trip showing up in our future books!

Rooting for Cinderella

Over the years, the romance genre has expanded to include a wide variety of stories. And with that expansion has come new types of heroines. Now, in addition to being nurses or teachers or waitresses, heroines can be corporate CEOs, attorneys, military pilots, you name it. I've loved romances with a great many different types of heroines, but I still find myself drawn to the Cinderella character type. I don't mean only Cinderella herself, but also all those wonderful heroines who start out as life's underdog, the poor girl whom no one loves but who in the end finds happiness with the hero everyone would have thought beyond her reach.

I don't believe a woman should define herself by the man in her life, but who among us didn't dream when we were young of a prince falling in love with us and sweeping us off our feet? Cinderella has inspired countless book heroines, and movies like The Prince and Me, Maid in Manhattan, and Pretty Woman star a girl who is either normal or one of the forgotten who gets the guy way above her station in life. It's a powerful fantasy that even shows up in classic novels like Jane Eyre.

I have Jane Eyre on the brain because I watched the Masterpiece Theatre production starring Ruth Wilson and Toby Stevens today. I'd read Jane Eyre way back in high school, so it'd been a long time since I'd been immersed in the story. But when Jane was abandoned by her family, left alone in the world and unloved, it broke my heart. Watching her fall in love with Mr. Rochester, a man she knew she couldn't have, was equally hard to see. Not to mention the revelation of mad Bertha's existence and thus the crushing of Jane's hope. But because Jane has gone through so much in her life, it's so much more thrilling when she inherits money, earning her independence, and then finally finds enduring love with Edward Rochester.

What about you? Do you like the Cinderella type story? If so, which ones do you like most?

Reconnecting with Childhood Favorites

I’ve always been an avid reader. When I was a child, I’d trek to the library every Saturday and come home with an armload of books. Our next door neighbor was the children’s librarian, so I would always stop by to say hello and find out what she was recommending that week. Many of the books I read in those days are still among my all-time favorites.

I read the Anne of Green Gables books when I was ten, and since then I’ve reread them more times than I can count. I also have the two made-for-TV mini series on VHS. Every couple of years I have an "Anne" day and I’ll watch all eight hours. Just me, a big bowl of popcorn, and my box of Kleenex.

Little Women was another favorite, and I also love the movie version with Susan Sarandon and Winona Rider. As a child, I think I related to both Anne and Jo because they a little on the tomboyish side and their imagination was always getting them into scrapes. Although I never died my hair green!

I adored Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books. I even read them to my children, and my daughter named one of her dolls Charlotte, just like Laura's.

The Swiss Family Robinson was completely captivating, especially the ingenious things they did to make a home on that island. Part of me has always wanted to live in a treehouse!

One of my neighbor’s recommendations was Loretta Mason Potts—which, in spite of the title, is the story about a little boy who finds out he has an older sister. Loretta, his sister, had been living with another family. After she returns home, she discovers a passageway in her closet that connects her to a secret world. This book was written in 1958 by Mary Chase, who is most famous for her Pulitzer-prize-winning play, Harvey, about a man and his six-foot-tall invisible rabbit.

Over the years I searched secondhand bookstores and then online for a copy of this book, but with no luck. My problem was that I didn’t have the title quite right. I remembered it as Laura Mason Potts. A couple of years ago I googled "Laura Mason Potts," and to my surprise, it turned up in a review on Amazon. The review had been written by another person who had remembered the wrong title.

The book was reissued in 1989, so I immediately ordered a copy. After searching for so many years, there was always the dangers that the book wouldn’t live up to my expectations, but I’m happy to say it did. The day the package arrived, I tore it open, put everything aside, and read the book cover to cover. I'd forgotten that the book is illustrated, but once I had it in my hands, even the black-and-white illustrations were familiar to me.

Maybe that sense of familiarity is what’s so important about these books. Knowing that no matter what else is going on in our adult lives, a favorite story can transport us to our childhood, and to simpler times.

I'd love to hear about everyone's favorite childhood books.

Happy reading!

Lee
www.leemckenzie.com
thewritersideoflife.blogspot.com

HOME ALONE

Usually, I am all about my family. My kids and husband are the center of my world, and usually everything I do revolves around their schedules. But, well…this past week I was home alone.
That’s right. I was home by myself for six days straight. My husband and two kids traveled to western Pennsylvania as part of a mission trip with our church. I valiantly volunteered to stay behind and hold down the fort.
In other words, I did all kinds of things I don’t do when they’re here. I was in charge of the remote. I watched movies no one else likes. I read books in the living room at four o’clock. I even did my favorite activity...going to sleep early- just because there was no one around to tell me that I really shouldn’t be tired and it was too early to go to sleep.

Yes, it was completely empowering.

The highlight of my time alone was the slumber party I had. To be honest, when I asked my four critique partners if they’d like to come spend the night, I thought they might think it was a little weird. After all, we’re grown women-we’re all supposed to be too old for sleepover parties…right? But before we knew it, emails were flying, deciding on what to bring for our potluck dinner, and how much work to bring.

FYI, the food was great. We didn’t get much work done.

But, oh, how we relaxed! We sat outside on my back porch and had iced tea and laughed about things we’d done over the years. We got caught up on all things- kids and husbands, regular jobs and hobbies. We switched to wine and looked at cooking catalogs. We talked about dreams and goals and things we wished we would have done and things we still hope to do.
Being with these friends is like nothing I’ve had since high school. There are no hidden agendas, only the ease that comes from sharing good writing, bad ideas, diets, medical procedures, you name it-for almost a decade.
At eleven the next morning, I was sad to have the house back to myself again.

I was ready for my family to come back. I felt recharged and rejuvenated and had reminded myself that there’s more to me than just someone who writes. I’d remembered why I love my kids-not just because I’m their mom, but because of their fun personalities and good natures.

Everyone came back safe and sound. Within minutes of entering the house, piles of laundry filled the basement. The phone started ringing, my husband started going through the pile of mail and turned on his computer. Two TVs clicked on, music blared, dogs barked-and that familiar call of "Mom" floated through the house.
Life had begun again.

So, that was my week. I got to have some time alone to really enjoy being me.
And time to remember why I’m so glad it’s not just me anymore.
Has anyone else had an opportunity for some alone time? Or felt the roar that only summer can bring-when the kids are home all day?

Critiques: Love 'em, Hate 'em

Good morning, everyone. I'm up exceptionally early for me (not a morning person!) because I'm going to my "other" RWA chapter near Fort Worth, Texas. Just like our new member Pam Stone, I'm a member of Dallas Area Romance Authors (DARA) and North Texas Romance Authors (NTRWA) which meets much farther away from my house.

NTRWA has an annual event called the Roundtable Meeting, in which participants submit ten pages of their manuscript to be critiqued one-on-one by a published author. It's a great program because it allows everyone to have some very valuable face time to explain their opinions and expertise. This year I had a sweet contemporary romance and a western historical to read.

The process of critiquing and being critiqued made me wonder how many of you who are aspiring authors have put your work out there for other writers (published or not) to review? It can be traumatic! At the same time, if you have helpful critique partners, it can also be the difference between selling and not selling.

Let me give you an example. Way back when I first started writing, which I don't even want to think about because then I feel older than my grandchildren make me feel, a group of us who met at a local conference formed a critique group. We all wrote different types of fiction. I was concentrating on historical romance, my friend Becky wrote short contemporary romance, and others wrote literary fiction, mainstream and suspense. Needless to say, we weren't always that helpful to all members of the group! While I enjoyed getting together, I'm not sure their remarks made my historical romance any stronger.

Then, I did what lots of industry-wise people tell us not to do; I paid an agent for a critique. I only paid $35 and only on the recommendation of someone who read my work in a contest, but still . . . I probably wouldn't recommend that anyone else do the same now that I know more about publishing. Despite this warning, I must confess that was the best $35 I ever spent. The agent told me that I was writing plot-driven rather than character-driven fiction, and went on to explain the difference. I was imposing my will on my characters, making them do what I wanted them to do, rather than setting up characters who could move the story along with motivated goals and conflict. Wow! This was a revelation to me. I fixed the problem and sold the book about a month later on proposal.

Last week, my current critique partners pointed out that perhaps I needed more conflict in the proposal I was working on for my last Brody's Crossing book. I had such a strong story for the heroine that I'd kind of forgotten to focus on the conflict between the hero and heroine. Oops!

So, my question for anyone, published or unpublished, is what was the best advice you ever received in a critique?

Have a great day. I'm going to critique, get a free lunch, spend time with my home-away-from-home chapter, and perhaps stop by some stores on the way back to Richardson, TX to see if my books are on the shelf.

Welcome New Harlequin American Authors

I'd like to use my post today to welcome three new people to the Harlequin American family. The first is Pam Stone, who recently sold her first book to the American line. Congrats Pam!



Pam is a member of Dallas Area Romance Writers and describes her book as follows:



Last Resort: Marriage is the first book I've sold. It's a fun, marriage of convenience story set in Marathon Key, Florida. It did very well on the contest circuit. The hero is a down on his luck scuba guide whose boat is dead in the water. The heroine is the manager of one of her grandfather's resorts. These two are opposite in every way, which made for a fun story to write.



Also please welcome Liz Lounsbury and Barbara Daly, a writing duo who have, who will now write books for Harlequin American as Daly Thompson. Liz wrote for Duets and Temptation as Liz Jarrett. She and Barbara Daly critiqued together and decided to join forces. The trilogy they just sold is set in Vermont.

Congrats Liz & Barbara!

You'll be hearing more about these authors soon! And thanks to everyone for posting their comments about the blog. We've got some great ideas and we appreciate your input.Happy Friday, everyone.

Reader suggestions and... a little behind... (and I don’t mean fanny)

I’m reading the reader suggestions with interest and am so glad people are speaking up about what they want. Anyone who hasn’t, feel free to do so. We’re listening!!

Now, on to the behind part...
‘Tis the season to television reruns. Bleh! My husband and I finally watched season one of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. (We’re probably the only Americans who haven’t seen it.) Now I know what jumpstarted interest in all things paranormal.

The series is fresh and intelligently written with just the right mix of scariness and humor. And the chemistry between Buffy and Angel... Well, it is to die for. Pun intended. ☺

A good television series teaches us writers a lot. (So does a good movie.) Done right, the writing is tight and free of lame plot holes. Conflict arises from both situation and character. Characters develop, make mistakes, and grow. We care about them and want to keep tuning in to see what happens to them.

If we’re invested enough, we even weather a bad episode or two. But if the series takes a downturn and the characters behave stupidly for no reason, if the plot suddenly develops big holes, we stop tuning in.

These same things apply to writing a good book. ‘Nuff said.

What TV series do you think are well-written?

Until next time,
Ann Roth
www.annroth.net

Summer Fun?

I'm starting my morning with a deficit--of sleep--and I don't expect it to get better over the next five days. More about that later, but the cause last night was weather related. Because of the frequent thunderstorms we've been having here in landlocked KS, I purchased a storm alert radio, just in case a tornado decides to surprise us with a midnight visit. Early this morning (3 a.m.), the alert started sounding as a large thunderstorm moved over several counties, mine being one of them. Some six hours later, the sky is now a brilliant blue, something we haven't seen much of lately, and I'm hoping our trip to the zoo today will be free of clouds and raindrops. I'd much rather deal with a little sunburn than have to dodge hail...or twisters.

It's been a rough summer weather-wise across the nation. I've heard this is proving to be one of the hottest Junes for several years in some areas of the South. The destruction and devastation in Iowa from the flooding continues to bring me to tears when I see the latest reports, and my prayers go out to those who are having to deal with it as it spreads into other states. While reading the morning news the other day, I found this in our local newspaper:

Preliminary statistics from the National Weather Service show that 172 tornadoes have been reported in Kansas this year -- the most in the nation.
Iowa is next at 134, and Missouri is third at 127.
As of Friday, 1,577 tornadoes had been reported in the U.S. this year. Last year saw 1,093.

Whatever the weather is doing where you live, keep your eye on the sky. As Sgt. Phil Esterhaus used to say on the old TV show, "Hill Street Blues", "Let's be careful out there."

So why will I be more sleep deprived over the next five days? My two oldest daughters and their hubbies left this morning for a canoe trip near Tahlequah, Oklahoma. In the meantime, we (my youngest and I) are hosting a series of sleep-overs for my four grandkids. In other words, we have the pleasure of their company 24/7 until Sunday when moms and dads return. We should be accustomed to this. The kidlets (ages 6, 5, 4 and 10 months) are here during the day five days a week. I expect it to be an interesting week, and hope the 4-year-old grandson doesn't decide to play Indiana Jones again. Last week, while taking on that role, he climbed on top of my car in the driveway and jumped for a tree limb hanging over it. The smaller-than-pencil-size limb wasn't strong enough to hold him, and he landed on the driveway, resulting in a very large bump on his elbow. It could have been worse and is one of several reasons why we keep an extra lock on the door inside to curb his adventurous tendencies. His mom was printing out and signing medical treatment consent forms when she dropped off her three kidlets this morning. I expect it to be an exciting and interesting visit, with short nights and long days, and I hope they all like the penguins better than the lions at the zoo today. :)

My Hero, My Dad

First, I have to say thanks to Jacqueline Diamond for taking her blog day to talk about the Harlequin American blog. We'd love to have input about what you--our readers--would like to see here!

And now...

Romances are all about the heroes and heroines of our books. With Father's Day just behind us, I thought I'd share a memory of my very first hero.

At all of six years old, I'd taken on the first-time responsibility of caring for a pet. Three pets, actually--three little goldfish that swam in a small plastic fishbowl. I watched over these little guys, fed them and, when necessary, filled their bowl with fresh water. To do this, I had to carry the bowl to the laundry room where we had a big iron sink almost as tall as I was. With a long-handled net, I'd transfer the goldfish to a smaller bowl until their bigger home was ready.

One day--you've probably guessed it!--one of the fish got away. He flipped and flopped out of the net and fell into the sink, then promptly slid down the drain. I promptly screamed "Daddy!" as loudly as my lungs would allow.

He came on the run, imagining who knows what deadly accident had happened to me. The fish was long gone, I was in hysterics, but none of that bothered my dad. He quickly figured out the situation and went to work.

On the floor beside the tub was a square metal plate with drainage holes. He lifted the plate and told me to turn on the faucet. I couldn't imagine why he wanted me to do that, but I did it, anyway. Seconds later, water came rushing from the pipe--and the goldfish splish-splashed right into Dad's hands!

I was so amazed at this magical feat, at first I didn't notice that the fish was no longer breathing. I also didn't follow very closely what Dad did next. To this day, all I know is, it involved hot water, cold water, and salt, not necessarily in that order.

A few moments later, the goldfish's fins began to move, then his tail began to twitch and, finally, he shook his entire body like a puppy dog. He swam around and around the goldfish bowl as if he'd never left it.

That's the day I first knew my dad was a hero.


How about you? Have any stories about your hero dad? I'd love to hear them!


All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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

Reader Suggestions

Special thanks to Jacqueline Diamond who kicked off the discussion for this week--what would our readers like to see us authors do with our blog.

It sounds like readers might enjoy seeing a few days a month used for special topics like "Author Interviews", "Craft Discussions" or "Guest Bloggers". Would anyone like to see "links" on this blog that would take them to a list of "favorite recipes" by our authors? Or a list of "cleaning tips"? Or "kiddie crafts" to keep the kids busy on rainy days?

What sorts of discussion topics interest you most? Do you enjoy hearing about authors' travels? Do you like it when authors discuss their individual books/heroine/heroes and what made writing them special or unique?

I hope you'll continue the discussion as we want to make this blog enjoyable for our readers.

Lastly I just want to say (in case we have nurses out there who read this blog) that I have a real appreciation for this special group of women. Two weeks ago my teenage son had major jaw surgery (both upper and lower--everything went amazingly well) and I was so impressed by the nurses who took care of him. Not only were they compassionate but they worked in teams--each nurse double checking the other's work so that nothing slipped by them or escaped their notice. Their compassion and patience in answering all my questions (which I'm sure I asked the same question several times over) was amazing. And each time they left the room they'd always ask not only if my son needed anything but if Mom needed anything, too.

I've always believed nurses like teachers are a special group of people who deserve our gratitude and respect, but I admit that my son's nurses have earned a soft spot in my heart for the care they gave him. And by the way, the four nurses all read romance novels and I jumped at the opportunity to give them copies of my books. I also discovered they had a "bookcase" of romance novels in the cafeteria nurses shared with one another and I was thrilled to donate a couple of bags of "American" books to them.

Hope the summer has gotten off to a great start for all of you--and please keep the discussion going on our blog this week--What can we do to make this blog the very best!

Marin

A Coal Miner's Wife Aug 2008

The Cowboy and the Angel Nov 2008

http://www.marinthomas.com/

Readers: Please Help!

In the year and a half since we Harlequin American authors launched this Internet journal as a way of reaching out to you, we’ve been delighted to share our musings and experiences. However, like people (and the characters we love to read and write about), blogs tend to have life cycles.

With so many blogs exploding across the Internet, we’re wondering whether it’s time for a change. So this week, we’re asking you, our readers, for vital input. Is there anything specific that you’d like to see us write about or try in this space?

Would you like to see more guest bloggers? Occasionally, we can arrange for an editor or agent. We could also invite other authors. What would interest you?

Also, would you prefer that the blog focus more on writing-related topics? These could include craft, such as how to write a synopsis; business, such as what to look for in an agent; or the writer’s life, including how we stave off interruptions. Topic suggestions welcome!

How about interviews once or twice a month (or more often) with Harlequin American authors? You could send in questions for us to answer. I’m sure most of us would be happy to devote entire blogs to reader questions.

We don’t want to compete with the on-line novellas published at eharlequin.com. But perhaps you have a unique proposal for something of this nature that we could write as a group.

Do you like the monthly book giveaways? Does this encourage you to read the blog? Are there any variations (within reason) that you’d like to see?

Please post your responses and we’ll start the dialogue. We’ll do our best to continue the discussion this week so those who don’t read us every day will have a chance to chime in.

I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!!

Do you ever feel like you can't keep up? Like you're stuck on that proverbial hamster wheel with no hope of getting off?? Well, two weeks into summer, when I'm supposed to finally be catching my breath, I'm more behind in my goals than ever! Ugh!! (This pic is of a bulletin board I made for another teacher last fall. The leaves took FOREVER!! )

My new classroom is amazing, but crammed with at least thirty years worth of dust and stuff and junk. In between daily professional development classes and cleaning, I haven't even made a dent in getting the room ready for our August 11th start date. And that's just room prep. I still have to come up with 180+ days of insightful art lesson plans that follow the state standards. Was it really only as month ago that I thought my new job was a dream come true? LOL!!

My laptop broke, and I thought I'd save a few bucks by taking it to a *small guy* for repair. BIG mistake!! Every time I type about fifteen letters, then hit the space bar, the cursor jumps up a few lines. Anyone have a clue what the problem might be? I've tried reinstalling Microsoft Works, but it still doesn't work. I've checked under the keys for Cheetos, but that didn't work, either. Guess now, on top of what I already shelled out, I'll call the expensive repair shop I usually go to!! Grrr!!!

With the twins on the verge of driving, Hubby and I are spending the day car shopping. The plan is that the kids get our old cars, and we get new. Well . . . new to us, anyway! LOL!! I heard a car dealer ad while cleaning my classroom that bragged about low mileage Civics for $5995. Sounds a tad too good to be true, but we'll take a looksee.

In the mean time, I have a book deadline barreling down on me, and nothing to write it on. Yes, I could use the main computer back like I did in the olden days, but like every other creature in this house, I'm spoiled rotten, and have gotten to the point that I can only write new material on my laptop. I know, whine, whine.

On the brighter side, yesterday, I snuck a couple of hours off to play with the kids and we went to see Ironman. I expected to nap through it, but REALLY enjoyed it--although there certainly could've been more romance!! LOL!!!

Have a happy Saturday!!!

Dressing my Characters

Okay, first things first. Who is a “one sock, then the shoe” person versus “both socks first, then both shoes” type of a person when getting dressed? I’ve found that for me it depends. I’m not consistent at all, but usually it’s both socks first. However, it’s little details like this (which I’ve never yet used in a book) that make dressing my characters so interesting.

I’ve discovered something as I’ve been writing this current book for Harlequin American. For some reason, the fact that I am my hero and heroine’s personal stylist has never been more important to me. On paper, I am a wardrobe wizard (even though I probably fail in real life). My current hero Chase McDaniel is a business CEO. Thus, I get to put him in suits. The first time the heroine meets him, he changes her flat tire. He shrugs out of his coat, rolls up his sleeves and gets to work.

I love to put my heroes in suits. Suits simply say class in a way that a flannel shirts and holey jeans can’t. Sure, I’ll dress Chase down too, when the circumstances warrant, and make him Ralph Lauren casual (he’s a Minnesota lakeshore kind of guy). But I like the glamour of a business suit and the aura it creates.

For me, part of the escapist experience of enjoying romance is being whisked into a world outside my own (I only need a suit for job interviews, and I haven’t had one of those in years).

I just watched Humphrey Bogart in The Big Sleep. The thing that really struck me was how important his hat was to his character. Whatever happened to hats? Now it’s all ball caps. Remember when women wore dresses all the time in classic movies? And how Audrey Hepburn and Lauren Bacall could carry them off so well? Since I’ve been inspired, my heroine Miranda won’t be in business suits with slacks, but rather skirts and dresses. All very chic, even though she shops on a budget. She has an image to project, even though she’s not rich.

Now that it’s summer (my last official day was yesterday) I live in shorts and t-shirts. Grubville here I come. I don’t dress up at all, minus church.

Hence my need for my hero to take my everyday heroine somewhere special so I can dress her up beyond basic and live vicariously. The next scene I write is Chase taking Miranda out for lunch. It’s raining, and her umbrella died on the way to work. I can picture Chase getting soaked trying to keep her dry.

Next up will be a business event. To dress Miranda, I’ll get out the clothing catalogs, turn to all those dog-eared marked pages and pick the dress I really want and wish I had somewhere to wear. Then I dress her and create her outfit visually for the reader. I’ll find her the right shoes, earrings, and such. It’s my little escape.

Don’t get me wrong. My pocketbook is happy about my lack of haute couture and its accompanying dry cleaning bill. But in my books, when the scene fits, I love to jazz it up and splurge.

Michele Dunaway
Out of Line, Harlequin NASCAR 6/08
Tailspin, Harlequin NASCAR 9/08
Twins for the Teacher, Harlequin American 3/09

I Saw My Book on the Shelves!

Okay, so I shouldn't get that excited. This is the 57th time. But it never gets old, seeing a book with my name on it at a bookstore or grocery store.

I still remember the first time it happened. Of course I knew down to the second the exact moment my first book (ROSES HAVE THORNS) would be released, and it was several days into the future. So I was not looking for ROSES when I entered Rainy Day Books. I was just looking for something to read, perusing the romances, and suddenly there it was on the shelf!

I think I must have screamed, because the bookstore lady ran over and asked me what was wrong, whereupon I probably threw some kind of hysterical fit about seeing the book I wrote on the shelves for the first time.

I remember the clerk smiling indulgently. She’d probably witnessed similar displays in the past, as Rainy Day Books was a favorite hang-out for everyone in our RWA chapter, and many of us were selling our first books way back then.

There are lots of firsts associated with selling your first book. Getting THE CALL, of course, ranks right up there. Seeing your first cover, meeting your editor in person for the first time, receiving your first check, reading your first review. But nothing makes it more real than seeing the book in a bookstore, and knowing that thousands of people around the country also see it and are maybe buying it and reading it. 'Cause ultimately, for me anyway, writing is a way to connect. I enjoy the act of writing (most days, anyway!) but connecting with readers is what it's all about.

Must Love Dogs

This is a picture of me with one of my dogs, Snoopy. (He's a beagle mix and he already had that name when we adopted him.) As you might guess from the photos, I love dogs -- not just my dog, but all dogs.

If I see a book with a picture of a dog on the cover, I have to pick it up. More often than not, I'll buy the book. (If I think the dog dies in the book, I won't buy it. Fortunately, that's not usually a problem with romance.)

Oddly enough, I haven't written many books of my own with dogs in them. And I think only one ever had a dog on the cover. Hmmmm -- wonder why that is?

My current release, A Soldier Comes Home, from Harlequin Superromance, features a soldier holding a young child. Soldier + Cute Kid -- too iconic images I hope will draw readers to the book.

Of course, we authors have very little control over what goes on the covers of our books. The publisher asks for input, but they don't always use it. When I get a great cover, I feel very fortunate.

This has me wondering -- what images make you stop and pick up a book? I've heard that babies and pregnant women really draw readers. I know some women can't pass up a cover with a hunky cowboy or cop.

So -- what does it for you? Babies? Brides? Cowboys? Hunks? Soldiers? Dogs? Horses? I really want to know.

CELEBRATING 20TH BOOK RELEASE

Yesterday I had a book signing for my 20th book release, Always A Mother, Harlequin Super Everlasting. The signing went very well and my friends and I decided to really celebrate afterward. We went to see Sex And The City, without husbands. We asked but they refused to go. Go figure.

Since I write a lot, I don’t get to the movies as often as I would like. I’m still in shock. I never watched the show when it was on TV, but I did catch it on reruns late at night when I’d unwind from a day of writing. Oh my God kept running through my head, followed by can they do that on TV? Can they say that on TV? Yes they can and yes they did. And they did much more in the movie.

Color me naive, prudish or just out of touch. I felt the nudity and some sex scenes were over the top. But the young college girls loved it, giggled and shouted to prove it. Times have certainly changed. I think it’s the same in the books we read, too. I love home and hearth and that’s why I write it. But the young girls in that movie theatre would probably find my books very boring. Today everything is about more. Nothing is left to the imagination.

So what do you like in the books you read? More or less?

Let me tell you we had a great time at the movies, laughed with the young girls, and went out to eat afterward and toasted book number #20, which is all about home and family—very minimal nudity and profanity.

Here’s to another twenty. OhmyGod! I don’t think I’ll make it.

Linda (who’s very tired today)
Always A Mother – Harlequin Super Everlasting June 2008
Texas Heir – Harlequin American Sep 2008

Summer

Finally! I thought when I stopped substitute teaching and my children became teens and no longer needed--or wanted--my direct supervision, I'd care less about school being out. Not so. I now get to sleep in another 45 minutes!!, since my son's summer school classes start later and there's no bus to catch. Of course, no bus means I have to get somewhat dressed ;) to drive him there before getting myself ready for work. I'll only have to harrass one kid about getting homework done and bedtime, and he's good about both. But I feel free, as though released from some dreaded duty. And I used to like school as a kid. It's puzzling.
Why does it seem I have more time to write? That I can stay up later now?
Is there some magic to the words "school's out" that stirs the kid in me? Are you feeling it too?

Old friends

The other night I met an old friend for Happy Hour. Linda and I met way back in 1983, when we both attended the University of Washington MBA program. Aside from school we had nothing in common—I was married with three young daughters, she was divorced with no kids. I’m a secular Jew and she’s a devout Christian. Yet we became friends. We also started a tradition neither of us has forgotten. At the end of each quarter, after a round of grueling finals and research papers, we met at the Dilettante, a chocolate café several miles from campus. We’d order coffee and pick out four large, handmade chocolates. The grinning guy behind the counter supplied us with plates, a serrated knife and a glass of hot water. Why the knife and water, you ask? We used the knife to slice each chocolate in half, four mouthfuls of heaven for each of us. After each cutting we dipped the knife into the water to clean it. Between groaning with pleasure, chit-chatting and laughing nonstop (aided by the copious amounts of coffee we drank), we had such fun!

We graduated and pursued our careers. In the early 90s Linda married. My kids turned into rebellious teenagers. My husband I had our hands full, plus I worked at a demanding job as a financial analyst. As you can imagine, everything else slid by the wayside. Linda’s life was equally busy wither her new husband and step kids, and her job. Sadly, we lost track of each other. Then through the internet she found me. We decided to meet—for Happy Hour at a restaurant halfway between us.

Seeing Linda after all these years and catching up on each others’ lives was wonderful. Things have changed. My daughters have grown into lovely, productive women with busy lives of their own. I no longer work at a bank—I write full-time. Linda’s step kids are grown. She’s still at her job and has earned her CPA and several other distinguished degrees to complement that MBA.

One thing hasn’t changed, though—our mutual enjoyment of life. We laughed just as we used to, and of course thoroughly enjoyed our Happy Hour snacks. We’ll definitely get together again. We may be twenty-five years older (yikes!!), but inside we’re still the same fun-loving young women we once were.

Wishing you a reunion with an old friend,

Ann Roth
www.annroth.net

Five Things

My husband is a salesman. When he has a particularly good year, he wins a trip. So, last week, he and I got to go to a dream vacation in Palm Beach, Florida. We stayed at a swanky hotel, swam in the ocean, went to fancy company dinners, and generally had a great time making new friends and sipping out of drinks with umbrellas in them.
Amazingly enough, we were both just as excited to come home as we were to leave. Why? There’s just some things I like and miss when I'm not at home. Of course I missed my kids and weiner dog….but I’m talking little things, here.

Here are five things I like and grow to count on having every day…
1) Ocean Spray cran-raspberry juice. There’s something about this juice that wakes me up every morning.
2) Water dispenser. I drink a bunch of water…a lot of it hot. Carrying around a water bottle never seems to do the job.
3) Flannel pillow cases. Summer or winter, I’m a flannel girl—at least for my head.
4) A good reading light next to my bed.
5) My ugly black Birkenstocks. They’re ten years’ old, worn out and not near pretty enough for the public eye, but boy do they make my feet feel good.

Anyone else want to name a few comforts of home that are always missed?

Shelley

May Winner!

This month's winner is Ellen. Way to go!!!

To get your free, autographed books, please contact Shelley Galloway, Jackie Diamond, Laura Marie Altom and Lisa Childs through their websites.

Tell all your friends to visit us. To win, all you need to do is comment and your name is entered in our drawing.

Books, books everywhere

I’m in book shock.

On Saturday, I visited Book Expo America, the largest book industry trade show in the U.S. This year, it took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center, a mere 40 minutes (in light traffic) from my house.

It’s another world.

Booths and displays fill huge halls, hawking romances, thrillers, literary novels, how-to books, Bibles, children’s books, comics and Manga – you name it – along with book-related products. No members of the public allowed, since the event is aimed at booksellers and the media, although we authors can squeeze in if our publishers vouch for us.

Convention-goers clog the aisles, toting bags crammed with books and promotional items. Bestselling authors trip over each other on their way to autograph books for the attendees. Here’s the fabulous part: the books are free. Publishers actually give away books, with or without autographs.

In one aisle, a handsome man in a tuxedo proffers a tray piled with The Filthy Rich Handbook, and, in a British accent, politely bids me to take one. Around the corner, Ann Rice is signing her autobiography. Celebrity nonfiction authors abound: Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, Alec Baldwin, keynote speaker Thomas Friedman. As for novelists, I ran into old friends Jina Bacarr (Spies, Lies & Naked Thighs) and T. Jefferson Parker (L.A. Outlaws). Heavy-hitters such as James Patterson and Robert Crais were there too.

The spacious Harlequin Enterprises booth promoted its many imprints, from Harlequin and Silhouette to Mira, HQN, Red Dress Ink, Luna, Steeple Hill and Kimani. I also made a point of visiting the Romance Writers of America booth, where staff members and volunteers joined president-elect Diane Pershing (One Tough Lawman) to promote the image of romance novels. At the nearby Mystery Writers of America booth, I joined another friend, Linda O. Johnston (Double Dog Dare, her latest pet-sitter mystery) for coffee.

It’s exciting and thrilling to walk – or, more often, stumble and squeeze – through those aisles. The biggest highlights are always personal: I spent an hour and half schmoozing with my agent, Laura Bradford.

Now, with all those books piled up to read, well…I gotta go. See you on the printed page!

School's Out/Summer's finally here

As I sit here and write this, school is just about out for the summer. At 11:25, the last bell will ring and the class of 2008 will be history. In my district, all the seniors always graduate the first Saturday of June.

My big summer plans are to write another novel for Harlequin American and turn it in by August 1, my deadline. I'm on page 70 something but turn into a full time writer on Wednesday, my first day without doctor appointments and that such.

I do have three workshops to attend, all related to teaching journalism. We might make two short trips to Batesville, IN, and Kansas City, but no big vacation plans.

I'm ready to write. After writing five books last year, this year I'm choosing to only do two and to space them out. I'm excited to be doing another "fall in love with the boss" corporate CEO book. Those are some of my favorites and already I'm having a lot of fun with Miranda and Chase and another quirky grandfather.

So what about you? As I say goodbye to my 21st year of teaching, what's up for you this summer? Any big plans? Any writing goals? Any reading goals?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Fantasy, reality, or some of both?

As a romance writer who's been around the block, I've ended up writing a wide range of books and novellas, from the super-sweet traditional Silhouette Romance to the sexy Silhouette Desires and even one erotic short story (obscurely published under a pseudo-pseudonym--I'll never tell).

Harlequin Americans fall somewhere in the middle. The line calls for whatever level of sensuality is appropriate to the story, so a few of them are more "sweet" and some (like mine) are sexier. But every time I set out to write a love scene, I struggle with exactly how graphic I should be. As a reader I like a little more realism in a love scene. Let's face it, sex is funny sometimes, and sometimes it's disastrous. It's not always the perfect, fly-to-another-plane, mind-blowing, best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-a-person experience we romance writers tend to make it. Of course for Harlequin American I don't want too much realism, but is there such a thing as too much fantasy?

Take euphemisms. I know certain graphic words for body parts are taboo in this "Home & Hearth" line. But how many different ways can I come up with to describe an orgasm? I estimate that I have written somewhere close to 150 love scenes. In an effort to be fresh, to use something besides "her peak of desire" (whatever!) do I become laughable? I'm always trying to think of fresh but tasteful ways of describing the act of lovemaking, without getting too flowery or too obscure. The main thing is to get the emotions across, of course, because that's why women read romance. But for a woman, the physical sensations and emotions are usually wrapped up together, so I don't want to give those physical aspects short shrift.

Ah, what to do, what to do.

I was critiquing a chapter for my husband the other day. He is writing a thriller, so he doesn't have to conform to the stricter guidelines we Harlequin authors are used to. But when he came out and called the, er, male member exactly what it was, I nearly came unglued. "Ewwww! I don't want to read that!" I told him, and he just shook his head.

So what do you think, readers and writers? Do you want to close the bedroom door, or vicariously experience a love scene as pure fantasy, or see some semblance of realism? Or does it depend on your mood? Do you eagerly read love scenes, or just skim them?

Dun Duh Dun DUH...Dun Duh Duh

Okay, you'll have to forgive the musical phonics--it's what my kids and I have been running around the house singing for, oh, the past month. I've mentioned before that one of the reasons I love writing for (and reading) Harlequin Americans is that we often get the chance to revisit characters and communities in follow-up books (such as I'll be doing in my 4 book "Mistletoe" series, shameless plug!or Cindi Myers did with her Crested Butte series and Holly Jacobs will be doing with her upcoming "American Dad" trilogy for HAR).

Anyway, with my predisposition for nostalgia and wanting to check in on beloved fictional characters, is it any surprise that I'm counting down the moments until my husband and I take our son to see Indy 4 this Saturday? I know, I know, Indy's a good bit older (as am I) but Harrison Ford has held up well. (Why can't we all age like him and, female counterpart in late-life gorgeousness, Helen Mirren?) I don't know that this will become my favorite Indiana Jones movie, but for me, part of the joy is reliving my own love for the character with my son. He's seen all three of the originals on DVD, but this will be his first Indiana experience on the big screen. My daughter, starting kindergarten in the fall, is too young in both age and temprament (she grosses out easily) to see the movie with us, but even she has caught Indy Excitement. I've been trying to write downstairs all week while two pairs of out-of-school kid feet tromp overhead. Shouts of "throw me the whip, no throw me the idol!" and "Snakes! I hate snakes" continue even after bedtime, when they become muttered to stuffed animals. Sadly, we only own one fedora, but we're working on that sharing concept.

I love sharing my lifelong interests with a new generation. The same applies with books, btw. Got a favorite story or character from your past? Have you shared it with a young person yet? It will be years before I let my daughter read some of the romance novels I've loved (or written!) but it was pure joy to read Judy Blume's Peter and Fudge books (with slight editing on the subject of Santa) to my kids and remember how much I laughed when I first heard the stories. We're just starting in on Chronicles of Narnia, but I may let narrator Jim Dale take over when it's time for Harry Potter. (The thought of reading thousands of pages aloud is daunting, especially with potential tongue-twisters like Severus Snape and Shrieking Shack.)

So what are some of your all-time favorite fictional people or animals?

Whatever your plans for the weekend, remember: the right hat and theme music can really make the adventure!

A Matter of Style

Here’s a question – why are category books almost always written in the third person. Mysteries, especially those authored by women, are frequently done in the more personal first person style. Especially notable is Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. Good old Stephanie has led us on a merry chase through the humor and mayhem of her life as a bounty hunter. And as for Joe Morelli – whew! Male mystery writers, on the other hand, seem to favor the more omniscient, story telling third person view.

And in another genre, Diana Gabaldon did a wonderful job with her Claire and Jamie stories. Using first person she was able to provide use with an incredible description of life in 18^th century Scotland. Remember what I said for Joe Morelli – double ditto for Jamie Fraser.

Last September I did an Everlasting Love book (first person) titled Summer After Summer. I absolutely loved that story. Unfortunately only about thirty-three people read it (LOL), but that’s neither here nor there. RT wasn’t quite as enamored with Summer as I was but interestingly enough it’s a finalist in the Orange County RWA’s Book Buyer’s Best contest.

So as a reader what do you think – first person or third person?

Currently I’m working on a story that will include several vignettes or remembrances presented in different perspectives. My question is - have you ever read a book that’s primarily written in first person but intermittently segues into third person? If so, what is it, and how did you like it?

And when it comes to a matter of style, which do you prefer?

Ann DeFee

The Man She Married, HAR, February 2009

Georgia On His Mind, HAR, August 2007 – Virginia RWA’s Holt Merit Award in both Short Contemporary and Southern Theme.

Summer After Summer, Everlasting Love, Sept. 2007 – Orange County’s Book Buyer’s Best finalist.

The best-laid plans

I'm a bit late getting to post my blog today, but it's been that type of weekend. Memorial Day weekend for us usually includes what it does for many families -- get-togethers, cookouts, good times. Well, we did see family this weekend, and we did cook out, but we also spent time in the pediatric ward of the hospital. That wasn't part of the plans, but when we arrived at our destination we learned that our five-month-old nephew had been admitted to the hospital with bad bronchitis. Oh no, I thought, he's following in his big brother's footsteps. Big brother was hospitalized when he was one year old with pneumonia, though you'd never know it now. He has so much energy I feel like asking him if I can borrow some of it. :)

When we arrived at the hospital, my heart ached for the baby. He had the IV in the top of his head, but strangely that wasn't what bothered him. He hated the oxygen tube in his little nose and tried so hard to rip it out even though they had it taped to his face. And if you really wanted to see him upset, wait until they gave him one of the breathing treatments. He would scream and his little face would get so red.

But then there were other times when he seemed perfectly content to lay back and play with his newest toy, one of those things they place astride the baby so he can swat at all the fun stuff hanging down. His mom said that if he had to be in the hospital for more than three days, he at least deserved a new toy. I agree. And big brother was good at making little brother laugh and smile, which was good to see.

Before we hit the road this morning, we heard that the baby was going home today. He's still sick and still has to do those hated breathing treatments, but at least he can be home and so can his parents. And big brother can go home from grandpa's house. Relieved he didn't have pneumonia and that the whole family was going to be resting at home tonight, hubby and I headed back to our own home. I was driving down the road, halfway back, when I thought of this blog.

Hubby and I were talking over the weekend about how fortunate we all are now to have the medical resources to deal with things like bad bronchitis. A century ago, babies had a much more precarious grip on life. Things we knock out with a quick trip to the doctor now sometimes wiped out not only one child but entire families. I remember walking through older cemeteries and seeing the evidence of the flu pandemic of 1918. We often don't think twice about it these days, but I'm so thankful for childhood vaccines, antibiotics, medical research and the medical pioneers who made this all possible, who made it much more likely for children to live to adulthood.

I hope you and yours are safe and healthy as this American holiday weekend comes to a close.

Lee's Folly

For several summers my husband and I have taken on a series of landscaping projects that include fencing and a large backyard patio. We also wanted a structure that would provide shade and create an outdoor living space, but we didn’t want a traditional round gazebo or a pergola that doesn’t have a solid roof. After scouring dozens of gardening and landscaping magazines, we found a photograph of a structure called a folly. It was exactly what we had in mind.

Wickipedia describes a folly as “a building constructed strictly as a decoration, having none of the usual purposes of housing or sheltering associated with a conventional structure. They originated as decorative accents in parks and estates. ‘Folly’ is used in the sense of fun or light-heartedness, not in the sense of something ill-advised.”

The magazine article didn’t include instructions for building the folly but luckily my husband, who is very creative, not to mention handy, was able to design and build one that suits us perfectly. We took these pictures during the construction.





To provide more shade from the afternoon sun, we’ll plant a row of columnar cedars against the back wall. And we still have to add a few finishing touches, like the ceiling fixture and a gutter to collect rainwater, but the folly is finally ready to use.



We’ll put in more plants and I’m looking forward to having some hanging flower baskets as well.



For now it’s the perfect place for me to spend an afternoon with my laptop and a cup of tea.



I’m sure you’ll agree that this folly is definitely not ill-advised! All we need now is some great summer weather!

Lee

Shelley and the Trainer

Last September, I joined a health club. It’s not super fancy, there’s no juice bars or saunas or fancy carpeting, or even aerobic classes. It’s more like an oversized weight room. One of the perks of membership was a free evaluation with a certified personal trainer. Me, being the person that I am (I never left a Mary Kay party without being SURE I needed lots of help) signed up for that evaluation all excited, just to find out the awful truth…my body was showing the effects of being a full time writer for three years.

Yep, as I’ve gotten busier, I’ve spent an increasing amount of time sitting in front of the computer. In fact, some days, my whole reason for leaving my desk was to sit in a car and drive my daughter around. Not good. I was out of shape and on a downward spiral.

In short order, I signed up to work out with a personal trainer three times a week.

That was the last time I had fun at the gym.

I was paired with Holly, who’s 21, beautiful and 6 feet tall. As I looked at us standing side by side in those terrible health club mirrors, it was never more obvious in my life that I was, oh, let’s just be completely honest-a whole lot older and shorter.

For the first visit, we started on ‘arms’. After tackling mini barbells, all kinds of weight machines, and moving my arms around like propellers, I couldn’t move my arms for five days. The next visit, ‘legs’ wasn’t any easier. Holly began to end some sessions saying things like, “Don’t forget the Motrin.”

I can’t believe I persevered. Usually, I’m not one to force myself to do anything painful or grueling. I don’t even like to sweat! But somehow, I decided that this getting in shape thing was not going to get the best of me. I began to challenge myself to not whine so much. And, now, six months later, I’m still going. I now meet Holly twice a week and attempt to go once on my own.

I am pleased to report that I can now do girl push ups and know where my triceps are. I have balanced on balls, done leg lifts, lifted all kinds of weights, and discovered that there are muscles in my back.

I feel a little peppier and have learned to walk away from my computer a little bit more.

In short, this workout routine has done as much for my mind as my body. Oh, I can’t say I look forward to every workout, but I have started to appreciate the feeling that comes afterward…my shoulders aren’t cramped. That knot of stress at the base of my neck is gone. My big writing problems don’t seem that tough. And I get that special feeling one gets when you interact with real people and move around.

I know lots of you do things to stay mentally and physically fit, and always have…garden, walk, bike ride. What are some things that y’all do to stay active? Or has anyone else, like me, suddenly started a new hobby?

Those Darn Texas Summers

Hello, everyone. Have you heard of SAD - seasonal affective(?) disorder I believe it's called? Well, I have the opposite. Give me a nice cloudy winter day and I'm as happy as a clam. Give me 95 - 105 degrees in the hot Texas sun and I'm downright cranky!

Yes, summer is here in Texas. I'm fairly certain that the weather will be hot and overly sunny unless I plan a trip, in which case a sudden, violent thunderstorm will pop up over DFW airport and my flight will be cancelled. See, I'm already cranky just thinking about it! I'd move to someplace cooler, but my husband, daughter, house, job, cats, dog, etc. are here. I'm kind of partial to them, as they say in Texas.

Rarely do I get to write a character who hates hot weather as much as I do. Usually they can't be too sweaty or too irritated. Most of all, they look good in sleeveless tops and shorts or bathing suits. Maybe that's the problem. I remember when I used to look good in those . . . but no, I was hot and cranky even then.

Until I get rich and famous, which is almost as remote a possibility as looking good in sleeveless tops and bathing suits, I guess I'd better stay indoors. Of course, if the good fairy wants to hit me with her magic wand, I'd be glad to buy a summer house in Maine or someplace equally cool and offer to host weekend escapes for my friends and family. First, though, I'd have to "retire" from my part time financial position at my husband's company, tell my daughter I can't help with the grandkids, find someone to feed my cats, and plan on losing every houseplant I own.

Maybe I'll just be cranky for the next four months. If you want to read about someone who is cranky for a good reason, check out Cal Crawford, the hero of my June release, An Honorable Texan. Now, that man has some serious lifestyle issues! Have a great Memorial Day weekend, a fun summer, and I'll talk to you next month.

Victoria

Dan in Real Life

I never have spare time. However, this past weekend I found myself with a two hour block. Rather than reading or writing, I hit the remote control and purchased Dan in Real Life starring Steve Carrell.

One of my high school newspaper students had done a review on the movie and he loved it, saying it was so good even a guy could stand it.

I had to agree that I liked it. What made the movie for me was the contrast: Dane Cook played the hot, sexy hero and Steve Carrell was the boring, dull every day guy. He had three daughters, a lackluster life, and when the woman of his dreams came along, she was engaged to his brother.

Let's face it, Steve Carrell is not a hot guy. He's average looking. He's the boy next door in niceness (especially in this movie). He's not the guy you often find in romance novels, but in this movie (have you ever noticed how big Steve Carrell's nose is from the side?), all the elements worked.

The thing that struck me is that the characters wouldn't necessarily work in most romance novels. (Note the most.) In many, the characters are extremely attractive. They aren't average; even the boy next door. So I guess my question is this--do we want a little more fantasy in our novels? Or are we ready for Steve Carrell type-characters instead of sexy Richard Gere in Pretty Woman?

Michele