Mystery Blog

What should I blog about? That’s a good question.

Winter/fall has returned to the Pacific Northwest with a vengeance. It’s raining, it’s blowing and in the mountains it’s snowing – oops, that sounds like a Christmas song. If I don’t miss my guess this stuff is going to be around until May. Can you say gloomy?

And speaking of gloomy - we can always discuss the economy. Way back when I got my BA and MA degrees in Political Science I had to take classes in Economics. Yep, you guess it – the minute I walked out the door I ditched all that extraneous information. So a couple of months ago I decided to do a self-tutorial on this seemingly incomprehensible subject. Consequently I’m now semi-conversant on such topics such as the CRA, GSE’s, sub primes, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Libro Financial Group and the Fed – now that is truly depressing. So let’s talk books.

I recently read a historical paranormal that I can highly recommend. It’s called the Labyrinth by Kate Mosse. This book intricately weaves two parallel story lines – one Grail, two women, two secrets. Both stories are set in the Pyrenees, one in the 12^th century and the other is contemporary. Alais lived and loved during the French Inquisition. Alice is a modern day, reluctant heroine. But they are both destined to protect the Grail.

This book has everything – romance, love, conspiracy, violence, treachery, friendship, reincarnation, eternal life, heroics and best of all, a twisty ending. So if you have time on a rainy Sunday, head to the library to find this book. But beware - you’ll have a hard time putting it down.

Ann DeFee

The Man She Married, HAR, February 2009

Top Gun Dad, HAR, TBA

Happy 25th...Great Beginnings

Harlequin American Romance is a great place to call home. For many authors, including me, it was where we made our first sale.

Author Vella Munn remembers: I wrote nine books for American starting with Summer Season (42) in Feb of 84 and ending with Silver Waves (444) in June of 1992. Summer Season was special because it was my first fiction sale. I remember that day well. We were adding onto our house and I'd gone to town to pick up some supplies. When I returned, my husband said I'd gotten a call from some editor in New York. Oh how I tried to be cool and collected! Oh how I failed. I can't think of a favorite book because all were special in their own way and represented what was and is still important to me, the environment.

You'll hear more from book #3 writer, Barbara Bretton, who has become our line's unofficial historian, Oct. 12 and Oct. 20. She'll talk about her first sale, which was Love Changes, HAR #3.

I made my first sale in 1999, to Melissa Jeglinski, who has moved this past month to a career as a literary agent with The Knight Agency. I can remember the moment well. I pitched the book to her at the RWA conference in Chicago. She'd just been made the line editor, and all day she'd been listening to people pitch her books all day for her previous line. Before I even started, she asked, "What line?" and I said, "American." I gave her my pitch, and she said send it. About this time, all the RWA people started fluttering around crazily. I don't own a watch, and it seems that once I checked in (early, like RWA says to do), some overly worked volunteer prodded me into a line and then, like cattle, into the room. Seems I was 10 minutes early, and had bumped someone out of her spot. All was well as RWA realized I wasn't sneaking in, and then they put the woman in my time slot. Anyway, I had a 212 number on my caller ID less than 4 weeks after the conference and by Monday, a phone call at work that I had sold my first book. MJ told me "I met so many people that weekend, who were you?" and I said, "The one in the wrong time slot." Her reply, an enthusiastic "I remember you!" I've sold 22 books to Harlequin since 1999, and seen one of my chaptermates, Megan Kelly, sell two of hers.

American remains a great line, worthy of its 25 year history. This month Anne Stuart and Barbara Bretton and others will talk about their memories, and hopefully, some of the authors here will add some of their first sale stories in the comments below. Anne Stuart will be on Oct. 31.

PS--for a complete list of all series books, from #1 Tomorrow's Promise by Sandra Brown to curent day, go to http://www.fictiondb.com/series/harlequin-american-romance~HAR~s.htm

It's quite interesting!!!

Michele Dunaway
Twins for the Teacher, Harlequin American, March 2009

My new volunteer venture

I just signed up to volunteer as an after-school tutor for a foster boy or girl. After a recent insightful orientation, I’m ready to go! They tell me I’ll hear from the volunteer coordinator in a week or so. Then I’ll find out where I’ll be and a bit about my student. I’m excited! Also, truth be told, a bit nervous. (Thank goodness for the Tutor Training Manual, which I’ll soon read cover to cover.)

I’ve always wanted to work with foster kids. No, that’s not quite right. I always wanted to take in a foster child and raise him/her alongside our three daughters. My husband didn’t want this. He said three is enough. He was right—we had our hands full! (Three girls, all having their period at the same time, bickering at dinner, arguing over TV shows and everything else under the sun. ☺)

Through the years my yearning for a foster child stayed with me. When a friend went to work for Treehouse, an organization serving kids in foster care, he invited me there for a tour. I fell in love with the organization and its goals (see www.treehouse4kids.org/whatwedo). For me, tutoring is a good way to fill my need to do something without taking on the full-time responsibility of raising another child.

Once I’m off and running, I’ll let you know how things go.

What about you? Do you volunteer, and where? I’d love to know.

Until next time and eagerly anticipating my new volunteer venture,
Ann Roth
www.annroth.net

Let's get creative!

My fingers have been flying over the keyboard on the current Work in Progress. In addition to that, I'm busy plotting another book or two. Sometimes the Muse cannot be controlled! She just wants to get up and get moving.

It doesn't always work that way, of course, so when Ms. Muse is in the mood to create, I run with her. Lately, I feel as if I've done the Boston Marathon three times over--but I'm not complaining! For a writer, that burst of energy is the best feeling in the world!

It's great to have inspiration handy when you need it. That lucky situation doesn't happen only with writers, either. There are all kinds of ways to be creative.

Cooking. Baking. Needlework.

Artwork. Aerobics.

Feng shui-ing your laundry room.

Giving your kid a haircut.

I'm on a two-minute stretch break before the next leg of the Marathon. So, be quick! And tell me, please--what gets your creativity going?


All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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

Launch! Happy 25th Harlequin American!

The above photos come from Barbara Bretton, one of the launch authors for the line. You'll hear from her again later this month, but first here are two photos showcasing early ads and displays for the line.

My Turn

It’s my turn to answer a few questions.

1)Tell us a little about your family and where you're from

I grew up in Houston, Texas. I was a true city girl, and loved living in Houston. Now I live in a small town outside of Cincinnati. I have two kids who are in high school, and I’ve been married to the guy I met my second week in college for almost twenty years.

2)If you could be lazy for an entire day what would you do?

That’s easy. Read. Nap. Read some more. Eat cookies.

3)What is your writing routine?

I hate to procrastinate, so I write pretty much every day for at least a few hours. I like to write in the morning as soon as my kids are off to school. Oh, I almost always count pages, too. As in, I've got to write five more pages today.

4)What inspired you to write your first book?

My first book for Harlequin was called Cinderella Christmas. It was about a janitor who agreed to accompany an executive to a ball, in exchange for a pair of beautiful shoes. One of my critique partners had inspired me. She thought there were probably a bunch of stories that could be written about women doing a lot for shoes. On a side note, I love to shop, but I'm not much of a shoe person.

5) How long have you been writing?

10 years. To date, I've sold 20 books. I've written for Avalon, Five Star, Harlequin American, and now also Avon Inspire.

6) What did you want to be when you grew up?

I always wanted to write, but didn’t think I’d ever be a writer. Actually, I thought I’d grow up to be one of those ladies who lunch. When reality hit-in the form of a stern talking to from my father-I became a teacher. I taught elementary school for ten years and really enjoyed it.

7) What were you doing at midnight last night?

I’m one of those people who loves to sleep. Usually, I’m asleep by eleven. However, last night I was rereading Mary Balogh’s novel, Simply Love. Oh, I love, love, love her regency historicals. I read them over and over again. So, last night I was finishing up that book even though I knew exactly how it ended.

8) Are you a cat or dog person? A dog! We have a beagle and a miniature dachshund named Suzy.

9) What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?

For me, the most important element is characterization. If I don’t connect with the heroine, I usually won't finish the book.

10) Describe your writing space.

I’m in my son’s old bedroom. I painted the walls pink, and I have all my book covers framed on one wall. It is truly the messiest room in the house. Suzy the weiner dog usually sleeps in a bed by my desk. Oh, and I have a space heater that’s almost always on.

11) Do you re-read your books once they're in print?

I usually do if people like them. I’m the type of person who’s always sure the book I wrote could've been a lot better.

12) Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? If so, which do you prefer?

I’m a Diet Coke girl, but only rarely. I usually only drink coffee and hot water. The hot water habit is an old trick a teacher friend taught me. Back in Colorado, Kim and I realized we were drinking way too much coffee while teaching 6th graders-we were as hyper as they were! Let me tell you, it wasn't a good situation. So, I started sipping hot water. Now it’s my drink.

13) Have you ever made a crank phone call?

Nope. I’m one of those annoying people who follows rules. It pretty much drives my children crazy.

14) Do you have any interesting special talents?

Hmm. I can walk down a flight of stairs in four inch heels and not look down. Yes, I went to charm school for that. No, it hasn't come in handy.

Well, that's it for me! I hope everyone has a nice weekend.

Shelley

SEPTEMBER WINNER!!!!

This month's winner is Sara!!!!!! Congratulations!!! To get your free, autographed books, please contact Shelley Galloway and Trish Milburn through their websites.

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

How was your trip to China?

When you return from a trip, friends naturally ask how it went. If you traveled somewhere unusual, they prepare to hear you rave about the fabulous sights, the food and the people you met.

They aren’t prepared to hear that your 91-year-old mother slipped in the shower, broke her pelvis and had to be medically evacuated from the city of Xi’an in the interior of China.

What followed was a series of sometimes downright weird events. I learned more than I ever wanted to know about Chinese hospitals (they provide neither food nor drinking water. You have to go outside and buy those from a vendor), not to mention the difficulty of getting permission to fly a medical jet through Chinese air space in the middle of a three-day weekend – the Full Moon Festival.

On the plus side, we met a lot of very helpful people of many nationalities. And let me state right here that my mother has now returned safely to Nashville, Tennessee, and is in the hospital, recovering from surgery.

Let’s go back to the beginning. My mother, ceramic sculptor Sylvia Hyman, and I traveled with our friend Cathy Moberg, Sylvia’s neighbor and studio assistant, to Shanghai for several days of sightseeing. We then took a two-hour flight to Xi’an, home of the terra cotta warriors, to attend a conference of the International Academy of Ceramics. Our Shanghai adventure went great. Chinese-American ceramist, author and tour organizer Guangzhen Zhou, known to his friends as Po, arranged that part of the trip and shepherded us around with great care.

He flew with us to Xi’an, where Sylvia celebrated her 91st birthday with longtime friends from the IAC. We prepared to enjoy local sights, visit an international pottery village and attend presentations by artists from around the world about their cutting-edge work.

The next morning, Sylvia fell while showering. Cathy, who thank heaven has some medical training, and I accompanied her to the hospital for X-rays, where we got the bad news.

I don’t have space to go into the events of the next few days, but let me tell you, they were hairier than a yeti. Even though Sylvia had bought insurance for a medical jet, it took the efforts of the medical jet company, the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, Cathy and me to get permission for it to land.

Since the Learjet only had room for Sylvia and Cathy, I had to return alone. Po (whom I now rank among my best friends in the world) changed his own travel plans to fly back with me to Shanghai to make sure I made my connection to the U.S. Luckily, all went smoothly.

During the visit, I did manage to see some impressive sights, including those famous warriors and another ancient tomb in Xi’an. Mostly, my head is stuffed with impressions of a culture involved in a dramatic transition unlike anything I’ve seen. Since I went behind the Iron Curtain in the mid-70s, I’m not a complete novice on the subject.

Two weeks later, I’m thankful to be home and gradually recovering from the 15-hour time difference. So how was my trip? Let’s put it this way: It’s something I’ll never forget.

Happy 25th--Author Profile Judith Arnold

Continuing in our series of celebratory posts, next up is Judith Arnold.

Name/Pen Name: Barbara Keiler/Judith Arnold
Website: www.juditharnold.com

Years writing for the line: 1985-1994 (with a novella in 2004)

Number of books for the line: 30

Sample titles: I wrote HAR's first linked trilogy, "Keeping the Faith," in 1987. (The titles of the three books were PROMISES, COMMITMENTS and DREAMS.) Other favorites: SPECIAL DELIVERY, COMFORT AND JOY (winner, RT Reviewers Choice Award for best HAR), SURVIVORS, SAFE HARBOR (Rita finalist), SWEET LIGHT, JUST LIKE ROMEO AND JULIET.

Special memories of Harlequin American Romance: Vivien Stephens originally conceived HAR as a series grounded in reality--real people facing real problems and experiencing love as it occurs in real life. This was practically revolutionary at the time, and I loved both reading and writing these books. I was proud to be one of the line's early mainstays, along with authors like Rebecca Flanders, Barbara Bretton, Anne Stuart, Beverly Sommers, Anne McAllister, Pamela Browning and Kathleen Gilles Seidel. I think those early HAR's were some of the best series romances being published, not only at that time but for all time. It was a wonderful, creative place to work.

Now the Q & A:

1) How was the Harlequin American Romance line different from the other Harlequin lines?

Harlequin Americans were grounded in reality. I loved reading and writing romances in which the heroine was someone I could identify with. She didn't have to be a gorgeous orphan or a simpering virgin barely out of adolescence. She was a recognizable American woman facing real-life problems. Harlequin Americans weren't fairy-tale romances. They tackled subjects readers could identify with.

2) How did the Harlequin American Romances line change over the years you wrote for it?

In the early '90's, the line decided to shift its focus and become lighter, more fantasy-oriented and a little less realistic. It was this shift in tone and vision that prompted me to start writing for the Superromance line, which had started out in the '80's publishing more glamorous, exotic stories but then shifted to more grounded, realistic stories. Superromance was ready for me when I was ready for it.

3) How did writing for Harlequin American help you in your single-title career?

I started my writing career with Silhouette Desire, back when the books were 50-55,000 words. Writing for Harlequin American, when the books were 70-75,000 words, gave me the room to develop more complex plots and subplots, and to go deeper into the characters. I kept writing longer and longer (the jump to the 80-85,000-word Superromances was also necessary because after a while I needed those extra 10,000 words to tell my more complex stories) until ultimately I realized I needed the greater length of ST books to say everything I wanted to say. I should add that in the early days, the editors at Harlequin American were really open to everything in terms of subject matter. As long as there was a strong, believable romance at the center of the story, we writers were allowed, even encouraged, to explore unusual plots and to structure our stories in all different ways. One of the books I wrote for Harlequin American (SAFE HARBOR) spanned twelve years and broke into three sections, the first written in the heroine's POV, the second in the hero's and the third in both their POV's.

4). Describe a moment you remember related to Harlequin American Romance, either reading one, or a fan moment, or an editor moment, or….

Harlequin American came up with A Century of American Romance, a project that would span a year ('90-'91.) Each month, one Harlequin American would be set in a different decade in American history, starting at the turn of the 20th century and moving chronologically forward (I believe Anne Stuart and Barbara Bretton both had books in this program, too.) I volunteered to do the final book in the series, which would be set in the future, at the turn of the 21st century. My editor emphasized that she didn't want a futuristic science-fiction novel, but rather a book set in a future I could envision--a "possible" future.

The book I wrote, A>LOVERBOY, struck me as pretty fanciful as I was writing it. In 1989, when I wrote it, the Internet was new and mysterious, and a lot of computer text was prefaced with the A prompt (A>.) I conceived of a kind of Cyrano de Bergerac romance in which the hero--a coworker of the heroine's and a thorn in her side--wooed her through what would now be called Instant Messaging (which didn't exist back then), and he hid behind the nom-de-computer "Loverboy." While sparring with the actual hero, the heroine gradually fell in love with her computer Romeo.

Now, of course, people IM all the time (and sometimes hide behind fake web names.) But when I wrote A>LOVERBOY, none of that existed.

In the near-future world of A>LOVERBOY, people did short-distance commuting in solar-powered electric cars. (I'd love to see that come true!) Global warming had created an environment in which people had to wear lightweight clothing that covered their arms and legs to protect them from sunburn. Restaurants had heart-healthy entrees listed on the menus. (That came to pass!) A big earthquake struck California. (That's happened a couple of times since I wrote the book, alas.) Cloth diapers with Velcro tabs were in vogue. (They're now available.) People could call up whatever movies and TV shows they wanted to watch, when they wanted to watch them (like today's Tivo and on-demand.) So many of my predictions for the future came true that my editor started teasing me about picking her lottery numbers for her.

Best of all was reader reaction. I heard from lots of computer geeks who absolutely loved the book and related to it. I still run into people at conferences and book signings who remember having read and loved A>LOVERBOY, with its surprisingly accurate glimpse into a future that has since come to pass.

5) Do you hear from your Harlequin American readers who have also read your single titles? What do they say?

A lot of readers found me in single title and have then gone back and scoured the used book stores for my old Harlequin American titles. But other readers started with me back in the mid-80's and have stuck with me all these years. I still meet readers at booksignings who will show up with a pile of the old silver-colored early Harlequin Americans from their keeper shelves and ask me to sign them.

6) Harlequin American Romance is 25 years old. Describe writing some of the earlier books for the line. Were there any taboos? Words you couldn't use? What were the covers like? That sort of thing.

As I noted above, Harlequin Americans were a lot less restrictive than other lines being published in the mid-'80's. Given the concept of the line, the books had to be set mostly in the United States, although characters could travel outside the USA if necessary. And there had to be a central love story. Other than that, though, there weren't many restrictions. I was able to explore some edgy ideas in my Harlequin Americans, ideas no other publishers were touching back in the '80's: atheism and mega-churches; campus radicalism during the Vietnam era; Vietnam veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress syndrome; rape and recovery; freedom of speech; marriage in middle age... I don't mean to imply all my books were ponderous with capital-I Issues. A lot of the books I wrote for the line were comedies. But they were meaty, too. Characters weren't locked inside the hermetically sealed world of their relationship.

The early covers were busy. There was always a main picture of the hero and heroine, and then a smaller picture tucked into one corner of the cover that depicted something about the story. (I had an obscene name for the little "secondary element" pictures. I felt they made the cover look cluttered and tacky.) Then we went to what we called the "Easter Egg" covers. These were the opposite--stark and bland, just the hero and heroine against a blank white background. (The bindings were pastel-colored; hence the "Easter Egg" nickname.) A small box on the cover contained the book's title and the author's name. My book TURNING TABLES was the launch book for the new covers, and my editor told me my original title (INDEPENDENCE DAY) didn't fit inside the box, so I'd have to come up with a new title that would fit. I proposed a second title, which I liked even better: TAKING LIBERTIES. (This was my freedom-of-speech comedy, and the story ends with a July 4th parade.) But no, TAKING LIBERTIES didn't fit inside the box, either. TURNING TABLES was a title my editor came up with. It has nothing to do with the story at all--but it fit inside the box!

Needless to say, I didn't like those covers, either.
The third cover concept was a huge improvement, with the cover art encompassing the spine and spilling onto the back cover. These covers were introduced in 1991 or thereabouts.

Bio:
When I was a child, I never really thought about becoming an author. Creating stories was simply something I did, like eating, sleeping and hanging out with my friends. I could not remember a time when my mind wasn't full of stories begging to be put into words. Even before I knew how to write, I used to tell myself bedtime stories when I couldn't find an adult to tell me one. I still have a copy of my first short story, written when I was six. It told the tale of a lonely bear. None of the other animals in the forest wanted to play with him. Then he met a boy, and they became friends and lived happily ever after.

I went on to write countless stories, poems and theater pieces. I wrote the fourth grade class play. In sixth grade, I wrote an award-winning poem honoring National Dental Week. As a teenager, I wrote dozens of short stories about adolescent angst, as well as free-verse poetry railing against war, oppression, hypocrisy and other great evils. I wrote for my high school's creative writing magazine and edited the school newspaper. But it never occurred to me that I might actually become an author. In college, I wrote a play that won a money prize and was produced on campus. I took this as a sign and decided to become a playwright. Over the next ten years, I wrote several plays and had them professionally produced at regional theaters around the country. All the while, I continued to write short stories and novels. Eventually I burned out on theater work. It required me to travel, usually at my own expense, to the theaters staging my work, and once there I had to deal with directors, actors and producers who all wanted to rewrite my scripts. Since I found it nearly impossible to earn a living as a playwright, I also taught bonehead English at a couple of local colleges. My husband dared me to take a year off from teaching to see if I could write and sell a novel. How much did I dislike teaching bonehead English? So much that I planted myself at my typewriter and wrote non-stop, one eye on the page and the other on the calendar. Before the year was up, I had sold a romance novel to Silhouette Books. That first novel, Silent Beginnings, came out in October, 1983. My first son also came out in October, 1983. Needless to say, it was an eventful month. Since then, I've written more than eighty-five novels which have been published by Silhouette, Second Chance at Love, and Harlequin's Temptation, American and Superromance lines, as well as MIRA Books. Nine books after Silent Beginnings, right between False Impressions and Flowing to the Sky, I also gave birth to a second son. My family lives in a small town not far from Boston, Massachusetts. My three boys-one husband and two sons-take good care of me. They make me laugh and keep me supplied in chocolate. Since chocolate and laughter are essential to my creativity, I guess they deserve a little credit for my having become an author.

Amusing Cultural Differences

Most of the time, the fact that American Romances are edited by Canadian editors makes no difference. The Canadian editors I've met are conversant enough in American culture--which isn't all that different from theirs--to edit even our uniquely American books.

But every once in a while, a difference pops up that amuses me.

Recently I was going over my line edits for my April 2009 book, THE GOOD FATHER, when I saw this change: The hero wanted to open a box of magazines, so he took out his pocket knife and slit open the box. The editor had him instead grab a box cutter. "It seems odd that he just happens to have a pocket knife in his pocket," she remarked in the margin.

Really? Not in Texas it doesn't. Lots of Texas men I know carry pocketknives. In fact, lots of Texas women I know carry pocketknives. I usually have a small Swiss Army knife in my purse (though not if I have to fly--I had one confiscated at security once).

Since my hero had recently transplanted to Texas from New York, maybe he wasn't the pocketknife type. Yet. So the box cutter change was fine. But it did make me smile.

One time a friend had her rural Midwesterners in her book eat come chili mixed with mac & cheese--a common dish in that region. (In fact, Hormel makes a canned "Chili Mac.") But her Canadian editor (or maybe it was a Brit) thought it was so strange that she asked her to change it to avoid jarring the reader. And another of my Texas writer friends had an editor who wanted to insert a blizzard in her East Texas ranch story. (Um, we don't get blizzards in East Texas. Maybe in the Panhandle ...)

More than once I've seen oddities on my covers--Spanish moss on the cover of a book set in Dallas, and snow-capped mountains in the distance of an East Texas scene. And I've lost count of the number of editors who visited Texas and were genuinely surprised and disappointed that not every man wears tight jeans and a cowboy hat.

I would love to hear other funny editor stories that resulted from a cultural disconnect. I know I've hard a zillion, but I can't remember any more at the moment.

Patrician or Plebian

Are you a plebian or a patrician? Susan Wiggs recently did a newletter article in which she asked what do you really read – Gravity’s Rainbow or Nora. And what do you really watch – Planet Earth or Project Runway. Would your answer reflect who you really are or who you think you should be – and is that a commoner, an aristocrat or a combination?

So here’s my dirty little secret. I’m a fan of Ice Road Truckers. That’s the History Channel’s Canadian version of CB Charlie and his eighteen-wheeler. The plot - what little there is - revolves around the trials and tribulations of delivering massive equipment across the frozen Arctic sea. It’s not exactly Emmy winning, so why do I watch it? Because it’s mindless? Or perhaps it’s that plebian gene popping up.

On the patrician side of my personality, I have an extensive collection of fine European/English porcelain and china. My husband claims I’ve never met a plate I didn’t want to take home with me. In fact, I can serve 75 of my favorite friends on Spode, Royal Doulton, Minton, Villeroy & Boch and Heinrich. That doesn’t sound quite like Ice Road Trucker fan, huh? Add that to the fact I have some antiques that date back to when good old George was king and I suppose I can tote those up on the patrician side of the ledger.

So how about those plebe credentials? Considering I spent more time in the hallowed halls of academia than a sane person should, it’s ironic that I have more than my share of common proclivities. Here are some you might recognize.

I love football. There’s nothing quite like a crisp autumn day and the pageantry and excitement of the gridiron – not to mention the uniforms and the athletes wearing them – whew! Then there’s the matter of movies. Just the thought of an angst filled drama with Portuguese subtitles makes my eyes water. Give me a romantic comedy or a rompin’, stompin’ shoot ‘em up any day of the week. And I will freely admit this – I can recite lines from Monty Python. How about music? As a kid I studied Rimsky-Korsakov, Sibelius and Tchaikovsky. Now I groove to Tim McGraw, Toby Keith and Trace Adkins. How about a Honky-tonk, badoink, badoink?

And then there’s the matter of my ancestors. Keep in mind I’m a fourth generation Texan and we’re tough folks. Several years ago I discovered my great grandfather’s Confederate pension application. Seems the old boy had $25 and a cow. My sister and I think that’s a hoot. Either he was telling the truth and he was poor as a church mouse, or he was doing the 19th century version of fraud. Personally, I think it was the latter, but either way he wasn’t exactly landed gentry. I had another great grandfather who donned his bandoleer and rode with Pancho Villa.

Don’t you just love those disreputable ancestors?

So regardless of the fact I learned the correct fork to use before I was in kindergarten, I’m probably a plebe at heart – and proud of it. How about you and what do you really enjoy reading?

Ann DeFee
Goin' Down to Georgia, Harlequin American Romance, March 2008
The Man She Married, Harlequin American Romance, February 2009
Top Gun Dad, Harlequin American Romance, TBA

Winner of the 2008 Book Buyer's Best Award in the Long Contemporary category.

American newbie Trish Milburn

It's my turn at the Harlequin American newbie interview. I'm one of the newest authors for the line. My first book, A Firefighter in the Family, just came out this month, and I'm enjoying the exciting yet surreal experience.

1) How did you make your first sale?

I had written seriously for 11 years and completed 17 full manuscripts and some partials before I sold in July 2007. So it was the height of irony that when I sold my first book (which was actually my first young adult title that comes out next April), it was on a book that wasn't finished. My editor approached my agent because she'd read some of my material while she was at another publisher. She asked me to present them with some ideas, and then a chapter that met certain specifications. Yep, I wrote 17 full manuscripts and then sold on a chapter. Three months later, I realized a long-held dream by selling to Harlequin and becoming an American author. 2007 was an awesome year! :)

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

Honest

3) Tell us about your book.

Miranda “Randi” Cooke left her family and her hometown on the Gulf Coast of Florida behind when a mistake she made as a firefighter led to tragedy. Now her job with the state fire marshal’s office has brought her back to Horizon Beach. Not only will she have to hunt down an arsonist, but she’ll also face the estrangement from her family and have to decide if she wants to give her love for former firefighter Zac Parker a second chance.

4) If you could be lazy for an entire day what would you do?

Sit under a big umbrella on the beach on the Gulf Coast reading and listening to the waves.

5) What is one thing scientists should invent?

Something that records our dreams as we're dreaming so we don't lose all those interesting story ideas and so-real emotions.

6) What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I'm a big fan of movies and several TV shows. I also love to take road trips and go hiking.

7) If you could wish for anything, what would you wish for?

The end of hatred.

8) What inspired you to write your first book?

I was a long-time reader of historical romances, so the first manuscript I wrote was a western set on the Oregon Trail. It's the only historical I've written, but I enjoyed telling a story set in an exciting time in American history.

9) How long have you been writing?

I began writing that historical while I was in college back in the early '90s, but I got serious about regular writing and submitting in 1996.

10) What did you want to be when you grew up?

A writer. Shocking, I know. It first took the form of a career in journalism.

11) What got you interested in writing?

It was something I always enjoyed in school. I still have the first "book" I wrote in the 5th grade. So, the interest was there very early on.

12) What is the one question you wish an interviewer would ask you?

How does it feel to be a New York Times bestseller? LOL. :)

13) What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your
book?

It's amazing what accelerant detection canines (dogs that search for points of ignition in fires and evidence of accelerants such as gasoline) can do in aiding officials solve arsons.

14) What's a saying you use a lot?

"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." -- Seneca

15) What's your favorite dessert?

Oh, I have so many. Chocolate cake, carrot cake, lemon pie, and Chocolate Extreme Blizzards from Dairy Queen. Oh, and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

16) Do you have any talents readers might find interesting?

Alas, no.

17) What were you doing at midnight last night?

Trying to go to sleep after reading Linda Warren's Texas Heir. I turned out the light at 11:57 p.m.

18) Are you a cat or dog person?

I like both, but I lean more toward dogs.

19) If someone gave you a million dollars what would you do with the money?

I'd buy my parents a house, my sister a house, and pay off our house. Then I'd buy a hybrid car and do a big road trip of the U.S. Then save the rest.

BFFs

I love the acronym kids use today. My friends and I didn’t use it when we were in high school—you know, back in the dark ages before computers and cell phones—but we were BFFs. Still are, actually. A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of getting together with a group of high school friends for Sunday Brunch, and it was just like old times.

The occasion? One of our group has been living in Italy for more than thirty years and she was in town for her niece’s wedding.

Thirty years? you ask.

Gasp!

I’ve actually known them much longer than that. I met them in 1969, so yeah, we’ve been gal pals for nearly forty years.

Today we're five very different women with different careers and lifestyles.

(l. to r.) Annina, Domenica, Vilma, Ligia, Lee

Some of us are married, some are not. Some of us have children, and one of us is a grandmother. After all these years, what keeps our friendship so strong? If I told you that’s a secret, it wouldn’t be far from the truth.

Together we went through all the things teenagers go through—first boyfriends, first kisses, getting grounded for missing curfew, obsessing over clothes, learning to drive, sharing confidences. At the time we didn’t know those experiences would create a bond that would last a lifetime, but we’re all so glad they did. And if we were meeting now for the first time, I’d like to think we’d still become friends. Best friends. Forever.

Until next time,
Lee

Better the Second Time Around

I'm soooo happy to say I've finished another book (my 15th, this number still amazes me), have printed it out and shipped it off to my editor.

I'm soooo happy because, after ten straight days of editing, revising, and rereading, I'm pretty tired of the book. Don't hate it, just am sick of reading it...and reading it...and reading it.

I got to thinking today that between editing, revisions, line edits and AA's, I probably read my own books about 8 times. Uck! I can honestly say I've never read any other book IN THE WORLD more than twice and those books are few, not counting the favorites I read or had read to me a child. Which made me ask myself what books those were and if I could remember them.

The first book I ever read twice (as an adult or young adult) was one by Grace Livingston Hill who wrote very sweet romances suitable for readers of all ages. I was about twelve at the time, and the book was my first ever romance. Clearly the event that started me on my current path. The next book I read twice was a coming of age story about a group of eight-graders in Chicago during the forties. When I was a junior in high school, I read Gone With the Wind and then again when I was a senior.

I didn't read a book twice for many, many, many (cough, cough) years later, and that was by mistake. It was Mary Higgins Clark's book, 'Let Me Call You Sweetheart'. Now, no offense to Ms. Clark, but some of her books have similar titles and similar plots. I was about a third into the book before I was sure I'd read it before and finished only because I was on vacation, had nothing else to read, and the book was light and easy.

The last book I re-read was recently. It was Sandra Brown's 'Slow Heat in Heaven'. I loved this book when it first came out, and Sandra Brown still remains one of my favorite authors. I recently received an autographed copy of 'Slow Heat in Heaven' and decided to re-read the book for old time's sake. And despite being a bit dated, I loved it as much ever.

Which, of course, leads me to ask, do you ever read books twice and if so, which ones and why?

Cathy Mc

Power-less

Last week, the strangest thing happened. All of us in the Cincinnati area got plummeled by Hurricane Ike winds. At two o’clock on Sunday, while I was merrily checking out at Wal*Mart, a burst of wind hit the super center, everything flickered, then went dark. I got sent home without all the stuff I just spent an hour choosing. (don’t you hate stuff like that?)

When I got home, the power was out, too. None of us was too upset-after all, it was a beautiful day, just really windy! But then reality hit. Everyone’s power was out. Power lines were down. Trees and tree limbs were blocking roads. Our whole area was dark.

We were without power for four days.

Now, everyone was very aware of just how tough everyone in Texas is having things-so no one really wanted to complain. At first it was kind of fun. We had no school-which meant we didn’t have to get up at six am.

The kids and I played hours of Yahtzee and Hearts. I learned to almost like spaghetti-o’s. And, it was a real blessing to have all the windows open and not worry about it being too hot. I read three books-one by flashlight.

But by Wednesday, I’m afraid all my “Mary Sunshine” demeanor had faded to a dark, simmering irritation. I wanted to watch The Closer, I wanted my email back, and I was getting tired of boiling water on my grill. Throwing out every single thing in our refrigerator and freezer didn’t help my disposition either.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Starbucks opened for business. My husband also returned home. (somehow he always manages to miss storms, power outages, and emergency vet visits) After spending an hour drinking lattes and reading email, we met the kids back at home-

-Just in time to witness the power miraculously turn back on. Hooray! Before I knew it, things went back to normal. Everyone went to separate rooms. On went computers and televisions and stereos. Four days’ worth of clothes needed to be washed. Dishes needed to be cleaned, and an empty refrigerator needed to be filled.
Suddenly, those lazy days of being power-less were starting to not be so bad, after all. : )

Does anyone have a story to share about being without power?
Shelley

Happy 25th--Author profile Elizabeth Sinclair

It’s Michele with another author profile. The author interviews start Sept. 30 and on deck we have Anne Stuart, Judith Arnold, Barbara Bretton and a few others…
For today, let me introduce

Elizabeth Sinclair

Website: http://www.elizabethsinclair.com/

Wrote for HAR 1997 - 2002
Number of books you wrote for the line -- 4
A few sample titles: Eight Men and a Lady, The Pregnancy Clause, A Question of Love

Bio
Elizabeth Sinclair was born and raised in the scenic Hudson Valley of New York State. In 1988 she and her husband moved to their present home in St. Augustine, Florida, where she began pursuing her writing career in earnest. Her first novel reached #2 on the Waldenbooks bestseller list and won a 1995 Georgia Romance Writers’ Maggie Award for Excellence. As a proud member of five RWA affiliated chapters, Elizabeth has taught creative writing and given seminars and workshops at both local and national conferences on romance writing, how to get published, promotion, and writing a love scene and the dreaded synopsis. Upcoming releases include a January 2009 title from Silhouette Romantic Suspense called Burning Secrets and a single title from Medallion Press called Garden of the Moon.


Elizabeth’s thoughts:
I loved writing for the line when Debbie Mattucci was the Senior Editor. Debbie was a delight to work with. My book, Eight Men and a Lady, arrived at HQ American at a very opportune moment. Debbie had decided to do a series of books that were take-offs on fairy tales called Once Upon A Kiss. Since my book was a take-off on Snow White, it fit right into her plans and was bought within weeks of submission by Bonnie Crisalli.

Pears and pears and more pears, oh my

I have three passions in life: writing, cooking (especially desserts) and traveling. Since this is pear season and our two pear trees are laden with fruit, I thought I’d share a favorite recipe for fresh pear pie with you. Mainly because our two pear trees are laden with fruit and pear pie is on my mind.

Because I so enjoy eating a summer pie in the middle of winter, I always make and freeze several pear pies. Thaw, warm in the oven, and voila—it’s summer again.

This recipe is from my mom. I decided not to share the crust, but if you would like it, email me at ann@annroth.net and I’ll forward it to you.

Fresh pear pie
Unbaked crust (bottom and top) or a 9-inch pie pan
Preheat oven to 425 degree

Filling
6 cups sliced, peeled pears
2/3 cup sugar
3 Tbs flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs butter

Combine sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt; mix with pears. Add lemon juice. Turn into unbaked crust. Dot with butter. Cover with lattice or full crust with slits in top to allow steam to escape during baking. Bake 45 minutes. If the crust starts to brown too much, lower heat to 350. Serve warm or cold.

Until next time and enjoy, enjoy (Oink! Oink!),
Ann Roth
www.annroth.net

Happy Anniversary!

With this post, I'm jumping in to share a bit of the excitement around here!

If you've been keeping up with the blog, you know this is a special time because we're celebrating Harlequin American Romance's anniversary. You've already read some great posts and, as this month and the next roll on, you'll see even more of them--all from some very important people: the editors and writers who've had a hand in bringing you entertaining love stories each month for--count 'em!--twenty-five years.

I've enjoyed the blog entries from Johanna Raisanen and some of our "old-timers." ;-) And I'm looking forward to lots more.

Meanwhile, I'm celebrating a bit on my own, because...(drumroll)...September is the month of my wedding anniversary. I'm not sure how my future husband and I decided on this month, except that things just sort of fell into place for September. Not a very exciting reason, huh?

I'm a writer--I could just make up a story, couldn't I? (smile)

Instead, I'm ready to read the tales you have to tell about the date of your wedding. Was the time of year special to you? The month in general? The specific day?

What helped you choose the date of one of the most important days of your life?

The romantic in me really wants to know!

All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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

Gotta Love Cowboys

Since cowboy heroes are considered a Harlequin American reader favorite I thought it might be fun to share a few passages from the book, Just One Fool Thing After Another --A Cowfolks' Guide to Romance by Gladiola Montana and Texas Bix Bender 1994 ©.


There's no cure for lovesickness, and nobody really wants one.
If you're in doubt about whether to kiss somebody, give 'em the benefit of the doubt.
To bring somebody into your life, take a step into theirs.
A Heart that ain't been broke thinks it's okay to go around breakin' others.
It may be more romantic to be the first love, but it's better to be the last.
Try not to make a ring around a finger feel akin to a rope around the neck.
To love and win is the best thing. To love and lose is the next best thing.
Be quick to mend fences.
Most marital graves are dug with lots of little digs.
If women are foolish it's because the good Lord made 'em a match for men.
Don't waste time on someone you can easily run the whole length of.
When your sweetheart wants a long walk, you'd better be willin' for a long listen.
The best way to reach the heights of romance is to stay on the level.
Life is not bearable with the opposite sex until it's unbearable without them.
A big heart is better than a big house.
To appreciate love you have to know you can lose it.
Don't share your blanket if you don't intend to share your heart.
Marriages made in heaven only work when they get down to earth.
Women have to be in the mood, men just have to be in the room.
A day without a shared laugh is a sorry day.
If a woman can't make you miserable, she can't make you happy.

My husband's aunt used to say…"When it comes to marriage …it's just as easy to fall in love with a rich man as it is a poor man."

Anyone else care to share "advice" they've received from their mother, father, or a friend on romantic relationships?

Marin
The Cowboy and the Angel Nov 2008
A Cowboy's Promise April 2009
www.marinthomas.com

Who Me, an Old Timer?

We authors here at Harlequin American hope our readers enjoy learning more about us. Therefore, we’re running interviews twice a month, once with a newer author and another with a – gulp – old timer.
Who, me?
Well, yes. My first book in the line, The Dream Never Dies, was published in 1984. That, according to my 22-year-old son, occurred during the Late Jurassic Period. My January 2009 release, Million-Dollar Nanny, will be my 65th book for Harlequin (I’ve also written for other lines, including Intrigue and the now-defunct Duets, which featured romantic comedies).
I’m happy to report that the list of questions I’ve been given does not include queries about whether my bones creak or I have to pluck hairs from my chin. So here goes:
Q: Do you ever get tired of writing romances?
A: If I start to burn out, I go write something else, such as a murder mystery, and then I rediscover the fun all over again.
Q: What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?
A: That can’t be one of the questions. I think my 19-year-old slipped that one into the queue.
Q: What comes first: the plot or the characters?
A: First comes the concept. Example: in my January '09 book, an heiress antagonizes the neighbors by planning to replace a historic cottage with a mansion. When she loses all her money to a con man, she has no choice but to live in the cottage and make nice with the neighbors, especially the grumpy guy across the street, who hires her as his nanny. After coming up with the concept, I developed Sherry’s personality so that hopefully you’ll like her despite her high-handedness, and created a storyline in which she and Rafe discover that opposites really can fall in love.
Q: When you looked in the mirror this morning, what was the first thing you thought?
A: Ouch.
Q: Do you re-read your books once they're in print?
A: After going through a rough draft, a couple of polishes, revisions, a copy edit and proofs … are you kidding?
Q: Did you ever eat paste or Elmer's glue when you were a kid?
A: Where is that boy? I thought he left for college.
Q: What did you do career-wise before becoming an author?
A: I was a reporter and a TV columnist for the Associated Press in Los Angeles. Before that, I worked for a newspaper and, even earlier, for a public relations agency.
Q: Has the American Romance line changed since you first began writing for it?
A: Repeatedly. We’ve gone through a fairy tale phase (The Improperly Pregnant Princess), a suspense phase (The Baby’s Bodyguard) and an era when paranormal was allowed (Daddy Warlock). Anybody remember those?
Q: What do you want to know about the future?
A: The older I get, the less I want to know about the future.
Q: Have you ever made a crank phone call?
A: That does it. I’m on the next plane to Tucson (University of Arizona) to chew out that kid.
Q: Who's your personal hero--past or present?
A: My husband, Kurt. We’ll celebrate our 30th anniversary on October 8.
Q: If you were stranded on a desert 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…and why?
A: Kurt, because he’s very handy. He could have gotten those Losties back to civilization in a month.

Happy 25th--Congrats Jackie!

Okay, I'm posting this below Jackie's post because she's being far too modest. Jacqueline Diamond has been writing for the line since 1984. (Did you catch that?) That's 24 years. And her January 2009 release is her 65th for Harlequin. Wow.

I got the great privilege to be there in New York when she received a milestone pin from Harlequin, and I hope to be there to see the one for 65 books. Harlequin packed me with Jackie and Kara Lennox in the American Royalty series...which was my very third book! I couldn't have asked for better authors to be with in a continuity series...they helped to launch this newbie. I will forever be grateful.

So lots of comments please for the post above, for a stalwart of the line and one who been there with it every step of the way. Jackie, you are young at heart and fresh as ever.

So congrats Jackie! You are awesome! Cyber champagne on me.

Rain, Snakes & Never-Ending Dirty Clothes!!

First off, hugs to all of you in Texas and Louisiana hurting from Ike. Here in Tulsa, we had plenty driving wind and rain, but thankfully, no damage as we're still waiting to get our roof repaired from the last batch of hail!!

This month's pic is from the twins' sixteenth birthday blow-out! We hired local legend (and hottie!!) Safari Joe to bring all of his exotic critters to our house. Fun, fun, fun!! This is me with Banana the ginormous python!!

Now that the sweet sixteen party is over, there's nothing much to report here. I've settled into a fragile routine at school. I say fragile, because at any given moment, you never know what (or who) may go wrong!! LOL!!

Hubby just returned from Seattle. While I was stuck at school till eight some nights grading, he was indulging in plenty of lakeside fine dining. Color me JEALOUS!! Although, while he was gone, the kids and I did plenty of fine dining all our own at Sonic and Domino's!!

All three kiddos are now driving, and we've already had our first trauma. Over Labor Day weekend, Daughter was supposed to have been spending the weekend with a friend at Grand Lake. Sunday night, she called about eight-thirty, announcing that she'd be home in a few minutes as one of the friends she'd gone with had to take team pics at eight in the morning. Eight AM? On Labor Day? We've been on lots of teams, and that didn't sound right. Anyway, when she arrived all dolled up and doling out hugs and kisses, my Mom Alarm was ringing.

Not ten minutes after she'd come home, we got more hugs and kisses, then she announced she was going to watch movies at a friend's. Mmm hmm. Making a long story short, we found her at her boyfriend's--not good, considering she was grounded from him at the time. Not a week after having earned her keys, she lost them.

Hubby and I just got back from breakfast at Denny's and a trip to Wal-Mart for laundry supplies. We also purchased nice, big hampers for the kids to put their mountains of dirty clothes in. Today, while I write, they're going to do their own laundry. Hubby's been a sweetheart, doing most of it for me since I've been back at school, but we're both exhausted. We figure this will be excellent training for when they go off to college. Hubby said his first college load turned pink!!

Anyway, wish us luck in giving laundry lessons! One thing's for sure, no one's touching my clothes!! LOL

Happy 25th Harlequin American--Author Memories

Hi, I'm Michele Dunaway, and this month and next I'll be turning over my blog space to introduce you to some current and former HAR authors and share some of their memories. I was excited to do this, because these people are my heroes. I was reading their books while dreaming of some day seeing my own. So let me get going and introduce....

Karen Toller Whittenburg

Wrote for HAR from 1987-2004
30 books (give or take a couple)
First HAR title: Summer Charade
Latest HAR title: The Matchmaker's Plan
Favorites: A Matched Set; Perfect Pair; Nanny Angel; Baby By Midnight; The Braddock series

Bio:

Karen has lived on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, but prefers to reside in the Green Country of Northeastern Oklahoma, where she grew up. She enjoys the changing seasons in Tulsa, where she lives with her photographer husband and their floppy-eared schnauzer, A.J.
An avid reader from an early age, she wrote stories as a child and began seriously pursuing a career in publishing in 1981. A writing class convinced her that writing a novel wasn't as easy as it looked, but she finished her first manuscript in a few months and began work on another...and then another. Her first book was published by Dell in 1984, and after writing eight novels under the pseudonym of Karen Whittenburg, she became a Harlequin American Romance author and began publishing as Karen Toller Whittenburg in 1987. Karen credits her love of daydreaming as the catalyst for her life as a writer. She is currently at work on her next novel.

Karen's thoughts:

I have great memories of writing for HAR. It's been a great ride -- working with wonderful editors (Debbie Mattuecci, Tahti Carter, Bonnie Crisalli, Huntley Fitzpatrick, Melissa Jeglinski...just to name a few!) and writing books that centered on the themes of family, small-town values, and (of course) romance. From the beginning of the line -- when the books were more realistic -- through the fanciful times when angels, ghosts, and unexplained mysteries were allowed, I've always felt that Harlequin American was the place my voice belonged. HAR wasn't my first publisher, but the line offered me the opportunity to grow as a writer and develop my career. I will always be grateful for that opportunity.

Community Is Where You Find It

Anyone who has spent significant time on the Internet knows how strong bonds can form among people who have never met face to face. I remember my first experience with it, on Genie. A group of women, who came together originally to discuss writing, became so enmeshed in each other's lives that we all felt as connected as sisters. When we actually met in person at a retreat, it was as if we'd known each other for years.

Sometimes this magical thing happens, and sometimes it doesn't; I've been a member of countless e-mail loops, forums and bulletin boards, most of which were friendly and cordial, but that was it.

Recently, however, I had one of these virtual "sisterhoods" spring up almost overnight, and very unexpectedly. It was on an online marketplace where I sell my crafts and vintage items. The site has a forum, and I was invited to play a promotional game there where you "Buy 'n' Replace"--You buy an item to get on the list, then someone buys an item from you and kicks you off the list, and it all plays out on a forum thread. I've done them before. Usually it lasts for a couple of days then peters out.

This one, however, was different. From the beginning, instead of advertising our own shops, we started promoting each other. Then we started sharing bits and pieces of our lives, and within two or three days this forum became this vibrant THING with a life of its own. The generosity and warmth exuded by these women (oh, and one man!) is so genuine I can't stay away from it. I feel so completely loved there. At one point, this cute baby dress crocheted by one woman inspired another woman to decide to have a baby! Seriously! (It was a big group hug, nauseatingly mushy, and I'm already thinking how I can turn this into a book!)

Most people say the Internet has turned us into a nation of impersonal mouse clickers, where face-to-face exchanges are no longer necessary. But I think in some ways the Internet has made connections easier. Community is where you find it! Doesn't have to be a blood family or a building or a town. It's wherever people share with each other openly and generously.

My personal assistants

One of the blessings and the curses of being a writer is that I spend the majority of my days without other human company. I like my own company and enjoy solitude, so that's not a big drawback for me, but I'm grateful that I'm not completely alone all day.

I have a couple of able assistants who are always around to cheer me up, keep me company — and try to convince me to take them for a walk or hand out treats.

Yes, I refer to my two dogs, Snoopy and Katie. Snoopy, an 11-year old beagle mix, has claimed the upholstered chair in my office as his own, and surrenders it only under protest. He's usually there, near my desk, unless a thunder storm rolls in. When that happens, he's under my desk, his head in my lap, hiding from the big, bad thunder.

Katie, a three-year old Chow mix, prefers to nap in my bedroom, across the hall from my office, but she is alert to my every movement. I can't step into the kitchen for a drink or a snack without both dogs following, hopeful for a handout.

Our morning walk gets my brain working and prepares me for a day at the computer. My two canine companions are also great listeners — they've been a rapt audience for many exchanges of dialogue between my characters. Of course, the dogs think all my words are wonderful. From
their reactions, you might think I was describing a sumptuous roast beef dinner in every scene!

Of course, when my husband arrives home, both furry traitors abandon me to greet the man who's been away all day. No castaway rescued from a deserted island could receive a warmer welcome than my husband at the end of the day. If I try to stay at my computer and continue to work, the dogs will take turns racing back to my office to announce, as only they can, that "Daddy's home!"

But I forgive them their momentary abandonment. I know the next morning they'll be right by my side, ready to help as only they can. I've come to consider them an essential part of the creative process and now I can't imagine writing a word without them!

Happy Grandparents' Day

Looking at my calendar reminded me it's Grandparents' Day here in the US. So here's a virtual hug to all those who've achieved this milestone. A little credit goes to your kids, sure, but I read somewhere that being a grandparent is your reward for not killing your children, LOL, so don't forget to give yourself a pat on the back, too!
I made a reminder to have my kids call their grandmas, and then I thought of my own grandma, the only grandparent I knew. She'd probably want to be remembered as a sweet, church-going, God-fearing lady, full of the heavenly spirit. And, yeah, when I remember Grandma, I think "spirited," but maybe not in the way she'd prefer. :) Grandma was...well, feisty. When the tavern across the street got too loud at night, she'd open her windows and play hymns on her organ. (And no, you can't use that; that's a tidbit for one of MY books!) When solicitors came to her door, she'd give them what-for and send them on their way. Thinking of Grandma makes me smile and hope I inherited some of her genes. She lived into her early 90's and enjoyed good health for the majority of that time.
Grandma also gave me my first Harlequin to read. That story is on the bio page in my books, as well as on my website. So I owe her big-time for starting me down this path. Love you, Grandma.
The hero's mother in my July release, The Fake Fiancee, goes to pretty drastic measures in her quest to become a grandmother. Her antics made me smile, and I could barely wait to see what popped up on my screen when she was in a scene. I'd say she made a scene in more than one sense.
I hope you enjoy this special day. If you're lucky enough to have a grandparent, get in touch today. If you're lucky enough to be a grandparent, congratulate yourself on your restraint when your kids were teens!
And don't forget to share your memories of those wonderful people in your lives. I've shared one of mine here, so it's your turn. Do you have a favorite memory about a grandparent?
Megan Kelly
megankellybooks.com

Happy Anniversary American Romance!

Readers, please help us welcome Johanna Raisanen, Associate Editor for American Romance. She's joining us today to kick off our 25th Anniversary Celebration!

Twenty-five years is pretty special. A lot has happened in that time here at Harlequin and with HAR. But along with the changes, some things endure. We’ve noticed readers are drawn to certain themes, characters, and settings, and want to see them over and over. Let’s start with setting because that is one of the key elements that defines HAR novels. While all settings are welcome, the western states are the ones that seem to appeal to our readers the most. Whether it’s the Hill Country in Texas, the Grand Tetons of Wyoming, or the big blue skies of Montana, the land of the cowboy reigns. I don’t think it’s too hard to figure out why, either. These settings represent freedom and wide-open space and adventure, and the characters who inhabit these places are so appealing because they are strong, independent, and self-reliant.

The western setting leads me to the next constant in AR. Ladies, you know what I’m talking about—the cowboy. Those swaggering, horse-riding, Stetson-wearing heroes so many of us sigh over. On a personal note, I’ll confess that for years I didn’t understand the appeal of the cowboy. Living in the city, I had never seen one except in old western movies. Then I was in Vegas one year during the NFR, the National Finals Rodeo, and there were cowboys everywhere. Well, let’s just say, YUM! Hmm. What was I talking about… Oh yes. The enduring appeal of the cowboy hero. These rugged, handsome men are the charmers, the bad boys, and the white knight all rolled up into one. What’s not to love?

Thinking about cowboys brings me to what goes on in the bedroom, and the sometimes unexpected results of what takes place between a man and a woman…. That’s right, I’m talking about babies! All American Romances are about family, and what says family better than adorable babies. I think part of the enduring appeal of babies, kids and pregnant heroines is how they reflect the changes in the hero. The most alpha-est hero can turn to mush when up against a helpless baby. The most rugged cowboy turns protective of a pregnant woman. The baddest of the bad boys can be brought to his knees by a little girl in pigtails. Family, babies, kids. And a man who takes responsibility for his family is the sexiest hero in my book.

American Romance is really about how our families are our shelter in the storm, our armor against an ever-changing world. Family is what makes us stronger, even when individual members drive us crazy. The heroes and heroines in HAR novels are looking for their place in the world, and often that means within a family setting. Think of all the stories of single parents finding a second chance at love, of blended families, extended families—you’ll find them in American Romance. Why? Because family is what matters most.

There are many wonderful stories in American Romance, and all of them celebrate the joys of family, the warmth of community, and the magic of finding your true hero. So, raise a virtual glass with me and let’s toast to twenty-five more years of Love, Home & Happiness with American Romance!

Johanna Raisanen
Associate Editor
American Romance

It’s salsa time!

This past month my husband and I tried something new—took salsa lessons. We both enjoy dancing. Especially me. (Just ask anyone at the annual Harlequin party.:-)) But we’re not a good dance team—he can’t lead and I’m terrible at following. Because of this problem, until recently he wouldn’t even consider dance lessons. Thanks to a change of heart (and a push from our oldest daughter, a salsa fanatic), he agreed to try salsa.

Our three private, one-hour lessons were taught by a woman with amazing patience. After the first lesson we could execute a few basic steps and turns. By the third, we'd learned several more. We still need to work on the getting the rhythm down. As we practice at home, we realize we’ve already forgotten some of what we learned. Which is why we'll probably take more lessons, both private and group. Our daughter and our teacher assure us that the group lesson is a great way to learn, because you get to dance with a number of partners.

What do salsa and novel writing have in common? Beats me! No really, there is a connection. Stretching your skills and/or challenging yourself to try something new is never a bad thing, and colors all areas of life. Plus, dancing generates all sorts of story ideas, those what ifs that demand exploration. What if a dark, sensual but for some reason shy man becomes an alpha male when he salsas? Or a quiet, unnoticed woman changes drastically when… Think of the possibilities.

Until next time and wishing you all rhythm and a good time on the dance floor,
Ann Roth
www.annroth.net

Watching the Squirrels Go By

I’ve been finishing up a book over the last two weeks, and attempting to write some proposals. Consequently, I’ve been in my office a lot. A whole lot. A few years ago, my son wanted to change rooms-he wanted my basement office in a bad way. Since it meant so much to him, I switched, thinking sunlight might be a nice change of pace. It has been. But it has also induced a lot of staring out the window at our backyard. Usually, there’s not much to see.

But in the late summer, I often find myself staring out the window and seeing how my husband’s garden is doing. Last summer, he grew a giant pumpkin. This year, we’ve got tons of watermelons, strawberries, and a bumper tomato crop. I haven’t told Tom, but I’ve had a lot of fun watching a certain squirrel terrorize his tomatoes.

This squirrel eats tomatoes the way I eat a box of chocolate-with one bite out of each. It’s a bad habit. Somehow I convince myself that I’m only going to eat a whole piece if the chocolate’s really good. So if I bite into a piece that has some of that awful strawberry filling, I hastily move on to the next, just to see if I might get lucky and find caramel or pecans.

Anyway, that squirrel must be of the same mindset, because each morning around nine am, I see him stealthily scamper on our back fence, do a mission-impossible worthy dive into the tomato patch, and eagerly chomp.

This is driving my husband nuts. Every time he finds a tomato with just one bite out of it, he picks it up and places it along the perimeter of the garden-kind of the way tribesmen must have left out shrunken heads for unwary trespassers. Tom is sure the sight is going to either stop the squirrels or convince them to take two bites instead of just one.

It doesn’t. Day after day, the pesky guy goes in between the fallen fruit and grabs a tomato still on the vine, clings to it like a trapeze artist, and bites. It’s impressive.

Lately, things have gotten worse. The squirrel has a friend. Just yesterday, I saw two squirrels out in the garden, rummaging and pillaging Tom’s beautiful beefsteak tomatoes.

They were entertaining enough to make me forget for a good thirty minutes that I have work to do. Watching Tom scurry out to the garden, pick up those poor tomatoes and look mad as all get out has been pretty entertaining, too.

I just hope those squirrels don’t figure out a way to get to the watermelon anytime soon. Now that would be a tragedy.

Shelley

August winner!!!

This month's winner is Cheri6268!!!!!! Congratulations!!! To get your free, autographed books, please contact Marin Thomas, Jackie Diamone, Lisa Childs and Cathy McDavid through their websites.

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

Summer Entertainment

Ever notice how most types of entertainment operate by season? Movies have summer blockbusters and special Christmas openings. Mainstream publishers offer summer beach reads and fall lists.

But not us Harlequin category novelists. Our books come out every month, season after season. They’re always brand new, with no reruns.

I particularly appreciate that fact this time of year. Since the Olympians finished their flipping, relaying and discus-tossing, there is absolutely nothing to watch on television. Except, of course, endless promotions telling us what great stuff the networks are going to air in another month or so, when their fall season begins.

Thanks a lot.

While I enjoy catching up on my reading, there are nights when my husband and I are so tired, we just want to collapse and watch a suspenseful, funny show with good values and characters we love.

Earlier this summer, a friend loaned us a couple of delightful – but relatively short -- series, the British “Rosemary and Thyme” (two women gardeners who solve murder mysteries) and the Canadian “Slings and Arrows,” about a Shakespearian theater company on the skids. Both provided lots of fun, but ended too quickly.

Then I remembered a great series from the ‘90s with action, humor, heart, and a breathtaking hero. Oh, yes, and a really cute dog. So I ordered the DVD.

I hope some of you remember, and treasure, “Due South.” It stars the appealing Paul Gross, who also starred in “Slings and Arrows.” Now, when my eyes blur from reading and my husband wants to sit and hold my hand, we enjoy the antics of the transplanted Mounty in Chicago all over again.

So if my next hero looks just the tiniest bit like the handsome, dark-haired actor, I hope you’ll enjoy him – no matter what the season.

We're Celebrating!

Harlequin American Romance celebrates 25 years of publication this year, and we're taking the months of September and October to bring you some very special blogs intermixed in with our regular author blogs.

Not only do we have some great interviews with authors currently writing for Harlequin American, but we'll also be bringing you Q & As and anecdotes from best selling authors who got their single title careers started by writing for American. As to who, well that's a surprise...our present to you.

We'll also be featuring the line's current editors who will give insight into the the world behind the books. Sept. 6 will feature endearing and enduring themes in American Romance and Oct. 6 will showcase a look into Harlequin American covers.

Be sure to pop in often and spread the word. The party's here!

Michele

What makes a house a home?

You already know the answer, but I had to be reminded of it recently.

My husband and I are thinking about moving across the country from Texas to California. Finally we're at a stage in our lives where we can swing it. We have no jobs tying us down, no kids in school, and the finances are lining up.

I've been alternately excited and terrified by the prospect of moving. It's a lot of work, and it's sure to be a financial strain. But until yesterday, I hadn't realized how emotionally taxing it will be to sell a house I've been renovating for ten years. When the Realtor suggested I paint my living room (it's currently red) I came unglued. Over my dead body will someone paint my red living room. Does she have any idea how long it took me to choose that color? How hard I worked patching the walls? The yards of masking tape involved? Never mind the agony of the actual painting, up and down that freaking ladder a hundred times.

After the Realtor left, I just stood in my beautiful living room, the only room in the house that's really perfect, and I boo-hoo'd like a baby. How could anyone not love it just as it is? What if the new owners rip down my window treatments and paint the walls white?

Will the house feel abandoned? Will it think I didn't love it enough? (It's all Warner Brothers fault I personify houses. Anybody ever see that lovely cartoon about a house ... oh, never mind.)

But then I had to laugh at myself. What is a house, anyway, but a collection of sticks and bricks and plaster? It's the people inside the house and the love among them that make a home special, and those I'll take with me. I'll still have all my special things (although the Realtor had the audacity to suggest my egg cup collection is too cluttery). I'll always have fond memories of this house, this neighborhood. But whatever new house I end up with, it will soon become my beloved home. (I hope I won't have to spend ten years renovating it, though!)

Importance of Names: Stuffed Animal Edition

I was just blogging about a potentially embarrassing word faux pas of mine, and now I have my five year old to thank for embarrassing me through her word choice. Although it really wasn't her fault!

Authors have blogged on this site before about naming books and the big decisions of picking just the right character name. Well, my daughter takes naming her three zillion stuffed animals VERY seriously. She went through a surrealist phase of stringing together words and sounds that had nothing to do with the animal in question (a floppy purple unicorn is named BucklePeanut). Then there was giving them all little girl names like Cindy, Carly, Kelly--listening to her talk to them at night, it sounded like she had her own cheerleading squad in her room. Currently, she's in a very LITERAL phase. A cat named Kitty, a duck in a giant flowered hat named Hat, a frog with a polka dot tie named Polka-y, even though Dotty would be way easier to say.

And her new stuffed triceratops dinosaur. She introduced her to a woman in the checkout line as, "my friend Horny." You should have SEEN the "what kind of mother are you?" look I got.

My September release from Harlequin American Romance is A DAD FOR HER TWINS and features a single mother with a son and daughter. My editor particularly loved this book and noted that I "write children really well." Maybe because I have so much material to work with!

Murphy's Law

I’m not quite sure who Murphy is but he can take his law and – oh well, you know. Anyway have you ever had a week, a month, a year where everything (and I do mean everything) went kaput, belly-up, AWOL or defunct? That’s how it’s been for the past two months around the DeFee household.

On a cataclysmic scale our run of bad luck barely rates a blip, but man oh man, has it ever been annoying. So if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll vent – just a touch.

It all started during the last week of July with a sewer back-up. Okay – that’s a little stinky but not all that terrible - $160.
That was followed by a dead (rigor mortis) car battery. Again, that was more inconvenient than disastrous - $83.
The coup de grace for July was that my twelve-year old dishwasher leaked all over the hardwood floors. Considering our house in on the market – and the real estate market is definitely stinky – we decided it was prudent to buy a new one - $538 including tax.

The money bleeding has just begun.

August started with all the hope of a new day and a new month. Little did I know it was going to get worse. That was when my two-year old front loading, electronic genius washing machine decided to give up the ghost. Then after the replacement of a $290 tachometer motor, with no discernible improvement, the repairman conceded defeat. He said he could put in a new computer ($300+) but he couldn’t guarantee it would fix the problem – new washing machine $1,000.

Now we’re hemorrhaging money.

Concurrently some twit sent me a virus that got through my anti-virus detector. My computer/e-mail was down almost a week before I ferreted out our version of the geek squad - $89.
Did I mention I missed a stair, landed on my derriere and dropped my new Dell laptop cracking the case?

And now for adding insult to injury – and you’re going to have a hard time believing this one. Last week I was at my daughter’s house in Pennsylvania and instead of going over weight on my suitcase I mailed myself a box of stuff (USPS priority, flat rate). When it came yesterday the box looked like it had been run over by a truck and had a sticker on it stating it had been resealed at the Seattle bulk mailing room. Guess what – someone in that mail room took my one and only pair of Kenneth Cole, size eight, favorite sandals home with them. They took my shoes!!!

Enough griping – deep breath. Breathing is a good exercise. There, that’s better. So if you happen to run into Murphy whack him upside the head for me. LOL Have a great rest of the month. Personally, I’m waiting to see what happens next. Oops, I hear something furry or feathery walking around on my metal roof. Never mind – I’m going to think positive thoughts – that and go down to do the piles of laundry in my new machine.

Ann

The Man She Married, HAR, February 2009
Top Gun Dad, HAR, TBA

Olympic emotions

Emotional highs and lows are a part of every romance novel. We go on an emotional roller coaster ride each time we read of a hero and heroine's journey toward their happily ever after. I love the stories of triumph over whatever odds and conflicts stand in their way. Maybe that's the same reason I love the Olympics and have really enjoyed the past two weeks.

Okay, so I'm already a sports fan, but there are a lot of sporting events on every day that I don't watch. It's the unique venue of the Olympics, how athletes from all over the globe train for years, sacrificing a great deal along the way for their shot at that gold medal and the opportunity to represent their country. The tales of personal triumph have made me smile, jump up and down, pump my fist while yelling, "Yes!", and they've made me cry. Some of the memories I've taken away from these Olympics:

1. The incredible run of Michael Phelps to become the greatest Olympian ever. I found myself getting more and more nervous with every race he swam. When Jason Lezak outswam France's Alain Bernard in the anchor leg of the first relay, I literally couldn't stay in my seat. My phone rang during that last leg, and there was no way I was answering it. I still have no idea who called. And when that final relay team ensured Michael's place in Olympic history...just wow.

2. Usain Bolt might have been the story of the track, but it was David Neville's dive for the finish line to get third in the 400m that is more memorable to me. That's what you call sacrificing yourself for your dream, risking injury to get not the gold but the bronze.

3. Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh's amazing beach volleyball play and how incredibly happy they were to win. And all the while, they seemed like really nice, humble gals.

4. The opening ceremonies. They are often grand, but this year's took grand to an entirely different level. Sure, China has the people to do it -- about 1/5 of the world's population -- but they were still a feast for the eyes.

5. How Australia's Matthew Mitcham withstood the pressure and knowledge that China had won every single diving event at the Games and did one fantastic dive after another to win gold in the men's platform, the last diving event of the Games. It was the only diving event China didn't win. And he was so emotional when he won. I felt how much it meant to him.

6. Of course I was thrilled when Nastia Liukin, Shawn Johnson and other U.S. gymnasts won medals, but it was the story of Oksana Chusovitina of Germany (originally from Uzbekistan) that really hit me. The reason she's competing for Germany is because her young son had cancer and there were no facilities to treat him in Uzbekistan. She called a friend, a gymnastics coach in Germany, for help. Now she competes for that coach and Germany, and at 33 years of age at the Beijing Games, she was more than twice the age of many of her competitors. Still, she won the silver medal on vault.

7. Speaking of older athletes, I was also enthralled by Dara Torres and her fantastic physical condition and speed at age 41. She not only was fast but a wonderful role model for younger swimmers and a triple silver medalist.

8. Perhaps my biggest teary moment was just a short clip they ran of Germany's Matthias Steiner, the weightlifter who won the gold medal in the heaviest division, as he was on the medal stand. He held up not only his medal but also a photo of his wife, Susann, who died in a car accident last year. He said, “I thought of her before the competition. I won this for her, for friends and family. But mostly for her.” Tears are pooling in my eyes as I write about this days later. That's the kind of love we write about, only we have the luxury of giving our characters happy endings.

There are other stories, of course, ones of courage and happiness and firsts -- all filled with emotions we as writers can tap into when we create our stories. The types of emotions readers expect when they pick up one of our books.

What were some of your favorite moments of the Beijing Games? Any stories that touched your heart or made you jump up and cheer?

Unrequited Love

Earlier this month I took the train to San Francisco for the Romance Writers of America’s annual conference. I love the train. It’s a laid back and relaxing way to travel, and I always meet the most interesting people.

At dinnertime on the trip home, I was seated in the dining car with a man from the UK. He was nearing the end of a seven-week trip around the world and had just spent a few days in San Francisco, celebrating a friend’s 60th birthday.

We chatted about various things and eventually the conversation turned to our occupations. He told me he works for a marine salvage company. I told him I was a romance author.

He smiled at that and said, “I have an interesting story to tell you about romance.”

I get this a lot. People offer to share personal stories because they feel they’d make great books. What they don’t seem to realize is that it would be almost impossible for me to capture the emotional connection they have with their stories. Still, out of politeness, I listened while this man told me his.

Forty years ago he had dated a young woman and fell madly in love with her. He had to go sea for several months and when he returned, she broke the bad news—she was seeing someone else.

He was devastated, and he never saw her again. Not until he attended his best friend’s birthday party. The woman he’d fallen in love with all those years ago was his best friend’s twin sister. Yes, the same friend who had just celebrated his sixtieth birthday, which meant it was also the old girlfriend’s birthday, and yes, she was at the party in San Francisco, along with her husband of thirty-five years.

My dinner companion’s his face flushed red as he looked down at his plate and confessed, “After all those years, I discovered I still have feelings for her. Deep feelings.”

At that point I knew he wasn’t telling me this because he thought his story would make a great book. He was sharing the details because he had to, because it was all still so new and he hadn’t had a chance to talk about it with anyone, and because he assumed that a romance author would be a sympathetic listener.

I asked if he told her how he felt.

That question shocked him a little. “No!” he said. “It wouldn’t have been appropriate.”

I’m sure it wouldn’t have been. And although he had done the honorable and truly heroic thing, it was obvious that he’d considered the alternative, and perhaps regretted his decision.

Our conversation soon shifted to other topics, but after dinner I found myself thinking that his story of unrequited love just might make a great book after all. But would it be okay to rewrite history? I'd definitely want to write a happy ending for this particular hero.

Until next time,
Lee
http://thewritersideoflife.blogspot.com/
http://www.leemckenzie.com/