Little Laura, where are you?

I can't remember the last time I had a full night's rest and feel like a ZOMBIE!!!! With that in mind, please pardon my random rambling!!

Though it's still officially spring here in Tulsa, summer temps have hit with a vengeance. Along with freakishly hot weather came the requisite broken AC unit and fleas. This year, as an added bonus, I've landed my first case of poison ivy. JOY!! LOL!!!

I used to love summer. I rode my bike all over town. South Haven, Michigan was the most idyllic place ever to be a kid. Lake Michigan beach, great friends, a couple of abandoned resorts and a draw bridge kept me plenty busy. Looking back on it, I'm sure there were sunburns and mosquitoes, but I was too busy having fun to worry about them.

When I was in sixth grade, we moved to Arkansas. As a former city kid, it took me a while to adjust, but soon enough I was swimming in cattle ponds, hiking in the woods and playing night tag with new friends. Did I ever once worry about chiggers, snakes or ticks? Nope. All I cared about was finding my next fun.

So here I sit in my fave green chair, scratching like crazy, watching my dogs scratch like crazy--they didn't get the memo that they've been treated for fleas and are now flea-fee--and I'm wondering when did I stop loving summer and start loathing it? How do I reconnect with the little girl inside of me who used to adore long, hot days and all of their enticing possibilities?

The very question makes me sad. With my newly graduated kids still sleeping and hubby long since gone to work, this Monday doesn't feel like I remember a summer Monday should. I have no grand adventure planned. No friends will stop by, and even if they did, my bike has flat tires and cobwebs!!

Usually, we join the neighborhood pool, but with the kids soon off to college, they all voted against the pricey fee. After all, who has time for lounging poolside with a cool drink and good book?

Wait a minute--THEY voted. Not ME!! Maybe what I'm forgetting is that even if my kids don't want to go to the pool, I'm still allowed. As an incentive, I used to write in the morning and if I got my pages completed, I'd wile away my afternoons not creating books, but losing myself in them!!

As I'm writing, my Benadryl has finally kicked in. As an added bonus, all three dogs are peacefully napping--not scratching. Okay, whew . . . I feel a little better. Hopeful, even, that summer might yet be saved. Maybe Little Laura isn't totally lost, but just hiding. With my own pool membership to entice her, she might even venture out into the heat to play.

How about you? Feeling too grown-up for summer? Share some tips with me on how you have warm weather fun!!

I’ve completely run out of ideas for a blog topic this month, so I thought I’d talk about researching settings. My stories for Harlequin American Romance are set in small town Colorado. Now, I don’t know about you, but I just can’t bring myself to set a book somewhere I’ve never actually been, nor that I’m on pretty familiar terms with.

I think it adds authenticity if you can bring the setting alive with sights, sounds and smells thereby capturing the atmosphere of a place. I have no idea how anyone does that without having been where their books are set.

Take it from me, you’ll never read a sheik book by CC Coburn because I have absolutely no interest in travelling to Saudi Arabia et al. Been there (sorta general region) done that, aint goin’ back!

I live part of the year in a small town nestled in the Colorado Rockies and get so much inspiration from this setting that it becomes an integral part of my books—a character, if you will. But I add layers to this setting by interviewing locals who work in the occupations of my characters.

At first, I was a little anxious about approaching people to interview them, half-thinking they’d discount me, as we see so often in the press, as just another hack writer of trashy books.

But the reaction has been quite the opposite. I’ve interviewed a County Court judge, been taken on a tour of the County Jail, interviewed the Sheriff and the commander of our town Fire Department (plus got to check out his firefighters and their quarters!) a veterinarian and a local rancher who all gave up hours of their time to answer my nosy questions. I’ve also interviewed rescue personnel and the head of the local ski patrol.

Each has been so generous in their assistance and supportive of my efforts to bring authenticity to the setting and the occupations of my characters and I’m very grateful for that. I reward their time and patience with a signed copy of the book they’ve so kindly helped me with, and although I’m not sure if they ever get around to reading them, I’m pretty sure they’re chuffed to see their names in the acknowledgement pages.

In a couple of weeks I’m heading back to beautiful Colorado with complimentary signed copies of my latest release, “The Sheriff and the Baby” to give to these wonderful locals.

Now if only I could find a hot ex-priest to interview…

I’m giving away a copy of “The Sheriff and the Baby” to celebrate its release this week. I’d like to know from readers if setting is important to them. And if you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Until next month!
CC

With a Little Help.... by Megan

...From My Friends.
Okay, I admit, I'm a Beatles fan. I would like this song anyway, even if Ringo wasn't singing it. It's so true for my life. I'm lucky enough to have really wonderful women as friends. Friends who stand by me, stand behind me, and stand in front of me when trouble comes.

My mom's health is deteriorating. She's suffering through some tough heart problems. So what do my friends do?

Offer to bring my family meals. Offer to critique my manuscript in the wee hours while I'm finishing up a deadline--running behind due to caring for my mom and the difficulty I had writing during this time. Offer prayers for my mom and the rest of the family. Offer to listen to me rant about doctors and hospitals and *stuff* in general. Offer me days off work to finish my ms. Offer me encouragement and M&Ms. (I have the best friends!!)

My family and I are deeply touched by their generous souls. It's this kind of love that forms my heroines. When writing I ask myself: would I want this character as a friend in real life? In a difficult situation, what caring thing would my friends do? I'm proud to have them as role models for my daughter and for me and for my fictional characters.

I hope y'all have friends as true and supportive as mine, and enjoy reading the fictional heroines we all admire in American Romances.

Megan Kelly
www.megankellybooks.com

The Codys: The First Family of Rodeo—Social Media Blitz Contest Today!

Dear Readers,

June kicks off the debut of Harlequin American Romance's first-ever six-book continuity series—The Codys: The First Family of Rodeo. In honor of this exciting occasion we're running a ONE DAY ONLY Social Media Blitz Contest here on the Harlequin American Romance Authors' blog.

Contest Scoop

Check out today's blog--Rebecca Winters discusses the first book in the Codys:First Family of Rodeo, WALKER: THE RODEO LEGEND. After reading her blog, post the following info:

www.harauthors.blogspot.com, Rebecca Winters and
WALKER: THE RODEO LEGEND

to your Facebook, MySpace and/or Twitter pages as well as your favorite blogs. The more places you link her post, the more chances you have to win! You can earn additional chances to win if you refer a friend and they in turn post a link to their favorite social media websites and blogs. Be sure to return to www.harauthors.blogspot.com and tell us where you're spreading the word so we can keep a tally of your activity.

Remember, the CONTEST IS TODAY ONLY—June 6, 2010!

Rebecca is giving away autographed books—both Harlequin Romance and American Romance. Plus, the grand prize winner will receive Rocky Mountain Chocolate! Remember, for each social media site you link to this blog and for each friend you contact who in turn spreads the word through their favorite networks, your name will be entered into a drawing. You have twenty-four hours to link us and win! Rebecca will post the winners in the comment section of her blog tomorrow. Be sure to return to see if you're one of the lucky winners.

And now here's Rebecca Winters' blog. Please keep reading!

~~~

Howdy Pardner from the Cody Stampede!

The cute little cowgirl you see in the middle with the tan cowboy hat is my darlin’ granddaughter Reese Burton. She’s here at the Denver Stock show with friends. Doesn’t she look great there watching the stockmen spray off those steers?

When her daddy sent me these pictures, I told him I was going to use this one to celebrate the launch book for Harlequin American Romance’s first-ever six-book continuity series.

The Codys: First Family of Rodeo

Everyone who loves rodeo enjoys milling around the grounds, checking out the bulls and horses. Some of the older gals enjoy checking out the Steer Wrestlers and bull riders, too!

Here’s Walker Cody, practicing for his event. Walker's the bulldogger in the first book of the series: WALKER: THE RODEO LEGEND. This guy’s a heartbreaker and a world champion bulldogger. He’s also a Marine who came back from war a wounded hero.

Come on and join me while I show you around. You’ve got to admit this is the prettiest country God ever created. When I saw this meadow, I knew it was the place where Walker yearned to come home to after the war.

A vision came to me of a mountain cabin built on John Walker Cody land years earlier at 10,000 feet. That’s where eight-year-old Walker and his siblings knew happiness sleeping in the loft while their grandmother cooked them trout they caught for breakfast. His fond memories include riding horses up there with his best friend and later on riding around double with a girlfriend. Now at 28, it’s his shelter away from everyone, his cave, his retreat, his fortress, his eyrie where he can try to heal his scarred heart and body before facing the world again.

Ya want to stay a spell and enjoy a week of rodeo? Cody’s the place!

Of course it won’t look all peaceful and quiet like this come rodeo season. A few miles away there’s another little fictitious town called Markton. From there you’ll come to the Cottonwood Ranch. There’s so much land, I envisioned a 600,000 acre spread in my mind as far as the eye could see and going right up the mountain. The rest came easy. A main ranch house here, bunk houses there, corrals, bullpens, you name it and the other gals writing for the series just kept addin and addin things like a fancy barn, a landing strip for their plane, a mechanical bull. It just grew and grew until…well…you’ll have to read all six books to capture the full flavor of a true rodeo family layout.

Walker needs help with his PTSD and decides to take up bulldogging again to fight it. But can he bring down a bull fast enough after being away six years?

One vet I know still suffers from it after many years, but with the help of a good psychiatrist and art therapy, he’s doing much better. Being around him gave me insights into Walker’s suffering. Here’s a sample of what he puts down on paper to get out his fear and emotions.

The picture of this dog walk-a-thon fit right into my story. I needed a setting where Walker and Paula, a grieving war widow with a two-year-old son Clay, will meet. What happens here throws three people together and lives are changed forever.

One of walker’s big challenges is getting back with his family again.

I come from a family of six children, and I’m second to the oldest. So is Walker. Being from a large family I was able to come up with some dynamics for the Walker family that defined my own. I had four sisters. My brother was the baby. Walker has three brothers, Jessie, Dex and Dusty, and his sister Elly who’s the baby. There were similarities I could incorporate. The rest came from the other authors as they developed their stories.

I had the luxury of doing the first draft of everything. That’s nice in one way because there’s nothing pre-conceived. You’re working from scratch. But as the other layers are added, you have to rework some parts until everyone’s satisfied.

Walker’s is a story of redemption through rodeo where wounds heal and happiness eventually triumphs.

Don’t forget to return next month for our second One Day Media Blitz Contest on July 16th when Marin Thomas blogs about book two in The Codys:First Family of Rodeo, DEXTER: HONORABLE COWBOY.

Write to me at http://www.cleanromances.com/ and share any thought or feelings. I’m signing off for now.

Yours till the Stampede is over!

Becky

Introducing The Codys: The First Family of Rodeo

Howdy,

You all are readers—I know because you are reading this blog. As readers, you will likely agree with me that when you find an author you love, you want to search out and read all of their books. And when you find a miniseries that really grabs you, you want to read the books one after another. Well, I found one. And it’s called The Codys: The First Family of Rodeo.

I’ve always wanted to do a big family drama in American Romance—something with a western theme, of course. And one night (there may have been some wine involved) I sat down and tinkered away at the computer, coming up with an outline for a town, a ranch, and a big family whose members would find their happiness, one at a time, with the loves of their lives. But things didn’t get interesting until I emailed the outline to six amazing authors who truly created the world of the Codys.

Even after all these years of being an editor, it still delights me to see an author’s finished story. Going from an idea to a book is a long process. It’s fun to brainstorm ideas with authors, or work with them on sketches and small pieces of characters and places and situations. But actually reading the final finished books, and seeing how an author has developed her characters—emotionally, physically, mentally—impresses the hell out of me. Sometimes I think where the heck did she come up with that? Fantastic! And it all came out of one little germ of an idea.

From a small outline, six authors created six great stories. I’ve been reading the finished and polished manuscripts as they came in and they have made me laugh, and get a little teary at times, and most of all they have made me whoop with glee. Wow, guys. You have made this family tick, and taken these characters places I never would have imagined. A shout out to Johanna, who has worked with all six authors from proposal to finished manuscript. She has been an integral part of this miniseries, and is an all-around cool person and a fantastic editor. Way to go, Jo. You da woman!

Thanks, Rebecca, Marin, Cathy, Pamela, Trish, and Lynnette. It’s an honor to work with you all. Thanks for these stories—pick ‘em up, people! You’re going to love them. And who knows…we might end up back at the Cottonwood Ranch one day soon.

Kathleen Scheibling
Senior Editor
Harlequin American Romance

P.S. The pictures here are posters Johanna and I have up in our offices. When we embarked on this journey into the world of rodeo, I thought it would be fun to have some authentic inspiration. These posters are from the Cody, WY, rodeo. Mounted, framed, and hung with pride in our offices at Harlequin.

**Dear Readers don't forget to return tomorrow June 6th for the first One Day Only Social Media Blitz Contest when Rebecca Winters talks about her launch book in the series, Walker: The Rodeo Legend.

Recipes of the Month

The public library in Bonham, Texas has a romance author event every February. Authors introduce themselves and participate in a roundtable discussion, followed by questions from attendees, and then the fun begins. The library ladies provide a wonderful pot luck luncheon for all the authors, giving everyone a chance to eat and chat in a relaxed environment. Author Kay Sisk of Bonham is one of the organizers of the romance author event every year, and for that, all of us who have particpated thank you, Kay!

Sue Smith of Bonham prepared a unique and delicious "salad" one year and I asked her for the recipe. I'm not sure where the recipe originated, but probably with the company who makes Rice-A-Roni. Don't let the name or the ingredients fool you - this is really delicious, especially on a hot summer day, served with a green salad, fruit, muffins, and perhaps a hearty dessert.

Sue Smith's Cold Rice and Artichoke Salad

1 box chicken flavor Rice-A-Roni, prepared per directions and cooled completely
6 green onions, white and light green parts, chopped thin
1 jar artichoke hearts (I use 1 can of water-packed artichoke hearts, drained) quartered or chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon (or more to taste) curry powder
Optional: 1 cup diced grilled chicken or 1 large can chicken breast, drained
Optional: red peppers, green peppers, olives, pimento, etc. may be added to your taste

Mix all ingredients together, chill and serve. Keeps well for several days in refrigerator.

Here's my mother's sugar cookie recipe, which would make a nice dessert with a salad lunch or dinner since you'll want to eat lots of them! My mother always made these cookies in her yellow ware bowl, which my nephew now has in Louisville, KY. I found one just like it at an antiques store and it makes me feel as if I'm still in my mother's tiny kitchen, making these cookies.

Virginia Chancellor's Sugar Cookies

1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup milk
3 eggs
4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream shortening and sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs and cream again. Add milk. Sift together dry ingredients and add to shortening/sugar/egg/milk mixture. Add vanilla and stir again. Drop by teaspoons on a greased cookie sheet. Add "sprinkles" if desired. Bake only until light brown on the edges; the cookie should be pale and spongy in the center when tested.

Family Game Night

My son is home from college, which means that our life has turned upside down again. I’ve begun to grocery shop every five days-our meager food supply will not keep one hungry eighteen-year-old happy for long. I’ve also started doing a whole lot more laundry. We now are back in the dining room for dinner-my daughter refused to eat in there when there was just three of us. And I’ve had to give up Suzy, the dachshund at night. Arthur likes sleeping with her, too.

One thing that has returned with a vengeance is ‘family game night’. Now, we’re just like any other family-it’s a small miracle to have all four of us home any evening after dinner. But for whatever reason-maybe the kids are just afraid to make me sad-they still stay home on Sunday nights.

Which is our family game night.

When the kids were little, we played Trouble and Clue and Life. Nowadays, we have two games that all four of us like to play: Hearts and Scrabble. We keep score and nitpick each point earned. And heaven forbid someone even thinks about putting down a word on the Scrabble board that cannot be validated in a dictionary.

We were all good with this little routine...until last Sunday night. That’s when my son pulled out Mad Gab. We had played it a few times last summer, and none of us were very good at it. But, well, I was sick of losing at Hearts, so we all decided to give it a try.

This was a very bad idea. First of all…Mad Gab is played in teams. Partners must rely on each other to decode phonetic sounding phrases. Timers are involved.

I’ll just go ahead and say it... None of us is very good at relying on each other for success. And none of us is very understanding about each other’s faults, either. After one round, the yelling began. Name calling was just around the corner. And wonder of wonders-I had to pull out my dormant completive spirit-otherwise no one wanted to be on my team.

Things got ugly. We kept switching teams. Finally, when no one could take it anymore…we gave up and put that darn timer back in the box. Later that night I made the call: Mad Gab will no longer be part of family game night.

There’s no telling when I’ll get everyone to stay home and play cards or Scrabble again. I might have to make a really good dinner in order to do that. Or maybe just promise that Mad Gab will never be attempted again.

Anyone have a game they play with their family?

Shelley Galloway

May Contest Winner!

Congratulations to Marcie--the winner of our May drawing! To receive your free autographed books please contact Laura Marie Altom and Cathy McDavid through their websites.

Each month we have authors give away a book to one luck winner. All you need to do is comment on our blogs and your name will be entered into the drawing--it's that easy!

June is a special month at Harlequin American Romance with the debut of the first-ever six-book continuity for Harlequin American Romance-- The Codys: First Family of Rodeo. Stop by June 5th for Senior Editor Kathleen Scheibling's blog and the very next day Rebecca Winters kicks off the One-Day only Media Blitz Contest with her blog about the first book in the series, Walker: The Rodeo Legend. Rebecca's giving away books and some delicious Rocky Mountain Chocolate!

Me? A Teacher?

Although I come from a family of teachers, I never saw myself as one.

My mother taught art in junior high school and, later, ceramics and other college courses to art students. My mother-in-law is a retired teacher, and my younger son is studying to be a high school biology teacher.

But me? Sure, I’ve enjoyed giving the occasional critique to fellow writers, but I’m impatient with people who aren’t seriously interested in learning a subject. Besides, the only thing I really know about is writing.

I had a lot of writing teachers. We can start with Mrs. Tyler and Mrs. Hitchcock in high school, and then there were some distinguished instructors in college, including Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Howard Nemerov and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright William Gibson (The Miracle Worker).

Later, while working as a journalist in Southern California, I took a few writing classes here and there, and joined a critique group that I’ve participated in for more than 30 years. Many members have come and gone – including Elizabeth George and T. Jefferson Parker.

I learned from my editors (don’t ask me how many – after 87 novels, I’ve lost count) and some of my agents (there’ve been three or four, but only two that count). I also learned from my editors at a daily newspaper and The Associated Press.

Along the way, I accumulated a lot of knowledge and skills. It seemed almost a shame to have gained so much insight when, let’s face it, I’m hardly Shakespeare or even J.K. Rowling.

A couple of years ago, a fellow writer tipped me off to a college-accredited distance-learning institute called Long Ridge Writers Group, for which she was teaching. I applied, was thoroughly evaluated and trained in their curriculum of short story & article writing and an advanced course on novel writing, and set loose on an assortment of students from all over the world.

During the last couple of years, I’ve learned something: that I’m a teacher. I doubt I could stand in front of a classroom and deal with bored adolescents or disciplinary problems, but I love working one-on-one with motivated writers from their teens to their eighties. The payoff is seeing many of my students make tremendous progress, and hearing back from them how much the experience has meant to them.

I’ve written an article called “Ten Things a Novelist Learned From Teaching Writing” and posted it at http://www.jacquelinediamond.com/WritingTeacherTips. If you get a chance, I hope you’ll take a look.

Where are the emperor's clothes?

Maybe I’m the only kid watching the emperor strut down the road naked. After all, I haven’t read the reviews or checked to see what my Facebook friends are saying or listened to anyone’s Tweets. So, maybe I’m the only one who didn’t “get it.” But I felt cheated by the series finale of one of my fav shows this week.

For years I, along with countless others, tuned in weekly to get a dose of mystery and romance. I looked forward to seeing which flawed, but loveable, hero the heroine chose. I wished a supporting character would escape from under her father’s controlling thumb. Fingers crossed, I fretted over pregnancies. I smiled at babies, cried as beloved “friends” died off, and hoped for an end to one character’s run of incredibly bad luck.

Turns out, I’d have been better off reading (and would have enjoyed it more). Because, after the last show of the last season, my take-away message was, “Ha! Ha! You’re joking, right?” To me, that ending re-affirmed the importance of the promise every author of romance makes to their readers: We will deliver happily-ever-after. Not only that, we’ll deliver it neatly wrapped with a satisfyingly emotional ending. With no room for sappy sentimentality.

So, are you fan of series television? Ever wish the writers and producers were required to deliver the way romance authors do?

Leigh Duncan
The Officer's Girl- April 2010
Catch of a Lifetime-2011
www.leighduncan.com

Finding Love Again

Finding Love Again
I am amazed it has been a full month since I last blogged…. Where does time go? I find that most of my time is eaten up with cooking, cleaning, writing, writing, sports, playing with the kids and trying to find time to sleep.
For those of you readers out there that found the love of your life early on, count your blessings. Many of us either found love and it just didn’t work or we just haven’t found that special person that makes our heart sing. I used to fall into the category of love come and gone, until I met a man last year who runs marathons like me. I like to joke, “We fell in love because we run the same pace.”
As I write my romances for all you, I’ve been living my own. I never thought I could find love, real love again. Let me tell you I was proven wrong. This month we were married and had a magical wedding, the kind that comes out of romance novels. Our children all stood up with us as my three year old walked down the aisle with my father and me, holding her blanket. I think after writing, “A Daughter’s Discovery,” I fell in love with the idea of wildflowers and had that theme for my wedding.
My dear and amazing mother-in-law brought me to tears as she gave me a set of pearl earrings, necklace and bracelet for me to have and wear for the wedding. She too got the idea from the same book.
The next day we were whisked off to Kauai, Hawaii, for a romantic honeymoon. It was heaven to be alone with no kids, no responsibility and the ability to just love each other for ten days. Kauai is the garden isle full of lush forests and secret beaches. We scuba dived and spent hours on the beach snorkeling and talking of nothing. The sunsets, air and flowers, cast a glow of splendor and enchantment creating romance wherever we rent.
I write this to you all, telling you to cherish the one whom you love, or never give up the idea that can’t find you. It found me again. My next book, “The Firefighter’s Heiress,” is about two people who believe that love will never come to them. They are in for a big surprise.
Aloha and Mahalo,
Dominique


If you want to see some fun action you can go to:
http://www.youtube.com/my_playlists?p=D8956EA66830DA3F
We recorded ourselves zip lining and touring the NaPali Coast on video.

Summer is the Season

Tourist season has just barely begun here in Philadelphia, the “City of Brotherly Love,” but you wouldn’t know it by looking at the hordes of people jamming the sidewalks. With cameras glued to their faces (and earbuds blocking any outside noises), the gawkers are oblivious to those of us who live here. We edge around the posed photo-ops, trying to avoid being part of anyone’s ‘what I did on my summer vacation.’ We cross streets to avoid being sucked into the massive amoeba-like student groups. We plan our route so that we pass the minimal number of historic sites possible on the way to and from our destinations.

It never occurred to me, when we chose to live in this part of town, that the historic district also meant the tourist district. I just liked it because it’s vibrant with lots of shops and restaurants and many old warehouses renovated into condos. It’s within walking distant of the Reading Terminal Market and a couple of decent grocery stores. The subway is convenient to get to more far-flung parts of town. From my front door, I can walk in four directions and find interesting things to see in safe neighborhoods. Now, though, as summer begins, I’m beginning to rethink my decision.

Once upon a very long time ago, I visited Philadelphia with my parents. I saw Independence Hall and felt the crack in the Liberty Bell. I had lox and bagels at the Famous Fourth Street Delicatessen. I liked the city then, though it was much grittier than it is now. That vibe I mentioned earlier? I could feel it, then, too, even as a teenager. Maybe that’s what drew me back here all these years later. Maybe Philadelphia has been calling to me all along. It’s my place; I just didn’t know it until now. But the tourists are going to drive me crazy!

So, what am I going to do about it? I’m not going to beat them, that’s for sure. Trust me, there are waaay too many of them to battle. Instead, I’ve decided I’m going to join them. I’m going to take back a piece of my new city for me. I will gawk and stare and appreciate all the historic landmarks alongside the most dedicated tourist. Betsy Ross and Benjamin Franklin, look out: here I come.

Hey, what are you doing this summer?

Facing the Big 4-0

I'm only a few days away from -- gulp -- turning 40. I don't feel 40, at least on most days. :) Maybe it's because I'm not a mom and I don't have visible proof in the form of teenagers that I'm old enough to be a mom to a teenager. It got me to thinking about ways we can make ourselves feel young, even as we grow older.

1. Keep up with new music. You might even like it. I still love to dance to whatever the latest club music is even though I don't go to clubs. But watch out, Harlequin party! :)

2. I read lots of YA/teen novels. There's just a part of me that I think will always be a teenager and connect with teen stories.

3. Same with younger-targeted shows and movies. I'm anxiously awaiting Eclipse just like a lot of girls half my age. Have you seen the trailer!?

4. Take care of ourselves. Since I don't have kids, I need to take care of myself because when hubby and I get old, there won't be grown children there to take care of us. My parents have a wealth of health problems, many that could have been prevented with different life choices. Last summer, I started trying to lose weight and become more active. I started a blog, Healthy Writer, targeted at helping writers (and anyone with a sedentary career) get up and get moving and make better eating choices. Having lost only 10 pounds since last July, I upped my game today by joining the YMCA and went to my first Zumba class. Did I feel like I was going to die 15 minutes into the hour-long class? Yes. Did I feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment when I made it through the class upright and without passing out? Yes. I'm hoping that by the time I (along with Tawny Weber and Michelle Butler) give our Healthy Writer class at National in July, I'll be down at least another 10 pounds. I'm still about 30 pounds from my goal weight.

5. Try new things. I love taking trips to places I've never been, reading authors I've never read, challenging myself to accomplish things I doubted I could. Sometime in the next few months, I'm going to tackle one of my phobias by taking some swimming lessons. If I can learn to swim, that will provide one more way to help me exercise and take care of myself.

6. Get plenty of sleep. Lack of sleep ages us. I don't want to look older than I am, thanks.

What are your favorite ways to keep yourself feeling and looking young?

Eagle Watch

Last month I blogged about the Hornby Island Eagle Cam, a live web cam that’s giving us a bird’s eye view of life in the nest of a pair of bald eagles. In April, we were watching Mom and Dad take turns brooding their two eggs.

Early on April 29th, one of the eggs hatched and just after sunrise (PDT) web cam viewers around the world welcomed baby Phoenix to the world.

Sadly, it seems the second wasn’t fertilized and has not hatched, but watching Mom and Dad raise Phoenix has more than made up for that disappointment. It’s especially incredible to see how amazingly gentle these parents are, in spite of their fierce beaks and deadly talons.

Even more astounding is the growth rate of a baby bald eagle. Phoenix will fledge and leave the nest when s/he is about 80 days old, with a wing span of 80 inches!

Here's Phoenix at three weeks old, with the unhatched egg for scale. I love the little dinosaur face, rubber chicken body and that pair of I’ll-grow-into-them-someday feet. So adorable.

Hornby Eagles also have a Facebook page where you’ll find lots more information and many more photographs. It the link doesn’t work, a Facebook search for Hornby Eagles will take you there.

Happy eagle watching!

Until next time,
Lee
Firefighter Daddy (July 2010)

Reading and Writing a Series

I'm working on my 22nd novel, which will be the 6th book in the Brody's Crossing series for Harlequin American Romance. I love writing this series but I have gotten some feedback from several readers that concerns me.

These readers wait for all the books in a series to come out, then they read them. Since I don't know how many books I might write for this series, I can't tell them when they should start reading. I don't want to upset my readers but I don't have an answer for them.

Does anyone else have this dilemma as either a reader or a writer? If so, can you suggest how to respond to these loyal series readers?

Series are a funny thing, especially when you didn't expect to write one. My very first book for Harlequin American was what I thought was a stand-alone book, but the editor at the time really liked that town (Ranger Springs) and asked me to write more set there. I never had a true "Ranger Springs" series but they were a continuous story of the heroes and heroines, secondary characters and big events of the fictional town.

I've found when I write books set in Brody's Crossing that I'm always thinking about how to add friends, co-workers, relatives and newcomers who might have their own book. I don't have a big master plan for the town, but I did give it vacant buildings to grow into and some businesses that were missing or could be expanded. Now I'm adding a new ranch that I haven't mentioned before, but I think that's okay because I never said the Rocking C was the only ranch in Brody's Crossing! (The image to the right is an USGS aerial photo near the area where my fictional town is located.)

One of the main things I learned about ten books ago was to give characters some siblings or cousins that I could introduce as possible heroes and heroines. Sometimes I can't because it doesn't work out with the backstory or conflict, but I do try. Right now I have three more potential main characters for future books. I don't know if I'll get to write them, but I'm setting up the characters so they might deserve their own book one day.

I'm trying to soak up more small town life by observing people and listening to their stories. Tonight I stopped by the Mineola Country Club and heard some very lively tales told by some older gentlemen at the bar. I'm not sure how accurate they were, but they sounded real good as background material. Whoever mentioned pelting someone's car with golf balls, please be assured I'm going to use that in a book real soon!

I'll continue to develop Brody''s Crossing and add new characters who might someday fall in love, and I would love your ideas on what to tell avid series readers who email me about when the series will be over. Thanks, and have a wonderful and safe Memorial Day. When you get back from your long weekend, please remember to check out the recipes I'll post on June 4th. Happy reading!

Media Blitz Contest Coming June 2010!

Dear Readers:

June kicks off the debut of Harlequin American Romance's first-ever six-book continuity The Codys: First Family of Rodeo. In honor of this exciting occasion we're running 6 one-day-a-month Social Media Blitz Contests at www.harauthors.blogspot.com

Contest Scoop
Beginning next month in June, an author in the continuity will post a blog at www.harauthors.blogspot.com and discuss her contribution to the The Codys: First Family of Rodeo series. After reading the author's blog, post the link www.harauthors.blogspot.com, the title of the book and the author's name to your Facebook, MySpace and or Twitter pages as well as your favorite blogs. The more places you link to and mention the author and her book, the more chances you have to win.

You can earn additional chances to win if you refer a friend and they in turn post a link to their favorite social media websites and blogs. Be sure to return to www.harauthors.blogspot.com and tell us where you're spreading the word by posting the information in the comment section of the blog--that way we can keep a tally of your activity. Remember, it's One Day Only Each Month June-November 2010!

Authors will be giving away prizes to several lucky winners. Your name will be entered into a drawing for each social media site you promote The Codys: First Family of Rodeo and for each friend you contact who in turn spreads the word through their favorite networks. You have twenty-four hours to link to us and win! The author will post the winners in the comment section of her blog the next day--be sure to return to see if you're one of the lucky winners.

On June 5th Senior Editor for American Romance, Kathleen Scheibling will introduce The Codys: First Family of Rodeo to readers and the following day on June 6th Rebecca Winters kicks off the Social Media Blitz Contest with the first book in the series-- Walker: The Rodeo Legend!

With the help of our faithful readers we're hoping that on June 6th the web is buzzing with chatter about The Codys: First Family of Rodeo!

Marin
www.marinthomas.com

Counting down...and looking ahead

This time of year gets me very excited, as I work for a school district. We’re now in single digits in the countdown for the last day of school. That’s probably enough on that subject, right? You don’t need to read another word to understand why I’m nearly bouncing off the walls, just like the kids.

I’m also in the countdown to turn in my latest manuscript for Harlequin American Romance, a book that--fingers crossed!--will be out sometime next year.

And I’m looking forward to summer.

For months, I’ve been making plans, writing to-do lists, and toying with an idea or two for stories I’d like to start writing next. The way things worked out this year, we don’t have any major trips lined up this summer, which will give me plenty of time to get everything done that I want to accomplish....

Well...it sounds good, anyway, doesn’t it?

Since I’m going to be a stay-at-home writer this summer, I’d love to hear what plans you have for vacation, whether you’re keeping close to home, too, or seeking adventures far and wide.

Talking about your trip in advance will prolong the pleasure and make you even more excited about it--just as counting down to the last day of school is doing for me!


All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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

Brenda Novak Silent Auction

Just a quick note for today's blog: I want to remind our readers that this month (May) author Brenda Novak is holding her annual silent auction to raise money for diabetes research. I'm sure most of you know at least one person who struggles with this disease. Brenda has done an incredible job raising awareness of the disease within the writing community.

"Last year, we raised nearly $280,000. I'm hoping to break that record this year. If we can come anywhere close, our grand total will reach over $1 million dollars--so this is a special year in many respects."-- Brenda Novak

Check out her auction at http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/

Plug the name of your favorite author into the search box and see what items they're donating.

I'm offering a Cowboy Gift Bag--(above photo) two autographed books, a cowboy candle, spur paperweight, cowboy picture frame and a collection of Texas recipes (Item # 1717867).

If you're an aspiring writer be sure to review the list of publishers and their items up for bid--there's something for everyone.

If you're able, please support this worthy cause and help Brenda reach the million-dollar mark!

Marin

Dexter: Honorable Cowboy (July 2010)

Book #2 in The Cody's: First Family of Rodeo

http://www.marinthomas.com/

Time for Yourself

Today I'm headed to California for a much needed vacation. Yes, I'm packing my laptop and yes, I will work on my revisions. But still, it's a vacation from my real life. A girl's week. Visiting two different, but very special friends. One in Palm Springs and the other in Bakersfield. In Palm Springs, we plan to eat out, sit by the pool, and catch up on each other's lives since I was last there almost two years ago. I can't wait. Even her dogs are excited. LOL

Then I leave and meet my second friend for a couple days on the beach. Crank the sunroof open. Drive the Pacific Coast Highway. Sit for as long as we want and just listen to the sounds of the ocean, smell the salty air, absorb the breathtaking coastline. The beach helps me wind down and reprioritize more than any other thing I've found.

Julia Cameron wrote a book called The Artist's Way that many years ago, helped me reconnect with myself. Helped me learn to make time to replenish the well, even when life is spinning around me. To get in touch with my creative side. Trust me, it's long overdue.

I'm curious what helps others relax. What does it for you when you're stressed to the max? What do you do for yourself? I know CC Coburn talked about a spa day. Any other thoughts?

I Hate Revisions!

Phew! I feel better now that I’ve got that off my chest.
Feeling rather grumpy at the moment, hiding deep within my revision cave. Revisions on Book #3, Colorado Cowboy - about the oldest of the O’Malley brothers, Luke, the rancher - are due next Monday and the closer that day draws, the grumpier I get.
The grumpiness is entirely my own fault. I’m a procrastinator who will find any excuse not to sit at my computer and work through the detailed revision notes my lovely editor, Paula Eykelhof, has taken a great deal of time and pains over.
The procrastination stems from the fact that I’m over this story and want to move on to the next. Suddenly, the study needs tidying, the garden is overgrown and needs urgent attention, the house could probably do with being repainted (and while I’m at it, I might just completely renovate the bathroom as well). I haven’t seen friends for lunch in ages (so let’s go out to lunch every day for two weeks to avoid sitting at that keyboard). And don’t get me on the distraction of Solitaire’s Spider 4 Decks. Trying to maintain a perfect 100% score while attempting to complete this beastly game in under nineteen minutes, is the biggest timewaster ever!
It’s pathetic but true, I will do anything to avoid doing Revisions!
As the deadline draws ever nearer, I become more and more frustrated with myself and my inability to apply myself to this most important part of the publication process, instead of allowing myself to be distracted by minutiae .
It’s a classic Catch 22, I want to be done with this book, but in order to do that, I have to refine it, tidy it, fine-tune it to my editor’s satisfaction. But I’m a Sagittarian, easily bored, looking constantly for new adventures (ie. delving into the lives of my last two O’Malley brothers, Jack, the ex-priest and Adam the Fireman).
I resent the revision process with a vengeance bordering on downright loathing because it’s keeping me from exploring these two hunks and the women who tame them.
Plus, there’s that Jane Austen time travel story that’s demanding I write it, my Masters research paper to be completed, and several single title romantic comedies that I’m dying to finish writing. But, alas! Duty calls. And her name is, Discipline!
I love writing, love the creative process, love being lost within the story and bringing it to life. I could easily write a book in 2 weeks, so absorbed am I in getting it from brain to fingertips to keyboard. And when that’s done, I’m ready to move on to the next story.
In an ideal world, I’d be so mega rich that I could employ an anally retentive person to take care of what I consider to be all the boring bits about writing, while I was left to lie around on my pink sofa, swathed in a pink feather boa, clasping my dear little pink poodle to my pink bosom… (sound of stylus scraping across record).
Sorry, getting carried away with someone else’s fantasy there, but I think you get my point. The problem with this idealized vision is that the changes to the story my editor requires would be someone else’s changes and I, sequestered in my Writing Tower, would neither notice nor care that the story was no longer mine.
Which rather defeats the purpose of creating the story in the first place.
So, with another fantasy dashed by cold reality, I shall gird my loins, put nose to grindstone, grit my teeth, shoulder my responsibilities and finish those detested revisions!
Writing used to be so much more fun before I was published.

How do you feel about revisions and would you like to be my slave er… Revisionista!
(just kidding, sort of…)

I’m giving away a copy of Book #2 in The O’Malley men series, The Sheriff and the Baby, to anyone who comes up with a feasible plan to keep me chained to my keyboard until these revisions are finished.

Til next time, when I hope I’m in a better mood.
CC

He's Just Like... by Megan

Do you enjoy reading a book where the narrator describes a character by comparing him (or her) to someone famous? Or does that take you out of the story?

I'm participating in an online class in character development. (Okay, I'm on deadline and taking care of my mom on my days off the paying job, so I'm really just lurking.) The lesson for the past days was to name your main characters then find pictures of what they look like.

Now, I'm not a visual person. I don't do crafts, I can't see the hidden potential in a rock that will reveal a statue--to me, it's just a rock, a lump of clay, a bunch of paints and canvas. When it comes to writing, everything is in my head. This class with historical writer and good friend, Kimberly Killion, is a great exercise to expand my abilities with description, at which I su...suffer.

Problem is, when I look at early pictures of Brad Pitt, all I can think of is him now and the tabloid headlines. When someone recalls Rock Hudson being a heartthrob in the 50s and 60s, I just feel sad because he was gay and had to hide it and was probably a very unhappy person. And the list goes on. About the only handsome actor whose personal life or personality doesn't interfere is the late Paul Newman, who I understand to have been an excellent person.

This isn't what Kim is telling us to do, by the way, as she writes medievals and there were no TV or movie heros. I've just read this often, seen it being used as shorthand.

So...does name-dropping for comparison throw you? Does it take you out of the story to hear the hero looked like Mel Gibson or George Clooney? Or does it give you an instant visual, which is the intention?

Just curious, as I'll be starting a new story next month, and it'll be time to describe my people again.

Megan

Megan Kelly
www.megankellybooks.com

Two More Blast from the Past Recipes

Do recipes make you hungry? Sometimes they make me want to cook and other times, just eat. But I don't think I've ever been as hungry as these two Mockingbird babies. The nice, tall man installing our new gutters at the lake house in Mineola, TX discovered them in the arbor (in the photo I posted before, covered in coral and yellow trumpet flowers.) Aren't they the cutest little things? Kara Lennox also has a baby Mockingbird just outside her window.

Okay, but enough about baby birds. They don't need recipes and they'll eat just about anything wiggly presented to them by their parents. We tend to be a little more discriminating. Here are two more recipes I mentioned in the next Brody's Crossing book, tentatively titled Texan in Her Heart, which will be out in 2011.

Sausage Pinwheels

As told to Victoria Chancellor at a party in the 1980s

1 package crescent dinner rolls (makes 8 crescent rolls) Use regular or reduced fat, or generic.

1 package pork sausage (about 10 or 12 ounces) I use Jimmy Dean Reduced Fat Pork Sausage.

Preheat oven to temperature indicated on the crescent rolls. On a cutting board or clean flat surface, unroll the crescent roll dough trianges. Put two triangles together to form a rectangle. Push and work the seam so that it doesn't separate. You will eventually create four rectangles.

Separate pork sausage into four equal parts. Carefully pat and thin the sausage onto the dough rectangle. Leave a little room at the edges so the pinwheel can be rolled and joined together. Roll the rectangle so you have a long column that will create your pinwheels. Cover in waxed paper or plastic wrap and place in the freezer for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove from freezer. Using a sharp knife, cut the column into about 1/4 inch slices and place them on a sprayed cookie sheet. (I cover my cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray that for easy clean up.) Place in preheated oven and bake for 10 -15 minutes, or per the directions on the package. The pinwheels should be crisp and browned but not overcooked and burnt. You just want to make sure the sausage has cooked all the way through. Serve warm or at room temperature. You will not have any leftovers!

Note: You can use other things to make pinwheels, such as ham slices, bacon, etc. It just needs to roll nicely. If using bacon, make sure your knife is really sharp and you've kept the pinwheel dough in the freezer until it's firm. Cheese does NOT work well in these.

Fudge Oatmeal Refrigerator Cookies

From Southern Living Best Recipes

2 cups sugar (Note: You can use less sugar, but they need some to be fudge-like.)

1/2 cup evaporated milk (NOT condensed milk)

2 T. cocoa

1 stick butter

1/2 t. vanilla

2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats

Combine first four ingredients in a saucepan. Heat and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until heated and bubbly but not boiling. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and stir. Add oatmeal and mix thoroughly. Drop by teaspoonsful onto waxed paper on cookie sheets or other flat surfaces. Refrigerate. Ready to eat as soon as they don't burn your tongue! They will taste more like fudge if they are refrigerated until cool. Will keep in a container for days in the refrigerator.

I hope you enjoy the "Blast from the Past" recipes. I also hope they all stay in the finished version of the book! Happy reading, baking, and eating.

April Contest Winner

Congratulations to Gillian Layne--the winner of our April drawing!
Gillian, please contact Lisa Ruff and Lisa Childs to claim your prizes.

And don't forget--each month one or more Harlequin American authors gives away a book to a lucky winner. To be eligible to win all you have to do is post a comment on our blog. Your name will be entered into our monthly drawing and the winner is posted on the 2nd of the following month.

Happy Reading!
Marin

Beady Eyes Are Watching

Oh, the illusion of privacy. When my husband and I bought our house twenty years ago, it felt remarkably secluded, considering that it’s located in the middle of a housing development.

There’s a steep, roughly two-story-high slope behind the house, leveled into tiers that allow for gardening. At the top, large bushes screen the house behind and above us. Around the sides, rampaging pepper trees blocked the view of our other neighbors.

Our homeowners’ association maintains all the slopes in the development. Some are in public view, but even private ones like ours have to be carefully tended to avoid over watering that could cause slope collapse, bringing houses from the street behind us tumbling down. Yes, that happens in Southern California. And you thought we only had to worry about earthquakes and brush fires!

Recently, the sprinkler system on the slopes needed replacing. Also, much of the vegetation had become overgrown. So, after consulting with the homeowners, the development’s gardeners went to work.

Down came the pepper trees, along with most of the bushes. Suddenly, we could see our neighbors’ decks and balconies, and they could see us.

Removing so much shrubbery revealed that there are other eyes upon us as well.

The other day, around noon, my husband and I were out working in our vegetable garden when we spotted movement in a neighbor’s Asian fruit tree. The branches shook, and down came a raccoon. Giving us a disdainful glance, it waddled under the mesh fence dividing the properties, ran along the top of our slope, and climbed into another neighbor’s yard, where a tempting fig tree awaited.

Soon afterward, a squirrel came out near the first fruit tree, probably picking up what the raccoon had shaken down. Suddenly a lot of things made sense: the leaves eaten off my eggplants (squirrels love those). The gallon milk jug, pierced by a needle and filled with water, that I’d left overnight to deep-soak a tomato plant and found in the morning empty, crumpled and twisted (I’m guessing the raccoon discovered that it could squeeze the jug to shoot the water out faster, giving it a nice drink).

I grabbed the pepper shaker and gave my garden a liberal sprinkling to discourage the squirrels, and I’ve temporarily given up on the whole milk-jug watering scheme, although I may employ it during very hot days this summer. But once the tomatoes come in, I have no doubt beady eyes will be watching and waiting.

As for our human neighbors, the new plants around the property will grow tall after a while. Then I look forward to regaining the illusion of privacy.

Cue the Mist

Long before I started reading romance novels, I was a sucker for a romantic scene.

One of my favorites? When Richard Gere's character takes Julia Robert's character on a surprise date in Pretty Woman. He doesn't tell her where they're going, only that it's something that requires nice attire. She puts on a gorgeous gown, he shows up in a tux...and jets (literally) her off to San Francisco to see her very first opera.

Sigh.

But as neat as that scene was, I love the subtle scenes, too--where a look conveys everything you need to know about the depth of love between two characters.

So tell me, what's a movie scene that got you all starry-eyed? And what's one gesture that would make your heart pound or your eyes mist in real life?

~Laura

Every Woman Is A Heroine!

A woman asks little of love: only that she be able to feel like a heroine- Mignon McLaughlin
A dear friend of mine sent me this quote and I knew instantly this was a quote that described me and the reasons why I write. Romance, love and of course happy endings.
Now on to harder stuff; Blogging! To me this is a terrifying new concept. I know many of you savvy women blog like it’s second nature. To me it’s a whole a new world. As an author I have spent the last six years writing books so intensely that I have fallen behind the times. My mother has spoken to me about blogging, and as all children do, we just don’t listen. Shame on me. I have to admit I’m a little embarrassed.
Once you learn about blogging, you find out who blogs. Then who blogs well. For instance I have this amazing friend Kate who does my hair. If you look at my pictures, she is the magician behind the scenes, truly the only reason my hair looks good. Kate has two young children. She runs a beauty salon and also blogs. If you want a great laugh, I highly recommend following it!
http://apps.facebook.com/blognetworks/blog/domestic_goddess_and_co._smug_marrieds_and_2_little_chicks?ref=mf
My question now is, how do all of you have time? I’m absolutely amazed at the sheer genius so many women exude on their blogs. I just recently watched the movie, Julie and Julia. If you haven’t seen it, you’re missing an uplifting, moving and empowering show. It spoke to me as a writer in so many ways. First of all it gave me the courage to blog. The character of Julie who wants to be a writer and get published was utterly relatable. I have been there and let me tell you, it’s hard and it hurts. Julie portrayed how cathartic it is to write through a blog even if just one person hears your voice and that person happens to be you.
Then there’s Julia Childs! At Harlequin we need to write real life characters, not stereotypes or caricatures. Who would ever believe that a human being would be as fabulous as Julia Childs. Seriously, who says, “I love eating.” And she means it and isn’t ashamed of it at all.
On top of that, she makes fabulous comments like, “I love getting out of bed at six in the morning to go to school.” What a gift for her to love life that intensely. Of course the crux of the movie that utterly thrilled me as an author was when they offered to buy her book. Even better, she’s got paid! To do what we love is the greatest gift of all.
I know I am one of those lucky souls who gets to do my passion, but of course it’s not always easy. Bumps and jumps come along the way. Last week I had the privilege of being contacted by a local TV news anchor. He asked to interview my mother and me for his blog. As he spoke to me, he thought the story was big enough to go on the news that night. So mom and I scrambled to get our hair done, I bought a new suit, put my make-up on, all to find out there had been a murder in the city and our story got cut.
It made me think of Julie and the beouf bourguinonne she prepared for the Christian Science monitor and how they didn’t come because it was raining. She continued to persevere and so did I. Fortunately the TV anchor still thought our story was interesting and put us on his blog. Here is the link to our story.
http://oursouthvalley.com/?s=south+jordan+author
So to all you who read this, thank you for being interested in what I have to say. It’s a whole different kettle of fish to write fiction and definitely a lot easier. My hope is that all of you who read this blog will know your dreams can come true. Life throws curves, road blocks and walls, but if you persevere, anything can happen. Especially love!

Ciao,
Dominique Burton

Cooking from Memory

Victoria Chancellor's post a few days ago made me think of this funny little recipe book I have from 1973: Community Church Women Present—A COLLECTION OF FAVORITE RECIPES. It was put together as a fund raiser for the local church and cost all of a dollar-fifty. At the time, I’m sure it was a pretty penny to pay for these homey recipes. Now, this chance to travel back in time, food-wise, is invaluable.

The cookbook—bound at the top with a two-hole clip and covered with vinyl wallpaper—begins with a story written by Rafe Gibbs in 1953. I’ve never heard of the author. The piece has no title. I have no idea why it’s included since it doesn’t have a thing to do with cooking or food. It’s a summary of the life of one Dick Ferrell, one time blacksmith and up-and-coming prize-fighter. He left the fight circuit in 1914 to become a preacher, ministering to the lumberjacks in Northern Idaho for forty years. Someone must have liked it enough to type it up and insert it in the front of the book. I could probably find out why, but I’ve always been content to let the mystery lie. Don’t you think some things are better left that way, rather than be sullied by some prosaic explanation?

A variety of recipes follow this charming yarn. Some are my favorites: Chocolate Peppermint Creams, Three-Bean Salad, Dilly Casserole Bread. Others, I seldom use or have never even tried: Tater-Tot Casserole, Cucumber-Cream Salad, Celery Casserole Delight. There are at least five versions of meat loaf (including my mother’s which is baked with barbeque sauce and still my ‘gold standard’). Some of these dishes I remember from community potluck dinners or a meal at a school-friend’s home. I suspect a lot of them are still being made, passed down the generations, like mom’s meatloaf. The comfort food of our childhood.

Back at Christmas-time, when I was searching for the sugar cookie recipe that I always use, this recipe in particular caught my eye:

A Happy Home Recipe

4 cups love

2 cups loyalty

3 cups forgiveness

1 cup friendship

5 spoons hope

2 spoons tenderness

4 quarts faith

1 barrel laughter

Take love and loyalty, mix it together with faith. Blend in tenderness and forgiveness. Add friendship and hope, sprinkle abundantly with laughter. Bake it with sunshine. Serve daily with generous helpings

No one gets credit for this recipe, not like the others by Cheryl Gerdts or Grace Rule or Diane Lowry or other church ladies. Sandwiched between Amber Skillet Dinner and Golden Shrimp Puff, it is just another recipe. A good one, though. Worth whipping up and serving around on a regular basis. Comfort food of another kind, but just as nourishing.

Oh, and those sugar cookies? Here’s that recipe:

Best Ever Sugar Cookies by Finetta Smith

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 cup butter

1 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

4 ½ cups flour

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

Cream together butter and sugars. Beat in eggs, oil and vanilla. Sift flour together with baking soda and cream of tartar; stir into mixture until well blended. Refrigerate for one hour, then roll dough into balls and dip in cinnamon sugar. Flatten with a glass. Bake at 350 until lightly golden-brown. [Or you can use a cookie press. I load the press up, make a pan of cookies, then put the still-partially-filled press in a zip-lock and stick it back in the refrigerator until I want another fresh batch of cookies.]

Try them and let me know how they taste.

The Thrill of Discovery and Survival

I love the feeling of discovering a new author, a new series, a new TV show or new band. It's a little like falling in love -- the initial excitement, the all-consuming need to be with them all the time.

I'd say most, if not all, of us here have been excited about reading since we could make out words. There is nothing quite like discovering a new author, book or series that keeps us up reading way past when we should be calling it a night and getting some sleep. I've felt that way about the Harry Potter books, the Twilight books, Diana Gabaldon's Outlander books, Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games series, J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood. Now I can add Susan Beth Pfeffer's The Last Survivors series. I hadn't heard of this young adult series until I recently saw the third book, This World We Live In, at the bookstore on the recent releases shelf. The premise is that a giant asteroid hits the moon and knocks it closer to Earth, causing catastrophic climate change and lots of death. The first story, Life As We Knew It, is set in rural Pennsylvania and follows how a teenage girl's family copes with the aftermath of the collision. The second, The Dead and Gone, takes place during the same period, but it illustrates how a teenage boy and his siblings survive in New York City. I'm almost finished with the second book, so I'll be starting This World We Live In, in which the two families somehow cross paths.

I don't know why, but I've always been fascinated by survival stories -- Robinson Crusoe, Julie of the Wolves, The Swiss Family Robinson, The Hunger Games, Defiance (the WWII movie with Daniel Craig), The Day After Tomorrow. I'm interested in how people will survive if they're stripped down to their very base nature -- the need for food and water. Watching the news after big events like hurricanes and earthquakes gives us a glimpse that it doesn't take long for man to get back to that basic instinct for survival. All the niceties of civilized society go out the window when you're hungry and thirsty. But in spite of that, it's inspiring to see the triumph of the human spirit -- those stories of people surviving in earthquake rubble for more than a week, against all odds. The ones who are mauled by a bear or cougar and manage to drag themselves miles to a road. Man will do a lot to survive.

Do you like survival stories. If so, what are some of your favorites?

A Week Of Firsts

Ever have one of those days? One of those weeks?

Usually, when someone asks that question, there’s a negative connotation. But I’ve had a series of those days that folded themselves into one of those weeks…in the best of all possible ways. Starting with the release of my debut book for Harlequin American Romance last Tuesday. Walking into a book store and seeing The Officer’s Girl on the shelf was so exciting I grabbed the first sales clerk I saw and said, “This, this is my book!”

Poor woman. She obviously didn’t understand. It took another couple of tries before she realized I meant I’d written the book. Once she did, the joy spread until the next thing I knew, a voice came over the speaker announcing “an author” was in the building, and if anyone wanted to, they could come on over to the Romance section. And it was super when the clerk asked me to sign the copies of The Officer's Girl they had in stock.

I also participated in my first official book signing this week. And boy, what a book signing it was! Every new author should have nearly 300 eager fans show up and a staff to hand out tickets so attendees wouldn’t have to stand on line for hours. You probably already guessed not all those people were there to see me. And, much as I’d love to insist they were, you’d be right. The book signing kicked off the annual Washington Romance Writers’ Retreat. Held at Turn The Page Book Store Cafe in Boonsboro, MD, the other signers included the amazing Nora Roberts, Charlaine Harris, and Roxanne St. Claire.

For me, it was still a blast. Chatting with the attendees and being part of this event was such a fabulous experience, I’m eager to do it again. And, since I just completed my second Harlequin American Romance, maybe I'll be able to next year when Catch of a Lifetime is released.

Here's a photo of some of the crowd at Turn The Page.

Waiting for Babies

On Thursday on my blog, The Writer Side of Life, I posted a link to a great site created by Doug and Sheila Carrick, residents of Hornby Island off Canada’s west coast, and I thought I’d also share it here. Several years ago they set up a web cam above the nest of a pair of bald eagles on their property. This year the eagles have produced two eggs, and they are expected to hatch this weekend! Thanks to the Carricks, we get a bird’s eye view of the birth of these little eaglets.

Click here to visit the Hornby Island Eagle Cam and witness the birth of two baby bald eagles.

For more information about Doug and Sheila and the eagles, visit their website, The Eagles of Hornby Island.

To get an idea of what to expect, here's a photo of Hope, the first of last year's two babies. Aw!

Happy bird watching!

Until next time,
Lee

Firefighter Daddy (July 2010)

Kathleen Comes to Arizona

Last weekend I had a wonderful time at my local Romance Writers of America conference. My chapter always does a great job with the conference, but this year was a little more fun and exciting for me as my Harlequin American editor Kathleen Scheibling attended. It's always enjoyable for us authors to get to spend some quality time with our editors as well as a little social interacting :)

I picked her up at the airport on Friday (yes, I scrambled on Thursday to get the car washed). I was so paranoid about forgetting where I parked my car in the HUGE parking garage, I actually typed the info into my cell phone (two years ago when I picked up two editors at the airport, I DID forget where I parked and we wandered for 45 minutes ).

Saturday we sat together at lunch. That afternoon, we had our Harlequin panel workshop and it went well, I think. I did purchase a cd of the workshop as a souvenir!!

That's Kathleen on the far right, me next to her, Linda Style on my other side and Carrie Weaver on the far left. Both Linda and Carrie are Super Romance authors and members of my RWA chapter. That evening, we took Kathleen to the Westin Kierland Resort for dinner. I'd never been there before but I will definitely go back again one day. The place was gorgeous and the food amazingly good.

I ended the "editor intensive" weekend by having breakfast with Kathleen Sunday morning. And, yes, I did pitch a new series idea :)

This wasn't the first time I've met my editor, but it was certainly one of the best times I had with her. My only regret was that she didn't have an extra day to see the sights as she'd never been to Arizona before.

Cathy Mc

Blast From the Past Food in Brody's Crossing

Three weeks ago I finished the next book in my Brody's Crossing series, tentatively titled Texan in Her Heart. It's the story of a lost sister, Amanda Allen Crawford, who travels home to Texas and the Rocking C, and ends up finding more than she'd ever imagined. Not only does she fall in love (of course!) but she discovers a sense of community in the town where her mother lived for twenty years, her brothers were born and her father is buried. If you've read the other Brody's Crossing books, you'll recognize Troy Crawford from Temporarily Texan and Cal Crawford from An Honorable Texan as Amanda's big (and clueless) brothers. As always, my small town atmosphere is enhanced by my new community of Mineola, TX, where springtime is absolutely IN BLOOM! Here's the arbor leading to our front door.

And, since I missed posting the recipes for this month on the 4th due to wireless Internet issues, I'd like to also mention that she discovers Brody's Crossing is a place to eat. Big time. I didn't realize until after I'd finished the book that someone (usually the hero, Leo Casale) was always feeding her. You'd think she was a stray kitten! He takes her to Dewey's Steakhouse and Saloon and fixes her an authentic Italian dinner (thank you, Virginia Kantra, for the Bolognese sauce suggestion) at his condo. She dines with "the lunch ladies" at the cafe. They have a "blast from the past" going-away party for her at the Rocking C.

I thought I'd share some of the recipes the lunch ladies fix for the party. These might be familiar to you if you are "of a certain age."

• Velveeta Cheese/Rotel Tomato dip (in a Crock Pot, of course!)


• Macaroni Salad


• Meatballs with Chili Barbecue Sauce


• Sausage Pinwheels


• Peach Jello Salad


• Refrigerator Oatmeal Fudge Cookies
  

You probably have some of these recipes in your cookbooks, on recipe cards or bookmarked
online. If not, I'm going to share the ones I really love. Some of these are standards you
can easily look up. Some are so simple you don't really need a recipe!

Virginia Chancellor's Macaroni Salad

• 1 pkg elbow macaroni, cooked until soft (do not overcook!
• 1 large green pepper or more, to taste, cored and diced into small pieces
• 1 pkg Velveeta Cheese, cubed into 1/2 inch squares
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Miracle Whip
  
• Combine the first four ingredients in a large bowl. Add enough Miracle Whip to moisten
  everything but not so much that it becomes soggy. Refrigerate for several hours before
  serving so the flavors will blend. The Velveeta may get a little soft, but that's okay. The
  perfect macaroni salad for a hot Texas afternoon. Sometimes I even eat it for breakfast the next day!

Victoria Chancellor's Easy Meatballs

• 1 lb lean ground beef (I use 90% to 93% lean)
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 3 slices of bread, shredded or processed into crumbs, or saltine cracker crumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Onion and garlic, minced fine, optional
• For Swedish meatballs, add 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg and omit garlic
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and use non-stick spray.
  Mix all ingredients. Roll into small meatballs, about an inch or a little more in diameter, and
  place on cookie sheet. Bake for 20 -25 minutes until brown. For the best looking meatballs,
  turn halfway through cooking, but if you forget, that's okay. No frying! (Note: To increase
  recipe, just use the same proportions of 1 egg per 1 lb ground beef, and add enough crumbs to
  make them stick together.)

Chili-Barbecue Sauce for Meatballs

• 1 jar Heinz Chili Sauce and 1 jar sweet (not vinegary) barbecue sauce. I like K.C. Masterpiece.
  
  
• Mix together, heat, and add meatballs. Great in a Crock Pot. Will keep for days (refrigerated) if you have any left after the party!

Peach Jello Salad

My mother and then my mother-in-law loved this Jello salad straight from the 1960s or 1970s. If served as a salad, put it on a lettuce leaf for a nice presentation.

• 2 small packages Peach flavored Jello
• 1 large (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 2 small jars apricot baby food or about 4 ounces of frozen peaches, blended
• 1 large can crushed pineapple (Do not use FRESH pineapple!)
• 1 large container Cool Whip
• 
  You will need a 9 x 13 casserole dish or two 8 x 8 dishes. Drain pineapple and save juice,
  then add water to equal 2 cups. Bring water and Jello to a boil. Beat in cream cheese. Cool.
  Add fruit (baby food or peaches, pineapple) and allow to congeal slightly in refrigerator. Stir in Cool Whip. Refrigerate until firm. Serves a lot of people as either a salad or a dessert.

I'll share the Oatmeal Fudge Refrigerator Cookie and sausage pinwheel recipes later. Writing
about all this food has made me hungry! Happy reading ... and cooking.

Clueless

I'm at a total loss this morning about what to blog about. Several things have gone through my mind, but nothing seems to stick or last much longer than one or two sentences. It must be spring fever. Or maybe it's just my brain taking a nap after meeting a string of deadlines. So instead of trying to make sense of much of any one thing, I'm going to list some of those things that have danced through my mind.

Did you know that April begins on the same day each year as July, and in Leap year it's the same as January?

The HAR covers have been fantastic! As fantastic as the stories inside!

Signs in my office:

• Nobody is born published
• PASSION: A powerful force that cannot be stopped
• SOMEDAY MY COWBOY WILL COME (given to me a week ago by one of the members in our local writers' group)

I spent a wonderful morning plotting with three friends and wish we could get together more often, if only for the company.

It seems as if April Fool's Day was only a couple of days ago, yet the month is already more than half gone.

Thank goodness Tax Day is done for another year!

If I could do this a week from today, I could blog about the local Renaissance Fair, which I love attending.

People who can't think of blog topics shouldn't be blogging. :)

Have a wonderful rest of the weekend!