Better Late Than Never

That will be my epitaph, I'm sure. But what counts is that I am here and very excited about being a part of the Harlequin American family.

My first book for HAR, Family by Design, will be a January '08 release, so we have lots of time to get to know each other. Having written five books for Silhouette Romance, I'm especially happy to have found a new home where I can continue to write stories about families and communities.

I'm a Kansas girl, born and raised in the Sunflower State and have lived here all my life. From big city to small town to a rural farm, I've come full circle and am now back in the big city and loving it. The only thing I miss is the solitude of the "country", where I enjoyed walking up and down the road anytime I felt like it and never had to worry if the neighbors might see me in my pajamas--or worse. My four daughters moved to the city with me, and the two oldest have gifted me with three grandchildren. #4 will arrive this fall. We're very big on family and get together every Saturday night (all 11 of us, counting spouses and fiances!) to play board games or just enjoy talking and laughing together.

Besides writing, I also design websites and baby-sit the aforementioned grandkids. Life is full and wonderful! Well, except for the bottle of wood glue spilled on the carpet and the cell phone that was flushed....

Have a wonderful start to the summer!

Five days and counting...

I work as support staff for a school district. The year is drawing to a close, and all the students in my classes are getting antsy.

To tell the truth, so am I.

There are a million and one things I need to do in these next five days before school ends, and a gazillion things I have to do in the weeks after. And don't you just know those three long--and loooooong-awaited--months will fly by?

My summer days are made for catch-up, work and around-the-house chores, errands and appointments. In July, I'll be at the national conference of the Romance Writers of America, held this year in Dallas. My husband and I are still thinking about what trip we'll take together. Planning it is always half the fun. And my number-one priority this summer--already highlighted all through my calendar--is to write, Write, WRITE!

How about you? Have any plans? Going somewhere special--to a well-loved spot you visit year after year or to a location that's new and different?

Vacation time will be here before you know it!


All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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

Sigh-Worthy Heroes

What makes a hero sigh-worthy?

Is your favorite sigh-worthy hero a cowboy? Lawyer? Doctor? Bad Boy? Pirate? DEA Agent? Soldier? High-powered businessman?

What about tax accountants, pharmacists, computer programmers, realtors and managers of department stores? Granted, there's a certain image associated with a cowboy that makes it difficult for a department-store manager to compete with…tight jeans, boots, cowboy hat and swagger.

What's missing in an "Average Joe" that they rarely make an appearance in romance novels? Is it because many of us women are married to one of these guys? Or is it because it isn't as easy for authors to make Average Joe jump off the pages and into the hearts of readers?

What traits or characteristics--besides a HOT body--do you believe Average Joe, who drives a Saturn, needs to possess to become sigh-worthy?

Happy Reading,
Marin
www.marinthomas.com
The Preacher's Daughter/Summer Lovin' Anthology June 07

Love and the small screen

It’s mid-May, the time for endings, and, by the same token, for beginnings. My older son just arrived home from his junior year in college and my younger son is preparing for high school graduation. So it's the start of a summer full of family get-togethers -- and preparation for fall enrollment!

Meanwhile, the spring planting season is winding up here in Southern California, and the summer vegetables are beginning to poke into view. This year, I’m growing tomatoes, along with zucchini, lettuce (if the snails don’t eat it all!), green beans, basil, parsley, cucumbers and eggplant.

May also marks the end of the TV season. Goodbye to old favorites, although many will return. Hello to summer replacements.

Re the old season: Those of who love romance appreciate how the writers on Smallville have managed to keep the sparks alive between Clark and Lana, even after her marriage to Lex. Other favorites: the shenanigans on Desperate Housewives, which I just discovered this year and am frantically catching up on, and the stylish and touching turns on Grey’s Anatomy.

I’ll also miss Jericho, which somehow manages a touch of romance amid the carnage, and 24, where poor Jack Bauer just can’t seem to get his hands on Audrey. Plus, I really enjoy the husband-wife relationships on The Unit.

While I’ll miss them this summer, this means the start of more time to catch up on my reading. I’ll see you at the bookstore!

Mother's Day Hangover!!!

Is it possible to have too much fun on Mother's Day? I'm exhausted!! LOL!! For starters, all three of my sweeties made cards with actual handwritten notes inside!! You may laugh, but getting teens to write from the heart when they're not being given extra credit isn't easy!!

We then headed off to the Muskogee Renaissance Faire. Son #1 took his girlfriend, so they promptly ditched us, but Daughter and Son #2 were smart and stayed with the money!! (The only time we saw Son #1 all day was when he ran low on cash!! )

The pic is from left to right, Son #2, Daughter, Son #1's girlfriend, Son #1. We happened upon the happy couple practicing archery, and needing cash for ice cream!!


After weeks of rain, the day was gorgeous and sunny--just right for munching on all of the yummy food!! The hands-down family fave was chizlicks (I know I'm spelling this wrong), which is elk steak. AMAZINGLY tasty!! We were at the grocery store last night, and Daughter asked the butcher if they're able to get elk. He'd never heard of an elk!!! We found this funny, but then seeing how we had the giggles from too much sun and sweets, pretty much anything would've made us laugh!!

I made pasta salad for dinner, then we all sat down for a movie. Turistas convinced me to never EVER again leave the country!! Wow, was it scary!!!

I was sad that I didn't get to see my mom on Mother's Day, but she and Dad were planting trees to replace the ones our late ice storm killed.

Anyway, I hope all of you other mothers out there are feeling as hungover on happiness as I am!! Now, it's back to reality. I'm working on a fun new writing project, but I'm thinking it may have to wait until after I take a nap!!

Anyone else have any Mother's Day fun to share??

Book signings

From left to right, Connie Brockway, Michele Dunaway, Alexa Hunt (aka Shirl Henke) at MORWA's after-the-meeting book signing.

I don't do many book signings anymore. I don't play much golf either. I consider the reasons for both about the same.

First, let me say I love both golf and book signings. I see the chance to sell even one book to a new reader as a thrilling experience. The trouble is the time factor. Book stores expect you to sell mega books in two hours, not just five to ten. Since I'm not Nora or John Grisham, that's probably not going to happen. After my first signings, I noticed my numbers sold at signings went down. My family and friends came to my first signings, but now they don't stop or blink an eye. My being published is "old hat," just like them being journalists, or teachers or something. Just another day at the office.

Golf is about the same way. I discovered that my second time playing, I birdied on the second hole. I've never done as well since. For me, the ideal golf date is tooling around, tearing across the course in the golf cart trying to see who can be the first one to the next green. Since you're not supposed to do that, well...you get the idea.

Book signings can be the same way. The first ones are fun and exciting. Doing one for every book can get old quickly, and if you aren't Nora or someone "really" famous, you'll sit there and smile a lot. The only people who talk to you want directions to the bathrooms. There are others who hover at the end of the aisle and whisper about you. You keep smiling anyway.

Don't get me wrong. Both book signings and golf can be a lot of fun when done properly. With signings, you have to be willing to get out from behind the table and pimp yourself. Yep, that' s the only word for it. You have to be willing to talk to everyone who glances at you. Think of walking through all the sales booths in the middle of the mall. That person who jumps out and offers you hand cream--that has to be you with your book.

Just as golf is more fun to play with someone, so are book signings. Having someone there to chat with while people are chatting about you makes you feel a bit less conspicuous. It also makes the time fly, and if you tag-team the reader who stops for one author, you can often get them to buy both books. You're also guaranteed at least one sale--the other author at the table.

Now I've been a little tongue in cheek here, but all of the above is true. If the other authors are willing to share some of their funny signing experiences.....

And, if you are at RWA this summer, come see me and chat. If nothing else, I promise to know where the bathroom is.

Michele

A hundred lives to lead

Anyone who reads my personal blog (http://karalennox.blogspot.com) knows I'm into bird-watching these days. In fact, I've already included something about bird-watching in two of my books. In A SECOND CHANCE (April 2007, Hotel Marchand series) I had a couple of characters who were staying at the hero's B&B in Louisiana, intent on looking for the rare (and probably extinct) ivory-billed woodpecker. And in an upcoming Harlequin American (GOOD HUSBAND MATERIAL, Jan. 2008) my heroine has lots of birdfeeders and loves to sit and watch birds out her window.

But bird-watching is just one of a whole string of hobbies. The fact is, I am a serial hobbyist. I'll take up something for a year or two, tire of it (or discover I'm no good at it) and move on to something else. But though I never get really good at anything, the hobbies serve a useful purpose, aside from getting me out of the house: I include them in my books! To date, here are some of my hobbies that have made it into my books: scuba diving/snorkeling, cooking, archeology, growing roses, renovating old houses, astrology, storm chasing, oil painting, bicycling, jewelry making.

Some of the hobbies I only tried briefly. Storm chasing, for example, was too scary, too time consuming, and required expensive equipment. My roses all died. I was dreadful at oil painting, and I decided jewelry making wasn't all that much fun. Some hobbies became lifelong pursuits--bicycling and renovating old houses are two I've stuck with.

But, believe it or not, I still have a few hobbies I haven't yet used. I've never had a character who was an antiques dealer, for instance. Or a mosaic artist. Or a treasure hunter. Or a rock climber. I've shown dogs and dug for crystals. I was into stargazing for a while. Played the guitar, mandolin and electronic keyboard (none of them very well). I even (gasp!) used to hunt birds.

If only I had a hundred lives to lead, maybe I could get good at all of these activities. Unfortunately there's only me, and only twenty-four hours in a day, so usually I don't do more than skim the surface and move on. But by living vicariously through my characters, I can get a taste of what it would feel like to be a real archeologist. Or a chef. Or a ... I dunno. I could use a new hobby. Any suggestions?

COLORFUL CHARACTERS

COLORFUL CHARACTERS

Once A Cowboy came out in February and I received mail about the sexy cowboy on the cover. Yes, he was sexy! But I also received mail wanting to know if my grandmother was like Naddy in the book.

No, absolutely not. She was just the opposite. And since readers have asked, I’ll tell you about her. And if you have a colorful character in your life, please share. They make our life interesting and fun.

My grandmother, my mother’s mother, was a devout Polish Catholic and she lived with us. She prayed in Polish and as kids my brothers and I tried to be very good around her. We didn’t want her talking to God about us in a language we didn’t understand. Every Sunday at seven a.m. we were in church for mass. My grandmother had her special seat, on the end of the row and my brothers and I jockeyed not to sit by her. I somehow always got squeezed in by Grandma.

We loved our grandmother, but she was very strict about church. You had to stay awake. We played hard on Saturdays and getting up at 5:30 a.m. to go to church was difficult for little kids. Every time I would doze off my grandmother would pinch my cheek. Hard. My right cheek was numb most of my growing up years.

She passed away when I was seventeen-years-old and I can remember her funeral vividly. It was late October, cool and drizzling rain. I remember standing in the light rain and wishing she’d pinch my cheek one more time. It was the first time I became aware of death and it’s finality.

Wherever Grandma is she’s praying in Polish and probably shaking her head at my romance novels. I’m not sure what she would think of them. She’d probably pinch my cheek.

Linda Warren

I Need Help!

I am terrible thinking up titles for my books! My editor wants me to come up with something for the second novel set on the fictitious Halo Island, and I’m hoping you’ll help.

In a nutshell, here are the particulars:

The hero, D.J. Hatcher owns Island Air, a seaplane company that flies tourists from Seattle to Halo Island and back. The flight takes about one hour. (The company is modeled on a real-life seaplane company in Bothell, Washington, near where I live.) Island Air is suffering financial problems, and D.J. may be forced to sell—something he does not want to do.

The heroine, Liza Miller, teaches second grade, but not on the island. She grew up there, and has come back to help her grandmother move from her home of fifty-four years into an apartment in a retirement complex. The move is for the best—a smaller place with a dining room and medical care is just what her grandmother needs. But leaving one’s home is never easy. An added burden is that Liza has been let go and must find another teaching job.

Both D.J. and Liza have had painful pasts. Four years before the story opens, D.J.’s wife ran off with his business partner. The following year, Liza’s fiancée left her at the altar for one of the guests. Imagine!

I won’t go into the details (you can read the story when it comes out sometime in 2008), but as you might have guessed, Liza and D.J. fall in love.

My editor would love to use the word “pilot” in the title. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. I’m counting on you, and will report back on my next blog date, May 19, with the title my editor chooses.

Ann Roth
Summer Lovin’ Anthology: A Reunion Story, June 2007
Mitch Takes A Wife, August, 2007
www.annroth.net

Spring Cleaning

I have three sets of visitors coming to stay for a few days this summer--end of May, *sometime* in June and the week of July 4th, which includes a big family reunion at my home. When do I do my spring cleaning and still have the house in good shape by July?

Spring cleaning in my house includes…cleaning the carpets (I have my own carpet machine and do the rugs in my house) cleaning the blinds (damp cloth and wipe every slat), washing windows, curtains, flipping bed mattresses, wiping baseboards, cleaning the bathroom vents and washing shower curtains, spraying dried flowers arrangements, dusting all those goofy roosters I collect, washing doors, cleaning the garage out, getting on a ladder and dusting the lights and ceiling fans) then of course all the normal stuff like vacuuming and dusting.

I'm tempted to hire a maid service to come in and do the whole house in one day, but I hate spending money on something I can do myself. I'd rather use the money I save to buy flowers for the yard. If anyone has any shortcuts, tips or suggestions on spring cleaning, I'd love to hear them.

Happy Reading!
Marin
www.marinthomas.com
Summer Lovin' The Preacher's Daughter June 07

You can go home again

I just returned from a week in Nashville, Tennessee. Although most people associate Music City with its country performers, I grew up there, so a return has a very different meaning to me. This trip in particular was packed with landmark events.

My mom, Sylvia Hyman, is an internationally known ceramic sculptor, and the first weekend of my visit, I attended the Nashville Film Festival to view the world premiere of a half-hour documentary about her by filmmaker Curt Hahn. In addition to my stepfather, we were joined by my brother, my stepbrother and his wife, so we enjoyed a mini-family reunion along with the screening.

The film, “Sylvia Hyman: Eternal Wonder,” is beautifully made, informative and amusing, although my mother wishes it had been titled “Eternally Wondering” instead of “Eternal Wonder” (it should be available on DVD by mid-June from www.filmhouse.com). Curt is also cutting a shorter version to accompany an exhibit of Sylvia’s work at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville, June 22-Oct 7, in celebration of her upcoming 90th birthday.

Not the usual sort of visit with one’s 89-year-old mother! And she’s still working, exploring new ideas and techniques.

My visit also encompassed my fortieth high school reunion, a chance to catch up with old friends. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but we had a blast! About twenty fellow students from a graduating class of seventy attended, along with perhaps a dozen spouses. Our class comedians haven’t lost their touch (in fact, I think they’re funnier now) and everyone seemed warm and upbeat. I almost wish I were back in high school so I could enjoy their company without the teenage angst.

It’s hard to believe so much time has passed. All the same, I feel like I’m just getting started in my own life and career. My mother has done her best work since she turned eighty. So tune in – I’m revving my engines!

Best Harlequin American--05 (or why you shouldn't be embarrassed to google yourself)

Okay, admit it. You've taken your name, stuck it in the google search bar and pressed enter. If you haven't, you should start.

As an author, I do a search of my name about every two months. I've also signed up for google alerts, but usually I get information about movies that star Michelle Pieffer and Faye Dunaway rather than something about me.

However, the other day I did a google search and discovered that cataromance.com named Emergency Engagement their best Harlequin American of...2005.

I had no idea. No one ever notified me, so it was a fun way to end what has been a pretty good month.

Google searches have turned up some other interesting things. I've found reviews of my books, foreign editions, my bio written in French, blogs about my books, and authors who have credited me for inspiring them to write something (which is always fun). Most things I'd never know, had I not "googled" myself.

I'll also admit to googling family members, exboyfriends, coworkers, etc. It's fun to see what's out there on the world wide web, and I've located former students via their posts on myspace, by finding it first on google.

So have fun. Don't be embarrassed. You might discover you've won something, or that someone with your name is "famous" too (the other Michele Dunaways are a painter and a newsbroadcaster).

Michele

My "Writer's Spa"

My husband, Rob, also a writer and an e-publisher, signed up to attend the Romentic Times Booklovers Convention. I decided to go with him. I mean, he was paying for the hotel room. I could hang out in a luxurious room, freed from the mundane activities of meal preparation, paying bills and housework. I could eat healthy salads and fruit for every meal, take long walks, and sleep in a king-size bed with massive numbers of feather pillows. Under such conditions, I was sure I could crank out at least 50 pages.

We drove down to Houston on Wednesday afternoon. By the time we got settled in our room I was much too tired to write. I watched "Mythbusters" and "Dirty Jobs" and planned to start my serious spa work the next day.

Thursday got off to a promising start. I woke up early and went for a nice long run/walk in the beautiful spring weather. About a mile from the hotel I found a bagel shop, where I bought a bagel and coffee to go (I couldn't find any fresh fruit, honest!). On the way back to the hotel, I fell off the curb and twisted my ankle.

I hopped/hobbled/limped about eight blocks back to the hotel, put ice on my ankle, and ate my cold bagel and drank my cold coffee. That was the end of the fitness portion of my spa. Now there was nothing left for me to do but write. I propped myself on the bed with my foot on a pillow, and I wrote and wrote and wrote--thirty pages.

As for the salad plans, I had great intentions, but Subway was the only place close enough to limp to. Subway sells potato chips. I was doomed.

That night I went to bed early with a couple of aspirin.

Friday I wrote some more--17 pages--and ate all the candy Rob brought back from the conference Goody Room. At three o'clock I packed up and started for home--and was stuck in traffic for two hours. Not exactly the relaxing conclusion I was hoping for.

At least I got a lot of writing done, which was really the point. And okay, the feather pillows were nice. But next time I want a spa, I'm checking into Elizabeth Arden!

(P.S. The picture is me with legendary Romantic Times publisher Kathryn Falk. I did attend one reception, given by www.allromanceebooks.com.)

The real Las Vegas

Hi,
Just a quick post as I'm on my way to catch a plane to Las Vegas. My LV is not Bellagio, talking fountains, and the Eiffel Tower. The real Las Vegas is soccer moms, band concerts and weekend flea markets. In other words, it's where folks live, work and play. And how do I know that - that's easy. My extended family lives there.

I have to say, the real Las Vegas is a treasure trove of inspiration for writers - great eccentric characters, funky settings and events that are almost too hard to believe. I've used it several times. So hopefully I'll get another inspiration.
I know I'll probably be the only person on the return trip to have made only a minimal contribution to the economy. I somehow can't resist dropping a few nickels on video poker.

Ann DeFee

Georgia On His Mind - Harlequin American Romance - August 2007
Summer After Summer - Harlequin Everlasting Love - September 2007
The Magic of Christmas - The Perfect Tree - Harlequin American Romance - November 2007

Introducing Myself

I'm so happy to be here, I'm probably going to start gushing clichés right and left. Please bear with me. I'm a brand new Harlequin American author, and it only took me eight years to get here.

My path was not only long but fraught with ups and downs. For any of you unpublished authors out there, take heart. The book I sold to Harlequin American last August, His Only Wife, was a two-plus year process that involved two separate revisions. It was hard work, but well worth it. And now that I'm here, I hope to stay for a very long time.

My hero in His Only Wife is a wilderness firefighter, specifically a Hot Shot. I got the idea for the book a few years ago when my family and I went on a weekend trip to our cabin in Young, Arizona. That summer, the state suffered the worst wilderness fire in its history. We could see the mountains blazing and the many columns of rising smoke from the front porch of our cabin. At one point, the fire got so close to Young, we were put on alert for possible evacuation.

I had the honor and pleasure of meeting the Payson Hot Shots when the eleven men and one woman, on a short reprieve from fighting the fire, came into the local restaurant where we were having dinner. The town was hosting the Hot Shots, feeding them and putting them up for the night in the community center.

One look at them, and I knew I'd found inspiration for a book.

The good news is that the fire was contained before it reached Young and our cabin. Unfortunately, thousands and thousands of acres were lost. Writing the book was, in small part, my way of paying tribute to real-life heroes who put their safety on the line for others every time they report for duty.

I want to thank Michele Dunaway for inviting me to participate in the Harlequin American Blog and all the Harlequin American authors who have made me feel so welcome. This really has been a dream come true for me (there goes another cliché!).

HOME TO HOUSTON

I’ll be flying to Houston this Thursday to attend part of the Romantic Times Magazine Convention. I’m really looking forward to the trip. Simple Gifts, my October 06 release, won their reviewer’s choice award. So, I’ll get to attend the awards luncheon on Friday and also be a part of the booksigning on Saturday.
Another reason I’m looking forward to the trip is because I’m from Houston. I rarely get an opportunity to visit since no one in my family lives there any longer. However, just the thought of spending some time there makes me smile. Okay, I’ll say it--returning to Texas always makes me smile.
On Friday night, I’m planning to see Tiffany, one of my best friends growing up. Tiffany and I met when we were placed next to each other in sixth grade choir. Through the years, we did a lot together~dance classes, vacations, sleepovers, dinners at each other’s houses...and drill team. My favorite memories of Houston revolve around high school. I had a close group of girlfriends from the drill team, and I don’t believe I’ve ever had a group of friends like that since. I laughed and cried more with those girls than I do believe I have with anyone else since.
After graduation, I never really went back. My father moved away. Later on, my brother did too. I was in a hurry to finish college and get married. Since then, we’ve been transferred several times and have concentrated on making our home wherever we might be. Memories faded and new ones in other places took their place. Little by little, ‘y’all’ became ‘you guys’ and drinking ‘Cokes’ became ‘soda’ or ‘pop’.
Three years ago, my husband and I took our kids to Houston, to show them where I grew up. Kelly, another wonderful friend, threw a little get-together for us, complete with really good Tex-Mex. Before I knew it, Kelly pulled out a photo album, and then, there we were…looking back twenty years. In a matter of minutes I was laughing and crying just like I used to. My accent came back a bit. And my children had a very quick glimpse of a whole different person other than the one they thought they knew.
So, I’m really thankful to Romantic Times Magazine. Winning their award for my book was unexpected and truly gratifying. Having another reason to visit Houston is an added bonus. I’ll let you know what happened on the 3rd, when I blog again. And, if you happen to be going to RT, too, I hope you'll stop by and say hi!

Vacation, vacation

Exactly four days from now, I’m off on a family vacation. I live in Seattle and we’re headed to the opposite end of the country, ,sunny Siesta Key, Florida, where the beach is as soft as talcum powder , and the water is heavenly. Once I was among an appreciative group who stood and applauded the magnificent sunset there. I have seen dolphins frolicking in the distance, and swum with the fishes. ☺. Siesta Key is a great place to stroll barefoot early in the morning and enjoy the pelicans as they divebomb into the ocean for fish.

If I’ve made you salivate, I’ve done the same to myself!

It won’t be all play, though. I’m doing a bookstore at Sarasota News and Books, a wonderful independent bookstore. If you’re in the Sarasota area, drop by the bookstore on April 26 between 3:00-4:00. And, since I have a book due in June, I’ll be lugging my laptop along. I figure if I write a few pages every day, maybe after my early morning beach walk and before the rest of the family gets up and running, I’ll be okay.

Which leads me to a question for both writers and readers. When there is work to be done and vacation is here, what do you do? Put the work aside, figuring you’ll do it when you get back? (And if so, how do you push the guilt away?) Take it along and work on it (sporadically, which is better than nothing)? I really want to know.

Ann Roth
It Happened One Wedding, April, 2007
Another Life, April, 2007
www.annroth.net

Great News!

Congrats to Barbara and Kara for their finalist status. Barbara White Daille is a double finalist in the More than Magic contest and Kara Lennox is a finalist in the Holt. Way to go, ladies!

Also, thanks to all of you who helped put Nine Months' Notice on the Borders Group/Waldenbook series best seller list. Nine Months' Notice was #9 for the week ending 4/14.


Michele

Having a bad day

The alarm clock didn't go off this morning—I'd forgotten to reset it last night. Since I can sleep through a mine blasting, this means I woke up late for work.

The shampoo fell from the shower caddy and spilled all over the tub. I'd left the fresh towel and my bathrobe down the hall in another room. The light bulb above the sink blew out as I was straightening my hair with a flat iron that decided it wanted to curl up and die.

The toast burned, the microwave tripped the circuit breaker, and I tripped on the edge of the kitchen throw rug. (I get up at five a.m.; it's dark when all the lights go out!)

Couldn't find my car keys. Didn't remember where I'd left my purse. Found the case for my glasses—empty. Left for work without my lunch.

Okay, the morning was behind me. Clear sailing ahead, right?

Nope.

Knocked over my water bottle in the break room, soaking every item in sight. Lost seventy-five cents in the vending machine and another seventy-five cents shortly after. (So I'm stubborn, okay?)

My allergies kicked up, causing a fifteen-minute coughing fit—complete with tears streaking down my face—in front of 30-plus junior high school students.

And that was all before lunch!!!

I won't describe the rest of my day. Let's just say I came home, crawled into bed, and pulled the covers over my head. Fell asleep fully clothed, woke up at nine p.m....and am now at the keyboard, holding my breath as I type this blog entry, praying I will hit Send and hurry back to bed and wake up to find I've only been dreaming.

But first, I think I'll check to make sure I've turned the alarm on.


All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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

Love those wounded heroes!

During the past few weeks, I’ve been reading proofs for two books to be published this year. One thing that struck me was how much these dissimilar novels, written almost ten years apart, reveal about the themes I love.

I’m drawn to heroes and heroines who are wounded, sometimes figuratively but often literally. Also to law enforcement figures. As a news reporter, I used to spend a lot of time in police stations, and admire the men and women willing to face raw danger to defend others.

In my September release from Harlequin American, Twin Surprise, two supporting characters from Daddy Protector (which comes out in May) get their own book. Marta, a sunny gift shop manager who spent years recovering from a traffic accident, is troubled by her attraction to a playboy cop. Derek turns out to be struggling with his own challenge: a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.

Despite the serious issues, there’s plenty of lighthearted fun. A bachelor auction. A pair of feisty personalities butting heads. And, as the title implies, a pregnancy with a bonus.

The other proofs were for my May ebook from www.triskelionpublishing.net. Touch Me in the Dark is a paranormal romantic suspense I’ve rewritten several times since its inception a decade ago.

The hero, Ian, is an injured former police officer who retired on disability. Driven to paint, he’s become obsessed with images of a woman murdered a generation ago in the subdivided Victorian house where he lives. Then he meets a new tenant, a young widow who bears a striking resemblance to the victim. Did fate bring them together so he could save her from a mysterious force, or does the threat to her lie buried within Ian?

As you can see, the fact that certain themes and backgrounds resonate with an author need not detract from a book’s uniqueness. A quick read of each book’s first chapter reveals dramatic differences in tone, mood and plot.

To me, each situation is grippingly new and each relationship unique. Just as with real people, my characters chart their own courses. One thing they have in common, though: whatever pain life may inflict, love and commitment have the power to heal their spirits.