My personal assistants

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Grandparents' Day

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

Happy Anniversary American Romance!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Johanna Raisanen
Associate Editor
American Romance

It’s salsa time!

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

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

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

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

Watching the Squirrels Go By

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shelley

August winner!!!

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

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

Summer Entertainment

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

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

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

Thanks a lot.

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

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

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

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

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

We're Celebrating!

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

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

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

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

Michele

What makes a house a home?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Importance of Names: Stuffed Animal Edition

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

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

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

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

Murphy's Law

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

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

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

The money bleeding has just begun.

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

Now we’re hemorrhaging money.

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

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

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

Ann

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

Olympic emotions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Unrequited Love

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I asked if he told her how he felt.

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

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

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

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

They Call It French Country

I'm so excited! I have to share this news with everyone. I have new bedroom furniture. Now, I know some of you are thinking, big deal, it's only furniture. But I have been waiting years — no, decades — for this.

Let me give you a little of my bedroom furniture history, then you'll understand better why I'm overreacting.

When I was twelve, my mother bought me new bedroom furniture. When I got my first apartment as a junior in college, my mother gave me my childhood furniture. I continued to use it FOR YEARS. When my husband and I got married, we wanted something a little more "adult" for our first house. Not having a ton of money, we purchased a set of used furniture. Now, this was a nice set and of excellent quality, so it lasted FOR YEARS. Just to give you an idea how long, my husband and I celebrated our 20th anniversary earlier this year.

No one could argue that I was due for something new.

This picture I've posted really doesn't do my new furniture justice. And I couldn't fit all the pieces in one shot. But it's so cool. I actually a lingerie chest, for crying out loud. It's as tall as me with all these little drawers for my unmentionables, of which I had to buy more just to fill the extra space (grin).

Well, I've got to run. There's a teeny smudge on the front of the night stand that needs polishing.

Cathy Mc

The Road Trip

I went on a sixteen hour road trip with seven sixty-year-old women on Wednesday and I’m still exhausted. Holmes County , the home of a large Amish community, is four hours north. These women, quilters at my church, decided to go there on a fabric buying trip.

I tagged along.

We met at 6:30 am, and after agreeing that one cup of coffee was not enough, we all decided where the first stop should be.
And so it began. In two cars we took off. They drove-I hung out in the backseat-and we ate our way through Ohio. Along the way I realized that while my days revolved around my kids, my work, and my husband, their lives revolved around having fun.

Truth be told, I don’t think they would have traded places with me in a heartbeat.
When we arrived in Amish country, the first thing we did was pick up Clara, one of the lady’s good friends who’s Amish. Clara and I sat together and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company. We have a lot in common-we’re both quick shoppers and love books. After a hearty lunch at Der Dutchman (we all had pie), all of us hit the quilt shops and gift stores. The eight of us would break up, scatter among shops like cockroaches, then reconvene with each other, proudly showing our purchases. Clara got a kick out of the Amish doll I bought who came with a name, Sadie.

After more stops to the Amish bakery and cheese shops, we dropped off Clara at her farm and started the long journey home. I ended up in another car with a group of women who had more stories to tell than any Harlequin display anywhere. They told me about thirty year old marriages-and marriages that lasted barely two. A girlfriend of theirs found out the hard way that love letters from a man in a local prison didn’t equal love-just lust.

They told me about nursing careers and waiting for husbands who fought in Vietnam. They told me about kids who became doctors and businessmen and drug addicts. About part time jobs they’ve taken and trips they’ve planned. About cheering for the Packers for fifty years. They relayed memories about Corvettes from 1972.

I told them about nagging my high school senior about college applications, which pretty much sounded boring and lame.

By the time we stopped for BLT’s at a Waffle House at 9:30 that night, I was exhausted-but hadn't laughed so much in a long time.

And when I finally pulled into my driveway at 11, I couldn’t wait to take a hot shower and go to sleep. For me, Thursday brought high school schedule pick up, grocery shopping, and nagging about summer reading assignments. For three of those ladies, Thursday was off to Chicago. Off on another adventure, reminding me that I’ve got a lot to look forward to, long after my kids are grown.

Obviously, one day I want to grow up to be just like them.

So, has anyone else gone on a road trip this summer?
Shelley

Late Hello from Texas

Today is my critique group/lunch group day, so I didn't even look at my Daytimer, phone or computer until just now, and realized today is the 21st. Sorry to blog so late. The past few weeks have been rather foggy for me, and I don't mean just because of the unusually wet weather we've had here in the Dallas area. Let me tell you how it started.

In mid-July I attended and spoke at the Author!Author! event in Shreveport, LA with my daughter. Of course, since we were in Shreveport, we had to go to the casino. This was her one weekend away from her husband and two girls, ages three months and two years, and she really wanted to enjoy the freedom.

As we were leaving the casino, I spotted a little kitten in the valet parking area. It was hiding under a car and I was sure that it would get run over. No one at the casino knew anything about the kitten, so I made an executive decision that we should take it with us. It attached itself to my daughter's neck and didn't let go until she went into the convenience store and bought it some food. My daughter, who had been looking forward to getting a full night's sleep for the first time in months, ended up with a kitten curled around her head.

Did I mention that she's allergic to cats?

The next day, I tried to contact the animal rescue groups, but no one returned my calls. I ended up at Wal-Mart before going to the author event, buying lots of things for what we now called "Lucky," as in the luckiest cat in Shreveport. Fortunately, the hotel we were staying at accepted pets. Staying in the kitty crate all day was very effective at litter box training Lucky.

We brought Lucky home to Richardson, TX with us. I was sure we could find him/her (I wasn't really sure) a good home, and we did. The daughter of our neighbor was ready for a cat now that she was in grad school. She was on vacation for a week, though, so we kept the kitten in our house. To get Lucky ready for his/her new home, however, I felt obligated to take the kitten to the vet, spending about $250 when I discovered he had three parasites and ear mites.

Did I mention that my husband and I are both allergic to cats?

The outcome of all this kitty story is that first I got allergies, then a cold, then a sinus infection. I had already decided not to go the the Romance Writers Conference in San Francisco, which turned out to be a great choice since that was probably my sickest week ever. I've been on some really strong antibiotics for three days now and I'm feeling much better.

But, I console myself with the fact that the luckiest kitten in Shreveport now has a good home, no worms, parasites or ear mites. And I'll be well soon. I hope. Wish me luck!

Hi! My Name is Michele Dunaway and I am tired

Hi! My name is Michele Dunaway and I am tired.

You probably know the feeling. It's that one that has you saying "if only" there were 25 hours in the day. If only I didn't need sleep to survive. If only food cooked itself...

I have been teaching since August 11. I am up again at 5:20 and back to the world of grading papers, planning lessons, and getting ready for the first issue of the school newspaper. I have a curriculum to write for the district by Sept. 20 (the deadline of which landed on me today) and I have one more newspaper to judge, uh, by Aug. 26. That's up tonight and tomorrow.

I am coordinating an auction for the Student Press Law Center to be held in St. Louis in November. I have an article for C:Jet Magazine to do by Dec. 31. That stuff is for next week. I do have a partner for both, but she hasn't called because, like me, she's swamped under with back to school stuff. I have a book partial due Oct. 15. That's in there somewhere.

Somehow I'll get all this done. But I'm a tad overwhelmed. They've closed the road I always drive to work for a month, adding 10 miles one way to my already 28 miles one-way trip. They are repaving the main road I drive and starting by doing repairs; I'm hoping the two slow downs don't overlap too bad. The repaving hits me on the way home; I leave before it starts. Yesterday I had to take my daughter into the doctor for a surprise illness. She's fine but you know how those unplanned things go. A few of those plates you juggle wobble a bit.

So life is a bit overwhelming. To add to the craziness, my daughter and her friend found a baby bird in the park. It had been kicked out of the nest and it wasn't doing too well. Since they'd already carried it half way around the park before showing me, we took it home. We managed to get it healthy, only to lose it about 3 days later. It was a hard lesson in nature, but a valuable one. Still, it makes me sad.

Yet enough with the misery. I try to balance everything by staying focused on positives. Gas is $3.37 where I live. The weather is raining, but we need it. The days aren't hot like they usually are in August, and Michael Phelps got 8 gold medals. I also joined a new church that I love and my yearly mammogram was negative. I am back online after getting my computer fixed.

I'm also excited because we've got some great surprises coming to the blog next month, and I can give you a hint in my next blog as to what we've palnned. So think happy, get some sleep for me, and I'll catch you in ten more days.

Michele

Interview

It's my turn for an interview. Enjoy!

1) How long have you been published?
I sold my first book on December 23, 1999. (At 10:39 am, but who remembers details like that? ☺)That book, Stranger in a Small Town (Special Edition), was a November, 2000 release. And a Romantic Times nominee for best first series romance.

2) What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?
Three things: 1. Join Romance Writers of America. The organization is the best around at teaching the craft of writing, explaining the business side of writing, and sharing information about the publishing industry. 2. You can’t learn the craft without plenty of practice. Write every day, even if you only have time for a paragraph or two. 3. Be open to suggestions for improvement.

3) What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
Memorable, three-dimensional characters that readers think about them long after they finish reading the book.

4) What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?
We were in Italy last fall, I tried lardo, which is fried white lard flavored with salt and garlic. That may sound gross, but trust me, it was delicious. So tasty that I’m glad it isn’t served here. I’d be in big trouble!

5) What comes first: the plot or the characters?
As soon as I say characters, the answer will change to plot. LOL. In other words, it all depends… Sometimes a story idea begins with an interesting character and sometimes with an intriguing situation.

6) When you looked in the mirror this morning, what was the first thing you thought?
I recently completed a fabulous seminar sponsored by Wings (Google Wings, Eugene, Oregon). In it I learned tools for getting the most out of my life. Part of the seminar included writing a personal contract, which I repeat several times daily. This is what I thought about when I first looked into the mirror today. I’m happy to share my personal contract with you: I am a clear, courageous and beautiful woman, freely giving and receiving abundant love. So when I looked into the mirror, I saw a clear, courageous and beautiful woman open to giving and receiving the abundant love around me.

7) Describe your writing space.
We have a daylight basement. My office is there, in what was once someone’s bedroom. Nice, thick carpet, plenty of bookshelf space, and a bathroom across the hall. The windows are high up, so I can’t see out, but I do get plenty of natural light through them.

8) Do you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, what do you do about it?
I blogged about this last month! Luckily, I have never suffered writer’s block. Probably because I believe in taking time to fill my creative well often and in a number of ways. By shopping, meeting friends for coffee or lunch, seeing shows, traveling, and most recently, by starting salsa lessons with my husband.

9) What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
If we’re talking fiction, there is no one particular book or author. In a way, whatever I read influences my writing. Even bad books, which make me determined to write something better. Good books push me to stretch my own skills.
If we’re talking nonfiction, there are several books that influenced me. Three are: Techniques of the Selling Author, by Dwight Swain, Scene & Structure, by Jack Bickham, and Goal, Motivation & Conflict by Debra Dixon.

10) What are you reading now?
The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir.

11) Do you re-read your books once they're in print?
Never! I cringe at mistakes that can’t be fixed.

12) What is your work schedule like when you are writing?
I write eight pages per day, pretty much six days a week. If I’m lucky enough to finish in two hours, I get the rest of the day off. If it takes 10 hours, oh, well. I track my progress on a spread sheet and give myself a smiley face for meeting my daily goal. Corny, but it works! I also pay myself $.25 per page, or $2 per day, putting the money into a box. Once I finish a book, I spend the money on something just for me, my treat for working so hard.

13) How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
To date I have sold 15 books. Because with every book my writing improves, my favorite is always the one I’m writing now.

14) Do you hear from your readers much? What do they say?
I get email mostly, but some snail mail letters. Writers tell me they love my stories. That my characters could live next door. People ask about books I have written before and when the next one will come out. They write to say they love my website—the color and the information. I appreciate every email and letter, of course!!

15) Tell us about your family and where you live.
I live just outside Seattle, Washington. My husband and I have three grown daughters and one three-year-old grandson.

16) Are you working on anything at the present you'd like to share? At the moment I’m finishing a proposal for a women’s fiction novel with strong romantic elements. As soon as I finish I’ll get to work on creating a proposal and synopses for a Harlequin American miniseries featuring four brothers.

17) Did you ever eat paste or Elmer's glue when you were a kid?
Once. That stuff tastes foul!

18) What did you do career-wise before becoming an author? Well… Several things. Before I got my MBA, I was a realtor and later a tax preparer. During my MBA, I worked part-time at Nordstrom. Try going to grad school, working part time, and raising three young daughters!! Thank goodness for my supportive husband. After I had my MBA in hand, I worked as a financial analyst in a large commercial bank, and later as a personal banker. Several years later I took a job as a trainer for large commercial banks. I taught several technical courses and flew all over the country, working for numerous banks. I loved that, but then my writing took off. And writing is my passion, so I followed my heart and left banking.

19) How has the American Romance line changed since you first began writing for it? The situations are more realistic and less fantasy. I love the sense of community and the quirky secondary characters found in Harlequin Americans.

20) What helps inspire you when you write? Do you have any 'rituals' (like music, candles, a favorite scent) that helps you find your writing zone? Sometimes I listen to music for a little while, but I always stop when I get into the writing. Other than that, nothing really. Mostly I think about whatever I’m working on all the time and can’t wait to sit down and get to work.

21) What do you want to know about the future? Nothing. It’s exciting to NOT know and let life unfold.

22) Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? If so, which do you prefer?
I never drink either. I prefer coffee, water, tea, and ICE, in that order. (With occasional wine, cosmopolitans, gin and tonic, bourbon and water or scotch and soda thrown in. ☺)

23) Have you ever made a crank phone call?
Of course! In grade school and junior high.

24) Who's you're personal hero--past or present? My husband. He’s a warm, loving man, not afraid to shed a tear now and then. (He’d die if he knew I shared that!)

25) What is your dream car? A Jaguar!!

26) If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be? I’ve been to Europe and parts of Mexico, but next I’d like to visit Mexico City, Spain and France.

27) If you were locked in a closet for one hour who would you want in there with you? Gosh, I don’t know. My husband, I guess. We never run out of conversation, and if we get bored talking… Ahem, I won’t go there. ☺

28) If you were stranded on a deserted island what kind of hero would you want with you--A Cowboy, a Viking Warrior, a CEO, a Forensics investigator, a Chef or an Accountant. And why? Since the island is deserted, I’m thinking a chef and accountant wouldn’t be much use. Or a Viking warrior. Now a CEO might know what to do to get us found. A cowboy might be able to wrassle up some grub and build a campfire. So I’ll go with the cowboy. ☺

Thanks for letting me talk, and until next time,
Ann Roth
www.annroth.net

School Bells Ring, Are You Listening...

Oops, wrong season! No winter wonderland out there. Not yet, anyway.

Here in Kansas, the school year starts early. This year is definitely no exception. And after looking at the school calendar, it really appears that, at least here, we're moving little by little more to year-round school.

I admit that in the past, the thought of going to school throughout the year, without three months of summer off, made my jaw drop, but as I get older and see the benefits, the dropping of said jaw has been getting less and less pronounced. I've recently decided that having children in school all year might be much more beneficial to all than I'd ever considered.

Could that be that after 11 weeks of having four grandkids for five (and sometimes six!) days a week, I'm more than ready to get back to having some quiet time during the day? Now don't get me wrong. I love my grandkids. I love watching them grow, and I love watching them learn. The wonder on their faces at times is so priceless, it makes me want to weep. But after 11 weeks (long, bickering-between-them weeks, at times), the daily routine of getting them off to school began last Thursday, and I'm already loving it. I may not be saying that in the freezing, icing and snowing days of winter, but right now, it's heaven! (And they'll be too busy to dump a brand new bottle of chocolate syrup on the trunk of my car!)

I don't remember feeling this way when their moms were young, maybe because I was, too. My patience wears much thinner these days, and my outlet--writing--hadn't yet begun and wouldn't for several years. We share a lot of memories, my daughters and I, of those days, especially the ones of the first day of school each year. The year my #3 daughter started kindergarten, it rained so much, we couldn't get to the school because of the flooding. She was so disappointed, she cried all the way home when we had to turn around and go back, unable to get into town on the water-filled country roads. My fondest memory of going back to school was only a day later, when they were finally able to go. #4 daughter wasn't born until October, and I remember taking the three girls to school that day and returning home to the quiet of an empty house, something I hadn't experienced in nine years! I sat in the rocking chair in the corner for hours, cherishing the solitude of that first day. But when that first day of school was over, I also remember going to pick them up, eager to hear their stories of new friends and new teachers. And then life took hold, and I never spent another morning in the corner rocking chair again.

I value teachers, those women and men who have dedicated their lives to educating our youth, our children. They must have been specially chosen for their outstanding patience and love, the first being something I seem to run short on more often than I used to. So today is my (unofficial) salute to all of them, and especially those HAR authors here, who care for and nurture our children and grandchildren in so many ways. Bless you all!

Elena Does The Macarena From Morocco - OR - What's In a Name?

Anyone with access to television, radio, newspapers, or Internet during the past few weeks will probably understand the title of this blog post. If you don't get it, I almost hate to explain.

In a nutshell, a family-court judge in New Zealand recently made a nine-year-old girl a ward of the court in order to change her name, which was: "Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii."

What were her parents thinking?!

When I was growing up, even the kids knew the importance of a name and that having one open to taunting would scar a person for life. Heck, even the wrong initials could be disastrous.

Various articles, newscasts, and blogs went on to list the rather...odd choices made by parents over the years. I won't go into them here.

But in view of the importance of names, I do want to say that finding the appropriate names for my characters is essential to me. I spend a lot of time choosing something that fits a particular character. (And that won't lead to teasing or offensive initials!) I even go so far as to make sure the heroine's first name works well with the hero's last, because in my books, you know she's going to wind up with him.

Trust me, if I pick something that doesn't fit, the characters are the first to tell me. And once they've wrestled me to the ground to convince me of what they should be called, it's a done deal--the names are approved, permanent, and going into print!

I'd like to ask what some of your favorite names are, and why, for both male and female characters. Since I'm so fascinated by the subject, I'll be very interested in your response.

And who knows--one of your favorite names just might find its way into one of my books.


All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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