Too Much Stuff!

As I'm working on my house in preparation for putting it on the market, it's really hit home that I have too much stuff. Stuff is stacked everywhere, in every conceivable nook and cranny. I have drawers, closets and an attic full of stuff.

Much of it is good, useful stuff, or stuff given as gifts that has sentimental value, or stuff inherited from parents. But do I have to keep everything that I remember from childhood? My dad's high school beanie, my mom's old jewelry box? Yes, I remember that jewelry box sitting on her vanity, and it evokes happy memories of watching her put on her makeup and fix her hair. But I already have a jewelry box. Do I need this one, too?

My house is filled with dozens of such quandaries. Do I keep all those crystals I dug from a crystal mine with my own two hands? How about the stacks of paper manuscripts that will never sell? (Pre-computer age manuscripts!)

The media has us confused about what we "need" and what we merely "want." They've even told us that it's our civic duty to spend ourselves into a frenzy over the holidays, to boost the economy. But wasn't our quest for more stuff NOW (better cars, bigger houses) part of what got us into this mess?

This holiday, I've put a moratorium on stuff. I've told everyone, if you want to give me a gift, make it consumable (food, wine, soap or lotion) or, better yet, donate to a charity in my name. (Okay, I did ask my husband to buy me a frying pan. I'm convinced I really need one, since my old one is no longer nonstick.) My critique group, instead of buying gifts, is going on an overnight to a B&B as our gift to each other. I'd rather have memories than stuff any day.

I hope you'll consider rethinking your own holiday gift-buying blitz. Don't lose sight of those simple pleasures that make holidays truly special--being with loved ones, sharing hot cocoa, singing carols, decorating the tree together. Build memories instead of stacking up more stuff.

* * *

In other news, my newest book is out this month! THE PREGNANCY SURPRISE is Book 2 of the Second Sons trilogy. Book one, RELUCTANT PARTNERS, was just named a finalist in the RT Bookclub Reviewers Choice Awards for best Harlequin American Romance of the year. It's an honor to be among such fine company--you can see the whole list of finalists in a blog post below this one--one or two days back.

Traditions: Stress or Success?

This is a time of year packed full of holiday traditions. In my mind, traditions are things I look forward to doing -- things that remind me of happier times and put me in a celebratory mood.

And I think that's how all traditions start out. But then, somewhere along the way, some traditions evolve from 'want to' to 'have to.' We feel the pressure and stress of cramming so many activities into the crowded days that we often don't have time to truly enjoy what's happening.

Now, I want to stop here and say that Christmas is my favorite time of year and I do have a number of traditions that remain enjoyable. But as I face this holiday season with a long to-do list and a book deadline, I'm trying to reevaluate traditions and focus on the ones that bring me true enjoyment.

Here are some of the keepers:
The tree -- we cut our tree in the National Forest each year. For $10 we purchase a permit from the forest service and on our assigned day we venture forth into the snowy woods with our dogs in two and a thermos of hot chocolate to find just the right tree. It's a fun outing and something we look forward to every year. Back home, we string the lights and adorn the tree with ornaments collected over the years. Almost all have sentimental value and looking through them is a fun trip back in time.

Christmas movies: We've already talked about Christmas movies on the blog. I have my own stash I watch every year, including A Christmas Story; Love, Actually; While You Were Sleeping and Christmas in Connecticut. Even though my schedule is jam-packed, I am going to take a day off to sip cocoa, eat popcorn and enjoy a movie marathon, on the sofa in front of the fire.

Decorations: yes, it's a pain to hang those outside lights and wreaths, but every time I come home after dark (which is after 4:30 these days) I smile and feel wonderful looking at my little house lit up. So I did it.

Christmas books: I just put in a big order from eHarlequin.com for a bunch of new Christmas romances. Between Christmas and New Year's day I try to take off and read as many of these as possible. Besides, it's research -- right?

Traditions I'm cutting back on:

Baking. I still want to give cookies to friends and neighbors, but instead of elaborately decorated sugar cookies, this year I'm doing cookie bars and recipes where the dough is made ahead of time and frozen, then sliced and baked. Much less time consuming. In years past I've also done little loaves of fruit bread, which were also fast and well received.

Shopping: I did it all at sales earlier in the year or online the day after Thanksgiving. What a great feeling to be done so painlessly.

Wrapping. Last year I bought a bunch of Christmas fabric on sale and sewed a lot of different sized cloth bags. Now I just pop a present in, stuff in some tissue paper and tie on a label. I'm done and there's a lot less garbage on Christmas morning.

Cards. I'm still fighting this one. I like sending and receiving cards, but they take a ton of time. I want to cut back, but haven't figured out how yet.

Christmas dinner. One dessert, not three. Skip the relish tray. Fewer side dishes. We don't need to make pigs of ourselves to enjoy a good meal, right?

How are you handling Christmas traditions? Any must dos you don't want to miss? Anything you're giving up this year?

Congratulations to our Romantic Times finalists!

Romantic Times Magazine has announced the finalists in its 2008 Reviewers' Choice Awards.

For Best Harlequin American Romance:

FOREVER HIS BRIDE
Lisa Childs (Aug.)

RELUCTANT PARTNERS
Kara Lennox (Jun.)

THE RIGHT MR. WRONG
Cindi Myers (Feb.)

THE PILOT'S WOMAN
Ann Roth (Mar.)

TEXAS HEIR
Linda Warren (Sep.)

For Best First Series Romance:

MARRYING THE BOSS
Megan Kelly (Apr.)

Congratulations on your outstanding achievement!

NEW COVER

Well, it’s that time of the year again. We all seem to be so busy, but this year I’m taking time to enjoy the important stuff like family, faith, and friends. And the fact that I have a writing contract. That always lifts my spirits.

I'm excited about my March 2009 release, The Sheriff of Horseshoe, Texas. It’s part of the Men Made In America Series. I received my cover the other day. (It should be to your left if I clicked the right buttons.) Before I look at my new covers, I close my eyes for a second. What I‘m really doing is praying for the best cover ever and bracing myself to accept what I see on the screen. I take a deep breath and open my eyes. Boy, did I get a surprise. It was perfect—just as I had the hero pictured. Kathleen and the art department are doing a fabulous job with the American covers and I hope you’ll agree. Take a peek and let me know what you think.

Wishing you a happy holiday season. May you enjoy the things that are important to you.
Linda
http://www.lindawarren.net/
Texas Heir – Sep ’08 AR
4 ½ RT TOP PICK
The Sheriff of Horseshoe, Texas – Mar ’09 AR

Because of a man I recently met, I can't let this day pass unnoticed.
This past summer, I spent several hours with the husband of my mother-in-law's cousin. He's a fascinating man, a volunteer at the seminary where he used to work for over 20 years, who grew up as a farmer. Now he's an avid cross-stitcher, who creates beautiful works with thread and patience.
Another thing that really stands out, other than his kindness and old-fashioned courtesy, is the story of his time in the Navy. He's a Pearl Harbor survivor. He showed me his page at Pearl Harbor Stories (http://www.pearlharborstories.org/), and filled in more details throughout the day.
I'm not going to give you his name because all of the stories there are worth reading. I am going to encourage you to talk to the older people in your life and learn more about them. Never would I have guessed this gentle man was such a fascinating piece of living history.
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all the servicemen and women, past and present for their service and their sacrifice. And to extend my thanks also to their families.
If you know an older person, ask them about the memories of their past. My aunt once mentioned casually about having to clear the street in Kansas because a herd of cattle was coming through town, which of course sparked an idea for a historical romance LOL.
Have a great holiday.
Megan Kelly
megankellybooks.com

My New Volunteer Venture.. Part Two

A month ago, I posted about volunteering as an after-school tutor for a foster boy or girl. Since then I’ve tutored three times, twice working with a seventh-grade girl and once with an eight-year-old boy. The experience with both kids has been both rewarding and difficult. With the girl, I tried to help her with math. I say “tried” because things didn’t go well. While she struggled with some of the problems and I attempted to explain what to do, her eyes filled with silent tears. And I wasn’t even raising my voice or anything! As a foster child she’s been through a lot (stuff I can’t even imagine) and apparently expresses her frustration by crying. I’m not sure how to deal with that, and the other adults don’t, either. Be kind and give her lots of positive strokes, I guess. The boy was more challenging. He’s pretty smart and whipped through some of his work. Then dug in his heels and refused to do more. Apparently this is his usual way, and it’s frustrating! I’m planning to talk more with some of the adults who work there for tips and help.

However... No matter what happens, I’m learning that flexibility is key. That and love. These kids need tons of it. So that’s the latest from me.

Until next time and wishing you satisfying volunteer activities,

Ann
www.annroth.net

Wanted: Christmas Movies and Books

Once again, our December is a hodgepodge of activities. While I love the busy-ness of it all, I can’t help but wish that just a little of it took place in say, April…when things at our house are really quiet. Luckily, this year I think I’m ready for the chaos. I put up our Christmas tree two weeks ago- much to my neighbors’dismay-and finished the Christmas cards last Sunday afternoon.

Why am I doing so much so early?

One reason. Wrestling and basketball season have begun.

As of last week, my daughter either has either cheer practice or a game four out of five school nights. My son has practice late every day, and each meal time is a constant give and take according to his weight. This Friday night, we’ll go to the basketball game and watch the cheerleaders. Saturday morning will take us to another gym, where we’ll spend way too many hours among a crew of sweating, spitting boys.

Ah, parenthood. Yes, we’ll love every minute of it. But all those sporting events makes me yearn for a bit of ‘Shelley’ activities.

In December, that means watching as many Christmas movies and reading as many Christmas themed books as I possibly can. While I’ve always loved Christmas movies-The Bishop’s Wife is my all time favorite-I’ve gotten pretty hooked on Hallmark Channel movies. Last Saturday night I watched Silver Bells. Have any of you seen that? I cried the whole last thirty minutes.

Christmas romances were the first type of Harlequins I ever read. I just finished Marin Thomas’s lovely The Cowboy and the Angel and Jillian Hart’s His Holiday Heart. My To-Be-Read pile includes more Harlequin Americans and a Regency anthology put out by Signet. Those books just make you feel good no matter what, I think.

Of course, I definitely need some more titles of books and movies-I can only take so many basketball games and wrestling meets! So, please chime in and give me some titles…either of favorite Christmas movies or books. I’d love an excuse to get to Borders Books.

Shelley

November winner!!!

This month's winner is Magdalena!!!!!! Congratulations!!! To get your free, autographed books, please contact Marin Thomas and Tanya Michaels through their websites.

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

Movie star me -- sort of

I’ve never been accused of looking like a movie star, although I sometimes identify with Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh.

However, one of my writing critique buddies, Jean Riddell, creates short edited videos for special occasions. In launching her business, she decided to practice on me.

So there I am, featured in half a dozen very short videos, talking about how I get my ideas, how I organize my writing schedule, and other topics that readers ask about. They’re posted on my Web site, www.jacquelinediamond.com, and you don’t need the latest computer operating system or browser to view them.

Over the course of a twenty-five-year writing career, I’ve been interviewed before, mostly for print publications. The few times I’ve appeared on TV, I’ve felt very self-conscious, but Jean helped me relax.

The old advice to just be yourself can lead people astray, though. I certainly didn’t want to provide a glimpse of me filled with remarks like “uh,” “you know,” and “oh, wait a minute, what was the title of that book?”

I did have to stop and think when Jean threw questions at me. However, I tried my best to look intelligent while doing this, and she claims I succeeded. Guess I’m a better actress than I realized.

Hope you’ll take a look and let me know what you think. Also, I wanted to share some good news: my January release, Million-Dollar Nanny, earned 4 ½ stars from Romantic Times, which called it an “extremely touching, beautifully written story.”

Let me tell you, that made me feel even better than a movie star!

Recharging the batteries

If you are reading this on my blog date of Nov. 30, I'm driving home from Kansas City. I took the weekend to visit with friends, do some shopping (post Black Friday) and brainstorm the plots for three new books. My younger daughter enjoyed the water park attached to the hotel.

We stayed at the Sheraton at the Kansas City Sports Complex. The place was crawling with Mizzou fans who were there for the Border Game against rival KU. Unfortunately the Tigers fell by three points in what was a very wet and miserable day for those in the open air stadium.

So this is a short blog post, rather like my short working vacation to recharge my batteries.

Michele

Yikes! It's the 29th ...

... And I haven't yet posted a blog. How many excuses can I come up with? I'm very good with excuses. Being a creative excuse-maker is handy if one is as scattered and forgetful as I am these days.

Here is my list of excuses:
1. My Microsoft Outlook calendar is supposed to remind me, and it didn't. What's up with that?
2. I have a Thanksgiving hangover. I made the whole dinner this year, turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, pie (okay, my husband made the pie) and I entertained my family for a whole day without yelling at any of them. The decompression period after such an effort is at least a couple of days.
3. I had to get my car inspected before the end of the month (tomorrow) and, to get that done, I had to get up at the crack of dawn and take my car in to the mechanic's place or he wouldn't be able to squeeze me in.
4. It's the second-to-last day of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and I still have six thousand words to write if I want to finish and win my certificate.
5. (Here is the real reason.) I'm putting an offer in on a house in California, and I've been on the phone, the Internet, reading long legal documents and standing over the fax machine (so it doesn't jam) for two days. It's all I can think about. I tossed and turned for hours last night, wondering if we're doing the right thing (so I got no sleep, another fine excuse).

So there you have my list of, in my opinion, very credible excuses for why I didn't post a blog this morning when I was supposed to.

Yes, all right, I could have written it a long time ago and scheduled it to run so I wouldn't have to worry about it. But I don't plan ahead that well!

In other news, my new book will be out in December. THE PREGNANCY SURPRISE is Book Two of the Second Sons trilogy about a trio of New York cousins who move to a small Texas town to collect an inheritance from their black sheep uncle, a fishing charter business. THE PREGNANCY surprise is Reece Remington's story. If you like geek heroes, you'll love Reece and his rocky romance with free-spirited Sara.

Now, I'm off to write another eight or ten pages today. I hope you'll forgive me and my fried brain. I'll be back on Dec. 11 and I'll try to be on time and have something relevant to say

Happy Holidays,
Kara

Interview with Tanya Michaels

Hope all our US readers had a great Thanksgiving! I wanted to post earlier but was having internet troubles. Better late in the day than never...

This month, it was my time to answer some interview questions about myself. It was lots of fun, and as always, I'm thrilled to be among so many other HAR authors!

How did you make your first sale to the line?
I used to write for Harlequin Temptation, which I enjoyed, but once my husband and I had children, I noticed family and community sneaking into more of the stories. For Temptation, which was a steamier line, the editors (and readers!) preferred that the focus be more on the couple than secondary characters like siblings, kids or lovably meddling neighbors. My editor suggested that American Romances—which definitely tell the story of a man and woman fall in love, but have more room for the supporting cast that I have so much fun with—might be a better fit. Boy, was she right!


Tell us a little about your family and where you're from.
My dad was in the Army, and we moved around a good bit during my childhood, which made it hard to be “from” anywhere. I always craved a sense of home, and creating that for my characters—a place to belong, someone to belong with—is one of my very favorite parts of writing for American. I’ve particularly had fun writing my Four Seasons in Mistletoe miniseries (the first, Mistletoe Baby, is in stores now) because they’re all set in the fictional town of Mistletoe Georgia and returning for each of the three subsequent stories feels like a homecoming to visit old friends. My husband, two children (a kindergartener and a first grader) and I live in Georgia. We’ve only been in our current house for a couple of years but in the state for a decade now, so Georgia officially feels like home!


Tell us about your book.
This particular book is something I’ve never tried before—a story about a couple who are already married. In Mistletoe Baby, David and Rachel Waide had temporarily separated but agreed not to tell the rest of the family until after the holidays because they don’t want to ruin a Christmas wedding (the hero’s brother is getting married). So for the duration of the holiday season, they’re having to pretend that all is well. And in doing so, they start to remember why they fell in love in the first place. By the way, I did a November podcast about this book which you can listen to at eHarlequin.com, a wonderful site where you can learn even more about Harlequin American Authors and even buy our books if you’re so inclined *g*

What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Well, I sold the four-book series way before it was time to actually write the stories (I had other projects that had to be completed first). Oddly enough, when the time came to work on the manuscript, we were coping with an illness in the family, the stress of which was really taking a toll on my husband and me. It was bizarrely ironic that during my only book about a husband and wife, my husband and I were weathering the roughest patch in our ten year marriage! So some days, I just felt emotionally raw. The good news is, I think it made the book even better. And the really good news is that writing about a couple coming that close to losing each other was a daily reminder not to take my own spouse for granted! I am firmly of the belief that romantic happily ever afters are completely realistic in life—as long as you’re willing to put in the effort—and also of the belief that romance novels have a lot of value, whether it’s to help you smile through a difficult time or a reminder to cherish those you love.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?
Aside from spending time with my family, I like to read and watch movies! (Come to think of it, I often read to or watch movies with my kids or husband, so those can be family activities, too.) I read in all genres, books from my fellow Harlequin American sisters to fantasy to young adult to nonfiction. I couldn’t possibly list all the writers and books that I’ve enjoyed (I was trying for a while to keep a running tab of the books I read just this year on my personal blog, but it got away from me—I read far more that I update) but a few of the authors I enjoy include Holly Jacobs, Jennifer Crusie, JD Robb, George RR Martin, Dave Barry, Stephanie Bond, Elizabeth Hoyt, Eloisa James, Laura Marie Altom, Jane Graves, Dorien Kelly, Kresley Cole, Juila Quinn, Jennifer LaBrecque, Shelley Galloway, Teresa Medeiros, JK Rowling and Trish Milburn.

Some of my kids’ favorite books include Click, Clack Moo and related tales, the Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne, the Geronimo Stilton chapter books, Peter and Fudge stories from Judy Blume, the hilarious “Pigeon” and “Knuffle Bunny” picture books from Mo Willems, and, for early readers, beginning stories featuring lovable dogs Biscuit and Noodles. I think it’s important to instill a love of reading early!

What is your writing routine?
What is this “routine” of which you speak—I know it not. My work schedule looks more like something out of chaos theory—getting up early (only to have the seven year old hear me and wake up. 7 tries not to bother me by pouring milk without asking for help…a white lake leaking beneath the kitchen appliances and tears ensue), I get the kids off to school, but only have an hour because kindergartener’s class is going on field trip and each child needs an adult escort, get home at about 3, write for fifteen minutes before refereeing sibling squabble. Write for a whole two hours (glory be!) before must stop to fix dinner (there are only so many nights I can tell themselves to grab a Lunchable from the fridge before the school nutritionist and our pediatrician hold an intervention). After dinner, I help with homework and baths and bedtime reading and accidentally nod off myself before hubby wakes me up and asks, “Aren’t you on deadline?”

True story—two weeks ago, while I was trying to use the comparatively quiet nighttime hours to work on a book, 7 woke up at a quarter to ten with a sick tummy. Then 5 woke up with a nightmare two hours later, followed by 7 waking up to ask for a drink of water and later 5 also waking with a sick tummy. (Neither went to school the next and, coincidentally, I got no writing done.) Routines are great if you can swing them, but I’m also a big believer in staying flexible and creating opportunities. The other moms in carpool line know not to come knock on my minivan window and chat if they see my laptop propped against the steering wheel. Heck, all these interview answers were typed while at Chuck E. Cheese.

How long have you been writing?Since grade school, children’s book I still read to kids. Wrote first full length (400+ pages) manuscript my freshman year of college (I was 17) and sent it, unrequested, to an editor at Pocket. They never even acknowledged it with a rejection (in retrospect, the writing was so bad, I can’t say I blame them). In college, I got my first writing related job which I followed with a string of freelance jobs either writing or copy-editing. I joined RWA in 1998 (Romance Writers of America, which helps educate writers in both craft and business matters), then sold my first book to Harlequin in 2001! But it was just last year that my first Harlequin American was released.

I hope for many more HARs in the future!!! And I wish you all a lovely weekend and happy reading.

The story behind the story

Last week, I met my agent in New York City for a meeting with my young adult editors. While in the city, we went to see Wicked. I'd heard many good things about this Broadway production, and I came away wishing I could see it all over again.

I'm a fan of reimagined stories, so this depiction of Oz in the years prior to Dorothy's arrival was right up my alley. For those of you who don't know, Wicked is the story of when the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch were in school together. It's an imagined origin story in that we see how these two witches came to be who they were at the beginning of the Wizard of Oz. There's even a romantic story thread, which made my romance writer heart flutter.

What I found interesting was how the play showcased how no one is all good or all bad. Each of us has elements of each in us. Elphaba (the future Wicked Witch of the West) wasn't all bad, and Glinda wasn't all good. To me, they were much more three-dimensional in this play than in the original story. This is a good thing to keep in mind when we writers craft our characters, to not rely on two-dimensional stereotypes, to make each character as real and three-dimensional as possible.

In addition to the story, I really enjoyed the music in Wicked. My two favorite pieces are "Popular" and "Defying Gravity." I even bought a "Defying Gravity" T-shirt, but considering I drove through a snowstorm in Virginia today on my way home from Washington, D.C., it'll be a few months before I can wear it. Here are a couple of YouTube videos showcasing these songs from the play:






Have any of you seen Wicked? What did you think?

Our 25th anniversary—thanks for being part of it!

The Harlequin American Romance authors wish to thank everyone who took part in our 25th anniversary celebration, especially the editors and guest authors who took time from their busy schedules to blog with us. In case you missed any of them, here’s the list, complete with links back to their original posts.

Editors:

Johanna Raisanen, September 6
Kathleen Scheibling, October 9

Guest Authors:

Karen Toller Whittenburg, September 12
Elizabeth Sinclair, September 20
Judith Arnold, September 30
Vella Munn, October 6
Barbara Bretton, October 12 and October 19
Debbie Macomber, October 20
Ginger Chambers, October 30
Anne Stuart, October 31

Thank you for making this anniversary such a special and memorable one!

A 100-Mile Holiday

This year my family has decided to celebrate the holiday by being a little kinder to the environment, and to ourselves.

I must start by saying we have never been extravagant spenders at Christmas. My husband and I have been married for thirty-one years and raised two amazing children, and our one “rule” about the holidays has always been that if we couldn’t afford to pay cash for gifts and other holiday items, we didn’t buy them.

This year we’ve decided, as a family, to take this one step further.

We’re having a 100-mile holiday.

As much as possible, everything under the tree and served at Christmas dinner will come from a 100-mile radius of where we live. This might not save much money, but that’s not really our goal. The things we buy will not be shipped halfway around the world, so we hope to minimize our ecological footprint and support our local economy.

At first I wasn’t sure we could pull it off—and I’m still not one hundred percent convinced we can—but we’re going to give it our best shot.

Christmas dinner shouldn’t be a problem. I always buy a locally raised, organic turkey, and there’s lots of fresh, local produce available. A number of local vineyards produce stellar wines, so that’s covered, too! The flour in the bread stuffing will have to come from afar–no wheat fields here on the west coast—but we’ll be sure to use locally baked bread.

So what about gifts? Believe it or not, that’s been the really fun part. Without giving too much away—my family reads these posts!—I can safely say this will be an interesting Christmas.

Local craft fairs offer lots of options—hand-knitted socks and scarves and mittens, unique works of art, consumables (pickles, jams and hand-rolled beeswax candles, etc.), and gorgeous one-of-a-kind Christmas ornaments.

We’ve even purchased wonderful little stocking stuffers that have an added bonus—the sellers are donating all proceeds to a local charity.

And after thirty-one years of marriage, my husband and I are enjoying the quality time spent choosing gifts at craft fairs. Who knew?

A few people on my gift list will receive gift certificates this year, and I'm kind of hoping they plan to reciprocate ;). The possibilities are practically endless. Grocery stores, thrift stores, house cleaners, manicurists, massage therapists, hair dressers, auto mechanics, gardeners, university bookstores, daycare centers, dog groomers, etc., all offer gift certificates.

So, can my family do this? Will there be compromises? Exceptions? You bet there will. We’ve already decided we can live with a few.

Books make great gifts but there are no publishing companies where we live. However, we can buy books from locally owned, independent booksellers.

Recycled items are often just as good as new, so if something comes from a secondhand store, or a thrift store that supports local charities, the item itself can have originated more than 100 miles away.

Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year—I really do love it—and I’m looking forward to this one more than any other I can remember. For me, it’s all about family. I love to decorate the house and prepare the food and spend Christmas Day with the people I love. And when you think about it, isn’t that what the holidays are all about?

This year I also hope to do the holidays in a way that’s eco-friendly and stress free, and I hope for the same for you and your family.

Until next time,
Lee
Lee's blog
Lee's website

Welcome to the Family, Ozzy

Anyone who's even casually acquainted with me knows I'm an animal lover. Unless I have a bunch of four-footed creatures sharing my house (and my yard!), I'm not happy. This past August, my daughter started college. She moved out and got a small apartment near campus with one of her friends. She took her dog and cat with her - which meant my indoor pet family was suddenly cut in half.

Since then, I've gone back and forth on getting another cat or dog. Part of me told me to hold off. My dog is beautifully trained and a great companion and the old cat is an "easy keeper". The other part of me didn't listen and would visit the local humane society or county animal control web pages, viewing the adopable animals.

Two weeks ago, I made the mistake of stopping by PETsMART on my way home from work. Halo, a no-kill animal rescue organization, was at the store and conducting a drive, attempting to find as many homes as possible for their "unadoptable" cats.

Oh, boy.

Well, you can imagine what happened.

I don't know what made Ozzy so unadoptable, other than he's quite plain. He and his three, possibly cuter, siblings were found on the streets at four-months-old. Four months later, all his siblings had found their new forever homes. Not Ozzy.

I'm always amazed when an animal with such a rough start in life or that has been mistreated can still be loving and affectionate to people. Ozzy quite literally spends twelve of every twenty-four hours purring, cuddling, and following me around the house. If I sit down, he's in my lap. Even now, I'm gently nudging him away because he's alternately rolling on top of and walking all over the keyboard.

He really is a perfect addition to my pet family. I guess going into PETsMART that day on my way home from work wasn't such a mistake after all.

Warmest wishes,

Cathy McDavid and Ozzy

Moms and Movies

On Thursday night, my fifteen year old daughter attended the midnight premiere of Twilight. For those of you who aren’t around teenaged girls, Twilight is the movie adaptation of the book of the same name, which is a paranormal love story involving vampires.

My daughter has been counting down the days for almost a year. To say she was excited was putting it mildly. We’re not one to let our kids do things on school nights…or parents who ever look forward to being part of a two am carpool-but my husband can never resist when she asks him for favors…and well, we figured going to the midnight movie with a group of girlfriends was pretty darn tame, all things considered.

So, Tom took the two am pick up and I took the morning after. On the way to school I took her out to our all-time favorite breakfast spot, the Holtzman donut shop. Boy am I glad I did. I heard all about Edward (EDWARD IS SO CUTE) and the crowds of girls and the excited text messages that zipped through the theater. But, I kind of expected that. Again, she is fifteen.

But what really made me smile were her descriptions of the other people at the theater. Boys? No. There was a group of Moms. Yes, to her dismay-and my amusement-there was a crowd of mothers (Mom, some as old as you!) at the midnight showing.

No, they weren’t with their daughters. They were with their own crew of friends.

I told her how even Moms still like love stories. After all, Harlequins are all about this. But I couldn’t help but laugh when she told me that the moms at the theater…acted like moms.

It seems these Mom Twilight Fans couldn’t help but try to put some Mom orderliness in the throng of teenagers. They reminded girls to not cut in lines. To control their giggles. Asked that they stop screaming and talking so much. Oh…and watch that texting. We’re in a theater! Usually, I’d be right there with them…I love rules.

But I have to admit this time I was on my daughter’s side. There still are times in a girl’s life when nothing can be substituted for an opportunity to laugh a little too loudly with six of your friends. If it’s not at a midnight showing of the ultimate chick flick, I’m not sure when it is.

In a few weeks, Jane Porter’s movie adaptation of Flirty with Forty will be on Lifetime. My girlfriends and I will be having our own party. I imagine we’ll be talking during the movie and laughing a little too much. Who knows, I may even squeal when I see that hero surfing.

But our daughters aren’t invited. Actually, neither are our husbands. We’ll be silly in private. I just don’t know what I’d do if someone told me to settle down…and stop acting like a silly girl.

Since I’m on the subject of books made into movies…anyone have a particular favorite? I have to admit to loving the Harry Potter movies, Emma, and Little Women.

Shelley

Welcome to Mid-America

Hello and Happy Thanksgiving! I apologize for this late post. Since returning from our trip to Branson, I've been mixed up about the dates. This month is cruising by so fast. It's hard to believe Thanksgiving is less than a week away.

This is the first year in about 37 that I'm not fixing Thanksgiving dinner. My father-in-law doesn't drive or ride in a car any more (he's 90) and we have no other close relatives nearby except our daughter and son-in-law. And he's going hunting!

This month has been a huge culture shock for me. First Branson, then hunting. I'm a baby boom city girl. (Okay, I'm a grandmother in the real world, but in my heart, I'm still 19.) Have you been to Branson? I expected the retirees and the crowds, but still, seeing is different than imagining. Did you know it was filled with buses? Huge, fancy tour buses? They are everywhere. They take up all the spaces in restaurants and line up for what seems like hours coming out of shows. I can't even imagine what it's like in the summer, when there are also many families and bigger crowds. I'm not a country western fan, and I told my husband I wasn't going to any shows that my parents would have liked (Lawrence Welk, Perry Como, etc.) so I was rather limited. I know that's narrow minded of me, but I am a little hard headed at times.

Then my son-in-law announces that he's leaving for a hunting trip on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. We were all shocked. Thanksgiving is a big holiday for us. Elk hunting is a big event for him. There doesn't seem to be a compromise. My question is this: Which numbskull Arizona beaurocrat schedules hunting season for Thanksgiving? That's crazy! The elk will be there next week! I know, I'm ranting, but really, turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and pumkin pie compared to staying outside in the cold and eating canned food or whatever over a campfire?

So, this month I was confronted with mid-America in the form of Branson culture and hunting on the holidays, and I got the impression maybe I don't know as much about small town life as I thought. But then again, I'm writing fiction, so perhaps in MY small towns no man would ever consider going hunting on a major holiday. Or, if he did, he'd immediately rethink his options and remember his wonderful wife. And maybe his mother-in-law! And there are no long lines, bad buffets and lumbering buses in my small towns. Or maybe the buses block the roads, and the hunters can't get out of town .... Hmm. Worth considering for a future plot.

In any case, we'll be thinking of him, sitting outside in the cold, as we go to a very nice restaurant for Thanksgiving this year. The food won't be the same, but I may like it so much that we'll go next year, too. Have a very nice Thanksgiving with your family and friends, if you're so lucky to be with them this year. Eat a piece of pumpkin pie for me! Happy holidays,
Victoria

Conference!

This past weekend I had the great opportunity to "vacation" in my hometown of St. Louis. Along with 8 of my journalism students, we attended the Journalism Education Association/National Scholastic Press Association fall national conference at the convention center/Renaissance Grand Hotel.

Over 5,000 attended, and of that number, over 4,000 were high school students with some middle school students added to the mix. We attended breakout sessions, all day workshops and bonded by going to lunch and a fancy dinner at Kemoll's (yum!).

The cool thing is they come back to school on Monday and they are all revved up and ready to go. Me, I was tired. Saturday night I had a yearbook company dinner. We got to tour Busch Stadium and eat dinner in the Stadium Club. Stadium Club seats cost around $15,000 a year, so being in the "club" even though there was no ballgame was a real treat--and the food was delicious. After dinner, instead of hanging out with friends, I was tucked into my bed and fast asleep. I didn't even hear my roommate Susan when she came back in later that night.

I haven't done much writing, but as of later today, I hope to squeeze out some time as I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel with the yearbook initial deadlines. Today I'm getting all the seniors who haven't already had their picture taken for the yearbook out of class and sitting them in front of the photographer, who is coming to our school just for them. That way they aren't left out. But today marks the end--we will have finished senior ad submissions, senior photos, club photos, cookie dough sales/credits, and picture retakes for underclassmen. We put out our third edition of the school newspaper yesterday. Whew. Amazingly enough, the December 1 we are at school for a 13 hour day, closing out the December issue of the paper.

Since I don't blog again until after Turkey Day, I hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving! I plan on getting some sleep, and writing.

Michele

Cleaning my office

I don’t know about you, but mess and clutter suck the energy right out of me. My office, the place where I spend so much time and where I create the books I love to write, is a mess. I have finally decided to clean it up. A daunting task, considering the piles of papers everywhere. On the floor. On the work area where my computer sits. On the adjacent desk. In the closet. Plus there are three 2-drawer filing cabinets and one file-size box that are bulging with stuff—papers, but who knows what info they contain? Every file needs to be cleaned out. I thought about posting photos of the mess, but I’m too darned embarrassed!!

Just thinking about that gives me a mega case of dread. A friend once told me that when she faces a monumental task, she pats herself on the back for what she completes every day, rather than on what’s left to do. Wise advise, indeed, and I’m taking it to heart.

Last weekend I made a to-do list and have pledged to complete every task by the new year. Here are some of the things on the list:
Paint the walls
Organize and clear the bookshelves of books I don’t read and don’t use
Move the inspirational sayings tacked all over the bookcase shelves and covering many of the books (blocking the titles, etc.) to a different location
Purchase a 4-drawer, vertical filing cabinet
Buy a bulletin board
Sort, file and toss papers on work spaces, the desk and the floor and the filing cabinets, and get rid of all piles!

Here is my progress report to date:

On Veteran’s Day I painted the office a lovely, pale apricot color. I bought really cool paint that has little odor—a plus since it’s too cold to open any windows. The room looks clean and warm now, and I really like it.

I found a four-drawer, cherry wood vertical file cabinet at Office Max online for a great price. Twenty-four hours later, they delivered it . My husband assembled it without my even asking. Now that’s what I call support and encouragement. I labeled each drawer and am ready to file.

I tossed a good chunk of paper from the file cabinets. (Still a ton to go—but I’m focusing on the great work accomplished to date, not the piles left…)

The crammed bookcase is now clean and organized, with the inspirational sayings in a pile (yeah, I know—another pile). That will change, just as soon as I get a bulletin board. Soon!!
Lots of empty bookshelf space, which is a good thing, as I know more books will come. This time, though, I’ll be careful about what I stick on the shelf. And I’ll periodically weed and clean. Weed—isn’t that a great word for clearing clutter?

So yes, I’m making good, but slow, progress. Hooray!!

Until next time, and wishing you a clean, pleasant work space and a Happy Thanksgiving,

Ann
www.annroth.net

Thinking Turkey

I can't believe Thanksgiving is almost here. As usual, time flies...when you're having a good time, of course. Or maybe it just seems to be that way as we get older. I don't even know what family plans are for this T-Day. I do know that my youngest believes that I should roast a turkey, even if it's the two of us sharing it. I'm really not looking forward to eating every form of turkey sandwich and/or casserole known to woman, if that's the case. But what's a mother to do when most of her chicks have pretty much left the nest and have "another" family to spend holidays with?

I promised myself that I wouldn't be the kind of mother who would insist that her offspring (daughters, in my case) spend at least one holiday with the family. I saw and heard too many arguments about going to this family or that family-in-law holiday dinner to last a lifetime. I did NOT want to repeat that with my own. So far, I haven't, and we usually find a way to all get together, even if late in the day for a second meal, sometimes lasagna instead of turkey.

And I find myself looking back at the holidays from my childhood. Unlike most of my maternal cousins, I lived in the city, while they lived in the country. I adored going to my aunt's or cousin's or great-aunt's homes for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was a day away from the mundane, and there was always something different and often special to do. At my great-aunt Dorothy's (my mother's mother's sister), we were allowed to feed the lambs by bottle. At my great-aunt Lucy's (Dorothy's sister), we once had fresh milk straight from the cow, and there was an outhouse. There were trees to climb (on nice-weather days) and hay wagons to play on. There were eggs to gather and the best food imaginable to eat. But best of all, there were kids to play with and, as an only child, this was what made holidays special for me. Of the six of us within twelve years of age, there were two cousins older than me--both girls--and three younger--one girl and two boys. It was heaven! And even though I was a city girl and went to school in the city, while they were all country kids and went to school together, we were never strangers. Later, when I moved to the country, I had an advantage. I was related to many of my fellow students. I wish I could see them more often now, but we've all grown up with families and families' families of our own. I'm happy that my daughters were able to at least attend school with some of their cousins (sons and daughters of my cousins), but I wish we hadn't abandoned those memorable holiday dinners.

So whether we all get together--the four daughters and their spouses and intendeds and four children of their own--or not, and whether I'm asked to fix the turkey or not, I hope in some way we make new memories of our own this Thanksgiving. And I hope your memories of this holiday are the best ever!

Author Interview with Marin Thomas

Interview with American Romance Author Marin Thomas

How long have you been published?

Not that long really. My first book came out June 2004.

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

Story-telling ability of the author. Each writer has her unique voice, unique way of stringing words and sentences together but if the author isn't able to tell a good story that engages the reader, creates characters that the reader cares for, cheers for, cries with, celebrates with…then it's just another story.

If you could erase any horrible experience from your past, what would it be?

I narrowly escaped being abducted by a city cab driver while walking home from elementary school. I had stayed late to help a teacher with a bulletin board. It was during the winter and I left the school at dusk around 4:00. I remember the cab pulling up along the curb, the driver rolling down his window calling me to get in. He said my mother had told him to pick me up. I knew that couldn’t be right because my mother would never waste money on a cab. The school was about a mile from my house and I was halfway home when the cab showed up. So I ran. Tears streaming down my face I ran like my tights were on fire. The driver kept pace with me and I remember hearing his laughter. Once in a while he sped up then would stop the cab and wait for me to catch up. To this day I don't know why he didn't get out of the cab and just grab me. I was so exhausted and terrified I doubt I would have been able to put up a fight.
When I made it home and ran up the front porch steps, the driver stopped in front of the house and opened the passenger door. He waved a bag of candy at me and tried one more time to get me in the cab. When my mom opened the door, I practically fell into the house. I was so distraught I couldn’t talk. By the time I was able to tell my mother what had happened the cab was gone. Needless to say I never walked home alone again for a long, long time.

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

I paid too much for that wrinkle cream at Walgreen's.

Describe your writing space.

When I sold my first book my husband bought me a Texas Ranger's desk. It's huge and I love it. It has Texas stars on the front and the drawer pulls are antique stars. There's a real buffalo skull on one wall, a painting my father did years ago of a blacksmith framed in old barn wood, I have an Indian rug on the wood floor and two flea market specials--a battered chest and a storage cabinet made of metal and wood. In one corner stands a Texas coat rack on which hangs an antique sombrero, a gun holster with a "fake" six shooter, cowboy spurs and a rope. In another corner stands an Indian spear and rain stick. The room is painted Life Vest Orange by Ralph Lauren. I did a faux leather technique on the lower half of the wall beneath the chair rail using an Elmer's glue and water mixture to paste pieces of ripped butcher paper to the wall. Once that dried I painted over it with a Tobacco glaze by Ralph Lauren. I've never been afraid to use bold colors in any of the homes we've lived in. Now that we're in the Chicago area I especially appreciate the warm colors during the long dreary winter months.

What are you reading now?

Decembers HARs. I belong to the monthly book club. It's always fun to see what the other authors in the line are writing.

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

I've written 12 books so far for the line and I have a few favortites. My first two books, The Cowboy and the Bride and Daddy by Choice are special to me because of the positive feedback I received from readers. For the Children is my favorite out of my Hearts of Appalachia series. And my current release The Cowboy and the Angel is special because I wanted to show that Christmas is more than gifts--it's about a time of year people can and should touch the lives of others in need--especially children. I chose Detroit as the backdrop for this story because the city often gets a bum rap due to its economic troubles, political turmoil and crime….but often the true spirit of Christmas is strongest and more heartfelt in the trenches of our larger cities, which are mostly made up of smaller, tight knit communities.

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

I'm finishing up the third book in my Cartwright series. Matt's story (A Cowboy's Promise) comes out April 2009 and Samantha's Cowboy is due out in August 2009.

What did you do career-wise before becoming an author?

I worked as an AT&T team manager at an 800-number call center. When I had my son I became a stay-at-home mom. When the kids entered elementary school I became a substitute teacher. Now I write full time.

What is your dream car?

A 1959 Cadillac Convertible classic. Here's the link (if it works) of the car http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1466353978010957762ARFFWY

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?

Definitely a Cowboy. Because the only way he knows how to get off the island is by horseback, which pretty much guarantees we're going to be stranded for a very long time!

For more information on Marin Thomas and her books please visit www.marinthomas.com And stop by http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com/ on Tuesday November 18th when Marin shares her "Call" story and discusses the American Romance line.

Marin Thomas
RT TOP PICK The Cowboy and the Angel (Nov 08)

Booking my expenses

Despite the popular perception that all romance writers are rich, most of us struggle along on a budget like everyone else. These days, for almost everyone I know, matters have gotten serious. If we don’t pinch pennies until they squawk, how will we afford to buy all the books we want? Not to mention giving books as gifts this holiday season.

Since I’ve always been the queen of cheap, I thought I’d pass along a few tips. I hope someone will find them helpful!

So here goes.

· I use credit cards – Borders, Amazon – that pay me back in gift certificates with which I can buy books.
· When planning meals for the week, I check out that forgotten stuff in the freezer and pantry. Sometimes I can squeeze out a couple of almost-free meals. At least, they feel free, since I paid for them long ago.
· As some of you will recall from previous blogs, I’m an avid vegetable gardener. Not only do the big crops like tomatoes and zucchini pay off, but bountiful basil makes for pesto dishes all summer and fall. It can be grown in pots, too.
· Energy savings add up. After our son left for college, I went around the house unplugging his appliances. Also, I turned off the waterbed heater – a foam pad keeps us plenty warm.
· Sometimes buying in bulk makes sense, and sometimes it doesn’t. Take a calculator to the store if necessary, and don’t forget to factor in the cost savings if buying in bulk translates to fewer shopping trips.
· Remember those Borders and Amazon credit cards? My son’s university lets us charge his tuition at no additional fee. I pay off the charge promptly, and let me him use the gift certificates to order textbooks.
· If you grind your teeth at night and your dentist recommends an expensive night guard, try buying a mouth protector at a sporting goods store for less than $10. This saves me hundreds of dollars.
· But: Avoid false economies! I’m keeping my newspaper subscription. In addition to the fact that I enjoy reading it, the subscription makes economic sense because of the free coupons and sales ads.

Feel free to add your favorite tips. And good luck to everyone who’s working hard to make it through these challenging times.

Title Me!

My 21st book is Bachelor CEO. However, like most of the books I’ve written, it didn’t start out being called that.

Titles are extremely important, and often what the author sends in isn’t what goes on the cover. Take the covers on the right. They weren't called that at first.

In fact, my very first novel sold as Temporarily Yours, and Melissa Jeglinski decided to call it A Little Office Romance. She just picked it, told me what it was and I was like, okay, since it was a great title. I also had a great cover and my debut did well. Catching the Corporate Playboy was my title, but many of them are a result of brainstorming and a back and forth between the editor and the author (me). I’ll talk a little more about that in a minute.

Continuity series books are different. All of my three titles were already assigned, and those were The Simply Scandalous Princess (I got to work with the very talented Jacqueline Diamond and Kara Lennox) and then the NASCAR series Tailspin and Out of Line.

Once I’ve fought to keep my title. I loved Hart’s Victory (Harlequin NASCAR) and my agent went to bat for it, especially after marketing wanted to change it. When they couldn’t come up with anything better, they stayed with Hart’s Victory.

But often, titles can be made better. I’ll admit, I don’t stress over the title when I submit the proposal. And sometimes I come up with the new title, and other times my editor does.

The Marriage Recipe didn’t start out that way, but that title is one I came up with. Together my editor and I came up with The Christmas Date.

All of my linked series The Marriage Campaign, The Wedding Secret and Nine Months’ Notice were something else, although I don't remember what. Funny how after a while, I can’t remember. I do remember that Redeeming the Wayward Playboy became About Last Night, a title I came up with. Twins for the Teacher (out in March 2009) was my editor’s much better replacement for Educating Hank. One time I sent in Capturing the Cop’s Heart, and it became Capturing the Cop.

So back to Bachelor CEO. The first title was The Reluctant CEO, but really, once I wrote the book that title no longer fit. The book is part of Harlequin American’s Men Made in America series. I wrote the CEO book, which is why it was essential CEO stay in the title.

So I got the email asking for new titles and the brainstorm began. I sent in these:

The CEO Dilemma or CEO's Dilemma
The Hot & Bothered CEO
Sex & the CEO
Loving the CEO
Marrying the CEO
The CEO's VP Problem
Promoting the CEO
CEO in Charge
Small Town CEO
The Millionaire CEO
Capitalizing on the CEO
Casting the CEO
Cultivating the CEO

At this point, you sent in anything and don’t worry if it sucks.

My editor sent back these:
The CEO's Proposal
The CEO's Secret Wish
Taking on the CEO
The CEO's Secret Love
The CEO's Family Business
The CEO's Surprise
The CEO's Dream
The CEO Takes a Partner

We both realized we still were batting zero. Then we learned that Kathleen decided that the best title would be something like The _______________CEO, so we started with adjectives. My editor sent back this list:

Obstinate
Steadfast
Ultimate
Driven
Bachelor
Substitute
Convenient
Reliable
Passionate
Betrayed
Ruthless


I sent back my reasons for and against each choice and said I really liked The Bachelor CEO. So my editor sent that one to Kathleen, who sent back that after reviewing the books out that month that she wanted to drop the article, and thus Bachelor CEO was titled. It debuts in July 2009.

I’m currently working on Baby on Board, a title we just might get to keep. Or not.

Michele

National Novel Writing Month

Most of the time, I don't need outside motivation to write. I love writing, and I look forward to a day when I have nothing on my agenda, so I can spend the whole day at the computer. That's when I'm working on a story I love and it's going well and I'm not on a tight deadline.

But those other times ... yeah, okay, sometimes it's just work. And I would much rather watch mindless TV, clean the oven or get a root canal. Yet writing is my job and I have to do it whether my muse is cooperating or not.

November is National Novel Writing Month, when writers all over the world are challenged to complete a novel (or 50,000 words, whichever comes first) between Nov. 1-30. There's a website, and you check in every day with your word count and they give you a nifty graph to mark your progress. And if you succeed, they send you a certificate.

This sounds like fun to me, and since I've had a little bit of trouble slogging through my current project, I thought signing up for NaNoWriMo would motivate me.

Boy, was I wrong. I don't know whether it's performance anxiety or what, but my page output is actually less than normal! With the month one-third over, I've produced exactly 7822 words. At this rate I won't even get halfway done.

Then again, I am making forward progress, whereas before, I was completely stuck. The point of this exercise is that you write without editing yourself, just write write write and worry about the quality of your prose later. Just get to the end! Remembering that has actually helped me get going in the right direction again.

My next blog day is on the 29th. I'll let you know how I'm progressing and if I have to pull an all-nighter!

The Great Escape

The Great Escape

I'm convinced there's no such thing as a life without stress, and as women we shoulder more than our fair share of tension, juggling jobs and family, kids and husbands and church and community work and a host of other balls we do our best to keep in the air.

These tough economic times only make things worse, so I think it's more important than ever to take good care or ourselves. That means finding ways to pamper ourselves and deal with the stress. A walk around the neighborhood always helps me feel better, and there's nothing like a soothing bubble bath to ease some of the tension.

But my number one favorite de-stresser is to read a good book. Reading — and writing — have always been my great escapes.

(True story: In school I hated math class. Especially geometry. I have a very poor sense of direction and a difficult time picturing things spatially. I dreaded geometry class until I disccovered I could scribble away madly in my notebook and the teacher would assume I was taking notes. I wrote an entire 'book' during geometry class my sophomore year in high school. That manuscript is long gone, along with anything I might have accidentally learned in that class.)

Some people like adventure stories with lots of action, where they can imagine themselves overcoming the odds. Other people like fantasy or the other-wordly elements of paranormal stories.

Me? I like reading about people who live lives a little closer to my own. People I could imagine having as friends. Heroines I could imagine myself being. Reading about their problems and how they overcome them helps me put my own worries in perspective.

I also really enjoy visiting another part of the country in the pages of a book— either a place I've been before, or someplace new to me. I love it when a writer takes me on a virtual journey to a new town or neighborhood. I don't have the time or money to do a lot of real traveling, but for about the cost of a coffee and a pastry I can spend lots of enjoyable hours in great places all over the country,

In other words, I enjoy stories like those found in the pages of an American Romance. Books that are guaranteed to make me feel good about life by the time I'm done. With the cost of everything going up, books are still one of the best bargains around.

So — what's your favorite escape reading? Do you like beach books? Holiday stories? Scary stories or a good mystery? What kinds of stories take you away from your troubles and help you relax?

Transitions

Ch-ch-changes. 'Tis the season for them. We in the US just elected a new President, but he doesn't take office until the current President's term ends. The weather is playing games here in the Midwest (nothing new!) and I'm layering for the different times of day. I'd already put away my T-shirts once and turned on my heat, but then we've had a few weeks of 70 degree weather. Today I'm back in light-weight, long sleeves, but those Ts will stay handy. We've celebrated Halloween and look toward Thanksgiving.
On a personal level, I'm at the end of one book and beginning the process for the next. My CP (critique partner) has the bulk of the "old" one to review. She'll no doubt find plot holes, loose threads, logic flaws, and plain old typos. Bless her heart! So that book isn't really "finished."
And I'm trying to adjust to new contacts! This is the hardest of the changes for me, but like the revisions I anticipate, I know it'll be better once I've adjusted.
Are you a person who dislikes change? I know a lady who just won't move because of the upheaval it would bring. Why do you think we resist change when we deal with it everyday?
Until the next thing comes along, take care.
Megan
megankellybooks.com

From the Heart

I recently attended the New Jersey RWA conference. What a terrific weekend! The theme of this year’s conference, Put Your Heart in A Book, was echoed throughout the conference. From Lisa Scottoline to J.R. Ward to Eloisa James, I heard it time and again—use your mind and your writing skills, but make readers care by putting your heart into every book and letting your passion for the story shine through.

Sometimes we hear what we need to, and apparently I needed to hear this message. For the past six months I have been making choices and decisions using my heart as well as my head. The experience has been both interesting and hugely rewarding. Why not do the same with novel writing? Not that I didn’t know about writing from the heart before. I did/do, and I strive to put lots of heart into every one of my stories. But hearing the message again is a timely reminder to me to share my passion by digging deep and creating characters, however flawed they may be, with lots of heart. ☺

Until next time, and wishing you a day filled with heart and meaning,

Ann
www.annroth.net

OCTOBER WINNER !!!!!

This month's winner is Gillian Layne!!!!!! Congratulations!!! To get your free, autographed books, please contact Lisa Childs and Ann Roth through their websites.

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

What do you do on the first?

For some reason, when blogging dates were handed out way back at the start of this column, I lucked into the first and fifteenth of each month. I say “lucked” because they’re easy dates to remember.

As a result, I get first shot each January at wishing you a happy New Year, and, on April first, the dubious honor of swearing that I’m really, truly not playing a joke. As for April 15, income tax day (in the U.S.), I try not to think about that.

Right now, I’m filling out significant dates and reminders in my calendar for 2009. Perhaps because I work at home, I never got into the electronic organizer habit. And let’s face it, I’m just too much of an old fuddy-duddy to keep my calendar in the computer.

As I jot down notations for my blog dates, I note that my other reminders really pile up on the first and fifteenth of each month. For instance, there’s performing a breast self-exam, fertilizing my plants and doing the monthly bookkeeping on the first, and checking under the hood of my car on the fifteenth. No particular reason for these dates; they’re just a simple way to keep track of necessary monthly tasks.

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty compulsive about scheduling what I need to do. Take dyeing my hair – that’s assigned to the first Saturday of each month. What this means is that, if you run into me around the end of the month, you can check out my gray roots. But that’s nothing compared to what might happen if I didn’t plan ahead. I’d probably go three months and wonder why I was starting to look my age (as opposed to the age I fantasize about looking, which is thirty).

What do you do on the first of the month? Do you schedule your routine tasks, or do you just wing through life, checking your oil when the engine groans and dyeing your hair when the old color fades into oblivion?

I look forward to reading your responses, just as soon as I finish fertilizing my plants and – what else was I supposed to do today? I know I put that calendar somewhere…

Happy 25th--A Q & A with Anne Stuart

And now to finish out the month, meet Anne Stuart.

Books: Began writing for American with Chain of Love (#30) in October 1983.

Website: http://www.anne-stuart.com/home.html

Bio: Anne Stuart is the grandmaster of the genre, winnter of Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, survivor of 35 years in the romance business and still keeps getting better.

Her first novel was Barrett’s Hill, a gothic romance pubished by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she’s written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martin’s Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett. She’s currently under contract with Mira for romantic supsense and historical romance. She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most best seller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day, and countless other national newspapers and magazines.

When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty years, and empty nest, three cats and one Springer Spaniel. And when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.

The Q & A

1) How long have you been published? What was your very first book? My first book came out in 1974 (I was very young). It was a gothic romance for Ballantine called BARRETT’S HILL.

2) Describe your favorite Harlequin American Romance(s) that you wrote. How many total did you do?
Favorite would probably be NIGHT OF THE PHANTOM (which has never been reprinted). It was a re-writing of the Beauty and the Beast/Phantom of the Opera story (I’d just gone to see Phantom on Broadway for my 40th birthday present) and it even had Fabio on the cover (albeit with dark hair). They didn’t tend to put Fabio on too many series romances back then. As to how many – 27, counting the BURNING BRIGHT anthology and BANISH MISFORTUNE, part of the short-lived Harlequin American Premier Editions (there were five of them).

3) How was the Harlequin American Romance line different from the other Harlequin lines?
HAR went through many permutations. It was the first North American line that Harlequin had done (they had Harlequin Romance and Harlequin Presents at that point), and in the beginning it was simply that they were set in the U.S. They quickly turned into Disease of the Month – each book seemed to be centered around the romance equivalent of “a very special episode.” Stuff like drug addiction and abortion and other stuff. It got livelier fairly quickly though, with comic writers like Beverly Sommers and Judith Arnold, women’s fiction-y stuff by Kathleen Gilles Seidel, Barbara Bretton and Cathy Gillen Thacker, and my sneaky romantic suspense (which actually should have gone in Harlequin Intrigue) We also had the first romances with African-Americans as the protagonists (written by people like Sandra Kitt).

4) How did the Harlequin American Romances line change over the years you wrote for it?
The nice thing is there’s been room for a lot of different things in the line. There was a cool sub-imprint called More Than Men which had supernatural heroes – I did two, CINDERMAN, with a scientist who could turn invisible from 8 to 9 in the morning and the evening and could start fires by wiggling his nose like Samantha on Bewitched, and A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT, about Selkies (seal people). Maggie Osborne wrote a wonderful early vampire novel called LOVE BITES as Margaret St. George.

We also did a series called A Century of Romance. I got the 1930s and it was one of my favorite HARs, but it tanked big-time. They tried to reissue them a couple of years ago but the audience still wasn’t there. The great thing about Harlequin is there’s always another chance – eventually those books, by people like Rebecca Flanders, Barbara Bretton, Margaret St. George and others, will find their audience.

5) How did writing for Harlequin American help you in your single-title career? The more you write the better you get. I spent more than 15 years writing them, and in that time I got to explore all sorts of characters and relationships. I’d published 5 books before I sold to HAR, and I learned more with each book. That doesn’t mean the older ones aren’t as good – sometimes a more polished book can lack the energy and heart of a rougher one.
My first single titles after I started writing for HAR were historicals for Avon (while I was still writing HARs). Jennifer Enderlin, who was at Penguin at the time, read NIGHT OF THE PHANTOM and my novella for the Silhouette Shadows launch, and offered me a six-figure contract just on the quality of my HAR work. So that was a direct correlation.

6). Describe a moment you remember related to Harlequin American Romance, either reading one, or a fan moment, or an editor moment, or….
God, I have tons of memories. Like torturing one of my poor editors so that she followed me around at conferences like my personal slave. (I was a very bad girl). Or when I wrote NIGHT OF THE PHANTOM and my entire career seemed to shift into high gear. Or the godawful time I was in the middle of writing a book called LAZARUS RISING, where my hero fakes his death and then appears, alive and well in the middle of the book. Unfortunately my 18 year old nephew died in a car accident when I was in the middle of writing it, and I knew that unlike my hero, he wasn’t coming back. I somehow managed to finish writing it, but I’ve always hated it because it reminds me of his death.

7) Do you hear from your Harlequin American readers who have also read your single titles? What do they say?
My HAR readers don’t seem to cross-over much with my single title readers. I don’t really know why.

8) Harlequin American Romance is 25 years old. Describe writing some of the first books for the line. Were there any taboos? Words you couldn’t use? What were the covers like? That sort of thing….
There were all sorts of taboos, and yet there were also things that we couldn’t do today. For instance, in one of the early ones written by Jackie Casto, the heroine had an abortion. Couldn’t say “shit” (can you now?), definitely couldn’t say God damn it or any kind of God or Jesus cursing. And while they let me use bitch and bastard they’d count how many times I used them, and sometimes I had to trade using a no-no word in one scene in order to get it into the scene where it was more important.

The covers were standard clinch covers with a silver border, usually a larger picture and then a smaller one in the corner. I remember one year I had the brilliant idea of doing Christmas books in December and having the silver stripe be green. They told me it was a good idea but too expensive. Obviously they should have listened – soon afterwards all the lines were doing Christmas books.

9) Anything else?
It was actually a wonderfully creative time. Many of us met at the third Romantic Times conference in New York, just as the line was being launched, and some of those friendships have lasted forever. Sandra Brown did the launch book, but unfortunately she also did the launch book for Loveswept, which was debuting at the same time, and the PTB were mightily pissed off. So instead of having the debut authors cut a cake at the launch party they had three of the launch authors (I think they were Kathy Seidel and Barbara Bretton and maybe Beverly Sommers) and invited Rebecca Flanders/Donna Ball to join them.

Happy 25th—Author Profile Ginger Chambers

Author: Ginger Chambers
Website: Find more about Ginger at http://www.eharlequin.com/
Years writing for the line: 1983-1991, 2005

Bio: Ginger Chambers had no plans to become a writer while she was growing up. But she always loved words and stories, so it was only natural that the inevitable happened. After writing over thirty books, Ginger still loves the profession she was ultimately drawn to. She considers it one of the great joys of her life to be able to create characters that come to life on the page and place them in situations that entertain her, as well as her readers.
Ginger started her career with Dell Publishing in the Candlelight Romance, Ecstasy and Ecstasy Supreme lines before moving to Harlequin, where she’s written for the Harlequin American Romance series, Special Projects — Welcome to Tyler and Hometown Reunion — and Superromance books. Within the Superromance line she authored the popular seven-book series The West Texans. Her most recent book is Love, Texas for the American Romance line. Presently, she is hard at work on another American Romance title.
Her two children now grown, Ginger makes her home with her husband near the beautiful Pacific in Northern California.

Q & A:

How long have you been published? What was your very first book?

I sold my first book, THE KINDRED SPIRIT (A Candlelight Romance, Dell Publishing), in October of 1979, so this month is my anniversary as well. It didn’t appear on the shelves until April of 1981, so the wait was a long one for an excited new author. Vivian Stephens, the line’s senior editor, soon started the Candlelight Ecstasy line for Dell, which I then contributed to. At the time Harlequin published few US authors, but when Vivian moved to Harlequin to start the American Romance line, I came right along with her. My first American Romance was #32, GAME OF HEARTS.

Describe your favorite Harlequin American Romance that you wrote. How many in total did you do?

That’s like trying to choose between your children! I feel disloyal even thinking about it … but I love animals, particularly dogs and cats, so my book where the hero is a veterinarian, PASSION’S PREY, is a favorite, as is CALL MY NAME SOFTLY. The last for an odd reason—there was a hit man in the book with orders to do away with the heroine, and all the while he was trying to fulfill his job, he had a horrible head cold. I had fun with that.

I also have a more recent American Romance, LOVE, TEXAS, #1064, which was published in April 2005. So, all together, I’ve written 11 American Romances. So far—

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

American Romance opened the door for US authors at a time when, previously, opportunities had been limited. It’s hard to believe there ever was such a time, considering the number of US Harlequin writers today, but many of us lived it. And readers responded--they loved to read Harlequin books set in places they knew or could easily visit, and which were peopled by characters who could be them or their neighbors.

How did the Harlequin American Romance line change over the years you wrote for it?

Vivian Stephens accepted only completed manuscripts before she would go to contract. And, with her track record, she proved to have a knack for choosing books that readers loved. She wanted well-written books with believable plots and characters where romance carried the story forward. I still remember hearing her say at a conference that she wanted us (the writers) to use all our senses. She wanted the stories to be sensual in the fullest sense of the word—hearing, sight, smell, taste, touch.

When Vivian left the line, Debra Matteucci became the senior editor and carried on in a similar vein. Debra was open to going to contract with a partial, though—50 pages and an outline. So I, along with other American writers, learned to do that. To this day, I’d still rather write the whole book , but then knowing the book is sold before completion is very nice too.

Over time the focus of the line changed. It’s hard to put my finger on how, but it was different. After being asked to contribute two books to the Welcome to Tyler series, Harlequin’s first continuity series, I jumped at the opportunity and loved every minute of researching and writing BACHELOR’S PUZZLE and COURTHOUSE STEPS. Along with two books in the follow-up Tyler continuity series Hometown Reunion, DADDY NEXT DOOR and PUPPY LOVE (another veterinarian book).

Since then, I’ve written for Superromance, where I’ve had 9 books published, 7 of which were my own series within the Superromance line, The West Texans, which followed the lives of the Parker family of the Parker Ranch.

Describe writing some of the first books for the American Romance line. Were there any taboos? Words you couldn’t use? What were the covers like? That sort of thing….
I never had any problem with taboos or words I couldn’t use, because my stories never went in those directions. Guess I’m just not a very venturesome person.

The silver strip on the covers of the early American Romances were beautiful and eye-catching. I was very happy with all of them. The art department at Harlequin has always been very kind to me … with one or two exceptions over the years that we won’t talk about.

Anything else?

Yes. My upcoming book! It’s a June 2009 Superromance that was originally an Everlasting Love. At present I’m desperately casting about for a title, which I’ll have to find soon, because a book can’t hit the shelves with UNTITLED on the cover. It’s about a couple who have been married for twenty-seven years, and are having problems in their relationship. An accident strands them off road in the mountains in a bad snowstorm, where they’re forced to work together to survive….

Michele Dunaway notes: Thanks Ginger. Readers--don't miss tomorrow, when we conclude the month with Anne Stuart!

Tonight, We Carve!

I was doing a Q&A once and was highly amused when one reader earnestly asked how my kids dealt with my "celebrity" status. Did it affect their lives, were they proud, did they fit in with kids at their school with nonfamous parents? That reader made my day with her conviction that someone of my talent should be well known.

Let's face it, guys, Brangelina I am not. Very seldom do paparazzi follow my big blue mini-van, complete with soccer mom magnets and Proud Parent of a Terrific Kid bumper sticker, on my many trips to exotic locales such as...Kroger! It's funny because my kids are wowed by authors--like Mo Willems, of Pigeon and Knuffle Bunny fame, or Mary Pope Osborne (Magic Tree House). They just aren't wowed by "kissing books" or mom in general.

I mean, my kids love me. They're just all that impressed. Mommy can tell a story that makes readers laugh, cry or sigh over a happy ending? Yeah, but that's not as cool as Daddy getting to the next level in Mario Galaxy. Mommy's had books printed around the world in Korean, Dutch, German, Italian, Spanish, French, Greek and Czech? Yes, but can she carve a really cool pumpkin?

Alas, the answer is no. I mean, for real. I was all kinds of impressed with myself the year I managed this:



I am the last person you want on your team if you're playing Pictionary or anything that requires above preschool levels or artistic skill (and, frankly, I can barely hold my own against most of the preschoolers I know.) Then you have my husband, the freakishly talented who once freehanded a Winnie the Pooh pumpkin and an incredibly detailed Goofy. When our oldest was eleven months old and I was pregnant with another, J carved a perfect Baby Einstein logo. And he managed this Franklin-stein from a children's book just by eyeballing it:



When we visit the pumpkin patch as a family, we come back with multiples. J sits at one end of the table with carved out pumpkins to take requests and help peple, and I sit at the other. His end always has a line, while I sit alone calling out, "Look, no waiting!" and get rolled eyes in response. Of course, usually I end up standing in line for one of J's creations myself. You should have seen the Pirates of the Caribbean pumpkin he did for me--unfortunately, it was so intricate I was never able to snap a picture that completely did it justice.

Tonight our family plans to watch Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown on TV, toast pumpkin seeds and carve this year's pumpkins. I will try not to feel inferior. After all, J recently went through a lot of trouble to cook a dinner for us, calling his mom for a family recipe, spending an hour at the the store rounding up all the ingredients and slaving away in the kitchen. Both the kids, though they aren't rude enough to flat out say so, hated it. J was obviously depressed by the reception, so I tried to make a show of finishing mine and ended up sick as a dog the next day (which I keep telling him is probably a coincidence, but it was a severe beating to his self esteem. To compound matters, two nights later, I was lazy and scrambled some eggs for dinner and our seven year old enthusiastically proclaimed me The Best Cook Ever between bites.)

What about your family? Any special talents you or your relatives have, ways that you impress each other? (My grandmother can sew things you wouldn't believe, while I can barely thread a needle. One cousin has a photographic memory.) I have to admit, I'll never be able to compete with this.




Luckily, J loves me for my many other fine qualities! (If our pumpkins turn out well tonight, I'll post pictures later this week on my personal blog for anyone who's interested.)