Please welcome long-time Harlequin Author, Rebecca Winters. We're thrilled that Rebecca has recently joined the American Romance line!
How long have you been published?
With Harlequin, 20 years.
What advice for new writers?
For new Harlequin writers, read the line you love until it gets deep in your psyche.
What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
Strong emotion, flesh and blood characterization, excellent story telling.
What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?
Raw eel in a bar in Barcelona, Spain
What comes first: the plot or the characters?
That all depends. Stories have come to me both ways.
When you looked in the mirror this morning, what was the first thing you thought?
Time indeed marches on.
Describe your writing space.
The end of my bedroom. From my desk I look out a front and a side window. Both give me a glorious view of the brilliant blue sky and the Oquirrh Mountains. Directly in front of my front window is a beautiful park surrounded on all sides by adorable new houses that look like they belong in Whoville. Above my desk is a large, gorgeous framed tapestry my mother made in fine needlepoint of Romeo and Juliet done in deep blues and reds. I can’t work in clutter. My desk has the equipment, a phone book and lotion. You’ll usually see my favorite Coke Zero Cherry drink, my cell phone, a little lamp and a beautiful vase with no flowers in it (alas).
Do you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, what do you do about it?
We all suffer from it. I often call my dear friend Bonnie K. Winn, a renown romance writer, and we go through the ‘what ifs.’ That usually unlocks my brain enough to move on.
What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
Anything by Alexandre Dumas, Victor Hugo, Taylor Caldwell, Anja Seton, James Michner, James Hilton. As for Harlequin writers, three stand out, but don’t forget I started reading Harlequins in the 70’s. Violet Winspear, Anne Mather and Margaret Way.
What are you reading now?
The last novel in the Twilight Series.
Do you re-read your books once they're in print?
Sure. Once in a while I get in a mood and think, hey-- I’ll read one of mine! Some of my favorites I read every year.
What is your work schedule like when you are writing?
I’m up at five a.m. and write all day (with breaks in between to tend grandchildren, shop, chat with family and friends on the phone, go on trips.
How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
This year at the Harlequin party during the RWA Conference in Washington D.C., I’m receiving an award for having written 100 books. It makes me croak just thinking about it. In the Harlequin Romance series I guess I have to say BRIDE OF MY HEART or CLAIMING HIS BABY. In the Harlequin Superromance series it would be STRANGERS WHEN WE MEET. In the Harlequin American series, I would have to say THE CHIEF RANGER.
Do you hear from your readers much? What do they say?
I get a few e-mails every week. They mostly tell me they like my romances because they are emotional and uplifting.
Tell us about your family and where you live.
I have four children and five grandchildren. I live in Salt Lake City, Utah, the land of mountains, blue skies and the greatest snow on earth.
Are you working on anything at the present you'd like to share?
A rodeo story for American. I’m now addicted to watching bullriding!
Did you ever eat paste or Elmer's glue when you were a kid?
Who didn’t eat both?
What did you do career-wise before becoming an author?
I taught French in secondary school.
How has the American Romance line changed since you first began writing for it?
I can’t tell you that yet. I’m only working on my third book for the line now.
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?
I often burn my lilac scented candle. I use music a lot. Mostly classical piano concertos of Grief, Rachmaninoff, Mozart, Tchaikowsky, Beethoven, Schumann. I also love flamenco, Gypsy Kings, Luis Miguel, Andre Rocelli. I love opera; Carmen, Aida, Tosca, Madame Butterfly. Any music that pierces or squeezes your heart.
What do you want to know about the future?
I don’t. I can only handle my day to day life. I’d probably have a heart attack to know more.
Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? If so, which do you prefer?
Absolutely. I prefer Coke. Pepsi taste like medicine.
Have you ever made a crank phone call?
When I was in grade school my older sister used to make me do crank calls and say, “Hey, have you got any pop in the bottle? If you do, let him out!”
Who's you're personal hero--past or present?
If we’re talking romantic, it’s Errol Flynn hands down on the movie screen. The scene with Marion in Robinhood, when he climbs on her balcony window and accuses her of loving him-- Then he professes his love for her, and there’s something about the way he says it and the way he looks at her that thrilled me as a child, as a teenager and as a grown woman. It gets to me every single time. It’s that emotion I try to put in my writing.
What is your dream car?
The Porsche 911.
If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?
South of France.
If you were locked in a closet for one hour who would you want in there with you?
Errol Flynn as he looked in Robinhood, the Sea Hawk or Captain Blood.
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?
A cowboy. He’s eternal. A man of the earth who knows how to live and survive in any century. My next Harlequin Romance is going to be a cowboy story.
Rebecca
http://www.cleanromances.com/
Monday, September 28, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Déjà vu
Last Friday I moved my sailboat into a small marina in Annapolis, Maryland. It’s one of a dozen or more marinas that crowd the shores of Back Creek. When you step off the docks, you are in the Eastport neighborhood—known locally as the Maritime Republic of Eastport. A less-touristy area than Annapolis proper, Eastport has none of the bustle that accompanies the capitol of a state. If you didn’t know the State House was just a short walk across the Spa Creek bridge, you’d never guess it. The streets are lined with small charming houses. Trees arch out to form a canopy of green overhead. From around every corner you catch a glimpse of water and, of course, boats.
Walking out of the marina parking lot to look around, you find the Leeward coffee shop two blocks to the east. About a half-block west is Davis’s Tavern, a former mercantile store in the 1930’s, converted to a local watering hole. Really, this is about as perfect as it gets for a writer: libations for either end of the day all within walking distance.
The evening after we tied up, we decided to go see what was happening at the tavern, see what the locals do for fun after the long work-week. To our surprise, Davis’s was crowded. Outside, people stood in clusters under the green awnings or sat at the tables. Inside, the barstools were full. We took a table nearby and overheard several lies . . . I mean sea stories being told. Most of the patrons had houses nearby, or boats at the marinas across the street, or both. It was a happy, convivial atmosphere that made you want to stay and mingle.
That’s when my first attack of déjà vu hit: I had been there before. No, I don’t mean that I had ever been in Davis’s Tavern. Before that evening, I didn’t even know it existed. But there was a feel to the place that was very familiar, except I couldn’t figure out the connection. The next morning, writing away on my latest book, I realize that Davis’s shared some striking resemblances to the bar I had created for my characters. My bar—The Laughing Gull—is in an old, historic building on the waterfront. You can see boats from its windows. The vibe I get from the bar I created is a lot like the real one: warm, welcoming and boisterous.
A few days later we stopped into the tavern again. It wasn’t so busy on a weeknight, so we pulled up a stool. As I was sipping my wine, a man walked up to the bar next to me, smiled and ordered a drink. He had a thick accent that sounded Italian. After the bartender served him, he took his beer outside to a table. Through the windows, I could see him sit down with several other older men who all seemed to be talking at once and having a great time. Forgetting my manners, I started to stare. He looked very like my image of Antonio Berzani, patriarch of the Berzani clan and father to my hero, Ian. Did he have an Italian accent? Yes. Did he talk with his hands? Yes. Was he tall, have silver hair and dark eyes with a twinkle lurking in their depths? Yes, yes, yes.
Whoa.
Did one of my characters just come to life? And was he in a bar that came out of my imagination? The universe isn’t supposed to work that way, but what if this is one of those mysterious anomalies? What I love most of all about this “déjà vu” experience (I’m sure there’s a better psychological term for experiencing something you imagined beforehand) is that it shows I’ve successfully translated my experiences on the Chesapeake Bay extracted from a myriad of small communities—Chestertown, Deltaville, Oxford, Easton—into a “real” fictional place, somewhere my characters really would live, laugh and love.
So far, none of my other characters has made an appearance at Davis’s or around the neighborhood, but I’m not giving up. Any day, I expect to see Kate and Patrick with their baby, strolling along Chester Avenue, or Ian lugging his tool box into a boatyard, or Mimi strumming her guitar and singing at a local hangout. I believe that there’s a thin spot in the fabric of the universe somewhere around here and through it, my stories are entering this reality.
How cool would that be?
Walking out of the marina parking lot to look around, you find the Leeward coffee shop two blocks to the east. About a half-block west is Davis’s Tavern, a former mercantile store in the 1930’s, converted to a local watering hole. Really, this is about as perfect as it gets for a writer: libations for either end of the day all within walking distance.
The evening after we tied up, we decided to go see what was happening at the tavern, see what the locals do for fun after the long work-week. To our surprise, Davis’s was crowded. Outside, people stood in clusters under the green awnings or sat at the tables. Inside, the barstools were full. We took a table nearby and overheard several lies . . . I mean sea stories being told. Most of the patrons had houses nearby, or boats at the marinas across the street, or both. It was a happy, convivial atmosphere that made you want to stay and mingle.
That’s when my first attack of déjà vu hit: I had been there before. No, I don’t mean that I had ever been in Davis’s Tavern. Before that evening, I didn’t even know it existed. But there was a feel to the place that was very familiar, except I couldn’t figure out the connection. The next morning, writing away on my latest book, I realize that Davis’s shared some striking resemblances to the bar I had created for my characters. My bar—The Laughing Gull—is in an old, historic building on the waterfront. You can see boats from its windows. The vibe I get from the bar I created is a lot like the real one: warm, welcoming and boisterous.
A few days later we stopped into the tavern again. It wasn’t so busy on a weeknight, so we pulled up a stool. As I was sipping my wine, a man walked up to the bar next to me, smiled and ordered a drink. He had a thick accent that sounded Italian. After the bartender served him, he took his beer outside to a table. Through the windows, I could see him sit down with several other older men who all seemed to be talking at once and having a great time. Forgetting my manners, I started to stare. He looked very like my image of Antonio Berzani, patriarch of the Berzani clan and father to my hero, Ian. Did he have an Italian accent? Yes. Did he talk with his hands? Yes. Was he tall, have silver hair and dark eyes with a twinkle lurking in their depths? Yes, yes, yes.
Whoa.
Did one of my characters just come to life? And was he in a bar that came out of my imagination? The universe isn’t supposed to work that way, but what if this is one of those mysterious anomalies? What I love most of all about this “déjà vu” experience (I’m sure there’s a better psychological term for experiencing something you imagined beforehand) is that it shows I’ve successfully translated my experiences on the Chesapeake Bay extracted from a myriad of small communities—Chestertown, Deltaville, Oxford, Easton—into a “real” fictional place, somewhere my characters really would live, laugh and love.
So far, none of my other characters has made an appearance at Davis’s or around the neighborhood, but I’m not giving up. Any day, I expect to see Kate and Patrick with their baby, strolling along Chester Avenue, or Ian lugging his tool box into a boatyard, or Mimi strumming her guitar and singing at a local hangout. I believe that there’s a thin spot in the fabric of the universe somewhere around here and through it, my stories are entering this reality.
How cool would that be?
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Fall TV
I'm a happy camper because the fall TV season is getting into full swing. Old favorites are coming back with new episodes, and I'm trying a few new series. I can remember when I was a kid and living in the country, we had three TV stations. So whenever the Fall TV Preview issue of TV Guide came out, it didn't take long to figure out what you were going to watch when. If two things happened to be on at the same time, you had to choose which one you'd watch and resign yourself to not seeing the other unless you could convince a friend to tape the other show for you on their VCR.
But now, thanks to the wonders of my TiVo, I can record two things at once on one TV and watch something else on the other TV. I only have to do this during the first hour of primetime on Thursday nights. TiVo also comes in handy if I'm traveling, as I will be next week to the Moonlight & Magnolias Conference in Atlanta, or when I'm on deadline and TV is a big no-no. Shows are so different now too. Instead of weekly episodic offerings, there seem to be more that have big arcs, ones where you have to pay attention to each episode or you miss something crucial. LOST kind of got this trend started in a big way, and one of the new programs I'm watching, FlashForward, is taking this concept and running with it. I'm already intrigued. For those who don't know, the premise is that everyone in the world passes out at the same time and all wake up 2 minutes and 17 seconds later. No one knows why. So we're going to be following not only the investigation, led by main character FBI Agent Mark Benford (played by Joseph Fiennes), but also how people deal with what happened when they passed out -- they all saw the future, specifically what they'd be doing on the same day six months in the future. Some liked what they saw, others not so much. And one guy thinks he'll be dead since he didn't see anything. Can you imagine how you'd react if this really happened? Also intriguing is the fact that video footage of a ballgame in Detroit shows that there is one guy, mysteriously dressed all in black, who is up walking around while everyone else is out cold. Hmmm...
Here's my viewing lineup:
Monday:
Heroes
Castle (love me some Nathan Fillion; I need to base a hero on him.)
Tuesday:
The Biggest Loser (to help inspire me to stay fit and healthy)
V (starts in November; a remake of the sci fi show/mini-series from when I was a kid)
Wednesday:
Glee
Thursday:
Bones (a good show to watch if you want to see sexual tension)
The Vampire Diaries (appeals to the YA write side of myself)
Fringe
Supernatural (my favorite show)
Friday:
Smallville
Dollhouse
Stargate Universe
Saturday:
Nada. This will be movie night. Remember when there actually used to be shows on Saturday night? I can remember watching The Love Boat and Fantasy Island when I was a kid.
Sunday:
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (Hey, what's a week without Ty and the gang making me cry?)
See any of your favorites here? Trying anything new this season?
But now, thanks to the wonders of my TiVo, I can record two things at once on one TV and watch something else on the other TV. I only have to do this during the first hour of primetime on Thursday nights. TiVo also comes in handy if I'm traveling, as I will be next week to the Moonlight & Magnolias Conference in Atlanta, or when I'm on deadline and TV is a big no-no. Shows are so different now too. Instead of weekly episodic offerings, there seem to be more that have big arcs, ones where you have to pay attention to each episode or you miss something crucial. LOST kind of got this trend started in a big way, and one of the new programs I'm watching, FlashForward, is taking this concept and running with it. I'm already intrigued. For those who don't know, the premise is that everyone in the world passes out at the same time and all wake up 2 minutes and 17 seconds later. No one knows why. So we're going to be following not only the investigation, led by main character FBI Agent Mark Benford (played by Joseph Fiennes), but also how people deal with what happened when they passed out -- they all saw the future, specifically what they'd be doing on the same day six months in the future. Some liked what they saw, others not so much. And one guy thinks he'll be dead since he didn't see anything. Can you imagine how you'd react if this really happened? Also intriguing is the fact that video footage of a ballgame in Detroit shows that there is one guy, mysteriously dressed all in black, who is up walking around while everyone else is out cold. Hmmm...
Here's my viewing lineup:
Monday:
Heroes
Castle (love me some Nathan Fillion; I need to base a hero on him.)
Tuesday:
The Biggest Loser (to help inspire me to stay fit and healthy)
V (starts in November; a remake of the sci fi show/mini-series from when I was a kid)
Wednesday:
Glee
Thursday:
Bones (a good show to watch if you want to see sexual tension)
The Vampire Diaries (appeals to the YA write side of myself)
Fringe
Supernatural (my favorite show)
Friday:
Smallville
Dollhouse
Stargate Universe
Saturday:
Nada. This will be movie night. Remember when there actually used to be shows on Saturday night? I can remember watching The Love Boat and Fantasy Island when I was a kid.
Sunday:
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (Hey, what's a week without Ty and the gang making me cry?)
See any of your favorites here? Trying anything new this season?
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Small Town Quirks
I recently came across an interesting bit of trivia about Williams Lake, a small community in British Columbia. Since the late 1930s, townsfolk have celebrated Wrestling Day. No, not calf wrestling or mud wrestling. This was an official holiday that fell on January 2, the day after New Years.
Wrestling Day was started by two businessmen who noticed they weren’t getting any business that day—possibly due to cold winter weather or maybe because local residents were still recovering from the holidays—so they closed up shop and took an extra day off themselves. Besides, if Christmas could have Boxing Day, then surely News Years deserved a day, too.
The idea caught on. In 1942 the village council declared Wrestling Day an official holiday, and in 1959 a bylaw was passed, making if official.
For almost twenty years, local businesses remained closed that day but in 1976, the bylaw was struck down. Williams Lake had grown from a village to a town to a city, which meant more business and more businesses. And those businesses wanted to do business, even on Wrestling Day.
From my perspective—as someone who thinks there aren’t nearly enough holidays!—I think it’s unfortunate that Williams Lake no longer recognizes Wrestling Day as an official holiday, although I understand that some businesses do remain closed in honor of the old tradition.
What do you think? Should more communities have special holidays? Do you know of a town like Williams Lake that has its own quirky holiday?
Until next time,
Lee
The Writer Side of Life
Wrestling Day was started by two businessmen who noticed they weren’t getting any business that day—possibly due to cold winter weather or maybe because local residents were still recovering from the holidays—so they closed up shop and took an extra day off themselves. Besides, if Christmas could have Boxing Day, then surely News Years deserved a day, too.
The idea caught on. In 1942 the village council declared Wrestling Day an official holiday, and in 1959 a bylaw was passed, making if official.
For almost twenty years, local businesses remained closed that day but in 1976, the bylaw was struck down. Williams Lake had grown from a village to a town to a city, which meant more business and more businesses. And those businesses wanted to do business, even on Wrestling Day.
From my perspective—as someone who thinks there aren’t nearly enough holidays!—I think it’s unfortunate that Williams Lake no longer recognizes Wrestling Day as an official holiday, although I understand that some businesses do remain closed in honor of the old tradition.
What do you think? Should more communities have special holidays? Do you know of a town like Williams Lake that has its own quirky holiday?
Until next time,
Lee
The Writer Side of Life
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Nice Digs Stephenie!
So, I was at the carwash the other day getting my old truck washed and I picked up this little newspaper called the North Scottsdale Times to read while I was waiting. I flipped through the pages, and this article caught my eye. It was called "The Valley's Most Expensive Recently Sold Homes". The first home featured sold for the tidy sum of $7,212,672.00. I don't know about you, but imagining that sum of money simply boggles my brain. I have the same mental trouble when I try envisioning how many light years it is from our galaxy to the next closest one. Even more incredible, the house is a modest 12,244 square feet and includes a game room, theater, two-bedroom guest house, outdoor kitchen and spa. Holy smokes!
As I read further in the article, I was stupefied to discover that the house was purchased by none other than Christiaan Meyer, the sole trustee of Marrowstone LLC, an Arizona Limited liability company. Christiaan Meyer, as in the husband of Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight series. Okay, so Stephenie is obviously doing pretty well for herself, not that I doubted it. Do you think she paid cash for the house or has a mortgage? Yeah, maybe she put down, say, five hundred thousand dollars and financed the rest.
I studied the picture of the house, which is actually an estate – a HUGE estate – and I began to wonder how many full-time people it takes to keep the place up. Two maids, at least, a caretaker and a groundskeeper for sure. For fun, I Mapquested the house and was pleased to discover Stephenie lives only about nineteen miles from me. Why, she and I are practically neighbors.
While the carwash guys finished up with my slightly dented 2001 Ford 150 (what kind of vehicle do you think Stephenie drives?), I start fantasizing about being so successful as an author that I, too, could afford a home valued in the seven digits. One that I don't have to decorate with sale items from Ross and TJ Maxx. Next thing I knew, my brain started to do that shut-down thing again - like when I try picturing dinosaurs the length of a football field and living amongst them fifty million years ago.
Cathy Mc
As I read further in the article, I was stupefied to discover that the house was purchased by none other than Christiaan Meyer, the sole trustee of Marrowstone LLC, an Arizona Limited liability company. Christiaan Meyer, as in the husband of Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight series. Okay, so Stephenie is obviously doing pretty well for herself, not that I doubted it. Do you think she paid cash for the house or has a mortgage? Yeah, maybe she put down, say, five hundred thousand dollars and financed the rest.
I studied the picture of the house, which is actually an estate – a HUGE estate – and I began to wonder how many full-time people it takes to keep the place up. Two maids, at least, a caretaker and a groundskeeper for sure. For fun, I Mapquested the house and was pleased to discover Stephenie lives only about nineteen miles from me. Why, she and I are practically neighbors.
While the carwash guys finished up with my slightly dented 2001 Ford 150 (what kind of vehicle do you think Stephenie drives?), I start fantasizing about being so successful as an author that I, too, could afford a home valued in the seven digits. One that I don't have to decorate with sale items from Ross and TJ Maxx. Next thing I knew, my brain started to do that shut-down thing again - like when I try picturing dinosaurs the length of a football field and living amongst them fifty million years ago.
Cathy Mc
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Writing Advice
Here's September's Writing Advice tip from Roxann Delaney.
I can think of a dozen writing tips, but the one that jumps out at me the most is to KEEP WRITING, especially during the tough times in life. It's often hard to do that when life is throwing curve balls, but immersing yourself in your characters and your story will often save your sanity and give you the break from a crisis that's needed to see things more clearly.
Has anyone turned to writing--stories, diaries, poetry--during a difficult time in their life and found the experience helpful?
Roxann Delaney
http://roxanndelaney.com
I can think of a dozen writing tips, but the one that jumps out at me the most is to KEEP WRITING, especially during the tough times in life. It's often hard to do that when life is throwing curve balls, but immersing yourself in your characters and your story will often save your sanity and give you the break from a crisis that's needed to see things more clearly.
Has anyone turned to writing--stories, diaries, poetry--during a difficult time in their life and found the experience helpful?
Roxann Delaney
http://roxanndelaney.com
Monday, September 21, 2009
Retreating to Florida
Hello from sunny Kissimmee, Florida. My writer friend, Rebecca Russell, and I arrived yesterday afternoon for a getaway, to celebrate 20 years of friendship, and to work on our current books. She's writing a mystery and I'm doing a contemporary romance, but what we're writing isn't as important as the fact that we are writing.
I have to admit, I have little to report, comment on, or ask. My brain has completely chilled out. This morning I didn't have to feed my four cats, conform to my dog's rigid "rules" of morning decorum (which include when and how to have a chew stick, where I should sit while she eats it, etc.) or unload a full dishwasher. I didn't feed the birds, do a load of laundry or make up a bed. (Well, I probably should sorta make up a bed, since I'm in a condo instead of a hotel.) But the point is that I'm not in my ordinary world. I don't have to go to work at our office, where I manager the financial functions for our company, nor will I play grandmother later to my two granddaughters. (Well, that's kind of a bummer, but I'll make up for it when I get back.)
It's nice to get away. Now I hope I can actually get a new proposal ready and also prepare for a workshop I'm giving on Saturday to the Dallas Area Romance Authors.
Sorry I don't have any words of wisdom or suggestions or profound thoughts. My brain is on vacation! Have a great week, and if you're in the Dallas area, come see me on Saturday in Richardson, TX at the Holiday Inn Select. I'll be there unless my plane gets grounded in Orlando. Best wishes.
I have to admit, I have little to report, comment on, or ask. My brain has completely chilled out. This morning I didn't have to feed my four cats, conform to my dog's rigid "rules" of morning decorum (which include when and how to have a chew stick, where I should sit while she eats it, etc.) or unload a full dishwasher. I didn't feed the birds, do a load of laundry or make up a bed. (Well, I probably should sorta make up a bed, since I'm in a condo instead of a hotel.) But the point is that I'm not in my ordinary world. I don't have to go to work at our office, where I manager the financial functions for our company, nor will I play grandmother later to my two granddaughters. (Well, that's kind of a bummer, but I'll make up for it when I get back.)
It's nice to get away. Now I hope I can actually get a new proposal ready and also prepare for a workshop I'm giving on Saturday to the Dallas Area Romance Authors.
Sorry I don't have any words of wisdom or suggestions or profound thoughts. My brain is on vacation! Have a great week, and if you're in the Dallas area, come see me on Saturday in Richardson, TX at the Holiday Inn Select. I'll be there unless my plane gets grounded in Orlando. Best wishes.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Soul Searching
Pam's blog on the 15th has inspired a bit of my own. First, I must disclaim that I don't work in corporate America. I'm a teacher, so I have a totally different set of pressures. Right now it's taking 60 ninth graders through To Kill a Mockingbird, teaching photojournalism, and reminding intro to journalism students to stop using I, you and our in news stories.
I confess, I've written very little this month, which is a tad worrisome to reveal as I know the Harlequin American editors read this blog and I have a deadline looming. But this is the time of year I must focus on getting school started. And as much as I love writing, when I die I'd rather have it written on my tombstone that I was a good mom and a good teacher rather than a good writer. So August and September are always about family and job before writing.
I am a huge believer in priorities. I'm also about trying to tackle fear and push through what TS Eliot called the Shadow in his "The Hollow Men." I also believe that if you wait for something, often times "way leads onto way" and as Robert Frost indicates, "I doubted it I shall ever come back."
Because I now you can't. This moment that you are reading this, this speck of time, only exists right now. Then it's gone, relegated to the past. It's the directions you are going, the choices you make and the paths you follow that matter.
So as I write this blog I'm headed back to the long weekends and weeknights of writing. Now that there are only 2 weeks left to the first quarter, I finally know all of my students names and can match those to their faces, and I have a better grasp on what I need to do to reach them. My own children are settled in school, and I can turn my attention to the people talking in my head clammoring for me to get their story done.
I learned long ago not to seek happiness, for that giddy feeling is often fleeting, and so I instead seek contentment with who I am and what I stand for. I've just come through a bit of a rough patch, but I'm in a better place, and excited for the future. And ready to get that book done.
Michele
I confess, I've written very little this month, which is a tad worrisome to reveal as I know the Harlequin American editors read this blog and I have a deadline looming. But this is the time of year I must focus on getting school started. And as much as I love writing, when I die I'd rather have it written on my tombstone that I was a good mom and a good teacher rather than a good writer. So August and September are always about family and job before writing.
I am a huge believer in priorities. I'm also about trying to tackle fear and push through what TS Eliot called the Shadow in his "The Hollow Men." I also believe that if you wait for something, often times "way leads onto way" and as Robert Frost indicates, "I doubted it I shall ever come back."
Because I now you can't. This moment that you are reading this, this speck of time, only exists right now. Then it's gone, relegated to the past. It's the directions you are going, the choices you make and the paths you follow that matter.
So as I write this blog I'm headed back to the long weekends and weeknights of writing. Now that there are only 2 weeks left to the first quarter, I finally know all of my students names and can match those to their faces, and I have a better grasp on what I need to do to reach them. My own children are settled in school, and I can turn my attention to the people talking in my head clammoring for me to get their story done.
I learned long ago not to seek happiness, for that giddy feeling is often fleeting, and so I instead seek contentment with who I am and what I stand for. I've just come through a bit of a rough patch, but I'm in a better place, and excited for the future. And ready to get that book done.
Michele
Thursday, September 17, 2009
It's a gender thing....
Recently, I talked to a friend who is just a few weeks pregnant. The mama- and daddy-to-be are all excited about the baby, of course! They’re also beyond thrilled because--in just a few short weeks--they’ll be able to find out what they’re having.
And they do want to know. No surprises for them.
It wasn’t so long ago that moms and dads didn’t have the option of finding out this information ahead of time. They just waited to see what developed and then made plans--and painted walls--accordingly.
But, when their baby comes, my friend and her husband plan to be ready with every color-coordinated item they can think of!
It seems to me that some people are moving away from the standard choices. I’ve seen layettes and bassinettes and strollers decked out in every color of the rainbow and then some.
With your own kids and grandkids, have you tried something different?
Or are you a traditional, true-blue (and -pink) kinda girl when it comes to the babies around you?
All my best to you,
Barbara
~~~~~~
Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
And they do want to know. No surprises for them.
It wasn’t so long ago that moms and dads didn’t have the option of finding out this information ahead of time. They just waited to see what developed and then made plans--and painted walls--accordingly.
But, when their baby comes, my friend and her husband plan to be ready with every color-coordinated item they can think of!
It seems to me that some people are moving away from the standard choices. I’ve seen layettes and bassinettes and strollers decked out in every color of the rainbow and then some.
With your own kids and grandkids, have you tried something different?
Or are you a traditional, true-blue (and -pink) kinda girl when it comes to the babies around you?
All my best to you,
Barbara
~~~~~~
Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Apple Season
Although October is officially APPLE MONTH, September has always kicked off an apple-pie-baking frenzy in my family. As a child I'd tag along with my mother and grandmother to various produce stands along back country roads in southern Wisconsin mid-September through October. I remember sitting at my grandmother's kitchen table, eating apple peels while she and my mother baked pies. Grandma always used her mother's pie recipe while my mother enjoyed experimenting with recipes from women's magazines. The smells of cinnamon, nutmeg and apple never fail to trigger fond memories of those days.
A few fun Apple facts: http://www.allaboutapples.com
The top five apple producing countries in the world are: China, United States, Poland, Turkey, Italy.
The top five apple producing states in the US are: Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California.
The top seven apples varieties grown in the U.S. in 2003, accounting for 90% of the total apple production that year: Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, McIntosh, Rome.
Planting an apple seed from a particular apple will not produce a tree of that same variety. The seed is a cross of the tree the fruit was grown on and the variety that was the cross pollinator.
Apples ripen six to ten times faster at room temperature than if they were refrigerated. For optimal storage, apples should be kept at 35-40 degrees with relative humidity of 80-90%.
Apples are a member of the rose family.
The science of apple growing is called pomology.
Apple trees take four to five years to produce their first fruit.
Most apples are still picked by hand in the fall.
The apple tree originated in an area between the Caspian and the Black Sea.
The average size of a United States orchard is 50 acres.
Apples are the second most valuable fruit grown in the United States. Oranges are first.
In colonial time apples were called winter banana or melt-in-the-mouth.
America's longest-lived apple tree was reportedly planted in 1647 by Peter Stuyvesant in his Manhattan orchard and was still bearing fruit when a derailed train struck it in 1866.
If you love apple pie and want to try a new recipe I'll be sharing some reader favorites in my October newsletter. If you haven't already signed up for my monthly newsletter you can do so at www.marinthomas.com Just click on the Newsletter link. Then send your favorite apple pie recipe to marin@marinthomas.com and I'll include it in my newsletter.
Happy Baking!
Marin
Samantha's Cowboy (Aug 09)
A Cowboy Christmas (Dec 09)
A few fun Apple facts: http://www.allaboutapples.com
The top five apple producing countries in the world are: China, United States, Poland, Turkey, Italy.
The top five apple producing states in the US are: Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California.
The top seven apples varieties grown in the U.S. in 2003, accounting for 90% of the total apple production that year: Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, McIntosh, Rome.
Planting an apple seed from a particular apple will not produce a tree of that same variety. The seed is a cross of the tree the fruit was grown on and the variety that was the cross pollinator.
Apples ripen six to ten times faster at room temperature than if they were refrigerated. For optimal storage, apples should be kept at 35-40 degrees with relative humidity of 80-90%.
Apples are a member of the rose family.
The science of apple growing is called pomology.
Apple trees take four to five years to produce their first fruit.
Most apples are still picked by hand in the fall.
The apple tree originated in an area between the Caspian and the Black Sea.
The average size of a United States orchard is 50 acres.
Apples are the second most valuable fruit grown in the United States. Oranges are first.
In colonial time apples were called winter banana or melt-in-the-mouth.
America's longest-lived apple tree was reportedly planted in 1647 by Peter Stuyvesant in his Manhattan orchard and was still bearing fruit when a derailed train struck it in 1866.
If you love apple pie and want to try a new recipe I'll be sharing some reader favorites in my October newsletter. If you haven't already signed up for my monthly newsletter you can do so at www.marinthomas.com Just click on the Newsletter link. Then send your favorite apple pie recipe to marin@marinthomas.com and I'll include it in my newsletter.
Happy Baking!
Marin
Samantha's Cowboy (Aug 09)
A Cowboy Christmas (Dec 09)
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
When to quit the day job?
Sorry for the late post. It’s been one of those weeks and it’s only Tuesday. Only one day in Corporate America this week and I feel like I’ve worked a month.
I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching of late. After almost twenty-three years in Corporate America, I’m tired. I’ve made some amazing friends and been given amazing opportunities. For the most part it’s been a fun ride. But Corporate America has changed. And I’ve changed. Now we work in constant fear of losing our jobs. We get pay cuts instead of raises. Benefits are reduced and more expensive. And watching talented co-workers lose their jobs has been the icing on the cake.
Okay, enough whining. On the flip side, I love writing. I’m on vacation the rest of the week and writing full time. It makes me feel good. It provides a feeling of accomplishment. I’d love to earn my living writing. But when is it time to take that plunge? Anybody else spooked by that giant step?
I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching of late. After almost twenty-three years in Corporate America, I’m tired. I’ve made some amazing friends and been given amazing opportunities. For the most part it’s been a fun ride. But Corporate America has changed. And I’ve changed. Now we work in constant fear of losing our jobs. We get pay cuts instead of raises. Benefits are reduced and more expensive. And watching talented co-workers lose their jobs has been the icing on the cake.
Okay, enough whining. On the flip side, I love writing. I’m on vacation the rest of the week and writing full time. It makes me feel good. It provides a feeling of accomplishment. I’d love to earn my living writing. But when is it time to take that plunge? Anybody else spooked by that giant step?
Sunday, September 13, 2009
A Military Family
Friday I spent a good portion of the evening watching documentaries of 9/11 on the History channel. The terror, chaos and desperation of that hideous day were portrayed in a montage of 911 calls, personal video cams, news footage and interviews. For me it emphasized the fact that as a nation we can neither ignore nor can we forget that day of infamy.
On a very minor level we had our own scare. Our son was working in the Department of Commerce building which is located directly across the street from the White House. From numerous calls with our daughter-in-law we knew that the entire area had been evacuated. We also knew that the cell lines were overloaded, they'd sealed off all the parking garages, cabs had disappeared from the streets, the Metro was inundated with panicked people trying to flee the District and that my son was going to start walking. To where - we didn't know. He actually ended up in a bar in Georgetown watching it unfold on TV. And that wasn't anything compared to the terror my friend experienced knowing that her husband was in the Pentagon.
That was also a day that changed the lives of military families for many years to come. My October release, Top Gun Dad, is a story about the joys and tribulations of a single dad and Air Force pilot. He's in Afghanistan when he gets word that his ex has abandoned their daughters and disappeared. From there he makes a quantum leap, both personally and professionally, to the world of undergraduate pilot training. And this story - at least in part - comes from experience. My husband was the Assistant Director of Operations at a pilot training base in Oklahoma.
We spent 26 years (and 21 moves) as an Air Force family and I loved almost all of it - the two wars, the numerous TDY's (temporary duty) and the alert cycles (my hubby sat in a concrete bunker waiting for the Soviets to launch a missile) notwithstanding. Being in the military is truly not just a job - it's a way of lie. Every assignment presented us with a new adventure and another extended family. My son went to three high schools and my daughter attended two. You might say that sounds terrible but they both graduated with a 4.0 and are the most flexible people on the planet - always ready for a new experience. In fact, they both married Europeans - interesting, huh?
So to military families everywhere - I salute you. You're wonderful! You have that pioneer "get it done" spirit that made America great, and I love you.
Ann DeFee
Top Gun Dad, HAR, October 2009
Hill Country Hero, HAR, February 2010
On a very minor level we had our own scare. Our son was working in the Department of Commerce building which is located directly across the street from the White House. From numerous calls with our daughter-in-law we knew that the entire area had been evacuated. We also knew that the cell lines were overloaded, they'd sealed off all the parking garages, cabs had disappeared from the streets, the Metro was inundated with panicked people trying to flee the District and that my son was going to start walking. To where - we didn't know. He actually ended up in a bar in Georgetown watching it unfold on TV. And that wasn't anything compared to the terror my friend experienced knowing that her husband was in the Pentagon.
That was also a day that changed the lives of military families for many years to come. My October release, Top Gun Dad, is a story about the joys and tribulations of a single dad and Air Force pilot. He's in Afghanistan when he gets word that his ex has abandoned their daughters and disappeared. From there he makes a quantum leap, both personally and professionally, to the world of undergraduate pilot training. And this story - at least in part - comes from experience. My husband was the Assistant Director of Operations at a pilot training base in Oklahoma.
We spent 26 years (and 21 moves) as an Air Force family and I loved almost all of it - the two wars, the numerous TDY's (temporary duty) and the alert cycles (my hubby sat in a concrete bunker waiting for the Soviets to launch a missile) notwithstanding. Being in the military is truly not just a job - it's a way of lie. Every assignment presented us with a new adventure and another extended family. My son went to three high schools and my daughter attended two. You might say that sounds terrible but they both graduated with a 4.0 and are the most flexible people on the planet - always ready for a new experience. In fact, they both married Europeans - interesting, huh?
So to military families everywhere - I salute you. You're wonderful! You have that pioneer "get it done" spirit that made America great, and I love you.
Ann DeFee
Top Gun Dad, HAR, October 2009
Hill Country Hero, HAR, February 2010
Saturday, September 12, 2009
It’s News Day!
News
Linda Warren’s TEXAS HEIR (September, 2008) won The Bookbuyers Best Award in the short contemporary category and was chosen the "Top Pick" by Sue Grimshaw of Borders Groups, Inc.
The release of Leigh Duncan’s debut American Romance—THE OFFICER'S GIRL—has moved from June to April, 2010!
Lisa Ruff has sold her fourth book to American Romance and it’s set for release late in 2010. It's the third book about the Berzani clan who live, love and sail on the Chesapeake Bay. BABY ON BOARD (1/2009) told Patrick's story and AN UNEXPECTED FATHER (4/2010) tells brother Ian's. This book is little sister Anna's tale of how she gets tangled up with Evan, her big brother's best friend. Things get pretty steamy between them with surprising results.
Michele Dunaway is having a very good day job month. The yearbook she advises received All American honors from the National Scholastic Press Association, and the article Michele co-wrote with a friend is being published in the fall issue of Communication: Journalism Education Today. But best of all, Michele learned she is one of four Journalism Education Association Medal of Merit recipients and that she will be honored in Washington, DC, at the national convention in November.
Reviews
Rebecca Winters’ current release, THE RANGER'S SECRET (September 2009), received a 4-l/2 star Top Pick review from Romantic Times magazine! This book follows THE CHIEF RANGER (June 2009), which was also a top pick.
Mark Your Calendar
September 8: Four wonderful new reads from Harlequin American Romance will be in stores tomorrow. This month’s covers are posted in the sidebar.
September 10: An interview with debut author C.C. Coburn
September 28: An interview with author Rebecca Winters
To find out more about American Romance’s September releases, please visit eHarleqin.com.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Houshold Cleaning Tips
Household Tip
To keep a tissue box high and dry on a bathroom counter, insert four push pins into the bottom to serve as legs. Re-use them each time you bring out a new box.
Jacqueline Diamond
www.jacquelinediamond.com
Next book: Doctor Daddy, HAR, September
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*The Easiest Microwave Cleaner Ever*
**Stick a bowl of water into your microwave for five minutes. Remove. Wipe interior with a soft cloth or paper towel.
It’s super easy, doesn’t cost a thing, and it really works!
Laura Bradford
www.laurabradford.cm
To keep a tissue box high and dry on a bathroom counter, insert four push pins into the bottom to serve as legs. Re-use them each time you bring out a new box.
Jacqueline Diamond
www.jacquelinediamond.com
Next book: Doctor Daddy, HAR, September
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*The Easiest Microwave Cleaner Ever*
**Stick a bowl of water into your microwave for five minutes. Remove. Wipe interior with a soft cloth or paper towel.
It’s super easy, doesn’t cost a thing, and it really works!
Laura Bradford
www.laurabradford.cm
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Author Interview--C.C. Coburn
Please Welcome C.C. Coburn--a new Author to the Harlequin American Line. Her first book, Colorado Christmas will hit store shelves November 2009.
How did you make your first sale?
I pitched to Paula Eykelhof at a Romance Writers of Australia conference in 2006.
Tell us a little about your family and where you're from.
I have 3 kids, 3 cats, 1 husband and a yellow Lab. I live most of the year on Australia’s sun-drenched Gold Coast. But I spend about 5 months a year in Colorado, partly researching my books, and partly escaping from my children.
But I miss my Lab when I’m in the States.
Tell us about your book.
Colorado Christmas is set in a small, but quirky Rocky mountain township. It features an uptight lady judge, a naughty pig, a lovesick dog, a kid who wants a dad, an Aztec red Cadillac series 62 complete with tail fins of extra-ordinary proportions, Christmas trees, a lot of snow and a hero to die for.
If you could be lazy for an entire day what would you do?
Read, of course. The paradox of being a writer is, not having enough time to read.
However, If I could be lazy for a whole day with an unlimited budget, then I’d probably have a 3 hour massage and facial, followed by lunch at the Sheraton Mirage, followed by another 3 hour massage, after which I’d be chauffeur driven home, ‘cos I sure as heck wouldn’t be in any state to drive!
What is your strangest habit?
I bite my fingernails, but I’m completing a 12 point program to cure me. However, I don’t consider nail-biting all that strange. Doesn’t everyone do it?
What is one thing scientists should invent?
Long life light bulbs that really are long life. That’s the biggest con of the new millennium IMHO.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I can’t remember. All I ever do is write.
What I’d like to have more time to do is travel. I love driving my poor husband crazy planning trips to exotic places – or even mundane ones. Fortunately he’s very tolerant.
What is your writing routine?
As I work til late at night, I don’t get up till around 8 or 9am. I watch morning tv, catch up on the news or a recorded program from the night before, and then open my computer around 10am. I then procrastinate answering emails. However, if I’m really into a story I can’t wait to get back to it. When it’s flowing, I can write about 1500 words an hour. I don’t set specific targets for a day. Mostly I write late at night because the house is quiet and no-one’s going to come in demanding what’s for dinner, where their jeans are, where they left their uni books, keys, wallet, brain…
If you could wish for anything, what would you wish for?
Peace and quiet. That’s my standard answer when the kids ask me what I want for my birthday or Mother’s Day. So far, I haven’t achieved it. Or were you wanting me to answer something more altruistic (and equally unachievable)—like World Peace?
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
The revisions. Writing is fun, creating characters and settings is so… creative. Having to actually get organized, be disciplined, is anathema to my Sagittarian nature.
What inspired you to write your first published book?
I’d been skiing in Colorado a few times and just loved the small town we stayed in. I thought: I should set a book here. Now, what will it be about?
How long have you been writing?
About 20 years. I started writing when my doctor told me to put my feet up for six weeks after I broke my foot. I was about 25 months pregnant at the time (seriously, have you ever had a baby? It takes forever). So I started working on an action/adventure story that had been playing around in my mind for years. Six weeks later, I’d completed a 100,000 word manuscript, had a new baby and a thirst to write more.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
An architect. Unfortunately I’m completely stupid when it comes to Maths and Physics, so that put the kybosh on that.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I’m not sure, what did other people say? I want to be more interesting than them.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I’m not even sure I considered myself a writer when I got The Call. It became real around the time I saw my book listed on Amazon.
What's your favorite dessert?
Pavlova. It’s an Aussie invention and a hotly fought-over dessert item. Some to create the perfect pav. Others to demolish it as quickly as possible. It’s one of those win/win desserts in my opinion. This miraculous concoction only has 3 or 4 ingredients (plus whipped cream and fruit of your choice.) However, I’d advise adding a dessertspoon of white vinegar to the mix.
My other favorite is Sticky Date Pudding. Yummy with lots of caramel sauce and ice cream!
If you were stranded on an island for a month and could bring three things along what would they be?
My bed. A solar powered laptop with separate mouse and keyboard. And I’m tossing up between my husband and my Lab. My heart says my Lab. My head says my husband. Dogs can’t climb trees to fetch coconuts…
Why did you target the American Romance Line?
I love reading and writing heart-warming stories about real people who conquer their fears and conflicts through love. Plus, that’s where Paula Eykelhof told me I fit.
Do you have any talents readers might find interesting?
I can ski and scuba dive. I don’t have any talents of an intellectual nature, like play music by ear or anything. Sorry about that.
What were you doing at midnight last night?
Writing. What else?
Are you a cat or dog person?
I have 3 cats and a dog, so I’d offend the other animals if I chose. I love the independence of cats. If they want to be your friend, they will be. If they’re having a bad day and feel like taking it out on you, they will. Dogs love you unconditionally.
Describe your ideal dream date.
One that didn’t include my children.
If someone gave you a million dollars what would you do with the money?
Give each of my kids 200K so they’d move into their own places. Seriously! I love them to bits, but it’s time for them to leave the nest. I’d give 100K to an animal charity. 100K to research childhood illnesses and diseases. Like I said, I’m not good at Maths. Does that leave anything for me? If so, then I’d invest it in something that paid high interest (naturally with no risk) so I could use the money for other Good Deeds such as sponsoring some more children in Africa, and traveling.
BTW, I just realized that if someone gave me the money, I’d have to pay tax on it and then there wouldn’t be enough to get rid of…I mean, buy my kids places of their own. However, if I won it in a lottery, that would be heaps better, because in Australia, lottery wins aren’t taxed. So can we rephrase the question?
~~~
Thanks for stopping by! For a chance to win a copy of Colorado Christmas, please leave a comment. I'll post the winner's name at the end of the day.
C.C.
How did you make your first sale?
I pitched to Paula Eykelhof at a Romance Writers of Australia conference in 2006.
Tell us a little about your family and where you're from.
I have 3 kids, 3 cats, 1 husband and a yellow Lab. I live most of the year on Australia’s sun-drenched Gold Coast. But I spend about 5 months a year in Colorado, partly researching my books, and partly escaping from my children.
But I miss my Lab when I’m in the States.
Tell us about your book.
Colorado Christmas is set in a small, but quirky Rocky mountain township. It features an uptight lady judge, a naughty pig, a lovesick dog, a kid who wants a dad, an Aztec red Cadillac series 62 complete with tail fins of extra-ordinary proportions, Christmas trees, a lot of snow and a hero to die for.
If you could be lazy for an entire day what would you do?
Read, of course. The paradox of being a writer is, not having enough time to read.
However, If I could be lazy for a whole day with an unlimited budget, then I’d probably have a 3 hour massage and facial, followed by lunch at the Sheraton Mirage, followed by another 3 hour massage, after which I’d be chauffeur driven home, ‘cos I sure as heck wouldn’t be in any state to drive!
What is your strangest habit?
I bite my fingernails, but I’m completing a 12 point program to cure me. However, I don’t consider nail-biting all that strange. Doesn’t everyone do it?
What is one thing scientists should invent?
Long life light bulbs that really are long life. That’s the biggest con of the new millennium IMHO.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I can’t remember. All I ever do is write.
What I’d like to have more time to do is travel. I love driving my poor husband crazy planning trips to exotic places – or even mundane ones. Fortunately he’s very tolerant.
What is your writing routine?
As I work til late at night, I don’t get up till around 8 or 9am. I watch morning tv, catch up on the news or a recorded program from the night before, and then open my computer around 10am. I then procrastinate answering emails. However, if I’m really into a story I can’t wait to get back to it. When it’s flowing, I can write about 1500 words an hour. I don’t set specific targets for a day. Mostly I write late at night because the house is quiet and no-one’s going to come in demanding what’s for dinner, where their jeans are, where they left their uni books, keys, wallet, brain…
If you could wish for anything, what would you wish for?
Peace and quiet. That’s my standard answer when the kids ask me what I want for my birthday or Mother’s Day. So far, I haven’t achieved it. Or were you wanting me to answer something more altruistic (and equally unachievable)—like World Peace?
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
The revisions. Writing is fun, creating characters and settings is so… creative. Having to actually get organized, be disciplined, is anathema to my Sagittarian nature.
What inspired you to write your first published book?
I’d been skiing in Colorado a few times and just loved the small town we stayed in. I thought: I should set a book here. Now, what will it be about?
How long have you been writing?
About 20 years. I started writing when my doctor told me to put my feet up for six weeks after I broke my foot. I was about 25 months pregnant at the time (seriously, have you ever had a baby? It takes forever). So I started working on an action/adventure story that had been playing around in my mind for years. Six weeks later, I’d completed a 100,000 word manuscript, had a new baby and a thirst to write more.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
An architect. Unfortunately I’m completely stupid when it comes to Maths and Physics, so that put the kybosh on that.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I’m not sure, what did other people say? I want to be more interesting than them.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I’m not even sure I considered myself a writer when I got The Call. It became real around the time I saw my book listed on Amazon.
What's your favorite dessert?
Pavlova. It’s an Aussie invention and a hotly fought-over dessert item. Some to create the perfect pav. Others to demolish it as quickly as possible. It’s one of those win/win desserts in my opinion. This miraculous concoction only has 3 or 4 ingredients (plus whipped cream and fruit of your choice.) However, I’d advise adding a dessertspoon of white vinegar to the mix.
My other favorite is Sticky Date Pudding. Yummy with lots of caramel sauce and ice cream!
If you were stranded on an island for a month and could bring three things along what would they be?
My bed. A solar powered laptop with separate mouse and keyboard. And I’m tossing up between my husband and my Lab. My heart says my Lab. My head says my husband. Dogs can’t climb trees to fetch coconuts…
Why did you target the American Romance Line?
I love reading and writing heart-warming stories about real people who conquer their fears and conflicts through love. Plus, that’s where Paula Eykelhof told me I fit.
Do you have any talents readers might find interesting?
I can ski and scuba dive. I don’t have any talents of an intellectual nature, like play music by ear or anything. Sorry about that.
What were you doing at midnight last night?
Writing. What else?
Are you a cat or dog person?
I have 3 cats and a dog, so I’d offend the other animals if I chose. I love the independence of cats. If they want to be your friend, they will be. If they’re having a bad day and feel like taking it out on you, they will. Dogs love you unconditionally.
Describe your ideal dream date.
One that didn’t include my children.
If someone gave you a million dollars what would you do with the money?
Give each of my kids 200K so they’d move into their own places. Seriously! I love them to bits, but it’s time for them to leave the nest. I’d give 100K to an animal charity. 100K to research childhood illnesses and diseases. Like I said, I’m not good at Maths. Does that leave anything for me? If so, then I’d invest it in something that paid high interest (naturally with no risk) so I could use the money for other Good Deeds such as sponsoring some more children in Africa, and traveling.
BTW, I just realized that if someone gave me the money, I’d have to pay tax on it and then there wouldn’t be enough to get rid of…I mean, buy my kids places of their own. However, if I won it in a lottery, that would be heaps better, because in Australia, lottery wins aren’t taxed. So can we rephrase the question?
~~~
Thanks for stopping by! For a chance to win a copy of Colorado Christmas, please leave a comment. I'll post the winner's name at the end of the day.
C.C.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Back to school!!!
As usual, I am running behind on posting my blog – but as a reward for your patience, I’ll pick a winner from the comments and send you an autographed set of The Citizens Police Academy series. The third book, ONCE A COP, is out this month!
This month I have an excuse for running behind – it’s that whole struggle of getting back into the routine of school mornings. YAY – the kids are back in school! Of course that somehow translates into homework for me – all those papers parents are supposed to thoroughly read and sign. My children know me so well that they just show me the line for my signature.
Yesterday was their first day back. Unlike the moms I envy who have those mimosa parties to celebrate the kids’ return to school, I celebrated by writing with no distractions. (Well, other than the cat and dog who were bored with no kids home.) Being able to focus only on my book was wonderful and reminded me how much I LOVE to write. Sometimes, when I’m juggling deadlines with demanding teenagers, I forget that writing is so much more than a job to me.
Sharing my stories with readers was a dream I’ve had since I was much younger than my girls are now. Even now, with my eighteenth book out this month, it’s hard to believe the dream I had for so long finally came true. So last night, as I rushed around the grocery store buying stuff for lunches (don’t ask what they took yesterday) I stopped in the book section and stared in awe at my book – with that gorgeous cover – on the shelves among all those other books.
And I realized that I’ve probably taught my kids a more valuable lesson than anything they’re going to learn in their classes this year. I’ve taught them to never give up on their dreams -- that they do come true!
Happy Reading & Writing!
Lisa
This month I have an excuse for running behind – it’s that whole struggle of getting back into the routine of school mornings. YAY – the kids are back in school! Of course that somehow translates into homework for me – all those papers parents are supposed to thoroughly read and sign. My children know me so well that they just show me the line for my signature.
Yesterday was their first day back. Unlike the moms I envy who have those mimosa parties to celebrate the kids’ return to school, I celebrated by writing with no distractions. (Well, other than the cat and dog who were bored with no kids home.) Being able to focus only on my book was wonderful and reminded me how much I LOVE to write. Sometimes, when I’m juggling deadlines with demanding teenagers, I forget that writing is so much more than a job to me.
Sharing my stories with readers was a dream I’ve had since I was much younger than my girls are now. Even now, with my eighteenth book out this month, it’s hard to believe the dream I had for so long finally came true. So last night, as I rushed around the grocery store buying stuff for lunches (don’t ask what they took yesterday) I stopped in the book section and stared in awe at my book – with that gorgeous cover – on the shelves among all those other books.
And I realized that I’ve probably taught my kids a more valuable lesson than anything they’re going to learn in their classes this year. I’ve taught them to never give up on their dreams -- that they do come true!
Happy Reading & Writing!
Lisa
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Something to worry about...
Like Megan I was searching for something to blog about. All I had to do was look out my window. I live in Texa
s and we’re experiencing the worse drought in years. It hasn’t rained in months. The grass is brown, the ground cracked and trees are dying because of lack of water. Lakes, rivers and ponds are dangerously low. We live on a lake and I took this picture yesterday. Normally we can only see the tip of that old tree. That’s how low our lake is, but the turtles love to sun on it.
s and we’re experiencing the worse drought in years. It hasn’t rained in months. The grass is brown, the ground cracked and trees are dying because of lack of water. Lakes, rivers and ponds are dangerously low. We live on a lake and I took this picture yesterday. Normally we can only see the tip of that old tree. That’s how low our lake is, but the turtles love to sun on it.I can’t do anything about the weather, so I worry.
My family is in the ranching business and, oh, did I mention we need rain. My nephew couldn’t figure out why the protein blocks, salt and minerals he put out for the cattle weren’t lasting as long as they should. He took this picture and caught the culprits. Animals are hungry and eating anything they can find. 
A flock of Canada geese arrive on our lake in the spring and stay through the summer. They leave in the fall, but they always return. Lately a bobcat has taken to making the geese his nightly meal. A neighbor shot at him (we’re out of the city limits) as he was dragging a tame goose away (they can’t fly). He missed and there’s just one tame goose left. Now the bobcat has started in on the Canada geese. They can fly so they’re not easy prey, unless he catches them sleeping, as he must have done with this goose. Her wing is broken and now she can’t fly. Whe
n the geese leave, she’ll be stuck here (I call it a she. I have no clue what it is and my husband can’t get close enough to even think of checking.). We keep a close eye on her, but at night she’s at the mercy of whatever is out there. Yes, I worry about the goose and make sure she has plenty of food. I check every morning to see if she’s still there. I’ll be very upset when she isn’t.
n the geese leave, she’ll be stuck here (I call it a she. I have no clue what it is and my husband can’t get close enough to even think of checking.). We keep a close eye on her, but at night she’s at the mercy of whatever is out there. Yes, I worry about the goose and make sure she has plenty of food. I check every morning to see if she’s still there. I’ll be very upset when she isn’t.This past wee
kend my husband went out to west Texas with some of his friends to a hunting lease. He took this picture the next morning. They were sleeping twelve feet away. Who knew a rattlesnake could climb a wire fence. He’s hungry, too. But this one I won’t worry about.
kend my husband went out to west Texas with some of his friends to a hunting lease. He took this picture the next morning. They were sleeping twelve feet away. Who knew a rattlesnake could climb a wire fence. He’s hungry, too. But this one I won’t worry about.I have to admit I’m a natural born worrier. I just can’t help it. How about you?
Linda
http://www.lindawarren.net/
Madison’s Children - Oct 2009 SuperRomance
P.S. – Does anyone know how to tell a male Canada goose from a female? (Beside the obvious)
http://www.lindawarren.net/
Madison’s Children - Oct 2009 SuperRomance
P.S. – Does anyone know how to tell a male Canada goose from a female? (Beside the obvious)
Saturday, September 05, 2009
How Can I Follow These?!
Hey, Megan here. (I hate to scroll down before I read the posts, so I'll let you know up front it's me.) I've been reading the posts this month and am simply stumped. We've had the miracle of Jacqueline's family surviving being hit by a car; the sharing of fun with Shelley and Julia; and Ann's lovely daughter's wedding.
What could I possibly write about that would be as inspiring, interesting, or lovely?
....um...
Then Friday, I was handed the answer. My friend got THE CALL!
Okay, some might argue it's not miraculous (although MY sale certainly was! lol). But it's certainly fun, and inspiring, and lovely. She's a wonderful person, serves on our RWA chapter's board, is a firm friend, and obviously a good writer who works at her craft.
And she sold to Silhouette Special Edition so she's part of the Harlequin family now too. :)
By the time I post next month, I'll have a new great-nephew from my niece who doubted she'd be able to have a baby, and I'll have presented another talk, this time in Chicago. (If you remember my agony in June as I prepared to talk at Nat'l, you'll wonder if I'm just crazy to have agreed to do this again. I don't blame you. I wonder, too.) Since I checked in with y'all last month, I've been to two weddings, met some really nice people, got "adopted" into my new nephew's family by his mom and godmother, and finished a book proposal.
I guess this is just a "life is good" post. I keep knocking on wood, throwing salt over my left shoulder, stepping over cracks and avoiding ladders.
Wishing a wonderful Labor Day to those in the US, and a wonderful day to those in other places.
Megan Kelly
megankellybooks.com
What could I possibly write about that would be as inspiring, interesting, or lovely?
....um...
Then Friday, I was handed the answer. My friend got THE CALL!
Okay, some might argue it's not miraculous (although MY sale certainly was! lol). But it's certainly fun, and inspiring, and lovely. She's a wonderful person, serves on our RWA chapter's board, is a firm friend, and obviously a good writer who works at her craft.
And she sold to Silhouette Special Edition so she's part of the Harlequin family now too. :)
By the time I post next month, I'll have a new great-nephew from my niece who doubted she'd be able to have a baby, and I'll have presented another talk, this time in Chicago. (If you remember my agony in June as I prepared to talk at Nat'l, you'll wonder if I'm just crazy to have agreed to do this again. I don't blame you. I wonder, too.) Since I checked in with y'all last month, I've been to two weddings, met some really nice people, got "adopted" into my new nephew's family by his mom and godmother, and finished a book proposal.
I guess this is just a "life is good" post. I keep knocking on wood, throwing salt over my left shoulder, stepping over cracks and avoiding ladders.
Wishing a wonderful Labor Day to those in the US, and a wonderful day to those in other places.
Megan Kelly
megankellybooks.com
A Milestone: Rachael got married
OnSunday evening, August 30, our daughter, Rachael (a family doc who also delivers babies), married Ben (a cryptographer, which is a person who keeps hackers out of computer systems). That's the happy couple, eating cake. The other photo are bridesmaids. From left to right are Katie, (our youngest), Steph (our middle), Beth and Sophie. I don't have any of my hubby or me yet...
Ben’s father and Rachel’s dad grew up on the same block and have been friends since they were old enough to run down the street and knock on each others’ doors. Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine our kids would fall in love. But they did, and both families are over the moon. ☺
Several people at the wedding said, Why don’t you write a story like this! And I replied, If I did, everyone would say, Nah. That could never happen. Too storybook. ☺ Maybe someday I’ll use bits and pieces, and add in lots of emotional baggage and angst. ☺
Rachael and Ben were married in Santa Clara, California, near where they live, which meant most family and friends traveled to be there. That was fun in itself! Not the traveling, but the big gathering. Most family and friends stayed in the same hotel, so we played in the pool and hung out for at least part of every day. Basically, we celebrated for five days, with mani’s and pedi’s for the bride, bridesmaids, mother of the bride, and mother of the groom, among other fun happenings.
The festivities culminated in a big Jewish wedding, complete with dancing, good food and drink, and lots of celebrating. Rachael and Ben love to dance and have taken lessons for a few years. Mostly salsa and Latin stuff, with waltz lessons for a month or so before the wedding. They danced a fancy waltz-like dance, then switched to a sexy salsa–while little, strobe-like stars rained down on them. So beautiful. We were in awe! So were the ages four-seventeen cousins, nieces and nephews, who watched with open mouths and dazed expressions.
I’m still floating.
Thanks for letting me share, and wishing you joyous family occasions,
Ann
www.annroth.net
Friday, September 04, 2009
Recipe of the month
Salad with apples and walnuts
1 to 1 ½ pounds cut-up lettuce or salad mix (can also use spinach leaves)
2 apples, thin sliced and cut in finger-widths
1 cup walnut pieces
about ½ large red onion, thin-sliced and then cut in half (optional)
Mix together and toss with salad:
¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons garlic salt (or 1 teaspoon salt and 1 minced garlic clove)
From:
Jacqueline Diamond
www.jacquelinediamond.com
Doctor Daddy, HAR, September
1 to 1 ½ pounds cut-up lettuce or salad mix (can also use spinach leaves)
2 apples, thin sliced and cut in finger-widths
1 cup walnut pieces
about ½ large red onion, thin-sliced and then cut in half (optional)
Mix together and toss with salad:
¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons garlic salt (or 1 teaspoon salt and 1 minced garlic clove)
From:
Jacqueline Diamond
www.jacquelinediamond.com
Doctor Daddy, HAR, September
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Shelley And Julia
I’m not a great cook. I can bake well, and have been known to bake way too much during times of stress…but as far as sautéing, braising, poaching, etc~it’s always kind of been beyond me.
That’s not to say I’ve been happy about that.
I collect cookbooks, read them at night like they're See's chocolates, and often go to sleep thinking about making a really great dinner. Sometimes I’ve experimented with my family. Actually, I’ve done this a lot. My kids used to grade me…as in, Mom, I’d give tonight’s dinner a C.
Gee. Thanks.
Anyway, a few years ago I picked up Julie Powell’s book, Julie and Julia and read it one rainy Sunday afternoon. I absolutely loved it. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the book, it follows Julie’s quest to make all of Julia Child’s recipes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking during one year. I loved Julie’s traumas with lobsters and her renewed fascination with butter. This past month, I went to see the movie, Julie and Julia. It was a delight!
Seeing that movie inspired me again. I went out and paid too much for a fancy pot, picked up one of my Julia Child cookbooks, The Way to Cook…and two Sundays ago made Julia Child’s French Onion Soup. It took me hours. I had to run to the store for brandy. I followed that recipe exactly. And, well, let me just say right here that the results were terrific.
Finally, after years of failed attempts, lots of C-rated soups, and more than a few packs of Alka-Seltzer, I made a terrific pot of soup. I smiled about that for days!
Have I tried anything else lately? Not really. But I’ve left my expensive pot on the stove top, just as a reminder that sometimes practice does make perfect. And that every once in a while, I can still earn an A for dinner.
Has anyone else seen that movie? Or finally made a dish…that after years of failure…turned out beautifully?
Shelley
That’s not to say I’ve been happy about that.
I collect cookbooks, read them at night like they're See's chocolates, and often go to sleep thinking about making a really great dinner. Sometimes I’ve experimented with my family. Actually, I’ve done this a lot. My kids used to grade me…as in, Mom, I’d give tonight’s dinner a C.
Gee. Thanks.
Anyway, a few years ago I picked up Julie Powell’s book, Julie and Julia and read it one rainy Sunday afternoon. I absolutely loved it. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the book, it follows Julie’s quest to make all of Julia Child’s recipes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking during one year. I loved Julie’s traumas with lobsters and her renewed fascination with butter. This past month, I went to see the movie, Julie and Julia. It was a delight!
Seeing that movie inspired me again. I went out and paid too much for a fancy pot, picked up one of my Julia Child cookbooks, The Way to Cook…and two Sundays ago made Julia Child’s French Onion Soup. It took me hours. I had to run to the store for brandy. I followed that recipe exactly. And, well, let me just say right here that the results were terrific.
Finally, after years of failed attempts, lots of C-rated soups, and more than a few packs of Alka-Seltzer, I made a terrific pot of soup. I smiled about that for days!
Have I tried anything else lately? Not really. But I’ve left my expensive pot on the stove top, just as a reminder that sometimes practice does make perfect. And that every once in a while, I can still earn an A for dinner.
Has anyone else seen that movie? Or finally made a dish…that after years of failure…turned out beautifully?
Shelley
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
JULY WINNER!!!
CONGRATULATIONS Linda Henderson! You’re the August winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Marin Thomas, Roxann Delaney and Linda Warren through their Web sites.
To enter the contest simply leave a blog comment and your name will go into the drawing. Easy and painless. And FREE BOOKS.
So check back often and be sure to leave a comment. Good luck!
To enter the contest simply leave a blog comment and your name will go into the drawing. Easy and painless. And FREE BOOKS.
So check back often and be sure to leave a comment. Good luck!
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
One small miracle
Six weeks ago, I got the kind of phone call you never want to receive. My niece Jessy and her 23-month-old son Frankie had been hit and run over by a car while crossing the street near their house in Lakewood, California.
They were in a crosswalk when a car came around the corner too fast. The driver, who had not been drinking, said she didn’t see them. Yes, she did stop afterwards.
Frankie’s skull was fractured in four places. He also suffered broken ribs and internal injuries. The car ran over Jessy’s leg but somehow only bruised her.
My husband and I rushed to the hospital. With family members from both sides, we prayed and offered what comfort we could.
A week later, Frankie went home, still hurting but more or less functioning normally. None of us could believe his quick recovery.
On Sunday, we celebrated his second birthday, two weeks late. A large group of friends and relatives gathered to eat and bring presents. Little kids cracked open a piňata. Frankie ran around, and took his turn at the piňata.
Is he changed? Yes. He’s more solemn, and more easily frightened. Doctors plan to keep a close watch on his development. But he seems pretty much back to normal.
As at most family gatherings these days, there were guests who’re out of work, and others struggling with various health and financial issues. But for a few hours we set all that aside and celebrated our own small miracle.
They were in a crosswalk when a car came around the corner too fast. The driver, who had not been drinking, said she didn’t see them. Yes, she did stop afterwards.
Frankie’s skull was fractured in four places. He also suffered broken ribs and internal injuries. The car ran over Jessy’s leg but somehow only bruised her.
My husband and I rushed to the hospital. With family members from both sides, we prayed and offered what comfort we could.
A week later, Frankie went home, still hurting but more or less functioning normally. None of us could believe his quick recovery.
On Sunday, we celebrated his second birthday, two weeks late. A large group of friends and relatives gathered to eat and bring presents. Little kids cracked open a piňata. Frankie ran around, and took his turn at the piňata.
Is he changed? Yes. He’s more solemn, and more easily frightened. Doctors plan to keep a close watch on his development. But he seems pretty much back to normal.
As at most family gatherings these days, there were guests who’re out of work, and others struggling with various health and financial issues. But for a few hours we set all that aside and celebrated our own small miracle.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Fabric Wall Art
Here’s a fun and inexpensive project to create a theme for a child’s birthday or holiday party.
Supplies and Equipment
fabric scraps
scissors
a large bowl
a paint brush
towels or a drop cloth
Glue Recipe
4 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
4 cups boiling water
Cut the shapes you want to use from fabric scraps. Smaller cut-outs will be easier to apply than large ones.
To prepare the “glue,” stir 4 tablespoons of cornstarch into 1/2 cup of cold water in a large bowl, then pour in 4 cups of boiling water. Let it cool.
Put some old towels or a drop cloth on the floor along the wall to soak up the drips.
Dip the fabric pieces into the starch solution, or paint the solution onto the back of the fabric with a paint brush. You’ll want the fabric to be thoroughly soaked.
Apply the fabric to the wall and use your fingers to smooth out the bubbles. Paint on more starch solution if necessary.
When the party is over, simply peel it off and wash away the “glue” with warm water and a sponge.
This is also a great way to add flare to a child’s bedroom, especially if you live in rental accommodation that doesn’t allow tenants to paint or put up wallpaper.
Have fun!
Lee
http://thewritersideoflife.blogspot.com
http://www.leemckenzie.com
Supplies and Equipment
fabric scraps
scissors
a large bowl
a paint brush
towels or a drop cloth
Glue Recipe
4 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
4 cups boiling water
Cut the shapes you want to use from fabric scraps. Smaller cut-outs will be easier to apply than large ones.
To prepare the “glue,” stir 4 tablespoons of cornstarch into 1/2 cup of cold water in a large bowl, then pour in 4 cups of boiling water. Let it cool.
Put some old towels or a drop cloth on the floor along the wall to soak up the drips.
Dip the fabric pieces into the starch solution, or paint the solution onto the back of the fabric with a paint brush. You’ll want the fabric to be thoroughly soaked.
Apply the fabric to the wall and use your fingers to smooth out the bubbles. Paint on more starch solution if necessary.
When the party is over, simply peel it off and wash away the “glue” with warm water and a sponge.
This is also a great way to add flare to a child’s bedroom, especially if you live in rental accommodation that doesn’t allow tenants to paint or put up wallpaper.
Have fun!
Lee
http://thewritersideoflife.blogspot.com
http://www.leemckenzie.com
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Life's Unexpected Treasures
After months of living in a fairly limbo-like state, my daughters and I are settled in our home in New York...or as settled as we can be when the actual home we're moving to is still about 6 weeks in the distance (and 99 percent of our belongings are in storage). But we're getting closer.
Now, while I don't consider myself a "stuff" person AT ALL, there are some things I'm dying to reclaim from the 10 by 10 storage closet they currently call home...
*My recipe box (along with my crockpot and my favorite pots and pans). It's amazing how much you can look forward to cooking/baking when the opportunities to do so have been few and far between.
*My ankle boots. While I realize it's still flip-flop weather, my favorite pair is almost worn to the ground...making me keenly aware that boot season is right around the corner.
*Framed pictures. Nothing says "home" to me more than pictures of my kids around the house.
*My desktop computer and printer. Although I have my laptop, I miss the scads of files I have on my desktop. And having to run to Staples whenever I need to print something is getting a little old.
*My white standalone shelf unit. Now before you scratch your head on this one, let me explain. When one of my earlier small-press mystery novels sold to Harlequin's Worldwide Mystery a few years back, I used the advance to buy myself some office furniture. Nothing expensive mind you, but stuff that was MINE. One of those things was a standalone shelf. On it, I prop the books I've published (face out, of course), house the spine-out titles of some of my closest friends, and proudly display photographs that mean a lot to me.
And I am counting the days--the days--until I can set this unit up and decorate it from top to bottom once again...
This time with new pictures (I have a great one of my daughters and me from my launch party a few weeks ago) and new books (my first-ever mystery with Penguin's Berkley Prime Crime Line and a special reserved spot for my Harlequin American debut, Kayla's Daddy), and new keepsakes (a collage of notes from my editor highlighting some very cool accomplishments over the past few weeks).
So how about you? What are some possessions you'd miss terribly after months of doing without?
~Laura
Now, while I don't consider myself a "stuff" person AT ALL, there are some things I'm dying to reclaim from the 10 by 10 storage closet they currently call home...
*My recipe box (along with my crockpot and my favorite pots and pans). It's amazing how much you can look forward to cooking/baking when the opportunities to do so have been few and far between.
*My ankle boots. While I realize it's still flip-flop weather, my favorite pair is almost worn to the ground...making me keenly aware that boot season is right around the corner.
*Framed pictures. Nothing says "home" to me more than pictures of my kids around the house.
*My desktop computer and printer. Although I have my laptop, I miss the scads of files I have on my desktop. And having to run to Staples whenever I need to print something is getting a little old.
*My white standalone shelf unit. Now before you scratch your head on this one, let me explain. When one of my earlier small-press mystery novels sold to Harlequin's Worldwide Mystery a few years back, I used the advance to buy myself some office furniture. Nothing expensive mind you, but stuff that was MINE. One of those things was a standalone shelf. On it, I prop the books I've published (face out, of course), house the spine-out titles of some of my closest friends, and proudly display photographs that mean a lot to me.
And I am counting the days--the days--until I can set this unit up and decorate it from top to bottom once again...
This time with new pictures (I have a great one of my daughters and me from my launch party a few weeks ago) and new books (my first-ever mystery with Penguin's Berkley Prime Crime Line and a special reserved spot for my Harlequin American debut, Kayla's Daddy), and new keepsakes (a collage of notes from my editor highlighting some very cool accomplishments over the past few weeks).
So how about you? What are some possessions you'd miss terribly after months of doing without?
~Laura
Friday, August 28, 2009
Contest Opportunity
Anyone who's talked to me about writing knows I learned a lot about writing while traversing the contest route. If you're aspiring to write category and looking for feedback to improve your writing, here's an opportunity you need to know about. Harlequin American Romance's own Laura Barth is the finalist judge in the Contemporary Category division of the Gateway to the Best contest, sponsored by my home chapter, Missouri RWA (MORWA). Read on to discover what Laura's looking for.
Here's the info you need.
Attention Contemporary Category / Series Romance Writers!
The deadline for the Gateway to the Best Contest is coming up on September 11th!
The final judge of the Contemporary Series category is LAURA BARTH at HARLEQUIN.
This is what LAURA says she's looking for in a contemporary series:
"For me, the most important elements when considering a contemporary series
submission are fit, voice, characterization, conflict and freshness.
"The first thing I look at is whether or not a new submission fits the line
to which it's targeted. ... If the submission is a good fit, I look at the
author's voice and writing style. The prose should be smooth, clear and
natural. The tone should be right for the story and the author should engage
the reader without intruding into the story.
"Characterization is also very important. The hero and heroine must
ultimately be likeable and believable. I want to see a heroine who's strong
enough to stand on her own, but vulnerable and human enough to make me care
about her plight. I want to see a hero who's masculine, but self-aware and
mature enough to show compassion and concern for others.
"A good romance cannot be compelling without conflict, and this conflict
should be organic--it should not be based on misunderstandings and
coincidences. For home and family lines, especially, there needs to be true
internal conflict, not just external conflict.
"Finally, it can be difficult, to say the least, to come up with a totally
new idea for a romance novel and still have it fit within the parameters of
your targeted line. But your approach still needs to be fresh. And hopefully
your story will at least have a new twist, something that makes it stand out
from the crowd."
Enter the first 25 pages of your manuscript for $30 (non-MORWA members).
BUT...enter any ADDITIONAL manuscripts for HALF-PRICE: only $15 each!
Check out our website for more information on the Gateway to the Best
Contest: morwa.org.
Don't write contemporary series romance? We also have dedicated paranormal
(et al), historical, romantic suspense, and single title categories with
great final judges, wonderful prizes, and half-priced additional
manuscripts.
Don't wait. As a courtesy to all our volunteer judges and final judges, our
September 11 deadline will not be extended for any reason.
Good luck to all who enter!
Megan Kelly
megankellybook.com
Here's the info you need.
Attention Contemporary Category / Series Romance Writers!
The deadline for the Gateway to the Best Contest is coming up on September 11th!
The final judge of the Contemporary Series category is LAURA BARTH at HARLEQUIN.
This is what LAURA says she's looking for in a contemporary series:
"For me, the most important elements when considering a contemporary series
submission are fit, voice, characterization, conflict and freshness.
"The first thing I look at is whether or not a new submission fits the line
to which it's targeted. ... If the submission is a good fit, I look at the
author's voice and writing style. The prose should be smooth, clear and
natural. The tone should be right for the story and the author should engage
the reader without intruding into the story.
"Characterization is also very important. The hero and heroine must
ultimately be likeable and believable. I want to see a heroine who's strong
enough to stand on her own, but vulnerable and human enough to make me care
about her plight. I want to see a hero who's masculine, but self-aware and
mature enough to show compassion and concern for others.
"A good romance cannot be compelling without conflict, and this conflict
should be organic--it should not be based on misunderstandings and
coincidences. For home and family lines, especially, there needs to be true
internal conflict, not just external conflict.
"Finally, it can be difficult, to say the least, to come up with a totally
new idea for a romance novel and still have it fit within the parameters of
your targeted line. But your approach still needs to be fresh. And hopefully
your story will at least have a new twist, something that makes it stand out
from the crowd."
Enter the first 25 pages of your manuscript for $30 (non-MORWA members).
BUT...enter any ADDITIONAL manuscripts for HALF-PRICE: only $15 each!
Check out our website for more information on the Gateway to the Best
Contest: morwa.org.
Don't write contemporary series romance? We also have dedicated paranormal
(et al), historical, romantic suspense, and single title categories with
great final judges, wonderful prizes, and half-priced additional
manuscripts.
Don't wait. As a courtesy to all our volunteer judges and final judges, our
September 11 deadline will not be extended for any reason.
Good luck to all who enter!
Megan Kelly
megankellybook.com
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Fall-ing in Love
I love Fall.
I can feel it coming, though here on the Chesapeake Bay, Summer is far from over. The days are still hot and sticky. Most evenings, wild thunderstorms generated by all the land-heat push out to sea and crash over the boat. The storms are like grand temper tantrums staged by Mother Nature herself: rumbling thunder flaring to a wild pitch of rain, wind and lightning, then over quickly, leaving calm. The waters are filled with jellyfish galore—a product of the higher salinity this time of year—all the way to the northern end of the Bay. Still, Fall is on its way.
The first harbinger is all the “back-to-school” sales. Advertisements for everything from Notebook computers to notebook paper everywhere you look. Pencils, erasures, backpacks, sweaters: all necessities of the new school year. Though I am long out of school, it makes me want to go out and buy shoes; a new pair to celebrate the new year. Because, for me, Fall is—and always has been—the start of the New Year.
Soon the weather will match my mood. The air will lose this humidity and become crisp. The skies will be a crystal blue, all haze swept away in the northerly winds. Leaves will turn brilliant colors and slowly fall to the ground to be shuffled under our feet and raked into piles. The season I love the most will truly arrive and—here in the mid-Atlantic—linger and laze its way into Winter.
So, I’m sending you all a bouquet of No. 2 pencils, to celebrate Fall. I hope you enjoy their heady aroma of new beginnings. Perhaps they will inspire you to sharpen one, pull out that new notebook, open the cover and write a few words. As for me, I think I’ll go look at shoes.
I can feel it coming, though here on the Chesapeake Bay, Summer is far from over. The days are still hot and sticky. Most evenings, wild thunderstorms generated by all the land-heat push out to sea and crash over the boat. The storms are like grand temper tantrums staged by Mother Nature herself: rumbling thunder flaring to a wild pitch of rain, wind and lightning, then over quickly, leaving calm. The waters are filled with jellyfish galore—a product of the higher salinity this time of year—all the way to the northern end of the Bay. Still, Fall is on its way.
The first harbinger is all the “back-to-school” sales. Advertisements for everything from Notebook computers to notebook paper everywhere you look. Pencils, erasures, backpacks, sweaters: all necessities of the new school year. Though I am long out of school, it makes me want to go out and buy shoes; a new pair to celebrate the new year. Because, for me, Fall is—and always has been—the start of the New Year.
Soon the weather will match my mood. The air will lose this humidity and become crisp. The skies will be a crystal blue, all haze swept away in the northerly winds. Leaves will turn brilliant colors and slowly fall to the ground to be shuffled under our feet and raked into piles. The season I love the most will truly arrive and—here in the mid-Atlantic—linger and laze its way into Winter.
So, I’m sending you all a bouquet of No. 2 pencils, to celebrate Fall. I hope you enjoy their heady aroma of new beginnings. Perhaps they will inspire you to sharpen one, pull out that new notebook, open the cover and write a few words. As for me, I think I’ll go look at shoes.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Canines with Careers—Tipper: Office Dog
Working with families in crisis requires a whole lot of patience and compassion, and office dog Tipper has oodles of both. She works two to three days a week with her owner, Diane, at a family justice counselling office in Vancouver, BC. I’ve had the privilege of meeting them and seeing firsthand how Tipper interacts with her colleagues and clients, and how she enriches her workplace.
On the rare occasions when a client is loud, upset or even aggressive, Tipper remains calm and alert and keeps that person in her line of sight at all times. She’s very good at diffusing situations and she generally has a calming effect on clients who are upset.
When she’s not working directly with someone, Tipper will claim a central spot in the office where she can keep tabs on what’s happening with all the counsellors and their clients.
Her co-workers say she’s the most enthusiastic “person” in the office and, like most of us, her office decorum is different from the way she behaves at home. For example, she will bark at home when someone comes to the door but at work she often assists at the reception desk.
If you’ve ever had a pet, you know all about the benefits of having an animal in your life but until I saw Tipper on the job, I hadn’t realized that workplaces could reap so many benefits from having a dog on staff. Especially a dog as delightful and engaging as Tipper.
To meet more canines with careers, please join me and police dog named Panzer at the Wet Noodle Posse, and me and guide dog Kimo on The Writer Side of Life.
Until next time,
Lee
Tipper’s StatsTipper has been extremely well trained and she never jumps up on people or makes overtures, so Diane’s clients are not afraid of her. She’s great with kids and will occasionally spend time with children while their parents are being interviewed. She welcomes attention but doesn’t demand it, although she will gently lean in on people, hoping to be petted. I can tell you from experience that being leaned on by Tipper can make you want to slow down, take a deep breath, and realign your perspective.
Breed: lab/collie cross
Age (in human years): 11
Weight: 50 pounds
Food: dog food, once a day
Treats: a daily dog biscuit, or two
Favorite Toy: tennis ball
Favorite Activity: going for a walk and fetching a ball at the local park; swimming at the beach
One Word that Best Describes Tipper: compassionate
On the rare occasions when a client is loud, upset or even aggressive, Tipper remains calm and alert and keeps that person in her line of sight at all times. She’s very good at diffusing situations and she generally has a calming effect on clients who are upset.
When she’s not working directly with someone, Tipper will claim a central spot in the office where she can keep tabs on what’s happening with all the counsellors and their clients.
Her co-workers say she’s the most enthusiastic “person” in the office and, like most of us, her office decorum is different from the way she behaves at home. For example, she will bark at home when someone comes to the door but at work she often assists at the reception desk.
If you’ve ever had a pet, you know all about the benefits of having an animal in your life but until I saw Tipper on the job, I hadn’t realized that workplaces could reap so many benefits from having a dog on staff. Especially a dog as delightful and engaging as Tipper.
To meet more canines with careers, please join me and police dog named Panzer at the Wet Noodle Posse, and me and guide dog Kimo on The Writer Side of Life.
Until next time,
Lee
Sunday, August 23, 2009
My Recent Research Trip
As some of you may know, I'm currently working on a book that centers around a rodeo family. It's Harlequin American's first ever continuity, and I'm book three (coming out the summer of 2010). I've attended plenty of rodeos but not for a number of years. So, another writer friend Libby and I went to the nearby town of Payson (Arizona) this past Sunday to watch the last day of a small but well-known local rodeo and research. In fact, it was the 125th anniversary of the rodeo, so a good day to go!
We had a great time. More importantly, I was able to gather gobs of information for my book, small details that will give it a sense of realism.
Something else that was fun, I got some pictures of the sheriff's station in Payson. Another of my books coming out in 2010 (The Accidential Sheriff) is set in Payson, and the hero is the Acting Sheriff (not by choice). This is the building where he works. Okay, he doesn't really work there, he's a fictional character. But in my mind, he's real, and inside this building is his office.
Lastly, I got some pictures of the girls' equestrian drill team. Two of my previous books, Cowboy Dad and Waiting for Baby, also taking place in or near Payson and feature a secondary character named Briana who is captain of her high school equestrian drill team. Somewhere is this group of girls is the inspiration for that character.
For me, this trip on Sunday wasn't just research, it was like visiting my books. Very cool!
Naturally, I got ideas for more books while I was there :) How could I not?
Cathy Mc
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Writing Advice--Daily Goals
Writing tip
Don't get overwhelmed by the big picture. Writing an entire book is daunting.
Set a daily goal that is small enough not to overwhelm you. Today I'll write one page. Today I'll write this scene. Today I'll write this conversation. All these small steps will get you to your goal.
Do you set daily, weekly or monthly writing goals? If so, what works or doesn't work for you?
Cindi Myers
www.cindimyers.com
Don't get overwhelmed by the big picture. Writing an entire book is daunting.
Set a daily goal that is small enough not to overwhelm you. Today I'll write one page. Today I'll write this scene. Today I'll write this conversation. All these small steps will get you to your goal.
Do you set daily, weekly or monthly writing goals? If so, what works or doesn't work for you?
Cindi Myers
www.cindimyers.com
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Are You Alone Out There?
Today I had a wonderfully productive critique session with my friend Rebecca Russell, who wrote two books for Silhouette Romance and is now writing a mystery. We've been writing buddies for twenty years come September. That's longer than a lot of marriages! Over the years what we've written has changed. I started out writing historical romance, then went to paranormal romance and short contemporary, then Harlequin American. We've read each others' "stuff," from sweet to spicy, from light to dark, from ordinary to bizarre. Today we ate at Cafe Brazil, remembering our critique partner, Kara Lennox, who is now in California. (Please note the menu, Kara. Gosh, we miss you already and you're barely gone!)
Before Kara left, we had a critique session "party" at a local ceramics studio to make geckos for her new home in California. I have to say, the geckos turned out great. We had a good time painting them and thinking about where they might end up - a patio, a tree, or someplace as undefined as the future, stetched out in front of a new life in a new place. I guess it's weird to say this, but whenever she looks at her geckos, she'll think of us! (Which one of those cute little critters do you think I painted?)
Before Kara left, we had a critique session "party" at a local ceramics studio to make geckos for her new home in California. I have to say, the geckos turned out great. We had a good time painting them and thinking about where they might end up - a patio, a tree, or someplace as undefined as the future, stetched out in front of a new life in a new place. I guess it's weird to say this, but whenever she looks at her geckos, she'll think of us! (Which one of those cute little critters do you think I painted?)The important thing that I wanted to post is that having friends who are also writers is very important. While family may support us or think everything we write is great, a good critique partner will tell you what you didn't do so well. Or if you family isn't so supportive of you getting up early or staying up late to write "those silly books," your writer friends will understand and listen. When you've decided that everything you've written is horrible and you'll never sell it, your critique buddies will tell you what you've done right, what scene made them laugh or cry, and what character touched their heart. If you don't live near other writers, then try an online chapter of Romance Writers of America, or even Facebook. I've just gotten on there to meet up with my high school classmates. There are so many writers and readers on Facebook that the task will be narrowing down which ones to become friends with.
I hope that if you are writing, you are not alone. The pro
cess of sitting in front of the computer or leaning back with the laptop is a solitary pursuit by definition; only you are writing the book. Having other writers to talk to makes the process from idea conception to the words "The End" so much easier. Rebecca and I met when we "newbies" attended a local all-genre writing conference at The University of Texas at Dallas. Kara met us when she moved to Dallas, but we didn't become critique partners until some time later. We now have a new critique buddy, Gay Kiser, who is unpublished at the moment. But we're working on her ...
cess of sitting in front of the computer or leaning back with the laptop is a solitary pursuit by definition; only you are writing the book. Having other writers to talk to makes the process from idea conception to the words "The End" so much easier. Rebecca and I met when we "newbies" attended a local all-genre writing conference at The University of Texas at Dallas. Kara met us when she moved to Dallas, but we didn't become critique partners until some time later. We now have a new critique buddy, Gay Kiser, who is unpublished at the moment. But we're working on her ...Next month I'll be in Orlando, Florida on the 21st, so maybe I'll have some more fun photos to post now that I've learned how to do this. Rebecca and I are leaving our husbands and children at home to go on a girls-only trip to celebrate our twenty year friendship. We're taking our laptops and a lot of ideas to share. Happy writing and reading, everyone.
What works for me (writing advice)
What works for me…
Might not work for you. It’s a concept I’ve been mulling lately as I'm back in school teaching another year of school, where I have to individualize learning to best reach all my students. I was thinking about this concept as I read an article in a writing magazine that said, “write every day, even if it’s for 20 minutes” and also gave other such advice as “keep a journal”.
It’s great advice, sure. But I don’t do either and I’m a published author of 21 novels. I write in big spurts, and then will go weeks and sometimes months without writing a thing. That “20 minutes” the author advises is spent doing all those things I didn’t do during that intense focus on writing.
But that’s me. My big on and off spurts are how I balance and prioritize my time, and that’s what I’ve learned works best for my life. During the school year my priority is on my family and my teaching job. Writing is a distant third, unless my deadline is around the corner. Over the summer, I can easily make writing number two and devote 40+ hours a week to my craft.
To me, writing is like dieting. For some, Jenny Craig works. For others, it’s South Beach. For someone else it’s Weight Watchers. Others are naturally skinny and don’t need to do a darn thing. The same holds true for writing. There are plotsters, pantsters, and there are those who create scrapbooks, those who have three ring binders stuffed full, those who interview their characters, those who enter contests, those who sell the first time…the list goes on. Everyone is different, which is logical. As each writer should have a unique, individual voice, each writer will have his or her own individual writing style and system, that, through trial and error works for him or her.
This system, or process, is personal. I see too many writers get bogged down in the “how” they should be writing and trying to follow some system or formula and thus they lose the actual writing. If something isn’t working after a few tries, perhaps that technique isn’t for you. Just because it works for a NYT best selling author or your critique partner doesn’t mean that the approach is perfect for everyone. I know writers who get up at 4 AM to create before their family wakes. I’d die if I had to get up at 4 AM. When my alarm goes off at 5:25 for work, it’s already far too early. I know writers who run every chapter by a critique partner, and there are others who do that only on rare occasions.
Don’t be afraid to do some personal assessing and figure out what works best for you if you're trying to write a novel, or writing anything actually. Try new things and techniques, but don’t lose faith in your abilities or talent if someone else's ideas fail to work. Remember, what works for one person doesn’t mean it will work for everyone. So reassess and find something new. Writing should be a happy time—a creative and pleasurable escape into your mind. So just like trusting your own inner voice with your story, don’t be afraid to take advice, but don’t be afraid to trust your gut if it tells you that advice isn’t for you. After all, just as it’s your story, it’s your process. There is no one writing process answer for everyone except for passion, persistence and putting your fingers to the keys.
Michele
Bachelor CEO, July 2009
Baby in the Boardroom, Feb. 2010
Might not work for you. It’s a concept I’ve been mulling lately as I'm back in school teaching another year of school, where I have to individualize learning to best reach all my students. I was thinking about this concept as I read an article in a writing magazine that said, “write every day, even if it’s for 20 minutes” and also gave other such advice as “keep a journal”.
It’s great advice, sure. But I don’t do either and I’m a published author of 21 novels. I write in big spurts, and then will go weeks and sometimes months without writing a thing. That “20 minutes” the author advises is spent doing all those things I didn’t do during that intense focus on writing.
But that’s me. My big on and off spurts are how I balance and prioritize my time, and that’s what I’ve learned works best for my life. During the school year my priority is on my family and my teaching job. Writing is a distant third, unless my deadline is around the corner. Over the summer, I can easily make writing number two and devote 40+ hours a week to my craft.
To me, writing is like dieting. For some, Jenny Craig works. For others, it’s South Beach. For someone else it’s Weight Watchers. Others are naturally skinny and don’t need to do a darn thing. The same holds true for writing. There are plotsters, pantsters, and there are those who create scrapbooks, those who have three ring binders stuffed full, those who interview their characters, those who enter contests, those who sell the first time…the list goes on. Everyone is different, which is logical. As each writer should have a unique, individual voice, each writer will have his or her own individual writing style and system, that, through trial and error works for him or her.
This system, or process, is personal. I see too many writers get bogged down in the “how” they should be writing and trying to follow some system or formula and thus they lose the actual writing. If something isn’t working after a few tries, perhaps that technique isn’t for you. Just because it works for a NYT best selling author or your critique partner doesn’t mean that the approach is perfect for everyone. I know writers who get up at 4 AM to create before their family wakes. I’d die if I had to get up at 4 AM. When my alarm goes off at 5:25 for work, it’s already far too early. I know writers who run every chapter by a critique partner, and there are others who do that only on rare occasions.
Don’t be afraid to do some personal assessing and figure out what works best for you if you're trying to write a novel, or writing anything actually. Try new things and techniques, but don’t lose faith in your abilities or talent if someone else's ideas fail to work. Remember, what works for one person doesn’t mean it will work for everyone. So reassess and find something new. Writing should be a happy time—a creative and pleasurable escape into your mind. So just like trusting your own inner voice with your story, don’t be afraid to take advice, but don’t be afraid to trust your gut if it tells you that advice isn’t for you. After all, just as it’s your story, it’s your process. There is no one writing process answer for everyone except for passion, persistence and putting your fingers to the keys.
Michele
Bachelor CEO, July 2009
Baby in the Boardroom, Feb. 2010
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Who Me? Interviewed?
It’s such a pleasure to be among all the wonderful HAR authors here on the blog. I’ve gotten to “know” so many more of them than I would have without it. Reading their blog posts and especially their interviews is always a delight, and I wish I had more time to comment. As Rascal Flatts sings, “Life is a highway” and some days I feel like I’m going 80 mph.
What inspired you to write your first book?
Reading. I hadn’t read romance for several years, and then my best friend steered me to Susan Elizabeth Phillips after reading the first few pages of It Had to Be You to me over the phone. I was hooked. After that, I consumed books, both single title and category. One Christmas I went out and bought as many Christmas themed category books that I could find. Of course I had to try writing one, and that led to another and another and another…
How did you make your first sale?
My short contemporary entry won The Maggie contest, and Mary-Theresa Hussey requested the full manuscript. To my surprise, she liked it enough to buy it for Silhouette Romance.
How long have you been published?
Rachel’s Rescuer was a March 2001 Silhouette Romance, so eight years total, although it doesn’t seem like it was that long ago. I had five books with Silhouette Romance before the line closed. My first HAR was published in 2008, so I’m a relative newbie here. I have to admit that I love writing for HAR even more than I did for SR. I think it’s the small town feel of HAR that makes writing them so enjoyable.
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?
Music. Lots of music! I have 612 songs on my playlist of which 169 are designated as “writing” music (those romantic love songs), 134 are “walking” or upbeat dance music for when I need some pep, and the rest are Beach Boys, 50’s and 60’s oldies and a few Christmas songs. (Yes, I'm a music junkie.) If those aren’t enough, I listen to Pandora and have set up my own stations. If you haven’t tried Pandora, it’s free! And then there are all those candles…
Tell us about your family and where you live
I was born in and have returned to live in the biggest city in Kansas. No, not Kansas City. ;) Between then and now, I’ve lived in a small Kansas town and on a Kansas farm. My four daughters also live here. The two youngest live with me, the oldest of the four lives three blocks away, while the next oldest lives a little over a mile away. The two oldest have 5 children between them, now that my youngest granddaughter was born August 10. I also have a step-granddaughter. Every Saturday night we have Family Night and get together to talk and sometimes play board games. You’d think we see enough of each other during the week, but Saturdays are when we’re all in one place. It can get crazy with all the little ones, hubbies and an occasional friend or two.
Do you have any talents readers might find interesting?
Web design, although I don’t consider it a talent. I began playing around with it years ago and ended up enjoying it so much that I do it for real now. Drawing has never been one of my talents, but web design gives me the opportunity to work with colors and shapes, a real break from working with words, but still "creative."
What were you doing at midnight last night?
I was particpating in one of my newest guilting pleasures: Playing on Facebook. I dragged my feet about joining and now can’t stay away. Shameful, isn’t it?
If someone gave you a million dollars what would you do with the money?
I’d give a portion of it to charities, pay off my daughters’ houses (if their hubbies would let me), and buy myself a modest but roomy house. One never knows when family will return, or so I’ve learned--the hard way. Then there’s the dream of taking a Mediterranean cruise…
What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?
Cactus. I spent tens day during the summer before my senior year in high school with 20 other teens on a working trip into Mexico. We stayed on a garlic farm that was used as a school in the winter months, and we painted the dormitories, both inside and outside. Because there was no refrigeration, we went into the nearby small village for food each day. Our adult “chaperones” insisted we try some of the more exoctic offerings. I’m usually not brave enough to try something new, but the cactus was great!
What are you reading now?
Honestly? Nothing, although I really enjoyed Susan Wiggs' Just Breathe about a month or so ago. I recently bought Barefoot, a women’s fiction book by Elin Hilderbrand and Judy Blume’s Smart Women. I read at night, but since I’ve been working on deadlines, reading has taken a back seat. Soon, though. Very soon.
Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? If so, which do you prefer?
Yes, in the blink of an eye! I took a taste test at the State Fair a few years ago and passed it. I don’t drink coffee, so Pepsi is my caffeine fix.
If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?
Greece, hence the dream of a Mediterranean Cruise. Ireland is my second choice. I’d probably like either one so much that I’d want to stay.
Are you working on anything at the present you'd like to share?
The Rodeo Rider is the first in a series of books set in the fictional town of Desperation, Oklahoma. The second book, Bachelor Cowboy will be out in January next year. I recently sold two more books, so I’m currently working on book #4 of that series and learning everything I can about Native Americans in Oklahoma. The heroine of the book is half Cherokee, and the research is proving to be more interesting than I’d ever imagined. Oh, and that heroine? She’s a surprise relative of one of the characters in The Rodeo Rider.
Describe your writing space.
My desk is neat and tidy, with only a pen, a paper, and my computer monitor. I can look out my window and see the ocean pounding against the rocks on the shore. Wait a minute. That’s my dream writing space. In the real world, my desk is covered with just about everything imaginable, including two fish and a cat. During the day I work on websites and chase grandkids. Writing is done at night. There are always snippets of notes from both littering my desk and sticky notes hanging on my monitor. My two-year-old grandson (he’ll be two on the 24th), likes to climb on my desk and steal M&Ms from the jar that resides on my desk and is rarely empty…unless he eats all of them. There are books everywhere, along with piles of paper that always need sorting. The window looks out onto the side of the house next door. My daughters and I switched rooms a couple of months ago, so there are still boxes to be sorted that wait patiently for me to find the time. There never seems to be time.
What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?
For a long time, I had a sign that hung above my desk that said, "Nobody is born published," so my advice is to read, read, read. And never, ever, ever give up on your writing. If you give up, you’ll never know if the next book or article or short story might have been The One. As far as selling that first, it always happens when you least expect it.
What inspired you to write your first book?
Reading. I hadn’t read romance for several years, and then my best friend steered me to Susan Elizabeth Phillips after reading the first few pages of It Had to Be You to me over the phone. I was hooked. After that, I consumed books, both single title and category. One Christmas I went out and bought as many Christmas themed category books that I could find. Of course I had to try writing one, and that led to another and another and another…
How did you make your first sale?
My short contemporary entry won The Maggie contest, and Mary-Theresa Hussey requested the full manuscript. To my surprise, she liked it enough to buy it for Silhouette Romance.
How long have you been published?
Rachel’s Rescuer was a March 2001 Silhouette Romance, so eight years total, although it doesn’t seem like it was that long ago. I had five books with Silhouette Romance before the line closed. My first HAR was published in 2008, so I’m a relative newbie here. I have to admit that I love writing for HAR even more than I did for SR. I think it’s the small town feel of HAR that makes writing them so enjoyable.
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?
Music. Lots of music! I have 612 songs on my playlist of which 169 are designated as “writing” music (those romantic love songs), 134 are “walking” or upbeat dance music for when I need some pep, and the rest are Beach Boys, 50’s and 60’s oldies and a few Christmas songs. (Yes, I'm a music junkie.) If those aren’t enough, I listen to Pandora and have set up my own stations. If you haven’t tried Pandora, it’s free! And then there are all those candles…
Tell us about your family and where you live
I was born in and have returned to live in the biggest city in Kansas. No, not Kansas City. ;) Between then and now, I’ve lived in a small Kansas town and on a Kansas farm. My four daughters also live here. The two youngest live with me, the oldest of the four lives three blocks away, while the next oldest lives a little over a mile away. The two oldest have 5 children between them, now that my youngest granddaughter was born August 10. I also have a step-granddaughter. Every Saturday night we have Family Night and get together to talk and sometimes play board games. You’d think we see enough of each other during the week, but Saturdays are when we’re all in one place. It can get crazy with all the little ones, hubbies and an occasional friend or two.
Do you have any talents readers might find interesting?
Web design, although I don’t consider it a talent. I began playing around with it years ago and ended up enjoying it so much that I do it for real now. Drawing has never been one of my talents, but web design gives me the opportunity to work with colors and shapes, a real break from working with words, but still "creative."
What were you doing at midnight last night?
I was particpating in one of my newest guilting pleasures: Playing on Facebook. I dragged my feet about joining and now can’t stay away. Shameful, isn’t it?
If someone gave you a million dollars what would you do with the money?
I’d give a portion of it to charities, pay off my daughters’ houses (if their hubbies would let me), and buy myself a modest but roomy house. One never knows when family will return, or so I’ve learned--the hard way. Then there’s the dream of taking a Mediterranean cruise…
What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?
Cactus. I spent tens day during the summer before my senior year in high school with 20 other teens on a working trip into Mexico. We stayed on a garlic farm that was used as a school in the winter months, and we painted the dormitories, both inside and outside. Because there was no refrigeration, we went into the nearby small village for food each day. Our adult “chaperones” insisted we try some of the more exoctic offerings. I’m usually not brave enough to try something new, but the cactus was great!
What are you reading now?
Honestly? Nothing, although I really enjoyed Susan Wiggs' Just Breathe about a month or so ago. I recently bought Barefoot, a women’s fiction book by Elin Hilderbrand and Judy Blume’s Smart Women. I read at night, but since I’ve been working on deadlines, reading has taken a back seat. Soon, though. Very soon.
Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? If so, which do you prefer?
Yes, in the blink of an eye! I took a taste test at the State Fair a few years ago and passed it. I don’t drink coffee, so Pepsi is my caffeine fix.
If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?
Greece, hence the dream of a Mediterranean Cruise. Ireland is my second choice. I’d probably like either one so much that I’d want to stay.
Are you working on anything at the present you'd like to share?
The Rodeo Rider is the first in a series of books set in the fictional town of Desperation, Oklahoma. The second book, Bachelor Cowboy will be out in January next year. I recently sold two more books, so I’m currently working on book #4 of that series and learning everything I can about Native Americans in Oklahoma. The heroine of the book is half Cherokee, and the research is proving to be more interesting than I’d ever imagined. Oh, and that heroine? She’s a surprise relative of one of the characters in The Rodeo Rider.
Describe your writing space.
My desk is neat and tidy, with only a pen, a paper, and my computer monitor. I can look out my window and see the ocean pounding against the rocks on the shore. Wait a minute. That’s my dream writing space. In the real world, my desk is covered with just about everything imaginable, including two fish and a cat. During the day I work on websites and chase grandkids. Writing is done at night. There are always snippets of notes from both littering my desk and sticky notes hanging on my monitor. My two-year-old grandson (he’ll be two on the 24th), likes to climb on my desk and steal M&Ms from the jar that resides on my desk and is rarely empty…unless he eats all of them. There are books everywhere, along with piles of paper that always need sorting. The window looks out onto the side of the house next door. My daughters and I switched rooms a couple of months ago, so there are still boxes to be sorted that wait patiently for me to find the time. There never seems to be time.
What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?
For a long time, I had a sign that hung above my desk that said, "Nobody is born published," so my advice is to read, read, read. And never, ever, ever give up on your writing. If you give up, you’ll never know if the next book or article or short story might have been The One. As far as selling that first, it always happens when you least expect it.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Please tell me I’m not alone!
The subtitle for this blog post ought to read: Dumb Things I Gotta Confess. (grin)
My blog last month was all about the excitement of getting ready to leave for the Romance Writers of America’s annual conference. In fact, I’d even said the following in my post:
“However, the plane leaves tomorrow morning and--prepared or not--I’ll be on it.”
Well...umm...I wasn’t.
That’s right--I missed my plane!
Okay, I’m so not a frequent flyer. But punctual is a different story. I arrived at the airport in plenty of time to check my baggage and wait for my flight. Even had time for a leisurely breakfast in a concourse restaurant with my carry-on bag by my side and a good book in my hands. For someone who flies once a year, I felt like a seasoned traveler.
Breakfast over, with still more than an hour before my flight, I freshened up and took my time heading to the short line at the security checkpoint.
Well, who knew that once you walked past the first dividers at the checkpoint, that tiny little line actually went on and on and on, weaving in and out and up and down and back and forth on a never-ending path to the ACTUAL checkpoint?!?
No worries. Still an hour to go before my flight.
I couldn’t understand why the woman with the two little boys who stood a path-length row behind me seemed so harried. The boys kept telling her their plane didn’t leave for another thirty minutes.
I didn’t see why the elderly couple a half-row back looked so anxious.
I had no clue why the woman up ahead with the two carry-ons, oversized handbag, and three plastic convenience store carrier bags had cornered an attendant and seemed to be negotiating frantically (and unsuccessfully) with him.
Then I saw how swiftly the line was moving--not!--and everything became magically clear.
No problem. Still fifteen minutes to go before my flight left.
I made it through the checkpoint without a problem and hurried my pace just a bit to get to my gate with three minutes to spare!
Well, who knew they actually closed the doors of the plane before the scheduled takeoff time?!?
I’d been on plenty of flights before where we’d had to sit around for last-minute passengers to board. Guess this wasn’t one of them.
So, my flight plans were rescheduled, putting me on a plane that would leave three hours later.
No big deal. We all know wait time is like a gift to a writer and reader. The good thing about this experience was I had time to sit and finish my book!
The bad thing was...I felt like the world’s biggest idiot.
Please tell me I’m not the only person who has ever done something silly like this!
All my best to you,
Barbara
~~~~~~
Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
My blog last month was all about the excitement of getting ready to leave for the Romance Writers of America’s annual conference. In fact, I’d even said the following in my post:
“However, the plane leaves tomorrow morning and--prepared or not--I’ll be on it.”
Well...umm...I wasn’t.
That’s right--I missed my plane!
Okay, I’m so not a frequent flyer. But punctual is a different story. I arrived at the airport in plenty of time to check my baggage and wait for my flight. Even had time for a leisurely breakfast in a concourse restaurant with my carry-on bag by my side and a good book in my hands. For someone who flies once a year, I felt like a seasoned traveler.
Breakfast over, with still more than an hour before my flight, I freshened up and took my time heading to the short line at the security checkpoint.
Well, who knew that once you walked past the first dividers at the checkpoint, that tiny little line actually went on and on and on, weaving in and out and up and down and back and forth on a never-ending path to the ACTUAL checkpoint?!?
No worries. Still an hour to go before my flight.
I couldn’t understand why the woman with the two little boys who stood a path-length row behind me seemed so harried. The boys kept telling her their plane didn’t leave for another thirty minutes.
I didn’t see why the elderly couple a half-row back looked so anxious.
I had no clue why the woman up ahead with the two carry-ons, oversized handbag, and three plastic convenience store carrier bags had cornered an attendant and seemed to be negotiating frantically (and unsuccessfully) with him.
Then I saw how swiftly the line was moving--not!--and everything became magically clear.
No problem. Still fifteen minutes to go before my flight left.
I made it through the checkpoint without a problem and hurried my pace just a bit to get to my gate with three minutes to spare!
Well, who knew they actually closed the doors of the plane before the scheduled takeoff time?!?
I’d been on plenty of flights before where we’d had to sit around for last-minute passengers to board. Guess this wasn’t one of them.
So, my flight plans were rescheduled, putting me on a plane that would leave three hours later.
No big deal. We all know wait time is like a gift to a writer and reader. The good thing about this experience was I had time to sit and finish my book!
The bad thing was...I felt like the world’s biggest idiot.
Please tell me I’m not the only person who has ever done something silly like this!
All my best to you,
Barbara
~~~~~~
Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Romance Heroines
The recent news story about people stranded inside an airplane for hours got me thinking…how in the world would I cope in a situation like that? I'd like to believe I'd act the part of a romance-book heroine--keep my composure, calm crying babies, whip out my secret stash of tools and fix the broken toilet. Or maybe sneak people off the plane when the flight attendants weren't looking--you know, save the day for all those helpless passengers. I wish I was capable of extra-ordinary actions when under duress, but the sad truth is I am not a romance heroine and could not have done any of those things--except maybe calm a crying baby.
If truth be told I'm just your average Joe…or Josephine. I obey rules. Don't break laws. Scoop the poop when I take the dogs on their morning walk. Say Please and Thank You. Hold the door open for old ladies and moms with strollers. I cave in to others to keep the peace. And I don't speak up when someone cuts in front of me in line. That's why I live vicariously through the heroines I write in my romance books.
Romance heroines are gutsy. They take chances and break laws--for the right reasons. They aren’t afraid of what other people think or say about them. They’re willing to sacrifice their own happiness for others. They're passionate about causes dear to their hearts and they always put others' wants and needs before their own. And they WILL speak up if someone butts in front of them in line. A romance heroine is the kind of woman I aspire to be on a daily basis.
What qualities in a romance heroine do you admire most? Or is there a romance heroine from a book you've recently read that stands out in your mind?
Marin
Samantha's Cowboy August 2009
A Cowboy Christmas December 2009
www.marinthomas.com
If truth be told I'm just your average Joe…or Josephine. I obey rules. Don't break laws. Scoop the poop when I take the dogs on their morning walk. Say Please and Thank You. Hold the door open for old ladies and moms with strollers. I cave in to others to keep the peace. And I don't speak up when someone cuts in front of me in line. That's why I live vicariously through the heroines I write in my romance books.
Romance heroines are gutsy. They take chances and break laws--for the right reasons. They aren’t afraid of what other people think or say about them. They’re willing to sacrifice their own happiness for others. They're passionate about causes dear to their hearts and they always put others' wants and needs before their own. And they WILL speak up if someone butts in front of them in line. A romance heroine is the kind of woman I aspire to be on a daily basis.
What qualities in a romance heroine do you admire most? Or is there a romance heroine from a book you've recently read that stands out in your mind?
Marin
Samantha's Cowboy August 2009
A Cowboy Christmas December 2009
www.marinthomas.com
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Can a writer love their characters too much?
A few months ago I stumbled across one of those celebrity interview shows featuring Russell Crowe. I believe it was The Actor’s Studio, but not positive. One of the questions asked was whether he loved the wonderful characters he portrays. Russell Crowe's answer was a resounding NO. He said something to the effect that if you love a character or a person too much, you overlook their faults. And by doing so you were overlooking the opportunity to create an extraordinary character. The faults and weaknesses are what give them depth and make them stand out. Say what you will about Mr. Crowe’s temperament, love him or hate him, he’s an amazing actor. His response struck a chord with me as a writer. We’ve all been taught that perfect characters are boring, but does loving them too much get in the way of writing good characters? Exploring their faults and weaknesses does make them more human. I think it gives us as readers something to identify with. By loving them, possibly we’re missing out on the opportunity to create extraordinary characters. What do you as readers and writers think? Can a writer love their characters too much? All those favorite characters on your keeper shelf, do you love them because they are so good or because of their flaws?
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Let the Sun Shine in!
August's Household Cleaning Tip
Looking for an inexpensive alternative to store-bought window cleaners?
2 cups water
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dishwashing liquid
Gently stir these three ingredients and pour the mixture into a squirt bottle. It does a great job of cleaning glass and mirrors, dries quickly, and costs a fraction of what you'd pay at the supermarket. And because it doesn't contain ammonia or alcohol, its a safer alternative for families that have small children and pets.
Lee McKenzie
http://thewritersideoflife.blogspot.com/
Looking for an inexpensive alternative to store-bought window cleaners?
2 cups water
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dishwashing liquid
Gently stir these three ingredients and pour the mixture into a squirt bottle. It does a great job of cleaning glass and mirrors, dries quickly, and costs a fraction of what you'd pay at the supermarket. And because it doesn't contain ammonia or alcohol, its a safer alternative for families that have small children and pets.
Lee McKenzie
http://thewritersideoflife.blogspot.com/
Monday, August 10, 2009
Late but Breaking News
News
Laura Bradford is thrilled to announce the debut of the first book in her southern sewing circle mystery series with Berkley Prime Crime (Penguin). SEW DEADLY (written under the pen-name, Elizabeth Lynn Casey) will release August 4th. This kick-off title for the series earned a 4-star review in this month's issue of Romantic Times! To learn more, including the locations and dates of her upcoming mid-west signings, please visit her website. Pamela Stone is celebrating her second sale—When Hanna Falls—to American Romance.
Mark Your Calendar
August 11: Four wonderful new reads from Harlequin American Romance will be in stores tomorrow. This month’s covers are posted in the sidebar.
August 18: An interview with Roxanne Delaney here on the blog
TBA: An interview with Daly Thompson here on the blog
To find out more about American Romance’s September releases, please visit eHarleqin.com.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Why do you read romance books?
Hi all!
Sorry for posting my blog entry late. I’ve been running behind since returning from the Romance Writers of America conference back in July. The conference was wonderful – DC and the hotel beautiful! I gave a workshop with Kathleen Scheibling, the senior editor for Harlequin American. While I thought our presentation was going well, the fire alarm went off, and we had to evacuate. There were many theories floating around about why it went off – fire in the kitchen, bomb threat, water leaking from a sprinkler somewhere – but I wonder if it wasn’t because of how I ramble when I’m nervous. I kept teasing a friend who attended our workshop that she pulled it to put me out of my misery or her out of hers...
However, the Q & A portion of the workshop continued as we walked down the eight flights of stairs to the street and up a steep hill to the lobby entrance, so at least some of the attendants were interested in what we had to say about writing mini-series within series. So, although cut short, I guess it had gone well.
I have substantially more nerves about a speech I’m giving this Thursday at a women’s literary club. After booking me to speak over a year ago, they’ve almost cancelled me because some of their members strongly object to what I write. How can anyone object to romance? To happy endings? I know – it was probably more the sex to which they objected. But since they booked me following a newspaper article that had dubbed me the “Steam Queen” I thought they understood what I write.
So my plan is to let them know how popular romance fiction is – the most popular of any other genre of fiction – and that I write for the biggest publisher of romance – a company now celebrating its 60th anniversary. I have facts and figures, graphs and pie charts, but I’m wondering if that’s the best approach. Especially since I don’t want another fire alarm pulled on me – or worse! Maybe I need to share with them why readers love romance books as much as we do. I can tell them why I read – as well as write romance – but please share with me your reason for reading romance. I’d love statements from people all over the world.
Thank you for your help!
Lisa Childs
Sorry for posting my blog entry late. I’ve been running behind since returning from the Romance Writers of America conference back in July. The conference was wonderful – DC and the hotel beautiful! I gave a workshop with Kathleen Scheibling, the senior editor for Harlequin American. While I thought our presentation was going well, the fire alarm went off, and we had to evacuate. There were many theories floating around about why it went off – fire in the kitchen, bomb threat, water leaking from a sprinkler somewhere – but I wonder if it wasn’t because of how I ramble when I’m nervous. I kept teasing a friend who attended our workshop that she pulled it to put me out of my misery or her out of hers...
However, the Q & A portion of the workshop continued as we walked down the eight flights of stairs to the street and up a steep hill to the lobby entrance, so at least some of the attendants were interested in what we had to say about writing mini-series within series. So, although cut short, I guess it had gone well.
I have substantially more nerves about a speech I’m giving this Thursday at a women’s literary club. After booking me to speak over a year ago, they’ve almost cancelled me because some of their members strongly object to what I write. How can anyone object to romance? To happy endings? I know – it was probably more the sex to which they objected. But since they booked me following a newspaper article that had dubbed me the “Steam Queen” I thought they understood what I write.
So my plan is to let them know how popular romance fiction is – the most popular of any other genre of fiction – and that I write for the biggest publisher of romance – a company now celebrating its 60th anniversary. I have facts and figures, graphs and pie charts, but I’m wondering if that’s the best approach. Especially since I don’t want another fire alarm pulled on me – or worse! Maybe I need to share with them why readers love romance books as much as we do. I can tell them why I read – as well as write romance – but please share with me your reason for reading romance. I’d love statements from people all over the world.
Thank you for your help!
Lisa Childs
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