Old Dog, New Tricks

Over the years I’ve complained a lot about our beagle. She’s ruined dinner parties, rummaged in houseguests’ suitcases, and stolen chocolate bars. Then, of course, was the time she regurgitated a whole cake just as the clock struck midnight on Christmas day.

Then there was her ACL surgery last fall. I spent a good six weeks carrying this dog around because 1) She couldn’t walk and 2) She has separation anxiety problems. Let me just say for the record: a thirty pound beagle gets pretty darn heavy after being carried up and down stairs a dozen times a day.

Lately, though, Phoebe has slowed down. She’s really slowed down. Phoebe is fourteen and doesn’t do too much more besides sleep, eat, and have accidents all over our house. She’s also has cataracts and has completely lost her hearing.

Just this morning I followed her upstairs, calling her name, trying to coax her back to my office in the basement. Of course, she didn’t hear me, and jumped in surprise when I finally appeared in her line of vision.

So what’s a family to do when their beagle is, well, in her sunset years?

You guessed it. We are all learning new tricks to keep up with our old dog.

My husband was the first one to start this. Slowly, we’ve all learned the appropriate signals for ‘Come here Phoebe’, or ‘Go outside.’. Instead of now calling out ‘Dinner!’, my daughter picks up Phoebe’s food bowl and shows it to her.

Even the wiener dog has gotten into the act. She’s become kind of a mini-shepherd, corralling the beagle when she’s outside. She’s also developed a series of three rapid, high pitched barks~which is the signal for ‘Alert! The beagle is on the loose!’

So far, our old dog has adjusted to this new way of communicating just fine. She’s able to do her favorite things with ease. And as for the rest of us? We’re doing fine, too. Together, we’re discovering new ways to keep Phoebe included as much as she ever was.

I’m glad things are working out so well. It just goes to show you that it’s never too late for one old dog to teach her family new tricks.

I can’t imagine we’re the only ones to change routines for one old dog. Anyone else have a story about new tricks for an old pet?

Shelley Galloway

AUGUST WINER!!

CONGRATULATIONS JenniferM! You’re the August winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Lisa Ruff and Cathy McDavid through their Web sites.

To enter the contest simply leave a blog comment and your name will go into the drawing. Simple and painless. And FREE BOOKS.

So check back often and be sure to leave a comment. Good luck!

Into the New

To me, September first feels more like the start of a new year than January first. It might have something to do with the school year beginning at this time. Also, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, falls around now (sundown on September 9 this year, according to my calendar).

So it’s appropriate that I’m also starting a new book.

Since I write about three books a year, that probably doesn’t sound like a big deal, but to me it’s the start of an adventure, and a risk. People who don’t read category romance often assume that these books are written by formula, dashed off (or churned out, as they like to say) between sailing trips on my yacht and jaunts to Monte Carlo in my private jet.

No yacht. No private jet. And if there’s a formula, it’s no more cut-and-dried than a thriller or a mystery. Sure, there are reader expectations, and elements that I have to include. But that makes the writing more of a challenge rather than less as I work to keep my stories fresh.

And when I start, even though I’ve written a synopsis for my editor and have a general idea of who the characters are and what conflicts they face, there’s always fear. That’s right, fear. I might put hero and heroine on the page and they might stare at each other, silent as lumps. The storyline might sag, the outcome I hoped for might arrive with a thud, and my editor might demand a page-one rewrite.

Usually, that doesn’t happen. Once in a while, there are major revisions. Hence, fear.

But also joy. Because most of the time, when I put him and her together, they make me laugh. My storyline surprises me. There’s an insight near the end that I didn’t expect. At the final moment, I get a lump in my throat.

So here we go again – back to the beginning. I have no idea how, exactly, my ending will read, but I know what my opening line should be:

Once upon a time….

The Basics of Love

While fall is my favorite season, there are some things about summer that simply can't be beat...

*Uninterrupted time with the kids
*Lazy mornings
*Vacation
*Swimming
*Barbecues

But that's not all. You see, as I've gotten older, I've come to realize my favorite part of summer is the simple fact that there's more time to read. And read, I have. Eight novels in fact (the most recent of those being 400 + pages and consumed in less than 12 hours). :)

My genre of choice this summer? Romance and women's fiction. Time and time again.

One of my summer reads this year posed an interesting question I thought would be fun to pose, in turn, to all of you...


Do you think love just happens? Or do you think love is a choice one makes?

Thoughts? Examples?

~Laura

Life of Young Mother and Writer

Life of a Young Mother and Writer
I have a confession to make. My life is crazy!
Most writers I have met and/or blogged with are punctual about their blogs. They put them in cue to be posted right as the day changes. I marvel at their ability to be so on top of their lives…
Then, there is me. I have five wonderful children, ranging from fourteen to three. I have recently remarried and now have gained three remarkable children. Along with the five kids, I have two dog children.
I have been a little under the weather with a kidney stone operation. I had a mace like ball stuck inside me. They had to put me under and catch it with a cage. It took me a few days to recover. I hope none of you ever get one.
Then as soon as I felt, a little better one of the dog children, a four year old Bichon Frise named Beauty,escaped. The terror and fear that gripped my heart at the loss of my dog is one that I never want to experience again. My mom and family all got into gear. We drove the neighborhood for hours, called shelters, and I just cried. Finally my mother and I went to the closest animal shelter in the area. They said they didn’t have a dog that was small, cute and fluffy. I begged, “Please can I just go back and see if a dog came in while you were out?” I fell to my knees as I saw my little Beauty sitting in a kennel. I just sobbed and hugged her.
The officer then informed me she had a charge against her. I looked at her thinking she was crazy, “How could my little white dog have charge?” I walked out of the pound fifty dollars poorer and a court date to face. Apparently my dog went to my eight year old son’s elementary school to find him. It’s only two blocks away. She had been running in the halls causing quite a commotion. Her charge was, “running at large.” I am still laughing about it.
Now I’m a finding pre-school for my three year old daughter. It’s amazing how two hours here and then two hours during nap time can help finish books. My main problem now is the curse of all mothers. The battle with potty training. I’m almost there.
So to all of you out there, who read books and or write them, please excuse my tardiness. I’m working hard on my next book and loving it. It’s about Jake’s twin brother, C.J., who is the sexy firefighter in San Francisco.
I want to thank my editor Kathleen Schiebling who has so much patience with a new writer and a young mother. Thank you for finding the story in my manuscript and making it work.
I couldn’t do any of this without the love of my amazing, superhero husband, Brad- I love you. And mom, you know I wouldn’t be here without you.
Ciao,
Dominique Burton

1910 Fire

This summer was the 100-year anniversary of the 1910 fire that devastated three million acres of wilderness in Northern Idaho, Northeast Washington and Western Montana. Within that wilderness were many small towns that were damaged or out-right destroyed by the fire. Eighty-seven people lost their lives. The small community of Avery, Idaho was near the epicenter of the conflagration. Somehow it survived, no doubt due to the sheer stubbornness of the people who lived there. Coincidentally, Avery is the town where I lived for several years in my childhood.

In celebration of the anniversary—and memorial to all who perished—many events were planned around the area. Avery had their own weekend-long commemoration. Friends of mine asked me to contribute books for an auction to raise funds for the small museum there. I gladly agreed and, with the assistance of many wonderful writers at the recent Romance Writers of America conference, put together a bag of autographed books.

Avery was an interesting place to grow up. The political, philosophical and even social differences between the “railroad” folk and the “forest” folk could have divided the community. But a place as small as Avery demanded that everyone work together. We all lived so close to one another—the narrowness of the valley made it impossible to have it any other way—and forced proximity built strong friendships.

I have so many memories of the closeness of the community. Potlucks, parties or just a night’s gathering at the Pub were common. There was softball in the summer and Bridge or Pinochle tournaments in the winter. The entire town came out for the annual Christmas play at the school. They returned another night for the church pageant with the same kids now dressed as shepherds and angels. Both events were held in the school gymnasium, the only place big enough for us all. Plus, it boasted the only stage in town. One year, instead of separate plays for each of the classrooms, the teachers decided to put on “A Christmas Carol.” With thirty-six students in the school, there were just enough of us to fill all the roles.

Memories of that small town have influenced my writing tremendously. I know how aggravated you can be with your neighbor one day, yet extend a hand to help him without question the next. A small community is like a family that way: you don’t get to pick them, but you wouldn’t trade them for anything. Envisioning the details of a small town on the Chesapeake Bay was the easy part of writing the linked books that I’ve just finished. Avery prepared me well.

If I were to write my autobiography, it might begin: Once upon a time, I was a part of this community in Idaho called Avery. In many ways, I still am.

If you’re ever in Northern Idaho, plan a trip up the St. Joe River. Way up the river, just before the blacktop ends, you’ll come across Avery. History lives there.

Oh, What A Mess!

This is a picture of my office a week before I turned in The Daddy Catch. I have to admit, the last few days before I turn in a book are crazy busy. It doesn’t matter whether I’ve charted my progress throughout the process. It doesn’t matter whether I’ve stuck to “the plan.” Or if I actually finished writing ahead of time. Those last few days still lengthen into thirteen, fifteen, and sixteen-hour stretches.

As you can see in the photograph, piles of paper grow on my desk top. The box of revisions below it overflows. The calendar practically shouts the day’s assignment. And I can never find a pencil because they’re always buried under the last print-out—the one with all the yellow stickies and heavy marks. As for housework, forget about it. Dinner comes from the only restaurant that still delivers at ten pm.

Of course, the most important thing that happens the week before delivery is that I fall in love with the book all over again. Yes, I loved these characters from the very beginning. I've loved their story, loved telling it. Most of the time, though, I write and revise piecemeal--one chapter, one scene, one paragraph at a time. Doing that, it's easy to lose sight of the big picture.

But that last week—it’s magical. I cozy up in a chair and read the story from beginning to end. Little gems appear. I polish them. I see patterns and themes I wasn’t aware existed. At the end, there’s that “aaaahhh” moment when I'm sure this hero and heroine have the happily-ever-after they deserve.

And then…I deliver the manuscript, fix the world’s most understanding husband a celebratory dinner and clean my office.

See? All ready to do it over again.

A Cat Called Buick

I’m often asked if the characters and situations in my books are based on real people and the answer to that is simple. No. That little blurb on the copyright page—the one that begins with “This is a work of fiction”—is completely accurate and true.

That’s not to say I’m not inspired by the things I see and hear. If you read my July release, Firefighter Daddy, you’ll remember that the heroine, Rory, has a black and white cat named Buick.

I’ve never met a cat called Buick, but years ago I knew someone who had a cat named Evenrude. He didn’t purr quite as loud as a boat motor, but he was loud! However, Evenrude was a tabby, not a tuxedo cat.

More recently my neighbor had a black and white cat named Pete. Here’s a picture of Pete, taken one Hallowe’en on my neighbor’s front steps.

My family loved Pete, so when we decided to get a cat of our own, we fell in love with this black-and-white beauty. Her name is Imilie.

I guess you could say the cat in Firefighter Daddy is three real-life cats—Evenrude, Pete and Imilie—rolled into one. However, his name, Buick, came entirely out of my imagination and if you want to find out where that came from, well, you’ll have to read the book.

As an aside, and so as not to cause any hard feelings between the two felines who rule the roost at my house, here’s a photo of Lucy, our other cat.

Lucy hopes to inspire a story someday, too.

Until next time,
Lee

PS: Firefighter Daddy is available at eHarlequin.com, Amazon.com, and in Canada at Chapters.ca.

Heat Wave

It's been a summer for the record books here in the middle of the U.S., and I'd really like to say goodbye to it.  How hot was it?  It was the fifth hottest summer on record for Wichita, Kansas, since 1888.  Our temps were in the 100s, while our heat index reached as high as 111 one day.  And, of course, my a/c decided to go out during the first part of it.  I was every so grateful when it was fixed again!

But it hasn't been a bad summer, in spite of the heat.  Before the really hot weather hit, the grandkids and I walked to a nearby park most mornings (pictured).  Later, when the temps started going up, they were excited to try the interactive fountains at another park, where kids are allowed to play and get as wet as they can.  We visited the city's water treatment center, complete with fun crafts for the kids.  They even fed ducks and geese their lunches, more than once.  Because school started on Monday, and I'd promised them a return trip to one of the big parks, we did that last Friday.  The plan was to take the 30 minute pedal boat ride, but not for me to do most of the pedaling!  When we finished that, they talked me into 18 holes of miniature golf.  Heat index by the time we drove back home?  105 degrees.  But we not only survived, we had fun!

We're hoping there'll be no more heat waves, but if there are, we have plans to go ice skating soon!

Facebook and blogging and tweets—oh, my!

Just last month, I took the plunge into the world of social media by adding a blog to my completely revamped website. And now I’ve joined twitter and Facebook.

Here’s where you can find me:

At my new website and blog: http://barbarawhitedaille.com/

Twitter was a little ornery and wouldn’t allow enough space for my full name, so you can follow me here: http://twitter.com/BarbaraWDaille

At Facebook, I’ll soon be establishing a separate page url, but until that happens, please do a search for my “Barbara White Daille Author” page. Once there, you can “like” it if you feel so inclined. And I would like that very much. ;-)

Meanwhile, I’d also appreciate your input, since I’m such a newbie at all this.

Have you got any helpful hints or suggestions for moving around in these places? Know any good features I might want to check out? Have some ideas for how to keep up with everything without letting it take over your life? Because, as I’ve already discovered, it’s easy to become addicted to online socializing. LOL

I look forward to your info here and hope to see you over at twitter and Facebook, too!

Thanks in advance.


All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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

Spurs

The cowboy is a reader favorite with many Harlequin American Romance fans. When I researched my latest book, Dexter: Honorable Cowboy (book #2) The Codys: First Family of Rodeo, I came across a slew of sites about cowboys, rodeo, ranches and a million other things associated with those wild west hunks. I thought I'd share a little trivia about a tool working cowboys wear every day while rodeo cowboys parade around arenas and show them off like a treasured piece of jewelry.

Spurshttp://www.cowboy-spurs.com/cowboy-spurs-101

Q: How old are boot spurs?A: They were first used in ancient Rome, but became more popular in the 14th and 15th century.

Q: What are western spurs made from?
A: The main part of the spur is made from metal, usually iron but sometimes silver. The straps used to fasten the spur to the boot are made from leather. Other makers made them from aluminium, or steel.

Q: What are the parts of the boot spur called?A: The main U shaped part that goes around the boot is called the "yoke" or "heel band". From there, the "neck" extends out from the boot and the "rowel" is the rounded object attached to the end.

Q: What are spurs for cowboy boots used for?
A: The spurs are worn by cowboys who ride a horse. The rowels are used to dig into the sides of the horse to aid in steering the steed in conjunction with the tack and reins.

Q: Do riding spurs hurt the horse?
A: No. Most spurs have rowels that are round and blunt by design. The more fancy custom made spurs are the ones most likely to feature pointed star rowels and therefore would hurt an animal - but they are seldom used.

Q: Are cowboy boots and spurs still used today?
A: Yes. They are used all over the world by riders and farm hands but are also worn as a fashion accessory or Western Jewelry by millions. I suspect that they are more popular as a fashion accessory.

Check out http://www.spillerspurs.com/ Joe Spiller has been a cowboy all his life and has made spurs for rodeo cowboys, ranchers, movie stars and famous people. The Spiller Ranch is locate outside the West, Texas town of Windgate. He's famous for his Texas Buckaroo and Tear Drop spur.

remember to stop by http://firstfamilyofrodeo.blogspot.com/

for the latest information about The Cody's First Family of Rodeo miniseries and fun facts about cowboys.

Marin

Nostalgia

As summer nears the end and the kids are getting ready to go back to school, I'm a little sad it's over.

This past month, my eighty-four year old mom and I drove to Colorado. Since my dad passed away in 1987, she and I have taken a trip together each year. I think my husband secretly looks forward to the quiet.

She and I've been to New England and taken in the fall foliage, to San Francisco and even watched the sunrise from a hot air balloon over Napa Valley. But this year, she wanted to go back to Colorado. When my dad was alive, the three of us always took a summer vacation and Colorado was one of our favorite destinations. Partly to escape the intense Texas heat, but mostly because Colorado has so many beautiful vistas and quaint little mountain towns.

Mom is deaf, but she mapped out where she wanted to go and I just sat back and drove. We arrived in Trinidad the first night and I listened to her memories about how she and my dad were always so thrilled to hit the cooler weather when they arrived in Raton or Trinidad the first night out.

The next morning we drove north through Colorado Springs where my son and daughter-in-law were stationed at Fort Carson when my two grandsons were born. She talked about when she and I drove through the snow to see the baby and the excitement of meeting her first great-grandson. And the second great-grandson two years later.

Then up to Estes Park and across Trail Ridge Road. Did I remember the snowstorm we got into once there in June when I was eight? On to Winter Park, Vail, Gunnison, and finally arrived in Ouray. Without this reading like a travel brochure, what made this particular trip nostalgic was listening to all her tales. Times she and my dad came with friends before I was born and how they paid fifteen dollars a night for a hotel room and split it between two couples. They thought that was outrageous for a place to sleep. She wanted to know if I remembered riding in a horse drawn wagon at a little hotel along the way when I was five. A man had offered to take me and my friend Mike around the hotel parking lot. I hadn't thought about that in years. We drove beside a river where my dad loved to fly fish and did I remember the picnic we had there? She laughed remembering the huge bear prints we discovered on the hood of our car one morning in Lake City. And what about when we used to try to come up with all the 'B' words to describe the brook. Bity, baby, bubbling, babbling brook. And who started that silly game? It was a river, after all. We laughed.

While I drove, she lamented about renting a jeep when Dad was alive and driving the trail from Lake City across the mountain to Ouray for fresh homemade pie. And how while they were eating lunch, she noticed that my dad had a crust of mud on his forehead from the muddy jeep trail. Well the little corner restaurant is no longer the same. The building she thinks it was in is now a saloon. We did find a different restaurant that had homemade pie, but she was too full to have desert that evening. The next morning we drove to Telluride and there were some wonderful restaurants to stop for lunch, but she insisted that we drive back to Ouray because she was having pie for lunch. We laughed all the way back and each had a small cup of soup and homemade pie for desert.

I feel like I relived a piece of my childhood just listening to her talk. She laughed more than I’ve heard her laugh in years. I saw a glimpse into what my parents enjoyed and things they did when they were first married and how much fun they had together. Not only did I relive old memories, but created a few new ones of my own.

Rain and Dogs and College

(Me with my freshly graduated kiddos back in June.)

Glory be & hallelujah it's raining in Tulsa, Oklahoma!!

This has been the hottest, driest, most miserable summer we've had in a while. With temps over a hundred for days and days, I've been feeling a tad panicky. I LOATHE being hot. Running simple errands becomes an endurance marathon. Though the AC is blasting, it's never quite cool enough for real relief.

The hotter I get, the more grumpy I get, which has made getting everybody ready for college even tougher than I'd anticipated. Through shimmering heat rising from blacktop parking lots, I've schlucked comforters and throw rugs and pillows. Clothes and more clothes and enough extra underwear to last the first semester. We've got shower tubs and shoes and monogrammed wraps and towels. Mirrors and photo frames and a room-sized wall mural of the bare-chested Abercrombie & Fitch guy that my daughter's store manager gifted her with for her dorm. All of the above now resides in my living room, which has got the dogs freaking out.

Home is my favorite place to be, so last month when I left for a week in Orlando at the Romance Writers of America's annual conference, all of my furry babies went on hunger strike. Now that they're once again seeing piles of stuff being packed, they eye me with suspicion every time I near the front door. I am the giver of cuddling and food, but the kids play with Cocoa, Sweet Pea and Daisy. So when Hannah, Terry & Russell leave, I fear there may be more doggy trouble.

Back to the heat, it has been an odd blessing. I'm so annoyed by the hot weather, that it's temporarily taken my mind off the gravity of Monday morning. Save for vacations and holidays, my nest will never be full again. I'm not even kind of sure how to process that statement. Was it really me who used to pray for school to start so I'd finally be home alone?

I play games with myself, thinking never having to share the TV won't be bad. (Poor Hubby doesn't get a vote!!! LOL!!) For the first time in eighteen years, the house will be clean. No more laundry mountains. With no more pizza rolls and cookies and fast food, I'll be instantly skinny--stop laughing!! But seriously, I'm scared. If change is supposed to be good for us, then why am I secretly filled with terror? I want to snatch up my beautiful smart and funny babies and never let go. In the same breath, I'm so proud of them and excited for their new adventures that I know it's time to let go.

It's odd to me that just as I make the final push to send them off, the heat has broken. Throughout the packing process, I've been a warrior. Shopping and sorting and organizing as if it was the essay question on my final parenting exam. Now that it's nearly done, like summer's heat, I'm exhausted. Flooded with memories, and wondering why I was so eager for my cute third graders to go back to school.

My daughter asked what I used to do before I had kids and honestly, I don't remember. That person doesn't seem real. For eighteen years, I've put everyone else's needs ahead of my own to the point that with just me to focus on, I feel a little lost. Is it wrong to at the same time feel a little excited? Maybe with my extra hours I will manage to exercise. I'll watch movies only I want to see and wake not when school schedules tell me, but when my body tells me. I'll "waste" entire afternoons reading for pleasure and never again go to PTA.

If I had this morning's rain falling in a book, just in time for the heroine's breakdown, it'd feel almost cliche. But for me, it's a tremendous relief. Like a sign that just as this awful heat has passed, so will my angst. I really will feel whole again and love it. I just need to make it past Monday . . .

Of Gators and Thongs and Heat and Nice People and the Orlando Conference

Warning! rather long and perhaps boring for some…

Orlando was hell – as in, it was hot as hell.

Stepping off the plane, we were blasted with furnace strength hot air and it wasn’t much better inside the terminal. Americans have unfortunately discovered that running their air-conditioning set on Frigid costs a lot more money that setting it to say, Medium Warm. Still, it’s at least cooler than outside.

The Disney experience started at the airport where we had to board a monorail to take us to the baggage terminal. It got even more surreal when we boarded the shuttle bus to our hotel – called the Swan and Dolphin (decorated with 100 foot high swans and dolphins frolicking) – can you believe it???

Everyone in Florida drives at least 20 mph over the speed limit and never indicates. So we hurtled down the freeways at breakneck speed, changing lanes like the Artful Dodger while our driver yelled into his cell phone in some strange language (he was from Haiti so whatever they speak there apart from English and French) the radio blasted steel drum music and I kept an eye out for gators lurking in the ditches that surrounded the roadways. (the place is one huge swamp) Although I’m not sure why I was so scared of meeting a gator face to face because it would be crushed beneath the wheels of the shuttle before it got anywhere near me!

Fortunately, hubby and I arrived at the hotel in one piece and were given a lovely suite. After checking the bathtub for gators and ordering room service, we got a good night’s sleep.

Went to Disney’s Epcot before the conf. started and it was so hot that I ended up with huge blisters on the balls of my feet from the heat coming up through the acres—no make that square miles—of concrete in the place. (I was wearing shoes, not barefooted btw)

People were dropping like flies from the heat. I felt so sorry for any of the workers who had to work outside, it was dreadful. There were lots of garden areas with trees but they were fenced off and the trees rarely shaded the paths (read: 4 lane roads, the paths were so wide). Not that it mattered, the temp. was the same in the shade as in the sun. L Even at 11 pm it was still just as hot – ugh!

My husband forced me to accompany him on this horrendously frightening simulator ride that was a voyage to Mars, complete with vertical takeoff! It was hideous! I screamed the whole time as the G-forces felt like I really was taking off right through the roof of the space pavilion. In fact, I could feel my face doing that wobbly thing that you see on astronauts when they’re in that frightfully, sick-making (notice the copious and gratuitous use of adjectives) g-force training machine.

Hubby could feel his face doing it too (we established this about half an hour after the ride when we were capable of speaking coherently and without drooling) so it wasn’t just my imagination.

I tried closing my eyes, hoping that getting rid of the visuals would take the ghastly –“I’m gonna throw up the entire contents of my body cavity!” feeling away, but that only made it worse, so I had to open my eyes and watch as we hurtled towards planet Mars, me screaming all the way. Hubby was probably screaming too, but I couldn’t hear him above the noise I was making. They really should have to stop those things if people scream too much. You could easily have a heart attack, or worse. The thing is, you’re locked inside this spaceship capsule with 3 other people and there is NO escape! I should sue them for scaring 10 years off my life. And get a new husband – one who doesn’t make me go on scary rides with him.

Anyway, back to my feet, since they’re so interesting to me. They hurt so much, I couldn’t get into a pair of shoes and had to spend the entire conference wearing my thongs. (no, not the rubber ones you get at Woolies for 79c, these were more upmarket - from Walmart…). So then I felt I had to keep apologizing to people for looking like a dag and wearing my thongs to the conference. Which of course caused many a raised eyebrow because of course in the US, thongs are women’s underwear (the uncomfortable type that is similar to tooth-flossing one’s backside, if you get my drift). They call them flip flops here (is there a sillier word for footwear?) I became known far and wide as the delegate who wore her thongs (and dared to talk about it) J

On Thursday I met with my wonderful editor, Paula Eykelhof, for breakfast and pitched my Jane Austen adaptation to her. She seemed to like what she heard. Lucky I’m popping over to the UK in a couple of weeks to start my research isn’t it?

Later that afternoon I met again with Paula and the editor of Harlequin American, gorgeous Kathleen Scheibling to discuss more of The O’Malley Men series. J

On Friday I had the huge honor of being a featured author at the Harlequin Spotlight, where Kathleen discussed how they found me (at an Aussie conference) and why they picked me up (because my writing has energy and humor J and I’m willing to work with editorial direction, apparently.) J

Also on Friday I participated in the Harlequin book signing and met many new readers and some lovely people from both the New England and Desert Rose Chapters and thanked them for awarding me the Bean Pot Award and the Golden Quill for “Colorado Christmas”.

That evening, the HAR team took us to dinner at a very posh restaurant in the hotel. I ordered scallops and prime beef and pavlova and enjoyed every morsel! Was delighted to make the acquaintance of fellow HAR author, Leigh Duncan who reminds me of Debbie Macomber, because she has a lovely open face and smile!

Oh, and on the Wed. night before the conf. started, I became a star for two whole seconds on u-tube at another signing – The RWA literacy signing. Here’s the link. I’m about 2min 41 secs in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=docOBvGf2-M Hope you like the Minnie ears I’m wearing in the clip?
We had a fabulous time at the Harlequin party on the Friday night – they bring in the same DJ every year because he’s so good. (no idea where the guy really lives, will ask next conf.) Good food and great music. Somewhere on this blog is a pic of my conference buddy, Cathleen Ross and I eating the decorations (yes, the decorations, ‘cos there’s only so much sugar a girl can take) at the Harlequin bash.

The awards night on Saturday was spectacular as usual and Kandy Shepherd and I cheered the Aussie finalists in the GH and Ritas madly (and anyone else we really liked.) We were stoked when Kylie Griffin won the Paranormal Romance GH for her story, Bloodborn: Book One in the Light Blade Series. I have no idea what any of her title means, but I’m so very happy for her and hope she gets The Call very soon!

Hubby was a trooper throughout (apart from the hiccup with the simulator and ensuing divorce procedings). He spent a lot of time at the pool. Not that it was refreshing – more like swimming in warm soup. I say, soup rather than a bath because there were so many kids in the pool that it contained an awful lot of icky stuff that wasn’t pure H2O.

There were dire warning on the lagoons surrounding the resort, not to swim in the lagoons. They didn’t actually state why it was dangerous – although I suspect the ubiquitous gators were part of the reason. However, they did look awfully inviting, edged by acres of white sand. If you didn’t read English then you could be mighty tempted to take a dip (provided you didn’t fry your feet to a crisp on the white hot sand getting there in the first place).


Attended heaps of workshops by top-selling authors, met lots more and caught up with old friends.
By Sunday it was all over and we were looking forward to returning home to Colorado. Except our flight was delayed 3 hours. While waiting in the Bus. class lounge (thank you American Express!) a huge thunderstorm struck with lightning striking the ground everywhere. We had a bird’s-eye view of all the excitement. Planes were stranded out on the tarmac as they couldn’t dock at the airbridges because it does something with the earthing and people end up fried to a crisp (like it’s any different walking around Orlando in the heat of the day?) Or night… for that matter.

While there, I bumped into a very elegantly dressed African American woman in the loo and admired her beautiful shawl. She thanked me very politely and we went our separate ways. She looked familiar. Then a bit later I heard the lounge attendant saying that Patti LaBelle had just left. No wonder she was familiar! Had heaps of Top 40 hits in the 70’s and 80’s including Lady Marmalade, which I loved. So will add that to my brush with fame after meeting Robin Williams in the Zen lounge at San Fran. He kindly signed a book for me btw.

I wonder if either of them saw me on u-tube?…

Make a comment and you could win a copy of my latest tome, “The Sheriff and the Baby”. The one signed by Robin Willliams!
Till next time!
CC

Favorite characters

YAY! I remembered my blog day before it passed this time! I’ve been having a busy summer – with deadlines, kids home and the writers conference in Orlando. At the Harlequin party during the conference, I received a pin for having 25 books published with them. That was such a thrill and an honor. My upcoming September Harlequin American SINGLE DAD SHERIFF is my 26th, and one of my favorite books I’ve written. There’s a little scene stealer that takes over the book from the first chapter right through to the epilogue. Tommy Phillips is definitely a favorite character of mine and quite a character.

I’d love to hear about your favorite characters – real or fictional. Leave a comment and I’ll draw a couple of winners for signed copies of my April Harlequin American, HIS BABY SURPRISE.

Hope you’re all having a great summer.
Happy Reading!
Lisa

Happy to be Home by Megan

Ahh, to be home again. The best thing about traveling away from my family is the homecoming. As much as I enjoy seeing new places and meeting writers and readers, I love being with my husband and children even more. Home is my personal but lesser-known Happiest Place.

However, I admit to having a great time while gone, too.
I returned from the Romance Writers of America conference in Orlando with some fun pix. That's me on the far right with Pooh,

my kids' favorite character when they were small. The other characters are Regan Loyd, Tigger, and Kimberly Killion. :)

And, okay, even I have to admit posing with a sign that says "The American Adventure" was kind of cheesey as an author for Harlequin American. lol But y'all know I'm a sentimental, hokey person.

--And don't look at my hat hair! Kim and Regan made me take off my "Wicked" hat for this one. ;)

During dinner with the American editors, Kathleen, Johanna and Laura, I met Barbara Daly and reconnected with Laura Bradford.

Here we are at the Harlequin party. I'm waiting for a pic of the dinner from someone else's camera, which I'll post on my FaceBook page.

And I got to say Hi again to sweet friend (and fellow Farmville buddy) Laura Marie Altom at the RWA Literacy signing. Laura made me feel welcome back in 2007 at my first Harlequin American get-together, when I was totally intimidated being in a room with authors I'd read and loved. As a newly contracted author with no book, no title, no release date, I kept waiting to get tossed out on my keister as a party-crasher. I'll always remember the kindness of the people in that room, especially Laura and Cathy McDavid. (For some reason, I can't figure out how to post the pic of me and Laura, so head to my FaceBook page for that one too. It's there now.)

Now I return home, spend time with the family and start a new book! Life doesn't get much better than this.

Megan Kelly

http://www.megankellybooks.com/

What to Look for in a Series Romance

Our own assistant editor, Laura Barth, is a final round judge in the Gateway to the Best contest, which is put on by MORWA, my home chapter in St. Louis. While this could sound like a blatant plug for people to enter, I also thought it would be interesting to read what Laura looks for in a submission. Those interested in entering the contest can visit MORWA at www.morwa.org to read about the contest rules and details (like multiple entries being discounted half-price!).
LAURA says: "The most important elements when considering a contemporary series submission are fit, voice, conflict, characterization, and freshness."
If it fits the line for which it's submitted, she then looks 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."
And we all know the characters are key to making a story work. Laura says, "The hero and heroine must ultimately be likable and believeable. I want to see a heroine who can stand on her own but be 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."
Sounds like every woman's dream man!
She wants a compelling conflict that's "organic"--it comes from the story rather than the author. It isn't based on misunderstandings and coincidences. And of course, there must be internal as well as external conflicts.
"Finally, it can be difficult, to say the least, to come up with a totally original story for a romance novel and still have it fit within the parameters of your line. But your approach still needs to be fresh." She suggests giving your story "a new twist" to make it stand out from the crowd.
And y'all thought writing was easy? LOL Well, somedays yes, somedays not so much.
The Gateway also has other categories for non-series writers. Deadline is September 10th, so check it out now.
Megan Kelly
www.megankellybooks.com

Monthly Recipes - On the Road!

Good morning from Louisville, Kentucky! I'm on a road trip with fellow writer friend Rebecca Russell. Last night we ate local specialties at B.B. King's restaurant on Beale Street in Memphis, TN. www.bbkingblues.com/menu/index.html Tonight we ate at one of my favorite places, Captain's Quarters, on River Road overlooking the Ohio River. www.cqriverside.com Tomorrow I'm going to foodie haven Lynn's Paradise Cafe in Louisville, which has been featured several times on Food Network. www.lynnsparadisecafe.com

The reason I'm telling you this is because I don't have a specific recipe to post right now. I'm going to post some photos and details of the recipes used by Lynn's Paradise Cafe later today. Please bear with me as I make this fun and food-oriented road trip from Dallas, TX, to Louisville, Indianapolis, and finally to Carey, Ohio before returning to Dallas next week. (I might even have a report on the food from Careyfest, a local custom in Rebecca's hometown.) http://www.careyohio.org/index.asp?Type=B_EV&SEC={91BC1D57-EE40-4291-B151-448DCB226FCD}&DE={B25FF5BD-802A-4D2F-9ED2-3917B97D82A6} See you later!

JULY WINNER!!!

Congratulations Varina M!! You're the July winner. Please contact Marin Thomas, Lee McKenzie and Laura Bradford through their websites for your free books. To enter the contest simply post to the American blog and your name will go into the drawing. Good luck and thank you for participating in the Harlequin American blog.

The Corn Is as High as a Novelist’s Eye…

I’m not really growing corn this summer, because as some of you may recall from a few months ago, we have raccoons poking about and I hear they love corn. Best not to tempt fate.

But we do have vegetables. Boy, do we. Stuff is growing way higher than any decent vegetable ought to. Even the acorn squash … misled by the term winter squash, I figured it took months to ripen, and wasn’t ready to cook till fall.

Instead, I’m microwaving the stuff till I’m green in the face. Acorn squash with butter and salt. Acorn squash with brown sugar. Acorn squash with maple syrup.

Being always in search of new and delicious recipes that use my summer vegetables, I am going to share with you the latest really tasty one I’ve come across (and already forgotten where I found it … sorry, Internet chefs. Anyway, I made a few key changes).

It’s called Sweet and Sour Zucchini.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cayenne pepper, minced (optional)
½ cup chopped, seeded tomato
4 cups sliced zucchini
1 cup thin-sliced onion
½ cup chicken bouillon (or chicken stock)
2 tbsps. sugar
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. cider vinegar

Sautée the garlic, onion, pepper and tomato for a few seconds. Add the zucchini and bouillon. Cover and cook for five minutes.
Separately, mix together the soy sauce, sugar and vinegar. Blend these into the zucchini mixture and serve.

This is great over rice because the sauce is so tasty.

Oh, if you're wondering about the acorn squash: Cut it in half (carefully -- it's tough) and scoop out the seeds. Turn cut-side down on a plate or cutting board, cover and microwave for 5-6 minutes. Remove carefully -- don't burn yourself -- and turn it over. Score the interior with a fork and add either 1 tablespoon of butter plus salt, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, or 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Cover again and microwave another 5 minutes until deliciously soft and gooey.

Recharge

First, an apology for being late posting this morning.

Second, an explanation. I'm currently writing this post from the Dolphin/Swan resort in Florida (site of this year's RWA national conference).

In just the 24 hours I've been here, I've seen friends I haven't seen in entirely too long and I've met new people I wouldn't know if not for RWA. I've attended my first of many parties (this one for my agency), and participated in the big Literacy Signing that is held at this conference each year.

My favorite part of any conference is being with like minded people (readers and writers alike). It's motivating and it's exciting. It is, in many ways, the juice that recharges my battery.

So, tell me, what are ways you recharge your battery in life?

~Laura

Delays

I am so sorry to get this in so late, but my mind has been swamped with packing, polishing my pitch and getting ready for the Romance Writer's of America convention in Orlando. I'm so excited! This is my favorite convention and I anticipate it for weeks ahead of time--then spend weeks recovering.

This year, I'm participating in the "Readers for Life" Literacy Signing. What a fabulous program! I am always amazed by--and proud of--the amount of money that is raised. If you've never been there, it is an awesome feeling to be in the same room as all those published writers. Incredibly inspiring, too.

I'm also giving a workshop at the conference this year. My friend, Sarah White, and I are talking about our "Deeply Flawed Heroes" and how to take them to bed (and not regret it in the morning!). We're planning to have a ton of fun and maybe impart a lesson or two. It's our first time presenting at the convention, so we're nervous, but looking forward to the experience.

Some news from me this month is that my upcoming release, Baby Bombshell, got 4 stars from RT Magazine. I confess to being a little concerned aobut this book. You see, Evan is one of those "deeply flawed" heroes I'm going to be talking about on Saturday. I am so happy that someone else loved him too. Well, besides Anna Berzani, the heroine of the book.

Take care and I'll see you next month.

Cars and Shoe Shopping

What is it about cars? Why do they choose the least convenient times to break down?

I know. I know. I’m assigning human emotions to inanimate objects. Cars can’t think, feel, react. But after nearly ten years and a hundred-and-twenty thousand miles, our SUV is almost a member of the family. A member who’s reached the sunset years and now suffers from aches and pains and occasional breakdowns.

That’s what happened this week. A breakdown. The good news—if there can be any good news about a car that won’t start—is that it went belly-up in my own driveway. The bad news—Did I mention a dead car is never a good thing?—is that it’s the week before the Romance Writers of America (RWA) conference, and there were a couple of serious shoe shopping excursions on the agenda. I may not be a foot model but, as far as I’m concerned, the real purpose of a conference is to give me an excuse for buying new shoes. So, there I was, debit card in one hand, shoe list in the other…and no way to get to the store.

Now, I’ve heard that some cars will do anything to keep a mechanic from tinkering with their insides. And I guess, mine is one of those. Because the SUV which wouldn’t start for me, dear hubby, the neighbor, or the guys who came with the tow rig, purred like a kitten once it arrived at the repair shop. And for two days, while the mechanic scratched his head, it kept purring.

Which caused dear hubby to deem the car “unreliable.” Which means I can’t drive it the sixty miles to Orlando for the RWA conference. Or, equally important, take it shoe shopping. Which, in my mind, means we need a new car since I believe they should be reliable without requiring monthly trips to the repair shop.

Dear hubby, however, did not see the breakdown as an excuse to go car shopping. Instead, he decided to drive me (in his car, the reliable one) to conference a day ahead of schedule. So, yesterday, we embarked on a marathon errand running, shoe shopping extravaganza which was absolutely necessary in order to compress all the stuff I would have done last week (if the car hadn’t broken down) and the stuff I had planned to do this weekend, into one day.

One. Very. Long. Day.

The end result? Six pairs of shoes and a change of heart on the new car thing.

The ideal vehicle would tow our boat, occasionally seat seven, and not be too thirsty at the gas pump. In other words, fit my life like the perfect pair of shoes. Any suggestions?

The Recess Bell

I enjoyed school when I was a kid and I was even a pretty good student, but I have to confess I lived for recess. For me and my friends, there was no more welcome sound than the recess bell. We’d slap our books shut, grab our jackets and troop out to the playground for fifteen minutes of fun. Winter or summer, rain or shine, recess was spent on the playground.

I remember two things about recess. Fifteen minutes seemed like a loooong time, and the games we played changed with the season.

We played marbles in the winter and jump rope in the spring. We had several rhyming songs for Double Dutch, but I’ve long forgotten the words to them. Red Rover and Duck, Duck, Goose were popular. Remember a game called Telephone or Grapevine? A group of children would stand in a row and the first would whisper something into the ear of the next child. The message was passed that way until the last person said what they’d heard out loud—and of course it would have been hilariously altered from the original.

My July release, Firefighter Daddy, was inspired by the William R. DeAvilla school, a block and a half from the Haight-Ashbury intersection in San Francisco.


The school’s paved playground still has numerous painted playground courts, and they’re even visible from Google’s satellite maps! (Click on the marker and zoom in.)


View Larger Map

One of them is a hopscotch court, and it became an important theme in the story. One of my favorite scenes in the book takes place on that playground, where the hero’s seven-year-old daughter teaches him how to play hopscotch. As I wrote that scene, I wondered...do children today still play games on the playground? I hope so.

What were your favorite childhood games? Did you or will you teach them to your kids? Grandkids?

Happy reading!

Until next time,
Lee
The Writer Side of Life
Firefighter Daddy available now!

Well, I'm dieting. I'd say again, but it's been many years since I've seriously dieted and not just "watched what I was eating" - something that definitely hasn't been working.

I finally bit the bullet after visiting my doctor a couple months ago. Instead of just being weighed — which I could have handled — this new scale gave a printout that included all this information I really didn't want to have, like my percentage of body fat and how close to obesity I am. Apparently, I'm right on the border. Talk about a shock!



I've never been skinny but spent most of my adult life since high school wearing a size nine. Then, about twelve or so years ago, I started putting on weight. A few pounds every years. And losing it was hard. Really hard. I sort of quit trying (okay, bad me). This last trip to the doctor showed I'd gained a total of forty pounds. Forty pounds!!! How in the heck did that happen? I mean, really. I don't remember packing it on. Since when does one cookie cause that kind of weight gain?

Sigh.

Long story short, a few weeks ago I met with the nutritionist at my doctor's office and began dieting under her care. I have to go in once a week and get weighed, which is good and helping me to stay on track. The dieting is hard. I can only eat like seven things. Fine, that's an exaggeration, but it feels like seven things. And I'm tired of salads twice a day.

On the plus side, I've lost eleven pounds so far. Not enough to show yet but my pants are fitting a bit loser, which his encouraging. I'm not trying to lose the full forty pounds. Trust me, that's way beyond my abilities. Twenty is my goal, and I'm starting to think I can manage that. I'll keep you posted.

Cathy McDavid

PS - any "poor baby" words of sympathy will be greatly appreciated :)

Missing the RWA Conference Already

Next week is the Romance Writers of America's annual conference. It was supposed to be held in Nashville, TN, but the terrible flood there forced a move to Orlando, FL. I sure hope the "tropical wave" off the east coast of Florida, which is supposed to turn into a tropical storm or hurricane, doesn't cancel or delay the travel plans of attendees. That would be a terrible double-whammy!

I had planned a road trip with some writer friends to Nashville, but opted not to go to Orlando for the RWA conference there since I'm going in September with my husband for a vacation. Now as I think about all my friends and associates heading to Orlando, I have mixed feelings. Yes, the conference costs a lot of money. On the other hand, it's fun and sometimes advantageous to network with others. You get very tired, but also very exhilarated. You wish you had a book in the RITA awards, but you also cheer for your friends who do.

In the end, you have to balance family, career, money and opportunity. But really, isn't that what we always do?

If you are an aspiring writer, often it's good to start by going to a local or regional conference first. The RWA national conference can be overwhelming, especially if you are still unsure about what you want to write, which publisher you want to target, or whether or not you need an agent. At a local or regional conference, you can meet published authors in a more relaxed setting and listen to them talk about their experiences. You can ask questions, and if the conference is at a hotel, the bar/lounge is the place to meet up. You have a better chance of getting an appointment with an editor or agent who is actively seeking new clients. The volume and variety of workshops isn't always so overwhelming. (Sometimes when I get my RWA national conference schedule, I can't decide which workshop is best for me, which ones I want to buy as recordings, and which ones I can skip to go shopping with friends!)

One of the best things about the RWA national conference is the booksigning, which benefits adult literacy groups. Publishers donate books as requested by authors who are attending. The room is huge, filled with all kinds of authors and books, from Nora Roberts to the newest member who just saw her first e-book published. Of course, the Harlequin American authors always have a good presence there and it's a wonderful opportunity to catch up with titles you might have missed. At the end of the evening, the author can either purchase her left-over books (with that money going to literacy also) or sign and donate them to local entities, such as women's shelters. If you get the chance to attend one of these booksignings, please come and buy books.

Next year I may see you in New York City. The conference starts June 28th at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. I'll be there! Until then, happy reading and writing.

P.S. Don't forget to check out my favorite recipes here on the Harlequin American Authors blog on the 4th of every month. On August 4th, I'll be on a road trip with my friend Rebecca Russell, who wrote for Silhouette Romance, but I'll still have the recipes up for you to enjoy.

Announcing contest winner today!

Please visit my blog post from a couple of days ago here at the Harlequin American Romance Authors site to learn the winner of a free book from my backlist.

The post is entitled "Good things!"

Thank you.

All my best to you,

Barbara

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

Good things!

They say good things come in threes, and that’s certainly true for me this month!

I’ve just received the cover for my third Harlequin American Romance, FAMILY MATTERS. Isn’t it fabulous?

And in celebration of the book’s October, 2010 publication date, I’m doing three things:

* revamping my website: http://barbarawhitedaille.com

* starting a blog: http://barbarawhitedaille.com/blog

* giving away a copy of one of my backlist titles to one lucky reader of my blog post here

This is the deal:

The drawing is a special opportunity for visitors to my Harlequin American Romance blog post for today. If you’re reading this post on July 17th, that would include you. ;-)

In order to have your name entered in the drawing, please leave a comment here at the Harlequin American Romance blog by midnight Blogger time on July 17th. Also, please visit my website at http://barbarawhitedaille.com by midnight Blogger time on July 17th.

Take a look at the excerpts for my first two books, THE SHERIFF'S SON and COURT ME, COWBOY. Send me an e-mail from my website, letting me know which book you would prefer IF your name is drawn—and why.

And, of course, feel free to take a look around my website and blog while you’re there. ;-)

One lucky winner’s name will be drawn and the name announced here at the blog on the Open date of July 20th.

Remember, this drawing is based on comments dated July 17th only.

And please remember to BOTH comment here at the Harlequin American Romance blog AND send an e-mail from my website in order to have your name entered into the drawing.

Thanks a bunch, and good luck!


All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

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

Media Blitz Contest Today!

Today only we're running a one-day Media Blitz Contest to promote The Codys: First Family of Rodeo miniseries by Harlequin American Romance.

CONTEST RULES

Read this blog, then spread the word! Mention Dexter: Honorable Cowboy (July 2010) and The Codys: First Family of Rodeo miniseries on all your favorite social media sites--Facebook, MySpace, Twitter. The more places you link http://www.harauthors.blogspot.com/

to and help promote Dexter: Honorable Cowboy the more chances you have to win an autographed copy of the book and one of the cowboy items featured in the photo above.

Earn additional chances to win if you refer a friend and they in turn post a link to their favorite social media websites. Be sure to return to http://www.harauthors.blogspot.com/ and tell us where you're spreading the word in the comment section of the blog—we'll keep a tally of your activity, then post the winners' names in the comment section of the blog--check the blog on July 17th to see if you're one of the lucky winners!

The Special Bond Twins Share

Facts about Twins

• Fraternal twins result when two different eggs are fertilized by two different sperm.
• Fraternal twins are more common than identical twins and account for about 2/3 of twin pregnancies.
• Even after they are born, it is sometimes difficult to know whether twins are identical or fraternal.
• Fraternal twins make up approximately 75% of the twin population and can be boy/boy, girl/girl, or boy/girl sets.
• Fraternal twins share up to 50% of their genes, and are no more alike or different than any two siblings would be.
• Africa sees the highest incidence of fraternal twins; Asia, the lowest.
• The actor Ashton Kutcher has a fraternal twin brother named Michael

Before writing Dexter: Honorable Cowboy I Googled fraternal twins and came across lots of interesting information. The one thing that struck me was research claiming that although fraternal twins don't share an identical genetic code, they do share a special bond. When I got to thinking about it, I realized that as fraternal twins mature they experience many things in life at the exact same emotional and physical point of their development. However, that doesn't mean the outcome of the experience is the same for each twin.

Dexter-- serious, dependable, hard-working, honorable.
Dusty-- fun, playful, teasing, charismatic and the better-looking twin.

Both brothers once had a crush on the same girl--Josie Charles—but Dusty's charismatic ways and good looks won the girl and Dexter suffered silently in the background as he watched his brother and Josie date throughout high school. Eventually Dusty and Josie broke up and moved on, but that experience remained with Dexter all his life. The special bond between Dexter and Dusty is tested when Josie Charles returns to Markton, WY. After all these years, Dexter discovers his feelings for Josie haven't changed, but before he gets excited about a "second-chance" at love, he learns Dusty is the father of Josie's young son.

It is that "special bond" between twin brothers that Dexter struggles with throughout the book. He wants to support Dusty and encourages him to do the right thing and marry Josie and be a father to their son, but at the same time he believes he's the better candidate for husband and father. Once again Dusty stands in the way of what Dexter wants, which creates stress and tension between the two brothers. But it is the special bond they share that in the end allows both brothers to do what's best for Josie and her son.

I hope you'll pick up a copy of Dexter: Honorable Cowboy and see how Dex and Dusty settle their differences—then let me know if you think the right man won the girl!

P.S. Be sure to return in August for another one-day only Media Blitz Contest when Cathy McDavid blogs about Dusty: Wild Cowboy (Book 3 in The Codys: First Family of Rodeo miniseries. If you missed the first book Walker: The Rodeo Legend (June 2010) by Rebecca Winters, you can still order the book through online retailers. You can also keep up on the Codys at http://www.firstfamilyofrodeo.blogspot.com/

where the miniseries authors post a new blog about cowboys every Wednesday.

See you at next rodeo!
Marin

Good morning! I need help--more than usual!! LOL!!

Two of my kiddos are headed to college in under a month. My twins turn eighteen in a few days. How is this possible??!! I'm grateful that they're healthy and smart and funny and pretty, but I'm also sad that they'll no longer be lounging on the couch or making a mess in the kitchen. Even worse--who's going to clean the cat box??!!

Anyway, I'm trapped in a funk. How have some of you survived this transition period?

In other news . . . The annual Romance Writers of America conference is swiftly approaching. This year it's being held in Orlando. I fear this will be a VERY bad thing when it comes to focusing on honing my writing skills by attending workshops. BFF Margaret Daley isn't helping with her talk of how much fun we'll have!! Meanwhile, my other roomie, BFF Winnie Griggs, has declared she's spending the week holed up in our room, writing. This makes me feel even more guilty!! LOL!!

Have I mentioned I have NOTHING to wear? For those of you who have never attended one of these conferences, there's a fascinating mix of folks. Some wear jeans and a T-shirt. Others are decked out in full-on business attire complete with jewels!! I strive for somewhere in the middle. Alas, since I also strive for donuts, my wardrobe is limited. I've been on the treadmill, running like a fat hamster, but my fave stuff still won't fit. Hmm . . . wonder if I could start a new trend by wearing PJs all week?

All kidding aside, I can't wait to get hugs from friends I rarely get to see!!! Not only other writers, but editors and my agent. The week's highlight is always the Friday night Harlequin party. This year, it's being held at the Orlando Waldorf Astoria!!! There's always dancing and crazy-decadent food and decor. I LOVE these parties!!! But have I mentioned I still have nothing to wear? ;-)

GIRLFRIENDS

I know, strange subject to blog about on a writer’s blog. However, it’s what’s on my mind this month. I’ve been blessed with many friends, but they don’t all touch my life in the same way.

I remember a friend I met in college telling me that some friends are a part of your entire life while others come into your life for a specific reason. During the loss of my father and her divorce, which neither one were even on our radar when we met, we talked nightly. I’m not sure we’d have made it through without the support. I still consider her a great friend, but now we only talk a couple times a year, just to make sure the other is okay. Not a lot to say these days.

I had three really close friends from elementary school all the way through high school. One of those wonderful women I see regularly. Our kids are friends and now our grandkids. I can’t imagine my life without her being a huge part of it. Yet the other two women, I talk to on rare occasion and exchange Christmas and birthday cards.

Neighbors – How many great people have we lived close to in our lives? Yet there is only one who I still see. Take vacations with. Keep close to my heart.

Work friends are especially interesting. I’ve met so many wonderful people and friends there. But most of them seem to fade away after one or the other of us changes jobs or companies. One woman and I shared an office for two years and went to lunch together almost daily. Great lady, yet I don’t even know where she is these days. While another friend left the company and moved to California and still drove all the way back to Texas to surprise me at my very first book signing. If she and I don’t talk weekly, we at least email. Out of the hundreds of people I’ve worked with, why did the two of us click?

Writing friends – Wow! What do I say? I’ve met so many fabulous and helpful people in the field. Yet the two women I critique with have become so tight that we don’t know how to act if we aren’t all three online every evening. Sure we love to talk about writing, but we’ve also become important people in each other’s personal lives. I hope to remain friends with a lot of my writing buddies, but these two particularly I’ll be very surprised if we ever lose touch. When I sold my first book, I called these ladies before my family.

I’m sure most everyone has had similar relationships. What makes some friendships last, while others fade away? Do you have a special girlfriend story to share?

Media Blitz Contest this Friday!

Counting down the days until Friday July 16th--our second One Day Only Media Blitz Contest to promote The Codys: First Family of Rodeo miniseries!

On July 16th I'll be blogging about Dexter: Honorable Cowboy--RT Top Pick for July! For those who've read the first book in the series, Walker: The Rodeo Legend, then you know Dexter is a fraternal twin. I'll be blogging about how Dexter's relationship with his brother Dusty is tested as Dexter struggles with that special bond the brothers share.

Help spread the word by mentioning the book and posting a link to this blog on all your favorite social media sites--Facebook, MySpace, Twitter. The more places you link to and mention Dexter: Honorable Cowboy and The Codys: First Family of Rodeo the more chances you have to win an autographed copy of the book and some "cowboy stuff" pictured above.

Earn additional chances to win if you refer a friend and they in turn post a link to their favorite social media websites. Be sure to return to http://www.harauthors.blogspot.com/ and tell us where you're spreading the word in the comment section of the blog.

I'll keep a tally of your activity and post the winners' names in the comment section of the blog on July 17th--be sure to check if you're one of the lucky winners!

For those readers who are reading this miniseries, we'd love to know what you think about The Codys: First Family of Rodeo!

Marin * www.marinthomas.com *

Fun on the 4th of July!

Okay, so I know it’s the 10th, but six days ago I had a blast!

Recently, I interviewed the Battalion Chief at our local fire department in Colorado, for the 4th book in The O’Malley Men series about firefighter brother, Adam O’Malley.
“Rosie” as all the guys know him, invited me to come down to the station house before the parade started so I could get photos of the firefighters all dressed up in their dress uniforms, their pipe band, assorted support vehicles etc.
Just before they set off, he asked if I’d like to join the families of the firefighters in the march. Would I? You bet!
It was amazing being part of a July 4th parade, to see it from a different perspective from the spectators (as I’d done in the past).
The Fire Department always leads out the parade in Breckenridge and it was incredibly exciting to be sandwiched between the firefighters in front and the engines, ladder truck and other support vehicles behind.
Walking along, I had a couple of friends call out to me from the crowds lining Main Street – no doubt very surprised to see me there. But not nearly as surprised as my husband whose eyes popped out like saucers as I went by. “What are you doing there?” he called.
I shrugged and said, “Hey, they asked me!” I waved the American flag and continued on down Main Street, feeling a little surreal and incredibly privileged to be an Aussie marching in a 4th of July parade.
Unfortunately my camera conked out just as the parade started, but photographer Ken Papaleo captured some great shots for his website. There’s even one of me with Battalion Chief Rosenberger in the station house before the parade started.
http://xmarkstheshot.blogspot.com/

Until next time,
CC

Cowboy Up!

This is a very exciting day--y'all should head on over to the Harlequin American continuity blog where we're celebrating the First Family of Rodeo, the Codys. http://firstfamilyofrodeo.blogspot.com/ Our terrific American writers are going to talk about the cowboy!

Yep, as much as I'm a small town girl from the Midwest (or maybe because I am), I love the American cowboy. I grew up watching reruns of John Wayne, Gary Cooper and all the other heroes and villians clothed in chaps and riding the range.

Put Jimmy Stewart in a cowboy hat, give him a horse to ride (his favorite "actor" horse was named Pie), and our entire perception of him changes. He's no longer saving the Bailey Building & Loan or talking to Harvey. He's saving the ranch and upholding justice.

So, is it the clothes that make the man? Not at all. Did anyone believe John Travolta was a cowboy, Urban or otherwise, just because he had the boots and hat? Not me. I want my cowboy honorable, dependable, loyal. I want him tough and yet ready to have a good time, preferably loving the heroine.

The cowboy is bone-deep American. Yum.

I'll be back next month after our RWA conference in Orlando, but right now, it's cowboy time! See y'all over there.

Megan Kelly

www.megankellybooks.com

Coming Soon!

One-Day Only Media Blitz Contest!

On July 16th Marin Thomas will be blogging about book two in The Codys: First Family of Rodeo—Dexter: Honorable Cowboy--RT Top Pick for July! Help spread the word by mentioning the book and posting a link to the blog on all your favorite social media sites--Facebook, MySpace, Twitter. The more places you link to and mention Dexter: Honorable Cowboy the more chances you have to win an autographed copy of the book and some "cowboy stuff".

Earn additional chances to win if you refer a friend and they in turn post a link to their favorite social media websites. Be sure to return to http://www.harauthors.blogspot.com/ and tell where you're spreading the word in the comment section of the blog so Marin can keep a tally of your activity.

Marin will post the winners' names in the comment section of the blog on July 17th--be sure to return to see if you're one of the lucky winners!

July Recipes

Happy Independence Day! I hope you have a safe and fun holiday. Last night we watched some beautiful, dramatic and impressive fireworks over Lake Holbrook in Mineola, TX. These were set off from individuals' docks along the lake but rivaled professional displays. Tonight there will be a community fireworks event that we hope to attend, depending on the ongoing showers we've had the last few days.

If you happen to fix too many baked potatoes or corn on the cob on your grill or in your oven, here are some recipes to use up some of the excess. We cooked out last night and invited our new lake neighbors, Mike and Carol, to eat with us. They just fixed up an eyesore of a house into an HGTV or DIY Network worthy renovation. We prepared more food than we could eat, of course, so I'm going to make the baked potato salad in the next day or two. Enjoy!


Baked Potato Salad I
Submitted By: Tom (to AllRecipes.com)
*****
· Prep Time: 25 Minutes
· Cook Time: 1 Hour 20 Minutes
· Ready In: 1 Hour 45 Minutes
· Yields: 12 servings
"Is this a baked potato salad or a cheese and potato casserole? Try this recipe and decide for yourself."

INGREDIENTS:
· 8 medium potatoes, sliced
· 1/2 pound sliced bacon
· 1 pound processed American cheese, sliced
· 1/2 onion, chopped
· 1 cup mayonnaise
· salt and pepper to taste
· 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Put sliced potatoes into a large pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender but still firm, about 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
At the same time, place bacon in a large deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly browned. Remove to paper towels to drain.
In a large bowl, stir together the potatoes, cheese, onion, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. Spoon into prepared baking dish. Crumble bacon over the top, and sprinkle with olives.
Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, until golden brown.


Corn Pudding II
Submitted By: Heather (to AllRecipes.com)
*****
Yields: 7 servings
"Use a food processor or blender for quick and easy preparation. Originally submitted to ThanksgivingRecipe.com."

INGREDIENTS:
· 1 (10 ounce) package frozen white corn (or equivalent of fresh or roasted corn)
· 6 eggs
· 3 1/2 cups milk
· 1/2 cup butter, melted
· 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
· 1 cup white sugar
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a blender or food processor blend the eggs very well. Add in the flour and sugar and blend well. Add the milk and blend slightly. Finally mix in the corn by hand. Stir in the melted butter and pour the mixture into a large casserole dish.
Bake for about 45 minutes. When the pudding is done the center should be solid and the top should have a nice golden brown color. Let rest for approximately 15 minutes then serve warm.

Monthly Contest Winner

Congratulations to June!

June is the winner of our *June* drawing. To claim your prizes please contact Rebecca Winters and Tanya Michaels through their websites.

We're always giving away books here at the blog. Your name is entered into a drawing each time you post a comment on our blog throughout the month.

In additon to our monthly book giveaway mark your calendars for July 16th when Marin Thomas will blog about the second book in The Codys: First Family of Rodeo. Marin will be giving away autographed copies of Dexter: Honorable Cowboy as well as some fun cowboy "stuff" so be sure to stop by on July 16th for our next One Day Only Media Blitz Contest!