I posted not too long ago on a group blog that I've been watching DVD eps of Supernatural. Fellow HAR author Trish Milburn got me hooked even though she knows darn well what a wuss I am. I caught part of an episode on TV once and decided that perhaps the show was too scary for me, but Trish insisted I'd like the byplay between the brothers. She was of course right--the brothers alternately bring tears to my eyes and make me laugh out loud when they're harrassing each other. Sibling interactions are one of my favorite things to write, which is why a family/community oriented line like HAR is just perfect for me!
Anyway, I'm now working on a Supernatural essay for BenBella Smart Pop that requires me rewatching certain episodes, including a few that freaked me out the first time. So, last time I blogged about this conspiracy to keep me awake for the next ten years, I mentioned that my daughter came to complain that there was "something in her closet" the same night that an episode started with a little girl--you guessed it--telling her mom there was something in the closet (which, of course there, was).
Well, it's gotten worse. I don't watch anything scary until after my kids are asleep in their rooms, but it's like my daughter has a sixth sense (pun not intended) that I'm awake watching paranormal stuff late at night. Her most recent complaints were that there was something under her floor and that her bed was moving!(Creepy, but at least she doesn't claim to be seeing clowns. Once that happens, we sell the house).
The topper, however, was the other night, when one of the March storms blew through...and we lost power right in the middle of a 'sode!!!
It's not weird to sleep with a teddy bear and night light at 33 is it? Just, um, hypothetically...
Friday, March 28, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Moving/real estate angst
Hi guys,
We're in the middle of real estate angst - buying, selling, new construction, resale, staging, yada, yada, yada. Did you hear my primal scream? In the fall we decided it was time to move back to the East Coast to be closer to our kids and grandkids, and that was the beginning of our odyssey. In early March we made a marathon trip that included 3 states (MD, VA and NC), 8 communities (Easton, MD, Columbia, MD, Fredericksburg, VA, Virginia Beach, VA, Chapel Hill, NC, Pinehurst, NC, Raleigh, NC and Williamsburg, VA), and heaven only knows how many houses. That reconnaissance trip was to help us decide exactly where we wanted to go. And the winner was Williamsburg. All we have to do is get the puzzle pieces to fit. Just thinking about it gives me a headache.
Now we're in the selling phase. Yikes! Talk about painful. We've interviewed 5 realtors. Yeah, I know - major overkill. But a couple of those were friends or friends of friends - you get the drift. Once we decide on the realtor, the listing/showing fun really begins. Whew, I'm already tired. And I have a May deadline. Guess who isn't even halfway finished. If someone should walk in and want the house ASAP I'm in big trouble. But considering the market, I think that's highly unlikely.
So wish me luck - I'm afraid I'm going to need it.
Ann DeFee
Goin' Down to Georgia, Harlequin American Romance, March 2008
We're in the middle of real estate angst - buying, selling, new construction, resale, staging, yada, yada, yada. Did you hear my primal scream? In the fall we decided it was time to move back to the East Coast to be closer to our kids and grandkids, and that was the beginning of our odyssey. In early March we made a marathon trip that included 3 states (MD, VA and NC), 8 communities (Easton, MD, Columbia, MD, Fredericksburg, VA, Virginia Beach, VA, Chapel Hill, NC, Pinehurst, NC, Raleigh, NC and Williamsburg, VA), and heaven only knows how many houses. That reconnaissance trip was to help us decide exactly where we wanted to go. And the winner was Williamsburg. All we have to do is get the puzzle pieces to fit. Just thinking about it gives me a headache.
Now we're in the selling phase. Yikes! Talk about painful. We've interviewed 5 realtors. Yeah, I know - major overkill. But a couple of those were friends or friends of friends - you get the drift. Once we decide on the realtor, the listing/showing fun really begins. Whew, I'm already tired. And I have a May deadline. Guess who isn't even halfway finished. If someone should walk in and want the house ASAP I'm in big trouble. But considering the market, I think that's highly unlikely.
So wish me luck - I'm afraid I'm going to need it.
Ann DeFee
Goin' Down to Georgia, Harlequin American Romance, March 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
Spring has sprung
Spring has arrived here in the Pacific Northwest. I actually live in Canada, so I’m even a little further north than the Pacific Northwest. Most people—me included!—associate Canada with long, cold winters but here on the west coast, spring arrives early.
Last weekend my husband mowed the lawn for the first time this year, and this weekend he swept off the patio and set up the patio furniture. Other signs of spring are everywhere, from gardens to duck ponds. Ornamental fruit trees are in full bloom, there are daffodils everywhere, and ducklings will soon be paddling around our ponds.
I’ve lived on the Canadian prairies and I know a thing or two about winter, so I especially savor an early spring. Still, this year we’re worried about family and friends who live in places that still have severe winter weather conditions and the threat of floods and tornadoes. If we could send a little springtime your way, you can be sure we would.We’ve had a grey Easter weekend and I'm one of the world's worst photographers, but I thought I'd post these pictures anyway. No matter what your weather was like, I hope you had a wonderful Easter!
Lee
Lee's website
Lee's blog
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Happy Easter!
I hope everyone's having a wonderful holiday. My husband and I are at our cabin in Young, Arizona, this weekend. My phone reception is minimal so this is going to be a very brief post and my fingers are crossed that it comes through :-)
For any who's read His Only Wife and The Family Plan, my first two Americans, they are set in the town of Blue Ridge which is based on Young (Blue Ridge is a little bigger and has better phone lines). We got a letter in the mail recently that the town is putting in new phone lines during the next six months, and we'll have high speed internet. Part of me is glad - this dial up is a pain - and part of me is distressed. My lovely small town is growing bigger by leaps and bounds.
I think the turkey is finally done, it sure smells good, so I'm going to sign off. We're heading out early in the morning and I still have a few pages to edit. Happy Easter to all.
Warmest wishes,
Cathy McDavid
For any who's read His Only Wife and The Family Plan, my first two Americans, they are set in the town of Blue Ridge which is based on Young (Blue Ridge is a little bigger and has better phone lines). We got a letter in the mail recently that the town is putting in new phone lines during the next six months, and we'll have high speed internet. Part of me is glad - this dial up is a pain - and part of me is distressed. My lovely small town is growing bigger by leaps and bounds.
I think the turkey is finally done, it sure smells good, so I'm going to sign off. We're heading out early in the morning and I still have a few pages to edit. Happy Easter to all.
Warmest wishes,
Cathy McDavid
Friday, March 21, 2008
Happy Easter, Happy Spring
I'm sorry I'm just getting online to blog tonight. My wireless network apparently had a meltdown while I was gone this morning and I finally convinced it to cooperate. I just wanted to take a few minutes to wish everyone a very happy Easter weekend. Family, friends and community are so important at this time of renewal, and I hope that you have every opportunity to enjoy those you hold dear.
My thoughts are also with those affected by the flooding and the continued bad weather in the north. In Texas, we got a lot of rain, but nothing like the midsection of the country is experiencing. In 1992, my daughter and I went to the RWA conference in St. Louis and watched the phenomenal flood from our hotel room window and the foot of the Arch. I'll never forget the sight, and I hope it doesn't get that bad again.
My best wishes for a happy Easter weekend, a pleasant first weekend of spring, wherever you are and whatever the weather.
My thoughts are also with those affected by the flooding and the continued bad weather in the north. In Texas, we got a lot of rain, but nothing like the midsection of the country is experiencing. In 1992, my daughter and I went to the RWA conference in St. Louis and watched the phenomenal flood from our hotel room window and the foot of the Arch. I'll never forget the sight, and I hope it doesn't get that bad again.
My best wishes for a happy Easter weekend, a pleasant first weekend of spring, wherever you are and whatever the weather.
Dave and Church and Cell Phone Services
So, there we were, standing in our pew last night for Maundy Thursday services, listening to the pastor, when well, my son’s cell phone started singing. Yep, instead of having an annoying ringtone like mine, Dave Matthews sings a few bars every time Arthur gets a text.
I should probably back up a little bit and give y’all some background information. First, to my family’s dismay, I’m a front-of-the-church gal. If we sit in one of the back pews, I find myself looking around becoming distracted, so we almost always sit front and center in the third row. Also, I have never been especially nice to people who don’t turn off their cell phones in church, movies, theaters, you name it.
My kids know this. My son was ‘sure’ he’d turned off his phone. I can’t remember a time he hasn’t turned off his phone. Well, except for last night. But there it went-Right when the whole congregation was standing, respectful and silent. Right in the middle of communion.
Oops.
In a flash I went from concentrating on the service to worrying about what to do. Yep, within seconds I went straight into Mom Mode. The church was quiet. Our pastor began to speak. Dave Mathews had just made an appearance. I was not happy.
As soon as the choir began to sing, I whispered, “Turn. That. Phone. Off.” I wasn’t sweet about it, either. Has anyone else perfected that perfect Mom Order…used only in dire emergencies…the kind that your kids know NEVER to disobey? That was me last night.
My son swallowed. As the organ played, he whispered right back. “I can’t, Mom. If I turn it off the music will go off again.”
Oops!
Right as the choir sings the last chorus, off goes ‘Crash’ again. With one hand in his pocket, Art opens and shuts his phone. Dave Matthews stops. My daughter starts giggling. My son, who hasn’t blushed since he was well, 8, is beet red.
People are giving me that look. That same look that I usually give to people who can’t settle down. I’m now red, too. Talk about bad timing! This is terrible!
As the whole room drifted back to silent as our Pastor spoke again. I realize Yikes! We’re stuck! I can’t tell my son to leave. Nobody can leave! Now all I’m thinking about is ‘please no one text my kid during the next two minutes.’
Right as another prayer starts, Art somehow manages to pop out the battery with one hand. Hooray! The phone situation is finally taken care off. But, by now we’re all sweaty. Yes, my 16 year old’s problem has now become my problem. The stress of doing exactly the wrong thing at exactly the wrong time has gotten to me.
Finally we get to sit down and the service continues. But the whole situation has taken a life of its own. Every so often, my kids and I whisper. The one thing we all agree on was that it was good my husband was out of town. “Dad would have been so mad,” my son says. “Dad would have taken that phone,” my daughter proclaimed. I know they’re both right. So I made an executive decision. “We just won’t tell him about it.”
The church service ends. Everyone around us is teasing us, teasing my son. Now that the panic is over, I’m thinking the ‘cell phone service’ was a good thing to happen. So often, I forget that accidents happen, and sometimes things just don’t go as planned. Either I can be upset and worry, or settle down and just go with the flow. This was one of those times.
After the service, the three of us walk out to the parking lot. We’re relieved. We still can’t believe Dave managed to sing right at the absolute worst time. Talk about an intense church service!
Then, my son starts laughing. “I just found out who texted me. It was Dad. He was wondering what I was doing. When I didn’t answer, he kept trying. You know how you and Dad get when we don’t answer our phones.”
I know. I also know how mad I get when they don’t turn off phones at church. Now I also remember that sometimes accidents happen, but it’s okay. I still got my teenagers to go with me to church on a Thursday night. We still managed to laugh about an embarrassing situation.
And, well, now we have a good story. Something fun to share in a...blog. I’ll take that!
Happy Easter!
Shelley
I should probably back up a little bit and give y’all some background information. First, to my family’s dismay, I’m a front-of-the-church gal. If we sit in one of the back pews, I find myself looking around becoming distracted, so we almost always sit front and center in the third row. Also, I have never been especially nice to people who don’t turn off their cell phones in church, movies, theaters, you name it.
My kids know this. My son was ‘sure’ he’d turned off his phone. I can’t remember a time he hasn’t turned off his phone. Well, except for last night. But there it went-Right when the whole congregation was standing, respectful and silent. Right in the middle of communion.
Oops.
In a flash I went from concentrating on the service to worrying about what to do. Yep, within seconds I went straight into Mom Mode. The church was quiet. Our pastor began to speak. Dave Mathews had just made an appearance. I was not happy.
As soon as the choir began to sing, I whispered, “Turn. That. Phone. Off.” I wasn’t sweet about it, either. Has anyone else perfected that perfect Mom Order…used only in dire emergencies…the kind that your kids know NEVER to disobey? That was me last night.
My son swallowed. As the organ played, he whispered right back. “I can’t, Mom. If I turn it off the music will go off again.”
Oops!
Right as the choir sings the last chorus, off goes ‘Crash’ again. With one hand in his pocket, Art opens and shuts his phone. Dave Matthews stops. My daughter starts giggling. My son, who hasn’t blushed since he was well, 8, is beet red.
People are giving me that look. That same look that I usually give to people who can’t settle down. I’m now red, too. Talk about bad timing! This is terrible!
As the whole room drifted back to silent as our Pastor spoke again. I realize Yikes! We’re stuck! I can’t tell my son to leave. Nobody can leave! Now all I’m thinking about is ‘please no one text my kid during the next two minutes.’
Right as another prayer starts, Art somehow manages to pop out the battery with one hand. Hooray! The phone situation is finally taken care off. But, by now we’re all sweaty. Yes, my 16 year old’s problem has now become my problem. The stress of doing exactly the wrong thing at exactly the wrong time has gotten to me.
Finally we get to sit down and the service continues. But the whole situation has taken a life of its own. Every so often, my kids and I whisper. The one thing we all agree on was that it was good my husband was out of town. “Dad would have been so mad,” my son says. “Dad would have taken that phone,” my daughter proclaimed. I know they’re both right. So I made an executive decision. “We just won’t tell him about it.”
The church service ends. Everyone around us is teasing us, teasing my son. Now that the panic is over, I’m thinking the ‘cell phone service’ was a good thing to happen. So often, I forget that accidents happen, and sometimes things just don’t go as planned. Either I can be upset and worry, or settle down and just go with the flow. This was one of those times.
After the service, the three of us walk out to the parking lot. We’re relieved. We still can’t believe Dave managed to sing right at the absolute worst time. Talk about an intense church service!
Then, my son starts laughing. “I just found out who texted me. It was Dad. He was wondering what I was doing. When I didn’t answer, he kept trying. You know how you and Dad get when we don’t answer our phones.”
I know. I also know how mad I get when they don’t turn off phones at church. Now I also remember that sometimes accidents happen, but it’s okay. I still got my teenagers to go with me to church on a Thursday night. We still managed to laugh about an embarrassing situation.
And, well, now we have a good story. Something fun to share in a...blog. I’ll take that!
Happy Easter!
Shelley
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Congratulatons!
Congrats to Megan Kelly whose Marrying the Boss (Harlequin American) received a 4 star review from RT! Megan's very first book debuts next month!
A Quick Note
I spent today (March 20) driving from Winston-Salem to Charlotte (NC) and then catching a 5:20 PM flight home to St. Louis. I'm high and dry, but the flooding is very close to where I live, about 15 minutes away.
So sorry for no fancy post, and a late one at that, but I've been visiting my mom and watching the news and trying to catch up.
I do want to wish everyone a wonderful Easter weekend!
Michele
So sorry for no fancy post, and a late one at that, but I've been visiting my mom and watching the news and trying to catch up.
I do want to wish everyone a wonderful Easter weekend!
Michele
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
What my GPS has taught me
Recently, my husband bought me a GPS. As a directionally challenged person, I appreciate this amazing tool. My GPS is female and talks in such a sweet voice. Very polite and genteel... Unless I fail to follow her directions.
“Recalculating,” she states in a slightly less pleasant tone. If I still ignore her, she becomes terse. By the third or fourth time she sounds both angry and... slightly drunk. It’s funny to me, but not to her. ☺ I have angered her several times..
The secret is to learn to trust her. It’s taken months, but I finally listen to her. She’s taken me to places using routes I’d never have thought of, avoiding traffic and getting me there much faster than normal. I’ve grown to like her very much.
But if I know where I’m going and want to do things my way, I turn her off. That makes us both very happy. ☺
What does all this talk about a GPS have to do with writing? you may ask. There are writers out there who know more than I do, or who know a different route to reaching a goal. Listening to them could get me there faster or help me become a better writer—something every writer wants.
On the other hand, trusting your gut instinct, that voice within that says, “Yes, that’s a good suggestion, something I’ll use,” or “No, I’m not going to do that” is equally important. Learning how to combine the two—that’s the trick.
Until later,
Ann
www.annroth.net
The Pilot's Woman, March 2008, a Romantic Times top pick!
“Recalculating,” she states in a slightly less pleasant tone. If I still ignore her, she becomes terse. By the third or fourth time she sounds both angry and... slightly drunk. It’s funny to me, but not to her. ☺ I have angered her several times..
The secret is to learn to trust her. It’s taken months, but I finally listen to her. She’s taken me to places using routes I’d never have thought of, avoiding traffic and getting me there much faster than normal. I’ve grown to like her very much.
But if I know where I’m going and want to do things my way, I turn her off. That makes us both very happy. ☺
What does all this talk about a GPS have to do with writing? you may ask. There are writers out there who know more than I do, or who know a different route to reaching a goal. Listening to them could get me there faster or help me become a better writer—something every writer wants.
On the other hand, trusting your gut instinct, that voice within that says, “Yes, that’s a good suggestion, something I’ll use,” or “No, I’m not going to do that” is equally important. Learning how to combine the two—that’s the trick.
Until later,
Ann
www.annroth.net
The Pilot's Woman, March 2008, a Romantic Times top pick!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
The Changing of the Seasons
After reading through the most recent posts here, I see a trend. Yes, the seasons are changing, once again. What a relief to hear rain hitting the roof and windows and not having to worry about driving on ice or snow the next day! Not that we won't be blessed here in Kansas with either of those one more time before Spring really does, well, spring. It happens, but it seems more like a reminder from Mother Nature that she has the upper-hand, not us mere mortals.
Spring cleaning was on my list, along with a dozen other chores that have waited since before Winter began, but those will be put on the back burner for several months. Writing will take the place of the mundane. With two books to write before October and the rest of what life throws my way, I may even miss all the new episodes of my favorite TV shows, now that the writers' strike has finally ended. I won't complain though. What could be better than listening to characters tell me their story? But discplining myself to BIC-HOK, after several months of taking it easy on the writing front, means taking stock of all there is to do with family and friends, and then making sure the time that's needed is set aside for all. What's BIC-HOK? It's an old CataRomance phrase that means "Butt In Chair, Hands on Keyboard". That's where I'll be for the next six months, living the ups and downs of characters born in my mind and growing into stories I hope readers will love as much as I love writing them. And it gets me out of Spring Cleaning! :)
Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone, and may Spring bring new blessings to you and yours!
Spring cleaning was on my list, along with a dozen other chores that have waited since before Winter began, but those will be put on the back burner for several months. Writing will take the place of the mundane. With two books to write before October and the rest of what life throws my way, I may even miss all the new episodes of my favorite TV shows, now that the writers' strike has finally ended. I won't complain though. What could be better than listening to characters tell me their story? But discplining myself to BIC-HOK, after several months of taking it easy on the writing front, means taking stock of all there is to do with family and friends, and then making sure the time that's needed is set aside for all. What's BIC-HOK? It's an old CataRomance phrase that means "Butt In Chair, Hands on Keyboard". That's where I'll be for the next six months, living the ups and downs of characters born in my mind and growing into stories I hope readers will love as much as I love writing them. And it gets me out of Spring Cleaning! :)
Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone, and may Spring bring new blessings to you and yours!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Spring Cleaning Treasures
The other day we had mild temps (low 50's), lots of sunshine and I caught the spring-cleaning itch. I promised myself I would re-organize family photo albums, scrapbooks and cookbooks that had been tossed every which way inside the basement storage cabinets. I came across a tiny little book that had belonged to my great-grandmother called West Bend Cook Book, copyright 1915.
The opening paragraph: If I were asked the greatest need of the American housewife of to-day, I should answer without hesitation, "A wiser and more complete training for services in the home."
The back of the book contains a section of "Helps To Young Housekeepers". After reading through the book I wondered how many of the recipes my great-grandmother had used. The book is worn and there are old food stains on some of the pages. Following are a few tips I found interesting--not that I've ever used them.
1) A piece of charcoal, tied in a muslin cloth, and put in the water in which cabbage, cauliflower, onions or ham is boiling will remove the unpleasant odor.
2) To remove skins from tomatoes, peaches or plums, dip them in boiling water a minute or two.
3) Boil a few onions, sliced, in a pint of new milk, with a sprinkle of oatmeal and a very little salt, until quite tender; then sip rapidly and go to bed. Excellent for colds.
4) Cure for Hiccoughs: swallow one teaspoon pulverized sugar without water
5) Diet for the sick: In serving a meal to an invalid, one cannot be too fastidious: too large a portion, a suspicion of grease on the broth, will often spoil the appetite. The linen, glass, dishes etc., should be the best in the house; a tiny flower laid on the folded napkin will do much to render the meal pleasant.
6) Coffee: one and one-half quarts boiling water, one-quarter pound best coffee, one egg. Break the egg into the coffee and stir until it is entirely absorbed, then put into the boiling water and let boil three minutes. Strain through flannel and serve.
What treasures have you come across during spring cleaning?
Marin
In a Soldier's Arms Feb 08
A Coal Miner's Wife Aug 08
The Cowboy and the Angel Nov 08
www.marinthomas.com
The opening paragraph: If I were asked the greatest need of the American housewife of to-day, I should answer without hesitation, "A wiser and more complete training for services in the home."
The back of the book contains a section of "Helps To Young Housekeepers". After reading through the book I wondered how many of the recipes my great-grandmother had used. The book is worn and there are old food stains on some of the pages. Following are a few tips I found interesting--not that I've ever used them.
1) A piece of charcoal, tied in a muslin cloth, and put in the water in which cabbage, cauliflower, onions or ham is boiling will remove the unpleasant odor.
2) To remove skins from tomatoes, peaches or plums, dip them in boiling water a minute or two.
3) Boil a few onions, sliced, in a pint of new milk, with a sprinkle of oatmeal and a very little salt, until quite tender; then sip rapidly and go to bed. Excellent for colds.
4) Cure for Hiccoughs: swallow one teaspoon pulverized sugar without water
5) Diet for the sick: In serving a meal to an invalid, one cannot be too fastidious: too large a portion, a suspicion of grease on the broth, will often spoil the appetite. The linen, glass, dishes etc., should be the best in the house; a tiny flower laid on the folded napkin will do much to render the meal pleasant.
6) Coffee: one and one-half quarts boiling water, one-quarter pound best coffee, one egg. Break the egg into the coffee and stir until it is entirely absorbed, then put into the boiling water and let boil three minutes. Strain through flannel and serve.
What treasures have you come across during spring cleaning?
Marin
In a Soldier's Arms Feb 08
A Coal Miner's Wife Aug 08
The Cowboy and the Angel Nov 08
www.marinthomas.com
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Ah, the glamorous life
Everybody knows how romance writers live: daily bubble baths with champagne on a tray, boxes of miraculously calorie-free chocolates, and gorgeous guys in tuxedoes awaiting our emergence (speaking of gorgeous, has anyone seen that incredible hunk on New Amsterdam? But I digress…)
Let me tell you what it’s really like.
On a recent day, after spending the morning working on a book, I set out for the dreaded California ritual of getting the car tuned and then having it smog-checked. Since I drive a car that predates 1995 – a 1993 Honda, to be exact -- it has to undergo extra testing, at extra cost. This, even though I work at home and drive a grand total of four thousand miles per year.
Okay, that part made me grumpy. But then I returned to find a box of books from Harlequin. It contained my May release, The Family Next Door, the first of my Harmony Circle trilogy. What’s especially fun is that, since the heroine’s a teacher, I’d dedicated it to my younger son’s biology teacher, who went out of her way to encourage him and write him college recommendations.
So I composed a note, packaged the book and got it ready to mail, along with copies for half a dozen Web sites that regularly review my books.
No sooner had I finished when a thud! on the front porch announced the arrival of my weekly teaching packet from the Long Ridge Writers Group (www.longridgewritersgroup.com), where I teach a distance-learning course. Half a dozen students had completed their writing assignments, so of course I wanted to start reading and commenting on those.
But first I figured I’d better check my e-mail. There I found an invitation to write an article for a new Web site that Romance Writers of America is posting for its published authors network. That’s quite an honor, and I was happy to agree. Ideas began running through my head…
Wait! Another e-mail! A friend reminded me that I’d volunteered to speak to a writing class she teaches. So of course I wanted to respond, picking a date and letting her know what topic I’d be covering.
Time to fix a cup of coffee and get back to work. Except … we ran out of milk, and I can’t drink coffee without it. We were also low on my favorite caramel-flavored frozen yogurt. Got to have that calcium, right? So I made a little trip to the supermarket.
It was close to five, which meant I had to prepare a casserole for dinner. Just throw a few items into the baking dish … You guessed it. An hour later, I was still downstairs, fixing the salad.
Never did get around to the bubble bath. But after dinner, my husband -- still handsome after nearly thirty years together -- rubbed my back while we watched a taped episode of New Amsterdam.
What more could a romance writer ask for?
Let me tell you what it’s really like.
On a recent day, after spending the morning working on a book, I set out for the dreaded California ritual of getting the car tuned and then having it smog-checked. Since I drive a car that predates 1995 – a 1993 Honda, to be exact -- it has to undergo extra testing, at extra cost. This, even though I work at home and drive a grand total of four thousand miles per year.
Okay, that part made me grumpy. But then I returned to find a box of books from Harlequin. It contained my May release, The Family Next Door, the first of my Harmony Circle trilogy. What’s especially fun is that, since the heroine’s a teacher, I’d dedicated it to my younger son’s biology teacher, who went out of her way to encourage him and write him college recommendations.
So I composed a note, packaged the book and got it ready to mail, along with copies for half a dozen Web sites that regularly review my books.
No sooner had I finished when a thud! on the front porch announced the arrival of my weekly teaching packet from the Long Ridge Writers Group (www.longridgewritersgroup.com), where I teach a distance-learning course. Half a dozen students had completed their writing assignments, so of course I wanted to start reading and commenting on those.
But first I figured I’d better check my e-mail. There I found an invitation to write an article for a new Web site that Romance Writers of America is posting for its published authors network. That’s quite an honor, and I was happy to agree. Ideas began running through my head…
Wait! Another e-mail! A friend reminded me that I’d volunteered to speak to a writing class she teaches. So of course I wanted to respond, picking a date and letting her know what topic I’d be covering.
Time to fix a cup of coffee and get back to work. Except … we ran out of milk, and I can’t drink coffee without it. We were also low on my favorite caramel-flavored frozen yogurt. Got to have that calcium, right? So I made a little trip to the supermarket.
It was close to five, which meant I had to prepare a casserole for dinner. Just throw a few items into the baking dish … You guessed it. An hour later, I was still downstairs, fixing the salad.
Never did get around to the bubble bath. But after dinner, my husband -- still handsome after nearly thirty years together -- rubbed my back while we watched a taped episode of New Amsterdam.
What more could a romance writer ask for?
Friday, March 14, 2008
Spring Has Sprung!!!
Happy Spring Break!! It's funny, but now that I'm back on an official "school schedule", Spring Break has regained its magical status. My students have been super hyper all week, but then I have, too, so I guess we've been great company! LOL!! (This month's pic is of Daughter and her cheer squad at Disney, but the looks on their faces is pretty much what I've faced all week!!)
Now that the big event is finally here, I've got such plans. I'd like to organize every room in the house, weed the gardens, trim all of the bushes, and finally clear the last of the ice storm remnants. I'd like to paint Son #1's room, and finish painting the downstairs hall and my office. I'd like to get my toenails painted, and do lunch with friends I haven't seen in forever. I'd like to finally sew the slipcovers for the holey sofa, and get the brakes on my car fixed and my laptop fixed and the hall bathroom leaky toilet fixed and the broken master bath outlets and--whew. I'm exhausted just thinking about all that needs to get done!!!
Alas, knowing me, I'll be lucky to get one closet cleaned out, let alone all of them!!! And I'm thinking maybe weeding the whole garden seems a bit ambitious. How about just sweeping the front porch and switching my decorator flag from Autumn to Spring?
Let me know if any of you have fabulously exotic Spring Break plans! While you're lounging on a beach or schussing slopes, think of me here . . . cleaning, cleaning, and er--all right, you got me. What I'll really be doing is lounging in the sun, losing myself and my chore list in the pages of a good book!!!
Now that the big event is finally here, I've got such plans. I'd like to organize every room in the house, weed the gardens, trim all of the bushes, and finally clear the last of the ice storm remnants. I'd like to paint Son #1's room, and finish painting the downstairs hall and my office. I'd like to get my toenails painted, and do lunch with friends I haven't seen in forever. I'd like to finally sew the slipcovers for the holey sofa, and get the brakes on my car fixed and my laptop fixed and the hall bathroom leaky toilet fixed and the broken master bath outlets and--whew. I'm exhausted just thinking about all that needs to get done!!!
Alas, knowing me, I'll be lucky to get one closet cleaned out, let alone all of them!!! And I'm thinking maybe weeding the whole garden seems a bit ambitious. How about just sweeping the front porch and switching my decorator flag from Autumn to Spring?
Let me know if any of you have fabulously exotic Spring Break plans! While you're lounging on a beach or schussing slopes, think of me here . . . cleaning, cleaning, and er--all right, you got me. What I'll really be doing is lounging in the sun, losing myself and my chore list in the pages of a good book!!!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Spring Break
As of this belated post, I am on spring break. You'd think after having five snow days since January I wouldn't need a break, but believe me, I do. While I'm not looking forward to the eight straight five-day workweeks that start March 24 (no break again until Memorial Day), I'm still ready for a week off. My students put to rest the March issue of the school newspaper--which features 4-5 stories on drugs. It's powerful, but with any sensitive topic, I'm going to be nervous as I wait for the reader feedback.
As for me personally, I won't get to sleep in until Sunday. That's my first do nothing, set no alarm day. Monday I have to be up to go tour a yearbook plant. Tuesday I take my mom to the doctor and then fly to Charlotte, NC, to tour another yearbook plant. I come home Thursday night--and my kids come back from visiting their father on Friday. Then it's Easter...
I'm also halfway through my American revisions, and so I have to finish those. I also have to overseed my yard (no fun feat as the grass portion is about 1 acres and I go out there with the push spreader), and I also have to work out--something I haven't gotten around to lately and my stomach is proof. I'm hitting the gym at 7 AM tomorrow morning.
I've discovered time is most precious commodity and that I do like Easter being in April. On the happy note, the candy will all be gone (as are the girl scout cookies) a month early.
And before I forget, may you have a wonderful St. Patrick's Day!
Michele
As for me personally, I won't get to sleep in until Sunday. That's my first do nothing, set no alarm day. Monday I have to be up to go tour a yearbook plant. Tuesday I take my mom to the doctor and then fly to Charlotte, NC, to tour another yearbook plant. I come home Thursday night--and my kids come back from visiting their father on Friday. Then it's Easter...
I'm also halfway through my American revisions, and so I have to finish those. I also have to overseed my yard (no fun feat as the grass portion is about 1 acres and I go out there with the push spreader), and I also have to work out--something I haven't gotten around to lately and my stomach is proof. I'm hitting the gym at 7 AM tomorrow morning.
I've discovered time is most precious commodity and that I do like Easter being in April. On the happy note, the candy will all be gone (as are the girl scout cookies) a month early.
And before I forget, may you have a wonderful St. Patrick's Day!
Michele
Monday, March 10, 2008
Harlequin American Romance Day at Cataromance.com
If you love Harlequin Americans, you won't want to miss this event--tomorrow (Wed.). Here is the notice, as posted on the Cataromance page:
Be here March 12th for a fun filled day spotlighting Harlequin American Romance. At the heart of each of these books is an incredible love story set somewhere in the beautiful US-of-A and some of the most talented authors in the industry write for this line, so you’re in for a treat.
Grab your favorite beverage, a pen and your To-Be-Bought list and grab a seat! Watch our home page for excerpts. And feel free to ask questions in the comments section below!
Kara adds: Hey, fellow authors! If you didn't get an invitation, it's probably because you were flying below the Cataromance radar. (They found me only because we're on MySpace together, I think.)
Anyway, this notice is also posted on their site:
Harlequin American Romance authors, please contact me for info on how to join in.
Kara adds: It's not to late to join in--they have a handy-dandy form to fill out, and you can include your covers and excerpts.
# # #
I am busy this month working on the third book in my SECOND SONS trilogy. The first book, RELUCTANT PARTNERS, will be out this June, and the second installment (THE PREGNANCY SURPRISE) is due for release in December. I especially love the hero of this second book because he's a sexy nerd!
Meanwhile, I am trying to survive this crazy Texas weather. We went from snow (we actually had some accumulation) to 80-plus degrees to 30s and thunderstorms in the span of a couple of days. I'm telling you, my sinus cavities can't take much more of these fronts coming through!
I've also launched a new business that has nothing to do with writing. (If you're curious, go to www.memo-pause.com.) It's really just a cottage industry, a form of creativity that uses a different part of my brain than writing does. I've found the two activities compliment each other well. While I'm busy glueing and beading, my mind is fomenting with plots and characters. When it's time to write, I'm ready to wash the glue off my hands and get cracking!
My days are pretty full, though.
One last note--I'm on MySpace now. If you're a fellow MySpacer, please come say hi and friend me! (Yes, the grammarian in me shudders at using "friend" as a verb.)
'Til next time,
Kara
Be here March 12th for a fun filled day spotlighting Harlequin American Romance. At the heart of each of these books is an incredible love story set somewhere in the beautiful US-of-A and some of the most talented authors in the industry write for this line, so you’re in for a treat.
Grab your favorite beverage, a pen and your To-Be-Bought list and grab a seat! Watch our home page for excerpts. And feel free to ask questions in the comments section below!
Kara adds: Hey, fellow authors! If you didn't get an invitation, it's probably because you were flying below the Cataromance radar. (They found me only because we're on MySpace together, I think.)
Anyway, this notice is also posted on their site:
Harlequin American Romance authors, please contact me for info on how to join in.
Kara adds: It's not to late to join in--they have a handy-dandy form to fill out, and you can include your covers and excerpts.
# # #
I am busy this month working on the third book in my SECOND SONS trilogy. The first book, RELUCTANT PARTNERS, will be out this June, and the second installment (THE PREGNANCY SURPRISE) is due for release in December. I especially love the hero of this second book because he's a sexy nerd!
Meanwhile, I am trying to survive this crazy Texas weather. We went from snow (we actually had some accumulation) to 80-plus degrees to 30s and thunderstorms in the span of a couple of days. I'm telling you, my sinus cavities can't take much more of these fronts coming through!
I've also launched a new business that has nothing to do with writing. (If you're curious, go to www.memo-pause.com.) It's really just a cottage industry, a form of creativity that uses a different part of my brain than writing does. I've found the two activities compliment each other well. While I'm busy glueing and beading, my mind is fomenting with plots and characters. When it's time to write, I'm ready to wash the glue off my hands and get cracking!
My days are pretty full, though.
One last note--I'm on MySpace now. If you're a fellow MySpacer, please come say hi and friend me! (Yes, the grammarian in me shudders at using "friend" as a verb.)
'Til next time,
Kara
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Missed Moments....
Good morning everyone,
Yesterday was a crazy day here in Texas. When my husband went out to get the paper at 6 a.m. it was snowing. I didn’t believe him at first but yes, it was snowing in March in Texas. It’s was mostly snow flurries and since it was 34 degrees the snow wasn’t sticking to the ground. But it was beautiful to watch.
My husband went to work and I sat in the breakfast room, drinking coffee and watching it. We live on a lake and I could barely see the water for the snow flurries. At times it was heavy and others very light. We have geese and ducks on the lake and they’ve been there since we moved here eleven years old. The geese are two white and one gray. I named the white ones Henry and Henrietta, the gray Harry. I know which are male and female because in the springtime Henry and Harry would chase Henrietta all over my background—looking for love. Sadly one night about five years ago a bobcat got Henrietta and almost got Harry, too, before a neighbor heard the ruckus and intervened. Harry now has a broken wing. Now the two males are alone and in the springtime they attack each other. I guess just to have something to do.
Yesterday morning I looked out and saw Harry, his neck strained toward the sky, his beak snapping at the snowflakes. I guess he thought it was food from heaven and he was going to eat his fill. Crazy goose. But I laughed myself silly watching him. At times he strained so hard his plump body shook, his broken wing flapped wildly and his web feet almost left the ground. Crazy goose!
When my husband came home I told him about Harry and his antics. He asked, “Did you get a picture?” It was one of those moments, like in the V8 commercial; I wanted to smack my forehead. I never even thought of the camera. The sun was out by 9a.m. (crazy Texas weather) so getting Harry on film isn’t going to happen again any time soon. I’m still smacking myself.
Does that ever happen to you? The older I get I’m afraid it’s happening more often. But that’s another blog. I’d love to hear about your missed moments.
Have a wonderful Saturday. We have Sunshine again. Yay!
Linda Warren
Texas Bluff – Super Romance Feb 2008
4 ½ Stars RT
#8 Waldenbooks Series Bestsellers List
Always A Mother – Super Romance June 2008
Texas Heir – American Sep 2008
Yesterday was a crazy day here in Texas. When my husband went out to get the paper at 6 a.m. it was snowing. I didn’t believe him at first but yes, it was snowing in March in Texas. It’s was mostly snow flurries and since it was 34 degrees the snow wasn’t sticking to the ground. But it was beautiful to watch.
My husband went to work and I sat in the breakfast room, drinking coffee and watching it. We live on a lake and I could barely see the water for the snow flurries. At times it was heavy and others very light. We have geese and ducks on the lake and they’ve been there since we moved here eleven years old. The geese are two white and one gray. I named the white ones Henry and Henrietta, the gray Harry. I know which are male and female because in the springtime Henry and Harry would chase Henrietta all over my background—looking for love. Sadly one night about five years ago a bobcat got Henrietta and almost got Harry, too, before a neighbor heard the ruckus and intervened. Harry now has a broken wing. Now the two males are alone and in the springtime they attack each other. I guess just to have something to do.
Yesterday morning I looked out and saw Harry, his neck strained toward the sky, his beak snapping at the snowflakes. I guess he thought it was food from heaven and he was going to eat his fill. Crazy goose. But I laughed myself silly watching him. At times he strained so hard his plump body shook, his broken wing flapped wildly and his web feet almost left the ground. Crazy goose!
When my husband came home I told him about Harry and his antics. He asked, “Did you get a picture?” It was one of those moments, like in the V8 commercial; I wanted to smack my forehead. I never even thought of the camera. The sun was out by 9a.m. (crazy Texas weather) so getting Harry on film isn’t going to happen again any time soon. I’m still smacking myself.
Does that ever happen to you? The older I get I’m afraid it’s happening more often. But that’s another blog. I’d love to hear about your missed moments.
Have a wonderful Saturday. We have Sunshine again. Yay!
Linda Warren
Texas Bluff – Super Romance Feb 2008
4 ½ Stars RT
#8 Waldenbooks Series Bestsellers List
Always A Mother – Super Romance June 2008
Texas Heir – American Sep 2008
Friday, March 07, 2008
Family Ties Warm Heart and Midwest?
My m-i-l celebrated her birthday over the weekend, bringing in two of my husband's four siblings from oot. The area reached nearly 80 degrees; the sunshine actually felt warm for the first time in a long time. Special weather for a special lady. (Two days later, we got 8 inches of snow.)
Today I just wanted to acknowledge the blessings of family, which brighten even the dreariest of gray winter days.
Today I just wanted to acknowledge the blessings of family, which brighten even the dreariest of gray winter days.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
I’m a writer— who needs therapy?
When I was about 14, I was a serious student in several honors classes. In homeroom I sat near a girl from the popular crowd. Let’s call her Diane. For some reason Diane carried my picture in her wallet. I was thrilled. Until I saw what she’d written across the bottom: Persimmon. At the time I didn’t know what a persimmon was. A sour fruit, a friend said. Years later I learned that persimmons are actually sweet and quite tasty. But at the time…
Diane thought I was sour? I was devastated. Silly as it seems now, I carried that pejorative image with me for years, berating myself for my lack of humor when I thought I was too serious. Never mind that I sometimes laughed until I cried and often made my friends smile.
Then there was Larry, a man I worked with. I’d just earned my MBA and had landed a job in the finance department of a bank. Larry was one of those guys who smile while they sling cutting remarks your way and do what they can to make you feel inferior. Because I was no longer a 14-year-old girl, I refused to put up with Larry’s b.s. My work proved him wrong, and several times I told him to shove it. Which shocked and even silenced him for a day or two. Still, the man and his comments rankled, and I spent more than a few sleepless nights, wondering if maybe he was right.
I’m sure everyone can relate. There isn’t a person among us who hasn’t been insulted or hurt and emotionally scarred by someone.
Where is that biach Diane now? What’s mean Larry doing these days? Who knows, but you can bet she got hers and he got his—at least in my novels. When you’re a writer, you control the world you create. Some characters triumph, and others fail. I don’t mind sharing that both Diane and Larry have suffered fictionally for the pain they caused me. Sure it’s all made up, but in dealing with them through my writing, I was able to work through my hurt and frustration and move on.
I think that’s pretty darned cool.
Until later,
Ann
www.annroth.net
The Pilot's Woman, March 2008, a Romantic Times top pick!
Diane thought I was sour? I was devastated. Silly as it seems now, I carried that pejorative image with me for years, berating myself for my lack of humor when I thought I was too serious. Never mind that I sometimes laughed until I cried and often made my friends smile.
Then there was Larry, a man I worked with. I’d just earned my MBA and had landed a job in the finance department of a bank. Larry was one of those guys who smile while they sling cutting remarks your way and do what they can to make you feel inferior. Because I was no longer a 14-year-old girl, I refused to put up with Larry’s b.s. My work proved him wrong, and several times I told him to shove it. Which shocked and even silenced him for a day or two. Still, the man and his comments rankled, and I spent more than a few sleepless nights, wondering if maybe he was right.
I’m sure everyone can relate. There isn’t a person among us who hasn’t been insulted or hurt and emotionally scarred by someone.
Where is that biach Diane now? What’s mean Larry doing these days? Who knows, but you can bet she got hers and he got his—at least in my novels. When you’re a writer, you control the world you create. Some characters triumph, and others fail. I don’t mind sharing that both Diane and Larry have suffered fictionally for the pain they caused me. Sure it’s all made up, but in dealing with them through my writing, I was able to work through my hurt and frustration and move on.
I think that’s pretty darned cool.
Until later,
Ann
www.annroth.net
The Pilot's Woman, March 2008, a Romantic Times top pick!
Monday, March 03, 2008
Home Again
I met a woman at a party the other night who asked me where I was from. It’s kind of an inevitable question for my neighborhood. Cincinnati is home to Procter and Gamble, GE, and Kroger. Our sleepy town is filled with transferees from other places. I told her I was from Texas.
As we talked further, things got a little confusing. I had to clarify my answer. No, I didn’t just move from Dallas…we lived in Colorado before we moved here. And, well, that move wasn’t recent, either. We, uh, have lived in our current home for (gulp) nine years.
Suddenly, I had to face the truth. I have become an Ohioan. There’s nothing wrong with that. We’ve loved living here…but still in the back of my mind, in my heart, I drift back to where I spent the first 17 years of my life. Anyone else ever done that?
My son has! He spent his first years in Colorado. That’s where he wants to go! In fact, all his college choices revolve around Boulder and Fort Collins and Denver. My husband and I are thinking that is very far away.
I guess I’m thinking about Texas more because I just finished revisions for a Harlequin American that will be out sometime in 09. It’s set in a small town in north Texas, and boy did I love being back there….at least in my imagination and memories! In it, my hero Matt Madigan returns to his roots and attempts to settle in, but comes to find out that both he- and the town he’s living in-have changed. In fact, the only constant is a certain brown-eyed gal named Minnie who still has a crush on him.
Maybe like my hero, I’ve changed a bit, too. Lately I’ve been doing what so many native Ohioans do…anxiously await signs of spring! Today’s a good day for that. Snow has melted, the weather is warmer, and I spied a rabbit in our backyard this morning. Though that might all change tomorrow, today looks like a good day.
So, has anyone else moved around some? If so, where do you call home? Where you are now…or where you grew up?
By the way...Ann DeFee…hope your house hunt is going well!
Shelley
As we talked further, things got a little confusing. I had to clarify my answer. No, I didn’t just move from Dallas…we lived in Colorado before we moved here. And, well, that move wasn’t recent, either. We, uh, have lived in our current home for (gulp) nine years.
Suddenly, I had to face the truth. I have become an Ohioan. There’s nothing wrong with that. We’ve loved living here…but still in the back of my mind, in my heart, I drift back to where I spent the first 17 years of my life. Anyone else ever done that?
My son has! He spent his first years in Colorado. That’s where he wants to go! In fact, all his college choices revolve around Boulder and Fort Collins and Denver. My husband and I are thinking that is very far away.
I guess I’m thinking about Texas more because I just finished revisions for a Harlequin American that will be out sometime in 09. It’s set in a small town in north Texas, and boy did I love being back there….at least in my imagination and memories! In it, my hero Matt Madigan returns to his roots and attempts to settle in, but comes to find out that both he- and the town he’s living in-have changed. In fact, the only constant is a certain brown-eyed gal named Minnie who still has a crush on him.
Maybe like my hero, I’ve changed a bit, too. Lately I’ve been doing what so many native Ohioans do…anxiously await signs of spring! Today’s a good day for that. Snow has melted, the weather is warmer, and I spied a rabbit in our backyard this morning. Though that might all change tomorrow, today looks like a good day.
So, has anyone else moved around some? If so, where do you call home? Where you are now…or where you grew up?
By the way...Ann DeFee…hope your house hunt is going well!
Shelley
Sunday, March 02, 2008
February Winner!
The lucky winner of our February drawing is Shawny Avery. Congrats!
To get your free, autographed books, please contact Cindi Myers, Cathy McDavid and Marin Thomas. For contact information, visit their websites.
To get your free, autographed books, please contact Cindi Myers, Cathy McDavid and Marin Thomas. For contact information, visit their websites.
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