Happy-Ever-After Advice

What do you do if your hero and heroine need some good ol' fashioned relationship advice? Since I write a lot of cowboy books I turn to my favorite source for cowfolk advice. Thought it would be fun to share some snippets from...

Just One Fool Thing after Another
A Cowfolks' Guide to Romance by Gladiola Montana and Texas Bix Bender.



Attention without intention is flirtation.
To bring somebody into your life, take a step into theirs.
The ranch is work from sun to sun, but loves work is never done.
If your mind's set to ride a buckin' bronc, you'd better be prepared for the bruises.
When you fall into somebody's arms, you're fallin' into their hands as well.
A heart that ain't been broke thinks it's okay to go round breakin' others.
There's no cure for lovesickness, and nobody really wants one.

A man can build a house but it takes a woman to make it a home.


If you wanta stay single look for a perfect mate.
It may be more romantic to be the first love, but it's better to be the last.
When a woman makes up her mind you can always be sure she's gonna do exactly what she says—or not.
Women flirt to be appreciated; men mean it.

A woman wanted by men but disliked by women is nothin' but trouble.


The only time a woman can change a man is when he's a baby.


Never go to bed mad. Stay up and fight it out.


When you're pickin' flowers everybody gets along. When it's time to muck the stalls is when you find out how true your love is.

Stolen kisses require an accomplice.


When you can't keep anything from 'em, you love 'em.

Big problems will pull you together. It's the little things that tear you apart.


Your turn! Share some of the advice friends or family have given you on personal relationships and marriage—was it good advice or poppycock?


Marin Thomas
The Bull Rider's Secret July 2011
A Rodeo Man's Promise (Dec 2011)
Arizona Cowboy (Feb 2012)
www.marinthomas.com

North to Alaska

Okay, so I'm a little bummed about not going to New York this year for National. I must admit though that Alaska was worth the sacrifice. My hubby and I took our moms on a week long cruise through the inside passage to Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan and finally Victoria BC.

The weather cooperated beautifully. Scenery was amazing. Although I missed the black bear that some folks saw, we did see plenty of whales in Glacier Bay, a mountain goat and two babies on the train ride out of Skagway, plus an upclose and personal with an eagle in Ketchikan.

Probably the highlight for me though was that hubby joined the spa the first day out and we were able to relax and take in much of the scenery at sea from the whirlpool or sitting in the loungers, just watching Alaska pass by. Being a warm water sort of gal, that one thing helped make Alaska more my type trip.

We ended the adventure in Butchart Gardens in Victoria the last evening and all I can say is that I wish we'd had more than three hours to wander through and take in the array of color and landscaping. Awesome.


For those of you like me who are sweltering here in the south, maybe the pics will give you a moment's relief. For everyone headed to New York at the end of the month, wishing you a wonderful time. Will miss you.

Anybody else out there have any trips planned this year?

Mean Lady in Green Shorts!!/Contest

Please help find my missing book!!  This is what it looks like!!

Good morning!! Hope your summer is off to a way cooler start than ours here in Oklahoma!! One summer ritual I've had for a good ten years--probably more, but I'm too old to count--is my annual trek to the Romance Writers of America conference. This year, we're back in Manhattan, which means extra pressure to look polished and professional, rather than like I-haven't-left-the-house-in-three-days-and-dribbled-Spaghettios-down-the-front-of-my-shirt!!!

As part of the last push to prepare for my trip, I've been going to the gym--a lot!! I think my butt's a little smaller, but other than that, I haven't seen a whole lot of results. Anyway, yesterday was a half treadmill/half weight day, so Hannah and I schlepped from the movie-treadmill room to the ladies weight area.

In the ladies only area was a woman wearing annoying green shorts. They were bright, ill-fitting and kinda ugly considering how gorgeous she was!! If I had her body, you'd better believe I'd be wearing something seriously hot all the time!! (See what kinds of crazy ramblings fly through my head while on those horrible weight lifting machines??)

I'd just finished strengthening and toning my luscious thighs when the woman sneezed. As I would with any human--usually my dogs, too--I told her, "Bless you." Not only did she not reply, but she gave me a squinty little glare!!!! What was that about?? Was she an atheist? Or just generally not in the mood to be blessed?

Literally, a minute or two later she left, and we never saw her again. So now, I'm asking you--am I wrong in blessing folks when they sneeze? I appreciate every blessing I can get, and assumed everyone felt the same!! Comments? Other blessing experiences?  Grrr. 

In happier news, I supposedly have a book out this month called, A Cowgirl's Secret. That said, I have yet to see it here in Tulsa, because all of the May releases are still on the shelves. If you've seen my sweet story anywhere--Poughkeepsie, Mongolia, Detroit--please let me know!! First person to tell me where they found their copy wins their choice of any two books on my backlist, plus a romance-themed charm bracelet!!  (Amazon doesn't count!!  LOL!!!) 

The First Day of School

Oh, that first day your little one goes to school. You hold their hand, tell them everything will be okay and secretly cross your fingers, praying that you’re right. Your mind runs a million miles an hour. Have you done everything to get them ready to solo in the big, wide world? Do they know their manners? Are they wearing the right clothes? Will the other kids like them? Finally, the time arrives. You see them off. Tears gather, and you’re not sure who cries the most—them or you.

Release day for THE DADDY CATCH, my second book for Harlequin American, was earlier this week. Its launch felt an awful lot like the first day I sent my little one off to school.

By the time this book appeared on store shelves, I’d lived with the story for several years. I nurtured Jess, a fly fishing guide, from a vague image of blonde hair and sun-drenched skin into a fully-fledged single mom, a widow who wants to preserve a piece of old Florida as a legacy for her little boy. Dan burst onto the page fully-formed, but we still went through a few rough patches until he learned that Jess’s love was worth more than the acceptance of his peers. There were edits, lots of edits. They made the book stronger, better. The Art Department dressed it in a beautiful cover. And the day finally arrived when the book was out there, on its own.

Fortunately, the early reviews of THE DADDY CATCH have been great. Romantic Times gave it 4 stars, calling it “a charming romance with a solid plot.” It was voted Book of the Week at Long and Short Reviews. Dear Author listed it as a “Recommended Read” for June.

Like a mom on the first day of school, I’m relieved my little one is off to a good start. And tomorrow, I’ve been asked to talk a little more about THE DADDY CATCH on the Harlequin blog (www.harlequinblog.com). Join me there, won’t you?

IT'S SUMMER!!!

IT’S SUMMER

And wow is it summer! We had 100 degrees here yesterday and today it’s supposed to be higher. That’s just too much heat for June or anytime of the year. Crazy weather all over the country. My heart and prayers go out to the people of Joplin, Missouri and the Mississippi flood victims.

But on a lighter note, vegetable gardens are coming in with fresh veggies due to being watered religiously because we’ve had very little rain. We went to my brothers on Sunday and raided his large garden. No, really, we were invited. We brought home tomatoes, potatoes, onions, peppers, cucumbers and squash. There’s nothing like eating a home-grown tomato fresh from the vine (washed, of course). Can’t wait for the green beans, peas and corn to be ready.

When I was growing up, my mother always had a garden and I really miss the fresh veggies. She was part Polish and made dishes that I haven’t seen since. With tomatoes, she’d slice them and sprinkle sugar on top. It was like a dessert. Delicious. And cucumbers she’d also slice, add salt and let them sit for a minute and then add mayonnaise, a little vinegar and pepper. Then mix. You have to really like cucumbers to like this dish. She’d also slice squash, lengthwise, salt and let sit. When they were wet and limber, she’d dip them in cornmeal and fry. Absolutely delicious. Not very healthy, though. But it’s fresh squash and summertime so I’ll indulge—a little.

Do you like fresh vegetables? If you have any recipes, please share.

Chillin’ at 102 degrees here in Texas.
Linda
The Texan’s Secret – Aug ‘11

America's Greatest Asset by Megan

As most of you know, I live in St. Louis, in the heart of the country. Ah, the Midwest. While too many people view it as "flyover country," our area truly has some wonders. The Gateway Arch. The St. Louis Zoo (still free!). The St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. lol

We also have mighty unpredictable weather. On New Year's Eve, a tornado struck. Yes, I said New Year's Eve. While we expect and are pretty much used to storms during our tornado seasons, that one took us all by surprise. Trust me, a power outage in the winter is not fun.

Storms continued to plague us throughout the spring. Tornadoes, rain, hail, rain, floods, and more tornadoes. The fun doesn't seem to stop. I'm sure you've heard of the tragedy across the state in Joplin, MO. It's hit every news source.

I thought my favorite Joplin story of recovery would be the circus elephant helping with cleanup. See, instead of leaving town after the storm cancelled the show, the Picadilly Circus stayed~~and helped out. You can watch the video on YouTube; the story was carried on the major network news shows.

Which brings me to the title of this post. The greatest asset in America. No, not elephants, lol. People. While we sometimes worry about the youth of today (it's our turn, since we are the youth our parents worried about, right?), and we shake our heads at government officials and CEOs, and we grit our teeth at identity theft stories, especially against our senior citizens, I have to argue that our people are our greatest asset.

All the national news stations carried the story of this circus staying behind and helping out. Sure, the elephant made it a cute and unique video. But I won't believe the national networks would have carried the story if they didn't think people would watch. People watch because they care. It's why a small town dentist loaded up his truck and went to Joplin. It's why people hit the special code on their cell phones to donate money to the Red Cross. It's why lemonade stands are set up, bake sales organized and blood drives well-attended.

Today is a special sale day. When you buy at a certain major book-writing resource site and its 19 sister companies, the proceeds go to Flood Relief along the Mississippi Delta. Visit them. Buy lemonade from the kid down the street or a brownie at the bake sale. Those in the flood areas or devastated by tornadoes are going to need our help for a long time. I believe in the goodness of American people. I know we'll come through.

Oh, and my favorite news story coming out of Joplin? A high school athlete whose family could no longer live in their home found the strength to compete in the state championship. Even though her family couldn't come watch her. Even though her school had been destroyed. Even though her coach couldn't accompany her because she's a first-responder. So who went with her? A coach from a nearby town stepped up. That's what Americans do. The girl tied her all-time personal best record. Because that's what Americans do~~our personal best. Her event is the pole vault. I know it's corny of me, but I could almost see the caption as she cleared the bar: Joplin Rises Again.

She didn't take first place. But she won that day.

Megan Kelly
The Marriage Solution, May 2011
www.megankellybooks.com

MAY WINNER!!!

CONGRATULATIONS Linda s! You’re the May winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Megan Kelly and Barbara White Daille 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.

Abundance and abandonment

This is the sexy, dramatic and romantic story of two
gardeners, mother and son. And two gardens, one in Arizona and one in Southern
California.

Let’s get the sex scene out of the way up front. I (the
mother and the Californian) have been faithfully nurturing my baby squash
plants. At the first sight of male and female flowers … wait. Back up.

Some of us highly gifted gardeners – highly gifted at
looking things up on the Internet, anyway – know how to tell a male from a
female blossom. The gals have little baby squashes beneath the flower, and the
center of the flower looks like, well, female organs. (After what I saw Lady
Gaga do on TV in the American Idol finale, I suppose I shouldn’t be shy, but
some of us retain a trace of modesty). The males have long stems and the
flowers contain organs that look like … you get the idea.

So there I was, poking the male blossoms into the female
blossoms to assure fertilization. Well, my squash got the idea. Boy, did they
get the idea. It’s barely June and I’m already going to the neighbors, bags of
zucchini in hand, begging them to adopt a squash for Jackie.

For my 21-year-old son, who’s enrolled in a masters in
education program at the University of Arizona and plans to be a high school
biology teacher, matters took a more dramatic turn. Much to my surprise, he too
has become an avid gardener, starting with a love of pesto and the discovery
that it’s fun to grow your own basil.

This year, he went all out in the small garden plot behind
his apartment. Then, just as his tomato plants were ready to produce in that
hot climate, he decided to move. I don’t know all the details, but he and some
friends are getting a new place. Yes, there’s room for a garden, but it means
leaving behind the beautiful corn and tomatoes he’d planted.

Heartbreaking.

A gardener loves his or her plants (this is the romance
part). It’s not just a matter of producing food or being out there with the
dive-bombing hummingbirds that keep my life interesting. Why else would I drag
myself out of bed in the early a.m. to weed, prune, feed and sprinkle black
pepper to keep the squirrels away? Or sneezing, anyway.

And so, across the miles, my son and I share a love of
growing things in the earth. And eating them. For those of you who share this
love, may your garden be bountiful and may you never have to abandon it.

From the Heart

I love homemade gifts. As cliche as it may sound, they truly are gifts from the heart. They can be little (like a hand-drawn card) or big (like a homemade quilt), but, no matter what, the gift giver put something of themself into the gift and had you in mind as they went through the process.

In just the past month alone, I've been the recipient of three such expressions of love/friendship.

The first came from my 16-year-old who presented my new husband and me with a "love jar." This particular gift made me teary-eyed for several reasons. First, it's a variation of the "summer fun jar" I made for both my girls each summer when they were a little bit younger. Only my daughter's gift to me, contained slips of paper with date ideas for my husband and I to do together (rather than the summer outing ideas mine once had). Second, it (along with the note) was one more shred of proof (in a long line of them) that she is happy for us. Priceless, that.

She spent days leading up to the wedding working on her jar, writing ideas on paper, glittering up the outside of the jar, and making it something special.

The second homemade item came from my youngest just two days ago. She walked into the kitchen with a necklace for me. She'd put it together using a chain she had and the dual heart charm we'd put around the favors at the wedding. She thought it would be a way for me to remember the wedding and to keep it close always. Very sweet (I'd show a picture of this, as well, if blogger wasn't being a bit difficult/I wasn't being a bit inept).

The third homemade item came from a fan-turned-friend of my mysteries. She reads my personal blogs and Facebook page and knew that I love certain types of candy. So, when I went down to her town for a speaking engagement, she presented me with a bouquet of my favorite candies alongside little placards depicting the covers of all of my books. It was great!

So tell me, what are some of the best homemade gifts you've received?

Laura

Renewed or Canceled?

For the past few weeks, announcements have been going out about which TV shows were canceled and which were renewed. Some of the things I watched and enjoyed will not be returning -- V, Off the Map, Chase, and Stargate Universe. It got me to thinking about shows I believe were canceled too soon -- ones where the powers that be didn't give the show a chance to find its following. Today it seems like it's "be a hit out of the gate or you're toast." So here's my list of shows that I think were gone too soon. Do you agree? Are there ones you enjoyed that were canceled too early that I haven't included?

1. Firefly -- My favorite show ever!

2. Moonlight -- At least Alex O'Loughlin landed on Hawaii Five-O.

3. Jericho -- So many questions left unanswered.

4. Stargate SGU -- I felt like the show was finally gelling and getting really interesting, but they pulled the plug after only two season. Boo!

5. Roswell

6. Veronica Mars -- Awesome show. Best dad/daughter relationship on TV.

7. Legend of the Seeker

8. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles -- Lena Headey kicked serious butt as Sarah Connor.

9. New Amsterdam -- Only got a few episodes, but I really liked the premise.

10. Men in Trees -- I think the writers killed this one by getting the main couple together too soon. Loved this quirky show set in Alaska. It filled the same spot that Northern Exposure had years ago.

11. Invasion -- Another one where we were left with lots of questions and no answers.

I Love a Happy Ending

This spring I’ve been tuning into five web cams at the nests of bald eagles across the continent. Yes, you read that correctly. Five. These eagle cams are at the Norfolk Botanical Garden in Norfolk, VA, Decorah, IA, White Rock, BC, Hornby Island, BC, and Sidney, BC. There are either a lot of bald eagles in BC or a lot of eagle-crazy web cam watchers!

I don’t spend huge amounts of time and don’t get involved in the online chats associated with some of the cams, but I usually check them in the morning and again the evening to see how the families are doing.

Sometimes I’ve even timed it to see an egg being laid or an eaglet hatching. Watching how these big birds of prey, with their deadly talons and razor-sharp beaks, delicately care for their eggs and newborns is amazing.

This spring thousands of web cam watchers were devastated when the mother eagle at the Norfolk Botanical Garden nest was hit by a jet and killed at a nearby airport. The next day the three eaglets were removed from the nest because it wouldn’t have been possible for their dad to both hunt for food and keep them safe. Those eaglets are now at a wildlife rehabilitation center, almost ready to fledge, and will be released into the wild in August.

Last week there was trouble at the nest in Sidney, BC, and I was beginning to think I didn’t have the emotional fortitude it takes to be an eagle watcher.

One of the three eaglets in this nest had become entangled in fishing line that had been inadvertently brought to the nest, either attached to nesting material or to a fish that had been caught and released by careless humans.

While wildlife experts came up with a plan to free the eaglet, web cam watchers watched for five days as it struggled to free itself. No one gave up hope, though. The parents continued to feed it, and by Thursday afternoon a small army of volunteer rescuers gathered at the base of the tree.

Several problems had to be overcome. The nest is 115 feet in the air, near the top of a dead tree that was deemed too fragile for a climber. The ground around the tree is still wet and boggy due to an unseasonably high rainfall this spring, and a crane would sink to its axles before it could get close to the tree.

The eaglet’s plight made the news, of course, and it wasn’t long before help was on the way. Two companies that install drainage tiles loaned the use of huge flexible mats that could be laid on the mucky ground to create a roadway of sorts that would support the 65-ton crane. The crane operator donated his time, too.

With the crane in place, a veterinarian and a wildlife biologist donned safety gear, loaded themselves and their supplies into the basket and up they went.

The eagle parents kept a very close watch on what was taking place, but to the surprise of many viewers, they did not attack the rescuers.

The tangled eaglet was cut free and carefully lifted out of the nest and into the basket while those on the ground—and the thousands around the world watching on computer screens—collectively held their breath as the vet examined the baby bird for signs of injury.

I’m sure you can imagine the cheers—and joyful tears—when we saw the vet return the eaglet to the nest. The foot that had been tangled in fishing line was in good condition and the circulation had not been restricted, so all that was needed was a little disinfectant to treat a small cut. Best of all, the eaglet could remain with its family instead of being taken to a neaby wildlife rehab facility.

The eagle parents, who’d been watching from a nearby tree, returned to the nest even before the rescuers in the basket returned to the ground, and before long all three eaglets were fed their next meal.

Last Thursday there was an abundance of heroes in Sidney, BC. Don’t you just love a happy ending?

Until next time,
Lee
www.leemckenzie.com
The Christmas Secret (November 2011)
The Wedding Bargain (available June 2011 in Australia)

What's a Picture Worth?

What is a picture worth?

A second look? A hands-on exam? Drooling over? LOL

Above and to your right (I hope!) is the cover of A RANCHER’S PRIDE, my May 2011 Harlequin American Romance. Is Sam Robertson drool-worthy or what?

In my humble opinion—which may be just a teeny bit biased—he’s a hottie. A hunk. A honey. Or whatever word you’d like to describe a hero of your dreams. And he’s getting quite a bit of attention from readers. Wonder why? (smile)

A RANCHER’S PRIDE is part of the Men of the West miniseries from Harlequin American Romance. The covers have been fabulous. And if you ask me, American makes a habit of that!

All the May Americans look great, too, with a cowboy, a wedding, and babies times three.

I’ve been lucky from the start with my covers.

Here’s a shot of my very first book, THE SHERIFF’S SON. Isn’t it adorable? And it was so perfect for the story, I got teary-eyed the first time I saw it.





My second book, COURT ME, COWBOY, also had a cover that matched the story perfectly. I’ll give you a hint with this one...the package is very important. (Well, the full package, Gabe included, is special, too.)






And the cover for my previous book, FAMILY MATTERS (October 2010), catches both my hero and heroine at a perfect moment. In addition, though I hadn’t seen the cover before my website was revamped, the flowers just happened to tie in...perfectly!

Are you noticing something they all have in common? LOL I'm very happy with perfection. (smile)

When it comes to the differences--kids, couples, hot heroes--they’re all good, too, as far as I’m concerned.

How about you? When you walk into a bookstore or browse online, what's the first thing that catches your eye? What do you most like to see on a cover?

Leave a comment or question to be entered in a drawing for a copy of either THE SHERIFF’S SON or COURT ME, COWBOY. Here’s the scoop.

By Wednesday night:

1. Leave a comment or question for me here.

2. Visit my website http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com/ and send me an e-mail from the comment form, letting me know which book you’d like to receive if your name is drawn.

The winner’s name will be posted here in the comments section of this blog post on Thursday.

Also, while you’re at my website, you might want to check out the blog tour I’m currently on to celebrate A RANCHER’S PRIDE. There are more tour stops and book drawings ahead.

Thanks!

All my best to you,
Barbara
~~~~~~
Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com/

Weddings

My husband and I are celebrating 25 years of wedded bliss today! Take a stroll down memory lane with me.

When I think back on my wedding day I shudder at how young we were—23. These days many couples wait much longer before marrying…maybe because society's views about living together before marriage have relaxed over the years. When I became engaged I was told by my parents to either marry immediately after I graduated from college or come home and live with them until the wedding date. I traded in my college graduation ceremony for a wedding ceremony and met my husband in Vegas. Our immediate family flew in and a couple of college friends attended and we had a great time. I wore my mother's wedding dress—tea length since I'm taller than my mother. A weekend of gambling, fine-dining and Vegas shows served as our honeymoon.


We married in the Historic Little Church of the West.



Here's what the web says about the church
"The church has been the scene of more celebrity marriages than any other wedding chapel in the world. Betty Grable, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Dudley Moore, Cindy Crawford & Richard Gere, Angelina Jolie & Billy Bob Thornton to name a few. Elvis Presley and Ann Margaret recited their vows in the movie "Viva Las Vegas", filmed at The Little Church of the West. Originally built as part of the Last Frontier Hotel located on an isolated stretch of highway that would one day become the famous Las Vegas "Strip", The Little Church of the West upholds the heritage of Las Vegas with its unique architecture. It's a freestanding replica of an old west mining town church. With an exterior of cedar and an interior of California redwood, the chapel looks much the same today as when it was first built. Attesting to its historical significance, the Little Church is listed on the National Registry of Historical Places, the only such place on the "Strip" with this honor. the Little Church of the West celebrated its 65th anniversary and remains the oldest existing structure on the Las Vegas "Strip".

Our "real" honeymoon came three years later after my husband and I saved up for a trip to Hawaii. The first day on Maui we went swimming and stupid tourists that we were failed to pay attention to the beach signs that warned of strong surfs. While my husband happily snapped pictures of me wearing my new ruffled white bikini, I dove into the water. A brutal wave hit me and almost sucked me out to sea. By the time I surfaced, my swimsuit top barely covered me and I'd lost my wedding rings. We'd spent a lot of money on that trip and had no extra cash for a new wedding ring so I picked out a silver band at a kiosk in a local mall for $10. Over the years my husband has attempted to buy me a new diamond ring but this plain old silver band brings back too many fond memories of our early years of marriage and I just can't part with it.

If you could marry all over again knowing how your first wedding turned out, would keep everything the same or is there something you would change?

Marin
Rodeo Daddy April 2011
The Bull Rider's Surrender July 2011
A Rodeo man's Promise December 2011
www.marinthomas.com

Love is in the Air

It’s May, and in Central Florida love is in the air. Literally. And on the ground. Crawling on walls. Clinging to window screens. Swarming our cars. Splattering on our windshields. Dissolving our paint.

What kind of love is that? Glad you asked. It’s the love bug. Also known as the March fly, although why I do not know since they take flight twice a year—in May and September.

In late spring and early fall, adult love bugs swarm up out of the grasses and mate. The male dies, but the happy couple remains co-joined while the female flies around for a few days. Blech! Adults live less than a week, but I have to tell you, these little buggers are the bane of my existence while they’re in flight.

They don’t bite—thank goodness—but they have enough heft that if you walk into a cloud of them, you know it. My advice? Don’t swat. They leave a nasty stain. They’re attracted to heat, and hover in huge swarms over the roadways, making it a good time of year to own a car wash. Or a radiator shop. Many a car owner has faced expensive repairs after bug bodies clogged their car’s air intake.

Talk about a love gone bad.

Some say love bugs were a present from my alma mater. But the story that they escaped from a UF science experiment is only urban myth. They actually migrated up from Central America, passing through several southern states before finding Florida's moist climate to their liking.

Lucky us.

All that being said, I simply don’t like them. I don’t like bugs in general. I hate and fear spiders. And love bugs make my skin crawl. Which I can handle, I guess, as long as there aren’t any love bugs crawling on me.





Love bugs crawling on the wall outside my office made me close my window blinds.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

When I think of my mom, I think of her love of family, her cooking and her flowers. She passed away eleven years ago and it’s especially nice to remember her on this day. When my brothers and I were grown with families of our own, we always wanted to take her out to eat on her birthday and Mother’s Day. She did not see this as a good thing. “What’s wrong with my cooking?” she would ask. Somehow she took it as an insult so we gave in and let her cook.

I would go out early to help because it was supposed to be her day. She had a large vegetable garden and all the fresh veggies and new potatoes were to die for. That was her joy – cooking for her family. We never again asked to take her out. We showed up with presents and enjoyed the day with her. Now me, you take me out to eat and I’m a happy camper.

My mother also loved flowers and her yard at this time of the year was always blooming with color, especially roses. Easter lilies were another favorite of hers. They were red and white and covered a whole flowerbed, just gorgeous.

This winter was brutal here in Texas. I brought the plants in from the patio that I wanted to keep. A couple was looking bad so I left them. Of course they froze. Something green came up in one of the flower pots. I thought it was a weed. For some reason I didn’t pull it out and it kept growing and then a bud appeared on it. I was intrigued. On Friday it opened up. It’s a white Easter Lily. I have no idea how it got in that pot on my patio. I had a weird feeling, as if my mother had sent it. It’s a strange coincidence, but it makes my Mother’s Day.

How are you spending your Mother’s Day? I’m going out to dinner.

Have a wonderful day.

Linda
http://www.lindawarren.net/
Aug ’11 – The Texan’s Secret

And They're Off! by Megan

The first Saturday of May is a day my family anticipates. Eagerly. For those of you not already with me, it's the Running of the Roses, the first jewel in the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby.
I grew up going to horse races. After moving to the St. Louis area, my parents attended their first horse race and became fans. They didn't have family here to babysit us, so we got to attend. (Back in those days, grade school kids rarely had homework.) My older siblings sometimes stayed home with us younger ones, but a lot of time, it was off to the races!
I loved rooting for the horse my parents bet on, watching all the horses run, and the rush to ticket window to make a last minute bet or collect our winnings. We always went down once during the night to watch the horses get saddled. It was thrilling to see a horse change into a racehorse.
My mom changed jobs and became friends with a woman whose boyfriend owned and trained racehorses, and going became even more fun. We didn't have insider information, but we had someone to root for. We heard stories about some of the race people, and we had an insight into the workings behind the scenes, which always makes an event more interesting.
One time when the boyfriend's horse won, my parents and sister were photographed with him and the horse in the winner's circle. I always joke that I was there but they wouldn't let me in the picture, but honestly, I don't know where I was. I cherish that picture for the memories of those years.
Today, I'll be watching the race on the TV. It's on against my beloved Cardinals baseball, so I might be doing some switching of channels, but when they load the horses into the gate, I'll be riveted. Okay, I admit, I have no idea who's running, but by race time, I'll have my favorite--based on color, body size and muscles, and how spirited it appears. Sometimes I have a sentimental favorite based on the story behind the horse (the owner's or jockey's life or the struggles with health the horse has been through or whatever), but I'll also know who I think will win.
If you want real guidance, call my mom. She knows the names of the horses running, their track records so far, the reputation of their stable and owners, etc. LOL She's been watching the horse racing channel and reading the sports page. Thursday before my booksigning, she told me who the winner should be. You can bet I'll call her right after the race.
For all those happy memories and others, I want to take this opportunity to say Happy Mother's Day to my mom. I extend that wish to all the moms reading this as well.
What particular event did your family take part in that shaped you? Share with us as we all put on our pretty Spring hats and get ready to sing "My Old Kentucky Home."

Megan Kelly
The Marriage Solution, May 2011
www.megankellybooks.com

APRIL WINNER!!

CONGRATULATIONS Juliet Burns! You’re the April winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Marin Thomas, Megan Kelly and Leigh Duncan 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!

The birds and the bees

Several times a week, I receive emails encouraging me, as an
author, to use the Internet to stir up some buzz for my books. I do have a
website – www.jacquelinediamond.com -- but publicists, fellow authors and even
Harlequin encourage me to expand to Facebook and other social media sites.

To get that buzz, I should also use Twitter, they tell me.
Maybe if, like some celebrities, I frequently got arrested or chased by
paparazzi, I’d have interesting, short stuff to tweet, laced with expressions
like OMG and lots of !!! exclamation points. But I prefer to pour my creative
energy into my characters.

Also, buzz and twitter mean something else to me this time
of year as I plant my vegetable garden. I’m also putting in Easter lilies and
miniature roses received as gifts.

While I’m outdoors, digging away in the soil, I listen to
the buzz of bees, the twittering of birds and the rather intimidating Foom! of
rapid wing beats that I feared at first indicated an invasion of giant beetles.
Then one day I followed the sound to the tiny hovering figure of a hummingbird.

Ever since I discovered that these jewel-like creatures nest
in my flowering bushes, I’ve become fiercely protective. A gardener recently
proposed some heavy pruning and I practically threw my body in front of the
bushes, crying, Save the hummers!

I love writng my Safe Harbor Medical miniseries about the
human version of the birds and the bees -- a fertility program and the romantic
entanglements of the staff. But as for twitter and buzz, let’s face it: I’m
most at home with the garden variety.

Simple Things That Make Me Smile

In a world where we're often busy, stressed and tired, it's good to remember to take a step back and think about simple things that make us smile. So here's a list to get us started. You all add to it, and I bet we're all smiling a lot today.

1. The bunnies that live in our neighborhood. I've seen them in our yard and our next door neighbor's. I love bunnies, and so they never fail to make me smile.

2. The squirrels that chase each other across our roof and through the trees and yard. They're so cute.

3. The fact that Dairy Queen's mini Blizzards are on sale for a $1.99 this month. :)

4. LOLCats at ICanHazCheeseburger


see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our Socially Awkward Penguin lolz!

5. My favorite YouTube videos, including this new favorite that I can't seem to stop watching.

Happy Easter...

...to all of our wonderful American Romance readers!

However you spend the day, whether you’re at home or away, whether you’re with family and friends or on your own, I hope you have a happy and peace-filled day.

Easter and springtime are all about new beginnings, so I want to share this delightful vignette with you.

I captured this scene from the White Rock Bald Eagle Nest web cam, where two eaglets were welcomed into the world this week—the first on Wednesday and the second on Good Friday.

Those who know me well know I’m a bit of a nature nerd, and White Rock is now one of five bald eagle web cams conveniently iconed on my desktop.

Yes, I’m hooked. But can you blame me?

For me, family dinners are all-important, and this is one beautiful family dinner.

While I’m on the subject of feeding families, I thought I’d share my absolute favorite and super-easy recipe for make-ahead, oven-baked French toast.

And it's seriously easy!

You make it the night before, put it in the fridge, then pre-heat the oven the next morning, pop it in...and half an hour later brunch is served!

Lee’s Oven-Baked French Toast

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
8 one-inch-thick slices French bread
4 eggs
1/2 cup light cream (10%)
1/2 cup milk
1/ 4 cup orange juice


Spread the melted butter in a 9" by 13" baking pan. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle half the mixture in the pan. Arrange the bread slices in the pan. You might have to squish them a bit, but make sure they don’t overlap.


Beat the eggs, then add the cream, milk and orange juice. Slowly and carefully pour this mixture over the bread, being sure the bread is evenly coated.


Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar/cinnamon mixture over the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.


The next morning, preheat the oven to 375 degrees, remove the plastic wrap from the pan, and bake the French toast for about 25 minutes. Delicious when served with maple syrup and fruit compote.

By the time you read this, it will be too late to make this for Easter brunch, but it’s also great for Mother’s Day brunch or any other day brunch you can think of.

I hope you enjoy it!

Until next time,
Lee
The Christmas Secret (Nov. '11)
http://www.leemckenzie.com/