Short Trips of Fancy

Hi, all.
I don't know what it's like in your part of the country, but St. Louis has a reputation for changeable weather. It wouldn't surprise me to hear this is where the famous saying, "Don't like the weather? Wait five minutes" originated. This winter and spring have lived up to that rep. We've had "winter" days so warm, windows were open and shirt sleeves were short. On Monday, we were in the 90s; now I'm in my winter pjs and fuzzy slippers.


So we treasure those brief glimpses of pleasant weather, and tend to run after them, as joyful as children catching bubbles. I dragged my mom to the Missouri Botanical Garden for the orchid show. It was a lovely day, in the high 70s, and windy enough to whisk us off our feet. Fortunately, the show itself was inside. There are more pix on my FaceBook page if you're interested.


My next mission is to meet my critique partner at the St. Louis Zoo and walk around all day, brainstorming and soaking in the sun. Of course, that'll have to wait until the good weather returns.

And you know I have to say it -- can't wait to catch a game in person!

One of my recent "mad adventure" days saw my husband and I at Crown Candy Kitchen. We've always wanted to go there, the sun came out, and off we went. It made perfect sense at the time. This place is a landmark for good reason. A small candy store from 1913, it became a soda shoppe in the 1950s. The booths are intimate and the food is to die for. Almost literally.
I had to try the Heart Stopping BLT, with roughly a pound of bacon, plus tomato, lettuce and Miracle Whip on toast. No kidding: see the bacon? Then the lettuce, tomato, and atop bread slice. And that pic is only half the sandwich. I had to take out a bunch of bacon just to pick it up! And yes, I teamed it with a chocolate shake. The shakes come with a challenge--can you drink five in thirty minutes? The answer is no. Trust me. They are huge.

Now that we've been talking raving about CCK, several friends have mentioned wanting to go for their first time or return again. I'm game, although I may try some other temptation. And of course, there's the candy...

So, is there someplace you've been wanting to go "someday?" Do you have a "mad adventure" day and jump in the car? Where do you wind up on those luscious sunny spring days?

Megan

www.megankellybooks.com

Try Something New... Continued

In February, I blogged about trying something new. Here’s my latest unusual experience. The other night, I was invited to a very interesting party. Included in the guest list was an honest-to-goodness medium named Jeffrey Marks. I have always been interested in metaphysical occurrences, those experiences that transcend the five senses, and have experienced a number of paranormal experiences first-hand. I’ll bet many of you have, too.

When it comes to mediums, though, I remain a skeptic. However, I do love good entertainment, and was excited to see Jeff at work. Plus, I just might write a book someday that includes a medium. Oh, how that gets my creative juices flowing. Just imagine what might happen if… But I digress.

I arrived at the party with all sorts of preconceived notions–Jeff would be an expert at reading body language and facial expressions. He would take his cues from the way others responded to him. These things may well be true. Face it, we all do take our cues from the way others respond to us. Some of us are better at it than others, and a good medium is surely among the best.

But the evening unfolded in completely different ways than I imagined. Jeff handed out blank cards and invited everyone present to write down a question, specific or general, include their name, and place the card in a bowl. He then drew out the questions one by one, invited the writer of the question to join him in front of the others, and did his thing.

He explained that he didn’t want any information from the person he worked with–only a yes, no or maybe–because talking engages his left brain, and this work requires the use of predominantly his right brain.

Jeff’s process was fascinating to observe. Each mini-session began with him holding the person’s hand for a few seconds in order to connect with their energy. His eyes darted back and forth, never looking at the person, instead seeing the unseen, what I assumed was the energy swirling around. Odd body movements and gestures followed, and continued throughout each mini reading. Sometimes he used a white board to convey crudely-drawn images of what he saw in his mind. Sometimes he got the information wrong and sometimes he was dead-on. Occasionally the wrong person came through, someone who wasn’t related to or involved with the participant. When that happened, Jeff took hold of the person’s hand again and started fresh. He was self-effacing, honest and engaging without being egotistical. At times he had us all in stitches. There were also moments my heart ached for the person he was working with.

All in all, it was a fascinating and wonderful evening. For more information on Jeff, visit http://www.spiritualexploration.com/sitting.html.

What about you? Have you ever worked with a medium? Do you believe in what they do, or are you a skeptic like me? Please share your thoughts and experiences.

Thanks for joining me, and until next month,

Ann… lover of new and different experiences

www.annroth.net

www.annroth.net

MARCH WINNER!!!

CONGRATULATIONS CRYSTALGB! You’re the March winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Megan Kelly and Julie Benson 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.

Growing closer to readers

One unexpected effect of the Internet—social media, epublishing, author websites, etc.—is that readers have become closer.

In the past, for an author, readers constituted a big blur. When my first book, a Regency romance called Lady in Disguise, was published in 1983 in hardcover, all I knew was that it was being sold primarily to libraries.

The main feedback I received came from professional publications such as Library Journal, which called it “…a spirited romp … witty dialogue will help keep the reader hooked.”

That’s nice, but was anyone—beyond a few letter writers--actually reading it?

Now, I’ve reissued Lady in Disguise as an ebook, and all that has changed. Not only can I see how many have sold each day on Amazon, I can also find readers’ comments. On most of my books, they’re positive. Of course, this system also opens an author to negative reviews, sometimes thoughtful, sometimes idiotic (of the “I wouldn’t want my boyfriend to act like the hero so I’m giving it a one-star” variety). Or even the drive-by diss that Barnes & Noble allows, where someone can anonymously post one or two stars without any comment. Grrrr!

By the way, if you like a book, please be kind to the author by posting a favorable review, however brief, or a positive rating on B&N. Those do affect sales.

And if you know anyone who thinks it’s clever to “buy” an ebook, read it quickly and then return it for a full refund, please let them know that the author can see this, too.

Back to the fun part. I enjoy meeting readers through Twitter, where I’m @Jacquediamond. I’ve also met readers through sites such as Good Reads and Wattpad.

Plus I appreciate the review websites. The Baby Dilemma, my April Harlequin—the eighth book in my Safe Harbor Medical series—began receiving enthusiastic reviews in late March.

Sometimes there are unexpected benefits. Anne Glover, who writes fascinating historical blogs and Regency reviews at anneglover.wordpress.com, praised Lady in Disguise but didn’t like my cover. She introduced me to Kelly at customgraphics.etsy.com, who designed my new Regency covers including the one shown here.

Authors of previous generations never imagined such one-on-one contact. Despite a few drawbacks, it’s a great boost for authors. And, I hope, for readers, too.

Springtime DIY

It must be spring because for the past week I’ve been itching to get started on a DIY project. I’m also being inspired by the heroine of the book I'm finishing, The Daddy Project (December 21012). Kristi is an interior decorator and if you read my last book, The Christmas Secret, you might remember meeting her there.

What I have in mind is to convert my cluttered back porch into a well-organized mudroom. And when I say “cluttered,” I'm afraid you will have to take my word for it because I’m too embarrassed to post a photo of it in its current state. I’m also too busy to roll up my sleeves and dive into this project right now, but I have started to compile my mudroom wishlist.

Because the porch/mudroom is the transition to our back yard, I’m thinking it needs a nice fresh wall color, like Benjamin Moore’s Woodland Hills Green.

Green is such a calming color, especially compared to the hideous mustard yellow that's on those walls right now.

Along one wall I’d like to install beadboard wainscoting with hooks above for coats and umbrellas and shopping bags.

There will have to be a built-in storage bench, along the lines of this one from This Old House, for stowing footwear and the recycling bin...

…and a shelf over the window, similar to this one I saw on Pintrest.

Finally, I would love to swap the boring old ceiling fixture for something more nature-inspired, like this Whoopsie Daisy chandelier from The Land of Nod. Isn't it pretty?

So, what do you think? Do you have a springtime DIY project in mind? Please share, if you do!

Until next time,
Lee
www.leemckenzie.com

The Appeal of the American Cowboy

BUY!

If you're a regular reader of Harlequin American Romances then you must be a lover of westerns and cowboy-rancher heroes.  I've always been in awe of the American Cowboy and never tire of writing about the men who wear Wranglers, Stetsons and scuffed boots.  I love the old west as well as the new west!  For those who haven't dropped by yet, I invite you to check out my Sunday blog All My Heroes are Cowboys where each week I blog about a topic that relates to cowboys and the west. 

I think this pretty much sums up why cowboys are so popular in romance novels: 

"America needs the Cowboy both to remind us of how far we have come and to bring us back to the simplicity of the values he represents. He is also needed because he is a piece of who we are as a country. He represents a lifestyle and a time period that is a cherished part of our History. Little boys want to grow up to be him and the little girls want to grow up to marry him." ~cowboycrew.com

When I'm writing my cowboy stories I often turn to my file of "favorite photos" that I've collected over time as inspiration for my characters. 

This photograph melts my heart…each time I envision one of the heroes in my books becoming a father I think of this picture.

 This is what I picture when my heroine gets her first glimpse of my rodeo cowboy hero…

And this picture is my inspiration when I create a "Geezer" for one of my stories.  Each line in his face tells a different story about how he tamed the west. 

Even though I don't write inspirational romances, I believe "Faith" is a core trait of the cowboy and when I imagine my hero struggling with his internal conflict I recall this photo and it helps me get deeper inside his character.

And this photo is your reward for reading the blog…a little cowboy eye candy!

Tell us what you like most about reading cowboy romances set in the American West!

Marin

Arizona Cowboy (Feb 2012)

A Cowboy's Duty (Aug 2012)

Beau: Cowboy Protector (Nov 2012)

www.marinthomas.com

What's Cooking for St. Patrick's Day?

Are you Irish today? (smile) On March 17th, everyone's entitled to celebrate this grand holiday.

My family's a good part Irish, and when I was growing up, St. Patrick's Day was always a special holiday in our house.

The highlight of the day was gathering everyone together for our big dinner. Of course, you know what we ate. Corned beef. Cabbage. Carrots. And potatoes.

I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

There are various recipes, but the simplest is this:


Put corned beef (3-4 pounds) in a pot, toss in a couple of bay leaves*, and cover all with water.

Bring water to a boil.

Cover pot and lower heat to a simmer for about 3 hours, or until corned beef is fork-tender.

Remove beef from pot and reserve on a platter, covering beef with foil for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, to the water in pot, add a head of cabbage, quartered; carrots and potatoes (about 5-6 medium of each), peeled and cut into pieces.

Cover and simmer for approximately 20 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.

Slice the beef and dish up the vegetables.

* After cooking, discard bay leaves. Do not eat.


And you're done.

See? It's so easy, anyone—Irish or not—can enjoy this traditional dinner. I hope you will. (smile)

And I'd love to hear if your family celebrates with this or any other special foods or traditions.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com/
http://www.facebook.com/barbarawhitedaille
https://twitter.com/BarbaraWDaille

Doppelgangers

A little background. Soon after we married, my hubby agreed to take me and two of my girlfriends to a Neil Diamond concert. Personal quirk, I have to be early to those things. So we’re sitting in our lower balcony seats and he’s got the binoculars watching people, girls probably. Suddenly he stops and looks at me, hands me the binoculars and tells me to look on the tenth row back. Wouldn’t tell me what I was looking for, just that I’d know it when I saw it. I scanned and suddenly stopped breathing. There was a girl who looked so much like me, I couldn’t believe it. Auburn hair, same style cut. She was even dressed in emerald green, my favorite color at the time. Obviously, made an impression.

But over the holidays, I’ve been thinking about how certain actors resemble actors from earlier generations. It started when my mom was watching an old episode of Jag. She’s addicted to the star, David James Elliott. I never watched the show, but Mom was also a huge Rock Hudson fan and she pointed to the screen and said something along the lines of, “There hasn’t been an actor that good looking since Rock Hudson.

So I started thinking. Scary, I know.

The obvious - Brad Pitt. Anyone except me see the close resemblance to Redford?

And speaking of Redford, what about Newman? Matt McConoughey?

A Cover Story

Ah, firsts...They play an important role in our lives, don’t they? From the moment the stick turns (pink? blue?), the newly expectant wait anxiously for that first stir of life. We wonder if that first word will be “Ma-Ma” or “Da-Da.” Parents watch with camera in hand for their child’s first step. Grandparents fly in to watch their grandchildren head off for their first day of school, the first prom, the first graduation.

In Rodeo Daughter, my June Harlequin American Romance, four-year-old Hailey’s first horseback ride becomes a pivotal moment in the blossoming romance between former rodeo star, Amanda Markette and Mitch Goodwin, a stern prosecuting attorney who—thanks to a playground accident—struggles to regain custody of his daughter while earning Amanda’s love.

What child doesn’t love that first chance to ride a horse. I’m tipping my cowboy hat to Harlequin’s Art Department for capturing that excitement for the cover of Rodeo Daughter.

Recently, I ran across this picture of one of my firsts—my first horseback ride.

Yes, that’s me riding Biscuit. What a thrill! I just knew I was going to grow up to be a rodeo star like Amanda in Rodeo Daughter. I didn’t, but from that moment through my late teens, my sister and I spent most weekends at the local riding stables where we groomed horses in exchange for rides. And just a couple of years ago, when we wanted to celebrate a significant milestone, sis and I went on an all-day trail ride.

How about you? Have you ever been horseback riding? Was it a pivotal moment in your life?

Procrastinate or get it done early?

Recently, I spent almost a week in California, taking care my adorable granddaughter while my daughter and son-in-law got ready to move to Seattle. If you’ve ever moved, and we all have, you know what a huge undertaking that was.

Like me, my daughter prefers to get things done in advance. She started packing weeks ahead of the move date. My son-in-law is the opposite—he works best under pressure. He didn’t really get into move mode until several days before the move, then worked basically round the clock to pack his stuff and finish what was left.

Regardless which type person you are, both ways get you to the end result of completing your task. But the getting there is what can cause irritation. My daughter and son-in-law seem very compatible and accepting of their differences.

Which got me thinking. How do people cope when a spouse, partner or other family member works in ways that are different from theirs?

Some people work best under pressure. Others like to complete their projects in advance. Which are you—do you prefer to complete projects in advance, do you work best under pressure, or do you fall somewhere in-between? How do you deal with the people in your life who are the opposite of you?

Until next month,

Ann… the advance planner (unless I’m not :-) )

www.annroth.net

FEBRUARY WINNER!!!

Congratulations KRIS!! You’re the February winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Marin Thomas and Trish Milburn 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.

Creating a series

I recently signed a contract with Harlequin American for three more books—bringing the total to twelve--in my Safe Harbor Medical miniseries. While this is great news, for me, it’s a challenge, too. Although I’ve written several series before (among a total of 93 books sold), the longest encompassed five books. Twelve? That’s new territory for me.

Initially, the plan called for three books. Then six. Well, the eighth book, The Baby Dilemma, comes out in April, and the ninth, The M.D.’s Secret Daughter, in September. Then I discovered I wasn’t done yet.

I don’t ever want to grow stale or predictable. That’s hard in a long series set in the same town, and in a hospital that focuses on pregnancy and fertility issues. Despite some similarities of theme, each book has to feel fresh to me—and especially to the readers.

Characters are essential. If I “plant” a future hero or heroine in an earlier book, I make sure that person is a genuine part of the community, not just a pretty face waiting for a turn on stage. In addition, I create offbeat and/or older people, like volunteer Renée Green and sarcastic anesthesiologist Rod Vintner. Having important secondary characters adds texture and richness.

What else does it take to write such a long series? Being organized! My list of characters runs to forty pages, my list of settings to nine. Plus I’ve drawn maps of the town and floor plans of important buildings.

And so I’ve begun writing book ten. Already, the characters are refusing to do what I expected. They’re taking me along on a ride of their own, and that’s exactly as it should be.

If you’re curious about the series, I’ve put together a web page with the covers, an overview and brief summaries. I hope you’ll visit http://www.jacquelinediamond.com/news1.html

Name That Character!

Here I am, sitting at my desk in snowy Calgary...

...writing the second book of my Coffee Creek series, and the story is flowing. The hero and heroine have just had an argument and parted on tense terms. The hero (a vet) leaves the heroine’s ranch and starts driving toward another property, thirty miles away, where a lame cow requires his attention. Suddenly a call comes in from his office. He patches in the Bluetooth and--

Full stop.

I have to halt writing at this point, because I need a name for my hero’s office receptionist, the person who is about to tell him that an emergency requires his immediate attention. I know a lot about this character already. She will be married, with four children. She is one of those super-organized people who not only keeps his large-animal vet office running smoothly, but also tries to run his personal life too. Because she is happily married, she believes everyone should be happily married. This includes the hunky man she works for, of course.

But what is her name?

Some people might think naming characters is one of the fun parts of being a romance author. I used to think so. But now I know the truth. Having to stop and choose a name for a new character is terrible for momentum. Especially since picking names is harder than it seems. I have several “Baby Name” books--but these are not as helpful as you’d think. I’ve heard that some authors used to turn to the phone book (before they became archaic) to find names. Not me. Too overwhelming.

Over the years, I’ve come to rely on two sources for finding good names. One is magazines. The other are the obits of my local newspaper.

If my character is fifty or older, I tend to turn to the obits first. You heard it first here, folks. My novels are full of dead people.

For younger characters, I look at the editorial board of various magazines for inspiration. My definition of “magazines” also includes the program for the Calgary Stampede. God bless the mothers of cowboys. They sure know how to name their babies.

Now that you know my evil, name-stealing ways, I must redeem myself, at least partially. I rarely use the first and last name of any real person. So Candy Smith and Sally Jones becomes Candy Jones. Who says I can’t be creative?

Okay, time to get back to my writing...And that pesky receptionist? I’ve just christened her “Liz Moffatt” (Compliments of a woman mentioned in Cowgirl Magazine and the author of a book that is sitting on my desk.)

Tell me--if you were writing a book, what name would you choose for your hero or heroine? I’ll send out an autographed book from my Superromance backlist to one randomly selected respondent.

Happy Leap Year everyone! (Did you know that leap years that are divisible by 100 don’t have an extra day? It’s complicated...check Wikipedia.)

CJ Carmichael

Teen Celebrity Crushes

We've all had them, those crushes on the famous and oh-so-unattainable guys we saw on the Ed Sullivan show, whose movies we swooned over at the Saturday matinee, or whose records we listened to over and over again. You know the guy I mean.

At various times I had several teen crushes. James Darren as Moondoggie in the Gidget movies. I was too young to have a crush when the movie came out but when I saw it on TV in the '60s, I was in love! George Harrison, my favorite Beattle, and Herman from Herman's Hermits.

We lived in a small town in 1967 and I remember begging my parents to let me and a girlfriend go a Herman's Hermits concert in the city. I might as well have asked to go to the moon.

Instead I had to settle for listening to their records, over and over again. I knew all the lyrics, and I used my babysitting money to buy Tiger Beat magazine so I could pour over all the tantalizing details of Herman's life.

Last year, almost forty-five years after surviving the disappointment of missing the Herman's Hermits concert, my mother and I went to see Peter Noone (Herman) perform.

It wasn't the concert I so desperately wanted to see in the '60s but it was fun, and I even got my old LPs autographed.

I haven't played these records in years, but I did have a look inside the covers before I went to the concert. I'm so glad I did, because look what I found.

Two drawings I made of Herman when I was about thirteen.

They were drawn on looseleaf paper, no doubt while I supposed to be doing homework. Peter/Herman was a good sport and signed them for me, asking if I'd become any better at drawing over the years. Sadly, no! But I did discover that while I got over my crush, I'll always be a fan.

Okay, now it's confession time. Who was your teen crush?

Until next time,
Lee
www.leemckenzie.com
The Christmas Secret ~ available now
A Christmas present with a hidden past
The Daddy Project ~ December 2012

Giving Away Copies of Arizona Cowboy!

As most of us authors are doing with February releases…I'm out and about promoting the latest book in my Rodeo Rebels series…Arizona Cowboy.

BUY!

From the back cover…..

Last Cowboy—Or Cowgirl!— Standing...

Rachel Lewis is a bona fide city slicker. Still, when her estranged father asks for her help, she ends up in dusty Stagecoach, Arizona, to manage his rodeo company for the summer. Being clueless about rough stock is nothing, though, compared to the confused feelings Rachel has for sexy ranch foreman Clint McGraw... because he's also her main competitor for her father's affections.

Clint can hardly believe it when his boss hands over the reins to his long-gone daughter. What the heck does a spoiled city girl like Rachel know about rodeo? Why, she's crazy enough to offer a competition event to women bull riders! And for sure she's going to nudge her way back into her father's heart—leaving Clint high and dry. Even so, he can't help falling hard for Rachel. But only one of them can be the head honcho of this round-up!

 

Following are 5 ways you can win a copy of 

Arizona Cowboy

 1) Sign up for my Newsletter.  Each month I run a Wild West Trivia contest and select a winner from all the correct answers turned in. 

At the end of each month I'll send a copy of Arizona Cowboy to someone who…

2) Follows my blog  by email All My Heroes are Cowboys..

3) "LIKE"s  my Facebook page… 

4) Enters my GoodreadsGiveaway!  For the month of February only I'm giving away 5 copies of Arizona Cowboy.

5) And I'm also offering a copy of Arizona Cowboy to one lucky poster at the American Romance Blog.  Linda Warren will announce the winner at the beginning of March.

I speak for all of the Harlequin American Romance authors when I say "Thank You" for your continued support...buying our books, helping us spread the word about new releases, taking the time to post online reviews and stopping by our blogs to chat!  Our Fans are the BEST!

Happy Reading!

Marin

Arizona Cowboy (Feb 2012)

A Cowboy's Duty (Aug 2012)

Beau: Cowboy Protector (Nov 2012)  

Happy Ever After...The Cowboy Way

Lasting Impressions

I'm happy we have an extra day in February this year because, so far, it has been one fun, exciting, and busy month!

I'm on tour. A virtual tour around the Internet to celebrate my current release, THE RODEO MAN'S DAUGHTER. In this book, my hero takes a trip—back to his own hometown. It's a trip he'll never forget, as the visit brings him smack up against a number of memories, some good and some terrible.

Today, I'd like to talk about good memories.

I once took a trip—a real-life tour—that made a lasting impression: ten days in Europe with a large group of students. And with a smaller number of teacher-chaperones, all of whom actually survived to return home and teach again. LOL

Our adventure began in Spain, where we stood in hushed awe inside churches in Barcelona, felt our blood pulse to the rhythms of the Flamenco in Seville, and—for those who chose to do so—held our breath during a bullfight in Madrid.

We spent two beautiful, sunny days walking the beach and chasing the surf on Palma de Mallorca.

And before the trip ended, we took a ferry to Morocco, where we rode camels and ate exotic food and spent an afternoon at the Kasbah.

I sound like an ad for a travel agency, don't I? (smile) Sorry. But I can't help it.

In those ten days, we probably saw more breathtaking sites and came smack up against more history than I ever had in my life. The photos we took faded, but the memories have stayed bright.

Have you ever visited a place that's made such a lasting impression?


All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
http://www.facebook.com/barbarawhitedaille
https://twitter.com/BarbaraWDaille

V-Day Fairy vs. Fixing the Hot Water Heater

Hubby's sweet gift came early this year with this hot pink Oilers 
jersey from one of my fave players, Jeff Terminesi!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Funny, how over the years the day's meaning and/or events have changed.  When I was a kid, Mom and I couldn't wait for Dad to get home.  He'd always have one or two tin-foil-wrapped gifts for each of us.  For me, sometimes as simple as a teen magazine I'd been wanting and a big candy bar.  In my teens, I usually got a special piece of jewelry--my favorite, a tiny mouse set atop a gold ring.  He even has ruby eyes!  Mom and I were just talking with Dad about how much we looked forward to seeing him, guessing at what surprises he might bring.

As a teen, of course the big day was all about romance!!!  The year I received a bouquet from my boyfriend, one from my parents and another from my ex-boyfriend's mother who I'm pretty sure still wishes we were back together, was a super exciting year!!

In college, the day became less about what I got and more about what I could give.  Back then, the University of Arkansas choir sold singing telegrams for five bucks!  God bless Whitney Houston, as her songs were the best for wooing and landed my hubby!!  Music holds the power to transform all of us into time-travelers and for me, her voice and lyrics transport me to those special college times.

Fast forward a few years and the twins were introduced to the Valentine Fairy!!  I was always Little Terry's Valentine and hubby was Hannah's.  The Valentine Fairy always added a little extra sparkle--a Barbie or Pokemon cards.

Now, Hubby and I are pretty content lounging in our PJs in front of the fire and romantic gifts usually consist of fixing something broken around the house!!  LOL!!

This year, however, Hannah will be doing her Ice Girl thing at tonight's Oilers game, so we'll romance over a shared order of Billy's onion rings at the BOK Center!!  Wish the hot pink jersey we won at auction Saturday night would be ready to wear, but alas, it's still being fumigated!!  (Hockey players might look good, but wow, do they work up a sweaty funk!!  LOL!!)

What phase of Valentine's Day are you all in?  Whichever it is, hope you're surrounded by LOVE!!!    

Florida Has Cattle, Too

Fourth-generation cattleman Ty Parker looks into his childless future and wonders what will become of the ranch he’s worked so hard to preserve. His answer might be a five-year-old boy abandoned on DCF’s doorstep, but only if the rancher convinces a jaded social worker that he’s good father material on a two-week cattle drive through Florida’s version of the Old West.

I have to admit that my story about a cattle drive set in Florida raised some eyebrows when I first pitched the idea as a Harlequin American Romance. Cattle? In Florida? A state more known for its orange groves and theme parks didn’t seem like the best setting for a story about a fourth-generation rancher. And yet, it’s more fitting than a lot of people might guess.

Cattle ranching has been a staple of Florida’s economy for a long, long time. I think it’s fair to blame Ponce de Leon for that. He brought seven head of Andalusian cows with him on his second visit in 1521. People have been ranching here ever since.

Did you know that today Florida is the third-largest beef-producing state east of the Mississippi? Or that 1.1 million head of cattle graze its pastures?

We use term “Florida Cracker” when we’re talking about someone who was born and raised in the state. The term harkens back to the days when cowboys would snap long, braided whips over the heads of the cattle they were herding. “Crack!”

The cattle drive in Rancher’s Son, my December release for Harlequin American Romance is pattered after an old-fashioned drive that takes place across the state each spring. Over the next few months, we’ll talk more about Rancher’s Son and why Florida makes the perfect setting for a book about ranching.

RAIN. RAIN. LET IT RAIN!!

As I’ve blogged about before, Texas has been in the worse drought since the fifties. I don’t remember that one, but the last year has been brutal with parched pastures and lakes, ponds and creeks drying up. Everyone has been praying for rain for a solid year. Our prayers have finally been answered. In January we had several small showers and then a two inches rain, but Friday night we got the big one—at least five inches. Along with the rain though came bad weather. We were under a severe thunderstorm watch and then that turned into a tornado warning, which the weatherman was predicting would touch down near our neighborhood.

What do you do when a tornado is headed toward you? Panic is always my first choice, but luckily my husband is very calm. He gathered flashlights, bottled water and carried them to a bathroom in the center of our house. He grabbed a big comforter from the closet. I added Snicker bars. If I’m going to be stuck somewhere, I want a snack.

It was dark and pouring buckets outside, but the TV and lights were still on. Then the TV started beeping with an alert: People in these areas take cover. Our neighborhood was listed. The wind howled and rain pounded our roof, but other than that everything remained the same. The lights and TV stayed on. Strange. Then we got the news that the tornado had touched down about five miles from us. It did a lot of damage, but thankfully no one was hurt. Due to all the stress, I decided to eat a Snickers anyway.

The tornado has been the topic of conversation and it always ends with one sentence: But we got rain. Yes! Look at the difference. Lots of water.

I told my husband we needed to be more prepared. What would you do if a tornado was headed for your house?

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!!

Linda
www.LindaWarren.net