Deadline Diaries

MORE THAN FIENDS - Buy It June 5!!!

2007-05-30T05:53:00.000-07:00

Hi Gang! Kate here, just dropping by to let everyone know that Maureen Child's fabulous new paranormal romantic comedy, MORE THAN FIENDS, goes on sale June 5!

MORE THAN FIENDS is simply fabulous! Maureen Child has written the funniest, sexiest book since Stephanie Plum arrived on the scene to tumble with Ranger and Joe. But hey, you don't have to believe me! Here's what two best-selling authors have to say about it ...

Wildly funny and sexy-as-hell ... literally! Maureen Child has a sharp, witty voice that will leave readers begging for more. -- Katie Macalister

Brilliant! ... Fun, sexy, incredibly entertaining, MORE THAN FIENDS is guaranteed to delight ... it's simply exceptional. -- Allie Mackay

And here's the back cover copy:

Cassidy Burke is finding it hard to believe that she's next in a long line of demon dusters--Burke women paired with centuries-old cleaning solution to shine windows and spot demons. Sure, her "Clean Sweep" maid service is taking off, but wiping out supernatural bad guys? Come on.

But Cassie's surprised by her sudden fighting instincts and fierce new strength ... both of which she's going to need. For one thing, her teenage daughter thinks her dad is dead, but in truth he just never knew about her ... and now he's moved back to town. And after many dateless years, men are finally lining up on Cassie's doorstep.

Sadly, most of them aren't human.

This book is laugh-out-loud funny and sexy as all get-out!! So get out and buy it!!

And be sure to stop by Maureen's blog for a chance to win gorgeous jewelry designed by author Amy J. Fetzer. But more importantly, be sure to race out on June 5 and pick up your very own copy of MORE THAN FIENDS!

So Long, Farewell....

2007-01-12T09:20:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

Well, this is it--for now, anyway.

We'll miss y'all.

We wish you magic--days of joy and nights full of stars...

And most of all, we wish you....

DDers taking a break......

2007-01-10T14:08:00.000-08:00

posted by Maureen

Okay, so we're not really going fishing! What we ARE going to do is take a hiatus of sorts.

Actually, Christine is going to do a goodby blog on Friday, but thought I'd give a shout out on my regular day, as well.

We're all hip deep in deadlines--(no pun toward our title intended)--and we've decided to take a little blogging break!

But I personally want to thank all of you for coming by to visit. And to those of you who've taken the time to write to me, THANKS! It means a lot. Our websites are still out there, so come visit. And Kate and I both have our personal blogs up, so feel free to stop by and say howdy! But for now, this is my last DD post.................sniffle.

Reading on the Other Side of the Fence

2007-01-09T07:02:00.000-08:00

I forgot to make a big splash over here about the fact that my latest book, Not Another New Year’s, is excerpted in January’s Cosmopolitan magazine! It’s the "Red Hot Read" of the month. Cool, yes? So consider this my big splash, and now I’ll go on to blog about what I really want to blog about.

Every once in a while I pick up a few men’s magazines to get into “guy” head space. When I’m starting a new book (like I am now) I need to figure out my characters and wouldn’t you guess that the women are always easier to flesh out than the dudes. So I find that the “lad mags,” you know, like Esquire, Men’s Health, Maxim, Details, offer me a window into the male world.

I was reading Men’s Health at the gym on the stepmill when one of my sweat buddies, Katherine, joined me on the adjacent machine. I thanked her for giving me someone to chat with and so distract me from the exercising, though I added that the lad mag was pretty distracting in itself. That it was enlightening to see what men were interested in. She glanced over at the glossy pages of beautiful people. “Is it really that different than what women are interested in?”

Yeah.

Guys are interested in cars and gadgets and adventures that other guys take that involve spending blood and/or bullets. This takes up the same space as the articles on the “New Bright Eye” or “How to Look Slimmer in Blue” that show up in or magazines.

Where women read articles about making the time with their children quality time, guys are reading about just making some kind of time for their kids.

Guys want to know how to have more sex. They want to know how to make their wives and girlfriends want more sex. Women’s magazines have articles on how women can get a man to want to take them out to dinner. I see a problem developing.

Magazines catering to men have articles on the very minimum wardrobe a man can get away with. This is a foreign idea to women, and is why you’ll never see a story in Glamour entitled “Why You Don’t Need Seven Pairs of Black Shoes.” Because of course everyone knows you need at least eight.

Both kinds of magazines have Q & A columns, and I always love those. Women ask questions like “Can I date my friend’s brother even though I once didn’t tell her her latest haircut made her look skanky?” The guy magazine I just read had a question like this (no lie): “How do I convince the new woman I’m dating that my DVD collection of over 150 slasher films doesn’t mean I’m weird?” They actually came up with an answer. “Explain that you take them seriously by tossing around some film-critic type phrases.” Um, dudes, don’t bother. Any woman in her right mind has already left the premises and is in a cab speeding away as fast as she can, while at the same time calling Cingular to change her cell phone number.

So, all in all, it’s always an interesting experience when reading on the other side of the fence. Always something new to learn about men. This time, it was about the effect of too much booze on a man’s sexual performance. Who knew it was called “brewer’s droop?”

Do you ever read on the other side of the fence? Men’s magazines or even a male author who writes books that seem particularly male-centric?

A Business Plan for Me!

2007-01-08T07:14:00.000-08:00

Posted by Kate

Lately, I’ve read a number of articles written by people I admire, telling me how and why I should create a business plan for my writing career.

So I did it. I wrote a business plan.

I started with a mission statement. You do this by asking yourself questions, like, Why are you a writer? What kind of books do you write? Who’s your intended audience? Why should they read your book when they could be reading someone else’s?

So here’s my mission statement. I write smart, funny books that make people laugh and cry and when they get to the end they smile through their tears and say “Damn, I wish she’d write faster.”

Then I worried that my mission statement wasn’t business-like enough. Maybe I should try to be more profound. Like, maybe I should write books that are thought-provoking and emotionally rich. Maybe my books should stimulate intellectual discourse between the reader and the community.

Or maybe not.

I mean, if somebody reads my book and tells me they laughed and cried all the way through, I'd probably be the happiest writer in the world.

I know it’s important to have goals and the determination to meet them, but I’m not sure if a business plan will help me accomplish them any more than a vivid imagination and a good calendar with clearly marked deadlines can. To each her own business plan, I guess.

Just to be sure, I solicited another opinion and asked a published author friend about her business plan and mission statement. After she finished mocking me, she had to hang up because she had to finish writing her book.

So after much deliberation, I have determined that my Business Plan for 2007 will consist of the following:

* A good calendar (for marking deadlines and fun stuff)

* Daily affirmations repeated over and over until I believe them (I am an award-winning writer with dozens of fabulous story ideas)

* Visualizations (Hefty checks arrive weekly in my mailbox and Rabid fans are clamoring for my next book)

* I will chant skyclad once a month under the full moon

Seriously, if you want to learn the right way to create a business plan, see Mary Castillo’s article in this month’s Orange Blossom newsletter, or you can visit Stephanie Bond’s website, which has lots of good articles dealing with the business of writing.

So what’s your plan for 2007? Do you believe in affirmations? And when was the last time you danced skyclad under the full moon?

Will These Do?

2007-01-06T13:58:00.000-08:00

Christine is away for the weekend and I thought I'd step up to the plate. Hah! But this man photo thing is harder than it looks. I googled "handsome men" and it recommended internet dating sites. "Sexy" men took me in another direction as well...let's just say I was afraid to click on some of those links.

Then, somehow I found them! The Carlson twins. They're not wet like the Saturday guys Chris often shows us, but they're on the beach, they look a little sweaty (or is that suntan oil that some lucky woman has just applied) and there's TWO of them!

So go ahead and enjoy.

Curses!

2007-01-05T07:25:00.000-08:00

All right, enough of the holiday fun. It’s time to get serious here. It’s time to get serious about swear words.

I spent time in my early 20s working on a Navy base with current and retired Navy personnel. Working with men. Men who swore. I worked with women who swore too, and just as you’d expect, this previous Ivory girl (99-44/100% pure) started picking up the lingo.

That was okay, until I was a mother and didn’t want to teach my little darlings to say a notorious four-letter word before they were four years old. So I switched back to “shoot” and “fudge” and “darn me.” That’s still how I speak (okay, most of the time) and I do cringe when I hear people loudly (and frequently it seems in public these days) roll swear words off their tongue as easily as I lap up ice cream.

When I started writing romance for Silhouette Books, there were certain words I knew not to use and I had no problem with that. As one of my writer buddies once said, in many Harlequin/Silhouette romances there’s a certain filmy gauze over the grittier aspects of real life. Then I started writing single title romance and there were less limits (at least in my own mind). And as our heroines became more kick-ass and the heroes as likely to drink your blood as to drink white wine, language in our novels developed a harder edge as well.

So my fictional guys do swear out loud. More often, they swear in their head. My heroines will at times too. I’m not talking about a heroine using “bad” language in front of her child. I’m talking about adults in adult situations using adult language. Do we consider the slang forms of body parts swearing? Because I use those, too.

Those, however, don’t seem to bother my readers so much. As a matter of fact, no one has ever called me on any of my language choices until I received two letters in the last month from readers who condemned my use of the “f-word” (they’d read two different books, by the way). One said she wanted to wash my mouth out with soap (Ivory?).

Though that last letter was a little weird, it did get me thinking. Should I tone down my language?

I don’t think I will. I’m writing sexy, fast-paced romances about contemporary characters in contemporary circumstances. Lately I’ve been thinking of my books as “reality-based reading” and contemporary language and its usage are going to remain part of my single title books. While I hate to offend anyone and don’t go out of my way to do so, I’m going to stand by what I’ve written. And when word choices come up in my next manuscript, I’m going to think about what my characters would say under the particular circumstances and not what these particular readers would like. They are certainly entitled to their opinions, but those opinions on this subject do not match mine.

So what are your thoughts on swear words in books? Do certain words shock you or turn you off altogether?

My life is poop!

2007-01-04T07:02:00.000-08:00

Posted by Susan

My life is poop. I don’t mean that as a metaphor—my life is actually fine. Unfortunately, lately, it seems defined by poop.

I have three pets, all of whom, go to the bathroom indoors. Nikki, possibly the world’s cutest dog, uses puppy pads. In Seattle, this is a good thing. Trust me, when it’s 38 degrees, windy and raining, you don’t want to be walking a dog. She has a couple of “bathrooms” and is very good about using them. Come poop time, I pick it up and flush it.

I also have two indoor cats who use a litter box. They’re both 14 and have never had an accident. Recently, I thought I’d reached a new high (or low—depending on your point of view) when Jake developed irritable bowel. Who knew cats could get it?? Apparently he’s become allergic to protein. When one is a cat, this is a problem.

I’ve seen an x-ray of his intestines and they are not a pretty place. So he’s on a special diet and an antibiotic and a steroid and he gets a vitamin B12 shot once a week. He seems to be improving. Speaking as the person to who is scooping the results of his irritable bowel several times a day, I can’t wait for things to pick up, so to speak.

His sister, Callie, was also having issues and we discovered she has a thyroid problem. Rather than give her a pill twice a day for the rest of her life—a process she seriously resists—she’s getting a special treatment that zaps her thyroid and heals her in one easy step. There’s something with radioactive isotopes. I’m not clear on the whole procedure. But this is what I do know…I’m going to be dealing with radioactive poop.

Uh huh…it’s in the post-op instructions. I have to collect her poop, store it in a covered container for two weeks, then hold it for 80 days before tossing it.

I guess this means her poop now has a half life. And as I can’t tell the difference between her poop and Jake’s, I’ll be collecting all of it. Did I mention Jake has irritable bowel? That there are days when he poops six or seven times? Now I not only get to scoop it up, I get to keep it. Like a treasure. There are absolutely no words to describe my joy.

Hurry! Hurry!

2007-01-03T08:56:00.000-08:00

you
posted by Maureen

You know that old saying, the hurrier you go the behinder you get??

That describes my life lately.

Had the best of intentions. I was going to stick like glue to the latest schedule that Susan helped me pull together. Then...Worldus Interruptus happened again.

What with the holidays and deadlines and family and another deadline and oh another holiday and still one more deadline... Not that I’m complaining about the deadlines, mind you. I LOVE being employed!!

Still, it’s tempting to just slow it all down once in awhile, isn’t it? Like my little friend there in the picture, I sort of think that slowing down might be the answer.

Maybe I’ll give it a try. After this deadline. Oh, and plot group this weekend. But once I get home, I’ll have two proposals and then another book to write...

Okay, Summer. I’ll try for Summer. After the Fourth of July and family, of course. Oh and then there’s the RWA conference and a deadline right after that.

So maybe Fall. That’d be good. But then there’s football season and family and the holidays again...

Okay. Maybe the answer isn’t how fast or slow you go. But how much you enjoy the journey.

You think?

Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!

2007-01-02T14:19:00.000-08:00

posted by FanGirl

Let's hear it for our DD girls, Susan and Christie!!

Susan's book, Sizzling is number 5 on Walden's Bestseller List!!

And Christie's book, Not Another New Year's is number 9 on Walden's Bestseller list!!

Way to go you guys!!!

Things I Hate Today...

2007-01-02T07:03:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

Should I have a better attitude? You bet. Here it is day two of 2007. A fresh start, time to be thinkin’ positive. Right?

Oh, yeah. Sure. Until I begin pondering my upcoming plane trip to Vegas to plot (books, people—not murder. Honest.) with Susan, Maureen and Terry Southwick. I can’t wait to get there.

But that’s the hitch: getting there.

I have to fly to get there. Flying nowadays is the closest an ordinary, law-abiding American woman is going to get to being in prison. I believe Dave Berry just said that in a recent column. I’m with Dave. You can’t even take water on a plane anymore.

Now, yes, I know. National Security is a top priority these days and things could be worse. Can’t they always?

After all, since the last time I flew, you can now take your lipstick on the plane with you. Oh, I am so relieved. Dehydrated, but with fine, glossy lips, I’ll arrive in Las Vegas. I’ll keep my mind on that, I guess. Lookin’ good is something, after all.

And beyond the not-so-friendly friendly skies, I also hate that for a writer, a book takes so long to be “done.” I did finally type The End on my latest. Now I have to go through and clean that puppy up before I can drop it in the chute to wing its happy way to Manhattan. And after the manuscript goes in? It comes back. For line edits and later for galleys. I do like that I get a couple more passes at it. I want it to be as good as I can make it when it arrives on the shelves where readers will be putting down their hard-earned cash for it. So I suppose I need to focus on that, on excellence as a way of life, on how I always want to write the very best book I can-- rather than gritching on how manuscripts are like boomerangs: they won’t stop coming back.

What else? Frankly, a thousand things. But for today, the flying and the boomerang books are enough.

What about you? Hate anything today? Come on, you know you do…

Happy New Year!!!

2007-01-01T07:47:00.000-08:00

Posted by Kate

It was a wonderful 2006, but I have it on good authority that 2007 will be even better!

So, here's to good health, good times, good advances (according to Publisher's Marketplace, that means six figures, right?!!), good friends, good vibes, good books, good food, good wine...stop me!!

Happy New Year, everyone!!!

Start the New Year right!!

2006-12-31T10:22:00.000-08:00

Posted by Susan

Christie's new book is out and I, for one, can't wait to read it. I sooooo loved Must Love Mistletoe, and this is the sequel. Love sequels!!

I'm getting on a plane Saturday morning and this book will be right there to distract me from the fact that we could fall to a fiery death at any moment! Not that I don't love to fly! ; )

Romantic Times says "It's always a treat to read a Ridgway novel. Fans of this author have yet another fast-paced story with fabulously characters and steamy love scenes to enjoy. Readers new to Ridgway's work are starting the New Year out right with this humorous, delightfully well-crafted tale of love."

I heart Antonio...

2006-12-30T06:41:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

The Many Faces of Eve

2006-12-29T08:18:00.000-08:00

New Year’s Eve, that is.

I’ve done it all, I think. At first it was those party-hearty New Year’s at a bar wearing a goofy hat. We then moved on to New Year’s with a group of friends that included nice clothes, good food, too much booze for our usual little-drinking selves. We’d wake up in the morning in our sleeping bags at the host’s house and take our amateur hangovers home with us. Next came our move to a house and then kids and we started hosting a neighborhood-wide New Year’s party. We’d roll up the living room rug and dance, kids would scamper up and down the stairs, no one would have to worry about driving home.

Then one New Year’s Day I woke up to a huge mess and decided I was done with that for a while. Worried about people just showing up on our doorstep, we grabbed the kids, a few other families, and took off for the beach as the sun went down. Appetizers, boxes of fire fuel, and blankets were trucked out of the cars and to a fire ring on the sand. It was a glorious way to spend New Year’s Eve night, ending with burning the previous year’s Christmas tree (I used this real-life experience in my book Must Love Mistletoe). We would get home way before midnight, but feel we’d done something special. It became our new tradition.

But then we were rained out one year. The next everyone had a bad cold. And so we stayed home and did nothing two years running. And it was good. Very good.

Son 1 is talking about having a New Year’s gathering this year. Okay. I’ll vacuum, get the ice, stock up on sodas. But don’t count me in for the countdown. I have Maureen’s Beyond the Boardroom to read, as well as Susan’s The Unexpected Millionaire and her latest single title, Sizzling (I just bought it yesterday!). I’m planning on settling in my room with some cheese, crackers, white wine, and my books. Happy New Year to me, indeed.

What about you? What are your New Year’s Eve plans?

P.S. I have a book out too, and the title captures my current feelings about the date--it's called Not Another New Year's. I tried to upload a cover image, but blogger has foiled me again! I hope you'll look for it.

Friends

2006-12-28T08:02:00.000-08:00

Posted by Susan

I was in the grocery store this past Tuesday morning. It was quiet and empty, with everyone else waiting for Target or the Hallmark store to open to get the half-priced Christmas items. I turned a corner and there it was… The half-priced candy display.

Years ago, when I lived in Houston, I met a writer named Heather. She is one of those people who is just plain annoying—beautiful, smart, nice, friendly. You know—perfect. I was doubtful about us ever being friends, because of the whole perfection thing, when she confessed her favorite days of the year were the day after Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter, because candy was half off!! I knew then that Heather and I could seriously bond, despite the perfection issue.

Seeing the candy display made me laugh and think of Heather. Just like when I see a, um, less than tall person trying to reach the top shelf in a store, I think of Terry. I always offer to help, because of her. I think of Maureen and her beloved Abbey whenever I see a Golden Retriever, or a lab, or any large, blond dog who is adorable. I think of Chris when I hear someone mention Arkansas or any sentence with the word “waning” in it.

Christie is my “beach” girl and Kate brings to mind the fabulous wine we’ll share at conference. (We plan ahead, picking restaurants based on the wine list.)

At the year comes to a close, I wanted to take a moment and think about the friends in my life. Christina is always practical, Suzanne knows my real insanity. There are others, those who make up the colors in the fabric of my life.

For me, life is about those we love. I have been blessed with great friends and I am grateful. Here’s to a new year with more adventures and lots of happiness, health and success.

So who are the special friends in your life and why?

Woman vs Computer

2006-12-27T08:49:00.000-08:00

posted by Maureen

Christmas is over and I’m back at work. Yep, took a few days off to do the baking and cleaning and the in general cooking required by the holiday and an imminent family invasion.

But all that’s behind me, now. Today, I’m jumping back into my nearly finished book. But to do it, I’ve got to get past my computer.

The computer’s a wonderful thing, I know. Sure, I had to be dragged, kicking and screaming into computer world...I was loathe to give up my typewriter. It was a comfort zone thing. And hey, the old typewriter didn’t have a mind of its own.

My computer does. And worse yet, it’s a male mind. How do I know my laptop is male? The signs are all there.

First, it takes forever to get up and get going. As any woman will tell you, making her man move is a challenge. My computer sighs and groans and is doing imaginary stretches while it eases into action.

Second, when I want it to do more than one thing at a time, it STOPS. That’s right. Like every other male, it has to take a minute to think things over before leaping into action. If it was a female computer, it would be great at multi-tasking.

Third, it blips out all these weird-ass warning notes. Big red X’s with things like this computer is very tired of your interference and will now stop remembering anything. The messages don’t make sense at all. It’s a power play, with the computer trying to remind me who’s in charge.

Fourth, the battery life is pitiful! Bought a new battery six months ago and already, it’s down to lasting a couple of hours before it’s tired. Needs a nap. If this was a female computer, that battery would be going strong all night and when it did need recharging, it would apologize!

So, the war between me and the computer is raging on. But no worries here...I know who’s in charge. And it doesn’t matter to me how many times the laptop makes document changes. Or exchanges my dotted line page break for a solid one. I don’t care if it insists on changing my margins and tab settings.

I will overcome all obstacles.

I am Writer.

Hear me roar.

What's your current irritation?? Come on, let's gripe together..........

Writers Need to Know...

2006-12-26T08:10:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

A lot. Too much.

Which is why I can’t even remember how I got along without the internet. I know, know. Much of the info online is suspect. Take Wikipedia. Great stuff there. But you have to keep in mind that anyone can add onto any page at any time. Yes, Wikipedia has people fact-checking constantly, to be sure any given page hasn’t been maliciously falsified. But still…

You have to be careful out there.

I am. Honestly. I try to check and cross-check any info I'm going to put in a book and call a fact. Still, I know stuff gets by me. Sorry, I do my best to get it right. But it’s the nature of the beast that now and then we stumble.

And you know what? Even with the above caveat, I’m still in love with the things I can find out online. I have a folder in my Favorites links devoted to Research and Reference. That folder has a hundred addresses of places online to find out stuff. That folder should be better organized.

One of these days… (hah!)

And my Research and Reference folder isn’t the half of it. Every book I write gets a Favorites folder and then there are sub-folders within the main folder. For Settings and Flora and Fauna, for information about my hero or heroine’s profession, for things like how to kill someone with digoxin or Spanish slang and idioms. It’s all quite dizzying.

And wonderful!

And my very favorite research sites—I mean aside from the basics like Ask.com and Wikipedia and About.com?

The ones about time and the phases of the moon. I love this site: Complete Sun and Moon Data for One Day. You go there, you fill in the blanks, you can find out sunset and sunrise anyplace in the world on any given day. And the phases of the moon on that day. I love the whole moon phase thing. Sorry. Just do. It’s something I really need to know so my H/h can look up in the sky and see the moon as it really is in that place. On that day.

Weird? Maybe. But all writers have their weirdnesses and this is one of mine.

Love this one, too: http://www.timeanddate.com Tells me the time and date—right now—anywhere in the world. I need to know that! I really, really do.

And there’s my friend, Betty Sanders, a member of my local RWA chapter. She keeps a blog that’s a…reference of reference sites. Everyone needs that. So here you go: http://bettysanders.blogspot.com/

What about you? Favorite info sites I should know about? Share, share!

Merry Christmas to All!!

2006-12-25T08:50:00.000-08:00

Two things I'm eternally grateful for this Christmas:

1. The best family in the world, and
2. The fact that Blogger allowed me to post these pictures! *g*

These are some goofy and charming photos of me and some of the fam on Christmas Eve.

I sincerely hope to post some shots of the aftermath later today. It won't be pretty!
Meanwhile, featured in these pictures are my darling, talented niece, Dandelion, and my handsome, brilliant nephew, Spartacus. (Their names have been changed to protect their identities.) (The green scarves they're wearing are part of their costumes from the Christams play they performed on Christmas Eve.)

Also, captured on camera are two brothers, Tim and Jim (aka The Great Jimmy) and Pammy (Tim's wife) and of course, The Mother of Us All.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from my family to yours!!

Cheers!!

Merry Merry!

2006-12-23T18:16:00.000-08:00

posted by Maureen

Just stopped in to say, whatever Holiday you're celebrating, I wish you joy!

And may the New Year bring you everything you dream of.....

Successful Getaway

2006-12-22T07:58:00.000-08:00

Surfer Guy and I went away for the first time alone since our kids were born. I told that to several people while we were gone (for a mere two days)—well, I told it to everyone I met, it was that much on my mind!—and Surfer Guy kept denying it. No, no, he said, we’ve been away before.

Um, no. Never together. He’s gone on surfing or ski trips. I’ve been to writer’s conferences or on girls’ getaways. Last summer Son 1 stayed home for one night alone before I came back from the RWA conference in Atlanta, but Son 2 was with Surfer Guy. Before we left on this trip, I was a little concerned. What if we had nothing to say to each other? What if we were bored without some child complaining about being bored?

Well, not to worry. We had a fab time. Maybe it was Malibu. It was cold, but so clear that you could pick out each grain of sand. We stayed on the beach both nights. Right on the beach. The first night we stayed in the “John Travolta suite” at the only B&B on Carbon Beach…aka Billionaire’s Beach. Apparently John spent three months in the same room we were in after he made his first movie. There’s a photo of him in the room holding the owner’s cat. The next night we stayed up the beach aways…again right on the sand, again, with a fireplace and the sound of the surf soothing us all night long.

We walked along the beach, hiked into the canyons, shopped at the surf stores (Surfer Guy loved that, natch), gawked at the incredible homes. The owner of the B&B, Charlou, 86 years young, drove us up to an overlook so we could check out Mel Gibson’s complex and Britney Spears’s house. But we never spotted one celebrity (unless dolphins at dawn count). That was okay. It was novel enough that we were together alone.

And did I mention this? My next three books are set in Malibu! We’ll be going back for more “research.”

Do you have a particularly memorable vacation or getaway? Now that I’ve done this once, I’m thinking I can tear myself away from the kids again and so I need ideas!

Happy holidays from me and my dog

2006-12-21T06:44:00.000-08:00

Posted by Susan

I had big plans to post a picture of Nikki, possibly the world’s cutest dog, in antlers or a Santa hat. Unfortunately I couldn’t find either that even came close to fitting her. Sometimes it’s hard being small.

I was feeling kind of bad about not getting her a Christmas outfit, but then I remembered that she hates to wear clothes. The reality is despite being small and adorable, Nikki is all dog. She chews, she loves to play, food is her life, she has gas. There is nothing delicate about her. She also has a really big heart and is happy to share it with the world. In fact she has an excellent philosophy that is especially suited for this special time of year.

The rules, according to Nikki…

Assume everyone new is your life is the most interesting, exciting, thrilling person you’ll ever meet. You’ll be impressed by how often they’ll rise to match your expectations.

Exercise is fun. Sometimes racing up and down the stairs for no reason really adds some sparkle to a day.

Food *is* love and that’s okay. It means we get to experience love three or eight or twelve times a day!

Play hard. Life is short. Spend time doing what you really like.

Take time to soak up the sun. There are few things more relaxing than dozing in a warm, sunny spot while the rest of the world goes by.

Kiss a lot! Give kisses, get kisses. Kissing makes everyone feel better.

Love your family. They’re special. They’re the best part of who you are.

Happy holidays to you. May you and your experience all the blessings of this holiday season.

Christmas Quests

2006-12-20T07:39:00.000-08:00

posted by Maureen

You know the drill. Your kid has the ONE THING they want more than anything else. The ONE THING they won’t be able to live without. And damned if you’re not determined to make that wish come true on Christmas morning!

For me one year, it was Cabbage Patch kids. I swear to you, I was like a crazy person. I followed tips. I eavesdropped on private conversations in long lines. I interrogated stock clerks. It was the suburban version of the CIA. I made late night phone calls and was the first one in line in front of Toys R Us nearly every morning that December.

It had become a mission. My neighbor Gerri and I would load her youngest into the car as soon as the other kids were in school and start off fresh every morning. We BOTH wanted to find those dolls to keep Santa’s rep in good shape. And on one of our treks, we struck GOLD. That’s right. Waiting in line at Toys R Us, with the people we’d become very close to (after all, we’d been lining up with them for two weeks now, every day), we found out the store had received a shipment.

D DAY. (Doll Day) We geared up. We belted tiny, two year old Erin into the shopping cart so we wouldn’t tip her out on our mad dash down the aisles. When the doors opened, the stampede started. It was crazed. It was dangerous. It was every mom for herself. Tenuous new friendships dissolved. We became enemies on a battlefield. We pushed and shoved and Gerri maneuvered the cart to cut in front of two particularly frenzied mothers.

With her distraction, I took off like I was on fire. Easily outpacing shorter, less determined mothers, I took an early lead. Flying down aisles, I leapt over tricycles like a decathlon champ. I heard Gerri shouting encouragement and over the loudspeaker, the manager was trying to bring order into the chaos.

But I wouldn’t be stopped. I raced down the Barbie aisle and paid no attention to the sports cars and Malibu mansions. I never glanced at the teddy bears staring blankly at me. I skidded around the end cap near the baby doll section and nearly knocked myself out on a display of metal fire trucks. By this time, Gerri was catching up, still pushing Erin around like she was in a shopping cart Indy 500.

And THERE THEY WERE. Thirty of ‘em. Count ‘em, THIRTY CPK’s, all staring at us with their glassy little eyes and cheerful little faces. Winded, but victorious, Gerri and I each picked out two dolls and left the other moms to fight it out amongst themselves for the leftovers.

Once we had the dolls and Erin back in the car, we headed out for coffee and doughnuts. (We’d used up a lot of calories, okay?) And right about then is when we discovered we had a spy in our ranks and a whole new problem. Erin, a sweet two year old who hadn’t said a word all morning now cried, “I WANT ALL MY BABIES!”

We spent the next two weeks shrugging and saying, I don’t know, whenever one of the kids would demand to know what babies Erin kept whining about. It was a long two weeks, but it was worth it. And the memories still make me smile.

This year, may each of your Christmas Quests be fulfilled. May you find happiness and joy everywhere you look. May your Holiday, whichever one you celebrate, bring you the kind of special magic we all look for in this wonderful season. And may you create the kind of memories that will always make you smile...

I'm Fine. Really. Just Terrific...

2006-12-19T06:50:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

Don’t look at that picture on the left. That’s not really me. Honest.

Just because I have a December 28th deadline? As in three days after Christmas. You think that fazes me in the least?

Oh, no. Uh-uh. I’m just dandy here in Oklahoma. Just fine. Superb. Magnifique.

And we all know I've done all I can to minimize the holiday challenges this year. You know more than you ever wanted to about the way I decorated. The cutting back. The going for minimalist. It helped--my stress level, I mean. But you know, it’s really not a good idea to set up a deadline of 12/28. Not if you celebrate Christmas, anyway.

There are simply too many fun and distracting things to do during the holidays. We’ve been to parties. We gave one last Friday night. A Cranium party. Picture Trivial Pursuit with crafts and charades. That’s Cranium. I cooked nothing. Bought various finger foods from the local La Baguette and put them on my own plates. We had plenty of champagne. I played my favorite Christmas CDs. It was so fun. I want to do it again. Maybe tonight. Forget my page goals for tomorrow...

Also, I blew off an afternoon’s work last week so that Hunky Mensa Man could take me out with him to pick out my Christmas gift. Yes. I confess. I’m one of those women. Especially when diamonds are involved, I want to pick it out myself. And I did. It’s under the tree as I write this. I love thinking about how, in just a few days, I’ll be wearing it.

In fact, I love thinking about my bling more than my book right now. I am so bad, I just can’t stand it.

Cranium, anyone?

And what in your life gets back-burnered this time of year?

Oh, and if you haven’t already, vote for Kate, who is sizzling hot and doing us all proud as she continues to move up in RT’s American Title competition! Scroll down to read her entry’s synopsis. And for voting made easy, click on the Vote for Kate button to the right.

If it's Monday, American Title Results Are In!!!

2006-12-18T05:58:00.000-08:00

That's right, it’s American Title Monday and that means I can finally reveal the results …

I made it through to Round Three!!! Woo hoo!!!

And oh YES, it’s time to VOTE again!!!

But first, I have to thank everyone for voting for me in Round Two, so Thanks, everyone!! Honestly, I’m shocked and thrilled that I’ve made it this far because I’m up against some fierce and talented competitors.

Now, the easiest way to vote for me is to click the button over there on the sidebar, the one that says "Vote For Kate!!!" Yes, that’s the one! Click on it, and it takes you to an email form that's all filled out and ready to go. Just hit “SEND,” and that's it! I can wait here while you vote ... hmm-de-dum ... hey, see how easy and fast that was? *g*

Okay, thanks again for voting and for spreading the word to all your friends!!

This month, your vote will determine the “Best Story Summary.” Here's my entry...

Gracie Sinclair is Librarian and Book Curator for a small, prestigious university. When she finds an antique French version of the Kama Sutra in a used book store, she’s stunned by the erotic drawings and her fantasies sparkle to life. Just once, she’d love to have a fling, but wild and willing men are scarce in her world. Her girlfriends recommend an intriguing online dating service and Gracie decides to join.

Seventy-two hours later, the biggest, baddest, sexiest man she’s ever seen shows up at the Library, and he’s not there to check out a book.

Cane Winslow has emerged from deep cover to salvage a critical overseas mission after a photograph of their most secret operative’s twin sister turns up on a monitored internet site. If the enemy finds the sexy Librarian before Cane does, Gracie could be killed in retaliation, Cane’s operative assassinated, and years of intelligence destroyed.

Gracie realizes she’s truly in danger and accompanies Cane, despite one little problem – she doesn’t have a sister.

At Gracie’s house, they surprise an intruder and find proof that the enemy has infiltrated Headquarters. Now Cane doesn’t know who to trust and he won’t risk Gracie’s safety by taking her to HQ. Gracie mentions her family’s isolated beach house and Cane agrees it’s a good hiding place.

In close quarters, with danger threatening, the tension builds until Cane and Gracie succumb to their overwhelming attraction and explore the dazzling rituals of the Kama Sutra. And vanquish the enemy, of course!

So, that's the condensed summary -- in less than 250 words! Not much room to mention any complicated plot twists! LOL. So now the question is ... what in the world will the judges have to say this month? Check out their comments and read all the entries at http://www.romantictimes.com/news_amtitle3.php

It’s the holiday season and everyone’s busy, so I truly appreciate you taking the time to vote! And again, if you have an extra minute, spread the word and tell all your friends to vote, too!! I need all the help I can get!!!

Happy Holidays!

Great Read!

2006-12-16T16:40:00.000-08:00

Posted by Susan

For the record, the weather in Seattle has been wildly unpleasant! I have lived in windy places before, but I've never experienced anything like this in my life!! It was a major storm last Thursday night, and scary. We were one of the lucky ones. Only lost power and a few trees and none hit the house. Hank, our coffee drinking bear carving, was attacked by a falling tree. Until we get the tree cut up and taken away, I can't tell if he's injured.

All is well now. We have power and for the record, I love electricity. It's a marvelous invention!!

But enough of that. I wanted to post about Christie's book, which I read right before the storm. It's fabulous!! Sooooooo fun and Christmas-y and very, very sexy!

I loved everything about it. I love the characters, the setting, the secondary love story. Bailey is a great heroine--just one of those characters who comes alive from the first page. Finn is incredibly hot and dangerous and sexy and emotionally wounded. Talk about an impossible-to-resist combination! It was a totally yummy read. I can't recommend it enough! It's great for the season and to give as a gift. ;)

I Like Paul Walker....

2006-12-16T07:54:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

He always seems so sincere.
And, in this case, wet.
And wet is always good. :)

Great Expectations

2006-12-15T07:40:00.000-08:00

Today is the last day of school before Christmas vacation. And boy, have my kids earned time off, especially Son 2. He started high school this year and in his Honors English class they’ve been reading Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. Parents were encouraged to read along with them, as the teacher acknowledged it was a challenging book for kids of this age.

Uh, yeah.

It was challenging for me, and I was an English major in college, I’ve read other works by Dickens, including A Tale of Two Cities, and I’m a very good reader. Not only does Great Expectations have a long cast of characters, but more than one character is not well-educated and speaks in a sort of dialect. For example, right away a man is demanding “wittles,” his pronunciation of “vittles.” And that’s one of the easier to decipher.

Don’t get me started on how the testing for this book was conducted in their class. Suffice to say that these kids who had tested into the honors track came out of the first exam with mostly Ds and Fs. But they kept on reading and kept on testing and I kept on encouraging. There were times Son 2 would read aloud a passage and ask me what it meant and I had absolutely no idea. Even when I went back to it in context, I couldn’t be entirely sure. And so I grumbled (silently) to myself about this literature choice while aloud I just told him to keep on keeping on.

And then it came to the last 100 pages. “It’s getting good now,” my student said. By this time, the cast of characters were familiar, the mysteries were being solved one by one, and there was a sense of impending threat. Pip’s life was almost taken, it looked as if the girl was gone for good, and on behalf of his “benefactor” there was an exciting attempt at escape on the Thames River.

When Son 2 turned the last page, he looked up. “I think that’s the best book I’ve ever read.”

Wow.

I still think it’s a lot to bite off for freshmen. And perhaps there are some better ways to ease them into the story. But to Mr. Charles Dickens…my hat is off. Dude, you’re still relevant.

Do you have a book you thought you wouldn’t enjoy, but then ended up loving? It doesn’t have to be a classic!

Resolutions...or not

2006-12-14T07:02:00.000-08:00

Posted by Susan

I’m thinking about resolutions. Some years I don’t bother. I know things are going to be crazy and I hate setting myself up to fail, so I just ignore them. I’ve done that for the past couple of years, which turned out to be a very wise decision. But I’m thinking this year is different. Resolutions might not be a bad idea. So here’s my tentative list…

Come up with a book idea a week. I was listing to National Public Radio last Sunday and there was an interview with a singer/song writer who wrote songs about 52 different things in a year. Obviously it’s a lot more work to write a song, which had words and music, than just come up with a book idea. The fact that he did this will inspire me.

Five fruits and vegetables a day. I’m not foolish enough to want to talk about dieting. Oh, please. But more healthy is good. I’ve learned I can’t just say “I’ll eat more healthy” because without specifics, nothing much happens. So I have a real number. Five.

Read a non-fiction book a month. There are so many out there on everything from writing craft to business to history. So I’m going to pick one a month and read it.

Attend RWA meetings. Up here in Seattle there are three local chapters of Romance Writers of America. Three chances a month to attend a meeting and hang out with authors, talk the business and be social. I’ve had the excuse of moving, settling in, the holidays, etc., but excuse time is over.

Okay—and here’s the really hard one…take 45 minutes a day for me. I tried for an hour, but I started getting shaky at the thought, so I’m going with 45 minutes. 45 minutes of taking a bath or listening to a relaxation tape or getting a pedicure or reading a book I want to read, or sitting outside and doing nothing. No lists, no returns calls, no schedule whatever workman is currently needed. Just time for me.

There they are. My five resolutions. I’ll let you know how I’m doing as the year progresses.

So what about you? Resolutions yes or no? And if yes, what are a few?

Movies Help To Make The Season Bright!

2006-12-13T08:52:00.000-08:00

posted by Maureen

We’ve probably talked about this already, but hey, it’s Christmas and this is one of my favorite parts of the season! Usually, I watch my favorites while I'm wrapping or decorating the tree or just trying to find the holiday spirit if I happen to be lacking!

There are a few movies that are ‘must watch’ in my house. Like for example, It’s a Wonderful Life. Yeah, I know, they rerun it so often, some people feel that the magic is gone. But not me. It’s a nice little reminder that no matter how bad things look, LIFE is good!

Then there's A Christmas Story, because it's fun to watch a kid pining for his heart's desire and then finally receive it. Makes you remember that the holiday season really is about the kids in your life. (Besides, I tend to identify with Ralphie's father, the Swear Word King!)

Then there's the Santa Clause, which I absolutely watch a couple of times during the season. I'm nuts about Santa's house and daydream about having an Elf named Bernard to get everything organized as it should be!

I love to watch the old, original black and white A Christmas Carol with Alastair Sim because the shadows and grim settings are a perfect rendition of a Victorian Christmas. Then there's Love Actually........what a great character study of new love, old love and unrequited love, all built around our favorite time of year.

But my favorite I think, is While You Were Sleeping. Who hasn't felt as alone as Lucy from time to time? And seeing her find her prince always makes me smile...

With my DVD player happily spinning, I can get into the spirit even when I’m feeling less than holiday like. These movies and a few others are like old friends I visit with once a year and when they’re in the room with me, they remind me just how magical this season is.

What are your favorites??

The Joy Thing...

2006-12-12T07:16:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

This is me, slaving away on my latest--which just happens to be due 12/28. Can you hear me screaming? That smile is actually a rictus of pure terror. Oh, yeah.

But even for a writer facing a crushing deadline during the holidays, there are bright and shining moments of pure joy. A couple of examples...

I cut back my decorating this year. No light-bedecked garlands dripping with holiday florals and shiny decorations. Only a tasteful wreath on the front door--no light display. We do have a tree and I piled four boxes of shiny red balls into this bowl you see here. I just love it. It's so...shiny and red. Every time I look at it...you guessed it:

JOY!

And then there's this picture, taken by a lovely lady who goes to all the University of Oklahoma football games with the band. That's the J in the middle, hands up, mouth open in a JOYous shout. This was the moment they won the game against arch-rivals, Oklahoma State. I adore this picture. All of it. the girl on the cell phone, the kid beside the J holding up his clarinet almost reverently, the laughingly JOYous girl in the front. Every time I look at this photo, it brings a smile.

So. What about you? What brings you joy--in this holiday season, or any time?

The Perfect Stocking Stuffer!

2006-12-11T05:54:00.000-08:00

Posted by Kate

One week from today, the world will know which six finalists made it to Round Three of the American Title III Contest. I’m so on edge, I can barely type the words!!

As many of you know, my entry in the ATIII contest is The Kama Sutra Chronicles. I like to think it’s funny, sexy, suspenseful, and a fun, fast read. The one thing my book has never had is a paranormal theme.

Until now.

That’s right, paranormal is hot! So I’ve decided to spice up my hero and heroine and give them a touch more bite. Oh, it’s going to be sweet! And I’m going to change the name just slightly. I think you’ll like it.

I’m calling it The Cookie Sutra Chronicles!!

First there were vampires, then came werewolves, shapeshifters and demons. And now, just when you thought it was safe to go back into the kitchen ... aaarrgh!! Look out for the Gingerbread People!

Check this out! The Cookie Sutra is the cutest book and a perfect stocking stuffer! It combines the wit and wisdom of the ancient Kama Sutra with, you know, a gingerbread recipe. It's the perfect gift for the romance writing baker on your list!
The full title is The Cookie Sutra: An Ancient Treatise: that Love Shall Never Grow Stale. Nor Crumble, by Edward Jaye. I've already ordered my copy! And I'm sending thanks to my American Title III buddy, Jenny Gardiner, for the heads up on a book that could revolutionize my writing--and baking--style.

Yes, I'm a little crazy, but this holiday season will do that to you!

So ... what's cooking with you? Have you moved into holiday baking mode yet? Are you finished with your shopping? Need a stocking stuffer? *g*

Book News From Fan Girl!!!!

2006-12-10T12:46:00.000-08:00

Posted by Fan Girl!

Sorry Fan Girl is a little late to the blog but it turns out, Fan Girl is a fan of margaritas, too! Whoopie!! Is the room spinning??

Oops, let's not talk about Fan Girl's issues. Let's get right to the latest exciting book news!!

First, run, don't walk--oh, just get in the car and drive!--to your local bookstore and pick up a copy of Maureen Child's latest Silhouette Desire, Beyond the Boardroom, the final book in the Elliott family saga!

And HUGE news!! Maureen's Beyond the Boardroom is NUMBER ONE on Waldenbooks' Bestseller List this week!!! Woo hoo!! Fan Girl has three words for you: don't miss it!! Trust Fan Girl, she's already read her copy and she can guarantee it's fabulous!!

And while you're at the bookstore, here's another absolute must-buy!! The Unexpected Millionaire, Susan Mallery's second book in her Million Dollar Catch series for Silhouette Desire, is available now!!

This series is Susan's first ever for Silhouette Desire and The Unexpected Millionaire hit Number Three on Waldenbooks' Bestseller List!!! Is Susan HOT or what? Yeah!!

Fan Girl thinks her Deadline Diaries girlfriends are so hot, they're on fire!! She knows you'll think so, too!!

This Saturday, the Seasonal Hunk....

2006-12-09T09:46:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

See? All he wants for Christmas...is you!

Love a man who's got his priorities in order.

Decorating the tree today. In spite of all my previous Scroogieness, I'm having a ball.

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Shopaholic and Sister-in-Law

2006-12-08T07:23:00.000-08:00

On Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), I had the intense pleasure of going shopping with my sister-in-law and my niece. Oh, the joy! Surfer Guy doesn’t shop. Son 1 and Son 2 think shopping means Mom has puts new clothes in your room and you try them on and tell your personal shopper (Mom) what works and what doesn’t. Not a one of them wants to browse, to feel, to sniff new perfumes. And it’s hard to coordinate shopping trips with my girlfriends—many of whom have daughters to shop with and so don’t need me to get their mall fix.

But with my favorite family girls in town, and with the guys occupied playing with the Wii and putting up the Christmas lights, I hit the stores with my female posse and happiness in my heart. I never stop at perfume counters, but my 21-year-old niece wanted to, and so we did. Because my sister-in-law had a yen, we went into a cool stationery store where I would never have shopped on my own. I walked out with several gifts.

We tried on jeans together in a tiny dressing room (niece is a size 2, sister-in-law a size 4, but I didn’t think about that) so we could get on to more shopping quicker and also be right there to critique style and fit. We all bought a pair of pants. Together, we agonized in the Nordstrom shoe department about which pair of Ugg boots my niece should get for Christmas. She had her heart set on a particular style until another caught my eye…and then hers. Now why did I feel so happy when she went with my favorite pair?

Finally, we even browsed the kiosks. I never do that, but my sister-in-law and niece are more adventurous. I ended up with a great hat for my mother-in-law (a straw-like sunhat that folds into a convenient shape, perfect for storing in the boat) and then…

My sister-in-law and I both bought these scarf-covered headbands. There was a big picture of Lindsay Lohan wearing one and it looked so hip! We tried several on and kept telling each other we also looked hip in them and could think of dozens of places they’d be convenient to wear. And they were on sale, the final trigger. Two for $7.

That night, when we got home, we told the (mostly) uninterested males about our shopping success. My brother, more used to the shopping talk, nodded his head a few times. Surfer Guy made martinis. The sons and nephew kept playing with the Wii. And then, after dinner, we all sat around our coffee table to play Texas Hold ‘Em. There was nothing at stake (except pride) and Son 1 and my nephew put on their shades and lowered their ballcaps in order to hide their poker tells. My sister-in-law and I decided to put on our new matching headbands, because, well, Texas Hold ‘Em is hip and so were we. Right?

Right. Until my brother looked over. Rubbed his chin as he surveyed our Lindsay Lohan coolness. And said…

“Why are you two dressed up like Rhoda Morgenstern?”*

So DD Shopaholic Tip #2 (#1 was the Target T-shirt, remember?): Those scarf-covered headbands look cooler in the kiosk than they do on your head.

So tell me, who is your favorite shopping companion? Do you have someone you enjoy shopping with or do you like to browse by yourself?

* Remember her from the old Mary Tyler Moore show and her own spinoff sitcom? I tried to upload an image of her and Blogger would not cooperate.

Bad hair day

2006-12-07T06:51:00.000-08:00

Posted by Susan

I’m having a hair crisis. I realize that compared with the really big stuff going on in the world, “crisis” is probably an exaggeration, but it’s been on my mind.

Currently, I’m hating my hair. This is a fairly common thing for me. The curls…big yuck. I always wanted long, straight hair. At this point, I would accept something short and fluffy, but cute. But the curls are a nightmare. It’s like the tightest perm ever, in the history of the universe. A perm than never, ever grows out. It’s also really fine. I have a ton of hair but the individual strands are not meaty.

I confess I’m really lazy when it comes to my hair. I’m not wild about the idea of having to blow it straight every day, after my shower, then use a bunch of other tools and product to get it all fluffy and cute. Plus, we’re now living in Seattle. Not exactly the place to avoid humidity. Still, my current routine takes all of…45 seconds. So I should be willing to put in a little more time.

In truth, I have to do something. My hair is nearly to my shoulders and heading toward that unfortunate “yield sign” shape. If I knew someone fabulous to cut my hair I would be willing to risk something new, but fabulous stylists are very hard to find. I tend to walk away disappointed.

I changed the color a few months back. Went darker. The blond was too challenging with my skin color. I was starting to fade away. Now I’m kind of a medium brown and it’s much kinder to my skin.

So I’m at a loss. Any suggestions? More highlights? Shorter? Sacrifice my free time and blow dry every day? I want to hear if you hate your hair, too. We’ll form a club!

Shameless Self Promotion

2006-12-06T08:42:00.000-08:00

posted by Maureen

My December Desire, BEYOND THE BOARDROOM is out on the shelves now, so I thought I’d blog about it for a little self promotion!

And speaking of promotion, (how’s THAT for a segue??) I took an online PR course not long ago, given by the Orange County Chapter of RWA. Our teacher was Louise Knott Ahearn and let me tell you, that woman is brilliant! Most writers are, like me, a little publicity challenged. We don’t tend to think of great marketing ideas or ways to get our books and our names out in front of people. In Louise’s online class though, we learned so much it was amazing! She’ll be giving that class again in 07, so if you get the chance to take it, do yourself a favor and sign up!

Anyway, back to BEYOND THE BOARDROOM...if I do say so myself, it’s a terrific story. Funny, sexy and fast paced, I think you’ll love it! Here’s a teaser...

Everything changed the night that executive assistant Rachel Adler indulged her fantasy and slept with her boss. Shane Elliott was better than any dream, but having gone to bed with the executive, Rachel knew she could no longer work with Shane.

Engaged in a battle to control his family's empire, Shane would not accept her notice. Rachel was his right-hand woman--he needed her. And after their incredible night together, he wanted her. The millionaire magazine scion had gotten everything he'd ever wanted. But could he get Rachel in his boardroom…and his bedroom?

Nothin' like a Christmas Song...

2006-12-05T06:41:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

It’s that time of year again. You know what I mean. We’ve been discussing the season at length here on DD. Ho-ho-ho and all that jazz.

Here in Sooner country, our local pop radio station, 104.7 on your dial, switches to all-Christmas-all-the-time the week of Thanksgiving. And I listen. Oh, yes, I do. I can’t wait to get in the car between November 20th and New Years’ Day. A bounty of Christmas is right there, waiting for me with the punch of a button, and maybe a slight adjustment of the volume dial.

See, I like it loud. Very loud. And it’s not like I don’t get plenty of Yule sounds at home. I’ve been collecting Christmas music since the J was born. As of today, I’ve got 28 Christmas albums, total, in two formats; CD and cassette. I’m loathe to ditch the cassettes, since I’m afraid I won’t find these treasures again. So the holidays are also the one time of year when my old-as-the-J cassette player gets a workout. We are talking the classics, here, folks: Burl Ives’s Have a Holly Jolly Christmas, Willy Nelson’s Pretty Paper and Elvis’s Blue Christmas. How am I going to say goodbye to those?

You guessed it. I’m not!

Plus, every year, I feel it’s my holiday duty to add one more great CD to my collection. Last year it was Diana Krall’s Christmas Songs. Amazing. And this year it’s Bette Midler’s Cool Yule. Love it! I try to hold it to just one a year and I’ve already got Bette…

But.

So I’m driving in my car with the radio on full blast and here comes that Christmas Song that reduces me to a blubbering mass of holiday tears. The Christmas Shoes by Newsong. Heard that one? Don’t listen without a box of Kleenex. I warn you.

In case you’ve missed it, a little boy is buying the perfect shoes for his dying mama. He wants “her to be beautiful. If Mama meets Jesus tonight.” Oh, God. Can you spell s-o-b-b-i-n-g? Because I was. I do. Every time I hear that song. I drive with the tears just running down my face.

No, that poor little boy doesn’t have enough money to pay for them, and yes, the holiday-hardened singer ends up putting his money down so the kid can give his mama her Christmas Shoes… Okay. I need that one. I really, really do….

How ‘bout you? A favorite Christmas song? An album you recommend?

And for your further Christmas pleasure, both Maureen and Susan have Desires on the stands right now.

Check it out at Amazon

Check it out at Amazon

Dear Diary, I'm On Deadline!

2006-12-04T06:08:00.000-08:00

Posted by Kate

For the first time in years, I didn't enter RWA's Golden Heart contest.

I admit I was happy and looking forward to cruising through the holidays with plenty of time to shop and feast and enjoy the company of my friends and family instead of my usual pattern of frantically writing and re-writing and polishing manuscripts to send off before the December 10th deadline, after which I would crawl to my couch, a shell of my former self, broken and drained and suffering a mini-breakdown complicated by bronchitis or worse.

Ah, those were good days.

But really, I was hoping I might avoid all that this year.

But guess what? I'm on Deadline, people!!!

It's my own fault, really. This deadline is self-imposed. Am I insane? Maybe. But what could I do? I want to sell some books before I die!

So the week before Thanksgiving, I set up a writing schedule with two deadlines. One was to get a 100-page partial out by December 1, and the other was to finish a rewrite of a full manuscript by December 18.

I made that December 1 deadline and it felt really great! And no mini-breakdown! Woo hoo! (And many thanks to Susan and Maureen, my nags--er, my idols!)

Now I'm busting my butt--and fingers and eyeballs and back--to get the second book out by December 18. This will pretty much ruin any chances I might've had of spending quality Christmas shopping time with the rest of the thundering hordes out at the malls. So, thanks to Michele Cwiertny, I found this great gift online. Everybody on my Christmas list is getting one.

The small picture doesn't fully convey the wonder of this gift. It's called "WWBD" or "What Would Bacon Do?"

It's a folder you can use for papers for a business meeting or a class at school. The dial is a piece of bacon you spin when you have a question or get bored during the meeting. Possible answers include "Smoke!" "Taste Good!" "Boycott Tofu!" I'm thinking I might make up my own answers. Oh yes, I'm getting one for myself, too!

My family is going to be so excited with this gift! And I'll be able to make my deadline! It's going to be a very merry Christmas at my house!!!

So, all you Deadline veterans, any suggestions on how to work through the holidays without going insane? And how about gifts? Can you help me find some more great gifts online? I mean, in case they run out of Bacon Folders??

Sometimes Just the Eyes and the Mouth Will Do It...

2006-12-02T12:46:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

But just in case they don't, I'm including your regular hot, wet guy!

It's My Party...

2006-12-01T07:07:00.000-08:00

…and I’ll bake if I want to!

I’m throwing a party tonight. I’ve been preparing for days, making lists, checking them twice, thrice, four times. Counting RSVPs, counting again, looking around my house and wondering how best to accommodate the group. Surfer Guy, still recovering from his recent surgery, is doing what he can, but no heavy lifting and he needs to be flat on his back a lot of the time. Still, he’s able to wonder aloud do we actually need this much food?

What’s a hostess to do? I’m only comfortable if I have plenty. So I made two ziti casseroles, two macaroni-and-cheese casseroles (it’s a comfort food Christmas party, obviously), two huge salads (one spinach, one regular), garlic bread, and…

…three cakes. Carrot cake, sherry cake, and an old-fashioned cake with white layers and chocolate frosting. Is it too much?

Maybe, but I used my secret weapon, the Cake Mix Doctor’s cookbook. All the recipes start with a store-bought cake mix and go from there. They turn out wonderful and don’t look or taste like a cake mix cake once you’re done. Even the carrot cake is easy, which is saying a lot. (I’ve made it from scratch before and had that horrible moment when the layers fall apart as you try to remove them from the pan.)

I’ve still got cleaning to do and salad dressings to mix up, but the cooking and baking are done. It’s going to be a great party and it’s for a special group of people. The women are from my “moms” group. We all met when our kids were in kindergarten. We used to have coffee together once a month, then it was lunch, now it’s happy hour and the occasional party that includes the husbands. It was these women who were with me last Christmas on Coronado Island the night I started researching for my book that just came out, Must Love Mistletoe. We had a few cocktails, a few appetizers, and then took a walk to admire the tree at the Hotel Del Coronado. Tonight I’ll be handing out the book that came from that excursion as a party favor.

And Cady, you get a book too! Remember, I said I’d give away one of my books to a commenter from this week. It’s you! Go to my website and click on the e-mail link and send me your snail mail addy and I’ll get the book right out to you.

So tonight I’ll be partying with my friends and my cakes. Do you guys have any special party tips you can share? Recipes for cakes or cocktails? Tips on getting someone else to clean up tomorrow?

The snow thing...

2006-11-30T06:40:00.000-08:00

Posted by Susan

I have, at best, an uneasy relationship with snow. I grew up in Los Angeles, where there never is snow. Except for day trips to the mountains, I did not understand the phenomenon of snow in the wild.

Several years ago, I was asked to be part of a special project at Silhouette Books. They have a very popular series called Montana Mavericks. Different authors write different books and I wrote one called “Married in Whitehorn.” Married in Whitehorn came out as a 2 in 1 Special Edition with the title of A Montana Maverick Christmas.

I think there were 3 books in all, the first and last being full length and then the middle “Christmas” book being the 2 in 1. Anyway, I wrote my story, sent it in, got approval, went through the editing process, then continued on. In November of that year, the first book came out…written by our own Christine Rimmer. I distinctly remember lying down on the sofa, book in hand, prepared for several hours of fabulous reading pleasure. Chris is one of my favorite authors. I got about two chapters into the book before sitting upright, shrieking, terrifying the cat who had been, until that moment, blissfully sleeping on my stomach.

Did I mention these were *Montana Mavericks*???? Guess where they’re set. Uh huh. Montana. Around the holidays. When it’s…you got that right. Cold. As in very cold, as in snow. I was reading Chris’s book and there it was. The white stuff fallin’ down like—snow.

The shriek from my comfy position on a sofa in a townhouse not 2 blocks from the Pacific Ocean? I hadn’t put snow in my book. Swear to God. You can read the book yourself and see I’m not lying. No snow. Why? It *never* occurred to me. I hadn’t lived with snow, didn’t think of snow as happening in real life. Snow is something you see on TV or in the movies. The funny part—my editor was from upstate New York, my copy editor lived in Canada and no one noticed. The warmest thing my heroine ever put on was a sweater. I didn’t even get any reader mail. But still—I was humiliated.

Flash forward about 2 years. I’m asked to do another Montana Maverick holiday book. This one—Christmas in Whitehorn. By now, in my real life, I’m living in Eastern Washington State…oh, about 9 miles from the Idaho border. I’ve seen snow. Lived in it, shoveled it, hated it with an intensity that can only come from being snowed in on a day you really, really want to go to the mall.

Christmas in Whitehorn has plenty of snow. It had snow chains, ice, wind chill. I am redeemed as a writer and life goes on. Unfortunately our recent move to Seattle has been followed by a freakish November. After record breaking rain, we’ve had snow and ice, followed by record breaking lows. The above picture is not pulled off the internet. It’s my street. I took it from my front door Tuesday!

So what weather bloopers have you found in the books you read?

What's In a Name???

2006-11-29T08:38:00.000-08:00

posted by Maureen

So, I’m starting a new book and I’ve got Name The Characteritis.

And yes, I’m sure that’s a word. At least to writers. See, we’ve got to name all the people in the book. Even those with a walk-on role...(you know, the cute waitress or the lazy parking lot attendant or the snoring minister)... they’ve all got to have names. And you don’t want to have the hero named Jack and his friend named Jerry and his brother named Joe and the heroine named Josie.

Sigh. See where I’m going with this? You have to watch out for those pesky first initials. You don’t want three people with J names. It’ll get confusing for the writer, let alone the reader! And last names count, too. You can’t have the same initial there and if the last name has one syllable, you’ve got to try for a two syllable first name and what about a nickname? Is it a stupid one that embarrasses them or do they like it more than the real name and so on and so on...

So we pull out the Baby Names books. Or the phone books. Or we watch movies and read the credits. (There are some fairly oddball names in Hollywood, I’ve gotta say. But then again, hey. Hollywood.) I’ve used old pals from high school, grocery store checkers and my favorite Barrista. I’ve used my kids’ friends’ names and dead relatives. I put my mom and my aunt into almost every book and they love it. But there are soooo many names still to be decided.

THEN I discovered yes, The Internet! Turns out that finding names online can open up whole new avenues of Displacement Activity. For example...

On the Pagan Name Generator, My name becomes Devi Tiger Fairydust

In case I want to stop writing and become an evangelist, go here and I instantly become Reverend Royle La Carlson.

At the Fairy Name Generator, I am known as Columbine Goblinglitter. (did it HAVE to be litter?) Okey dokey.

And in the U.S. Name Generator, my Irish American name becomes Rachel Allison. Not bad and certainly better than Goblinglitter.

And just for fun, there’s the Prison Bitch Name Generator here And in the joint, I’m apparently known as Snaggle Tooth. Can you feel the magic???

But in the end, I’ve got to come up with faboo names for my people. Names that feel real to me. That seem to fit the character. Names that resonate with the reader enough that they’ll be remembered long after the book is finished and hopefully sitting on a keeper shelf... Think about it.

Rhett Butler, Roarke, Tucker Longstreet, Eve Dallas, Stephanie Plum, Scarlett O’Hara.

Great characters all, but what if they’d been named
Irving Butler, Ralph, John Shortroad, Dawn Houston, Jennifer Orange, Emerald O’Shaughnessy?

Not quite the same, are they?? So next time you read a great hero or heroine in your favorite book, take a moment and think about the poor writer who slaved for days to find just the right name.

What about Jeff? Have I used Jeff lately? Or Mike? Is Mike too boring? Maybe Michael. Or Miguel...sigh. HELP! Got any great names you’d like to share??? And hey, what’s YOUR Prison Bitch name???

The Animal in You and Me...

2006-11-28T06:46:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

Years, ago, when I lived in East Hollywood, I had a dear friend named Vilma who lived just across the courtyard from me. Vilma had this dog. I loved this dog. She was a miniature Dachshund and her name was Violet. What a gal, that Violet. She had the most intelligent big brown eyes and when she was your friend, well, she’d stick by your side no matter what.

Vilma, Violet and I had many amazing adventures out there in Hollywood. I won’t go into them here as I eventually have another point to make with this blog—I hope—but I will just say that Violet was not only wonderful, she pretty much ran the world in which she lived, inspiring my sister, Boo, (who also lived in our courtyard apartment complex at that time) to remark, “When I die I want to come back as Vilma’s dog.”

I remember thinking back then that it wouldn’t be bad at all to be Violet, smart and gorgeous and delicate and aristocratic with those eyes to die for…

But no. In the end, my real animal affinity is…okay. The picture gives me away, right?

I’m a raccoon.

In my heart, deep down where I live in my fantasies and my own private nature, I’m a raccoon. Somehow, I am always drawn to collect raccoon figurines. I have pewter ones and china ones, pottery ones and ones carved out of wood and bone and stone.

Way back when I studied acting in college, long before I knew Vilma and Violet, it was the raccoon I chose to “be” during our Animal Image exercises.

I love that raccoons are smart and sweet and damned resilient. I love their bandit eye markings. I love how, when they want to get in your stuff, almost nothing can stop them. I love that my dad, the mighty hunter, who lives in the Sierras, can never bear to shoot one, no matter how often the clever little buggers get into his carefully bungee-secured garbage cans. I love how they never do anything that they don’t want to do.

So that’s the question for today. If you were an animal, which one would you be?

And today’s the day, folks. Christie’s latest, Must Love Mistletoe, is on the stands. Don’t forget to pick up your copy. And remember, post a comment any time this week and you’re eligible to win a great book from Christie’s backlist!

American Title Update -- And Speaking of Contests...

2006-11-27T06:28:00.000-08:00

Posted by Kate

The American Title III Second Round of voting is over and two finalists have been eliminated. But you know the drill: if I told you who they were, I’d have to kill you.

Sorry, but rules are rules! (Don’t you just hate hearing that?)

And somebody said that you're not supposed to try and bribe me for the results! I don't get that! Whoever thought up that stupid rule is the one who should be voted off the island. Just my opinion.

But while we wait to hear the American Title contest results, I want to mention that to celebrate her latest book, "Must Love Mistletoe," Christie's giving away free books!! Just leave a comment anytime this week and you're eligible to win!!

Now that's the kind of contest I can get behind!

I've spent the last year entering contests. I don't recommend this route for everyone, but I realized last year that the best way for me to get my work and my name out there was through contests. So I began to look around for the ones that might be right for me and I started entering them. I had three full manuscripts and one partial that I began to send out.

For some reason, the planets were aligned and the universe was paying attention to me, because I was lucky enough to be a finalist and a winner in many of the contests I entered. It was exciting and also nervewracking--and expensive! Most contests cost anywhere from $15 to $50 and when you're entering two or three manuscripts in each contest and you're entering one or two contests each month, it gets a little crazy. And then there's postage and return postage and supplies. It adds up. But money was no object. I was on a mission!

The mission culminated with RWA's 2006 Golden Heart contest. I decided to go for broke and enter all three completed manuscripts. This was definitely not cheap, by the way! The Golden Heart fee is $50.00 per entry. But lest we forget, I was on a mission, so I sent off the check and waited.

And incredibly, all three of my entries finaled. The day I received those three separate phone calls, I was thrilled, stunned, and yes, slightly embarrassed. I mean, wasn't I the little piggy, taking three finalist slots!

Then I saw that there was a triple Rita finalist and a number of double finalists in both the Golden Heart and the Rita, including our very own Maureen Child! I wasn't the only piggy! LOL

Yes, I won the Golden Heart! But really, the unexpected benefit of jumping into the contest circuit is that I've met so many great people along the way. The other nine American Title III finalists talk every day and it's great to have nine new friends who completely relate to what I'm going through. My fellow 2006 Golden Heart finalists still chat daily on an email loop we set up last March. One of them just had a baby, several are on holiday cruises, they're winning other contests and making great book deals and we all celebrate the good times and commisserate over the bad times. They live all over the world. It's very cool!

This year's Golden Heart entries are due next week and the Ritas will be due soon, too. If you've entered, I hope you enjoy the trip and are lucky enough to find new friendships along the way. No one else can relate to your life and your fears and your triumphs as much as a fellow writer can. Good luck!

Have you entered the Golden Heart this year? The Rita? Another contest you're excited about? Let us know so we can cheer you on!!

Make a Comment...and Win FREE Books!

2006-11-26T08:49:00.000-08:00

CONTEST! WIN FREE BOOKS!

This week, in honor of my Christmas book, MUST LOVE MISTLETOE, hitting the shelves, I'll be giving away free books. All you have to do is make a comment sometime between now and next Friday. It doesn't have to be today, just sometime this week. Check in and say "hi" or answer one of our scintillating conversation starters.

On Friday, I'll randomly select and announce a commenter to win autographed copies of two of my backlist. You can give them as Christmas gifts--to someone else or to yourself!

In the meantime, I hope you'll pick up my new book next week when you're out doing your holiday shopping. I know I'll be at the mall, looking for inspiration when it comes to a gift for my father-in-law. Who is the most difficult person to buy for on your list? And if you have a great gift idea, please share!

Double-O Wow!

2006-11-26T08:30:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

And Speaking of the Holidays...

2006-11-25T06:32:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

About Christie's latest:

Bailey Sullivan can't stand Christmas, even though her family's business is a store specializing in the perfect holiday. But now her hometown's chief supplier of rooftop Rudolphs and treetop angels is in danger of going under—it's up to Bailey to save the shop.

She has it all planned: She'll arrive on December 1 and be gone by Christmas. Plus there's always spiked eggnog to ease the pain.

But "Humbug" Bailey's not the only one home for the holidays. Finn Jacobson—legendary local bad boy-turned-Secret Service agent and Bailey's long-lost high-school sweetheart—is once again the boy next door. Only this time he's all grown up, and the sparks are flying faster and hotter than ever!

Bailey believes in true love about as much as she believes in Santa Claus. But as the holiday draws closer, she's starting to think about one thing she'd like to find under her tree . . .

Can we all say...deeelicious? And it's available Tuesday. But you can pre-order from Amazon now!

Bond + Bird

2006-11-24T07:32:00.000-08:00

Our Thanksgiving almost always includes a movie. We pop the bird in the oven and then head off to while away some of the cooking time with the big screen instead of the small screen and football. Last year it was "Rent" which I loved but was a bit of a downer. This year I made the choice and decided on "Casino Royale" not because I was dying to see it, but because it played at a convenient time. I'm not a huge Bond fan and this new blond Bond...well, I wasn't sold.

Well, I was SO wrong! The movie, like all Bond movies, has over-the-top, non-stop action sequences. My brother and I were laughing at how much the guy could survive and still get up for more, yet my adrenaline was pumping. And then once the action slowed a little and we got to see a bit more into Bond's head...aaah. It got me.

This is a kind of "Bond Begins" story, and we see a less smooth, more reckless-for-the-sake-of-recklessness side of James. This is a guy with a few rough edges still, and it really worked for me. It worked for all of us, from my twenty-one-year old niece who has a whole new appreciation for older men, to my fourteen-year-old son who was wowed by the action sequences. So I highly recommend it if you're looking for a fun time at the movies.

It's long, though, and I was worried about my bird, at home alone in the oven with only two dogs for company. (I was also worried about the homemade cookies on the counter, as one dog was not ours and I wasn't sure how mannerly she was.) But while we were all Bond-ing happily at the multiplex, turkey roasted away and dogs kept their noses out of the baked goods.

So all in all, an entirely wonderful day, including the boys glued to the new Wii and our dip in the hot tub to end the evening. We're not shopping until later this morning, but I'm thinking I'd forego all that for another movie. It's been a long time since I had so much fun with popcorn.

Any movies you're planning to see this season? I still want to see "Deja Vu" and "Apocalypto" looks intriguing but scary (saw the trailer yesterday). Son 2 wants to see "Happy Feet."

P.S. Don't forget my new book, MUST LOVE MISTLETOE, will be out on Tuesday. Romantic Times gives it 4 1/2 stars and says, ""Ridgway delights yet again with this charming, witty tale of holiday romance. Not only are the characters sympathetic, intelligent and engaging, but the sexual tension between the main characters is played out with tremendous skill. The plot is well constructed and the characters' emotional responses are satisfyingly believable, both in dialogue and in action."

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-23T08:54:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!! May this day be filled with fun and family--be it the family you were born with or the family you created yourself.

I have so much to be thankful for this year. My family--both kinds--my friends, my work, being settled, health, happiness. So many blessings.

May your day be filled with all the things you're thankful for. May the holiday season fill your home with laughter and the best memories possible.

Traditions

2006-11-22T08:13:00.000-08:00

posted by Maureen

I was going to do a blog on thankfulness, but then I thought, hey. Let's do traditions instead. Why? I don't know...

The traditions in my family state that everyone will be on the 91 freeway tomorrow crawling to my mom's house. We used to go out the night before until the year it took us 4 hours to fight traffic. Now we sneak out early in the morning and head back early afternoon.

But in the few hours between, we have family time. The TV will be blasting every football game in the known universe. We'll laugh over the same stories, argue over the same points and carefully avoid the subject of politics!

We divide holiday hosting in my family. My sil takes Easter, I have Christmas (I called it first because I was the first to have kids who wanted to stay home with their toys) and mom gets Thanksgiving. Well, mom insists this is the last year for her, so I'm thinking sil is going to take this holiday next year. Fine by me. We'll take the 5 to her place in San Diego instead.

But some traditions remain the same. Mom has to make deviled eggs, because according to my dd, it wouldn't be the same without them. My brother has to have football on, because he's a coach and can't live without it. And I have to make a reindeer cake. I found the directions for it a Looooooonnnnggg time ago and the kids loved it. They fought over the 'antlers' and dipped fingers in the frosting. And now, the reindeer cake is as much a part of Thanksgiving as the turkey.

Traditions are important. They're the glue that keeps your family together. The filling between the cookies. They're what tells us we have history. We share memories no one else does.

So I'm wishing you a wonderful holiday with your families and asking....What's your favorite tradition???

The Most Terrible Thing Happened Yesterday...

2006-11-21T07:17:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

It was in the morning. I’d had my shower and I was on my way through the dressing area in search of something loose and comfy to wear for my usual day of staring at a computer screen, arguing with imaginary people until blood pops out on my forehead….

And my wandering gaze just happened to fall on the dressing room scale. And yes, I know, you’re way ahead of me here.

I shouldn’t have done it. It was a stupid idea. Thoughtless. Wrong. But I did it anyway.

I weighed myself.

It was not a good moment. Seriously. Not.

I weighed myself and I let out a cry—one of abject misery. Of suffering. Of fury. Because. Hel-lo. It’s not even Thanksgiving yet. And being fat before the holidays even start…

So not my M.O.

But there you have it. I have extra pounds to shed. And I have a really scary feelin’ that it’s not happening. Not till after Thursday.

Or maybe not till after Christmas.

And then there are those totally wonderful New Years feasts a certain friend of mine is prone to offer. You know the ones. A table so beautifully decked out it brings a tear to the eye. Sparkling china, gleaming silver. Candles. Flowers. And the food…

Oh, the food. Lobster with drawn butter. Or maybe prime rib. Mounds of lovely, fluffy butter-and-heavy-cream laden potatoes. Fat, white rolls. With more butter.

Say it with me: Butter, butter, butter…

And then dessert.

Oh, I just can’t bear to describe dessert. It’s too painful. So I won’t.

And hey. I’m not even through Thanksgiving yet.

One thing I know, I’ll be eating the creamed onions. No matter what else I manage to deny myself, I won’t go that far. I love them. Nobody else does. But oh, I do. And I only make them once a year.

How ‘bout you? What is the one thing on your Thanksgiving table that you would never deny yourself, no matter how horrible the incident earlier with your bathroom scale?

And, whatever you do, don't forget to check out the American Title III hero and heroine descriptions and...vote for Kate!

Holiday Reading

2006-11-20T07:41:00.000-08:00

I’m on deadline!!

I love saying that! Doing the work? Not so much! But I’m going to be quick today because I've got to get back to it.

I've been thinking about my favorite holiday reads since last week when Dianne Castell at the Brava Authors Blog brought up the subject, and I mentioned a few of mine in the comments section.

Do you think it’s telling that my favorite Christmas read is JD Robb’s “Holiday in Death?” Seriously, that’s the first one I came up with and since it’s about a really nasty serial killer, I’m wondering if that says something…weird…about me.

Well really, we all know I’m weird. But since I’m on deadline (oops, I said it again!) I don’t have time to think too deeply about it. Although I will say that since I live at the beach in sunny SoCal, I pretty much consider any story that takes place where there's snow a holiday read.

The good news is, we’re about to have a new favorite holiday read added to the list! Christie Ridgway’s Must Love Mistletoe comes out next week and I can’t wait to read it!!

Which books made it onto your Favorites List this year? Do you have a favorite holiday read you return to year after year?

Happy Thanksgiving to All!!

(Oh, and thanks so much for Voting for Kate!)

And now, for Saturday....

2006-11-18T06:50:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

Back by popular demand...

More Rusty

And even...Rusty wet!

And did I mention...Rusty pensive.

Oh, yes!

The Perfect Tee

2006-11-17T07:46:00.000-08:00

Here at Deadline Diaries we have our beloved Fan Girl. Well, I’m your girl when it comes to fashion. I love clothes. I love shopping. I love the smell of Nordstrom (and have posited that perhaps it pumps something in the air akin to the super-oxygen that supposedly flows through the casino ducts in Las Vegas). I love the feel of clothes that have been de-wrinkled by the steamers at a department store.

But I’m no clothing snob. It doesn’t have to be designer. I think that comes from my mom who sewed a lot of my clothes when I was a kid. And she’s a bargain-hunter too, so I never thought something had to be expensive to be worth owning or wearing. So at any given moment (well, when I’m out of my sweats) you might find me in my skirt from Nordstrom, my shoes from Off Sacks Fifth Avenue, and my cute little jacket from GTM.

Do you have GTMs in your area? Word reached me via the Pilates class at the gym that GTM gets the clothes from Costco once they bring new merchandise in. And at GTM, it can get really, really inexp—okay, fine—cheap. Last summer I bought some really cute capris there as well as a darling cotton blazer, some running shoes, and a swimsuit (and Good God, who wants to pay full price for something so horrifying to wear?).

But GTMs exist at the mercy of Costco. So, the cute things in your size might be limited, or that size isn’t there at all. It’s one of those hit-or-miss places. Ah, but then there’s Target.

Over the years I recieved compliments here and there for pieces I picked up on occasion. But last summer I found the best-fitting cropped jeans and really cute tops and I started to look there more often and more closely. And now I’ve found the perfect fall tee!

I was breezing through looking for something to go with black jeans. Just a black T-shirt. Simple. And there was this plain shirt in many colors. Now, it feels a little like those leotards we use to wear as little girls for ballet class (okay, it’s very much like those leotards—it’s nylon and spandex, I just checked) and when I first lifted one up it looked long. Like below my butt, reaching to my thighs. I must have been in a hurry or willing to take a chance, because I brought it home anyway ($12.99) without trying it on. (Note to my Target: your dressing rooms suck. I think if I sneeze I’ll take the whole contraption down.)

At home, I put on black jeans and this long T-shirt, thinking, well, maybe with a belt? But I don’t look good in belts, because I’m short and I don’t need to halve my body that way, so I just pull the shirt down and found out…

You don’t stretch it down. You let it sort of cling around your hips and this material is so super it doesn’t look bunchy at the waist/love handles. As a matter of fact, it HIDES ANY UGLY LITTLE BULGES. Not that I have any. Not that I know what the horrid term Son 1 taught me, “muffin top,” even means. I DO NOT HAVE A MUFFIN TOP.

But if someone did, this T-shirt would totally make it unnoticeable.

I now have one in black, white, and pale green. Highly recommend. And if you do buy one, you know that I know it’s NOT BECAUSE OF ANY MUFFIN TOP issues.

Anyway, the horrid muffin top phenomenon would be a thing of the ugly past if fashion would dictate that the waistbands of our pants belong a few more inches toward our actual waists, thankyouverymuch.

Do you have a special place to find bargains? Don't keep it a secret!

Conspiracy Theory

2006-11-16T07:29:00.000-08:00

Posted by Susan

I think my appliances are rebelling. I’ve mentioned that we bought a house about 2 months ago and it’s pretty fabulous. The previous owners did a great job taking care of things and they put in an amazing cook’s kitchen. Which could be part of the problem. I don’t cook. Okay, I’ll prepare dinner, but it’s not anything fancy and my idea of baking is to break apart those prepared cookie dough thingies and put them on a baking pan!

I’ve decided all the appliances really miss the previous owner, they’re bitter about my lack of culinary skill and they’re taking it out on me. For example…the refrigerator. It snorts at me. It’s a real snort. Plus, it makes a weird hydraulic noise and I’ve checked the manual…there’s nothing hydraulic inside. The dryer likes to mess with my mind. I’ll set it on “wrinkle prevent” which means when it’s done, it continues running on a low heat until I can get down to the laundry room to pull out the clothes. It also buzzes to let me know it’s done drying and I can get my clothes anytime. But then it gets impatient and crabby.

I can hear the dryer from my office and I swear, it shuts off. While it should be on the wrinkle prevent cycle, it just shuts off. Then when I go downstairs and open the door, it starts up again. If I leave, it stops!

But the worst one of the bunch is the dishwasher. When we moved in I had dish drawers. Two high-tech drawers instead of a regular dishwasher. Very fancy. They were so sad about losing their previous owner that they broke down on me twice in less than three weeks, so I replaced them. Now I have a new dishwasher and I think it’s trying to impress the other appliances and fit in by making me crazy.

When I first got the new dishwasher, the wash cycle was 109 minutes. Great. Then it was 111, then 109, then 110. I could accept that. Now it’s suddenly 126 minutes. Then 125. I swear, eventually it will be running all the time and I’ll be forced to stop it mid-cycle and toss in dishes and glasses.

I’m thinking I’m going to call a meeting and try to state my case to the appliances and hope they’ll accept me. The microwave seems happy with me, as does the cook top, but that oven!!

Speaking of stating one’s case, have you voted for Kate yet? You really, really need to. The button is right there. Just over a couple of inches. Seriously, click on it. Couldn’t be easier!

It's Thanxmas!

2006-11-15T09:04:00.000-08:00

posted by Maureen

Have you noticed?? It’s the newest holiday! A mixture of Thanksgiving and Christmas! Next time you’re wandering through the mall or Target or Walmart, check it out. There’s Santa, propped up next to a turkey platter. Oh, and the Christmas lights and Hannukah stars alongside plastic Horns of Plenty. Sniffle. It’s just so special.

Basically, it seems to me like the merchants of the world are in such a big rush to get the annual spending rolling along that they’ve created a new holiday. Thanxmas. This way, you can shop for both at the same time. Or, like me, you can have both of them sneak up on you at once. Also a time saver.

The worst part of this? I didn’t even NOTICE the holidays headed my way! I was talking to Susan yesterday and we were planning out our schedules for the next few weeks when she broke it to me that Thanksgiving is NEXT WEEK!! I didn’t even believe her. I ran back to check the calendar and didn’t believe IT. Yet there it was. Staring at me.

Thanksgiving in one week and Christmas hot on its heels! How did this happen? How did I not notice the year was ending??? But I know how. I’ve been busy, okay? I’ve written six books this year and to do that, you’ve got to spend most of your time staring at the computer. Now that I know it’s holiday time though, I’m going to take a breath and enjoy.

But, I’m taking ‘em one at a time. Thanksgiving Day will find us out at my mom’s. Now, mom’s been doing Thanksgiving dinner for, well...ever. She loves it. Loves the mess. Loves the turkey cooking. Loves having everyone over. And hey, I don’t have to cook a turkey. Big plus. The only problem being (and I know mom’s reading this, hi mom!), that mom’s house is WAY smaller than it used to be!

When my dad died four years ago, mom sold their house and bought a cute little condo. It’s a chick nest, is what it is. Gorgeous, cozy, just right for her. But when we’re all inside, cozy doesn’t even cover it! We’ve got to take turns breathing! So this year, I figure I’ll toss a blanket on her front lawn, sit outside where I can cut my turkey without slapping my brother off his chair, and give thanks that the family is together.

Wherever we are.

What about you guys? Thanxmas plans?? And oh yeah, don't forget to VOTE FOR KATE!

Tag, I'm it!

2006-11-14T07:53:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

Well, okay. My turn. Five things about moi....

1. I took a man and a cat and drove across America in a Volkswagen Bug seeking stardom in the Big Apple. The man was my first husband. The cat was named Alice. She was a very strange cat. And after that trip, believe me, stranger still. We settled in Brooklyn to start our climb to the top. It was…a fine life experience. I’ll say that much for it. My big moment in the Big Apple? I starred in The Importance of Being Earnest in a church in Flatbush. I played Gwendolyn and got to say my favorite all-time line from a play. “I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.” Thank you, Oscar Wilde.

2. My maiden name is Smith. Chris Smith. That’s the first real me. My dad’s name? Tom. My mom tells a funny story about checking into a hotel right after they were married under the names Mr. and Mrs. Tom Smith. The clerk looked at them like, Oh right. Sure you are. And then there was my first really cool doll that wasn’t a baby doll. She was a big doll, at least two feet with silky brown hair and gorgeous pink skin and big blue eyes with long lashes. I was about two. My mom said, “A doll like this needs a special, special name.”

And I said. “Ummm…Smith.” So that was my gorgeous doll’s name: Smith. At least through kindergarten, I thought Smith was a truly glamorous name. And I still love it, to tell the truth. It’s one of those names where you’re always going to find other people who have the same name as you. And I like that. I do.

3. I met my husband at a Parents Without Partners discussion group. He had a son and so did I. But I never dreamed we might hook up. I thought he despised me. He was so serious—except when he was funny. Really funny, a wit sharp enough to cut. Deep. He talked about things like personal responsibility and how we can’t change other people, only ourselves and if our marriages didn’t work, blaming the spouse was not going to make our next relationship any better. He would level those ice-blue eyes on me and I would think, okay, well, yeah. I guess I could use a little personal growth. Or maybe a lot. But this a**hole. Him I could just kill. And then, one evening, he called me and…asked me out. We went to dinner and walked down by the Sacramento River. We talked until dawn. Shared our first kiss. I found out how sweet and tender he could be. How he listened. And then there were those really muscular arms and big shoulders…
I knew he was the love of my life that night. I was right.

4. I was once a really good coffee shop waitress. Yes, all right. It’s something of a cliché, the struggling actress spending her lunch hour in duty shoes. That was me. I lived the classic waitress/actress cliché. I worked at the Riss Restaurant (among other fast-paced venues) on the Upper East Side and I could deal ‘em off the arm with the best of them. It’s one tough job, waitressing. You’ve got to be fast and efficient and smart and know how to prioritize. And smile while you do it, if you want to make good tips. When I started making a living as a writer, I hung up my duty shoes for good. But I still have those dreams where I’m workin’ the lunch rush and I haven’t got a clue what I’m doing, and can’t keep up. It’s almost as bad as the dreams where I’m back in college and it’s finals week and I suddenly realize I’ve got a class I’ve never bothered to attend… EEEK!

5. I was a crystal runner. Twice, I drove cross-country from LA to Arkansas and back in a Chrysler New Yorker name Hal. It was a while ago. I would go with my friend, Deborah Lou. She owned the New Yorker and had named it Hal because it was one of those talking cars. You know, “Your door is open.” And “Please fasten your seatbelt.” Sounded just like a certain computer named Hal in a very old movie, 2001, A SPACE ODYSSEY. This was back when quartz crystals were all the rage for healing and channeling energy. Deborah Lou would get them from the crystal mines in Arkansas and bring them back to LA to sell to…well, I forget exactly who she sold them to. But those trips were really fun.

And I know that Kate (Did mention Vote For Kate? Well I am now: Vote For Kate.) has put off her five things until next week. But I figure this tagging thing is viral, right? We should spread it around. So I’m tagging my fellow OK Outlaw, Blaze author Jill Monroe, because I get a real kick out of her blog, Off the Keyboard.

And I’m also tagging you. Won't you please post at least one interesting thing about you in comments? Because you are so the best!

Kate Makes It To Round Two of American Title Contest!!

2006-11-13T06:17:00.000-08:00

I've got happy dancing feet! I made it to Round Two!! Woo hoo!!

And now I'm shamelessely begging you to vote for me again!

The easiest way to vote is to click on the button over there on the sidebard, the one that says "Vote For Kate!!!" Yes, that button! Click on it, and it takes you to an email form that's all filled out and ready to go. Just hit “SEND,” and that's it! Go ahead, I'll wait right here! *g*

Your vote this month will determine the “Best Description of the Hero and Heroine.” Here's my entry...

Strait-laced librarian Gracie Sinclair’s fantasies are working overtime ever since she stumbled on a rare edition of the Kama Sutra. Now she wishes, just once, she’d meet a man who enjoys wild s-e-x, unlike ex-boyfriend Hubert. Sadly, wild men aren’t running loose in the library, so Gracie’s girlfriends recommend an online dating service. It’s not that she’s desperate, but it sounds like fun, so Gracie joins, sending her application and photograph into cyberspace. After all, what’s the worst that could happen?

Secret agent Cane Winslow has emerged from deep cover to salvage a mission that’s suddenly in jeopardy after a photograph of his secret operative’s twin sister appears on a monitored website. Cane is desperate to get Gracie Sinclair under cover before the enemy finds her, but once he meets her, Cane’s got to remind himself he’s a tough, commitment-phobic career operative and not the wild man of Gracie’s dreams.

So...will the judges hate my twins-separated-at-birth plotline? Will they be enraptured by my Librarian-Bodyguard scenario? Will Cane and Gracie live happily ever after? Will I make it to Round Three? It's up to you!! Be sure to vote, and tell all your friends to vote, too!!

To read all the entries, go to http://www.romantictimes.com/news_amtitle3.php

Cheers!

Susan's First Silhouette Desire is a HIT!!!

2006-11-12T09:41:00.000-08:00

Posted by Fan Girl

The Substitute Millionaire is available now and it's a hit!! That's right, Susan Mallery's first Silhouette Desire debuted at #2 on the Waldenbooks Bestseller list!! Woohoo, Susan!!!

Fan Girl is trying to calm down but how can she when she's holding this hot little book in her very own hands?? Fan Girl just re-read the first chapter and she's laughing out loud at the fabulous dialogue between the hero and heroine! This book is sexy and funny and--whew! You're gonna love it!

For a taste of what's inside, here's the back cover copy...

Successful businessman Ryan Bennett had agreed to masquerade as his wealthy cousin for a blind date.

But from the moment Ryan saw Julie Nelson to the moment he should have said good-night, he was captivated and couldn't resist an invitation to share her bed. In the hazy afterglow of their heated lovemaking, Ryan confessed his true identity, claiming the passion between them was real despite his deception, but Julie wasn't buying it. Obviously she considered him the enemy.

Except now she was having the enemy's baby….

Oh, yes!!! Fan Girl is beside herself with excitement and needs to sit down. But why are you still here, reading Fan Girl's words when you should be rushing right out to buy Susan's fabulous book?? You'll love it!!!

Making Hunk Day About Even More...

2006-11-11T07:19:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

...Not that there's a thing wrong with it as it is. ;)

But.

A couple of weeks ago we were talking about “What makes a hunk work—or not—for you?”

So that’s the question. Note hunk. Does he work for you? Why—or why not?

Oh, and PS—Madame Maureenie has a terrific interview up at a Slice of Orange. In case you haven’t checked it out, click the link and enjoy!

Christie's It!

2006-11-10T07:11:00.000-08:00

Five “fun and interesting” (you be the real judge) about me:

1. Family lore had it that we were related to the famous “Hoosier Poet” James Whitcomb Riley (pictured). Over many get togethers and holiday meals this piece of ancestral trivia was trotted out and he was credited with conferring upon me my interest in writing. Then, my aunt became interested in genealogy and to our dismay discovered we are not related to Riley. However, we are descended from a man registered with the first name of “Punkin.”

2. I knew my husband and I were made for each other when we discovered that both of our mothers had refinished the family pianos in antique green. Don’t you think we have to be the only couple in the universe with green pianos in the family? Lucky for us, we have our very own (non-green) piano and so are able to graciously turn down the offer of taking over one of theirs at some future date.

3. My maiden name consists of three simple letters, but it was the bane of my growing-up years. Though many friends have kept their own surnames when they married, or at least use them as a middle name, I was ecstatic to wave mine buh-bye for good (sorry, Dad). But you can’t know the pain of sitting through years of roll being called, knowing that there’ll be the pause, the squint, the mangled pronunciation and then the surprise when the short caucasian girl answered “here,” to however they decided to say “Yeo.” Yup. That is my maiden name. It’s Welsh. It’s weird. Of course, my mother didn’t have a say in taking on her husband’s name (choosing not to wasn’t done in her time), but I have to admit she was probably happy to become a Yeo after spending her childhood with the last name of…Beaver.

4. One of my very best friends from high school is the current governor of Michigan, Jennifer Granholm. She was just re-elected Tuesday night! I visited her at the “Governor’s Summer Residence” on Mackinac Island and now hope for a repeat. Sophomore year, I was assigned “New Girl,” and asked to show her around on the first day of school. As she was blonde and incredibly beautiful I should have hated her on sight. Not so! She was warm and fun and smart and hasn’t changed in any of that over the years.

5. I’m on pins and needles about Kate’s Monday announcement regarding the Amercan Title II contest. (Does that count as fun and interesting about me?) Well, anyway, I am. So I’m stretching across the weekend and tagging Kate. You’re it! Tell us five things fast and then all about the contest.

Because I was tagged...

2006-11-09T08:57:00.000-08:00

Posted by Susan

Okay—per Maureen’s last post, I’m tagged. Five interesting or funny things about myself… Here goes:

I’ve moved 8 times in the past ten years. From Texas to Orange County, Orange County to South Bay, South Bay to Eastern Washington State, Eastern Washington to Seattle, Seattle to Los Angeles, three times in Los Angeles (don’t ask) then back to Seattle. That’s 8, right? Or maybe nine. I’m darned good at the whole packing/moving/unpacking thing. I even have a master list for my change of addresses. With luck, I’m not moving again for a loooong time, but if anyone needs advice on the subject, e-mail me!

I met my husband on-line. Seriously. I have witnesses. I was showing a couple of friends the wonders of chat rooms and the DH sent me an instant message. He seemed normal which, after two whole weeks experiencing chat rooms, was thrilling. We moved to the phone the next day, talked for a week, met the following weekend and the rest is history. We’ve been together ten years now.

Apparently my cat and dog have become brother and sister. Despite a shaky start to their relationship, Jake and Nikki have become family to each other. I never guessed, what with all the chasing and hissing going on around here. But recently I had to take both of them to the vet. I had Nikki on a leash, like a real dog, and Jake was in his carrier. While we were waiting in the examination room, I put Nikki up on the table, figuring she would want to look around. (For those of you new here, Nikki, possibly the world’s cutest dog, is all of five pounds.) Jake’s carrier was open. She walked in, curled up next to him and closed her eyes. Jake rested his head on her and started to purr. It was an amazing moment and I really wish I’d had my camera!

I went to a Tom Jones concert. It was about 12 years ago, in Houston and it was a fabulous night. I knew who he was, of course, but had missed his climb to fame in the 60’s or 70’s. Whenever it was. I only got the tickets to support a charity and had no plans to actually go, but then I did and it was amazing. The whole arena was filled with “women of a certain” age. There were almost no men there. Tom sang his heart out and I was surprised he was so good. Then, about half way through, the panty-throwing started. Now these were new panties and most of them were much, much smaller than the women doing the throwing. But it was terrific. They loved it, he loved and by the end of the concert, he was literally ankle deep in panties. I have no idea how he kept from slipping on all that nylon. It was also the first time I heard the song “Walking in Memphis” which I deeply love.

I have a thing for leather. No, not in nasty way—ick. But in clothing. Tacky, gaudy leather. Lace-up and fringe. Dresses, pants, jackets. Left on my own with a healthy limit on a credit and having just lost 5 pounds from having the flu, I could do some serious damage in a leather store. I’ve been literally dragged out of stores by friends carefully explaining that no, I really don’t have a place to wear a turquoise and red mini skirt with a matching fringe and rhinestone jacket.

Tag! You're It!

2006-11-08T09:05:00.000-08:00

posted by Maureen

Well, I had this great picture of Tigers playing tag, but Blogger won't let me load it. So I'll try for it later! Meanwhile, back to the blog...

Okay, I got tagged by Dana Diamond a week or so ago and I’m just now paying up! The object of this little exercise is, someone tags you and you have to come up with 5 interesting or funny facts about yourself.

Not as easy as you might think...

1. Cary Grant called me ‘Darling’. Yes, my all time favorite movie star actually spoke to me when I was a kid. At Disneyland. My friends and I were there, heard a sales clerk talking about him and I set off on a HUNT. I did laps around Disneyland until I finally tracked Cary down by the Jungle Safari ride. He was with his daughter and his bodyguards and largely being ignored by a crowd who apparently didn’t notice the STAR in their midst. I stopped about ten feet from him and shouted, “Mr. Grant?” and asked for an autograph of all things. And he said, “I’m sorry Darling. This isn’t a good time.” He was gray haired and long past his prime and still one of the most sexy men in the known universe. Of course, as soon as he spoke, he was ENGULFED by a crowd of people. So I probably ruined his day at Disneyland even though he MADE mine!

2. I saw my dog’s ghost A couple of weeks after my darling Golden Retriever Abbey died suddenly, I saw her again. She was sitting right beside me, just as she always did and for a minute, I almost forgot the pain of losing her.

3. My daughter and I got drunk and burned Christmas dinner. That sounds really bad, doesn’t it? A couple of years ago, I was making Lasagna for Christmas dinner. It should have turned out great. My Sicilian mother in law’s sauce recipe alone made it worthwhile. Then Sarah and I started drinking wine. We had a great time until we checked on the Lasagna and found tomato sauce flavored crackers. And the DH got my daughter and I laughing hysterically on video tape! Oh, and we had sandwiches for Christmas dinner!

4. I was once surrounded by hunting dogs. Yes, went to the mountains with the DH. We scaled what felt like Mt. Everest and when we reached the top, I was so proud. Until I saw a group of people walking toward us and the DH told me “they took the road”. Uh-huh, thanks, babe. And later, while looking for a little girl’s room out in the Great Outdoors—six hunting dogs showed up out of nowhere at a very inconvenient moment and fought me for space! Needless to say, I won. And, also needless to say, that was my last foray into the Great Outdoors.

5. I crashed the roof of my car. Yep, that’s right. My VW bug had dents all over its poor body. Then my dad noted that the only place that hadn’t been touched was the roof. You guessed it. Two days later, I drove the car into the DH’s shop, wrapped the rope handle for the giant door around the front bumper and brought the gazillion pound door down on the roof. My dad learned to not challenge me in any way!

Now, I’m tagging my other DDer’s. That’s right, girls. I want to see blogs from you all, with your best 5! And everyone else...tell me what you’ve got! Trust me, it’s not as embarrassing as the hunting dog story!

Me and My Big, Fat TV...

2006-11-07T07:24:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

May I just begin by saying, it’s all Susan’s fault. Yes. Our Susan. Fabulous Susan. With the amazing skin and the equally uncanny ability to write way more excellent books in any given time period than should be humanly possible…

Our sweet Susan. She’s the one. She got me started. She told me all about her big-screen TV.

It was years ago. Six, seven, at least. Probably more. During an innocent phone convo, Susan just happened to mention that she and her DH had a big-screen TV. In fact, they had a room they used just for watching movies. They watched…DVDs. At the time, we had two VCRS in our house, but no DVD players. The whole idea of watching a DVD just seemed so futuristic and fantastical. Yes, it’s amazing, isn’t it? How fast technology changes these days.

Now we have TIVO and DVRs. Everything’s digital and, even more wonderful, user-friendly. Wow.

Anyway, back then, long before the dawn of time, Susan told me about her big-screen TV. And I went in my living room and saw the wood-veneer 24-incher that was older than the J and thought, “Hmm. Are there possibilities I haven’t been considering here?”

A week later, Hunky Mensa Man and I went to one of those big electronic warehouse stores. We saw our first 65-inch television. It was love. For both of us.

We brought that baby home. We kicked the old 24-incher to the curb. Since then, we’ve been watching our movies mostly at home, DVDs we order from Netflix or find browsing at the local video store. The ones we love, we buy. Our movie library is growing.

These days, I must confess, I mostly wait until a movie comes to video to watch it. I hardly ever go to movie theaters anymore. My friends try to remind of the whole “community experience” feeling of watching a film in a movie theater. Oh, hello. I’m sorry. Mostly, I find that movie theaters are good places to catch a cold. I mean, why is it that people with upper respiratory ailments just have to go to the theater where they can hack and cough on everyone else? And why is it that so many people in theaters insist on talking when the rest of us are trying to watch the movie? What is that about?

Uh-uh. I’m home, thank you. In front of my giant-sized TV, comfy in an old pair of sweats, with a big bowl of popcorn I popped up myself. I’m sure this is more proof of the death of civilization as we have known it. But hey. I’m lovin’ it while it lasts.

And you? Do you still go to the movies? Do you love it, still? Why? I need more reasons to get out of my sweats and off my comfy couch. And you know, if you’re like me and you love watching your movies at home, say so. I also like to be right. I like that a lot.

Mwahaha.

Oh, and if you haven’t already, don’t forget to vote!

Catching Up with Kate

2006-11-06T07:58:00.000-08:00

Monday’s my day to blog here at Deadline Diaries and after two days off, I feel like talking a lot. In fact, lately I can't seem to settle on one specific topic to blog about, so I've made a list of possibilities and I'm hoping you'll help me decide.

1. Romantic comedies -- Everyone was talking about scary movies last week, but I'm not a scary movie fan. I like romantic comedies. Goofy, sappy, I love them all. Here are a few of my faves: The Philadelphia Story, Pretty Woman, Bull Durham, Moonstruck, America’s Sweethearts, Legally Blonde, Clueless, What A Girl Wants, Grease, Love Actually, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill.

2. American Title contest results -- The results are in and if I told you what they were, I’d have to kill you. Did The Kama Sutra Chronicles make it to the next round? Come back next Monday and I’ll reveal the answer. Meanwhile, thanks so much for your support and your votes. I really appreciate it!

3. Migraine headaches -- Really, I should be writing a migraine blog to help other sufferers because I’ve been dealing with these for too many years. I do have a really good drug that works for me and plenty of advice for anyone who wants to know.

4. Nora’s latest trilogy -- I thought I’d hate it. I mean, Vampires? Come on! But I’m absolutely hooked and I was up until midnight last night, trying to finish book three. At the last minute, I decided to stop, just so I can savor the last two chapters. But oh, my God, how does she do it? She is the goddess.

5. The online class I’m taking -- I absolutely love this class, given by Louise Knott Ahern, possibly the world’s best teacher—or shall I say Drill Sergeant, because after all, the class title is PR Boot Camp. Talk about insecurities! When I did my “Goals” homework--yeah, she gives homework! Isn’t she harsh?? LOL--I thought, Goals? Duh, a book deal! But then I read the published authors' goals and saw that they ran more along the lines of "Hitting the USA Today Bestseller list," "Higher Sell-throughs," "Strong Pre-Orders." Huh? You see my problem. It’s like that old Peanuts cartoon, where Charlie Brown and Schroeder are staring at the clouds and Schroeder says “Look, Charlie Brown, that cloud over there looks like Beethoven composing his Ninth Symphony as the battalion of soldiers rides into the Valley of Death.” And Charlie Brown says, “Oh, I see a duckie.” That’s me. I see a duckie. Sell-through? I’m not even sure what that means.

6. Favorite cocktail recipes -- My current favorite is the gimlet. So simple, so refreshing, it’s 2/3 vodka and 1/3 Rose’s lime juice, with an extra squeeze of lime and lots of ice, shaken not stirred. Tart, like me!

7. Favorite romance euphemisms -- No, it’s not manroot, but that’s a good one. My favorite is mossy grotto. Yeah. Paints a picture, right? I think I first heard that one from Maureen.

So.....What are your favorite euphemisms? Cocktail recipes? Romantic comedies? Sell-through numbers?

Hooray for Saturday!

2006-11-04T07:45:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

The California Report: Autumn

2006-11-03T07:14:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christie

Gap-toothed jack-o-lanterns still sit, grinning, at the bottom of my front porch steps, but I’ve taken out my vintage John Alden and Priscilla figurines. I’m the family’s Official Thanksgiving Hostess, so I’m making my lists in preparation. However, I’ve already had my quintessential California autumn experience.

Over the weekend I attended a two-day interscholastic surf competition. My friend from South Carolina thought I was kidding when I said Son 2 is on his school’s surf team. It’s no joke. He competed in the body board and long board categories for the first time last Saturday. The weather was incredible. 75+ degrees on the sand, water temp, 67.

Now, I’ve watched plenty of surfing, but this was my first competition. Each school had a tent with tables inside loaded with food and drinks. The federation has its own tents for judges and a PA system to broadcast announcements and results as well as to play music across the long stretch of sand they’d reserved. The song selections were everything from rap to rock and no one seemed concerned about the sometimes-questionable lyrics, but me. This is a laid back kind of crowd.

Competition occurred in 15-minute heats with up to six surfers on the waves. Judges awarded points to the competitors based on their two best rides. But I learned more about the surfing culture the hours I was there. Farther down the beach was the general surfing area and let me tell you—the girls are braver than the men out there. 67 degrees is pretty darn cold and most of the young women on the waves were in bikinis instead of wetsuits! Surfer Guy explained that surfer girls aren’t out on the water just to show off their moves. Those that were in wetsuits wore their hair loose and long…which seemed anti-athletic but awfully Ariel. Each one of them a mermaid of the Pacific.

On the second day I was strolling beside Son 2 toward our car. He’d just been shut out of the semi-finals, but he was smiling. Unlike summer, only the top quarter-inch of sand was warm and cool grains sifted through my Croc sandals, even though the sun was hot on my bare shoulders. We walked between the dozen beach volleyball courts where a Halloween tournament was in play. A young woman dressed in a mini-poodle skirt chased after a ball, almost plowing into a guy player dressed in janitor overalls.

Son 2 looked up, his smile going wider. “It’s been a good day, huh?”

Yeah, a very good, very California autumn day.

Have you had your quintessential autumn experience yet? Maybe it was just a smell or a shift in the light. I’d love to hear about it!

Tell me what you know....

2006-11-02T09:28:00.000-08:00

Posted by Susan

The world is filled with experts and I find that fascinating. We are all experts of our small corner of the world. The things we know dazzle the uninitiated. With the right press release and set of circumstances, you could get a call from CNN right now.

I learned all this in a fabulous PR class I’m taking. The instructor talks about recognizing our expertise and using it to our PR advantage. But it goes beyond that. Experts are everywhere.

Last week our cat’s vet did 10 minutes on thyroid trouble in cats. Yesterday, Janet, our drapery lady, gave me a brief but inspiring explanation of patters, scale and placement in a room. Bruce, our landscaping professional, knows the name of every single plant in our yard…including the ones I recently killed. The DH keeps describing the acceleration of my car as “continuous acceleration, like a jet.” I had to gently explain that not everyone knows how a jet accelerates and, unfortunately for him, most of us don’t care.

Experts are everywhere. For a writer an expert provides that one little detail that provides the story with authenticity.

As writers, we become our own experts. We store up details and information to be used later. Years ago I walked through the Las Vegas Venetian hotel lobby at 5 in the morning. It’s probably one of the few hours it’s relatively empty. My footsteps were impossibly loud and, due to the odd shape of the ceiling, the echo sounded false and eerie. That noise appears in my current work-in-progress, as my heroine explores a palace for the first time.

You are an expert on a number of topics, cheerfully provided to you by the life you’ve lived. So tell me…what are your expert secrets? What do you know that would surprise us?

STILL SPOOKED?

2006-11-01T08:43:00.000-08:00

PRETEND PICTURE HERE
THANK YOU, BLOGGER! posted by Maureen

Okay, day after Halloween, had to talk about scary movies. And have to admit, I’m a big chicken when it comes to being scared. I love to read suspense, mysteries, but seeing them on the screen creeps me out faster than anything!

And yet...when I was a kid, I saw an old movie on TV that both fascinated and terrified me. THE UNINVITED, a black and white movie (always scarier for some reason, than color), was about a ghost haunting a young woman who lived in this amazing house on a rocky cliff in England. Of course, there was a love story and a mystery and ooh. A GOOD ghost trying to defend our heroine from the BAD ghost. No blood, no gore and it still gives me chills. I dreamed about it for weeks.

By the time I was a teenager, I figured I could handle scary movies. Could I have been more wrong? My little brother and I watched PSYCHO one night when our folks were out to dinner. Mom and dad came home and every light was on, doors were locked and chained and Eddie and I were armed with his two best Louisville sluggers. Our parents practically had to show ID to get us to open the doors.

Later, my dh hounded me into going to see ALIEN, by telling me it was no big deal. I’d survived childbirth, hadn’t I?? Oh, big mistake again. When that alien wormy thing popped out of the guy’s chest, I ran for the lobby. And sat there for a half hour. Made friends with the ushers, helped out at the candy counter and only went back in after they told me who else in the cast died, so I could relax.

And then the ds insisted his dad, sister and I go with him to see THE BLAIR WITCH. He’d already seen it and swore it was great. The best movie ever. So we went. How many times can I say BIG mistake? But this time I wasn’t scared. The jerking camera sort of made me seasick, the whispering had our daughter asking “what’d they say?” and at the big Ta-Da ending, the dh laughed out loud. Our son was seriously disgusted with all of us and come to think of it, hasn’t gone to a movie with us since.

So, is there a movie that really creeped you out? Do you watch it anyway? And yes, you really can watch a movie through your fingers.

Terror Tales from Oklahoma

2006-10-31T06:45:00.000-08:00

Posted by Christine

That would be me in the picture. Devoured by mice. Okay well. Actually, it’s Xerxes as rendered by the faboo Edward Gorey in his little alphabetical work of genius, The Gashlycrumb Tinies or: After the Outing. Twenty-six tots, one for each letter of the alphabet, all perishing in grisly ways…

“A is for Amy who fell down the stairs. B is for Basil, assaulted by bears…”

Mwahaha.

I love Halloween. I admit it. I love horror movies. Because…I love to be scared. Safely scared. I want to cringe and scream and cover my eyes…and then peek, of course.

And scream some more. All in the comfort of my theater seat. With a giant Diet Pepsi and a large popcorn. Extra butter flavoring, please.

When I was a kid, I loved Trick-or-Treating. I loved the having-my-mother-make-my-costume-to-order part. And I loved the actual walking around in said costume, ringing doorbells. Getting candy. The whole social thing. Kids in white sheets and black witch’s hats wandering up and down my neighborhood streets. I didn’t care that there was no trickery involved anymore. Just the treat part was fine with me.

My parents love to tell the story of my first Trick-or-Treat. They took me to the first house. I rang the bell. When the lady answered, I went in and sat on her couch. I thought it was a visit. A costumed visit. Hey. Why not?

And then when I was in kindergarten and had my first boyfriend, Johnny Garcia, (When it comes to love, start early. That would be my advice.) we went Trick-or-Treating together. I still remember him ringing one particular doorbell. From within, a woman’s voice called, “Who’s there?” And Johnny said, “Just me and my girlfriend.”

Oh, yeah. Nothin’ like Halloween and young love.

Nowadays, we don’t get a lot of Trick-or-Treaters. People don’t want their kids having all that candy. They worry about their kids’ safety in these troubled times. They take them to Halloween night gatherings at their churches or some public facility.

And my own kids are past the Trick-or-Treating years. Okay. I miss that. But I’ll be here at my house, with a big bowl of candy. Watching a horror flick, waiting for the doorbell to ring…

How about you? Halloween plans?

Kate Can't Make Up Her Mind

2006-10-30T08:05:00.000-08:00

What to talk about today??

I’ve got two completely different--and totally fascinating, naturally--subjects I want to touch on today and I just couldn’t decide between them, so I’m going to talk about them both! Yes, I’ll try to keep it brief. It’s Monday and we’ve all got places to go and things to do.

The American Title contest

Yesterday, voting ending for round one of the contest, and the results were sent to the finalists this morning. I thought I’d be able to jump online and blog it to the rooftops, shouting, “Woohoo!! I’m a big fat loser!!” or “Oh hell, I made it to the next round!!”

But no, the rules state very firmly that we are not to announce the outcome of round one anywhere online for two weeks. We’ve got to keep it a secret so that RT can stir up excitement for the next round. I see their point, but hello? I’ve got a blog to write, people! And not a whole lot of subject matter to play with. And everyone wanted to know the result, right? You’re dying to know whether I made it to round two! Right? You guys? Hello?

Hmph.

Fine. Then we'll talk about something even more exciting!

My writing process!!

Yeah, you thought I was going to blather on and on about Johnny Depp or Russell Crowe or Hugh Jackman. Get real!

Kate Carlisle On Writing

Yeah, I stole Stephen King’s title because it makes me laugh when I say it. Kate Carlisle On Writing. Good one. So Kate, where do you get your story ideas?

Gosh, thanks for asking, but I have no idea. A few months ago, I was getting really fed up with the huge amount of vampire stories showing up in Publishers Marketplace, so just for fun, Maureen Child and I started brainstorming the silliest titles we could think of for a vampire book. Once we had what we considered the most absurd title, we brainstormed a story to match the title.

Yes, you guessed it. It was a really great idea. And that’s the story I’m working on right now, and it’s so cute and funny and I’m thinking it just might sell. And it came about because of a really goofy title.

A few years ago, I was washing dishes and a full-length mystery romance erupted in my brain. Truly, I don’t know how else to explain it. It’s like it appeared fully formed and ready to write. I knew I had to hurry and get it all down on paper before it faded from my mind like so many soap suds in the sink.

Ideas come from photographs and snippets of overheard conversations and stories in the news. Sometimes they come from sitting down and actually thinking of ideas. It’s like magic and hard work, all at the same time. You never know when something will smack you upside the head and say “Write me!” But it's so great when it happens.

It's just like magic.

Where did your last great idea come from? Did you buy it at Wal-Mart or was it delivered on the wind when you happened to open a window?

I do believe it's Saturday and you know what that means...

2006-10-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

Posted by Christine

Believe it or not, his name is Rusty Joiner. No, Maureen. Not wet. But I'm sure he's thinking about being wet...

The Care and Feeding of UNJURED Men

2006-10-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

No, this blog entry is not just a ploy to put up the cover of my last book. Really. Because I have the care and feeding of a particular injured man on my mind.

Surfer Guy is in the doldrums. He’s 6’5”, and has had back problems for a number of years. Seems no surprise, sorta like a giraffe getting a crick in its neck. Goes with the territory.

However, Surfer Guy had surgery for a herniated disc at the end of July and just found out Wednesday that it has ruptured again! He’s going to have a more drastic surgery to remove the entire disc next week. He’s already been lying around for a week hoping it would get better with rest, but now…now this means even more lying around.

Surfer Guy, unlike moi, is not happy with a stack of books. He needs action! Movement! Things happening!

He’s already bored with TV. The laptop computer is not much better. He borrowed Son 1’s Gameboy and is playing that make-you-mentally-younger game, BrainAge, on it. He’s thinking like a 20-year-old now. And 20-year-olds are not any better at being flat on their backs. The poor man is going nuts.

I, on the other hand, knowing we have several holiday parties we plan on hosting, have turned my attention to Surfer Guy’s usual chores. Last weekend I learned how to use the leaf sucker-upper as well as the gas-powered power washer. I had to fill it with gas and then yank on one of those cord thingies to get it started! I Am Woman, Hear My Tools Roar!

So, while my future looks busy with planning parties, cooking, as well as power-washing everything in sight, I still have to keep Surfer Guy sane.

Any ideas as to what can occupy a bedridden man for a couple of weeks? Ideas are welcome as long as no heavy lifting is required!

It's beginning to look a lot like...

2006-10-26T07:36:00.000-07:00

Posted by Susan

I am plagued by indecision about the holidays this year. For the first time in 10, count ‘em, 10 years, I will be home on Christmas day. For the past 10 years, I have flown with the DH to Seattle to be with his family, including his son. For a series of reasons of no possible interest to anyone but me, I would fly in on Christmas Eve and then we head home after Christmas.

I haven’t decorated for the holidays in those ten years for an assortment of reasons. First, it seems silly if no one is around to enjoy the display. Second, my fear is that the cats will assume the tree is the South American jungle and party in it, thereby causing it to crash on them, possibly hurting them. However wonderful my cat sitter is, the cats will hide from her. I hate the thought of them being hurt with me gone. But this year I’m home for the holidays, so to speak, and decorating is required. Not only will I get to put out the stuff I have, I get to buy new stuff.

I’ve been all excited about the whole shopping thing. For the first time ever, I’m dying for the store displays to appear. I want to hear the holiday music and see the red and green M&Ms, see weird, scary Santa in the food court. I’m ready! Except, I’m kind of…not.

I’ve ordered a few things and some of them are totally cool and some aren’t. I want table top trees made out of small bulbs or glass or something in various shades of red. Can’t find those anywhere. I have a stuff bear collection that I’d like to add to, which should be easy enough. But what else?

The holiday stuff is starting to appear in the stores and I find myself a little immobilized. There’s so much out there and I’m not sure what I want. Do I do a theme? A color? Wreath or no wreath? Snowmen or reindeer? Do I put garland on the banister? And if I do, how on earth does it get attached and keep from sliding down? A second tree upstairs? Help!

So I’m looking for suggestions. Here’s the question. What do you do to decorate for the holidays? What is your favorite thing? Least favorite? What have you never done that you’d love to see?

The Book Marches On.....

2006-10-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

posted by Maureen

Copy edits on my paranormal/first person/comedy that’s coming out next June arrived a couple of weeks ago. And I’ve been going through the book while working on another book! Good times. If you like that whole ‘a-foot-in-two-universes’ feel.

For those of you who don’t know, a copy editor’s job is to go through your manuscript with a red pencil, changing things you love. (No, just kidding. Well, mostly.) Actually, her job is to catch all of your dangling participles, repetitive words and thank God, logic holes in my plot!! And I’ve got to say, my NAL copy editor was fabulous.

When we get the copy edits, we go through with a blue pencil changing back the things we love and writing ‘OK’ in a sheepish tone next to things we hadn’t noticed before! I’m the first to admit, a copy editor has really come through in a pinch a few times. But like every other writer I know, we grumble about some of the changes, too. My main complaint being, don’t touch my dialogue! LOL

For example, when they change something to make it grammatically correct, it sounds WRONG. People just don’t speak in grammatically correct terms in every day chats. For instance, my heroine says, “I felt like I was living in a movie.” The CE changes it to, “I felt as if I were living in a movie.” Correct? Yes. The way people speak? No.

But some of the copy editors I’ve had over the years have made some really amazing notations. One of my favorites? On a Western historical I wrote, a copy editor noted, “There is no sand in the desert. Only dirt.” Oh, okay. Sure. Someone tell the camels.

Another writer of Western historicals had a rabid coyote in one of her books. Of course, the term ‘rabid’ didn’t exist back in the day, so she referred to the coyote as ‘mad’. The copy editor went through the whole book and changed ‘mad’ to ‘angry’. Yes, folks, that’s right. The town was menaced by an angry coyote!

Ah, the world of writing is always a fun one. And one of these days, I’m going to write a whole blog about our favorite copy editor blunders. Won’t THAT make me popular??

Don't You Tell Me He's Not Real...

2006-10-24T07:47:00.000-07:00

Posted by Christine

So am I weird?

Don’t answer yet.

I fell in love for the first time when I was eleven. I mean totally. Passionately. Completely.

Over the moon and around the bend.

With a character in a novel. Oh, yeah!

The novel was Little Men by Louisa May Alcott and the character was Dan, a boy of “about fourteen.” (He wasn’t sure of his age; his parents were dead and he’d lived on the streets all his life—oh, be still, my beating heart!)

Dan is introduced in Chapter Six, which is titled, “A Firebrand.” Oh, yeah. Oh, my…

Alcott first describes him as, “a most unprepossessing boy, who slouched in and stood looking about him, with a half bold, half sullen look, which made Mrs. Bhaer say to herself, after one glance,–‘A bad specimen, I am afraid.’”

From that moment, when Dan slouched in, I was gone. I just couldn’t help myself. Sometimes love’s just that way, ya know?

I filled pages and pages of my diary with Dan. Dan, Dan, Dan. I made up a life with him. I loved him unconditionally. And it was through my undying love (Well, I mean, it lasted till I was twelve and read Gone with the Wind and met Rhett. That’s pretty “undying” for a preteen, I’d say) that Dan came to find his place in the world and his power as a man.

After Dan and Rhett, there were others. Each was forever. But you know, eventually, I’d read another book with a fabulous hero.

And that would be that. I’d be on to a new fantasy life with my new guy.

Interestingly enough, it was always the bad, slouchy boys I went for—in fiction and in whatever this thing is they call “real” life. As I remarked to my cousin, Gail, when I was thirteen, “Isn’t it strange how delinquent boys are so much more interesting than nice ones?”

When I got around to dating guys I hadn’t “met” in books, it was always the bad boys I went after. Sadly enough, I learned the hard way that “real” bad boys aren’t always quite so willing to be transformed by love.

Their loss. And eventually I met Hunky Mensa Man. It all worked out. He’s totally untamable—except in his love for me!

So am I weird? If so, feel free to tell me. OTOH, you could tell me which “fictional” heroes have stolen *your* heart. I’d just love to meet them…

Champagne, Anyone?

2006-10-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

Um, pardon me, but would you mind popping open some virtual champagne?

Because I have some news to share. Good news.

Reeeeeallly good news.

I have an agent.

Yes. Last week I signed an Agency Agreement with a wonderful New York literary agency. The best agency ever. In the world. Probably in the universe.

And it's all I can do to keep from bursting into freakish happy dancing!! Because we all know how dangerous I can get when that happens. But let’s all pretend I'm dancing!! Gliding, laughing, shrieking, running through the halls jumping, clicking my heels! Wheeeeee!!!!

Oof. Falling down.

Nope, I’m okay. Don't worry, just a little limp.

But woohoo anyway!!!!!

Champagne for all my friends!!!

Because this is big fat happy news!!! In fact, considering the long, winding and ridiculous road I took to get here, you might say it's the best news ever! EVER!!

I suppose you want to hear the "call story," right? I always want to hear the call story.

I don't do a lot of "writer's journey" blogs, probably because my journey has been wa-a-ay too long and twisted with lots of ups and downs and missed opportunities and...well, seriously, who cares anymore? Or so I thought. Turns out, most of us are always dying to hear about the foibles and stumblings of others traveling this often insane, always neurotic road to publication.

So okay, here's my story. I’ll make it quick because I’m not getting any younger and I’ve gotta go write some more books.

Ultimately, I owe it all to the divine Susan Mallery, who invited me along to her agency party at the RWA conference in Atlanta and introduced me to her agency’s fabulous agents. It was a wonderful party, an afternoon tea, and when I wasn’t being introduced to her agency’s lovely agents, I was staring in awe and excitement at her agency’s fabulous clients – including the divine Susan, of course.

(And okay, yes, jeez, I was also drooling over all those miniature pecan pies and yummy desserts. The whole affair was pretty wonderful.)

The next day, I had an appointment to pitch to the very same lovely and brilliant Ms. Agent I’d met at the party the day before and she invited me to send two partials to her. Later, she asked for the full manuscripts, and then another full manuscript of another book, and then a partial of another book…

And then I missed her call.

But okay, eventually, we talked, we emailed, we signed, and woohoo!!!

Pass some more of that champagne, will ya? I'm getting a little parched.

So yes, I’m still spinning from the news! (Carefully, with both hands holding onto the arms of my chair.) And yes, I know how lucky I am. Let’s face it, we’re all waiting for the planets to align before the right project hits the right agent’s desk who happens to have the right editor in mind and...it’s exhausting to think about, isn’t it?

And in the end, I know my writing was good enough that my fabulous agent was willing to represent me, but it certainly didn’t hurt to have a little “divine” intervention in the form of my friend Susan Mallery. The fact is, I have a lot of truly divine friends in this business. I know I wouldn't be here today if I didn't.

In fact, I don’t know anyone luckier than me! Woohoo!!!!!

So now I want to hear your stories. That first call from an agent, how did you feel? How did you celebrate? Or if you’re still waiting for the call, I’ll bet you’ve got a plan about how you’ll celebrate the moment, right? (I’ll admit, I had a special bottle of champagne reserved for the moment!)

Maureen's Nocturne is Out!!!

2006-10-22T06:38:00.000-07:00

Posted by Fan Girl

Eternally, by our own Maureen Child, is available now!!! Check out this fabulicious cover -- and the story inside is even more dark and delicious!! It's the first book in her new Guardian series and trust me, you've never met a man like Kieran McIntyre before. Fan Girl gives it three thumbs up! (Yes, Fan Girl's super powers include three thumbs, along with a lovely set of pom poms.)

Here's the back cover copy, just to get you revved...

He was a Guardian. An immortal fighter of evil.

The sexy, sword-wielding stranger standing before Julie Carpenter claimed he was out to destroy a demon and that she was its next target. As he whisked her away to his fortresslike mansion high in the Hollywood hills, she could only hope Kieran was not the true danger.

For centuries Kieran had heard the legend of Destined Mates…but he never believed until now. He could read Julie's thoughts, sense her deepest desires. And he knew she wanted him just as he knew joining with her would make him strong enough to defeat any demon from hell. But the cost might be losing the woman who was his true salvation.

Oh, yeah! And if that's not enough to entice you, you can go here and print out a coupon to save a dollar off the price! So what are you waiting for?? Fan Girl says Check It Out!!

Hugh, too...

2006-10-21T12:51:00.000-07:00

Posted by Christine
(at the request of Madame Maureenie)

Saturday Hunk

2006-10-21T09:11:00.000-07:00

Posted by Christine

In honor of The Prestige opening this weekend, I give you...

Christian Bale.

Just be nice and share....

Lovin' the Love Thing

2006-10-20T07:46:00.000-07:00

Romance has been getting press this week, what with Dear Abby addressing her earlier denigration of our novels after hearing from many authors and readers (http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/?uc_full_date=20061019) and the Texas politician who is criticizing his opponent for publishing one "pornographic" (his word) Kismet romance in 1990 (http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060731-121646-7908r). And not to forget (don't forget!) our reminders that it's time to vote for our own Kate in the American Title III contest at(http://www.romantictimes.com/news_amtitle.php) In the wake of this publicity, once again the stats have been highlighted, proving the popularity of our genre.

So I got to thinking, why do I (and so many others) love romance so much?

I read a lot, and within different genres, but I always, always come back to romance after my forays into other kinds of fiction (and non-fiction). And any kind of book that I read I find better when it has even a mere thread of romance running through it—from a Harlan Coben thriller to a Jodi Picoult women’s fiction novel to The DaVinci Code. Are we all hard-wired to find satisfaction in the emotional arc of a happy-ending love story or did I develop a love for our genre because of a lucky intersection of my reading hobby, my developing interest in boys, and that one special book?

I devoured the volumes in the children’s section at my local library from an early age. First my mom would drive me, then I began riding my bike with the big basket, carting home as many books as I could. I was getting close to exhausting everything available in that kids’ section when I came across Mara, Daughter of the Nile. Oh! How many times I read that book. And far from portraying the wrong things about women, men, and love (as Abby originally—and ignorantly—posited) this romance featured a heroic young woman who stands up for herself and finds happiness too.

So is Mara (and author Eloise Jarvis McGraw) responsible for my love of romance? Shortly after reading and rereading that one special book I moved on to the adult section in the library and started buying Harlequin romances with my spending money. Well, I say thank you Mara and Ms. McGraw. From there I found hours and hours of pleasure as well as emotional satisfaction in writing my own stories.

So what was the title of the first romance you ever read, or the one that cemented your love of love stories?

My name is Susan and I drink lattes...

2006-10-19T08:26:00.000-07:00

Posted by Susan

I come before you this morning with a heavy heart. I am ashamed to admit…I have an addiction. It’s sad, truly sad and while I am not yet destroying my family and threatening my livelihood, that potential seems far too close. Although, despite my pain, I have voted for Kate in the American Title 3 contest...have you?

My addiction started innocently enough, as all these things do. We had recently moved to Seattle and surrounded by so many coffee places I decided that I, too, should drink coffee. It’s practically the state beverage. I confess I was feeling a little left out. Perhaps even a little pressure to join in. So, so dangerous.

I’d never been a coffee drinker. I thought it was nasty. I did tea and diet drinks. Water, of course. Wine…always wine. But never coffee. Not even mocha flavored stuff. Then I mentioned my dilemma to someone I thought of as a friend. That I wanted to be a regular Seattle-type person and go to Starbucks. Maybe even stop at one of the coffee huts. That “friend” said to try a latte.

It seemed so innocent. I went to my local coffee place and waited my turn. Then I uttered the words that would change my life forever…”Grande, nonfat, no-foam latte.”

It was delicious. It was warm and comforting, but with a little zip. About a half hour later, the double shot of espresso kicked in and the world looked brighter. I was alive and full of energy. I was healed!

I found myself making excuses to drive by Starbucks. I got decafe in the afternoon, telling myself all that milk provided me with calcium. I got a Starbucks gift card and didn’t tell the DH how much money I put on it. I changed grocery stores to the one that had a Starbucks inside. I began driving to get coffee every morning, despite the fact that the DH had bought me a fabulous machine that made lattes at home. I needed to place the order, to utter the words, then grasp my take-out container between my hands and breath in the scent. I wanted that first sip as I walked to my car. I wanted the “experience.”

I’m not sure where this will end. Can I overcome my need and go on to live a better life? Will I be one of those people hovering by the entrance, begging for $3.27 so I can have my latte? Will I really put more money on my Starbucks card? I just don’t know.

The Amazing Maureenie...

2006-10-18T08:42:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading the galleys for my February Nocturne book, NEVERMORE and gotta say, I really like the book a lot.

But I couldn’t help thinking about one of my hero’s ‘powers’. Mind reading. Now, every woman alive knows that she wouldn’t want a mind reading hero in real life. Not one of us would want a husband to know everything we’re thinking! That’s a dark and ugly road that leads only to divorce court.

But in theory, mind reading would be a handy talent to have. For example, if I could tune into the minds of everyone reading this blog today, I’d know which of you have already voted for Kate and which of you I still have to remind!

And, I would have known what was going on with my kids without the sneaky, super-spy interrogation techniques I was forced to use. The CIA has nothing on a mom who needs to know. We have talents those Federal amateurs would never understand. And mind reading would come in handy in business meetings. Not to mention parties—knowing just what to say and when to say it. Plus, I could know in advance what the other DDers were going to blog about and beat them to it! (Not that I would ever do that, you guys. Honest.)

But, since I can’t read minds (even my own, most days), I’m forced to do things the old fashioned way. I ramble at parties, trick my children into spilling their secrets, bumble with my editor and blindly come up with blogs I hope won’t bore you to tears.

Then I find sites like this one. I’ve tried this little ‘mind reading’ thing a dozen times now and it's never wrong! Gotta admit, it's really creeping me out. So if one of you can explain to me how they did it, I’d really be grateful!

Women of Power

2006-10-17T06:38:00.000-07:00

Posted by Christine

Okay, I don’t really mean Cat Woman. Though I do love that black patent leather outfit. That dominatrix thing. Gets me every time.

Yes. It’s true. You do not want to be here inside my mind. Mwahaha.

And while I’ve got my whip out, don’t forget to check out Kate’s entry at American Title III. And vote on the best first line. *ker-snap* Oh, yeah. That is the sound of my whip cracking…

Where was I? There is always altogether too much digression in my posts…

Ahem. Women of Power…

Actually, I was thinking about my grandmother. She was born in the 1890’s and she didn’t look a thing like Halle Berry. She never in her life wore black patent leather. Well, maybe patent leather shoes at some point. Though not that I remember.

She was downright amazing. No other word for her. Born a Philadelphia Quaker, she finished normal school and, at age sixteen, headed to the Alaska gold fields to take a job as a teacher. She met my grandfather there, in the goldfields. He was over a decade her senior, a gold miner, as taciturn as she was talkative. They married and headed for the mountains of Northern California where he’d been born and raised.

She brought up three kids during the depression, including my mother, the youngest, born at home, midwived by my grandmother’s mother-in-law. My grandmother taught school well into her seventies. Her small house was always full of books. Walls full of them. She loved double-crostics and Scrabble.

Boy, could she slaughter the unwary at Scrabble. I swear she cheated. But every time I’d challenge her on some obscure word, there it would be in her Webster’s International Dictionary, a tome so enormous, she had to keep it on a special stand.

She played the mandolin. Badly. She always kept a garden and she fed all of us from it. An organic garden, which required a compost heap. A big one, up in the corner of the yard…

And her power? It was in her belief. She believed in God. And she believed in the power of goodness. In the light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.

In me. My Granny believed in me. She always told me I would be a writer. Eventually. I wanted to be an actress for years and pursued that dream passionately. My Granny would say, “Well, when you get this theater bug out of your system, you can settle down and be the writer you were meant to be.”

She died sixteen years ago. But her spirit is so strong, I still feel her with me. Supporting me. Believing in me.

That’s a woman of power.

All that to say…

I don’t know, really. Just that it makes me feel powerful to remember her, makes me newly aware of how much I love my job, reminds me what romance is all about: Women of power who know what they want and then go out and get it against all odds.

I'll raise my cosmo to that!

American Title III Contest – Voting is Open!!

2006-10-16T07:25:00.000-07:00

Posted by Kate

"Crotchless panties?"

Yes, that's the first line of my book, THE KAMA SUTRA CHRONICLES. And it’s time to vote for that first line!

Huh? Excuse me? You don’t know what I’m talking about? Okay, well…in case you haven't heard, here are the details!

My manuscript, THE KAMA SUTRA CHRONICLES, was chosen among hundreds of entries to be a finalist in the American Title III contest sponsored by Romantic Times Book Review magazine (“RT”) and Dorchester Publishing.

What’s the big deal, you ask? A publishing contract with Dorchester, that’s what!

The contest works like the television show, American Idol. There are ten finalists and our books are “on stage.” So each month for the next five months, RT will post a portion of our books on their website, then three delightful judges will comment (ala Randy, Paula and Simon), and the final decision is in your hands!

Two finalists are eliminated each month. Scary? Oh yes, my friends!

If I receive enough votes, I move to the next round and we all vote again! Here’s the Voting Schedule:

- Best First Line (voting October 16 – 29)
- Best Hero/Heroine Description (voting November 13 – 26)
- Best Story Summary (voting December 18 – 31)
- Best Dialogue Scene (voting January 22 – February 4)
- Best Romantic Scene (voting February 19 –March 4)

Voting is done by e-mail – ONE VOTE PER PERSON. That’s why it’s important to tell everyone you know to VOTE!

So you’re ready to vote, right? Okay! There are two ways you can do it:

--The Easy Way: Click webmaster@romantictimes.com, Type in the Subject line THE KAMA SUTRA CHRONICLES, then Hit “SEND!”

-- The Other Way: Go to www.romantictimes.com, find the link to American Title Contest, read all the entries, then vote for your favorite!

That's it. It's easy! So go vote!

Meanwhile, here's a partial view of what comes after the infamous first line of THE KAMA SUTRA CHRONICLES...

“Crotchless panties?”

“Yes.”

“And he fell asleep?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Oh, my God.”

“Exactly.” Graciella Sinclair glanced miserably from one girlfriend to the other, then stared into her lemon-drop martini. “That’s when I broke up with him.”

“It’s about damn time.” Annabel Blake, tall and dazzling as usual in a sexy black cocktail dress, gave Gracie a tight hug. “Hubert’s a jerk and he doesn’t deserve you.”

“She’s right, Gracie,” Callie McAllister said. She dabbed her fingers on a cocktail napkin, having just polished off a lobster-stuffed blini she’d nabbed from a passing waiter’s tray. “You’re better off without him.”

“I know you’re both absolutely right,” Gracie said, then frowned. “But I can’t help thinking something’s wrong with me. I mean, when a man doesn’t...”

“There is nothing wrong with you, Gracie,” Annabel stated firmly. “Well, except for your taste in men.”

Oops, that's all I can show you for now! Thanks so much for your support!

It's funny, it’s sexy, it’s suspenseful! Vote for THE KAMA SUTRA CHRONICLES in the American Title Contest at http://www.romantictimes.com

Sunday Fun Site!

2006-10-15T10:43:00.000-07:00

For all of us who sometimes envy celebrity and fashion, check out this site that skewers both celebrities and their poor fashion choices.

http://gofugyourself.typepad.com/

Note that on the left you can click to see a gallery of your fave star in her/his not-so-attractive public moments.

Last night I stayed home and watched two Lifetime movies in a row, wearing my cropped jeans from Target (they're my favorite!), a cute thermal T-shirt, and my Ugg loafers that are lined with sheepskin (natch). No red carpets, no designer duds, no snapping flashbulbs. But I think I'm happy with my life. No one has a site devoted to my sartorial blunders! (The thermal T-shirt is probably not as cute as I think it is.)

C'mon, confess who you checked out. I looked at all the Fergie (from The Black Eyed Peas) photos because I still can't get over that terrible music video about her London bridges (britches?) falling down.

Saturday Hunk

2006-10-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

Posted by Christine

Okay, I have this thing for Eric Bana...

Reading This Can Save You Money

2006-10-13T07:48:00.000-07:00

Yes, reading this can save you money

Really.

Here’s the deal. I have been reading a lot lately and been making headway in my TBR stack. Oh, what fun it’s been! I have a lot of books in my pile (well, they’re in book bags in my office) and I just blindly picked one to read last Saturday afternoon.

I’d been to the gym, I’d showered, Surfer Guy and Son 1 and Son 2 were around doing their thing, but not needing me. So I had my corner chair, my chubby paperback, and complete peace…or so I thought.

Thirty pages into the book I was reading, I had to get up. I had to get up and go to my bathroom mirror. I had to get up and go to my bathroom mirror and from my make-up drawer I had to pull out a lipstick. I then carefully and critically applied said cosmetic to my lips. That’s right. I had to get up from reading a book to put on lipstick!

I wasn’t reading a romance. Instead, this was a thick woman-y tome about someone who takes Pilates (like I do) and is a writer (like I am) and who loves her children (ditto) and who really is an all-around great person yet still is dumped by…take a guess…the numbskull she shares a bed with who is having a mid-life crisis.

If it had been after five, it might have driven me to drink. Instead, I’m suddenly slapping on the lip plumper and wielding the mascara wand because the author’s made me doubt marriage and true love and has totally ruined my Saturday afternoon. I pulled out hairspray. Tweezers. Wondered if I should run out to find some horribly uncomfortable teddy instead of the soft tee that I prefer to sleep in.

And then it really hit me. A romance novel never makes me run to the mirror. A romance novel doesn’t make me doubt that I can maintain a romantic relationship with a partner (or that a romantic relationship with the male of the species is worth having at all, because believe me, after reading thirty pages of this book, I was thinking of moving to a cottage where I would live alone with cats). A romance novel makes me smile, not snarl.

I finished the woman-y tome and I wore make-up the rest of the weekend. But you can bet the next book I picked wasn’t a blind choice. I’m reading a delicious historical romance right now and all’s right with my world. So forget the dash to Sephora or Victoria’s Secret. You don’t need to spend bucks to feel beautiful and believe in true love. Go to your To Be Read pile, pick out a romance. Or if you have to spend money, take that trek to your local bookstore. But if you’re having a bad day, or a bad week, or just need a reminder of what it’s like to “Multiply life by the power of two,”* pick up a romance. You’ll feel pretty while you read it, I promise.

I’m ready to replenish my TBR stack, so help. What are you reading right now?

*From a song that captures the best parts of a long-term romantic relationship, “The Power of Two” by the Indigo Girls, on their CD 1200 Curfews.

What is your reality?

2006-10-12T08:26:00.000-07:00

Posted by Susan

As I’ve mentioned more than once, I get hooked on reality shows. Lately it’s Project Runway. I’m feeling a little confused about the whole thing because I’m watching season 3 on Bravo and season 1 on DVD, so the designers are getting twisted in my head.

I love the creative nature of the show. I love watching the designers sketch and shop and then lay out their fabric and trim. There’s nothing there. Nothing I can see. Then they begin to cut and sew. In two days, their time, or ten minutes, my time, an outfit is born.

I don’t know how they do it. I don’t know how they see something in their minds and then create something beautiful from that vision. Being able to sew probably helps.

I used to do crafts. I did needlepoint and in high school I actually sewed most of my own clothes. Except for zippers. I could never do zippers, so I would collect three or four things and take them to a friend’s house where her mother would put in the zippers for me in about fifteen seconds.

I don’t really do that sort of stuff anymore. I’m not sure if I don’t have the patience or if all my creativity is used up in the writing. Although I know many writers who do crafts.

I am in awe of those who can take nothing and create something beautiful. The writing isn’t like that. My goal isn’t beauty, but emotion.

There are writers who are such exquisite wordsmiths that I want weep when I read their words. That and throw my computer out the window because I simply don’t write like that. No one is ever going to pause and admire the pure beauty of my writing. Which is okay. That’s not my goal. Instead my goal is to grab your attention and your emotions and not let either go until the very last word of the book. I want to make you laugh and cry and laugh again. I want to make you impatient, turning the pages frantically because you have to find out what happens next.

People complain about the blank screen, but for me the screen is rarely blank. The story is there, in my head. I might have built it or have had it appear fully formed in my mind. Either way, it is waiting for me to release it.

I suppose I do have something in common with the designers. We both have a vision of what we want in the end. There are times when we have to make a mess, when the final result seems impossible and things get worse before they get better. The designers face a runway show and critics. Writers face an editor and reviewers. Then, ultimately, it is the public who decides who is in and who is out by whether or not they buy—the book, the garment. Those of us who create have no control over that part of the outcome.

Are we all living our own reality show? What would you call yours?

Displacement Activities

2006-10-11T09:06:00.000-07:00

posted by Maureen

Yes, this is what we call all those things we do instead of writing when we should be writing. Doesn’t it sound official?

Mostly, my favorite displacement activity is reading. ANYTHING, actually. I love to re-read my favorite books, which are legion. When I get a new book I’ve been waiting for, I just rush through it, inhaling every word. Then, I go back to the beginning, read it again and savor every word. Weird, probably. But I’m okay with that. J

Still, there are other things...just yesterday, Chris mentioned the mall. Always a favorite. But, you actually have to leave your house to do that. Which means, washing and blow drying your hair, applying makeup (trust me, this is necessary), and wearing actual shoes. None of which appeal to me on a daily basis.

So...watch QVC. Susan hooked me on this and it’s diabolical. It’s amazing how many things they have that I need. Things I’d never heard of before but now seem essential. And don’t even get me started on the Sterling Silver Days. Dangerous times for me. Why today alone, they had a quartz crystal heart necklace, a monogrammed front door mat and...are you ready? A set of 4 Decorative Odor Absorbing Gel Fragrances. Who can turn this stuff down?

Or, infomercials. Yes, I know what you’re thinking. But where else can you find a knife that not only slices tomatoes thin enough to read through (see above, reading) and also slice through cinder block??? I don’t know about you, but having a kitchen implement that can slice vegetables AND help me build a wall is just too good to pass up.

I like to lay out in the backyard and look up at the clouds, too. I’m a big cloud person. And trees. Love trees, too, just staring and watching the shifting shadows as the wind moves through the leaves. It’s a kind of hypnotism, I guess, but it sort of frees up the mind for creative thinking. (That’s what I tell my dh anyway).

Oh, and blogs. Yes, I read them as well as write them and sometimes, they give me MORE great ideas for displacement activities. Such as this one from Brava authors. Jamie Denton posted this site, but our own Kate Carlisle sent it to me. This fun link, will take you to this site where you can find out who you are as a Super Hero!! (Just call me Lightning Snake). Well, that was yesterday. Today, I’m Madame Dancer. I like the Snake better!

I read Jill Shalvis’s blog every day because her life is just too funny! (Sorry Jill, but you know it is!) And then I hit the rest of my friends’ blogs just to keep up and also to annoy them if there’s nothing new for me to read.

Because, if they don’t blog, that means I have to write! Is that fair?

So what do you do when you should be doing something else?

Passion and My Platinum Card

2006-10-10T08:42:00.000-07:00

Posted by Christine

Being an author, as any other author will gladly tell you—at length and even if you beg them not to—is a lonely business. We spend our working days solo, at our keyboards, opening veins, digging deep in search of…the right word, the right scene, the right title, the right name for each character. We struggle to hit our daily page goals, to make our deadlines. And yeah, I know. Haven’t you heard all this before?

I'm sure you have. But there’s more…

All of us on DD write popular fiction, which drags along with it a whole other set of challenges. As authors of popular fiction, we not only have to do the heavy lifting of getting it all just right—but we also have to make it look effortless. There has to be depth and texture, but it must never be allowed to get in the way of our story’s forward motion. Because we know if we can’t keep our readers turning those pages, they might very well just yawn and put that book we sweated blood over aside. And never pick it up again. (violins here, please)

I’m tellin’ y'all, it’s hell. A daily battle. You oughtta see my scars...

All this to say, hey. At the end of a grueling, lonely workday (violins swelling here), I need fun. I need distractions. I need my passions.

And I have them. Passions. I like to lose myself in uplifting, spiritually improving activities like…shopping.

And let us not forget…going out to eat.

It’s true. I’m not the deepest fork in the drawer…er, fish in the sea. (?) I love a good shoe sale. Great shoes make me happy. I love to wander the racks at Dillard’s. I especially love to find a bargain. A gorgeous coat at half the price, a cute little t for a song…

The bald truth is, it doesn’t even matter if I actually buy anything. How odd is that? I just like the feeling of promise, of limitless possibility, I get strolling the displays in a department store.

And about eating out. Oh, be still my beating heart. I love…walking into a restaurant, hearing that cute girl behind the reservation podium ask me, “Table for…?” I love to be led to my table, to see the snowy-white napkins folded into triangles, propped on the plate, pure as sleeping doves. I love a well-made Cosmo (fresh lime and real cranberry juice, please) to sip before dinner. I love a pretty menu, all those choices in a great-looking font, listed and described in mouth-watering detail for my dining pleasure. I love that the food comes and I eat it—and the dirty plate is swept away.

Oh, yeah. The best, the richest, the most decadent part of eating out is not having to clean up after myself.

After a little shopping and a great dinner out, I’m ready to face that blank computer screen again and open another vein.

How about you? What passions do you indulge to fill your well, to get you revved and ready for the next day’s work?

The Casting Couch

2006-10-09T07:43:00.001-07:00

Posted by Kate

Even though voting starts one week from today, I wouldn’t dream of blatantly promoting the fact that I’m a finalist in the American Title Contest with my book, THE KAMA SUTRA CHRONICLES! It would be wa-a-ay too transparent and painfully obvious that I was trying to get you to vote for me starting next Monday, October 16 at the Romantic Times magazine website.

That would be wrong. I would never do that. Never, never, never!

Instead, I want to play the casting call game! So...who would I cast as the hero and heroine in THE KAMA SUTRA CHRONICLES? My heroine is Gracie, a studious, strait-laced librarian and book curator. Sure, she loves books, but she’d love to meet a man, too, especially since she found a rare edition of the Kama Sutra in a second-hand shop and her fantasies started working overtime. I love the character of Ursula in George of The Jungle. She’s got a touch of Gracie in her, but she’s also a bit too much of a damsel in distress. (Blogger won't let me post the picture I picked out but suffice to say the photo I chose was all about Brendan Fraser and not so much Ursula!)

My Gracie is smart and self-reliant and is teaching herself Tae Kwon Do. So I’ve decided to go with Helen Hunt, a fabulous actress who has the ability to appear both self-reliant and vulnerable. These are great shots of her, aren't they?

And now for my hero. Cane Winslow is a secret agent, a man on a mission. He has no time for love or commitment. He’s a no-nonsense tough guy who’s not here to fool around. That’s his story, anyway, and he’s sticking to it. Gosh, who else could play that role but…James Bond! But which one? Sean? Pierce? The new guy? Nope. My hero's got dark hair. Sean? Pierce? Sean? Pierce? It's the age-old question.

Or...what about...oh yeah!

Hey, it's my fantasy!! Get your own!!

So who do you have in mind to play your favorite hero and heroine? Do you ever play the casting couch--er, casting call game? Do you like to use photos of real people in order to develop your characters?

Nikki, possibly the world's cutest dog

2006-10-08T11:47:00.000-07:00

In response to the dozens of e-mail requests, here, at last, is a picture of Nikki, possibly the world's cutest dog.

Saturday hunk. Hellooo, Raoul...

2006-10-07T06:29:00.000-07:00

Posted by Christine

Love those eyes...

The Name Game

2006-10-06T07:45:00.000-07:00

I’m at the beginning of a new writing project and recently had to come up with names for my characters. This can be as difficult as finding that great opening line (see Maureen’s post and Kate’s post from this week). I’ve been known to write a proposal of a book with one name and then change it as I start writing. It has to feel right.

In my upcoming December book, I named the heroine Bailey, after George Bailey from It’s a Wonderful Life because her family is really into Christmas (they own a Christmas shop). That worked great. The hero is Finn. A writer buddy of mine has a young son named Finn and I just wanted to use that name.

It’s one of the best parts of writing—like having a large family where you get to choose names for your many kids (without having to check all that homework!). Especially fun for me, who has only boys. So I’ve used some of my favorite girl names: Zoe, Emma, Francesca, Hannah. I have heroes named Bram, Dylan, Brett, and Yeager. I wrote a story about an ex-pro surfer hero nicknamed Trick (short for T. Richard which was actually Thelonious Richard—hero’s mother was a piano teacher). Everyone warned that book would not fly with publishers as cutesy nicknames and sports heroes were forbidden. It was my first sale! (And I didn’t think the nickname was that cutesy anyway, since it involved a famous 20th century jazz pianist, so there).

In a recent journey of procrastination through the blogosphere, not for the first time I read a dig at the names used for heroes and heroines throughout Romancelandia. I’m sure my Yeagers and Tricks and Finns would qualify for that category belonging only to romance heroes. And this is a bad thing? I’m surrounded in my life with Mikes and Steves. My dad is Bill, my stepdad is Bill. How many Bobs do you know? I like the men in romance fiction to have names that take me outside the Robert, John, and James beltway.

Not to mention that names of younger men are much more adventurous these days. My kids’ names are not of the biblical variety. They go to school with Hayden and Jeremy and Elijah and Bryce (and Blake and Austin and…I could go on).

Last, while I have nothing against a hero named Joe or Sam or Jack, what’s wrong with Gabriel or Quinn? If we can accept a shiver-inducing, sexy bloodsucking vamp, I think we can accept that his name is Wrath or Rhage* (or Aidan or Connor or Gideon).

So let’s name names. What are some of the favorite names you’ve come across in your reading?

* Wrath and Rhage are hero names from J.R. Ward’s Brotherhood series

In my free time I...

2006-10-05T08:18:00.000-07:00

Posted by Susan

I’ve decided I need a hobby. Now it’s not that I don’t have enough to do in a day. Honestly, I’m swamped and not getting everything done I should be. (In case any editors are reading, I’m not getting stuff like the laundry done. My pages flow quickly and creatively every single morning. I am a writing machine.)

Anyway, my to-do list stretches on endlessly, but nothing on it is especially fun. While Nikki, possibly the world’s cutest dog, sees our morning walk as the highlight of her day, I don’t share her narrow view. So I need more fun in my life and I’m thinking I can find that with a hobby.

For a while I thought maybe Nikki and I could get involved in agility training. She’s athletic and really smart. We even signed up for an obedience class. But I don’t know. She’s a sweetie, but not really interested in commands, unless there is food involved. And the instructor was very clear. Do not give them treats. Which meant trying to teach her to heel involves me bending over and planting her butt on the ground with my hand. I’m 5’8”. She’s a 6 pound toy poodle. By the end of the first day of training, I’d twisted my back so badly I couldn’t walk for two days.

I tried one of those painting kits once. The kind where you load the flat brush a certain way and then swirl it onto a vase or a plate or something, creating perfect flowers and trims. But I could never really get it right. My stuff ended up looking blobby.

Maureen taught me how to make granny squares one year at plot group. I had big plans to make blankets. I’m not sure for who. But it was tough to have yarn around with two cats and then we got Nikki and all bets were off.

I took a cake decorating class as research for one of my books—Falling for Gracie—where the heroine is a wedding cake maker. I was so awful at the decorating thing, the instructor took me aside and *begged* me not to take the intermediate class. Which is too bad. I sort of liked the cake decorating.

I was talking to Bruce, our landscaping professional, today and mentioned that the dh and I had talked about a greenhouse out back. Nothing fancy—just a heated structure to grow stuff. You know, plants. I was thinking maybe some citrus, a dwarf avocado, maybe some flowers or something. Bruce mentioned it would give me a chance to get a jump start on my hanging pots. I assume he means the plants that go in the pots. I’m pretty sure the pots themselves don’t grow. I mentioned I’d never managed to keep a hanging plant alive longer than two weeks. He mentioned they have to be watered from time to time. Who knew??

So maybe a greenhouse. Or yoga. I downloaded some information on a yoga center in Bellevue. I could learn to breathe and find my zen center. Of course I could also snap a bone.

So I’m open to suggestions. What are you hobbies? What do you love to do for fun?

In The Beginning

2006-10-04T08:31:00.000-07:00

posted by Maureen

Okay, that picture is cute, but it’s not MY monitor. Mine is usually glaring at me. Not that I mind, I’m usually glaring right back. Especially when starting a book. Now isn’t THAT a great segue into my blog???

Starting a book is the hardest part of writing. Sometimes it can take me a week or more to get going on the new manuscript. You have to learn who your characters are. You have to figure out their voices, their personalities. But the biggest hurdle to pass?

The Opening Line.

Yes, it belongs in capital letters. It’s that important. Because that opening line sets the tone for the rest of the book. It sets the tone for the reader who’s picking that book up in the bookstore, trying to decide if she wants to spend her hard earned money on your baby. You’d better have a great opening. Not just to help you move forward on the work, but to capture that elusive reader once the book is in the store.

So, I’ve got a few favorites to quote here, and hey, can I help it if a few of them are MINE?

Tracy Hill died in a freak bowling accident. That’s the opener from my book THIS TIME FOR KEEPS. And trust me, it set just the right tone for that funny, quirky book.

The body was found sprawled across Nicole Kidman’s star on Hollywood Boulevard. From my first Silhouette Nocturne, a dark paranormal called ETERNALLY, opens with that line and you immediately know that this is going to be a darker read.

"Crotchless panties?" That's the opener from Kate Carlisle's soon to be sold manuscript, THE KAMA SUTRA CHRONICLES, now a finalist in the American Title III contest! I don't know about you, but I would want to know what comes next!

When I was twelve I accidentally substituted salt for sugar in a cake recipe. That’s Janet Evanovich in TWELVE SHARP, the latest Stephanie Plum novel. And right away, you know who Steph is and identify with her.

If Darcy Jensen had known she was going to be kidnapped, she would have worn better shoes. That line is from THE MARCELLI BRIDE, by our own Susan Mallery. Instantly, you like Darcy and you’re rooting for her.

The air was raw with February the morning Bobby Lee Fuller found the first body. Nora Roberts’ novel CARNAL INNOCENCE, probably the all time greatest romantic suspense ever. I read it at least twice a year and now my daughter Sarah does the same thing.

Amazingly enough, Nora had TWO great opening lines in that book. The one above was for the prologue. This one opens Chapter One and absolutely haunts me. This line I can quote from memory. Summer, that vicious green bitch, flexed her sweaty muscles and flattened Innocence, Mississippi. Right away, you know this is a deep, dark suspense and that the atmosphere will be playing as heavy a role in the book as the characters.

Each of those opening lines is a barometer for the book that follows. As soon as you read them, you know what you’re going to get. Humor. Drama. Suspense. You get a feel for the characters before they even have their first line of dialogue.

You know, as the reader, as the writer, which road you’ll be taking on this journey. You know how you’ll be spending your time and you can’t wait to get started.

And remember...
A good beginning makes a good end—English proverb

Not to mention...
Even if you’re on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there—Will Rogers

Got a favorite opening line you’d like to share?

Vampires and Werewolves and Witches...oh, my!

2006-10-03T06:51:00.000-07:00

Posted by Christine

Yes, it’s true. I love the supernatural. I adore paranormals, especially the dark ones. I don’t mind a little humor—as long as it’s suitably dry and bleak and dripping type O.

I’ve loved the supernatural pretty much all my reading—and viewing life. Grew up watching Dark Shadows and Thriller and Twilight Zone. And I wasn’t even born at the time. ;)

I remember the first time I read Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The evil vampire sisters, the sight of Dracula crawling up that castle wall, sticking to it like a spider…I shiver still—in delight—at the memory of devouring those passages.

I have a first edition of Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire. Read a review of it in the L.A. Times and knew I had to have it.

Though Hunky Mensa Man is not a paranormal fan, second son, the J, is. I’ll never forget watching the whole cannon of Buffy reruns on the WB at five-thirty in the morning—one show a day over breakfast—before I would drive the J to band practice at the crack of dawn. By the time he was old enough to drive himself, we’d seen every installment of every season. Yes, it’s true. Buffy not only guarded the Hellmouth, she helped me bond with my younger son.

As to what’s out there now for your paranormal reading pleasure. Lately, I’ve read and adored…

The Turning by Jennifer Armintrout
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
The first four Women of the Otherworld books by Kelley Armstrong

Looking forward to reading…
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
The JR Ward Black Dagger Brotherhood books.
Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

How about you? What’s your reading pleasure? Got a great book to recommend? If it’s fantastic, it doesn’t even have to be paranormal. I want to know what books I can’t miss…

The Art of Craft

2006-10-02T06:46:00.000-07:00

Posted by Kate

Writers write about writing a lot, have you noticed? I think it’s part of the process of trying to figure out what in the world is going on inside our scary brains.

I’m in “Start-A-New-Book” mode which, strangely enough, doesn’t mean I’ve started writing a new book. It means I’ve started reading about writing a new book. As impatient as I am to get going on the story, I first need to immerse myself in the craft of writing. I need to remind myself that I know how to do this. Maybe, oh God, maybe I’ve simply forgotten how to write! There’s always that fear and it only goes away—sort of—when I start the book. Anyway, I’m currently compelled to spend my time studying the art of craft.

Here’s what I’ve done so far:

- Re-read 250 pages of emails and notes from Susan Mallery’s fabulous Brainstorming class she gave online earlier this year.

- Scanned Donald Maass’s workbook on “Writing the Breakout Novel.”

- Re- read the Complete Writer’s Guide to Heroes and Heroines.

- Researched a number of esoteric topics that apply to my story.

- Spent all day Saturday attending Christopher Vogler’s workshop on The Writer’s Journey put on by the Orange County chapter of RWA. The Writer’s Journey is Vogler’s landmark book on craft that he based on the work of Joseph Campbell and The Hero with a Thousand Faces.

- Bought two new books on craft and can’t wait to read them!

Procrastination? Probably. Fun—definitely. I never enjoyed school much but I love this study and research process. And this time around, I’ve got my notes from Susan’s Brainstorming class to work with. The notes remind me that there was some discussion about whether it's better to start a book by working out plot or whether it's better to start with a character. The character people protested that they couldn’t discuss plot points right off the bat without first nailing down the main characters. I mean seriously nailing down the characters, writing out extensive character biographies and applying the whole Myers Briggs treatment.

Myers Briggs. It’s that famous psychological questionnaire that determines whether you’re an ISTJ or an ENFP or fourteen other possible combinations of characteristics such as introverted or extroverted, thinking or feeling, etc. I like Myers Briggs well enough, but I can’t go there until I’ve got a plot worked out in my head. It’s just my way and I can’t seem to change it.

Susan’s class was fascinating—for the students, anyway. Susan probably ran screaming from her computer on a regular basis but that’s a topic for another day! Anyway, luckily for me, my book was one of the ones we brainstormed. And I needed lots of help on the plot, so that’s what we concentrated on, despite the grumblings of the character-comes-first folks. Can't blame them really, because that's their process.

But good news for them! After the class finished my book, we brainstormed Gail Barrett’s new book. And Gail starts a new book by developing her characters first. Sure enough, out came the Myers Briggs lingo along with lots of other great character development tricks. The character people were in their glory and the process was mind blowing and amazing to watch. (By the way, Gail Barrett won the Best Book Award from Orange County RWA chapter’s Booksellers Best Contest this year, so anyone who’s considering the “best” way to start a new book might take that little fact away with them! *g*)

So, given that there’s no “right” way to start a new book, how does the process work for you? Do you sit right down and start typing or do you read and study and research first? Do you make charts? Pray the rosary? Chant? Are you a Plotter or a Pantser? Which one’s better? Don’t answer that. Just figure out what works for you and do it.

Finally, do you have some favorite books on Craft you can recommend? I need all the help I can get!