My New Series!

Many of you have been writing to ask what's next.  I've just posted information about my new HIGHLAND GUARD series on my website, so make sure to check it out.  I'm going back a few hundred years to the time of Robert the Bruce, but you'll get a chance to see many of the familiar clans I've written about before, including the MacLeods, MacDonalds, Campbells, Lamonts, MacGregors, Gordons, and MacLeans.

I just turned in the first book today, and I am super excited about it.  It's called "The Chief" and the hero is Tor MacLeod.  I hope to be posting a blurb soon.

Happy 4th of July!

The Freshman Twenty at Forty

Like most college freshmen, I packed on a few pounds when I went away to school.  For undergrad I went to USC (University of Southern California--Tommy Trojan above) and not only did it have excellent food, it also had a valadine (sp?) program.  Basically, a charge card for food tied to the tuition bill.  Once I got over the novelty of being able to eat whatever and whenever I wanted, I dropped most of those pounds.  Not all, but most. 

Other than for the times I was pregnant, freshman year was probably the biggest weight gain I've ever had.  

Until now.  

Flash forward twenty (cough, cough...or twenty plus) years and I am no longer that svelte eighteen year old, but a forty-one year old mother of two who seems to be adding weight every week.  I'm exaggerating, but it seems like the moment I hit 40 everything changed.  I've always worked out and eaten relatively healthy (my big weakness being burritos and cheese), but all of the sudden it caught up to me.  Granted with all my recent tight deadlines I've had too much butt in the chair time, but these pounds don't want to come off!

Calories in, calories out, should be simple.  Then why is it so HARD.

I thought I'd throw it to you guys and see if anyone has any diets that have worked for them.  Atkins is a little too scary for me.  Life without carbs?  Ick.

 

Who Knew?

Captain Kirk had such a hot father, LOL.  I finally had a chance to see the new Star Trek movie last weekend and LOVED it.  Haven't enjoyed a movie that much in a long time.  The first five minutes (featuring George T. Kirk, James Kirk's father) was brilliant.  There are plenty of fun homages to the TV show, but you don't need to be a Trekie to enjoy this movie.  Hope some of you have had a chance to check it out.   

I think I must be having a "blond" week because my other fascination this week has been TRUE BLOOD, the HBO series based on the Sookie Stakhouse novels.  Hubbster and I are catching up on the first season thanks to NETFLIX and we're loving it.  After reading the first book, I thought I would be a diehard Bill fan, but the actor who plays Eric really grew on me.  Actually he stood up out of his chair and I got a look at the tall, well-muscled bod (sickeningly shallow, I know).  I think I have the inspiration for the "viking" looking hero in book #2 of my new series, LOL.  How funny is this...he was rumored to be picked for the lead role in Kenneth Brannagh's upcoming "THOR," but instead the role went to . . . yep, the guy above who plays George Kirk.

With my deadline for the first book in my new series looming, I might be a little quiet for a while.  That, and the monsters are getting out of school.  Any TRUE BLOOD or STAR TREK fans out there?  

Slump Buster

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately.  Every now and then I realize I'm not enjoying books that I know I should be.  Not sure why it happens.  Reading fatigue?  Working too hard?  Sameness?  Probably a combination, but it is really frustrating.  

So to use a baseball saying, I now have a "slump buster":  Susan Elizabeth Phillips.  Excuse me while I gush and have a fangirl moment, but is there anyone more talented in romance today?  The woman is absolutely brilliant at characterization and writes some of the best dialogue around (Julia Quinn is my other favorite for dialogue).  I decided to re-read HEAVEN, TEXAS last night and I loved it just as much the second time around.  I pretty much read it in one sitting, staying up until 2 am to finish.  It's amazing how she can take what should be an unlikeable character and make him appealing.  Bobby Tom Denton is arrogant, selfish, vain, and utterly yummy.   On tonight's reading menu:  NOBODY'S BABY BUT MINE (another re-read).

The funny thing is that I'm more of a historical reader, but SEP has definitely broadened my spectrum to contemporaries.  (Another really fun contemporary author is Christy Ridgeway--highly recommend).   Julie Garwood is another good Slump Buster for me.  

So do you have any authors that you know you can always go to for a good read?  

Reader E-Mail:  Lilly I'm not ignoring you!

I hate when this happens, but every now and then I'll get a lovely email from a reader and when I try to reply it bounces.  Usually it's with AOL.  I tried to send from two different email accounts, but no dice.  

I try to answer all my emails, so if you don't hear from me after a couple of weeks try again and make sure you have the correct email in the "from" box.  Also, make sure there isn't anything too generic in the "re" category.   Things like "thanks" or "for monica" or "n/a" often get caught by the spam filter.  Mentioning the title of the book or series is always good. 

So if Lilly is out there, thank you for your note!  You asked a great question and I thought I'd post the response here in case others are puzzled.  In the Author's note for OUTLAW I mentioned that I would have a link to MacGregor's testament.  Lilly looked for it and couldn't find it.  For good reason.  It hasn't been posted yet.  So sorry!  Because I have so much info in my SPECIAL FEATURES section it is necessary for me to stream it out (to give me time to put it together).  Up next (posted Monday) is the extended author's note for WARRIOR.  OUTLAW's will be posted in July (hopefully).  Until then, here is the link.  You have to scroll down to the appendix at the end.  

Dark Knights Anyone?

Hope you guys have a great Memorial Day. I'm getting close to crunch time with my book, so it was work most of the weekend for me.  On Wednesday I'll be blogging with a Golden Heart finalist buddy of mine TJ Bennett.  Her books, THE PROMISE and THE LEGACY, have earned great reviews on AAR.  I'll be talking about Dark Knights (and Patrick MacGregor), so pop on over if you get a chance.

Any fun plans for summer?

Precocious Little Readers?

I'm blogging over at Mamawriters today about my daughter and her precocious reading tendencies.  Pop on over and let me know what you think is an appropriate age to start reading romance and how I'm going to keep her away from my books until then!

The Clinch Cover

I was reading a book on the romance genre recently, and there was a funny section on clinch covers.  You know, those covers everyone loves to hate, depicting a man and woman caught up a steamy embrace.  (Sorry, couldn't resist one of Joanna Lindsey's old covers--she has some amazing ones).

As a long time reader of romance, my feelings towards clinch covers have evolved.  When I was younger, I used to be embarrassed by them--probably because if someone saw me reading one it made me feel a little naughty, LOL.  Now that I'm an author, I'm more in the "acceptance for those things we cannot change" camp.  I think maybe more than any other type of cover they immediately signal to the reader what she's going to get (usually a sexy historical romance).  And more importantly, they sell!

So how do you feel about clinch covers?  Do you hate them and wish they'd disappear?  Do you love them?  Or are you kind of ambivalent?