Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Deb Marlowe And The Wicked Lord Dayle...

by Caren Crane

I am very excited to welcome a brilliant new Regency historical star to the Bandit Lair, Deb Marlowe! Deb was the winner of the 2007 Golden Heart for short historical romance with The Lost Jewel. But before she even donned her lovely Golden Heart necklace, she sold her 2005 Royal Ascot-winning manuscript to Harlequin Mills & Boon. That manuscript was released in November 2007 in the UK and has its US release today as Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss.

Deb, congratulations on your US debut! Many of us here in the Lair have eagerly awaited the arrival of this book! What can you tell us about Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss and the wicked Lord Dayle?

Ah, the Wicked Lord Dayle! I do love him so. :-) In point of fact, Charles Alden, Viscount Dayle USED to be wicked. As Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss begins, he is actually a rake reformed.

Charles's days of pranks and peccadilloes ended with the deaths of his brother and father. Now he is working hard to pursue a political career, but someone seems determined to use his old antics against him. Charles decides that the only way to live down the wickedness of his past is to secure the dullness of his future. He determines to find a bride, and only the primmest and most proper will do.


Prim and proper, eh? Sounds like a recipe for conflict! I take it your heroine is not exactly a buttoned-up Regency miss?

Oh, no! Sophia Westby is Charles's childhood friend and she has as little use for English society as it has for her. Fate has brought her to London and she is determined to become known as a designer. While she is thrilled to run into Charles again--literally--she despises his new stiff-rumped demeanor and longs for rake's return.

Oh, my, I love Sophia already! Don't we all long for the rake inside our responsible men? And I know a number of Banditas are fans of the friends-turned lover hook, as well. *g* A designer is quite an unusual occupation for a Regency miss. How did you decide on that one for Sophia?

Because it gave me the perfect excuse to travel to England to see fabulous Great Houses up close and personal? Hee hee, not really, although I did do just that. Truthfully, I love people who have goals, interests and passions. I wanted my heroine to be that sort of woman.

In the Regency, technological advances were making interior design possible for all sorts of homeowners for the first time. I had so much fun delving into the subject and seeing how the important events and charismatic personalities of the time influenced furniture and decor.


Ooh, a tour of the Great Houses - how fun! We were just discussing extreme research over at Romance Novel TV last week. Sounds as if you sacrifice greatly for the sake of research. *g* I understand your Golden Heart winner, The Lost Jewel will be released in the UK in March as An Improper Aristocrat. Did you get to do any extreme research for that one?

I wish! That story is a rollicking adventure taking us from the tombs in Egypt's Valley of the Kings through Devonshire and into London. I would have dearly loved to explore Seti's tomb, the gorgeous coasts of Devon, or even the British Museum! Alas, the months when I was working on that story were filled with such excitement as packing school lunches and waiting in the carpool lane, rather than international travel. I have to say, I'm feeling the itch of the travel bug again. Now, if only the exchange rates would cooperate!

Ah, yes, the glamorous life of a writer, another favorite Bandits topic! Working around home and family is always a challenge. With your two releases timed so close together, you give the appearance of sudden success. Could you tell us about your road to publication? We do love a call story!

Sudden success? Is there such a thing in publishing? I suppose there is, but not here! I loved books and history when I was young. I had a friend who used to tell me I should be a writer. But practical considerations prevailed and I went into the medical field instead. It wasn't until my first child was born that I began to write. He had health issues that led me to stay home, and I started writing during nap times. I didn't get really serious until his health was finally settled and the younger one was in preschool. I began to concentrate on my writing, found fabulous critique partners and writing friends. I submitted, got rejected, and whined to said critique partners and writing friends. :-) Then I did it all again.

Finally, one day I was walking out the door to get the kids to school and my dh said, "There's an email here you'd better read." It was from an editor at Harlequin Mills and Boon who asked if she could call later that day. I jumped up and down, cried, then calmly answered in the affirmative. I took the kids, came back and paced the house for two hours, until the phone rang and a voice with the loveliest British accent said, "We've read your book. We love it. We want to buy it."

Miraculously, I did not faint. I held it together, accepted the offer, and then came a wild flurry of phone calls to dh and critique partners and writing friends! Much celebrating ensued! I'm still celebrating, to tell the truth, although everyone else might be sick of it. :-)


Well, we certainly aren't tired of it here! We love success, especially when it comes to lovely people like you. Speaking of transitioning to the writer's life, how has being a full-time romance writer been accepted by your non-writing friends? Have any reactions to your success surprised you?

Hmmm. I would say a lot of them were surprised when I made the decision to pursue this full time. When my youngest went to kindergarten I heard a lot of "When are you going back to work?" Shock was often the reaction when I answered with "I'm not." Even when I sold, some were happy and interested, but still uncertain, mostly because many people do not understand the way that publishing works. But I've had a blast educating them and I think that career changes are becoming more common and accepted. My dh has been wonderfully supportive and has graciously handled the ribbing and all the questions about whether he inspires the spicy scenes I write! I'm very happy, because I love Romance, love the message it sends, and I'm thrilled with my new career.

Deb, thank you for being with us today. Readers, be sure to check out Deb's website or click on the cover and order Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss today!

So, readers, have you decided on your dream career? Do you want to be a designer like Sophia, a writer like Deb, or maybe a professional cruiser like Aunty Cindy? Please share! A lucky commenter will receive a copy of Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss.

147 comments:

Eva S said...

A dream career for me would be a librarian, to have all these wonderful books around me all day...

Jane said...

I wish I were an astronaut and be able to travel in space. It would be amazing to see the earth from above and realize how small it is in regards to the universe. I think the weightlessness would be kind of fun too.

Eva S said...

And thanks Deb for a new book on my TBB list!! The list is very long but this sounds like a book that I'll have to read, of all my historicals Regency is my favorite time.

doglady said...

Quick on the draw, Eva!! you nabbed the GR right out of my hands! Hey there Yankee Lady!! You are certainly getting around. Great interview, by the way! Everyone knows my dream career is to be a full-time writer of historical romance. If it doesn't happen I fear I am condemned to work at Wal-Mart until I finally become a door greeter. OH THE HORROR!!!!

I have already been fortunate enough to have one dream career as a professional opera singer. I knew I wanted to be a singer at almost the same time I knew I wanted to be a writer (age 9). I knew I wanted to be an opera singer by the time I was twelve. Sang my first professional paid role when I was 26. I loved every minute of it.

Have since had a number of interesting jobs, but no real dream career. I have returned to writing and I love it just as much as I did singing. Now if I can just make enough to feed myself and the dogs I will be happy as a clam.

Deb, what kind of things did you consider when you decided to do this full-time?

Anna Campbell said...

Eva, hey, you've rescued the Golden Rooster from pain and suffering! You get a gold star!!! I bet the poor thing is shaking and distressed after what P226 put him through. Coyotes! Gunshots! Landmines! Army food! Will he ever recover?

Eva S said...

Thanks for the GR, what should I do with him...?

Anna Campbell said...

Treat him nice and don't mention the war ;-)

Hey, Deb, I've been so looking forward to your visit. Caren, what a great interview you put together with the two of you. Wow, you're so interesting, DM. You could ALMOST be a Bandita. Yeah, I am teasing you!

Congratulations on the release of Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss, henceforward to be referred to as SLRM. I'm sure it will be an enormous success. The premise is fantastic.

I'd love to hear more about your tour of stately homes (as you know, I'm a stately home addict). Which ones were your favorites and why? Were there any you would have liked to have visited but missed out on?

p226 said...

My dream career would be anything involving speed. I'm a speed addict. Fighter pilot. MotoGP racing. F1 racing.

Man, do I love going fast.

Here in a few years, I'll get back into motorcycle road-racing. Hopefully.

Nancy said...

Eva S., congratulations! You get the golden rooster! The poor thing could probably use a rest after his combat training with p226.

This was a fun interview, Caren, and Deb. Deb, welcome and congratulations on your first release! I'm a lifelong history buff, too, along with several of the banditas, and it's always nice to have another in the lair. Your book sounds wonderful, and your research sounds like a joy.

We, too, wish the exchange rate would improve. I don't remember the pound being this high against the dollar since the 1970s.

Doglady, you sang opera? How cool! Good luck on our new dream career.

Jane, I'd love to be an astronaut, but I'm afraid my dicey stomach disqualifies me. I don't do well with thrill rides, so the prospect of weightlessness isn't reassuring.

p226, have you raced motorcycles before? How so?

As for my dream career . . . full-time writer. Since I can't be part of SG-1. *g*

Keira Soleore said...

Caren and Deb, what a marvelous blog!!

Deb, "hello" to you again. It's great to keep on meeting friends in different forums. Many, many congratulations to you once again. I remember the huge smile you had as you went up to receive your Golden Heart. I wanted to frame that smile!

I'm highly curious about Sophia and her "career." Now, did she draw inspiration from John Nash, Robert Adam, John Soane, or ???

Oh, I want to be Deb when I grow up. (A professional cruiser, AC?)

Fedora said...

Congrats on the GR, Eva! And I'd love a career working with books, too. Maybe editing? (As if that were something to simply fall into... ;)) (I did work for a time at a bookstore, and while being surrounded by books was lovely, there were definitely less fun moments, too--people asking why you couldn't locate the purple-covered book about dogs they're sure was on the center table the last time they were in the store, and so on. Plus, I spent most of my paycheck at work, so...)

I'm enjoying my current "career"--I'm blessed to be able to be mostly-full-time-mom, and it's just a laugh a minute here (occasionally, anyway ;))

Deb, thanks for sharing today--I love the premise of friends-to-lovers, and am looking forward to reading your take on it :) Congratulations on your successes!

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Now Posh, don't go spreading rumors...

Alas, your ole Aunty is merely an amateur cruiser. Did I mention the charming gentleman I met on my last cruise? He was on his 146th. With only 11 cruises under my belt, I have a ways to go before I could be considered a professional, though that sounds like a wonderful dream career! Can't imagine someone paying ME to cruise.

Deb thanx so much for hanging out with us in the lair! Like Amy, it's nice to have you on the other side of the blog. :-) SUPER CONGRATS on both your books! And I'm sure you'll have many more on the shelves very soon.

AC

p226 said...

p226, have you raced motorcycles before? How so?

Yeah, I roadraced for about three years. You know, that crazy "drag your knees through the turns at 120mph" kind of streetbike racing. (On closed courses at sanctioned events, of course)

It was liquid sex on wheels. I miss it badly.

Eva S said...

I'll be off for a cruise today, we often do these 24h through the archipelago and since yesterday was a BIG birthday of mine my husband likes to take me away to relax.. I'll take GR with me and I hope he stays on board and don't fly away to one of our tiny little islands (can he fly, by the way?).... You will see tomorrow..

Anna Campbell said...

Since P226 had him, Eva, not only can he fly, he can drive a tank, operate a machine gun and coordinate a team of Navy SEALs! Happy birthday and have a lovely cruise.

Gillian Layne said...

Eva, congrats and happy BD!

Deb, I can't wait to get my hands on your book, and may I say the cover is gorgeous! I've been digging through Regency Style by Steven Parissien and I think the detail and complexity of interior design then was really interesting as well.

You've inspired me to drag out my Egyptian set Victorian and dust it off. I wrote it a (ahem) few years ago, back in the day when I had no idea things like critique groups or RWA existed, but I dearly loved everything about the setting and the time period.

I am a speech path working with special needs kiddos during the day, so writing romance at night allows me to decompress. It's a pretty good dream job mix (that pays health insurance!) right now ;)

Again, big congrats on your debut!

And dearest Pam, Friends don't let Friends become Door Greeters...:)

Anna Campbell said...

Pam, as Gillian said, we'll save you from a fate worse than death as a door greeter! Nothing worse than greeting doors! ;-)

Gillian, isn't Regency Style the most gorgeous book? Did you know there's a companion one called Adam Style that is just as luscious? I think that's one of the enduring appeals of the Regency. The elegance of the decorative arts.

Helen said...

Congrats eva s on the GR he certainly is going to have fun on a cruise.

Loved the interview Caren and Deb and I am really looking forward to this book I love reformed rakes and Heroines who know what they want.
My dream career would be to own my own romance book store what fun I could have.
Have Fun
Helen

Gillian Layne said...

Helen dear, if you opened a romance bookstore I'd be the first customer through your door. I know you'd do it up right! (I'm imagining chocolate would be involved in some way, shape, or form). :)

Gillian Layne said...

Anna, don't tempt me with another research book, please. Amazon already has me on their favorite customer Christmas card list!

Christine Wells said...

Hi Deb! Welcome to the lair and congratulations on your release. Ooh! A heroine with a flair for interior design sounds like a perfect excuse to wax lyrical over the wonderful Regency style furnishings. Good luck with Scandalous Lord, Rebellious Miss!

Oh, and congrats on nabbing the Golden Rooster, Eva! We Banditas will have to develop a guide on the Care and Feeding of the GR. And no, P226, you *cannot* contribute!*g*

Christie Kelley said...

Hi Deb,

We have something in common already--we share the same release date. Every Night I'm Yours is "officially" out today. Banditas, we'll have the party on my regular blog day the 17th.

Deb, your book sounds fantastic. I love the idea of Sophie being an interior designer. Of course that might have to do with the fact that the heroine of my book 2 is actually a painter who also loves to refurbish houses. Butit's more of a hobby for her.

Congratulations on your release! I'm sure it will do great!

Deb Marlowe said...

Oh my gosh, you guys! It's 6:22 am and I'm already behind! What a bunch of night owls you all are!

Eva congrats on the GR! I'm so glad you've gotten him. After the day he had yesterday a cruise is exactly what he needs! Pamper him, please, and let him eat all he wants on the buffet!

A librarian sounds like a wonderful job to me too. Even better than a bookstore, since you wouldn't eat up your paycheck taking all those books home!

Deb Marlowe said...

Me too, Jane! I would love to be in the serenity of space, looking down on the beauty of the earth. Unfortunately, to get to be an astronaut, you have to do all that math! Not my strong suit! I'll live vicariously through you and Star Trek, I suppose! I do love me some Jean Luc Picard!

Buffie said...

Hey Deb! Congrats on your success!! I must say that book sounds intriguing and the cover is gorgeous.

As far as my dream job -- well, it would be to NOT have a job. I'd like to be independently wealthy, thank you very much. Then I could be way involved at the kids school, making crafts and being the uber-super-room-mom. Hey, it's my dream!

Pam P said...

Congratulatons on the release, Deb - one I want to read!

I'm mainly worked in the finance and legal fields, but would love to leave that and have my own book store at this point. I certainly have plenty of stock around my house, lol! I do have a niece in high school who wants to pursue interior designing, something she got interested when younger and playing a computer game, Simms, I think.

Deb Marlowe said...

Hi doglady!

Pam, Pam, do not even let the words "Wal-Mart Greeter' pass your lips. Any writer who wins Avon Fan-Lit her first time out and the Royal Ascot her second time out is sooooo NOT destined to remain at Wal-Mart! As I tell Caren daily, it's only a matter of time, my dear.

We all love to hear about your Opera career, and we cannot wait to ride along on your next dream career!

As for things I considered before doing this full time: Lots of things! Money, insurance, what would be best for the kids, etc. But truthfully, it was the one time in my life that I put myself and what I wanted first. That doesn't happen often! And I'm still struggling daily with the concept.

Deb Marlowe said...

Thank you,Anna! Ah, those stately homes are the best, aren't they?

I swear, I think loved every single one I set foot in, and all for different reasons. I'm a big fan of Wellington, so I loved Stratfield Saye. I could just picture him there, getting away from the stress of public life. I loved Apsley for all the amazing *things* in it. The portraits! The Sevres Egyptian Service--Swoon!
I loved Osterly for all the Adams touches and Syon for the amazing guide we had there and the courtyard in the middle! I want a courtyard like that.
But I have to say I fell totally in love with Bath. I swear, I could happily live there. The light there is amazing.

Deb Marlowe said...

p226--You are a brave man! That road racing is harrowing! My dh and kids race motocross but I absolutely refuse to allow road bikes. It's that time spent in medicine, you know! It's different on a track, with safety equipment, I know. But please be careful! The Banditas would miss you if you got hurt!

Deb Marlowe said...

Nancy, the exchange rate is painful, isn't it! Maybe it will come down soon and we can all plan a Bandita trip to the British Isles. Right after the Bandita trip to Oz! I'd be right there!

Minna said...

I've always wanted to be a translator.

Deb Marlowe said...

Hi Keira!

Oh, I'm glad I was smiling that night on that long walk to the podium. Truthfully, I had not given one thought to winning. It never even entered my mind that I might! I felt like I already had the prize--an amazing editor--and fate would give someone else the GH.

I didn't have a speech ready, and all I could think of while I walked up there was "Don't forget anybody, don't forget anybody" But of course, I did! So let me take the moment now to publicly tell my dh and my amazing Beau Monde mentor Nicola Cornick that I appreciate them both so much! I couldn't have sold without their support!

I'm still red in the face thinking of it!

Deb Marlowe said...

LOL, flchen1--there have been head pounding moments at the computer when I thought to myself, "I should have been an editor!" It does seem like a dream job, although most people have no idea how hard they work!

Full-time Mom is the hardest--and one of the most rewarding--jobs out there! Enjoy it! All those kisses and hugs are better than gold.

Deb Marlowe said...

Aunty Cindy,

Maybe you combine careers and become a travel writer, reviewing the different cruise ships and their destinations? Hopefully that would leave plenty of time for writing Romantic Suspense by the pool.

Deb Marlowe said...

Thank you, Gillian!

Regency Style is the most gorgeous book! I used some really nice references I got at the Geoffrye Musuem too.

Oh, go for it with the Egyptian Victorian! It's fun to take something old out and go over it, isn't it? It makes you realize how far you've come. Although, I do cringe when I look at some of the things I put my poor CP through!

And let me say THANK YOU for the hard work you put in on the day job! We've had extensive experience with speech pathology at our house! I imagine it can be both frustrating and rewarding!

brownone said...

Congrats on the GR Eva!!
Okay, now that I have another one to add to my list it looks like my husband is going to have to work nights and weekends to keep up with my book addiction (and I don't think electrician is his dream job). As for me, I think I'd like to be a professional shopper. No, not the ones that go to Wal-mart and McDonalds. But one that shops for the stars (preferably Johnny Depp..hee hee).

Caren Crane said...

Thanks, everyone, for coming out to play with us today. I had the great good fortune to read SLRM when it was merely a draft. I fell in love with Sophia and the delicious Lord Dayle! I know all of you will, as well.

Eva, I wanted to be a librarian, too, until I worked in the library at college. The books were wonderful but the librarians could be a bit stuffy. Such sticklers for rules! *g* I was known, just before closing, to "modify" the closing announcements. Some patrons loved that and some scowled at me. *eg*

Donna MacMeans said...

Hi Deb! Great interview. I love the idea of a reformed rake. This sounds like a fun read. I'll be looking for it when I get to B&N next weekend to FINALLY pick up Christie's book (I've had a hard time chasing that one down.)

You were wonderful, BTW, up on the podium in Dallas. I suffered similar utter surprise when I won in Atlanta - not a comfortable feeling trying to remember names amidst all that euphoria and adrenaline.

THe next book sounds fantastic. Do you know the US release date?

Caren Crane said...

Oh, and Eva, congrats on the GR!

P226, I'm sorry I missed your triumphant nabbing of the GR yesterday. Not only was I working, but I was sick. So I left work, got antibiotics and then rested. Not!

I actually got the drugs, roasted a chicken, went to Girl Scouts, then went to both the library and a bookstore looking for a book my 8th grader HAD TO HAVE TODAY! She swears she told me about it a week ago. She probably did. *g* No luck finding it, though, so the dh had to go on a separate hunt.

Such a glamorous life we writers and moms lead!

Caren Crane said...

Pam, having had the dream career of singing opera, I think it's quite saucy of you to pursue a second dream career. You are my hero! *g*

Donna MacMeans said...

Oops forgot to mention the dream job. I have to admit this is it. I would probably still be writing stories no matter what profession I was in, but getting paid for your work and being able to see it in a public forum is amazing.

Now if I could just convince my tax clients that they really need to find someone else to do their returns - I'd have even more time to procrastinate facing a blank page *g*.

Andrea said...

Hi there, Deb, and CONGRATULATIONS!! Happy release day to you (and to Christie, too)! I'll be heading to the bookstore in a little while to pick up both yours and Christie's debuts. :)

Well, I have my dream job--a stay at home mom--and I enjoy it very much. Other than that, how about a professional reader? Okay, if that isn't a "real" job, I'd love to own a bookstore (or at least work in one). Of course, I'd probably spend my paychecks on books...

~Andrea

Deb Marlowe said...

Oh, Helen, what fun we could *all* have if you owned a bookstore. Suddenly I could see all the Banditas scheduling a signing in Oz. Wouldn't a trip like that count as a business expense? :-)

Caren Crane said...

Anna, I am jealous of your tour of Great Homes and Deb's! I swear, I have to tag along on the next tour. And Anna got to tour with Deb's mentor, Nicola Cornick, I do believe. What a treat!

All those gardens. All the lovely furniture. All those cream teas...

Donna MacMeans said...

LOL on Caren being a wise-cracking smart aleck librarian!

Caren Crane said...

Everyone, while you're out grabbing SLRM, make sure to pick up Christie Kelley's "Tonight I'm Yours".

Though I was at a bookstore last night, I only dashed to the Young Adult section, saw they didn't have the book we needed and left. Once the antibiotics kick in, I will go spend some quality time at Borders and pick up both these fabulous debut releases!! How much more excitement can we stand over here?

Deb Marlowe said...

Thanks Christine--I'm thrilled to be a Bandita for a day!

Caren Crane said...

Donna, are you at all surprised that I didn't quite conform to the librarian mold? I don't think they quite knew what to do with me!

Caren Crane said...

Minna, I wanted to be a translator at one point. The problem was, I got to my third year of German studies in college and realized that being a translator would mean I had to pay attention all the time. And translate things as they were said. No editing, no embellishment.

Clearly, that was not the job for me! *g*

Christie Kelley said...

Really, if you want to, pick up Every Night I'm Yours. Because I don't have an idea who wrote Tonight I'm Yours. :)

Caren Crane said...
Everyone, while you're out grabbing SLRM, make sure to pick up Christie Kelley's "Tonight I'm Yours".

Deb Marlowe said...

Oh, my gosh, Christie, we are release sisters! Congratulations! But now I'm feeling horribly guilty for hogging the blog today!

Okay, to make up for it, I'm going to run out to get my copy of Every Night I'm Yours! And one for my mom, and one for my neighbor . . .

I'll be sure to be here on the 17the with bells on!

Caren Crane said...

So when Helen, Andrea and Pam P open their bookstores, we will do a massive, roving tour of book signings, right? All over North America and Australia, dragging along honorary Banditas and friends, leaving a trail of chocolates in our wake.

Hey, we can cruise to Australia on our Bandita cruise ship with Aunty Cindy as the cruise director! Along the way, Pam can sing for us and P226 and Cassondra can give us lessons on weapons of all sorts.

Cassondra can take us scuba diving while Anna leads the more timid (um, me) on a lovely snorkeling expedition.

Christine will organize the barbecue on the beach and there will be mango daquiris for everyone!

On the way back to North America, we will stop in the British Isles for a tour of Great Homes and some serious shopping (Brownone can arrange that, I'm sure). After the exhausting touring and shopping, we will linger in Bath to rest and relax, then continue on.

Of course, in order to do this, we will all have to become NYT bestsellers and/or realize Buffie's dream of becoming independently wealthy.

Rich, sickly old bachelor uncles, anyone?

Beth Andrews said...

Congrats on grabbing the GR, Eva! Happy Birthday *g*

Great interview, Deb and Caren! Deb, congrats on the US release of SLRM! I love the concept - I have a feeling your Rebellious Miss is going to spend some time trying to get your Reformed Rake...uh...UN-reformed *g*

I've been lucky to have two dream jobs - stay at home mom and now writer :-) If I couldn't be a writer, my other dream job would be to refurbish Victorian homes (like the heroine in your next book, Christie *g*)

Caren Crane said...

Sorry, Christie! I need fact checking--often. =:-0 Yes, indeed, "Every Night I'm Yours". Which does, indeed, lend itself far more to a happy ending than just "Tonight". Hey, Christie, maybe you can write an erotica with that title! *g*

Deb Marlowe said...

Hey Buffie!

I've done the room mom, PTA vice-president thing, too! It's a lot of work, but nothing beats having a close connection with your kids and their lives! Sadly, deadlines have eaten into that time lately. I really need a few more hours in the day!

Deb Marlowe said...

Pam P, when you open your bookstore, announce it here--I'm sure all the Bandita bloggers have a book or two hundred they might be willing to donate to a good cause!

Plus, just think of all the autographed books you could get from the Banditas alone!

Deb Marlowe said...

Minna, I know several translators, they certainly do a big business around here! One lady I know translates sign language--I know she gets a huge amount of satisfaction from her job.

Deb Marlowe said...

brownone--my Mom's dream job is professional shopper too! Although she would be perfectly happy to shop at Wal-Mart and Target all day. She prides herself on not paying full price for anything!

Shopping for Johnny Depp would definitely be a little more glamourous--and fun!

Here's that bathing suit you asked for, Johnny--What's that? You're not into speedos? Well, maybe you should try it on in any case, just for future reference, you understand....

Christie Kelley said...

Deb, you just your fun here today. Your book is on my list for a weekend run to Borders.

Caren, Every Night is still in the top 100 on Amazon for erotica.

And Every Night is not erotica! Sexy, yes. Erotica, no.

Deb Marlowe said...

Thank you, Donna! I'm glad my complete and utter shock wasn't *too* obvious up there!

As to An Improper Aristocrat--I've been told it will have a late 2008 US release--I'm anxiously awaiting further details!

Deb Marlowe said...

Caren, you crack me up! I'm sorry you are sick. I hope I didn't give you the crud. And you are SOOO not librarian material--I think both of us have too big a mouth, although I dearly love to steer kids towards great books...

Yay, Christie on the Amazon Top 100! I can't wait to read it!

Deb Marlowe said...

Oh, Andreaw--I think you just created *all* of our dream jobs! Professional reader! Sign me up!

Deb Marlowe said...

Hi Beth!

Oh, yes, Sophie spends a great deal of time poking at Charles, trying to get him to lighten up. It was a lot of fun to write!

Congrats on your dream jobs!

Anonymous said...

Caren, you and I are on the same schedule, it seems. I've got the crud too...unfortunately, I've also got three huge projects due, so I can't stay home. WAH! I want to soak in a hot bath all day long and read books!

Which brings me to my dream job? Lord, I don't even know. Writing, absolutely. But something that involves teaching, too. Maybe doing workshops. And I miss the ropes course, so I'd like to work in some team-building consulting along with my teaching. And I like to dress up and act like a big wig occasionally, so I'll have to fit that in somehow. And I'm a bit of a political junkie, so maybe I can be a consultant on a political campaign for a few hours a week and that will give me an excuse to wear my suits. ;-)

Deb, I love me a reformed rake! Your book sounds like such fun! I still haven't gotten Christie's book yet, so I'll have to pick them up at the same time! :-)

Thanks for visiting the lair!

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Hi Deb! Welcome to the Lair! Your book sounds wonderful. My B&N was still lacking Christie's book so when I go back to haras...I mean visit them, I'll be picking yours up too. (Note to self: Increase book buying budget yet again!) Oh, and HAPPY RELEASE DAY, Ladies!!

Caren, my *other* evil twin! I loved that you changed the closing address at the library. Snork. I have a library degree. Yep. Certified K-12. My Dad's a Director of Public Libraries. Had to follow in the old man's footsteps since Mama was an English teacher and I knew I didn't have the chops for that... Then I actually WORKED in a high school library. Aaaaarrrrrrgh. Homidcide was an option on a daily basis. I thought fondly of the 8X8 cell and three squares a day, when compared to dealing with *shudders* teenagers in a library. *shudders again* It still gives me the willies. (Wait...did I use that word right? Tawny? JoanieT?)

Eva, congrats on the GR and Happy BDay! Jane, love the astronaut idea. Oh, to see the big blue planet from space...so cool.

P226, say it with me now: "I feel the need...the need...for SPEED!" Yeah! I love speed too. Big surprise, right? Snork. Not motorcycles though...hmmm gotta work on that.

Have a great release day, Christie and Deb. And again, Deb, thanks for visiting the Lair! (BTW, I have my dream jobs - writer, loved Mama, cherished wife *or so the kids and DH say* - so I'm in heaven!)

Hellie Sinclair said...

Dream career is definitely to be a writer, though admittedly in my youth I wanted to be a country singer (though I couldn't sing and I only had a Mickey Mouse guitar, which I also couldn't play) OR a Vegas Show Girl (all those sequins and headfeathers--I still like shiny things.)

Caren Crane said...

Deb, I think I have different crud from yours. There is so much going around here these days! *g*

Kirsten, I'm sorry to hear you are sick too! You need a vacation--like a decade or four. Maybe when we figure out how to become independently wealthy like Buffie will be, we can all pursue our dreams!

Buffie, I have to say, I really would prefer not to work at all. People are generally horrified by that. *g* I love to write and would adore doing it for money. But really, I would like to read and watch movies and have lunch with friends. Maybe work out with a personal trainer and shop sometimes. I could live like that!

jo robertson said...

Great interview, Caren! Deb, welcome to the Lair. I love call stories and yours sent chills running down my spine. How exciting! Your books sound delightful.

I'd like to hear more about the job description of a designer in the Regency. Can you tell us more?

Ideal job! I agree with professional reader. It'd be lovely to get paid for something you love to do. And writing, of course!

Deb Marlowe said...

Feel better soon, Kirsten--I think you are the one who will need a few more hours in the day for your dream job! I did notice there was no mention of flashing nether regions in any of those options! :-)

Deb Marlowe said...

Thank you Jeanne! At least you are now putting all those years of homicidal thoughts to good use now, in your Romantic Suspense! Much more productive than doing in teenagers. Hopefully they've outgrown their obnoxiousness by now!

Deb Marlowe said...

Ms Hellion--Country singer, Vegas showgirl, writer--*You* are a fun girl! I want to hang out with you!

Joan said...

Deb, welcome to the lair! I look forward to adding your title to the ever increasing TBR pile.


Caren said: Buffie, I have to say, I really would prefer not to work at all. People are generally horrified by that. *g* I love to write and would adore doing it for money. But really, I would like to read and watch movies and have lunch with friends. Maybe work out with a personal trainer and shop sometimes. I could live like that!

Amen, sistah!

My dream job is the same...full time writer. And gladiator trainer :-)

Oh, and to add to the cruise itinerary? Once we leave the British Isles we MUST stop over on Eire...I'd rent a van and give ya'll the Grand Tour. The GR will ride shotgun as he has experience reading maps thanks to p226!

And Eva? You've really set the bar high on entertaining the little cluck. Alas, I guess I'll have to try to snatch him in April!

Deb Marlowe said...

Hi Jo!

Sophie's designs are not really her job. It starts as her hobby and distraction from her loneliness--Her family is in shipping and girlhood visits to warehouses full of crates and barrels of lovely furniture and objects led her to draw the beautiful rooms that these things would some day inhabit.

As a favor she helps her bedridden best friend decorate her nursery, then they move on to other rooms in the house. Her work is noticed by the hero's mother, who enlists her help with a project and it all snowballs from there!

Terri Osburn said...

I swear, you guys have the BEST interviews. You need your own late-night talk show. The desk would have to be huge but man that would be entertaining.

Love the call story and the books sounds great. I just bought a dozen in the last week but what's one more. Love the cover too. Very nice.

p226 said: It was liquid sex on wheels. I miss it badly.

As a fan of speed myself, that is a killer way to describe it. Someone write that down! LOL!

FilmPhan said...

Professional shopper or actress.

Terri Osburn said...

Caren - I'm buying a ticket for that trip but we would never leave chocolate behind. NO chocolate is ever left behind!

Forgot to mention dream job. I'd love to get paid to travel the world. I seriously considered being a travel agent after HS but changed my mind. I still wonder what the heck I was thinking.

Deb Marlowe said...

Oh my gosh, Terrio--that is Brilliant! Can you just imagine a late night View with 20 odd Banditas at the desk! Corpses being discovered left and right and Gladiators running amuck! Pure. Ratings. Gold.

p226 said...

And no, P226, you *cannot* contribute!*g*

But... but.... I have valuable input for the GR care and feeding manual. Tap-rack-bang drills! Bunker construction techniques! Steel cutting with demo charges! These are all things a rooster must know. And some of those skills are perishable. We need to make sure he gets refresher training.

And to comment on something I saw this morning in Deb's post:

That story is a rollicking adventure taking us from the tombs in Egypt's Valley of the Kings

Now that is a cool setting. I think I've mentioned before that I love the desert.

Claudia Dain said...

Deb, I love that you gave your heroine such a cool job. I can't wait to read this book! Only a pressing deadline is holding me back, and the tiniest remnant of the Responsible Adult Gene that is whispering that meeting my contractual obligations must come before pleasure.

Not to worry. I am slowly killing that gene by neglect.

Dream jobs...what can I say? Being a writer is a pretty cool dream job. Being a personal shopper wouldn't be bad either. Someone else's money makes shopping so much more fun!

Deb Marlowe said...

Of course, I meant that 20-odd comment as a roundabout number and not as a slur on any Bandita Character....

Deb Marlowe said...

Joan, I'd ride along with you and the GR through Eire anytime!

filmphan--Do you have acting experience? I swear, one of my kids is a born actor. But I'm too scared to consider that very deeply...

Deb Marlowe said...

No, Claudia, after writing your true calling is Personal Shopping Consultant. You make Clinton and Stacy on What Not to Wear look like amateurs!

Believe me, people. I know whereof I speak. Claudia vets all my conference outfits!

Nancy said...

Actually, "professional cruiser like Aunty Cindy" sounds pretty good! Though the dh does sunburn very easily. Eva, happy birthday, and have a great time!

I wanted to be a fashion designer until I found out how much chemistry I would have to take to get a degree in it. Math really, truly isn't my thing!

flchen1, I'd spend my money at work, too, if I worked in a bookstore. One reason I never have! I did "full-time mom" for a few years and enjoyed it hugely. Except in the moments after the boy somersaulted off the bed, and the moments after he stuffed a pecan tree's droppings in his mouth, and, well . . . it was never dull, and I became very familiar with Blue's Clues.

p226, the racing sounds very exciting. I hope you're able to get back to it.

Gillian, good luck with that Victorian! The setting worked very well for Amelia Peabody.

Helen, owning a bookstore would be great! You could read everything for free. *g* As with Eva's librarian idea.

Deb, lots of us are night owls; it makes up for RWA being run by morning people. Workshops at 8:30 kill me by the second day! I'm too busy hanging with my friends I never see elsewhere to think about going to bed early.

Yep, the exchange rate really needs to come down!

Minna, I think knowing lots of languages would be cool!

Caren, I feel for you! The boy told us at 10:30 the other night that the batteries in his calculator, which is necessary in his math class, were dead. We had no AA in the house, so the dh made a run to Bi-Lo. Aack! But neither of us was sick at the time.

Pam P., my nephew was nuts for the Simms. We could never figure out how to make them move properly, though. I suspect it's a Mac interface/PC design issue. *sigh*

Claudia Dain said...

Deb, you are so sweet! You know that spending other people's money on clothes and jewelry is...ahhhhh, a life perfected. Planning a conference wardrobe is a pure delight.

Right?

Minna said...

Well, Caren, you need to pay even more attention if you are an interpreter. That's why I prefer translating... And who says you have to translate things as they are said? That may be true when you are studying a foreign language, but when you are translating... Of course it depends on the text type and the wishes of your customer. You have more freedom when you are translating a Disney comic than when you are translating a contract.

Oh, and Congrats, Eva!
And Deb, Congratulatons on the release.

CrystalGB said...

A dream career for me would be to be a bookstore owner. I could be surrounded by books all day and talk with customers about books.

Minna said...

Nancy, being a translator doesn't automatically mean you know lots of languages, but if you do, it's certainly useful.

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

HAPPY B.Day Eva! Today (Feb. 5) was my Gramma's bday. I still miss her after 20+ years. But LUCKY ROOSTER! A cruise through your beautiful archipelago sounds WONDERFUL! Can I stow away in the GR's luggage?

Gillian, I SECOND your comment: Friends Don't Let Friends Become Door Greeters! :-P

Helen, I can definitely see a mass Bandita (and Bandita buddy) signing at your bookstore!

Congrats again, Deb and Christie on your "official" release date.

AC
anxiously awaiting word on her own release date

Deb Marlowe said...

Hi Nancy!

I'm definitely a morning person--I wish I could stay up late and get work done, but the brain turns to mush right around 9:00 pm.

But a party I'll miss my bedtime for! See you in San Fran, I hope!

Deb Marlowe said...

Hi Crystalgb! It sounds like you'll be in good company with your bookstore!

I keep hoping someone will open a Romance-centric store around here. What a fun place that would be to hang out!

Helen said...

Gillian you bet there would be chocolates we would have Tim Tams and cadbury roses by the boxes to help us all through the day of wonderful reading.
What a book signing day we would have when everyone comes down under on AC's cruise and then us Aussies could have a holiday and cruise back.
Have Fun
Helen

Jennifer Y. said...

Waving hello!

I can't wait to read this book!

As for my dream career...I'd love to get paid to read...LOL. Actually, I'd love to do PR or promotions for authors for a living...or own a bookstore.

Anna Sugden said...

Hey Deb - my fellow GHer from 07!

I love the sound of your story - love reformed bad boys and the women they fall for!

And you're a friend for life with your desire to see the Devon coast (says this Devon-born lass!). Hope you make it back across to England.

Eva - happy birthday.

P226 - don't forget to look me up if you ever make it across to the TT races.

Favourite job - I've been lucky enough to have both a high-powered business job and be a teacher. Both of which I wanted so much at the time. Now, I'm a full-time writer, with dreams of eventually getting the call.

But, I still dream of being a film director!

Keira Soleore said...

Caren, a rebel librarian. Why am I not surprised? Are you a rebel engineer now? :)

Deb, it's great seeing all the excitement here chez Banditas over your debut. It's like getting a standing ovation after your debut dance. (Cotillion, Caren? Aria, Pam?)

You caused quite a stir last July, when you forgot to thank your husband. That's going into the annals of RWA memoirs.

Cherie J said...

Welcome to Deb Marlowe! Your book sounds wonderful!

A dream job would be to be a travel reviewer. I think that would be a blast since I love to travel to new places.

Rebekah E. said...

My dream career would be a doctor. It will always be a dream because I pass out at the site of blood. I just always that it would be great to be able to help people with their health when they need it.

Deb Marlowe said...

AC--I think everybody at the lair is awaiting that release date! Be sure to post the good news when you hear!

I just walked back into the house to find a box of An Improper Aristocrats awaiting me. Yay!

Maybe we should have 2 drawings!

Deb Marlowe said...

Hi Jennifer Y!

I know a lot of authors who would be interested in help with promo! Just to put a bug in your ear . . .

Deb Marlowe said...

Hi Anna!

007s, Licensed to Sell are in the house!

I can't wait to get back to England. Sigh. Someday.

Did you watch the reality show about up and coming film directors, On the Lot? I loved that series. Watching their process as storytellers was fascinating.

Caren Crane said...

Deb, that's so awesome! So...are we going to see the cover art someday? *g*

Two drawings are always better than one. If you are willing to part with a UK RELEASE of An Improper Aristocrat, which won't be available in North America until late in the year, be my guest! Oh, you are my guest already. Never mind all that.

In the immortal words of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Give it away, give it away, give it away now!"

Deb Marlowe said...

Keira,

Caren's definitely a rebel engineer, and a rebel Troop Mom, and a rebel Sunday School teacher --and now with her glamorous red hair, she looks the part!

You know, I have a jar of Nutella Dark Chocolate Dreams calling my name from the pantry. It does not fit in with my current diet. I'm thinking of blaming you! Hee hee.

Caren Crane said...

Btw, Keira, yes I was a rebel librarian. Surprise, eh? *g* I also sent all my children to cotillion! Because there is, after all, no excuse for bad manners. Especially if you're Southern. *eg*

Deb Marlowe said...

Good idea, Cherie J--and then the exchange rate wouldn't matter a bit!

Caren Crane said...

Me? A rebel in all things? Okay, you're right, I am. But I don't mean to be. It's just that all these "rules" people make up sometimes make sense and sometimes don't. When they don't make sense, I sometimes don't feel compelled to follow them. See there? That's some engineering logic for you. *g*

Caren Crane said...

Terrio, I have had similar thoughts about my great choices, too. I could have done so many things if I had made different choices! But they were all the best ones I could make at the time, so I remember that and try hard not to regret missed opportunities. Plus, it's not like we're dead yet. We can still do anything we like!

Be like TICD and kill off the remains of your Responsible Adult Gene. Those things are overrated! *g*

Deb Marlowe said...

That's a noble sentiment, Rebekah. Luckily there are lots of ways to help people that don't involve blood. :-) But I confess, I used to be pretty darned good at drawing blood. It's been a while, though! I've probably lost the touch.

Caren Crane said...

Rebekah, maybe they'll come up with some bloodless laser-type surgery you can do one day. My younger kids got to do virtual dissection in middle school. Wha? What happened to mucking around with your slimy, formaldehyde-soaked frog?!

Caren Crane said...

Deb, back up the truck a minute. You found Nutella Dark Chocolate Dreams and tried it and kept it a secret from me? And it's in your pantry?! And here I thought we were friends...

Deb Marlowe said...

Okay, Caren, you do know that song is stuck in all of heads, now!

Yay--an Advanced North American Reader for An Improper Aristocrat! I say we do it!

Deb Marlowe said...

Caren--Nope, it's not a secret, and I haven't tried it yet. It's sitting there, all pristine.

Want to come over?

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna said...

Hey there Deb, I got your book! I was so excited I actually bragged about it. I was able to get Every Night I'm Yours too Christie! I guess everyone knows what I will be doing this weekend :-)
P226, of course your input to the care and feeding of GR is appreciated. You just never know when he is going to be trapped behind enemy lines and has to know all of those things right?

Caren Crane said...

Evil, evil writer! I have many witnesses here. You have all heard Deb Marlowe officially lure me to the Dark Side. And I am sick and my defenses are down! It is also Fat Tuesday and we are supposed to indulge in the things we are giving up for Lent!

Luckily for me, I am not giving up chocolate. I am giving up...gulp...caffeine! Yes, you read that right. What follows may be ugly, dear Banditas. Be afraid--be very afraid!!

Caren Crane said...

Dianna, way to score both books! Where did you find them? Inquiring minds want to know!

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna said...

Believe it or not I found one at Wal-Mart and one at Krogers! I didn't even make it to the book store. By the time I was done I had Deb's and Christie's plus 6 more. It's a darn good thing I don't have anyone monitoring my spending because I sure there would have been a fight. LOL

doglady said...

WAAAAIT!!! Hold the phone! They MAKE Dark Chocolate Nutella???? When did this happen?? Oh man, I am SO DEAD if I find it anywhere in a 100 mile radius. LOVE that stuff. Dark chocolate .... must ..... have ..... dark .... chocolate. Although I MIGHT settle for a copy of The Improper Aristocrat! Of course if we wanted to entertain p226 Deb could fill a pool with Dark Chocolate Nutella and we could all wrestle for it.

I have to confess that I, too, have a thing for speed. I had to sell my muscle car - Mustang GT 5.0 ten years ago because after the fourth speeding ticket for doing in excess of 90 MPH on the interstate my insurance company got kind of nasty.

Caren Crane said...

Oh, Pam, you are FULL of great ideas today. *g* Dark Chocolate Nutella wrestling for copies of as-yet-unreleased books. That could get really nasty!

As for the Mustang, one of my friends had a Mustang Cobra in his bachelor days and, in a fit of listening to his Responsible Adult Gene, sold it when he married and had a baby. I told y'all that gene was overrated!

Caren Crane said...

Dianna, I will admit having a fit of conscience (albeit a very brief one) when I made my third trip to the bookstore last week. I have a teetering TBR pile and overflowing bookshelves!

My husband keeps telling me, "We don't need any more books!" Of course, he just bought one last night when he went to find the YA book for the 8th grader. He is as bad as I am!

Nathalie said...

My dream job was always being a fashion designer... I love to draw and I love fashion, however, I have decided it was an unhealthy dream career and went to college.

Caren Crane said...

Nathalie, do you ever regret the choice? What did you decide to study instead?

p226 said...

Of course if we wanted to entertain p226 Deb could fill a pool with Dark Chocolate Nutella and we could all wrestle for it.

If you fill a pool with dark chocolate around me, you're going to be wrestling on the ground. Because so help me I'll attach a trailer hitch to my bike and drag the pool to someplace safe where I can eat the stuff myself.

I'm evil around dark chocolate. Ask my wife. When I'm eating it, and people come near, I snarl and growl. Usually, they'll wisely back away. Sometimes though, you have to bite 'em once to get the point across.

And hey, I had a mustang too. Only got one ticket in it. And it was a boring ticket for like, nine over or something. They're kind of fascist about the speed limits in Virginia on I-81 at 3am. Apparently. It was a fun car. I actually miss it, and am considering getting another one in about a year. But my most comical traffic stop was on the bike.

Officer: "Son, do you have any idea how fast you were going back there?"

Me: "I dunno... what gear was I in when you clocked me?"

Officer: "I have you on radar at one fifteen in a seventy."

Me: "Oh, second gear then."

Officer: *blink*

He let me go though. No ticket. Nuthin'. Just on the promise to slow down.

Lily said...

Thanks for blogging here Deb!

I am doing what I consider my dream career, I am working towards becoming a doctor.

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna said...

You know Caren, I didn't even have a tiny bit of guilt, I had gotten my son his goodies for this pay, I got my granddaughter and daughter their Valentines, so no guilt for momma! End of month I always have to work over, usually three days with about 12 hours OT together, so I splurged this pay. My valentine present to myself :-D

Deb Marlowe said...

diana, I am honored beyond belief to have my book be your splurge! I hope you enjoy every moment of it!

Deb Marlowe said...

Whoops, confession time--it's not officially Nutella, I just realized, because it's made from peanuts and dark chocolate instead of hazelnuts. But it was sitting right next to the Nutella in the store!

Whatever it is, I'm sure Weight Watchers does not have enough points in a day to cover it, so maybe we should have *three* drawings!

Deb Marlowe said...

nathalie--don't discount your dream altogether--look at me! You never know what's going to happen in the future!

Deb Marlowe said...

doglady--I'm seeing a whole 'nuther side to you, girl! I really wish we lived closer to each other.

Deb Marlowe said...

Lily, thank *you* for following your dream! I know what a hard row it is, but we need dedicated folks like you!

Caren Crane said...

Deb, it's not Nutella? But still dark chocolate and peanuts, huh? Hm. Now, see, if it were Nutella and hazelnuts were involved, it would be a definite must-have item. But peanuts are not in any way exotic (though I am sometimes enticed by their salty goodness). I'm waiting for you to figure out how many Weight Watchers points that stuff is and let us know. Only then can rational decisions be made. *g*

Caren Crane said...

Lily, we are so proud of you! You're going to be a terrific doctor. All that romance reading makes you extra compassionate. What lucky future patients you have! Now, if you'll just move to North Carolina we'll be in business. *g*

Caren Crane said...

P226, the problem with getting a Mustang later in life (like, after you're 25) is that people will smile indulgently and ask if it's your "midlife crisis". Which, you know, nothing wrong with having a Mustang constitute your midlife crisis. It's better than a 28-year-old blonde! Then again, I don't think I'd give a fig what anyone thought about me buying any car, so more power to you!

I concur fully with your estimation of dark chocolate. I do not share mine. Never. I hoard it and eat it all by myself. *eg*

Gannon Carr said...

Welcome, Deb! Sorry I'm late to this party, but at least I made it! I'm so looking forward to reading your book!

I would love to be paid to travel. I suppose it could be as a travel writer, but I'd rather be paid just to have fun ;)

Caren Crane said...

Gannon, I'm with you! I keep thinking it would be great to travel, but if it were somewhere really great, would I want other people to know about it? *eg* I mean, I know the absolute best place on Cozumel to get guacamole, but I don't want to tell all the tourists about it, you know?

Caren Crane said...

Gannon, I think we would be much better off with Buffie's dream job of being independently wealthy and not having to work at all. Believe me, I could keep myself busy!

Deb Marlowe said...

Hi Gannon, glad you made it! That's a dream I could hitch my wagon to! Paid to have fun!

catslady said...

Sounds fabulous and I just love the cover. A dream career would have to involve books, art and/or animals lol.

catslady said...

Sounds fabulous and I just love the cover. A dream career would have to involve books, art and/or animals lol.

catslady said...

oops - so sorry - ignore the double post and this one now too (sigh).

Trish Milburn said...

Congratulations on the release of your book, Deb! It's great to see another GHer hit the bookshelves.

p226 said...

Mid life crisis? Ha! I started my mid-life crisis when I was 17. (I didn't expect to live to 34)

Caren Crane said...

P226, never hurts to get an early start. *g*

doglady said...

Aha! Another dark chocolate fiend outed.

Yes, Deb, between the funeral home gurney races with Karen Rose and the Nutella wrestling we would definitely give them something to talk about!

Gannon Carr said...

Caren, you are so right about Buffie's dream job. Being independently wealthy would be no hardship for me, that's for sure! ;)

Deb Marlowe said...

Thanks Catslady!

And Thank You Banditas all for a great day! I couldn't have asked for a better celebration!

Deb

Keira Soleore said...

I'm here, folks, I'm here. There's talk of...Nutella! Aha!

Caren, see, you cannot rationalize about the sublime. If you do math and scrimp here and there, then you don't get to count yourself among the connoisseurs of chocolate (dark or milk or hazlenutty).

Deb, didn't know you were a closet Nutella fan. Now that you've outed yourself (via the dark and peanuts), you won't be allowed to hide behind FoNutella.

P226, you're a true chocoholic. All hail to the king.

Caren, you're giving up caffeine for Lent, right? We-ll honey, chocolate has lots of caffeine. There's goes your chocolate, too. Poof! (evil cackle)

Caren wrote, "Because there is, after all, no excuse for bad manners."

A red-faced Keira slinks off.........with the jar of chocolatey goodness from Deb's pantry.

Anna Campbell said...

Deb, don't the Banditas and their buddies love you? Fantastic day of blogging! Come back and see us again, you hear? And congratulations again on the release of your debut!

Caren Crane said...

Keira...so cute and yet, so very EVIL!!!

Thanks, everyone, for making Deb's launch day a great party!

KT said...

My dream career is to be an author, no joke. But my second up is actually what I'm going into...which is to be a nurse. I would love to work in a children's hospital on the oncology (cancer) floor. I think that would be a really rewarding job. oh, and in the free time I can write some books! :)