Whose Shoes Were Those?

by Jo Robertson

Hi, readers, just so you won't stumble in shoe ignorance forever, let me tell you who's wearing what shoes in the photos from Annabelle's Bistro.

Scroll down to the bottom of Wednesday's blog. In the top photo, Bandita Kim, aka KJ Howe, is wearing red patent leathers with an ankle strap. Tres chic!

Next, we have Tawny Weber wearing beautiful red strappy shoes. These actually look quite comfortable!

And finally, there's Vrai Anna Sugden in a gorgeous pair of black and white wedged shoes with a peep-toe and a running-stitch ribbon around the edges. Rumor has it that VA chose the shoes to match the restaurant's tile flooring, but we couldn't confirm that. However, Vrai wore a lovely hot pink polkadot pair of shoes to the Bandita Bash Wednesday night.

Everyone looked beautiful in her shoes, but by the end of the day, I envied those conference attendees who'd worn sensible and sturdy tennis shoes. My blisters have blisters on them!

Party in San Fran!

By Kirsten "I'm tired already!" Scott

Day Two of the Conference and I'm already pooped! Too many parties, too little time, right my little chook? Er...chook? Chook? WHERE IS THAT DAMN ROOSTER NOW?! What? Jeanne has him? And Cassondra? At the same time?

Well, you'll have to see if you can find him, ladies. I think he's somewhere in San Francisco. Let me know if you spot him, okay?

While I'm off trying to find our beloved cock (a-doodle-do), here are some pictures of our Banditas and buddies from RWA nationals.

Here's Banditas Donna and Beth signing at the Readers for Life Literacy Event, and Joan welcoming all the readers to come visit our signing Banditas!

Can you recognize these Bandita Buddies?

And as promised, some random incriminating shots of Banditas at play:

Cassondra the balloon fairy:

Susan, slow down! Leave some for the rest of us!

So, are you enjoying your week! Any stories to report thus far? Any chook sightings?

Girly Girls and Kick-Ass Shoes

by Jo Robertson

Reporting to you LIVE from the Twenty-eighth National Conference of Romance Writers of America in San Francisco.

Word on the streets is that the women are beautiful and the men . . . well, largely the men are absent. This is pretty much Estrogen City this week, aka the City by the Bay.

San Francisco.

The city of little cable cars that climb halfway to the stars.

The city that features Alcatraz and Lombard Street.

Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39.

The city where you just might leave your heart.

And you know what? In all those movies set in New York where working girls wear tennis shoes with their designer suits and dresses, then change into their designer shoes when they get to work?

Not so much in The City. People are still crazy enough to drive their cars in San Francisco, one of the cities with the highest insurance rates in the nation. And tourists wear shorts or jeans, sweat shirts and, you got it, some kind of walking shoes.

In fact, I’m not even sure people actually WORK in San Francisco.

Maybe they just buy beautiful shoes and ship them to New York.

Tonight the Banditas gathered at Annabelle's, a charming bistro across from the hotel and later assembled in the baaaarrrr for their first annual mee . . . uh, part . . . uh, oh hell, let’s call a spade a spade.

The First Annual Wild Bash of Girly Girls and Kick-Ass Shoes.

Our Aussie, English, and Canadian Banditas are here, weathering distance and airline food -- or the lack thereof -- to join our congregation. We have our Southern Banditas, our native Californians, and our Midwesterners. But the thing we all have in common (besides a whoop-ass attitude and a love of reading and writing romance) is . . .

Drum roll please . . .

Shoes!!!

Okay, some of the smarter Banditas wore tennies to negotiate the streets of San Fran, but others wore something like the ones below and to the right.

These shoes are a few of my favorites. Now, I don't actually OWN any of these shoes; the Manola Blahnik eyelet shoes and the Mary Jane double straps below are darling, aren't they? The Naughty Monkeys -- the pink and gray plaid -- are fairly inexpensive, but the Manola Blahniks are pricey.

As you know, it’s all about the shoes. Just ask Vrai Anna and Tawny! If we can’t wear them ourselves, we gawk at them and admire them on the beautiful feet of the stylish women who can wear them.

No outfit is complete without the proper pair of shoes, including jeans and walking shorts, dresses and suits.

And for that reason we’ve posted what three Banditas are wearing tonight on their feet tonight. Excuse the fuzzy piccies.

Can you match each correct Bandita with the pair of shoes she’s wearing?

Meanwhile, we’re kicking back, taking in a little wine, seeing the beautiful sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge, and

enjoying our gal pals and their kick-ass shoes!

So, do you have a favorite shoe experience? That perfect pair with the five-inch heels that killed your feet but were so worth it? Your wedding shoes that wore a blister on your heel? The most comfortable pair of shoes that you cried over when they finally fell apart? Tell us all!

Late Booty Call

Those of you who commented during Karen Kendall's and Patricia Rice's visits may be wondering who won the booty. The month has flown by, and I forgot to post either of them. Apologies to all concerned! Drum roll, please . . .

The winner of Karen Kendall's Take Me If You Can is Natalie Hatch. Natalie, please email Karen via her website: Karen AT KarenKendall DOT com.

The winner of Patricia Rice's Mystic Guardian is Buffie! Buffie, please mail Pat through her website, readers2 AT patriciarice DOT com.

They're both at RWA and may or may not have computer access, so don't worry if you don't hear back right away.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by, both for your comments and for your patience. Have a great week, everyone!

And They're Off!

Okay, Bandita Buddies. This is it. The Big Ticket. Our Annual Event.

The Banditas have left the Lair.






For the next five days, if you're looking for us, you'll find us at the Romance Writers of America's Annual Conference in San Francisco. We'll be stalking agents & editors, hanging out with old friends at the bar, attending workshops, hanging out with new friends at the bar, stalking our favorite authors, hanging out with total strangers at the bar...

You get the idea. :-)

Hope we see some of you there! But if San Fran wasn't in your budget this year, keep visiting us here in the Lair this week. The Romance Bandits have your back. We have cameras & internet access, so check this page over the next couple of days for breaking news, interesting tidbits, the latest gossip & possibly some of the coolest shoes ever. (That'll make sense in a couple days, promise.)

And stay tuned also to RWA's website on Saturday night, where the winners of the Golden Heart & RITA awards will be posted in real time. Anna Campbell is a double RITA finalist, Susan Seyfarth is a double Golden Heart finalist & Kim Howe is a Golden Heart finalist. Our own Louisa Cornell has a horse in the Golden Heart race as well, so keep an eye on this site: www.rwanational.org

See you all when we get back!

GONE FISHING...

by Suzanne Welsh
The Bandits are going on vacation. Yep we're taking time off from the blog this week.




Wednesday is the official start to the Romance Writers of America's national conference in San Francisco. Yippee!! As you know 19 of the 20 Romance Bandits will be in attendance at the conference. Yippee!! 6 of our published Bandits will be signing their books at the mega-author book signing Wednesday night. Yippee!!


While this is exciting for us and whichever of our readers make the trek to San Francisco, it leaves a bit of a hole in the blog schedule. Some of us flew to SF early to do some sight seeing before the conference starts. In fact, when y'all read this I'll be touring Sonoma Valley wineries with some friends from Texas. (Hopefully the limo driver will know the way back to the hotel!) So be patient with us. We Bandits love all our readers and will be missing our time with you here in the lair.


While we're out connecting with our Bandita sisters, researching ideas for our books, attending inspiring seminars, and partying like crazy, please know that we've left Christie Kelley in charge of the Lair. She will be making the cabana boys do their exercise routine like a drill sergeant. Sven will be practicing his massages, (on her, I'm sure). And the gladiators, (except Demetrius who is traveling as Joanie's personal body guard), will be polishing their gear in preparation for our return to the Lair! (Must remember to buy body oil for the boys while in SF!)


We have a few planned blogs ready to post. And if we get time with a computer, we'll try to pop on to flash y'all some pics of our adventures. (San Francisco may never be the same after a Bandit raid!)


So while we've got the "Gone Fishing" sign up on the lair door, be sure to check out the blog. You never know what or WHO might pop up!

I Heart Dennis Lehane

by Susan Seyfarth

I'll say it right up front: I don't read to improve my mind.

Reading does improve my mind, of course, but it's just a fringe benefit. I read to be entertained. I read to be taken away. I read to get sucked in, carried along, then spat out, exhausted but satisfied. I read to see characters I love grow, change & earn their happy endings.

I read because sometimes characters become so real to me that I keep thinking about them well after The End. I hear their voices in my head, the particular cadence of their speech. They turn up in my dreams.

If I find an author who can give me those kinds of characters plus the happy ending I love so much, I'm a fan for life. I'll gorge on their backlist then gnash my teeth, mutter bad-tempered things about slow writers & wait for a new book to come out.

So imagine my surprise when I found myself crushing on Dennis Lehane.

The characters are everything I could want but Dennis Lehane isn't exactly Mr. Happy Ending.

Remember Mystic River? It came out as a movie several years ago--Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon? Three kids in Boston who used to be friends until one of them got snatched off the street by child molesters? That was Dennis Lehane.

Remember Gone, Baby, Gone? Another book-turned-movie. Came out last year, Ben Affleck's directorial debut, earned his little brother Casey a Best Actor nomination? The one about a little girl's kidnapping & the PIs who investigate? Also Dennis Lehane.

I enjoyed the movies. But I wasn't hooked. Not until my husband brought home Shutter Island from the library. Shutter Island starts out like a traditional dectective novel. A U. S. Marshall is called to a remote island off the coast of Massachusetts to investigate the disappearance of an inmate from a hospital for the criminally insane. And you roll through 2/3s of the book totally buying it.

And then the final third unspools & you think, "Wait. I didn't sign up for this. I was supposed to get a detective novel. Good guys taking it on the chin, then rising up in triumph. I didn't sign up for...for...for THIS."

Because what you get is totally different from what you're led to expect. And it's a mark of Lehane's immense talent that when it's all said & done, you're satisfied. You think, "Okay, not what I was hoping for, but it was the only way. I see that now. If I had been paying attention, I'd have seen it sooner."

I'm being purposefully vague because I don't want to unload any spoilers on you. I'll only say this: The book jacket actually says "Nothing is what it seems." But do you believe it? Of course not. Lehane takes you by the hand & says, "Pay no attention to that. We're going this way." And you go. He's that good.

After I finished the book, though I realized what really impressed me about it. As a writer, I know how hard it is to keep several balls in the air. Try writing a sex scene or a fight scene sometime--it's like being schizophrenic. You have to keep track of the physical action, the emotional consequences of that action, & then keep moving the plot forward at the same time. It's one scene--five to ten pages--and it's exhausting.

Then I thought about Lehane writing an entire novel in which he knows the reader is going to think one thing is happening while meanwhile an entirely different reality is spinning out before our eyes. But we don't see behind the curtain until close to the end of the book. So he had to write an entire novel in which every single scene had to work on two levels--the surface level he'd encouraged us as readers to buy, then the ultimate reality which he as a writer had to make inevitable so that we'd get to the end of the book & think, "Of course. I should have known. I should have seen it sooner." But that's the trick. We did see it sooner. We saw everything. He laid it right out there. We just didn't get it.

So here I am, the most devoted hearts-and-flowers romance reader you're ever going to find, nursing a killer crush on a guy who takes me to some of the darkest, sickest corners the human psyche has to offer. And why? Because he's a damn good writer. Too good to resist.

Just try him. If you don't like him, that's okay. He's not the most comfortable of reads. But if you do like him, you're going to track me down me in San Fran next week to shake my hand. Either that or to punch me in the nose for getting you hooked on the literary version of crack cocaine.

Start with Shutter Island. They're making a movie of it as we speak (Scorcese!) so there's no time to waste.

So tell me--have you ever found yourself in love with something--a book, a food, a TV show, a person--that completely surprised you & everybody who knows you? Have you ever had a crush that was wildly out of character? When was the last time your heart surprised you?

Journey Proud

by Nancy

These last few days, as the lair buzzes with travel preparations and conference plans, I've started to feel kind of journey proud, as my mom would have put it. That was the phrase she used for excitement over a trip. As y'all know, the Romance Bandits are preparing to descend on San Francisco (an apt phrase in this case since so many of us are flying in), and I'm getting excited about seeing everyone and meeting so many of our online buddies. Oh, yeah--other RWA buddies will be there, too. The RWA conference is always a fun time to see friends and make new acquaintances as well as developing professional contacts.

I just returned from the mall, which was not the nightmare experience it sometimes is. I actually found things that both fit and looked pretty good, things I can no longer depend on happening. Fashions keep getting younger while I, well, don't. As the saying goes, though, not getting younger beats the alternative.


Some trips require a lot of wardrobe planning and packing while others require almost none. For DragonCon, over Labor Day weekend, I'll pack spare jeans in case of a spill, a selection of appropriately adorned t-shirts, the usual unmentionables and vanity "products," and no extra shoes. That's it. Fits in one carry-on bag. Everyone there "just want[s] to have fun," as Cyndi Lauper noted on a different occasion. Everyone just hangs, and almost no one notices what anyone's wearing. Well, except for the people in costume.

Professional gatherings are different, to varying degrees. For RWA, we need business clothes, sightseeing clothes, dressy clothes, and appropriate accoutrements such as shoes, jewelry, makeup, and so forth. (I'm sure some of you are better at creative ideas for "and so forth" than I am, so I'm leaving you room here. *g*) While networking can occur in the pool (note: add swimsuit), the health club (note: add sneakers and workout gear), or the bar, it most often happens in restaurants, workshops and appointments. Since presenting a professional appearance is important, we have dress appropriately. Is wearing a nice suit going to sell my book? No. Is looking like a slob going to prevent it from selling? Probably not, but it's not going to make me an appealing person to strike up a conversation with.

Since I wasn't born with the accessorizing gene--and oh, how I envy those of you who were--I have to make a list. Just as an aside, watch out for confusing navy and black when you pack. I once did, and only the intervention of a friend with the accessorizing gene saved me from a major panic attack. I recommend bright light, preferably sunlight, for the packing stint.

Then, of course, there's the matter of book-shipping. Between the book sale, the literacy autographing, and the lunchtime giveaways, I always end up with way more books than will fit in my suitcase. I've started shipping them home. Especially with airlines dropping their weight allowances, I'd rather pay to send them along than hassle with carrying them. I sometimes pack a jetpack and strapping tape for this purpose, but only if there's a post office near the hotel. This time, there doesn't seem to be, but you can check at the Post Office website.

Despite all these concerns, I'm excited. I always am. The conference is so laden with possibility. While that can be anxiety-inducing, it also offers the chance to act on our dreams, and what's greater than that?


Once upon a time, many years ago, my parents scrimped and saved to send their Anglophile daughter to Oxford on a summer study program. I got to travel roads I'd dreamed about and see castles and armor and the Crown Jewels and all kinds of cool stuff. It was a dream come true.

Dreams can come true without travel, of course. But there's a reason someone coined the phrase, "journey of a lifetime."

What's your favorite travel experience? Did you take a trip that was a dream come true, or just very special for some other reason? Or did you have one that was a nightmare?

The Shy Writer's Conference Guide

By Kate

You've heard their advice.

Step out of your comfort zone! Mingle!

Make a new friend at lunch every day!

Smile! Look approachable!

Everybody has an area of expertise! Give a workshop!

Are they kidding?

Have you ever noticed that the people who offer advice to us shy types are often jolly, talkative, outgoing extroverts who have absolutely no clue what HELL we introverts go through at times like this?

I mean, seriously! Mingle? Smile? Don’t they get it? If I smile at someone, that person might actually talk to me! Then what’ll I do? Answer them? Talk? I don’t think so! Spill my guts? It’s not going to happen! I’ll hem and haw and splutter and make a fool of myself – as usual! I might drool. I’m better off hiding in my room. Hey, people will bring me food and alcohol. It’s called room service. You should try it!

No?

I’ve really got to mingle?

Okay, so how does a painfully shy person manage to enjoy a huge writers conference, meet new friends, mingle, impress industry professionals, and come home refreshed, revitalized and ready once again to take on the New York publishing industry?

Well, it helps to have friends in the Lair! Be sure to look for any of the Banditas wherever you go (your chances of spotting us are much higher if you’re in the bar). But what if you truly don’t know anyone?

Well, I’m here to help! I’ve come up with a few helpful hints and I call them…

The Three—no, Four—wait, Five!—Habits of Highly Effective Shy People. Catchy, don’t you think? I should’ve come up with seven but I’m really shy, so give me a break.

1. “You have a pretty smile.” Really? I thought you were kidding about the whole smiling thing. I should smile more often? Yes, you should. People actually respond and appreciate someone who smiles at them. Editors will see your smile and like you. They'll look at your badge and remember your name and buy your book. This is a habit you could get used to, so try it.

2. “Can I bring you a shot of gin?” Be generous. Offer advice. Lend someone a pen. Show someone where the goodie room is. Better yet, show them where the bathroom is. It’s good karma, and people remember you later. Especially agents. Statistics prove that writers who show an agent where the bathroom is end up signing with that agent and selling more books than anyone else.

3. “Fake it ‘til you make it.” It’s lunch time and you’ve got to face those thundering hordes in that huge conference hall. It’s enough to drive a shy person right back up to her room where she can relax and watch Oprah. But NO! You must persevere! Here’s what you do. Look around for a familiar face. Not really, because you have no friends. You don’t know anybody. But you’re faking it, remember? So look around for someone. Darn it, you think. Where did that person, that fake friend of mine, go? Now find a table with an empty chair and an appealing vibe, glance around the room once more, then shake your head and say to whoever’s sitting nearest, “I can’t seem to find my critique partner. Is this seat taken?” Then sit down and say hello. Voila! You start the meal and the conversation on an even keel, with them knowing you’ve got friends--whether it's true or not! They don’t feel sorry for you, and you don’t feel sorry for yourself. Everybody’s ready to chat and have a nice meal. Uh, pass the congealed salad dressing, please?

4. “Hi, my name is Marla, and I’m sorry.” Okay, stop it. Don’t apologize. Shy people often feel like they’re intruding or imposing, but it’s not imposing to say hello and show an interest in someone else. It’s friendly! Try it! Without apologizing. Unless you step on their foot. That’s really awkward. You should apologize and try not to do that again.

5. “What are you writing?” Even shy people like to talk about themselves and if someone asks them this question, they’ll jump right in. So ask a question. Then listen to the answer. It’s the best way to keep the conversation going and possibly make a new friend. Hopefully that friend is a multi-published author who’ll introduce you to their agent who will quickly sign you up and sell your books for lots of money!

Good luck, shy people!

Okay, your turn! You don’t have to be going to conference to share today. Are you an introvert? Are you shy? Do you have any hints to share with the rest of us? Any tips to get us out there and mingling?

And you extraverts out there! I know you’re dying to give some networking advice! Please share your best experiences with us!

Tour Guide Michelle Gagnon!

by KJ Howe

Getting ready for National next week? Do you know the sights of San Francisco? We're lucky to have talented author Michelle Gagnon here today, a resident of SF, to give us a tour of the city. Enjoy!

I wasn’t born in San Francisco, but have made it my home for the past decade so here are a few suggestions regarding what to see while you're in town.

Getting out and about: What makes San Francisco so unique is its proximity to breathtaking natural settings. If you get a chance, slot in an excursion to Muir Woods, the redwoods really are astonishing. Or head just across the Golden Gate Bridge to the Marin Headlands for a quick, easy hike and tour of WWII bunkers. Alcatraz is also definitely worth the trip (take the audio tour, it’s great), and offers unparalleled views of the Golden Gate Bridge. But be forewarned, you usually need to book a spot on the ferry a few days in advance.

Closer at hand, one of my favorite spots in the city is Crissy Field. Great views of the bridge from here, too, and there’s an easy walk along the shore where you can watch kite-surfers jetting across the Bay. (Also, there’s a hot dog vendor in front of the warming hut that sells organic all-beef hot dogs: delicious, and a far cry from your average sausage). If you keep following the road around the warming hut, it ends at Fort Point, where in Vertigo Kim Novak jumped into the frigid waters. Sticking to the Hitchcock theme, take a cable car up Mason Street from Union Square. At the top of the hill you can visit Grace Cathedral, our miniature version of Notre Dame. And at the intersection of Mason and California is The Brocklebank, a historic building featured in both Vertigo and Bullitt (any other Steve McQueen fans out there?)

San Francisco Landmarks you won’t find in any travel guide: Keep your eyes peeled for “The Twins,” elderly twin sisters who dress in matching hats, dresses, and wigs, frequently spotted strolling arm-in-arm around Huntington Park (across the street from Grace Cathedral—also a great place to see Chinatown locals practicing Tai Chi in the morning).

If you’re in the mood for a more serious walk, head to Coit Tower. Interesting art exhibits inside, and great views of the city. Afterwards, walk down the east stairway (on the Bay Bridge side). Halfway down, keep your eyes peeled for the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill, a flock of birds that have escaped their owners (there’s wonderful documentary and book about the birds available).
My Favorite Restaurants: I love all the restaurants in the Ferry Building, which range from cheap eats to more highbrow fare (there’s a fantastic independent bookstore here too, Book Passage). Try Mijita for the best fish taco you’ve ever had in your life, or the Slanted Door for upscale Vietnamese. Lulu Petite sells delicious sandwiches, and Taylor’s Refreshers has milkshakes and burgers. Or grab fixings from the Farmer’s Market and stroll along the Embarcadero to picnic at the base of the Cupid’s Span (Embarcadero and Folsom Street—tough to miss, it’s a sixty-foot tall bow and arrow. What could be more perfect for romance fans?) Houston’s along the Embarcadero has fantastic ribs and a cute outdoor patio in back. And granted it’s touristy, but no stay here is complete without eating chowder from a sourdough bread bowl at Fisherman’s Wharf.

North Beach is the place to go for Italian. My personal favorite is Da Flora, a bit pricey but very romantic with its muted lighting and fabulous food. A cheaper option is Steps of Rome, the food is decent but the real treat tends to be the handsome Italian men packing the place. If you’re in the neighborhood, grab a drink at Vesuvio, an old beatnik hangout, and check out Jack Kerouac Alley which runs along the side of the bar and features an amazing mural.

For French food, try local favorite Café Bastille. This restaurant is located on a cobblestoned alley with a slew of other wonderful restaurants, and they close off the street on Bastille Day for a major fete every year.

Best fish restaurant (and one of the oldest eateries in the city to boot) is Tadich Grill. They don’t accept reservations, so there might be a bit of a wait, but the food and atmosphere is worth it.
Best breakfast: line up at Sears Fine Foods (Powell Street and Post) for a terrific and reasonably priced breakfast. Order the Swedish pancakes, you won’t be disappointed.

I’m more of a foodie than a shopper (in case that wasn’t already apparent) but the best department stores are all located around Union Square. If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, right behind City Hall is Hayes Valley, where there are a number of boutiques stocking local designers (most of them are located on Hayes Street itself). Union Street (oddly enough, not located anywhere near Union Square) also has high-end boutiques, but you’ll need to cab there (this would partner well with a Crissy Field excursion!)

Safety: Not the most fun topic to close with, but it bears some discussion. As Candice said, the streets of San Francisco are filled with characters, homeless and otherwise. And there’s generally safety in numbers. That being said, 6th Street is to be avoided at night at all costs. Just a few blocks from the hotel, it’s one of the most dangerous spots in the city (as is Market Street for a block before and after it). Then, when 6th Street crosses Market, you’re entering The Tenderloin, so named because in the past cops who worked that beat received a higher salary, enabling them to bring home a better cut of meat in exchange for putting their lives at risk. And not much has changed. The safest bet at night is to stay fairly close to the area around Union Square, or stick to the streets between the hotel and the Ferry Building. And I recommend taking cabs after dark if you’re going more than a few blocks.

I think that’s everything, but if you have any other questions fire away! I’ll draw from the pool of comments, and the winner will receive a signed edition of my first thriller THE TUNNELS. If you don’t win, console yourself by signing up for my newsletter at www.michellegagnon.com and I’ll toss your name in the hat for an Amazon Kindle, iPod Shuffle, Starbucks gift certificates, and other fabulous prizes.

Looking forward to seeing you all next week!

Michelle Gagnon is a former modern dancer, bartender, dog walker, model, personal trainer, and Russian supper club performer. Her debut thriller The Tunnels was an IMBA bestseller. Her next book, Boneyard, depicts a cat and mouse game between dueling serial killers. In her spare time she loves to eat out.

Michelle, thanks for the tour! See you next week! I know I'll be in good hands for a fantastic meal. LOL

Judging the Great American Pastime

by Donna MacMeans

Can you feel the anticipation?

Next week the Romance Writers of America's annual convention will end with the announcement of the Grand Poobah of romance writing contests - The Golden Heart and RITA awards ceremony. Now we banditas have representatives in both divisions - Anna Campbell - a double RITA finalist - and Susan Seyforth and KJ Howe, along with Bandita Buddy Louisa Cornell, in the Golden Heart division. So let me offer a toast to their success. We'll be cheering loudly in the audience in our spandex and spangles.

As you tell from the sidebar, we banditas are familiar with writing contests. As I've been talking this week on another loop about contests, I thought I'd share a few thoughts about contest judges.

1. I basically believe contest judges are trying to do a good job. However, even if they are accomplished writing fiction, basic conversational skills can remain a challenge.

2. Beginning writers are often recruited to be judges because judges, especially good ones, are sometimes hard to find. They are given the challenge of identifying problems and offering suggestions to fix on work that may be better than they are capable of writing themselves.

3. Different people like different things. This is a good thing. Otherwise there would be very few writers in the world and we'd have few opportunities to join their ranks.

4. All contests are a crapshoot. Sometimes you get the judges who "get you." Sometimes you don't.

5. Most judges really try to say something positive about the entries they judge - but it often gets overlooked as we obsess on the negative. I suppose that's human nature.

As is complaining about rotten judges.

So in the spirit of "human nature" I'd like you to share a bad experience with a contest, just to get it off your chest. For me - I had a judge chastise my hero because "a business executive would never say those things." Not sure what planet she was on, but as I was a business executive at the time - I'm pretty sure my dialogue was realistic.

So how about you? I'll give a copy of my Golden Heart winner - The Education of Mrs. Brimley to someone who doesn't already have it (I've given away so many!) So if you'd like to be considered for an autographed copy, just mention it in your comment.

Whips, Chairs And a Chat With Liz Carlyle

by Caren Crane

Some of you may have heard me boast about--er, mention--that one of my dear friends is none other than the elusive and seldom-seen-in-cyberspace Liz Carlyle. Liz is the NY Times best-selling author of dark, hot Regency romances. I am thrilled to have Liz guesting with us today. All I had to do to secure this visit was tackle her in the Whole Foods parking lot and hold her organic kumquats hostage until she agreed! *ahem*

Welcome to the Bandits' Lair, Liz!

Thank you, Banditas! It's a pleasure to be in the saddle with you today. (Should I have worn a mask? A kerchief over my face? Just wasn't sure of bandit etiquette here . . . )

Never worry about your attire. Should you require a mask, Donna has extras. For now, we'll spend time gazing at you adoringly. (gazes adoringly) Such fun to have you here today! Coincidentally, today is the release date of the latest in your Never series, Never Romance a Rake, isn't it? (blinks innocently)

Yes, Bandita Caren! Coincidentally, it is. Wonder how that happened?

I cannot discuss my powers of Amazon...er, divination. *ahem* Anyway, I gobbled up Never Lie To a Lady and Never Deceive a Duke. The hero of Never Romance a Rake , much to my delight, is Baron Rothewell . I and all your other slavering fans have waited a year for Rothewell's story. A long year. What can you tell us about his book?

Well, I can tell you that if you think the book was a long time coming out, you should have seen me writing it. (Oops, actually, you pretty much did, didn't you?) As my dearest friends know--having observed the gnashing of my teeth these many months--this book was hard sledding. Rothewell was such an intriguing character to so many readers and, well, let's face it--a bit of an asshole. So redeeming him was a challenge, as was writing the sort of book he deserved. Because, you see, an author's characters are her children, and she knows the good in them, even when others cannot see it. I knew there was a tender heart this dark, hulking, hard-drinking, mean-tempered man--I just had to find it, sober him up, slap him around, then convey him on the page to my readers. Without totally wussifying him, of course.

Inquiring minds simply must know. What sort of woman could possibly tame such a beast as the luscious...er, dark and dangerous Rothewell?

A woman with a whip and a chair? Seriously, this girl is intense and--in her own way--a little ruthless. That, to me, was what it was going to bring the old boy around. I know conventional wisdom tells us opposites attract, but in Camille Marchand, I found myself with a heroine who really could go toe-to-toe with Lord Rothewell. She was not afraid of him. And from the very first, he is taken aback by her, and almost as quickly smitten. She makes him work for it, though. I really thought he needed to be punished for his wicked ways. I wanted him on his knees, and Camille got the job done. Of course that blade cuts both ways . . .

Oh, my! It sounds like the beginning of another stormy, lightning-hot romance. I don't suppose you are selling tickets to the Rothewell taming? What's that? I have to read the book? Well, if I must. Camille comes across as an exotic and definitely not British woman. She isn't alone in that. You have had a number of non-British characters in your novels. What made you decide to include these more exotic characters in your novels?

I like the contrast of two people from slightly different cultures, with different languages. As an author, right off the bat, you've got your "fish out of water" element to play with. And there's nothing sexier than a whispered endearment in a foreign language--especially French or Italian. I think, too, that society was very fluid, even then. There was a good deal of travel between countries (depending upon what war was going on where) and it was a hallmark of an educated mind to have traveled, or at least to have a passing knowledge of another culture, especially French.

Right now I'm working on my next hero who is a little bit Spanish, a little bit Gypsy--maybe a little Sicilian thrown in for good measure. Even he isn't sure of his heritage--a mongrel, he calls himself--and I must say, I'm having a great time with him so far.

I am certainly looking forward to that hero. (Sorry, my "Gypsy/Sicilian man" picture didn't look very historical. Oopsie!) I love endearments whispered in foreign languages. (clears throat) So, we have a bad boy hero coming out TODAY and this fascinating hero of unknown origin coming out next year. In the meantime, you will be at the Literacy Autographing in San Francisco at the RWA Conference. Yippee! We are looking forward to that. What are you looking forward to in San Francisco, Liz?

Going home. Yes, as all my friends know, I am the ultimate homebody. You have to blow me out of the house with dynamite.

Ok, seriously. I'm looking forward to hanging out with my pals--especially you, Bandita Caren--and just chilling. I have tried to keep planning to an absolute minimum this year so I can be--gasp!-- spontaneous. Also, I really enjoy the literacy signing--I love to meet readers and fellow writers, and it's for a very good cause.

Spontaneity, you say? I'll believe it when I see it. (Note to self: pack dynamite to blast Liz out of hotel room.) But, dear readers, any of you in the San Francisco area (or those of you at Conference) should plan to stop by the Literacy Autographing to meet Liz in actual, real live person!

Oh, Liz, before you crawl back into your cave, is there anything you would like to ask our Bandita Buddies today?

Yes, Bandita Caren, I would like to pick the learned brains of your esteemed Banditaship. How do the Banditas like their historicals nowadays? How hot is too hot to be appropriate in today's historical (non-erotica) market? Does sex play and light bondage seem out of place? I've got a difficult hero and heroine on my hands here, and they seem to require some discipline, but I'm not sure I'm ready to play the kinky card yet. I'll do it only if the characters warrant it, not just to throw in gratuitous kinky-ness. So...think it will be a wallbanger? Will they strip me of my Historical Author Tiara for this?

Let Liz know what you think and you will be entered in a drawing to win an autographed copy of Never Romance a Rake!

Bandit Booty

Thanks to everyone who commented on my New and Improved post! I had such a hard time picking one answer that I had to draw a number *g*

The winner of a signed copy of Stacey Kayne's latest book, The Gunslinger's Untamed Bride is...

Louisa!! Congrats, Louisa *g* Please send me your snail mail info to: beth@bethandrews.net

Jo Davis Brings The Heat!

by Suzanne Welsh
Hey readers, I’m out to lunch today with my dear friend and critique partner, Jo Davis. Jo is a 2004 Golden Heart finalist who left teaching to successfully launch her career as a romance author. We’ve been planning our trip to San Francisco next week over margaritas, (the beverage of choice at our monthly lunches) and getting ready for the debut of Jo’s Firefighters of Station Five series with her first book, TRIAL BY FIRE, which releases from Signet Eclipse on August 5.

Nibbling on the Southwestern spring rolls, yet another lunch staple, I fix Jo with a twinkle in my eyes.

Suz: So tell me again how you came up with the idea for this series of sexy firefighters?

Jo [taking a sip of her margarita]: The idea was born from two factors, the first being simple necessity. I needed a big, hero-driven series concept nobody else was writing about. Cops, FBI agents, and Navy SEALS? Forget it. Done, done, and done. The second factor was that the series must be exciting for me to write. One day in the spring of 2006, I was sitting in my office, frustrated, mulling over these two factors. I looked around at the scores of romance novels sitting on my shelves and forced myself to categorize the romantic suspense books objectively. What was I seeing? Um, cops, FBI, and Navy SEALS. More importantly, what was I NOT seeing? The answer smacked me in the head like a baseball bat—FIREFIGHTERS! Hot damn!! My God, they are the poster boys for the American Hero! Who doesn’t love a man who’ll rush into a burning building or pry apart the twisted metal of a mangled car to rescue you and me?

Suz [smiling and nodding in agreement]: Very true! So, did the series sell right away?

Jo: No, nothing happens fast in the publishing industry. First, I had to research firefighters. I had to make contacts, learn about their jobs, the equipment, the dangers. I did months of study before I could even write the series proposal. When I finally sent the proposal to my agent, I told her, “This is the one!” The series sold to NAL nine months later.

The waiter returns and takes our orders for salads, (I did say we were going to conference next week, didn’t I?) As the waiter leaves, a commotion starts near the restaurant’s entrance. A group of firefighters, complete with jump pants and boots approaches.

Their leader is six feet six inches of pure muscle and short brown spiky hair, bleached blond on the tips. Watching his confident swagger, I feel like I’m on fire and quickly down half my margarita.

Suz [drooling]: Oh, my! Who is that?!

Jo [waving a spring roll at the hunk]: That, dear friend, is Lieutenant Howard “Six-Pack” Paxton, the hero of TRIAL BY FIRE. Scrumptious, isn’t he?

Suz: And, look! He brought all of his friends!

Following Six-Pack is a beautiful black woman who’s whipcord lean and looks like she can handle her own in a fire or against any one of these guys. She’s laughing with the sexiest dark haired geek I think I’ve ever seen. Behind those glasses lurks the heart and soul of a lover, I’m just sure of it.

Jo: That’s Eve Marshall and Zack Knight, her best friend on A-shift. Zack is the FAO—the fire apparatus operator or engine driver—and he’s the hero of UNDER FIRE, which releases in May 2009. Behind them are Tommy Skyler, the youngest guy on A-shift, and Julian Salvatore, the team’s horn dog and all-around pain in the butt.

Staring at Tommy, my jaw is hanging open. With blond hair and pale blue eyes, he has to be the most unnaturally beautiful young man I’ve ever seen. Like Brad Pitt ten years ago, only way better! And bringing up the rear is the epitome of a sexy Latino lover and he knows it. Julian catches my eye with a smile and a wink. Yep, there goes the last of my margarita!

Jo [frowning]: There’s one missing—

Suz: They’re coming straight over here! Did you invite them?

Jo stops searching for the missing team member and grins at me. Why, that stinker set me up!

Jo: Surprise!

Quickly, I brush at stray crumbs of spring roll and give the guys and Eve a welcoming smile. They invade our table like a category five hurricane, laughing and poking each other, pulling over extra chairs, and generally causing a ruckus as other diners stare at the spectacle.

Julian [to Zack, wedging a chair between Suz and Jo]: Move over, geek. I’ve got ladies to satisfy.

Zack [rolling his eyes]: Actually, what you’ve got requires a good therapist.

Tommy [snatching the last spring roll]: Oh, dude, I love these things! Can we order more?

Eve [slapping the munchie out his hand]: Those aren’t yours.

Tommy: Ow! Hey, it was just sitting there…

Eve and Tommy start arguing loudly over the food while Julian starts whispering sweet Spanish nothings in my ear, making me giggle. He’s certainly earned his reputation, for heaven’s sake! Six-Pack pops Julian on the back of the head, then slaps a hand on the table to get everyone’s attention. Just as I thought, this big man is clearly the leader of the group.

Six-Pack [setting his hand-held radio unit on the table]: Knock it off! Jo invited us to meet Suz and you nimrods are gonna get us kicked out. Sorry, ladies. Suz, it’s nice to meet you.

Suz [blushing]: Well, it’s great to meet you all! Are you on break?

Zack: In between calls. We just worked a messy traffic accident, but the victims are okay. Before that, we had an accident in the home and a man who forgot to take his insulin. Busy day.

Suz: What about fires? Don’t you get a lot of calls to those?

Eve [glancing at Six-Pack in concern]: No. Well, not normally. Thanks to fire prevention awareness programs, only about 3% of our calls relate to fires. The rest consist mostly of home and traffic accidents, and an odd assortment of emergencies.

Suz: What do you mean, not normally?

Six-Pack [looking away, mouth tight]: We’re having a problem with an arsonist/murderer torching victims in our sector. It’s getting personal.

Tommy: But the cops are gonna catch this sicko, dude. Not to worry.

Eve [making an obvious attempt to divert the topic]: Stop saying dude or I’ll smack you again, kid.

Tommy [arching a blond brow]: Baby, I’ve got your kid right he—

Jo: Watch it, Skyler. This is a family audience. [Tommy looks contrite] Six-Pack, where’s Sean Tanner?

Everyone looks to Six-Pack. He’s their rock, and the respect this team has for him is plain. The lieutenant chooses his words very carefully.

Six-Pack [brown eyes sad]: The captain called in sick today. Twenty-four hour bug or something.

Jo and I exchange knowing looks while everyone else squirms uncomfortably. We all know Six-Pack’s best friend doesn’t have an illness you can treat with medicine, and that it’s going to take a lot more than one shift off to heal Sean’s grief from his tragic loss. True to form, the oh-so-scrumptious Julian provides a distraction, putting each of his arms around me and Jo and grinning like the rogue he is.

Julian: So, queridas, I’m off tomorrow night. What do you say, want burn up the town with me?

Suz [laughing]: Hate to break it to you, but we’re taken. Sorry!

Julian [pouting]: I’m wounded. Alas, I may never recover from the rejection.

Jo [dryly]: Oh, I’m sure you’ll find solace somewhere.

Eve: Where doesn’t he find solace? Ah, the teaming masses of femininity—

Six-Pack’s radio squawks an interruption—a call to assist a child who’s head is stuck through a…toilet seat? A couple of the guys snicker and Six-Pack shakes his head with a killer half-smile as they all push out of their chairs.

Six-Pack: Another day in the jungle. Sorry, ladies, we’ve gotta run but we’ll see you around, huh?

Jo [winking]: Not if I see you first.

Suz: This was such a cool surprise! Thanks for stopping by, and take care.

Jo and I watch them leave with a sigh of appreciation. There’s nothing finer than seeing a firefighter in action, rushing to the rescue!

Suz: I can see why you love those guys so much! They’re adorable.

Jo [finishing her margarita]: Aren’t they? And I get to spend every single day with them.

Suz: Oh, hush! So, tell me what’s next? Do you have any other books coming out besides the firefighter series?

Jo: Yes, I do. I have two erotic suspense/thrillers coming from NAL HEAT. The first one is titled WHEN ALEX WAS BAD and will be released in August 2009. It’s about a wife who grants her lonely husband seven occasions of sinful pleasure with any lover he chooses, provided he confesses to each liaison in detail and agrees to accept whatever punishment she doles out. Too bad the bargain comes with a deadly price…

Suz: Ooh, that sounds fantastic! Now that you mention the story, I’ve heard a whisper through the grapevine of something exciting on the horizon involving ALEX. Do tell!

Jo [blinking innocently]: Why, I can’t imagine what you mean. How about another margarita?

Suz: Uh-huh. Nice diversion.

Jo: I’m so glad we did this today! I had fun.

Suz [signaling the waiter for another margarita]: Me, too! And thanks for bringing the whole gang by today. When I read their story in TRIAL BY FIRE, it felt as if they were the coolest group of close-knit firefighter-heroes I'd want to spend more time with. By the way...uhm...tell your readers what kind of heroine Six-pack falls for? Perhaps a cute brunette OB nurse? [hint, hint]

Jo: Patience, dear. You already know you’ll have to wait for Zack’s story, UNDER FIRE, for your nurse heroine! Kat McKenna is a spunky, curvaceous first grade teacher who literally falls into Six-Packs arms at the scene of a fire.

Suz: Ooh, I can’t wait for TRIAL BY FIRE hit the shelves—only two more weeks!

Jo: It’s been a long time coming, girlfriend. I’ll drink to that!

Suz: So dear reader we have a question for you. Have you ever been up close and personal with a firefighter, as in had one come to your rescue? Tell us all about it and Jo will have an autographed copy of TRIAL BY FIRE for one poster. Trust me when I tell you this is one HOT read!! You can watch the trailer at Jo's website @ www.jodavis.net. And if you wish to order a copy from Amazon, just click on the book in this blog.

New and Improved

by Beth Andrews

I'm very proud of myself. You see, I wrote a new partial (for those nonwriters, that's usually the first three chapters and a synopsis). Now, you may ask, why the heck am I so proud - haven't I written partials before? You bet I have. But all of those stories were romance or romantic suspense stories. This partial is for a young adult book. Written in First Person even.

In other words, it's something I've never attempted before. The story may be rough, the tense flip flops back and forth between present and past and I have no idea if any teenager in the world will want to read it - let alone if I can find an editor who'll want to buy it...but I did it.

I tried something new :-)

Yes, trying new things can be frightening but it can also be FUN!! I had so much fun getting into my character's head and plotting out her story that now I HAVE to finish this story - no matter what *g*

In fact, I had so much fun that I decided to try lots of new things! For instance:

I got a new haircut. Okay, this one isn't that big of a deal since I'm constantly changing my hairstyle but I haven't gone this short in years - but I love my new 'do! If you see a Katie Holms look-alike at RWA's national conference...well...that's not me...but I do have a very cute chin length bob now *g*

I started wearing my heartrate monitor every time I work out. And what a difference that has made! Seeing how hard I'm working (or, maybe that should be, how hard I wasn't working) has really pushed me to work out harder.

I made guacamole. Yes, you can make it! I know, I had no idea either ;-) I thought it just came all prepared for me in a jar. But if you buy avocados that are nice and squishy (but not too squishy) you can mash them and add the little packet of seasoning (okay, so I cheated a bit *g*) and voila! Guacamole!

The best part about trying new things and having fun with them is that they made me want to try even MORE new things. So when I'm at the conference in San Francisco I'm going to:

Try new foods. This is very brave of me as there are quite a few foods I will not eat (but that's a whole 'nother blog) But this year, I shall try new dishes and I might even swap my favorite strawberry margarita for something totally new...a pomegranate margarita! Crazy, I know ;-)

Dance like no one is watching. Some of the parties have dancing and for once when I get out on the dance floor I'm not going to worry what I look like. I'm just going to have fun *g*

Approach people and introduce myself. While I'm not shy, I am an introvert (yes, I do think there's a difference *g*) but this year I'm putting myself out there. Who knows? Maybe I'll make a new friend or two :-)

What about you? What would you like to try that you've never done before? What's the latest "new" thing you've done?

One lucky commenter will win a signed copy of Stacey Kayne's latest awesome western, THE GUNSLINGER'S UNTAMED BRIDE. So let's hear from you!

Gwyn Cready in in the Lair

by Christie Kelley

Today we welcome Gwyn Cready to the lair. I met Gwyn at my first booksigning in Lancaster where I picked up her first book Tumbling Through Time. It was such a funny and wonderful time travel, I just had to invite her into the lair.

Hi. Thanks so much for letting me blog in here. I've never guest blogged before, so be gentle.

Seducing Mr. Darcy is the sexy, funny story of Flip Allison, an ornithologist at the Pittsburgh Aviary who, by way of a massage in which one can imagine oneself in one's favorite book, finds herself launched not just into Pride and Prejudice, but right into the arms of Darcy himself. She awakes from her massage restored and refreshed only to discover her fling with Darcy was not just a dream and, in fact, has changed everything about the book. She's forced to enlist the help of Magnus Knightley, an imperious, Darcy-like British scholar, to undo the damage before legions of Jane Austen fans revolt.

Do you have to be a Jane Austen fan to love this story? Well, it certainly doesn't hurt, but as long as you think having a quick fling with your favorite literary hero would be a hot prospect for an unscheduled afternoon (Oh, Jamie Fraser, why don't you ever call?), I think you'll be pretty happy.

My books tend to be funny, sexy and romantic, and this one is no different. I'll admit it did feel a little odd borrowing someone else's characters--and, believe me, there are pluses and minuses to dipping into an author as beloved as Jane Austen--but based on the squeals of delight I hear when I tell women the plot, I think I've hit on one of the mother lodes of female fantasy.

Here's a sexy excerpt to whet your appetite. Trust me, you'll never think of Scrabble the same way again. I'd also like to invite you to visit the picture section of my website. I like to offer photos related to each story so that readers can see what was in my mind as I was writing.

People ask who I'd cast as the hero, and for me the answer is Colin Firth. Probably no surprise. He is who I had in my mind as I wrote both the Mr. Darcy and Magnus Knightley characters. What might surprise you, though, is that Firth was also who I had in mind when I was writing the two heroes from my first book, Tumbling Through Time, as well the hero in the book I'm writing now (working title, Stripped Bare.) One man, three books, five heroes. I really need to drop the guy a thank-you note.

I'd like to offer my own little contest. The first person to use the word of which I'm thinking, an everyday word but a word found in Regency or Jane Austen novels and usually associated with the hero, will win an autographed copy of Seducing Mr. Darcy. But you can't just add a comment with your single-word guess. You have to post a sentence that contains the word. Feel free to post as many guesses as you want into one post, so long they're all in sentences. If you guys don't get it by noon, I'll start giving clues.

Enough about me. Time for a hero!

Gwyn Cready: I'm lucky to have been able to arrange an interview with Magnus Knightley, one of the male leads of Seducing Mr. Darcy-- What is it, Magnus?

Magnus Knightley: I'm a little put off by the title.

GC: Any particular reason? Seems like a great title to me.

MK: It's… You know they didn't last.

GC: They? You mean Flip and Darcy?

[MK growls.]

GC: I think we'd better clue our readers in to the fact that our heroine, Flip Allison, has a brief relationship with Fitzwilliam Darcy before she meets you.

[MK growls again.]

MK: Is it really necessary to dreg up the past?

GC: It's going to be hard to sell any books if we don't. Why don't I start with an introduction? Magnus is the Isabella W. Reed Visiting Professor of English Literature at the University of Pittsburgh, on leave from Cambridge University. He is the author of five books on early 19th century novelists, including three on Austen. His latest, Jane Austen: The Pleasantness of an Employment, has been shortlisted for a National Book Critics Circle Award. It is a truth universally acknowledged that he is the world's foremost expert on Jane Austen and her times.

Is that about right?

MK: That's it.

GC: And I, of course, am the author. We can't give away too much, of course, but what do you think Jane Austen would have to say about someone upending her story the way Flip does in Seducing Mr. Darcy.

MK: I feel certain she'd been none too happy about it. I myself was horrified.

GC: Yet it brought Flip into your life.

MK: [smiling] There were upsides.

GC: You had trouble believing her story at first, that the book had changed.

MK: Wouldn't you? Besides, she conveniently forget to mention that she'd joined the action of the story herself--although, if she had I'm sure my strong suspicion she was barking mad would have moved to full-fledged certainty.

GC: Flip Allison is an ornithologist, a tree-climbing, bird-poop-wearing field ornithologist. You're a scholar writing in a proverbial ivory tower with not so much as a particle of lint on your freshly-pressed trousers. Did the sparks fly when you met?

MK: Fourth of July on steroids.

GC: Flip berates you for your infuriating British reserve. Why makes British reserve so infuriating, do you think?

MK: By infuriating, do you mean provocative? Flip might say she doesn't care for someone else getting the upper hand but I think one would have to agree that Scrabble scene suggests a somewhat different interpretation.

GC: You do have very large hands.

MK: Hm.

GC: How would you describe Flip Allison to our audience?

MK: Gorgeous, apocalyptically maddening, stubborn, intoxicating, pliant-thighed, smart as a whip and achingly kissable.

GC: Wow.

MK: Oh, and worth fighting for.

GC: I guess so. There's a whole part of the story where you and Flip are trying to mend the relationship of the other couple whose love story is played out in the book, Lizzy Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Was that part fun?

MK: Fun? You Americans clearly have a different definition of the word than we do.

GC: Still, seeing the characters come to life you have studied for so long must have been fu--

[MK gives GC a sharp look.]

GC: Informative.

MK: I will admit it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. [templing fingers] Please God, let it have been a once in a lifetime opportunity.

GC: Any last words for our readers?

MK: Yes. If you're going to be borrowing a character for your own amusement, please return him in the same shape you found him.

GC: Thank you, Magnus. A treat, as always.


I'd like to offer my own little contest. The first person to use the word of which I'm thinking, an everyday word but a word found in Regency or Jane Austen novels and usually associated with the hero, will win an autographed copy of Seducing Mr. Darcy. But you can't just add a comment with your single-word guess. You have to post a sentence that contains the word. Feel free to post as many guesses as you want into one post, so long they're all in sentences. If you guys don't get it by noon, I'll start giving clues.

Gwyn Cready
www.cready.com

IOU Winners!

First of all I want to say a BIG THANX to everyone who stopped by, commented and made my editor, Deb Werksman's guest blog a HUGE success! Deb wanted me to pass along her thanks and how much she loved visiting the Lair. She also said that if you did not get your question answered, you are welcome to email her.

And now for the WINNERS!

Aunty fired up her trusty random number generator and came up with the following:
IOU for a copy of Loucinda McGary's The Wild Sight -- catslady!

IOU for a copy of Marie Force's Line of Scrimmage -- Suzanne Brandyn!

IOU for a copy of Robin Kaye's Romeo Romeo -- Buffie!

SUPER CONGRATS Ladies! Please email me at cindymm18 at gmail dot com with your snail mail info. I'll pass it along to Marie and Robin.

And thanks again everyone!

Views from the Top

posted by Aunty Cindy

Yes, any Bandita will verify that yer olde Aunty is a gadabout. I love to travel just about anywhere, though in spite of rumors to the contrary, I have not quite been everywhere... YET! Destination doesn’t matter because I can always find something interesting and worthwhile where ever I go.

One of the things I really enjoy is a breath-taking view. I’m not quite sure how or when this started, but in thinking about topics for this post, I realized how many tall buildings and structures (natural and man-made) I have ascended. Whether it was the view of Honolulu from the top of the Aloha tower, St. Peter’s square from the cuppola of the basilica, or Seattle from the Space Needle, Aunty has been there and looked at that. Yes, I even have pictures of me on the roof of the Twin Towers circa 1996. I treasure those and will never forget the spectacular views in every direction.

Heights don’t normally bother me, but I will admit that I didn’t have the nerve to put on the helmet and ropes and climb to the top of the Sydney harbor bridge. And it was quite claustrophobic inside that St. Louis Arch, plus the windows were really small. I also prefer elevators or other mechanical conveyances, but if I have to take the stairs, I will.

So here then, are Aunty Cindy’s Top 10 best views:

1. Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower, especially at sunset. But for those of you who can’t hack being crowded into that glass elevator (and it was pretty scary), hop on the Metro or take a cab to Sacre Coeur. The view from the cathedral’s front steps is almost as amazing. And speaking of cathedrals…

2. Florence from the top of the Duomo. Yes, the stairs were endless, winding, narrow, and traffic flows both ways. You will be up close and rubbing body parts with way more tourists than you want to think about, and your feet will ache for days but che bella! The view is worth it!

3. Toronto including Lake Ontario from the observation platform of the CN Tower. Technically not a building, this is the tallest structure in North America. They have an interesting glass “window” in the floor that children were jumping and sprawling across, but was too spooky for Aunty to step on! And another tower…

4. The Centrepoint Tower in Sydney, which like the Space Needle and the CN Tower, has a revolving restaurant. Okay, so the view is undoubtedly better from the Harbor Bridge. The Tower has an elevator and you don’t need a safety harness for the winds.

5. The Leleiwi overlook at the crater of the extinct Haleakala volcano on Maui. Looking down on that dark barren landscape, you could be on the moon (except you can breathe, though at 10,000 feet flat-lander Aunty wheezed a lot!)

6. The Stratosphere in Las Vegas, another revolving restaurant, this one complete with a roller coaster outside. Nope, Aunty did NOT ride it! I’m not THAT foolhardy.

7. Lake Lure and Hickory Nut Gorge from the top of Chimney Rock. All right, I’ll confess, it was too hazy to see the lake the day I was there but it was still wonderful!

8. Chicago and Lake Michigan from the observation platform in the Hancock building. Yeah, yeah, I know the Sears Tower is taller but when Aunty was there, a Cheesecake Factory was on the ground floor of the Hancock. Priorities after all.

And finally, these last two Aunty has NOT personally visited to take in the view. Hey! A person needs goals.

9. The Mexican jungle from the top of the Mayan pyramid at Chichen Itza.

10. Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, currently the tallest buildings in the world. Now who could resist a view like that?

What are some of your favorite views? Maybe you've seen a few Aunty has not. Please do tell!

Editor Deb Werksman Is In Da Lair!

interviewed and posted by Aunty Cindy

We are excited and pleased today (and Aunty's extra tickled) to have Sourcebooks acquiring editor Deb Werksman as our guest in the Lair! Deb is taking time from a very busy day full of meetings so she will be popping in and out to answer your questions in the comments as time allows.

AC: Please tell us a little about Sourcebooks Casablanca, your job/workload on a daily basis, and your previous experience in the publishing industry.

DW: Sourcebooks Casablanca was started in 1997 with Greg Godek's 1001 Ways to Be Romantic. I've been running it since I joined Sourcebooks in 1998 and it has been the #1 non-fiction romance imprint in the country. Before joining Sourcebooks I had my own publishing company (started in 1989), specializing in political satire. In addition to running Sourcebooks Casablanca, I was also acquiring for the rest of Sourcebooks' list--gift books, humor, women's interest, self help, parenting, calendars and Jane Austen sequels!

(Aunty wipes the sweat from her brow just thinking about all that work!)

We launched our romance fiction list in 2007 and my non-fiction responsibilities have been taken over by other editors and I'm acquiring single title romance, Jane Austen sequels and women's fiction.

My daily workload varies every day, which is part of what I love about my career! If anyone REALLY wants to know what my typical day looks like I'll be happy to give you details!

(Aunty would prefer a cocktail from a cabana boy, or a foot massage from Sven.)

AC: Do you maintain an awareness of what other publishing houses are doing as part of your assessment of what to buy? Do you have certain "specialties"? Or do you buy what you love and want to read?

DW: Part of my criteria for acquiring is that I have to feel we can successfully sell the book, so we're always looking at the marketplace to see what's working. I don't "specialize" per se, although I have more experience with historicals and paranormals than with, for example romantic suspense right now, but I want my list to be balanced across all the subgenres.
My four criteria are:
*a heroine the reader can relate to
*a hero the reader can fall in love with
*a world gets created
*a hook--a 2-3 sentence description that I can use to sell the book

(Aunty scribbles furiously on her Bandit notepad.)

AC: We've all heard that contemporary romances are not selling and that paranormal is over done. What trends do you see in the marketplace?

DW: I think this is such a robust marketplace that there are readers for every subgenre all the time. When a subgenre gets overpublished it's tougher to launch there, but the established authors will continue to thrive. If a book has a strong enough hook, it will transcend what the subgenre is doing.

AC: And any advice for writers about trends? Or what to do if your book is not a current "hot" trend?

I begin to feel like a broken record, but the hook is the most important thing ESPECIALLY if your book is not in a current hot subgenre.

AC: What book did you find recently that you believe will be a hit on the shelves?

DW: Romeo, Romeo by Robin Kaye is one that I think is going to be a hit--because EVERY woman wants a man who's as good in the kitchen as he is in the bedroom!

I'm also really excited about The Wild Sight by Loucinda McGary--an Irish tale of deadly deeds and forbidden love. This one is a hot read with a suspense element and a paranormal element and Ireland is an incredible location for the story.

(Aunty blushes, no small feat, and wonders if she mentioned lately how much she LURVES her editor...)

AC: What kind of submission is guaranteed to receive positive attention from you?

DW: A submission that actually follows our submission guidelines is going to get my attention, because, believe it or not, most don't. But really, it's the hook that gets me--so putting that upfront is really helpful.

And--please include you and/or your agent's contact information (phone number essential) on EVERY piece of the submission and on every page is great (a header in a small font works fine).

You can find submission guidelines on Sourcebooks' website: http://www.sourcebooks.com/

AC: What's your strangest submission story?

I once got a submission with a $100 bill paper-clipped to it. I was horrified.

(Aunty is equally horrified! Sven and the cabana boys also gasp.)

AC: I know you will be at RWA National in San Francisco in two weeks. Anything you'd like to add about it?

DW: I'm really looking forward to seeing many of you at RWA. PLEASE, if you see me, please come up and introduce yourself. I want to meet/talk to as many of you as I possibly can.

Our SPOTLIGHT on Sourcebooks is at 11:00 on Saturday morning--please come and meet me and our publisher and get all your questions answered in person!

AC: Oh, you will NOT be Nigella NoFriends, Deb. Rest assured! And I have the Sourcebooks Spotlight highlighted on my color coded agenda (thank you Tawny-Depp)!

And now it's time for everyone to chime in! If you have a question for Deb, please ask away. If you have read any of the Sourcebooks Casablanca romances please give us your opinion. Also, please tell us what subgenres are your favorites and why. Anything you'd like to see more of on the shelves?

Aunty, er, um that is Loucinda McGary and her Sourcebooks sister Marie Sullivan Force will each give away an IOU for their new fall releases. Marie's contemporary romance Line of Scrimmage will hit the shelves on September 1st and Loucinda's The Wild Sight will be out in 75 more days, on October 1st!
UPDATE: Robin Kaye is also generously offering an IOU for Romeo Romeo, another 75 day wait, but WELL WORTH IT!

Traveling Booty!

I know, I know, it's incredibly shallow, but I just love finding new ways to use the word BOOTY!! So, thanks so much to everyone for playing my game and telling me all about the fabulous places where you live. It was truly impossible to choose between all your incredible hometowns and I'd love to visit them all. I'm not sure how my husband and kids (or my bank account) would feel about it, but I'm ready to go!

But I had to choose one, and it was...GANNON CARR!! For bringing me back to my (second) favorite place in the world, for the beautiful description of the NC mountains...thanks! I would love to come visit Valle Crucis. :-)


Contact me at kirstenscott33 @ gmail.com to collect your Amazon gift certificate!!

Bandita Booty - Dolly Mixtures

by Anna Sugden

Many thanks to everyone who took part so enthusiastically on Dolly Mixture Blog Day!

I'm pleased to announce that the random number generator has pulled out three winners. So Congratulations! to:

Traveler, Ruth and Anne.

If you send your snail mail to me at anna at annsugden dot com, I will pick up some Dolly Mixtures when I'm back home this weekend and pop them in the post to you, when I return.

Happy sorting!

Patricia Rice's Mystic Isle

by Nancy

Today we welcome award-winning author Patricia Rice to the lair. In addition to being a three-time RITA finalist and gracing numerous best-seller lists, she has won the Romantic Times Career Achievement and Lifetime Achievement Awards, and her paranormal historical, Merely Magic, was one of the Romantic Times reviewers' 200 all-time favorite books. This month marks the release of Pat's 45th book, Mystic Rider.

Congratulations on the release of Mystic Rider. Please tell us a little about it and the related books.

The Mystic Isle series is based around an invisible island in the English channel in the turbulent 1790’s. As aristocracy crumbles in France, so does the supernatural house of Olympus on the Mystic Isle. In MYSTIC RIDER, the last male Olympus—Ian—is forced to leave the island to find the missing Chalice of Plenty and the woman whose life he Sees as entwined with that of the chalice.

Mystic Rider uses music in an intriguing way. What inspired you to do that?

Chantal, the woman Ian “sees” in his vision, can cause riots, laughter, or tears with her music, even with her voice. I’m not at all certain where the inspiration came from, but I had this image of a woman riding beside a man in a cart, playing a flute, and creating chaos all around her. I never got to actually use that exact image, but she creates plenty of chaos before the story is done!

You've coined a new term for this series, amacara. What is it, and how did you come up with it?

I had fun playing with language in these books, coming up with their names from Celtic, Greek, and Roman lore. An amacara is the mystical love bond granted a favored few, a bond that draws two unlikely people together and bonds them to eternity. My heroines have a habit of calling it sexual slavery. *G* But I have to be very careful in choosing weird names because readers like me have a tendency to skim across unknown words or phrases, dismissing them entirely. And this bond was too important to the first book in the series to be dismissed. So I chose two Latin-based words that most people will recognize as referring to love or endearment "ama" and "cara" and hoped for the best!

This is the second book in the Mystic Isle series. What was the first one, Mystic Guardian, (which you're generously giving away) about?

Trystan l’Enforcer is the guardian of Aelynn, an invisible island in the English channel. Trystan intends to marry a woman whose family will help him guarantee the isle’s isolation. But when a sultry beauty washes up on shore, his plans take a confounding turn. She not only stirs a carnal hunger that risks everything he is but she steals Aelynn’s most sacred object— unleashing chaotic forces that can lead to devastating destruction.


The island of Aelynn seems sort of like a combination of Avalon, Shangri-La, and every tropical paradise. What inspired it?


And a touch of Brigadoon, don't forget! *g* Although I can name any number of legends that lend background to an invisible island, it was pure story logic that created it. I wanted an isolated island of superheroes guarding a sacred treasure, and I wanted it threatened by war between England and France. Given the number of ships sailing through the English Channel, it would be just a trifle preposterous to expect no one to have seen this island over a few gazillion years. So I invented a rocky barrier shrouded in a magical fog. Now fog in the Channel, that I can believe. And should anyone dare the rocks and the fog and hit upon the mystical shield that prevented entrance, they would assume they hit an unseen rock. Besides, they'd drown and no one would know anyway. I'm into grounding my fantasies with nasty realities!

Prior to creating Aelynn, you did a wonderful Georgian-set paranormal series about a family of witches. Could you tell us about the Malcolms and the Iveses?

Those were delightful fun to write—the magical Malcolm women with their various psychic powers, and the scientific logical Ives men who loved them, after quite a struggle, of course. As it happens, I do believe our brains are capable of a great deal more than we use them for, so I had great fun playing with Georgian women who could do mysterious things, especially since science as we know it today was just developing at that time. Any man in his right mind would want to study them!

Forty-five books is an impressive streak. What do you think helps a writer’s career longevity?

Pure ornery-mindedness helps! This business is cylical with wild swings and ups and downs. A writer has to be truly creative to surf the rapidly changing markets and stay abreast of the latest industry news. Great agents and editors help, but a writer has to be provide the right material at the right time, which means having a lot of stories rampaging around in one’s head.

You do a very astute program on the changing market. Could you share some of your insights with us?

Probably not in a paragraph or two. As I said above, the market constantly changes. Right now, I’m seeing mass market divide out even more than it was before, with bestsellers filling most of the wholesale stores (Wal-mart, groceries, etc) and a thin layer of newcomers and midlist on the bottom. Retailers are starting to clear their shelves of inventory, which means more of the recent releases and fewer of the older titles are available in the stores. On-line sales and store orders are probably growing for those older titles. I imagine on-line sales are growing, period. There seem to be far more hardcover and trade than a few years ago, possibly because it takes less inventory to make more profit, and until this year, people were feeling wealthy enough to pay for the bigger books. Don’t know what will happen as the economy goes into a downswing. Wish I had a magic genie!

What was your first sale?

To Zebra Books, LOVE’S FIRST SURRENDER, in the age of appalling titles, the early ‘80s. It was reissued over a decade later as just SURRENDER. About time for it to come out again, maybe as RENDER. They could put a werewolf on the cover. No, I’m kidding. It was straight historical romance.

What’s next for you?

We’re working on another contract with Penguin, probably going back to straight historical romance again. The world turns and I keep turning with it…

Pat is giving a copy of the first Mystic Isle book, Mystic Guardian, to one lucky commenter today. For more about Pat and her books, visit her website.

Do you have a favorite of Pat's books? What would your ideal secret island hideaway be like? What kinds of conflict do you like? What changes have you seen in the romance market?

If I were stinking rich...

Face it. We've all probably fantasized about being fabulously wealthy. Maybe the wealth in your daydreams comes from hitting it big in the lottery, or perhaps (if you're a writer) the fantasy casts you as the next J.K. Rowling or Nora Roberts. But whatever the source, I'll bet you've also thought about what you'd do with all those millions.

There are the altruistic and practical uses for sudden wealth -- paying off bills, funding scholarships, giving to causes such as cancer research and children's hospitals, helping friends and family. I'll admit that would be my inclination, to help others. Tops on my list would be buying my parents and my sister's family new homes wherever they wanted them. And because our family has lost so many members to cancer, I'd donate a good chunk to research, the Ronald McDonald House and St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Because I'm a fan of national parks, I would fund educational projects and needed infrastructure repairs that government funding doesn't cover.

But let's say I REALLY struck it rich and I had not only enough money to help lots of other people, but there was enough left over for me to just enjoy. What would I do?

1. I would buy a beach house on the Gulf Coast of Florida, home to the prettiest beaches and water I've ever seen. Part of me likes the cute little colorful homes like this blue one.

But another part really likes the look of this beauty. It's big enough for the the Banditas and all the Bandit Buddies to come have a party!







2. I'd also buy one of those gorgeous log homes like you see in magazines, in the Paradise Valley of Montana, just north of Yellowstone National Park. It's stunningly beautiful there and a nice place to spend the summer when it's roasty hot in the South.





3. And speaking of National Parks, I would visit every single unit run by the National Park Service, all 390 of them. Places like Yosemite National Park in California.




4. And since I don't like to fly, I'd do all that traveling in my brand new Toyota Prius. I'd much rather have it and its outstanding gas mileage and lesser impact on the environment than a larger, luxury vehicle. Plus, I just like driving smaller cars. Driving my husband's truck feels like driving an Abrams tank.



5. I'd take a year just to explore Alaska. I'm writing a book set there now, and all the research is making me want to visit something fierce.

6. I'd start a bookstore/cafe with my sister. It's this wild dream we have, but we both loved the bookstore/cafe in Nora Roberts' Three Sisters Island trilogy.

7. I'd go to every fan conference I wanted to for my favorite pop culture fandoms, ComicCon, DragonCon, Harry Potter conferences, you name it. Embrace my inner geek girl. :)

8. I'd hike the Appalachian trail because I wouldn't have to worry about funds or time, and Hubby would no longer have to work in Cubicle Land and could go with me.

9. I'd finance whatever fun projects my hubby wanted to try because he's been an awesome supporter of my writing and been the main breadwinner for the past three years since I quit my job to focus on getting published. He rocks, and he deserves not to ever have to sit in a cubicle again.

And finally...

10. I'd go on a humongous shoe shopping spree until I had a shoe collection to rival those of Tawny and Anna S.

So what about you all? If you suddenly because as wealthy as Oprah, J.K. Rowling and Bill Gates rolled together, what would you do just for you? And on your altruistic side, what causes would you support?

A Dangerous Contest

We had so much fun with the Duke of Lyle the other day I'd like to thank all the Bandita Buddies for participating. Usually I pick winners solely on merit but on this occasion I had such a hard time deciding, I picked a large number of likely candidates and then selected randomly.

So....drum roll, please....the signed ARC of The Dangerous Duke goes to......PJ!! I liked the idea of letting the Bandita Buddies do all the work!

Gorgeous signed coverflats go to P226, Buffie, Helen, Elyssa and Cheri2628!!

You know the drill, please send me your snail address via the contact page on my website and I'll get your prizes to you as soon as I can.

Oh, and don't forget our cafe press store. If you'd like to get yourself some Bandita merch before the RWA conference, now's the time! We don't make any profit--everything there is at cost.

Conference Countdown

by Tawny

Can you believe July is almost halfway over? That means summer is halfway over, too. Ack – where did the time go? Not only does this mean deadlines are looming closer, that my basking in the swimming pool time is dwindling but, dum-da-dum... it’s almost conference time!

I love RWA’s National Conference. Seriously love it. I love the vast amount of talent and information all jammed into one hotel. I love the giddy thrill of seeing my favorite authors and the heart touching joy of seeing my dear friends (and have to admit, in many cases they are both one and the same). I love the all night brainstorming and the inspiration that just seems to float like a misty cloud overhead, waiting to be tapped. I love the motivation conference offers, that one comment that sparks a whole new direction or story idea. I love the workshops and the speakers and even the agent & editor appointments. Obviously I’m a total conference fiend.

So with that in mind and just two weeks left... Here’s my Top Ten Countdown of things to do before conference. And even though I’m gearing this toward conference, the idea could work for any vacation... so even if you’re not attending, still play – okay?!

1) Plan the itinerary. In this case, which workshops you want to attend & what events you’re committed to. Put together the perfect schedule that you'll happily ignore. My schedule is on a color-coded spreadsheet, with the have-to’s in red so I know they are non-negotiable (like dinner with the Bandits or with my editor – I can skip out on workshops but skipping out on dinner will get me in trouble).

2) Lose 20 lbs. I can’t help it –this is on my to-do list before every event. Vacation, conference, holidays... swimsuit season. *sigh* I never quite hit this goal, but it’s always looming there, whispering in the back of my head when I attend yet another dessert reception, keeping me from diving face-first into the chocolate fountain.

3) Write like a fiend so you don’t feel guilty about hanging out in the bar in the evenings instead of diligently writing away up in your hotel room. I have a couple good friends who actually do hole up in their hotel room and write during conference. Me? I love the idea but have never managed to pull it off. So – I write ahead so I won’t feel guilty.

4) Choose the perfect shoes. Okay, if I had a choice, I’d pick from Vrai Anna’s closet, but I don’t. So I go through mine and decide what shoes I’ll need and want. Some people might choose clothes first, but I always dress from the shoes up *g*. Conference is always tricky for shoes, because so much time is spent running from workshop to workshop or trying to get to this event or that. But still... cute shoes are a necessity.

5) Shop. I mean, there might still be need for more perfect shoes, right? Or something new because I haven’t lost that 20 lbs. Maybe a perky new top to add to the standard conference wardrobe. Or if you’re like me and hate seeing pictures of yourself in the same evening dress year to year, its fancy dress shopping (don’t forget the perfect evening shoes).

6) Prepare those pitches. I don’t have an agent or editor appointment this year, but I’m still preparing my little story blurbs. You never know when someone will ask “so what do you write” and being able to succinctly share that makes for much easier conversation than “um... well, you know, romance stuff.” (Yes, I’ve said that. Pitiful, huh?)
7) Pamper yourself. Mani-pedi’s, a facial, a nice massage. Heck, even a bubble bath. There’s nothing that pumps up my self-confidence more than a little pampering. And knowing my tootsies are soft and pretty makes kicking off the shoes at that nasty airport security check easier.

8) Pack. Then check what you packed. Then add more or take stuff out and repack. I’ll admit it, I make a list. And I make it a couple weeks ahead, so I can use it for #5 – shopping. You know, just in case. I also pack about a week before I leave, just in case something I’d planned to bring needs mending or replacing.

9) Clean House. What? Doesn’t everyone scrub the house down before they leave? I do, I admit it! It’s always cleaner when I go on vacation than any other time. I love coming home to a clean, tidy house. Well, that and it’s like the clean underwear admonishment (didn’t your mom give you that “wear clean underwear in case you’re ever in an accident speech?) If there’s ever an accident, I don’t want any one seeing my house a mess LOL.

And 10) Computer Shutdown. I cruise my favorite blogs one last time, empty my email inbox and put all my yahoo groups on no-mail. I back up EVERYTHING – you never know what might happen while you’re gone and nothing sucks more than coming home to find your computer fried, then I cross my fingers and shutdown. And usually boot up once or twice just to make sure its all still okay *g* but then I unplug my external, set it out with the keys for whoever is animal sitting to take to their house before I head out for wild times.

How about you? What’s on your top ten countdown to conference (or vacation)? Do you have rituals you follow? Anything you can add to my neurotic preparation list? C’mon, sharsies... I'd hate to forget something.

The Craft of Being Crafty

Joan
I’m a crafty sort of gal. Not in the sneaky sense like the GR. Nope, I mean in the sense that I can do a lot of handcrafts: crochet, cross-stitch, embroidery, knitting. I was taught by my Mom who excelled in even more textile arenas including quilting, needlepoint on plastic canvas and, in homage to our golden one, chicken scratch embroidery. Mom entered her items in the State Fair and won as many ribbons for that as I have for cakes. No doubt in my mind that given enough golden yarn, she could crochet our chook!

The first piece I ever did was an embroidered sampler about the Girl Scouts. Samplers for the uninitiated are pieces that reflect some aspect of life. A saying such as “The flowers of tomorrow are the seeds of today”. The alphabet is often included along with flowers and elaborate borders. This first effort had the Girl Scout oath. I used satin stitch, chain stitch, outline stitch and the ubiquitous French knots. Laborious for a 10 year old but boy was I proud of that!

Then I learned how to crochet. Could not even tell you the moment I started single stitching and double stitching…probably just watched my Mom. She had a vast array of different crochet hooks...like an armory for yarn. My first granny square afghan had brilliant central colors of pink, blue, green and yellow surrounded with black. Stayed on my bed through my high school years. It kept me warm in more ways than one. I also learned how to crochet with string. You know, of doily fame? Mom had a pattern for the sweetest baby bib and I still have her early (1940's era) pattern books for doilies, tablecloths etc. with a pineapple motif.

Next, I discovered counted cross-stitch. In a bizzaro switch I taught my Mom to do that! And we were off. Spent over 10 years creating masterpieces with hundreds of shades of floss. Hues every bit as wonderful as tubes of paint. My brush was a needle, my canvas Aida cloth. The stitches strokes very like painting. My mother especially became enamored with challenging pieces like this picture of the little girl gathering shells on the beach. It hangs in my living room, a constant reminder of my Mom's love.

Knitting? Well, I learned that working night shift at the hospital. Oh, now come on...one has to do something to stay awake at 2 am. Of course, "back then" people weren't as sick as they are nowadays. Using my newfound skills I knitted my newborn godson a sweater, cap and mittens. The gauge was off a bit and while Brian never got to wear it, his sister did…when she was 2 years old :-)
What brought all this to mind was a recent rash of expectant mothers among my staff at work. I am on my fifth knitted baby afghan and yes, my wrists hurt. (Send Motrin). But when I’ve given these modest gifts to the mothers to be their mouths drop open. They are in awe. “You MADE this?” has been the common refrain.

Well, yes I did. Making something as a gift shows the pleasure and happiness I feel for them as a part of my life. Hooray for babies and lets snuggle them in a blanket that Joan Darling made. This is what I grew up doing. I didn’t get their astonishment.

And then it occurred to me that with all the modern conveniences, specialty items (esp. for babies) that handcrafted gifts are rare "nowadays". The generation behind me…for the most part….do not know how to do these things. Let’s face it, many of their mothers were working, balancing raising children, keeping house, and bringing home the bacon. They did not have time to spend with silk threads and yarn. Time is of the essence in today’s world and no matter how sincere the wish, we just don’t have time for crafting.

The signs are there. At the State Fair the textile exhibit shrinks a little bit more each year. I mean for about 4 years the chicken scratch category was entered only by my Mom and some nun! I know, GR....calm down.

I don’t know. Maybe I’m wrong but when you see a young 20 something girl’s eyes round in awe at a simple knitted blanket, ya gotta wonder if these talents are a dying art. I sure hope not.

What about you? Can you do any crafts? Knit one, Purl two? Ever made Christmas ornaments out of felt and toilet paper rolls? Snowmen with styrfoam balls and crocheted snow? Have you passed it on to the next generation?

I hope so.

How do you eat your Dolly Mixtures?

by Anna Sugden

… or Smarties … or Licorice Allsorts … or Jelly Babies … or M&M’s … or Jelly Beans … well, you get the picture. How do you eat anything in a pack of assorted sweeties?

For those of you wondering what some of the above-mentioned delights are:

Smarties are like M&M’s but with nicer chocolate. And they’re bigger too.

Licorice Allsorts (lovely hubby’s favourite - see right) are literally all sorts of licorice candies in different shapes and colours.

And … Dolly Mixture? The best little penny bag of assorted sweets you can get (although I understand these days they’re hard to find). Made of sugar, and probably all kinds of unhealthy stuff, there are striped ones, soft ones, hard ones, jelly ones … a veritable plethora of delights. (see below)

Why would there be a special way of eating them? Well, for some of us - it’s not just a simple matter of dipping in, grabbing the first sweet and chomping merrily away.

Oh no.

There is a process to be followed. Now, admittedly, I thought I was alone in this little foible. But, several discussions with friends have shown that there are others … many with routines far more elaborate than mine!

So, what’s my process?

Are you sitting comfortably? Then, I’ll begin.

1. Empty the bag or box onto a plate/desk-top/table/magazine or other handy flat surface.

2. Sorting. Separate out the different kinds of sweets into piles of the same kind.

3. Eat any spares or odd ones.

4. Count out the number of sweets in a pile. If there is an even number, you’re good to go. If not, eat the odd numbered sweet!

5. Split each pile into two - one half goes back in the bag or box for later.

6. Now, for the eating. Try to get each pile to be the same size by eating any superfluous sweets.

7. Finally you’re left with nice round numbers of sweets, in balanced piles.

Now, the only way left to eat them is one from each pile!

Let me know I’m not alone in my weirdness! When faced with a bag or box of assorted sweets - how do you eat yours? And what is/are your favourite sweets? Two lucky commenters will win a bag of Dolly Mixtures!

UNTOUCHED winners!

by Anna Campbell

Thank you to everyone for a stupendous day in the lair on Thursday. Once again, I had an awful time trying to choose winners. I narrowed it down and narrowed it down, but I couldn't get past a certain point. So there are THREE winners of the green monster. Congratulations!

MEL HAACK
BUFFIE
CHERI2628

Please email me on anna@annacampbell.info with your snail mail addresses (Buffie, I've already got yours) and I'll get your copies of UNTOUCHED off to you. Hope you enjoy it!

Happy reading!

Anna x

The Dangerous Duke is in the Lair

posted by Christine Wells
Former British agent, the Duke of Lyle (aka The Dangerous Duke) sits, scowling, on the floor of the Bandit Lair. He is gagged. His hands and feet are bound. Mud mottles his knee-high boots, his blue coat is rumpled and torn and his breeches hug a pleasing expanse of muscled thigh. His black hair is overlong, tousled, as though in a high wind. Lightning grey eyes glare with cold fury at his captors.

Aunty Cindy cracks her whip and then her knuckles. She and her fellow Banditas are breathing a little heavily and it's not wholly due to the man's rugged good looks.

Trish: That was unexpected.

Vrai Anna: He's a former agent for Her Majesty's Government. We should've been ready for him to try something. Glances to the corner. Poor Sven. He suffered the worst of it, didn't he?

Christine: Yes, well, Lyle had a score to settle after Sven gave Lady Kate that massage.

Jo nodding sagely: And the cocktails. Don't forget the cocktails.

Christine: Right. Listen, we have to get him to cooperate. There isn't much time until The Dangerous Duke comes out and I want him working hard for me, meeting and greeting and making nice with readers. But he's a tough one. It was difficult enough getting him to do what I wanted when I was writing his story. Don't know how I'll persuade him to cooperate now.

Tawny slinks towards him, running her gaze over his manly form: Leave him to me, Banditas. I know all about persuading handsome, rich dukes.

Beth (pouting): Aw, Tawny gets all the fun. And the great shoes...

Foanna: I think we should torture him. Shrugs. That's what I do to all my heroes.

Suz: You know, I'm a nurse. I'm familiar with any number of unpleasant things you can do to the human body.

Cassondra, stepping forward: If y'all would just let me--

Banditas (as one): No!

Christine: No. Placing a gentle, restraining hand on Cassondra's arm: We still want some of him left when we're finished, C. Let it go. Looks around at her comrades. V-A's right. The man's a former spy, not an easy nut to crack. You know what this calls for, don't you?

Kate: (gasp!) You don't mean...

Christine: Yes. Yes, I do.

Susan: But he's at Jennifer Y's house & he won't leave her. You know it's against his religion to disappoint his lady friends.

Kirsten: Nothing gets between the Golden Rooster and his duty. Except maybe Tim Tams. Do we have Tim Tams?

Christine lowers her eyes and toes the floor with her bucket boot: Sorry. I was on deadline. I'll get some more.

Jeanne: The rooster's a double agent. How do we know we can trust him? Let me plant a bug under his wing so we know exactly what he's up to.

Joanie T: Sigh. I wish Demetrius was here.

Nancy: You and me both. But I'll settle for that ripped cabana boy over there. Later, though. We have Bandita Business to do. Looks around. Where's KJ?

Caren: She's off snowboarding on Everest, bless her heart. Didn't you know?

Christie (hurrying in, covered in dust from house renovations): OMG what are we, kidnapping characters now? Hey. Not a bad idea.

Donna: I tried it with my Moonlight heroine but she kept disappearing.

A voice cuts through the chatter: If you're quite finished discussing my future in this godforsaken dungeon, might I have a word with Ms. Wells?

All eyes turn back to Lyle, who has managed to spit out his gag. Cassondra sends Christine a withering look.

Christine looks guilty and shrugs: Would you mind?

Cassondra (to Lyle): Just don't try anything. I'll be right outside the door. Eyes narrow. You got anything in your pockets?

Lyle: Breeches don't have pockets. Anyway, that husky voiced redhead just searched me. Twice.

Cassondra: That's our Tawny. (nods to the other banditas)

Sven and the Banditas file out, leaving Christine alone with Lyle.

Lyle turns his piercing gaze on Christine. Where's Lady Kate?

Christine: I'm afraid I can't tell you that. She gestures at the laptop next to him. Read her diary. You can see for yourself, she's perfectly well. With Sven for company, I'm sure she hardly misses you at all.

A low growl rumbles from somewhere in that big chest. In spite of herself, Christine takes a quick step backwards, then recovers her sangfroid: You know, you do that glowering thing extraordinarily well. It was one of the reasons I cast you for the role.

Lyle (dripping sarcasm): I'm obliged to you. Yes, I've read the damned diary. Edited it, too. But she looks to me like she's ready to make her escape. And I don't think you Banditas are equipped to deal with Lady Kate on the loose.

Christine: Never you bother your handsome head about that. As long as we have Lady Kate, you'll do as I say. And now, I've got some friends I'd like you to meet . . .

Over to our readers. What do you think? Should the banditas:

(a) bring in the Golden Rooster to subdue the prisoner
(b) reunite Lyle with the lovely Lady Kate
(c) let the more bloodthirsty Banditas have their way with him
(d) let Tawny have her way with him
(e) send Lyle on a mission to forage for more Tim Tams
(f) Other...

Who or what (fictional or real) would you like to kidnap and bring to the Lair. What would you ask them?

My favourite comment will win an autographed Advanced Reader Copy of The Dangerous Duke. I'm also giving away 5 gorgeous signed coverflats, so come and join in the fun!

And if anyone wants to read about Lady Kate's adventures in the lair and Lyle's pithy commentary on the same, go here.

Hey, Good Bookin'! What Ya Got Cookin'?

by Anna Campbell

Among my favorite bits of bulletin boards are the "What are you reading now?" threads.

People list the last book they read, the book they're reading and the next one off the TBR pile.

It's fun from a whole heap of viewpoints. It shows what people are actually reading rather than talking about. It introduces me to writers I've never heard of but often end up enjoying. It reveals individual reader tastes in a way I find fascinating. Even HarperCollins have put their money where their mouth is in agreeing that people find what other people read endlessly interesting. On their newly revamped website, there's a place for authors to list books on their bedside table. You can find mine here. Just keep clicking refresh and you'll see a list of my current reading.

Anyway, I thought we'd play that today! I also thought I'd talk about a couple of books I've read recently that I really liked. In case any of you are coming to the bottom of the TBR pile and need some additions. (Laughs hollowly!)

The first is THE LAST RAKE IN LONDON by Nicola Cornick, who is extremely talented and, curses, up against me in the Regency RITA category with her wonderful LORD OF SCANDAL. LAST RAKE was written as part of Mills & Boon's 100th anniversary celebrations this year. For anyone who doesn't know, M&B in London started the category romance juggernaut and are part of the Harlequin empire.

LAST RAKE is set in the Edwardian era which is great fun. You get cars and Suffragettes and telephones. The heroine is an independent, emotionally scarred woman called Sally Bowes who runs the Blue Parrot nightclub (perhaps it's because I'm an Aussie, but I kept reading that as P*ssed Parrot nightclub - clearly I have no class!). Enter our hero, the dashing, extremely sexy Jack Kestrel, heir to a dukedom, rake and alpha male, who sees Sally and immediately decides he must have her. Do I need to say more to get you interested?

The next on my whirlwind list of recommendations is what I can only describe as a Regency noir! It's WHAT ANGELS FEAR by C.S. Harris. This is the first book in a mystery series, featuring the seriously tortured but extremely sexy Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin. I honestly couldn't put this down - it's dark, it's desperate, it's terrifically romantic. C.S. Harris used to write fantastic historical romances as Candice Proctor and you can see that background here in the emotional depths and the strong characterization. I've got the next two books on the TBR pile and I'm having trouble keeping my hands off them. I've got a manuscript to finish before I allow myself a reading binge. I already know Sebastian St. Cyr isn't the man who will let me put him aside after a couple of pages so I can get a good night's sleep and front up to work all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed the next day.

The last book I'm recommending is a Blaze by Kathleen O'Reilly and again, it's the first in a series. SHAKEN AND STIRRED is about one of the sexy (OK, I'm overusing this adjective, but sometimes the right word is the right word and nothing else will do!) O'Sullivan Brothers and the stories center around a bar in New York. What I loved about this story aside from the emotion, the fantastic characters and the beautiful writing (hmm, perhaps that's ENOUGH to love!), is how real it all felt. The world was so rich, compelling and tangible. When you read this story, you know these people, you know their environment, and you live through every moment. Great stuff!

So here's my list for the game:

The last book I read: DARK AND DANGEROUS by Jeanne Adams. Fantastic!

The book I'm currently reading: SEX STRAIGHT UP by Kathleen O'Reilly. Need I say more?

The next book off the TBR pile: NOT WITHOUT HER FAMILY by Beth Andrews.

So over to you. What are you reading? Do you have any recommendations for must-reads? Inquiring minds want to know!

I got such a lovely response to my last blog where I offered a copy of CLAIMING THE COURTESAN to someone who hadn't read it, this month, I'm offering a signed copy of UNTOUCHED. Same deal. Please just mention in your comment if you want to be in the draw for the book. Good luck! And may the Games begin! I look forward to building a TBR pile that blocks out the sun.

Going back...waaaaaay back.....

by Jeanne Adams

I got an invitation to a landmark reunion the other day. I knew, in a vague sort of way, that it was coming up. I knew, in a vague sort of way, that the years were passing. But jeez, there's all this family stuff, and work stuff, and writing stuff and blogging things to be done. How can it possibly have been SO many years since graduation??? Where does the time go? Wasn't it just yesterday that we....No? Hmmmmm.

I have to confess that my college days were not wild. Not by a long shot. (Kinda bummed about that, even now. Sigh.) I was very young when I went back home to North Carolina for college. Jail bait, in fact. My confidence was all in my academics rather than in my ability to socialize. I chose my college based on the fact that they gave me scholarships. I worked my way through school and got it over with, so to speak. As one of four kids, two of whom were also in college when I went in, money mattered.

So did size. (Snicker. Size always matters, you know?) I wasn't ready for a 30,000 student body kind of place. So I went for history and quality. :> I went to Mars Hill - yeah, yeah, I've heard ALL the planet jokes, since the next town over is Jupiter. Mars Hill College is a liberal arts college in Western North Carolina, established in 1856. Fabulous place, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, but where I saw the Moscow Symphony, the Vienna Boys Choir, the fabulous acrobatic group Mumenshanz (http://www.mummenschanz.com/), and a variety of groups from China, India, Taiwan, and so forth. Mars Hill has a fabulous music department so I heard wonderful musicians from all over the world, and from all over the United States.

Mars Hill is also the home of the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Festival (http://lunsfordfestival.com/) now in its 40th year. It's one of the foremost bluegrass festivals in the US, honoring the "Minstrel of the Appalachians." Wonderful music from men, women and children of all ages, races, and persuasions performing, jamming and generally filling the mountain air with a magical, powerful reason to remember the old music and to sing and dance. (Think O Brother Where Art Thou, and the Down from the Mountain tour)

Although dedicated, Mars Hill's not a huge sports school. However, it's clogging team has performed around the globe. It turns out business majors who've become CEO's, ministerial students who've taken churches from small to mega-church status, and turned out some pretty decent citizens, present company hopefully included.

But Mars Hill is small. It's idyllic in some ways. It's like going back to Dirty Dancing's mountain set and living there for four years. (In fact Dirty Dancing was filmed about an hour south in Lake Lure. Gorgeous! Check it out at: http://rumblingbald.com/LakeLure/index.aspx)

I loved living there. All these years later, I still miss seeing the mist on the mountains in the morning. I miss seeing the colors of fall sweep down the hills or seeing snow dust the peaks even as the "fireworks of fall" flood the valleys with reds and golds. I love going "home" to Mars Hill. Corny as it is, I'm an Alumni with a capital A, who tries to support my school even from afar.

That said, I'm a totally different woman than the callow girl who picked up her diploma, turned her tassel, and grinned for the camera posed between equally grinning parents. To paraphrase a Dr. Suess title, Oh! The Places I've Gone! There have been a lot of changes in these intervening years. The organizers of the reunion were social even back in our college days. They don't remember me that way, if they remember me at all. (I suspect a quick look-up in the Yearbook was called for when I contacted those in charge of the event!) I'm incredibly social now. It'll be interesting to see how THEY react to the twenty-first century ME! Ha!

So, tell all. Where did you got to school? Did you love it or hate it?

Have you gone back to a high school, college, uni, or prep school reunion? How was it?

Were you a party girl/guy, a loner, a geek, a Greek or did you put your head down and get through it?

If you were to go back today, with all you've done and all you've learned, would your college pals recognize the "new you"?

Just for fun...what's your team's mascot? Mars Hill is the Lions, which always cracked me up, given that it's a Christian school...

What has it got in its pockets?

by Cassondra Murray

Gollum was probably not the first fellow to ask this question, though he might
have been the first on record to actually wonder about it out loud.

But he certainly wasn't the last.

I've spoken those exact words repeatedly (though silently) in recent years as I've begun to observe male behaviors through the jaded eyes of a middle-aged female writer.

Have y'all heard that Bud Light Real Men of Genius radio commercial--the one about "Mr. Cargo Pants Designer"?

"Is that a banana in your pocket?"

"Why, yes it is. And an orange...."

And an ipod perhaps....

A survival knife? A multi-tool? A flashlight? A cigarette lighter? The list goes on.

Okay, I'll set aside complete dissing of cargo pants because of their military origins. But MOST cargo pants are not worn by military men and women--people who have to carry their lives on their backs for weeks at a time and defend themselves and their fellow soldiers too.

I've decided that most modern cargo pants are designed for the man who is worried about his masculinity. The man who refuses to admit that, just like women, males need to carry around a certain amount of STUFF. I can come to only one logical conclusion. This is a man who believes that if he actually possesses a suitable bag to carry the STUFF in, that one of the appendages necessary to be considered male might...oh, I don't know...maybe fall off or start to rot.

What is up with that?

Consider, if you will, wallet bulge. The male equivalent of disgusting panty lines.

I don't say it out loud, but I do THINK it when I see a fellow with a big square bulge in his hip pocket. Nothing like an icky wallet bulge to ruin what would otherwise be a wonderfully distracting male rear end. There are too few of those nicely shaped male nether regions these days. It's an absolute crime to have the nice ones mangled.

Hey, men are always staring at ours, why not admit it? We like theirs too...sans wallet bulge thank you very much....ahem....

It's even worse when the guy is wearing a suit.

I attended an event this week where I saw a few phenomenal men in very sexy suits. And a whole bunch of men who don't wear them well at all because of what I'm coming to view as "serious male fashion sins."

Let's consider James Bond, the quintessential ladies man, putting his life on the line for his country--saving the world in his $6000 suit--but let's consider him with with seven dollars worth of nickels and dimes clinking, clunking, and bulging from the front of his thighs. I can't help but return to the famous line from Kindgergarten Cop. "Maybe it's a tumor."

Somehow, I don't think we're going to see that in the next Bond film. Bond, of course, carries all the stuff he needs and a whole bunch of gadgets hidden in an immaculately tailored tuxedo. But that's film, and this is real life. And in real life, "tumors" abound.

Men used to get through life with a few bills in a money clip, a car key, and a house key, all which fit in their pockets with nary a tumor in sight. For a well dressed fellow in a nicely cut pair of trousers, any extra...um...anomalies...meant he was happy to see you.

Not so these days. Men carry stuff. Cell phones and laptops and sunglasses (expensive ones, which demand cases so they don't get scratched) and as they age, reading glasses maybe. They need Blackberries and keys for cars, houses, gym lockers, garages and motorcycles. They need newspapers and a paperback book for the commute to work on the train. They need power bars and an apple. They need music devices with all the wires and gizmos and accessories.

And let's face it. A briefcase doesn't work a lot of the time. And a backpack is hell on a nice jacket or a good shirt, and it makes your back all sweaty.

I understand the wish to travel light. I swear I do. I want the smallest purse I can carry that will hold the minimum necessary stuff. And I won't switch out purses. I don't have time. It has to work with all my clothes, or I'll be a fashion failure and that's just too bad. In some ways I guess I'm more like a guy than a girl when it comes to the whole "purse" phenomenon.

I have no idea when the "purse" came into use--I know the regency writers on the blog call them "reticules" in their stories--and ladies almost always had one with them.

They used them to carry their smelling salts I guess--since those corsets caused them to faint without warning--and to carry a little money to get home, in case the handsome rake turned out to be a big jerk and left you stranded.

Some things haven't changed all that much, have they?

If women weren't the first, they certainly weren't the ONLY people using some sort of bag to carry their stuff around....Scottish men wore, along with their kilts, sporrans. Rather handy and unencumbering I think--a much nicer, more elegant version of the fanny pack (which is, like a backpack, almost always ugly in my opinion.)

Here's a fellow, on the right, who looks rather dashing in his kilt and sporran, don't you think? I could be prejudiced by my Scottish heritage.

And below that there's an entire football team, and every one of them has a sporran. I'm thinkin these guys are not wimps, in spite of their blue socks.

I sometimes hear males dissing guys who wear kilts and sporrans--calling them sissies and other derogatory words that would suggest the well-dressed Scottish man has anatomy more akin to the female (those words will probably never make it into one of my blogs).

But I've also noticed that they don't say that stuff out loud if they're anywhere near a fellow like this, who for the sake of his sport (which, if you haven't seen it, involves tossing the equivalent of a telephone pole end over end) is probably having his lassie hold his purse...er..sporran.

Dude, what's in your purse?

Those words apparantly scare the..well..the male anatomy off of most men in the United States. It's my understanding that the Man Bag--or the Man Purse--has been popular in Europe for years. But here in the States, it's been slow to catch on. Why?

My own husband is a good example--not of the scared part. He isn't. But of the "stuff" part. The poor man has, for at least ten years, carried around a shaving kit. He carries it everywhere. It has his allergy meds, an extra knife, small flashlight, money, sundry bits of paper on which he's written addresses and emails of people he'll never contact but thought he would, business cards, breath mints, visine....

Basically, all the same stuff women carry in a purse--except the lipstick. Although he DOES carry chapstick. Still, that shaving kit doesn't have a strap--which means it keeps one of his hands busy. Impractical.

My husband has no fear of having his man card revoked. This man wears pink shirts--and looks awesome in them. Once, when we were very young and just married, he asked me to NEVER request that he buy feminine hygiene products for me. So I didn't. He has since apologized. Said he was young and stupid and can't really figure out what, exactly, he was embarrassed about, but he isn't now. I still haven't asked--some part of me still hasn't forgiven him I guess--for being embarrassed by his association with what was--and is-- part of me.

In spite of my bad attitude, I admit he's the best of the lot when it comes to this sort of thing. If I'm at a wine tasting I don't even have to ask. He just takes my purse off my shoulder and puts it on his--and WALKS AROUND THE STORE WITH IT so I can enjoy the wine tasting free of the weight hanging on my arm.

It's strange, but he has absolutely no fear of anything necessary to procreation falling off of his lower half if he holds my handbag.

But it seems my husband is the exception to the rule. And lately, he's been drooling over some nice leather (and very expensive) messenger bags--Man purses!.

One would think, that after seeing this man with his messenger bag that ALL men would wish to imitate him.

Honestly, that bag strapped onto his body detracts not one bit from his hotness.

And for a short time, it seemed that Jack Bauer had succeeded in bringing the practical to a level of acceptance....

But not so. Not yet anyhow. Of course there are a few fellows who've figured out how practical these are.

Here's a photo of a guy in a rather nice suit, complete with a designer Man Purse. Nary a pocket tumor in sight.....

And just for the Banditas in the lair who drool over Hugh Jackman, here's one for y'all. Does his messenger bag make him somehow less......hunky? His shoulders less broad? Chest less muscled? Biceps more wimpy?








Honestly, I'm curious about this whole man purse idea and the bag-carrying aversion some fellows seem to have.What do you suppose is the root of it?

For the ladies in the lair I've included a few examples of some pretty sparkly purses that are definitely girly. Somehow, I just can't see Indy or Jack Bauer with one of these, but maybe that's reverse prejudice?

And I can't see this guy worrying too much about losing his man card because he carries around a bag for his coins--you know, since kilts don't have pockets and therefore he can't indulge in wallet bulge and ruin our.....uhm.... view.

So tell me, what do y'all think of Man purses?

Ladies, Does your fellow carry a bag of some sort? Will he hold YOUR handbag without a fuss?

If he carries a bag, what does he carry in it?

Guys, will anything important fall off of your body if you carry a messenger bag to hold your stuff?

Remember that old show, Let's Make a Deal? The more stuff you had with you, the better! What's in YOUR messenger bag or purse right now? If you were offered $100 for a paper clip, would you win the money?

How many purses do you have in your closet? And do you change them out to match your outfits? Or are you like me, and stick with one you like?

Do you see a lot of guys carrying bags OTHER than backpacks?

And are any of the ladies like me--do you go "ick" at wallet bulge and pocket tumors?

Bandit Booty!!

By Kate

Thanks to everyone for their lovely comments on my post about taking all those steps toward publication! The winner of the $15 Amazon.com gift certificate ... chosen at random ... is ...

CAFFEY!!!

Congratulations, Caffey!! Just email me at katecarlisle99@yahoo.com and I'll send you the gift certificate by return email. It's so easy. I love that!

And thanks again to everyone who shared their wonderful stories.

Avon Author Terri Garey's Back in the Lair!

by Beth Andrews

I'd like to welcome Avon author Terri Garey back to the blog! Her newest release, A Match Made in Hell, is available now :-)

The Sanderson Sisters and Their Twelve Husbands

I’m a big believer in the “real life is stranger than fiction” theory. I mean, half the things that happen in real life would seem unbelievable if you read them on the page. My husband has been urging me for years to write a book about my three sisters, but—as I’ve pointed out to him on more than one occasion—they’d never speak to me again if I did. (To which his answer is, invariably, “And the problem with this is….?”)

Hence, the title of today’s blog (names have been changed to protect the innocent… meaning me!) Tell me, would you pick up a book with that title the bookstore? Just curious… he may be onto something!

Alas, since I’m not ready to be an only child just yet, that heartbreaking work of staggering genius will have to wait. *sigh* (Still, the holidays are coming up – one more Thanksgiving dinner may just be the push I need!)

Luckily, I have plenty of other material besides my immediate family – sometimes the universe just has a way of dumping odd characters on your doorstep. While I never answer my door if I can help it (for that very reason), I find myself unable to avoid this phenomenon when I travel.

As an example, let me tell you about a weekend trip I took a while ago to attend a writing conference. My flight was delayed, so when I arrived it was after dark. As I made my way curbside to grab a taxi, I was literally descended on by three men in suits who had stationed themselves near baggage claim, each of them loudly vying for my business. The conference hotel was nearly 45 minutes away, so I knew I had an expensive trip ahead of me, and went with the guy who told me he’d charge ten dollars less than the other two guys. The smug look he threw at his competitors should’ve been my first clue that all was not well in limo land. We had to walk to the parking garage to find his Lincoln Towncar, which I found odd. Odder still—once my luggage was in the trunk and I was in the back seat—he proceeded to regale me with the tale of his triumphant return to the taxi business. It seems that my oh-so-charming companion had just recently gotten out of the hospital, having had a run-in with a shady gentleman by the name of “Fat Mitch”, who had been determined to run my poor, innocent driver out of business, by hook or by crook. Oh, the evils of Fat Mitch, the levels he would go to! I heard all about it for the next 45 minutes, speeding down the Jersey turnpike—in the dark, in the rain, all alone with a guy who was evidently a target of the Jersey mob. All I could do was pray the towncar was bulletproof! By the time he told me that he’d seen the ghost of his deceased mother sitting in the front seat of that very same towncar right after he’d been to the funeral home to pick up her ashes, I was white as a ghost myself.

But the trip held more surprises, and more odd characters. The next day, on my way to a workshop, I noticed a middle-aged blonde woman standing in the middle of a hotel hallway. She had a dazed look in her eye, as though she was deep in thought. (Hey, I know you’re thinking, “Writer’s conference, dazed woman… what’s the big deal?) Well, when the workshop was over, I walked by again, and she was still standing there, in the exact same place, directly in the center of the hallway. An hour later, I traversed the same hallway, and there she was again! Facing the opposite direction this time, but still there. It was then I went to find hotel staff and advise them they might have a little bit more than your average crazed romance writer on their hands. Poor woman.

Unfortunately for me, I’d booked my room late and was therefore forced to take a cab to a neighboring hotel that evening. I glommed on to some total strangers who were in the same boat, sharing a cab so I didn’t have to risk the “Jersey ride of death” again myself, but the next morning I was out of luck and on my own. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when a perfectly normal Yellow Cab with a perfectly normal-looking woman behind the wheel showed up, but for some reason the woman decided that I was the perfect person with which to share the juicy details of her recent breakup, which involved strippers, her teenage daughter, an ex-boyfriend with a drug and alcohol problem, and something about linguine. (If anybody can figure out the linguine part, please let me know. I was numb by that point.)

By the time the conference was over, a Bandita with a British accent, a shoe problem and a husband who looks like Colin Firth was kind enough to take me to the airport (for which I shall be forever grateful!). The heavens, however, were not so cooperative, and heavy rains delayed my flight once again. Anyone who’s been stranded in an airport at 2 o’clock in the morning knows it’s a recipe for disaster, and New Jersey did not disappoint. My first encounter was with a young, chatty guy who turned out to be a rapper deejay with a stage name so filthy that I refuse to type it. I still have his business card around here somewhere; he wanted me to look him up if I ever needed entertainment at a party, or like… a wedding. (Yeah, right.)

Then, a woman who’d attended the same writing conference came up—being stuck in the airport, just like me—and struck up a conversation. Thank the Lord (says I), a fellow romance writer! Well-dressed! Well-groomed! A light at the end of the tunnel!

Not. The woman handed me her card by way of introduction, and all I can tell you is that her pen name was the equivalent of Sunstar Moonflower. She was “dabbling” in writing a futuristic romance, which was based on the “true story” of her abduction by aliens, and the resulting universal truths that they imparted to her. I still get regular email newsletters from her that talk about the “new earth” and the “unified field of consciousness”, in which she refers to herself as a “visionary”. (Earth to Sunstar: the aliens may have landed, but they’d probably choose a better vehicle to disseminate knowledge than online newsletters.)

My point, if you’ve read this far, is that real life truly is stranger than fiction. I couldn’t have made up these characters or these experiences if I tried! But they give me great fodder for my writing, and keep me out of trouble with my sisters. So far. J (Although one of them is about to get married again… which would make my imaginary title The Sanderson Sisters and Their Thirteen Husbands, but I digress. )

So what’s the strangest thing that’s ever happened to you? Who’s the oddest person you’ve ever met? What experience have you had that people would find hard to believe actually happened? Share, and I’ll choose one lucky commenter to win a signed copy of my newest release from Avon HarperCollins, A Match Made In Hell.

An Ode To Cheese

by Caren Crane

(With many apologies to the lactose intolerant among us.)

I love cheese. Not only the traditional loves like cheddar, gouda, swiss, edam and monterey jack, but also the more exotic varieties like Camembert, Danish Havarti, brie, Stiltson, bleu and feta. I adore this milk-based product in many forms (some of them stinky, but all delicious) but this post is about something else: real cheese.

The cheese you are ashamed to love. The guilty pleasure you allow yourself only when you are all alone in the house or car. Or perhaps with a select few treasured friends who share your forbidden fantasy.

Here is a list of some of my all-time favorite cheese. Some I have admitted to before. Some represent ground-breaking territory that could totally be used against me in public. For the Banditas and BBs, I bare my cheesy soul:

1. Big Trouble In Little China - This movie stars Kurt Russell, who is one of the funniest, sexiest actors of all time. Kurt is a man's man and in no role is he more manly than that of truck driving, John Wayne channeling Jack Burton. Director David Carpenter made this movie in 1986 as a spoof of the old Westerns, except he set it in modern times. It was sort of a B-grade, Saturday matinee sort of movie with lots of kung fu, magic, monsters, enslavement of beautiful girls, and Chinese gang warfare in San Francisco's Chinatown. A young Kim Cattrall is exceptional as a nosy lawyer who is a spunky, feminist, world-saving cliché. ALL the characters are rather over-the-top, making the movie endlessly entertaining and a verifiable port wine cheese ball.

2. ELO - Yes, I mean the Electric Light Orchestra. For those born after 1980, ELO was the brainchild of British musician Jeff Lynne. He wanted to create pop songs with heavily classical overtones. Man, did he ever succeed! Out Of the Blue, a double album (yes, that was a PRESSED VINYL ALBUM, kids), was probably my favorite slice of ELO cheese. It contained such treasures as Turn To Stone, Sweet Talkin' Woman and Mr. Blue Sky. Let's not forget, however, the McCheesy goodness of other hit singles such as Livin' Thing, Can't Get It Out Of My Head, Evil Woman, Showdown, Telephone Line (extra cheese, please), and Strange Magic (which, when I was a girl, was about as close to an out-of-body experience as I could get). People love or hate ELO. But come on, they had 46 U.S. and U.K. Top 40 hit singles from 1972 to 1986. Forty-freaking-six!! Surely that proves that I was not the only one snacking on this particular slice of extra-creamy gouda.

3. Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book - From the inital admonishment inside the cover ("This Book is to be Read in Bed"), this classic bedtime book is a real childhood gem. It begin with the news that just came in from the County of Keck about a bug named Van Vleck who is yawning so wide you can look down his neck. It takes us from the peculiar phenomenon of the spreading yawn, to bedtime activities like the Herk-Heimer sisters brushing their teeth under a waterfall, through some rather odd sleepwalking, sleep-talking and sleep-biting rituals, to various sleeping habits, places and spaces. It leaves us with an assurance that when we turn out OUR light, the sleep tally will be ninety-nine zillion, nine trillion and three. It always made me extra sleepy (I was always ready to sleep!) and happy to be a contributor to the Whose Asleep Count. A special slice of American cheese.

4. The Sound Of Music - Two words: Julie Andrews. Two more: Rodgers & Hammerstein. Really, anything starring Julie Andrews ranks up there in my wheel of cheese, but TSOM has a special place in my heart. Just last night, at Deb Marlowe's Independence Day Bash, my two daughters, Sabrina Jeffries and I all spontaneously joined in a rousing version of How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? while we burned sparklers. *sigh* A great moment of sublime oneness for us, a fond remembrance for the other women in attendance (especially darling Deb) and a complete and utter WTF moment for males of all ages who were in attendance. They totally don't get it. Deb said, "I'm coming to your house to watch Sound Of Music with you guys!" Yes, she is. I could never deny a woman in need of a cheese fix. And Sound Of Music is the very best sort of cheese fondue!

I could go on all day, but you get a sense of my kind of cheese. I love to be entertained and the cheesier it is, the better I like it. I could wax rhapsodic about the movies of Adam Sandler and Brendan Fraser. Sing you my guilty music pleasures like ABBA and WHAM! The cheesy romance novels are far too many to count. Let me leave it at admitting that Lavyrle Spencer has a sacred segment of my Keeper Shelf all to herself! Just to be extra evil, I slid in the codes so you can click on any of the above images and buy that hunk of cheese for yourself. Hey, I never said I wasn't an enabler. *eg*

What sort of guilty, cheesy pleasure do you indulge in? We promise any information you reveal will never leave the Lair. Unless we all get together in, say, San Francisco and the margaritas are flowing freely. *ahem* Discretion, that's the word! So, what's your favorite kind of cheese?

Traveling Mercies

By Kirsten Scott

I've been doing a lot of traveling lately.

Now, when I say a lot, I don't mean the "commuting to work and leaving town for the weekend" sort of traveling. I mean the "Washington DC, Denver, Los Angeles, Montana, and Florida in one month and home to Oregon in between" sort of traveling. So if you've noticed that I've been scare around the Lair, that's why. I'm actually writing this blog while on vacation on Sanibel Island at a family reunion. The internet connections here are few and far between, and not particularly consistent, so I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best.

The amazing thing is, besides being completely exhausted and ready to stay home for a few weeks (until San Francisco, that is!), I've actually been loving all of the places I've been. Yes, I've been homesick, and yes, I've often repeated Dorothy's words in my head to remind myself that I CAN get back home, but I've also had some amazing experiences along the way. So I thought I'd share them with you!

My first stop was Washington DC. I was there for a work-related conference, and got to stay at a great hotel two blocks from the White House. Now, I don't care how cynical or jaded you think you are -- the sight of the Mall, the Capital, the White House, and the Lincoln Memorial will make you stop and stare, open-mouthed with pride. I have been to DC a handful of times, and every time I get that giddy, full-of-awe feeling when I look around and think about how amazing this country is and how incredible were the people who built it.

Next stop: Denver, Colorado. I was only in Denver for 24 hours, but while there I got to see my brother and take a walk outside along Cherry Creek. Visiting with my brother was the best part of that trip (though seeing the mountains is always a treat). He's much younger than I am, and I still think of him as my baby brother, even though he's within spitting distance of 30. He's doing great -- he has a beautiful, sweet wife, an adorable little dog, and new job with Apple that keeps him traveling even more than me. In short, he's a successful guy with a lovely family, and I still want to muss his hair and pull him into my LAP when I see him. How ridiculous is that? (By the way, that's his little dog. Isn't she cute?)

In Los Angeles, I attended BEA (Book Expo America) and met up with Bandita Kate!! This was so much fun. You know we Banditas are all buddies, but many of us have never met in real life, only chatted over the internet, so the face-to-face is awesome. I admit, I walked right past Kate at BEA, and she had to scream my name for me to recognize her. San Francisco will be even worse. Thank goodness for name tags! I can't put faces with names to save my life. But Kate is just as charming and intelligent and kind as you would imagine, and I hope I get to walk around with her again very soon.

I was in Whitefish, Montana for another conference, right outside Glacier National Park. It was breathtaking. There has been a tremendous amount of rain this year, so everything is green and lush, and the rivers are double their usual size. I took a trail ride in the mountains and bought myself a cowboy hat, and decided when Oprah picks up my book and I become a millionaire, I'm going to buy a few acres in Montana and spend the summers there. But not the winters. I'm too weak for that.

Finally, Florida. I have a seven and five year old, so you can imagine where I spent two of our days. HINT: think mouse. But by far the most fun we had was going to Weikiwa State Park, where we swam in a spring-fed lake and canoed among the turtles and huge, tropical fish. A close second to that was touring the wildlife refuge on Sanibel, where we saw a three-foot gator, incredible birds, and (hopefully later tonight!) a dolphin.

So I've been to the biggest of cities, the dead center of the country, the mountains and the swamps. And this is an incredible country! Now tell me about where you live. What makes it special to you? The scenery? The people? The buildings? The wildlife? Tell me about your hometown -- and if you can convince me I've got to leave home for a visit, I'll send you a $15 AMAZON gift certificate!

Celebrate Responsibly

by Susan Seyfarth

I love the way alcohol companies always remind you to celebrate reponsibly at the end of every commerical. First there are all the golden, toned, beautiful people consuming their alcoholic beverages while having impossible amounts of good, clean fun. And then there's the reminder that you are not these people, okay? You aren't this good-looking, your friends aren't this fun, & if you think you are, well, you're probably a bit past the point of drinking responsibly anyhow. But just so we're clear: Overuse of this product will make you fat, lazy, & liable to do things that may seem like good ideas but in actual point of fact are not.

What amuses me most about these commercials, however, is not the tension between buy our product in vast quantities and don't drink it all at once for god's sake. No, what I really adore about them is the fact that most of the hairiest incidents of my life--the ones where I truly feared for my safety--are never alcohol related.

They're mostly dad related.

Yeah. My dad's one of those. What we in the writing business call a character. He's a fire starter, a misuser of power tools & a lover of high-speed anything. And he's stone-cold sober. I've seen him holding a beer once in my entire life & it was because a neighbor handed him an open can at a Fourth of July barbeque. He set it down shortly thereafter, untouched & went on to light one of the most enormous fires I've ever seen in person.

I was in eighth grade, I think. My mom was in Ireland for the first time since her family emigrated when she was nine, so my dad had full responsibility for all four of us girls, ranging in age from ten to eighteen. He figured his odds of containing us were better if we were secluded at the end of a huge peninsula, so we took off for our cottage in Northern Michigan. (Not the Upper Peninsula, just the northern bit of the mitten. We Michiganders are sticklers about such things, so get it straight, 'kay?)

Anyway, the Fourth of July, usually a big hit at the lake, was rainy & cool. And nobody can sulk like a cottage full of teenagers (plus one precocious pre-teen) whose favorite sport is slathering on the baby oil & roasting themselves until they can peel huge sheets of burnt skin off their backs at night. My father had promised us a weekend full of sunshine, fireworks & bonfires when he'd dragged us away from our friends for the holiday, but conditions weren't favorable for any of the above.

The weather was out of his hands, but by god he could light us a fire. After an hour of blowing on a grudging puff of smoke, however, Dad decided to break out the gas can. Unfortunately, he failed to first ascertain that the spark he'd been nursing for the last hour was, indeed, out cold.

It was not.

One minute Dad was dumping gas onto a pile of blackened sticks, then next we all were crouched behind the over-turned rowboat watching a gas-can-turned-Molotov-cocktail roar toward the cottage while Dad & Uncle Bill used a whole lot of words we ourselves knew but hadn't previously been aware they knew. And if you're wondering? Yes, indeed, that is the sort of spectacle that'll wipe the boredom off a sulky teenaged face.

I don't know if my dad's lucky or blessed or what, but before the can could level the cottage & blow us all to kingdom come, it suddenly & inexplicably changed course. It stopped, hung a left & rolled into the lake, where it fizzled harmlessly into a charred, twisted reminder that one should never encourage a reluctant flame with an entire can of gas.

Strangely enough, this brush with death left us euphoric rather than shaken. We'd all looked death (if not by raging flame, certainly by my mother's wrath should she ever hear of this incident) in the eye, & escaped. Plus, there was a lovely roaring fire now. Mostly in the fire pit, too. There was some char on the grass, & the birch trees were all lopsided due to twenty foot flames, but as far as marshmallow roasters go, this was a nice one.

Suffice it to say, we weren't put off giant fires the way you might expect. And just to prove it, here's a photo of us last summer at the cottage with one of my dad's tamer efforts. I wish you could see it in the picture, but there's a row of birch trees behind the fire pit that have just given up growing leaves at all on the one side. No point when my dad's still got a can of gas, some matches & a pile of brush that needs torching.

How about you? Are there any characters in your family who keep you supplied with inspiration every time the blank page dares you to fill it up with something outlandish? Any family celebrations that keep the neighbors on their toes? Let's hear it, & Happy Fourth of July!

Intelligence Report

Code Name: Golden Rooster

Day 467 in the Bandit Lair

This assignment has been the most taxing of my undercover career thus far. These women ("Banditas", as they are locally known) are exhausting & elusive creatures. My efforts to ingratiate myself to them so as to better observe them in their natural habitat have been slow to render the sort of intimacy my research requires. As a group, they seem to have an inordinate fondness for sweet biscuits ("Tim Tams") & luridly colored alcoholic beverages. My ability to observe them individually has been severely curtailed by their implausible habit of raffling me off to early risers for 24 hour periods.

I have made every effort to make these out-of-Lair sojourns productive, however. There was an extremely edifying 24-48 hours of explosives & firearms training, which may come in handy during the next Party in the Lair. "Launch parties" in particular have been known to provoke a most extreme demonstration of enthusiasm & joy, during which time Tim Tams & pink drinks are consumed in alarming quantities, chandelier are swung upon & largely unclothed young men wander unchecked, offering anything from drinks to personal massages. I have escaped molestation by luck alone.

That said, however, I have managed to glean a few bits of classified information which I will now share with you. I will use code names, as this line is most surely monitored. Use the following data as wisdom permits:

Bandita A: Carries an enormous satchel in which she smuggles large quantities of junk food into movie theatres. Also stockpiles DQ Blizzards in her freezer so as to conceal the number she chooses to consume in a given day.

Bandita B: Despite being a "Southern girl" and, as such, bred to prize personal grooming above all else save good manners, has no compunction about appearing in public in grass-stained jeans, a messy ponytail, and an ancient t-shirt, smelling of lawn mower.

Bandita C: Though ostensibly a "medical professional" has a well-documented addiction to State Fair corn dogs.

Bandita D: Nothing chocolate is safe around this Bandita, though in an effort to balance the scales, she consumes equal amounts of Diet Coke and Diet Dr. Pepper.

Bandita E: Has a disturbing love of cooking & cooking-related TV. Treated me to a horrifying phenomenon known as the (shudder) “National Chicken Cook-off” show during a brief stint under her supervision. Seems to have an unnatural obsession with chicken-cide evidenced by her forcing me to bet on a trifecta at Churchill Downs where Who’s your Colonel, Passingravy and Finger Lickin Lady were running. Regretfully, I won.

Bandita F: Forced me to partake of a delicacy known as Underwood Deviled Ham - a canned pork product that contains an entire day's allowance of sodium, I believe. I suspect this was part of a pagan ritual of sorts as she consumed the entire can while wearing Birkenstocks with socks and dancing to ELO's "Turn to Stone".

Bandita G: Engages in an odd ritual in which she reads the first quarter of a book, then the ending, then the remaining 3/4s. I suspect it could be the influence of a neon green beverage she mainlines labeled "Mt. Dew."

Bandita H: Maintains that while she doesn't drink anymore, she "certainly doesn't drink any less." Avers that, though the Aussie girls can drink her under the table, she does "love a cocktail." [A term I find offensive, if I may register a personal aside.]

Bandita I: Secretly uses her "writing time" to cruise the most scurrilous of celebrity gossip websites. Paris Hilton is a dear friend of hers.

Bandita J: Actually prefers instant coffee to the real thing. This is not surprising given her other feeding habits. I personally witnessed her eating Potato Gems dipped in Thai sweet chili sauce straight off the oven tray.

Bandita K: Has an extreme footwear fetish--countless pairs of shoes litter her quarters--but she seldom actually wears them, preferring to go barefoot most days.

That is the extent of my current intelligence. I regret I have failed to glean more from my time here. I have been forced to adopt the habits of the natives so as to avoid suspicion. This has resulted in enduring a few massive hangovers & the addition of perhaps 5-10 lbs in Tim Tam weight.

I await your instructions.

Sincerely,

GR

Goth Turns Golden

by Cassondra Murray

A few years ago I joined a local chapter of RWA and met its published authors. Among those authors was a lady memorable because of her long red hair, clear Celtic complexion and her awesome offbeat black outfits. But most memorable was her sense of genuine care and consideration for me as a new member, my writing, my career as a writer-- her kindness.

It's probably a good thing that I didn't know WHO SHE WAS at the time. I might have been intimidated. Granted, she hadn't quite become an international phenomenon (I love saying that) but she was well on her way.

Now she is one. She and her Dark Hunters have a worldwide following that obliterates boundaries that normally separate readers--boundaries like age, gender and genre preference. Yet, she's still that same encouraging, generous person I met at my first local meeting. And in spite of her long list of accomplishments, that's what still impresses me most about this woman.


Since that first meeting, Sherrilyn Kenyon has gone on to become a #1 NYT Bestseller, with more than 15 million books in print, and is poised to blow those numbers out of the water with her next release.

She’s in the middle of her next project for St. Martin’s Press, but she was kind enough to visit us in the lair, and answer some questions posed by the Banditas and their friends.

If you've been to her website, or heard her keynote speeches, you know that Sherri has had her share, and a lot more, of overcoming the odds to make her life and her career work.

She's walked through the fire of financial devastation, markets turned cold to her writing, illness and hospitalization with her pregnancies, death of beloved family members, and nearly losing her newborn child.


When you hear her story, you aren't left with a lot of excuses for not following your dream. She’ll tell you she’s not one for looking back. She’s about moving forward. Still, I’ve wondered what sustained her through all of that. I asked her how she's managed to hold on to her "self"—that woman I met at my first RWA meeting. I think I'd be a jaded, hard and unfeeling person by now. But Sherri isn't.

“The thing that kept me going was my family,” she said, “and my characters’ unwillingness to let go until their story was told.”

Sherri has written stuff other than romance, but she’s made her mark writing about relationships—in particular relationships that lead to redemption—for those who “shouldn’t” have it according to traditional standards. How did such a multi-faceted writer come to focus on love and happily-ever-after? Honestly, how did a Goth chick from Georgia end up writing some of the most powerful love stories of our generation? Other than the obvious roof over her head, what do these love stories do for Sherri Kenyon?

“ I've had to overcome a lot of heartache and loss in my life,” Sherri said. “Especially in my childhood. My friend Kim let me borrow one of her romance novels and I was forever changed. The characters had bad things happen to them in their lives and you know what? They got to live HAPPILY EVER AFTER! That showed me that in life, you can have many trials. Sometimes, even things you wouldn't believe you'd live through, but in the end, you can have a HAPPILY EVER AFTER like the characters.”

Sherri is adamant about this.

“I believe in romance as a reality, not a fairy tale, and it's the believing that characters and people are worthy of having someone to love and someone to love them in return that is the basis for my stories, and sharing that with the fans is a joy.”

It's clear that Sherri honestly appreciates each one of those fans. I once got to hear her talk about the business of writing during a university class, where she said, "I know how hard it is to earn seven dollars, or fifteen dollars, and this person has chosen to take that hard-earned money and spend it on my book. I will never take that for granted." Sherri has always said the most gratifying moments for her are those when a fan says her books have touched them in some way.

Author Dianna Love spent a good part of 2007 with Sherri on a whirlwind book tour, and got to see the writer-fan interactions up close and personal.

"I was impressed by her sincere interest in every person who walked up to her at a signing," Dianna said. "In the lobby of a hotel, at the airports (when we are normally run hard after being in a different city every day for several weeks), in a restaurant - wherever. She has the nicest fans. They will arrive hours in advance of a signing - numbering over 150 at each of last year's stops so I expect even more this year. They visit with each other, laughing as they share stories or are excited to meet someone in person they only knew by an online name. 40% of Sherri's readers are men. Many couples come together,bringing their children. Sherri brings lots of things to give away and everyone is given a free raffle ticket so we can give away special items. Our goal is that signings are always an event. And she is just as real and caring as what everyone sees at the signings."



This is a big year for Sherrilyn Kenyon. The Dream Hunter release, Upon The Midnight Clear hit #1 on the NYT in November 2007.





Dream-Chaser hit #1 on the NYT in Feb 2008.



On top of that, she's just released Phantom In The Night, a collaboration with Dianna Love. Sherri talked a little about what it was like to work with another writer.


“The B.A.D. Agency collaboration was tremendous fun. Dianna and I worked well together and she's an amazing writer.”


I’ve heard Dianna and Sherri joke about their time together living moment to moment trying to make the next book signing as they toured around the country, and about their crazy back and forth dialogues as they worked on Phantom through it all. But what came out was a really interesting blend of the two voices. I’ve read Sherri’s books, and of course, Dianna’s, but this didn’t sound like either—and yet it sounded like both. Almost a whole new “writer” formed from two.

" We became close friends long before we ever considered working together," Dianna said. " Sherri...would never intentionally hurt someone’s feelings and neither would I, which is why we had to have a very honest conversation about writing together. We both believe a successful collaboration depends on honesty and agreed on “no sacred cows” – that anyone’s words were up for editing – because the most important thing to both of us was the final story. We laughed a lot. I think a similarity between us is to not take ourselves too seriously, which made discussing ideas and changes easy. "


“It's like fitting a puzzle together.” Sherri said. “Dianna has certain strengths and I have certain strengths and together they just sort of fit. "

"We spent some time discussing the difference in our styles--" Dianna said, "with her trademark humor and I write dark/edgy – to assure we could create a strong story while not damaging our friendship. It takes a great deal of trust to work together. Neither of us had any idea what it would be like to collaborate, no plan, no guidelines. We just went for it. We both wrote through every page to give the story a seamless feel. We were both invested in only one thing – to write the best story we could. "

"Of course, we'd laugh at each other and disagree just like any team," Sherri said, "but in the end I believe we've forged a great partnership.”

And a successful one. Phantom In The Night hit the NYT list on June 19th, and it's remained there for the past two weeks.


There's a bit of a crackle in the air right now—it's the anticipation—so thick you can taste it. This is it.

The Year of Acheron.




There's a counter on Sherri’s website, counting down the days, minutes, and even milli-seconds until the release of Acheron. Fans have waited a long time for Ash to get his story. We've hurt with him, ached for him as we saw him through the stories of the Dark Hunters. This is a pivotal book in the series. Knowing how Sherri feels about her characters—that they’re real—alive—I had to wonder if this was a particularly emotional story for her to tell. Was it difficult for her to approach?

“Definitely,” Sherri said. “Acheron's story is an emotional one. It was hard to write because I've had him to myself for so long, nurturing him and now he's going out into the big, bad world. I hope the readers experience the emotions I went through while telling the story of his life.”


Sherri has said that characters have often gotten in her way and demanded their own stories, not in the order she’d intended. Was Ash cooperative with his story when the time came to write it?

“Yes, he was. I've had the bulk of it written for many years before I sat down to put the pieces together. There were a few moments when I felt like I was being put through the ringer right there with him, but in the end it felt liberating to get it all out.”


I asked Sherri what’s different about Acheron’s book from the others in the series. I’d read that it’s a longer book, but I sensed, from Sherri’s demeanor, that this is an unveiling of sorts—a revealing of something powerful and close to her heart. There’s an intensity about Sherri when she speaks of Acheron.

“Acheron's book is an epic tale. It's HIS story,” she said. “Of course you have the romance as well, but Acheron's story holds true to his title. The fans will know everything there is to know about Ash when they've finished reading.”


I've seen a little of Sherri’s schedule and gotten a sense of the crazy, hectic life-on-tour she’s leading as a hit writer on a roll. It’s clear she appreciates the opportunities she’s earned, but I have to wonder how she does it. It’s the Fourth of July week as I’m writing this. A time for most people to relax and enjoy family. But for Sherrilyn Kenyon, the Year Of Acheron is about to kick into high gear. She was in the middle of a manuscript when she paused to give this interview.

I asked Sherri if there was such a thing as a break for her nowadays. She laughed out loud.

“It's going to be wild for the next couple of months with the tour, K-Con, Comic-Con, just to name a few. I pretty much work around the clock. Luckily, I get to work a lot from home so I can see my family.” She smiled when she spoke of her kids. “Sometimes when I’m traveling I can take my children with me so I don't have to miss them. But yes, I do stay busy.”


Sherri is on the road a LOT. A writing career—any career—with kids is a tough thing to juggle, and a lot of writers know those struggles well. But she’s managed to nudge a growing writing career into an exploding one, all while juggling a young family, including a son with autism. I wondered if the special needs of her child’s autism had changed her. Has it made her a different person—a different WRITER even—than she would have otherwise been?

“ I understand and have always understood what its like to overcome adversity,” she said. “I've had to do it and my son has to live with it on a daily basis. So that could be why I put my characters through so much.” She laughed as she said that, then she grew thoughtful. “I think that any parent with a special needs child learns patience and how truly important it is to love your child for who they are and not who society expects them to be. I am truly blessed to have him in my life.”

On top of all that, Sherrilyn Kenyon, one of the most prolific, fastest writers I know, has dyslexia. When I asked her if she ever got frustrated she laughed again.

“Well,” she said, “I love spellcheck.”


Sherri has to be able to write anywhere, under almost any conditions because she has to keep up the pace for herself, her publishers, and her readers. I asked her how she connects with her “voices” and preserves her creative flow when things were going nuts around her.

“It's hard,” she said, and nodded. “But once I sink into my world and get into the zone, I'm there. The world could possibly fall down around me and I'm still there living with my characters and telling their story.”


Bandita Suz had a couple of questions for Sherri. Suz wondered about the difficulties inherent in writing a long-standing series while still staying true to your vision as an author. Does Sherri ever find the two at cross-purposes? Has she ever felt the temptation to cave to please readers, or go in a direction she hadn’t planned with characters or plot? (And Cassondra adds, knowing Sherri’s characters, would they ever LET her do this?)

“No. I've always done exactly what the characters have told me to do. I think its important as a writer to stay true to them.”


Sherri is one of the most brilliant promoters I’ve ever encountered. Everything from her merchandise for signings to her websites and the emblems she uses for branding. Suz also had a question about those websites. She’s used them to great advantage, and Suz wondered if Sherri credits those websites with helping to build her fan base to what it is today, and does she believe good use of a website can help a writer sell?

“Yes, the websites helped to get the word out,” Sherri said. “I don't know if there's an exact way to help a writer sell. It's just so different for every writer. When I pitched my series and told them I had a website already, some of the editors thought I was nuts. So, it’s just different for everyone.”

Sherri’s bottom line was this.

“Never give up. If you give up, your dreams will never become a reality.”

For my last question to Sherri, I saved the one sent by my husband, Steve, who also happens to be one of Sherrilyn’s fans. Since Sherri writes about things that go bump in the night, Steve asks, “What scares Sherrilyn Kenyon?”

Sherri said, “The color pink.”

So, Bandita friends, What scares YOU?

Are you afraid of the dark?

Do you believe in angels, demons, and their ilk?

Have you ever slept with the light on? (I have.)

Do you have a favorite Sherrilyn Kenyon story? Does one of her Dark Hunters haunt your dreams?

Do you keep the lights on after reading her books? Or do you sleep better believing the Dark Hunters are stalking the night in your defense?

And the prize goes to . . .

Buffie!!!

Yay!!!

Send your snail mail addy to jo.lewisrobertson@yahoo.com to redeem your prizes

Congratulations, Buffie!

Coming Attractions: July

Welcome to another month of the Romance Bandits' usual works of staggering genius! In addition to our usual lineup of vastly amusing & edifying blogs, we've also scheduled scads of fabulous interviews & guest bloggers this month. Please join us in welcoming the following folks to the Lair!

July 2: Cassondra Murray reports on her chat with the amazing Sherrilyn Kenyon! And it's rumored that Dianna Love Snell may swing by the Lair as well...

July 7: Terri Garey is in the Lairy (sorry, couldn't help it. It rhymed.) Courtesy of Beth Andrews! Terri, a double RITA finalist, takes a lighthearted look at the dark side with her fabulous series about Nicki Styx, a former Goth girlwho becomes an unwilling ghoulfriend to the dead. Her most recent release, A Match Made In Hell is currently available.

July 16: Nancy Northcott brings us Patricia Rice. They'll chat about her 45th (!) book, a paranormal historical called Mystic Rider. Patricia's a bestseller, a multiple RT award winner (as well as other awards) and a 3-time RITA nominee.

July 17th: Aunt Cindy (aka Loucinda McGary) will chat with Deb Werksman, her fabulous editor at Sourcebooks!

July 21: Suzanne Welsh hosts the fiery Jo Davis!

July 22nd: Caren Crane chats with the elusive Liz Carlyle! Those of you who are fans of Ms. Carlyle's NYT-bestselling dark, steamy historical romances may realize she is rather a hermit and creeps out only under duress. Caren, it is reported, jumped her as she left Whole Foods and sat on her organic kumquats until she agreed to appear in the Lair. In addition to being, you know, HERE, she may also talk about her much-anticipated July release Never Romance a Rake. Oh, my!

Now as many of you know, RWA is hosting its annual conference in San Francisco this year, July 30 - August 2. Many of the Romance Bandits will be there, which means you in the Lair will have a front row seat as we stalk editors, agents & our favorite authors in their natural habitats. During this time, we may find ourselves temporarily unable to create your traditional, well-thought-out & properly punctuated blogs, complete with lovely photos. In its place, however, we'll do our absolute best to supply you all with breaking news, delicious gossip & incriminating photos. Bookmark this page & stay tuned...

Happy July!