Monday, June 8, 2009

Patricia Sargeant in the lair



hosted by Donna MacMeans

It's my pleasure to introduce you to one of the sweetest, kindest people I've ever met. I swear, if you look in the dictionary under "sweet"...Patricia's picture will be there. But please understand, this lady writes hot suspense. Her tagline "Romances to die for"
is a little too true. It's always the quiet ones, isn't it? Please welcome Patricia Sargeant.

Donna, thank you so much for inviting me to meet your Romance Bandits friends. I’m thrilled and honored to be here.

Donna and I met when I joined our local Romance Writers of America chapter, Central Ohio Fiction Writers, in 1999. She was chapter president at the time, and did me the great favor of providing feedback on the first romance novel I completed.

The novel went on the shelf, and I started a new one.

However, since then, both novels – You Belong to Me and On Fire – have been published, with no small thanks to Donna for her excellent input.

This month, I’m celebrating the release of my third single-title, Sweet Deception, and a benefits romance anthology, Tails of Love, for which Donna and I contributed short stories. Both hit the shelves June 2.

As I mentioned, Tails of Love is a benefits anthology. It features original short stories by Lori Foster
Stella Cameron, Dianne Castell, Kate Angell, Ann Christopher, Marcia James, Sarah McCarty, Sue-Ellen Welfonder, Donna and me. My short story, “Scaredy Cat,” features a heroine whose adopted stray cat plays matchmaker. I had a lot of fun with that story. I’ve tried to tell the story in part from the cat’s perspective.

Tails of Love will raise money for the Animal Adoption Foundation, a no-kill animal shelter in Ohio, as well as increase awareness of the needs of abused and abandoned animals and pets. Have you bought your copy yet? If not, I’ll wait here while you pop out to get one. Or two.

Sweet Deception is my first contemporary romance. You Belong to Me and On Fire are romantic suspense. It took me a little while to plot a story without dead bodies. But in the writing, I realized what really drives my stories are the themes. In You Belong to Me, the theme is family. On Fire’s theme is trust. Sweet Deception’s theme is identity.

The heroine is a dutiful minister’s daughter who leads a secret life as an erotic romance author. When she begins a relationship with another more famous author, her secret identity is revealed, and she's forced to choose between duty (the person her family wants her to be) and desire (the person she wants to be).

I think this is a theme to which most of us can relate. As women, we wear so many hats – wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, career professional – we sometimes lose track of who we are individually. Who is Donna MacMeans? Who is Patricia Sargeant? Who are you? Sometimes we allow other people to define us rather than taking the time to define ourselves.

Tell me, what is it about you or your interests that most surprise people? Define yourself. But let’s try to keep this PG rated.

I’ll start us off. People are most surprised when they learn I enjoy football, both college and pro. They’re also surprised when they learn I’m a runner. Now, I haven’t been getting many miles in, and watching me run may not be the prettiest sight, but I do enjoy it.

OK. Who’s up next?

One commenter will win a copy of The Power of Love. Twelve award-winning authors contributed original short stories for The Power of Love, a benefits romance anthology. All of the authors and their agents donated all of their proceeds to the Hamilton County YWCA Battered Women's Shelter. In addition to raising money for this battered women's shelter, the anthology helped raise awareness of the problem of domestic violence.

Donna, thank you again for having me over.
My pleasure. You can find more about Patricia at www.patriciasargeant.com

100 comments:

Amy C said...

Hi Patricia, it was so nice to meet you at Lori Foster's this weekend!

(Hi, Donna!)

Donna MacMeans said...

Hey Amy!!

COngratulations - you won the golden rooster for the day! Any plans on what you're going to do with him? (Great to meet you in Cincinnati as well)

Donna MacMeans said...

Little known fact about me...

Okay, most of you know I'm also a CPA, so that's not exactly a secret. Did you know that I'm a fair-to-middling painter as well? My preferred medium is acrylics because watercolor demands a bit too much precision and oil just takes too dang long to dry.

Amy C said...

Hey Donna! Yay! I won the rooster. I woke up this morning and quick looked at the clock to make sure I was up early enough to post here! I wanted that GR!

Hmm, I think the Golden Rooster might have a boring day, I need to blog and clean!

Suzanne Ferrell said...

Welcome to the Lair, Patricia. As the displaced Buckeye of the Bandits, I'm glad to see another one here.

It's funny your heroine is an erotica writer in secret....seems familiar to me somehow....hmmm, anyone know someone like that? LOL

I'm thinking I'll be putting this on my To be bought list!

Dianna Love said...

Well done, Amy (and hi again from this weekend). We enjoyed seeing the GR at the Lori Foster event this weekend where he was kidnapped for a while. You are so much fun, Donna. I had no idea you were an artist. I am too.

Hi Patricia - great seeing you this weekend, too. I have Sweet Deception on my Kindle so that I can get to it sooner than my tall TBR pile. And, of course, a copy of the anthology. Hope to see you again in DC.

Patricia Sargeant said...

Wow! Good morning, Early Risers. Donna did warn me you all would get the party started early. LOL!

Donna, thank you again so much for inviting me to spend time with you and your Banditas. I'm thrilled!

Amy C! Wow! Thank you so much for stopping by. It was a pleasure to meet you at Lori and Dianne's Get Together, too.

Best!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Donna,

I've seen some of your lovely work in your home. I'd say you're much better than fair. You're incredibly talented.

Hugs!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Suzanne Welsh! Don't tease me like that. :) I'm honored you're interested in reading Sweet Deception. If you do happen to read it, I would love your feedback.

Hugs!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Dianna Love! I wish we'd had more time to chat this weekend. :(

Thanks so much for stopping by and posting a comment.

You have Sweet Deception on your Kindle!?!?! How overwhelmingly flattering. Wow! Thank you so much. I'm so honored. If you get a chance, I'd love to know what you think.

Sadly, I won't be able to make national this year. I've started a new day job and don't have vacation time. Bummer Joe! :(

Speaking of day jobs, I'd better hussle or I'll be late. I'll check back in this evening.

Everyone, thanks so much for starting my day with a smile. Can't wait to rejoin you this evening.

Hugs and Smooches to all!

Patricia

Donna MacMeans said...

Dianna - LOL - my work tends to be more of the traditional canvas size. You, if I recall, do the really, really, really big stuff.

So spill - what's the secret side of you that few people realize?

Marcia James said...

Hi, Patricia! Great blog! It's good to know you made it home late Saturday from the Reader & Author Get-together. ;-)

Little known fact about me? I used to work for a military subcontractor, and I've written & produced training videos for the submarine Navy. I've been on two types of nuclear subs, as well as a mine sweeper, destroyer, tender, and other Navy ships.
-- Marcia James ;-)

Llehn said...

A little tidbit about me is that I can juggle. Not very well, nor a very useful thing to learn, but I thought that it was fun.

Laurie G said...

I love music but I can't carry a tune. I've taken piano and guitar lessons but I have no sense of rhythm! I think I'm tone deaf too. FRUSTRATING!

I love the outdoors.... walking, swimming, biking, reading....

Hate shopping, makeup, dressing up.

Margaret said...

Hey Patricia: It was great to see you this weekend. You did a fab job promoting Lori's event. As for surprising things about me hmm...maybe that I'm allergic to dogs although I'm a HUGE dog person. I simply live on allergy meds. Really - what's a litle bit of itchines in comparison to unconditional love?

Janie Mason said...

Good Morning, Patricia! I suppose the thing about me that surprised many folks I work with is that I received my motorcycle endorsement a couple months ago. Since then I've had to endure numerous "Motorcycle Mama" comments. (Those got old very quickly)
Best Wishes on Sweet Deception. Can't wait to pick it up!
Janie

Nancy said...

Amy, congratulations on taking home the Golden Rooster. I hope you have fun with him.

Patricia, welcome and congratulations! Your book sounds wonderful. We really do all wear so many hats, and I know a couple of women who don't feel free to share everything about themselves with their husbands. It always seems so sad to me.

As a person owned by a dog, I tremendously admire the Tails of Love project, though I haven't gotten the book read yet. It also sounds great.

The more I hear about the gathering this past weekend, the more fun it sounds as though everyone had.

Little known fact about me: In high school and college, I played the clarinet.

Kate Angell said...

Patricia, Fun blog! I'm reading Sweet Deception and think it's terrific! I love the fact you're a runner. I, on the other hand, walk. Not even a power-walk, more of a stroll down the street. Walking and fresh air clear my head. One thing you may not have known about me, I once wrote Obituaries for a local newspaper. Not the greatest job in the world, I couldn't be creative :) Eventually I moved onto articles for the Social Scene, that was much more fun.

Joan said...

Any plans on what you're going to do with him? ....

Congrats on the GR, Amy but be warned: Rumor has it a baby dragon imprinted with him this weekend. Might want to get some marshmallows ready for roasting..just in case.

Patricia, welcome to the Lair! Congrats on your success and Sweet Deceptions sounds great!

What drew you to writing RS? Any other sub-genres you're interested in?

Fedora said...

Hi, Donna! Hi, Patricia! The secret sides of us--definitely a familiar thing for most of us!

My secret interest? I'm still taking ballet classes. But this just got a lot less secret a couple weekends ago because I agreed to participate in the Spring Show that our teacher arranges for all the classes (from the tiny toddlers all the way up to us grownups). And I ended up revealing that "secret" to a whole auditorium full of people, including a bunch of moms from my kids' school. *blush* Ah well!

Sweet Deception sounds like an intriguing story--I'm definitely going to look it up! And thank you for contributing to The Power of Love and Tails of Love anthologies--I really enjoyed PoL and am looking forward to picking up ToL. I love that you authors are so warmly generous to support this wonderful causes.

Congrats on the GR, Amy! Hope he isn't distracting you from your blogging and cleaning! Give him a dustrag!

Donna MacMeans said...

Marcia - You've been on submarines? I'd be so claustrophobic - heck I had a hard time closing the stall door in the restroom when I was pregnant. (Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed they're making those things smaller these days).

That's so cool. BTW, read "Rescue Me" from the TAILS OF LOVE anthology last night - very well done.

Donna MacMeans said...

Liehn - You can juggle? Beyond just the job/home/family thing (just - LOL)? I think that would be a cool trick to know. My husband once learned how to juggle at some business management course. But like most things, if you don't practice you lose the skill. Maybe I'll dig out those juggling balls and give it a try.

jo robertson said...

Hi, Patricia, thanks for joining us in the Lair!

Amy C, hubba-hubba on getting the rooster!

Patricia, I love that your books addresses such universal concepts as trust and identity.

Can you tell us something about your romantic suspense books? I love RS and want to add a new author to my list!

Donna MacMeans said...

Laurie - you hate shopping? I must admit, I like shopping for anything but clothes. I'm not fond of trying the stuff on in front of those mirrors that show every dessert I've ever eaten :-)

I love music as well. I'm the one singing around with the radio rather loudly. My sister is a talented musician so I try to pretend I inherited the same genes, but am "undiscovered" as yet. (teehee - I imagine all those rolled up windows when I'm singing is proof of too-much discovery!)

jo robertson said...

Oops, forgot to add the secret side of me. Uh, I don't think there's much that's "secret" about me LOL. I'm too open!

Oh, all right. Here it is. I have a secret crush on Barack Obama, big ears and all LOL. Of course, if you've met Dr. Big, you'll know that I like men with big ears. They have a super nice way of growing into them!

Donna MacMeans said...

Just a reminder that Patricia will be back after the dreaded day job, but in the meantime...

Margaret - I feel your pain. My son is allergic to cats and lives on benedryl as his girlfriend has several. The things we do for love...

Janie - Good to see you this weekend as well. I hope you got a chance to chat with Dianna Love as she's a motorcycle fan, as was Joan Swan, a reader at our table. There was quite a discussion going on about safety issues and the love of riding.

Donna MacMeans said...

Nancy - I played a clarient too! I never made it beyond the grade school lessons - there was a little problem of failure to practice - but I tried!

Kate - LOL on the obituaries. I guess someone has to do it - but I'd have a hard time ignoring the urge to be a little creative with the final encapsulation of a person's life. It should be something someone should enjoy reading - don't you think? A little plot, a little character...

Donna MacMeans said...

(Psst- Joan - ask her about her paranormals...just saying...)

Fichen - I remember going to my daughter's recitals and waiting for the "older girls" to dance. The toddlers are cute, the costumes on the grade school kids adorable - but it's great to see the dancers that actually know what they're doing and can move with such grace and skill. Kudos to you on the lessons!

Donna MacMeans said...

Jo - I did not know that about you.

Love learning bandita secrets.

Sue-Ellen Welfonder said...

Hi Patricia!
(and Donna!)

It was so much fun meeting you both the weekend!! Wow!! Didn't we all have a grand time?

Everyone - Donna is right... Patricia is the sweetest soul on earth. But man-oh-meter, Sweet Deception is HOT! I am reading it now and loving every word. But -wow! - it starts out sizzling and the flames just burn hotter and hotter as you read along.

I teased Patricia unmercifully about the book's heat this weekend. So Donna is right, still waters run deep.

That's probably the thing that surprises many people about me, too. I am pretty low-key and very quiet on the Internet, so I think people might be surprised to learn how much I love to laugh when they meet me in person.

Maybe, too, how adventurous I am travel-wise. I shared some of my wilder, Indiana-Jones type adventures with Patricia over dinner this weekend. Like the time I spent six weeks backpacking through the wilds of Indonesia with a girlfriend. We slept rough, sometimes bathed in rivers, skinny-dipped in a pond in a bamboo forest, and even explored cliff-side ritual burial caves filled with chests of skulls and piles of jumbled bones. All by our lonesome, too, and in the middle of an island that, fifty years before, was still rampant with head-hunting.

So that side of me might surprise some: how much I love to laugh and my more adventurous travels.

Otherwise ... did I say I met the Golden Rooster at Lori and Dianne's Weekend?

I did!!!

Even got to hold and cuddle and stroke his feathers. Now THAT was fun!

Thanks, Donna, for letting me hold the little guy. Everyone, he is such a cutie! A real ham.

Have fun in here today, Patricia. I so loved getting to meet you face to face! Talk soon on email!

Go Pets!

Becke Davis said...

Great to meet you, Patricia! I was wondering how Donna found time to put together a column after her wild weekend in Cincinnati.

How did Amy C manage to get here in time to nab the rooster? Don't tell me you actually found time to sleep at the Lori Foster event?

Oh Patricia, I'm sorry I won't get to meet you at National. Although I have no doubt I'll forget the names of half the people I do meet -- it's going to be a little overwhelming. I had trouble with names this weekend, and I know it was a small event compared to National.

Marcia James said...

Donna -- We used to videotape on the subs from 10 pm to 6 am, and they never left port. The subs are claustrophobic, though.

I just started reading Tails of Love and look forward to reading Lord Hairy! -- Marcia ;-)

Nancy said...

Suz, I know people who are closet erotica readers--won't tell their husbands. I used to have a friend who wrote horror but didn't tell her husband because he would disapprove.

The secret erotica writer sounds like a great character.

Seems like there was someone else I knew who wrote erotica quietly . . .

Nancy said...

Amy, by all means, put the GR to work cleaning. He can use the practice!

Nancy said...

Patricia, I'm sorry you won't be at National. It would be nice to meet you in person.

Joan said...

Pssst...Donna. Ok.

Patricia, tell us about your paranormals :-)

Joanie T who just started out on her own paranormal...and a whole new Roman series....

Nancy said...

Donna, the clarinet is not a fun instrument to play by itself. My original choice (an even less known fact) was the flute, but my mom talked me out of it.

When I got to marching band, I discovered the clarinet was easier in parades. We cupped our left-hand fingers in the bells and let the instrument lie along our left arms as we marched, a very comfortable position.

The flutists (flautists?), however, had to hold their instruments vertical in front of them with both hands, which looked awkward to me.

Just as a bit of clarinet trivia. :-)

Nancy said...

Laurie, I also cannot carry a tune, which is very frustrating because I love music. I can hear it but can't reproduce it vocally.

Nancy said...

JT, Marcus reports that the dragon snapped at the rooster this morning. I think the relationship may be over. We can hope . . .

Nancy said...

Marcia--submarines? Way cool! My parents met in the Navy. My dad was a corpsman and considered the submarine service but ultimately decided he wouldn't do well in the close quarters. I suspect there are a fair number of people who don't.

I'm not as claustrophobic as Donna, but I do have a fairly wide personal space bubble. I probably wouldn't do well there.

Nancy said...

Patricia, I love paranormal. I second Joan's request for more information.

What draws you to the different subgenres you write?

I hope the dreaded day job (DDJ) is going well.

Donna MacMeans said...

Hey Sue-Ellen!

It was great meeting you this weekend. Wish we would have had a chance to talk more. I'd love to hear more about your Indiana Jones adventures.

Now me -- I've had some crazy adventures with some wild spreadsheets (grin) but nothing that can compare to your adventures.

Donna MacMeans said...

Treethyme - I think you'll have a great time at National and if you had trouble matching names to faces this weekend no one would ever know it. Aren't name tags wonderful? (grin) They need to make the names bigger, though, for my poor eyes.

I told Amy C. we staggered the times of the blog and she'd have to be an early riser to nab the GR. Seems like we played right into her wily clutches.

Donna MacMeans said...

Nancy - I included my experience with the clarinet in a short story about my family. It hasn't been published, but perhaps one day.

I used to practice the clarinet with all the tweeks and blurts. My father, who'd never played a clarinet himself, took it away and played beautifully by instinct I suppose. I figured I'd never be that good and returned the clarinet to the school. Now I wish I would have persevered.

Blodeuedd said...

Hi :D
Little known fact...hard one, ok maybe I don't look the part but I am such a nerd. A hidden nerd

Marcia James said...

Nancy -- that's cool about your parents meeting in the Navy. ;-) I worked for the military subcontractor in the early 80s, so a lot has changed since then, but I remember the sub guys talking about how they lost some of their hearing due to the 60 cycle hum (I think) from the lights while they were underway underwater. They also said that when they surfaced after 6 months underwater, that colors would look different for a while.

The good thing -- at least back then -- is that I heard they were the only part of the Navy to get soft-serve ice cream machines. ;-)
-- Marcia ;-)

Nancy said...

Donna, tweeks and blurts are part of the whole thing, but I can see why you'd be discouraged.

All I can produce now are tweeks and blurts. *sigh*

Nancy said...

Marcia, I never would've expected the vision difference. Do you know why that is? The hearing change makes sense, considering the ambient noise in the environment.

Marcia James said...

Nancy -- I'm not sure about the vision changes -- and I think they also said that scents are different for a while after being underway in a sub for a long period of time. I think it is just the fact that they don't have the variety of sights and scents underwater on the sub as they do in the "real world" and maybe those senses get a little lazy after not being used for a while.

Of course, this was back in the 1980s. Things could be different now.
-- Marcia

Donna MacMeans said...

Blodeuedd -

Okay, what do you think qualifies you as a nerd (because honestly, I suspect I qualify as well *g*)

Nancy said...

Marcia, yes, that explanation makes sense. And it could apply to characters in environments with limited sensory input. Interesting.

Thanks.

Donna MacMeans said...

Marcia & Nancy -

I would think there might be some sensual deprivation affects that would heighten the senses. Colors (I would think but have no actual knowledge) would be brighter, more intense, more rich. Scents...well given that you're on a boat underwater with hot, sweaty men - I would think the sense of smell would get bludgeoned, and thus couldn't register the lighter, softer scents.

Marcia James said...

Nancy & Donna -- I think you're right, and I know I wouldn't want to be on a sub very long -- in or out of port. I also feel like I've gotten the romance discussion off on a side topic. ;-)

Speaking of great romances, the coolest thing is, as one of Patricia's critique partners, I get to read her great stories before they hit the stores. And I can totally recommend both SWEET DECEPTION and TAILS OF LOVE!
-- Marcia ;-)

Emma said...

Hi Patricia. "Sweet Deception" sounds like a wonderful book. "The Power of Love" sounds like a great book as well. Have a good week.

Jane said...

Hi Patricia,
I don't have any hidden talents, but I'm quite good with babies. It doesn't take me long to calm a fussy, cranky baby.

Congrats on the GR, Amy.

Helen said...

Congrats Amy C have fun with him

Great post Patricia and the books sound wonderful more to add to my must get list.

I don't think there is anything about me that would surprise people I love reading and spending time with my family I work full time but would love to retire and I collect elephants and am an armchair sports watcher but don't do any sport.

Thanks Donna for inviting Patricia today I do love hearing about new to me authors.

Have FUn
Helen

Anna Campbell said...

Patricia, thanks for swinging by the Banditas! I just looked up sweet in the dictionary and, dang, THERE YOU ARE!

Congratulations on the latest release. It sounds fantastic. I like stories about hidden identities so I'll definitely pick this one up.

Patricia Sargeant said...

Marcia, sweets!!! Thanks for stopping by and posting a comment. Everyone, when you get Tails of Love you'll love Marcia's Rescue Me story.

Best!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Llehn, thanks so much for stopping by. I envy your ability to juggle. I'd love to be able to do that.

Best!

Patricia

Christine Wells said...

Patricia, welcome to the lair! That's wonderful that you have contributed to such worthy causes with your writing. And of course, any friend of Donna's is automatically a friend of the Banditas!

I wonder why people don't think of you as a runner. You have such a lovely trim figure, I'd certainly believe it!

I think a lot of people are surprised at my wicked sense of humour. They tend to think I'm fairly conservative and quiet. I can't imagine why!

Thanks for being with us today.

Congrats on the Golden Rooster, Amy C!!

Marcia James said...

Patricia -- Thanks for the kind words about "Rescue Me". I think all the stories in TAILS OF LOVE are keepers!
-- Marcia ;-)

Beth Andrews said...

Welcome to the lair, Patricia! Sweet Deception sounds wonderful *g*

I honestly can't think of any surprising traits. I must be an open book ;-)

Patricia Sargeant said...

Laurie, I think you're my twin. LOL! I love the outdoors and I hate to shop. I think I'm allergic. :)

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Best!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Margaret! Hi! It's always such a pleasure to see you. You're a bright light. Thanks tons for stopping by.

Best!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Hey, Janie Mason!

Yeah, I can believe being called "Motorcycle Mama" would get real old, real fast. LOL! Yet, somehow, I don't have any trouble picturing you on the back of a bike. ;)

Thank you for stopping by.

Hugs!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Nancy, I love the clarinet! How fabulous!

My best friend since kindergarten - just a decade or so ago ;) - played the clarinet in high school. I got tapped for the flute.

Thank you for your kind words regarding Sweet Deception and Tails of Love.

So, tell us about this dog who owns you. LOL! What kind of dog and how old? And the name. Sounds like a great buddy. :)

Thank you for stopping by.

Best!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Kate!!! Thanks tons for stopping by, and for your kind words about this blog and Sweet Deception.

I CAN'T WAIT to read Sliding Home. August 2009, baby! Got the date on my calendar.

Huge hugs!!!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Joan, thank you so much for your warm welcome and your cheers. I appreciate both very much.

How kind of you to ask about my romantic suspense and other genres in which I'm interested. Come closer and let's chat a spell. :)

The short answer regarding my interest in romantic suspense is that I love taking ordinary people and putting them in extraordinary circumstances to force them to find the hero within.

Regarding other genres in which I'm interested, I'd love to publish in the fantasy genre. One day. :)

Thanks again for your interest and your cheers, Joan. Best wishes for your continued writing success!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Bravo, Flchen! How exciting that you performed your ballet on stage!!! Extraordinary! If you get a chance, I'd love to know more about it. How many shows did you do? How many dance segments? How many other dancers performed? Will you perform again? Extraordinary!!!

Best!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Jo Robertson, thank you so much for your warm welcome and for inviting me to talk more about my romantic suspense. You're so kind.

You Belong to Me reunites a divorced couple. The heroine sells her book's movie rights to her ex-husband's production company. But someone is determined to prevent the book from becoming a movie - at any cost.

On Fire uses an adversary-to-ally hook. A media-phobic fire investigator has to trust an investigative journalist to help him solve a string of arsons and clear his name.

If you're interested - absolutely no pressure! - there are excerpts and links to book videos for both books on my Web site, www.PatriciaSargeant.com.

Thanks again for your warm welcome, Jo. I appreciate it.

Best wishes for continued writing success!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Sue-Ellen!!!!! Oh, my word! You bring the party with you. LOL! I loved, loved, loved getting to meet you this weekend! And to think the Dreaded Day Job (too funny, Donna!) almost put the kibosh on it. That would have been a tragedy!!!

I can believe you love to laugh because you're a master storyteller. It was the Adventure Vacations that blew me away. Wowza! The stories you shared. I'm so impressed!!!

Everyone, this lady is fearless!

Thanks so much for stopping by, Sue-Ellen. Hugs and Smooches!!! And Go Pets! :)

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Treethyme, it's a pleasure to meet you. :) I hope you have a blast at National.

All the very best always!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Nancy, I'm sorry I won't make the DC conference, too. Can I talk you into attending the Central Ohio Fiction Writers conference in September? :)

Fingers crossed!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Joan, LOL! Fair exchange. I'll tell you about my epic fantasy trilogy, and you tell me about your Roman series. Sincerely, I'm intrigued.

Regarding my epic fantasy trilogy, I'll try to keep it short. :) It takes place in another galaxy and involves four civilizations. A peaceful planet is forced to form a military alliance with a neighboring planet to help defend themselves against repeated invasions by brutal aliens determined to enslave them for their souls.

Now tease me with your Roman series. :)

Best!

Patricia

Joan said...

Now tease me with your Roman series. :)

An Empire conquered a world but love and destiny saved three men.

A merchant, a spy and an ex-gladiator each fight the dictates and mores of the Roman Empire to find their own identity and find much more than that in the women who conquer their hearts.

Oh, and then they form an alliance with a peaceful planet... *grin*

Your series sounds fabulous! I LOVE fantasy!

Patricia Sargeant said...

Nancy, that's so funny about you, the clarinet and the flute. I was in the opposite situation. I wanted to play the flute and ended up with the clarinet. Too funny!

Thank you so much for asking what draws me to the genres in which I write. I'm not sure. I'm drawn to messages and themes. With contemporary romances, I'm fixated on inner demons. With romantic suspense, I love channeling inner heroes. With this particular fantasy trilogy, I'm fascinated by the fact that history is cyclical.

Thanks again, Nancy.

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Blodeuedd,

I like nerds. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Best!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Marcia, thanks for your kind words about Sweet Deception. I enjoyed very much the information you shared about the sub guys, too. Fascinating.

Hugs!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Emma, thank you so much for your kind words regarding Sweet Deception and The Power of Love.

Thanks for stopping by and posting.

Best!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Jane, your talent with babies is a beautiful thing. Babies can sense the goodness in people.

Huge hugs to you!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Helen, thank you so much for your interest in my books. That's so generous of you.

Armchair sports, watcher, eh? You and I have got to talk. How about this past weekend - the Finals, the Memorial Tournament, the U.S. Open. An embarrassment of riches. :)

Thanks so much for stopping by and posting. I'd love to chat sports with you.

Best!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Anna Campbell, you're hilarious! You saw my picture in the dictionary? Too funny! I hope I was having a good hair day. LOL!

Thanks so much for your encouraging words about Sweet Deception. You've honored me. Thank you.

Best wishes for your continued writing success!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Christine Wells! Thank you so much for your warm welcome and kind words about the projects I've worked on.

You have a wicked sense of humor? Come sit by me.

Very best wishes for continued writing success!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Beth, thank you for the welcome. I appreciate it and have very much enjoyed being here. Sorry to turn up so late, though.

No surprising traits? Posh! Come. Chat. Tell me your secrets. ;)

All the very best always!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Oooh, Joan! I sense a best seller. Your Roman series sounds wonderful - full, complex, dynamic. Sounds wonderful! Best of luck.

And thank you for your encouragement regarding my fantasy trilogy.

Hugs!

Patricia

Joan said...

Patricia,

Thanks a lot!

You've been a GREAT guest and have an innate blogging style....come back often!

Joanie T who is REALLY bummed that you're not coming to DC :-(

Patricia Sargeant said...

Joanie T., I'm seriously bummed about having to miss the national conference, too.

So, um, ... can I interest you in the Central Ohio Fiction Writers conference? It's a great, good time. :)

Huge hugs!

Patricia

Donna MacMeans said...

Joanie -

Yeah - come on Joan - you know Columbus is not far.

I must have missed a post. Posh said she had no secrets? Patricia, come a little closer and I'll whisper in your ear.

Sorry couldn't get back earlier, but it seems Patricia was able to get on line just as I was incapacitated.

Patricia Sargeant said...

Ladies, thank you so much for inviting me to guest at the Romance Bandits today. Your community is very warm and welcoming. I've loved this experience.

All the very best to all of you!

Patricia

Cassondra said...

Hi Patricia, and welcome to the lair...I'm late to the party, but thank you so much for joining us. I've been hearing about Tails of Lovefor a year now, and can't wait to get my hands on it.

Love hearing about your minister's daughter, too. That choice between who we really are and who everyone else wishes us to be...who among us has not been there? I applaud you for taking on such powerful themes...in particular those which surround a religious upbringing. The preachers kids--I think sometimes they have the toughest way to go to find themselves. I wasn't a preacher's kid, but I watched a lot of them struggle with having to be "perfect." I haven't read through the comments yet, but that couldn't have been an easy book to write!

Donna, thanks for introducing us to your friend and her books!

Unknown said...

Hi Patricia, I know I am late posting today, been very busy. I just dropped by to say hi and glad that you could join us here in the lair!

Fedora said...

Patricia, thank you kindly for your encouragement--I was the oldest of a group of 16 dancers in our particular number (our teacher is a fan of larger groups and the movement and interaction you can get with more dancers). The entire show included 30 numbers in all, and many of the other dancers were in as many as five other dances. As for me, it was all I could do to remember the steps for the one!

I was feeling my age for a number of reasons--I'm old enough to be just about all of their moms, and I didn't start dancing until I was older than all of them. That said, it was fun, and I wouldn't rule out doing it again. Then again, I'm not exactly rushing to sign up for an encore at the moment either ;)

Thanks again for visiting and sharing the day with us in the Lair!

Patricia Sargeant said...

Cassondra, hi! I hope you enjoy Tails of Love. And your comments regarding Sweet Deception have me floating on air. Thank you for your kind words.

Best wishes!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Virginia, it's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you very much for stopping by and posting a comment.

Best!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Flchen1, thank you very much for sharing your dance performance experience with us. And kudos to you for living out loud.

Hugs!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

And The Power of Love goes to ...

Flchen1, I would love to send you a copy of The Power of Love. If you're interested, could you please contact me through my Web site, www.PatriciaSargeant.com?

Ladies, this has been a blast! I've loved getting to know all of you. This is a Keeper Memory. I hope we meet again someday soon.

Group hug!!!!

Patricia

Kay Stockham said...

Shoot, I missed the party! Sorry, Patricia! I'm on digest and only just saw the announcement. Love your post and can't wait to read your latest! And what's this about a fantasy series??? Ooooh! Can't wait for it, either!

Great to see you this weekend!

Kay

Leanna Renee Hieber said...

Patricia! It was SO good to see you at Lori's event! I am so excited for all your work!

It is true that Patricia is the very definition of sweet, what a delight it is to read her dimensional and delicious stories.

Patricia Sargeant said...

Kay, you're a love. Thanks for stopping in to say hello - anytime, anywhere. :)

Hugs!

Patricia

Patricia Sargeant said...

Leanna, you're too kind. I'm looking forward to your upcoming release.

Hugs!

Patricia