More Chit Chat

by Beth

It's time for another Chit Chat post! On my website I have a Chit Chat page where every month I share what music I'm listening to, what books I'm reading, things I'm currently loving, what I'm watching, what I'm looking forward to and which of my recipes I'm craving.

Unfortunately, I've been in the writing cave finishing up the first book of my new trilogy for Superromance (sent it in on Weds. Yay!) which didn't leave me much time to update my Chit Chat page. But that's okay because I had so much fun the last time you all joined in on the Chit Chat right here in the lair, I thought we could do it again :-)

Here's what I'm currently...

...Listening to:

Cheers (Drink to that) by Rihanna

Typical by Mute Math

...Reading:

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

All the magazines that have accumulated over the past four months *g*

...Loving:

My new standing desk! My husband made me a desk where I could stand and write and I adore it! I really do move around a lot more when I use it :-)

Football! I'm a big football fan (NFL) and have enjoyed watching the games these past two Sundays (go, Steelers!)

...Watching:

Project Runway. Love Anya and Anthony Ryan and I really like Viktor's designs.

Barefoot Contessa. If I had to pick just one show on Foodnetwork to watch, this would be it *g*

...Looking Forward To:

Working on the second book of my new trilogy. The hero is a bad boy with some serious rough edges. I love him already *ggg*

What's Your Number? I've been an Anna Faris fan since The House Bunny and I can't wait to see this movie starring her and Chris Evans :-)

...Craving:

Pumpkin Cake Delight

1 (18.25 oz) box yellow cake mix

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin pie filling, ready to use (NOT plain canned pumpkin)

1/2 cup butter, melted

Pour pie filling into bottom of 9" x 13" baking dish. Sprinkle cake mix over top. Pour melted butter over cake mix.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes. Test with a butter knife - if it pulls out clean, it's done. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Tell me what you're currently:

Listening to

Reading

Loving

Watching

Looking forward to

Craving

Let's Chit Chat!

And speaking of fun Chit Chats, check out this video taken by Rhapsody Book Club at Romance Writers of America's 2011 Literacy signing! Sorry, I couldn't get the embedded code to work. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5Q_lnDLL08&feature=youtu.be

Bandit Booty!

LATE Bandit Booty! So sorry to be late picking winners from my August 20th blog - I was deep in the writing cave finishing the first book of a new trilogy for Superromance. To make up for my oversight, I've picked TWO names to win copies of FEELS LIKE HOME.

Congratulations, Sonya and Cathy P!! Please send your snail mail info to me at: beth@bethandrews.net and I'll get your books out right away :-)

Feels Like Home Launch Party

by Beth

Break out the bubbly and hose down the Cabana Boys! It's launch day in the lair! I'm so excited to be celebrating my latest release for Superromance, FEELS LIKE HOME. Here's the back cover blurb:

She's planning a wedding…not a romance!

Keeping up appearances is Yvonne Delisle's forte. But this job is going to test even her Southern belle mettle! It's not challenging enough she only has six weeks to turn a ramshackle carriage house into the hottest society wedding venue in Virginia. It's also located on her ex-husband Aidan's family vineyard. The home—and the man—she yearned for.

But Yvonne's up for the challenge. In the time since things went south with Aidan, she's become the most sought-after wedding planner in the state—popular enough to arrange her former mother-in-law's second wedding. Except…it's becoming suspiciously clear she wasn't hired for her professional expertise. Someone is plotting a reconciliation…and Yvonne is more tempted

by the day. Let's see who actually walks down that aisle…

And here's a quick excerpt:

“Lily,” Aidan said in his deep voice. “Come here.”

The dog…Lily…sniffed at the laptop Yvonne held by her waist. Sweat broke out along her hairline. She just hoped Aidan couldn’t hear the wild thumping of her heart. Couldn’t see her distress.

Which was a reasonable request. Except for the fact that Aidan, with his watchful eyes and quick mind, never missed anything.

He snapped his fingers. “Lily. Now.”

After one more sniff, Lily padded over to Aidan. He patted her head. As a reward for obeying him or because the dog hadn’t ripped Yvonne’s hand off at the wrist, she didn’t know.

Maybe a bit of both.

“I…” She swallowed and tried again. “I didn’t know you had a...a dog.”

Unrolling the sleeves of his denim shirt, he raised his eyebrows. “I hadn’t realized I was to keep you abreast of any pets I may or may not have. Or did I miss something in our divorce agreement?”

She blushed furiously. “No. No, of course not. I just…I had no idea you liked…” She glanced at the dog who seemed to be watching her with more interest than was warranted. “Animals.”

“Now you do.”

“Right.” But…but what else didn’t she know about him? After all, it’d been almost seven years since she saw him last. As she was well aware, a lot could happen in that amount of time. A lump formed in her throat. Oh, dear Lord. “Did you…have you remarried?” she asked, looking around the room as if his second wife was going to leap out from behind the leather sofa and yell Boo!

She cringed. But it was too late to take her question back—much as she would like to.

He paused briefly in the act of buttoning his sleeve. “No."

She exhaled heavily, just now realizing she’d been holding her breath while waiting for his answer. “Oh. That’s…” What? A relief? A disappointment? She wasn’t sure which one would be the bigger lie. “I was engaged,” she heard herself blurt out, the nails of her free hand digging into her palm. “It didn’t work out.”

He went completely still. For a moment she wondered if he was even breathing. But then he lifted his head and when his eyes met hers they were so cold, gooseflesh rose on her arms. “I don’t remember asking.”

No. Of course he hadn’t. Good thing, too. She hardly enjoyed discussing her broken engagement or her ex-fiancé—the man her parents had chosen for her once her divorce from Aidan had been final. A man who’d wanted her because of her name, her looks and her family’s social standing.

FEELS LIKE HOME is the final book in my Diamond Dust trilogy about three brothers who must work together to save their family's vineyard. When I wrote the first book, A MARINE FOR CHRISTMAS, I had no plans on making it a part of a series. But then I wrote a scene with all three brothers and I fell head-over-heels for Matt and Aidan and HAD to write their stories *g*

Who are some of your favorite brothers in books, movies, on TV or even in real life? (One of my picks is pictured above *g*) I'm giving away a copy of FEELS LIKE HOME today!

Men with Clever Hands

hosted by Beth

Today we have another real treat in the lair! The fabulous Sarah Mayberry is here to talk with us about her latest release for Superromance, ONE GOOD REASON *g* Here's the back cover blurb for ONE GOOD REASON:

It's time to move on

Any day now Jon Adamson will pack his bags and hit the road. After all, his intention was never to hang around Melbourne once he'd settled his late father's affairs. Yet he hasn't moved on. And it might have something to do with Gabby Wade. The not-so-big office manager with the really big attitude is making Jon's days…interesting…engaging…fun. It's impossible for him to resist her.

But he knows himself—long-term commitments and cozy family dinners aren't his style. If that's what the future holds, why is he still here? And why is he spending all his days—and nights—with Gabby? Because maybe she's the one reason strong enough to make him stay.

And here's Sarah:

First off, a big thanks to the lovely Romance Bandits for inviting me to play with them - it's lovely to be here. And now, onto the important topic of men who work with their hands for a living...

Years ago, when I still worked in-house on a soap opera, we used to joke about putting all the good looking men on the show in a pair of jeans and a tool-belt. Don’t know what it was, but a man with a tool-belt seemed to be universally accepted shorthand for phwoooar (as we say down here in Australia!).

As a writer, I have a fondness for heroes who work with their hands. If that means they have to wear a tool-belt on a regular basis, then so be it - I am prepared to make that sacrifice on behalf of my readers. When I filled out the art briefing sheet for my current release, One Good Reason, I couldn’t resist briefing a scene where my hero was wearing my favorite piece of male apparel. And guess what? I got that scene as my cover.

The hero of One Good Reason, Jon Adamson, is a builder by trade, but he’s working in his younger brother Tyler’s fine furniture business during the period covered by the book. He makes dining tables and desks and sideboards and works on new prototypes based on his brother’s designs - and he’s very good at all of the above. He’s also the strong, silent type who is battling some very private demons, and he clashes repeatedly with my heroine, Gabby, who is a small woman with a very large attitude. Once they work out that all their animosity is actually suppressed attraction, the battleground shifts - but I don’t want to give away too much.

I had a lot of fun writing their story, possibly because they were two characters who I felt I knew really well before I’d even started writing. Both Gabby and Jon appear in The Last Goodbye. When I started writing that book, I didn’t have any plans at all to write a sequel. By the time I’d finished, however, I liked Gabby so much and felt so badly for Jon that I knew I had to write these two their own happy ever after.

So, how about you - do you have a weakness for a man who is clever with his hands? Or do you prefer a sharp mouth and mind in an even sharper business suit? Or are you an equal opportunity admirer of heroes from all walks of life? I’d love to give away 2 sets of The Last Goodbye and One Good Reason to posters today, so post away!

Five Fabulous Superheroes

by Beth

With Ryan Reynolds starring in The Green Lantern and the upcoming release of Captain America starring Chris Evans I have Superheroes on my mind *g* Summer is a great time for a good Superhero movie complete with over-the-top special effects and tons of action to go with all those super powers!

Another thing to love about superhero movies? The super hot actors who don those (super snug) superhero costumes :-) Here are a few of my faves:

1. Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark/Iron Man. I've been a RDJ fan since his days as a member of the Brat Pack so it was great to see him make such a huge comeback with this film!

2. Edward Norton as Dr. Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk. I haven't seen The Hulk (with Eric Bana) and I'm not saying this is the best superhero movie ever (is The Hulk even a superhero? Hmm...something up for debate *g*) but I do love Edward Norton in this movie and how he played Bruce as only wanting to give up his power and return to his normal life.

3. Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Oh, how I loved Michael Keaton as Batman! What a wonderful surprise to see the man who'd played Mr. Mom and Beetlejuice go all dark as the world's most angst filled superhero :-)

4. Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman. As you can see, Michael Keaton was my favorite actor to play Batman until I saw Batman Begins. Even darker and edgier than the earlier versions and oh so perfect *g*

5. Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent/Superman. I fell head-over-heels for Christopher's Superman the first time I saw this movie at the tender age of seven. Those shoulders! Those amazing blue eyes! *sigh* I adored him both as Clark and as Superman and always thought (and still do *g*) that Lois Lane wasn't nearly good enough for him.

Do you like Superhero movies/movies based on comic books? Which ones are your favorites? Who are your favorite superhero characters?

Let Me Upgrade Ya

by Beth

Well, it's that time again. Time to upgrade my cell phone. I really, really thought I wanted a Smartphone, preferably an iPhone. Why, with one of those I could check and respond to my emails! Take a picture and post it to my Facebook account! Check the weather any time I wanted and download tons of Apps. How cool would all that be??

And then I realized that since I work from home and am at my computer all day, I already have the ability to check and respond to email, post pictures on Facebook and check the weather. Never mind that I'm not even sure what an App is or why I would want one (or several dozen). I just couldn't force myself to spend so much money AND raise my monthly cell phone bill (already high enough thanks to having three kids on it) to justify getting a Smartphone.

Plus, I have to be honest, I rarely even use the cell phone I have except to text my kids. The only time I use it daily is during RWA's conference where most of my text conversations go like this:

Me: Where are you?

Friend: Just got done at a workshop/In my room/In the bar

Me: On my way.

Yes. I'm quite the texting conversationalist ;-)

So, no Smartphone for me, although I can get online with the one I did get (if it's not a Smartphone is it a Dumbphone?) but with limitations. I figure by the time I'm ready for my next upgrade, I'll know if I'd truly use a Smartphone often enough to open my wallet *g*

Do you have a Smartphone? Do you want one? Do you love your cell phone or are you like me and only use it rarely?

Bandit Booty!

by Beth

Thank you all so much for helping me celebrate the release of THE PRODIGAL SON!

ClaudiaGC and Marybelle have both won a copy of TPS!! Congrats, ladies *g* Please send your snail mail info to me at: beth@bethandrews.net and I'll get your books out to you right away :-)

A New Day, A New Launch Party!

by Beth

It's launch party time again in the lair! THE PRODIGAL SON is out now and I'm thrilled to celebrate its release with my fellow Bandits, our Bandit Buddies and, of course, Sven, the Gladiators and the Hockey Hunks ;-)

THE PRODIGAL SON is the second book in my Diamond Dust trilogy for Harlequin Superromance and tells the story of Matt Sheppard, the youngest of three brothers, and Connie Henkel, who works as the vineyard manager for the Sheppard's winery. Here's what the back cover says:

He always gets what he wants--and that's made Matt Sheppard an international success as a vintner. So he never saw his mother's blackmail coming. She says she'll sell the family's vineyard if he doesn't stay put for exactly one year. But running the Diamond Dust with his brothers was his father's dream, not his. Now he's shackled to the place by familial ties as strong as vines and tight enough to strangle him.

Worse, he's forced to work with a resentful manager, Connie Henkel. Her mile-long legs can't distract him from his goal: to improve the business and get out as soon as he can. Because if the single mom entwines herself around Matt's heart, he'll never be able to leave.

Here's a quick excerpt from when Connie approaches Matt after his brother's bachelor party:

“So,” Connie said, turning slightly in her seat to face him. “How’d the party go? Anything wild happen? Any Hangover moments?”

He grinned, appreciating her reference to the movie. “No tigers or babies have been spotted and as far as I know, everyone still has all of their teeth.”

“As long as the groom does, that’s all that matters.” The bartender set a glass of ice water in front of her and Connie smiled her thanks to him. Took a sip before clearing her throat. “Look, about last night--”

“Are you going to apologize?”

Her pretty mouth thinned. “For putting an arrogant man in his place? Can’t say I’ve ever regretted that,” she told him, reminding him of his words when he’d asked if he should apologize for kissing her.

“So you’re obviously not here to beg my forgiveness. Did you come over expecting me to apologize?”

Brushing her short bangs to the side, she stared down at her water. His own fingers twitched with the need to touch her hair. To see if it was a soft as he imagined.

“I came over because…” She stirred the ice in her glass with her straw then abruptly let go and met his eyes. “I came over because you looked…alone.”

“Hard to be alone when I’m surrounded by people.”

“Okay,” she said slowly. “Maybe alone wasn’t the right word. More like…lonely.”

The muscles in his shoulders tensed but he didn’t move. Couldn’t. Not when his breath was locked in his chest. Not when he was afraid she was right.

Still, he forced a grin. “Not lonely,” he assured her as he deliberately slid his gaze down her figure lazily before holding her gaze. “But glad for the company anyway.”

Enough chit chat...let's get this party started!! Crank up the margarita machine! Dim the lights! Buff the Cabana Boys! And, most importantly, turn up the music! This is a party after all, and what better way to celebrate then by hitting the dance floor?

What song gets you out on the dance floor? What song gets your groove thang shaking when you hear it, no matter if you're at home, in your car or at the store? I'll give away copies of THE PRODIGAL SON to two commenters today!

Home Cookin'

by Beth

My son comes home tonight for Easter break and after four months of college living he is very much looking forward to some home cooking *g* He's asked for Cheesy Chicken Pockets and Paninis this go around. Over Thanksgiving it was roasted chicken and Paninis. At Christmas he wanted my mom's goulash and Paninis.

In case you missed it, my boy loves a toasty sandwich! He'd often make one or two of what he called Man-wiches for breakfast, lunch or a snack, piling it high with meat, at least two types of cheese and more often than not, a fried egg *g* Sadly, those days are gone as his dorm doesn't have a stove, only a microwave. Which means I'll have to make sure we're stocked up on bread, deli meats and cheeses and eggs this summer.

Some of my guy's other home cooked favorites include cheeseburger soup, cheeseburger pie, barbecue ribs, twice baked potatoes (his aunt is making these for Easter so he'll be thrilled) steak roll-ups and snickerdoodles.

I also try to have all of his favorite foods and snacks on hand. Funny how my grocery bill goes up significantly when he's home :-)

But that's okay. It's worth it to have him in hugging distance!

What home cooked meal would you ask your mom (or any family member) to make for you?

Overdue Bandit Booty

by Beth

It's come to my attention that I never posted the winner for my Feb 20th blog, Even Better With Age. So sorry!! The winner of a copy of Tawny's red hot release for Blaze, BREAKING THE RULES, is Chey!!

Congratulations! Please email your snail mail info to me at: beth@bethandrews.net

Reality Or Fiction?

by Beth

Reality is taking over our television sets. Now, I don't know about you but I get quite enough reality just living my life, thanks all the same. I don't want to add more to it during my down time. If I had to choose between all Reality shows or Fiction shows, I'll choose fiction every time.

That's not to say I don't enjoy certain Reality programs. One of my favorite shows to watch is Top Chef (currently Top Chef All Stars) and Top Chef Masters (coming soon with a new host!) and back when Project Runway was on Bravo, my daughter and I caught every episode. I've also watched a few episodes of American Idol and Dancing With the Stars and enjoyed them both and I'll admit I enjoy watching the weigh-in at the end of each episode of The Biggest Loser to see how far the contestants have come. And, of course, I love cooking shows which I'm going to say are reality TV although with no contests, name calling or drunken escapades :-)

I prefer to be entertained by a great story told with excellent writing, superb characterization and unexpected plot twists and turns. I want to suspend my disbelief when watching Eureka, a fun, fabulous and witty program on the SyFy channel. I want to hang on the edge of my seat and try to figure out who-done-it in shows like Detroit 187 and The Closer. I want to laugh at the happenings going on during The Office.

For the most part, I want scripted TV. I want that fantasy.

However, I'm in the minority in my house as my daughters love their reality shows such as America's Next Top Model, Jersey Shore and Daisy Of Love - just a few that have caught their attention.

What about you? Do you prefer Reality shows or scripted TV? What are some of your favorite shows on now?

Even Better With Age

by Beth

It's true that some things--such as wine and cheese--get better with age. And while I enjoy both, and I'm sure they'd make an interesting blog topic, today I'd like to discuss something a bit...prettier. (Or at least, more fun to look at *g*)

My top five picks for men who have gotten better with age!

1. Hugh Jackman. I think most of us could agree that the years have been kind to Hugh *g*

2. Liam Neeson. I fell hard for Liam in Love Actually.

3. George Clooney. I never watched ER but I do remember George from his days on The Facts of Life. Yes, he has definitely improved with age :-)

4. Patrick Dempsey. The same goes for Patrick who I first saw as a nerdy teen in Can't Buy Me Love.

5. Sting. I recently saw footage of Sting in concert and he still kicks butt up on that stage! I also love that he's into yoga *g*

Who are your picks for men who have gotten better with age?

We have an AHA Go Red pin for one commenter today. I'm also giving a copy of Tawny's latest Red Hot Blaze, BREAKING THE RULES!

The healthy heart tip for February 20 is: Try something new - dare yourself to try a new fruit or vegetable. Next time you're at the store, pick up something you've never made before. Many grocery stores have free recipe cards in the produce section or just type the food into your favorite search engine.

Romance Writers of America and the American Heart Association have partnered to raise awareness of heart disease in women and encourage you to join us in wearing red on February 4, National Wear Red Day. Visit Go Red for Women to learn how to fight heart disease.

And just in case you missed it...

Sign up for the Go Red Better U Program and receive two free romance e-books.

From Feb 1 through May 31, 2011, receive one free romance e-book when you sign up for the American Heart Association's Better U Program and one after you complete week six of the program. And look for the Eat Smart for Your Heart limited edition magazine (that features this offer) on newstands and in a grocery store near you.

Go Red for Women is trademarked by the American Heart Association, Inc. Romance novel downloads provided by Belle Books.

End Of A Love Affair

by Beth

The other day I was on iTunes when I discovered the most magical of all those magic buttons: Songs for only 69 cents! I ordered a bunch including Cherry, Cherry by Neil Diamond, Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve and Ants Marching by Dave Matthews Band.

There were many songs from the 60s and 70s but when I asked my husband if he wanted me to download Sister Golden Hair by America, (a song we've been known to just start singing - yes, we often break into songs at our house. Up until a few years ago, my kids thought every family burst into song during conversations *g*) he laughed and told me he'd heard that song so often during the 70s, he'd prefer not to hear it again.

Unless we're singing it, of course *g*

All of which got me thinking about those songs I once loved but now...well...if I hear them now, I tend to clap my hands over my ears and run from the room hoping beyond hope the tune won't get stuck in my head. You know the ones - songs that were overplayed on the radio or on MTV or VH1. Songs we played over and over and OVER again when we were teenagers - which for me would be The Police's Synchronicity, Heart's Bad Animals and Def Leppard's Pyromania :-)

And since we all know how much I love a good list, I thought today I'd give you my:

Top Five Songs I Used to Love But Now Wish I Never Had to Hear Again!

1. Hotel California by The Eagles.

2. Stairway To Heaven by Led Zeppelin. Oh, how I love Led Zeppelin! Adore them! Worship them, even! And I used to love this song. Until I listened to it about a bazillion times in Jr. High School *sigh*

3. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. I blame this one on Wayne's World *g* Now, the only time I can listen to this song is when I'm watching the hilarious parody video my son and his friends made of when Wayne, Garth and their friends drive around town :-)

4. Sweet Child O' Mind by Guns 'n Roses.

5. Jeremy by Pearl Jam. Great song. Great band. I've just heard it too many times.

So, there you have it. A very short list *g* All are great songs, all are songs I once couldn't get enough of...until I had enough of them ;-)

Do you have any songs you used to love but have heard so many times you can't listen to them again?

TWO 12 Days of Christmas Winners!

The winner of Sunday's blog post with guest Holly Jacobs is: gamistress66!!

Monday's winner is Deb Marlowe!!

Congrats, ladies :-)

Please send your snail mail info to: beth@bethandrews.net and we'll get your prizes out to you asap *g*

Thanks so much to everyone for chatting with us and Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Collection

by Beth


I'm not much of a collector. Oh, I've started collections before: My mom used to buy us Precious Moments figurines for Christmas every year but after awhile, we all had so many, we really didn't want any more *g* As a teen, I tried to collect music boxes until I realized how expensive a hobby that was (although the ones I have hold a special place in my heart!) I'm not really much of a 'saver' and have no problems tossing things out that hold no use to me. But there is something I've collected over the years, items that threaten to take over my house every Christmas:

Christmas books!

Children's Christmas books to be exact :-)

This obsession...er...collection started innocently enough. I wanted a special gift I could get for my kids each year, something they could take with them when they moved out that could be used or passed down to their own children. My first thought was to get them each an ornament. Unfortunately, I had a hard time finding ornaments I actually liked well enough to spend money on *g*



So I came up with the idea of buying them each a Christmas book. My hope was that they would save their books and be able to pass them down to their own children someday. I have to admit, I love buying this gift each year! I get such a kick out of taking the books out and displaying them as part of our Christmas decorations and I always re-read my favorite ones.

I honestly love these books so much, I almost don't want the kids to take them! I'm sort of hoping they'll want to leave them with me until they have children who can appreciate them *g*



Some of our favorites are: A version of The Night Before Christmas with pictures by Mary Englebreit

Are You Grumpy Santa? about poor Santa getting grumpy after a bad day

Merry Un-Christmas, about how special an ordinary day would be if the other 364 days of the year were Christmas


Olivia Helps With Christmas, about a little pig with a big imagination who helps her family get ready for the holiday

So far this year I've bought: It's Christmas, David! about a mishcevious boy who's always being told "No" and I See Santa Everywhere - about a boy who thinks Santa is stalking him year 'round (but only to check to see if he's naughty or nice) *g*



Do you have any Christmas collections? Any items you buy every year for your kids or someone else on your list?

It's FINALLY here! The Romance Bandits 12 Days of Christmas Booty! Every day between now and Christmas, one lucky commenter per day will win a daily prize and on some days, additional goodies from that day's blogging Bandita or guest. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we'll give away bigger prizes, including autographed books, GR mugs and much more! Come join us! Tell your friends! Let's make the Season BRIGHT!

Bandit Booty!

Thanks to everyone for celebrating the launch of A MARINE FOR CHRISTMAS! Congratulations to:

Laurie Faelan

Elizabeth

Pissenlit

You've all won a copy of A MARINE FOR CHRISTMAS. Please send your snail mail info to me at: beth@bethandrews.net

Thanks again!

A Marine For Christmas Launch Party!

by Beth

I'm so happy to be celebrating the release of my 5th book for Harlequin Superromance, A MARINE FOR CHRISTMAS!

I have to admit, writing this story wasn't easy but with the help of my fabulous editor, Victoria Curran, and Tawny, the most fantastic critique partner ever, I was able to muddle through and get to the heart of the story. Here's the back cover:

Growing up in her perfect sister's shadow wasn't easy. Especially because J. C. Montgomery had been in love with Liz's boyfriend for as long as she could remember. Brady Sheppard, a guy who thought of her as only the kid sister. But that all changed when Liz married somebody else and Brady ended up in bed with J.C.! It was like a dream come true.

Except now J.C.'s pregnant. And Brady's a wounded marine, so it's going to be difficult for him to get down on one knee and tell her she's his reason for living…. But he will.Because she still believes in Santa Claus.

Instead of an excerpt (though, if you'd like to read an excerpt you can find one on eHarlequin and a different one on my website) I thought I'd give you all a taste of A MARINE FOR CHRISTMAS' beginning, middle and end.

Beginning - It might have been the numerous shots of whiskey and the goading of his fellow drinkers down at The Empire Bar, but Brady Sheppard thought crashing his ex-fiancé’s wedding was the best idea he’d had in years.

Middle - “That’s it?” He’d figured it’d be something…bigger. Stop drinking. Or go back to physical therapy. Bare his soul to some shrink.

End - And then—disheveled, contented and, if she wasn’t mistaken, mended—Brady Sheppard smiled. At her.

As you might be able to see, Brady does some growing and changing throughout the story *g*

It wasn't until I actually wrote these out that I realized how much you can tell about the story just from these few lines. Now I'm wondering if that will hold true for other stories as well. Shall we find out?

Just give us a line or two from the beginning, middle and end of the book you're currently reading. We'll call this a Launch Party Experiment *g* And don't forget to pull up a comfy spot, pour yourself a drink and enjoy the party!

I'll give away THREE copies of A MARINE FOR CHRISTMAS so leave a comment for your chance to win!

"C" is for Creepy

by Beth

The other day I took my older daughter out to practice driving. As we drove around (and around and around) our town's middle school parking lot and the connecting (empty) streets, she asked me if I was afraid to let her drive. I told her I wasn't but her question got me to thinking about things I really am afraid of which then lead me to start thinking about Halloween and what I find most creepy (hey, you all know by now that my mind works in mysterious ways, right?) Which is how I came up with my:

Top Five List Of Things That Creep Me Out

1. Flying Monkeys. I admit it. I can't stand The Wizard of Oz movie all because of those creeptastic flying monkeys. I'll probably have nightmares tonight just thinking about them (shudder) If I'd been Dorothy and I saw those things coming at me, I'd have dropped Toto and run like H-E-double hockey sticks.

2. Michael Jackson's Thriller Video. Yep, this video seriously creeps me out. I don't think I've ever watched the entire thing, not even as a teen in the 80's when it was on ALL THE TIME. Dancing Zombies? A Zombie Michael Jackson? No thanks.

3. Certain Medical Procedures. There's a very good reason I'm not in the medical field and that reason is because while I don't mind the sight of blood, I get woozy at the sight of any rips, cuts, tears in skin or seeing inside the body. I've gotten sick watching a video of a C-section (not my own, but one I had to watch to prepare for my own surgery) looking up my daughter's nose with a scope (the doctor had a screen right there in the office where we could see it. Joy.) Listening to the doctor describe the procedure to remove other daughter's wisdom teeth (for God's sake, don't tell me) Helping first daughter cover the four stitches she'd received and just this morning I almost passed out while my MIL described a cousin's surgery to fix a hole in his heart.

In other words, there's no way I'm ever going to quit writing to attend Medical School.

4. The Twilight Zone. The original, super scary, creeptacular one on TV. Has there every been a show THAT frightening? Where did they come up with those stories?

5. Cookie Monster. Okay, this one isn't really mine *g* I'm borrowing it from my daughter who developed this fear of the big blue monster when she was a toddler and still has not grown out of it.

What's creepy to you? 'Tis the season to share our weird, funny or frightening creep-outs :-)

Four Little Words

by Beth

It's Monday and my brain is fried! See, last night I finished my 6th story for Superromance (Yay!!) Meaning I've spent the past few weeks with my nose to the grindstone - or in this case, my fingers to the keyboard *g* But the story is done, the h/h have achieved their hard-won happily-ever-after, and all that's left to do is one more final polish and then I can send this baby in :-)

So today, in order to give my tired brain a break, I thought we'd play a game. A friend posted this after seeing it on Facebook and the responses were very funny. Here we go:

You and I go out one night and wake up the next morning in jail. What is the first thing you say to me in FOUR words?

I can't wait to read what everyone comes up with!

You Make Me Feel Like Dancin'

by Beth

My younger daughter is going to see Step Up 3 tonight and can’t wait to see if this third movie lives up to the first one of the franchise. We both loved the original Step Up – her because of Channing Tatum and me because of the dancing *g* (Okay, Channing’s cute, too!) I’ve been a fan of musicals and dancing movies (movies with dancing IN them, not movies that can dance *g*) ever since I was little and saw Grease. I sang along with the album daily and even had a Grease book I read so many times, the binding came apart!

Some of my favorite movies with dancing in them include:

Footloose. Oh, how I loved Kevin Bacon as Ren, a city boy forced to live in a small, country town where one of the rules was No Dancing. And how about that soundtrack? Hearing any of those songs takes me back in time!

Dirty Dancing. This one came out during my teen years and all of my friends and I LOVED it! How awesome was Patrick Swayze as the boy from the other side of the tracks? *sigh* Nobody puts Baby in a corner! And the dancing? Soooo sexy!

Flashdance. I’m not sure which I loved more—the movie, the soundtrack or the off-the-shoulder-sweatshirt trend *g* It was a bit risque but the dancing was fun and fabulous!

Singing in the Rain. A wonderful classic with Gene Kelly that had it all: superb dancing, great songs, romance and humor! Still an all-time fave *g*

Do you like dancing movies? Which ones are your favorites? And a very important question: Are you a good dancer?