tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38155306460911775742024-03-22T05:18:29.570-04:00Romance Bandits<center>"Stories that will steal your heart."</center>Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02217492654108300014noreply@blogger.comBlogger2216125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-50242773443541627092014-12-05T11:15:00.001-05:002014-12-05T11:15:05.592-05:00Jo Robertson - "The Traitor" [Trailer]<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J9zF9v5ndww" width="480"></iframe>jo robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16824237193217632098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-20014392019960736362014-12-05T11:13:00.001-05:002014-12-05T11:13:57.657-05:00Jo Robertson - "The Traitor" [Trailer]<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J9zF9v5ndww" width="480"></iframe>jo robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16824237193217632098noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-6851643748277388302011-10-14T00:01:00.002-04:002011-10-14T00:14:53.109-04:00Where in the World is the Bandit Lair?The Golden Rooster crept cautiously up to the Lair's back door. Odd, how the lights were all off. The place was totally dark.<br /><br />He tried the door. Locked. What? The lock was supposed to recognize his wingtip. Scowling as best he could with a beak instead of a mouth, he drew his lockpicks from beneath his cape. In a matter of moments, the door swung open.<br /><br />There. He'd have a word with that smug gladiator, Demetrius, about this. That oughta snarl his sandal strings, making a mistake like locking the famous GR out of the Lair.<br /><br />He pranced into the kitchen and flipped the light switch by the door. Nothing.<br /><br />He flipped it again. Again, nothing. Good thing he had a flashlight. He turned it on and swept the kitchen. The place was almost too clean--no cookie jar or knife block on the counter. No bread box by the refrigerator. Come to think of it, the place was way too quiet. Sven and his crew were always bustling around trying to look important.<br /><br />He crept to the stairs that led to Ermingarde's lair. No sound came up them. He sniffed and couldn't smell dragon.<br /><br />Had some dastardly villain broken out of some bandita's book and slain them all? If only he'd been here to help! He even would've saved the gladiators.<br /><br />Maybe.<br /><br />Was his property intact? His stash of Tim Tams?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGn-jPUwJGi5l0TUqf44wzk7QEknnkWpRcYWFVqL4F7887SoDmYftEO3RmwGkVEUWtDt-hk0OWxmmHE7-A4mG3XmHDc7Fxzf-mK3spjwze6YcSttLRD6r8Unc_5i9oxz9c_leYaQV8L78/s1600/images-2.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 227px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGn-jPUwJGi5l0TUqf44wzk7QEknnkWpRcYWFVqL4F7887SoDmYftEO3RmwGkVEUWtDt-hk0OWxmmHE7-A4mG3XmHDc7Fxzf-mK3spjwze6YcSttLRD6r8Unc_5i9oxz9c_leYaQV8L78/s320/images-2.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663191916086234386" /></a>He rushed into his suite off the parlor. The lights here didn't work either. His flashlight beam swept over an empty room. Empty?!<br /><br />No, not quite. On the floor by the door lay a note:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Bird--The Lair has moved to larger and nicer accommodations. When you can stop gallivanting long enough to check it out, you can thank us for moving your things.<br /><br />Sven<br /><br />PS--You can find us all <a href="http://www.romancebandits.com/">here</a>, at www.romancebandits.com, where the banditas are kicking off Trick or Treat with many, many fabulous prizes between now and October 31, when we give away the best prizes of all during when Duchesse's biggest Halloween Bash ever.<br /></span><br />The Golden Rooster glared at the paper. So that was the big secret, a new Lair and a party. He'd better hurry over there, or the whole thing would fall flat without his dashing presence!<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><i>We hope you'll hurry over, too, and join the fun! Because we really, truly are outta here. This is our last Blogger post. Please come join the party at <a href="http://www.romancebandits.com">www.romancebandits.com</a>! </i></span>Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13705259501965011703noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-84864960586417918952011-10-13T00:09:00.002-04:002011-10-13T00:09:00.381-04:00I'm So Excited!!<em><span style="color:#990000;">By Kate</span></em><br /><br />Since we Romance Bandits are on the verge of making our BIG ANNOUNCEMENT (it happens TOMORROW! Be sure to be here!), I’m leading off with that news:<br /><br /><span style="color:#009900;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">We're kicking off Trick or Treat in the Lair with a BIG announcement tomorrow, October 14! We’ll be giving away Tricks and Treats every day, leading up to a special fun (BIG!) TREAT on Halloween. Everyone's getting excited! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0qNBxqsRVQQV7TcCJwZtPFMNqnRM6WXV1kj0l2gnqfG-Sod2O6RsrXhOFE-aTnn51H621X3k7biq7wy2-wXCYHr0lC5LqXGy1eYtKR5_DeCvlNaouFXmzaghiMz32ViAhWTZqxZxCeO7/s1600/cabanaboy.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 309px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0qNBxqsRVQQV7TcCJwZtPFMNqnRM6WXV1kj0l2gnqfG-Sod2O6RsrXhOFE-aTnn51H621X3k7biq7wy2-wXCYHr0lC5LqXGy1eYtKR5_DeCvlNaouFXmzaghiMz32ViAhWTZqxZxCeO7/s1600/cabanaboy.jpg" /></a>The Cabana Boys are concocting fabulous drinks for everyone, Sven is exercising his magic massage fingers, Ermingarde the Dragon is blowing smoke (he does that when he’s confused), and that wily Golden Rooster is up in arms—er, wings—because nobody tells him nothing!<br /><br />But all will be revealed TOMORROW! Don’t miss out on all the BIG FUN in the LAIR!<br /></span></strong><br /></span>Okay, I got that out of the way. Now back to your regularly scheduled news of the day. Believe me, I had something extremely serious and pithy to talk about today, but since I’m over-the-top excited about tomorrow’s announcement, I'm struggling to remember what that serious topic was. Darn. I'm sorry, but I don't think I can get pithy with you.<br /><br />That being the case, I’ll simply have to amuse and entertain you with some blatant self-promotion. Wheee!!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#009900;"><strong><span style="font-size:100%;">I have a new cover to show you! It’s my December Desire, AN INNOCENT IN PARADISE. Isn’t it beautiful? And the story is so much fun. Here’s a little preview: </span><br /></strong></span><br /><em><strong><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51UHgXHFjoL._SL500_AA300_.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51UHgXHFjoL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" /></a>She knows everything … but desire<br /><br /></strong>Grace Farrell is a genius scientist first, a woman a distant second—until she meets Logan Sutherland. The self-made millionaire is wickedly sexy, and with him, Grace learns a new lesson—how it feels to </em>want<em> a man.<br /><br />Logan has his roving eye on Grace from the moment she steps on his tropical island. But when he discovers she’s there under false pretenses, he orders her to leave. Faced with her refusal, the cynical bachelor works it all to his advantage. He’ll let her stay—in his bed! But will one night be enough?</em><br /><br />I hope you’re intrigued! And there’s even more intrigue to come. My Harlequin Desire pal, Maureen Child, also has a tropical island Desire coming out in December, so the two of us are getting together to give away a fabulous <strong><span style="color:#990000;"><em>Christmas in the Tropics </em></span></strong>goodie bag stuffed with tons of cool prizes. We'll get the contest started next month and you won’t want to miss it!<br /><br />Whew, blatant self-promotion is exhausting! :-)<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;"><a href="http://www.roadtripamerica.com/links/Autumn-Leaves-Sunshine.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 259px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 159px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.roadtripamerica.com/links/Autumn-Leaves-Sunshine.jpg" /></a>So … let's talk! Even though it’s warm and sunny in my neck of the woods today, I can still detect a hint of Autumn in the air. I love this time of year, with the changes in the light at the end of the day and all the spicy new scents wafting in the breeze. That's my favorite part about the changing of the seasons.<br /><br />Oh, who am I kidding? I want fall fashions! That’s what I really love about Autumn. Clothes! I want to go shopping for cozy new sweaters and wooly plaid scarves to wear.<br /></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;">What about you? What’s your favorite aspect of Autumn? What makes you happy this time of year? Tell me all about it! I'm giving away two Harlequin Desires to a random commenter today - one from my <em>Duke Brothers</em> trilogy and one from Maureen Child's popular <em>Kings of California</em> series!<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#009900;">P.S. Did I mention that TOMORROW in the Lair we make our BIG announcement? See you here! </span></strong>Kate Carlislehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16863555050062113192noreply@blogger.com54tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-91481767084090311562011-10-12T00:30:00.004-04:002011-10-12T14:59:17.867-04:00Welcome BARBARA VEY!!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7pj4vSclv_OxnxUJsT1yEWWtg8eiZ_T9zyHuHYbgpI93H9R81E1NtrzVsdGwFTlAmYnE388l36VbX67YnZLlQGbHXDbosOJKN7d_3ZVSkJr7y4hJYMZeK_wFFXxY7jLHLSt79CoKHkvCr/s1600/Barbara+headshot.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 159px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662405539730025442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7pj4vSclv_OxnxUJsT1yEWWtg8eiZ_T9zyHuHYbgpI93H9R81E1NtrzVsdGwFTlAmYnE388l36VbX67YnZLlQGbHXDbosOJKN7d_3ZVSkJr7y4hJYMZeK_wFFXxY7jLHLSt79CoKHkvCr/s200/Barbara+headshot.jpg" /></a>By Jeanne Adams and Cassondra Murray<br /><br />ROOSTER CROW!!! DRUM ROLL!!!! TRUMPET FANFARE!!! DRAGON ROAR!!!<br /><br />Please welcome, the one, the only<br /><span style="color:#993399;"><strong>BARBARA VEY!!!!!!!<br /></strong></span><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Cassondra:</span></strong> Jeanne, you're going to scare her off.<br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;"><strong>Jeanne:</strong></span> Barbara? No way. That woman has nerves of steel. She took on Publisher's Weekly, after all. And has now become the personality behind one of the top reviewer sites on the 'net. Barbara's Beyond Her Book Blog is the "go to" spot for information about the top books in Romance today. She's always got positive reviews. She's always going to a conference or event and sending back pictures and live streaming video and interviews to keep everyone "in the know" about the latest in romance, in<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmR69D5B-FBq0NDFDcSSg_HxfguXm9j6XQirqD9yBXN7CS1_wP9lYDaPQlM9-q2tZOiT1EB7gsC6-tYgYIUvjLGdYsuCiv57mCJBbOA8y4gC8fvAXIaKU1iOrd8IbKXcx2jLOX0SjTwmhH/s1600/trumpeters1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 134px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662405651993135186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmR69D5B-FBq0NDFDcSSg_HxfguXm9j6XQirqD9yBXN7CS1_wP9lYDaPQlM9-q2tZOiT1EB7gsC6-tYgYIUvjLGdYsuCiv57mCJBbOA8y4gC8fvAXIaKU1iOrd8IbKXcx2jLOX0SjTwmhH/s200/trumpeters1.jpg" /></a> books, and in what's up in our industry.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Cassondra:</span></strong> Yes, Barbara ROCKS. However, didja really think we needed a trumpet fanfare?<br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;"><strong>Jeanne, looking abashed:</strong></span> Well, maybe that was overkill. But I do so love a good trumpet volley. Figured if I was going to dust off the trumpets, and trumpeteers, then we might as well have a good blaring welcome blast, don't you know.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Cassondra shakes her head and turns to our guest</span></strong>: <span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>WELCOME to the Lair, Barbara! </strong></span>Jeanne and I have met up with you all over the country, at RWA events, Thriller events and more, but this is the first time the two of us, together as a team, have had you join us in the Lair. We're so glad you could make it.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#993399;">Barbara:</span></strong> Thanks, Cassondra and Jeanne. And thank you to all Romance Bandits and friends.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Cassondra:</span></strong> So how did you get started doing what you do, Barbara?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgked7QqfBi8rpGq9-8YlQacPWJwSbNANG_yPMAS9wDlY7o-vbcQlMOHI41hok16eRWnfUMTxbRuIlavzoO7n0l1-cU-wr1-mKymdk4c416YqOweyUSBRTsGeaJzo98Fq2ccv3C4SzjvLpv/s1600/boudiccaexteriorrgb.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 187px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662405844358616818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgked7QqfBi8rpGq9-8YlQacPWJwSbNANG_yPMAS9wDlY7o-vbcQlMOHI41hok16eRWnfUMTxbRuIlavzoO7n0l1-cU-wr1-mKymdk4c416YqOweyUSBRTsGeaJzo98Fq2ccv3C4SzjvLpv/s200/boudiccaexteriorrgb.jpg" /></a><strong><span style="color:#993399;">Barbara, laughing:</span></strong> That's the very first question I always get asked is, “How did you get this amazing job?” I guess the easiest answer is by being an avid reader. Because I was reading a book a day (at that time) I kept noticing an ad at the back of the books called “Get Caught Reading at Sea.” Turns out there was going to be an author/reader cruise with about 30 authors and all I could think was that I would be on a ship for seven days with authors who had no where else to go.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;">Jeanne:</span></strong> Oh, noeeesss! No escape! Haha! Actually, I'm teasing. As an author, I think that would be fabulous to be on a ship with dozens, if not hundreds of avid readers. Not only would I get my extrovert fix, but I'd get to enjoy being both a writer and a reader too! I take it you went on the cruise?<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#993399;">Barbara:</span></strong> Oh, yes! I made my reservation and immediately started reading a book by every author. Then I emailed the author to say I enjoyed their book and looked forward to meeting them on the cruise. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9FD_1Sfp2ltcjQI-iYujF-FGTcZb0hw96GTf6wiKxhGx3Fh1c_qnMnNnPi5_nEGvj4gNc0SeJdGZp31aOnDlhieQWcLBbdq222ARCCiuQNosFeA6xXnW2CawOrvu1t8SRJ2ddwiVetbtU/s1600/51L6Nx965cL__AA115_.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 115px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 115px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662406113498126338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9FD_1Sfp2ltcjQI-iYujF-FGTcZb0hw96GTf6wiKxhGx3Fh1c_qnMnNnPi5_nEGvj4gNc0SeJdGZp31aOnDlhieQWcLBbdq222ARCCiuQNosFeA6xXnW2CawOrvu1t8SRJ2ddwiVetbtU/s200/51L6Nx965cL__AA115_.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Cassondra:</span></strong> That was courteous. And how like you, Barbara.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#993399;">Barbara:</span></strong> Thank you! Once on the ship, I got to meet every author and one morning, while breakfasting with Marjorie Liu, I saw a woman all alone and asked her to join us. She turned out to be Karen Holt, Deputy Editor of Publishers Weekly.<br /><br />Now, being a reader, I thought Publishers Weekly was a publisher, so I told Karen to sit down and I would tell her everything that was wrong with publishing from a readers point of view.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Sn4U4zADD6UFqS1DlNXmibx6k4s0cuoEdVf7ZWTeoOKkU37dkix1iu3Alc1CBsEG4EjyEVUTkUdah9MnxF5Lo5gW6hyphenhyphenbYQ7tqhJfDTV2tbobybZDmcywEOI0y3064C9O-1Dcrfu6wCy-/s1600/Stacked_by_AtomykTickTock.jpg"><strong><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 215px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662406310990428018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Sn4U4zADD6UFqS1DlNXmibx6k4s0cuoEdVf7ZWTeoOKkU37dkix1iu3Alc1CBsEG4EjyEVUTkUdah9MnxF5Lo5gW6hyphenhyphenbYQ7tqhJfDTV2tbobybZDmcywEOI0y3064C9O-1Dcrfu6wCy-/s200/Stacked_by_AtomykTickTock.jpg" /></strong></a><strong><span style="color:#990000;">Jeanne:</span></strong> Good heavens! That's awesome! What did she do?<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#993399;">Barbara:</span></strong> Well, she took notes and wrote a story about me in Publishers Weekly that included my picture. A few months later, Karen contacted me and said PW was starting an online magazine and thought I would be perfect to write a blog from a readers point of view. I declined and told her to send books instead.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Cassondra:</span></strong> More books to feed the habit, right? But if you declined....<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#993399;">Barbara:</span></strong> Exactly, I loved the books. As to the blog, thankfully, Karen kept calling and after my son showed me a blog and explained that I should write it like I was talking to a friend, I accepted for a 3 month trial. Well, it’s been over 4 years and I’m still at it.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;">Jeanne:</span></strong> OMGosh, I had forgotten that you didn't, at the time, even know what a blog WAS, much less how to write one. You're such a natural at it, it doesn't seem possible. But you absolutely write it as if you are talking to a friend - me! - and that warmth and fun come through in every posting of Beyond Her Book.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#993399;">Barbara:</span></strong> Thank you, Jeanne. It was an experience! I’ve learned many things along the way. Remember, being a reader I had no clue to how publishing worked. I now know so much more! Here are some key things I learned that I think most people don't know:<br /><br />There's a difference between an editor and an agent.<br /><br />An author doesn’t pick their own cover.<br /><br />There are many imprints under one giant publisher.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6VndB7BA1jvOf1s-gj7GzGYmDpW3D91JhS28FuYksUoGDjZK0p9fCZ4mN47-ow1yF5w5Opl0ZfMV4ZoijvDcM5fDjPnUroPATSrzLoYo842Mc7fsi7sBHwN0yAMTV6v_FeMcYEIb_p1X/s1600/RedPen.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662407802505883506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6VndB7BA1jvOf1s-gj7GzGYmDpW3D91JhS28FuYksUoGDjZK0p9fCZ4mN47-ow1yF5w5Opl0ZfMV4ZoijvDcM5fDjPnUroPATSrzLoYo842Mc7fsi7sBHwN0yAMTV6v_FeMcYEIb_p1X/s200/RedPen.jpg" /></a>An author isn’t necessarily responsible for all the editing mistakes in a book.<br /><br />Publishers have certain criteria that writers have to follow. (I just thought they could write whatever they wanted.)<br /><br />Writers actually have to work hard at writing a book. (I thought they sat around in sweats eating junk food and the stories just magically came to them.)<br /><br />There’s a lot more to publishing a book than any reader ever wanted to know.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Cassondra:</span></strong> Amen to that, Barbara! The sheer number of steps in the process boggles the mind. What else has happened for you since you became the woman behind Beyond Her Book?<br /><br /><span style="color:#993399;"><strong>Barbara:</strong></span> I’ve been blessed to meet my favorite authors and discover many new ones in all my travels and traveling is one of my favorite parts of what I do. I get to go all over the United States and talk to amazing people and then write about it. How cool is that?<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;">Jeanne:</span></strong> Have to say, that is TOTALLY cool! What's been the most exciting thing you've done so far?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4stFDk9VUlW0MlAKNIlxgIxyR3wJdu01x1xfhxLebcCxwpIxLXh5Mae68WiDV3sR5xcTTw9Vw7VwZoSAITmB2Co_KxG0KQ9Yj7ohKbVBrzS18RE7ESeWsJSmb641axJUGAOfTb2DAMa4/s1600/100_0516.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 239px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 193px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662408315555203602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4stFDk9VUlW0MlAKNIlxgIxyR3wJdu01x1xfhxLebcCxwpIxLXh5Mae68WiDV3sR5xcTTw9Vw7VwZoSAITmB2Co_KxG0KQ9Yj7ohKbVBrzS18RE7ESeWsJSmb641axJUGAOfTb2DAMa4/s200/100_0516.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#993399;">Barbara:</span></strong> My first Comic Con in San Diego was overwhelming, but when I was invited to interview some movie and tv stars, I thought I was dreaming. I went to press junkets where you sit in a room and the stars and director of a movie come in and go table to table to talk to the press and all of a sudden I found myself one of the press.<br /><br />Not knowing the rules, I asked for pictures and hugs from Dakota Fanning, Chris Evans, Richard Dean Anderson (and the rest of the cast of Stargate), Joss Whedon, Stan Lee, the entire casts of Burn Notice, Fringe, White Collar and Psych. I had lunch with Stephen Collins at the Hard Rock Cafe and talked about 7th Heaven and First Wives Club.<br /><br />I met Bruce Campbell and had my picture taken. My son posted it on Facebook and declared me the “coolest mom ever.”<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Cassondra:</span></strong> This is amazing, Barbara! I'd agree with your son. And kudos to him for helping you find the confidence to take that first step to blog, and big kudos to him for recognizing that his mom is an outstanding part of our Reader/Writer world!<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;">Jeanne:</span></strong> Well said, Cassondra! So, what's coming up for you next, Barbara?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirN24ce65YbIvU8cqK-w15aV1VnF1X6COm2mGLiE5l9PCg5y73V13rQkN4Wkd23Ljl2OrQ81A7SSCBOP-7aJHJ5jWI_EbUSjJYABcJtx4bzehFTSLXiEcTUbdMUuwiFzlhmsLx23Ou3iD3/s1600/CIMG3190.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662408758475917330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirN24ce65YbIvU8cqK-w15aV1VnF1X6COm2mGLiE5l9PCg5y73V13rQkN4Wkd23Ljl2OrQ81A7SSCBOP-7aJHJ5jWI_EbUSjJYABcJtx4bzehFTSLXiEcTUbdMUuwiFzlhmsLx23Ou3iD3/s200/CIMG3190.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#993399;"><strong>Barbara:</strong></span> I'm very excited to tell you about that. Next year I’ll be hosting my first <strong>Barbara Vey Reader Appreciation Luncheon</strong> in the Milwaukee area. This has been a dream of mine for years. Thirty-eight authors have agreed to come in to meet, greet, eat with and sign books for almost 300 readers. This is a real coup for the midwest.<br /><br />I don’t know what else is in store for me, but I look forward to each new adventure.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;">Jeanne </span>and <span style="color:#3333ff;">Cassondra:</span></strong> Barbara, thank you SO much for being with us today!<br /><br /><span style="color:#993399;"><strong>So Banditas and Bandita Buddies, have you ever done something wild and crazy, like jump into a new career? What was that like for you?<br /><br />Barbara has an outstanding blog in Beyond Her Book, what questions do you have for her about the blog and how she got started?<br /><br />Would you have had the courage to hug Joss Whedon? What about the guy from Burn Notice? Grins.<br /><br />As a reader, which authors would you love to sit down to lunch with, like at Barbara's upcoming luncheon, and chat about books? </strong></span><br /><br />SPECIAL NOTE......<br />Don't forget to check back for a big announcement on October 14 as we kick off Trick or Treat. The best treat of all will be awarded during the Duchesse's Halloween party on October 31. If you're not in the know after the 14th, you might miss the treat.Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03492480881584553111noreply@blogger.com77tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-40578463816487404632011-10-11T23:02:00.000-04:002011-10-11T23:02:00.821-04:00Perfect Present Winner!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihPn59xOljyjlw30lbtAYhc_OYMBAM4z0-E2D-VdcsJasEvKsfdIlWt3iAqUgrGD8Tw2akmmN7cHAzBLRgND9pRoKgyqld0rnRu622SFo_8qTZh0XuLckr4MDwsX2FgLB5iuRHLUayI_Od/s1600/BanditBooty.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 127px; height: 95px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihPn59xOljyjlw30lbtAYhc_OYMBAM4z0-E2D-VdcsJasEvKsfdIlWt3iAqUgrGD8Tw2akmmN7cHAzBLRgND9pRoKgyqld0rnRu622SFo_8qTZh0XuLckr4MDwsX2FgLB5iuRHLUayI_Od/s320/BanditBooty.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662078528441230050" align="left" border="0" /></a>Thanks to everyone for a great day of blogging yesterday. The winner of their choice from my backlist is:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">ELI!!</span></span><br /><br />Congratulations, Eli! Please email me on anna @ annacampbell.info (no spaces) with your choice from my backlist (if you prefer something in Turkish, I have MY RECKLESS SURRENDER, UNTOUCHED and CAPTIVE OF SIN in translation) and your snail mail details.Anna Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06695579361323275316noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-63664760721772708262011-10-11T22:30:00.000-04:002011-10-11T22:30:00.930-04:00Winner of Trinity Faegan's bookCongratulations to <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Sheree</span></span>! You are the winner of Trinity Faegan's <span style="font-style: italic;">The Memphisto Covenant</span>. Please e-mail me at trishmilburn AT yahoo DOT com with your mailing information, and I'll forward it to Trinity.Trish Milburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08812010789617982102noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-77185962745297233132011-10-11T00:01:00.000-04:002011-10-11T03:23:36.385-04:00Filling the Well<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpQkKF2sosJ9BTdV4YXuB3FtFVmuL3qdmToz12bmQqaVUrNbsaxVvyD2Ut5JkdpCiJgpRx0dFXUI7Z9tsLfvVaw90aHZY8pg852HNWBPOb3RXkVgRF7XenOeC1a_pqBuOLIcScKjgbrc/s1600/2278420220_0fb8f31b8a.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 155px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662118905085708530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpQkKF2sosJ9BTdV4YXuB3FtFVmuL3qdmToz12bmQqaVUrNbsaxVvyD2Ut5JkdpCiJgpRx0dFXUI7Z9tsLfvVaw90aHZY8pg852HNWBPOb3RXkVgRF7XenOeC1a_pqBuOLIcScKjgbrc/s200/2278420220_0fb8f31b8a.jpg" /></a><span style="color:#ff0000;">by Christina Brooke/Christine Wells</span><br /><br />I haven't been around the lair for a while and boy, have I missed you all! Especially the cabana boys and my dahling Sven of the Magical Hands. This latest deadline really whipped my hide and I had to retreat from the cyber world for a while to focus.<br /><br />Writers often talk about the creative well--that there's a finite amount of creativity any of us have at one stretch. Once we've drained the well dry, we need to refill it by experiencing the world beyond our writing spaces and more specifically, other forms of artistic endeavour. I find amazing joy and inspiration in the product of other people's creativity.<br /><br />At the moment, this is how I'm refilling my well:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4l6fsgJEqoL6aDEW_aawVgeT6SvBsKNxBgBwoys14vZ8N6qihKWbG9y_HsEvN_qGlrGNJsPuNulPwTskqp9AO4-OoHTj19MMCAyr_mrojETqjjQh1MCHh1x6CVmj4RTJr40vDKi6JNg/s1600/Russian+ballet.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 280px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 228px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662119070017527442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4l6fsgJEqoL6aDEW_aawVgeT6SvBsKNxBgBwoys14vZ8N6qihKWbG9y_HsEvN_qGlrGNJsPuNulPwTskqp9AO4-OoHTj19MMCAyr_mrojETqjjQh1MCHh1x6CVmj4RTJr40vDKi6JNg/s320/Russian+ballet.jpg" /></a>The Russian ballet: I am not a ballet afficionado but I was transfixed by the beauty and athleticism of the dancers. And while I'm being highbrow about it, I'm also going to a performance of the opera Tosca this weekend, a birthday present from Husband. The piercing beauty of human voices gets me every time.<br /><br />Interior Design: I'm in the process of renovating my house so I find a lot of inspiration in magazines and especially in blogs on the internet. I can spend hours at a time lost in Anna Spiro's <a href="http://absolutelybeautifulthings.blogspot.com/">Absolutely Beautiful Things</a>, <a href="http://ellaandbaba.blogspot.com/2011/07/weekend.html">Ella and Baba </a>and <a href="http://driftwood-interiors.blogspot.com/2011/08/verandas-house-of-windsor.html">Driftwood Interiors</a>. There's something very energizing about design and visual art, particularly when the designers use colour, textures and shapes in interesting ways.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzAttqDDWtatdo79zMa8-UIC91CXCn-Imp99yjas_EpkWZBCmx04SwVkNIAEzs99xGwDG_1l4mx1p7fQrW5W0v34dbbyhbac26ijNfJvHStuxk__ceyEITHALO-G6yn2EtGzMhlTOBxG8/s1600/colours+for+study.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662119452673164882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzAttqDDWtatdo79zMa8-UIC91CXCn-Imp99yjas_EpkWZBCmx04SwVkNIAEzs99xGwDG_1l4mx1p7fQrW5W0v34dbbyhbac26ijNfJvHStuxk__ceyEITHALO-G6yn2EtGzMhlTOBxG8/s320/colours+for+study.jpg" /></a>My 4 year old son's art. Yes, I know, I am utterly biased but I find this talent truly extraordinary, not least because no one else in the family has the smallest amount of skill in this area. Regardless of talent, it's his obsessive passion for drawing that really enchants me. I hope he never loses it.<br /><br />Cooking: With spring in the air, I'm trying to build up a repertoire of healthy, tasty recipes full of summer goodness. Baking is my weakness and my recreation. I love to do it but unfortunately I also love to eat what I bake!<br /><br />Children's books: My agent sent me a set of Ursula Vernon's Dragonbreath books and I'm having a ball reading them to my sons. The vocabulary is quite advanced and yet the stories are so gripping, my 4 year old begs to go to bed early just so we can read the next chapter. I'm in awe of writers who can capture children's interest so thoroughly.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHtaqkKpjrCUou2QZb9-rONwjAFVMw-zmbBV0mRse1FuD00IDNR4ssgWsXwdpu9AhPVVZwFJonhZ_xni9TSsZA4KdOlPYDzIzc5h1IU1pVXY90aDnXc_VupE41gqqkeTfPjglIrgMe34/s1600/Captain+Hook.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 254px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 145px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662122406565270322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHtaqkKpjrCUou2QZb9-rONwjAFVMw-zmbBV0mRse1FuD00IDNR4ssgWsXwdpu9AhPVVZwFJonhZ_xni9TSsZA4KdOlPYDzIzc5h1IU1pVXY90aDnXc_VupE41gqqkeTfPjglIrgMe34/s320/Captain+Hook.JPG" /></a>Fiction: You know I'm busy when I say I haven't had time to sit down and read! For me, that's pretty much unheard of. Luckily there is a solution--audiobooks! I am currently glomming Lisa Gardner. Man, the books are even scarier when they're read to you. I have also learned from experience not to listen to them when I'm eating. I know Lisa would be glad to hear me say that and think it a job well done.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-GRIkwax0P0qCcU7h1xHln3srkPDloqGcpBMHJtMjl4F3wtr7aOgbDS85DlgbNNhp9du41B_WUipJrm6dm1_0E72LmDFQwPF1x2hh8kMCSwAqI_veu1cVNijFut9b2KfSMxZRseOVsc/s1600/caryicon.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 145px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 233px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662120856947926914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-GRIkwax0P0qCcU7h1xHln3srkPDloqGcpBMHJtMjl4F3wtr7aOgbDS85DlgbNNhp9du41B_WUipJrm6dm1_0E72LmDFQwPF1x2hh8kMCSwAqI_veu1cVNijFut9b2KfSMxZRseOVsc/s320/caryicon.jpg" /></a>Classic movies: As inspiration for the next romance, what could be better than watching An Affair to Remember for the zillionth time or snuggling down to watch every possible version of Pride & Prejudice?<br /><br />Music: Yes, I admit, I'm an 80s/90s tragic. I load up the iPod and go walking or listen in the car and let my mind wander.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#cc0000;">How do you re-energize after a particularly gruelling or emotionally draining time? </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#cc0000;">Do you use creative pursuits as therapy? What's your favorite Lisa Gardner book? </span></strong>Christine Wellshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14260589566405262159noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-62709783850769824002011-10-10T00:02:00.008-04:002011-10-10T00:02:01.245-04:00The Perfect Present!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXn8_Vt1eO8fzPUw6BXC04a032D0ld_tZCraiS1Z5HXmQbdxQdgT1q7RfeYWU8LDUUe-XY_gO1jintnp6wPQ3qm3fOXDtRVb82GFJBN3x5XpNhMuGnDF54cwnThndVyHRTwD243UDLkxv3/s1600/003.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXn8_Vt1eO8fzPUw6BXC04a032D0ld_tZCraiS1Z5HXmQbdxQdgT1q7RfeYWU8LDUUe-XY_gO1jintnp6wPQ3qm3fOXDtRVb82GFJBN3x5XpNhMuGnDF54cwnThndVyHRTwD243UDLkxv3/s320/003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653050605863236978" align="left" border="0" /></a>by Anna Campbell<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">I LOVE getting presents!</span></span><br /><br />Yeah, I guess that makes me really unusual.<br /><br />But I also love buying people presents. I love matching up the perfect gift with the right person.<br /><br />Recently I was in Brisbane, which counts as the big smoke for me now I've moved to the Sunshine Coast, and I had a stack of birthday presents to buy. I was happy as a pig in mud. And even if I do say so myself, I think I picked up some beautiful, completely apt gifts for my friends.<br /><br />Friends, even if you don't agree, don't tell me!<br /><br />As many of you know, this year also marked a significant birthday for me (oh, thirty is such a lovely age, snork!). I collected a swag of lovely presents including some beautiful bouquets. Actually for me, flowers are a perfect present. I always love them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-kzzb3APGuowHHTaDQ6CiA8bkhBdLwANLlP51Njwryt0famXKmWKjlmHxSKHi1GPh77aPM48EwdTViY19M-HHoCdZVsejYO3mh4GX1nOrOZ0PdBRsUfIN8qyRlHQEByPvhmkBaMc-vpA2/s1600/023.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-kzzb3APGuowHHTaDQ6CiA8bkhBdLwANLlP51Njwryt0famXKmWKjlmHxSKHi1GPh77aPM48EwdTViY19M-HHoCdZVsejYO3mh4GX1nOrOZ0PdBRsUfIN8qyRlHQEByPvhmkBaMc-vpA2/s320/023.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653047752013216130" align="right" border="0" /></a>One of my absolute favorites is the subject of today's blog. Recently I had wonderful Bandita <a href="http://annasugden.com/">Anna Sugden</a> and her delightful husband to stay at my place in Australia. I've had a Bandita drought this year because I didn't make it to America for RWA Nationals so it was such a thrill to host our English Bandita and feed her to the koalas at <a href="http://www.australiazoo.com.au/">Australia Zoo </a>(Steve Irwin's place) which isn't far away.<br /><br />By the way, no koalas were harmed in the devouring of my English visitors!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2bsfCJgUngwJwHVs6uy-LPYXiRWYm6PmOLGmHgW6jRd_P3DHnolZuGsA4TzIbF-R2pF2bvOPNGvKFdIYV6nBhK3qXK_WDO6hyphenhyphenQrNQBgSKEJmG6vp3ioV3sOYgzgTvkWefkH80-TEScIs/s1600/004.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2bsfCJgUngwJwHVs6uy-LPYXiRWYm6PmOLGmHgW6jRd_P3DHnolZuGsA4TzIbF-R2pF2bvOPNGvKFdIYV6nBhK3qXK_WDO6hyphenhyphenQrNQBgSKEJmG6vp3ioV3sOYgzgTvkWefkH80-TEScIs/s320/004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653050612211584818" align="left" border="0" /></a><br />Actually, given koalas are herbivores, no English visitors were harmed either. I only put that in for a bit of dramatic tension. And speaking of dramatic tension, how shocking is this picture of Anna and me fighting off a vicious, blood-sucking kangaroo in the jungles of south-east Queensland? Scary, huh? I bet you have nightmares tonight!<br /><br />Anna and Keith arrived bearing gifts, including one of the loveliest presents I've ever received. It's a commemorative teacup from Queen Victoria's 60th jubilee in 1897 - hey, how cool they did royal souvenirs back then! For a history geek like me, they couldn't have come up with anything nicer!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDUMVAwpbhyNF_fg-5WvFxREbM0EXMboBOFzQSnFK86oDFrGstzjPQAIDS9J80f1fV_egQ289xmkavcUGiBCHtfRquWF6rJPPUjz7ERDS3_reQ1ngY75qKdIVsYXZrai6wX_4XRVGl10H/s1600/002.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDUMVAwpbhyNF_fg-5WvFxREbM0EXMboBOFzQSnFK86oDFrGstzjPQAIDS9J80f1fV_egQ289xmkavcUGiBCHtfRquWF6rJPPUjz7ERDS3_reQ1ngY75qKdIVsYXZrai6wX_4XRVGl10H/s320/002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653050602183839426" align="right" border="0" /></a>The teacup is really pretty - transfer printed with the British coat of arms of the lion and the unicorn and lovely roses, thistles and clover to symbolize England, Scotland and Ireland as the United Kingdom. Isn't it lovely?<br /><br />Something that blows my mind is that this fragile piece of china is 114 years old and it's in perfect condition. I suspect it's been sitting in someone's granny's china cabinet as a treasured object since it was made.<br /><br />Right now it lives in my bedroom and it never fails to make me smile. Think of how the world has changed since 1897 and yet this little piece of beauty is as fresh as the day it was made. That's one of the reasons I love old things - they give you such a window on the past.<br /><br />Thank you, Anna Bandita and her lovely husband. You couldn't have come up with a better present! I hope you realized when you gave it to me quite how much I adored the cup and saucer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-3wOQFNmesyqoU82kOYixRqfmXtl8MD9sWko7TyvUK_JDfNUz_OrL0adHJI23PqhCpsyFbcAsJsXeSrSMPO27MIhTYPHzHNaQyqt54605SJcK47M-6oERpDL-HgxHOpeBW84I_BYYbWW/s1600/BanditBooty.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 127px; height: 95px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-3wOQFNmesyqoU82kOYixRqfmXtl8MD9sWko7TyvUK_JDfNUz_OrL0adHJI23PqhCpsyFbcAsJsXeSrSMPO27MIhTYPHzHNaQyqt54605SJcK47M-6oERpDL-HgxHOpeBW84I_BYYbWW/s320/BanditBooty.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653047874884049922" align="left" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">So when was the last time someone gave you the perfect present? Or you gave someone else the perfect present?<br /><br />Seeing we're in a gift-giving mood, I'm awarding one lucky commenter their choice from my backlist today. If you need help choosing a book, check out the books page on my website: </span><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://annacampbell.info/books.html">http://annacampbell.info/books.html</a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> Good luck!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><span style="font-style: italic;">*********************<br /><br />Don't forget we're kicking off Trick or Treat in the Lair with a BIG announcement on October 14, with a special treat to follow on Halloween. </span><span style="font-style: italic;">The Golden Rooster is poking into the corners to find out what's going on. He even asked Ermingarde the Dragon what was coming(from a safe distance, of course). But Ermingarde doesn't know, either.</span></span><br /></span></span>Anna Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06695579361323275316noreply@blogger.com102tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-75256480520161976412011-10-09T00:01:00.005-04:002011-10-09T00:01:00.443-04:00Trinity Faegan Enters the YA World with Edgy DebutI'm thrilled to host debut Young Adult author Trinity Faegan today, not only because I had the privilege of reading her YA work while it was still in manuscript form but also because she's a dear friend.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/160684170X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il?ie=UTF8&tag=romanbandi-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=160684170X"><img src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=160684170X&MarketPlace=US&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&tag=romanbandi-20&ServiceVersion=20070822" border="0" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=romanbandi-20&l=as2&o=1&a=160684170X&camp=217145&creative=399373" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" border="0" height="1" width="1" /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Your first YA novel, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The Mephisto Covenant</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">, just released. Tell us a bit about the book and the main characters.</span><br /><br />A descendant of the daughter of Eve, born before Original Sin, Sasha falls in love with Jax, a son of the dark angel, Mephistopheles, then discovers she alone can save him from Hell, but only if she gives up mortality and her birthright of certain Heaven to join him and his brothers in a brutal war to save mankind’s free will.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How did the idea for this book, and the rest of the series, come to you?</span><br /><br />I was going through a difficult period after someone close to me was sexually assaulted. I sort of obsessed about evil – why does it exist? Is there really a devil, or Hell? One night, I dreamed of kick-ass guys who could destroy evil. It was hazy and weird, like all dreams, but when I woke up, they were fully formed in my head. As I created the story, I wanted a girl who could be with them only because she was unique in some way. I came full circle to where I’d begun, thinking about original sin. According to the Bible, original sin began when Eve ate the apple and tempted Adam to eat it, too. It’s like they doomed each of us to constant temptation, and only by rising above it can we reach Heaven. At least, that’s what so many religious doctrines teach. I imagined what a human would be like if they weren’t around when Lucifer visited Eden and offered the apple to Eve. So I invented Aurora, born before the fall, who wandered away and was lost. It kind of went from there.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Did you have any moments during the writing of the book when you went, "This is freaking awesome!"? Any when you wanted to pull your hair out?</span><br /><br />Writing the first draft was awesome. Revising based on feedback from agents was not so awesome. Throwing the whole thing out and starting over was back to awesome. No, really. Revisions from my editor were…difficult. I’m not sure if that’s because of what he wanted, or that I was going through a major health crisis and surgery during first and second round revisions.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">You previously wrote for Harlequin's Bombshell line before it closed. How is writing YA different from writing those earlier books? How is it similar?</span><br /><br />I wrote the Bombshell books in first person, and they were funny. The heroine was a divorced down-on-her luck CPA. Her entire worldview was more mature and jaded than Sasha in <span style="font-style: italic;">Mephisto</span>, which I wrote in third. The Pink books were light, even though they dealt with a serious subject, but <span style="font-style: italic;">Mephisto</span> is very dark. I was more conscious of my audience with <span style="font-style: italic;">Mephisto</span>, although I didn’t pull any punches.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Are you a big fan of reading YA? If so, what are some of the best YA books you've read this year?</span><br /><br />Huge fan of YA. I haven’t read much since June, when I got serious with writing book 2 in this series. Before that, I read <span style="font-style: italic;">OyMG</span> by Amy Dominy, about a Jewish girl at a Christian camp, and I loved it. As soon as life slows down, I’m excited to read Simone Elkeles’s third Fuentes brother book, <span style="font-style: italic;">Chain Reaction</span>. I’m a total fangurl! Also really excited to read Heather Brewer’s first book in her new Slayer Chronicles series.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">If </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The Mephisto Covenant</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> was made into a movie, who would you love to see cast as the leads?</span><br />I never think about this. Really. Never.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tell us about what you're working on now?</span><br /><br />Getting some sleep after turning in book 2 of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Mephisto</span> series, which right now is only two books. Here’s hoping there’ll be more!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">If you could ask the Banditas and our Bandita Buddies one thing, what would it be?</span><br /><br />How do you guys stay so fun, fresh and on top of things? And where can I buy some? LOL!<br />~~~<br />Trinity will be giving away a copy of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Mephisto Covenant</span> today to one lucky commenter. Tell us, are you a fan of YA fiction? If so, what are some of the best YA books you've read this year? What are your all-time favorites?Trish Milburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08812010789617982102noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-61315033353732407082011-10-08T23:58:00.001-04:002011-10-08T23:58:00.596-04:00Bandit Booty<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIMPVdf7hTs2bcQga0C1K7AQxwObl2pQbu8aWueUKcVJkNgY-kXSPkswp1KuhlEceORGlvqYdggQWmpPyownmwaYwv_54Q1xCdlTrSIORS5WAgYkPA59toXialYyTwcaIzXS5FIkry5ug/s1600/1BanditBooty.jpeg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 127px; height: 95px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIMPVdf7hTs2bcQga0C1K7AQxwObl2pQbu8aWueUKcVJkNgY-kXSPkswp1KuhlEceORGlvqYdggQWmpPyownmwaYwv_54Q1xCdlTrSIORS5WAgYkPA59toXialYyTwcaIzXS5FIkry5ug/s200/1BanditBooty.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661250263821547458" border="0" /></a><br />It's that time again! The winner of Theresa Romain's book, <span style="font-style: italic;">Season for Temptation</span> is:<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><span dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/06217337918017509609" rel="nofollow">GayleC</a></span></span><br /><br />Congratulations, Gayle! Please send me your address so I can forward it on to Theresa. Send it to: christie @ christiekelley . comChristie Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05188201459186901767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-83669298129600422872011-10-08T00:13:00.003-04:002011-10-08T00:13:00.730-04:00Juggling for Writersposted by Nancy<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkPm9vghL087h4fWWt_GLXTDGV45rtVpcQXxlcJcItP_BUCW9nl9P5pSnhP-qQmhqOFJ99GQl4QQRPE5JLRkLsIZRp0VPGQ_MwycmQBVhB_4g_c7NOTPYkMMkvbZZWX3jCeZkJWWIDiYf/s1600/Barbara_Monajem_med.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkPm9vghL087h4fWWt_GLXTDGV45rtVpcQXxlcJcItP_BUCW9nl9P5pSnhP-qQmhqOFJ99GQl4QQRPE5JLRkLsIZRp0VPGQ_MwycmQBVhB_4g_c7NOTPYkMMkvbZZWX3jCeZkJWWIDiYf/s320/Barbara_Monajem_med.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509879246515353714" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Barbara Monajem returns to chat with us about juggling two very different types of stories at the same time. Welcome, Barbara!<br /><br />You're writing two very different kinds of stories at the moment, historicals for Harlequin Undone and the Bayou Gavotte paranormals for Dorchester. How do you stay in the right mindset for each?</span><br /><br />People often ask me this question, and the answer is, I really don’t know. I just do it. When writing a contemporary paranormal, I’m in the modern world, thinking in present-day slang with a 21st century mindset. When I’m writing a Regency historical, I’m in an entirely different mental environment, with a different vocabulary and different values. It’s almost as if I flip a switch in my brain... and suddenly I’m someplace else.<br /><br />The greatest difficulties have to do with the worlds themselves. In the contemporary novels, I have to think about stuff like which phone can I give my heroine that won’t be outdated in a year, while in the historicals, there’s a constant challenge to make my heroine appealing to modern women while keeping her believable in a historical context.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Tell us a bit about your current projects.</span><br /><br />Right now I’m working on a full-length Regency for Harlequin. It’s the third in a series about the Carling siblings, James, Simon, and Sally. James’s story comes first in my recent novella, <span style="font-style:italic;">The Wanton Governess</span>. The second novella is Simon’s story. I don’t have a title yet, but it’s scheduled to be released in January. Simon is a rake and was a hoot to write.<br /><br />Recently, I handed the third Bayou Gavotte paranormal in to my editor. It’s about the rock star, Constantine Dufray, who was a secondary character in the first two novels. I’ve written his story several times over the years –- it was really the first I wrote about Bayou Gavotte, but his character deepened as I wrote the others -– and I’m quite jubilant that finally it’s finished! Also, I’ve just begun the fourth paranormal, a murder mystery. The heroine is a vampire, and the hero, Gill, is a secondary character from <span style="font-style:italic;">Tastes of Love & Evil</span>. He’s possessed – but I still haven’t figured out by what! Hopefully that will be solved, as well as the murder, by the end of the book.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">What's Pompeia and James's biggest problem in<span style="font-style:italic;"> The Wanton Governess</span>?</span><br /><br />To grab their second chance at first love and run with it!! Here is a blurb that makes the problem clear:<br /><br />In exchange for a few days’ shelter, dismissed governess Pompeia Grant pretends to be the wife of a man who spurned her years earlier. James Carling, the man in question, is in America, so he’ll never know. And it’s only for a couple of days. And she’s helping a friend, so she’s doing a good deed… But the next day, James comes home.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058O0RME/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=romanbandi-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B0058O0RME"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 202px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyOmauTymztDthaPDGYMCv9ASgPTYbx2Bjiau5AhlTpDarGSYaY_ygB0WpU2teBpJDAqi5XEqKDHfF34y878vAPxjhkUyloz_tGeHv1ZGfX6T1gjdZJ25lIQDbiL8s7_cQVupnRdxiKOcn/s320/The_Wanton_Governess_-_AUG_2011_undone.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660903285787844610" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=romanbandi-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0058O0RME&camp=217145&creative=399373" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />Would you like to share an excerpt?</span><br /><br /><div>Sure.<br /><br /><i>Sussex, 1801</i><br /><br />"What in hell's name were you thinking?"<br /><br />At this furious bellow all the ladies froze, then gaped. "Who was that?" Clarabelle faltered.<br /><br />Pompeia rose in horror. She would know that enraged shout anywhere. She had heard it only once before, and she would never forget it.<br /><br />But this time it was surely directed at her.<br /><br />Footsteps hammered on the staircase, and her heart abandoned itself to terror. She had to run. She had to flee.<br /><br />No! She had to do something.<br /><br />"James, wait!" That was Sally's voice from the corridor. "Please, just let me --"<br /><br />"James wasn't<i> supposed</i> to be home yet," Clarabelle moaned, and meanwhile the footsteps pounded down the passage.<br /><br /><i>Think, think!</i> There must be some way to avert disaster. Not to Pompeia herself -- that was impossible -- but to Sally, to whom the vouchers for Almack's meant so much. But there wasn't time, because it would mean convincing Sir James to talk to her privately before exposing the deception. It would mean making him want to. Inexorably, the footsteps approached the drawing-room doorway.<br /><br /><i>I know how to make a man want to</i>, said the Wanton Within.<br /><br /><i>Not that! </i>Pompeia's rational mind screamed. <i>Not now!</i> But after a second's furious pause, she realized that for once the Wanton might be right. She got her feet moving and went straight for the door.<br /><br />Too late.<br /><br />He came into the room like a thunderstorm. It was James indeed, older, broader, and even more beautiful than four years ago, from his dark, wavy hair and grey eyes to his well-worn leathers. The Wanton Within applauded, but mostly, Pompeia cringed. She closed her eyes, desperate to compose herself. A babble of voices roiled around her, but she was poised only for his, for the fatal words exposing her as a fraud, commanding her to leave.<br /><br /><i>Open your eyes,</i> said the Wanton. Look at him.<br /><br />She did. He stared back, the anger slowly draining from his features, surprise taking its place.<br /><br /><i>That's a good start,</i> the Wanton said. <i>Now, let your eyes do the talking.</i> But Pompeia had done that once before to Sir James -- accompanied by words that permitted no misunderstanding -- and received a stinging refusal.<br /><br /><i>That was then; this is now, </i>the Wanton insisted. <i>Smile, for pity's sake!</i><br /><br />Pompeia felt her lips tremble into a travesty of a welcome.<br /><br />Sir James's mouth quirked the tiniest bit in response. "Pompeia," he said.<br /><br />She forced her tongue into motion. "J-James."<br /><br />"Unbelievable." Slowly, he shook his head. "Oh, Pompeia." His eyes rested on her, warmly approving. No, <i>wickedly</i> so.<br /><br />This was astonishingly different from the last time they'd met, when the chill in those eyes had made even the Wanton cower. No, particularly the Wanton, who had gone into hiding for quite a while after that.<br /><br />What had happened to change things?<br /><br />Ah. James <i>did</i> know of Pompeia's disgrace, just as she'd assumed. And, in the way of all men, he anticipated that she would willingly be just as disgraceful with him.<br /><br /><i>Yes! Do let's! Just this once!</i> the Wanton said.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1428511547/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=romanbandi-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1428511547"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpReAWuP6HoFM8Klkx88hKXrxPxul8CplTrofdmOC-RubFT9dsTbcx2rhhefu4mIQ99Byw4F_csu19VI8Fk-KhU2NWlaPJjgsv7N8UE6Brou9q5EYr82jhT1EU_TLwBehkYdCkfNrHLAFS/s320/Tastes_200x300_72.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660904373641502978" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=romanbandi-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1428511547&camp=217145&creative=399373" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />Wow, what a place to leave us hanging! Meanwhile, in your other subgenre, what's the issue between Rose and Jack?</span><br /><br />Rose saves Jack’s life…but Jack loathes vampires. Forced to work together to rescue a runaway, they combine her allure and his talent for vanishing into thin air to tackle a vamp-gone-bad and unearth the secrets of the most dangerous club in Bayou Gavotte.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">What's next for you?</span><br /><br />When I finish the two books I’m working on now, I’ll probably write another historical novella just for fun, or maybe a full-length based on a secondary character in the one I’m writing now. I’ll decide when the time comes!<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">You write great blurbs on your website. How do you approach creating these short summaries?</span><br /><br />With a lot of groaning and moaning and hopefully some help from my editors. :)<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">For more about Barbara and her books, visit her <a href="http://www.barbaramonajem.com/">website</a>.<br /><br /><b>Barbara is giving away one copy of <i>Tastes of Love and Evil</i> (paperback or Kindle e-book) and one copy of <i>The Wanton Governess </i>(Kindle e-book only). </b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><b>So tell us about the last time you had to juggle projects. What were they, and how did you manage? Or tell us whether you read (or write) more than one subgenre at a time, and why.</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><b>And let us know, please, whether you're able to read Kindle books.</b></span><br /></div><br />****<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><i>Don't forget we're kicking off Trick or Treat in the Lair on with a BIG announcement on October 14, with a special treat to follow on Halloween. </i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><i>The Golden Rooster is poking into the corners to find out what's going on. He even asked Ermingarde the Dragon what was coming(from a safe distance, of course). But Ermingarde doesn't know, either.</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><i>All will be revealed on the 14th!</i></span><br /><br /></div>Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13705259501965011703noreply@blogger.com65tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-89216312230199297682011-10-07T00:05:00.001-04:002011-10-07T00:05:00.566-04:003 Easy Steps to Getting into the (Halloween) Holiday Spirit<i>By Kate<br /><br />I want to welcome my fabulous friend Regan Hastings to the Lair today! Regan is the dark alter ego of my equally fabulous friend Maureen Child. As Regan, she writes The Awakening, a series of sexy paranormal romances, in which a coven of reincarnated witches must atone for their actions 800 years ago, when their thirst for power led them to open the gates of Hell. VISIONS OF SKYFIRE, the second book of The Awakening is available now.<br /><br />And now here’s Maur – I mean, Regan Hastings…</i><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1U3hs5xNZBd-OtuqAV94yWuKgRsJy80S7b_5RnihpfG_9R1MGdC7bJVSi9hCIUzwReqflQ-cBKXwfwgXDuk-ZOqDL1rEa-69_C6B_QWR37C6wr9t5YhOkVOmpXPXj6RxNPJ9GLVdFD4/s1600/Promo+shots+2010+015.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 208px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1U3hs5xNZBd-OtuqAV94yWuKgRsJy80S7b_5RnihpfG_9R1MGdC7bJVSi9hCIUzwReqflQ-cBKXwfwgXDuk-ZOqDL1rEa-69_C6B_QWR37C6wr9t5YhOkVOmpXPXj6RxNPJ9GLVdFD4/s320/Promo+shots+2010+015.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658202849114826242" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Christmas is taking over the calendar, and I resent it. Santa Claus must have a good press agent. Don’t get me wrong. I love Christmas. I just want it to stay in December, where it belongs. I’m okay with a slight encroachment into November. The Christmas season has my permission to begin the day after Thanksgiving.<br /><br />But in my opinion, Halloween should have exclusive rights to October. Unless Santa is dressed in a zombie costume, I don’t want to see him.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mLSE9HiVr0KethIO1z5H_j4EkmuTlhOJKN7MoVd6D4Gby2FhdNs4gSpM7F7OoT7b57Rh3PdF4wvA5eDo8_DWEU9T-V42Pe5MfWg4ul0Zpna6_xxlieXOmtguY7S92F1i-5LHLYCAXxE/s1600/zombie-santa.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:10px auto 10px; text-align:right;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mLSE9HiVr0KethIO1z5H_j4EkmuTlhOJKN7MoVd6D4Gby2FhdNs4gSpM7F7OoT7b57Rh3PdF4wvA5eDo8_DWEU9T-V42Pe5MfWg4ul0Zpna6_xxlieXOmtguY7S92F1i-5LHLYCAXxE/s320/zombie-santa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658203202462635794" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mLSE9HiVr0KethIO1z5H_j4EkmuTlhOJKN7MoVd6D4Gby2FhdNs4gSpM7F7OoT7b57Rh3PdF4wvA5eDo8_DWEU9T-V42Pe5MfWg4ul0Zpna6_xxlieXOmtguY7S92F1i-5LHLYCAXxE/s1600/zombie-santa.jpg"><br /></a><br /><br />Let’s band together and take the fat boy down! Let’s reclaim October. This month, the “holiday” in “holiday spirit” shall be Halloweeeeeeeeeeeen!<br /><br />3 Easy Steps to Getting into the (Halloween) Holiday Spirit<br /><br />1. Eat candy. Buy a huge bag of miniature candy bars in early October. Brand name candy bars, the ones that kids really like. You want those tiny goblins to tell their little friends to be sure to go to your house. Test one, just to be sure they’re okay, then put the bag in the freezer. Out of sight, out of mind. It won’t hurt if you sample one every now and then throughout the month, though, right? On Halloween, check your supply, realize that there are only two bite-sized candy bars remaining, and they’re unlikely to procreate. (Even if one does have nuts, and the other doesn’t.) Rush to the store to buy whatever meager pickings are available at the last minute, hoping desperately that they’re good enough to keep kids from toilet-papering your trees.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkweLYSOd9vi_JFx_S5x43Gp55sWlJQ6o6IsXXNKuogj5gobBqdAj8OCQ5AY6XultvcHopsJlC6y8UOOL-QoGd1CxDJ58PCmh4JBGXYcV2CuaAlZdNIKNLGKwKvim15TZXFuaEQ7lnTqg/s1600/candy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 315px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkweLYSOd9vi_JFx_S5x43Gp55sWlJQ6o6IsXXNKuogj5gobBqdAj8OCQ5AY6XultvcHopsJlC6y8UOOL-QoGd1CxDJ58PCmh4JBGXYcV2CuaAlZdNIKNLGKwKvim15TZXFuaEQ7lnTqg/s320/candy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658203205326242146" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />2. Decorate your yard. In October, you can always tell where the really cool people live by the number of tombstones in front of the house. Freak out your neighbors even more by putting their names on the tombstones. Add a zombie arm clawing its way out of the ground, and you’re Halloween gold, baby.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4rN-CHmCO8DWyYZwcPKkrSr5S4MR0LzrtzeWrAxEqla_izSv2qdZdnqA38vMXtLWsZqSIFT4avYloWcpBO9McEM4HFxdTH4YS4ayyhx5mKYstNdIqRV3Wi98oLLMbKQAT8DLsWp1Fv-g/s1600/tombstone.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4rN-CHmCO8DWyYZwcPKkrSr5S4MR0LzrtzeWrAxEqla_izSv2qdZdnqA38vMXtLWsZqSIFT4avYloWcpBO9McEM4HFxdTH4YS4ayyhx5mKYstNdIqRV3Wi98oLLMbKQAT8DLsWp1Fv-g/s320/tombstone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658203205852876898" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUUSd_cVyiKBgPWm7skusWqu6f-XRpwr8WXIhgxpMV11TGGuK4w2sfyIbkHKUfR4Bmw1VgAEq2IHpkiQFHFxq129SpGccbcL2PaopuJrFD-kVWDgu41j3oUk4wSX70rpGgFPIfzJ8jh4/s1600/visions-of-skyfire-web.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 198px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUUSd_cVyiKBgPWm7skusWqu6f-XRpwr8WXIhgxpMV11TGGuK4w2sfyIbkHKUfR4Bmw1VgAEq2IHpkiQFHFxq129SpGccbcL2PaopuJrFD-kVWDgu41j3oUk4wSX70rpGgFPIfzJ8jh4/s320/visions-of-skyfire-web.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658205090902688050" border="0" /></a>3. Read a book filled with witchy goodness. I was thrilled when I learned that VISIONS OF SKYFIRE would be released in October, because I knew that diving into the dark paranormal world of the Awakening would help put readers in the Halloween spirit. (Take that, Santa Claus!)<br /><br />As VISIONS OF SKYFIRE begins, Teresa Santiago can feel that her powers are on the verge of Awakening. Since she was young, her abuela has told her that she’s destined to become one of the most powerful witches who has ever lived. If the Bureau of Witchcraft gets its way, she won’t live for long. In this modern day world, witches are hunted and killed. The instant her powers Awaken, the BOW will detect her magic… and they’ll come for her with every weapon in their arsenal.<br /><br />Her only hope is that her Eternal warrior-protector will get to her first. Rune was forged from the sun to be her mate. With him by her side, she’ll find her piece of the artifact that will save an ungrateful humanity from the demons of Hell… or die trying.<br /><br />Click here to read a free excerpt: <a href="http://www.reganhastings.com/excerpt_skyfire.html" title="Visions of Skyfire by Regan Hastings">VISIONS OF SKYFIRE</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT9-3yQIt69LmZ1Fa7A9yb1tQhK0RVtSglL02cG3jm9ydT-6Pl31GxijMKDhRKVybQhdzdkwAABgxD3ohnf94IVSiAdSlKhlZM8icgkRmYMwfBIlbwxI8pSl7wwEvk3dzg1k_fHMAlphs/s1600/powers-awaken.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT9-3yQIt69LmZ1Fa7A9yb1tQhK0RVtSglL02cG3jm9ydT-6Pl31GxijMKDhRKVybQhdzdkwAABgxD3ohnf94IVSiAdSlKhlZM8icgkRmYMwfBIlbwxI8pSl7wwEvk3dzg1k_fHMAlphs/s400/powers-awaken.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658205645167077106" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><b><i>How do you get into the Halloween spirit? Do you decorate your house? Do you dress in costume? Do a lot of trick-or-treaters come to your house? What is your favorite kind of Halloween candy? If you’re from another country, how does your Halloween tradition differ from what we do in the U.S?<br /><br /></i></b><i>Kate here again! Another great thing about October? Well, I can't tell you. It's a secret. But it's good, and you'll love it, and... okay, I better stop now before I spill the beans. All will be revealed later this month!</i><b><i><br /></i></b>Kate Carlislehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16863555050062113192noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-74531210922378734562011-10-06T00:14:00.001-04:002011-10-06T00:53:52.210-04:00The Accidental Courtesan in the Lair!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinOJQjiZmuKcW2bjOJIPFkwza5R7wEnRNta-9u6yqMlMUtJzMNXTe0zJe-pS-I2Rc3qNrmeeXQLC_xW7nnZOM37pPbCZEVV7YkvL0EeGYPtv1ads1c80sZPLjmkuY1BViHfkKTQrjubuQ/s1600/cheryl_photo.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinOJQjiZmuKcW2bjOJIPFkwza5R7wEnRNta-9u6yqMlMUtJzMNXTe0zJe-pS-I2Rc3qNrmeeXQLC_xW7nnZOM37pPbCZEVV7YkvL0EeGYPtv1ads1c80sZPLjmkuY1BViHfkKTQrjubuQ/s200/cheryl_photo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659488005557978050" /></a><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span style=" font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#990000;"><b>Hosted by Donna MacMeans</b></span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Courier New';">Today we're welcoming the return of Cheryl Ann Smith to tell us about her new release, <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3366ff;">The Accidental </span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Courier New';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; color:#3366ff;">Courtesan (</span>Don't you love that cover?)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; color:#3366ff;"> </span>Romantic Times gives a thumbs up to the book's "dash of humor, plenty of sensuality and a fast pace." Without further ado, here's Cheryl Ann -</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Courier New';font-size:100%;" >Thanks so much to Romance Bandits and Donna for having me here! I had so much fun on my last visit that I’m thrilled to come back to talk about courtesans and to give away prizes!</span></p><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 124px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiID6OhGw_3qLZfjAHT3t_mrIc9k7kZjVLbq58jd5Otc1XnCoQOWRILJLzURHtHconwvm1pmyifTE56nphzVW3wubxMu7zSlEtCDdg_zej3dcGBySvUM2oeVEfhyV1virPm_EMuS3si1dg/s200/Cheryl+Ann+Smith+cover.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659489916505845058" /><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Courier New';">Se</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Courier New';">veral years ago, I decided to write a book about a courtesan school. My heroine would rescue courtes</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Courier New';">ans from that life and match them with suitors. In order to make the storyline realistic, I n</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Courier New';">eeded to find out if courtesans actually did marry. Thankfully, it was quite common, giving my story credibility.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span style=" font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span style=" font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:100%;">Many of the women who became courtesans did so to escape poverty. Some turned to the profession to gain power, and some just enjoyed the notoriety it afforded them. Oddly, it appears that men did not find a woman’s scandalous past (or in some cases, present and future) as a mistress or courtesan a deterrent to marriage. Some husbands used their wives' extra-marital relationships with nobility to gain favor in court.</span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-size:100%;" ><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWx9LpyFy-2DKZsq0J2LBK7YqH5WTHAPEiJ9A6otySOTeCnl7stiLbIgzrz-uhQkJQDOJ5MO8S5zqT15amWrbnZbJTpkYf9sXoCmqml1dOZlOwzXRAbTx1I5D7SDpMvO3cIxSi8qbJusw/s200/Marie+Jeanne+Becu+as+Flora.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659491312870445314" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 164px; height: 200px; " /></span><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span style=" font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";">Jeanne Becu was the illegitimate daughter of a seamstress. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Courier New';">She became a prostitute in her teens, though she had several professions, including milliner’s assistant. At the time, only titled women could be a royal mistress and she seemed t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Courier New';">o like th</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Courier New';">e </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Courier New';">idea of becoming one. So, she married Comte Guillaume du Ba</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Courier New';">rry and was soon a mistress to Louis XV. Sadly, some years after Louis XV died, she was accused of treason the beheaded. France sure liked their guillotine!</span></span></p><div><div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span style=" font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; font-size:100%;" ><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7XiM3O9Y6istGdNHG1eucpPUjGZBeVyVoTdyYMEd8fuOMvRFLr4ZY76tv9jljqZc29mKpKn9kqpUj6CKEXyUf_UxLqxVFk-68V2R_7QIbW_DIu25ZlZT5Xpjv6QPBg9rncH0gbuudpO4/s200/Virginia+Oldoini+photo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659491661926350146" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 158px; height: 200px; " /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span style=" font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";">Virginia Oldoini wasn’t born poor. She married at 17 and became the Countess of Castiglione. A cousin involved her in politics, where she met, and became the mistress of, Napoleon III. This (surprisingly) upset her husband and they separated. But she did not slip into obscurity. Instead, her beauty captured the attention of photographers, Mayer and Pierson. They documented her life in photographs, earning her a legacy that carried on long af</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Courier New';">ter her death.</span></span></p></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;"><br /></span> </span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span style=" font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span style=" font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:100%;">Marie-Louis O’Murphy posed for a nude painting as a young teen. It came to the attention of Louis XV. She became one of his mistresses</span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGZsBaneY8KwwtzvCXaVFJ98Pz9yr0b1taPrSPp9BgV2WhnPLPmCcyY3URjm5T8-7dIq7j07tC7c9w9XT0RE2zuRHFJvrsxTyXFExhyphenhypheniUf2-DuY6QLfARzvw-jiDNntQMF_vn2V9D9Xg/s200/Marie-louise+O%2527murphy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659492618906614738" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 122px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Courier New';font-size:100%;" >and bore him a child. When she attempted to replace Madame de Pompadour as his favored mistress, she was booted from favor and married off. She went on to live an interesting life, including marrying and divorcing a second husband (the first died) who was twenty-eight years her junior.</span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span style=" font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span style=" font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:100%;">Needless to say, the research into this topic was very interesting! Though my books have yet to feature an actual courtesan heroine, I wondered if readers would accept a fallen woman as a heroine, or would her past be too hard to overcome? <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span style=" font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span style=" font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3366ff;">The Accidental Courtesan</span></b> <b>has been released this week (Oct 4th), the same week as my birthday (Oct 7<sup>th</sup>), so I’m having a party!<sup> </sup>Berkley is giving away a two book set of my books to a Romance Bandits commenter today. Just give me your opinion of a fallen woman as a heroine.</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span style=" font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#006600;"><b>Donna here - Speaking of prizes, I just wanted to remind everyone of the mad party of tricks and treats and prizes beginning on October 14th in the lair. Later this month a BIG Bandita Surprise will be announced with even more prizes, but you MUST be here on the 14th for details!</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span style=" font-family:"Courier New";mso-bidi-Courier New"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;color:#990000;"><b>Cheryl's Birthday Bash continues on at her blog and she's giving the gifts! For details about a chance at a birthday kindle, visit www.cherylannsmith.com </b></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--></div></div></div>Donna MacMeanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10310857800824141312noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-78990860759672694442011-10-05T00:31:00.001-04:002011-10-05T00:31:00.640-04:00A Clash of Exes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlSnK3U0qwVwEk1-9gi8Gl5btgu0JK2-38d4HhoLAV1JF4Uf3lfClozGnihaFWXaXYbBaNiTnM1ZAO3vAKGDCGonakE2YsB2I1SSg_pHSA5d-vwb7GofhHjbI5eXhxVVwCmM5ANMwguxK/s1600/Gina_Robinson_3_small.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 161px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlSnK3U0qwVwEk1-9gi8Gl5btgu0JK2-38d4HhoLAV1JF4Uf3lfClozGnihaFWXaXYbBaNiTnM1ZAO3vAKGDCGonakE2YsB2I1SSg_pHSA5d-vwb7GofhHjbI5eXhxVVwCmM5ANMwguxK/s320/Gina_Robinson_3_small.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659770696846541058" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Gina Robinson returns to the Lair with the debut of her new Agent Ex spy series. She'll also chat with us about what we think marriage to a spy would be like.<br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Welcome, Gina!<br /></span><br />Like most writers, I read voraciously and broadly. I've always loved a good spy thriller, whether it be in novel or movie form. As for spy heroes--James Bond, Jason Bourne, Jack Ryan, Jack Bauer, James Clayton--they have a sexy mystique about them. They're handsome, athletic, intelligent, witty, good with a gun, great with their hands, alpha males. What's not to love?<br /><br />Hmmmm . . . good question. The more I thought about it, the more I realized spies might make great lovers, but do they make great soul mates, partners, and husbands? There are a lot of potential downsides to marrying a spy. Spies are always gone. Always in danger, which can translate to putting those they love in harm's way, too. They're professional liars and they hang out with beautiful fellow female agents as well as femme fatale enemy spies. You never know where they are. They seldom make it home for dinner and when they do, they're often disheveled. They drive like maniacs. And they're always looking over their shoulder.<br /><br />Thinking what it would be like being married to a spy like Bond sparked the idea for my new Agent Ex series from St. Martin's Press. But because I love Agent 86 Maxwell Smart as well as Bond, I put a lot of humor and lighthearted fun into the books, and poked a little bit of fun at the spy thriller genre.<br /><br />And while most spy thrillers are written by men for men, I decided it was high time to gear a spy book toward female readers, which means focusing on the romance and the personal relationships of the spies and their love interests.<br /><br />The books in the Agent Ex series are all reunion books. The "Ex" refers to spouses who are well on their way to being ex spouses. The first book in the series, <span style="font-style:italic;">The Spy Who Left Me</span>, November 2011, takes place in Hawaii. Here's the back cover blurb:<br /><br />THEY WERE UNDERCOVER LOVERS<br /><br />If there’s one thing that can ruin a vacation, it’s running into your ex. Just ask Treflee Miller. If she’d only known that her husband Ty would be here in Hawaii—muscular, sun-bronzed, and infuriatingly gorgeous—she would have brought the divorce papers for him to sign. But life is full of surprises when you’re married to a world-class spy…<br /><br />NOW THEY’RE STRANGERS IN PARADISE<br /><br />Ty Miller can understand why his wife is tired of playing Mrs. James Bond. He’s <span style="font-style:italic;">never</span> home, he’s <span style="font-style:italic;">always</span> on a mission, and he’s <span style="font-style:italic;">usually</span> surrounded by exotic informants. He has to admit that the perfect spy makes a pretty lousy husband. But for the sake of Ty’s security and Treflee’s safety, they can’t blow his cover. Not here. Not now. Not when his longing is so strong, her lips so tempting—and his enemies so close…<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312542399/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=romanbandi-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=0312542399"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 147px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8X-qvkTYZU1gj192Z5eBshreYy8O4jq2ZIYiV3-wZWWF1KE8oy_LECQ9cLQyXBKc_Na-QFM7-nintstM0AjAe2PkH0VESNiStTuu4s-jd2IzqtT_NCVOCBgrpFkmiSqTBXhJkXcse0U7/s320/TheSpyWhoLeftMe_cover300dpi-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659771439102839826" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=romanbandi-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0312542399&camp=217145&creative=399373" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />Excerpt:<br /><br />There are two things a girl would really rather not experience on her Hawaiian vacation—the monthly curse and a run-in with her soon-to-be ex. For the first time since puberty, Treflee Miller had managed to dodge the first. She was staring at all six-foot-two well-muscled, lying, spying, ran-out-on-her inches of the second as he hefted her cousin Carrie’s bags up the steps of the Big Auau Sugar Plantation’s lanai.<br /><br />He’d bleached his brown hair to a sun-streaked blond and grown a goatee, but it was him. The corner of his mouth curled into that sexy half grin of his and his eyes danced with flirtation as he stared at Carrie, not seeing Treflee.<br /><br />Treflee flushed, feeling an unexpected jolt of jealousy. Whether she wanted him or not, he was still her man. Her mouth fell open into what was surely an unflattering gape. What was he doing here on her vacation? Shouldn’t he be playing spy boy, not bellhop, on something other than U.S. soil?<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Damn!</span> She didn’t have the divorce papers on her. Technically, he wasn’t legally her ex-husband. Yet. He’d run off on another top-secret mission without signing the final paperwork. If only she had them with her, she’d make short work of her still-married status.<div><br /></div><div>***<br /><br />Here's the trailer:<br /><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/26687608?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/26687608">The Spy Who Left Me</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/visualquill">Visual Quill</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p>For more information on Gina and her books, check out her <a href="http://www.ginarobinson.com/">website</a>.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><b><br />What about you? What do you think it would really be like being married to a world-class secret agent? What upsides and downsides can you imagine? One winner today will receive either <i>Spy Games</i> or <i>Spy Candy</i> (winner's choice) from Gina's backlist.</b></span><br /></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div>****</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Don't forget we kick off Trick or Treat in the Lair with a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;">BIG</span> announcement on</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#cc0000;">October 14</span>. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Be sure to join us on this special red letter day and learn the secret the GR is doing his best to uncover. Trick or Treat culminates on October 31 with a special treat--but you'll miss the beginning unless you're here on the 14th!</span></div>Nancyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13705259501965011703noreply@blogger.com67tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-63947226784581076622011-10-04T00:12:00.000-04:002011-10-04T00:12:00.705-04:00Welcome Theresa Romain<span style="font-size:78%;">by Christie Kelley </span><br /><br />Today the lair is welcoming debut author Theresa Romain. Her first book, <span style="font-style: italic;">Season for Temptation</span>, is out now. Welcome again, Theresa.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJfUmCLoxonvVCg97yjaldaQRbB_9Un1Hxa7XsgefXBby7eA3dd5WeIugYx0sNPPCw-FcWMfU6ni4_ao7IpnRR0jYaN8WLHMZGHAmZDj4-h2O1VkLlotCwNoRU6Wl9UjEaZiGc8ZqgI0/s1600/Theresa_Romain.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJfUmCLoxonvVCg97yjaldaQRbB_9Un1Hxa7XsgefXBby7eA3dd5WeIugYx0sNPPCw-FcWMfU6ni4_ao7IpnRR0jYaN8WLHMZGHAmZDj4-h2O1VkLlotCwNoRU6Wl9UjEaZiGc8ZqgI0/s200/Theresa_Romain.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659398339382615682" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;">Can you tell us a little about the story? </span><br /><br />Hi, Christie—thanks so much for inviting me here to blog with the Romance Bandits! <span style="font-style: italic;">Season for Temptation </span>is a Regency-set historical romance featuring a love triangle, a hungry parrot, disastrous costumes, several unwanted proposals, and one much-wanted one.<br /><br />The back cover copy reads:<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">TWO SISTERS… Julia Herington is overjoyed when her stepsister, Louisa, becomes engaged—to a viscount, no less. Louisa’s only hesitation is living a life under the ton’s critical gaze. But with his wry wit and unconventional ideas, Julia feels James is perfect for Louisa. S</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixqy6ySUfX0hoo3vFQx6zzWRj_iCeQMLaFHwtEIQWHXuFeInb8LhLKP10ZnzTwZYehIMeen5NRTXcwt7P4GtSDMgsoe_2qmi_5Ol0mmEX46zcsb3tr5B9qCrr5ClSuLuc_jI5-dLNQe0Q/s1600/Season+for+Temptation.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 124px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixqy6ySUfX0hoo3vFQx6zzWRj_iCeQMLaFHwtEIQWHXuFeInb8LhLKP10ZnzTwZYehIMeen5NRTXcwt7P4GtSDMgsoe_2qmi_5Ol0mmEX46zcsb3tr5B9qCrr5ClSuLuc_jI5-dLNQe0Q/s200/Season+for+Temptation.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659398557002143154" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">he can only hope to find a man like him for herself. Exactly like him, in fact… </span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />ONE CHOICE… As the new Viscount Matheson, James wished to marry quickly and secure his title. Kind, intelligent Louisa seemed a suitable bride… Until he met her stepsister. Julia is impetuous—and irresistible. Pledged to one sister, yet captivated by another, what is he to do? As Christmas and the whirl of the London season approach, James may be caught in a most scandalous conundrum, one that only true love, a bit of spiritous punch—and a twist of fate—will solve… </span> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;">Season for Temptation</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;"> is a Regency historical. What got you into writing historical romance?</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span><br /><br />I’ve always loved history, and I’ve always loved reading. I started reading historical romance in college, and I think the possibility of writing one was always in the back of my mind. First, though, I had to finish grad school (in history!), and then I focused on nonfiction writing for quite a while. Once I was ready to switch to fiction, it took a while to retrain my writing voice. The first draft of Season for Temptation sounded as formal as a scientific article! But it was even more fun than I’d thought it would be to make up stories and tinker with dialogue and character, so I kept revising over time. And, of course, reading every fantastic historical romance I could get my hands on.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">The plot has a love triangle. How hard was writing that aspect of the story? Did you find it difficult to keep you hero and heroine sympathetic in that situation?</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span><br /><br />Absolutely, it was a difficult balance to keep everyone sympathetic. But I thought it was very important to the story. I’ve seen love triangles with “other women,” but I wanted to write all three characters as good people who are in a really difficult situation. Both James and Louisa enter into their engagement for noble reasons: they want to help their families. Both James and Julia fight their attraction because they have great respect for Louisa—in fact, Julia considers Louisa her closest friend as well as her stepsister. So I had to balance the growth of love and desire with perfectly proper behavior. Every time James or Julia stepped over the line, they had to pull back, since (in my opinion) there’s nothing romantic about betrayal. The story is about how people with the best intentions can be led astray by emotions—and then how they make things right.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;">We love call stories in the lair! Can you tell us yours? </span><br /><br />Certainly! Mine is kind of backwards. My call story began with the Northwest Houston RWA’s Lone Star writing contest in spring 2009. I entered the first few chapters of my first novel in the Historical category. And then my house flooded – TWICE – and I forgot about the contest. I stopped querying, I stopped writing, I stopped doing anything except dealing with contractors and oh yeah working and oh maybe even sleeping but not much because there was always something else that needed to be fixed. That went on for about five months.<br /><br />At the end of that five months, things were reasonably normal again, and I missed writing so much by then. I opened up my manuscript files and looked everything over. I had fresh eyes for the work by this point, and I started tweaking and fixing and clipping and expanding. A few weeks later, the Lone Star contest coordinator told me that I’d made the contest final. And shortly after that, the judging editor emailed me to ask for the full. Whee!! She had my shiny newly edited manuscript in her inbox before the day was out. A few weeks later, the editor called me to make an offer for it.<br /><br />So that was the literal “call” in my “call story,” and I actually missed it because I was at work. But she left a message. I know I didn’t imagine it, because I made my husband listen to it and tell me it was real. And I did get back to the editor the next day, and she promised it was real. And now Season for Temptation is also real!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">What's next for you?</span><br /><br />I’m working on a few other Regency-set projects, including a follow-up to Season for Temptation. When I have definite details, I will shout them to the world! And just for fun...what's your favorite dessert? Um, all of them? I have a world-class sweet tooth, and dessert always sounds good to me. I like to watch competitions on the Food Network, and whenever a judge says, “This is too sweet,” I think, “Whatever. There’s no such thing.”<br /><br />I do have a particular love for anything with coconut (which I realize is a controversial opinion). Coconut cake is my favorite make-it-every-birthday treat. I also really like Jelly Bellys, but I don’t get them very often since I gobble them down whenever they’re in the house.<br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);" class=" down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" alt="Link" class="gl_link" border="0" /></span></span><br />You can Theresa at <span style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://theresaromain.com/">http://theresaromain.com/</a><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/TheresaRomain">http://www.facebook.com/AuthorTheresaRomain</a><br /></span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://twitter.com/TheresaRomain"><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);" class="" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" alt="Link" class="gl_link" border="0" /></span></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://twitter.com/TheresaRomain">http://twitter.com/TheresaRomain </a><br /><span style="display: block; font-family:georgia;" id="formatbar_Buttons" ><span onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);" class="" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link"><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" alt="Link" class="gl_link" border="0" /></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Christie and Bandits, thanks again for hosting me! And now I have a question for you readers. Did you ever have a dinner that surprised you—whether the food or the company? Tell us about it! I’ll give away a copy of <span style="font-style: italic;">Season for Temptation</span> to one random commenter. </span>jo robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16824237193217632098noreply@blogger.com82tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-35705895991069970822011-10-03T00:19:00.003-04:002011-10-03T11:03:41.336-04:00Guest Linda O. Johnston asks: YES or NO?<em><span style="color:#990000;">Hosted by Kate </span></em><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;"><a href="http://lindaojohnston.com/images/site/lindaphoto.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 199px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 249px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://lindaojohnston.com/images/site/lindaphoto.jpg" /></a>Please join me in welcoming back Linda O. Johnston to the Lair! She's here to tell you all about her latest Pet Rescue mystery! Take it away, Linda!<br /></span></strong><br />Hi, Romance Bandits and fans. Thanks for inviting me here. Now, ready for a challenge?<br /><br />Here it is: What do you do if you’re given two choices--yes or no? You must go one way or the other--and you have reasons you don’t like each of them. How do you make your decision?<br /><br />The lesser of two evils? The one you’re most likely to succeed at?<br /><br /><a href="http://lindaojohnston.com/images/Covers/TheMoreTheTerrier200.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 325px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://lindaojohnston.com/images/Covers/TheMoreTheTerrier200.jpg" /></a>I’ll tell you in a moment what I’ve done to Lauren Vancouver, the protagonist of my Pet Rescue Mystery series, by giving her that kind of decision in her latest adventure, <strong><em>THE MORE THE TERRIER</em></strong>.<br /><br />First, though, I’m going to provide you with that decision. You can choose to read <strong><em>THE MORE THE TERRIER</em></strong>, or not. Guess which one I’m aiming for! Better yet, you can also choose to read its predecessor in the series, <strong><em>BEAGLEMANIA</em></strong>, if you haven’t already. If you choose yes, I’m betting you’ll have fun with them. And, by the way, <strong><em>THE MORE THE TERRIER </em></strong>is a Mystery Guild selection!<br /><br />Now, let me tell you about Lauren. She’s a skilled and dedicated administrator of a private, no-kill pet shelter. She’ll do anything to save animals, and she despises those who harm them. Most of the time.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.treehugger.com/dog-pound-save.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 303px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 191px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.treehugger.com/dog-pound-save.jpg" /></a>But in <strong><em>THE MORE THE TERRIER</em></strong>, Lauren is faced with a decision she doesn’t like at all: ignore her one-time cherished mentor, who is the major suspect in a murder case, or help her. Sounds easy, right? But that mentor has apparently become the kind of person Lauren hates most: one who abuses animals.<br /><br />So what does she do?<br /><br />Here’s the background:<br /><br />At the beginning of <strong><em>THE MORE THE TERRIER</em></strong>, Lauren is horrified to learn that her former mentor, Mamie Spelling, has become an animal hoarder. Of course Lauren does all she can to save the animals. Every one of them comes out of it just fine. It’s fiction, after all. And in the Pet Rescue Mysteries, “no-kill” means pets, not people!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.for-the-dog-lover.com/images/dog-pound-puppy.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 306px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 208px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.for-the-dog-lover.com/images/dog-pound-puppy.jpg" /></a>It doesn’t hurt that Lauren’s love interest, Matt Kingston, is a captain with Los Angeles Animal Services who can let her know when the abused animals that are taken into official custody are ready for private shelters to come and rescue them. Oh, yes, my mystery protagonists always have a love interest, just like my romances always come with suspense.<br /><br />Anyway, a woman who has been hounding Mamie is soon murdered, and Mamie becomes the major suspect. But Mamie is aging and confused. Lauren lost touch with her after she, and not Mamie, was chosen to run HotRescues, a generously funded private pet shelter.<br /><br /><a href="http://lindaojohnston.com/images/covers/BeagleMania200.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 324px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://lindaojohnston.com/images/covers/BeagleMania200.jpg" /></a>What do you think Lauren does? You undoubtedly guessed it. She helps Mamie. That means that Lauren once more must solve a murder. She’s already had to do that, in <strong><em>BEAGLEMANIA</em></strong>, when she was the main murder suspect.<br /><br />The Pet Rescue Mysteries are a spinoff series from my <em>Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mysteries</em>, in which Kendra comes to think of herself as a murder magnet. Kendra makes cameo appearances in the Pet Rescue Mysteries, and the person who supports Lauren’s shelter HotRescues financially is Kendra’s wealthy guy friend Dante de Francisco.<br /><br />That adds to Lauren’s dilemma, by the way. She likes Kendra well enough but she doesn’t want to be like her--especially in solving murders. Not that I’m giving her much choice. And the murder in <strong><em>THE MORE THE TERRIER</em></strong> isn’t the last one Lauren will need to solve!<br /><br />The next Pet Rescue Mystery will be <strong><em>HOUNDS ABOUND</em></strong>, which will be published in 2012.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;">So--how do you make those yes or no decisions? And if your decision about <em>THE MORE THE TERRIER</em> is to read it, please let me know!<br /></span></strong><br /><br />Kate here. I want to thank Linda for stopping by the Lair today! You can visit Linda at <a href="http://www.lindaojohnston.com/" target="_blank">http://www.lindaojohnston.com/</a> and at <a href="http://www.killerhobbies.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://www.killerhobbies.blogspot.com/</a> on Wednesdays. You can also friend her on <em>Facebook</em>.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#006600;">P.S. Tricks and Treats begin on October 14 so be sure to stick around for the fun! And later this month, a BIG Bandita Surprise!! More Prizes will be involved! :-)<br /><br /></span></strong><strong><span style="color:#006600;"></span></strong>Kate Carlislehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16863555050062113192noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-69183097898190465392011-10-02T00:18:00.001-04:002011-10-02T00:18:00.534-04:00Mystery Under the Vines<span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">by Caren Crane</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-wVx6FeMVbWAAehuLE1Iz_QtLVs7gV-PtPie_z7JYQHTLJSeCEpLYlYdhGiHjyGsUk51VtV5PZvemltBpRbVYd6eM7cc4QqUJ8WJZfyrKorcJzTwiF2kuPCFF7wJ35Aekf9K9Ccm6P2cz/s1600/dark+ravine.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-wVx6FeMVbWAAehuLE1Iz_QtLVs7gV-PtPie_z7JYQHTLJSeCEpLYlYdhGiHjyGsUk51VtV5PZvemltBpRbVYd6eM7cc4QqUJ8WJZfyrKorcJzTwiF2kuPCFF7wJ35Aekf9K9Ccm6P2cz/s200/dark+ravine.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658718941087795714" border="0" /></a>The scene: a quiet street in working-class neighborhood in the suburbs. A small elementary school sits on this street, where there is little traffic except on weekdays when school begins and ends. Across from the school, a wooded ravine, overgrown with ivy and vines winding over the ground, down the hillside and up the tree trunks.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj82whWxssuALLf_UpH_oO9c5qddP7CA64IOvZ7njenaocg53QVcPyf9FzNhpFoUJ91BuaCryie14Ncc-4K949AJe_red5L9ht3EoRk4pK2erYI2MdFJRSQ-DV_8xcMqwb4BeZpKpF3XKsf/s1600/carpool.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 156px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj82whWxssuALLf_UpH_oO9c5qddP7CA64IOvZ7njenaocg53QVcPyf9FzNhpFoUJ91BuaCryie14Ncc-4K949AJe_red5L9ht3EoRk4pK2erYI2MdFJRSQ-DV_8xcMqwb4BeZpKpF3XKsf/s200/carpool.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658725111681835538" border="0" /></a>Within the skeletal fingers of dead vines, buried in heavy mulch from years of fallen leaves, lay half-hidden, half-seen things. Things no one wanted, no one needed. Things that should remain hidden, things with stories unheard and untold.<br />People drove by every day. Parents picking up their children from the school across the road. Unsuspecting neighbors believing nothing more than trees and undergrowth dwelled in the woods in their midst.<br /><br />What we discovered shocked us and the wondering neighbors who drove by - some several times - to see what was dragged up the hill from the overgrown depths. When my Girl Scout troop went yesterday to help with a local Litter Sweep, we had no idea what we would find. We had been told this spot needed "a lot of help", but were unprepared, first, for the overgrown state of the ravine and, second, for the sheer volume and disparity of objects we unearthed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDW4Pja0Jue_Uk0Y68BPYXcY8GdtFws1kp5kCaASefJYEovhbe4AlpKSy2VU40s6pIP_HhoKui6KYmo6ECytchZcv6-DJ_YtYRWrKpaMMGsKz1u5Ys_ua-pnF0E5ce72SLHYpSxJ42nOj4/s1600/trash+and+grass.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDW4Pja0Jue_Uk0Y68BPYXcY8GdtFws1kp5kCaASefJYEovhbe4AlpKSy2VU40s6pIP_HhoKui6KYmo6ECytchZcv6-DJ_YtYRWrKpaMMGsKz1u5Ys_ua-pnF0E5ce72SLHYpSxJ42nOj4/s200/trash+and+grass.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658719869806124674" border="0" /></a>Many of these were not glamorous things: bottles (beer and liquor), cans (beer, soda and cat food), bags, cups, plates, wrappers, lids with straws. Some appeared to be in the ravine by mistake: a basketball, several soccer balls, the casings from roman candles. Some were clearly left for the sake of dumping convenience: a mattress, a space heater,a metal garbage can, a gas can, a futon pad, mini-blinds, a patio umbrella, a PC tower, a typewriter, a couple of car tires.<br /><br />Still others made us wonder: a pair of pants, a nice pair of Nike tennis shoes, baby socks, adult socks, baby shoes. A crib. A meat cleaver. The sign pointing the way to a church in a nearby town. A pair of panties.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjheh0RA_CLigEwofvQQaSc-ZOcG-4i4QJgwusyt3JIIa8bD9_AUOCen4TBSdWIEEM9weHl9nLbhgabCROpY0Qs3IixD2hzxlOhDS-zzxj9VWmKbFRcm-WHS8u6F0dito30QEeiQtkNGxnw/s1600/parents-busted-trying-to-sell-baby-for-25.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjheh0RA_CLigEwofvQQaSc-ZOcG-4i4QJgwusyt3JIIa8bD9_AUOCen4TBSdWIEEM9weHl9nLbhgabCROpY0Qs3IixD2hzxlOhDS-zzxj9VWmKbFRcm-WHS8u6F0dito30QEeiQtkNGxnw/s200/parents-busted-trying-to-sell-baby-for-25.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658721583223404594" border="0" /></a>It wasn't just my writer's imagination that was piqued by all this "treasure". The girls in my troop – all high school juniors and seniors – crafted elaborate scenarios of how some things had come to be there. There were stories of young women making bad choices, trusting the wrong men. A young couple setting up a meth lab, trying to raise a baby they couldn't support and shouldn't have had. Until things went south and they had to ditch everything: the lab equipment, the burners, the futon, the crib. The wife. The cleaver. The baby.<br /><br />By the time the girls got this far into the tale and we were deep in the ravine, we all fully expected to uncover skeletal human remains. It got very CSI down in there yesterday. Suddenly, our two and a half hours was up. There was more to be done, much more, but Starsky – our trusty town employee and clean-up supervisor – reclaimed our orange vests, gloves and trash picker-uppers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykulW5lY_wnR0xGYuOGWMI6Cag1wqSRhqC8K9s000j6_2k-Ote_41pO0NII5TzS4w9OAXN794aOVximoPIIyy88G6kU_FDG5DB11Hql6sr4r5_90Cp69s4yz7mJHu8zIfJReGOh-zXGup/s1600/roadside+litter.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykulW5lY_wnR0xGYuOGWMI6Cag1wqSRhqC8K9s000j6_2k-Ote_41pO0NII5TzS4w9OAXN794aOVximoPIIyy88G6kU_FDG5DB11Hql6sr4r5_90Cp69s4yz7mJHu8zIfJReGOh-zXGup/s200/roadside+litter.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658720439410223154" border="0" /></a>Still, there is much more to be done in the ravine and there are many more stories for it to tell. The volunteer supervisor is sending us information on how to permanently adopt that spot, to come back on a regular basis and unearth more fascinating pieces of other peoples' lives. I feel sure we will. Who could resist all that buried drama waiting to be dragged from the vine-choked depths of the ravine? Not I.<br /><br /><b>What about you? Have you encountered a place that made your mind race with speculation? A house, an empty lot, an abandoned space, that compelled you to recreate how it came to be in its current state? We would love to hear about your mysterious spot and the story it told to you.</b><br /><br />~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br /><br /><i style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">Be sure to stop by later this month. Beginning on October 14, we will be giving away tricks and treats daily in anticipation of our BIG SURPRISE coming at the end of the month. Don't miss out!</i>Caren Cranehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12352366686017375279noreply@blogger.com65tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-48809540052511409322011-10-01T00:01:00.042-04:002011-10-01T15:42:58.312-04:00OCTOBER PREVIEW<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVjw-gxUX05111Q2vshgk3y3bzo2IOlQxKuZV2OwHk_g32qik8WlCWlwYkvPf1KyokDtrV8aWH1N89B2GTTPpNaIyCFKPQ-nWcvnsQACjOJo3heTCf56wsYIRInfLj7EKsRb8tSFTuAA/s1600/bloody+autumn.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 167px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 190px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656768486609603282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVjw-gxUX05111Q2vshgk3y3bzo2IOlQxKuZV2OwHk_g32qik8WlCWlwYkvPf1KyokDtrV8aWH1N89B2GTTPpNaIyCFKPQ-nWcvnsQACjOJo3heTCf56wsYIRInfLj7EKsRb8tSFTuAA/s320/bloody+autumn.jpg" /></a> by Jo Robertson<br /><br />Isn't the photo to the right delicious! It's a perfect blend of fall and winter. I want to use it for one of my covers!<br /><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Fall is in the air in northern California! And BIG NEWS is in the air for the Romance Bandits...</span>and the rooster seems to be in a tizzy, running around like a chicken with his head cut off!<br /><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">October 14 kicks off a special Trick or Treat for our visitors, with the biggest treat of all coming in the Duchesse's post on Halloween! Stay tuned for the delightful details, and the kicking off of our trick or treat surprises with a very special announcement!</span><br /><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51iqhxP1zgL._SL500_AA300_.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 213px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 213px" border="0" alt="" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51iqhxP1zgL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Bawhaaaaa! 'Tis also the month of ghosts and ghouls and goblins, and we have a great lineu</span><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">p of guests to keep you returning to the Lair where things go bump in the night. Especially on All Hallow's Eve!</span><br /><br /><br />On October 3, Kate will host Linda O Johnston, who's back in the Lair to talk about THE MORE THE TERRIER, the next book in her delightful <em>Pet Rescue </em>mystery series.<br /><br /><br />Christie brings Theresa Romain to the Lair on October 4.<br /><br /><br /><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 135px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 211px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657124877006430242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpPMpkVGMt_HjdmCB_T17WLWZ_waJ1N6ZxNDatCHvZoJo0sbLrp47qrxmm5loatskuR11Yit9kONvAT18o7YV3fVSt3k37PNQE2O5R8PqIxEjjghFzTkL_xpOjB1-Lld-68EdjxGRxw/s320/TheSpyWhoLeftMe_cover300dpi.jpg" />Nancy's guest Gina Robinson visits on October 5 to talk about her new release, "The Spy Who Left Me." They will discuss what marriage to a spy like Bond might really be like. Oooh, now that sounds delicious!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQB2tzV416Y6ijgTXmSargLqWWsXwvdCtlcsKEF8oqyoJxcGeeVRJGvjyKhAKZ-iQsp5liTe44gkyhMrJbY7L1IEXJmDKc5zvAilPYwr8efctfgtjrgVondIPaRjS5BGWFjrbL8Hpsw/s1600/Cheryl+Ann+Smith+cover.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 137px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 185px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656764570867426146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQB2tzV416Y6ijgTXmSargLqWWsXwvdCtlcsKEF8oqyoJxcGeeVRJGvjyKhAKZ-iQsp5liTe44gkyhMrJbY7L1IEXJmDKc5zvAilPYwr8efctfgtjrgVondIPaRjS5BGWFjrbL8Hpsw/s320/Cheryl+Ann+Smith+cover.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Cheryl Ann Smith will be returning to the lair on October 6 as Donna's guest. About her latest Regency release, THE ACCIDENTAL COURTESAN, Romantic Times says, "With a dash of humor, plenty of sensuality and a fast pace, Smith's second School for Brides novel is a pure delight..."<br /><br /><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51nFFFJEDGL._SL500_AA300_.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 241px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 241px" border="0" alt="" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51nFFFJEDGL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" /></a><br />Kate again plays hostess as she brings Regan Hastings back to the Lair on October 7. You won't want to miss this one because, as RT Book Review says, "the sexual tension ... sizzles off the page!"<br /><br /><br /><br />On October 8<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8vUj1di1DVU99zlxA_7_BwUW9QhViCEGh2map-hiBp7xT8r_S5ttlKnPev3AvWn-ppH7XAuRzrqs8LRGz80YtmyFkEgrBQnHzhq44eSAhujtWeInuET12Yhi65IDZjDCvaLSG_fQow/s1600/Barbara+Monajem+book.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 123px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 165px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656762892368654738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8vUj1di1DVU99zlxA_7_BwUW9QhViCEGh2map-hiBp7xT8r_S5ttlKnPev3AvWn-ppH7XAuRzrqs8LRGz80YtmyFkEgrBQnHzhq44eSAhujtWeInuET12Yhi65IDZjDCvaLSG_fQow/s320/Barbara+Monajem+book.jpg" /></a> Nancy brings another guest. Barbara Monajem and she will chat about juggling historical and contemporary books. They'll also discuss Barbara's paranormal romance, <em>Tastes of Love and Evil.<br /></em><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKDuUlqlNYhtGA1rQmXdHWA_C6G3FpVtkR_dZcx46fe0Q-FwucRsfxO3NW13La7txxqYIYECsVqeLNFYhxZbEoT9ounjN4-Pj6IfyD5gCj7y9GMtTMwH0EJM-fyQRlJu5tSOpWQ_FMg/s1600/The+Mephisto+Covenant+Cover+smaller.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 152px; HEIGHT: 252px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656762443632881618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKDuUlqlNYhtGA1rQmXdHWA_C6G3FpVtkR_dZcx46fe0Q-FwucRsfxO3NW13La7txxqYIYECsVqeLNFYhxZbEoT9ounjN4-Pj6IfyD5gCj7y9GMtTMwH0EJM-fyQRlJu5tSOpWQ_FMg/s320/The+Mephisto+Covenant+Cover+smaller.jpg" /></a> On October 9 Trinity Faegan<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirIDzphMMYias3YnJyg56TZnCquKOo3ZWjv-Jr-HZYo0CmI6DZXduhf4Gv6RQ4BLSGu1fJ0efIuduT3eqpnVOomBySiXe0R5-_4ddscZLzItTXmn_Dg8mZlWQl4Fg237ZY9dqYz7Bbcg/s1600/Trinity+Faegen.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 142px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 122px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656761939954783586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirIDzphMMYias3YnJyg56TZnCquKOo3ZWjv-Jr-HZYo0CmI6DZXduhf4Gv6RQ4BLSGu1fJ0efIuduT3eqpnVOomBySiXe0R5-_4ddscZLzItTXmn_Dg8mZlWQl4Fg237ZY9dqYz7Bbcg/s320/Trinity+Faegen.jpg" /></a></div>is T r ish's guest. They'll be talking about her debu t young adult novel, <em>The </em><em>Mephisto Covenant. </em><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />On October 12, Bandits Jeanne and Cassondra will host the venerable Barbara Vey for an intimate discussion about how she emerged from deep depression to become one of the most influential voices in publishing. Oh, an d she'll announce a fun upcoming surprise!<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFjQrUxVUbC2MgGeX45ZqwRPQJt0tHH0dc0z8jE0Ja24cTv4NPR2w9NqvNeeYlr7D5E6ta9E58ZmzMFtXaPJkcR-eseav68xPWgGyH1u2dhfCGhYlAnOvwe3vRWfkctb0-mx5D55RIA/s1600/happy+birthday+sign.gif"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 209px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 148px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656761218314013954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFjQrUxVUbC2MgGeX45ZqwRPQJt0tHH0dc0z8jE0Ja24cTv4NPR2w9NqvNeeYlr7D5E6ta9E58ZmzMFtXaPJkcR-eseav68xPWgGyH1u2dhfCGhYlAnOvwe3vRWfkctb0-mx5D55RIA/s320/happy+birthday+sign.gif" /></a></p><br />Deep breath to pause. That's a host of guests, folks, and tons of books to ad to our TBR piles. So let's pause on October 13 to wish Bandita Cassondra a very happy birthday!!!<br /><br /><br /><br />Nancy <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNbGG2BQA_AK4vmMYY0sqJNcXnBN32_S14XVHt4CihvS4DHyvIGKxd864g3PanwKdn1uJDqmuJN98feEYaWUO2CAGXDAOAGmfFjrxrm2oJlPLlvHKnPTnmLaOQTRfCrOcSRKOwAYgS2A/s1600/BorderLord%2527sBride_rgb.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 139px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 178px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656761657733078178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNbGG2BQA_AK4vmMYY0sqJNcXnBN32_S14XVHt4CihvS4DHyvIGKxd864g3PanwKdn1uJDqmuJN98feEYaWUO2CAGXDAOAGmfFjrxrm2oJlPLlvHKnPTnmLaOQTRfCrOcSRKOwAYgS2A/s320/BorderLord%2527sBride_rgb.jpg" /></a>returns again on October 16 to chat with guest Gerri Russell about the appeal of continuing series. We'll also find out a bit about Gerri's new novella, <em>The Border Lord's Bride.</em><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Lair favou<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqcWtki_qmRM9FKgGeNiFlJKSr7qKIcEmJX4IFC4e8XPelWU-EG3hVZj3tWMBgcV26F1mgrzJp2NMXK9mVNE0i81nIvzCcJhCrTYdnVIYaMLaJ3jr9hzAucsYC5B-c-fN7MixKeHYuA/s1600/Return+of+Stranger.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 258px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 229px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656760753742011874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqcWtki_qmRM9FKgGeNiFlJKSr7qKIcEmJX4IFC4e8XPelWU-EG3hVZj3tWMBgcV26F1mgrzJp2NMXK9mVNE0i81nIvzCcJhCrTYdnVIYaMLaJ3jr9hzAucsYC5B-c-fN7MixKeHYuA/s320/Return+of+Stranger.jpg" /></a>rite, Kate Walker, will be back on October 22 as Vrai Anna's guest to chat about her <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYAxx-fD1kP2Obul6hoRHJLIz1_3QfFYiRraivXH_u_xjs4dOmYFSsKRls8eFo-SF1d1ib9Ex6MwbSlq8atS4rM_21pWsisPLUtkBr_WsD5YjW4RdVyX7M9WLVUsCRM4365qCQJVL8ag/s1600/kate%2527s+photo.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 157px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 208px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656760457429164178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYAxx-fD1kP2Obul6hoRHJLIz1_3QfFYiRraivXH_u_xjs4dOmYFSsKRls8eFo-SF1d1ib9Ex6MwbSlq8atS4rM_21pWsisPLUtkBr_WsD5YjW4RdVyX7M9WLVUsCRM4365qCQJVL8ag/s320/kate%2527s+photo.jpg" /></a>new and rather special title <em>The Return of The Stranger</em> (Presents Extra October ). She'll be talking about the way that the seeds of this book were set in her mind when she was eleven and have been growing there ever since. Verrrra interesting. I'm sure what was in my head at eleven wouldn't be worth writing about.</span><br /></p><br />Joan hosts guest Kristan Higgins on October 25<br /><br /><br /><br /><div>On October 27, Cassondra and Nancy will bring debut author Debbie Kaufman to the lair as their guest for her first time on the "author" side of the chat.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpJ2ZUnTGQ-7BQ0aOtKZKPyvSsBxs-AISKSGwY6Ov0201iWDGtgfjLN_zPFNQmRMpi35IunhrqAq-Hshdu-_JC7wKuRV4dzWJeSHXk2wXyS9_p-vsawwtl9OYDUAM6t4QPezYBFZtGw/s1600/The+Bastard.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 175px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 216px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657122525488075858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpJ2ZUnTGQ-7BQ0aOtKZKPyvSsBxs-AISKSGwY6Ov0201iWDGtgfjLN_zPFNQmRMpi35IunhrqAq-Hshdu-_JC7wKuRV4dzWJeSHXk2wXyS9_p-vsawwtl9OYDUAM6t4QPezYBFZtGw/s320/The+Bastard.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Brenda Novak will return October 30 as Jo's guest to discuss her latest writing ventures!<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWiM6QOu_MtIHAaCHBYGW-saaeyEh5TxcKJUGz71t3L9v1n3mUO1olLcYET0FNW1Ja30IFBixAnP5aniublo17AuiQcg30s30WmvXM7gjipoz1vsrahuxOF8O4x8srxEMyFqDMAoe02g/s1600/Brenda+Novak%252C+2011.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 204px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 145px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657122338069998802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWiM6QOu_MtIHAaCHBYGW-saaeyEh5TxcKJUGz71t3L9v1n3mUO1olLcYET0FNW1Ja30IFBixAnP5aniublo17AuiQcg30s30WmvXM7gjipoz1vsrahuxOF8O4x8srxEMyFqDMAoe02g/s320/Brenda+Novak%252C+2011.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p>And, of course, Halloween is always a terrifyingly lively event in the Lair, so be sure to be here on October 31!<span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwp-Ya3ygUb2s5TBFp6hi2mA_-3PZC-BILLMfrirEfNufUhgsH91HwV3xY07Mxy0CfuN1ok8pqqoOTx0ZncIf2JnoHFpgrhaZGIcdVssMu7UXUOb3TaO0fQTYJ9R4we6YHaaaGcSw7uQ/s1600/midnights+wild+mm+c.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 187px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 285px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657123249500000210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwp-Ya3ygUb2s5TBFp6hi2mA_-3PZC-BILLMfrirEfNufUhgsH91HwV3xY07Mxy0CfuN1ok8pqqoOTx0ZncIf2JnoHFpgrhaZGIcdVssMu7UXUOb3TaO0fQTYJ9R4we6YHaaaGcSw7uQ/s320/midnights+wild+mm+c.jpg" /></a></span></p><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Anna Campbell’s current contest is for your choice from her backlist. FIVE people who enter can select a book from CLAIMING THE COURTESAN, UNTOUCHED, TEMPT THE DEVIL, CAPTI</span><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">VE OF SIN, MY RECKLESS SURRENDER or MIDNIGHT’S WILD PASSION. Just email Anna on anna @ annacampbell.info (no spaces) and tell her which book you’d like. Contest closes 31st October. For more information, please visit Anna’s contest page: <a href="http://annacampbell.infor/contest.html">http://annacampbell.infor/contest.html</a> </span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzHx6NZGXelQp9tvRg8vFBo6LB6cJwNHu85CkjoE5HTwBogn0km2VZ8WD2SKXAV_KXvtdEyOZxhLtruwxjaucq6UUFxahl6RNCNptKHDsN-iw4hN4XyN9dC4yVpXJ632pRpQrSaNXxg/s1600/Halloween.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 219px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 191px" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656759950408371858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzHx6NZGXelQp9tvRg8vFBo6LB6cJwNHu85CkjoE5HTwBogn0km2VZ8WD2SKXAV_KXvtdEyOZxhLtruwxjaucq6UUFxahl6RNCNptKHDsN-iw4hN4XyN9dC4yVpXJ632pRpQrSaNXxg/s320/Halloween.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p>Happy October, everyone!</p></div>.......<br /><br />The debonair Golden Rooster sauntered into the Lair. A big development was in the works for the Romance Bandits, and he must be ready for it. He needed to refresh his traveling supplies, maybe pick up a couple of weapons to replace those, er, misplaced along the way.<br /><br />The Bandita Buddies generally treated him well, but the Bandits themselves showed him no mercy. They actually thought he should <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">work</span> when he stayed with them! He was still recovering from his last encounter with that big, ugly beast Nancy called a dog.<br /><br />At least no one should be around this time of day. Sven and his lackeys would be shopping, Ermingarde the dragon would be sleeping, and Demetrius would have his muscular gladiator louts sparring in the gym. This was the perfect time for pilfer--ah, replenishing--supplies.<br /><br />The rooster strolled toward the kitchen. Ah, the aroma of brownies. Those would fit nicely in his pack.<br /><br />"Yes, freeze them all." Sven's voice came from the kitchen. Drat. Well, the busybody major domo was bound to get distracted and go fuss with something soon, leaving the coast clear.<br /><br />"We'll need them," Sven continued. "Duchesse says her Halloween party will be the biggest bash in the history of the Lair. Lars, if you've finished the chocolate chip cookies, you can start on the bourbon balls."<br /><br />Sven <i>and</i> Lars? Double drat! The GR sidled to the door and peered inside. Sven, Lars, Paolo--and was that a new guy? Extra staff? No one had consulted him about that. With all those vigilant eyes around, he'd have no chance of stealing anything.<br /><br />Well, perhaps to the armory now. He could come back when Sven's crew were busy elsewhere.<br /><br />He hurried down the stairs and into the great vaulted corridor leading to the armory and the writing caves. He rounded the corner to the armory, only to find the door ajar.<br /><br />The rumble of deep male voices drifted out of the door. Gladiators, here? They were supposed to be pounding each other at this time of day.<br /><br />If he'd had a lip, the rooster would've curled it. Over-muscled, over-sexed, and over-rated, those gladiators were. There was simply no accounting for their popularity. Not that it rivaled his own, of course, not with women other than those bossy Banditas.<br /><br />He crept to the door and peered inside. If he could grab a rapier, perhaps a Derringer, without being seen . . . But no. Not with all of them in there. He glared at the men counting sabers, broadswords, daggers, even the shortswords the gladiators normally wore.<br /><br />"Each of you take a full set," Demetrius said. "Then we'll lock up the rest. This is going to be the biggest Halloween bash the Lair has ever seen. There'll be gate crashers. We'll need a tight security net."<br /><br />"I guess we need to polish our armor, too?" Marcus asked. On receiving a nod, he added, "What's the big deal, anyway?"<br /><br />Demetrius shrugged. "They're not saying, other than warning me there's a 'very special treat at the party.' And yes, those were Jeanne's exact words."<br /><br />"Ours is not to reason why." Marcus grinned. "Ours is just to keep problems away. Including the Golden Rooster."<br /><br />"There'll be no repetition of his annoying conduct at the Valentine ball," Lucien chimed in. "We'll be ready for anything, including him." He patted the net hanging at his side.<br /><br />Vile thing! The GR remembered it too well from the Valentine's event. They thought they'd be ready? He snorted, as best he could without an actual nose. He'd show them <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">ready</span>.<br /><br />But first he had to find out what was going on.<br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,153)">Will the Golden Rooster uncover the Lair's secret? Or will he learn it on October 14 along with everyone else? Check back<br /></span>jo robertsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16824237193217632098noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-37115667315767647762011-09-30T00:36:00.000-04:002011-09-30T00:37:19.969-04:00Stuff Happened<span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);font-size:85%;" >posted by Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy</span><br /><br />I'd planned to have this post be the Launch Party for my self-published novelette,<span style="font-style: italic;"> The Sidhe Princess</span>, but you know what they say about the best laid plans:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">STUFF HAPPENS!</span><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><br />I'm sorry to say that <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">STUFF</span> did happen, and I missed my deadline. In this case some of the <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">STUFF</span> included a sojourn to the Big Easy and other destinations south of there across the Gulf of Mexico. But all along the way, Aunty had the Lair and it's inhabitants firmly in mind.<br /><br />Aunty made several stops on her journey, the first being the Central American nation of Belize, where the DH and I <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0RWbfnBw78xJ6QoJ8MB-IOC_GTEqG85Vngj9HfkHyuE99f3Zute7GdYZioBsc29uVBxMASEvss-bsZbJBFiZWoAw_-I2y7Lr-arhr7raC92FRap8jNADbPdxZGyf5af6XZ58qsLrhgZU/s1600/DSCN0111.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0RWbfnBw78xJ6QoJ8MB-IOC_GTEqG85Vngj9HfkHyuE99f3Zute7GdYZioBsc29uVBxMASEvss-bsZbJBFiZWoAw_-I2y7Lr-arhr7raC92FRap8jNADbPdxZGyf5af6XZ58qsLrhgZU/s200/DSCN0111.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658005920862167650" border="0" /></a>investigated the Mayan ruins at Altun Ha.<br /><br />Never fear, Aunty was assured by her guides Ed and Tracy that the world really is not going to end in December, 2012 as some claim. That's just as far as the Mayans bothered to calculate their calendar! Sounds like a perfectly reasonable explanation to me, considering the ruins at Altun Ha date back a couple of centuries BC. Aunty doesn't feel the need to calculate <span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">HER </span>calendar nor even the Lair's for more than the next 23 centuries.<br /><br />A bit further south, Aunty found herself on the island of Roatan, which belongs <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFP8JzkK7pkDBtnNWxrQ8dD_ym-9BcIonuO4amJyWS0B-oJZbwzrrmwDm15zGbOllkkIFfJYjBEzdMh0VKiffgUI88ORoRFmZ_Tbsrzs5UEE-ef1SPTa32utRhFve77cvZqUVSefr9_yk/s1600/DSCN0119.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFP8JzkK7pkDBtnNWxrQ8dD_ym-9BcIonuO4amJyWS0B-oJZbwzrrmwDm15zGbOllkkIFfJYjBEzdMh0VKiffgUI88ORoRFmZ_Tbsrzs5UEE-ef1SPTa32utRhFve77cvZqUVSefr9_yk/s200/DSCN0119.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658004475543177906" border="0" /></a>to the country of Honduras. This long, narrow island was once the stronghold of pirates, but Aunty didn't see any scalawags she recognized<span style="color: rgb(0, 51, 0);"> (Ho! Romance Writers Revengers, where were you?)</span> However, this scurvy knave claimed to be kin to our Golden Rooster.<br /><br />As you can see, Aunty severely questioned the validity of his claim!<br /><br />Also on Roatan, Aunty's lovely taxi driver, Mario showed her around his hometown of Coxon Bay. He even stopped at the local g<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqo6mXMdUO6FqPZ_z09r6CmgV9TohVjouNbqJJkzQHyFWHkoKeSJfyCRJyP5C9jw99kpektGwF58aPKKfXcjkrpNe_UyHTrTH_84ClD61E40U40myqowWERTVknUHrSZUtXBWBlGS9D1E/s1600/DSCN0117.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqo6mXMdUO6FqPZ_z09r6CmgV9TohVjouNbqJJkzQHyFWHkoKeSJfyCRJyP5C9jw99kpektGwF58aPKKfXcjkrpNe_UyHTrTH_84ClD61E40U40myqowWERTVknUHrSZUtXBWBlGS9D1E/s200/DSCN0117.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658003614014594866" border="0" /></a>rocery store and helped Aunty procure an ice cold Diet Pepsi, the perfect pick-me-up on a hot and humid day!<br /><br />Aunty thinks it's high time we recruited a Honduran cabana boy for the Lair. <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">What do you think?</span><br /><br />Back on the ship, Aunty headed for her last port of call in Cozumel, Mexico. But not before she finally located her missing reading glasses in a most unusual place...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26yqYGVgxdStUrkFbjhYDCKZJrZC_rfPLiS-VYWggur8i5TIKW8QJEpDIErsxLLFUGK5YSEhY4O29KpAWsgJQDtrgEaa3d2S_0_1SLxUxuG73IcZzE0sFHrfTqlW9Vz7SOs7s6WxW4Uc/s1600/DSCN0120.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26yqYGVgxdStUrkFbjhYDCKZJrZC_rfPLiS-VYWggur8i5TIKW8QJEpDIErsxLLFUGK5YSEhY4O29KpAWsgJQDtrgEaa3d2S_0_1SLxUxuG73IcZzE0sFHrfTqlW9Vz7SOs7s6WxW4Uc/s200/DSCN0120.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658002501725670178" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And got a great idea for a whole new kind of shape-shifter story!<br /><br />Back in our home port of New Orleans, Aunty made a quick stop at Cafe Du Monde to sample beignets and pick up a few recipes for Sven. Somehow, I doubt he will serve beignets on a regular basis considering the trails of powdered sugar they leave behind, but perhaps on special <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6VwdnlEF6_jNxxmTWIx4m92sNxg77_OLsqWF3QlpSgjxOe2pReIEPSxEvRS2b5Ccwvmqkwlqiibb2uKxxRoSj2ehsfZOpQWybTAnjOevW8x1S5-OnVybtvlfCm61QvrjDmGZMBj_WhnI/s1600/DSCN0136.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6VwdnlEF6_jNxxmTWIx4m92sNxg77_OLsqWF3QlpSgjxOe2pReIEPSxEvRS2b5Ccwvmqkwlqiibb2uKxxRoSj2ehsfZOpQWybTAnjOevW8x1S5-OnVybtvlfCm61QvrjDmGZMBj_WhnI/s200/DSCN0136.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5658001486816308322" border="0" /></a>occasions...<br /><br />So now you know Aunty's excuses for missing her deadline and <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">NOT</span> having her novelette up for sale in September as expected. But I promise we will have a <span style="font-weight: bold;">SUPER LAUNCH PARTY</span> for <span style="font-style: italic;">Sidhe Princess</span> very soon!<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Meanwhile, what do you think:</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Is that Pirate Parrot related to the GR?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Should we recruit Mario as the Lair's newest cabana boy?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);">And would you read a paranormal romance in which the hero or heroine shape-shifted into a manta ray?</span><br /><br /><br /></div></div>Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02217492654108300014noreply@blogger.com53tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-25976077338568847222011-09-29T00:29:00.000-04:002011-09-29T00:29:00.598-04:00Elegant Menaceby Susan Sey<br /><br />I was listening to NPR the other day. Yeah, I listen to NPR in the car. I'm geeky like that.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6p3E3k-hCn5tQ9xDYzHGk4mylFPlg7GpVaMzeX0UgfPKH0QwyXY9lHP6Mn4yxHIELTqk4ac0ueEqQQBDIz-0japY73vyK7Dwy_yFXItQTrWKrPEzEWyU5cUQE9FUnx4RbaKjybYkVncQ/s1600/guitars.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 179px; height: 145px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6p3E3k-hCn5tQ9xDYzHGk4mylFPlg7GpVaMzeX0UgfPKH0QwyXY9lHP6Mn4yxHIELTqk4ac0ueEqQQBDIz-0japY73vyK7Dwy_yFXItQTrWKrPEzEWyU5cUQE9FUnx4RbaKjybYkVncQ/s200/guitars.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657059134585863554" border="0" /></a>Anyway, they were discussing an independent film about the studio musicians of the 50s & 60s, & how there was this prevalent attitude among serious musicians of the time that rock & roll wasn't 'real' music. Many of the established studio musicians of the time simply refused to play it.<br /><br />Enter the carpet baggers. The profiteers. The soulless capitalists who'll do anything for money.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VzmCZHzxraQQ7RFlK8sc5Yv-2B1fesf9Rcm_3ZyDDEaVK9zAijUi7vI_4tIDtBBgvaVP-iEuzBf43NXYmi0uPt0qrNMeupG7mBNlzyYV1J_UDkFg2hyphenhyphen-4stQDOy4LbcSGzbcO1UF0T0/s1600/elvis.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 151px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VzmCZHzxraQQ7RFlK8sc5Yv-2B1fesf9Rcm_3ZyDDEaVK9zAijUi7vI_4tIDtBBgvaVP-iEuzBf43NXYmi0uPt0qrNMeupG7mBNlzyYV1J_UDkFg2hyphenhyphen-4stQDOy4LbcSGzbcO1UF0T0/s200/elvis.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657059286712026962" border="0" /></a>Enter the hungry studio musician wannabes who said, "Hey, I'll play that." And they did.<br /><br />One particular set of musicians, the Wrecking Crew, took that ball & ran with it, becoming the power players of the next two to three decades. They played behind everybody from the Beach Boys to Elvis, Sinatra to Sam Cooke.<br /><br />Charlie Watts, the drummer from the Rolling Stones, was interviewed for this film, & was asked to list his his top ten all-time favorite rock drummers. He was startled to find that five of them were Hal Blaine of the Wrecking Crew.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCuVka6qtSmXiAJRxVcUe0EJxApJRO9Bie8h2otnf858vME5_T35qya2UgFz_Ky3FFilM9n64nnLeNOFnrgioERWv_wirLP2i4zRPRIL9QVpsCKYDbS-faTT_FNFz4cyNJUO3xXG_fXc/s1600/rickman+robin+hood.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 125px; height: 156px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCuVka6qtSmXiAJRxVcUe0EJxApJRO9Bie8h2otnf858vME5_T35qya2UgFz_Ky3FFilM9n64nnLeNOFnrgioERWv_wirLP2i4zRPRIL9QVpsCKYDbS-faTT_FNFz4cyNJUO3xXG_fXc/s200/rickman+robin+hood.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657059501821885714" border="0" /></a>I feel this way about Alan Rickman.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Fbm5ZQX3_EkDCBoG6C96Ly2G3zg_PnNPT6FE076PTfWkNlzumAJSetBVwVrKAYp8OWrrjWSNZvNVUYocjsJq4O2wcJ7Kw-7tvKv9xg0Nek5GhlBbq4IFqaB7wo72957t35qCn7EBxX8/s1600/rickman+die+hard.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 96px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Fbm5ZQX3_EkDCBoG6C96Ly2G3zg_PnNPT6FE076PTfWkNlzumAJSetBVwVrKAYp8OWrrjWSNZvNVUYocjsJq4O2wcJ7Kw-7tvKv9xg0Nek5GhlBbq4IFqaB7wo72957t35qCn7EBxX8/s200/rickman+die+hard.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657059682079135410" border="0" /></a>I sat down with a writer friend the other day & our conversation turned (as it tends to do) to villains we love. I started waxing eloquent about how Alan Rickman utterly saved the movie Robin Hood. How he dripped well-heeled danger in Die Hard. How he oozed disdain so gorgeously as Professor Snape.<br /><br />I realized in that moment that when it comes to villains, I have a favorite flavor.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0z2pcV5TyfOt8f4Z6eWg2l3W3sP4A9csL04Dy18VFyjGmmU_9nhyphenhyphenNY7ga-paamajPG974ibFRVyWgbAM0vFbf5q-VA7irwQpyy8KabI7Tf_3s1ESnVn-XRx8w9_FO6BZCac5U6HJXmog/s1600/snape.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 125px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0z2pcV5TyfOt8f4Z6eWg2l3W3sP4A9csL04Dy18VFyjGmmU_9nhyphenhyphenNY7ga-paamajPG974ibFRVyWgbAM0vFbf5q-VA7irwQpyy8KabI7Tf_3s1ESnVn-XRx8w9_FO6BZCac5U6HJXmog/s200/snape.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657059822626603954" border="0" /></a>Elegant menace.<br /><br />This is what I like. This makes me happy. I like my bad guys smart, slick, well-funded & exquisitely well-spoken. I like them cool & calculating. I like brains with a side dish of evil.<br /><br />Who knew?<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">So what about you? When it comes to bad guys, do you have a favorite flavor? Tell us about the villains you love!</span></span>Susan Seyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18033511012283092945noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-16296874815961945582011-09-28T23:44:00.002-04:002011-09-28T23:44:00.513-04:00Double Bandit Booty!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaB4F2qcGcI7bAIb7ZGFcGw3aqrq3d3nft7CAubcF37AKta1oC23IT7GpN7L5U9oI533nFrm-DRvwP7XeyvcdrRqb8NIndwqHzrKfuG2giRttxeEodGiLpdOrOqRkYigj2tu700hGFkYA/s1600-h/BanditBooty.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401471915988173602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaB4F2qcGcI7bAIb7ZGFcGw3aqrq3d3nft7CAubcF37AKta1oC23IT7GpN7L5U9oI533nFrm-DRvwP7XeyvcdrRqb8NIndwqHzrKfuG2giRttxeEodGiLpdOrOqRkYigj2tu700hGFkYA/s320/BanditBooty.jpg" style="float: left; height: 113px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 149px;" /></a> Today I'm posting winners from two of the guests I've interviewed lately.<br />
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The winner of a signed copy of <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">MAGICAL LOVER</span> </b>by Karilyn Bently is <span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b>Sheree!!</b></span> <b style="color: #38761d;">Congratulations Sheree!!</b><br />
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The winner of a signed copy of <b style="color: #cc0000;">LIVER LET DIE </b>by Liz Lipperman<b> </b>is <span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b>hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna!!</b></span> <b style="color: #38761d;">Congratulations Dianna!!</b><br />
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Please email me your snail mail addresses to <b style="color: #0b5394;">swwelsh2001 AT Yahoo DOT com</b> (yes there are 2 w's in that addy) and I'll see Karilyn and Liz get the information ASAP!Suzanne Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761579189372602292noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-60180563588717012952011-09-28T22:04:00.000-04:002011-09-28T22:04:00.719-04:00Winner of Kathleen Eagle's bookThe winner of the book from Kathleen Eagle is <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">megganconnors</span></span>. Please e-mail me at trishmilburn AT yahoo DOT com with the name of the book you'd like and your mailing information.Trish Milburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08812010789617982102noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-62782104168789412992011-09-28T00:22:00.040-04:002011-09-28T00:22:00.873-04:00Surprise! Liz Lipperman's Debuting today!!<div style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">interview with Suzanne</span></b></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzuxNoxd_Wh9c5ndYt2kXi5fTbCKVFDRmvI7a3p8tvRZ1c50EdG1DX7IJ8e1IA8VsCjyTDyDl9Vv7DPQ6SyZ6nOiM33ZdVNKhW-y8JT8SKwNqDO9_hOcPDma5VLMldqtX51O_hSDbq1Q/s1600/Liz+Business+Card+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzuxNoxd_Wh9c5ndYt2kXi5fTbCKVFDRmvI7a3p8tvRZ1c50EdG1DX7IJ8e1IA8VsCjyTDyDl9Vv7DPQ6SyZ6nOiM33ZdVNKhW-y8JT8SKwNqDO9_hOcPDma5VLMldqtX51O_hSDbq1Q/s200/Liz+Business+Card+3.jpg" width="152" /></a><br />
<b style="color: #990000;">Suz:</b> Romance Bandits, all of our Bandit Buddies and readers, I have a surprise guest for y'all. Today I'm chatting with my friend Liz Lipperman. Liz is one of the people who first made me feel welcome in my DARA (Dallas Area Romance Authors) chapter when I first moved to Dallas. Now I get to return the favor by hosting her for the release of her brand new debut, first-ever published book, <b>LIVER LET DIE: A CLUELESS COOK MYSTERY</b> available Oct 4th!<br />
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Liz, please pull up a barstool and we'll have the Lair's chief cabana boy, Paolo bring us a pitcher of Margaritas.<br />
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<b style="color: #134f5c;">Liz: </b>Yum! Margaritas are my favorite. No salt, please. And what's more fun than drinking it with you Suz, and the fabulous line-up of Romance Bandits and their readers? And I can only imagine what Paolo looks like! Thanks to all of you for inviting me here today.<br />
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<b style="color: #990000;">Suz:</b> So Liz, I love the story on how you came to write a cozy mystery series. Can you tell our readers what events led up to you writing <b>LIVER LET DIE</b>?<br />
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<b style="color: #134f5c;">Liz: </b>First of all, I didn't even know I was a mystery writer until my agent told me. Duh! I had been chasing the romance market for many, many years and never ever finaled in a contest. Guess my dead bodies and big explosions didn't go over with the romance judges.<br />
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Anyway, once I realized she was right, I wrote a paranormal mystery, the first in a proposed series. It's about a trash-talking ghost who helps her sisters solve her murder. My agent sent it to a new editor at Berkley Prime Crime who'd just moved from an inspirational publishing house. I thought it would be a resounding "no" since there is a lot of bad language, sex, and gruesome murder scenes.<br />
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Turns out you can never tell about people. Not only did she love the story, she read it twice and quoted some of my ghost's best lines. BUT (don't you hate those?) she couldn't buy it since she was acquiring cozies, and she'd have to cut out the best parts. She wanted to know if I could write a cozy, specifically a "foodie." That's when I rushed out to the bookstores and grabbed up a bunch of them to read.<br />
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What I found was that most of the foodie cozies were about gourmet food, and there was no way I could pull that one off. I am one of 9 children. We ate casseroles, and to this day, I hate fancy food. So, I said no, I couldn't write it. Fortunately, my agent knows me better than I do, because she said yes, I could and to sleep on it.<br />
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I woke up the next morning with this great plot in my head about a wannabe sports reporter who gets dumped in Dallas and ends up in a small town writing personals. When she is offered the culinary column temporarily for a woman who is out with a broken hip, she jumps on it, seeing it as a way to mover closer to her dream job. The problem is, she was raised with four brothers, and although she can throw a great touchdown pass, she can't cook a lick, surviving on fried bologna sandwiches, fast food and Hostess Ho Hos. Three chapters and a synopsis later, I had a three book deal.<br />
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<b style="color: #990000;">Suz:</b> I love that story! <b>LIVER LET DIE</b> is set in a small town in Texas. How did you get the small-town feel for the story? Is there one key element about small towns that you think plays into the way a cozy mystery fits into it?<br />
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<b style="color: #134f5c;">Liz: </b>You've hit on one of the big requirements for a cozy, Suz. They're all set in small towns with a protagonist who just happens to fall in the middle of a murder. There are usually no cops or private eyes solving the mystery. As for the small town, originally I wrote it with a specific town in Texas. However, I changed it later because a fictional town offered way more options-that and the fact that I called the cops Dumb and Dumber.<br />
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Here's an excerpt from <b>LIVER LET DIE</b>:<br />
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<div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Jordan dropped her review on Dwayne Egan’s desk and stepped back to await her fate. She’d spent the entire morning researching foie gras on the Internet and had come away outraged and ready to make a stand on the issue. </i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>That was before Egan grabbed the report and lowered his eyes to read, and all her bravado dissipated. Shifting nervously and second-guessing herself, she tapped out the melody of a rock song along the side of her slacks with her fingers.</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Too late to change her mind as Egan motioned for her to sit.</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>She eased into the chair behind her, eyes fixed on the editor while he finished the first page and flipped to the second. Her nerves were like aliens ready to burst through her skin.</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>“You actually ate this?” he asked, finally glancing at her over the top of his silver-rimmed reading glasses.</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>“Yes and no,” she replied. “Mostly, no.”</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Egan had already turned back to the report, re-reading the first page. “And this is how they get the duck liver?”</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Her eyes lit up. Maybe he wouldn’t scream at her after all. “Yes sir. They force-feed the animals to fatten them up.” She paused, remembering how the pictures had sickened her, how seeing the tubes shoved down their throats had nearly made her gag. “The ducks are kept in tight cages so they can’t exercise or even move around.”</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>“Geez! And they’re serving this right here in Ranchero?”</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>“Yes,” she answered quickly. “At a price that would water your eyes.” She stopped, not sure she wanted to remind him how much she’d charged on the company card.</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Egan dropped the report on his desk and leaned back in the chair, hands behind his head, making his ears protrude even more. “This is going to ruffle a few feathers at Longhorn Prime Rib.” He grinned, obviously pleased with his play on words.</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Jordan shifted in the chair. “I was totally complimentary about the restaurant in general.” She thought about the Chocolate Decadence Cake that had doubled as breakfast that morning. “The desserts were phenomenal and the service – fantastic.”</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Egan studied her face, his head tilted as if in deep thought. “I had you pegged for a simple meat and potatoes girl. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why you’d order this when you’re obviously so outraged at how they get it.”</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Here it is! This was where she’d have to admit she was clueless when it came to fancy food. This was where he’d realize what a big mistake he’d made giving her the job. “The waiter recommended it. Said it was imported from Canada. Since I knew it was too expensive to ever try on my own, I went with it.”</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>“I still find it hard to believe you’d even order the dish, knowing how you feel about it.”</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>“I thought it was chicken,” she blurted, looking away for a moment, imagining the pink slip falling from this week’s pay envelope.</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Egan threw back his head and laughed. And continued to laugh until Jordan finally gave in and smiled. </i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>“So, let’s see,” he began when he was finally able to speak. “I have a culinary expert who has no idea what she orders at restaurants.” He slapped the desk. “That’s rich. Loretta would never see the humor in that, of course, nor would she be caught dead ordering anything but a thick, juicy steak.” He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “And just between you and me, she wouldn’t know foie gras from chicken piccata, either, even if it bit her on her overpaid butt.”</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>“I’m sorry, sir. Maybe you should give this job to someone else.” </i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>His eyes bored into her. “Are you joking? This is going to grab the attention of every animal lover in Ranchero who probably has never even looked at Loretta’s column before.” He slid the papers across the desk. “Take this down to the copy room ASAP. I want it in tonight’s edition.”</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Stunned, Jordan grabbed the report and headed for the door.</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>“Oh, and McAllister?”</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>She whirled around, expecting her little bubble of excitement to burst like a piñata at a birthday party with eight year old boys on a sugar high.</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>“From now on, you’ll do a bi-weekly column with recipes and food information. Fancy food like this. A couple of exposés would be great.” He rubbed his hands together. “If my gut is right, with the exception of the restaurant owner, the good citizens of this fine town are going to love you.”</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>“What about the Personals?”</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>He smiled. “Look at this as a freelance opportunity,” he said. “And the Personals as your day job. Now go.”</i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Jordan wondered how he could say that with a straight face, but she was too excited to care. She hurried out the door, surprised to see Jackie Frazier smiling. She’d obviously been eavesdropping. She imagined her, as Roseanne Roseannadanna saying, “It’s always something,” and she smiled back. </i></div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Who knew fatty duck liver could wipe the sarcasm off the secretary’s face and maybe even jump-start her career?</i></div><br />
<b style="color: #990000;">Suz: </b>Your heroine, Jordan McAllister stumbles into more than a new career when she takes over the food critic position at the local paper. Can you give our readers a little hint about the trouble she gets into?<br />
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<b style="color: #134f5c;">Liz:</b> Her first assignment is to critique a steakhouse on the edge of town that has just reopened after being closed for six months when one of the owners died in a botched robbery. Since Jordan only eats hamburger meat well done, she asks her hunky waiter what on the menu isn't red meat, not seeing chicken anywhere. He tells her the foie gras must be good because the guy across the restaurant ordered the pricey dish every week. After one look at the squashy fatty duck liver, she nearly gags, and the entire entrée ends up in a borrowed purse. Two days later, the hunky waiter is found dead outside her apartment with her name and number in his pocket. And that's when it all starts.<br />
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<b style="color: #990000;">Suz: </b>Alex Moreland is the hero of <b>LIVER LET DIE</b>, how does he fit into the story?<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0425244040/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=romanbandi-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=0425244040" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlCFYI7I3w9pNJbLOovd7Q4rlstKlp-K8Mgos3vpWPjo8aO6AThoPi1oqVg_YnZfrzYCDX9MqDo7lG3YZmg0_rp43bXhJQRFIeKhUE-45iow7vVmzVxEG-Kr_EWZD-7HvYH6lIElVoI2w/s320/Final+cover.jpg" width="198" /></a><b style="color: #134f5c;">Liz: </b>Did I mention I am a romance writer at heart? Everything I write has a little romance in it. I knew I needed a love interest, but she's just new in the town, and the only friends she has are residents of her apartment. Most cozies are written in first person, but I am more comfortable with 3rd person and asked the editor if she had any problems with that or with multiple POVs. She said no. Later she had me take out a couple of short scenes written in a "he" point of view as the killer, but she liked that we were in Alex's head at times. She felt like the deleted scenes weren't necessary since we found out the info later in Jordan's POV. She was right. Anyway, Alex thinks Jordan is the killer, and she thinks he's been ransacking her apartment. <br />
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<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=romanbandi-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0425244040&camp=217145&creative=399373" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<b style="color: #990000;">Suz:</b> In cozy mysteries there are always some whacky secondary characters. Do you have any waiting to help or hinder Jordan and Alex?<br />
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<b style="color: #134f5c;">Liz:</b> I think the secondary characters are what convinced Berkley to buy the series. The editor loved the wacky residents of Empire Apartments who took Jordan under their wings that first day when she arrived broken and unsure of herself. There's a retired sixtyish cop with his seventyish psychic "lady friend", two gay guys who own the apartments, one of whom is my favorite character of all times to write, and a hippyish fifty year old who has been married four times and does all the cooking for the gang. <br />
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<b style="color: #990000;">Suz:</b> What's next for your series?<br />
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<b style="color: #134f5c;">Liz: </b><b>BEEF STOLEN-OFF</b> will release in July, 2012. It's about modern day cattle rustling and has the same cast of characters with a fresh batch of suspects. Here's the down and dirty short blurb. <br />
On an assignment to write a column about the famed Cattleman's Ball in Fort Worth, Texas, Jordan is the guest of wealthy ranch owner, Lucas Santana, who sees her review as a way to increase the sagging beef sales in the county. He's even hand-picked her escort, his right hand man, Rusty Morales, who looks like he just stepped off the cover of GQ, Cowboy Edition. But instead of dancing the night away, Jordan ends up in the emergency room where her date is DOA.<br />
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Currently, I am writing the third book of the series, <b>MURDER FOR THE HALIBUT</b>, where I have sent Jordan and her friends on a Caribbean Cruise to judge a cooking competition. (think Bravo's Chopped.)<br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">One last thing before I have to shut up-beginning October 4th through the 31st, you can enter the LLD contest where the prize is a Pandigital Kitchen Technology Center worth $399</span>. I'm also putting up my straight mystery,<b> MORTAL DECEPTION</b>, on Amazon next week as a marketing tool for LLD, kind of a try-me-you-might-like-me thing. For the entire month of October, it will download for $.99. Check out my website <a href="http://www.lizlipperman.com/">www.lizlipperman.com</a> for details on both.<br />
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Okay, I've done all the talking. Now, it's your turn. Since I had to walk into B & N and pick several books to tutor me about cozies with no knowledge of cozy writers, I made an interesting observation about myself. I made my choices after reading the first line. The cover may catch my eye initially, but ultimately, it has to grab me with the opening line. <b style="color: #134f5c;">What about you? What teases you into buying a book from a debut author or one you're not familiar with? The cover? Blurb? Chatting with them on a blog? All of the above? None of the Above? </b><br />
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<div style="color: #134f5c;">I have one copy of <b>LIVER LET DIE</b> to give away, thanks to Berkley. To enter, leave a comment with a valid email address. This is open to US residents (publisher's request.) Suz will pick the winner. Before I leave, I want to thank Suz and the Romance Bandits again for having me here today. Answering these questions has been fun.</div>Suzanne Ferrellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05761579189372602292noreply@blogger.com115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815530646091177574.post-87537621661587213582011-09-27T00:01:00.000-04:002011-09-27T00:20:38.132-04:00Heroes on Horseback: My Lifelong Love Affair<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b61/parkfan/kathleeneagle.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 257px;" src="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b61/parkfan/kathleeneagle.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">I'm very happy to host the fabulous Kathleen Eagle today. She's talking about the wonderful world of horses, cowboys and the American West. Take it away, Kathleen.</span><p class="MsoNormal">Hello, Bandits!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have a new book for you.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And if you bear with me for a bit of book talk, maybe bare your soul a bit in a comment, we’ll enter you in a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">drawing for a chance to win</b> one of the earlier books in my current series.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">ONE BRAVE COWBOY (on sale 9/20 from Harlequin Silhouette) introduces another competitor for Mustang Sally’s Wild Horse Training Competition, a thread I’ve carried through four of the six books connected with my fictitious Double D Wild Horse Sanctuary in South Dakota.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b61/parkfan/kathleenonebravecowboy.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 472px;" src="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b61/parkfan/kathleenonebravecowboy.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>His name is Cougar, and he served in the Army with Mary Tutan (ONCE A FATHER).<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He’s a wounded warrior, but his worst scars are not visible.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Newly released from a VA hospital, this Indian cowboy desperately needs to come to terms with his losses at home and on the battlefield.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He came home from his first tour in the Middle East to find his girlfriend—the woman he’d planned to marry—with another man.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>During his second tour he was involved in an incident in which his best friend and several civilians were killed, and he blames himself.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>His hope for saving his sanity--the horses his brother was keeping for him--were sold during his absence.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>His entry into Mustang Sally’s Wild Horse Training Competition is the means he’s using to find his way among the living after pulling himself back from the brink of suicide.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Then he meets Celia Banyon and her young son, who was injured in an accident and whose worst scars are also not visible.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I’ve written lots of stories featuring Indian cowboys.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>To begin with, I’m married to one.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We met during the summer I took off from working in the college library and headed west in search of adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was a summer volunteer on a Dakota (North and South) reservation.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’d always been interested in American Indian culture, always loved Western movies, and always <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">always</i> loved horses.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m not a natural athlete by any means, but I used part of my summer earnings to pay for riding lessons when I was in college.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Horses are majestic and magical, sensitive and strong.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>From the moment I met the man who was to become my husband—a man whose world was quite different from mine—we had two key things in common.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We loved books and horses.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And I just love the smell of horse on a man.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b61/parkfan/kathleenhorses.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 188px;" src="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b61/parkfan/kathleenhorses.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>My husband has a way with horses, and he’s tamed his share of them over the years.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He speaks their language.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Because horses are prey animals, they are extremely sensitive.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They seem to connect with people who are wounded or hurting.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’ve known many people—particularly women—who find solace in the act of grooming a horse.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Horse therapy has come into its own in recent years.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Prisoners, troubled teens, abused women, special needs children—so many people turn to horses for renewal and healing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This is a theme that arises time after time in my Double D Wild Horse Sanctuary series.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It’s a theme that complements the love story beautifully.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Let’s talk books, writing, or whatever else comes to mind.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Have you ever had a moment when you connected in some mystical way with an animal, some kind of communication that surpasses human expectations?</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;">One commenter will win her/his choice of one of these four books from Kathleen's backlist.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b61/parkfan/kathleenbooks.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 375px;" src="http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b61/parkfan/kathleenbooks.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p>Trish Milburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08812010789617982102noreply@blogger.com56