Charlene Sands Blog

COFFEE ANYONE?

2012-02-03T10:39:00.000-08:00

While most of the United States shivers, dreading arctic winds and record snowfalls, there's a place on the internet where the sun always warms the waves: Charlene Sands' website. Charlene's books feature bold passionate, heart-stopping heroes and always really good men. Within the pages of her website, you can explore her passionate stories, oogle some real-life and very hunky heroes, win copies of her books, and meet the author. So, come warm your toes in the sand.

Pretty cool to have my website featured at Coffee Time Romance. Click on link if you want to see what other great flavors they are serving up!

Saying Good Bye Ain't Easy and a Giveaway by Charlene Sands

2012-01-06T07:18:00.000-08:00

As I write the final book in a four book series about the Worth Men, I find myself feeling extremely sentimental and a little bit saddened. After all, I’ve lived with these four cowboys for almost two years. I sort of fell in love with each one of them too. And isn’t that the way? If the author doesn’t fall in love with a hero of her making, then what’s the point? With each hunky man, I’ve matched a woman that has thrown them for a loop, rejected, loved to distraction and angered the hero. But what our heroines had above all else was enough grit to stick it out to the end for their own personal happily ever after.

Taggart Worth in CARRYING THE RANCHER’S HEIR was my wounded hero. He was a loner, a recluse who never wanted to love again. That story flew off my fingertips, because I knew him so well and I knew Callie too. She had a girlhood crush on Tagg as a teen that he didn’t know about. All he knew was that Callie was his enemy’s daughter.

Clayton’s story didn’t exactly fly off my fingertips, though. In THE COWBOY’S PRIDE, I had a pretty complex conflict – two people bent on divorce only to find love again with the help of adorable baby Meggie. SHE was fun to write, and I used my knowledge not only as a mother, but as a childbirth and parenting instructor to keep my facts straight about all things BABY.

In March/April, A COWBOY WORTH CLAIMING comes out with Harlequin Historical (The Cover on this blog) Set in early Red Ridge, we find out how Chance Worth met Lizzie Mitchell and how the Worth legacy began. It seemed like the right thing to do – to go back in time to see how the legend of the ruby necklace and Elizabeth Lake came to be. Chance is a reluctant hero with a deep sense of honor, and Lizzie tests that honor time and time again.

FOR A CHANCE TO WIN AN ADVANCED COPY GO HERE: http://bit.ly/wZEAzA

Both Chance and Jackson Worth’s story lure us in with “forbidden love.” Jackson, in WORTH THE RISK coming in October, is the most charming, best-looking Worth brother, a confirmed bachelor who is good-natured but used to getting what he wants. I’m working out the kinks in this story to give my readers a very satisfying ending to the series. So I write Jackson’s story with a heavy heart. I will miss these guys, Tagg, Clay, Jackson and Chance. I’ll miss Red Ridge too along with the characters I’ve created. Saying good-bye surely won’t be easy. I have only four chapters left in Red Ridge and then I’ll be moving on to launch Harlequin’s Rich Rugged Rancher series in 2013.

Recently I’ve said good-bye to some other series that I’ve loved, though not of my own making. Twilight is one series, I never thought I’d like. But those stories struck a chord and I had to read all of them, gobbling up the entire series in two weeks. I’ve also seen all the movies. Because I don’t get a lot of reading time these days, I watched the Swedish version of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo movies by Stieg Larsson. I wish I could have read the books too, but I’d heard the movies were actually excellent and the storyline extremely intense. Then there’s good ole bail bondswoman, Stephanie Plum in the series written by Janet Evanovich. What can I say about the Morelli/Ranger conflict that hasn’t been said before? I’ve read all of the books in the series and am awaiting the movie, One for the Money.

What series are you especially fond of? Do you have favorites? Which characters/stories are hard for you to bid farewell to?

Here's my inspiration for all my Worth men. Just for fun!

TAGG

CHANCE

CLAY

JACKSON

BE SURE TO VISIT ON FRIDAY/SATURDAY http://bit.ly/wZEAzA
FOR A CHANCE TO WIN AN ADVANCED COPY OF "A COWBOY WORTH CLAIMING"

Favorite Pics of 2011

2011-12-22T09:10:00.000-08:00

FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOURS...MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

My TOP TEN FAVORITE HOLIDAY THINGS..by Charlene Sands

2011-12-14T21:21:00.000-08:00

I'm at EHARLEQUIN today. Stop by and post a comment for a chance to win 2 backlist Harlequin Desires and an advanced copy of my March/April "Worth" Historical !! It's the 3rd installment of my Red Ridge series!

Hope to see you there!

A LITTLE BIT NAUGHTY BUT VERY FUNNY...

2011-12-08T14:57:00.000-08:00

Subject: WHY PEOPLE DON'T ATTEND CLASS REUNIONS

Jan, Sue and Donna haven't seen each other since High School. They rediscover each other via a reunion website and arrange to meet for lunch in a wine bar.

Jan arrives first, wearing beige Versace. She orders a bottle of Pinot Grigio.

Sue arrives shortly afterward, in gray Chanel. After the required ritualized kisses she joins Jan in a glass of wine.

Then Donna walks in, wearing a faded old tee-shirt, blue jeans and boots. She too shares the wine.

Jan explains that after leaving high school and graduating from Princeton in Classics, she met and married Timothy, with whom she has a beautiful daughter. Timothy is a partner in one of New York 's leading law firms. They live in a 4000 sq ft co-op on Fifth Avenue , where Susanna, the daughter, attends drama school. They have a second home in Phoenix.

Sue relates that she graduated from Harvard Med School and became a surgeon. Her husband, Clive, is a leading Wall Street investment banker. They live in Southampton on Long Island and have a second home in Naples , Florida.

Donna explains that she left school at 17 and ran off with her boyfriend, Jim. They run a tropical bird park in Colorado and grow their own vegetables. Jim can stand five parrots, side by side, on his penis.

Halfway down the third bottle of wine and several hours later, Jan blurts out that her husband is really a cashier at Wal-Mart. They live in a small apartment in Brooklyn and have a travel trailer parked at a nearby storage facility.

Sue, chastened and encouraged by her old friend's honesty, explains that she and Clive are both nurses' aides in a retirement home. They live in Jersey City and take vacation camping trips to Alabama.

Donna admits that the fifth parrot has to stand on one leg.

Top Ten Ways a Baby Makes a Book Better

2011-12-06T06:21:00.000-08:00

Click Here

Babies and books are my business. Put the two together,add a handsome cowboy and you get The Top Ten Ways a Baby Makes a Book Better!!

ANNOUNCING WINNER of CHARLENE's HH AUTHOR HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY PRIZE....

2011-12-04T09:59:00.000-08:00

SQUEAKYMOM!!

Congratulations!!
You've won the $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD!
I hope to hear from you soon. Please contact me at charlenesands@hotmail.com !!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Thanks to everyone who entered and remembered you are still in the running for the Grand Prize. Be sure to visit the Main Calendar to enter the other authors' daily prizes!!

KINDLE FIRE AND DAILY PRIZES at the HH AUTHOR HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY.. DON'T MISS IT!!

2011-12-02T08:04:00.000-08:00

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS!

JOIN ME IN THE HARLEQUIN HISTORICAL AUTHOR HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY!

2011-11-30T20:17:00.000-08:00

Today’s my day -- DECEMBER 1 st for the Giveaway!

And I’d love to know about your Christmas/ Holiday shopping plans. Are you the forward thinker who shops all year round so by the time the holidays are upon us, you’re not scrambling to get the gifts purchased? Or are you the Black Friday shopper, who ventures in the dark of night to hunt for the greatest bargains in town?

Are you a shopper like me, who waits until after Thanksgiving and takes those few weeks to find the right gift at the right price? I hit the sales, and try my darnedest to make sure I’ve gotten the most for my money. I have not bought one gift yet, but thanks to gift cards, my shopping list isn’t too hard to navigate through.

Or are you the last minute shopper? Someone who can get it all done within a day and usually that day is RIGHT before the holiday?

Post a comment about your shopping habits TODAY and THRU the weekend and I’ll post the winner from a random drawing on SUNDAY. All commenters are automatically entered into the drawing for the Kindle Fire (or equivalent) on December 23rd. Try to visit all the blog sites from November 29th to December 23rd to increase your chances of winning!!

MY PRIZE: A $25 Gift Card to ONE of these outlets: Amazon or Barnes and Noble or Macy's or Target (You get to choose for your shopping pleasure!)

BE SURE TO STOP BY ON SUNDAY FOR THE WINNER!

Follow the Calendar November 29th to Dec 23rd.

                                                   For Rules and to navigate calendar

                                                               CLICK HERE

                                             Post your comment below:

Fun Happenings Today and Tomorrow!!

2011-11-29T23:16:00.000-08:00

Today is my Eharlequin "LAUNCH PARTY" for THE COWBOY's PRIDE.

Come join the fun and win prizes throughout the day!

I'm giving away "Desire" and "Love" Necklaces, gift cards and more!!

Meet Me THERE!!

*******************************************************
And remember tomorrow, Thursday December 1st is my official day for the HARLEQUIN HISTORICAL AUTHOR HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY!

All you have to do is come back here and post a comment about your holiday shopping habits to be entered!

LET THE PARTY BEGIN! THE HARLEQUIN HISTORICAL AUTHOR HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY!

2011-11-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS AND TO BEGIN WITH WONDERFUL HISTORICAL AUTHOR

MICHELLE WILLINGHAM

November 29th

WINNER OF THE BOOK of the WEEK!!

2011-11-28T10:43:00.000-08:00

I'm thrilled to announce The Cowboy's Pride won the Long and Short Reviews Book of the Week!!

Thanks to all of you who have voted this weekend!!

To see the entire book review CLICK HERE

Tomorrow starts the Harlequin Historical Author Holiday Giveaway!

2011-11-28T10:31:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the official launch date for the Giveaway. It's a fun way to blog, win daily prizes and be entered for the Grand Prize of a Kindle Fire. Details to follow, starting with Michelle Willingham.

UP FOR BOOK OF THE WEEK at The Long and Short Reviews!

2011-11-26T01:00:00.000-08:00

My second installment of the Worths in Red Ridge, THE COWBOY'S PRIDE has been nominated for the BOOK OF THE WEEK!

I hope you'll lend a hand by voting Saturday and Sunday...THIS weekend! VOTE HERE

Vote for Book of the Week! Thank you!

Here's a little bit of the review.

Ms. Sands does a beautiful job of creating two characters that practically sizzle the pages with their tangible chemistry. It’s obvious early on that both Clay and Trish are still attracted to one another. When they finally give into a “pre-divorce fling” readers will understand why they begin to question their motives for separating in the first place. Ms. Sands brings the reader right into the scene and I can tell you everyone walks away satisfied.

Ms. Sands is an auto buy for this reviewer and shouldn’t be missed by anyone who appreciates clean writing and a story that carries the reader on amazing and heart felt journey.
Honeysuckle at TLASR

For the full review click here

BEING THANKFUL....

2011-11-23T13:44:00.000-08:00

For the newest addition to our family.

Sweet, precious little girl.

Happy Thanksgiving!

7 POINT GUIDE TO BEING THE PERFECT MOMMY by Baby Meggie!

2011-11-17T23:38:00.000-08:00

Prefaced by Charlene Sands

Motherhood has been known to kick our butts. It’s an ever-evolving process that even the most competent women find challenging. The same holds true for Trish Fontaine in The Cowboy's Pride, an efficient, fashion-conscious publicist, now a new, unexpected mommy. Trish finds herself out of her element when she comes to Red Ridge to divorce her ex-country music star, now-rancher husband. The baby in tow, makes for a quite a threesome. Trish can’t let Clayton Worth melt her resolve, but oh, the way he looks at her four-month old baby is the thing that dreams are made of.

Baby Meggie’s 7 Point Guide to Being the Perfect Mommy:

If you warm the bottle before you hand it over, I won’t let out a blood-curdling scream.

I need a diaper change as soon as I wake up. I don’t like to make a mess. It’s no fun for me either.

You don’t need to creep down the road when I'm in the car. Just drive the speed limit. I promise I’ll sleep most of the way.

You don’t have to hold me all the time. I like to roll and explore.

Take me on a stroll, I like to see Red Ridge Ranch and all the animals, especially the horses.

Kiss the man with the soft thoughtful eyes already, Mommy. He looks nice.

Don’t panic – I will love you no matter what, even when you make mistakes … I promise.

Coming Soon -- Harlequin Historical Authors Holiday Giveaway!!

2011-11-17T11:52:00.000-08:00

Enter every day starting on November 29th to December 22nd

WIN A KINDLE FIRE!

Or any of a number of great prizes.

Visit me here on December 1st!

COUNTRY MUSIC AND ME !

2011-11-09T23:40:00.000-08:00

SKIP ON OVER TO THE PETTICOATS AND PISTOLS BLOG.

BRAD PAISLEY AND CARRIE UNDERWOOD
CMA AWARDS HOSTS

I'M THERE TODAY TALKING ABOUT COUNTRY MUSIC! GIVING AWAY A COPY OF THE COWBOY'S PRIDE TOO!

THE REVIEWS ARE IN:

2011-11-05T10:47:00.000-07:00

The Cowboy's Pride

OFFICIAL REVIEW
Romance Reviews Today

Book Reviewed by JV (reviewer)

4 ****

If you have a passion for cowboys, you'll love the hero of THE COWBOY'S PRIDE. Clay is everything a cowboy should be: hard-working, loyal, passionate, and a man of few words. Yet he shows his tender side in the way he behaves when his estranged wife blindsides him with a big surprise. I love a wounded hero, and this one fills the bill.

Clay's deepest desire is to fulfill the vow he made to his dying father to work the ranch, have children to cherish, and keep the Worth lineage and legacy going strong. That's been hard to do, though, since his wife Trish hasn't lived with him for a year. She is on her way home now to finalize a divorce and work her fundraising magic for a charitable cause they developed together. So imagine his surprise when she emerges from a cab with a baby in tow -- a baby who isn't his!

For 16 years, Clay Worth was a mega-watt country singing sensation in addition to having grown up as a cowboy on his father's ranch. In fact, he met Trish at a black-tie function in Nashville, literally bowling her over but catching her before she hit the floor. That was it for Clay. He was determined to have her, but she made him work hard to win her over before she finally agreed to marry him. Once they married, he hung up his stardom and his playboy ways and never looked back as he settled into life as a rancher and a husband.

Despite their love for each other and their mutual devotion to developing Penny's Song, a place on Worth land where children recovering from devastating illnesses can go to get their bearings before having to return to their normal lives, Clay and Trish butted heads often and loudly. Trish was not ready to have the children that Clay wanted. She was several years younger than Clay and wanted to focus on building her career as a publicist first. She also had unresolved issues from having grown up with a brother who had cancer and required all of his parents' attention, leaving Trish feeling as though she were always an afterthought. However, she loved her husband and was determined to get their marriage back on good footing, until the night she came home early and found him seemingly cozied up with a widowed neighbor who made it clear that she could give Clay everything he wanted. Trish had run back to Nashville that night and never returned -- until now.

Then Karin, a close friend of Trish's who'd been widowed recently, learned she was pregnant. Between her grief and an illness that she just couldn't overcome, Karin passed away shortly after Meggie was born, having elicited Trish's promise that she'd take Meggie and love her as her own if anything happened to Karin.

Now, Trish must spend some time on the ranch with Clay becoming familiar with how Penny's Song operates and designing the gala fundraising event that she'd promised to work on all while protecting her baby and her own heart from falling for her husband again. Despite all that has passed between them, Trish still has feelings for Clay, but she can't forgive him or see how they can rebuild their life together. Though he's furious over her abandonment, Clay still loves Trish, and their passion has not dimmed as a result of their separation. He can't see his way to forgiving her for falsely accusing him and walking out on their marriage -- or for denying him a child and then showing up with one. So, is finalizing the divorce their only answer, or can they find their way back to one another?

Charlene Sands does a fine job of letting the reader see each of the characters' insecurities and wounds, even when they can't show them to each other. Over the course of their working together, as they give in to the inevitable and overwhelming passion between them, we can easily see that their deep feelings for each other are still there, if only they can let down their guards a little bit.

As she tends to do, Ms. Sands has written a hero who is strong and hard-working and, outwardly, tough. Yet, he is tender and accepting of the baby and, though he tries not to show it, totally vulnerable to the wife he still loves. In my mind, I pictured a younger Sam Elliott as Clay with the rough voice and tough but tender persona. Her heroine has to come to understand her own fears and motivations in order to become a stronger and more confident person who is willing to risk reaching for what she really wants.

Ms. Sands described the ranch and the Red Ridge Mountains so that I could see the dust rising from the horses' hooves and feel the warmth of the sunset as I read. I very much enjoyed reading about this strong, stoic cowboy and the woman and child who stole his heart.

Cool New Banners and NEW Cowboy's Pride Contest!!

2011-10-29T22:09:00.000-07:00

I have 2 new banners!! I think they came out great!!
And a NEW CONTEST is cooking on my website.

Let me know how you like the banners AND please be sure to enter my contest! You could win Brighton Bling and a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

Go to the Win Stuff page on www.charlenesands.com
Good Luck!!

HALLOWEEN FUN - SPOOKTACULAR CONTEST!

2011-10-13T18:17:00.000-07:00

Win an Amazon Gift Card at Fresh Fiction

Click here!!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2011-10-03T19:54:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's October and along with gorgeous fall foliage, carved pumpkins, cinammon-spice lattes and Halloween Trick or Treaters, comes BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.

I have to give kudos to Jason Aldean for donating the proceeds of his sixth annual Concert for the Cure to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation. He raised an impressive $315,000 and provided local commuities in the Virginia area with free mamograms.

Ladies - have you gotten your yearly mammogram this year? No more excuses, make that appointment, okay?

And be sure to do your monthly self-exams. It's important! If you need a helpful reminder how-to, go to: http://ww5.komen.org/breastcancer/breastselfexam.html

I don't know any family who hasn't been affected in some way by breast cancer. I have close friends and family members who are survivors. I can't say enough about their courage and bravery.   I have also lost a cousin to breast cancer.

The fight goes on.

The best thing we can do to battle this disease is to stay informed, get your yearly check-up, do self exams and lower your risks.

For more info go to:
http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/

New Contest at Fresh Fiction!!

2011-10-03T15:17:00.000-07:00

Would you like to win an Amazon Gift Card and a copy of one of my books? I'll be holding a contest at Fresh Fiction every month until the end of the year.

Hope you stop by!!

HELP! I'M DROWNING IN NEW TV SHOWS!!

2011-09-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but this September I made myself a solemn promise NOT to watch any more TV than I can possibly hold on two (2!) DVR's. There isn't enough hours in the day for viewing EVERYTHING I'd like to try.

After a full day of writing, and Facebooking, Tweeting and blogging, I'm ready to hang up my keyboard and vegg out in front of the boob tube. Forget my soap opera --I've been faithfully watching for 30 years - I can't squeeze that one in anymore. So I tape it, then scan through different storylines. You know what they say about soaps, you only have to watch once a week, to know what's happening. Things do not move rapidly. My proof - the stars on the show don't have wardrobe changes but once a week, usually. Which means that one week in human time = one day of soap time!

My die-hard favorites, I can't do without are:

Castle - how could I not? He's a writer!

Dancing With the Stars - hasn't gotten old for me. I smile the entire time I'm watching

The Mentalist. Love the premise of the show and the characters. Cute star in Simon Baker.

Hawaii Five-O - love the remake, McGarrett and Dano solve crimes in landscapes to die for. Again cute star and co-star.

Modern Family - I'm in awe of the comedic writing! I love to laugh out loud with this one.

Parenthood - Really grabbed me last season and I love that family, quirky as they are!

.

Justified - simply can't wait for the new season to begin. Gritty, gorgeous and compelling!

I have given up on some due to lack of time and creativity (sorry to the fans of these shows)

Grey's Anatomy

The Biggest Loser

Private Practice

Two and a Half Men ( I might give it another try. Love the supporting cast, miss Charlie's character)

Desperate Housewives (trying to hang on for the final season)

Trying New:

Terra Nova (Avatar, Land of the Lost and Jurassic Park all in one! I'm a Jason O'Mara fan since Life on Mars)

Unforgettable - Interesting premise

Up All Night - the jury's still out on this one

So what about you? What shows are you loyal to? What shows disappointed you this season and which new shows are you enjoying?

MONDAY INSPIRATION

2011-09-25T10:13:00.000-07:00

IT'S WHAT YOU SCATTER

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes... I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas.

I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes.

Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.

'Hello Barry, how are you today?'

'H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good.'

'They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?'

'Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time.'

'Good. Anything I can help you with?'

'No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas.'

'Would you like to take some home?' asked Mr. Miller.

'No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.'

'Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?'

'All I got's my prize marble here.'

'Is that right? Let me see it', said Miller.

'Here 'tis. She's a dandy.'

'I can see that. Hmm mmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?' the store owner asked.

'Not zackley but almost.'

'Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble'. Mr. Miller told the boy.

'Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me.

With a smile she said, 'There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever.

When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.

I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado , but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.

Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could.

Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts...all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket.

Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one; each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes..

Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.

'Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about.

They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size....they came to pay their debt.'

'We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,' she confided, 'but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho ..'

With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

*****

We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.

Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles ~ A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself...

An unexpected phone call from an old friend.... Green stoplights on your way to work....

The fastest line at the grocery store....

A good sing-along song on the radio...

Your keys found right where you left them.

My CAT...My trusty companion, my sidekick!

2011-09-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

Skittles is always by my side. In the picture she's waiting for me to start writing. She knows my routine.

Luckily, right now, she's sleeping up on the desk. But when she gets frisky, she likes to play with the keyboard.

I get {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ or """"""""""""""""on my work in progress when she's too fast for me.

Sometimes, she swats at my hands to make me stop what I'm doing and pet her. (She is a devil)

See, she has a sidekick too. A little Mini-Me of herself!!

What's your pet up to these days?

My Baby Connection and a Giveaway by Charlene Sands

2011-09-07T22:41:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm a little early, but I love my December cover sooooo much! Hunky cowboy and adorable baby...does it get any better? Yes, there are horses in the background too!!

Stop by Petticoats and Pistols today to read about what I have in common with this cover!!

I have a giveaway over there too.

http://www.petticoatsandpistols.com/

WHAT PETS WRITE IN THEIR DIARIES!

2011-09-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

(With special thanks to my cuz, Maria, for sending this to me)

Excerpts from a Dog's Diary......

8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!

9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!

9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!

10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!

12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!

1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm - Milk Bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

Excerpts from a Cat's Daily Diary...

Day 983 of my captivity...
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets.

Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of.

However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am. Bastards.

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now.

My Top Three Kindle Books

2011-08-26T19:49:00.000-07:00

One never knows exactly why some books sell like hotcakes, while others don't. I belong to Novel Rank, where I can see how well my books are selling on Amazon...and since my print books usually go out of stock a few months after release, these are all KINDLE sales.

Carrying the Rancher's Heir continues to do well... the first in a series of the Worth brother's stories. My December cover for The Cowboy's Pride is gorgeous... can't wait to show to everyone! (I got a sneak peek)

Here are my Top Three Kindle Books:

For some reason, (other than I really love this story) my 2008 Texan's Cattleman's Club continuity titled Texan's Wedding Night Wager has been extremely popular... this one has truly sold like hotcakes on KINDLE, 3 years after I wrote it.

Smooth-Talking the Hometown Girl comes in second place with the discounted price of $.99. It's a fun story about a small town woman happy with her life and her catering business, until Kyle Warren moves in next door temporarily and upsets her apple cart. It's never been so hot in Christy's kitchen!

The Heart of a Cowboy is my first ever Desire and was a Romantic Times Book Reviews Top Pick. Pretty exciting for my debut Desire! It's still a story near and dear to my heart. Don't you love wrong brother stories?

All these books are available on Nook too,

but I don't have a good accounting of them, like I do on Amazon. The world of reading, writing and publishing sure is changing. I'm resistant to change usually,

but I do love my Kindle!

A Love Letter from Jim Carrey to Emma Stone?

2011-08-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

Update:

Trending on Twitter!

Is he crushing on Emma Stone or what? Hmmm... not sure how I feel about this, though I love Jim Carrey and think he's beyond hilarious. Wonder if Emma Stone will send him an online love letter back?

The All-American Girl

A Romance Novel Funny... will make you smile!

2011-08-19T16:37:00.000-07:00

Updated Version - 2011

He grasped me firmly, but gently, just above my elbow and guided me into a room, his room.

Then he quietly shut the door and we were alone.

He approached me soundlessly, from behind, and spoke in a low, reassuring voice close to my ear.

"Just relax."

Without warning, he reached down and I felt his strong, calloused hands start at my ankles, gently probing, and moving upward along my calves, slowly but steadily. My breath caught in my throat.

I knew I should be afraid, but somehow I didn't care. His touch was so experienced, so sure. When his hands moved up onto my thighs, I gave a slight shudder, and partly closed my eyes. My pulse was pounding. I felt his knowing fingers caress my abdomen, my ribcage.

And then, as he cupped my firm, full breasts in his hands, I inhaled sharply.

Probing, searching, knowing what he wanted, he brought his hands to my shoulders, slid them down my tingling spine to my panties.

Although I knew nothing about this man, I felt oddly trusting and expectant. This is a man, I thought. A man used to taking charge. A man not used to taking 'No' for an answer. A man who would tell me what he wanted. A man who would look into my soul and say . . . ..

"Okay ma'am, you can board your flight now." !

Special thanks to wonderful author Tanya Hanson for passing on this funny.
You can find her at
http://www.tanyahanson.net/

The Things I Do for Love and 3 Book Giveaways!!

2011-08-17T21:09:00.000-07:00

Stop by the Desire Eharlequin Blog to find out the Things I Do For Love!
Giving aways lots of books too!

Come see me and we'll talk!

TIME MANAGEMENT AND THE HARRIED WRITER

2011-08-11T12:06:00.000-07:00

GUEST BLOGGING TODAY IS: AUTUMN DAWN

AMAZON KINDLE

I love to cook. It’s one of my passions, and I like it even better if I can make something tasty healthy, too. Substituting Greek yogurt for part of the mayonnaise in potato salad and hiding zucchini in chocolate cake makes my day. My kids don’t see it coming and I can eat in peace, knowing there won’t be fussing at the dinner table.

Recently, this passion has been on the back burner. My books sales started taking off and I’ve spent long hours at the computer doing edits of my backlist and revamping covers. Last month my kids left for Alaska for a month to visit with relatives and I spent the whole month furiously working. I got a lot done, but the quiet house was depressing. At one point my husband was gone for ten days as well, so it sucked even worse.

Now that everyone’s home, they’re eating as only teenagers can. We have horseback riding lessons and boxing three days a week. School is starting soon and there’ll be homework to deal with, plus I have one child in WA’s inline school. It’s time to get organized so I can have time to write, too.

Some things that help include: throwing laundry in first thing in the morning and folding it together at night. My kids are old enough to do dishes and load the dishwasher, sweep and vacuum, so Saturdays are for housecleaning. I need to get back in the habit of prepping dinner first thing in the morning or loading up the crockpot. Leftovers take care of night two, so that helps. That leaves snacks and breakfast, but the kids are helpful there, able to cook eggs and pancakes.

I need to start checking my email at night and looking at the Yahoo news in the afternoon when I’m done writing. Even blog posts can be done after the creative writing if I’m disciplined, and when I’m too sick to work on something new it’s always a good time to edit. When I’m in a funk it helps to work on cover art. There’s always something to do!

It’s well worth it, though. My book, The Charmer became a bestseller on Amazon and B&N this spring, a huge accomplishment for a self-pubbed author. Part divine intervention and part hard work, it wouldn’t have happened without a lot of hours at my desk.

The Charmer: Dark Lands Book 1

Jasmine didn’t realize her friend Wiley was special until they were drawn into another world. Here Wiley is betrothed to the ruler of the Haunt, a wererace both dangerous and proud.

Keilor is the master of soldiers, a man few would cross, yet he’d never met a menace like the little brunet his princess calls friend. Will Jasmine find the portal home, or will she find a werewolf of her own?

Autumn Dawn

Learn more about my books at: autumndawnbooks.com
Check out my blog at: authorautumndawn.blogspot.com

Top Five Ways to a Man's Heart!

2011-08-11T10:57:00.000-07:00

I'm having Tea today at Autumn Dawn's. Would you like to join us? We'll make room. We're talking Food that Inspires a Man and other such fun stuff.

KEN IN KILTS!!! Romance Readers Will Love This!!

2011-08-10T08:34:00.000-07:00

TESSA DARE's video for MAYA BANK's NEW TRILOGY

A CALIFORNIA GIRL'S GUIDE TO THE PERFECT BEACH READ!

2011-08-05T08:06:00.000-07:00

The ultimate way to de-stress your life, at least for a little while, is to do something you love to do. Some find exercising until their bones ache, a great endorphin release. Others will seek to destroy their partner on a tennis court. Some find a soothing path in the art of meditation. But for me, the ultimate way to relax, unwind and de-stress is to read.

I don’t know too many (if any) writers who don’t love to read. Finding TIME to read …ah, therein lies the problem. When I’m home, there are always 10 other things I should be doing other than reading. Guilt follows and often distracts me enough to make me put down the book and attend to my edits, my looming deadline, the kitchen floor that hasn’t been swept in a week, an oh yeah, thinking about cooking dinner for my dear loving hubby.

So, my way of seeking a full day of reading and leaving my cares and worries behind, is to pack up the car, put on my shades, grab my Kindle and head to the beach! (Thank you Dad, for moving the fam to California!) On any given summer day, the sun shines, the air is warm, but not hot, the sand is fine between my toes and the water exhilarating at sixty-five degrees. There’s so much I love about California.

But like every other activity, there are do and don’ts. So take heed.

Here is my Guide to the Perfect Beach Read:

THE YELLOW --Don’t even think about setting your gear down on the sand if you see a yellow school bus parked nearby. Soon fifty screaming daycare kids will bombard your territory. And you’ll get sprinkled with sand times fifty, as they race by, oblivious to your presence and need for quiet.

BYOF – Bring your own food! Pack a lunch and try to stay clear of the beach café. You don’t need the distraction of having the smell of French fries right under your nose or be in the rush of noontime sunbathers, who weren’t as smart as you by bringing their own lunch.

BRING A FRIEND – who likes to read too. You didn’t come to the beach to gossip and talk, did you? Yet, a friend will dip their toes in the water with you and watch your stuff when you go to the bathroom.

LIFEGUARD – Stay away from the lifeguard station if the man in the red trunks looks like hero-material. (And let’s face it, most of them do.) You know you’re in trouble if you remove your reading glasses and push on your designer sunglasses, titling your head ever so slightly to steal glances his way. Trust me, you’ll say it’s in the name of research as you peruse every move he makes, every smile he takes and every muscle he flexes. You might as well, kiss Chapter One good-bye.

STADIUM SEATING – is not an option. But you should bring a comfortable chair – the Cadillac of chairs, with full recline, padded back, umbrella attached and two cup-holders. Plant that chair in a remote spot, close enough to the water to get the westerly breezes, but far enough away from the rising tides. You don’t want to pack up your gear when the water starts seeping onto your blanket, right?

PROTECT YOURSELF – with gobs and gobs of sunscreen. You’re still gonna need your skin after today. This is not your day to get the ultimate tan. There are tanning salons for that!

DIG – not into the sand. We did that as kids. Dig into your beach bag. Your favorite author has a new book and you come up with your ULTIMATE reading pleasure. The gentle roar of the waves becomes your backdrop as you open the book. The hours melt away as you immerse yourself in the story.

FEEL – the hum of satisfaction and a little sadness too, when you read The End. You’re relaxed. You have been entertained. . You have escaped into another world. You’ve forgotten your own problems for a stitch in time and you feel so good, you won’t even think about the traffic you’ll face later on.

THE BEACH - is nearly deserted now. The sun is setting in a pink glow on the horizon. You close your eyes and envision the story in your mind one last time. That thrilling hum is still there, buzzing through your system.

It was a good day. You’ve achieved the Perfect Beach Read.

AVAILABLE ON KINDLE, NOOK AND SMASHWORDS

AVAILABLE ON EHARLEQUIN, AMAZON, KINDLE, NOOK
AND OTHER ONLINE STORES

NEW AUGUST BABY BOOK FROM MILLS AND BOON!

2011-08-04T16:39:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love babies, right? And these stories, feature two adorable little bundles of joy! This book is a two-fer pairing yours truly with the wonderful Robyn Grady! The Billionaire's Baby Arrangement was a Romantic Times Bookclub Magazine's 4 1/2 starred, TOP PICK!

Available now from Mills and Boon!

I hope you get a chance to check it out!!

If You Love Dogs ... This Will Make You Laugh

2011-08-02T07:16:00.000-07:00

How's this for a Tuesday morning LAUGH?

Makes you wonder what a dog is really thinking!

Only 2 Stars Out of 4

2011-07-27T23:31:00.000-07:00

The reviewer (below) isn't thrilled with the most anticipated movie of the summer. I'm crushed and hope to disagree with him when I see it this weekend. As you know, I write Westerns as well as Contemporary romance and I have been long-awaiting this movie, even before all the hype.

More than a year ago, I was on a plane, going to Texas and I sat next to a young man who was a "special effects" artist. We got to talking and he told me about a project he was working on... a movie with a strange title, Cowboys and Aliens. Of course, I told him my Old West connection and he pulled out a portolio and showed me his monsters, effects, even a weird looking cow, that he'd worked on for the movie. It was really neat seeing those "aliens" from the beginning stages and we spent the next hours on the plane talking movies and special effects and of course, books!

Needless to say, I'm hoping this reviewer got it wrong. Wild horses, couldn't stop me from seeing this movie this weekend. :)

Here's the review:

"Cowboys & Aliens" — Director Jon Favreau's genre mash-up is more a mush-up, an action yarn aiming to be both science fiction and Old West adventure but doing neither all that well. The filmmakers — and there are a lot, among them 11 producers or executive producers including Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, plus half a dozen credited writers — start with a title that lays out a simple but cool premise: invaders from the skies shooting it out with guys on horseback. For all the talent involved, they wound up keeping the story too simple, almost simple-minded, leaving a terrific cast led by Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde stuck in a sketchy, sometimes poky tale where you get cowboys occasionally fighting aliens and not much more. Craig's a stony-faced amnesiac with a weird hunk of metal locked on his wrist who wanders into a dusty town just before alien craft swoop in and start abducting the locals. He joins cattle baron Ford's posse to retrieve the missing and teach these creatures not to mess with hardy western pioneers. PG-13 for intense sequences of western and sci-fi action and violence, some partial nudity and a brief crude reference. 118 minutes. Two stars out of four.

— David Germain, AP Movie Writer

We Have Winners of Big City vs Small Town!!

2011-07-24T13:03:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all your comments this week!

I really enjoyed learning your reading preferences!

Our random draw winners for a $10 Amazon Gift Card are:

Linda Cacaci

LibraryPat

Ingeborg

Please contact me at Charlenesands@hotmail.com privately with the email addy you'd like your prize to be awarded instantly!

And stop by the Desire Blog Sunday and Monday where I ask: Where would you like to see a Cowboy?

BIG CITY VS SMALL TOWN CONTEST

2011-07-18T20:09:00.000-07:00

Big City

A fun little contest.

In Smooth-Talking the Hometown Girl, Kyle Warren lives in a big city but returns to his small hometown of Bentley, Arizona to settle his father's estate where he meets up with Christy, the pretty girl next door. His return reminds him of what small-town life was like. I'd love to know if you prefer a big city story or a small town tale? It could be both or neither.

Small Town

Post a comment here and you'll be entered in a drawing to win one of 3 $10 Amazon Gift Cards awarded instantly to you via email.

I'll post the winners HERE and on Facebook on July 25th!

Ebook available on:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords

EXCERPT of SMOOTH-TALKING THE HOMETOWN GIRL

2011-07-07T07:43:00.000-07:00

Chapter One

Kyle Warren pulled out a turquoise vinyl-covered chair in his father’s kitchen and sat down. “Here’s to you, Pop,” he whispered before lifting an amber beer bottle to his lips. He raised his eyes heavenward. “Don’t you worry. I’ll take care of the place. I’m home now.”

Shifting in the dinosaur of a chair with its chrome edges, he laughed quietly. He’d bet his father hadn’t even known these old kitchen sets had come into style again.

John Warren hadn’t cared much for luxury. He’d been a practical man and lived a simple life. Lord only knew what he’d done with the monthly checks Kyle had sent him through the years. Kyle had never asked, since he’d been too pleased his father had finally agreed to accept the money.

“Pop” Warren, as the whole town of Bentley called him, had been the rock of stability Kyle could always count on.

Now he was gone.

Soft music playing from the house next door had Kyle swiveling his head to look out the window. He strained his ears and picked up the lulling sound of a female voice singing along with the radio.

He stood up abruptly, the heavy chair hampering his swift action, and moved to the kitchen’s garden box window to catch a better look. From his vantage point he had a clear view of the woman standing not twelve feet away in her own kitchen.

Christy Evans.

He’d heard she had moved back here four years ago when her parents retired in Houston. Transfixed, he stood watching her bustle about her kitchen, harmonizing beautifully with the snappy tune.

She hadn’t changed much since high school. She wore her pale blonde hair long, past her shoulders. From what he could see from this distance, her skin still appeared tan and healthy and as always, in direct contrast with the softest blue eyes Kyle had ever remembered.

“Still a looker, Christy,” he muttered before taking another sip of beer.

She glanced up then and surprise registered on her face when she noticed him. He smiled and put up his hand to wave.

Her hand went up slowly and, with the slightest of movements, her fingers wiggled their greeting. She mouthed a polite “hello” then turned her back on him.

Kyle let out a chuckle. “Same old Christy,” he said, plunking down the bottle he held. She’d been the one girl in high school who hadn’t fallen for him. The one girl who’d seen right through his practiced ways and smooth talk and the one girl who’d made no bones about turning him down if he ever offered.

Therefore, he never had.
In his mind, he’d labeled her a prude, a stick in the mud, no fun. But he’d liked so many things about her even though he’d also labeled her off-limits.

Not that Kyle didn’t like a challenge, he did. But Christy Evans had won her way into Pop’s heart. He could still hear Pop now, warning, “She’s our neighbor and a fine girl. You do right by her or don’t bother with her a’tal, boy.”

Kyle smiled now thinking back on all the innocent flirtations and teasing he put her through, but never once had he offered more, respecting his father’s wishes. He realized much later on, she’d been the only girl in the entire student body at Bentley High who’d truly intrigued him.

Kyle shrugged off his nostalgic feelings and went about the task of going through his father’s things. He took a tour of the house leisurely, as pleasant memories of his childhood came rushing back. He and Pop had had a great father-son relationship. It had been just the two of them since his mother’s untimely death. Kyle had been five years old when an illness took his mother’s life.

He entered his father’s bedroom. The stale remnants of his father’s minty aftershave still lingered. He breathed in the scent that seemed to encompass the entire room and felt as if Pop would come walking through the door any time now.

His old man sure liked to keep the status quo. Everything looked the same as it had when Kyle lived here. As his gaze traveled around the room, he realized a part of him wanted to keep everything in its place—the hand-knitted afghan on the rocker, Pop’s worn-out brown slippers on the side of his bed, and his thick reading glasses perched next to the alarm clock on the nightstand.

Practicality won out. Eventually, Kyle reasoned, he would have to pack everything up. He’d have to cleanse this house of everything his father loved. But he decided, quite adamantly, not today.

He didn’t have to do it today.

Kyle shrugged off the thought and headed for the shower. Minutes later, he came towel-wrapped out of the bathroom and began drying off when a rattling at the front screen door made him turn in that direction. He heard a female voice call out. “Hello, Kyle? Are you in there? It’s me, Christy.”

* * * * *

Christy knocked on Kyle’s door a bit louder this time. She knew he was in here. She’d seen him just thirty minutes ago watching her from the kitchen window. And she’d had to walk around a sleek black convertible Lexus on the driveway to reach his front door. When the seconds clicked by and no one answered, she turned on the porch to leave.

“That you, Christy?”

She twirled around in time to see Kyle Warren opening the screen door dressed only in a pair of black jogging shorts. Droplets of water cascaded down his face onto his chest and shoulders. Casually, he took the terry-cloth towel from about his neck, mopped his face, then dabbed at the bigger drops coating his bare chest.

“It’s...me. Hello,” she said, awkwardly shifting the basket of muffins she held from one hand to the other. She kept her eyes trained on his. “I came to offer my condolences. I was visiting my parents in Houston when I heard the news. I’m terribly sorry I missed Pop’s memorial service.”

“Thank you,” he said with sincerity. “Come in.”

She handed him the basket. “I thought these might help. Low-fat, cherry-raisin muffins.”

Kyle dipped his head down to the basket, taking in the aroma. “They smell good. You baked them?”

“They’re fresh out of the oven.”

Christy caught a whiff of his clean, fresh shower scent as she moved past him to stand in the center of the parlor. He looked good. Better than she remembered. Of course, she’d never seen so much of him before. He stood before her with casual ease, naked, except for a scant pair of shorts. But then the Kyle Warren she’d known in the past wouldn’t let that bother him. No, he seemed to relish making girls squirm.

Not her, of course. She’d never succumbed to his charms.

But, somehow she had hoped when she met up with him again, he’d have a receding hairline, a paunch stomach, and a toothless grin. Instead, he stood before her, powerfully built and muscular with a melt-your-heart smile, chock-full of confidence.

“That’s very nice of you.”

“Uh, what? Oh right, the muffins. It’s the least I can do. Pop was a special man. I adored him. The whole town adored him.”

Kyle handed the basket back to her and pointed toward the kitchen. “Take a load off and have a seat. I’ll be right back.”

She stared after him, watching as he trekked through the parlor to lift a shirt off a bedroom knob and throw it on quickly. He met her in the kitchen, not bothering to button up.

He gave her a quizzical look as she stood there numbly, not moving. He pulled out the kitchen chair in a gallant gesture. “Thanks again for the muffins.”

She hunkered down, fighting tears. She didn’t want to do this in front of Kyle. Breaking down in front of Pop’s son wasn’t what she’d planned, but she hadn’t been inside the house since the dear man had passed on. Old, familiar, not-too-distant memories filtered in. Pop was the sweetest, most young-at-heart older man she’d ever known. He was her friend as well as her neighbor. But Kyle was probably struggling with his own grief at the moment. She’d come to lend support, not to add to Kyle’s discomfort. “Thank you.” Christy drew in a breath and gave him a small smile. “How are you doing?”

Kyle gave her a long, serious look. “I’ll be okay. It takes some getting used to.”

“I still can’t believe he’s gone.”

He took a seat facing her, then grabbed a muffin from the toweling in the basket to study it. “I can’t believe he’s gone either.”

“I heard...” she began, then cleared her throat. “I heard you were with him when it happened.”

He nodded, shuttering his eyes. “I’d brought him up to Boston for a visit. We had a great week together, just hanging out, catching up on news. It was relaxing and fun. I’d often send for Pop when I couldn’t get away. And he would always come. Then, out of the blue, wham. His heart goes. He’d never had any symptoms that I knew about.”

Christy nodded. “I didn’t know of any either. He was always so happy. He never let anything really rattle him.”

Kyle agreed. “My dad was a rock...a real man.”

Christy sighed aloud, fingering the serrated chrome edges of the old kitchen table, almost smooth from age now. “Did he...linger?”

Relief washed over Kyle’s face, and the frown lines separating his forehead disappeared. “That’s my only consolation. He died instantly. With a smile on his face. We’d just come home from dinner...trout, his favorite, when it happened.”

Christy reached for Kyle’s hand from across the table. She squeezed his wrist gently and quickly. “I’m so sorry.”

With a quick smile, he let the muffin drop back into the basket. “At least my old man was happy. He had a good seventy-two years.”

“Yeah,” she agreed, thinking back on all the time she’d known John Warren. He’d always had a kind word, always a smile. Only when he worried about Kyle did he have moments of anxiety. “He loved you very much.”

“I know. Thanks for saying it though. Hey,” he said, picking up another muffin, this time taking a big bite. “I heard you were in the catering business now.” He gestured with a tilt of his head toward her front yard. “That your truck outside?”

“It’s mine,” she said, watching him devour the entire muffin with one large swallow. “Evans’ Edible Delights.”

His dark eyes lit with amusement before traveling the length of her body. “That’s the name of your catering company?”

“Yes, why? Is something wrong?”

“Uh, no,” he said, apparently holding back a smile. “Good name. Are you successful?”

“I do all right.”

“Well, judging by the muffin I just inhaled, I’d say you’d be pretty handy in the kitchen.”

“I am. Thanks for the compliment.” She looked around the house. Nothing had changed. Of course, she didn’t expect anything to be really different, except that Pop was gone. “So what now? What’ll you do with the place and with Warren’s Hardware?”

“Don’t know. This all happened so fast, I haven’t decided what to do. I’m taking some time off. I plan to be here a while, to settle the estate.”

“I can’t imagine anyone else owning Warren’s Hardware. That store is a Bentley icon. How long had your dad been in business here?”

“Let’s see. He opened the place a couple of years before I was born. I’d say at least thirty-two years now.” There was pride in his response, and Christy, too, felt a measure of it.

“Wow, in this day, nothing lasts that long. Except maybe some marriages.”

“Yeah, even those are hard to find...like your parents’ marriage. How long have they been together?”

“Going on forty years soon.”

Kyle nodded and gave her a wide grin. “What about you?”

“Me? Oh no, I never married. I was engaged once,” she said not wanting to elaborate. Confiding to Kyle about her failed engagement was not on her To Do list and it never would be. They’d never had that kind of relationship. “It didn’t work out.”

He accepted her answer without commenting. She didn’t need to ask him about his marital status. Through Pop, Christy had known Kyle had never married. But she was sure there’d been plenty of women. In high school, all he’d had to do was smile at a girl and she’d fall under his spell. Kyle drew women like a magnet to metal.

In the quiet kitchen they heard a dog barking, a car horn sound off, and in the distance Main Street Elementary’s school bell rang its dismissal. Children’s muted voices filled the air. Christy had always relished those small-town noises, had always welcomed their familiar sound. She wondered if Kyle, after living the last eleven years in a big city, thought them now quaint and antiquated.

“You look good, Christy,” he said, “real good.” His rich voice deepened even more with the addition of those last two words.

Blood rushed to her face immediately. Kyle’s unexpected compliment caught her unaware. “Th-Thank you. So do you...I mean, under the circumstances, you look...okay.”

One dark brow lifted, and he laughed. He braced both forearms on the table and leaned in, his face coming close to hers. “I look ‘okay’? God, Christy, you never would budge an inch with me.”

“No, I, uh—” Christy stood up abruptly. “I’d better go. I just wanted to come over here to say how sorry I am about Pop. If there’s any way I can make the transition go smoother for you, I’d be happy to help.”

For Pop Warren, she’d do just about anything, including helping his overly confident, impossibly handsome son get through this rough time.

“Have dinner with me, Christy.”

“What?” She felt the color drain from her face. “Dinner? No, I-I couldn’t.” She backed up a step.

Kyle stood and eyed her for a moment. “We’re not in high school anymore. I promise I won’t bite. Well,” he said on a chuckle, “I would have to eat the food.”

She let out a nervous laugh and backed up again. For the four years while in high school, Christy wondered what she’d say, what she’d do, if Kyle ever asked her out. But he’d never shown more than passing interest in her.

Now, he looked at her as if she were the only woman in the universe. She passed it off as practiced charm, a way to get what he wanted.

“It’s not a date. Just dinner with an old neighbor.”

“No, Kyle, really, I can’t. I’ve got a catering job to do tonight. I’ve been cooking in the kitchen all day.”

“Tomorrow night, then.”

Her brows furrowed and she blinked several times. “Why?”

Why, after all this time? Why me, she wanted to ask.

He shrugged and took a step closer. “I could use the company.”

She noted a flicker of sadness in his eyes, heard it in his voice. How could she deny companionship to a man who’d just lost his father?

She put her head down, realizing she couldn’t refuse him, but not because he was charming or handsome, or surprisingly that he appeared lonely. No, she couldn’t refuse him because he was John Warren’s son.

“Come over at eight tomorrow night. I’ll cook you dinner.”

There. That seemed less like a date.

“It’s a date,” he said without hesitation.

Christy groaned inwardly.

He led her to the door, opening the screen to walk her outside. “And thanks.”

“Don’t thank me just yet. I’m going try out a new recipe on you.”

“Experiment with me all you want,” he said innocently enough, but she didn’t miss the teasing glint in his eyes.

BUY ON KINDLE

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!

2011-07-03T21:38:00.000-07:00

Wishing you all a great Independence Day!!!

And to our wonderful Flag Santa, who put up 4 flags on our lawn today, THANK YOU!! Our flag was stolen from our front porch a few months ago. Now we have 4!!!

New Romantic Suspense .... you won't want to miss from Kathy Bennett!

2011-06-27T21:51:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles Police Officer Jade Donovan is being hunted. There’s the lieutenant who’s out to get her, the psycho who’s stalking her and leaving dead roses at her door, but most frightening of all, she’s been assigned to partner with her son’s father, Mac Stryker. Mac doesn’t know he’s Donnie’s dad, and Jade will stop at nothing to prevent him from finding out and possibly taking away her son. She will protect and defend him at all costs.

Mac Stryker is a cop with something to prove. Five years ago, he’d been forced to resign the police department in disgrace when he was too drunk to take action during a shooting. Now, Mac is sober, back on the force and back working with Jade Donovan, the rookie who’d saved his life. Worse, he finds himself attracted to Jade and her precocious son, Donnie. But Mac is through with love. The violent death of his wife and daughter turned him into an alcoholic, and he won’t put his job or his heart at risk again. He will protect and defend them both at all costs.

But when the deadline looms on Jade’s dozen deadly roses stalker, will the two partners manage to put aside their differences in order to save their son?

Written by my friend, fellow RWA Chapter mate and LAPD Officer, Kathy Bennett. You don't want to miss this thrilling story!!

Available at Amazon!!

Check out her Author Bio and wonderful Book Trailer on Amazon too!

NEW RELEASE... Come Take A Peek!!

2011-06-25T08:14:00.000-07:00

Wealthy and successful, Kyle Warren never backs down from a challenge—in business or in pleasure. Now that he’s returned to his hometown, he’s set his sights on blonde-haired, blue-eyed Christy Evans, the one girl he couldn’t win over in high school. This time, Kyle won’t take no for an answer from the pretty girl next door.

All Christy has to do is keep her distance from her seriously sexy, temporary neighbor. Yet, Kyle needs a friend now and Christy has always been a sucker for a man in need. She vows not to fall for Kyle’s good looks, broad shoulders and dark bedroom eyes. She’d seen the damage he’d left in his wake in high school. But how long can a girl resist his seductive smiles and smooth-talking ways?

Be sure to check out my newest release available now as an ebook on KINDLE and soon, where other ebooks are sold.

Buy at Amazon

Buy at Smashwords

Special thanks to http://www.zpphotography.com/ for doing such an awesome cover!

New From My Friend Cheryl St. John

2011-06-06T09:17:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Cheryl has a fabulous new book released this month. Take a moment to read her excerpt!!

Marrying the Preacher’s Daughter

978-0373828722

Love Inspired Historical

Cheryl St.John

Buy at Amazon

Bounty hunting was just a job for Gabe Taggart—one he needed to fund his sister's education. But now Gabe is ready to settle down and set aside his past. His adventuring days are over…until his intervention in a train robbery leaves him injured and under Elisabeth Hart's care. Antagonizing his feisty caretaker is the most fun Gabe's ever had. Elisabeth provokes him, too, with her strong mind, kind heart and high principles. Gabe hopes to win her love, but will his dark history bar him from marriage to the preacher's daughter?

READ THE EXCERPT:

"Toss your guns down now!" a male voice shouted. "Hands in the air."

Elisabeth Hart couldn't see past the layers of netting on a woman's hat in front of her, but sounds of alarm rippled through the passengers who sat in the forward rows. The interior of the railcar was sweltering beneath the midday sun, and she blotted her eyes and forehead with her lace-trimmed handkerchief. What should have been a routine stop along the tracks to take on water had become life-threatening.

Thuds sounded as firearms hit the aisle. A man in a battered hat and wearing a faded bandanna over the lower half of his face came into view. Eyes darting from person to person, he snatched up the guns.

Another masked bandit appeared in the wake of the first. Sweat drenched the front of his dusty shirt. "Turn over all your cash and jewelry. Ladies' bags, too, and none of you gets shot."

Two more thieves held open gunnysacks and gathered the looted items.

Fear prickled at Elisabeth, but a maelstrom of rebellious anger made her tremble. How dreadful of these men to point guns and make demands. Every fiber of her being objected to their lack of concern for the safety of the passengers and the downright thievery.

She turned to the tall, quiet man who'd been sitting beside her on the aisle side of the bench seat since they'd left Morning Creek, noting the way his hat brim shaded piercing green eyes. He watched the gunman with intense concentration, but made no move to stop what was happening. "Aren't you going to do something?" she whispered.

The man cast her a glare that would have scorched a lesser woman. One eyebrow rose and he gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.

"They're going to rob us," she insisted. "You still have your gun. I saw it inside your jacket when you leaned to lower the window earlier."

He focused on the man wielding the revolver, but spoke to her. "Can you count, lady? Just give 'em what they want so nobody gets hurt."

"But—"

Pausing beside them, the masked robber pointed his gun directly at her seat partner's chest. The man gave Elisabeth a pointed glare and calmly raised his hands in the air before looking up.

"Right in here," the robber said.

The seated man handed him a coin purse and tossed several silver dollars and his pocket watch into the bag.

The barrel of the gun swung to Elisabeth. "Lady?"

Elisabeth's temper and sensibilities flared, but fear kept her silent. Her heart beat so frantically, she thought her chest might burst. She wanted to refuse, but didn't want anyone to get hurt. Begrudgingly, she forfeited her black velvet chatelaine pocket with the silver handle and removed the gold bracelet she'd received for her last birthday, dropping both into the burlap sack.

The robber pointed at her neck. "You got a chain under there."

She clapped her hand protectively over the plain gold ring that rested on a chain beneath her damp and wrinkled cotton shirtwaist. "This was my mother's!"

"Just give it to him," the green-eyed stranger cajoled in his maddeningly calm manner.

"Now just wait," Elisabeth argued with a glare. "You don't understand. This was my mother's wedding ring."

The stranger gave her a quelling look that singed her eyelashes. Passengers called out their displeasure and shouted for her to give up her jewelry same as they had.

The ring was all she had of her mother. Since she'd drowned, Elisabeth had worn it every day…and tried to fill the woman's shoes. The wedding band symbolized Elisabeth's childhood and her sacrifices. Parting with it would break her heart…but she didn't want to be the cause of anyone getting shot. What would her father have to say in this situation?

She closed her eyes. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. Her true treasures were in heaven. The ring wasn't as important as the lives at stake.

The robber leaned down close as if he meant to take the ring from her neck. She raised her hand to her throat to prevent him from touching her. She could do this on her own. He grabbed Elisabeth's collar and yanked so hard that she jerked forward and the top button popped off.

In that same second, a grim click sounded. The bandit paused dead still.

Elisabeth stared into his shining dark eyes, and the moment stretched into infinity. She could hear her blood pulsing through her veins, her breath panting from between her dry lips. Was this the day she was going to die and meet her Maker?

"Take your hands off the lady, or you're dead." From beside her, the stranger's low-timbered voice was calm, but laced with lethal intent. The hair on Elisabeth's neck stood up.

No one else was privy to the robber's predicament. The green-eyed man's gun was still concealed between the two men, the business end jammed up against the robber's belly. Elisabeth dared a glance and saw the stranger's other hand clamped over the man's wrist, keeping that revolver pointed toward the floor and protectively away from her.

What could only have been seconds, but seemed like an hour, passed with their ragged breaths loud and the tick of a pocket watch encroaching on her consciousness.

"We ain't got all day, Hank!" one of the other thieves shouted.

The robber leaning over her attempted to move, and pandemonium broke loose. A shot rang out and Elisabeth's rescuer grunted in pain. The robber tugged at Elisabeth's collar, and the man beside her fired his gun.

The stench of gunpowder stung her nose. Men shouted. Women screamed. Elisabeth watched the events unfold in a haze of fear and disbelief.

The man who'd threatened Elisabeth crumpled, slumping sideways over the back of a seat. A horrifying crimson blotch spread across his shirtfront. She covered her mouth with her hand to keep from crying out.

The stranger leaped from his seat with his arm outstretched. "Get down!" he bellowed. A rapid succession of shots nearly deafened her. She cupped her hands over her ears, belatedly realizing he'd been ordering her to get down. Praying for safety for the other passengers, she folded herself onto the floor and knelt with her heart pounding. The shock of seeing that man shot and bleeding stole her breath.

Minutes passed with her thoughts in chaos. Would she see her family again? If the stranger protecting her had been shot, maybe other people were being killed or injured, and all because she'd delayed. She'd been going to give him the ring.

An eerie silence followed in the wake of the previous pandemonium, and it took a few minutes to comprehend what that could mean.

The sound of hesitant footsteps and voices told her the battle was over. She opened eyes she hadn't realized were squeezed shut, unfolded her body and peered over the seat in front of her.

One of the male passengers had picked up the gunny-sacks and now doled possessions back to their owners. In numb silence, she accepted her monogrammed velvet pocket and gold bracelet from his outstretched hand while her mind struggled to comprehend what was going on around her. A conductor and several other railroad men stepped over prone bodies on the floor. The sight made her stomach lurch. Elisabeth could only stare in numb disbelief.

One of the uniformed men made his way to the stranger who was seated on a bench with his back against the side of the railcar, his hand pressed to his ribs. "Find something for bandages!"

Spurred out of her frozen state of shock, Elisabeth straightened and stepped into the aisle. She raised her hem and, holding it in her teeth, tore a wide strip from her petticoat. "Here."

Others provided handkerchiefs and scarves, and the conductor handed over the wad of material for the fellow to press against the wound. "Sit tight," he said. "We'll get you to the doctor in Jackson Springs quick as we can."

Several men dragged the robbers' bodies to the back of the car, the dead men's boot heels painting shiny streaks of blood on the wooden floor. Her stomach roiled and she thought she might be sick.

"Are you all right?"

She swung her gaze to those green eyes, now dark with pain. "Y-yes, I'm fine."

Had he killed all of those men? He made a halfhearted attempt to sit a little straighter, but grimaced and stayed where he was.

He'd probably saved her life. Without a doubt he'd saved her from losing her precious ring. She perched on the edge of the seat beside his leg, and reached to replace his hand with hers, pressing the cloth against his cream-colored shirt, where it was soaked with blood that flowed from his side. "I'm Elisabeth Hart."

"Gabe Taggart," he replied.

"That was a very brave thing you did."

His expression slid into a scowl. "Didn't have much choice after the stupid thing you did."

RomCon Today!!

2011-06-01T13:46:00.001-07:00

By invitation, I have posted an excerpt and giving away a Gift Card today on the RomCon Blog!! Stop by and say hello!!
http://bit.ly/ikOXLm

Announcing Winners and USA Today Bestselling List!

2011-05-31T13:29:00.000-07:00

The winners of the Prizes "Worth Winning" Contest on www.charlenesands.com will be announced in just two weeks. Be sure you've entered on the Win Stuff page to win one of three Grand Prizes!

$100 Amazon Gift Card

$50 Amazon Gift Card

#25 Amazon Gift Card

And a big THANK YOU to all of you who have read my May Desire, Carrying the Rancher's Heir! It hit the USA TODAY BESTSELLER LIST two weeks running. AND the BORDERS TOP TEN LIST, 3 weeks running.

The reviews and comments have been wonderful. Clayton Worth's story is coming this Nov/Dec so keep a look out for it!!

Thanks again!!

Congrats to Desere, My Facebook Friend and More giveaways!!

2011-05-07T07:38:00.000-07:00

Talking about Water for Elephants/animals as secondary characters at http://pinkheartsociety.blogspot.com/

Talking about Arizona, Chris Young, Timothy Olyphant and Places you love at www.petticoatsandpistols.com

Come share a comment and be entered in a drawing for books, books and maybe even an Amazon Gift Card or two!!

Also Congrats to Desere S. for winning Brighton Bling on my Mother's Day Giveway!!

MOTHER'S DAY HONOR AND GIVEAWAY!!

2011-05-06T09:23:00.000-07:00

Here's to all the wonderful mothers in the world. Share with me how you will celebrate the day and be entered to win Brighton Bling!

Enter at FACEBOOK http://on.fb.me/ilcgWF or post your comment here! One winner will be selected tonight!

Happy Mother's Day!

THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT!

2011-05-02T16:24:00.000-07:00

Carrying The Rancher’s Heir by Charlene Sands
WAS UP FOR THE BOOK OF THE WEEK!

The Review:

Carrying The Rancher’s Heir by Charlene Sands
Publisher: Harlequin Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (192 pages)
Heat Level: Hot
Rating: 5 Books
Reviewed by Honeysuckle

The passionate, impulsive evening Tagg Worth had spent in the arms of brown-eyed beauty Callie Sullivan was madness. Visions of their tryst still haunted him, but their one-night stand was a mistake the wealthy rancher swore he would not repeat. Hawk Sullivan's daughter was strictly off-limits—especially since Hawk's main goal in life was to put Tagg out of business.

Then, suddenly, there was a baby on the way. His baby. Tagg vowed to do the right thing, no matter what it cost him. But his inconvenient new bride tempted his solitary heart down a path a Worth didn't dare follow….

“She couldn’t possibly have predicted how that night would end.”

That’s the understatement of the year but it didn’t change the facts. Callie Sullivan had fulfilled a longtime fantasy when the opportunity presented itself and now she was pregnant with Taggart Worth’s child. Her dad would have referred to him as Worthless but then again the feud between the Sullivan’s and the Worth’s would rival the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s or more appropriately in this case the Montague’s and Capulet’s. Don’t get me wrong this story isn’t a tragedy in the sense of Romeo and Juliet but the bitter rivalry between the families and the beautiful love story put me in mind of the classic.

I simply love a romance story that doesn’t make me want to growl at the main characters for being stubborn beyond reason. While I do want both the hero and heroine to know their own mind and not be doormats it simply wears me out to deal with the mental gymnastics of an overly stubborn character. This is just one of the reasons I enjoyed Carrying The Rancher’s Heir so much. Ms. Sands brought two people together who both had legitimate reason’s to not pursue a relationship, even after the one night stand, and made them *gasp* reasonable adults. Flawed, yes, but reasonable.

Callie Sullivan is the daughter of Tagg’s neighbor and most ruthless business rival, Hawkins “The Hawk” Sullivan. They grew up in the same town and attended the same school but were never allowed to associate. I respected Callie as a woman because she didn’t give into her father for sake of trying to win his approval. She makes decisions that are rational and best for her and eventually what’s best for the baby on the way. One of those decisions was to seek out Tagg and see if the combustible chemistry they shared in Reno could lead to something more…before she tells him about the baby. Okay, maybe not immediately telling him about the pregnancy wasn't the best idea but I could see myself taking the same path given her circumstances.

Taggart Worth was a terrific leading man. Tagg is a grieving widow that has carried a burden regarding his first wife’s death for over four years. Ms. Sands writing is so vivid and poignant you can feel his guilt and regret weighing him down. It affects his ability to easily embrace love and trust Callie. After all she is the daughter of The Hawk.

This is the type of terrific romance you come to expect from Harlequin with sizzling dose of sexy scenes that Ms. Sands handles very well. Tagg has two brothers that seemed ripe for their own HEA and this reviewer hopes to Ms. Sands is already, if only mentally, penning those blessed events. In the mean time, pick up a copy of Carrying The Rancher’s Heir and enjoy the beautiful beginnings for Callie and Tagg.

FAVORITE EASTER PICS!

2011-04-23T10:03:00.000-07:00

ENJOY!

SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST!

Front Matter and a Giveaway!

2011-04-19T06:02:00.000-07:00

New Desire Blog Today. "I'm always surprised!" And a Giveaway. Come see me!

THERE'S A BLOGGER BORN EVERY MINUTE

2011-04-15T07:02:00.000-07:00

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM MY FRIEND AND FELLOW AUTHOR Cheryl St.John

http://cherylstjohn.blogspot.com/

Everybody has a blog and most of us subscribe to more blogs than we can possibly read, so what can we do to attract readers to our particular blog? Decide first if this is something you can commit to. You can't hold readers if you're not faithful about new content.

Carve out a niche for yourself: Brand yourself with color, a photo, graphics, content, voice -- anything and everything that makes your content and appearance appealing and unique.

Giveaways: Many readers leave comments if you're holding a drawing. Pick up an extra book or DVD and hold a drawing. Ask your friends for a book or a special craft to give away.

Articles: Currently on Fridays I post blogs on the craft of writing. I feature authors who write the same sort of books I do, whose books I've enjoyed, and books written by friends.

Create a special day (or holiday) event: A few ideas are Hero Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday or Favorite Book Friday. Come up with something unique to you. I hold a Christmas Tree Tour every year throughout the month of December and readers and authors send me photos of their Christmas trees. It's a huge hit and readers have come to anticipate it. I've even had a couple of editors mention it to me.

Lists: People love a list and will often post theirs. Favorite romantic songs, favorite romantic movies or comedies, favorite authors or new TV shows you plan to catch are just a few ideas.

Reviews: Give your opinion on books you've read, movies you've seen, who you think should be voted off American Idol, your choices on Dancing With the Stars, the Olympic performances. When you tag your blog with a popular tag, you'll get hits from people googling that topic.

Recipes: Family favorites or cooking for special occasions. Ask friends to share their favorites. Nearly everyone likes an easy recipe.

Photos and graphics:

1) I make it a point never to post a blog without a picture. People are much more likely to pause in their surfing and read if there's a photo. For a solid year I posted Photo Friday and featured only a photo I'd taken myself. It was a very popular feature.

2) Title your photos. Don't ever post a graphic or photo that is labeled simply DMS00087. Keep tags interesting and people doing google searches will find your photo and come to look.

Your photo: Keep it front and center on all promo. Seeing a face lets people think they know you. It's friendly and worth a thousand words.

Be professional: Published or unpublished, it doesn't matter, publishing houses you query will seek out your web presence. If you're published, your editors and the marketing department will look to see how you present yourself and use copyrighted materials. The publishing industry truly is a small world. Word gets around. Persons of influence can show up in the least likely places a year from now.

Don't make a scene if you get an ugly rejection. Don't criticize a reviewer who didn't get your book. Don't bash an editor or another author. Even if you remove a hastily-posted remark, you've left a permanent imprint in cyberspace that can't be completely erased. Even if you write humor, conduct yourself with class and dignity.

Enjoy: Most importantly, have fun and don't let blogging become just one more thing you have to do.

Free Excerpt and New Contest!!

2011-03-31T23:04:00.000-07:00

Available on Eharlequin and Amazon

Carrying the Rancher's Heir

by Charlene Sands
(EXCERPT)

The subtle sound of hooves pounding earth and good-natured snorts usually put a smile on Taggart Worth's face. But not today.

Today, his gut was in a twist as he leaned on the corral fence drinking coffee, watching his three prize mares trot around the circular arena, the slight Arizona wind sweeping their manes. Once again, Worth Ranch had lost out on a lucrative cattle deal to Big Hawk Ranch. Hawkins Sullivan had outbid them and won.

Sullivan.

He was their neighbor and a big thorn in Tagg's side. Though Worth Ranch held its own with their biggest competitor, Tagg hated losing this last deal. He'd been led to believe it was a sure thing.

Tagg took a sip from his coffee mug. The thick brew had grown as cold and bitter as his emotions. He splashed the remaining coffee onto the ground and set the empty cup on the top of the rail post. His thoughts strayed to the one-night stand he'd had with Sullivan's daughter Callie last month in Reno. For weeks now, she'd been on his mind and that wouldn't do for the chief financial officer of Worth Enterprises.

While he should have been outsmarting and outbidding The Hawk, as he was known in the cattle business, Tagg had been thinking about Sullivan's daughter instead. The devil in him wondered if Hawkins had sent her to that Reno rodeo deliberately to distract him and throw him off balance. Sullivan was known to be ruthless in business but even he wouldn't go that far—sacrificing his daughter for a cattle deal. Callie didn't strike him as the type of woman who could be easily manipulated, either, but then Tagg had been wrong before when it came to women.

He'd known Callie as a child. Their ranches bordered each other, but he hadn't seen her in years until she'd pulled him off that bar stool in the Cheatin' Heart honky-tonk and dragged him onto the dance floor.

That night had been wild.

"Dance with me, cowboy. Show me your moves," she said as she slid her arms around his neck and cozied up real close. Long dark waves fell in a tangle onto her back. She shimmied her body and sent him a smile that beckoned.

"Can you handle my moves?" He spread his hands on her hips and drew her tight against him. She felt like heaven, warm and willing. He was one whiskey away from pure misery—rodeos did that to him. Made him remember what he'd lost. All-grown-up Callie had caught the brunt of his dangerous mood.

"Oh, yeah, Tagg. I can handle any move you want to make on me." Breathless, her lips angled up to his, so close, so tempting. She stared into his eyes with unmistakable invitation. Take me, she had said with that look, tearing his waning willpower to shreds.

Rational thought had escaped him then. He'd been without a woman for months and Callie seemed to want the same thing as he had, a night of crazy-wild sex. She'd seemed eager for it and Tagg hadn't an ounce of self-control left. He'd grabbed her hand and taken her to his hotel room, no questions asked. They'd barely made it through the door before they'd tossed each other's clothes off.

"She's a fine-looking filly."

Tagg turned to find his older brother standing at the corral fence three feet away from him. Tagg and his two brothers owned seventy-five thousand acres of prime ranch land in Red Ridge County—land that had been in the Worth family for generations. Clay lived at the main house, and Jackson spent most of his time in the penthouse, while Tagg lived up in the hills on the site of the original Worth cabin in a newly built ranch home.

"Trick?" Tagg nodded, glancing at the youngest of the three mares, a dappled gray. "She's from good healthy stock. The other females have taken to her just fine."

"You named her Trick?"

"Long story, but she wasn't easy to acquire. In fact, it was damn tricky. I had to do some fast talking."

They watched the horses settle down on the far side of the corral, the two older mares sandwiching Trick between them, mothering her.

"It's been a while since you've come down to the main house." Clay tipped his hat back to look at him directly. "When I drove up you looked deep in thought. Everything okay?"

Tagg wasn't the kiss-and-tell kind of guy. He felt guilty about skipping out on Callie that morning, leaving a note on the hotel bed in his wake. He'd never done that to a woman before. But he wasn't going to discuss that or the loss of the cattle deal to Sullivan with Clay this morning.

It was his problem and he'd deal with it.

Tagg liked his privacy and thanks to modern-day inventions like computers, the internet and iPhones, he didn't have to venture too far to conduct ranch business these days. Clay dealt with the ranch employees and Jackson took care of the other Worth holdings in Phoenix. All three of them didn't mind getting their hands dirty and working the land.

"Everything's fine. Just been buried under a pile of paperwork. How about you?"

"Busy with Penny's Song. The construction is almost complete. Our first young visitors are due to arrive in a few weeks."

"That's good. I'm planning on lending a hand. Anytime you need it."

Penny's Song was Clay and his estranged wife's brainchild, named after a local child who'd died from a debilitating disease at ten years old. With the Worth money and name behind it, the facility built one mile into the property would honor her memory and provide a safe haven for children recovering from life-threatening illness. From the get-go, it was designed to help mainstream those recovering kids into society in a dude ranch-type setting.

"We're counting on your help."

"I'll stop by later today and check out the progress."

Clay nodded and took a step toward his truck, but then turned and stared at Tagg for a moment.

He lifted his brows, curious at Clay's expression. "What?"

"It's been four years, Tagg."

Tagg took a quick pull of oxygen. Noting the concern on his brother's face, he tempered his impulse to lash out with careful words. "I know how long it's been. No one has to remind me."

"Maybe it's time you gave yourself a break."

He watched Clay turn around and get into the cab of his truck. The engine roared and red dust kicked up a fuss as he drove off, leaving Tagg alone with his thoughts. The way he wanted. The way it had to be. He'd lost his wife, Heather, four years ago and nothing would make it right. Giving himself a break wasn't on his agenda.

Ever.

***

Callie Sullivan stood in the shadows of the Red Ridge Mountains, just steps from Tagg's front door. A tremble pulsed through her body. She recognized it as anticipation and not fear. She couldn't wait to lay eyes on him again even knowing he wouldn't be glad to see her. Even knowing that he'd never called, never tried to get in touch with her again after the night they'd spent together.

She strode up the porch steps and pulled the note he'd written to her on hotel-room stationary out of her jeans. She'd taken it out and read it so many times the paper had worn ragged and thin. She remembered how she'd felt when she'd woken up to find it and not Tagg in the bed beside her that morning. She knew the words by heart now; she didn't have to see them.

Callie,
It was great. Heading home early. Didn't want to wake you.
Tagg

As far as notes went, it wasn't much. Tagg wasn't a verbal man, but he'd sure made up for his lack of social skills in the bedroom. Callie had no regrets about that night. She'd been restless, frustrated and unhappy during that trip to Reno until she had spotted Tagg sitting on a bar stool all alone. Something short of crazy clicked in her head and told her to go for what she wanted. She'd always wanted Tagg.

Callie, this is your chance.

She'd taken that chance and that night her "Tagg fantasy" had come to life.

She stood on his doorstep and knocked, the note tucked safely into the back pocket of her jeans.

Silence.

Callie knocked again. Still nothing.

She stepped off his porch and with a hand above her brows she scoured the property, squinting against the afternoon sun, looking for some sign of Tagg.

His sprawling one-story home sat atop a hill and afforded a panoramic view of the Red Ridge Mountains. The picturesque scene reminded Callie why she loved this part of Arizona so much. More than an hour away from the bustling city of Phoenix with its legendary historic districts, sports centers and trendy shopping, Tagg's ranch home seemed far removed from that life.

It's the way he wanted it, she thought. Everyone knew his past history. The bronco champion married to the rodeo queen. It had all been so perfect. A real fairy-tale ending.

And they lived happily ever after.

But they hadn't. Because Heather Benton Worth had died in a small-plane crash on an airstrip on Worth land and Tagg's life had been engulfed with grief. The details of how it had all come about were sketchy and if anyone knew, not a soul in the county spoke about it. It had been a tragic end to a beautiful life. And it had been as if Tagg had died that day, too. He'd quit the rodeo, leaving his friends and his career behind to build a modest home in the hills. Callie's father had said that Clayton Worth made Tagg the CFO of the company to pull him out of his grief, and his solitary life on the ranch had begun.

Off in the distance, Callie spotted a lone rider coming in from the range. She took a few steps forward to be sure. Her heart sped. Emotions washed over her. She hadn't seen Tagg in five weeks. Five weeks too long. She held a secret close to her heart. One she wouldn't yet share with him.

Long and tall in the saddle, Tagg was just as much a cowboy as he was CFO of Worth Ranch. He wore tan leather chaps over Wranglers and a blue work shirt. Dark Ray-Bans blocked the penetrating sun. As he rode his mare up the dirt path to the barn her breath constricted in her chest. Every nerve ending pulsed.

If Tagg seemed surprised to see her, he didn't show it. He kept his expression blank as he swung his leg up and dismounted the gorgeous bay mare; her coat was glistening with sweat. Callie put a hand on the horse. "You're such a pretty girl," she said, taking hold of the bridle and stroking the mare's forelock. She had a soft spot for all animals, but she loved horses and considered herself an expert horsewoman.

Tagg stood several inches taller and she had to look up to see his face. He folded his arms across his body and leaned back. "I could say the same to you."

She couldn't see his eyes, but was fairly sure he'd just complimented her. "Hi, Tagg."

"Callie." He looked her up and down through his sunglasses, making her wish she'd worn something frilly and feminine instead of blue jeans. "You looking for me?"

"I am."

He rubbed the back of his neck and let go a deep sigh. "Listen, I'm glad you showed up here—"

"You are?" Callie couldn't help herself. She'd been afraid Tagg wouldn't want to see her again. So this was good news and she couldn't hide it in her voice.

He removed his sunglasses and dark silver-blue eyes narrowed in on her. Excitement raced in her veins. Those eyes had seen every ounce of her, had traveled over her body with admiration and desire. Callie would never forget the hot gleam and what it had done to her.

Growing up, Callie had been forbidden to have anything to do with the Worth boys. Her father's rules. The Worths hadn't been worthy of the Sullivans. In her father's mind, no one was good enough for Callie. But she'd known Tagg at school, had seen him around town and later had watched him bust broncos in the rodeo.

Simply put, Taggart Worth had owned her teenage dreams. She'd thought the sun rose and set on his broad shoulders—the chisel-jawed, dark-haired, handsome neighbor boy she wasn't allowed to get to know. Six months ago, when she'd returned home from Boston to care for her father after a slight heart attack, nothing had changed except that Callie was her own woman now. And her father's staunch restrictions no longer applied.

"Yeah. I've been thinking about you."

Callie held her breath and on to the hope that surrounded her.

"You have?"

He wrestled with his words. "I'm…sorry. About Reno. Shouldn't have happened."

She deflated faster than a birthday-party balloon. Her stomach clenched tight and a slow burn began inside her belly. She'd been bold with Tagg that night. She'd never be sorry for taking what she wanted. For giving Tagg all she had to give. She'd relinquished more than her body in Reno. And now he was apologizing? Telling her it shouldn't have happened?

Pride and anger replaced her disappointment.

"I don't walk out on women like that, usually."

How many women? How many one-night stands? She wished they'd woken up in each other's arms that morning and declared undying love for each other. But she wasn't foolish enough to believe that would happen between them.

"You left a note," she reminded him in a tone that made him wince.

His look of deep, honest regret overpowered her. He regretted everything while she held close to her heart those wonderful memories.

"I should have stayed and explained."

"Nothing to explain, Tagg. We both got what we wanted."

Tagg shook his head. He didn't believe it.

Unable to stomach his remorse another second, Callie looked away, glancing at the mare. "Are you going to comb her down? She's breathing hard."

Before he could answer, Callie took the reins and walked the horse inside the barn. "Come on, girl," she cooed. "Let's get you out of the hot sun." The familiar musky scent of straw, feed and dank earth wafted in the air. She'd grown up around those barn smells.

Tagg stood there a moment watching her, his expression tight, giving nothing away. Then he strode into the barn behind her. Callie had never felt so raw inside. So unnerved. But she came here to tell Tagg something and she wouldn't leave until she did.

She took off the mare's bridle while Tagg began removing the saddle.

"You don't have to do that," he snapped.

She'd annoyed him. Good. "It's second nature with me. I grew up on a ranch, too." She shot him a smile.

"Kind of hard to forget our biggest competitor."

She set the bridle on a hook and grabbed a grooming brush. "Is that the problem? I'm The Hawk's daughter?"

Tagg's mouth twisted. "No."

I hope you liked the excerpt... be sure to stop by the Carrying The Rancher's Heir Contest!
Stories WORTH reading. Contests WORTH winning!!

See my Win Stuff page for my Grand Prize Contest!!

Check out my new Random Thoughts Friday

2011-03-24T22:44:00.000-07:00

It's here: http://bit.ly/18S0YL and a 3-in-1 Book Giveaway!

I NEVER EXPECTED IT TO BE A ROMANCE - The Adjustment Bureau

2011-03-07T22:55:00.000-08:00

I'll admit I like Matt Damon movies. My DH and I have seen the Bourne Identity numerous times (meaning too many to count) so when I saw Matt recently on ELLEN, I heard him talking about his latest movie, The Adjustment Bureau. It looked like a thriller, maybe not of the caliber of Bourne, but certainly the trailers showed lots of action scenes and since it was a slow week, movie-going wise, we decided to try it. I will admit that Matt did tell Ellen that the movie was basically a love story, but for some reason, dear hubby and I thought that the romance was secondary to lots the action and adventure.

The matinee movie (feels like I'm ditching class when we go to an early movie) was quite crowded and there's safety in numbers. I thought this was going to be great. But after about twenty minutes into the movie, I glanced over at my DH only to find his eyes closed. That wasn't a good sign. I laughed and asked him if he was napping and he gave me that kind of look that said, he would rather nap than watch what was on the screen.

So, as it turned out, The Adjustment Bureau IS a romance of sorts, but it's also about a group of (we don't know what to call them exactly, they aren't angels) tall men wearing dark suits and bowler hats who for some reason that was never really explained, must keep everyone on the right "plan" for their life. Disruptions can cause damage. And there's one odd little scene, where Matt Damon stumbles upon the "adjusters" in their role, "adjusting" his friend and colleague and now Matt has to be dealt with.

Oddly, it wasn't so much a story about that - thank goodness, because the message really got lost in translation. The story was about love -- namely Matt Damon's character who wasn't supposed to meet Emily Blunt namely the woman of his dreams and love of his life. But he does meet her throwing the preconceived plan off kilter.

It was a strange little movie that never got the point across. Too bad. Because it really was more of a romance than anything else. I had a feeling the movie was based on a book or story and I waited to see the credits at the end. Sure enough is was based on a short story by Philip K. Dick called The Adjustment Team.

I think DH would have rather napped. I enjoyed the romance to some degree, yet the happily ever after scene, wasn't altogether satisfying for me. I still had questions in my mind, but you know, the movie didn't compell me to feel dissatisfied enough to probe for answers - I just didn't care enough. I'm not sure which is worse.

I really wish I liked this movie more. DH really does like a good romance. Recently, we saw Just Go With It and we both laughed out loud and enjoyed the love story. I think for us, The Adjustment Bureau just missed. It wasn't much of a thriller and the romance was just okay.

I guess, we're going to wait for Matt's next Bourne movie - coming soon to a theater near us!

Hey, Look What I Found!!

2011-03-03T22:58:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the author is the LAST to know.

I found out my very first Desire from January 2003 is now available on KINDLE.

This debut book was a Romantic Times Magazine

TOP PICK with ****41/2 Stars. I'm excited that it's now available on KINDLE! YAY!!

Here's the review:

THE HEART OF A COWBOY

Case Jarrett has avoided his family ranch since his brother married Sarah. Only a deathbed promise to his twin, Reid, brings him home from the rodeo circuit to care for Sarah and the baby she carries and take on the responsibilities of the ranch. If only he can avoid the temptation of seducing his brother's widow. Charlene Sands writes an amazing story filled with sensuality and wonderful characters who fight to do the right thing, but can't help falling in love in THE HEART OF A COWBOY (4.5).

by Charlene Sands
Genre: Silhouette Desire, Series, Current Series Imprints
Reviewed By: Angela Keck

Also thought you like to see the dynamite cover for the Large Print Version. (I really love this one!)

COWBOY HUNK X FOUR and a Giveaway!!

2011-03-01T07:40:00.000-08:00

Come read about my new Red Ridge Series - or Cowboy Hunk times Four. Four stories, four rugged men of the west from Harlequin Desire and Harlequin Historical. Visit the Desire blog for a chance to win an Amazon Gift card too!!

PREDICTING THE ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS!

2011-02-26T23:46:00.000-08:00

I'm no expert, but I love movies and moviegoing. I've seen most of the titles below and every year, I make my guesses. It's fun to see how close I come. I have to admit I'm intrigued to see how well James Franco and Anne Hathaway do as the hosts this year.

Did you have a favorite movie this year? Will you watch the Oscars? Going to an Oscar-watching party? This year there may not be any clear cut winners, but here are my choices underlined. See if you agree.

Best Motion Picture of the Year

Nominees:

127 Hours (2010): Christian Colson, Danny Boyle, John Smithson

Black Swan (2010): Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver, Scott Franklin

The Fighter (2010): David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Mark Wahlberg

Inception (2010): Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas

The Kids Are All Right (2010): Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Celine Rattray

The King's Speech (2010): Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Gareth Unwin

The Social Network (2010): Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca, Ceán Chaffin

Toy Story 3 (2010): Darla K. Anderson

True Grit (2010): Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Scott Rudin

Winter's Bone (2010): Anne Rosellini, Alix Madigan

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

Nominees:

Javier Bardem for Biutiful (2010)

Jeff Bridges for True Grit (2010)

Jesse Eisenberg for The Social Network (2010)

Colin Firth for The King's Speech (2010)

James Franco for 127 Hours (2010)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Nominees:

Annette Bening for The Kids Are All Right (2010)

Nicole Kidman for Rabbit Hole (2010)

Jennifer Lawrence for Winter's Bone (2010)

Natalie Portman for Black Swan (2010)

Michelle Williams for Blue Valentine (2010)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

Nominees:

Christian Bale for The Fighter (2010)

John Hawkes for Winter's Bone (2010)

Jeremy Renner for The Town (2010)

Mark Ruffalo for The Kids Are All Right (2010)

Geoffrey Rush for The King's Speech (2010)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Nominees:

Amy Adams for The Fighter (2010)

Helena Bonham Carter for The King's Speech (2010)

Melissa Leo for The Fighter (2010)

Hailee Steinfeld for True Grit (2010)

Jacki Weaver for Animal Kingdom (2010)

Best Achievement in Directing

Nominees:

Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan (2010)

Ethan Coen, Joel Coen for True Grit (2010)

David Fincher for The Social Network (2010)

Tom Hooper for The King's Speech (2010)

David O. Russell for The Fighter (2010)

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen

Nominees:

Another Year (2010): Mike Leigh

The Fighter (2010): Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, Keith Dorrington

Inception (2010): Christopher Nolan

The Kids Are All Right (2010): Lisa Cholodenko, Stuart Blumberg

The King's Speech (2010): David Seidler

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published

Nominees:

127 Hours (2010): Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy

The Social Network (2010): Aaron Sorkin

Toy Story 3 (2010): Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich

True Grit (2010): Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Winter's Bone (2010): Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year

Nominees:

How to Train Your Dragon (2010): Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders

The Illusionist (2010): Sylvain Chomet

Toy Story 3 (2010): Lee Unkrich

LOSING THE PILLSBURY DOUGHBOY!

2011-02-22T19:45:00.000-08:00

A SAD PASSING (this brought tears to my eyes - you'll see why)

Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment community. The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from

repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71.

Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The grave site was piled high with flours. 96Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded.

Born and bread in Minnesota , Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half- baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at times, he still was a crusty old man and was considered a positive roll model for millions.

Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, three children: John Dough, Jane Dough and Dosey Dough, plus they had one in the oven. He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart. The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.

If you smiled, please rise to the occasion and pass it on to someone having a crumby day and kneads a lift.

(We all need a lift and this one made me laugh until I cried)

JOIN ME ON TWITTER!!

2011-02-17T07:22:00.000-08:00

I'm now on TWITTER

Come Follow Me!

VALENTINE'S DAY GIVEAWAY WINNNER IS DONNAGH

2011-02-15T14:30:00.000-08:00

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Donnagh - please contact me at charlenesands@hotmail.com and I'll get your prize to you!!!

Heartfelt thanks to all who have stopped by with Valentine Greetings!!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY AND GIVEAWAY!!

2011-02-14T09:19:00.000-08:00

To you, my friends, readers of romance

We kick our heels up in a happy dance!

We celebrate LOVE in any way

With cards and sentiments we do say

We have love in our life

Be it husband or wife

Friends or family, daughter or son

Love is in the air, with your special one

Your friendship and support I do dearly treasure

On this day of romance, I send you LOVE in good measure!

Post a little Valentine comment here and you'll be entered into a drawing for a little LOVE, a $10 Amazon Gift card from me to you!!

WHAT'S A PARAPROSDOKIAN?

2011-01-25T19:49:00.000-08:00

A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to re-frame or reinterpret the first part. It is frequently used for humorous or dramatic effect. Enjoy!

The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it's still on the list.

If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.

We never really grow up; we only learn how to act in public.

War does not determine who is right -- only who is left.

I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way; so I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

Evening news is where they begin with 'Good evening,' and then proceed to tell you why it isn't.

To steal an idea from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.

A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. My desk is a work station.

How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

I thought I wanted a career; turns out I just wanted paychecks.

Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says "In an emergency, notify:" I put " A DOCTOR."

I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.

A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some goodideas!

Some cause happiness wherever they go.. Others, whenever they go.

I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not sure.

I always take life with a grain of salt plus a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila.

You're never too old to learn something stupid.

To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target.

Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.

A bus is a vehicle that runs twice as fast when you are after it as when you are in it.

Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine

Computer Meltdown! How My Life Has Changed!

2011-01-03T20:42:00.000-08:00

Putting all your eggs in one basket is not a good idea, they say. Luckily for me, I've always heeded that advice, so when my computer's hard drive died on December 30th, I didn't panic too much! Just a little. I knew we had a Back Up plan. Thankfully and though I had to buy a new computer on New Year's Day, my files were rescued. (For a few horrible minutes, I was told everything was corrupted)

Being without a computer for those few days made me realize how heavily I depend on it -- for almost everything. My writing, for one-- and my current contracted work in progress. My calendar is loaded in there, all my yahoo groups, my photos and just about everything else.

It really made me think about how times have changed over the past ten years. We are in the digital, electronic age, to be sure. Though, it was inconvenient not to have use of a computer (my hubby's iPhone helped me view my emails, at least), I found I had more time for myself. I was more social in PERSON. I made phone calls (remember those before Facebook, Twitter and Texts?) I saw my neighbors. I read more.

But you can't stop progess. It seems we are heading for even more DIGITAL dependence. I don't know where it'll end. The world is embarking on newer technology all the time, ie: the latest device being the Sling Box. Access to your computer from anywhere! Wowee. Do we really want to go there?

I consider myself lucky, though having to buy a new tower was an unexpected expense, my entire computer life didn't die when the hard drive did. So, now I will save my work on all devices known to man, a Flash Drive, a secondary Hard Drive, and a Disk as well as sending my work out into cyber space to be retrieved whenever I need.

Yes, life has changed.
Happy 2011 everyone!!

We have a Kindle Winner!!

2010-12-23T12:16:00.000-08:00

And it's Jeanne M. from Rhode Island!

Congratulations on winning the Grand Prize of a Kindle 3-G!! Thanks to everyone who joined in the fun with the Harlequin Historical Advent Calendar.

Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy Holiday!!