Traffic in LA. You don't want to know!

Okay, so I'm going to write about it anyway. It's mindnumbing to say the least. And anyone who broaches this subject, says pretty much the same thing -- how did it get so bad so quickly? Traffic in and around the county perimeters never used to be like this. Never! It's only been in the last few years that it's a crap shoot and a test of your luck that day, whether you'll get to your destination on time.

There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it.

The devil in me thinks that it's about time for another earthquake, to keep people from moving to California in general, and my area to be specific, but I'm not the devil, so strike that thought. Yet, everywhere I look, there's new construction going up. Even in the smallest particles of land, someone is building something! And people are moving in.

Saturday night, we picked up my cousins and gave ourselves a good three hours to get to Angel Stadium in time to see the Yankee/Angel batting practice, have a nice dinner and relax a bit, before the game started. Now, Yahoo and Mapquest say it takes about 55 minutes, but that's how the crow flies and not considering the LA traffic. My cousin believed that's plenty of time. School is out, it's spring break here, a lot of people are out of town. Gas is up to almost $3.00 a gallon. The Dodgers weren't playing in town (we pass their stadium to get to Angel stadium) so we thought we were in the clear.

Until we got on the freeway. Bumper to bumper traffic. What normally takes 20 minutes to drive out of our valley, took an hour and the rest of the way was the same. For more than 60 miles, medium to heavy traffic, stop and go, most of the time. I kept asking myself, where are all these people going? If only, I could be a fly on the car door panels, to find out! Needless to say, we didn't see batting practice, didn't get a nice relaxed meal before the game and we just made the National Anthem! Wasn't fun.

Okay, I rationalized, but it's always a breeze getting home. We'll be home in less than an hour -- no traffic at 10 PM, even though we pick up Disneyland traffic too, on the way home. Great, we thought. Until we got on the freeway only to find that there had been a 3 car collison blocking 3 lanes! Took a while to clear up the mess, luckily no one had been seriously injured, except my husband, the dear man, who hates traffic more than mushrooms, who stressed out before and after the game. And when all totaled, we spent more time getting to and from the game, than seeing actual play time. Isn't that something? At least the Angels won that night!

Skittles the Wonderful Cat!

To all who know her, she's truly the "devil" cat, but to me my black and white tuxedo feline is a joy. She sits atop my computer, where she barely fits anymore, gazing down at me with those big yellow eyes, purring contentedly, keeping me company on a very lonely writing day, befriending me and speaking when spoken to. Yes, she talks ... to me. She lets me know what she wants and sometimes she's very vocal. She has her rituals, as many cats do and those make me smile, like when she meows wildly by her food bowl, until I bend down and pet her while she eats, (something my hubby spoiled her with as a kitten). She needs our attention and love when she eats! She's affectionate when she wants to be and she's always with me. If I'm writing, she's in my office. If I'm reading, she's laying by my feet. If I'm outside in the backyard, she wants the same. She even travels well. She loves the car, riding in it, doesn't freak her out. And lately, we've discovered that she likes to be vacuumed. Yes, vacuumed! With an attachment that combs as well as cleans her coat. I've never seen a cat who'll stand still for that.

But as I said, to everyone else, beside my family, she's the devil. She doesn't like anyone invading her territory. When we're home with her, she hides when there's company in the house, but when we're away, she attacks the friends and family who I've commissioned to feed and look after her! One might say, she bites the hands who try to feed her. Not only does she attack, physically, striking with claws and hissing with gusto, but she makes growling sounds so deep in her throat, one might swear it's an exorcist sound. I almost didn't believe it, because rarely does she behave this way when I'm home, but I've seen her strike at my sister, my brother-in-law, my nephew, among others. She's surely a Jeckyl and Hyde cat. With dual personalities and a fierce need to protect what's hers. I won't even go into how she treats our older cat, Snickers. That could take days.

Yet, to us, she's a loving adorable baby girl with a sweet face and matching personality. She's truly a bafflement. Or is she? Are there other cats or animals out there, who behave the same way?

What Does Love Mean?

Leave it to the kids to give us the real answers to hard questions. A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint
her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne
and they go out and smell each other."

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French
fries without making them give you any of theirs."

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip
before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of
kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and
Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss"

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening
presents and listen."

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend
who you hate,"

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it
everyday."

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked
at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.
He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore."


"My mommy loves me more than anybody
You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is
handsomer than Brad Pitt ."

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone
all day."

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old
clothes and has to go out and buy new ones."

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars
come out of you."

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you
mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."

And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked
about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an
elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy
said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry"

Happy April!

I can't believe it's April already! Time for spring break, Easter and Passover holidays. For birds chirping outside my window, for fluctuating weather, especially in California, highs in the 80's, lows in the 40's. Baseball!

And since it's the beginning of April, our new 2006 Spring From the Heart Contest will up an running. Here's a look at the prizes. Be sure to enter and check back for other new and exciting contests and giveaways happening soon. Don't you just love my new June cover?

Did any of you get fooled on April Fool's Day? I love to hear those stories. When I was younger, I would try to think up silly things to say, but I'd always get caught. I'm a BAD liar. And I can't keep a straight face. I remember a prank pulled on my girlfriend and me that really had us stumped. As we left the movie theater, we were gabbing as girls do until we reached the parking lot and where we thought the car was parked. It wasn't there, so we continued searching for my car -- couldn't find it. We hunted and tried to recall where in heck I parked my car. We really tossed this back and forth. It was here. No, it was there. Then, when we couldn't find it we thought for sure, my car had been stolen.

Stolen? Yes, it had been, by our chuckling husbands, who had decided to move my car to another location and watch us try to find it from their hiding spot. Oh, they'd had a good laugh over that one!!

End of our Contest!

Tomorrow marks the end of my first 2006 contest. We'll be picking the winner of the beautiful Brighton heart necklace, the End Of Trail bookmark and copies of Like Lightning and Renegade Wife . We'll be sure to post the winner's name on Friday!

Starting Monday, the new contest begins!

Be sure to enter again to win:
Heart-shaped basket filled with lotions, candles, writing paper, notepads and potpourri along with a copy of my new June continuity
from Silhouette Desire, Heiress Beware!

Good luck!

Loved it -- Finding the time!

I finished Lori Foster's book, Jaime, in one day. I have to say that it was excellent, but I think three or four stories came before it, and I would've loved to have read those first, in order, to see how the characters all play out to this one and final book in the series.

What a treat. If you're reading this, then you're a lover of reading books too, so you can relate to me saying, that staying in and giving myself guilt-free reading time was the most enjoyable time I've had in a long while. Relaxing and fun and so cozy on a rainy California day, I kicked back and simply indulged.

It's something, I vow to do more often. I can't wait for the books I recently ordered to arrive, to give myself that one pleasurable day of reading again.

How I missed it.

Reading an Author I've Never Read Before

I love writing, but as rule lately, because of my deadlines and other writing business, I've stopped reading as much as I like to. I really miss it. So sometimes, I reward myself by getting a goal and once I reach that goal, I allow myself guilt-free time to read! And I've made a pact with myself to try to read a book from an author I've never read before.

There are so many authors I would love to read. To tell you how behind I am, I picked up this book before Christmas and set it on my nightstand, thinking that at the next opportunity, I'd read that book. But then, I needed to read some books for research, my friend handed me a book I simply had to read from one of my old standbys, and I'm trying to keep up on THE ELLIOTTS from Desire so when my book comes out in June, Heiress Beware, I'll be all caught up. So, there sat this book titled Jaime, from Lori Foster. No, I'd never read Lori before and I was determined to read this book.

And now, I'm enthralled with the story and I'm setting aside some time today to sit down with a cup of coffee and really get into it. After blogging and reading my emails, that's exactly what I plan to do. Oh, and did I mention, this will be a guilt-free read? I faxed in my Author Alterations for my Aug and Sept books, finished a scene I'd been working on for Fortune's Vengeful Groom and have the morning to myself! What a nice way to start a Monday.


Be sure to enter my contest ending this Friday! You'll love the prizes this time!

I have a floor!

Yes, I do. I have a new kitchen floor and it's beautiful. Now, who'd think anyone would get excited about a new floor? Certainly not me, but after walking around all month on broken up cement, gray and dingy, not to mention how hard it is on feet accustomed to going barefoot, I'm overjoyed. My dear hubby is amazing. He laid it down, took him all week, but he knew this was it. He kept saying "This is the last one I'm doing." And unless we're hit with another earthquake, God Forbid, this will be our final floor. This time we got it right and he did a great job. I love the big squares of stone, the way it feels under my feet, the smooth texture and most of all, how it brings all of our hard work together to make the kitchen look, finally, complete.

Getting Organized

Some people marvel at how I manage to write so much, work a part-time job (Childbirth and Baby Care Instructor) and keep up my household. All I can say to that, is that I know no other way. Truly. While I'd love to take full credit for having written three books last year along with all the other things I do, I can't imagine NOT doing it.

It's no great hardship for me to sit down at the computer and write my stories. Most days, I can't wait. Sure, there are times when I run into a roadblock, have to reassess the plot, or develop the characters better, which takes thinking, not writing, but all in all, it's a joy for me. So, when I get going, I keep going. There isn't a day that goes by when I'm not doing something, even if I have a few extra minutes before dinner, or an appointment, I will sit down to edit something. Last night, as I was showing a video to my childbirth class, I took my AA's (Author Alterations-last stage of copyedits) and read through 20 pages of my manuscript. It felt good to accomplish that, rather than sit through a video I've seen more than a dozen times.

If it seems that I'm always working, I'm not. I have my down time, where I'll sit in front of the TV and watch Days of Our Lives, or read a book, or simply go shopping. I think it's easy for me to make the most of my days. I don't procrastinate. If something needs doing, I do it. There's nothing to marvel at here, no great mystery as to how I get all the things done I need to, but then, my kids are grown, I have the house to myself and I don't have the same responsibilities I had when I was raising my family.

Still it amazes me, when people ask, "How do you do it all?"
I shrug and shake my head. I really don't know any other way.

Montana

As I'm writing Fortune's Vengeful Groom my March 2007 continuity, I'm finding myself extremely interested in Montana. My story primarily takes place in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, but my hero whisks our heroine off for a day trip to his new estate in Montana. The research has been fun and interesting and I'm finding that, because I also write historicals, there's so much American history there. The area I'm writing about is the same as the movie, Legends of the Fall, so you get an idea about Big Sky Country. What's amazing to me is that there's fewer people living in the entire state, than there is in Los Angeles. I think they have just about a million people in the whole of Montana.
They have no idea about traffic jams! And the scenery there is amazing ... from blue skies and vast prairies to snowcapped mountains. I only hope I do the scenes justice as I write about that area.

And thanks to my friend and Harlequin Hussy, Gail Ranstrom, for her advice and insights about Montana, a place she has frequented many times. It's always nice to hear it from the source! See, not all my research comes off the internet!

American Idol - Predictions

Okay, I admit I LOVE this show. I'm addicted. Each year, it's something different, but the same. I don't know if the talent is that much better this year than last, as the judges like you to believe as they hype their show, but it's definitely more diverse. Honestly, I don't do reality shows. But I've always loved the competitive edge to shows about real, raw talent. I used to watch Star Search all the time and I think of Idol as the a more contemporary version of that show.

So here's my predictions: I think there's really three top performers, and many that are very, very good. Mandisa can sing anything. She's a joy to watch. She has vocals that remind me of Aretha Franklin, the power and soulful strength of her voice. I also think Chris is fabulous. He too, picks the songs that suit him and he's got a great style and wonderful voice. And Katherine, has it all. She's got the Idol look, a very clear strong voice and is very likeable. Even Simon thinks she reminds him of Kelly Clarkson. So, those are my picks for the top three. I don't know who'll win, but hey, last year I did pick Carrie Underwood. And she won!

But Ace, Kelly, Paris and Taylor are all so good, in both their personalities and their style of singing. I wish them all well. It takes guts and confidence to do what they're doing. Anybody agree or disagree with my predictions? Who's your favorite?

The New Desire Stories

Well, I'm happy to say, I'll be working on a story I've wanted to do now for Desire for quite a while. I worked very hard on the proposal, trying to get it right so that it meets with our new Silhouette Desire Guidelines. These stories are focused on more meaty conflicts, stronger, (alpha) heroes and heroines who have flaws and have made a few mistakes in the past.

To give you an idea, the title, Between the Ceo's Sheets, has been changed to The CEO Seeks Revenge. Tougher men, flawed heroines, stronger, deeper storylines. I have to say it was a challenge for me to develop this story. But apparently, now I have the opportunity to write it and it will be a 2007 release.

That's the good news. And there really isn't any bad news that goes along with this. I enjoy a new challenge and the test of my talent and writing ability to develop a story that I might not have wanted to write before. At least doing so, will keep life interesting, keep me on my toes and hopefully, help me enhance my craft a bit.

All in all, a good thing.

Contest coming to a close!

Hi everyone. Just a quict reminder that my 2006 From the Heart contest will be coming to a close at the end of March!

Be sure to enter to win some great prizes!

I'm off now ... working on Fortune's Vengeful Groom for March 07!

Researching a new home.

I've said this before and find it so true that sometimes, the research is more fun that than the writing. In my March 07 book, Fortune's Vengeful Groom, my hero has built this fantastic new home on acres and acres of land. When he brings our heroine to see it, she's floored by it's magnificence.

So, when writing this, I had to find such a home to describe. I could have made it all up, but honestly, I couldn't have even imagined this home in my wildest dreams. Much of what I found was from the 2006 HGTV Dream Home Giveaway. There's a home there, that my daughter has entered to win, every day since the contest started. She kept telling me to check it out online, you'll love it. As it happened, she was right. Not only is it a perfect dream home for me, but it worked so well in my story that I included much of the design in my hero's Montana home.

This is truly a great house with 17 rooms in all, including three levels, a view of the lake and mountains, a wine cellar, an outdoor living area, a gym, recreation room and dynamite touches like attic bedrooms and wrap-around terrace and balconies.

I spent hours perusing magazines and checking out home sites and it was more fun that I'd ever thought. Who would have thunk?

For a laugh!

Just couldn't resist this one.
As some of you might know, in my other life, I teach childbirth and babycare classes at my local hospital. I hope some of you new moms out there are reading this one! You just have to laugh!

Case of "THE PREGNANT LADY"

ACTUAL AUSTRALIAN COURT DOCKET 12659---CASE OF
THE PREGNANT LADY

A lady about 8 months pregnant got on a bus She
noticed the man opposite her was smiling at her.

She immediately moved to another seat. This time
the smile turned into a grin, so she moved again.

The man seemed more amused. When on the fourth
move, the man burst out laughing, she complained to the driver and
he had the man arrested.

The case came up in court. The judge asked the
man (about 20 years old) what he had to say for himself.

The man replied, "Well your Honor, it was like
this: When the lady got on the bus, I couldn't help but notice her
condition. She sat down under a sign that said, 'The Double Mint
Twins are Coming' and I grinned."

"Then she moved and sat under a sign that said,
'Logan's Liniment will reduce the swelling', and I had to smile."

"Then she placed herself under a deodorant sign
that said, "William's Big Stick Did the Trick", and I could hardly
contain myself."

"BUT, your Honor, when she moved the fourth time
and sat under a sign that said, 'Goodyear Rubber could have
prevented this Accident'... I just lost it."

"CASE DISMISSED!!"

Kitchen Update

Oh, yes ... the kitchen. It's halfway there and I'll admit, I do love it so far. It's been almost 4 weeks of no appliances, of eating out or bringing in, and I'm hoping the end is near. I really DO miss cooking. The maple cabinets are gorgeous, but there's a few that need replacing. That will take some time --no biggee, at least I've restocked all my shelves and everything's ready to go. The granite was done in record time -- one week from the picking out of, to the installation and that was amazing. IT'S amazing. So pretty and the best thing of all, NO MORE UGLY GROUT! But the appliances that were scheduled for Sunday, didn't come -- a snafu that wasn't pleasant. They are due on Thursday and then I'll be cooking again. New floors will be in on the weekend (done expertly by dear talented hubby) and then wall tiles, painting and repairs. I figure by next Thanksgiving we'll have it all done. No, Kidding! It seems like I've been dealing with this kitchen since last Thanksgiving though. Enough is enough. I'm ready and hoping this kitchen will serve me as well as the original one did - twenty years of fine service. At least!

The Academy Awards

Okay, so I went to Trader Joe's yesterday afternoon to pick up a few grocery items and the place was packed. I've never seen this store so crowded before, the lines were actually into the grocery aisles. So as I'm standing in line, I spoke with another woman and asked. "Is this because of the Academy Awards later tonight?" She nodded and said she thought so. People were shopping early so as not to miss the show, or buying food to entertain during the show.
I live 30 minutes from Hollywood and many of the people I know work in the entertainment industry. We are inundated with these folk, so Oscar night is really a big deal here, maybe more than anywhere else. But it never ceases to amaze me, the trickle down affect. How, just because the Oscars are on TV at 5 PM, that I have to stand in long lines for 20 minutes just to buy cereal and milk!

And you know, I didn't even watch much of the show. This year, oddly, I didn't see more than one movie up for an award, so I tuned in and out, but I did catch Reese Witherspoon's acceptance speech. She's the real deal, I think. I was happy for her. And now, can life in and around Hollywood, just get back to normal? Or, maybe, that is normal for Hollywood. I just don't want to stand in any more long grocery lines!

Reading and Writing

While in the midst of the kitchen remodel and all the goings on with picking granite (fun) buying new baking supplies (old ones were VERY old) and living in my house as a camper would, with paper plates, BBQing if I want a home-cooked meal and such, I've also been doing a bit of reading.

Now, that's really my favorite thing to do. And as I'm reading this book from a well-known author, with many books in print, I'm finding myself not "into" the book by page 80. That usually doesn't happen -- not with this author. And I'm thinking that if this was the author's first book, perhaps it wouldn't have been published at all. I stayed up and got fully immersed in the book, because I KNOW this author doesn't disappoint, but that thought niggled at me all the while.

There's something to be said about author status and reputation. Because truly, on any given earlier page, 20 or 30 or 50 or even 60, I could have put the book down and never picked it up again. There just wasn't the conflict going on, I didn't care about the characters, nothing intrigued me. Like I said, though wonderfully written, this book broke a lot of rules most authors have to follow to "hook" the audience almost from page one.

And I realized that ONLY because I trust this author to give me a good book and a satisfying ending, that I continued to read. It shouldn't take 80 pages to garner interest, set up conflict and intrigue the reader, but this time it did. So, I guess the author skated, at least for me, due to popular demand, a wonderful reputation and great track record. I hope this doesn't sound like sour grapes. It's not meant to, really. But it just goes to show that paying your dues in the writing world, ultimately pay offs with loyal fans and sometimes, just like in life -- authors get a free ride.

Tuesday Morning Chuckles

While I'm fighting online for Tim and Faith Soul to Soul concert tickets this morning (Huge fan of both) I thought I'd post some Church Bulletin Funnies for you. Enjoy and oh, I'll let you know if I get tickets. It's never a fun thing and a big challenge to try to get decent seats for a show you are dying to see.
Thanks to Debbie Decker for sending these to me!

They're back! Church Bulletins: Thank God for church ladies with Typewriters. These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:

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The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.

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Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8 PM in the Recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.

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Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.

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The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a Conflict.

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Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say "Hell" to someone who doesn't care much about you.

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Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.

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For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

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The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing: "Break Forth Into Joy."

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Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.

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A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.

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At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What Is Hell?" Come early and listen to our choir practice.

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Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.

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Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

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Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.



Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.

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The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.

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This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.

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Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. is done.

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The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.

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Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.

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The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church Basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

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Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.

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American Idol

Yes, I am still writing, but with the Olympics that I'm taping and FF to the sports I enjoy, I will admit that I'm hooked on American Idol. I don't know what it is about that show, but I truly enjoy watching. I do love music and I'm a country western fan, so you know who I cheered on last year. And she won! This year I have my predictions already, but I'll keep them quiet. So, is it the music, the songs, the competitive edge, the banter and sometimes controversy of the judges or all of the above? I can't really say. I do love a challenge and I like to see the underdog come out ahead if they deserve it. But right now, my picks aren't underdogs -- they are probably the favorites. And as time goes on we'll see their true personalities and hear their weaknesses and strengths and as Ryan Seacrest says -- America will decide. And I'll be there, text voting for my picks and hoping to see someone well-deserving win.

Ice Dancing

For the past few nights, I've been watching Olympic Ice Dancing. While not a favorite of mine, I have to say that I really enjoyed it. The drama is always something, the heartaches, the triumphs -- all part of what make up the Olympics. And what caught my attention most was the athleticism of the skaters these days. Used to be that ice dancing, was just that -- dancing close with your partner on ice. But now, ice dancing has become more a test of skill, endurance, gymnastics and expression. Those skaters move gracefully across the ice while putting their bodies in the most unique positions. Limber, that's the word. Each one of those skaters is in incredible shape, their bodies completely toned. I sat there watching with my husband and we both ooohed and aaahed and blinked our eyes at the intricate positions and movements they made, and though it looked stunning, we both knew what skill and practice went into those moves. I think I'm still in awe. And it never ceases to amaze me how, as time goes on, our athletes push themselves harder and further than ever before.

Are you watching the Olympics?

Just wondering how many of you out there are watching the Olympics? Usually, I get enthralled and can't remote myself away from the channel. But I'm finding the Olympics flat this year. I don't know why, exactly. Maybe, life has just been so darn busy and I can't keep my focus. I'll tune into a sport and think "I really love watching this" but five minutes into it, I'm bored. I can't get into the ice skating, which is usually my favorite. And it has less to do with Michelle Kwan's withdrawal and more to do with the lack of charisma I'm seeing. There have been disappointments too, for the Americans and I'm not seeing the rising star shine. Maybe that's it -- I can't relate to the athletes this year.

Except for our "Flying Tomato" . Now, see that's what I'm talking about. He's a character. He's fun to watch and listen too. He's talented and quite an inspiration. I've never watched a snowboarding event in my life, but I watched him take the gold and learned something about snowboarding as well.

I don't "get" luge, the double luge looks a bit ridiculous and I find myself thinking, what's the point? But I'm not tuning out just yet. I hope Olympic fever hits me. I want to enjoy watching and cheering our teams on throughout the competition. It's early yet and maybe the best will be saved for last. I hope so.

But it's not all a loss for me. I'm Italian-American and love seeing the locales and learning about that region in Italy. And I thought the opening ceremony was fanastic. You can't argue with great ingenutity and imagination. I'm hanging in there, hoping to get inspired and if not that, then I'll settle for being entertained. Go USA!

Happy Valentine's Day!

But first, a kitchen update. What kitchen? -- It's GONE! There's nothing left but my refrigerator. Skittles the cat is very confused. She keeps walking around and around looking for what doesn't exist anymore. It's really very cute. And it looks like we'll be doing creative meals for a long while. I keep telling myself, it'll all be worth it once it's done.

But I won't whine today, because today is a day for ROMANCE. So give your sweeties a hug and kiss and let them know they are special in your life!

And now for some fun Valentine's Day facts. Did you know:

Hundreds of years ago in England, many children dressed up as adults on Valentine's Day. They went singing from home to home. One verse they sang was: Good morning to you, valentine; Curl your locks as I do mine---Two before and three behind. Good morning to you, valentine.

In Wales wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favourite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, "You unlock my heart!"

In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.

In some countries, a young woman may receive a gift of clothing from a young man. If she keeps the gift, it means she will marry him.

Some people used to believe that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire.

A love seat is a wide chair. It was first made to seat one woman and her wide dress. Later, the love seat or courting seat had two sections, often in an S-shape. In this way, a couple could sit together -- but not too closely!

Think of five or six names of boys or girls you might marry, As you twist the stem of an apple, recite the names until the stem comes off. You will marry the person whose name you were saying when the stem fell off.

Pick a dandelion that has gone to seed. Take a deep breath and blow the seeds into the wind. Count the seeds that remain on the stem. That is the number of children you will have. If you cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside, you will also know how many children you will have.

BE SURE TO ENTER MY CONTEST ON www.desireauthors.com.
Winner of a beautiful set of silver heart jewelry to be announced on the Desire Site on Friday!

A final farewell to my kitchen

I know I should be thrilled. I'm getting a brand new kitchen, the demolition team due here any minute to completely destroy every tile, every cabinet, every appliance I've used for the past 20 years. But the sentimental fool in me is already missing the kitchen where I fed my children breakfast, where we sat for hours doing homework together, where I would cook elaborate and not so elaborate meals for my family. The very kitchen I'd damned for tile grout too hard to clean, for chipped floors and outdated appliances, I now think I'm going to miss. What can I say? I'm loyal and I truly love my home. And when the kitchen goes today, so will a small part of my heart. Silly? I think so too, after all I'm getting a newly designed kitchen, but will it take 20 more years to put my personal stamp on it? I guess I'll just have to wait and see, but I'll reminisce about our "good old kitchen days" I'm sure.

Well, I'm off to make my last cup of coffee. Out with the old, in with the new, as they say.

Be sure to visit me this week at http://www.desireauthors.com/blog/blog.html
I'll be blogging and running a Valentine's Day contest!

Donating Books- Hard to Say Goodbye

Yesterday I was reminded to make my donation to the Rescue Mission. I gathered up some things in the house and then I recalled that they take books as well. I went into my closet, where my husband gouged out part of the wall to make me a four layered bookshelf and started perusing my books. Next I went outside to the garage and opened up a storage cabinet, filled head to toe with books. All I could do was shake my head.

The hardest thing for me to do is part with my books. Over the years I've collected and read books from my favorite authors, my dear friends, a writer's first book, some are signed, others are just close to my heart. Some I intend to read, others I've read more than twice. I have my keepers. LyVryle, Sandra Brown, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, will never leave my shelves. They have special meaning to me. They are the authors who inspired me initially to write romance. They hooked me and I'll never forget their stories. Also on the keeper shelf are my critique partners books. But then there are so many others. Kathryn Woodwiss, Joanne Lindsay and Nora along with other great but lesser known authors.

It took me quite a while to box up the books I'm sending to the mission. I chose at least 50 from my collection and the choosing wasn't easy. But the solace I get in giving these books away is that others who are in more need than myself, will someday derive as much enjoyment from them as I have over the years. I know they'll be appreciated. I haven't peeked outside my door yet to see if they're gone. Maybe, I'll take a look to say one final farewell.

Being Fair and Balanced

Since Valentine's Day is around the corner I thought this would make up for the jokes about the beloved opposite sex we've all laughed at. Honestly, these are good and after all, WE DO LOVE MEN, silly traits and all. Thanks to my dear friend Paula Davis for sending them along.

We always hear "the rules" from the female point of view...

Now here are the rules from the male side.
These are our rules!
Please note... these are all numbered "1" ON PURPOSE!

1. Men ARE NOT mind readers.
1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down.
We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.
1. Sunday sports. It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.
1. Shopping is NOT a sport. And no, we are never going to think of it that way.
1. Crying is blackmail.
1. Ask for what you want.
Let us be clear on this one:
Subtle hints do not work!
Strong hints do not work!
Obvious hints do not work!
Just say it!
1. Yes and No are perfectly Acceptable answers to almost every question.
1. Come to us with a problem only If you want help solving it. That's what we do.
Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.
1. A headache that lasts for 17 months is a problem. See a doctor.
1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument.
In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 Days.
1. If you won't dress like the Victoria's Secret girls, don't Expect us to act like soap opera guys.
1. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us.
1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.
1. You can either ask us to do something Or tell us how you want it done. Not both.
If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.
1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials.
1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.
1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings.
Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.
1. If it itches, it will Be scratched. We do that.
1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," ! We will act like nothing's wrong.
We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.
1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, Expect an answer you don't want to hear.
1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear Is fine...Really.
1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball, the shotgun formation, or golf.
1. You have enough clothes.
1. You have too many shoes.
1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!
1. Thank you for reading this.
Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight;
But did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.
Pass this to as many men as you can - to give them a laugh.
Pass this to as many women as you can - to give them a bigger laugh!

The Ritas

I've just finished reading the last book for our pretigious Rita Award. I've read seven in all and I have to say that some of these stories were incredibly good. The writing and depth of emotion and historical background for some was top notch. I guess I miss reading. One of the things a writer doesn't get to do so much is read. Funny? Ironic? Yes. Reading is what brought me to this craft, yet now that I have deadlines and promotion and BlOGS and life outside of writing, seldom do I get a chance to read.

It's bittersweet with judging the Rita books. Most of the time I look at the pile TBR and think, "I don't have time for this," but once I pick up the book and start reading, I get involved and hate to put the book down. That's another reason why it's so hard for me. Usually, I finish a book within a two day period. That means, I cast aside all else, if the book is THAT good. And THAT'S not good for me, timewise. But it happens when I really enjoy a story.

This year, I've read some great ones and I hope that someone out there is judging my story and thinking, "Gee, this is a hard one to put down." Who knows, maybe I'm messing up someone else's schedule!

Visit me on EHarlequin this week under Harlequin Discussions! Meeting Your Match - Mess or Mesh. We're having a lively discussion.

RENEGADE WIFE on sale at Amazon.com and other online sites.
In the bookstores in FEBRUARY too!

Visit me on Eharlequin this week!

It's Monday and SuperBowl mania is over!! We had a fun time at our friend's annual SuperBowl party. But now onward to bigger and better things - Like Baseball Season.
I can't wait. I'm a Baseball junkie!

But in the meantime, I'm hosting a fun and lively discussion on Eharlequin this week. MEETING YOUR MATCH -- MESH or MESS? We'll be talking about your favorite books and how the hero/heroines don't mesh at all. It's a total mess, until they resolve their issues and finally MESH -- they fall in love!

This IS the month for Romance. Stop by and say hello and tell us how you found your mate. Was it mesh or match?

Here's the link. Hope to see you there!
http://community.eharlequin.com/webx?50@257.3u2gaZ49NgZ.1@.4a836fdd

Another Nice Review

I can't tell you how wonderful it feels to write a book that touches you deep inside, a book where you envision the characters in your head and know them so well, then have the readers and reviewers see the same things. I'm grateful that RENEGADE WIFE is getting such wonderful reviews and that apparently, many of you are reading it. It has SOLD OUT on EHarlequin one day before its offical February release -- a first for me. But not to worry, all the other sites, including Amazon still have plenty. I hope those of you who are reading Kane and Molly's story enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

From Romance Reviews Today:

RENEGADE WIFE is such a refreshing heartfelt love story to read. The characters are vibrant and well crafted. Molly is a spitfire who isn’t afraid to speak her mind. She is passionate about everything she says, does, and feels. It is her forthright manner which helps her overcome some of Kane’s more stubborn and mulish qualities. Kane, is a man any woman would want. He is rough around the edges, but once polished by love, he shines. He is obstinate, and refuses to give Molly any entrance into his heart. Their dialogue is witty, and their passion is electrifying.

The writing style of Ms. Sands is refreshing and so well done that readers will not only read Kane and Molly’s story, but they will feel it. The characters are lively and the settings beautifully described. Secondary characters are just as well written as Kane and Molly and are an added delight.

For a Western romance that will leave you smiling, be sure to read RENEGADE WIFE.

Edith Morrison

What makes a hero heroic?

I've asked myself that question many times, but I know the answer now. In my story Fortune's Vengeful Groom -- my hero is a macho alpha man who has revenge on his mind with a woman he once loved and believes treated him unjustly. But how do we make our alpha mega larger-than-life hero, ruthless, yet let our reader know he's really a good guy?

The answer is in the little things. I have to admit, I'm having a whole bunch of fun with this. My hero is not thinking nice He's not saying nice things to my heroine either, but he shows her that he's not a total jerk by setting his jacket about her shoulders when she shivers. He may step away from her with narrowed eyes and a wary expression, but he removes his hat in her presence. Manners, you say? Yes, that too, but it still evokes an emotion in both the heroine and the reader.

I'm only in Chaper Two of my next Desire continuity coming out March 07, but it'll be a fun ride keeping the tension and conflict going, while I find ways to show my hero's good side in subtle small ways. Maybe I'll have him show affection for a stray pup? No, too cliche? Okay, I'll think of something else. But in the thinking, comes the fun part of writing. Dreaming up ways to make my hero cold on the outside, but warm on the inside is a challenge and a joy that I'm happy to meet head on.

And speaking of heroes, if you want to see how I met my real-life hero, my husband Don, click here: http://occsliceoforange.blogspot.com/

It's a short but sweet and true story of how I met my one and only. And I'm honored to have been picked to kick off the first day of my RWA Chapter's 25 DAYS OF
ROMANCE. I hope you enjoy!

Also, check out my article CRAZY IN LOVE in the February issue of RomanceNewsToday at www.romancenewstoday.com


**** RENEGADE WIFE IS SOLD OUT ON EHarlequin.com Please see Amazon or your other favorite sites to purchase the book! ****

A Monday Morning Laugh!

Thanks to my friend Debbie Decker for passing these on to me. If you remember the Original Hollywood Squares and its comics, this may bring a tear to your eyes. These great questions and answers are from the days when "Hollywood Squares" game show responses were spontaneous and clever, not scripted and (often) dull, as they are now. Peter Marshall was the host asking the questions, of course. Please enjoy and Happy Monday!

Q. Do female frogs croak?

A. Paul Lynde: If you hold their little heads under water long enough.

Q. If you're going to make a parachute jump, at least how high should you be?

A. Charley Weaver: Three days of steady drinking should do it.

Q. True or False, a pea can last as long as 5,000 years.

A. George Gobel: Boy, it sure seems that way sometimes.

Q. You've been having trouble going to sleep. Are you probably a man or a woman?

A. Don Knotts: That's what's been keeping me awake.

Q. According to Cosmo, if you meet a stranger at a party and you think that he is
attractive, is it okay to come out and ask him if he's married?

A. Rose Marie: No; wait until morning.

Q. Which of your five senses tends to diminish as you get older?

A. Charley Weaver: My sense of decency.

Q. In Hawaiian, does it take more than three words to say "I Love You"?

A. Vincent Price: No, you can say it with a pineapple and a twenty.

Q. What are "Do It," "I Can Help," and "I Can't Get Enough"?

A. George Gobel: I don't know, but it's coming from the next apartment.

Q. Paul, why do Hell's Angels wear leather?

A. Because chiffon wrinkles too easily.

Q. Charley, you've just decided to grow strawberries. Are you going to get any during the first year?

A. Charley Weaver: Of course not, I'm too busy growing strawberries.

Q. In bowling, what's a perfect score?

A. Rose Marie: Ralph, the pin boy.

Q. It is considered in bad taste to discuss two subjects at nudist camps. One is politics, what is the other?

A. Paul Lynde: Tape measures.

Q. During a tornado, are you safer in the bedroom or in the closet?

A. Rose Marie: Unfortunately Peter, I'm always safe in the bedroom.

Q. Can boys join the Camp Fire Girls?

A. Marty Allen: Only after lights out.

Q. When you pat a dog on its head he will wag his tail. What will a goose do?

A. Paul Lynde: Make him bark?

Q. If you were pregnant for two years, what would you give birth to?

A. Paul Lynde: Whatever it is, it would never be afraid of the dark.

Q. According to Ann Landers, is there anything wrong with getting into the habit of kissing a lot of people?

A. Charley Weaver: It got me out of the army.

Q. It is the most abused and neglected part of your body, what is it?

A. Paul Lynde: Mine may be abused, but it certainly isn't neglected.

Q. Back in the old days, when Great Grandpa put horseradish on his head, what was he trying to do?

A. George Gobel: Get it in his mouth.

Q. Jackie Gleason recently revealed that he firmly believes in them and has actually seen them on at least two occasions. What are they?

A. Charley Weaver: His feet

Q. According to Ann Landers, what are two things you should never do in bed?

A. Paul Lynde: Point and Laugh

Getting Organized

When it rains, it pours, they say. And lately it seems that my workload has increased in leaps and bounds. Today, for instance I have a full schedule and everything has to be timed just right. I've learned to organize my time to get the most out of every minute, and frankly, I hate the days when there's no down time. I NEED down time every day. But when these days arrive, I have to buck up and follow my schedule. And aside from work, of course as you know, life happens. Our kitchen remodel is in the works and I'll be dealing with workman and shopping for "fun" things like a new sink and faucet and tiles etc, etc.

So this morning, I'll be working on copyedits for Bunking Down with the Boss, (there's a tight deadline) getting dressed in time for workmen to come and inspect the kitchen cabinets that arrived a week early, write up a synopsis for my single title story, (if time allows), work some more on the copyedits (I need to break it up, too tedius otherwise), read my Rita books in between times, have a perm this afternoon, dinner will be something easy and off to the hospital I go to teach a pediatric CPR class.
Up at 7 AM, home at 11 PM.

Thank goodness, these days don't happen often, but without the schedule in my head, I wouldn't be able to get it all done. Whoops, it's time for coffee and start on my copyedits. I have an hour before the workmen come!

Renewal

Here's a novel thought. My kids are grown, my career is building, my house is nearly how I want it to be (but for the new kitchen coming very soon)and my husband and I have never been closer. Isn't funny how we come full circle?

First we fall in love and marry and spend our days playing. We learn about each other's talents and desires and spend not only a vast amount of time together, but really quality time. Then the children are born and our lives take a 180 degree turn. We find ourselves becoming parents. It's Mommy and Daddy time. And we love every darn minute of it. We're truly blessed to have this little people in our lives. We play with them, nurture them, teach them, discipline them and it saps all of our energy and most of our time. And then, these molded shaped wonderful beings leave the nest and we find ourselves empty ... but for a time.

But once the empty nest shock is gone, we renew. We find ourselves again -- the people we once were before the children came into our lives. We laugh, we joke, we play games, we become intimate and we find our bond strenghened through it all. We are a family first and foremost, but we are a couple once again ... truly and forever. It is how it all began.

We are renewed.

What Makes a Good Book GREAT!

Right now I'm in the throes of judging seven books from all categories of romance for our prestigious RITA award. For those you haven't heard of this before, it's the highest honor, complete with gold statue, that a romance writer can achieve. And the contest is judged by peers, authors who are members of RWA and write romance. I'm through three books already and all are very very good. But two of them ( and I do consider myself fortunate since it's not always the case) are really great!

I stayed up very late reading, unable or willing to put one of these books down. Even as my eyes started to cross and words blurred on the page, I wanted desperately to finish the book. Today, I asked myself why? Why was this book, and the other I read a few days ago, so darn good? Why did I feel compelled to finish it and at the same time hate that it had to end?

The books had all the usual things to make them Good. Good emotion, good sexual tension, good plotting, good pacing, good dialogue ... you get the picture. But what I realized is that the two books I loved, had something more.

Nuance. Yes, they had nuances in the book that made them special -- a cut above. Something that said this author didn't rush through this story, but had really given it great thought. Whether a quote from Keats that fits the situation perfectly, or a metaphor to the same end or tiny bits in characterization that spoke of how well the author knew her hero and heroine or a small subplot that allows for comic relief. It's amazing how these tiny nuances sprinkled throughout the book make the story more intriguing, more compelling, lighting a curiosity in the reader to want to continue, to find other sparks of genius in the story. It sounds like such a small thing, but believe me, it's really what sets a good book apart from something wonderful and turns a good story into a delightful read!

A Blogger on Blogging

Just over a year ago, I didn't really know what a BLOG was. I remember bugging one of my fellow authors to help me get the gist of blogging and what it does and why on earth anyone would want to do it? She was very patient with me as I tried to understand the simplicity and complexity of blogging.

Now, blogging has become a daily occurence in our Internet society. I hear news commentators say how a blogger broke a big story - or how political activists get their messages out by blogging, one blog at a time. It's a forum for people to speak their minds, share opinions and remark on other's comments.

Now, our Desire authors, with a little bit of arm twisting are blogging on our newly designed Desire website. And my chapter, the Orange County Chapter of RWA has developed their own blog site, one I will be blogging on in February.

It seems that everyone is jumping on the bandwagon. And that's a good thing. Communication is key to keeping abreast on your interests from the ground up so to speak. For me, blogging is a unique tool to say hello to my readers and say what's happening in my writing life. It's a way to share experiences, insights or simply tell a funny joke to the masses. It's a live update, where I can get your opinions on my new titles, yes, even run a contest and to share with you my triumphs and uh, not so glorious news.

I guess I'll stay on the bandwagon for the long haul.
Until the music stops playing.

WE HAVE A TITLE for SHANGHAIED GROOM

Yes, it's official. The editors have made their choice! And the new title of Shanghaied Groom is ABDUCTED AT THE ALTAR! I have a good feeling that this was chosen when I sent in my Cover Art Fact Sheets with a suggestion of poses in front of a church or altar, with my heroine holding a gun behind her back, ready to steal Shane away from his intended bride. I love this title, but would have also been happy, like so many of you, who had chosen STEALING SHANE'S HEART.

So, I'm happy to announce that I'll be sending an autographed copy to D'Andrea, Joyce and Crytal G. Please email me privately with your full names and addresses and I'll put the books in the mail quickly. www.charlenesands@hotmail.com

Thanks to all who participated. Look for more blog contests in the future and don't forget to sign up for my FROM THE HEART CONTEST today too. There's some great prizes being given away!

Taking the Day Off -- not!

Okay, so I woke up this morning and thought that I've been in a rut. The weather outside is beautiful and I'm stuck inside glued to my computer. I thought that I deserved a day off. So when I woke, I made myself a cup of coffee and read one the books I'm judging for the RITA's, the booklover's version of the Academy Award. It's a big deal in our industry and you have to be an author in order to judge the books. Well, it was a sheer joy to allow myself the time to read and I really liked this book. I read a few hours last night and today, I finished it.

Then, what to do? What to do? Yes, I found myself back at the computer. Well, there are countless things to do around the house, especially since we'll be in the throes of a kitchen remodel soon. But, no. I opted to sit down and do some fun things at the computer. I read and answered my email and lo and behold, I picked up the bible for the continuity I'm doing, and decided that I could work on that for just a few minutes today. I really had an idea brewing in my head that needed someplace to go --like in the synopsis. So here I am -- on my day off, writing my blog ... working on my story.

But I promised myself, I'm off the computer before lunchtime. Yes,that's good. I'll do that. Then I can do WHATEVER else I want to do on my day off.

Unless, I get a burning idea that needs my attention. Then, I'll open the window. That's sort of like being outside on a beautiful day, isn't it?


Oh -- and on the TITLE CONTEST -- Still waiting to hear about the official title from my editors. Check back tomorrow. Hopefully we'll have a winner or two!

Researching your book, the joys, the pitfalls

I'm in major research mode for my next Silhouette Desire Continuity series, The Dakota Fortunes set in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Usually, I have free reign when I'm writing a story because I use a fictional setting and create my own town or use a place I know inside out and backwards. For my historicals, I always have to know certain things about the time period, regardless, but for a contemporary set in a real city, the research has to be accurate. I spent the better part of yesterday researching South Dakota, the climate during certain months, the geography, charitable organizations in the region, (for my heroine's story) and the history. Needless to say, I really enjoyed learning about the history of South Dakota. I'm always fascinated to see how a township got its start, how the people earned their livings, how the region has changed and why. So that part of my research is fun. I've got pages of notes already.

But sometimes, researching an area isn't as easy as you want it to be. For instance, I spent hours trying to find out the average temperature for Sioux Falls during the month of March. Well, they posted every month at the weather service, BUT March. Maybe it was an oversight or a mistake, but it wasn't there. What I do know is that February is decidedly freezing cold and April is quite a bit warmer. You see the dilemma? March is one of those iffy months in between, so I'll keep trying to find out, but I won't let it hamper my story. I figure any place I write about can have fluke weather, warmer than usual or an unusual snow storm might happen anywhere in that region. And if all else fails, I can always pick up the phone and call the Chamber of Commerce to get my answers.

But all in all, I find researching a new area I've never visited quite exciting. With the use of Webcams and other internet tools, one can really get the feel of a city without being there.

Setting Goals and keeping to them!

Yes, I'm afraid I'm a goal setter. I don't know if I've always been as organized both mentally and methodically in setting my goals, but I've always had a long range future plan. But since it's January and it's a time for resolutions, I thought this topic might of value to discuss.

Lately, it seems I don't get anything accomplished, unless I set my mind's clock. Today I'll clean the kitchen, write a scene, send off that proposal, write a letter to my friend, etc. If I don't mentally make a tally of what I need to do, it seems it doesn't get done. Sometimes, I write a list and sometimes, the list is in my head. So my daily goals, obviously are smaller ones. But I keep bigger long range goals in my head too. And I try really hard to accomplish them. But I find that I'm one who works really well under a deadline. So with writing and with life in general, there's always a date in mind, or I'll turn into a pumpkin.

I have to admit for those of you with small children, or outside obligations, it's harder to keep your goals. Your children come first. I recall many a day when I just couldn't get to everything I needed to do. It was frustrating to say the least, but raising a family is a full time job and often, my writing and my goals suffered. It's the way it should be. I'm not complaining. My family has always come first, but now I have the luxury of time. My kids are grown and have moved out of the house. My husband is gone until the late afternoon.

Now if I don't meet my goals, I can only look to myself. There's a good deal of discipline involved. And one of the first things people ask me is, how to do it all? How can you write so many books and run your house and still have time for friends. It's not easy, but it's the only way for me. Put me under a deadline anytime. It's how I work best.

Still time to add your comment for the TITLE CONTEST! I'll announce the winner at the end of this week! Post them here or on the December 22 Blog. Good luck!

New Year Traditions

Wishing all of you out there in blogger land a happy new year. Let's hope that 2006 brings us all good things. It's been a strange holiday, without the usual traditions for one who lives in California. I have to say I sorely missed the Rose Parade on New Year's day and the Rose Bowl game. Everything got spread out and I spent New Year's Day taking down my decorations and getting the house back in order. I did stay up until midnight just to see Dick Clark do the honors and I have to admit it was both heartwrenching and endearing to see him on television again. But traditions are important to us, aren't they? We like to have the same routine around the holidays especially, to see our favorite movies like It's a Wonderful Life and eat the same holiday meals year in and year out. We find comfort in doing the same old, same old, and if we deviate from the original plan, more often than not, our family members give us grief. At least that's how it is in our household.

And here's the news for 2006 -- the reviews are in for RENEGADE WIFE -- my Harlequin Historical due out in February with Romantic Times and Cataromance giving it a 4**** rating. The reviews will be posted on my website soon!

And keep those suggestions for titles coming in. See the DEC 22 post and add your favorite title for my September historical to win an advance copy of RENEGADE WIFE! We'll know next week what the official title of Shanghaied Groom will be. Post in the comments section for your chance to win.
Once again, here are your choices:


Counterfeit Groom
Abducted at the Altar
Stealing Shane's Heart
The Education of Dorie McCabe
Marriage of Deception
Mistaken Groom
The Reluctant Groom

Need a catchy title! Win a book!!

Well, I recieved the news earlier that my book Shanghaied Groom needs a title change. That's to be expected, except that this title fits the story exactly and is referred to a few times in the story as well as in the ending lines. BUT, if I must, here are a few that I tossed out to my editor. We need to get final approval from the senior editor and won't know until early January.

For those of you lurking and would like to win an advance copy of my February release
RENEGADE WIFE, simply post in the comment section the title you think is going to be the winner.

If none of these are picked and a totally different title is chosen, then the very first one to comment will be sent an autographed copy of RENEGADE WIFE!

Here are the choices:

Counterfeit Groom
Abducted at the Altar
Stealing Shane's Heart
The Education of Dorie McCabe
Marriage of Deception
Mistaken Groom
The Reluctant Groom

Good luck! I hope they chose my favorite, but I'm not telling which one that is!

Holiday Recipe Nut Cups

Here's a great recipe for a delicious dessert that'll keep them coming back for more.

It's really easy, but a little time consuming and you'll need those mini cupcake tins. These
are small, but oh so tasty!


NUT CUPS (recipes from Charlene Sands )

1 PKG. CREAM CHEESE 3 OZ.
1/4 LB. BUTTER OR MARGARINE
1 CUP FLOUR
MIX WELL AND CHILL. THEN SHAPE INTO 24 BALLS - ABOUT ONE TSP. AND MOLD INTO CUPCAKE TINS (SMALL ONES)
FILLING
3/4 CUP NUTS (WALNUTS)
1 CUP SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE MORSELS
2 EGGS
1/2 CUP SUGAR

BEAT EGGS AND SUGAR WELL. ADD NUTS AND CHOCOLATE CHIPS. FILL WITH MIXTURE - ABOUT 1 1/2 TEASPOONS INTO EACH CUP
BAKE AT 375 FOR 20-25 MINUTES OR UNTIL FILLING IS GOLDEN BROWN. REMOVE FROM TINS WHILE WARM ON PAPER TOWELING. PUT INTO PAPER CUPS AND SPRINKLE WITH POWDERED SUGAR

Romance News and Reviews!

I'm pleased to say that I've joined my good friend and fellow Desire author's new E-Zine, an online magazine featuring great articles, reports and reviews geared to entertain and educate writers and readers alike. To check out Barbara McCauley's great new free online magazine go to: http://www.romancenewstoday.com/ . I'll be writing articles for the magazine and my books will be featured soon. I'll keep you posted.

And Reviews are in for two movies. Yes, I said movies! I'm starting to catch up on my holiday viewing and thought I'd share with you my thoughts today.

KING KONG was very well done. I'm pleased to say this movie (unlike those in the past) was short on corny jokes and long on the understated -- at least as far as the ape/girl relationship goes. The special effects were magnificent. Never once did it appear fake, even when the ape carries our heroine all over the island, in the palm of his hand. That was a glowing achievement with the movie. Jack Black was great as the overly ambitious film producer too. He was perfectly cast. But where the movie went a little wrong and long was the over the top fight scenes with stampeding dinosaurs. Dinosaurs? Yes, it's a mysterious island with all sorts of creatures, but the original movie had one or two wandering about. It almost felt like we were in a 30 minute version of Jurassic Park. Too much, too long. And the islanders themselves weren't your typical natives. No, these people looked like they came straight out of a Steven King novel. Spooky. I had to wonder about the wisdom of parents bringing their young children to this movie -- as I noted many leaving the theatre with frightened children in tow. All in all, it's worth the price of admission. But the movie, like the ape - has its flaws. It was beauty killed the beast!

And my first time seeing RENT will certainly Not be my last time. Oh, the music, the story, the depth of emotion. I loved it. Not having seen the original play, I can only imagine how great this story would play out on stage in front of a live audience. My daughter, a RENT addict has seen the play at least four times, raving about the music. She knows the lyrics to every song by heart. So, we had to see this movie together. And perhaps that was part of the allure, seeing RENT with someone I love, who in turn, loves the story. Even a die-hard action movie buff like my husband enjoyed it. Definitely a movie worth seeing.

Be Prepared to Laugh

I wanted to share this with you! It's a hoot. Enjoy!


> > Why, Why, Why

Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting weak?

Why do banks charge a fee on "insufficient funds" when they know there is not enough?

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

Why doesn't glue stick to the bottle?

Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Whose idea was it to put an "S" in the word "lisp"?

If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?

Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?

Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?

Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized? <>

Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?

Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?

How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?

When we are in the supermarket and someone rams our ankle with a shopping cart then apologizes for doing so, why do we say, "It's all right?" Well, it isn't all right, so why don't we say, "That hurt, you stupid idiot?"

Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?

In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

And my FAVORITE......
The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four persons is suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

Good Friends - the best kind

Yesterday, I was sitting at a restaurant at lunchtime, waiting for my lunch dates. It's something we try to do every month or so to keep in touch. And as I waited in this adorable cafe, sitting by the window facing out, I had my head down in my yearly calendar plotting my next week of appointments and fun things, like holiday parties. Deeply concentrating on my pocket-sized calendar, finally I heard a knocking on the outside window right in front of me. And when I looked up, there they stood, laughing, making faces in the window, knocking wildly to get my attention -- and I realized at that moment, we were all sixteen years old again. Those beautiful faces of my friends whom I've shared my life with had never changed. Our bodies might have aged some, but our minds and hearts are still those of our youth.

That's what it's like to have grown up with friends from grammar school. I feel fortunate for having kept in touch with many of those dear friends. We've been through marriages and divorces and deaths and babies and we've stayed close and loved each other throughout. It's not exactly the Desperate Housewives or Sex and the City kind of friendship, it's more subtle than that. We don't see each other every day and sometimes weeks go by without communicating, but our friendship never wavers. And no matter how long it's been since we've talked or seen each other -- when we do see each other, we pick up right where we left off.

Being sixteen again never felt so good!

The Ups and Downs of a Writing Life

Being creative isn't the problem. Most of us who write, have no problem coming up with stories in our heads, developing characters, making a plot work -- okay, I spoke too soon. We have those problems, but through careful thought and consideration we can overcome them to create a story we are proud of, to move a reader to tears, or tease a laugh out of them and even write a book for their "keeper" shelves. But what's so hard sometimes, is the publishing world in general. Nothing is constant. It keeps changing. And with those changes, come publishing woes, missteps and a reversal of policy.

It's a sink-or-swim life in the writing world. I know. I've almost drowned, only to have been thrown a rope every so often to keep me afloat. I consider myself one of the lucky ones. I've weathered bad storms and managed to keep my head above water. For example, I started out writing for Kensington's new author program, Precious Gems. With the PG line, I got my feet wet as an author and I'm very proud of those three books, but when the line folded, I moved on to write historicals for Harlequin. I thought to myself -- now, I'm secure. Harlequin is successful. I won't have any worries. But after writing four books for them, the news wasn't good. The HH line (Harlequin Historicals) was almost executed, only to have been given a reprieve. Lucky me, I had just sold to Desire - a line I love, BTW, so I knew I'd be okay. Well, luckily, the HH line is holding its own and I just turned in my seventh book which will be out in the next year or so. But, lo and behold, the Desire line is now revamping, and the changes are challenging for the writer.

And most recently, many other lines in other publishing houses have folded, to never be heard from again. The newest line to fold with Harlequin is the Signature Select line which has been cut entirely. This doesn't have too much to do with me, since I don't write for that specialty line, but are you seeing a pattern here? It's a smart move to write for more than one line and for more than one publishing house. One never knows which ship will appear to toss you a rope once you splash down and you need to keep all of your options open.

In this crazy business, I've learned one important thing: The only consistency is the inconsistency. I'll keep reaching for those ropes, as long as someone out there is willing to toss one to me!

Charlene's Newsletter for Dec 2005

December 2005

Happy Holidays to all!

I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season filled with love and happiness! It’s a gearing down time for me with writing and a gearing up time for the holidays with shopping (not my favorite thing) decorating and getting together with friends and family.

There are some new happenings on the horizon in 2006. First of all, the new Desire Dynasties Series, The Elliotts, will launch with Leanne Banks’ “Boardroom Proposition” in January and will continue on for entire year with my story Heiress Beware coming in June. See what happens when a sexy small town sheriff falls for a mysterious amnesia victim he promptly names his Jane Doe. There will be more news about that one coming later on!

And if you haven’t seen the cover for my new Harlequin Historical Renegade Wife, take a look at my homepage at http://www.charlenesands.com/. It’s my favorite cover to date and will be hitting the stores in early February.

For a hot summer read you won’t want to miss Bunking Down with the Boss coming this August! It’s another Hope Wells, Texas Desire that will be sure to please.

And check out my newest From the Heart Contest where you could win great prizes and copies of my latest books! Haven’t posted the prizes yet, but there’s jewelry involved – so be sure to enter soon!

I look forward to hearing from you and again,
Happy Holidays!!!

Charlene Sands

Visit www.charlenesands.com
Stop by for chat.
Enter "From the Heart" contest.
Read Charlene’s daily blog.

Charlene

December 2005

Happy Holidays to all!

I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season filled with love and happiness! It’s a gearing down time for me with writing and a gearing up time for the holidays with shopping (not my favorite thing) decorating and getting together with friends and family.

There are some new happenings on the horizon in 2006. First of all, the new Desire Dynasties Series, The Elliotts, will launch with Leanne Banks’ “Boardroom Proposition” in January and will continue on for entire year with my story Heiress Beware coming in June. See what happens when a sexy small town sheriff falls for a mysterious amnesia victim he promptly names his Jane Doe. There will be more news about that one coming later on!

And if you haven’t seen the cover for my new Harlequin Historical Renegade Wife, take a look at my homepage at www.charlenesands.com. It’s my favorite cover to date and will be hitting the stores in early February.

For a hot summer read you won’t want to miss Bunking Down with the Boss coming this August! It’s another Hope Wells, Texas Desire that will be sure to please.

And check out my newest From the Heart Contest where you could win great prizes and copies of my latest books! Haven’t posted the prizes yet, but there’s jewelry involved – so be sure to enter soon!

I look forward to hearing from you and again,
Happy Holidays!!!

Charlene Sands

Visit www.charlenesands.com
Stop by for chat.
Enter "From the Heart" contest.
Read Charlene’s daily blog.

Tuesday's Tidbits

For those of you who are Online a lot, have you noticed that you're spending more and more time on the computer for various things? I'm a pretty sociable person. I like people and up until a year or two ago, my phone was always ringing. Nowadays, I communicate almost primarily through email. Whether for business -- speaking to my editors and critique friends, or personally, setting up lunch dates, telling jokes and keeping up on the latest gossips between best friends -- lately it's mostly done on the computer.

Is that a good thing? I'm not sure. My house is more quiet than ever though. The phone only rings when it's my kids -- and even they tend to email me alot lately. So, whether it's a good thing or not, it's happening more and more. And I'm wondering if that's the case with all of you too. Do you miss the phone calls?

Monday's Musings

I'd almost forgotten how nice it is to sit down and read a book! I know it's hard to believe, but if there was one, and only one thing not great about being a writer, it's that when you're constantly on a deadline, you don't get the chance to read. AND the love of reading is how we all got into this business in the first place. Reading was the road that led many of us down the path to becoming writers.

It's pure joy to sit down with a good book written by many of my friends and acquaintances now, put my feet up and get totally immersed in a story. Lately, I've been doing that. Finished with my deadlines now, with more than half of my Christmas shopping done, and sending off a new Desire proposal this month, I now how the luxury of reading. And I'm enjoying it so much. It's the best way I know how to relax. The other day, it finally got cold enough in Southern CA, so we lit a fire in the fireplace. I sat by the fire and read a book from cover to cover. I know that this won't last. As I'm writing this a new "bible" for the continuity I'll be working on next is winging its way to me, but hopefully the mail will be slow and I'll have a few more days to enjoy my favorite pastime. I do love writing, but sometime I need to be reminded of why I'm doing it. After reading a great story, it becomes vivid and clear. And the inspiration is something that can't be bottled or described. It just IS.

Friday's Finds

Did you ever notice that when you were in school, you always knew the day/date? It's because you had to write it on all your papers and homework. Seems like I NEVER know the date anymore -- which tells you it's been a long time since I've been in school. I'm always asking the grocery clerk or bank teller or department store saleslady, what's the date today? Is today the ...? But yesterday I knew it was December 1st! I didn't have to look it up. I didn't see it on a calendar. It was the day, I could officially start decorating my house for Christmas. I've got the outdoor wreath up already! And when my hubby gets our Christmas boxes down from the garage attic, I'm all set to do up Christmas.

If you've read one of my last posts, you'll know that in my neighborhood, already we're behind schedule. Gosh, I still can't believe how many people put up their lights and outdoor decorations so quickly this year. The day after Thanksgiving, I saw a live Christmas tree being carted home in the back of a man's truck. My husband shook his head. "That tree will be dried out and a fire hazard in two weeks." It's true! It's why we sleep better at night now -- we caved in and bought an artificial (but very life-like) tree. It only took one neighbor losing their home to a Christmas tree fire to put us all on alert.

So, I know what I'll be doing this weekend. Anybody else doing the decorating dance this weekend?

Thursday's Words

Online shopping is going to be my best friend this holiday season. As I wander aimlessly into the malls and shops, I'm finding less and less I want to buy. Most of the things I see aren't unique enough and it's so time-consuming. Like I said in an earlier post, I really like to find gifts that are different and fun for my family and friends. So aside from those day trips I'll make, most of my shopping will be on the internet. This worked so well for me last year too. It means sitting at the computer for long intervals sometimes, but usually I find exactly what I want and if I order it early, it comes well before Christmas.

I guess I'm just not a mall shopper anymore and when I do go, it's in the later evening when there are no crowds. My mother loved shopping. She was born to shop. She would walk my feet off in her earlier days. She'd go and go from one end of the mall to the other and back. I remember those days so clearly. But now, I'm into making life simple. And the internet certainly does that!

Wednesday's Words

The holidays are upon us and this year, I'm determined not to get stressed out. I'm planning ahead, shopping early, pacing myself. Don't you find that at times, there's so much to do around this time of year, that you don't find time to simply enjoy the season?

Well, this year, I am going to enjoy everything. I'll make time to go to holiday shows, see my niece's holiday chorus performance, decorate the house at my leisure, cook and bake in advance when I feel like it. It's taken me years to learn how to do this -- but I have a plan in action and it's working. I managed to gear down. I have nothing pressing to do workwise in December. I'm not killing myself finishing a deadline. I'm not going to teach classes after mid-December and I'm not going to do last minute shopping. My hubby has agreed. We're going to do late-night shopping at the malls to avoid the rush. We actually tried this last Friday night when our mall stayed open until 11PM. We went out at 8:30 and shopped without crowds and a big fuss until after 10PM. Most people aren't aware that our malls stay open very late during Christmas time, but it's the way to go.

I love to shop at unique places. A few weeks back I bought Christmas gifts in the scenic town of Ojai -- I found some great gift-buying ideas there and we lunched at a little English pub and had tea sandwiches. Very relaxing and fun. In the next few weeks, I plan on making a shopping trip to Solvang, a Swedish community that again, is a fun place to visit, eat and enjoy the wonderful Christmas atmosphere. They have wine-tasting cellars, great bakeries and shops you can't find anywhere else. That's my idea of mixing business with pleasure this holiday season. Hope you find a way to de-stress this holiday season as well. It makes all the difference!

Monday's Musings

Did you all have a great Thanksgiving! We made two turkeys and tons of side dishes as well as some incredible desserts. Trying NOT to eat it all is the hardest part. But it was a fun day with our extended family. The weather cooperated so we played outdoor games -- bocce ball (an Italian bowling game of sorts) and a bean bag toss. My hubby gave out prizes for the winners and nothing makes our competive family more eager than knowing there is a prize at the end of the game!

But this blog is really about the early Christmas decorations going up this year. It's not even December yet! I know the stores and malls have a monopoly on getting out their Christmas decs right after Halloween for goodness sakes! But our neighbors have already put up massive lights, the newest giant inflatable snow globes (have you seen them? They are wonderful!) and their holiday scenes. Wow! Is this true in your neighborhoods too? Or are my California neighbors simply getting into the holiday spirit before everyone else this year? Last week we had 80 degree weather, so maybe they needed something to get into the mood. But this week it's in the chilly 60's. Cold for southern Californians! Well, whatever it is, our decorations won't go up until it's offically December. It's my husband's firm and fast rule. I guess we'll be behind the Jones'.

Wednesday's Words

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL MEAL WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY. ENJOY THE WEEKEND!

SEE YOU BACK ONLINE NEXT MONDAY!

GOBBLE! GOBBLE!

Friday's Finds

We just made some adjustments to our website. Look and see my great new February Historical cover that's up there! I'm so happy with it. I really love the colors, the scene and the back cover description. It fits the story so well.

And Congratulations to the winner of my Autumn in the Air contest for 2005, Cindy Marciel! The goodies are on the way. And the new contest is up and running for 2006, so don't delay, sign up to win. I'll be gathering new prizes and posting them up in January -- but an autographed RENEGADE WIFE will certainly be in the list of new prizes!

Wednesday's Words

Thanksgiving isn't even upon us yet and already I'm thinking about Christmas and all the shopping and decorating I intend to do. In our neighborhood, I'm amazed at how many homes are decorated with Christmas lights, reindeer, Santas in a bubble and much more, already! This is the earliest I've seen decorations go up EVER. Wow, people must really be in the holiday spirit. Or, with the soaring temperatures here in CA reaching record heights, maybe they are trying to compensate. :)

The shopping malls keep reminding us it's the holiday season and we're all aware that we should start on our Christmas lists soon, if we are to get in the great one-day sales! I'm not a shopper by any means and I do make lists so that I'm not going crazy in the stores, but last year I did a good deal of my shopping online. It worked out great as long as you do it early enough to get the goods in proper time. It's easier to navigate some of the sites and buy, then fight the crowds in the malls. This year I'm sure I'll do both, but as our kids get older, it's harder and harder to find the right gifts for them. My hubby said to put the fun back into our gift-giving, this year we're all going to get one "toy". Either a game, puzzle or something different that we can open up and enjoy on Christmas day. I like the sound of that!

Tuesday's Thoughts

It's the middle of November already and here in California we're having our Santana Winds and very warm weather. Yesterday it was in the mid 80's. Today the temps should soar even higher with those warm winds. It's hard to believe it'll be Thanksgiving soon!

For those of you that haven't entered our contest, today's the last day. We'll be picking a winner tonight! So don't delay. There are some great prizes in the package that go along with a copy of Like Lightning and The Courting of Widow Shaw. There's still time to enter!!

Monday's Musings

Had a great weekend, meeting up with my high school friends and catching up on news! It's funny how much more your lasting friendships mean to you when you get a little bit older. Some of the girls I've known since grammar school! But it was a nice surprise to get together at the last minute to have lunch -- all of us living in different areas and doing different things in our lives.

And now, as promised here's another great recipe for Thanksgiving. This one is borrowed from one of the Harlequin Hussies -- our online chat group -- and it's a nice alternative to regular cranberry sauce.

THANKSGIVING CRANBERRY MOLD

2 CANS JELLIED CRANBERRY SAUCE
1 BOX ORANGE JELLO (LARGE)
12 OZ SPRITE OR 7 UP


COOK CRANBERRY SAUCE , STIRRING UNTIL BARELY BOILING AND MELTED.
ADD JELLO POWDER – STIR UNTIL BOILING BARELY
TURN OFF HEAT
PUT IN FRIDGE FOR 20-30 MIN TO COOL
PUT SPRITE IN AND STIR
POUR INTO JELLO MOLD WITH NON-STICK SPRAY
UNMOLD IN HOT WATER – IF RUNNY- PUT IN FREEZER FOR A FEW MIN.

It makes a colorful addition to your table when you surround the mold with fresh leaves and orange or lemon slices. Try it! And enjoy. Let me know what you think! (Do I sound a little like Martha Stewart?)

Thursdays Thoughts

Shanghaied Groom, my latest historical is happily winging its way to my publisher. So, with this year's work completed, my focus is on the holidays. I love to bake and will share some of my favorite holiday or any day, recipes with you.

This is one is easy, but a little time-consuming since there's a few stages. But you'll love the outcome. They're pretty and so delicious!

NUT CUPS (Great for the holidays!)


1 PKG. CREAM CHEESE 3 OZ.
1/4 LB. BUTTER OR MARGARINE
1 CUP FLOUR

MIX WELL AND CHILL. THEN SHAPE INTO 24 BALLS - ABOUT ONE TSP. AND MOLD INTO CUPCAKE TINS (SMALL ONES)


FILLING

3/4 CUP NUTS (WALNUTS)
1 CUP SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE MORSELS
2 EGGS
1/2 CUP SUGAR


BEAT EGGS AND SUGAR WELL. ADD NUTS AND CHOCOLATE CHIPS. FILL WITH MIXTURE - ABOUT 1 1/2 TEASPOONS INTO EACH CUP

BAKE AT 375 FOR 20-25 MINUTES OR UNTIL FILLING IS GOLDEN BROWN. REMOVE FROM TINS WHILE WARM ON PAPER TOWELING. PUT INTO PAPER CUPS AND SPRINKLE WITH POWDERED SUGAR

Hint: Be sure to use cooking spray for the muffin tins.

Sometimes those smaller paper cups are hard to find. If you can't find them, they are pretty without them too, just be sure to sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Enjoy!

Anybody care to share their favorite recipes?

Monday's Musings

It's done! It's done! SHANGHAIED GROOM is finished. I'm feeling a great sense of accomplishment with this book. It's the fastest I've completed a longer book and though I didn't rush through it, I worked super long hours to finish it. And I'm happy with the result -- that's the most important thing. My goal for this week is to do a thorough read-thru, make sure all details are correct and in place, edit any errors and off it goes. That's the easy part. On a nice day, I'll print out and do the read thru all at once in my backyard. It means sitting for more than 4 hours, but that's my way of knowing for sure that the book flows from scene to scene, from chapter to chapter. While working on it, I only see small segments at a time and often I wonder, is this tone and theme consistent with the earlier scenes?

And I'm off to print out review copies of RENEGADE WIFE to send to various review sites. It's hard to believe but Feb isn't that far off and most reviewers need at least 60 days to read and post a review. And I received the cover art and I love it. I'll try to post the new cover soon -- for all to see! I've gotten the nicest covers lately. Not one complaint in that department!