Couldn't Resist these Easter Keesters. You Have to See This!

Don't you just love these Easter Keesters!!

ALL I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LIFE I LEARNED FROM THE EASTER BUNNY

Don't put all of your eggs in one basket

Walk softly and carry a big carrot

Everyone needs a friend who is all ears

There's no such thing as too much candy

All work and no play can make you a basket case

A cute little tail attracts a lot of attention

Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day

Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits

Some body parts should be floppy

Keep your paws off other people's jellybeans

Good things come in small sugarcoated packages

The grass is always greener in someone else's basket

An Easter bonnet can tame even the wildest hare

To show your true colors you have to come out of your shell

The best things in life are still sweet and gooey

Recession Busting Romance!

There's good news on the horizon for romance!

We're Recession Busting.

POSTED FROM THE NY TIMES:

In a recession, what people want is a happy ending.
At a time when booksellers are struggling to lure readers, sales of romance novels are outstripping most other categories of books and giving some buoyancy to an otherwise sluggish market.

Harlequin Enterprises, the queen of the romance world, reported that fourth-quarter earnings were up 32 percent over the same period a year earlier, and Donna Hayes, Harlequin’s chief executive, said that sales in the first quarter of this year remained very strong. While sales of adult fiction overall were basically flat last year, according to Nielsen Bookscan, which tracks about 70 percent of retail sales, the romance category was up 7 percent after holding fairly steady for the previous four years.

At Barnes & Noble, the country’s largest book chain, where its chief financial officer, Joe Lombardi, recently warned that overall 2009 sales were likely to fall between 4 percent and 6 percent, sales of romance novels are up. And in the first three months of this year Nielsen Bookscan tracked a 2.4 percent rise in romance sales compared with a slight decline in sales of general adult fiction for the same period. Those figures may underestimate the demand for romance, since a significant portion of sales come from retailers like Wal-Mart that are not tracked by Bookscan.

Like the Depression-era readers who fueled blockbuster sales of Margaret Mitchell’s “Gone With the Wind,” today’s readers are looking for an escape from the grim realities of layoffs, foreclosures and shrinking 401(k) balances.

“Given the general dismay and gloominess,” said Jennifer Lampe, a lawyer in Des Moines and avid romance reader who runs a book blog under the pseudonym Jane Litte at dearauthor.com, “reading something like a romance with a happy ending is really kind of a relief.”

Such escapist urges are also fueling sales of science fiction and fantasy, said Bob Wietrak, a vice president for merchandising at Barnes & Noble. Mr. Wietrak said sales of novels with vampires, shape shifters, werewolves and other paranormal creatures were “exploding,” whether they were found in the romance, fantasy or young-adult aisles, where Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series continues to dominate and inspire look-alike books like the House of Night teen novels by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast.

Romance readers are considered among the most loyal fans, sticking to a series or an author once they have grown attached to one. “It’s a very dedicated audience who doesn’t see it as a luxury as much as a necessity,” said Liate Stehlik, publisher of William Morrow and Avon, imprints of HarperCollins Publishers.

The romance genre may also be especially attractive to consumers during difficult economic times because so many of the books are sold in the mass-market format, smaller paperbacks often found on racks at the grocery store or in airport bookshops. These books sell for $7.99 or less, compared with $12 to $15 on larger trade paperbacks.

Romance novels also often appear in discount chains like Wal-Mart or Kmart, where shoppers make impulse buys.
“If you’re going to Wal-Mart or Target anyway, you’re more likely to go and pick up a book,” said Ms. Hayes of Harlequin. “And a book is such incredible value in this environment.” Several retailers including Kmart, Wal-Mart and Kroger have been running three-for-$10 or two-for-$5 specials on Harlequin’s new titles.

Romance readers have always tended to buy in much higher volumes than people who read other genres like literary fiction. So even though some romance readers may be cutting back — Sue Grimshaw, the romance buyer at Borders, says people are buying four or five instead of five or six books a week — they are still buying more than readers of other book categories.
Some publishers have seen such strong sales on particular authors that they are willing to test hardcover editions for the first time, even in this market.

New American Library, a division of Penguin Group USA, has published six paperback-only versions of vampire romance novels in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J. R. Ward. Later this month it will publish Ms. Ward’s “Lover, Avenged” in hardcover, with a planned first printing of 125,000. (These numbers are generally known to be exaggerated, but they are a sign of the publisher’s confidence.)

Desire Fans!

Twenty-two of your favorite Desire Authors will be blogging very soon on Eharlequin's website. You'll get a chance to speak with them, learn about their writing lives as well as their personal lives in a fun and informative Blog.

We go LIVE on April 13th!

Details to follow.

Nora Roberts on Lifetime

Nora Roberts Fan Alert!

Have you seen these Lifetime Movies? I saw Northern Lights and Midnight Bayou already. Coming up next is High Noon. Here's a little more about it.

In the Nora Roberts movie "High Noon," expert hostage negotiator Lieutenant Phoebe McNamara (Emilie de Ravin) juggles her high-pressure career with the demands of raising her young daughter and contending with her agoraphobic mother, Essie (Cybill Shepherd). When Phoebe meets handsome bar owner Duncan Swift (Ivan Sergei), he can’t resist her take-charge attitude and attempts to earn her affections. Though she tries to resist his charms, Phoebe soon realizes no amount of negotiation will keep Duncan at arm’s length. When Phoebe is assaulted by an unknown assailant in her precinct, she can’t help but be deeply shaken.

Here on the west coast these shows have been airing on Lifetime on Saturday nights from 9 to 11 PM. Set your DVR's. They're worth watching!

Isn't Nora an inspiration to all readers and writers?

American Idol Choices ... do you Idol?

Do you American Idol?

I have to admit that in the past I've never missed it. But Tuesday and Wednesday nights are so full of my favorite "unwind" shows, that I often have too many to watch and not even space on my DVR to tape them all.

So it's been hit and miss with me. But I do enjoy the singing and the whole process. I've narrowed it down to 2 favorites. The last two weeks I've seen great things from Adam Lambert -- his Elvis look last week when singing Motown, gave me goose bumps! He's very talented and versatile and I think regardless if he wins or loses the top spot as the AMERICAN IDOL, he will still have a great singing career.

I also like Kris Allen. He has a beautiful tone to his voice and last night's performance blew me away!

My other weaknesses on Tuesday night are The Mentalist, Biggest Loser and Dancing With Stars . Don't you hate when they pit your favorite shows up against one another?

I'm not even going to mention losing Life On Mars -- in my opinion, the best written, best acted TV drama on this season. It was cancelled and I've petitioned, along with many others for it's return. If you didn't get to see it this season, you missed something special!

Contest Ending today!

My Suite Valentine's Contest ends today! I'll be posting the winner's name and starting a new contest soon! So check back.

Thanks to all of you who entered. Good luck!

Just Finished the 1st Napa Valley Vows Book!

Oh boy, it's a great feeeling to finish this story! The beginning of a new series always requires a great deal of time to set up all three of the main characters involved in the 3 stories. I have to show them in their element and make sure each one of my heroes will have distinct personalities. I also usually introduce the heroine of Book 2 in the first book, showing a little intrigue or conflict.

So, now I'm done. I'll edit and proofread the story, fix any glaring errors and send it off. I may give myself 2 or 3 days to play before I get right back into the Book 2. I'll be writing these next two books and have the series completed by October 1.

That's if all the stars align properly!

I have to say I've enjoyed researching the Napa area and if time permits, I'd love to travel up north to spend a few days there. The only problem with that is that I would love to be there at harvest time, which is usually from Sept to November. Oh well ...

HIGH SCHOOL EXAM ... SEE IF YOU CAN GET THESE RIGHT!

New High School Exit Exam,

(Passing requires 4 correct answers)

1) How long did the Hundred Years' War last?

2) Which country makes Panama hats?

3) From which animal do we get cat gut?

4) In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution?

5) What is a camel's hair brush made of?

6) The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal?

7) What was King George VI's first name?

8) What color is a purple finch?

9) Where are Chinese gooseberries from?

10) What is the color of the black box in a commercial airplane?


Remember, you need 4 correct answers to pass.

Check your answers below ...

ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ




1) How long did the Hundred Years War last? 116 years

2) Which country makes Panama hats? Ecuador

3) From which animal do we get cat gut? Sheep and Horses

4) In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution? November

5) What is a camel's hair brush made of? Squirrel fur

6) The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal? Dogs

7) What was King George VI's first name? Albert

8) What color is a purple finch ? Crimson

9) Where are Chinese gooseberries from? New Zealand

10) What is the color of the black box in a commercial airplane? Orange (of course)

What do you mean, you failed? Me, too.

And if you try to tell me you passed, you FIB!)

Pass this on to some brilliant friends, so they may feel useless too.

A Weekend Funny!

Thanks to my friend Sandy for sending this along!

Daddy, how was I born?

A little boy goes to his father and asks "Daddy, how was I born?"

The father answers, "Well, son, I guess one day you will need to find out anyway! Your Mom and I first got together in a chat room on Yahoo. Then I set up a date via e-mail with your Mom and we met at a cyber-cafe. We sneaked into a secluded room, where your mother agreed to a download from my hard drive. As soon as I was ready to upload, we discovered that neither one of us had used a firewall, and since it was too late to hit the delete button, nine months later a little Pop-Up appeared that said:

Scroll down...




You'll love this ...

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Dear Reader

When we write our Silhouette books, our editors ask us to describe the inspiration for the book to our readers. Why did we write it? Did we have any personal history or special endearment for the location or plot of the story.

We spent one glorious week on Maui a few years back. We had some amazing experiences, including biking down the volcano, Haleakala and touring around the island in our rented convertible car! That was one research trip I wouldn't mind repeating.

Here's my Dear Reader letter for Reserved for the Tycoon.

I've never met a tropical island I didn't like! Maui is one of my favorites, with its stunning golden sunsets and deep aqua blue waters. So it seemed fitting that the final SUITE SECRETS story, Reserved for the Tycoon, would conclude where it began initially with The Corporate Raider's Revenge, in Hawaii.I've always wanted to write a story filled with deception in its simplest form. With Brock Tyler and Vanessa Dupree you'll meet two people who are as cunning as they are appealing. I enjoyed plotting their escapades, where nothing is as it seems and their cagey games of cat and mouse end only when they enter the bedroom. There, the sizzling heat of the tropics is turned up and emotions run very high. Make your reservation to be swept away with surprising twists and turns and of course, romance.

'Suite' Reading!

Charlene

Eharlequin Newsletter Saving you Money!

Are you an avid reader? If so, the free Eharlequin newsletter delivered to your email address each week, can save you lots of $$ Whenever I see something I think my readers would enjoy, I try to post it to my blog here.

In today's economy, let's face it, we are all looking for a good buy. And Eharlequin delivers. From Free Book Fridays, Bonus Bucks, free shipping and 40%, 50% and sometimes 60% off current books, you can't afford not to sign up. You'll get the deals as soon as they are available.

If you are new to Eharlequin online, you also get $4.00 off your first purchase!

Did I mention the newsletter is FREE! And so easy to do.

Just find the Eharlequin Newsletter Sign Up on my side bar under my book covers. That's all you have to do to start getting the newsletter.

The Cowboy Town Concert!

Here's a picture of me and my hubby, Don having dinner with author and good friend Tanya Hanson and her other half, Tim at Bubba Gumps before the show!

The concert was more fun that I expected. I've never seen Brooks and Dunn in concert before and I promised you a recap.

The opening acts were awesome! A new band called Gloriana performed with a great sound, two guys, two girls. Then Jason Michael Carroll came on stage and wowed the audience with some of his biggest hits!

Anticipation stirred in the seats ... and when Brooks and Dunn finally took the stage, the crowd all stood up and sang along with them. I had no idea that Kix Brooks sang so many songs. I always think of Ronnie being the lead singer. They rocked on for an hour and a half, singing all their hits, including, Only in America (amid red, white and blue streamers shooting down from the ceiling) and soldiers coming on stage from all 4 forces of our military, Neon Moon, Red Dirt Road, Proud of the House We Built and It's Getting Better All the Time.

I know, not the greatest pictures, the lighting wasn't conducive to our digital cameras, but that's Ronnie Dunn a'singing! The highlight was when Ronnie sang Cowgirls Don't Cry, a duet he usually does with Reba. Well, to our surprise, amid a standing ovation and cheers from the audience, Reba walked onto the stage to sing the last refrain! She was there and gone so fast I didn't even try to get a picture, but boy, oh, boy, it was a thrill to see the two sing together.

Can you tell I love Country Music yet?

Another thing I love is Wine!
Come visit me on Friday at http://www.petticoatsandpistols.com/ and see what I have to say about Ghosts and Wineries of the past! It's a fun and informative blog I hope you'll enjoy. We're nearing our millionth hit and posting a comment during the week we hit, might just win you something cool!

Hint: We are sooo close!

Confessions of a Shopoholic

Yes, I confess I wanted to see this movie. It's a romantic comedy after all, and it was written by Sophie Kinsella. Now, what author in their right mind wouldn't turn green with envy ! To have your bestselling book become a movie right before your eyes! I have to say I loved it! I smiled during the entire 103 minutes of this movie.

Isla Fisher, the freshly talented actress from the Wedding Crashers was perfect in the role of Rebecca Bloomwood. This poor girl has a shopping problem and what's worse, she isn't even aware of it... buying clothes, handbags, jewelry, designer no less, simply makes her happy. Who can't relate to that? Her credit cards are maxed out and she actually has to find a REAL job.

Even if I didn't care for the premise, I'd love just watching what crazy designer outfits she comes up with. It's Gucci this and Dolce and Gabbana that. But as silly as the story was, it was entertaining. I even dragged my hubby to the show, and guess what? He liked it! We both walked out of the movie theater in a good mood and let's face it, in today's world, what's wrong with a little escapism if it makes you smile?

It's Free Book Friday at Eharlequin!

Here's a great deal.

Just buy 2 books at Eharlequin and you get this book free!

Do You Love Country Music?

I guess it's natural since this New York born author writes westerns, that I would love country music. This week I'm excited because I'm going to see Brooks and Dunn in concert. I've never seen them live before, but I love Ronnie Dunn's voice so much and the two make a dynamic pair!

It's always fun to enjoy concerts with friends. Author Tanya Hanson and I have gone to every Tim McGraw concert together for the past five years -- that's when he comes to the our city. In 2006, we saw Tim and Faith perform and it was the BEST! This year our hubbies will be joining us and we'll be doing dinner at Bubba Gumps at Universal Citiwalk! At least, I hope so. I don't know about the crowds, though it is Oscar Night, so that means either the freeways and restaurants will be empty or crowded. I'll get back to you on that.

On SATURDAY, I'm guest blogging at http://www.prairiechickswriteromance.blogspot.com/

Please stop by and say hello - you may just win something!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Wishing you love and joy and romance today and all days!

Here's a picture of what makes me happiest, my family.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

The Best Singles Ad Ever!

This has got to be one of the best singles ads ever printed. It is reported to have been listed in the Atlanta Journal.



SINGLE BLACK FEMALE seeks male companionship, ethnicity unimportant. I'm a very good girl who LOVES to play. I love long walks in the woods, riding in your pickup truck, hunting, camping and fishing trips, cozy winter nights lying by the fire. Candlelight dinners will have me eating out of your hand. I'll be at the front door when you get home from work, wearing only what nature gave me. Call (404) 875-6420 and ask for Daisy, I'll be waiting. .....






Please scroll down . . ..

Over 15,000 men found themselves talking to the Atlanta Humane Society

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!!

Staying Heart Healthy

For the past 15 years I've been a member of the American Heart Association teaching classes in CPR. While I teach childbirth and baby care basics as my main focus is on the infant, I've also taught CPR in a hospital setting to nurses and medical professionals as well as to the public.

It's rewarding work and it gets me away from the computer a few times a week. February is American Heart Month. Sure, we celebrate love and romance on Valentine's Day, but just as importantly we focus on staying heart healthy and getting the word out about CPR.

Have you taken a CPR class lately? Do you know how to stay heart healthy? Do you know the common risk factors that lead to coronary artery disease and heart attack?


My blog at Petticoats and Pistols, called The Heart You Save May Be Your Own ... is a different take on Valentine's day. Stop by for current info from AHA and me about staying heart healthy!


I am also the Spotlight Author on Pam Thibodeaux's Blog on Valentine's Day. I hope to see you there too!!

Oh and if you signed up for the Suite Valentine's Day Contest, this week, please re-enter. There was a techo glitch in the system. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Browse the Book

Hey, now you can

Browse the Book on Eharlequin!

Check it out. You'll get the Dear Reader page, the first two chapters and

some other fun stuff! It's pretty cool!

Let know what you think ... Enjoy!

The Lost Art of Editing

As a writer, I'm always trying to self-edit. To make sure what I'm writing gets relayed in the proper way to my readers. So when I saw this, I had to post. It's good for a few big laughs.

Thanks to my friend Bea for sending this to me!

IS EDITING A LOST ART?

Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife and Daughter
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Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says
No, really? Ya think?
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Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
Now that's taking things a bit far!
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Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
What a guy!
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Miners Refuse to Work after Death
No-good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-so's!
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Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendan t
See if that works any better than a fair trial!
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War Dims Hope for Peace
I can see where it might have that effect!
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If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile
Ya think?!
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Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures
Who would have thought!
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Enfield ( London ) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide
They may be on to something!
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Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges
You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?Oklahoma's new construction program!
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Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge
He probably IS the battery charge!
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New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group
Weren't they fat enough?!
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Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft
That's what he gets for eating those beans!
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Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
Do they taste like chicken?
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Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half
Chainsaw Massacre all over again!
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Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors
Boy, are they tall!
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And the winner is....
Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead
Did I read that right?

Don't forget to enter my contest today. One entry per person. You can win a beautiful necklace and an Amazon gift card! Click above on the Contest link!