Covering the Subject

About a week ago, my December cover flats – printed covers showing both front and back – arrived in the mail. The artist did a great job of capturing the little stars of The Holiday Triplets, along with my pediatrician heroine and my hunky, dark-haired hero.

He’s an obstetrician and hospital administrator with whom she butts heads while adopting the triplets after she learns she can’t have babies the traditional way. This is a love story multiplied by their growing feelings not only for each other but also for the little ones.

It’s impressive that the artist got everything right, from the genders of the babies (two girls and boy) to the hero and heroine’s coloring. Of course, we writers fill out a form for Harlequin, providing this information in advance, but the artist has to find models who fill the bill, compose the picture and capture the warm, loving spirit of this family-to-be.

Recently, I’ve loved all my covers, but that hasn’t always been the case. Before I start grousing, though, I should explain that there’ve been far more hits than misses among my 84 published books (with three more scheduled for next year). Also, I appreciate the work of the professionals even more now that I’m designing smaller, simpler covers for reissues of my early, non-Harlequin books for the ebook reading devices Kindle and Nook.

One outstanding cover received special recognition. In 1999, Harlequin published The Art of Romance, subtitled A Century of Romance Art. This small volume contained 30 postcards, each an actual Harlequin cover beginning in 1914 and ending in 1997. I was impressed to find that the collection included the cover of my 1996 Harlequin American Yours, Mine and Ours. The cover shows the hero, heroine and three small children arrayed pinwheel style, head to head, lying on the floor, and it’s really cute. I only wish the artist had been credited so I could compliment him or her.

What’s my least favorite Harlequin cover? (I have a few least favorites from other publishers too, which I’m very happy to replace as I post the ebook editions). Ironically, it’s The Runaway Bride from 1995, the book that came out right before Yours, Mine and Ours (it was not the same artist; I recall the editor mentioning that). My heroine had an outdated hairstyle and wore an ugly, short wedding gown.

But that beats a historical romance cover I once saw from another publisher. If you looked closely, the hero had three arms. That might have made for some unusual love scenes, but no thank you.

Although we’re all warned not to judge a book by its cover, readers can’t help doing that. As for us writers, we’re grateful and appreciative when our covers match or surpass what we hoped for.

Finding Me

I'm less than two weeks away from the release of my first-ever holiday romance, Miracle Baby, and I'm excited for so many reasons...

First, I love this story. Maggie Monroe is reeling from the death of her beloved husband and infant daughter ten months earlier. And while each day without them has been hard, the holidays (with all their hopes and dreams) are a million times worse. She tries to put up her tree, tries to decorate, but it's simply too painful. Rory O'Brien is a carpenter in the inn where Maggie has fled to heal. Drawn to the light he's convinced is buried somewhere inside Maggie, he sets about the task of helping her live life. And he does it, by granting wishes--wishes she never even realized she had. It's a beautiful story about second chances (for both of them) and Maggie's journey toward living a life she wasn't sure she even wanted anymore.

As the release date for this book grows closer, I find myself hoping (and praying) that people will love this story as much as I do. I'm hoping, too, that it gives people hope. Because we could all use a little bit of that, couldn't we?

But there's another reason I'm excited for the release of Miracle Baby. You see, while I haven't experienced the kind of loss Maggie has, I know what it's like to try and figure out your life--to find out what excites and motivates you.

Sure, I know I love to write. That's been a constant since I was ten. But, beyond that, I'm at a point in life (as sad as it sounds) where I'm not sure what I like to do. I know what I enjoy doing with my kids...but me? That's not quite so clear.

So, in the absence of a Rory of my own (although my own special person is pretty great), I'm trying to figure that out.

I know I like to take long walks outside. I know I'd like to learn to rock climb. I know I love to wander in bookstores and read for hours. But there has to be more.

The key is finding it.

So tell me, when you have time for yourself, what do you like to do?

~Laura

A Little Help From Your Friends

I just got back from the New Jersey Romance Writers annual conference, Put Your Heart in a Book. As usual, it was a ton of fun. There were wonderful workshops, great conversations about writing and lots of laughter. My friend, Sarah White, and I presented our workshop on flawed heroes again. It went well, despite our spate of nerves when Sharon Sala, keynote speaker for the conference, sat in on it.

Giving a workshop has been a real learning experience for me. As the saying goes: I know what I know. Putting it into a coherent format and imparting it to others is the toughest. But when I see heads nodding and maybe an “aha” expression on someone’s face, it’s the greatest feeling. Better still is the question and answer session at the end where we get to help people figure out some of the “hard parts” to their stories. Because everyone needs help with the hard parts. Conferences are a great place to get that help, whether it’s via a workshop or a conversation with a new friend about your latest work-in-progress.

Oh, and I have to give a shout-out to my fellow Maryland Romance Writers. Of the five chapter-mates that I knew attending the conference, two had finalled in the Put Your Heart in a Book contest, and two had finalled in the Gold Leaf contest. Better still, Christie Kelley won the Gold Leaf for her historical romance, Something Scandalous, and Marta Bliese won Put Your Heart in a Book for her unpub’d paranormal, Hangman. Yea!

Break out the Bubbly!

This week I got my first glimpse of the cover of The Wedding Bargain, my January 2011 book...and I love it...which is always cause for celebration!

I was especially pleased that they included the champagne flutes on the cover because this book is set in San Francisco and Michael, the hero, runs his family’s winery.

Of course writing a book about a winery required a little research, so last New Year’s Eve my husband and I went on a wine country tour in Napa Valley.

The first stop on the tour was Domaine Chandon, a winery that produces sparkling wines.

The park-like grounds are spectacular and the winery is huge.

Yes, all these vats are brimming with bubbly.

After a quick tour and brief explanation of the traditional method for making champagne, we were treated to a tasting on the terrace, which was decorated for a New Year’s Eve party that evening. A perfect way to ring in 2010, even though it wasn’t quite noon.

Which brings me to my favorite way to serve sparkling wine...in mimosas for brunch. For each mimosa, I use three parts chilled sparkling wine to one part chilled orange juice. Simply pour the wine into a champagne flute, top with orange juice and serve. Or, for a fresh twist on this classic favorite, replace the orange juice with pomegranate juice. Delicious!

Virgin mimosas are every bit as festive. Simply replace the sparkling wine with chilled ginger ale, lemon-lime soda or tonic water.

And as always, if you drink, don’t drive. If you’re pregnant, please don’t drink at all.

Cheers!

Lee
Visit me at www.LeeMcKenzie.com!

New Proposal Advice - From You!

I'm working on a new proposal for Harlequin American Romance, which will be the lucky seventh book in the Brody's Crossing series. This may be the last book because I'm running out of young, single characters! Of course, there are always more ranches and people move into town all the time, right?

I'd love your advice on one aspect of this new story: children. Specifically, I'm thinking of twin boys about age four. Here's the setup.

Colby Yates (older brother of Charlie Yates, the hero in book six, The Texan and the Cowgirl) has dated a single mom from Graham, TX, but they discovered they were better friends than lovers. She has twin boys and is estranged from both her disapproving family and the boy's father. She worries about her boys, so she lists responsible rancher Colby as their guardian in case something happens to her. Which, unfortunately, it does.

Colby is running his ranch and really cares for the boys, but he needs help fast.

Darla Maxwell (who has been in all of the Brody's Crossing books) has been the nanny for Cal and Christie Crawford's two children since the oldest was a baby. Before becoming the Crawford nanny, she was a kindergarten teacher. After her roommate Debbie McMann (introduced in A Texan Returns and the heroine of The Texan and the Cowgirl) marries Charlie Yates, and other friends are also married with children, Darla decides to get a life for herself. She wants freedom from caring for other people's children (even though she loves the Crawfords) so she can eventually have a family of her own.

Darla and Colby were a couple in high school (first love) but broke up when she went away to college, then married and divorced. Colby is hesitant to ask her because of their history, but he really needs help and can't think of anyone more qualified than Darla to care for the two boys. After she meets them, she reluctantly agrees to help until he can find someone permanent. She still intends to leave town and pursue her dreams. Of course, she gets drawn into their lives and grows to love them all.

I have one daughter, one step-daughter, and two granddaughters. Needless to say, I haven't been around boys very much! I would love your input on twin boys, four year boys, or any type of advice on fostering or guardianship. What is the most fun thing about twins? What type of trouble do four year old boys get into? If anyone has been in a guardian role, what was the most rewarding aspect for you?

Also, tell me what you think of the story. I'd love to discuss this new proposal! Thanks in advance for all your help.

The Spirit of the (Halloween) Season

If you haven't noticed the rows and rows of Halloween costumes, candy and decorations in the stores, you haven't been out of the house in the past two weeks.  Next to Christmas, Halloween is the biggest holiday of the year in our family.  It isn't because of the five grandkids, but because of my own four daughters who still haven't given up planning and wearing costumes.  Me?  I live on a quiet street where no one trick or treats, so I content myself with watching favorite Halloween-y movies.  This year it will be Hocus Pocus and Practical Magic. 

Halloween--or All Hallow's Eve or All Saint's Eve--is celebrated in many parts of the world.  Its origin is linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in), when ancient Celts believed the curtain between this world and the spirit world thinned to allow spirits to pass through.  Have you been thinking of having a seance?  Halloween would be the perfect time!  Even today the holiday is celebrated in much the same way by Pagans and others.  In case you're curious, wikipedia.org has lots of interesting information about the history and traditions of Halloween.

This year my youngest daughter and I went on a walking tour of one of the haunted areas of our city.  The fact that I grew up half a mile from the area made it even more interesting!  I blogged about our experience at my blog, Diary of a Mad Romance Writer.  We had a great time!

Also this month, the writing group I belong to is blogging about Halloween and other scary things.  We love having visitors, so stop by Bits & Bytes: Romance...the Writer's Way and join in the discussion!

And last but not least, the lastest book in my series set in Desperation, Oklahoma, is available this month.  Unfortunately The Reluctant Wrangler doesn't have a Halloween theme, but that's definitely an idea for the future!

The awful truth about great reviews

My third Harlequin American Romance, FAMILY MATTERS—out right now—has received a few reviews. And they’re awesome!

You can check them out at my “Buzz”/links page on my website, if you’re so inclined.

http://barbarawhitedaille.com/links

At the moment, I’m on deadline, so this blog post is going to be quick and—

You thought I was going to say dirty, right? Sorry to disappoint you. ;-)

This post is meant to be quick and honest.

The awful truth about great reviews is that each review is only one person’s opinion.

On the other hand, the wonderful thing about great reviews is that each review is only one person’s opinion—and reviews are most often written by people who are not our mothers, fathers, siblings, critique partners, friends, coworkers, workout partners, or grammar school lunch buddies.

I’ll confess, I used to think the opposite was usually the case. I’m ecstatic to report that it’s not! :-)

And now, a question for you: what stirs your interest in a book? A glowing review? A negative one? Or the content of the review itself—that is, the details of the book?


All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com

Cowgirl Sayings

Today I posted a blog over at www.sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com about using Cowboy Slang in western-themed romances. After I stumbled across this website http://theurbancowboy.net which posted a list of cowgirl sayings I decided it might be fun to give the cowgirl her own say right here, so…I surfed the internet, found a few more sayings and added them to the list.

I know the cowgirls we write about in our modern-day romances must display the proper decorum to be considered heroine material but we authors can play fast and loose with cowgirl "secondary characters." I'll be launching a new series beginning April 2011 called Rodeo Rebels. We've all heard about the "Buckle Bunnies" that follow the cowboys around the circuit and those sweet honeys make perfect secondary characters that add color and humor to our books. In Dexter: Honorable Cowboy (July 2010) I mention a buckle bunny named Roxy who hounds Dusty--Dexter's infamous "Wild" twin brother. If you've read a rodeo cowboy story then you know it just wouldn’t be any fun without a buckle bunny around to shake the cowboys' spurs loose from their boots.


Cowgirl up!
Cowboy butts drive me nuts!
So many cowboys, so little rope!
Cowgirls do it in the saddle.
If you get in the saddle, be ready for the ride!
Boots, chaps and cowboy hats… nothin’ else matters.
If it doesn’t involve ropin’, ridin’, or saddles, count me out.
Cowboys are proof that cowgirls can take a joke.
When you count your blessings, count your horse twice.
You wish you could ride like a girl.
When in doubt, let your horse do the thinking.
Tell a gelding, ask a stallion, discuss it with a mare.
My other ride is a cowboy.
Cowgirl: A better-looking cowboy with brains.
Pretty in pink…wicked in spurs.

Thanks to http://www.zazzle.com/ here's the last saying!


Have any favorite cowgirl sayings you'd like to share?

Marin
Roughneck Cowboy (Feb 2011)
Rodeo Daddy (April 2011)
www.marinthomas.com
www.firstfamilyofrodeo.blogspot.com
www.sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com

Not Ready for Winter, but loving Fall

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a warm weather person through and through. I don't typically complain about 100+ degree days in Texas. Winter on the other hand. . . However, last week my husband and I took a trip to Galveston Island with another couple. The highs were in the low 80s and evening lows cool enough that we wore hooded sweatshirts so we could sit outside and feast on seafood. Warm enough to take long walks on the beach and swim yet cool enough that we didn't bake. An awesome time to be at the beach after all the kidos are back in school and it's quiet.

Tonight my husband got home and wanted to take a drive in our old Fiat Spider convertible. We put the top down and went for dinner at a little Irish Pub we'd been wanting to try. Great dinner, but I got chilled on the drive home. A fire in the fireplace actually sounded inviting. The red one is ours.

So, yes, I'm loving Fall this year. But I'm not ready for winter.

What's everyone else's favorite thing about Fall?

(The view from my St. Thomas beach chair!!)

Hard to believe it's October already--especially as it's still HOT!!!! LOL!!

The Altom house is even nuttier than usual!! I thought once everyone set off for college, they never came back--wrong!! I now not only have our kids most every weekend, but surprise kids from other countries!! Last weekend, we met two young men. One, from Guatemala and the other, from Qatar. Actually, the night turned out to be fascinating. I knew nothing about either country, so I proceeded to drill our guests with questions. Our daughter was mortified, but the guys were gracious and didn't even balk at inquiries such as had they ever met a sheik or what they eat!! (For the record, Mohammad has met the king's son, who's a prince, but he hadn't met any sheiks!! LOL!!)

Not sure if I've mentioned it before, but our daughter is an Ice Girl for the Tulsa Oilers hockey team. The season starts Friday night and we couldn't be more excited!! Alas, she popped into the house on her way home from rehearsal and tanning last night to show us her official uniform. Um, if what little fabric was there could even be called a uniform. Yikes. I'm used to having the school superintendent dictate her cheer attire. In high school, the more clothes, the better. Apparently, when it comes to cheering for professional sports, the opposite rule applies!!

Hubby and I will still attend every game, but with huge towels we'll use to ambush her and then wrap her mummy-style!!!

In other news . . . Oklahoma had a 5.1 earthquake yesterday!! The dogs and I were working up my new contract proposals when my fave green chair began to tremble. My canine crew woke from their morning naps and Daisy--the Yorkie--seemed alarmed. Gotta say, the whole thing was quite unnerving. I've never experienced one outside of the earthquake machine at the Tulsa Zoo!! Not sure why, but I was useless the rest of the day. It really "shook" me up--ha ha.

At least with our usual tornadoes or ice storms, we have time to stock up on milk and toilet paper, but this was too much of a surprise for my taste.

Nothing exciting to report on our two boys. This is probably a good thing. Both seem to be adjusting to college life with a minimum of drama--at least when it comes to school issues. On the topic of lady drama . . . I just shake my head!! And cry!!

Hubby and I took an amazing second honeymoon to St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. All I can say on that topic is WOW!! We had a super amazing time!! After two weeks of lazing on the beach, returning to the real world was tough, but oddly enough, no one seems to feel too sorry for me.

Saturday afternoon we'll attend the Parent's Day party at Hannah's Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority house, and from there, on to The University of Tulsa's homecoming game. The weather's supposed to be gorgeous, so we're looking forward to that. Sunday, we've been invited to my parents' sailboat for a picnic. Whew--busy, but fun!!

What are you doing this weekend?

All About ME...Or Not

Hey, Megan here. Earlier this week a reporter wanted to do an interview. I said sure, what's the focus of the article and how do you want to set it up? Got an answer on how we'd do it (via phone call). I checked out her articles, which were well done. So...
After exchanging pleasantries, she asked how old I am. [insert crickets chirping] Now, this isn't a secret among my family and friends, but... Is it relevant? Which is what I asked. She said absolutely. I countered with my many years of marriage being more relevant to my writing, my belief in HEA and working hard at marriage to make that HEA a reality. These things I bring to my writing.
I got a lecture on journalism. She got a...an explanation, lol, about privacy. I also wouldn't tell her the year of my graduation, although I did tell her my hometown and high school. She balked again and had to go to her editor for permission to continue.
So I emailed her my thanks for the offer and said, "also tell your editor that while I may tell you I have two kids, I won't tell you their names or ages either." Their lives are theirs to protect or flaunt as they wish.
There's not going to be an article. I can't be sorry about it except... EEKS I just turned down publicity. It makes me uneasy, to say the least. While part of me insists the important thing about me is my determination to improve my writing and my struggle to get published, there's that internal editor (nag) that says I should have just told her. My age is not a big deal, nor the date of my graduation. The kids, though...I draw the line there.
What do y'all think? Is a person's age that vital to an article? Should I submit all the details of my life for public consumption? Or is there a line?
Megan Kelly
The Marriage Solution, May 2011
www.megankellybooks.com

Monthly Favorite Recipes

Are you a fan of kale? I've always loved this leafy green vegetable. When I was a child we had it regularly, usually with hamburger steak and mashed potatoes. I often mixed my kale and mashed potatoes together, in a truly "child friendly" manner. It made my parents cringe but at least I was eating my veggies!

As an adult, I still love kale and buy it regularly at the grocery. Usually I wash, trim and boil it in a saucepan, then add a little salt and pepper and some lean bacon bits in lieu of the bacon grease my mother used when I was a child. I discard the stems in my compost heap.

Imagine my surprise when I opened the compost bin one day this spring and found two kale plants growing up toward the thin shaft of light coming in! I carefully dug the plants, which had rooted from those discarded stems, and transplanted them into the little garden area I'd planted with my granddaughter, Lilly. The plants took off and I now have my own fresh kale.

When I saw this recipe in Country Living Magazine, one of my favorite subscriptions, I couldn't wait to try it. However, I had to make a few changes. Here's the original:

http://www.countryliving.com/recipefinder/sauteed-pork-chops-kale-recipe-clv1010?click=recipe_sr

Here's the way I fixed the dish:

Sauteed Pork Chops with Kale

(Victoria Chancellor version)

In a large skillet, heat about 2 T. olive oil or a good vegetable oil, like canola

3 medium "sirloin cut" boneless pork chops (Note: These were on sale at Target but you could use any type of pork chops. If you use thick chops, however, make sure to increase cooking time.)

1/4 c. (approx.) chopped or thinly sliced onion

2 cloves garlic

Salt & pepper to taste (I also used some Old Bay Seasoning just because I like it!)

Approx. 2 cups or more kale, washed and trimmed

Add kale to about 1 to 1 1/2 cups water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until just tender while you are preparing the pork chops.

Add seasoned pork chops to hot oil in skillet and brown on both sides. Add onions and garlic and continue to saute until onions are transparent. (Do not overcook garlic.) Drain kale and add to skillet. Saute kale with pork chops until fully cooked/wilted.

I served my dinner with Appaloosa Beans, a novelty type of dried beans I soaked and cooked. (They were very similar to Black-Eyed Peas.) Also, I served cornbread, with blueberry pie and vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Note: If you don't like kale, you could use fresh spinach or another green leafy vegetable.

I prepared this meal while I should have been finishing my July, 2011 Harlequin American Romance, The Texan and the Cowgirl, so I'm really glad my husband enjoyed it! I hope you like it, too. Best wishes for a wonderful October.

SEPTEMBER WINNER!!

CONGRATULATIONS Julie Hilton Steele! You’re the September winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Dominique Burton and Barbara White Daille through their Web sites.

To enter the contest simply leave a blog comment and your name will go into the drawing. Simple and painless. And FREE BOOKS.

So check back often and be sure to leave a comment. Good luck!

Here, Kitty

It’s a jungle out there. In my back yard.

When we moved from beachside to mainland eight years ago, Dear Hubby and I made the decision not to clear the back half of our one-acre lot. I have to admit, initially I envisioned something a little different from a wild abandon of palmetto and pepper trees. My original plan for the back yard included paths winding through the wilderness, hostas edging the line between grass and growth. Maybe a tree house and a swing. But since neither DH or I particularly like working outside in Central Florida’s ever-present ninety degree heat, yard work is, yeah, a problem.

Instead, we’ve decided to let Nature do her thing and hired people who mow the grass and keep the jungle behind a line that ever wants to creep forward. Some of my neighbors have clear-cut their back yards. They mow an acre of sod in straight rows. Not us.

We love the birds, I exclaim to anyone who bold enough to ask why. Our plot of overgrown jungle is on the map handed out to various species before they take off on their annual migration. So, twice a year—coming and going—every tree limb fills with robins, and the ground becomes a carpet of tiny little butterbutts. (See my Tipsy Robins post from 2/25/10.) We enjoy watching the squirrels, I tell neighbors who complain about torn screens and furry animals that can outwit the smartest bird feeder. I’m not so crazy about the raccoons, but once we wrapped our enormous hobo in bungee cords, those scavengers left the garbage alone.

Lately, there’s been a new addition to the menagerie of birds and opossums, armadillos and raccoons, squirrels and the occasional red fox that live in our back yard. A bobcat. Who, apparently, thinks we’ve laid out the welcome mat. He’s certainly made himself at home. This week, he prowled through the back yard, sniffed at the screen door, and bounded into the woods.

Pretty, isn’t he? I hope he doesn’t expect a bowl of milk ‘cause that’s one kitty who won’t be invited indoors.