Growing closer to readers

One unexpected effect of the Internet—social media, epublishing, author websites, etc.—is that readers have become closer.

In the past, for an author, readers constituted a big blur. When my first book, a Regency romance called Lady in Disguise, was published in 1983 in hardcover, all I knew was that it was being sold primarily to libraries.

The main feedback I received came from professional publications such as Library Journal, which called it “…a spirited romp … witty dialogue will help keep the reader hooked.”

That’s nice, but was anyone—beyond a few letter writers--actually reading it?

Now, I’ve reissued Lady in Disguise as an ebook, and all that has changed. Not only can I see how many have sold each day on Amazon, I can also find readers’ comments. On most of my books, they’re positive. Of course, this system also opens an author to negative reviews, sometimes thoughtful, sometimes idiotic (of the “I wouldn’t want my boyfriend to act like the hero so I’m giving it a one-star” variety). Or even the drive-by diss that Barnes & Noble allows, where someone can anonymously post one or two stars without any comment. Grrrr!

By the way, if you like a book, please be kind to the author by posting a favorable review, however brief, or a positive rating on B&N. Those do affect sales.

And if you know anyone who thinks it’s clever to “buy” an ebook, read it quickly and then return it for a full refund, please let them know that the author can see this, too.

Back to the fun part. I enjoy meeting readers through Twitter, where I’m @Jacquediamond. I’ve also met readers through sites such as Good Reads and Wattpad.

Plus I appreciate the review websites. The Baby Dilemma, my April Harlequin—the eighth book in my Safe Harbor Medical series—began receiving enthusiastic reviews in late March.

Sometimes there are unexpected benefits. Anne Glover, who writes fascinating historical blogs and Regency reviews at anneglover.wordpress.com, praised Lady in Disguise but didn’t like my cover. She introduced me to Kelly at customgraphics.etsy.com, who designed my new Regency covers including the one shown here.

Authors of previous generations never imagined such one-on-one contact. Despite a few drawbacks, it’s a great boost for authors. And, I hope, for readers, too.

Springtime DIY

It must be spring because for the past week I’ve been itching to get started on a DIY project. I’m also being inspired by the heroine of the book I'm finishing, The Daddy Project (December 21012). Kristi is an interior decorator and if you read my last book, The Christmas Secret, you might remember meeting her there.

What I have in mind is to convert my cluttered back porch into a well-organized mudroom. And when I say “cluttered,” I'm afraid you will have to take my word for it because I’m too embarrassed to post a photo of it in its current state. I’m also too busy to roll up my sleeves and dive into this project right now, but I have started to compile my mudroom wishlist.

Because the porch/mudroom is the transition to our back yard, I’m thinking it needs a nice fresh wall color, like Benjamin Moore’s Woodland Hills Green.

Green is such a calming color, especially compared to the hideous mustard yellow that's on those walls right now.

Along one wall I’d like to install beadboard wainscoting with hooks above for coats and umbrellas and shopping bags.

There will have to be a built-in storage bench, along the lines of this one from This Old House, for stowing footwear and the recycling bin...

…and a shelf over the window, similar to this one I saw on Pintrest.

Finally, I would love to swap the boring old ceiling fixture for something more nature-inspired, like this Whoopsie Daisy chandelier from The Land of Nod. Isn't it pretty?

So, what do you think? Do you have a springtime DIY project in mind? Please share, if you do!

Until next time,
Lee
www.leemckenzie.com

The Appeal of the American Cowboy

BUY!

If you're a regular reader of Harlequin American Romances then you must be a lover of westerns and cowboy-rancher heroes.  I've always been in awe of the American Cowboy and never tire of writing about the men who wear Wranglers, Stetsons and scuffed boots.  I love the old west as well as the new west!  For those who haven't dropped by yet, I invite you to check out my Sunday blog All My Heroes are Cowboys where each week I blog about a topic that relates to cowboys and the west. 

I think this pretty much sums up why cowboys are so popular in romance novels: 

"America needs the Cowboy both to remind us of how far we have come and to bring us back to the simplicity of the values he represents. He is also needed because he is a piece of who we are as a country. He represents a lifestyle and a time period that is a cherished part of our History. Little boys want to grow up to be him and the little girls want to grow up to marry him." ~cowboycrew.com

When I'm writing my cowboy stories I often turn to my file of "favorite photos" that I've collected over time as inspiration for my characters. 

This photograph melts my heart…each time I envision one of the heroes in my books becoming a father I think of this picture.

 This is what I picture when my heroine gets her first glimpse of my rodeo cowboy hero…

And this picture is my inspiration when I create a "Geezer" for one of my stories.  Each line in his face tells a different story about how he tamed the west. 

Even though I don't write inspirational romances, I believe "Faith" is a core trait of the cowboy and when I imagine my hero struggling with his internal conflict I recall this photo and it helps me get deeper inside his character.

And this photo is your reward for reading the blog…a little cowboy eye candy!

Tell us what you like most about reading cowboy romances set in the American West!

Marin

Arizona Cowboy (Feb 2012)

A Cowboy's Duty (Aug 2012)

Beau: Cowboy Protector (Nov 2012)

www.marinthomas.com

What's Cooking for St. Patrick's Day?

Are you Irish today? (smile) On March 17th, everyone's entitled to celebrate this grand holiday.

My family's a good part Irish, and when I was growing up, St. Patrick's Day was always a special holiday in our house.

The highlight of the day was gathering everyone together for our big dinner. Of course, you know what we ate. Corned beef. Cabbage. Carrots. And potatoes.

I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

There are various recipes, but the simplest is this:


Put corned beef (3-4 pounds) in a pot, toss in a couple of bay leaves*, and cover all with water.

Bring water to a boil.

Cover pot and lower heat to a simmer for about 3 hours, or until corned beef is fork-tender.

Remove beef from pot and reserve on a platter, covering beef with foil for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, to the water in pot, add a head of cabbage, quartered; carrots and potatoes (about 5-6 medium of each), peeled and cut into pieces.

Cover and simmer for approximately 20 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.

Slice the beef and dish up the vegetables.

* After cooking, discard bay leaves. Do not eat.


And you're done.

See? It's so easy, anyone—Irish or not—can enjoy this traditional dinner. I hope you will. (smile)

And I'd love to hear if your family celebrates with this or any other special foods or traditions.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com/
http://www.facebook.com/barbarawhitedaille
https://twitter.com/BarbaraWDaille

Doppelgangers

A little background. Soon after we married, my hubby agreed to take me and two of my girlfriends to a Neil Diamond concert. Personal quirk, I have to be early to those things. So we’re sitting in our lower balcony seats and he’s got the binoculars watching people, girls probably. Suddenly he stops and looks at me, hands me the binoculars and tells me to look on the tenth row back. Wouldn’t tell me what I was looking for, just that I’d know it when I saw it. I scanned and suddenly stopped breathing. There was a girl who looked so much like me, I couldn’t believe it. Auburn hair, same style cut. She was even dressed in emerald green, my favorite color at the time. Obviously, made an impression.

But over the holidays, I’ve been thinking about how certain actors resemble actors from earlier generations. It started when my mom was watching an old episode of Jag. She’s addicted to the star, David James Elliott. I never watched the show, but Mom was also a huge Rock Hudson fan and she pointed to the screen and said something along the lines of, “There hasn’t been an actor that good looking since Rock Hudson.

So I started thinking. Scary, I know.

The obvious - Brad Pitt. Anyone except me see the close resemblance to Redford?

And speaking of Redford, what about Newman? Matt McConoughey?

A Cover Story

Ah, firsts...They play an important role in our lives, don’t they? From the moment the stick turns (pink? blue?), the newly expectant wait anxiously for that first stir of life. We wonder if that first word will be “Ma-Ma” or “Da-Da.” Parents watch with camera in hand for their child’s first step. Grandparents fly in to watch their grandchildren head off for their first day of school, the first prom, the first graduation.

In Rodeo Daughter, my June Harlequin American Romance, four-year-old Hailey’s first horseback ride becomes a pivotal moment in the blossoming romance between former rodeo star, Amanda Markette and Mitch Goodwin, a stern prosecuting attorney who—thanks to a playground accident—struggles to regain custody of his daughter while earning Amanda’s love.

What child doesn’t love that first chance to ride a horse. I’m tipping my cowboy hat to Harlequin’s Art Department for capturing that excitement for the cover of Rodeo Daughter.

Recently, I ran across this picture of one of my firsts—my first horseback ride.

Yes, that’s me riding Biscuit. What a thrill! I just knew I was going to grow up to be a rodeo star like Amanda in Rodeo Daughter. I didn’t, but from that moment through my late teens, my sister and I spent most weekends at the local riding stables where we groomed horses in exchange for rides. And just a couple of years ago, when we wanted to celebrate a significant milestone, sis and I went on an all-day trail ride.

How about you? Have you ever been horseback riding? Was it a pivotal moment in your life?

Procrastinate or get it done early?

Recently, I spent almost a week in California, taking care my adorable granddaughter while my daughter and son-in-law got ready to move to Seattle. If you’ve ever moved, and we all have, you know what a huge undertaking that was.

Like me, my daughter prefers to get things done in advance. She started packing weeks ahead of the move date. My son-in-law is the opposite—he works best under pressure. He didn’t really get into move mode until several days before the move, then worked basically round the clock to pack his stuff and finish what was left.

Regardless which type person you are, both ways get you to the end result of completing your task. But the getting there is what can cause irritation. My daughter and son-in-law seem very compatible and accepting of their differences.

Which got me thinking. How do people cope when a spouse, partner or other family member works in ways that are different from theirs?

Some people work best under pressure. Others like to complete their projects in advance. Which are you—do you prefer to complete projects in advance, do you work best under pressure, or do you fall somewhere in-between? How do you deal with the people in your life who are the opposite of you?

Until next month,

Ann… the advance planner (unless I’m not :-) )

www.annroth.net

FEBRUARY WINNER!!!

Congratulations KRIS!! You’re the February winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Marin Thomas and Trish Milburn 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.