Thirteen New Year's Resolutions

Yes, I know, boring as oatmeal, but timely. And I figure if I set thirteen goals for the year, I'm bound to keep at least ONE of them!

1. Write every day. May have to participate in Club 100 just to kick start the habit again.

2. Write at least two new manuscripts in 2007.

3. Sell at least two manuscripts in 2007.

4. Start up the great agent safari once again.

5. Turn my website over to someone who knows what they're doing. I love fiddling with my site but it's time to let the professionals take over!

6. Work out, for real, three times a week minimum. No more "lowest setting on the recumbent bike so I can read" fake-outs.

7. In the same vein, actually WIN the Wellness Challenge in at least one category this year. I'm tired of missing first place by two or three points. I'm in it for the COIN, baby!

8. Find and destroy the cobwebs before DH can point them out.

9. Continue Date Night at least once a month with DH.

10. Start planning meals more than an hour in advance, and limit eating out to no more than once a week.

11. Create a business and promo plan, and stick to it.

12. Keep up with birthdays and anniversaries.

13. Read more romance! (Okay, I'll fess up. I threw this one in there so I'd be sure to accomplish at least one goal this year.)

So what's your resolution for 2007?

CAPA Awards -- wow!

I'm up late wrapping gifts, but had to post a quick note that The Romance Studio has announced its finalists for the 2006 CAPA awards, and TAKING THE CAKE is on the list!

It's nominated for Best Contemporary Erotic Romance, and I couldn't be more thrilled!

For years, I would comb these lists, looking for the names of my friends so I could celebrate with them. To find my own name on the nominees list is, well, sniffle-worthy. I can't stop smiling. :)

I know Christmas is right around the corner, but I couldn't ask for a better gift than this.

Okay, back to the pressies. Best wishes for a magical holiday season!

Thirteen Holiday Movies I Love

So I've been keeping up with the many and varied Thursday Thirteen participants, notably my fabulous editor Angie, and thinking it would be cool to join in. Trouble was, I couldn't come up with an initial list of thirteen to save my life.

But the holidays have inspired me, so here's my first installment of the Thursday Thirteen -- Thirteen Holiday Movies I Love.

Here they are, in alphabetical order:

1. A Charlie Brown Christmas
Yeah, it's a TV short, not an actual movie, but I can't imagine the holiday season without it.

2. A Christmas Carol (1938)
I'll watch almost any Christmas Carol adaptation, but this one holds a special place of honor.

3. A Christmas Story
"You'll shoot your eye out, kid."

4. Die Hard
What, you were expecting all sweetness and light? It's set on Christmas Eve, isn't it? :)

5. Elf
Goofy but fun. Will Farrell is absolutely fearless when it comes to comedy.

6. In The Good Old Summertime
Okay, the title blows as a holiday film, but this really is a Christmas story. A musical version of "The Shop Around the Corner", and a precursor to "You've Got Mail", Judy Garland and Van Johnson star as music shop employees who spar in person but don't know they are romantic pen pals at the same time.

7. It's a Wonderful Life
This one's a classic for a reason.

8. The Lemon Drop Kid
Bob Hope shines as a con raising money for himself, using the "Home for Old Dolls" as cover. The song "Silver Bells" was introduced in this film. (trivia buffs -- if you like "Guys and Dolls", you'll probably like this one, since it's based on a story by Damon Runyon.)

9. Love Actually
A great ensemble cast, with a mix of happy and sad stories. I'm partial to the Colin Firth storyline, but then I'm a sucker for Mr. Darcy in just about anything.

10. The Man Who Came to Dinner
A fabulous adaptation of the Moss Hart Broadway play, with exceptional performances and dialogue that sparkles. Loads of fun.

11. Miracle on 34th Street
The original only, please, and in black and white, of course. Maureen O'Hara is great as a modern mom trying to raise her daughter to be rational and realistic, and Edmund Gwinn is the embodiment of St. Nick as a real-life Santa who brings magic to both their lives.

12. Scrooge (1951)
Alistair Sim shines in this classic film.

13. While You Were Sleeping
Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman have wonderful chemistry together as lonely people pining for the one they (think they) can't have.

So there you have it – my favorites. Did yours make the list? Do you have suggestions to add? Let me know what you think!

A New Hang-out

Yep, it's true -- Samhain has a new blog! I'll be posting there from time to time, but in the meantime, I'm enjoying hanging out there and chatting. Lots of fun readers and authors and editors are dropping in, so stop by!

Here's the link:
http://samhainpublishing.com/blog/

Hope to see you there!

Heat Up Your Winter

Looking for a good read this holiday season? You can't go wrong with a book by TJ Michaels!

She's got a new release out today, and it looks like a scorcher! Here's the scoop:

GIFT WRAP OPTIONAL

Melaniece is looking forward to spending a nice quiet holiday at her vacation home up in the mountains. Expecting to enjoy ripping open gifts with her family, she’s surprised when they spring the ultimate present on her: Michael Bannon. Could his unexpected appearance have anything to do with the strange vampire dreams she’s been having lately?

Michael is determined not to blow a second chance with the woman he should have loved years ago, even if it means revealing his true nature. Is a good guy willing to be very bad to get what he wants? Hell, yes…including drive Melaniece out of her mind. Over and over again.

A Twofer Tag

I've been tagged -- again! All-around sweetie Stacy tagged me with two, count 'em, two subjects, one topical and one, well, not. I've tagged a couple different people for each of the topics, so they can continue around the web in separate directions -- more fun for everyone!

So, without further ado, here are my answers:

Six Strange Things About Me:

1. I'm addicted to print. This isn't unusual in the world of readers, I know, but people who don't read as much find it, well, a little odd. I read books, magazines, newspapers, and when they aren't available, I move on to junk mail, catalogs, backs of cereal boxes, anything I can get my hands on. I've been known to vacuum with a book in one hand, to have a different book in each room of the house (and keep all the plots straight!), and to limit my exercising to the stationary bike because I can read while I work out.

2. I amaze (annoy?) friends and family by pointing out grammatical errors pretty much everywhere. I can spot a misplaced comma, wrong usage of their/there/they're, or misspellings at a hundred paces. Currently, I'm ready to call a hotel down the road that has been boasting of "Hot wafles" for breakfast. Drives me absolutely batty.

3. I have a subscription to Entertainment Weekly, and read it from cover to cover every week. (See #1.) But since I have three kids, I rarely see a movie in the theater, or watch any show with regularity besides The Daily Show. I know more trivia about television shows I've never watched and probably will never watch.

4. I don't drink coffee, but I love the smell of it brewing.

5. My son didn't have a name until he was over an hour old, because my husband and I couldn't agree on a boy's name. (We both taught junior high and, let's face it, I love kids that age but junior high boys are well known for pushing buttons. "What about NAME?" "Nah, I had a kid named NAME last year who called me a @($%ing @($*%er.")

6. I once sang "Zip-a-dee-doo-dah" in a school talent show. As a seventh grader. In front of the entire student body. Not surprisingly, this has followed me throughout the years. My senior year, my English class sang it to me for my birthday in lieu of the traditional "Happy Birthday." I fully expect to hear it next year at my high school reunion.

So there. I'm done! And I'm tagging Kate Johnson and TJ Michaels for this topic.

Topic Number Two -- Five Favorite Christmas Songs. There are some overlaps with Stacy's list because, well, I'm pretty sure we were separated at birth. :)

In no particular order, here they are:

1. All I Want For Christmas, Love Actually version
2. Blue Christmas, Elvis
3. Christmas Eve/Sarajevo, 12/24, Transiberian Orchestra
4. Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy, Bing Crosby and David Bowie
5. Christmas in the Northwest, Brenda Kutz White

This topic goes out to Bianca D'Arc, Jessica Jarman and Jenna Leigh.

Thanks for the tag, Stacy! And thanks for playing, ladies!

Can't Beat These Prices!

Just wanted to pop in quickly to mention that My Bookstore and More is having a Holiday Sale -- so don't miss out! Here are the details...

Holiday eBook and Gift Certificate Blow-out!
Gift Certificates and eBooks are on sale through December 24th at 15% off the listed price.
So if you aren't sure what to get someone and you want to lure them to the wonders of ebooks, try a Gift Certificate and a recommendation for your favorite book. And while you're at it, buy yourself a book to read. ;)

We're talking some seriously great prices, so stop by and grab something fabulous to read. I just checked, and ALL of my releases are under $3. Can't beat that!

Today's question -- what's your favorite holiday purchase so far this year? What gift was such a great deal, you can't stop grinning about it? For me, it was a pair of microfleece gloves, marked down again and again, with a dollars-off coupon added on, that worked out to 99 cents!

Getting Smarter, one Junior Mint at a Time

So I was at my local RWA chapter's holiday party yesterday, and we got on the subject of candy. (Could have been the container of various chocolates being passed around the table.) One of my chaptermates mentioned that a university had done a study of Junior Mints candy, and discovered that they actually give your brain a boost. A group split in half was given the same test, with half eating Junior Mints during testing and half eating nothing. The group with the Junior Mints scored 60% higher on the test than the control group.

Score! I love chocolate and mint together. Who knew I could be boosting my brain power and enjoying a favorite treat at the same time?

Note: I looked for the study, and haven't found a write-up yet -- but found a different study that showed that people filed better and typed faster in a room scented with peppermint, as opposed to a group working in a scent-free environment. So I guess all I'd have to do is open the top drawer of my filing cabinet and take a whiff to get my brain perking!

I've just enjoyed a Peppermint Chip blizzard, with (you guessed it) peppermint and chocolate chunks in it. Tasted great, and even better, my brain is prepped for a night of writing. Or at least that was my excuse. :)

So what's your favorite candy? And what's your excuse for eating it?

Is it Just Me...

...or is it getting hot in here?

I've been sitting on this news for almost a week, but I finally have the okay to share my newest cover. Yay! Here's what cover god Scott Carpenter came up with for Challenging Carter, the final novella in my strip trilogy:

Isn't it just yummy?

And in related news, I have an official release date -- February 13th! (It'll be a very happy Valentine's Day in my household -- LOL!)

What's most exciting about this is that once Challenging Carter goes into e-print, the three novellas will be put on the schedule for a single author anthology, probably around the end of May or June. Just in time for a steamy beach read!

Hope your week is going great. And stay warm!

In the holiday spirit...

I have a confession to make.

I didn't write a word today.

This is unusual for me, especially lately; I've been so deep in my writing cave, I can barely see sunlight. But today I was dragged out to play, and I just got home a little while ago.

And the day was wonderful. We went to see the Nutcracker, three generations of family together, and then to visit Santa and finally dinner out. The production, by Pacific Northwest Ballet, was amazing, with gorgeous sets by Maurice Sendak and a corps of dancers that had even the three year old enthralled.

After the show we trundled down to a local department store for pictures with Santa; one of the workers there said my youngest would be her story of the day. Something to do with saying "Swedish pancakes" instead of "cheese" -- over and over and over!

And dinner was great, too. All in all, a highly successful day.

Of course, it means that I'll be writing doubletime tomorrow to make up for the lost productivity. But I can't regret the time taken out today. It really put me in the holiday mood, which has been hard to come by this year in all the busyness. Now I'm ready to start tackling shopping and cookie baking and Christmas cards.

Once I get the book done, of course. :)

Today's question: Are you in the holiday mood yet? If so, what brings out the holiday spirit in you most?

Now Available at a Bookstore Near You!

Yes, the day has arrived!

Beginnings: A Samhain Anthology is now available in print. It's available online at My Bookstore and More, Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, and Borders. Borders brick and mortar stores also carry Samhain titles, so it should be available on the shelves there. I may even let my local store be open for fifteen minutes before I start calling to ask if they have it in stock yet. :)

Want a chance to win a free copy? Tuesday on the Novelspotters e-loop the anthology authors will be giving away a copy. And if you're not a member of my newsletter group yet, sign up before the end of the month to be eligible to win a copy signed by me, as well.

My favorite review EVER...

Okay, I know I've been MIA this month -- my apologies! I'm deep in my writing cave, finishing up two novellas with rapidly-approaching deadlines. (You might have noticed the NaNoWriMo logo on the right hand side of my blog -- I'm taking part in an attempt to kick myself into high gear. Obviously, I haven't bothered updating my word count total lately. But I *am* writing.)

In any case, I probably won't be posting regularly until after mid-December, but I will do my best to get something up at least once a week.

In that vein, I wanted to share what has to be my current favorite review. I just found it online a couple of days ago, and I still haven't stopped grinning.

The funny thing is, it's for Taking the Cake, which came out in August. There haven't been very many reviews for it lately, so this one was a surprise. (Always nice to find something like that out on the web!)

It's from Cupid's Library Reviews , and I got four Cupids each for plot and romance, which is awesome. But here's the part I loved: the reviewer finished the review with the comment, "This story is like a grown up version of the movie Sixteen Candles with a very touching and every lady's fantasy happy ending."

OMG! Sixteen Candles!

See, I'm a child of the eighties. I luuurved that movie -- actually, I luuurved all of John Hughes' movies. And I'm just tickled to have my book and Sixteen Candles mentioned in the same paragraph.

This has actually been a great week for reviews for Strip Tease as well: 4.5 Blue Ribbons from Romance Junkies; Red Hot! Read from RRTErotic; and 5 stars from eCataromance.

Question of the week: What's your favorite "teen" movie? What movies and actors did you love when you were in high school?

I'm in RT!

Or at least, my book is. I just picked up a copy of the December issue of Romantic Times Book Reviews, and on page 29 is a half-page ad for Beginnings: A Samhain Anthology. Here's a peek:

I know it's a little hard to see on here, but the Ritual Love cover is second from the right. Woo-hoo!

Okay, so I'm a bit goofy. But RT is a very big deal for a lot of romance readers and writers. To have my name, my book cover, actually in it is, well, huge. I'm totally chuffed.

And I'm absolutely thrilled that my publisher supports the anthology enough to place an ad in RT. That means the world to me. Samhain rocks!

Happy Birthday, Samhain!

The Authors and Staff of Samhain Publishing would like to thank you for your support during the last year. So, this November 1st Please come by the Samhain Cafe so we can thank you in person. Excerpts from your favorite authors, fun for all, and of course, prizes to be had. Every post you make will get your name in the drawing for two ten dollar gift vouchers from My Bookstore and More. And there are many more giveaways throughout the day from your favorite Samhain authors. One gift voucher will be awarded on Thursday morning so our friends around the world get a chance to win. So no matter what time zone you are in, come on by and post.

Please Join:
Maya Banks
Ally Blue
Lauren Dane

Kate Davies
Alexis Fleming
Rebecca Goings
Tilly Greene
Ingela F Hyatt
AnneMarie McKenna
TJ Michaels
Marie Nicole Ryan
Melissa Schroeder
Beth Williamson
and so many more.....

Be sure to wear your favorite outfit, bring some friends and get ready for an excellent time. Cake and punch will be served along with the fun, so make sure to come with an appetite:) We look forward to seeing you at the Cafe.

It's Live! It's (A)LIIIIIVE!!

Okay, had to go for the classic horror movie line there, even though it didn't actually fit. LOL

So what am I doing a bad Dr. Frankenstein impression for?

Ritual Love is now up on the Samhain site! (Scroll down to see the really cool sparkly red box with all the anthology stories in it. Pretty!)

Yes, you too can stop by My Bookstore and More to pick up your very own e-copy of this Samhain-themed story. Perfect for Halloween reading! :)

And thanks to everyone who's purchased a copy of Strip Tease as well. It's currently holding steady at #8 on the My Bookstore and More bestseller's list, and considering the other books on the list, I'm thrilled!

So happy Halloween/Samhain/All Hallow's Eve, everyone -- and many wishes for wonderful reading!

Par-TEE! Par-TEE!

Just wanted to invite everyone to this fun paranormal-themed online party, just in time for Halloween/Samhain...

Click here to Join

I'll be participating, and giving away a copy of Ritual Love. Hope to see you there!

Now Available...

Strip Tease is now on sale at My Bookstore and More.

Just thought y'all might like to know.

(Now, I'm off to go jump up and down and celebrate. Carry on.)

Won! Won! Won!

No, I didn't forget -- just ultra busy!

But in my time zone it's still Friday, so that counts, right? :)

The winner of a free download of one of my two upcoming books is...

Jen in WA!

Congrats, Jen!

And because I'm a Libra, and we like to have all things in balance, I picked another winner, too!

So congrats to you, too, Phyllis! (And happy birthday!)

I've used up my daily allotment of exclamation points, so I'll just ask that you two e-mail your choice of book and format at kate@kate-davies.com, and I'll send the book your way.

Congrats again! (Whoops, I'll have to deduct that exclamation point from tomorrow's stash. LOL)

Number one Gift? Travel!

I noticed something interesting in reading the responses to my "Perfect Gift" question. Topping most lists -- either as something you'd like to give, or to get -- was the gift of travel.

I, of course, agree. :)

I've always loved to travel, whether on my own or with friends or family. When I was a kid, my parents used to take us camping, which was great fun. I loved exploring the campsites and getting "back to nature". (Although the memory of watching the shadows of the banana slugs as they crawled over the tent all night long is still a bit too vivid, if you ask me.) Sometimes we'd go boat camping, throwing our tent and sleeping bags in our 15-foot bowrider and heading off to some tiny island with pit toilets and not much else.

I, uh, prefer a little more in the way of modern conveniences these days.

One trip that really stands out for me was my trek through Europe after I graduated from college. I'd worked three part-time jobs my senior year to save up for the trip; several friends and I had been planning it for quite some time.

And then, one by one, they all dropped out. I think they assumed I would cancel, too, but instead I spent three months wandering Europe on my own with a backpack and a Let's Go travel guidebook. It was an amazing experience.

I think that's part of what I love about writing -- the chance to explore new places, even if I don't get to go there physically.

One place that's really special to me is the island of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland. I fell in love with it on that long-ago trip to Europe, and have always vowed I'd go back someday. And by setting Ritual Love on that wonderful island, I've had the chance to spend some more time researching and reminiscing about it. I still want to go back, but in a way, writing the book gave me the chance to do just that.


Speaking of Ritual Love, I received my first review for it this week, from Rites of Romance Reviews. Adra gave it four half-moons, and I'm OVER the moon at the write-up! A snippet:

"Ms. Davies’ story is full of magic and wonder. The pace is quick and the writing is smooth and crisp. ... Ritual Love is a perfect choice for a short, entertaining read."

Thanks, Adra!

And thanks to all of you who took the time to respond to my last post.

Tonight's question: What settings do you love in books? Is there a place you wish someone would write about?

Win! Win! Win!

I've got lots to celebrate this month -- two new releases, my birthday, the end of soccer season (which I love, but it's getting *cold* out there!)...

So I want to keep the celebration going. To that end, I'm going to be giving away a free copy of one of my two upcoming releases from Samhain. Since I'm a Libra, I'm pretty much incapable of picking between two choices, so I'll leave that up to the winner. Will they choose:

Strip Tease, my October 24th release? This is the follow-up book to Taking the Cake, with Caroline's story. Here's the blurb:

It seemed easy enough. Hit the local all-male strip club, pick a likely target, and hire him for her best friend's bachelorette party. But the stripper who catches Caroline's eye has a different agenda. He's an undercover cop, and Caroline ends up under arrest – for solicitation!

Tony DiMarco realizes too late that he's made a mistake. Caroline's reputation and business are suffering, and he feels responsible. He feels something else, too – the pull of red-hot desire. He wants Caroline, but she's afraid that he's just trying to make up for his mistake. Can this determined vice cop teach her to trust again?

Or what about Ritual Love, my first paranormal romance? Part of the Beginnings: A Samhain Anthology collection, it's coming out in e-book form on October 31st. Here's the scoop:

Scientist Moira Sinclair doesn't believe in magic. Or at least she hasn't since childhood. She's only come to Iona in remembrance of her long-deceased grandmother—the last person who encouraged her fanciful side. But now she's stumbled onto a secret druid ritual—and into another time.

Aedan Ap Crannog is furious to discover an outsider spying on their sacred, banned Samhain rites. With her strange garb and stranger mannerisms, Moira is unlike any woman he's ever known. But she could cause trouble for him and the people who follow him in the ancient ways. To prevent her from sounding the alarm, he takes her captive, hiding her in the labyrinth of caves along the far shore.

Despite their differences, sparks burn between them as brightly as the Samhain bonfire. Now captive and captor must find a way to bridge the centuries before the magic disappears with the dawn...

I'll choose a winner from all the posters between now and 5 pm PST Friday, October 20. And if you want to double your chances to win, sign up for my newsletter! One member of my newsletter group will win a free copy of one of my two October releases.


Click to join KateDaviesUpdates

And to get the discussion started, here's a question for you...

What's the best birthday present you ever received? Or, what would you love to give someone if money were no object?

Best. Birthday. Ever.

(photo by Grant Haller, Seattle PI)

I almost feel sorry for my husband.

After all, how is he ever going to top this year's birthday celebration?

The Rolling Stones concert was, in a word, amazing. Our seats were great (200 level, perfect view of the stage), the weather was wonderful (cool but dry, and the clouds only rolled in later in the evening), and the performances absolutely blew me away.

Opening act The Dave Matthews Band was energetic, creative, and fun to watch. We both went into the set fairly neutral about DMB and ended it as fans.

And then, the Stones. I'd never seen them perform before; my husband's been to two concerts previously. In a way, it was like Springsteen for me -- liked the music, but not a rabid fangirl until seeing it performed live.

I was blown away.

The performance was exceptional, the energy onstage put my 37-year-old self to shame, and the crowd was in the palm of Mick's hand.

Before the show, we were talking about what songs we really wanted to hear them perform. I said my number one choice was "It's Only Rock and Roll".

It was the second song on their playlist. (DH turned to me and said, "Wanna go home now? They played your song!")

In fact, here's the whole playlist from the evening:

Jumpin' Jack Flash

It's Only Rock and Roll

Let's Spend the Night Together

She Was Hot

Let It Bleed (with special guest vocalist Dave Matthews, having his own fanboy moment)

Streets of Love

Midnight Rambler (my husband's favorite performance of the night)

Tumblin' Dice

You Got the Silver

Little T & A

Under My Thumb

Oh No Not You Again

Start Me Up

Honky Tonk Woman

Sympathy for the Devil

Paint it Black

Brown Sugar

Encore:

You Can't Always Get What You Want

Satisfaction

What's the best concert you've ever been to?

Happy Birthday to Me!

I know, it's only Rock and Roll, but I like it!

I'm in a fabulous mood today because last night I won tickets to the Rolling Stones concert! We were driving home late last night when the local classic rock station announced that the tenth caller would win a pair of tickets to Tuesday's concert. The DH and I both began calling on our cell phones, redialing with each busy signal. Two or three calls in, it started ringing, so I held my breath until the DJ answered, saying, "You're the tenth caller!"

I've never seen them before, though my husband has been to two of their concerts, and I'm really looking forward to it. What makes it even better is that Tuesday is my birthday, so we can celebrate in style!

Take Me -- My New Fave!

I've never made it a secret how much I love Lucy Monroe's books. Every one of them, in my mind, is a keeper worthy of being read again and again.

But as of this weekend, Take Me has jumped to the head of my All-Time Best Lucy Monroe Books list.

I loved, loved, LOVED this book. The characters were well-drawn and engaging; the plot was great; the story itself was such a page-turner I found myself wiping down counters, doing laundry, even vacuuming while reading it. I literally could not put it down.

Take Me is the final book in Lucy's historical trilogy, and a worthy conclusion to that series. I recommend all three books, but Take Me most of all.

Buy it. Read it. You won't regret it.

Wow. Just....wow.

So I'm wandering the web tonight, checking out some of my favorite sites, and I stop by Powell's, the internet home of my all-time-favorite bookstore. (If you're ever in Portland, you MUST stop by there. It will blow you away.)

Anyway, I already knew Taking the Cake was available for purchase there as a Microsoft e-Reader file. But tonight I found out that it's number 4 on their e-Reader bestseller's list, right behind Ladies' Man by Suzanne Brockmann and one spot ahead of -- er -- the Bible.

Yeah, that's right. The Bible.

Pretty wild, eh?

I can't figure out how to get a screen cap of the Top Ten list, but here's a link to the Microsoft Reader page. Who knows how long it'll be up there, but I'm enjoying it while it lasts! :)

What's Your Fantasy?

No, not that kind of fantasy. :)

I'm talking about the perfect day fantasy. The day without work obligations, family obligations, time to be just yourself and do what you want to do.

For me, and for many other moms of young kids, I suspect that time alone is a popular one. I dream about having time to read a book without interruption, to take a bath without one or more kids wandering in to ask if I can get out the Play-doh for them, to go to the bathroom without company. To sleep all night long without a kid crawling over my face at three am because she had a nightmare and can't get back to sleep unless it's in my bed.

Not every day. I love my kids and my hubby, and wouldn't trade them in for anything. But once in a great long while, I'd love a night like that.

Which is why I was so impressed when a friend told me her husband had given her just that. He'd taken her and the kids out to dinner at a hotel restaurant, and at the end of the meal, handed her a room key and taken the kids home. They picked her up the next morning, refreshed and rejuvenated.

Does he know what a wife and mother needs, or what? :)

So what's YOUR fantasy? If you could have a day or night all your own, what would you do?

A good day.

Some days, things just fall into place. (With three kids, that happens far less than I'd like it to, particularly when talking about their toys, but ah well...)

Today was one of those days.

It was a balmy, sunshiny day, with just enough of a breeze to keep it comfortable inside and out. My kids all had great days at school. A check I'd been waiting on finally showed up in the mail. We took the kids out to dinner, and they actually behaved. :)

Plus, I got within a paragraph or two of finishing an article (before deadline!), figured out what was blocking me on the novella, rewrote a scene that just hadn't been working, and updated my blog.

After last week (characterized by phlegm, phlegm, and more phlegm) it was nice to have a day go right.

How about you? Was your Monday good, bad or indifferent? And what's on tap for the rest of the week?

A Movie I Think Everyone Should See...

I was intrigued by Akeelah and the Bee when I first heard about it. But with three kids, I knew I'd have to wait for it to be released on video before I'd get the chance to see it. (DH and I get to see movies in the theater approximately once a year, when we're on a kid-free vacation. And we usually choose "gotta see them on the big screen" adventures and CGI-heavy pics, instead of heartwarming family dramas.)

This weekend, though, DH picked Akeelah and the Bee up at the local video store for our older two to watch. The eight year old had heard of the movie and was excited to see it; the five year old wanted to know if there would be popcorn. :) So Sunday afternoon, we sat down to watch.

I loved, loved, loved this movie! The acting was superb, the characterization engaging, the story exciting, and the love of words and learning was palpable in every frame. What an empowering message! My eight year old cried, laughed, and asked if we could buy it. My five year old wanted to know what happened to the popcorn.

And I started telling everyone I knew that they had to see this film.

So my question to you is: have you ever been so excited about a film, TV show or book that you became an unpaid promotions director for it? If so, what film/show/book? Help me add some new titles to my must see/read list!

Beginnings: A Samhain Anthology

I promised to post the cover of the Beginnings anthology a few days ago, so here it is. Doncha just lurve it? :)

Although Ritual Love (and, by extension, the Beginnings anthology) isn't my next release, so much has happened with it lately it's at the forefront of my mind. New cover art, getting the okay on the last edits, its own page on the Samhain site...

Woo-hoo!

To celebrate, I updated my website to include an excerpt from Ritual Love. To take a peek, look here.

Hope your week is going well. More later!

Save a Horse...

...well, you know the song, right? :)

Labor Day weekend in my family is reserved for one last end-of-summer hurrah, a huge get together at the rodeo. We wear cowboy hats and scarf down bbq beef sandwiches and have a pizza party on Saturday night. We wander the fair and buy t-shirts and eat hot scones slathered with jam.

Okay, maybe that's just me.

In any case, this Labor Day was no exception. I just downloaded my photos of the rodeo and thought I'd share a couple with you.


<=Here I am, decked out in my rodeo finery. I love wearing my real-honest-to-goodness Stetson, but rarely have an excuse to pull it out of the closet. Nothing keeps it off my head at rodeo time.

Our seats are right across the track from the rodeo arena. It's a great location. The professional photographers hang out there, too. =>


<=This one's a little dark, but I like it anyway. A cowboy and his horse warming up behind the arena. And the last pic I have to share:

an action shot! Still photos (at least with my dinky camera) can't do the energy of the rodeo justice, but I do my best. Note the pink shirts on the riders -- it was Man Enough to Wear Pink day, in honor of breast cancer survivors. These guys definitely were. :)

In the "Beginnings"...

Beginnings: A Samhain Anthology, that is!

(Note: I originally included the cover art for the print anthology here. It has now disappeared, and I can't seem to upload the file again. Rather than fight blogger until the wee hours, I'll try tomorrow. Sorry!)

The six stories in the anthology are all tied to Samhain, the ancient Celtic precursor to Halloween. Each story will be available online as an individual e-book on November 1 (or, as my editor reminded me, late October 31st, since Samhain usually releases the books the night before the official date). Then, shortly thereafter, the anthology will be available in print.

Yep. My first print book. I'm, uh, a little excited.

And the individual covers are just as cool as the print cover. Scott Carpenter (have I mentioned how much I LURVE his work?) took the print cover as a background and added an embracing couple for each story. Here's mine:

Isn't it great? I swear, getting a cover file e-mail in my inbox is like Christmas, birthday, and graduation all in one. I get all giddy when it's time to open the file. :)

Curious about the book? Here's a short description:

On a night of forbidden rituals, the veil between past and present lifts—and their worlds will never be the same.

Scientist Moira Sinclair doesn't believe in magic. Or at least she hasn't since childhood. She's only come to Iona in remembrance of her long-deceased grandmother—the last person who encouraged her fanciful side. But now she's stumbled onto a secret druid ritual—and into another time.

Aedan Ap Crannog is furious to discover an outsider spying on their sacred, banned Samhain rites. With her strange garb and stranger mannerisms, Moira is unlike any woman he's ever known. But she could cause trouble for him and the people who follow him in the ancient ways. To prevent her from sounding the alarm, he takes her captive, hiding her in the labyrinth of caves along the far shore.

Despite their differences, sparks burn between them as brightly as the Samhain bonfire. Now captive and captor must find a way to bridge the centuries before the magic disappears with the dawn...

The other five stories sound great, too -- I can't wait to read them! If you're curious, here are links to the other authors...

Jennie Andrus: Last Prophecy
Mackenzie McKade: Warrior's Witch
Charlene Teglia: Night Music
Lorelei James: Babe in the Woods
Cassandra Kane: A Touch of Magic

Happy reading, everyone!

New Cover! Squeeeeee!!!

Woo-hoo! Samhain just updated their website tonight and a whole boatload of new covers are up -- including mine! I got the cover for Strip Tease just a few days ago, and I've been sitting on my hands since then, waiting for the go-ahead to post it.

Isn't it great? :)

Once again, Scott Carpenter has worked his magic. I just luurve it!

Oh, and in more exciting news, November has been added to the Coming Soon section, and Ritual Love has an official release date -- November 1st. (I was pretty sure about that date, but wanted to wait until official confirmation before blogging about it.)

Ritual Love is a bit of a departure for me, story-wise -- what with time travel, a little bondage, and that whole sixth-century-druid-priest thang. But I had a blast writing it, and I'm really excited to see it added to the Samhain site.

Hope everyone is having a good week so far! Thanks for stopping by!

Sales! Contests! Oh, My! (bookstore and more...)

Some exciting news here -- My Bookstore and More is back online! The site was down last week as it was being moved to a new server, so to celebrate, the Powers That Be are having a sale!

Want to pick up some e-books at excellent sale prices? Still haven't gotten your copy of Taking the Cake? :)

Head over to MBaM and enjoy some shopping!

Oh, and did I mention the daily prizes? And the e-book reader they're giving away?

Seriously, this is very cool. Check it out. :)

FABULOUS SALE & CONTEST AT MBAM!

Lots of prizes this week - all you do is make a purchase to be entered! Winners will be chosen to win a variety of print books!

ALSO, from now until September 30, 2006, every purchase will count toward a drawing for an ebook reader! The winner may choose between an eBookwise, a Palm Tungsten E2, or an HP IPAQ rx1950!

PLUS, you can enter the drawing without making a purchase by sending a postcard with your name, address, phone number, email address, and how you heard about MBaM to this address:

My Bookstore and More

2932 Ross Clark Circle #384

Dothan AL 36301

All postcards must be received by October 31st, winner will be announced on November 1st, 2006


Come see our SALE PRICES on ebooks! http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/


All Trade PRINT books are ON SALE too! 10% off cover price plus FREE Shipping!


Presented by Millennium Promotion Services, Inc. http://www.millenniumpromotion.com/

Contest Time!

Is it really almost the end of the month? Man, time is just flying by. I keep looking at my To Do list and wondering what sprites are adding items each night while I sleep.

One of those items, though, is to let y'all know that I'm running a contest this month on my website, and you've got until August 31st to enter! In honor of the release of Taking the Cake, I'm giving away a fabulous showgirl-themed prize this month.

Showgirl Kisses Lip Lacquer by Showgirl Cosmetics is a luxurious lip color that comes in a fun lip-shaped bottle, and is packaged in a box with feathers, sequins and jewels. What better way to release your inner wild woman?

August's winner will receive one bottle of Showgirl Kisses in your choice of color -- Flamingo, Lady Luck, Topless Review, or 24Hr. Vegas. All you have to do is drop by my site and fill out this form.

Good luck!

Just Call Me Grace...

So I was heading off to the health club today, loaded down with gym bag, purse, keys, two bags of library books to return, and managed to miss the last step on my way down the stairs. My foot twisted sideways, I dropped everything, and I heard a pop.

Man, I went DOWN. Luckily (unluckily?) the only part of me that got hurt was my ankle. And my pride. Thank goodness our backyard is pretty private.

My kids, oblivious as only kids can be, didn't even notice until I'd crawled my way back up the steps into the house and started hollering for them to get inside instead of getting in the van. Not that I got much of a response. See, there were FLOWERS! On their PLANTS! Or maybe they were DEAD LEAVES that only LOOKED like flowers, but still really cool anyway! Finally, we were all back in the house and I called my DH, who said he'd come home early so I could go to the doctor's.

So I've got a Level Two sprain, and have to spend the next six to eight weeks wearing an air cast/brace. (The saddest part? I can't wear sandals again this summer. Lace-up shoes for support all the way, baby!)

Sigh.

Oh, well. At least something good came out of it. After picking up my brace, we did a little shopping, and DH came out of the bookstore with a get-well gift:

Big smooches, honey!

I'm Ba-ack!

Didja miss me? :)

Sorry I've been MIA the last few days -- I was whipping the-book-that-would-not-end into shape, and needed to stay off the 'net until it was done. (It's been shipped off to my editor as of this morning -- woo-hoo!)

I celebrated by letting the kids run through the sprinkler and spending a day not writing. But tomorrow, I'll be back at it, working on the next book.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

(I will, however, set aside some time to read Suz Brockmann's latest. I've been counting down the days!)

How about you? What do you do to celebrate the end of a project?

Ch-ch-ch-changes

I'm not much for redecorating. Oh, I love to browse through all those fancy magazines, the ones that focus on one or two rooms in the house and all the great ways you could spend oodles of cash to make them really stand out.

The closest I've come to having a fancy decorating look at my house is talking my DH into painting the bathroom walls light beige, with a white beadboard accent around the lower third of the walls. Woo-hoo! Just call me daring!

So it's kind of funny to see how many incarnations my website has gone through. I've changed themes, background colors and pictures, layout...the list goes on and on.

Which, I suppose, is just a fancy way to announce my redecorated digs on the web at kate-davies.com. I've changed the layout of the front page, added some new links, and tidied up a bit. Plus, I've added in snippets from the reviews I've gotten in the past few days (which have left me grinning from ear to ear).

I hope you'll stop by, take a look around, maybe have some cookies and punch. Let me know what you like, as well as what you'd change (or add). I may not be America's Next Interior Decorator (and if that's not a reality show yet, it should be -- and I volunteer my house for the test subject!), but I'm sure I'll be fiddling with my website for many years to come.

Completely Gobsmacked

Remember how excited I was to hit the bestseller list for Samhain with Taking the Cake? Well, I just got this pic from my editor:

Take a peek at the number one spot. :)

I am utterly shocked, amazed, and thrilled to find out that Taking the Cake is NUMBER ONE!!!!

According to my editor, this is the first time a book by a first time author has hit the number one spot in under a week.

Huge, huge thanks to everyone who's bought the book; obviously, TtC would never have made it this far without you.

I'm beyond thrilled that people are excited to read the book. Having the opportunity to connect with readers has been a longtime dream of mine, and it's finally starting to happen. I am truly blessed -- thank you!!!

Time to Celebrate!

I've got a couple of great reasons to celebrate today.

First, Taking the Cake is available from Samhain! I've waited years to be able to say I'm a published romance author, and now that day has arrived! Let me tell you, it's a wonderful feeling. :)

I love writing, and I can't imagine my life without being a writer in some form. But to know that what I've written is going to be read and, hopefully, enjoyed by readers -- well, it's a dream come true.

So the book is out, and people are buying it -- which brings me to my second bit of great news.

My fabulous editor, Angie, e-mailed a bit ago to tell me that Taking the Cake made it on the bestseller's list at My Bookstore and More, Samhain's bookstore. I was hoping down deep that maybe, possibly, I might hit the list sometime in the next couple of weeks -- but never dreamed I'd get there on release day! See, MBaM calculates its bestseller list based on sales over a three-week period, so most of the titles have been in release for a while before ending up on the list.

When Angie told me about it, TtC was at number six. I just checked again, and it's moved up to number five! In other words, only four other books at Samhain have sold as much in the last three weeks as TtC has managed in one day!

One day! I'm still over the moon!

My book may not be on the list for very long, but I'm sure enjoying every minute of it while I can!

So thank you, everyone, who's bought a copy. Thanks for every encouraging e-mail, for the good wishes, for the support. In so many ways, I couldn't have done it without you.

So thanks! And I really hope that you enjoy reading the book as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Almost Showtime!

In two days, Taking the Cake will be available for sale!

Woo-hoo!

At the moment, I'm an interesting combination of excitement, nerves, anxiety, giddiness, and obsessive web-checking. I can only imagine the number of times I'll be hitting the refresh button on the Samhain website as the clock ticks down Monday night (sometimes the books go "live" a wee bit early).

Until then, I'm getting my newsletter ready to send (there's still time to join! Sign up before midnight PST Monday and be eligible to win a free copy of Taking the Cake and a $10 gift certificate to My Bookstore and More, Samhain's bookstore.), updating my website, following up on some promo, and -- oh yeah! -- finishing my next book, which has a swiftly-approaching deadline.

It's a juggling act, but for the moment I've got all my beanbags in the air. Wish me luck on keeping it that way!

Jigsaw Puzzles

My kids love jigsaw puzzles. They enjoy taking tiny pieces of random colors and clicking them together to make a coherent whole. The process is one they can do over and over, even with the same puzzle.

Me? Not so much.

At least not when it comes to my writing.

I've come to the conclusion lately that I'm a linear kind of writer. I like to start at the beginning and continue on until the end. I know there are writers out there who can write completely out of order and then tumble the scenes around until they make sense. More power to 'em.

But I get antsy when I realize that a scene I wrote early on would really work better later in the book, let alone tossing the whole thing up in the air and seeing where the parts land.

Right now, I'm working on my soon-to-reach-deadline time travel novella, Ritual Love. I've got about two chapters left to go. I think.

See, it's summer break, and that means we've been on the road a lot. Thankfully, I've got an Alphasmart Dana (thanks, Mom!), so I can write in the car as we cross the state (or several states, as the case may be). Unfortunately, I've written so many scenes, both at home and on my Dana, that I can't quite keep them straight in my own head. His POV! Her POV! Are they at the grove right now, or in the caves? How many times have they mentioned Columba so far, and what about the grandmother?

I thought I could just download what I wrote on the Dana into the file already on the computer and just cut-and-paste until they fit, but like a jigsaw that has too many pieces, I'm finding that I can't force the scenes together. So I'm printing it out, moving pages around, then re-writing the darn thing so it's coherent.

In the end, I think I'll be a stronger writer because of this process. But it doesn't mean I'm enjoying it at the moment! :)

Moving On...

Angie made me do it.

No, really.

If it wasn't for her, I'd be happily blogging away semi-regularly over at my original blog, Kati's Korner. But she just had to go and post on her blog about publicity and name recognition.

And I'd been breaking just about every rule of effective blogging. Author name prominent on blog? Nope. Book cover noticeable? Nope. Blogging enough? Nope and nope.

See, I'd started to blog before I sold -- and before I took my author name. So my blog was under a different name, with a different purpose, and wasn't really meshing with my online goals anymore. But I'm a stubborn cuss, and did my best to make it work.

Sometimes, though, you've got to cut bait and start again.

So with one week to go before I'm officially a published author (woo-hoo!), it's time to get with the program. (Especially when my editor -- see above -- is giving out such fabulous advice.)

Without further ado, welcome to Kate Davies Blogs! I'll be blogging about the writing life, life in general, and other fun stuff -- and still cheering on friends and colleagues when they find writing success. I won't be posting on Kati's Korner anymore, but I will leave it up so that those earlier successes are preserved for posterity. Or something like that. :)

In any case, thanks for making the jump with me. And here's a quick question for you:

What interests you most when visiting an author's blog? What are you inclined to read about, and what keeps you coming back?