Off to the Rodeo...

Tomorrow's Meet The Teacher night at both kids' schools, then we're off to the rodeo for the weekend, so I'm just popping in to say "see ya" until I'm back. Maybe I can sneak a coupla cowboys home with me....

Oh, wait, the hubby might object. Sigh.

:)

Enjoy your weekend, and if you're in the States, happy Labor Day!

Book BIN Tuesday -- Reilly's Promise

There are three reasons I've chosen Reilly's Promise by Christyne Butler for Book BIN Tuesday this week.


1. It's a first book. I love discovering and supporting new authors.


2. It sounds like a ripping good story. (Blurb to follow.)


3. Have you *seen* the cover? Yum!



So what's it about? Here ya go...

She stands for everything he despises. Only, the minute they meet, she becomes everything he desires.

Former US Marine turned private investigator, Reilly Murdock is no stranger to high society. Thanks to his malevolent millionaire stepfather, he turned his back on that elite world years ago. But when a friend calls in a favor he’s honor bound to repay Reilly finds himself stuck as glorified babysitter to a spoiled heiress with secrets of her own.

Since her father’s sudden death six months ago, Cassandra Van Winter has been trying to conceal her family’s millions of dollars of debt. She can’t afford to let anyone near enough to discover the charade she’s maintaining. At first, the discovery of a multi-million-dollar necklace seemed like the answer to her prayers, but that was before the “accidents” started.

Now, she takes one look at the six feet of muscle her mother’s hired to protect her, and curses her body for coming back to life. As the “accidents” increase and danger comes closer, Reilly gets closer too. Before long it’s not just her life in danger, but her heart.

New books are up at My Bookstore and More already. So swing on over and Buy It Now!

An Amazon Bestseller!

Or, rather, a *former* Amazon bestseller, as I'm sure I'll have dropped off the list by the time anyone reads this. :)

But I was thrilled today to find Tease Me, Please Me ranked #67!

Out of 100!

On the Amazon Erotica list!

(Of course, TMPM isn't erotica. But nobody tell Amazon, okay? I want to hang on to my moment of glory as long as possible.)

I've now dropped down to #97, as the rankings are adjusted every hour. But it sure was fun while it lasted!

Guess What I Found on My Porch Today...

My author copies!

(Insert big, goofy grin here...)

I got home after a long day of registering kids for the new school year to find a box from Samhain on the front porch. I, of course, had to rip it open immediately, never mind that the kids and my mother in law were standing there. We all oohed and aahed over it. Okay, maybe that was mostly me.

I reminded her that my father in law is not allowed to read it, no matter how much he threatens to. There are just some things FIL's should not know. :)

Anyway, it made my weekend. This should almost make up for having to go to Chuck E Cheese tomorrow for the four year old's birthday. I just hope that the fact the Wiggles aren't showing doesn't ruin the party for the birthday kid. (Because they were invited, you know. Apparently through the television screen.)

Hope everyone has a fantabulous weekend!

Stop by the Raven Blog...

...and check out my author feature! You can head over and take a peek here...

Even better, if you post a comment, you'll be in the running to win an e-copy of one of the novellas in Tease Me, Please Me!

Sorry, no TT this week...

...I'm too busy checking my sales ranking on Amazon.

Okay, not really, but I do have to admit to scrolling down that page a time or two.

Seriously, I got hooked into editing a document for my DH and can't think of anything to TT about. I'll be back with something clever for TT next week, I promise!

Book BIN Tuesday -- Never The Same/Samhain Print

Welcome to a Very Special Edition of Book BIN Tuesday!

Tempting as it is, I won't be pimping my own book in this feature today (check post immediately below for that). There are just too many great books coming out I don't want to miss.

See, today is Print Book release from Samhain, and there are a ton of great titles hitting the shelves this month.

There's:

A Little Harmless Sex, by Melissa Schroeder.

Beautiful Monster, by Joely Skye.

Checkmate, by Annmarie McKenna.

Joker's Wild: Three Nights, by Lena Matthews.

Mortified Matchmaker, by Alexis Fleming.

The Wolverine and the Rose, by Rebecca Goings. (Who deserves an extra shout-out for titling Tease Me, Please Me. The Title Goddess strikes again!)

And the book I'm featuring this week, Never the Same by Diane Craver.

I'm so thrilled that NTS is being released this week. Diane Craver is a talented writer who really knows how to tug at the heartstrings in her books, whether they're inspirational romance, chick lit mystery, or (in this case) mainstream women's fiction. Here's some info on the book:

They walk away from the wreckage of an airplane, but their hearts and lives will never be the same.

When fashion buyer Kimberly Collins and high school senior Tori Moorhead escape a burning plane, both women make radical decisions that intertwine their lives forever.

Kim's priorities change, especially in the bedroom. She's thankful to be taken to another world-one of love and romance, not of smoke and death. When she decides she wants another child, her husband reveals his own shocking plans for their family.

Pregnant teenager Tori is on her way to get a secret abortion when the plane crashes. The baby's teen father wants to get married. Her dad pushes for adoption. Caught between the two men she loves, Tori struggles to make the right decisions for her baby and the future she dreamed of.

*****

Doesn't that sound captivating?

I can't wait to see these books on the shelves (and in my hot little hands). With such a wide variety of titles to choose from, how can you help but Buy (Them) Now?

IT'S OUT!!!!!!

My Bookstore and More

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Shout Out to OHS Class of '87

So I just got back from my 20th class reunion weekend. Left the hubby and kids at home and headed back to the old stomping grounds


It was a great weekend, all told, and I had a wonderful time. It was great seeing so many friends and acquaintances, some of whom I hadn't seen since graduation. There was a very nice dinner, and lots of great '80's music, though I was so busy talking to people I didn't manage to make it out onto the dance floor.


I also managed to drop by the local mall, and convinced the bookstores there to order in Tease Me, Please Me, so it'll be on the shelves instead of requiring a special order. Yay!


It's been a long, long time since I've been somewhere completely on my own, without kids and husband around. I missed them, of course, but for a short while it was nice being responsible only for myself. I could roll in at 2 a.m. and not worry about worrying anyone. :) (I think it's been almost twenty years since I had breakfast at Shari's after midnight. I probably shouldn't make a habit of it!)


So to Guy and Kirsten and the rest of the committee, thanks for a wonderful weekend. To Heather, thanks for being such a great promotions director. To Mom and Dad, thanks for letting me crash at your place. Jona, I've still got your book. I'll find a way to get it to you.


Everyone else, it was wonderful seeing you and catching up. Let's not wait another 20 years before we do it again.


Oh, and Scott? E-book reader. Seriously. I'm begging you.


So how was your weekend? Do anything fun and fabulous?

Squeeeee!

I know, I should wait until TT is over, but I just noticed that the cover for Lessons In Love is finally live on the Samhain Coming Soon pages, and had to share. It's fabulous -- Scott C. has once again done a magnificent job -- and really captures the story perfectly. Here it is:

Isn't it lovely?

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming...

Thursday Thirteen #25 -- Photo Edition

Thirteen Photos from my summer vacation!

The Maliboomer, at Disney California Adventure.

Parade of Dreams, Disneyland.

Electrical Parade, Disney California Adventure.

Sea lion on the docks in San Francisco.

A redwood, Avenue of the Giants, California.

Somewhere on the California coast.

One of the many art deco bridges in Oregon. Gorgeous!

View from Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Forest.

Ditto.

And, er, ditto.

Cape Flattery, Neah Bay, westernmost point in continental U.S.


Pacific Ocean/Straits of Juan de Fuca

View from the water!

Book BIN Tuesday -- for Stacy~

Guess what is being released today?

Yep, you got it in one. Force of Nature, by Suzanne Brockmann.

No, I haven't read it yet. No, I don't have a copy yet. (Dang small town-without-bookstore!) Yes, I'll be grabbing up a copy ASAP and reading immediately.

Because JULES is in it, man. JULES. As a point of view character and everything.

(Can you tell he's one of my favorites?)

And since I know Stacy~ is a mega-fan, too, I'll be looking forward to her take on the book. Because everyone I know in real-life-land takes FOREVER to read Suz books.

If you're a Suz fan, I know this book is already on your TBB list. If you haven't read any Troubleshooters books yet, I can't recommend them highly enough. So go. Head to the store. And Buy It Now. :)

Lovin' "The Kill Point"

So the DH and I just had our standing Sunday date -- watching The Kill Point on Spike TV.

I know, it's marketed as a guy series, on a guy TV channel. But I got sucked in, just like he did, the first night, and we haven't missed an episode yet.

We don't watch a lot of TV. The last time we both were regular series viewers, in fact, was CSI several seasons ago. (Long enough ago that there was only the one CSI out there.) I tend to turn on the Daily Show and the Colbert Report every night while working on the 'puter, just for my nightly dose of snark. And the DH likes to watch old movies and history/biographies. But putting the effort into a continuing storyline is tough with our schedules.

So what makes The Kill Point different? Well, in the first place, it's finite. Eight hours, six episodes, done. In fact, next week will be the final two-hour series ender. It's more like a mega-miniseries stretched out over a six-week period.

The acting is superb. Donnie Wahlberg and John Leguizamo are both riveting, in different ways.

And the writing! Crisp, snappy, fresh, thoughtful. Plus, how could a former English teacher NOT love a scene where a hostage negotiator takes time out to correct the punctuation on a coffee shop sign? Grammar lessons! Be still my heart!

It's been fun watching the bank heist-turned-hostage-situation story arc, wondering what direction the actors and director are taking us next, and following the character development throughout. In some ways, I'll miss it when it's over next week. On the other hand, it's refreshing to know that it'll be done, tied up, finished, over. No long, drawn out storylines, no dropped threads (I hope!), no cancellation before the series can be completed.

If you're interested, it appears that Spike is posting complete episodes on its website. Enjoy!

Sigh...

So I got my hair cut today.

Big deal, right? Well, I'm known for going serious lengths of time between haircuts. As in, I can usually donate to Locks of Love once I get around to a trim. :) With three kids, a day job, and the writing, regular haircuts fall by the wayside. I go for classic, no-layer, easy to maintain looks that can survive a long time between cuts.

This time, though, was different. I'm going to my class reunion next week and wanted something that had some style to it, something more than my usual "put it up in a ponytail and call it good" look.

And so far, I hate it.

There's nothing actually wrong with the cut. The stylist did exactly what I asked her to do. I just realized, after leaving the salon, that I'm not that person anymore. The cut doesn't fit me.

It's not hideous. Actually, it's a classic mid-jaw length bob. It looks fine. It just doesn't look like me--at least not yet.

I'm hoping I'll grow into it. (Hah! Pun honestly not intended.) In any case, I'm not interested in going any shorter to change the look. And I have a feeling I'll get used to it pretty quickly.

I may even like it. Who knows?

So, anyone else having a bad hair day?

Thursday Thirteen #24 -- Movies, 1939 Edition

It's often argued that 1939 was the golden year for motion pictures. The best films, the best performances, the best overall. Is that true? Well, take a look at this list of thirteen films released in 1939 and judge for yourself.

Gone With The Wind. Because frankly, my dear, I *do* give a damn.

The Wizard of Oz. I always wonder what it would have been like to be in that audience as Dorothy opens the door to Oz for the first time -- that switch from B/W to Technicolor. Brilliant!

Stagecoach. One of many pairings of John Ford/John Wayne, and one of my favorites.

Goodbye Mr. Chips. When you watch this, you totally understand why Clark Gable didn't win the Academy Award for best actor this year. Robert Donat was amazing.

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex. Errol Flynn -- need I say more?

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington. I loved Jimmy Stewart in this film.

Gunga Din. A great epic adventure, starring Cary Grant, among others.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Probably the most famous version, with Maureen O'Hara and Charles Laughton.

Love Affair. The precursor to An Affair to Remember.

Ninotchka. "Garbo Laughs."

Wuthering Heights. Star-crossed lovers! English moors! Olivier and Oberon!

Young Mr. Lincoln. Henry Fonda in one of his best roles.

The Roaring Twenties. James Cagney in one of his many fine gangster roles.

What's your opinion? Any thoughts on these films? Does 1939 live up to its reputation?

Scarlet Boa 2007

It's time for the 2007 Stella Cameron Scarlet Boa Contest!

I have a soft spot for this contest. I entered it back in 2005, and it changed my life.

No, really! :)

I finalled in the contest, and after the excerpts were posted on the web, the contest coordinator forwarded me an e-mail from an editor for a new e-publishing company. She was interested in seeing the manuscript.

As it turns out, Angie didn't buy that particular book, but I did end up sending her a couple of novellas. Three weeks later, I received an e-mail with contracts attached, and the rest is history.

Who knows? I may have tracked down Samhain on my own. Heaven knows it's become a real powerhouse in the short time its been in business. But at the time, I'd only been targeting print pubs, and knew very little about the e-publishing side of things.

I can honestly say that Stella's Scarlet Boa contest directly led to my being published. So thanks, Stella! And for all you authors out there -- published and unpubbed -- looking for a venue to try out your work, I can't recommend it highly enough.

Here's a little info on it. And good luck!

2007 Contest: a paranormal interlude.

The revelation that a human character is enmeshed with a vampire, werewolf, or the other-worldly and highly dangerous but completely magnetic character of your choice.

Pour on the emotion, but keep control of your characters. This is your chance to rip the throats out of your competition, heh-heh!

The Scarlet Boa contest is open to published and non-published authors alike. Submit your entry (approximately 500 words). We'll accept submissions until September 1st and start posting links to them below.

So who's going to judge this thing? You are! Scenes will be judged by readers—who knows better what makes them tingle?

The author of the winning scene will receive (apart from kudos, bragging rights and press coverage) the coveted Scarlet Boa, a gorgeous red feather boa that will simply scream "I write Romance!" (well, it will scream something). And since we can't leave out the judges, one lucky voter's name will be drawn at random and they'll receive a sumptious white boa to wear while reading their new romance novels.

Important dates:
August 1 through September 1:
Submissions accepted
September 6:
Submissions posted online
October 15-28:
Voting (first round)
November 1:
Finalists announced
November 1 thru November 10:
Voting (2nd round)
November 14:
Winner announced in a LIVE chat at Writerspace!

Book BIN Tuesday -- Devil May Cry

I'm a big Dark- (and Dream-, and Were-) Hunter fan. You may already know this about me.

So the release of Devil May Cry is cause for celebration! I can't wait to get my hands on this book. Even if it is in hardcover. (sigh)

See, I'm one of those people who likes books in series to be the same size on the bookshelf. Otherwise, it looks off to me. So why is it my fave authors get bumped to hardcover halfway through a series? And why is it I have no willpower to wait a year to buy it in paperback? :)

In any case, if you're a fan of Kenyon's books, this is definitely one to Buy It Now. (And if you haven't read her stuff yet, you should start! At the beginning, of course. Then work your way up.)

What books are you looking forward to this week?

Halfway there...

So I hit the Samhain Coming Soon pages today, hoping my cover for Lessons In Love has been approved and posted so I can share it with you. It's not up yet, but the back cover copy is, so I thought I'd share with you the official description of the story:

Move over, Mary Poppins! A free-spirited teacher is about to give a buttoned-up royal something he never expected—a lesson in love.

Hungry for adventure and eager to break free of her snobby home town, Brynn Dexter takes a teaching job in a foreign country, sight unseen. But when she arrives, she discovers the Laurivenia Academy doesn’t exist. And neither does the teaching job.

Alex du Charbonneaux, crown prince of Laurivenia, is tired of intense media scrutiny, and wary of social-climbing women who stoop to feigning interest in his vulnerable five-year-old daughter in order to get close to him. So if he fudged the details of the “teaching job” to protect his child—and his privacy—who can blame him?

His careful plans begin to unravel the moment Brynn appears on his doorstep. She is beautiful and free spirited, nothing like the dowdy, obedient nanny he ordered.

While being a nanny to a princess is a far cry from the teaching position Brynn expected, she quickly realizes the child is in dire need of a little fun in her life—as is her stuffed-shirt father. As she sets out to teach both of them how to live a little, sparks fly and unexpected passion burns between her and Alex.

But Alex’s deep-rooted suspicions linger, and Brynn struggles with the feeling that she is not good enough for him. So when the paparazzi discover their affair, all bets are off.

Can the prince and the nanny find common ground—and learn to trust in love?

*****
As you may be able to tell, I'm REALLY excited for this story to come out. I've always been fond of royal romances and modern twists on classic fairy tales, and had an absolute blast writing my own prince-and-nanny story. I'm thrilled that it's found a home at Samhain, and can't wait to see it on the virtual shelves.

Oh, and for those of you asking when I'm going to write something longer than a novella -- here ya go. :)

Thursday Thirteen #22 -- Thirteen Things I'm Looking Forward To

It's August!

Here are thirteen things I'm looking forward to this month:

1. My high school reunion. I can't believe it's been twenty years already!

2. The release of my first print book, Tease Me, Please Me (which is already up on barnes&noble.com and borders.com -- woo hoo!) on August 21.

3. Being home. We spent almost half of July on the road, on one trip or another. I really just want to collapse in a familiar spot for a while.

4. The start of soccer season. I love watching my kids play soccer -- that transition from swarm ball and "ooh, look, a butterfly" to head down, full-out competition play.

5. School shopping. Something about buying classroom supplies puts me in a nostalgic, happy mood.

6. Not having to water the plants every day. (Of course, most of them are dead, due to the Summer Of Road Trips. But I persist, because I feel badly for them anyway.)

7. The release of Force of Nature, by Suzanne Brockmann. August 14. Not that I'm counting down the days or anything. Have I mentioned that I'm a total, raving fangirl? Love, love, LOVE her books!

8. The rodeo. Every year we go to the rodeo with the extended family at the end of the summer. (Technically, Labor Day weekend, so it's actually in September, but who cares, right?) Loads of fun, lots of great family memories.

9. Blackberries. Love to pick them, eat them, make pies with them -- yum! Plus, the scent of blackberries on warm summer evenings is one of my favorite things.

10. Having a few weeks off from the day job before orientation/registration season hits.

11. Spending some time in the gardens. I know, I know, seems counterintuitive considering #6, but I really do want to get the exterior of the house back in shape.

12. The release of Lessons In Love, my newest book from Samhain, coming September 4. (That's close enough to August, right?) I'm anxiously waiting for the official okay to share my cover, because it's SMOKIN'! Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.

13. Enjoying the remaining time with my kids before school starts. I'm sure it'll be over in a blink, so I'm going to make a conscious effort to make this time special.

What are you looking forward to this month?