She's Baaaa-aaack!

It's been a month since I last blogged?

Seriously?

*checks calendar*

Dang.

*checks calendar again*

Oh, of course. That was the end of the school year. Makes perfect sense now.

Since then, I've:

1. Spent time with the family (all home for the summer);
2. Gone on vacation across the state;
3. Traveled to Oklahoma City for a day-job-related conference;
4. Read some great books;
5. Taken up golf (with the hubs);
6. Written!

...and there's more where that came from, with a camping trip and various day excursions planned for the rest of the summer. But I'm adding blogging back in, both because I've missed it and because I've got some exciting stuff coming up.

Including a new interview that's in the works! I think you'll be as excited as I am once you see who I get to chat with next. :)


In the meantime, here's a great deal I found out about yesterday. My Siren-Bookstrand erotic romance, Hooked, has been selected for their Retro Romance promotion, which means it's on sale here for only $1.99 until August 2. Pretty cool, huh?



Stop by tomorrow for a new Inspiration Friday post, and next week I'll be sharing some of my summer vacation pics, including one with me standing next to a giant metal chicken.

See you then!

MTA Monday -- Meet Catherine Wade

NAME: Catherine Wade

WEBSITE: http://www.catherinewade.com

BLOG: http://catherinewade.wordpress.com

TITLE OF FIRST BOOK: Let’s Dish

RELEASE DATE: March 3, 2009

FAVORITE WRITING STORY/SAYING/MEMORY: National Novel Writing Month (http://www.nanowrimo.org/) 2002 I met two ladies who would be my best writing buddies for years to come. Very valuable learning experience for my writing, and I felt for the first time I had the “stuff” to publish a book. And these ladies have helped me along every step of that road.

FAVORITE NON-WRITING STORY/SAYING/MEMORY: This last Labor Day, to celebrate my birthday, we went to the zoo in Omaha, NE. We had the best weekend, just my husband, my three boys and me. It was right after I signed with Samhain, so it was also a celebration of that accomplishment.

COMFORT FOOD: Steak. Nothing like some good rare cow to make you feel better when you’re down.

COMFORT READ: Jill Churchill mysteries, especially the Jane Jeffry books.

YOUR PERFECT DAY: I have to say the day I sold Let’s Dish. I was at work with the ladies who have seen me through the years where I seemed to be getting nowhere. They hugged me, cried with me, and then took me out and bought me chocolate. I finished the day by crowing on the phone with my best writing buddies. It doesn’t get much better than that.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW?: A romantic comedy titled Courting Kismet. Serena Harrick is an uptight college drama professor who doesn’t think she’s uptight. Butch Callahan is a tough contractor with no intention of helping out some college geek, even if she is kinda cute. Add in amazingly bad timing, a stuffy ex-fiancee, and Serena’s inexplicable need to prove she’s moved on, and the wilds of Minnesota have never seemed so wild.

Book BIN Tuesday -- At Any Cost

The NASSD Counter-Terrorist Agency 1

At Any Cost

When a NASSD double agent steals the technology for a deadly virus, counter-terrorist agent Dan Weber is more than ready to take on the complex and potentially deadly mission to hunt down the technology he once protected with his life, even if it means babysitting a gorgeous, yet reckless tomboy agent.

Rookie JT Turner is hungry to prove her worth in a profession dominated by men. Even though she can hold her own against a dozen trained agents, she's been labeled a screw up after too many mishaps. JT would do anything to redeem herself, even accept a shady mission to track down a phantom disc NASSD denies ever existed.

Undermanned and unarmed, can they unravel a madman's plot and remove the threat before it is unleashed? In a race against time, the line between desire and destiny will blur, and their true desires will finally be met.

****

I love this cover (Angelina Jolie kick-butt heroine!) and the story sounds fabulous. Why not head over to Siren this week and Buy It Now? I know I will!

MTA Monday -- Meet Allie K. Adams

NAME: Allie K. Adams

WEBSITE: http://www.alliekadams.com

BLOG: http://alliechat.blogspot.com

TITLE OF FIRST BOOK: At Any Cost

RELEASE DATE: July 28th, 2008

FAVORITE WRITING STORY/SAYING/MEMORY: My favorite writing story is when I had a terrible, mean, nasty boss. He would belittle me in front of others and then just smile as I turned red. When I quit, I told him he should have been nicer to me. When he asked why I told him he might just end up in one of my books—and not in a good way. One of the very first books I ever wrote, I cast him as the bad guy. He was terrible, mean, and nasty in the book. He died in a very slow, very unpleasant way. It was extremely therapeutic. He he he.

FAVORITE NON-WRITING STORY/SAYING/MEMORY: Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't. –Eleanor Roosevelt

COMFORT FOOD: Anything covered in chocolate that won't kill me (I'm allergic to nuts)

COMFORT READ: I know this sounds geeky, but I love to read the Dilbert books. When I don't want to have to think, those are perfect.

YOUR PERFECT DAY: Wake early at my leisure, actually jump on my elliptical so I'd stop feeling guilty every time I look at it, be able to eat anything I want and not have to worry about it going right to my hips (which might happen if I actually jumped on the elliptical), and bake out in the sun while the computer automagically (that is totally a word!) types my thoughts. Ah. Sheer bliss!

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW?: I'm working on heating my scenes in Seek and Destroy and Rescue Me to a sizzling rating. After all, as my tag line states, if it doesn't sizzle, it isn't hot enough. I'm also working on a special ménage project for my publisher.

Thanks for stopping by, Allie! Best of luck on your new book!

It's Here!

HOOKED is now available at Siren! *happy dance*

Today's the last day to enter the beach blanket blog party contest. All posts through midnight PST will be entered in the drawing for some great prizes! Winners will be announced in the next day or two -- I'm spending tomorrow on the road, so it may be Wednesday before I can post the winners.

Thanks, again, for hanging out with me during the blog party. I've had a good time, and hope you have as well. I look forward to hanging out with you again soon!

Siren/Bookstrand Readership Drive!

Are you a member of the Siren/Bookstrand yahoo group yet? If not, today's the day to join! Tons of prizes are scheduled to be given away during the Membership Drive from 9:00 am-Midnight EST. Go here to sign up -- and read on to see what's happening!

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE
Blog Scavenger Hunt at 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, and 10pm. Answers can be found at http://blog.sirenbookstrand.com/. Display all posts made by any author by clicking on their name at the bottom of their most recent post (Labels: Author's Name).

Author Page Scavenger Hunt at 10:30am, 12:30pm, 2:30pm, 4:30pm, 6:30pm, 8:30pm, and 10:30pm. Answers can be found at the author's page at either http://www.sirenpublishing.com/ or http://www.bookstrand.com/ website in bio, the interview Q&A, or the book reviews.

Excerpt Scavenger Hunt at 11am., 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, 9pm, and 11pm. Answers can be found at http://www.sirenpublishing.com/, http://www.bookstrand.com/, or the author's own website.

INSTRUCTIONS: From each scavenger hunt, participants have 90 minutes to send in the answers to ALL the questions posted by the hosts. Post your answers in one go either in this loop http://readers.sirenbookstrand.com/ or send an email to SirenBookStrand@yahoogroups.com. The winners are the FIRST four participants who sent in the correct answers to all questions in each hunt session (not 1 answer can be wrong). The 4 winners in each round win an e-book of choice from either Siren or BookStrand, including available ARCs of upcoming releases. Not responsible for delays in postings. We go by whatever Yahoo sent through.

Hope to see you there!

Hooked

So there's a new book coming out -- next Monday, to be exact. It's my first with Siren, and I'm really excited about it. In case you're curious, here's the blurb to give you an idea of what it's about...



HOOKED

Madison McIntyre has been banished to the ends of the earth, or at least Westhaven, Washington feels that way to her. She has one month to prepare a resort plan for her company or she’ll be out of a job. She has gone incognito in the small fishing town, hoping to succeed where no co-worker has found success before.

Dylan Edwards loves living on the coast of Washington. Ever since his ex-wife ran off to the big city, he’s been raising his daughter in the small town where he grew up. He’s content with his charter-fishing business, his life, and no city girl is going to interfere with that contentment.

Neither one of them can deny the sparks that fly whenever they're together, and the passion between them is as wild and untamed as the ocean itself.

When the truth comes out, will their growing feelings survive the storm?

Sensuality Rating: SIZZLING
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Length: 45,000 words

Freebie Friday Winner!

Congratulations to the first winner of Freebie Friday! The name was picked at random with the help of my kids (pick a number, any number...), and the winner is:

WENDI!

Congrats, Wendi, you've won a copy of HOOKED, my upcoming release from Siren! (Note: I'm still waiting for my author copies, but should get them any day now.) Please contact me off-blog with your preferred format and I'll send it out as soon as I have the ARCs!

Coming Soon -- Beach Blanket Blog Party!

Yep, it's that time again -- another blog party!

My newest book, Hooked, is coming out at the end of the month, and I'm throwing my biggest blog party ever. And in honor of the setting of the book -- the coast of Washington -- I'm making it a theme party.

Yes, break out the bikinis and surfboards. It's a beach blanket blog party!

Starting on Monday, June 23, be sure to stop by for excerpts, surprises, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, and, of course prizes. All comments on the blog from the 23rd to the 30th (release day! Woot!) will earn you an entry into the prize drawing. Win cool beach-themed giveaways! Comment early, comment often!

Oh, and speaking of prizes -- today is Freebie Friday. This is your last chance to post a comment and be eligible to win this week's prize. The winner will be drawn after midnight PST. Or PDT, I can never remember. :)

Hope to see you next week!

Book BIN Tuesday -- Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed?

Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?
June 12, 2008
Siren Publishing
Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 1-60601-043-3 E-book $6.50

What happens when a reformed bad boy discovers a racy Goldilocks sleeping in his bed on a dark and stormy night?

Jake Reynolds returns home to discover a racy Goldilocks sleeping in his bed. Instead of doing the first thing on his mind, or even the second, he hires her to organize his disorganized construction office. When his wealthy family meets the suggestively clad, polyester siren posing as Jake's assistant, they fear he's slipped back into his former role as the family bad boy.

Harlee Davis didn't know she was sleeping in Jake's bed. She was seeking refuge from two storms—the storm raging outside and the storm created by her screwed-up life. When she learns that Jake plans to demolish the very camp she’s been entrusted to preserve, Harlee mounts a crusade.

They wage a war of wills while battling their conflicting interests on a professional level, and too much interest on a sexual level. One of them stands to lose everything in a game where there is no winner.

Doesn't that sound like a lot of fun? So what are you waiting for? Do yourself a favor and Buy It Now!

MTA Monday -- Meet Jami Davenport

NAME: Jami Davenport

WEBSITE: http://www.jamidavenport.com/

BLOG: http://jamidavenport.blogspot.com/
http://equestrianink.blogspot.com/

TITLE OF FIRST BOOK: Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed?

RELEASE DATE: June 12, 2008

FAVORITE WRITING STORY/SAYING/MEMORY: From Lori Foster, I keep it on my bulletin board in my study: “If you polish a book too much, it’ll be flat and shiny and smooth—and not too interesting. It’s the little pits and bumps and whatnot that show voice and make a book unique from all the other super shiny flat surfaces."

FAVORITE NON-WRITING STORY/SAYING/MEMORY: Don’t try, do.

COMFORT FOOD: Barbecue Potato Chips (no kidding, it’s not chocolate!)

COMFORT READ: Mirror Image by Sandra Brown and any other good old-fashioned romance in which you can fall in love with the characters.

YOUR PERFECT DAY: 75-80 degrees, sitting in the sun on my patio in the woods and just listening to the sounds of nature.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW?: The Gift Horse. The 2nd in a series about the Reynolds Family. “Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed?” is book 1 of this Series. My next release, “The Dance,” is also set in the San Juans, though not part of this series, it actually has some of the same characters and takes place prior to the events in “Who’s.” The Gift Horse features a opinionated mare, a down-and-out, disorganized horse trainer, and a reluctant horse owner. You can read a blurb about it on my website.

Thanks for joining us here today, Jami! Readers, if you have questions for Jami, post them in the comments. She'll be stopping by to chat with us.

Book BIN Tuesday -- Cowboy Games

Ooh, I love me some cowboys. So I was super-excited to see that Wendi Darlin has a new book out with Siren called Cowboy Games. Here's the scoop:

At Fantasy Ranch, love is a game.

THE PLAYERS:

Gavin Carter

Gavin owns Fantasy Ranch, a resort where guests get a week of cowboy love with the hottest cowboys in Wyoming.

Rebecca Ryder

Rebecca's husband had promised to deliver her fantasy du jour: A cowboy. He died before he could keep that promise. She thinks if she plays the Fantasy Ranch game, just for a second she might have her husband back. And maybe that will be long enough to say goodbye.

THE RULES:
1) No sex.
2) No contact or attempted contact after the week is up.

Clause number two is accompanied by a clear warning: Any attempt at contact will be considered 'criminal stalking' and treated as such. A sure sign the cowboys are very good at making women think they have fallen in love.

Wanna play?

Cowboy Games was released in e-format yesterday, so y'all are invited to head over to Siren and Buy It Now, y'hear? :)