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| Coming Nov. 27! Available now at www.Harlequin.com |
I'm making a list again today. (Sorry for posting the blog so late--been struggling with computer woes--it's back in the shop for the second time in a month! Yay for Geek Squad! Fie on viruses!)
But I thought I'd share some of the signs that let me know it's autumn. My favorite season of the year.
1. I have a new book coming out. My very first Intrigue came out in October 2000. And I've had a fall release ever since. This year it's the Intrigue holiday anthology, THREE COWBOYS, that I wrote with Dana Marton and Paula Graves. Love those McCabe brothers! (Get it? 3 men, all heading to a certain place for Christmas?)
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| Julie Miller and Maggie |
3. Marching band season. We've always been staunch supporters of our son's activities. And he's a talented leader in the marching band at the university where he's a senior this year. We love going to football games and parades.
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| UNK Pride of the Plains Marching Band |
5. The new school year gets into full swing. I used to teach full-time and write part-time. Now the careers have reversed and I'm a full-time writer who teaches part time. (sorry, I don't have a picture to share because they all seem to have students in them, and there's the underage/permission thing).
So, what do you associate with autumn? Share your thoughts. Talk books. Or ask me a question. I'll give away a signed copy of THREE COWBOYS to one lucky poster. (I'll pick the winner this weekend)
Julie Miller
I associate - Football, Fall Leaves, less humidity, cooler weather, pumpkins and turkey with Fall.
ReplyDeleteI love your new cover and of course I am going to get this book if I do not win it.
My kitties say hello to Maggie.
Maggie says hi back!
DeleteI find I'm not into pro football much anymore. But I do love to watch college games!
Possibilities.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason when the weather is cool, I think of change, of new things to come (or I hope to come).
Question - how did Three Cowboys come about? How much contact did you have with Paula and Dana?
No need to put me in the draw - I have it on order with Harlequin.
MarcieR
Thanks, Marcie! Love hearing that.
DeleteDana and I and another author (who is no longer w/ Intrigue) had gotten together and talked about doing an anthology at one time. Our editor liked the idea, but there never was a clear time that the group project jived with our writing schedules.
Flash forward another couple of years and Dana (I believe) was ready to go to a new contract and contacted me to see if I'd still be interested. Yes! (I love Dana's books--she writes a great, action-packed Intrigue) To be honest, I don't quite remember, but I think our editor suggested Paula as the third. (I've loved Paula's writing since I first judged her as an unpubbed author)
The 3 of us did lots of brainstorming online. The only directive from our editor was to come up with a trilogy set in Texas with a holiday theme. Because we have such different writing styles, we then basically each wrote our own stories, keeping in mind requests/continuity elements the others wanted us to include. i.e. I wanted my hero and their father to reconcile at Christmas (Paula created a moving scene for that). Dana wanted a fire (turned into a great action element in my book!). Paula wanted her hero to be the peacemaker who got his brothers back together (I love the scenes between the brothers in each of the stories!).
Then we turned the stories in, got a great edit from our editor, and voila! THREE COWBOYS is here.
Christmas and sexy cowboys (3 no less) how can anyone go wrong reading this.....can't wait....a special season with some special men.....
ReplyDeleteI agree Janice! Hope you enjoy it.
DeleteI associate many things with fall....the time of year that my husband(then boyfriend) asked me to 'go steady' 52 years ago., our wedding, the birth of all four of our children, harvest, and for many years the start of the school year, first as a mother and then as an employee. I was also a band mother and loved watching the bands as all four of my children participated. I just plain LOVE the fall!
ReplyDeleteHubby was a smart guy, Lilsis. Glad you said yes!
ReplyDeleteI agree--there are a lot of reasons to love this season! Activities, clothes, colors...
The first thing that always comes to my mind for Autumn is my B-day. Then Halloween, Veterans Day, & Thanksgiving... And knowing that Winter & Christmas are right around the corner!
ReplyDeleteHappy November Julie!
Ah, yes, Halloween. I always have fun decorating for the holiday and creating clever costumes. Early in my marriage, hubby and I worked several Halloweens at my brother-in-law's haunted house. That was always a lot of fun, too.
DeleteThis is a great season for holidays!
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DeleteFor me fall/ autumn reminds me of when I was in school and would hike around the hill. There would be crunchy leaves, nut's on the ground, cool temps to walk/ hike the hill, the smell of the woods, just the general atmosphere is my fave time. Pam
ReplyDeleteAgreed, Pam. You've mentioned some wonderful details that make autumn my favorite season, too.
DeleteThe temps are great--not too hot and not freezing. Usually. ;) I live in Nebraska and the weather can change any day, any time of year it seems. But one of the things I love about fall is that I can wear my favorite clothes comfortably--jeans, sweatshirts, sweaters and such. Don't need too many layers to stay warm, yet I'm not sweating, either.
Wood smoke is a great sense of fall to me. Also the smells of baking and turkey. I don't like the cold so much now due to my arthritis. used to love getting out and cleaning out the flower beds and garden and raking the leaves. If I don't win the book, I will be getting it from Amazon for my Kindle. Thanks for the giveaway. Say hi to Maggie for me, she sure is cute.
ReplyDeleteI'll be sure to tell Maggie hi, Ruth.
DeleteSmells create such vivid memories, don't they? I used to camp a lot when I was a bit younger--or we'd visit our son at Scout camp. Love the smell of a campfire (and the taste of a toasted--maybe slightly burnt!--marshmallow cooked over an open fire)
When I think of fall I think of football, upcoming holidays and my birthday. I too was in the marching band so I also think of school starting and band shows. I really like the idea for this book and I always like continuities!! Hi Maggie!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday this season, Laura!
DeleteI was in marching band, too. Made a lifelong friend there. Created many wonderful memories. My hubby (also in marching band and a drum major in HS and college)and I have had a lot of fun following our son's band career.
Autumn is the season when I try desperately to turn the air off sooner and the furnace on later.
ReplyDeleteLeaves are getting to be too much for me and my husband to manage (even though it's only the neighbours' trees that contribute so willingly to our yard), so now my husband mows them into compost, rather than doing bagging.
Love love love the smell of autumn, whether it be the fresh gusts of air or the wood fireplaces nearby.
September has always been the "beginning of the year" for me; there's a sense of renewal; I want to get so much done before Christmas is upon us.
I love autumn.
Love your picture, Laney4--is that your dog?
DeleteAnd yes, the weather can be crazy--turn the heat on at night and open up windows or turn on the air to cool off during the day. Crazy.
Hi, Julie!
DeleteNo, that is not my dog. He was a neighbour's parents' dog that we dogsat often while the parents went to China for 6 weeks at a time (to teach ESL). Austin passed away in May/11 at a week shy of his 14th birthday. I miss him all the time....
Autumn tells me that the sweltering heat of Summer is thankfully over for another year. It also tells me to get ready for Winter. Think squirrel storing nuts here. So for me, Autumn is truly a transitional season.
ReplyDeleteWe have lots of squirrels up here, too, Mary. Gives Maggie lots of exercise chasing and barking them. ;)
DeleteI love the colour that the leaves turn, so pretty. Maggie is one cute dog. How do you keep up with her grooming her hair, I have a dog with hair that grows so fast keeping it manageable and out of her eyes is a task.
ReplyDeleteIt is a beautiful season, AviJ.
DeleteWe take Maggie in for a puppy cut every 7-8 weeks. In between, we brush her regularly. Sometimes, we have to trim around her face because the hair curls over her eyes. Our groomer says Maggie is a good girl/an easy patient. Although, the bath part (there or at home) isn't her favorite.
Love seeing the leaves turn but dread the thoughts of ice and snow.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I love about living in the Midwest is having 4 distinct seasons. But I only need about 2 weeks of serious, snowy winter anymore. ;)
DeleteAnd the winner is... Joyce M.!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Joyce--Maggie nosed your name out of the pile of entries and selected you as the winner. Please send me an email with your snail mail addy, and I'll get a copy of THREE COWBOYS in the mail to you ASAP!
Thanks to everyone for stopping by. Be sure to check my website for upcoming blog/chat dates. There are several of them coming up in November and December (some with Dana Marton & Paula Graves, too!)