New Cowboy Family Series

SON OF A GUN

 Yes, I love writing about families and cowboys and Texas, so it will come as no surprise that I'm starting a new family series with the book SON OF A GUN.  This time it's the Lambert family who not only own Bent Pine Ranch just south of Dallas but a thriving Texas oil company. They are wealthy and part of the Dallas socially elite. But they are cowboys at heart and live by the cowboy code of honor they'd learned since boys growing up on the ranch. And when called on to protect the innocent, they never hesitate to put their lives on the line. SON OF A GUN starts off running and never slows down. So jump right in and find a woman in danger and cowboy who has no reason to believe a word she says, but still comes to her rescue. It's fast paced and action packed, but the romance doesn't take a back seat to the suspense. Hope you like it and the others to follow.
Welcome to the Bent Pine Ranch and the start of BIG D DADS.

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WRITING HORSES

Like many young girls, I was wildly in love with horses. Unfortunately, I was a city girl and had no access to them. But after I graduated from college and set off on my own on the other side of the city, I was excited because I learned there were stables and riders could take horses through Lincoln Park. To my disappointment, the last stable closed the month before I moved into my new apartment. Insurance rates killed the business.

Still, there were stables in the suburbs and eventually I decided to take lessons at a stable closer to my childhood home than it was to my apartment. No sooner had I started riding than an old knee injury forced me into major surgery. My first question to the doctor 6 weeks after surgery was: how soon can I ride? He didn’t want to hear about it, said I would totally destroy my knee. Nevertheless, I started riding after three months, and when I went back to the surgeon at six months, he wanted to know what I was doing right, because I wasn’t limping anymore. :)

My love of horses only grew. I got a job in a suburb far, far away from my original stable, so switched and found a personal trainer. I shared board on a horse and was the only one to take care of and ride him. I rode and competed for nine years. I tried different styles of riding, my favorites being hunt seat (yes, I jumped) and western. My husband I used to go to an adult only riding camp in Michigan for weekends and sometimes for weeks. On a research trip for one of my books, we went to Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary in South Dakota. On another, we learned to move cows on horseback in New Mexico.

No wonder I write so many “horse” books.

My April Intrigue, PUREBRED, is another, set here in Illinois in an area where my horse-crazy cousin owns property. She owns five horses, has her own small stable, but she also stables a couple of her horses where she takes dressage lessons. So I spent a day with her, following her around, checking out the ranches and stables in her area, talked to her trainer about issues that had to do with the mystery in my story. Even though I don’t ride anymore (must protect the now-bionic knee) I can still “ride” and appreciate horses through my writing.

Cool News!

Congratulations to Paula Graves, who is a double finalist in this year's Romance Writers of America RITA contest with two of her 2011 Intrigues, The Man From Gossamer Ridge and Cooper Vengeance!  

The winners will be announced July 28 at the RWA Conference in Anaheim, California. 

SPOTLIGHT ON: SKIN

SHE WOULD DO ANYTHING TO SAVE HER SISTER...

After a decade of searching for her runaway sister, Lilith Mitchell finds her dancing at a gentleman's club. They barely reconnect when a killer kidnaps Hannah. Keeping his victims prisoner for days, he then hunts and kills them in a forest preserve.

Determined to identify the killer and find her sister, Lilith transforms herself into Hannah’s double and gets a job at the club to lure the killer into coming after her.

The killer savors the idea of doing the sisters together but first takes up Lilith’s challenge by terrorizing her.

In a world of deception, where everyone seems guilty, who can Lilith trust?

Happy Spring

I hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather and sunshine. Any gardeners? We moved into this house late last fall when the garden was already dormant. I had no idea what kind of flowers and plants the previous owner had planted. So as the garden is awakening it’s all a surprise. I haven’t been planting anything yet (save a few bulbs last fall). There’s plenty of work to be done just with cleaning up, pruning and mulching. I was so excited about all the landscaping on the property when we moved in. Now I’m starting to realize the enormous maintenance it’s going to require. I’m just going to have to fit some gardening sessions in between writing sessions.
Things have been slow for me on the publishing front in 2012 so far, but life is about to speed up. I have a surprise release in May. Top secret for now, but all will be revealed in two weeks. It’s something completely different from what I’ve done so far. Then SPY HARD comes out in June, followed by THE SPY WHO WORE SPURS in July. I’m planning on releasing a single title romantic thriller in the fall, then a Christmas novella anthology with the amazing Julie Miller and Paula Graves in December. I can’t wait!
So tell me what are your plans for this spring? Any gardening? Reading? Special projects with family? Traveling? I’ll raffle off a free book among the commenters. You’ll get to choose something from my back list or an ebook of AGENTS UNDER FIRE. Good luck! And happy spring!

Dana

What I Love About Weddings

Weddings are the beginning of the Happily Ever After. And if you know anything about me, the HEA is the reason why I like--no love--the romance genre. It can be Sci-Fi, Historical, Futuristic, or good plain Intrigue...all I need is the HEA to be implied at the end of the story.

My niece got married Saturday. WOO HOO !  M & J are in the honeymoon phase and I hope it lasts forever. It's only been two days and I'm allowed to hope that for them. LOL. Other things I like about weddings?

• The bling
• The cake
• The dancing
• The cake
• The flowers
• The cake
• Love the ceremonies that are short and to the point
• and did I mention the Cake?
• This new thing with photobooths is kind of fun too.
• Oh, and original vows--must be the writer in me.

I'd like to know what you like about weddings or something unique that you've seen or experienced in your own.

For instance, the year my hubby and I got married (many moons ago) we had attended 5 weddings. Seriously, my husband had five friends get married from June to June. We knew a lot of things to NOT do by the time ours rolled around. But one of the things we changed and I still can't believe no one else does it... WE faced our friends and family. The only person with his back to them was our minister.

Share your favorite part or a unique wedding. Anyone commenting today, will be put into my next drawing...and yep, if you comment on both, that means you'll be entered twice.

~Angi

AngiMorgan.com

Wounded Heroes

Wounded Heroes

Why do we love those tortured heart-breakers so much? They’re damaged physically and/or emotionally by life experience, scarred inside and out. Yet they often have an unshakable code of honor and loyalty that might be the same heroic quality that got them wounded in the first place. These men have been judged—by society, by someone they care about or respect, or even by themselves—and now bear a label that they often mistakenly think defines who they are. Some fight for redemption—others hide away from the world, reluctantly exposing themselves to stares and whispers, ridicule or fear, when called on to defend a person or cause. While there is much to admire about these heroes—these men are hard to love. They may feel undeserving of love, even. They may need to be taught how to love—or how to love again. These are the men who overcome extreme adversity. They battle unbeatable odds. And when they finally fall in love, they know only one way to do it—with everything in them.

The hero in my May 2012 Intrigue, John Murdock, is a wounded hero. This firefighter had his heart broken and went back into the Marine Corps to put distance between him and the woman he can’t have. But when the captain comes home from the war, his troubles are far from over. He might have a chestful of medals, but he’s been damaged inside and out. He understands fighting for his home and the people he cares about. But coming home, healing, opening up his heart again just might be the toughest battle he’s ever fought. So I knew he needed a very special heroine. KCPD desk sergeant Maggie Wheeler is a wounded warrior herself. With danger stalking her every thought and breath, can she trust the Marine next door to keep her and her son safe? And will they live long enough to heal each other’s wounded hearts?

In keeping with this theme, my local writers’ group, the Prairieland Romance Writers, just had a Roundtable discussion about our favorite wounded romance heroes. Representing a variety of genres and authors, here is PRW’s Top 20 list of wounded heroes. Actually, we came up with far more, but we limited ourselves to 20 ;)

Who are your favorite fictional wounded heroes? Tell us his name, and the book title and author if you know it. Share why he was so memorable for you if you like. I’ll give away a copy of THE MARINE NEXT DOOR to one lucky commenter.

Julie Miller

20 Stories Featuring PRW’s Favorite Wounded Heroes:

(in no particular order)

1. Beauty & the Beast

2. Land of Dreams by Cheryl St. John

3. Solitary Soldier by Debra Webb

4. Miss Emmaline and the Archangel by Rachel Lee

5. Broken Promise by Laura Landon

6. Jackson Rule by Dinah McCall (aka Sharon Sala)

7. Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer

8. To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt

9. Frisco’s Kid by Suzanne Brockmann

10. Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale

11. Candle in the Window by Christina Dodd

12. This is All I Ask by Lynn Kurland

13. BIG Temptation by Robin L. Rotham

14. In the Blink of an Eye by Julie Miller

15. Accidental Bodyguard by Julie Miller

16. Immortal Heart by Julie Miller

17. Forbidden Captor by Julie Miller

18. Lord of Vengeance by Laura Landon

19. Woman in Charge by Sherry James

20. Fugitive Fiancée by Kristin Gabriel

Spotlight on March Intrigues: Finding Her Son

Robin Perini makes a rip-roaring Intrigue debut with Finding Her Son:

Investigating a cold case is SWAT cop Mitch Bradford's worst nightmare—especially when it involves a kidnapped infant. But thanks to an injury, he'll have to settle for following Emily Wentworth instead of breaking down doors and cuffing criminals. The prime suspect in a mysterious disappearance, Emily has always claimed she was framed. And as he earns the trust of the incredibly desperate—and unbelievably beautiful—mother, every instinct tells Mitch to believe her. Then new evidence unfolds, revealing an elaborate conspiracy and forcing Emily into a deadly spotlight. Now, torn between loyalty to the badge and his promises to Emily, Mitch may have to make the ultimate sacrifice if he's to bring her little boy home.

Spotlight on March Intrigues: A Wanted Man

It's time for Alana Matthews's latest exciting Thriller, A Wanted Man:

Nothing would stop U.S. Marshal Harlan Cole from capturing an escaped fugitive. Not even being forced to work side by side with his ex-lover, Wyoming Deputy Callie Glass, on a murder investigation. Harlan knows the case will open old wounds, but none as raw as the ones he inflicted on Callie long ago.

Still, establishing an amiable partnership is vital if they are to complete their assignment. But the fury in her eyes and the fever in his blood prove too lethal a combination. The deeper they ride into the mountains on a manhunt, the more Harlan has to protect Callie from the chilling secrets of her past. Sensing the rekindling of an old flame, Harlan establishes one goal: keeping Callie alive long enough to win her back.

Steps to Success, Plus a Blog Giveaway Winner

Driving home from work yesterday afternoon, I listened to a radio interview with Sara Blakely, the creator of Spanx, those bodyshaping undergarments many women swear by. At the relatively young age of 41, Sara is now a billionaire, thanks to her simple idea of coming up with an undergarment that helps a woman look better in her clothing.

Now, I've never worn Spanx a day in my life. The undergarment that would help me look better in my clothes hasn't been invented yet. But I really enjoyed listening to Sara talk about the steps she took to grow from a simple idea to a successful and lucrative business.

Step one was deceptively simple: come up with a great idea. Sara said that too many people worry about things like focus group and what's selling, rather than depending on their own experiences. Sara created Spanx because she hated the way she looked in her white pants, but she didn't like wearing pantyhose with sandals. She tried cutting the feet out of pantyhose at first, but the hose kept rolling up her legs. So she set out to create a garment that would give her the barefoot look she wanted while still shaping her body more flatteringly underneath her clothes. Sara saw a need that she knew other people shared, and she took steps to fill that need. That's the essence of a great idea, isn't it?

Step two, for her, was finding a way to create the garment she envisioned. She had to go to a lot of textile mills before she found one that could help her make a prototype. Most of them told her no, but she wouldn't take no for an answer. Let me repeat that: she wouldn't take no for an answer. To achieve success at anything, you can't give up when you hear the word no.

Finally, once she got her prototype made, she threw herself into selling her idea to companies that could help her get it out to the buying public. Thinking about this from a writer's viewpoint, it's not enough for me, at least, to just write a good book. I want to share that book with people who read, which means I have to put myself and my work out there to be judged and consumed.

I loved Sara's story about approaching a buyer at Neiman Marcus, trying to convince the woman to distribute her product in their stores. She said she convinced the woman to come to the ladies' room with her so she could show her the before and after. As Sara put it, "Talk about putting your butt on the line."

No matter what your dreams and goals are, I think you can learn a lot from Sara Blakely's steps to success. Every once in a while, you can come up with an answer that nobody's asked the question to. But most of the time, success comes from finding a need to fill and then filling it better than anyone else.

I love a good success story, as this blog post would attest. What about you? What are the success stories that have inspired you?

And before I forget it, so sorry I haven't posted the winner of my last blog post drawing. I can only blame it my book deadline and edits deadline, which converged at the same time and have driven me insane for the past two weeks.

So, without further ado...the winner of my last blog post drawing is MarcieR! Marcie, I need you to email me with the email address to which you want the e-giftcard to go. You can find my email address on my website: just click the "contact" button on www.paulagraves.com.

Congrats on the win!

Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Ever read the Dr. Suess book by the title of this post? I’m a big fan of the rhyming stories that all had a story to tell and a moral to teach. But this one makes me think of the places I’ve been and the places still on my bucket list.

I’ve visited a majority of the contiguous United States, Mexico and Canada. As a  member of the US Army Reserves and the US. Air Force Reserves, I spent time in Virgina, Indiana, Utah, Georgia, New York and even better…Germany four times! Visiting all of these places were fun,exciting and gave me a chance to meet interesting people. On my own dime, I’ve traveled to Hawaii, Guam, Australia, New Zealand, London, Rome, Venice and Pisa. And I’m not done yet.

I’ve incorporated some of the places I’ve lived and visited in my writing. Can’t wait to do even more. In Haunted, I chose Texas as my setting. I've lived a total of twenty years in the Lone Star state. If you've never been, put it on your bucket list. It's worth the trip.

Hard-hitting investigative reporter, Cecilia Lovelace has forgone love to focus on her career. The same accident that takes the lives of a boy and his mother, places Cecilia's body in a coma while her spirit is free to roam. The boy who died asks her to deliver a message to his father, the only living man who can see and hear her. Cecilia's first love.

Zachary Alston is consumed with grief over the loss of his five-year-old son. Duped by his ex-wife, dumped by his first love, and distrustful of women, he's hesitant to believe Cecilia when she insists she has a message from his dead son. Even more unbelievable is that she's a ghost.

Together, they learn the accident was deliberate and meant for Zachary. In their search for those responsible, they fall victim to the killer and to their own burgeoning love.

FILLING THE CREATIVE WELL

Writing romantic suspense has pretty much been my professional life since I first sold to Intrigue in 1985. I’ve written 53 Intrigues and have sold about six million copies world wide. But in order to fill my creative well, I need variety in my writing life.

I love writing any combination of romance with suspense or thriller elements, with or without a paranormal element. PUREBRED, my April Intrigue, has them all. So did HOT TRICK, my Carina book released last October. The difference is in the balance of those elements. PUREBRED is romantic suspense with a paranormal element, while HOT TRICK is an urban fantasy thriller with a romantic element.

Now I’ve tried my hand at something a little different. My current new release, SKIN, is a fast-paced dark thriller with a romantic element. The difference between SKIN and my Intrigues is that the ‘hero’ of the story is actually heroine Lilith Mitchell. The thriller story focuses on her efforts to rescue her sister Hannah from the killer who took her before he ends Hannah’s life. But of course the story still has that romantic element that I can’t seem to write without.

SKIN has a long history. I wrote the first version – then known as THE LAST DANCE – as a screenplay in the 90s. I entered the screenplay in the Motion Picture’s Academy Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting competition. It made the semi-finals (top 100 of approximately 5000) and garnered a lot of interest from agents and producers. Then a producer optioned it. She got a director (actually, two), had music written for it, found actors who wanted to star in it, had a backer with the money to publicize and distribute it, but she couldn’t get the money to produce the movie. So goes my short-lived experience with Hollywood (until I wrote another screenplay, but that’s another story).

I didn’t give up on this story, however. Since my Intrigues were so successful, I thought surely I could sell a single title thriller with a romantic subplot. I wrote a book proposal based on the screenplay in 2002. I heard “too dark” as the reason for rejection from nearly every editor who read it. In 2008, I made a major-major revision to the story and rewrote the proposal, which I renamed SKIN. My then longtime agent let it languish. My next agent sent it to a half-dozen editors, most of whom thought it had a good commercial premise and solid plot, characters and writing. However, the thriller editors thought it should go to romance editors, and romance editors were still afraid of the dark elements in the story, even though I’d lightened them up considerably.

Caught with my feet straddling the line between thriller and romantic suspense. Again.

So what to do?

I let SKIN languish for a year while I worked on other projects, but I couldn’t forget it any more than I had since writing the original screenplay. Thematically, it’s as current now as it was then. With the hope that SKIN had the potential to ‘thrill’ readers if only they had a chance at it, and the indie digital market spiraling upward, I had good reasons to write it for myself. So when I made a New Year’s resolution to fill the well writing stories I loved, SKIN fit the bill to start off the new year. I finished the book, and it’s finally available to readers.

Currently SKIN is listed at Amazon.com as part of the KDP Select Program, which means Prime members can choose it as a free book. It also means Amazon has a three month exclusive. By April 1, it should be available in trade paperback both at Createspace and at Amazon.

Whether or not SKIN is read as widely as my Intrigues, I am glad I took a chance on it. It was one of those ideas that just didn’t let go of me, and it turned out to be a book that practically wrote itself and truly filled my creative well.

Good reading. :)
Patricia Rosemoor

My Favorite Things & Giveaway!

AND THE WINNER IS...QUILT LADY!

You've won the autographed copy of FINDING HER SON along with trading cards from IN HER SIGHTS and FINDING HER SON. Please send an email with your snail mail address to robin (at) robinperini (dot) com, and I'll get the book out to you ASAP! CONGRATULATIONS! And thanks everyone for commenting!

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I recently did an interview for the 'Get Lost in a Story' blog. One of the questions was what was my favorite movie? Well, it's actually My Fair Lady, but I went through quite a list. One of my favorite movies is Sound of Music, and one of my favorite songs in the movie is "My Favorite Things." So, I got to thinking about my favorite things. I've been very busy recently, too busy, probably. I want to find a bit of balance in my life, so I wondered, what are a few of my favorite things to do, and when was the last time I did them? If it's longer than six months, I'm thinking I probably need to take a step back. So, here we go. Five of my favorite things.


5. Bubble Baths surrounded by lighted candles and a great book. (Yes! Did this just a couple of weeks ago, but I don't do it enough).

4. Spend the weekend in a mountain cabin with no phone, no light and no motor car. (I definitely need to take a vacation. I can't remember the last time I did this—I'm scheduling it!)

3. Curled up in front of a fire watching a movie with someone special. (Oops…I'm thinking I need to make a bit more effort here).

2. Brownie Sundae at Chili's. (It's 1300 calories, so I try not to order one unless there are at least two to share it with me, but yummmmmy! Went there not too long ago. This one must be in moderation…and accompanied with at least 5 workouts that week!).

1. Christmas with my Family. (Check. I did that this year…the fact that my Christmas tree is still up right now (let's just not go there, shall we?)

That's not the whole list, but I guess I have some work to do. So, dear readers, what is one of your favorite things? Event, food, book, movie, anything. I'd love to know!

Thanks so much for stopping by today. It's truly an honor to be here and get to interact with you. If you're interested in learning more about me or my books…you can read excerpts, read reviews, sign up for my mailing list and even request trading cards or a Kindlegraph on my website at www.robinperini.com. I'm also on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads. I'd love to hear from you.

Don't forget, one lucky reader who comments on my blog or answers the question will be randomly selected to win an autographed copy of FINDING HER SON along with Trading Cards from IN HER SIGHTS and FINDING HER SON. Good luck!

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About FINDING HER SON

THE ONLY MAN A DESPERATE MOTHER CAN TRUST…

Investigating a cold case is SWAT cop Mitch Bradford’s worst nightmare—especially when it involves a kidnapped infant. But thanks to an injury, he’ll have to settle for following Emily Wentworth instead of breaking down doors and cuffing criminals.

The prime suspect in a mysterious disappearance, Emily has always claimed she was framed. And as he earns the trust of the incredibly desperate—and unbelievably beautiful— mother, every instinct tells Mitch to believe her. Then new evidence unfolds, revealing an elaborate conspiracy and forcing Emily into a deadly spotlight. Now, torn between loyalty to the badge and his promises to Emily, Mitch may have to make the ultimate sacrifice if he’s to bring her little boy home.

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EXCERPT - a brief taste from the beginning…

Icy wind howled through the SUV's shattered windshield, spraying glass and freezing sleet across Eric Wentworth's face. He struggled in and out of consciousness. Flashes of memory struck. Oncoming headlights on the wrong side of the road. Skidding tires on black ice. The baby's cries. Emily's screams.

Oh, God.

Why couldn't he focus? Above the wind, he heard only silence, then an ominous gurgling sound from his lungs. He shifted his head slightly to check on his wife, and a knifelike pain seared his neck. He stopped, staring in horror at the shaft of metal guardrail penetrating his chest. Blood pulsed from the wound, but he couldn't feel it. He couldn't feel anything.

Eric was dying. And it was no accident. He hadn't taken the threats seriously, hadn't told Emily what he'd done. Why they were all in danger.

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AUTHOR BIO

Award-winning author Robin Perini is devoted to giving her readers fast-paced, high-stakes adventure with a love story sure to melt their hearts. Her mission's motto: "When danger and romance collide, no heart is safe." After seven prestigious Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® finals, Robin sold seven novels within one year. She won the Golden Heart® in 2011, and that title became her first Harlequin Intrigue, Finding Her Son (March 2012). Residing in the southwestern United States, by day, she works for an advanced technology corporation, and in her spare time, you might find her giving one of her many nationally acclaimed writing workshops or training in competitive small-bore rifle silhouette shooting.

She is the author of In Her Sights (Montlake, 2011), Finding Her Son, Cowboy in the Crossfire and Christmas Conspiracy (Harlequin Intrigue 2012) as well as the upcoming Montgomery Justice Series (the story of the Montgomery brothers from In Her Sights) from Montlake Romance.

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You can purchase Robin's books at:

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

HARLEQUIN

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[Cover Art Copyright © 2012 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited. Cover art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved. ® and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its affiliated companies, used under license.]

Spotlight on March Intrigues: Lawman Lover

Lisa Childs' new series Outlaws begins with Lawman Lover:

There was a live body on her morgue table. Macy Kleyn hadn't expected to find a perfectly healthy Rowe Cusack lying inside a body bag. The man claimed to be a DEA agent who'd escaped from prison by faking his own death. But despite using a disguise, someone knew the truth. Now they wanted to keep Rowe locked up inside. For good.

Taking a civilian on the run went against Rowe's lawman code, but leaving Macy behind could mean putting her in even greater danger. On their own, they were targets, but together they might still have a fighting chance. It's a chance he's willing to take in order to protect the one person he could trust—and the one woman he was falling for.

Spotlight on March Intrigues: Secret Identity

Paula Graves introduces readers to Cooper Security in the first of her new series, Secret Identity:

Since leaving the CIA under questionable circumstances, Amanda Caldwell has been living a quiet, uneventful life in a sleepy mountain town. But when Rick Cooper, her former partner—and former lover—makes an unexpected reappearance, she senses things are about to get a lot more interesting.…

Rick's mission is to protect Amanda and her identity from an assassin who's picked up her trail. It isn't long before working together stirs up all the passion and energy they'd once shared on the job. And in Rick's bed. Still, there's more to Rick's assignment than he can share with his "partner." Revealing the truth wouldn't be smart. But keeping his secret could be deadly.

Are you feeling lucky

We were having a conversation about this at www.justromanticsuspense.com yesterday, and it was so much fun I thought I'd bring it over here.

So... are you feeling lucky?

I hope you do. It’s a state of mind I recently needed a reminder to get back to, after a few weeks of writing setbacks and health issues. To add to that, I found out that my health insurance has not been paying the full bill, so my doctor’s office was sending me bills for the remainder. To an address where I lived a decade ago! They updated my new address info over the years, but for some reason the billing database had reverted back to old data. Since I never got the bills and didn’t pay, they sent the bills to collection. When your bills are sent to collection, it goes on your credit report and stays there for seven years! Ruined credit here I come. Never mind that they have my correct phone number, and at any time they could have made a two minute call and I would have come down and wrote them a check.

Anyhow, so one of the health things I’m dealing with is a growing list of food allergies. The other night, trying to figure out what to make for dinner, I went through the cupboards and the fridge, and realized there wasn’t a thing in the house I could eat. I just put in a 12 hour writing day and was washed out and starving. I didn’t feel like hopping in the car and dragging myself to the grocery store. So hungry and annoyed, there I stand in front of the open fridge door, muttering “Why me?” when my husband says,

“You know, I just heard something about that on the radio on the way home from work. There was this guy saying, every once in a while, go into your house and look at it as a homeless person would. Open your fridge and ask, ‘Why me?’ ‘What have I done to deserve this bounty?’”

And there my little pity party came to a screeching halt. Even on days when I don’t feel particularly lucky, I definitely know that I’m LUCKY BEYOND WORDS to have my husband in my life. He is definitely my steady rock. And when I think of that, my grouchiness turns into gratitude, which is really the right place to be. I have a great family, and the best readers in the world who make my dream of writing for a living possible every single day. How is that for lucky?

“The harder you work, the luckier you get,” goes the old quote, and I do believe that wholeheartedly. My fictional heroines don’t whine. They get the job done. They don’t wait for rescue. Half the time, they’re the one rescuing the hero, in fact. And that’s the attitude I’m taking today. Lucky is a state of mind. I’m beginning to think that person is about as lucky as they make up their mind to be.

What do you think? Are you feeling lucky? What was the luckiest day in your life? I’d love to hear your take on this, so please post a quick note if you have a minute. And please, come by my FB page and click Like http://www.facebook.com/DanaMarton I would so love to have you among my online friends.

Dana

Pink Floyd In The Zone

The one thing writers search for when they sit down to write is the Zone. For me, it's that place where I don't really feel like I'm writing. It's more like I'm watching a movie and my fingers are flying across the keyboard, recording what I'm seeing. I lose track of time, I lose connection with the real world. I'm no longer me--I'm the hero and heroine of  my story.

Often, it's not easy to get into the Zone. There are many barriers--telephones, EMail, dirty laundry, dinner, hungry kitties, hungry husbands--. Not to mention that if I only have--say--an hour and a half to write, I've been known to avoid the zone, realizing that almost by the time I'm enmeshed in the Zone, it's time to pop out.

Luckily, I've found a sure-fire way to drop into the Zone immediately and maximize my time. Pink Floyd. My mellow music guys. I've put together a playlist of my favorite Pink Floyd songs. All I have to do is put my headphones on, start the music, and I'm there. Every single time I hear Take It Back, Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Comfortably Numb, or Learning to Fly, my heart hurts and I get chills. I've never found anything more inspirational. Who can listen to lyrics like this and not be moved?

You reached for the secret too soon
You cried for the Moon.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Threatened by shadows at night
And exposed in the light
Well you wore out your welcome
With random precision
Rode on the steel breeze
Come on, you raver, you seer of visions
Come on, you painter, you piper, you prisoner
And shine !

I listened to Pink Floyd while I wrote my May and June, 2012 books, Private Security and Death of a Beauty Queen, as well as my historical romance novella, September Rain on Amazon.

What's your favorite inspiration for your creative efforts? I'll give one commenter a pretty pair of fingerless knit gloves that are great for driving or writing and  lots of other activities.

BTW thanks to Angi. I had no idea we could embed videos! 

Mallory

THANK YOU, DAVY JONES !

I admit it. I was a teenager in the 70's.

I don't think I ever missed an episode of THE MONKEES.

And I never stopped singing I'm A Believer even before it became popular again with SHREK.

My teenage crushes included Davy Jones, Bobby Sherman, David Cassidy and even Shaun Cassidy. There may have been more, but these guys had a prominent place on my bedroom wall. I still have my first ever LP (Portrait of Bobby). I can't tell you how many times I played Bubblegum & Braces or Julie Do You Love Me. The LP is warped from the sunshine that beat down on it while we danced in the cool grass on hot summer days in the back yard. My girlfriends and I would stick the cord through the corner of the window screen and set the portable record player on the bush outside my bedroom.



I also remember that the first time I heard SUGAR SUGAR was on the 45 I cut from the back of a Super Sugar Crisp cereal box. I also heard The Jackson Five and The Osmonds the same way. 

I'll miss Davy Jones. Wherever you are Davy, have a groovy time!

~Angi

CARE TO SHARE YOUR TEEN IDOL? Come on, I know you had one!

 

Second Chances

I don't know about y'all, but I'm a sucker for a reunion romance. I love to read a story where two characters have a complicated, passionate past with each other and now have the chance to fix the things that went wrong in their relationship.

I remember when I saw GONE WITH THE WIND for the first time, I couldn't go to sleep that night until I'd figured out a reunion story for Rhett and Scarlett. One of my favorite parts of JANE EYRE is the end, when Jane finally returned to her beloved Rochester, heedless to the dreadful changes in him after the tragic fire.

I think reunion romances give us hope that unhappy endings are not permanent. Bad outcomes can be fixed if both people want the relationship to succeed and are willing to do the work to make it happen.

In my March Intrigue, Secret Identity, the forces that parted Rick Cooper and Amanda Caldwell are a little harder to overcome than a mere fight or misunderstanding. They fell in love in the middle of chaos, in a war torn country constantly on the cusp of upheaval. She was a CIA agent trying to keep the fragile Central Asian democracy from cracking apart, and he was a security consultant hired to protect a mystery man whose safety was vital to the country's political stability. Spooks and mercs make for strange bedfellows, and it wasn't long before their bosses forced them apart.

Three years later, when Rick Cooper is tricked by master spy Alexander Quinn into contacting Amanda after so long apart, he has no idea what he's about to walk into. Because there's so much he doesn't know about the woman he once loved.

And what he doesn't know could kill him.

I loved writing these two characters. The tough man of action forced to reexamine all his former actions when he learns the company he spent ten years working for was corrupt and involved in some heinous crimes. And the broken former spy who is hiding from the world—and herself—in a tiny town in the Tennessee mountains who must rediscover her inner warrior when her past comes crashing down on her. I hope you'll love them, too!

So here's my question: do you like reunion romances? Or do you prefer your romances to be fresh and new "boy meets girl" stories? Share your thoughts and I'll select a commenter to win a $20 amazon.com gift card.

Spotlight on March Intrigues: Cowboy to the Max

Rita Herron continues the saga of Bucking Bronc Lodge in Cowboy to the Max:

Rancher Carter Flagstone refuses to take the fall for a crime he didn't commit. Branded a murderer five years ago, he's dead-set on getting freedom—and revenge. But after locating the woman who helped frame him, Carter is shocked to find Sadie Whitefeather scared, alone and hiding out in a remote Texas town. And what he discovers about the unforgettable night they spent in each other's arms makes Carter even more eager to learn the truth. On the run, with no one to turn to but each other, Carter finds forgiving Sadie isn't so hard after all. And clearing his name is more important than he ever imagined.…

Spotlight on March Intrigues: Corralled

B.J Daniels revisits Whitehorse, Montana and the Chisholm Cattle Company in Corralled:

When a mystery woman with a gleam in her eye and trouble on her mind hops on the back of Logan Chisholm's Harley, he thinks he's in for a wild ride.

But Jennifer "JJ" Blythe James might be more than he bargained for.

The pretty pop star is running scared. Desperately trying to escape her past, JJ's defenses are on high alert.

She doesn't really want the cowboy's protection, but Logan knows that with a killer on her trail, she needs it. It's the only way the songbird who's corralled his heart will live to sing another day.

Setting as Character

Some settings speak to me, building an image that resonates and stays with me even when I’ve finished reading or writing the book. I like working with a setting that inspires immediate recognition and gut reaction. Whether it’s a warm sense of coming home to a Texas homestead, struggling through knee-deep snow in a storm-socked town in the frozen north, or a fog-encased stretch of coastline, breeding an aura of gloom and terror, I like to immerse in the world and get to know it, intimately.

In DEADLY RECKONING, my first book with Harlequin Romantic Suspense, I knew the setting before I knew the characters. I wanted to build a story around Oregon’s rocky coastline. Add a recurring fog, labeled by the locals as the Devil’s Shroud and all sorts of horrible things can happen. I sank into the setting and the story unfolded, the place providing beauty and danger, at times giving the antagonist sanctuary and blocking the hero from finding the killer. A place with interesting characteristics and weather phenomena that makes it come as alive as a character--a setting ripe for a murder mystery.

Feel like taking a stroll along a rocky coastline, afraid of the dark and the fog, looking for a hero to save the day? Join me in Oregon with a spine-tingling suspense in a spooky world that will stay with you even after you finish the book.

"You win for now, but it isn't over."

Trouble has followed pregnant artist Kayla Davies to a picturesque Oregon town where she hopes to paint away memories of a brutal attack. Instead she finds herself again gripped by fear when a woman's murder and an eerily familiar stalker coincide with her arrival. Someone is watching her...and disappearing into the dreaded fog called The Devil's Shroud.

Shaken, Kayla finds comfort in the arms of Gabe McGregor, the hard-bodied town sheriff and single dad. Though he and Kayla share a powerful attraction, neither wants anything beyond an earthshaking fling. Too many lies and secrets have come between them--until another vicious attack on Kayla changes everything.

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