Brant Flakes

I Got My First Real Six-String...

2012-01-18T17:02:00.001-06:00

...bought it in my college dorm, played it 'til my fingertips turned purple, it was the winter of '88.

(Yeah, I know Bryan Adams had better lyrics and, also, his rhymed, but my version of the song would've had to start out differently. You just never forget your first guitar, do you? Or, um, your first really steamy summer...LOL. ;)

My ever-wonderful brother took me to see Bryan in concert at the Chicago Theater last night, and it was a fantastic performance. The "Bare Bones" tour featured only Bryan on guitar/harmonica, alongside a piano player named Gary (Breit?), who was also an outstanding musician. Considering it was just the two of them performing acoustically, the sound quality was amazing, and Bryan's powerful and distinctive voice filled the theater.

I knew and loved so many of the songs he sang. Really. It was like I got to relive the nostalgic '80s and half of the '90s in two music-packed hours. "Run to You," "This Time," "It's Only Love," "Here I Am," "Cuts Like a Knife," "Somebody," "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman," "Straight from the Heart," "Coming Back to You," "Heaven" and "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" were some of the popular selections -- as well as "Summer of '69," which I couldn't wait to hear again.

[photo credit of Bryan Adams onstage: Jeff Daly/WENN]

The show was actually rescheduled from early October, when Bryan had to cancel because of illness. Instead of a sunny autumn Saturday, we had to go downtown on a freezing January Tuesday night, on a day when it had been raining/snowing/hailing (in various combinations) all morning. So, when I say this concert was worth the wait and the added travel challenges, you have to know it was a great show!

Here he is performing "Summer of '69" at Live Aid in Philadelphia in 1985:

Do have a favorite or most memorable Bryan Adams song?!

Mr. Forever...and the Quest for the Perfect Scone Recipe!

2012-01-12T08:55:00.001-06:00

Today, I have the pleasure of welcoming my long-time friend and Chicago-North chaptermate, Sara Daniel, to Brant Flakes! Her new novel, Mr. Forever, was just release from Musa Publishing a few weeks ago. It's already garnered some great reviews, including one that gave the story 4 Hearts and called her heroine, Olivia, "fantastic ... feisty and fierce" -- congrats!

Mr. Forever is a contemporary romance in which the discovery of a secret baby threatens the hero's professional reputation. Falling for the woman who loves this baby would ruin him. Take a peek at the blurb:

Marriage therapist Caleb Paden has just found out he has a son from a one-night stand, making a mockery of his core belief of stable relationships — “friendship above all physical encounters.” On his way to take the child for a paternity test, a snowstorm leaves him stranded with single mom Olivia Wells, who blames his advice for breaking up her marriage. Caleb finds himself fighting the urge for the most basic of physical encounters. Olivia would like nothing more than to destroy the career he spent a lifetime building, but her maternal instincts draw her to help Caleb bond with his child. Soon, she finds herself falling for both of them. Nowhere in any of his advice does Caleb have an answer for how to make a relationship work if he loses his heart to love.

Ooooh, sounds good, doesn't it?! Sara is here to share with us her search for the kinds of amazing scones her heroine Olivia makes. Since she knows I'm a confirmed sweet tooth and lover of carbs, she came to the right place to be appreciated ;). Welcome, Sara!

Marilyn, thanks so much for hosting me today. I've noticed you like to talk about food. Usually when it comes to cooking and baking, I prefer to do the bare minimum to keep my family from starving. But ever since I started writing Mr. Forever where my heroine Olivia makes scones as the specialty of her inn, I've been obsessing about scones. I'm hoping you and your readers can help me in my quest for the perfect scone.

See, my heroine has been called a "scone sorceress" and "scone goddess." She's gotten instant marriage proposals because of her amazing scones. Did I mention she makes plain scones along with two flavors of the day every day? All of this was fabulous in my imaginary writing world until I wanted to connect with my inner goddess and make scones delicious enough that men would take a bite and instantly fall in love.

My journey started off on an inspiring note. The drive-thru man at my local coffee shop promised me his pumpkin spice scones were so good they would change my life. Of course, I jumped on that offer. Story research and a new improved life--talk about getting the most out of my four dollar investment! I took notes at my desk while I ate it. It was good, but I have to admit my life seemed pretty much the same routine of laundry, dishes, groceries, etc.

I was ready to take the next step -- making my own scones. At this point I also had some very brown bananas on my counter in desperate need of being turned into banana bread. As I looked up scone recipes, I discovered one for banana scones. Perfect.

Alas, the banana scones were … not perfect. The dough was a sticky, gooey mass. Cutting it into triangle wedges was a disaster. The oddly shaped lumps were edible when they were warm straight from the oven, but they were dry and heavy. Basically, I had baked a really bad banana bread. This was not how I envisioned my scone sorceress's amazing creation would taste, at all.

A few days later I went to a children's tea party, where the girls sipped hot peppermint tea and nibbled store-bought blueberry scones. These scones were sweet. They weren't as good as the pumpkin spice scone I'd started my adventure with but were certainly better than the banana disaster.

I worked up my nerve to try one more recipe. I found one for almond-poppy seed scones. This time the dough shaped nicely, just like the instructions promised, and came out of the oven looking beautiful. I was excited. I tried one, and they were good but not quite as sweet as I hope. I checked the recipe again. I'd forgotten the sugar! How could I have forgotten such a simple thing? So, I coated them in powdered sugar to make up for it, and they were pretty darn good. But still not perfect.

So, I made another batch -- remembering the sugar (duh!) AND adding powdered sugar and sliced almonds after they came out of the oven. This time the dough was a little stickier, but overall they proved to be a sweet, yummy snack. (I had them for snacks and breakfast.)

I've come to the realization that no matter how much I try to channel my inner heroine, I am no scones goddess. My life is pretty much the same, and I'm happy with it--thank you very much Mr. Over-Caffeinated Drive-Thru Man.

However, I am still on the search for the perfect scone recipe that will evaluate me to goddess status. (I don't need any men to fall instantly in love with me, but I'd love to have my children obey my every command.) Anyone have a scone recipe they can offer to help me out?

The Final Stretch of a Virtual Grand Euro

2012-01-09T12:43:00.001-06:00

Today and tomorrow are the last two stops on my six-week-long virtual Grand European Tour... Can't believe it! It's been such a joy journeying around the Internet, talking about these cities I love and (often!) the delicious food you can find there. Today, I have the pleasure of being at Nicole Basaraba's Uni-Verse-City blog and getting to chat about the beautiful city of Brussels, Belgium. This is especially exciting because, right now, Nicole LIVES in Brussels!!! So, it was great fun to get to ask her a few questions about a city I enjoyed visiting and one she's come to know extremely well.

Tomorrow, the final stop will be at Chick Lit Central for a visit to...well, from the photo to the right, I'm sure you guessed it! Yes, Paris -- land of wine and brie, my favorite Woody Allen film and some of the most recognizable sites in the Western world. Hope you'll join me as I finish out my travel adventures this week.

In other news, I got two reviews this weekend that were complete surprises but both very lovely and most welcome.

The first was for On Any Given Sundae, which was reviewed by Laci at Romancing the Book. She gave it a "Rose that Rules All: Magnificent" rating and wrote: "I absolutely positively ADORED this book. From beginning to end, it kept me grinning like an idiot, giggling, and biting my lip in anticipation at the characters. You gotta give credit to Marilyn Brant for coming up with a cast of characters that you might be able to find in your own hometown...I loved this book so much I immediately went to Amazon and bought 2 of the author’s other books. I have no doubts that they will be just as funny." Who wouldn't LOVE a review like that?!! I'm still smiling :).

The second was for A Summer in Europe, which was a short but official mention. Just the fact that it appeared in the "Romance Reviews: January" listing of the Chicago Tribune , in an article by John Charles, alongside new novels by Eloisa James, Jayne Ann Krentz, Connie Brockway, Robyn Carr, Teresa Medeiros and other authors in whose company I'm thrilled to be included...well, that was pretty exciting, too!!

So, even though there are other issues swirling around us in "real life" that are less than delightful, these were certainly weekend brighteners for me. What about you? How was your weekend? Any plans for the upcoming Martin Luther King, Jr. three-day weekend? Hope all is going well where you are.

Happy New Year!!!

2011-12-31T18:00:00.001-06:00

As 2011 comes to a close, I know that -- as difficult as this year has been at times -- I have a lot to be thankful for... My husband and I have a New Year's Eve tradition of writing down the most memorable moments from the past twelve months and sharing them with each other. So often, until we start thinking and talking about it (I even flipped back through my calendar to jog my memory), we forget major events that happened during the year. We're so forward focused, which helps in getting work done, but it's not necessarily conducive to reflecting on all that's been accomplished and experienced.

This year, I visited a bunch of wonderful book clubs. I saw Dennis DeYoung perform live and my friends' band, The Mojo Daddies, open for him. I had the pleasure of meeting Kathryn Stockett and hearing her talk about The Help. I got a fun cooking lesson from Fabio Viviani. I released my first two digital-only novels, On Any Given Sundae and Double Dipping (which is on sale now for 99 cents!), and delved into the fascinating world of ebook publishing. My third Kensington novel, A Summer in Europe, was also released, and I got to snap pictures of it on the shelves at fabulous independent bookstores, like Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville (above left), as well as at one of my favorite local B&N stores (right). It was a December release, so I was especially honored to see it on two "Best of 2011" lists!! I was on a women's fiction writers panel with some terrific authors (Barbara Samuel O'Neal, Therese Walsh, Megan Crane and Jane Porter) this summer and got to visit New York City with my husband and son. I went on two writing retreats -- one in Wisconsin and the other in Oregon -- with lovely friends and critique partners. And I finally came to appreciate the way social networks, like Facebook and Twitter, really do help connect people, and I was delighted to make a few new friends as a result.

But I'm especially grateful to all of you who visit this blog -- for being here with me and sharing your thoughts throughout the year. I'm raising my glass to you in a toast (I followed the recipe for a Starbucks VIAtini -- see photo to the left and the recipe below ;), and I wish you all a 2012 that is peaceful, joyful, healthy and fulfilling. May your days be full of rewarding work and time spent with those you love, and may your nights be a time to dream of things that ignite your passions, fuel your imagination and inspire you. Happy New Year!

To make a VIAtini: 1 1/2 oz vodka, 1 1/2 oz prepared Starbucks VIA Ready Brew (cold), 3/4 oz amaretto, 1/2 oz Irish cream. Combine in a cocktail shaker, shake well, strain into a glass and top with a cherry.

A Tale of Two Veronas

2011-12-30T06:16:00.001-06:00

As the travel/book tour continues, we make a quick return to a European country I never tire of writing about...but there's an American twist to it that, for me, is impossible to ignore. See, I can't think of the city of Verona, Italy without also thinking about the city of Verona, Wisconsin -- the town where I went to high school. In the warped, mash-up database that is my imagination, I combine the two Veronas, twining them with random lines from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" and lyrics from Bon Jovi's "Who Says You Can't Go Home."

Maybe because Romeo and Juliet were teens in their Verona, as I was a teen in mine, and maybe because they didn't have the smoothest of adolescent love lives, a problem I could relate to altogether too easily, I've always felt a certain affinity for them and their hometown.

In A Summer in Europe, my characters visit the Italian Verona and they take in several of the well-known sites, most notably, the large Colosseum-like Arena in the center of the city and "Juliet's balcony."

The Arena di Verona is an amazing amphitheater. Unlike the Colosseum in Rome, the Arena is still in use today with operatic, musical theater and even rock performances being held there regularly (Sting, Pink Floyd and Muse have all done shows in the Arena). It's home to the Verona Opera, and four productions are typically planned for every year between June and August with up to 15,000 people in the amphitheater at one time.

Juliet's balcony is, of course, a touristy fabrication, but it's a delightful one, and the fact that Juliet was merely fictional in no way stops many of us from seeking it out anyway. My husband and I went there and snapped pictures along with dozens of other travelers, and the characters in my book did the same...all of us reciting at least a few of the lines from Will's famous tragedy while staring up at that balcony.

"But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou her maid art far more fair than she."
~Act 2, Scene 2

Yeah. I first read the play in high school, in that Midwestern Verona, and spent most of freshmen English irritated by our teacher's required reading list. So many "classics" were forced on us -- Shakespeare, Dickens, that Austen woman. Stories that, in significant ways, changed my life. Funny how you so often don't realize the value of your education until long after you've left school. (Although, perhaps, I would have appreciated our teacher's choices more if I'd gotten to see Leonardo DiCaprio playing an urban "Romeo" when I was 14.)

Standing in front of that balcony in northern Italy, I laughed, remembering my high-school romantic dramas, one of which had actually taken place while we were reading "Romeo and Juliet," and appreciating the insight Will gave to us about teen relationships those many years ago. The dizzying power of infatuation. The allure of forbidden love. The irrationality of family tiffs. The ease of disaster at the hands of adolescents.

The ties connecting the two cities in my mind were strengthened yet again.

Did you read "Romeo and Juliet" in high school? College? Or was your first exposure to it through film? Do you think it's different reading it for the first time if you're a teen vs. an adult?

Great News, Great Books, Great Day

2011-12-20T11:44:00.002-06:00

First and foremost, Happy Holidays!!!!

While the Winter Solstice may still be some 36 hours away, Hanukkah tomorrow, Christmas Saturday/Sunday and Kwanzaa the day after that, the holiday shopping madness is well underway. (I visited six B&N stores yesterday -- two of them in malls -- and I know of what I speak!)

It's a hectic time out there in Chicagoland and, here at home, I feel like I'm spinning about seventeen plates at once. Coming up tomorrow, I'll be visiting What Women Write to talk about Vienna, Austria for the travel/book tour, but there has been some great news from last week that I wanted to share, too: A Summer in Europe made TWO "Best of 2011" lists, thanks to these absolutely fabulous ladies: Deb from the Reading Frenzy/B&N General Fiction Book Club, and Andrea from Great Thoughts. Thank you!!!

Also, good friend and talented writer Susan McBride was on "Great Day St. Louis" Thursday, and she talked about my book and a couple of other stories -- such fun! You can watch the clip here.

Finally, the wonderful Ellen Meister recently compiled a holiday book buying guide that included novels by many friends of mine on the Girlfriends Book Club and A Summer in Europe, too! What I really loved was the "Who would like this book?" feature, so you can check to see if someone on your shopping list might like that style of story. Hope you will enjoy it!!

LOVE FINDS YOU IN NEW ORLEANS by Christa Allan

Set to release in February of 2012 and available now for pre-order, this 1840s historical relates the story of a woman whose grandparents must consider whether to stop keeping secrets and reveal the truth they’ve known—a truth that will make the difference between a life of obligation and a life of choice.Unlocking the past could open the door to a new future, but is the present worth the cost? Introduced in the novel is the custom of plaçage, known as "left-handed marriages" among those forbidden legally to be together.

Who would like this book? Readers of historical fiction and Southern fiction.

For more information visit http://christaallan.com/

SAFE HARBOR by Judith Arnold

Childhood pals Kip and Shelley spent their summers on Block Island, swimming, biking, discovering the world together. Then real life intruded, bringing tragedy and heartache. Years later, they both wind up back on Block Island. Can the island's rugged beauty and their loving friendship heal their wounds? An award-winning novel when it was first released, SAFE HARBOR is available to as a reissued e-book to a new generation of readers.

Who would like this book? SAFE HARBOR is the perfect book for lovers of romance fiction.

For more information visit www.juditharnold.com

LITTLE WOMEN AND ME by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

A contemporary teen finds herself literally sucked into the Louisa May Alcott novel Little Women and discovers she must change a major plot point in order to get back out again. "...a consistently entertaining read that delivers a genuinely original heroine and frequently hilarious satire." ~ Kirkus Reviews

Who would like this book? LITTLE WOMEN AND ME will appeal to adult fans of Little Women and girls ages 12 and up.

For more information visit http://laurenbaratzlogsted.com/

THE BLUE HOUSE DOG by Deborah Blumenthal

Love heals the heart is the message of this heartwarming picture book about a boy who saves a homeless dog and vice versa. Cody had his own dog once, but his painful loss is buried deeper than the feeding dish he hides away in his closet. All that changes when he comes upon a four-footed friend needier than he is -- a sad, lost dog from a mysterious blue house and both learn to trust and love again.

Based on a true story.

Who would like this book? Dog lovers of all ages.

For more information visit http://deborahblumenthal.com

MOTHERS AND OTHER LIARS by Amy Bourret

How far will a mother go to save her child? Ten years ago, Ruby Leander was a drifting nineteen-year-old who made a split-second decision at an Oklahoma rest stop. Fast forward nine years: Ruby and her daughter Lark live in New Mexico. Lark is a precocious, animal loving imp, and Ruby has built a family for them with a wonderful community of friends and her boyfriend of three years. Life is good. Until the day Ruby reads a magazine article about parents searching for an infant kidnapped by car-jackers. Then Ruby faces a choice no mother should have to make. A choice that will change both her and Lark's lives forever.

Who would like this book? Anyone, especially book clubs who like a good moral debate, will like this smart, haunting, and gorgeously written debut novel that propels a whip-smart plot that will keep you thinking.

For more information visit www.amybourret.com

A SUMMER IN EUROPE by Marilyn Brant

It’s not where you go, it’s what you take back with you… On her 30th birthday, Gwendolyn Reese receives an unexpected present from her widowed Aunt Bea: a grand European tour in the company of Bea's Sudoku-and-Mahjongg Club. Gwen initially approaches her first trip abroad as if it's the homework she assigns her students, diligently checking monuments off her must-see list. But amid the gorgeous bougainvillea of southern Italy, something changes. She begins to live in the moment—skipping down stone staircases in Capri, racing through the Louvre and taste-testing pastries, wine and gelato. Reveling in every new experience—especially her attraction to a charismatic British physics professor—Gwen discovers the ancient wonders around her are nothing compared to the renaissance unfolding within...

Who would like this book? Romantics and lovers of travel fiction who might enjoy a grand journey of self awakening amidst the classic architecture and stunning vistas of Europe.

For more information visit http://www.marilynbrant.com

CHILDREN OF THE WATERS by Carleen Brice

Still reeling from divorce, Trish Taylor is in the midst of salvaging the remnants of her life when she uncovers a shocking secret: her sister is alive. After years of drawing on the strength of her ancestors, Billie Cousins is shocked to discover that she was adopted. Though Trish longs to connect with her long-lost sister, Billie's feelings of betrayal are waters too deep to cross. But when both women are forced to confront their demons, they begin to realize that each may have what the other needs.

Who would like this book? This is a contemporary story between two women who discover they are sisters. Great for fans of smart, moving women's fiction. Women in interracial relationships or with mixed-race children will especially like it.

For more information visit www.carleenbrice.com

AN APPETITE FOR MURDER by Lucy Burdette

Aspiring food critic Hayley Snow follows the man of her dreams to Key
West, FL. Instead of landing the job of her dreams as a food critic,
she lands in the police blotter, the main suspect in her now-ex's new
girlfriend's murder.

Who would like this book? Fans of Diane Mott Davidson's cozy culinary
mysteries will enjoy this book.

For more information visit http://lucyburdette.com/buy-the-books/

SLIM TO NONE by Jenny Gardiner

Abbie Jennings is Manhattan's top food critic until her expanding waistline makes staying incognito at restaurants impossible. Her cover blown on Page Six of the New York Post, her editor has no choice but to bench her—and suggest she use the time off to bench-press her way back to anonymity. Abbie’s life has been built around her career, and therefore around celebrating food. Forced to drop the pounds if she wants her primo gig back, Abbie must peel back the layers of her past and confront the fears that have led to her current life.

Who would like this book? SLIM TO NONE is the perfect book for anyone who's ever gone on a diet (or believes they should).

For more information visit www.jennygardiner.net

MY JANE AUSTEN SUMMER by Cindy Jones

A young woman who has squeezed herself into undersized relationships all her life hopes to realize her dream of living in a novel when she is invited to participate in a Jane Austen literary festival in England. She jumps at the chance to reinvent herself, imagining escape into Austen’s fictional world where bookish women are heroines. There, in the rich, promising world of Mansfield Park, Lily finds people whose longing to live in a novel equals her own. But real-life problems have a way of following you wherever you go and unless Lily can change her ways, she will share the fate of so many of Jane Austen’s characters who repeat the same mistakes over and over again.

Who would like this book? MY JANE AUSTEN SUMMER is a fast-paced, romantic, and humorous book that will appeal to book lovers, especially those who can't get enough Jane Austen.

For more information visit www.cindysjones.com

ALL THE NUMBERS by Judy Merrill Larsen

An arresting, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful first novel. A recently divorced mother of two boys, Ellen Banks is just learning to make her way through the uncharted territory of single parenthood when the unthinkable happens. Determined to seek justice, and to mend the deep wounds in her family, Ellen must first heal herself, finding a way out of a grief that soon turns to defiance. This is an unforgettable journey of power and emotion, poignantly depicting a woman as she reckons with her own vulnerability and finds in the wisdom of motherhood, the redemptive grace to begin again.

Who would like this book? ALL THE NUMBERS is great for discussion so it's perfect for anyone in a book club or who just wants characters you'll argue with, worry about, and hope they make the right choices (and yes, I love connecting with book clubs!).

For more information visit http://www.judymerrilllarsen.com/

LITTLE BLACK DRESS by Susan McBride

Two sisters whose lives seemed forever intertwined are torn apart when a magical little black dress gives each one a glimpse of an unavoidable future.

Antonia Ashton has worked hard to build a thriving career and a committed relationship, but she realizes her life has gone off track. Forced to return home to Blue Hills when her mother, Evie, suffers a massive stroke, Toni finds the old Victorian where she grew up as crammed full of secrets as it is with clutter. Now she must put her mother’s house in order—and uncover long-buried truths about Evie and her aunt, Anna, who vanished fifty years earlier on the eve of her wedding. By shedding light on the past, Toni illuminates her own mistakes and learns the most unexpected things about love, magic, and a little black dress with the power to break hearts . . . and mend them.

Who would like this book? The story of the Little Black Dress weaves together bits of history, mystery, magic, and family, so I hope it appeals to readers who love women's fiction in the vein of Kate Morton and Sarah Addison Allen.

For more information visit http://SusanMcBride.com

THE OTHER LIFE by Ellen Meister

"A resonant story about the importance of mothers, both having one and being one ... making for a riveting tale of love and choices." - BookPage

Quinn Braverman has a perfect life, with a loving husband, an adorable son, and another baby on the way.

Quinn also has an ominous secret: she knows there's a portal to another life, one in which she made totally different life choices. But she's never been tempted to switch lives ... until a shocking turn of events pushes her to cross over, and she discovers the one person she thought she'd lost forever. Her mother.

But Quinn can't have both lives. Soon, she must decide which she really wants—the one she has ... or the other life.

Who would like this book? Anyone interested in the beautiful, heartbreaking and complicated relationships between mothers and daughters.

For more information visit ellenmeister.com

MOMFRIENDS by Ariella Papa

Momfriends is a story of three vastly different people who meet through motherhood and become friends through womanhood.

Ruth is almost at the end of her rope with her new baby when a knock on her door changes everything. Claudia's life is all about rules. Everything is going perfectly until a flirtation with colleague makes her throw out her rule book.

And Kirsten is an artist and a dreamer. What she discovers late one night confirms that her life is not everything she dreamed. Momfriends is about how people roll with lives they can’t control. And whether they choose to swim with the current or against it, it’s about the realization that everyone needs someone to throw out a life preserver once in a while.

Who would like this book? Momfriends makes the perfect gift for your best friend, the new mom in the neighborhood or the mom you'd like to invite over. It's an ebook so it's even easier to read and multi-task.

For more information visit ariellapapa.com

DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD by Saralee Rosenberg

In Mindy's yoga-obsessed, thirty-is-the-new-wife neighborhood, every day is a battle between Dunkin' Donuts, her jaws-of-life jeans, and Beth Diamond, the self-absorbed sancti-mommy next door who looks sixteen from the back. So much for sharing the chores, the stores, and the occasional mischief to rival Wisteria Lane.

It's another day, another dilemma until Beth's marriage becomes fodder on Facebook. Suddenly the Ivy League blonde needs to be “friended,” and Mindy is the last mom standing. Together they take on hormones and hunger, family feuds and fidelity, and a harrowing journey that spills the truth about an unplanned pregnancy and a seventy-year-old miracle that altered their fates forever.

Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead is a hilarious, stirring romp over fences and defenses that begs the question, what did you do to deserve living next door to a crazy woman? Sometimes it's worth finding out.

Who would like this book? DEAR NEIGHBOR, DROP DEAD is perfect for anyone who loves to discover friendship in surprising places ... while laughing out loud on every page.

For more information visit saraleerosenberg.com

MIMOSAS, MISCHIEF, AND MURDER by Sara Rosett

“Charm, Southern sass, and suspense abound in the sixth delightful cozy mystery.” –FreshFiction.com

Super-organized Ellie thinks she’s prepared for everything when she and her family set off for an extended visit with her southern in- laws in Alabama, but the one thing she hasn’t planned for is cold-blooded murder. When the patriarch of the family passes away under suspicious circumstances, the quirky Avery family closes ranks and Ellie can't help looking for motives among the mourners.

Publisher’s Weekly called it “winning” and described it this way: “A rumor of hidden money, secret letters from a famous recluse, a fire, a threatening message, and a crazed gunman add to the cozy mischief.”

Who would like this book? Fans of mysteries and southern fiction will enjoy Mimosas, Mischief, and Murder.

For more information visit http://sararosett.com

BEAUTIFUL DISASTER by Laura Spinella

As a college student in Athens, Georgia, Mia Wells meets Flynn, an enigmatic stranger who pushes every boundary she knows. Their relationship is intense, passionate and, for Mia, life-changing, making it all the more painful when he vanishes. After finding the wherewithal to move on with her life and pursue her goals, Mia eventually marries. Twelve years later, Flynn mysteriously resurfaces, gravely injured. Mia is terrified that he will die, awestruck at the prospect of his survival. Flynn’s return ignites a powerful tale, a story that is greater than honor or friendship or the passing of time. More than a romance, this 2011 Penguin release was recently named Best First Book in the NJRWA Golden Leaf contest.

Who would like this book? BEAUTIFUL DISASTER is women’s fiction with a heavy thread of romance, making it the perfect book for readers who like relationship fiction that includes a thought provoking love story.

For more information visit lauraspinella.net

LOVE IN TRANSLATION by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga

After receiving a puzzling phone call and a box full of mysteries, Celeste Duncan, 33, is off to Japan to search for a long, lost relative who could hold the key to the identity of the father she never knew. There she stumbles head first down the rabbit hole into a weird, wonderful world where nothing is quite as it seems.

Not knowing Japanese, Celeste finds a friend in her English-speaking homestay brother, Takuya, and comes to depend on him for help. As they cross the country following a trail after Celeste's family, she discovers she's developing "more-than-sisterly" feelings for him. But with a nosy homestay mother scheming to reunite Takuya with his old girlfriend, and her search growing dimmer, will Celeste find what she’s looking for in Japan?

Who would like this book? Love in Translation will appeal to armchair travelers who love a good love story!

For more information visit: http://www.WendyTokunaga.com

Most of the these books are available at your favorite bookstore. To buy online, visit the author's page for ordering links.

Happy Birthday, Jane Austen!

2011-12-16T01:00:00.005-06:00

Time for a giant party!! First of all, many thanks to Maria Grazia of My Jane Austen Book Club and Katherine Cox of November's Autumn for coming up with the idea of having a worldwide celebration in honor of Jane's 236th birthday! Every one of these sites below (mine included!) will be giving away a different gift to commenters on each blog's birthday post -- the winner for every individual blog to be randomly chosen on December 23rd. So feel free to stop by as many of these wonderful sites as you can over the next week. Commenters here will be entered in a drawing to win an According to Jane canvas tote bag and a pair of A Summer in Europe luggage tags!

The other thing we're all doing is sharing either a birthday gift or a birthday card/letter for Jane. Since anachronisms pose no problem with such a flight of fancy, cost isn't an issue, and realism is not at all required here, my gift to Jane is...2 first-class around-the-world plane tickets!

I know she will want companionship on this massive foreign adventure, so one ticket has her name on it and the second has her sister Cassandra's name. (If they should meet anyone interesting on their journey, well, who am I to stop them? But those handsome individuals will have to procure their own means of transportation!)

The thing is, I don't think Jane was really in need of travel to broaden her mind. She already had the gift of great intellect and imagination, and she saw a world of human nature in her little neighborhoods with "four and twenty families..." No. She was not in need of travel, but I do think she would have enjoyed it, especially if the means of circumnavigating the globe were clean and speedy, comfortable and without fear of illness. Long ship voyages would not have been for her, but even those she never would have been able to purchase for herself.

So, to me, if I could really give her that kind of painless and quick travel experience, I would. Although, I'll admit, I'd love to be able to meet her in London for tea upon her return and hear firsthand her impressions of the world.

What about you? If you could give Jane just one gift or send her a birthday wish...what might it be?

Take a peek at what some of the other Austen lovers are sharing with Jane today and offering as prizes on their blogs, and here's wishing you all a wonderful weekend -- even if it isn't your 236th birthday ;).

***
Katherine Cox ~ November's Autumn
$10 Barnes & Noble gift card
Maria Grazia ~ My Jane Austen Book Club
a selection of Austenesque novels
Marilyn Brant ~ Brant Flakes
According to Jane canvas tote bag & A Summer in Europe luggage tags
Karen Doorbebos ~ Fiction vs. Reality Smackdown
Definitely Not Mr. Darcy (2 copies), 2 Jane Austen candles, & drink coasters and tea
Regina Jeffers ~ Regina's Blog
Christmas at Pemberley
Alyssa Goodnight ~ Alyssa's Blog
Jane Austen Action Figure
Sharon Lathan ~ Sharon's blog
Miss Darcy Falls in Love
Abigail Reynolds ~ Pemberley Variations
Mr. Darcy's Undoing
C. Allyn Pierson ~ Semi True Stories
Mr. Darcy's Little Sister
Cindy Jones ~ First Draft
My Jane Austen Summer & package of Lily Berry's Pink Rose Tea by Bingley Teas
Vera Nazarian ~ Urban Girl Takes Vermont
Vera's Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration in hardcover
Jane Odiwe ~ Jane Austen Sequels
Mr. Darcy's Secret & a mug with a Jane Odiwe illustration
Susan Kaye, Laura Hile, Pamela Aidan, & Barbara Cornthwaite ~ Jane Started It!
Young Master Darcy: A Lesson in Honor by Pamela Aidan
set of Frederick Wentworth, Captain by Susan Kaye
Mercy's Embrace: So Rough a Course (2 copies) by Laura Hile
set of George Knightley, Gentleman by Barbara Cornthwaite
Juliet Archer ~ Choc Lit Authors' Corner
Persuade Me & The Importance of Being Emma
Jane Greensmith ~ Reading, Writing, Working, Playing
Intimations of Austen and Sense & Sensibility Marvel graphic novel
Emily Snyder ~ O! Beauty Unattempted
Letters of Love & Deception
Farida Mestek ~ Regency Sketches
I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend by Cora Harrison
vvb32 Reads
Jane Austen's Little Instruction Book (Charming Petites)
Jane Austen in Vermont
JASNA 2012 calendar from Wisconsin JASNA Region
Becky Rhodehouse ~ One Literature Nut
selection of Austenesque reads
Jennifer Becton ~ Historical Fiction & Thrillers
Personages of Pride and Prejudice Collection eBook
Courtney Webb ~ Stiletto Storytime
Noble Satyr by Lucinda Brant
Adriana Zardini ~ Jane Austen Brazil
Sense & Sensibility 1995 DVD - English with Portuguese subtitles
Patrice Sarath ~ Patrice Sarath blog
The Unexpected Miss Bennet
Kaitlin Saunders ~ Kaitlin Saunders blog
A Modern Day Persuasion
Laurel Ann Nattress ~ Austenprose
Jane Austen Made Me Do It
Prue Batten ~ Mesmered's Blog
Georgiana Darcy by Anne Elliot
Jenny Allworthy ~ The Jane Austen Film Club
Northanger Abbey 2007 DVD
Sitio Jane Austen ~ El Salon de Te de Jane
Spanish and English DVD package of Jane Austen adaptations
Erin Blakemore ~ The Heroine's Bookshelf
Pride & Prejudice notecards
Austen Authors
Georgette Heyer's Regency World by Jennifer Kloester
***

Winners and More Europe Love!

2011-12-11T15:40:00.001-06:00

Just did the drawing for the landmark ornaments and the winners are: LIZ V. and BRETT -- Congratulations!! If you could please email me with your street address, I'll get them sent out to you this week. (MarilynBrant AT Gmail DOT Com) Hope they'll look good on your tree!!

Also, today I'm at Great Thoughts blogging about "My Love of Europe." Coming up this week, I'll be visiting Get Lost in a Story on Monday (French Riviera!), Fly High on Wednesday (Pisa!) and being a part of an international Jane Austen Birthday Soiree on Friday (all over the web, so I'll have links posted here). And, hopefully, if all goes well, there will be an online giveaway through WGN Radio on their Facebook page this Tuesday, too -- so it's going to be an active week!

What's going on for all of you? Any special celebrations in the week ahead? Kids' holiday concerts? Parties?? Would love to hear about what's happening in your corner of the world ;).

It's Lovely Weather for a SLEIGH RIDE!

2011-12-08T07:37:00.018-06:00

As the weather turns colder up here in the chilly regions of northern Illinois and the snow is threatening to arrive soon, it may well be the perfect weather for a sleigh ride by this weekend. However, you don't have to wait...
Sleigh Ride: A Winter Anthology features seven wintry tales by seven women authors, a number of whom I'm delighted to call friends: Malena Lott, Maria Geraci, Maggie Marr, Samantha Wilde, Jenny Peterson, Dani Stone and Megan Barlog.

Called "well-written" and "moving," each short story includes a sleigh ride - some dramatic, some romantic and one futuristic adventure. Megan Barlog, who found out about the anthology online and entered her debut short, "The Escape," is a graduating senior at California State University. Some of the Sleigh Ride authors share their favorite holiday recipes at the back of the book. Here' s Megan's!

Grammy’s Monkey Bread by Megan Barlog

Ingredients:
2 cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grease an 8” round cake pan.
3. Separate biscuits and dip in butter.
4. Coat entire biscuit with mixture of sugar and cinnamon.
5. Place coated biscuit in pan. Repeat until you have placed 15 to 16 biscuits in pan. Biscuits should be around outer edge of pan and overlap to fill in center.
6. Pour rest of butter over top.
7. Sprinkle with nuts.
8. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

Oh, yum! This sounds delicious... Thank you, Megan!

Sleigh Ride is available in trade paperback at Amazon and BuzzBooksUSA.com and as an ebook. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the domestic violence prevention cause through the Alpha Chi Omega foundation. The anthology was edited by author Malena Lott (Dating da Vinci, Life's a Beach.)

I have my copy already, and I'm REALLY looking forward to getting to relax and read it leisurely, just as soon as my book/travel touring winds down a bit! Today, I'm not blogging about one specific city, but I do have the pleasure of visiting Great Thoughts and writing a little bit about travel as an author. I hope, after you check out Sleigh Ride, you'll make some monkey bread and join me ;).

Lake Como: A First Glimpse of Italy

2011-12-07T05:25:00.002-06:00

The first time I went to Lake Como, I was 19 -- a few years before I met my husband and a full five years before this photo above was taken. I'd been a part of a college dance group that first time, and we were representing the USA at a large folk dance festival in northern Italy. We entered the country from Switzerland, not stopping at any large cities or seeking out the well-known landmarks, and we stayed for a full week on the outskirts of Como. During the day, we were in parades and we hung out with the dancers and musicians from other countries -- talking, flirting, eating truly enormous quantities of gelato -- and during the night we danced.

It was great fun, but it was also a little difficult for me to be so very close to Venice, Florence and Rome and NOT see ANY of those cities on that first trip... I did, however, see the lovely city of Como. And I can tell you now, that alone was enough to ensure my desire to go back. Not only so I would be able to explore the rest of Italy, but specifically to return to the beauty of the Italian Lake District.

I knew exactly what I was going to do when I got back there again. I was going to relax in the sunshine and stroll along the floral walking paths. I was going to sit at a quaint cafe in the middle of town, scuffing my sandals at the uneven stone beneath my feet. I was going to admire the water sparkling in the daylight and imagine what it must be like to live in one of those pastel-colored hillside villas.

When I did return, however, it was with my new fiance -- a man who had a very different idea of "relaxing." We did stroll for a while along the paths. We did eat something at a cafe (I remember a rather delicious ravioli one night). And we did admire the the gorgeous lake. But my husband-to-be was a man of action, and he didn't really want to stay on the gentle walking path. So he talked me into going for a pedalo ride one afternoon on the lake -- peddling this little, reddish, floating contraption that required a bit more of a cardio workout than I'd been anticipating.

But that still wasn't enough activity for him.

No, we'd no sooner docked our pedalo boats when he started talking about seaplanes with the owner of one who was standing near the shore. Initially, I just thought it was a guy thing -- "Oh, look! Something with an engine! How fast does it go?" -- but I was wrong on that. My husband's father is a pilot. A former Thunderbird from WWII, in fact. His son didn't just want to TALK about the plane, he wanted to get in it. And he wanted me to get in it, too.

My attempts at resistance ("Um, isn't that kinda dangerous, honey? We don't know enough Italian to deal well with a medical emergency...") were pretty much ignored and, once I'd made it through lift off, I forgot my own hesitations. If I thought Lake Como looked beautiful from the ground, it looked simply gorgeous from the air.

These days, if I'm remembering the tabloid details correctly -- and if they're true, LOL -- George Clooney has a villa somewhere in the area. (We'll visit him next time.) But you don't have to be a handsome, multi-millionaire actor to feel like a celebrity walking (or flying) around this stunning lake. It just happens that you will.

~ . ~ . ~

I don't have to tell those of you here about my Virtual European Travel/Book Tour -- you know all about it ;). But I do have the itinerary updated and listed on the first page of my website. The French Riviera and Pisa will be next week (plus an Austen birthday celebration), with Vienna, Brussels and Paris coming up soon after.

And, finally, I was really delighted to be asked to contribute "five book suggestions for romantics" to the Goodreads December Newsletter. My recommendations are here and I'd LOVE your thoughts on them! In celebration of A Summer in Europe and my love of both Italy and England, I'm giving away two sets of holiday ornaments -- each pair contains a Big Ben and a Leaning Tower of Pisa ornament. If you leave a comment on either this post or the Goodreads one, you're entered to win a set. If you leave comments on both, you're entered twice!

Hugs and thanks for being so awesome...and wishing you all a happy start to December!! xox

Join Me for a Virtual Grand Tour of Europe!

2011-11-28T00:26:00.006-06:00

It's time! It's time! The release of A Summer in Europe (on Amazon, B&N and more) is just 24 hours away...

I can't believe the big week finally got here, but I've already begun celebrating. For this release, I'd hoped to give a bit of my heroine's exciting journey to all of you. I wanted to take you on a few of the highlights of Gwendolyn Reese's European tour. Some of you may have visited the sites I'm "traveling to" on this book blog tour, others not at all, but I hope you'll all enjoy the stops I'm making around the Blogosphere, talking about some of my favorite places across the Atlantic.

I have many of the tour dates already lined up, and I've just started the travel adventure:
Friday 11/25: Rome at Magical Musings
Monday 11/28: Pompeii at SOS Aloha
Tuesday 11/29: Isle of Capri at The Stiletto Gang
Wednesday 11/30: Venice at Girlfriends Book Club
Thursday 12/1: Budapest at Women's Fiction Writers
Friday 12/2: Florence at Writer Unboxed
Monday 12/5: London at Austen Authors
Tuesday 12/6: Salzburg at Robin Bielman's Blog
Wednesday 12/7: Lake Como at Brant Flakes (here!)
Plus, there will be other tour dates added later to include cities like Pisa, Vienna, Brussels and Paris, so I hope you'll be able to join me for a few of these.

Thanks so much to all of you for your support of me and your friendship. This day is only as much fun as it is because I have such wonderful people to share it with here and at home... Wishing you a week that is as thrilling as mine will be -- although I do wish you more sleep than I'll be getting!! -- and I'm sure you could all live without the case of nerves I have, too ;).

There is virtual Italian gelato, French pastries and Austrian sachertorte for every one of you, by the way. Let me know what other international delights I should have for my online book release party... What are you in the mood for this week? I'm open to suggestions -- and the more rich and decadent it is, the better!

Already Thankful...

2011-11-16T15:33:00.001-06:00

In less than two weeks, A Summer in Europe comes out...

This is always such a tremendously exciting and, simultaneously, anxiety-producing time. Finally, this novel that you'd worked on privately, that only a handful of critique partners, editors, friends and early reviewers have seen, will be in the hands of hundreds or thousands (or, in some authors' cases, millions) of readers. There's no way to be sure if a story you spent a year or more of your life writing and polishing will resonate with anyone beyond your small circle. If strangers will be charmed by your characters. If major book sites will select your story to review. If Spielberg will call requesting the movie rights or if Oprah will invite you on her show... (We all can dream, right? :)

But, I don't need huge news like that to want to celebrate or to find myself unbelievably grateful for the wonderful opportunities that have come my way. Today alone, three really good things happened in the book world for me, and I'm excited to get to share them here:

1. A terrific reviewer who's also a talented cook, Virginia Campbell, included a lovely review of my novel in her "Fabulous Food & Fantastic Fiction" post on Romance at Random! And you'll want to check out her Thanksgiving recipes while you're there -- they all sound delicious!!!

2. Leah Eggleston Krygowski, whom I've been fortunate to get to know over the past few years since she's now reviewed FOUR of my novels (!!), wrote a review of the book that I just loved (with an 8/10 rating, too...) and she just put it up on Chicklit Club!

3. And at Single Minded Women, the book is up as a "Red Hot Read" today, thanks to the awesomeness of Josie Brown, an editor at SMW and the author of many women's fiction novels, including Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives, which ABC bought last month - with Jerry Bruckheimer producing the series - omg!! (Read about it here!)

The kindness and generosity of all three of these wonderful women have made me want to say my Thanksgiving thank-yous a full week before the holiday... Add to that, I just heard some incredibly exciting news from a friend that has my heart bursting with joy for her. I'm grateful good things are happening out there. I hope there's even more good stuff happening where you are!

Austen & the Magic 8-Ball

2011-11-10T04:34:00.003-06:00

Today, I'm at Austen Authors talking about my obsession with the Magic 8-Ball and how that, in an odd way, relates to Pride and Prejudice. ('Cause I can relate almost ANYTHING to Austen. Just try me. ;)

And, because lovely reviews make me happy (and if I didn't post them here, where would I post them?), below are a few new ones:
Kristyn at Romantic Love Books (on Double Dipping)
Debbie at The Reading Frenzy and Julie at Jewel's Bookshelf & Reviews (both on A Summer in Europe)
And an interview with D.A. Kentner, too!

Also in day-brightening news, Debbie, who moderates the B&N General Fiction Book Club in addition to her own blog, invited me to be her guest on B&N in May 2012 when A Summer in Europe is their Featured Read of the Month. I'm SO excited about that already!!

Finally, who else has been hooked on ABC's "Once Upon a Time"??! I am LOVING this show, and I usually don't get sucked into a series so quickly. I'm finding the parallel story to be really fascinating and the fairy-tale characters to be compelling to watch -- both in the past and in the present. Any thoughts?

Happy Halloween!!

2011-10-31T14:56:00.001-05:00

(photo credit: AP/Robert F. Bukaty)

Just wanted to wish all of you a very HAPPY HALLOWEEEEEN!

It's traditionally quite a fun holiday in our neighborhood -- lots of excited costumed kids, lots of parents holding warm (frequently alcoholic) beverages, lots and lots of candy -- but I'm keeping my fingers crossed there won't be rain (or, heaven forbid, SNOW) tonight. Sending my thoughts to everyone out East who got buried by the surprise blizzard and is without power. Hope it gets resolved quickly!

Personally, I don't actually remember seeing snow in October before -- not even when I lived in Wisconsin. A dusting, perhaps, at most, but not these outage-creating storms. Even with our relatively mild temps here, I still can't help but wish for a few Indian Summer days... Winter, it always comes upon us so fast.

Anyone have any party plans? My Friday Mornings at Nine characters are going to a wild event (as they do every year on Halloween, LOL), but I will just be staying home, passing out Tootsie Pops and Milky Way miniatures. If you're in the neighborhood, stop by and say, "Trick-or-Treat"!

Travel Delights

2011-10-28T06:06:00.001-05:00

While I didn't get back from a trip to Europe this week (lovely Portland, Oregon, yes; Paris, France, no...), my good friend Brett recently returned from the City of Light and just look at the luggage tags he and his traveling companions put on their suitcases!! LOVE IT! (I'll be giving more luggage tags away on my November Fresh Fiction contest, btw, so if you're interested... ;)

Speaking of travel, I had a wonderful time at the women's fiction writing retreat on Mt. Hood. We did a lot of work (she said, crossing her fingers behind her back), and we also ate some delicious things (no finger-crossing needed on that one!), including these "Voodoo" donuts that I'd heard about and always wanted to try: Maple Bacon Bars. SO. GOOD. Take a peek at what they looked like inside the pretty pink box!

I was with fellow authors (L to R) Erika Robuck, Sarah McCoy, Jael McHenry, Sarah R. Callender (kneeling in front), Therese Walsh, Kristina McMorris, (me), Margaret Dilloway and Julie Kibler. Here we are taking over Trader Joe's:

We needed to pick up a few bottles of wine... Having a glass or three helps, um, with plotting. No, really.

In the blogging world, I'm traveling today, too, and will be at Magical Musings talking about trusting your intuition. Hope you'll join me!! Have a wonderful weekend!

And the winner is...

2011-10-19T13:19:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Christy Hayes!! The random drawing has just been completed and you were the winner of Jennifer Becton's wonderfully fun novel, Absolute Liability! I'll get you two connected so Jennifer can send you the copy of the book. I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I did!

As for news here, A Summer in Europe just got another really lovely review, this time a 4-star one from Romantic Times. They wrote: "Brant’s charming and engaging tale will allow readers to immerse themselves in the magic and beauty of Europe along with the characters. Although the descriptions of the scenery are amazing, the development of the characters and their unique personalities are what really make this novel shine. What an enjoyable escape!"

Happy sigh ;).

And, if I seem a bit frenzied, it's because I'm headed out of town for the next few days -- just me and some awesome women's fiction writers. I'm really looking forward to it. Only problem is that I need to stop leaving my packing until the VERY LAST minute!!! Tons yet to do today...

So, a question, when you take a trip, are you a minimalist when it comes to your baggage or do you have a tendency to overpack (like, um, I do)?!

Liespotting

2011-10-15T12:21:00.000-05:00

I just saw this TED video this morning and wanted to share it. Author Pamela Meyer, who wrote the book Liespotting, makes some fascinating points about recognizing lies. I watched the show "Lie to Me" with interest when it was on (loving the premise, not always liking the secondary characters) and I've been intrigued with Patrick Jane's character on "The Mentalist" for several seasons now. But, the science behind these shows was what drew me in the most, and I hoped this video might be as compelling to some of you as it was to me. Hope you'll all having a great weekend -- and that's the truth!

Jennifer Becton's Absolute Liability (+ giveaway!)

2011-10-13T00:36:00.001-05:00

I'm thrilled to have my friend Jennifer Becton here today to talk about her wonderful ebook, Absolute Liability, which is the first of the Southern Fraud thriller series. The story has done fabulously well online. Selling for just $0.99, it's garnered an enthusiastic audience of comedic thriller readers that's kept it in the Kindle Top 100 for months! She's sold over 35,000 copies of that book alone since its release this summer, as well as several thousand more of her other novels. Recently, she just released her lastest Austen-esque novel, too, Caroline Bingley.

Welcome, Jennifer!
Thank you, Marilyn, for the chance to visit your blog. You asked great questions, and I had fun answering them!

Can you tell us the premise of your latest book, Absolute Liability, and a bit more about the series and the novels that follow it?
At the beginning of Absolute Liability, Julia Jackson, a fraud investigator for the state of Georgia, is on a coffee run when she hears on the radio that she has been abducted. She soon realizes that an innocent woman was mistakenly kidnapped in her place, and with the help of former-flame Tripp Carver, who is now a detective with violent crimes unit, and Mark Vincent, her new partner, she must find justice for the woman taken in her place.

Absolute Liability is the first in the Southern Fraud series, and it introduces Julia’s sister Tricia whose teenage rape destroyed their family and set the course of Julia’s law enforcement career. The official rape case has gone cold, but Julia has managed through less-than-legal means to procure a copy of the police report and bits of physical evidence, and she has been conducting her own personal investigation over the intervening years. Throughout the rest of series, Julia must identify her sister’s attacker and bring him to justice.

Death Benefits, book 2, will be out in January 2012.

Do you have a Writer Fantasy--i.e., to see your book make into a feature film, to be on the New York Times bestseller list for 40 consecutive weeks, etc.?
Even though I later read a great deal of mystery novels, I originally became interested in them by watching TV with my father. I loved them all: The Rockford Files, Remington Steele, Murder She Wrote, Father Dowling, Columbo, you name it. So I’ve always wanted to write a TV episode. I don’t think that’s going to happen, especially because I don’t live in Hollywood. But I fantasize about writing one episode or even seeing one of my books become the basis for a series. It would be amazing to see Mark Vincent and Julia Jackson come to life.

Did you go on any special research trips?
Writing the Southern Fraud series involved a great deal of research into the law enforcement and military world. Not only did I consult with experts—police officers, scientists, and a Marine—but I was also fortunate enough to visit my state’s crime lab, which, by the way, looks nothing like a CSI set. It’s more like your average high school chemistry lab with some expensive machines mixed in. I met and spoke with experts in fingerprint analysis, ballistics, DNA, chemical testing, questioned documents, and crime scene investigation. In September, I got to attend a Writer’s Police Academy, where I took classes in arson, self-defense, handcuffing and arrest techniques, and even snipercraft.

Do you pay attention to reviews? If so, has there been any particular review that made your heart do a little dance? I do pay attention to reviews. I want to know that my books are resonating with those who read them, and I want to read all valid criticism so that I can improve as a writer. My favorite review ever was on my first novel Charlotte Collins: A Continuation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, which was released in September 2010. A bit of backstory: I own a horse, which I board at a working cattle farm. I’m talking real-deal cowboys here: hats, boots, jeans, roping, cattle driving, everything. I had mentioned my P&P sequel to one of the cowboys, and he actually bought a copy of it. I thought he was just being nice to a newbie writer, but he read it! What could a cowboy possibly say positive about a historical romance? He said, “It was better than I expected.” And that made my day.

Can you tell us a little about your Austen-related novels?
I have published two Austen related novels—Charlotte Collins and Caroline Bingley—and one short story—“Maria Lucas.” I’m a bit of an oddball in the Austen world. I love her minor characters, and my sequels focus on them, not Elizabeth and Darcy. I always wanted to know if Charlotte stayed married to the odious Mr. Collins and wondered why Caroline Bingley, whose brother was so open and sweet, was so sour. Did these women ever have a chance at true love? I knew Elizabeth and Darcy lived happily ever after, but I wondered about those other characters. What happened to them? So I wrote their continuing stories in the Personages of Pride & Prejudice Collection, which is available in one ebook or as individual novels.

Connect with Jennifer Online:
Blog: http://www.bectonliterary.com
Southern Fraud website: http://www.jwbecton.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JenniferBecton

Jennifer’s Books are available at:
Amazon
B&N
And wherever ebooks are sold.

Thanks so much for visiting, Jennifer! One random commenter on today's post will win an ebook copy (in his/her choice of format) for Absolute Liability. Winner to be selected next Wednesday, October 19th. Good luck!

Versatile Blogging

2011-10-08T00:02:00.002-05:00

Many thanks to lovely writers Jill Thomas and Brittany Roshelle for both bestowing the honor of this blog award on me -- it's most appreciated! In accordance with the rules, here are 7 things about me that you may not know:

1. Autumn is my very favorite season.

2. No matter how carefully I chew popcorn, it always gets stuck between my teeth and it drives me crazy. I have to floss right away.

3. I really wanted to visit Yugoslavia when I was in Europe, but it's a country I didn't get to see because of the war going on there at the time.

4. My husband and son understand the humor of "The Three Stooges," but I don't really get it. They laugh at me a lot because of this.

5. I don't enjoy board games and avoid playing them at all costs.

6. When I was in school, I studied a bunch of different foreign languages (French, Spanish, Italian, Russian and a few more), but -- except for French -- I only took them for a semester or two each, so I only know how to ask things like, "Where is the train station?" and "Do you have chocolate here?" (You know, the important questions...)

7. All of you probably know this one about me because I was so happy when I first read it that I already FB'ed and Tweeted it everywhere (*grin*), but my first official book review for A Summer in Europe was from Publishers Weekly. Just in case you missed it, they wrote: "Brant’s newest...distinguishes itself with a charismatic leading man and very funny supporting cast, especially the wonderful elderly characters with their resonant message about living life to the fullest." I celebrated with ice cream and a little jig around my office, LOL.

I'm sharing this blog award with all of you reading this. If you have time and would like to write 7 things about yourselves, I would most certainly love to read them!!

And, on the subject of versatile blogging, I'm going to be in 2 places on Monday: Austen Authors (talking about reviewers) and the Girlfriends Book Club (talking about why, exactly, we write). Hope you'll stop by. Happy Columbus Day Weekend!!

Another Bad-Dog Book

2011-10-04T15:30:00.001-05:00

Virtual confetti today to my friend Joni B. Cole on the release of her fabulous and funny collection of essays, Another Bad-Dog Book: Tales of Life, Love, and Neurotic Human Behavior (Publishing Works).

About the book, Publishers Weekly wrote: "Despite its title, this collection of personal essays from Cole (Toxic Feedback) is not a dog book, and only the title essay concerns the author's Chihuahua mix. Instead, this is a person book, and its scope is personal, for better or worse. Cole shares her most private thoughts: her worries that her husband is not her "best friend"; her obsession with her previous book's Amazon.com rankings; her shock, after friend-ing her high school crush on Facebook, only to discover that he is an aggressive poster of right-wing rants... Nevertheless, by the end of this friendly, honest book, the reader will feel much affection for Cole, her little brood, and her bad dog."

Congrats, Joni!!!

I've had the pleasure of reading it early, and it's such funny, delightful and honest collection. Hope you'll pick it up ;).

Double Blogging: Blake Snyder & Magical Musings

2011-09-30T11:22:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday, everyone! I'm at two places today: Blake Snyder's blog, talking about creativity and living on the edge between the digital and print age. I'm also at Magical Musings, talking about cooking lessons/writing lessons gleaned from Top Chef finalist Fabio Viviani last weekend (ohhh, such a charming guy!), so please stop by.

Also, some good news to share: the book club rights to A Summer in Europe just sold to the Literary Guild, Rhapsody Book Club and BOMC2 this week. So thrilled about that!

May you all have a fantastic weekend and a happy beginning of October!!

Romantic Love Books

2011-09-27T08:54:00.001-05:00

Today, I have the pleasure of being a guest on Kristyn's blog, Romantic Love Books, for a Q&A about my romantic comedies. And, to brighten my day further, RLB's grade for On Any Given Sundae is an "A" with an accompanying review that I just love and have already printed out for my keeper folder ;).

Kristyn review begins: "Marilyn Brant’s On Any Given Sundae is sweet, sexy, and super fun. I loved the story line, I loved the characters, and I loved the setting."

Hug!

Even though it's pouring outside and I have an un-fun doctor's appointment scheduled for this morning, the day is off to a great start. Thanks, Kristyn... Hope you all have a wonderful day, too!

Skidding in Sideways

2011-09-26T10:30:00.001-05:00

I'm excited to visit Jennifer Becton's blog, Skidding in Sideways, today! Yes, yes, yes, the topic is ice cream (I'm an addict ;), but the focus of this post is on the naming of unusual flavors, so I'd love to hear yours! Plus...there's a giveaway... I'll also be at Romantic Love Books, Magical Musings and Blake Snyder's Save the Cat blog this week (I should be burning calories from all this running around, LOL). I had a really fun weekend and will have pictures/stories to share as the week goes on. Hope yours is off to a great start.

Also, for those of you familiar with kiddie holidays, today is Johnny Appleseed Day! (Yeah, I was elementary school teacher, why do you ask?) Because my heroine in Double Dipping teaches 2nd grade, I thought you might enjoy a short excerpt from the book that involves this particular holiday. Hope you'll like it!

Johnny Appleseed Day was on her heels. Although no special all-school event was scheduled to commemorate the notable September twenty-sixth birth date of John Chapman, eighteenth century apple-tree planter extraordinaire, Cait still needed to get things ready for her class. She jotted down a list of possible apple activities for tomorrow:

*counting the number of seeds and graphing the results
*tasting the differences between apple types and rating them
*measuring their heights and circumferences in centimeters
*slicing apples widthwise so the “star” is visible and dipping them in tempera paint to create apple-star patterns on paper
*sticking toothpicks with raisins and marshmallows on them into the apples to make Scary Fruit Monsters
*coring them, adding a cinnamon-sugar filling, then baking

Since making Scary Fruit Monsters topped her personal favorite list, Cait circled the asterisk by it but soon found herself doodling on the edge of her paper. She deserved a moment of laziness this week. She needed it. It was imperative for her mental health to take time away from serious school tasks and worrying about Mom to...to...draw the perfect depiction of an enormous marshmallow-mouthed Macintosh with beady raisin eyes who, if given the opportunity, would plan a hostile takeover of Milwaukee.

She tilted her head to consider its proportions on the page. Goodness, the thing kind of looked like their principal, Ronald Jaspers.

“Nice piece of artwork you got there,” Garrett said, balancing a heavy-looking box on his shoulder. He'd entered the room so stealthily she didn't see him until he spoke.

She covered up her drawing with the first folder she could grab and leaped from her desk. “Umm, hi. What's in the box?”

“C'mon and see,” he said, setting the mass of cardboard down on one kid's desk and motioning her over...

For the Love of Comedy

2011-09-21T05:05:00.002-05:00

I'm over at Austen Authors today talking about comedy, particularly in Pride and Prejudice (I'm sure my choice of novel shocks you ;). I'm also hosting a giveaway there with PDF copies of On Any Given Sundae and Double Dipping up for grabs, so you know you're all most welcome to stop by.

And, relating to something I'll tell you about later (my mom gave me a fun present but I'm going to blog about it next week), check out this delicious recipe by Top Chef Fabio Viviani: Nutella Biscuits with great pictures on Ciao Florentina's blog. YUM!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!!

Double Dipping -- New Review!

2011-09-19T22:58:00.003-05:00

Just a pop in to say hello! It's been busy here, and I'll be visiting a couple of other sites this week -- Austen Authors and Blake Snyder's Save the Cat blog (direct links coming Wednesday and Friday, respectively **ETA: Small schedule change at Blake's blog -- I'll be there NEXT Friday, 9/30!**) -- as well as three (**Now FOUR!**) sites next week -- Jennifer Becton's blog, Romantic Love Books and Magical Musings!! I feel as though I'm zipping around the blogosphere like the Jetsons in their little spaceship, LOL.

But I was delightfully surprised with a lovely review by Candy Morton on her "So Little Time" book review blog, that I just had to take a moment to share it! It's for Double Dipping, and my favorite part was this section: "It was fantastic! It had me laughing and on occasion crying, I love it when a story does that to me. I didn’t want to put it down!" Thanks so much, Candy -- what a wonderful way to start the week ;).

Here's hoping this post finds you all well as we get ready to delve into autumn. Bring on the warm apple cider and the pumpkin spice muffins!

ENTANGLED is Out Now!

2011-09-11T19:47:00.002-05:00

I've been long awaiting the release of this anthology! Aside from having a gorgeous cover, it contains short stories by so many of my favorite writers, and all the proceeds from its sale will go to an excellent cause. Take a look:

Ghosts, vampires, demons, and more! Entangled includes ten suspense-filled paranormal short stories from authors Cynthia Eden, Jennifer Estep, Edie Ramer, Lori Brighton, Michelle Diener, Misty Evans, Nancy Haddock, Liz Kreger, Dale Mayer, and Michelle Miles, plus a Seven Deadly Sins novella by Allison Brennan.

Stacia Kane contributed the foreword. Formatting and cover art were also donated to the project by Lori Devoti and Laura Morrigan.

All proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

The stories include:
HALLOWEEN FROST by USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Estep (author of the Mythos Academy, Elemental Assassin, and Bigtime series) — It’s Halloween at Mythos Academy, but Gwen Frost and her friends are in for more tricks than treats when they run into a mythological monster intent on killing them.

THE FAT CAT by Edie Ramer (author of Cattitude, Galaxy Girls) — In a battle for the souls of seven women, a wizard has the god of war on his side; all the witch has is a fat, black cat.

MEDIUM RARE by Nancy Haddock (author of the Oldest City Vampire trilogy) —What’s spooking the spirits of St. Augustine? As the witching hour of Halloween approaches, ghost seer Colleen Cotton must team with a by-the-book paranormal investigator to locate the one ghost who can save the city’s specters. If she fails, her own great grandfather’s spirit may be lost forever.

SWEET DEMON by Misty Evans (author of the Witches Anonymous series) —When Chicago’s vampire king insists Kali Sweet join his empire, the vengeance demon must rely on her ex – the half-human, half-chaos demon who left her at the altar three hundred years ago – in order to escape the vamp’s clutches.

SIAN’S SOLUTION by Dale Mayer (author of the Psychic Visions series) — When a vampire discovers the human man she loves has been captured and hung in a blood farm, she goes against her own kind and risks everything to save him.

A BIT OF BITE by Cynthia Eden (author of NEVER CRY WOLF and ANGEL OF DARKNESS) — A killer is stalking the streets of Crossroads, Mississippi, and it’s up to Sheriff Ava Dushaine to stop him. But when suspicion falls on werewolf alpha Julian Kasey—Ava’s ex-lover and the man who still haunts her dreams—Ava knows that she’ll either have to prove his innocence…or watch the whole town go up in flames.

SINFULLY SWEET by Michelle Miles (author of the Coffee House series) — When Chloe bakes a little magic into her pastries, she attracts the attention of Edward, the sexy half-demon, half-witch, who’s come to warn her those who murdered her sister are now after her.

A NIGHT OF FOREVER by Lori Brighton (author of A Night of Secrets and To Seduce an Earl) — Who is Aidan Callaghan? Mary Ellen James is intent on uncovering the truth about the mysterious man, but as she soon finds out, some things are best left buried in the past.

FEEL THE MAGIC by Liz Kreger (author of the Part of Tomorrow series) — Jenna Carmichael’s magical attempt to rectify Jessica Manfield’s birth identity takes an unexpected turn when the past comes back to haunt her.

BREAKING OUT by Michelle Diener (author of the Tudor-set historical suspense novel In A Treacherous Court) — Imprisoned in a secret facility, powerful telekinetic Kelli Barrack and two other ‘special’ inmates grab a chance to escape, only to confront their worst nightmares on the outside.

GHOSTLY JUSTICE, an all-new Seven Deadly Sins novella by New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan (author of the Seven Deadly Sins series) — Demon hunters Moira O’Donnell and Rafe Cooper are dragged into the dangerous world of nocturnal predators to find “Ghostly Justice” for a virgin sacrificed to an ancient blood demon.

Entangled is now available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com, as well as at Smashwords.com and Allromanceebooks.com.

HAPPY RELEASE WEEK!!!!

Austen Authors 1-Year Celebration!

2011-09-04T22:42:00.000-05:00

The awesome group of Austen lovers known collectively as Austen Authors is having a big one-year birthday celebration!! For the week ahead, there will be extra giveaways and blogs, so please stop by and join us for the party ;).

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

Congrats to Susan McBride!

2011-09-01T06:26:00.000-05:00

Hi, Everyone!

For the next two days, I'll be posting over at Magical Musings. Today, September 1st, we're celebrating the release of Susan McBride's awesome new women's fiction book, Little Black Dress, a novel about which NYT bestseller Sarah Addison Allen said: "Written with touching insight into family relationships and what we call home, Little Black Dress is a lovely and entertaining journey into the magical side of things. I bet you'll never look at your closet the same way again."

YAY, Susan!! I hope everyone will join us for the Q&A and the book giveaway!

And tomorrow, Friday, September 2nd, it's my day to post on the blog, and I'll be doing a Magical Musings release party for Double Dipping, so if you're able to visit for that, too, I'd love to see you there.

Wishing everyone in the States a long and relaxing Labor Day Weekend, and here's hoping everybody has a fabulous start to September!

DOUBLE DIPPING's Release Day!

2011-08-30T12:02:00.002-05:00

Yippee!! Double Dipping is officially out today! For those interested, it's the story of opposites colliding when a dedicated second-grade teacher fights the school’s new financial director to reinstate a much-beloved autumn festival. But there are secrets, ambition, attraction and meddling family members complicating matters in this small Midwestern town. Part light mystery, part romantic comedy and entirely packed with delectable sweets, including a step-by-step recipe for making homemade chocolate-cherry ice cream -- hey, I take my book research seriously -- it's available now on Amazon, B&N and Smashwords for just $2.99! (And there's a full Chapter One excerpt here.)

End of commercial -- I do hope that anyone who reads my latest digital romance will enjoy it, though. This story went through a gazillion revisions over the years and was originally critiqued by my wonderful writing friends, Simone Elkeles, Jennifer Stevenson and Sara Daniel (as well as most of the Chicago-North RWA chapter ;), and I am infinitely grateful for their help.

In other news, I just found out that On Any Given Sundae was recommended as a Hot Pick in Self-Publishing in the October issue of Romantic Times BOOKreviews!! Thanks, RT! Looking forward to seeing it in print when my copy of the magazine arrives this week.

Oh! FYI, there is a Goodreads giveaway going on for A Summer in Europe. Ten readers will get an autographed ARC, so please sign up and spread the word.

And, in completely unrelated news, I went to see the film "The Help" this weekend (along with millions of other people), and I thought it was tremendously well done. Who else has read the novel? Anyone else go to the movie? And is it wrong that I now have a serious crush on actor Chris Lowell??! He makes me wish I were 25 and from Atlanta...sigh.

Would love to hear what's going on with all of you! Wishing you a great week.

Austen Characters, Goodreads Giveaways & Summertime 'Magic'

2011-08-19T06:03:00.003-05:00

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Just a heads up that I'm over at Austen Authors today talking about "Austen Character Encounters" (aka, meeting people in real life who resemble in manners or appearance a character that populates one of Jane's novels). I'll confess to having met a modern-day Mr. Collins or two...

Also, there's a Goodreads giveaway for U.S. residents that just began this week. Winners will get one of ten autographed advanced reading copies of A Summer in Europe. If you're interested, you can enter here!

Finally, just because school's starting next week (YAY!!!), it doesn't mean summer's really over. I had the first line from this song running through my head all day yesterday so, perhaps, a little 1984 "Magic" from The Cars is in order:

Ahhh, the Eighties... That's what turns me upside down. I'm in the mood to get just a bit nostalgic this weekend and will probably have a YouTube video marathon tonight. I want to see John Waite sing "Restless Heart" and "Change." I could use a Huey Lewis and the News boost, too. And Journey. And Asia. And REO Speedwagon. And Bon Jovi, of course. (But I listen to them even when I'm not feeling nostalgic. ;) What were some of your favorite '80s tunes? What's a song I should definitely cue up this evening??

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Double Book Giveaway & a GBC Visit

2011-08-14T20:58:00.003-05:00

Just got back tonight from an out-of-town family event and now have up my blog post at the Girlfriends Book Club on the subject of "Questioning Our Relevance: Fear, Change & the Digital Revolution" (which does, in fact, involve egg rolls, though only tangentially ;).

FYI: I'm hosting a double book giveaway there for commenters, so please stop by. I'm giving out one PDF copy of On Any Given Sundae and, because they just arrived (!!!!), one bound advanced reading copy of A Summer in Europe. Drawing will be Monday night, August 15th, just before midnight.

Wishing everyone a wonderful week ahead!

Creating Celebrations/Giveaway!

2011-08-05T09:25:00.003-05:00

Happy Friday!

I'm over at Magical Musings today, taking about creating our own celebrations, and I'm giving away some prizes, too, so please stop by!

On a sad note, I was just reminded that it's been two years since we lost Blake Snyder...sigh. His Save the Cat series and story-structure beatsheets have helped me so much over the years -- I'm indebted to him for his insights. Thankfully, his work lives on at his website. And, for anyone interested in writing-craft posts on the subject, I've written two of them: one on Seekerville and the other on Blake's blog.

Wishing you all a fun and relaxing weekend!!

Celebrating Joan Reeve's Romeo and Judy Anne

2011-08-02T06:26:00.003-05:00

[Book Two in Joan's "Texas One Night Stands" Series]

**Quick Announcement: Congrats to Pamala Knight -- you won the copy of Michelle Diener's In a Treacherous Court! I'll contact you for mailing details.**

I'm delighted to have the kind and talented Joan Reeves here today to celebrate the release of her newest ebook, Romeo and Judy Anne!! Joan is an awe-inspiring wonder in the indie pub world. In just 4 months, she's sold over 91,000 ebooks on Kindle alone, which is nothing short of phenomenal! She also runs a fabulous blog, Sling Words, and offers really helpful advice on navigating self-publishing, along with other fun posts and great reviews.

Welcome, Joan!

Can you tell us about your latest book?
Romeo and Judy Anne was the result of being asked to write a book with an obvious sexual premise by an editor who liked my writing. I don't think along sexual premise lines though, more's the pity. I think along the line of a character having a compelling reason to do something she ordinarily wouldn't do, and if what she does is sexual then the reason is never because she's seeking sexual gratification. So for this romance, the premise became an over-the-hill virgin tries to get a life because she feels life passed her by due to circumstances beyond her control, and she picks a man she thinks she'll never see again to inititate her into that life. Of course, as Burns noted, "The best laid plans of mice and men often gang astray." With my romance novels, that's especially true.

What's one scene from this story you loved writing and why?
My favorite scene to write is one I can't describe because it's a plot spoiler. Actually, I loved writing this book in its entirety. It was just a lot of fun. The "meet cute" between the hero's brother and the heroine's best friend tickled my funny bone because, if the series proves successful, these two will star in another book in this series.

What were the things that led you to indie-pub your recent novels?
To be honest, it's because I became so frustrated with big publishing. I just couldn't seem to hit the agents and editors with the right story. I was told so many times that my writing was wonderful but my stories didn't possess strong marketing hooks. I did a lot of spec writing as was the case with Romeo and Judy Anne. By the time I finished that manuscript and got it to the editor, she'd left! The new editor didn't want it. If you've been in this business for longer than a nano second, then you know that's usually the case. I began to feel like the round peg in a square hold--I just didn't fit.

So when I bought my Kindle last year, I immediately loved the convenience and ease of buying books. So many of my favorite authors had ebook editions available, and I discovered new authors to try because the prices were so low! I started reading more than I had in years, and I loved it. I also started researching the indie book scene and saw that you didn't have to get past editors or agents. You only had to appeal to readers. I always believed in the manuscripts that I wrote, and now I had a way to test my belief. And I had a backlist and a great inventory of romance novels just waiting to find an audience.

What's one piece of writing advice you've found valuable on your writing journey?
Believe in yourself. Some writers find early success. Some, like me, find a bit of success then just can't leap over the rungs of the ladder to the next step. To keep writing when you have no validation that what you are writing will ever be read requires gut-level belief in yourself. Belief that you're a good writer. The reason I said read, not sold, is because writers aren't just looking for a few bucks. Sure, the money is nice, but what we want is an audience for our words. We're looking for readers to appreciate our work. I'm sure some wise pundit first said this, but I don't know who that might have been. "Writing without publishing is like acting without applause." That's why we seek publication.

[Book One in Joan's "Texas One Night Stands" Series]

Do you pay attention to reviews? If so, has there been any particular review that made your heart do a little dance?
I try hard not to read reviews. If you emotionally invest in the good ones, then you also end up emotionally invested in the bad ones too. Some of the bad ones are soul crushers. I don't have that many reviews, and they seem to reflect the opposite ends of the spectrum. Readers either adore my books or hate them. *LOL* The ones who adore send me emails telling me that "this is the best book I've ever read." I'd be lying if I said that didn't put a smile on my face. I get a lot of those kinds of emails since I started putting a reader email address in my books.

Funny, but the people who post reviews online seem to really like to post negative reviews. The discerning people who email me don't usually post reviews, but I always ask them too.

I've been on readers forums where readers say they won't buy a book that has 5 stars because they figure the review was posted by a friend of the author. Well, I write a lot of reviews and give 5 stars when it's warranted so does that mean I've kept someone from buying other writers' books? Also, I've read too many reviews where the person wrote "I hate romance, and this is romance and I only got it because it was free and it sucks." Seriously? Don't get a book just because it's free if you don't like that genre. Authors make their living by writing, and bad ratings affect an authors' income. Please be fair.

When I got my first bad review for an ebook, I was so embarrassed. Every author I know feels this way. One thing you have to learn in this fishbowl of ebook publishing is to expect bad reviews. Learn from them if there's something to be learned then move on down the road. I spent hours reading other reviews posted on the ebook bestselling authors' books. Oh my! That will certainly put things in perspective. There were so many of those "worst book I ever read" and "if I could give less than 1 star I would" and "not worth even the free giveaway." So, I figured I was in good company.

[Author Joan Reeves]

What’s next for you? Is there a new book in the pipeline?
I had hoped to be finished this month with Old Enough To Know Better, the first book in my new novella series The Good, The Bad, and The Girly. However, my daughter came home from grad school, and her fiance proposed. She goes back to grad school for the next semester this weekend. I had to drop everything and plan a wedding this week. She and her fiance want to marry next spring break, and that's less than a year away so we had to get busy. So instead of writing about a romance, I'm helping the happy couple with their real one.

Actually, I created a business plan that calls for the publication of 12 ebooks this year. I now have 5 published and am working to make the other 7 happen. Of those 7, some will be books in the series I have out and others will be single title stand-alones. I'm doing something special for the holidays with a Christmas setting for one romance and the release of Stone Angel, a book that can only be described as a romantic thriller with a reincarnation theme.

Oh, I also want to mention Hot Toddy Sizzlers, a companion book to my little brainstorm Summer Sizzlers which my 2 best writing buddies Elaine Raco Chase and Cynthia Wicklund and I produced. Summer Sizzlers is now free on Amazon. It's a book of novel excerpts--15 to be exact. Hot Toddy Sizzlers will be another book of excerpts from different novels we've written as well as hot beverage and snack recipes for the holidays.

It's a good thing I planned to produce so many this year because I have a feeling I won't have much writing time from the holidays through the spring wedding. Wish me luck!

Thank you, Marilyn, for having me.

Joan, it was an absolute pleasure to have you! Thanks so much for visiting and for sharing your wise advice with us, too. Wishing you much success on Romeo and Judy Anne, as well as on all your great stories coming up and your daughter's wedding, too!!

Michelle Diener's In a Treacherous Court

2011-07-28T06:00:00.012-05:00

This is a day I have been long awaiting! It's my great pleasure to welcome my friend, RWA-WF pal and Magical Musings sister, Michelle Diener, to Brant Flakes to celebrate the release of her fantastic debut novel, In a Treacherous Court (Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster, August 2, 2011)!! I was thrilled, thrilled, thrilled to get an early copy in NYC, and I read it madly from start to finish this week. It's richly written, historically fascinating and has characters so compelling it made even my hours of waiting for jury duty service (a long story for another time...) speed by.

Welcome, Michelle! I'm so glad to have you here ;).

Can you tell us the basic premise of your new book?

I'd love to! It is the story of a woman, Susanna Horenbout, an artist from Ghent (which is in modern-day Belgium, although at the time was in what was known as the Low Countries) who is sent by her father, Gerard Horenbout, one of the most highly regarded illuminators and artists of his time, to work at the court of Henry VIII. And while she is on her journey to get there, she sees and hears something that, if correctly interpreted, could ruin the plans of someone plotting against Henry. So I throw her into incredible danger, and lucky for her, the man who's reluctantly agreed to meet her at Dover and escort her back to London because he's there anyway on business for the King, John Parker, is just the sort of ruthless, hard-edged and intelligent courtier you'd want to have around when someone is trying to kill you. The delightful part of this for me is that some of the story is in fact true. [I was really intrigued by this as well!]

What's one scene from this story you loved writing? And what drew you to the historical fiction genre and to writing about this time period??

I love so many scenes in this book, but probably my favorite one is the second to last scene of the book, when Parker has to ask a favor of the King, and he isn't a man given to asking favors. It was great fun to write.

What drew me to this period (aside from excellent books like the Shardlake series) was Susanna herself. I discovered her in a series called the Uppity Woman series by Vicki Leon – it's a YA history series where Leon devotes a single page each to women she finds in history who the historians conveniently never mention but who played a significant role in their time period. Susanna got a page in Uppity Women of the Renaissance. I loved the idea of a woman artist being sent to Henry by her father to work as a professional in a time when women were not considered professionals, and wanted to learn more. I was lucky, in that Susanna's brother and father joined her later in London and her brother became Henry's official court painter. So art historians have some information on the Horenbout family, and I was able to flesh out as much as I could about Susanna from that.

Who was the first person you told when you got The Call announcing you'd sold your first novel?

I called my husband right away, and then, lucky for me, my mother (and her good friend) were staying with us from the UK (I live in Australia) on holiday, so they heard next. I called my CPs third. :)))

What's your Writer Fantasy--i.e., to see your book make into a feature film, to be on the New York Times bestseller list for 40 consecutive weeks, etc.?

I can so see this book as a movie. I even have the soundtrack worked out, with the Coldplay song La Viva Vida being the main theme song. It fits this book so perfectly, I can't hear it without being completely sucked into the world of my story again. [Oh, I LOVE that song! And, yes, I could see it as part of the movie's soundtrack, too.]

What's a personality trait you love about one of the characters in your novel and why?

This is going to sound weird, but I love how ruthless Parker is. He's deadly. He lives in a violent time, and comes from a dog eat dog background. I love how he looks at a situation, makes a judgement about what needs to be done, and if that means committing violence, he does so without hesitation. It is the edge he often has. While others are still working out what is going on, he's already jumped in. He acts.

Did you go on any special trips to research the setting?

Well, my story is set in London in 1525. So unless someone will give me access to a time machine, I have to rely on heavy research of the book and map kind, rather than in the field. But I know London pretty well, I've lived there for more than a year, if you count up all the months I've spent there (not counting the year I spent there when I was born :)) and I've personally been to many of the places described. One thing I'm so sorry about is that Crooked Lane, where Parker lives, no longer exists. It was destroyed to make way for the new London Bridge. Sniff. I'd love to be able to walk that street today.

Are you involved in any online or in-person writing groups or blogs? (I know you are!!) Have your experiences with them added anything especially positive to your writing journey?

Way back in 2005, my two critique partners, Edie Ramer and Liz Kreger (who are STILL my critique partners) and I set up Magical Musings. It has grown in leaps and bounds since them, and we've added some amazing new co-bloggers along the way (xx to Marilyn, who is one of them). We have an amazing daily readership, and a wonderful community which is growing all the time. I love the connections I've made through the blog, some of which have turned into strong friendships over the years. [xx back, Michelle!! I truly love being a part of it.]

What’s next for you? Is there a new book in the pipeline?

There is another book. IN A TREACHEROUS COURT is the first book in a series of books, all starring Susanna Horenbout and John Parker. The second book is out in February 2012, so only 6 months after the first book, and it's called KEEPER OF THE KING'S SECRETS. [YAY!!]

As you may have guessed, I am already REALLY looking forward to the next one, Michelle! Thank you so much for being here and for sharing a little more about your wonderful new series. Everybody, do yourselves a favor and grab this novel. For those wandering through Target, you'll find copies on their shelves, too (!!), as well as at bookstores and online.

**ETA: Michelle just let me know that her publisher will give away one copy to one commenter living in the U.S., so we'll choose the lucky winner on August 2nd, Michelle's release day!!

Great Books & Fun Things Ahead

2011-07-24T08:04:00.006-05:00

I returned from NYC to find page proofs for A Summer in Europe literally waiting for me on my doorstep (!!), so that curtailed my plans to delve into my towering stack of conference novels for a couple of weeks. However, those final edits are safely at Kensington now, and I've been enjoying SEVERAL new novels -- both in print and in ebook form!

Thanks to the lovely Lydia Hirt of Penguin, who gave me a copy of this, I've just begun The Postmistress by Sarah Blake.

The fantabulous Edie Ramer has a brand new sci-fi romance ebook out, Galaxy Girls, which I just downloaded last week and am thoroughly enjoying -- SUCH fun!!!

Our Magical Musings pal, Michelle Diener, has her debut historical fiction novel, In a Treacherous Court, coming out next week, and I'm already midway through this gorgeously written novel. I'm SO glad there will be a Book #2 and a Book #3 in this series... Michelle will be visiting on the 28th to talk about it!

Visiting here on August 2nd is the talented Joan Reeves whose latest ebook romantic comedy, Romeo and Judy Anne, will soon be released. No cover image is available yet, but I can't wait to snap up this book when it's out! (And, for anyone interested in self-publishing, you should read Joan's Sling Words blog.)

I'm also delighted to get to participate in Meredith's Austenesque Extravaganza, which will be coming up August 1st and lasting all month long! I'll be taking part in a Twitter Party on Sunday, August 7th at 3pm Central Time (4pm Eastern), so I'm really looking forward to that.

And, finally, I just got the cover for my second ebook romantic comedy, Double Dipping (yippee!), which will be out at the end of August.

It's the story of opposites colliding when a dedicated second-grade teacher fights the school’s new financial director in order to reinstate a much-beloved autumn festival. But secrets, ambition, attraction and meddling family members complicate matters in their small Midwestern town. The book is part light mystery, part romantic comedy and entirely packed with delectable sweets -- including a step-by-step recipe for making homemade chocolate-cherry ice cream! (I'm sure you're all shocked to learn that I have yet another book that revolves around ice cream, eh? :)

Both this novel and On Any Given Sundae were books I had originally written several years ago and had thoroughly edited (this latest story actually went through a number of incarnations and made it as far as the Harlequin/Silhouette acquisitions board), so I've loved getting to revise these romantic tales and bring them to life at last.

It's also been pretty thrilling to see my SUNDAE book reach new readers and even show up on a few Amazon lists. However, between these two romances and my fall women's fiction book, I can tell you that my 2011 publishing plate is now full! I'd always respected authors who managed to release multiple books in one year, but this was my first experience doing it myself and, wow, has it been busy...

Here's wishing you all a relaxing week ahead as we finish out July and head into August! What have you all been reading lately?

What's in a Name?

2011-07-21T09:19:00.002-05:00

Good morning!

I'm at Austen Authors today talking about naming characters and titling books. Is there a favorite book you wish you could rename? If you've written a novel, how many titles did you go through before you ended up with the one you thought was just right? Please stop by AuAu -- I'd love to know ;).

Here, in the Midwest, we're having a heatwave... If it's in the 90s or higher where you are, STAY COOL!!! (You all know my Rx for everything, right? Eat ice cream. ;)

National Ice Cream Day!

2011-07-17T11:04:00.002-05:00

I can't believe I didn't actually have this date on my calendar, circled in red... Thanks to the lovely Jill Thomas, though, I can say that today is National Ice Cream Day, and I have every intention of celebrating it thoroughly!!

Thankfully, our freezer is already stocked with ice-cream sandwiches and a quart of Chocolate Brownie Chunk, but I feel I shouldn't be neglecting other favorite flavors on this special day...so we're going to have to go shopping and pick up a few more. Maybe a couple of those cute little Ben & Jerry's pints. It's been too long since I've had Phish Food or Chunky Monkey. Or some of Breyer's All-Natural Strawberry. Or Edy's Swiss Chocolate, which is the closest I can get with a national brand to my Madison favorite, Orange Custard Chocolate Chip. (The Edy's is also about 10,000 fewer calories per serving than the custard...) All I know for sure is that I'm not letting this great excuse for taste testing pass me by today.

In On Any Given Sundae news (which is far too easy to segue to given the day ;), I was thrilled to find out that the book hit Amazon's Bestsellers in Humor list for the first time yesterday! It's been hovering around the mid-60s in that Top 100. And in a more specific list -- Humor books that are Fiction, Romantic and Contemporary -- it's holding at #5 on Amazon right now...which is to say, THANK YOU!! It wouldn't be anywhere close without your help, supportiveness and enthusiasm. XOXOX

So, I know we've talked about favorite ice cream flavors before (this is not a topic that ever gets old, IMO), but have you tried any new ones recently? Any favorite ice cream creations you've enjoyed this summer? I remember, when I was a kid, we lived near a Bridgeman's Ice Cream Parlor. My favorite flavor there was their Cinnamon -- yum! But I was never old enough (according to my parents) to order their Lollapalooza Ice Cream Sundae, which had 8 scoops of ice cream, whipped cream, 3 cherries and more. I watched in amazement as my aunt ate the whole thing! Well, almost the whole thing. I was about 7 and she gave me one of the cherries. ;) Anyone ever try something like that?!

Around the Web Today...

2011-07-08T10:40:00.001-05:00

...I'm at Magical Musings blogging about one big thing I learned (or, perhaps, relearned) at the RWA Conference. Please visit me there if you have a chance!

Also, in honor of the Independence Day celebrations featured in the story, there's a limited time $0.99 SALE going on right now for On Any Given Sundae on Kindle and Nook!! So, if you haven't downloaded it yet but would like to, you've got a special July deal ;).

And, finally, to combat the heat, here's a recipe for a cool summertime drink that I liked and wanted to share, courtesy of Shine:

MIXED-FRUIT SMOOTHIES

2 bananas, chilled
2/3 cup strawberries or mango slices
1 12-ounce can grape juice or mango, apricot, strawberry, or other fruit nectar, chilled
1 8-ounce carton fat-free yogurt
1 tablespoon honey (optional)
2 tablespoons ground pistachio nuts (optional)

Directions

1.In a blender combine bananas, strawberries or mango slices, grape juice or fruit nectar, yogurt, and, if desired, honey. Cover and blend until smooth. Pour into six tall, chilled glasses. If desired, sprinkle with ground pistachio nuts. Makes 6 smoothies.

2.Note: For two-tone smoothies, make mango smoothies and strawberry smoothies. Transfer to separate pitchers or glass measuring cups. Taking a pitcher or cup in each hand, slowly pour both smoothies at the same time into opposite sides of the glass.

What are your favorite, most refreshing summer drinks??

The City/Conference That Never Sleeps

2011-07-05T10:22:00.005-05:00

One of the major reasons this particular RWA National Conference was different from the seven that came before was not only because I got to visit my publisher's offices for the first time or even because I was a Women's Fiction Mini-Con speaker...but because my husband and son came to The Big Apple with me. Here are the two awesome men in my life standing in the middle of bustling Times Square about an hour after we arrived in NYC.

There was enough visual and auditory stimulation in the heart of Manhattan to throw me into information overload within minutes, but who could resist snapping a photo of a dancing Hershey's Kiss, hmm?!

Our flight touched down at 10am on Sunday morning and, by noon, we were already walking from our hotel toward the Metropolitan Museum of Art. On the way, we saw Radio City Music Hall and a B&N that I vowed I'd return to later...

I hadn't been to the Met since 1996, so this museum was at the very top of my Must-See Sites in NYC list. It was a place I'd fallen in love with on sight back then because of its awe-inspiring collection and sheer massiveness.

I'd been in grad school that year, in the middle of writing my thesis on "Creativity and Culture" and, aside from studying brilliant authors like Jane Austen and musicians like Mozart, I also focused on certain painters, my favorite being Renoir. So, I couldn't wait to see the Met's Impressionists again. Just look at those gorgeous blues!

These instruments were on display, too, and you may not be able to tell from the photo, but they're very small. They were used for instruction and were so fascinating to see in miniature.

After almost four hours of looking at art (and, in my son's case, armor!), we meandered back through Central Park (see those cute little sailboats on the lake) and finally gave in to our son's desire for a cab ride back to the Marriott Marquis.

Monday morning found us visiting Rockefeller Center and going on a tour of the NBC Studios, including the soundstages where David Lettermen and Dr. Oz have their shows, as well as where Saturday Night Live hosts theirs. (We weren't allowed to snap photos in any of these, though!)

We also went up to the top of 30 Rock and got a great glimpse of the Empire State Building from 70 stories high.

Next up, I had a chance to visit Kensington and chat with my lovely publicist (I have a photo of her further down the page at the Lit Signing), as well as a few other very kind staff members, and then I got to trek down to Greenwich Village to the Penguin building to meet my friend, the absolutely wonderful Lydia Hirt (see photo to the right). After two years of emails and phone calls, it was such a pleasure to finally get to talk with her in person!!

Lydia and I visited Washington Square Park and the famous arch that I remembered and loved from one of my all-time favorite films, "When Harry Met Sally..." So cool to see it right in front of us!

Then to dinner at a delicious little Thai place Lydia knew about, complete with mojitos, which were minty and very tasty. Even they couldn't top the wonderful night of conversation, though ;).

The evening sped by and it was Tuesday before I could blink twice. This was a day I had long been anticipating, the RWA-Women's Fiction Chapter's first ever Mini-Conference, and it was FANTASTIC. Organized by Maggie Marr and the RWA-WF board (see Michelle Diener and Therese Walsh in the picture with me to the left), we had a terrific two-hour story structure workshop with Michael Hauge. Following this, literary agents Kristin Nelson, Meg Ruley, Andrea Cirillo and editor Shauna Summers spoke to us about the state of women's fiction in the industry today.

I was fortunate to be included on the author panel after that with Megan Crane, Jane Porter, Therese Walsh and Barbara Samuel O'Neal, which was great fun! And, after a break for the Lit Signing and the annual meeting, Juliet Marillier gave an inspiring talk to our group that ended with a truly delightful cocktail reception. There, I got to meet author Erika Robuck for the first time (see photo on right) and chat a bit longer with RWA-WF chapter president Therese Walsh and fellow GH Bond Sister/Kensy author Kristina McMorris. I also finally met Karen Doornebos, Jael McHenry , Ellen Meister and lots of sweet and enthusiastic writers of women's fiction. What an exceptionally well run event!

At the annual Readers for Life Literacy Autographing, I signed copies of Friday Mornings at Nine and gave away According to Jane postcards, excerpts from On Any Given Sundae and excerpts and special luggage tags for A Summer in Europe. It was pretty busy once I got to my seat, but before the big crowd came in, I had a chance to make a couple of quick stops and wave to a few friends.

Fabulous ladies Angi Morgan and Laura Moore were signing side by side.

Chicago-North chaptermates Sarah Shulman and Blythe Gifford look so cute in this photo amidst all of the conference chaos!

I managed to get a quick shot with my good friend Simone Elkeles, who was a RITA finalist this year -- her 3rd time! Who wouldn't love to get one of those cool blue flags?!

Seekerville sweetheart, longtime online friend and Love Inspired author Tina Radcliffe stopped by and I was thrilled to finally get to meet her in person!

Kensington's awesome publicists, Vida Engstrand and Karen Auerbach, paid me a visit and gave me chocolate (for energy, I'm sure!) before they dashed off to share goodies with the other authors.

My son surprised me by popping into the signing (along with my husband) and insisting on helping me get the book excerpts and luggage tags in the hands of passersby. What was originally supposed to be a five-minute visit to say hello turned into three-quarters of an hour as I watched my extraverted son display his sales skills and tap into his inner Vanna White as he showed off my cover flats. Every author should be so lucky to have such an advocate ;).

After Steve Berry, Diana Gabaldon and Tess Gerritsen brightened our Wednesday morning with their humorous opening session panel, we had an impromptu Chicago-North gathering near the stage. (Pictured left to right: Cici Edward, Nkeiruka Mbah, Pamala Knight, me, Clara Kensie, Karen Dale Harris and Erika Danou)

Wednesday night brought two exciting parties -- the first was the Kensington party held at the office building. Between the gift bags (with books and treats!), roses for all, the chocolate-covered cheesecake on a stick (how did I miss taking a picture of those?!), the fun conversation with authors and staff, and the VERY attractive men serving us things like macaroni-n-cheese truffles (so good it actually rivaled the cheesecake...), the evening was off to a great start.

I got to see Vida Engstrand there (see left), who was majorly involved in organizing the event. And I walked over to it with a group of really lovely ladies, including Addison Scott, Jackie Ivie, Kristina McMorris, Mingmei Yip and Kate Douglas (pictured with me above).

Kate, Kristina and I headed over to the Algonquin Hotel after that for the PASIC party -- and round two of delicious drinks and desserts, along with some good conversation and a chance to catch up with a few people I'd seen just in passing. I enjoyed chatting with editor Peter Senftleben, Barbara Vey from Publishers Weekly (she and I kept running into each other everywhere!) and Stephanie Klose from Romantic Times, whom I'd loved working with back when I was an RT reviewer. It was a fun but very late night!

Thursday morning came and I was starting to get a little bleary-eyed from all the activity. There weren't many occasions for breaks, but when I had a half hour here or there, I visited with my peeps, including good friends Karen Dale Harris, Laura Moore and Erika Danou. (We went out on the town for a Chinese dinner one night that was just scrumptious!)

My Magical Musings pals had a Thursday breakfast together, and it was wonderful! I so enjoyed getting to chat a bit more with Michelle Diener, who'd flown in from Australia (!!) and to finally meet in person Amy Atwell and Liz Kreger (all pictured left). I found myself wishing our whole MM gang could be together that morning, though... Edie Ramer, Misty Evans, Cynthia Eden, Karin Tabke Harlow, Lori Brighton, Dale Mayer and Maria Geraci -- we missed you all!

Thursday afternoon was our Spencerhill Associates agency party and a chance to meet some very warm and funny authors. On Friday, I got to listen to an inspiring PAN workshop (given by Jenny Crusie) with two fabulous women and talented YA writers, Jennifer Echols and Maureen McGowan. So glad to get to talk with them again! (They're pictured with me on the right. They look great. I look ready for a nap. ;)

That night was the long-awaited Golden Heart and RITA Awards Ceremony, and our Chicago-North friend Ruth Kaufman was up for a GH in the Inspirational Romance category...and she won!! We couldn't have been more excited for her! (Pictured on left: me, Karen Dale Harris, Ruth Kaufman, Erika Danou, Laura Moore and Beverly Long)

Also at the ceremony were literary agent Kristin Nelson and her assistant Anita Mumm, who both looked gorgeous!

Karen, Erika and I also caught up with Michael Hauge following the ceremony and had fun getting in a few last questions on novel structure before we ladies headed up to The View restaurant and bar at the top of the hotel.

Upstairs, we met up with our friends, two of the young adult RITA nominees of the night, Heather Davis and Simone Elkeles. (Pictured to the right: Heather, Simone, Karen, Heather's agent Stephen Barbara and her editor Julie Tibbott)

The four of us -- after midnight -- ambled downstairs to say goodnight and wish each other safe travels for our separate journeys home.

On our last morning (Saturday), my husband, son and I went to that B&N I'd wanted to visit on Fifth Avenue, I found my latest novel there and I got to sign stock in Manhattan before flying to Chicago. Whew!! It was a really incredible (enjoyable, exciting, exhausting...) trip and I am -- I'll admit -- glad to be back home, if only so I can finally get some sleep!!

And so ends another RWA National Conference...until next year in Anaheim...where I'm hoping I might see some of you whom I didn't get to hug in person this year. Hope you all had a wonderful week, too ;).

I'm baaa-ckkk!

2011-07-03T16:48:00.000-05:00

Though seriously sleep deprived!

NYC was, not surprisingly, an amazing experience. I've got LOTS of pictures and will be putting together a photo-packed blog post about the RWA conference that will go up this week. But, for now, I have 2 quick announcements before giving in to my overwhelming need to nap:

1. The wonderful Leah E. Krygowski from Chicklit Club, read On Any Given Sundae and wrote a lovely review for it, which is here!

2. Tomorrow's the 4th of July... For everyone celebrating in the States, Happy Independence Day!!! Hot dogs and apple pie for all ;).

Hope everyone had a great week and looking forward to sharing news of the trip soon!!

Start Spreadin' the News...

2011-06-24T08:48:00.000-05:00

...well, I'm not actually leaving today, but I will be on my way to New York, New York pretty soon for the RWA National Conference. The last time I was in Manhattan it was in the summer of 2003 for my very first RWA conference.

A lot has happened since then ;).

I knew very few people in the publishing world eight years ago -- mostly just a handful of Chicago-North RWA members that I'd chatted with a dozen times or so in the nine months leading up to the conference. I'd completed just two manuscripts at that time -- my first (so dreadful it can't be saved!) women's fiction book and my first (eventually, after a lot of revision, not too bad) contemporary romance novel. It would be almost 4 years before I'd win the Golden Heart and another year beyond that before I'd finally sell a book. Back in 2003, I hadn't even thought of the premise for According to Jane yet...

Sometimes I get too caught up in the trials and tribulations of the present day. I'm overwhelmed by the challenges with the current WIP or with the proposal I recently finished (and, yes, those are two different projects -- publishing has such long, long timelines), the ever-shifting changes in the industry, print sales and ebook sales and upcoming bookseller orders and advertisements and reviews... Sometimes I can't see the forest OR the trees -- just lots and lots of leaves with details I know I'm supposed to pay attention to right now.

But, sometimes, like this week, I'm reminded of how many steps I've actually taken on this thousand-mile journey. Too often, I'm focused on looking ahead -- at all the perilous hiking yet to come. Today, though, I'm taking a moment to glance over my shoulder and sneak a peek at the path I've already walked. To say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who's been walking with me over these past several years.

You're appreciated.

Next week, I will wake up for several consecutive days in "the city that doesn't sleep" (and, depending on the reception my temperamental cell phone gets at the hotel, it may also be "the city with severely limited Internet access"), but I will be back. And I will bring stories and pictures to share with you. Until then, hugs of gratitude to you all...

What will you be doing next week?

p.s. I just saw an absolutely lovely review author Joan Reeves put up on her Sling Words blog today for On Any Given Sundae -- thanks so much, Joan!!

Chocolate Sunscreen

2011-06-21T01:11:00.002-05:00

I'm over at the Girlfriends Book Club for the day talking about juggling multiple story ideas in a post called The Writer's Menu -- please stop by!

And, also, I just came across this happy health tidbit, thanks to the Real Age docs, which praises an unknown (at least to me) benefit of chocolate:

The best 100-calorie splurge this summer may be a little candy indulgence that acts like built-in sunscreen: dark chocolate.

Yep, in a recent study, people who snacked on a tiny bit -- just 100 calories -- of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate every day seemed to be more protected from ultraviolet (UV) radiation by the end of the 12-week study.

No one needs to tell me twice!

Here's wishing you all lots of sunshine and dark chocolate this summer ;). And, btw, what are a few of your favorite warm-weather places? Is it your homestate? A tropical island? A distant continent? I always seem to fantasize about being on Maui...

Contest Winner & A Visit to Austen Authors

2011-06-16T11:05:00.001-05:00

First of all, a big congrats to my newsletter contest winner, Anita L. from Florida, who won the signed hardcover book-club edition of Friday Mornings at Nine. Anita, you should have already received a message from me sent to your email beginning "extexg..." Please just confirm your address with me when you have a chance. And, to everyone who entered, thank you!! I so enjoyed getting all of those wonderful emails and, yes, the correct answer to my question ("What is the fictional hometown of my characters in On Any Given Sundae?") was Wilmington Bay, WI.

BTW, all day tomorrow, Friday, June 17th, I'm hosting a one-day-only contest on Austen Authors. Anyone who stops by and leaves a comment on my post there about Jane Austen and ice cream (*grin*) is entered to win a digital copy of On Any Given Sundae, either as a Kindle ebook or as a PDF file. The post isn't up yet (it'll appear just after midnight tonight and will run for 24 hours), but if you'd like to be included in the drawing, please visit tomorrow. And for anyone who's curious about the story, you can read the entire Chapter One of the book posted in The Writer's Block.

Wishing you all a wonderful rest of the week & weekend!

Judy's Winner & A New Sundae Giveaway

2011-06-10T10:40:00.004-05:00

Just did the random drawing and got...(drum roll)...PAMELA CAYNE as the winner of Judy Croome's gift voucher! Congrats, Pam!! (Will email you with the deets. :)

Also, today I'm at Magical Musings talking about On Any Given Sundae, ice cream and the joys of National Dairy month and, also, hosting a chocolate giveaway over there -- please stop by!

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend!!

Judy Croome's Dancing in the Shadows of Love (+ giveaway!)

2011-06-07T05:15:00.010-05:00

Due to the long geographical distance between us, I've not yet had the pleasure of meeting Judy Croome in person, but I've loved her thoughtful blog posts these past few years and couldn't have been more delighted when her first independently published novel, Dancing in the Shadows of Love (available on Amazon and Smashwords), was published recently. I snagged her at once for an interview so we could learn more about her book! Judy lives and writes in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her short stories have been published in ITCH magazine and “Notes from Underground Anthology”. She was recently shortlisted in the African Writing Flash Fiction 2011 competition.

Welcome, Judy!

Marilyn, thanks so much for inviting me to your blog. (I'm delighted to have you here, Judy. ;)

Please tell us a bit about your book, Dancing in the Shadows of Love: The story explores the sacrifices people make in the pursuit of a love that transcends everyday existence. Lulu’s quest, and that of Jamila and Zahra too, is to find the divine love that will fulfill their hopes and save their souls...if they can recognise the masks of those who seek to lead them astray.

What inspired you to write this story? There’s a Hebrew phrase “Tikkun Olam” which means ‘repairing the world’ and denotes the restoration of the right order and a true union; a correction of our spiritual selves to be made whole again. Kabbalists see a tikkun as a special healing: they experience themselves and each other as the Divine sefirot (Divine potentials; planes of God made manifest.) This act of healing connects across differences, without becoming the Other. In essence, for a person to find inner peace, there needs to be a healing (a sacred union) of the inner fractures of the soul which create dualities such as racial or gender divides (black vs white, male vs female.)

This phrase lies at the heart of my story. As an ordinary person, happy in my ordinary little life, I’ve always tried to be a “good” person. But South Africa’s tragic history, as revealed by the TRC, left me questioning so many things about myself . I came to the conclusion I just don’t have the warrior personality that wants to change the world. That made me wonder what I could have done to prevent or heal the wounds of our past.

Through the eyes of three very different women, Dancing in the Shadows of Love explores how an ordinary person, one who doesn’t have what it takes to be hero, can also find a way to repair the fractures of a broken world.

Dancing in the Shadows of Love is being published independently. These days publishers require their authors to do a lot of the selling and promotion themselves. How much more work (and risk? and funds?) do you think it takes to publish independently? With the changing face of the publishing world, budding writers have never had it so good! The creative freedom is exhilarating. But there are as many risks in independent publishing as there are in traditional publishing. The difference lies mainly in where the buck stops. With traditional publishing, the buck stops with other people (the editor, the marketing department.) With independent publishing, the buck begins and starts with the author. So, unless you’re willing to take total responsibility for your book, don’t even consider independent publishing. There may be the potential for much greater financial rewards, but there are as many risks—and much more responsibility—than the traditional route.

The eBook edition is being released before paper. Do you think this is going to become the norm, regardless of being published independently or traditionally? Yes. Amazon has recently announced that, for the first time, eBooks have outsold print books. eBooks are the future, and the future is now. A caveat, though, is that sweeping changes take time to filter through as an accepted part of life. There are still many people who enjoy the feel and weight of a paper book in their hands. Paper books have not died yet, but their demise may come quicker than expected. I’m still weighing up the option of doing a print version of my novel, as I’m getting quite a few requests for a print version.

You've made a lovely book trailer for Dancing in the Shadows of Love. What inspired this idea? Book trailers are common on the ‘net and when blogging friend Damaria Senne asked me who was doing my book trailer, I decided I’d try to make one. You can read how I did it on my guest post “12 Easy Steps to Make a Book Trailer” on self-publishing guru Joel Friedlanders’ blog. (View Judy's wonderful book trailer HERE!!)

The life of a writer is full of ups and downs. What (or who) helps pull you up from the pits? Meditation is my most important tool for keeping centred. I also have fantastic support from my husband Beric, my Mom and Dad and the rest of my family.

Marilyn, thanks so much for hosting me here. I really enjoyed my visit and, to say thanks, I’d like to ask you to draw the name of a random commentor, who will win a US$15 gift voucher (from their preferred choice of Amazon or Barnes and Noble).

Thank you, Judy! Wishing you much success with your novel. I'll use random.org to select a name on Thursday night after 10pm (June 9th) and will post the winner's name on Friday morning. Good luck, everyone!!

$2.99 Ebook Deals & a NEW Ebook Release!

2011-06-02T06:21:00.010-05:00

Okay, this totally took me by surprise yesterday (in a good way), but I found out that According to Jane is part of a special Kindle sale -- called Sunshine Deals -- for "numerous bestselling and award-winning authors" (yes, I had a squeee moment at that description!) between now and June 15th. If you don't have it on Kindle and would like it for $2.99, you can get it here!!

One of the reasons I was so stunned was because I'd been up until 2am the night before trying to puzzle through the uploading-a-novel process at Amazon, Smashwords and B&N. I've had this little side project in the works for months and I was preparing to announce it this week, so to have Amazon unexpectedly include my debut novel in their June promotion...well, it couldn't have come at a more exciting time.

Why, you ask?

Well, because as of today, I have my first ebook-only release up at Amazon and Smashwords (B&N is coming soon, too). I'm thrilled about it -- and, as always, a little nervous! It's a book I wrote several years ago, around the same time as According to Jane, but it's a short romantic comedy geared toward what was the Harlequin Flipside line (R.I.P.), which I'd loved. Two of my good friends -- Simone Elkeles and Sara Daniel -- read it and critiqued it. I revised it. And revised it some more. I had an RWA pitch appointment scheduled with one of the editors of the line when, two weeks before the conference, we all found out Flipside would be discontinued. Sigh.

So, six years went by.

This winter, when I read through the story again, I still loved the characters and the quirky little community they lived in, and I couldn't wait to play with the manuscript again...to update and polish it now that I'd gone through the process of editing so many more novels. It's a tad lighter in tone than my women's fiction books and shorter, too (about 57,000 words), but a part of my writer's heart will always love short contemporary romances as well as those longer relationship novels. It's called On Any Given Sundae, and it's the story of a shy dessert cookbook writer and the high-school football star (turned successful restaurant owner) she always had a crush on. The two of them end up running an ice cream parlor for the summer and, well, it is a romantic comedy...so love is in the air, along with the delectable scent of hot-fudge sauce, caramel and whipped cream...

You all know me too well to be surprised that I'd write a whole book based around ice cream, right? *grin*

The great news is that it's priced at only $2.99, too, and very much a summertime read for those who'd like a light romance with a little steaminess and a lot of dessert love. The talented Kim Killion designed my book cover last month, and I was delighted with that as well. (I want one of those strawberries!!) And I owe big hugs to awesome authors Edie Ramer and Marie Force for answering my endless questions about ebook formatting -- thank you, ladies!

Now, I'm throwing virtual confetti in the air in celebration and trying to hand out massive ice cream sundaes to all of you before they melt... What's your favorite sundae topping?! Would you like whipped cream -- yes or no? Sprinkles?

Happy June, Everyone!

Books, Books & More Books!

2011-05-30T17:05:00.003-05:00

My TBR pile is TOWERING... Actually, it's several towers (!!), although it's helped from a space perspective that I've been buying more Nook books this past year. Finding time to make a dent in my enormous stack (whether paper or electronic) is another matter, of course, but I've been enjoying delving into my recent book purchases in every format they've come in -- hardcover, trade paperback, mass market and ebook. This spring, I discovered some excellent stories, and I've listed a handful of them below -- alphabetically by author's last name. Hope you'll give a few of these a try:

The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton
Five women, one passion, and the unbreakable bond of friendship... When five young mothers–Frankie, Linda, Kath, Ally, and Brett–first meet in a neighborhood park in the late 1960s, their conversations center on marriage, raising children, and a shared love of books. Then one evening, as they gather to watch the Miss America Pageant, Linda admits that she aspires to write a novel herself, and the Wednesday Sisters Writing Society is born. The five women slowly, and often reluctantly, start filling journals, sliding pages into typewriters, and sharing their work. In the process, they explore the changing world around them: the Vietnam War, the race to the moon, and a women’s movement that challenges everything they believe about themselves. At the same time, the friends carry one another through more personal changes–ones brought about by infidelity, longing, illness, failure, and success. With one another’s support and encouragement, the Wednesday Sisters begin to embrace who they are and what they hope to become, welcoming readers to experience, along with them, the power of dreaming big.

Operation Sheba by Misty Evans
Hotshot spies never die. They just slip undercover. Julia Torrison-codename Sheba-is keeping secrets. Seventeen months ago she was a CIA superagent, tracking down dangerous terrorists with her partner and lover, Conrad Flynn. A mission was blown, literally, when a bomb Julia built exploded early and Conrad died. Yanked back to Langley and given a new identity, she is now the Counterterrorism Center's top analyst, spending her days at CIA headquarters and her nights in the bed of her boss. Her former life as a secret agent has been sealed off. Like her heart. Conrad Flynn-codename Solomon-has his own secrets. For starters, he's not dead. Going under the deepest cover possible, he faked his death to save Julia's life. Now he must tear her life apart and ask her to help him hunt down a traitor: her new love. Is Con a rogue agent or just a jealous ex-lover? To find out, Julia will have to enter a web of seduction and betrayal to play the spy game of her life using nothing more than her iPod-and her intuition. Julia warns: "Beware of sexy spies bearing gifts. Trust no one and sleep with a gun under your pillow." Conrad warns: "Sex, lies and tantalizing suspense.don't worry, I'll protect you."

Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer by Maureen McGowan
In this thrilling story full of adventure and romance, Sleeping Beauty is more than just a lonely princess waiting for her prince—she's a brave, tenacious girl who never backs down from a challenge. With vampire-slaying talents that she practices in secret, Sleeping Beauty puts her courage to the test in the dark of night, fighting evil as she searches for a way to break the spell that has cut her off from her family. In a special twist, readers have the opportunity to make key decisions for Sleeping Beauty and decide where she goes next—but no matter the choice; the result is a story unlike any fairy tale you've ever read! Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer is an entirely new type of fairy tale–one that will keep today's kids guessing and offer them hours of magical fun.

Evenfall by Liz Michalski
In life, Frank could've had any woman he wanted. In death, he'll try to win back the one that mattered... Frank Wildermuth always regretted a mistake he made as a teenager: choosing Clara Murphy over her sister Gert. And like a true Murphy woman, Gert got on with her life, never admitting to heartbreak. Not even now, decades later, with Frank dead-dead, that is, but not quite gone. Now, Frank's niece, Andie Murphy, is back in town to settle his estate, and she sees that things have changed in Hartman, Connecticut. Aunt Gert still drives her crazy, but Cort, the wide-eyed farmboy she used to babysit, is all grown up-with a whole new definition for the word "sleepover." Even freakier are the whispers. Either Andie's losing her mind, or something she can't see is calling out to her-something that insists on putting right the past.

The Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate
Holly Maguire's grandmother Camilla was the Love Goddess of Blue Crab Island, Maine--a Milanese fortune-teller who could predict the right man for you, and whose Italian cooking was rumored to save marriages. Holly has been waiting years for her unlikely fortune: her true love will like sa cordula, an unappetizing old-world delicacy. But Holly can't make a decent marinara sauce, let alone sa cordula. Maybe that's why the man she hopes to marry breaks her heart. So when Holly inherits Camilla's Cucinotta, she's determined to forget about fortunes and love and become an Italian cooking teacher worthy of her grandmother's legacy. But Holly's four students are seeking much more than how to make Camilla's chicken alla Milanese. Simon, a single father, hopes to cook his way back into his daughter's heart. Juliet, Holly's childhood friend, hides a painful secret. Tamara, a serial dater, can't find the love she longs for. And twelve-year-old Mia thinks learning to cook will stop her dad, Liam, from marrying his phony lasagna-queen girlfriend. As the class gathers each week, adding Camilla's essential ingredients of wishes and memories in every pot and pan, unexpected friendships and romances are formed--and tested. Especially when Holly falls hard for Liam . . . and learns a thing or two about finding her own recipe for happiness.

Still looking forward to reading more (and more!) this summer, including Friendship Bread by Darien Gee, Maid for Love by Marie Force, The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller, Dolci di Love by Sarah-Kate Lynch, The Bird Sisters by Rebecca Rasmussen, Ash Wednesday by Ethan Hawke (yes, the actor :) and I Love the 80s by Megan Crane.

What about you? What have you been reading? What are you looking forward to picking up this summer?

Halloween...in May!

2011-05-19T05:25:00.030-05:00

Every once in a long while an experience comes along that's a combination of surprising, heartwarming, funny and so fabulous that trying to explain it defies words. Thankfully, I had my camera with me last Friday night, which is the only thing that gives me a fighting chance at describing the incredible book club I visited.

My first clue that it was going to be a really unique evening should have been the big Halloween decoration on front door. But Claudia was hosting the event, and she's an artist. Her house is filled with lots of cool crafts and gorgeous paintings. So I thought, "Maybe she just kept it up from the fall because she likes the look of it or, maybe, she forgot to put it away." I could totally relate to that. One winter I put up these snowflake window clings and I just never got around to talking them down. And then it was, like, September, and my son said, "Mom! Why are there STILL snowflakes up?" And all I could say back was, "Ohhh, yeah, those (sheepish shrug). Well, we're getting really close to Christmas again. It's gonna snow any day now..." So, you see, when I spot hanging jack-o-lanterns up on doors in mid-May, I don't judge.

Turns out, though, that Claudia hadn't been forgetful. And it wasn't any kind of a nod to the spookiness of the date: Friday the 13th. Nope. Because when I rang the bell and the door opened, there were three people greeting me -- Claudia, her sister Allison, and their long-time friend Terri -- who were in costume. (And so was Lily the dog!) And they were dancing...to the sounds of Fleetwood Mac's Rumours CD. That's when I finally understood what these awesomely creative ladies had done: They'd brought to life my book's Halloween party!! (Pictured right: Marty, Marcie, Allison, Claudia and Terri)

For those of you who've read Friday Mornings at Nine, you're familiar with the big party (for adults only) in the middle of the book. It had a fairy tale theme, so most of the food served had a name twisted to fit. Like the "Three Bloody Pigs in a Blanket," the "Jack and the Bean Dip" and the "Headless Gingerbread Men." Well, they recreated the food, too (!!), plus made up a few dishes of their own. Terri, gorgeously dressed in retro 1970s red, even concocted a version of my "Witch's Brew," which I strongly suspect was more potent than the stuff I'd envisioned for the novel's party chapter. (I was feeling a little lightheaded after only half a glass!) Take a peek at all the fabulous treats:

Yum! Loved trying these delicious foods. (FYI: they tasted a lot better than their names would indicate. ;)

More yum!! Gluten-free pasta with pesto, vegetarian and non-vegetarian pigs in a blanket, hilarious headless gingerbread men...

Check out the adorable Halloween napkins and plates, too.

Very strong drinks with the inspired addition of sour gummy worms. Wish I would have thought to add those to the Witch's Brew mix in the book -- they were perfect!

And there were even wrapped Halloween candies taped to the wall -- just as I'd written it in the story. At different moments during the night, one of us would pull a Kit Kat or a Snickers off the wall and eat it. At other times a Butterfingers would spontaneously drop to the floor and *someone* would have to grab it and devour it at once... It was the best!

Here (pictured right) are Terri, Claudia and Beth at the table with our spook-tacular feast.

Janet (pictured left with Claudia) brought a photo album along with pictures from her wonderful European trip and, also, shared a story with me about her "battle with Betty White" in the bookstore to get my novel, LOL. Loved that!

(Pictured left: Claudia, Allison and Dori) And, finally, Dori showed up wielding an ax for, um, the "beheading" scene. (Hee!! It makes sense in context. ;) Claudia was the instigator and Allison -- the book club's president -- was the unwitting victim. I. Couldn't. Stop. Laughing.

Truly, they thought of everything. I half expected my characters to slip in through the back door, sit down at the table with us, unwrap a Twix from the wall and join us in a debate about relationships and Stevie Nicks. I loved every second of Friday night, and I can't thank this wonderful book club enough for giving me one of the most memorable evenings I've ever had as an author. Claudia, Allison, Terri, Marcie, Marty, Beth, Janet and Dori: XOXOXOX (Can't wait to name characters after you all. :)

However, I'm seriously craving a mini Hershey bar right about now, and I've been humming "Dreams" nonstop all week... What's going on for all of you??

Heroes -- Austenesque and Otherwise

2011-05-16T23:41:00.002-05:00

Just a quick pop-in to say that I'm over at Austen Authors for the next 24 hours talking about heroes. I'll be back here before the week's out, though, with a brand new post about a tremendously fun weekend event that can only be explained with the help of photographs...and, maybe, a Poisoned Appletini or two...

Hope you've all been having a great start to the week!

Author Talks featuring Kathryn Stockett

2011-05-08T12:56:00.003-05:00

For several months now, three very good friends and I have been looking forward to attending a wonderful new Chicago event, hosted by the Chicago Tribune, called "Author Talks." It's a live Q&A with some interesting visiting writers -- Joyce Carol Oates and Alexander McCall Smith were recent guests -- and it gives those of us in the audience a chance to get an inside scoop on their books and their writing lives.

On Friday, May 6th, my friends (Sarah, Karen and Joyce) and I hopped a train and headed into the city to see the fabulous Kathryn Stockett, who wrote one of my favorite modern novels, the #1 New York Times bestseller The Help.

What a FANTASTIC experience! We decided to make an afternoon/evening out of it, so we left at 2pm and got downtown an hour or so later, in time to enjoy celebratory cocktails at the Elephant & Castle pub.

Next up, a delicious dinner at the Italian Village -- where, between the four of us, we had mostaccioli, whitefish, chicken marsala and seafood ravioli -- SO good!

Then, across the street to the Chase Auditorium at 7pm for Kathryn's interview and author reception, which was terrific from start to finish. Included with our tickets were brand new trade paperback editions of the novel, plus cute black bags, pens and a copy of Chicago Home and Garden magazine. (See photo at top of blog.)

Chicago Tribune literary editor, Elizabeth Taylor, hosted the interview beautifully. And Kathryn was so charming, funny and smart that it was a pleasure to be in the audience just to hear her tell about her years growing up in Mississippi, her struggle to write the novel and then find a good agent for it (she says she got about 60 agent rejections before she found representation ;) and to learn some details and background about the movie, based on the book, that's coming out this August. Can't wait to see it...

We were an appreciative crowd and, in looking around the room, I couldn't spot an empty seat. Elizabeth later told us that the event sold out in just few days. I'm not at all surprised -- it was exceptionally well organized and very enjoyable -- and everyone I chatted with during the evening said the same. I'm looking forward to going to more Author Talks and other Tribnation events in the near future.

After the Q&A ended, the reception and booksigning began. There were plenty of refreshments available, not that we were hungry after our big dinner (this did not, however, stop us from sampling the veggie quesadillas, chicken satays and mini-pastries...yum!), but we did manage to finish snacking before reaching the place where Kathryn was signing books. Again, she was so warm and approachable, it was lovely to get to chat with her personally for a few minutes and have our photo taken with her.

Knowing we had an hour and a half before our train was set to depart, we made one final stop -- for coffee and a dessert to share (because, really, we were on a mission to taste test EVERYTHING that night) -- at a very hip place called IPO: New Urban Cuisine. We decided to get an order of the "Chocolate Waffle," which had sides of chocolate mousse, blueberries, fois gras caramel (a new taste sensation for me), cream cheese, chocolate shavings and a few other mystery ingredients, and it was both unusual and delectable. What a perfect way to end the day before heading for home at last and, after midnight, collapsing into bed...stuffed, satisfied, smiling. Many thanks to ALL involved for making it such a delightful event!

A few years ago, Joyce, Karen, Sarah and I went to see Sue Monk Kidd and found it a joyful and inspirational evening as well. Have any of you gone to an author talk that you especially loved? If so, who was the guest writer and what made his/her program memorable to you?

p.s. Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there ;).

Long and Winding Roads...

2011-04-26T22:08:00.000-05:00

I'm over at the Girlfriends Book Club tonight and tomorrow talking about the writing journey and how it was/is a tale of many beginnings for me. Please stop by if you have a chance -- I'd love to see you there!

Also, since my husband and son are GLUED to the TV at the moment, watching ice hockey with rapt attention (and bowls of caramel corn), I must say -- for their sake and for all Chicagoans with their fingers crossed tonight -- GO, HAWKS!!! ;)

The King's Speech

2011-04-20T15:10:00.001-05:00

The film The King's Speech (2010), starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter and Guy Pearce (with appearances by many other wonderful actors including Jennifer Ehle and, my long-time fave, Anthony Andrews), was just released on DVD yesterday. Last night, after much anticipation -- having missed it when it was in the theater -- I finally got to see it. I'd watched clips and heard many of the award acceptance speeches, but I'm pleased to say that, for me, it was worth every one of those Oscar, Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe nominations...and wins. I loved it.

The performances were extraordinarily well done and the developing friendship between Firth and Rush was fabulous to watch onscreen. I also enjoyed a few of the extra features afterward, my favorite being Helena with her wild hair and unusual clothing combinations talking about how she got into the mindset of playing the Queen Mother. She is simply stunning in these period roles and, yet, seems so very offbeat and not especially "royal" when just playing, um...herself ;). It's great fun to listen to her being interviewed about almost any topic!

Anyway, did any of you see the film? Like it? Any other movies you've watched recently and would recommend??

Split Personality (+ yay to Maria and Nancy!)

2011-04-15T06:36:00.008-05:00

Happy Friday!

First, a HUGE CONGRATS to Maria Geraci and Nancy J. Parra, both fabulous writers and wonderful friends, on their new book sales to Berkley this week!!!!!! I could not be more pleased for you ;). Everybody, please take a moment and do a little happy dance for these two ladies -- we need to help 'em celebrate!

Today, in between happy dancing, you'll find me in two places at once -- well, three, if you count right here. I'm at Austen Authors talking about the art of the snappy comeback in literature and film (particularly in those stories written by our dear Jane). And I'm also at Magical Musings blogging about imagination and anxiety -- flip sides of the same coin, in my opinion.

Hope you'll stop by and visit one or both spots. And here's wishing every one of you a fun and relaxing weekend!! (p.s. In Maria and Nancy's honor, we should make time for some chocolate and champagne, too, right?! :)

Winner's Name & the Joys of the Future Progressive

2011-04-08T11:33:00.002-05:00

I just heard back from Maureen McGowan on the results of her drawing and, thanks to the magic of Random.org, Robin Kaye is the book winner! Congrats, Robin (I'll email you with the details today ;). And to everyone who left comments about Maureen's books this week, thank you all so much!!

So, I've been working on copy-edits for A Summer in Europe this week, in between dealing with my son, who's been home sick for much of it. And, yesterday, I was feeling reasonably authorly here. I've got a 16-page style-sheet packet the copy editor/CE pulled together with a list of quotes I've used in the book and their page numbers; various style choices (i.e., when to capitalize the first initial after a colon and when not to, when to write out dates and numbers and when not to, etc.); lists of "special terms" and foreign words and the pages they're found on in the manuscript (everything from the Italian word amici to my fleeting reference to the Vigadó Concert Hall in Budapest); and, finally, all the characters in the book (alphabetized by last name) along with their ages, physical descriptions and any unusual background details.

I can't escape my feelings of awe at what these CEs do and, also, my own sense of accomplishment in having written this almost-ready-to-print novel, which required such a lengthy and incredibly well-organized style-sheet packet. But this is my third novel. I know how to do this stuff now. I actually understand what the CE is saying in her notes. I get English -- yes, I do! -- and I was feeling pretty proud and confident in my ability to decode my native language...when my son walks into my workspace yesterday afternoon with a sheet of paper in his hand and a mystified expression on his face. His language arts homework, it turns out. Grammar.

He's in 6th grade, and this sheet was on verb tenses, the lesson on which he'd missed at school because of being home sick. He handed it to me and I stared at it for some time, unblinkingly. Now, I thought I had a fairly strong working knowledge of verb tense. Guess what? NOT SO.

Instead of finishing up my authorly copy-edits last night, I spent the better part of two hours reviewing some technical terms with my son that I'm not sure I ever really learned. I'm still not quite sure I know them. (Who gets this stuff? And will you come over?!) But, for the benefit of all of you, in case a similar scenario arises in your households, here are my crib notes on eight of the seemingly endless verb tenses out there:

Present: I write
Past: I wrote
Future: I will write
Present Perfect: I have written
Past Perfect: I had written
Present Progressive: I am writing
Past Progressive: I was writing
Future Progressive: I will be writing

And, yes, future progressive, here I come! (Have a great weekend, everyone. Anybody have fun plans? Diagramning sentences, maybe? :)

Maureen McGowan's Doubly Twisted Launch + Giveaway!!

2011-04-05T07:17:00.018-05:00

I've had the pleasure of knowing the kind, talented and always wonderful Maureen McGowan for four years now, ever since we became '007 Bond Sisters. From the very first moment we met online, and through countless conversations (virtual and in person), Maureen has shown graciousness and generosity to every writer I've ever seen her interact with -- and to me personally -- over and over again.

So, it is with great, throw-confetti-in-the-air excitement that I get to have her visit today, just a few days after the double release of her YA "Twisted Tales" books ~ Cinderella: Ninja Warrior and Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer. Welcome, Maureen!!!

Can you tell us the premise of your book? (2 books, in your case!)
Both books are re-imaginings of the original fairy tales—keeping a few key story elements, but changing most and adding lots of fun and adventure. In Cinderella: Ninja Warrior, Cinderella is more than a servant girl waiting for her prince—she's a tough, fearless girl who is capable of taking charge of a dangerous situation. Seeking to escape the clutches of her evil stepmother, Cinderella perfects her ninja skills and magic talents in secret, waiting for the day when she can break free and live happily ever after. Cinderella has no intention of waiting around for a prince to save her.

In Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer, Lucette (Sleeping Beauty), has been cursed to wake only at night, while everyone else in her kingdom has the opposite curse and falls asleep as she’s waking each evening. Isolated from her family and friends at sixteen, she’s the only one to defend the kingdom from vampires at night. Fighting evil vampires—and getting to know some good ones—she must find a way to break the spell before it’s too late.

In both books, the reader can make choices at key points that affect how the story unfolds. (What a fabulous idea -- so cool and creative!!)

How closely do the books follow the original fairy tales?
One of my aims was to “fix” some of the story elements that bothered me in the traditional versions of these classic tales. Both of my stories have the tried and true fairy tale themes of finding true love and good triumphing over evil, but there are twists, too.

The traditional Cinderella character was too much of a victim for my taste, and I never liked the idea that the prince needed a shoe to recognize her the day after supposedly falling in love. Plus, he falls in love at first sight—presumably because of her beauty—but then doesn’t recognize her the next day when she’s out of her fancy dress? What kind of message does that send to modern young readers about love or their self-worth? (That's a great point. I know these changes you made are something I'm going to especially love about Cinderella: Ninja Warrior.)

Sleeping Beauty: Vampire Slayer probably has fewer similarities to the traditional tale. (There were no vampires in the original? An oversight, I’m sure.) When I first started the book, I thought it was about prejudice—humans’ misconceptions about vampires and vice versa. But as soon as I started writing, it became more of a child of divorce story. Sleeping Beauty has to learn that her parents’ and kingdom’s problems aren’t her fault—even if she’s cursed. This theme popped out at me as soon as I started thinking about how parents might react if they knew their daughter carried a curse. And what it would feel like to grow up with this huge weight hanging over you.

But, although I think the stories do have positive messages for girls and an overall theme of empowerment, they are by no means “issue books”. They’re meant to be fun, fast-paced, exciting and most of all—entertaining.

What drew you to writing YA after having written some terrific women's fiction stories? What is appealing about each genre?
I still love women’s fiction and enjoy, reading and writing in that genre, but I have to say, I wish I’d discovered the YA market sooner. I thought that YA books were “women’s fiction light” or “romance light” or “paranormal light” and therefore figured writing for a younger age group wouldn’t suit my voice, since I tend to love the darker, edgier aspects of most genres.

Then I discovered books like The Hunger Games and Forest of Hands and Teeth, to name just two, and soon realized that some of the edgiest, most daring, most imaginative storytelling was being produced by YA authors. I was hooked.

That said, the Twisted Tales series isn’t that dark and edgy—closer to fun and silly—and they’re suitable for readers as young as pre-teens, but the books don’t pull punches, either. The villains are evil, really evil, and the heroines have to save themselves from some seriously dangerous situations. I think this is consistent with the way storytellers used to write for children, (say, when the traditional fairy tales were first told), but it seems to me as if, during the last century, the publishing industry started to coddle kids and as a result books for teen readers became somewhat marginalized. Most teens found them too childish and read adult fiction instead. (Disclaimer: This is just my impression.)

I love that the industry has re-discovered this book-loving age group and how so many of the most popular books right now were written for kids. Now the crossover is happening the other direction—with adults reading teen books—and I love it. Some of the very best books I’ve read in the past two years were written for teens. (I've read some excellent ones as well -- the genre has just blossomed, and I love how many choices there are out there for teen readers today.)

Do you have a favorite kind of food? Anything you really won't eat?
I love just about anything that’s not good for me. As for things I won’t eat… I haven’t run into many, but do have a strong dislike for liver. **Shudders at the thought** (Agreed!! Bleh!)

Who was the first person you told when you got The Call announcing you'd sold your first novel?
I think I e-mailed my critique partners. In hindsight, I can’t believe I didn’t pick up the phone to call someone. It was a fairly surreal moment and not at all like I’d pictured it. The news actually came in an e-mail and I’m not sure I really believed it. Also, because neither book was written yet and I knew my deadlines would be tight, it was as terrifying as it was thrilling.

What's your Writer Fantasy--i.e., to see your book make into a feature film, to be on the New York Times bestseller list for 40 consecutive weeks, etc.?
Yes, yes, and yes. But realistically, it’s just so fabulous to make things up for a living and have other people read and enjoy what I do. Can’t beat that.

Would your high school friends be surprised to discover you'd become a novelist?
This is a good one! I think a few years ago I would have answered yes—they would be shocked—because my first career was in finance. But I’ve since run into a few people from high school and/or University who weren’t shocked at all. One even said, “You finally figured out what you were supposed to do.” It was gratifying to hear.

Do your neighbors/hometown acquaintances know you're a published author or did you just choose to tell those closest to you?
I always assumed that as soon as I sold a book I’d shout it out to anyone and everyone I ever met—even people I hadn’t met. I also fantasized about things like going into bookstores and introducing myself to the manager, and sending out press releases, etc. In fact, during my first few years of taking writing seriously, I probably spent almost as much time learning about promotion and publicity as I did the craft of writing.

But it’s odd. Now that I have actual books out I’m feeling shy about it. Sure, I’m talking about it on Facebook and Twitter and Blogs :), but as far as deliberately seeking out old friends to spread the word? Not so much. What’s that about? I once attended a workshop given by Eloisa James who advised newly published authors to emulate Paris Hilton. Clearly I need to find and embrace my inner Paris. (LOL! No, I think you're terrific just the way you are. ;)

Maureen, thanks so much for being here and for offering to give away one of your new books (winner gets to choose which story) to one commenter on today's post!! The winner's name will be drawn randomly and posted on Friday. For more info on these books and, also, on Maureen's other writing, please check out her website and blogs: her personal one, Drunk Writer Talk and Get Lost in a Story. Good luck, everybody!

Copy-Edits & Cover Art

2011-04-02T07:27:00.005-05:00

Spring break had us out of the house and on the road for much of this past week...but I came home to two very exciting things: the copy-edits for A Summer in Europe were at my door and the book's brand-new cover art was in my inbox. SQUEEE!!!

I just want to throw myself into the picture and meander around that lake in the sunshine...sigh. The Kensington catalogue for September - December 2011 is also out now, and it was included in the packet with my copy-edits. Here's how the wonderful marketing team described my book:

Marilyn Brant, author of the acclaimed ACCORDING TO JANE, transports readers across the pond on a grand journey of self-awakening amidst the classic architecture and stunning vistas of Europe -- and a young woman discovers that the ancient wonders around her are nothing compared to the renaissance unfolding within...

On her 30th birthday, Gwendolyn Reese is given an unusual gift by her eccentric aunt: a summer grand European tour arranged through her aunt's Sudoku and Mahjongg Club. Gwen reluctantly leaves her "almost fiancé" and heads to Europe with her aunt and a collection of offbeat club members.

Abroad, Gwen is slowly but surely transformed. She has conversations she'd never expected, is spellbound by London theater, touches a glacier, races through the Louvre, and shares a passionate kiss with a wild young physics professor. And when her old life comes calling again, she must choose between the practical choices she's always made, and a world open to infinite possibilities...

I am so, so excited about this story... Thanks for letting me share a little about it with all of you. *g*

Good Fortune

2011-03-30T07:27:00.002-05:00

I have a lot of fortune-cookie fortunes. Like, hundreds... I always save mine (and I make my husband and son give me theirs, too). I keep most of them in a pink giftbag in my office, but there are others scattered around my workspace in visible locations to remind me that wisdom can often be found on very small slips of paper. Some of my personal favorites include:

"Do not let great ambitions overshadow small success."

"Always over-deliver & under-promise."

"Your love of music will be an important part of your life."

"Love is like war; easy to begin but hard to stop."

"Your ability to find the silly in the serious will take you far."

"Be careful! Straight trees often have crooked roots."

And then there's the one I loved so much I actually laminated it: "Nature forms us for ourselves, not for others; to be, not to seem."

Do any of you keep your fortunes long after the cookies are gone? Any with wise words or hoped-for predictions on them? I'd love to hear!

Song of the Silk Road with Mingmei Yip

2011-03-28T08:48:00.000-05:00

Today, I'm fortunate to have a fellow Kensington author and writing friend, Mingmei Yip, visiting Brant Flakes. Her latest novel, Song of the Silk Road, will be released tomorrow (!!), and I'm so excited to get to share a little about her and her new story with you all.

Welcome, Mingmei!

Can you tell us the premise of your new book?
Song of the Silk Road (Kensington Books, 2011) is a romantic adventure on China's fabled route and the Go-In-But-Never-Come-Out Taklamakan Desert with the lure of a three dollar reward.

The protagonist Linly Lin lost her parents in the same year, then an aunt she never knew existed sent her a letter asking her to undertake a long journey on China's Silk Road, retracing the same routes the aunt had taken, meeting the same people, and doing things the aunt had done -- some are very dangerous and one even perverse. Lily would receive a big sum of money, if she successfully carried out all the tasks – and if she survived.

I'm very happy that Publisher's Weekly gave the novel a very nice review:
"lively...at once modern and traditional.... Surprising and funny. Yip's modern heroine's quest is filled with unique companions, unforeseen dangers, unexpected joys, and bitter sorrows. Part epic, part coming-of-age story, part modern fairy tale..." (Oh, that's wonderful! Congrats. ;)

What's a personality trait you love about one of the characters in your novel and why?
My goal is to write about women who are strong, daring, determined and will overcome adversities to get what they want in life. The protagonist Lily Lin is such a person. Her only weakness is men -- until she meets Alex, a fellow adventurer.

What's one scene from this story you loved writing and why?
The love scene between Lily and her younger lover Alex on the desert. Imagine the heat, passion, echoes, sensuous golden sand....

Another scene I like is when Lily used her yin eye to communicate with her dead, ill-fated healer Muslin friend Lop Nor. Lop Nor was not her lover, but someone who loved and proteccted her unconditionally during her journey. The affection between the dead and the alive is unique and very touching.

Could you please tell us a little about your writing background and how you made your first sale?
I remember when I was about seven or eight years old I saw the moon and told my mother that it looked like my clipped finger nail. It was then that my mother predicted that I'd be a writer. When I was fifteen I sold an article to a magazine in Hong Kong and got paid fifteen dollars. I made a grand gesture of taking my classmate out for dishes of dim sum! But that was a long time ago.

My first sale in the U.S. was Chinese Children's Favorite Stories (Tuttle 2005) of which I both wrote and illustrated.

My first novel sale was Peach Blossom Pavilion -- story of the last Chinese Geisha -- and I'm very happy to say that it's now in its fifth prinitng! This was followed by Petals from the Sky, my second novel -- an interracial love story.

Did you go on any special trips to research the setting of your new book?
I traveled to the Silk Road and really enjoyed its beauty and treasures, especially the frescos and sculptures stored inside the caves hundreds of years ago. The magic and metaphysical feelings that I felt are portrayed in my novel.

What's your Writer Fantasy--i.e., to see your book make into a feature film, to be on the New York Times bestseller list for 40 consecutive weeks, etc.?
Of course both, plus translated into more than 25 languages! Aren't these every writers' fantasy? (LOL!! Yes, I think you're right!)

What’s next for you? Is there a new book in the pipeline?
Yes, it's about a woman spy set in the twenties Shanghai. Camilla was brought up in an orphanage, then later adopted as a teenager only to find out her adoptive father was a gangster head who'd force and train her to be a spy....

What do you think readers might be surprised to know about you?
Maybe that I still manage to have time to perform on the Chinese qin, teach workshops on calligraphy, do storytelling and write/illustrate children's books. But I don't have time for TV (which I miss)!

Mingmei, thanks so much for being here with us today and telling us all about your books ;). For more info about Mingmei's novels, please check out her website! Best wishes to you all for a wonderful week.

RWA's Big Announcement Day

2011-03-25T05:25:00.004-05:00

Every year, this day causes waves of butterflies (masquerading as nausea) in the stomachs of everyone who's entered RWA's biggest award competitions: The RITA (for published authors) and the Golden Heart (for aspiring writers). It's been four years since I got my Golden Heart call telling me I was a 2007 finalist. Four years, and I still feel more than a little bit guilty for screaming in that poor woman's ear when she gave me the news over the phone. I'm quite sure she thought I'd turned instantaneously insane, and I have nothing I can say to defend myself, even now. My only consolation is that -- because I'd caused her temporary hearing loss -- she may have missed my professions of undying love to her personally, to the RWA National Board in general and to romance and women's fiction readers everywhere.

My family, unfortunately, will never forget me dancing like a maniacal J.Lo imitator in the middle of the living room...

So, I know this is going to be a morning of much excitement for a lot of writers out there. There are so, so many people I'm hoping will get some great news today...particularly my Golden-Heart-entering friends. You all know who you are. I've got my fingers crossed so tightly for you right now that I'm typing this with my nose. Which is difficult. So, I'll keep this short: GOOD LUCK, today! Finalist or not, you finished a novel (persistence! hard work!) and submitted it (professionalism! courage!), and I'm incredibly proud of you. Either way, we'll celebrate.
xo

Why I'm Not a Marathon Runner...

2011-03-18T08:02:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday!

Just a quick FYI to let you know I'm over at Magical Musings today talking about a small (but important) difference in verb tense...and how it relates to running, writing and following big dreams. Hope you'll visit ;).

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T08:38:00.002-05:00

Okay, I am not a single drop Irish. Nothing. No Irishness on my side of the family at all, anywhere... However, my husband is part Irish and, thus, our son is, too. So, there is much green being worn in our household today and, since I've always liked the color, think leprechauns are cute, have a fondness for Shamrock Shakes and consider a pot of gold to be an excellent find, I'm celebrating, too! May the Luck of the Irish (by birth, marriage or friendship) be with you all!

And...to add to the good fortune today of one lucky person, Random.org just helped me draw the winning name of Kelly Moran's book. Congrats to Edie Ramer! You won an electronic copy of Summer's Road! (I'll pass along your email address to Kelly, and she'll email it out to you. :) And below is a treat I hope everyone will like:

Irresistible Irish Soda Bread -- from allrecipes.com

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2.Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda. Blend egg and buttermilk together, and add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix just until moistened. Stir in butter. Pour into prepared pan.
3.Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Wrap in foil for several hours, or overnight, for best flavor.

Enjoy!!
p.s. Anyone doing anything special to celebrate the holiday?

A Visit with Kelly Moran (+ Giveaway!)

2011-03-15T07:07:00.008-05:00

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming author and book reviewer Kelly Moran to Brant Flakes! Her latest novel, Summer's Road, will be released by The Wild Rose Press on March 25th. Welcome, Kelly!

Can you tell us the premise of your new book?
SUMMER'S ROAD is a single title contemporary romance set in a small, fictional town in South Carolina. It's not only a story about finding love right in front of you, but about home, grief, friendship, and forgiveness.

Here's a blurb: After her father’s death, Summer Quinn realizes just how alone she feels in the world. With no family to fill her life now, she finds comfort among friends, but yearns for true love, contentment, and family. When her boyfriend, Matt, suggests they raise their relationship to a higher level, Summer jumps at the chance to get everything she’s always wanted. Only, she doesn’t expect the heat arising between her and her best friend, Ian – a man who never seems to settle down. A man the complete opposite of what she’s looking for. But when her estranged mother reappears after twenty-eight years, Summer’s world completely flips upside down. As secrets from her family’s past and Ian’s true feelings for her emerge, Summer’s now faced with choices she’s not sure she can make. The rest of her life’s happiness hinges on her confronting a past she’d rather deny and legitimately opening her heart to love, even if it’s not where she expected to find it.

What's one scene from this story you loved writing and why?
This whole book was a pleasure writing, even with the obstacles. Normally the sex scenes are the most difficult (though fun) for me to write, but in this case, it was so rewarding. There was a monumental fight, which led to a few things said they both meant to keep quiet, and then...bang. Finally. It was exciting because you know from page one these two should be together, and yet you know why they aren't.

Name 3-4 of your favorite musical artists/groups. Did you use any musical references in your novel? If so, do they play a significant role?
I've never been a real follower of musical groups. I tend to hear a song and like it, but could hate everything else that artist did. My personal tastes tend to lean toward country and rock, though on my musical playlist I have everything from Frank Sinatra to Kermit the Frog, and Lady Antebellum to Chris Daughtry. There were two songs that hit home for me and really inspired SUMMER'S ROAD, both of which were, "Collide," by Howie Day, and "The One," by Gary Allen. "Collide" was mentioned in the novel during a scene as being played in the background.

What's one piece of writing advice you've found valuable on your journey to publication?
There's a lot of advice I've received through the years that was utterly helpful--how to properly submit a manuscript, internal vs. external conflict, when and how to avoid clichés. The best advice I got, and I still pass on to others, is to never give up and never stop learning. This market changes by the minute, and what one editor hates another will adore. If your mind is open, dreams do come true.

Do you pay attention to book reviews? If so, has there been any particular review that made your heart do a little dance?
A lot of writers tend to not read reviews of their books. I'm a sadist, I have to. I like to know what was liked or not-so-well received about the books. My first big review came about a self-published romance I wrote in 2007 called WHEN THE LEAVES STOP FALLING, from THE MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW who said, "A deftly written story." That meant a lot to me because it wasn't a book through a mass market publisher, just me trying my hand at this dream of mine. Currently, I was overjoyed at a cover review quote from NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author Caridad Pineiro, who said this, "SUMMER'S ROAD is a compelling story about the long road to finding true love." It made me feel like all the work I put in was worth it. That I was on the right track.

What’s next for you? Is there a new book in the pipeline?
I'm working on a non-fiction memoir that someone contacted me about back in August. I don't normally write outside of romance or children's books, but I couldn't pass up this opportunity as it was once a high profile case. It's near complete, and then we'll start submitting. That's about all I can say for now on that. I'm also halfway through a romantic suspense called THE DRAKE HOUSE, and my second children's book called ALL THE COLORS OF MY FEELINGS.

Thanks so much for being here today, Kelly! And, for those of you interested in learning more about her new novel, check out the book's page on Kelly's site here, which has trailers, reviews and an excerpt. Amazon link (for paperback) is here and more buy links will be coming soon!

Kelly has graciously offered to give away an ebook copy of SUMMER'S ROAD to one commenter below!! The winner's name will be posted on Thursday morning -- good luck!

Great Books & Scene Stealers

2011-03-14T05:20:00.002-05:00

Monday morning already! That was one fast weekend... I'm at Austen Authors today talking about characters who are scene stealers. Tomorrow, I've got author Kelly Moran visiting! And, coming up on Friday, I'll be at Magical Musings. (Wish I got to travel so much in real life, LOL.)

I also wanted to give a shout out to three fabulous new novels I've been reading that I think the world should know about:

My GBC sister, Ellen Meister, has a wonderful new book out called The Other Life , which asks the question: What if you could return to the road not taken? Happily married with a young son and another child on the way, Quinn Braverman has the perfect life. She also has an ominous secret. Every time she makes a major life decision, she knows an alternative reality exists in which she made the opposite choice-not only that, she knows how to cross over. But even in her darkest moments-like her mother's suicide-Quinn hasn't been tempted to visit . . . until she receives shattering news about the baby she's carrying. Desperate to escape her grief, Quinn slips through the portal that leads to her other life: the life in which she stayed with her exciting but neurotic ex- boyfriend, and is childless. The life in which-as she is amazed to discover-her mother is still very much alive. Quinn is soon forced to make an impossible choice. Will she stay with the family she loves and face the painful challenges that lie ahead? Or will a more carefree life-and the primal lure of being with her mother-pull her into her other life for good? (And Ellen just did a great interview on NPR yesterday! You can listen to it here.)

My friend Lainey Bancroft has a brand new ebook release, too, called Mixed Blessings! Love the premise for this novel, as well as Lainey's engaging writing style: Daniela Blessing’s ability to see crimes through the eyes of victims is a mixed blessing. She thinks she’s a handmaiden of Fate, but when Vincent Gabriele accosts her one sunny morning he calls it eye for an eye justice. He’s willing to keep her secrets—if she helps him. Despite his blackmail tactics, Danni would help, except her psychic abilities evaporate whenever Vincent is around. As truths emerge unlocking Vincent’s past, some of Danni’s history is also revealed. They’ve been intrinsically tied in the past, and their future is about to become a Destiny neither of them expected.

And, thanks to an exciting win on Edie Ramer's blog, I just got ahold of Karen Cantwell's comedic murder mystery, Take the Monkeys and Run, which was a 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel semi-finalist. So delightful! Film lover Barbara Marr is a typical suburban mom living the typical suburban life in her sleepy little town of Rustic Woods, Virginia. Typical, that is until she sets out to find the missing link between a bizarre monkey sighting in her yard and the bone chilling middle-of-the-night fright fest at the strangely vacant house next door. When Barb talks her two friends into some seemingly innocent Charlie's Angels-like sleuthing, they stumble upon way more than they bargained for and uncover a piece of neighborhood history that certain people would kill to keep on the cutting room floor. Enter sexy PI Colt Baron, Barb's ex-boyfriend who would love to be cast as new leading man, filling the role just vacated by her recently estranged husband, Howard. When Colt flies in from out of town to help Barb, events careen out of control and suddenly this mini-van driving mother of three becomes a major player in a treacherous and potentially deadly FBI undercover operation. It's up to her now. With little time to spare, she and she alone, must summon the inner strength necessary to become a true action heroine and save the lives of those she loves. The question is can she get them out alive before the credits roll?

What have you all been reading lately? Debut authors? Long-time favorites? Ebooks, paperbacks, hardcovers?? Would love to hear about some of your newest novel discoveries ;).

Around the Blogosphere: Visiting Caryn Caldwell and the GBC

2011-03-07T09:12:00.002-06:00

Good morning, everyone!

I am having one of those great days where I get to be (virtually) two places at once. Why does this not ever happen in my real life, hmm?! I'm blogging about finding wisdom in popular song lyrics over at the Girlfriends Book Club today and, also, the wonderful Caryn Caldwell has invited me to visit! (Plus, she's hosting a giveaway that includes Ghirardelli!!) So, if you're able to stop by, please do.

Wishing you all a fabulous week ;).

Contest Winner and DRAGON BLUES

2011-03-04T07:27:00.009-06:00

**Note: Congrats to the winner of the t-shirt and CD: Maria Geraci! I'll get that sent out to you next week. Hope you'll enjoy both!!**

And now for an extra Friday treat -- the absolutely wonderful Edie Ramer is here, and we get to celebrate with her the recent release of her latest book, Dragon Blues!!

1. Welcome, Edie! What's the premise of DRAGON BLUES?

Marilyn, thank you for having me as your guest. And thanks for asking about the premise! Here’s the summary:

Once a dragon…

Saxophone player Noah Long shifted from dragon to human 2500 years ago, but the dragon blood still coursing through his veins has kept him healthy and virile. Now his secret is out, and the man who discovered it will do anything to make Noah’s blood his own. Noah’s only ally is martial arts expert Lila Fox, who heats up the fire in his belly…and his heart.

Twice a killer…

Lila Fox’s first kill was at age sixteen after her stepfather put her mother in a wheelchair. Fourteen years later, she kills another abuser to save a woman’s life. When the man who wants Noah’s blood kills her sister, she can’t let the death go unanswered. She teams up with the strangely compelling Noah, and discovers he’s not all man and has a few tricks of his own.

2. You've combined two fascinating elements in the creation of your hero: a saxophone player who was once a dragon. What was your inspiration for Noah?

I love my inspiration! Leonard Nimoy’s Spock from the original Star Trek TV series. He’s always been my favorite. There’s a Zen quality to his portrayal of Spock, a serenity and a wisdom that fits a former dragon.

The saxophone and Noah’s love of the blues adds a sadness to his character. I don’t know how the saxophone happened. Music shows up in several of my stories, which is odd because I don’t play an instrument and I sing off-key. (LOL, Edie! ;)

3. Your heroine, Lila, is a martial arts expert. Have you ever learned a martial art? If so, which one?

I haven’t dabbled. A member of my Milwaukee chapter, who writes as Leigh Morgan, is a fourth degree black belt in Kung Fu and has done a couple of demonstrations (with her wonderful husband playing the bad guy) for our group. She’s about 5’3 or so, but she can easily throw her much taller husband around.

When I finished the few scenes in which my heroine uses martial arts moves, Leigh was nice enough to read them and give me her thoughts.

4. What are one or two of the themes that you explored while writing this story and/or what do you hope readers will come away with after having read the book?

Change and rebirth are themes in my book, starting with the change 2500 years ago when Noah turned into a human. Lila’s life is changing, too, big-time. She’d left Nashville for southern California to start a new life, away from her troubled sister. But it wasn’t a fully lived life. Her past was keeping her heart closed. Now she’s back to Nashville to help her sister, and in the process her life is ripped apart and she’s reborn.

This also becomes an emotional rebirth for Noah. And Lila’s sister is the poster child for rebirth. Noah recognizes her in the first chapter as a woman he’d known (and thought he’d loved) 2500 years ago. She’s reincarnated and making a mess of this life, just as she’d done back then.

I hope readers will come out of it with a warm, lingering glow, already eager to read the next adventure of these two fascinating characters.

I'm sure they will, Edie :-). Thanks so, so much for being here. It was wonderful to have you -- as always! Anyone have big weekend plans? What's going on for everyone?

New FRIDAYS Review and B&N Book Club

2011-03-03T13:51:00.003-06:00

As an author, reading a book review of your novel that convinces you that the reviewer has a genuine, clear-eyed understanding of the story is a truly priceless thing. To me, it's a bit like what I suspect a stand-up comedian feels onstage when he knows the audience is with him. The crowd in the smoky club may not love every single joke, but they laugh at all the right spots, glance knowingly at their companions when a punchline strikes a familiar chord and, after the show is over, they stroll home, taking with them a few stories that leave them chuckling with their friends later.

Well, I'm no stand-up comic, but twice now I've been given the gift of delightful and insightful book reviews on Austenprose. Laurel Ann's review of ACCORDING TO JANE still makes me feel all the warmth and giddiness I'd experienced when reading her words for the first time in the fall of 2009. And, today, Shelley DeWees (from The Uprising) has up her thoughtful review of FRIDAY MORNINGS AT NINE, which opens with this LOL line:

"Welcome to the world of Friday Mornings at Nine, the most cunningly disguised self-help book on planet Earth." Shelley later writes: "But with each page turn, with each brief glimpse into the lives of these lonely females, I found myself more and more captivated by their predicaments. Each marital problem is different than the others but still circles around the same key issue: the lack of solid a relationship with the self. Marilyn Brant, author of According to Jane, spins an engaging story around the concept Polonius described so simply, 'To thine own self, be true.'"

Thanks, Shelley. My wonderful college writing professor, Dr. Raymond Schoen, with his pipe in hand, is grinning hugely from his perch in the heavens today. That was one of his favorite Shakespearean quotes, and it was a sentiment he reminded me of rather insistently one day after class when I was 19. ;)

In other good news, the lovely Debbie Haupt of The Reading Frenzy invited me to be a guest author on Barnes & Noble online this month since Friday Mornings at Nine was selected as the B&N General Fiction Book Club novel for March! Anyone who wants to join in the discussion is most welcome. I'll be popping in as often as I can throughout the month to answer questions related to the book and/or to just chat about writing and life. Really looking forward to it.

Back tomorrow with the winner of the t-shirt/TMD CD and, also, Edie Ramer's new release, Dragon Blues!

The Mojo Daddies & Dennis DeYoung ROCK (the Paradise) + Giveaway!

2011-03-01T05:15:00.027-06:00

If it's not Mother Nature dumping snow and ice on us...it's Nasty Mr. Congestion hitting us with colds and flu. Not the most wonderful February for me personally as far as health and weather, so I'll admit to being relieved to have made it through to March.

However, there was a BIG bright spot this past weekend that made me feel like a carefree teenager again. A rock concert I've been excited about for months: The Mojo Daddies -- the most fab opening act EVER -- and the incomparable Dennis DeYoung performing the music of Styx unplugged!!! (I snapped most of the photos on the page, but I had help with a few. The picture to the left was taken by Randa during the pre-show sound check -- fascinating to watch. ;)

There's no doubt I'm a little bit biased when it comes to both bands. The husbands of my friends Sarah, Joyce and Carol are three of the talented members of The Mojo Daddies (a.k.a. TMD), and I've had the pleasure of seeing the guys perform a number of times before -- including last spring when they opened for Los Lobos! As for Mr. DeYoung, well...I've been a fan of Styx since the late 1970s and a few of his solo songs are amongst my favorites, too. (See my post on "Don't Wait for Heroes" -- a rock anthem for writers, if ever I heard one...)

The evening started when we all arrived at Governors State University, just outside of Chicago, and both bands got to do a quick sound check and rehearsal. Then, the TMD crew had a pizza party for the friends and family in attendance. (Note the incredibly awesome women pictured alongside of me to the left: Randa Anderson, Carol Dikelsy, Joyce Twardock, Sarah Pressly-James, me and Joyce Kveton.)

Since it was an all-acoustic evening, TMD's drummer Jim Campbell got to relax this time around, but the three other band members -- Rob Twardock, Craig James and Mike Dikelsy, pictured respectively to the right with their sound guy, Greg Kveton (far right) -- put on a fantastic opening show, playing all original songs that had our toes tapping.

(Here are Rob, Mike and Craig onstage to the left -- all on guitar for this song -- just wonderful!)

Adding to the fun was the fact that I was lucky enough to attend the concert with my brother Joe, who's always excellent company. (Love ya, Bro!) He and I have seen many fine musical performances together, and Saturday night added yet another memorable concert to our collection.

During the intermission between performances and, also, after the show, the TMD members, their wives and their kids helped sell/sign t-shirts and CDs. In this shot, Joyce, Mike and Craig display the must-have TMD items available for sale.

Then it was time for DeYoung and the gang to take the stage and, ohhh, the familiar and fabulous songs they played! From "Rockin' the Paradise," the opening number, to "Come Sail Away," the encore song that closed the show, it was a feast of musical memories for this '80s girl. (Those of you who've read my debut novel, According to Jane, might remember that I referenced Styx in the book. :) Other concert highlights included "Too Much Time on My Hands," "Foolin' Yourself," "Don't Let It End," "Mr. Roboto" and one other song I'll tell you about in a minute. (Pictured above: DeYoung and his band in the middle of the concert. L to R: His wife Suzanne, Craig Carter, Dennis on piano, Jimmy Leahey and August Zadra.)

One of the wildly exciting perks of being friends/family members of the performers is getting backstage privileges. (OMG!! It was totally like "Entourage"...) Just as we were fortunate to see the sound check prior to the show, we also got to join both sets of band members in a meet-and-greet room afterward. Thank you, TMD, for that exciting experience! Carol took this photo of Dennis DeYoung with Rob to the right -- a terrific shot.

Carol also took this one to the left of Dennis signing something for me -- proof that I'm a music geek from way, way back... What was it? Well, my favorite DeYoung song of the evening was "Desert Moon" from the 1984 album by the same name. You can't see this detail unless you click on the next photo and look closely at the upper right-hand corner, but it's a piece of paper dated October 21, 1984. For the record, I'm not a particularly skilled sight reader of music, and I'd only studied piano for a couple of years at that point, but I loved this song so much that I tried to figure out the notes and write them down when I was in high school.

Clearly, I did not get far, LOL. And for anyone who reads music, you'll recognize that it's pretty simplistic and not entirely accurate. But, nevertheless, I was proud of my attempt -- it was the best I could do back then. I tucked the sheet in a folder and kept it for all of these years with my songbooks. When I heard about the concert a few months ago, I dug it out and decided to bring it with me, not really expecting to get it autographed but thinking it would be really cool if I did... Here's proof that's exactly what happened!

And the best part of the story was this: When I pulled out the creased piece of paper this weekend and handed it to Dennis DeYoung himself, explaining how much I loved his songs and how I'd once tried to puzzle out the notes to "Desert Moon," I also said apologetically, "I know I got this wrong."

In an act of extreme generosity on his part, especially given how musically gifted he is (you should see the way this man's hands fly across the keyboard!), he actually read the notes I'd scratched on the page almost three decades ago. To him, it must've looked like the musical notation of a preschooler. Still, he studied it for a few long seconds and said very kindly, "The key is wrong. It should be in D and you've written it in C. But you got the rest of it right."

The teenager's heart, hiding deep inside my forty-something self, skipped a few beats in that moment. *grin*

In honor of the sheer joy music brings us, I'm giving away this "Notes" t-shirt and TMD's debut CD "Back to Champaign" to one random commenter on this blog post. I'll draw the winning name on Friday. Just answer this question: What's one of the best/most fun concerts you've ever attended? And have a marvelous week, all of you!

Friday Night Book Clubbing

2011-02-24T05:55:00.018-06:00

This past Friday night, I had the pleasure of joining an area book club to discuss Friday Mornings at Nine, and what a fabulous group it was! My friend and Chicago-North RWA chaptermate, Clara Kensie (pictured with me), gets the credit for pulling together this gathering, and I'm thrilled she did.

Our wonderful host, Karen (right), made me feel welcome at once, and the drinks/treats everybody shared were delicious! As for the actual details of our conversation...well, I've been sworn to secrecy. You know there's that unwritten rule that what gets talked about in book club stays in book club ;). I will say that the four hours I was there sped by in a blink and, by the end of the evening, I knew I wanted to find a way to get together with these ladies again. I'm totally gonna crash one of their morning coffee dates. They happened to let it slip when and where they meet...so they'll have no choice but to see me again.

Here's half of the wild crew (from left to right): Toby, Jeni, Karen, Kathy and Sandra. And, if you check out the table, you can also see the tasty cream-cheese dip we devoured. SO good! As well as those chocolate-peanut-butter truffles that Liz brought us (she's a Dove chocolatier!) -- YUM.

On the other side of the room, we have: Clara, Tina, Diane, Liz and Cheryl (who's Karen's mom!) and more great posing with the books. I just loved the way everyone in the club spontaneously held up my novels and postcards the very second I pulled out my camera -- you ladies rock!

Since I caught Tina with her eyes closed in that last shot, here's another one. And, oh, did I mention we also had some wine? Mmmm, yes...

This final shot of Diane and Liz searching for a passage in the book was actually the first picture I took during the evening. Although, after I learned that Diane is a terrific photographer, I turned my camera over to her and got her to take a few additional photos for me.

To all the ladies, thanks so much for making the night such fun. And to the Awesome Mystery Woman out there -- wherever she may be -- who is the originator of today's modern book club, I raise my glass to you. You created something good ;).

Don't Wait for Heroes

2011-02-22T10:45:00.001-06:00

Just a quick post to let you know I'm over at the RWA-Women's Fiction chapter's blog today with a post called "Don't Wait for Heroes." (My homage to the wise words of Dennis DeYoung of Styx and how it relates to writing fiction. ;) I'm so excited to get to see DeYoung and The Mojo Daddies this weekend. Well, weather and good health allowing...both have been a challenge this month.

Today, there's more Austen Project twittering (#A4T) and I'll be back in a day or two with photos from a really delightful book club I got to visit with over the weekend. (I know I've said it before, but it's worth repeating: I LOVE BOOK CLUBS!! Such fun. :)

Wishing you all a very good day!

Writer's Block, Twittering & More Magical Musings

2011-02-17T15:33:00.002-06:00

Just launched! The Austen Authors now have a story board for posting excerpts, novellas and short stories, and it's called The Writer's Block. Many of the offerings are, of course, Austen-related, but there are places for those of us to contribute tidbits of our other novels as well. I've never posted on fiction boards of any kind before, so this is a new venture for me -- and a fun one, too.

Another new venture -- having just completed our second week out of thirteen -- is the Austen Twitter Project, which is a hoot! It's a collaborative effort between Austen lovers from around the globe (anyone can participate, btw, it's not restricted to published authors), during which we're writing in real Twitter time a story called "The Ball at Pemberley." Each participant tweets the next lines in the tale during a set time slot every Tuesday. You can follow the meandering -- and often hilarious -- story with the #A4T hashtag and, also, every Sunday on the Austen Authors blog, the new transcript of the week will be up. (Here is part one.) Sign up for a slot and join us, if you'd like!

Finally, I get a to have double the fun at Magical Musings this week. Today, I'm interviewing debut historical women's fiction author Kristina McMorris (and she's giving away a copy of her fab novel, Letters from Home). And, tomorrow, I've got book giveaways and great romantic moments from three wonderful romance authors and friends: Robin Kaye, Laura Moore and Tina Radcliffe. Very excited to get to share these with all of you!

Hope everyone has been having a lovely Valentine's Week ;).

Interview with Robin Kaye!

2011-02-16T18:46:00.004-06:00

I've been looking forward to having my friend and fellow '007 GH Bond Sister, Robin Kaye, visit me on Brant Flakes for ages, and I'm thrilled that I get to finally interview her here! Her new and sure-to-be-hilarious novel, Yours for the Taking, just came out from Sourcebooks early last month, and I'm SO looking forward to reading it ;). Welcome, Robin!

1. Can you tell us about your new book?
Yours for the Taking is a modern-day marriage of convenience with an urban twist.

2. What's one scene from this story you loved writing and why?
There’s a scene where my Gina, my heroine thought my hero was gay and is questioning it . She decides to test him and ends up getting more information than she planned to. I just love Gina and how her mind works! The scene turned out to be really funny! Poor Ben didn’t know if he should apologize and protect his privates or thank God that he got caught.

3. Name 3-4 of your favorite musical artists/groups. Did you use any musical references in your novel? If so, do they play a significant role?
I think I’ve used a few musical references in my novels. Nick Romeo thought of Frank Sinatra as the patron saint of single men everywhere and he and Rosalie danced to I’ve Got You Under My Skin. I think I might have mentioned one of my favorites Corrine Bailey Rae in Too Hot to Handle, and maybe even On the Wild Side (I’m in the middle of revisions for that book.)

As for my favorites — that’s an impossible question. I have over 15,000 songs on my iPod and can’t imagine going anywhere without them. Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of David Wilcox since I just saw him in concert again last week. He’s an amazing lyricist and guitarist. I have eclectic tastes ranging from ‘40s Big Band to The Sick Puppies and everything in between. I really like Landon Pigg, Jamie Cullum, Neko Case, Iron and Wine, Ben Taylor, Chris Botti, Dashboard Confessional, The Postal Service, The Goo Goo Dolls, Leigh Nash, Lifehouse…the list is never ending. (LOVE these, Robin! The Goo Goo Dolls and Lifehouse are very high on my list, too. ;)

4. Who was the first person you told when you got The Call announcing you'd sold your first novel?
I think I called my husband first, then my mother, my aunt, my dad, and my best friend.

5. What's one piece of writing advice you've found valuable on your journey to publication?
Madeline Hunter came up to me at the STAR conference after Romeo, Romeo won The STAR contest for Best Contemporary Single Title. The final judge had requested the full manuscript, which wasn’t completed — I had another 250 pages or so to write. Madeline was in full lecture mode and told me to get myself home, put my ass in the chair, and finish that manuscript in 30 days. She demanded that I email her once a week and tell her how things were going, if I got stuck, I should email her. Then she told me that I had a great opportunity and it was mine to take and run with or lose. She said not to make the same mistake so many others do by letting opportunity pass them by. I finished the manuscript within 30 days, and Madeline Hunter has been one of my favorite people since that conference.

6. Do your neighbors/hometown acquaintances know you're a published author or did you just choose to tell those closest to you?
Most of my neighbors and acquaintances know since there have been a few articles about me in the local papers and magazines. I wouldn’t think to hide it, I’m really proud of what I do and my work.

7. What's a personality trait you love about one of the characters in your novel and why?
I love that Ben is a chameleon — he fits in wherever he goes and shows different sides of his personality depending on who he’s with or where he is. It confuses the heck out of Gina at first, but I think it really shows so much about his life — he has so many different roles that are sometimes complete opposites. He’s had to ‘change color’ to blend in from the time he was a small child. Who doesn’t love a man who looks as comfortable in well worn hiking boots and Levis hiking through the wilderness as he does in a Hugo Boss suit at a board meeting, or in his trendy monochrome, slacks and sweater dealing with a new artist on display at his gallery? Ben fascinates me.

8. Do you pay attention to book reviews? If so, has there been any particular review that made your heart do a little dance?
Everyone pays attention to their reviews, even if they don’t admit it. I have no problem admitting I read them, but I don’t obsess over them.

I danced for days when Eloisa James featured Yours for the Taking in her Barnes & Noble Reading Romance Reviews. It was almost as cool as when I saw her on Twitter and thanked her for the wonderful review. She tweeted me back and said I was welcome and that she really loved my book.

9. Writers are usually big readers too. How do you make time for reading and what are you reading at the moment?
I used to be a book-a-day reader but with all my time commitments my reading time has decreased drastically — something I’m not happy about. I have a hard time starting a book and putting it down to get work done, so I try start a book until I can give myself the 4 – 6 hours it takes me to read it from cover-to-cover. The last book I read was The Heir, by Grace Burrowes. It was amazing!

10. What’s the most surprising thing that has happened to you on your publishing journey? Have you learned things about the industry you never knew before?
The most surprising thing that happened to me was winning the Golden Heart, heck, even finaling shocked me.

I’ve learned so much about the industry I never knew before, but then I knew so little when I started. When I began I didn’t know what Point of View was. I think RWA is so fabulous about teaching, not only the craft of writing, but the business. Most everything I learned was by attending conferences and listening to the recordings of RWA National Conferences. I have six years on my iPod and listen to them over and over and over again. You never know what you’ll pick up. (I agree, Robin. I think RWA is simply an amazing organization. I've learned so much from the generosity and wisdom of our fellow writers...)

11. What's your writing schedule like during the day/week?My life is really hectic. I’d love to say I write from 10 – 5 every day, but with three kids in two states, my life is insane. Sometimes I drive to Pennsylvania for my 15 year-old ballerina and get a few hours here and there at my favorite Starbucks, sometimes I can’t sleep and write 3,500 words between 10 PM and 3:45 AM, sometimes I sit at my desk all day and write like crazy but there’s never any schedule. For me it’s better to know I how many words I need to write per-week to make my deadline. Right now it’s about 9,000 words, not including the business end, blogs, and then of course procrastination. :)

12. What’s next for you? Is there a new book in the pipeline?
I’ve started the Domestic Gods Gone Wild series, the first book, On the Wild Side is in revisions. I have two more of that series under contract, and an idea for a fourth book. We’ll see what happens.

13. Did you have a writing mentor? If so, in what ways did he/she provide guidance?
I don’t think so. There were a lot of people in The Valley Forge Romance Writers who were always there to answer my stupid questions or an encouraging word, but no one who really worked with me as a mentor.

The nice thing about RWA is there are so many people willing to help. Some of my heroes in the business have been so wonderful to me. I remember I was sitting next to someone at National and we started talking. I had no idea who this person was, so as we were finishing up our conversation, I introduced myself and she said she was Maureen Child. I screamed OMG! I love you! I’ve read every one of your books! (I know, I was such a dork). She thanked me and told me that she really needed to hear that. A few years later, I was at the Rita and Golden Heart Awards rehearsal and I saw her. She asked how I was doing, so I showed her my ARC and she asked if she could keep it. I said, sure and if you want to give me a cover quote, I’d really appreciate it. Maureen Child had to hunt me down to find me and give me some of the nicest cover quotes I’ve received.

14. Any other questions you'd like to answer?!
No questions, I just wanted to thank you for the interview. You’re a doll!
(Awww, Robin! You, too!! Thanks so much for being here. ;)

Hearts & ISBNs

2011-02-11T06:36:00.003-06:00

As I was working on a post for next Tuesday's Austen Authors blog, I came across a number of delicious-looking websites including Cheryl's, which had these fabulous frosted cookie-heart bouquets. YUM! You can have your flowers and eat 'em, too...

Here, we are going to have a very low-key Valentine's Day. We don't do any elaborate celebrations or give big gifts (in fact, my husband and I only exchanged Valentine's Day presents once, during our first year of dating ;), but we already have some chocolate onhand that we both really like, and there will probably be a dinner that I don't have to cook sometime this weekend -- most likely Thai carryout, since that's marginally healthy -- along with the exchanging of cards.

My husband doesn't have to do much more than that to make me feel loved and appreciated (although, if he baked me a tiramisu every now and again I would probably consider him to be the perfect man -- one that could rival even the Old Spice Guy, lol). From the publishing world, however, I got my Valentine's treat early and in a non-edible form: The ISBN number for A Summer in Europe appeared on Amazon this week, and that never fails to make me squee aloud and say, "Oh, my God, it's real!" No cover yet. No product description. Nothing more than a placeholder page, really, but I have yet to tire of the experience of seeing these things pop up.

Anyway, it's Friday and the start of the weekend...what are you all going to do? Any special/romantic plans?? Will you do your celebrating tonight, tomorrow or Sunday...or will you wait for the official day on Monday to share your particular words of love with your Valentine? Regardless, I wish you all a Very Happy Hearts Day! xoxo

Free Book Friday!

2011-02-03T16:52:00.001-06:00

Just popping in for a sec to let everyone who might be interested know: There's a 3-book giveaway (for Friday Mornings at Nine) and interview (with me ;) going on right now on Free Book Friday! The winners of the drawing will be announced tomorrow...

And for those who didn't see it, yes, this picture (courtesy of the Chicago Tribune) was taken of Lake Shore Drive this week. They've been calling it "Snowmageddon 2011." Yeah. Why doesn't anyone want to sing "Winter Wonderland" when we get 20+ inches of new snow in one day, hmm?!

Wishing you all a fantabulous weekend. And, because my Bears-loving husband and son are STILL home, thanks to 2 consecutive snow days, and they are STILL pouting because Green Bay beat their team, I also have to say, very loudly: GO, PACK!! (*waving to everyone in my home state of Wisconsin*) Best of luck on Super Bowl Sunday!

Dear CW

2011-01-31T14:15:00.001-06:00

Dear CW,

Not to be too blunt about it but...what the hell were you thinking?!

In good faith, thousands and thousands of viewers waited for TWO MONTHS while Supernatural was on hiatus. That was a long time to patiently wonder if Sam Winchester's soul could be restored without destroying him. That was an even longer time not to see Dean Winchester's black-leather-jacket-wearing torso and smoldering and/or smirking facial expressions. Yet, most of us did not whine on message boards or complain openly on blogs or do other such things that would be proof of our geekdom and over-obsessiveness because, hey, we're adults. We can wait and look forward to -- with great anticipation -- getting to see the climactic last few months of the final season.

We were told January 28th was the return date. We believed you. We turned on our televisions Friday night at 8pm, gleefully awaiting the next battle between angels and demons...the next road trip in the black '67 Chevy Impala with classic metal rock blaring...the next possible occasion for one of the Winchester brothers to take his shirt off...and, instead, we got: a Nikita rerun.

Not. A. Smart. Move. CW.

Now, I understand the desire to promote a new show. I understand that it's difficult to turn viewers on to something that's debuting this season rather than see them reach reflexively for an old favorite that's been on for SIX seasons (of which I have not yet missed an episode) and is now winding down. In the writing world, though, this would be an unforgiveable bait and switch. Imagine thinking you were downloading the latest New York Times bestselling thriller onto your Kindle or Nook and, instead, you got the debut suspense release of a newbie. Does that mean the newbie's book is bad and/or not worth reading? NO. It is not, however, what you thought you were getting and what you'd planned to invest your time in. And, what's worse, it smacks of Big Brother manipulation in the "I know what you need better than you do" vein.

For the record, I kinda hate that.

I don't forgive you for doing this, CW, because it was premeditated trickery. I won't go so far as to rant about how you have no respect for your fans or, more personally, about how you deprived me of an anticipated night of fun watching Castiel say absurdly delightful one-liners or make out with hapless mortal women in imitation of "adult" movies viewed in a motel room (taking a deep breath here), but your ploy backfired big time. I will not be watching Nikita just because you want me to -- no offense to the writers or the cast -- and to add an Austenesque exclamation of horror to this grievous affair, "I am most seriously displeased."

~Marilyn

p.s. I understand your Smallville fans share my sentiment as well...

Dear Everyone Else,
Aside from this regrettable television-network incident, I had a great weekend and hope you all did, too. What d'ya do??
~M. ;)

Unexpected Gifts

2011-01-28T08:15:00.006-06:00

This is a REAL picture!

Although I keep having a Magritte moment whenever I look at it (and saying "This is not a pipe" as in The Treachery of Images), I was assured of its authenticity by its photographer, suspense author Shawn Grady. Shawn's faith-based thrillers have been praised by Booklist and his upcoming third novel, Falls Like Lightning (Bethany House, July 2011), showed up on Amazon's Christian Mystery bestseller list this week -- congrats! He's a real-life firefighter and paramedic in Reno, NV and, while I don't know him at all beyond our Facebook connection, he comes across online as a very kind and genuine guy...

Which was why I was (eventually) persuaded to believe him when he told me he'd seen my book on this shelf at a Raley's grocery store in northern Nevada. That, no, he didn't Photoshop the image of my book cover onto someone else's novel. That he didn't even physically prop it up on the shelf (putting it in the same vicinity as Dickens, no less!) before pulling out his camera phone. Thing is, even when I thought Shawn had somehow crafted the picture, I considered it an awesomely cool gesture that a fellow author I'd never met, writing in a genre quite different from mine, would take the time to send it to me.

Gift 1: The surprising and sometimes heartwarming sense of connectedness that can happen between strangers thanks to social networks.

I've been blogging regularly for nearly 4 years, on Facebook for 2 years and struggling to figure out Twitter for a little over 1 year. (Someday, I'll really get it...maybe. ;) Understanding, intellectually, why it's a good idea for an author to have a Web presence is one thing; feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude at making wonderful friends online is altogether another. I've now had the pleasure of meeting in person many of the friends who visit me here, but I haven't forgotten that it was Blogger or FB that first introduced us.

Of course, because you all know me, you also know the truth: I am not a New York Times bestseller. (Not yet, anyway...trust me, if that ever happens, I'll make a point of announcing it, enthusiastically, and with MUCH celebratory chocolate.) Not being on that list right now, though, is a stone-cold fact -- verifiable in black-and-white newsprint -- even if the definition of "Famous Author" is a bit squishier and more of a judgment call. From my point of view, however, I can say with certainty that even our nearest neighbors wouldn't consider me famous for anything other than not being able to keep the hanging plants on our front porch alive for more than a week. But, hey, if some kindly (though misguided) store clerk across the country wants to put me in the "famous" category, who am I to object?!

Gift 2: Knowing that some truths are purely subjective.

My reality is that, no matter what my age, I'll always feel about 16. No matter how mature I (supposedly) am, I'll still squeal like a fangirl if I ever get to go to a U2 or Bon Jovi concert. (Pamela Cayne, you know it's true. ;) I seriously doubt I'll ever stop thinking of pizza and brownies as a perfect -- albeit high-carb -- meal. And, regardless of where my books rank on the sales spectrum, I suspect it would take J.K. Rowling- or Stephenie Meyer-like levels of success before I could ever keep a straight face at being called famous. Which is not to say that I didn't get a little giddy when seeing that bookshelf header this week. Not only because my second novel was placed just beneath it, but because of something far simpler: My book is in Nevada! It's a thousand miles away! It exists even when I can't see or touch it...

Gift 3: Never getting over that sense of amazement that people other than my family members and critique partners are reading my novels.

You'd think after finishing three publishable books that I'd be used to the routine and even a little bored by it these days. Blah, blah, blah, blah, copy edits...blah, blah...page proofs...and then ARCs, ho hum...and final printed copies. But, actually, no. It's still crazy-exciting just knowing my stories are Out There. Knowing someone out grocery shopping -- in another time zone -- might just pick it up, put it in her cart and take it home to read. Priceless.

So, thanks, Shawn, for the picture. And thanks to everyone else for letting me share it. Wishing you all a fabulous weekend! I know we're still a full week away from Super Bowl XLV, but I'm curious -- who are you all cheering for? Packers or Steelers? (I was born and raised in Wisconsin, so I'm trying to find my Cheesehead hat...)

Malena Lott Shares Thoughts on Being In Between

2011-01-25T06:20:00.000-06:00

I'm thrilled to have one of my Girlfriends Book Club pals, Malena Lott, visiting here today and guest blogging for us! Malena is an award-winning writer and the author of three novels. Her latest release, FIXER UPPER, is available in the Kindle store and other digital formats. She writes on how to "verbinize" your life all year long at www.malenalott.com and lives in Oklahoma with her husband, three kids, and dog.

Welcome, Malena! We're delighted to have you here today ;).

Are You In Between? by Malena Lott

Life can be a bitch for a while if you're in between. I'm not talking anything as drastic as a sex change operation (though that would qualify), but about becoming who you want to be. Sometimes we fight it for a long while. Sometimes the Universe throws us for a loop - an unexpected divorce or death in the family or unplanned pregnancy. Other times our awakening is a quiet whisper.

In my third novel, FIXER UPPER, Macy Baxter has the third type - a niggling feeling that her husband no longer loves her though he's the king of catches: handsome, well-bred, charming, a rising star in his political party. Macy married young, had two girls, and became a stay-at-home mom in a wealthy suburb, happily playing the politician's wife - wearing what she was supposed to wear, saying what she was supposed to say, attending all the right functions with all the right people.

Although it sounds logical that "playing" someone will eventually catch up with us, it can be hard to identify it in ourselves. We are so caught up with our "busy-ness" that we often don't connect the dots to why we are depressed or smile less or feel fulfilled.

As an author, I do allow myself "me time" because how else could I write this post? How else could I sit down and write an entire book? It doesn't happen all at once, but with a hell-or-high-water attitude, we can get our goal accomplished. I'll admit that the in-between stage is the toughest. If you are in between projects or on submission or waiting for any sort of big news is your life, it can make you feel restless and agitated. But when we realize that we are ALWAYS in between something and that it's not the goal line we're after but enjoying the ride (even if it's a bumpy one), it can really help with nerves.

Thanks so much, Malena! I think it's easy, especially with the demands of life, work and family, to get caught up on all the details that we forget to take time for ourselves. Time to take stock and figure out what we really want and need. Thanks for the reminder... And, everyone, if you have a chance, take a peek at Malena's contest page before 1/31/11 to find out how to win her January prize package. Lots of good stuff there!!

Blog Visits & Awards

2011-01-24T09:42:00.000-06:00

Good Morning! Happy Monday! Just a quick note that I'm over at the Chick Lit Writers of the World blog today, thanks to the kind invitation of Melina Kantor! But I'll be back here tomorrow to host a guest visit with the lovely Malena Lott, and I'm still visiting Spirited Woman for a few more days and talking about romance novels vs. real life.

Also, special thanks to Brittany Roshelle of The Write Stuff for bestowing this lovely award on my blog! As per the rules, I'm supposed to tell the world 7 things about me and pass it along to my fellow bloggers. (I'm sharing it with any of you who would like to participate. ;)

So, 7 things:
1. I'm 5'3" (almost). One time when I went to a book-club meeting as the visiting author, some woman I'd just met looked at me strangely and said, "I thought you'd be taller." I looked at her strangely in return and said, "Yeah, I thought so, too."
2. I make up book titles when I dream.
3. I find the smell of pickled herring to be revolting. Yet, my husband eats it in front of me anyway.
4. I only studied Russian for one semester in college -- they didn't offer it at my university until my last year -- but I loved it and still remember how to sing this one drinking song. I do not, however, remember what the words mean.
5. I'm fascinated by hockey players fighting on the ice. How do they keep their balance?
6. I am NEVER in the mood for dusting.
7. When I look at a digital clock, I immediately check to see if it's a workable equation (i.e., 2:36pm is 2x3=6, but 1:09am is just an imbalanced set of numbers, and I'm annoyed with them until it's 1:10, or 1-1=0). My brother -- the statistics guy! -- claims this is an odd reaction to telling time and he would like me to get over it. Is he right? (So far I haven't listened, LOL.)