An Austenesque Chat & Ziplining Around the Web

I don't know how this happens, but it does...almost every time. My darling son comes down with a slight cold and, fortunately, rids himself of it in three days or less. Invariably, I catch it, but for me it mutates into a monster malady that lasts well over a week! Why??! What is the physiology behind that?!! If science doesn't have an answer, maybe I need to look to science fiction... It's just weird, not to mention so darned irritating!

Anyway, as you've probably guessed, I am still sniffling and coughing from a cold I managed to catch about 8 days ago, which has kept me offline more than I'd like, but at least I've had a chance to read several wonderful novels. (Ahh, there is always a silver lining somewhere, isn't there? I keep trying to tell myself that as I work my way through a half-dozen Kleenex boxes and several packages of throat lozenges. :)

However, I'm excited to be journeying through the web next week, and I wanted to let everyone know where I was going to be so you could join me, if you'd like!

First stop, Sunday, September 23rd on Austenesque Reviews, I'll be taking part in a multi-author "Sociable Sunday Chat," which is part of the 2012 Austenesque Extravaganza. It'll be a live online conversation that will begin at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central Time. Just go to the Austenesque website and click on the "Chat" link on the far-right side of the header. Anyone can ask questions, make comments and share ideas. Meredith, Jakki and Angie have done an amazing job setting up the month-long festivities -- and there will be book giveaways/prizes to look forward to that day, too!

Monday, September 24th, it's my day to talk about "Transitions" on the Girlfriends Book Club. I have A LOT to say about that, so I hope you'll stop by.

Tuesday, September 25th, I'll be blogging at Austen Authors about Matthew Macfadyen...but (surprise!) not in regards to his role as the 2005 Mr. Darcy. (Although, he does look dashing in a cravat!) I've been finding myself fascinated by a British TV show that some of you may know, "MI-5." It's been great fun watching him in it in the years just prior to his famous Austen film.

And, finally, Friday, September 28th, it's my next post on Magical Musings, and I'll be writing about books that heavily feature "Communities" -- like Robyn Carr's "Virgin River" series and Emily March's "Eternity Springs" series.

Wishing you all a fabulous week ahead and a very happy start to autumn!!

An Evening of Books and Wine

LFBS owner, Sue Boucher, and I with our glasses of Viognier!

Friday night, I had the honor of returning to the city where I used to teach elementary school -- Lake Forest, IL -- to give a talk at Lake Forest Book Store about my novels and about the writing life.

Such a fun evening and what a wonderful group of people!! Not only did we have a lively chat outdoors, but Courtyard Wines (in the building next door to the book store) generously provided red wine, white wine and tasty sandwiches for all. (I was told that the delicious white wine I tried was a "Viognier". :-)

Below are a few other snapshots from the event:

 

What did you all do over the long holiday weekend? Any good books, movies or wine (!!) you'd recommend?

 

p.s. A friend shared an unusual recipe with me for -- get this! -- "Whiskey Marshmallow and Caramel Bacon Bark." I have no idea how it'll taste, but I'm so very tempted to try to make it...

My September Reads...& a Wine Tasting!

Quite possibly, the most thrilling part of finally finishing my draft of The Book I've Been Working On For Two Years is that I get to take a few weeks off (before I need to begin the inevitable revisions) and just READ FOR FUN!!

This is all the more enjoyable because several friends had summer releases (yay!!!) and I've been so anxious to delve into them. When you read the story descriptions below, you'll know why these three novels are at the top of my TBR pile:

Shelley Noble's  BEACH COLORS :
While renowned designer Margaux Sullivan was presenting her highly praised collection during New York City's Fashion Week, her husband was cleaning out their bank account. A week after he disappeared, the bank foreclosed on Margaux's apartment and business.

Suddenly broke, betrayed, and humiliated, Margaux has nowhere else to turn to but home: the small coastal town of Crescent Cove, Connecticut, where she once knew love, joy, and family before she put them behind her on the climb to fame. When she's stopped for speeding by local interim police chief Nick Prescott, Margaux barely remembers the "townie" boy who worshipped her from afar every summer. But Nick is all grown up now, a college professor who gave up his career to care for his orphaned nephew, Connor. Though still vulnerable, Margaux is soon rediscovering the beauty of the shore through young Connor's eyes . . . and, thanks to Nick, finding a forgotten place in her heart that wants to love again.

But as she continues to work on a bold new line that will get her back into the game, Margaux realizes that soon she will have to make the most important, most difficult decision of her life. . . .

Edie Ramer's  STARDUST MIRACLE :

A miracle is going to happen...

Becky Diedrich is the cheesemaker's daughter.
The minister's wife.
The good sister.

What she's not is her own woman.
What she can't be is a mother.

And then she catches her husband with another woman.
And she moves in with her sister.
And she starts to see sparkles.

And this is just the beginning...

Maria Geraci's  A GIRL LIKE YOU :

Every ugly duckling is a swan in waiting...

Show More

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Emma Frazier is smart, hardworking, and loves her job as a journalist for a Florida lifestyle magazine. Emma knows she’s no great beauty, but she’s pretty certain she has a shot with her handsome new boss, Ben Gallagher—until Emma overhears a mutual acquaintance refer to her as the “ugly friend.” In an effort to reclaim her battered self-esteem, Emma decides to impress Ben at work by promising an exclusive interview with NASCAR legend, Trip Monroe.

Emma and Trip went to high school together and although it’s been fourteen years since they’ve spoken, Emma is certain she can score an interview with the elusive super star. But connecting with Trip turns out to be harder than Emma imagined. Her quest for the interview leads her back to her tiny hometown of Catfish Cove, where old secrets and a new romantic interest shake up Emma’s views on life and teach her that maybe the key to finding true love is as simple as accepting yourself for the person you were always meant to be.

Woot!! So excited to get started!

In other fun news, I'm participating in an event tonight that I've been looking forward to for over a month. I'm the guest author at a local bookstore for a novel chat PLUS a wine tasting! Check out Lake Forest Book Store's Summer Fridays for more general information. But, if you happen to be in the area, I'll be in Lake Forest at 7pm tonight, talking about A SUMMER IN EUROPE over glasses of wine ;).

Wishing you all a wonderful and relaxing Labor Day Weekend! Any special plans??

On the Banks of the Mississippi with Mark Twain

My husband is a long-time Mark Twain fan, and our son had The Adventures of Tom Sawyer as one of his summer reading books... So, in an effort to share his love of Twain with our son and bring a fun family adventure to the end of our summer, my husband suggested we all go on a little road trip to Hannibal, Missouri last week.

We drove from the Chicago suburbs in a meandering southwesterly direction and visited Mark Twain's Boyhood Home & Museum, the Mark Twain Cave, the mighty Mississippi River and a number of sites in and around lovely Hannibal, where the young Samuel Clemens grew up. He didn't have an easy life, but his novels and witticisms are timeless, and I've appreciated them often through the years.

My favorite of his books is not a surprising choice for anyone who knows me, as it's the one based on his travels in Europe and the Holy Land: The Innocents Abroad. I read it decades ago (must read it again!), but I loved it and related to the author's observations of people in the way that my husband related to Twain's characterizations and stories of the American West, particularly Roughing It.

I'll leave you with some of his most famous quotations...and a question: Do you have a favorite Mark Twain story? A saying of his that you like best? If so, please share!

I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.

There are several good protections against temptation, but the surest is cowardice.

One of the striking differences between a cat and a lie is that a cat has only nine lives.

The holy passion of Friendship is of so sweet and steady and loyal and enduring a nature that it will last through a whole lifetime, if not asked to lend money.

Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence in society.

Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed.

It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.

The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.

Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.

The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not.

Let the Games Begin!

It was such a thrill to watch the Opening Ceremonies for the London 2012 Summer Olympics last night.

Yes, yes, there were long stretches where there was just lots of talking and walking (my son informed me he was "bored" more than once during the Parade of Nations), but I loved that ten-minute sequence at the very beginning that showed famous spots around the United Kingdom...and who wouldn't get a kick out of that fun scene with Queen Elizabeth II (aka Bond Girl) and Daniel Craig (aka 007) where they jumped out of the helicopter?! I couldn't stop smiling.

When we went to the England at the end of March, one of our major sightseeing visits was the British Museum. My husband and I had been there before, but we wanted our son to see cool historical things like the Rosetta Stone, too, so he wouldn't think London was only known for the Tube and the Cadbury bars...

As a bonus, we had a chance to get a close-up view of the newly minted Olympic gold medals for the London Games, which were on display in the museum, and I thought this week would be the perfect time to share them. Gorgeous, yes? I'm already anticipating the fun of watching the men's and women's gymastics competitions, some of the swimming and diving events and a taster platter of other sports, like archery, volleyball and fencing. What about you?? Do you watch? Which events are your favorites?

And, in an extra bit of exciting news, I was delighted to learn a couple of weeks ago that my ebook romance, Double Dipping, was named a 2012 contemporary novel finalist in the International Digital Awards! There may not have been any gold medals bestowed on the finalists or winners, but it was a tremendous honor all the same.

Wishing you all a fabulous week!!

Lucky 13

Happy Friday the 13th!

As some of you already know (see Magical Musings post on the subject), I've always considered this to be a lucky day...and I hope that proves true for you, too!

This awesome book photo on the left comes courtesy of the wonderful Jill Thomas, who sent me a snapshot of her vacation reading stack. So honored to be in this literary company!!

This week has been a busy one...half the summer has flitted by and I'm only just beginning to believe it's actually BBQ season. Summertime events -- both online and off -- have been happening so fast that I haven't had the chance to highlight them, but I did want to tell you all about a few:

Last night, I met the lovely Elizabeth Hoyt, Jade Lee and Allie Pleiter at the Fremont Public Library, where we took part in a romance panel and got to meet some really nice patrons. We're doing it again tomorrow -- Saturday, July 14th from 2pm - 3:30pm -- at the Warren-Newport Public Library in Gurnee, IL. So, if you're in the area (or up for a road trip!), please join us. There will be dessert and a drawing for a bag of free books!

On the subject of book giveaways...I'm a guest this week at Darcyholic Diversions and am giving away two copies of my digital romantic comedy, On Any Given Sundae. The contest runs until the beginning of August, so it's not too late to comment and be entered!

The Journey Begins in Real Time...

I was reminded by an online friend (Hi, Catherine! *waving*) yesterday that the story that takes place within A Summer in Europe begins on June 26th, which is the main character's 30th birthday. I'd nearly forgotten this detail -- amidst all of the craziness and general chaos of my day-to-day life -- but then I checked the pages and not only remembered that the dates aligned, but so do the days of the week, since I used the 2012 calendar when I drafted the novel.

It's a funny thing, getting to begin a journey with my characters now, in real time, that I've already written for them in anticipation of this summer... ;)

Anyway, I have a few fun photos to share of events from this month. A panel shot from Printers Row (with Karen Doornebos, Elisabeth Lenckos, Abigail Reynolds, me, Regena Bryant and C. Allyn Pierson), and a picture of Karen and me with William Deresiewicz, author of A JANE AUSTEN EDUCATION during his signing.

I've also got a few snapshots of my travel program at the Waukegan Public Library, which was tons of fun!! Such a great group of patrons, friends and librarians there that night. To the right, I'm with the lovely programs librarian, Sara. Have a fabulous week, everyone! Here are some other pictures from the meal, talk and signing: