SuperRomance Authors Blog

You've got mail

2012-02-22T03:00:00.000-05:00

by Emmie Dark

I had a birthday last week. Not a very special birthday in the scheme of things, and life was busy with work and travel and all sorts of other things, so as it turned out I didn’t have any kind of celebration. This is unlike me, because there’s nothing I like more than getting together with friends and family, whatever the excuse!

But I discovered there was an up-side. When you don’t meet up with people face-to-face, there’s only one other way for them to get a card or gift to you: they have to send it in the mail.

Photo by Stuart Miles.

There are few things that provide the smile-inducing pleasure of opening your mailbox to find a hand-addressed envelope, don’t you think?

I think one of the reasons is that in today’s time-pressured world just the very fact that someone has taken the time and care to send something speaks volumes about their feelings for you. They went to a store and chose a card, took the time to write a special message on it, bought a stamp, and then traveled to the nearest post office or post box to mail it. That’s a pretty impressive effort!

Parcels and packages are rarer and although they’re exciting, for me it’s a slightly different, delayed kind of pleasure. An Express Post satchel or a FedEx envelope could, all too easily, be work-related. It’s not until I get to examine the sender’s details and realize it’s something personal that the little-kid-deep-inside-me starts to clap her hands in glee. Then it’s a race to find the scissors and slit the tape and open it up and grin. Doesn’t matter how many birthdays you have, I think that little-kid joy of an unexpected present never goes away.

Don’t get me wrong—it’s still lovely to receive birthday greetings on Facebook and Twitter and email too. They are wonderful reminders of the international friendship network today’s technology allows us to build. Although our grandparents and great-grandparents were probably far more adept at letter writing than we are now, I also doubt that my grandmother could travel to just about any continent in the world and know people she could look up when she landed. I can, and I’m incredibly grateful for that, even if it means fewer hand-written envelopes in my mailbox these days.

I’m pretty good at remembering to send birthday cards to my nearest and dearest. And each Christmas I set aside an evening or two for marathon bouts of card writing and envelope addressing. I do wish I was better at remembering to write and send thank you cards (hardly ever), and I can’t even remember the last time I wrote someone a letter. But in the past 24 hours I’ve wished three people happy birthday on Facebook, sent an email to a dear friend to set up a lunch date during an interstate visit, organised a night out at the Comedy Festival over Twitter, and connected with an old friend on Pinterest. I don’t know how I could have done all of that if I’d just been relying on mail—I’d have needed telegrams and my own personal delivery service!

One lucky commenter will receive their very own hand-written parcel in the mail! I’ll choose someone at random to receive a copy of my debut SuperRomance, “Cassie’s Grand Plan”, which will be on sale from 6 March.

Running Away to the Circus and other Escapes

2012-02-21T13:32:00.001-05:00

I had to laugh when I saw the topic of Karina's blogpost yesterday, because in its own way, it relates very much to what I want to talk about today. I, too, am a serial murderer-- both on and off the page (more on than off, if I'm being completely honest). But, even more than that, I am a gypsy. At least in my head. In my books, I get to explore all the places I want to go (or re-explore then if I've already been) and even better, I get to be whoever and whatever I want to be. Artist, check. Mermaid, check. Doctor, check. Circus performer, check ...

My newest project, which does not currently have a name, is a circus book. Yes, a circus book, and I have to admit, the more I explore circus life, the more I'm tempted to run away and join one ;) I know it's hard work, know it's often dangerous and dirty and everything else, but at the same time, there's nothing quite like it. Nothing like the lights, the colors, the acrobats soaring through the air ... In this book, my heroine is a seventeen year old girl who's been raised in the circus and wants desperately to leave it even as she trains to take her mother's place on the highwire.

But as I write about Star, I realize how much escape is a theme in my books. My characters are always trying to get away from something-- whether it's a thousand year old prophecy in my dark mermaid YAs or a paranormal legacy she can't live up to in my urban fantasies-- my characters are always looking for a way out. Rarely do they find it.

In my February Superromance, From the Beginning, my heroine is looking for a way to escape the pain of losing her daughter. A doctor for many years with For the Children, an organization that helps out in developing nations and disaster areas, Amanda runs back to Africa in an attempt to esape the grief of burying her child. But like all my characters have to eventually figure out, Amanda must face the fact that running away won't make the pain go away. In the end, she returns home to fix herself and the life that she abandoned upon her daughter's death, including her relationship with Simon Hart, her child's father and the only man she's ever loved.

So, how about you? If you could run away and be anything, what would you choose? To join the circus? To be a doctor in Africa? To be a mermaid? Or something else entirely? Comment for a chance to win a copy of my February Superromance, From the Beginning.

Confessions of a serial killer

2012-02-20T01:53:00.005-05:00

By Karina Bliss

I have a confession to make. I’m a serial killer. To be specific I’m guilty of matricide, patricide and parricide (killing of a close relative). I suspect I’m not the only one. I suspect many, many romance authors are similarly cut-throat about killing off extraneous characters. In my defense I don’t often murder on the page – okay, twice, including my June release Bring Him Home – Usually I do it in backstory.
But I always thought I was judicious about it. Thoughtful. Surgeon-like. The majority of my superfluous parents were on a cruise, helping out in Africa or enjoying retirement on the Gold Coast.
That’s what I thought.
When I actually checked through my ten books to see how many hero and heroines were orphans (i.e.: parents dead at the beginning of the book), I toyed with sending sympathy cards to my happy couples. With your genes, don’t bother saving for retirement.
Worse, I discovered I’d dispatched these hapless innocents in unkind ways. They died addled with alcohol, killed in a car accident, after suffering a long debilitating illness or dropping dead of a heart attack.
But you’re my accomplice. Yes, you. Because you don’t want these people constantly interrupting the romance either.
And there are worse offenders than Super authors. I’m sure the parental body count is higher in suspense and paranormal. It’s very hard to be snarly and dangerous when your mom is phoning to remind you to come to dinner next Thursday because Aunty Marg is in town. Surely it’s no ‘accident’ that Eve and Roarke in JD Robb’s In Death series are both orphans?
But be assured I’ve already been bought to poetic justice. I’m currently writing the fourth in my SAS hero series which means I have many, many secondary characters clamouring for space. I can’t default to my usual homicidal tricks because I’m dealing with heroes from previous books. And I gave them Special Forces training which makes them impossible to kill. Instead I have to delicately negotiate boundaries while I’m muttering things like, “I hear the Bahamas is nice.”
And trying to avoid what author Joanna Bourne calls ‘scenery with arms.’
She thinks readers can care about a maximum of eight or ten characters.
Here’s a link to her blog on the subject.
http://jobourne.blogspot.co.nz/2010/10/how-many-characters.html

So how many characters can you care about in a book? Do you want studly ex heroes or parents and siblings to get page space?
Make a comment and go into the draw for any of my backlist books (except Mr Imperfect). Make your pick from my website: http://www.karinabliss.com/.

And the picture...the shower scene out of Psycho. No one beats Hitchcock at killing off his darlings.

2012-02-19T17:23:00.004-05:00

Daily drawing winners week ending February 19 ...

Monday February 13, 2012

Linda S

A copy of one of Mary Brady's Super Romances, or a Toss On bracelent

(and Mary will kindly eat chocolate in Linda's honor)

Tuesday February 14, 2012

Chey

A $15 Amazon voucher courtesy of Jeannie Watts

Thursday February 16, 2012

Quilt Lady

A set of Liz Talley's Oak Stand books

**Please use our contact page to claim your prize**

And don't miss this week's bloggers...

Monday, February 20, 2012

Karina Bliss

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Tracy Wolf

Wedesday, February 22, 2012

Emmie Dark

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Linda Warren

Writing Tip of the Week

2012-02-17T00:01:00.001-05:00

"An approaching deadline can be a powerful motivator. The good news is that you don't need to be contracted to have deadlines. You can either set your own or, better yet, join a critique group. My group meets every few weeks so I have a series of self-imposed mini deadlines that help me get my manuscripts in on time. No use being in a group if you don't submit anything to be critiqued."

~Darlene Gardner

Comment here to win a Super Critique of your first 5-pages.

Power of Positive People

2012-02-16T05:00:00.000-05:00

By Liz Talley

We've had some really fun topics over the last few weeks - contests with surprise guests (still trying to figure out how Weannie got her name), hunky crushes, and our writing uniforms (visualizing Ellen in her bow hat), but I'm going to take it down a couple of notches...just like that slow song at the skating rink (which will forever be for me "Sad Eyes"...turn the other way. I don't wanna see you cry). Sorry. I digress.

See, it's been a while since I've blogged here, and I've been thinking hard about what I wanted to blog about today. And after a guest speaking engagement and a tap dance to get volunteers to step up at my local chapter meeting, I've been focused on who I surround myself with and why it's important to make sure the people around me are positive influences (Good gravy, I sound like my mother!)

A long, long time ago in a galaxy called Shreveport - which is where I live - I got a crazy idea to start writing. It was a spontaneous idea, nothing like a dream that lived in my heart, that called out to me like a song. Nope. Just an urge to meddle around with a story idea. And that's when it bit me - that horrible ol' writing bug. For three years I piddled with that Regency manuscript until one day...I finished it.

I didn't really know what to do with that absolute masterpiece of literature. No clue. All alone I'd tapped at the keyboard, writing wicked love scenes and funny scone-flying scenes, with nary a friend to encourage me, tell me I'm awesome or lend an ear when I couldn't figure out what type of carriage a rake drove around the Serpentine. All by my little lonesome...poor Liz Talley.

But then a beacon appeared, or rather a link on my search for "romance writing." That's right, I joined RWA and my local chapter (couldn't believe they had one in my town!) Suddenly, I was surrounded by writers who knew what they were doing. Some were published, some taught writing, and it was like hitting the veritable jackpot. They took me under their wing, encouraged me, told me I was great and that one day I would be published. They believed in me, and here's the deal, they made me believe in me.

The reason this has been so on my mind is because I lost one of those dear friends several weeks ago. Katie Sue Morgan (Ms. Sue to me) was published almost ten years ago by Precious Gems and took a special interest in me. She was one of my first critque partners and hated when I went all laundry list on my descriptions. She also infamously told me when I complained that Nora Roberts head-hopped all the time on POV, that I could head-hop when I became Nora..until then I HAD to stick to one POV per scene. She had twinkling blue eyes much like the blue bonnets that she so loved in her native Texas and drove a car with a front license plate that said "Native Texan" so no one would mistake her for a Louisiana gal (even though she lived in Louisiana for most her life). She was funny, fierce and shepparded every editor and agent she could find my way..and I'm not kidding about that. She'd wave her cane and make them stay to meet me like I was the next J.K. Rowling or Stephanie Meyer. In fact, she signed me up to pitch with Wanda Ottewell without my knowing about it. That's how Ms. Sue rolled.

I've been blessed to be surrounded by people who believed in me, not just in my RWA chapter, but throughout the writing community. Surrounding yourself with positive people is pretty darn important if you want to be successful. No, it's very important. If you are pecked by negative Nancys (apologies to the Nancys out there) or Critical Carlas (and to all the Carlas) you won't get as far as fast. I'm not saying you need to surround yourself with people who lie to you about your talent or ability cause Lord knows someone should have shared some truth with some of those kids that go on American Idol try-outs. Sheesh. But if you have a dream and enough gumption, talent and desire, the people behind you, beside you and in front of you should be dragging you toward the pinnacle.

That's what Ms. Sue was for me...along with my former CP Keri Ford, my current CP Connie Cox (debut M&B Medical author btw), my chapter, The Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood, my Superromance community, ENALR, Wanda, Michelle, my husband...okay, you get the picture. Surround yourself with positive people who believe in you and you will go far.

Okay, I'm putting down the pompons. LOL. So tell me about a time you felt the power of positive people...or positive thinking. One lucky commenter will win a copy of any of my Oak Stand books (and you can feel free to be totally positive about them. LOL!)

Clothes to Make the Author

2012-02-15T09:00:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago, my sister went through all the closets in the house and culled a ton of old, outdated, ill-fitting clothing and donated it to a local charity. It got me thinking about the clothes we wear for our jobs, and the expectations and perceptions attached to one’s unique sense of style.

Currently, my day job requires simply that I be comfortable and relatively neat looking. Whenever I wear a nicer business suit or dress, perceptions change. At an old job, I was frequently asked, “Are you going for a job interview?” My response was always the same: “Nah, it’s laundry day.”

Then it occurred to me that writers don’t really have uniforms. We often work alone all day, usually in the comfort of our home office. I was surprised to find out how many writers get fully dressed to write instead of wandering to their computers in their underwear. Considering how writing has become an after-work ritual for me, I couldn’t conceive of wearing anything that might stifle my creativity.

Which brings me to my “writing uniform.”

I can’t quite imagine Margaret Atwood, Nora Roberts, Georgette Heyer or Jane Austen schlupping around in their footie jammies while penning masterpieces, but neither will I believe couldn't be comfortable and look fashionable while working.

Unfortunately, I can only achieve one of those at a time.

In my opinion, the writer’s uniform should play two important roles: it should (a) be comfortable; and (b) indicate to the outside world that you are WORKING, and that you CAN’T BE DISTURBED RIGHT NOW.

Note: I’m sure there are people out there writing in three-piece suits and high heels, so comfort is subjective. In my definition, comfortable means that state in which you can produce the highest word count possible.

My writing uniform starts with stretchy cotton jogging pants and a soft sweatshirt. I have two of each in my “writing clothes” drawer. A pair of cozy fun socks is essential; I usually opt for either my knee-high rainbow socks or the puffy spa socks I got for Christmas.

Sitting in front of a screen and not moving for hours means your blood stops circulating and you get pretty cold, so I will usually don an oversized zip-up hoodie. The one I own has what I call “writer’s elbow”--a giant hole in the left elbow worn in from propping your chin up while sitting in front of the monitor.

Unfortunately, a sweatshirt and hoodie aren’t usually enough for me, since I am a cold-blooded lizard woman, and because I’m somewhat frugal and enviromentally conscious of energy use, I don’t usually turn up the heat. Instead, I’ve taken to wearing hats indoors.

I have two hats for writing: a hand-knit beanie, and THE SERIOUS HAT. If I am wearing THE SERIOUS HAT, it is because all the blood has gone to my brain. THE SERIOUS HAT is very warm. My husband and cat both know not to talk to me when I wear it. If I am wearing it, I have likely locked my office door because I’m on deadline. One look at me in THE SERIOUS HAT, and you will understand that I AM SERIOUS about writing.

Finally, to combat the dreaded “mouse hand,” I put on a pair of Dickensian writing gloves. They’re a pair of white cotton dollar-store gloves with the tips cut off. When I put them on, I like to pretend I’m Bob Cratchit, counting beans for Mr. Scrooge who won’t turn the heat up.

I think you'll agree, my outfit definitely gets the job done.

Do you have a uniform you wear for a specific activity other people wouldn’t wear one for? Maybe you have a vacuuming outfit? A poker night suit? A wine-drinking dress? Bacon-frying socks?

Let me know in the comments!

Crushes from the Olden Days

2012-02-14T02:00:00.064-05:00

By Jeannie Watt

Last month I blogged about covers through the ages, so, since today is Valentine’s Day, I thought it would be appropriate to blog about crushes through the ages. My crushes. And speaking of ages, this blog is going to date me. But so it goes. I must admit that I can look at some of these guys and think, "Yeah--good taste." (David McCallum) But a few of the others...well...you know...taste develop as you age.

My very first official crush occurred at a very young age. And my crushee wasn’t real. He was animated. Jonny Quest was everything I wanted in a man. He fought aliens, swamp monsters and giant spiders. He had a cute dog. What more could a (very young) girl want?

The answer to that is

flesh and blood. As my cognitive abilities developed, I started noticing guys who were three dimensional. My next memorable crush was on Sandy Ricks (played by Luke Halpin) the older brother in Flipper, a show about a dolphin. He was blond and a little pouty, but did his chores and got into just enough trouble to keep him interesting. And he had a dolphin.

After Sandy came Davy Jones of the Monkees. Dear heavens but he was cute. So cute he rates two pictures here. Those eyes. That accent. That shortness. However…I was fickle. Peter Tork was kind of cute, too. But Davy had once been a jockey and horses carried a lot of sway with me back in those days, therefore Davy it was...until Ilya Kuryachin came onto the scene.

I am such a sucker for a Russian accent. David McCallum played a Russian troubleshooting spy in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (Open Channel D anyone?) and even though the show was probably hokey--they were battling an organization named THRUSH, which was bent on world domination--David was gorgeous.

And then there’s Bobby Sherman from Here Comes the Brides. The show was about the Bolt brothers, who transported 100 would-be brides from New Bedford to 1860s Seattle, an area woefully short of women. Bobby Sherman played shy Jeremy Bolt, who had a stammer. And he did it well, melting my heart week after week.

After that, as I headed into my teens, the crushes started bunching up—David Cassidy, Shaun Cassidy, anyone from England who sang. It became a lot of here today, gone tomorrow--kind of like the careers of many teen idols. Perhaps there's a connection....

Anyway--here's a gallery of photos that adorned my locker at one time or another:

And there you have it--my locker pinups, my secret and not so secret crushes.

Now, to celebrate Valentine’s Day, please share your own adolescent celebrity crushes. Whose picture hung in your school locker or dominated your bedroom wall? Do you still think they're hot? I’m offering a $15 Amazon gift card to a randomly chosen respondent.
Happy Valentine's Day!

Be Your Own

2012-02-13T00:00:00.004-05:00

by Mary Brady

I am currently clearing all my table and counter surfaces for all the candy, flowers and cards that will arrive tomorrow. It’s always such a blessing to have my house filled with the smell of a thousand roses, boxes upon boxes of divine chocolates, and cards, small and tall expressing love, admiration and adulation.

Reality! I suspect, if I did indeed get all the surfaces in my house cleared of clutter, it would be a very happy Valentine’s Day indeed!

It isn’t that me and mine are a couple of St. Valentine’s Day Grinches, but some years we do have a tendency to give the day a passing nod and move on with our stuff. Formal celebration or not, we do practice the rituals. There are extra kisses. There are more smiles handed over accompanied by direct looks into the others eyes rather than a passing glance quickly punctuated by the backs of our heads. And there are usually more than the average I love yous and can I get you anything(s).

Rather than a dreamy celebration, which is perfect for many, we have a tendency to acknowledge the trust we feel in each other. On those Valentines Days when we stop only to smell the roses and not to spend the day or evening together, we have the solid feeling we will get to try again next year—or more likely the next day and week—and next year.

Tomorrow, love yourself first and then give some love away. If hearts and flowers are your fondest desire, I hope you make them happen.

Now, how would your Valentine’s Dream begin? Remember, you are your own “valentine” first and always. That you might share the love with another or others makes them lucky.

To one commenter I’ll send either a set of TossOn bracelets (see www.etsy.com/shop/julsandmaude for examples) or your choice of one of my books. I will also eat chocolate in your honor.

Hugs all around on Valentines Day!

2012-02-12T00:00:00.000-05:00

Daily drawing winners week ending February 12 ...

Tuesday February 7, 2012

Kai

All 6 of this month's Super Romances courtesy of Harlequin

Wednesday February 8, 2012

Marcy

A copy of A Hero in the Making by Kay Stockham

Thursday February 9, 2012

Pamela Hearon

A set of Rogenna Brewer's Marine trilogy: The Marine's Baby, Mitzi's Marine and Marry Me, Marine

**Please use our contact page to claim your prize**

And don't miss this week's bloggers...

Monday, February 13, 2012

Mary Brady

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Jeannie Watt

Wedesday, February 15, 2012

Vicki Essex

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Liz Talley

Writing Tip of the Week

2012-02-10T00:01:00.006-05:00

"Reward yourself! I mark my page progress with stickers on a calender. It's a visiual that makes me smile."
~ Rogenna Brewer

Winner of the 5-page Super Critique Anne MacFarlane

Please use the contact page to claim your prize.

You have all week to comment here to be entered next week's drawing!

Random Acts of Kindness

2012-02-09T00:01:00.078-05:00

The "Big E" passing under the Golden Gate Bridge

Have you ever been on the receiving end of a random act of kindness? The most memorable for me was the day I pulled up to the toll booth on the Golden Gate bridge and discovered the car in front of me had paid my toll.

If you've ever driven Hwy 101 into San Francisco you can imagine my surprise.

A California commuter with a heart of gold, who knew?

My whole day had been lifted by a total stranger who would never know my gratitude. I was a young Navy Wife and $6 saved wasn't chump change by any means. The attendant waved me through and I drove on my merry way.

The next time it happened I paid for the driver behind me. And felt just as happy as the day I'd saved a few bucks. By then I was practically a native and had learned these pay it forward chains could go unbroken for several cars. I'd like to believe the recipient was always someone in need. And the benefactor someone rich and famous.

But it really doesn't matter. Everyone touched by a random act of kindness benefits. And while I'm neither rich nor famous, I'm no longer broke either. The next time I'm in San Francisco I'm not going to wait for the car in front of me to start the chain.

In fact, why would I wait for a trip to Cali? Next week, along with St. Valentine's Day, is Random Acts of Kindness Week.

Random Acts of Kindness Week

February 13th - 19th

By the way that's my husband's ship, the USS Enterprise passing underneath the bridge and just before his last cruise we stood there with our two oldest boys and I said to him "Seven months is a long time. I could be pregnant right now and have the baby before you come home."

Our third son was born six weeks before my husband's return. I had no clue I was pregnant at the time I said it. In fact he missed all three births because of cruises, our second son by mere hours. Such is the life of a sailor. But he's still my valentine after all these years.

In my February release Marry Me, Marine

Operation marriage has to be a go….

Like any good mother, Angela Adams wants a
better future for her little boy. And the one
way she can provide that is to enlist with the
Marines. Unfortunately, there needs to be a
husband on the scene for that to happen.
Fortunately, her recruiter connects her with
Henry “Hatch” Miner—a wounded former
Navy SEAL willing to help out a fellow
soldier. Problem solved.

But marriage, even to a stranger, is
complicated. Especially when beneath the
gruff exterior, there’s a man with a heart of
gold. It doesn’t take long for Hatch to prove
he’s a good dad…and has the potential to be
an even better husband. Suddenly Angela has

a hard time convincing her heart this is a temporary operation

...read excerpt

I'll be giving away autographed copies of my Marine trio: The Marine's Baby, Mitzi's Marine and Marry Me, Marine to one winner. To enter pledge one random act of kindness for next week (shh...don't you don't have to tell us what it is) or share your gratitude for a kindness received in the past.

Pinterest Interest

2012-02-08T08:15:00.004-05:00

I read yesterday that Pinterst is the social networking site for 2012. I've been a member of Pinterest for several months and while I really don't like it as a social site, I DO like it for other things.

Pinterest can be a time suck (what social networking site isn't?) and I have to limit my time there but if I need a phenomenal recipe, a craft idea for a school project, to escape the cold and bluster of winter to a beautifully photographed beach, Pinterest is the place.

Like collaging, if you see something of interest all it takes is a click of the mouse to 'pin' it to your cyber cork board. And, you can create as many boards as you like. A look at my profile proves I've created quite a few boards for My Style (clothes), Quotes, For the Home, and--one of my favorites--Characters. The list is endless, which is why timed sessions are a must. I'd never get any writing done otherwise!

Are you a member of Pinterest? Do you like the idea of cyber cork boards or do you think it's a total waste of time? What kinds of things would your boards hold? Post your thoughts and I'll give away a copy of A HERO IN THE MAKING to one lucky winner.

Kay

Kay Stockham

www.kaystockham.com

THE SHERIFF'S DAUGHTER, SEP 2011

IN THE RANCHER'S FOOTSTEPS, OCT 2011

CHRISTMAS IN MONTANA, NOV 2011

THE CRASH BEFORE CHRISTMAS, DEC 2011

A HERO IN THE MAKING, JAN 2012

@KayStockham - Twitter

Kay Stockham Fan Page - Facebook

A peek into my crystal ball

2012-02-07T00:00:00.002-05:00

By Wanda Ottewell, Senior Editor Super Romance

As I sat down to write this blog, it startled me to realize that the first month of 2012 was already finished. How could that be? Didn’t the year start, like, yesterday? Working in publishing, I frequently lose track of the current month/year as I get focused on future books and deadlines. Right now, for example, I’m thinking about how to round out the publishing schedule for last two months of 2012. The team is working on the art and cover copy for books in the last half of the year. I’m thinking about getting the manuscripts and edits done for books that won’t be published for months. I’m thinking about plans for 2013.

Since I’m so focused on the future, why don’t I give you a little taste of what I’m excited about coming up in Harlequin Superromance?

One of the most exciting things is the new cover look! As Jeannie showed you in that wonderful cover retrospective, we’re getting a new art style and look. Personally, I think the covers are gorgeous and help reflect the bigger book feel of this series. You’re in for some beautiful covers in upcoming months.

Another exciting development is the increase back to 85,000 words. Even though this change won’t take effect until the January 2013 Superromance titles, we’re already starting to see longer submissions and new ideas from authors targeted to the new length. What does this mean for the stories? Well, that extra 10,000 words could mean a secondary romance. It could mean a subplot and secondary characters’ points-of-view. It could mean digging deeper into the hero’s and heroine’s issues…maybe those issues they have with the siblings are explored and resolved. Maybe the career crisis is examined in more detail. However it looks, the longer word length will give readers more story and that’s a good thing!

The books we’re bringing to the shelves in 2012 are also exciting. There are far too many to mention here and I would hate to leave anyone out for lack of space. Look for new miniseries from some popular Superromance authors—having worked on a few of these books, I can promise you’ll find lots of good emotional moments with great plots. We are publishing five brand-new authors as well as a couple of Harlequin authors who are new to Superromance. Plus, many of your favorite Superromance authors will have books out this year. There’s a really good mix of stories coming.

Now the question I have for all of you is a little off topic. I want to know what you would like to see in future Superromance books. Is there a particular storyline you really love that we haven’t done in a while? Is there a setting you’d love to see in more books? Are there character types you think authors should explore? Not promising anything, but your suggestions just may inspire us!

As always, one commenter from today's post will win all 6 of this month's Super Romance releases, courtesy of Harlequin. Simply comment to be in the running.

The Staff Of Life by Joan Kilby

2012-02-06T00:30:00.000-05:00

Fresh home-baked bread hot from the oven. Is there anything more delicious?

I’ve been making my own bread for many years using both traditional methods and a breadmaker. My staple loaf is a very healthy wholewheat with lots of grains and seeds.

Recently I’ve become obsessed with perfecting a sourdough loaf. Over a period of many months I’ve tried numerous methods. Most were edible. Some were what I call duck killers (Remember the loaf of bread Toni Collette made in the Hugh Grant movie, About A Boy? Her son tossed it into the pond and it sank a poor innocent duck.)

I think I’ve finally cracked sourdough! This loaf is crusty on the outside, chewy and tangy on the inside. Sometimes I mix in green olives for a tasty change. Yum!

There is a ton of information on sourdough on the internet, sometimes offering conflicting advice. The easiest recipe I found also turned out to be the best. Flour, water, salt and sourdough starter. You just mix up the dough and let it rise overnight. No kneading! The video explaining it is bizarre but the bread does work. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POnxAoHl1qc

I come from a long line of women who make bread. My grandmother (the one who hand-sewed quilts if you recall one of my previous blogs) also made a type of sourdough. Instead of using yeast she fed a portion of each batch of dough into a ceramic bowl she kept in a warm place on the back of her stove. I loved watching her knead the dough with plump floury hands. She would roll out buns, brush them with milk then dip them in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon that formed a delicious crust when baked.

When I was growing up my mother used to make six loaves of bread and four dozen buns every Saturday. It was white bread so probably not as nutritious as it could have been but at least there were no preservatives or additives. Between four hungry children and my father who’d been raised on his mother’s bread, we gobbled up every scrap by Sunday evening.

For such a simple food, the variety of breads you can make is endless. In my younger days I lived in a group house. One of the guys used to knead leftover vegetables from dinner the night before into his bread dough. Every slice would have bits of carrot and peas. Strangely delicious.

Bread gets a bad rap these days from the diet gurus. I must admit I do try to limit how much I eat but at least sourdough bread is low G.I. Plus I get a lot of help from my family. We have been known to fight over the last piece!

Learning to bake sourdough has been immensely satisfying. Not only do I get to eat a yummy food but it’s kind of like writing--creative, an endless challenge and I enjoy the process as much as the end product. (Thought I wasn’t going to be able to tie bread in with writing, didn’t you? :) In both cases, I’m pleased with where I’ve got to but I’ll never stop trying to achieve bigger and better things.

Do you love bread? Do you have a favorite type? Do you make your own? Even if you’re not a bread eater, do you have another food you obsess over? A hobby you’re trying to perfect? I’d love to hear about it!

www.joankilby.com

GENTLEMEN PREFER NERDS March 2012 Carina Press

PROTECTING HER SON April 2012 Superromance

This week's bloggers

2012-02-05T19:10:00.000-05:00

Look who's blogging this week...

Monday, February 6, 2012

Joan Kilby

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Wanda Ottewell

Wedesday, February 8, 2012

Kay Stockham

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Rogenna Brewer

2012-02-03T10:00:00.000-05:00

"Protect your writing time.

The only person who can write your story is YOU."

~ Kimberly Van Meter

You have all week to enter here for a 5-page Super Critique.

Favorite Funny Men

2012-02-02T07:11:00.003-05:00

by Beth Andrews

I used to watch this very cool show on The Discovery Channel called Dirty Jobs. See, in Dirty Jobs, Mike Rowe tries the dirtiest, most disgusting jobs he can find. It's really interesting and honestly, quite disgusting.

Oh, how I loved that show!

I'm not actually allowed to watch it anymore. Don't get me wrong, I try and watch it but whenever it's on, my dear husband turns the channel. Why? Well, it's not because he's grossed out when Mike inseminates a horse or collects owl vomit or trudges around in sewage systems.

It's because I have a crush--a HUGE crush--on Mike Rowe.

But before you start to think I'm crushing on Mike only because he's cute (which he is) let me say that his looks are not the reason I adore this man. It's because he's funny. Yep, there you have it. I love funny guys. Give me a guy who can make me laugh and I'm hooked *g*

Which is why today I give you:

Beth's List of Her Favorite Funny Men:
(yes, I do love my lists *g*)

1. Mike Rowe - As mentioned above, he does the most disgusting jobs but he's always ready with a zinger or one liner that cracks me up.

2. Justin Long - Otherwise known as the Mac Guy in the Mac commercials as well as Drew Barrymore's ex-boyfriend. What a cutie! And I loved him in the TV show Ed which brings me to...

3. Tom Cavanagh - He was the lead character in Ed and he was adorable! He was smart and funny and such a good guy I couldn't help but root for him that he'd win Carol's (the girl of his dreams since high school) heart :-)

4. John Krasinski - I love The Office and part of the reason is Jim Halpert! What a cutie and he's always pulling the funniest pranks on his coworkers and trying so hard to keep his boss in line. Every episode cracks me up!

5. Owen Wilson - I fell for Owen in a big way. That hair. That crooked nose. That sexy voice *g* Loved him in Night at the Museum and, though it wasn't a comedy, Behind Enemy Lines. Midnight In Paris looks great, too!

6. Ben Stiller - love how he's not afraid to play the bad guy (he was hilarious as White Goodman in Dodgeball) or the good guy (Larry Daley in Night at the Museum) or the not so bright guy (Derek Zoolander in Zoolander)

7. The men of MASH - I love, love, love this show! Hawkeye, Trapper John and BJ were my favorites. I especially love Hawkeye's laugh :-)

8. The men of Friends - Ross was my favorite but honestly, Chandler's dry wit is the most similar to my own sense of humor so he made me laugh the most *g*

9. Steve Carell - Yep, love him in The Office but he really cracked me up in Anchorman (as the dim-witted Brick Tamland) and I thought he was terrific in Dan In Real Life and so fabulous in Crazy, Stupid Love!

10. The classics - Cary Grant, James Stewart and Clark Gable. (sigh) Some of my very favorite movie stars of all time and they did comedy so well! They were handsome, super talented and could play both dramatic roles and humorous ones. They had it all :-)

What about you? Do you prefer a guy who can make you laugh or are you into more serious men? Who are some of your favorite funny guys?

Honesty

2012-02-01T08:15:00.004-05:00

"Write what you know." Of course as a novelist I'm often writing scenes that I have never experienced in my life. For example, in my June 2012 book NAVY RULES I have the hero emergency-landing a B-17. I've never landed any plane, much less a WWII bomber. But I have flown in a Navy plane or two, and I've been in an aircraft when it's had an emergency. I've felt the emotions of this situation. Even if I'd never served in the U.S. Navy myself, I know from commercial flights the fear and anxiety that severe turbulence or the smell of electrical fumes can trigger.

For me, honesty in my writing is being true to my characters. It's about not using cliched or transparent literary devices to "get" my reader to laugh or cry.

So it is with life. Living a life of honesty can be tough, especially in light of the constant media barrage of wars, politics, tough economic times. On a more personal level, honesty with family members is often the most difficult. Telling a teen that while they have straight A's you still don't trust them (or their underdeveloped brains) with a questionable group of "friends." Telling your spouse that you love them, and yes, you're happy but need to do something different to "shake things up," even if that something is merely getting a new 'do or tattoo. Telling your parent it's time to move out of the only home they've had for the past fifty years.

Writing and life dovetail for me in ways I never imagined when I started a serious path to publication. I find that as I learn to create and write down characters with more honesty, I'm learning to live that way in my own life, too. It's not easy but the results are worth it. Give me an old-fashioned homemade cookie over a stale, "pretty," store-bought, over-frosted concoction any day.

Celebrity Crushes

2012-01-31T00:00:00.000-05:00

Chris Hemsworth in Thor

by Darlene Gardner

A while back one of my friends confessed the only man she’d found attractive lately was Thor. It took a moment to realize she was talking about Chris Hemsworth, the brawny actor who played Thor in the movie of the same name. That particular slice of beefcake is, in short, her celebrity crush.

Patti Stanger, aka the Millionaire Matchmaker, asks herclients about their celebrity crushes while trying to get an idea of whatphysical types appeal to them. Writers also make use of the celebrity crush. Iknow I’ve worked from photos of handsome celebrities to help describe my heroesand bring them to life.

Daniel Craig

Ryan Gosling

I haven’t yet based a hero on Daniel Craig, who’s revivedthe James Bond franchise and makes a compelling Mikael Blomkvist in The Girlwith the Dragon Tattoo. The day is coming, though. In the meantime, however, Ijust might use the dishy Ryan Gosling as inspiration for the hero in mySuperromance in progress.

I’m over my past celebrity crushes, though. Even though itwas years ago, I’m not sure why I hung a poster of Clint Eastwood dressed in aponcho and battered brown cowboy hat in my college dorm room.

Clint Eastwood -- What was I thinkiing?

A very young Mel Gibson

I do know what I saw in Mel Gibson before he ruined hispublic image with a drunken rant. All I have to do is rewatch The Year ofLiving Dangerously. Gibson was one handsome young man.

So who’s your celebrity crush -- past and present? Afterall, an author can never have enough inspiration.

Meet Max

2012-01-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

By Sarah Mayberry

My husband and I have been talking about getting a dog for a while now. We don't have children and the thought of having a little furry person around the house is a very attractive idea. Still, for a long while we did nothing but talk. We looked at lots of breeds and researched them and talked to friends... and still we hadn't taken action.

Then I was talking to an old, old friend recently, catching up after a break of not having been in contact, and I mentioned that we were thinking of getting a dog but hadn't quite got there. She said "Well, a dog isn't really something you just fall into, is it?" And it got me thinking. Unless you come across a stray who speaks to your heart, getting a dog is a very considered decision. You need to dog/puppy proof your house and to know that you're up for the responsibility that having an extra four legged member of the family entails etc, etc. But you could think about and talk about a decision like that for years. As my husband and I had already done. So we decided to just take a leap of faith.

I started looking in earnest for a dog that would suit our lifestyle. I won't bore you with the list

of breeds I went through, but I zeroed in on a Cavoodle, a so-called designer dog that is a cross between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Mini Poodle. Then I found a reputable breeder, who just happened to have 3 black puppies available. My husband I went the next day to see

them, only to find that there was only one little guy left. Max, as he is now known. I asked to hold him and that was it. I was in love. His little furry face. His big brown eyes. His tiny, fragile body with its wildly beating heart fluttering against the palm of my hand... He was undeniable, and I almost burst into tears in the middle of the shop at the thought that I was going to get to take this little person home with me.

Because he wasn't eating well at the time, we had to wait two days before we could take him home, but we've just passed the one week mark. He is now eating well - none of that dry puppy food for Max, he's all about beef mince and raw chicken - and sleeping mostly through the night. Toilet training is...interesting. I'm filing that under "work in progress" since it's very early days yet. He is incredibly people oriented, very affectionate, endlessly adorable and sometimes a bit naughty. In a word, perfect. But I may be a little biassed (!!!).

We're all signed up for puppy classes, which I am looking forward to since I figure I need owner training as much as he needs puppy training. And I'm hoping that he will get over his separation anxiety when we leave the house, because I hate the thought that the cost of me having a furry companion constantly at my side is that he is anxious when we choose to go out. Again, this is a work in progress and it's very early days. He's a smart cookie, though, so I have high hopes.

I'd love to hear your own dog stories, or any advice you have for me as a new fur mum. Or, alternatively, we can just talk about how cute Max is. In case you couldn't already tell, I can do this until the cows come home. And then some!

2012-01-29T18:11:00.008-05:00

Daily drawing winners week ending January 29 ...

Thursday January 26, 2012

Linda Henderson

A $10 Amazon voucher courtesy of Rogenna Brewer

**Please use our contact page to claim your prize**

And don't miss next week's bloggers...

Monday, January 30, 2012

Sarah Mayberry

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Darlene Gardner

Wedesday, February 1, 2012

Geri Krotow

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Beth Andrews

Writing Tip of the Week

2012-01-26T23:01:00.005-05:00

DON’T be afraid of your own voice and style.

DON’T attempt to write in a popular author’s style rather than your own. It won’t ring true and the writing will be shallow, leaving the reader to feel a lack of connection with you.

DO put pieces of yourself—your soul, your character and personality—into your novels, so readers can relate to YOU when they read your stories.

Love, honor and respect your own voice, and appreciate that you have one!

~Mary Sullivan

This week's winner of the 5-page Super Critique is Laura Russell

Comment here to be entered in next week's drawing.

NetFlix Thinks I'm Nuts

2012-01-26T01:33:00.000-05:00

by Rogenna Brewer

What do Toddlers & Tiaras, African American Lives, The Catherine Tate Show, High School Musical, National Geographic Beyond the Movie: Alexander the Great, Basketball Wives, River Monsters, iCarly, Nature Boy Rick Flair And Aeon Flux all have in common? Me, apparently.

Netflix seems to think I'd like these shows. I beg to differ.

I was thumbing through these recommendations the other night when it stuck me there wasn't a thing in the queue I wanted to watch. What is it my viewing habits are trying to say about me? That my tastes are eclectic? Or am I simply confused?

At least Jeffrey Zaslow knows his TiVo thinks he's gay. His 2002 Wall Street Journal article was spoofed on episodes of King of Queens (CBS) and The Mind of a Married Man (HBO).

Okay, I admit to watching several National Geographic military specials for research and there was that month long marathon with a different season of The Tudors each weekend. So maybe I can see where Alexander the Great comes in. But I've also held Lost and Vampire Diaries marathons. How does that translate to River Monsters and Aeon Flux?

And I swear to you I don't watch reality TV.

Except for the music and talent shows. Okay, Sister Wives. Do you think that explains Toddlers & Tiaras, African America Lives, Basketball Wives, Nature Boy Ric Flair and High School Musical?

Who's Catherine Tate and why would I like her? For that matter what would iRogenna get out of watching iCarly?

These personalization technologies think they have us all figured out with browsing algorithms. Then how do you explain my iTunes crush on Katy Perry?

Today I'm giving away a $10 gift card to one lucky commenter for the site that has me all figured out Amazon.com. Have you ever received a wacky technology based recommendation?

Volunteers Building Communities

2012-01-24T07:51:00.004-05:00

Mary Sullivan

On Sunday, I visited a small bicycle repair shop on a busy thoroughfare in my very busy city to visit a young friend who was working for the afternoon. I'd heard a lot about this store and wanted to see how it operated.

My young friend was volunteering for the day, which she does for five or six hours one Sunday out of every month. Given that she is working on her Masters in Environmental Studies and has two paying jobs to support herself, I'm impressed that she still manages to find time to donate. Sundays are Women and Transgender days. Men are allowed at any other times that the store is open, but not on Sunday afternoons. Why? Because this bicycle shop doesn't repair bikes for you; rather they teach you how to repair your own bikes. The logic behind Women and Trans days is that women may be intimidated doing mechanical jobs in front of men, unfortunate but quite possibly true. The little shop was packed with women.

Women had bikes set up at stations, while my young friend walked from station to station directing what needed to be done to fix various problems. The cost to the women? Any parts used needed to be paid for, plus whatever small donation that could be made to keep the shop running. The prices for parts were extremely reasonable because they are all donated.

A couple of women sat at a worktable with wheels in clamps in front of them learning how to fix them.

I was impressed by the depth of knowledge my friend has. I had no idea bikes were so complex.

In the small kitchen behind the repair area, another couple of volunteers cooked lunch--chickpea curry, because all they had were chickpeas and rice. I had brought a snack for my friend. The next time I visit, I'll bring staples for their kitchen ;-)

The basement was full of broken bikes, donations from people who would no longer be using them. Some of the bikes that were too far gone for repair were cannibalized for parts. Once a month, volunteers meet at the shop to repair bikes that still have a lot of life in them. They repair these bikes then put them up for sale at reasonable prices. Usually, the volunteers end up pulling an all-nighter to get as many bikes repaired as possible. Someone cooks dinner for all of them on a shoestring budget.

I am SO impressed that so many of these young people give so freely of their time to help others. They are passionate about putting more bicycles on the road so there are fewer cars out there. None of the people who work there while the shop is open are paid for their time. I salute their passion and their willingness to give.

I saw a strong sense of community, of giving and sharing knowledge, in a place where women were comfortable learning about the mechanics of keeping their own bicycles repaired. I left feeling good that this tiny segment of the next generation is toiling to make our world a better place.

Volunteering has long been a wonderful way to take a little of our time, energy, and expertise and share it with others.

Do you know of any communities in which volunteers give of themselves so generously? Are you involved in volunteer work? What does it do for you? Does it leave you with a sense of accomplishment or satisfaction? I would love to hear about your experiences.