Join me Today at The Chatelaines

Happy Friday! I'm blogging over at The Chatelaines today. I'm kicking off a theme of "What's next?" Be sure to pop by often to see what's up with Jennifer Ashley, Joy Nash, CL Wilson, Gerri Russell, Cindy Holby, Bonnie Vanak and me.

On the Shelves!

Etirv, one of our regular commenters here, sent me this picture from her Barnes and Noble in Hawaii! Thanks so much for the pic. I'm delighted to see that STROKE OF GENIUS has made it to paradise.

But Stroke of Genius isn't the only new book on the shelves. Here are a few other great new stories from some friends of mine.



Christie Craig's Shut Up and Kiss me is a guaranteed laugh riot. Christie always makes me smile. If you haven't tried her, now's your chance.










Isn't this the most beautiful cover? Cindy Holby's new medieval Breath of Heaven is sure to leave you breathless.










Remember the American Title Winner, Marie-Claude Bourque? She was featured here on my blog a couple times and now paranormal fans will thrill to her debut title Ancient Whispers.







And of course, there's my STROKE OF GENIUS. So far the reviews have been good. Here's a sampling:

"This amusing historical romance is a classic gender war tale of the irresistible force meeting the immovable object. Fans will enjoy the love between the Charles and the Thames as Grace proves Crispin the genius is a dope when it comes to love." ~ Genre-Go-Round Reviews

"Wickedly enjoyable!" ~ RT BOOKReviews

But the most important reviews are the ones from my readers. If you read Stroke of Genius, please post a review on Amazon or B & N or wherever you hang online. Positive or negative, I always love to hear from readers. And if you enjoyed STROKE OF GENIUS, please tell your friends.

Thanks so much and happy reading!

Well, we know STROKE OF GENIUS is in Hawaii. Where have you seen it?

The Rhys Rumble

Gore Vidal said, “Each writer is born with a repertory company in his head. As you get older, you get more skillful at casting them.”

The first step for me in peopling my story with interesting characters is deciding on their names. Before THE CHATELAINES (the group blog I share with CL Wilson, Jennifer Ashley, Joy Nash, Gerri Russell, Bonnie Vanak and Cindy Holby) got up and running, the whole gang had some group email discussions about the relative hotness of certain male names. Face it, it’s hard to get excited about a hero named Murgatroyd or Icabod. One name we all agreed had a high hotness quotient was Rhys (pronounced Reece).

I was surprised to learn that several of us had already used, or intended to use, the name. In fact, Rhys is the name of Joy Nash's current hero in SILVER SILENCE. If you love retellings of the Arthurian legend, you have to try Joy's vivid re-imagining of Camelot.

Rhys is also the name of my hero’s father in PLEASURING THE PIRATE. Of course, my Rhys is already dead when the story starts, but that doesn’t diminish his influence over Gabriel. Rhys Drake was a hard man, a driven man, one who demanded much from himself and those around him. His indomitable spirit motivates his son Gabriel to leave a life of piracy and try to reclaim his place as a gentleman.

Would Rhys Drake have ultimately approved? Gabriel will never know. And it maybe wouldn’t matter in the end. Pirates have a tendency to take what they want, devil take the hindermost. Gabriel might not have a swaying deck beneath his feet, but he’s still a pirate at heart.

So that’s the story of my Rhys. Have you read a book with a Rhys in it lately?

What guy names rate high on your hot-o-meter?

PS. Still a few weeks before the drawing for the $100 gift card in my MERRY CHRISTMAS BALL contest! If you haven't done so, be sure to enter!

A Christmas Kiss!

The 12 Days of A CHRISTMAS BALL Blog Tour is at The Romance Studio today. And we're sharing exclusive excerpts from each of our novellas featuring a Christmas kiss!

Please pop over to join us and leave a comment. You just might win a freebie!

Also, Fridays are my regular posting days at The Chatelaines, a group blog I share with CL Wilson, Joy Nash, Jennifer Ashley, Gerri Russell, Bonnie Vanak and Cindy Holby. I'm afraid I'm on a bit of a rant today, but I'd enjoy hearing from you there, too!

Have a great weekend!

At The Chatelaines!

My friend Cindy Holby is interviewing debut author Leanne Renee Hieber about her fantastic fantasy/historical debut THE STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL TALE OF MISS PERCY PARKER over at THE CHATELAINES (my group blog!) today. The hysterical header on the blog is worth the trip (I'm the one in the Monica Lewinski beret on the left!). If you leave a comment over there, you just might win a copy of this very exciting, critically acclaimed debut! Hope to see you at THE CHATELAINES.

Hot Dish Friday!

In Northern Iowa, hot dish is what you have when you take all your left-overs, mix them in a caserole pan, pour a can of cream of mushroom soup over it and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. I'm sort of doing that with my blog today. Sorry.

Fridays are my usual day to post at The Chatelaines. If you haven't given this group blog a try I urge you to pop over. It features CL Wilson, Jennifer Ashley, Joy Nash, Gerri Russell, Bonnie Vanak, Cindy Holby and moi. Today I'm talking a little about my novella in A CHRISTMAS BALL. I've been so heads down working on STROKE OF GENIUS, this release has snuck up on me. As you can see, it's coming fast. (And as you can also see, you can click on the corner of this countdown widget and grab the code for it. If you decide post it on your blog, you will have my undying gratitude! Let me know you did and I'll build a link to your site!) You can pre-order your copy on Amazon!

Writing a novella was a different experience for me. 30K words seems so short when you're used to luxuriating in 90K. That meant things had to pop. It was a little like writing a romance haiku. Every syllable counts.

Now I'm writing at a 10 page a day pace. For A CHRISTMAS BALL, my recovery from cancer surgery slowed me to 2 pages a day. But this is a special story for me because while I was dealing with uncertainty and a good deal of pain, slipping into the world of A CHRISTMAS BALL was a respite. An affirmation that joy and beauty and love was stronger than what I was going through at the time.

And paradoxically enough, my editor says it's the funniest thing I've ever written.(No, it wasn't drugs! I was off pain meds by then.)

Last Monday, Tessa Dare came to visit and those of you who left a comment had a chance to win a copy of her book. I'm pleased to announce that Booklover1335 is her winner! Congratulations. Please contact me through my website with your mailing info and I'll see that Tessa gets it!

And while we're on the subject of contests, my CHRISTMAS IN AUGUST is still running. Please drop by and enter for your chance to win your choice of my backlist.

So that's all in the blog frig for now. The DH and I don't have plans to explore any more harbor islands this weekend (No need to make a "Spectacle" of ourselves again any time soon!) We're going (involuntary shudder) shopping. But we're shopping for him, so it's all good. (I know, I know, I need to overcome my shopping anxiety. I'm working on it!)

Have a lovely day and a weekend filled with everything that pleases you. (And if you care to share what things that might be, please feel free!)

Home Again!

RWA in DC was a great time, but it's grand to be home in Boston! I'm sorry I didn't post while I was there. The Marriott charged $12.95 a day for an internet connection, even for its wifi in the lobby and it was a matter of principle not to pay for something Holiday Inn Express includes for free. (Especially when you consider the ridiculous room rate we were charged by the Marriott! And I talked to a couple authors who paid the $12.95 for a connection but dropped it after one day because it was so spotty.)Anyway, I'll give you the rundown now.

I had countless fangirl moments--rubbing shoulders with the likes of Sherry Thomas, Tessa Dare, Madeline Hunter, Elizabeth Hoyt, Jo Beverley--all my favorites! I'm hoping to have several of them on as blog guests soon.

Meeting my new agent (Natasha Kern) and her assistant Becky was a real treat. Natasha is a real dynamo and I think we'll work well together.

I spent some time with the Lollies (Ladies of Leisure!) CL Wilson, Christie Craig, Jade Lee, Colleen Thompson (who was up for a RITA in a field crowded with all the big names in the romantic suspense genre and she fit right in with them!) Angie Fox, Cindy Holby, Bonnie Vanak, Natale Stenzel, Anna DeStefano, and newcomer Caroline Fyffe. I also had a lovely, tear-inducing chat with Diane Stacy (VP of Direct Sales for Dorchester) about life, love, books and everything in general. She remains one of my favorite people of all those I've met since I first published.

My humor workshop went off well. It really helped that my mom gave me something to start with. I was talking to her before I left and confessed that I was a little worried about giving the workshop because comedy is hard and I've seen humor workshops really fall flat. She said, "Nonsense! You have so much to share. Just go down there and elude confidence!" My workshop attendees thought that was a real hoot, typical motherly advice and a wonderful example of malapropism all at the same time! Thanks, Mom.

A big part of what made my conference special was getting to know my roommate, May Boonpitak. May is from Thailand and we first met a few years ago when MAIDENSONG (my debut Diana Groe title) came out. She'd read it and made a point of finding me at RT to tell me she loved it. She's a delightful person and it was fascinating to learn more about how people live in her country (She thinks Americans are mean to kick their kids out of the house when they reach adulthood. She shares a home with her parents, sister and nephew. No one ever has to live alone.) Anyway, I loved sharing my 'down time' with her.

And now I can't wait to start doing what my agent says is my Prime Directive. WRITE MY FINGERS OFF!

P.S.--Voting is still open for my STROKE OF GENIUS Name a Character Contest. Everyone who votes is entered into a drawing to win a WHOLE BOX OF BOOKS! Please help me name an important character in my current WIP by casting your vote today!

Confessions of The Anti-Shopper

Fridays are my regular days to blog at The Chatelaines--a group blog I share with Jennifer Ashley, CL Wilson, Joy Nash, Bonnie Vanak, Gerri Russell and Cindy Holby. Usually, I try to have two different posts--one here and one there, but getting ready for RT next week is compressing my time. Please join me today at The Chatelaines. I reveal the depths of my anti-shopping bias and how a transcendant shopping experience can convert even a jaded non-shopper like me.

Hope to see you in Orlando!

Tingles of Magic at THE CHATELAINES

Have you ever been someplace that makes the hairs on your arms stand on end for no discernable reason? I'm blogging about the experience at THE CHATELAINES. You'll want to bookmark this fabulous blogsite. It features CL Wilson, Jennifer Ashley, Joy Nash, Gerri Russell, Bonnie Vanak, Cindy Holby and (blush) me!

I'm giving away a FREE copy of VEXING THE VISCOUNT to one lucky commenter, so be sure to leave a comment or question.

PS. I had a great time at the Romance and Chocolate Group Signing in Farmington, CT. (You can find signed copies of DISTRACTING THE DUCHESS and PLEASURING THE PIRATE at the Borders at 1600 Southeast Road!) Special thanks to Rachel, one of my blog "touristas", for making the trip and bringing her mother to the event! :)

The Chatelaines go LIVE!

Take a New York Times Bestseller, two USA Today Bestsellers, an American Title winner, and three award winning, multi-published authors, scramble them all together and what do you get? THE CHATELAINES! http://www.thechatelaines.blogspot.com/ ! It's the hottest new Historical authors group blog featuring CL Wilson, Jennifer Ashley, Joy Nash, Gerri Russell, Cindy Holby, Bonnie Vanak and . . . moi (blush!) Emily Bryan.

We'll be sharing about what's next for our writing, what's happening in our lives and any crazy thing that pops into our heads! Be sure to bookmark us so you'll never miss a moment!