Friday is Finally Here!

It's been a tough week and a half.  Mid-week last week, I was hit with an asthma attack.  They're rare, but when they come along, it's like being being slammed head-on by a semi.  No warning, just WHAM!  I struggled through the weekend, felt better on Sunday, and decided to do a little weed-eating in the backyard.  Bad decision.  By Monday, I couldn't walk ten steps without thinking I would never be able to take another breath.  I went to the health care clinic Tuesday morning, spent almost $200 on an inhalation treatment and meds, and was breathing fairly well again by that night.  It's been better each day since then.

Oh, did I mention that when I got up on Mother's Day, I discovered the power supply on my computer had died?  I ordered a new one on Monday, it arrived late Wednesday afternoon, and I had it installed just after midnight.  Four days with no computer.  It's tough enough when the internet goes down for a day or two, but MY COMPUTER?

Now you know why there have been no blogs.

My plans for the weekend?  No weed-eating, that's for sure.  Gutting my office may be the best thing to do, since I've been thinking about it for months and getting nothing done.  Or my bedroom.  Or the kitchen.  There's always plenty of things waiting to be done, aren't there?  Friday comes along at the end of a work week, then flips over to Saturday, when all the other things in life need attending.  The one thing I can honestly say that there's never a time when there's nothing to do.  I've totally forgotten what being bored is.  I guess that's what makes life exciting.

Now that school is almost done for the year, I'm looking at what I want to accomplish, beginning next Friday, the FIRST DAY OF SUMMER VACATION!  (Whatever a "vacation" is.)

I'm working on edits for a book I plan to self-publish, hopefully this summer.  Set on the coast of Maine, the 3-book mini-series follows the Divine Misfits, three high school best friends who have gone different ways, but are coming together again after the death of the fourth misfit. I'll take you along on this crazy ride into the new publishing platform and share the ups and downs.  It promises to be interesting, if nothing else.

 I also have a three-book proposal for three half-brothers, who inherit a ghost town in Texas, to work on for Harlequin American.  It's going slowly.  Agonizingly slow.  I'm hoping that by doing the edits on the ebook above, I'll get my mind back into writing again.


And I have a couple of announcements.  My next Harlequin American, THE COWBOY MEETS HIS MATCH, the next to last book of the Desperation (Hearts of Desperation) mini-series will be available in August.  This story is close to my heart, as it centers around Erin Walker and her long-ago love, Jake Canfield.

One Big Secret…

Broke and in need of a job, barrel racer Erin Walker has returned home after years of traveling the rodeo circuit. But the only job available is working for the man who broke her heart and left her pregnant and alone. Not a day goes by that she doesn't wonder about the son she and Jake had, whether he's happy with his adoptive parents or what her life would have been like if the three of them had become a family.

Jake Canfield just wants to get close to Erin again and perhaps rekindle what they once had. But is that possible? It depends on the sudden appearance of the one person who could bring them closer together!

Stop by my website, RoxannDelaney.com, for more about THE COWBOY MEETS HIS MATCH (my 15th book!) and an excerpt.  I'm planning a few give-aways and contests, so stay tuned here and on my author page on Facebook.  If you haven't visited there, please stop by. The last of the series will be available in April 2015, and then we'll hopefully be off to Hallelujah, Texas, and those ghosts!

Last but not least, my five Silhouette Romance books are available as Silhouette Romance Classic ebooks.

RACHEL'S RESCUER, my very first published book and the first of my SilRoms, won the Maggie Award in 1999 and set me on the path to publication.  It was also a National Reader's Choice Award Finalist in 2001.  You can find them at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, among others.

So there's my plan.  My Friday plan, at least, spilling over into summer.  Do you have a plan?  Have you been working on goals?  Because now is the best time to get started on those!  Feel free to share, because your enthusiasm will spill onto others, and how great is that?

The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun. ~ Christopher McCandless

Building the Story: Characters

THE CREATIVE PROCESS

As I work on making changes on a proposal, I'm given pause to think about how important characters are to the plot of a book.  It's characters and our love of them that make a great story.  And, yes, even a mountain or a whale can become characters that change another character.

In romance, our characters are sometimes both two protagonists, while also being the antagonists.  If the two solve their differences--of which there should be one tough one and other smaller ones--and the conflict is resolved too early, the story dies.  While it's nice to see two people get together, it's even better when there are problems to deal with and eventually solve to get to that happily ever after.

I'll freely admit that I'm constantly learning, and I appreciate that I have an editor who is willing to teach me, in a asking-the-right-questions way.  I truly appreciate that she makes me dig deeper to build better characters, GMC and, in the end, stories.  If that means reworking a project, so be it.  One more lesson learned by redoing.

Making mistakes (by not fleshing out the character and their emotional conflict, as was my recent case) does teach us, if we let them.  Throwing up our hands and giving up is the stuff of people who refuse to try, to learn, and to redo, if necessary.  And we all make mistakes, whether in our writing or our lives.  It's making the most of them--learning from them--that makes us better writers and people.

So how do characters help build our story?  Much of it comes back to good, ol' GMC, but if the Conflict isn't strong enough, the story is weakened.  That's what I was facing last week.  Yes, there was conflict between my H/H, but as my editor pointed out, it wasn't strong enough.  It needed to be something other than their conflict in the past.  It could stem from the past, but it had to be an emotional NOW not THEN.

Once I gave some thought to what she said--and added the brainstorming genius of a writer friend (Thanks, Kristi! And Kathie for the ranching info!)--I was on the road to a better, more emotional story.  The basis was there, but the push-pull of the romance and the conflict needed to be pumped up.

The characters themselves was the answer, and it had been there from the beginning.  I just hadn't dug deep enough to reach it.  Once it was pointed out to me that the two characters were a lot alike, that their biggest strength was also their greatest weakness, that push-pull emerged.  Two people, who had always insisted on having complete control of their lives and everything involved, would always be at odds, often about nearly everything.  Add in the past they shared that had often found them not only at loggerheads, but as adversaries, in spite of their secret attraction to each other, and that conflict is going to grow larger when they meet again.  Not to mention that night, fifteen years ago...

Just what is push-pull and how does a writer use it?  Take two people who might not normally be even friends, much less lovers, throw them into something that will push them together and make them grow.  But don't forget to throw in something that will pull them apart, not once, but several times.  Think turning points.  Yes, those things that change the course of the characters and/or their journey to their goal, and sometimes even their goal.  Keep their motivation in mind, too, since it's the reason for those goals.

Turning points can be both negative and positive.  Growing closer is a positive (push), whether it's a first kiss or a realization or acknowledgement of love that brings them emotionally closer.  But it's those negative ones (pull)--the overheard conversation, the words or actions of one, the knowledge of something previously unknown and not particularly welcome--that keep the story rolling and the reader reading.  When it comes to characters, bring them up, then smack them down.  Torture them, but don't forget to reward them.

Digging deeper isn't always easy, but it's well worth the time and effort.  In the end, it will make for a better, emotional book.

Shameless Promotion
The story that spawned this blog post is still in the submission stage, but it's the story of the sister of two brothers who are the heroes in two books coming out this year.  This new sister/heroine does make an appearance in both, so it's become close to my heart.  Only time will tell if Erin's story will hit the stands. Until then, I hope you'll give her brothers' books a read.

Especially for fans of cowboy heroes...singing ones...

Don't miss Kristi Gold's THE CLOSER YOU GET, available NOW!

A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success. ~ Elbert Hubbard 

"So it Begins."

(Correction to the December 31st post.  The third sentence should read: It's a time to reflect on the year that has passed.)

***

There it is on the left.  The blank book of a new year, waiting to be filled, one day at a time.

For me, the first four days of this new year have gone by in a blur, mostly because family has been dealing with colds and flu.  Not a pretty way to start the year.  Now that the grandkids' holiday vacation is over, they're back in school.  In fact, yesterday was the first day in almost two weeks that has been close to normal.  Whatever "normal" is.

We spent New Year's Eve playing Wii Trivial Pursuit.  My thoughts were that it was slow and boring.  That pretty much described the turnover from 2012 to 2013, too, but then we're not a rowdy bunch and missed the (rerun) of the ball dropping at midnight.  Obviously, when it comes to celebrating and welcoming in the new year, we're not the most exciting group.  It doesn't matter to me.  I've said goodbye to many years and hello to the same amount of new ones.  It's not like it's something terribly exciting that only happens in hundreds of years or even when there's a blue moon.  No, once every 365/366 days, we add another number onto the year.

Why is it that we make such a big deal of the arrival of the New Year?  As far as I could tell, there wasn't a whole lot of difference between Monday, December 31, 2012 and Tuesday, January 1, 2013.  It's not much more than replacing the old calendar with a new one.  Nothing magical happened.  I didn't suddenly lose 30 pounds or win the lottery.  I didn't even find a penny on the ground.  But I wasn't expecting anything grand, so I wasn't disappointed.  See how that works?  It was as pleasant as any other family get-together, although we did have a very small bottle of champagne to share, almost half of which was poured down the drain.

I know I should be here blogging about progress made toward my goals for the year, but I'll be honest and admit that I haven't done much.  In fact, I'm trying to think of what I have done, and I'm coming up with nothing.  I'm going to blame that on yesterday being the first day and today the second day of "normalcy."  The truth is, I could use a swift kick in the backside to get me going.  I'm sure I'll soon regret not using this time wisely and making some kind of progress, even if bad.  That's pretty much a given.  Another truth is that I'm not sure what I want to do.  Or even need to do.  I'm in a state of limbo.

So instead of writing something pithy that will light a fire under us all---something I have no right to do at this point in time, considering---I'm going to share a couple of links.  The first is one I saved some time ago, but it has a lot of good information.  I have all these links of blogs and articles that I've saved, yet I don't get back to them nearly as often as I should.  I have a feeling I'm not the only one who does this.  But this particular blog post is about procrastination, and, being the Queen of Procrastination, I feel it's probably timely for those of us who are fully aware we should be making progress, but for some reason or other are dragging our feet.    Give What's Stopping You?, from the Happy Writer, a read.  You might discover a little of yourself in it.  I do.

The second link is new and came through my email today.  I enjoy reading Kristen Lamb's Blog, and today's post is another good one.  Writing Tip #2 - Writing is Pain, Learn to Take a Hit tells it as it is.  Writing isn't easy.  The business isn't sweet.  It takes hard work and tough skin, picking yourself up and dusting yourself off, and if you don't want to deal with any of those things, leave your dream of being a writer behind and find something easier.  Underwater shark wrestling is always an option.

And while I'm here, I might as well do a little shameless promotion.  My seventh Harlequin American book set in Desperation, Oklahoma, will be out in March.  I'll share a little bit about it as time grows nearer, and also about books of my friends that will be coming out around the same time.  Until then, have a wonderful weekend and smile at the fact that the first week of a brand new year is nearly gone, and we have the rest of the year to buckle down and get some words on paper.

Having used a J.R.R. Tolkien quote as the title of this blog post, it's only fitting to add another to end it.  And quite appropriate this one is.  Enjoy!

“It is the job that is never started that takes longest to finish.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

Survival of the Fittest

WRITING WEDNESDAYS THURSDAY

Not only are Thanksgiving and Black Friday over for the year, but the 2012 edition of NaNoWriMo will end tomorrow.  In my mind, I see writers at their desks with their heads down as they race to the finish line to see how close they can each get to that 50,000 word goal.

Fifty thousand words written in a month.  Amazing.  Wonderful.  Exhausting.

I joke, but this is really serious stuff.  Anyone who even gave it a try this year is a winner.  Setting a goal and working toward it is something to be proud of, even if the goal isn't quite reached, participating in something like NaNo is an achievement that shouldn't be passed of as nothing.  It's something.   Just the act of trying is courageous.  But isn't a lot of life the same?

The old proverb, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again," [1840 T. H. Palmer Teacher's Manual 223] holds true for everything in life.  Well, the good stuff, anyway.  We don't want to keep trying to be evil and mean and blackhearted.  What we do want is to be successful in the things we do, from being a good person, a good parent, and at least have a modicum of success in the things we choose to do.  While it's true that we can't always be highly successful in everything, sometimes we don't know our true worth until we reach for that brass ring.  Missing it isn't failing, because trying, itself, is positive forward motion.  Don't throw in the towel too soon.

Because writing is one of the arts, it takes time to hone the craft.  In honing, we often learn from our mistakes.  One of the things we can count on 99% of the time is that we our work will be rejected at least once. Please note that the WE is crossed out.  I did that for a reason, because while our work may be rejected, we as persons are not.  Granted, it hurts.  Yes, it can feel personal.  But the key to keep in mind is that a rejection is not just what some call "an invitation to resubmit" but a chance to learn something.  It can be the catalyst to dig a little deeper or try again for that spark that makes a story cry out in a sea of other stories.

Rejections aren't only for those trying to break into publishing, but for those who have a backlist.  Yes, published authors get rejections, too.  And they try again.  The proof is in the pudding.  My pudding.  In June last year (2011), I submitted two proposals for two new stories set in Desperation, OK.  They were rejected in July, with an invitation to revise and resubmit.  I revised, resubmitted (August) and was rejected (September) again.  Definitely a time to reconsider.  I decided to keep the heroine in one story, because she's been a minor character in the series, but to give her a new hero and story, then write a completely new story for the second, with a completely new hero & heroine.  I submitted those at the end of October.  They were rejected mid-December.

To say I was disappointed and questioning my ability to write anything beyond my name would be an understatement.  But I wasn't completely down quite yet.  I took a deep breath and wondered what to do.  I had two more story ideas with brother heroes that were left over from my Silhouette Romance days, so I quickly worked up proposals on them and sent them to my agent and editor in mid-January.  When they both were accepted, I breathed a big sigh of relief, patted myself on the back and immediately set to work writing them.  If I'd given up after those three rejections, A NANNY FOR THE COWBOY (March 2013) and DESIGNS ON THE COWBOY (June 2013) would be nothing but old story notes.

There are so many things to think about when writing a book, and it sometimes seems that the more we know, the harder the writing can be.  Unfettered writing, such as that done during NaNo, can sometimes unearth some of our best work, only because we're not questioning each word written.

Whether you're wrapping up NaNoWriMo for this year, or you're fearing another rejection, or even if you've recently stuck your toe in the dark but sparkling waters of writing, stay strong.  Work hard, grow that thick skin so your psyche and muse don't become too bruised by the journey, and be fit enough to survive.  To quote Spock, "Live long and prosper."

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. - Jimmy Dean, Actor, Singer and Businessman

Hump Day

Yes, it is! I look forward to it every week, believe me!

But this isn't going to be about the fact that it's Wednesday or what it means to me or anyone else. It's just going to be a mishmash. Why? Since Jan. 31, when I received revision notes from my editor, I've been on a deadline to get them done...by Feb. 21, two days ago. They're done, and I've had a little rest. The pressure is off--well, most of it. Fingers are crossed that the changes made to BACHELOR DAD (September 2011, Harlequin American) are what was needed.

And then there's the Oscars or Academy Awards, whichever you prefer, coming up on Sunday night. I'll admit that I haven't seen any of the nominated movies. I'm not much of a moviegoer. I did go to the movie theater three times last year, and all were Sandra Bullock movies. And Mallory (the youngest) and I had kind of planned to go see the most recent Harry Potter this year. (Sorry, I haven't read all the books and don't remember the titles, much less in what order.) But because the last time we forked over the money for HP, we had to deal with kids kicking the back of our seat and generally making a nuisance of themselves. Mallory decided to opt out and buy it when it comes out on DVD. Since we do that anyway, I figure we just saved money and nearly three hours of stress. So no movies this time, and there was really only one that looked even promising to me. I will watch the Oscars Sunday night, if only to see who presents, what the women are wearing on the red carpet, and that all important moment when they show who is no longer with us.

And that's the last three weeks in a nutshell. :)

Happy 1st TGIF of 2011

Yes, I'm almost a week late with New Year's greetings, graphics, and all the rest, not to mention Christmas was here and gone before I knew it. I have excuses!!

First excuse: Grandkids were out of school from Dec. 22 to Jan. 3. I had them the eight weekdays during that time. 5 kids, ranging from age 9 to 16 months. 9+ hours each day. I don't live in a mansion.

Second excuse: I was on a deadline, working to finish my sixth Harlequin American set in Desperation, OK. For those familiar with the stories and characters, this is Garrett Miles's story and will be available in September. Tucker's story, THE MAVERICK'S REWARD, will be available in June. Writing the books is not the only work that's done. Authors also fill out a questionaire for the art department about the cover, do revisions requested by our editors, work on copy edits and AAs/Author Alterations/Galleys, all which came due for one book or another in the months and weeks leading up to the holidays. I'll remember to factor in holidays--and weekends off-- the next time I set deadlines

Third excuse: I design websites for authors and a few other businesses, and as the new year approached, many of my clients wanted their websites updated. They come first. My website and blog come last. 'Tis life. :)

Yes, I've been busy and still have several things that must be done, as I know everyone else does. Life doesn't stop just because it's Christmas, vacation, or we managed to succumb to the latest round of whatever flu is hitting the whole country. (Yes, me, too. Twice.)

When it comes to blogging, I could sit here and say that I'll do better in the future, but there's a strong chance I would fail, so I won't. No New Year's Resolutions for me, and I haven't even begun to work on Goals for the year, whether writing or personal. There's been no time. I have excuses!!

I hope everyone's holidays were happy and gifted with wonderous things! May 2011 be a fabulous year for all!

Tucker's Story

Several readers have asked me if there'll be a story about Tucker O'Brien, the brother of Tanner O'Brien, the hero in THE RODEO RIDER. Tucker ran off when he was fifteen to ride the rodeo circuit and never returned to the Rocking O Ranch...until 2011.

There's a glimpse of Tucker in THE RELUCTANT WRANGLER, when he briefly appears in the epilogue. But in June 2011, readers can discover what Tucker has been doing for the past 20 years in his own book, THE MAVERICK'S REWARD.

A Big Day

Yesterday began with finding this news in my email:

Lisa Childs is not only a wonderful writer, but a very good friend and one of the Ditzy Chix, so being listed with her is an honor, along with the huge surprise of seeing my title and name on the list!

Then news came that Tucker O'Brien's book has a new title! Look for THE MAVERICK'S REWARD in June 2011.

The next surprise was a review for THE RELUCTANT WRANGLER (October 2010) by Harriet Klausner. Read the full review at The Merry Genre Go Round Reviews. Pat Cooper at Romantic Times gave THE RELUCTANT WRANGLER 4 1/2 stars.

Days like yesterday don't come along often, but they definitely make even the dullest days shine. :)

Book News!

Trying to blog has been about as easy as getting an audience with the Queen, thanks to all the things that pop up whenever I think I've found a few minutes. What with updating websites and designing new ones to working on two new books (more about that later), there never seems to be a quiet minute that hasn't been filled. My fingers are crossed that minute has arrived.

I'm happy to announce that Pat Cooper at Romantic Times Magazine reviewed THE RELUCTANT WRANGLER and gave it 4 1/2 Stars! Available in October, it's the fourth book set in Desperation, Oklahoma, and revisits many of the characters from the four previous books. (Thanks for not giving away Nikki's secret, Pat!)

For those readers who have asked if Tucker will have his own story, the answer is YES! Tucker's story will be released in June 2011. We should have the official title sometime next week, so check back later.

Garrett Miles, City Attorney for Desperation, who was introduced in THE LAWMAN'S LITTLE SURPRISE, will have his own story in the near future. More about that at a later date, as information comes in.

For more on the Desperation books, there's a website page dedicated to the Hearts of Desperation mini-series.


I'll be blogging on the Harlequin American Romance Authors blog tomorrow (September 18), so stop in and leave a comment for a chance to win free HAR books! And you can find me blogging on the 8th and 30th each month at Bits & Bytes: Romance...the Writer's Way, where we talk about writing romance.

Still Moving at Warp Speed

In spite of my good intentions, my last post was three weeks ago. My excuse? The release date of the fourth of my books set in Desperation, OK--The Reluctant Wrangler--was moved up from January next year to October of this year. The book was written and in the hands of my editor, but there were changes that needed to be made, in addition to getting the information for the cover, new title suggestions and other small but important details to her. Now that all of that is done, I have a couple of days of breathing space. Not much, because copy edits are here and are due back in a few days.

The cover for The Reluctant Wrangler will probably be available about the time The Lawman's Little Surprise (Trish and Morgan's story, if you've been following the series) hits bookshelves in July. The Desperation books, dubbed by me as Hearts of Desperation, have been a joy to write. Will The Reluctant Wrangler be the last? I hope not! But there's no word on others, as yet. When I know, you'll know!

I'm blogging on the 8th and 29th of each month at Bits & Bytes: Romance...the Writer's Way, and also blogging on the Harlequin American authors blog on the 18th of each month. At Bits & Bytes, we focus on writing topics, with some reading favorites thrown in, so if you're an aspiring romance author, we'd love to have you visit at any time! And, of course, the HAR authors would love a visit from readers. With a huge array of topics, there's something for everyone there. Hope you can visit both soon!

It's back to work time...those copy edits await. As soon as my energy level gets back up to normal, I'll post more! Until then, enjoy spring!

Harlequin's Holiday Open House

Would you like to chat with some of your favorite authors? Have a chance to win free books? Then the place to be on the evening of December 16 is at Harlequin's Holiday Open House chat! Nearly 100 authors will be attending the festivities. The fun starts at 7 p.m. EST at eHarlequin and will encompass 3 hours of chat, followed by Post Parties on the message boards.

I'll be chatting with the Home and Hearth authors during the first hour (7-8 p.m. EST) and giving away 3 copies each of THE RODEO RIDER (Harlequin American Romance, August 2009) and BACHELOR COWBOY (Harlequin American Romance, January 2010), the first two of my series set in the fictional town of Desperation, Oklahoma.

Come celebrate the holiday season with us!

Trio of Local Romance Authors to Sign Books

It's always nice to meet with friends, and this time it's meeting with two friends to sign copies of our books on Saturday, August 22 at Waldenbooks in Towne West Square, Wichita, KS, from noon until 3 p.m. I'll be signing copies of The Rodeo Rider, along with Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense author Patricia Davids, who'll be signing her newest release, Speed Trap, and Wild Rose Press author Penny Rader, who'll be signing her debut historical, Sapphire and Gold. Please stop by and chat with us! We'll have chocolate!!

Shame on Me!

Almost an entire month has zoomed by, and I haven't stopped in to say hello. Shouldn't summer be lazy? Not here! And not for me!

It appears I haven't been blogging, but that isn't true. Besides here, I also blog at Bits & Bytes: Romance...the Writers Way, my writers group's blog. The 29th is my day to blog, but I'm constantly posting comments on everyone else's posts. It's very interactive, and we're having tons of fun talking romance writing. If you aren't a writer, that's okay! Readers are more than welcome to share their thoughts, and maybe learn something along the way.

Want to meet your favorite Harlequin American Romance authors? Check out our blog! News, recipes, writers' tips, cleaning tips, and all kinds of good stuff can be found there. My blogging date at HAR is the 19th, but I missed it this month. :( Must do better!

Last weekend, two of my daughters, my oldest granddaughter, and I went to see the new Harry Potter movie. I was sadly disappointed. I've only read the first book, so I'm not privy to all the ins and outs, but I have seen every one of the movies. I had a really hard time following what was going on in this one and even dozed off at one point, which resulted in a poke from my daughter. :) Mallory, my youngest, said it was because so much was left out, yet there were things in it that weren't in the book. (Mallory is an HP expert, having read each book multiple times. DO NOT play HP Trivial Pursuit with her unless you want to lose, big time.) Maybe I should start reading those books!

Sad things going on here. I posted earlier about our new puppy, Willow. On the 4th of July, someone stole her from our backyard. :(( She was playing out there in the early evening, while the neighborhood fireworks were going off. I could hear her howling at one point and went out to check who was making all the noise. (The fireworks, not the pup.) Discovered it was a neighbor, three houses to the south and muttered some unkind words under my breath, then went inside. Willow was fine. The next morning, she was nowhere to be found, her collar laying open just inside the fence. She's chipped, so if she'd run away and someone found her, a trip to the animal shelter would be all that was needed for her to be returned to us. No more pups for us. I'll stick to our two cats, Tosca and Mocha. They're tortoiseshell calicos that look like mother and daughter, but aren't related. One of these days, I'll post some pictures of them. Oh, and there are the four betta fish we have. Two belong to my daughter Chelsea, a male (the fish, not the daughter and whose name I forget) and Harley, the female. My two are both males, Shrimp and Spock. Watching them swim around can be soothing, and they notice when I'm paying attention. Maybe a bird someday? Who knows?

I've just finished writing the first draft of the third book in the Desperation, OK series. I hope readers love this one as much as they seem to love the first one, The Rodeo Rider, available in stores next month. Hearing from readers adds such a spot of joy to my day! Don't be shy to let me know what you think!

Last but not least, if you haven't met the Ditzy Chix, my very very bestest friends, stop in at our website. Or even better, come visit us on our Facebook page! We've just gone from 10 of us to 11, and will probably have another new chix or two in the future.

Yes, you can find me on Facebook! (How did this happen?) I love chatting with others there!

Until next time, have a lovely summer! Fall will be here soon--my favorite season--so what's left of the lazy (ha!) days of the last of summer should be savored. Make some memories!

The Ditzy Chix on Facebook

So Much To Do, So Little Time

I can't believe it's been over a month since I posted, but it has. I really have been busy since then and keep getting myself into new projects faster than I can say NO.

Since the last time, school has let out for the summer, meaning all 4 grandkids are here ALL DAY. That in itself takes up a lot of time, although they aren't always bad and the 2 youngest manage to take a nap at some point during the day, giving us all a little quiet time. But it seems it's never enough to get it all done.

My son-in-law is home from his 4-month long deployment in the Middle East. It's always good to have him back. Nice to have a man's POV on things. Okay, even when I don't agree. ;) I know he's glad to be home, too, and has already done some fishing, along with mowing the lawn. Not his favorite chore, by the way.

I'm finally almost back to normal after a three-week bout with asthma, but I'm not ready to run a marathon yet. Not that I ever planned to. A nice walk would be nice, but, again, when is there time? I do promise to never mow again! Not being able to breathe is NOT fun, and all for a yard where small children don't become lost.

So what else has been keeping me busy? I've added an excerpt from The Rodeo Rider to my website, along with the fantastic back cover blurb! It truly tells the essence of the story, and I love it! My author copies have arrived, so I'm trying to decide whether to throw a contest here on the website for some books and maybe some extras. That may depend on time, too.

If you've ever had the slightest desire to try your hand at writing, my local writers' group has a terrific blog dedicated to how to write a romance novel. Stop in and visit us at Bits & Bytes: Romance...the Writer's Way. We're all having a blast talking shop and love to share!

This past week I've been at eHarlequin.com, leading a discussion in the Conflict Crisis Center on the Write Stuff board on, you guessed it, Conflict. My week of kicking off the new board is officially over today, but don't be shy about stopping in to say hello! I plan to hang around for as long as I can, hoping to pick up ideas from other authors. We're all always learning.

I'm including a special invitation to visit my little spot on Facebook. I dragged my feet as long as I could about joiing and finally capitulated, adding my name and several friends, including writing friends, high school friends, newer friends, and even a few cousins! If only I had that little extra time to play with the applications and quizzes. Maybe later this summer? Who knows what I might discover!

And last, but not least, we have a puppy. Her name is Willow, and she is very sweet. A little too friendly for the grandkids yet, but she's calming down a little more every day and loves to spend all day outside. As long as she doesn't kick up my asthma, we'll keep her. ;) Isn't she a cutie?

So I hope to see you soon and "be your friend" on Facebook. I'll drop in here again as time allows...if it does. Until then, have a wonderful summer!

The Rodeo Rider

I've been remiss in posting the cover for my August 2009 Harlequin American, but life has kept me busy. If you like cowboys, especially cowboys in chaps, you'll love this cover!




I have a hankering for a new website, so the look of this place may change in the next couple of months. Just as soon as I can find something I really like. Until then, I'll post more here on The Rodeo Rider in the future.

Color Me Surprised

Good news is always welcome, especially when things aren't going well. That's what happened today. While picking up by grandson from pre-K this afternoon, after fighting him only hours before about going to school, I received a phone call that turned my day around and brought out the sunshine. The short contemporary category coordinator for the National Readers Choice Award contest called me to let me know that my first Harlequin American, FAMILY BY DESIGN, is a finalist in the contest. NRCA is judged by readers across the United States, so being chosen a finalist is, to me, a very prestigious honor. This is my second time as a finalist in this contest. The first time was with my debut Silhouette Romance, RACHEL'S RESCUER, in 2001. I wasn't at all disappointed not to win, because just being among some of the best in the business was a thrill.

Sadly, I won't be attending RWA's National Conference in Washington, D.C. where the winners of the NRCA will be announced in July. But just knowing one of my books is again among books by some of the finest authors in the romance industry puts a big smile on my face.

Thank you, readers! And thank you, OKRWA!

A New Blog for Writers & Readers

I've been very busy! Working on galleys for THE RODEO RIDER and finishing last minute details on BACHELOR COWBOY have been a huge priority. It's so amazing to know that in only a few months, THE RODEO RIDER will be available in bookstores. I'll have more to share on that as the release date draws closer.

I've also recently completed a new website for Inspirational author Patricia Davids, who writes for Steeple Hill Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense. Pat and I would love to have you visit her new website and get to know her and her fantastic books.

But there's one other thing that's kept me away.

My local writers group, Wichita Area Romance Authors (WARA), started a blog on April 1, and you're invited to visit!

Bits & Bytes: Romance...the Writer's Way is all about writing romance. We're discussing all aspects of writing romance, from romance genres & sub-genres to the ups & downs of the publishing world and everything in-between.

Whether you're currently a romance writer, thinking about writing a romance, or a reader interested in the fascinating world of romance novels and romance authors, we'd love to have you visit our blog and let us know what you think or add to our discussion via a comment.

Bits & Bytes: Romance...the Writer's Way

WARA Website

More Book News!

The second of the books set in Desperation, Oklahoma has an official title. BACHELOR COWBOY will be released in January next year. For more information on both it and THE RODEO RIDER, check out the "Coming Soon!" link under "The Books" or click here.

Books News

It's been a long day with four grandkids here on spring break, but I have news on the release date for my third Harlequin American. TAMING KATE is the working title, and I should have the official one in a fews days. It will be a January 2010 release. This is the second book of a series set in the fictional town of Desperation, Oklahoma, and is the story of the best friend of the hero in THE RODEO RIDER, which will hit shelves this year in August. For more information on the Desperation books, check out my books page via the menu on the left.

Have a wonderful St. Patrick's Day!!!

Free Harlequin & Silhouette Books?

You betcha!! Harlequin is gifting their readers in American and Canada with free downloads of 16 different new releases as a way to thank them during Harlequin's 60th Anniversary celebration.

So how do you get yours?



First let's see what books are available.


Harlequin American Romance, Once a Cowboy by Linda Warren
Harlequin Blaze, Slow Hands by Leslie Kelly
Harlequin Historical, His Lady Mistress by Elizabeth Rolls
Harlequin Intrigue, Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch by B.J. Daniels
Harlequin Presents, Price of Passion by Susan Napier
Harlequin Romance, The Bride's Baby by Liz Fielding
Harlequin Superromance, Snowbound by Janice Kay Johnson

Silhouette Desire, Baby Bonanza by Maureen Child
Silhouette Nocturne, Kiss Me Deadly by Michele Hauf
Silhouette Romantic Suspense, Stranded with a Spy by Merline Lovelace
Silhouette Special Edition, Dancing in the Moonlight by Raeanne Thayne

Love Inspired, A Very Special Delivery by Linda Goodnight
Love Inspired Historical, Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart
Love Inspired Suspense, Hide in Plain Sight by Marta Perry

Kimani Romance, Irresistible Forces by Brenda Jackson

Nascar, Speed Dating by Nancy Warren



The details:

• The titles are available as a PDF and in all eBook formats. There is no drm (digital rights management)


• The titles are also available as a Stanza App for the iPhone and iPod Touch


• The titles can also be found at all the online retailers like Sony, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Fictionwise.com, eReader.com, etc.


• The 16 free books (one for every series) will be available throughout 2009.

It's easy, it's painless, and even better, it's FREE!

Visit Harelquin's 60th Anniversary website to download your free books and read about all the events and celebrations taking place this year.

Enjoy! Indulge!