Saturday, February 28, 2009

Celebrate Romance - Night 1

Last night began the Celebrate Romance conference. Nothing formal, just checking in and chatting our way through dinner. The food was fabulous, we laughed as one woman told car stories that in any other group would have been depressing. It's all part of the glass half full mentality that romance lovers have, you can either choose to laugh or cry and given those options, why cry?


The big surprise of the night was a chocolate tasting! Everyone had the best time with it. I mean...I am a chocoholic, but there were some that I couldn't stand. One of the best of the night? A milk chocolate and salt! Who knew. (That's Delle Jacob's hand, ready to pluck a choice chocolate chunk)

The great thing about get-togethers like this is the chance to meet new people and catch up with friends you only see at events - like Terry McLaughlin and everyone's favorite romance reviewer, Marilyn :) Some of the chocolates were wonderful, but others had us making faces, which incited giggles...

Friday, February 27, 2009

Check Me Out

I'll be at the Celebrate Romance conference this weekend in downtown Portland. I've never been, so I'm sure I'll have bunches to spout about when I'm done with it. Jennie Lucas and Jane Porter are coming in for it, so I'm excited to catch up with them...and stay out of photos because they are gorgeous!

Saturday evening will be a booksigning with the authors in town for CR at the Borders in Beaverton. Sunday morning we'll be signing at The Benson in downtown Portland. I'd love to see a friendly face :)

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Bundt!

I need a new bundt pan. OK, want is the correct word choice. Still, every time I see a picture of a gorgeous ring of cake, I'm compelled to try the recipe. And every time, I fail.

Normally cake and I get along, so I've decided to blame the pan. The cake sticks, what can I say?

I'm torn...should I try one of those strange silicon baking molds? Find and antique in a fantastic design, or hunt down a non-stick?

I managed to salvage the cake - lemon cornmeal, in case you were wondering...it had a glaze and so patched together so that no one but me knows the struggle to free the cake from the clutched of the evil white pan.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Free Workshop!



From the Call to the Bookstore


February 25th-26th at Romance Divas



Featuring:

KRISTAN HIGGINS


Want to know what it takes to get from “the call” to the bookstore in New York publishing? Romance Divas is hosting a 2-day workshop with RITA award winning author Kristan Higgins, who can answer that question and many more! It will take place at the Romance Diva Forum. All are welcome. To get access to the forum you will need to register.


Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Lemonade

Rach lemonaded me! It's the ''When Life Give You Lemons, Make Lemonade'' Award. True, I've had some lemons. Enough to make lemonade, and lemon cake, and lemon cream pasta (so choice!)...

It works this way:
1) Link back to the person you received the award from (Care to tell me how to do that, Rachel?)
2) Nominate 10 bloggers who are deserving of this award.

Okay here goes:
  1. Natalie Anderson .. not sure she's unpacked her lemons...
  2. Trish Wylie .. I wonder if she's selling lemons wholesale...
  3. Heidi Rice .. sure to use up her lemons soon...
  4. Kate Hardy .. other people give her lemons...
  5. Jill Shalvis .. lemon ice, anyone?
  6. Natasha Oakley .. has had enough of lemons, thank you very much...
  7. Gwen Hayes .. hides lemons in dumpsters...
  8. Kristin Painter .. president of the lemon loving cleansers...
  9. Maggie Jamieson .. moving her lemons ...
  10. Jennifer Leeland .. thinks lemons are great with whiskey

Monday, February 16, 2009

Dreams & Desires 3


I'm thrilled to be a part of this edition of Dreams and Desires 3 anthology with my story, The Perfect Stranger, about the forces that bring one couple together at a wedding.


True love, freedom, self-worth, security... Dreams and desires of the ordinary woman, or man. From best friends who discover love to a young woman looking for a place to belong to a woman finding love again, this collection of sixteen stories celebrates the attainment of all one can dream or desire. Which one do you secretly yearn for?


By purchasing this collection, you can help turn someone's nightmare into the pursuit of dreams. Every year, four million women are assaulted by their partners. At Freya's Bower, we want to do our part to bring this statistic down to zero. To this end, all net proceeds from every Dreams and Desire anthology purchased will go to St. Bernard's Battered Woman's Shelter in New Orleans. (They have just rebuilt this past year from Katrina.) Through education and support, we can make a difference.


Authors (in alphabetical order of last name): Shobhan Bantwal, Marci Baun, Jenna Bayley-Burke, Mychael Black, Amanda Brice, M.E. Ellis, Gemma Halliday, Candace Havens, Babe King, Bonnie Kinsey, Adelle Laudan, Susan Lyons, Debbie Mumford, Kari Lee Townsend, Lois Winston, and Barbara Witek. Foreword by Carol Anne Davis.


Purchase EBook HERE

Purchase PRINT HERE

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today I had a booksigning at the RCRW meeting...and both For Kicks and Her Cinderella Complex sold out! OK, so it was probably a dozen book each, nothing to hit best seller lists with, but it gave me the warm fuzzies to be so supported by the chapter.

And...Donna & I are chatting up Valentine's Day on The Pink Heart Society...




And...The Romance Divas annual Valentine's Romance Divas Free Reads are up! I didn't get a chance to do one this year, but I love this event.

Monday, February 09, 2009

Random Acts of Kindness Week

Your mission - do a good deed for a stranger this week. If everyone pays it forward, you'll get paid in kind. For ideas see www.actsofkindness.org

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Oops!

Today I'm at the PHS...talking about slipping up in public. I didn't even bring up the Pope!