I got a review from a YA book blogger this week that has had me smiling ever since I read it. Jami over at YA Book Addict wrote the type of review of my August book, Winter Longing, that every author dreams of getting. We want to touch people with our writing, and Jami says in her review that Winter Longing did exactly that for her. I’m thrilled! Check out her awesome review here.

My weekly online read is still going on over at eHarlequin. Chapter 4 goes up in the morning, so you can see what happens to Callum and Madison next — or get caught up with the first four chapters if you haven’t read them yet. Check out Her Unexpected Cowboy here.

I’m having a book trailer made for Winter Longing, and I hope to have it up for viewing soon. Stay tuned!

A friend posted the link to this short speech by Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray, Love, on nurturing creativity and the nature of genius. I found it interesting so I thought I’d share the link here. She makes some interesting observations about how creative types (writers, musicians, etc.) are viewed and view themselves.

I can hardly believe it’s Friday. I’ve been really busy this week, but it feels good to mark stuff off the to-do list, some of which has been hanging around on that list for a long time.

Today was the first day where I got an inkling of spring. Sure, it’s still two months away and we’ll have plenty of cold weather between now and then, but it was in the upper 50s. Normally, that’s pretty chilly for me, but considering it was in single digits with below zero wind chills at night just a week ago, it felt positively balmy. Add to that the sunshine and the fact that my daffodils have popped out of the ground a tad, and it gave me a good feeling.

Sorry I was about from the blog for a few days. I had to give my Web site designer time to update my site to a new version of WordPress since, evidently, there’s some idiot out there somewhere who has nothing better to do than find security holes in programs and plant viruses. Luckily, my blog wasn’t affected, but one of the group blogs I take part in was hit. Seriously, these virus people need to get a life.

I’ve been working this afternoon on a Facebook Fan Page since I’m approaching 2,000 friends on Facebook, and I think that’s the max you can have on a personal page. So if you’re one of my Facebook friends who wants to make sure to get the latest book-related updates, become of fan of my new page here.

My author copies of The Family Man (Harlequin American, March 2010) arrived this week. Yay! For Harlequin authors, we always know what the UPS man is delivering as soon as we see those diamonds on the side of the boxes.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m taking part in a continuity series of six connected books centered around a rodeo family in Wyoming. The Codys: The First Family of Rodeo series starts in June with Rebecca Winters, and one book will come out each month until November, when book six by Lynnette Kent hits stands. My book, Elly: Cowgirl Bride, is the fifth book and is out in October. I’m about to dive into revisions on that book after having spent the past several days reading the first four authors’ manuscripts. So, Revision Cave, here I come!

Earlier this year, I started a segment here on my blog called the Thursday Three, where I asked fellow authors three random questions. Well, life intruded for awhile, but the Thursday Three is back! And we’re getting back into the groove with my fellow Romance Bandit Loucinda McGary, aka Aunty Cindy.

Q. You love to travel and have been lots of places. Of all the places you’ve been, where would you move in a heartbeat?

A. Key West, Florida

Way back when Aunty had a dreaded day job and two extra sheckles to rub together, the DH and I went to Florida every February for Speed Week. Once the racing ended, we always drove from Daytona down to the Keys for a few days. Key West was so much fun with beautiful weather and a laid-back atmosphere. We even celebrated Mardi Gras there one year. They have a big parade right down the middle of Duvall Street that was a blast. Plus the city has a long and really interesting history.

But I only want to live there in the winter. Summers in Florida are too hot for me! I’d rather be some place nice and cool like San Francisco in the summer, though I really hate the traffic there. I prefer a little further down the California coast in San Luis Obispo.

Q. If you were to go back to age 20, what would you do differently the second time around?

A. Just about everything! No really, you know how they say hindsight is 20/20? Well, knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t have to bumble around and make all those mistakes. I wouldn’t worry so much about whether or not I could ‘afford’ to do something. Instead, I’d just do it! And I really wouldn’t care what anyone thought of me.

But seriously, with regard to my writing, I wouldn’t wait so long to make a real commitment to getting my work published. I wouldn’t worry so much about whether or not I had that magical ‘talent’ because I’d know that dogged persistence is far more important. I’d trust my writing process and not be so afraid to keep submitting and writing. I’m still working on this last issue, by the way.

Q. Tell us about your newest release, The Treasures of Venice. How did it come about?

A. The Treasures of Venice is actually the first romantic suspense manuscript I ever wrote. It finaled in the 2006 Golden Heart (under a different title) and collected a whole slew of rejections from editors and agents, including a generic “not right of us at this time” from the editor who eventually bought it! This was in early 2007, and in September 2007, Sourcebooks bought and published my book The Wild Sight.

Several months later, as I was preparing to submit a proposal to my editor, I asked her if there were revisions I could do on my Golden Heart story to make it publishable. She asked me to send it to her again because she’d forgotten why she rejected it the first time around. So I sent her the full manuscript along with my proposal and about six weeks later she e-mailed me and said she wanted to buy both books!

Needless to say, I was thrilled because I loved the story, and I knew readers would too. Thus far, I’ve been correct. The Treasures of Venice has received many positive reviews including four stars from Romantic Times Book Reviews Magazine. I’ve also received numerous wonderful pieces of fan mail, including this from a reader: “An Irish man, an American woman searching for lost treasure in Venice – What a fantastic story!”

Here’s the back cover blurb:

He’s a charming Irish rogue who never met a lock he couldn’t pick…

Keirnan Fitzgerald is desperate to locate the missing Jewels of the Madonna. With danger at every corner and time running out, he must use whatever means possible to uncover the stolen jewels in time to save his sister’s life…

She’s simply in Venice to relax and heal her broken heart…

Samantha Lewis is shocked when a dashing stranger approaches her in a Venetian cafe pretending to know her. She’s ready for something new and exciting in her life, so she throws caution to the wind and accompanies the Irish charmer into his dangerous world of intrigue, theft, and betrayal…

As the centuries-old story behind the Jewels’ disappearance is revealed, Samantha must decide whether the man she’s so compellingly drawn to is her soul mate from a previous life or if they are merely pawns in a relentless quest for a priceless treasures…

Since I have an extra copy of Cindy’s book, I’m giving it away today to some lucky commenter. 

This month, several members of the Wet Noodle Posse, including myself, are on an Unleash Your Story team. We’ve all set writing goals for the month and are reporting in each week. We’re also raising money for the cause behind Unleash Your Story, cystic fibrosis. The young son of our team leader, Colleen Gleason, suffers from CF, so it’s a cause of great importance to her and her family and friends. Colleen blogged about her son on the Unleash Your Story page. Be sure to check it out.

And if you’re able to donate to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, please do so here.

When I returned from running errands today, the box of bookmarks I’d ordered was sitting on the front porch. I admit I kind of held my breath when I opened them, hoping they looked okay and were of good quality. They’re bee-yoo-ti-ful! I’m so happy with them, and with the new business card I’d already received. Instead of doing new bookmarks for each new book (which can get expensive and lead to leftovers when the book is no longer available), I decided to brand my Web site’s look on my other promo materials. There’s a peek at the bookmark at the bottom of this post.

I’m guessing you all have seen the news stories about the horrible devastation left by Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar. Author Ann Aguirre is running a contest that encourages everyone to donate to charities helping those affected. When you provide Ann with proof that you’ve donated, your name goes in the running for a prize of 150 free books. Click here for more info.

I mowed the lawn again for Travelin’ Hubby. I’m thinking I just might mow enough this summer to get in some smaller jeans.

My wonderful friend Mary, aka MJ Fredrick, is realizing her dream today because today is the release date for her first book, Where There’s Smoke, out in e-book form from the Wild Rose Press. Let’s chat with her.

Q. How does it feel today, on the official release day of your first book?

A. Better than I ever dreamed. I’ve been bouncing off the walls for a couple of weeks waiting, and every time I see the cover, I get excited all over again. It’s been a long time coming — 13 years. I’m walking on air. (Wow, it’s kind of like listening to those sports interviews after the game, all those cliches flying around; there aren’t that many in my book, I promise!)

Q. How did Where There’s Smoke come about? Tell us a little about the story, but just enough to whet our appetites. After all, we want our lovely blog readers to go out and buy it.

A. Funny story, actually. I’m a teacher, and a firefighter band came to my school to play for the kids during Red Ribbon Week. All of the teachers were swooning over the Incredibly Handsome guitar player. I finagled an invitation to lunch with them (shameless!), and it turned out that he was the son of my uncle’s best friend! We talked a lot, and I remembered my cousin Jennifer talking about him when she was younger (though never in a romantic way.) So I started thinking about what would happen if two kids who grew up together and became best friends finally realized that there could be something more between them. What would the reactions of their families be? What would keep them apart? And why didn’t they notice each other before? That’s where the book came from. It was surprisingly easy to write. It just flowed right out. (Harder to revise, I will say.)

Q. What have you been most surprised by since you sold?

A. The support of other writers. I didn’t even have to think about that one. The people who have been so excited for me buoy me up more than anything else.

Q. When did you first have the idea that you wanted to write novels?

A. When I was 9 years old and wrote a Grease rip-off. I’ve always wanted to be a writer. And I’ve always wanted to write romance. Once I got out of college, the dh bought me an electric typewriter and I started down the path, though I didn’t finish my first book (since the Grease rip-off) for 8 years!

Q. If they made a movie of Where There’s Smoke, who would play your leads?

A. You know, if you asked me this of any other story, I could tell you. But this one was actually based on real people. Jorge Alberti from Passions might be good for Seth. And definitely Adrienne Palicki from Friday Night Lights for Lauren. She would have the perfect attitude, though I don’t imagine she’d feel as self-conscious as Lauren does.

Q. How can readers get their very own copy of Where There’s Smoke?

A. It�s available in electronic format from The Wild Rose Press today!!!!

Thanks for being with us today, Mary. Okay, everyone, fire off those questions for Mary.

I revised two chapters today, ones which required some substantial rewriting. When you have to change something about a character’s arc, that change tends to affect everything else. Thus, rewriting of scenes so they make sense.

About mid-day, I noticed my brain not focusing as much as it had during the morning hours so I took a break to watch some things that had accumulated on my TiVo during my time away. I watched the two episodes of Men in Trees that have aired since it’s return after the writers’ strike. I was happy to see the sweet reunion of Jack (pictured above) and Marin, but I found myself feeling sorry for Cash (pictured below) too. It’s obvious he really likes Marin as well. And honestly, I thought the powers that be would have Jack be lost at sea a little longer so they could complicate things by having Marin and Cash grow closer. But it looks like Jack might be jetting off again according to the previews for next week. How that’s going to be believable, I’m not sure. I do love this show though — the quirky characters, the Alaska setting. It reminds me of a cross between Northern Exposure and the wonderful novels of Dana Stabenow. Plus, after giving my brain a rest, I was able to come back to my computer and get some more good work done.

So, any Men in Trees fans out there? If so, are you a Jack fan or a Cash fan? Or both?!

Today is the last day of voting in the fourth round of the American Title contest. There are only four of us finalists left, and as of the end of voting today we’ll be down to the final two. So if you have a spare moment and haven’t voted or you know someone who has an e-mail address who hasn’t voted, please visit http://www.romantictimes.com/news_amtitle3.php and vote. My manuscript is called OUT OF SIGHT. Thanks!

Okay, off to do revisions.

I’ve been missing from my Blogger blog for awhile, partly because of a family illness and partly because this new site has been in the works. All my old posts from the Blogger site are here, and I’ll be adding new posts in the days ahead. From Jan. 21-27, if you post a comment to this blog, you’ll be entered in the drawing described on my Homepage. Hey, it includes free books, two of the best words in the English language.

If you hear screaming in the next few weeks, it’ll be because my nose will be pressed firmly to the grindstone. My second Harlequin American is due Feb. 15, and I have much work to do. Busy, busy, busy!

Let me know what you think of the new site.