I know a lot of readers enjoy going over the music playlist a writer listens to while writing a particular story. One of my favorite writers, Laurell K. Hamilton often talks about what music she’s blasting as she’s writing a scene.  I’ve tried this…It doesn’t work for me. See, the problem for me is that if I blast music, or even play it very very softly, I’ll start singing along. (And who wants that, right?) I mean, I like to think I have at least a little bit of skill, but I’ll admit I don’t have the kind of coordination it takes to sing while trying to follow the scene playing out in my head and search for the best way to put it to paper. More often than not, I end up typing out the lyrics. I do, however, use sound to block out other distractions. And I am SOOO easily distracted. I’m talkin’ borderline ADD—oh look, a chicken! Conversations between family members, movement too close to my desk, the random floating fuzz…whatever, it all bumps me out of my writer’s head. And since I can’t use music—or at least music with y’know, lyrics, I use mundane sound. White…

Dear Readers, I loved crafting HIS DUTY TO PROTECT for Harlequin Romantic Suspense! It is a novel from the Black Jaguar Squadron series. Best of all, it’s a series-within-a-series because it features Rachel Trayhern, daughter of Noah and Kit Trayhern. Those who have faithfully followed Morgan’s Mercenaries from the original 3-books, Love and Glory in the Silhouette Special Edition line, will now get to read her story. Presently, I’m working through a book on each of the children of Alyssa Trayhern and Noah Trayhern. I’ve already finished the books on Morgan Trayhern’s children. It’s fun to develop a story for each of them and yes, dear readers, I’ll continue to write about each and every one of them. Not to worry :_). Many of you remember Melody Sue Trayhern, Kit and Noah’s first daughter. In HIS DUTY TO PROTECT, she wants to be called Rachel. And the explanation as to ‘why’ is in there, so I hope you enjoy that tidbit ;-). I love to create rockin’ and rollin’ adventure/danger/suspense molded with romance in my books. And in this novel, I am onna roll! I also love the back cover copy where it says: “Why the hell are you here?”…

With my last two books being ménage à trois romances  (RULE OF THREE and  ONE WICKED NIGHT), I’ve been writing a lot of blog posts about ménage and the fantasy of it and how wonderful it is. I’ve talked about the benefits of having two (hot) guys around – if one of them doesn’t know how to change a flat tire, the other one hopefully does. If one guy doesn’t give great massages, hopefully the other one does. If one’s afraid of spiders, hopefully the other will kill any big arachnid that come crawling into the house. My husband’s okay with home repairs, but he’s really busy so it would be great to have another guy to fix that crack in the drywall or repair the broken hinge on the gate. But there has to be a downside right? I love my husband, but living with a guy does have its challenges. Like socks and underwear always left ON the hamper instead of IN the hamper. Like every morning when I come downstairs, the jar of peanut butter is sitting open on the counter, surrounded by toast crumbs.  Like, the television is always on in every room that he has…

I have a few names for myself: chef, server, laundry attendant, shopper, maid, psychologist (not licensed), mom, wife, daughter, nurse (licensed)… but one of my favorite is ‘author’. The problem is that after the dinner has been made and served, clothes and groceries put away, the house cleaned, conversations placed, and—oh yeah—the eight hours of work have been put in… well, I need some more minutes please! When my first book was published and released, I said aloud, “I’m an author.” Little did I know I was adding more names to my already long list: marketing director, researcher, blogger, and financial coordinator. Yet another name I have for myself is ‘Supergirl’! Although I only use it at times with my husband and son, I think I’m going to put it to some good use under my ‘author’ title. Let’s face it, I’m here and I’m not about to give up now. Writing has always been a passion of mine, and there’s no other way to get rid of the stories roaming around in my head. It amazes me how so many writers are able to manage their lives and have the time to get their books out. During my research,…

We’ve all heard about it, if not experienced it for ourselves – the empty nest. It’s that time in our life when we find ourselves at a loss. We usually associate it with our adult children leaving the family home to begin a life on their own. Suddenly, there’s a gap in our lives. Our carefully mapped out routine is no longer viable. We have time on our hands we don’t know what to do with. And then, there’s that empty room in the house. Walls that once were the backdrop for hopes, dreams and memories stare blankly now, waiting for us to define their new purpose. I’ve been there – in the literal sense, twice now. Both our girls have left home – more or less – and I’ve managed to fill my extra time with a new writing career. It fills the empty place in my life with purpose. I have a reason to get out of bed, something to nurture, something to inflict my life-views and values upon. But there’s another kind of empty nest syndrome that is unique to this new career of mine. Writer’s Empty Nest Syndrome. It occurs when our baby, the child of…

Shadow Wranglers #4 December 2011 On Sale: December 6, 2011 384 pages ISBN: 0425241394 EAN: 9780425241394 Paperback $15.00  Add to Wish List Romance Erotica Sensual, Erotica Buy at Amazon.com Cowboys with a paranormal twist Slade by Sarah McCarty Their hunger cannot be denied Slade needs a cure, but what he finds is a savior in the latest paranormal romance from the national bestselling author. As the backbone of The Renegades’ defense, vampire technological genius Slade Johnson hasn’t met a problem he couldn’t solve. But when Slade is tasked with saving the life of his nephew, he must get in bed with the one woman who has the power to destroy them all: his enemy…his mate. A story of risking everything for those you love. Previous Picks

Since Academy Awards Night is one of my favorite evenings, I thought it might be fun to talk movies.  Old favorites, new favorites, worst picks of all time. Let’s start with the positive.  Who doesn’t love ET?  Star Wars?  Gone with the Wind?  Wizard of Oz?  They’re classics, never to be forgotten. Sometimes I look back and realize some of the books I’ve written were probably inspired by films I had seen and loved.  Gone with the Wind, at least the pre-civil war time in the South, elegant hoop skirts and Georgia mansions led to CAPTAIN’S BRIDE and CREOLE FIRES.  I went on to follow CREOLE FIRES with SAVANNAH HEAT and NATCHEZ FLAME.  Actually stayed in a gorgeous old plantation house in Natchez built in the 1840’s. I’m a Star Trek fan, a total Trekie.  Maybe that’s how I got interested in UFO’s and wound up writing SEASON OF STRANGERS.  I did a ton of research for that one and was amazed to find myself convinced there’s a very good possibility UFOs are real. I love Western movies.  Quigley Down Under with Tom Selleck is a personal all-time favorite (if you haven’t seen Tom in a pair of chaps you…

I’m often asked what it’s like to be a man writing romance. I’m never sure how to answer that question because I don’t know what it’s not supposed to be like. I’ve always been a man, and I’ve never written anything but romance. To me, it’s a perfectly natural thing to do. I think of a story, set my tush in the chair, and start typing. Roughly six months later, after periods of inspiration all too often followed by periods of exasperation, I end up with a book. I expect that’s pretty much how anyone comes up with a book whether it’s a romance, mystery, or action adventure. It must be natural to Nicholas Sparks as well. He’s undoubtedly the most successful of all male romance writers. I’ve never been in a position to ask, but I wonder if he’s asked the same question. I think what people are really asking is how can any man write romance? The underlying implication is that men aren’t romantic. I remember one time when I was at a table signing books and a reader came up and asked when my wife would be back. Clearly it didn’t occur to her that I could…

Walt Longmire #6 June 2011 On Sale: May 31, 2011 Featuring: Walt Longmire 320 pages ISBN: 0143119532 EAN: 9780143119531 Trade Size (reprint) $14.00  Add to Wish List Mystery Buy at Amazon.com Justice will be served… Junkyard Dogs by Craig Johnson A missing thumb and dead developers are only the beginning for Sheriff Walt Longmire It’s a volatile new economy in Durant, Wyoming, where the owners of a multi-million dollar development of ranchettes want to get rid of the adjacent junk-yard. When a severed thumb is discovered in the yard, conflicts erupt, and Walt Longmire, his trusty companion Dog, life-long friend Henry Standing Bear, and deputies Santiago Saizarbitoria and Victoria Moretti find themselves in a small town that feels more and more like a high plains pressure cooker. Craig Johnson’s award-winning Walt Longmire mysteries continue to find new fans, and Junkyard Dogs is sure to create many more devotees. The sixth book in the series is filled with Johnson’s signature blend of wisecracks, Western justice, and page-turning plot twists, as the beloved sheriff finds himself star-deep in the darker aspects of human nature, in a story of love, laughs, death, and derelict automobiles. Previous Picks

WordPress blog top for author picture and book cover Freud famously asked the question: “What do women want?” and apparently, men are still scratching their heads as they try to figure out an answer. A writer friend of mine once said, “If men really want to know what women want, they should read some romance novels.” Five women’s fiction and romance writers—Justine Davis, Eve Gaddy, Teresa Hill, Vicki Hinze and Judith Arnold—shared our thoughts about what makes our heroines heroic and why women want to read about them. What distinguishes the heroines of romance novels and women’s fiction from the heroines in other fiction genres? Vicki: In romance novels, the heroines face conflicts on multiple levels—physical, emotional and spiritual–and they tend to have the same types of complex conflicts average women do. Heroines share similar concerns, vulnerabilities, fears and doubts, and they address their challenges in ways women can see themselves addressing them. For them, the conflicts are rarely about just them, rarely impact just them, and rarely come at no personal cost. Judith: Women’s fiction and romance heroines aren’t some idealized version of Woman, or some male fantasy. They don’t have to be gorgeous, brilliant and sexually voracious. Nor…