Silhouette Special Edition Author BLOG

Today, my July Special Edition, Your Ranch or Mine?  will be released. (okay, you can’t see but I’m turning cartwheels…and these, my friends, are Olympic quality cartwheels!)

Nancy (sheandeen), you have won a free book!  Send me your address via the contact form on my website www.karensandler.net.

We're very thrilled today to be talking with fabulous SSE author Cindy Kirk about the latest book in her MEET ME IN MONTANA series, YOUR RANCH OR MINE?.

Mavis, congrats!  Choose your book from the three at the bottom of this post and

Contact me with your snail mail addys at kartempber @ aol.com and I'll get you signed copies of A MARRIAGE-MINDED MAN as soon as I get my copies! :)

 

No, not the story, story. But how the cover for A MARRIAGE-MINDED MAN (the next WED IN THE WEST book) came about.

When we give the Art Department information for our covers, they always ask for two or three scenes to choose from (although sometimes they decide to go with a more generic image that conveys a composite idea of the story, as they did -- for instance -- with FROM FRIENDS TO FOREVER). Since I'm a very visual type, and have an art background, I can pretty easily visualize at least two scenes that I feel would lend themselves to strong cover images.

Except this time, the cover image that came to me wasn't in the book.

Oops.

My parents will be celebrating their 50th anniversary on July 2. For months, they've both been quite insistent they didn't want us to throw a big party for them or send them on a cruise or any of the typical things people do to honor their parents' fortitude and stamina in sticking it out together that long. In a bit of a turnaround, they're giving me and my six siblings a gift of sorts ...

Penn-eHarlequin is stepping aside, so Penneyw, you've won. Please contact me at susan@susancrosby.com. 

Roni, you've won a free book!  Please contact me via my contact form at www.karensandler.net to give me your address.  You'll have a choice amongst my backlist for your free book.

 

Today we're very thrilled to be talking to new SSE author Christyne Butler about her June release, THE COWBOY'S SECOND CHANCE. Christyne, thanks so much for joining us!

 

 

* Where did you get the idea for THE COWBOY’S SECOND CHANCE?

 

Oh, goodness I don’t know if I can remember! Landon and Maggie’s story started out as a short story for me about fifteen years ago. I’ve always loved cowboys and small towns and country fairs and romance…and it just blossomed from there! When I started to seriously pursue my writing I knew their story needed to be told fully so I dusted off that old story…

I've had some work done in my yard recently, and I came across something that happened that had me shaking my head and saying, "A woman would NEVER do that."

I know that's a biased statement, so I'll tell the story, and you let me know what YOU would do.

 

Today is Book Club day on the SSE blog and by virtue of reading this post, you're a member of this Book Club! 

TEACHTOREACH!  You've won a signed copy of FROM FRIENDS TO FOREVER!  Contact me at kartempber @ aol.com with your snail mail addy!

 

Today, we're thrilled to be talking with Crystal Green, author of THE TEXAS BILLIONAIRE'S BRIDE, a July release which should be in stores in a few weeks.

 

Minna, you're the winner of Fortune's Woman! Contact me at rthayne@xmission.com with your snailmail addy and I'll drop a copy in the mail ...

 

Today is the last day of school before summer vacation around here. I'm sure you hear the squeals of glee where you are (from my kids, anyway!).

The winners drawn are JV and Lynne-RC! Please email me at susan@susancrosby.com with your snail mail. Thanks to all of you!

 MarcieR!  Congrats, Marcie.  Email me at christine@christinerimmer.com or go through the email Christine Button on my website, www.christinerimmer.com to claim that two-in-one.

*** PatsyAdkins, please contact Chr

Chey, you've won a free book!  You have a choice--my Feb. 2009 special edition, THEIR SECOND-CHANCE CHILD, or my science fiction romance, ETERNITY.  Use the contact form on my website (www.karensandler.net) to give me your address and tell me which book you'd prefer.

Okay, in keeping with the blogs earlier in the week, I am going to continue the coversation about covers. I just saw my newest cover for my August book, and I'm curious to hear what everyone thinks.

Maureen!  Congrats, congrats.  Email me at christine@christinerimmer.com or through the "email Christine" button on my website, www.christinerimmer.com.   

PJPUPPYMOM and SHEWOLF0316!  Send me your snail mail addy to kartempber @ aol. com within the next couple of weeks, and I'll get a signed copy of FROM FRIENDS TO FOREVER out to you as soon as I have them in my hot little hands.

Minna and Crystal, you've won! Please contact me at susan@susancrosby.com with your snail mail to claim your prize. Thanks to everyone for participating!

Today we're thrilled to welcome Christine Wenger with us. Christine's June book THE TYCOON'S PERFECT MATCH should be hitting store shelves any day now along with the other June SSEs.

 

Imagine, if you will, that your cruise ship hit an iceberg, encountered a hurricane or wandered into the Bermuda Triangle.  You’ve managed to escape unscathed and have landed on a desert island all by your lonesome.  Abundant food is everywhere, just waiting for you to pluck it from a tree or bush, but what will ease your loneliness?

Yes, it’s that time of year again.  High school junior and seniors are spending one night in May enjoying that time honored ritual --- the Prom.  My teenager daughter’s Senior Prom is this weekend and I think we are ready now that I remember to order the corsage and boutonnière late last week, beautiful dusky lavender roses called “Cool Water” --- so pretty!  Yes, we took on this responsibility as her date pleaded total ignorance in this area.  She’s had her dress for two months now having found an aqua blue cocktail dress that looks wonderful on her (and no, I’m not bias ) and the cutest silver strappy heels that she’s still working on feeling comfortable in.

I thought about naming this blog Wolverine vs. Hugh Jackman thanks to an event that took place locally a few weeks ago. The premiere for Wolverine was shown at a theater in Tempe, and my best friend camped out from four in the afternoon until ten the next morning for a pass to see the movie. She LOVES Hugh and wasn't going to miss the chance to see him in person.

You've won a free book, debiw781 -- please use the contact form on my website (www.karensandler.net) to give me your snail mail address.

Susan L -- choose your 1st, 2nd and 3rd preferences from my backlist, then contact me at kartempber @ aol.com with your snail mail addy!

 

We're thrilled today to welcome beloved Silhouette Special Edition author Mary J.

nicolerko--you won! Please contact me with your snail mail at susan@susancrosby.com.

I was enjoying one of my favorite pastimes the other day—wandering through a bookstore—when my gaze landed on a display holding a small, bright-red book titled HOW TO TALK TO GIRLS. It was written by a nine-year-old boy, Alec Greven. He’s been on Ellen, the Today Show, Leno and others. Nine years old, and he already knows the secret!

EllenToo and Splash! 

 

Okay, it's confession time.

I started a diet and exercise program--and it's not even New Year's!  But on two days ago, I looked in the mirror—really looked--and realized I'd let my weight get away from me. So I finally bit the bullet and decided to make some changes in my life—healthy changes.  

For the past ten years, I've spent the biggest part of my day parked in front of the computer, stressing over characters, plot, backstories, and black moments.  And as rigid as I’ve been about writing, I’ve actually enjoyed the process.  Now all I have to do is figure out how to incorporate my diet and exercise program into my writing day, which has been bulging at the seams already.

I confess, I love gardening.  When I put in a new plant or get my raised beds ready for my summer veggies, the gratification is pretty much immediate.  Yes, I have to wait for the tomatoes to come in and get ripe, but each stage is exciting--when the flowers appear, when the first fruit sets, when those tiny green globes grow larger and turn red or yellow.  There’s nothing like a ripe summer tomato.

Welcome, RaeAnne! Thanks so much for your regular contributions to our blog. Your newest book, FORTUNE'S WOMAN, is on the shelves now, and we all love to visit a new Fortune!  

* Tell us a little about FORTUNE'S WOMAN.

Congratulations, Amanda (Alias) and Cheryl (Heartland)!   Email me at Christine@christinerimmer.com or through the email button on my website, www.christinerimmer.com to claim your prizes.  Congrats again! 

It’s one of those days.  I’m on the last thirty pages of my current work in progress.  And I’m just a tad stuck. 

Not forever stuck.  But stuck for the moment.  So not to worry.  I always work it out in the end.   

But at a time like this, I go for counting blessings.  Always clears my head and makes me ready to return to the über scary blank page.  

So…Ten Things I Love! 

We're thrilled to have beloved SSE author Karen Rose Smith blogging with us today. Karen's May release for SSE, THE MIDWIFE'S GLASS SLIPPER should be in stores now (or at least any day now, depending on how fast stores get their May releases on the shelves!).

Okay, I hope I'm not offending any Alabama natives or die-hard Lynyrd Skynyrd fans with my title, but I was born and raised in Arizona. In fact, I've never lived anywhere else, and even though I've moved houses a few times, I'm still only about 10 miles from where I was born.

Chey -- you've won one of my backlist books! Contact me at kartempber @ aol.com with three choices from my backlist (listed on my website) and your snail mail addy, and I'll get one off to you ASAP!

I recently discovered something that has changed my culinary life.

I've always wanted to make bread. When I was a girl, some of my best days were when my mom would bake. White bread with thick crusts, wheat bread with honey, swirls of each baked in a coffee can. She tried many different recipes  -- with seven kids, anything that saved money was appreciated! I have wonderful cherished memories of running into our old Indiana farmhouse from the schoolbus to the incredible smell of baking bread and acres of those lovely loaves cooling on the table. We would slice a huge slab, slather it with creamy butter and then drizzle tons of plain white sugar all over it (don't ask me why. We were kids and figured everything tasted better with sugar on it!). My mouth is watering, just thinking about it!

But my life is a little different than my mom's was. I have a books I need to write, deadlines to meet, characters I need to explore. I have always just figured I don't have time in my life for all that mixing and kneading and rising and punching down.

Today we're thrilled to welcome Christine Flynn, answering questions about her April title for SSE, THE RANCHER AND THE RELUCTANT PRINCESS.

 

We have winners!  LuckyLady34 and Cady, please contact me at susan@susancrosby.com to claim your prizes. Thanks to all for participating.

Cheryl (Heartland), you've won a free copy of the British version of THE BOSS'S BABY BARGAIN, my first SSE book!  Please use the contact form on my website, www.karensandler.net, to send me your information.

In our next SSE Q&A installment, we're talking with the wonderful Karen Sandler, telling us about her April book THE FAMILY HE WANTED, in stores now.

 

 * Karen, where did you get the idea for THE FAMILY HE WANTED?

Not know that bunnies had ears? LOL! Okay, got my daughter up really early this morning (she has to go to work anyway!) and she pulled drkeel out of the hat! Congrats! send me your mailing address via email at chris @ christynebutler.com (no spaces!) and I'll get out a copy of THE COWBOY'S SECOND CHANCE to you as soon they arrive!

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Yes, that me…age five I think (my mom is one of those who didn’t always put dates on the back of photographs) and don't I seem a bit dazed by the size of my new friend? Or maybe it was Easter candy overload!

Over the past few weeks, Lifetime Television has been playing movies adapted from some of Nora Roberts' books. Watching them got me thinking about casting for roles.

Mawilson and Kathleen Doney!  Congrats, ladies.  Email me at christine@christinerimmer.com with your choice of books and where you want them sent.  Congrats again! 

 

My heroes have always been cowboys…

Recently, someone mentioned that I must like cowboys since I write about them so often.  And while it isn’t usually a conscious decision I make, I have to admit that I do love cowboys.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed a good western—whether it’s in the form of a book, movie or country song.

I cut my teeth on shows like Gunsmoke, The Lone Ranger, and The Big Valley.   I must admit, though, Bonanza could sometimes be tough to watch.  I used to cringe whenever Adam, Hoss, or Little Joe fell in love, because sure as shootin’, whenever that happened, you could be sure that the poor little woman was fixin’ to die…

But I’d watch the show anyway, pull out a hanky, and prepare for a good cry.

That’s because I love cowboys.  And here’s why:

WordbyWord!  To claim your copy of Playing for Keeps, send me your snail mail addy at KarTempBer @ aol.com.