Marie Force's Blog, page 30
January 17, 2011
More from the Fatal Justice Blog Tour...
Interview with Micole Black on the Micole Writes Romance Blog:
Most writers tend to know from the start that one day they want to be a "writer." A lot of them, like you, go to school and start a career geared towards that goal. When was the first time you realized you wanted to write for the characters stories running around inside of your head?
The writing part started for me in the 10th grade when a high school English teacher told me I had talent. That was news to me! The following year, I sacrificed band class (sadness) to take the journalism class that teacher was offering the same period as band. I was never sorry I did that as I went on to major in journalism in college and worked for several years as a reporter. I continue to use skills I gained during my journalism years every day in my current job as the communications director for a national organization. The characters appeared a little later. In 2002, I started having long conversations with a character named Jack. He was the start of it all. (More below about Jack!)
What steps did you take to follow your dreams?
First off, I wrote every day for a lot of years. Seven days a week, three hundred sixty-five days a year. I did that until I had developed a good habit of daily production. In that time, I wrote seven books. The seventh one, Line of Scrimmage, was the first to be published. The first three books I wrote, the one featuring Jack and the two that followed, are still my favorites, and I hope to see them published someday—or I'll do it myself. I really think readers will love those books. I also queried a lot until I found an agent who sold Line of Scrimmage. I was very determined and very focused on my goal. I think that made a big difference for me. I continue to be just as determined, but I don't write every day anymore—except when I'm on deadline.
What's one thing that you know now that you wished you knew when you started your journey as a writer?
I wish I had known more about what happens after you get The Call and what questions to ask. I know what questions matter now, and that's really important.
Every author has something different to give to their reader with their work. What do you think makes your writing unique?
I like to write about regular people who find themselves in extraordinary situations. I'm a big believer that much of life happens in the gray area between black and white. I love to delve into that gray area. One of my favorite of my books, The Fall, is about a prominent doctor who falls in love with his best friend's girlfriend. Such a simple premise but with far-reaching ramifications for everyone involved. I love the notion of a man who thinks he knows himself and what's important until he meets The One and everything he thought he knew becomes irrelevant. I'll be posting The Fall to Amazon soon. I hope readers will check it out and enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it. Much of my darling Jack's story involves gray area, too. That's where all the fun happens for me as a writer.
In the past I have asked my guests to share a favorite character that they have created and why, but in reading your piece "The House that Jack Built," you answered that question for me. Can you share with the readers your story about Jack?
Ahhh yes, my beloved Jack Harrington! Here's the story: The first character to take up occupancy in my mind as a living, breathing human being, was a handsome, successful architect named Jack Harrington. Jack and I ran around together for a long time before I ever put fingers to keyboard to tell his story. I wanted to write about a man who has it all—a wife he still adores after twenty years of marriage, three beautiful daughters he'd do anything for, and a life most people would envy. That life is turned upside down when his wife is hit by a car and plunged into a coma. I wanted to show Jack's struggles to rebuild his life as he becomes the custodial parent for his daughters—two of them teenagers with all the accompanying issues—and I wanted to show his conflict when he finds a new love. These issues make up the core of my first book, "Treading Water," which led to two sequels, "Marking Time," and "My Side of the Street." It's "Treading Water," however, that is the book of my heart.
Since I finished "Treading Water," I've thought of my writing as "The House That Jack Built," tying into his career as an architect and the unexpected building blocks that came from "Treading Water." As I was finishing "My Side of the Street" in July 2006, I decided to drive out to Chatham, Massachusetts, so I could finish it in the town where it was set. Yes, this was a huge indulgence, but it coincided with the halfway point of summer vacation and my kids were driving me nuts. I had earned this night away! The first thing I did when I got to Chatham was drive around to check out the four streets I had chosen from hundreds on a map to place my characters' homes. I figured if there was, say, a cement factory on both sides of the street, the people of Chatham would know I hadn't bothered to come out there and check. I am pleased to report there were houses on all four streets, but on the corner of the fourth street, there was something else—a red house with a sign on the side that said, "The House That Jack Built." No, I am not kidding, and yes, I sat there and cried. If ever there was a "sign" that I was on the path I was meant to be on, there it was. It was without a doubt, one of the most amazing moments of my life, and I will never, ever forget it. You can view the photo of the house and read the second part of the story at www.mariesullivanforce.com/writing.php.
After hearing this story, you can probably see why I want so badly to share these three books with readers. In the next year or so, I hope to get them out there!
What are you reading right now? If nothing at the moment then what do you like to read when you have time?
I recently started a Book Club on my blog (http://mariesullivanforce.blogspot.com) where we feature a new book every week and invite the authors to come out and interact with readers. Most of them offer up at least one giveaway book. Well, Robyn Carr of Virgin River fame is going to be our guest on Dec. 16. As a thank you for having her, the lovely Ms. Carr sent me PROMISE CANYON, the first in her new Virgin River trilogy, out in January. I can't wait to dive into this book as the Virgin River series is one of my all-time favorites! I've also been reading a lot of romantic suspense lately (for the book club), but that is unusual for me. I tend to not read that which I write. That's why I read a lot of historical romances. Lisa Kleypas is my favorite. I often say that she could write the phone book, and I'd read it. I love every one of her books.
Give us a glimpse into a writer's life.
My writer's life is so weird! LOL! I work all day from my home in RI for a company in Virginia. I started with them 15 years ago when my husband was stationed with the Navy in the DC area. When we moved to Florida 12 years ago they asked me to stay on as a full-time telecommuter. I've been doing that ever since—from the time my kids were babies until now when the oldest is in high school and the youngest in middle school. So that's my day job. Around 5:30, I quit work to make dinner, manage homework, drive kids here there and everywhere, make the next day's lunches, fold laundry and wrangle the crazy puppy. I've gotten really good at getting all the chores done very quickly! Speed folding? I'm your girl.
When ALL of that is done, I write. Usually from about 7:30 to about 10 or 11—or until my eyes give out. On any given day, it all depends on whether or not it's happening. If the word aren't coming, I quit trying and work on my website or blog or fool around with my friends on Facebook.I also make sure to save a little time at the end of every day to read (yes, I am hard on my eyes!) I'm lucky that my kids are a little older now and like to have downtime of their own, so they are very good about accommodating my writing time at night and on weekends. The only time my schedule deviates is when I'm on deadline—then I force myself to write whether it's happening or not—and when I travel for work. No writing gets done then. I've learned that I need to be at home to be productive. Quiet hotels don't work as well for me as my own crazy living room. Funny story about this oddity of mine: when I was recently on deadline for FATAL CONSEQUENCES, I was traveling for work and had time at night after my commitments, but it was just too damned quiet in the hotel room. So I turned on the show Parenthood and the chaos on the show was very similar to my house. I wrote 3,000 words that night. See? I told you I'm weird!
Do you have any advice on writing, getting published, or finding an agent?
Perseverance is key. You can't ever give up. This business is so fraught with hard knocks that you just have to hang in there and keep trying and keep perfecting your craft. Another thing that I think is really important is being open to criticism. SO MANY aspiring authors have asked me to tell them what is wrong with their book, but so few really want to hear it. If nothing seems to be working, if you're getting rejection after rejection, ask a published author to tell you why and then LISTEN to what they say. Few people find themselves published due to luck alone. It's a lot more complicated than that, and being open to the truth can make the difference between stop and go for a new writer.
Where can we find out more about you and your books?
You can find me on my website at www.mariesullivanforce.com, my blog at http://mariesullivanforce.blogspot,com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marie-F... and on Twitter at twitter.com/marieforce. You can find my books on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Marie-Force/e/B... and my Fatal Books are available via http://ebooks.carinapress.com under the Romantic Suspense tab.
Marie, thank you so much for the interview. It has been a pleasure having you at Micole Writes Romance.
It was great to be here! Thanks for having me!
Most writers tend to know from the start that one day they want to be a "writer." A lot of them, like you, go to school and start a career geared towards that goal. When was the first time you realized you wanted to write for the characters stories running around inside of your head?
The writing part started for me in the 10th grade when a high school English teacher told me I had talent. That was news to me! The following year, I sacrificed band class (sadness) to take the journalism class that teacher was offering the same period as band. I was never sorry I did that as I went on to major in journalism in college and worked for several years as a reporter. I continue to use skills I gained during my journalism years every day in my current job as the communications director for a national organization. The characters appeared a little later. In 2002, I started having long conversations with a character named Jack. He was the start of it all. (More below about Jack!)
What steps did you take to follow your dreams?
First off, I wrote every day for a lot of years. Seven days a week, three hundred sixty-five days a year. I did that until I had developed a good habit of daily production. In that time, I wrote seven books. The seventh one, Line of Scrimmage, was the first to be published. The first three books I wrote, the one featuring Jack and the two that followed, are still my favorites, and I hope to see them published someday—or I'll do it myself. I really think readers will love those books. I also queried a lot until I found an agent who sold Line of Scrimmage. I was very determined and very focused on my goal. I think that made a big difference for me. I continue to be just as determined, but I don't write every day anymore—except when I'm on deadline.
What's one thing that you know now that you wished you knew when you started your journey as a writer?
I wish I had known more about what happens after you get The Call and what questions to ask. I know what questions matter now, and that's really important.
Every author has something different to give to their reader with their work. What do you think makes your writing unique?
I like to write about regular people who find themselves in extraordinary situations. I'm a big believer that much of life happens in the gray area between black and white. I love to delve into that gray area. One of my favorite of my books, The Fall, is about a prominent doctor who falls in love with his best friend's girlfriend. Such a simple premise but with far-reaching ramifications for everyone involved. I love the notion of a man who thinks he knows himself and what's important until he meets The One and everything he thought he knew becomes irrelevant. I'll be posting The Fall to Amazon soon. I hope readers will check it out and enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it. Much of my darling Jack's story involves gray area, too. That's where all the fun happens for me as a writer.
In the past I have asked my guests to share a favorite character that they have created and why, but in reading your piece "The House that Jack Built," you answered that question for me. Can you share with the readers your story about Jack?
Ahhh yes, my beloved Jack Harrington! Here's the story: The first character to take up occupancy in my mind as a living, breathing human being, was a handsome, successful architect named Jack Harrington. Jack and I ran around together for a long time before I ever put fingers to keyboard to tell his story. I wanted to write about a man who has it all—a wife he still adores after twenty years of marriage, three beautiful daughters he'd do anything for, and a life most people would envy. That life is turned upside down when his wife is hit by a car and plunged into a coma. I wanted to show Jack's struggles to rebuild his life as he becomes the custodial parent for his daughters—two of them teenagers with all the accompanying issues—and I wanted to show his conflict when he finds a new love. These issues make up the core of my first book, "Treading Water," which led to two sequels, "Marking Time," and "My Side of the Street." It's "Treading Water," however, that is the book of my heart.
Since I finished "Treading Water," I've thought of my writing as "The House That Jack Built," tying into his career as an architect and the unexpected building blocks that came from "Treading Water." As I was finishing "My Side of the Street" in July 2006, I decided to drive out to Chatham, Massachusetts, so I could finish it in the town where it was set. Yes, this was a huge indulgence, but it coincided with the halfway point of summer vacation and my kids were driving me nuts. I had earned this night away! The first thing I did when I got to Chatham was drive around to check out the four streets I had chosen from hundreds on a map to place my characters' homes. I figured if there was, say, a cement factory on both sides of the street, the people of Chatham would know I hadn't bothered to come out there and check. I am pleased to report there were houses on all four streets, but on the corner of the fourth street, there was something else—a red house with a sign on the side that said, "The House That Jack Built." No, I am not kidding, and yes, I sat there and cried. If ever there was a "sign" that I was on the path I was meant to be on, there it was. It was without a doubt, one of the most amazing moments of my life, and I will never, ever forget it. You can view the photo of the house and read the second part of the story at www.mariesullivanforce.com/writing.php.
After hearing this story, you can probably see why I want so badly to share these three books with readers. In the next year or so, I hope to get them out there!
What are you reading right now? If nothing at the moment then what do you like to read when you have time?
I recently started a Book Club on my blog (http://mariesullivanforce.blogspot.com) where we feature a new book every week and invite the authors to come out and interact with readers. Most of them offer up at least one giveaway book. Well, Robyn Carr of Virgin River fame is going to be our guest on Dec. 16. As a thank you for having her, the lovely Ms. Carr sent me PROMISE CANYON, the first in her new Virgin River trilogy, out in January. I can't wait to dive into this book as the Virgin River series is one of my all-time favorites! I've also been reading a lot of romantic suspense lately (for the book club), but that is unusual for me. I tend to not read that which I write. That's why I read a lot of historical romances. Lisa Kleypas is my favorite. I often say that she could write the phone book, and I'd read it. I love every one of her books.
Give us a glimpse into a writer's life.
My writer's life is so weird! LOL! I work all day from my home in RI for a company in Virginia. I started with them 15 years ago when my husband was stationed with the Navy in the DC area. When we moved to Florida 12 years ago they asked me to stay on as a full-time telecommuter. I've been doing that ever since—from the time my kids were babies until now when the oldest is in high school and the youngest in middle school. So that's my day job. Around 5:30, I quit work to make dinner, manage homework, drive kids here there and everywhere, make the next day's lunches, fold laundry and wrangle the crazy puppy. I've gotten really good at getting all the chores done very quickly! Speed folding? I'm your girl.
When ALL of that is done, I write. Usually from about 7:30 to about 10 or 11—or until my eyes give out. On any given day, it all depends on whether or not it's happening. If the word aren't coming, I quit trying and work on my website or blog or fool around with my friends on Facebook.I also make sure to save a little time at the end of every day to read (yes, I am hard on my eyes!) I'm lucky that my kids are a little older now and like to have downtime of their own, so they are very good about accommodating my writing time at night and on weekends. The only time my schedule deviates is when I'm on deadline—then I force myself to write whether it's happening or not—and when I travel for work. No writing gets done then. I've learned that I need to be at home to be productive. Quiet hotels don't work as well for me as my own crazy living room. Funny story about this oddity of mine: when I was recently on deadline for FATAL CONSEQUENCES, I was traveling for work and had time at night after my commitments, but it was just too damned quiet in the hotel room. So I turned on the show Parenthood and the chaos on the show was very similar to my house. I wrote 3,000 words that night. See? I told you I'm weird!
Do you have any advice on writing, getting published, or finding an agent?
Perseverance is key. You can't ever give up. This business is so fraught with hard knocks that you just have to hang in there and keep trying and keep perfecting your craft. Another thing that I think is really important is being open to criticism. SO MANY aspiring authors have asked me to tell them what is wrong with their book, but so few really want to hear it. If nothing seems to be working, if you're getting rejection after rejection, ask a published author to tell you why and then LISTEN to what they say. Few people find themselves published due to luck alone. It's a lot more complicated than that, and being open to the truth can make the difference between stop and go for a new writer.
Where can we find out more about you and your books?
You can find me on my website at www.mariesullivanforce.com, my blog at http://mariesullivanforce.blogspot,com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marie-F... and on Twitter at twitter.com/marieforce. You can find my books on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Marie-Force/e/B... and my Fatal Books are available via http://ebooks.carinapress.com under the Romantic Suspense tab.
Marie, thank you so much for the interview. It has been a pleasure having you at Micole Writes Romance.
It was great to be here! Thanks for having me!
January 16, 2011
The Story Continues
I thought it would be fun to post some of the blogs I did for the Fatal Justice Blog Tour. This one ran at Romance Reader at Heart on Jan. 3, launch day!
Thank you so much for having me today—launch day for Fatal Justice, book 2 in my new Fatal Series. In this installment, Sam Holland, a Washington, D.C. police detective, and Nick Cappuano, a U.S. senator, are in a new high-profile romance that has taken the nation's capitol by storm (much to their dismay). As they navigate these new and uncharted waters of true love in a fishbowl, not everyone is happy for them. Sam's nemesis in the police department, for instance, has the internal affairs division looking into affair with Nick because he was a witness in her murder case when they became involved.
One of my favorite parts of this book is watching Nick become aware of exactly what he's signed on for as the significant other to a woman who often finds herself in harm's way. Nick, whose first impulse is to protect Sam, quickly figures out that there's a whole lot of acceptance that goes along with being in her life. He has to find a way to live with the fear for her safety without suffocating her. It's a fine line for him, and not one he will always navigate the way Sam would like him to.
And she is learning that keeping things from Nick is not the way to a successful relationship. However, after her troubled relationship with her passive-aggressive ex-husband Sam is accustomed to going out of her way to avoid "sharing" much of anything with the man in her life. Guess what? That's not going to fly for Nick.
So it's safe to say our happy couple is in for some rough waters in Fatal Justice as Sam hunts down the killer of a Supreme Court nominee. I'm really excited to get Fatal Justice out to readers this week! You can find it at http://ebooks.carinapress.com under the Romantic Suspense tab. This is the start of a big year for Sam and Nick. Coming up in February, we'll be asking readers to help us plan their wedding. Watch my website (www.mariesullivanforce.com) and blog (http://mariesullivanforce.blogspot.com) for more information about how you can participate in the wedding planning and qualify to win some great prizes. Then in July, watch for book 3, Fatal Consequences. In September, we'll release the Fatal wedding novella, Fatal Destiny, and then comes Fatal Flaw in February 2012.
I'm happy to take any questions readers might have about the Fatal Series or any of my other books, including my Feb. 1 print release, Everyone Loves a Hero. Sam and Nick are also happy to take questions! If you want to talk writing, parenting teenagers, puppies and senior citizens, I'm your girl. If you want to talk about the new season of the Bachelor and whether Brad will actually choose someone this time around, bring it on!
Thank you so much for having me today—launch day for Fatal Justice, book 2 in my new Fatal Series. In this installment, Sam Holland, a Washington, D.C. police detective, and Nick Cappuano, a U.S. senator, are in a new high-profile romance that has taken the nation's capitol by storm (much to their dismay). As they navigate these new and uncharted waters of true love in a fishbowl, not everyone is happy for them. Sam's nemesis in the police department, for instance, has the internal affairs division looking into affair with Nick because he was a witness in her murder case when they became involved.
One of my favorite parts of this book is watching Nick become aware of exactly what he's signed on for as the significant other to a woman who often finds herself in harm's way. Nick, whose first impulse is to protect Sam, quickly figures out that there's a whole lot of acceptance that goes along with being in her life. He has to find a way to live with the fear for her safety without suffocating her. It's a fine line for him, and not one he will always navigate the way Sam would like him to.
And she is learning that keeping things from Nick is not the way to a successful relationship. However, after her troubled relationship with her passive-aggressive ex-husband Sam is accustomed to going out of her way to avoid "sharing" much of anything with the man in her life. Guess what? That's not going to fly for Nick.
So it's safe to say our happy couple is in for some rough waters in Fatal Justice as Sam hunts down the killer of a Supreme Court nominee. I'm really excited to get Fatal Justice out to readers this week! You can find it at http://ebooks.carinapress.com under the Romantic Suspense tab. This is the start of a big year for Sam and Nick. Coming up in February, we'll be asking readers to help us plan their wedding. Watch my website (www.mariesullivanforce.com) and blog (http://mariesullivanforce.blogspot.com) for more information about how you can participate in the wedding planning and qualify to win some great prizes. Then in July, watch for book 3, Fatal Consequences. In September, we'll release the Fatal wedding novella, Fatal Destiny, and then comes Fatal Flaw in February 2012.
I'm happy to take any questions readers might have about the Fatal Series or any of my other books, including my Feb. 1 print release, Everyone Loves a Hero. Sam and Nick are also happy to take questions! If you want to talk writing, parenting teenagers, puppies and senior citizens, I'm your girl. If you want to talk about the new season of the Bachelor and whether Brad will actually choose someone this time around, bring it on!
January 14, 2011
Next Up on Book Club: Fatal Justice
Okay, so the whip-cracking book club wenches wanted to spend a day talking about Fatal Justice and the Fatal Series, and who am I, as Sam and Nick's biggest fan, to say no to such a generous offer. So I find myself in the somewhat "awkward" position of hosting my own self on my blog. See? It's awkward... In light of this awkward awkwardness, I asked the wenches to take care of business for us next week and they will let you know what they liked about Fatal Justice so I can be spared from having to tell you about all the good parts! :-)
A girl does have a routine with these things, however, so here's the lowdown on the book:
Supreme Court nominee Julian Sinclair comes to Washington expecting to be confirmed to the high court. Instead, he's found shot execution-style in a city park. Detective Lt. Sam Holland's list of suspects is long, but does it include her significant other, Senator Nick Cappuano, one of the last to see Sinclair alive? While tracking down Sinclair's killer, Sam is also confronted with a new lead into her father's unsolved shooting that results in unexpected danger for her. In the meantime, Sam's partner, Detective Freddie Cruz, returns to the "scene of the crime" when he looks up Elin Svendsen, one of the late Senator John O'Connor's sexy ex-girlfriends. After a lifetime of virtue, will Freddie be led down the road to ruin by a temptress who wants only one thing from him?
Get ready for what I hope will be a fun chat about Sam, Nick, Skip, Freddie and the gang. Now keep in mind, it will be highly embarrassing if we throw a party for MY book and no one shows up! LOL--as if that's an issue around here, right? Looking forward to it and I'll give away a copy of Fatal Justice to a commenter on Thursday! See you then!
A girl does have a routine with these things, however, so here's the lowdown on the book:
Supreme Court nominee Julian Sinclair comes to Washington expecting to be confirmed to the high court. Instead, he's found shot execution-style in a city park. Detective Lt. Sam Holland's list of suspects is long, but does it include her significant other, Senator Nick Cappuano, one of the last to see Sinclair alive? While tracking down Sinclair's killer, Sam is also confronted with a new lead into her father's unsolved shooting that results in unexpected danger for her. In the meantime, Sam's partner, Detective Freddie Cruz, returns to the "scene of the crime" when he looks up Elin Svendsen, one of the late Senator John O'Connor's sexy ex-girlfriends. After a lifetime of virtue, will Freddie be led down the road to ruin by a temptress who wants only one thing from him? Get ready for what I hope will be a fun chat about Sam, Nick, Skip, Freddie and the gang. Now keep in mind, it will be highly embarrassing if we throw a party for MY book and no one shows up! LOL--as if that's an issue around here, right? Looking forward to it and I'll give away a copy of Fatal Justice to a commenter on Thursday! See you then!
January 13, 2011
Book Club: Practice Makes Perfect and a Visit with Julie James
WHEN IT COMES TO THE LAWS OF ATTRACTION . . . Payton Kendall and J.D. Jameson are lawyers who know the meaning of objection. A feminist to the bone, Payton has fought hard to succeed in a profession dominated by men. Born wealthy, privileged, and cocky, J.D. has fought hard to ignore her. Face to face, they're perfectly civil. They have to be. For eight years they've kept a safe distance and tolerated each other as co-workers for one reason only: to make partner at the firm.
. . . THERE ARE NO RULES.
But all bets are off when they're asked to join forces on a major case. At first apprehensive, they begin to appreciate each other's dedication to the law—and the sparks between them quickly turn into attraction. But the increasingly hot connection doesn't last long when they discover that only one of them will be named partner. Now it's an all out war. And the battle between the sexes is bound to make these lawyers hot under the collar . . .
From today's co-hostess Mary G.: Where do I start with Julie James? She has the distinction, for me, of being the first author I wrote to before I'd even finished her book. It was to tell her that I was no longer allowed to read it in public because I became a "laughing out loud" lunatic and the strait jacket look is not good for me.
This talented lawyer and author is also an award winning screenwriter. That doesn't surprise me at all. When I read I see the story happening in my head like a movie. With Julie, you get Technicolor and 3D with the actors and music picked out. You feel you are there with the characters.
I read a lot of rom, susp, contemps & erotica with sex scenes aplenty. Julie's books are rated hot with hardly any of that (in the first two anyway) because she's a master at creating sexual tension.
Payton works hard in a male-dominated profession. J.D. is a competitive conservative, who thinks female lawyers have an advantage because of their sex. The dialogue between these two is like watching a strategic tennis match with the witticisms volleying back & forth (sorry son, I know you hate my tennis analogies). When he calls her a "feminazi" I was laughing to the point of tears - such a great expression.
His friend Tyler uses the Pride & Prejudice book analogy to explain the chemistry between Payton & J.D. J.D. "you know, Tyler, you might want to pick up your balls – I think they just fell off when you said that." The secondary characters are amazing too.
While the sparks fly when they rub each other the wrong way, they also have a healthy respect for each other's intelligence. They get along at the office but outside of it they are so competitive, they even race to see who makes it to work first in the morning. When the powers that be announce that only one of them will make partner, they are shocked that all their hard work might not make a difference. This only makes things more tense between them.
Through the progression of the book, you will see that the push/pull of their relationship has years of sexual tension at its core. Julie does an excellent job of drawing that out. I've loved every book she's written and I smiled through every one. I look forward to A Lot Like Love due March 2011.
In honor of Payton & J.D. I though a recipe for Sweet & Sour Sauce would suit LOL.
A quick and easy recipe that can be poured over a dish or used as a dipping sauce
Yields about 1/2 cup
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
• 1/3 cup white or rice vinegar (Note: rice vinegar gives better results)
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons water
Preparation:
Mix the vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce together and bring to a boil in a small pot. Mix together the cornstarch and water, add to the other ingredients and stir to thicken.
(If desired, you can add 1 green pepper, cut into chunks, and pineapple chunks as desired after adding the cornstarch. For a thicker sauce, increase the cornstarch to 4 teaspoons while keeping the water constant.)
Julie is giving away a book of choice to one commenter today! Find out more about Julie and her books here.
January 9, 2011
Next Up on Book Club: Practice Makes Perfect and a Visit with Julie James
WHEN IT COMES TO THE LAWS OF ATTRACTION . . . Payton Kendall and J.D. Jameson are lawyers who know the meaning of objection. A feminist to the bone, Payton has fought hard to succeed in a profession dominated by men. Born wealthy, privileged, and cocky, J.D. has fought hard to ignore her. Face to face, they're perfectly civil. They have to be. For eight years they've kept a safe distance and tolerated each other as co-workers for one reason only: to make partner at the firm.
. . . THERE ARE NO RULES.
But all bets are off when they're asked to join forces on a major case. At first apprehensive, they begin to appreciate each other's dedication to the law—and the sparks between them quickly turn into attraction. But the increasingly hot connection doesn't last long when they discover that only one of them will be named partner. Now it's an all out war. And the battle between the sexes is bound to make these lawyers hot under the collar . . .
Join us Thursday, January 13, for a visit with Julie James who will be giving up a book of choice to one commenter at Book Club!
January 6, 2011
Book Club: Too Much Temptation and a Visit with Lori Foster
We're so thrilled to welcome NY Times bestselling author Lori Foster to book club today. Book Club member Alyson Hackett suggested Too Much Temptation and when I asked her to tell me why, this is what she said:First of all, Noah is 6'4". That alone is enough to make me love this book! There is just something about a tall man. And man is this book HOT!! Whooeeee!!!
The relationship between Ben and Noah is great. They didn't grow up together but are there for one another. The blend of their personalities works really well for me.
And of course Agatha. You kind of just have to love the ornery old bitch! She is one of those characters that you know means well but has no idea how to go about it without pissing everyone off!
And some quotes for you....
She leaned down and gave him a smacking kiss. "I'm going to love having sex with you."
As they locked fingers, Grace saw Agatha take note of the telling gesture. "Noah did not ruin me," she said, struggling for a calm she didn't feel, "even though I was more than willing to be thoroughly ruined."
Ben nudged Noah. "I never thought I'd hear Grace talking dirty to another woman. It's sort of a turn-on huh?"
Glaring, Noah smacked Ben in the side of the head.
I read this book years ago and re-read it for book club. It was fun and funny and sexy and all the things Aly identified. While I enjoyed the romance between Noah and Grace, I also enjoyed the rapport between Noah and his brother Ben as well as the cantankerous Agatha. What did you think? What were some of your favorite lines?
Lori will be here today to chat about this book and any of her others that the book club wenches wish to bring up, so go for it! Lori is giving away some goodies so make sure you comment to be entered into the drawing. Thanks again to Aly for suggesting such a fun book!
Read more about Lori and her latest books here.
Today we're serving up my famous Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
2 blocks of Philadelphia Cream Cheese (I've found the generic isn't as good) softened
1/2 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp of vanilla extract
Beat until the cream cheese is smooth and creamy. Stir in one cup of chocolate chips and pour into a ready-made graham cracker crust (I buy the largest one). Bake at 400 for about 40 minutes and then refrigerate. Serve cold. Enjoy!
January 3, 2011
FATAL JUSTICE LAUNCH DAY!
Happy Launch Day Fatal Justice! I will always think of Fatal Justice as the book that almost didn't happen. To those of you who've read about my journey to publication with the Fatal Series, you know the story. When my agent first shopped Fatal Affair, there was a lot buzz about the book, and we were optimistic for a sale. I had this vision, you see, of a series featuring the same couple in every book: Washington, D.C. police detective Sam Holland and her significant other, U.S. Senator Nick Cappuano. By the time we put Fatal Affair out on submission, I was well into the second book, Fatal Justice. Even though "they" say you shouldn't write the second book in a series until the first one sells, I was concerned about the execution of my series idea. Sure, it sounded like a fun idea in concept, but what would it be like to actually write multiple books about the same characters. Could I make it work?By the time we got the word that Fatal Affair didn't sell, largely because romance editors didn't like the series idea (they wanted new couples in every book), I was halfway through Fatal Justice. That's 50,000 words in for those who were wondering what halfway means. So what to do? Abandon the work-in-progress and move on to something else or finish Fatal Justice just for the satisfaction of writing The End? Since I've never yet abandoned a book, I finished Fatal Justice. Because of the roller coaster ride with Fatal Affair, it took me a full year to write Fatal Justice. That's four times my usual pace. I finished FJ two years ago this week. I had tears in my eyes as I wrote The End. I was so sad that no one would ever see the second book, which I ended up liking even better than the first one.
What a difference two years can make! When Carina Press opened its doors in November of 2009 looking to shake up the formulas, I submitted Fatal Affair. I figured, why not? Carina bought Fatal Affair in February 2010, Fatal Justice went in May, Fatal Consequences in August, Fatal Destiny and Fatal Flaw in November. Sometimes I still can't believe how lucky I got this year and how excited I am to be writing this series the way I wanted to do it. Readers have connected with Sam and Nick the way I'd hoped they would and have told me they're looking forward to book 2 and beyond. So am I!
You can get Fatal Justice here TODAY!
Read an excerpt here.
I'll be all over the blog-o-sphere this week giving away copies of Fatal Justice. Come by and comment to win:
Monday, Jan. 3
Romance Reader at Heart
Thoughts in Progress
Tuesday, Jan. 4
Micole Writes Romance
Romance Junkies
Bestselling Author Christy Reece's Blog
Wednesday, Jan. 5
The Long and Short of It Reviews
Night Owl Reviews
Carina Press (afternoon, no giveaway)
Thursday, Jan. 6
About Happy Books
Fresh Fiction
Friday, Jan. 7
Romance Bandits
Book Junkie
Authors and Appetizers
Monday, Jan. 10
RomCon
Thanks to everyone who has embraced Sam and Nick and supported my Fatal Series. I hope you enjoy Fatal Justice! And watch for Fatal Consequences in July, Fatal Destiny (the wedding novella) in September and Fatal Flaw in Feb. 2012.
January 2, 2011
Next Up On Book Club: Too Much Temptation and a Visit With Lori Foster
Ready, set, read! NY TImes bestselling author Lori Foster will be here Thursday to discuss her book, Too Much Temptation, as well as any of her other books that the Book Club Wenches want to talk about. I read Too Much Temptation years ago and loved it (as well as the follow-on, Never Too Much, featuring Noah's cousin Ben.) I'm looking forward to a re-read this week and the visit with Lori, who is coming with a prize package of a tote bag, T-shirt, and other goodies. We love presents at book club!About the Book:
Grace Jenkins has had little experience with men feeling too awkward and insecure to free the passionate woman inside her. But that hasn't stopped her from dreaming about Noah Harper. Gorgeous, strong and darkly sexy, his rough edge beneath the polish promises no mercy in the bedroom. When Grace learns Noah's engagement has ended in scandal, she shyly offers him her support and her friendship. But Noah's looking for something extra...
Noah wants Grace—badly. He wants to possess those curves that go on forever, to savor her sweet innocence, to take her to the limits of white-hot desire...again and again. What he doesn't want is anything more complicated than that, and he knows Grace is a woman who deserves better. Grace, however, knows exactly what she wants—the kind of ecstasy only Noah can give her. Brazenly, she accepts, and Noah promises to make all her secret fantasies come true...
Read an excerpt of Too Much Temptation here!
The lovely Aly Hackett will be our co-hostess this week, and we're looking forward to another fun meeting! See you there!
December 31, 2010
My Favorite Books of 2010 (And a Few Other Things)
As we say goodbye to 2010, I thought it would be a good time to look back on this fabulous year, to say a few thank yous and to list my top three favorite books of the year. First, a look back. As some of you who've known me for a while now will recall, 2009 was a bummer around here. My dad suffered a life-threatening head injury, my brother got divorced (sniff), my father-in-law died, two of my aunts died, my best friend's mother died far too young and we lost our darling 17-year-old dog Consuela who'd been with us since the second month we were married. A bummer of a year by anyone's standards. 2010 had to be better right? Well, it was!
While my family and friends thrived and good health abounded (other than those two unfortunate episodes of diverticulitis for yours truly), my writing "career" finally seemed to take off in 2010. As of today, I will have signed FIVE contracts with Harlequin for four Fatal books and a novella. I could hardly have seen that coming going into this year when Fatal Affair was on submission to Harlequin's new Carina Press. Over the years I have learned to submit and forget about it until you get a reply. So it was with great delight that I heard of Carina's interest in Fatal Affair in early February. They bought it later in February, Fatal Justice went in May (and is out on MONDAY!), Fatal Consequences in August, Fatal Destiny and Fatal Flaw in November. A very, very good year indeed. In 2010, I wrote a book to deadline for the first time and survived the process, proving a few things to myself. This fall came the spectacular news that Fatal Affair had been chosen for one of Harlequin's direct-to-consumer programs and will be sent—in print—to all of HQN's mystery and romantic suspense subscribers in July 2011. It was also released in October as an audio book. Some days I still wake up and want to pinch myself over all the good stuff that happened this year. And that brings me to my first thank you: To all the people who bought Fatal Affair, who wrote to express their love for Sam and Nick and Freddie and the rest of the gang, THANK YOU! I can't tell you how much it means to me to be writing this series the way I wanted to write it, with Sam and Nick front and center in every book. If there's one thing I know for sure about publishing it's that there would be no book 4 in the works if book 1 hadn't done fairly well. That is all on you, my faithful readers and I thank you so profoundly for that. I fought hard for this series, and I knew there were readers out there who would embrace this couple, so thanks for coming through for me! :-)
The second thank you is to ALL the readers who have checked out the two offerings I posted to Amazon: True North and The Fall. You guys have OVERWHELMED me with your response to these two books. People have asked me why I went ahead and posted some of my unsold books on my own. Well, the answer to that is easy: no one was interested in them except my readers. I had a feeling you all would connect to Travis and Liana and Ted and Caroline, and judging by the numbers, the reader reviews and the emails you've sent, I was right about that. So thank you. Truly, you have humbled me with your support. There will be more coming in 2011, so keep your eyes posted here and on my Amazon author page for more of my favorite books!
The next thank you goes out to all my new friends! Whether we found each other through Facebook or you wrote to me about my books or we met at a conference, I am deeply grateful for each and every one of you. The fun we've had on Facebook has made my somewhat lonely existence working two jobs from home so much brighter. I look forward to our daily banter and can't wait for more fun in 2011. I want to say a special thank you to Ronlyn Howe, Alyson Hackett, Kara Conrad, Hope Frost, Kris Gilson, Anne Woodall, Mary G and all the ladies who've supported our new Romance and Oreos Book Club. The book club has been GREAT FUN and I'm so glad we've gotten it up and running in 2010. I'm looking forward to a fun year of new books and fabulous authors in 2011. I have read some truly AMAZING books this year thanks the recommendations from the Whip Cracking Book Club Wenches, so thank you for that, too! Thank you also to the amazing authors who have come bearing gifts and given of their time and insight to the book club. We appreciate you more than you know!Finally, this year I decided to keep track of how many books I read and to note the ones I particularly loved. You've heard me say before that I am not a big fan of authors rating other authors so you won't see me scoring books on Goodreads or Amazon. Instead I give a little * to those that really resonated with me. That doesn't mean I don't like the others. I liked most of the books I read this year with few exceptions. The final total for the year was 112. To be honest, I am surprised it's that low. I would've guessed closer to 200. In years past, it probably was 200 or more. But now that I am having to be even more disciplined about writing, the reading time is getting ever more precious. I still read for fun every single day. My day is simply not complete without at least 30 minutes of reading time. And in 2010, I became an e-book convert. In early November, I downloaded the Amazon app to my iTouch (okay, let's be real, Emily did it for me) and have become an e-book reading fool. I'm a total convert. I never imagined I'd love it so much!
So now without further ado, I give you my top three favorite books for 2010:
1. A Summer in Sonoma by Robyn Carr. This book contained all the things that make a book unforgettable to me: amazing, well-crafted characters dealing with serious issues in their lives along with a healthy dose of romance. Four interwoven stories told from Robyn's unique perspective made this book a total winner for me. I know I will remember it for some time to come. And, I'm delighted to call Robyn a new friend in 2010. Her Virgin River books rank right up there among my all-time favorites.
2. Hot Island Nights by Sarah Mayberry. What a terrific book about a hero dealing with unimaginable grief and all it's accompanying issues. I love the way Sarah tackles the subject of post-traumatic stress in the context of a new romance. To be honest, I've come to expect a lighter, fluffier read from a lot of the Blaze line and with the title of this book, I was expecting a sexy beach romp (not that there is ANYTHING wrong with a sexy beach romp!). This book was SO much more than that. I thought about it for weeks after I finished it, and that made this book one of my top 3 for 2010. Well done, Sarah!
3. Extreme Exposure by Pamela Clare. I chose this book because it set me off on a reading frenzy that reminded me of when I read the Virgin River books. For about 20 days in November I was all Pamela Clare all the time. Her I-Team series, which begins with Extreme Exposure, was some of the most riveting reading I've done in a long time. I tend to shy away from contemporaries and romantic suspense because that's what I write, and I never want to be influenced by other books. However, my book club wenches insisted I read this series, and WOW, I am so glad I did. As a former reporter myself, I loved reading about Pam's investigative reporters and their many adventures. If you haven't read this series, what are you waiting for? Even though I listed Extreme Exposure as one of my top three, I am STILL on team Julian (ALY)! He is the hero from book 2, Hard Evidence. One word: YUM. Thank you for the many hours of entertainment, Pamela!
Honorable Mention
1. Last Chance Rescue Series by Christy Reece. Riveting. Amazing. Heart-pounding.
2. Kelly Group International Series by Maya Banks. Outstanding. Sexy. Thrilling. Can't wait for the third book! Six yummy brothers. What more do we need?
So much for avoiding romantic suspense, huh? :-) I am shocked to not see a historical on my top 3 list. I truly enjoyed Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean (coming soon to book club) and 10 Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn. And, of course, A Wallflower Christmas and the final Hathaway book by Lisa Kleypas.
I end 2010 a thankful, grateful wife, mother, daughter, sister, cousin, friend and author who is surrounded by amazing people who make life a happier place to be. Whether you are near or far, I love you all and look forward to 2011. Happy New Year!
Now, tell me your top three favorite books for 2010 and your resolutions for 2011!
December 30, 2010
Home for the Holidays
I first discovered Sarah Mayberry's books through the Blaze line. Hot Island Nights was one of my favorites of 2010. So when someone suggested we do Home for the Holidays this holiday week, I was all for it. This wonderful contemporary, set in Australia, didn't disappoint! Joe is a widowed dad with two kids who were old enough to be traumatized by their mother's sudden death in a car accident two years before the story opens. What I really loved was that the kids were very realistically drawn. They weren't just plot devices. They were critical to the story. Joe's daughter forms a bond with his new next-door neighbor Hannah, a rough-around-the-edges mechanic who has been shattered by the betrayal of her fiance, who hooked up with her SISTER! A month before the wedding. OUCH.So when Joe and Hannah meet, both are recovering from loss and disappointment. Their relationship develops slowly and the focus for a long time is Joe's daughter's friendship with Hannah. Throughout the whole book, Hannah talks about her goal to ride her motorcycle around Australia. To be honest, I didn't think she'd really go once she formed the bond with Joe and his kids. So I was surprised when she actually got on her bike and drove away, leaving the three people she'd come to love. It doesn't take her long on the road to realize that she'd left her heart behind and she returns home to them.
They are on their way to happily ever after when Hannah discovers a lump in her breast. I gotta tell you, when the breast cancer thing came up, I was shrieking NO NO NO! I didn't think I was going to like that storyline, but after reading the ending, I loved what Sarah did with it, how Joe made the children part of the decision to keep Hannah in their lives and to confront her illness as a family. I also loved that Hannah came right out and TOLD him she had breast cancer rather than breaking up with him for some manufactured reason and then expecting him to believe that she really wanted to end it with him. That was very well done! Hannah was a terrific heroine who remained true to herself even as she watched her life spin out of control as she fell for Joe and his kids. I've since read The Best Laid Plans, and I really liked that one too. Sarah does something in her books that I try to do in mine: she keeps the couple TOGETHER for most of the book rather than constantly apart (a pet peeve of mine in a lot of contemporary romance these days). I love seeing them work it out together. I will definitely be reading more of Sarah's books!
I'm looking forward to welcoming Sarah today and to talking about Home for the Holidays and her other books. Sarah has graciously agreed to give away three books today: Hot Island Nights, Best Laid Plans and her upcoming February release, The Last Goodbye. Please join me in welcoming Sarah!
Find out more about Sarah and her books on her website!
For today's recipe, I give you Ronlyn's AWESOME Firecracker Marinade. If you haven't tried this, you are missing out!
Firecracker Marinade
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp olive or veg. oil
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1-2 tsp red pepper sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped.
Mix it all up and serve it over pork loin or whatever tickles your fancy. I've had it on pork tenderloin and it is AMAZING!
