Lauri Robinson's Blog, page 9

Edits...

Yep, that’s what I’m doing. Putting the final tweaks on Josie and Scooter’s story. Writing in this era has been so fun and I know I’m going to miss these Nightingale girls when I finish my final read through (today!) and zip this story back to my editor. 
I’m also attempting to utilize a few discussed items in many of the wonderful workshops I attended at the RWA conference. I’d much rather sit in my writing cave than market my books, but did learn I need to put myself ‘out there’ a bit more. So…I created an author page on Facebook. If you’re inclined, please stop by and click the like button at https://www.facebook.com/authorlaurirobinson. Thanks a million to all who have already done so!
The Stolen Kiss, a short free read is still up on Harlequin’s website for your reading pleasure—
And The Wrong Cowboy is now available for preorders. 
On the home front, August has been full of birthday parties, with still more to come. This weekend it’s our grandson’s. He turned one the end of July! That year went by fast. As they tend to do. Company is coming into town for the party which means I need to go straighten up the spare bedroom which doubles as my writing cave late at night when I don’t want to keep others awake. Granddog Bear has a bed in there and often joins me, which means vacuuming is a must before anyone else goes in there. Love him to pieces, but a hundred pound dog does shed. And shed. And shed. He has a stock tank in our backyard to cool off in and the other morning, he and the neighbor dog were in it together. Two yellow labs having a pool party. It was a sight to see and made me smile all day.
The morning is ticking by and I’m needed in the 1920’s! Keep smiling and keep your head up. You are a wonderful person who is loved by many!

Home from RWA

San Antonio was fabulous! The weather was perfect, the River Walk was amazing, the Alamo was very interesting, and I met so many old and new friends at the conference. My editor took me to a restaurant for lunch one day that had the absolute most delicious guacamole I’ll ever taste. This picture doesn’t do it justice. They made it right at the table with little more than avocados, tomatoes, onions and cilantro.

The week flew by with all the events and gatherings. By Saturday I was ready for some down time—which I got. To my surprise, when my hubby called that morning, he asked if I’d found the envelope in my suitcase. Since I hadn’t, I started searching. In one of the top pouches I hadn’t put anything in, I found what he’d tucked away. An envelope containing a Hershey’s Kiss, a very sweet note, and some extra money to go shopping.  Yep, he’s pretty sweet, and yep, I went shopping that day. 
While in Texas, I received the cover art for The Wrong Cowboy! I love it. As usual. It will be released November 1st.
One mail-order bride in need of rescue! 

All the rigorous training in the world could not have prepared nursemaid Marie Hall for trailing the wilds of Dakota with six orphans. Especially when her ingenious plan—to pose as the mail-order bride of the children's next of kin—leads Marie to the wrong cowboy! 

Proud and stubborn, Stafford Burleson is everything Marie's been taught to avoid. But with her fate and that of the children in his capable hands, Marie soon feels there's something incredibly right about this rugged rancher and his brooding charm…. 

"A delightful western…humor, realism and sweet emotion." —RT Book Reviews on Inheriting a Bride

As fun as it was to go to the conference, I’m glad to be home. Birthday celebrations fill our weekends in August, and each one promises to be fun. I’d received the edits for the last roaring twenties book right before I left, and must get them done and back to my editor. Dedicating some time to plotting out a new story is in the works somewhere too.

Remember to look for the little things—one may take your breath away.

July has been busy...

The Fourth of July—actually the fifth, he took his time arriving—brought our family a new member. My niece gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. He’s so perfect and a wonderful addition to our family. 
The following weekend we traveled north for a family reunion. There were over seventy of us and the hotel was so accommodating in letting us gather there all weekend. There were two new babies there, my niece’s as well as a distant cousin from California whose new bundle was born on the fourth.  
One of my brothers followed us home and stayed for a few days before heading south to Nebraska, which was fun as well. 
Granddog Bear also had his birthday. He was gifted with 116 tennis balls, and was excited as they all started flying across the yard.  
And the fun isn’t over! I’ll be leaving Tuesday morning for Texas to attend the RWA annual conference in San Antonio.  
I hope you are making this a summer to remember!

Strange

Not sure what has happened to my last couple of posts. They show up as published in my post list, but I don't see them here….Strange.
Anyway….all has been well here on the home front. 
The trip to Antiques Roadshow was wonderful, other than the drive home in monsoon rains. We arrived in time to take a driving tour of Bismarck and get all settled in our hotel before enjoying a wonderful meal. Our ticket entrance time was 9:00 am and we were all done by 11:15. The appraisers were all so nice and informative, and watching what others brought in was utterly amazing. We saw one person get pulled aside for filming—nope not us—and all in all had a terrific time!
The amazing month of June brought us many wonderful adventures with the grandchildren. Sleep-overs that included watching a 3-D movie with Papa on his new ‘smart T.V.’, picnics, parades, and a wonderful Father’s Day. The flower beds are blooming and the berries are starting to turn red. Summer fun is well underway. 
July will start off with a bang for the 4th, then a family reunion, and end a trip to Texas for RWA.
On the writing side, I finished the first draft of the 4throaring twenties story and sent it off for critiques. Josie and her trips to Duluth were fun and a bit harrowing at times.
Next to be released will be “The Wrong Cowboy” on November 1st.
One mail-order bride in need of rescue! 

All the rigorous training in the world could not have prepared nursemaid Marie Hall for trailing the wilds of Dakota with six orphans. Especially when her ingenious plan—to pose as the mail-order bride of the children's next of kin—leads Marie to the wrong cowboy! 

Proud and stubborn, Stafford Burleson is everything Marie's been taught to avoid. But with her fate and that of the children in his capable hands, Marie soon feels there's something incredibly right about this rugged rancher and his brooding charm…. 
 
Stay happy and keep smiling, it makes you beautiful inside and out.

Outdoor Tea Party

We had two of the granddaughters over yesterday and one of the many things they did, was have an outdoor tea party. They had spent the night and Grandma forgot to pull the blinds down in the playroom—where we all slept on one futon—which meant the sun filled the room by 5:30 AM. From that point on both girls were up and at ‘em, and barely slowed down all day.
Papa and I went up north to decorate the graves last weekend and had a wonderful time visiting family and friends. There was also plenty of work to be down around the property, but we still were able to bring home some wonderful walleye fillets.  
This weekend my friend and I are off to the Antiques Roadshow! Dear Hubby gave the pony car a thorough once over to assure safe travels, our hotel is booked, and the route is set. Tomorrow we’ll jump in the car and head west. We both have chosen what to bring and are excited to learn more about each item. I’ve settled on an old gun and a vintage child’s bandito suit. I’ll fill you in on all the excitement in my next post.
Until then, make every day a good one!

Happy Mother's Day!

Pedicures were in order for this Mother’s Day. Daughter-in-law, two granddaughters and I now have sandal wearing toes. Such fun! 
The last Mother’s Day I had with my mom we went and had pedicures. She enjoyed it so much and it remains a special memory for me. Along with so many others. She truly was a very special person. 
Mother’s Day is filled with many memories for me. Ironically, my father passed away on Mother’s Day in 2007. He too, was a very special person. Both of my parents graced our family with such love. I miss them every day, and feel so honored I’d been blessed to call them mom and dad. 
I send blessings to all of you on this special day. 
Other notes: I’m still trying to figure out what to take to the Antiques Roadshow.
I received the author's galley of my November release The Wrong Cowboy…for anyone who read The Major’s Wife you may recall a woman on the train with six children claiming to be a mail order bride. That was Marie Hall. The Wrong Cowboy is her story.  
I’ve been researching motorcycles in the 1920’s. The hero in Josie’s story, the fourth installment of my roaring twenties books, rides one. I am really going to miss writing about Roger Nightingale and his four daughters when this series is completed. 
I have things to do and places to be today, so will close for now. Keep smiling.

Now Available

Never Tempt a Lawman was released May 1st!
Steady, wealthy and oh-so-safe—that's the kind of husband Bess Trundale wants. Someone like the local banker's son. Someone unlike Sheriff Kirk Landers. The lawman's confident swagger gets right under her skin…and into her fantasies. And though she's tried to ignore the chemistry surging between them, one night is about to change everything.
Kirk isn't planning on being anyone's husband ever again. But months of living under the same boardinghouse roof as quick-witted, feisty Bess have stirred desires he can't ignore. Together they could put their pasts to rest and claim a bold, passionate future—if he can tempt her to break all the rules with him….
My other wonderful news—to me anyway—is I won tickets to Antiques Roadshow! I’m not a much of a TV watcher, but do tune into this show regularly. The tickets are distributed through a lottery on their website. I’d tied for tickets last year when they were filming in the Twin Cities, but my name wasn’t drawn. When the 2014 schedule came out, the closet location was North Dakota. I figured what the heck, I’ll take a road trip if, by chance, my name is drawn. 
You could have knocked me over with a feather when I saw the notification I’d won! Now, I have to decide what to take. It does depend if hubby is going with me. (He hasn’t decided.) If he goes, we can take four items, if he doesn’t go, my friend will be going and she’ll take two items, as will I. 
We have several old things we’d like to know more about….decisions, decisions. 
The sun is shining here today. I plan on uncovering my roses and spreading out mulch in all of the flower beds. Digging out the humming bird feeders and the pump for the water fall, and firing up the barbeque grill this evening are on the agenda, too. 
I’ll update you on my roadshow trip as it nears!
Stay happy.

Happy Easter

We have 420 plastic eggs stuffed with candy and miniature toys, plus another dozen that will be used strictly for the scavenger hunt, ready to be hid Sunday morning. A fair amount of the wonderful—not—12 inches of snow we received on Wednesday is still covering the ground, so the egg hiding may all take place in Papa’s shop. He’s such a good grandpa and doesn’t mind his tool boxes and storage cabinets being used as hiding spots. The scavenger hunt will take place in there as well. Each egg contains a clue as to where to find the next egg until they find their final prize—the golden egg. It promises to be a fun time for sure! 
I send you all Easter Blessings, and hope amongst the eggs, bunnies, elaborate dinners, and family gatherings you have the opportunity to rejoice in the miracle the holiday is based upon. 
My agent from the Japan UNI agency sent me a lovely email this morning. The publisher who purchased the Japanese comic adaptation rights for Mail Order Husband has almost completed the Magna version. It will be so fun to see! I can only imagine how much work it takes to turn a complete novel into a comic. Some people are so very talented. I can barely draw a stick person.
The May first release date for Never Tempt a Lawman is just around the corner. Right now I’m working on the final revisions for the third roaring twenties story. The fourth story is coming along nicely, too. I’m going to miss these sisters when their stories are all done. 
I have many things to complete today, so must get off the computer and head to the grocery store. 
Happy Easter everyone, you are each a miracle and a blessing.

Glorious day!

The sun is shining and the thermometer is nearing temps we haven’t seen since last October! Yippee! I do believe old Mr. Winter is finally on his way out. The mounds of snow are yielding to the sunlight and warmth and there’s even a hint of green to the otherwise brown and dormant grass.
Let’s see…since my last post…April fool’s day was fun around our house, with everyone getting in on the tomfoolery. My seven-year-old granddaughter got me first thing in the morning with a phone call about needing a ride to school. She was beside herself with laughter when she shouted April Fools! Her little sister got in on the act, repeating the earlier call almost word for word, but then, after a thoughtful pause, asked, “Grandma, can you give us a ride to school? And this isn’t an April fool’s joke.” 
Dear Papa wasn’t done with his humor on April 1st. Last night he informed the man who owns the storage unit I store my Mustang in for the winter is out of town for several more weeks. I’d call the man on Monday and left a message saying I’d like to get the car out this week, so I was a bit disappointed to hear that, and believed it since the man hadn’t called me back. Papa then started laughing and said April fools. I informed him that he was 7 days late. Anyway…In less than an hour I’ll be on my way to get my Mustang out of storage. Another yippee!
One final yippee….I booked my trip to San Antonio, Texas. The end of July—yes, I know, July in Texas—I’ll be attending the RWA (Romance Writers of America) conference. I’m really looking forward to it, heat and all. 
Sorry to be so short, but I was lost in 1925 up until a few minutes ago—this fourth story (Josie’s) is coming together fast! I just noticed the time and remembered I wanted to get a new blog post up today since it had been a while. 
Enjoy all the little things around you (and the big ones), miracles are happening.
Cheers!

And it's off...

The third book in my roaring twenties story has been sent off for others to read and give me their feedback! The heroine, Twyla, had some serious decisions to make, but in the end, she found her happily ever after. One more story/sister to go—that’s Josie’s. She’s arrested in Twyla’s story, and I’m excited to discover exactly why. This entire series will be released the summer of 2015. 
Next up will be Never Tempt a Lawman, May 1st. 
Steady, wealthy and oh-so-safe—that's the kind of husband Bess Trundale wants. Someone like the local banker's son. Someone unlike Sheriff Kirk Landers. The lawman's confident swagger gets right under her skin…and into her fantasies. And though she's tried to ignore the chemistry surging between them, one night is about to change everything.
Kirk isn't planning on being anyone's husband ever again. But months of living under the same boardinghouse roof as quick-witted, feisty Bess have stirred desires he can't ignore. Together they could put their pasts to rest and claim a bold, passionate future—if he can tempt her to break all the rules with him….

Life around the home front is marching on…as in March is already on its way out. Our youngest son had his 28th birthday last week and I shared with him the weekend before he was born, we raked our yard—not so this year. We still have snow piled high. 
We have had a couple above zero days, and all that melting snow gave us plenty of mud. That also happened to be the day that my old washing machine gave up the ghost. She’d served me well over the years—three teenage boys aren’t easy on anything—so it was to no fault of her own. The new set couldn’t be delivered for ten days, and I swear, those were the longest ten days of my life.  We bought the stackable ones to give us more room in the laundry room, and they arrived yesterday! Oh, yes, they were busy washing and drying until I went to bed. 
Today was a fun day. Papa had made a date with Hayley to watch Frozen—he didn’t go to the movie theatre with the rest of us—and I had a date with Karlee to get manicures. So after we both had our nails painted we came home in time to have lunch and then all four of us, Papa, Hayley, Karlee and I watched the movie. (Isabelle had a birthday party for one of her friends and Connor is just a little too young to care about Disney cartoons.) The two girls spent the rest of the afternoon playing together as best-friends cousins do. 
After catching up on a few blogs this evening, I plan to work on my paranormal set in Cody, Wyoming. 
Until next time, be good to yourself and kind to others. We’re all in this together.