Sheila Roberts's Blog, page 18

FUN IN ICICLE FALLS

The big Christmas tree in town square. Well, okay, I wasn't really in Icicle Falls, since there is no such place. But I was in Leavenworth, which is the inspiration for my fictional town of Icicle Falls. Leavenworth, WA is a charming Bavarian village nestled in the Cascade mountains. The town is adorable, the shopping is amazing, and the people are friendly. It's a perfect getaway place, especially this time of year when town is all lit up for the holidays. No snow yet, but I suspect by December it will be the usual winter wonderland it is.
A lack of snow didn't stop us from having fun. I enjoyed hanging out at A BOOK FOR ALL SEASONS, signing copies of BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE and MERRY EX-MAS, and meeting readers from all over the state as well as the country. Let me tell you, I also found time to shop - spent a fortune on soap and bath goodies at The Bubblery and checked out local artists' wares at the craft fair at the Christ Kindle Mart. Also enjoyed the brass quartet performing in the gazebo in town square.
My visit to this sweet town capped off a perfect Thanksgiving, spent with family. Now, as the weekend winds down I can't help reflecting again on how blessed I am. I have a great family and good friends. I have snug house and food on the table. I have my health. I am a truly rich woman. I don't count my blessings nearly enough so I'm glad for a holiday dedicted stWhat a wonderful holiday Thanksgiving is!
Brass quartet entertains visitors. Local artists and performers kindly posed for a pic.

CHOCOLATE FUN

I've been having a great time at my book signing parties, celebrating chocolate madness with the release of BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE. And now MERRY EX-MAS is out too, so that means more fun. Hope to have some pictures from the parties up soon. There's always a photo op, especially when my family is involved. My crazy older brother always crashes the party in some crazy costume and this time was no exception. He came dressed as a little old lady. Well, actually tall old lady. He made a great girl!
One of the things we've done at the parties is play a chocolate trivia game. So, for those of you who don't live in my neck of the woods, I thought it would be fun to post the questions. Let's see how many answers you can get right.           
                                                                CHOCOLATE QUIZ
1. Researchers are finding that chocolate is actually good for us. But for the best benefits it should be ___ % cacao.
2. What candy bar is named for a clumsy person?
3. Complete this jingle: N-E-S-T-L-E-S, Nestles makes the very best ________________.
4. In the movie A CHRISTMAS STORY Ralphie gets a decoder ring that tells him to be sure to .....
5. In addition to being good for our hearts, what other benefit have researchers found chocolate to offer?
A. It's an aphrodisiac
B. It's a cough suppressant
C. It works as a breath freshener
6. What city in Pennsylvania has a hotel that offers a chocolate spa?
7. What are nibs?
8. In the town of Hershey the downtown street lights are shaped like Hershey's kisses. True or False?
9. M & M's were first created for the U.S. Military. True or False?
10. What chocolate bar is named after 3 famous literary figures?
11. In 1849 a now famous San Francisco chocolate producer started out selling supplies to minter in the gold rush. Who was it?
A. Ghirardelli
B. Lindo
C. Godiva
12. Have M & M's ever gone into space?
13. According to Sheila, when is the best time to buy Valentine candy?

Okay, let's see how you did. Check the answers below to see how many you got right.
1. 70%
2. Butterfingers
3. Chocolate (All of you who grew up in the fifties should know that one!)
4. "Drink your Ovaltine"
5. B, cough suppressant (Every man who plays this game guesses aphrodisiac)
6. Hershey, PA (I must go there to visit!)
7. Nibs are those little pieces of the roasted cacao beans
8. True (How cute!)
9. True. Our soldiers ate them during WW II
10. Three Musketeers
11. Ghirardelli
12. Yes! They first went into space with the 1981 Space Shuttle
13. The day after Valentines Day (Everything's 50% off)

ELECTION DAY

    It's a big day here in America. Today we choose our next president. The last weeks have been filled with heated debate... and I'm not talking about the candidates. We Americans are passionate about our causes. But I think this year goes beyond that. We've been downright angry this time around. That's understandable. A lot of us are worried about our future.
    Like most of you, I'll be camped in front of my TV tonight, watching the results. And, I'll confess, I'm going to be really upset if my candidate loses. With the race this close I have no idea who's going to win.
    One thing I do know for sure. No matter who wins, life will go on. We will plant gardens, fall in love, plan weddings, have babies, work hard. Somehow, we will get by. We will find work. We will make work. We will start companies and we will start new relationships. We will survive. And many of us will succeed.
    Our president is our Commander in Chief. Our legislators represent us and pass laws that will benefit us. (Hopefully.) But ultimately, I believe we are each responsible for our own success or failure in life, so I'm not looking to the president to make my life good.
    I hope we all go to the polls today as informed voters. And once the election is over, I hope we all remember that we are one nation, under God, indivisible, and that we all pull together to help each other succeed both as individuals and as a country.

AND THEN THE FUN BEGINS

I love what I do for a living! I love sitting at my computer, spinning out stories, and, after I've completed a scene, I enjoy reading what I've written. Hanging out all day in Fantasy Land - does a job get any better than that?
    Wonderful as all that is, my favorite part of this job is when I get to go out and plug a book. I have so much fun throwing parties at book stores, meeting readers and generally being a ham.
By the way, here I am, being my hammy self on A.M. Northwest, which airs out of Portland. This is a favorite TV show of mine because everyone who works on the show is incredibly nice. They always make me feel welcome.
    And speaking of nice, I think I have the greatest readers in the world. Some, like my friend Myssie, even bring their daughters to signings, and it's great to get a chance to meet the next generation of readers.
    The last couple of days I was in Oregon. This Saturday I'll be in Bellevue, WA, and next week, more places in Washington. In fact, next week, we'll be kicking off the release of "Merry Ex-mas" with a huge bash at the Silverdale Mall in Silverdale, WA. That will be a total immersion holiday party, complete with Santa. I can hardly wait!
I can't tell you how much fun I have hanging out with readers. And, to all of you, who come out time and again to this crazy stuff, I just want to publicly say, "Thank you." Without you, where would we writers be?!

"FREE" FRUIT

We harvested apples off our apple tree this week. It's finally beginning to produce and we got 14 whole apples. How exciting! How thrilling! How... expensive. I'm big on growing your own food, and working edibles into the landscaping, so in addition to our apple tree we also have several blueberry bushes, raspberries, two cherry trees and another apple tree. Also strawberries for ground cover and a veggie garden. Doesn't that sound like natures bounty? Oh, yes, in many ways it is.

Except.... somehow, I never got to the three cherries on the baby tree in time, a marauding neighborhood pit bull thought the deer sprinkler in the veggie garden was a toy and tore up the entire garden playing with it. Twice. Yes, I persisted with the garden but I'm not sure it was a very cost effective one this year due to having to go out and repurchase seeds. And as far as the other edibles went, well, those all got a little pricey this year. We tried rigging up an automatic watering system with a timer and over-watered. Poor Gerhardt almost had a heart attack when he got the two-hundred dollar water bill. He called the water company, sure there had been some mistake. The nice lady asked, "Do you have an automatic watering system?" Ummmm. Not any more. After that Gerhardt got stingy with the water.
    I can't say as I blame him. With a two-hundred dollar water bill how much were those fourteen apples a pound?! We could have bought a lot of organic produce for that price.
    Oh, well. I'm not giving up. I do love being able to grow my own food. I just have to find a way to grow it more economically.

Remembering Mom

We hear a lot of jokes about mothers-in-law. Heck, I have friends who don't like theirs at all. But mine was great. We were good friends and never had a cross word between us in all the years we knew each other. She was great fun. She taught me how to shop using coupons and got me hooked on garage sales. When we were first married and times were tough she and my father-in-law would come to visit bearing grocery bags full of food. We both loved to watch Dancing with the Stars and any time I was staying at her place to help out we'd camp out on the couch and root for our favorites. We lost her earlier this month and it was hard to let go. I miss her.
    Her passing has not only left a hole in my life, it's made me stop and think. Whose life am I impacting? Am I making a difference in the lives of my family and friends? My community? Mom was 90 when she died. Seems like such a long time, but she was the first to say those ninety years went in a blink. And boy, do I understand. Oh, Lord, help me to pack each day with kindness and grace. Don't let me waste time in mindless pursuits or on bitterness or resentment. Help me be thankful for each day and each person in it.
    And Mom, rest in peace. I love you!

MAKING A GREAT PARTY

Fun, fun, fun! Well, did we ever have fun this weekend! Saturday night was "NIGHT OF ILLUSION" at Sheila's place. This particular theme party was not simply a party, it was staged for a my favorite regional magazine, WEST SOUND HOME & GARDEN. The magazine is a class act, and so is Dee Coppola, the woman behind it. We certainly gave Dee plenty of material to work with. In this picture our guests are trying their hands at being escape artists. In this trick you tie a couple together, each with a length of string tied to their wrists and the two strings connected. Their job is to figure out how to escape without cutting or untying the string.  As you can see by the picture below, this was not so easy.
All tied up! Ah, the things my friends end up getting suckered into!  Actually, everyone was a good sport. Several brought magic tricks to share and one couple came dressed for magic. The tricks ranged from card tricks to poking pencils through bags of water without spilling a drop. My friend Martha proved her abilities as a mentalist. My pal Theresia, who is starting a catering company, made the appetizers and we made the food disappear. It was great!
And I learned from Dee how to stage a gorgeous picture. Our dessert table looked magazine worthy by the time she got done helping me. The only picture I remembered to take was after the food was pretty much consumed and we were down to the cake and cookies (And no, this is not the dessert table. That was set up outside on the patio table for the photos and that picture is gorgeous!). Notice my centerpiece though! Yes, the rabbit in the hat. Always fun to keep your party theme going with decorations and eats.

This centerpiece proves that I can pull a rabbit out of a hat. The Amazing Scotty Poppins and his lovely assistant Karol. Martha the mentalist in action. The guys. This party was great fun (how could it not be with the group of people we had gathered!), but parties are about more than just fun. They're about connecting with friends and making memories. Never let unimportant concerns such as how your house looks stop you from entertaining your family and friends. Those special gatherings are what make life special. And they make us all feel rich no matter what our income level!

AH, SUMMER

Nutrition on a plate We have had such a fun summer so far! Lots of time with family and friends. Lots of eating but balanced by plenty of exercise. And, speaking of eating, note the healthful goodies on the plate. My son, Mr. Fitness, but my ancient juicer to good use. This red combo includes strawberries, apples, raspberries and a red pepper. Man, that was tasty!
Good looking, funny, smart... and can cook. Shouldn't he be in the next Porn for Women book? Daisies, wild sweet peas and ... other things. And check out pretty wild flowers my daughter and I collected on our way back down the road from the beach! Good mother-daughter time and something pretty as well. Win-win-win.
Gerhardt, on the hunt. Of course, after the Fourth and all the family left it was just Gerhardt and me, getting ready to celebrate our anniversary. Before we went out to dinner we exchanged gifts. I gave him "kisses" which he had to search for, and he sent me on a hunt, following clues both inside our unit and all over the condo building to find my present. And what a lovely present it was, just what I like. I've reached the point where I don't want clutter. I'm only collecting small things that don't take up much space... like jewelry. (So needless to say, I was very happy with my necklace and earrings.) Anyway, if you've got an anniversary coming up and are wanting to do something a little fun and outside the ordinary, I highly recommend a treasure hunt!
Can you find the Hershey's kiss? Okay, yeah, close up, but boy did that blend in and go unnoticed for a looong time. The clues. I'll take the box, Monty! It would have been nice if I put the necklace on straight. Afraid the picture doesn't show off either it or the earrings. There's lots more bling than meets the eye. Now, if I could just get a brow lift. Maybe next anniversary?

FUN AT OCEAN SHORES

I've just gotta say, I don't think there's any place more fun than Ocean Shores, WA. It's better than Disneyland or Vegas!
Now, I know that's quite an outlandish thing to say, but here's why I think that.
Granted, Ocean Shores doesn't have a Harry Potter ride or a Haunted Castle and even though it's on the ocean, no pirates. But you won't have to pay the proverbial arm and leg to enjoy yourself. And the adventures are a little more, well, real. (No offense Mickey.) In this place you can ride horses along the beach, drive go-carts, putt-putt golf and or play in the arcade. You'll also find some wonderful little restaurants and, for those of you who want to gamble, a casino nearby. Oh, yes, and tennis courts (I've found a great group of people there to play with). There's also a golf course. (I splurged and am taking some lessons. Why is it so hard to hit that stupid little ball?!)
    Best of all, though, it offers the wonders of nature. The beach gives you a quiet walk, a place for a bonfire or a chance to fly your kite. In addition, we're making some wonderful friends down there. I truly hated to come home.
    Of course, it wasn't all fun and games while Gerhardt and I were at the beach. I was busy writing every morning, working away on my next book, which is due - yikes! - next week.
    But I like the balance of work and play. I still remember when I was a kid. We had a summer cabin. (My dad got the property for a song and his friends helped him build the place - best investment he ever made because our family and all our friends enjoyed it for years.) My girlfriends and I were always ready to go into play mode the minute the car pulled up in front of the funky little shack in the woods, but my dad would remind us, "Work first, then you can play. Let's get this car unloaded." We all pitched in and as we hauled groceries into the cabin he'd remind us that, "Many hands make light work." He was right. Still today I prefer to tackle big projects as a team. And I still believe in getting the work done first. Then you can play feeling good about all you've accomplished.
    I accomplished a lot last week and I hope to accomplish a lot more this week so I can play over the Fourth!

A NEW SUMMER READ

I had a great time this week at BEA (Book Exp America) in New York City. This is a huge convention that gathers together everyone in the book world. We were all there: publishers, authors, librarians, and book sellers. It was humongous and amazing! My publisher, Harlequin, treated us all like rock stars. And let me tell you, I didn't sleep much. I hope to post some pictures (once I figure out how to get them out of my new cell phone - I'm such a Luddite!) In addition to meeting some wonderful new people I had a chance to catch up with old friends, including my writing pal Geri Krotow, who has a new book out with Harlequin Super Romance title NAVY RULES. Geri is one glam woman. She's lived all over the world, everywhere from Italy to Russia, and I'm delighted to have her guest blogging with me today. We'll be giving away a copy of her new book to some lucky person who leaves a comment. So, welcome Geri!

Thank you Sheila for having me visit you! I wish we could share a great cup of coffee in a Seattle coffee shop, but in lieu of that this is a wonderful meet-up.

Sheila and I first met way back in 2001 when my husband was stationed at Whidbey Island and I joined the Peninsula Area Romance Writer's group. Sheila and I are very blessed in that we have been able to know and learn from some of the best in the women's fiction market--hellooooo Susan Wiggs and Debbie Macomber, to name just two. The richness of the writing life in the Pacific Northwest has left its imprint on me, over a decade later.

As a Navy wife and mom I've traveled the country and the world. I've lived in Florida, Alabama, California, Washington and Tennessee. Italy, Belgium and Russia were international posts. My family has completed 13 moves in less than 26 years. Somehow, in the midst of all of this, I've managed to start writing, find Romance Writers of America,  submit manuscript after manuscript, receive rejection after rejection, sell my first novel and most recently sign my first multi-book contract.

My point? That no matter how busy, how hectic your life, if you have a dream, GO FOR IT! I figured "I'll be 75 one day. Either I'll have gone after my dream of being a full-time novelist, or I won't."

I'm not saying it's as simplistic as it sounds. "Just write" or "Just work out" or "Just don't eat sugar" are great sentiments but can be the toughest to enact. I know I need a buddy. When I found my writing community via Romance Writers of America, I met wonderful writers like Sheila. Sheila is always positive whenever I've run into her over the years. I walk away from our conversations, no matter how brief, with a lighter step and the belief that I CAN do this, I AM doing it. I'm making my dream a reality. One day, one word at a time.

Sheila and I were once again reunited this week in New York City--can you say "glamorous?" Yet again, over a simple table in the Jacob Javits Convention Center we were able to talk about our writing, our life and a bit of our dreams. When I walked away (with blisters because I stupidly wore ballet flats that day instead of my FitFlops or Birkenstocks) I again resolved to keep going, keep writing. And my best resolution--Spend More Time with Sheila! I have an advanced copy of Sheila's October release and it's screaming at me from my tote bag. As soon as I'm back home from a workshop I'm giving this weekend, I'm diving into a great Sheila Roberts novel. And I can't wait!

Thanks Geri! I'll pay you later. Seriously, one of the things I admire about Geri is her hard work and discipline. She didn't just dream, she rolled up her sleeves and got to work. Summer's here, the days are longer. What are you doing to make your dreams come true?