Katherine Garbera has signed a new 3-book deal with Harlequin Desire and a 2-book deal with Harlequin Blaze!

My daughter’s sixth birthday was last weekend. One third of the guests gave her Barbies. One third! That’s a lot of Barbies. Now, technically, they weren’t all Barbies. Yes, there was the complete Barbie and Ken wedding party. Then there was the Barbie Secret Fairie. The Ariel Barbie. The Sleeping Beauty Barbie. And, finally, the singing Rapunzal Barbie with magical glowing hair.

Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against Barbie. In fact, I even made a Barbie cake for the party. (Yes, I’m that parent.) But to be honest, Barbie wasn’t really my thing when I was a kid. Now, before you start bemoaning my tragic doll-less childhood, rest assured, I had the Sunshine Family. The Sunshine Family were sort of Barbie’s hippie cousins who lived on a farm, grew their own food and—let’s be honest—possibly smoked a lot of pot.

Okay, I don’t know that last bit for sure. I was just seven at the time and I had no idea what my dolls did in their spare time. But looking back as an adult, the signs are all there. I mean, they lived in a commune (essentially)—the Sunshine Family Farm, was a multi-generational, multi-racial group. The farm came with cows you actually milk, chickens that laid tiny plastic (but presumably organic) eggs, a spinning wheel (but no sheep, that I can remember) and even a pottery wheel. It was all very … seventies. As adult, when I think back to the Sunshine Family, it’s hard not to imagine them riding around in a VW van going to all the Grateful Dead concerts. They just seem the type. Don’t get me wrong. I say this with tremendous love and nostalgia.

But I can’t help wondering how my Sunshine Family affected who I am as an adult. Now, I’ve never understood the Grateful Dead, but I do drive a VW. Is this why I drink organic milk and love going to the farmer’s market? Is that tiny plastic chicken the reason I’m now thinking about buying chickens of my own to raise in the backyard? Is the Sunshine Family Farm the reason I fell in love with a guy who grew up on a farm? Hmmm….

And if any of that is true, does that mean my daughter will grow up to love high fashion, metro-sexual men, and four-inch-heeled shoes?

Of course, my daughter is already way more girly than I ever was, so maybe she’d love those things anyway. But maybe I’ll go buy a collectors set of Sunshine Family dolls just to balance things out.

What were your favorite toys growing up? Do you think they affected who you are today?

So today is my sweet husband’s birthday. Not this is a joyful day, but it is not without its annoyances. You see I’m a year older so while on this day we become the same age, in a few short days I add another year. Which brings me to the next annoying part, he interrupts my birthday week! I mean really, the nerve. But I admit that if I have to share my birthday with someone, he’s the perfect someone for me.

We do big birthdays at our house, mostly because they were always a big deal in my family. It’s your special day and you get to pick all kinds of things surrounding it. Sometimes we go and celebrate with a dinner out, but we’ll do that later this week closer to my birthday and do them both at the same time. But tonight I’ll make his favorite, the spaghetti & meat sauce recipe his mother always used. And he’s requested a certain cake I make. Though some years he requests the creme brulle french toast I make, which is basically like a cake for breakfast.

My Professor, though, he deserves a special day all for himself. He’s the best husband in the world and I’m so very lucky to have found him. So to the love of my life I say Happy Birthday, Babe!

So how about your family, are birthdays just another day or do you go all out with a big bash? In honor of his birthday I’ll give one of you a present. To one lucky commenter, I’ll give away a signed copy of Desire Me.

*side note* It’s that time of year again for Brenda Novak’s auction and I hope you’re already bidding on some of the wonderful things available. One such goody is my entire backlist, so bid now!

I randomly chose Johanna Jochum’s name. Johanna, email me (shana@shanagalen.com) with your address, and I’ll send you VAMPIRE MINE and BORN AT MIDNIGHT. They’re both great books. Hey, maybe my book club will consider them!

Okay, so I have a confession. I have never been a member of a book club. I’ve spoken to book clubs before. The members claimed to have read my book—and I think some of them actually did—but I’ve never had the desire to belong to a club for reading and discussing books.

Maybe that’s because I’m essentially not a joiner. I only joined clubs and organizations in school when my counselor scared me into it by claiming I wouldn’t get into college otherwise. Or maybe I’ve never been in a book club because I was an English teacher for so long and it was my job to dissect books. Or maybe it’s because I’m a writer, and I know a lot of other writers, and we discuss books all the time.

Whatever the reason, it’s a moot point now. A friend of mine asked me to join her book club because we never see each other. She’s a busy mom, and I’m a busy mom, and we live on opposite sides of the city. But if I join her book club, we’ll at least get to see each other once a month.

So I said okay. I mean, I could use some adult interaction once a month. My first meeting is Monday. I went out and bought the book and have read some of it, but it’s kind of depressing.

This brings me to my other reason for not joining a book club—the books they read are often very depressing and very literary.

I don’t have anything against literature. I taught English for years, remember? I’ve read the classics. I read some contemporary literary fiction too. I even read non-fiction, on occasion. I don’t even have anything against depressing books. Some of my favorite books (Gone with the Wind, A Tale of Two Cities, P.S. I Love You) are also those that have made me cry. But I can’t read a depressing book every month!

So what I need is recommendations for book clubby books that aren’t depressing. Maybe when we’re choosing books for the future, I can suggest something that doesn’t make me want to eat a tub of ice cream and sit in a dark room.

I’ll randomly pick one person who comments to receive signed copies of BORN AT MIDNIGHT by C.C. Hunter and VAMPIRE MINE by Kerrelyn Sparks.

I love inspirational and pithy sayings, from the ones that leave you with a smile to those words to live by quotes.   Some of my favorite ones are on mugs, which I also collect.  

But there’s another reason I’m always seeking out new quotes.   When I’m creating new characters for a story, I like to find sayings that holds special meaning for them at crucial points in the book.  Something that touches their heart and soul, or the blackened holes where those vital emotions and beliefs should reside.  Something that points to their inner conflict, the thing that must be changed within the story.

In Cowboy Come Home, the final book of the trilogy that releases this December, Trey has worked hard and played hard all his life, with a hazy dream of one day owning his own ranch.  After a narrow brush with death, he looks at his life and those he’s hurt through new eyes before making a choice.   Now that’s it’s all over, what did you really do yesterday that’s worth mentioning” – Coleman Cox. 

This one mirrors Trey’s inner struggle to deal with being an unwanted child from birth, not even knowing his name, and the deep believe he’s not worthy of love.  Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.  –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Quotes and sayings can make us think or just smile.  Like the sayings tucked in fortune cookies, they can  be on the mark or so far off we simply laugh. 

Here are my two current favorites that I found online.  This one applies to my writing and rewriting and rewriting….   You will turn over many a futile new leaf till you learn we must all write on scratched-out pages.  –Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotics Notebook, 1960.

This one is just good advice, given by a very charming, very smart bear.   Always watch where you are going.  Otherwise, you may step on a piece of the Forest that was left out by mistake.  Pooh’s Little Instruction Book, inspired by A.A .Milne.

Do you have any favorite quotes or words to live by that you’d like to share?

Madeline Hunter graciously offered signed copies of the first three books in The Rarest Blooms series, or, if preferred, a choice of another backlist title.

The winner of those books is. . . . JANE!

Jane – I’ll email you with info! Congrats and thanks to everyone who visited while Madeline was our guest here!

Lil Miss Molly won the drawing for Kathleen’s book. Please shoot me an email (margomaguire@yahoo.com) with your snail mail addy, and I’ll get that to Kathllen asap. Thanks to everyone who visited on Wednesday!

Lately I’ve begun to notice that quite a few of my Facebook friends and I share some similiar “likes” in terms of television shows.

I love Burn Notice, Bones, and Castle…and surprisingly they do too! I guess you could say that it’s not all that amazing considering these are all popular shows. Still, I wonder if there is some connection between friends being drawn to the same type of programming.

Anyway, when I look at the three shows listed above there is a similarity that I hadn’t noticed until now. Mainly that in each show, the two main protagonists have an unrequited attraction to each other. Hmmm…is that the romance lover in me coming out? Do I watch these shows for the give and take and the not-so-subtle flirting all the while hoping, hoping, hoping that they will one day get together? I think the answer is….absolutely!

Remember the old show, Scarecrow and Mrs. King? The two protagonists had that same type of chemistry…but once they married, I lost interest in the show (and I actually don’t think the program stayed on the air that much longer). What does that say about me? Perhaps that once I see them have their happily ever after, I’m ready to move on. Sort of how I feel when I finish a book.

Any thoughts?

It’s been a while since we’ve played a round of “What’s On My Desk?”  I thought it would be fun to do that today.  So, step right this way. The writing cave is open and the tour is about to begin…

Let’s start with an overview of my desk. This is where I report to work every day.

If you’ll look at the far left corner, that’s where I keep my stash of Post-It notes. Can’t live without them. I use them for everything: lists; reminders (see notes stuck to computer monitor); daily page-goal trackers – I write the pages I want to complete and cross them off as I go (it’s a very sophisticated system ); and notes to go back and check/incorporate after the first draft of my manuscript is finished. Wish I owned stock in the company that makes them.

Next to that is my family gallery. The photo in the silver frame is a picture of my mom when she was in nurses’ training. The quill pen and ink pot were a Christmas present from my husband. It’s one of my favorite gifts ever.

Moving to the center… My computer’s screen saver is the cover of my historical women’s fiction novel, “With Violets,”  written as Elizabeth Robards. Below that, the silver “N” is a paper weight my daughter gave me (another favorite gift); to the right is a charm of the Eiffel Tower; next to it are two “good luck charms”… a silver medallion embossed with a quill pen  and a piece of blue glass (my favorite color) etched with the word “dream.”

See that pink Post-It on the far right? That’s a little note my daughter left for me. I cherish it.

Haha! Please note the time on my computer monitor (upper right corner of the photo). My muse keeps the oddest office hours.

To the right of the computer is my TBR/Journal pile:

The first three are books in the 2011 Harlequin Special Edition series “The Fortunes of Texas…Lost and Found.” I’m thrilled to be one of six authors writing a book for the 2012 “Fortunes of Texas… Whirlwind Romance” series. My book is tentatively titled “An Unexpected Fortune.” It’ll be book five in the series, released in May 2012. Next on the pile is “Simple Abundance;” three journals I use for different purposes: the first is a fun one called “Wreck This Journal,” – it encourages the owner to “creatively destroy” the book by wreaking havoc in ways such as cracking the spine, standing on a certain page and leaving a footprint, and spilling coffee on a subsequent page. It’s all in an effort to encourage creative breakthroughs. I’m working up the nerve to wreck it… Hmm… the results might be a post for another day. The next journal – the one that says “Agenda” on the spine, is a gorgeous book I found in my favorite store, Anthropologie. It’s my art journal – a place where I can draw, paint, collage, and attempt other artistic endeavors sans the fear of other’s judgment. In other words, what happens in the art journal, stays in the art journal. But who knows, maybe one day I’ll get the nerve to share. Under that, the green journal with colorful polka dots is my actual journal. It’s where I write thoughts and ideas. Beneath that is a sweet book my hubby gave me: “The Twelve Teas of Inspiration.” He found it in a little tea shop in North Carolina and knew I’d love it since I’m a tea drinker. The last two are cookbooks (yes, I read cookbooks!): Alice Waters’ “The Art of Simple Food,” and “Bake! Essential Techniques for Perfect Baking.” The baking book is both fun and dangerous. When I sat down at my desk the other morning, I decided I couldn’t work until I’d made a batch of biscuits. Gotta feed the muse. Or so she says.

Now, let’s move to the far right side of the desk:

First, there’s the cool Eiffel Tower mug my friend Caroline gave me (completing my trilogy of favorite gifts); next to that is a mini chest of drawers in which I stash all sorts of treasures and office supplies. That yellow thing hanging from one of the drawers is an origami monkey my daughter made for me. On top of the chest, I keep a tin of Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Crème (the best stuff in the world), there’s a red marble heart that a dear friend gave me (oh, gosh, make that a quartet of favorites); and I always have at least two tubes of Burt’s Bees lip balm within reach (I guess you can’t really see those things in the photo, but they’re always present). Directly in front of the chest (that small, square object) is a tiny music box that plays “Moon River.” It’s one of those little gizmos with a crank handle. I like to play with it when I’m stuck in the middle of a scene. It usually pulls me out of the mire. Then, there’s my mouse pad with writer’s a pep talk: “I am a writer. I will finish this book because I have the skill, talent, energy, and courage to do so. And when the demons of self-doubt rear their ugly heads, I will shout them down with words. Because I am a writer.” If that fails, I go back to cranking out “Moon River.” Next to that is my “Words Are The Voice of The Heart” coaster and a little yellow glass dish with French writing on it : Petit Cours Botanique, which, according to Altavista Translator, means “Small Botanical Course.” Finally, in front of that is the folder with my notes and charts and outline for my work in progress.

Before you leave, I’d like to introduce you to my officemate, Marie. She has a little bed in the office. When she’s not sleeping or yowling at me for food (not biscuits) and attention, she masquerades as my muse. But don’t tell my dog, Samantha, because she thinks SHE’S my muse. Then they’ll fight. Seriously, they’re worse than children and I love them both that much.

This has been fun! Thanks for stopping by.