When I was growing up, our family didn’t travel much.  Translation: not at all.

Other kids would talk about going to Disneyland or the Grand Canyon and I would just sigh.  Because from the time I was a little girl, I wanted to travel.  I didn’t fly on an airplane until I was 19 when I went to visit a friend who had moved to Chicago.

As an adult I’ve made a special effort to visit places that I longed to visit as a child.  Granted, Cinderella’s Castle doesn’t quite have the same magic when you’re no longer little, but I enjoyed it.  Until the past week, I’d never been to the Grand Canyon.  When I’d tell people that, they’d look at me strangely.

No longer.   When I made plans to visit a friend in Tucson and mentioned that I’d never been to the Grand Canyon, she said “We’ll have to do a day trip there.”  I saw that big hole and was filled with awe.  It was so incredible I almost couldn’t believe it was real.

It didn’t matter that I wasn’t seeing it as a child.  I actually think that I appreciated the view more as an adult!

Have you been to the Grand Canyon?  What did you think?

If you’ve never been there, where have you been that took your breath away?  I’d really like to know.

I thought it might be fun for you to see where I write.  Okay, so I had an ulterior motive.  Taking pictures of my work area forced me to do some much needed “Spring” cleaning. 

Just to be clear, my work area isn’t always messy, but it can get that way fast when I’m approaching a deadline.  This might be a good chance to show you how I keep track of my deadlines.   Yeah, a white board.  I’m real high tech.

A little history first.  I started writing in 1996 and sold my first book in 1999.  For those first few years, my “office” was a corner in the bedroom. The computer was on a lower shelf (not a desk) and on the shelf above it was a dot matrix printer.  When the paper came out of the printer, it would either A) fall on the floor, B) fall on my head or C) I would catch each sheet.  Ahhhh, the good old days.

Shortly around the time that I sold, we did some home remodeling and what should have been a spare bedroom became my office. I’ve included several pictures for your viewing pleasure.  The first is my computer.   You’ll notice the laser printer to one side.  It prints SEVENTEEN pages per minute and NONE of those pages fall on my head.  I consider this exceptional progress.

When I moved from the corner to the spare bedroom-turned-office, I decided my book covers would be my office art.    Thankfully I continued to sell (30 sales and counting) or my walls would have been pretty bare.  I also keep a copy of all my books, including all the foreign editions in a bookcase in my office.  If you have eagle eyes and notice all the children’s books…yes, I have a collection of books from my childhood.  They never fail to make me smile when I see them.  So many good memories.

I’ve got a good amount of desk space when it’s not cluttered with papers and post-it notes that I write to myself to remind me of different points in my current work-in-progress.

 Unfortunately some of my desk space is taken up by my office cat, Oreo.     I wish I could say she’s a big help, but she’s really more of a hindrance.  She sits in front of my monitor, sprawls on my papers and kicks my notes off the desktop.  But I love her anyway.

What I really like about my office space is it feels like home to me.  I can sit down at any of the day or night and do what I love to do best…write.  It doesn’t get any better!

I’m curious.  Do you have an office area at home?  Or a special place you like to read?

When I was a little girl, if I didn’t like the end to a book, movie or television show I simply rewrote it in my head.  For a long time I thought everyone did that.  It wasn’t until later when I mentioned it to several friends that none of them did.

But that’s not what I want to talk about today.  I’m sure all of us have read a book, watched a movie or TV show and felt dissatisfied by the way it ended.

For me it happened recently when I watched the movie about the life of Margaret Thatcher.

While I thought Meryl Streep did a fantastic portrayal, I found myself wishing the film had stopped when Margaret Thatcher was on top of her game.  She’d been such a strong, confident and proud woman and I hated to see her decline into dementia.  Yes, I know it was realistic, but I have to believe that’s not how she would like to be remembered.

I say this from personal experience.  Before he passed away my father had a series of strokes that left him confused and not himself.  It took me years after he died to begin to remember him as he was for most of my life and not how he was for those last few years.  I know without a doubt that he would have wanted me to remember the neat-as-a-pin, kind, animal lover who never had a harsh word to say about anyone rather than the cantankerous man who had to be prodded regarding personal hygiene and once called his doctor a “quack” to his face.

Anyway, I’d be interested in hearing your stories about an ending you wished you could change.  You don’t have to say how you would change it,  just what about the ending left you dissatisfied.

Everyone who comments will be put in a drawing to receive a copy of a book Harlequin sent me by mistake.  It’s two books in one.  The Baby connection by Dawn Atkins and The One She Left Behind by Kristi Gold.  They were sending me my copies of a 2 in 1 Mills and Boon had put out of my book, If The Ring Fits and I got this one interspersed with my copies.

Their mistake could be your gain!  I’ll draw the winner Sunday night from all those who’ve commented, so check back then!

One of the ways that we get to know a person is to know what they like.  So, I’m going to list ten things I like so that you can get to know me better.

If you list ten things you like, I can get to get to know you better AND you’ll be entered into a drawing to win your choice of one of the many, many books I’ve picked up at some recent conferences.

Cindy’s Likes:

1. The Hunger Games (books and movie)

2. Twilight (books and movie)

3. Country Music

4. Contemporary Christian Music

5. Writing

6. Reading

7. Top Three Favorite Movies: Pretty Woman, Never Been Kissed, Clueless

8.  Top Four Favorite TV Shows (I couldn’t decide on only 3) : NCIS, NCIS Los Angeles, Castle, Person of Interest

9.  Top Three Favorite Romance Sub-Genres (I couldn’t decide on only 3): Contemporary, Historical, Inspirational, YA

10. Favorite dogs- my blue heeler, Shug and my Shih Tzu, Ernie

It’s an everyone-who’s-already-posted-wins-weekend!

Kanriah wins The Doctor’s Not-So-Little Secret!

Everyone else wins Jackson Hole Valentine (but let me know if you already have it!)

Just go to my website and email me your snail mail addy and I’ll get the books in the mail.

Thanks for all the great comments! 

This week, my Harlequin Special Edition “The Doctor’s Not-So-Little Secret” is on the shelves!  I’m excited.  It’s my twenty-sixth book for Harlequin (but who’s counting? lol) and the sixth book in my RX of Love mini-series set in Jackson Hole.

I thought you might find some of the research I had to do in connection with this book interesting.

1. I looked at adoption.  Because Chloe (the child in the book) is adopted, I had to familiarize myself with all the different types (closed, open, semi-open) to see what kind would work best with the plot.

2. Private adoption across state lines.  Since the heroine lived in a different part of the country before, I needed to know what states allow you to have a child in one state and give the baby to adoptive parents in another?  Even though 99% of the readers wouldn’t know if I’d gotten it wrong, I would know and I wanted to get it right.

3.  Once I figured out the state where the baby would be born, I needed to know where Kate (the heroine) could have been going to school in that state?

4.  Then I looked at what hospital in that part of the state did a lot of deliveries? (one sentence in the whole book and yet I felt I had to know this fact)

5. In the course of the book, there’s an incident with Chloe being injured and her story doesn’t match her father’s story of what happened.  I needed to know what doctors look for in evaluating a pediatric patient for suspected child abuse.

None of these questions were a major part of the plot, but for the story to be realistic and accurate I had to do some digging on the internet.  But I’ve always been interested in increasing my knowledge base. 

From the time I first began to read, I loved books not only for the story but for what I learned while reading them.  From table manners to dog training, it opened up a whole new world to me.

Recently, for example, I was reading Lisa Kleypas’ FABULOUS book “Blue Eyed Devil” and the hero mentioned something about an oil drilling technique called “fracking” and explained what it was to the heroine.  About a month after I read the book, a politician was on the news talking about fracking…and I knew what it was because I read it in a romance novel!

The best part of this learning process is that it’s so pleasurable. 

Read a book.

Learn something new.

It doesn’t get much better (or easier) than that!

I’d be interested in hearing something new you learned from a book.

Everyone who comments will be entered into a drawing to win a copy of “The Doctor’s Not-So-Little Secret.”  I’ll draw THREE winners and post the names Sunday evening….so be sure to post and check back!

Kathryn,

Email me through my website www.cindykirk.com and I’ll get the book in the mail to you!

When a person first starts writing they’re often told to “write what you know.” 

Really?  I don’t know about your life but my life in Nebraska isn’t all that interesting.  I think the comment means we should build on our strengths.  Since I’m an RN, my RX  for Love miniseries for Harlequin Special Edition deals with medical professionals in Jackson Hole.  Makes sense, right?

But for everything I know, there’s so much more I don’t know.  Research is still necessary.  In my book that’s out this month, Jackson Hole Valentine, I had to research dyslexia, since the hero, Cole, is dyslexic.  Then I had to take the research I’d done and sprinkle it in (not shove it down the readers throat) so his experience was both believable and accurate without being a dissertation on dyslexia.

In my book that is out in April, The Doctor’s Not-So-Little Secret, I had to research laws concerning private adoptions.

The book that I’m currently writing (Ryan’s story)–scheduled for February of 2013–I researched Love Tokens.

What is a love token?  In the 18th and 19th centuries, coins personalized for a sweetheart were given as an expression of love.  Sometimes, if the groom didn’t have much money, the love token was given in lieu of a ring when proposing.  Often these coins were engraved with the loved one’s initials, or their name or with a saying.

For my coin, I had it decorated with ivy and hearts and the French words ”Vous et Nul Autre” which means ”You and No Other.”  This saying plays into the story line.

These love tokens (coins) were usually carried by the woman throughout her marriage.  Often a hole was added and it was worn around the neck, or a pin back was added and it was worn near the heart.   Here’s an example of one:

As a writer, I love to learn new things while doing research and as a reader I still enjoy learning something new each time I read a book.  This week I’ll be giving away a copy of  Sarah Wendell’s book “Everything I Know About Love I Learned From Romance Novels.” 

To be entered into the drawing all you have to do is comment and tell me something you learned from a reading a romance novel.  I can’t wait to hear what you’ve learned!

The Romance Writers of America commissioned an organization to do a reader survey.  The results were very interesting.

For example, in the section which asked readers how they discover new authors, the top three responses were:

1. Recommendations from family and friends

2. Browsing in a bookstore

3. Store display

I considered these responses and realize they hold true for me.  When I was at the Seattle conference last fall, everyone was talking about the Hunger Games.  What did I do?  Went out on my Kindle and purchased the book.  I discovered it was every bit as good as everyone said it was….

I’ve also been known to browse in stores, looking in the romance section for a title that hooks me, then a back cover copy that reels me in.

There was another section that asked about established authors.  For books by established authors, the top three reasons readers bought these authors’ books were:

1. Enjoyed previous books

2. Part of a series

3. Back cover copy

Again, back to my own experience.  I enjoyed the first Hunger Games book immensely.  So, what did I do?  Yep, went out and bought the last two.  I read one of Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series and liked it.  What did I do?  Read all the others.

Which leads me to wonder…is blogging and tweeting and having  a Facebook presence a good use of an author’s time?  Or would the author be better off simply writing more books?  What do you think?

Personally I enjoy blogging and tweeting and connection with people on Facebook.  But if I didn’t….

Does this survey hold true for you?  Is this how you choose books?  I’d really like to know.

And don’t forget, if you’re looking for a fun read, my book Jackson Hole Valentine is on the shelves now!

The Jaunty Quills are happy to welcome Cyndi D’Alba!

This post is proudly a stop on the TEXAS TWO STEP Blog Tour. For a complete listing of all stops on this tour, please visit here. All contests are for U.S. residents only unless otherwise noted. Comments left on this blog will be counted toward the Texas Two Step Faithful Follower Gift Certificate. To see a complete listing of Blog Tour Prizes, click here.

Ever since I heard this vicious rumor about Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, I’ve decided that we cannot be friends. I know, I know. It is shocking that I would rebuff any friendship overtures from Her Grace, but I’m afraid I must. So what has she done that is so heinous? One word…PANTYHOSE. She’s wearing pantyhose on all public appearances. And you’re thinking, so what? Here’s what…fashion authorities say she is single-handedly bringing pantyhose back into fashion. No! Say it ain’t so, but alas and alack (I threw that in for your historical writers!) it appears to be.

When I was growing up, girls were not allowed to wear pants (including jeans) to school. We were restricted to skirts and dresses. (Why yes, this was the dark ages. Why do you ask?) Through the sixth grade, all the girls wore shorts under our skirts. How else could we do flips and climbs on the monkey bars without the boys seeing our pretty white panties?

When we graduated from elementary school to junior high in the seventh grade (now called middle school), shorts were left behind with all our other childish ways and we started wearing nylon stockings, complete with a girdle(!) and garters, not that any of us needed a girdle. (As a side note, my favorite girdle was purple paisley print. I doubt I could get that puppy stretched around my thigh today, much less my hips!) I can still recall the pain of those garters digging into my thighs. Somewhere around eighth grade, pantyhose began showing up in stores. We gladly traded girdles and stockings for the comfort of pantyhose, which remained a staple in my wardrobe for years

Somewhere in the late eighties or early nineties, professional/business women began appearing with tanned, bare legs. I remember seeing a bare-legged Heather Locklear playing a sexy business professional onMelrose Place. At first, I was appalled. After all I was a professional and every day I struggled to pull those tight, thigh squeezing, runner-prone pantyhose up my legs. Pantyhose were considered to be a required article of dress for a female professional.

I tried alternatives like thigh-high hose. Wow. Was that a disaster. Let me just say that thigh-highs were not made for my chubby thighs.

The day finally came when nude legs could be worn in the workplace and a southern woman still be considered professional. I wept with joy on that day. Personally, I believe it should have been a national holiday, but I digress.

In Texas Two Step, my February Samhain debut, the heroine, Olivia wears thigh-highs as part of her wedding attendant attire. Here is a quick excerpt on Olivia’s thoughts about wearing hosiery.

As she hurried through the lobby to the Promenade, her three-inch strappy heels clacked on the white and black tile of the foyer. Hosiery and she were not close friends. Heck, they were barely acquaintances. Normally, she avoided wearing stockings when she could, but for tonight, thigh-high black silk stockings made a sexy swoosh sound as she race-walked. She liked it.

So that’s what the heroine thought. What did my hero, Mitch, think about her thigh-highs?

The sexy swoosh of silk stockings teased him as she neared. He swallowed hard. Mitch’s heart got a beat faster with each step she took, until it raced as she stepped beside him.

And

He stroked fingers along the inside of her thigh, the silk of her stockings tickling and enflaming her flesh at the same time. “Your silk stockings drive me wild,” he said, nibbling along her chin. “Your skin was always silky and smooth. I love to touch you. I’ve always loved to touch you. I loved the way you moaned and twisted at my touch. The way your eyes would glaze over when I stroked you.” His hand moved higher, stopping at the top of the stocking. “But tonight, I want—no, need—to see you in these stockings. These stockings, my necklace and nothing else.” His voice was coarse and guttural and harsh.

So what about you? Did you grow up wearing pantyhose? Girdles and stockings? Thigh-highs? Nude legs? Tell me about your leg coverings.

Today’s TTS Blog Tour Prize

Many guest bloggers can offer a copy of a backlist book to be given away as a potential prize for a blog commenter. As a debut author, I don’t have a backlist. But I do have some awesome author friends who have stepped forward and offered one of their books as a prize. Today’s TTS Blog Tour Author Sponsor is HQ Super Romance Author Liz Talley. Liz will send Vegas Two Step to one lucky person who leaves a comment. To find out more about today’s Blog Tour Sponsor, you can visit her website, Twitter or Facebook.  

To learn more about Cynthia D’Alba check out the links below:

• Her website 
• Friend her on Facebook
• Follow her on Twitter
• Join her and her fans at her group Blog 
• Sign up for inside scoops and special contests by receiving the newsletter she shares with her blog buddies.

Texas Two Step is available for preordering at Samhain, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble and I will be forever in your debt if you would buy it!