The Jaunty Quills are thrilled to welcome Marie Ferrarella to the sisterhood today. She and I are chatting about her new book, FORTUNE’S VALENTINE BRIDE, the second book in the brand new Special Edition series Fortunes of Texas – Whirlwind Romance.

Nancy: Welcome, Marie! Please tell us about your latest book.

Marie: In a nutshell, it’s about a woman who has been in love with the hero forever. She even went to college and majored in business so that she could come to work for him and show him how indispensable she was to him (men can be so dumb). When the hero has his near-death experience, he decides to live life to the fullest, which in his case means winning the woman he let slip though his fingers in college. He comes up with a campaign to make her fall in love with him and to help him, he decides to utilize the heroine. He uses her as his sounding board. Because she loves him and wants him to be happy, the heroine goes along with this—much to the horror of her best friend, the hero’s sister.

NRT: What life lessons do the hero and heroine of FORTUNE’S VALENTINE BRIDE learn before they earn their happily ever after?

MF: The hero discovers that what you wish for doesn’t always turn out to be what you actually want. In his case, he thought the woman he’d been with in college was the woman of his dreams—but she was everything he didn’t want—and the woman who could make his dreams come true was right there beside him all along (Like the Taylor Swift song You belong with me).  As for the heroine, she realizes that wishing and hoping that the man she loves will come to his senses and realize that she’s his perfect match isn’t “just” going to happen. She has to take a proactive stance with him.  And, in the end, she does.

NRT: Why will readers enjoy this story?

MF: Ah, it’s the eternal girl-next-door-in-love-with-the-handsome-but-blind-popular-boy  story—with enjoyable banter (I hope).  We always root for the girl next door because most of us arethat girl. And who doesn’t love a happy ending?

NRT: Why will they enjoy the Fortunes of Texas series?

MF: This particular installment of the Fortunes of Texas series deals with the family coming to terms with and recovering from having a near-death experience because of a storm and Mother Nature’s wrath. They’ve all gone through an ordeal and we watch how that ordeal has affected them and how it makes them grow as people.

NRT: Marie, you are amazingly prolific. You write for three different Harlequin lines, and you have books out every month this year. How in the world do you do it?

MF: I don’t sleep—and there are family members stuck to my kitchen floor.  (Okay, maybe I exaggerated the last part, but I only sleep between 4 and 5 hours a night). By my standards, I’m slower than I used to be because back when my kids were little, I took care of them, my husband (men require care and feeding and occasional watering) the dog, the house and my mother-in-law who lived with us and needed to be taken to most of the doctors in the lower half of the state.  Still got the husband and the dog, the kids are mostly taking care of themselves, my mother in law still requires daily servitude, but sadly, my house no longer looks as if it belongs to Martha Stewart. All I can say is if I wasn’t lucky enough to have editors and a publisher who want me, I’d still be writing and trying to find a market—it’s an addiction.  I love escaping into the worlds I create and having a scene come together or a page of dialogue “pop” is one of the greatest natural highs I’ve ever had.

NRT: What was your journey to becoming a romance writer?

MF: It was a very bumpy journey fraught with self-doubt.  I collected my first rejection slip from Children’s Digest at 11 and enough rejection slips after that to decorate two of the walls at Grand Central Station. I wrote musicals, historicals, teleplays, poetry, you name it, I wrote it—the only thing I’d never written was a flat out romance because I’d never read one. The agent I had suggested I try my hand at that. I did and we sold my first book 4 months later (November 15^th to be exact).  My agent called to tell me the good news—and my then 3 year old daughter threw up all over the kitchen floor right after I hung up. Things like that keep you grounded.

NRT: What advice do you have for aspiring romance writers?

MF: The best piece of advice I can give them is to never give up. If you believe in yourself and want this badly enough, hang in there no matter what anyone says. I had an English teacher in college spend half an hour once telling me that anyone who ever said I had any talent in writing had lied to me;  and the editor who eventually bought my first book at Silhouette initially told my agent she really didn’t like my writing (I have the letter to prove it). She also told me (after buying several Desires) that I didn’t have what it took to write a larger book (like a Special Edition). But you see, you never say never in this business and if an editor says “No” take it as a “Maybe” and keep hammering at Heaven’s door. It’ll open eventually if you just keep trying (and don’t pay attention to your bleeding knuckles).

Born in West Germany, arrived in the U.S. at four, I began writing when I was eleven. I began selling many years after that. Along the way, I acquired a Masters in Shakespearean Comedy from Queens College in N.Y, a husband and two kids (in that order)—the dog came later. My first romance was bought by Second Chance At Love November of 1981. The road from there to here has two hundred and six more sales to it. I’ve been published by Silhouette, Harlequin, Zebra, Harper, Bantam and Berkeley. I’ve been fortunate enough to have received several Rita nominations from the Romance Writers of America Association over the years, with one win for FATHER GOOSE (in the Traditional Romance Category). I’ve also been nominated several times in various categories by Romantic Times Magazine.  I hope to be found one day—many, many years from now—slumped over my computer, writing to the last moment. But before then, I would dearly love to write a successful screenplay. My goal has always been to entertain.

I saw this game on Facebook and thought it would be fun to play here since we love authors and books. The Rules: list fifteen authors (poets included) who’ve influenced you and made an impression. Don’t take too long to think about it. List the first fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes.

Here’s my COOL FIFTEEN list:

VICTOR HUGO – For LES MISÉRABLES alone Hugo will always be on my best-loved list.

EMILE ZOLA – Nineteenth century France is one of my passions. So many things about that period speak to me – the Impressionist painters, post-Haussmann Paris, the literature… One of my favorite writers is Emile Zola. Like Hugo, Zola provides a vivid window into this world.

JANE AUSTEN – What’s not to love about the original romance writer and her body of work?

F. SCOTT FITZGERALD – Nick Carraway had me at chapter one. When I reached the end of GATSBY, I was hungry for more Fitzgerald.

ALICE HOFFMAN – She’s brilliant with magical realism.

SYLVIA PLATH – The way she weaves words and turns phrases brings me to my knees. In my book, she’s a literary goddess.

JK ROWLING – Harry, Ron and Hermione are like personal friends.

DOROTHEA BENTON FRANK – She speaks to the southern girl in me. I want to be her when I grow up.

TRACY CHEVALIER – The beauty of her smart books takes my breath away.

NORA ROBERTS – Nora is the one who made me want to write romance. Her well-crafted storied still sweep me away.
As an author, one of the perks of the job is meeting other writers and getting to know them beyond the pages of their books. It’s only natural that some of my favorite authors have become my friends. I dedicate this portion of “15 Cool Authors” to them:

KATHERINE GARBERA – Kathy was the very first published author I met…way back when. We became acquainted through our local RWA chapter. Since then, she’s became one of my very best friends. I’ll never forget the day I met Kathy. It was my first RWA chapter meeting. I was nervous and unsure of why I was even there. It just happened that on that same day, Kathy walked in with the cover of her very first book (THE BACHELOR NEXTDOOR wasn’t even out yet and she’d just received the cover flat). I was awe struck. Standing right in front of me was a living, breathing author, who was so talented, yet so personable and approachable. She made me feel as if I’d always been part of the chapter. Her smart, sassy prose hooked me from the get go and her sweet personality has made her friend for life.

CINDY KIRK – Cindy and I met at my first RWA conference. Synchronicity had a hand in our friendship when by chance we found ourselves at the same luncheon table two days in a row (amid 2,000 women and no assigned seats). We were both unpublished, but dogged determined to change that. We became fast friends and corresponded over the years – mind you, this was pre-email, back in the prehistoric days of the telephone and letter.  Now, Cindy is not only a good friend, she’s my plotting and brainstorming partner. Her books are fun and heartfelt and I always look forward to reading her next release.

CATHERINE KEAN – Catherine writes rich, beautiful historical romances. I’ve always described Catherine’s books as “jewel boxes” full of exquisite treasures. Her beautiful touch has influenced my work, too, since she’s been my critique partner for fourteen years.

KATHLEEN O’BRIEN – Kathleen is the wise woman in my life. She has such a poetic soul that radiates from the pages of her books. She was an established author when I met her. Now, I am so very fortunate to call her a friend and brainstorming partner.

KRISTAN HIGGINS – Kristan is fabulously funny and talented, and she has one of the most generous spirits of any writer I’ve met. Her Rita-winning novel “Catch of the Day” was the one that hooked me. Now, I count the days until next Kristan Higgins release.

So, there you have it…my Cool 15. I’m dying to hear who’s on your list. Since I’m celebrating being part of a group of six more very cool authors who have each crafted books in the latest FORTUNES OF TEXAS series (I’m book five out of the six-book series – book one launched this month. My title FORTUNE’S UNEXPECTED GROOM will be released in May 2012), I will give away the first two titles in the FORTUNES OF TEXAS series: Karen Templeton’s FORTUNE’S CINDERELLA and Marie Ferrarella’s FORTUNE’S VALENTINE BRIDE to one lucky person who posts their own 15 Cool Authors list.

This month, Rita-winning author Karen Templeton kicks of the latest Harlequin Special Edition series: THE FORTUNES OF TEXAS…WHIRLWIND ROMANCE. Her book, FORTUNE’S CINDERELLA, is the first of six books in the continuing saga of one of the compelling Fortune family.

* So glad you could join us today, Karen, where did you get the idea for FORTUNE’S CINDERELLA?

From Harlequin’s editorial department, actually. <g> Since FC is part of the ongoing Fortunes of Texas continuity series for Special Edition, I was given a brief overview of the storyline, as well as the character types, which I then expanded on to make them “mine.” Kind of like an actor getting a script (only I then had to write the script, too!).

* Tell us about the hero of the book? Why will we fall in love with him?

Interestingly, I tend to write mostly blue-collar or “everyday” heroes, so writing a rich dude is a stretch. A fun stretch, but a stretch. Scott Fortune was originally supposed to be on the alpha side, too…but that’s even more of a stretch for me than the wealthy thing! It’s the betas that make my knees weak! However, there’s a lot to be said for the alpha protective streak, too…and boy, is Scott protective. To the point where he’s willing to put his posterior on the line with his family in order to take care of the heroine – and how can you not fall in love with someone who does that? But what makes him even more swoon-worthy is that, for all he’s used to manipulating people and events to make things go his way, he quickly learns that the business of love doesn’t work that way…and that sometimes you have to let things unfold however they’re going to. You know, let the other person call the shots some times? A good man, that Scott.

* Tell us about the heroine? Why is she the perfect woman for the hero?

Christina Hastings really is a modern-day Cinderella, a snack bar waitress living in a seedy apartment complex (with her trusty sidekick, Gumbo, a hound who lives to love) while she’s struggling to finish up her college degree before she turns eighty. But although she has little in the way of material things, she’s got enough spirit for ten people…as well as an unshakeable conviction that if you don’t go after what you really want in life, what’s the point of living? Which makes Scott – who’s spent way too many years doing what’s been expected of him, not necessarily what’s best for him – reassess a thing or six. And fall in love in the process.

* What life lessons do your H/H have to learn before they can find their happily-ever-after?

This story is all about letting go of preconceived notions, of who we are and what we think we deserve…or not. That you can’t talk the talk about life being too short to go after your dreams, and then be afraid to take a chance on what could be the biggest blessing you’ll ever know.

* Is there any particular significance in the setting?

Since the entire series has been set in and around fictional Red Rock, Texas, I didn’t get to make up that part. J However, I did find a whole lot of symbolism in those wide open spaces, especially for big-city boy Scott – who decides to trade all those imposed expectations for what, in comparison, feels like infinite possibilities.

* If this is part of a continuity, tell us about your experience working on connected stories with other authors.

In my case, working with the other authors – Marie Ferrarella, Judy Duarte, Nancy Robards Thompson, Susan Crosby and Allison Leigh – was an absolute delight. We have a great time brainstorming plot points and character details with each other, and in my mind at least, this is going to be the Best. Series. Ever. LOL!

* What was the most difficult scene for you to write?

Oh, man – the first three chapters? Take an entire family, add a huge supporting cast, toss in a tornado and an aftermath hospital scene with literally three dozen speaking parts…oy. I *never* write opening scenes with that many people, but in this case, because I was setting up the whole series, I had no choice. All I could do was try to visualize it from a cinematic standpoint, then write it all out as succinctly as possible. Early feedback has been very positive, but shoot me if I ever willing do something like that again! <g>

* Can you share if there were any real-life inspirations for a particular scene or character in the book?

Gumbo! We have our own little hound mix – named Petey – who looks like somebody stuck a beagle head on a corgi body. And he’s every bit as nuts – and as lovestruck – as Gumbo. And the Art Department even put a dog who looks like him on the back cover. Score!

* What do you feel are some of your strengths as a writer and how did those show up in this particular book?

I realized early on I have a pretty good ear for speech patterns/syntax, which make it easier to “hear” my characters – and once I do, they pretty much tell their own stories. It took no time at all to hear Christina, although Scott took a bit more work. But once I did, their dialogue – especially in their first big scene together, when they’re trapped in the rubble after the tornado – just flowed. Very fun scene to write.

* Any interesting tidbits of information you discovered while researching this book?

Yeah. That San Antonio – the general area where the book is set – rarely gets tornadoes. Oops. So we all had to work that fact into the overall storyline to make it plausible!

* Why will readers enjoy this book?

Because Scott is yummy and Christina is adorable and Gumbo is a hoot and a half. <g>

Please leave a comment or ask Karen a question for a chance to win a copy of FORTUNE’S CINDERELLA!

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Since 1998, two-time RITA award winner Karen Templeton has written more than 35 heart-tugging, family-centric romances for Harlequin. An east coast native, she’s called New Mexico home for more than 25 years, where she lives with an ever-changing number of her five sons, two dogs, two cats, and the world’s oldest Beta fish.

No matter how busy the holidays get, I always carve out time to do some baking. Sugar cookies, gingerbread and seven layer cookies are standard Christmas favorites in our house. My mother-in-law is the reigning Queen of the Snickerdoodles.  But this year, in addition to making our old favorites, I decided to try some new recipes. I’ve been inspired by the new Special Edition series I’m working on, tentatively called, Celebrations, Inc.  It’s about a group of friends who open a catering company. Each book features a heroine with a different role within the company. Currently, I’m working on the book that features the pastry chef, which is perfect for this time of year. Not only is my baking fun and festive, it also serves as research and development for my work. Doesn’t that sound like good justification?

Here are is one of the new recipes I tried. Don’t tell anyone, but it’s ridiculously fast and simple to make. The couple of times I’ve served it, it’s been a big hit.

Almond-Cherry-Chocolate Bark

INGREDIENTS:

Parchment paper

3/4 cup almonds

12 oz dark chocolate, divided

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup dried tart cherries

PREPARATION

Heat oven to 350°. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toast 3/4 cup whole skin-on almonds until fragrant and light gold, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely; transfer to a bowl. Fill a medium saucepan with 1 inch water; bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Set a large heatproof bowl atop saucepan, making sure water doesn’t touch bottom of bowl. Place 10 oz dark chocolate (60 percent to 70 percent cocoa) in bowl; cook, stirring, until smooth. Remove bowl from saucepan; add another 2 oz dark chocolate and stir until smooth. Stir in 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract, toasted almonds and 1/3 cup dried tart cherries, coarsely chopped. Pour onto baking sheet; spread into an even layer about 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate until firm, 1 hour. Break into 24 pieces.

What are you baking this holiday these days?

A few weeks ago, a blogger asked the Jaunty Quills to participate in an event where authors shared a favorite book they were reading. I wanted to participate in the worst way, but I’d just finished a deadline for a Special Edition continuity, which went quickly into edits and by the time I contacted the blogger, the calendar for that event was full.  I was so disappointed because I happened to be reading UNTIL THERE WAS YOU, by our very own Kristan Higgins, and I was looking forward to dishing about this book because it’s so darn wonderful!

Kristan first hooked me with her Rita winner CATCH OF THE DAY. That was shortly before we became Jaunty Quill sisters. Since then, I’ve devoured every single one of her books. Needless to say, I was counting the days until I could get my hands on UNTIL THERE WAS YOU.

What a treat! In vintage Kristan style, she had me laughing out loud, rooting for quirky, loveable Cordelia “Posey” Osterhagen and drooling over misunderstood bad boy Liam Murphy. I’m a sucker for a reunion story – especially when it goes to the tune of girl falls for boy, boy barely realizes girl exists; boy and girl grow into man and woman and finally get it right.   However, even after widowed father Liam brings his teenage daughter home to the town where he grew up, he and Posey still have a lot of baggage to unload and roadblocks to break through…baggage in the form of a terrible misunderstanding at the prom that left Posey brokenhearted and roadblocks in the form of Posey’s buxom, quasi-celebrity cousin who always seems to be in the way.

It makes me smile even thinking about  the book.  It also has me thinking… We all have at least one “Liam” lurking in our past (even if it didn’t lead to a happily ever after).  Tell me about your “Liam.” Did you ever see him again? Did it end up working out or did it remain a case of unrequited love/lust?  I will choose one lucky winner from those who post to receive a copy of Kristan’s UNTIL THERE WAS YOU so you, too, can get lost in this fabulous book.

Thanksgiving is two short weeks away. Have you started thinking about your menu? We usually keep things pretty traditional at Chez Thompson –  Turkey, dressing, sweet and mashed potatoes, green beans and my favorite part of the meal – cranberry orange relish made from scratch. No canned cranberry gel, for us, thank you.

To get us in the spirit of the season, I thought it might be nice to do a Jaunty Quills recipe swap. What’s your favorite Thanksgiving dish? Please post the recipe below.

Here’s mine:

Cranberry Orange Relish

1 pound fresh cranberries, picked over and washed

1 1/3 cups sugar (adjust to taste)

½ cup water

½ cup orange juice

2 tsp grated orange rind

Grand Marnier to taste (optional, but it gives a very nice kick)

½ cup blanched almonds, slivered (optional)

1. Combine all the ingredients (except the almonds and Grand Marnier) in a saucepan and cook until the cranberries pop open (about 7 minutes)
2. Skim the foam from the surface and stir in the Grand Marnier. Just before serving, stir in the almonds if desired.

Can’t wait to see what’s on your table. Bon Appetite!

I read a bittersweet news story earlier this week. It was about a couple, who had been married for 72 years and how they died within an hour of each other… holding hands.  Even their kids said that while they were sad to lose both parents, they couldn’t imagine one living on without the other. Sounds like a love story, doesn’t it?

Apparently, a lot of people believe in the power of true love…or at least that true love exists. Nearly 90,000 people responded to a poll that accompanied the news story. It asked if they believe in true love. A whopping 63, 411 people (71%) said, “Yes, I’ve found it;” 19,781 people (22%) said, “Yes, I’m still looking;”  2,206 (2%) said, “No, I don’t believe;” and 3,386 (4%) said they weren’t sure.

Here at the Jaunty Quills, talking about true love is sort of like preaching to the choir. Still, even though we’re all fans of romance, how would you have answered that poll? Do you believe in true love?

I used to be cool. Not the too-cool-for-school variety, but as a child of the 80s, I knew my way around slang and jargon. As a writer, words are the tool of my trade. So, it’s my job to know words inside and out. Especially slang.

As a traditionalist, I’m not a big fan of cutting-edge slang. Although, I do like being in the know. So, I’ve prided myself on keeping up with the lingo of the moment. Even though I might not say, “Whoa, dude, that was totally rad…” I know what someone means if they say it. If I wanted to I could have a character toss around slang and still sound…like… totally righteous and awesome. Right? No duh!  So, what’s my damage? Well, it seems that one day recently I woke up terminally uncool. Obviously, my pass to everything current and hip had expired and nobody had bothered to send me a renewal notice.  I became aware of my condition one afternoon when I was talking to my daughter about someone who had gotten mad about something and I said he was raging.

Dear Daughter gave me a weird look. “He was doing what?”

I repeated, “He was so mad. He was raging on and on about…”

She said, “Mom, you’re not using that word right. Raging means to party very hard. He must not have been too mad if he was raging. Hahahaha….”

I told her to look it up in the dictionary. Raging: 1: adj. Showing violent anger.

DD replied, “Right. Look up the definition of cool in the dictionary.” She takes out her smart phone and pulls up the reference (as more dust collects on the Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary on the shelf in my office). “First reference: adj. Moderately cold; lacking in warmth. Yet, you still use it to describe a high degree of acceptability. So, obviously, raging can mean to party hard even if it’s not the first reference in the dictionary.”

Touché.

A few days later, it happened again. This time with the word trolling. I used it in the in the form that someone was trolling or fishing for information. DD pointed out, that while my usage was almost correct, it missed the mark a little.  Apparently, these days trolling means the act of purposefully antagonizing other people on the internet.

Starting to see a pattern in my slang slippage, I looked up trolling on UrbanDictionary.com (sorry, Webster’s). I discovered not only was my daughter correct, but UrbanDictionary.com went on to explain, “When trolling in a moderated internet community, this can result in banning. When done to uptight people, this can result in hilarity.”

Umm…I’m not uptight. Really, I’m not. I’m cool (Mind you, I was never  groovy  or a hepcat, because that was antiquated slang from generations before mine and it sounded so dated… insert eye-roll here). Fearing, I too, had fallen down the slippery slope of back in my day, I want to expand my verbal horizons.

I opened my ears and started listening… to current song lyrics, dialogue on some reality shows and even eavesdropped on some conversations. I quickly realized there’s a new vernacular out there and somehow I missed the update. What I found particularly interesting is some words have morphed and changed so much that they mean exactly the opposite of what I once knew.  No, my pop-cultural lapse does not automatically label me a noob (Ha! Do you know what that means? Don’t worry, I didn’t either. But you’ll find out if you keep reading…)

Here’s a list of 15 current slang words that I didn’t know (but I do now, thanks to my new essential reference site UrbanDictionary.com):

1.  Dog

UrbanDictionary:  A friend of the same sex, usually male.

Nancy Robards Thompson: Actually, I’d heard this one before. Who hasn’t if you watch American Idol? Randy Jackson even calls the girls dogs. I included it because it struck me as funny since back in my day calling a girl a dog was a terrible insult.

2. Ridiculous

UD: Something that is at the top level of greatness, insanity, or beauty.

NRT: Well, in my book, that’s just ridiculous.

3. Buck  

UD: Something awesome or so ridiculous that it is unbelievably cool.

NRT: In my vocabulary a buck has always been a male deer or antelope.

4.  Swag

UD: Great appearance or style; the way a person presents himself.

NRT: To me, swag is something you do to drapery.

5.  Pwned

UD: This originated in an online game called Warcraft, where a map designer misspelled “owned.” When the computer beat a player, it was supposed to say, so-and-so “has been owned.”

NRT: Hello, map designer. Meet spell check.

6.  Fresh

UD: something that is acceptable and highly approved by someone.

NRT: Sorry, to me fresh will forever reference hygiene or food.

7.  Fly

UD: Cool in style.

NRT: Ah! See, this really means cool. Cool! Some words are timeless.

8. Tight  

UD: Stylish, cool, hip having everything together.

NRT: Tight = My jeans after a chocolate binge.

9. Shiznitz

UD: The coolest, awsomest thing you could ever think of. This thing is beyond the coolest thing you can think of.

NRT: Umm…?

10. Off the Hook

UD:  Referring to something so fresh, cool or happening that it’s literally right off the store shelf.

NRT: In my world, Off the Hook refers to barely escaping an undesirable situation.

 11.   Noob

UD: A noob is someone that lacks intelligence* or common sense.

NRT: Funny thing, the noobs at UrbanDictionary.com spelled it “intellegance*.”  I edited the above.

12. Bananas

UD: A slang word derived from the old saying “bananas” used to describe someone that was crazy. Used now to describe anything in style or cool.

NRT: I’ve heard this one before, too. Celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe pronounces it BUH-nanas.

13. Sick

UD: Now used as the newest word to replace cool. Something that you’ve never seen before that is interesting, cool, new.

NRT: Here’s another word that’s taken a 180 degree turn. I can’t recall a time when it was ever cool to be sick.  Except for now, apparently.

14. Dope

UD: another word for cool.

NRT: Dope = drugs; what’s cool about that?

15.  PHAT (my personal favorite)

UD:  an acronym meaning Pretty. Hot. And. Tempting.

NRT: So if you call a woman PHAT, you’re paying her a compliment…? But you better make it perfectly clear whether you’re saying PHAT or fat.

Are there any words that have stumped you lately?

Did you know there are 99 days left in the year? Yep, we’ve left the triple digits and before you know it, we’ll be staring down the barrel of 2012. A bright, shiny new year usually means fresh resolutions. But since we still have 99 days to go, it seems like a good opportunity to take stock.  So dust off that list of goals and see where you stand:

*Which goals have you achieved this year?

*Are you happy with your progress so far?

*Which goals need attention?

*What do you need to do to accomplish your goals?

Whether you want to lose weight, learn a new language, begin training for a marathon, or start (or finish) that novel you’ve been longing to write, it’s not too late! You can accomplish a lot in 99 days. Break the steps toward your goal into tiny, manageable daily tasks. If you devote even a little attention to your dreams every day, you’ll be surprised by what you can accomplish.

So, how did you do? How did your goal review shake down?

My family is so important to me.  The concept of family makes its way into just about every book I write. The book I’m writing for the Fortunes of Texas series (An Unexpected Fortune, May 2012) is all about family dynamics, as is my three-book Special Edition series, which will hit the shelves toward the end of next year. I’m working on a proposal for a juicy southern family saga. Naturally, all this writing and research about family has me thinking a lot about where my people came from.

A good friend of mine can trace her family tree all the way back to Henri II, of France and Charlemagne. I was enthralled and envious to hear this. I’ve always wanted to know my ancestry, but short of urging my retired father, who’s busier now than when he was doing the 9-5 grind, to take up the project, I’ve never done much toward that end ( in all my spare time ). But having heard about my friend’s roots, I’m once again inspired to learn about my lineage.   Plus, I’m convinced that this friend and I must be distant cousins since we both have relatives from the Ozarks – could those roots stretch all the way back to France? Maybe that would explain why I’m such a Francophile.

Several years before my grandmother passed away, I asked her to write down the birth dates and deaths of as many relatives a she could remember. But even she could only recall four or five generations. I wish I had time to take up the project, but since I don’t, my goal is to busy my father with solving the puzzle of our past.

Have you ever traced your family tree or do you know of anyone who has? Any interesting findings?  Any good tips on how to start the process and what to expect along the way?