I used to love shopping for make-up and beauty items—cleansers, lotions—all the girl things. Then I had my daughter and I didn’t have time to think about me. Now that she’s getting a little older, I find I have time again, and I’ve found some new-to-me beauty items I have to share.

The first is Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips. Have you seen these? Authors Emily McKay and Tracy Wolff turned me on to these at the RT Convention in Chicago. They both had the cutest nails, and when we all exclaimed over them, they told us they were stickers! I had to try them, and I haven’t been disappointed. In fact, they’ve lasted longer than the box claimed they would.

The second find was also due to the RT Convention. The lovely team at Sourcebooks, my publisher, gave each of its authors a swag bag filled with products from Lush. I haven’t been able to try all of them yet, and some of the ones I tried, I didn’t love, but there’s one product, I know I must have more of, and that’s Lush Happy Hippy Shower Gel.

This stuff smells wonderful. It has a clean, grapefruit citrus scent, which is perfect for those early morning, need help waking up showers.

Last, I have to brag about a product I love. I’ve recommended it before. It’s The Naked Bee Hand Salve. This stuff works wonders on dry hands and feet. I cannot live without it.

Okay, your turn. Share your favorite beauty find with us. Since it’s my husband’s birthday (Happy Birthday, Ultimate Sportsfan!), I’ll give one random reader who comments a copy of my latest, The Rogue Pirate’s Bride.

“What’s a Pinaholic?” you might ask…unless you already know about Pinterest, a site where users can “pin” and save images and other media to themed “pinboards.”

Some of my pinboards are themed: Books I Love; Quotes; The Writing Life; Health; Dream Home; Recipes to Try; Work in Progress; and My Book Covers (along with thirty-one others). The wonderful thing about this site is that the possibilities are endless. You can easily set up a board for anything you’d like to gather. Let’s say you’re interested in beekeeping, you can set up a board for that and pin photos, articles and videos about beekeeping.

The idea is that this is a place to easily pin, categorize, organize, share and discover interesting information. The good people of Pinetrest have even developed a  “Pin It” button that you can add to your computer toolbar or header so that when you stumble across something you can push the “Pin It” button and with a couple more clicks you’ve added the item that captured your fancy.

I’d like to believe that Pinterest has helped me cut down on my compulsion to shop online. Instead of “buying,” I add an item to one of my boards. Later, if I absolutely have to have it, I can easily find it and make the purchase.

It’s also great for creative inspiration. I used to make collages of my works in progress so that I could capture the theme and feel of my books. I’d include photos of people who looked like my characters, photos of their houses, their communities – anything that captured the essence of the book. Now, with Pinterest, I just click the “Pin It” button and add photos to my “Work in Progress board.” I used to have to download, print, size and paste these photos to a piece of poster board. Pinterest is a very handy time saver in that regard.

Although, I mus caution you that it’s so much fun that sometimes it’s easy to get absorbed in pinning just one more image… before you know it, hours have gone by. The other day, I found a little ditty that said, “Quit Piddling and Write Your Book!”  I pinned it on my board called “The Writing Life.”

Is anyone in the JQ community on Pinterest? If so, let me know and I’ll follow you. If you’d like to check out my boards, you can find me at http://pinterest.com/nancyrthompson/

On another note, my book FORTUNE’S UNEXPECTED GROOM has been on BookScan’s Top 100 list for the past four weeks! In celebration, I’ll give away a free copy to someone who leaves a comment today about interesting themes for Pinterest  boards.

Now I’ve blogged on this before, but it’s been a long time and since I really love this questionnaire, I figure it might be cool to do it again. Especially since life changes and therefore our answers might too.

Ever watch Inside the Actor’s Studio? It’s on A&E and I totally love it. For those of you who might be unfamiliar with it, it’s set in a film school (acting and directing) and the host has one actor on stage and they go through the actor’s work, asking questions about techniques and whatnot. And then at the end the students get to ask questions themselves. I always think it must be a scenario not unlike that RWA’s National conference where the cream of romance’s crop is often available for workshops and questions. And it’s just really fascinating to listen to actor’s talk about their craft in similar terms to how I’m used to creating characters and story. But the best part of the show is right before the host turns the actor over to the students and he ends with a famous questionnaire.

What is your favorite word? CRISP – it’s the perfect onomatopoeia

What is your least favorite word? ENVELOPE – I never know how to say it

What turns you on? MY HUSBAND’S LAUGHTER

What turns you off? ANY KIND OF HARM TO CHILDREN

What sound do you love? My DAUGHTERS’ GIGGLING

What sound do you hate? SQUEALING BRAKES

What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? WINDOW PAINTER – I’d love to do those holiday paintings on store windows

What profession would you not like to participate in? PODIATRIST – I cannot imagine wanting to work on people’s feet

What’s your favorite curse word? BASTARD

If heaven exists what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? YOUR LOVED ONES ARE WAITING OVER THERE

Answer it with me, and then tonight at midnight I’ll randomly pick a winner to receive an autographed copy of one of my books – your choice.

I’m a quote collector. I love stumbling across a quip or a pondering that strikes a chord.  It probably started back when I was a kid and my mother – trying to help me loosen my mind-grip on whatever was troubling me – offered the Prayer of Serenity. Now, I have the saying taped to my computer and refer to it when I’m struggling with something I have no control over. Sometimes it’s my saving grace.

Another of my favorite quote comes from the philosopher Voltaire: “Perfect is the enemy of very good.” It serves as a gentle reminder when I’m having trouble letting go of something … say, a book I’m writing… because it’s not quite there yet…. Sometimes I want to stop – or worse yet, not even start- because I can’t get it as perfect as I think it should be. Then I remember, it will never be perfect, because nothing is perfect. Perfect is, indeed, the enemy of very good.

Jordana Fortune, the heroine of my latest book, FORTUNE’S UNEXPECTED GROOM – book five in Harlequin’s latest Fortune’s of Texas series, would’ve benefitted from Voltaire’s little ditty. In her quest for perfection – being the perfect daughter; cultivating the perfect life; finding perfect love– she almost misses out on “living” altogether.  That is, until fate blows her right into the arms of Tanner Redmond and turns her entire belief system upside down.

Along their journey, Tanner and Jordana realize that the most perfect kind of love is imperfect; it encourages a person to be herself and knows that even on those very human bad days there’s a safe haven in the forgiveness of unconditional love… which reminds me of another favorite quote from Marilyn Monroe: “I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control, and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, you sure don’t deserve me at my best.”

Those are words we can all remember when we’re feeling less than perfect.

Do you have a favorite quote? If so, please share it with us. Each person who comments will be entered in a drawing to win a copy of FORTUNE’S UNEXPECTED GROOM.

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Be sure to check out all six books in the newest Fortunes of Texas: Whirlwind Romance series

Available Now:

FORTUNE’S CINDERELLA – by Karen Templeton

FORTUNE’S VALENTINE BRIDE – by Marie Ferrarella

MENDOZA’S MIRACLE – by Judy Duarte

FORTUNE’S HERO – by Susan Crosby

FORTUNE’S UNEXPECTED GROOM – by Nancy Robards Thompson

Coming in June 2012

FORTUNE’S PERFECT MATCH – by Allison Leigh

Have you noticed how often we talk about sexy men on here? We post pictures, we share new crushes, we drool on our keyboards, okay maybe that’s just me. But we love men and we love our heroes, the ones we read, for us writers, the ones we write (I always fall in love with my heroes!) So I could share some pictures of some hotties with you today, like the oh-so-sexy Jonny Lee Miller here. But….today I actually want to talk about heroines or the lovely women who might inspire the characters that people our books.

So without further ado, today I am sharon guy lady crushes. That’s right folks, here is my list of those women that I just find flat out mesmerizing. Some of have found their way into my books, but some are waiting in the wings to be case in just the right roll.

I mean y’all had to know this was coming. I know there are lots of Angie haters out there, but I’m not one of them. However you feel about her personal life and some odd choices she’s made over the years (hello, Billy Bob) you can’t really deny that she’s beautiful. Almost abnormally so. I mean really what must it be like to wake up in the morning and see that in the mirror. But it goes beyond her appearance. There’s something about her, the cadence of her speech, the way she moves, she’s just, well, mesmerizing. Its for that reason that I watch her in nearly anything, which explains why I am a fan of the Tomb Raider movies. Shut up, they’re entertaining.

Ah, sweet Minnie. Who doesn’t love her? Maybe it’s just the fact that her role in Circle of Friends resonated with me. Or maybe it’s her slightly awkward laugh. I don’t know, but whatever Minnie does, she charms the socks off me. She’s pretty without being obnoxiously so and well, maybe I just have a soft spot for her because she was the first actress who inspired one of my heroines.

Well, no list, male or female, is complete without the funny one. Oh how I love me some Emma Stone. Quirky and sassy, she’s the perfect inspiration for any heroine, historical or contemporary. She’s got a great wry smile and intelligent eyes and a one-liner for any situation. So I guess Jim Carrey isn’t the only one crushing on her.

Elegance and femininity are all I can think of when it comes to Kate Winslet. I suppose her lovely British accent doesn’t hurt, she just sounds so proper. And she can look stunningly beautiful but in such an unassuming sort of way it’s so easy to imagine her as that wallflower heroine that hero sees standing in the ballroom, fidgeting with her fan and trying not to roll her eyes when her mother tells her for the fourth time to stand up straight. He, of course, is entranced, and we follow right behind him.

Okay and just because I can, here’s a little more eye candy for you….

So how about y’all? What actresses catch your attention every time? Which ones are your favorite to imagine as the heroines you read about? I’ve got five copies of Treasure Me to give away so comment and you just might be a winner!

The other day as I was taking a break from my work in progress, I came across the above Romance Writer “meme.” I laughed over it, repined it to one of my “Pinterest” boards (OMG, have you discovered “Pinterest” yet? If not, run! Save yourself…it’s more addicting than computer card games…) and got back to work like a diligent writer-do-be.

You see, I’m a few (long) days away from typing THE END on another book. Armed with my detailed “story board” and three dimensional characters who are calling the shots (at this point in the process, I’m just the scribe), I’m living full-time in “Story Land.”

That made me think about another misconception about the Romance Writing process, and it dawned on me that there could be another “Meme” for a writer on deadline.  I may be lost in “Story Land,” but friends, family and my editor probably see it another way.

At this point in the process, I’m pretty sure this is how my family sees it (or more aptly, this is how they see me):

This is what my friends see (because I usually go MIA around this time):

This is how my editor views this part of the process (why is it so hard to let go of a book???): 

When, actually, this is what’s going on (in my mind):

Unless the muse and/or the characters aren’t playing nice… then this is what’s happening:

I suppose I can see how that might be mistaken for this:

But they did have full warning:

I’d better get back to the book… But first, are there areas in your life that others don’t necessarily view the same way you do?

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Coming in May 2012
Fortune’s Unexpected Groom

By Nancy Robards Thompson

Book 5 in The Fortunes of Texas: Whirlwind Romance series

Shana: Hi, Jaunty Readers. I know what you’re thinking. Why do you keep allowing Jaunty to interview you when he constantly interrupts and always focuses the interview on himself? It’s simple, really. He threatens me.

Jaunty P. Quills, Porcupine Extraordinaire: Shana! That is not true. I never threatened you.

Shana: Jaunty, you said you’d post covers of The Rogue Pirate’s Bride you Photoshopped with your face over my hero’s all over the internet, including my Facebook page.

Jaunty P. Quills, Porcupine Extraordinaire: That wasn’t a threat. I thought you wanted me to put my face on their cover as a way of apologizing for not writing a book with me in it yet.

Shana: Jaunty, really? Are we back to that again? Can’t we just talk about my new book?

Jaunty P. Quills, Porcupine Extraordinaire: It’s always about you and your books, isn’t it, Shana? What about me?

Shana: Have you written a book?

Jaunty P. Quills, Porcupine Extraordinaire: Um… So, Shana, tell us about your new book, The Rogue Porcupine’s Bride.

Shana: It’s The Rogue Pirate’s Bride, Jaunty, and do you know, I think you and Bastien, my hero, would get along. He’s a pirate, but he insists on calling himself a privateer. Neither of you live in reality.

Jaunty P. Quills, Porcupine Extraordinaire: I live in reality!

Shana: Jaunty, your Facebook page says you’re a romance cover model. Please.

Jaunty P. Quills, Porcupine Extraordinaire: It could happen, but I wouldn’t want to pose for your book cover. The female model is holding a sword.

Shana: That’s because Raeven is every bit as tough as Bastien. In fact, in chapter one, she challenges him to a swordfight.

Jaunty P. Quills, Porcupine Extraordinaire: Does she win?

Shana: Jaunty, I thought you said you read the book.

Jaunty P. Quills, Porcupine Extraordinaire: I might have just skipped to the good parts. And, might I add, there are some very steamy good parts.

Shana: Did you read any of the sea battle scenes? I had to do a lot of research for those.

Jaunty P. Quills, Porcupine Extraordinaire: Do you want me to have nightmares? I’m a lover, not a fighter. There is one thing I’m confused about. Is this book the third in your Sons of the Revolution series? I thought it was titled The Making of a Rogue.

Shana: Yes, it is the third in that series. The first two are The Making of a Duchess and The Making of a Gentleman. But Bastien’s book can be read independently. And it was originally titled The Making of a Rogue. It was even titled Once a Rogue and, very briefly, The Dread Pirate’s Bride. But now it’s The Rogue Pirate’s Bride. Nothing else changed. Only the title and cover.

Jaunty P. Quills, Porcupine Extraordinaire: I suppose now you want me to end by telling everyone more about where to find you.

Shana: I’ll do it, Jaunty. Check out my website for an excerpt from The Rogue Pirate’s Bride  which officially comes out tomorrow, and my blog tour schedule. I’ll be blogging everywhere and giving away books at each stop. In fact, I’ll give away two copies of The Rogue Pirate’s Bride here! Just comment below.

Jaunty P. Quills, Porcupine Extraordinaire: Yes, please comment. Tell Shana why she should include a porcupine in her books or give her a romantic title with the word porcupine in it.

Comment for a chance to win SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND EARRINGS

Last June my son, Travis, or Son One as I call him (some of you might remember him as RT’s Mr. Romance runner-up from a few years back–tee hee–you cannot imagine how fun it is to tease him about that) got married to a gorgeous young woman from Cameroon. Gorgeous young woman, as it happens, has an equally gorgeous son, who I will hereby refer to Grandson One or G-1. Anywhoo, a few months ago I pried my wallet open and took G-1 to see Untangled. You know the film-spunky heroine, sexy hero, opinionated horse, lots of hair. It was a fun flick and just about right for a six year old…or a romance writer…since it was basically a love story.

So after the credits were rolling away and the popcorn salt had been licked from every finger I turned to G-1 and asked what his favorite part of the movie was. Now remember…he’s a boy…he’s six…he’s being raised by macho 6’3” Son One. So what do you think his answer was? Anybody? No?

Well I’ll tell you…he didn’t pause, didn’t bat an eyelash, didn’t take time to breathe. He just said, “When they kissed.” Huh? I did a double take, did another take, then stared at him agog, because when he asked what my favorite part was I had to tell him the truth; It was when spunky heroine hit sexy hero with the frying pan…which by the by was quite often. I don’t know if you remember the film, but sexy hero spent about half the movie catatonic and I was more thrilled each time cast iron met skull.

So (note clever segue here) when I began writing Uncorked, my 7th Chrissy McMullen mystery, I wasn’t exactly sure how to begin. I mean, Chrissy is one of my favorite people in the entire solar system and she really deserves to be happy. She really deserves to be happy with the guy who makes her crazy…Lieutenant Jack Rivera. But where’s the fun in that? I mean…you can’t start out all cozy right? Where you gonna go from there?

With that thought in mind, I opened the book with a knock down drag out fight. In fact, in chapter one, Chrissy’s dating another guy. Granted, she can rarely remember Other Guy’s name when Rivera is within shouting distance, but she assures the good lieutenant that‘s she‘s crazy about…about…what’s his face. It made for tons of sexual tension. And if there’s anything I like better than seeing a guy hit in the head with a frying pan, it’s sexual tension.

So what about you? What’s your favorite part of a romance, the fighting or the flirting? Or do you need both to make it work?

To celebrate the online release of Uncorked, my 7th Chrissy McMullen novel, I’m giving away a pair of sapphire and diamond earrings to one much appreciated commenter.

Visit Lois’s website for news and information on her newest release, and a chance to win an Amazon gift card and be sure to check out Uncorked! You can follow Lois on Facebook and keep track of the Chrissy McMullen series here. Follow LoisGreiman on Twitter, too!

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.