July 14, 2008

Sophie Jordan Blogs on Happy Day!!

Hello, everyone! I’m baaaaccck! And, as you can see, especially chipper today. My fifth historical for Avon is done and in the mail! Yipee!! I’m always thrilled to deliver a book, but I must say that there is something special about THIS book, sorry, still untitled. I’m always riddled with doubts when I deliver a manuscript and that’s just typical for my neurotic writer-self, but I feel pretty comfortable with what I’m handing in and think Sophie Jordan fans are going to be in for a real treat with the final product when it releases next Spring. Once I have a title, I’ll divulge more and give you all the info. Meanwhile, the other reason I’m so excited is that …

Only two weeks until SURRENDER TO ME hits shelves! Whoop!

SURRENDER TO ME stars Astrid of TOO WICKED TO TAME. You may recall she was that book’s villainess — well, kinda, I never really thought she was all that bad, and I guess my choosing her to be the heroine is my way of redeeming her. Hey, everyone has their own version of events. In SURRENDER TO ME, you get to see why she did everything she did in TOO WICKED TO TAME. Of course, it is a stand alone book, so if you haven’t read TOO WICKED TO TAME, you can still read SURRENDER TO ME and be fine. I just think the reading experience will be enhanced by getting to meet Astrid first in TWTT. Here’s the blurb, in case you haven’t read it yet:

She had lost nearly everything . . .
When tragedy left her penniless and alone, Lady Astrid Derring did whatever it took to survive. She dismissed half her staff, borrowed gowns, and subsisted on cucumber sandwiches from the galas she attended. She endured the wagging tongues of the ton and the indecent proposals from noblemen who deemed her ripe for the plucking. Finally, she has found a way to escape this shame and restore her good name. But it will require a perilous journey to Scotland, where she will come face-to-face with danger … and a sinfully handsome rogue who may be the greatest threat of all.

Any gentleman would lend his hand to a lady in distress, but handsome, rough-hewn Griffin Shaw is no gentleman, and Astrid is far from safe in his company. Accompanying her through the Highlands is a small price to pay for luring her into his bed. Entranced by her boldness, enchanted with her beauty, he is determined to thaw her cold heart. However, he soon finds himself wanting more than a brief affair with the proper lady. Nothing less than the total surrender of her heart will satisfy him.

I have updated my website (surprise, surprise!) where you can learn more about SURRENDER TO ME (oh, and there’s a brand new spanking contest posted there, too, so be sure to enter), but I’ll share my character inspiration pictures for my heroine and hero here:

The actress in this picture is Poppy Montgomery and she’s perfect for Astrid – blond with sultry dark eyes. Like Astrid, I feel she has a certain aloof duchess-ness. The hero … need I say more? He’s actor Thomas Jane. Very sexy and rugged and a Scotsman! Like my hero. A nice mug to greet you all with on this Monday morning, wouldn’t you say? Post back and tell me what you think!

Happy Monday, everyone! And Jaunties, thanks for having me here again.

Sophie

July 2, 2008

How I Found Real Love in the Society Pages

Hi everyone! Yes, I’m baaa-ck! The Jaunties have been nice enough to let me come “home” and post today! I’ve avoided getting Jaunties Quills stuck in me as punishment for being away so long, so I feel that is a triumph in itself. I thought about a lot of things to write about while I was here. I mean, my latest book, Lessons From A Courtesan just came out June 24. Or I could talk about what I’ve been doing since I’ve been away (hint: write, write, write and then write some more).

But I decided not to cover those things. I mean, it’s not like it’s been a big secret to most of you that I had a book coming out. And me telling you about sitting in a chair watching words flick onto a screen is not that thrilling.

So I decided to share with you a story that is about REAL romance. So I write romance novels (duh, Jenna, we know that…). And it’s awesome because I get to take two characters who I like and match them up and watch them go through hell and high water before they can finally be together. At its best, romance reflects the optimism of the human spirit and the hope that we can find everlasting love. But some people say it’s unrealistic and fantasy.

So the other day, I saw something that proved to me that those critics are wrong. And clearly they need love in their lives.

I never read the Society pages in our local paper. We didn’t grow up here, I don’t know a ton of people outside our small circle of friends and honestly it just bores me (we never seem to have those funny ones like you see on Jay Leno or whatever). But for some reason, a couple of Sundays ago, I actually looked at the pages that listed weddings and anniversaries.

And I stumbled into a real life romance.

It was an anniversary listing. The couple had been married for 25 years. On the surface it was typical: a picture from the wedding day and a picture of the couple now. But then it caught my eye. It was very evident that the man in the “today” picture had been in some kind of debilitating accident or had some kind of illness. So I looked at the picture from 25 years ago. There he was, young and healthy and handsome. Filled with hope and joy on the day he married the woman he loved. It was so… sad to me in that moment. How were they to know that something bad would happen to them?

And then I looked at her. On her wedding day, this woman was beautiful and young and smiling in that way that just says “JOY!” Her picture from today… she looked exactly the same. Still beautiful, yes (lucky her), but her eyes still sparkled as she sat with her arm around her husband. Still filled with love and devotion and joy.

And I realized that her picture is what we strive to capture in romances. The kind of love that can withstand tragedy and still be joyful. Because that does exist, it is real and if we’re lucky, we find it and never have to use the “for worse” part of “for better or for worse”.

So have you ever secretly witnessed a real romance like I did? Maybe a moment between two elderly people in an airport or perhaps right in your own home! Share!

June 20, 2008

Guest Blogger Cindi Myers

10. Is on first-name basis with mail carrier, UPS and Fedex drivers; thinks postal holidays are a horrible idea.

9. Has more online friends than those she sees in person. Communicates with many of these friends daily.

8. Favorite stores: Barnes and Noble and Office Max.

7. Refers to imaginary people as if they’re real. “Today I realized why Mark is so reluctant to get involved with Candace.”

6. Choreographs love scenes - for said imaginary people.

5. Plots revenge on her enemies by killing them off in her books.

4. Friends are reluctant to invite you over ever since the time she asked, in the middle of dinner, “Do you think it would be possible to poison someone at a dinner party and make it look like an accident?”

3. Attention wanders at dinner in restaurants, riding in elevators or on public transportation or while shopping at malls, as she strains to eavesdrop on the conversations of those around her.

2. You can predict how long she’s been waiting to hear back on a submission by her mood: one week — no discernable change. One month — mopes around house, eats copious amounts of chocolate. Three months — has developed a nervous tic, occasionally snaps at children or dog. Six months — subject to crying jags if confronted with empty mailbox; children and dog duck for cover every time phone rings.

1. Hears voices in her head - and writes down what they say.

***

Hi, my name is Cindi Myers and I want to thank the Jaunty Quills for inviting me to their blog toay. My dear husband is familiar with all of the above ‘signs, having lived with this writer going on 29 years now. My 32nd book is out this month. A Soldier Comes Home is the story of Captain Ray Hughes, who receives a Dear John letter while he’s serving in Iraq. He comes home to an empty house and a three-year old son he scarcely knows and has to pick up the pieces of his life again. He meets Chrissie Evans, the young widow next door whose husband was killed very early in the war. They’re attracted to each other, but each has to get past their own private pain in order to love again.

I definitely think a sense of humor is a requirement for anyone living with a writer. My dh has grown used to my odd questions, my eavesdropping, and my getting out of bed in the middle of the night to write down ideas. While I was working on A Soldier Comes Home, he grew accustomed to large holes cut in the daily paper — The Rocky Mountain News was running a series of articles about our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan and I save these as research material.

He’s accepted that publishing operates like no other business on earth, and he’s my biggest cheerleader when I’m feeling down. But he still shakes his head and laughs when I mention my characters talking to me, and he’s as curious as anyone else about where I get my ideas.

Captain Ray Hughes returns from a tour of duty in Iraq, but not to the home he knew. His wife has filed for divorce and left Ray to raise their three-year old son. Ray must learn to be a father to the son he hardly knows and pick up the pieces of his own life. He turns for help to the young widow next door, Chrissie Evans. They become friends and then lovers. But having lost one husband to the war, can Chrissie risk her heart again?

Do you have any writerly quirks to add to the list? Or any questions about me or my books?

June 3, 2008

Gerry Bartlett Blogs on Write About Vampires? Who Me?

I never liked scary movies as a kid. My brother and I hid behind the sofa when the Wizard in the “Wizard of Oz” came on the TV. So how did I end up writing about things that go bump in the night? When I started out in this business, I wrote short contemporaries and sold two to Kensington. They had spunky heroines, alpha heroes and a suspense plot. Then, since I’d always loved the world of Georgette Heyer, I wrote and sold a Regency historical to Dorchester. Once again, spunky heroine, alpha hero and suspense plot. I thought I had this writing game figured out. But my career stalled. The Kensington line I wrote for folded. My editor at Dorchester left and the new one didn’t look at my next submission for over two years. In the meantime, historicals weren’t in great demand and my contemporary plots seemed same old, same old. I was getting discouraged to say the least.

Now I’ve had some luck along the way. And done a few smart things, purely by accident. First smart thing: I joined Romance Writers of America and went to a local chapter meeting. Second smart thing: When an author stood up and announced that she was forming a critique group and interested parties could meet on a Sunday afternoon and bring a few pages, I swallowed my fear and went. This second thing was huge. I hadn’t shown my stuff to anyone before. Well, except to my doting father who thought I was a genius but who had never read any fiction other than Louis L’Amour. This group started as a bunch of totally novice, unpublished writers. Most of them didn’t stick with it. Today, over fifteen years later, only three of the original writers are together. Maybe you’ll recognize the names: Nina Bangs, Kimberly Raye and me.

Here’s where Lady Luck stepped in. Okay, and some plain stubbornness. Because, believe me, Nina, Kim and I had to develop thick hides and shed tears to work our way through some pretty tough critiques to get where we are now. Kim has passed the forty-five book mark now and has a TV series starting on the ABCFamily Channel next fall for her Dead End Dating vampire series. Nina hit the New York Times list and is working on her twentieth book. So when either of these two ladies speak, Gerry listens, usually.

A few years ago, when I was in my slump, Nina began one of her nags. She’s really good at that. She’s made an excellent career by studying the market and deciding that paranormals were the next big thing. Didn’t hurt that she loves strong alpha heroes and vampires are the ultimate bad boys. So she started in on me. “Write a vampire book. I know it will sell.” I resisted. It’s what I do when people start telling me what I should do. I kept sending submissions to editors and agents. Different historicals, another contemporary proposal. Nothing. Zip.

Nina wouldn’t quit. “Vampires are sexy. Women love vampires. Vampire stories are hot right now.” She wouldn’t shut up and kept getting her own contracts for big bucks. Hey, I’m stubborn, but not stupid. Finally, I caved, but was determined to do it my way. I decided I wanted to try it first person. And make it contemporary. Funny. And set in Austin, because that’s where I went to college and there’s a saying—“Keep Austin weird.” It spoke to me. I wrote a first chapter. My critique group, that now included Donna Maloy, liked it but Kim thought it needed something else. She said, “Try making your vampire full figured. You know, like she was bloating on the day she was turned.” That’s when the light bulb went on for me. I wrote like the wind, turning out a proposal and synopsis faster than I thought possible.

Enter Lady Luck again. I belong to more than one Houston area RWA chapter and attended a workshop given by author Julie Kenner. She writes funny paranormals and spoke glowingly of her agent who accepted email submissions. Okay, this wouldn’t even cost me a stamp. I screwed up my courage and emailed what I had to that agent. A week later I had my first agent, a dream agent. The agent who quickly sold my vampire series to Berkley. And the Glory St. Clair series was born. Whew! One writing career resurrected. It wasn’t easy. It’s still not easy. I love writing this series. I get fan mail almost daily. Book 3, REAL VAMPIRES GET LUCKY, hits shelves today and I just finished writing book 4. REAL VAMPIRES DON’T DIET comes out next January.

Some people call what I write “light” paranormal. I don’t. There’s nothing light about what I do. It’s heavy lifting balancing humor, sensuality and suspense. And in a series you have a cast of characters that you have to keep track of from book to book. It’s the most fun I’ve ever had. My next project? I’m thinking of trying my hand at a vampire series set in Regency England. Humorous, of course. I’ll leave the dark stuff to those who are into the scary things that go bump in the night. Me? I’m in it for the laughs.

Gerry is giving away signed copies of the first two books in her series, REAL VAMPIRES HAVE CURVES and REAL VAMPIRES LIVE LARGE. To win autographed copies of the mass market editions along with a Barnes and Noble gift card for $20 so you can buy REAL VAMPIRES GET LUCKY, which hits shelves June 3 in trade paperback size, email Gerry at gerrybartlett@verizon.net. She’ll hold a drawing and pick the first lucky winner by June 5. A second chance winner will be picked on June 10. Put JauntyQuills Contest in the subject line to enter. One entry per person. Good luck!

May 19, 2008

Tera Lynn Childs Blogs on Adaptations

When I first decided to become a writer, it seemed logical that I would write what I loved to read: historical romance. The breathtaking tales of Johanna Lindsay, Suzanne Enoch, Sabrina Jeffries, Julia Quinn and especially Jane Austen inspired me and I wanted to write equally breathtaking stories. My foray into writing historicals was short-lived because, well, they’re hard. I switched to writing contemporaries where I didn’t have to think about voice or word choice or historical accuracy any more. (Hats off to the wonderful historical authors who make this seem so easy!) Anyway, eventually my quest for my voice’s niche led me to young adult fiction, but my heart was still in historicals. So is it any wonder that my first attempt at writing YA was a modern adaptation of a Regency classic? Here’s some of what I wrote:

Everyone knows a homecoming king needs a queen. No one really cares whether he wants one or not, the whole school is so certain of this that some people are already claiming his royal title.

Not the most brilliantly penned lines in literary history, but a fun modernization of the opening lines of Pride and Prejudice, no?

Since my roots in writing are in historical romance, I thought I’d play around with a few more of my favorites, rewriting choice bits in my own voice from a contemporary teen point of view. Here goes…

Daphne ignored her three brothers, who hovered at the edge of the gym. What girl in the history of high school had to spend her first homecoming dance with three–yes, three!–older brothers watching every move? It was bad enough she didn’t have a date–who’d be crazy enough to ask out the baby sister of the Bridgerton boys?–but the only reason she was dancing right now was because her oldest brother’s friend, Simon, had been guilted into asking.

adapted from The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

Can’t you just see the Bridgerton siblings taking the high school world by storm? The brothers would be every teacher’s nightmare. Especially Colin. Most especially Colin. He’d have gotten very familiar with the principal’s office, I’m sure.

“No way.” Meredith stared at the glowing computer screen for a second, then clicked the message into the trash.

“What?” Ella asked. “Let me see.”

“Oh, sorry,” she said. Another quick click and she moved the message back into her inbox. As Ella read the email, Meredith paced. She’d thought Nick was gone for good, but that hope had disappeared. Along with her chance at valedictorian.

adapted from Once Upon a Wedding Night by Sophie Jordan

Imagine all the notes and missives of Regency–and yes, Sophie, Victorian–England, coming at cyber-speed. I bet dumping a girl via parchment was as much of a faux pas back then as a texting dump is today.

“Step off!” a girl snapped.

“Come on, baby. You know you want some.”

Alex didn’t want to play hero–not tonight. The end of school party raging inside had gotten too much for him to handle. Too much spiked punch and wild, summer-is-finally-here abandon. He’d escaped into the backyard and planned on escaping all the way back to his car, and then home.

But he couldn’t let a girl get groped in the garden. That was so not cool.

“I told you to let go, Reggie!”

“You’re just playing hard to get,” the clearly thought-impaired Reggie replied.

Well, the sooner he broke up this little love/hate-fest, the sooner Alex could go home. He stepped around the corner of the garage, ready to give Reggie a mouthful of fist, when the girl–a blonde babe he’d never seen before–hauled back and kneed the idiot in his fruit basket. Guess she didn’t need rescuing, after all.

adapted from When Dashing Met Danger by Shana Galen

Must admit this one was the hardest. Not because of the content–a party is a party in any era, and so is an unwanted grope–but because this was my first attempt at writing from the POV of a teenage boy. It was more fun than I expected.

I’m not sure what this proves–except that a good story is a good story, whatever the setting and/or genre–but it was a lot of fun. Anyone want to take a whack at modernizing one of your favorites? Or, if you’re afraid of dipping a toe in the YA pool, share your favorite moment and I’ll see if I can work some teen mojo.

Hugs,
TLC

May 17, 2008

Cheryl St. John on Physical Attraction

Cheryl St.John is a RITA nominee for her novella in A Western Winter Wonderland. Her next releases are the Harlequin Historical western Christmas anthology, The Magic of Christmas 10/09, and a December HH with a title still being decided. Cheryl blogs about sexy cowboys at http://petticoatsandpistols.com/ and you can visit her at From the Heart http://cherylstjohn.blogspot.com/.

Women are attracted to the men they see as the strongest and most attractive. It’s all about biological quality, or the survival of the species. It’s doin’ what comes naturally. Female birds are attracted by the most colorful or attractive of the other gender, same with animals and mammals. Many males take part in battle rituals for the female, therefore strength and endurance win out. Nature is making sure the strongest survive, that the species will be carried on by the most capable, the best hunters and providers.

It’s our instinct to be drawn to a provider and a protector. This is why those alpha heroes appeal to us as readers. Reading romances validates the universal hope that there is one special person for everyone. Stories of successful relationships reassure us that many women around the world share our dreams.

Attraction is all about chemistry. In our heads we know that in selecting a mate, a human female must consider more than the initial attraction. The ability to make wise selections is what sets us apart from the animals. We have the ability to and the luxury of compiling all the information before we make a choice. Regrettably too many women will admit that relationships founded on sex appeal alone were not the stuff futures are made of. But there has to be something there – something that draws you to this person and keeps you attracted to him through thick and thin.

So what about facial hair — real facial hair that takes some time and testosterone to cultivate?

Mustaches are often culturally associated with wisdom and virility, and it’s not difficult to understand why. There’s something about a mustache that sings of maturity…masculinity. A subject that comes up often among writers is the youthful appearance of so many celebrities, cover models and singers. While there’s no disagreeing that Matthew McConaghy and James Marsden are fine-looking fellows, there’s something about maturity that speaks to us as women. Josh Holloway. Naveen Andrews. How many times has George Clooney been People magazine’s sexiest man of the year?

Now I know there are many of you who will disagree, in fact a recent survey discovered that an alarming number of women would refuse to kiss a man with a mustache. So maybe facial hair a simply a matter of taste. A big argument against mustaches has been that they’re out of style because so many men wore them in the seventies. The seventies? Men have been shaving — or not shaving — selectively since the stone age! Shaving with stone razors was technologically possible from Neolithic times. The oldest portrait showing a shaved man with a mustache is a Scythian horseman from 300 BC.

Historically, military men have often worn moustaches; in fact the number of nations, regiments and ranks were equaled only by the number of styles and variations. Generally, the younger men and lower ranks wore the smaller and less elaborate moustaches. As a man advanced in rank, his moustache would become thicker and bushier, until he was permitted to wear a full beard.

I’ll bet you didn’t know there’s an American Mustache Association. Neither did I, but they’re gung ho on protecting their rights to bear whiskers. At The World Beard & Moustache Championships 2007 there were 6 subcategories in the moustache category:

Natural Moustache - may be styled but without aids.
Hungarian Moustache - Big and bushy, beginning from the middle of the upper lip and pulled to the side.
Dalí - narrow, long points bent or curved steeply upward; areas past the corner of the mouth must be shaved.
English - narrow, beginning at the middle of the upper lip the whiskers are very long and pulled to the side, slightly curled; the ends are pointed slightly upward; areas past the corner of the mouth usually shaved. .
Imperial - whiskers growing from both the upper lip and cheeks, curled upward
Freestyle - All moustaches that do not match other classes.

Other types of moustache include:
Fu Manchu - long, downward pointing ends, generally beyond the chin
Pancho Villa - similar to the Fu Manchu but thicker
Handlebar - bushy, with small upward pointing ends.
Horseshoe - Often confused with the Fu Manchu style, the horseshoe was possibly popularized by modern cowboys and consists of a full moustache with vertical extensions from the corners of the lips down to the jaw line and resembling an upside-down horseshoe.
Moustachio - bushy moustache, with hair sometimes growing down the sides of the mouth.
Taylor moustache - a thin row of fine dark hairs along the upper lip.
Pencil moustache - narrow, straight and thin like a pencil, closely clipped, outlining the upper lip, with a wide shaven gap between the nose and moustache. Also known as a Mouthbrow.
Walrus - bushy, hanging down over the lips, often entirely covering the mouth. Popular during the American Civil War.
The GG - bushy hair grown only over the corners of the mouth, shaved in the middle.

Now we have that scruffy five-o’clock shadow look and of course soul patches.

So, what’s your preference on facial hair – thumbs up or thumbs down?
I’d love to hear about it if you’ve seen any mustaches on book covers.

May 15, 2008

Guest Blogger Pamela Morsi

Get ready Jaunty Quills enthusiasts. Memorial Day weekend is just ten days away! I’m Pam Morsi, your guest blogger today. And I’m here to remind you that hot dogs and potato salad are in your immediate future.

It’s been a busy month for me. I’ve got a new book out and I’ve been doing some traveling around to try to promote it. I like traveling, but I really like staying at home too. So, I try not to overbook myself and spend more time than I really want on the road. With that said, yesterday nobody was more surprised than me when I decided that for this Memorial Day weekend I would head north to Oklahoma and see my old Uncle Bob.

Uncle Bob is a gentle soul, with a smile so wide it makes his eyes disappear, and a laugh that comes rumbling up from a depth of good humor. He’s the last of his generation in my family. He’s outlived his brother and sister and most of his friends. Although he still takes care of his own yard, he’s just not as strong as he used to be. He doesn’t see as well and doesn’t drive unless it’s an emergency.

On Saturday, the 24th, his high school will have a big alumni picnic. He wants to go and visit old friends. So I’m going to take him.

His class, the Seniors of 1942 faced a world so different from ours, it’s hard to get our minds around it. Many of his classmates quit school before graduation to go into the military. And others who’d signed up for the National Guard right out of Boy Scouts were simply plucked out of class. He knew that he would be going off to fight a war, because the whole world was involved in one.

Bob was lucky to come back, he says. Lucky because some of the battles he was in, D-Day, the Hurtgen Forrest, the Battle of the Bulge, are imfamous for all the guys like him that didn’t come back. I knew that Uncle Bob was in WWII, but I didn’t know a lot about it.

My father was a highly decorated Army Air Corps Medic who served in four theaters of the war. Maybe he overshadowed his younger brother. Or maybe Uncle Bob is just too modest about the contribution that he made.

My first true understanding of these men I’ve known all my life came about while I was doing research for the character named Bud, in my new book LAST DANCE AT JITTERBUG LOUNGE. Let me make it clear, Bud isn’t my Uncle Bob. The old man I created in that story is a composite of a lot of guys of that age and time. The fond memories of days gone by and the scars of events that can’t quite be outlived are both a part of all of them.

This Memorial Day, when laughing and eating and enjoying friends and family, as we rightly should, let’s all do some remembering of those who serve their country in all our conflicts. We do that by being the cheering crowd in the hometown parade and by decorating the graves of the fallen.

I’ll be hanging out with one of the heroes that’s still with us.

Maybe you can find time to do the same. I realize that everyone doesn’t have an Uncle Bob. But just a mile or so from my house is Brook Army Medical Center. Hundreds of men and women are recovering there, rehabilitating themselves for more active duty or a whole new battle completely. Volunteer opportunities abound. I’m sure your own community has its way to say thanks to Vets. We are all so blessed that these people are willing to put themselves in harm’s way. That’s something that can’t be measured into potato salad.

May 14, 2008

Kathryn Shay Guest Blogs on the Appeal of Firemen

Hello, Jaunty Quill Readers.

Since this is my first time here, I’d like to tell you a bit about myself and my work. My name is Kathryn Shay and I’ve written twenty-two books for Harlequin SuperRomance and ten for The Berkley Publishing Group. For most of my life I was a high school English teacher, and began publishing in 1995. I’ll tell you, having two full time jobs for ten years was tough. I also have a wonderful supportive husband (my college sweetheart) and two great kids, now grown, one a writer and one a teacher!

My current release is TAKING THE HEAT, part of the O’Neil series, but one reviewer just said not to worry, she hadn’t read the others (but will now!) and this book functions as a stand alone. It’s the story of widower Liam O’Neil who lost his wife three years ago to cancer and is ready to date again. He meets Sophie Tyler, rough and tumble female firefighter from New York City, and is attracted to her. But his sons are still suffering over the loss of their mother and Liam feels he can’t risk getting involved with someone in a dangerous profession. Too bad, though, because they can’t help themselves and sparks fly, emotionally, physically and on the line.

Why did I write this book? There were several reasons. First, Liam intrigued me. In the other storylines, he’s quiet, sensitive and hurting over the turn his life has taken. He also always does what’s best for his kids, too much so, his dynamic brothers think. It was fun exploring all those facets of Liam, in addition to a sense of humor I didn’t know he had, and, well, a very sexy side, which Sophie soon discovers. That was a big surprise to me and to her and makes for some humor as well as some sizzling sexual tension.

Another reason I wrote about these characters was to explore father/son relationships. The two O’Neil boys, seven year old Mikey and teenager Cleary, play a big part in the book as well as in Liam’s life. Reviewers are pointing to some very tender moments, funny occurrences and some sad things that might bring the reader to tears (I hope so!)

Last, I got to return to my favorite heroes, firefighters. As many of you know, I’ve done several firefighter stories for Harlequin and this is my fourth for Berkley. I researched the profession by spending several years, off and on, riding fire trucks and ambulances, eating in the firehouses, talking at length to the men and women who make up America’s Bravest and reading things like their training manuals on firefighting and EMS. I went to several working fires in places like a dormitory, a kitchen and a car. I rode along to calls for a stabbing, a flooded basement and a roof rescue. I also spent hours and hours at the fire academy training with the recruits, wearing their gear, handling the Jaws of Life and going through mazes blindfolded. I also had the terrifying experience of making my way in a smoke house, which is exactly what you think—a building set on fire so rookies can train. (Okay, a real firefighter was holding my hand the whole time, but still…)

What did I learn: firefighters are taciturn, until you get to know them; they’re affectionate, after they decide you’re okay; they’re funny in a black humor kind of way; they care about people, though not one of them will tell you he thinks he’s a hero. And, in my opinion, these people are a very special breed who put their lives on the line every single day. I love them for who they are and what they stand for. I think you’ll see this in the book, as well as get a look at their everyday lives and experience some heart-stopping action scenes.

I’d be glad to answer questions, give you more information or just listen to what you have to say. And I’ll pick one lucky winner from the comments for an autographed copy of TAKING THE HEAT.

Kathy Shay

May 5, 2008

The Coolest Thing by guest blogger Emily McKay

So here’s the coolest thing about being an author: meeting other authors. Pam Morsi was the first author I met in person whose books I’d read before joining RWA. I’d read (and loved!) Courting Miss Hattie back when I was in college. And then—several years later—I walked into my first RWA meeting and there she was! I was starstruck. I’m showing my age, but this was long before the internet world we live in now where you can “meet” other authors easily.

Now I meet authors all the time. And it’s always cool when you get to meet an author whose books you love. Or conversely, when you meet a writer, become her buddy, buy a book, read it and end up loving her writing.

Right now, for example, I’m reading Temptation of a Warrior, a book by the Jaunty Quills own Margo Maguire. (Okay, in all honesty, I haven’t actually met Margo or become her buddy, but I feel like I know her through Robyn and the Jaunty Quills.) I’m really enjoying it, which makes guest blogging for the Jaunty Quills just that much more fun.

With Temptation of a Warrior, Margo has created a great book, seamlessly weaving together familiar romance elements—an orphaned Regency governess—with the paranormal—a magically gifted, mysterious warrior. It’s like Jane Eyre meets the Arthurian legend. Best of all, she creates a world into which I can escape absolutely.

As I’m working on this blog, my everyday life—kids, sick mom, horrendous mountains of laundry—constantly intrudes. Bleck. But it’s nice knowing in just a few minutes, I can curl up in bed with Margo’s book and that will all go away.

Which brings me to the point of my blog … No, wait a minute. If I can get back to my book as soon as I’m done here, then what am I doing hanging around here?

So what’s the coolest thing about your job?

April 26, 2008

In it for the Long Haul

I’m so thrilled to visit with you today. I appreciate Cindy inviting me!

My first book, a Steeple Hill Love Inspired titled Her Unlikely Family, just came out in February, and two things about this journey recently occurred to me:

1. I started writing when my middle child was nursing—holding him in one arm while typing with the other hand. He’s now 13.
2. When I used to need writing time, I would bribe my three children by telling them if they would let Mommy write, then I would use money from my first advance to buy them a swing set. Hmmm. My oldest is about to graduate from high school, and my youngest is now 11. She’s almost as tall as I am, and her feet would drag the ground on an old-fashioned swing set.

Obviously, it took much longer than expected.

When I started on the road to publication, I never, ever would have imagined waiting this long. In fact, when I sat down and first started to act as a professional and wrote down goals, my number one goal was to be published in 5 years.

Okay, you can quit laughing now. I realize how silly that was, not because it can’t be done in 5 years, but because it’s not something I can control. And yes, I was very naïve, then.

This business isn’t for the faint of heart. And it isn’t for those who give up easily. Stubbornness can be an asset (and luckily, I have those stubborn genes). I’ve also been blessed with lots of writing friends in my local RWA chapter and also online writing groups. They’ve kept me going through the years. As well as my children who kept cheering me on, hoping for that swing set. And my husband, who wondered when I would ever quit spending his paycheck on books, conferences, and contests and actually make some money. 

But maybe taking this long wasn’t such a bad thing after all. For one, I believe it happened in God’s perfect timing. But, also, my children are now old enough to really enjoy the thrill with me. When that wonderful box came from Harlequin in December, after everyone cheered for me, my 13-year-old, a reader like me, grabbed one out of the box and took off to his room to devour it. He also grabbed one for his lit teacher. My oldest took one to church to show it off. And my youngest picked up my Alpha-smart to continue writing her own story. And then in February, our whole family made a trip to Walmart to see it on the shelf and to celebrate. All well worth the wait!

So what’s your dream, and how long have you been pursuing it? (Not necessarily writing related.) If you’ll leave a comment with contact info, I’ll enter you in a drawing for a copy of Her Unlikely Family!