I can’t believe its May already. When I was a kid May was that perfect time that meant the school year was almost over and summer waited just around the corner. I loved May!

When I worked at my very first job at Walt Disney World, May was one of those months with five pay periods which always made me think of found money. I realize now that I’m not making more money but at the time I was 17 and it seemed like a bonus!

I still like May. I get to celebrate Mother’s Day both with my mom and with my own kids. We get days off for holidays (Memorial Day in the US, another Bank Holiday in the UK) and it is the start of summer. Its still dreary in the Midlands of the UK but I bought some new summer clothes and I’m ready for it.

What do you like most about May?

I’m giving a way a copy of THE GREATEST GIFT: A HARLEQUIN MOTHER’S DAY Collection today to one blog participant. Its only available in e-book form and has stories from myself, Kathleen O’Brien, Donna Alward and Tonya Micheals.

My office has always been the one place in he house that is entirely mine. I have artsy pictures that are to my taste and might not suit the rest of the family. I have certificates on the wall of awards I’ve won, and lots of books. My kids have always loved coming into the office and lying on the floor by my desk or sitting in the guest chair.
I’m not always welcoming to visitors especially when my fingers are moving on the keyboard. But once I’m done typing I’m more than willing to share my little sanctuary with anyone who enters.
Sometimes when I return to my desk I will find little notes that have been left behind. They are simple messages that say I love you! Or Hi MomE. Just small gestures left that make me smile and feel loved. Its silly to think something that small can make a huge difference in a day, but it does.
I keep all these notes and have them from my kids first learned to write. Some of them are in my Franklin Covey planner others are attached to monitor. And one gift a post-it note man made by my son is now remembered only in a photo. But each of these things make me smile.
Writing is a solitary profession but every time I sit down in my office space at home I’m surrounded by family and their love.

What’s the best surprise you’ve ever had waiting for you?

I will pick two winners from today’s comments to win an autographed copy of HIS ROYAL PRIZE.

My daughter and I have always celebrated our birthdays together since they are only four days apart. When she was born, my Grandmother said to me, you’ve got a special present now but you still have your own special day. And C and I enjoy sharing our celebrations.

She’s 20 this year and when we were talking about our birthdays she said she wanted to celebrate them by going to Spain. I was thinking yes, that sounds good! Then she said she wanted to do the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona. Huh? How could my daughter want to do something so…dangerous and yet at the same time I was excited that she wanted to do this. I mean it would be fun. Since we live in the UK we should do some vacations in Europe.

Last week I booked us with a tour group to go to Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls. They give you a walking orientation tour of the route the bulls run so you know where to go and they even provide us with red sashes. I should say I’m not going to run. I’ll just observe it. My crazy-daughter is going to though and I think she will love it. I remember being 20 and feeling like life was a big adventure. I can’t help thinking if I’d had a little more of her nerve maybe I would have tried something as daring.

What about you? Are you full-on adventure and daring or sitting on the sidelines like me?

In honor of our upcoming trip to Spain I’m giving away copies of THE SPANISH ARISTOCRAT’S WOMAN to three lucky blog participants today!

I’m not very good at painting or drawing but that doesn’t stop me from indulging in both of them quite a bit. Above is a sketch I did while waiting for my son to get out of school. Its a hobby I enjoy doing on my own but am not interested enough in going to a class. I think that’s because while its just me doing it, I can’t be told I don’t have any talent!  And there are no rules when I’m just doing it for myself.

When I was a senior in high school my humanities class had a painting project to pick a period (classical, impressionist, modern) and create something that reflected both the period and ourselves.  I bought a pack of two bound canvases and used the first to do a riff on two of Monet’s paintings Impression Sunrise and Haystacks. I called it Impression Purple, my dad called it Impression F. To be fair my water color blocked canvas didn’t resemble anything Monet would ever put his name too but I thought I’d captured the spirit of impressionism and my love of the color purple.  It was actually pretty funny and when I related the story in class it got a lot of laughs.  In fact it made me kind of famous in the teacher’s lounge and my Honor English teacher confiscated Impression F (purple) for her classroom!

But I also used primary colors on the second canvas to paint a portrait of me through symbols and words.  I have often found that when I do things that are ‘self-portraits’ I get the most positive feedback.  That canvas got me the A I was expecting and some nice comments on my work.  No one was saying I was the next Rembrandt or Monet but it was a well done project.  Inspired by this faint praise I went straight out and bought more canvas and paints attempting to work with oil this time I spent hours staring at myself in my mirror and trying to capture my face, but let’s just say that I looked odd–I can’t do faces–and not in the Picasso good sort of odd way.  I gave up painting for a while as I focused on my other artistic passion, music.

But then over the last year I’ve been painting pottery which is fun but I think I’ve got enough bowls and mugs for now. So I have to find some other outlet to paint.  I was thinking of my office, but if I screw that up, its going to take a lot of time to repaint.

What about you? Any hobbies that you enjoy even though you aren’t an expert at them?

I’m not a very outgoing person. I mean I can be funny and the life of the party with people I know but with strangers I’m very quiet and shy.  A few glasses of wine has been known to make me more outgoing but that’s the exception rather than the rule.

Look at this lady in the picture behind us–my daughter calls this photo bombing. This so unexpected and funny. I smile each time I see her in my picture. I don’t know who she is but she is making me laugh!

I am by nature someone who likes routine and things in their place so by rights this stranger in my picture should bother me but it doesn’t.  One of the mom’s I knew when my son was in second grade told me a story about how when she was new in town every day this crossing guard would smile and wave at her.  She said she expected that he did that to everyone but as she knew no one in town that little gesture just made her feel a little better about moving to some place unfamiliar.

Have you ever had something unexpected just make you smile?

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.

I’m a little late to the actual world of fashion designers. I like clothes and shoes and handbags but I buy on instinct based on what I like and what looks good on me. I’m not tall and my body is pretty much 50/50, meaning my legs aren’t super long. So over the years I’ve learned what I can and can’t wear. I’ve never looked good in khakis and a polo shirt. Despite knowing this I have attempted the look many times, but then I grew up in the 80s so might have an excuse!

While browsing in Waterstones (a UK book chain that’s similar to BN in the US) I found a book that looked intriguing…Parisian Chic. My husband and son were both still in search of a gift for moi so I grabbed it and handed it them before turning away so I could be surprised on Christmas morning!

And I was. I have read and re-read the book a number of times. The fashion advice from Ines de la Fressange is almost simple and as soon as I read a number of things I could easily see how even though I didn’t know these “rules” I had already been instinctively doing some of the things she suggests. I wish I did it as well as she does but then I’ve never been the face of Chanel so I think I might be excused.

To bring this blog into focus a bit, I will say that reading this book reminded me of writing. The first manuscript I ever wrote had mistakes and plot holes and was very contrived but the bones of the writing craft were there. This fashion book felt the same as writing does to me. It was like I knew the basics but not the right way to apply them. And for me the practice of writing every day honed what I knew and I still learn things from my own writing process and from reading the books of others.

My question today is a two-parter: Have you ever stumbled onto something that was new to you and found you knew more about it than you had suspected? And if so, what was it?

I’m giving away a copy of His Royal Prize to three lucky bloggers today!

Kathy

I know that not everyone is a goal setter, but I am. There’s nothing I like better than making a list of things to do and then checking them off. Its a sickness really–I will make a list for any little reason. I love them. But I really use them when I’m feeling out of focus or tired and rundown.

Every January I make a list of goals for the year and I feel refreshed and like anything is possible. A few years ago while I was in the midst of lots of troubling and challenging times, I made a list in August as my kids started back to school. I just couldn’t wait for January to get back on track–I needed it then.

And it worked.

I read some place that there is magic in writing things down and for me that’s always been so. Once something makes it onto my list, which I hang next to my computer monitor so I can see it everyday, I always accomplish it.

I don’t fill my list with impossible tasks or things I know I won’t do. I mean I’m never going to write “go to the gym everyday” on my list. I hate doing that and the thought of it makes me unhappy. But I will write “walk everyday”. I like doing that and it gets me up from desk and it doesn’t feel like exercise.

I also try to put things on the list that there never seems to be enough time for. Things like go on a date with my hubby, reconnect with old friends, talk to my sisters more often and listen to my kids. If you’re a parent you know how sometimes they are talking and your mind is going over what still has to be done. I’ve missed some important things by not paying attention.

Lastly, I’ll include writing goals for projects I want to start and new ideas I want to explore.

What about you? Do you like lists and set goals for yourself? If so what’s your number one goal for the New Year?

This is my first Christmas in a foreign country and its interesting to see the traditions that are the same as mine and the ones that are different. One thing that is different for me is the food, but I think that is down to my Italian-American roots. We always have lasagna on Christmas with braciole, meatballs and spicy Italian sausage. While over here most people have turkey or some kind of four bird roast. I’m intrigued by this roulade of meat that I think has turkey, goose, duck and chicken(?) in it. It reminds of the year my good friend Eve’s husband made the Tur-duck-en (turkey stuffed with a duck stuffed with a chicken) but those were all bone in and I think he deep-fat fried it.

I’m also really missing Pillsbury break-and-bake cookies and I can’t find a single can of rolls over here to make some of my favorite easy-to-bake dishes. But I’m excited to try their Christmas pudding which I think is some kind of fruit cake that you pour brandy over and then when its served you light the brandy for a flambe affect. It sounds fun and I already know I’m going to give it a try. Its the one thing my fourteen year old is looking forward to helping me with since he thinks setting a cake on fire sounds like fun!

What are you most looking forward to in your Christmas meal? Have you ever spent a holiday away from home and if so what did you like most about it and miss most?

You know how sometimes you just hit on something at the right time and suddenly everything else just starts clicking around you and its like magic? Well that's happening to me right now. I'm working on the second book in a series I'm doing for Desire next year and the characters are just so much fun. In part I was inspired to write this story by the great classical romantic comedies of the 30s and 40s.  I know that I'm not anywhere near as talented as Dashiell Hammett, but I have always loved The Thin Man and I am getting the same feeling from my characters--Nichole and Conner as I do from watching those movies.

Real fun guy vs girl stuff--both of them using every asset at their disposal to best the other one.  The dialogue is snappy, the characters are bold and just this side of too outrageous. It doesn't happen all the time when I'm writing but it has happened before. Its like I'm not even writing the book, the words are flowing as if they are already there. Its all finished in my head and I'm just doing time at the keyboard everyday, enjoying the ride and ready to get back there the next day.

I didn't realize it when I started writing this book (I'm calling it Indecent Proposal) that it would be as much fun as it is.  Basically its the second book in a series and it was the weakest idea of the three that I had.  Originally I wanted to do something very dark like Absence of Malice but that wasn't in line with the rest of the series and as I was tweaking I decided to write a couple of scenes with the characters and voila, magic.

I'm reminded of Amadeus and the way they portrayed him writing music. I'm even dreaming about the characters and hearing snippets of their conversation as I'm doing the school run or dashing into the grocery store to pick up dinner ingredients.   There is something about this story that reaffirms for me why I'm a writer.   A lot of times writing is really hard work and my parents would say that's because anything worth doing takes effort.  And I agree but when you get a book like this one--its just a gift and I couldn't resist sharing!   Its such a high to be doing something that I love as much as I love writing.  I guess today I just feel like I'm a genius!

Seriously though I love it when everything comes together and writing can just be fun! I hope that whatever you do, today is magic for you!