Romance Writers of America RITA Finalists

I know this is week old news, but I’ve been out of town and, besides, this is my first scheduled day to blog since the announcement, so bear with me.

Romance Writers of America released the finalists for the RITA contest for published authors last Wednesday and my book, Treasure, was nominated in two categories, best first book and best contemporary series romantic suspense/adventure. The news left me, very likely in this order, astounded, speechless, and ecstatic.

It’s amazing what a few days will do to unclog those vocal chords. I can’t stop talking or thinking about it! Needless to say my family is sick of this queen for the day situation turning into queen for the week. Might as well spread the joy, right?

First off, you must believe me when I say that I entered the contest with complete resignation that nothing would come of my entrance fee. This certainty had nothing to do with modesty or pessimism. It was a pragmatic acceptance on the odds.

RWA eliminated the long and short contemporary categories, splitting the contemporary series romances into straight series and series with strong suspense/adventure elements. This was probably a smart and reasonable change, but I was fairly certain it pushed me right out of the running. I figured my Superromances had too much suspense/adventure to fit into the regular series category, but not enough to compete with the actual suspense lines. Still, this was my first year of being eligible for the RITA, how could I not enter?

This event is, aside from my first sale, the biggest happening to date in my writing career. One RITA nomination is a dream come true. Two is one of those wild ones in motion.

While I'm at it, Deborah Smith's A Gentle Rain, edited by our own Debra Dixon, finalled in the best novel with strong romantic elements category. Woohoo, Deb and Deb!

All that aside, I’ve got a couple of questions about both the reader and writer perspective on the RITAs. Before I started writing to try and publish a book, I wasn't aware of the RITA awards. So if you’re strictly a reader (not a writer) are you familiar with the RITAs?

To everyone: Have you read many of this year’s RITA nominees? Are there any books you read that you think should have made the finals and didn’t? Does a RITA nomination affect whether or not you buy/read an author’s book(s)?

http://www.helenbrenna.com

Here’s a complete list of this year’s RITA nominees:

2008 RITA for Best First Book Finalists

Dead Girls Are Easy by Terri Garey
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books

Graffiti Girl by Kelly Parra
Simon & Schuster, MTV Books/Pocket

Prime Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin NEXT

Prom Dates From Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore
Random House Publishing, Delacorte Press

Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn
Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA

Snow Angel by Jamie Carie
B&H Publishing Group, B&H Fiction

Thief With No Shadow by Emily Gee
BL Publishing, Solaris

Treasure by Helen Brenna
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Superromance

2008 RITA for Contemporary Series Romance Finalists

Always a Bridesmaid by Kristin Hardy
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Special Edition

Fall From Grace by Kristi Gold
Harlequin Enterprises, Everlasting Love

Make-Believe Mom by Elaine Grant
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Superromance

Night Mischief by Nina Bruhns
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Nocturne

Sleeping Partner by Kelly Hunter
Harlequin Enterprises, Sexy Sensation

Snowbound by Janice Johnson
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Superromance

The Mile High Club by Heidi Rice
Harlequin Enterprises, Mills and Boon Modern Extra

The Tycoon's Princess Bride by Natasha Oakley
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Presents

2008 RITA for Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure Finalists

High-Risk Affair by RaeAnne Thayne
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Romantic Suspense

Midnight Prince by Dani Sinclair
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Intrigue

Sara's Son by Tara Taylor Quinn
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Superromance

Stranded With A Spy by Merline Lovelace
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Romantic Suspense

The Medusa Affair by Cindy Dees
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Romantic Suspense

The Medusa Seduction by Cindy Dees
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Romantic Suspense

Treasure by Helen Brenna
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Superromance

Untouched by Samantha Hunter
Harlequin Enterprises, Blaze Extreme

2008 RITA for Contemporary Single Title Romance Finalists

Blame It On Cupid by Jennifer Greene
Harlequin Enterprises, HQN

Catch of the Day by Kristan Higgins
Harlequin Enterprises, HQN

Coming Undone by Susan Andersen
Harlequin Enterprises, HQN

Sexiest Man Alive by Diana Holquist
Grand Central Publishing, Forever

She's No Angel by Leslie Kelly
Harlequin Enterprises, HQN

Tangled Up In You by Rachel Gibson
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books

Tempt Me Tonight by Toni Blake
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books, Red

The Sleeping Beauty Proposal by Sarah Strohmeyer
Penguin Group USA, Dutton

2008 RITA for Historical Romance Finalists

And Then He Kissed Her by Laura Lee Guhrke
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books

Beloved Warrior by Patricia Potter
Penguin Group USA, Berkley Sensation

Lessons of Desire by Madeline Hunter
Bantam Dell Publishing Group

Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas
St. Martin's Press

Surrender to a Scoundrel by Julianne MacLean
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books

Tempted Tigress by Jade Lee
Dorchester Publishing, Leisure Books

The Leopard Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
Grand Central Publishing, Forever

The Perfect Kiss by Anne Gracie
Penguin Group USA, Berkley Sensation

2008 RITA for Inspirational Romance Finalists

A Touch of Grace by Linda Goodnight
Harlequin Enterprises, Steeple Hill Love Inspired

Autumn Blue by Karen Harter
Center Street

Pursuit of Justice by Pamela Tracy
Harlequin Enterprises, Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense

Rainbow's End by Irene Hannon
Harlequin Enterprises, Steeple Hill Love Inspired

Ransomed Dreams by Amy Wallace
Random House Publishing, WaterBrook Multnomah

Splitting Harriet by Tamara Leigh
Random House Publishing, WaterBrook Multnomah

Taming Rafe by Susan May Warren
Tyndale House Publishers

When the Morning Comes by Cindy Woodsmall
Random House Publishing, WaterBrook Multnomah

2008 RITA for Novel with Strong Romantic Elements Finalists

A Gentle Rain by Deborah Smith
BelleBooks (edited of course by our own wonderful Debra Dixon!!)

High Noon by Nora Roberts
Penguin Group USA, Putnam

Learning to Breathe by Karen White
Penguin Group USA, NAL Accent

Odd Mom Out by Jane Porter
Grand Central Publishing, 5 Spot

See No Evil by Allison Brennan
Ballantine

Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn
Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA

Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas
St. Martin's Press

Thief With No Shadow by Emily Gee
BL Publishing, Solaris

2008 RITA for Paranormal Romance Finalists

Dead Girls Are Easy by Terri Garey
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books

Demon's Kiss by Maggie Shayne
Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA

Games of Command by Linnea Sinclair
Bantam Dell Publishing Group, Spectra

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Hot by Stephanie Rowe
Grand Central Publishing, Forever

Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward
Penguin Group USA, Signet, Onyx

Prince of Magic by Linda Winstead Jones
Penguin Group USA, Berkley Sensation

Raintree: Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Nocturne

Touch of Darkness by Christina Dodd
Penguin Group USA, NAL

2008 RITA for Regency Historical Romance Finalists

Blackthorne's Bride by Shana Galen
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books

Claiming the Courtesan by Anna Campbell
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books

Lord of Scandal by Nicola Cornick
Harlequin Enterprises, HQN

The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books

Untouched by Anna Campbell
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books

2008 RITA for Romance Novella Finalists

“Angel and the Hellraiser” in Demon’s Delight by Vickie Taylor
Penguin Group USA, Berkley Sensation

“Born in My Heart” in Like Mother, Like Daughter by Jennifer Greene
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin NEXT

“Christmas Cravings” in Holiday with a Vampire by Maureen Child
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Nocturne

“Christmas Day Family” in A Western Winter Wonderland by Cheryl St. John
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Historical

“Eternity in Death” in Dead of Night by Nora Roberts
Penguin Group USA, Putnam

“Fallen Angel” in A Western Winter Wonderland by Jenna Kernan
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Historical

“Mischief and the Marquess” in Perfect Kisses by Sylvia Day
Kensington Publishing Corp., Brava

“On the Fringe” in Dead of Night by Mary Kay McComas
Penguin Group USA, Berkley Jove

2008 RITA for Romantic Suspense Finalists

Die for Me by Karen Rose
Grand Central Publishing, Vision

Ice Blue by Anne Stuart
Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA

Ice Storm by Anne Stuart
Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA

Prime Time by Hank Phillippi Ryan
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin NEXT

Speak No Evil by Allison Brennan
Ballantine
Charlotte Herscher, editor

Traceless by Debra Webb
St. Martin's Press

White Heat by Cherry Adair
Ballantine/Ivy

2008 RITA for Young Adult Romance

Girl at Sea by Maureen Johnson
HarperCollins Publishers, HarperTeen

Graffiti Girl by Kelly Parra
Simon & Schuster, MTV Books/Pocket

Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles
Llewellyn Worldwide, Flux

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
HarperCollins Publishers, HarperTeen

Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day

I wanted to post a bit about this movie I saw yesterday. It is absolutely the cause for a couple of the best hours I've spent in a movie theatre lately. A light, bubbly flick, with just a shadow of the ominous World War. It is one day in the life of a down-and-out woman who can't seem to hold a job--so instead, she steals one. And what a day it is for Miss Pettigrew.
Frances Mcdormand is perfect in the role as the dowdy 'social secretary' who happens into a fortunate day following the bubbly rising star, Delyssia, played by Amy Adams. Both women have equal screen time, and I can't decide who deserves more accolades, so I won't. They are both something to see.
And the men! Amy's character juggles three men in the course of the day, starting with the young ingenue Phil, a man who possesses perhaps the most gorgeous blue eyes I've seen in a while, then Nick, the slightly slimy man who's given Delyssia everything (and expects a lot in return), and the puppy-eyed Michael (played by the pieman from Pushing Daisies), the musician who only wants to spend his days with the starlet, poor as that would make them.
I found myself laughing a lot, and smiling widely most other times. Rarely does this movie settle down and get too muddled in the reality of the time period (war looming, literally overhead, as fighter planes skim over London). It is a wonderful fairy tale that I'm looking forward to seeing again soon.
Anyone else seen it?
M

Moody? Me?

Lois Greiman

(Disclaimer: Picture has practically nothing to do with current blog. So sue me.)

I hate being moody and emotional and weird, and it’s even worse when I don’t have a decent reason for my neuroses. I mean, if you can say, “I just got a rejection letter,” or “My cat threw up on my grandmother’s shawl,” or “I have a hangnail the size of a small continent,” it helps, but generally when I’m gloomy I have no reason whatsoever. Hence, I’ve decided to blame everything on my hormones.

Recently I heard about an experiment done on women. The study group was shown a computer picture of a guy who the average person would consider extremely masculine. After examining the photograph, the women rated how attracted they were to him. The image then changed repeatedly, making him a little more feminine each time. And each time the women would have to rate him. What the study showed was that the closer the women were to ovulation the more attractive the macho man appeared to them.

This tells me two things…woman are extremely changeable, and…it’s little wonder men are confused.

But…beyond the sexual part of things, hormones control so much of our everyday lives. For instance, insulin controls the sugar levels in our bloodstreams. Oxytocin causes uterine contractions. Epinephrine speeds our heart rate, and endorphins make us happy. These are life-altering functions that shouldn’t be underestimated.

I was talking to a writer friend the other day. (I won’t mention her name but her initials are MH and she’s one of the riders.) Anyway, we both agreed that writing is easier when we’re ovulating. After giving that some additional thought I realized that most things are easier when I’m ovulating. How weird is that? Conversely, most things are generally not so great when I’m at the flip side of my cycle

So how about you? Do you feel like you’re being flung about by the ends of your hormones? Does your life revolve around your ovaries, or is it just me?

www.loisgreiman.com

Gettin' My Strokes

I've been humming Billy Squire's The Stroke in my head since coming up with this blog post. Remember that song? Yeah, it was huge. I figured I'd Google the lyrics and read through them before using it in the post. I mean, I always thought I knew what he was talking about when he said to 'stroke me, stroke me'. I figured it was a sexual thang. But is that what he's really referring to in the song? After reading the lyrics, I'm not sure. It could be a sex thing; it could be an ego thing. Or it could be both.

Today I'm headed downtown to a big convention center for the Public Librarian's Association convention. I'm signing at the Romance Writer's of America booth for an hour, then heading over to Harlequin's booth to sign. I'm back on Friday to do the same. I'll wave to Lois when I'm there; she'll be appearing at the Sisters In Crime booth. I love stuff like this. Big conventions filled with table after table of books. It's all about books. Books coming out this fall, books publishers are promoting big, books from small press, and books for kids. Authors will be signing books at their publisher's booths. Workshops will be given. And the place will be swimming with librarians. A good time will be had by all.

I go because, well, I was asked by my publisher. I gotta tell you, it's a cool feeling to get a call from your publisher's publicity department asking if you can represent them at a tradeshow. And who's going to refuse the chance to feel special for an hour? Heck, I get to dig through my closet for real clothes—anything non-sweat-like. I get to wear big-girl high heels. I even put on makeup. (Seriously, people, you just don't know how much I need events like this. If only to get out of my cage and talk to real people, and not alpha-male werewolves.) Events like this allow me to sit down before a stack of books and sign them and give them all away to people who really want to read them and learn more about me. So yep, I'm going for a few strokes. To my ego, that is.

Oh sure, I've been listening to Oprah and Eckhart. I know I should be trying to get rid of my ego if I want to become a better person. But you know, I say a little ego shining every once in a while isn't such a bad thing. And okay, it's not all about me. I go because I get to meet the people who have a genuine interest in books, in promoting them, and reading in general. It's like hanging with my peeps. A whole freakin' convention center full of them! How cool is that?

Another great thing about events like this? As a writer I love to learn all aspects of publishing. I'm not content to sit before the computer and plunk out story after story. If there's opportunity to get a peek behind the scenes, I'll grab it. What goes on at book tradeshows? I want to be there, to watch the marketing teams work their magic. To see how they relate to the librarians. How do they sell what I produce? What is the competition up to? Any next-big-thing bestsellers I should be on the lookout for?

So I'm going for some strokes today, and some information. And I'll be wearing my author costume—that is, nice clothes and a smile. I'll be learning while I'm playing the author, and that is what makes this job so interesting and fun.

So what about you as a reader? Have you experience beyond holding the book in your hand? Ever work at a bookstore? Tradeshow? Selling or marketing books? How do you get your strokes? (No, not Squier's kind of strokes, but—you know what I mean!) And okay, while it's hanging out there...just what kind of stroke is the guy singing about?
M

Tanzania

Yup, that's where we were. Two weeks, most of them in mobile tented camps. (Less anyone be too impressed with my adventurousness, they were really NICE tents, with good beds and flush toilets for all that they could be packed up and moved depending upon where the animals were.)

There were lions just outside our tents, huffing away (we weren't allowed to walk too far out of camp without the company of a Maasai warrior guard, spear and all.) And the wildebeest, grunting. I knew they were there, I could hear them, but nothing prepared me for driving about a half a kilometer and being smack dab in the middle of thousands and thousands of them, in all directions, the horizon so thick with them it looked like a swarm of ants. Best guess was that in our sight there was about a quarter of a million, though the entire migration is more like a million and a half (not counting the zebras and gazelles!). I've seen photos, I've seen it on tv, I've even seen it on a 360 degree movie screen. Still, I had no idea of what it was really like. Kind of like childbirth.

I loved Tanzania. I'd go back tomorrow, despite the fact that, door to door, it was nearly 40 hours to get home. (I am ALMOST coherent now.) The people were great, the country gorgeous, I have the teensiest crush on our very charming 31-year-old tour manager, and our wonderful fellow travelers were old friends in the space of a day. The hardest critter to find? Leopards - we saw three. The cutest were the baby giraffes, the funniest the warthogs. We saw lions mating. Completely unimpressive stamina - like five seconds - but very impressive recovery time. (They mate something like on the average of every twenty minutes for four days straight!) And plane phobic me got on a 1-propeller plane on a bumpy airstrip that they have to buzz before they land, to scare off the zebras, and flew over an active volcano on my way back to Kilimanjaro airport.

But what I'm really interested in is how many of us having been having adventures lately. Has that streak always been there, and we're only now, with our kids a bit older, able to indulge it? I'm not sure I ever thought of myself as particularly adventurous, however. For me, it's more that the unpredictability of life has been brought home to me in some very forceful ways the past few years, and I feel driven to get out there and LIVE, not knowing what the future will bring.

Unlike Lois, I don't think I'll be climbing any mountains any time soon. But the next trip is booked (my son and I, this time) and I can't wait. And you certainly don't have to travel to expand your life; my husband is chattering about flying lessons, and I'm thinking learning a second language (a huge fat gap in my education) will be soon on the list for me.

So who else is feeling this need to get out there and try something new? What have you all got planned?

Susie

Guess where we were?

Apparently the riders are in a "have adventures" phase of our lives. I have to admit I wasn't quite as "rough" as Lois, but we had one, just that same. That's the dh and I above, on a trip we just got back from. (In case anybody was wondering what happened to me.)

Let's see who can guess first . . . if you're guessing in the US, I need a state. Outside the US, a country will do.

I'll blog about it when somebody gets it right . . .

Susie

Debra - Saw-ry Old Friend

Trees live a long time. If you can’t put your arms around the tree trunk you know it’s old. When they put a gash in your big ol' tree delivering bricks during a remodel…you know the tree has (probably) prematurely reached the end of its lifespan. You know, but you hope you’re wrong.

I love my trees. I cried when lightning took out an old crab apple tree twenty years ago. For this tree I haven’t actually cried. I’ve had a couple of years to come to grips with “maybe” losing the tree. I put off calling the men with saws and a crane as long as I could. Miracles happen; teams rally in the last twenty seconds of the game. Unfortunately the Green Man was fresh out of miracles. Finally, in December I signed the death warrant and waited for the men with saws and a crane to arrive.

Then the rain began. If it rains, the ground’s too soft; they can’t get cranes in. (Did I mention that it’s a big tree?) Mother Nature rained every few days for months. Big ol’ tree started dropping limbs. Usually on fences. The tree span is so big it could take out multiple fences. Two of the limbs are still where they fell because they are tree-sized. They laugh at our puny chain saw.

Next, in the middle of February, the wind arrived. Followed by a tornado that had me locked in the interior hallway-of-nine-closed-doors with all my animals and wondering how much more wind the tree could take before the big crash-smash-there-goes-my-house. March, known as tornado season around here, is not good time to be in the vicinity of gi-normous trees which are sixty feet of deadfall. (They fall; you’re dead.)

Today the crane has finally rumbled into the yard. I couldn’t be happier. Who’d have thought I could go from sad optimist to cheering realist? By the end of today or tomorrow, all that will be left is a stump level with the ground. In another month or so (they’re backed up) they’ll send out the stump grinding team. I’ll actually be able to sleep deeply tonight, no need to keep one eye open and an ear straining for the tell-tale sounds of high wind.

No tears yet. I’ll probably cry when the first summer utility bill hits. I will have lost thousands of dollars in eco-benefits from losing this tree. It's not just the shade, it's water shed management, air filtering, etc. Big old trees need to be saved. There is even a registry for our big old trees started in 1940. http://www.americanforests.org/resources/bigtrees/

I’ll need to plant another tree. Any tree advice from you gardeners out there? Anybody else have spring cleaning that includes removal of a tree? Anybody know a good fence guy?

Guest Author: Lori Avocato

Thanks so much for inviting me to blog here! Let me tell you a bit about myself and how my romantic mystery series came to be. I’m Polish. Okay, American but of Polish decent. I’m proud of my heritage, have witnessed many strong, independent, successful Polish women and one day said to my cousin Barbara, “I’m going to write a Polish heroine.” Barbara immediately yelled, “Yes! And make sure that she is smart, sexy and thin!”

Thus my character, Pauline Sokol, was born.

Smart—thirteen years of nursing.

Sexy—a single thirty-something with great legs!

Thin—size four. Don’t even go there.

When I was growing up, my extended family lived within walking distance and every holiday was celebrated at the same aunt’s house so we never had to think of where we would be going. Maybe they did it that way cause we are Polish and they thought we’d get too confused!

With the past engrained in me, I set out to write my humorous mystery series—a no-brainer with my Polish heroine fashioned after my Babci (grandmother)—the real Pauline Sokol, who lived to be ninety-two years old and died on her birthday—and the first book of my series came out on her birthday. (Insert spooky music here)

With a kick-ass grandmother like Pauline Sokol (Sorry for the bad language, Babci!) I had very little trouble giving fictional “birth” to Pauline in the first book, A DOSE OF MURDER.

Fictional Pauline has the smarts and common sense that it takes to investigate fraud and the medical knowledge that got her frequent assignments from Worker’s Comp fraud, to medical insurance fraud on a cruise ship, to getting high jacked into a mental health facility by the hunk, Jagger?

An, Jagger. He’s another blog.

There’s an ensemble cast of characters from her mother, Stella, who worries that Pauline is still single and should go back to nursing, to her father, Michael, who’s retired but spends all day reading the newspaper, to transvestite Goldie, who dresses better than a runway model and has a heart of gold.

Pauline’s family’s home, circa 1950, remains unchanged and homey although she needs occasional sniffs of pine-scented Renuzit, her mother’s favorite, to calm her worries. No one but an ethnic mother like Stella would replace Pauline’s briefs with thongs—“because, after all, Pauline’s still single.”

I do a daily blog of humor so pop on over if you need a daily chuckle.

www.loriavocato.com/blog

After serving in the Air Force as a registered nurse, Lori Avocato decided to switch careers and now writes a humorous mystery series for Avon Books. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, PASIC, NINC, The Author’s Guild and Sisters in Crime.

Her Pauline Sokol Mystery Series, in which a burned out nurse becomes a medical insurance fraud investigator, is a perfect medium for Lori’s quick wit and amusing, believable characters. Lori’s first book of the series, A DOSE OF MURDER, has made the best-selling suspense/thriller list on Amazon and placed second in the Reviewers International Organizations award of excellent for debut novel. You can visit Lori’s website at: www.loriavocato.com where you can drop her a note and read excerpts of the hysterical series.

Lori Avocato’s side-splitting novels featuring spunky heroine Pauline Sokol have been called “delightful” by Publisher’s Weekly and her experience as a former Air Force nurse allows Avocato to infuse her fast-paced plots with authentic medical details.

“… an outstanding mix of humor, family relationships, unusual characters and realistic detecting from the viewpoint of a novice.”

– Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

And the Winner is...

Laurie G. from Florida!

I hope you enjoy the ARC of my new book (called an "irresistible read" by Susan Wiggs), available to everyone else on June 3rd. Thanks to everyone who entered the contest.

HAPPY SPRING & HAPPY EASTER!

Happy Spring! Happy Easter!






Spring is finally here. Despite the snow and the rain and the cold, the promise of warmth, sunshine and new growth are all around us. We riders join together to wish you a wonderful celebration of new life and rebirth. . . however you celebrate it.

Grace and Peace.

Free! Free! Free!

Today’s blog topic is about free stuff. So…I have something free to give away. An Advance Reader’s Copy for my next book, How To Knit A Wild Bikini. Knowing knitting is not at all necessary to enjoy this beachside contemporary romance. But if you have a LYS (little yarn shop) where you might like to pass this around after you’ve read it, that would be a bonus. To have a chance, e-mail me at talktochristie@christieridgway.com and say you read about it on our blog. I’ll pick a winner and announce it here next week.

Doesn’t everybody like free stuff? Whether it’s a sample of a cracker at Costco or an emory board that says “Read My Book” at a conference, I’ll always stop to pick up what’s being offered. I also love getting mail. Not bills and such, of course, but unexpected mail that looks like a present or a treat. For a while I was on subscription list for Bare Escentuals and every few weeks they sent me a package of make-up. Fun! But I don’t wear as much make-up, apparently, as some people do, so it was piling up in my bathroom drawer. I cancelled, but I miss those fun packages. Even though I knew I’d be paying for the stuff via a charge on my credit card, every shipment came with a little extra something—a new brush or a new product that I didn’t expect. Loved it.

Well, I have something new that fills my love for free goods, mail, and romance too! As of this month I’m the romance reviewer for BookPage, a publication that goes to libraries and bookstores. You can also see it on the web at www.bookpage.com. The publication reviews all kinds of books and I’ve really enjoyed perusing the different types within its pages—fiction, non-fiction, cookbooks, children’s, self-help, etc. I’ve been picking it up at my library and reading it while on my treadmill.

So, yeah, that means I get free books in the mail. Oh, the joy. They come from BookPage in these big, bursting-at-the-seams boxes and I’m like a kid at Christmas. Though I get many books, there’s only room for me to review four each month in my column, and do I agonize which to focus on—so many good reads come to me. I have to mix up the subgenres and the publishers too, so I’m saturating myself in what’s being published in romance/women’s fiction/chick lit. Yeah, I get some of all three. And what’s the best part of this new gig of mine? The BookPage reviews are upbeat and positive. That means I’m talking about books I really enjoyed—the downside is I could talk about them all day.

So, hope you’ll look for my reviews either at the site or by picking up the (yes, it’s free!) publication. And though I only get to write about four each month, I’ll try to drop a few titles now and then of books that I didn’t have the space to highlight but that I think you might enjoy. (Deadly Deceptions by Linda Lael Miller.)

What’s your favorite free thing? I just asked Surfer Guy and he reminded me of the Mercedes he got off Craig’s List last fall. But it doesn’t have to be big. My See’s Candies store always gives away a free candy when you go in and I love them for it.

Winner of Wednesday's drawing

PJ is the lucky winner today! Congrats!

PJ, please email Michele at toastfaery @ gmail.com with your snail mail address, and she will forward that to Michelle B.

And a huge round of thanks to MIchelle Bounfiglio for educating us on cougars and MILFs! Thanks for riding with us, Michelle, stop back often!

Guest - Michelle Bounfiglio

We welcome bella Michelle Bounfiglio, of LifetimeTV.com's Romance B(u)y The Book to the convertible today!

Buongiorno to all you chicks riding today with the top down! Thanks so much for letting me join you to show you how out of the mouths of babes, blog posts are born.

Like good mothers everywhere, last night, about a half hour before their bedtime, I bundled my kids into the car to go to McDonalds for dinner. And along the way, my ten-year-old son – whose voracious reading has in the past inspired my blogs and columns to the tune of one about the sexiest string theorist at Harvard and a couple articles about the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition – pipes up and says, “Mumma, I was reading Time magazine?”

He states it with that curious inquisitive ending inflection that drives me nuts. But since I’m already behind on Mom of the Year points, I let it slide. He continues.

”And they had this feature about Top Ten buzzwords? Do you know what a Cougar is?”

And I freeze thinking: Oh, God. He’s noticed the way I check out those young construction dudes when we’re stuck in traffic. Or seen me ogling the good-looking single male teachers at his school. Maybe I’m not as slick as I think, now that I’m “of a certain age” -- that one in which guys I’m finding sexually attractive seem to be “of a certain age” a couple decades shy of mine.

Yet it was only a short while ago that I learned what my son now knows that “cougar” is the new term for an older woman who goes after younger men. There’s even a web site called CougarPlanet.com, where Cougars can go to learn how to hunt the elusive “Wounded Zebra” younger male. And Wounded Zebras – or guys skilled in playing the WZ -- can hit the site, too, to learn how to, um, use their, ahem, spears, to attract grateful Cougars of their very own.
I dunno if I dig the term cougar too much. I mean, I thought we’d gotten to a point where we understood that confident men find us even more attractive as we mature and learn more about our feminine selves, bodies, sexualities. We cheer on Madonna and Demi and Halle – oh, yes, you go Halle, girl – for gettin’ themselves some youthful sumthin' sumthins by being fit and fun and wise.

Frankly, there are better pop terms for women to embrace and aspire to. Ten years ago when new-mom moi sobbed to my husband, “I didn’t give up being a woman when I became a mother!” who knew that one day I might fantasize about rising to exalted status of MILF.

Hey, a middle-aged romance columnist can dream, cain’t she?

So, which would you rather be: Cougar or MILF – (Madonna, Halle and Demi are all both!)? What kind of older woman/younger man relationship is best? And, at 43, how many decades younger are too young for me to lust after, anyway?
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Princesses for a day, Kathy, Lois, Michelle B. and Michele

SPRING. . . finally!

Betina Here. And so is Spring. At last.

Why should that matter to me, you ask, seeing as how I live in the Sunshine State where warmth and nice weather are legendary? We have signs of spring down here too. . . RV's headed north, plenty of parking spots, dry grass, road constructions barrels. . .



Sure signs of spring?



But honestly, I prefer the more traditional signs from "up north." Robins. Budding trees. Daffodils. Snirt. Okay you can tell things are out of whack when I start getting sentimental about piles of dirty slush.

sigh.









So I decided I needed, maybe we all needed, a breath of spring after such a long hard, winter. Here's my contribution:


**** WARNING: GRATUITOUS CUTENESS AHEAD! ****

Spring is the time for flowers-- crocus, tulips, and daffodils. My personal favorites are daffodils. Bunnies don't eat them like they do tulips and better yet, they naturalize and spread all by themselves. Assuming they have a little fertilizer now and then. And you know, I learned that a little "blood meal" from the garden store not only keeps the munchers away, it also adds tons of iron and nitrogen to the soil and makes your bulb foliage rich green and glossy. :)
















Not that I have anything against bunnies. quite the contrary. I think they're adorable. Just not munching on my hard-won spring flowers. And to prove it, I'm giving bunnies equal time.


But lest I be accused of being "species-est" (I think that means preferring one species over another) I'll have to give space and a few "awww"s to the duckies.

Yes, spring is in the air, but not just for domesticated critters. . . for wild beasties, too. Like baby foxes. (Are you in a diabetic coma yet?)


Of course my favorite bunnies are always the two-legged variety:
Oops. . . these aren't the ones I meant. . . but they're so cute, we'll let them stay.


This is the two-legged bunny I had in mind.

So, lets review. Spring is a time for birth and new growth. Flowers. Baby animals. A resurgent sense of life and hope after a long, hard winter. And of course as the weather warms up. . . young peoples fancy turns to thoughts of LOVE. sigh.


Also Easter baskets and chocolate. Though Easter is so early this year, it's hard to get sobered up from St. Paddy's Day in time to celebrate it with proper enthusiasm. So, I'll leave you with one last chuckle. . . not at all fitting for the end of such a sugary, sweet post. But I did write it after all. So, here you are.



So, what are your favorite signs of spring? What makes you want to rush out and get your hands in the dirt. . . plant something. . . buy a new dress. . . boil and dye eggs. . . eat 5 pounds of bunny-shaped chocolate? Anybody else get spring fever from seed and plant catalogs? Are your toes just aching for barefoot weather?

Pet Peeves

Posted by Lois Greiman:

Let’s talk about pet peeves.

A while ago a friend asked if anything bothered me. Apparently she thought I was pretty laid back. In fact, there was talk of me being one cat nap short of catatonic. But recently, perhaps because of my impending dotage, I realize there are a whole boatlaod of things that irk the bejeebees out of me. And there is, I have to admit, no logical reason for it.

For instant, it drives me out of my mind when I can hear people eat. Certain members of my family, who shall remain nameless to protect the obnoxious, eat loud enough to cover the approach of a band of elephants. I have to leave the room when they’re masticating. I kid you not. I take my plate and head up to my office where I swear, on particularly neurotic days, I can still hear the food being slurped down their gullets.

Discarded pop cans. I admit that I have, for a long while, been a recycling lunatic, but lately when I find pop cans in the trash I become…. Well, my daughter recently referred to me as the environmental Hunk. It’s embarrassing; green is not a flattering skin tone for me.

Improper use of the English language. Okay, this is really stupid because my own habits ain’t all that stellar. For instance, I’ve never really understood when to use ‘well’ versus ‘good’ and I’m too lazy to figure it out. But a pox on those who make mistakes with the words I do understand! I have a person quite close to me, a person I love dearly, in fact, who uses the word ‘don’t’ incorrectly. As in, “It don’t make no difference.” Makes my toenails curl and my eyes glow.

Why? I don’t know. Maybe cuz I’m nuts. Maybe because I really don’t have enough to worry about. Or maybe because I have so many problems myself that gnawing on stupid little things like grammar makes me feel better about me. I’m not sure, but I do know that I recently threatened to put a fork through my ear if my husband kept breathing into the phone during our conversations.

Abnormal? Probably. But I’m pretty sure I’m not alone with my neuroses. So come on. Don’t leave me hangin’ here. ‘Fess up. What are the fingernails on the blackboard of your life?

www.loisgreiman.com

Missing Sex and the City

Anyone else out there miss Carrie and the girls?

I was late to tune in to S&C – like two seasons late. So I had to catch up with reruns and DVD’s. But oh man, did I get hooked when I finally got on board. I loved Charlotte’s wholesome naiveté – well, wholesome until she discovered the Rabbit. I admired Miranda’s strength and loyalty and quick wit, I gasped (and grinned) at Samantha’s naughty games and revolving bedroom door, yet liked her for her undying love for her friends. And of course – what’s not to love about Carrie? She was smart and sassy and she wore the most amazing shoes on earth.

I’ve often wondered why a show like S&C resonated with me – a little ole Iowa country girl, long married and well past the age where those girls’ sex and the city ways were something I could relate to. I’ve since decided that girls are girls, no matter what the age and a great pair of shoes can be the ultimate equalizer. And the clothes. Oh. My. God. The devil may wear Prada but Carrie and the crew wore the most amazing clothes I’ve ever seen. It was also fun seeing NYC through their eyes – they made several places famous. In fact, last time I was in New York, I had the treat of visiting the Magnolia Bakery for one of the famous cupcakes Miranda used to indulge herself in on a bad day. And I’ve got to tell ya – it was fabulous!! It was around midnight, the place was packed, and cupcakes were flying off the shelves.

I for one am thrilled to know that the Sex and the City movie is coming to a theater near ME on May 30. Yay and joy and hearts abound. I’ll get to see Mr. Big on the BIG screen. What's not to love about that prospect?

In the meantime, both ABC and NBC have attempted to, if not duplicate, replicate the S&C vibes with Cashmere Mafia and Lipstick Jungle, respectably. I’ve watched them both and I liked them. Lucy Liu is the big name on Mafia and Brook Shields the headliner on Jungle. Both scripts are upbeat, smart, and provocative; again the fashion and shoes are to die for and the leads and supporting cast are exceedingly appealing. While neither show is as racy (we are talking network here not cable) they still have enough punch to keep things interesting and make you want to invest in the characters.

So, what about you? Have you seen either Mafia or Jungle and if so, what did you think? Were any of you Sex and the City fans? Who was your favorite character? Who was your favorite among Carrie’s boyfriends? And the most important question: What’s the most money you’ve ever paid for a pair of shoes???

Barbie, you got some 'splainin' to do

[Previously published on the short-lived Cosmo Chicks blog years ago.]

I woke up thinking about Barbie for some reason this morning. Don't ask me why. I was just reliving good times with a long lost friend. I once worshipped at the altar of Barbie.

Oh yeah, Barbie was my life, my goal, my dream. I was going to have the perfect life someday, just like Barbie. I would have the perfect figure, exquisite clothes, and stylish hair. My feet would always fits into precious pink heels and my boyfriend would always greet me with a smile and those perfect white teeth. I'd have the camper, the apartment, the corvette, why yes, I'd even have my own private airplane and a Barbie Horse. And when I married, I'd come home to Ken, whose plastified smile was always ready to greet me. Ken would do whatever Barbie asked, he'd even wear the plastic apron and serve Barbie drinks aboard the airplane as they jetsetted to DisneyWorld for vacation. (Hey, I was a kid. DisneyWorld was the Ultimate Vacation.) If Barbie asked, Ken delivered, and always with that beaming plastified smile.

And ahhh, observe the precious Barbie Baby, whose head (I didn't take note of at the time) was virtually the same size as Barbie's head. Talk about an anatomical ouch! But the accessories that baby had! And all of them matchy-matchy and easily moved about by Ken, (as he grinned his plastified grin). Along with the perfect Ken, and perfect baby and a plastic cat or two, Barbie lived the dream.

Well, Barbie, you got some 'splainin' to do.

I'm grown now. I have the 'life'. I'm married, have children, and the two cats (not plastic, but there are days I wish they were because I suspect plastic cats don't hack up hairballs). Interesting, isn't it, how the dream can change?

I don't seem to recall there being a Barbie Broom and Dustpan, Barbie Dishrag, or for that matter, a Barbie Toilet Brush. Barbie never owned a washer and dryer, because heaven forbid she wouldn't have a perfectly new outfit to wear each day, anyway. And what's with that baby that never came equipped with the Barbie Baby Rash or the Barbie Baby Diaper Genie? Who could have ever suspected a baby would be so...smelly and just so darn odd after playing with that perfect big-headed unbendable baby that even smelled like baby powder?

And I certainly never recall Barbie having to rush to the bathroom and spray the Barbie Deodorizer after Ken exits with a guilty plastified grin affixed to his face. Nor do I recall the standard issue Remote Control Ken, just pose him in front of the plastic television, and point the remote; that's his talent!

They never had Corporate Raider Barbie, equipped with cellphone, laptop, rolodex and a wicked craving to sleep with Boss Ken while simultaneously sabotaging Barbie Climbing the Corporate Ladder's chance of ever getting that big promotion. And never mind the lacking appearance of Department Store Barbie on toystore shelves, who comes with a snappy blue vest and a tilted name tag and wears a frown on her plastified mouth as she mumbles into the intercom, "Price check on a box of supersize tampons. Checkout eight."

Where was Domestic Barbie? Oh, I know, she was married to Seventy-Hours-A-Week White Collar Ken. She stays at home with three plastic Spit-Up Babies and four Can't Be Housetrained Poodles clambering for her attention while she can't figure out how the Barbie Toilet Brush got shoved into the garden hose and where did that last Barbie Babysitter find the secret alcohol stash?

My personal favorite would have been Migraine Barbie. A tiny bottle of Barbie Aspirin comes fitted into her plastic fingers, but don't bother calling Doctor Ken. You can't remove her from the original packing box. She needs it dark and quiet. And don't shake her up; she'll spew.

What about Writer Barbie? She'd come equipped with a Barbie Computer (yet how to type with those four fused plastic fingers?) a stash of chocolate and attired in pajamas and bunny slippers. Her hair would refuse all styles and she would have an extra large backside garnered from Dedication To Work While Hunched Over The Keyboard Chasing The Muse. But man, would she have the office supplies. Tiny Barbie Paperclips and Post-it Pads. An endless supply of fancy pens and little books with her name on that she could hand out, perhaps even to Migraine Barbie, in an attempt to sooth her troubles. She'd write fantastical stories that always ended happily, sort of like the original Barbie Dream, but with a lot more reality stirred in.

Yeah, I like Writer Barbie, even if she's been known to attack UPS Ken when he comes knocking because he is her only connection to the outside world and he brings boxes from Amazon, and occasionally, checks from her publisher. Ken doesn't know it, but Writer Barbie and UPS Ken have this 'thing'. It's okay, hand Remote Control Ken his clicker, and the whole world is right.

My apologies to our resident Barbie-ologist, the lovely Ms Eagle. I couldn't resist posting the pics of Redneck Barbie and Hotflash Barbie.

So, which Barbie would you like to see on the department store shelves? I haven't been in the toy section lately: What's the most bizarre Barbie currently on shelves?

Michele
michelehauf.com

Guest Author/PC Security Specialist: Susan Gable

Best-selling author Susan Gable, who writes for Harlequin’s Superromance line, has been a Golden Heart Finalist, a Rita Finalist, and winner of the National Readers’ Choice Award. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, who just happens to be a computer guru, like the hero in her third book, and he’s also been a Chief Engineer for a television station, like her hero in book four. She’s a former teacher, a writer, a mom, a cook, laundry-and-cleaning-lady, chauffeur, pet-owner, household finance expert, and in her spare time, she helps her husband with their business, PCWebDoc.com, which does computer repairs right over your internet connection.

She’s with us today to talk about tips for keeping our computers and personal information safe in this day of rampant hacking, skimming, viruses and other assorted cyber-nastiness.

If you have a computer and you surf the internet (you’re HERE, aren’t you?) then you need to know tips for keeping your computer safe.

Susan is posting a list of tips, but welcomes your questions – which she admits, she might have to refer to her personal geek for answers. So here's ... Susan.

At PCWebDoc, one of my main jobs is Geek Speak Translator. That is, I take the Geek Speak and turn it into regular English that non-techies like myself can understand.

I’ve learned a lot from watching my husband fix the computers of our customers. Things like, you’re not always protected even though you think you are. (I can’t tell you the number of viruses we’ve pulled off the computers of folks who thought they had good antivirus software.) Since our computers have become essential parts of our lives (as a writer, I can’t function without my computer. Or without working internet! How did writers manage B.C.? Before Computers?) I thought I’d come and share some tips that I’ve learned from watching my tech guru hubby in action.

If you have any questions, I’d be happy to try to answer them! Or to enlist my hubby to answer them.

Computer Protection Tips

1. You Get What You Pay For – Free antivirus software, or the free antivirus software provided by your IP, may not be the best route for keeping your computer safe. There are variations even among the software programs you pay for. And you need frequent updates, as new viruses appear daily, so you want a program capable of that.

2. More is NOT Better – running more antivirus programs (plus a popup blocker, plus a spyware blocker, plus, plus, plus..!) does not equal better protection, as the programs can "fight" with one another, not to mention bog down your computer. Look for one program that can fight all the major types of malware.

3. Update, Update, Update! – Don't just renew your old antivirus software – purchase the new version. And always allow the program to run the updates. As already mentioned, new viruses appear daily, so you want current protection. Also, always UPDATE your Windows operating system and other software applications. In early January of 2008, a study by a Danish security vendor found that 95% of personal computers are vulnerable to attack by hackers because of unpatched flaws in software applications. Make sure your Windows is automatically updating the patches Microsoft puts out when it finds one of these "holes."

4. Beware MySpace/Facebook, and whatever other new hip, happenin' places – These places have become a breeding ground for new viruses/infections. The malware writers want to infect as many people as possible. You don't really know who that "friend" is, so beware clicking on any link they offer. Which leads us to tip #5…

5. Don't Click on that Link! – I'm always wary – even when my mom sends me stuff! Don't believe that the IRS has a refund for you. Call them. Don't believe there's a problem with your bank account. Call your bank. Not sure a friend was going to send you some pictures? Confirm with them before you open that attachment. Make distrust/disbelief your default setting, and your computer and ID will be safer.

6. Expect the Unexpected – viruses can show up where you least expect them e.g., a Chinese Trojan came from some digital photo frames. Practically anything you plug into your computer can risk uploading a virus onto it. That's why current, GOOD antivirus software is critical.

7. What Do Viruses/Malware Actually DO to my Computer? – Collect passwords. Credit card numbers. Banking information. Use your computer as a bot (short for robot) to send spam and more viruses from it. (And you can't tell!) Steal other personal information. Extortion. (Seriously, there are popups that demand money from computer users before they will return use of the computer to the owner.) Bog things down. Break things. Interfere with the normal use of the computer.

8. Wireless Network Security – more and more of us have wireless networks at home. Are you SURE yours is secure? My son has been known to use his iTouch as we drive in the neighborhood to see how many people have unsecure networks. (Too many!) And many computer users have been known to piggyback on their neighbor's internet if theirs is down for some reason. Not only can they use your internet access, but if your network is unprotected, it's like leaving the front door to your house wide open. Hackers can access your computer and all the information stored there. There have been reports of hackers cruising store parking lots with laptops, looking for store networks that are unsecure so they can steal huge blocks of credit card numbers. So be safe! Make sure your wireless network is protected!

Got any questions? Ask away!

Debra -- Fate takes a hand

You know, sometimes things just aren't meant to be. The cat on my sewing machine was the first clue. But let me back up...

I finally joined a quilt guild. Big guild. Probably 80 members at the meeting. Lord knows how many on the actual roster.

This was a big step for me. I'd been putting it off. I don't need more responsibility and friends in my life. Hey, I know that sounds harsh but I'm blessed with many friends, an incredible number of close acquaintances I care about, and then a ton more people on the fringes. I cannot complain about my social opportunities. Or my networking opportunities.

But finally, I took the plunge. I was excited to have done it. Met some great people. I found out they were holding a Guild Challenge (make a quilt by interpreting arbitrary design and size rules). What fun! They would be selecting the winners at the next month's meeting so we'd all better have them ready.

Everyone else (theoretically) had been working on this for months. The top 8 would be entered in a national guild challenge to represent the guild. This sounded fun! Definitely something I should take on in the busy time right before Corporate Tax Deadline (3/17).

So, of course, I did! You can see the in-process/unfinished quilt at the left.) I've slaved. Spent hours and hours in my quilt studio. Overcome one design challenge after another to make the quilt I see in my head. (All those colors you see blending together are really lots of different pieces of fabric. An average of 70 pieces per colored puzzle piece.) I see light at the end of the tunnel. I can get this done by the deadline. All I have to do is some more applique and sew the big squares together. I can even get it on my quilt frame and hand-quilted (minimal quilting) by the deadline. I can even meet all my other deadlines. I'm feeling pretty good, until I double check the guidelines for the challenge. 36x45 is not the 36x48 quilt I have designed and on my design wall.

No help for it now. Somethings just aren't meant to be. The cat should have been a clue.

What was the challenge? "My Checkered Past," a self-portrait containing a checkerboard somewhere in the quilt, interpreted in any way the quilt artist would like. Plus I added that I wasn't allowed to buy any fabric for this. I had to use what was in my stash.

And yes, I have all sorts of symbology about my life in this quilt. How I've fit so many different pursuits into my life, how my journey has taken me from one place to another, not always seamlessly, etc. I was really really stoked about this challenge but I find it hard to be too disappointed because I would never have tried this original design if it hadn't been for that challenge.

So, how about you? Have you missed signs in your life lately? Discovered you need new glasses at a most inopportune time?

Michelle-- As you requested in the comments I'm adding a close up of a couple of squares. You'll see what look like alternating triangles. In reality some of the triangles are two triangles put together. There are three small blocks across and 6 high to make one of the puzzle pieces. Each of the small blocks is three pieces--a big triangle and 2 little triangles. It's a block called "Flying Geese" because it resembles the outline of geese migrating.