WAKING NIGHTMARE is released!

It seems like such a long time ago that I signed the contract for this dark romantic thriller trilogy that it's hard to believe The Mindhunters are finally going to hit the shelves. But Waking Nightmare goes on sale September 1 and can be found online and in bookstores. Early reviews are very complimentary (whew!).

I actually went to contract for the series in 2007 and Berkley wanted to publish them back to back as soon as possible. But I only had this book done, and was still contracted with Silhouette for SRSs, so the schedule had to be delayed. Oh, and then there was the small item of my teaching job eating up some of my free time, too :)

Two years feels like forever in the publishing world. So actually seeing the books on the shelf will be a bit surreal.

A little about the series: The Mindhunters is the nickname for a private forensics firm that includes some of the best criminologists in the country. The agency is led by the legendary Adam Raiker, an ex-FBI criminal profiler. His employees are hired to consult with law enforcement on particularly puzzling and high profile crimes. Each story features an investigator from the agency, and they often have different specialties. Abbie Phillips, the heroine of book 1 is a forensic profiler. In book 3 the heroine is a forensic anthropologist.

It goes without saying that what I know about forensics that stems from personal experience wouldn't fill a thimble. But that's where my interests have long been, so I've been doing research for years. Waking Nightmare was especially fun to research because it's set in Savannah. That city has long been on my to-be-visited list for it's history, eerie legends, architecture and sheer southern grace.

I was surprised to learn that even the headquarters for the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department has ties to history. Built in 1870, it's the oldest continually active police headquarters in the nation. Here's a picture of the exterior facing Oglethorpe Avenue. They've attempted to leave that side of the building true to its original form:

Notice the old squad cars out front. If I hadn't researched Savannah for this book, I never would have known that the police headquarters there was a must see! The building, known as "The Barracks" features windows edged with white gingerbread trim. It's situated next to the spooky Colonial Park cemetery, which is reputed to be haunted. I have to wonder if the location is an accident or if it was by design!

There's also a portion of the book that takes place on a nearby vacation spot, Tybee Island. After reading up on it I just may have to schedule a vacation there. I do so love beach and ocean. And who could resist visiting a spot that used to be inhabited by pirates?

Here's a photo of Tybee Island Inn. Doesn't it just drip atmosphere?













Oh and just for a taste of what Waking Nightmare holds in store for you, here's the back cover copy:

FIRST HE LEARNS YOUR DARKEST FEARS
THEN HE MAKES YOU LIVE THEM

With a serial rapist loose on the streets of Savannah, hot-shot detective Ryne Robel needs all the help he can get for his task force. And he needs it now, before another woman falls victim. But Abbie Phillips isn't what he bargained for. Sent from an exclusive group of the best criminologists in the country, she's smart, fierce...and distracting. She may be a brilliant forensic profiler, but Ryne needs answers, not psychobabble and head games.

However, Abbie convinces him that head games are exactly what this elusive suspect is all about. The seemingly random acts of torture are actually calculated to match each victim's darkest fears. And the stakes are rising. While they study the devious psychopath, he's watching them--the next objects of his horrifying obsession.

You can find an excerpt on my site: www.kyliebrant.com.

No big surprise that some of my favorite TV shows through the years have been Hillstreet Blues, NYPD and now NCIS. I love watching the same sort of story lines I enjoy reading and writing!

Do your TV/movie viewing tastes run to the forensic and/or police procedural? If so, which ones do you watch? Are you one of those who find the subject matter too grim? What do you turn to instead?

One lucky commenter will receive a an autographed copy of Waking Nightmare!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Due to Syrie's deadlines and my own MIA status, we're late choosing a winner, but...

Traveler, you've won a copy of the Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte.

Please send your name and address to:

lgreiman@earthlink.net

Where Were You?

Kathleen is going to the movies this weekend!

I turned in a book last week--COOL HAND HANK (Feb/2010). Line edits came yesterday, and they're pretty light, so I owe this to myself. I'm going to see Taking Woodstock, which opens today.

Sing with me, now (apologies to Sgt Pepper) ... It was forty years ago today ... All the Boomers and the bands came to play ...

Okay, I missed it by a few days. August 15-17, 1969. And don't tell me you were just a twinkle in your daddy's eye. Maybe you were, but don't tell me. If it was too loud, you were too old. If you were tuning in, turning on, and turning it up, you're probably a little hard of hearing about now. But you proved one thing: Rock 'n Roll is here to stay.

Did anyone see the History Channel documentary this month--"Woodstock: Now and Then"? Oh, the nostalgia. Well worth watching. Really interesting stuff about the making of Woodstock. And lots of great music.

I admit to having purchased a few articles of "Gap 1969" clothing lately for my grandchildren.

You know you're getting...er, reaching your prime when the site of one of the seminal events of your youth is identified with a historical marker. My kids were disappointed when they began asking

what it was like in the olden days and found out I didn't attend Woodstock. "But you were right there!" (All those little states in the Northeast melted into one another in their imagination.) No, I wasn't, dear children. I was meeting your father.

The summer of '69 was a summer of great adventure for so many of my friends. We were practicing up to save the world when we graduated from college. I went to South Dakota on a volunteer project, met my Indian cowboy, bid him adieu for now in September and dragged my toes all the way back to Massachusetts for my senior year. And, indeed, the planets were aligned in the summer of '69, for lo and behold we were all bursting at the seams with amazing stories!

Woodstock was one of them. I had friends who went, and who said it was worth getting down and dirty for such an amazing experience. In the documentary someone describes that summer as a bright, shining time, full of hope and idealism for a generation of dreamers. It was an eye in the storm with the assassinations in '68 and Kent State and the bombing of Cambodia to follow in early '70. But we really believed in the Age of Aquarius. Still do, many of us. The truth is, children, that not

many of us were big-time druggies--I've never even tried the stuff--or serious hippies or full-time protesters or drop-outs.

But we were all for peace and love, and most of us at one time or another piled into a rattletrap bus, likely covered with the colors of our dreams, and

headed for some place, some program, some event where we thought we could say our piece and spread that peace and love and groove to the music.

(Added this morning) Searched the Eagle archives for vintage 1969 photos. These were taken right around August, so this was my Woodstock. That's Clyde with the guitar. Ironically I was introduced to country music that summer. And, yes, that's me, wearing the requisite flower in my hair. There was no alcohol in the picture that summer--the drinking water had to be hauled in (See the tank? Tap water at the boarding school/ranch/site of the project wasn't drinkable, but most home on the reservation had no plumbing at that time, so we were lucky to have it. But I was probably drinking the ubiquitous Kool-ade.

So, where were you in the summer of '69? How about '79, or '89? What was your time, the year of your great

adventure, your group's coming-of-age moment?

One Word

Bootcamp.

I'm a little late to the blog today because for the last four weeks I've been in an excercise bootcamp. You can attend 3, 4, or 5 sessions a week. I do 3, because I'm still going to the gym and participating in my regular stuff (spin, weightlifting) as well as running 5 miles a couple of times a week. Bootcamp took me to a whole new level of...(wait for the one word)...tired.

It's been a great experience, though. I'm doing it with 3 other friends, so I have buddies there, but you make acquaintances pretty fast when you're sweating together. It's an hour of circuit training (you do 20 reps of an exercise, move to the next, 20 there, circle back). Best part is, it's outside. We're on the campus of a large church that's surrounded by undeveloped hills, so it includes short hill runs, and a long hill run over the fire trails once a week.

They include some motivational talk and last night was about attitude. Bringing a positive one to the world and people around you. Is yours worth catching? the leader asked. Then we went around the circle and selected one word we wanted to focus on in the coming days. I chose "confidence." I'm writing toward the end of the first book in my new trilogy (the "sip-lit" books) and I'm going to keep the doubts at bay and power through.

Do you notice that (as I do) about the best writers/books? I read an ARC of an upcoming Nora Roberts book and I noticed how confidently she told the story, how confident I was as a reader that I was going to be supremely entertained. When building the world of a story, whether it be something with vampires or one that's much more recognizable, it's important that the author believe--in it, the characters, her power to lead the readers along.

So what's your one word? What will be your focus for the next few days? (Hint: A lot of people said love and family, which I found delightful.)

Luck & the Things That Attract It.

Luck is probably one of the most debated ideas in the history of humankind. One way or another, all of us subscribe to a notion of it, but we differ radically on the source and meaning of it. To some, good fortune is the blessing of a benevolent deity, to others the result of hard work and preparation, and to still others it is a mysterious "force" that must be courted.

If we want good things to happen, we try to repeat what we were doing the last time something good happened to us. And if something bad happens, we want to avoid doing whatever might cause a repeat of that difficulty. Sports figures are notorious for courting "luck" in bizarre ways.

This leads us to concoct all kinds of rituals and subscribe to all kinds of fetishes involving "lucky" items or symbols. Some --like the ones on the prayer bead bracelet pictured above-- we inherit from our families and the culture at large. Some we develop all on our own-- from our thinking, our experience, and our own spiritual orientation. LUCK is all about belief.

I am a big fan of butterflies. Every day I wear a small gold butterfly charm that was given to me by my mother as a symbol of hope. It's not flashy, but it is so steeped in meaning for me-- hope, rebirth, resurrection, change-- that it has almost religious significance. I use the butterfly motif in my house (prints on the walls and pillows and linens) and whenever I'm outside, I watch for butterflies and feel blessed and connected to something bigger than myself whenever I am near one.

Circles have special meaning to me. I frequently wear round hoop earrings and am drawn to art and furniture and fabrics that have circles in them. Circles embody the classic themes of inclusion and wholeness. . . but also bear more recent interpretations of community, natural geometry, the cycles of nature-- life cycles, rain cycles, seasonal cycles, and planetary cycles. Circles catch my eye and make me smile. . . I surround myself with them whenever I can.

(You know where hoop earrings came from? The old gypsy belief that circles trapped "luck" and that to wear metal hoops in your ears meant having good luck around at all times. Interesting, eh? And bangle bracelets. . . bring 'em on!)

A cool variation on the circle is the spiral. I have long pictured life's journey as a spiral. . . we travel through the same territory again and again, only on a little higher plane and with a different perspective. I look for spirals in art, in nature, and in everyday objects. . . you'd be surprised, they're everywhere! Each time I encounter one, I am reminded to make the most of the lessons I learn in life. . . the good and not so good.

Animals are a favorite, especially dogs. But I also have a fondness for cranes, herons, and egrets. . . partly because the name "Krahn" is German for "crane," and partly because I never saw them when I was growing up. I learned to appreciate them while living in Minnesota. They're sort of the family totem now. (Like eagles are for the Eagles?)

Pretty standard stuff.

But I also have a thing about ladders. They remind me of the story of Jacob's Ladder. . . and that when "wrestling with angels," you need to hold out for a blessing. . . and the blessing will come. It speaks to the value of persevering through trials and difficulty.

With bendable uprights, a ladder can be twisted into corkscrew shape that becomes the famous double helix of DNA. One of the great mysteries of the universe is embodied in that marvelous shape: we are connected to every other living thing on this planet by our chemistry. . . by the blueprint for life written in every microscopic cell of our bodies.

The double helix is a symbol of the unity that binds all of nature together in a way that crosses and crescents and mandalas and prayer wheels cannot do. I think churches, synagogues, mosques and temples should all adopt it as a symbol of the unity of creation.

Other precious images, totems, and "good luck" charms?

Oak trees. Lady bugs. Lilies. Polished stone hearts. The color red. Smiling animals. Bells of various kinds. Wind chimes. Celtic knots. Houseplants-- green, growing stuff inside my house-- (not in the refrigerator!) Palm fronds. Honey bees. Each reminds me of a lesson I've learned in life and in love.

What about you? What are your lucky charms? What symbols or shapes or items make you feel connected?

Do you have a motif or image that you look for in the fabrics, art works, and furniture that upholster your life?

Anything special around your neck or on your key chain?

One more thing: A video that just came out of the soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan showing what totems and lucky pieces they carry with them into harm's way. Pretty moving. Here's a link. . .

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp=32558997

Winner! Eshani!

Congrats, Eshani, you win a free book from me for commenting yesterday. Email me at christie @ christieridgway.com (remove spaces and remember there's no "e" in Ridgway) to pass along your snail mail addy.

Thanks, all, for the great movie recs!

Movie Review--Bottle Shock

(2008) The story of the blind Paris wine tasting of 1976 that has come to be known as the "Judgment of Paris." California wines, scoffed at by the Europeans, came out on top!

Directed by: Randall Miller
Starring: Alan Rickman, Dennis Farina, Bill Pullman, Chris Pine, Rachael Taylor, Freddy Rodriguez.

You gotta love the '70s--and this movie! Based on a true story, it tells the story of how the wine country of California was put on the global map. The Europeans didn't believe what America had to offer was any good, but then there came that blind competition...

But it's so much more. There's the battle of father v. son, establishment v. passion, immigrant v. ignorance. Surfer Guy and I visited Chateau Montelena in Napa County earlier this month, the setting for much of the action and it was just like the movie. (I'm researching my next trilogy which I call "sip-lit" since it's set at a winery.) Cool building, beautiful grounds, verdant vineyards. In the tasting room there is movie memorabilia, as well as copies of the letters that went back and forth from the Chateau's owner during this time (he's still there, working alongside his son "Bo," portrayed by Chris Pine in the movie).

Rent it and watch with a bottle of wine. You'll get an understanding of the combination of the farming mentality and the winemaking passion that goes into every bottle. The scenery is spectacular. California offers some amazing vistas, and all of them are not ocean-related! And let's not forget about the music...fabulous soundtrack.

Am looking for good movie recs, either in theaters or available otherwise. Deadline approaching and will need good stuff to fill the well after first sip-lit book is done! One lucky commenter will win a Christie Ridgway book!

Winners of Michele's books!

Thanks to everyone for stopping by yesterday and commenting!  I've drawn a list of winners:

RachieG

BabyBlue22

Katsrus

Aprilsturn

I HeartBookGossip

Laurie

Pamk

Winners please email me at toastfaery@gmail.com with your snailmail address, and choice of book: either Moon Kissed or Midnight Cravings.

Michele

Never Say No To A Wolf

Tomorrow is the official release day of my latest, MOON KISSED. (It's also my B-day romorrow. How cool of a present is that to have a book released on that day?) The hero is a werewolf, the heroine, mortal.

I used to be a person who could definitely say 'no' to something, whether or not I'd tried it. No, to lobster. (Nope, never tried it.) No, to coffee. (Yuck.) And a big ole Never, to werewolves. I write vampires. I never had an interest in werewolves. I'd always say that I'd leave the hairy dudes to those other writers who do them so well. Besides, I have a thing about dogs. I don't hate them, but I do have a healthy fear for them.

A few years ago, in one of my vampire books I decided I had to at least put a werewolf in there to show that they existed in my world. Just because I don't write them doesn't mean they don't exist. :-) (Read that one how ever you wish.) So I put this big, gnarly wolf called Severo (an appropriate villain name) in Kiss Me Deadly, had him wolf out a bit, then snarl and walk off the page, never to grace my keyboard again.

Until he came back. Werewolves come back, did you know that? Severo jumped back into my life and insisted I tell his story because he wasn't the jerky, hairy, snarly dude I had made him out to be. He had a heart. He had feelings. He longed for a mate to start a family with and live happily ever after. Man! He really bugged me. So I broke down and slashed 'never' off my list, and allowed myself to fall in love with a werewolf. Yep, I lurve the hairy guy. He taught me never to say 'never', and to keep my mind open to all sorts of interesting characters who just want a little love themselves. Ahh....

So if you're into the hairy guys, I hope you won't say 'never' to this story. I actually put Severo on top of my favorite heroes list now, even though his name is just weird. (That'll teach me to give my secondary characters odd names; there's always a chance they might become heroes some day.) The story is set in Minnesota, the best place for a wolf to lope about, and Severo is a lone wolf, set apart from his former pack. He just wants to be loved and to love, but there is an evil vampiress who may have something to say about him finding true love.

What's your favorite kind of paranormal creature to read about? If you read werewolves do you prefer them pack oriented or lone wolves? If you don't read paranormals do you think you might ever try one, and what would be your first creature to check out? And what do you say 'No, never!' to?

I've got copies of MOON KISSED I want to give away! Heck I've got copies of MIDNIGHT CRAVINGS, too (features my short werewolf story, "Racing The Moon"). Leave a comment. I'll give out a bunch!

Michele

[If you're interested in snagging a free copy of my After The Kiss, Amy Wilkins, of Harlequin Digital, is giving one away my my blog DUSTED today.

Plastic - Get Smart

So I'm posting on the weekend because some days I just want to shout to the world about things that bug me.  And lately it's plastic.  It is such an integral part of our lives.  Look around.  Where don't you see plastic?  And yet, most of us don't realize it is not good for us.  Not in any way, shape or form.  Plastics are derived from chemicals.  Chemicals and our bodies?  Not good.

I gave up bottled water at the beginning of the year.  It was my way of using less (and heck, I've got perfectly good tap water that I buy a filter for), and I know that plastic leaches chemicals into anything it comes in contact with.  My usual thing was to buy those half-size bottles (aren't they cute!) and sneak into the movie theatre because I wasn't about to lay out $3.50 for their bottled water.  Well, now I have a Klean Kanteen and stick that in my purse when I go to the movies.  

If you do one thing good for yourself today, get yourself a stainless steel water bottle and stop using plastic bottles.  And check for a reputable manufacturer like Klean Kanteen.  Their bottles are not lined with BPA (as some are; you can't buy just any old steel bottle from Walmart).  BPA (Bisphenol A) is another of those nasty chemicals that is in the process of being banned from baby bottles.  It is a xenoestrogen, a known endocrine disruptor, meaning it disturbs the hormonal messaging in our bodies.  (It is linked to breast cancer, Type 2 Diabetes, and insulin resistance)   Yet BPA is used in an epoxy-liner by food manufacturers that puts their product in plastic or metal to line that container to make the food come out easier.  Seriously.  ALL metal cans, such as pop, canned veggies, beans, etc., are lined with BPA (or similar chemical)  Eden Foods is the only manufacturer (at present) that does not line their cans with BPA (except for their tomato products).  

Okay, back to plastics.  So do you really want to toss yet another plastic bottle into the trash?  Didn't think so.  And if you absolutely cannot kick the habit, then recycle.  But next time you take a swig from a plastic bottle, take a moment to wonder about the various chemicals used to create that plastic and what, exactly, those chemicals do inside your body.

Now a primer on plastic numbers:

#1 PET - Polyethelene terphthalate.  It is used most often in soda bottles.  It is designed for one use only, and does leach BPA. 

#2 HDPE - high-density polyethylene.  This one is considered a 'safe' plastic (though, seriously, I wouldn't put that label on any plastic).  Milk jugs and water bottles, and shampoo and detergent bottles.  This are made of harder plastic and are not supposed to leach BPA.  

#3 V or PVC - polyvinyl chloride.  The dreaded PVC that is the worst of the numbered plastics.  Avoid at all costs.  It is used for plumbing pipes and shower curtains and some clear food packaging.  These plastics can be made soft and are used in children's toys.  Very toxic and designed, generally, for one usage before they must be tossed.  Difficult to recycle.

#4 LDPE - low-density polyethylene.  Usually you'll find these as bread bags and in packaging materials.  (Received anything from Amazon lately, it probably had those blow-up, pillow packing bags.)  Can easily be recycled at sites that take plastic bags.  Check the numbers on all your grocery products.  You may be throwing away #4s that can be recycled!

#5 PP - polypropylene.  This one is considered the next 'safe' plastic after # 2.  You'll find this holding yogurt, margarine and TV dinners.  It should not leach, either.

#6 PS - Polystyrene.  Styrofoam-like plastic product that most recyclers dread because this ends up in landfills and animals' tummies far too often.  You'll find it in take-out food containers.  

#7 OTHER - The dreaded OTHER plastic.  Don't buy this stuff.  It's got a mix of chemicals and could be made of literally anything.  Obviously plastic manufacturers are so baffled by what it contains they just call it 'other'.  It does contain BPA.  Doesn't make you feel too good, eh?  Know where you'll find it most often?  Holding your freshly-bought roast beef.  Yep, you heard that right.  The sturdy plastic meat trays that you can often put directly in the oven.  Ugg.  I've stopped buying meat in plastic.  Buy it fresh from the butcher's counter and give your body a break from those chemicals.

Now, of the above plastics, you can easily recycle #1 and 2 at your curbside.  So what do you do with the others?  Check your city recycling programs.  Most will take #1-6.  Our city does.  I make a run there about once very two months with the numbers you can't recycle at the curb, including plastic bags.  Unfortunately, no one takes the dreaded OTHER #7.  Sigh...  

And a note about the plastic caps and covers.  Most recycling plants remove the caps and toss them.  They jam up their machines.  So there's a huge pile of plastic not getting recycled.  Did you know the Aveda salons will take those caps?  Yep!  Yay, for them!  So save your plastic caps and make a run to the salon every other month.  You can recycle all hard plastic caps, including shampoo caps, juice, milk, detergent, peanut butter, etc.  You can't recycle the flexible covers like cottage cheese or cream cheese covers (unless the cover has a number; check all plastic for recycle numbers!).

So I'm not trying to freak everyone out with messages of doom.  You do the research.  You decide for yourself what is good for you and yours.  I dropped my plastic bottle habit this year, but I admit, it's very hard to buy groceries NOT in plastic.  So now I'm always careful to check the number before buying that product.  Lots of deli meats are packaged in #7!  But many are also packed in #5, which I consider a lesser of the evils.  :-)

Anyway, why not start getting plastic savvy?  The trip to the grocery is tedious, but you can add a little plastic sleuthing to shake up the dreary trip.  Oh, and just because it's in the organic section doesn't mean you have to be less leery.  I've found organic products in #3 plastics.  It baffles me. And you're not carrying home your groceries in plastic, I hope. Start carrying your own bags to any store you shop in. Today. Once it becomes a habit, you'll never grab a plastic bag again.

Here's a great blog to add to your blog crawl in the mornings if you want to begin to learn more about your health, food, and the products we use every day, and how they are all connected: Enviroblog

Now here's a trailer for a new film TAPPED that is fascinating in and of itself.  I hope you'll watch the whole thing; it is five minutes long.  It's interesting!

So what about you? What's your take on plastic?
Michele

Unplugging!

Sometimes I feel as though my computer and keyboard have become extensions of my body. Anyone out there get into Star Trek Next Generation? Remember the Borg? Humanoids who have been altered and plugged into a collective conscience? I feel like that once in a while. Completely dependent upon electronics and tied into a collective called the Internet.

If I’m not writing at my computer, I’m going through emails on the computer. If I’m not on the keyboard, I’m on the phone. If not on the land line, I’m on my cell phone, taking it with me on walks with the dogs and on errands. Then you got your iPods, dvd players, cable TV, Internet, Wi-fi, radio, cds. I could go on and on and on with electronic devices and the various ways we’re connected to the world.

Well, I’m unplugging. Next week. Yikes!

My family and I are renting a lake cabin on a small lake in northern Wisconsin. In fact, we're renting this lake cabin on the left. Cool, huh? The pic on top is the lakeview and the one below is the fireplace in the main living area.

The cabin was built in the early 1900s. It’s on a gorgeous, clear water lake. Has a nice fire pit, and you can’t even see the neighboring cabins it’s so secluded. I’ll have no cell phone coverage in this area. There’s no Wi-fi, no Internet or cable TV. I’m not even bringing my laptop.

This is the first time we’ve ever rented a cabin for a whole week and I can’t wait. All I’m going to do is hang out in the sun, fish, swim, nap, read, eat and play board games with my family. I have to admit I’m a bit anxious about going through withdrawals. And I’m already not looking forward to the massive amounts of email I’ll have to contend with on my return, but I’m thinking it’s going to be worth it!

When’s the last time you completely unplugged? How’d it go? Withdrawals? Piece of cake? Never doing it again? Best thing ever?

I know blogged about this yesterday at eHarlequin, so I apologize to anyone coming here from there. But I thought it was such an interesting topic that I wanted to hear what our Rider Reader had to say. Plus, I couldn't post more than my book cover, so these wonderful photos are new!

Happy travels! And may I suggest Wisconsin?

Helen

Guest: Syrie James

Syrie James’ last novel, The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, was a Discover Great New Writers Selection of Barnes and Noble, and was named a Best First Novel of 2008 by Library Journal. She’s a best selling author and a great friend. Please give Syrie a warm welcome to the convertible. One super lucky commenter will receive a copy of her latest novel, so chime in, Top Downers.

Did you enjoy the novel JANE EYRE? Have you ever wondered who Charlotte Brontë was, and what inspired her to write that remarkable masterpiece? I did. I must have read JANE EYRE a dozen times. I wanted to know and understand the woman behind it—so I researched her life in depth.

I’m now thrilled to announce that my new novel, THE SECRET DIARIES OF CHARLOTTE BRONTË—the dramatic story of Charlotte’s life and romance—is on the shelves. Written from Charlotte’s point of view, the book begins with an impassioned proposal which throws Charlotte’s entire household into confusion. Charlotte takes up her pen to examine the truth about her life: her deepest feelings and desires, her triumphs and shattering disappointments, her relationship with her family, her evolution as a writer, and her scandalous, secret passion for the man she can never have—the man who was the basis for all the heroes in Charlotte's books, including the infamous Mr. Rochester.















Above all, it is the story of Charlotte’s real-life romance. Her father’s curate—the tall, dark, and handsome Arthur Bell Nicholls—lived right next door to the Brontës for more than seven years and carried a silent torch for Charlotte all that time, before he had the nerve to propose. Charlotte at first greatly disliked him, but her feelings eventually changed to deep and abiding love. (I knew that would make a fabulous story—and it had never been told!)

I had such fun researching Charlotte’s life and writing this novel. The process took about two years. I was astonished to discover how many parts of Charlotte’s books were inspired by her own experiences. What a story! Charlotte lived a secluded life in Victorian England in the wilds of Yorkshire. She was a feisty, independent thinker—one of the original feminists—yet she had no social connections whatsoever. Her father was going blind. Her brother became an alcoholic and a drug addict. Her sisters Emily and Anne were also very talented writers.

After a chance discovery brought out the fact that all three women were writing in secret, they encouraged each other and began working together. Despite the difficulties of their circumstances, all three became published authors at the exact same time. Charlotte’s JANE EYRE and Emily’s WUTHERING HEIGHTS are considered to be among the greatest works ever written in the English language. I can’t think of any other family in history who have achieved a similar literary feat!

To research my book, I read dozens of Brontë biographies. I studied their art. I read all of the Brontës novels over and over, hundreds of their poems, Charlotte’s juvenilia, and more than four hundred of Charlotte’s preserved letters. The letters not only helped me to hear Charlotte’s true voice, they gave me great insight into her most intimate thoughts, beliefs, daily struggles, and personal relationships.

I also visited the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth, England—which is the house where Charlotte and her family lived almost her entire life, and is filled with their possessions. It was such a thrill to walk through the rooms where Charlotte lived and worked, to walk the lanes she walked, and to see the wild expanse of moors that she and her sisters loved to roam.

I was even granted a private tour of the former Roe Head School which Charlotte attended, and which I featured in my novel—where the legend of a mysterious attic dweller, the Ghost of Roe Head, still lives! It was invaluable to have those images in my mind when I wrote the book. It was such a thrill to recreate the historic moment when Charlotte was inspired to start writing JANE EYRE, that I got chills down my spine when I was writing it.

For those of you who enjoyed my last book, THE LOST MEMOIRS OF JANE AUSTEN, I hope you will love THE SECRET DIARIES OF CHARLOTTE BRONTË just as much, if not more—for it is truly a work of my heart!

And please do visit my website at www.syriejames.com. You’ll find lots of fun stuff, including photos of my research trip to Brontë country, portraits of the Brontës, excerpts from Charlotte’s correspondence, and selections from their art and poetry.


And now, back to the question which began this blog: Did you enjoy the novel JANE EYRE? If so, why? When did you first read it? Why do you think JANE EYRE is still so adored and revered more than 160 years after it was first published? Which movie version do you like best? How do you feel about WUTHERING HEIGHTS? What do you like best about historical fiction? Are you excited to learn more about Charlotte and the Brontës?

I’ll be giving away a free copy of my new novel to one lucky commenter!

Syrie

What's Your Theme? with guest Nina Bruhns

Welcome guest author Nina Bruhns to the convertible today! Look for her latest release, Shoot To Thrill in bookstores right now!


I love a good challenge. It keeps me on my toes, and makes life interesting. True, some real-life challenges I could definitely do without. But as a writer, I believe in pushing myself and expanding the horizons of my craft, in order to give my readers better stories. So, every year I try to learn something new, some aspect of writing that I haven’t consciously tackled before.

Last year, my project was “theme.”

Theme isn’t something that a lot of fiction writers (especially genre fiction) talk about. Or even think about. In fact, a lot of us have no idea what theme really is. Not enough to be useful, anyway. That included me before last year. I still find it hard to define.

Every good book has a theme, but mostly an author does it by instinct, not through deliberate planning (unless you’re a screenwriter, which is a whole different ballgame).

Theme is not about the plot. Or a “message” the author wishes to convey. Often it’s kind of a philosophical hypothesis, which the story either proves or disproves…or sometimes it’s a broader human emotional need that the story simply explores.


For instance, the theme of my July SRS, PRINCE CHARMING FOR 1 NIGHT, runs something like: “Appearances can be deceptive. Look beyond the surface and you can find your greatest happiness.” Yep. It’s Cinderella (could you tell by the title? ☺). One of my favorites! Like all great stories, the Cinderella faerie tale contains several themes that work on different levels. The appearances thing. The “If you’re mean to those less fortunate you will not prosper” thing. Or how about “True love will find each other.” There are lots more.

As a reader, we recognize the theme or themes that speak to us, and we can enjoy that same story in different guises a thousand times and never grow tired of it.

But theme goes even deeper than that. Ever notice how your favorite author’s works all seem to have a similar thread running through them? That’s because as writers, who we are, what our hopes and dreams and fantasies are, they all shine through in our writing, in the form of our personal theme. At first a writer usually isn’t even aware she is writing to a theme. Not until she has six or seven books under her belt, and suddenly she notices a pattern.

For me, under the page-turning suspense and the sizzling sensuality found in all my books, I always write about the deep human need to find a place of belonging. The isolation we all feel, and the desire to seek connectedness, even in the face of overwhelming pain.

Pretty powerful stuff. Which probably would have taken years and years of therapy to bring out if I weren’t a writer!

Yikes.

Okay, so I’ve spilled mine. Now it’s your turn!

What is your personal literary theme? What theme speaks to you most as a reader, or a writer?

Good reading!!!

Would you?? Could you??

I have a friend who begs me every year to go with her to a tattoo shop and get inked up with a little body art. EVERY year~ And every year that I get a little older I am seriously torn between letting her get me drunk,( 'cause that's what it would take to drag my sorry self in) and get a little something done and just shaking my head and saying, "No way." So far, the "No way," has won.

On one hand, we only live once, right? On the other, an old joke comes to mind every time I think about getting a tattoo:
Wife says: "I've always wanted a rose bud tattooed above my left breast."
Husband says: "So why don't you get one?"
Wife says: "Because I don't want to watch it turn into a long stemmed rose as the years go by." (cue the laughter - or the groans)

So yeah, that's part of it. Another part is that it's kind of, well, naughty,
right? I mean, BAD girls get tattoos, don't they? And somewhere
deep inside, I'd like to think I'm a little bad - even if I am a gramma.

It's because I'm a gramma that I got to thinking about this again. I didn't comment on Lois's blog yesterday (sorry, Lois) because it was "Girl's day" out with my 8 year old granddaughter. Kayla and Gramma started our big day at the Mall where we both got pedicures and manicures and hit a two-fer sale on toe rings. Then we hit several stores and both had a blast buying her school clothes - they are SOOOO cute!!. but I digress. In one of the shops, this lovely Indian woman waited on us and her hands were covered with Henna Tattoos. I asked her about them and she told me that she was at a wedding this past weekend and all the women got the Henna tattoos to honor the bride and to bring her good luck. Of course, the bride was tattooed first and then everyone followed. What a lovely tradition. And the tattoos really were stunning.

Anyway, seeing them got me thinking about getting that tattoo again. So, I'm taking a pole: Who among you have a tattoo and do you ever regret having it done or does it still make you smile when you spot it? Who among you have ever thought about getting a tattoo? And if you want one and haven't done it, what's keeping you from it? If you don't want one, what do you think about someone else getting one?

lois greiman

Fashion. As a young girl I barely knew it existed. In my twenties I had a love affair with it. And now that I’m older I still have feelings for it, but I fear my affections are unrequited. Because the fashion industry doesn’t seem to make clothes for women ‘of a certain age.’ They make clothes for twenty year old women who happen to wear a size 2. Both of them.

So, as I see it I can go two ways; I can dress as if I’m a twenty year old size 2, which, by the by, I never was, or I can dress like an octogenarian with poor taste. But I can find nothing in between.


Don’t get me wrong, I don’t need to be a bombshell, but I don’t want to set the hounds yowling either. Is that too much to ask? Apparently so, because when I googled, ‘clothing for mature women’ this pic popped up. I don’t know why. I don’t really want to know why. But the truth is, this little number is something I might actually have worn twenty years ago. (My apologies to the world at large.) Now I don’t even wear that COLOR. Draws the eye, you know. Don’t want that.

My next google search gave me something called the Tog Shop. I know nothing about the Tog Shop. Perhaps the company makes clothing that is modeled on runaways from New York to Paris, but the first photo I saw featured pants in five great new colors, including red, and each one of them had an elastic waistband. Sigh.

Let me insert here that I have nothing against elastic waistbands. But every other month or so I like to dress up and then I would prefer to appear as if I had some kind of shape. How great would it be if that shape was not rectangular?

So what do I do about this dilemma. What do you do? Where do you shop? What do you wear? I need help.

www.loisgreiman.com

MOON RISE is here !

 

Yes, we know.  This was supposed to be a July title.  But when your interior production team pulls up roots and moves to another state, well, things don't run smoothly!

But enough of the excuses.  The 2nd book in the "Unbidden Magic" series is finally here and available from the wholesaler for order by your local bookstore.  You can check out BN.com or Amazon or ...gosh, you could just hop over to our website and order direct from the publisher.

 

Early reviews are great...

"This book has it all:  danger, mystery, unexpected plot twists.  The events of the book brought forward many unanswered questions and complications, and really made me look forward to the next book.  I can't wait." -- Unmainstream Mom Reads Blog

"Ms. Brothers does a wonderful job of expanding the world she's created and adding interesting new characters to the mix." -- Darque Reviews

 

Back Cover

Her mom's still dating losers.  Her boyfriend's gone back to Mexico.  Dad still hasn't told his wife and kids that she exists.  At school, the drama queens and bullies still rule. But worst of all for Allie Emerson--aka the Star Seeker of an old Gypsy prophecy--is that her powers have taken a hike.  She can't read minds anymore.  She can't move stuff just by looking at it.  The other Star Seekers are counting on her psychic gifts more than ever, and the evil Tri-marks are closing in, eager to snatch her magic moonstone necklace while she's helpless.  The hot new guy at school is ready and willing to fight her battles, but he comes with some wicked baggage.  Dear Diary:  I'm a little worried.  My new BF is a demon.

Welcome again to Allie Emerson's funny, scary, amazing, and always unpredictable life, as the girl voted least likely to save the world from evil.

------------------------

If you run a book review blog and would like to interview Marilee, give a shout and we'll pass your request along to the author.

Kathleen on Truth In Advertising

"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." (Hamlet)

Now, there's food for a weekend worth of thought. Good food? Bad food? You decide.

But how about this?

There's nothing true or false, but advertising makes it so. (Kathleen Eagle. As far as I know.)

A headline on p. A4 of the July 23 Strib continues to bug me enough to bring it forth for your consideration: "Should TV ads for losing weight have to tell the truth?" Wow. Truth in advertising. I thought we'd settled that. But apparently not. The article explains that the FTC recently warned the Senate that weight-loss ads are often misleading and harmful to consumers, and that, yes, there are rules, but the agency has trouble enforcing them because there's no money for it. The response from a representative of the weight-loss industry basically amounted to: Truth is relative.

I just thought I'd bring this up because we're people to whom words matter, and we're interested in the way language is used. We Riders write fiction, and we joke about making a by living telling lies all day. But that's not at all what we do. There are other professionals who use words that way, and they make a better living misrepresenting, misleading, misquoting, misstating and otherwise lying than I do writing fiction containing none of the aforementioned distortions. Honestly.

Advertising is small potatoes. The real artistry is in PR. I ran across a book review recently called The Father of Spin: Edward L. Bernays and the Birth of Public Relations by Larry Tye. Don't glaze over, eyes. I doubt if I'll get around to reading the book, but I had no idea there was actually a "father of spin." I thought the Devil spawned it and it just twirled through the cable channels like Topsy.

This is Edward in about 1920. He was Freud's nephew. He sold America on ideas, movements, all kinds of products, even ballet. He had a client list including some of the biggest movers and shakers in the 20th century (died in 1995 at the age of 103) and basically wrote the book on marketing strategy. He was all about manipulating public opinion, said it was the essence of democracy, the invisible government. Check out this man's story in Wikipedia. It's fascinating. And he wasn't the Devil--wasn't even Machiavelli. He simply understood herd mentality and the fact that, no matter how smart we are individually, any of us can find herself running with the lemmings. He told marketers how to use language and his insights into human nature to sell anything. He came up with the idea of using 3rd party authorities--group leaders--to endorse a product or an idea. He originated the "tie-in." But he warned that a public relations counsel "must never accept a retainer or assume a position that puts his duty to the groups he represents above his duty to society." Wow again. What a concept. I imagine him standing beside the barn doors he'd opened and watching the horses run away. A smart man like Edward, he knew better than to close the doors. What do you do? Take the doors off and hope some of the critters will come back on their own? (We write character-driven stories, and we think about these things.)

Now, I do not demean PR folks. In the final years of his military career, Daddy was Base Informations Officer, which was basically the PR man for the Air Force Base where he was last stationed. His job was to sell the Base to the local community. Not literally, of course, but civilians don't always support the troops in their own back yard. Daddy was an officer, a gentleman, and a diplomat. He was also a stickler for good grammar and precise word choice.

Speaking of tie-in, you may remember that I'm a "Mad Men" fan, and Season 3 is due to start soon, so if you're behind, you might want to rent 1 and 2. It's an AMC series, widely available on cable, and it's about the heyday of Madison Avenue and male chauvinism--late 50's, early 60's. Did I mention Jon Hamm? Yummy.

What is truth in advertising? What about other forms of media--journalism, talk, editorials, infotainment--what, if anything, do they owe the society they serve? Or do they/should they serve? What kinds of commercials drive you batty? Which ones sell you? Who do you believe?

"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." Aldous Huxley

Haggling

Haggling. Dickering. Just two words I've heard to describe bargaining with a seller to lower the price on a product you'd like to buy. I grew up in a household where my parents like to shop at rummage sales and antique sales, and watching them haggle down a price was the norm to me. I thought you never paid what the sticker says for an item. Unless you went to a department or grocery store. Those places? You pay what's on the tag.

Lately, in articles I read about the economy a lot of experts suggest that haggling is back in style. And that, in fact, you can haggle for a better price in major stores.

We do it at the car dealer. Why not do it at Target?

We probably do it without realizing it. I was in the grocery store the other day and saw the sign for 10 organic avocados for $10. Great price! Only they were all out. I asked the produce guy and he gestured to the non-organic avocados which were priced at $1.99 each. I had my heart set on organic, because well, they're organic, and they usually have smaller pits which gives you more pulp. I suggested maybe he could give me the non-organic ones at the organic price, seeing as how the sign was up but no product offered. He agreed. I left with five (who needs 10 avocados?) for half the price.

[sidebar: People, do you know your produce numbers? Those little stickers on the produce that are impossible to peel off and have four or five numbers on them? If the number starts with a 3 or 4 that means it was grown the usual way, likely with chemicals. If it starts with a number 8, that means the produce was genetically modified (re: possibilty that pig DNA is in there somewhere. Seriously. Pigs!) If it starts with a number 9, that means it's organic.]

End of sidebar, but pay attention to those numbers!

Back to haggling. We all feel so pleased when we manage to dicker down the price a bit. We're walking away with something that we paid less for. What a prize. Good for us! Shouldn't all stores allow haggling? Probably it would get out of hand if you grabbed a pack of diapers off the shelf and said "$5.99, no less" when they are priced at $12. But if the package is torn, you'd darn well better ask for money off.

That is the key to haggling. Start with the sales clerk, but if you don't feel you're getting what you'd like from them, then politely ask if the manager could help you. Oftentimes the employees just don't have the power to give you a better price, but a manager will. And don't be rude. Chat up the employee and smile and be friendly. And if you do get a good deal, thank them, using their name.

When I worked at Borders the employees knew they were allowed to give 10% if a customer asked for it because a book was dented or bent, or damaged in some way. We rarely did this, because the customers just don't ask. I always do. And if it's really damaged, ask for the manager. They can offer a bigger discount.

So yesterday I went to WalMart to buy celebratory chocolate for finishing a book, and...I walked out of the store with a TV. The kids have been trying to get us to move into the 21st century and buy a flat screen, but me and the hubby are kind of attached to our tube TV that takes 20 minutes to warm up, and won't play through a half hour sitcom without fuzzing out half a dozen times. So I strolled down the TV aisle, my son at my side to provide the tech support I'd need, and stopped before a TV that was a demo model. It had been marked down $77. Good price, the son said. But I wanted more off. My goal was $75 more off. I asked the clerk if he'd come down in price. He was friendly and immediately offered an additional $25 off. I pointed out a few scratches in the plastic. We went down another $25. I went for the kill and said if you knock off $75, I'll buy it right now. Deal! But the cool thing? They promised a remote and stand, but they couldn't find them. So I asked for another $25 off. Total off: $100, plus the original $77 markdown, and I saved $177. I made sure to stop by the customer service dept. on the way out and mention how helpful Paul in electronics was. Hey, he deserves any kudos he can get!

Who'd a thought you could haggle at WalMart? I feel empowered! I am Super Haggle Woman! I will never buy another product without first checking for the slightest damage and then requesting a bit off.

So what do you think? Have you ever haggled? Do you find stores are more open to haggling with the price lately? What was the last thing you haggled for? Are there some stores you feel just won't haggle? Tell me about your treasures!

Michele

Forgot to note:  Our own Deb Dixon is guesting at my Dusted blog today with her To Be Read pile!  Go check it out.  

Winner of Roxanne Rustand's book

...is Catslady! Please send your snail mail addy to rrustand@mchsi.com and Rox will send you your copy. Congrats!

Welcome Author Roxanne Rustand

Today we have the terrific Roxanne Rustand with us. She's written numerous Super Romances for Harlequin and Love Inspired Suspense novels for Silhouette. Her latest release is another Super, and knowing her, it really is. Super, that is :)

This is the release week for my Everlasting "Save the Last Dance" which--along with the other remaining titles in the line--is being shelved with Superromance. It's a bittersweet feeling, seeing it on the bookstore shelf, because I enjoyed the Everlasting line and hoped it would continue. Still, this book gave me a chance to explore the romance of two characters I came to love, and also delve into the complex family relationships that can make or break the chance for success of those happily-ever-afters that we all write about in romance. It was fun to move beyond the starry-eyed beginnings to see what happens next!

In this book, I also loved being back in beautiful northern Wisconsin--one of my favorite places, along with the Rockies. Every fall, a good friend and I head up to Minocqua to visit a mutual friend for a "girls weekend away" where we can explore the quaint surrounding towns, enjoy the beautiful lakes, search out consignment stores, and even hit the occasional end-of-season garage sale. We're such treasure hunters! ☺ And we talk about books, late into the night. All of us have grown children, yet it's like having a big pajama party.

Looking back, I've realized that most of my twenty-three books have been set in places that I love--Montana, Wyoming, Texas, Colorado, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Many involved rugged characters at home in the out-of-doors-- ranchers, horse trainers, veterinarians, or high-adventure types. And most have included four-legged characters based on the menagerie we have had at home. If it has scales, hooves, feathers or fur, we've probably had (or have!) it at our house. Our son's snake Igor actually starred in my first book. ☺ I started a blog this year for authors (and readers!) to talk about their pets, at http://roxannerustand.blogspot.com, and it's been fun to read some of those stories!

As I'm looking back, I've started to wonder. When you pick up a book, does setting matter? Do you love some settings and avoid others? Or do you pick up books based on titles and cover art? The back cover blurb? Do you sample a few pages--or mostly grab favorite authors based on name alone? I'll be giving away a copy of my new release to one lucky commenter today!

Yesterday's Winners!

Hey guys. Thanks for all the well wishes on my new release. In case you couldn't tell, I'm very excited about this new Mirabelle series!

The three winners of FIRST COME TWINS are: Lori, Janga and Amy Kathryn! Email me at helenbrenna@comcast.net with your addresses and I'll get your books and bookmarks out asap!

EllenToo, send me your address and I'll mail you off a bookmark! For that matter, I'll send one off to anyone who wants one!

Helen

Places that Inspire

This is release day for FIRST COME TWINS, the first in my new Mirabelle Island Superromance series. It's Sophie and Noah's story, high school sweethearts whose lives took unexpected paths.

Noah couldn't stay on Mirabelle. And Sophie couldn't leave.

Noah becomes a photojournalist and travels the world covering war torn regions. He's running from his mistakes, but when he's injured while embedded with the military, the only safe place to heal is Mirabelle.

While his homecoming brings more than a few surprises for Noah, one constant remains. Sophie, now a mother of twin teenagers, is entrenched as ever in island life. And she'll do whatever it takes to get Noah off her island. Before the only man she's ever loved breaks her heart all over again.

It's a story about a second chance at love, and I honestly didn't know how it was going to end until I got there! But I can tell you this, it's impossible to talk about this series without talking about what first inspired me to write these books.

Mirabelle Island, the setting for my next four books, while a figment of my imagination was very much inspired by places I've been. It's a conglomeration of camping trips to Minnesota's great neighboring state, Wisconsin, and a family vacation to Michigan's Mackinac Island.

There's something about getting out of Dodge that frees the creative juices. It could be the horse drawn carriages and virgin forests. Cobblestone streets and historic lighthouses. Homemade fudge and sailboats. Fireworks and ferry rides over the big waters of Lake Superior. Maybe it's the kayaking, salmon fishing or beach volleyball. Then again, it could be the stormy nights and waves crashing against rocky shorelines.

All I know is that Mirabelle's heroes and heroines are people I've come to love. They're passionate, sometimes secretive men and women who've come to Mirabelle either to hide or heal. The last thing they're expecting--or want--is to fall in love.

Mirabelle's quaint, but so far it ain't so quiet. The secondary characters are colorful, salt of the earth people who protect their own and aren't afraid to rock the boat a bit.

As I write the fourth story in this series, I find myself ready for another trip to Wisconsin. Good thing we have one planned. But that's a topic for another day!

Tell us about your favorite place or places. Vacations, weekends away. What inspires or recharges you?

I'm giving away three copies of FIRST COME TWINS (along with the cool bookmarks I blogged about last month) to celebrate release day!

Happy travels!
Helen

School Days, School Days

It's getting to be that time of year. For those of you with kids still at home, there are school clothes to shop for, new school supplies to check off the lists, sports physicals to line up and of course the never ending array of team shoes, jackets, warm up shirts, etc. to spring for.

It's back to school time.

Most of our students seem eager to come back (of course, I work with elementary!) But they are excited about the new classroom, new teacher and being one grade older. Their parents tell us the kids have been bored and are ready to begin again. I often question this and picture the parents doing a little jig in front of the schools on that first day in celebration! But most of the kids do seem happy to get back.

I recall being more than ready to return in August when I was a kid, but I was one of those dorks who enjoyed school, liked tests and homework. I don't remember shopping all that much prior to the new school year, though. In Catholic school it just meant getting a couple new white blouses to wear with the uniform and that isn't much to get excited over. Maybe a pair of shoes. I certainly don't remember shopping for school supplies and figure those sorts of additional expenses have cropped up in the last couple decades.


My own kids loved school supply shopping. I usually needed a Valium when we were done, LOL. Five different lists, and all the aisles...backtracking for things we couldn't find. Maybe having to go to two stores. And then getting home and the kids dumping all the bags onto the family room floor and re-fighting over whose folders were whose, and who had the best notebooks, etc. It took hours to place things in piles per kid and write names on everything. (We used to have teachers insist that each individual crayon have a name on it. Sadists.)

Of course, the school year gearing up means something different for me. I'm actually going to have to go back to work. Yes, the annual whining has commenced :) But I don't feel like I had a summer...I was gone too much and relaxed too little...I didn't get a thing done that I'd planned on taking care of, leaving it, as usual to the last week. Tough. I have one more week to gear up and it's back to school workshops for me.
What are your favorite school memories? Are you getting kids ready for the new school year? What's your funniest/most poignant memory of sending your kids off to school?