Welcome Maureen Child!!!

Hey gang. We are thrilled to have Maureen Child join us for a road trip today. Check it out .... there are prizes!! :o) Cindy

Oooh, nice convertible! Thanks for letting me hitch a ride, this week. Cindy, keep your eyes on the road, okay? Fine, fine, no backseat driving...

So, I’m actually here to talk about BEDEVILED, my new paranormal from NAL. It’s out this week and that’s the cover. Is that gorgeous, or what?

Speaking as a completely biased writer, I think the story’s pretty good, too. (And since I’m in ‘brag’ mode, Booklist gave it a Starred Review, so I’m not the only one who thinks so! )

See, I love the paranormal. The weirder, the better. Ghost stories. Legends. Vampires. The Highlander—(Adrian Paul, anyone?). But I also like humor with my weirdness. And BEDEVILED has plenty of humor.

The book starts out with Maggie Donovan going to return her ex-boyfriend's ABBA cd's only to find him being eaten—not in a sexual way, either. When it looks like she's going to be dessert, Maggie fights back against a creature like she's never seen before. In the incredibly clumsy battle for her life, Maggie inhales what looks like gold dust. Turns out, it's Faery dust and it's already beginning to change her life. Suddenly, she's super strong and has a tendency to float at the most inopportune times. And just when she thinks it can't get worse, it does.

Culhane, a centuries old Fenian Warrior for the Fae arrives to tell Maggie that she is the Destined Queen of the Fae. The only trick is, she has to defeat evil Queen Mab to claim the throne. No problem, except that Maggie doesn't know how to fight, doesn't have time to fight and hey, has zero interest in being the Queen of a world she never even knew existed until like five minutes ago. Plus, Maggie and Culhane have a much deeper connection than she knows. But then, Culhane has this pesky connection to Mab, too...

Anyway, I hope you give BEDEVILED a try and if you do, hope you love it!

I’m going to give away a couple of signed books to two of the posters here today, so tell me...What’s your favorite kind of paranormal? Dark? Funny? Vampires? (Fae??)

Read more about Maureen and her books at www.maureenchild.com

Christie's (Kinda) Excellent ER Adventure

Saturday morning, July 14, 9:50 a.m.

I slip inside the NAL booksigning before the doors open with buddies Barbara Freethy and Christina Dodd, just to hang out for a few minutes. There, I spy another friend, Maureen Child, and we commiserate about our swollen left ankles. Maureen said she’d been so concerned she’d “throw a blood clot” the night before, that she’d made Susan Mallery promise to comb her hair before calling authorities if she didn’t wake up in the morning.

Saturday afternoon, July 16, 12:50 p.m.

I’m eating lunch beside debut historical author Monica McCarty (BTW, check out the luscious covers of her trilogy here) when I suddenly notice a plum-colored, plum-shaped bruise over the pulsepoint on my left wrist. Monica and I both think it’s weird and I decide to go lie down.

Saturday afternoon, July 16, 1:50 p.m.

Wonderful friend Barbara Samuel tracks me down in my room. She encourages me to call a nurse helpline who advises that my symptoms (the leg) mean I should see a doctor within the next four hours. I decide (a bit tearfully) to head to the nearest ER, but run into Susan Mallery, who when I tell her about my destination, my swollen leg, and my left wrist, tells me that Maureen has the exact same bruise! We rush to find Maureen who almost instantly decides to accompany me to the ER to be checked out as well.

Saturday afternoon, July 16, 3:30 p.m.

Maureen is given a clean bill of health (and thinks she remembers that she got her bruise stopping an elevator door from closing. I, on the other hand, am in a hospital gown and waiting for an ultrasound test since they’re still worried about my left leg--my wrist is nothing, they tell me). Maureen, bless her forever, refuses to leave me, even though she’s presenting a Rita that night (in the very category I’m competing). She enlists the ER staff in hurrying my situation along, telling them we’re romance authors, etc. They google us (didn’t we look like romance authors?) and then the race is on to get me tested! Not only did they move quickly to wheel me to the ultrasound room, but they all rushed around to get results and paperwork ASAP. Thank you, Methodist Hospital ER Staff!

Saturday afternoon, July 16, 4:30 p.m.

I’m cleared of deep-vein thrombosis, but maybe not of an over-active imagination. No, seriously, they said my symptoms truly warranted concern and a check. As I was getting on a plane the next morning, I was much relieved not to have to worry the entire flight about the cramped seating. They call Maureen and I a cab…it doesn’t arrive…it still doesn’t arrive…it still doesn’t arrive…. (The photo was taken when Maureen and I were waiting for our ride.)

Saturday afternoon, July 16, 5:45 p.m.

I make it back in my hotel room, after three calls to the cab company, much frustration, and an endless love for Maureen Child who made the whole experience so much less upsetting than it could have been.

Saturday night, July 16, 9:45 p.m.

I didn’t win the Contemporary Single Title Rita. But I came home with the knowledge that I’m in great health and have great, supportive friends.

All right, everyone, let’s hear your ER story.