A Trade worth the price

No, I'm not talking commerce. LOL

Trade Paperbacks! Those $12 to $14 priced big books. Remember the griping I did two posts down? I have found my balance, my stride my nirvana.

I found one that is worth it. Oh my goodness, I could NOT put it down. Didn't want to . Wanted the experience to go on and on and on.

Hot Spell , an anthology with my one of my favorite writers, Emma Holly, along with Lora Leigh, Shiloh Walker and Meljean Brook.

There is not one story that doesn't work. Not one story that doesn't have a moment where you just close your eyes and wish it were happening to you. Not one moment when the guy and the girl are "feeling the love" that you don't feel it too and not once do you stop reading , to flip forward to "get back to the story ".

It all works. It's all relevent. The only time I felt "lost" is with/ in passion.

Do I sound gushy-gushy? Perhaps. But I know what I like.

You know what else I like? The guy on the cover. Remember I told you that Emma had a new blog site? The ladies she's co-author with have some awesome contacts. They KNOW who he is!! The mysterious cover model that I've been sighing over (discreetly of course) since I saw him on Sherrilyn Kenyons book awhile ago is :

Nathan Kamp- purrrrrrr

Check out this blog post that tells when the interview is going to be held... Nathan I have more pics too, see?

The only thing "I" found out about him is:

Height:6'1'' - Suit:41L - Waist:32x33 - Shirt:15.5x32 - Shoe:12 - Hair:Brown - Eyes:Brown

Did you notice he has the most adorable, cute little Outie Belly button? Gee whiz, I'm blushing.!

And if you are really in the mood to see other classy fashion models -male of course since I'm female and it is my blog .... check out the variety on this site that I happily found by delightful accident.

http://www.ryanartists.com/models/male_fashion.htm

They are all ages, I think. So for the young debutantes and the sophisticated ladies, I think there's a view for you.

Oooh, check out Patrick Goebel ! Or Quinn Nieland! Not too sure of Nate Golon though, he sort of reminds me of one of the bad guys from a James Bond movie ... cute but deadly.

Matt Bolt would make a great, young and sulky but cute werewolf.

You know I have to throw a paranormal reference in there somewhere, right? LOL

Isn't this a much more fun post than the last one? Although it did make one think, I like to have fun.

Don't You??

Esex - Should we worry?

Seriously, we worry about our kids on the internet, but what about us adults?

I belong to a quiz site. You've seen some of them posted here. There are many that are ... inappropriate no matter how liberal your thinking may be. Most are quite fun and are the ones I enjoy participating in.

This site has their own IM program connected to the site. The scenario is that while you are "online", someone could "see" you were and check out your profile. If they are interested in what they see, they'll send you a conversation invite. Even if you are in the middle of a quiz, the conversation can occur similtaneously. Sometimes up to three at a time.

Such was the case last night. I've been approached by people. Mostly guys. I DO NOT have a picture avatar with this site and I never will. Why? Because of the blatent fact that many are there looking for sex.
Seriously.
Person to Person or esex.

It always starts of innocuously enough, a simple "Hi" usually does it. I've been lucky to have been approached by regular people, a man in Poland and one in Africa .. although I'm getting the feeling that he MIGHT be into a import/export scam. I'm finding hints .... certain comments that I find curious.

I'm careful about relating any info about me. One complained about that very fact; that I was saying a lot of fluff but nothing substantial whereas he was more "open". Well DUH! First time conversation and I'm going to give him the "Key of Me" ??
In his dreams.

The inspiration for this post came from last night. I attempted my first initiation of an IM chat with someone who claimed he was "Full of Beans"... the sheer novelty of his choice of words is what prompted me to say "Hi" once I saw that he was online. Truthfully, I originally thought it was a female - imagine my surprise when it was a guy who, as it turns out, is a writer! He asked no personal stuff at all ... it was all writer speak; edits, agents, ups and downs of writing.
I was actually enjoying the "conversation" when another screen popped up.

The usual "Hi" opened the conversation box.
I reply "Good evening."
He types, "What are you wearing and do you like to play?"
Whoa! PUT ON THE BRAKES!!
Is this what I think it is?
I reply,
"Yeah, Checkers, and I play Catch the Tomatoe Hornworm before it kills my tomatoes and Squish the Slugs. I have sweats and sneakers on. " (So, I'm weird, like that's a surprise? LOL)
His reply
"Heh"
I say
"I'm not sure what to say beyond that, your question was a tad unusual. I'm not sure if I want to even ask about you."
His reply.
"I'm looking for esex."
Geez and Crow! At least he was quick in being honest and upfront about his intentions!
I reply
"Gah! Really? Well I have to tell you I'm a straight shooter. Won't find any fun with me , sorry."
His reply,
"np" (no problem)
He then continues with
"It was worth a shot. Its all a numbers game and I always find someone."
What??? Numbers and he ALWAYS finds someone to accomadate his ... sexual proclivities?

Folks, isn't this a scary thought? That he always finds someone to do this with? He was so casual about it. How can that possibly be healthy????

Yes, I can turn the IM feature off and remain totally secluded from all solicitations. However, just when I thought I had nothing to post on my blog ... life steps in and hands me a juicy one.

So, what do you think?

The Good, The Bad and the Highly Readable

Yes, more books.
My addiction strikes again.

My hyper-focus on vampire romanctic heros led me to some interesting reading.

First , allow me to say that writing for an anthology can not be an easy task.

All story telling elements must be covered and no words can be superfluous. The literary effort must produce a mood, a connection and an enjoyable reading experience without leaving the reader feeling short changed.

Please don't let the following statement turn you off on some of these authors . I picked up the books because they were in the anthology. Past history has given me many enjoyable hours visiting the worlds that they've created.

The first is:
IMMORTAL BAD BOYS by Rebecca York, Rosemary Laurey and Linda Thomas-Sundstrom.
For me, Rebecca is an auto pick-up -so when I read the story I had high hopes. Everyone, in all aspects of life, has a moment that leaves the people who know them scratching their heads while thinking " HUH??" My conclusion ... "Why bother?", the sex was good, but it was not enough to carry the story. That is my impression and my opinion - to my dismay. I adore Rebecca York - just not in this.
Same with Rosemary Laurey. She has written some awesome stories that I' ve raved over here. Can't do it this time. Nope.
The last author was a complete unknown to me. Had no idea what to expect, but what I got was utter confusion. At the end, I understood what it was all about, but the delivery left a lot to be desired. The idea was actually quite good - it just didn't touch me. Not even close.
All in all, the title was appropriate - however I would adjust it to "immortally bad".

Same with
Lords of the Night by Janice Bennett, Sara Blayne and Monique Ellis. ALL unknowns to me. Same problems. Big idea in too short a space. Add to the mix - it was a regency period theme and I had to contend with all that fancy and disjointed phraseology. GAH!!
The only bright spot was the last story, The Full of the Moon by Janice Bennett. There was a surprise twist in the end that delighted me. It was as if there was a fresh zephyr filling the room at the last minute and I breathed it in deeply, "Finally!!"

For the Good area I would chose: The Burning by Susan Squires.
Once again we visit vampires with The Companion. I had a problem with all the flashbacks, but then I usually do so this isn't a new gripe. That is just my personal prune.
Her character, Ann, was on the verge of going over the cliff of TSTL. It was a toss-up but eventually she pulled through. I choked on the fact that she needed a man to save her from that literary fate, but no matter. That she did, allowed the story to have a satisfactory end. As with all of Susan's books, you know it is NOT the end. Kilkinney's story must be told. And Rubius really needs his ass kicked. So even if there are stutters in the story telling, I have still been brought to the point of caring for the characters. Isn't that one of the earmarks of success?

Now I come to the Highly Readable:
Vamps in the City by Kerrelyn Sparks
Once again, Kerrelyn pulls off a vampire romance filled with satisfying romance and fun with a light touch of angst. The bad guys aren't very pronounced in this story. The focus really is on the romance. I enjoyed watching it evolve. I will also venture to say that Kerrelyn has toned down considerably her use of one-liners and pop culture cliches. They are there, but not quite as numerous and are well placed within the story. I dare say, she grew in her craft and it shows.

There you have it. My reviews such as they are.

Perhaps I came off a little snarky and harsh for the first book I mentioned, but seriously folks, if publishers want trade sized books to sell for $12.00 to $14.00 a pop, then they'd better make it worth a readers time and money. If things don't change in the cost of gas for our vehicles and the price goes up across the country to $4.04 a gallon as some places are in California, I sure as heck am not going to waste it on a trade paperback!

Updated Vaca via The Twilight Zone

Blogger ate the first, HUGE post. Can I say that Murphy's Law is still in effect?
I'll update when Blogger behaves better.

Blogger is up!

Let's try this again. The post that got eaten, must have been regurgitated ...lovely thought that. Anyway, it appears below. How bizarre is Blogger anyway? It said it couldn't publish , yet it shows up. I was really daunted at the thought of having to re-think and rewrite the whole entity. Imagine my relief when I found I didn't have to do that!

One aspect of my vacation ocurred before even reaching my destination. I was able to visit a lady who I've come to know. She owns a USB and she is a wonderful person. I make it a point to visit her whenever we head off to our vacation destination. She had a book on hold for me plus I bought at least 10 others. Plenty of books to read. That was a highlight for the readaholic within me.

Here are some of the few, very few, pictures that actually came out. I have no idea what went wrong. Maybe nothing. Just a continuation on a theme. (choas)


The Map of where I went.






The waves on the National Seashore were wild and woolly. Actually, the wind was biting cold and the water possessed sharply chilled teeth with a frothy overlay.

No one was swimming. Although there was one hardy family who actually brought winter coats, hats, mittens, boots, beach blanket, pails and shovels and a picinic.
I am Totally serious. It was the silliest and funniest thing we saw ... but the pictures aren't here. *sigh* Just take my word for it. There ARE true polar bear families out there.
Awesome!


Can you see the porch?
If I stood near the railing and threw a stone, I'd hit the beach.

Imagine hearing the roar of the ocean throughout the night, lulling you to sleep with nature's natural rhythym.

I will sorely miss this place.
It was uncommercialized, friendly and touched by the gentle hand of time.


This is the view from the window over my bed. The patio used to have lobster traps decorating it. The owners always made sure there were "sea critters" inside to test the bravery of the visiting kids.
It was great ambiance.
A celebration of what made life fun.
We will always have the adventures we took with our imaginations.
It is all that will remain.



No more. This room, by this time next year, will be gutted and turned into a Time Share where they sell one week of time - off season - for "eternity" - for roughly $13,000.

When you tack on the fees, taxes and interest, is it really worth it??????
No.
We have feelings and associations to what was. The commercialized "what will be" doesn't touch the heart like the family had that once owned this ocean gem.
They will be missed.

Onward roll the changes from the march of time .....
They force us to find a different tune to march to.
We believe we found it.

Treasure is not limited to the chests of yore.
I love the coast.

My Vacation from the Twilight Zone

I can only tell you about it. For the first time ever, my pictures, most of the good ones anyway, came out blurry.

The afternoon before we were to leave, I received a very interesting phone call.
Remember now, reservations were made back in late January but that doesn't stop Murphy's Law.

First foreshadowing: "We're sorry to inform you that you will have to make other arrangements as our gas line has been disconnected and there is no hot water."

"HUH?"

Less than 20 hours before our scheduled arrival and we can't go?

We scramble and manage to find another motel. When we arrive, the mold and mustiness nearly knock me over, but since I'm the only one with the sensitve schnoze, and everyone else is usually unaffected, I just gritted my teeth and bore it with a little help from Loratadine. Right before turning in, my little one complained of a sore throat.

"What?"

He had just came off of a 2 week regime of Amoxicillan, what now?

Took his temperature . (now WHAT made me bring a thermometer on vacation?)
Temp was 102.3

Woke up the next morning. Everyone and I do mean everyone - was stuffed up congested and had the whole sneezing and post nasal drip going on. Seems my schnoze was not the only one affected by the cave-like atmosphere after all. AND, my little guy proceeded to assure us that every swallow was painful and he could not eat anything, including water - it hurt that much.

Next stop, the E R !!!
(very nice people in the ER)

Now, we have a regimine of Augmentin plus Tylenol with Codeine. Returned to the motel and requested a new room.
We got one.
For those of you who know, Augentin needs to be refridgerated.

I open the refrigerator in this new room and huge gobs of black mold say HI!
Complain again to the manager - who ends up being the owner.
She cleans it ASAP. Apologizes profusely.
We spend the night. No sneezing, kid's temp stays normal and the throat pain starts to dissapate. (Yeah!)

We call our original place. Was told that the gas line should be reconnected by the next morning. Do we want to go there and rough it for one night and be charged a MUCH reduced rate?

SURE! (at least I KNOW this place is clean)

We arrive. No one else is there. The place is gutted! Did I tell you our favorite motel - once family owned - was sold to a Time Share Shark? They had a few rooms avaliable for the sales reps. Ours was one. I wonder who we put out?

We not only spent our last 2 nights at this place - the driving acceptance behind our stubborness was that this was to be the last time we'd ever be able to enjoy the sounds of the ocean while we sleep. This place is THAT close to the ocean. How lulling, beatiful and soothing.
Believe me, we needed the soothing.

We took sponge baths in water that was heated by a stovette.

What is a stovette?

Oh, well, it's this little efficiency type stove wannabe that takes 10 - 15 minutes to heat an average pot of water to almost - hinting here- boiling. Try dumping that into a thick antigue porceline tub and you see that not much happens. By the time you put more "hot" water in, the original has cooled to the temperatures of the last Ice Age.

I discovered something about myself. When I get in water with a cold temperature and have said cold water dumped over my head - my reaction everytime is to SCREECH and giggle uncontrollably. Once started, I can't stop laughing until I'm out of the water.
I'd be a hit a parties.

HOW'D THE HECK DID THE PIONEERS DO IT?

We braved this for two nights.
The kids thought it was fun.
The little one has had no repercussions of any sort. He is a right as rain and had a great time. He thought Mommy was funny. (ha)
The good thing about our vacation.
The sun was out.
We took the family to see Ice Age 2 -The Melt Down. Very cute. Love that squirrel.
There's hot water in the rest rooms, amazing !

We did the usual - Go-Karts, trampolines and braved a walk on the wild and wooley National Seashore plus played miniature golf.

All and all, it was a good vacation. But not one any of us will forget soon.

Oh, and that gas line? The day we left, a guy told us that they actually don't expect it to be reconnected for another

THREE WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On a better aside;
we scoped out the other shoreline motels. We found a replacement. Yeah! The best part about this new location? Separate bedrooms! Two!! Woohoo! With doors that LOCK!!
For you Moms and Dads out there , this is a BIG plus - Oooh La la!!

Can't wait until our NEXT vacation.
**grin**

Blog Hiatus

Hello again!
Its that time of year again where I take 5 days and disappear. No computer (oh the withdrawal), no phone ( oh the peace! ), No having to get up when the alarm rings ( yeah - freedom!) and no home cooked meals (oh the constipation! [bet you didn't want to read that! LOL!! ] )

I hope that you have a quiet, uneventful and healthy week and I hope to have a couple of pictures to share when I return.

For your reading pleasure - or not - I'll leave you with things to view and contemplate at your leisure.

Subject: FW: Bounce this along

My mail carrier (this is from an email that I got two days ago ) told me that the US Postal service sent out a message to all letter carriers to put a sheet of Bounce in their uniform pockets to keep yellow-jackets away. Use them all the time when playing baseball and soccer. I use it when I am working outside. It really works. The yellow jackets just veer around you.

1. All this time you've just been putting Bounce in the dryer! It will chase ants away when you lay a sheet near them.
2. It also repels mice. Spread sheets around foundation areas, or in trailers, or cars that are sitting and it keeps mice from entering your vehicle.
3. It takes the odor out of books and photo albums that don't get opened very often.
4. It repels mosquitoes. Tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season
5. Eliminate static electricity from your television (or computer) screen.
6. Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from resettling.
7. Dissolve soap scum from shower doors. Clean with a sheet of Bounce.
8. To freshen the air in your home - place an individual sheet of Bounce in a drawer or hang in the closet.
9. Put a Bounce sheet in vacuum cleaner.
10. Prevent thread from tangling. Run a threaded needle through a sheet of Bounce before beginning to sew.
11. Prevent musty suitcases. Place an individual sheet of Bounce inside empty luggage before storing.
12. To freshen the air in your car - place a sheet of Bounce under the front seat.
13. Clean baked-on foods from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in a pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti-static >agent apparently weakens the bond between the food and the pan.
14. Eliminate odors in wastebaskets. Place a sheet of Bounce at the bottomof the wastebasket.
15. Collect cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the loose hairs.
16. Eliminate static electricity from venetian blinds. Wipe the blinds with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resettling.
17. Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering. A used sheet of Bouncewill collect sawdust like a tack cloth.
18. Eliminate odors in dirty laundry. Place an individual sheet of Bounce at the bottom of a laundry bag or hamper.
19. Deodorize shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight.
20. Golfers put a Bounce sheet in their back pocket to keep the bees away.
21. Put a Bounce sheet in your sleeping bag and tent before folding and storing them. It will keep them smelling fresh.
22. Quick, bounce this on within the next 5 minutes! Nothing will happen if you don't, but your friends will be glad to hear these hints

Is this for real? Beats me, but some of these are cool enough to try!
Let me know if any of you are brave enough or at least, curious enough to try any!

OR If you are looking for a short read :

She was in the kitchen doing the boiled eggs for breakfast.

He walks in and asks "What's for breakfast?"

She turns to him and says, "You've got to make love to me this very moment".

He, thinking it's his lucky day, stands her over the kitchen table and they have sex.

Afterwards he says, "What was that all about?"

She says, "The egg timer's broken!"

If you are still in the mood to read, this last post might fit the bill :

A woman went to a pet shop & immediately
spotted a large, beautiful parrot.. There was a sign on the cage that said $50.00."Why so little," she asked the pet store owner.The owner looked at her and said, "Look, I should
tell you first that this bird used to live in a house
of Prostitution and sometimes it says some pretty
vulgar stuff."The woman thought about this, but decided
she had to have the bird any way.

She took it home and hung the bird's cage up in
her living room and waited for it to say something.The bird looked around the room, then at her,
and said, "New house, new madam."The woman was a bit shocked at the implication,
but then thought "that's really not so bad."

When her 2 teenage daughters returned from
school the bird saw and said, "New house,
new madam, new girls."The girls and the woman were a bit offended
but then began to laugh about the situation
considering how and where the parrot had
been raised.

Moments later, the woman's husband Keith
came home from work.The bird looked at him and said,

"Hi, Keith!"

Have a GREAT week everyone !

Good Gosh, It's Monday!

Did everyone eat enough yesterday? I spent the day between my church family and my own family. Very full day. A sunny and warm day. A day in which memories were made and memories will have to serve as I never remembered to grab my camera and snap even one single picture. Was too busy being and doing.
I started my Easter day cooking my contributions to the family meal; mashed potatoes and sugar glazed baby carrots. I also brought three kinds of rolls (potato, snowflake and finger) and I brought the wine.
And what a wine it was!

In many books, you've read mention of Merlot. I even posted about my first taste of a fancy Merlot last summer and how much I loved it. I'm going to add to that .

Blackberry Merlot by Wildvines. What a flavorful wine! I hardly EVER drink wine with food. This beverage not only was divine to the taste buds by itself, it complimented the meal. Everyone around the table was amazed and pleased with the selection, claiming it was the smoothest and best they'd ever toasted a holiday with. And, *gasp!* asked for seconds!!! I will tell you, in my family, that is unheard of! There's a famous line out there in TV land ...
" I love it when a plan comes together." How true that is *grin*

I guess this is copyrighted so I'll include a link to the humorous cartoon about overeating And for those who get irritated with following links - here are a few glances at happy overeaters...LOL!









Have a great Monday everyone!

Easter Wishes For You

I hope you have a wonderful Easter, no matter your symbol, may it be a day filled with love of family and friends and may it be filled with hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Back to normal?

Time to get back to what is "normal" for me, but first I really want to say that I appreciated Robin's inviting me to be one of the host's of Colleen's blog tour. What a great experience!

Today, I feel chatty. Or is it catty?
Last night I downloaded three titles from Ellora's Cave and as of tonight, I've read them all. Easy enough to do as they were novellas. The one that inspires this post is:
Georgie and Her Dragon by Sahara Kelly rated =Sensuous.

It brings to mind one of my reading peeves: The Dream Sequence

Don't get me wrong, in "Georgie", Ms. Kelly did it right. Once I read that scene, it was like a light bulb popping during an Aha! moment.
"That's the way I like it!"

What Don't I like? The long, detailed, explicit scene that NEVER happens. Excuse me, but what is the point of being so graphic, so specific in description in detail and actions for a non-event? I am not talking one paragraph of honorable mention, but three pages dedicated to an erotic dream - makes no difference if the POV is male or female. It is a useless scene WHEN..and I repeat WHEN , the moment that the hero and heroine finally find their way to true conjugal bliss, it warrants a page. One page. ONLY one page.
What's wrong with this picture?

At the point when they finally do " the deed", it should be with fire-breathing fanfare, horns of passion blowing, scalding fireworks and the reaching of a mind blowing pinnacle that not only the characters enjoy, but the reader. With these long, drawn out and intricate "dream scenes", by the time our literary lovers finally do the "horizontal tango", we get the feeling of, "Been there, Done That, Ho and Hum ".... we are NOT impressed, NOT moved or involved. At that point, I always feel like saying " Yeah, yeah, OK you got to do it ... fast forward, give me the epilogue".

So I ask:
Are Dream sequences in Erotic/Romantica literature overused?
Are they fillers?
Are they useless?
Are they necessary to the plot movement?

I'll share my appreciation for the flip side.
The dream connection
Ms. Kelly had her dragon having a mental bond link with the princess.
Their dreams mattered. They had purpose. They had a basis in their reality. They affected their present and were SHARED!

In dream connection sequences, the dreams are a seduction in and of themselves. A tool of romance. It can be a part of character development or plot movement.

Handled in this manner, I am quite content to read and enjoy the story. I'm seeing something that makes sense.

Do I make sense to you?

Come with me and discover COLLEEN COBLE

One of my blog buddies, Robin, introduced me to an amazing author:
Colleen Coble.

She's a Romantic Suspense Author and after reading the excerpt of her latest book, I think I'm hooked!


I am honored to be able to spotlight her on my blog and share with you our Q & A session.




I'd like to start off with her new release. Alaska Twilight.
Isn't the cover beautiful?

Here's the synopsis:

"For some people, Alaska is a breathtaking wilderness adventure, full of light and beauty. For Haley, it is a dangerous world of dark dreams and tortured memories. On the surface, she’s here to document wildlife biologist Tank Lansing’s work with bears. But her real reason is to unearth the truth about a past murder. The suspense mounts when another body turns up, and Haley begins to wonder if the tragedies she experienced in the past are connected to the dangers and mysterious incidents of the present.
From behind the viewfinder of her camera, Haley observes it all, including the man who studies grizzlies. As she watches him with his work, she feels a growing attraction. It will take great courage and faith to confront the truth she once ran away from. Before it’s over, Haley may be viewing herself from an entirely new angle. Will she have the courage to move beyond the role of observer and embrace life—and love? Or will Haley forever remain in a twilight world of guilt and shame?
Alaska Twilight is the story of a young woman’s emergence from the shadows of past sorrow into the light of forgiveness and grace."

Sound intriguing? Click here for a peek at the first chapter !

Come with me to meet Colleen

Hi, Colleen! Robin sent an excited SOS about using my blog to share the excitement about your new book. I am pleased to do so.

Hi Michele! Thanks so much for hosting me on your blog. This whole blog tour is a fun idea!

First question...How do you know Alaska so well? Native or some awesome research? or a smattering of both?

It’s from a long time obsession with Alaska. I should have lived there. I’ve read stuff about Alaska for years—I bet I’ve watched John Wayne’s North to Alaska 20 times. I was also fortunate that a couple of writing friends who grew up in Alaska (Amy Bang and Kristin Blincoe) read the manuscript to make sure I got things right.

Does the title, Alaska Twilight, give a hint to a focal point in the story?

Yes it does! I like to try to have the title reflect a hint of the theme of the story. Very perceptive question! Haley has been wandering in a twilight of her own for years, not really living because of the fear of being hurt again. She’s hiding behind the lens of her camera, never really experiencing life in its full, vivid reality

I'm an avid reader of varied romance genres , but this is my first exposure to Christian Romance. It really amazed me how casually, naturally you have Augusta talking about the role of God and I have to say..it was refreshing.

God is in the business of doing just that. Giving us the insight we need right when we need it. The thing I love about the genre I write is that I’m able to explore the full human experience. Sometimes in the secular market, authors are restricted in the spiritual area. We all have a spiritual side. All of us are searching for meaning in our lives, for the reason we’re here. I’m allowed to delve into all aspects of our humanity. I don’t have to ignore the spiritual side. Every writer, no matter what they write, has a worldview that comes across in the book. My books rise from my own worldview that God exists and he cares about people. I try very hard not to be preachy, but to be real and show the struggles we all go through to understand our world and our place in eternity

What do you tap into to reach those emotional depths that are able to touch and grab a reader from even just one chapter???

I think all writers tap into our own joys and tragedies. I have a lot of empathy—maybe all writers do—but I FEEL pain for people I love when they’re going through hard times. And when my grandmother died, and then my brother a year later, it was a roller coaster of emotion. I even questioned God and was angry with him for a while. I wanted to have a character going through those same feelings to show that it’s okay. God is big enough to handle our questions and loves us enough to answer them .

What impression do you hope a reader comes away with after reading Alaska Twilight? Or indeed, any of your books?

I wanted to show that we don’t have to be trapped by our past mistakes. Or by the things that happened to us when we were kids. We can CHOOSE to let go of them, to go on and let our lives make a difference. When we hold onto anger and bitterness, the only one we hurt is ourselves. I also wanted to show that any relationship is all about compromises. When you love someone, you both have to bend.

Being in the Alaskan wilderness with a prothesis is VERY brave..for anyone! What made you include a heroine with that kind of challenge?

My brother in law lost a foot and he’s just continued on with life. And I have a friend who lost a leg to a mower accident when she was young. She is AMAZING, with a great attitude. Then Paul McCartney married a gal who’d lost a leg, and I was just intrigued with how when we hear about things like this in the news, we never get to see the other side, the victorious outcome that can happen. I knew I wanted to write about it.

How does anyone chose to write Christian romances in this day and age?
What is the draw...not just for the reader but the author? I mean, the buzz is all for romantica, thriller and mystery. Romance with a religious belief woven in the love process seems to have a potential for being pigeonholed -to be sold not by the mainstream or considered such, but via religous book stores giving them a limited audience and limited exposure.

Talk to Barnes and Noble, and you’ll discover there are two hot spots in fiction—Christian and erotica! LOL Talk about two extremes. But Christian fiction is red hot right now. I think it’s because some readers are tired of the explicit sex and the bad language. It’s possible to tell a great story without those things. The classics never had explicit sex and language. They didn’t need to—they told a great story. Barnes and Noble stores I’ve been in all tell me their Christian section is their biggest seller in the store.

The great thing about what I write is that I’m allowed to explore all facets of a person’s life—including the spiritual. We all have that element in our being.

How long have you been writing? Do you tour? Autograph books or send out fan stuff to those who ask?

My first book was bought in 1997. I autograph books and send out bookmarks, signed bookplates, etc to anyone who asks and to people who sign up for my newsletter. I love meeting readers.

What awards have you received and what do they mean to you? Are they confirmation/vindication of your decision to write or are they just boons from doing something that you naturally love to do? And would do regardless of recognition?

2004 & 2005 ACFW Mentor of the Year, Rita finalist, 2 time Holt Medallion Finalist, Booksellers Best Finalist, Daphne du Maurier finalist, Foreward Magazine Book of the Year finalist, ACFW Book of the Year finalist, Beacon finalist, More than Magic winner.

The awards are a great affirmation, but I love writing in this genre and I’d continue to do it no matter what!

If readers were discovering you for the first time (hint-hint) what book of yours would you recommend?
And Why?

Well, I have to admit I’ve partial to Alaska Twilight. I loved being able to show Haley’s spirit and courage in the face of adversity that could have crushed her but she chose not to let it.

Am I getting on a roll here or what? LOL

Girl, you are on a GREAT roll! Super questions. You made me have to think. LOL

Thanks again for doing this!

What do you write?

Wow! A question for me? *grin*

*sigh* what do I dream of writing is more the question. At this time, I'm attempting a romance, what else? LOL, that has suspenseful paranormal elements. I love the freedom of fantasy. I was a Star Trek goof when I was growing up, along with Space 1999 and the original Wild Wild West series. Those are the elements that have always intrigued me, so I would LOVE to write my own. Tried it when I was in school, but reading them now..I just blush with mortification.
Not that you needed to read all of that...but hey..since I don 't have anything beyond the prologue and first chapter, looks I have a WAYS to go....

Aren't dreams grand?
LOL

I didn’t start writing until I was nearly forty, Michele. And my friend Diann Hunt didn’t start until she was 43. So don’t think because you haven’t done anything yet, that you won’t. I was like you—a voracious reader who always thought she’d like to write. I was raising my kids and living my life until my brother died and I realized I needed to get on it.

Paranormal is hot right now! I was a huge Star Trek fan. Looooved Mr. Spock. LOL

Thank you SO much, Colleen, for taking the time to answer all of my questions. It was fun and you've garnered yourself a new fan. *wink* Best wishes for your continued and future success!

For any and all of my blog buddies who are interested in questions from an author's perspective, I've included links to other stops on Colleen's Blog Tour.

http://pammer.blogspot.com/

http://tiffambermiller.blogspot.com/

And remember, Robin Miller, the inspiration behind the tour, will host Colleen this Wednesday on her own blog. Don't forget to stop by there and Say HI !!!

Happy Reading and Blogging everyone!!!

Female VS Male perspectives

Good stuff here...

A WOMAN'S PERFECT BREAKFAST

She's sitting at the table with her gourmet coffee.
Her son is on the cover of the Wheaties box.
Her daughter is on the coverof Business Week.
And her husband is on the back of the milk carton.

A WOMAN'S REVENGE

"Cash, check or charge?" I asked, after folding items the woman wished to purchase. As she fumbled for her wallet I noticed a remote control for a television set in her purse."So, do you always carry your TV remote?" I asked."No," she replied," but my husband refused to come shopping with me, and I figured this was the most evil thing I could do to him legally."

UNDERSTANDING WOMEN (A MAN'S PERSPECTIVE)

I know I'm not going to understand women.
I'll never understand how you can take boiling hot wax and pour it onto your upper thigh,rip the hair out by the root, and still be afraid of a spider.

MARRIAGE SEMINAR

While attending a marriage seminar dealing with communication, Tom and his wife Grace listened to the instructor. "It is essential that husbands and wives know each other's likes and dislikes." He addressed the man, "Can you name your wife's favorite flower?" Tom leaned over, touched his wife's arm gently and whispered, "It's Pillsbury, isn't it?
The rest of the story gets rather ugly, so I'll stop right here.

CIGARETTES AND TAMPONS

A man walks into a pharmacy and wanders up and down the aisles. The sales girl notices him and asks him if she can help him. He answers that he is looking for a box of tampons for his wife. She directs him down the correct aisle. A few minutes later, he deposits a huge bag of cotton balls and a ball of string on the counter. She says, confused, "Sir, I thought you were looking for some tampons for your wife? He answers, " You see, it's like this, yesterday, I sent my wife to the store to get me a carton of cigarettes, and she came back with a tin of tobacco and some rolling papers; cause it's sooo-ooo--oo-ooo much cheaper.
So, I figure if I have to roll my own ............ so does she.
( I figure this guy is the one on the milk carton! )

WIFE VS. HUSBAND

A couple drove down a country road for several miles, not saying a word. An earlier discussion had led to an argument and neither of them wanted to concede their position. As they passed a barnyard of mules, goats, and pigs, the husband asked sarcastically,"Relatives of yours?" "Yep," the wife replied, "in-laws."

A husband read an article to his wife about how many words women use a day...30,000 to a man's 15,000.
The wife replied, "The reason has to be because we have to repeat everything to men...The husband then turned to his wife and asked, "What?"

CREATION

A man said to his wife one day, "I don't know how you can be so stupid and so beautiful all at the same time." The wife responded, "Allow me to explain. God made me beautiful so you would be attracted to me; God made me stupid so I would be attracted to you!

WHO DOES WHAT

A man and his wife were having an argument about who should brew the coffee each morning. The wife said, "You should do it, because you get up first, and then we don't have to wait as long to get our coffee."
The husband said, " You are in charge of cooking around here and you should do it, because that is your job, and I can just wait for my coffee."
Wife replies, "No, you should do it, and besides, it is in the Bible that the man should do the coffee."Husband replies, "I can't believe that, show me."So she fetched the Bible, and opened the NewTestament and showed him at the top of several pages, that it indeed says.........."HEBREWS"

The Silent Treatment

A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment. Suddenly, the man realized that the next day, he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning business flight. Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper, "Please wake me at 5:00 AM- he knew she would find it.The next morning, the man woke up, only to discover it was 9:00AM and he had missed his flight. Furious, he was about to go and see why his wife hadn't wakened him when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed.
The paper said,"It is 5:00AM. Wake up."

Men are not equipped for these kinds of contests.
God may have created man before woman, but there is always a rough draft before the masterpiece.

I POSTED THIS FOR MY SMART WOMEN READERS WHO NEED A LAUGH AND FOR THE MEN WHO CAN HANDLE IT...LOL

WWW -The Original was BEST

Are you mature enough to remember this classic TV show?
My cousin and I would call each other after each episode and squeal about the daring-do of our favorite hero, James West. And share our amazement at the clever disguises of Artemis Gordon, he equally cute partner. *sigh*, Now THAT was fun television.
It was the ONLY western that I burned to watch, bar none. No one has ever come close as those Secret Service Agents for President Grant. James West, My Hero.....((swoon))




He's my perfect Alpha man .... yep... I got hooked on 'em young. *wink* Who says TV doesn't influence?



Oh, and as for the remake? Heh..don't ask.

NO. COMPARISON.
NO. CONTEST.

































Tell me there was nothing there to set a young girls heart into
"Pitter-Patter" mode.


Here's hoping that your memories of favorite early influences are as fun today as they were then.

P.S. I dedicate this post to my cousin, J. *giggle*

April Fools Day!! OR A Day of Fools and Foolery?

Sometimes, words are not necessary!