With all the buzz going around about “Fifty Shades of Grey” I thought it might be a good idea to point out that if you want sexy hot romance, you need only turn to the Blaze line. The diversity in the line is what does it for me. One minute I might be reading about Cowboys, the next Marines or a sexy strip club. So if you’re jonesing for more after “50″ then you have some great alternatives this summer.

Even though I have some crazy deadlines, I’ve been on a reading binge the last few weeks. I ready all of the 50 books and I don’t understand the hate. I enjoyed them for what they are, fun, sexy reads. If I’m not writing, I’m reading lately.

My list constantly changes, but here are few of the sexy books I want to read this summer:

1. Enslave: The Taming of the Beast (Cathy Yardley)

2. Simply Carnal (Kate Pearce)

3. Summer Blazes (Though, the last two I read have kept me up all night )

4. Tempting the Best Man (J. Lynn)

5. Bare Naked Lola (Melissa Bourbon Ramirez)

Since you guys are often the best source for new reads, I thought I’d ask for your favorite reads or books you want to read this summer.

When I was a little kid I wanted to be a lawyer/singing superstar. When I was about nine, I decided I wanted to be a dancer on Broadway. I ended up at the High School of Performing Arts in Houston, Texas, as a dancer. And if that didn’t work, maybe an Oceanographer. I went off to college thinking dance was my thing, and then I hurt my back and couldn’t dance for a year.

It was my dad who suggested I go into journalism. I’d written for school newspapers and scandal sheets since junior high.  I wasn’t so much a news reporter, more a features writer. I liked the idea of delving into lives and learning about people. That worked out well for me. I’ve been a journalist for about 24 years.

But when it came to fiction, well, that’s a different story. I’d wanted to write a novel from the first time I picked up a Nancy Drew book. Even though I had amazing parents, who told me I could be anything I wanted, I didn’t dare dream about being an author. It seemed so otherworldly and impossible to me. I thought I had a better chance at being on Broadway.

Now that I’m an author, and have been one since 2004, I’m still having a hard time believing it. It’s one of those things that even though I know how it happened, I still can’t believe it did. I’m so lucky to have a job where I can make up worlds and characters can talk in my head, and no one wraps me up in a straight jacket.

This is my very long way of telling you that I’m going back to one of my previous dreams. I want to dance. No, not on Broadway. Those days are gone. But for myself. My doc says I HAVE to exercise and I hate it all, except for dancing. Oh, and yoga. I kind of like yoga.

I have so many things things I want to do, learn French and how to paint with oils. My friend Heidi gave me a little artist kit a while back and now I’m hooked. And while I sound like one of those ugly Americans murdering the French language, I’m trying.

Oh, and my big dream right now is to be so successful that I can by myself a little beach side cottage (with amazing Internet) and write while staring out at the waves. Sigh. I love the ocean.

So I’m curious… What did you want to be when you grew up? Do you have a passion from childhood that you’ve continued into adulthood? What are your dreams for the future?

Tell me, I really want to know. And don’t forget to dream big.

I had this weird dream a few weeks ago where Elena from The Vampire Diaries was about to marry Edward from Twilight. For some reason, Brad Pitt, who was some kind of  monster, kidnapped Elena before the wedding. When he was injured trying to keep the other monsters away from her, she healed him. Thus turning him into something with a soul. He returned her to Edward. They were married and then the real drama began. She was really in love with Brad by then.

I’m sure a dream analyst would have a field day with that one. But it made me think about unlikely pairings. And who would I choose in certain hero situations. For me a choice between Edward and Stefan (Vamp Diaries), well, I’d have to go with Edward. Poor Edward may be kind of a perv, but Stefan’s too whiny.

Now, if you had Sean Bean from Game of Thrones and Viggo Mortenson from Lord of the Rings, I would not be able to choose. That is how I like my men. Super alpha. They’ll do anything to protect what they believe in. And they aren’t afraid of a good fight.

I’ve come up with a fun little game for you to play. It’s called pick your hero. They’re all from the world of entertainment, and feel free to add a few of your own when you post your answers below. Let’s see who our favorite hero turns out to be.

Who would you choose? And if you can, tell me why.

1. Sean Bean in Game of  Thrones or Viggo Mortenson in Lord of the Rings?

2. Gibbs (Mark Harmon) or DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) on NCIS?

3. Damon (Ian Somerholder) from Vampire Diaries or Jacob (Taylor Lautner) from Twilight?

4. George Clooney as Batman or Christian Bale as Batman?

5. Nathan Fillion as Castle or Matt Bomer as Neal on White Collar?

6. Justin Timberlake or Blake Shelton?

7. Nick (Jake Johnson) or Schmidt (Max Greenfield) from New Girl?

8. Sam (Jared Padelecki) or Dean (Jensen Ackles) from Supernatural?

9. Brad Pitt (Moneyball) or Jean Dujardin (The Artist)?

10. Rick (Andrew Lincoln) or Shane (Jon Berthnal) from The Walking Dead?

I can’t wait to read your answers! And someone who answers all the questions, will win an autographed copy of Model Marine!

Happy Valentine’s Day Y’all!

I decided to give up making New Year’s resolutions. I know, you’re wondering what took me so long. Like a lot of people, I see the New Year as a fresh start and a chance to make positive changes in my life. And the resolutions work, well in a way.

I did complete one of my resolutions by finishing my Master’s degree in Humanities. And I sold a series of steampunk books, which was my resolution to write outside my comfort zone. I didn’t lose much weight, but I did lose some. And I never made it to Paris.

This year I’m trying something different. I’m writing down fun things I want to do. Here’s what I have so far, but the list is something I plan to add to as the year goes on:

1. Finish office makeover

2. Learn French (read 3) at least enough to ask where the bathroom is, and how to find my hotel if I get lost

3. Go to Paris in the late fall

4. Read a book a week (when I’m writing as much as I am right now, that’s a tough one)

5. Spend more time with my favorite people

6. Ride a really scary roller coaster

7. Make a music video

8. Sleep more

9. Learn how to relax (I honestly don’t know how.)

10. Find one fun thing to do every single day that makes my heart lighter.

So that’s it, so far. It’s not a particularly great list, but it’s mine.

So what fun things to you have planned for the coming year? What are some fun things I should think about adding to my list?

I’m hungry. As I write this post I’m thinking about Thanksgiving and all the great food that comes with it. Sure, the whole point of the holiday is to remember why we should be thankful for our many blessings. And I am. No really. I am. I’m also thinking about what Captain Will Hughes and Hannah Harrington from my new book Model Marine might have for their first Thanksgiving feast. She’s a New York fashion designer, so I’m thinking she would want a catered meal from a schmancy restaurant. Will would want a traditional home cooked meal with all the fixings, as we like to say in Texas.

My husband is big on the traditional Thanksgiving meal, and I honestly don’t mind. Though, I do like to throw in something new each year. Last year it was a really easy cranberry dish. This year, I’m thinking about two different dishes one for the holiday and one after.

On Thanksgiving, I’m going to make some stuffed mushrooms. One of our favorite Italian places has the best stuffed mushrooms. I’m stealing their sauce, which is vodka sauce, but I’m going to try something different on the inside. Since I’m making stuffing, I’ll just put some stuffing in the mushrooms and sprinkle some cheese on top and some sauce. What do you guys think?

After Thanksgiving, I want to try to make a Turkey Shephards Pie. Doesn’t that sound good? I’m thinking I’ll start with a good pie crust (good as in I bought it at the store). Then in a big frying pan I’ll mix the left over turkey, gravy and any veggies we might have left over. I’ll add some sauteed onions and mushrooms. I’ll add a bit of garlic, cajun seasoning and cumin (I love the combo of cumin and turkey) and heat everything through. I’m hoping the gravy will thicken around all the goodies. Then I’ll put in the the pie crusts (maybe two) and put the left over mashed potatoes on top. Then I’ll stick it in the over for a half hour or so on medium heat.

I don’t know if either one of these will work, but they sound good in my head.

What is your favorite part about Thanksgiving and do you have a favorite dish? Feel free to share recipes. And someone who comments here will win an autographed copy of Model Marine, and all who comment will be entered to win an e-reader and other great prizes. (You can find details on my blog at www.candacehavens.com)

And tomorrow is Veterans Day, so let’s take a moment to remember those who put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms.

I live in Texas so when the weather cools down it is such a blessing. That’s one of the many reasons I love fall so much.  I love the colors of fall. We don’t have the changes of seasons like many of you, but we get our fair share of red and yellow leaves. I love the smells, the apple candles, the pumpkin pies the fireplace smoke coming from the chimneys.

Fall is always a time of new beginnings for me. I usually start a new writing project in the fall. And I love to go to the office supply store, like it’s the start of school, and spruce up my desk. I usually clean out my office in the fall. Well, at least sort of clean. (I’m still searching for storage solutions and flooring for my space.)

I love Halloween. One of my favorite things to do is sit on the porch and give out candy. We live in beavercleaverville so there are lots of families with small children. There’s always a great variety of superheroes, princesses, animals and spooky creatures stopping by. This year, I’ve been thinking about holding a Black Widow party. I saw the idea in a Rachael Ray magazine. All girls, dressed in black, eating amazing goodies and talking until we go hoarse. That’s my kind of fun.

I like to watch all the old horror movies, even though many of them still give me nightmares. At least one Saturday or Sunday in the month of October I’ll sit watch scary movies for at least six hours straight. And there are usually fun snacks involved.

Then comes November. I mean, what’s not to love about November? Cooler temps. Thanksgiving. Time for soft sweaters and cool boots. Did I mention Thanksgiving? This girl loves her some turkey and sweet potatoes.

I have a couple of questions for you this month? What is your favorite season? What is your favorite thing about the season? Are you dressing up for Halloween and what will you be? Do you have a special memory from fall? Tell me, I really want to know.

This fall is littered with hot guys on new television shows. I’ve picked some of my favorite guys from the new season to share with you.

First up, is the handsome Jason O’Mara, who plays a father willing to do anything to protect is family in the new world of Terra Nova. (Cr: Michael Lavine/FOX)

David Giuntoli plays a detective who is also a Grimm. He sees supernatural creatures when others don’t. (CR: Scott Green, NBC)

Sure we’ve seen Eddie Cibrian before, but never quite like this. He looks good in his 1960s attire for The Playboy Club. (John Russo/NBC)

Josh Dallas is the perfect Prince Charming on Once Upon A Time. He can kiss me awake any time he wants. (ABC/Jack Rowand)

I would fly on Pan Am with Mike Vogel anywhere he wanted to go. (ABC/Donna Svennevik)

SPECIAL NOTE: My friend Penni became a foster dog mom this summer and the dog was pregnant. Now she has seven puppies plus the mom and she needs help to find them loving homes. I’m heading over there to look at little Stripe myself. Please spread the word http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1947089361018.2098601.1356086569

Many of you know my day job is as a television and film critic. I’ve been out in Los Angeles the last couple of weeks talking to actors, writers and producers about their new fall shows. And there are some really interesting ones on the way. Even though we are inundated with reality programming these days, it seems as though television is the place where real creativity is taking place in Hollywood these days. You can see by the big name actors on television that it is now the place to be.

Jessica Lange, who stars in one of my favorite new shows American Horror Story, said that American entertainment industry is moving toward more of what they do in Britain. There the big name stars move between movies and television all the time. And speaking of American Horror Story… When they say Horror, they mean it. This is a freaky, twisted mess that is also scary. It’s written and produced by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, who did Glee, but it couldn’t be more different. Connie Britton and Dylan McDermott star as a couple who move into a creepy old Victorian in L.A., and weird stuff begins to happen. Lange and Frances Conroy are only a few of the actors from a strong supporting cast. This isn’t for the faint of heart but should be a hit for fans of horror.

ABC has two of my favorite new shows Revenge and Once Upon A Time. Revenge stars Emily Van Camp as a young woman determined to make those who wronged her father, pay. This one has a great underlying mystery, a good romantic triangle and there is also a soapy aspect that makes it fun.

Once Upon A Time is set in two worlds. The really world and one where Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin), Prince Charming (Josh Dallas) and Rumplestilskin (Robert Carlyle) all exist. I won’t ruin the premise for you but I will say that the fairytale characters are forced to live in the real world and they can’t remember who they really are. There are so many layers to this show and if the rest is as good as the pilot, we are in for a treat.

Keeping with the fairytale theme, I’m also interested in NBC’s Grimm. Detective Nick Burckhardt (David Giuntoli) begins seeing strange things while on the job. There’s a crazy turn of events and he discovers the world he thought he knew is a much different place. It’s a police procedural set against the Grimm fairytales and I’m excited to see where they go with it.

There were a few comedies a I liked a lot, but the only one I loved is New Girl on Fox. Zooey Deschanel, who might be the most adorable woman on the planet, plays Jessica Day who has just broken up with her boyfriend and moved in with three male roommates. It’s a great mix of actors and good writing.

I’m also fond of the new CW series’ Hart of Dixie and Secret Circle. These appeal to the inner 16-year-old in me. Hart of Dixie stars Rachel Bilson as a big city doctor who must do her residency in a small town. It’s a fun southern vibe, fish-out-of-water story and I kind of love it. Secret Circle is about a young girl who discovers she’s a witch. Funny, I just wrote a book about that same subject. But I love this and think it will be as big as Vamp Diaries.

And those are just the network shows to check out. There are many, many more on cable. More on that soon.

Do you have a show you are excited about that is coming up? Or tell me about your favorite show. I want to know.

It’s hot outside. Really hot. But I live in Texas, so this time of year it’s the norm. I wonder sometimes what it would be like to spend the summers in Maine or on a beach somewhere. I tell my husband this every time the temperature hits above 90. I’m a native Texan, but I’m not made for this kind of weather.

I go on these binges where I watch a lot of House Hunters International. I watch and try to decide if I want to live there or not. I’d always thought that I’d want to summer in Italy but I found out that where I’d like to live it’s hot in the summer and they have adders. That one was checked off the list, as were Fiji, Thailand and the UAE (all had the hot factor.)

I thought about somewhere in the South of France. I don’t speak the language, but I could learn. But you have to be a millionaire several times over to afford a summer house in the countryside. The English country side seemed like a good place, but they too have heat waves so that is out.

I saw some great properties in Slovania, but dang that’s far away.

Austria has possibilities. It’s nice and cool in the mountains and the people seem nice. But there didn’t look like there was a lot to do there. I have to be close enough to a city where I can shop, go to movies, concerts and get good coffee. Scotland and Ireland are on my still to check out list. I’m thinking Scotland would be cool all summer long and it’s so pretty there. Ireland is gorgeous, but I don’t know about the summer weather.

Montreal is really pretty, so that too is a possibility. I don’t know. There’s a whole world to check out, so it might take me awhile. I’d love to hear some of your suggestions. Do you have a dream place where you want to live?

I’m posting some pics that show summer around the Havens house. You’ll see some beasts who prefer the air conditioning to the outdoors. Some rose that are already feeling the heat. The crepe myrtles, which are gorgeous. And the best smelling flowers ever — gardenias. They make my front porch a little slice of heaven.

Gorgeous crepe myrtle

Gizmo prefers the AC

People ask me all the time how I get the ideas for my books. The truth is, from everywhere. I’m inspired by music, television, film, pop culture, people I see on the street, airports, restaurants, people from my past, the past, present, what I think the future might be and dreams. I never lack for ideas — ever.

My May release, Truth and Dare, was inspired by my past and my love of the television show Bones. I don’t actually want to see Booth and Bones get together on the show. It would would ruin it. But I do sometimes wonder what would happen if they did get together. Would it be explosive fireworks? Would we see the passionate side of Bones?

Of course, my story is very different from the show. My hero is a business man/cowboy who is helping Patience, a forensic anthropologist who seldom gets out of the office, solve his father’s murder. A murder that took place 20 years ago. Funny thing is, when I called her Patience, it didn’t dawn on me until someone mentioned it that I’d played on Temperance on Bones. Funny how that stuff happens.

The my story part: I lived in Houston but every summer as a teen I hung out at my grandparent’s farm in a small East Texas town. It was surrounded by lakes and so much of my time was spent on the water. I had my share of cowboys for boyfriends and I have to say there’s something sexy about a guy who can ride a bull. It was fun thinking back to those days. There were street dances on July 4th, and all kinds of festivals in nearby towns. I love small towns.

So today I would like to hear from you. What inspires you? Who inspires you? If you post here, you could win a $25 Amazon gift certificate.