I’m practically a star this month. If you open your March issue of Redbook magazine to page 84, you’ll find a quote from yours truly as a contribution to the article “Find Your Sexist Self” by Colleen Oakley. It’s not every day I’m quoted in national publications, so I had to crow. My teenage son wasn’t terribly impressed; instead he seemed to fight the impulse to scream in horror when he saw “21 ways to unleash your inner vixen.” You’d think he would be immune to this sort of thing by now, having grown up with sexy manuscripts forever sitting on the printer and suggestive book covers winking back at him from the shelves in my office.

No surprise that he declined to read my quote.

But I digress. The real reason I mention the article is that it’s pertinent reading for the Blaze fan. I mean, chances are good if we’re reading or writing Blaze that we like the idea of “red-hot” for a sensuality level. You’re probably as invested as I am in maintaining a certain amount of your mojo.

The article points out various ways to do that, including my tip about tapping into romantic or sexy tunes from your dating days to create a personalized playlist. I think music has a great ability to transport you to another time and place, instantly reminding you of other steamy moments.

I’d also suggest that reading a Blaze is a good way to remind you of the temptress within. Reading romance, for me, is always mood elevating. Plus, sexy romance in particular reminds me that passion is a gift. Romance heroes and heroines fight so hard for that happy ending that I feel like it’s only right to celebrate my own HEA early and often.

What about you? How do you get your sexy back? I’m officially asking for your quote on the subject. Do you have a go-to dress in the back of your closet that makes you feel on top of your sexy A-game? A date night destination that puts you in a flirtatious frame of mind? Please share on the boards for a chance to win an advance copy of my April Blaze Historical,
The Captive

The longer that I write, the more interested I become in the creative process. It’s a fascinating business, and I’m as intrigued to hear where musicians and painters find inspiration as I am to learn where other authors get their ideas. Because I write for Blaze, my curiosity about the creative process takes some interesting turns.

For example, I spend a great deal of time thinking about what makes for compelling sex. Besides the obvious.

I mean, if we’re going to bill our books as “red-hot,” I want to carry my weight. So I devote creative energy to a) dissecting what makes for a successful love scene and b) how to re-create my own, implementing what I’ve learned while maintaining appeal unique to my characters.

Admit it. This sounds like fun homework, right? So here’s a little bit of what I’ve discovered.

Sex can be intriguing when it’s a game of power. This is why we love captive stories (and because I’m so very trainable, look for my April release The Captive, coming to a store near you). There is a compelling dynamic between hero and heroine when one has power over the other, whether it’s physical, emotional or situational. The stowaway on a pirate ship is at the mercy of the captain. The ward of the rich duke is dependent on his will. The Viking’s captive is subject to his wishes. When the person in power is a villain, of course, the dynamic can have frightening consequences. But with the hero, the same situations are charged with high tension that can lead to very memorable love scenes.

Next, sex is hot when it’s forbidden. Maybe that’s obvious as you think back on the time you smuggled your high school boyfriend into the house while everyone else was asleep. But it’s an idea that’s important for the Blaze author to keep in mind as it’s not easy to create these situations with a modern heroine. First of all, a grown woman doesn’t have the same limits as the cheeky high school seductress. Second, contemporary women choose their own partners, so we don’t have the same restrictions our historical heroines encounter. In historicals, there are forbidden relationships between the duke and the groom’s daughter or between the Scotsman and the English lady. Think about how much steamy sensual tension those forbidden, clandestine meetings generate. Scenarios abound in historical where birth control wasn’t an option and the stakes were high for losing virginity. But a Blaze author must be more creative in finding forbidden relationships to capitalize on this.

I’ve got a few more ideas in mind that I’ll bring back next month. For now, I’d be curious to hear about a memorable love scene that’s either been a long time stand out for you or that you’ve read recently and it really perked up your day! I’m not asking for any great detail, just a particular moment whether it was the dressing room scene in Susan Elizabeth Philliips’ What I Did For Love or the first time Wrath showed up at Beth’s place in J.R. Ward’s Dark Lover. If you share a moment with me, I promise to put it to good intellectual use! I’ll also choose one random poster to win a copy of my Blaze Historical, The Captive.

I’m teaching a college-level introductory course to film and literature these days. I really love teaching because it demands that I study and think and stay on top of a topic in order to give the best to students. It also allows me to learn from bright young minds who—by virtue of being enrolled in college classes- are at a point in their lives where they’ve grown accustomed to thinking deeply about ideas, honing their critical analysis skills for success.

Of course, the topic itself makes it fun too. Discussing film and lit helps me to see my own work with fresh perspective. But recently, I got wondering where the Blaze stories are in modern film.

I know where the home and hearth, mainstream romance stories can be found. I’ve seen romantic comedy done over and over in film even as the market wanes a bit in commercial fiction. Of course, romantic suspense is a staple at the cinema, to the point where filmmakers will try to add a little romance to stories that don’t always need it.

But I don’t see much done with sexy romance on screen. Maybe that’s because of a certain reticence by movie-goers to sign on for something steamy while in a public venue. Perhaps being seated in a crowded theater next to strangers makes us wary about getting turned on vicariously.

Often, sexiness in film is a precursor to trouble. Steamy scenes occur when a spouse is cheating (Fatal Attraction, or when one character needs to lead another astray as part of a suspense plot. Remember Body Heat with Kathleen Turner? All steam, all deceit. Same goes for Black Widow, Basic Instinct, The Last Seduction. It’s almost as if movie characters are only rewarded with hot sex if they’re headed for a disastrous end.

Rarely do we see a sexy affair turn out well in Blaze fashion ala The Thomas Crown Affair. Sure, we see romantic comedy characters rewarded with happy endings. (And I’ll admit that naked Ryan Reynolds in The Proposal counts as sexy even if it wasn’t a steamy movie.) A case could be made for Out of Sight with Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney as filling the bill—after all, there’s a sense she’ll help him escape prison. But rarely do we see the steam factor raised and get the happy ending too. Guess we’ll have to keep reading Blaze.

Hmm… no hardship there!

**
I’d love to have you prove me wrong and bombard me with examples of steamy on-screen romances. Not because I’d love to be wrong so much as I enjoy a good love scene! Either way, please do share a favorite romantic film with me and /or a favorite film love scene. I’ll be giving away a copy of my February Valentine anthology, MANHUNTING, with Betina Krahn and Lori Borrill to one random poster.

Recently, I was grading some papers from my lit students, and while they were well written and interesting (yay!) there was a topic a few of them mentioned that made me a smidge disheartened– the over-commercialization of Christmas and the movement away from what the holidays mean. Now, I don’t argue student perspectives. I’m there to critique the writing and help them improve their techniques. But I figure I can share with YOU all what I think about this so-called commercialization of Christmas. Humbug.

I really love the holiday season. And I don’t buy into this idea that we’ve moved away from what the season means. I personally think one of the coolest things about the holidays is that this month encompasses so many ancient religious beliefs bound up with newer ones. No matter if you’re Jewish or Christian, pagan or atheist, you can find something to celebrate this time of year. I don’t think that any of us have the market cornered on the meaning of the season. We celebrate the things that are meaningful for each of us. How cool is that?

If things feel over-commercialized this time of year, I recommend turning off live TV and sliding in a DVD or Bing Crosby in White Christmas. Or turning off commercial radio and testing out Loreena McKennitt’s gorgeous Midwinter Night’s Dream for some holiday tunes. Light some candles and remember to enjoy a few of your favorite things this time of year. Bake your mom’s perennial favorite holiday cookie recipe. Or simmer some nutmeg and cloves on the stove to just make it smell like your baking. The effect is as heavenly and calorie-free. For me, it’s not the holidays without hunting for the perfect tree, watching my kids sled down a snowy, or hosting a big shindig for the whole family.

Beyond those traditions, I have a few faith-based acts that help bring the meaning of the season home to me and my family. But I don’t discount the outward trappings of the celebration that make it so memorable and joyous every year. I hope you remember to pull your family close to you this holiday and enjoy a few of your own favorite things. Happy Holidays!

What are a few of your favorite things this time of year? Favorite holiday CD or film? Beloved holiday tradition? Share with me the sweet and simple things that make the season fun for you and I’ll give away a copy of Blazing Little Christmas along with the NYT Bestseller The Thirteenth Tale, to a random poster, sure to make for fun fireside reading!

I was probably sitting in my ninth grade English class the first time I heard about star-crossed lovers. No doubt, it was the first year I thought English was going to be a little more entertaining than math and science. Even then, I was more interested in romance and passion than, say, algebra.

For those of you who’ve forgotten (pardon me while I channel my ninth grade teacher), it was Romeo and Juliet that kicked off with the rather stark introduction: “From forth the fatal loins of these two foes/A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life.” Admittedly, this wasn’t going to be a romance with the same fun pay-off as The Flame and the Flower. But still, it sounded like racy fare for a fourteen year old.

I thought about the whole star-crossed bit this week as I plot out my next book and turn to the astrological inspiration of Linda Goodman’s Love in the Signs. Over the course of brainstorming many novels, I’ve frequently consulted astrological guides for character ideas. I like all kinds of psychological tools to develop my characters—from enneagrams to Myers Brigg profiles—and astrology is something I come back to time and again. Not because I believe I can predict my character’s future or anything (ha! Imagine how fast I’d be writing if I knew what would happen in the next chapter), but because the sun sign profiles depict identifiable, relatable character types that resonate with readers.

It helps keep my characters consistent when I use profiles like this. Midway through the book, if I’m not sure how my heroine would react, I can remind myself that she’s a Pisces and she’ll need to sit by the lake for a little quiet reflection to get her head on straight. Or that she’s an Aries and as such she’s itching for a major confrontation with the hero.

But the best reason to use the astrological profiles is so I can cast my hero and heroine in diametrically opposed signs to give them the most conflict possible (a romance isn’t a romance without a worthy battle for the HEA). I pit the Cancer woman against the Leo man. The Virgo woman against the Aries man. Literally, I cross their stars, just like The Bard suggested so many years ago.

It still works like a charm. And you know what? It turns out I was wise to tune into the racy stuff and save my napping for algebra. That wild and crazy couple from Verona sure gave me a lot to think about…

Well? Are the sun sign charts hogwash in your book? Do you fit your profile? Are you star crossed in your relationship? Chat with me today and I’ll give away a signed copy of any Blaze from my backlist to a random poster.

Of the major sports followed in my household, NFL players have the longest off-season. They show up for training in mid-July, and play the final showdown in February, but most teams are only actively playing games from September to January. There’s only one game a week at most.

Compare that to hockey, the longest season. They play 81 games next to football’s 15-18. As for the MLB, those guys are toughing it out through 162 games in the regular season. It’s those guys I seem to identify with the most since my writing season has been year round lately.

The idea of an off-season ran through my head this week as I was feeling bad for the Detroit Tigers (facing a longer—well, more frustrating and seemingly longer– off-season than normal due to the ridiculous way baseball playoffs are set up). I began to wonder what I would do in an off-season if I could take one as a writer.

Now, of course I can schedule a yearly off-season for myself. I could put out books for six months of the year and then take the rest of the time off. Except what if readers forgot about me? Fans don’t forget about Derek Jeter in January, but I don’t exactly have that kind of following.

But if I could have a yearly off-season, I would put it to good use. While the NFL guys are pumping iron for their next games, I’d be studying my craft. Downtime from writing could be devoted to reading the classics and thinking about how I could learn from them. Or I could read more how-to write books that could inspire new approaches to my work. That’s the writerly equivalent of bulking up.

I could also spend my time reading travel magazines for some exotic locales to set stories. Maybe I’d revisit the Kama Sutra because, well, you know. I might have forgotten some things my heroes and heroines would be glad to know. Then, I’d pursue some really different interest that doesn’t have much to do with anything—wine-making, for example—and pass along this enthusiasm to a character. Three-dimensional characters only arise from an author’s pen if they’ve taken time to give intriguing facets to their fictional creation. It’s the sports equivalent of studying the playbook and adding a few new twists.

My favorite part of the off-season would be the occasional team-building exercise—getting together with author friends and readers to remind myself of the most fun aspects of the job. Ideally, people play sports because they love the game. I know I write because I love it! But the little stresses of any job can pick away at your love of it if you’re not careful. Scheduling an outing with enthusiastic friends and supporters is important to maintain focus on the good stuff and to solidify your sense of community on the field.

But maybe one of the most important functions of the off-season is to create a hunger for the game. It’s not fun to do the same thing day in and day out for years on end, even if you love it. Taking a break from what you love helps give you renewed respect and appreciation for it. Sometimes we take our favorite things for granted when we indulge in them constantly. Absence makes the heart grow fonder during the downtime. You not only come back recharged and energized, you come back grateful to get to do what you love all over again. Just ask Brett Favre.

Of course, I haven’t instituted a full-fledged off-season for myself as a writer. But in the years since I sold that first book, I’ve gotten better about scheduling more breaks between projects. More than ever, I’ve seen how the breaks aren’t breaks at all—they’re necessary to the ebb and flow of creativity, the quiet dead of winter that makes the spring possible. I hope you’re able to give yourself the gift of an off-season this year. Or two.

**If you could take a break from work right now—a whole three weeks off—what would you do? Take a trip if you could take paid leave? Or would you settle into the house in our pjs and soak up the feel of doing nothing? Chat with me on the boards today and I’ll giveaway a signed book from my backlist to one random poster. ***

I had a birthday this week. That’s always a big, fun deal for me. Because I’m in the midst of raising children and my natural disposition is fairly quiet, practical and hard working (it’s those Dutch roots), I don’t make a lot of fuss over myself the rest of the year. But all bets are off on my birthday. It’s the one time of year I feel no shame in maneuvering the world around to fit me.

During the early years of marriage where I did not bother to make a few b’day requests, I was a bit disappointed. I mean, my husband tried. I’d get a gift, but probably not a card. And never a cake. With no cake, there’s no singing, no candles, no lights out brouhaha and clapping. Call me juvenile, but isn’t it fun to be fussed over once a year?? I occasionally baked my own cake. But as I grow older, I realized this is silly. It’s my big day, I can dang well have a cake that I didn’t have to put in the oven myself.

So this year, my husband phoned from Sam’s Club on my special day to see if he was forgetting anything. Great! So thoughtful! I immediately prompted him to remember that there is a birthday basic that’s a sweet and he really should pick that up. I assumed this was an obvious request since we’ve had a birthday cake debate for years in this house. Well, he acted like he knew exactly what I meant and said, “Of course! No problem!” He showed up at home with two pounds of chocolate. No cake.

I had to laugh. He tried, right? And who can argue with two pounds of chocolate? We ended up baking a cake together that night and he took on the process of making homemade frosting all by himself. He even scavenged through the cabinets for the sugar letters we used to use on the kids’ cakes and created b’day messages in a special code language since there weren’t enough vowels for all that he wanted to say. It was the best birthday cake ever. Lots of fuss. Lots of family time.

And as a special birthday bonus… I’ve been eating chocolates all week.

***Tell me this– a birthday’s not a birthday at your house until… what? Do you like to have dinner out? A special food? Flowers? What birthday traditions make your big day complete? I’ll give a copy of any book from my backlist to three random posters since it’s my birthday week and I want to share the joy!***

Who doesn’t love a miniseries? No romance fan I know. Writers enjoy the bigger world building a series affords. Readers love to connect with characters they’ve met in previous books, sneaking updates on the happily-ever-afters of heroes and heroines they already know and love.

Some writers we know take miniseries to a whole new level. I checked out one of Brenda Jackson’s Westmoreland books recently and couldn’t believe what an expansive world she’d built with this series for Silhouette Desire. (And in case you haven’t heard, you can look forward to Brenda Jackson in Blaze… check out Spontaneous in May 2010!) Big, sweeping miniseries are a wonderful benefit of category romance in general.

Blaze has been kind enough to offer its authors built-in miniseries opportunities for those of us who aren’t ready to plot out families as big as the Westmorelands. Take Uniformly Hot! For example. The joint miniseries lets lots of writers contribute to a bigger world. In this case, a military world filled with studly men. The writers got to pick a branch of service to write about and readers got a whole year of delectable military men. A great idea all the way around.

But my favorite new Blaze format for connected stories is Blaze Encounters. I don’t know about you, but when I read Leslie Kelly’s One Wild Wedding Night, I fell in love. And thanks to the format, it didn’t happen once. It happened five times… once for each yummy novella.

If you haven’t tried a Blaze Encounters, you are missing out, especially if you’re a novella fan. The Encounters offer multiple, themed stories all by one author. Tori Carrington came next with A Few Good Men. Heather MacAllister followed with Undressed.

Now, it’s my turn. I lobbied right away to write an Encounters when I heard about them. Ever since I finished writing Sliding Into Home, I’ve been waiting impatiently for it to arrive in bookstores so I could share it with readers. It allowed me to write connected stories in a succinct format and it provides world building for readers short on time. And no matter how much beach reading you manage to pack into your summer, I’m willing to bet there are other times—sitting in a carpool line, taking the train into work, a much-needed coffee break—where you’d really appreciate a quick read.

Frankly, I’ll be surprised if other lines don’t develop Encounters style books for their series. They’re fun, fast, and best of all, no waiting a whole month for the next installment. All you have to do is turn the page.

***Reminisce with me! Tell me a couple of your favorite miniseries—in Blaze or not—and I’ll giveaway a signed copy of the very exciting, super sexy, aforementioned SLIDING INTO HOME.***

What is sexy? You’d think a Blaze author would be able to answer this question. After all, our series bills our stories as red-hot reads, and all the authors aim to fulfill that promise. On the surface, we can all answer the “what is sexy” question, but what I find interesting about the question is that we would answer it in all different ways.

Whereas we all agree—basically—on what is scary or what is sad, there is a lot more wiggle room when we try to pin down what’s funny or what’s sexy. I think that’s why dark, serious artwork (film/books) more often receives critical acclaim. Critics from all walks can agree on what makes for a poignant premise. But our funny bone—like our sense of sexy—is more individual. I think that makes it tougher to write a film/play/book with a fun or sexy premise that receives glowing reviews. Just ask Shakespeare. His tragedies are the most critically lauded and frequently produced while his brilliant comedies require more work to successfully appeal to audiences. And even when they are well done, not everyone appreciates the nuanced humor that occasionally was very relevant to the era.

So writing sexy is a tough thing to do and have universal appeal. Sure, sexy can mean explicit sex. But not always. Consider the film version of The Age of Innocence. One of the hottest scenes involves the unbuttoning of a glove. It’s been sixteen years since I’ve seen the movie, and trust me, the glove stays with you. On the other hand, I also find something like The Thomas Crown Affair sexy, with more overt love scenes and a strong focus on physical desire. But sexy is in the eye of the beholder. My husband thought The Age of Innocence was a snooze and the New York Times Review called The Thomas Crown Affair “an allegedly steamy love story … proof that sex can be in the head.”

How, then, does a Blaze writer ensure a sexy story for a red-hot read? I’m asking you. What elements make a book (or a movie!) sexy in your opinion? Is it the characters? The situation? The play of repressed emotion as in the quiet sexiness of Age of Innocence? Or love scenes early and often?

***Visit with me on the boards today and I’ll give on random poster a copy of my new Blaze, the universally acknowledged sexy Sliding Into Home.***

Being a girly girl of sorts, I was a little caught off guard to end up as a mother of sons exclusively. Well not surprised, per se, since my husband comes from a family of seven boys and one girl. I kinda expected the Y chromosomes would be plentiful. But my education in sports and cars was sketchy, having spent my childhood orchestrating extremely well attended tea parties (my stuffed animal collection rivaled the best on the block) and testing out exotic nail polish colors on Barbie’s barely existent toes.

So I’m intrigued to watch these boys of mine grow up. Their world and their experiences are so much different than mine. Take sports for example. Their father is a bit sports-obsessed, but all the boys have great interest in any arena that requires athleticism and skill, so their dad isn’t exactly leading them anywhere they don’t want to go. From broom ball to stick ball, hockey to hoop, these kids have played every game imaginable, making up their own from rudimentary materials at hand when they lack the proper court and equipment. Trust me, not five minutes passes in my house in which one of them doesn’t challenge another in some sporty test of skill. Whether it’s seeing who can be first to the dinner table or who can stick the landing on a handcrafted backyard mogul, my boys are extremely competitive.

You might ask what this has to do with the making of a Blaze hero. Well, I’ve decided I must be somehow engaged in the process as I raise three strong, smack-talking competitors with relentless drive to be the best. I mean, I added in some manners wherever I could—they’d better hold those doors open me or face dire consequences—and I’ve nourished and encouraged their innate intelligence wherever possible. But all the rest of who they are seems to come from pre-scripted he-man DNA that has nothing to do with me. Other than the fact that my husband famously claims to have married me for my ability to palm a basketball (something I didn’t know I could do until he placed one in my hand), I don’t think I had much to do with the development of these soon-to-be men.

Still, I’ve got to smile. Between the muscles they’re dead set on building and the quick wits they’re forced to develop from the non-stop verbal sparring, I can’t help but see signs of heroes in the making.

***So I’ve got to ask the moms… do you feel like you’ve influenced your kids to a great extent? Or are you continually amazed at what uniquely different personalities you encounter in them?? Hop on the boards to tell me what you think and I’ll be glad to share a copy of SHE THINKS HER EX IS SEXY with a random poster. ***