So summer is winding to an end. All over, I see mention of kids back to school (we don’t head back till the first week of September) Kathleen blogged about it yesterday, as a matter of fact And a lot of friends are taking end of summer get-em-while-you-still-can quick vacation trips. There is always such a bittersweet feeling when summer ends. Relief since the heat and the sometimes intense expectations of vacations and entertaining are coming to an end. Maybe a little regret that a vacation or some grand plans that started the season didn’t pan out. And sometimes a few cringe-worthy oopses, from blistering sunburns to drunken beach parties (I only had one of those this summer )

Personally, I’m planning to celebrate the end of summer with the release of RIDING THE WAVES. I had a great time with this story, since it kicks off with some of my favorite things. Vacation, the beach and a forbidden fantasy. My heroine, Drucilla, finds herself giving in to her ultimate fantasy – a vacation fling with a young, sexy surf hunk. She figures its the best of all worlds. Fabulous sex and an incredible vacation memory. Since my vacation memories include photos of a sunburned me with a six foot mouse, I’ve got to admit I envy her a little

Of course, I come home from vacation with a suitcase of laundry, a camera card filled with photos waiting to be scrapbooked and a houseful of tired family who need a vacation from the vacation. Drucilla? She came home to find out her fling is now her new boss. It’s like the vacation thrill that just keeps giving!

How about you? Are you ready for summer to end or are you hanging on to the last weeks with clenched fists? Do you have fun vacation memories to preserve this year? What was your best summer memory?

Aaaand, I know this isn’t my regular blog day but I switched things up a little. Now the awesome Jayne Hoogenberk from eHarlequin will be hanging out with us on the 28th. So be sure to come back and say hi!!

EDIT: WINNERS LISTED IN COMMENTS

I’m in Orlando, partying conference style all week – so I’m posting ahead of time and although I’ll try to get internet to check in today, it might be sketchy.

So I thought I’d use the day to play a little game

Answer as many of these questions as you’d like -for each answer, I’ll toss your name in the hat to win goodies from the conference (free books, doodahs from the goodie room, whatever I bring home).

*Name three books on your nightstand right now (if you don’t have books -first off, why not?- and secondly, go ahead and name three things instead)

*If you could ask any character you’ve ever read for advice, who would you ask and on what topic?

*What one character would you trade places with for 24 hours?

*Pick up the book you’re currently reading, turn to page 172 and share the third line on the page.

*What book in your TBR pile are you most looking forward to reading?

Hope you have a GREAT day. And if you’re in the Orlando area, stop by the RWA Literacy Signing this evening from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Walt Disney World® Dolphin Resort, Pacific Exhibit Hall

Well, it’s actually conference time for a couple thousand Romance Authors as they all congregate for the Romance Writers of America national conference, held this year in Orlando Florida! There are workshops. There are awards ceremonies. There are keynote speeches and spotlights and book signings. There are parties and get-togethers and luncheons. There really is something for everyone.

This is one of the most fun, and most exhausting, events of the year for many writers. And having never attended any other type of conference, I’m not sure if that’s the norm for conference fun or not.

What it does mean, though, is that the blog will be a little on the quiet side for the next week. With most of the authors computer-less and the editors busy with appointments and giving workshops, it’s likely to be a little quiet around here. But don’t worry – we’ll be back in full blogging mode by the beginning of August and everyone will have fun stories and tales to share.

In the meantime – what’s your conference experience? If you’re a writer, do you attend the RWA conference? Readers, would you come to the literacy signing if it was nearby? And have you ever attended a conference? What’d you think?

Do you remember the first book you read? No, not See Dick Run (of course I’m not old enough to have read that… I’ve just heard rumors) I mean the first one that made you want to curl up with your nose stuck in the pages, refusing to go out and play or do anything else because you just HAD to turn the pages.

For me it was Little Women. I loved that book so much, I broke the binding reading it over and over. My mom still has my copy, held together with electrical tape (what can I say, I was a better reader than bookbinder at that age ) It’s something like first love, isn’t it? That rush of OMG WOW feeling when you discover the world of reading and all the delights and joys it brings.

How about the first series that hooked you so hard you had to read all of the books as fast as possible. Or if they weren’t all written yet, hooked you enough that you hit the store the day the next book was released, setting aside everything so you could read? For me, the former was David Edding’s The Belgariad series. I found those books in my teens and read all 5 in the series in one week. For my oldest daughter, it was the Harry Potter books, and for my youngest, its now Percy Jackson. I’ll admit, I’m always more excited to fall in love with a series after all the books are out, because then I can gobble them all up at once. But there’s something incredible about those midnight runs to the bookstore, isn’t there? (C’mon, how many of you did that with the Harry Potter series? And did you wear a cloak?)

And what about that author hook? Do you remember your first auto-buy author? The one who you just knew would make you so happy when you cracked open the pages that you didn’t even have to read the backcover copy first, you just grabbed and bought? Mine was Nora Roberts, swiftly followed by Vicki Lewis Thomson. I’ve added to that list over the years, but these are still names that I automatically grab.

How about you? Do you remember your firsts?

Ooooh yeah!! It’s almost summertime. I love summer. It’s my favorite season. My love of it is probably leftover from childhood and that giddy sense of freedom summer always promised. Do you remember that thrill? School’s out, vacation’s on tap. Do you remember the thrill of summer vacation? Do you still get to enjoy it, or has grown up life absorbed the excitement and now its just a hotter regular day?

The upside of Summer:
*Laying out in the sun, letting the heat soak away tension
*Swimming, skiing and all other forms of water frolicking
*Barbeque and cooking out
*Bonfires and roasted marshmallows
*Summer reading. Books are always hotter in the summer – especially Blazes *g*

The downside of Summer:
*Bugs
*Sticky heat if we don’t have air conditioning
*That all the kids are on vacation and we grownups aren’t

Hmmm… okay, that’s all I’ve got. There really aren’t many downsides to my favorite season in my mind.

How about you? What are your favorite ups and downs of summer? Are you ready? And do you have wonderful vacation plans?
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And in other fun news -the Scavenger Hunt winner is Summer Halls

Hints: Probably not a good read for grandma
Always feature sexy hunky guys
They’re made by babes
They had a tempting start

Answer: Blaze books

Keep an eye out for another fun Scavenger Hunt sometime in the near future

Usually by this time of year, I’m experiencing a major case of spring fever.

You know the symptoms, right? A decided lack of focus. Staring out the window at the at the beckoning blue skies. Fingers itching to play in dirt and plant flowers and vegetables. The need to shop for the perfect new book-bag to haul reading material to the beach, the park, the swimming pool. Increased energy brought on by the almost-manic reminder that swimsuit season is right around the corner.

I love Spring Fever. Its the start of spring reading. Of colorfully blooming gardens. Of hanging by the swimming pool with a pile of books.

And its still raining here. The last time we had this much rain in California in April was the year I got married. That year, it rained every weekend EXCEPT my wedding (yes, yes, I do take that as a blessing ) I haven’t planted a single posie. My veggies are only growing in my imagination and the beach? Brrrrr. Not even on the agenda until the sun hangs out a little longer.

I want my Spring, darn it.

I’m getting waterlogged here. Not that I don’t appreciate the rain. After a few years of drought, I’ll be thrilled to dig in moist soil instead of hacking through sun-hardened dirt. It’ll be wonderful to go to the lake and not worry about how little water there is. And hey, the longer it takes for spring to get here, the longer I have to prepare for swimsuit season, right?

So I’m trying not to get to antsy for Spring (hmm, no ants yet is a good thing too, right?), but its not the same staring out the window at the rain and hail and wishing I could be out there swinging on the hammock and reading.

But my stack of books to be read is piling up quite nicely, waiting for the rain to stop.

How about you? Has Spring sprung in your neck of the woods? And do you have any fun Spring reading traditions?

And hey -don’t forget to keep an eye on the blog for the Scavenger Hunt hints…

It’s coming up on spring break -either this next week, or for my kids the week after. Whohooooo, break time! Kicking back, releasing tension, letting the brain rest. A nice week of chilling by the pool or warming ourselves on the beach. Of sleeping late and napping at will. Of hiking in the woods or partying at a club. Blowing off steam, welcoming spring. Party time, baby!

Oh wait… we’re grown ups now. We don’t get spring break anymore, do we?

I’m going to pause briefly here to pout… Okay, all done. So we don’t really get spring break (and if we have kids, spring break might even be scary times instead of relaxing times, right?) But lets imagine for a second that we did. A whole week just like when we were kids or teens, or even college-aged and vacationing on daddy’s dime (ha, I wish!).

So if you’re imagining your perfect spring break, what is it? I’m going to assume it includes a bag filled with books or your favorite fully-loaded reading device, because we all know recreational reading is a must. But what about the locale? Is it on the beach, with the warm sand sifting through your toes? The hot sun overhead adding to the allure of the blue ocean?

Or maybe on a lake, cool and green? Something in nature with hiking trails, the call of the birds your background music? Maybe you’d prefer wild times at a nightclub where you can party until dawn, dance your feet off and get a little crazy? Meeting potential heroes or enjoying some fun with your own personal hero?

Or maybe your dream spring break looks something like mine, curled up on the couch with everyone out of the house… just a little peace and quiet? No packing, no traveling, definitely no phones or computer. Just letting the stress melt away.

What’ll it be? Is one of these your ideal spring break locale? Or do you have a different one in mind? Do you have a favorite spring break memory? Would you want to relive it?

Woot! February has definitely brought a lot of Blazing Birthdays, hasn’t it? I’ll wind it up today

It’s cake day for me!! That’s my new term for birthdays, since I’d rather not get another year older But I do love celebrations, and am definitely not willing to give up pressies, so I figure cake day covers all the bases.

And since it’s now officially cake day in my little world, let’s talk cake! I love cake. Chocolate is my hands down favorite, but I’ve been known to drool over a nummy carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. Moistness is key to deliciousness in my cake book.

My love affair with cake even delved into decorating. Way back when, right after my youngest daughter was born, I took decorating classes. I decorated Blues Clues cakes. I decorated Scooby Doo cakes. I decorated teddy bear cakes (I think there’s a theme here). I even made a dude-in-a-recliner-with-the-TV-remote cake for Father’s Day one year. The best was the monster head on a platter cake my brother and I made for my nephews’ birthday (sculpting isn’t my forte, so bro stepped in. I rocked the little carrots and tomatoes though!).

I was a decorating fool, right up until I started writing, when I found my ultimate (and much less fattening) source of creative outlet. Now I only haul out the decorating tips for the kids birthdays and the occasional party. Which means for cake day, someone else is has to be in baking mode. Which is why I taught my oldest daughter how to make my absolute favorite cake a few years back – German Chocolate with coconut pecan frosting (say it with me, Yummmmmmmy).

I mean, a girls gotta make sure she’s got her cake love covered, right? So how about you? Are you a cake fan? What’s your absolute favorite cake? Is it a special occasion thing, or do you get to enjoy it often? And ya know, I’m always open to yummy cake recipes if you want to share any (In the interest of full disclosure: the only cake I made/decorated on this page is the head on a platter. But they all look great, don’t they?)

Winner Announcement: Paula R.! Congrats, Paula

Or as I’m calling it these days, What The Hell Was I Thinking?

Last week, I looked up from my cozy lounging spot on the loveseat, across the room to my husband, who was cozily lounging on the other loveseat. We were in our happy place, chatting about nothing in particular, life rolling along in a good way, no major worries or stresses. And it happened. The dreaded words slipped out of my mouth. The ones I should have thought through, should have prepared a plan for first…

What were the words?

“We need to go on a date.”

Now my husband, being a doll, immediately said sure, great idea. I don’t think that response had anything to do with one kid screaming that the computer had crashed or the rottweiler that’d just jumped on his belly. I’m sure it was the lure of one-on-one alone time with me together that had him looking so eager. At least, I’m pretty sure.

Fast forward to last night, which is the next time the subject came up (the screaming kid and jumping dog derailed the original conversation, go figure). The dreaded question – what’re we going to do – came up. Why dreaded? Because our romantic date suddenly had a whole pile of restrictions on it. The earliest we could get a babysitter is 6:30. The weather sucks, so doing anything outdoors is definitely off the table. And budget constraints mean going into the city (San Francisco) for something fancy is out.

We did the whole “what do you want to do?” “I don’t know, what do you want to do?” thing. That’s always fun

And then he suggested the ole standby… dinner and a movie.

Eh.

Don’t get me wrong, I love dinner and a movie. We actually did dinner and a movie on our first official date, so it holds a special place in my heart. But… I wanted a DATE, not eh date. Ya know? Except I can’t think of a single thing to do.

So I’m throwing the door open to suggestions – what, given the above constraints, would be a fun date? If I can get my husband to agree to it, whoever suggests the idea will get the book of their choice from my backlist (and if they have them all – besides my undying love and gratitude, I’ll send one of my buddies’ books). And thanks in advance

Ahhhh, the holidays. The hustle and bustle. The frantic frenzy and the simple joy. It always seems to start around Halloween, that nagging edgy push to get things done over and above normal life ’stuff’. The energy kicks into high gear around Thanksgiving time, as the clock starts ticking louder. December? Crazy time. Parties, shopping, baking, family, juggling finances and sometimes the added stress of travel.

You know, I absolutely love the holidays. We just had a wonderful week of family time, with the added joy of my grandmother visiting us from out of state. The house was full, every hour busy and the vast array of delicious food overwhelming. I’m so full I could burst, the taste of homemade pizza, the scent of succulent roast, the sweet sugar kick of almond toffee still lingering and reminding me to revisit my new-best-friend, the treadmill.

I have a camera filled with pictures just waiting to be scrapbooked into happy memories. I have a fridge filled with leftovers. I have happy kids and a grinning husband, and after a week of company, silence fills the house.

I’m exhausted. How about you? Do the holidays wear you out? Even if you love ever second of them, do they make you desperate for a pillow, blanket and quite hour of solitude? Or is that just me? I’ve spent the day dreaming of my favorite holiday gift to myself… a whole day of self-indulgent alone time. To play with my pressies, to talk to nobody, to decompress curl up with a pile of books, a pitcher of tea and a roaring fire. I’m going to ignore the waiting laundry, pretend the somewhat wilted decorations aren’t begging to be taken down and let the kids run wild in their after-holiday frenzy.

But before I do, talk with me… how were your holidays? Did you have a killer time or are you worn out? Do you have a nurturing, self-indulgent plan to give yourself a little break after all the craziness, or are you still running strong (and if so, what vitamins do you take?) Does the idea of curling up with a pile of Blaze books fill you with joy and happiness (you know it does ) And would you like to kick start your January reading by winning a copy of Blazing Bedtime Stories III? I’ll offer up two copies to random commenters today in an effort to contribute to your indulgent reading frenzy!!