Even though the official first day of Spring is 20 days away, I’m ready for it to show up now. Although we’ve had a mild winter compared to some places, Mother Nature wasn’t letting us get by without one final whomping. Last Thursday, Friday and Saturday were absolutely abysmal – a couple of feet of wet snow. (I emphasize ‘wet’ because there’s nothing you can do in it – the X-country ski trails were a nightmare, and if you ventured outside, you came in looking as if you’d just endured a torrential downpour. There was nothing to do but read or clean. I decided to read.

For those of you faced with the same dilemma, I’d like to offer you a glimpse of the wonderful books we have this month at Blaze. No matter how wretched it is outside, you’ll be feeling the heat soon. I promise.

First up is another volume of Blazing Bedtime Stories. Kimberly Raye and Samantha Hunter are the geniuses behind this collection. Kim’s story is based on the myth of Cupid and Psyche (in other words, she’s having sex with somebody she doesn’t know, and can’t see. Now, that’s a fantasy!) And Samantha’s book is a modern day version of Aladdin (doesn’t everybody want a genie who can fulfill sexual fantasies?)

And talking about fantasies, Nancy Warren has the Forbidden Fantasies title this month – Too Hot to Handle. The hero in this book is a real scoundrel…and he’ll definitely make sure this book lands in your keeper pile!

Heather MacAllister offers up another Encounters this month with His Little Black Book. When an oversexed corporate executive mistakenly sends an invitation to the company beach house to everyone in his address book, he’s the only one who doesn’t end up getting lucky! This book is a lot of fun, and reviewers are raving about the ending.

Debbi Rawlins finishes up her Stolen From Time miniseries with Lone Star Lover. When a sexy modern day cop ends up going back to the Old West, all he can think about is going home. Until he meets the woman he was sent back to find…and protect! A great read!

Bonnie Edwards makes her Blaze debut with Possessing Morgan. You’ll never see two more unlikely Blaze characters than these two protagonists – a billionaire playboy and a repo woman! But when Morgan Swann gets the chance to meet her fantasy man, she takes it. Even though it means hitching up his prized Morgan (a car) to her tow truck! This one’s a lot of fun. You never know what’s going to happen next.

And finally, Marie Donovan finishes up the month with Knowing the Score, a book set on the polo fields of the rich and famous. And if you didn’t think polo players were sexy, think again! This guy is HOT!

Remember, if the weather gets you down, just pick up a Blaze book. You’ll be hot soon.

For a chance to win this months books, please add the phrase “I need to warm up with a Blaze” to the comment field. Good luck and happy reading.

Brenda Chin
Senior Editor
Blaze

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?)

I’m not one of those people who says “Oh, I don’t celebrate my birthday anymore.” Maybe I should be, but… Are you kidding?? I want presents! And cake! And cards from loved ones and friends! I’m still alive and kickin’ and I’m celebrating that!
Sure, I sometimes think about my age (48 today) and think, Ack! I can’t believe I’m so old! Where did the last 20 years go? My kids are about to enter college, my younger sister is a grandmother, and this year I will celebrate 22 years of marriage to the same man. I’m not young anymore. I’m way overweight. I have to take blood pressure medicine every day. I can’t do a cartwheel or climb a tree anymore. But hey, I’m Alive and I’m HERE! So, today I celebrate that fact.
And speaking of facts, here are some famous things that happened on my birthday (not the same year) and some famous people born on Feb 27th.
1594 – Henry IV is crowned King of France.
1797 – The Bank of England issues the first one-pound and two-pound notes.
1801 – Pursuant to the District of Columbia Organic Act of 1801, Washington, D.C. is placed under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Congress.
1812 – Poet Lord Byron gives his first address as a member of the House of Lords, in defense of Luddite violence against Industrialism in his home county of Nottinghamshire.
1860 – Abraham Lincoln makes a speech at Cooper Union in the city of New York that is largely responsible for his election to the Presidency.
1922 – A challenge to the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, allowing women the right to vote, is rebuffed by the Supreme Court of the United States in Leser v. Garnett.
1964 – The government of Italy asks for help to keep the Leaning Tower of Pisa from toppling over.
1974 – People magazine is published for the first time.
1991 – Gulf War: U.S. President George H. W. Bush announces that “Kuwait is liberated”.

Other famous People born on my birthday:
272 – Constantine I, Roman emperor
1807 – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, American poet
1902 – John Steinbeck, American writer, Nobel laureate
1930 – Joanne Woodward, American actress
1932 – Elizabeth Taylor, British-American actress
1962 – Adam Baldwin, American actor
1980 – Chelsea Clinton, daughter of Bill and Hillary Clinton

So what about you? Do you still like to celebrate your birthday? If so, how?
(I’m on a writing retreat this weekend to plot some new Blazes and won’t be able to reply to comments,very often but I’ll get here at least once to read them!)

The weirdest thing is happening to me. I’ve never experienced it before, and maybe it’s all in my head, but what can I say? It’s bizarre. And I’m going to share it with you.

It begins like this. I’m judging books for the RITA. I try to every year because I enter every year. Plus it forces me to read books I’d never pick up otherwise. I find it good to expand my reading palate, so to speak, and heck, who doesn’t like free books? I also feel like I’m a good judge, have a good handle on writing technique and market understanding, bladda bladda bladda. So, I picked up one of my RITA books to judge this morning.

I didn’t notice the correlation at first. It took me hours to figure this out-and again, maybe it’s all in my head-but I’m having an immune reaction to this book. Seriously. Every time I pick it up, my nose starts getting congested, I start sneezing, and my head begins to pound. Sure, I’ve read books that have made me feel nauseous and yucky. One of the first books on my judging list was (a) rather gross and really boring when it wasn’t gross. But I like this book. Let me repeat this. I like this book. It’s well written, interesting, and funny. And it makes me sneeze like you wouldn’t believe. I put it down, do some other things, and bam, I feel better. Nose clears up, headache recedes, and I think, okay, quit playing around, time to go back to reading. (Scores are due WAY too soon!) And then half a page in, I’m sneezing and feeling sick again.

WTF???? Fortunately, I’m into energy healing. I have some experience in dealing with the bizarre. So I did a short session on my reaction to this book. No real insights appeared, but I can now go 3-4 pages before I clog up. That’s progress, but not an answer. And I’m really not sure how I’m going to read and judge a 293 page book in 3 page increments. I can see my email to the coordinator now: Sorry I cannot judge this book. It makes me sneeze.

So here’s my question to you. Have any of you ever had an experience like this? Or other weird reaction to a book. What did you do? Best as I can figure, something in my psyche dislikes what I’m reading, but…wow, it’s certainly not in my conscious thoughts. Or am I just loopy?

My March Blaze KNOWING The SCORE comes out this week, the story of jewelry designer Ashley Craig and sexy polo player Beck Emery.

Excerpt:

“What on earth am I doing at a polo match? Ashley Craig muttered. She’d never been to a match before and wished someone had told her not to wear high heels to an outdoor sport played in lush grass.

Her friend Tisha overheard her. “Trying to save your career.” Tisha was staring avidly at the polo players. “But since your prospect is nowhere to be found, we may as well enjoy ourselves.”

Ashley plucked at her dress and forced herself to look around. The men strode about like masters of all they surveyed, wearing form-fitting polo shirts and snug white pants untouched by mud or grass, yet. Thick leather pads covered their knees.

“Chica, if their pants were any tighter, I’d think I’d mysteriously developed X-ray vision.” Tisha winked at her and Ashley gave her a small smile. She felt intensely out of place among all the sleek horses and even sleeker women. And her shoes had sunken into the turf.

“Why didn’t you tell me to wear my ballet flats?” She bent and fussed with the grass sticking to the red patent leather open-toed slingbacks she’d borrowed from Tisha.

Tisha elbowed her in the ribs, nearly knocking her over. “Stop messing around and look at that guy by the tent—he’s checking you out.”

Startled, Ashley looked up from her feet and her gaze zeroed in on the tall blond man staring at her. She straightened slowly and returned his stare. He was a good half foot taller than her own five foot nine and was dressed in a scarlet polo shirt. His pants were white-washed onto his muscular limbs and were tucked into knee-high burnished leather riding boots. His face was lean and sculpted, with firm lips and a cleft in his chin. But his eyes were most compelling, a whiskey-brown that glittered at her. She wondered if they darkened or brightened when he was aroused. And he did want to find out.

“I think he’s coming this way!” Tisha hissed. “Oh, my God, this is so exciting!”

“Shut up, Tisha,” Ashley muttered. The loudspeaker came on announcing the next match. To her crushing disappointment, the man stopped and glanced ruefully at the field. He lifted his gloved hand in a brief salute with his riding crop and disappeared into the crowd with his teammates.
Tisha groaned. “Too bad, Ash. I thought he was going to eat you up with his eyes.”

“Oh, well.” Ashley shrugged, with a nonchalance she didn’t feel. “He seemed pretty arrogant anyway.”

“That, my friend, is called machismo. He’s got something strong and powerful between his thighs, and he knows how to use it.”

“Leticia!” Ashley burst into laughter.

“What? His polo pony, of course.”

I will be giving away some copies of KNOWING The SCORE to a couple lucky posters as well as some foreign language editions of my previous books. If you live here in North America, are fluent in Dutch, German, French, Italian or Greek and want a spicy-hot novel to read, post a comment in that language with the English translation under it to enter to win. I have WILDE KERSEN, NAAKT ONDER HAAR HANDEN, KUHLER MARMOR—HEISSE HAUT, LA BRULURE DES SENS, SECRETS D’ORIENT, FANTASIE IN DOPPIOPETTO, and my favorite title of all GYMNO MODELO (Naked Model—yes, that pretty much sums up my first book!)

Of course I missed most of it. And if you missed it, too – don’t worry. There are plenty more virtually unknown national holidays where that one came from. June 3rd is a holiday I can get in to – Donut Day. October 30 is Candy Corn Day, which I confess I LOVE.

October 17 is Gaudy Day – but that’s so much fun, we shouldn’t limit ourselves to just one day a year.

I find it kind of ironic that August 15 is both Relaxation Day AND Failures Day. Probably a lesson in that.

The 4th week of April is Reading is Fun Week, and there are plenty of great days for those who love books:

October 5 – Storytelling Day
October 16 – Dictionary Day
November 7 – Bookstore Day

September is Be Kind To Editors and Writers Month and December is Read a Book month.

What are some of your ideas for great days/weeks and months? Although every month should be Read A Blaze Book, but August could be specifically devoted to this great line, as it began that month in 2001.

By the way, today is National Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day.

If any of you are visiting Plotmonkeys on Wednesdays, you know that I’m giving away books. Lots and lots of books! What happened was I decided that my office was a wreck and I needed more space. Part of the lack of space is due to an overstock of author’s copies that I wasn’t aware I had. And so in a bid to introduce readers to my work, I’m giving away as many backlist books as I can afford to mail.

So why not spread the love a little bit here, too?

Two people who leave comments will get FOUR books. Three are Blazes…BOYS OF SUMMER, MORE BLAZING BEDTIME STORIES and THE DOMINO EFFECT. The fourth is my Blaze-style contemporary single title, MAKING WAVES.

I have a new Blaze coming out in June. It’s got a totally kick-ass cover. Want to see?

Obviously, it’s wedding themed. So, to win the four-pack, leave a comment about your favorite wedding-themed books or movies. Oh, and you have to live in the continental US to win the books.


EDITED TO ADD: Before it gets too late, I headed over the Random.org and had the computer choose two winners:

#34 Sue Hussein
#17 Cathy W! (I checked Cathy and I can send the books in a prepackaged Priority mailer, so the cost is not prohibitive!)

I’ll be giving away MORE books on Wednesday at Plotmonkeys, so do stop by for another chance to win!

I’m pumped!

As I write this I have ten more days to wait for the release of Possessing Morgan. I received my author copies when I returned from a tour through California in January.

Yes, we drove through downpours. (LA was a mess – they have a hard time remembering that those first rains loosen the slick oil that accumulates in the dry season)

Hearst Castle was closed because of high winds that rattled off some roof tiles. The tourist pavilion was littered with buckets to collect the rain. But the surf at San Simeon was spectacular.

And Carmel? Marvelous. Just marvelous. The storms created high waves and beautiful light and dark skies over the ocean. It’s special to see a storm approach.

None of those sights were as thrilling as holding my first Blaze. It’s a beautiful book filled with words I wrote. The back cover copy is brilliant and I couldn’t have written it if I’d had a gun to my head. This captures the book exactly:

He’s everything she’s ever wanted . . .

Repo woman Morgan Swann can hardly believe it. She’s been hopelessly infatuated with headline-stealing heartthrob Kingston “Mac” McRae for most of her life . . . and now she’s in his driveway, about to repossess his fancy car. If only she could pick up the rest of him so easily . . .

Mac can’t believe, it either. His car is being stolen. . . but all he can think about is getting the sexy-as-hell Morgan into the the backseat. And their engines only rev hotter once she shows him how easily her Daisy Duke shorts come off.

It’s a sweaty, fast ride — the ultimate thrill. Until Morgan realizes she wants not only the fantasy, but the key to Mac’s heart as well.

I’m especially happy with the 4 Star review from RT BookReviews Magazine that reads:

POSSESSING MORGAN (4) by Bonnie Edwards:* Repo woman Morgan Swann loves her job. As a teenager she got into trouble for stealing cars, but she’s pulled her life together, using an early crush on playboy Kingston McRae as inspiration. She decided to make herself into someone she could imagine with him. When Morgan gets a chance to re-possess a car on his estate, she jumps at it. But not so fast. Kingston has a serious stalker who’s threatening him and those around him. When Morgan becomes entangled in his life, will either be safe? Edwards combines very hot sex with an unusual heroine to make her latest a winner.

*—Page Traynor*

To celebrate the upcoming release, I’m going to offer a signed copy of Possessing Morgan to one lucky commenter today. What the heck…let’s make it two!

I’ll announce the winners at approximatley 8 p.m. Eastern time…

Yesterday I was reading about a new study that proved that happy people were 22% less likely to develop heart disease than people who were on the emotional middle ground. The grumpier the people were, the more likely they were to develop heart disease. Although the researchers weren’t ready to implicitly state that happiness protects the heart, they did list a whole plethora of health benefits that seem to favor happy people.

You know, speaking as a non-health professional with only a dabbling of high school biology, I am shocked… shocked! that medical professionals are only now recognizing that DUH! people should strive to be happy. And you know what makes me happy? Happy endings.

I am a total doofus for a book that gets me all warm and smiley inside. It colors my entire day and I’ll be walking through the mall or the grocery store and I’ll think back to the book I was last reading (or sometimes writing!) and start to smile. Before you know it, someone will see me smile and smile back, and it’s all because of that book and that one scene or gooey ending or set of characters. Sometimes we forget the little tiny moments of the day that ignite a chain of responses that go far beyond 240 pages in 12 point font.

So, I’m done with trying to justify my reading choices. Somebody else take the vein-ripping suicide tropes; this is American Hearth Month , so I’m reading for my heart health. I’m going to watch American Idol and not feel guilty. I’m going to daydream out the window and worry about the laundry later. I’m going to tell a stupid joke to my kids so that they will roll their eyes. And I’m going to stick with my happy endings.

So these are the things that I do to stay happy. What about you all? What makes you happy? Anybody else read romances to be happy? Heheheh… Now you can get all sanctimonious and judgmental and say, “I read them because they’re heart-smart.”

When I was asked to write a book for the Forbidden Fantasies miniseries in Blaze, my mind immediately went to a fantasy I’d toyed with in my February 2008 release One Wild Wedding Night: role-playing.

I don’t have to wonder too hard why the fantasy appeals to me. My hubby and I met doing community theater (I was Anne Boleyn and he was the Duke of Norfolk sentencing me to death in Anne of the Thousand Days!) I did a lot of acting in my younger years, as did he, and all three of our girls have inherited the theater bug. I like disappearing into a role, playing someone else. So I have no problem thinking about all the sexy ways people could use that theatrical talent.

Then there were those books 101 Nights of Grrreat Sex (which I got for hubby) and 101 Nights of Grrreat Romance (which he got for me….lololol!)

Anybody else remember those? They were these big books filled with fantasies. You’d tear out a page, carefully open it and it would instruct you on a fantasy/scenario to enact. Some were stupid. Some were incredibly hot. Some (like many positions in the Kama Sutra) seemed veritably impossible, if not physically painful.

All were…intriguing, to say the least.

I didn’t have to go back to those books to think up some sexy play-acting scenarios for Reese and Amanda, the hero and heroine of PLAY WITH ME. There are some that just immediately come to mind: hooker and john, cat burglar and victim, cop and perp—yes, they’re all there.

But here’s my favorite: strangers in a bar. Have you ever played it? (I’m not asking about your sex life, I swear. ) I’m just wondering if you’re ever considered the whole idea of flirting/picking-up someone you’ve been with for years, as a way to spice up your relationship.

Frankly, it’s not about the sex, despite what happens with Tony and Gloria Santori in One Wild Wedding Night (elevator sex…whew!) It’s just fun to try to recapture that rush you feel early in a relationship, when you don’t totally know the person. Bruce and I have been married for 24 years…believe me, we know each other. But sometimes it’s just fun to pretend we don’t, to talk the way we did when we were first going out, getting to know each other’s likes and dislikes—what the other person will order (rather than automatically knowing) what they do for a living. Flirting, bantering, getting that instant rush as you feel this spark of attraction and wonder where it’ll go.

Believe me, it’s a lot of fun and it’s very easy, as long as you’re both willing to be a little adventurous. (And to perhaps feel a little silly, at first. Your hubby/boyfriend might roll his eyes…at least, until he realizes you’re setting him up for an evening of naughty, sexy fun!)

Here’s how. Just send your hubby an email, tell him you’re going to meet him in the bar of X restaurant, that you’ll be wearing a red blouse and waiting for a sexy man to offer to buy you a drink. (Unless he’s pretty thick, I’m sure he’ll realize he’s the sexy man…lol! But you might want to spell it out just in case.)

When he shows up and asks if he can join you, play along. Try to stick with a “just met” conversation, talk to each other like you haven’t in a long time. Be flirtatious and suggestive and try to recapture whatever spark you felt in the very beginning.

Even if it’s only for ten minutes, and then you revert back to normal married-night-out, at least it’ll be something different than immediately launching into conversations about the crappy work day or the kids’ grades or the mortgage payment.

And who couldn’t use ten minutes of freedom now and then?