I’m totally excited that SEX, LIES AND MIDNIGHT is out.  I have a special attachment to this story because of the family dynamics and father/daughter issues that had to be resolved – even though both the heroine, Maya, and her father, Tobias, were absolutely sure they were in the right. Family dynamics are always fascinating to explore, because they have such a huge influence on who the character is and on their outlook on life.  Which was extra fun, since Maya comes from a family of con artists.

Another reason I’m attached to this particular story is the cat that’s featured in it.  Dottie is one of our Blaze Authors Pet Project kitties from the Furry Friends shelter.  I was so excited to hear she’d found a family and a loving home.

 

I loved bringing Dottie into the story. She became an integral character, playing her part in bringing her mistress and the hunky FBI agent together.  Here’s a snippet to show her matchmaking skills:

Tossing his coat on the plump chair in the corner, he stripped off his shirt and draped it over his coat.  Needing to do something to shake off the intense sexual tension pounding through his body, he dropped to the floor to pushups in quick succession.

As he hit ninety, he felt a cool draft.  The hairs on the back of his neck stood at attention.  Turning his head, he saw two sets of bare feet standing in the doorway connecting their rooms.  One set had vivid red toenails, with tiny flowers painted in the corners.  The other set was covered in black and white fur.

His gaze traveled upward, taking in the smooth golden skinned legs.  They were about a mile long, cut off mid-thigh by a teeny tiny leopard print satin nighty.  He’d have to wrench his neck to get the rest of the view, so he jackknifed into standing position.

Avoiding looking at her scantily clad body while he was so scantily clad himself, Simon dove for his shirt.  Before he could grab it, though, Maya’s cat padded over and pounced on it.

“No need to stop on my account,” Maya said, her words low and husky.  “I was enjoying the show.”

Simon grimaced, rubbing his hand over the cat’s soft head as a pre-apology before trying to tug his shirt out from under it.  The kitty rubbed her black and white head against his fingers, letting out a soft purring sort of meow.  Then, before he could move her and get his shirt, the cat swatted at him.

“Hey!”

“Sorry.  Dottie’s gets a little snippy sometimes.”

“She almost snipped the tip of my fingers off.”

“What?  A big strong man like you, with all those lovely, lovely muscles…” her words trailed off as she let her eyes trace over his bare chest, shoulders and biceps.  Appreciation glowed in her golden eyes as she wet her bottom lip and sighed.

“Yeah.  A big strong guy like you, I’d say you can hold your own with one tiny little kitty-cat.”

Simon eyed the cat, who was staring at him through pale green eyes that just a second ago had been slitted with pleasure.  Was the feline’s moodiness indicative of her mistress’s personality?

“I’d kinda like my shirt,” he muttered, feeling like an idiot.  Not thinking, he turned to glare at the cat’s owner as if she’d trained her pet to hold clothing captive.

His brain immediately short circuited.

She was gorgeous.

Black curls waved over her shoulders, teasing the tips of her satin, leopard covered breasts.  Her nightgown looked like a slip, with narrow straps holding up the shimmery fabric and a swath of lace highlighting the curves of her breasts.  As a nod to modesty, she wore a robe of sorts.  The same fabric as the nightgown, it had wide lace lapels and draped low, hanging from the edge of her shoulders to the floor as if gravity were trying to torture him.

“I think Dottie would prefer to keep it for herself,” Maya said, laughing a little.  She sent the cat a look of approval.

And that clever kitty was only getting started!!

I know that many of you, like me, have a special place in your heart for pets. In SEX, LIES AND MIDNIGHT,  Maya gives a lot of weight to her cat’s opinion of Simon.  I tend to pay attention, too, to how my pets react to new people.  They often sense things faster than I do. Do you think our pets, or animals in general, are good judges of people?  Are they better than we are sometimes? 

 

With age comes wisdom. At least, that’s the way I’ve always heard the old adage. I’ve been counting on getting smarter as I grow older and, ever the optimist, I’ve had visions of my gung-ho, full-throttle hubby gaining some small scrap of caution as we reach the age of maturity.

I’m here to tell you – ha! I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off all through the holiday season, trying to accomplish too much, not taking care of myself, and – surprise!- ending up with a lingering cold. I was so over-busy, in fact, that I was convinced I had a book due on December 15^th when it wasn’t due until January 15^th. I killed myself to finish a book that wasn’t due for a month. Who makes mistakes like that? A woman spread too thin, that’s who. I learned long ago not to take December deadlines, but if I can’t remember from month to month what my deadlines are, what good does it do to make the best laid plans?

Clearly, I’m not getting any smarter. I may be getting more air-headed.  So I look to my husband with hopeful eyes, wondering if he might be gaining the keen intellect and seasoned maturity that is supposed to come with getting older.  But last week, he went out to play basketball with his friends and came home with an injury that requires surgery… an injury that might have been prevented if he could “operate at anything less than warp speed.  Clearly he’s not faring any better than me in the “wise old sage” department.

Of course, it’s not all doom and gloom. Yes, I forget more surface details like the times of kids’ sports practices and the date a book is due. And yes, my typing has gotten sloppier whereas I used to consistently turn in crisp, clean copy all the time. Sometimes I think my brain just sees what I expect to see. But on the upside of aging, I think my writing is getting better.  I don’t take in extraneous information as well as I used to, but in my specialty area of interest, I soak up new ideas and sift through them on many levels, taking in anything that could be useful to storytelling.  My focused attention is killer when the topic pertains to what I do.

Small consolation for the other information that’s falling out of my head at an alarming rate? Maybe. But I’m glad there is a consolation.  And as for my husband’s sports injury… at least he’s still competing in a sport he loves.  He’s still entertaining the hell out of me as he over-exaggerates his limp all over the house, waving his arms around and knocking things down in his path just to make us laugh. We’ve decided that wisdom is overrated.

***So… what’s the status of your gray matter? Still learning and growing? Do you ever give much thought to maintaining mental acuity? Chat with me on the boards today and I’d be happy to give one random poster a copy of a signed Blaze of their choice!

 

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?

Keep It Simple Sweetie!

That’s my 2012 motto. I figure it’s somewhat appropriate for a romance writer to adopt KISS as their motto. Now for years I’ve heard KISS referred to as Keep It Simple Stupid. Uh, I’m rolling with Sweetie instead.

My goal is simplify, simplify, simplify and that goes hand-in-hand with if it is negative — “it” being people, places. things, or situations, let it go. Hence, my decision to go with Sweetie as opposed to Stupid.

Okay, yeah, I know there’s maybe some eye-rolling going on like, that’s cool Pollyanna but I hate my (circle one or fill in the blank)  boss/job/co-worker/husband/ex-husband/the neighbor whose dog poos on my lawn/_______.  Do the best you can.  Change what you can and let the rest go.

A friend jokingly told me I was a hoarder.  Uh, hardly, but I have noticed a tendency to hang on to things “in case I might need them one day.”  No more.  I’ve culled and cleared quite a bit, trusting that if I need something obscure in the future like the round table with the glass top that I recycled, well, it’ll come back to me.

I figure it’s better to de-clutter my house, my closet, my life, my emotions so I can really enjoy what I have instead of always search through the mess — be it clothes, “friends”, or emotions.

And then there’s the physical aspect of KISS — as a verb, rather than an acronym.  I’m going to KiSS more, both literally and figuratively — whether it’s my dog, my daughter, my family, or my friends.  You just can’t tell people too often that you love them or give a hug or kiss.  Well, actually, I guess there are some instances where you just begin to look like a weirdo if it’s some stranger on the street so you’ll want to employ good sense but for the most part, I’m going to tell and show the folks I love more often that I love them.

In the spirit of KISS, I’d like to say thanks to all of you.  I know some people write for the sake of writing. I write to tell a story.  It’s you, the reader, who makes my circle complete.  So, thank you.  Thanks for reading and loving the Blaze books.  That’s my KISS to you!

Roll on with your day and remember — Keep It Simple Sweetie!!!

While standing in line during the holiday rush . . . and why is it called “holiday rush” when we spend so much time standing in line?  ANYway, I amused myself by assigning different ringtones to the contact list in my phone.  My hubby got the Angry Birds theme because after years of being all superior because he wasn’t addicted to computer or phone games, guess who I caught playing Angry Birds?  One son got the Harry Potter theme and the other got Chumbawumba’s “Tubthumping” (I Get Knocked Down).  My brother-in-law, the former jazz musician, has “Sing Sing Sing.”  I tried to find the sisters song from the movie White Christmas for my sister, but haven’t yet.  In the meantime, I assigned her a tune called “The Sister Song”.  My mom’s calls are announced by a robotic voice that says, “Your mother is attempting to reach you on your cellular device” over and over again.  Mom doesn’t call my cell phone very often.

My college roomie has the TCU fight song as her ringtone.  I found the Pink Panther theme, but I can’t figure out who should get that one.  I’d give it to myself, but I assigned myself the loudest ringtone I could because the only time I call my phone is when I can’t find it.

Does anyone else play with ringtones?  What are some of the ones you’ve used?

I’m always a little envious of people who talk about New Year’s Eve parties and the like, because I inevitably bring in it the same way every year–I sleep through it. :-)  Yes, I am a party animal.  I’m sorry, y’all, but if I’m up at midnight then it’s because I don’t have a choice.  I’m either working or sick or taking care of someone who is sick. etc…You get the idea.  I only have so many hours of “go” during the day and when that time is used up, then I go to bed and go to sleep.

What about y’all?  How did you bring in 2012?  Have you set any goals, made resolutions?  Anything you’re looking forward to in this new year?

I must admit, I’m really looking forward to starting over this month.  Last year was a wilder ride than I expected, especially with all the 10^th anniversary celebrations.  Don’t get me wrong – all the attention was absolutely wonderful, incredibly exciting…and ultimately exhausting. J  Maybe it’s just the time of year, but all I’d like to do right now is sit by the fire with a good book.  And if you’re feeling a little mellow too, I’ve got a few irresistible stories to tell you about….

Rhonda Nelson starts off the month with another addition to her Men out of Uniform series, THE PHOENIX.  While all Rhonda’s heroes are great – strong, heroic and honorable—it’s the heroine in this book who steals the show.  Charlie Martin believes in getting the job done, any way she can.  Even if it means a little computer hacking…  Be sure to check this one out – it’s absolutely delightful.

Next up is our Uniformly Hot! title, BORN READY by Lori Wilde.  Semper Paratus (Always Ready) isn’t just the Coast Guard’s motto – it’s Lieutenant Commander Scott Everly’s motto too.  That is until he meets a woman who knocks him off his feet, landing him between her sheets!

And Rhonda’s heroine isn’t the only girl to steal the show this month.  The heroine of Samantha Hunter’s Forbidden Fantasy, STRAIGHT TO THE HEART, is a US Marshall  who always gets her man.  Only in this story, she gets to keep him too!

Tawny Weber continues her Undercover Operative miniseries this month with SEX, LIES AND MIDNIGHT.  This time, prodigal daughter Maya comes back home…with an FBI agent on her arm—and in her bed!  Check out what USA Today had to say about the first book in the miniseries:   Sex, Lies and Mistletoe is sexy, smart, fresh and festive — and a must-read this holiday season.   Way to go, Tawny!

Next up is BORROWING A BACHELOR by Karen Kendall, the first book in Karen’s  All the Groom’s Men miniseries.  These stories focus on the real reason women attend weddings – to check out the hot  groomsmen!   And here’s a little insider information – one of the titles we were considering for this book was The Accidental Stripper.   How can you resist?

Finally, Cathy Yardley finishes up the month with the first book of another new trilogy – The Players’ Club.  The heroes in these books work hard and play even harder.  In the first book, THE PLAYERS CLUB: SCOTT, the hero finds out that while the tests may be arduous… the rewards can be very satisfying, especially when his sexy neighbor decides to join in on the initiation.

So, what do you think?  Can you think of a better way to start off a brand new year?

Although Blaze’s 10^th anniversary is now over, we still have one more anniversary to celebrate.  This month marks the one year anniversary of the Blaze Authors’ Pet Project.   So far, we’ve highlighted three very deserving shelters and I’ll be showcasing another one next month.  As well, we’ve managed to include more than twenty animals in our past and upcoming books and several of them have already found homes!  In fact, two of the books this month feature Pet Project animals.  Dottie, from Tawny Weber’s SEX, LIES AND MIDNIGHT is living happily ever after with her new forever family.  But Piedmont and Prize, from Rhonda Nelson’s THE PHOENIX, are still waiting.  If you’re interested in helping out, check out the Pet Project at BlazeAuthors.com for details.  And look for more furry friends to show up in the pages of Blaze books throughout this year.

So, are we all ready to get on the rollercoaster again?  In order to make the ride a little more enjoyable, I’ll be giving away 3 sets of the January books.  All you need to do is post a comment, letting us know what you intend to do differently this year.  Last year, one of my resolutions was to help out at a local shelter, and it’s been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had.

Wishing you all things bright and Blazing in the coming New Year!

Sincerely,

Brenda Chin
Senior Editor

I find that endings and beginnings are the most challenging parts of the books I write.  Either chapter–the last or the first–seems to take me for…ev…er!  I’ve decided that the endings are hard because sometimes, I just don’t want to let the characters go.  And beginnings are challenging because I’m trying to get to know new characters (and perhaps I miss the ones I just left behind).

And I’m thinking about that today because it’s that time of year again–that week between Christmas and New Years–when a year is ending and another one is beginning.  In life, I’ve always liked new beginnings. I loved going away from home to start college, I adored moving into my first apartment and taking on the challenge of my first job.  I really like the idea of starting over with a clean slate, making changes, and taking on new challenges.

I’ve been blogging on December 29th for a few years now, and usually I just make a list of all the things I’m going to do to finally improve about my life–like lose five or ten pounds, exercise on a regular basis, and finally clear the clutter out of my drawers, my closets and my basement.  And I could put the exercise and the clear-the-clutter things right there at the top of my list…again and forever.  But in 2012, I’m going to make a different kind of resolution.

I was making a mental list of my favorite memories of 2011 this morning–and the first ones that popped into my mind all had to do with trips I made with family or friends.  Last January, my sister and I spent a weekend with our niece Emma in New York City.  She was there on a business trip and we joined her for fun.  We indulged in theatre, great food, and, of course, shopping.  In February, I went with my sister to Florida, and we spent a week babysitting and playing with my two grandchildren and their new, untrained puppy.  (It was a kind of working vacation for me.  I wrote three chapters of “Sexy, Silent Nights,” my December book while I was there).  And in June, I got to go back to NYC for the RWA conference and hang out with friends I only see once a year.  (And indulge in more theatre and great food.)

In looking over my list, I came to a kind of epiphany moment.  Instead of making a long list of things that Cara Summers could do to improve herself, she’s going to make one resolution for the new year.  She’s going to find the time–no make the time to have more fun.  She’s going to schedule more trips with family and visit friends.  (There will definitely be trips to NYC and Florida involved).  The clutter in her closets will have to wait another year.  Or forever.

So what are your new year’s resolutions?  Do you make them?  Accomplish them?  If you had a magic wand, what’s the one thing you’d like to change about your life in 2012?  I’d love to hear from you.

Happy New Year!

 

EDITED TO POST WINNER:  CrystalM!  Congratulations, your name was drawn to win the autographed copy of Sex, Lies and Midnight. Drop me an email with your shipping info, and I’ll get that book right out to you.  And thanks everyone for sharing their New Years plans :-)  Have a fabulous beginning to 2012!  May it be a wonderful year for everyone!

Last month I kicked off my Undercover Operatives series with the release of SEX, LIES AND MISTLETOE, and I shared a peek into the gossipy fun that goes on in the small town of Black Oak as the town’s two Information Matriarchs (much classier than gossips, right?) dished the dirt on the return of bad boy, Caleb Black.   And boy, oh boy is the dirt dishing now that he’s not only back, but engaged.  Just when the ladies are ready to settle back and start rehashing the shocking events of the last month, Black Oak gets another shocking visit.  Not only is Maya Black back, but she’s brought her own sexy entertainment along as well.

Wanna hear what Hazel and Hortense had to say about this newest twist?  It went something like this…

Shifting irritably in her favorite chair, Hazel tapped her spoon impatiently on the side of her teacup.  She wasn’t sure what bothered her more.  That her guest for morning tea was later, or that things had been so exciting lately, morning tea was likely the only bright bit of excitement she had to look forward to for the next little while. 

Before she could take a sip, though, the front door opened and shut with a snap.  Less than a minute later, her neighbor and dear friend–bless her, she’d gained at least five pounds over Christmas–was seated next to her pouring tea.

“I know, I know,” Hortense said waving one pudgy hand before Hazel could issue a complaint.  “I’m late.  But I had to give my grandbabies extra kisses goodbye, didn’t I.  I love the holidays, but it’s so hard to see everyone head home when they are over.” 

Extra time with the grandbabies was a get out of a late-lecture free card.  Her own eyes still burning from the cry she’d had after saying goodbye to her own, Hazel sniffed back her complaints and offered a plate of scones.  “Have a treat, it’ll help distract you from thinking about the children all gone again.” 

“It’s so hard after they leave the nest.  Oh, we have a full life and plenty to do.  But it’s just not the same as having all the loved ones close.”  For a second Hortense looked like she was going to sob on her lemon scone.  Then she took a deep breath and blinked away the melancholy.  The look left in her eyes, pure glee, made Hazel sit a little straighter in her chair.

“I suppose Tobias Black is happy these days, having one of his children moving back to Black Oak,” she said before nibbling the iced corner of her scone. 

“I suppose he is.  Especially with Caleb engaged and ready to settle down here,” Hazel agreed slowly, trying to figure out what Hortense was up to.  That gleam only meant one thing, the other woman thought she had a piece of gossip that would trump Hazel’s gold star for the best gossip of the year.  The gold star she’d scored when she’d brought news of Caleb’s return. 

“I wonder if this means the other two will soon follow.  Wouldn’t Tobias be thrilled to have both Maya and Gabriel back, too?” 

Hazel narrowed her eyes.  What did Hortense think she knew?  Since Caleb’s return, Hazel had taken to checking on the Black doings at least once a day.  If there was news, she’d have it.  Wouldn’t she?

“I’d imagine Tobias would be overjoyed to see any of his children,” she agreed slowly.  “But Gabriel’s exit was even angrier than Caleb’s.  And Maya, well, I don’t know what came between her and Tobias, but it must have been something major.  She was always so devoted to her father, then poof,” Hazel snapped her fingers in emphasis, “She was gone.”

“I’ll bet it was that woman Tobias was dating,” Hortense said with a sage nod.  “None of those three liked her much, did they?”

“Did anyone?”  Hazel thought back to the hard-edged floozy who’d tried to rope Tobias Black.  Luckily he’d kicked her to the curb a few months after Maya’s departure.  “You’d have thought the man had learned his lesson about dating inappropriate women then, wouldn’t you?”

“Obviously not, if he’s dating someone as tacky and obvious as Lilah Gomez.  And her the same age as his own daughter.”

“Poor Maya,” Hazel said with a tutting shake of her head.  “Can you imagine her reaction if she knew that her father was dating her arch-enemy?”

“Actually, I don’t have to imagine.” Hortense set her plate aside and leaned forward.  “I hear we’ll get to see it firsthand.” 

Hazel bobbled her teacup, shock making her immune to both the splash of hot liquid and the stain on her new pink slacks.

“No…?”

“Yes.  I heard it from Ham Bollinger when I was out at Black Oak Manor this morning to say goodbye to my cousin.  Maya booked not one, but two rooms at the Inn.”  Hortense gave a gleeful nod, practically bouncing in her chair.  “Maya Black’s coming back and she’s not coming alone.” 

And she’d been worried after all the recent excitement, things might seem boring?  Not likely in Black Oak.  Hazel leaned back, her grin so wide it made her earrings wiggle.  “Well, this should liven up the New Year, shouldn’t it?”   

Wellll… There you go.  Maya’s home and she’s on a mission.  Not only that, but she’s not alone! The ladies are right.  The New Year is going to be pretty exciting in Black Oak.  And you can, of course, read all about it in SEX, LIES AND MIDNIGHT if you’d like :-D   To make that easier, I’m giving away a signed copy today to one commenter – just let me know what wild plans you have for New Years Eve, and what you want to see happen in the New Year to be entered in the drawing. 

And don’t forget to check out my Holiday Survival Tour as I celebrate the Undercover Operatives series with contests, giveaways and lots of good times. 

In the Catholic church, the Christmas season has only just begun. The four weeks leading up to December 25th, liturgically speaking, is called Advent.
Advent is a time of waiting, of preparing. The first Sunday of Advent the scripture is usually John the Baptist calling out to the people, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord!”
And as adults, it’s all about preparing. Decorations, shopping, wrapping, mailing out cards, baking, cooking, and cleaning.
But as a kid, it was all about the waiting. I couldn’t wait for Christmas morning. And the waiting seemed to take forever. The month of December seemed to creep by one slow second at a time. Waiting and waiting for that wondrous day to come.
Now? Days fly by and my To Do list seems never ending. I wish for a personal assistant. Or a clone. And I tease my Jewish friend that I’m going to convert to Judaism.
Don’t get me wrong, I still love this magical season. I enjoy shopping for those perfect gifts and wrapping them with beautiful paper and bows. I love baking those special cookies and breads I only make at Christmas time.
But this month, I’ve been waiting eagerly every day for weeks and weeks for something. And I realized this anxious, nail-biting waiting, this longing for something to hurry up and get here was just how I used to feel as a kid waiting for Christmas morning.
Finally, the other day, I saw it for the first time. My NEW BLAZE COVER!
Isn’t it gorgeous? The book comes out in March and takes place on Maui and the background looks just like my research images. I’m a little anxious because I struggled with this story. Some books, (for me, it was Primal Calling) seemed to flow from my fingers like magic. Others seem to take their time in revealing themselves to me. But one thing I don’t have to worry about, thanks to the geniuses at the Harlequin Art Department (You all rock!) is the cover.
Anything you’ve been waiting for finally come or happen? Three commenters will win a copy of my September Blaze, NIGHT MANEUVERS!