Happy April, everyone!

And before you ask, my shoutline was not an April Fool’s joke.  :)  We’ve got new covers!  It seems the package we used for our 10th Anniversary books was so successful–and sold so well–that the powers that be decided that we should try it again.  So, from April on, look for those big beautiful covers you saw last August.

Here are the first six out of the gate…

We’ve got our second Bedtime Stories installment this year with BLAZING BEDTIME STORIES, VOLUME VI, featuring stories by Tori Carrington and Kate Hoffmann.  Trust me, after reading this book, you’ll never consider The Little Mermaid or Hansel and Gretel to be kids’ stuff again.  Heck, I might even leave my GPS at home next time I wander out in the woods…

Up here, hockey season is reaching the ‘do or die’ point.  But if you’re not a fan of those white-knuckle games, pick up the first of Joanne Rock’s Double Overtime duet, ONE MAN RUSH.  Joanne will show you the best part of hockey – the hot players.  Don’t miss HER MAN ADVANTAGE next month.

I was a huge hockey fan when I was a kid.  I even collected (and still have) a load of hockey cards.  Nowadays, girls are collecting other kinds of cards, though…  And after reading Jo Leigh’s miniseries, It’s Trading Men!, who can blame them?  Look for the last book in this wonderful series, WANT ME, this month.

Isabel Sharpe is up next with the first book in her own new miniseries.  Think Friends with a lot more sex!  That’s Friends with Benefits, Isabel’s latest sizzling urban trilogy.  The debut book, JUST ONE KISS, hits the stands today.  (P.S.  The guys are hotter than Chandler and Ross.)

Kathy Lyons has the Forbidden Fantasy book this month with NIGHT AFTER NIGHT…  We all have the odd sensual dream now and then, but Kathy’s heroine is in for a surprise – she’s sharing her supersexy dreams with the hot Marine next door.  And it isn’t long before they turn dreams into reality.  Hot, hot, hot!

Then Kira Sinclair finishes up the month with her final Island Nights book, RUB IT IN.  Now that the weather is turning, summer doesn’t seem so far away.  But I’d like to thank Kira for keeping us going, letting us indulge in tropical beaches and sexy island escapades while the winter wore itself out.  It was much appreciated.

There’s the month–and the fantastic new covers!  For a chance to win one of three sets of April books, let us know what you think about our new look.  And if you tell us the best April Fool’s prank you ever played, your name will be entered twice!

Good luck!

Brenda Chin
Senior Editor
Harlequin Blaze

Last week, my daughter and I curled up to enjoy one of our favorite movies, The Princes Bride. I had to laugh, because there are points in that movie that I’m mouthing the words along with the characters. Are there movies you’ve watched so often that you have the lines memorized? Rocky Horror Picture Show is another I’ve got memorized, but that’s not so much romantic, nor is it fun without toast *g*. Quite often, those favorite movie lines became a part of the pop culture lexicon -or in my SIL’s case, every day conversation So I thought it’d be fun to make a list of some favorite romantic movie lines, and see how many people can identify.

Here you go…

1. “I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone.  I choose a mortal life.” ARWEN, LORD OF THE RINGS
2.  ”We’ll always have Paris.” RICK, CASABLANCA
3. “There are only four questions of value in life.  What is sacred?  Of what is the spirit made of?  What is worth living for?  What is worth dying for?  The answer to each is the same.  Only love.” DON JUAN, DON JUAN DEMARCO
4. “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” HARRY, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY
5. “But soft; what light through yonder window breaks? It is my lady! O, it is my love. O that she knew she were.” ROMEO, ROMEO AND JULIET
6. “Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a little while.” WESTLY, THE PRINCESS BRIDE
7. “I’m scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I’m with you” BABY, DIRTY DANCING
8. “Listen to me, mister. You’re my knight in shining armor. Don’t forget it.” ETHEL, ON GOLDEN POND
9. “You had me at hello.” DOROTHY, JERRY MAGUIRE
10. “I promise to love you every moment of forever.” EDWARD, ECLIPSE

Do you know who said it, and what movie it’s from? And how about your own favorite romantic movie lines? Did I list any? Do you have others you want to share?

Today I have the privilege of interviewing drool-worthy Jason Baca, a sweet guy and a hunky cover model.Jason was born and raised in Los Gatos, CA. He started off wanting to be an actor, then realized he was terrible at it. But he was a natural at modeling. He’s posed for such prominent magazines as Exercise & Health, Men’s Workout Magazine, Inspire Quarterly, and, our favorite, Romantic Times Magazine!
Jason enjoys anything athletic and can often be found at his local health club or on his bike somewhere. He’s a private person most of the time so I feel very lucky Jason agreed to share a little about himself today.
Welcome to the Blaze blog, Jason! How’d you get started in the modeling business?
Jason- Well I was discovered when on location for the movie, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER. The photographer of the movie asked if he could take some photos for his camera as a set up for the main actors. When those photos were developed a photographer that worked at the lab saw them and asked if he could use me as a model. From there… shoots came in easily.
Juliet: I imagine it takes a lot of discipline to maintain such a fabulous bod. What is your fitness and skincare regime like?
Jason- Yes actually it does. When I awaken I immediately put on an ice pack to rid my face of any puffyness or tiredness. I leave that on for 7 minutes during which time I stretch. Then I shave using Gilette’s Fushion Proglide which gives me a smooth clean shave. In shower I begin with Olay’s Spa Exfoliating Body Wash Plus. Then I use Tree Hut’s Shea Body Wash combined with Olay’s Restore Rosemary & Jasmine Body wash. I lather and rinse. Then I apply St.Ives “Mineral Therapy” Body wash which is an intense moisturizing wash that rejuvenates my skin and replenishes nutrients the skin loses daily. For my face I use Clean & Clear’s morning burst apricot scrub followed by an aloe moisturizing beauty bar. After the shower, I use Loreal’s Anti-Dark Circle eye moisturizer for men, then K Laboratories Daily Anti-Age Moisturizer w/ green tea. For around the eyes where you often see crow’s feet appear, I apply Dermitage’s Eye Balm which is also an anti-wrinkle ointment. Then Clinique’s Dramatically Different moisturizing lotion. Then final protective lotion from The Body Shop which is a daily defense against environmental aggressors. Jason – After I’ve completed my morning ritual, I make my way to the local health club where I usually perform a rigorous workout for approximately 1 hour making sure to give it all I’ve got for that particular day. I do a little bit for my body each day which is one of my secrets to success.
Juliet: You’ve been in several blockbuster movies, Flubber, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and The New World. What was that experience like?
Jason – Well, I wasn’t an actor in these. I had the luxury of being able to be around all of them as a double. I made a lot of friends from all different walks of life. It was a neat experience, but one I won’t return to. I never enjoyed being a double. They treat you differently than if you are the lead actor. I didn’t need that, and felt very less than.
Juliet: Tell us about your nickname, “Chewy”.
Jason – haha… well it is short for Chewbacca…from Star Wars. When I was in little league baseball our coach gave all of us a nick name. Mine being chewy. That name stuck all through high school. Even now, when I run into those baseball friends, they still call me Chewy.
Juliet: Is it true you’ve dated Jennifer Love Hewitt? Or does being a gentleman prohibit you from commenting?
Jason – I will say that she and I got along for a period of time up there in Bodega Bay, CA during the filming of I Know What You Did Last Summer. She was a wonderful girl and enjoyed singing Doo Wop Doo Doo Doo Wop by Hansen to me in her Honey Wagon back then
Juliet: Posing for magazines seems like an exciting career, but you’re the perfect kind of man to be a hero on a Blaze cover. Would you consider modeling for Harlequin?
Jason: Oh I certainly would love to. They can reach me straight through my agency here – http://www.hmmodels.com/model.asp?modelID=395
Juliet: If an independent publisher or author would like to get a hold of your stock, is there a link to that?
Jason – Yes there is, any stock photos that were not used on shoots in the past end up here and are available for covers as well – http://www.theauthorsredroom.com/stock-photography/jason-baca/
Jason, thank you so much for stopping by today. I’m looking forward to seeing you on a Blaze cover soon. Does anyone have any questions for Jason? If he’s not gone to a modeling shoot today, he should be available to answer.

There are some rare moments when the stars align, the muse cooperates, and the writing goes right. I was on a plane headed toward RWA’s national conference. I had just finished reading a Blaze book–one of Vicki Lewis Thompson’s, I think–and I started to doze. Now it wasn’t Vicki’s book that sent me off into dream land. No, I think it was her hero that had me closing my eyes and thinking about…well, that’s not imp

ortant. Anyway, about two minutes into my fantasy, another idea started scrolling before my closed eyes.

Shared dreams between hero and hero, night after night. Two strangers who share erotic dreams. What exactly would you say to the guy when you saw him in the morning? “Oh hi, studmuffin that I did amazing things with last night. My name’s Christy.” No, that wouldn’t be me. And what would he be thinking as he watched her pin up her hair in the hallway? And how long would it be until one of them confessed the truth?
Let’s just say, I was hooked. I saw Brenda Chin in the hotel lobby about 3 hours later and mentioned the idea to her. She said yes then and there. Woo hoo! It had just gone right! Sadly, the writing wasn’t quite as easy, but that’s typical. But when I turned it in, Brenda told me it was my best book to date. Big woo hoo! Nearly a year later, the book is coming out! Gorgeous cover, isn’t it?

Well, now it’s your turn. Tell me a story of when it went right for you. Doesn’t have to be writing. It could be anything. And the winner gets a copy of In Good Hands, my earlier blaze. Sorry, but you’ll have to buy Night After Night… My author copies aren’t with me at the moment.

There’s a reason I write for Blaze, and I was reminded of it last Sunday night when I found myself surrounded by zombies.  Through circumstances that I
won’t go into, I was staying in a hotel with some writer friends who were determined not to miss the second season finale of the runaway hit show. The guest room TVs didn’t carry the right channel, but the sports bar agreed to tune it in.

I’d never watched the show because I’m a lily-livered wussy.  I’m perfectly willing to own that, but I didn’t want to sit in my room sucking my thumb while my buddies gathered in the sports bar.  I figured I could order a stiff drink and sit on a swivel stool.  When the gore started, I’d turn my back.

Unfortunately for the success of my plan, the sports bar accommodated us in a private room with flat screens ON EVERY FLIPPIN’ WALL.  Yes, I could have left, but by then I’d committed to watching, and let me tell you, peer pressure still works with me.  I ordered an appletini and braced myself.

I made it through, although at one point I had to go fetch the waiter who wasn’t bringing those appletinis fast enough.  Out of the entire show, I probably saw about . . . oh, maybe three minutes, tops.  Staring into my drink didn’t work as well as I’d hoped because I could still hear the screams, groans, and curses – and that was just audience participation from my friends.  On screen the noise was even more horrific.

Now I’m back home where I can reestablish my rainbows and butterflies view of the world.  As I dream up my next Blaze, there’s not a zombie in sight, which is exactly how I like it.  How about you?  Are you feverishly awaiting the third season of The Walking Dead?  Or are you a liver-lilied wussy like me?

Rub It In - April 2012

I have a new release this week.  Rub it In is the third book in my Island Nights series and brings back two characters we met earlier – resort owner Simon Reeves and his general manager Marcy McKinney.  These two were so much fun to write.  They’re both champions at hiding passion behind a facade of irritation and antagonism.  I enjoyed stripping them of those defenses, leaving them with nothing but each other.

But I’m going to admit that I’m almost as excited for another release this week – The Hunger Games movie. I came to the series late, ignoring several recommendations from friends I trusted because it just didn’t sound like a story I’d be interested in.  When I finally began reading I realized just how wrong I was and finished all three within a week.

Yes, despite knowing the movie will never be as good as the book, I’m looking forward to seeing the story come to life.  But what I’m most excited about is sharing the experience with my oldest daughter.  Sweet Pea is 10 and to my dismay she hasn’t been much of a reader.  At least not until this year.  I’m not exactly sure what changed, but she’s really embraced books recently.  When she asked about reading The Hunger Games I agreed and dangled a carrot – if she finished it before the movie released I’d take her to see it, just the two of us.

She actually finished the first two books and just started the last one.  I’m so proud of her, but more than that I’m thrilled she’s discovered the escape and joy that reading has always brought me.  As promised we’re going to see the movie first thing Saturday morning.  It’s all she’s talked about this week and I think I’m anticipating it just as much as she is.  We’re planning a day of it – movie, lunch, shoe shopping.  It doesn’t get much better than that.

Are you going to see The Hunger Games?  Are there any books you think would make great movies that haven’t made it to the big screen?  Do you avoid movies based on books that you loved or are you first in line to get your ticket?

I’ll give a signed copy of Rub It In to one commenter today.  Be sure to check the comments next week to see if you’ve won.

Kira

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone!

I’ve been feeling pretty lucky the last couple weeks…in a roundabout sort of way. Maybe more grateful and appreciative than lucky, but Thanksgiving’s half a year away, so we’ll call it luck, for seasonality.

I recently started a new day job. In a former life I was a full-time graphic designer, and for the next few months I’m going back to that, freelancing at an ad agency in downtown Boston. The opportunity came out of nowhere, literal hours after my husband and I had been talking about how we could stand to bank some extra money this year. I got offered the gig because my contact at a staffing agency had e-mailed me by mistake, then wound up realizing she had a job that just might be a good fit for me. Seemed serendipitous. So I thought, why not go for it? Good money, and though it’s full-time with a long train-and-walking commute, it’s a temporary contract, so I can leave when I want to and go back to writing as my primary vocation, which is how it’s been for the last not-quite-three-years. I’ve been awfully spoiled, after all (and awfully broke, but my job satisfaction’s been through the roof!)

So I’ve been at the new job for two weeks now, and it’s good gig. I’ll likely keep it up until summer, for the money and the new skills I’m acquiring. But man, is it ever exhausting!

Because I’m determined not to lose momentum on the books I’m working on, I’ve been getting up at five, showering and making coffee, shoving toast in my face, writing from 5:45 to 6:45, doing my hair and scooting out the door a little after seven to catch the train. Ride into the city, then walk a half hour or so to my office (the subway takes about five minutes less at rush hour, but I’d much rather get the exercise and do some story brainstorming along the way.) Stare at a screen for eight hours, walk to the train station, home around 6:45 to make dinner, eat, and pass out around nine with a book on my face. Then up again at five to do it all over.

But like I said, it’s worth it, and not just because of the money. Though I’m sacrificing a ton of unstructured time for the opportunity, it’s actually made me more productive. Or more efficient, anyhow. I may write a thousand new words on a weekday now, instead of three thousand as I’d gotten accustomed to, but I write them way quicker and make the most of my little sliver of precious writing time. And this morning I sat down and hammered out about 3,500 words, way more than I usually have in me on a Saturday morning. I’m super concentrated! Like orange juice or laundry detergent.

I appreciate the writing process in a way I haven’t the last year or so, recognizing it for the necessary luxury it is. I don’t think I ever took for granted how awesome a day job I had as an author, but now I realize that with all the more clarity. The way you appreciate a partner or friend with a new intensity when they’re away. So in a sense, though the new day job’s physically exhausting, it’s charging my projects with a fresh energy and importance. I spend so much time thinking about my characters as I’m moving pixels around on the screen, my creativity well is as full as it ever was…even if I’m not able to toss a buckle down there and haul out as many daily words as I might wish. And when I go back to full-time writing in a few months, it’ll be like summer vacation to a grade school kid. Bell ringing, binders jettisoned, locker combination forgotten, and me flailing headlong toward the nearest work-in-progress.

So anyhow, I guess I’m feeling pretty lucky! Now excuse me while I go collapse.

Wishing you all the best of luck this St. Patrick’s Day,

Meg Maguire

My darling daugher backed her car…

into my husband’s car…

and did this.  And then the very next day, my husband drove my car to work and did this…

(He hit a deer. :/  I’m sad to report that the deer did not survive and the jury is still out on our wallet.  =(  )  Also–and this has nothing to do with the car woes, but since I’m whining, anyway–I’ve had a HORRIBLE virus the past few days (one that literally closed our school system city-wide) and have taken so much anti-nausea medicine I think it should be classified as a food group.  I’m getting on a plane this morning and am a bit queasy at the thought.  On the plus side, I’ve lost four pounds. :-) Bright side!

What about you?  Have you ever had one of those months where you just wanted to crawl into a hole with a carton of ice cream, a bag of peanut M&M’s and a gallon-sized fruity alcoholic drink?

Greetings, Blaze Babes!

Boy has this month zoomed by. Tough stuff and exciting stuff still crowding my life, but it’s getting better. A couple more weeks should see some improvement and the last book of my Blaze trilogy will be turned in. Then Isabel is going to party like it’s April, 2012.

So because of my near-insanity-producing schedule, I am abandoning the menu format this month and just sharing a really remarkable cake recipe I tried the other night. My boyfriend was coming over for dinner, and I have this thing about making dinner special when he’s here. I know, I know, that probably won’t last, but heck, let me enjoy these wonderful early moments where we are All to Each Other and act like people we probably only barely resemble. Snort.

In any case, I had blueberries in the refrigerator and decided blueberry cake would be just the thing. So as I often do, I look for new ways to make old things, which means I went straight to my gourmet bible, Epicurious.com and looked up blueberry cake.

Well. This was not only simple and quick, but one of those cakes where after every bite, it was impossible not to moan. I’m not kidding. My boyfriend, my sons and I were forking in bites and letting loose orgasmic groans. It’s just blueberry cake! But damn it was good. I raved about it to some friends, and was told in Texas this type of cake is called “cobbler” which surprised me because to me cobbler is deep-dish fruit with crust on top. But whatever it’s called in your part of the country, you will definitely be calling it delicious. Just don’t forget the whipped cream.

Blueberry Pudding Cake.

Must get back to editing my chapter, happy eating! See you in April, when I will be fabulously relaxed.

Cheers,

Isabel
www.IsabelSharpe.com

My destination

I have vacation on the brain. I’m leaving for San Juan soon and it seems like my gray matter has started the vacation without me. In my mind, I’m already there. Have you experienced this? You’re so excited to go
somewhere, you spend extra time planning the trip, checking out places to see and, best of all… shopping.

I love resort wear- all clothes made for sun and fun. It’s so much nicer to look for tank tops and shorts, breezy dresses and cute bathing suit cover-ups than wool sweaters and thermal underwear.  Plus, shopping for vacation clothes has all the benefits of normal shopping times two. Not only do you get the fun of a new outfit, you also get the added joy of knowing you can wear it someplace sunny
and fun.

The love of vacation shopping started for me long ago. I didn’t take many trips until my college years, but once I committed to a spring break trip to Virginia Beach, I had as much fun buying a cute floral bag and
yellow Keds as I did taking the trip. Honestly. The trip was average because the weather was cool and rainy. The prep for it was really fun.

These days, I’m much better at putting together a vacation. And I go places with my family, who make for fun travelling companions. So the vacation prep is just a small facet of the larger joy of being away from home and unplugging for a week. But I’ve learned to appreciate the ritual of getting ready for a vacation. My husband and I read travel guides or reviews of our destinations online for weeks ahead of time. We compare notes on what we want to see and think about how we’ll spend our days. He makes sure there is lots to do. I make sure there is a day or two where there is nothing to do.  Once when we took a spur of the moment vacation (flight prices dropped and all of the sudden we decided to book a trip a week before we left), we still engaged in the prep ritual by reading guidebooks for three hours on the plane ride to our destination. I have to confess that was really fun too, even if it was abbreviated. The spontaneity made up for not being able to look forward to a trip for weeks ahead of time.

Of course, the shopping joy remains. I’m grateful to afford a bit more than a new pair of Keds now, but even if I only had a few bucks to spend, I’d at least snag a new shade of lip gloss or nail polish. It’s just fun
to have something new in a bright, pretty shade. It’s a mental pick-me-up, the grown-up version of having a shiny new toy. Did I mention I’m getting excited to go??

** I’ve got a crisp twenty dollar bill for you to prep for your next vacation. What would you buy for the trip? Something practical like a map or travel guide? New flip-flops with a big pink flower between the toes?
Let’s dream about a getaway today! I’ve got a copy of my April Blaze, ONE MAN RUSH (available 3/20) for TWO random posters today. I’m giving away a bonus book because I’m two days late posting to the blog. A big thank you to Tawny Weber for letting me have her spot today!