I just saw the cover of my November SuperRomance and got that old jittery feeling from when my first book was about to come out–24 books ago, by the way. That’s because this is my first SuperRomance and though it’s solidly a Dawn Atkins book, with the same sensuality, emotion and type of story, it has a slightly different flavor. I love this story. It has a long and complex history and has gone through many changes over the years since the idea of it popped into my mind and would not leave until I wrote it. It’s about a girl whose home is the mall where she more or less grew up and the man who’s about to sell it out from under her.

I’m nervous. Will readers of my Blaze stories pick up this new book? Do people even BUY Christmas books? How about new readers? Will they take a chance on a “new” SuperRomance author? And, perhaps most importantly, will they choose a cover with a demon dog leering up at the couple?

This made me laugh–the weird dog picture–since the reason a Cavalier King spaniel is even in the book is because I think they’re the cutest puppies EVER. I mean, melt-your-heart, stuffed-animal darling. Where this possibly rabid beast came from is beyond me. Sigh.

So, somebody reassure me that even spawn of Satan spaniels won’t scare away buyers, okay? And what do you think about new/old authors writing for different lines? Oh, and Christmas books? Do they get you in the spirit or are they overkill?

Okay, time to lie down with an ice pack on my head.
Best,
Dawn Atkins
www.dawnatkins.com
A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS, SuperRomance, 11/10

Whew!! July is turning out to be one hot month, and I’m not just referring to the thermostat here in Boston, which reached a scorching 102 degrees this week! I’m talking about the Blaze anthology, BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, which is on bookstore shelves right now. I can’t tell you how excited I am to be part of this anthology, alongside two amazing authors, Jill Shalvis and Rhonda Nelson.

I loved writing the novella, Packing Heat, which tells the story of Marine sniper, Matt Talbot. After twelve years of service, he’s ready to hang up his weapon, return home, and really get to know Megan O’Connell, the pretty schoolteacher he’s been corresponding with for the past six months. But fate has other plans for the hunky soldier. When he’s hailed as a hero for his combat actions, he finds his newfound status really gets in the way of his budding romance with Megan.

One of the things that made writing this novella so special for me, is that it’s based on a true story, and my thanks go out to the real-life hero for sharing his experiences with me. BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY is the perfect book to bring along on your next trip to the beach, or your next vacation, or to just curl up with on a sunny afternoon. But be sure to bring along plenty of cool beverages, because these stories are smokin’ hot!

Don’t miss my September book, HOT-BLOODED, which is the first book in the It Takes a Hero mini-series. If you like gorgeous men in—and out—of uniform, then I guarantee you’ll love this story.

Post a comment and use the word “hot,” and I’ll select two random winners to receive a copy of BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY. Thanks for stopping by!

I’ve been working on new story ideas lately and noticed that most of my heroines hover around age 27, which, it “dawned” on me, is how old I feel. Or rather, where I locked down my mental self.

So when I’m galloping around and swiveling my hips in Zumba (Latin-Hip-Hop aerobic dance) class at my gym, I picture myself at that age, with no wrinkles or saggy neck skin or knee dimples. Which is also, by the way, why I stay back from the gym mirrors. Fuzzy vision is my friend, ahem.

In fact, when I go out to a restaurant or bar or a party and catch sight of myself in the bathroom mirror I always hesitate…who is this woman? Not the smooth-cheeked, glittery-eyed, perky blonde with the trim figure in my head, but a slightly worn out female with a hopeful expression but signs of…age. Sigh.

What age are you locked into in your head? Do you know why you stuck at that age? For me, I think I was at the crossroads of insecure youth and the sky’s-the-limit adulthood at the time.

Of course it took a few more years for me to really become an adult (and some would say I still have a ways to go) and a few more to achieve my dream of being a full-time novelist, but the journey began in earnest that year of my life.

And now I see no end in sight to the stories I want to tell about my late-twenties heroines. I just sent off two new story ideas to my editor, am working on the galleys for my first SuperRomance, A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS, out in November and expect revisions any day to HOME TO HARMONY, to be released in January.

So maybe a 27-year-old spirit in an, um, well, older body is not so bad after all!
All my best,
Dawn Atkins
www.dawnatkins.com

A benefit of living in tornado alley is the pretty brick mailboxes. I’ve posted a picture of mine on the right. This baby has come through 2 BIG tornadoes with winds exceeding 300 plus miles per hour.

You’d think the tornado is what scares me. Nope, what makes me nervous are the birds who like to make their home between the bricks and the bottom part of the actual box. If you look closely, you’ll see twigs, and what looks like a straw wrapper poking out as these industrious birds build their nest.

I’m not ashamed to admit it, my big fear is that when I open the mailbox, I’ll startle what birds are living there and they’ll fly into me.

So, for years now, I’ve been making A LOT of noise as I approach the mailbox. Clapping, clearing my throat. Your basic idiot stuff – but it all worked. No bird attack!

Then it happened.

The bird got me. I felt the flutter of its feathery wings on my bare arm. But I had the kids with me, and I have a strong commitment to not giving them my phobias. So I sucked it up. But I shuddered and screamed inside. And as I am while writing this.

Of course in the big scheme of things, this isn’t a big thing to get over. That’s not always the case with our favorite Blaze heroines. Our brave ladies seem to fall into two categories – those who get over “something” in the book or those who’ve just gotten over “something” and are ready to hit life all over again. That’s what makes them special. (Okay, and there could be another type – feel free to add.)

What’s your favorite kind of Blaze Heroine?

I did not need to see this movie. I lived it. I counted, and in my younger days, I was a bridesmaid 7 times. Luckily for me, only one of those dresses was hideous…and it really wasn’t all that bad. It was just very plain and totally not my style or color, meaning I’d never wear it again in a thousand years, but luckily, it hadn’t been expensive and it did look good in the pictures.

But I love weddings. Even when I’m not a bridesmaid, I’ve often been involved in the wedding. I sang at two weddings and did the reading at one. I have given more showers than Mother Nature in April and I watch shows like SAY YES TO THE DRESS and MY FAIR WEDDING all the time.

Why is it then that I’ve never once written a wedding book before now?

It’s a popular enough trope in the romance genre and yet, because I write for Blaze, rarely do my characters end up with a proposal, much less a whole wedding. I’m lucky if I can get those randy so-and-sos (those would be my main characters) to commit to each other in the end. They’re so fiercely independent, it’s hard to wrangle. But I love weddings, so I jumped all over the chance to write a 3-in-1 Encounters for Blaze called 3 SEDUCTIONS AND A WEDDING that will be out in June.

The premise is thus: A wonderful couple, Bianca and Coop, have been together for over ten years. They started dating in college, fell madly in love and got engaged. The trouble is, they’ve never gotten around to getting married. They’re too busy going on adventures around the globe for their jobs (she’s a translator and he’s a software designer) to stand still long enough to say, “I do.”

Well, Coop’s best friend, Leo Sharpe, has had enough. He also has a secret agenda. He’s been pining for Bianca’s bff, Jessie Martinez, for just as long as Bianca and Coop have been engaged. They, too, were once madly in love–until Leo screwed up and Jessie told him to take a hike. Now, he’s planning on using the excuse of throwing a surprise wedding for Bianca and Coop as a reason to work his way back into Jessie’s good graces.

There are two other couples in the book, too. Coop’s older sister, Annie, and Bianca’s younger brother, Drew as well as Coop’s boss, Ajay, and Bianca’s boss, Mallory. Everyone gets into the wedding spirit! In a most Blaze-like way.

In fact, next week (beginning on April 26th), eHarlequin will begin publishing a free online read (short story length) about Bianca and Coop and what is happening between them on the eve of their return home. They have no idea their friends are planning a wedding…and they might not even make it down the aisle if they do. It’s a rough couple of days in the Costa Rican jungle for these two…and did I mention it’s free?

But I also have author’s copies! If you’d like a chance to win an early copy of this book, just answer the following questions:

Do you like weddings?
Were you ever a bridesmaid?
Tell us about either your prettiest bridesmaid dress or your worst…(and if you weren’t ever a bridesmaid, feel free to tell us about the worst dress you ever saw at a wedding…)

This should be fun!

Take Me If You Dare was officially released yesterday. I’m so friggin’ excited I can barely stand it. In the publishing world the book came out pretty fast, but it still feels like I’ve been waiting forever. I can’t wait for you guys to read it.

Funny how these things come about. It began at a breakfast meeting in Summer 2008 with long-time friend Kathryn Lye, who also happens to be one of the editors of the Harlequin Blaze line. I met Kathryn years ago at local event where I was forced into teaching line dancing for an RWA outing. It’s a long funny story that maybe I’ll share some time. But the important thing for you to know about that night was that I became friends with Kathryn.

We bonded over television and movies. She was curious about what was coming up for the fall season, and of course I had all the scoop. Each year we tried to get together to say hello, have a meal or watch pilots during RWA. Then that summer in 2008 we had breakfast in San Francisco. As usual we talked about everything from our families to TV to books. She always was kind about asking what I was working on, and I told her that I wanted to try my hand at writing something like the Woman’s Murder Club meets Burn Notice. Sexy detectives and spies coming together and solving cases.

She said that sounded like something that would work for Blaze. I was shocked. She told me to put together a proposal. My agent thought it was an awesome idea, and that, my friends is how the Stonegate Investigative Agency came to be. My idea was that these very strong women who ran the agency would have to deal with cases all over the world. Of course, they’d also fall in love.

Mariska, my heroine in Take Me if You Dare owns the agency that was bequeathed to her by her mother. But it was the hero, who really brought this book to life for me. Jackson is a burned CIA agent and all he wants to do is get out of Bangkok. It was kind of my ode to “Burn Notice” and that sexy Michael Westin (Jeffrey Donovan). Jackson needed a heroine who could hold her own, and that is how Mariska was born. Of course, you “Law & Order” fans know where I stole that name from and it fits this character.

What I like, and yes I know I wrote it, is that even though there are mob guys and intrigue, there is also a lot of humor. Jackson and Mariska are fun, sexy couple, who always seem to find themselves in trouble. I had a blast writing their adventure and I hope you’ll enjoy it too!

I’m celebrating all month and have lots of ways for you to win cool prizes, so be sure to check out www.candacehavens.com. Oh and you can check out the first episode of RAW CANDY where I talk about books, television, movies and celebs at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6B3slnuGVk

I’d like to hear about your all-time favorite romantic couples. Do you have one couple that stands out above all the rest? Tell me, I want to know!

I watched The Proposal this past weekend (really cute movie) and the heroine mentioned reading Wuthering Heights every Christmas. Do you read one special book every holiday? Are you looking forward to receiving a gift of books this year, or do you expect to be too busy to read (gasp!) this season? What books are you giving?

I tell family and friends never to buy me books — a gift card is fine, but I buy far too many of my own for anyone to know what I’ve read or haven’t, so books as gifts never work for me, but I do enjoy giving them. I try to make notes through the year of books I think family members will find interesting or fun, though sometimes I don’t wait. When my MIL visited this past September, I bought her the first four Karen Marie Moning Fever books because I was too anxious for her to read them to wait for Christmas. As for books we read every year, I don’t really have any particular book I return to over and over again. Last year, my husband had their Uncle’s enthusiastic reading, which he enjoyed, too. It’s nice for kids to have books as well as TV shows for their annual traditions, I think, even though I love many of the TV specials we grew up with.

I will be reading a lot through the month, working through my Kindle TBR and enjoying curling up in the evenings with some good reading. I am reading Charlaine Harris’s Grave Secret at the moment (not very Christmassy, I know, but it’s a good book), and have a list of romances (including some Blazes, of course) that I am looking forward to, as well. Are you reading any holiday-oriented romances you would recommend?

So what books are you reading, or do you want to curl up on a holiday evening and read this month? Share your current reading and I’ll pick two winners to receive a signed copy of my previous Christmas Blaze, Talking in Your Sleep, along with a tin of hot chocolate and a pretty mug. If you have this book already, just let me know if you would like it signed for someone else, and maybe it can be one of your gift items this season. Merry, Merry, and best wishes for a happy and peaceful month, whichever holiday you celebrate.

Sam

Do you dress up for Halloween? Its a fun day and I enjoy seeing all the little kids dressed up in their favorite superhero, Transformer and princess costumes as they parade around the neighborhood. The little ones take it all so seriously and they look at you as if they aren't sure you are going to give them that candy you have in the bowl.

We live in what I call Beavercleaverville. It's a small village type neighborhood tucked into a sprawling metropolis. Many of the neighbors do elaborate decorations and have very cool haunted houses. I'm lucky if I remember to put the fall wreath on the door, and to tell my husband to buy candy. But I enjoy the festivities just the same. This year Halloween falls on a Saturday so there's a pretty good chance we'll be invited to more than one party.

And that's my problem. I'm not big on dressing up in costumes. I like them, but only when other people wear them. I've been this way since I was a little kid. I never wanted those store bought costumes my kids adored. Put a rain hat, rain coat and galoshes on me and call me the Morton Salt Girl and I was a happy kid. (That was a rainy Halloween, and man did I rake in the candy. My dad took me around with his umbrella, but we only saw one other kid doing the same.) The crazy thing is, I don't know why I'm that way. I love the way costumes look, and the idea of masking one's identity. But I don't like wearing them. If I do anything it's something like a sweatshirt with a giant P and I blacken my eye so that I'm a black-eyed pea. Or a t-shirt with a small box of cereal velcroed to it and a knife stuck in the box, so that I'm a cereal-killer. And one of my favorites, a witch's hat and black clothes.

My friend Shannon was gnome last year. It was hilarious. My friend Deb was Elvis down to the wig, jumpsuit, white shoes and dark glasses. She also did the coolest Medussa costume ever. I wore black.

So I'm curious about several things. Do you like to wear costumes? What are some of your favorites now, and from when you were a kid? Do your kids like dressing up? (My oldest is into it, but it depends on the situation when it comes to my youngest.) What do you think will be some of the popular costumes this year? What will you be wearing?

And I'd like to know your thoughts about my new cover. Consider it my treat, no tricks, for you! I LOVE IT! TAKE ME IF YOU DARE is a Feb. 2010 release. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!