Ways to Waste a Day

So I have 26 days to go before I'm going to be indisposed for a little.

I have about 12 days to go to meet yet another personal deadline that I set in preparation for the two week period, roughly, when I'm not going to be writing. And I'm only about 1/3 of the way there.

Is that motivating me at all to go get some work done?

Uhhhhh.... nope.

Here's suggestions on how to waste a perfectly good writing day.... or any day when you're putting off what you need to get done.

1) Check your email. Often. You never know, maybe the editor sent you the artwork for the book that is due out in less than a year. Or the editor has spoken to the agent and has decided to buy the two proposals you sent in. So you just never know.

2) Rearrange all the books on your book shelf. Not that they are going to be any easier to find, since you can't remember your organization system anyway.

3) Blog hop. Visiting your favorite blogs can easily kill two, three, four hours. Of course, it tends to make my back sore, sitting still so long, but hey...

4) Flip through the TV channels and ask nobody in particular why there is NOTHING on, when you have more than 300 channels. How is that possible, by the way?

5) Go to get laptop out...and decide you really need to do something online. Doesn't matter what, just something to avoid sitting down and working.

6) Flip through the list of names you compiled for cleaning services. Hey, getting my house cleaned IS important. And I have to get estimates, right?

7) Go outside and water the grass. Check the lilies to see if any more bloomed since three hours ago.

8) Take a nap. Now I'm not really tired, but I like naps.

9) Sit down to work on WIP, and realize that you are hungry. It's not like that piece of chocolate actually counted as breakfast, right?

10) Finally sit down to try working, one more time, and realize that after procrastinating half the day away, you really are tired. And you really do need that nap this time.


So there are a few days to waste an entire day. Now I need to go check my email... again...

Reader Interview with Lora Leigh

And the next interview we have is Lora Leigh. Lora writes seriously hot, erotic romance. Contemporary, paranormal, fantasy... I think she suffers that same short attention span thing I have a problem with.

Her current release is a paranormal, Megan's Mark. This is a Breed book~the Breeds are genetically altered men and women. You can read more about them at her website.

Now, on to the interview....FYI, if you just stumbled across the blog, the interview questions are from readers of the Scamps loop. We have more authors on the schedule for interview so if you want join in... send an email to

ScampsVampsandSpicyRomance-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Or just visit the group on the web and sign up there.

1) From Pam K

I know you love to fish what is the biggest fish you've ever caught. That one is for my hubby. BTW He loves that I read your books. He says they have excellent fringe benefits for him rofl.

Lora~a 15 inch catfish that the hubby wouldn't let me keep to eat. I love catfish.

2) From Lisa

If you could as your readers one question what would it be?

Lora~What were you thinking five seconds after you had sex the first time. LOL

3) From Christy

I'm not sure how to ask this question but how excited were you to see your first breed book that wasn't ebook published or in an anthology?

Lora~I was amazed. Excited. And terrified at the same time. Amazed that I was finally in print by a major NY publisher. Excited to see all the book stores the book was in at once. And terrified that no one would buy it. LOL. The emotions I felt were confusing and uncertain in a lot of ways. Its a big step I think for any writer. That first book released from a major publisher. The anticipation and the fears are really intense.

4) From Lucy

I'm SO glad you are writing Dawn's story and Tanner's story, but will you be writing Hawke's story? And if yes...um...when? :) I know I'm a baby, but I'm dying to find out what happens to him and his mate (Jessica) facing death.

Lora~Yes, Hawkes story is coming very soon I hope. I'm trying right now to get the time line in order between the original feline, the wolves and the NY Breeds. So definitely be expecting more coming soon.

*Note from Shi...FYI~I checked with Lora... the NY Breeds...these are the Breeds that are being written for Berkley Publishing.

5)From Jenny

If you can trade places with anyone for a day, who would you pick and why?

Lora~That's a hard one, because I don't think I want to trade places with anyone. LOL. I've kind of settled into who I am, and I'm enjoying the adventures that life brings me with my husband, my children and my writing. Trade lives with someone else, and I have to trade that part as well. I wouldn't trade that part of me for anything.

Momisms…

Today is Mother’s Day and even though my mother is gone for almost thirty years now I can still hear her little pearls of wisdom echoing in my brain when the occasion arises. Like when I really really want those new shoes that I don’t exactly need I can hear her whispering in my ear...Any Damn Fool Can Spend Money.
Is that a great way to raise kids or what!
Or other times when I’m shopping (do you see a pattern here?? Shopping!) I think, gee this new purse only costs ten bucks. I can afford ten buck. Then I hear Irma (my mother’s name) say...Take Care Of The Pennies And The Dollars Will Take Care of Themselves.
Then there’s another favorite. When I wouldn’t finish my dinner I’d get...If You Don’t Eat It Today You’ll Get It Again Tomorrow. If I spent too much time reading I’d get...Go Outside And Get The Stink Blowed Off. (lovely!) And the best one of all is...Because I’m the mom and I said so.
I’d like to think I did better by my kids but, alas, nope. If you’d just say to one of my kids Any Damn Fool... They will automatically fill in...Can Spend Money.
So, what are some of pearls of wisdom you mother imparted to you that you can’t get out of your brain no matter how hard you try? Those little sayings that you swore on leftover peas you’d never say to your own kids and did anyway??
Time to fess up!

Surprises...life is filled with 'em...

My mind is a little fragmented lately, so don't expect much in the way of cohesion from this blog. :) I've just been thinking a lot obout surprises lately. Life really is filled with 'em. And they come from the most unexpected sources. Hence the suprise element...I guess. LOL

Here's the thing...when I started writing AND ABLE, I had no idea I would meet a character who would spin off my next Brava series. But the minute Ethan Crane came on screen, I *knew* I was going to write his story.

Then there's the not so good surprises when some readers dislike something I particularly love about a book. Or when another author leaves a dangler in an epilogue that puts the HEA in question for me.

But then there are more good surprises, like hearing my teenage son down in the kitchen after bedtime only to discover he couldn't sleep...so HE'S DOING THE DISHES. I guess that goes under GREAT surprises. LOL

Or when I find out my books have been released electronically only because they hit a best sellers list. I needed that surprise right at that minute. The phone call that told me Mom was in the hospital again wasn't such a welcome surprise, but it goes hand in hand with each day I wake up and know she's still in my lift. If we listened to her doctors, each of those days would be a surprise. ;-)

My best surprise would probably be the day I realized my husband loved me as much as I loved him. I didn't think it was possible, but every day since has been a gift.

So, what about you? Have you been surprised lately? In a good way? A not so good way, or something in between? Or maybe you've got a moment in your memory that will always live as one of your best surprises and you'd like to share that...I'd love to hear!

Hugs,
Lucy

When it's good...

Lately, I've been in a reading funk. I find plenty of books that sound good but I just can't work up the interest to read them. Although I do find the interest to buy them. My TBR stack has turned into a skyscraper.

But I'm trying to get myself back into reading. It does recharge the mental batteries and I need all the help I can get.

It really helped that one of the books I picked up to help myself get defunked was this one. Seraphim by Shelby Reed. Awesome. Plain and simple.

Now I've had it on ebook since it came out, but lately, I don't want to stare at the computer screen, or my pocket PC when I'm reading. So I just never got around to reading it. Then I got the print version. This was what I picked up the night I decided I had to start reading again.

It's a pretty long book for a tradesize paperback, about 350 something pages, I think. Stupid me, I started reading it at like 9pm. When 11:30 rolls around and my eyes started to close on me, I had to set it aside until the next morning. As soon as I dropped kidlets off at their various schools, I devoured the rest of it. I love it when a book grabs onto me and doesn't let go.

Seraphim is a paranormal romance about warrior angels, old evils...love. Some tear jerking moments and some excellent action. It is an erotic romance~but it's not as hmmm...risque as some others. Actually an excellent book to try if you're kind of curious about erotic romance. I'll even link you to an excerpt.

Shelby did an excellent job with the book, and I think it helped bring me out of my reading funk a little. There's several books in my TBR skyscraper that seem to be calling my name and since I beat my deadline, I think I can breathe enough to enjoy them.

Any of you all been in a reading funk? What's brought you out?

A Thundering Boom!

It's thundering and lightning here! Not a good time to be working at the computer but it did make me wonder how everyone feels about storms. Does a boom of thunder unleash your inner vixen? LOL

I love storms as long as they don't get too hairy. Usually, I'll move to my laptop to write. I think there's a lot to be said for setting the mood, though. When I write, I usually have fragrant candles or incense going. Definitely music. I always write better if I meditate before I start writing--connect with my characters, so to speak. I concentrate on them when I meditate.

If you're a writer, do you just jump in and start writing? Do you read what you wrote the day before? Or do you just plow right in.

If you're a reader, do you read anywhere and everywhere? Or do you have a favorite place to curl up with a good book. What is the strangest/oddest place you've ever read a book? I'm not sure about the oddest place, but my favorite one is curled up on the sofa with soft lighting---no overheads, though, candles are okay.

So, tell me how you read or write---whatever you read or write.
Happy Reading,
Karen Kelley
Available Now! TEMPERATURE'S RISING/BRAVA
06/06 HELL ON WHEELS/BRAVA
09/06 Texas Bad Boys/Brava
www.authorkarenkelley.com

The Older Heroine... The Not So Petite heroine...

Her size two waist…
Her twenty-fifth birthday…
Her perky boobs…

Do you see these in a book and want to kill the heroine? I do!
Heck, I’m jealous. I need imperfection. I need pain...my pain that I can relate to.

I’m not saying all my heroines need to be tubby or the big 4-0 but I don’t want them to all be in their 20’s and 30’s either. Having the heroine joining Fat Fighters when I joined Weight Watchers was so much fun to write...we suffered together.
Having the heroin deal with her son (the bum magnet) who brings home less than desirable mates is something I can soooo relate to.

What are you feelings on this? Do you want to read about the twenty-somethings? Thirty-somethings? The over forty gang?
Is there one of these groups you won’t read?

Dianne

Reader Interview with Erin McCarthy

Erin McCarthy, author extraordinaire and very dear person, consented to answering questions from readers on the Vamps, Scamps & Spicy Romance loop. Here are the questions and her answers. Erin will drop in tomorrow (the 30th) to visit and comment on your comments. :)

Which of your books would you like to see made into a movie and who would you cast? - Jennifer Y

Since my books are character drive and a bit thin on plot, I have a hard time picturing any of them as movies. ;-) But I think Heiress For Hire would work on ABC Family or something like that, and Houston, We Have a Problem could be done in an ER sort of way. We did have brief interest in A Date With The Other Side from a network, but alas it came to nothing. As for actors for the starring roles? I'd love to hear what you all think!

Which of your heroes is most resembles your husband and why do you feel this way? Also are you like any or your heroines and if so which one are you most like? - Barbara

Well, my husband is very loyal, very hard working, a perfectionist, a wonderful father, loving, has a slightly strange sense of humor, and evokes strong emotions in people, both negative and positive. :-) I'd say Damien from The Pregnancy Test is most like Heath, though I didn't base Damien on him at all. Damien just has more similarities than any other hero. I finally put a picture of Heath and I up on my website on my fun page, though we're about a speck tall in it. ::g:: Mostly the pic is meant to be the scenery behind us.

What is the strangest thing a reader has ever asked you? The scariest? The funniest? - Laurie

The woman who insisted I had based a hero on her ex-boyfriend, and accused me of sleeping with him. How else would I know *exactly* what he always said in bed? Umm... because men aren't all that unique? LOL. I can't remember which hero she was talking about though. The funniest thing a reader said to me was how she found my book in the bargain bin at the used book store. It was fifty cents, the cheapest one in the whole store, but she just decided to take a chance on it even though obviously no one else wanted it, and she loved it. That absolutely cracked me up. I don't think she realized quite how that sounded.

If you could...which one of your heroines would you trade places with and why? - Cindy

If we're talking for like a few hours or a day, I would take Amanda's credit card and go shopping. Or be Reese and have the privilige of saying *exactly* what I'm thinkin, but in real life can't. ::g:: Or I'd be Mandy, just so people would think my British accent was cool. But if we're talking a permanent thing, not just for fun, I wouldn't trade with anyone. I've got a great hubby, wonderful kids, and a career I adore. Life is good. :-)

If you had to make a choice from all the books you've published and/or written, which story did you most enjoy writing and why? - Joni

Two books and a novella come to mind. "Hard Drive" from Bad Boys Online was written in a sort of glorious frenzy right before I was published, when I felt so close I could taste it, and I just closed my eyes and wrote that story completely on faith, exactly the way I wanted to. The first book is Heiress For Hire, because I love those characters, and the story came so easily to me, it was just all there, writing magic, and I enjoyed weaving both humor and a deeper emotion together.

The other book is one that I just finished writing and sold to Berkley. It's called The Seduction of Sin (unless they change the title) and will hopefully be out in mid to late 2007. This is the most complex book I've ever written and is something I started about four years ago and abandoned when I sold my first book. It's a darker paranormal with an immortal hero and it bounces back and forth between the past and the present. It was a personal triumph for me to come back to something I still loved and make time to write it, with no guarantee of a sale. This one's not comedy, but I do hope readers will find it an intriguing and sensual story.

Where would you go for the "perfect" vacation? - Jodi

Jodi, this is such as easy question... anywhere it's warm and sunny! But preferably the Carribean, where there is no glass in the windows, no air conditioning, no doors in the hallways, just warm tropical breezes blowing over me, a big fat sun overhead, a beach chair, and some fruity drink in my hand. Totally paradise! Second to sitting on my behind in the sun would be any large city. I love New York, Chicago, New Orleans. I like the pulse and crowds of the city and exploring all the nooks and crannies.

What was the strangest thing you did in the name of research for a book? - Judy F

This wasn't strange as much as humorous... I did have to have a home party for research purposes when Ashley became a Pleasure Party consultant. :-) And for those of you who know my friend Eddie, the two of us together while romance enhancing products are being discussed is not a quiet thing. We tend to egg each other on. We once got separated at an RWA chapter meeting when the prison expert guest kept saying things that sounded suggestive to Eddie and I. ::g:: For Heiress for Hire, I went to two different farms and it just wasn't pretty. I am such a city girl, and for those of you who've met me, you might have noticed I don't wear flat shoes. Ever. So I thought wedge sandals would work for the farm. I was wrong. Enough said. ::g::

As a writer do you have any other artistic talents...painting...playing musical instruments, etc.? - Emma

Can you hear me laughing? I have no artistic talent. None whatsoever. I did dance when I was younger, does that count for anything? I did ballet and then was on the dance team in high school (it was like being a Laker girl, but with more clothes).

Your last book that you wrote "An Heiress to Hire" was so funny, I was wondering were do you get your ideas from? - Danielle

My ideas tend to come from characters. I had written both Danny and Amanda into A Date With The Other Side with no intention of giving them their own story, but they both just leaped off the page for me. So once I have a character and want to do something with them, I play the What If? game. What If Amanda had to stay in town? What If Danny had a daughter he didn't know about? And the idea grows from there.

What is one thing that your readers would be surprised to know about you? - Jenny

That I'm not funny at all in person. :-D Thanks for such great questions!! I had a lot of fun answering them.
Erin

Teaching an old dog new tricks....

My husband and I were invited by some friends to go to a six week wine tasting class at a local college. I resisted at first thinking that it would be formal and stuffy but the thought of learning something new and interesting sold me in the end. To my delight the professor (who actually teaches math) comes in jeans and is a regular kind of guy even though he knows wine inside out. The class is something that I look forward to each week and I will be sad to have it come to an end. I've enjoyed it so much so that I'm seeking similar things to do. A local store called the Party Source teaches cooking classes and I'm thinking of signing up.

So my question to you is: what have you done lately to expand your horizons? Perhaps a cooking class... dancing, karate, horseback riding, sewing.... whatever? Do you have suggestions? I had forgotten how much fun it is to learn something new! Share your thoughts!

A FATE WORSE THAN DEATH...

Which one is the most painful... having a root canal or shopping for a new bathing suit??? Okay, maybe it's not a fate worse than death, but most women I know HATE the ritual of trying on potential swimsuits, especially in front of those awful flourescent dressing room lights! The Today Show has done two segments in two weeks about choosing the correct suit for your body type, so clearly, I am not the only one bemoaning this esteem-shriveling activity! I haven't had a new bathing suit in about six years. The one buried in my bottom drawer is still good, but I decided to bite the bullet this year. I am going to be in Florida twice in May, once for a wedding and once for the Romantic Times convention. So... I've ordered a new suit from L. L. Bean. It's one of those where you can mix and match the style of top and bottom you want. It hasn't come yet, but I'll let you know what I think when it arrives. And to make the whole situation worse... I have pale, untanned skin. Eek. Whoever said that tanned fat looks better than pasty white fat was right. Unfortunately, even before all the educational stuff about the dangers of skin cancer, I was never able to tan. After some bad burns as a preteen, I pretty much gave up on the whole beach bunny thing. But I am here to announce some amazing news... I have discovered a wonder product. Really... all kidding aside. I have tried several self-tanners over the years from the cheap stuff to the more expensive products like Clinique. Some work better than others, but you always have to worry about streaking and blotching. And sometimes you come out looking more like the great pumpkin than a sleek, golden brown goddess. But all that has changed (well - at least the color part... the shape thing is another story!). :) I heard about a product that many women are snapping up like the latest Scamps and Vamps novel... it's called "Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer". It comes in three shades (I use the "fair", of course), and I'm not kidding when I say that some stores are having trouble keeping it in stock. You simply put it on after your shower or bath just like you would any other lotion. There is no streaking or blotching, and gradually, you get a great tan. The tube said that after seven nights you would see the results, but even after two, I could tell a difference. My two "twenty-something" daughters were amazed and envious of the natural-looking tan on my legs. They both went out and bought some ASAP. I swear I don't own stock in Jergens, but something this good has to be shared!! Stayed tuned for the next segment of "A Fate Worse Than Death" when you will see a photograph of me in my new L. L. Bean swimsuit....NOT! If you are involved in the Amazing Swimsuit Shopping Race this year - good luck and happy hunting!!

Good Lines....

Inspired by a rerun of Law & Order. Admittedly...I'm addicted to this series. I like SVU best, but the original and Criminal Intent are good, as well.

So last night, I was watching one I hadn't seen before. I think it was Criminal Intent but can't remember. There was one line that just made me grin. An excellent insult.

No good, ungrateful, biscuit eatin' sonovbitch. I don't know why, maybe it's the biscuit eatin part, but I just like that line.

I think the writer in me appreciates words, whether it's a weird name ~or strikes me as weird~ or a funny one liner. Or two liners.

A few years ago, the DH and I were going through Ohio on our way to Akron and I saw the name of a town. Wooster. I don't know why, but it struck me as hilarious. Kept thinking of Elmer Fudd and the Wascally Wabbit. And whoever the big rooster, Foghorn, maybe? I kept seeing Elmer chasing after the rooster, shouting at the Wascally Wooster instead of Wabbit. Then there was the name of a seafood dish at the restuarant the DH and I ate at for our anniversary. The fish used was named Wahu. Sounds like WAHOOO.... and I kept cracking up every time I thought of it. The DH thinks I'm beyond strange, by the way.

But I just loves words.

Memorable quotes from movies and books, they make me jealous, cuz I wish I had thought of them. There's a ton of them in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

One of my faves~

Gimli: I never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an elf.
Legolas: How about side by side with a friend?
Gimli: Aye. I could do that.

Or when Nightcrawler is talking to Storm in X Men 2.
Storm: Sometimes anger can help you survive.
Nightcrawler: So can faith.

From books...

I love the JD Robb books. They are full of good one liners. One of my fave books in that series was Vengeance in Death. Roarke seemed a little less than perfect in that one. As much as I adore his character, I think I had a chance of hooking up with a real life Roarke...I'd pass. There can be TOO much perfection. Oh, yeah, the lines...

From Vengeance, when Eve is talking to one of the cops while she was in Ireland
Eve: We hardly ever kick widows around the morgue anymore. It's bad for public relations.

From Endurance, one of the Stardoc books, by SL Viehl aka Lynn Viehl and several others. My fave series. I adore Cherijo. She's my all time fave heroine,
Cherijo: Keep talking. I always yawn like this when I'm riveted.

There's been a couple of lines from my own books that I'm pretty happy with. But I think the one that stands out the most is from The Dragon's Warrior. It will be released in print with the two other books in the series sometime this summer, I hope. Title is Fated.

Eilrah is by far my favorite character out of the books I've written. I just love dragons.

The lines from Eilrah I love the most? *yes, i edited this a little...*

“Mortals. Hopeless, the whole XXXXing lot of them....Damnation, it is contagious! Now I’m talking like him.”

You probably noticed that I have an appreciation for sarcasm... *G*

So what are some of your favorite lines?

Contests

As an author, I enjoy having contests as my way of giving something back to readers, but I also like having them because they're fun. I swear I could've been a professional shopper! I love hunting for bargains and getting stuff on sale. And too, I feel like I'm getting to connect with readers.

I'm curious. What do readers think of contests? What would you rather get if you won a contest: a book or books, gift cards, bling-bling or something else?

Do you enter contests?

Tell me about your favorite contest win or if you've never won a contest in your life.

Karen Kelley
Available Now! TEMPERATURE'S RISING/BRAVA
06/06 HELL ON WHEELS/BRAVA
09/06 Texas Bad Boys/Brava
www.authorkarenkelley.com

Guest Blogger Sylvia Day

Everyone please welcome Scamps and Vamps guest blogger and bestselling author, Sylvia Day! She's answered some of the questions you asked last week. Please feel free to ask more, though!

1) Who is your favorite bad boy (does not have to be one you have written)?

The Rock. Yum. *licks lips*

2) If you could turn any of your books into a film which one would it be and why and who would you like to play the lead roles and why.........
Emma

I would turn SAPPHIRE'S WORTH into a film. It's a futuristic with heavy historical elements, so visually, it would translate beautifully onscreen. It also has a lot of action, and those are my favorite movies--action/adventures with lots of special effects. The Rock would play my hero. I'm not sure about my heroine. She's brunette and extremely kick-ass, but very voluptuous. Angelina and Charlize are too tall. Jennifer Garner isn't buxom enough. Salma Hayek would be closest to perfect, but her accent isn't right for the setting.

It's extremely rare that I base my characters on actual personalities. Some authors use photographs or clippings, but I don't, so it's hard for me to cast the roles. :)


3) Which is your favorite genre?

As a writer, I love futuristics, but think I write historicals best. As a reader, 90% of the books I read are historicals.

Who is your favorite hero?

That I've written--it's a tie between Wulfric in SAPPHIRE'S WORTH and Gerard in THE STRANGER I MARRIED.

That I've read--I've got a ton. Christopher Antoli (from Shelby Reed's THE FIFTH FAVOR), Ruark Beauchamp (from KEW's SHANNA), Jack Devlin (from LK's SUDDENLY YOU), Rhett Butler (from Margaret Mitchell's GONE WITH THE WIND) and Remington Carr (from Betina Krahn's THE LAST BACHELOR) That's only a few of the many. *g*

In real life--my mom, for being a single parent to two wild daughters with no support at all from anyone.

With which heroine would you like to swap the place? Oh man... Any of the heroines from the stories I listed above.

If you could travel back in time, which historical person would you like to meet and why? Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. What a character she was! A trendsetter and renowned great beauty, she gambled and partied like mad, had a famous ménage relationship with her husband and another woman, was an intimate of Marie-Antoinette's, had a child not her husband's, and countless other goings-on. Never a dull moment.

4) How do you manage to juggle a family and writing for different publishers?

I'm blessed with children who have a variety of interests and don't require me to entertain them. In fact, they often tell me to leave them alone because they're busy. *g* I'm also blessed with editors who work with my agents to schedule my releases and due dates to maximize my time and distribution. I still end up at my computer about 16 hours a day, with no days off.

What is your typical writing day like?

I get up, turn on the computer, and while it's downloading mail, I start a fresh pot of coffee. I read email while waking up, then I start work. I work until bed usually, which is around 1-2 am. It's not all writing though. There's Passionate Ink business that needs attending, and a host of writing-related items that need to be managed everyday.

Tell us about you next book and when it will be out. - Karen

My next book is DREAMS OF THE OASIS II with Ellora's Cave. My futuristic short story "Treasure Hunters" is in there, along with six others from various fabulous authors. That releases June 21st. Then in August, I have DECLASSIFIED: DARK KISSES (the print anthology of my Ellora's Cave vampire series) and my next Brava ASK FOR IT. It's the story of a popular rake who falls in love and is jilted by his fiancé. Four years later they meet again when secrets from her late husband's past come back to haunt her. It's the first book I ever wrote, so I have a soft spot for it.

ASK FOR IT - Brava
England, 1770. Beneath the silk and lace of London society lies a secret, elite organization of spies. Protecting the Crown from its enemies is hazardous, but for Marcus Ashford, protecting his heart from an unyielding passion is the far greater peril…

A MATTER OF DANGEROUS INTRIGUE…

As an agent to the Crown, Marcus Ashford, the Earl of Westfield, has fought numerous sword fights, been shot twice, and dodged more than any man’s fair share of cannon fire. And yet nothing excites him more than the primitive hunger his former fiancé, Elizabeth, arouses. Years ago, she’d jilted him for the boyishly charming Lord Hawthorne. But now, the elegant widow is his to defend, and he will do so while tending to her other, more carnal needs, showing her the depth of a real man’s desire…

…AND UNDENIABLE PLEASURE

Dangerous secrets led to the murder of Lady Hawthorne’s husband, secrets she now holds in a diary many would kill to obtain. But to entrust herself to the protection of the most seductive man she’s ever known? Outrageous. Unthinkable. Irresistible. For it was Marcus’s strong passions and burning desire that frightened her into abandoning him years ago—and her answering craving has never waned. Now he means to be at her service, in every sense. And perhaps the only sensible course isn’t to resist temptation, but to surrender to it completely…

Excerpts and covers are on my site, if you want to check them out. :)

5) How did you feel the first time you walked into a bookstore and saw your book on the shelf with your name on it?

Relief. Borders and Barnes & Noble both had issues with getting BAD BOYS AHOY! out of the box and on the shelf. So the first time I actually saw the book on the shelves was when a reader emailed a photo she took when she went to buy a copy. When I finally saw it on shelves in my town, it was mostly relief I felt. *g*

Baring it all!

Ha! Did I grab you with that title? :) Writers spend a lot of time "dressing" their characters, not only out on the street, but in the bedroom. Today's blog asks the question - What do men really want in the boudoir?... (speaking only about wardrobe, ladies!). Think back to all the guys you have known both in real life and in the movies... did they have a preference? I think the possibilities can be boiled down to 4 basic styles.... a) romantic/feminine lingerie, b) sexy/bold/in your face duds, i.e. leather bustier, etc. c) comfy, natural, i.e. football jerseys, t-shirts, etc., 4) bare skin - thank you, ma'am!). In my own books I try to dress my heroines in accordance with their character, but if guys were the only ones reading our books, what do you think they would choose? I'll reveal my take on this later in the day. :) And if you want to weigh in on a second topic - what percentage of men are comfortable shopping in Victoria's Secret - either with or without their sweeties? Can't wait to hear what you have to say!!! Janice

The Land of Tinkerbelle

Okay...maybe I'm the only person in the world who doesn't like Disneyland, but I'm glad we've done our obligatory trip for the kids and I'm never going back. It wasn't awful, it was just boring and annoying. The Disney magic was there and I liked it, but I don't like standing in line for every little thing from the bathroom to gettting a table to eat and the stores were all stocked with the same stuff and there were lots and lots of people everywhere. The kids did enjoy it and that's what matters. At least the girls did. My son's not into rides, so he was happy to go to hobby shops with his dad one day when my b-i-l took my oldest daughter with him and I stayed at the hotel with my daughter who was sick.

Sea World is another thing entirely. I love it and frankly, I could spend a week in San Diego and still want more time for museums, etc. when I leave. My eldest sister and her family love Disneyland and so do my daughters. That's cool. We're just different.

I'm a museum and art gallery nut and my dh and I and our kids (when they were little) loved D.C. so much we went twice even though it's a cross country flight. We also love foreign travel...usually. And the kids have seen parts of the world I only dreamed of when I was young. How about you, are you a Disneyland lover? Have you had a vacation that everyone else says is the "cat's meow" but does very little for you? Have you ever loved something everyone else thinks is boring?

Hugs,
Lucy

The Land of Tinkerbelle

Okay...maybe I'm the only person in the world who doesn't like Disneyland, but I'm glad we've done our obligatory trip for the kids and I'm never going back. It wasn't awful, it was just boring and annoying. The Disney magic was there and I liked it, but I don't like standing in line for every little thing from the bathroom to gettting a table to eat and the stores were all stocked with the same stuff and there were lots and lots of people everywhere. The kids did enjoy it and that's what matters. At least the girls did. My son's not into rides, so he was happy to go to hobby shops with his dad one day when my b-i-l took my oldest daughter with him and I stayed at the hotel with my daughter who was sick.

Sea World is another thing entirely. I love it and frankly, I could spend a week in San Diego and still want more time for museums, etc. when I leave. My eldest sister and her family love Disneyland and so do my daughters. That's cool. We're just different.

I'm a museum and art gallery nut and my dh and I and our kids (when they were little) loved D.C. so much we went twice even though it's a cross country flight. We also love foreign travel...usually. And the kids have seen parts of the world I only dreamed of when I was young. How about you, are you a Disneyland lover? Have you had a vacation that everyone else says is the "cat's meow" but does very little for you? Have you ever loved something everyone else thinks is boring?

Hugs,
Lucy

No Heroine is an Island

Almost every romance reader is familiar with the TSTL heroine.

The one who is going to go outside at night to investigate the weird sound, wearing nothing by a scanty nightshirt, carrying no weapon, no phone, nothing... nada. Along comes the hero who seems to be loved by all. And every body wants to know why he ended up with that twit who can't take care of herself.

A lot of the times, though, the heroine that some people describe as too stupid to love aka TSTL doesn't really striked me as stupid. She's a softer heroine. Not the strong, bold, brave female that seems to dominate the market these days. I definitely write more of the kick ass female than the softer one, but I do love reading about the softer heroines. The ones who don't mind if a guy opens the door, the ones who aren't humiliated if somebody realizes they are scared.

The kind of heroine that annoys me is the kind who thinks she's so brave, so independent and hell no there's nothing that a man can do that I can't. The one who never asks for help, even if it means she's going to get her throat ripped open by the menacing stalker. The kind who is so intent on being the alpha female that she ends up getting hurt. Or causing somebody else to be hurt.

I'd rather see my favorite heroes end up with a woman who has no problems admitting she can't do it completely alone, than to see him teemed up with a heroine who is so shortsighted and so closed off, she'll bring the house down around her just to spite him.

There are times in life when we all need help, and to write a heroine in the book who just can't ask for help...no matter how bad she needs it, well, not only is it annoying, it's unbelievable as well.

Things I like to see in when I'm reading a book with a kick butt heroine:

* a good right hook
* witty remarks
* independence
* AND MOST IMPORTANT...the ability to know when she needs to stop being so independent and let somebody help.

An awesome wardrobe doesn't hurt either... *G*

I'm pretty independent, always have been. But you know what? I love it when the DH opens a door for me. I love it when he hauls out the trash so I don't have to, or when I'm trying to move something heavy around and tells me he'll take care of it. Yes, I can do it. But he can do it easier. So why not let him?

What is something you don't like to see in a heroine?

Paranormal Experiences

Have you ever been to a fortune teller? Had Tarot cards read for you? Ever had a psychic experience? Had a visit from someone who has crossed over? Ever had the hairs on the back of your neck tickle?

I love the paranormal. I, by no means, claim to be psychic but I have had premonitions where something has actually happened. I started listening to the tingles. Some times I know when something good is about to happen. If it's just a ripple, then something nice happens. If it's really strong, then something really good happens within a couple of days. You have to stay alert for these little ripples or whatever out of the ordinary feeling you might have. I had a few ripples yesterday so we'll see.

One time my cover flats came in. That time they were really light tingles. Once when I had these strange and really strong ripples for about three days my editor called to offer me a contract. Nearly every time it pertains to my writing. Once I was walking through the kitchen and I stumbled. I knew my rejected manuscript was in the mailbox. This was before I published. Sure enough, it was there and rejected.

I've also had people who have crossed over visit me. Just a few times, but it's nice to know they're around.

So if you or someone you know has had something paranormal happen, tell me. I love hearing about other people's experiences.
Karen Kelley
Available Now! TEMPERATURE'S RISING/BRAVA
06/06 HELL ON WHEELS/BRAVA
09/06 Texas Bad Boys/Brava
www.authorkarenkelley.com

Your Other Job!

When I do interviews one of the questions I get asked is… If you weren’t a writer what would be your dream job? I always answer writing is my dream job, but if I couldn’t write I’d volunteer at the art museum. Love art!
Of course I’ve done the non-dream job like teaching 7th grade religion. Mother of pearl! Now there is a job from hell.
Sometimes I get asked what job would you never want to do... I have two answers for this... Anything medical...I drive around the block to avoid driving by a hospital. And an actress...I’d hate being in the public eye like that. Good grief!
Sooo, my question to you all is...
What is your dream job and what job would you never ever do no matter what the pay.

How I Almost Hit a Fireman

Last summer one evening my daughter and I were heading to the movie store in my little beetle to grab a chick flick and some chololate chip ice cream. We had the top down and the music blaring, singing along with the radio and having a good ole time. As soon as we turned into the Blockbuster parking lot, though, we noticed a big fire truck in front of the Philly cheesesteak place. A couple of police cruisers were parked off to the side. I slowed to a stop but it was obvious that whatever fire there was had been put out. Since we were already in the parking lot, in order to leave we were going to have to back out of the entrance and then go all the way around the block.... well there was a young fireman standing near the truck so I waved to him and very politely asked if I could go past the firetruck instead of going around.(Cara and I both noticed his hottiness) He smiled.... we smiled back and he nodded and waved us on.

I suppose we ere both distracted by his cute smile and all of that gear and what not because I didn't realize how tight of a squeeze it was going to be to pass the big truck, but I had already committed and had no choice but to proceed. I inched past the truck (my daughter was questioning my decision and I was sort of defending my position... after all the young fireman *had* waved me on (I think) Anyway, just as my little VW has right at the middle steps (remember the top was down) a big fireman began descending the steps backwards (in full gear). He didn't see me until the last second as I creeped past and was in real danger of falling backwards into my car (on top of me with that big hat on and everything) He suddenly turned and saw me (or maybe Cara and I might have screamed).... teetered backwardstossing his hat into the air and cursing just as I inched past. Once past I sort of gunned it and in the rearview mirror I saw his hat as it crashed to the pavement and sort of bounced. I noticed too, that he was older but a hottie too... but he raised fist and starrted yelling at me. I felt compelled to stop and yell sorry back to him and sincerely hoped that his hat wasn't dented or anything. The police by his time were taking notice and my daughter thought that I might be arrested so I gunned my car again, roared over to the far end of the parking lot and we waited like fugitives from the law, huddled down in the bucket seats. Finally, when the coast was clear, we headed into the movie store.

By this time (after the police had left) we thought the adventure was quite amusing and of course my daughter immediately called her friends and told them that her mother had almost run over a fireman... not my fault I tell you....not my fault.

So my question is: have you ever done anything this blonde? (I'm now a redhead but my blonde genes run deep)

It is 70 degrees out and I will have the top down today for the first time in months....fireman beware ;-)

How do YOU welcome spring??

Well, this may be wishful thinking for a lot of us. It snowed here all weekend. Nothing deep, but the ground would turn white and then melt away... only to do it all over again an hour later. It was a pretty snow - big fluffy flakes. But I am more than ready for warm weather!! Which brings me to my blog topic for today. :) How do YOU say hello to spring? For me, there are two "events" that mark the passing of blah winter and the advent of lovely spring... The first is the day when I carry all my cold weather clothes to the upstairs closet and bring down all my short sleeve stuff. It hasn't happened yet, but soon. :) And the other milestone - my first pedicure and breaking out the sandals! Again, it hasn't happened yet, but I'm thinking I may bring out the polish tomorrow or the next day. The forecast for the end of the week is warm - yeah! The picture on today's blog is from a trip I made this week with my mom, two sisters, one brother-in-law, and two nieces. We went to Gatlinburg for two nights. The tree in the pic is a flowering cherry (I think) and in the distance you can see snow on top of the Smokies. It was pretty chilly, but the sunshine was great. So tell me ladies (and gents), what do you do to welcome spring??? I'd love to hear, and I'd love to say goodbye to winter for good. Janice

And we have a winner...

:-)

it looks like the first author interview was a rousing success.

If memory serves me correctly, Sylvia Day is going to be the next victim. *G* If you want to join in and help us out with the first round questions, just go to

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ScampsVampsandSpicyRomance/ and join the group. We run random contests for members only and the group is a fun one. We'd love to see you there.

The winner of JR Ward's prize, a signed copy of Lover Eternal is .... Tina! Tina, I need to email me @ shilohwalker@gmail.com . Put something like BLOG in the subject line so I can find it easy.

Thanks everybody!

Just to clarify

if you want a chance to win today's prize offered by JR Ward, the questions have to be posted here. I'll draw a winner, probably tomorrow, from those who joined in.

if you want to participate in the future author interviews and possibly win a prize before the interview is posted... you need to join the yahoo group.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ScampsVampsandSpicyRomance/

The way it works, we tell you who the next author is, and you have about a week to post your questions to the group, then we will choose five or six of those questions. By participating, you may be able to win a prize in the group.

When the interviews are posted here, there's another chance to win, if the author has offered a prize.

Hope people aren't too confused. While you can ask as many questions at the blog that you want, I'm only each each name once, in order to be fair.


Shi

Author Interviews! First Up ... JR Ward

Blogger is apparently having PMS or something because every time I try to upload a picture, it times out on me. Finally got one up, although it's not JR's latest book. Ah well... it's still an awesome cover.

Vamps and Scamps will be doing author interviews with various authors~some of the future victims include Lora Leigh, Sylvia Day, Toni Blake, & Erin McCarthy.

Today, the victim is JR Ward and JR has kindly agreed to give away a signed copy of Lover Eternal to some lucky poster. Yes... to win, you have to post.

Dark Lover, the first of JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series, appeared on shelves last fall and many, many paranormal fans fell in love.

With the author interviews we are doing, we are letting the readers ask the questions. For a week, readers are given the chance to post their questions to the yahoo group associated with the blog, ScampsVamps& SpicyRomance.

The readers who ask questions may be entered in a drawing for a prize, but that prize is only available to the participators, so if you want to increase your chances of winning, just visit the group's home page or send an email to

ScampsVampsandSpicyRomance-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

And onto the interview...

1) Will there ever be any female warriors in this series?Or will they all stay male?

Absolutely. There is a female named Payne whom you'll meet soon and she is... VERY cool. I like her and I believe I know who she ends up with. And the thing is, with a female coming into the Brotherhood, you're going to see a lot of the essential social values of the race get skewed. Males are supposed to protect their counterparts. But Payne is not in need of protection. She's going to shake up the scene, but in a good way. She's also not one of those annoying, brash, in your face types. She is power. She is strength. She is as up front and direct as any male warrior so she doesn't need theatrics. She just levels her weapon and gives you a choice: you either do it her way or you end up with a leaky hole. I like her because she's really an amalgam of male and female characteristics...

Can you tell I'm into her? ;)

~*~

2)Which authors do you think influenced you most in the writer you became?

Ummmm... Stephen King for the horror aspect and the world building. He's fabulous, a true genius. And I like his stripped down style of prose. Suzanne Brockmann for the romance. She's incredible... she can create emotion in a reader in like, two sentences. I also like her style, very mainstream. Sue Grafton for craft. She has a great command of story fundamentals and she's helped me a lot. She's also very disciplined both in her prose and in her approach to business, so yeah, definitely Sue. Plus I dig her books. My CP, Jessica Andersen, without whom, I think I might be behind bars for a heinous crime against an inanimate object (the compy). Jess also has a great line by line, cleanliness to her work and she's wonderful at suspense. And then I think of my friends... because other writers can influence not just what you put on the page but how you deal with this business of ours. So... Linda Francis Lee and Gaelen Foley and Tina St. John and Shi and Lora Leigh and I'm sure I'm leaving folks out. You need people to talk to, you know?

~*~

3)Who is your favorite brother and why?

Zsadist. Definitely. Without a doubt. He is violent and unpredictable and dangerous. He's also... awkward and not a total savage. I like the darkness in him because it makes his redemption so much more vivid and engrossing. But I will say, that this dark side of his is grounded in what has happened to him- there's a reason for why he is the way he is. I wouldn't be in love with him if he were just a bastard. The fact that he's suffered is the way I connect with him.

~*~

4) If your life had a theme song, what would it be and why?

Queen's Under Pressure. Because I'm usually stressed out and over-focused and feeling like I wish I were doing things better.

~*~

5)If you were to describe each of the brothers as an ice-cream flavor,what would it be and why?

Ummmm... I can't! I just don't and can't see them like that! LOLOL So much for the writer's imagination... *hangs head in shame* See? This is my point about the song choice. I can't answer this question and I think I failed the interview!

~*~

I don't think you can fail this kind of interview, JR. ;) Although I was wondering who was going to be Rocky Road. *G*

Okay...floor is open for comments and JR will pop in later if anybody has other questions.

You can learn more about the books at www.jrward.com and she has a reader group @

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Black_Dagger_Brotherhood/

I'll be posting who the next author interview is here in a few days, so if you want to get your shot at asking the questions, join the group!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ScampsVampsandSpicyRomance/

Shi

http://www.shilohwalker.com

Take My Breath Away!

What would you do or have you done if/when you met someone who actually did take your breath away? Or are you surrounded by beautiful people?

My story: I went to the booksigning at RT when it was in Ft. Worth many, many years ago. I had never been to anything like that before and I was in awe at all the authors who were going to be there. I went with a group of women and they were talking about the cover models and I was very smugly thinking that I could care less. I wanted the books and to meet these authors who created them.

As we arrived so did a group of men. Jeans, no shirt, wearing vests, boots, tanned, muscled, 6-pack abs.

OHMYGOD! I couldn't look away. My mouth watered, my heart skipped beats, then began to race. Smugness went to hell in a handbag. I stuttered, I drooled.

But then I met one who took my breath away. John D'Salvo (spelling?) I asked if I could take his picture and quickly snapped two---double exposing him (don't I wish!) Never have gotten a blasted picture of him.

So, tell me since RT is fast approaching. What has been your favorite experience at RT? If you've never been and are planning on going then you're in for a treat. I always have a blast. And if you're not planning on going, have you ever met someone who made you stutter because they looked so damn good?

If you respond in any way, form or fashion I'll put your name in a drawing for a copy of Southern Comfort.


I'm off to look at flooring but I'll check in before I go to bed.
Good Luck!
Karen Kelley

Take My Breath Away!

What would you do or have you done if/when you met someone who actually did take your breath away? Or are you surrounded by beautiful people?

My story: I went to the booksigning at RT when it was in Ft. Worth many, many years ago. I had never been to anything like that before and I was in awe at all the authors who were going to be there. I went with a group of women and they were talking about the cover models and I was very smugly thinking that I could care less. I wanted the books and to meet these authors who created them.

As we arrived so did a group of men. Jeans, no shirt, wearing vests, boots, tanned, muscled, 6-pack abs.

OHMYGOD! I couldn't look away. My mouth watered, my heart skipped beats, then began to race. Smugness went to hell in a handbag. I stuttered, I drooled.

But then I met one who took my breath away. John D'Salvo (spelling?) I asked if I could take his picture and quickly snapped two---double exposing him (don't I wish!) Never have gotten a blasted picture of him.

So, tell me since RT is fast approaching. What has been your favorite experience at RT? If you've never been and are planning on going then you're in for a treat. I always have a blast. And if you're not planning on going, have you ever met someone who made you stutter because they looked so damn good?

If you respond in any way, form or fashion I'll put your name in a drawing for a copy of Southern Comfort.


I'm off to look at flooring but I'll check in before I go to bed.
Good Luck!
Karen Kelley

Description...boring or brilliant??

Description...how much is too much??

And I don’t mean this about the sex because that’s sort of determined by the line but what about the rest of the story...

I often wonder how much does the reader really want to know? Do you really give a hoot what he/she is wearing? How they fix their hair? What they’re wearing on that date and to what detail? Black shoes, white shoes? Blah, blah, blah...

What about the setting...what the room looks like, how she’s making those knitted hats, how he’s building that four-lane bridge?

Sometimes I feel like I’m boring everyone to tears but it does add color or is it adding surface crap?

So, how much is too much or too little?
Any thoughts on this?

Hugs, Dianne

The Way U Look Tonight
April ‘06
RT: 4½ star review
Brava Kensington

Promo on a budget

This week, PBW has been doing various topics that might interest new writers, aspiring authors, and others in the writing industry.

She asked for topics that people would like to explore more closely, and one of them was....

PROMOTION~ to be exact, I think the words were What can be done about marketing for writers with a $2k advance?

Okay, so promo isn't my favorite topic, but it is something I've picked up a few things about. A lot of this is specific to romance writers, magazines, review sites, etc, but I know every genre out there has these things targeted to their genre. You just have to look for them.

Now I'll be honest. I'm greedy. I wanna spend my money on me, I want to take my kids and the DH on a trip, or buy a nice, pretty desk... but you have to put some of the money back into your career.

So with $2000.... what can you do? Bear in mind, the more money you spend on promo, the more it helps with Uncle Sam once tax time rolls around.

GET A WEBSITE!!!! I can't stress that enough. I'm also a reader and one thing that will irritate the crap out of me is when I try to find something out about an author and can't find a website. Readers want to to be able to connect with authors and a website is the best way to do it. A couple of sites to check into for web design are Millenium Promotion and Your Web Goddess

Some pointers...

• If you are going to do it yourself, be objective. If you can't make it look professional, hire somebody. A dumpy looking site, a cluttered site, or a site that looks like your five year old did it isn't going to impress readers.
• Don't get a website with pop-ups. Please.
• Keep it current. If you've had three books out in the past two years, and it still has info from the second one but not the third~you're losing potential readers.
• Make sure somewhere on your site you have a working email address. And don't hide it.

Get some bookmarks~ You can check around, but a good place to go is Earthly Charms. You can get a thousand bookmarks, including the design for around $200.

Use Banners~ Have a banner designed. Sites like Millenium will design a banner for about $20-$30. Then you can post them on reviews sites, every place from Romantic Times (more expensive) to smaller review sites, like FAR or AAR.

• If you really want to go all out, you can spend about a thousand bucks and get an ad in Romantic Times magazine. Sounds like a lot of money, but remember, that magazine is for romance readers. If you've written a romance and sold it, that's one of the best ways to get the word out.

Make friends in the reader community~ For a variety of reasons.

• Word of mouth sells books. People find out you've written and sold one, a lot are going to be curious. If they like what they see/hear, they buy, and if they REALLY like it, they talk about it to others. And that sells books.
• Booksellers! I've met quite a few people who own their own bookstores. An independent bookseller can be your best friend. They like it when authors are friendly to them. Ask if you can send some bookmarks or an ARC (advance review copy) or both. If they like that book, they'll stock it. Independent booksellers tend to know their customers, they know their tastes. If your book is something that would appeal to said reader, they will mention it.
• Pay attention. There are some people in the reader community that really like to talk about books they like. I've been known to give ARCs to these people. They aren't bookstore owners, but they can really sell your book. They tell everybody, from friends to the people in the local bookstore. Some of them have blogs or websites of their own. One author suggested giving away dozen of copies of your book to people with the biggest mouths~so they'd read it and talk it up. Sorry, can't remember where I read that.

Contact your local paper~ or if there's a local magazine, try them. I contacted Velocity Weekly. They did an interview with me and a fellow author, Anya Bast, and we got free publicity. It was a cute, fluffy piece, and very little work on my part. Of course if I'd known they were going to insist on pictures.... ugh...

So, keeping our budget in mind, lets assume you decided to have Jewel Stone do a three page website. The three page package is around $250.

You order 1000 bookmarks from Earthly Charms. $210, give or take.

You run an ad in RT. $1000

Get a banner from Millenium and run it on FAR for the month before and of your release. About $50.

That adds up to $1510.

You've contacted a local entertainment magazine and they are running an interview the month the book releases.

And viola... some simple, fairly cheap *mostly* promo.

Now I started out as an e pubbed author. Things are sometimes done a little different then. First thing I did was join online groups and start trying to establish myself among the readers of my first publisher. Then I designed a website. Then I started messing with things like banners and stuff. It wasn't until nearly two years later that I finally got a book into print. The e pub went into POD and I had to start promoting my print books as well as my ebooks. But promo is promo. You do what you can to get the word out.

*please bear in mind~I checked these prices prior to putting this blog together, but that doesn't mean the prices won't change. Please don't take anything I've said as written in stone. Check around, ask around, shop around.

New Feature Coming~ Author Interviews

With your participation. A couple of times a month, we are going to post the name of the upcoming victim. *G* First victim is JR Ward. Once we post the author, readers will have a chance to post questions they'd like us to ask the author. There will be prizes involved.

However, there is a stipulation. In order to ask the questions and possibly increase your odds of winning a prize, you need to belong to the group associated with the blog. To join, go to the group's home page here and simply click on join this group.

Or you can send a blank email to

ScampsVampsandSpicyRomance-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

It's a fun group and the authors often run contests that are for members only. As well as daily hotties and updates on upcoming releases.

We've got some fun authors in mind that we plan on asking to participate and we hope to see some of you all join in as well.

So... floor is open in ScampsVamps for questions.

Uppity Women Unite!

Uppity women...I love 'em. Give me a true article about a woman who stands up for herself and/or her beliefs and I'll eat it up. So, it will come as no surprise to you that one of my favorite book series is the "Uppity Women of..." you name the era. What this series shows is that women have been asserting their intelligence, their rights and their backbone for as far back as written history goes. Cool, huh?

I think so...which is why when I write a historical, I tend to write uppity women heroines. Not stuck-up heroines, but women who stand up for themselves, their loved ones and their beliefs. My motto is, "If there was one woman being this bold and daring during this era, she could have been my heroine."

But some historical readers prefer writers to stick with what they view as a more realistic portrayal of the time. Women who were not necessarily unique, or forward thinking, or confrontational. Certainly this type of heroine is more typical of the time, but she wasn't the only sort of woman who lived during *any* era. And I don't know...I can't make myself write heroines that don't get on somebody's nerves...usually the hero's, but oftentimes the rest of society's too.

What kind of historical heroine rings your chimes? The more traditional belle of the ton, or a woman who was reading "The Rights and Vindication of Women" even as the author was being killed by her government (France btw - if you are interested) for being such a blasphemous thinker?

I'll be honest and say that while I can't seem to write the more traditional heroine, I can really enjoy reading about her. But my favorite historical authors usually write outside the box too...Amanda Quick, Teresa Madeiros, Julie Garwood, Stef Ann Holm and Barbara Dawson Smith - to name a few.

What about you?

Hugs,
Lucy

whatcha reading...

After being sick going on close to two weeks, my brain is half dead. ;) Yeah, yeah I know...what else is new. Normally, I can think of something to yak about for a paragraph or two, but-uh, I don't wanna.

So here's something easy~and since you're reading this blog, chances are it's something near and dear to your heart. Books & reading.

The past two days, the only reading I've done is my stuff~bleh. That's work, not fun. Had to finish the copyedits for Hunting the Hunter. For my first mass market paperback, it was a lot less painful than I expected. Still made me a little nervous. OKAY... a LOT nervous. If I was a nail biter, I'd probably be in dire need of a manicure right now.

I keep promising myself a treat if I get enough done on my current deadline~my idea of treats is generally getting to read something. Sucks, but I read probably only a couple books a month anymore. I used to read a book a day.

So what was the last book you read?

What is the next book you plan to read?

The last book I read was last week~read Jude's Law by Lori Foster. I picked it up in Cincinatti last month at the signing and I'm glad I did. Great book.

The next book I plan to read is going to be Lover Eternal by JR Ward. *G* I read it months ago~JR was nice enough to send me an ARC and I've read it probably a dozen times by now. But I still need to read the finished one, the one with the pretty shiny blue cover.

My husband and I came dragging into the house at 3 this morning. The dog was really pissed off. Now that the kids are grown, she's the little princess. My grandaughter let it slip that, "Momma said Sukie (the little princess) rules your house."

Yeah, okay, I'm still wondering what her point was. Of course Sukie rules the house. She's spoiled rotten. We know we've created a monster in the guise of a small Pekinese.

We keep dog food out for her all the time, but she gets ham and cheese every day for lunch and dinner and occassionally turkey bacon. She loves turkey bacon but will leave sausage in her bowl. Go figure.

If she gets upset with us, she lets us know by wetting in our bed. We've learned to cover it with a shower curtain if we go away for any length of time.

Leash=vet=shots. My husband and I are probably the only people in the world who dress in full body armor if we have to put a leash on our dog. She doesn't like the leash and she lets us know by biting---usually us.

She used to chase the neighbor's cat when the cat would get into our backyard, but the cat stopped running and Sukie isn't brave enough to get too close.

But in the morning she wakes us up by laying her head on our face. Yes, it pretty much smothers us and she needs a bath really bad---the leash thing again. We're not about to bathe her and taking her to the groomer requires The Leash. But she's cute and adorable and loves us to distraction. I guess we'll keep her.

So, do you have any funny or embarrassing pet stories? If so, now is the time to vent. I'll listen---think of it as therapy. Oh, wow, I could start a whole new business---The Pet Owner Therapist. I couldn't fix any problems but I would listen.
Have a Great day!
Karen Kelley
www.authorkarenkelley.com

I my RIDE WILD enough?

As you guys know WILD RIDE comes out this week, my sexy anthology about Wild Ride Resort, an all inclusive playground for adults that's sort of a Club Med meets Coney Island. The three stories are all set on the island resort but since I've had readers ask me for a single title but my editor likes this format for me, I decided to combine the two and weave the novellas together so that it reads more like a single title and yet you have the fun of mulitple characters and story lines... so I *hope* it is like having the best of both worlds.

So anyway I'm thinking that WILD RIDE is some of my steamiest stuff yet...pushing the emvelope with some sexy situations that include waterfalls, elevators and yes a rollercoaster in motion.... and yet there was a review (I know we always get hung up on the ones that are a little snarky) that said that my stories are about good midwestern folks and are warm at best instead of smokin' hot like the cover implies..... okaaaaay. Of course I started questioning if my love scenes were hot enough for the erotic romance billing when it hit me that IMO hot does not mean raw language or crazy wild sex, but more how intensely the characters feel about each other.... in other words the emition in the sex scenes, not the sex itself. Sure in erotic romance the bedroom door needs to be wide open but I don't think I need to use words or situations that are there merely for shock factor... am I right? Or is WILD RIDE not wild enough?

I know since the book just came out it's hard for you guys to know if it is merely warm or hot but just makes a book hot? The review is over at www.likesbooks.com in case you are curious as to what all the review said. All in all the review was actually pretty nice and well done... I just think the reviewer didn't get the type of heat she was expecting but of all things to critique about the book I thought I had the heat factor nailed.....LOL

What do you all think?

What's in a name?

I have a great book called "45,000 Baby Names". My daughter borrowed it when they were looking for just the right name for the new baby-to-be.

Today's question - what's in a name? Or perhaps - "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. " I don't think so! Would you fall in love with a hero named "Dudley"? Would the book sell?? Maybe Nora could pull it off, or Lori. But I'm 99% sure no editor would ever let that name go into production.

So here's my question for today - Please tell me your three favorite names for heroes... and the same for heroines. Then give me three of your "yuck" names for heroes. And the same for heroines.

I'll take a look at all the lists and pick one entry to keep in my mental rolodex. I'll send that person a small prize.

But remember - to be considered for the prize, you have to come up with 12 solid choices. Put your thinking cap on and have at it!

Janice

Interesting...uh...unique research...

Have I ever mentioned I run across some really interesting things when I'm researching? Well, I do and I've found a new favorite website, but I'll get to that later.

The most recent "makes you blink in astonishment" thing I've run across while researching for my new Brava series is a radio for the shower that has a hidden camera in it. I'm so not kidding...they really sell such a thing. Want to see? Visit the product page here. Okay, I'm having a really hard time grasping the need for this unless you are like the FBI, or something. Really...the or something is a little scary, but the website that sells this also has other ultra hip spy equipment. I can see that coming in very handy with my new series. (And yep, as promised...I've just posted a little info on that on my Current Projects page.)

And how did I find this really very strange product that is honest-to-goodness for sale? On my new favorite website. It's full of info on cool and unusual and sometimes downright strange gadgets. I love gadgets...maybe not as much as my hubby, but enough that I definitely qualify for closet geekdom. Oh...he sent me the website link, by the way. He's great for stuff like that and he reads my books too...what more could a woman ask for???

Now it's your turn...what kind of weird or uananticipated stuff have you run across while innocently web surfing?

Just to let you know...I'll be out of town for my mom's birthday weekend with her and my sisters until Monday. But I'm REALLY looking forward to reading your comments when I get back!

Hugs,
Lucy

Advice... from me?

You're kidding, right?

I have this reaction several times a week. Over the past... oh, I dunno, year or so, I've gotten emails on a regular basis, usually several a week. Asking for some kind of advice. Or info. Some are a little easier than others. The easiest question to answer is...

How much money can I expect to make... I always answer that one the same. I have no answer for you.

I'm primarily still an ebook author, and yes, I write for a living, so I think I do okay, but every author is going to be different. So that one is easy. No answer~sorry.

The rest of them, though, they make me bang my head. I hardly ever have an answer. I've asked, how do you make yourself finish the book? Well, I just do. If I don't finish it, i can't sell it and I like selling them. $$$$$

Where do you come up with your ideas? Every single one is different. Sometimes, I'll see something that inspires me to start a book and then the book comes from there. My current release is one of those. The idea for Hunter's Pride came from something I saw on Animal Planet. A young girl in Africa was rescued from a couple of kidnappers by.... a pride of lions. Now I moved my book to America and it was cougars, or mountain lions, that saved her, but that's where that idea came from.

The original Hunters? Eh...that was all Tori. I wanted a heroine that was kick a$$ but not so stupidly independent she'd cut off her nose to spite her face. Those sort of heroines really annoy me. So there was Tori, and then there was Declan and then there was the book. The rest just sort of came naturally after that.

Other ideas came from various places... fairy tales, or I'll be talking with a friend, and there it is. So I don't have a simple answer for that.

Do you plot out your books? I hate answering this one. I always feel like a moron. Nope, I don't plot out until after I've started the book, and usually the plot just unfolds for me as I write it.

Where should I try to sell my book? Oh, boy. That's a tricky one. Depends on what sort of book, how long, too many factors, and that's another question i hate.

How did you get published? Another one that I kind of scratch my head over. Often... it feels like pure dumb luck. I had a book that was rejected by Harlequin. That form letter so many of us have seen, not what we're looking for...yadda yadda yadda... My personal opinion~eh, it was perfect for them, however I wasn't going to sweat it. That was about the time I'd found EC and I decided I'd just revamp the book and try it there. And that's that as far as my ebook history goes. I've sold more than thirty various books, novellas and short stories to places like EC, Triskelion, and Samhain.

New York career, eh... a little different. Boils down to a couple of people mentioned my name to Cindy Hwang at Berkley and she looked me up, read a few things, and liked them. So I got the infamous call. I didn't really do anything~so pure dumb luck on my part.

There's other questions, like I need an agent. Will you read my book? Do you do critiques? Frankly, I wish I could help but I can't. You can find a lot of these resources through RWA. I don't have time to read for pleasure hardly, and I suck when it comes to technical advice, so I'm not a good person to ask.

It's really very mind boggling to keep getting these emails~scary, yet at the same time, feels kinda cool. But I seriously suck at advice...

Character Qualities

What hero qualities do you look for when you read a romance? Let's go a little further, what qualities do you like to see in your heroine?

I love the alpha hero, but the kind who has a vulnerability. When I read a romance I want to live vicariously through the heroine.

What was the first romance that hooked you? What are a few on your keeper shelves?
Sweet Savage Love by Rosemary Rodgers and I was hooked. Johanna Lindsey, Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, Lori Foster.....

What really fabulous romance did you finish last year that you really enjoyed and why. Ulterior motives. I want to add to my mountain of a TBR pile LOL! Believe it or not, I read my first Susan Elizabeth Philips last year for the first time and WOW!

Everyone who answers will have their name put in a hat/can/Wal-Mart bag or whatever else is handy and I'll draw a winner for a copy of one of my avaivable books--winners choice.
Karen

Pets

Pets!

I read about that fifty-thousand-dollar dog that escaped from the airport and it got me thinking. Pets are the best thing ever and they sure don’t have to cost 50K to make them special!

We have two cats, both intended for our kids and somehow wound up with my dh and me. I guess that means we have grand-pets. Our cats don’t do much, no neat pet tricks. Pixel brought me a live mouse once but since that sent me screaming and climbing on top of my computer desk I won’t classify it as a trick...except by me.

My agent has ten dogs, all little ones. She’s starting to buy pets for her pets. When my brother’s dog passed he had a coffin made. My cousin buried her dog in a pet cemetery complete with headstone. I sent a card. When my cat dies a bit of me will die too.

I love pets in books, add them whenever possible and they always play a part in saving the day.

So two questions.
Have any of your pets done anything remarkable?
And using the link below tell me what kind of dog you really are.

I’m a cocker spaniel!

Ruff!
Dianne


http://quiz.ivillage.co.uk/uk_astrology/tests/dogs.htm

Would you, could you...have you?

A few weeks ago I did something I had never done before....I went into Hustler Hollywood (an adult toy store). I had been wanting to do this for a while after my editor said that I needed to spice up my love scenes that were "too conventional". Well.... since conventional was all that I know, I decided that I needed to broaden my horisons so to speak and I convinced my husband that I needed to take a look around in one of *those* shops to see what was out there...

He was appalled (but I could tell he was curious) and cracked me up when he made us both wear baseball caps because he was convinced that someone would see us. I, in turn, convinced him that we wouldn't see anyone we knew in an adult store in downtown Cincinnati and I bravely said "who cares?" if we did?(of course you know where this is going).

So, there we were looking at props and toys, lotions and potions with our caps pulled low over our foreheads. I was in a constant state of giggling and my husband was in a constant fear of being discovered but after a while we both relaxed and started having fun. So, I'm looking a pretty realistic rubber replica of a male body part and commenting to my husband on "geez what would you do with all of that?" when...you guessed it...I saw someone that I knew. ( I was suddenly secretly glad for the ballcap) Of course my husband has at this point forgotten all about his fear of discovery so I have to yank him away from the display and whisper in his ear who I saw. This was a woman was the head of an organization that we had belonged to when our children were younger and I have to admit that I was a bit (okay a lot) shocked to see her in the store. Now under normal circumatances we would have marched over and said, "Hey how have you been? So nice to run into you...." and so on, but instead we hovered in the corner of the store pretending rapt interest in various massage oils until she left.

So my question is: should we have been embarrassed? She hadn't appeared so and seemed to know her way around. As a matter of fact, most of the partons in the store were couples and while there were things on display with a huge "ew" factor, there were plenty of fun things too...chocolate body paint, flavored lotions, scented candles... things that were sexy and would spice things up a bit and were harmless fun. So...

Would you, could you...have you gone in an adult store? If you saw someone you knew would you greet them or hover in the corner like we did?

Let me know your thoughts ;-)

Valentine's Day Gifts

Tomorrow is the big day, and I'm here to tell you that it's not just for lovers. As a public school teacher for 15 years, I enjoyed a host of Valentine parties and gifts... not only from children, but from parents and other teacher friends. I think the day should be about "Love" in all its forms. One of my most treasured "gifts" is a heart-shaped red rhinestone pin my grandmother gave me when I was 13 or 14. It has an arrow through the middle, and I love bringing it out of the jewelry box once a year. I fully intended to wear it to the Reader Appreciation Day in Cincinnati on Saturday, but forgot to put it in the suitcase. :( The picture on this blog is another of my "old" and treasured Valentine's Day gifts. My dh and I started dating during our senior year in high school. This little guy is the stuffed animal Charlie gave me on our first February 14. I keep it in a glass-fronted barrister bookcase that has lots of my romance novels. You can probably see that the paint on his eye is scratched and his original white fur has the patina of age. I hope some of you will share stories of a "special" gift you received in years past. And remember - tomorrow is a day for love... make sure to tell all those special people in your life how much they mean to you. And I'll say it now to all of you - "Thank You" for reading and loving romance and for being such great online friends! Janice

The sexy geek...

Isn't this cover to die for? This guy looks exactly as I picture Hotwire, the hero for and ABLE. He's a super sexy computer geek/ex-mercenary. Is that an oxymoron for you?

I admit I'm biased. I married an uber sexy geek so I see the breed as hero material for sure, but what about the rest of you? Can you go for a hero who can program a super computer, but isn't sure how to tell if he's in love? Do you think a guy who can go on for hours about the new theory for warp drive space travel but has a hard time saying, "I love you," can be sexy? What about the man who has more geek gadgets than Inspector Gadget, but has never touched a vibrating massager? Can he be your idea of a man who can make the heroine melt into a puddle of passion...or at least certain parts of her anatomy?

I love the super geeky, super sexy hero, but what about you? I'm starting a new series for Brava...and I'm thinking there are definitely going to be a hero or two who are as competent with the computer as they are in hand to hand combat...is that a good thing, or does it totally turn you off?

Let me know what you think...

Hugs,
Lucy

What do we owe our readers....

Okay... a troublemaker I know... *and love, admittedly...* is the inspiration behind today's blog.

Said troublemaker lives in Australia. Said troublemaker loves to read. I've gained a number of readers just from her recommendations alone. When you've picked up a LOT of new ebook readers and print readers all from the recommendation of one reader, you realize just how much one reader can affect things.

And she's not alone. There are readers of mine like her in Canada, England, Italy, the Dominican Republic, and Singapore, just to name a few. And most of them buy print books, which means they pay a pretty penny. They all talk about the authors they like. The more they talk, the more others might buy. Okay, not might... do buy.

This is one of the reasons why I appreciate readers from across the globe. You read my books, you buy my books, I love you and you can enter whatever contests I have. And it's even cooler when I get an email, well, so and so said I should try you...and this person is from Singapore, or Italy, or other places that I can't type without misspelling, so I won't try... *G*

But the reason for today's entry was the author who sparked the uh... hmmm... discussion.

Author stated...(and I'm paraphrasing...I'm not linking to the blog, because frankly, I don't want to give her the clicks...it got a little rude) "I don't see why some reader from out of the country thinks I owe her anything more than a thank you."

Okay, somebody opens a door for me~I say thanks. Somebody lets me cut into the flow of traffic without waiting ten years~I wave thanks.

Yes, I'm very grateful to my readers. Now I'm not about to open a vein in gratitude, and they cannot have my first born, my second born, or my soon to be third... But they should get a little more than a simple thank you. I'm not saying they should all get a free book, or you should fly them to the moon. But they deserve a bit more than the same thing you say to somebody who said bless you when you sneeze.

I write for a living. I get to stay home and actually see my kids and play with them, instead of hitting the PC to pound out one more chapter when I get home from work. That right there is worth more than a simple gee, thanks.

But more...readers see something in my writing. They shell out their hard earned dollars, and whether they loved the book or hated it, they still thought it was worth their time, and for that, I think they deserve more than a simple thank you.

They deserve our respect. Even if all they do is look at the book and think about buying it, I think that deserves respect.

Regardless of whether or not you think it's worth it to send books overseas, you owe readers in general some courtesy. Dragging something out into the very public world of blogging when a reader was simply expressing her opinion and displeasure...eh, it's kind of tacky. It showed a complete lack of respect for her opinion, and basically, for her.

It's even worse when you cut off commentary the second it seems that others might agree with her, or they can at least see this reader's side.

Good Morning!

Okay, how many just looked at their watch or a clock to see if it was still morning? I know I'm running behind today. I had to hurry and get my page quota for the day so I could do something really important like drag my husband shopping. Okay, maybe it's not THAT important---I just want to get out of the house and go shopping.

I often wonder if other husbands or boyfriends go shopping with their significant others. Karl does really good unless we go to the mall. Then his eyes glaze over and he looks like he's off in his own little world. Are there Mall phermones to put men into a Zombie like state so they don't care how much their companion spends?

So tell me---inquiring minds want to know---does your spouse/boyfriend (or both if this be the case)go shopping with you?
Karen Kelley

Baby Blog Winner

Phoenix was the winner of the baby blog contest, but I haven't heard from her yet. Anyone know her? She needs to e-mail me at JESM13@aol.com with her address etc.

Super Bowl Commercials

Okay, it’s Super Bowl Sunday!
Yippeeeeeeeee!

Not for football--I honestly don’t know which teams are playing or where they're playing--but this is the day for the best commercials on TV. At 230 million for a thirty-second ad you get the best creative minds out there.
I still remember the frogs and the beer commercial.
And this year there’s Fabio. I love Fabio, mostly because he’s really a nice guy. This really counts in the hero department.

So watch the commercials...if you have to watch the game that’s up to you. And tell us what you think. And if you go to a Super Party and find a new yummy dish share that too.

Have fun.
Dianne
DianneCastell.com