And the winner is....

Stacy!

Stacy's posted started out...

Hey Rachelle! Great interview :)God I wish I personally knew some sexy guys LOL.
Good luck with the contest.

Stacy, email me at shilohwalker@gmail.com so we can get you in touch with Rachelle for your prize.

More interviews coming up...We've talked with Meljean Brook, Dionne Galace (the infamous Bam for all you blog hoppers out there) and more.

Thank you!

Author Interview...Rachelle Chase & a contest!

V&S: What did you think of your first RT?

Rachelle Chase: It was an awesome experience! I got to hang out with a lot of great authors, including one of my favorites, Robin Schone, as well as fellow SECRETS author, Calista Fox. Plus I met lots of wonderful readers, new authors, and got some great photos with the cover models.

And speaking of the models, I’ve just launched the SEX LOUNGE Finding Derek CONTEST (www.FindingDerek.com), which seeks the American male who most resembles the hero in my new erotic romance, SEX LOUNGE. So I’m hoping some of the models I met, as well as other hunky guys, will participate. So if you know any sexy guys, please send them over – or stop by, yourself, to enter to be a judge!

I needed a week to recover from RT when I got back home but I can’t wait for the next one …


V&S: Can you tell me about the Dreams & Desires anthology from Freya’s Bower?

Rachelle Chase: Dreams & Desires is an awesome anthology featuring short stories by Jenna Bayley-Burke, Faith Bicknell-Brown, Amanda Brice, Sela Carsen, Gemma Halliday, Candace Havens, Zinnia Hope, Jackie Kessler, Susan Lyons, Richelle Mead, Debbie Mumford, Rhonda Stapleton, Bebe Thomas, Emily Veinglory, Sasha White, Lois Winston, Shaunna Wolf, Kit Wylde, and myself.

The stories range from sweet to spicy. My story, “Romance For One,” about a woman dining alone at a restaurant who gets a pleasant – but unexpected – surprise, is in the spicy category. But here’s the best part: None of us, including the publisher, profit from the book. All proceeds from the book go to a battered women’s shelter in Florida!

V&S: I saw on your site that you’re going to be a guest author at the online Romance Writing Book Group @ BN.com. What’s this group about…who can come?

Rachelle Chase: Author Leigh Michaels hosts the book club. In her words, here are the details:

“The BN romance writing bookclub is open to everyone with an interest in romance novels – writers and readers. You can visit the site to get the gist of what’s going on, then register (all you need is an email address and a password, and it takes about 60 seconds to sign up) and then you can post and ask questions. Since the previous discussions remain on the site, new people can jump right in where we are, or go back through the previous discussions in whatever order they like. We encourage posting writing assignments and/or very short sections of a manuscript for reader feedback.

The book club has been operating since January, and every two weeks we focus on a different subject (but previous discussions remain on the site). So far we’ve talked about heroes and heroines, secondary characters, conflict, plotting, point of view, and dialogue. Right now we’re spending a couple of weeks with author Jenny Haddon, the president of the Romantic Novelists Association (the UK equivalent of RWA). She writes romance as Sophie Weston and has also written a new guide to punctuation, so we’re talking about mechanics right now.”

May 15, 2007 – May 28, 2007, I’ll be the guest and the subject will be love scenes and sensual tension. It should be great fun, so I hope everyone will join us!

V&S: If you could be any one of your characters, which one would you choose?

Rachelle Chase: Hmmm. I don’t think I’d actually want to be any of my characters, as they are all so very different from me but I think one of the ones I had a lot of fun creating was Nichole Simms in SEX LOUNGE. To take her from passively recording her sexual fantasies in a notebook about a sexy client named Derek to actively acting them out with him, once he finds the notebook, all the while keeping it believable and emotional and, eventually, leading to love … well, that was a challenge for me. One I totally enjoyed.


V&S: Can you give the readers an idea of what kind of stories you write?

Rachelle Chase: I was joking with a fellow writer the other day and said “I write Inspirational Erotic Romance” because, while my stories have very explicit sex and are very hot, I think they are tame in comparison to others out there. Meaning, I do not use exotic sexual positions, ménages, BDSM, polyamory, etc. There are many authors who can do this well, but I am not one of them.

Instead, I take everyday people who somehow find themselves in erotic situations. Like, Bobbie, in SIN CLUB, who thinks she’s doing a striptease for her boyfriend, only to discover it’s her neighbor she’s beckoned to her bed. Or Sharice, also in SIN CLUB, who thinks she’s called a guy she met outside a club, only to discover much later she’d misdialed.

Then, I mix in control issues and lots of internal conflict over what my characters thought they wanted vs. what they got, and weave in the external plot, all the while keeping the sexual tension high and consistent throughout the book.

That’s what I think a reader can expect when they pick up a Rachelle Chase book.

Shiloh, Vamps & Scamps, thanks so much for having me on your blog!

Thank YOU Rachelle!

FYI...Rachelle will be giving away a copy of Sex Lounge to somebody in the comments... so if you have questions or comments, post away. I'll draw a winner sometime in the next few days.

Good Morning!

I'm going to Scarborough Faire Sunday in McKinney, Texas. If you've never been to a Renaissance Faire and love that time period then you've been missing out. I love feeling as though I'm stepping back in time and all the little shops. Plus, I need a day away from the computer! And if there's shopping involved, even better.

My signing check will be here this week. Yea! My credit card companies are going to hate me. I have an evil plan in the works. I'm going to pay them off this year, then get rid of all but two. I figured up what I pay in interest alone and I was shocked. I could almost make my monthly car payment for what I pay. That's terrible! So that's a new goal of mine.

I have a lot of goals. I lost thirty pounds and started feeling sassy and skinny! Oh, yeah! I'm one hot mama!!! Well, I was starting to think I was. Then my wonderful son and future d-i-l send me a dozen roses for mother's day (and a box of candy!). I got all dressed up in a new black and white polkadot skirt and top and had Karl take my picture. In one, I sat in an antique red velvet chair, held the vase of flowers, and looked down upon them. A true Southern Belle.

Then Karl downloaded the pictures.

I looked like a huge banquet table draped in a polkadot tablecloth with flowers in the center. OHMYGOD!!! I deleted all the sitting down pictures. My sassy, hot mama feeling went out the window. I realized just because I felt better, I couldn't slack up on watching what I eat and exercising. I still need to lose 100 pounds. My other goal.

I got my new title for my Feb. 2008 release. This is the second in my alien series. Another romantic comedy. It was titled The XXX Files. I was afraid it was a little too "hot" for marketing when I was told they were going to change it. So my editor calls me and says she has the new title. Drum roll~~~Cosmic Sex~~~ I almost fell out of my chair laughing. I do write hot love scenes so it fits.

But can you see me (I live in the Bible belt) at a signing and they announce it over the loudspeaker: Karen Kelley will be signing her new release, Cosmic Sex. That should prove interesting.

Okay, I have a book due next month so I'm off to immerse myself in a make-believe world. Oh, wait, I'm already there!

Hugs,
Karen Kelley
Available Now!!! Close Encounters of the Sexy Kind/Brava
Romantic Times 4 1/2 Stars Top Pick!
09/07 Double Dating With The Dead/Brava
09/07 The Morgue The Merrier anth/Zebra
10/07 I'm Your Santa anth/Brava
www.authorkarenkelley.com

Moms who Read

Okay, this is a day late as I couldn't get into blogger. My brain is mush! :-) Humm...wonder who taught James here how to read?? And look what he's reading. :-)

It’s Mother’s Day and we all owe our mom’s a ton for everything they’ve done for us. Some mom’s are better then others, of course, but all have some good qualities. And, I’m just willing but bet, since you all are here reading this, that your mom promoted reading in some way or another. You saw her read and you picked it up.

There are all kinds of reading. I never saw my mom read a book in her life, but she did read the newspaper front to back and memorized the stock market page...not that we ever had any stock. I ended up working in the market and have always, always read the newspaper.

As for me as a mom I didn’t read books a lot when the kids were little...didn’t have the time with four little ones running around the house. But then they got a bit older and I found a time. In fact, it was my oldest daughter, Emily, who got me reading romances. At thirteen she tossed me a dog-eared Harlequin and said read this. I can still remember it, Hard Bargain. Steamy stuff. Then she told me it had been passes around the eighth grade class as a “supplement” to their sex-ed class.

But the point is, my kids have always seen me reading something and since I was a teacher I taught them to read. Seemed much too important a task to leave to a teacher who may or may not be any good at this.

So, the question today is... What did/does your mother read? What do you remember seeing her read? And do you read the same thing? Is she the one who got you reading romance?

Have a great day and if you are lucky enough to still have you mom around, I’m jealous.

Hugs, Dianne

High on the Hog in Houston!

As promised, today's blog is a recap of my week at the Romantic Times Booklover's Convention in Houston April 23-29. (For those of you wondering - Romantic Times is a magazine that does monthly reviews of ALL romance novels as well as romantic suspense, mystery, etc.).

I flew out on Monday and stayed for a couple of nights with friends. Got an insider's tour of Houston, including a peek at Beyonce's recording studio. My hosts took me to several fun restaurants inlcuding one in Galveston where we had blackened redfish topped with a crawfish cream sauce. Yum!

Tuesday I dashed over to do a workshop on plotting for the aspiring writers' workshop which is an official "pre-conference" event. Wednesday afternoon I checked into the Hyatt downtown along with my rooomie LuAnn McLane. And from then on out it was go/go/go from morning until midnight!

Wednesday early evening there was a welcome reception with chips and salsa. Late evening, Ellora's Cave ramped up the festivities with a party that included chocolate fondue and our first glimpse of the Ellora's Cavemen, all of whom are buff and cute and funny. Some of them competed later in the week in the Mr. Romance cover pageant. Harlequin organizeded it last year, and the winner got a modeling contract to do a book cover. This year Dorchester Publishing is the sponsor.

Thursday was a full day... the Vamps and Scamps (Karen Kelley, Dianne Castell, Janice Maynard, Erin McCarthy, LuAnn McLane, and Kathy Love) stuffed one hundred cloth tote bags for the bookseller's event we hosted Friday night. (We were sorry that Toni, Rosemary and Shiloh couldn't come this year!) Erin and Kathy led an 80's trivia workshop. We also went to a luncheon and later that night the dinner and fairy ball. Dressing up is optional... the crowd is about 50/50 on that point. Our own Miss LuAnn was sporting a pair of wings.

Friday morning the six of us presented a well-attended workshop for readers called "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy". Lots of laughter and high jinks. Dianne (aka Miss Kitty) was our moderator. We played games, snickered over LuAnn's inflatable bull riding costume, and even though we couldn't get Fabio, we had a surprise appearance by "Bobio" - "half the man for a quarter of the price". :)

That evening was Heather Graham's Wild Wild West play, dinner and dance... the six of us Scamps had to slip out to go get ready for our Midnight Temptations event for booksellers. Kathryn Falk herself dropped by along with others. We had goodies to eat and drink, door prizes, and of course, our chock-full goody bags to hand out. We did a sort of gypsy theme... I was wearing red lipstick, and when I did the red-eye adjustment on my camera, it made my lips black!! Not sure how to "undo" that odd effect!! Got in bed at 2AM Central that night. Yawn. Here's hoping that RT gives us an earlier time slot next year, although everyone seemed to enjoy it!

Saturday is the huge book signing open to the public. I was sitting by Liz Maverick, as often happens with ABC order. :)

After the signing we grabbed a quick late lunch and put our feet up for a few minutes before the Mr. Romance Cover Model pageant at 5PM. It was a hoot... eight contestants, including one sort of honorary guy... his wife is a romance writer and he is leaving this week for his 5th deployment to Iraq.

The winner this year was Jason Santiago... and I just happened to snap a picture of him holding a copy of PLAY WITH ME at the booksigning earlier that day!

During part of the pageant, the men came out dressed as various Dorchester historical heroes. Travis Greiman, a crowd favorite, was dressed as a Scottish highlander. Two female volunteers, one of whom was the lovely Anna DeStefano, posed as models with the guys for some fictitious contemporary vignettes.

Toward the end, the military guy came out in full dress uniform carrying a bag. Anna was standing at the edge of the stage... she turns... they see each other... he drops his bag... and they run into each other's arms as he returns from the war. Not a dry eye in the house, including the female emcee who had to be handed a jumbo box of kleenex.

It was a great event. Ended about seven... back to the room to freshen up, and then on to the Dorchester party at nine. This Saturday night party is always more casual and laid back. The eats were fresh fruit, warm pretzels, and popcorn. The DJ played rock and roll all night, and our bunch of women had a blast dancing the night away.

We snagged one of the pageant contestants, Christopher - a real sweetie, to pose for a picture with us.

Sunday morning it was off to the airport...

It was great to see Danny from Germany (Hi! Danny), Billie Jo Case and her sister Yvonne (see pic above), and so many other friends.

This was only my second RT, but like last year, I thought it was great fun. Even the most shy of women can find friends to hang out with, and the freebies (including tons of books) are super!

Looking forward to seeing some of you next year in Pittsburgh.

'Til then
Janice (aka your roving reporter)

RT

I got home from RT Sunday afternoon. I kept dozing on the plane. The embarrassing kind of dozing where your head falls forward and you jerk it back up, but staying up for the Dorchester party was sooooo worth it. They know how to put on a party!!!!

I love RT. I always feel like it's a bonding of women. There are no lines separating authors from readers when you're on the dance floor. RT is exactly as it says--a celebration of women (and men) coming together to celebrate the romance genre.

The cover models aren't bad, either. YES! I admit it---I drooled along with everyone else!!! And yes, I danced with Chris and had my picture taken with Travis and....okay, we won't talk about that other little incident LOL

One of the highlights of RT for me is seeing old friends. Yeah, we talk on line but it isn't the same as laughing your butt off with Billie Jo and her sister, Yvonne. Or Danny with her chocolate bar she gives me every year. German chocolate is soooo good! And all the new faces! New friends!

I debated on going next year--but after the first day, I knew I'd be at RT in 2008. I hope to see you there!
Hugs,
Karen Kelley
Available Now!!! Close Encounters of the Sexy Kind/Brava
Romantic Times 4 1/2 Stars Top Pick!
09/07 Double Dating With The Dead/Brava
09/07 The Morgue The Merrier anth/Zebra
10/07 I'm Your Santa anth/Brava
www.authorkarenkelley.com

New Release this week... Always Yours

Over at Samhain Publishing...

For those who read it when it was at Triskelion, this version hasbeen revised a lot, expanded some. Basically, I cleaned the book up.

For those who read it when it was at Triskelion, this version has
been revised a lot, expanded some. Basically, I cleaned the book up.



Dylan was having sweet dreams.


Very sweet dreams.


There had been one time…only once, but it had been close enough for
him to pretend there was something in Kris's eyes beside aloofness.


And now…he was dreaming of that time, at a picnic, Labor Day weekend,
at Nikki's cabin, when it started pouring down rain and they were
caught under the trees by the lake, waiting for the rain to let up.


Either that or make a dash for it.


Her eyes had met his and lingered…just for a minute, before drifting
down to his chest, wet from the rain, and he had been studying the
front of her T-shirt. "I didn't know rich girls wore T-shirts," he
drawled.


"Well, I gave the maid a few days off and I haven't done laundry,
slick," she said, lifting a brow at him before returning her gaze
back to the rain and sighing, a movement that made that miraculous
chest rise and fall, drawing his attention to her hard, pebbled
little nipples.


"Gasp…you know the `L' word?"


"Bite me," she said, rolling her eyes.


He surprised her when he crossed the grass and asked softly, "Can I?
Where?"


Her lids flickered and he watched as her tongue slid out, wetting her
lips. "It's a saying, babe. You know, a sarcastic one, basically
telling you to—"


The rest of her words were muffled against his mouth as he lowered
his head and pressed his lips against her petal soft mouth, very
curious to see how she would taste. Damn, he'd been dying for a
taste for years. And the heat and the sun and a couple of beers,
watching her all day was enough to weaken his resolve.


And that was where the dream differed from reality. In his bed,
Dylan rolled onto his back, his hand resting on his belly, while in
his dream, his hands came in framed her face, holding her still. In
reality, her lips had parted under his for a second, one sweet, brief
second…and then the moment had been ruined as thunder cracked and the
wind started to whip around them.


But in his dream…he backed her up against the tree and he never even
questioned how it somehow became a bed. Or how her jean shorts and
damp shirt were replaced by black silk. Clichéd, maybe, but there
was something about a long, slim woman wearing black silk.


Just as he was peeling the black silk off of her…her lips parted—
ringing erupted from them.


His eyes flew open on a vicious curse and Dylan jackknifed out of
bed, wide-awake and hornier than hell. He grabbed the pager and
stared at the unknown number. Unknown, no emergency code, so he
tossed the pager down and rolled over, going back to sleep.


And it had actually been a sweet dream, almost—it almost felt real.
One day, he'd love to have that kiss followed by something more than
his dreams.

Just a reminder about winning...

prizes here.

you have to email me...if you don't email me, you can't claim your prize. Hint hint...

shilohwalker@gmail.com

And we have winners....

Thanks to everybody who came and played yesterday!

Lynn graciously offered three prizes~she's giving away three sets of the Darkyn series, signed. I've drawn the winners and it looks like one or two of the names are new to her books (goodie, more converts). Congrats to the winners and I hope you enjoy!

The winners are....

Lisa F. who said...

I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but I have not read your books.

Stacy who said...

Not to give her any more credit *g* but I "discovered" you because of Shi

and last but not least...

Lis who said...

Enjoyed the interview. What's the most gratifying thing about writing for you?

Ladies, if you can email me, (shilohwalker@gmail.com) I'll get you in touch with Lynn about your prize. Thanks again to everybody who dropped by. Some excellent questions and thanks to Lynn for doing the interview and hanging out with us!

Author Interview.... Lynn Viehl

Just so you all know, Lynn Viehl/PBW is going to try to stop by the blog today, so if you have questions, shout them out. I do believe the word contest was even mentioned. So if you all stay quiet, maybe I can get the prize... *G* Okay, okay. Ask away, I'll make the sacrafice and not try to steal the prize.

Going to be hard though.

For those who don't know, I'm a total PBW junkie, whether it's her blog, the Stardoc books that she writes under her pen name SL Viehl or the Darkyn vampires she writes as Lynn Viehl or the romantic suspenses of Jessica Hall or Gena Hale. So not be able to win one of the prizes she's giving away is going to be so hard on me. Sniff.

Onto the interview.... ;o) As always, readers from the Scamps and Vamps yahoo list sent in the questions and I picked out the most interesting. If you have other questions, feel free to ask! Contest winners are selected from those participating in the discussions...

V&S: Is there any story that you wish you hadn’t written? Is there any story that someone else wrote that you wish you’d thought of first?

Lynn Viehl: I’ve learned something from every story I’ve written, even the ones that are so lame they need crutches, so I’m pretty happy with my inventory. I wish I’d written the Bible; just imagine the royalties.

V&S: In your stardoc series which shiloh turned me on to btw what is your most unusual alien? Describe it to everyone just in case they've not read this fabulous series.

Lynn Viehl: I think the most unusual aliens from the StarDoc novels are the Jxin. They were humanoid shape-shifters who evolved into energy-based lifeforms. At this point in StarDoc’s timeline, the Jxin no longer exist in corporeal form or occupy reality. The Jxin can still communicate through the cerebral subliminal implants they left behind in Cherijo and certain other individuals from species they helped found. Maggie, Cherijo’s surrogate mother, was a Jxin.

V&S: What first made you blog? Why have you continued to do it for so many years?

Lynn Viehl: I’ve been keeping handwritten daily journals since 1974, and blogging immediately appealed to me as a way to cope with the growing handicaps brought on by my arthritis (I have to use voice recognition software to write now.) I’ve also been teaching writing to children in public schools for many years, and I thought I might be able to do something similar for writers of all ages via the Internet. I’m able to give something back to the writing community by blogging, which is the main reason I think I keep doing it – to pay it forward.

V&S: What is one thing that your readers would be surprised to hear about you?

Lynn Viehl: Actor Johnny Depp and I grew up about four blocks away from each other in south Florida, and we went to the same high school. I eventually married his next door neighbor’s brother. You should have seen my face the first time I watched 21 Jump Street.

V&S: Who are your fave Sci - fi Authors and have you met any of them?

Lynn Viehl: A.M. Lightner, who wrote YA science fiction back in the sixties and seventies. She passed away quite a few years ago, so I never had the privilege to meet her.

V&S: If you where given the chance would you travel into SPACE?

Lynn Viehl: Only if NASA didn’t build, launch or guide the vehicle involved.

V&S: Where do you get your ideas from?

Lynn Viehl: There’s a great little writing idea shop in town . . . I’m kidding. All sorts of things inspire me: music, art, life, history, dreams, nature and general curiosity about all of it.

V&S: How difficult is it for you to write Sci- fi books?

Lynn Viehl: SF is probably the easiest genre for me to write in because my stories take place in a universe of my own creation. I’m able to build almost everything in the novels from scratch. That gives me a huge amount of creative freedom, which is wonderful.

Thanks so much for doing the interview, Lynn. If anybody has any questions or comments... now's the time!

Interview with Lynn Viehl will be Tuesday!

April 24th. I'll be posting the answers to the questions that readers in the group asked. Also, Lynn Viehl will be dropping in to answer questions and as I mentioned before, she's going to have contests. ;o) We like contests, right?

Well, I'd like them more if I could win them.

Ah well. Make sure you drop by!

Interview with Lynn Viehl coming up!

Folks, I'm trying really hard not to do a fan-girl squee here. I don't do fan-girl, and I certainly don't squee. However, there are two authors who could bring me to such actions...and one of them is Lynn Viehl. Oh, what's the point... let's get it over with.... SSSSQQQUUUUUEEEEE!!! There. It's out of my system. I'm better now.

Ahem. As I was saying, one of the authors is Lynn Viehl, aka SL Viehl, aka PBW. I've only mentioned PBW on the blog in, oh say.... ten, maybe twenty, no more than thirty posts, I promise. SQE--oops. Sorry. I can't help it. I just love her books.

Again...as I was saying, I've mentioned her here before and I finally decided to ask if she'd do an interview. She said Yes. (Color me happy, here) Annnnndddd.... she's doing contests. We'll be doing it one day next week so for those who aren't hitting RT, don't worry. There's going to be something going on here, cuz I'm not going. It's hard to juggle a weeklong trip when you have an infant and two young kids. Too expensive for all of us, and I won't leave my family for that long.

Then there was also the issue of I didn't know if I'd meet my deadline. (I did, yes! Hey, I think I deserve a prize for not just meeting, but beating the deadline) Stop laughing. Those of you who know me know that there's little I won't use to try and weasle my way into getting books early.

I'll post ahead of time when we'll be doing the interview, but it will be next week. For paranormal and romance readers, she's got an excellent vampire series, the Darkyn books. Sci fi readers, (and yes, romance readers would love it too) she has the Stardoc books. And for aspiring authors, she's got excellent advice.

Congrats to PBW, by the way. (and me, cuz I get more books) She just sold two more Stardoc books. Making me, okay, so she didn't write them for me, but still... making me and others very very happy.

Books into Movies...

I love movies but am usually disappointed when they make a movie from a book. I get that they can’t include everything in the move but sometimes they do such a horrid job. Who did they get to do the screen adaptation??

One of my favorite books is French Silk by Sandra Brown. Love, love, love that book. Then they made a TV show from it and it was just plain horrid! The fact that they let Susan Luci play the lead was the first mistake. Then they way over-simplified the plot and completely ruined the book. Never mind the sex scenes that seemed to be thrown in as an after-thought.

I know several of Nora’s book are on cable TV and everyone seems to be happy with the job done there and there are some books that are actually better movies as books. IMO, Hunt for Red October was such a movie as was The Client and The Firm. It think Clancy wrote those with his eye on getting them made into a movie. Smart guy!

So, the question is, is there a fav book you’d like to see into a move? Any suggestions on who’d play the hero or heroine? I’d love to have my O’Fallon series as a move, and not just because of the money but I love the Mississippi River setting and the mystery. I’m sure this will never happen but I can dream, can’t I. J

Hugs, Dianne

(Insert musical score from White Christmas) Snow, snow, snow, snow, snow!

Well, curiouser and curiouser... after a tantalizing taste of Spring, we here in the south were plunged back into an unexpected bit of winter. It was snowing when we went to bed Friday night... woke up to a decent dusting. I scooted outside to take a few pictures before we loaded up the car and headed south for some family time during Easter weekend. Went on a very COLD egg hunt that afternoon. Had a nice day Sunday with church, lunch, and watching the little ones play with their Easter basket stuff.

I seem to be living with my suitcase packed these days. Got back from NYC Tuesday night the 3rd, slept in my own bed for four nights and then gone again. Which makes it hard to get any work done, that's for sure. I had copy edits on one book and revisions on another book waiting on me when I returned from the trip to the Big Apple.

New York was wonderful as always. We were there before the "big chill", so we had cool days, but not cold ones. And plenty of sunshine.

Anybody have big travel plans for this summer? I will have been gone so much for the first half of the year that except for Lori's thing in June, my summer actually looks pretty calm. I'm still debating going to RWA in Dallas, but leaning toward no.

So how about the rest of you? Any cruises, car trips, flights to exotic places??? Spill the details!

Janice Maynard

Interview with Alison Kent

Today's interview is with Alison Kent and as always, the questions were ones I collected from readers.

V&S: What type of research did you have to do for your SG-5 series?

AK: That would depend on each book. For The Bane Affair, I did a lot of research into upstate New York, and had a reader tell me that she lived in the area and felt as if she was reading about her home turf. That was nice. I did the same for The Samms Agenda, learning about the Everglades and Miami.

For The Perfect Stranger, I had to figure helicopter speed, helicopter make/model, and flight time between the northern coast of South America to the U.S. I had maps of Mexico spread out while writing The McKenzie Artifact, and the same for West Texas when writing Larger Than Life. For LTL, I also read a lot about Warren Jeffs and his polygamous followers.

I also research weapons, and am lucky enough to have a source for computer information in both my husband and stepson. Sometimes it can be something as small as the abacus I put into the hands of the villain in The Bane Affair who also suffered from a disease I based on ALS. Once the research is done, I don’t mind taking literary license to fit the story!


V&S: Regarding the SG-5 series, are you sad to see the end of those Hunky guys? Are you going to do another similar series?

AK: I have 3 more books contracted with Brava, and 2 of those will be SG-5 related featuring Simon Baptiste and Finn McClain who both appeared in Deep Breath. After those two, I’m not sure if I’ll do a story for Gideon Martel (another operative who got screen time in Beyond a Shadow and was mentioned briefly in The Samms Agenda), or if I’ll do something new. I’ll figure that out (with the help of my editor) later this year!


V&S: As an avid (rabid?) fan, I'm wondering what role, if any, do your readers play in your writing? Do they motivate you? Drive you crazy? Do you remember comments they make about particular books and/or characters that inspire the molding or development of future books/characters?

AK: I love hearing from fans, but I can’t say I’ve changed anything or molded anything based on reader feedback. I did ask readers if they’d like to read about Finn or Simon next, but then since Simon’s story came to me first, I had to honor the muse! Still, I listen to all of the comments readers make, and probably at some subliminal level do stress the parts of the stories they’ve told me they like, and maybe back off on others!


V&S: What makes a scene sexy?

AK: The unknown. The tension. The waiting. I’ve read a couple of things lately that have just knocked my socks off and given me that bottom-dropped-out-of-the-stomach sensation. Love that!


V&S: What was the inspiration for the SG-5 series?

AK: Oh, the TV show Alias, totally! Fun adventure that’s so far out there it requires a huge suspension of disbelief. But that’s what’s so much fun, making it all about the characters even when the situations might seem implausible. My adventures are pure fantasy just as are vampires and werewolves!

V&S: What are you reading right now?

AK: I’m reading a Silhouette Desire by new author Tessa Radley. I’ll probably grab Holly Black’s Tithe next, then maybe Tami Hoag’s The Alibi Man. I read all over the place!

Thank you, Alison! Guys, Alison is going to drop by the blog at some point on Thursday, so if you have questions of your own...have at it!

Interview with Alison Kent coming up!

On thursday!

www.alisonkent.com

We'll be posting questions selected by readers from the ScampsVampsandSpicyRomance loop and Alison will also drop by and maybe answer some questions from the blogger.

:o) Hope to see you.

Shi
www.shilohwalker.com

What was I thinking????

Stop the world and let me off!!!! It's spinning around and around and I'm getting dizzy! LOL Have you ever been so busy that you met yourself going around a corner? It feels like that sometimes.

But it's been such a fun month! And it's barely started!!! I love when I have a new book coming out.

I'm chatting at Romance By The Blog tomorrow ( http://www.romancebytheblog.blogspot.com/ ). If you have time, stop by and say hi. Then tomorrow night I'm chatting at Fallen Angels at 8pm central http://www.fallenangelreviews.com/ and Thursday the vamps and scamps will be at Writer Space chatting. I don't have the URL for that.

I broke down and went to the eye doctor. Never , ever pick out frames after the exam. My pupils were dilated to 10 times their normal size. I had to rely on Karl and the young girl to tell me they looked great. What was I thinking???? I mean really, Karl will go to town wearing paint splattered jeans and his favorite shirt used to read: If I throw a stick will you go away? It's so old the letters are faded. When I mention this fact, he sniffs and tells me it smells okay. Sheesh!

I'm almost afraid to go pick up my glasses when they come in.

So, have you ever asked your husband/boyfriend for advice and then realized it wasn't the wisest thing to do? LOL I can't wait to read your answers!
Karen Kelley
Available Now!!! Close Encounters of the Sexy Kind/Brava
Romantic Times 4 1/2 Stars Top Pick!
www.authorkarenkelley.com

Very Strange Places...

for a love scene.

In all the books I’ve written I can count on one hand the love scenes done in a bed. It’s not that I don’t like bedroom love scenes but they are usually planned events and my h and h are usually in an I-got-to-have-you-now situation. So, they never quite make it to bed. J

But sometimes they are in really unlikely situations and want to get it on and the question I have is, when can they and when is it out of the question?

I read a book once where they did the deed on horseback. Wow, not that’s talent! And I hear of that mile-high club and wonder how two people can ever fit in that little bathroom. And I don’t know about you but I can barely fit in an airplane seat much less get someone else in there with me. Then there’s the privacy issue. Most planes are a circus. Except now with no food they’re a hungry circus.

I had the h and h do the horizontal hula with her on a newel post, in a pilot house of a tugboat, the woods, hayloft, boathouse and the most unusual a rowboat. That was fun!

So, in the books you’ve read where are some of the most unusual places for love scenes? And are there any scenes that you thought…there is no flipping way they can do it there!

Have a great Sunday!
Hugs, Dianne

Spring Cleaning

It’s time to simplify my life and clean out some closets… I have a ton of other author’s books that I’ve accumulated at conferences and never had a chance to read. So I’ve decided to make the pile smaller by giving away a prize pack of books to one random person who posts here Friday or Saturday. Why hoard them when someone else can enjoy them, right? This will be a nice big box of romance novels by various authors for the lucky winner.

To be entered in the drawing all you have to do is post and tell me why you love romance novels. Easy!

I love reading and writing romances because I want a happily ever after, darn it. There is enough misery in the world that sometimes when I read I just want to escape that. I also appreciate the hope they offer that in the end everything will be okay.

I absolutely believe in true love. I believe in second chances. I believe in redemption, and the ability to change and grow. And I believe that what you give out, you get back. Romance has all of that, and I love it.

Have a great Friday and thanks for dropping by!
Erin

This and that...

Spring has sprung! Yes, peeps, it is warm and sunny in east Tennessee today, and my yard is blooming all over. Found these two pretty flowers in a red wheelbarrow this weekend. :)

Busy times at our house... hubby and I are off to NYC this Thursday morning (returning next Tuesday). I'm attending a mini-conference Thursday through Saturday noon. The rest of the time my dh and I will be playing tourist in one of our favorite cities. I'll blog about it in a couple of weeks.

We're hoping to see a show, or maybe two. We love to try new restaurants, scope out special exhibits at the museums, and simply walk the streets and soak up the sights and sounds of the great city.

I'm looking forward to seeing my editor and my agent, plus will have a chance to meet some other editors as well. It will also be a chance to renew some old writer friendships and make some new ones.

Just for fun, I'll bring back an inexpensive New York City souvenir for some lucky winner. I'll draw a name at random from anyone who posts between now and tomorrow night. :)

Hope everyone has a wonderful Monday. Even boring chores are a bit nicer when the sun is shining and it is warm outside!

Until later,
Janice Maynard