It's amazing how quickly the year goes! This year has been a bit of a roller coaster for my family emotionally, so that's what comes to mind, but there have been many things I've accomplished in my writing life. Here's the short list:

It's that time of year. Auld Lang Syne and all. The rush of Christmas is over. A bit of nostalgia creeps in and we wonder where did the year go?

For many of us, 2010 wasn't as kind as former years. I can't say I'm sorry to see it go. In fact, I'm trying to sweep it swiftly off the calendar as I chase  dust bunnies from beneath the couch with my broom. The past is done and I won't dwaddle on how things could've been better. But, I will appreciate the accomplishments achieved and lessons learned along the way.

• I reconnected with my local RWA chapter (CFRWA). I can't express how wonderful it is to walk into a room filled with a group of people who get what it means to be a writer. 

• I created a blog website~ Kristal Lee Romances. Some days I praise the wisdom of that decision, some days I curse it. Because some days, there aren't enough hours in the day to attend to everything. 

• I joined the New Kids on the Block and have been honored to get to know them and follow their journeys as I trudge through my own.

•  I attended my first RWA conference. The opportunity came in the midst of personal chaos. But, with the hubster's encouragement and family support, I went. Definitely a scenic high point along the bumpy, curvy, slippery road that is and was the Year 2010.

• I joined The Season as a book reviewer. Although this crunches into my writing time, it's been time well spent. By reading more, especially my genre, has helped me improve my writing skills.

•  I participated in NaNoWriMo for the first time. I discovered how to set writing goals and keep them. As a result...

• I completed the first draft of Howlin' Hearts, a WIP that had been in production for nearly two years. And more good news, three other stories evolved during the process.  Zippidity-do-dah!!

Now, I've set my sights forward, looking expectantly at the empty book that is to become 2011. These are some of the things with which I hope to fill its pages.

• Live healthier. I want to make a conscious effort to eat better, exercise, and niche out some quality time for myself. All sadly lacking in 2010.
  
• Increase my circle of writer friends, online and in person, by participating in online classes and local workshops.
• Write a minimum of 500 words a day. Whether it's a blog post, a book review, or a few paragraphs on my WIP, I want to develop a daily habit of writing.
• Complete at least three (first draft) manuscripts.
• Revise and polish at least two manuscripts.
• Submit at least one ready-to-go manuscript to agents/editors. 

Notice that haven't set "getting a publishing contract" as a goal for the new year? Although, I really, really want to achieve publication, the reality is that having someone offer a contract is beyond my control. I don't want to establish goals dependent upon someone else's actions. All I can do is write the best I can and send it out into the world. How it's received is beyond my control.

So there you have it. My out with the old and in with the new. What's yours?


~kristal lee
 

Remeber Wilson? Oh, how I wish I had a Wilson. I could really use his off the wall advice right now. Of course I'd probably talk too much and never truly understand his sage, especially if it had anything to do with South American jungle dances and poisonous darts.

Well, let's pretend there is a fence between us. And I've royally screwed up in Tim fashion and you're Wilson.

I had high hopes for Christmas vacation. Since I homeschool my kiddos I always look forward to our breaks. It is during our breaks that I hope to get lots of writing done, especially during Christmas. But this year the first half of the break came and went. The second week is in full swing and I haven't even felt like I've had a break. I thought I'd have a chance to sit at my computer and get some work done, but I obviously overlooked a little detail.

It seems that in my absence on the computer over the last six weeks my kids have taken over. It seems everytime I walk into MY room to sit at MY computer there is a teenager in MY chair under the guise of doing something important. As I stomp away from my room in a great pout I often have this image of Bill Murray ridding the golf course of gophers. I haven't come up with the perfect solution yet. Any ideas would be very much appreciated. No poisonous darts, please.

I only have a few days left of this Christmas vacation. Our houseguests are currently looking for a place of their own (the looking should have started weeks ago). I love them, but six weeks is long enough. The sooner my kids and husband get their front room the sooner I get my office space back and the sooner I can get back to everything I've let drop. And here comes the weight on my shoulders, my time is so very limited that I've had no time for correspondence. I'm scared to death to open my email, my spam folder has got to be in the tens of thousands and Lord knows there are probably people out hunting my head for not taking care of my responsibilities. Apologies just never seem enough when balls have been dropped, so Wilson, now that (hopefully) life will be getting back to normal what would you do?

I'm hoping soon I can come up with some better thought out blogs on my writing process. I know I'd much rather write those then the oh-crap-it's Tuesday blogs. Yeah, I've had difficulty even knowing what day of the week it is for the past few weeks. I think I might have even forgotten what my name is. I told hubs one day last week that I felt like a speck of dust on a spirograph and everyone was orbitting around me just out of my reach. Now I feel like I need to take off in a sprint to try and catch up. :) I've even wondered if I should just stop all together, but the writer in me refuses to give up hope.

Thank you to everyone for being here and being wonderful!

Renee

And for the first time, I’m in the holiday mood. Now, don’t freak – I don’t have a six-foot scotch pine lighted in front of my living room window (next year…) and I haven’t made fudge, peanut brittle or even ribbon cookies. But I have mailed my cards, sent presents to my far away loved ones, and I’m off the day job until the first of the year. My Santa Claus collection is scattered around the living room and there are empty stockings to hang.

Add to all that, we’re living in our own home for the first time in four years. I hadn’t rented since I was in college up until our move to the Midwest. It’s good to be a homeowner, as long as the furnace keeps chugging away and the pipes don’t freeze.

Unpacking the Christmas ornaments to find just the right ones for my 2.5 quart living spruce, I found something else among the angels, the glittery balls, and the tinsel. I found a box full of memories. My son’s collectable basketball ornaments of NBA greats including Shaq and Scottie Pippen were boxed up and waiting to be hung. A homemade tree from scouts with my son’s fourth grade picture brought tears to my eyes. A lifetime of memories, in one plastic tub.

Moving into my new house last month made me question my need to hold on to objects. Why do I need three sets of plates, enough cups to run my own coffee shop or clothing from size 8 up to well, my current size? Am I just a material girl?

My brother has a silver Christmas tree with a rotating light that changes the color of the tree from red, to blue, to green and finally to yellow. He got it at a yard sale for five bucks. I covet that tree.

Why?

Because when we were kids, that was the Christmas tree that sat in our living room. I liked the blue tree the best.

Tonight as I look over my Christmas collection that’s not worth a dime to anyone else, I realize, that it’s the memories tied to the items that I’m trying to protect, to save, to keep.

And so, on this Christmas Eve, I wonder, what items do the New Kids blog readers cherish most? And are these trinkets valuable in financial terms or like mine, attached to precious memories of the past?

Share with me. And here’s hoping you all have a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a joyful New Year.

Lynn

I love Julie Andrews. And during the holiday season, I'm reminded of my favorite song of hers...My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music. This year I personalized the lyrics to reflect my favorite things and I'd like to share them with you.
 

I'm getting lost in all the hustle and bustle. There are only a few days until Christmas and I have yet to do my shopping, which isn't totally unusual. I've been known to wait until Christmas Eve. There for awhile it had become tradition for Hubs and I. This year however, I'm really wanting to make some candy and cookies.

Of course, there is an ulterior motive. We've been attending holiday functions all over and every place we go they have plates and plates of goodies. Goodies that I know if I munch on I'll be sick for several days, possibly even a whole month. That's no way to spend Christmas especially since I've spent many in that exact state.

Soooo, I pulled out the good 'ol Betty Crocker Cookbook and sifted through the recipes to see what gluten-free ones I could find or ones that would be adaptable. I've never been one to enjoy baking, but I am looking forward to it this year, more so than I am shopping.

Here is my list, you know, just in case you need to find something gluten-free for a relative or a friend.

Old Time Fudge
Peanut Brittle
Toffee Butter Crunch
Coconut Macaroons
Rocky Road

As for the cookies, I'll be making No-bake and Monster Cookies. I've been making Monster Cookies for years. This recipe comes from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

1 cup margarine, softened

2 cups white sugar

2 cups packed brown sugar

3 cups peanut butter

6 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons corn syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 teaspoons baking soda

9 cups rolled oats

1/2 pound candy-coated milk chocolate pieces

1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips

Directions


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).


In a large bowl, cream together the margarine, white sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in the eggs, two at a time, then stir in the corn syrup and vanilla. Mix in baking soda and oats until well blended. Stir in the chocolate candies and chocolate chips. Roll dough into 2 inch balls, and place 3 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with a fork.


Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool on cookie sheets for a few minutes, before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

I hope your Christmas is filled with many blessings.

Merry Christmas!!!!

Renee

Today, I'm getting back to some regular routines that stopped when I started working back in late September. For the first time in a long time, I wrote in my journal. I love to write in my journal. It has served as a place to store the ups and downs of my life. It has also been a place where I have brainstormed about story ideas and plot points for my writing. It may take a couple of weeks before I get back into the daily journal writing habit, but I see it as the first step in getting back to my writing and revising. In November I tried NaNoWriMo and wrote just of 10k words, but had to stop as my work hours increased to a level that made it impossible. The day I realized I had to give up on NaNo for this year is the last time I wrote anything in my journal. (BTW: NONE of it is re-printable here.)

I'm so thrilled that the Christmas shopping season is almost at an end. Life will get back to normal, and my first step back to normalcy is writing in my journal. Does anyone else keep a journal? Do you write in it daily or just occasionally? Do you find sparks of inspiration for you writing in your journal?

When we think of research, one thing comes to mind. BOOKS! The endless number of books that we look through to find the information we need. The library becomes our best friend and we spend hours looking through maps, documents, and countless other bits of information needed to make our book as genuine as possible. Even though we write fiction, there are things we want to get as accurate as possible. For instance, the setting of our book. Regardless of the era, the place is important and the details should be also. If there is a battle scene, we study weapons and movement. Now that we have the internet, this is a lot easier for us to do.

But, I find there is one research that we do all the time, and may not even know it. People watching. The characters in our books are just like people in real life. They smile, cry, and have nervous ticks. The love, laugh, fight, and get angry. Maybe they have a funny walk, or they tap their nails on the table when they are in deep thought. Does your heroine have a beauty mark or maybe your hero has a crooked nose? These are all things that we notice in ourselves or other people.

How many times have you been sitting in a restaurant looking around at the scenery and noticed someone doing something in particular and found yourself later, adding that to your book? We all do it. I know that the heroine in my first novel bites her bottom lip when nervous which is something I do. I have tasted whisky so I could describe it better. I have been deer hunting and helped butcher it so that I was better able to describe it in my book.

Ever sense I became a writer, I realize that I pay more attention to the things around me. The sunrise looks different; more vibrant. Animals actions are more involved. Peoples laugh sound different, and all because I am more focused on my surroundings.

So, my question is, am I the only one who has done this or does it go along with the territory?

~ Sarah Hoss

I recently got a new TV that's connected to the internet. While I love the TV, it's had the unfortunate effect of making me more addicted to the tube than usual because I can now download unlimited Netflix instantly. One of my choices ended up being the later seasons of Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (sadly, no longer so new :)). Now, as cheesy as this show is, I really loved it when I was a kid, so I decided to relive some of my childhood. Of course, watching it more than 15 years later, I now see that what I once thought were cool effects are a bit outdated, the plots are often silly--or key plot points defy logic, and the villains often overact.

wAaack...time management escaped me this week and Thursday arrived ahead of schedule leaving me unprepared for today's blog post. I hope you don't mind me grabbing one from my blog on Alpha and Beta males...

Click here for Official Website

Jake's character, Dastan, is the adopted son of a Persian king. When he dies after Dastan presents him with a gift, all suspect that Dastan has murdered him. Dastan flees with the captured Princess Tamina who is guardian of the dagger containing the sands of time. Together they must prove Dastan's innocence, unmask the traitor, and keep the Tamina's dagger from falling into the hands of enemy. Lots of action, lots of acrobatics, and lots of fun to watch.

The heavy subjects of jealous, betrayal and power are balanced with unexpected moments of comic relief. Gotta say, I loved the ostrich races and the characters intertwined with them. The scenes were well paced, the plot intriguing with a red herring here and there to complicate the story line. The location was beautifully filmed and all the actors were committed to their roles. I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent absorbed in this film. Kudos to the writers, directors, producers, actors, camera operators and the entire production staff on their efforts. It isn't an easy task to turn a video game into a well-crafted movie, but they did it fabulously.

Since I was already thinking about alpha and beta males before viewing this film, the matter continued to mull around in my brain. Romance readers (and writers) often gravitate toward those larger than life Alpha males. Their heroes can be reserved and quiet, but when it matters they must step into the ring without hesitation and beat the crap out of anyone who messes with their heroine.

Taking a step back from Alpha males for a moment, I ponder how the heroine roles have changed for today's readers. These women are no longer the helpless females tied to the railroad tracks who are forced to wait for the hero to rescue them. In these modern times, readers expect the heroine to act in her own behalf. Getting help from the hero is okay, but he isn't expected to do all the work. The dynamic between hero and heroine has evolved. The Alpha male now has to deal with an Alpha female. And this is exactly why Prince of Persia worked so well for me.

Dastan and Princess Tamina are equally pig-headed and equally matched. They clash from the get go and I believe this type of delicious conflict builds the massive sexual tension that readers and viewers expect.

What about your thoughts? Who is your favorite Alpha male (character)? Who is your favorite Beta male (character)?

~kristal lee
it's KRISTAL kLEEr

Bah humbug!

I used to hate the holidays, or so I thought. But as I've gotten older I realized it wasn't the holidays that I hated so much as it was all the expectations that went along with them. The first Thanksgiving hubs and I were together we had five, maybe six, Thanksgiving dinners to attend. And being eighteen at the time, skipping one of them was not an option, unless I wanted to be responsible for WWIII. What was worse is that good ol' hubs was not expected to attend, but boy howdy if I would have declined or chosen not to show because of a previous engagement . . . Yes, well my mother-in-law (I do love her very much) wasn't the easiest to please.

It wasn't until MIL had a stroke a few years back right before Christmas that everyone's expectations flew right out the window. Christmas shopping and baking couldn't hold a candle to spending every waking moment at the hospital. Of course, as petty as some people can be, it did hurt a few feelings when we chose to sit at MIL's bedside instead of breaking bread with other family members.

That year, I didn't care what others thought. I didn't run around like a chicken with its head cut off praying I'd survive another fruitcake. It was also the first year since Hubs and I had gotten together that I didn't suffer with what I had thought had been the stomach flu.

You see, it is in my nature to be a people pleaser. I freak when I am the cause of someone's upset. I feared my world would tip out of balance and crumble down around me. But that one Christmas taught me otherwise.

I believe we should be thankful for all things. Yes, even life and death things. The last four years, ever since MIL's stroke, have been the most calming four holidays I've ever experienced. I have a feeling that if it hadn't been for MIL's stroke I'd still be hating Christmas. Now I take the time to enjoy the sights and sounds. I've also come to realize that it's not about the gifts you buy or don't buy, it's about the precious time spent with loved ones.

I am fortunate enough that my MIL made a decent recovery and that our holidays with her have been extended, each moment is a precious gift. I did however, just spent the past week helping those I love say good-bye to a very dear and cherished woman. This part of the world will be much dimmer without her loving kindness spreading good cheer. And I can tell you, not a single one of us thought last year would be her last Christmas, but it was.

Her family will miss her deeply, but I know she'd want everyone of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to not let petty disagreements keep them from loving each other deeply. She'd also wish for them to enjoy sights and sounds, and especially the baking smells. She'd take delight in every tray of homemade cookies and pies given in her memory.

I know I haven't been around much. My life is pretty full with changing diapers and all the kinds of things that come along with three toddlers (which is probably why this post may seem a bit chaotic) and as non-glamorous as it has been, I wouldn't change a thing. This Christmas my family has the pleasure, the honor, of loving these three darling (okay, so they do have their moments) little girls during a very difficult time in their lives. My prayer is that each of you have a wonderful time spent with family during the holidays.

As I bring this post to a close, remember to love deeply, even those family members you might have a disagreement with. You never know, it might be the last holiday you get with them. The close call with my MIL taught me that. I no longer dread the holidays and bah humbug doesn't cross my lips anymore.

Well, the baby is fussing. It's time for me to go.

Merry Christmas,

Renee

This week I had an exciting experience. On Thursday, a woman I went to high school with sent me a note on Facebook. She has a friend who is interested in writing in the romance genre. She asked what kind of advice I could give her. Wow, asking me for advice!?! I thought that was pretty cool. I responded to my former classmate. I told her to tell her friend that writing was the most important part of writing romance. I then told her about RWA, blogs and other network building ideas.

On Friday, the would be writer became part of my Facebook community. We sent notes back and forth about the writing process. I felt like a mentor. I was passing on the knowledge I have gained over my years of writing. I invited my new writer friend to let me know if she had any other comments. I'm so excited to be one of the helping hands in this woman's budding writing career. I wish her much success, and hope to be able to watch her grow as a writer. I'm an unpublished new kid, but I found that I still have something to give to other new writers.

I’m a foodie. I love Top Chef. I love the new All Star Season. My former supervisor and I get on a roll and talk about all the food competition shows. And sometimes, one of these chefs takes a challenge to a new, stupid level. Cooking to order during a catering gig. And most times? They fail.

Why? Cooking one lovely morsel at a time is terrific for a restaurant or a dinner, but when 150 people are waiting for you to feed them, the stress and the wait can be overwhelming.

So why am I telling the faithful NKOTB readers this interesting yet off topic tidbit?

Because that’s how I’ve been handling my writing career. Writing to order.

*250 words for a coffee contest? Sure.

*Your most magical Christmas memory essay? I can do that.

*Sweet Spring Novella? How long do you want it?

And when my quickly dashed off entries don’t place or sell, I’m disappointed.

December is the time to make my writing goals for 2011 and this year, I want more focus. What do I want done when I look back at this time next year? How do I want my career plan to guide me?

Last year my career plan had a financial goal, a date, and a lot of strategies to reach that goal. But looking at it now, it was too deep in the details. So I have to restructure that plan as well. Make it more of a big picture process.

My main goal in 2011 is to sell a full-length manuscript. I know. Not something I can control. But I can control writing, editing and submitting the manuscripts I already have completed. And not stopping at rejection number one.

Sharon Sala talked about a book she wrote that wasn’t in her “normal genre”. She and her agent sent it everywhere until it found the best home for the book. And they found it. But it took years. (She tells the story much better than I do…)

But even with my longer works, I don’t have a focus. Bright and shiny ideas call to me and I want to write their stories. Romance, mystery, paranormal, young adult….but if I keep jumping from one thing to the next, I have no basis to build a world. And each of these stories, the worlds I’m building seems to want a second sequel book. What about me, my secondary characters call out? When will I find my Mr. Right?

This year my goal is to focus. To have my completed manuscripts out the door and into the world, looking for a home. And if they are out, looking for homes, my writing time can be focused on writing the next story.

Write, edit, submit. Rinse and repeat.

Maybe that’s my career plan?

What goals are you setting this next year? How did you do this year? Did you get your manuscript out in the world?

~ Lynn Cahoon

Stuck for gift ideas this holiday season? For everyone on your Holiday list, there's a book sitting on a bookstore shelf waiting to be read.

Can't afford to give a loved one an all expense paid trip around the world? Present them with a hard copy of Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne.

Know an aspiring prima dona? Ballerina Dreams: A True Story by Lauren Thompson may be the stocking stuffer you need.

Married to a hockey fan? Slip a copy of Tough Guy: My Life on the Edge by Bob Probert under the tree.

No matter what subjects interest your family and friends, a book is the perfect present. And, if you're an aspiring author you'll be supporting the industry that will one day support you. So, while you're strategizing your mall run map out a route to your local bookseller. Give the gift of knowledge, adventure and imagination. Everyone will love you for it.

~kristal lee

I grew up reading Harlequin Presents. My mother and I were avid readers who searched garage sales, libraries and second hand stores for used titles because we read through our monthly subscription in a matter of days. We were romance snobs. The contemporary Harlequin romance was beneath us. We felt they were not as well written and served up fluffy story lines with minor conflicts. We preferred the meatier, darker, more complex plots of Presents. The exotic locations were also a big hit for two armchair travelers like us.

Years have passed since I curled up in the corner of a sofa, whisked away to faraway lands by the likes of Anne Mather, Violet Winspear and Anne Hampson. My reading tastes have changed. I’ve changed. Presents has changed.

There was a time when you could pick up a Harlequin Presents and be assured that no matter who the author, the pages between front and back cover would contain a well written, engaging tale. These days it’s a crap shoot and I don't understand why.

I recently offered to read several Presents for a site where I contribute as a book reviewer. I didn't expect NY Times best selling titles although I've read category authors who have advanced to that level.

My first venture into the new Presents was a disappointment. The author (who has a lengthy history of writing romance as well as Presents) crafted a story that was poorly written, repetitious and filled with archaic “purple prose”. It was…well, boring. It didn’t have to be. It could have been quite good if the author had cut out the excessive head hopping and, deleted a lot of repetitive passages that rambled on and on about how the hero or heroine was feeling. After the fifth or six time of telling (not showing), I couldn’t decide if the writer considered her readers distinctly obtuse or whether she was filling up pages with needless prose because she was short on storyline.

Let me clarify something. As a writer, I can only aspire to achieve the admirable success of this author. I respect her accomplishments which is one reason why I requested her book. But as a reader, I expect more. Especially from an author who has a history of producing top notch works. A shorter category length novel does not excuse a writer from presenting a well crafted story. And it should not excuse the publisher from rejecting a manuscript just because the author has a fan base.

BICHOK

Thinking back over all the manuscripts I've written I come to realize that only one is set during the frigid winter. I wonder why that is. It's not like I enjoy the hundred-twelve, plus humidity during the summer. Come to think of it I think my favorite times are when one season passes the baton to the next. I love the freshness of spring after the decay of winter. And I love when the hints of summer and the promise of swimming as spring gives way to the hundreds. Then there is the turning of the leaves right before they fall to the ground. But I think my most favorite time is when mist clings to the surrounding hillsides.

Last night as I was driving home from town I couldn't help but feel entranced by the fog. Once again, I wonder why I don't use this type of weather in my stories. Do you have a particular weather theme running through your stories? What is your favorite season?

Renee

We are well into December, and here in Wisconsin we had our first measurable snow this weekend. The ground is covered in a sparkly white blanket. Christmas lights shine from dozens of houses. Driving to and from work in the dark provides a wonderful show. I love seeing houses decked out in Christmas lights. As a child, we would go out and look at all the decorated houses as we searched for Santa on Christmas Eve. Lights weren't so abundant in those days because of the cost of running the lights, but there was one house in our neighborhood that was all lit up with a hand carved Santa and sleigh on the top. Another house that had so many lights people traveled from far and wide to drive by it creating traffic problems in their neighborhood. I wonder if the neighbors complained. Now we have inexpensive lights that are just pennies to light up the neighborhood. I love it.

Is it beginning to look a lot like Christmas in your neighborhood? Was there a house you remember from your childhood? How about a traffic jam inspiring house?

My introduction to RWA occurred because of a book signing. I was out with my wife and kids shopping at a mall. While we were in a bookstore (my favorite spot in any mall, along with a coffee shop), I overheard an announcement that two authors were now at the store entrance signing books. As I was working furiously on my first manuscript, a humorous, self-deprecating look at marriage, I headed to the front of the store to meet them.

It was there I discovered that the two authors wrote romance novels.

Part of me wanted to leave. It wasn’t due to any disdain for the genre. I’d never read a romance novel and had no opinion of them. However, one thought swirled through my head. Can I ask a few questions about the industry and yet not feel obligated to buy one? More importantly, what would my wife say I did buy one?

Still, my desire to be published pushed me forward. Two accomplished authors sat before me, even if they wrote romance. As I approached, I feared what they might think about a guy approaching them. It was the literary equivalent of a male walking up to an employee at Victoria’s Secret.

The two multi-published authors, Anna DeStefano and Jennifer St. Giles, could not have been more gracious. They answered every question I had and I must have quizzed them for at least fifteen minutes. They even mentioned their writer’s group, Georgia Romance Writers (GRW), and suggested I should stop by. They claimed to have male members and said that I wouldn’t feel out of place. (Yeah, like I really believed that one.) Besides, as they pointed out, the manuscript I was working on was geared to women. Who better to teach me how to market my book than their group?

At the end of the Q&A, I asked them, “How can I thank you?”

It was Anna who said with a smile, “Well, you could buy a book.”

Like I feared, I knew that was coming. And I knew I needed to do it. I looked down at the two books and scanned the covers and the blurbs. One was a sweet, slightly suspenseful love story. It had a cover clearly emblazoned with the word “Harlequin.” The other one, a paranormal, looked interesting, except that it had a shirtless male with ripped abs on the cover.

Which was the lesser of two evils?

I chose the Harlequin novel, Anna’s book. I couldn’t fathom going to the counter with the other one, much less my wife seeing it. Anna signed it, messing up the first copy as my name was similar to her brother’s. And then I left.

A few months later, I did eventually make it to a GRW meeting. I’d taken my wife and kids to the airport early that morning so they could visit my wife’s parents in Los Angeles. I’d spent the previous night in a Barnes & Noble with my kids at a Harry Potter Deathly Hallows release party, getting home some time after 1:00 a.m. Given the little sleep I’d had, I’m surprised I didn’t sleep through the meeting. I bumped into Anna there, who remembered me from the signing.

That was over three years ago.

I’ve bought quite a few more books in this genre since that day, including Jennifer’s book with the half-naked male on top (as well the other three books in Jennifer’s four-book series), several books of Anna’s, and a whole host of authors I would have never even heard of if not for that day. However, there are still book covers that make me blush and some storylines I can’ t even begin to consider reading. And given my likes/dislikes, that probably won’t change.

But then that makes me like everyone else at the meeting.

How about you? Have you ever bought a book solely because of the cover or declined to buy one for the same reason? In the case of the covers you declined on, did you ever change your mind? I would love to hear about it.

Thank you for coming by, Walt. It's great to hear your story and hear about your start writing romance novels. Best of luck in all your publishing ventures!!

~ Rebecca Lynn

Well, it's been a while since I last posted, but I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We had our first big gathering (20 odd people) in three years, and although overwhelming, it was great to see extended family.

Whew! November was a blur. After balancing work, six book reviews, NaNoWriMo and Thanksgiving I'm pooped. No rest for the weary writer, though. With the first draft of Howlin' Hearts completed, I'm mentally plotting the next book in the series, Howlin' Good Time while holiday shopping. This weekend, between a mani-pedicure and a holiday party I'll hash out the characters and a potential outline. My goal is to write another 50,000 word novel in December.

Aaack! I'm behind already. Not one word written. There's a lot in my head, but nothing on the page and too many holiday distractions threatening to cut into my writing schedule. What's a writer to do?  Tighten the time management belt, that's what.

During NaNo I learned that working with an Online Timer helps keep me focused and writing non-stop for 60 minute increments. Doing this, I average about 700 words per hour. I hope to increase to 1000, eventually. Knowing my average wph helps me formulate a reasonable writing schedule depending on the week at hand and thereby reducing my stress. A much needed blessing during this hectic time of year.

So between the Fa-la-la-la's and the Ho-Ho-Ho's, my fingers will be twitching across the keyboard as fast as ol' St. Nick's elves racing to finish their toys. Here's hoping a little elven magick will rub off on me.