Coming up for Air by Leann Harris

I'm going to write today--finally, after 3 weeks of packing my mom to move her from her 4 bedroom house to a condo at a retirement center in our city.  It's a great place and I wish I had someone to fix dinner everynight.  So does my husband.
Generally, she did fine, but there were moments....

I did take one day to visit my plotting partner to come up with ideas for a couple of synopsis.  I'm going to take those ideas and run with them.

Meet the hero and heroine from Stalker in the Shadows

Camy here! I just saw an article about actor Karl Urban in the new Judge Dredd movie, and drooled a little over his yummy photo:

Karl Urban is the actor I envisioned for my hero, Shaun O’Neill, in Stalker in the Shadows, except that Shaun has very blue eyes and blond short hair. He was on the Border Patrol, so he carries himself aggressively--his stance, eye contact, personal space. He wears casual clothing--jeans, button down shirts tucked into his jeans, work boots or Doc Martins. He is lean in body build but not skinny, with a square, solid face. He is a little above average height but not overly tall, perhaps 5'10". His deep voice has a slight gravely edge to it, promising danger and excitement. He tugs at a lock of hair on his forehead, like his father does, and has three brothers: Brady, who’s married with a new baby, Michael, Liam (in the military) and his sister Clare died five years before Stalker in the Shadows opens.

My heroine, Monica Grant, looks like actress Emmanuelle Vaugier:

Monica has clear amber eyes with dark lashes and darker brown hair than her sisters, long and wavy. She is a nurse, but she’s also planning to open a free children’s clinic in Sonoma. She is half Japanese and half Caucasian, about average height, 5'5". She is slender in build but not skinny. Out in public on errands or meeting someone for lunch, she will wear something like jeans with high heels and a nice silk blouse, and her hair will be down, but she will have makeup. When meeting a potential investor, her business outfit is a suit with a skirt and jacket and a silk button down shirt in white or a pastel color, and her hair will be up in a French twist and she will have makeup. 

Anyway, I thought you’d enjoy seeing what my hero and heroine look like. I hope you enjoy reading Stalker in the Shadows! The next book set in Sonoma releases in early 2013, called Narrow Escape, and it stars Nathan Fischer, who makes a brief appearance in Stalker in the Shadows. I also just found out that Narrow Escape is now available for preorder!

Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. Out now is the third book in her Sonoma series, Stalker in the Shadows. She is a staff worker for her church youth group, and leads one of the worship teams for Sunday service. On her blog, she ponders frivolous things like knitting, running, dogs, and Asiana. Visit her website to sign up for her quarterly newsletter.

Bobbing Along

Susan Sleeman here! As I sat down to come up with a topic for my blog post this morning, I couldn’t seem to think of anything. But then I looked out our patio door and saw a head bobbing over the window frame in our screened porch, an idea came to me.

What kind of head, you ask? A cat maybe a dog? No—it was the rather unattractive head of a wild turkey. Yep, turkey! Our home backs to a green space. In the three years we’ve lived here, we’ve gone from seeing a single male turkey—who in mating season would run up to the street to chase the mailman (Honestly. I’m a fiction writer and even I can’t come up with something like this. lol)—to seeing twenty turkeys strutting down the road.

So what do turkeys have to do with my blog post? As I thought about them bobbing along, I thought about my writing life. When I first started writing, I wrote whenever I felt like it. How much and what I felt like writing. But then as I contracted novels I had to form a plan and write x number of words a day to meet my deadlines. Now, I have a daily goal. I must write 2000 words a day or I can’t quit. As a result of this forced planning, I have six books in print and six more under contract. Something that as I bobbed along in life I never imagined I could do. But you know what? I can do this, by working on a bit of it each day.

Now I just need to apply this to a diet. To exercise. To cleaning my house. And on and on and on. One bit each day will eventually add up to a large goal accomplished.

So what about you? Are you bobbing along or do you have a goal and plan for your life? Do you have areas like me that if you bite them off (no diet pun intended) one piece at a time you can achieve?

Here’s a sneak peek at my November release.

The Justice Agency - Book 2
Love Inspired Suspense
November, 2012
ISBN-10: 0373675356
ISBN-13: 978-0373675357
» Read an Excerpt

Pre-Order It Now
for e-book or in print

A KILLER’S CLOSING IN...

When her client and old college friend is murdered, P.I. Kat Justice knows the killer will come for her next. Her survival depends on finding her unknown enemy first...and working with homicide detective Mitch Elliot, her onetime crush.

It’ll take all her professional skills to ignore the sparks between them, but Kat can’t allow the handsome cop to get close. She’s seen too many people she loves die, so she vows just to do her job without getting emotionally involved. Yet keeping her distance may not be the best way to protect her heart—or their lives.

____________________________________________________________________________________

SUSAN SLEEMAN is a best-selling author of inspirational romantic suspense and mystery novels. She grew up in a small Wisconsin town where she spent her summers reading Nancy Drew and developing a love of mystery and suspense books. Today, she channels this enthusiasm into writing romantic suspense and mystery novels and hosting the popular internet website TheSuspenseZone.com. Susan currently lives in Florida, but has had the pleasure of living in nine states. Her husband is a church music director and they have two beautiful daughters, a very special son-in-law and an adorable grandson. To learn more about Susan visit her at her – Website http://www.susansleeman.com

Or any of these social media sites-

End of summer reading

Camy here! Now that summer is winding down, I’ve noticed that some of my reading tastes have changed a little bit. I’m reading more young adult novels, and I’m also reading a few of the mainstream novels I got at the RWA conference in Anaheim last month. I also just preordered the September Love Inspired Suspense novels on Nookbook, but I think that next month I will order the October Love Inspired Suspense ebooks from ebooks.Harlequin.com because then I can download them right away!

How about you? Have your reading tastes changed as summer ends? What are you reading now?

Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. Out now is the third book in her Sonoma series, Stalker in the Shadows. She is a staff worker for her church youth group, and leads one of the worship teams for Sunday service. On her blog, she ponders frivolous things like knitting, running, dogs, and Asiana. Visit her website to sign up for her quarterly newsletter.

What a Week!

By Debby Giusti

Some weeks are busier than others. My son participated in his first triathlon over the weekend.  I went to cheer him on at the finish line and also to take pictures and research how the race is organized.  Hopefully, the information I learned will appear in a future book. 

Tonight I led my bi-monthly writing class at church.  Some of the folks are creating children's stories, two women are writing songs, a couple of folks are working on poetry. One gentleman has self-published a non-fiction book, and two ladies are working on mysteries. One gal has recently published the first book in her who-done-it series. Although we're an eclectic group, writing is writing, and the folks enjoy learning new techniques to improve their craft.

Today, I'm working on a blog about what I picked up at the recent Romance Writers of American Conference in Anaheim, California. The post will run on www.seekerville.blogspot.com tomorrow. I'm giving away a copy of one of my books, winner's choice, so stop by and leave a comment to be entered in the drawing.


LtoR: Leigh Bales, Roxanne Rustand and Debby Giusti
at the Readers for Life book signing in Anaheim that raised
$50,000 for literacy.

 THE COLONEL'S DAUGHTER, the third book in my Military Investigations series, is in stores now.  I'm having a signing this Thursday, August 16, at my favorite indepedent book store, Omega Book Center, in Peachtree City, GA. The proceeds will benefit needy children of deployed military servicemen and women as well as Wounded Warriors.  Store owned Karen Duncan ships books throughout the US. Call 770-487-3977 to order your copy and help our military heroes.

LtoR: Pamela Tracy and Debby Giusti at the
RWA National's Awards Ceremony.

Friday, I'll be working on my next story and collecting photos to help the Art Department create a cover.  Seems there's always something new and exciting to do. One thing's for sure, a writer's life is never dull. 

What's on your schedule this week?

Happy writing!

Wishing you abundant blessings,
Debby Giusti
www.DebbyGiusti.com
www.seekerville.blogspot.com
www.craftieladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com

Don't Let Anyone Steal Your Joy--Lenora Worth

Hello! I recently read a great article in the RWR (Romance Writers Report) It's titled "Protecting the Girl" by Claudia Welch. When I first started reading the article, I wasn't sure where it was going. But once I was halfway through, I was so glad I read it. Welch talks about the joy of writing and how to keep that once reality sets in. And reality always sets in. She talks about goal, movitation and conflict (not in your characters this time). In you, as the writer. We are motivated by approval, fear, success and the desire to read. We might not necessarily be motivated by all of these things, but we can be motivated by one or more of the above. The articles goes on to say we need to figure out what motivates us and feed on that in order to avoid burn-out, or killing the girl. Welch says "The point of everything is to keep the love for writing alive." This article hit me right between my eyes. I love writing. I eat, sleep, breathe writing. I knew I wanted to be a writer way back in grammar school. This goal tamed me and calmed me and gave me the courage to keep on going. Even when I told myself I wasn't smart enough to write a book, let along sell one and see myself as a published writer, I didn't give up. I had such a joy in my soul for the written word, that nothing--not the naysayers, not the doubters, not mean people with hidden agendas--could stop me from pursuing my dream. But as we all know, the dream is full of reality. This is a business--That means money is involved. I write for the joy of it, but I also write to contribute to my household income. But I use the rule that Welch mentions in this article--I protect the work. I guard the writing. If that means I have to sometimes "go undeground", "(my term here) then I do that. I go into that writing cave and even through hard edits or a story that doesn't know how to end, I work through it and find the joy somewhere in there. We can't let anyone steal our joy. A serious writer will stay a serious writer. I have a wicked sense of humor and I make fun of myself all the time. But I'm completely serious when it comes to writing my books. This is hard work, not in a construction-worker-on-top-of-a-tin-roof-hard, mind you, but mentally and physically hard all the same. If there comes a tme when I no longer feel the joy, what will I do? I hope I never have to make that decision. But it's fascinating to discuss the joy of writing and protecting the girl--in my case the girl who used to write short-stories and sell them at recess! That was joy. This is joy. I guard it with all my heart.

Lyn Reviews Author Roxanne Rustand's Duty to Protect & Have You Ever Read Betty Neels

Duty to Protect by Roxanne Rustand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Roxanne is a dear friend but even if I didn't know her, I would have given this book 5 stars. Duty to Protect in her "Big Sky Secrets" series hits every note right on key. A lovely and endangered heroine, a handsome cowboy/former cop hero, a cross country chase--and every plot twist heightens the tension between the hero (Jake) and heroine (Emma) and the very real danger Emma faces. Roxanne knows the horse world and the Big Sky country from personal experience and it shows. She even manages to throw in some family dynamics with the hero's teen-aged nephew and someone out to take Jake's ranch. So if you enjoy a sweet romance, a fast-paced mystery set in Big Sky Country, don't miss Duty to Protect!

Now let's go to another author, the late Betty Neels who wrote for Harlequin long before Love Inspired Romances came to being. Have you ever read one of her books? They keep reprinting them with new covers. Here's one of my faves.

View all my reviews Stormy Springtime by Betty Neels
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Betty Neels is my role model. She started writing for Harlequin in the 1960's and wrote till she died in 2001 after penning 134 books.

Betty's books are all very similar--a masterful hero who is usually a doctor and with a family connection to Holland.

I'm fascinated by her books. This is because while they are all vaguely familiar, I always enjoy them! And I always care about her heroines.

How did she do that? I even re-read her books. Three times for this one!

View all my reviews

Question: What makes an author your favorite? You tell me what you think and then I'll give you my take!--Lyn

BTW, my novella FOR SOPHIA'S HEART http://www.amazon.com/For-Sophias-Heart-Novella-ebook/dp/B00870NWGE/ref=as_li_tf_ssw?&linkCode=wss&tag=lyco-20  will be free on Kindle Aug 24-25th! 

AND tomorrow TH the 9th, Amish LI Author Patricia Davids guest on my blog http://booksbylyncote.com/SWBS/new-book-release/amish-author-p…t-to-be-strong ‎and will be giving away 2 copies of her latest LI, Home for Hannah, drop by & leave a comments!

One more note- I contributed to this-A Free Kindle book 

Spiced Nectarine Jam

Everyone I know is going to get a jar of Spiced Nectarine Jam for Christmas this year. Again. They have for past four years.

We have a dwarf white nectarine tree in our backyard. About four years ago it started going crazy producing fruit. One year my husband, who prepares and freezes the fruit for my jam making (bless him!) saved all the pits. He had harvested FOUR HUNDRED nectarines!

Even total strangers have received the gift of Spiced Nectarine Jam. Last year I filled 25 jars; I’ll do that and more this year. Three more batches to go!

The nectarines are positively, absolutely Organic. No spray. No fertilizer. Hardly any extra water. (My husband isn’t exactly fond of gardening.)

Since it’s hard to send jam via the internet, I thought you might like the recipe. The jam’s really yummy.

4 Cups prepared fruit
7 ½ Cups sugar
1/4 Cup lemon juice
1 tsp each of cinnamon, cloves & allspice
1 packet of Certo

Combine fruit, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, cloves and allspice in a large pan. Bring to a rolling boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add packet of Certo. Stir to cool and skim foam for 5 minutes. Pour into jars. Use either self-sealing jars or cover with melted household wax. (This recipe can be used for Spiced Peach Jam.)

Happy jam making....

What do you preserve from your garden?

Char......
Montana Love Letter, Love Inspired, 10/2012Home to Montana, Love Inspired, 3/2013www.CharlotteCarter.com

Did you go to your high school reunions?

Terri Reed here wondering how everyone feels about high school reunions?  In two weeks I'll be heading back to my hometown for my 30th high school reunion.  I went to both  my ten and twentieth.  At my ten, the same friends hung out and everyone seemed pretty much the same as in high school.  At my twentieth,  there were changes.  Babies, expanding waistlines, balding heads, wrinkles starting, careers and marriages to talk about.  Now another ten years have passed by.  I'm both excited and nervous to return.   Excited to see old friends that I haven't seen in ages--some who didn't show up to the others and some who did.  With the advent of Facebook I've reconnected with several people and that's been fun.   We've shared pictures from our past, reminisced about the times we had back then and shared a bit about our lives now.  I'm nervous because...well, I'm not sure.  Maybe the geeky teen in me wonders if I'll fit in, if anyone will want to talk to me, if I'll measure up.  I wasn't a geek in the brainy sense, but more the gangly, red-haired, freckled face shy girl who was always on the fringes.  I was into drama, gymnastics and dance.  I spent my lunch hours running the track or hanging out in the theatre or hanging out with one friend.  I have always done better one on one than in large groups.
So dear friends, tell me about your experience?  Any tips to pass on?

Here's a peek at my upcoming October release--The Doctor's Defender

Do No Harm

As a trauma surgeon, Dr. Brenda Storm saves lives every day. But someone wants her dead.  It starts with the anonymous delivery of poisoned cupcakes.  Now the hospital has hired a bodyguard to protect her 24/7.  At first, Brenda doesn’t think too-handsome Kyle Martin is the right for the job.  Then she discovers his harrowing background—and that Kyle will do anything to keep her safe.  With every attempt on her life, she’s more drawn to the strong and silent man who risks his life for hers.  But their growing feelings could put them both in harm’s way.