Autumn or Fall?

This Saturday, September 22nd, marks the first day of autumn. At least that's what my calendar says. I tend to call it the first day of fall. I realize the two terms are interchangeable, although they do have different etymologies. According to Wikipedia, 'autumn' has Old French origins and its use dates back to the 12th century, whereas 'fall' has Germanic language origins (English or Norse) and its use to describe the season dates back to the 16th century. I won't get into more detail on that front. Suffice it to say that different people (sometimes depending on where they grew up) are used to using one term over the other.

I say 'fall' 95% of the time, and it's my absolute favorite season. If I had to pick my top three favorite things about the season they would be:

1) fall colors on trees and shrubs
2) scarecrows (I've loved them ever since I saw The Wizard of Oz as a kid)
3) the sight of bales of hay rolled and left out on farmland

Of course, I love pumpkins (my kids already coaxed me into making a pumpkin pie this past weekend...they couldn't wait), the sound and sight of Canadian geese migrating, squirrels harvesting, chrysanthemums, sunflowers, apple cider, brisk mornings, trick-or-treaters and knowing Thanksgiving is around the corner, but the top three faves stand apart.

So, do you say 'autumn' or 'fall', and what are your top three favorite things about the season?

Labor Day, Laughs and Liz

Happy Labor Day!

My Labor Day treat for you is a must-see link that will leave you laughing. Check out Nathan Bransford's visual take on the emotional stages of writing a book. He calls it The Publishing Process in GIF Form, and trust me, both readers and writers will get a kick out of it. Make sure you scroll through to the end! It's accurate, funny and a bit nostalgic. You'll see what I mean :)

Also, my debut as a USA Today Happy Ever After blog contributor is scheduled to post this Wednesday, September 5th at 3 pm! Since I don't post here on Wednesdays, I'm giving you the heads up...and I'll slip in behind the scenes to add the exact link (it should work at 3pm). I'll be interviewing Harlequin Superromance author Liz Talley on her new book, The Road to Bayou Bridge. Pop by if you get the chance!

Now, go start your day with a good laugh at Nathan's publishing process :)

Take care and have a great one.

And the winner is...

Carol Kilgore!

Congratulations, Carol! You've won a copy of Kaily Hart's Rise of Hope. You can send Kaily your contact information here. Enjoy!

Fabric of Fate

It's release day for Rise of Hope, book one of Kaily Hart's much anticipated five book paranormal/urban fantasy series, Fabric of Fate! Kaily is known for her fantastic, hot contemporaries, but fate must have played a role in the birth of these books. She undoubtedly has a gift for creating intricate worlds and plots. Although each book in the Fabric of Fate series centers on one romance - one fated pair - each story is ultimately woven into the destiny of the Vadim...a race on the brink of extinction. Kaily threads the details of the Vadim seemlessly through the overall arc, unfolding their forgotten past, their coveted supernatural gifts, and the secret motives of a powerful organization hellbent on weakening them, as the Vadim discover the truth for themselves. I think the blurb for Rise of Hope sets the series up perfectly. 

A secret ancient race of humans with fantastical abilities, the Vadïm are on the brink of extinction. Many of their women are imprisoned by an organization known as The Assembly, their history all but lost...

Devon Monroe has been a prisoner her entire life. She's determined to make sense of the strange markings on her body, to learn why no one may touch her, to find where she belongs. That means escaping into the unknown, where she has no choice but to trust her self-appointed protector.

Soldier-for-hire Seth Eastman has a job to do: deliver Devon to safety. When Seth discovers the markings on Devon's body, he's stunned at what they mean. And at how she awakens his long-suppressed needs. As they struggle to escape detection and search for the truth of the Vadïm, can he ever hope to claim her for his own?

Wow! Having the survival of your entire race depend on finding your fated match is a lot of pressure! Kaily, you're the master of fate in the Fabric of Fate series :), but tell us of a time when fate played a role in your personal life...

Thanks, Rula. It really is great being master of your own universe for a change J. I think that’s one of the things I most enjoyed about writing a paranormal story. I got to make everything up and craft the rules for how everything would work *insert appropriately evil laughter*.

You know, I really didn’t set about writing a series where fate or the idea of it, played such an integral part. That kind of just happened during the creative process and kind of hit me when I was asked if the series had a tag line, which is - The Vadïm...will fate alone determine their future or can they carve out their own destiny?  I like to think my subconscious is always at work in the background, even if I’m messing around on the internet LOL.

I do believe in fate. Up to a point. I do think some things are “destined”, however, I still think free will can mess with it, can change things up, can create events that could result in a different outcome. That element of risk allowed me to create a thread of tension throughout this series, that maybe, just maybe, things wouldn’t work out as they would first appear. If things were all mapped out, pre-determined, unavoidable, I’m not sure there’d be the same level of incentive to achieve, to succeed, to better ourselves. We could just sit back and accept. Right?

I can think back to several instances in my life where I believe there were forces at work that seemed to conspire together so that a number of things all fell into place and created a path of opportunity. I’m a big one for believing in seizing opportunities as they present themselves. Fate can’t make you do that. Only you can. I can trace back the reason I originally came to the US to a single phone call J. It was 1993. I was in a graduate development program for a large corporation and I’d just gotten up from my desk at work when the phone rang. Now, I was standing because I’d gotten up to go to the bathroom. It was the end of the day. I was tired, getting ready to leave, I had to rush to catch my train. I could have let that call go through to voicemail, but no. Something compelled me to answer it, something made me sit down and take the call. It was a colleague asking me to join a new group the company had formed. If I hadn’t answered, he would have called the next person on the list. It was an intriguing opportunity. I said ‘yes’. That move taught me new and highly in demand skills that prompted a consulting company based in NY to recruit me hard the following year and finally convince me to come to the US and a life of consulting. It changed the course of my life completely, absolutely. Was it meant? Was it destined? Was it ‘fated’? I’m not sure, but I still usually answer the phone whenever it rings, even if I really need to pee :).

LOL, Kaily. It's amazing how a single moment, a split second choice, can change the course of an entire life. For better or worse, but we hope for better. It does bring up the question, as you pointed out, of how much power...through the choices we make or actions we take...we have over our own destiny. 

To all of you out there, do you believe in fate? Is there a person or event where you feel fate played a major role or even changed the course of your life? Share your story for a chance to win a copy of Rise of Hope. The winner will be announced here this Thursday.

FIND KAILY HERE:

www.kailyhart.com 

Twitter

FB

Blog

BUY RISE OF HOPE HERE: (Destined for those 18 or older :)

Carina Press

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Interview with Entangled Publishing author Robin Covington

Whether you've met her face-to-face or have gotten to know her online, one thing that always comes through is Robin Covington's warm, southern smile. A smile that, I bet, turned mega-grin when her debut book, A Night of Southern Comfort, released this summer (Entangled Publishing, June 2012). And the heat waves we've had haven't slowed Robin down one bit. Not only has her sexy debut been a sizzling success, she's already multi-contracted for more! Did I mention she's also an attorney, mom and so much more? Read on and you'll be wondering what she eats for breakfast! Grab some iced tea, find a shady spot and help me give Robin a warm welcome.

1.Hey, Robin! As a fellow Southerner, I love the title A Night of Southern Comfort because it brings my senses back to Blue Bell ice cream (Texas anyone?), peach cobbler and sweetened iced tea while lounging by the pool. Other than your heroine Dr. Michaela Roarke's drink of choice, what does 'southern comfort' mean to you? Is there a specific southern comfort that's a part of your writing day or routine?

Aaah . . . I grew up in a little town that is a lot like Elliott, VA and I have such wonderful memories that bring me southern comfort.  Sunday fried chicken lunches, reading while sitting in the branches of the apple trees in the orchard next to our farm, the sound of NASCAR races on the radio and TV. ; ) I think for me it means family, people around that have known me since I was born, a feeling of belonging.  I think ANoSC and the entire “Boys” series evokes that for me – the fact that you are not defined by where you come from but it is the place you can go to when you have to re-center and figure out what it is you truly want. So, long answer to that one – but that is my comfort – home.

My routine involves listening to country music. Old, new – doesn’t matter – but I grew up with it in my house and my relatives playing it so it sparks a creative light inside of me to help me to get in the groove.

2. Albeit a thrilling experience, launching a debut book can also be a time management reality shock. You, however, are hereby dubbed the time management wonder woman! Not only are you an attorney for the Navy, you're also a wife, mom, singer, head faculty for Romance University, a contributor for USA Today's Happy Ever After blog, you run your own Burning Up the Sheets blog and you've been on a blog tour. Wait! Let me catch my breath. Okay. Let's top that off with the fact that you're now multi-contracted with Entangled Publishing...and then there's FB and Twitter. I'm exhausted just thinking about it all. I know that family and writing always come first, but how do you, specifically, approach time management? Is it something the Navy ingrained in you or are you related to the energizer bunny :). Seriously though, any tips on balancing it all?

I’m a huge comic book geek so I LOVE that you call me Wonder Woman.  I totally dig her costume.

Oh man, I do have lots going on but I think many people do.  I am very careful with my time and what I need to do. My biggest downfall is that I am easily distracted by glittery things and I can lose serious time on the Internet or just doing that “one last thing”. I am lazy, a procrastinator and a slacker at heart.

So, I schedule my weeks and I include my social media time and writing time in that week and I guard it like a jealous woman.  I also give up some stuff but it is worth it.  I don’t watch lots of TV. What I do watch is on the DVR  (Hawaii 5-0 (Alex!), True Blood (Joe!), Covert Affairs (Auggie!)) and I will binge watch when I get some time.  Thank goodness for my Kindle “text-to-speech” feature because I can read when I’m driving or cooking.  And, I don’t sleep much – 5 hours a night on average – but I don’t need a lot.

3. You're contracted to write for several different lines at Entangled. A Night of Southern Comfort, the first of your 'The Boy's Are Back in Town' series for the Indulgence line, will soon be followed with His Southern Temptation, Southern Heat and Southern Nights. You are also scheduled for a holiday release, Secret Santa Baby, in the Flirts line this December and a Covet line release in 2013. That's a good kind of busy! How has working under deadline with an editor (especially given the faster e-pub time lines) changed your writing process? Does all the advice writers are given about setting manuscripts aside for a few weeks or sending them off for CP feedback go out the door? Does your schedule allow for all that, or does it come down to sending what you have and waiting on the editor's word?

I also have a Brazen release in Summer 2013 - *grin*. I am happy girl who pinches herself all the time.  I can’t believe how much my life has changed from one year ago.

My process has not changed much on a deadline but it has motivated me to stick to my schedule.  I use a page count tracker that Kresley Cole gives out on her website and I set up a schedule to get the book done on time. I write 7 days a week – lower page count on weekends- but it keeps me in the story and my writing muscle in shape. I have CP’s and we trade chapters as they are completed and they are wonderfully supportive, published authors who are also working on deadline.  We keep each other accountable. So, by the time my deadline arrives, I can send it out the door – with a few days to spare.

I love working with an editor.  They really push me to write the very best book I can and I cannot thank them enough.

4. A Night of Southern Comfort won or placed in numerous contests before it resulted in the night of southern bliss--The Call! Tell us about it!

Yes, it did.  I am a huge proponent of contests as a way to improve your craft and get used to the submission process. That is whole other discussion. . .

I am a night owl and frequently I’m up until one in the morning while the hubby sleeps in the next room (My office is in my 19 foot long closet) and I was up one night and getting ready to sign off for the evening when I decided to check my email one more time.  I saw an email from Lori Wilde with the title in the subject line and I immediately thought it was a rejection because she’d only had the book for one week.

So, I opened the email, steeled myself for a rejection and wondered if I had any chocolate stashed in the house for the pity party for one that was about to happen. I was shocked when I read that she wanted to buy the book, loved the book, couldn’t stop reading the book . . .  totally surreal (I mean, this is Lori Wilde). I woke the hubby up and told him and he stumbled out of bed and went downstairs, grabbed a bottle of champagne out of the wine cellar and we toasted my sale and he went back to bed.  I slept about 10 minutes that night!

5. Surreal and cool! Congrats again :). Speaking of lack of sleep, when people are immersed in the daily grind of a particular career (be it medicine, law, ranching or whatnot), behind the scenes reality can quickly fog up those romance colored lenses. For example, I've heard there's nothing sweet smelling about cowboy sweat, LOL. Now, there's no arguing that your current hero, Jack Cantrell is one hot detective, but given your experience with the Navy, do you plan to write any hot Navy heroes...or would that be too close for comfort?

Well . . . I hate to burst anyone’s bubble but most of the pilots look nothing like Tom Cruise or Val Kilmer.  Sigh . . . and while the work they do is exciting, I haven’t thought of  a single story yet with Navy heroes. Right now, I have ‘The Boys” planned, and a movie star action hero, and my Christmas novella hero is a man who writes video games.  Maybe, I’ll do a Navy guy later.

While, I would write about the Navy, I’m not sure I want to write about lawyers.  Yech!  Too much like work.

6. I totally get that :). Music is also a big part of your life and you've posted many of my favorite songs on your blog, Burning Up The Sheets. What is your heroine Michaela's favorite song and if she and her hero Jack were in a car, would he be beggin' to change the station?

Yep.  I sing in a band and I’ve been in some sort of band for most of my life.  I write with music, make playlists for books – I live and breathe music.  Michaela is huge Miranda Lambert fan because Miranda is a badass and writes songs that flip the world the bird.  So, I think one of her faves would be “Only Prettier” – the chorus says “We’re just like you. Only Prettier.”

Jack would leave it on because he loves to see Kayla happy and he likes her badass side.  But, he likes heavy metal, like Metallica.  His favorite song is “Enter Sandman” – he’s a Hokie from Virginia Tech and that is the song they play when the football team enters the stadium.

7. Love it! Okay. Other than not quitting, what's your best advice for writers trying to achieve publication?

Make goals and write them down and compare everything against that list. Ask yourself, “Is what I’m doing going to help me achieve a goal?”  If it isn’t then you need to think twice about spending your writing time doing it.  Be strategic in your career. Know the house you want. Know the agent you want. Know what you want to write and make every move to make it happen.

8. Fill in the blank: Robin Covington was voted most likely to.......

Be a dirty old lady.  ; )

I love a dirty joke and bawdy humor and I love ogling man candy.  I’ll be the little old lady in the nursing home who pinches the cute orderlies.

9. LOL! I'm thinking giving that dirty old lady a drink might be asking for trouble ;), but if you could create a drink (virgin or not:) and call it 'Southern Sass', what would the recipe be?

Oh no virgin drinks, please!  Let’s see . . .  cranberry juice, lime and southern comfort. I’ve actually had that and it’s pretty good.

Robin, you're a blast! Thanks so much for being here!

BLURB: A Night of Southern Comfort 

One night of passion... 

Detective Jackson Cantrell never imagined that one night with an irresistible stranger would turn his life upside down. He’s spent years living in the shadows, but Dr. Michaela Roarke awakened a passion inside him he'd buried years ago. 

He never expected the woman would turn out to be the governor's daughter...and his next assignment. The governor blackmails Jackson to secretly watch over Michaela and protect her from a stalker, or kiss his dream job at the FBI good-bye. Swearing to keep things strictly professional, Jackson moves in with Michaela. Too bad his heart can't keep the same promise. 

But when the stalker's attacks quickly escalate beyond mere photographs to bodily harm, Jackson must race to save Michaela's life. And he’ll have to figure out how to keep her once she discovers his lie.

BUY IT HERE: (Note - If you're not old enough for a non-virgin drink, then you're not old enough for this hot read.)

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

FIND ROBIN HERE:

Website

FB

Twitter

Waterworld Mermaids blog

Burning Up The Sheets blog

Entangled Publishing

Winner!

The winner of Kathy Altman's giveaway is...

Julia Broadbooks !

Congratulations, Julia! You've won a copy of The Other Soldier. You can send Kathy your mailing info through her contact page here. Enjoy!

Interview with Harlequin Superromance Author Kathy Altman

Good morning, everyone! I'm really excited to have debut author Kathy Altman here today because, after getting to know each other online, we finally had the chance to meet face-to-face and hang out at the Nationals meeting in Anaheim last month. Kathy is not only a truly lovely person, she's also both talented and active in the romance community. As a book reviewer, Kathy is a regular contributor to USAToday's Happy Ever After blog...and her reviews are excellent! She has also won or placed in numerous awards including, but not limited to, The Marlene, The Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence, and The Maggie Award of Excellence for unpublished writers. Her writing definitely sticks to the heart, as you'll find out when you read her debut Superromance The Other soldier.  Leave a comment and you'll be entered in a chance to win a copy of Kathy's book!

1. Kathy, I have to say you're one fearless romance writer! In The Other Soldier, you took on impossible conflict...friendly fire tragedy vs happily ever after...while keeping it all real. Not only did you write a beautiful and believable story, you wrote one that is both heart twisting and hilarious at the same time. We'll talk about that funny bone of yours in a sec, but first I'd love to know what kind of research went in to understanding the psychology behind what soldiers and their families go through.

Oh, my gosh, Rula, thank you so much for your kind praise! No wonder I enjoy hanging out here. :-) Truthfully I’ve never thought of myself or my writing as fearless. As a matter of fact, once I discovered that the Superromance editors wanted to see the rest of my story—you know, the one with the impossible conflict?—pure panic set in. I honestly didn’t know how I’d coax my hero and heroine into falling in love. I read a number of articles about military life and friendly fire incidents, and about loss and forgiveness, and decided to simply trust that, as I was writing, what I’d gleaned from all that reading would automatically kick in and help me help my characters overcome the armored tank-sized conflict between them. I have to say that many of the articles I read were as inspiring as they were heartbreaking—our military and their families have my utmost admiration and respect.

2. Absolutely...and speaking of heartbreak, it's a known fact that, by inducing changes in our body chemistry,laughter helps us deal with stress. We should all laugh more! Right? There's nothing funny about suffering and loss, but I think life has a way of tossing down 'stepping stones' of humor to see us through. In The Other Soldier, you use comic relief masterfully throughout. In fact, you bring it in so naturally that it makes the story even more true to life. I won't give anything away, but as an example, in the epilogue just four words took me from heartfelt tears to bursting into laughter. I know you have a great sense of humor :). Did the use of comic relief come naturally to you? Is there a craft source you recommend on comic relief or the use of humor in books?

You are so right—we don’t laugh often enough! And I’m tickled that you found the right bits of the book humorous. For me it’s quite a challenge to walk that line between funny and obnoxious, and the very last thing I wanted to do with this subject matter was come across as disrespectful. But with grief and regret playing such a big part in the story, I knew I needed to sprinkle in some “downtime” to give the reader a break from all the angst. To my surprise and delight the humor came naturally. I believe it’s thanks to the secondary characters, since a grumpy old man and an outspoken nine year-old provide plenty of fodder for fun dialogue. Unfortunately, humor isn’t always instinctive for me. In fact, I’d intended the book I’m currently writing (a follow-on to The Other Soldier) to lean more to the comic side, but my critique partner was less than impressed. Epic fail. So I’m sticking with the angst. Angst I can write. Outright humor, not so much. That I’ll leave to experts like Ellen Hartman and Holly Jacobs. :-)

3. I'm a fellow lover of word games. We should start a group called Scrabble Sisters or Bananagram Babes, LOL! However, you'd beat me hands down at any challenge involving military speak. You had one hilarious scene in the book that I personally refer to as the Navy vs Army lingo scene. It's an excellent example of how word choice can really bring out a character. I'd say my favorite expression used was 'Embrace the suck.' Writing is tough and getting published is even tougher. What were some key moments on your road to publication where you had to embrace the suck?

LOL, I love that expression, too! And boy, did I learn a lot of Army/Navy speak that I’d love to share, except it would bring my mother running with a six-pack of soap. When I was just starting out submitting queries I felt brutalized by each and every rejection. I think that was the biggest suck I had to embrace—getting past the desperation to quit when I felt I had no business believing I could write. Luckily the more I wrote the more I realized I had a lot to learn, and of course the more I learned the better I wrote, so that kept me going.

But my most notable “suck point” also turned out to be a pivotal point in the growth of my writing. I had drafted a scene in which my heroine wanders into a garden at night, sits on a bench and contemplates life, love and the pursuit of an especially elusive hero. One of my critique partners gently but firmly pointed out that having a character sitting and thinking did not make for an active or even particularly interesting scene. But...but...I’d spent so much time on those pages! Of course it didn’t take me long to realize she was right. But I didn’t like that she was right, because it meant scrapping words. And I am not fond of scrapping words. Luckily I’ve never made that mistake again. Instead I make awesome new ones.

4. See, you made me smile! Well, we all know that perseverance pays off...and deserves a treat! Tell us about your Halloween treat that topped even the best chocolate. A call in the bag!

LOL, Halloween is a great day to get great news, isn’t it?! This book came about as a result of Harlequin’s online Memorial Day Challenge, in which entrants were asked to submit the first 1000 words of a military-themed story. I almost didn’t enter—not only was I already working on a submission for Superromance, but I’d never even considered writing a military character and really didn’t know where to start. But then I realized not entering would be a colossal mistake—why wouldn’t I take advantage of the chance to win a pair of critiques from the very editors I was targeting?! Amazingly enough I did win those critiques, from editors Victoria Curran and Megan Long. Talk about a Halloween treat! Of course, that meant I actually had to write the story...enter the trick. But thanks to a steady diet of chocolate-covered almonds and Army Wives, I did manage to finish the book. Two months after I submitted it, on Halloween, I received a voicemail from Megan, telling me they’d like to go to contract. I was ecstatic! I was also driving, not to mention crying. I had to turn into the nearest parking lot and hang out until I could see well enough to get back on the road. When I got home I promptly celebrated by hitting the chocolate. :-) Good thing we only had three trick-or-treaters that evening, because after I finished whooping it up there wasn’t a heck of a lot of candy left.

5. I'm so glad that The Other Soldier got published because it's a story that gives hope to a lot of people suffering from tragedy. It also tackles the subject of financial self-sufficiency from both a generational perspective and that of the different sexes. I believe romance novels are empowering to readers in so many ways. Given our financial times, what's the one message from this secondary story line that you hope readers will take home?

Rula, you used two of my favorite words to describe what romance novels offer—hope and empower[ment]! I doubt there are many people who haven’t recently been touched by financial hardship in some way, so it seemed timely, as well as appropriate to the story, to include money as a conflict. Pride, shame, desperation—it all comes into play when someone is facing hard times. Throw in a potential lover who needs impressing—one who has far more money than you’ll ever dream of having—and watch the mix-ups mount! It’s one of my favorite character realizations-that love trumps lucre(I guess because that’s not always true in real life). What I hope the reader will take away from the secondary storyline? Open communication is key. Establishing financial expectations and boundaries up front can save a lot of heartache! Of course, it also makes for a less angst-y read. ;-)

6. I'm sure you'll never forget the thrill of getting your first book into stores, but the details will never be as fresh as they are now. Thinking back on everything that has happened since your Call, how would you complete the following two phrases: I wish I'd known... and Next time I'll definitely...

I wish I’d known to lay in a bigger supply of celebratory chocolate! Seriously, though, this is a great question, and I have a somewhat embarrassing answer. I wish I’d remembered (because I know this full well) that it’s all about the writing. You don’t write, you can’t sell. After I got the call I let myself get caught up in all I needed to do to finalize The Other Soldier, and in writing reviews for USA Today’s Happy Ever After blog. Revisions and a Dear Reader letter needed to be done, of course, and the HEA blog is a fun form of promotion, but I neglected the next book—which is why it isn’t coming out until July of 2013. I promise I’m working on that time management issue. Plus, I’m adding our bread machine and an empty box of All Bran to my list of places to stash candy.

Next time (which starts now!) I’ll definitely be more schedule savvy, and at the same time try not to beat myself up over a lost writing session or two. If I get to three? I’ll force myself to boycott Castle. No Nathan Fillion guarantees I won’t remain off schedule for long!

7. Maybe you could name one of your future heroes Nathan ;) Your current hero, Corporal Reid Macfarland, is a lucky guy because your heroine, Parker Dean, is quite the baker. In fact, readers can get her recipes for Pumpkin Coconut Muffins and Castle Creek Carrot Cake on your website. Yum! Which of her desserts is your top pick? Would you have it with coffee or tea? Snuggled on a sofa with a remote, sitting on a beach chair with your toes in the surf or by a campfire near a cabin in the woods?

I found that recipe for pumpkin muffins years ago and instantly adored it. When I added chocolate chips it tipped the scale from good to great. (It also tipped the bathroom scale, but we won’t talk about that). As much as I enjoy carrot cake—minus the raisins—I have to say the muffins will always be my first choice. As far as what I’d drink with them, I’m one of those people who loves the smell of coffee but can’t stand the taste. For me it’s tea all the way—preferably Constant Comment. And whoa, you are such a tease! By a beach or a campfire? I would love either of those choices! But most often you’ll find me on the sofa, snuggled under an afghan crocheted for me by my sister. Every now and then I switch it out with the one crocheted for me by my brother! Yeah, I completely lost out on that creative-with-yarn gene.

8. Do you have any quirky writing habits/rituals or snacks?

LOL, I’m afraid my writing sessions are boringly normal. I’m just like everyone else who pays tribute to the writing gods—at 10 minutes past the hour I stop writing, stand up and circle my chair while tapping my fist to my forehead; I always spit out the first mouthful of whatever drink I’ve poured (careful, of course, to aim away from the keyboard); and whenever I finish a chapter I light a mutton-scented candle and recite a poem dedicated to Colin Firth.

::crickets::

Umm...everyone else does do those things, right? No? Oh. Well. You know I made it all up, right? Every last bit of it. Not true. Any of it. Seriously.

I think I need a peanut M&M.

9. LOL! And you say you're not funny? Oy! Okay, back on track here. In The Other Soldier, you brought your readers to Castle Creek, a memorable town with rich characters. Will we be revisiting Castle Creek in the future? Any hints at who we'll find?

I’m so glad you enjoyed your visit to Castle Creek! :-)  As a matter of fact, I will be coaxing you back in that direction. My next book features the owner of Castle Creek’s lone motel. Joe Gallahan is renovating the rundown building at the same time he’s trying to get rid of his ex-girlfriend, Allison Kincaid. Allison’s a city girl through and through, but she braves the small town to convince Joe that he needs to win her back the promotion he cost her. (It’s that money thing again—poor Allison is in dire straits.) Joe wants to correct the mistake he never knew he made, and the sooner the better so Allison can get back to her life in the city. Yet seeing his former lover tempts Joe to renew the offer he once made—though he doubts he can survive another rejection.

Along with Joe you’ll recognize a few other faces. And since it’ll be a year before we get to see Joe’s story, I’m planning to write a novella for release in December or January—just so readers don’t forget how to get back to Castle Creek. ;-) The heroine of that story will be Ivy Millbrook, who owns a dairy farm—the poor woman has already met her match but she doesn’t know it.

10. I love reading (and posting) lists of famous writer quotes. It's tough to narrow down a favorite, but if you had to pick one that really hit home for you, which would it be?

My absolute favorite, most beloved quote is this one by James Thurber: “Don’t get it right, just get it written.” This hits home for me because I write with an ever-present internal editor—which makes writing that first draft so very painful. I am a slooooow writer because I have a hard time moving on from that sentence or paragraph or page that doesn’t read quite right. And it’s a first draft, of course it doesn’t read quite right! :-/ Plus there’s that whole I-live-in-fear-of-having-to-scrap-words thing I have going on. Currently I’m struggling to improve my speed factor, and glancing at this quote every now and then really helps!

Rula, thank you so much for inviting me to guest blog on A Writer’s Rush! I’ve read and admired so many of the clever and informative interviews you’ve posted over the months...years, actually...and I’m honored beyond description to join the authors you’ve featured. I appreciate you!

Many thanks also to everyone who stopped in to say hello! I’m so grateful for your support, and I’d love to share a copy of The Other Soldier. Please leave a comment for the chance to win one! 

Gosh, Kathy! Thank you so much for being here. It has been an honor.

GIVEAWAY: You heard Kathy, everyone! Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of The Other Soldier. The winner will be posted here this Thursday, August 9th.

BLURB: 

Corporal Reid Macfarland has one mission: to make amends for the mistake he lives with every day. That friendly-fire incident in Afghanistan that killed a fellow soldier haunts him. Maybe if he can help the widow, he'll find some peace.

But amends are easier said than done. Just one meeting with the independent and engaging Parker Dean makes it clear that forgiveness is a little more complicated than offering money or an apology. If he really wants to help, Reid has to stick around for a while. The more their daily lives intertwine, the more he realizes her forgiveness isn't the only thing he needs—he needs her.

BUY IT HERE: 

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Harlequin

FIND KATHY HERE:

http://www.kathyaltman.com/

Harlequin Superromance Authors Blog

RWA Nationals 2012

I'm back from Anaheim! I got in late and didn't sleep until 1:00 AM, but I'm still buzzing with adrenaline and residual caffeine (yep, I think the Starbucks staff were starting to worry about the lady who kept ordering triple shots of espresso...blame it on the time difference and lack of sleep). This was my fourth Nationals and it was phenomenal. I'll start by congratulating all the Golden Heart and RITA finalists and winners! I'll let you read the list of winners at the RWA website, but I will note a significant win...Carina Press author Fiona Lowe took home a RITA for contemporary single title. That's a huge milestone, not only for Fiona, but for Harlequin's Carina Press and e-publishing in general.

Don't click that keyboard yet! I have pictures, links and info coming up.

Let's start with Harlequin. If you hang at Harlequin's online community and ever go to a Nationals meeting, you have to attend the Harlequin PJ party. It's fun, relaxing and you get to meet all your harlequin online friends in person. Oh, and there are always fabulous party favors :). Check out the vintage Harlequin romance mug we all got this year. I'm drinking tea out of it right now.

Thank you to Jayne at Harlequin and anyone else involved in organizing the party! If I try to mention everyone I met, I know I'll forget someone, so let me just say that the entire Harlequin community (staff, published and unpublished writers alike) rock! These are truly wonderful, warm and supportive people.

Superromance authors Kathy Altman, Linda Style and me

Super sweet Kathy Altman and me at the PJ party

As for information I jotted down at the Spotlight on Harlequin Series session...

Updates have been made to their writing guidelines that include the latest word count changes, new series and more. I'll note a few things here, but take a minute (after this post :) to check out their new writing guidelines. Medicals are now being included in the Home and Hearth group, whereas Superromance, with it's 85k word count, is getting categorized as 'romance with more'. New lines include Kiss, a 50k flirty line coming out in Feb 2013 and Heartwarming, a 70-75k wholesome (yet with the complexity of a Supers) line looking to shift from reprints to new authors starting July 2013. Also, Harlequin Digital First is a new digital line that differs from Carina Press in that it's encompasses series books that carry the Harlequin brand. There are a few other new lines, and yet another to be announced in the next few weeks (if I understood correctly) so check out the guidelines link above!

The next Harlequin SYTYCW contest will be global and is set to launch on September 17, 2012. This time, the initial voting will be public.

And now for the RWA Literacy Autographing. It was amazing! I was having so much fun catching up with friends and meeting chapter members that I didn't get pictures of all of them (still kicking myself). But here are a few...

Superromance author Cathryn Parry and me

YA author Janice Hardy. My son loooves her books and I'd promised him an autograph.

Kathy Altman with her debut Superromance

Me and the always lovely Harlequin Desire author Olivia Gates

The very sweet Nas Dean from Romance Book Paradise and me. 

My dear friend Superromance author  Jeannie Watt  (I think you've figured out who I am at this point ;).  

The workshops were fabulous too. Even those of us who made it to Nationals couldn't make it into every workshop, but most are recorded. Here's the link to Bill Stephens Productions if you're interested in ordering a recording. Ruby Slippered Sisters Liz Tally and Darynda Jones did one on voice development that I heard writers raving about in the hall. I was at the PRO retreat and missed it, so I'm planning to order it along with many other workshops. I did make it to Michael Hague's talk. You have to listen to this man at least once in your writing career. I went to his talk last year as well, but I figured round two would help his words sink in deeper. You can check out his links in my left colum and catch up on some of his wisdom. A few other great workshops I attended were Margie Lawson's on openings and Debra Dixon's on conflict. Again, too many great workshops to list, but you can buy the recordings.

Robyn Carr's awards luncheon speech was very inspiring and the GH/RITA awards ceremony emceed by Victoria Alexander was both funny and romance movie nostalgic. And the ever elegant and gracious J.D. Robb earned a laugh when she accepted her RITA and said that Nora would be jealous :)

Me and Kathy Altman at the awards ceremony

I wish I had more pics from the ceremony. I wish I could list the names of every writer I connected in friendship with, but I don't want to hit the sack at 1:00 AM again, fry out blogger, or succumb to another triple shot espresso. Withdrawal's a b...big pain :)

I'll end by saying that being surrounded by so many talented, warm and inclusive writers, editors, agents and publishers is an extraordinary, almost surreal experience. I found myself enveloped with encouragement, enthusiasm, understanding, friendship, wisdom, knowledge and so much more. In fact, I left feeling so motivated and inspired that I used the two hours I had before my flight home to write. I sat at my gate, whipped out the Alpha Smart, glanced left and right to make sure no one was reading my draft work, and went at it. So inspired was I, that I never heard them announce boarding for my flight. Luckily, I glanced up in deep thought and snapped quickly back to reality when I realized what was happening, LOL. Anyway, I'm home now and ready for another year of writing.

Happy writing and reading to all.