A Little Bit of Everything...

I had a busy, but wonderful week. A friend spent the weekend with us. She and I had been best friends in sixth grade. She moved away but moved back in high school, and then we both left Kansas. A couple months ago she moved to Minnesota. It was wonderful to catch up on where all her family is and to introduce her to my boys and grandchildren.

It was also my RWA Chapter monthly meeting. My friend attended with me. Our group had a booth at the Library for Wyoming Stage Coach Days. Luckily my youngest son’s girlfriend has a closet full of western wear she let us borrow. (Since I didn’t take any pictures, here’s one of my granddaughter on a very large rocking horse.)

I also made salsa and canned tomatoes. I’m trying to get the garden cleaned out before the frost comes.

My final reader read through Boot Hill Bride and I turned the last round of edits in, so that one is said and done. I’m now working on another Texas Ranger story as well as the fourth Quinter Bride Book and a collaborative story about two sisters with another writer.

Oh, and to anyone who saw the Vikings game…What an ending! Go Vikes!

Renaissance Festival

We went to the Renaissance Festival on Sunday. That’s me riding the elephant with my granddaughter. She wanted to ride it, NOT me. (We are on the second elephant in the picture.)

It was a glorious day, with the perfect amount of sunshine and a light breeze. I can’t imagine wearing the clothing of that age. Yards and yards of heavy fabric went into those dresses! And the jousting! Those poor men were dripping wet beneath their heavy armors.

We walked around, munching on turkey drumsticks, and had a wonderful time, but all in all it reminded me that I’m a western gal at heart. I’d rather have the cowboy with his six-shooter than the knight in shining armor.

This week I’m working on the fourth Quinter Bride story, it’s been calling me to give it some attention. Poor Snake, try as he might, his mother outfoxes him.

THE CALL

Last week I told you about Kendra’s Choice, and how Harlequin had inquired about the story. Well, yesterday, I got THE CALL from them. They offered a contract for the story I wrote for their UNDONE Line! I am so excited for this opportunity. I’ve been reading Harlequin Romance Novels since I was thirteen and dreamed of the day I’d get THE CALL from them.

I rarely turn my computer on before I leave for work in the morning. There just isn’t time, since, for one, I like to sleep as late a possible, (usually because I stay up too late writing every night) but also because I stop to visit my mother on my way to work every morning. Yesterday morning, I was drawn to turn my computer on and there was an email from an assistant editor at Harlequin asking what would be a good time for them to call me. (They are six hours ahead in London.) I emailed back and said I’d be home for an hour and then available by cell all day. After I hit send, I ran into the bedroom and told my husband to get up and sit by the phone while I showered. When I got out of the shower there was an email that said they’d call at 9 AM. I had a 9 AM meeting for work, so I drove to the meeting place and said I had to take a call before I joined the meeting. I sat in my car and at 9 on the dot Harlequin called. They had me on speaker with an editorial assistant and the Sr. Editor of their historical line.

The picture is of flowers my wonderful friend, Robin, sent me yesterday afternoon! The bouquet is beautiful, with many more flowers than pictured, but my two year old granddaughter took the picture. After one shot she decided taking pictures of the dog was more fun. LOL

Kendra's Choice

My next release will be Kendra’s Choice on Oct. 7th. It’s a short, hot story and will be available only in e-book.

Here’s the blurb:

Kendra Parker needs a man—it’s research for Widow Swanson’s article, “What Every Woman Needs to Know about Her Marriage Bed.” But the sparse population of Eastern Colorado in 1883 doesn’t offer many choices, until Major Marlow arrives.

Sterling Marlow rode into the Parker farm in time to celebrate the wedding of one of Kincaid Parker’s daughters. But it was the Pastor’s older daughter, Kendra, who caught his attention. Her seductive body wanted him, and who was he to deny the needs of a young woman?

And here’s an excerpt:

A coy smiled twisted her mouth as the tip of her tongue slipped out to moisten pink lips. Sweat popped out on his neck, he tensed against the shiver rippling over his shoulders.

Kendra Parker lowered her hand from her hair, held it out to him.

It took every once of control not to grab her hand, pull her against his chest, and kiss the hell out of her. He’d never met a more beautiful woman, nor had one made love to him with their eyes before. Damn! He was wound tighter than a diamond back. Exhaling, low and slow, he reached for her hand.

“Miss Parker,” he greeted, wincing at how his tone was a good three notes higher than normal.

“Major.” Her voice was as lovely as the rest of her—soft, sweet, and more provocative than any saloon girl could ever hope to mimic.

She didn’t try to pull her hand away, just let her supple, smooth palm rest against his. Their matching heat mingled, danced. Those blue eyes, still locked onto his, smoldered with enough heat to spark a fire all the way down in Texas. His toes curled inside his boots.


This story has a tale of it’s own behind it. I wrote Kendra’s Choice after hearing about Harlequin’s UNDONE line on a romance loop. I subbed it, but when I hadn’t heard from them after several months, I assumed they weren’t interested and subbed it to The Wild Rose Press last spring. A short time ago, I did hear from Harlequin and they were interested in the story. I told them I’d already sold it and it will be released next month. They did ask me to write and sub another story. I of course wrote another one for them ASAP, and my fingers are crossed that I will hear from them soon.

Other writing news…got a wonderful review from WRDF for Doctor McBride. Reviewer Cyn says, “Fun, intense and satisfying, Doctor McBride is the remedy for any reader.”

Labor Day Weekend....

As much as I hate to admit it, August has left us. It’s been several years since our youngest graduated high school, but I still get this feeling of remorse when the new school year begins. For me, the first day of school always marked the end of relaxing summer days and the beginning of rushed schedules that came with the infusion of fall.

We did have a wonderful summer, though it was relatively cool here in MN. A headline in the MPLS/ST.PAUL STAR TRIBUNE this morning was The Summer of 69---DEGREES! Yes, that was our average summer temperature. The weather has been good for the garden though, last weekend I made salsa, zucchini bread, peach jam and plum jelly. And I must do another batch of plum jelly this evening.

With the garden, picking and canning, and work, I had a very busy week and weekend, but did get some writing done. I completed the rough draft of one of the four stories I’m working on and did the final read through for A Soldier for Christmas. Unless something unusual pops up, I won’t see that story again until it’s released in December.

We have company coming for the weekend and a large family gathering planned to celebrate Hayley’s baptism. I hope you all have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!