Trickling in for an update...

Life trickles on around us sometimes. So much, coming in little bursts and gusts, while we keep busy with the things that keep us from noticing. Here's a taste of what's swirling around me of late:

We're well into Summer vacation here in Georgia. Our kids get out a full month before they do up north. So I'm enjoying having my son home, and trying to work around him.


I'm leaving again on Friday for the Wisconsin RWA conference in Green Bay. They've invited me to come up to give two workshops. Meanwhile I still have pictures from from my last trip--The Heart of Dixie's reader luncheon--that I haven't even posted yet.


I'm writing strong on my Mother's Day novella. Can't wait to share some of it with you. Feel up for a bit of a teaser???


My agent has the first three chapters of the paranormal thriller I've been chatting about on and off for a while. Here's hoping she loves it enough to want to try and market it.


Oh, and Book 2 of Atlanta Heroes is due mid-August, so I'm starting to work it into my daily rotation, too...


Good times ;o) Pant...pant...


Also on my agenda is taking pics of the RT promo goodies I brought back with me, so I can begin giving them away. Look for those coming soon. Also, don't miss the last day of Brenda Novak's online auction...and not just for my Coach goodies. There's so much out there to bid on, and it's a great cause. Here's the link:


http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Home.taf


And when that's done, remember to leave a comment here through July for your chance to win the Coach purse that's my latest prize in my website giveaway.


So, gonna be gone over the weekend and likely not posting. Guess I should leave you with something fun to look at. Pictures keep trickling in, too. Here's another of me posing during the RT Mister Romance Competition...With Travis Greiman...compliments of the Romantic Times website... Sigh... Sometimes, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do...

RT Memories 4: Live in the Moment

I've said it before. We only have control over the moment we're living now. You might as well give it all you've got, 'cause the rest of your life isn't yours to spin.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a champ at looking back (at the good stuff and the bad).

Like, I'm just now getting the rest of April's prizes in the mail, because I'm a neurotic mommy watching her nestling leave Elementary School behind, and therefore I've been scrambling for every last memory I can get these last few weeks.

And like the new RT pictures I have to share below--that kind of looking back does a girls frazzled mind some good, don't you think ;o)

Looking back or trying to predict the future is normal. Human. Essential to understand your place. But don't get lost in the looking. Get lost in the living, instead.

What's coming, what's not gone right --what's scared us so badly it's still lingering, no matter how much time has past--or even what's so right we'd kill to live it over and over again...none of it's your reality right now. None of it's that juicy moment right in front of you, waiting for you to take a bite to see how it'll taste. Right now is the good stuff. Right now's where your passion should be.

So, my apologies for the delay in your goody deliveries. The last packages go out today (except to those winners who're too shy to share their addies with me, and you know who you are--if you don't, look back over the last month's posts and find your name and get in touch ;o).

And here are some great pics to help smooth over my slow, slow blog posting of late. I'm getting back on the horse. Don't have a choice, really. There's a lot of work due, NOW!!! Gotta be who I am now, instead of who all those memories tell me I might be...you do the same, then tell us what you've acomplished today ;o)

Okay, I LOVE this picture of me and Jason Santigo--Mr. Romance '07. Ride 'em, cowgirl!!!

And here are more of the CrossingRealms guys...Bill Freda joined in the fun this time. Lucky us ;o)

And as for Chris Winters, for those of you who haven't made it out to Rose and Anthony's site yet, here's the banner everyone's been drooling over!

May...and RT Memroies 3!

Before we get to more of the great pictures folks are loving, here's a piece of my president's column for the May GRW newsletter, The Galley. Oh!, and I don't know what's with blogger these days, but please leave comments annonymously and just include your name in the body of the comment--argh!!!

May...

May you know your whole heart, and have the courage to invite us closer to marvel at all that is are uniquely you.

May you discover the grandeur to be treasured in simplicity, and that it is the simplest parts of you that are most divine.

May fear of tomorrow never hold more sway than the promise of what one moment can mean today.

May you see and understand and listen and support far more than you judge.

May nature be your muse every time the wind caresses your face.

May you find friends at every turning point in life, and may you find yourself to be the finest company of all.

May you write because life seems empty without it, and may you live at least one of your fantasies this year.

And may you never forget that the most magical thing to have isn't what you want most, but peace with what you already possess ;o)

Enjoy the beautiful spring outside your windows, my friends. May is our proof, after winter's harshest days have held us captive, that life always renews itself.

Now...a few more pics from RT!!!



First, Brian Schell, Steven Rossi and Chris Winters...some of the guys in the amazing Crossing Realms calendar...and, yes, they're more amazing in person ;o)





And me posing with Travis during the contest...it was quite a hardship--Not!!! This one was taken on my digital camera, so the light's not great, but I think you'll get the idea.

RT Memories 2: Letting the world flow around you...

Great advice someone once gave me...

Life just is, and resisting what is makes about as much sense as hiding from the invisible ghost in your closet. We do it as kids, because we still believe that "it's not there if I dont' see it." But as adults, really, what's the chance the world's going anywhere every time we blink?

So, I've been letting the good and the bad flow around me this week. Interesting excercise. I'm more a dive in and conquer kind fo girl, but sometimes there's nothing to do but let everything flow around you and refuse to be afraid. Good, bad, life just is. Nothing to do but ride it out.

Lot's going on here. Most of it good. Lots going on online, too, and here's my little contribution...
The list of the release party winners I don't have addresses for. I want to make sure I can start shipping prizes out starting Monday (starting with the last two "froggies" I gave away on April 9th). Everyone who hasn't, please send me your mailing address:

Our April 18th winner "Anne," Anne, who posted at 5:26 pm, the Golf Girl makeup case and bath goodies--still need an adress

April 20th winners Sandra M. (green Coach wristlette) and Belinda (Yoga Girl makeup case), I need both your addresses. Not sure if Sandra M. is Sandra Martin...want to be sure ;o)

And for everyone, here are some more great RT Houston pictures. I'm still waiting for more from the show, but there's lot of lovely men to go around, regardless!!



Here are Jason and Brookes, all dressed up and ready to party before one of the evening events. Yowza!!






Me and another of the Mr. Romance contestants, Chris Winters. A great guy, and don't miss his banner photo at the top of Rose and Anthony's website:

http://www.myspace.com/a_n_r_photography





One of my Club RT '05 winners from St. Louis was carrying around her cool bag still, so I snapped her picture...





And here I am before the Fairy Ball with another Chris, who was the youngest (and most mischevious) of the Mr. Romance contestents.

More soon. Have a great weekend, everyone.



And remember, let life flow...it's a funner ride that way!!!

RT 2007 Memories 1: Simple Blessings that ROCK!!!

Yeah, it's been a rough couple of weeks around here...thanks for all your support. We're rocking along okay now. And, guess what! When I stop to think about all the unexpected good stuff that surprises you (online friends included ;o) in the midst of the unexpected bad, rough just doesn't seem quite as scary, does it?

Like--my son's graduating from elementary school next week. I'm so proud and in awe of how far he's come. Mom moments are striking lightening fast every day now. Didn't expect to be so caught up in this mini right of passage. But here I am wanting to memorize every second and store them away for when he's grown and gone and off making someone else's world better just by being a part of it.

Check back tomorrow for a list of all the prizes I owe everyone--I'll let you know who I have addresses for and who I still need to hear from. Once I have everything in the mail, I'll start doing weekly give aways of the oodles of goodies I brought back from RT--starting next week, I hope.

And speaking of simple blessings and RT, it wasn an AMAZING week, and a hard one, since I was so far away from my mom when she got sick. But my husband was here to look after my family, and there were some simple blessings in store for me to make sure I stayed grounded in the moment in Houston. One of the best things about the Romantic Times conference is getting to know the folks who come year after year--fellow writers, RT staff, fans, and of course the models who are the stars of the week.

Here's a pic of me with fellow authors Arianna Heart (Cat Cody) and Patrice Michelle at the Ellora's Cave Moulin Rouge party. Dressed up and ready to dance and have a great time!

And another with model and great guy Steve Rossi, who's on the cover of the Crossing Realms calendar this year (http://crossingrealmsllc.com/). We were smooshed together for a group photo, taken by the very talented photographer Rose Germano, or her equally talented husband Anthony...not sure which...I was distracted). It was a hardship, but I managed to "hang in there" and be a joiner ;o)

More hunky guy photos, you say!!! Here's one of my favorites from the week--Brooks Johnson, who's spotlighted in this years Ellora's Cave calendar (which I'll be giving away a signed copy of later in the month ;o). Brooks is on the right, signing calendars with buddy EC model Lorenzo. Nice guys shouldn't be this beautiful...it's just not good for a woman's blood preassure!

One final group shot, until I get to my big suprise (if I didn't string you along, you wouldn't believe I was back to full writing strength ;o) Another shot from the first night's party--the girls again, grouped around EC model Devin...the medical student and exotic dancer (killer combination). These are really the greatest, most interesting people. So much fun to catch up with each year at the events!!!

Okay, the simple blessings part of the week-long RT experience--at least one of them.

Because I know so many of the staff and regulars, and because one of the female models that pose with the Mr. Romance conetestants in the model competition that concludes the conference each year couldn't be there, and I guess because I have big, too-much-like-romance covermodel-hair, I was asked to pose up on stage with the Mr. Romance contestants this year!!!!!

Fun, fun, fun...great fun and I got to do something I never thought I had in me (getting up on stage to do anything more than teach sooooo isn't me, despite the hair, for those of you who are just getting to know me). And the perks--spending time with great guys and getting to live out all those fantasy romance poses and cover clutches...sigh...I'll be back next post to tell you more.

Until then, here's one of the pictures that are slowly trickling in from the show--this is during the Western Pose portion of the contest, and I'm working with Jason Santiago--2007's Mr. Romance winner!!!

Photo once again compliments of Rose and Anthony, of A&RPhotography. Check out their MySpace page. Buy a callendar. You won't be disappointed.(http://www.myspace.com/a_n_r_photography).

Yes, it was like a dream. A three-hour-long, hero-filled dream ;o)

Come back to hear more!!! Like how GQ covered the event, including the rehersals and the behind the scenes stuff...oh my gosh!!!

Website Contest Winner!!!!

One more post for today, many more to come this week ;o)

We have a winner for my website contest--Traveler, who posted a blog comment at 2:14 PM in my March 14th post!!! Congrats, my friend. Email me your current mailing address, and the Nine West bag is yours.

I'll be updating my website contest page soon, but my blog faithful get a sneak peak of the new prize. As promised, it's a Coach Bag jewel.

What a great Coach Signature/Suede shoulder tote!!! I can't believe I'm giving it away, but I found some amazing bargains for Brenda Novak's online auction, and I snagged this one for my guys ;o)

Visit Brenda's auction and check out the other bags. It's a great cause.

http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/

Bid big--then leave some comments here between now and the end of July to secure your chance to win this little beautyr.

Yawn...

Night everyone!!!

Whew...The Glamorous Live of a Romance Writer ;o)

Did I mention I'd try to post while at RT? Well, I did--but the hotel's Internet connection was spotty at best. I know, I know...excuses, excuses.

Of course, there was all the work there was to be done at the conference...you know, collecting books and goodies for you guys, captaining the Harlequin/Silhouette panel, networking with other authors and publishers, of course socializing ;o) and taking tons of pictures.

There were come great suprises that I can't wait to share. And I have a website winner for my last "funky purse," not to mention a new Coach back for everyone to drool over (to tie into the Coach boutique I'm sponsoring on Brenda Novak's JVDA auction). I couldn't wait to get back and start blogging!!!

But, alas, life gets in the way sometimes. We had a family emergency right before I left for Houston, my mom had emergency surgery while I was gone, and I had a reader luncheon committment to make once I returned home. All's well now, but we're exhausted around here. Glamorous, I know.

What can I say--the illusion of life is what you make of it, right!!!

So, this week, I'll catch up on the goodies I owe everyone (nothing much got mailed out from my All-American Father release party), all the news from RT (have an amazing surprise to share), tons of pictures, and will start putting the great promo items and books I snagged for everyone up for grabs.

Come back. Look for lots of links and pics and inspiring tales. What else would you expect?

It's good to be back to my boring, every day life ;o)