Austin has a new wine bar—Vintage Books and Wine www.vintagebooksandwine.com It couldn’t be more perfect for me (and you, too, I think). They have wine, a great atmosphere, wine, a good selection of romances, and wine. All books on the shelves are trade paperbacks or hardcovers so my mass market sized books weren’t available. However, they had an…
I first met Kathy at a Kansas book group. I’d been invited to speak and, boom! Just like that, a friendship started. Every time I am in Kansas, Kathy comes to see me. We laugh, we catch up, and she takes a picture of us holding previous year pictures. It is our inside joke and then we laugh about…
I went to Booklovers Con (https://www.bookloverscon.com ) a few weeks ago. Yes, right before Christmas but not a moment too late. I had a great time. It is true I pretty much have a great time everywhere I go, but this Con was valuable because it reminded me of how important readers are to my creativity. First,…
Inquiring minds want to know I belong to a Romance Book Club. We just finished a contemporary where the romance was life altering, and life affirming. . . but the ending was not a scene of them entwined on the couch planning their nuptials or dreaming of spending every moment together until they both lost…
Even though I no longer send my kids off to school, September still feels like the time for new beginnings. This is the time of the year when I start thinking about my goals and my dreams. This is when I roll up my sleeves and jump into a new project, especially since September and…
So, here is what is happening–August 9, this dog walked in my front door. He is very friendly, didn’t have a collar, and I put him in the back yard, assuming a neighbor lost him and would contact me soon. No contact Yes, I am aware he is a pit bull and I would never,…
It isn’t unusual for authors of other genres to read their work at book signings. However, in Romance, we haven’t done it that often until Hope Tarr, Maya Rodale, and others started Lady Jane’s Salon in NYC. Now there are a host of Romance genre reading programs, many using the “Lady Jane” in the title,…
Some people go for tattoos; others for significant jewelry—and use them to create symbols that define their lives. I’ve done one of the two. I’ll let you decide which. However, recently, I found myself mulling over the idea of a definitive statement for me. What truly defined me? What principle has guided everything I have…
I am a fan of Angela Hunt’s books on writing. They are practical, clever ways of understanding how fiction works and how to speed up writing. Angela and I met once through our mutual friend Robin Lee Hatcher. It was one of those chance meetings in the hotel hallways at a writers’ convention. After Angela…
I used to avoid book signings until I learned how fun they were with readers ready to have a good time. Now I am a Reader Fan! (In Houston, TX with the wonderful Tessa Dare and the folks at Katy Budget Books) I adore folks who want to celebrate this genre I love so much…