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Thought I'd kick off my Music Monday thing with a song that has been part of the soundtrack for every Scottish hero I've written (and there have already been a few in my short career).Ìý From Call of the Highland Moon's Gideon MacInnes to Dark Awakening's Tynan MacGillivray, my Scotsmen have a sweetness at their core, even if it's not readily apparent at first.Ìý And though they would never admit it, being the sorts of men whoÌýaren't into discussing such alien concepts as "feelings" except under extreme duress, they want very muchÌýto love and be loved in return.Ìý This also scares the hell out of them, but you know...they're men.Ìý Supernaturally powerful men, but that doesn't make a lot of difference in this area.Ìý In their more vulnerable moments, this lovely song by a favorite band of mine, the appropriately Scottish band Travis, always seems to apply.Ìý I've loved it for years now, so it seems like a good one to share.Ìý Hope you enjoy it too!
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Hey everyone!Ìý Okay, prompted by butt-kickings from various people in my life (all much appreciated, btw), I'm hopping back on the blogging train.Ìý I made it through the experience of writing two books in six months with most of my sanity intact and probably more white hair, though I don't let my roots grow out enough to really know for sure:-)Ìý I've got a lot of exciting stuff happening in my professional universe, and I've got a series launching on June 28th.Ìý If I ever say I have nothing to blog about right now, smack me.Ìý

We'll start with tomorrow and a suggestion from my buddy Lisa.Ìý I am a complete music junkie, which you'll figure out quickly if you listen to my ramblings for any length of time.Ìý I use music for writing inspiration ALL the time, and sometimes can even tame my writerly ADD enough to have it playing while I'm working.Ìý Some books lend themselves to that more than others...seems to depend. Sooo, henceforth, we'll be having Music Mondays 'round these parts, wherein I'll share a song that I've used or am using in my writing.Ìý My iPod is full o' goodness.Ìý So this should be fun!Ìý I'm always open to suggestions for new stuff, too.Ìý As for Wednesdays and Fridays, which are the other days I'll be hanging out here, well...we'll see what I come up with:-)

As for tonight, I wanted to share something cool with you all.Ìý I recently sold Dark Dynasties books 3 and 4 to Grand Central (YAY!), and the description of Book 3, SHADOW RISING, interested the good people at Romantic Times enough that they mentioned it . Is that not cool?Ìý I've only got about three chapters of that book done so far, but I absolutely love the characters already.Ìý Gonna be a fun one.

Thanks for stopping by, and I'll see you tomorrow!

Hard to believe, but the release of Dark Awakening is only a couple of months away!Ìý Wanna win a copy and read it, say...now?Ìý My publisher, Forever Romance, is having a week of giveaways on Twitter to celebrate the royal wedding, and today they'll be asking trivia questions and selecting FIVE winners to receive a copy of Dark Awakening!Ìý If you're into Twitter (I keep trying, and then forgetting about my account, and then trying, and then forgetting...it's a vicious cycle), check it out a @ForeverRomance all day today.Ìý Good luck!

I just finished writing the sequel, actually, and am now crawling out of the Writer's Cave O'Pain to re-engage with normal life.Ìý It's been a busy year, but things should be smoothing out now a bit, so I'll be here more often:-)Ìý YAY for hitting another deadline!

I'm hanging at my buddy Aunty Cindy's today to talk about my RITA final.Ìý Click to swing by!Ìý I'd love it if you came over to chat.Ìý As for me, I'll be back to regular blogging when the book is turned in, quite soon.Ìý Confession: I kind of suck at multi-tasking:-)Ìý I did decide what sort of dance I should do if I actually WIN a RITA...I discovered the wonder that is Big Freedia yesterday.Ìý Can I make my booty move like that?Ìý Will I stand on my head at the awards ceremony?Ìý Will they throw me out for standingÌýon my head and shaking my booty?Ìý Only time will tell...
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I knew today was the day that the phone calls went out for the RITA finalists.Ìý And I'm not going to lie, even though I knew I was up against a LOT of fabulous writers, I had that little glimmer of hope that I'd get a call.Ìý And...right about 11:00 am...

I got one:-)

Did I squeal in the lovely Jeannie Adams' ear?Ìý Oh yes.Ìý Did I hang up and shriek at the top of my lungs?Ìý Oh hell yes.Ìý I'm still shaking.Ìý I know that a lot of readers probably don't even really know what a RITA is, but the best way I can describe it is sort of the Oscars of Romance.Ìý It's a big, peer-judged contest...THE big contest, and we hold a lavish awards ceremony every year at the national conference, on the last night.Ìý And this year, I'll be sitting there with Kevan (my agent) and Ann Leslie (my Nocturne editor), in my pretty new dress (which I'm going to need to buy!), and loving that this book was recognized for being something special.Ìý I don't care if I win.Ìý I'm just honored, and thrilled, and I wish I could bottle this feeling and pull it out whenever I feel like things are too tough.Ìý It's a difficult business...but there's so much magic in some of the moments it gives you.

It's a good day.Ìý A really, really good day!!

Hi Everyone!Ìý Had to share this with you...they've tweaked the cover just a bit before release.Ìý Same idea, but bigger hot dude.Ìý Nothing wrong with that:-)Ìý Hope you all like it!Ìý Have a great Thursday.Ìý I do apologize for posts being sporadic during the week right now.Ìý With a deadline in a month and a lot of work to do, sometimes online is the last place I should be!Ìý And my updates, if I gave you one every day,Ìýwould read "Writing", "Still writing", and the ever popular "Yep, STILL writing!"Ìý I am a snoozefest of a human being right now.Ìý I did get a brand new Durango a few days ago.Ìý THAT was actually pretty exciting.Ìý I really liked my Flex, but believe it or not, we needed more space.Ìý This is what happens when you start adding enormous animals to the family.Ìý Speaking of, we get Stella this weekend, so expect pictures soon!

I'm swamped with work.Ìý It's time for the Magic Dance!

So this weekend I went up to Wilmington, DE to see the musical version of Young Frankenstein with my MIL and daughter.Ìý It was SO FUN!Ìý I haven't seen a musical in a long time, but I really enjoy them.Ìý And of course, I'm a big Mel Brooks fan.Ìý My dad introduced me to the awesomeness of his films back when I was a kid.Ìý I loved them instantly (in fact, Young Frankenstein was my first), but they're managed to improve as the years have gone by, too...because I didn't quite get all of the jokes when I was younger:-)Ìý Same went for my daughter.Ìý I was, um, pretty glad she had no idea why I was giggling so hard at Elizabeth's post-coital ode to the monster's, erm, endowments with the song "Deep Love".Ìý There was also a plethora of boob jokes.Ìý Pretty sure she DID get those.Ìý Igor stole the show.Ìý The guy who plays him in the touring company has also played him on Broadway and in London, and he's fabulous.Ìý Here's a little trailer for the musical:

Now, the guy playing Frederick Frankenstein in these clips wasn't playing him in the show I saw.Ìý Actually, the actor I saw do it was much better...this guy played aÌýfew other parts.Ìý In any case, it was a great day, and it was a good way to introduce my daughter to the wonder of theater.Ìý I've never forgotten my first show (Phantom of the Opera at the Pantages Theater in Toronto), and I'm betting she'll never forget hers.

Hope you all had a good weekend!Ìý I've beenÌýridiculousy busy, and it's the out of the house kind involving lots of car time.ÌýÌýThat's life with three kids for you:-)

I am one.Ìý A Lord of the Rings fangirl, that is.Ìý And I am beyond excited that The Hobbit is finally getting made with Peter Jackson at the helm!Ìý Anyway, I ran across this the other day and thought it was VERY cool.Ìý Pogo, the musician responsible, does some really interesting mixes.Ìý He says this one isn't polished yet, but I say it's lovely anyway.Ìý Happy Hump Day, ladies:-)

I was rummaging in my pictures this morning, trying to come up with something decent to post, and discovered one of my potential candidates for Damien who I didn't show you.Ìý He's one of those up-and-comers in Hollywood, and I believe he's in that new Beauty and the Beast take-off, Beastly.Ìý Alex Pettyfer.Ìý He's quite lovely, check it out.


Pretty, huh?Ìý I can't say I'm excited about the movie from the trailer (and that is my favorite fairy tale, so major bummer for me), but Alex is kinda nice.Ìý I think the movie has Vanessa Hudgens in it.Ìý This may be part of the reason for my lack of excitement.Ìý Maybe it's just me, but the current crop of popular stars and starlets just don't interest me much.Ìý And there's a disturbing trend towards anorexically skinny bleached blondes...I mix them all up.Ìý Oh well...Tangled hits Blu-Ray at the end of the month, and I'm looking forward to that.Ìý Plus the teaser trailer for The Hangover 2 just came out.Ìý Yeah...that's one I want to see too:-)