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Posts tagged with: Jeanne Adams
Meet Ava Flynn!!Posted by Jeanne Adams May 12 2012, 12:15 am in Ava Flynn, Club Med, Dude Ranch, In The Cowboy's Bed, Jeanne Adams, Sexy Cowboys
I’ve got a special guest in the Lair today! I hope you’ll help me welcome debut author Ava Flynn. *applause, applause!* You all know that I’m more of a “BOOM!” girl than anything else, but since our own Bandita Suz published her historically focused Lacy Morgan and her cowboys with Ellora’s Cave, I’ve been branching out. On the recommendation of a friend – and because I DO like modern day Cowboys too – I downloaded Ava’s In the Cowboy’s Bed. It should have come with instructions to put the ceiling fan on high and get a cloth for my brow because it is Hawt, Hawt, HAWT!!! Grins. Jeanne: So, Ava, welcome to the Lair! Tell us how you got started writing such incredibly hot romances! Ava: Thanks for inviting me, Jeanne. I have heard nothing but wonderful things about the Banditas. Word has made the rounds that you all are a fun and rowdy group of gals to hang with. Jeanne: Ohhhhh yeah! This is one rockin’ place. Don’t worry, you’ll fit right in.
Jeanne: Oh, I hope so, because it’s great. Tell me, how did you come up with the concept of Pleasure Ridge Ranch? I mean, it’s part dude ranch, part incredibly sexy Club-Med-in-the-desert, right? Ava: Pictures of hot, shirtless cowboys on the Internet were a big inspiration point. LOL! Actually, that’s not too far off. I’ve always loved cowboy stories, and it’s not a stretch to wonder what it would be like to have a hot, uninhibited relationship with a cowboy who looked really, really good in nothing but his jeans and cowboy hat — or maybe in nothing at all. The concept of Pleasure Ridge Ranch is that women can come for a weekend, a week, whatever, and indulge in her fantasies. For some, that might be as simple as playing at romance — candlelit dinners, romantic walks, etc. For others, it might be the first time they’ve actually let themselves explore their sexual fantasies in a safe setting. Even with writing erotic romance and pushing the envelope, there are boundaries I won’t cross as a writer. The woman will always be in control and never in any sort of danger from her partner. Jeanne: That sounds delicious – an really a wonderful cross between great romance and hot passionate reading! Your heroine Erin, has had some seriously bad luck in relationships. What changes for her with Justin? Ava: Even though it’s supposed to be this short-term, sexual relationship, it turns out to be a lot more. She senses in him another wounded soul, so much more than a sexual plaything. He brings out in her a part of herself that she never acknowledged, and she likes it. Being with him frees her from her normal routine and helps her see that she’s at a point where she needs to make a life change, to get out of To me, erotic romance still needs to have a compelling story, even if there is a lot of fantastically hot sex going on. If it’s just sex with no actual story, then to me it’s no more than porn. There need to be real characters with real problems looking for a real happily ever after. Jeanne: I so totally agree! So, now for the good stuff…have you ever been to a dude ranch? Ava: Alas, no. I would love to spend a vacation at one, though it wouldn’t be a Pleasure Ridge type ranch since I’m a happily married woman. But if the cowboys happened to be nice looking, hey, who am I to argue? We’ll just call it writing inspiration. Jeanne: In the Cowboy’s Bed is set in the western Nevada mountains. Why did you choose this locale over other western spots? Ava: I visited there a few years ago and fell in love with the natural beauty of the area. And in my mind, cowboys tend to go with rugged backgrounds. Maybe it’s all those old westerns I watched as a kid. I work Lake Tahoe into the story because it’s one of the most lovely places I’ve ever seen. Jeanne: Oh, I love Westerns. And some of the vistas out west, especially in the mountains are simply breathtaking. However, before I turn this into a travelogue, can we expect more Pleasure Ridge Ranch stories in the future? Ava: Yes, I’ve actually started working on the second one, and new ideas for continuing the series are constantly popping into my ahead. I plan to write them along with some non-Pleasure Ridge Ranch stories I’ve been plotting. Jeanne: Wonderful!! It’s great to know that you’re going to give us more, more, more from the fabulous Pleasure Ridge Ranch. And we’ll look for other titles from you too. Keep us posted, Ava!
What about Club Med? If you had a “hall pass” from your partner to go “play” for a day with a fun guy, would you choose a Cowboy, a Soldier, or a Spy? Or something else entirely? Have you ever been to Nevada? (It’s gorgeous, in a desert-y kind of way….) Do you ride? Cowboys or Horses? SNORK!!! What it was, was FOOTBALLL!!!!!Posted by Jeanne Adams Apr 16 2012, 12:52 am in baseball, football, Jeanne Adams
I know, I know, it’s BASEBALL season! And yes, Bandita Suz and I are already laughing and poking at one another over our teams’ records and players. She’s a fan of the Cleveland Indians. Me? I’m an Atlanta Braves fan, but I also have to root for the Washington Nationals and the Chicago Cubs. Occasionally, in honor of my late Father-in-Law, I’ll have to root for the Chicago White Sox. I’m also totally caught up in baseball because my eldest son is a fabulous player. (Even taking into account that I am his Mama, I have to say, he’s good!) Now, my husband played football, baseball, basketball and rugby. Ever seen the rugby bumper sticker that says “Give Blood, Play Rugby!” Now, I have to let you in on a secret. Shhhhhhhh! Don’t tell the men of my household, but baseball is NOT my first love. Nor is basketball, which my son also plays and plays well.
However, in the main, those losing-record teams generally keep their slots in hopes that young talent will somehow bring them a winning season THIS year. I love the game of football, with it’s associations to war games and strategy. I love the pomp of it, the down-to-the-wire positioning, the mud games, the snow games, the torrential rain games. I love the long bombs, the short passes that turn into 80-yard-runs; I even love the disasterous up the middle plays that so seldom work. The Draft is fun too because I watch college football. I’ve learned the skills and names of some of these wonderful young atheletes and look forward to seeing where they land. It’s kind of like when, as an author, you read a contest entry and recognize the genius of a writer even while they’re at the “college level” and not yet in the “Big Game.” You root for them. You look forward to them making it and selling and, in the case of a good player, going in a high level pick of the Draft. For me, I love to see writers who come into their own, sell big, or go for it and make it. I just LOVE that. I love it when people I know – or even those I By the same token, I love when young men and women are part of teams, take on the task of learning a game and playing it well. There’s something poetic about playing team sports and growing into the trust and camaraderie of a good, working team. My son gets to experience this and I’m not only proud of him, I’m proud of his team. As parents in the stands, we cheer for our kids and other people’s kids and we get to know a whole raft of people we might not When you go to a football game, basketball, or a baseball game, whether it’s college or pro, there’s tailgating and serious fandom. You “know” those fans, because they love the same thing you do. That team. The most rabid fans I’ve ever seen are football fans. Have you ever been to a Florida Gator Game? Now, when it comes to serious college basketball, I love Duke, and UNC. But football’s just not their thing, bless their Tarheel and Blue Devil Hearts. My youngest son loves watching Duke basketball with me. He’ll watch football with me too. However, our darling Bandita Anna will be happy to know that his favorite sport is…drum roll….hockey. And now….. Do you even LIKE sports? What’s your favorite? Do you have a favorite college or pro team, or both? What do you think of the men of your favorite sport? Do you own a jersey or team shirt? Pick Yer’ Poison…Posted by Jeanne Adams Mar 9 2012, 12:29 am in Jeanne Adams, lolita glasses, painting party, pc cast, vampires, Virginia Kantra
Bookends -ohhh, do they have bookends! Totally awesome bookends! Y’know those are terrifically hard to find now…well, cool ones anyway. Grins. They have books too, but mostly coffee table books, hostess gift books and “useful” books – like Gardens of the World, An Atlas of Palaces and Castles, and Parties 101 . (Like we need THAT around here!) Some of their journals are just gorgeous with their watercolor covers, or leather bindings with gilt stamping, or embossed dragons or fairies. Really great stuff. They’re just astonishingly lovely, some of them.
I DO journal, but I have to have a big one – 10 by 13 or so – that’s really a hard-cover sketch book. You see I don’t like lines in my journals. And I like to draw in them, doodle, sketch and play. So no lines, and none of these dainty, small (albeit gorgeous) journals. This shop also features mugs, goblets, hand blown martini glasses, high-ball sets, and barware. So I got to thinking when I was reading both Cassondra’s blog on Coffee Mugs and reading through Nancy’s blog yesterday about all the great books people were recommending, reading and writing – an quoting! – that maybe we need a goof-off, play day in the Lair. A fun, crafty day. Whaddya think? I drafted the guys to help and we set up some tables in the main hall (well-covered with paper for protection) and put together a place where we can make some stuff. I think it would be totally fun to make some cool personalized mugs and wine glasses. I’ve done this sort of cool glass and ceramic painting with girlfriends, and with my kids. It’s really fun. And yes, I talked it over with Sven too, so don’t think I’m going rogue here. We’ve got plain mugs and painting supplies (the kind you can put in the oven to cure quickly), and some wineglasses and paint for those too, which also cures quickly enough for them to be used within an hour or so of creation. :> (Hey, it’s the Lair, we can do In amongst the discussion about whether coffee or tea or hot chocolate was the best beverage, a lot of folks on Wednesday talked about what sayings or pictures they had on their current mugs. Some they liked, some they didn’t, but they still liked the mug itself. Soooo, I poked at Sven until he found us a vendor for these FABULOUS mugs. They’re just right in the hand, not too big, not too little. Perfect for coffee, tea or hot chocolate. They’ve got bigger handles than those ones on the left there – bigger bowls too, but not TOOO big! They’re PERFECT!! If cold caffeine or juice is your “poison” to start your day or while you’re earnestly working, there are some glasses too! Then there are the wine glasses. I actually got the inspiration for this little painting party from this great wineglass that was gifted to me and it had sculptural elements (kinda like the Bride one, down below!) and rhinestonse and feathers on the base. It’s totally uptown! It’s from So there’s also packages of doodads and feathers and scrapbooking stuff too, if you want to REALLY embellish. Here’s Sven with some aprons for all of us. Oooh, Sven, thank you for also putting snacks out! Those crudite are gorgeous!! And the cheese platters….ohhhhh….brie. You know how I love the brie. And stuffed mushrooms! Oh, Sven, you’ve outdone yourself!!! You’re a darling, as always. *pressing a kiss to his cheek, which makes him blush like mad* Okay! *clapping for attention* Ladies, gents, find a seat, grab a mug, glass or wineglass, and let’s get to it! What’s your favorite scene or saying for the mug/glass/wineglass? (Yes, you can make one of each type, a set of mugs, etc. We have plenty! Sven always over-buys!) What character – hero, heroine, were-beast would you put on your morning coffee/tea mug, if you could find one? Dressed or undressed? Bwahahahah! What hero would make a good photo for your mug? Got a great line or quote you’d like to put on your morning juice glass? (“Never give up, Never give up, Never give up!” “Bombs, away!” “Who moved my cheese?” “Just keep Swimming!”) Now, the wine glass. Do you want one for red wine or white wine, champagne or all three? Excellent! Now, what do you want to paint on it? Mermaid and a quote from PC Cast’s or Virginia Kantra’s sea-based books? A vampire bat on the base and two fangs at the lip of the red-wine glass for some of the fabulous, favorite Vamp Or Maybe just a title…One Book in the Grave. Sex, Lies and Mistletoe. Every Night I’m Yours. Deadly Little We also have some beer mugs if you’re partial to that, and some glass pilsners, so have at it!! Maybe a little basketball art to celebrate MARCH MADNESS!!! Did ya’ll see that Georgetown game? OMGosh. Double overtime. (Too bad they lost. Sigh.) Once we’re done, we’re going to break out the really great coffee, tea, beer, wines and whiskeys and some kickin’ hors d’ovres and have ourselves a little “taste” of our favorite “poison” using our wonderful new beverage services! Yippeeee!! Pick your glass, pick your poison. Sven’s making a list for a run to the various coffee, tea, beer and wine outlets as we get a good list going. We’re pretty well stocked around here, but you know, there’s a LOT of you, so…yes, a list! What favorite beverages should we have on hand to fill your fun new glass/mug with? Go ahead! Paint! Put the pictures on, get those quotes going! Go! *Sven hurries to Jeanne as she sits down to paint and whispers something hurriedly in her ear. The missing key to the exclusive pantry was with the gladiators – they’d found it near the Golden Rooster’s perch - but now it’s missing again! Eeek! Does that mean no more brie!?! He’s going to get Marcus and Bran to break through the door if they can’t find that key soon….* It’s a Guy Thing….Posted by Jeanne Adams Feb 6 2012, 12:21 am in Dogs, Guy Things, Jeanne Adams, Seat Down
I know I frequently mention that I live in The Testosterone Zone. I have two sons and my hubby. For a while my nephew lived with us. One of the two dogs is male. Yeah. I like men, and I love having them in my life. They’re “Guys.” And I’m okay with it. Most of the time. What I DON’T get however are “Guy Things.” You know what I mean, ladies. What’s up with putting the milk carton (Or any other beverage) back in the fridge with less than one oz. of milk left in it? Or drinking from the carton? How is that….cool? Good? Helpful? I don’t even know what makes guys do this. Women seldom drink from any kind of carton because if we spill it, there goes the blouse, or the scarf or whatever we’re wearing. And if we somehow were to successfully navigate drinking from the carton, our own mothers would rise up and smite us, or the phone would ring and it would BE your mother calling and you’d have to confess.
“Drank from the carton. Like a guy.” “What on EARTH would you want to do THAT for?” Grins. Can’t you just hear that? Isn’t that how it would go in your world too? Now, I’m a self-confessed tomboy. I love most “guy stuff” as you all know. Tanks, planes, weapons, BOOM!, trucks, heavy equipment, demolition. I’m there. But I just cannot – CAN NOT – drink from the milk or OJ carton. Can’t And there’s those other things. Serious things which are breaches of marital bliss. Men want to leave the toilet seat up, all the dang time. I solved this in my household by telling each and everyone in it that the seats are both DOWN, all the time. Otherwise, the dog drinks from the bowl, I told them. Not pretty, not good. I further waxed eloquent and told them that since I clean the toilets with noxious chemicals, I don’t want the dog drinking from the bowl, lest vet bills ensue. Bwahahahaha!. So far this strategy has worked. You see, it HAD to be a strategy because in another “guy thing” way, men see nothing intrinsically wrong with the dog drinking from the (clean) toilet water. “You cleaned the toilet,” they reason. “The water’s refreshing when you flush, and it’s clean water. What’s the problem?”
Okay, distracted for a minute. It’s the seat-up-seat-down thing that’s really at issue here. For convenience, they’d like those two seats to be up. All the time. No work for them. Now for us, this is thoroughly annoying. WE have to sit. Every time. No standing. (Bummer about that, anatomy wise, isn’t it?) And I, for one, do not like to go into the bathrooom in the middle of the night and risk sitting on…..nothing. Water skiing at 3 a.m. just makes me want to go DUMP water on my spouse and children at 3 a.m. So I say to my boys, large and small, “Let’s avoid that, shall we? And put the seats down. Besides…you know…the dog issue!” Grins. Mostly, like I said, I get compliance. It’s a good thing, as Martha Stewart would say. And while I’m on a “Guy Thing” rant, what’s up with putting things on the counter NEXT to the trash can. Things which need to go IN the trash can. How hard is it to just PUT. THEM. IN? I just don’t get how this saves them (or ME) any time, to put something NEXT to the can rather than IN Just left it there. How hard was it to rinse it and put it in recycling, less than one step away? Which I did, because having it sit on the edge of the sink was blocking my use of the sink. Took me about 4.5 seconds. Maybe less. Hello!?! Why was it sitting there? He had no explanation, just look baffled that I would ask. I guess it’s just a Guy Thing. So what’s your pet peeve about your guy? I know you probably forgive him, just like I do, but what does your honey-do that’s a “Honey, PLEASE DON’T!” in your playbook? Don’t even get me started about the wet towels on the floor. Really. Don’t. And do you hear your mother/grandmother/auntie/sister in your head if you drink out of the carton? Grins. Tell…tell…. February’s Coming Attractions!Posted by Jeanne Adams Feb 1 2012, 12:17 am in Avery Aames, Cindy Gerard, coming attractions, Emmie Dark, Gail Martin, Heather Snow, Jana DeLeon, Jeanne Adams, Kate Carlisle
It’s a LEAP YEAR, so we get to celebrate Jo’s birthday for “real” this year. Hahah! Also, we’re celebrating a month of Valentine’s worthy heroes and heroines, starting tomorrow with the VERY popular Cindy Gerard! So, on February 2, it’s double trouble when Cindy Gerard (www.cindygerard) faces an inquisition, uh, an INTERVIEW from long-time fans Anna Campbell and Nancy Northcott. Cindy will be talking about her latest That should be fun – dueling Banditas and one of suspense writing’s best! On Friday, February 3rd, come visit with Suz and author Jana DeLeon! Her new book, The Lost Girls will have you on the edge of your seat as Jana takes us back to the Bayou for another mystery with THE LOST GIRLS OF JOHNSON’S BAYOU. Then on February 7, halfway to VALENTINE’s DAY - It’s our own Bandita Kate Carlisle’s BOOK LAUNCH PARTY!!!!!
And you’ve already downloaded the novella, PAGES OF SIN, right? RIGHT? (Don’t you look at me so innocently and say On February 8th, join Bandita Nancy and her guest Gail Martin. Gail will be in the Lair for the very first time! Her book The Dread will be featured, but the topis is The Warrior Queen/Mommy War….that should be fascinating! I demand to be Queen in my household, and I’m the Mommy, but the warrior part is debatable. Hmmm. That’s one big sword. I wonder if that would help with homework in my house?
Since we love debut authors in the Lair and this should be a lot of fun! And Double the fun too, with TWO debut authors! WOOT! February 12 – Join Bandita Kate as she welcomes Cheese Shop Mysteries author Avery Aames to the Lair to talk about her latest mystery, CLOBBERED BY CAMEMBERT! (I love Avery’s mysteries and I love cheese, so…yeah. Good combo!) Then, it’s the day all of us hopeless romantics love…VALENTINE’s DAY!!! There will be quotes and prizes and general all-around love-fest fun, so do drop by! We’ll be having drinks, Sven massages (we’ve hired a couple of extra masseuses too, just to spell him) in case you need your shoulders loosened up before all the dancing. Or, have a wee dram of a beverage before you go out with your honey. Or if you’re home without a significant other (or like me, it’s a busy time of year for your guy/gal and going out is just not in the cards!) then, come have fun with us in the home of hunky hotness, the Romance Bandits Lair. Grins. On Tuesday, 21st February, Anna Campbell will introduce Aussie debut author and all-round cool chick Emmie Dark (www.emmiedark.com) to the lair. Emmie will be talking about her first Harlequin SuperRomance CASSIE’S GRAND PLAN. WAIT!! That’s THREE Debut Authors! WOOHOOOO! Treble the fun! And don’t forget to enter Anna Campbell’s latest web http://annacampbell.info/contest.html It’s one for the collectors – she’s giving away two of the beautiful hardback editions of MIDNIGHT’S WILD PASSION along with a bonus bit of reading in Tawny Weber’s (www.tawnyweber.com) steamy SEX, LIES AND MISTLETOE. To enter, just email Anna on anna@annacampbell.info and tell her the name of two other books by Anna Campbell. You might just find the answer on her books page (http://annacampbell.info/books.html). Contest closes on 29th February. A leap year day of winning! AND Kate Carlisle’s Contest….. To celebrate the publication of ONE BOOK IN THE GRAVE: A Bibliophile Mystery, Kate Carlisle has had her beautiful book cover turned into a 513-piece jigsaw puzzle! She’s giving away two puzzles to two members of her mailing list, so be sure to join the list for a chance to win! For more details, visit the new CONTESTS page of her website < http://katecarlisle.com/contests.php > That is so TOTALLY cool!!! Please welcome….Dorien Kelly!Posted by Jeanne Adams Jan 19 2012, 12:10 am in B&Bs, Beer, Dorien Kelly, Janet Evanovich, Jeanne Adams, Love in a Nutshell, New York Times Bestsellers
Welcome Dorien! Dorien: Thanks for having me here! Jeanne: Dorien, we love call stories here in the Lair. I know you’ve been published for years, but I’d love to hear your original call story, and too, I’m sure everyone would love to hear what it was like to get The Call on working with Janet Evanovich! Dorien: Oh, my first call – I’ll never forget that. It was May 3, 2001, and wonderful editor Jennifer Tam called me from Harlequin to offer to buy my very first book. About a week earlier, I had sworn to my family that I would no longer cry at the dinner table over rejections and endless silences from publishers. I planned to stop writing and take up golf. Jen’s call came just in time because I’ve never been fond of that sport.
Dorien: Thank you! And now for the Tale of Janet… I was at the RWA conference in Washington DC, where Janet was the opening speaker. I was feeling a bit off that morning, so I sat at a fairly empty table toward the back of the crowd instead of joining my fellow RWA board members up at the front. Janet was asked if there was something she currently wasn’t doing that she’d like to do. She said she wanted to resume writing romance novels with a co-author. Then she added, “Who knows? I could end up working with someone in this room.” The hair on my arms rose. I felt shaky. This was destiny! As soon as I left the room, I wrote an e-mail to my agent saying I wanted to apply. Twenty minutes later I came down with the flu. So was it destiny? Maybe. But it was definitely the flu. Jeanne: Ugh! What a terrible time for you. And in that hotel too….gotta say it, bless your heart ’cause that had to be awful. Dorien: Yes, it’s was one of those “worst moments.” However, good things did come to pass. So, fast-forward several weeks to when I was finally feeling better: After reading some of my prior work, Janet called and we chatted. She was charming and concise. I babbled. At least I think I did. The whole call is pretty hazy. I remember telling her I planned to have a couple glasses of wine as soon as I got off the phone. (In my defense, it was at least after noon.) Janet must have forgiven me for my nervousness because I got a call from my agent not much later. Janet wanted to work with me. Jeanne: Totally cool! And did you…. Dorien: Yes, I did have a couple of glasses of wine. Jeanne: I’m so glad! We never run out of wine here in the Lair, thanks to our excellent staff. Paolo? Would you bring us a nice breakfast cocktail to start, maybe a Mimosa? Grins. See what I mean? Cheers! *Ahem* Okay, back to the matter at hand. BTW, I have to say that I LOL at the tagline they put up on Amazon for Love in a Nutshell – “Number One Bestselling Author Janet Evanovich teams up with Award-winning Author Dorien Kelly to Snork!! Of course, the beer is hero Matt Culhane’s own brew, from his Depot Brewing Company, in small-town Keene’s Harbor, Michigan. Heroine Kate Appleton is coming on board at the brewery after being fired twice in a short space of time, and none of them her fault! An amused Matt decides to hire her on to catch a saboteur. Kate’s no sleuth, but she agrees, mostly to get revenge for getting fired from the bar for serving some of the sabotaged beer! Mostly, however, she takes the job because she needs the money. Matt’s agreed to pay her a bonus if she catches the crook. That bonus means she could make enough money to jump-start her own dream of turning the creaky, critter-ridden family summer home into a bed and breakfast. However, the story really IS about beer! Dorien, this is SUCH a fun story, while still having some wonderful, edge of your seat suspense as well. Well done to you both, Dorien and Janet! BB’s, you can read an excerpt here: And see the trailer here: www.DorienKelly.com
Dorien: Janet thought a microbrewery would be a fun idea. I knew less than zero about beer, but I’m a research freak so I was game to give it a try. I went to beer tastings and took lots of notes, some of which made no sense by the end of the night. I interviewed brewers, checked out their equipment (no, Jeanne, not that equipment!), and learned what I like and don’t like about beer. In my universe, hoppy beer = evil. I’m not allergic to it like my heroine, Kate, but while I loooove the scent of high-hops beers, I hate the taste. Ew. Just. Ew. Jeanne: Considering I think this about ALL beer, I’m right there with you, m’dearie! Hahah! I love that you did all that reasearch though. Fascinating. Now I know who to call if I need beer notes. (As opposed to beer nuts! Ha!) Seriously, it sounds like it was a romp to research and write. Now what about the Inn? Are you a fan of B&B lodging? Have you stayed in some that you particularly liked? Were any of them a model for what Kate wants to do? (That’s Cedar Crest B&B in Asheville, NC, one of my favs!) Dorien: Good question! I’ve stayed in a lot of B&Bs. The most unusual was a former boys’ boarding school in Sligo, Ireland. There was no running water, which added to the vaguely prison-like feeling of the old place. Lots of creaks and groans and ghostly footsteps in the night, too. Jeanne: Sounds suitably spooky and cool. We have a number of fans of Ireland here in the Lair, so you’ll have to give us the name of that one. (But if the no-running-water thing is constant, I ain’t staying there…just sayin’!) Any other favorites, perhaps WITH running water? Grins. Dorien: Oh, yes. My favorite was a house built by a landscape architect in Hilo, Hawaii. The gardens, as one would expect, were incredible. The music of the coqui frogs at night sealed the deal. If I get back to Hilo, I’m staying there again!
Jeanne: I do love old wooden, board and batten houses like that. I’ve helped restore one like you’re describing, and have empathy for what Kate’s up against! And critters…ugh. I couldn’t bring myself to put critter-fest up, so I found this cute pic, knowing how much you too love dogs! Ha! On another note, a little birdy told me that you have some big news about a certain list! Care to share? Dorien: Yes, some very fun news! Nutshell debuted at #2 on the New York Times Hardcover Bestseller list! Needless to say, Janet and I are thrilled! I’m hoping that we’ve given Nutshell’s readers some laughs, some love, and a break from the craziness that daily life can be. Jeanne: Whoa! CONGRATULATIONS!!! Now you’re BOTH New York Times Bestselling authors! WOOT!!! This is so COOL! Okay, Banditas and buddies! Dorien has some questions for you: Have you ever stayed at a B&B? What did you think, is it for you? Would you ever want to be an innkeeper? Beer or Wine? And if you’re a beer connoisseur, what’s your favorite? Have you ever brewed beer or made wine? Do tell! And one lucky commenter today will win an autographed copy of LOVE IN A NUTSHELL! A Really Big Blank Slate…Posted by Jeanne Adams Jan 5 2012, 12:27 am in Blank Slate, ideas, January, Jeanne Adams It’s January. Time for new starts, right? Right! So I went to Costco yesterday. I like Costco. Sometimes. Other times it makes me totally insane and I have to leave. This was actually a good experience believe it or not, since the holidays are passed, and Wednesdays, mid-afternoon are actually less insane at my Costco than other days. Amongst the other bulk – and bulky – items I loaded into the mini-van, were a heavy 25 pack of yellow lined pads and a whiteboard. Why do I mention these two items in particular?
It’s come to mean so very many other things, but I’m thinking of it in the original context. A clean, new start to the lessons ahead. An unmarked, unblemished space for idea generation! To me, January is like a blank slate. A clean writing pad is a blank slate. An empty whiteboard is a blank slate. Sure, I have deadlines and things on the calendar and necessary errands and appointments. Those never go away. But it’s a new year. If I want to take my computer and write, standing up, at the kitchen counter while baking cookies, I can. If I want to settle into the big squashy chair in my bedroom, with said laptop, to work on projects, I can do that as well. If I want to contemplate the universe, go where no one has gone before, I can. If I want to take two weeks off with the cabana boys in Bermuda…. No, wait. That I can’t do, Sven and the Banditas wouldn’t forgive me for absconding with the cabana boys. In January. While they’re in their Caves, slaving away. *Jeanne ponders, still contemplating just how MUCH trouble she’d be in…..with Banditas AND with spouse…..* Sigh. Not quite worth it. Sorry guys! Ahem. Back to topic. Clean Slates. *drags mind back from Bermuda*
I don’t generally set resolutions, per se. I have goals – ranked and ordered (but not color coded, sorry Tawny!); I have plans and schemes (I WILL change the bedspread, new color, new pattern…stealthily so the DH doesn’t notice…not that he would…not for weeks! Hahaha!); and I have ideas about what I want to do ’round the yard and house through the year. I also have plans and goals for books I’m writing, marketing plans for books coming out, and all of that. But January is a time to evaluate and figure and think and get out one of those yellow pads and consider what ELSE I might like to see happen in the fabulous year 2012. Fun stuff. New stuff. Cool and exciting and hitherto unknown stuff. World-changing stuff! As a huge digression from topic, I don’t subscribe to the So, back on topic, all this is to say that I’m evaluating. Writing notes, making use of that clean slate to figure some stuff out, making lists and contemplating new things. The good news is that my horoscope says it will be a banner year, a year of surprises and great things both career wise and in my family life. How nice! And something to look forward to. Grins. Which means I’d best get to writing some of those new plans and ideas down, right? Right! What about you? Do you like a clean slate? Does each new year feel like a new start to you, or same-old-same-old? Does an empty writing pad excite you or worry you? (or do you even use them, now that you have an iPad?) Do you like whiteboards, or do you prefer the computer for brainstorming or big lists?
And again, completely off topic, (but because I can Bwahahahahah!), is ketchup an American thing or do people use it all over the world? (I bought a LOT of ketchup at Costco…it made me wonder!) So, list away….what’s on your list as a TRY THIS NEW THING IN 2012? What will you do/see/have/become in the brave new year? (BTW, the caption below COSTCO in the picture on the left is: “When TEOTWAWKI comes, I’ll be ready!” I had to look up TEOTWAWKI – it’s The End Of The World As We Know It. Did you know that?) A Day of Pampering….Posted by Jeanne Adams Dec 8 2011, 12:24 am in Jeanne Adams, Massage, Pampering
However, I confess that I was stumped. Books are always good, of course. Socks – gotta love thick woolly socks. I got a new robe last year – divine – but I could use some new PJs, I told him. “What about a spa-day?” he asked, eyes focused on the road as we drove home. Color me dumbfounded. He’s not suggested this in a long time, mostly because the last few years seem to have been a blur of kids and baseball and…well, needless to say that was a “dating present” rather than a “married present” if you know what I mean. I actually had to think about it for a bit, and told him so. Spa day. Hmmmmm. Would that mean…..Massage? The thought of THAT perked me riiiiiiight up. Ohhhhhh yeah, I thought. I could USE a massage. My back is currently akin to rebar and concrete, or perhaps granite and steel. So a But as soon as I thought it, that other part of the Spa-Day-Ritual-Thing leapt to mind. Manicures. Pedicures. Now don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a good manicure. I love the colors, the fabulous, fabulous colors of fall and winter nail polishes. My favorite OPI polish – the ones with the fabulous names – are all fall and winter colors. Bogata Blackberry is a delicious deep claret color. Can You Tapas *Tacky buzzer sound* Wrong. I hate the scrubbing and rasping and clipping. I really dislike it when five women in one row (the manicurists) are having a running, laughing conversation with one another in a language only they know, leaving us (the customers), sitting there like wallflowers feeling as if we’re the butt of the joke. I don’t like taking my rings off – or being glared at because it’s one of “those” days and I CAN’T get my rings off. I verge on hyperactive. Really. (Ya’ll would never have guessed this, right?!) If I’m writing, I’m okay because I’m engrossed in the story. But sitting with my hand in dish soap or some like-substance, being ignored as if I were a horse being shod, just really doesn’t keep me riveted. A bored Jeanne is a restless Jeanne. That’s trouble brewing right there. Wiggle-wiggle-shift-shift, and after all her hard work, I usually screw up at least one nail before the manicurist even finishes my hands.
Many, many, many of my fellow women – deep, close friends even! Fellow Banditas! - ADORE this process. And I do mean ADORE it. Weekly sessions. Raptures over the shaping, soaking, scruffing, lotioning and so on. “Ohhhhh,” they moan. “Don’t you just loooovvve when they do your heels?” Ummmmm….actually, NO, I don’t. I’m abominably ticklish. My feet are ultra-sensitive, and someone gripping them like a starving man grips a wet fish makes me wince in discomfort. Oh, and I had foot surgery a few years ago. (As an aside, never, ever do this if you can help it. It never fixes anything, it just screws things up a different way.) So no matter how much I tell the poor little technician to be careful, she usually smiles, nods with no comprehension, and hurts me anyway. Really hurts me. Not just the pinch-and-snip or rub a little-too-hard pain, but real OUCH! pain. This is not bliss. Now, I will say, I have had good pedicures. Really good ones where, had I lived in that city I would indeed have gone back to THAT technician again. (Have to confess that if the local spa had chairs like those cushy brown things, I’d probably be inclined to try them!) Alas, all the good pedi’s I’ve had have been when I was out of town, being “treated” by a friend. Thankfully, in their company, I did! Now if I could just get the pedi gal from Ft. Worth, TX to move to DC…
I nearly ran shrieking in horror. The first time I heard about this, I literally had nightmares. My writer’s mind conjured up alllllll kinds of ways why this was wrong, could be deadly to mankind and perhaps even the galaxy. Yuk. No thank you. All of this raced through my mind as I mulled over the possiblity of a Spa Day as a birthday present. “Could I pick my services?” I asked Hubby quizzically. He looked panicked, “Of course. I mean, you didn’t want me to surprise you with some out-there kind of wrap or cleanse or I told him general was good, and he looked pleased, so I’m anticipating that my Birthday Card will include a lovely gift certificate to my nearby spa for “General Services.”
Hot stone, perhaps. Have you ever done one of these? O.M.Gosh. I had one last winter, thanks to another gift certificate, and when the massage therapist was done, I wasn’t competent to drive home. You could have scraped me off the table with a spatula I was so relaxed. Stupid relaxed, as in non-functional. The only brain cells firing were those focused on emitting celebratory groans of delight. I had to go next door to the Starbucks for water and coffee, and sit for 45 minutes before feeling grounded enough to get behind the wheel. Seriously. Another time, at a marketing conference, I skipped class and had a deep tissue massage with what they described as a “warm finish” – another OMGosh/droolworthy experience. The deep tissue isn’t exactly…pleasant. It’s hard. And it breaks up the crunchy knots and awful tensions, and leaves you feeling pummeled, unlike the rather lovely, Jello-like pile of goo that other massages can turn you into. The “warm finish” however, made all that irrelevant. The therapist wrapped me in a warmed sheet, then put a heated blanket over me, put extra lotion on my hands and feet and slipped them into warming mitts and footies, then proceeded to do the whole warm-mud-mask thing on my face. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven, despite the aches from the deep tissue work. I slept like someone hit me with a rock – rare, when away from home – and the next day? Lordy-dee I was a new woman.
What about you? Do you love a good Pampering? What’s your favorite? Do you love the whole mani/pedi thing? A massage, or The Works? Is this a “treat” or a “must-do” for you? Have you had your nails done with all the new fancy tippings and stylings and designs? Real or acrylic? Would you do the fish pedicure? Anyone done it? (Tell all….) And last but not least….Have you been Naughty or NICE this year? The 12 Days of Bandita Christmas are coming soon!!! Are you ready?? Lots of prezzies and prizes, recipes and fun. Stay tuned and get your stocking ready… All a’Twitter!Posted by Jeanne Adams Nov 12 2011, 12:15 am in Celebrities, Jeanne Adams, publishing, Twitter
Grins. Yes, I know, it sounds very, very silly, but in fact I have discovered that Tweeting is fun. I did not like Twitter at first. It seemed meaningless to utilize 140 characters to express some limited thought. Yes, I know that Twitter is all the rages. But really, who cares about what I’m doing, thinking, or eating at any particular moment in time? I had read some tweets from various people and wondered why ANYONE would care that some random person had #toomanyonions at lunch, much less where and when they’d had said lunch with too many onions. Also, I figured that Facebook had more than enough of that sort of meaningless nonsense for a lifetime of reading. Seriously, how many quizzes and tests and bejeweled blitz scores can one person have? (Wait – don’t answer that! This blog post is limited in it’s number of words…) I liked Facebook well enough. You could express your feelings as I did when I had my last mammogram, or post some fabulous info, like a friend or fellow Bandita’s book birthday, or award win. So, why would I need Twitter? However, I decided that I needed to let go of my snobbery and try it. Unfortunately, I liked it. (Hey Mikey! She Likes It!) I’ve met a lot of new pals on Twitter. Which is weird, considering the 140 character limit. I’ve met @KTHanna who writes wry tweets and has gorgeous Corgis (technically, Pembroke Welsh Corgis – like the Queen of England has!). I’ve met @StateofEgo and @EgmontGal, who is an editor at EgmontUSA and answers questions about writing YA for fun and profit. Grins. I’ve met reviewers and readers and I even follow a few celebrities like @FlufflyGuy (who keeps me laughing – check him out on YouTube, you won’t be sorry!), @TonyRobbins and @JackCanfield, @AntonioGaray71 (LOVE the HelloKittySmartcar!), and @LLCoolJ (swooon! NCISLA!! And I loved his book too). @BradPittUpdates keeps me u Hey, we all have celebs we’d like to meet, right? I’ve always thought Angie would make a great heroine if one of my books went to Hollywood….she’d make a great Dana for Dark and Dangerous, or a straight up Ana from Deadly Little Secrets! Then there’s the publishing houses like @Kensingtonbooks, @AvonBooks and @HarlequinBooks and who are quick to promote new books (thank you @KensingtonBooks for the latest posts on Deadly Little Lies!) by me and by my fav authors. I love seeing posts from @AceRocBooks and other publishers like @RandomHouse, @Dutton, @DKPublishing and so on. Even my very cool agent is on Twitter @AgentSavant. My favorite stores are on Twitter – @HomeDepot, @BagLadyNC, @ColdwaterCreek, @Nordstroms – and they frequently post interesting bits about sales and stories about their employees, like the one Home Depot posted about a WWII Veteran on Friday for Veteran’s Day. Very Cool. Most of my favorite authors are on Twitter - most of the Banditas, @KathyReichs, @LAGilman (Laura Anne Gilman’s been on the blog several times now!), @SylDay, @Pamela_Palmer, @MikeDooley, @TrinityFeagan, @DiannaLove, @Loreth (Loreth Anne White), @Jean_Marie_Ward and so many more. I follow @RTMagazine, @TheRomanceDish, @BarbaraVey, @BNBuzz, @GoodReads, @SOSAloha and @FreshFiction, and other reviewers. I @TweetofGod cracks me up, as does @DeathStarPR (if you’ve not seen this wry take on the Star Wars world, you’re missing a great laugh). There are sports teams and fan clubs on Twitter – I follow the Braves, the Cubs, the Panthers, the Bears, and thanks to @AntonioGaray71, I’ve become a Chargers fan. I even do research on Twitter. I follow @NEAArcheology, @WAScotland, @WessexArch, and @CrimeLabProject to name a few sources. I keep my finger on the pulse of the industry with @PublishersLunch, @GalleyCat, @LibraryJournal and @Trident_Media. Oh, my. Suddenly, something I never thought was worth my time it taking up waaaaaaay too much of it! Eeek! However, I’m reining in my tuning in, and making sure I tune it out so that I keep up my page counts. (Speaking of which National Novel Writers Month has a Twitter feed if you’re writing!). I’ve learned a little about #Hashtags (Thank you Tawny and Kate), and about how to be brief. This latter being the most difficult of all, for me. Ha! So Banditas and Buddies, do you Tweet? What do you think of it as a medium? Who do you follow that you think I should #FF? What’s the most fun thing you’ve learned on Twitter? If you’re staying firmly away from social media like Twitter, why? I’ve gone through points where I really don’t want to deal with it, so I get it – tell me why YOU don’t “go there”! Do you follow any celebs? If so, whom? Tell me alllll about it! Grins. Exclusive Interview….Posted by Jeanne Adams Nov 1 2011, 12:15 am in Jeanne Adams Welcome to the Members Only section of The Romance Bandits Lair…aka, The Members Den. We have a lot of fabulously fun exclusive features here, including an interview every month with one of our own. This month, it’s Bandita Jeanne Adams! Jeanne, how about you answer some questions for our wonderful Members… What’s the favourite thing you’ve researched for your books so far? The most fun thing I’ve researched is the CIA for my last two books, Deadly Little Secrets (2010) and Deadly Little Lies (2011). First of all, it’s kinda hard to do. I read a lot of books about former agents. I talked to some agents (hey, they’re all OVER DC, so…), however, they all said “…but you can’t use what I told you in a book!” That’s not much help. Mostly, what I got to do was create scenarios and run it by some folks who’ve either worked for/with the CIA or know about such things. Conversations went like this: Me: “So, if I set this kind of thing up in the book, is that realistic?” Them: “Well, it could happen.” Me: “Has it happened?” Them: “Possibly.”
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As we drove home from our Thanksgiving travels, my darling DH asked me what I wanted for my birthday (today) and for Christmas. Ahhhh, prezzies! I love the holidays! I love my birthday! PREZZIES!!! Hahahah!
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