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Posts tagged with: romance bandits
Dream BigPosted by Susan Sey Feb 27 2012, 12:12 am in Guests, Inara Scott, romance bandits, RWA National, Susan Sey
See, I recently blurbed a book. (This means I provided the little quote on the cover telling the world what a really great book it was, for those of you who don’t speak writer-ese.) See? There it is! Over there, on the cover on the left! I know it’s a little hard to see, but click on the cover to see it live & in person on the internets. And I didn’t blurb just any book, either. Lord, no. This was a really, really good book. One that I would have been thrilled to blurb no matter who wrote it. But it just so happens that my dear friend & critique partner (and former Romance Bandit) Inara Scott wrote this particular book, thus allowing us to fulfill yet another of our long-dreamed joint milestones. And what, you might ask, is a long-dreamed joint milestone?
Well, it’s what happens when you put two brand-new, starry-eyed, sky’s-the-limit writers in a room together. Specifically in a hotel room in Reno where RWA is holding its 25th annual conference. It’s what happens when those two writers have a glass of wine (or two) and some ice cream (or a lot) and some chocolate (or a great deal), & start planning their careers with the subsequently lowered inhibitions. First we’ll land a couple of agents! (That was a few years down the drain but eventually…done!)
Then we’ll both sell books! (A couple more years down the old tubes on this one, but then Inara sold her YA in a two-book deal. I sold my Golden Heart winner in a two book deal not quite a year after. Here’s me & Nara celebrating my GH win in 2008.) Our careers will then take off like rockets! (We’re still throwing years at this one.) And then when we’re amazing superstars (not enough years in the universe but okay), we’ll blurb each other’s books & go on tour together & it’ll be our own little fairy tale! [insert reality here]
Okay, so we didn’t take off like super stars. Nobody has, as yet, decided to send us out on a joint book tour. (Inara did get to do a mini-tour in support of her first Delcroix book but I was not invited. I can’t imagine why not. She was promoting her young adult series at middle schools & I was writing adult romance. What could go wrong?) But then Inara hooked up with Entangled Publishing, & began to release her adult romances. (There she is in her glammed-up, I-write-romance author photo. Nice!) And guess who she tapped for a cover quote for her latest, the Rules of Negotiation? I’m thrilled to report it was me! And they put it smack on the front cover, too. I was proud on so many levels–first of Inara because I love this book & I’m so glad it’s finding an audience. Selfishly for myself, too, because I’ve always wanted to blurb a book. It’s a cool thing to be viewed on any level as an authority on what’s good to read.
But I was mostly thrilled with the both of us. (There we are on the left being thrilled together in NYC last summer.) And why? Because seven years ago we were dewy-eyed newbies with more hope than sense, & but we didn’t let that stop us from dreaming. And dreaming big. And maybe our dreams haven’t all come true but we’ve put our backs into it–put our backs against each other’s, really, & circled the wagons when necessary–& we’re hauling each other into that future we dreamed so long ago. Inch by stingy inch sometimes, but we’re walking that path together. So here’s to Inara, & her latest release! Here’s to me & my latest milestone! And here’s to the readers everywhere who love a good love story. We write for you. Heck, we are you. So dream big. And take a good friend on that walk with you. It helps. Inara (www.inarascott.net) will join us in the comments today, & she’ll be giving away an e-copy of The Rules of Negotiation to one lucky commenter. So tell us about your dearest friends–do you have one or lots? Have you known her since kindergarten, college or last week? When has a true friend really made a difference in your life?
The Winner Is…..Posted by Joan Kayse Jan 15 2011, 4:45 am in romance bandits
CATSLADY!!!
Freaky as it is, it was thoroughly non-biased!
Catslady, send me your snail mail at JoanieT13@gmail.com and I’ll get it out to you! Catnip toys are free
 That Which Does Not Kill Me, Will Make My Head ExplodePosted by Joan Kayse Nov 13 2010, 6:09 am in computers, Geek Squad, Joan Kayse, modern technology, romance bandits by Joanie
No, I’m talking of a slower demise….modern technology. Seriously, the tech world has painted a big target on my back these past two months and I’ve about had it! First my DVR on my cable screwed up. couldn’t record vital shows like DWTS for corn’s sake!
First, the arranged tech guy who was supposed to come hook everything “wirelessly” up was a no show. In an effort to satisfy me, the customer, the store got a special ok for a tech manager to come do it. Great except he never hooked up the printer to PRINT, only to fax. That’s when I first met my new love. The Geek Squad Agent. In two seconds he had me connected and running. No problems. Even hooked up my cute little Acer to the printer. Woohoo! I was cooking with gigabytes. Then the cat ran over the keyboard. What do my precious little babies have to do with technology? Well, ends up they are psychic. When Grayson danced across the keys while I was reading email, it disappeared. Could not find it no matter where I looked including under the desk, in the closet, out the window…it wasn’t there. Oh, honey….I need you. Agent Bob answered online. His remote analysis (which made my head spin as I watched on my screen) revealed bad news. My hard drive is on the verge of failure with corrupted files that he states cannot be fixed. My new 2 mo. old computer! Lovely. Now I have another new computer that my guy is coming to hook up tomorrow (Hmmm…will it be Ted, Bob, or ummm…Roberto>) even as I wade once again through the features, the monitor, the wireless capability I recognize that I am hooked ENOUGH on it to feel out of kilter when I’m not connected. What about you? How dependent are you on technology. What could you NOT live with out? What would you like to see invented? (Me? I’d like an automatic cat nail trimmer). Now excuse me….but my garage door opener is making noise…Oy! One Word Says It AllPosted by Joan Kayse Sep 13 2010, 5:08 am in Jo Beverley, Joan Kayse, Reading romance, romance bandits, word games Joanie So, I was sitting here on a rainy Saturday cleaning up some tasks before revising a synopsis I’ve written. A synopsis made up of words.
Words? Hmmmmm….. So I latched onto my trusty Google (I do NOT like their new process for searching.) and looked up word games. Word association! What a fun challenge for our Lair, both writers AND readers!!! So we’re going to do a little experiment. I’m going to start by posting the first word. The winner of the GR will take that word, put it in a sentence then post the next word. Yes, ya’ll will have to find the last comment to get your word and …there will be some overlap but how fun to see how different people think!!! (I was going to do ink blots…put that scared me :-0 ) The poster with the most original sentence wins a ten dollar gift card from Borders. So gang…let’s go. The first word is BALLOON…. Stuck in The MiddlePosted by Joan Kayse Aug 13 2010, 5:05 am in Jo Beverley, Joan Kayse, middle names, romance bandits
So the other day, I was fussing at my daughter. “Cricket Marie! Get out of the toilet bowl!”
 Ahem, yes I’ve managed to give my sweet furry little girl a middle name. That got me to thinking about middle names. The origins, the stories behind them. Mine is, as you might surmise Marie. This reflects my Catholic heritage when it was common (whispers) back in the 60’s to honor the Blessed Virgin by giving your daughter a variation of her name: Marie, Mary, Marion etc. It has a good ring to it. “Joan Marie get your chin away from that hot cookie sheet!” Um, despite the exhortation from my mother, I didn’t and have vivid memories of the burn on my 4 yo chin and the great big Band-Aid on it. Middle The source of middle names began with lineage connections…great grandfathers, favorite aunts, rich relations. Many women took their maiden names as their middle names. This is the case our own Suz who can trace the practice in her family back to the 1800’s Eventually, bestowing middle names became a way to differentiate people as the population increased where in any given area you may have fifteen “John Smiths”. So now you had “John William, John Davis, and maybe a John Jacob Gingleheimer Schmidt. Soon doing so became a custom and people drifted from familial monikers to names of people they admired. So here’s a short quiz. 1. This new teenage idol’s middle name is Drew Even the Banditas have middle names. Susan’s middle name was a tribute to her father, Roberta. JoMama’s middle name is Jo which often happens if you don’t care for your first name, hence my mom was always Thelma instead of Frances. And in the course of composing this, I found out one of our Bandita’s middle name is JOAN! Can you guess who it is? So. What about you? Do you like your middle name? If you’re comfortable sharing we’d love to hear it. If you’re like Jeanne and Anna S. who have no middle name, or would change your I’ve Got Nothing to Wear!Posted by Joan Kayse Jul 13 2010, 5:55 am in Florida, Joan Kayse, romance bandits, RWA conference, shopping
Rags. All of it rags. Ok, not really but one thing I always look forward to before conference is buying new clothes for the occasion. I have “adequate” clothing for the business end of it and several cocktail type dresses, sparkly heeled sandals with sparkle still left. But I like to get something new to wear. Something fresh, something stylish, something that will make me look like the perfect next bestseller. Chic instead of comfy. Satin instead of worn cotton. So, armed with this elevated enthusiasm, I trotted out to the malls. (Quick, somebody pick up Nancy…she hates malls). Macy’s here I come! I ran in and headed for the Misses department, my eye keen for shades of teal, of royal or sea blue, navy, white and the occasional pink. Maybe even some white or black capri’s. ….a girl can never have too many. I circled and circled and circled…nothing. I stood in stunned silence. Everything was so UGLY! The prints were loud, in startling shades of bright orange/yellow/green or incredibly dull shades of pewter or faded puce. Electric brown melded with globs of mustard yellow. I was in shock. How could one of my favorite stores let me down? I scanned the racks for a dress. A casual, cotton knit dress to wear breezing around the Magic Kingdom. I searched and searched finally seeing one in the perfect shade of teal, the perfect cut, the ideal material. I couldn’t catch the woman wearing it walking across the Food Court fast enough! Hours I spent looking for the Orlando look, mentally taking an inventory of my closet. It will be too hot to claim Caren’s Chico jacket though Nancy’s jewelry is still an option. Those white capri’s from last year aren’t too worn out. Came home with two pairs of sandals and a beach towel. Sigh. I can always accessorize. Oh, Nancy!!!! So, what about you all? Do you have a favorite store? A favorite brand? What works best for you, the tried and true or the impromptu shopping trip. If you’re going to the conference, have you found the perfect outfit? Honesty…Such A Lonely Word!Posted by Joan Kayse Jun 16 2010, 4:15 am in Joan Kayse, kristan higgins, kristan higgins HQN, romance bandits posted by Joanie T
I jest, of course. Joan asked me to pick a theme for today’s blog that would be relevant in some way to my upcoming release, ALL I EVER WANTED (isn’t that the best cover?). I figured honesty would be a good one. One of the things I love about this book is, of course, the hero. Ian is a man incapable of lying, even when lying might be a good idea. Ian is honest to a fault…he can’t schmooze, he doesn’t sugarcoat anything, refuses to play along with anything. So different from Callie, who feels the need to make everyone like her. Callie will do just about anything to keep on the sunny side, overlook anything, go to any lengths to paint people in the most flattering light. She just can’t dislike anyone…especially her boss, Mark—the guy she’s loved since time immemorial. He’s got to be a good guy. He just has to be. ’Cause she wouldn’t love him otherwise, right? Staying positive is not easy for Callie, especially when we meet her. See, a few months ago, she had a five-week relationship with Mark, and it was perfect. For her. For him, not so much. He broke up with her, saying the timing wasn’t right, and now, the morning of Callie’s 30th birthday, it seems maybe the timing is finally right. And it is. Just not for her. Mark’s in a relationship. Yep. He’s met someone else Don’t you hate when that happens? Oh, lordy, that’s the worst romantic feeling there is, I think. Things used to be so perfect…and now, let’s be honest, things rather suck. You’re still in love. He’s moved on. You’re still thinking about him every waking moment…he’s feeling no pain. And so Callie, who’s extremely honest when it comes to her feelings—extremely honest and, er, open—falls apart. In line at the DMV. In front of everyone. She can’t help feeling things so acutely…it’s just how she is! Blubbering out her woes to her sister as she waits to renew her license, taking comfort from the strangers in line (well, some of the strangers), Callie suffers from what one gentleman calls “emotional diarrhea.” Oh, the hu
 manity! We’ve all been there. Want to hear a story? Of course you do. That’s why you’re here, right? Back when I was a youth, my boyfriend of about a year took me out to dinner. Nice restaurant. He actually called me and asked, too…the whole “Are you free on Friday night?” It was so freakish and bizarre and romantic, I should’ve sensed a tremor in the Force, if you will. But I was obtuse (am obtuse?), and so I figured a marriage proposal was coming my way.
Oh, squee! I bought a new dress, called my best friend, got a haircut. So, so exciting! Off we went to the restaurant. Boyfriend and I been a little itchy and scratchy lately, sure, but we loved each other! Mostly! So this had to be the night he’d pop the question, yes? Um…nope. Not so much. He proceeded to tell me he thought our relationship had run its course and it was time for us to break up. And here’s what I said. “I don’t think so, pal. No. Nope. Not gonna happen.” Because, first of all, I had bought a new dress for this occasion, and it was a killer dress, and I was not going to have it become my breakup dress, I can assure you! Secondly, I loved this guy! Right? I had to, right, because we’d been together for a year! So, in a nutshell, I basically refused to let my boyfriend to dump me. Even if he was a jerk. Oh, no. We were going to stay together, dang it, and we were going to be miserable, thank you very much! See, like my heroine—who is more like me than any heroine yet, I think—I really thought that if I did everything right, I’d get the results I wanted. I had yet to learn that we can’t force people to act the way we think they should. Sadly, we don’t get to control other people (such a shame!). My boyfriend and I stayed together for a few more awkward months before I finally let him pull the plug. It took a while to really and truly be honest about that one—things just weren’t going to work. It’s hard to be honest sometimes, don’t you think? Whether it’s with ourselves or with others…admitting that maybe someone isn’t the best friend or coworker, maybe. Admitting that we have to do better on some front. That maybe it’s not someone else’s fault…it’s ours. Ouch! I hate that, don’t you? So tell me…when was it tough for you to tell the truth? Were you ever in a situation like Callie, unable to stop being honest…and blurting out way too much information to the masses? I’ll pick a commenter and send her an advance copy of All I Ever Wanted. And as always, thanks so much to the lovely Joan for inviting me to be here. It’s always such a pleasure! Lessons from the Back SeatPosted by Joan Kayse Jun 13 2010, 5:16 am in cookie monster, Joan Kayse, romance bandits, simple pleasures posted by Joanie T What did ya’ll think I was going to be writing about? *wink* Nope, THAT topic is for another blog. This post is about enjoying the simpler things in life. Like….Cookie Monster. Now seriously, I don’t know that much about the characters of Sesame Street having not grown up with them but I’m a big Muppet fan and turns out…my friend’s daughter who turns 2 this week is too. Her upcoming party led me to the toy store today to shop for presents. I perused the hundreds of toys out there…marveled at all the ingenuity and creativeness of modern day play things. Electronic, life-like, Barbie-licious….really…can there be that many shades of pink? Toys that have to make you wonder how kids stimulate their imaginations when it’s all laid out for them. There amidst every type of conceivable Sesame Street music maker, make up kit, play cell phone and pink computer was this little guy. He looked like a simple stuffed doll but then I tilted the head back. “COOKIE” I smiled. Back and forth I flipped this toy, listening to it say in a very authentic CM voice “Ha-Ha”, “Cowabunga”, “Cookie Monster”. The more I flipped the wider I smiled until I could not help but giggle. I haven’t giggled that much since my last pitcher of sangria at Olive Garden! This…THIS was the perfect gift!
I kept playing with it as I went out to the car. My brother just shook his head as I laughed. And the enjoyment continued as we ran errands because every time I braked or went over railroad tracks we’d hear some comment from the back seat. “Yum, Yum” or the noise of munching cookies. An uncomplicated toy. But the pure enjoyment I got out of it was so refreshing especially in the hectic world we live in. So the lesson I learned from the back seat was to savor the simple pleasures in this life, take a minute to la Have you enjoyed a simple pleasure lately? What was it? Do you have a favorite Sesame Street and/or Muppet character? BTW…the best phrase CM muttered from the back seat was “Hot Ta Ta”…um…maybe I COULD have written that other blog. Eating My WordsPosted by Joan Kayse May 13 2010, 5:10 am in cats, Joan Kayse, pets, romance bandits
So, I’m reviewing my blog from last month. The one where I was basically talking myself out of adopting a pet.
Pretty sound arguments I decided as my new kitten nibbled on my toes. Yup, I went from 0-60 in 30 days. I have a new pet. Here she is, the little darling. Her birth name was Chaos. While somewhat accurate, I thought it too negative a connotation. So, I changed it to Cricket. Still appropriate as she bounces from couch, to wall, to perch, to recliner, to floor and back again. Whew, I get exercise just watching her! Now remember, I hadn’t had any type of pet (fish don’t count…not really. You can’t pet a fish) since I was a child. I didn’t really realize how I’d have to kitten proof the house. The first time out of her carrier? She headed straight to a kitten size opening I didn’t remember I had under my cabinet. Got her tail in the nick of time. She loves to snuggle and perch on my knee. She’s starting to pay attention to the birds outside and is onto my kitten evasive manuevers. Some things I’ve learned in 2 weeks: 2. She’ll require a manicure more often then me while I…..will need more Bandaids and Neosporin. 3. You THINK she’s in the carrier while you vaccum???? Ha! 4. That’s not a horse you hear galloping around your house….it’s a manaical cat. I should have called her “My Little Pony.” 5. She knows the mousie on a stick is not real…but plays with it to amuse you. But she snuggles and is good at night. Is using her “big girl” litter box and greets me at the door. We’ve often taken polls here in the Lair. What about you? Cats or Dogs? Or “other”. What’s your favorite type of pet? And names. What is your pet’s name and why? Undiscovered Gems of The LairPosted by Joan Kayse Mar 13 2010, 5:05 am in Anna Sugden, Caren Crane, Cassondra Murray, Jo Robertson, Joan Kayse, KJ Howe, Nancy Northcott, romance bandits, Suz Welsh
Click, click, click…*&^$$$%^
Curious, the Duchesse followed the sounds of plotting out the corridor, turned right and headed down the auxiliary tunnel. Funny, she thought, this was the secret passage to the cabana boys locker room but the noises coming from behind the golden door at the end were not the usual…um, noise one heard. Ever the RS author, she grasped her Coke bottle by the neck. Hey, it wasn’t C4 but it could do some damage…and with less calories. Slowly she opened the door and stared. Eight Banditas sat hunched over keyboards. The clacking was deafening, the only light in the room shone from their computer screens. “Hey guys,” she said, strolling in “What’s up?” Eight Bandita heads shot up. “You scared us, Duchesse,” said Caren, “And that’s not easy to do with with KJ and Cassondra and their arsenal.” “Sorry,” she answered, abashed. “But it’s late. What are you doing up? “Yeah,” piped up Joanie T, signaling to Demetrius to bring her another glass of sangria, “ Jeanne, frowned, pulls up a chair and sat down. “Yeah, I don’t get that. Ya’ll are great writers. We should be seeing your book covers on the sidebar.” “Perseverance,” said Anna S. tossing Nancy a hockey puck. “Keep at it till the right editor and agent recognize what they…and the publishing world… have been missing. We are the next best thing!” “It’s hard to hang in there,” admitted Jo aka JoMama, grabbing a dark chocolate kiss from a jar marked ‘Perseverance’ “but there’s an old saying “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” Nancy tossed the puck to the dragon who chased it like a dog. “Adding boom helps a lot,” “It does,” agreed Cassondra, molding a lump of C4 into a tiny cabana boy, “And staying in the chair on track does too.” “Research,” added KJ, “Lots of trips and top notch conferences fuel our determination.” Suz: Mine was REFUGE. My writing wasn’t bad, but over the years I’ve improved my craft, so a few years back I went back to this story, because I loved it so much, rewrote it and am now featuring it on my blog as a serial book…one chapter a week! (Talk about torturing your readers!!) Anna: My first romance was ‘Paws for Love’, about an ex-business woman who runs a cattery and who has to go back to work in business to save it. The hero is a customer and the owner of the business she joins. Very Special Edition Nancy: If we’re moving beyond the crayon stage, the first Jo: When I was fourteen I wrote a story about a high school reunion. Of course, the heroine had turned from ugly duckling to beautiful swan and the hero was immediately attracted to her, wondering how he’d missed her clever wit and graceful beauty ten years ago! KJ I’ve always loved books that can make me laugh, so I tried my hand at a romantic comedy about a flagging furniture company headed by an feisty wheelchair-bound octogenarian. A romance bloomed between his designer granddaughter and a Greek marketing guru they hired to rescue the bottom line. Needless to say, that novel will never see daylight—too many references to Cleopatra couches and tiger-striped lamps. Also, Grandpa completely stole the show! But the experience of writing was so much fun that I was hooked. Joan: Does a parody of “The Little Matchstick Girl” called “The Little Flashlight Girl count”? No? Ok, well my first focused manuscript was my 2006 GH entry Roman historical, “The Patrician’s Desire.” It was my learning manuscript and it took a while to get it molded into shape. I had to…the hero Jared wouldn’t LET me put him under the bed Cassondra: The first story? Oh, man…I dunno if I can remember back that far. I remember one in the sixth grade. It was based on one of the color plates in my Literature textbook. A couple of guys from pre-Revolutionary War days. They were in a canoe and it looked like they were running trap lines (for fur trade) and I wrote a story about them. After that, there were too many to count. Focused, book-length fiction? It was the story which, after a whole bunch of incarnations, became the manuscript that finaled in the Golden Heart. Jeanne picked up the mimosa that had suddenly appeared in front of her. Man, those cabana boys could be sneaky. “Wow, those all sound great! Hmm…since it’s late and I have a mimosa and you’re all taking a break, let me give you another question. Let’s talk about the really yummy stuff. Who is your favorite hero, in film and why? Suz: My favorite hero in films would be Clive Owen as King Arthur. Oh mama. Makes you want to go all medieval, doesn’t he? Strong, handsome, honorable…and boy can he wield a mean sword! Anna: Oooh tricky question – my instinctive answer is Cary Grant in pretty much any movie. But, I think it should be Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp in ‘Tombstone’. A great flawed hero, who tries to do the right thing, even when the odds are against him. I love all the different facets we see of him – brother, family man, husband, gun-slinger, marshall, boy in love. Nancy That’s a toughie. Clive Owen as King Arthur, Viggo Jo: Way too many to list, but among the top ones are George Clooney (a classy and classic media presence), Gerard Butler (when he’s fit and trim not carrying fifteen extra pounds), and Shia Labeouf (okay I just want to pinch his cheeks and feed him cookies). KJ: Harrison Ford as Richard Kimball in THE FUGITIVE. The hero had to conquer unbelievable odds (who’d believe that a one-armed man killed his wife???) and he used his ingenuity and intelligence to solve the mystery of the killer. Brilliant writing and plotting coupled with stellar acting from Harrison. Joan: There are a LOT of heroes from big screen (and little screen) who are favs but when you think about the genre I write in it would have to be Daniel Day Lewis in LOTM. He had everything and the buckskins too, to make a woman fall at his feet….or jump over his shoulder to be carried away from danger…or to his lair Cassondra: It depends on the day. Today it’s probably Viggo as Aragorn. I like Bill Pullman in “While You Were Sleeping” too. He’s kind of earthy in that movie. Most heroes I fall for are that way. Tomorrow I’ll like somebody else though. I’m like Joanie in that Daniel Day Lewis in LOTM always comes out in the top two. Always. On any day. I don’t much like him in any other films, but he rocked that role. “Wow, those are all great picks,” Jeanne sighed as Sven came out of the shadows and started massaging her shoulders. “Thank you Sven, that right shoulder…ahhhh, yes. Oh, sorry. Okay, new question, same vein. If you had to cast a current or past star as the hero of your WIP, who would you pick and why?” Caren: The hero of my WIP (which is more a Mess In Progress now) would be perfectly portrayed by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Oh, yes, I DID go there! Anna: I’m battling with that at the moment. Normally, I have the hunk all picked out. This time, it’s more difficult. My heroine has been likened to Detective Beckett in ‘Castle’. I think I see my hero as kind of Eastern European in looks – like Viggo or Travis Fimmel from The Beast or one of my fave footie players – Nemanja Vidic. Nancy Also a tough question for me, as I don’t ordinarily do this. The hero of my WIP exists in my head, and I don’t generally put anyone else’s face onto him or onto the heroine. That actually interferes with my vision of the character since the face tends to bring with it the tendencies of the last character I saw that actor portray. However, for purposes of this one blog, I’d pick Christopher Reeve, who’s closest in appearance, though not a twin by any means, to the hero I’m working on now. Jo: Actually, I had my middle son in mind when I wrote Tucker Gage, the haunted Marshal in my historical suspense-thriller WEAK FLESH. Take Cassondra: Hmmm. I’m writing in a new-to-me genre right now, and I guess Viggo would fit best, but he really doesn’t look completely like the hero. Nobody does. I don’t know who would look like the hero…he’s sort of a combination of Viggo’s scruffiness mixed with a young Harrison Ford mixed with Brendan Fraser mixed with a 30-year-old Jon Bon Jovi. But way more heroic than any of them. (grin) But I DID find a guy who looks like the hero of the second book in my romantic suspense series. Saulo Melo with about three days worth of beard and longer hair. Slurp. Jeanne, blinked her eyes, back from the happy place she’d gone to thinking about heroes “Yes, I can see alllll of that. Hmmm. Okay, next question. I think I know the answer, but ya’ll always surprise me. What genre do you say you write, and if there’s more than one, what are the others? What genre would you never want to write?” Suz: I write several genres, American Historical, Western Historical Eroticas (The Surrender of Lacy Morgan has won two erotica contests), Contemporary, Romantic Suspense (both Anna: I write contemporary category romance – Special Edition/Supers – like my two GH finalists ‘L Jo: I write historical, romantic and mainstream suspense, I’m thinking of dabbling in young adult, and I’d never, EVER want to write sci-fi. KJ: I write international thrillers. My father worked in telecommunications and I moved a lot while growing up and every country was a different adventure. The travel bug bit and I still love exploring new parts of the world. The combination of intrigue and exotic locales fires me up! Joan: Historicals are my first love and yes, I bucked convention and dared to set them in Rome. I think there is a great amount of interest among readers for a variety of historical settings. My newest venture, and on
An evil grin creased Jeanne’s face.” Of all the research you’ve done for your writing, which research is most likely to get you in trouble with the FBI? (Or your mother?)” Suz: In my second Romantic Suspense book, HUNTED, I had a scene where the heroine has to know how to field strip a Glock, recognize a shotgun behind a door ambush for the hero and be capable of assembling bombs. Between the online research and my conversation with a local police officer, I’m pretty sure the local and federal law enforcement groups are watching me closely! Anna: LOL – they’re probably watching me right now! I’m researching murder, poisons, forensics and security devices. I’ve previously researched hockey (up close and personal – oh yeah!), domestic violence and abuse, identity theft and fake identities. I had a lot of fun researching the New York Marble Cemeteries, which will feature in Past, Imperfect, using Google Earth. Nancy The research most likely to get me into Jo: Oh, nothing I wrote would get me in trouble with my mother. She was as game for something quirky as anyone. The FBI, hmmm, I really want to stay clear of three-letter acronymic government organizations – IRS, FBI, CIA, DHS – those fellows can really make your life miserable, so I fly very low under the radar in my research. KJ I wouldn’t be surprised if I have been red flagged for my intensive research on sniper rifles, the French Foreign Legion, and anything that goes boom—in another life, I would have loved to have been a spy! Cassondra: Hmmm. This is a tough one. All the government agencies have already looked up my fanny with a microscope a few times and I think they’ve determined that I’m not a threat. Except the IRS. I do not want their attention, so I behave myself and do regular sacrificial ceremonies in worship of my accountant. I will say that I’ve recently begun trying to find out how to poison somebody and how much of a given drug it would take to commit suicide or kill someone, and I’m having trouble because I can’t get any pharmacists to cooperate with that, and I really do need to know this stuff. Honestly now. Look at me. Do I look the least bit untrustworthy? “Banditas,” Jeanne said, draining her third mimosa, “It’s got to happen soon! You’ve got great stories, industry smarts and the drive to get it done. Not to mention the considerable support of the rest of the Bandits and the BB’s!” “Right,” replied Jeanne, weaving out of the room. A loud boom sounded as she closed the door. “Shite, will ye get that blathering mess out of here!” Shouted an Irish accented voice. Another yelled “Rabbit! Somebody catch that rabbit!” Jeanne smiled. Man, she couldn’t wait for these books to come out!
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