There's a lady in our town who sends people newspaper clippings when there's an article about them in the local paper (yes, it's a small town). Now, this may not sound like a big deal, but the lady in question, Laura Carmichael , is over 100 years old. She's also still serving on the boards of various civic organizations, and is a big supporter of our public library. I want to be like her when I grow up. Anyway, Ms. Carmichael sent me a clipping from yesterday's Gainesville Sun of the tea drinking article and I was deeply touched. Not only because Laura had once again gotten out her scissors and sent me something I valued, but because I knew she'd been feeling poorly, and any time you hear about a 100 year old feeling poorly, you're going to be concerned. So here's to you, Laura Carmichael! Long may you clip!
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Today's Gainesville Sun has an article featuring Darlene Marshall's alter ego on the joys of a good cuppa tea. I tried to work Captain Sinister's Lady into the conversation, even though that's more about the joys of a good bar of soap--and sex--and pirates--but at least they did say I write historical romance.
"A bath, Captain. The soaps I make are marvelous for the bath," she said. "A good soak with a fine soap is one of life's pleasures." -- Captain Sinister's Lady, copyright 2006 Those of you who've read Captain Sinister's Lady (the rest of you, get crackin') know the value of a good, long soak with a fresh bar of soap. I indulged myself this evening since the DH (dear husband) was out of the house, and we have an empty nest and an oversized tub. Woo woo! No two-year-olds banging on the bathroom door! There's nothing like getting into the tub with a ginger-mint sugar scrub for the limbs, an almond-oatmeal scrub for the face, a nice exfoliating shea butter rub for the feet, and some good romance novels and a serving of single malt for the soul. Add some scented candles, soft music, bubble bath, and you've got heaven on earth. OK, so it would have been even better if the DH had been there, but I did have a rubber ducky. And a cunningly...
Teresa over at Teresa Bodwell's Journal tagged me, so I'm passing the favor along. 4 movies you would watch over and over Cluny Brown The Scarlet Pimpernel (1930's version) Casablanca The Quiet Man 4 places you have lived: Minneapolis, Minnesota Naples, Florida Fort Myers, Florida Gainesville, Florida 4 TV shows you love to watch Scrubs The Daily Show The Colbert Report Firefly (cancelled, but still in my heart) 4 places you have been on vacation: Hawaii San Francisco Scotland Australia 4 Websites you visit daily: Compuserve Books and Writers Community Smart Bitches Who Love Trashy Novels Books Forum at Forums America RWA Online 4 of your favorite foods: Dark Godiva Chocolate Artisan Cheeses Fresh berries (picked that morning) Multi-grain artisan bread (I'm a food snob. And I like it) 4 places you would rather be right now: Gainesville in the spring is a little slice of heaven, but I could also see myself being in: Volcano National Park in Hawaii Key W...
Captain Sinister's Lady now in print! The wait is over. You can now order Captain Sinister's Lady in print or ebook from Amber Quill Press. Here's the blurb: "Morgan Roberts, AKA Captain Sinister, dreams of leaving the sea and running away to farm, but when the Zephyr comes across a damaged ship wallowing in the Florida Straits, it's just too good an opportunity for any self-respecting privateer to pass up. Amanda Stephenson is a widow traveling from Yorkshire to Charleston in the 1820's to set up her soap-making business. It's a grand adventure, just as she's always dreamed—until her ship is boarded by the crew of the Zephyr . Amanda’s plans for her future do not include large, hairy, uncouth pirates. Morgan Roberts has his work cut out for him, but he's prepared to try his most piratical tricks if it will convince the luscious widow to become Captain Sinister's Lady." You can read excerpts at my website . Next month, the re-release o...
I spent part of Sunday afternoon hanging out at the Novelspotters group on Yahoo, chatting with Amber Quill authors and readers about our current and upcoming releases. It was fun doing a chat with posted entries rather than live chat, a reflection of our ability to see messages almost as soon as they're posted. Last night I attended a concert by the Black Watch and Welsh Guards, a rousing evening of pipes, drums, brass and patriotism--from both sides of the pond. I saw many of the Brit expats in our community in attendance, some dressed in their own kilts and gear. And speaking of kilts, the soldiers included their own dancers doing Highland flings, and I know at least one of those hunky young men was not going commando under the wool. Not that I was watching closely or anything. And don't forget the contest going on right now at Your Virtual Book Bag ! Check out the author websites, answer a few simple questions, and become eligible to win stuff!
Pirate's Price edits went off to Amber Quill yesterday, and now I can get back to my WIP until I get the Smuggler's Bride galleys. I had a couple little "Aha!" moments in the plotting of the WIP (Work In Progress), probably 'cause I was trying not to think about it. Now I need to get those plot points worked into the story. Having learned from experience, I jotted down notes as soon as the lightbulb went off. Otherwise, if I try to think about it four days later, it's lost in the ozone. Oh, and this Sunday, March 19, I'll be chatting at Novelspot from 1:30 to 2:00 p.m., EST. Drop by and say "hi!" You just click on the Amberquill Chat Loop, and there you are.
I'm downtown at the Sun Plaza, enjoying a cup of coffee at Maude's, and [pause--resume typing five minutes later] A FRICKIN' BIRD JUST SHAT ON MY HEAD! My own fault, for sitting under a tree, but really. Is there no dignity, no justice? Where's Dick Cheney when I need him? I was going to write about the joys of being downtown at the Farmers' Market on a sunny Wednesday afternoon, enjoying free outdoors wireless courtesy of the City and some local businesses, but now my attitude is just a bit less joyful. Ah well, at least the little bastard missed my suede jacket.
I'm sitting out here on my back porch, doing edits on the soon to be re-released Pirate's Price and I'm watching a bird build a nest in my hanging impatiens. I think it's common house wren, and it's a busy little sucker, flying back and forth in my line of vision, carrying various twigs about. It looked like it was fixin' to rain earlier so I took my baskets out from under the eaves so they can get a bath. Everything's covered with yellow pollen right now, so a soak would do them well. But I saw the nest in the impatiens and knew I'd be handwatering that one for a while. A small price to pay for the entertainment value of watching this industrious little fellow inspire me to keep at my edits.
Your Virtual Book Bag My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys by Lorraine Heath , Georgina Gentry and Teresa Bodwell Kensington March, 2006 ISBN: 0-7582-1301-8 Saddle up for this anthology of Western Romances by Lorraine Heath, Georgina Gentry and Teresa Bodwell. Those deep-brimmed Stetsons. Those faded jeans. Cowboys are everything a fantasy man should be—tall, tough and oh so handsome. In this sexy new collection of original stories, meet three men of the American West who know more than a thing or two about roping a girl’s heart . . . “Three delightful, tender, sexy, emotional romances will sweep you away to the Wild West and into the hearts of three fabulous heroes. Sit yourself down and enjoy every moment with any one of them.” 4 Stars — Kathe Robin, Romantic Times Bookclub
I played hooky today and drove to Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island. You can't blame me. It was 65F and skies so perfectly blue it almost hurt to look at them. And really, I was doing research. Honest. Fernandina was the center of shipping--and piracy--in Florida for hundreds of years. If you're looking for it on a map, it's waaaaaay up at the northeast tip, right on the border with Georgia. This latter point is important. Fernandina and Amelia Island offered a deep water port just over the border from the US during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, which meant a whole lot of shipping that couldn't come through the US came through Fernandina. In the 1820's Fernandina was known for its abundance of pirates and prostitutes, a heritage they celebrate today with annual pirate festivals. Today Fernandina Beach is a touristy, funky, trendy little enclave of shops, artists, galleries, restaurants, bars and bookstores. There's also the Fernandina Museu...
Here's a tip of the hat to my webmaster, Jerry Gelb , who showed me how to make the links to my website and Captain Sinister's Lady , using the not-always-user-friendly interface. I always feel such a sense of accomplishment when I mess with code. I'm so low tech that just being able to successfully cut-and-paste something into the sidebar at my blog makes my whole day just a little bit brighter.
I was talking with my son, the banjo playing philosopher. I told him that as threatened, I'm going to have a banjo playing hero in my next historical. I said I didn't want him to get too squicked out, but he should bring his banjo home when he returns on Spring Break and I'll block out a scene with him. "OK, Mom, but would you please stop refering to it as 'fingering the banjo'?" Hey, he's the one who told me his banjo's a Johnson and he's the master of the big Johnson. You reap what you sow. The other kid's a martial arts expert. There's nothing like raising your research experts in-house.
Captain Sinister's Lady in ebook is now available from Amber Quill Press, with the passionately purple yet tasteful cover by Trace Edward Zaber. Buy many downloads! Review it at your blog! Tell your friends. Here's a snippet: Morgan Roberts, AKA Captain Sinister, dreams of leaving the sea and running away to farm, but when the Zephyr comes across a damaged ship wallowing in the Florida Straits, it's just too good an opportunity for any self-respecting privateer to pass up. Amanda Stephenson is a widow traveling from Yorkshire to Charleston in the 1820's to set up her soap-making business. It's a grand adventure, just as she's always dreamed—until her ship is boarded by the crew of the Zephyr . Amanda’s plans for her future do not include large, hairy, uncouth pirates. Morgan Roberts has his work cut out for him, but he's prepared to try his most piratical tricks if it will convince the luscious widow to become Captain Sinister's Lady. ###