Darlene's Digest

Goodbye to all that 2010 saw steady sales of The Bride and the Buccaneer , and winning the Beacon Award was the cherry on top.  More people have been checking out my backlist as they load up their Kindles and Nooks.  I finished Castaway Dreams and started writing (working title) The Hot Pirate's Secret Baby [alternate working title: The Naughty Pirate and the Very Strict Governess].  I went to Aussiecon4, toured Australia, saw friends and enjoyed myself immensely. I expect to sell at least one book in 2011 and hope for more.  I'm looking forward to attending Boskone, and Renovation (Wordcon 2011) and maybe Epicon.  I'm doing a talk next week and my son will be in town, and I may be able to drag him along if I promise him dinner and drinks after. Life is good.  I hope your New Year's celebrations are safe, enjoyable, and that you begin a new year with all that you need even if it's not all that you want. Now it's time to stir the black-eyed peas an...

Went to see The King's Speech last night.  What an amazing movie.  Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush were both astoundingly good in their roles, Firth in particular. I'm often asked if I have Hollywood actors or actresses in mind when I'm envisioning my characters.  The answer is generally "no", until I've finished the novel.  For example, Firefly started airing after I'd written Smuggler's Bride , but as soon as I saw Nathan Fillion as Captain Tightpants Mal I knew who I'd cast as Rand Washburn, the hero of Smuggler's Bride .  I'm still waiting for Hollywood to call. Anyway, the exception to this is my recently finished manuscript, Castaway Dreams .  As I was writing the character of my grizzled, world-weary British naval surgeon, Alexander Murray, I kept seeing Colin Firth in my mind's eye.  So now my job in 2011 (in addition to writing my next novel) is to get Castaway Dreams published, and wait for that call from Hollywood.

Happy Boxing Day !  No, I'm not celebrating it, but this is the day I would be giving my live-in servants their new uniforms, if I had such minions.  I'm still hoping for Raul the Cabana Boy after I hit the bestseller list.  I'd even get a cabana.  And his uniform wouldn't have much fabric at all...Mmmmm... Where was I? Oh yeah, it's the day after Christmas.  If you were fortunate enough to receive a new Nook, Kindle, iPad or other device suitable for reading ebooks, now's the time to stock up on digital editions.  Don't you need some relaxing reading now that the holidays are over? What could be better than a tale of naughty guys and gals in a nautical setting?  All my editions are available in a variety of electronic formats to suit your needs.  You can purchase them from the publisher (links at my website) or from your favorite bookseller, and kick-back with a good romantic tale! Enjoy your Boxing Day, and have a happy and healthy New Year....

Outline or Organic?  Kind of a "Paper or plastic?" question since different writers have different methods that work for them. I'm organic, or a "seat of the pants" writer.  I spent yesterday morning trying to outline my new novel, and realized at lunchtime that I'd pretty much wasted a morning when I could have been writing.  I do find sometimes that if I pause midway through my first draft and then try to outline, that can work.  I need to get some structure down on paper and look at it to determine where the plot holes are and how I'm going to reach that all important Happily Ever After (or at least, reasonably happy and optimistic about the future) ending. We'll see.  As usual, I've got a vague idea in my head of where I want to go with my naughty pirate hero and my stern and disapproving heroine, the plot moppet the hero isn't aware he fathered, the missing heir, the murder plot and so on and so on.  I know though that eventually, if...

I was at the monthly GAWN (Gainesville Area Women's Network) luncheon today where we heard more about our signature project, support of the Displaced Homemakers Program.  DHP is funded through Florida's fees for marriage licenses and divorce filings--most appropriate for this group, because DHP helps women enter or get back into the workforce when they're middle-aged or older. Interestingly, monies for DHP are down because the economy is down.  People both marry and divorce less in tough economic times.  Our group supports our local DHP with donations, job referrals, acting as employers in fake interviews to prepare the women for real job interviews and more.  I'm glad to be a small part of the effort, and it was wonderful today to hear from two of the program's graduates talk about how having employment has made a difference in their lives.

Sometimes the bread lands jelly side up.  This morning I opened up the box to change the battery for our home alarm, an every 3-4 year procedure, and the box had some animal droppings inside.  I was horrified, thinking it was mouse poop.  Fortunately, our pest control tech (a Florida necessity) was scheduled to come by today, so I left it as is for him to pronounce judgment. Turned out they were lizard droppings, not mouse droppings.  He showed me how to tell the difference, but I don't want to burden you with TMI.  Now, you may ask yourselves, "Why is she pleased about lizard sh*t in her house?"  The answer is, lizards don't carry the same diseases or breed like mice, and most importantly, they eat insects in the house.  In Florida, having lizards running around is a good thing because they're a natural form of pest control. Life in Florida--it's just one damn thing after another, but sometimes it's not as bad as it could be.

It's winter in North Florida and the only one who seems thrilled by this turn of events is the dog.  For an animal who loves to spend the entire day sleeping under the covers, she's enjoying these temps in the 40s and her brisk morning walk.   As for me, I'm taking advantage of these days indoors to upgrade to a new computer system.  It's a bit of a hassle, as always, but I know I'll be glad when everything is transferred over and I'm able to find what I'm looking for.  I do have a jumpstart on getting it all together because my brother, the family's computer whiz and resident tech dude, helped me migrate my most important files--my writing and my online presence. I expect to have this done within a day or so and be left with just minor tweaks, and I'll have more time to work on the new novel. Later, gators! 

Feasting With Friends, Florida Style Before we celebrated US style Thanksgiving in Florida (the Spaniards celebrated Thanksgiving at St. Augustine long before those latecomer Pilgrims set foot aboard ship) we had cane grinding in the autumn to share the work and feast with friends: From SMUGGLER'S BRIDE:      As the shadows lengthened, the men began gathering around the tables like wasps drawn to sweet fruit, cozying up to their women, and trying to talk them out of some of the food before the feast officially began. Ma Ivey ruled her dirt yard like an empress and wasn't above slapping a reaching hand with a wooden spoon when they drew too close. Finally though, the last of the cane was put through the mill and the syrup cooked down, and as the night sky filled with stars the feast began to a chorus of tree frogs and crickets serenading the workers. They lined up before the platters of roast pig and venison, quails, turkey, and doves. Even a possum or two join...

I have often heard other writers say that thinking about writing is not writing, researching is not writing, complaining about how your book is progressing is not writing.  Only writing is writing. Having said that, I freely admit that with the visit of my best friend (all the way from Australia!), Thanksgiving, and a family friend's son's wedding coming up, I'm not writing much this week. I am doing some thinking about writing my next book, researching the next book, and trying not to complain that I need to get started on my next book so I can talk about its progress. Once Thanksgiving and the weekend is behind us, I will be doing some writing.  I've done enough research to this point that I feel like I can gather my notes and get cranking.  In the meantime, if I don't get back to this blog sooner, have a lovely Thankgiving with plenty of good food and good times.

Image via Wikipedia Today is Veteran's Day, and Armistice Day.  I want to thank the men in my family who served, and fought, at Pearl Harbor, in the South Pacific, in Viet Nam.  I want to thank the ones who were in the Air Force, the Army National Guard, the Naval Reserves.  I want to thank the young man next door who baby-sat my boys, and when he was grown enlisted in the Marines and served in Iraq.  I tell my now-grown sons, "When your kids whine, say, 'You think you have it tough?  My babysitter was a Marine!'." So thank you, all of you who fight and serve for our country.  Our job now is to fight for you and ensure you get the benefits and help that are your due.

“I am not sure I should have to always do what you tell me to do, or not to do, Dr. Murray. I know you are a natural philosopher and learned, but in America they let men vote equally, the stupid ones as well as the clever. Not that I am stupid, I am just not as learned as you are. While we are here on this island, just the two of us, we should be voting as equals, don’t you think?” He looked at her in astonishment, setting down the gourd. “I am amazed, Miss Farnham, that a properly brought up Englishwoman would take the riff-raff in America as her model for appropriate behavior." --Castaway Dreams, Darlene Marshall (WIP) Be like Daphne.  Do the American thing and vote today.

I haven't been blogging as much recently because I realized my TBR (To Be Read) shelf had morphed into a TBR bookcase that was overflowing.  That doesn't even count what's on my ereader.  So I've been trying to spend less time online and more time reading all those books I've purchased or borrowed from the library. Some of what I've been reading is for research.  Right now I've got Amanda Vickery's Behind Closed Doors--At Home in Georgian England and I'm enjoying it very much.  I  also have on Inter-Library Loan The Republic's Private Navy: The American Privateering Business as Practiced by Baltimore During the War of 1812 by Jerome Garitee and Men of Marque: A History of Private Armed Vessels Out of Baltimore During the War of 1812 by John Phillips Cranwell. The ILL books have a short check-out period so I need to get those two wrapped up, and that will keep me offline, reading and note-taking for a while.  

It was a busy evening at the riverside tavern called Ganymede’s Cup, a tavern with a reputation up and down the coast. It was that reputation that had earned the tavern its better known name, The Greek Boy, for the sign swinging over the door featured a young man in a skimpy chiton. Simpkins, the innkeeper, stopped wiping a dirty rag over a dirtier mug, staring at the man stooping under the doorway. “Why, Julius Davies, as I live and breathe! I’d heard you was hung!” Julius smirked and rolled his eyes heavenward. “La, my dear, you don’t know the half of it!” His companion coughed delicately into his fist. “Who’s your friend?” Simpkins nodded in their direction. Julius put his arm around the man’s shoulder. “Allow me to present Captain Christopher Daniels. He’s new to the area and I’m showing him the, uh, local sights.” --Pirate's Price, Darlene Marshall Someone asked me about the references to "Ganymede's Cup" in a conversation at another site.  Ganyme...

“There are alligators in this creek?” “Not now that you’ve screamed your head off there ain’t. Ooowee, I thought a bobcat could screech, but you got them beat all to hell and back! I imagine there’s not a gator within twenty miles of here now, but it’s no problem, I’ll stay here ’til you’re all done and protect you. You take your time, darlin’.” --Smuggler's Bride There are plenty of Gators around here today.  It's Homecoming at the University of Florida and as a proud member of the Gator Nation I wanted to share with you a bit of Florida sunshine and my favorite Gator orange cover. Have a super weekend, and Go Gators!

Saw a woman reading a Kindle at an outdoor cafe, stopped to admire her sweet little bichon, and I gave her (the reader, not the dog) one of my bookmarks.  I know a marketing opportunity when it slaps me upside the head.

If I've been absent from the blogosphere these past few days it's because I'm deep into edits of Castaway Dreams so I can get it ready to be sold.  Later, gators!

Image by State Library and Archives of Florida via Flickr "Miss Deford, your value to me just keeps increasing by the hour. That gentleman wanted to make a trade, all right. He wanted to trade for you. " "He wanted to trade the deer for me?" Now Jack's grin looked like it would split his cheeks. "No, he acknowledged you were too small to be worth a full deer. He wanted to trade two possums for you." And with that he started laughing so hard he had to sit down in the sand. Sophia resisted the urge to kick him. "Opossums? Aren't they some sort of rodent?" "Oh, Miss Deford, I would not trade you for just any kind of rodent! Possums are ugly rodents!" And it set him off into a fresh round of laughter.  -- The Bride and the Buccaneer,  Darlene Marshall     My elderly, but intrepid, dachshund treed a 'possum last night.  Well, OK, "treed" is an exaggeration.  She kept him at bay in the woodpile.  I recogni...

Image via Wikipedia I was interviewed by the wonderful Kim Adams over at SOS Aloha for "International Talk Like a Pirate Day".  Kim is a SOS Military Liaison in Hawaii, helping families while their loved ones are serving our country.  Kim's a veteran and a military spouse herself, and knows how important this work is. Hats off to Kim and all the other hard working men and women offering support to our armed forces and their families!

 It's International Talk Like a Pirate Day!  My plans include pillaging some heavily laden merchant vessel and perhaps taking the handsome first mate captive.  But I have to wait until after the ACLD Library Foundation Annual meeting tonight, darn it!

Here's a recap of what's been happening in my life these past weeks: I returned only mildly jetlagged from an amazing trip to Australia.  Did the usual tourist things with my husband, but didn't see nearly enough of the country.  This was my second trip and it was wonderful to revisit.  I don't know when I'll return, but I'd love to go back again. My panels at Aussiecon4 (World SF Convention) in Melbourne went quite well.  I was tapped to be moderator on both of them.  The first one was "Girl meets boy meets dragon: Romance in fantasy".  The other panelists were Tracey O’Hara, Fiona McIntosh and Nicole R. Murphy and part of the fun of attending a Worldcon outside North America is meeting writers who I might not otherwise get to spend time talking to.  This was a lively group to have discussing romance and fantasy, and the program item was well attended.  Plus, I have some new books on my "To Be Read" list, thanks to the other panelists. ...

From Sea Change , a work in progress:             “I know that tune–I heard it in the inn where I waited to board the Lady Jane .   It is ‘To Anacreon in Heaven’ , is it not?   I recall the people who attempted to navigate its melody often failed miserably.”             “Maybe it’s a song best attempted while drinking for the full effect.   But I’m told it is now popular in Baltimore with lyrics based on Mr. Key’s poem–‘And the rockets’ red glare...’ .”             Charley snickered as his voice strained through the notes.               “That tune will never catch on, Captain.   Certainly not the way you sing!   Best you stick to sailing your ship.” Today is the anniversary of the bombardment of Ft. McHenry, during what some historians...

White Collar: Season One I am so channeling Matt Bomer (White Collar) for my pirate hero in the next novel.  I don't like the TV show that much, but he's yummy! Oh, and thanks to SBTB I've added "plot moppets" to my writer's vocabulary for (working title) The Hot Pirate's Secret Baby . That is all.  Now, back to watching "White Collar" episodes on DVR.

I'm in Melbourne, doing a bit of sightseeing before Aussiecon4 .  I love this city!  Not only is there great public transit, but I could spend years exploring all the little arcades and side streets filled with all kinds of intriguing shops and restaurants.  It's unusual to find a Central Business District as vibrant and bustling as this one.  The weather's also been cooperating.  Some cool and wet days, but most of them have been cool and partly sunny, and I can live with that. 

Traveling through Australia, having an amazing time.  Limited internet opportunities, which, quite frankly, I don't regret at all.[g]  I'll post more when Worldcon (Aussiecon 4) starts.

My Aussiecon 4 Schedule: Girl meets boy meets dragon: Romance in fantasy Fantasy and romance have always seemed natural bedfellows. What can romance bring to the fantasy story, and what do fantasy elements provide to the romance? What are the challenges of writing a story that combines both genres - neither of which seem to get the critical respect that they deserve? Is there a common element between the two genres that makes their combination work so effectively? Tracey O’Hara, Darlene Marshall, Fiona McIntosh, Nicole R. Murphy Saturday 1000 Room 219 Monster mash-ups Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Sense and Sensibility and Sea-Monsters. Little Vampire Women. Jane Slayre—it’s open season on the classics as well as the undead. Just what is going on here and where did it all start? Scott Edelman, Darlene Marshall, Chuck McKenzie, Faye Ringel, Damien White Saturday 1500 Room 207

I was at a review site today updating my info, and realized they were showing OOP editions of my books from my last publisher. Those novels have since been re-released by Amber Quill Press, but have the same covers.  If any readers search for my books and come up empty, please let me know.  All four of my published novels-- Pirate's Price, Smuggler's Bride, Captain Sinister's Lady and The Bride and the Buccaneer are very much in print and available in paper and ebook editions. Thanks for your interest!

Image via Wikipedia Wow, what a great shower!  I had ideas, plot points and dialog for [working title] The Hot Pirate's Secret Baby popping out all over the place! Clearly, I need to wash up more often.

I'm often asked which of my books is my favorite.  Naturally, that's like asking me which of my sons I love the best (I prefer not to say, to keep them on their toes). I love each of my books for different reasons, but I always have mixed feelings about a book as I'm finishing writing it.  Is it good enough?  Pretty enough? Will the editors love it?  I once heard a writer say that sending off your manuscript is like shoving your baby in the mailbox. If you're going to be a serious writer, you have to be able to listen to people say, "I'm sorry, but this baby's so ugly you'd have to tie a pork chop 'round his neck to get a hound to play with him."  Then if they're the helpful people you need to listen to--your beta readers, critique partners and your agent and editor--they'll help you pretty up your baby so you can hear other people "Ooooh!" and "Aaaah!" over him too. It's a business, I keep telling mysel...

I checked the other day on Kindle editions of my books in the UK, and was pleased to see them all available.  It seems like each week we're moving faster into the 21st century of publishing.  I don't know where it will end, if it ever does, but having more people able to easily  access my books around the world is a good thing for readers, and for me. I love to get fan email from far away.  Knowing someone in Brazil or Germany is reading my books is exciting, and something that wouldn't have likely happened just a decade ago.  We live in fascinating times.

EPIC Awards now open EPIC™ is currently open for eBook entries for their 2011 eBook Awards Competition until August 15, 2010. If you have works that meets this year’s criteria, I encourage you to enter! You can check out the current Competition Guidelines at: http://www.epicauthors.com/ebookawardrules2011.html.

The Bride and the Buccaneer wins Beacon Award! The Beacon is awarded by FCRW, the First Coast Romance Writers. I won in the historicals category. This Monday is off to a good start.

PC World Calls New Kindle "Most Enticing Yet" If you've been thinking of buying a Kindle, the new models may be what you want. Affordable, more lightweight, smaller footprint. Check out this article .

Business Travel Plans I won't be attending the Romance Writers of America annual conference this week because I'm attending the World SF Convention in Melbourne, Australia in a couple months. Trying to do both this summer was too much of a financial and personal hassle. So I hope all my peers at RWA have a splendid time in Orlando (wear sunscreen and stay hydrated!) and I'm looking forward to seeing some of my SF friends Down Under in September. Image by ausemade via Flickr

Blogging from the Beach I've been away from my desk for nearly a week, down at Sand Key at Clearwater, Florida. My husband's at a conference and I'm at work, fixing Castaway Dreams. Sometimes getting away from my regular routine helps me focus in a new way, finding errors, thinking a touch differently. And being at the beach is always a great way to recharge my batteries. Incidentally, the Gulf beaches on Florida's southwest coast are lovely and undamaged. Come on down, the water's fine!

I write like Edgar Allan Poe I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software . Analyze your writing!

Image by Zoohouse via Flickr I'm celebrating finishing the first draft of Castaway Dreams by buying [another] fountain pen. It's on sale! It's a business expense! I'm going to fill it with red ink and use it for editing! I'm not addicted, I can stop buying fountain pens whenever I want.

Image via Wikipedia Castaway Dreams First Draft Completed! It weighed in at 127K, which officially makes it my longest manuscript to date. Now the real work begins, but I'm excited. It's a book! And I know how it ends![g]

Image via Wikipedia I haven't been blogging much lately 'cause I've been on the road.  And I'm writing.  Lots and lots of writing.    Just because I'm at the pool doesn't mean I'm not a serious writer.  Ignore those empty mojito glasses around my feet.

Thinking about ereaders? Now's a good time to get that ereader you've been wanting.  You can take plenty of books on vacation withough taking up room in your luggage, and Amazon and Barnes and Noble are in a price war .  And don't forget, Darlene Marshall novels are the perfect summer getaway read!

Image via Wikipedia My Kindle numbers took a jump this morning!  I love you all for buying my books, and if you were here, I'd give you chocolates.

Started writing the last chapter of Castaway Dreams today.  That's a good feeling.

Image via Wikipedia "She remembered well the boisterous celebration in the city’s streets when news arrived that the Shannon had defeated the Chesapeake . After a string of Royal Navy defeats at the hands of the Americans—the Americans , of all upstart nations!— Captain Broke’s victory put wind back in the sails of the despondent English."-- The Bride and the Buccaneer From The Royal Navy Sail and Steam Yahoo group:  "HMS Shannon captures USS Chesapeake - 1813 Tuesday June 1, 2010 Location: Just outside Boston Harbor Notes: HMS Shannon (38), under Capt. Philip Broke, defeats and captures the USS Chesapeake (36) commanded by Capt. James Lawrence. In a battle lasting only 13 minutes, Capt. Lawrence was killed in action. His last command to his crew was "Don't give up the ship!". They were, however, unable to honour the order, and were forced to surrender". We had the last laugh.  We're still here.

I'm finally getting some substantial writing done after a month mostly absent from the keyboard.  Castaway Dreams is chugging toward its conclusion within a chapter or two, and I'm feeling good about how it's going.  It helps that I have much of the climactic scene and dialogue already written, and I'll be able to drop it into the framework of the story. Now I have to stop thinking about the next book and stay focused on this one.  It's an occupational hazard that I hear about from other writers.  The work you're doing doesn't feel as exciting as the work you'll do next. But this happens with every novel I've written, so I'm used to it by now and know there's only one cure--finish this book before I start the next one.  Otherwise, I'll have a file drawer full of unfinished manuscripts, which wouldn't help anyone.

My dachshund gives this exhibit two paws up: Melbourne Museum: WhatsOn Display Page

Image via Wikipedia I had an eye exam today and it took longer than usual because the doc and I were discussing a research question I had. I'd asked him at one point about giving my heroine an interesting vision problem, but ended up not using it in my novel. However, he was enthused at the concept and was very forthcoming with information and ideas. I find that generally when I ask people for research help in their particular areas they're excited to help. No one says, "Euuuwww...I don't want to help write one of those books!" (My math teacher son did refuse to look at my sex & geometry scene, which I fully understood, but he was kind enough to put me in touch with another math teacher who was most helpful.) People like to be called on to discuss their areas of interest. The MDs, RNs, EMTs and other medical professionals who've read scenes in Castaway Dreams were all great and as my manuscript nears the finish line I owe them all a debt. I feel b...

"Julia blinked away the sudden moisture in her eyes. 'Oh, Mama, I wanted to be more like you. Bold and adventurous, not afraid of anything!' Christine set her cup down with a click and stared at her daughter. 'My dear child, there is so much I am afraid of! Every mother has constant fears for her children's safety, and their happiness! But you were the daughter I dreamed of. You sparkled and shone. I would watch you at parties with all your friends, filling your dance card and laughing, and I was so proud of you and so happy for you. I did not want you to be like me when I was young, sitting on the sidelines watching the other girls have fun!' --Smuggler's Bride Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers who worry and fret, and are proud and happy too.

I was offline for the past 10 days or so and it's amazing in hindsight how soothing that can be. It's not that I don't love all of you bunches and bunches, but sometimes not being connected all of the time to the world outside is a good thing. I had more time to think, to be with my family, to let my mind go down other avenues. On the other hand, it's also good to be back and to pick up the threads of my normal life. Today's been a catch-up day, but tomorrow I expect to be back at work writing.

Just a quick note to say I'll be offline for about a week or so, catch y'all later.

Image by Yupa1 via Flickr Kindle's coming to Target ! Just like peanut butter and chocolate, and fine wine with a good cheese (must be lunchtime with all these food similes), two of my favorite things are coming together. Target stores are going to be selling Kindles in the near future. It's starting with stores in Minneapolis ('natch) and South Florida (Yay!). This makes me happy as a Kindle author, and as someone who's been a loyal Target (or as my pretentious friends say, "Tar- zhey ") fan for many, many years. Related articles by Zemanta Target to begin selling Kindle (news.cnet.com)

Image via Wikipedia Back from visiting the family in Minnesota. I want to thank the North Star state for having excellent and warmer than average weather while I was there, especially after I warned my Florida native husband it could snow in April in Minneapolis. He was not excited by this news. While I was gone my yard man planted the orange tree I bought. When I went out to check on it today and give it a drink, it was covered in fragrant flowers! I'm so looking forward to eating fresh oranges from my own tree next year. Didn't get much writing done while dealing with family business, but I did tweak a couple of scenes to my satisfaction. Tomorrow it will be back to my regular schedule, and I'm looking forward to finishing this first draft soon.

"Johnson’s Books might not be the first stop a sailor made in Portsmouth–the brothels likely had a better claim to that distinction–but it was popular among the officers and seamen who could read. A good book, like music or games, helped to make the voyages pass more easily. She’d seen men who were seamed and scarred by flying shot and timber caress a book of poetry in anticipation of long nights and little to do." --The Bride and the Buccaneer I sent some books off yesterday to Operation Paperback , an organization where volunteers mail gently used books to soldiers serving overseas. I was sorry I couldn't send more. There were quite a few requests for military histories and biographies, but I'm still holding on to all my research books so I couldn't send those. I could fill a request for paranormal romances, and I'm thinking I need to catch up on my suspense reading so I can send those paperbacks along. I still find books that end up on my keeper shel...

I know I haven't posted much lately--life interferes. I'll try to blog on something weighty and substantial soon--and I'm not talking about my love for dark chocolate.

I'm blogging on life, birthdays and ziplining at the HEA Cafe today. Check it out!

If you missed me on "Conner Calling" this past Friday you can still listen to the show, online, here . I love the Internet!

The DA BWAHA is still going on and people are voting, well, passionately for their favorite romance books and authors. I'm no longer in the brackets, but you can still play along and win acclaim and prizes.

No Pink Plume for Me Ah well. Like my Gators, I was eliminated early on. I won't be winning the coveted pink plume in the DA BWAHA, but I can say "Wait 'til next year!" And the radio show went very well. We had quite a few callers on "Conner Calling" and I think we could easily have gone another hour. It was great fun, and I look forward to returning on a future show.

PLAYING FOR THE PINK PLUME! The Bride & the Buccaneer is in this morning's round of the DA BWAHA ! My Gators didn't make it, but maybe my book will if you vote for me! Voting in this round closes at noon EDT. Thank you for your support!

Radio Daze Reminder! Listen for me at 1 p.m. EDT on "Conner Calling" on Friday, and you can catch the show on streaming audio here. It's WUFT/WJUF's phone-in/email-in talk show about books and authors. The North Florida NPR station reaches from Lake City down to nearly the middle of the state, so you can hear me live or on your computer. We'll be talking about The Bride and the Buccaneer , ebooks, Florida history and more, so tune in!

GAME ON! Voting is now open in the DA BWAHA tournament and it's going to be moving fast. Follow the link and record your votes, and help my pirates trounce those bad boy billionaires and rakish Regency types!

I'M IN THE TOURNAMENT!!! "64 books. 1 champion. Get your game on." It's time for the March Madness of the DA BWAHA . As one wag said it so well, the annual competition is "where romance fans stomp all over their favorite authors' hearts to get to the finish line and a shiny new iPad!" You can sign-in and fill your brackets until Wednesday, and then the voting and elimination begins. The Bride and the Buccaneer is in the Historicals category and I'm flummoxed to have been chosen given the array of talent alongside my book. Nonetheless, I would appreciate your stomping all over those other authors' hearts and voting for me. Want to buy some of the books in the tournament? Go to All Romance DA BWAHA store for the ebooks, or follow the Amazon link at the tourney site for the paper editions. Read great books! Win wonderful prizes! Does it get any better than that?

MORE LIBRARY LOVE I attended a Foundation meeting yesterday and heard some great things about awards our library is winning, ones we're nominated for, and perhaps most importantly, the work we're doing at the county jail. We believe our public library may be the only one in the nation with a full branch of the library housed in the jail. It has much of the material you'd find at any library branch, with a few differences. For example, all the books are paperbacks so they cannot be used as weapons. Only the librarians have internet access on the branch computers, though the patrons can use CDs such as the Florida Statutes to do research. But here's the surprising part. The sheriff's office pays half of the expense to maintain the library, and has for years through administrations of sherriffs both Republican and Democrat. I've known all the sherriffs in the 30 years since the jail library opened, and none of those men and women were bleeding-heart libe...

Radio Daze! I'm going to be on "Conner Calling", WUFT/WJUF's phone-in/email-in talk show about books and authors. It's our North Florida NPR station, with a signal reaching from Lake City down to nearly the middle of the state. Listen for me on Friday, March 19 at 1 p.m. ET, and you can catch the show on streaming audio here.

Image by goXunuReviews via Flickr Another Blast from the Past Found this link to a Boskone 45 panel, asking "Will 2008 Be the Year When Ebooks Make It?" We were only off by a year. Based on record sales, I would have to say that 2009 was when ebooks "made it".

"The Neverending Panel" and Boskone 47 I like Dani Kollin's title "Darlene Marshall Talks About Sex!" but I was afraid the spambots would shoot it down. Here's a link to the Kollin Brothers' interview with me at Boskone , from their site neverendingpanel.com, "Where the Conversations Continue".

We Have Kindle! My thanks to all of you who've been patiently awaiting the Kindle edition of The Bride and the Buccaneer . It's now available, and it's on sale! Follow the link, and enjoy!

Congratulations to Goodreads Winners! Three people will receive signed copies of The Bride and the Buccaneer in the mail this week, and nearly 1,000 entered the Goodreads contest. Thanks to all of you who entered! If you've purchased a copy of The Bride and the Buccaneer or any other Darlene Marshall novel and would like a signed bookplate, email me at darlenemarshall[at]darlenemarshall[dot]com.