Are highways better than low-ways?
That was the first question out of my granddaughter’s mouth as we started out hike this morning. I just knew this was going to be a wonderful outing. 
My son and family, my daughter and her baby and I joined three other intrepid hikers this morning to scout for wild flowers along the trail to Striped Rock. Here’s a shot of our group: Ben, Jan, Evie and the Salonen family.
The hike was sponsored by the Sierra Foothill Conservancy link which helps preserve spots like this for future generations by working with landowners who still want to be able to use their land for grazing but don’t want to see it broken up for development. My heartfelt thanks to these landowners and the hard-working people at SFC for allowing us access to this gorgeous area. We hiked for several miles and encountered nearly every wildflower on our list. We also spotted a big, beautiful deer, and we learned a lot, too.
For instance, did you know that the wild flower called the shooting star first opens it beautiful, delicate foliage pointing up–as a way of attracting bees, but once it’s been pollinated, its slender stem bends over. And it really does look like a shooting star. 
It also never hurts to hike with handsome young men–romance writers thrive on this kind of stuff. Especially really great guys like Ben and Jon Paul. 
So…are highways better than low-ways? I’d have to say, “No!” But sometimes high roads give you a great view of the place you were hiking to. In the distance, you can see Striped Rock. 
We actully wound up enjoying a picnic in a beautiful meadow half a mile from our destination, and then couldn’t talk the little hikers into going on, so we headed back to the car. 
Oh, well, it was a great hike just the same. 
Tomorrow, I’ll be giving you info on the 100,000 Book Challenge. I know some of you are already involved, but I’m joining tomorrow and I hope to raise some interest in it. We all read, let’s put our passion to work to help others.
Deb
A NEW LOOK FOR OLD ME…WELL, MY WEBSITE
Welcome to the new look. As I said, it’s an interim thing, but I’m excited about the extra space and really like the idea of a Coming Attractions link (even though we couldn’t call it that because of space constraints–go figure.) Hope you’ll enjoy learning about upcoming books as they start to develop in my head. 
I just got the most fun present in the mail– a Jackie Maxwell 2009 Desk Calendar. As some of you may have figured out, Jackie–my old friend from High School–is the accomplished photographer behind Jaximages (see link on the left). She donated a calendar made up of 12 of her gorgeous photos for me to include in my “South Dakota Rocks” gift basket for Brenda Novak’s Juvenile Diabetes online auction in May. I’ll post a photo as soon as I get all the pieces together. It’s going to be one of my best, I think. Thanks, JACKIE.
Back soon,
Deb
Pennies for nails
We have a construction project underway at my house–water damage to the siding that my insurance company won’t cover. :evil::evil: Don’t get me started. In fact, I’m starting the search for a new company. If I’m going to have deplorable coverage, I might as well be paying less for it, right? Anybody have an insurance they’d like to rave about? Mine is/soon-to-be-was AAA.
But this morning I hired two very small subcontractors (my granddaughters) to work for me. They are earning a penny for every nail they pick up. To my delighted surprise, I learned that Miss M can count to 100. (But here’s the cute part: she says “Fiveteen” instead of “fifteen.” Isn’t that fun? And guess what? I happen to have a four year old in one of my books, who will say that, too.)
That’s insider info. You heard it here first. But will you remember it when you run across it in Mac’s book?
Okay. Enough complaining. The sun is shining. My siding is fixed–no more black mold worries–and I have the cutest nail girls on the planet on my payroll.
AND, I just mailed off the three chapters and synopsis for Book #3: DADDY BY SURPRISE. I think is might be time to play….
Cheers!
Deb
A question of content
My web guru Bekke is doing a sort of ‘interim tweaking’ of my website. I wanted a major overhaul, but the timing isn’t right for either of us, so we’ve compromised.
My question is: am I missing any really important content or features that you as readers enjoy on other websites?
I have four gorgeous NYC postcards I’d love to mail off to the first four who respond — even if you just want to say you’re okay with the way it is.
One good thing about the change is the updated software for my blog will allow me to upload photos more simply. Yeah! I plan to include shots of the Black Hills and things that are going on in my characters’ lives. Wait till you see the view from Cooper’s (hero in BABY BY CONTRACT) front window.
Thanks in advance.
Deb
New York–the windy city :-)
My first day in New York was this heady, delicious glimpse of spring. Everyone on the street was whistling and strolling in light sweaters and shirtsleeves. I was kicking myself for packing such winterlike clothes. (I even brought a Cuddleduds turtleneck, for heaven’s sake).
Then, the God of Spring winked and invited his friend the North Wind to visit. OMG, I thought I was back in South Dakota in December, except there wasn’t any snow. So much for that myth about the tall buildings blocking the wind. Nu-uh, it just narrows the passageway so its bite is sharper and more exhillerating. And you can believe I was smugly congratulating myself for packing a turtleneck.
I’m not complaining. Really. My sister, Jan, would have spent the whole trip in the hotel (and the Affinia Manhatten is a fabulous hotel so she wouldn’t have suffered), but I actually enjoyed getting out and fighting my way, shoulder into the wind, as I dashed to the nearest Irish Pub.
I love New York. Wouldn’t want to live there, but it’s a marevelous place to visit. I ate excellent meals, saw two amazing plays on Broadway: WICKED 
and THE JERSEY BOYS 
, and…oh, yes, the conference was great, too. 
Seriously, NINC, which stands for Novelists, Inc., is a writers organization dedicated to writers and writing. I went to learn more about promotion, meet a few agents and find out what’s happening in the writing industry. I did all the above, plus I got to hang out with other Superromance authors, all of whom I adore.
I bought my friend Kathy Shay’s current release BE MY BABIES at the Borders in Penn Station and read it on the plane home. Heart-tugging and very compelling. Her characters are always so real to me, like people I would know. That book is going to be the first on my 100,000 Book Challenge list. More about that in my next post. 
But, first, here’s my very quick take on what I learned at NINC: find out what you do best and do it well.
Simple, right? But the thing is writers are basically very insecure. We, for the most part, write in a vacuum and we go long periods between writing a book and seeing the results of the sale of said book. In that very long time period, there’s a temptation to do everything in your power to make sure your name is “out there”. I’m never sure where “there” is, but I know I’m not doing as much I should be doing to reach that place. And guess what? There’s now a whole level of virtual promotion that I’m not doing, either. Like participating in a virtual book signing at a virtual bookstore. But I wish I knew how. Think of all the gas I’d save.
Yep, it was an interesting conference, and I’m glad I went, but my print-out of HIS BROTHER’S SECRET (Sept 08) just arrived and I’m in serious need of a granddaughter fix, so my promotion — virtual and real–is just going have to wait.
Back soon,
Deb
Baby By Contract got a 4.5 stars/Top Pick review
Well, this is exciting! Many thanks to Susan Crosby for sending me the review from Romantic Times BOOKreviews. Apparently, the reviewer loved my May release, BABY BY CONTRACT. 
Yippee!!!
Here’s what she wrote:
BABY BY CONTRACT
by Debra Salonen
RT Rating: 4.5 Top Pick!
Category: SERIES
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: May 2008
Line: Harlequin SuperRomance
Buy Now at Amazon
$5.50
After the death of his mother leaves him at the mercy of a loan shark, actor Cooper Lindstrom responds to an ad offering a share in a gold mine in exchange for his sperm. Thinking the story will make a great television show, he meets postmaster Libby McGannon, the woman who’s desperate for a baby. Debra Salonen’s Baby by Contract (4.5) is a fun story with a novel plotline. Salonen’s characterization is wonderful, and her depiction of Cooper’s initial shallowness and Libby’s insecurity seems spot on. This is a must read!
—Alexandra Kay
Oh, boy, oh, boy, what a lovely gift before I leave for NYC.
Deb
Good Friday and a nice weekend, too
Hi, all,
Just wanted to wish you a Happy Easter. Our friendly neighborhood Easter turkey was gobbling outside my window at 6:30 this morning. Maybe that’s why they went with bunnies as the holiday symbol — they’re quieter.
My pal Barbs passed along this interesting fact sheet explaining why Easter is so early this year. I found it fascinating. My mom was just a few weeks away from being born the last time it was this early. I wonder if her mother made note of the event or not. Trying to picture what life on the Great Plains was like in 1913. Probably not, is my bet.
Easter 2008
A once in a lifetime experience!
*Easter* *is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st
full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March
20).* This dating of *Easter* is based on the lunar
calendar that Hebrew people used to identify
passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman
calendar.
Here’s the interesting info.* **This year is the
earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of
our lives!* And only the most elderly of our
population have ever seen it this early (95 years
old or above!). And none of us have ever, or will
ever, see it a day earlier! Here’s the facts:
1) The next time *Easter* will be this early (March
23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The
last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you’re
95 or older, you are the only ones that were around
for that!).
2) The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22,
will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The
last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one
alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than
this year!
Have a peaceful, joyful holiday.
Deb
It’s Spring…and I have a new bathroom
Okay, so that was a bit of a leap, but I’m so happy about both of these things I just had to shout it out.
Yesterday hubby and I drove to the big city of Fresno to pick up our pricey new potty — a Toto. A queenly throne, I’m told. We also bought all the decorative stuff that goes into a remodeled master bath. I might have single-handedly jump-started the economy. 
But the best part of the day was the drive. The wildflowers are out, the hills are their most impressive shade of green and the sky was a glorious blue. Normally, we’re zipping past this beauty too fast to catch a shot, but a brief traffic stop provided the chance for two quick photos. Sorry they’re not better, but here’s a glimpse of the scenery from my car window.
I suppose it’s really wrong of me to be discussing the glories of spring when so many people back east are dealing with the ravages of Mother Nature, but California’s spring is a tiny window of beauty and benign grace. All too soon we’ll be sweltering under triple-digit temps.
And best of all, soon…very soon…I won’t have to clean up any more sheetrock dust.
Enjoy your day. I’m off to write…outside.
Deb
A wee Irish lass…and my blog winner
Top o’ the afternoon to you. Hope everyone is having a lovely St. Patrick’s Day. Mine is sunny and bright and I’m not getting any writing done, darn it. Must be the leprechans messing with my attention span. And three wee lassies dropped by this morning. Here’s a shot of one. The others were camera shy. But this ought to make you smile. Somebody is all about standing these days.
THANKS for all your positive comments on my cover. I hope it sells well — good numbers will help ensure future books in the series. I heard today that two Superromances were on the Waldensbooks BestSeller list this week–Rogenna Brewer’s THE MARINE’S BABY and Pam Ford’s book…um…I don’t know the title. Anyway, that’s really exciting news! I would be so thrilled to make that list. Great covers help, so maybe my lovely pregnant heroine will be the one to push me into the top. That heroine’s name is Libby, btw. (Barbs has a lovely granddaughter by that name. :smile:)
And the winner is…drum roll…oh, wait, we’re talking a magnet, not a million bucks …Courtney. Email me with your snail mail addy to I can get that out to you. Cheers!
The smell of corned beef in the crock pot is making me mouth water. No wonder I can’t write–sensory overload.
Deb
New cover alert!
I just got the official version of my May cover of BABY BY CONTRACT. I think it’s rather sweet and pretty. Let me know what you think and I’ll draw the name of one the responders to recieve a little Mount Rushmore refrigerator magnet.
(Insider info: the federal-looking building in the background is NOT the Sentinel Pass Post Office, in case you thought otherwise. I have no idea what it is or where, but it’s pretty.)
Correct me if I’m wrong (believe it or not sometimes readers have better memories of my books and stories than I do), but I think this is my first pregnant heroine on the cover. She’s not quite that pg in the book, but she will be.
So, tell me what you think: good, bad or otherwise. There’s a cool magnet at stake.
Deb
