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
Long-term planning
That sounds like a boring topic, doesn’t it? But this is something fun. Way cool fun, actually.
The Sacramento Rose chapter of RWA has been doing a yearly Reader Appreciation luncheon. First year, our speaker was Debbie Macomber — who made us laugh and cry. Last year, was Julia Quinn, who was wonderful despite suffering from laringytis — what a trooper. Well, this year, we are in for a treat because….drum roll, please…the fabulously entertaining and witty Susan Wiggs will be our guest speaker.
So, in terms of long-term planning — the fun kind, not the death benefit stuff — here’s the date: September 20th. Sacramento. Venue and times to come.
And, coincidentally, MY second book in the Sentinel Pass series will be out that month, too, so I’ll get to sign it at the Book Faire. Woohoo!
Deb
The dreaded time change
I hate the change to and from Day Light Savings. Makes me crazy and cranky. I heard on the TV that Ben Franklin came up with DLS as a way to save people money by giving them more daylight hours for work and chores to save on the cost of kerosene. I don’t know about you, but my kerosene bill is pretty low right now. 
Thanks, Ben.
Seriously, why can’t we just adopt DLS time as our one and only time and stick with it? Somebody enlighten me. No pun…okay, bad pun intended.
Jackie and Barbs, thanks for the reply to my catch-up blog. I feel missed. I’m finally starting to look forward to NYC. I’m thrilled to see friends and glom on the city energy, but I always stress over my wardrobe — more specifically, my shoes. I don’t own any city shoes. And everyone tells you to take comfy shoes because you’ll be walking bunches. So, which is it — style or comfort? And this is March, which means the weather could be anything from sun to snow. My feet hurt just thinking about it. Groan.
Cheers.
Deb
The Idles of March
Idleness, I mean. As in how can it be March and I haven’t blogged in weeks? Where did February go?
Well, I finished the revisions on my second book in my new series (HIS BROTHER’S SECRET - 9/08) AND did the line edits a few days later — my new editor is amazing; I also completed the last proof of the book coming out in May — DADDY BY CONTRACT, and started the third book, newly named DADDY BY SURPRISE (1/09). Does that prove I haven’t been overly idle?
Oh, and I read and judged 7 Rita books! One was outstanding. I’ll tell you it’s title after the judging is done. I loved it and sincerely hope it makes the finals.
But, I’ve missed chatting with you, my friends, so I’m making up by posting some happy pics. The first, I’m calling “Turtle Joy”. We’ve lived in the country for eighteen years and this is the first turtle we’ve ever found. He just dropped by to say “Happy Spring,” I think. (I’m not fluent in turtle.)
He didn’t stick around long — had important turtle business elsewhere, but Miss M was thrilled to make his acquaintance. 
Oh, and by the way, notice the haircut. It’s already grown quite a bit, so you can imagine how short it was. Fortunately, she can pull off most any style with flair. (Or so her proud grandma thinks. )
The next shot was taken at a beach near Hearst Castle. There are several popular beaches for the migrating elephant seals. That’s what those sandy-colored log-like things are in the photo. We couldn’t closer because they’re at a tricky stage where seal-pup abandonment is a problem if lookie-loos get too close and disturb them. 
I’m going to try to post more often this month to make up for February. But there’s a lot to crowd into the next three weeks: DayLight Saving time change — ugh (why can’t we just pick one way and keep it there??!), St. Patrick’s Day, Easter — extremely early this year, my son’s birthday and my trip to NEW YORK CITY for Ninc (a writer’s group for published authors). See? I’m not completely idle.
Deb
PS: I’m also addicted to that other kind of Idol…as in American.
The Day of Love Approacheth
Ah, Valentine’s Day. Aren’t you excited? I wish I were, but after my last anniversary gift (new lids for my septic system) I’m not holding out much hope for a romantic day. Sigh.
But I have some new $1-off coupons from Harlequin to give out so I’ll send everyone a coupon and a newsletter about my Sentinel Pass series if you reply to this post.
You’re probably out of practice because I’ve been so busy with my revisions and bronchitis that I haven’t blogged in ages. Yep, bronchitis — a result of the flu. Can you believe it? I bet you can because everyone I talk to has a similar story. Apparently this was a very bad year for colds and flu.
Here’s an early Valentine treat — the sweetest baby I’ve ever met. She truly is a happy little thing and she makes me smile even when I’m coughing my head off. And she’s very proud of her two new toofies. 
May Cupid be kind to you….
Deb
A writer’s workshop
On Saturday I twisted my sister’s arm to accompany me to Sacramento for the RWA Valley Rose chapter’s monthly workshop. The speaker was Susan Floyd. She’s an author (LUCKY IN LOVE in our WHO NEEDS CUPID? anthology) and a college-level teacher. Her topic was “Conflict.”
This is an extremely important element of any book and she did a great job of showing us the difference between internal conflict and external conflict. I especially liked how she explained the difference between trouble and conflict.
To paraphrase Susan: Your heroine may be blind, broke, pregnant, with one leg, no home and her car just broke down, but that doesn’t mean she has conflict. What’s she got is trouble. A whole lot of trouble, for sure, but no conflict. If she meets a guy who wants to take care of her and she shoots him down because she doesn’t trust men who say they’re going to take of her and then leave…we’ve got conflict.
So, there’s your writing lesson for the day.
I mention this because I just sat down to flesh out my proposal for the third book in my SENTINEL PASS series. Single mom, twice divorced with two kids from different dads, a whole slew of ex-in-laws who expect her fail, college loans up the wazoo and a thesis to write. Conflict? Well, I thought so, but now I see I need to dig a little deeper and see why she keeps making the same mistake, and when she makes it with my hero, what that will mean to my story. Conflict.
Thanks to all who responded about my friend Pat. Her image keeps popping up on my screensaver, making it hard to believe she’s actually gone.
I’m hoping to have a before and after photo for you soon. My four-yr-old granddaughter had a close encounter with a pair of scissors. This is her second such independent cutting. Good thing she’s cute and can pull it off. And, yes, it does grow.
Friday is FEBRUARY 1. One month down and counting…yikes!!! Time is zooming away too fast. I have so many things I was supposed to get done in January. Oh, well….
Deb
Good news, bad news
GOOD NEWS 1.:I mailed off HIS BROTHER’S SECRET. Yeah!!! See Deb doing the happy dance — laying down. I’m pooped.
GOOD NEWS 2: It’s raining — most welcome — another cause for a happy dance.
GOOD NEWS 3: My replacement sauna arrived, so I finally feel healthy again. I should be the poster girl for sauna sales. I’m totally sold on the health benefits.
BAD NEWS 1: Pat Schuh, a dear family friend and wonderful artist, passed away yesterday after a valient fight against lung cancer. She will be missed.
BAD NEWS 2: The acting world lost a brilliant young star. Heath Ledger. He was the same age as my son, so this news really rocked me. I’m so sorry for his family and young son who will never know him.
OTHER NEWS: I’ve got 7 Rita books to read. The first one is a hoot. Sorry I can’t recommend it until after the winner is announced, but it was a most pleasant way to spend a rainy afternoon.
I hope you are all reading some great books. Harlequin is sending me some more $1-off coupons. As soon as I get them, I’ll happily share so you can run right out and buy DEAL ME IN, the 4th book in the Texas Hold’Em series. Here’s a fun link you might enjoy reading. Article Way to go, Cynthia.
Deb
Good grief. January is half over.
So much for my New Year’s resolution to blog more. 
Actually, I’ve been so focused on finishing HIS BROTHER’S SECRET I haven’t had enough of a life to have anything interesting to blog about. But the book is done. I did the art sheets for it yesterday. Imagine, the list of heroine occupations didn’t include: tour guide for parent’s tourist trap. I was complaining to my sister that I settled on “businesswoman” for her occupation, but that evokes a completely different image to me than someone in khaki shorts and a bright purple T-shirt with wiggly yellow lettering that says “The Mystery Spot.” Oh, well, I’ll just start praying to the cover gods now.
So, speaking of New Year’s resolutions, if anyone feels like sharing yours I’ll pick a name from the list and send you a new post card of my upcoming series. (These are the homemade variety since I haven’t had the time or energy to order the shiny ones.)
Hope everyone is well and healthy!
Deb
