Spring has Sprung!

It's that time of year again in the Pac NW, when Mother Nature teases us with the promise of warm weather ahead, days of sunshine, puffy little clouds instead of a sky full of lowering, dark gray rainclouds.

The crocus and daffodils are nodding, bright clumps of purple and yellow, tulips are rising columns of green that will soon bud. Trees are beginning to bloom in clouds of pale pink and white that edge the streets I drive to shop and work. The buds on the rhodys are huge, ready to burst sometime next month.

I always get edgy this time of year ... fidgety. Ready to cast off my winter habits of cocooning with my computer, writing stories of exotic tropical locales to deny the cold winter outside. Ready to go for walks and bikerides out in the fresh air instead of to the gym to breathe damp, shared air. Ready to change up the decor in my house, put out the spring colors and pack away the darker winter shades of pillows and knick knacks.

This year I'm fidgety for a very special reason, as I get ready to unleash a new breed of hero on the world of romance readers. Time to shake off winter completely, and head for Hawaii for a sexy, fast-paced adventure.

Of course there'll be some lazy afternoons spent exploring the reef, and supper on the beach front lanai, too, complete with tiki torches and fresh mai-tais, you in your bikini and the guys in their swim trunks.

My Hawaiian Heroes, the Ho'omalu brothers are ready to saunter onto the hot, sunny beach nearest you. And reader, the warning on the first book, Walking in Fire is very apt--DO pack your heat proof bikini for this island paradise.

I'll see you there!

Aloha,
Cathryn

Happy Valentines Day!

Girlfriend,

It is a truth NOT unversally understood, that we should put ourselves first when it comes to those loving gestures we're supposed to make on Cupid's Day ... and every other day.

WHAT??

It's true. If we don't love ourselves enough to put ourselves first, in a positive way, then no one else will truly love us, either.

Oh, I'm not talking about buying yourself the biggest box of chocolates and bouquet of roses, and leaving no money to buy treats for your loved ones.

I'm talking about the things we women so often fail to give ourselves. Things we see the heroines of many of our favorite romances struggling for, and gaining.

Permission to Dream - go ahead, dream big! Then get your curvy butt in gear, and it may just come true. Did you know the author of The Help had her manuscript rejected over 50 times before a far-sighted editor finally snapped it up? Personally, my first manuscript was accepted, but that's because it took me 20 years (yes, count 'em) to get the courage to send my work to a publisher.

Humor - learn to laugh at your mistakes. My favorite saying has become 'Well, these things keep me humble'. I get to use it a lot more than I'd like, but it does help remind me to laugh when I do something dumb. We're human, we're gonna fail, sometimes epic-ly. If you laugh first, others are laughing with you, not at you.

Self-respect - You are worthy ... of respect, of love, of recognition. From yourself, and from those around you. Accept nothing less from yourself, and you'll learn to walk away from others who cannot or will not behave the same.

Finally, and this is the biggest on the list ...

Time - to exercise, to read, to window shop, to get a babysitter and have a girls' night out. To write a book if that's what you want to do. Anything important takes time. Give it to yourself, anyway you can.

And remember, God loves you just the way you are. You are a work in progress, and he sees exactly what is supposed to happen. I love the analogy that our lives are like a woven tapestry. We look up and see the messy, dangling threads underneath, but he looks down and smiles at the beautiful tapestry of our lives. One day he'll show it to us, but for now, keep weaving.

And treat yourself to whatever you need most ... even if it's just a little romance.

See you in a good book,
Cathryn

PS. Stop by these Valentine blogs as well ...

Author Selena Robins @  http://selenarobinsmusings.com/

Title of Blog: Let's Hear It For the Boys (I have quotes from men of all ages and backgrounds on what Valentine's Day and romance means to them).

I'm also giving away a gift certificate in a draw!

Louisa Kelley writes Erotic Romance ... not Porn

Girlfriend,

It is a truth NOT unversally understood, that we should put ourselves first when it comes to those loving gestures we're supposed to make on Cupid's Day ... and every other day.

WHAT??

It's true. If we don't love ourselves enough to put ourselves first, in a positive way, then no one else will truly love us, either.

Oh, I'm not talking about buying yourself the biggest box of chocolates and bouquet of roses, and leaving no money to buy treats for your loved ones.

I'm talking about the things we women so often fail to give ourselves. Things we see the heroines of many of our favorite romances struggling for, and gaining.

Permission to Dream - go ahead, dream big! Then get your curvy butt in gear, and it may just come true. Did you know the author of The Help had her manuscript rejected over 50 times before a far-sighted editor finally snapped it up? Personally, my first manuscript was accepted, but that's because it took me 20 years (yes, count 'em) to get the courage to send my work to a publisher.

Humor - learn to laugh at your mistakes. My favorite saying has become 'Well, these things keep me humble'. I get to use it a lot more than I'd like, but it does help remind me to laugh when I do something dumb. We're human, we're gonna fail, sometimes epic-ly. If you laugh first, others are laughing with you, not at you.

Self-respect - You are worthy ... of respect, of love, of recognition. From yourself, and from those around you. Accept nothing less from yourself, and you'll learn to walk away from others who cannot or will not behave the same.

Finally, and this is the biggest on the list ...

Time - to exercise, to read, to window shop, to get a babysitter and have a girls' night out. To write a book if that's what you want to do. Anything important takes time. Give it to yourself, anyway you can.

And remember, God loves you just the way you are. You are a work in progress, and he sees exactly what is supposed to happen. I love the analogy that our lives are like a woven tapestry. We look up and see the messy, dangling threads underneath, but he looks down and smiles at the beautiful tapestry of our lives. One day he'll show it to us, but for now, keep weaving.

And treat yourself to whatever you need most ... even if it's just a little romance.

See you in a good book,
Cathryn

PS. Stop by these Valentine blogs as well ...

Author Selena Robins @  http://selenarobinsmusings.com/

Title of Blog: Let's Hear It For the Boys (I have quotes from men of all ages and backgrounds on what Valentine's Day and romance means to them).

I'm also giving away a gift certificate in a draw!

Aaand the Winner Is ...

Merry Christmas!

It is time, merry ones, to announce another winner to my random drawing for The Orion Series.

Aaand the winner is ... Shadow! Thanks for visiting the TRS party, Shadow, and stopping by here as well.

I'll be sending you a message via email.

best,
Cathryn

ROCK'N'ROMANCE WITH GENIE GABRIEL

After the re-issue of the three books my Rock'n'Romance series two weeks apart, I'm tired--in that pleasant, just-drifting-off-to-sleep way that comes in the afterglow of truly satisfying events.

At our writers' holiday party, one of the newer writers in our chapter was talking about the struggles and confusion she was feeling about her work in progress. I remembered my own journey to publication. So many times I wondered if I would ever sell a book, let alone two or three or an entire series!

I was again reminded how much I have to be grateful for, including the re-issue of THE ROCK STAR, THE BODYGUARD, and THE LEADER OF THE BAND. And much to look forward to in my writing life with a new series being released starting in March 2012.

WHY HEROES CONNECTED WITH A ROCK BAND?

I'd like to share a bit with you about my Rock'n'Romance trilogy and why I chose to write about heroes connected with a rock band.

I've already confessed on my Rock'n'Romance blog to being a "Rock and Roll Wimp"--no heavy metal, please. :) However, like most teenaged girls I knew, I had a crush or two on a rock star. I went to some concerts and even got up close--but not personal--when members of the band signed photos or other momentos.

When I began writing as an adult, I applied that famous "what if" question writers use a lot. What if a crush on a rock star became more? What if it became a personal encounter? And what if that encounter wasn't a fantasy, but turned into a traumatic experience that changed the lives of both the enamored young woman and the singer? That was the idea that sparked THE ROCK STAR.

Then, as seems to happen when I write, secondary characters demanded their stories be written. So THE BODYGUARD came to life. The heroine wanted to share her story to lend to courage to other women who might find themselves and their children in violent situations. The hero, however, really kept his emotions tightly inside. Only as the book progressed and his attraction for the heroine deepened did he allow his true feelings to peek out. When Mitch and Julia teamed up to rescue her kidnapped children, they discovered their own Christmas miracle in what my first editor called a "feel good Christmas story."

THE LEADER OF THE BAND has a different tone than the first two books of the series, because the hero and heroine are different than characters I usually write. In fact, Zach was the antagonist in the first book of the trilogy--though he does start his journey to redemption. This book brings him up short by the guitar strings so he is forced to examine his excuses for not pursuing the dreams of his heart. These dreams include making a commitment to the former beauty queen he has loved since they were both teenagers.

BEST WISHES AND AN EXCERPT!

And now I'll leave you with best wishes for a wonderful holiday season and an excerpt from THE LEADER OF THE BAND.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to you. I have so much to be thankful for.


I get to do what I love--write sexy romance, with action, danger and laughter in the mix.


I have a publisher, Samhain Publishing, to bring my stories to readers.


I have places to chat with readers--this blog, my Amazon author page, Facebook, Twitter and all the wonderful reader forums.

I have The Orion Series out, and a new series in the works. The process--the thrill of writing, then having a book accepted, working with my editor to make it the best story it can be, with the art department to create a cover that will showcase the story. It's hard work, sometimes brutal, but I wouldn't trade it for any other craft.


I have friends with whom to share the journey--other slightly bent people just like me, who love to pour their hearts and imaginations onto the page.

And then it all comes back to the people I'm most thankful for--you, the readers.


Thank you for sharing my love of sexy romance, adventure and a little humor.


You make it all worthwhile.

And ... if you're one of the partiers from The Romance Studio's big Thanksgiving Bash, or even if you're just dropping by just 'cause, leave a comment here, with your email addy.


I'll do a random drawing for all 4 books in my Orion Series. I'll post the winner here by Sunday, November 27th. If you sign up for email notifications, you'll hear right away.


best,
Cathryn

A Writer's Dream ... with Michele Stegman

As a writer I had a dream.  I wanted to be published.  I couldn’t believe it when I finally sold my first book.  The one thing that would make it real for me would be to see my books sitting on a shelf in a bookstore.

          I made careful note of which day of the month the new Leisure releases appeared on bookstore shelves and which day they showed up at Kroger’s. 

          The month my book was released, I was patient.  I waited for two days after the day they should be at Kroger’s before I went down to “shop.”  I got a cart and wheeled through the produce, the deli.  I didn’t rush right to the book aisle.  I savored the moment.  When I got to that aisle, I casually strolled along the shelves, looking for that cover Leisure had sent me. 

          I did a double take.  It wasn’t there!  I looked again.  All the other new Leisure releases were there, but not mine!  I was so disappointed.  What had happened?  I didn’t find out for a couple of weeks that the store had put MY books on the end cap, in a special place because I was a local author!  But the point was, I didn’t see them that day and went home with a sigh.

          A couple of days later my husband and I went to a book store.  This time I hurried directly for the romance section.  There were Danielle Steele’s books.  I should be right after…nope!  No books!  I looked all over the romance section.  No books by Michele Stegman!

          I went up to the counter and asked.  Yes, they told me, there should be two of my books back there.  She went to help me find them.  The clerk couldn’t find them, either.  The conclusion?  They had been stolen!  They would reorder.  Come back in a few days.

          Three days later hubby and I went to a mall where there were TWO bookstores.  Surely, one of them would have my book!  I went to the one downstairs and Ron went to the other. 

          I looked all over that bookstore and they didn’t have my book.  When I inquired, they checked their records.  Yes, they had ordered eight copies—but they had sold out!  Well, that was good news, but frustrating because I still hadn’t seen my book on a bookstore shelf.

          Ron came in and told me there were copies upstairs.  I hurried up there, and sure enough, FINALLY, I saw my book for sale in a real bookstore.  There they were.  Four brand new, lovely copies!  I basked in pride for a moment or two and then I looked at my husband and wailed, “Why haven’t they sold?”

          Well, while I was there, I signed the copies and sold two of them so at last I went home happy.

          If you are a writer, what is/was your dream?  What made it real for you?  Was it getting “the call?”  Signing your first contract?  Connecting with readers at your first book signing?

                                    

Michele Stegman writes warm, sensual romances.  Check out her website for more information on her and her books at:  www.michelestegman.com

Can she give up the man she loves before her secret destroys them both?

As long as no one knows who Irish really is, she will be safe.  But Tyrus Fortune seems determined to uncover all her secrets.  Can she fully love him without revealing her true self to him?  And if she does, will it also put him and his family in danger.


Tyrus Fortune returns home after two years determined to unmask the woman who has found her way into the hearts of his family.  He is sure she is a fraud—until he begins to fall in love with her.  Now he only wishes she will trust him with her secrets and her love so they can face the future together.

Read an excerpt