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.