Here at the Pond, we have an e-mail loop.  In theory, I think Sybil meant for it as a way for all of us to communicate easily, and keep on top of the various goings-on around TGTBTU.  In actuality?  Yeah, it’s pretty much the time-suck from Hell.  Case in point, yesterday Sandy sent a very innocent e-mail with the subject heading of “Wendy, have you seen this?” Now, I’m thinking it’s some bit of library news Sandy stumbled across.  Oh no, it’s this bit of silliness that Harlequin designed for their 60th anniversary.  That’s right, a story generator where you can “put yourself in the story.”  And don’t ya know, several of the ducks had to have some fun with it.

My Man often jokes about my undercover secret Swedish lover “Sven.”  (Seriously, I should be so lucky).  But dagnabit, I had to have me a cowboy!  And Sven, for all his hunky hunkiness, is not a cowboy name.  So meet Dirk!

She didn’t know which was more dangerous……..the case that had brought brainy Wendy to the Grand Canyon, or the six-foot-three cowboy, who was far too sexy for anyone’s good. Everything about Dirk screamed Warning! Danger! So why was Wendy-an award-winning writer-letting her guard down with the handsome heartbreaker? Dirk didn’t think he’d ever know the truth about his father’s death-until the modest Wendy showed up. Wendy was willing to risk her life to uncover the truth. Dirk had to show her he, too, could take some risks. Because he’d found the one woman who could touch his heart…and he wasn’t about to let her go….

Sandy couldn’t help herself and also went with a cowboy. We’re currently planning a two-book series featuring hunky brother cowboys Dirk and Dack!

First comes love, then comes forgiveness…

But a widowed cowboy struggling during the Depression doesn’t have much faith in either-until he meets adventurous Sandy in the Grand Canyon at the boardinghouse they share. She’s an award-winning writer who could love his boy and heal his own heart. But how can Dack trust a fiery woman in the profession he blames for his greatest loss?

Sandy understands Dack’s pain. She has her own secret anguish, and believes her dreams of a husband and child are beyond reach. Still, she can pretend when he asks her to play his temporary fiancée to protect his son. And if God would grant her one miracle, He knows exactly what her fiery heart is yearning for…

Shannon also went with a cowboy.  Seriously, there must be something in the pond’s water, because Shannon didn’t go with any ol’ cowboy.  Oh no.  She had to out-do us with an intergalactic cowboy.  Nobody likes a show-off Shannon.

Cowboy Jonathan grieved the loss of his wife and baby. Then he discovers his son is alive-and living with an adoptive mother-award-winning writer Shannon. Despite the secrets and lies, Jonathan can’t deny the truth: brainy Shannon loves the boy. Yet Jonathan grew up without a father and won’t do that to his own child.

When someone dangerous comes after them, cowboy Jonathan takes Shannon and his son into hiding in the unknown reaches of Mars. As he grows closer to them, he discovers much about family life. After his dark, troubled past, he’s finally found faith and family. And he’ll do anything to protect both.

Our dear sweet Liviania decided that cowboys weren’t her thang (we’re working on deprogramming her – honest!) and instead went for a hunky male model.  A hunky male model in the Australian Outback?  Seriously?!

Typical. It takes male model Jonathon eight years to pull himself away from his terribly important career in the Australian Outback and come home for a divorce. And then he doesn’t even know who she is! Sure, Liv was a shy schoolgirl when Jonathon rescued her from a nasty family situation. But that’s no excuse for the man not to recognize his own wife.

And now the gorgeous male model thinks he’s going to hightail it with his final decree in hand. Uh-uh. Brainy Liv isn’t letting him off quite so easily. Not when she-now an award-winning writer-is finding him so irresistible.

Irresistible enough to get him to tie the knot again?

Lime decided to ditch the cowboys and male models and went straight for a tycoon.  Although none of us were real sure how convincing the name “Lime” is for a socialite.  But Landon?  That’s a tailor-made hero name for the Harlequin Presents line.  Just sayin’.

Wealthy Tycoon Landon is more comfortable with wild things than people. But his secret pain won’t stop him from returning to Paris, the City of Lights to uncover the mystery behind his best friend’s fiery death. Even if it means dealing with the hopelessly romantic woman carrying his friend’s baby….

Glamorous Socialite Lime has her own reason for coming to town-Landon. The coy beauty wants her unborn child to know the truth about its father’s death, and only Landon can help her learn it. But their investigation is stoking some dangerous embers-and igniting a firestorm of desire that not even the darkest of secrets can put out.

Who knew our LauraJ was full of such pent up passion?  Seriously, read all the “fiery” and fire-related metaphors in her blurb.  Laura, I hope you keep a fire extinguisher by your bed! 

Wealthy Tycoon Simon is more comfortable with wild things than people. But his secret pain won’t stop him from returning to the exotic Caribbean to uncover the mystery behind his best friend’s fiery death. Even if it means dealing with the feisty woman carrying his friend’s baby….

International Jet-Setter Laura has her own reason for coming to town-Simon. The fiery beauty wants her unborn child to know the truth about its father’s death, and only Simon can help her learn it. But their investigation is stoking some dangerous embers-and igniting a firestorm of desire that not even the darkest of secrets can put out.

And just because, I created a story for Sybil.  Sebastian was chosen in honor for her slavish devotion to a certain Lisa Kleypas hero.  The rest of it I selected for my own amusement.  Admittedly, it doesn’t take much to amuse me.

Glamorous Socialite Sybil didn’t look back when her wealthy tycoon lover split.  Even though they had the most feisty sex imaginable, Sebastian just wasn’t the one for her.

But then she and her ex are thrown together for a friend’s wedding-in the exotic Caribbean! Sybil forces herself to resist Sebastian’s megawatt sex appeal until they leave….

Only to get stranded in the middle of the desert!

I’m not sure how Sybil finds herself stranded in a desert when she’s in the Caribbean with Sebastian – but whatever.  If it gives our girl more opportunity to enjoy Sebastian’s “mega-watt sex appeal,” I’m all for it.  And feisty sex?  Be careful Syb!  Don’t hurt yourself 

What’s your story?