Sandy M’s review of The Next Always (Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy, Book 1) by Nora Roberts
Contemporary Romance published by Berkley Trade 1 Nov 11

I haven’t read a Nora Roberts book in forever. I used to read her all the time, I have every book on her backlist tucked away. Then I added a few more – and then quite a bit than a few more – authors to my ever-growing list, and then I started reviewing books, so a few of my favorites got pushed to the background. So I was doubly excited when I received The Next Always to review. Nora Roberts is the perfect comfort read. Reading her stories is like coming home after being gone a very long time. It’s so nice to be home.

Also, Ms. Roberts writes brothers better than anyone. My first books of hers were the Quinn brothers of the Chesapeake Blue series. They’re still my favorites, but the Montgomery brothers in this new series are giving the Quinns a serious run for their money. Beckett, Ryder, and Owen Montgomery are the heroes of these books, diligently working to restore a very old and dilapidated building into the Inn BoonsBoro. They have the typical sibling relationship, but written by Ms. Roberts just makes that more special in my eyes. Not only are the brothers, and their heroines of course, the center of this story, the inn itself as well as the town are just as front and center. You get that feel from the first page, and as that inn more and more comes into its own, you could swear it’s living and breathing just like the other characters chapter after chapter.

What also makes this book so intriguing and fun – something I didn’t know before I read it – is the fact that these events are right out of Ms. Roberts’ life. She and her family live in Boonsboro, Maryland; her husband owns Turn the Page, the local bookstore; her son owns Vestra, the pizzeria on The Square; and she and her husband bought the building we’re talking about and rebuilt it just as the Montgomery brothers have done and named it Inn BoonsBoro. Only the characters have changed in this walk through a portion of her life.

Beckett has had a thing for Clare since high school, but she had eyes for only Clint Brewster. The high school sweethearts married and Clint’s military service took them away from home to travel the world at the Army’s behest. When her husband is killed in Iraq, Clare brings her children home to Boonsboro, where she opens a bookstore, Turn the Page – both the best decisions considering the circumstances. Beckett never thought the day would come he’d be sharing a kiss with Clare, but his dreams have finally come true with the lovely widow. Hoping for more, he asks her out and a new and exciting relationship is born.

For Clare, she experiences the ability to feel when she’s in Beckett’s arms, a feeling she thought she might never have again. The more she gets to the know the man he’s become, the more she falls for Beckett, especially when she watches him with her sons. His patience and fun streak knows no bounds and her boys take to the man like ducks to water. Only her oldest son has vague recollections of Clint, so it warms her heart they could have the perfect role model in Beckett.

This relationship between them is honest, fun, and heart-felt from the beginning. They each have to face the depth of their feelings on their own along the way, and with each issue that crops up, good or bad, those feelings are further cemented in their hearts. Some of those feelings did bring tears to my eyes several times, while others make me laugh out loud just as many times. Everyone flourishes in this community. They love the small-town feeling of BoonsBoro, where everyone knows everyone’s business, but also where that business is embraced like a loving family. Each thrives in that atmosphere, just as the inn does as more of it is revealed to both the reader and the townsfolk. I’m betting a lot of readers from Small Town America will see their towns, boroughs, or parishes in BoonsBoro. Being from a small agricultural community myself, I can just picture my little town in a lot of the scenes in this book.

The Inn BoonsBoro is a beauty of a place. Ms. Roberts does a fantastic job of describing the reconstruction at different stages in the book, so that it’s like growing along with a character over time, one you love and want to see only good come to. There’s just the right amount of detail given in each meeting the brothers have, each tour they give, each scene that takes place in the inn. It’s never overwhelming or boring, like it could be considering this is a romance novel. There is a bit of paranormal associated with the inn, and it would be interesting to know if any such things also happened during the real reconstruction or if it’s all a product of Ms. Roberts’ imagination. Either way, those scenes are a nice addition, especially those with Beckett.

One of my favorite secondary characters is Avery, one of Clare’s best friends. She owns the local Italian restaurant, Vestra, where a lot of scenes take place throughout the book. Avery is outspoken, never backs down, and is just a riot to read. Hope is the other best friend, and she comes to BoonsBoro to take over as innkeeper when the former has to bow out. There’s a bit of a spark between Hope and Ryder, so I’m looking forward to see how that relationship evolves. Of course, the other brothers in the series, Clare’s sons, are also a lot of fun and their scenes with Beckett are some of my faves. And the villain. There’s a slimeball of a villain, and I’m with the Montgomery boys wanting to beat the jerk to a pulp.

I have to mention the cover of this book. It’s absolutely beautiful, and I found myself looking at it at different points while reading. It’s just enough to give you a hint of what this restored landmark might truly look like. Kudos to the artist.

The next book, The Last Boyfriend, is still more than six months away. Much too long. But the anticipation is half the fun, and mine is already ramped up about 50 percent. I’ll definitely be in need of some more comfort by the time I crack that one open, and I know Ms. Roberts will deliver exactly that once again.

Grade: A+

Summary:

The historic hotel in BoonsBoro, Maryland, has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it’s getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. As the architect of the family, Beckett’s social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there’s another project he’s got his eye on: the girl he’s been waiting to kiss since he was fifteen…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

The Last Boyfriend (May 2012)

The Perfect Hope

This just in…

eBook readers are in for a very special treat from Berkely/NAL…especially if you love Nora Roberts and their out-of-print Signet Regency line.

~ In January 2012, Penguin Group (USA)’s Berkley/NAL division will launch InterMix, a new e-initial eBook imprint.

~ InterMix will introduce original works from new authors as well as publish favorite titles from beloved authors such as Nora Roberts that are available as eBooks for the first time.  InterMix will be focused on eBooks, though some titles might also eventually be published as physical books.

~ With the January 2012 launch, eleven classic books from Nora Roberts titles that have never before been available as eBooks will be released, including such popular series as Cordina’s Royal Family and The Donovan Legacy and several novels featuring fan favorites the O’Hurleys.  Additional Nora Roberts eBooks will be published throughout 2012, with the second group including seven of Roberts’s beloved novels about the MacGregor family available in April.

~ The eBooks published by InterMix will encompass a wide range of genres, including women’s fiction, romance, mystery and thriller, and science fiction/fantasy.  Every InterMix title, whether brand new or previously available in print, will receive fresh cover art, newly designed interiors, and creative marketing, publicity, and advertising campaigns.

~ In February, InterMix will revive the renowned Signet Regency line with the release of six popular romance titles that have never before been published as eBooks. Three additional Regency-set romances will be released each following month throughout 2012.  And later in the year, InterMix will bring back four novels in the classic Guinevere Jones series from bestselling writer Jayne Ann Krentz, writing as Jayne Castle, that have long been out of print and have never been available as eBooks.

~ InterMix titles will be available wherever eBooks are sold, in a variety of formats compatible with all major eReaders.

Consider yourself flashed.

Lawson’s review of The Search by Nora Roberts
Romantic suspense released by Putnam 06 Jul 10

Romantic suspense is one thing that I’m not terribly fond of. I do love Nora Roberts’ suspense though, because the story always takes center stage, no matter what elements are added to the plot. The Search is right up my alley with lots of great story and a little suspense added in. The extra bit in this one is the heroine is a dog trainer and also runs a Search and Rescue team.

The story starts with Fiona Bristow and her dog Peck called in to find a lost 3 year old boy who’s wandered off from his parents rented cabin. Fiona and Peck find the boy, with the help of her S-and-R team, and she reflects on the good life she has. Fiona is the survivor of a serial killer now behind bars. She was the key witness at the trial and they only caught the guy after he went after and killed her fiancee and his K-9 partner.

Fiona runs into Simon Doyle when he brings his new puppy Jaws to her puppy obedience class. After Simon sees her gift with animals, he finagles some private lessons to bring Jaws up to speed in obeying. Simon also starts making some things for Fiona. He’s a wood artist and makes just about anything out of lumber.

The problem starts when some starts killing girls in the same way as the serial killer Fiona escaped from. He starts teasing her and Simon begins to fear for Fiona’s safety since she’s the one that got away before and she’s sure to be a target this time. Living on a small island near Seattle, Fiona is well watched and cared for by all, but the copycat and the mentor, of course, have things planned to bring it all close to home.

The balance between Fiona and Simon was really fun to read. Both have some issues. Fiona has survivor’s guilt among other things, but she’s definitely moved on with her life and established something worthwhile. Simon dated a famous pop start for a bit and wants a quiet life he can live his own way. Though the puppy Jaws brings them together, they are intrigued by the other’s quirks, which starts the relationship ball rolling.

While Fiona has difficulties with maintaining her independence in the face of the new killer, the secondary characters all step up in different ways and help her cope and stay protected from the new menace. Her life, in a way, mirrors the two that have threatened her life. She struggles for control, but instead of hurting others, she makes sure to make everyone happy. There were several times she was asked to accept help and safety when she seemed to take care of herself pretty well. While that took away from the story, it’s understandable considering how illogical crazed killers can be.

While a bit cliched with the serial killer aspect (they both have three names of course), and a nosy reporter that is looking for her fame through rather illegal tactics, it was a great summer read. The dogs and S-and-R aspect added a fun dimension to the story as well.

Grade: B+

Summary:

To most people, Fiona Bristow seems to have an idyllic life-a quaint house on an island off Seattle’s coast, a thriving dog-training school, and a challenging volunteer job performing canine search and rescues. Not to mention her three intensely loyal Labs. But Fiona got to this point by surviving a nightmare…

Several years ago, Fiona was the only survivor of the Red Scarf serial killer, who shot and killed Fiona’s cop fiancé and his K-9 partner.

On Orcas Island, Fiona found the peace and solitude she needed to rebuild her life. But all that changes on the day Simon Doyle barrels up her drive, desperate for her help. He’s the reluctant owner of an out-of-control puppy, foisted upon him by his mother. Jaws has eaten through Simon’s house, and he’s at his wit’s end.

To Fiona, Jaws is nothing she can’t handle. Simon, however, is another matter. A newcomer to Orcas, he’s a rugged and in-tensely private artist, known for the exquisite furniture he creates from wood. Simon never wanted a puppy-and he most definitely doesn’t want a woman. Besides, the lanky redhead is not his type. But tell that to his hormones.

As Fiona embarks on training Jaws, and Simon begins to appreciate both dog and trainer, the past tears back into Fiona’s life. A copycat killer has emerged out of the shadows, a man whose bloodlust has been channeled by a master with one motive: to reclaim the woman who slipped out of his hands…

Read an excerpt.

Lawson’s review of Bed of Roses (The Bride Quartet, book 2) by Nora Roberts
Contemporary romance released by Berkley 27 Oct 09

The second book of the Bride Quartet pairs Emma with Jack, and I’m sure there are many that have been waiting for this book. As cute as Mac and Carter were, Emma and Jack could be explosive (potentially). There is some of that, but also some very subtle insights into what makes a relationship work, between friends, lovers and others in between.

With one of the partners of Vows now engaged, the other members feel a bit jealous, but are very happy for Mac and Carter. Emma Grant has plenty to keep her busy to make her happy in other ways as well. Her flower business as part of Vows is doing extremely well and she’s surrounded by friends, family, and sometimes a new man. What Emma doesn’t expect is the sparks that fly when she gets stranded on the side of the road after a party and Jack Cooke comes to her rescue.

Jack has had an attraction to Emma for years, but he’s never known if she would return it and since she’s his best friend’s honorary sister he’s kept a hands off approach. When the sparks fly after an unexpected kiss, Jack knows it’s his time to try to get closer to Emma, in any way possible. What starts is a casual relationship that defies what Jack has expected of being with a woman and he gets more than comfortable with being with Emma.

With their past as friends as well as his past relationships, Jack works to keep things simple, but when deeper feelings are involved, his as well as Emma’s, Jack knows he has to change is views that overcome his past and work for a happy future.

Emma is one of those nice people that is annoying with her chipperness, but you can’t help but want to be friends with her anyway. Even with a sunny outlook on life, Emma is still a realist. She’s always had men around her, but she keeps things easy and makes sure there are not hurt feelings on either side when she knows things won’t work out. When she realizes she is really attracted to her good friend Jack, she works through her feelings before she jumps in the sack, which is always nice to see.

Jack is similar to Emma, though he’s been protective of himself due to his parent’s divorce. While Emma has had a large family and always seen the true love of her parents, Jack knows that’s rare and sometimes goes out of his way to protect his space. He’s still a great guy, very caring and understanding of Emma and gets surprised by how easy being with her and how necessary she is for his life.

Emma struggles throughout the story with keeping her feelings to herself so she doesn’t scare Jack away. While that makes sense with the way Jack has run from commitment and a friend turned lover would recognize that part of his character, Emma has a bit of an overreaction about his ingrained habits near the end of the book. However, I didn’t care. I completely understand how she felt in that moment and how she’d tried to show her love by caring for him in many different ways. Plus, Emma beat herself up enough and recognized her own faults as well as Jack’s, which made her such a well rounded and wonderful character.

It was a sweet and wonderful love story, not just for the romance between Jack and Emma, but both of their realism towards being in a relationship and the change from friends to lovers. It was also nice to see the continuation of Mac and Carter, as they plan for their wedding, the set up of the next book between Laurel and Del, and meeting Parker’s man (I think). Go get this series ASAP, you won’t be sorry.

Grade: A-

As little girls MacKensie, Emma, Laurel, and Parker spent hours acting out their perfect make believe “I do” moments. Years later their fantasies become reality when they start their own wedding planning company to make every woman’s dream day come true. With perfect flowers, delicious desserts, and joyful moments captured on film, Nora Roberts’s Bride Quartet shares each woman’s emotionally magical journey to romance.

In Bed of Roses, florist Emma Grant is finding career success with her friends at Vows wedding planning company, and her love life appears to be thriving. Though men swarm around her, she still hasn’t found Mr. Right. And the last place she’s looking is right under her nose.

But that’s just where Jack Cooke is. He’s so close to the women of Vows that he’s practically family, but the architect has begun to admit to himself that his feelings for Emma have developed into much more than friendship. When Emma returns his passion—kiss for blistering kiss—they must trust in their history…and in their hearts.

Read an excerpt

Once again, welcome to Duck Chat!

If you’re a dragon lover, you’re in the right place today. Tammy Kane is with us!

Tammy is a native of our neighbor from the north, and, like most authors, has been writing since a very young age. Her debut book, Breath of Fire, is one you shouldn’t miss (see my review here). You not only get some wonderful dragons in the book, but some terrific writing as well. Tammy talks about all of that and then some today. Be sure to check out the Breath of Fire excerpt that will post later today!

She’s been married for ten years, and she and her husband have two sons. She’s a Dallas Cowboys fan, loves lilies of all colors, and sci-fi movies. Tammy is from a family of writers, of which includes her grandfather, mother, and sister.

You’re in luck today, the odds are in your favor, Tammy is giving away five autographed copies of Breath of Fire. So be sure to leave that meaningful comment or question for her!  Now let’s chat!

DUCK CHAT: Tammy, let’s start right off the bat talking about Breath of Fire, your debut book. What a wonderful read this is! First please tell us where the idea for the story came from and how it evolved during the writing process.

TK: Thanks for having me on Duck Chat!  I’ve always adored dragons, so I guess it seemed only natural to choose them as the base for my first fantasy-romance novel.  For years, I’d had this image in my head of an exotic young woman standing against a massive slavering dragon.  I didn’t know how she came to be in that predicament, or even how she intended to survive, but both the woman and the dragon demanded that I write their story and find the answers.  I admit, I was hesitant.  With all the books and worlds of dragons, could I do something original with the legend?

So I thought about the legends surrounding dragons, and I started playing with them until finally I had created an entire race of people who revolved around the rite of sacrificing virgins to appease the wrath of a dragon.  A race of men who used this rite to save the sacrificial virgins and then claim them in their beds as payment for services rendered.  Of course, the rite is a ruse, and my dragonslayers are definitely not what they appear to be.  But once I had my world figured out, I decided I was ready to start writing.  The only problem?  That exotic young woman in my head was no sacrificial virgin waiting to be saved.

So my hero became my sacrificial virgin, and my heroine saved him from the dragon… then claimed him in her bed as is her right.  The role reversal opened up all sorts of unusual concepts, and I intended to have all manner of fun (evil grin) with my unsuspecting virgin hero.  One of my favorite scenes happened after Karl gives Elera the silent treatment (totally justified in his head, and certainly very manly) until she laughs at him for using a woman’s tactic to make his displeasure shown.  Of course, that sparks a more typical alpha male reaction, but I giggled the entire time I wrote this scene.

The dragons in Breath of Fire are temperamental, immortal, and protective of the men and women who hold them sacred.  Sandy does a great job describing the bull and his harem of females in her review   But I had a lot of fun creating the evolution of a civilization that had once worshiped the dragons that they now protect, play and bond with.

DC: Now would you tell us about Karl and Elera and their story?

TK: Intelligent and controlled, Karl is just two days away from taking his vows and fulfilling his lifelong dream of joining the Mattaen guild of warrior/scholars when he comes across a village preparing to sacrifice a girl to a dragon.  Certain that dragons are nothing more than a myth, but unable to convince the villagers of their own ignorance, he makes a single error in judgment and offers himself as the sacrifice.  This misguided confidence brings Karl face-to-face with the mythical and slavering creature itself, gets him saved by a woman, and then sent to her bed as payment for her services.  But the Mattaen are a celibate brotherhood of monks, and while Karl has studied sensual texts… this was so he could avoid being seduced.  Nothing in his teaching has prepared him for the exotic and sensual woman who claims him.

Headstrong and passionate, Elera can fight and play as hard as any man in her race.  Her lineage has made her an outcast among her people, but since it is the mate she chooses who will ascend to rule her world, Elera has become a pawn of power, politics and one unforgiving warlord.  Desperately searching for a way to save her race from this warlord and an ancient enemy, Elera finds Karl roaming the barrens and claims him in a night of esoteric rites.  Fallen from his path and waking alone, a furious Karl follows Elera to a world of danger and beauty and intrigue.

Elera needs every ounce of her determination to overcome the resistance of the man who fights their bond at every step.  Karl needs the strength of both his mind and his body to unveil the secrets of the dragons that have evolved alongside her race, face-off with the warlord who wants Elera for himself, and prevent the war that would turn him against the very brotherhood he meant to join.

DC: I’m sure the fan mail has started to come in for you.  Have you gotten any really weird/strange ones you can tell us about? Or one that touched your heart?

TK: Of course I was ecstatic when I opened my very first fan mail!  But while I haven’t gotten anything weird yet, there is one that I have to mention. A woman wrote to thank me for writing, telling me that Breath of Fire had ‘taken her away’ from all the unpleasantness going on in her life.  I found it humbling that something I wrote could have helped her in this way.  So yeah, that one touched my heart.

DC: I’ve heard writers often say their stories take them in surprising directions, or dialogue flows from some unknown place. Is it the same with you? Do your characters surprise you sometimes?

TK: I have to know my characters really well before I can even write the opening scene, so their actions rarely surprise me.  Sometimes the things they say seem to come out of nowhere, but those are the best days for dialogue to flow naturally.  My plot is a different story (no pun intended).  Every twist and turn in the story line is a complete surprise to me.  I usually thought of a twist at the same time you’re reading it in the story.  If I try and figure out the plot first, then the entire story loses its magic and I can’t write anything.

DC: Do you ever argue with your characters while you’re writing? Who usually wins?

TK: I’ve tried, and I’ve lost.  My characters do what they want to do.  If I try to force them somewhere they don’t want to go, they punish me with a stumped plot-line and cardboard dialogue.

DC: You’re working on another book, Fires of Faith, that features a character from Breath of Fire. Is there a series of books planned?  If so, is there a name for the series?

I originally meant to write a trilogy to resolve the growing conflict between dragonriders and dragonslayers.  Since I connect more closely with my heroes, I planned this trilogy around the men: Karl’s story(Breath of Fire), Tem’s story(Fires of Faith), Simon’s story(Faith in Ruins).  I never came up with a series name because I had tied the titles together instead.   But the more I write, the more characters who come to life and demand that I give them their stories also.  At the very least, Tem’s nephew Tornak is going to need a book of his own!  I do like ‘Dragonfold’ for a series name.  The warriors of Verteva refer to themselves as a Fold.

DC: May we get a sneak peek of Fires of Faith and Tem, the hero, and his heroine?

TK: Well, I’m not finished writing it yet, and I find that Tem and Danika stop talking to me if I start talking about them.  But here goes…

Tem is my playful hero: fun-loving, good-natured, and fiercely protective of kin and dragon.  He is painfully aware that the men of his race are capable of committing terrible acts: brutality, murder, rape.  But not since the times of the ancients has anyone seen the brutal massacre of entire villages – the punishment that the ancient riders had once used when a village refused to hand over their sacrificial virgin as payment.  Unless he can find the rogue warrior responsible, the tension between his race and the Mattaen threatens to explode into an open war that will spill the blood of the dragons he holds sacred.  He certainly doesn’t have time to be distracted from his cause by a pampered lady demanding his protection.  But this woman knows things about his people that no one outside his race should.  What dark secret is she hiding?  And why does she try so desperately to hide the passion he can see in her eyes?

Danika has grown up in the protected city; taught to fear the savagery in the barrens.  She is cool, aloof… and haunted by a childhood trauma that sends her fleeing across the barrens in search of the land of dragons and their riders.  Her journey brings her to Tem… a man whose raw sexuality and gentle nature challenges her composure, and threatens to shatter every dark preconception she’s been told about his race.  But can she trust him with her darkest secret?

That’s the best I can do for an on the spot blurb, but I’ll post chapter one on my site in a month or two.

DC: What is sure to distract you from sitting down and working/writing?

TK: Nothing can distract me once I’m actually writing… though I have no idea the horrific things I may have given my kids permission to do while I’m in the ‘zone’.  But time constraints tend to hinder me.  I prefer to write in six ten-hour stretches.  If I know something’s going to interrupt that, then I can’t immerse myself into the world, and I usually end up tossing whatever I tried to write.

DC: Are there other genres you’d like to try in the future?

TK: Outside of romance?  Definitely not.  I’ve tried, and the romance always finds its way into my story.  But the best thing about romance is that it covers every imaginable genre.  So I’ll probably write across the board in the romance genre… fantasy, sci-fi romance (I actually am writing a series in this genre), suspense and even contemporaries.

DC: I read you have a secret crush on damsel-in-distress romance novels. What’s your favorite?

TK: I love all of the earlier Elizabeth Lowell books (I haven’t read any of her new stuff).  Outlaw, Lover in the Rough, and Winter Fire are three of my favorites.  Hidden Star by Nora Roberts is also at the top of my list. The hero actually calls the heroine a damsel-in-distress in this one.  It’s not that I don’t enjoy strong heroines, but I’m always disappointed if the hero doesn’t jump in and save her from some serious villain or danger.

DC: What advice would you give to your younger self?

TK: Take a few risks.  Have fun and enjoy the moment.  I was always so worried about making a mistake that I never took any chances or just lived ‘in the moment’.

DC: If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

TK: As a mother of two, Tammy can successfully complete grade six homework (not as easy as it sounds), guitar lessons, and build lego Bionicles.  But besides her cool blue-haired son, nothing out of the ordinary really shakes up her quiet existence.

Until the doors close and the lights go out.

Then this quiet woman disappears into hidden worlds of danger and death, of barren lands and fantastic creatures.  Does her husband suspect the things she’s doing to the lean and sexy men she finds?  Do her friends and family realize that behind her sweet facade lies a woman eager to shed blood and create war?

LOL.. that sounds more like a blurb for a soap opera. But the men in my family are still getting over their shock at some of the things their ‘sweet and innocent’ niece (and daughter) has written

DC: What would be your “voice’s” tagline?

TK: I think it changes with whatever sub-genre I’m writing in, but let’s try… sensual, with subtle humor and plenty of unexpected twists to keep you guessing.

DC: If you had never become an author, what do you think you would be doing right now?

TK: I gave myself until I turned forty to get my first book published, so I consider myself lucky to be a few years ahead of schedule.  But I was a bartender before I got published.  I think I’d still be doing that.  I loved the variety of people I got to meet, and the amazing or strange stories they had to tell me.

DC: I had to chuckle at a tidbit on your site – you discovered how not to burn dinner after ten years of marriage by utilizing the crockpot!  I do love mine. Do you have a favorite recipe you can share with us for our crockpots?

TK: Hmm… funny you should bring this up.  I recently managed to burn dinner in my crockpot. (Sigh)  I tossed sausages and vegatables into the pot, turned it on low, and went out for a couple of hours.  Which you’re supposed to be able to do with a crockpot, right? My husband came home before me, found the house full of smoke and the sausages burnt to a crisp.  Even the broccoli was black!  But other than this one tiny mishap, I’ve been doing pretty good.  Swiss Steak is my favorite, and I’m happy to share it.  I altered the recipe from the book, because quick and easy is always best:

3-4 pounds of whatever steak you want

flour to coat the steak

salt/pepper (to taste)

can of diced tomatoes(herbed)

1/2 cup of sliced onion

1/4 cup of chopped celery

1 tablespoon of steak sauce

Cut steak into cubes, coat with flour, salt and pepper and toss into the pot.  Add everything else.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.  Add a bit of flour/water to thicken the sauce according to taste in the last half hour.

Done.

I usually slice and cook potatoes with steak spice in the oven, and then mix it all together to serve.

DC: What’s on the horizon for Tammy Kane?

TK: I’ll be continuing the Dragonfold series (okay, so the name is really starting to grow on me).  But I just hate it when an author starts writing a new series instead of finishing what I’ve been eagerly waiting to read.  If I do write more than three or four books in this series, then I’ll probably start mixing things up with a few sci-fi romances as well.

Lightning Round:

- dark or milk chocolate?      -  Milk

- smooth or chunky peanut butter?       -  Smooth

- heels or flats?       – Flats.  I only pretend that I can walk in heels. I really just balance on my toes all night, never quite touching the heels to the floor.

- coffee or tea?      – Tea

- summer or winter?      – Winter

- mountains or beach?       – Mountains

- mustard or mayonnaise?       – Both

- flowers or candy?       – Candy.  Unless the flowers are lilies.

- pockets or purse?      – Pockets.  I’m too scatterbrained to remember a purse.

- Pepsi or Coke?     – Coke

- ebook or print?      – Print

And just because:

1. What is your favorite word?     – Adore

2. What is your least favorite word?      – G**damn… I can’t say it, write it, and my eyes gloss over it when its in a book.

3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?      – Music.  Loud and powerful-rock works best.

4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally?    – Feeling guilty about something.

5. What sound or noise do you love?     – The rain outside my window when I’m in bed.

6. What sound or noise do you hate?      – Squabbling children.  My own.  If they belong to someone else, then I can smile in knowledge that I don’t have to break it up.

7. What is your favorite curse word?      – I don’t curse…except when I’m driving;)  Shit is my fall-back curse word, I guess.

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?      – Helicopter Pilot

9. What profession would you not like to do?     – Nursing.  I can’t even look at a needle without feeling woozy.

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?     – “Don’t worry.  No one gets left behind.”

Thanks for having me!

DC: Thank you, Tammy, for being with us!

It is only for Kristie and Wendy I would get up early on a Saturday and drive to the post office. They have up wrap up posts today with contests! LOL hence my drive to the post office…

I would wrap but I am not done, this isn’t shocking I am always late. So expect some posts til Wednesdayish but will try to have the last contest posts up Sunday at least two more bet you can guess one of them (to close wed).

Unless we go ahead and update the template and it crashes (Did I mention I am somewhat cynical?) this western drive could go on for weeks… ::innocent blink::

It’s a Western Wrap Wendy Style

It’s a Western Wrap Kristie Style

Now on for some Harlequin Historical reckon…

Turner’s Woman by Jenna Kernan

I mention this book all the time and it is one that when Wendy finally read it – she didn’t like it near as much – we forgive her, she can’t be perfect.  Why do I love this book so much? I mean it is sick, I have put it in the hands of more people than I can remember and noticed I have a copy to send to Renee! I adore Emma and didn’t hate Jake near as much as Wendy.  And the setting… oh man the setting is just amazing.  It is almost another character in the book.  And the women you meet in the story, pretty much all kick ass.  Loves it.

The rest I couldn’t decide on a book so I picked my fave authors and am giving you a few picks.

The Stranger by Elizabeth Lane or His Borrowed Bride

The book we are giving away is the most recent, His Substitute Bride. I admit I adore Quinn but I loved His Borrowed Bride (the first in the series). And The Stranger a hecka lot more than Gwen did. And good new is Elizabeth Lane has a novella coming out plus another story in the current series in March 2010. THEN another one… you can read deets here.

Carolyn Davidson is one of those authors I want to go back to Harlequin Historical. Her last HQN, Eden, was painful to read. The one before that not that much better, although unlike some I really enjoyed Redemption (her first HQN).

But her HH are (mostly) amazing. She is one of the authors who were on my reread spree at the beginning of 2009.

Maggie’s Beau
Loving Katherine
The Midwife
The Tender Stranger
The Wedding Promise – which ties into the HQN novel Redemption
There are more… The Seduction of Shay Devereaux, Runaway all awesome, hope the line sees her back soon

Kate Bridges

Do not know what to rec here.  LOVE her books and omg her next, ALASKAN RENEGADE  looks amazing.  FAB cover. I WANT.  So many to pick from but will say… something old and something newish *g*

Klondike Doctor (1st in Mountie series set in the Yukon Gold Rush) and The Doctor’s Homecoming (noted on her site that “has been reprinted. It’s part of a larger Close to Home Collection offered by Harlequin. It’s included in the fourth shipment. There are lots of popular authors included!” I did not know that but I recently read it for the first time.)

AND holy hell look what it sez on her site:

Kate’s also working on a novella for a Mail Order Bride anthology (title to be determined) with two of her favorite Western writers–Carolyn Davidson and Jillian Hart. Release date is spring 2010.

EVERYONE ssssssqqqqqqqquuuuuuueeeeeeeeeeeee those are three of my fave authors all together!

Cheryl Reavis the author I shouldn’t even mention since I don’t think she is going to write for HH again. Moved to SSE line, prolly just to break my heart because it is all about me. They maybe hard to find, not sure, but Prisoner, The Forbidden Bride, & Bartered Bride are three of my faves.

I know you were expecting a different Cheryl but I think we have touched on her.

And three authors you read you might have missed these books were first published as HH:
Lawless by Nora Roberts – one of the few of hers I have read
Reckless Love by Elizabeth Lowell – another fave
trilogy I ::heart:::
Apache Summer by Heather Graham
Dark Stranger by Heather Graham
Rides A Hero by Heather Graham

Lawson’s review of Vision in White (Bride Quartet, Book 1) by Nora Roberts
Contemporary romance released by Jove 28 Apr 09

This is the first book in a new series by Nora Roberts. It’s also the first non-paranormal series of Roberts in a few years, and while those are fun, it’s nice to see a good character driven story from an author that has always done one so well. This series, called the Bride Quartet, follows four best friends who run a wedding planning business in their hometown in Connecticut. I’m assuming that the following books in the series will come out every six months or so, as the next book is due at the end of November.

The prologue is a charming look at four girls who like to play Wedding Day. This particular day is when Mackensie Elliot, called Mac, discovers that she loves to take pictures that capture a perfect moment. She’s the wedding photographer for Vows, the wedding planning business run by herself and her best friends Parker, Emma and Laurel. Mac is good at her job and she loves it. Her home, which is the former guesthouse on Parker’s family estate and home to Vows, is full of her pictures of weddings, some of which have made magazine covers.

Mac is thrown for a bit of a loop when she meets Carter Maguire. A former high school classmate, and now an English teacher at the same high school, Carter comes in with his sister to help her plan her wedding. Though rather bookish and a bit shy, Carter is still nursing a high school crush on Mac and when he sees her again, he decides to take his chance and asks Mac out on a date.

Mac, of course, is dealing with some of her own issues and Carter is not her usual type and she decides to have a fling, even though she knows Carter is a committed type. There are some roadblocks in the way, like Mac’s mother who always asks her for money, among other emotional needs and Carter’s ex who is along the same vein as Mac’s mother. Mac has to take her life into her own hands, before she can start a new one with Carter.

Carter is such a sweet, caring guy, a little bit of a beta, but he’s got a steel underneath that gives Mac exactly what she needs. Though he never really saw his ex for what she was, he sees Mac’s mother for the selfish, self-centered and toxic person that she is, which helps Mac to overcome that last leap to get out of her mother’s shadow. Carter may be a little too good to be true, but his ex shows that he is a bit clueless about women, and even though he gets some interesting advice from a married colleague, the way he wins Mac over is tender, sweet and supportive.

Mac, though a strong and independent woman, is a pushover when it comes to her mother. That relationship, and how she gets out from under it, make her a better character by the end of the book than when she started. Going from giving her mother $3,000 to get out of the state to go to a spa for a few days, to the very necessary refusal a the end of the book is a hard journey to make. Carter and her three best friends are there to support her, but that weakness to her mother is a little hard to swallow when she’s confident and strong in most of the rest of the parts of her life.

Well, except for the men in her life. Mac stays away from men like Carter because she thinks with her mother’s example she won’t have a stable, happily ever after. She’s a photographer because she captures the perfect moment, to remember a happy present, but can’t usually see a future beyond the next shoot or event. But she does overcome this all by the end giving her and Carter their happy ending.

I’m excited for this series and Bed of Roses, the next book, will be out around Thanksgiving.  So keep a lookout for it and go get this one to read in the meantime.  It’s a good Memorial Day or beach read.

Grade: B

Summary:

Nora cordially invites readers to meet childhood friends Parker, Emma, Laurel, and Mac–founders of Vows, one of Connecticut’s premier wedding planning companies

Wedding photographer Mackensie “Mac” Elliot is most at home behind the camera, but her focus is shattered moments before an important wedding rehearsal when she bumps into the bride-to-be’s brother . . . an encounter that has them both seeing stars.

A stable, safe English teacher, Carter Maguire is definitely not Mac’s type. But a casual fling might be just what she needs to take her mind off bridezillas. Of course, casual flings can turn into something more when you least expect it. And Mac will have to turn to her three best friends–and business partners–to see her way to her own happy ending.

Read an excerpt.

Lawson’s review of The Pagan Stone (Sign of Seven, Book 3) by Nora Roberts
Paranormal romance released by Jove 25 Nov 08

Book three of the Sign of Seven trilogy follows Gage and Cybil and also ties up the series about Hawkins Hollow. If you haven’t been reading the series, it’s about three childhood friends who released an evil on their town unknowingly on their 10th birthdays. Every seven years the evil has returned, and this time it’s set to end everything. However, Gage, Cal and Fox have Quinn, Cybil and Layla to help them, as well as paranormal gifts, to end the evil once and for all.

The tone of this story is rather different than the other two. Gage is dealing with his childhood still, which involved his alcoholic and abusive father. He’s restless and can’t stay in one place too long, but he always knows he has to come back to Hawkins Hollow for “the Seven”. As he’s seen his two friends fall in love, he feels he may be up as well, but he knows Cybil doesn’t like having her fate laid out for her any more than he does.

Gage, like Fox and Cal, was given a gift to help fight the evil on that fateful 10th birthday. Cal can see the past, Fox the present and Gage the future. Gage has used it time and again to help him get out of a tight spot or make some money to keep him going when he’s not in Hawkins Hollow. Cybil also has the gift of sight, and the two of them together, when they finally get together, really do work well using their gift as well as the inevitable fall.

Everything the other two books gets tied up here, dealing with the Seven and what that’s going to do to the six people who are fighting it, as well as the destinies of all of them and the glimpse of a good future. Gage and Cybil did seem to have the most to bring to a relationship taking shape, not just their gifts, but their pasts and how that made them the people that they are. The shedding of their fears and giving in to what is meant to be fate could be cliched, but it’s told well enough to work with the story and who the characters are.

Grade: B

Read more reviews and info by following the series’ tag.

Summary:
.
The Pagan Stone had stood for hundreds of years, long before three boys gathered around it to spill their blood in a bond of brotherhood, unwittingly releasing a force bent on destruction …Gage Turner has been running from his past for a long time. The son of an abusive drunk, his childhood in the small town of Hawkins Hollow was tough – his only solace his friendship with Fox O’Dell and Caleb Hawkins. But, aged ten, the boys unleashed evil on their town: every seven years murder and mayhem reign, and each cycle is more extreme than the last.
.
Now Gage has returned home to help his friends save Hawkins Hollow, but a lifetime as a loner has made him wary of emotional ties. And who can make plans for the future when their present is so uncertain? For unless they find a way to use the Pagan Stone against the demonic force, everything they know and love will be destroyed …
.
Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Have we got a treat for you in honor of Bingeaduckia!  The authors of the Suite 606 anthology have put together a special Christmas-themed round robin story for our enjoyment (and amusement!).  And none other than the Grand Dame herself, the Ms. Nora Roberts is kicking off the fun.  Readers, it’s our job to continue the story in the comments section.  The Suite 606 ladies will also drop by from time to time and help us along with the story if we get “stuck.”  Enjoy!

Carrie Littleton sat through a red light for the third time and snarled at the Douglas Fir strapped to the roof of the Toyota Camry in front of her.

She hated Christmas.

The day was one thing, but when the stupid holiday started before the last turkey croquette from the left-over fowl was regretfully ingested it was too damn much.

The holidays meant blasts of Jingle Bells and Rudolph on every trip to the market, Santas on street corner ringing their bell until she wanted to grab it away from their white gloved hand and smack them over their red-capped head with it. The holidays equaled the mass hysteria of shopping in malls log-jammed with people, kids screaming while their parents pushed them into the lap of some weird guy in a Santa suit and traffic that kept the one sane person left in the metropolitan area from getting into the stupid mall in the first place.

Now she was going to be late. She probably wouldn’t get the job, and her fledgling PR firm would sink like a stone. She’d lose her adorable little apartment, be forced to move back home with her parents and have to listen–again–to everyone’s murmured sympathies.

Carrie Littleton, a failure at twenty-seven. And why? Because the man she’d loved and believed in, the man she’d planned to marry on Christmas Eve one year ago had not only left her flat, but flat broke. She had every right to hate Christmas.

Her sharp blue eyes narrowed as the light changed. “Come on, come on, get that damn dead tree through the light. I haven’t got all day.”

Calm down, she ordered herself. Nobody wanted to hire a crazed PR rep. She’d managed to keep her business afloat–barely–after Derrick’s betrayal. She could manage to get into the mall parking lot, walk into the sea of holiday shoppers and keep her appointment with Joseph O’Malley. She’d charm, dazzle and persuade him to hire her, and all would be well. In a few weeks, Christmas would be over. She’d have gotten through a full year since the detestable Derrick.

At last she inched through the light and followed the river of cars into Youngstown Mall. She just needed a break, just one break–and she’d take an empty parking slot as a sign from God. Ignoring the enormous wreaths, the miles of glittery garland, the acres of red ribbons adorning the sprawl of shops ,she began the hunt. With just a little luck, she could still make it on time, impress O’Malley with her presentation–one she’d worked on for days–and justify all the hard work, the lonely nights, the decision to strike out on her own. She went over her pitch again as she drove up and down the packed aisles , and smoothed her hand over her hair to make sure it remained in a perfect and sleek professional chignon.

Then she saw it, like a beacon in a storm, between a red pick-up and a minivan. An empty spot. Nirvana. She pumped the gas, letting out a cheer as she swung into the space.

He came out of nowhere, in his bright red suit. She had an instant to register chocolate brown eyes widening in shock, and the fact that Santa was tall and lean, and minus the beard had a chiseled chin. She slammed the brakes as he jumped to the side. But physics was against them. She felt the thump as her bumper caught him, and he went down like, well, a Christmas tree under the axe.

Her heart tumbled in her chest as she sat for one frozen moment. She’d just run over Santa Claus.

Lawson’s Review of The Hollow (Sign of Seven Trilogy, Book 2) by Nora Roberts
Paranormal romance released by Jove 6 May 2008

This is the second in the Sign of Seven Trilogy by Nora Roberts. The first book, Blood Brothers (my review is here), of course, had the set up for the story. Three young boys, best friends, freed a demon near their hometown. For seven days, every seven years the demon wrecks havoc on the town and it’s innocent inhabitants. The three boys, now grown and waiting for the demon to come again meet up with three women who are tied to the whole mess in more ways than one. If you’ve read the first book, you know all of this already. If you haven’t, go get it! It’s Nora Roberts!

The second in the series follows Fox O’Dell, the one who became a lawyer. Fox had an unconventional upbringing, as the child of two, uh, environmentalist parents. I just can’t say hippies, it seems rather mean to these characters who are rather nice. Oh well. Fox is a good, loyal, upstanding sort of guy but when Layla comes into town and teams up with Quinn and Cybil, Fox’s focus turns onto Layla.

Layla is still trying to adjust to her change in location and circumstance. Used to being in control, she’s out of her element in Hawkins Hollow, but she doesn’t collapse or let some wishy-washy thoughts take over. Since she’s out of work, she gets a job working as Fox’s assistant in his small law practice, after his assistant leaves in fear of another event caused by the demon (the townspeople really never know or understand what happens though).

Fox and Layla are great together. Good dialogue, great chemistry, and some creative ideas in the sack. On their own both seem a little whiney, but that doesn’t happen very often, and it obviously shows that these two together bring out the best in one another. Their love story didn’t seem as rushed as Quinn and Cal’s in the first book.

Roberts brings in more backstory about the ancestors of those in the stories, as well as a greater emphasis on the “gift” given to each of the members of the group. It was there in the first book, but it wasn’t as central to the main plot as in this book. Most likely because Layla is new to a lot of the ideas, it’s stated a few times that she doesn’t have much connection to the group. She didn’t grow up with anyone like the three men and met Quinn and Cybil when she first came to the Hawkins Hollow.

The horror elements are there, like the first book as well, which is not my cup of tea. It worked well with the story in general, but I tended to skim over those parts rather than let the image stick out in my mind. The reason that I will be waiting for the next book, The Pagan Stone, is Roberts trademark strong characters, good dialogue and touching love story. Plus Cybil and Gage in the next book seem to have a promise of some smoking hottness, especially since neither wants to recognize that they will end up together.

Grade: B

     Summary: 

     For Fox, Caleb, Gage and the other residents of Hawkins Hollow, the number seven portends doom—ever since, as boys, they freed a demon trapped for centuries when their blood spilled upon The Pagan Stone…

     Their innocent bonding ritual led to seven days of madness, every seven years. And now, as the dreaded seventh month looms before them, the men can feel the storm brewing. Already they are plagued by visions of death and destruction. But this year, they are better prepared, joined in their battle by three women who have come to The Hollow. Layla, Quinn, and Cybil are somehow connected to the demon, just as the men are connected to the force that trapped it.

     Since that day at The Pagan Stone, town lawyer Fox has been able to see into others’ minds, a talent he shares with Layla. He must earn her trust, because their link will help fight the darkness that threatens to engulf the town. But Layla is having trouble coming to terms with her newfound ability—and this intimate connection to Fox. She knows that once she opens her mind, she’ll have no defenses against the desire that threatens to consume them both…

     Read an excerpt.

Sandy M. and Teddypig (aka the West Coast side of The Pond) have compiled a list of upcoming books that we here in The Pond cannot wait to read!! Some of the biggest names in the industry are taking risks and releasing work far outside of their usual comfort zones. WOOT! Bring ‘em on!


Joey W. Hill ~ The Greek Billionaire Vampire’s Secret Baby
Greek billionaire Stakeros Nachos Monsteranni III was captivated by Mary-Kate. But their passionate affair was cut short when Mary-Kate’s mother attempted to pound iron stakes into his coffin. Seven months later, Stakeros is shocked to see Mary-Kate again during a trip to the local blood bank. She’s struggling to make ends meet as a trained Phlebotomist and she’s visibly pregnant! If she’s carrying the Monsteranni heir, that can mean only one course of action for Stakeros: She must become his love slave!

N.F. Roberts ~ Born to Death
The Concannon sisters of western Ireland are post modern women of ambition and talent, bound by the timeless spirit of their land and a terrible blood thirst. This is a tale of Howitzer Concannon, assassin daughter of Maggie Concannon and some nameless sequel hunk Nora never got around to writing about. Almost fatally injured in a plane crash the government of Ireland decides to rebuild Howitzer, augmenting her with cybernetic parts which give her superhuman strength and speed. After accidentally stabbing Police Lieutenant Eve Dallas 45 times during an electrical storm, this complexly wired woman, whose tacky superhero costume includes a short skirt and horizontally striped stockings, must seek to sooth the distraught Roarke Dallas. Will his wounded heart be slowly healed by a gentle and forgiving love?

Karen Marie Moning ~ The Highlander’s Bad Touch
Journey to a world of disco magic, breathtaking sensuality, thrilling time-travel….

Journey to the world of The Bad Boy Highlander. Crisscrossing Castro Street and the centuries, here is a novel as gripping as it is awesome– an electrifying adventure that will leave you breathless….

I am Dogbert MacKilted, a man with one good conscience and thirteen inches, driven to sate my darkest desires …

Forced through time, he winds up on the dance floor of the infamous Castro Bar Badlands, where Dogbert looks out over a sea of sweaty gyrating male flesh with a funky beat. A sixteenth-century Scot trapped between queens, he is fighting a losing battle with horny men seeking to get his phone number, dooming him to an eternity of sexual pursuit. When Anita Man, Drag Queen extraordinaire, student of life, girl on the go, and Sister of Perpetual Indulgence in training, buys him a drink, she finds the insatiable alpha male an irresistible lure especially when she realizes he has no underwear under there. Before long, Anita is caught up in an ancient prophecy that will sweep her back in time to medieval Scotland. Plunged into a world without Cover Girl makeup or a decent bartender, our Drag Queen will soon face the challenge of a lifetime: fighting thirteen vicious jacked up ugly ass bitches for the heart of one irresistible man who better take her home soon… if he knows what the hell is good for him.

Sherrilyn Kenyon – The Devil Needs a New Swan Hat (Dark Hunters, book 542)
Siyphfer had just perfected his best Tina Turner impersonation when, thinking he was only entering another talent show, he was instead tricked into Artemis’ service as a Dark-Hunter. This immortal has dreamed only of regaining his crown and seeking revenge on the vicious evil nasty queen who betrayed him. But when a hot young fashion designer, Christian Siriano, in perilous danger from that man eating bitch, Heidi Klum, suddenly appears in his life, Siyphfer knows that he just may have found the answer to all his prayers… a love that will cross realms to bring him a fabulous new swan hat

The incomparable Cassie Edwards has just announced the title of her next upcoming release!

Out of print for years, this classic will soon be re-released for a whole new generation to discover!

Katharina, blogger and frequent commenter here, shares with us her list of 12 Nora Roberts books everyone should glom (I’m told “glom” means “go buy all the backlist” in book circles)… 

Katharina’s 12 Nora Roberts a’Glomming

After having seen Rosario’s Top 12 Nora Roberts picks, I discovered that my favorites by this author are totally different. And because blog goddess Sybil asked me to, I will do my own Duodecimal of lovely Roberts titles.

1. Hidden Riches (’94 & ’04).  I discovered this book years ago when I still read romance novels in German. It was my first Nora Roberts and instantly hooked me on her writing.

2. The Dream Trilogy: Daring to Dream (’96 & ’06), Holding the Dream (’97 & ’06), Finding the Dream (’97 & ’06).  A totally straight, no “dash of paranormal” series and my most favorite and treasured comfort-read series by this author.

3. The Irish Trilogy: Jewels of the Sun (’99 & ’04), Tears of the Moon (’00), and Heart of the Sea (’00). This one was my very first Nora Roberts trilogy and I devoured the books twice in a row before I could read them like a “normal” person. :)

4. Dance Upon the Air (’01).  This first book in the Three Sisters Trilogy is a story about a woman who fights for her life and finds her magic vocation after fleeing from an abusive husband.

5. Black Rose (’05).  Book 1 of the In the Garden Trilogy.  Yay, this one Rosario, too, has on her list. The couple is in their forties and the secret heroine of the story is a fearsome and willful ghost with her own agenda.

6. Face the Fire (’02). This is Book 3 in the Three Sisters Trilogy. When I grow up I want to be like heroine Mia: different, stunning, charming, magical, self-confident, and in posession of the age old knowledge of witchery and magic.

7. Born in Fire (’94).  Book 1 in the Concannon Sisters Trilogy (a.k.a. the Born In Trilogy). The heroine is a tiny slip of a woman with one of the most original professions for heroines in Romanceland: she is a glassblower.

8. Carnal Innocence (’92 & ’00).  This was my very first Nora Roberts romantic suspense, single title and one of the last books I read in German before I switched to English. This book has everything a romance addict could wish for: strong characters and a grabbing, nail biting plot in a lovingly detailed small-town setting.

9. Honest Illusions (’92 & Jan ’08)is a single title from the early nineties and features one of my favorite plot types, namely about gentleman thieves.

10. Montana Sky (’96, ’97 & ’06).  Sky is a romantic suspense title with a lovely dash of Western and a to die-for cowboy hero.

11. Heaven and Earth (’01).  Book 2 in the Three Sisters Trilogy has a yummi, geeky, professor-ish hero and a down-to-earth no-bullshit heroine.

12. Angels Fall (’06 & ’07).  AF is romantic suspense favorite from Nora Roberts’s more recent single title backlist.

Nora Roberts pulled up a comfy chair, a cuppa tea, and answered a few questions for TGTBTU’s readers…

If you could retire any question and never, ever be asked it again, what would it be? Feel free to answer it.

Nora Roberts: “Where do you get your ideas?” I HATE this question, because how do I know? It’s not like I go out, pluck them off the Idea Bush or pick up a few at the Idea Store. Ideas are the easy part anyway. It’s turning the idea into an entertaining story that involves the sweaty work. Ideas, mostly, are a dime a dozen. At your neighborhood Idea Store.

When it comes to writing, there seems to be three rules of thought (although I am all for hearing more). Well, really I just see these over and over when people answer the ever-popular “where do you get your ideas” question. Which is your poison?

1. The Muse – you know the creative force that inspires you to write or Sharon Stone.

2. The Voices in the Head – I like to think of this as the ‘The Sybil.’

3. The Profession – it is a job, sit your ass in the chair and type, and try not to make authors look flaky(er) than we are, damn it.

NR: Door Number Three. Nothing against The Muse (or Sharon Stone) but I don’t have the time or the patience to sit around waiting for her to show up. Talk about a flake. Give me Sister Mary Responsibility. She’d kick Muse butt. Writing’s my job, so I write. Writing’s also, to me, the best job in the world, so how lucky am I? I sit my ass in the chair and do my job–and love doing it. I do, however, appreciate the Voices In My Head. They make the job interesting. But they aren’t real people. Real to me during the process of telling their story–otherwise, what’s the point? Real, I hope, to the reader during the read of the story. Not actual, if you get me, but real enough to matter–real enough to make me care, and in turn–hopefully–to make the reader care.

Can a person ‘learn’ to write? Is it a talent you have to be born with?

NR: I think anyone can learn the nuts and bolts–the structure, the grammar. And perhaps with that knowledge could produce a good, readable book. But the talent adds the magic. To tell entertaining stories consistently takes that knowledge, that talent, discipline, drive and desire. But I also believe talent can be built, developed, honed with those three D’s and with experience. I think the best learning tool is reading, reading, reading.

I’ve heard writers often say their stories take them in surprising directions, or dialogue flows from some unknown place. Is it the same with you? Do your characters surprise you sometimes?

NR: If the characters don’t surprise me, I’m not doing my job. They haven’t become real to me, real enough for me to trust them drive the story. Since my stories are character-driven, I have to know the characters, trust them and care passionately about them. I’m telling the story–I’m in charge. But the story is theirs. There has to be a great deal of affection and respect on my end, and part of that is being open to new directions or surprises.

Do you ever argue with your characters while you’re writing? (Figuratively speaking, of course – and we won’t call the men in white jackets if you tell us it feels real.)

NR: I don’t think so. Hmmm. No, I can’t remember ever arguing with my characters. Feeling for them, being frustrated by them, or baffled by them. But we work that out during the writing process. I don’t have actual conversations with them. They talk to each other.

What is sure to distract you from sitting down and working/writing?

NR: The damn, stupid phone. Or nuclear war.


How do you feel your male or female characters have evolved over your career? Do you think you write them differently now than you did when you started?

NR: I hope as I’ve grown or evolved as a writer, the characters–a key part of my work–have grown or evolved. In addition, I started out in the early 80′s in category Romance, so that was a different time, different framework and in some ways a different reader expectation than the work I do now. I like to think I’ll continue to grow and evolve as a writer, and my characters will do the same.

Is there a genre you haven’t tackled but would like to try? Or better yet, will you write another historical western? If anyone could bring it into vogue…

NR: If there was a genre I wanted to explore, I would. Why not? The fact is, Romance allows me to include elements from every other area of fiction. I love that. I can do mystery, thrillers, s/f, horror, paranormal and so on–as long as I wrap it around that core love story, and bring it home happily. If I had a great idea for another historical western, I’d write it. And name the heroine Sybil.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

NR: Appreciate the moments. Because–poof–they’re over. I wouldn’t advise myself to do anything differently, to change anything. Too Irish for that. If you change one thing, you change everything. I like the way things have turned out. So far.

If you had never become an author, what do you think you would be doing right now?

NR: Selling small appliances at Target. If I were lucky. I would rather be a lounge singer, but I don’t think I have the chops. I can’t handle office work or politics, so no chance in business. Basically, I have no other talent.

And now the important ones (a.k.a. Gwen’s Lightning Round):

- dark or milk chocolate?

Milk. (Sorry, bland girl here)

- smooth or chunky peanut butter?

I hate peanut butter, so I don’t care!

- heels or flats?

Heels.

- coffee or tea?

Tea. But I’d rather have a Diet Pepsi.

- summer or winter?

Summer. Winter’s damn cold.

- mountains or beach?

Live in the mountains (and I do), vacation at the beach.

- mustard or mayonnaise?

Bleech. (Told you, bland girl)

- flowers or candy?

Flowers.

- pockets or purse?

I need both. I have much to carry.

Thanks, Nora! Now, readers, what questions do you have for La Nora? (Gwen’s a little giddy that Nora’s here with us today, so try to squeeze one in edgewise when she’s around.)

It is to be noted Nora will be out today on very important business ::coughshoppingcough::. But she will check in when she returns to start answering questions. I prolly should have checked what time zone she is in…

We will be drawing three random winners from the comments to win a signed copy of Blood Brothers.contest closed

Lawson’s review of Blood Brothers (Sign of Seven Trilogy, Book 1) by Nora Roberts
Paranormal romance released by Jove 27 Nov 07

This is the first in Roberts’ new Sign of Seven Trilogy. The next two, The Hollow and The Pagan Stone, will be out in May 2008 and December 2008, respectively.

Caleb Hawkins, Fox O’Dell and Gage Turner have been best friends basically since they were born. Since they were born on the same hospital on the same day, it’s not much of a stretch to believe that’s true. On their tenth birthday they decide to go out camping in the woods outside of Hawkins Hollow, near a site called the Pagan Stone. After doing the things that ten year olds do when they’re away from prying eyes (like drinking some liberated beer and getting sick from cigarettes), things go awry when they unknowingly release a demonic force that had been trapped in the Pagan Stone.

After the demon had been released Caleb, Fox and Gage aren’t the same. As well as being impervious to physical harm, each has a gift. Caleb can see the past, Fox the future (ie read minds) and Gage can see the future. These things help the boys when the demon goes on a week long chaos spree starting the seventh day of the seventh month. Though the demon disappears, seven years later things happen again starting July 7 and continuing for seven days.

Quinn Black has come to Hawkins Hollow to write a book about the events that happen every seven years. She likes uncovering ghost stories and finding about the strange things that sometimes happen in small town America. Things in Hawkins Hollow are different than any other story she’s written before, since she begins to have nightmares and see things that show the signs of the demon starting way too early.

Quinn and Caleb work together to discover the cause of the early start and are joined by Fox, and later Gage as well as Layla Darnell and Quinn’s research partner Cybil Kinski. When Quinn decides to stay in Hawkins Hollow until July, Caleb realizes he doesn’t have a chance for his heart is lost to her. But what can he do to protect her from the mounting evil that he helped release 21 years earlier?

There are so many things going on during the plotting of this story. In wonderful Roberts style, they’re all given time to grow and the groundwork is deftly laid for the rest of the series. Though Fox and Layla, and Gage and Cyb will be the center of the next two stories, they’re thrown together in this first installment and there’s a great hint as what is to come.

The leads of this story, Quinn and Caleb, are very cute. They’ve got pretty similar personalities and when Quinn seems to get a bit too boisterous, Cal is there to help her calm down. Or when Cal goes overboard into male brooding territory, Quinn makes him smile and see how he can work life to his benefit. Even though there are dark forces at work, both Quinn and Cal realize their attraction and love can withstand it.

Since Cal can see the past (coincidentally Quinn can too, though being in Hawkins Hollow is what “awakens” her ability), there’s a running theme in the book of the impact the past can have on the present. Everything started not when the boys were camping, nor in the 1650s when the demon was trapped in the stone, but way back when in the mists of time in Eastern Europe. The ties the men and women have to each other through the past give a good foundation for why things are happening and what needs to be done to change things.

I did have a couple of issues with the story. There were definitly some horror elements dealing with the demon. It manifests itself as a child with red eyes and fangs, and horror is not something I generally like that much. Especially with demonic children. Though it worked with the story, it wasn’t something that worked with me personally. Being scared and horrified is not a viable form of entertainment, in my opinion.

The other thing was the fact that with all the discovery of the past and connections, there wasn’t a lot of time to spend getting to know Quinn and Caleb. Their attraction and backstory was halfway handed to the reader, so that it would be accepted and it seemed to happen so fast. . .there was, to me, barely any time between them meeting and them jumping into bed. There was some great chemistry, but it seemed a bit forced and rushed so that the story could be wrapped up within the time frame of a few weeks.

Overall it was a good, fast read and Roberts’ characters worked well together. The groundwork has been laid and I want the next in the series.

Grade: B

Blurb:
     In the small village of Hawkins Hollow, three best friends who share the same birthday sneak off into the woods for a sleepover the evening before turning 10. But a night of pre-pubescent celebration turns into a night of horror as their blood brother oath unleashes a three-hundred year curse.

     Twenty-one years later, Cal Hawkins and his friends have seen their town plagued by a week of unexplainable evil events two more times – every seven years. With the clock winding down on the third set of seven years, someone else has taken an interest in the town’s folklore. Quinn is a well known scholar of local legends, and despite Cal’s protests, insists on delving in the mystery. But when the first signs of evil appear months early, it’s not only the town Cal tries to protect, but also his heart.

     Excerpt.