Today I’m happy to introduce to you my newest Guest Blogger, Abby Gaines. You can read her bio here.

How short is too short?

The books I write tend to be looong—at least, long for series romances. Recently though, I’ve tried writing in two shorter formats. My first novella, The Natural, comes out this month in the Harlequin NASCAR anthology, A NASCAR Holiday 2. Writing a novella was a lot of fun—it was so straightforward, having room for only one story thread. And the Christmas theme meant I had to write an upbeat story, which just happens to be what I write anyway!

But the challenge with writing shorter is that it’s harder to pack in the emotion that we all want from a romance.

I thought that was hard to do in a novella, but just recently I wrote my first short story and, man, that was really difficult! It took me forever…. I consulted a writer I know who’s a short story ace, and she informed me the story had to have a twist at the end. Well, I can tell you, it’s pretty difficult to sit there and think up a twist to order. When you’re writing a full-length book, you have weeks or months to work out what your twists will be. In a short story, you have to do it now!

I got there in the end, and have just posted the story on my website for readers—it has a Thanksgiving theme, so I’m hoping it’s timely.

As a reader, I do enjoy short stories and novellas, but I think my heart will always belong to novels. What do you think?

Abby Gaines writes for Harlequin NASCAR and Harlequin Superromance. Visit her at www.abbygaines.com

Thanks, Abby!

I’m working on getting a new blog just for the weight loss stuff. My darling Beloved says he can get me a new wordpress blog just for that, but it’s not high on his priority list.

I’d like this blog to be focused on writing, but for now, I need to put the weight loss stuff here.

Cut into my Weekly allowance points yesterday and soy nuts have more points than I thought. However, I also went to the Y twice so I racked up 10 activity points yesterday.

Went this morning and got 9 points so I’m not fully out of points yet. A big bad choice on Monday stole most of my points and it’s a catch-up game to make it to the weekend and have some points to play with.

Heading out to the nephrologist later. Just a regular check-up, nothing to worry about, then I’ll stop at the farmer’s market on the way home for cucumbers and celery for my yummy CORE (almost – bacon bits are low points) lunchtime salad. I made chicken soup on Monday so that’ll be dinner and that’s CORE so I think I’m doing okay.

I put a picture of a Cookie Dough Blast as my desktop to remind me what I’m working for. I want to be able to put tickers up on this blog (if I can’t get my new one soon) to let you all know how I’m doing, but the tech geeks in the family can’t find time to help me with it. Maybe tomorrow as it’s a Holy Day and Beloved will be home!

I’ve belonged to Weight Watchers since May 2006, and as of Monday, I’ve lost 7.2 pounds. There was a point when I was down almost 20 pounds, but I’ve fallen off the program.

I don’t know why because I know the program works and I want to lose weight. I think the problem might be that I don’t want to lose weight ENOUGH.

I have been trying all day to figure out WHY I want to lose weight. Everyone has their reasons for wanting to lose, health, family, class reunion, whatever. I don’t have a strong reason. I can’t really say that my health is the reason because I’m healthier now than I was before the transplant, so that’s not the big reason.

I want to look pretty. I want to have a nice photo to put on the back of a book when I need one. Are those enough? They don’t seem to be or I wouldn’t have gained back 13 pounds.

I want to feel better about myself. I want to get rid of this belly that glares back at me when I look in the mirror. I know I’ll never have a flat belly again – too many abdominal surgeries, but I want to stop looking sloppy when I see myself.

Why isn’t that enough to work hard enough to have already lost the weight I want? I need something I can look at every day and renew my motivation. My husband promised me a while back that if I lost 3 pounds he’d buy me a Sonic Cookie Dough Blast. Well, that 3 pounds is now 6.6 pounds. I’m going to print up a picture of that and post it where I can see it!

Today I want to introduce you to Anna Dynowski, author of For Better, For Worse, Forever, which will be released in just a couple of days from Wings Press.

Hi, Anna! Thanks for joining us today!

Your book, For Better, For Worse, Forever, is scheduled to be released in November. How long did it take you to write this book?

The rough first draft of the book took about a year to write…after I managed to bulldoze my way through the writer’s block. That’s the only way I can describe it. I had the premise for the story but I couldn’t write it no how. I couldn’t plot or outline it. Nothing. Never have I prayed so much over any book as I did for this one. At first, I thought it was something personal blocking my writing. You see, my husband and I have no children and I thought I’d laid my Isaac down, years ago. It turned out God just wanted to get my attention, for me to learn something new about myself and have a fresh revelation of Him.

Where did you get the idea for this intriguing story?

As I was finishing up my second book, Appointment With Destiny, the idea for For Better, For Worse, Forever popped into my head. I’m so glad my publisher, Wings ePress, Inc., didn’t suffer from any writer’s block. I love the blurb they have written for my book:

One thirty-something woman, desperate to silence her clanging biological clock, and one husband, terrified of becoming the tool to silence, clash until amnesia offers them both a chance to lay down their selfish wants and desires and take a leap of faith.

As an inspirational author, how do you balance the religious aspects of the story with the romance aspects?

I’m heavy on the romance, taking great pains to ensure my characters are far from perfect, even in their spiritual walk. But I am an overt Christian writer so my stories are laced throughout with prayers, scriptures, church services (and not always in church!).

Is there a “moral” to For Better, For Worse, Forever? A truth you’d like your readers to take away from it?

To trust God no matter what your circumstances are or how painful they may appear to be. He will give you the resources, not to go over, around, or beneath your mountain, but through it, to victory and blessing.

How long have you been writing fiction?Since 2000, with my first book, Full Circle being published in 2005.

What made you want to write inspirationals?I want to encourage and entertain readers with the truth love never fails, and Inspirational Romance is just the perfect match for me: I can write what’s in my heart–love–and what’s in my soul–faith in God.

You’ve been married for 23 years. Congratulations! Is your husband supportive of your writing?He’s awesome! Henry is my most ardent supporter, a great cheerleader. He believes in my ability and encourages me to keep on. And he’s very understanding when I hole up in my home office for hours at a time.

What is your writing routine?As I have a full-time day job in the Human Resources of my company, my writing is limited to evenings and weekend afternoons.

Do you have any tricks to get you into a writing mode?There’s nothing like a fast-approaching deadline to jumpstart the creative juices! When there’s the luxury of time, then a good book will do the trick. Or gardening.

Who are your favorite authors? What are your favorite kinds of books to read?My favorite kinds of books are romances, naturally. (I’m an incurable romantic.) I love character-driven books. A couple of my favorite authors are Nora Roberts and Robin Lee Hatcher. They do such a great job of creating characters, on paper, who are real and vibrant and demand you get caught up in their emotions and come along for the ride. Something I try to do with my characters.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?Never give up. Keep on learning and practicing the craft. Read in the genre you want to write in. And always remember the promise of Psalm 27:13-14

“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait I say on the Lord…for slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. It it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient.”

Is there anything else you’d like the readers to know?

I love hearing from readers and I can be reached at annadynowski@yahoo.ca

Visit me at:

http://www.geocities.com/annadynowski

http://AnnaDynowski.bebo.com

http://www.myspace.com/annadynowski

http://www.facebook.com

Check out my books:

For Better, For Worse, Forever, Wings ePress, Inc., November, 2007, 4.5 Ribbon rating-Romance Junkies

Appointment With Destiny, Write Words, Inc., 5 Roses rating-A Romance Review

Full Circle, Write Words, Inc., 5 Ribbon rating-Romance Junkies

Thanks for joining us today!

“Pretend you’re happily married.”

Toronto bookseller, Catharine Taylor, is spunky. Smart. And separated from her husband of ten years. With her biological clock banging away, all she wanted from her husband was a baby–just one baby–but what she got instead was a pending divorce.

When an accident befalls construction boss, Hudson Taylor, she is summoned to his bedside and to her surprise, he now wants to start a family. Great! There’s just one little incidental marring her joy: he suffers from amnesia and doesn’t remember filing for divorce or not wanting children.

I don’t often write about spiritual stuff on this blog, but I am a devout Catholic Christian and sometimes things come up that I think need to be discussed. I found this article written by a fellow Catholic author, Pete Vere, and with all the hoopla that has gone on about Harry Potter for so long, I thought I’d offer this as something else to discuss.

Note: I had kinda wanted to see The Golden Compass before I read this.

Seventeen Questions about Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials
By Pete Vere

Editor’s Note:
The Golden Compass, a fantasy film starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, is being released this month by New Line Cinema, the producers of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. New Line hopes to capitalize on its previous success by appealing to Tolkien fans—especially younger ones—and implying that they will find similar satisfaction in this new release. But buyer beware.
The movie is based on the first novel in a trilogy by bestselling children’s author Philip Pullman, a professed enemy of Christianity. Pullman’s works are not widely known in the U.S., but in his native England his books are outsold only by J.K. Rowlings’ Harry Potter series. Hollywood has invested a goodly sum in the promotion of his cleverly disguised screed against God and his Church. Pete Vere gives the low-down on Pullman, his trilogy, and the movie below. In the following article, Sophia Sproule compares Pullman to his arch-nemesis—C.S. Lewis.

1. Who is Philip Pullman?
Pullman is a graduate of Oxford University and a leading author of bestselling children’s fantasies. He is also an avowed humanist who has actively campaigned against religion as a pernicious force in human society.

2. What are the His Dark Materials books about?
His Dark Materials is Pullman’s fantasy-fiction trilogy for young readers, comprising The Golden Compass (1995; published in the United Kingdom as Northern Lights), The Subtle Knife (1997), and The Amber Spyglass (2000). Drawing on the scientifically based concept of universes parallel with our own, the trilogy tells the story of Lyra Bevelacqua, a 12-year-old girl who discovers a path between worlds with the help of an “alethiometer,” or truth measure. She and her companions engage in a struggle against forces of evil.

3. How has the trilogy been received?
Pullman’s books have won several prestigious awards, both in his home country of Britain and in the U.S. Literary critics hail him as a new J.R.R. Tolkien and a better writer than J.K. Rowling.

4. Do Pullman’s works have anything in common with other fantasy writers?
Pullman, like literary giants C.S. Lewis and Tolkien, is an Oxonian who writes about imaginary worlds in which good and evil strive to control the fate of mankind. Pullman, however, has expressed significant distaste for the books of his predecessors. (See “For Good and Ill: They Slip Past Watchful Dragons”)

5. How is the upcoming film based on The Golden Compass being marketed?
The Golden Compass has been adapted into a movie starring Nicole Kidman, Eva Gaëlle Green, Daniel Craig and other Hollywood stars. The movie (to be released on December 7, 2007) is being produced by New Line Cinema, the company behind The Lord of the Rings, and is squarely targeted at the same demographic. It has the potential to generate sequels based on the remaining books in the trilogy.

6. Why should parents be concerned about the film and the books?
Because of the film and the wide audience Pullman’s books have, Catholic parents should be aware of how Pullman uses the literary genre of children’s fantasy to undermine the Christian faith and promote atheism. The major problems fall into these general categories:

• Blasphemy against the Judeo-Christian concept of God
• Depiction of Catholic Church as evil, and religion in general as obscurant
• Promotion of the occult
• Endorsement of relativism as an acceptable system of belief
• Heretical portrayal of the human person

7. How does Pullman portray God in the series?
Pullman describes God as the first angel, who evolved out of pre-existing “dust.” He calls himself the creator, but this is a lie to increase his power.

He was never the creator. He was . . . the first angel, true, the most powerful, but he was formed of Dust as we are, and Dust is only a name for what happens when matter begins to understand itself. (The Amber Spyglass)

God is referred to as “the Authority” throughout the first two books. Although it is not explicit in the first two books, the reader can deduce that Pullman is speaking of the biblical God because of the presence of “the Church” and the occasional reference to Scripture. In the third book he makes it explicit that he means the Judeo-Christian God by citing most of the names for God the Father used in Holy Scripture:

The Authority, God, the Creator, the Lord, Yahweh, El, Adonai, the King, the Father, the Almighty—those were all the names he gave himself. (The Amber Spyglass)

8. How does Pullman explain Lucifer’s rebellion against God and his angels?
Like Lucifer, Lyra and her companions set out to overthrow “God” and his kingdom. One of her companions is Dr. Mary Malone, a former Catholic nun from our world who is now a physicist. Together they finish the rebellion begun by Lucifer and her angels for the benefit of humanity. (The devil is female in Pullman’s multi-verse.)

9. How does the Catholic Church figure into the story?
The Church in Lyra’s world exerts a major influence on the lives of all the characters. It has a college of cardinals, a college of bishops, priests, nuns, and a magisterium. It even boasts converts from Protestantism. In Lyra’s world, Protestant reformers remained within the Church, elected John Calvin as Pope, moved the Church’s headquarters to Geneva, and then did away with the papacy altogether.

10. How does Pullman portray the Church?
Pullman caricatures the Church as an oppressive institution. The parallel-universe Church in His Dark Materials is obsessed with power. It exerts absolute control over the masses and gives its blessing to all manner of evil action in the name of the Authority.
Characters who have religious vocations in Pullman’s world are either rabid zealots or are looking to advance their worldly status. Their victims are often children.
Church officials lie, confiscate property, and engage in petty infighting. They make use of torture. They murder, kidnap, and mutilate children, and they oversee scientific experiments where children are severed from their souls. They even dispatch a priest to murder the main character. Each of these actions is carried out in the name of the Authority, Pullman’s code word for the Judeo-Christian God, and with the Church’s full blessing.

11. What else does Pullman have to say about Christianity?
Pullman’s most dangerous error concerning the Church is probably too subtle for younger readers to spot. Because the trappings of Catholicism have been retained by an essentially Calvinist belief system, the story suggests that theological differences among Christians are meaningless. What matters most to the Church is power and control over the masses. This is Karl Marx’s old canard that religion is the opiate of the masses, repackaged for children.

12. What roles do magic and the occult play in the story?
Pullman introduces witches and shamans as the true spiritual leaders of both our world and his alternative multi-verse. These witches and shamans are important supporting characters. Without their assistance, Lyra and her father, Lord Asriel, would not be able to organize the war against the Authority.

13. What real-world elements of occultism does Pullman employ to advance the plot?
Dr. Mary Malone, the nun from our world who loses her faith in God, leaves the convent, and becomes an experimental scientist, discovers the capacity to communicate with dark matter. She turns to a Chinese form of divination known as the I-Ching. Through the I-Ching, the former nun helps rescue the book’s protagonist. In the story, the occult can help in doing good, whereas the Judeo-Christian God only disappoints or leads people to do evil.

14. How does Pullman’s depiction of magic differ from its use in The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, or the Harry Potter series?
The magic in His Dark Materials is not like the elf-magic of Tolkien. In The Lord of the Rings, magic is pure fantasy that belongs to a special race and is used to create objects of value. Similarly, the magic described in C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowlings’ stories has no basis in real occult practices. Moreover, their fantasy worlds do not portray any sort of Church and certainly do not pit magic against God and the Church.

15. How does the novel characterize the morality of decision-making?
In one instance, Lord Asriel murders Lyra’s best friend in order to open up a portal between worlds. Within the story, the murder of a child was necessary for the greater good, since Lyra’s father needed to open this portal to further his war against the Authority. The end justifies the means in Pullman’s universe.

16. What is the nature of the soul in Pullman’s trilogy?
Every character in Lyra’s parallel world possesses something called a daemon (pronounced “demon”). The name daemon is borrowed from the ancient Greeks. The philosopher Socrates described his daemon as a quiet voice inside his head that helped him discern right from wrong. Socrates, therefore, equated his daemon with his conscience.
In Pullman’s world, the daemon is a cross between a person’s conscience and a person’s soul. The daemon is external and attached to a human. It takes on an animal form that best reflects the personality and character of the human to whom the daemon belongs. Its form changes from moment to moment during childhood. However, the daemon chooses a fixed form sometime during its human’s adolescence. Thus the individual’s personality and character become fixed for life. The daemon dissipates upon death.

17. What does Pullman have to say about gender and the nature of the person?
Pullman ties the daemon to human nature. The reader notices early on that the gender of most daemons is opposite that of the human to whom the daemon is attached. Only one character in the first two books shares the same gender as his daemon, and this is hailed as a rarity.
One character, Dr. Grumman, is an explorer from our world who finds himself trapped in Lyra’s world. There he discovers his daemon when she becomes external. “Can you imagine my astonishment,” says Grumman, “at learning that part of my own nature was female, and bird-formed, and beautiful?”
Pullman’s errors concerning human nature and the soul are a direct attack on the Christian teaching that God created us with a human soul, and he created us male and female.

Pete Vere is a canon lawyer and a Catholic journalist. He is the co-author of Surprised by Canon Law and Surprised by Canon Law 2: More Questions About Canon Law (Servant Books). He and his wife Sonya are parents to three young children.

Romance writers are some of the nicest, most helpful people I’ve ever known. Maybe it has something to do with most of us being women and all of us dealing with emotions as our job.

Romance writers share the secrets of how they write their books, essentially training their replacements. No other profession does this and I’m not sure writers of other genres are so quick to do this. My husband has a friend who is published in science fiction and since my husband is working on a science fiction book, he’s asked his friend some questions but his friend is reluctant to talk about the writing process. Romance writers, on the other hand, share almost everything about their writing, short of sharing their advance or royalty amounts.

We also often make some of our closest friends through our local writers’ groups or online writing loops. These are the women who understand when we talk about characters doing things we didn’t expect, the ones who sympathize when we get a rejection and cheer when we get an acceptance. They are friends, sounding boards, critiquers, cheerleaders and in some cases, prayer partners.

Therefore, it can come as a bit of a shock when we find ourselves outwardly cheering a chapter-mate who receives “the Call” – makes her first sale – while inwardly, we have to face the darker aspects of our personality as we realize that we’re jealous!

Whether we’re unpublished or published, no one is immune to that green-eyed monster. It doesn’t feel good to know that your joy at someone else’s good fortune is tinged with jealousy, but we’re human.

My last book came out over three years ago, and since I’ve moved and joined a new chapter two and a half years ago, five members have sold new books, four of them first sales. There is a little green-eyed monster lurking in my psyche. He totally blind-sided me a couple of times, and I’m not proud of this.

Have you felt this icky emotion? What do you do about it?

I’m very excited! I have my first guest blogger. Let’s give a warm Romancechick welcome to Diana Cosby!

Diana Cosby

www.dianacosby.com

People often ask me why I write and why in the medieval era. Before I was a writer, I was an avid reader. I remember as a teenager reading two books a day, and becoming totally engrossed in each story. For me the stories offered an escape to where the good guys lost and life had happy endings. I also owe my drive to become an author to my gypsy ways. With my dad in the military during my youth, my life was one of constant moves; England, New York, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Alaska. Once I graduated high school, I joined the Navy as an oceanographer/meteorologist, continued to travel throughout my career and eventually retired. As I hung up my Chief’s uniform for the last time, I decided to give a shot at my dream, that of writing.

With twenty-nine moves behind me, having lived and traveled from the Far East to Europe, with my easy acceptance of culture and having recently moved back to the U.S. after living in Spain, I naturally gravitated to writing in the medieval timeframe. My first three novels were set in the Viking era. Then, I watched the movie Braveheart. Swept away by the Scots intensity, honor and determination to keep their freedom, I moved up from writing medieval romantic suspense in the 790’s to 1296.

I am a major organizer and yes, I have ‘to do’ and ‘daily’ lists that I work from. I also wasn’t surprised to discover that I am a major plotter. This means that before I write word one in a novel, I have figured out my characters, my story’s plot, and have written the synopsis. Synopses are tough, no doubt about it, but to me, I feel synopses are the author’s strongest weapon in their writing arsenal. It’s the only tool that has powerful multi-purposes: to ensure your story has solid motivation, as a writing tool, and then used when submitting to an agent or editor. Nothing else a writer has is this diverse or has this much impact.

One aspect of writing that caught me off guard was discovering that my stories are filled with suspense. I never planned to write action packed novels, but that’s what my muse delivers. I find myself becoming bored with my book if the story doesn’t keep me on the edge of my seat.

After writing for nine years, I was thrilled to receive “The Call” from Kensington Publishing Corporation to buy His Captive, a Scottish medieval romantic suspense. I have so many fabulous memories of this time in my life, the day my editors, Sulay Hernandez and Kate Duffy, called from Kensington Publishing Corporation to tell me they wanted to buy His Captive, my kid’s hugs, the flood of congratulatory e-mails and cards, but the best memory is that of my husband calling me from Baghdad where he was serving a tour in Iraq.

As I persevere in my writing career, I understand that crafting novels are a lot of hard work, but each book is built on a foundation of passion and belief of the story. As a writer it’s a unique path that I travel, but one that has taught me that with perseverance, dreams do come true.

Diana Cosby currently lives in Virginia, with her oldest son leaving for the Marine Corps in November of 2007, and her daughter planning to go off to college in the summer of 2008. After her husband, a U.S. Navy meteorologist/oceanographer, retires from the Navy in the summer of 2008, they will move to Texas with their youngest son, where they will build their final home.

His Captive will be released on November 7^th, 2007, with her second book, yet to be titled, late in 2008. To learn more about Diana or to sign-up for her newsletter, go to her website at www.dianacosby.com.

I’ve been watching my blog stats go up recently. I haven’t a clue why but yesterday I had a record 78 visitors and according to my stat counter a whooping 69 visitors arrived her while looking for variations on the word “halloween.” I looked up “halloween” on Google and through TWENTY pages, I couldn’t find me.

If you are here because you searched for “halloween” please tell me how you found me!

I am feeling pretty humble right now. I am a big fan of the Biggest Loser. Last episode Jillian had one of the girls actually get on the treadmill and run 10 miles an hour for 5 seconds. I thought I could do that, so today after I did my 45 minutes of the stairstepper, I got on the treadmill, stood on the edges and turned the dumb thing up. As soon as I stepped on it, I went flying and scraped up both of my legs pretty badly from the knees down. Fortunately, I don’t have to wear a dress any time soon. They hurt and I feel like an idiot!!

So when I saw this quiz on Esther’s blog I took it and got this result:

Okay, the queen part I like, but it does seem to leave out the whole, “She’s a menace to herself!” part!

Today I’d like to introduce you to multi-published, Elaine Cantrell.

Elaine Cantrell was born and raised in South Carolina. She holds a Master’s Degree in Personnel Services from Clemson University and is a member of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international honorary sorority for women educators. She is also a member of Romance Writer’s of America and EPIC authors. Her first novel, A New Leaf, was the 2003 winner of the Timeless Love Contest and was published in 2004 by Oak Tree Books. At present she teaches high school social studies.

Elaine was gracious enough to sit for an interview about her writing and her book The Welcome Inn.

Hi, Elaine and thanks for agreeing to be with us today!

One of the things that always fascinates me is where authors get their ideas. Where did you get the idea for The Welcome Inn?

My father gave me the idea for The Welcome Inn. After he retired he worked part time as a desk clerk at a local motel. The stories he came home and told! I decided a motel would be a good setting for a story.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve always wanted to be a writer. When I was five I dictated my first story to my dad who put it in a cedar chest where it stayed for over forty years. When he died my stepmother found it and gave it to me. More recently, I started writing after my son wrote a book. He told me that he always made up stories in his head to amuse himself, and since I did the same thing I flirted with the idea of writing myself. While I was thinking it over I had dinner with some friends, one of whom is an English teacher. She suggested we should each write a book and critique each other’s work. I jumped on the idea, and I’ve been writing ever since.

How long did you write before you got published?

Luckily, not too long. I entered a contest about a year after I wrote my first novel and when I won first place they published the book for me. The name of the book is A New Leaf, and it’s still available at Amazon.

What is your favorite scene from The Welcome Inn?

My favorite scene happens when Buck and Julianna are hiding from some bad guys at Buck’s cabin. Julianna is afraid to sleep in the room by herself, and Buck agrees to share a bed with her. Interesting things start to happen after a humorous beginning. My husband actually laughed when he read it.

How do your high school students handle your being a published author?

LOL. They aren’t nearly as impressed as I think they should be! Most of them are curious about the type of stuff I write. I’ve shown them a couple of covers, but I don’t think too many of them have read my work. I did have one student who bought A New Leaf for his mother’s Christmas present.

Given that you’re with teenagers all day, do you ever think about writing a young adult novel?

Probably not. After working with young people all day I’m ready for something else.

What are you working on now?

The name of my new novel is Rest Thy Head. It’s the story of two sisters who find love at a haunted inn, and there really is a ghost who plays a significant part in the story

Do you have any advice for new authors?

Don’t take no for an answer. I think the difference between those who get published and those who don’t is persistence. It also helps to belong to a critique group, and when you submit to publishers be sure to follow their guidelines.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell the readers?

Yes, I blog at My Space where I share lots of excerpts, contests, recipes, and glimpses into my own life. I’d love for everyone to take a look at it.

Thanks for taking the time to be with us today!

Thanks for asking me. I’ve enjoyed talking with you.

Julianna can’t stand Buck Abercrombie! He’s rude, chauvinistic, and exasperating, and he’s her new boss. Why couldn’t the bank see that she’s done a good job cleaning up The Welcome Inn? Why wouldn’t they loan her the money to buy the Inn? Now Buck comes along and reaps the benefits of all her hard work. Oh, and don’t forget his nasty, criminal brother Travis. He works for Buck, and her friend Melanie has a crush on him!

The Welcome Inn is available from Wings Press.