Hello, friends! I’ll start this post with a fun fact: did you know that today is National Men-Make-Dinner Day? Yep, you read that right! Today is the perfect excuse to get your man cooking, and although the rules say that no BBQ is allowed, I say you should take what you can get. ? I am lucky and blessed that my husband actually enjoys cooking, and in the little free time he has, he spoils me with dishes from great chefs like Gordon Ramsay. I don’t even care if he makes a little mess, if I get a delicious dinner (but he does clean up afterward!). I know what you must be thinking: some guys sou ..read more

Happy Apple Strudel Day! How do you feel about pastries? I adore them, which makes it really hard for me, because I have decided to cut back on sugar and carbs. The pandemic brought me a few extra pounds and a lot more aches and pains than a year ago. While I’ve been putting everything on account of being sedentary, I’m starting to think that eating sugar several times a day might contribute to all that. ? However, I have a lot to show for all those hundreds of hours spent with my butt in the chair, glued to my laptop. It’s been a while since my last news bulletin, so make yourself comfy! ? Fi ..read more

Do you recognize any of these Words of Wisdom? Whether you’re sixteen or sixty, these HOME-SCHOOLED lessons are still heard today, a generational gift from ages past. Here are some of the topics and their one or two-sentence lessons. 1. TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.“If you’re going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning.” 2. RELIGION.“You better pray that will come out of the carpet.” 3. TIME TRAVEL“If you don’t straighten up, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week!” 4. LOGIC.“Because I said so, that’s why.” 5. MORE LOGIC. “If you fall out of that swing and b ..read more

We have been in a pandemic state for more than a year. Wearing a mask, keeping distance, avoiding crowds, working from home is our new reality. Should we, authors, set our new books in this new reality? Here are a few difficulties if we try to be realistic: 1-Love at first sight would be out of the question, unless we have our heroine remove her mask for a minute—maybe to sneeze or blow her nose—long enough for the lucky hero to catch a glimpse of her lovely features. 2-We still can describe a handsome hero, his tall frame, wide shoulders, and solid chest. But how will you describe a heroine’s ..read more

Hello Readers! Spring is here and everything is turning green. From California to North Carolina, everyone is a wee bit sassy, reminding me of the bunnies, bears, and fawns coming out from hibernation in the Bambi movie. I’ve been traveling this week and visiting with my newest granddaughter. She’s a sweet and feisty little one, loves to stretch out, and making the cutest little sounds of squirming and squealing. So I’ve been babysitting, baby clothes shopping, and loving on the little one, and thinking about writing sassy romances that are neither squeaky sweet nor hot-pepper steamy–what I ca ..read more

Howdy, everyone! Sorry I’ve been MIA for a while, but I’m working on several projects at a time. I must say, building a multilingual career as an author is unexpectedly exhausting, and the rewards are slow to come, especially during these times. As always, reading is what helps me stay sane, and last night I got the idea for this post while I was re-reading Nora Roberts’s “Angels Fall”, a book I particularly enjoy. The excerpt I’ll reveal below made me laugh out loud, as it does every time. The story’s main characters are Reece – a troubled woman who’s trying to escape some deep traumas, and B ..read more

I have a new release and it’s a Rom-com! When I started writing the second book in the Men of WarHawks series I had in mind a suspense novel with a female antagonist because I’d read somewhere that something like one in ten women are criminals. Enter Olivia Brandt- psycho stalker. Excerpt from Villain’s POV Unable to help herself, Olivia lifted the spyglasses just as Roy got out of the car and went around to open the door for the chunky woman who climbed out and stared up at the rather impressive log cabin in front of them. What did he even see in her? She had no style sense—seriousl ..read more

Do you know that song, “Holding Our for a Hero,” sung by Bonnie Tyler? When Tyler sings, “I need a hero,” that’s exactly what romance authors think as we breathe life into the character our heroine will fall for. Readers are looking for a hero to thrill them too. As a romance author, I spend a lot of time thinking about heroes and how to make a story’s hero be perfect for the heroine. What Is a Hero? Is he the guy in the wet t-shirt? He’s got brooding good looks and toned body. Does that make him a hero? People lay claim to football players, rock stars, actors, and other famous types as heroes ..read more

I love books ever since I’ve learned to read, and although I enjoy many genres I find myself particularly drawn to stories that feature booklovers. Perhaps because everyone likes to live vicariously through their fictional characters; for a bookworm like me it’s easy to relate to another bookworm – even if she’s fictional. I also enjoy humorous stories and, of course, happy ever afters. If I wanted reality I’d watch the news. Instead, I like to surround myself with positivity and look harder at the brighter side of life. This urged me to start my Bookish & Sexy Collection, a compilation of ..read more

Writers are die-hard readers first and foremost, and we know how to properly store books. In fact, we probably buy more books than the average reader, and many of us have massive home libraries. Whether you’re talking an online bookseller or a brick and mortar store, we find it had to pass them by without browsing the sale books, new releases, and collectibles. I’ve written before about how to remove the smell from books one may buy in a musty used book store. Today, I thought I’d talk about how to store books properly. At the end of this post, I’ll even talk about the proper storage of ebooks ..read more