Meet Marilyn Brant and a book give away!

Every woman remembers her firsts: Her first kiss. Her first lover. And her first time contemplating an affair…

Publisher: Kensington Books (trade paperback)
Release Date: October 1, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0-7582-3462-9
**A Doubleday Book Club & Book-of-the-Month Club Featured Alternate Selection for October ‘10

“Marilyn Brant’s sophomore effort…is a brilliant character study of three very different women each asking the question we all wonder about sooner or later: did we make the right choices during our journey and if not, what steps do we need to take in order to live our best life?” ~Leah Eggleston Krygowski, Manchester Books Examiner & Chicklit Club review, 8/10 rating

“Friday Mornings at Nine is the perfect example of a book by an author whose writing just gets better and better. In her second book, Marilyn Brant's prose is superb…” ~Pamela Kramer, Chicago Books Examiner

My good buddy Marilyn Brant has a new book coming out this week and if it's half as good as her debut novel, According to Jane, then we're all in for a treat. Friday Mornings at Nine releases October 1. Leave a comment below and one lucky person will win a copy of this fab new book!

Marilyn was kind enough to answer a few questions about the book and about her writing process.

Q: What’s the premise/back-cover blurb of Friday Mornings at Nine?

A: Each Friday morning at the Indigo Moon Café, Jennifer, Bridget and Tamara meet to swap stories about marriage, kids and work. But one day, spurred by recent e-mails from her college ex, Jennifer poses questions they've never faced before. What if they all married the wrong man? What if they're living the wrong life? And what would happen if, just once, they gave in to temptation…?

Soon each woman is second-guessing the choices she's made -- and the ones she can unmake -- as she becomes aware of new opportunities around every corner, from attentive colleagues and sexy neighbors to flirtatious past lovers. And as fantasies blur with real life, Jennifer, Bridget and Tamara begin to realize how little they know about each other, their marriages and themselves, and how much there is to gain -- and lose -- when you step outside the rules.

Q: What is the inspiration behind this novel?

A: I’ve talked with a lot of women about their marriages -- and, in some cases, about their affairs. Sometimes these revelations came in the form of random comments thrown out unexpectedly. Other times they were part of well thought out discussions about whether the women in question should or shouldn’t stay married. I met my husband 20 years ago and we’ve been married for almost 18 of those years. I consider us to be happy, but I don’t know anyone who’s been married that long who hasn’t experienced some ups and downs. I think the fortunate couples are the ones who keep choosing to be together and work on their relationships despite all of those years and the inevitable changes.

Of course, it takes both people to do that, and it also takes a lot of time and effort. The individuals involved have to want to get to know now these people they married (who may be different creatures than the ones they met a decade or more before), and they need to really pay attention to their own needs and desires, too. Sometimes, in the process of that kind of deep analysis, it turns out there was a profound disconnect somewhere along the line. In some cases, it’s possible to reconnect. In others, not so much. So, essentially, I wanted to write a story about three women who have marital disconnects to some degree that makes them wonder what would have happened if they’d chosen differently. Then I wanted them to finally take the time to examine their lives so they could choose mindfully where to head next.

Q: If they made a movie of this book, who would you cast to portray the characters?

A: I'd love to see this onscreen! (And I’d try to find a way to get Johnny Depp in there somewhere…LOL.) For the main characters, though, I imagine someone like Kate Winslet for Bridget, Calista Flockhart for Jennifer and Kim Cattrall for Tamara. Definitely a cast I'd enjoy seeing together!

Q: What got you writing contemporary women's fiction?

A: I love reading contemporary women’s fiction stories -- both dramatic and humorous. They were not only what got me into the genre, but they were what inspired me to be a writer in the first place. Aside from a lifelong love of classic Jane Austen, I really enjoyed the domestic dramas of Sue Miller, Anne Tyler and Elizabeth Berg, as well as the lighter touch of Pamela Redmond Satran, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Jennifer Crusie, Susan Wiggs and Jane Porter. I wanted to find a way to merge the relationship themes explored in my favorite novels with my own humor and writing style and, hopefully, be able to write stories that would resonate with other women.

Q: Do you have any favorite books on the craft of writing that you often use?

A: Oh, yes! I’m a BIG fan of craft books! I used Blake Snyder’s SAVE THE CAT! almost religiously in the plotting of my past several books. I’m still very sad that he’s no longer with us. As far as a great reference guide, Robert McKee’s STORY is incredible. It has more information about writing craft than I can ever internalize. Also, whenever I need a more emotional pick-me-up, I grab the Ralph Keyes book THE COURAGE TO WRITE and Anne Lamott’s BIRD BY BIRD. I recommend these to everyone.

Q: What is your advice for those who looking to get their novel published?

A: Don’t follow trends just because you think it’ll be an easier sell. And write the books that fit your voice. If what you love writing happens to be a hot-selling genre, great. If your writing voice happens to be perfect for the genre you want to write in and love to read, that’s awesome, too. But -- if not -- write long and hard enough to find what DOES fit you and your style best. Because then, even if it takes longer to make that first sale than you expect, you’re writing the kinds of stories you most enjoy, and that passion has a way of working itself into the projects you’re creating.

Q: What's next for you?

A: I’m in the process of beginning blog tours, library visits, book-club chats and other public events featuring my second novel, Friday Mornings at Nine, which is a Doubleday Book Club and Book-of-the-Month Club selection for October 2010, as well as still doing some fun Austen-related promo for my debut novel, According to Jane. I’ve just turned in my third novel, the title is still up for debate, but it’ll be out next fall, and it’s a modern “A Room with a View”-like travel adventure. It has characters that play chess, Sudoku and Mah-jongg, eat lots Italian gelato and linguini, and spontaneously sing Andrew Lloyd Webber songs and other musical-theater selections. Finally, I’m starting the writing process all over again for my next women’s fiction project, which I’m really excited about… I’ll, hopefully, be able to share more info on that story soon!

You can learn more about Marilyn and her books at her website right here.

Comments are open till Wednesday at midnight. Winner will be announced on Thursday morning. Good luck!

Sugar cookies and football

What do they have in common you ask?

Not much but they are both on my agenda today.

I'm making Pioneer Woman's favorite sugar cookies to send to my son in college. He has 3 exams this week (Physics, Statistic, and Computer language) which all sound rather horrible to me, to tell you the truth, so he deserves some cookies. And sugar cookies are his favorite. Will let you know how PW's recipe holds up. It calls for Cream of Tartar, which I've never used before, but I like the way it sounds. Tar-tar... Isn't that a song from the 80's or something? Oh, well.

And this afternoon, it's Seminoles football once again. Go Noles!

He's not your mother's Steve McGarrett

I have to say I'm kind of excited about the new Hawaii Five-O. As a kid, it was the premiere cop show. Bad guys, cheesy lines (Book 'em Danno!) and of course, that great theme music.

Every week for years (or at least a couple of them) I would lace up my tap shoes and dance to the opening credits of Hawaii Five-O on the terrazo floor in the Florida room (that's what we call a rec room down here in the Sunshine state) while my family cheered me on. I was certain that if I practiced enough, Miss Nancy (my tap and ballet teacher) would let me do a solo tap number to Hawaii Five-O at the next big recital. I think I was envisioning a hula skirt for a costume.

I never got to do a tap solo, but I did get to do a tap duet. Only it was to the music of "The Good Ship Lollipop" in which I was forced to channel Shirley Temple, right down to the ringlets, PLUS carry a giant lollipop in my hand while I tapped, but that's another post altogether.

I'm happy to report the first episode passed my muster and has made the permanent scheduled series status on my DVR. Of course, it has nothing to do with the fact that the new Jack Lord is being played by the yummy Alex O'Loughlin. Nothing at all. My 8 year old self does not remember ever being faintly attracted to Jack Lord, aka Steve McGarrett. The rest of the cast is pretty awesome too: Jean Smart, Scott Caan, Grace Park and the awesome Daniel Dae Kim (from Lost!)

Monday nights, 10 pm est. Be there. Aloha.

My Chicklit Club interview!

Recently, I was interviewed by the very lovely Annmarie over at Chicklit Club. She asked some awesome questions. Like who my ideal literary hero is (and it's not Mr. Darcy!) You can check out the interview here.

Chick lit Lives On

I just love a good surprise. As opposed to a bad surprise, which would be anything I don't have complete control over. Us control freaks (and yes, I am one of those) don't like the bad surprises.

So what's a good surprise? Opening my email to read that my Kindle has just been sent my electronic copy of Mini Shopaholic! I must have pre-ordered it a zillion years ago because I totally forgot about it. Of course, first I have to finish reading Louisa's Just One Taste, which is utterly fabulous. I would have finished it the day I started it except I went out of town this past weekend and haven't had a chance to pick it back up again. But I will, and then it's on the adventures of Becky Bloomwood and her mini me.

And speaking of chick lit... check out the new blog here by the RWA chapter of Chick lit writers (of which I'm a proud member). Should have some great upcoming posts!

What I thought of Boardwalk Empire

I have to confess to being both kind of excited and not excited about the premiere of Boardwalk Empire. Excited because it was an HBO mini-series and they are generally pretty good TV. And not so excited because it was a Martin Scorcese/Terence Winter brainchild and while they are terrific writers/directors/whatever they are not particularly chick friendly. And it's not the blood/gore part of whatever they do that gets to me. After all, I'm a fan of True Blood and you don't get much bloodier than that. I think it's the gangsta mentality that I don't find particularly interesting anymore. Al Capone? Lucky Luciano? Yawn... I've seen The Godfather. Let's move on.

However... there was one character I did find kind of interesting and that was Margaret Schroeder, a pregnant immigrant on her third baby with an abusive drinkin/gamblin' husband played beautifully by Kelly Macdonald. I love Kelly Macdonald. She's a fabulous actress who always adds a quiet intelligence to whatever character she plays. It will be interesting to see where they take her.

As for Steve Buscemi playing the lead role... Yes, he's a good actor. But if you're going to do sex scenes with your lead male role, couldn't you have made him a little... sexier? Of course, I will admit to laughing at the scene involving the reverse cowgirl position. I do love me a cheeky sex scene (no pun intended).

Bottom line? Thanks to On Demand and my trusty DVR, I will watch again next week at my leisure. The premiere didn't earn me gluing myself to the TV next Sunday at 9pm if I have something better to do or watch.

Tall, Blond, Handsome, Cuban, Bunco cupcake eating squirrels

Okay, let me splain' that title...

Other than looking for Maria Geraci or any of my fabulous books, the most common search words that bring people to my blog are: tall, blonde, handsome, Cuban, Bunco cupcakes and squirrel. What do these words have in common, you ask?

Well, I've written posts with the following titles:

Tall, blond and handsome.

My Big Fat Cuban baby shower

To the Squirrel who ate my hamburger

Bunco cupcakes

Imagine how much blog traffic I'd get if I could actually write a post that combined those 7 magic words. Maybe just having a title with all the words together will do the trick ;)

On that note, I will leave you with this. If they ever do a movie version of The Boyfriend of the Month Club, I KNOW who I would want to play Joe. From the second I wrote him he was always Chris Evans for me. So here's the tall, blond, handsome part. Now all I need is a Bunco cupcake to hand feed him. (Maybe next week I'll find a Cuban squirrel I can blog about.)

Proofread, Dummy!

Lest anyone get offended by my title post, the only dummy I'm referring to is myself :)

I think my internal proofer died out after the last round of edits on The Boyfriend of the Month Club. For anyone not aware, the very last time an author sees her book before it actually goes into print is the called the "final pass" (or at least that's what it's called at Berkley). This is when you see your manuscript typeset the way it will look in the book and it's your last chance to catch a mistake. You can't change words unless it's an actual factual mistake but this is when you proof for typos and punctuation.

Not sure if I mentioned it, but I found tons of punctuation mistakes in my final pass. I think most of it is my fault because when I did the final copy edits, I made so many changes to the manuscript, some periods (as in final dot at the end of a sentence) were either omitted or doubled (due to inability to see the manuscript clearly with the color markups).

I took extra care with the final proofs, checking my manuscript up to 3 times, reading it over and over and over... until I was pretty sure I had marked everything that needed correcting. Of course, it didn't help that Mike Geraci came up with the statistic that people miss "about 15%" of errors due to whatever. Thanks for that info, Mike Geraci. If you know me then you know I'm a compulsive freak and it will drive me crazy if my book comes out with a typo.

So... imagine my reaction when I got my new note cards in the mail yesterday. Aren't they pretty? Hopefully, no one will notice the back of the card!





(totally my fault for not proofing the spelling carefully enough on the final order!)

My crick in the neck

I woke up this morning with a massive spasm in my neck. Did I sleep wrong? Probably, although I suspect it has more to do with the hours I spent at my computer yesterday (am really making headway on the new novel!)

As we speak, I can only move my head to the right. Well, okay, I can move it to the left some too, but only because Mike Geraci has spent the last ten minutes using his superb super massage/rolfing techniques on me.

Yesterday, I gave away an ARC for my upcoming book, BOTMC. The winner was announced in my edited post on Girlfriends Book Club. Congrats to Sarah!

Plans for the day: keep writing on the new novel. Go mail my Fresh Fiction contest winner her goodies (a signed copy of Bunco Babes Gone Wild and a gift card to Borders), run to Publix to buy some more Motrin (best drug in the world) and make a quiche. I'm not a huge quiche fan, but I've decided I'm going to make a really moist and delicious one today. Oh, and finish watching Letters to Juliet. I started watching it last night and fell asleep. Not because it was bad or anything, but because I was tired. It started out very cute and I really really want to like this movie, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

ARC give away!

It's Monday! And you know how much I love Mondays (no, really, I do, I'm one of those people).

Today I'm over at Girlfriends Book Club, talking about writing romance in the closet. I'm also excited to be giving away an ARC for my December release, The Boyfriend of the Month Club, so go on over and leave a comment right here. I really love this book so much and I can't wait to hear what people think of it!

Real Life versus my closet life

My closet life for those of you who aren't aware, is the the metaphor I've given to that part of my life that involves my writing. In other words, the made up part of my life. The one where the people don't really exist. Lately, I haven't been spending too much time there.

Part of the reason is because, to tell you the truth, I'm simply worn out. Writing my last book took a huge toll on me. A few days ago over at Girlfriends Book Club we discussed how long it takes to write a book. The consensus was somewhere between a few months but less than nine years (heh).

I've written a book in six months and it's a struggle. Not because I can't finish a book in that time. But because I really need time between my drafts to let my words marinate. Someone asked me once what I thought of finally reading my book in print. The answer was, "I don't read my books in print." Once I send off the last draft I never read the book again. I simply can't. If I can't edit it, then I can't read it. Because I'll always find something that can be improved. I think a lot of writers feel the same way.

So... last night (after I got back from Bunco!) I sat down to open up my latest manuscript (tentatively titled Girlfriends are Forever) in which I've been struggling heartily because I haven't found the right opening. Well, I'm happy to say that I think I found the right beginning. Which means, it's back to my closet life and I think I'm happy about that.

Recipe for Love series giveaway

So I'm kind of cheating this week on the Tuesday give away. My good pal, Louisa Edwards is featured today on The Season Blog in a fantastic Q&A that gives some great insight into the writing process and the world of publication. If you go over and comment, you could be entered to win all 3 of the Recipe for Love books. It's a great deal!

The Boyfriend of the Month Club book trailer

I did it! For those of you who aren't aware, I'm about the most techno-challenged person on the planet (I also don't read directions). So for me to actually make a book trailer is more than just a feat. It's a miracle. And then for me to upload it to YouTube. Well, let's just say, I'm smiling pretty big right now! I would have had this up yesterday, but I got bit by some kind of stomach flu that had me in bed for almost 24 hours. Yuck.

Happy Labor Day! And happy viewing!

More Book give aways, and go Noles!

How long does it take you to write a book? Weigh in over at Girlfriends Book Club and you might win a copy of Allison Winn Scotch's latest The One that I want.

Happy Labor Day weekend everyone! I'm starting my weekend by watching the Noles. Yay for college football!

Good things

First off, mea culpa! Please forgive my lack of blogging. Won't happen again. I promise. Well, I say that now, but you know sometimes life interferes with the best of intentions, so let me say that I promise to try not to let it happen again.

The winner of this last Tuesday's give away, All I Ever Wanted, is Marian Pearson Stevens. Marian, please email me at mariageraci1@gmail.com with your address. And congratulations!

So now for the good things:

1. My awesome friend and critique partner Mel had a fabulous review for her latest novel, Love Sucks! at Fresh Fiction. You can read it here. I'm so happy for Mel! She's an awesome writer and her books deserve the wonderful reviews they've been receiving.

2. My other awesome friend, Louisa Edwards' 3rd book in the Recipe for Love series came out this week. It's called JUST ONE TASTE and it too has been garnering fabulous reviews. I haven't read Louisa's latest, although it's on my list for things to do this weekend and I expect it to be as wonderfully entertaining and romantic as her first two books are.

Bad-boy chef Wes Murphy is dreading his final-semester cooking class—Food Chemistry 101—until he meets the new substitute teacher. Dr. Rosemary Wilkins is a feast for the eyes, though her approach to food is strictly academic. So Wes decides to rattle her Bunsen burner by asking for her hands-on advice—on aphrodisiacs…

Rosemary is a little wary about working with Wes, whose casual flirtations make her hot under the collar. But once they begin testing the love-enhancing power of chocolate, oysters, and strawberries, it becomes scientifically evident that the brainy science nerd and the boyish chef have some major chemistry together—and it’s delicious…

Doesn't that sound awesome? Hint: I'm going to be giving away this book next week, so check back on Tuesday to enter!

Win a copy of She's Gone Country

Why did I eat so many cookies yesterday? Oh well. Time to get back on the straight and narrow. I am going to Jazzercise on Monday. And I will have my final proofs done by then too. Even if it kills me. Hopefully it will not.

Don't forget to write a comment under the Tuesday give away post if you want to win a free copy of All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins. Give away ends tonight. And if you're into free books (and excellent blogging) then I suggest you head over to Girlfriends Book Club where Karin is giving away a copy of Jane Porter's latest, She's Gone Country. All you have to do is leave a comment with your favorite country song;)

Clean, Proof, Bake

Sorry to be such a bad blogger. It's been a crazy week filled with spotty Internet connection, work (yes, I still do that) and trying to do the final proofs on The Boyfriend of the Month Club. Thought I was through with that book, huh? I'm finishing the final final final pass in which I frantically search out any typos, missed words, etc., and point those out to my publisher. However, if come December you find some small gaffe, please don't email me and tell me there's a misspelled word in my book. Believe me, it won't be for lack of my trying my darnedest to not have that happen. Mistakes in publishing happen all the time. No matter how many eyes go over a manuscript. And right now my eyes are begging for a reprieve. But enough of that.

In between proofing my manuscript and cleaning house today, I plan to bake cookies. The famous Neiman Marcus ones, because... well, they'll make the house smell good. Plus, you never know when I might have a cookie emergency and it's best to be prepared.




Oh, and don't forget to leave a comment in the give away post for All I Ever Wanted. I promise you, it's a fantastic read!

Tuesday Give away

Ack!

I'm late posting the Tuesday give away because I've had no Internet connection since sometime yesterday afternoon. But it finally came back on. Yay! It's unbelievable how accustomed we become to modern technology. Internet connection is right up there with the essentials of life, like food, water, air, shelter...

This week's give away is All I ever wanted by the fabulously talented Kristan Higgins.

One Happily-Ever-After Rocking Chair…
and no sign of any forthcoming babies to rock in ol' Georgebury, Vermont. For Callie Grey, turning thirty means coming to grips with the fact that her boss (and five-week fling) is way overdue in his marriage proposal. And way off track because Mark has suddenly announced his engagement to the company's new Miss Perfect. If that isn't bad enough, her mom decides to throw her a three-oh birthday bash in the family funeral home.

Bad goes to worse when she stirs up a crazy relationship with the town's not so warm and fuzzy veterinarian, Ian McFarland, in order to flag Mark's attention. So Ian is more comfortable with animals…. So he's formal, orderly and just a bit tense. The ever-friendly, fun-loving and spontaneous Callie decides it's time for Ian to get a personality makeover. But dang, if he doesn't shock the heck out of her, she might actually fall for Vermont's unlikeliest eligible bachelor….

To enter to win a free copy of this fabulous book just leave a comment below. Next Monday morning (August 30) the random generator will pick one lucky winner!

It's Monday!

While I can't leap across the stage like Irina Perren (isn't she fabulous?) I certainly feel a sort of elation come every Monday morning. I know, I know, I'm not supposed to like Mondays, but I can't help it. I really do. It probably stems from the fact that I've never worked a traditional 5 day work week, so there's no bad Monday morning connotation. There's also the fact that on Mondays the kids go back to school, the hubby goes off to his job, and I'm left alone in the house. Blissfully, wonderfully alone. Which always seems like a kind of balm after the weekend craziness.

This particular Monday, my youngest goes back to school again (as a senior!), my middle one is back in college, and everything starts fresh again. I think, psychologically, the beginning of school seems more like the New Year than Jan 1 does. Maybe because fall is my favorite season and so many fun things begin to happen. Cooler weather, football, the "big" holidays. I'm also starting to work on a new book, so that's particularly exciting. Oh, and this fall, I'm going to finally organize all my closets. I know I've been threatening this for the past 10 years, but this time, I'm really going to do it. Call it my New Year Fall's resolution!

Tuesday give away update: The winner of "A Kiss at Midnight" is Lucy! L, please email me at mariageraci1@gmail.com to give me your address so I can send you the book. Congrats!

Another give away!

Because I like to promote books, especially free ones, I thought I'd let you all know about the wonderful give away going on over at the Girlfriends Book Club (awesome blog, btw). Melissa Senate, whose post made my eyes sting a bit with unshed tears is giving away an ARC of her upcoming novel The Love Goddess' Cooking School. Just drop by here and comment and you could be the lucky winner.

Also... don't forget to post a comment under the Tuesday give away featuring Eloisa James' new book A Kiss at Midnight. I promise you, it's fabulous!

Tuesday Give Away!

So I'm back from the beach and it's time for another Tuesday, in which I give away books that I love to read. This week's give away is A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James. If you've read Eloisa before, then you know you're in for a treat. She simply cannot write a bad book! All you have to do is leave a comment at the end of this post by next Sunday, August 22. Any comment. A winner will be selected randomly on Monday, August 23, so check back then to see if you've won! US and Canadian entries only please.

Here's what Publishers Weekly had to say about the book:

Well-known for tales of dukes and duchesses, James (A Duke of Her Own) upgrades to the handsome prince in this delectable Regency reimagining of the Cinderella story. Miss Katherine Daltry, on the shelf at 23, manages the household of her ungrateful stepmother and silly stepsister, who inherited all of her father's estate. Kate is thrust from the cinders to the spotlight when her stepsister needs a stand-in for a betrothal ball at Pomeroy Castle. Gabriel, youngest princeling of the duchy of Warl-Marburg-Baalsfeld, needs a rich wife to support his archeology habit; Kate is, of course, manifestly unsuitable. Eccentric turns from Professor Biggitstiff, a pickle-eating dog, and an irrepressible godmother spin a candy floss comic romp around a core of heartache. James's deft touch allows the characters to shine through genuinely witty dialogue and an uncluttered plot.

Girlfriends Book Club!

It's Monday morning, vacation is over, school starts next week, and it's time to get back in a routine. I always love the beginning of summer. I love the end of it too;) Truth be told, autumn is my favorite season. Football games, cooler weather, holidays... I love it all! It's also time to start writing a new book, and of course, that's always exciting;)

Today also marks the beginning of a new blog. It's a group blog composed of 35 female authors (myself included!) celebrating everything about female writers, books by women, books women like to read... well, you get the picture. It's called Girlfriends Book Club. Go check it out. This cycle we'll be blogging about summer reads and The Call.

What I'm doing at the beach

I took this picture the other evening around 7:30 pm. The water was unbelievably warm and completely clear. I could have stayed in all night, except I got hungry...

I have to say, this has been one of the most relaxing vacations I've taken in a long time. No book dead lines, no running here and there. Just laying out by the pool and the beach, reading, watching movies, playing board games and generally having a great time. I did meet up with fellow writer and Panhandle Romance Writers of America chapter mate, Jamie, this morning at the local Books A Million. We drank coffee and caught up. She's working on a new book which sounds fantastic and I can't wait to read:)

Speaking of reading, I found a new author. This is what I'm reading at the moment. Great voice and lots of wonderful Victorian era description. Sherlock Holmes for a new generation. I think I know who done it. But I'm prepared to be wrong...

The Hot Vampire Love Give away winner is...

Tiffany!

Tiffany, please email me at mariageraci1@gmail.com to give me your address so I can mail you the books. Congratulations!

Destin here I come

This is where I plan to spend the next week of my life. Third umbrella from the right. I'm going to move only to eat/sleep/catch a break from the sun. I have many lovely books loaded on my Kindle, as well as some real live books I plan to devour.

I booked the beach house we're staying in back in February, pre-oil spill, and I have to tell you, there were moments I considered canceling and trying to find a place on the east coast. But I took Charlie's plea (that would be Charlie Crist, Governor of the great state of Florida) seriously. There he was on the front page of the Tallahassee Democrat a few months ago asking Floridians not to abandon their vacation plans on the Gulf coast. If we don't support our local economies then we can't expect out-of-staters to do the same. So I decided oil or not, the Geraci clan was going to be in Destin this August. So glad I stayed strong. The latest updates show that the oil hasn't reached Destin and that the beaches are as beautiful as ever.

I also plan to work on a proposal while I'm in Destin. Now that The Boyfriend of the Month Club has been laid to rest and is awaiting printing (can't wait to see my beautiful cover in person) it's time to think about a different book. I pitched the idea for the new book to my agent and she loved it. Thought it was my best idea ever:) Now, we'll just have to convince my editor of that! Of course, it all depends on how my numbers do with Boyfriend. I have to sell books in order to write more books (imagine that!) so keep your fingers crossed. You can also uncross your fingers, go to Amazon or B&N and pre-order my book. The best part? Besides getting an awesome story, is that you don't pay for the book until it gets shipped to you (book comes out December 7)!

Since I expect my Internet access to be a bit on the spotty side, there won't be a give away Tuesday this next week. But... I'll still be looking for more comments on Hot Vampire Love and will definitely post a winner on Monday (even if I have to tear myself away from the beach chair go to the Starbucks with free WiFi to do it!) Don't forget, you can still enter. Just scroll down to the post titled Hot Vampire Love and leave a comment.

Ciao!

Hostage negotiations begin

So... I was going through the guest room/den, putting things away, etc, and what do I find on the floor? Hint: Mel's suitcase was in this exact same spot just a few days ago.

Yep. It's Mel's famous tiara. Only Mel doesn't have it anymore. I can only surmise a couple of things.

a) she accidentally left it.

b) She subconsciously left it and there's a hidden meaning I'm not aware of.

c) It's the proverbial glass slipper and she's waiting for me to "crown" her with it.

Not sure which of the above is correct, but I do know one thing. She ain't gettin' it back. Nope. Not till she comes back for it in person. Let the negotiations begin...

Don't forget to comment below on Hot Vampire Love to enter to win two fabulous books. Deadline is Sunday night!

Hot Vampire Love give away

First off, aren't these just the most gorgeous covers ever?

I'm excited to announce that my good buddy, Kate Pearce aka Naughty Kate (take that as you will) has a new book coming out today. It's part of a hot new series featuring vamps in the time of Henry VIII. Yep, it's The Tudors meets vampires and it's sure to be a huge hit. The guy on the cover is so deliciously yummy I could... well, never mind what I could do. Just use your imagination.

And then there's the fabulous Love Sucks! by Melissa Francis whose follow up to last year's Bite Me! came out last week. Also a beautiful cover, sure to make teens and adults everywhere sweep it off the shelves. I'm half-way through the book and loving it as much as I did when I read the first rough draft.

Here's a little bit about Kiss of the Rose.

First in a sexy new series that takes a bite out of the court of King Henry VIII.

Desperate to defeat King Richard III and gain the English crown, Henry Tudor made a pact with the Druids that bound him and his heirs to the Druid’s deadly struggle against the Vampires. Ever since, the Llewellyns, an ancient Vampire slaying family, have been in the permanent employ of the monarchy.

Now Henry VIII is on the throne, and his father’s bargain has almost been forgotten. Until corpses drained of blood start turning up in the most inappropriate of places, including the king’s bedchamber. But are these people the victims of the Vampires-or of the Druids?

To save the king from a nameless assassin, Rosalind Llewellyn, Vampire hunter extraordinaire, must form an uneasy alliance with a known Druid slayer. Sir Christopher Ellis hails from a family that has protected the Vampires for centuries, yet Rosalind has no choice but to rely on his help. And with her life threatened and her loyalty tested, Rosalind may even have to acknowledge the unthinkable. This sworn enemy may be her soul mate.

Sounds awesome, doesn't it? I'm trying something new on my blog. As a writer, I love love love reading. And I also love free books! So, if you're smart enough to read my blog, you will now be rewarded for your great intelligence. Each week I'll be giving away a free book or 2. Books that I love, by authors that I love. So you can start loving them too (if you don't already!)

This week's giveaway will of course be Kiss of the Rose and Love Sucks! Just leave a comment here by Sunday and I'll use the random selector to pick a winner. Check back Monday to see if you've won! Only US or Canadian residents, please.

RWA 2010

This is me, ready to go, at the Readers for Life, Literacy signing in Orlando, where a fabulous time was had by all. This was my 2nd year signing and I really didn't think anything could top the buzz I got last year, but somehow, this year managed to exceed my expectations. The worst possible scenario to this kind of massive author signing is that no one stops to talk to you, or worse, avoids making eye contact with you. Thank you to everyone who stopped by my table either to: say hello, stare at my book cover, tell me you had no clue what Bunco is, tell me how much you enjoy my books, or even buy a copy!

It was also fun meeting Kelly Gay, whose book The Better Part of Darkness was nominated for a Rita. Kelly sat to my left (all the authors are seated in alphabetical order) and like last year, Cindy Gerard sat to my other side. Cindy was nominated for a Rita last year. That makes 2 years in a row now that I've sat on either side of a Rita nominee. Maybe the juju will rub off on me and I'll get that awesome little Rita flag next to my name. It could happen!

Note to self: When jumping up to hug someone across the table, watch where the water glass is. Yep. I accidentally knocked that glass of water you see on my right all over some books and down a purse. Unfortunately it wasn't my books/purse. It was Cindy's, who was very gracious about the whole thing.

Off to Orlando!

In less than an hour or two (or whenever my last load of laundry gets dried) I'll be packing up the car and heading down to Orlando with Mel. It's the 30th annual Romance Writers of America conference and I plan to suck the marrow (and whatever else I can find) out of it. I spent all yesterday running errands, doing laundry (still!) getting groceries and trying to leave enough food for my men-folk who will be holding down the fort in Tallahassee.

If you're in the Mickey area, please stop by the "Readers for Life" Literacy signing. All the proceeds go to adult literacy foundations, plus you'll get to see some really BIG stars in the romance industry. Right now, I'm a little star, but I'll be there, signing copies of Bunco Babes Gone Wild. Will keep you posted and updated on the week's events.

Oh, and don't forget, Love Sucks! comes out today. Go but it!

Love Sucks!

Do you realize that just 2 days from now the sequel to last year's hot debut YA novel Bite Me! will hit the shelves? That's right. Love Sucks! by the incredibly talented, witty, fantastically awesome Melissa Francis comes out Tuesday. I read the uncopy edited version of this last year and it was fabulous. Can't wait to read it in print. Here's a short blurb:

AJ Ashe may have gotten rid of her vampire stalker and her evil ex-teacher, but things are hardly back to normal. For one thing, she still has to maintain a strict look-but-don't-touch policy with Ryan, her hot ex-boyfriend-turned-stepbrother. For another, she has to learn to control her vampire superpowers—which means more than a few dates with Lex, mind-reading professional vampire trainer and too-sexy-for-his-own-good bad boy. And as if that's not enough, she happens to be the key to her father's plans to take over the world . . . and he'll stop at nothing to get what he wants.

All this and she's still got to plan the prom. Being a teenager is tough, but being a teenage vampire just flat out sucks!


Sounds awesome, doesn't it? Run out Tuesday to your local bookstore and buy it! And get a copy for your favorite teenage girl. She'll love you for it.

Oh, and if you just so happen to live in the central Florida area, don't miss out on the "Readers for Life" literacy signing at the Romance Writers of America Conference to be held at the Swan and Dolphin Resort. It's Mel's first time signing and my second. Should be a blast! Here's a link with more info.

Chicklit Club Review of Bunco Babes Gone Wild

Here's a nice review of BBGW. On a more recent note, I finally finished copy edits for Boyfriend of the Month Club and I'm happy to say, I really still love the book. yay! Now, I just need to read through the book one more time and make sure the changes all make sense, write up my acknowledgements and my dedication (that part is done) and send it in by Friday. I feel like the little engine that could, chanting, "I can do it, I can do it, I can do it..."


Bunco Babes Gone Wild (2009)
In the sequel to Bunco Babes Tell All, Georgia Meyer is devastated when her long-term boyfriend, Spencer, gives her a calculator instead of an engagement ring for their five-year anniversary. She escapes to her sister's house in Florida to re-evaluate her relationship. Her sister and her outrageous friends make up the bunco babes of their small beach town. In the midst of rolling dice and drinking margaritas, Georgia meets Dave Hernandez. Just as things with Dave heat up, Spencer comes crawling back to her. This is the perfect steamy beach read full of fun characters. (AO)

Things I'm looking forward to

July is busy. So incredibly busy. For one thing, I have 2 family birthdays. My oldest turned 24 yesterday and Mike Geraci's birthday is on Sunday. Then there's the copy edits I'm doing for Boyfriend of the Month. Not even half-way done, but so far, I'm still liking the book! So this is good. Plus I promised my youngest who is off at the Broadway Theatre Project that I'd paint her room while she was gone. Let's see if that actually happens...

Once all this gets done, or when 2 weeks pass (whichever comes first), I have a lot to look forward to. First, there's the RWA conference in Orlando. yay! Then, a fabulous BTP performance in Tampa on July 31. Then it's back to real life for a week, and then off to the beach for another week. I just have to last that long :)

For my sister, Carmen, thanks for being the Lettuce

So with the copy edit instructions came the request to forward my book dedication and acknowledgements. I knew this was coming. I mean, this is my third time and all, but for some reason, this part always makes me cringe. Not because I don't want to dedicate my book to someone or because I don't enjoy thanking people, but I'm always afraid that I'm going to forget someone and they'll feel hurt or I'll word something weirdly (my acknowledgement doesn't get copy edited!)

The dedication for my first 2 books were pretty brainless. I had to dedicate my first book to my husband. Mike Geraci is my fiercest supporter and best friend, so that was a no-brainer. The second book was dedicated to my kids. Another no-brainer. But this 3rd book was a little harder. I really had no idea who I was going to dedicate it to. Then I started doing the copy-edits and it suddenly became extremely clear who this book belonged to. She doesn't read my blog, so it will still come as a surprise to her when she actually sees it in hard copy for the first time.

Copyedits

I got my copy edits for The Boyfriend of the Month Club! Just took a quick sneak peek, but I can already tell this is a different copy editor than the one I had for either of my Bunco books. For one thing, she makes comments. You know, the kind you see in little bubbles off to the side of your manuscript in track changes? Not that my other copy editor didn't make a few comments to point out an error or something, but these feel different. I actually have line edits!

I know that might not make most people too excited, but goofball that I am, it gives me tingles. So I'm off to buy a big pack of computer paper to print this thing out. Am anxious/excited to read this book again. Hopefully I'll love it as much as I did when I was writing it!

The Bare Necessities

I'm seriously thinking about buying a bra online.

I know. I know. Probably a big mistake. A bra is something you have to try on to make sure it really fits, regardless if you've worn the same size forever. But if there's one thing I hate is shopping for bras. And I really really need some new ones. If something should happen to me and I have to go to the Emergency Room and they have to rip open my shirt to perform CPR I would probably expire from embarassment (forget the heart attack) due to the condition of my extremely threadbare bras. The poor things are exhausted from all the hard work they're forced to do by keeping my girls up somewhere above my navel.

So... I'm thinking this one might work. A bit pricey, but the shipping is free. And I'd be saving gas by shopping from home, and that's always a plus. Pun intended.

Bunco from a man's perspective

This is too funny.

A new year's resolution that involves air conditioning

So technically it's not a new New Year, but it's a new year for our country, so I figured that sort of counted. Regardless, it seemed like a fine time to make a resolution to exercise more. Or at least more regularly. Walking just isn't comfortable anymore in this Florida humidity. Plus, it's been raining. Like every day, which of course is normal for this time of year but even at 7am it's like a sauna outside, and if the humidity doesn't kill you, then the bugs will.

While I was walking outside the other evening I must have inadvertently opened my mouth (maybe to breathe, not sure) and a flying something or other (not a palmetto bug because believe me I would have known what that was) flew into my mouth. You should have seen me jumping around on the sidewalk. I'm sure the neighbors thought I was having a seizure. Or maybe not, since no one ran outside to help me or call 911. Maybe we're all used to bugs flying into our mouths. Not sure. But I am officially over doing anything outside that does not require a bathing suit until the weather decides to become more cilvilized. Like maybe October, some time.

Which brings me to my post. Years ago, I used to Jazzercise and loved it, but when I moved to Tallahassee 14 years ago I couldn't find a class near me with convenient hours and child care. That has now changed. I no longer need the child care, but the hours and the location are perfect, so my friend Rebecca has convinced me to join. Plus she's promised me there are NO mirrors anywhere, which is an important consideration. Wish me luck. Hopefully, I won't blow my knees out or make too big a boob of myself. At any rate, I think I'll have lots of fun, and most importantly, it's air-conditioned.

Can we get Mary back?

Pretty please. Because Mia sucks. She's a great choreographer. But as a judge? Not so much. Mary wouldn't have kicked Christina off. And she wouldn't have thrown Melinda under the bus this week by telling her (and the rest of America) she made a mistake last week. And I think Adam, whom I adore, is under some evil spell of hers because even Adam seems a little whack to me this season. It's like he has no mind of his own and he's just agreeing with whatever the all powerful Mia says. Thank God for Nigel of the chicklet teeth. There's nothing wrong with his eyes.

I yearn for one of Mary's big yells and her Hot Tamale Train express. So, powers that be of So You Think You Can Dance, can Mary please come back??

Oh, and check out the new look on my website. Jax has done some awesome updates, with more to come!

Calling Dr. Evil

Writing Goddess extraordinaire Jennifer Cruise put up a fantastic blog the other day about story structure. If you're a writer, go there now (then come back here!) As usual, her blog got me thinking about the structure of my own stories and about the characters in my stories. If there's any secret to writing a good book I'd have to say it's, revision, revision, revision. Can't stress that enough. The first draft is always crap. At least mine are, and I would suspect that holds true for the majority of writers. Even though I preplot in a bare bones minimal style, it's not until I actually finish the first draft that I have any idea what the story is really about. That's when the fun and the really hard work comes in and you have to look at your story structure.

As you know, every story is about a central character (the protagonist) who wants something. It doesn't matter what they want, it just has to be important to them. You make this character likable or sympathetic or empathetic or whatever you want to call it, and this in turn, makes their goal important to the reader. But there's always someone in the story who gets in their way. This is the really fun character. The antagonist. The nemesis. The "villain." The Dr. Evil of your novel. As elemental as this concept is to storytelling, I have to tell you, I always struggle when it comes to discovering who my Dr. Evil is. Dr. Evil doesn't always operate out in the open. He/she works in sneaky and mysterious ways. He doesn't always wear black and tote a gun or make plans to destroy the world with his super powerful new laser machine. Sometimes, at least in my books, Dr. Evil is actually a really nice person.

In my first novel, Bunco Babes Tell All, I thought my land developer Ted Ferguson was Kitty's (my protagonist's) nemesis. He was slimy, greedy and he wanted to build high rise condos on the beach. Boo! But in truth, Ted was actually an ally of Kitty's. Kitty's true nemesis was her own mother. Kitty's goal throughout the story was to buy her grandmother's old house. Her mother wanted to sell it for mega bucks (and not to Kitty). Hence, she was the character most in opposition to my protagonist's goal. Slimy Ted was actually aiding Kitty in her goal. It wasn't until I realized this (on a second or third revision) that I was able to flesh that out in the novel. BUT... then I got to about 3/4's of the book and Kitty's goal changed. Although yes, she still wanted to buy her grandmother's house, she wanted to save the Whispering Bay Senior Center even more. Kitty's new story goal was much more altruistic than her original one, and voila! Ted Ferguson, evil land developer, now becomes Kitty's nemesis.

I had to scratch my head over this one because the story structure of one goal/one central nemesis didn't fit my manuscript anymore. Eventually, I had to let go of that kind of thinking. Story structure/acts/turning points- all that stuff is great, and I believe if you're writing genre fiction you have to have these familiar elements to make the story flow, but you also can't be married to them either. There have to be allowances for things in your story that don't seem to "fit". Then I watched the movie Star Wars again and thought, hey! Star Wars is kind of like Bunco Babes Tell All (stay with me here). Like Kitty, Luke doesn't have just one goal in the story. Initially, his goal is to rescue Leia. He sees the video of Leia asking for help and gets motivated by lust and the chance for adventure and goes off with Obi Wan Kanobi to save the princess. But... once he's "saved" her, his goal changes (also to a higher, more altruistic one) to defeat the Death Star. His nemesis remains the same (Darth Vadar) but his goal gets "upped" in the story.


With The Boyfriend of the Month Club, it took me forever (call me dense) to figure out who Grace's nemesis was. Grace's goal is to turn her book club into a boyfriend club where women can discuss the men they've dated. She's motivated by the fact that she's hit rock bottom in the dating world and she wants to help other women avoid the loser dating pool she's been swimming in. She's aided by the other members of her book club, who also happen to be her best friends. But two of the members (Sarah and Penny) are initially opposed to the idea of the boyfriend club.

“Seriously? I just don’t know about this whole boyfriend club,” Sarah said. “It smacks of disgruntlement.”


But Ellen, the fourth member of the group, is totally on Grace's side. She helps Grace convince Sarah and Penny to go along with the agenda.

"So we're really going through with this?" Sarah said.

“Of course we are,” Grace said. “It’s going to empower us!”


So imagine my surprise (light bulb above the head moment) when I finally figured out that Ellen was Grace's nemesis. Yes, she's totally on board the boyfriend club wagon, but she has her own agenda. Ellen, who teaches English Composition and Poetry Appreciation 101, wants to use the data they collect at the boyfriend club meetings to expand her masters thesis, Undressing the Romantic Hero in Popular Literature (isn't that a great title for a thesis?) into a book. Slowly but surely, she and Grace start butting heads and Ellen becomes Grace's greatest opposition to achieving her goal. The thing is, Ellen is a totally likable and sympathetic character in her own right, which I think makes her a really interesting nemesis.

But about 3/4's of the way through the book, Ellen is defeated and Grace wins. So the conflict should be over. But not really. Because with Ellen's defeat, a new and much stronger nemesis rises from Ellen's ashes. His name is Speedway Gonzalez and he's Daytona Beach's hottest DJ and a Tucker Max wannabe. Speedway uses the information from Grace's boyfriend club as daily fodder for his radio show, humiliating not just the members of the club, but the men they've "critiqued." Now Grace's goal changes. She has to shut down the boyfriend club and try to make everyone in Daytona Beach forget it ever happened. But Speedway isn't just going to roll over and die.

“Hey, Speedsters! This is Speedway Gonzalez, taking you round and round Day-to-na Beach. Guess who’s decided to come out and play this morning? It’s none other than the head honch-ess of the boyfriend club, herself, Grace O’Bryan. So, Gracie, first things first. Are you fat?”

“Yes, I am. I tip the scales at four hundred pounds. Thanks for asking.”

Speedway chuckled. “It’s not that going to be that easy, babe.”

And Dr. Evil (I mean, Speedway) is right. The final conflict between protagonist and nemesis should be a fight to the death. I have to admit, of all the antagonists I've written, Speedway is by far my favorite. He's not really bad you know, he just wants to make a living.

Millie!

Today is the middle child's birthday. Nineteen years ago I was admitted to the hospital for induction of labor (yuck) because he was 13 days overdue. Luckily, once I got my epidural all was well. He showed about an hour later. All nine lbs of him. Happy Birthday, Kevin!

I'll be spending the afternoon cooking for the big UF/FSU baseball game. Go Noles! I really don't want them to leave Omaha with a loss to the Gators. Of course, being that it's Kevin's birthday and he's a Gator, I'm a little torn. Oh well. We'll see what happens!

This morning I'll be doing my volunteer work at Young Actors Theatre selling tickets for their upcoming smash musical Thoroughly Modern Millie. My youngest, Megan, is playing the lead role. Not that I'm prejudiced or anything but the show is going to be awesome. If you live in the Tallahassee area, this is your chance to get tickets. The box office opens today to the general public and tickets go fast, so get out your Visa or MC and give us a call. Here's the info:

Hold your breath because here comes thoroughly modern Millie! This magical Broadway musical is set in the roaring twenties when bobbing hair and rolling stockings was considered daring. With charisma and moxie, Millie Dilmount is a girl with big dreams from a little town. Don’t miss Millie as she taps her way into your heart in this Tony award-wining musical as only Young Actors Theatre can bring you!

Box office: 850-386-6602 Ext.2 (Open from 9:30am to 1:00pm Monday through Friday)(More information is provided on at youngactorstheatre.com)
Performances:
June 25 @ 7:30pm
June 26 @ 7:30pm
June 27 @ 2:00pm
July 2 @ 7:30pm
July 3 @ 7:30pm
July 9 @ 7:30pm
July 10 @ 2:00pm & 7:30pm

On Florida Charlie's and setting and starting over

It's time to start a new book. Something that both excites and terrifies me.

The exciting part is obvious. At this point, although I still have copy edits and final proofs that will have to be done on Boyfriend of the Month, I'm sick of 'em all. I've lived, breathed, slept Grace, Joe, Brandon, Charlie, Sarah, Abuela and the rest of the gang for almost a year now and it's time to move on. Kind of like a relationship gone stale. I want the excitement of fresh characters. People who I don't know yet, but am interested in knowing. Not that I won't miss the gang from BOTM. I love those people! I made them up, after all. But I can't do anything more with them. Their story is over. Kaput. Finis. I gave everyone who deserved it a HEA, and everyone who didn't deserve a HEA, well, I gave them the potential of one, because after all, I do write fun, romantic women's fiction (After 3 books and much soul searching, that's the tagline I've decided on).

So back to the new book. The idea for the story started long before I ever actually wrote the first chapter ( I have 10 pages, yay!) It started just like Boyfriend and the Bunco books did, with the idea of a place, a community. Which is interesting, because I think I write character driven novels. But setting is character too. It lives and breathes with a life of its own. Even though Whispering Bay (the town I set my Bunco novels in) is imaginary, when I close my eyes, I can see it. It has real streets and real shops and the people who live there have a very distinctive mindset about them. Kind of like when you ask someone where they're from and they say, "New York city" or "Two Egg, Florida" (yes, there is a town called Two-Egg- it's not too far from Tallahassee). Whether right or not, I already have an idea about that person, because where you're from and where you've been raised has as much influence over the kind of person you become as anything else, I think.

Before I ever thought of the concept of Boyfriend of the Month (or even thought of the title) the idea of Florida Charlie's (the tourist shop where a lot of the action in the book takes place) had already come to me. It had been germinating like a seed in the recesses of my mind and had taken root. Although BOTM is set in Daytona Beach, a real town, the novel's true "location" is Florida Charlie's. A tourist shop still stuck in the 1960s. A place that gave away free samples of orange juice and shipped citrus, and sold old fashioned gifts and had a corny mascot. A place that was a bit of a Florida icon in its day but had been brushed aside by the big tourism machine (you know who I'm talking about here- the little guy with the ears). I think the one character I'll truly miss the most when I completely leave Boyfriend is that shop. Funny, but true.

Which gets me back to the new novel. Tentatively titled Girlfriends are Forever (but that could easily change). The seed for this book started with the Race for the Rock. A high tech scavenger hunt that took place back in May in Bainbridge, Ga (just about 30 minutes north of Tallahassee). The prize? A $10,000 engagement ring, hidden somewhere in the city. The idea of it is so brilliant, it gave me shivers. And immediately got me thinking about this new imaginary place. A town somewhere south of St. Augustine. A town that claims that Ponce de Leon actually discovered the fountain of youth in their neck of the woods. A town that's kind of dyin' and needs something big to revive it. And revive the people who live there. And voila... Exploration, Florida was born. Not sure if I'm crazy about that name but I'm already in love with the town. And the people who live there. And I think that's good.

The way to a man's heart is through flan

In my upcoming novel, The Boyfriend of the Month Club, my main character, Grace, needs to apologize to Joe, her sexy new dentist for jumping to an erroneous conclusion about him. Knowing that a simple "sorry" won't cut it, she goes to her abuela for advice.

“Flan,” Abuela blurted. “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. When your abuelo Pedro was courting me my mother used to make him flan. He couldn’t resist it. Make him a flan and he’ll throw himself at your feet.”

I had so much fun writing this chapter! The recipe Grace uses belongs to my mother and is also featured in the back of the book, but since you're reading my blog you get first dibs at it. So here it is, Pioneer Woman style:

Carmen Palacios' Flan de queso

Grace had seen her mother make countless flans in her lifetime. But she’d never actually made one herself.
“You know what’s funny, Abuela?”
Before Grace could finish, Abuela’s gaze went back to the television screen. “Eggs, sugar, evaporated milk…” When Grace didn’t do anything, Abuela shooed her with her hand. “You know what goes inside!”

Okay, so Grace has an unfair advantage because as you've just read, she's seen her mother make countless flans. But I'll tell you exactly what goes inside. Here it is:

5 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
dash of salt

Put all the ingredients in a blender. And mix.

Grace placed the remaining ingredients into a blender and whirled them together. She took a second to sniff the frothy liquid. The smell of vanilla wafted up enveloping her in familiar comfort.

Put the blender aside and pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Measure out 2 additional cups of sugar and place in a skillet over med/high heat. This will make the caramel for the flan.

She set the stove for medium heat, then dumped two cups of sugar into a skillet.
“The secret to a good flan is to make enough syrup so that the custard doesn’t stick. Did you put in sufficient sugar?” Abuela asked.

Eventually, the sugar will start to dissolve. This is the part where you must have patience. The whole process only takes about 10-15 minutes but it always seems longer to me. Every once in a while, give the skillet a little shake. It's probably not really necessary, but it gives you something to do.

Grace gave the skillet a jiggle. Watching the sugar melt was her favorite part. The transformation from solid to liquid as the white crystals morphed into a lovely brown liquid caramel, all gooey and hot. As a child the temptation to stick her finger in the syrup had always gotten her a whack on the bottom. But it had been worth it each time.

He began walking her backward, his kisses turning her from a solid into a warm liquid caramel, all bubbly and hot and easy to slide around, just like the sugar in her flan.

Woops! That's from a much later chapter. But you get my drift...

So, back to the recipe. Place the melted caramel mixture into a Bundt pan or other pan with a hole in the center, making sure you coat as much of the pan with the caramel as you can. Be careful, the pan will get hot!

Let the caramel set for a couple of minutes, then gently pour the liquid egg mixture into the pan.

She got out the pan her mother used to bake the flan, set it on the counter and frowned. Something was missing…
“You need to make a bano de Maria. So that the flan doesn’t stick to the pan,” Abuela said.

A bano de maria is basically a larger pan filled with an inch of so of water. Place the Bundt pan inside the larger pan with the water. This helps the custard to "set." PS: the n in bano needs a squiggle over it but I can't figure out how to do it.

Place the entire set up in the oven at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes until flan is brownish and firm. Test with a toothpick to make sure it's done. If the toothpick is still wet, it needs longer cooking time.


Take the flan out of the bano de maria and let cool to room temp, then refrigerate. When you are ready to serve the flan, set it at room temp for about 30 minutes, then flip it. This is what you get if your flan isn't cooked well enough or you try to flip it when it's still warm. Not pretty.

Voila! Here is your perfectly cooked, perfectly flipped flan. Since the flan has been refrigerated, there will be 'stuck' syrup in the bottom of your Bundt pan. Let it warm up to room temp some more, then drizzle as much of the syrup as you can over the flan. Decorate if you desire with fruit on the side. Refrigerate leftovers. If you have any.

There! That wasn’t so hard.
“Don’t forget to cool it well before placing it in the refrigerator,” Abuela said. “But when you’re ready to flip it, make sure it’s been at room temperature first. Do you have a plate to serve it in?”

Grace nodded. “Thanks, Abuela.”

“For what? You already knew how to make a flan.”

Book club fun

Dang it. This picture is way too dark and that's what I get for forgetting my camera. (There's only so much my trusty iPhone can do). But this was taken last night at Bonefish Grill where I met the nicest group of ladies. Their book club read Bunco Babes Tell All and they invited me to their meeting, where a fabulous time was had by all.

One of the members of the group, Beth (a total sweetheart), had contacted me shortly after reading BBTA last year and we've kept in contact. She's also a member of a Bunco group and helped put together the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) Bunco fundraiser I attended back in the winter. I absolutely love how these ladies cherish their girl time. Whether it's Bunco, book clubs, or just a few friends getting together for dinner or drinks, it's so important that we take the time from our busy lives to kick back and enjoy our female friendships. Oh, and it was fun talking about writing too. Nothing is better than hearing other people tell you how much they enjoy your books! Thanks again, ladies!

The Bachelorette and Krazy Kasey

It's no secret to anyone I know that I've been hooked on the The Bachelor/Bachelorette since it's inception. I know. It's bad reality TV/or not, but still, I can't help myself. So why try?

Last night's show just made me a little mad though. I know they try to hide the real love story (if there is one) because it doesn't make for as compelling TV as the loony fabricated stories they love to showcase. First, it was Justin "Rated R's" 2 mile trek on crutches to Ally's mansion last week. Yeah. I really bought that one. It's so obvious that he's there to promote his career as an entertainment wrestler and honestly, I don't blame him for tying to grab his 15 minutes. Ally doesn't mind either, but she'll pretend she does when the time is right, because after all, in her quest for true love, she's also getting paid some 300,000 bucks, so she'll produce just the right amount of angst to make us hate Justin even more. Which should only help Justin's career as a bad boy wrestler. Total win/win scenario for everyone.

But what I don't get is the Krazy Kasey storyline. His 1:1 date with Ally last night was beyond painful. It made her date last week with Hunter seem like a love fest. She has zip chemistry with this guy. So what does she do? Instead of giving him the boot, she tells him she can't give him a rose, but she doesn't want him to go either. Talk about mixed signals. Believe me, this is totally producer driven. What they're getting, I understand- It's the weird-guy-willing-to-do-anything-to-win-Ally's-love storyline. But what is Kasey getting out of this? I can only believe that the producers made him go off his meds for the show and he's not responsible for his actions. So to prove his "love" for Ally, Kasey decides to get a tattoo. Only when he goes to show it to her, Frank interrupts their one on one time. Kind of funny, if you ask me.

As for Frank, he started off strong, now he's getting the jealous/obsessed edit. Enough already.

And Kirk. Where did he come from? Every time you turn around, Ally's kissing him. He's getting the most "face" time with her (literally) yet they're not showing much else of him. He gets a 1:1 with her next week. In the previews, over dinner, he pauses and tells Ally he needs to tell her a secret. The look on Ally's face is priceless. Can't wait to hear what the big secret is. I'm sure it's something really stupid.

Roberto was awesome in The Lion King. He's adorable and seems to have the front runner slot.

As for Chris L? My favorite (if it were up to me to pick) but I'm afraid he's getting the Reid edit. (Reid, my most favorite bachelor by far on any season!) What's the Reid edit, you ask? This is the guy the producers make you fall in love with, then he ends up on the "friends" list. I think his date with Ally last night was pretty good, but it was choppy so it was hard to tell how real the chemistry was. Plus, he's being hidden most of the time. This is usually because he's either the "winner" and they don't want to show the chemistry too early, or they want to hide the fact that Ally isn't as into him as they want to make you believe. It's too early to tell. But I'll say this. I kind of don't want to Chris to win because I'd really love to see him as the next Bachelor.

Just please, let Kasey go the way of the weatherman (if one more guy sings to Ally with his guitar I'll puke). And for God's sake, let's hope Kasey's tattoo was a fake. Or that the producers promised him some primo plastic surgery to get rid of it.

Getting Inspired

Today I blogged over at the Florida Panhandle Romance Writers site about our terrific guest speaker Leigh Duncan. You can read about it right here.

And is it geeky or romantic of me to admit that I saw North and South again last night? All 4 delicious hours of it!

Move over, Mr. Darcy

So I couldn't sleep last night and got up to watch a little T.V. I've had the BBC adaption of Elizabeth Gaskell's famous novel North and South on my Netflix list forever, but for some reason, I kept bumping it down. Thanks to my son who has rigged up his Wi, I can get most of my Netflix movies instantly now, so I finally got to watch this beautifully romantic and moving story. So glad I did! it's absolutely wonderful. And Richard Armitage as the stoic Mr. Thornton is beyond yummy. Really. I think Mr. Darcy has some stiff competition.