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!