Well, this is my last post, and it’s the only time I’ve been late getting it out. Maybe it’s because I hate for the blog to end. Very soon, we’ll be doing a special farewell post where all the Berkley Babes will offer final words of wisdom (or whatever!), so be sure to check back for the last post.  

Life is speeding by, with daily changes occurring at a mind-boggling rate. Now we have all kinds of blogs, and MySpace and myriad other chat rooms and events on the Internet. It’s almost too much to take in. Life in the fast lane for planet Earth.

Even our TV shows reflect the changes in our society. I’m amazed by the programming, the CSI shows, the police and medical dramas, the wide array of paranormal and science fiction shows, and the reality shows. Wow. People talk about how romance novels aren’t in touch with the real world, but if that’s true, neither is television. But what do the nay-sayers know? Do we want the real reality? Personally, I’d prefer to be entertained, and to enter a world (even if it’s make believe) where the sky is the limit.

I’ve always done that with romances, and now, to some extent, I can do it with certain TV shows. Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of time to watch TV, but I’m definitely into Dancing With The Stars and American Idol. I’ve been glued to the TV when they’re on, and voting like a maniac when the show goes off the air. I also love Medium (cool woo-woo stuff) and House (snarly House, super melodrama, usually with a happy ending), and The Dresden Files (which appears to be off the air now) and CSI. Cool, cool stuff that gives me fodder for my books.

So, what cool TV shows do you like to watch?

~ Catherine  

In March, we took our family trek to Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee to see our families. Not only do I always enjoy visiting with parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and good friends, but I have the luxury of fairly unstructured time. And that means .  . . reading! 

Actually I read every day, even when I’m under a writing deadline. It’s as important to me as food (which is pretty darned important, unfortunately). But when I’m in my regular routine, I usually only get a few minutes to read before I go to sleep at night. No matter how late it is or when I have to be up in the morning, if I don’t get my reading “fix”, I won’t sleep well.

My love of reading started from the time I was a baby and my parents read to me–it was always my favorite time of the day. I got very involved in those stories, let me tell you! Then I was able to read on my own, and we went to the library every week, and I ordered Scholastic paperbacks (remember the book order forms we used to get at school?). I was never without a book.

In my case, my love of stories, the characters, and the words themselves translated into me becoming a writer. I think most writers are also avid readers.  So when we took our annual trip this year, I was loaded down with books to read and I luxuriated in some incredible stories.

I read Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward; Warlord by Elizabeth Vaughan, Charmed & Ready by Candace Havens, and Seventh Key by Evelyn Vaughn. They were all excellent books, and it was heavenly!

Now, although I’m back into the daily routine, I’m eagerly eyeing my TBR pile, my fingers itching to pick up the next book. The top three on the pile are Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris, Atlantis Rising by Alyssa Day, and Visions of Heat by Nalini Singh. I can hardly wait to dig in!

So, what are you reading?

~ Catherine

Hey everyone! Happy Saturday! Well, I received two things on my upcoming book TOUCHED BY FIRE (the second Sentinel book, which will be available October 2, 2007). The first great news is that my editor loved the story and is very excited about it. I am, too, because it’s Luke’s story, and is he hot! Secondly, I got the cover. And I saw red—literally. It’s really, really red. The guy on the motorcycle isn’t exactly how I pictured Luke, who has very long hair. I think most authors have at least a small shock when they see their new covers. Most of us have absolutely no control over our covers, and usually don’t see them until they’re a done deal. I did ask my publisher if they’d consider making Luke’s hair longer (just an airbrush stroke here and there), but they said no, they no longer put long hair on contemporary heroes—not hip enough. Hmmm. Interesting.

Okay. So I have a very red cover with a fairly hunky guy (with short hair) on a cool motorcycle (Luke rides a Harley). And he is wearing the Sentinel pendant, just like the one the Berkley Babes are giving away in our April contest. The bright red will catch the eye and hopefully entice a reader/potential buyer to pick it up and look at it. All in all, a decent cover. Thank you, cover fairies!

So, what do you like to see in a book cover? What attracts you, draws your attention? And what ultimately convinces you to buy the book?

~ Catherine

Have you ever wondered exactly why you read romance? Being more of a by-the-seat-of-my-pants type of person, I’m not one to analyze things. But when I was on the final pages of my upcoming book, TOUCHED BY FIRE (out on October 2!), I ran into some startling developments that I hadn’t planned on. After the showdown with the bad guy, I couldn’t bring myself to simply let the hero and heroine declare their undying love and ride off into the sunset. It just wasn’t time. I needed to draw it out more, needed for Marla and Luke to angst a little more, for me (and the readers) to wonder if they would ever find a way to be together. Then there was another startling development (which would be a spoiler, so I’m not revealing it) that really surprised me. All of this unplanned story that came pouring out was emotional and heart tugging and ultimately made the ending more satisfying, more of an “Ahhhhh” moment.

Why did I need to put Luke and Marla (and myself) through all of these emotional gyrations? Because my involvement with the characters and the story was so great, the buildup so powerful (hopefully), that I wanted a greater emotional payoff. I always feel let down when a book ends too abruptly (as if the author ran out creative energy or reached the end of her allotted page count or had a deadline to meet). I want to see at least some of the happily-ever-after or be allowed to let of emotional steam, which is probably why all the books in my Shielder series have an epilogue. Strangely enough, my first two Sentinel books don’t, and I think I missed not having more payoff, which is why I wrote the extra pages at the end of TOUCHED BY FIRE. I’ve realized I’m really into epilogues, and that it’s because I want that final emotional fix. For me, the characters, and the emotion they evoke, are the main reasons I read romance. I love the steamy scenes, and I like the descriptions of the world, but if the emotion isn’t there, it’s not enough.

So, why do you read romances? Is it the characters, the relationship, the sex, the world building, the suspense, the emotional impact, the feel-good-at-the-end, or maybe the whole package? I hope you’ll share.

~ Catherine

If you’re not a writer, you might think the writing life is glamorous and exciting and en”riching” (as in making a lot of money). Ha! I know we’ve done round table discussions about what writing is really like, but I thought I’d entertain you with some real-life perceptions and questions that I’ve encountered in the fifteen plus years that I’ve been writing seriously. Let’s start with some real-life questions and my often-snappy answers to them:

1) “How do you research your sex scenes?” (You wouldn’t believe how often I get this one!). Duh. Let’s see . . . Answer No. 1)”How do you think a mystery writer researches the murders they write about?” (I answered this to a newspaper reporter and it was one of the tag lines for the article), or: Answer No. 2) “When in doubt, I refer back to my health book from sixth grade.”

2) “Did your husband pose for your book cover?”  Answer: “Yes, he did as a matter of fact. That’s him before the accident.” Snort. (Note: This is no reflection on my husband, who’s very nice looking.)

3) “The guy on your book cover really looks like your editor (Chris Keeslar at the time). Did he pose for the cover?” Answer: See above. (Note: Chris is really cute, so this answer is also no reflection on him.)

4) “Are you going to quit your job now that you’ve got this big book deal?” First answer: “Uh, how much do you think I got?”  Reply: “$100,000?” My next answer: hysterical laughter. Trust me—most beginning advances are much closer to the $1,000 end of that question!

5) “Are you the heroine in your books?”  A: “I wish!” (And I mean that sincerely)

6) “Are your characters based on real-life people?”  A: “Usually only those people I really don’t like and I kill off those characters.”

There are more—many more interesting questions. The truth of the matter is that writing is hard work, and often the financial compensation isn’t all that much. So why do we do it? Now that’s a really good question! I write because the characters won’t stay out of my head and because if I didn’t write, what else would I do? I also write for the immense satisfaction of seeing a completed manuscript, and because I have a legal and binding contract that says I’d better produce said manuscript.

And finally, I write for the readers, for those people who tell me how much my stories entertained, inspired, uplifted, and helped them forget their worries for a while. It means so much to hear from readers, and know that they appreciate my efforts. I’m sure all the Berkley Babes will agree with me when I say we write for *you*.

Here’s to many wonderful books to read in 2007!

~ Catherine

Well somehow, I got the February 14 post. So, happy Valentine’s Day! This is always one of my favorite days, partly because of the chocolate <g>. But also because it’s a great time to express our love, and that’s not just to our significant others. I always shower my family and friends with Happy V-Day sentiments. Share the love, as they say. And I’d like to share a few quotes from the prophet Edgar Cayce (I’ve been studying his readings since I was quite young):

“ . . . in love all life is given, in love all things move.” (Edgar Cayce Reading 345-1)

“To live love is to be love . . . . For love is law, law is love.” (Edgar Cayce Reading 900-331)

“For God is Love.” (Edgar Cayce Reading 633-4)

To me, Valentine’s Day is a great reminder for us to love one another, and to express that love to family and friends. Of course, we may have to “prime the pump” by reading a few good romances first <g> 

But Valentine’s Day is also a romance day, a time to share with our boyfriend, spouse, significant other. I’m a firm believer that romance isn’t just sex, but so many other things—a glance, a smile, holding hands, a loving action. My husband is a great guy, and he’s done many wonderful things for me over the years. One thing that stands out in my mind was the year that my book Shielder was nominated for a Golden Heart (my very first RWA nomination!). I hung up the phone from talking with the coordinator, and immediately called her back to be sure it wasn’t a joke from one of my writing friends (I really thought it was). But no, it was true! I was so excited, I was on cloud nine.

Of course my husband was the first one I thought to tell. I ran through the house looking for him and finally found him outside. I don’t even know if I was coherent as I rattled off the news. His face lit up and he looked so happy and proud for me. Then he said, “You know, I’ve got some money put aside. I want you to have it, so you can buy a spectacular dress for the awards ceremony.” You have to realize we had two young children, and money was very tight for us. James was starting a side antique business (that’s his non-romantic passion) and had been eyeing a special piece of glass. I’m sure the money was intended for that. But he wanted me to have it. Even went with me to buy “the dress”. Okay, so it wasn’t chocolate and flowers, and it wasn’t on Valentine’s Day, but it was “True Love”.

So, what are some of your special memories with your loved one? Please share. I hope today and all of 2007 is filled with love and chocolate and good books!

~ Catherine

January has been a great month for me. Touched by Darkness, the first book in my Sentinel series, came out, and had a decent showing on Barnes & Noble and Bookscan. Since I had changed publishers and gone from SF romance to “urban fantasy” paranormal romance, it’s been three years since I had a book out, so seeing TBD on the shelves has been great. Then on Monday, I *finished* the second book in the series, Touched by Fire, AKA “the book from hell”, and got it out the door (one whole day ahead of the deadline!). Woohoo!!! Cyber wine and chocolate to everyone! I honestly wondered if the darned thing would ever get done. Some books are like that (see my whiney post earlier this month). But it’s done, and life is good.

It did get me to wondering though, about the power of forcing ourselves to reach further than we think we possibly can, and about “firsts”. This took me back, way, way back . . . to the 1950’s, which unfortunately, I can vaguely remember. The year was 1954, and the man was Roger Bannister, who was determined to prove “them” wrong. Them, or they, were the medical experts who claimed that no one could run a mile in under four minutes—that the heart and lungs simply couldn’t withstand the strain. Everyone went along with that conventional wisdom and didn’t even try. Until Roger came along, and said, “Poppycock!” (he was British). And by golly, in May 1954, he ran a mile in under four minutes. Not only did his heart and lungs remain intact, but as soon as people knew it could be done, then hundreds of other people began doing it, too. Imagine that!

Maybe our dreams aren’t that grand, and maybe some of them are small enough to simply be considered goals, but I believe we’re all capable of greatness. (Music swelling here, the song ‘The Impossible Dream’ from Man of La Mancha—another trip way, way back.) When I started writing futuristic romances in the early 1990’s, I was told by authors, agents, and publishers, “Don’t write that—it will never sell.” That was the same thing being said about paranormal romances of any kind. And many of the first attempts didn’t fare too well. But we persisted (some authors out of sheer vision and genius, me out of my usual stubbornness). And just look at us now! Look at how the romance genre has exploded and grown, and at the amazing, innovative, creative and different types of stories it now encompasses. “You’ve come a long way, baby!” (yes, back in time again).

So today I want to salute those authors who’ve boldly gone where James T. Kirk has never gone before and who were/are pioneers in the romance field. I want to mention two of the “firsts” in books for me—books that changed my world and sent me in search of more. The first was “Many Mansions”, by Gina Cerminara, the story of Edgar Cayce, which I discovered in the library when I was eleven. It sent me a mystical journey that continues to this day. The second was “The Flame and the Flower”, Kathleen Woodiwiss’s ground-breaking historical romance that set readers on fire for more. Readers and writers haven’t looked back since.

So, what are some of the first books that inspired you, fired you up, and opened a whole new world for you?

Happy Wednesday!

Catherine

Happy Wednesday! Right now, I’m in the death throes of finishing Touched by Fire, the second Sentinel book, which will be out in October. Did anyone in this group say writing was fun or easy? If you did—whoever you are—I will find you and I’ll either inflict great pain or offer you money to write my next book—LOL. As I’ve said before, and I’m quoting my very wise critique partner, Linda Castillo: “Writing is like having a tooth pulled—very slowly—and without anesthesia.” Just call me the “toothless wonder”.

Worse, writing is like having a late-life baby. I thought my kids were challenging, but my characters are far worse, especially since I can’t send them to time out. Touched by Fire started out all right, because I already knew that the hero was going to knock the socks off my dowdy accountant heroine, and then kidnap her when she refused to cooperate. So far, so good—except she bit him when he grabbed her (this was a surprise to me, since I’m guarding my remaining teeth). She also turned out to be much funnier than I imagined—a real smart-ass.

Okay, so I can deal with a biting, smart aleck heroine, but enter her sister, who’s supposed to have a very minor supporting role and the hero’s superhuman boss, who has only a miniscule role. What’s this? The sister and the boss are going at each other? The boss has all these special powers I didn’t know about? The sister is already a fully fleshed-out, bigger-than-life character? She has precognitive abilities (when the hell did that happen)? Now what? Down, you two! Back to the sidelines!

Now the two main characters are in Austin, Texas, tracking an evil killer, and suddenly we have an appearance of the hero and heroine from the first book, Touched by Darkness. What are they doing here? Oh, we need them, do we? Arrrrgh!

Children, children! Whose story is this, anyway? Yours, or mine? Oh . . . I see. I’m chopped liver, minus a few teeth. I’m just the narrator. Well if that’s the case, do me a favor and hurry up and finish this book, will you? It’s due in less than two weeks, so you have to hurry.

That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. So, here are two questions. To you writers, do you find characters trying to take over and direct your story? To you readers, do you often find yourself mentally re-writing a story and imagining the characters doing more or acting differently?

Everyone have a great week!

~ Catherine

Hey gang, happy Saturday, happy year-end celebrations, and Happy New Year!  Bring on the party! YEE-HA!! If I weren’t so technically challenged, I’d throw in some balloons and confetti, so just pretend with me.

2006 has been a good year for me. I hooked up with the Berkley Babes, and there’s not a better group of ladies around—fun, creative, and just plain nice. Thank you, BBs! 2006 has also seen the completion of three writing projects for me, all coming out in 2007: Touched by Darkness (book one of my new Sentinel series), Street Corners & Halos, my vampire/prostitute heroine story, which is in the Demon’s Delight anthology with MaryJanice Davidson, Emma Holly and Vickie Taylor, and Touched by Fire, the second Sentinel book. I am so blessed to be able to write and be published. Even after seven years of publication, I still can’t believe it. It still feels surreal.

So, what’s in store in 2007? Hmmm. I’m not a big goal setter—pretty much a by-the-seat-of-the-pants kind of girl. But it’s always nice to at least think about making a few resolutions, even if you don’t actively seek them. For one reason, thoughts are things. Repeat after me: Thoughts are things. If you think something long enough, often the universe will facilitate it for you. So you might as well think about something you’d like to happen.

My goals for 2007? Well, there are the usual: lose weight, exercise more, make more money, clean out the clutter in my house, accomplish more things on my to-do list, etc. Those are the usual goals that many of us have, and there’s nothing wrong with them. *But* they’re either about things or appearances, and guess what? In a hundred years, they won’t matter a bit. No one will remember if your house was clean or you wore a size four or could afford a new car every year. But they will remember if their mother/grandmother/great grandmother was a nice person; if she was funny and happy and had a zest for living. And your soul will remember the acts of kindness you performed. So, with that in mind, here is my *real* resolution list for 2007:

1)  Be happy. Focus on what I have, not what I don’t have.

2)  Be joyous. Try to feel joy in something—a simple accomplishment, a walk outside, an evocative song, the smile of a loved one, every day.

3)  Be patient. Stop gritting my teeth because the car in front of me is going too slowly, or because a family member is slower than molasses.

4)  Be kind. Realize that not everyone has my luck, my resources, or my support network. And maybe offering a genuine smile or a kind word might bring some light to someone who desperately needs it.