Flashback Friday: Correction!

First of all, Kenzie was interviewed yesterday, over at Raine Delight's blog. If you have time, please stop by and say 'hi'?

Secondly, author Amber Skyze is a mommy again! Baby Teagan was born last night at 10:30 pm, weighing in at 4 lbs, 10 oz. Mama and baby are doing fine:)

Last, memory is a funny thing. How is it I can remember events so clearly, but be a year off? Yup....the Cafe Eminence was accurate, but that we didn't go to Colorado until the following year. Here's what took place in July 2001, after the tournament.

"Mom, My Ankle Hurts!"

While baseball was going on, K had slid into a base or two and twisted his ankle. No biggie; we iced it and wrapped with an ACE bandage. Then we took him to Tropicanoe Cove after VBS. He began limping again, after whacking it on the floating 'blocks' of the jungle crossing. Again, we iced and wrapped it.

But a sprained ankle usually heals within a few days. Two weeks later, the ankle was still swollen, so I took him to the doctor. They X-rayed it and said they'd call us.

We'd made plans to go to King's Island the weekend of July 4th, and just before we were getting ready to leave, the dr's office called. K had a fracture in his growth plate and could we come in today? I explained our plans, and Dr. S said not to worry; he'd see us on Monday.

The 'Fun' Way To Do An Amusement Park:)

Since we had a kid with a bum ankle, I suggested we rent a wheelchair for him. I didn't want to be all the way across the park and have him want one. So we did, and it turned out to be a blessing! Did you know if you're pushing a wheelchair, all you have to do is appear at the exit of a ride, and the attendants let you and your family on FIRST? With the exception of two handicapped-accessible rides, of course. K and the SU had a wonderful time. Meanwhile, I learned a valuable lesson: Do NOT split up the family until everyone's on the same page about plans!

K and SU went off to ride the Son Of Beast. S and I do NOT ride coasters, so I snitched a bite of D's snow cone and said, "We'll be over in Kiddie Land....meet us there." And walked off. We waited...and waited.....and waited. Meanwhile, S rode everything in Kiddie Land, and I let her go through the Splash area. All the while keeping an eye out for an overweight man pushing a wheelchair. Around 7pm, we headed toward Mama Rosa's, where we usually eat dinner. Waited 2 hours; they never showed. Finally, when it came time for the fireworks, S and I parked ourselves by the wheelchair rental place. We were VERY HUNGRY and VERY UPSET! I'd even tried to have him paged, but to no avail. I had no money on me, and we hadn't gone on many rides.

Lesson Learned: If the group is splitting up, HAVE A CELL PHONE ON or at least ARRANGE A MEETING TIME/PLACE! Of course, I maintain if the spouse had done what he was told, instead of going off on his own, S and I would have been a lot happier!

The following Monday, K received his walking cast. A week later, he was off to BSA Summer Camp and wore out his scout leader! She opted to walk with him, thinking he'd be nice and slow. Noooooo.....she had a hard time keeping up with him!

And after the tournament was over, K, S, and I met Grandma and Granny at the airport for our flight to Vancouver, BC. I had broken one of my toes; K was in a walking cast; Granny had a cane; my mother was in a riding scooter. Thankfully we had lots of help at both the Indpls and Pittsburgh airports!

When we arrived in Seattle, mom discovered the limos were the same price as the taxi, so we rode to the hotel in style:) We found a small carnival on our way to the Space Needle, and the kids and I went on a few rides. And the Needle was awesome! I usually have problems coming down from heights, but toughed it out fine.

The next day we boarded the AmTrack train to Vancouver, and what a trip that was! We ate breakfast in the dining car; saw a bald eagle's nest; the kids watched The Emperor's New Groove.

Once there, we drove three hours north to Manning Park, where we'd spend the next five days. We stayed in cabins, and cooked in the kitchen. One evening, we ate at the lodge's restaurant. We hiked; we swam; we enjoyed ourselves. Wendy and I even learned something about ourselves: We'd grown up canoeing in rivers. When we tried to paddle around the lake, we zigzagged all over the place! But when we decided to paddle toward Rainbow Bridge, we hit a narrow passage and paddled in a straight line:)

After Manning Park, we spent one day in Vancouver. I took the kids to the Science Museum and we rode the Elevated Train to downtown, where I'd requested to eat at Planet Hollywood (the one in Indpls had closed). After eating, we purchased souvenier T-shirts and returned to the motel.

Wendy and I got into a fight that night. She had taken our dirty laundry to the laundromat, but it wasn't completely dry, and all she could say was 'sorry'. I had a meltdown: My dad was taking our suitcase in the morning so we didn't have to mess with any luggage at the airports and now she wanted me to pack wet clothing we wouldn't see again for two days? I'm sorry; I lost my temper.

And implored with the manager of the hotel to let me use their dryer. Thankfully he was sympathetic and had his staff dry our clothes. And then I discovered my T-shirt was missing. The kids had theirs; I called Planet Hollywood and sure enough, somehow my sack had been left behind. After much discussion, I took a taxi downtown and retrieved my T-shirt. My sis hadn't wanted me to go, since the 'night time is NOT a good place to be in downtown Vancouver...' I didn't care; I wanted my shirt and did NOT want to wait until she remembered to send it. There would be no time in the morning before our bus trip back to Seattle; I got my way and nobody bothered me.

As stated earlier....Next Month: Being Stabbed In The Back

OMG....Grow up!

The following is a rant. For a happier post, go here to see how Kenzie worked a jungle, a FedEx man, and a tire pump into a short story. Enjoy, and if you want to add your voice to this, feel free:)

I was tempted to either throw my remote control at the TV or stop watching Big Brother altogether. Seriously, America....did you REALLY have to vote to bring back that whiny spoiled BRAT of a diva they are now calling 'Brenchal'? Pardon me while I gag....

I couldn't wait to see her plastic self voted off last season, and now I'm beginning to think Brendan needs to get a clue about what love and marriage is all about.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, here's a brief rundown of the past week:

Jordan won HOH and put up the duo she felt were the bigger threat. Rachel, for whatever imagined reason, wanted Cassie out against all odds and whined in the diary room that 'she and B needed to take control to get C out of there.' Helllloooooo.....it's not your decision! And in the end, it worked out anyway. Dom won Power of Veto and took he and Adam off the chopping block. J put up Shelli and Cassie, and C went home.

Then last night, during a luxury competition, J somehow inferred David Hasselhoff's name from 3 bars of soap and opera classes (I think her reasoning went 'soap opera star....bars watching opera...Ba-watch...Baywatch...The Hoff!' Everyone else waited until the other clues, a microphone and a knight were revealed, all getting it wrong.) and won a private party with The Hoff in the HOH room, complete with an advanced screening of the new CBS series, Same Name. She was allowed to pick three people, and chose Jeff, Shelli, and Kalia. Rachel went into a snit.

Why not me? I'm the HOH...Jordan...where are you alliance loyalties? Does this mean you're NOT with us? Why are you being so mean? Maybe I need to put you and Jeff up.... And when Brendan tried to reason with her, she turned on him, saying maybe he didn't love her anymore. 'All I wanted was my dream wedding...if you want to leave, then leave. I can't believe you're being so mean to me...'

For god's sake! Brendan, get a clue. She's a selfish, spoiled brat who cries when she doesn't get her way. When this game is over, take your belongings and find a mature woman! If this marriage goes through, I don't see it lasting. It reminds me of a neighbor I used to have, who married her dream guy 'because we look good together' and 'we're going to have beautiful children...' Didn't last one year. A week before the wedding, she came to me, wondering how to get out of it. I gave her 3 options: Call it off, leave him at the alter, or pick a fight and call it off. She did neither, and is now happily remarried after several years and growing up a little.

Seriously, Dr. Phil needs to do an intervention on this couple. Brendan shows some sign of maturity since last year, but he's allowing Rachel to lead him around by the balls.

Pardon me while I gag again....

I seriously hope 'Brachel' doesn't try to back door Jeff and Jordan. If D and A win POV, put up Jawon and Kalia and get that annoying Jawon out of there!

Saturday's Stupid Saying

Weakest Link host Anne Robinson: In Roman Catholicism, baptism, confirmation, and matrimony are three of the seven what?

Contestant: Deadly sins.

Enjoy your weekend and stay cool! I'm still editing Love On The Rocks.

And feel free to join me in my chat tomorrow over at RBRU Chat from 2-4pm. Here's the link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rbruchat/?yguid=298298722 See you there!

Flashback Friday: Opening Cafe Eminence

Don't forget to enter the RBRU Christmas In July Contest! See contest details to the right....

July 2001:

As soon as the 4th of July festivities were over, our family 'lived' at the ball field. Practices, stocking the stand, and doing an inpromptu inventory kept me busy every night. The VP of our league came to me and asked me to 'do a better job with supplies' this year. I told him what I had been told by the Secretary and previous manager:

"I was told not to restock a great deal after Friday night for the final tournament. But if you're willing to back me up, I'll do it. I'd rather have happy customers."

"Do it then."

One of the coaches brought his large gas grill, and my spouse was pressed into being the 'Grill Master'. Our tiny hut rang with activity as hot dogs rested in the warmer; pork BBQ simmered in a slow cooker; ears of corn soaked in one of the coolers; hamburgers sizzled on the grill and were brought in to keep warm in another warming pan, donated by the wife of another coach, who worked in a restaurant.

We had accounts open at two local gas stations for Gatoraid, ice, and water. I also kept track of how many hamburgers we sold each day and bought double the amount on Friday for the weekend. Unfortunately, the final week I couldn't read my own handwriting and bought buns instead of hamburgers, resulting in eight packages too many.

I even bought doughnuts for the early games, so the kids, coaches, and parents could have something beside lunch items at 8:30 am. And yes, I was the first one to the field every morning, to have hot coffee ready and the stand open by the time people were arriving. This drove my family crazy, but they quickly saw how much money we were taking in.

My helper L was a godsend. She worked her butt off when parents didn't show. She ran errands. Went to the bank for change. Rotated the drinks.

After the final game, I invited her family to join us at the Chinese Buffet in town. We were sick of hamburgers, hot dogs, and BBQ, and wanted to be someplace cool. We also tossed around ideas for next year, and what had worked and what hadn't.

L assured me she'd take care of the extra buns and would meet me the next day to help clean everything up. My family was leaving for Colorado in two days, and I would be busy packing.

She didn't show up on Monday, and on Tuesday I left for Colorado after depositing the final money tally in the bank and recording the inventory stats.

Colorado!

Vacation with the family was fun! The spouse griped all the way to the Illinois border, then began looking forward to visiting a new state. We spent the night in Little Amana, Iowa, then enjoyed ourselves the second night in Kearny, Nebraska. I was working on Searching For Love at the time, and had many discussions with my dad on homosexuality. Neither my parents understood why I felt the need to tell the story of a young woman's alternative lifestyle, but I felt it fit in with my series, since a close friend had dealt with the issue.

We had a great time at Nicky's Resort that week. We spent time in the park; we toured Estes Park; ate some awesome food; and celebrated my parents' birthdays reminiscing with old friends who drove over for the evening.

And on the way home, stopped at Calbello's in Sydney, NE as well as spent the night in Kearney again, this time at the motel with the indoor water park. My kids had a blast! And of course, the spouse began fretting about money again once we crossed back into Indiana.

And we laughed six weeks later, when my sister turned up pregnant. Vacations can definitely take on an almost honeymoon-like quality, LOL:)

Next month: Rude Awakening

Christmas In July

Have you heard about the contest to the right? I put it there two weeks ago and forgot to say anything more.

CONTEST 1: (Open to readers/unpublished writers.industry reps - NOT published authors unless you're already a RBRU Yahoo group member)

Prizes: Amazon/Barnes & Noble $125 Gift Certificate, Christmas ornaments, decks of Ellora's Cave/Blush playing cards, RBRU hats, tee-shirts and tote bags. To enter:

1. Join RBRU yahoo group athttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/romancebooksrus

2. Visit http://romancebooksrus.blogspot.com. Click on each of the 20 Bloggers names left sidebar) to visit their sites. Find the name of one of their books along with the names of the hero and heroine. COLLECT THE 20 BLOGGER NAMES, BOOK NAMES, AND HERO AND HEROINE NAMES. (If a blogger has two pen names, only do one). In ONE email message, send all this information to: contests.rbrus@gmail.com

CONTEST 2: (Open to everyone, including published authors)

Prize: Amazon/Barnes & Noble $25 Gift Certificate.

To enter:

1. Join RBRU Chat group at:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rbruchat

2. Become a Follower at our blog:http://romancebooksrus.blogspot.com

Here's an excerpt from Love On The Rocks, since I just found the printed galley yesterday. It had gotten buried on a bookshelf. Enjoy:)

Love Finds A Way (Formally known as Love on the Rocks): Publication Date: November 2007

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Love-Finds-A-Way/Molly-Daniels/e/9781434325457/?itm=12

Available at www.authorhouse.com 11-7-07

Can a blind date turn into a romance? Amy Callahan wants to find out, so when she flies to California to spend a week with Matt Slagal, she discovers the ups and downs of a long distance relationship. Which one prevails..."Absence makes the heart grow fonder" or, "Out of sight, out of mind"?

Excerpt:

Later, when everyone had gone home, Matt gathered Amy in his arms. "I love you."

"And I love you," she replied, kissing him.

Matt released her, locked the door, and shut off the lights. The music was still on, only playing softly. Amy turned down the bed and began to undress.

"No, don't," Matt stopped her.

"Why not? I thought you wanted me to stay," she asked, puzzled.

"I do." He took off his shirt, then joined her beside the bed. He took her face in his hands and gently began to kiss her. His lips traveled from her forehead to her cheeks, then finally recaptured her lips. They clung together, then Matt's lips moved to her ears and down her neck. Slowly, he unbuttoned her shirt and bra, and removed them. He bent down and rediscovered the hills and crevices of her young body. Amy quivered; it had been a while since they had taken time out to pleasure each other.

"Oh Matthew..." Amy sighed, her eyes closed.

He pulled her jeans down until they lay in a heap around her ankles. Rising, he removed his own pants and just gazed at her. Amy opened her eyes to meet his, and saw the love reflected in them. She let her eyes move down his tanned body, marveling at his masculine beauty: Broad shoulders, golden hair covering a strong muscled chest, then tapering off across a flat stomach and narrow hips.

Matt, in turn, was reflecting on the girl's delicate loveliness. His eyes traveled from her shoulder length blonde hair, to her softly curved body, bathed in the moonlight. He lifted his hand and gently traced her jaw, then down to brush against the roundness of her breast. He stepped closer and enfolded her in his arms, his mouth seeking hers. Scooping her up, Matt gently laid her on his bed as they gave themselves up to one another, rediscovering the joys of their passion.

Afterwards, they snuggled together, caressing and enjoying the close comfort of their bodies.

"Aim," Matt mumbled, stroking a strand of her hair. "Do you think your parents will like me?"

"I hope so," she answered slowly. "Your lifestyle is quite...different from ours, and the attitudes and customs are-"

"What attitudes?" Matt interrupted. "I mean, shit! They either accept me, or they don't!"

"Well," Amy tried to find the right words. "It's like this: Back in Indiana, my family doesn't drink or curse so much, and I know for a fact that they definitely would not approve of us sleeping together."

"I'm not changing my life! If they don't like it, they can stuff it!" Matt returned hotly.

"Ssssh...I'm not asking you to change." Amy tried to be tactful. "All I’m asking is that you not, er, curse so much," she finished lamely.

"Amy..."

"Please?" she pleaded. She rolled over and looked him in the eye. "All I ask is that you clean up your vocabulary for a few hours while we're with my parents."

"You want me to kiss ass," he commented.

"Not quite...I just want you to make a good impression." Tears welled up unexpectedly in her eyes, and she rested her head on Matt's chest. "This is important to me," she whispered.

"Oh, all right, I'll watch what I say next weekend. Can I smoke and drink beer too, or is that also taboo?"

"Stop it!" Amy locked eyes with him.

"What?" Matt asked, acting innocent.

"You know what I mean," she replied fiercely. "I'd rather you not smoke, but a few beers won't hurt. I'm not asking you to bend over backwards; all I want is for you to be civil towards them!"

"I'm always civil," he protested.

"I didn't mean it like that," Amy put her head down again. "I meant that sometimes, well, you have a tendency to act antisocial, as a know-it-all."

"I do what?"

Feeling herself losing ground, Amy groaned. The conversation wasn't going the way she'd hoped.

"I would feel better if you and my parents were to start off on the right foot," she said, choosing her words carefully. "They have the stereotypical California military officer in their minds, and I don't want them judging you in that way."

"Just out of curiosity, what exactly is the 'stereotypical California military officer'?" Matt was amused.

Amy thought for a moment. "Promise you won't get upset? He's the dedicated officer, but loud, rude, disrespectful when off duty. He's lazy; a womanizer; an alcoholic; not someone to bring home."

"So that's what your parents are expecting me to be," said Matt.

"But," Amy continued. "I've told them your good points, so they're not expecting Godzilla. Now, can we drop the subject and get some sleep?"

"No, we can't."

"Why not?"

"Because," he lowered his voice while sliding his hand down to cup her breast. "This military officer has a naked, sexy woman in his bed, and wants to take advantage of the situation!"

Saturday's Stupid Saying

Choice Aromatic Lion Butt

label on package of sliced turkey, China

This had K and I laughing the other day! Have you had yours?

Have a good day; I'm off to finish editing Teacher's Pet and start de-cluttering my desk.

The 'grandkids' are at the zoo today with Grandma and Grandpa L, their mom, and Uncle J. Just heard they had a GREAT time at Holiday World yesterday, and have lots to tell us when they get back on Tuesday.

We drove to Princeton yesterday and ate at Sonic for the first time. I had a double-bacon-cheeseburger, fries, and a chocolate malt. Everyone else ate footlong hot dogs and coney dogs:)

Enjoy your weekend:)

Flashback Friday

July 1991:

"I've sprained my butt!"

"Olive Garden salad again?"

"You ate what?"

When one is pregnant for the first time, and feeling rather put out because of restricted activity, strange things happen. Walking was slightly painful; the only way I could describe it was I felt as if I'd sprained my butt. When I saw the doctor, he explained the muscles were stretching, and encouraged me to do some leg lifts, since I wasn't supposed to be on my feet a great deal.

'Baby' was demanding Olive Garden salad. I found out I could order one to go, so I'd eat salad and breadsticks for lunch, and take another salad home for dinner. Spouse got rather tired and burned out after a while.

And one night, we'd made plans to go out to dinner with a friend. While the spouse was in the shower, I began to get hungry. A PB sandwich sounded good, so I made one. It tasted so good, I made a second. By the time the spouse was dressed, I was on my third. Needless to say, by the time we joined up with his friend and made it to the restaurant, I wasn't hungry anymore, and just drank iced tea. I may have snacked on some cole slaw and french fries, and eaten some dessert.

Our kittens were now three months old and weaned. We talked about giving all but one away, but couldn't decide which one to keep. D liked Rosie; Tag had 'chosen' D as his 'pet'; Gizmo and Tiger were my favorites. In the end, we kept them all. Mama Smokey went to the vet and was permanently fixed. Unfortunately, her new freedom caused her to not want to be in the apartment anymore, but she still came around every night for food. She'd appear; all four kits would run to the door; she'd look amazed as if to say, 'You still HAVE them?' ; eat; and wander off again.

Present Day:

Our wifi works! Oh happy day:) No one argues over whose turn for the internet anymore! And Miss Drama Queen and Mr. Energy left last night for several days with Grandma and Grandpa. Holiday World today, the zoo tomorrow. They'll return on Tuesday. The house is quiet w/o them!

Edits continue on Teacher's Pet; I'm halfway through the MS:) I'm also filling out three cover sheets and an interview for later this month. So I've plenty to keep me occupied while MDQ and ME are gone:)

I've got a dr's appointment today and a quiet weekend ahead. Stay cool everyone!

Happy Thursday:)

Woke up to both good news and not-so-good news:)

Good news: Kenzie's Appetite For Desire is now available at the following locations:

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Appetite​-For-Desire-ebook/dp/B005CKHWH​W/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie​=UTF8&qid=1310644782&sr=1-1

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/​s/appetite-for-desire?store=eb​ook

ARE: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html

BookStrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/appetite-for-desire

Not-so-good news: Just discovered I've only sold 3 copies of Wild At Heart, even with the 5-cup review from Dawne last week. Go here to see it: http://www.amazon.com/Wild-at-Heart-ebook/dp/B004GEAOK2/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1310652983&sr=1-2

In other news, the 'grandkids' are leaving tonight for Holiday World with another set of grandparents, and will be gone until next Tuesday. Today, Mr. Energy has a dental appointment, and then we pack.

Their mom called yesterday with the news she's been hired as a temp at the new amazon.com warehouse in Indianapolis, and moves into her new apartment Aug 1st. I still think she's jumping the gun slightly, by wanting her kids back, but I've seen this happen sooooo many times with her! Things will be fine for about a month, and then everything will blow up in her face. So why put the kids through that? Leave them with us, where they're in a stable environment, happy, and well adjusted! We can get them involved in Scouts and Youth Football, and we're home 24/7. Contrast that with a mom who works ten hours a day, plus three nights a week, and a grandmother who works full time plus travels a great deal, doing consulting work. Who do YOU think the kids would have with during their childhood?

Terrific Tuesday with Laura Kaye:)

Welcome! Please introduce yourself and tell us about your latest release.

Hi Molly! And thanks for hosting me here! I write paranormal, contemporary and erotic romance and have four books releasing in 2011. The first two are out: Hearts in Darkness (contemporary) and Forever Freed (paranormal), and the other two are set to release in early fall (Just Gotta Say – erotic) and November 1 (North of Need – contemporary fantasy romance). I’m a college professor in history by training, as well as a mom and wife.

My latest release, Forever Freed, is my debut paranormal romance about a reclusive, empathic vampire who falls in love with a woman he planned to kill and her young daughter, then fights his ancient guilt, bloodlust, lie by omission, and an old vampire rival who threatens everything he holds dear.

Have you ever had an idea for a story which scared you after you began writing it?

If you mean “scared” as in overwhelmed, I’d say yes. In January I completed a novel, a commercial women’s fiction, that was hands down the hardest thing I’ve ever written. I generally write fast, but this book was a non-cooperator from start to finish, and with other things mixed in, ended up taking me a year to draft. Even though I knew what happened next, that book was always just a bit daunting to sit down to in a way nothing else has been.

Have you incorporated actual events from your own life into your books?

Yes, definitely. Not usually wholesale, but I’ll definitely incorporate cool phrases I overhear, mannerisms I see people do, or smaller situations. I really like to use birthdates of people I know in my books for my characters. *grins* And, without question, there are pieces of me in every single thing I write.

How much research do you do? Do you research first and then write, or do you write first, then research as needed?

That really depends on the book. Some require less research, so I’ll only research something if a specific scene requires a little expert knowledge to pull off. For others, I’ll sit down beforehand and do a good bit of researching before writing. Hearts in Darkness required little research—except about elevator operation and safety procedures LOL! Forever Freed, however, required much more historical research to establish the characters’ backgrounds and the history of the city in which the story is set, Detroit.

Is there any message you want readers to take from reading your work?

My tagline is: “Hot, Heartfelt Romance – Because everyone longs to belong…” And that last phrase is a theme that runs through all my work. No matter what, there is a place where you belong, where people will love and accept and protect you. We all want that, and I truly do believe it exists for everyone—exactly where may not be the same for all of us, but I think the desire to belong does.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? And have you ever had a story take on a life of its own?

Total pantser. I have plotted one book, my first, but since then I pants everything! Whether that’s good or not, I don’t know! LOL And stories always take on a life of their own. Things always happen that I didn’t anticipate or expect. Characters sometimes even make decisions I didn’t expect them to make, or absolutely refuse to cooperate with what I’d had in mind for them to do or say. What the heroine Samantha decides at the end of Forever Freed was a TOTAL surprise to me. It wasn’t what I had in mind at all, but once I got there, she told me what she was going to do and there was no talking her out of it. And, if it seems like I’m referring to my characters as real people with a will, etc., it’s because, when I’m writing them, they totally are.

How long did it take for you to be published?

I’ve been writing fiction for about three years so far. I sold the first novel I wrote, Forever Freed. I queried that book to agents for a long time (about a year), and while I got a lot of requests for partials and fulls, it didn’t hook anyone enough to sign me. Then I approached epublishers, and the very first one said yes (The Wild Rose Press)! The editing and production process there took 14 months, total. So, it took me about 14 months to land a publisher and 14 months from there to see the book published, which it was in May. Overall, though, I’ve had great fortune in getting published with my first book, and so early in my career.

If you could go back and tell yourself anything when you first began your writing career, what would you say?

I learned a lot writing and querying Forever Freed. That was my learning curve project! I’d tell myself to know more about the craft and business of writing before leaping in. But, really, there’s no right way to start being a writer except to write, write, write.

Laptop or pen and ink? What are your ‘must-haves’ when writing?

Laptop. Although I keep a pad of paper in my purse in case I have an idea while away from my computer! Beyond my computer (have computer, will travel!), I don’t have too many ‘must-haves’. It doesn’t even matter if it’s noisy around me, because when I’m in the writing zone, I block everything else out.

Who are your favorite authors? Who would you say influenced you the most?

Just one??? *grins* J.R. Ward is probably my favorite paranormal romance author. I’m totally addicted to her Black Dagger Brotherhood series. She’s probably the writer who most taught me what I know about writing male point of view. I grew up on Stephen King and Anne Rice, though, so they’re partly responsible for my love of all things weird, creepy, and otherwise unexplainable!

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

Maybe that I’m a Ph.D. historian who teaches college? Maybe that I have two tattoos? I don’t know if these are surprising, but they’re random facts about me! LOL

Thank you for being here today! Please tell us where we can find your books.

Thanks for having me, Molly! Here’s where you can find me:

Website: http://www.LauraKayeAuthor.com

Blog: http://laurakayeauthor.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/laurakayeauthor

Twitter: @laurakayeauthor

Sign up for Laura’s Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/d9ruD

Forever Freed is available at all major online retailers, or use this DigiBooks Café code for a 20% discount: e3d9d10a3c - http://tiny.cc/iydy4

A multi-published author of paranormal, contemporary, and erotic romance with four books releasing in 2011, Laura Kaye’s hot, heartfelt stories are all about the universal desire for a place to belong. Laura grew up amidst family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses, cementing her life-long fascination with the supernatural. Though an avid fiction writer as a teenager, a career as a historian took her in other directions until recently. Now that Laura’s inner muse has awakened, she’s constantly creating new story ideas! Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

Blurb:

A heart can break, even one that no longer beats.

I stalk my new neighbors, a single mother and her child, drawn by the irresistible scent of their joy and love. I crave their blood, starved for some healing respite from my ancient grief. Now to lure them into my grasp.

But they surprise me. Little Olivia accepts me without fear or reservation--talking, smiling, offering innocent affection that tugs at my long-lost humanity. Her mother, Samantha, seeks me out when she should stay away, offering sweet friendship, and calling to the forgotten man within me. They lure me instead.

Ah, Dio, Lucien, run and spare them while you can...

Excerpt:

I stepped out of the shower and dried off, then flushed the toilet for the show of it. When soft knocks landed on the bathroom door, I secured the towel around my waist and opened it.

Samantha leaned on the jamb, her eyes widening as they locked on my bare torso. She reached up and caught a droplet of water running from my hair down my shoulder. Then she placed her hands on my chest, and the fingers on her right hand caught another stray droplet. When she brushed my Blood Mark, I sucked in a breath. Her lips fell open as she watched a third droplet slide around the base of my neck to my chest.

She leaned forward and kissed my skin over the stray droplet and let her tongue just meet my flesh as she drank the water into her mouth. I closed my eyes at the sensation. Her drinking off me was too fucking close to the fantasy of her drinking from me, and all at once the blood turned molten in my veins.

Oblivious to the seismic activity building under my skin, she continued to kiss across my chest. I wrapped an arm around her waist, the heat of her lust searing me. I burned from the inside and the out.

Ah, Cristo. I wanted her so damn bad.

Between kisses, she taunted, “So, I was just wondering if I could get you to growl again.”

I gripped her more firmly against me, wanted her to feel exactly what she was doing to me. I ground the thick column between my legs into the soft flesh of her belly. She moaned appreciatively. Her heart thundered between our chests. And then she was successful in her quest. She bit me.

She flicked her tongue out against my nipple and sucked it into her mouth. Then her teeth closed around the taut peak in a series of playful nips. And I growled. She couldn’t know the significance of her actions—for vampires, biting was very much a part of sex. And she also couldn’t know how wild her bites made me feel.

Instinctively, I grabbed her roughly with both arms and spun her around so her back pressed against the wall next to the bathroom door. She gasped, but I distracted her with my mouth on her lips, jaw, ear, neck. I pinned her hands next to her on the wall. Her chest heaved against me. The scent of her arousal was thick and sweet in the air, making me want her worse than I already did.

She rubbed her thighs together as I ran wet open-mouthed kisses down into the V-neck of her shirt. I rolled my hips into her. She moaned. My teeth tingled, and I had just enough awareness to keep my fangs retracted. But I wanted to sink myself into her—my fangs and my sex—more than I’d wanted almost anything ever before.

“Lucien.”

My name on her lips was an incredible invitation, so filled with need and longing. “God, I want to touch you.”

“Please.”

Monday Monday...

Currently Reading: Finished Bronwyn Green's Guardian's Challenge last night! Recommended Read! Next up: Just Right:)

This week is going to go by quickly. I was diagnosed with bronchitis early Saturday, after the going away party. The coughing was causing horrible headaches, so at 1:30 I demanded to be taken to the ER (couldn't get in to see the doctor until Friday the 15th).

Today, I'm finishing the living room. Still have two curtains to wash, plus dusting and vacuuming. Hopefully, I'll get started on the office/bedroom/playroom. I need to strip Mr. Energy's bed and declutter my desk. I also have to do laundry.

Tomorrow, I've got Writer's Guild, plus Laura Kaye will be here for Terrific Tuesday.

Wednesday is Library day and tutoring.

Thursday, I'll be packing MDQ and ME's overnight bag for their trip to Holiday World with Grandpa Lee and Grandma Amy. Youngling and I will head to the Big Bash Ice Cream Social at the library.

And on Friday, in addition to posting a July 2001 memory, I'll be keeping my now-follow-up appointment with my doctor!

Stay cool; we're under a heat advisory today. Heat index is supposed to reach as high as 110. And MDQ wants to know what we're doing today? Staying in the A/C!

Flashback Friday: My 1st Parade:)

July 1981:

I'd survived Band Camp and only had one more hurdle: Marching around in parade formation so our band director could determine which guard members would be in the parade and who would not.

I had a disastrous practice. The first few times through Stars and Stripes Forever were okay, but then the trombone player marching beside me got the full force of my fatigue. I took his instrument out of his mouth several times, getting more and more mad at myself. There was a section we had to 'goose-step', and I constantly started off on the wrong foot. And since I was on the left side of the formation, EVERYONE watching from the sidelines as we marched around the back side of the practice field saw it. At the end of practice, I was in tears and positive I wouldn't be allowed to march.

July 4th, I dressed in my uniform (I'd been thrilled when I discovered I'd chosen Friend D's old uniform hat!) and went to line up for the parade. I was placed back near the tubas, and did fairly well, except for that darned goose step! Mom followed the parade route and took pics. One is me clearly in step; the next, I have my right leg raised while everyone else has their left one up in the air! Ah well...I was a rookie....

And at the end of the route, I was thrilled when I was chosen to perform in the Traverse City Cherry Festival Parade:) But I also learned a valuable lesson about friendship.

The group of girls I'd been palling around with during the trip to Michigan all headed to the top of the Schues Mountain Chalet lodge. I followed them....and discovered there were enough beds for everyone except me. I also heard one of the girls on the phone making dinner reservations for the six of them. Yup...my new 'friends' had left me out. I ended up sharing a pullout bed with a flute player and going to the grocery store to get sandwich ingredients for my own lonely dinner that night. I don't think I ever told my mom about it. She'd made it clear I was not to hang around her and the other chaperones; I was to make my own friends.

The parade went well! At the end of the evening when we watched the recast, I was on camera for about ten seconds, then due to the camera angle, marched off camera. The next shot was the guard member on the opposite side of where I was. Sore feet and all, it was a great trip, and I had a great time on the diving board during our free time.

After we arrived home from Michigan, Mom, my sister, and I left for a three-week vacation in Florida. I'd survived my first band trip; my first parade; and was now ready to relax before tackling a new high school.

Next Month: Getting a huge reality check about age differences.

Kenzie's Release Day!

Appetite For Desire releases today! Go buy your copy here, and if you want a shot at a free copy, visit Kenzie's interview here. And Kenzie's also posted an excerpt here. Good luck and Happy Reading!

Molly will be doing laundry, taking the kids to the library, and hoping the spouse will take her out to lunch or dinner:) Had cake last night at Writer's Guild to celebrate. How do YOU spend your release days?

Awesome News!!!

Kenzie received a 5-Cup review for Wild At Heart! Check it out here

Michaels interweaves the lives of Angela, Brad and Emma without giving a second thought. Angela is still in love with Steve and hasn't been able to tell Brad about her and Steve's past. The reconnection between Angela and Steve is realistic, heartfelt and genuine while Emma and Brad's developing love interest is paced perfectly for this short novella.

Also, you can now pre-order Appetite For Desire here:)

For more information, visit Kenzie's Place.

I've got a lot to do this morning, and a short amount of time to do it:

Laundry

Dust/vacuum the living room

Wash dishes

Aunt Molly's Summer Reading Program

Dollar Day at pool

Writer's Guild/Release Party

Grocery Shopping

Wish me luck!

Flashback Friday: Correction!

1971:

While looking through the photo albums last month, I noticed I actually received my glasses sometime between January and Easter; I was wearing them for my sister's baptism on Palm Sunday.

In July of that year, there are various pictures of myself and my two best friends, Tad and Kim. Kim was a year younger than us, but could already ride a two-wheel bike, while Tad and I were still on training wheels. But peer pressure prevailed, and soon both us persuaded our fathers to remove them, and we soon sped up and down our street together.

We also had a new family member; Heidi the weimeramer (sp??). Unfortunately, she didn't like men (other than my dad) and bit three people. Dad penned her up, but we soon decided it wasn't fair to her, and gave her to someone who had a larger back yard and where she could run free. She was a sweet dog; there's a cute pic of my sister crawling on the floor and my dad and I petting her; but my friends were a little afraid of her. I hope she was happy in her new home.

There's also a cute pic of Kim and I wearing matching red and white outfits; our hair in pigtails. Mom has it labeled "The Bobsey Twins' (I really need to scan those photos, so they'll be saved forever!).

Back to the Present:

Edits arrived for Appetite For Desire! And they look good; only minor issues and no rewrites, except for one paragraph. Maybe I've learned something in the past four years after all? Today is Shopping Day, and I'm hoping to take the kids to the carnival sometime between now and Monday night. Tomorrow, we head to Terre Haute; daughter has chosen The Olive Garden for her birthday lunch. Sunday, she and her dad will breakfast at Denny's before church, and we'll do brats/hot dogs/hamburgers on the grill. Monday, being Independence Day, we might take the kids to the parade at 5 and set off fireworks after the display downtown.

And in all this craziness, I'll be editing four books! Granted, only one (AFD) has a deadline, so that makes it a little easier!

Have a great holiday weekend! And to my sis up in Vancouver....Happy Canada Day:)