April's Affections and Intrigues: Love and Mystery Bloom

Sigrun Schulz

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437 comments posted.

Re: The Arrangement (1:27am August 27, 2013):

I've got most of your novels, though I haven't yet read all of them. After several moves, they are currently still in storage. So I'm suffering from Balogh-withdrawal. I love your heroes, wounded or not, but especially the wounded. After all, who of us is totally whole? Many of your heroines are equally wounded, and I think it's this woundedness and brokenness that makes your stories so much more realistic. Thanks so much for all of them.

Re: Father By Choice (11:23pm April 30, 2013):

I enjoy romances with children. Though I have no children, I've been babysitting since I was about 10, first 2 brothers and by 12 that included a sister. I also had 7 in a French family when I was an au pair in France, aged 3 months to 12 years, when I was 18. Now that was fun.

Re: Thrill Ride (10:34pm April 21, 2013):

Thanks for the making it possible for one of us to win it. I wish you much success in your writing.

Re: Conspiracy Of Angels (1:30am November 6, 2012):

Perhaps that is especially true for more modern authors. I've read books of what can only call romantic adventure by male authors. Though they may not have gushy romance, they do have "feelings" and "emotions" in them, as well as the occasional more sexy scene. But yes, they are few. I don't read many mysteries since I prefer historical fiction. I admit that I haven't read many older books lately but I do remember some that I read years ago.

Re: Death In The Floating City (1:00am November 6, 2012):

Like you, Tasha, I love traveling. Unfortunately, my traveling days are probably over, and I'm in my fallback position: traveling by reading both fiction and non-fiction. I've been revisiting London, Paris and Vienna with you and your heroine. This time it will be Venice (Italy). What's not to love? I don't know what my favorite countries to visit are. But I've been to several countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and South Africa--all by book. I've even been to almost every state in the U.S. And I'm getting close to managing to get to all of them in my favorite country--my own, adopted--Canada. I'm very glad that our parents taught us about valuing other peoples and countries that help enlarge narrow viewpoints.

Re: Return Of The Border Warrior (1:55am October 17, 2012):

Welllll, yes. I've never been a fan of modern music, either modern classical music--although there are definitely some that I do like--or with today's everyday music, like Elvis, the Beatles, etc. Again, this is not an across-the-board condemnation since there are also songs or instrumental music that I love, but I'm not an across-the-board fan, especially if the music just becomes noise. So, yes, a lot of singers I love are totally unknown to people in some of my circles. And no, I don't like all romances either. But I do love the Highlanders. I must have taken it in with my mother's milk. My mother lived with different members of a Scottish family when she was 16, and I often heard her talk about all the funny things she said while she was learning her English better--at least with a Scottish accent. And no, I don't think I've read a book about Tudor Scotland, provided it was actually dated. But yes, I'd love to.

Re: Renegade (3:33am September 30, 2012):

Most of my keepers are presently in storage. I can't even tear myself away from the books in my apartment. They are are mostly t-b-r. Both my brother and my landlord have warned me about leaving too-many-things-to-dispose-of. Books make up the largest part of that, along with a collection of fossils, minerals, travel slides, postcards, etc. which take the place of children.

Re: Secrets Of A Wedding Night (3:22am September 30, 2012):

I certainly don't know much about faro. I can remember reading Georgette Heyer's FARO'S DAUGHTER many moons ago, but can't remember too much of the plot or about the rules of the game anymore. Your book certainly sounds enticing. I'll try to find it. Sometimes we have trouble getting all the titles that come out in the States. I'm hoping it will be out as an e-book soon. And you can definitely make your own rules about how to master a game. Maybe Faro's daughter was also such a player. Sounds very likely to me.

Re: Until My Soul Gets It Right (3:11am September 30, 2012):

I can certainly relate to the ADHD. I didn't "discover" mine until about a year ago. But with me it was my brain no longer working and leaving me out in left field far too often. Am I a biliophile? Oh, definitely. Don't ask how many books I've read or got. But no, I'm not good at reading groups. Having to TALK about books has always been painful for me. I got miserable marks in all my literature assignments. So, sorry, no book clubs for me. I'd much rather talk (or write) about almost anything else, well...unless the book is about history, politics, language, geology, geography, humanity... I think you get the picture. But that doesn't mean I won't like your books!

Re: Construction Beauty Queen (2:54am September 30, 2012):

I've never really lived in a small town--at least not after I was a little over 2 years old. There was a small one later in my life but I rarely went into town because I was employed as an English teacher at a boarding school in Germany, located about 2 miles outside of the nearest town. But I think the nicest thing would be to know the rest of the inhabitants as friends, to be less lonely if you happened to be alone. On the other hand, it might be somewhat dismaying to have everybody know what was going on in one's life. However, I had some of those experiences at the boarding school. That was my "small-town environment."

Re: Twin Passions (6:34am September 14, 2012):

It's so nice that someone is picking more unusual countries to write about. I'm very aware that few writers, if any, write about my homeland. I was born in Germany but have been a Canadian since 1957. Is it still a part of the Hitler years that there just aren't many writers who "dare" to write about Germany? There's not even much German history being taught, nor is it exactly easy to find history books about Germany. It's all placed more in the overall European context. I want to make it a goal to learn a little more about the land of my birth. There are some areas that I have studied or been able to grasp from conversations, but everything is definitely fragmented.

Does anybody have any titles to offer on German history? Oddly enough, when I was teaching English and French in Germany, my colleagues gave me the German translation of an English novel as a farewell present. I found that really strange. But then, maybe someone happened to have the book at home and wanted to get rid of it. That's very cynical of me, isn't it? Maybe I'll try to find some books at the university library in town.

Re: A Light On The Veranda (11:36pm September 2, 2012):

Some of the above writer's work I may have--very reluctantly--read in my former life. I've always wanted at least a few true facts of history even in my historical romances but definitely prefer historical novels. I'm interested in getting at least some taste of the people, events and surroundings in a different era. The more, the better.

Re: Deception (4:04am August 30, 2012):

Whew! I'm glad at least one other woman admits she's not a romance heroine. I definitely don't qualify either. But I want to look into your books, because I'm a dyed-in-the-wool historical novel fan and that sort of goes for historical romances too. However, I can't remember reading very many funny books, and this one--it seems to me--has at least a few indications of that.

Re: The Secret Mistress (3:39am August 30, 2012):

Beta males can be just as lovable as alphas, sometimes more if you consider that your life may be somewhat less contentious than with the alphas who always want their way.

Re: In the Line of Duty (11:08pm August 26, 2012):

I enjoy reading about strong women who can, if necessary, give power to her man. However, for me there's little more humiliating than a hen-pecked husband. I know one couple where she always tries to dominate. For the sake of peace her husband will sometimes give in, but when he makes up his mind about something, he will definitely not give in to his wife--and she knows it and gives in.

Re: Desire The Night (5:42pm August 20, 2012):

I'm definitely old fashioned, as well. A lot of authors feel that they have to keep up with the current on-street vocabulary. Well, I get enough of that outside my home. I don't want to have to read it. I also stay away from vampires, demons and witches. The only paranormal books I read at all are about shape-shifters and that's because a local writer started this series and I want to support her. If I think one of her books might be too gruesome, I just don't read it. I guess I'm just getting too old for the modern books and movies. I used to watch a lot of movies, especially classics from all over the world. What's being offered now leaves me cold.

And I definitely agree with Clare, as well. For me, novels are not supposed to be how-to manuals. Good writers don't have to write detailed sex scenes in order to make the reader feel the love between characters. When I see paralyzed couples, I wonder if sex matters to them. I think there's so much else to sex and beauty to real love.

Re: Allergic To Death (11:42pm August 18, 2012):

I have read only a few "domestic" mysteries, but I enjoyed them, and would like to read a few more. I'm a lousy cook, but I loved sewing until illness affected my right hand and arm into the back and shoulder and put a stop to that as well.

Re: Deep Blue (2:52am August 14, 2012):

P.S. A tip we got from our steward after we got seasick the first day: do NOT drink orange juice or eat anything else acidic if you have the least likelihood of getting motion sickness. It's a valuable tip I always keep in mind. Unfortunately, it's one that doesn't help my brother: he has had motion sickness all his life, and I mean "bad" cases. He has to be able to drive--or at the very least sit in the front of a car--in order to defeat it. And he's hopeless on a plane or any sort of boat/ship.

Re: Deep Blue (2:44am August 14, 2012):

I've never been on a real cruise, but I've crossed the Atlantic twice. The first time my family came from Europe to Canada; the second I came alone from Europe after spending a couple of years there. I don't remember very much about the first time except that our ship had been used as a troop transport during WWII and that the women and most of the children slept in double-decker bunk, while the men and older boys slept in triple-decker bunks. The second trip was much more refined--though not as much as an actual cruise ship. To save my student dollars, I had a roommate, a young woman around my own age who was going to the US to learn her English better. We had lots of fun being the only people on deck for most of the trip. Though it was July, the wind was icy cold. One day we sat there with over a dozen blankets piled on us; the news said that it was almost 100 in NYC, our destination. And when we got there, it was that hot. The heat seemed to steam up from the pavement: I didn't get to see much of the World's Fair. And that is a hunky guy. I'd love to read it.

Re: Sweet Deception (11:56pm August 13, 2012):

History plus a lady criminologist? There's little I like better.

Re: Hell On Wheels (11:43pm August 10, 2012):

I'm not much for bikes--the rides I've had have not been my idea of fun. But I love "bad" guys who make good and this sounds as if it fits the bill.

Re: Married By Midnight (2:31am August 6, 2012):

Hi, Juliane. I prefer to read a series all at once if possible. I find that I just can't remember a storyline if too many years pass between my being able to read each book. However, in your case I believe I ended up reading the books out of order anyway and sometimes reading books in order is not critical. You just end up missing the falling-in-love part of a couple that's married in a book you read. Reading their love story later need not be a disaster. You don't always meet people and know what happened to them beforehand anyway. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Re: The Last Victim (1:32am August 6, 2012):

Oh, yes. I also wanted to say that an author I enjoy very much for her thoughtful books has been pestered to try something new in her books. She has resisted so far. I like her books just the way she writes them. So far, I'm happy to say, she has resisted.

Re: Going To The Bad (1:15am August 6, 2012):

I hate to see a good character killed/died off, especially in a longer running series. And killing off Ramses?? That would be a true travesty. I couldn't bear the thought!

But yes, sometimes we need to lose someone even in a book. After all, we do lose beloved people in reality and still keep living.

Re: The Last Victim (12:52pm August 6, 2012):

I think the book of yours that I like least was probably one that was written to conform to somebody else's idea of what your book should be. It was your darkest and most gruesome--not my cuppa at all. I'm so glad you got back to writing "your" style of books. For a while I got away from your books. But I've been back for quite a while, though there are a few of your books in storage from the mid 1990s that I haven't yet read. Now I read them as they come out. Thanks for being you again.

Re: Starlight (2:38am June 26, 2012):

I'll read one of your books any time--as long as I don't have to write anything creative. You'd think that after all the books I've consumed, I'd be able to write a decent review, or even a haiku, or... Well, I can write essays on all sorts of non-fiction subjects, but anything creative?!? Definitely, nyet!!! Not a microgram of my mother's creativity.

Re: Honorable Rancher (6:51pm June 21, 2012):

No, there's not much better than reading. I love reading books of almost any kind, though I've pared down the types of books I read. In my case it was my father and his mother who must have supplied the reading gene. Not that my mother never read, but she was much more likely to read "factual" books than fiction. My father read both and certainly, as a child, I read much more fiction than non-fiction. I've evened that out a little more in the last few years. Most of the non-fiction is history or books by people whose cultures are different from my mine. I throw in the odd book of science, politics, geography, etc. as well. Like others here, I almost always have a book with me; only when I know exactly what I'll be doing, will I dispense with one. I didn't get a city library card until I was older. First I had to learn English, and my schools had only limited numbers of books in their libraries (in the 50s). By high school time my father had started buying the Book-of-Month Club offerings, and he allowed me to read those as well as books I traded with my friends.

Re: The Marriage Bargain (2:01am June 16, 2012):

Just now I'm reading one of the MacKenzie men series by Jennifer Ashley. The hero has a hard time believing in love--especially from a woman. Why? Well, he's.... Oops, I can't tell you that, but it is a beautiful, meaningful ending.

Thanks for a chance to win a book. And keep on writing.

Re: Kiale Dream (1:37am June 13, 2012):

This certainly sounds interesting. I guess we always think we have to be afraid of something different or alien. I actually deplore the talk of "illegal aliens." All right, they may be here illegally but they're human just like us. Aliens come from somewhere other than earth--probably like the beings in this book. If anyone has to be called illegal, let's say the people are here illegally.

I'd like to find out about these "people," illegal or not.

Re: Home For The Summer (11:46pm June 4, 2012):

When I was less than 9, I usually spent the summer with my younger brother and friends from our street, playing in our or some other child's yard. Starting when I was 9, I usually went to summer camp or for car trips to National parks or to visit friends farther away, like our first trip from Winnipeg to Yellowstone and Grand Teton Parks. When I was home during the holidays as of age 13, we had a large yard and a river to play in--though I preferred to read instead of walk on the sticks and stones in the river.

Re: More Than A Stranger (2:45am June 4, 2012):

I have been to Scotland, but that was in 1971, if I remember correctly. So anybody I met there would probably no longer be your image of a Scotsman, not even the great guys I saw at the Tattoo in front of Edinburgh Castle. That was one of my most memorable experiences. Having been in Scotland at least once is what I have in common with my brother-in-law, apart from our love for my little sister, and, oh yes, they are Stewarts. But seriously, going to Scotland was one of my main objects while I lived in Europe. My mother had told me about her fabulous experiences there when she lived 6 months with various members of a family in 1937, perfecting her English.

Re: The Taming Of A Scottish Princess (11:55pm May 23, 2012):

I love nerds, perhaps because I've got more in common with them than most other people; I've always been considered a nerd myself, except for my love of romances. However, I also read books on subjects from archaeology and astronomy to geology to theology, and others between. It all depends on my mood.
As for Scotland, many of my favorites books are set there. I started hearing about it from my mother who spent 6 months there improving her English there.

Re: Under Fire (10:00pm May 11, 2012):

I like the way you have God giving women extra hands, special abilities, etc. whose husbands or sons have very difficult jobs, need special grace and abilities to be able to deal with bigger issues like life and death often on a daily basis. My father and several cousins have been in the forces. My father definitely suffered from stress problems as well as shrapnel that lodged in his head so that some fragments caused problems almost 20 years after the injury occurred.

Re: The Proposal (2:05am May 4, 2012):

Hi, Mary, I'm very upset that as a Canadian I'm barred from winning one of your books. It's really strange because more and more authors are sending prizes to Canada again, while you, as a Canadian, can't--at least I'm assuming you still live in Canada. That saddens and upsets me a lot. As a senior single, I just don't have the finances to buy the books I'd like to. I guess I'll have to wait until I can get it second hand or as a discounted e-book.

Will INDISCREET ever be republished?

Re: Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal (1:36am May 4, 2012):

Oops, "entered" before I was finished. I must say that I've never really had to make an impossible choice between honour and love. But I think my mother did. When my father reached home after the war, he was apparently very changed, so changed that my mother wanted to divorce him. Her mother cautioned her and tried to make her see why he was so different from the man she had married. So my parents went to see the pastor who had married them in 1942. Of course, I don't really know what they talked about, though my mother once tried to tell me, but he got them to try to make peace with each other and the rest of the family. They worked it out, though my mother was very upset because part of it was how he had treated her mother. They were eternally thankful to that elderly pastor for leading them back to what was required of them by God.

Re: Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal (1:25am May 4, 2012):

I've really liked all 4 of your books so far, but my favorite is THE SOLDIER. Perhaps that's because my father was a survivor of WWII, on the German side, and would rarely mention his time in the forces. He had wanted to become a missionary doctor but was not allowed to enter university when he finished his high school education in 1937. He had to do his military service first. He ended up among the troops who had to march into Czechoslovakia and didn't get out until the war was done. He had to flee from a Russian firing squad, and since he was a good long-distance runner, he succeeded in getting away from a Stalingrad area firing squad, swimming across the Danube River, and with the aid of some Romanian peasants, gaining access to the rest of Europe and the American sector of Germany at war's end. He had several injuries that were not revealed until more than 25 years later: a piece of shrapnel that wandered through his head being the most serious. Of course I never knew him before the war but my mother said he had changed a lot during the years of the war. He was never a light-hearted person when we knew him, and I can still remember once when he tried to make a joke, all the older family members looked at him very strangely and my grandfather's second wife was very upset. I think he suffered from PTSD for most of his life.

Re: Under His Protection (4:08am April 29, 2012):

Most heroes in books are, I guess, alpha types and usually I enjoy them. Yet most of the men I know are more beta types. One thing I can't stand is a man who gets into roaring rages the moment something doesn't go the way he wants it to. Just last night I saw a movie whose hero was easily provoked, based on a real person. His rage probably led to his death: he was hit and thrown by a car which then drove off leaving him lying in the street. His girlfriend had complained to him that these guys in a car had been after her and her two girlfriends a few times already. Sorry about that. It's still very fresh in my mind.

Re: Sunrise Point (1:56am April 28, 2012):

So far I've only read one of the short stories in the Virgin River series. I've been trying to find all your first books and read those. Luckily, our city library must have/had a dedicated Robyn Carr fan since we have most of your older books, though some of them may have disappeared. Is there any chance that these might appear as e-books? I've enjoyed them so much and I'd love to have them myself.

I commented on the blog today, too, Tracey Devlyn, a new author. It made me think about some things. Some of it fit in quite well with your observations here. If I don't forget I'll write you at your site.

Re: A Lady's Revenge (1:19am April 28, 2012):

P.S. That doesn't mean that I wouldn't like to read your book.

Re: A Lady's Revenge (12:55pm April 28, 2012):

I myself am not much for revenge, but you have to walk in another's shoes to know whether it's worth it in the long run. After all, you have to live with whatever you do.

I guess I'm not a vengeful sort of person: I prefer to accept things as they are. It all comes back to my parents and how they raised us. I was born into the middle of a war. My mother told me about 3 incidents during my first year where I could easily have been killed, but I survived. My parents lost family, relatives, friends and neighbors. After that, my parents knew what war could do and refused to stress over things, even death. My father never found out what happened to his 2 brothers. After hearing how my father eluded a firing squad, I was just happy to have a father, though he never talked about the war to us. All we know we learned from my mother. Subconsciously, they taught us children to take each moment as a gift.

Re: Blackmailed by the Italian Billionaire (10:51pm April 22, 2012):

I'm having a hard time finding romances that I like. I'm definitely not interested in demons, witches and especially not vampires. I don't mind shape shifters or extraterrestrials or characters with supernatural powers like super-keen eyesight and hearing, being able to hear thoughts, and the like. Mainly I hate gory books, that's why my dislike of vampires. I don't care for gory murders either. I guess I'm a "gentle" soul, huh. I don't think I really want any new hooks in by books. But then, I still have plenty of old books to read.

Re: Duty And Desire (6:39am April 15, 2012):

I think that reality and fiction can definitely feed off each other. I wonder if your story line and the wedding in it were available somewhere. The coincidences just seem to be a little too close, unless you know of other people who have planned weddings in Versailles.

I don't know if Versailles is available for wedding receptions. I do know it's available for official international functions. It was in the 1960s. Do you know which room is portrayed in the picture above? I've been to Versailles a number of times, but I'm thinking of a particular function which I attended with my father in the Salle des Batailles in June 1963. He was in Paris with a group of other Canadians for a hospital conference. He was an architect who had worked on several hospitals. As the grand finale of the event, we were bussed from Paris to Versailles for a dinner with a view of the fountains behind the Palace. Unfortunately, it rained that evening and the fountains would have been indistinguishable from the rain. However, a great time was had by all the international visitors, since we also got a tour of parts of the chateau, including the Hall of Mirrors which is located around the corner from the Salle des Batailles. I would think that we were a fairly large number of people since we traveled in 20-plus buses. If I remember correctly, we also sat at round tables and each table was photographed and we each received a copy of that as a parting souvenir.

I'd certainly love to read this series when it comes out, whether it's set in Versailles or elsewhere. It's certainly portrays a world that I'm acquainted with.

P.S. I love that picture of Versailles and its gardens and other buildings. Where did you get it? BEFORE VERSAILLES by Karleen Koen which came out recently, deals with the time before Louis XIV turned the hunting lodge there into a real palace.

Re: Cursed (4:32am April 15, 2012):

How wonderful that you had a "backup plan" to your regular job. It's marvelous that we sometimes are able to find something completely different to do when a door is closed to us. I'm not a writer at all, but I can proofread other people's writing; I used to be an English and French teacher--to students who were learning them as their second or third languages. But creative? I'm not.

Re: A Plain Death (4:19am April 15, 2012):

Congratulations on your talent and on getting an agent. That must be a big load off your mind. But you probably know who holds your todays and your tomorrows in his hands. Isn't that a wonderfully reassuring thought, even if we don't always remember right away when adversity rather than serendipity strike? God bless you in your writing.

Re: Woodrose Mountain (12:37pm April 5, 2012):

I think it's important for us to have books that don't always have a wonderful, happy story. We need those too, but our lives aren't always happy and we need to know that people can overcome bad obstacles of any kind. Thanks for writing such books. I too would love to read your book. If I don't win one I'll try to find one at the library. All the best to you and grace and love for the bad times.

Re: In Search of Lucy (8:14pm March 31, 2012):

When I saw the title of the book, my first thought was of another "Lucy." Which one? The one whom the paleontologists, the Leakeys suppose to be the ancestor of us all. I'd just seen a newsflash about finding Lucy's mate. But your book does sound interesting nonetheless. Most of the long car trips I've taken have been to see different places in Europe or North America. I'm ready to go at any time as long as someone else is driving; my license has lapsed.

Re: Vicki's Key (1:37am March 29, 2012):

I guess I've always been interested in different nationalities and countries. After all, I'm an immigrant and grew up with my mother's stories of Scotland, France and our native German (that included my father). Actually, our whole family has always enjoyed travelling. I've been to Ireland, though I mostly spent with university friends living there. But I did get into Dublin on my own and the Celtic accent was a big part of that day. I just find it somehow charming and different, though it really doesn't sound as good on paper. But it may be easier to figure out what is being "said."

Re: Sanctuary Cove (1:13am March 29, 2012):

Like you, Rochelle, I find there is a real dearth of TV shows and most movies. I used to be a real movie buff while I lived in Europe: I'd watch classics or intelligent movies from many countries. Now I find the movies, and TV shows, divided between totally inane comedies and street-cleaning by guns, bombs, or other means of destruction. The number of movies I've seen in the last five years can be counted on one hand: two in theatres and maybe 3 on TV. I've been fleeing to reading more and more. (see also today's other blog entry by DiAnn Mills. I'm also near bottom on that.)

Re: The Chase (12:51pm March 29, 2012):

I'm a Castle watcher, too--whenever I think of it. I think I missed it again this week. I really should find out if I can get it on the Internet somewhere--if I don't forget that. It's one of the few shows I watch other than news and documentaries, the older Law & Order franchises, and Flashpoint, a Canadian series using a minimum of violence, in which people are rarely killed during an investigation or takedown. I can remember only one instance.) Thus that you're writing Christian fiction is a bonus.

Re: Believe It or Not (2:46am March 23, 2012):

Oh, yes. I forgot about the accounting. I used to do that and I had enough fun moments to cause diversions from boredom, as when my boss told me, "So what if it's off by $1. Who cares?" Well, I did. And a good thing too. I think that was the year we had a government audit.

Re: Believe It or Not (2:40am March 23, 2012):

I can definitely use something a little off the wall right now. And I love the names, especially Moonbeam et al. I'm ok with Andy as well as Drew, though one Andy I know always misnamed me deliberately until I started calling him Andrea. I love Violet's name; along with snowdrops, forsythia's and red poppies, they're among my favorite flowers.

Re: Assassins In Love (12:23pm March 23, 2012):

As you mentioned, every fiction author has to do a certain amount of world building, but for a fantasy writer it must be a lot more involved and difficult. The plus side is undoubtedly that you can truly make it into a world you of your own. So I hope you had a lot of fun with it. Are you planning to make this into a series?

Re: Oracle's Moon (3:00am March 21, 2012):

Creative process? What's that? I'm totally "uncreative." My mother and second brother were/are the creative ones. My father, elder brother, "little" sister and I are problem solvers: Give us a problem and we'll solve it. Perhaps there are similar processes in that, but I think most of them begin at the beginning, though that may change or need to be refined. Maybe that's why I hate cooking.

Re: Cassie's Grand Plan (2:44am March 21, 2012):

The biggest--recently enlarged--building in my neighbourhood is the city's police department and short-term jail in the block across the street. I'm in one of two big apartment blocks and mine's attached to an Anglican church. We also have a high school in the next block and another one in the next one. Both have big sports fileds. I'm only a few blocks from our city centre--not always the best place to be, but my apartment is pretty good. We've got a few little convenience stores not too far away, but being close to our main library is really my favorite perk. And I'm also close to my brother's small business. The whole area has been undergoing renovations in the last 12 years or so. I'm waiting to see what's next on the list.

Re: Secret Confessions of Lady H ? Book 1 (4:13am March 14, 2012):

Oh, I also forgot to say that I prefer waiting until a whole series is out before reading it. I have a hard time remembering what the previous books are about if old characters reappear in new books.

Re: Secret Confessions of Lady H ? Book 1 (4:10am March 14, 2012):

I think I'd have the same problem: forgetting what the title or the author's name is. It just happened to me recently with a time-travel series for teens that I was reading. I only remembered title having Ruby in it. After a few trials and errors, I have found out the title of the newest book, though apparently it's not available here yet--at least, not in the library.

Re: Spin (2:59am February 27, 2012):

His name is Henry.

I'm a Canadian but have never heard of your books. Therefore, I'm wondering where they might be available. I haven't looked yet, but I'm hoping they'll be at Chapters and Coles. Maybe you mention something on your site.

Re: Donovan's Bed (2:34am February 27, 2012):

Poor Sarah. She's still living down a past scandal and then this guy comes along... Maybe he hasn't lived in a small town before, though at that time(?) it was probably not that common to have affairs either. But then, some men are just thick-headed, can't think beyond the end of their nose(?). I'd certainly love to read about his comeuppance.

Re: The Rogue Pirate's Bride (2:24am February 24, 2012):

I actually thought I'd already written something on this blog. I guess not.
Why do I read romance? I read especially historical novels and romances. Early in high school I came across Elswyth Thane's Williamsburg series. Those are history, family relationships and romance all in one--and the romance was how I mostly prefer it: sweet. Oh, I've read my share of the other ones over the years, but I love history. I also like learning something new about the world, a job, or a person. I loved THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET (see my comments on the book on that page, if interested). It let me relive some of my time in Paris and gave me more of an insight into the beginnings of cinema. I love the old film classics--history again, I guess.
But this book sounds like fun with historic aspects included. And I haven't read a pirate story in some time.

Re: A Fitting End (11:31pm February 12, 2012):

At one point, my hook would have been sewing too. My cooking skills are non-existent. However, I had to give up sewing because of constant nagging pain in my hands, especially the right, that makes sewing irritably, violently frustrating. I can type on a laptop because I don't have to unduly stretch any of my fingers, but any other way of putting words to paper, etc. can be sloppy and excruciating. My only real skills are fixing grammar or vocabulary skills in manuscripts (or published books.) So any mystery I'd write would be set in the world of writing.

Re: Far from Here (9:13pm February 4, 2012):

I'm definitely non-creative; I can't even cook. About as creative as I get is correcting spelling and grammar mistakes in other people's writing, i.e., copyediting.

Re: The Fallen Queen (9:19pm January 21, 2012):

I guess I won't win any prize this time. I can't remember reading about any fallen angels yet. However, it's not that I'm in any way averse to doing so. I just have too many other books still waiting to be read.

Re: Sins Of The Highlander (2:07am January 14, 2012):

I cannot resist a highlander. Love of Scotland must be in my blood. My mother spent about 6 months there when she was 17, living with different members of one family in different parts of Scotland and she broadened her knowledge of English. After what she told me about it, it was no wonder that I wanted to go there and see it at least. I loved the highlands but the visit was altogether too short. Reading any book set there always brings back very vivid memories.

Re: Risking Trust (1:11am January 12, 2012):

Most of the time, I can get totally lost in a lot of books. The last one was "Sword at Sunset" about King Arthur by Rosemary Sutcliff. The only problem I had was that it was quite a long book, hardcover with 480 pages, and I had to make too many interruptions. And like all historical novels, it had real people and places in it. Therefore, I often took a look on the Internet or in a book for more facts.

Re: Bride By Mistake (12:42pm January 12, 2012):

I'm rather fond of MofC books, though I doubt I'd have wanted one for myself. I had neighbors from India who were in an MofC and it seemed certainly no worse than most marriages based on love. The getting-to-know-one-another phase just happens after the marriage. Of course, there is less room for error.

Re: Mozart's Last Aria (10:17pm December 27, 2011):

I've got, though not yet read, a book called Mozart's Sister. I'd love to be able to round out the Mozart family with Mozart's Last Aria. I'm a huge classical music fan. Give me that anytime over the present musical genres and sounds.

Re: How To Worship A Goddess (8:34pm December 14, 2011):

One secret? I don't really like hockey. Well, I did see one game last year--the last semi-final game between the Bruins and the Lightning: no fighting, no roughness, no penalties, wonderful. But that was a huge exception.
Second secret? Fall is my favorite season, but I don't mind a cold winter, and have experienced some windy -40 ones. I used to live in Winnipeg, MB and walking more than 2 miles home from school in winter certainly posed major challenges.
Third secret? I love my 3 nephews who were/are hockey players and they were brought up in a gentlemanly fashion by my sister, not so much by my brother-in-law, and have won awards for their gentlemanliness.
So I'd definitely like a gentlemanly hockey player...if there are any.

Re: A Christmas Journey Home (3:40am December 12, 2011):

My father was an avid reader and so am I. Neither of us would have ever been able to write a novel. I tried when I was still in my teens and realized that I was lamentably lacking in the requisite imagination--and he was too. We're both good with logic. He was an architect, but don't look for beautiful edifices from him; he was much better at making the buildings function electrically, spatially, etc. I, on the other hand, love languages and language; I love making them work as to grammar, vocabulary, etc., especially in English, though I know two others well and have studied three more. If anyone wants help with the given aspects of language, give me a wave. In general, it is badly needed.

Re: Wild Thing (2:45am December 5, 2011):

I love the sound of your book and can identify with both characters. I'm pretty much a loner myself, love kids, and enjoy doing what I can for others.

Re: Wild Thing (2:38am December 5, 2011):

I certainly wouldn't like either someone who is completely the opposite of me nor too much like me. I think the complimenting bit would be certainly be necessary--I hate cooking, among other things--but we certainly have to have our basic beliefs, values and talking points the same.

Re: Hushed (2:27am December 5, 2011):

Although I've been reading romances for decades, the books I read don't have to have romance in them. I'll read straight history, straight contemporary commentary, astronomy, etc. Mostly, there's little romance in those. I can like attraction at first site, but that doesn't equate to love. For me, love grows, sometimes quickly and sometimes not. I've stopped reading some romance authors because the romance is all you read about. If all I'm going to read is sex scenes, forget me. Give me an exciting story--or even a not-so-exciting story--with it every time. I'd rather it last a few weeks that just a day for the characters to get to know each other before revealing the "happy ending."

Re: Acquainted with the Night (1:25am December 3, 2011):

Those must be really interesting conversations that you have. Since I can't stand seeing any blood other than my own, I'd probably be miserable at the three jobs your family practices. But my sister is a nurse.
As for the book, it sounds very interesting to me, though biology was not even one of my school subjects; I preferred chemistry and physics. But as long as I don't have to see anything bloody, I'm ok.

Re: Miss Darcy Falls in Love (12:13pm November 29, 2011):

And here I thought Georgina was already happily married to a neighbor, a geologist. That must have been a rumor only. I love historicals, romances and especially those books divulging some actual history. Whichever this is, it sounds like an interesting and enjoyable addition to the genre.

Re: Waking Up Dead (10:27pm November 26, 2011):

For once I can actually empathize with a writer. Most of them write about how their characters talk to them, how willful they can be, how they steer the story in directions the author never expected. This time, however, I experienced something very similar to you. It happened about 12 years ago that I woke up one morning. I'd been sleeping on my right arm, and the right arm wasn't working very well. After about an hour I felt all right again. About a week later, I woke up again lying on my right side. This time my upper arm felt clumsy, but from the elbow down, it wasn't functioning at all: I couldn't pick up anything, my fingers wouldn't move, the lower arm hung from the elbow and my hand from the wrist. In short, I felt like you: scared and wondering what was wrong. That week I was supposed to drive 200 miles round-trip to meet a friend. Since I didn't want to be told: "You can't drive," by the doctor, I decided to go to the doctor's after my little trip. Well, I made it to the meeting and back. The next day I went to Emergency. In the course of the next 10 days I was examined from all aspects. But nobody could tell me what caused it. They stopped short of an MRI, but they had done a test that would have shown much the same as an MRI. With daily exercises, training and therapy, I was pretty well healed in a little over a month, and so far I've been fine. I hope your problem doesn't recur either. At least you seem to have gotten an interesting book out of it.

Re: The Spy Who Left Me (9:57pm November 25, 2011):

Actually, today I don't really feel tired out. I've been home all day; no frantic shopping for me and our Thanksgiving was October 10. Besides, it's hard to shop pushing a walker. However, I'm always willing to read another book, by hook or by crook.

Re: A Crimson Warning (3:20am November 24, 2011):

I'd like to thank you and all the other writers who keep me so well content with interesting books. Unfortunately, I live in Canada and the only U.S. city I found close enough to drive to, while I still had a car, was Detroit. Once I drove to Hamilton, Ont. with a paralyzed lower right arm and hand to meet one of my favorite authors. Luckily the highway was fairly clear of traffic and I made it safely there and back--though I had to ask someone to open my bottle of Coke for me. I've enjoyed all your books so far and look forward to this one.
P.S. We had Thanksgiving over 6 weeks ago.

Re: The Return Of The Stranger (9:37pm November 20, 2011):

With all the books that come out pretty well daily, I've wondered why I don't get sick and tired of romances, mysteries and historical novels. I've read a lot of books and yet, have come across few books that were actually repetitive. True: most of the books I read feature two people coming to love each other. However, I suppose that no two real-life stories are exactly the same, so that you can hardly expect the it of books. If I'd ever written romances, I'm afraid they'd all have been pretty much the same since I haven't enough imagination or creativity to think up many plots myself. And it would have never thought of writing a book called "The Return of the Stranger." The title just doesn't seem logical. But the more I think of it, the more I can see the possibilities of having a stranger return. I'm sure you did a good job with this book and I'd love to read it.

Re: The Fallen Queen (3:51am November 18, 2011):

The movie I liked best of those mentioned is the Leslie Howard version of The Scarlet Pimpernel. I also enjoyed the book, but not the 1980s version as much. Maybe the Howard version was just less anachronistic.
Like others, I grew up with fairy tales--or shall I say royal tales--like Cinderella or Snow White. I have no real prejudices. Whether hereditary ruler or elected prime minister, president, or other official, what matters to me is how the person actually rules: compassionately, justly and frugally or not. I remember my mother's telling me about the abdication of King Edward VIII in favor of his brother while she was visiting Scotland in 1938. But my first "real" look at royalty was in 1951 when we were delayed getting off the ship from Europe which brought my family as immigrants to Canada. Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip arrived on her first official visit to any Commonwealth country. At first our ship's passengers wondered if the red carpet we could see from the ship had been put out in our honor. We saw the royal couple again up closer a few weeks later and several other times over the years. My closest look was watching Queen Elizabeth's 1953 Coronation on a special film shortly after June 2 in a theatre--remember: there was no TV coverage at that time. I even had a Queen Elizabeth cut-out doll with lots of fancy gowns.
During the Canadian Centennial in 1967, my parents even got to attend a dinner for them and I saw them on the Britannia just small lawn and some water away from where I stood. I guess that fosters some "familiarity" even if you don't really know them.

Re: The Highlander's Heart (12:25pm November 17, 2011):

Poor David, but then, in order to grow we all need to have something (or someone) to conquer, accept, or learn to love.

I've been interested in Scotland since my mother told me about her 6-month visit there with various members of a family with whom she had become acquainted the year before.

Of course, if this were a classic romance, she would have met my father there and lived happily ever after. Alas, she'd known my father for about two years before that and married him 5 years later. And yes, they were married and had a total of four children, and lived happily together until my father had a stroke from which he died about ten years later. She outlived him by more than 20 years.

But I've kept my love for Scotland and books that take place there. I even managed to take a tour there once. I'd love to go back.

Re: Shadowlander (12:37pm November 12, 2011):

I often get completely into a story so that when I have to stop for some reason or other, I feel somewhat alienated from my real surroundings for a while. Oddly enough, some of the characters I remember best are in books I read 50 or more years ago. The name that immediately popped into my head when I read your question was Tibby Mawes, though I thought of her as Tibby Day, her married name. She appears in the first book one of my favorite series, Elswyth Thane's Williamburg Series that starts in 1774. I still love those seven books.

Re: Tall, Dark And Cowboy (10:59pm November 7, 2011):

"All I ever learned about ranching I learned by reading romances and watching TV as a child."
So, yes. I'd feel like a fish out of water on a ranch, sort of.
But I've lived in 2 European countries, France and Germany, and though they're not as different from North America as India, China, Nigeria, etc., there are a lot of things that are done differently and it always takes some time to really get settled, especially if you're suddenly part of a family with 7 kids aged 2 months to 11 years.

And at my age, I really don't want to start all over. The only place I'd move to is closer to my sister.

Re: Always a Temptress (9:52am November 6, 2011):

Hi, Eileen. I've read quite a few of your "Korbel" titles, but I'm eager to get into your Dreyer ones, especially the historicals. They've been my favorites from my early youth, and not the romantic ones but the historic novels. I haven't read as much as I like lately but hope to read your new ones soon, as well as some of your medical mysteries. Maybe I can pass those on to my sister who's a nurse. Keep up the good work.

Re: Liver Let Die (9:36am November 6, 2011):

Like most of the responders here, I find names important, too. I think most people do. I know of the agonies we went through finding the right names for kids in the family. Most of us wouldn't be likely to name our children the same as someone we can't stand. In our family, we have a certain penchant for choosing names beginning with--or including a K: my brother is Karsten, a cousin is Kirsten, and my nieces are Kristyn, Kathryn and Anika. My older brother was aptly named Wilfried (meaning: wants peace) which he did after his somewhat erratic teenage years. And my own name? Let's just say that I've got used to it, and it goes well with my oldest friend's name, Sigrid, whom I've known since Kindergarten when I was maybe a little over two. I'm glad my mother decided not to call me Evelyn, the name my parents had decided on before my father went off to war. Not that I have anything against the name, Evelyn; in some ways it would have been much easier. I wouldn't have to repeat and spell it every time I mention it. And I know all about getting teased about a name. I, who've always hated tobacco, was often called by words beginning with cig... Ugh. Fortunately, that stopped when I became an adult, although that's when I was often confused with "Sigmund" and addressed in letters as Mr. In fact, when I once sent some money to my university for a subscription, they took it as payment for some conference of engineers or the like. They never rectified that and I never got my subscription.

Re: The Rose Garden (11:28pm October 12, 2011):

A short story that I read recently is certainly a good example of having rather many people to elucidate the characters of the main protagonists. It was one of the most enjoyable short stories I've read in quite a while.

I'm always trying to find the rest of your books, Susanna. I bought the first ones decades ago, but have had problems finding the rest. Are some of them available as e-books?

Re: Chosen By Fate (2:37am October 10, 2011):

There are not only guys who don't get romances, there are some women, too. Some of the first books I read were those my father got back in the 50s and 60s from the Doubleday Book Club. He liked history and historical novels, and the latter usually had a side of romance on the menu, though few had specific sex scenes. I don't think anybody ever made a fuss about his reading those and he never minded my reading them. Actually, historical novels are still my favorites and I think I inherited his love of both history and reading. I'm always glad if I can learn something beyond just the romantic story. Jayne Ann Krentz always had either the hero or heroine in an interesting job, from selling tin soldiers to painting in a certain style. And I learned quite a bit from those even if it wasn't history. Of course, she also has her brands of historical worlds as well as potential worlds to come as Amanda Quick and Jayne Castle.

Re: The Goblin King (4:25am October 7, 2011):

Ah, speaking of Roman Britain, I started reading "Outcast" by Rosemary Sutcliff yesterday and it began in Roman Britain and has progressed to Rome where our hero is now a slave. Since I began rereading some of her books this year, I've definitely become much more familiar with that time, reading up on it in Wikipedia and other sites on the Internet. No things that go bump in the night in her books, just a lot of historical fiction--my favorite type of book.

And speaking of King Arthur, in Canada on our CBC network we have "Camelot" as a weekly series this year. I still haven't been able to catch it but anything Arthurian is also in my collection of books.

Re: The Norse King's Daughter (3:13am September 30, 2011):

In one of my few reading slumps, I read most of the Viking II books; I'm still missing Viking Heat. It was a time in which I really needed some fun in my reading and I knew I would get it from these books. Thanks for writing such enjoyable and often laugh-out-loud books.

Re: The Seduction of Sophie Seacrest (11:23pm September 27, 2011):

I regret that I can't name my favorite brooding hero--I've read about too many to recall them individually. I should probably not like them as much as I do since I'm inclined to brooding myself. Maybe that's why I don't really remember individual ones.

Re: Secrets Of The Wolves (1:37am September 25, 2011):

Wow! What a truly fascinating concept! I suppose that others may have written books about the beginnings of life on earth--at least I think that the People of...series by the Gears, which I have somewhere in storage, goes back several 100s or 1000s of years--but I still haven't read them. So your books will take historical fiction to a whole other level for me. I didn't know about your first book, so I shall be looking for it in the library first.

Thanks for letting us know how much your writing of the wolves' stories also changed you. And that you went to France to see the cave paintings. Were those the Lascaux paintings? If so, a friend and I tried to see those 35 years ago, but weren't able to because of preservation issues. Lucky you.

Re: Once Upon A Groom (12:50pm September 24, 2011):

By the way, happy anniversary to you!!

Re: Once Upon A Groom (12:48pm September 24, 2011):

I have no doubt that some young girls still dream of Cinderella-like lives. It mostly depends on the kind of life their parents and the families of own their friends have. If they watch a lot of TV, I think they must get a quite different picture. I regret the departure of the nuclear family. It hasn't really done us much good. Too many children no longer know what family is--outside of their gangs.

Re: Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star (3:48am September 22, 2011):

I haven't read many of the new Austen-based books. This one certainly sounds quite different from those I have read.

Re: To Sketch A Thief (4:17am September 20, 2011):

I find what goes on in an author's mind so interesting. I'm a terribly unimaginative person myself. Maybe that's why I love to read since that's all that's left for me. And every author has a different way of thinking about her/his book and its characters. So totally fascinating and as foreign to me a as some of the worlds I read about. I wouldn't even be able to name my characters at all. I have only a hollow space where writers find that kind of information. And yet, when I read a book I can get so lost in it that coming back to the real world can be quite a shock.

Re: Stay (12:15pm September 19, 2011):

Cheers for your debut novel. You're right, sometimes what appears to be the worst thing to happen, opens a door to something even more exciting in life.

Re: The Rake And The Recluse (11:59pm September 18, 2011):

Well, it's definitely a long time since I read a picture-book. This one looks very interesting: a recluse taming a duke!? What's not to like? I'm glad it's available on e-book. I may get to read it sooner than otherwise. Best success with your book.

Re: The Dragon And The Pearl (3:04pm September 15, 2011):

Though I've had it ever since it came out, I regret to admit that I still have not read Butterfly Swords. In the meantime, however, my interest in China has been ramped up by several notches because I went to Toronto to see the exhibit of some of the Chinese warriors and other historical items from that period just before Christmas last year. I could hardly bear to leave the exhibit and bought a number of "souvenirs" including an 8" tall clay bowman and several books. A truly fascinating exhibit that I almost missed. I'm eagerly looking forward to your next two titles and hope to read all 4 in one go.

Maybe one of these days I'll even get to Hong Kong to meet my Chinese friends from university again. I've pretty well got a standing invitation from one couple. If all things go well, maybe we can make some excursions into China proper.

BTW, I remember reading again recently how classes in European countries were also banned from buying certain materials. I guess it also comes down to having money. Who but the wealthy were/are able to afford beautiful silks, satins, lace, etc. unless you want to get into massive debt? My niece got a dress from Goodwill and my sister was married in a cotton Edwardian-style dress.

Re: Deep Disclosure (12:24pm September 8, 2011):

I have to live in the now, but there are definitely a lot of days when I long for at least a part of the past. I yearn for the days when I was able to concentrate better, had more energy, could stand more "noise/sound" including music, and could remember where I've put my keys, important papers, wallet, etc. You get the drift, I'm sure. I'm glad for books which take me away from the worries; then I live only in the book.

Re: Bel Air (10:49pm September 4, 2011):

One of my favorite things are turtles, actually Turtles, chocolate-covered pecans with a caramel centre. As for ice-cream, I've recently switched to frozen yogurt with strawberries, healthier than ice-cream.

Both are absolutely yummy, to me anyway.

Re: Sweet Justice (2:43am September 4, 2011):

I'm glad you're not too keen on all the gory stuff. My favorite type of book has always been historical novels--the ones which feature either real historical characters--or if necessary, someone that fits into the era and is based on a real character. Romantic suspense is a close second. Unfortunately, I've read so many books over the years that I can't remember any particular vile characters. However, I know that Lisa Gardner, Iris Johansen, Suzanne Brockmann, and Tess Gerritsen are some who have written absolutely chilling books with very evil characters. I've meant to stop reading some of them because of my...hmm..."delicate psyche" but I just can't pass them up when a new one comes out; I usually pass on the guys because they can be even more graphic and...scary. And I read a few whose books are scary but still leave me with a feel-good aftertaste. Other than gory ones I find the psychological thrillers the hardest to read. I'd love to read some of yours. I'll check if the library has some of your older ones. I wish you continued good ideas, writing and success.

Re: Lady Of The English (2:50am September 2, 2011):

This sounds like another intriguing historical novel with characters that I've been largely unaware of. I've read several books concerning this era in the last few years and am pleased to find another. I guess most English-writing authors stick to Britain and those countries and kingdoms most immediately adjoining the Channel to find their material. I've been wondering about the more Germanic and Scandinavian areas. Are there no worthy stories that took place in those countries? I haven't even found any German writers tackling German royalty or other historical characters. I'm German by birth, though I've spent most of my life in Canada, and have only recently realized how little I know about German history, especially in a more storied setting. Sometimes I think that the two areas rarely meet, although they must have during Victoria's time.

Re: Serendipity (7:29pm September 1, 2011):

I guess Gamma would be the one for me, too. I'm not too keen on some of the Alpha male characteristics nor on some of the beta. Somewhere in between would be nice. One thing: I'd be more for his mind than his muscles.

Re: Diaries Of An Urban Panther (7:17pm September 1, 2011):

I looked at Amazon.com and B&N to see if I could get the e-book. However, it's $4.58 at Amazon and a similar price at B&N. I thought there might be a password or code here, but I can't find anything.

Re: Diaries Of An Urban Panther (7:00pm September 1, 2011):

I'm by no means a heroine. So I might have a heart-attack, scream (though I'm not a screamer), run (can't do that with a walker). If the walker isn't loaded with groceries, I'd probably valiantly use that as my weapon, though it's really not much of one. Or I could throw the groceries at what/whoever is trying to frighten or hurt me.

Re: Ward Against Death (2:54am August 28, 2011):

Well, my dream job is neither medicine nor necromancy. Not even novel writing. Initially my dream job was interpreting at the UN, yes, like Nicole Kidman--well, minus all the excitement. But unfortunately, my finances and health just didn't measure up. So I gave up and became a language teacher: English and French in Germany. Later I taught German in Canada where I'm living again.

Re: The Things We Cherished (12:23pm August 27, 2011):

What happened? The last sentence read, but was cut off:
Fortunately, the relatives in Latvia were easier to find --through social media and English-speaking cousins.

Re: The Things We Cherished (12:08pm August 27, 2011):

After reading why you write about WWII, I realized that I've rarely read much about that era. Maybe I felt that I had heard enough about that time from my parents, who both grew up in post WWI Berlin, and other family members. Since I was born about 3 months before D-Day, I also heard of the deprivations Germans in the Russian sector of post-war Germany, even in the American sector to which my mother and I fled just before the Russians closed the borders to the other sectors in late 1946. Fortunately, my mother was able to work for an American aid association while my father got his degree in architecture. And in 1951 the three of us with my 2-year-old brother emigrated to Canada.
I heard my mother talk about her Jewish friend, the only friend of hers I remember. Before the Nazi regime, she often stayed with her friend when the parents went out in the evenings. The last time they saw each other, her friend asked my mother not to contact her anymore. She and her parents would suffer, as well as my mother's family. She was never able to find out what happened to her. I've watched many Holocaust documentaries and read 'The Diary of Anne Frank' as a teenager. I've rarely read any English books on WWII set on the European mainland, especially none that had any sympathetic view of Germans.

I still can't. The closest I've come are Rebecca Cantrell's Hanna Vogel novels. I'm looking forward to the 3rd installment about the 1936 Olympics, which my mother missed because she spent 6 months in Scotland.

Recently a novel by a friend of my grandfather's, Hans Fallada's 'Every Man Dies Alone' has become a well-selling book. I've never read any of his books--not that I didn't want to, just because there were more accessible books around.

Actually, my father was born in Poland. In July by younger brother and his wife, whose mother fled from Latvia during the war, went to where my father was born to find out more about him, but were unsuccessful. Fortunatel

Re: Red's Hot Cowboy (2:27am August 24, 2011):

This sounds like an enjoyable book. I've even got some boots of my own I can wear to feel more prepared for a cowboy. I can only remember about trying to ride once as a young teen--I was too far from the ground and I never had any rhythm to go bouncing in a saddle. But that, I guess, makes the cowboy an even better fantasy.

Re: Fall From Pride (12:06pm August 22, 2011):

Thanks, Lynn, for adding your comments. I looked up "Amish language" on Wikipedia and got a little bit more insight into the language. I emigrated from Germany with my parents and then spent all of the 70s back there in the Stuttgart area, which is apparently close to some of what they call "Amish" German. After reading that they made the vowels into diphthongs, I could see a little more resemblance. I'll also look up some of the sites. Thanks again, Lynn, for taking the time to respond.

Re: The Edge Of Grace (11:51pm August 21, 2011):

Hmm, more non-book news. Or do the Giants and Dolphins have something to do with your book after all? There were at least a couple of off-topic comments in here last week.

But back to your writing, Christa. I've never done any creative writing. However, I've written many a non-creative essay in my life and many of the steps you've gone through sound very familiar--eating 2 liters of ice-cream in an effort to get my brain to think logically, deciding I just had to clean my bedroom, doing some much-needed mending, etc., etc. Been there, done that. I'd probably be dead before I finally got anything creative done; anything more logical definitely requires lots of prayer.

Re: Fall From Pride (4:09am August 21, 2011):

Oh yes. I'd love to get a closer look at the Amish language. Some of it is clear, pure German, but some of it is total gibberish to me. I've been meaning to look up the Amish language for some time now.

Re: Fall From Pride (4:06am August 21, 2011):

I'm not sure that I've seen much of Amish country, though I lived in Manitoba where there are Hutterites who are somewhat less strict than the Amish, and I now live in Ontario where we have Old Order Mennonites, as well as more liberal Mennonites. Only recently have I gotten a more intimate look at the Amish through Linda Castillo's Kate Burkholder mysteries. I think I wouldn't do too badly in any of these societies, though I'm sure there is one thing I would miss--books. And I also understood how the Amish could forgive the perpetrator of the schoolhouse shootings. It is perhaps also one reason why I still can't understand the insistence on the right to carry arms in America. I'd rather be killed than shoot, even just to hurt someone.

So far, Karen, I've only read your Elizabeth I books. I'll definitely have to look into your other books as well.

Re: The Orphan Sister (12:25pm August 18, 2011):

I haven't done much this summer except hibernate from the heat and humidity. But then, as a Canadian I can't win a book anyway. Oddly enough, our Canadian authors never run a Canadian-only contest.

Re: Fezariu's Epiphany (1:01am August 16, 2011):

I can never resist anything with a shred of history in it, even when it's alternate, imagined or future.

I wish you all success.

Re: Spycatcher (11:52pm August 11, 2011):

I guess spying does rely a lot on "acting" in a certain way. I've never wanted to be an actor, but in my late teens, I thought spying would be a great job, trying to be someone I wasn't and making sure that the international bad guys got their just rewards. A part of that was learning different languages. I soon knew that pinning my life on my ability to act was harebrained. So I learned the languages, but spying? Nay. I'll stick to reading about others doing that.

Re: The Landlord's Black-Eyed Daughter (6:02pm August 10, 2011):

I thought that title sounded familiar, though I had to think for a few seconds to remember where it was from (senior moment.) Is your hero a highwayman? I love the last paragraph of the excerpt and I'm wondering if your heroine is clairvoyant. For me, endings, at least in romances, have to be happy, too. I'm just finishing Alison Weir's biography of Eleanor of Aquitaine; no happy ending there, but I loved the journey and relived some of her travels in remembering my visits to quite a few of the places mentioned. It took me more than a week to finish the book because of all the reliving and looking up places and people, but it was worth it--even without a happy ending. By the way Loreena McKennitt is one of my favorites too. So I'll have to find my CD with the Highwayman on it. P.S. I live in ON.

Re: Blood Of The Reich (5:49am August 10, 2011):

In many ways I'm not really fond of Nazi-themed books. My family lived through that time in Germany and I got to feel some of the aftermath. However, I do like historical fiction and would definitely like to read more fiction set in Germany. Your books might fill the bill. The only other German-set books I've read, except for some written in German, are the Hannah Vogel books by Rebecca Cantrell set in the 1930s. I've just been thinking that I really must learn more about pre-Nazi German history--besides the names of the last Kaisers.

Re: Pleating for Mercy (2:09am August 6, 2011):

Congratulations and wishes for success.
Well, finally a book I can--at least could--relate to, domestically speaking. I loved sewing when I was young and made some clothes from bits and pieces of other things. I was and still am terrible at cooking, hence most of my meals are frozen ones. Unfortunately, I developed a painful condition in my hands and haven't been able to sew for a long time now, though I brought my Pfaff, which I bought in Germany, back with me.

Re: The Lady Of The Storm (5:10am August 4, 2011):

I think the conclusion you came to is definitely correct: each writer has her own method of thinking, writing, envisioning the story. There are probably as many different ways as there are writers. I for one am glad about that; I like a little variety in my books. Sometimes after finishing a book, I realize that I can't remember a physical description of anything in the book, and on checking back, rereading the book, I find that the author hasn't really given any and I don't really mind. Whenever I have to do any writing at all, I'm like you; I need absolute concentration and quiet. I'd love to read your book since I haven't read any of yours yet.

Re: Too Hot To Touch (4:50am August 4, 2011):

My first crush was about 2 years older than I and a family friend as well. He and I both had younger brothers very close in age with very similar names who were very good friends. My mother took care of his brother while their mother worked and G would come to pick the younger one up on his way home from school. Years later I was very glad that not been any closer.

Re: Lie for Me (2:50am August 3, 2011):

For me, too, this would be one of the biggest dilemmas: whether to try to spare a loved one the pain of going through a police investigation for murder if I felt 99% certain that he couldn't have done it. I've always tried to be truthful, though I'm sure I've fudged it a little at times. But it's never been in a case of huge importance like a murder. What would I do? I really don't know. It would depend on the whole set of circumstances.
BTW, I recently came across the wording of the commandments in Exodus 20 again and was struck anew by the wording of the ninth commandment: "You shall not bear false testimony against your neighbor." I recalled a sermon many years ago in which the pastor stated that sometimes it's better not to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. When you know a truth that might hurt a friend, a neighbor, a loved one, you should think about whether it's better to say nothing at all or how to break something as gently as possible. It's certainly never right to gleefully tell someone that their partner is cheating. And, yes, sometimes it's to lie by omission.
Being asked point blank about a crime, however, can only be very hard to answer truthfully if a loved one is involved. I'm sure that you will handle it well, Karen. I've loved your latest mysteries and know I'll love this one too. I loved your Silhouette books too. You have a great insight into characters.

Re: The Full Moon Bride (2:33pm August 1, 2011):

I'm so glad that women from cultures that most of us know nothing of are writing more books. Former neighbors of our family were from India too and I've always felt that it made our family very fortunate. We also have friends who came from Ghana, though I have never seen a book by a Ghanaian, man or woman. I think books are very important for us to be able to understand and appreciate each other better. I've been looking for your books too. Are they for sale in Canada?

Re: What A Goddess Wants (8:25am July 29, 2011):

I've always needed absolute quiet around me whenever I had to write any letters or essays. I definitely, even under those circumstances, have written anything creative. Congratulations on doing it with two young boys. At the moment, I have to live pretty well "noiseless" in order to function. I'm very easily distracted, even by music.

Re: Notorious (8:16am July 29, 2011):

I'm so glad it wasn't considered downright scandalous when I first went traveling on my own. Many of my friends did consider it intrepid of me--even traveling to Washington, D.C. on my own. The only real problem I had at that time was trying to find a map to show me where exactly my friends lived in Falls Church, VA. I'd probably have traveled alone during Regency times as well, especially if I couldn't find anybody who wanted to go where I did.

Re: The Genesis Key (2:35pm July 27, 2011):

This book certainly sounds like my cup of tea--anything with archeology does--never mind the other factors. One point, however: The Bible also say that Methuselah lived 969 years (Gen 5:7) and several other "patriarchs" lived long lives.

When I hear of our world's coming overpopulation, I always have to think of a Star Trek (original cast) show in which Kirk and company come to a planet where people don't die and the kinds of problem this caused. There was not enough room for everyone to even stand anymore. Luckily, we are still some ways from that dilemma.

I've been trying to find the relevant ST episode on Imdb.com but have been unsuccessful. It may be "The Omega Glory." (ST:2, Ep. 23) It's about longevity. I can't remember it all that well. After all, it aired in 1968.

I just read this passage in the Bible and God's limiting life to 120 years seems to come after men had lived these long lives. Now I am even more eager to see how you handle all this. I'm certain it makes for an interesting book.

Re: A Gentleman Never Tells (4:35am July 26, 2011):

That's why we are our own worst proofreaders. We know what we intended to write and therefore, "see" those words on the paper (or computer screen.) That's why it's always best to have someone else read the final manuscript before sending it in. Another thing I always do is have Google check my spelling. That gets annoying when I write in another language but it's invaluable for English. I'm alerted to any possible mistake. I say possible because if Google hasn't changed it, someone's will come up as a mistake. (It no longer does.)

Re: A Gentleman Never Tells (4:28am July 26, 2011):

I couldn't log in when I first tried to yesterday. I'm still not sure if it was my computer or something else. So I tried again after making today's link work.
I've seen too many mistakes to remember in the last 50 years or so. One came up again recently--it's a fairly common one: His eyes 'bore' into her(s). Huh, what did his eyes "carry" or "bear" into her (or her eyes?) Don't eyes, figuratively, bore into someone, i.e., try to make a hole in someone? (Usually, it's definitely not a kind look, but a very annoyed or angry one.) That verb is to bore, bored, has bored. And the sentence should read: His eyes bored into her. Yes, bored also means to drive someone to boredom, but there are different meanings for to bore, as there are for many simple verbs.

By the misuse of the verbs to lie, lay, has lain (to be prone) and to lay, laid, laid (to put down something,) one story had a lady sit on a blanket "laid" in a fire. (The exact sentence was long and complicated and I can't remember it after 5 yrs. This is probably the set of verbs that are the most frequently misused. I don't really know why. The only overlapping I can see is "lay" for the present (put down s.th.) and "he lay" in bed all day yesterday." Unfortunately, very few writers/speakers of any kind still use these verbs correctly. They certainly aren't caught by most editors or proofreaders. I can remember one politician saying, "We know where our responsibilities must lay." Lay what? eggs? There must always be an object after this verb, while the other, to lie, is intransitive, i.e., it has no object. Sometimes I wonder if writers think only of to lie as meaning to tell an untruth and, therefore, avoid using it. For me there is never any question about which verb to use. Maybe that's because I know other languages where there such differences, e.g., German:liegen (intransitive) = to lie and legen (transitive) = to lay.
By the way, more and more I see i.e. used everywhere. Howev

Re: Hold Me (2:18am July 24, 2011):

I didn't find true love either, but like Vicki I know couples who have been together since they married. At one point, my mother didn't think she could continue staying with my father. The war had changed him too much. It was only with the help of the pastor who married them that they became reconciled for over 40 years of marriage until my father passed away close to 10 years after a massive stroke. Two of my siblings are still married two their spouses after 35 and 34 years. My one brother divorced his first wife after she left him. He was married more than 25 years to his second wife before succumbing to cancer this spring. None of my close friends have been divorced either. So I still believe in marriage. I think that some people may go into marriage with unrealistic views. Especially these days it seems that some people, maybe men especially, have think that only good sex is necessary and don't take anything into account. Fortunately, I never really suffered from a broken heart. I just came to the conclusion that I would not make a good wife.

Re: Touch If You Dare (12:54pm July 24, 2011):

A truly UNIQUE hero--at least, I've never heard of any even close to this one. I'll be looking for this one.

Re: The Language Of The Sea (3:32am July 20, 2011):

Though I'm no fan of vampire stories, I like merpeople and don't mind shapeshifters. This sounds like a book I'd enjoy.

Re: The What If Guy (7:20pm July 17, 2011):

This gives me a great look into an author's mind, one I find so different from my own. But I guess that's why I love reading books instead of writing them. To each her own, I suppose, and isn't great that we can't all be writers.

And congratulations, Vicki. I think being willing to compromise is one key to a lasting marriage.

Re: A Spark of Death (12:15pm July 16, 2011):

Love the historical era and would love to read the new mystery.

Re: Just One Season In London (6:44pm July 11, 2011):

Poor Sophie, with so much riding on her and her behavior. It can't be easy being the one expected to pull your family out of its debts. I would love to read it--and visit London again.

Re: Loved By A Warrior (12:03pm July 6, 2011):

Very interesting premises and conjectures. I'd love to find out what happens.

Re: Shadow Of A Quarter Moon (10:50pm July 5, 2011):

Definitely, it is all in the story. After children's books, I first started reading historical novels--not romances--though that was often an element of the story. I started reading some books by Elswyth Thane from a library and others that my father owned by Slaughter, Costain, Yerby, et al. I had also read Harlequin romances. I've also studied history. So historical novels--of any time--are definitely amongst my favorite types of reading material, as are true history books. Well, I do have some types of books I'm not keen on: vampires, witches, etc.--though I like shapeshifters that don't get too violent and murder mysteries that are too violent/gory. I've pretty well tried each "genre" at least once.

Re: Break Out (2:06am July 4, 2011):

When you first posed your question, I thought of what kinds of books I really don't like: books that are too gory or too much cruelty in some mystery stories and vampire books; books that sound more like sex manuals than romances. Otherwise I've read and enjoyed pretty well any genre. Then of course, I saw that you do have vampire elements in this book, but remember, it's only the gory ones. Hey, I can't even watch medical operations on TV and couldn't hold up my much younger sister's foot while blood was dripping into the bathroom sink. I've also had a tendency to nausea for no reason.
So if the conditions hold, I'd love to read your book. I really don't care about the mix of elements, as long as it's short on gore and long on story.

Re: Never Cry Wolf (12:06pm July 3, 2011):

His nose is just a tad too big and he smells things that you don't.

Lots of fun. Have a great day on your birthday celebration. I had a great time watching Will and Kate live. If you can get CBC TV, you can have the same pleasure.

Re: Dying For Justice (1:18pm June 28, 2011):

When I was a teen, my biggest concerns were the atom bomb and possible wars with the USSR.

Just about a year ago, I was so thankful that, other than my parents, I had lost nobody in my immediate family, nor among my cousins and their families. In November came the news that they suspected cancer in my brother next in age to me. At Christmas we learned that he had 6-12 mos. to live, more if he was treated. He died March 5 of this year; cancer had invaded 8 different parts of his body.

Now I hope I'll not lose anyone else. They all have families and I don't and I'm also the eldest of all my cousins. I'd definitely prefer to go myself, rather than lose any of the others. I also fear the climate change with the increased dangers of weather disasters from wildfires, flooding, earthquakes, volcanoes, etc., not so much for myself, but for the world in general. And I loathe the constant wars dictators fight against their own countrymen. After the Communist countries changed, I believed everyone would have a better life. I shouldn't forget those people who think they have a right to rule their countries and the world. And having Palin or Bachmann as president--uh-uh.

Re: The Dark Enquiry (3:52pm June 26, 2011):

Hm, all this sounds very modern when you think of it. Now it's just not as new. I guess it was Victoria herself who presented a somewhat "prudish" picture, though with her not-exactly-small number of children, she cannot have shunned the marriage bed. And after Prince Albert died, there were rumours about a certain Mr. Brown.

I have the first of your books in my most immediate TBR pile. I'm looking forward to reading it and hope to read the others soon. I would love to have the latest.

Re: Missing Persons (1:06pm June 25, 2011):

Isn't it odd that such people can still believe they are doing a good thing? There must be something very skewed in their thinking. I've heard of similar rumors of other killers. Maybe if the mother was cruel to her child I could understand the father's sentiment. However, I also think that some people can become inured to murder if they watch too many murder shows and even read too many such books. I can remember once babysitting and the kids were watching TV. When one of the characters went to poison another, I sort of gasped. One of the kids asked about my reaction and I told him, then hastened to add, "But this is just a TV show and these people are just pretending. Nobody's really getting hurt." Afterwards I wondered whether I should have added that. Perhaps other people just forget that murder on TV is just pretend--and not to be done in reality.

Re: City Of Promise (8:13pm June 23, 2011):

A Victorian-era series that I've been enjoying is the mystery series by Tasha Alexander about Lady Amelia Ashton. There are five books out now. Crimson Warning is the sixth, to be released in late October. Too bad it's not out before then.

I'll be continuing to read the mostly YA historical novels by the late Rosemary Sutcliff. I've loved her books since I read one as a YA myself many years ago. As someone said about her books when the film "The Eagle" based on her book "The Eagle of the Ninth" came out earlier this year, that her books never stoop down to the level of children when she writes. She uses normal words that might require people to look them up in a dictionary. She often writes about characters that grow up during the story. She is a very good writer, period. She was one who got me even more interested in history than I already was. I hope her books are more readily available in the U.S. now.

I will also be trying some historical novels by Alison Weir, a new-to-me author. However, I want to read new books by Iris Johansen, Lisa Gardner, Jayne Castle, Tess Gerritsen and others.

Happy reading to everyone.

Re: Under a Desert Sky (5:38pm June 19, 2011):

Weird! Definitely weird! Whenever I logged in yesterday, this page was all in Spanish. I know some Spanish but not enough to read a blog like this, let alone answer intelligently. But I also had a lot of problems with having my pages translated from English when I wanted nothing of the kind. I thought I'd try again today, and lo and behold, it's in English.

It's truly wonderful to see all the inspirational Christian books available nowadays. When I was growing up, you were able to get children's books, but nothing beyond that. Thanks for being one of the authors that has brought us stories to nourish our souls.

Re: Louisa And The Missing Heiress (11:18pm June 16, 2011):

Considering that I'm severely creatively challenged, I regretfully say no to the question. However, I'm happy to read anyone else's offerings.

Re: When Tony Met Adam (12:14pm June 14, 2011):

Hi, Suz, I'm so glad that you are finally getting to realize your big dreams, writing and producing a film. I hope you'll keep us abreast of what is happening. Actually, I'll probably be writing to you. Congratulations to Jason as well. I'll be rooting for him. Is this his film debut?

All the best to each of you.

Re: Darkfire Kiss (9:59pm June 9, 2011):

I've been lagging behind in reading the Dragonfire series. So I'll try to catch up soon. And I'll certainly be looking into Zoe's story as well.

Re: Heart of the Highland Wolf (12:37pm June 9, 2011):

I don't care at all for vampires, demons, wizards, etc., but I have a pronounced interest in werewolves. Even before I got hung up on Kelley Armstrong's werewolf series, I'd read and enjoyed some others. A kilt-wearing werewolf sounds very "intriguing," to say the least.

Re: Cover of Darkness (3:13am June 6, 2011):

I'd love to read this book. I'm already a big Suzanne Brockmann fan. Anything along that line sounds great.

Congratulations on your nomination for the Daphne Du Maurier contest. I've always liked her books.

Re: Heat Wave (8:15pm June 4, 2011):

Vanessa

Re: Forced to Kill (7:36pm June 4, 2011):

I've enjoyed reading about SEALS since I read Suzanne Brockmann's first book about them came out in the late 90s. These men seemed extremely brave and well-trained. Bring on more of them.

Re: The Girl Who Disappeared Twice (12:00pm June 4, 2011):

With all the shows about the FBI, it's probably easy to think that we know all about its workings. But it must be even more interesting to able to talk to agents about actual cases.

Congratulations on the special plaque.

Re: The Soldier (11:48pm June 2, 2011):

I recently lost the elder of my two brothers to cancer. Today I was thinking that we really didn't get together very often, at most twice a year. Yet there have been so many instances lately when I've thought of telling him something or of something he might do, only to realize that he's no longer here. I guess I've really been closer in mind and thought than real contact with my 3 siblings and their families. Since I have no family myself, that's very important for me. The baby of one of my nieces was due today. There are still 16 minutes left for her to deliver today. She already has a boy and a girl, so the gender is not terribly important, though my sister told me about a possible boy's name. So we'll see.

Re: SEALed Forever (9:36pm May 20, 2011):

Your books are new to me, but I've certainly become addicted to Suzanne Brockmann's SEAL series after reading Prince Joe when that first came out. Therefore, I was somewhat familiar with what SEALs do. I've also read a few SEAL books by other authors. I'd certainly love to read yours.

Re: Wickedly Charming (9:07pm May 17, 2011):

Historical novels are my favorite reads. However, I'll also read most types of romance. I don't care at all for vampires, or any other books that contain a lot of gory scenes. I'm a "blood" wimp.

Re: Ashes Of The Earth (9:00pm May 17, 2011):

I wouldn't be surprised at apocalyptic events. We seem to be progressing towards events that almost inevitably will end in earth- and life-changing events. For me, all I would need is my veggies, fruits and bread and I can survive.

Re: The Goodbye Quilt (5:49pm May 12, 2011):

Our mother is no longer with us either, but my brother passed away not quite 10 weeks ago. I'm sure he passed on our good thoughts and prayers to her and our father.

Re: The Hat (12:36pm May 11, 2011):

What a fascinating mother you had and, it seems, still have. I think we never completely lose our mothers. In some ways our mothers were similar: although she was in her 24th year when I was born, some people thought I was her younger sister. However, I was the eldest of 4 and my parents were married over 40 years by the time my father passed away. And now she's been gone for more than 7 and a half years after being a widow for a little over 20. She had found her first crush again and was like a young girl again for a while. Tragically he died while swimming and that, in addition to Alzheimer's, ended her dreams. Until the A we'd gotten along pretty well, but I was having major health problems of my own at that time and I kept thinking I was going crazy until we found out what was really wrong. She also liked to dress finely and always wore something that gave her a little panache. Maybe it was something she learned or breathed in with the Paris air while she was working there. Unfortunately, the Paris air didn't do the same for me. Although I am really a lot more like my father than my mother, we always got along famously until I was older, when she still often treated me like a child. One thing we really didn't agree on was my inordinate love of reading. That definitely came from my father's side.

Many more happy memories.

Re: The Violets Of March (11:42pm May 10, 2011):

The Bungalow

Re: Gone With A Handsomer Man (11:24pm May 10, 2011):

Crazy Ladies

Re: Blood Oath (10:26pm May 7, 2011):

I'm just watching "10 Ways to Kill...bin Laden" on CBC News' The Passionate Eye. It's very enlightening, showing how efforts to get bin Laden go back to the late 1990s. Who knows how much good a(n indestructible?) Vampire might do.

I love those aphorisms as well, because they are oh so true.

Right now they're trying to use the biggest non-nuclear bomb, Blue A2(?) at Tora Bora.

Re: A Family Affair (7:00pm May 7, 2011):

I've heard of a few "families" where it turned out that the father had another one. I guess it's more difficult for a woman to have a second family: it's too hard to hide a pregnancy and woman do tend to be around to look after their children for more than a few days a week. I can't imagine anything similar happening. I totally agree with Sandy on what makes a family. I suppose that with a lot of love and give and take you can receive others into your family circle, especially orphans or other children in need of care. However, I think it would be very hard for us women to suddenly discover that our family was not enough for our husband. Is it better than a complete divorce and get it all out into the open? I just don't know.

Re: Follow My Lead (2:06am May 7, 2011):

I love the friends to lovers trope. I think it applies to most of the marriages I know about. It definitely applies to my parents. My mother was trying to get the attention of my father's best friend's brother when she was 14 and my father 16. When that didn't work out, my parents became a couple though his mother thought he really could have done better, and held that against my mother for over 40 years (a slight class difference.) A friend from school married one of our classmates, as did my sister, my one brother married one of my sister's classmates, and the other one of his work female co-workers. As for me, I'm still hoping.

Re: Love Drunk Cowboy (2:45am May 4, 2011):

Oh, I get to make the first comment--maybe?

This book and the rest certainly sound like fun books, something I can definitely use, at least once in a while. The mention of "Red River" caught my eye. Is it somewhere in TX? The one I know has been flooding from the Dakotas and getting ready to crest in Manitoba, meeting the Assiniboine coming from the west across much of prairie land. It's supposed to be cresting anytime now, though it snowed a couple of feet(?) just a few days ago--so who knows. At any rate, I've grown interested in Austin and Rye. Are all the books to be published this year related? I love reading related books.

Best of success to you.

Re: The Color of Heaven (2:33am May 4, 2011):

I already have your book but haven't had a chance to read it yet, partly because I recently suffered the death of my next-in-age-to-me brother of us four children. Though it was not a complete surprise--he had told us about probably having cancer in early November--but how quickly it occurred after his doctor had given him up to 18 months to live. However, there were problems with the biopsies that were supposed to be done. It was third time "lucky" and by then the cancer had spread to eight different areas. He was in agony when he died, 4 days after my birthday and 3 days after I last saw him. Unfortunately, we lived more than 2 hours apart and I had to rely on my next oldest sibling for transportation.

Yes, I believe in the "hereafter." As my friend and pastor was praying for our family over the phone after I confirmed the death, I had a brief vision of our parents welcoming W. to heaven. And if there really is no heaven, etc., what have we really lost by believing in it while we're on earth? And yes, I also believe there are also near-death experiences. Some are probably not true, but then, I'm sure that there are others that are not in the public domain.

I don't have a real eReader either. I just use a version that can be used on this computer. It works very well.

Julianne, I'm so pleased by the book's success. I had to restrict myself in buying your books for a while until I was able to get my old-age entitlements straightened out. I'm trying to get more e-books as some of them are cheaper in the US and definitely take up less space than a paper book.

Re: Bastian (1:45am May 2, 2011):

Unless I miss my guess that's a picture of the Roman Forum. I'm just wondering when it was taken. Did you take it yourself? I was wondering if it looks much different from when I was there in 1975. I just know that they've been working on some parts of since then.

Re: Bastian (1:39am May 2, 2011):

This definitely sounds like an intriguing story. Now that you mentioned them, I can recall reading 4 or 5 books dealing with the Vestals. At that time, I also read up on the Vestal Virgin history and how much they supposedly risked if they were caught in flagrante delicto. I can't remember all the details; this was probably 30 or 40 years ago.

As for the first-friendship-then-love sequence, it didn't happen to me but to my parents. My mother was first interested in my father's best friend's older brother when she was 14. I'm not certain how the whole story developed, but my mother married my father. After more than 40 years together, my father died. By chance, the older brother's wife had recently died as well and while on a trip to Europe, my mother went to see her erstwhile swain. At that point, his feelings for his deceased wife were still too strong. About a year later she got the news that he had drowned while swimming in the Baltic Sea. She was heartbroken.

Re: Never A Gentleman (9:42pm April 26, 2011):

I was in tears just from your description of the book. Sniff. All right, I can identify with Grace. (I like the name and have a cousin called Grace.) Just like the question recently about a "nice" guy, it's great to have a book about a challenged, plain, but helpful and "nice" heroine. Love her.

Re: The Alchemy of Desire (8:29pm April 25, 2011):

I'll always go for a nice guy, so bring them on. Of course, there are also "nice" alphas, but sometimes they can be downright menacing and rude. Those are certainly not my type.

Re: His Other Wife (5:29am April 23, 2011):

I treasure the advice for us Christians. Sometimes we are just so involved with trying to live that we miss simple things that will actually allow us to live more as we should. Thanks, Deborah, for those reminders.

Re: The Devil in Disguise (5:13am April 23, 2011):

Congratulations on your first release. I'm looking forward to it and the rest of the series.
There are already some great suggestions for newsletters. One thing that really struck me was when Jo Beverley did one about the locations of scenes in her latest books. I'm somebody who loves to read about actual or similar locations. I've done some traveling in Europe and love to imagine scenes mentioned in books. I'm also a "map" enthusiast and love being able to picture a voyage of any kind. Personally, I can do without the recipes, but then, I am the world's worst and most reluctant cook.
Best of good fortune to you in your writing,

Re: It Happened On Maple Street (1:10am April 20, 2011):

I was never truly abused in my life and I'm very thankful for that. I can only imagine very imperfectly what such a life is like, but I think it's awe inspiring that you and your husband have volunteered to present your story to all the women who are able to read it. I can hardly wait to read it.
Do you have any special e-mail that can be sent out to groups caring for abused women and children to alert them to this book, so that other women who are in such situations may benefit from your experience?

Re: The Beauty Chorus (10:02pm April 17, 2011):

This is certainly a different era than is rarely covered by authors. I'm glad to see it since it really isn't that long in our past and still touches some of us. All the best to you, Kate.

Re: A Marriage of Inconvenience (7:59pm April 16, 2011):

No, I don't think I'm a control freak though I wish I were more in control of what's going on in my life. I'm not necessarily controlled by other people, rather by health and other circumstances.

Re: Song Of The Silk Road (12:08pm April 16, 2011):

Since I've always been interested in different cultures, I'm going to make sure that I read your books, though it may be a little difficult to find them. Unfortunately, they're still more expensive here in Canada than they are in the U.S.--if they are available at all.

Re: Deadly Ties (12:47pm April 11, 2011):

I just finished reading DEADLY TIES a few days ago, and it was a humdinger. Though I can't remember Sara, I do remember Beth, the computer genius. I guess we've all had torn loyalties though I grew away a little from my family, as the eldest from my siblings especially, since I spent 10 years abroad. After I returned, I realized how much I had missed in their lives--two brothers' and a sister's. It has been very difficult to reestablish some of those bonds.

Re: A Song For My Mother (3:16am April 9, 2011):

My mother loved to write, too, though I don't think she ever had a novel in mind. She preferred writing thoughtful articles and, above all, letters. I used to have to edit the latter to make sure that she had exactly the right words and grammar. However, in the barren years after WW II, she wrote a little book about a flower wedding for me and illustrated it with black silhouette-type illustrations. For my mother's 80th birthday, we held a reunion for her family. They came from Australia, Germany, the U.S. and Canada. For that occasion, I translated the little book into English, from the original German, and my younger brother printed out an edition that included both languages and, of course, the illustrations, for each family as a souvenir of the celebration. This book and a miniature violin made by the elder of brothers when he was 12 years old are among my dearest and most prized possessions, most especially since he passed away from cancer just over a month ago.

I hope to read your story.

Re: Snowball in Hell (5:45am April 7, 2011):

Personally I prefer broccoli to most desserts. Like the previous commenter, I prefer historical fiction/novels. I love history and actually learned at least some of it from authors beginning with historian Thomas B. Costain, Samuel Shellabarger, Frank Yerby and others. I don't mind a romantic historical, but I definitely prefer at least some verifiable history in my historical reading.

Re: Angel's Verdict (11:48pm April 3, 2011):

Hmm, angels in mysteries. I think I'll check out the series.

Re: The Return Of Black Douglas (1:17am April 2, 2011):

I can remember way back at school learning about the Picts, Scots, Gaels and Celts, but I must admit that I'd forgotten most of it. I want my books to be as historically true as possible. They don't even necessarily need to have romance, because history has always been one of my favorite subjects, almost as much as languages. Or is it the other way around? Since you also added time-travel, the plot should be even merrier. Thanks for the history lesson. I'll take those wherever I can get them. Cheers!

Re: Yukon Wedding (11:26pm March 28, 2011):

Well, I'm looking for several things that I've hidden so well that I haven't been able to find them for the last 10 years. I'd hate to find a spot for something else that I won't be able to find. Even "hiding in plain sight" doesn't work for me.

Re: Sink or Swim (2:39am March 27, 2011):

Honestly? I don't think I've ever watched a complete day's show. In the one's I've sort of seen, I find too much backstabbing, denigrating, uberdramas, etc., etc. After a short time I can no longer listen to the bad language and worse thoughts. This kind of show is definitely not for me. I think in this case I want to get away from reality. So the only thing I watch most of the time now are the local, national and international news, the real reality of what's going on in the world. Otherwise I prefer a logical drama to a faux or manufactured "reality."

Re: The Beloved Dead (2:04am March 27, 2011):

I've read C.W. Gortner's first book, but all the other authors are unfamiliar to me. Those by J.L. Cannell intrigue me as much as those by J.M. Roberts. I've put a hold on SPQRI and Carrell's.Though I haven't had time to read them yet, I recently found some lawyer? or police? books set in ancient Rome as well. Contrary to some people who commented on Carrell's books on Amazon.com, I love books with actual, factual history in them--the more the better. I've also put a hold on your first book. I always prefer reading books in the order in which they are written, no matter whether or not they are part of a series. Thanks for telling us about these authors.

I definitely agree with you about the Native American experience. When I see news articles on the Native peoples, they are almost invariably bad news. Here in Canada at least there are many still living without running water in their homes. I wonder where the millions set aside for such projects have gone to. Of course, the huge unpopulated areas in Canada make it more difficult to reach isolated communities, but surely wells can be dug almost anywhere with the accompanying water systems laid to each house so that we don't hear annual accounts of children or the elderly burning to death because of the lack of water in the homes. There's no excuse for that.

Re: A Lot Like Love (11:50pm March 24, 2011):

Sounds like an interesting book with interesting premises--one I'd certainly enjoy reading. Way to go about already getting a reprint.

Re: Hummingbird Lake (5:05am March 23, 2011):

This sounds like a very enjoyable book--and series. I wish you lots of success with them as well as all of your other endeavors.

Re: Laird of Darkness (5:01am March 23, 2011):

I've always loved unconventional characters as long as they are still recognizably human. That does seem to be the case in your book. I'm currently reading "Lord of Scoundrels" by Loretta Chase--so talk about unconventional characters. These two definitely are as well. Although they seem to be heading that way, it's hard to imagine two more disparate characters' getting together. I'll be looking forward to getting your prize or getting the book from Carina myself.

Best of luck and success.

Re: An Unlikely Countess (10:26am March 19, 2011):

Sorry, I just read Jo's comment about aristocrats now. I think that everybody, including "spares," should have some sort of task to look after. Being totally idle isn't good for anybody. After all, even the Queen has tasks she has to do. It's not hard manual labour but she still gets reports on world news, takes care of personal correspondence, etc.

Re: An Unlikely Countess (10:17am March 19, 2011):

Though I'm quite satisfied with my role in life, I certainly don't mind reading about glitz and glamour. In fact, I've experienced some glitz myself in France, courtesy of an international conference that my father attended while I was au pair in a family with seven children in a suburb of Paris. As closure to the conference, we attended a banquet in the Salle des Batailles in the Palace of Versailes, as well as a tour of the whole palace. Having something glitzy like this occur once in a while is certainly more memorable for me than living my whole life under such circumstances. But on the other hand, who knows how I'd have felt if I'd been born into them. Probably a taste of "normal" life would have been memorable.
On the other hand, if I'd had to go from glitz to ordinary, I might have been like Prudence and tried to keep up my spirits and my mindset on something I'd been more used to.

Re: Emily And Einstein (9:40am March 19, 2011):

Her step-sister's name is Jordan.

Re: What I Did For A Duke (1:04am March 12, 2011):

I've been as sixes and sevens for a long time it seems to me. Some of my books are still in storage, but maybe I'll try to get into this series anyway. I'm hoping our public library has all of them handy. Bye, Julie Ann.

Re: Call Me Irresistible (1:03am February 21, 2011):

Ted Beaudine

I thought the name was familiar. No wonder, if we've read about his daddy.

Re: Storm Of Reckoning (6:32pm February 20, 2011):

I guess every writer has to be the overlord or "overlady???" of her books. But I don't really like the "evil" ones. So I'd love to find out how your protagonists manage to get themselves out of the pickles you put them in. Have you sent out your newsletter for this book yet?

Re: Lucky Stiff (1:42am February 16, 2011):

Yea! for those who like you take us non-writers along into your worlds. The closest I come to inventing a world is continuing an adventure I've read about just before I went to sleep. No sleep for me unless I read first.

Re: RiverTime (1:31am February 16, 2011):

Bravo! for giving escapism an intellectual spin of being necessary for survival. I'd never thought of it in this way. Your story also sounds interesting. Which kind of escapism does it offer--the literal kind?

Re: The Mistress' House (12:59pm February 14, 2011):

It sounds as if you've got some luscious couples here.
I'm just reading WOMAN'S OWN by Robyn Carr, set around 1876 Philadelphia about four women in one family: grandmother, daughter and two grand-daughters. I mention this here because it contains the longest, the best, the most sensual and most tender description of a kiss that I've ever read. Yumm

Re: Breaking the Rules (6:26am February 13, 2011):

I think I'll go for a small glass of champagne. It brings back great memories of my first glass: on a bateau-mouche (sightseeing boat) on the Seine River in Paris. That was looong ago.

Re: Society's Most Disreputable Gentleman (9:29pm February 9, 2011):

There's nothing much left for me to add to this praise for the rake/rogue. I don't think I'd ever have looked for a "bad boy," but who knows, I might have found one. I guess the appeal is both the redemption of someone who's had problems and that of letting ourselves love someone a little difficult.

Re: Deadly Ties (12:40pm February 9, 2011):

I very much enjoyed FORGET ME NOT and look forward to reading DEADLY TIES.

Re: The Color of Heaven (11:12pm February 8, 2011):

I'm glad you were able to get your book published, because it seems to mean so much to you. I'm looking forward to reading it. Best wishes with with any book you write.

Re: These Things Hidden (1:12am February 7, 2011):

I was born into a war. My mother later told me that, at least three times, I came very close to being killed. She had to breastfeed me for two years on very little food: she had little more than potato peels to eat--probably not the most nourishing food for either of us. Then, with her 16-year-old brother as helper, we finally fled to safety, to where my father had been able to find a university spot to study after the main hostilities had ceased. There she worked to put my father through school. She taught my siblings and me our values from the time I, the eldest, was able to learn. She loved us and protected us. She even learned to cook, something she had never liked doing as the eldest of five at home. She only worked for a short time after we emigrated to North America. There were four of us to take care of and she preferred to be a stay-at-home, and I was glad to come home to her. I always wanted to emulate her with my children--and maybe improve on a few things(?)--but I never had no children. Although I'm really more like my father in most respects, I've always taken her as my model. She left us in 2003, about 5 years after she developed Alzheimer's and more than 20 years after our father passed away. My siblings all have children and judging from the way they are, I'd say that they carried on many of my parents' teachings: accepting others for who they are without prejudices, helping those who need help, the value of being a good citizen, and many more.

Re: Everyone Loves A Hero (11:10am February 2, 2011):

I too have wondered if I could be a real hero. There have been two occasions when I helped--or tried to help--my much younger sister. The first time she was about 2 years old and had walked out onto our balcony where she began to scream. I couldn't figure out why until I realized that the balcony was covered in some sort of roofing material with a base of tar, which had begun to melt in the summer heat, and she was out there in bare feet. I yanked her inside as fast as I could and my mother took her to the hospital by taxi. Poor baby. It was a while before she was able to walk again. About 4 years later, she again walked out into a dangerous place. We lived backed onto a river then, and she decided to go for a walk in it. Unfortunately, she found something that cut her foot this time. When we got her inside, it was my job to hold up her bleeding foot above the bathroom sink in an attempt to get the bleeding to stop. I was an ignominious failure: I started to feel very queasy and passed the job off on one of her little friends, so that I could lie down before I brought up. At least my sister has a strong stomach; she became a nurse--the last job I ever wanted.

Re: The Irish Princess (12:07pm February 2, 2011):

I'm very happy to see that you've got a new historical novel coming out. I read THE QUEEN'S GOVERNESS about 2 weeks ago and enjoyed it immensely. I've also read MISTRESS SHAKESPEARE, as well a number of the Elizabethan mysteries. I'm very much looking forward to THE IRISH PRINCESS. It promises to be as intriguing as the others.

Re: The Best Laid Plans (7:49pm January 30, 2011):

Tru's best friend is Sienna.

Thanks for the contest.

Re: Haunting Jasmine (7:37pm January 30, 2011):

Every time I read a report like yours, I can only shake my head. Except for when I was about 17, I've never had a story come visit me, or experienced anything like any other writer has. I guess somebody's got to read the books, right? And I can certainly do that.

Re: Wild Man Creek (1:35am January 30, 2011):

What an...uh...interest-whetting entry! I'll definitely be getting this book, as I've been trying to get all your others. Well, some I can't get; they're too rare. But I've been reading those hard-to-find books to the exclusion of your newer books. Next up is WOMAN'S OWN. I'm so glad our city library bought and kept these books. I'm certainly benefiting now that I have more time to read than I did when they first came out.

Re: The Werewolf Upstairs (3:30am January 29, 2011):

How true! Stories are the most entertaining aspect of life for most of us. I really don't know how I'd occupy myself a lot of the time if there weren't any books. And I can remember my mother's fulfilling that function when I was young: I still have a story that she wrote, illustrated and made into a little book for me more than 60 years ago. It was probably my very first book ever.

Re: Immortal Champion (11:28pm January 27, 2011):

I read romance, or any book, to learn something I didn't know previously. That's why I prefer books that transport me to countries and epochs with which I am unfamiliar, or which I have visited, to learn more about them. That also pertains to mythical realms, the future, etc.

Re: Highborn (10:10pm January 17, 2011):

I've never written a novel but I've written plenty of essays. I'm glad you're good at writing outlines. I can't say that I am. But what we have in common is grasshopper minds. Though I haven't done this much lately, I sometimes used to be so amazed at what I'd find myself thinking of at a certain point that I decided to go backwards and retrace every step I took to get to the present subject. Sometimes, that was really amazing.

Re: Pleasure Me (3:50am January 15, 2011):

An interesting plot which highlights the interaction between the characters, especially the hero and heroine.

Re: Kiss At Your Own Risk (11:10pm January 13, 2011):

I've never had the horrible experiences that some of you have had. I can only imagine what such a life is like. I've had to endure verbal abuse and that was bad enough, but physical abuse...? I hope all of you have truly found solace and friends, as well as happier lives.

Re: Nocturne (10:52pm January 13, 2011):

I believe in love at first sight, at least to a certain degree. Physical attraction is an integral part of love and that can certainly occur at first sight. But getting to know one another is definitely the more important and lasting part.

Re: Wicked Seduction (12:57pm January 12, 2011):

Whew, it's a good thing I have neither husband nor children to interrupt me in my misery; either I would be a goner or the others. No, no, I've never written a book, but I remember writing term papers or letters, filling out forms and applications under deadline conditions, and your jeremiad rings very true. I'm still hoping to get around to writing my Christmas/New Year's wishes and am sitting here in very similar conditions as you described. My health is always rather indifferent and I feel most comfortable lying down, unless I surface to watch the newscasts or try to catch up on e-mail a bit. You can't do much writing lying down. It's a good thing my one attempt at writing a story ended ignominiously more than 45 years ago.

Re: Mercy Kill (1:26am January 11, 2011):

I've read darker books in my time and on rare occasions still do. I'm just finishing the 5th book in Jessica Andersen's "The Final Prophecy" series about the Nightkeepers who are close to the Mayan culture which has fascinated me since my teen years. Lots of gory scenes in them, but I definitely try not to dwell on those.

Re: The Fire In Ember (1:19am January 11, 2011):

My first love were historical novels because my father and I both enjoyed history. When the historical romance arrived, I also took to those, though I cherished any bit of "real" history I could find in them. Thanks to all you authors who try to put that extra little bit in your books. Of course, I touch of the princess never hurts either.

Re: Fatal Justice (1:15am January 7, 2011):

This certainly sounds like an intriguing series with unusual characters. The touch of humor is something I can very well accommodate. I'll have to look up your books at Carina.

Have fun writing more of these!

Re: The Viking's Captive (12:22pm December 27, 2010):

When I have time, or absolutely nothing else to read, which will take a long time since I have too many books, I will pick up an oldie. If I can find them, I'd enjoy reading the Williamsburg Series by Elswyth Thane again. I first read them over 50 years ago and they inspired me to visit Williamsburg. Shortly thereafter, I also found out that a friend had actually graduated from William and Mary. That was almost too much for me. Grin.

Re: Dark Angel, The Chosen, Soulmate (12:16pm December 27, 2010):

If you really like the paranormal, with a bit of historic material, geography, etc. thrown in, I'm pretty sure you'll like Jessica Andersen's Final Prophecy or Nightkeepers series: 1. Nightkeepers, 2. Dawnkeepers, 3. Skykeepers, 4. Demonkeepers, 5. Blood Spells. I've just finished no. 4 and enjoy them very much since they have a bit of everything and you never know what will come next. It was through this blog that I became aware of them. Enjoy.

Re: Pay Up (3:11pm December 25, 2010):

I think pretty well all has been said here. A trait that I believe all women should have is kindness and understanding for those who may be weaker and less able to do what she can. The popular saying "If I did it, so can you" has its limits. We are not all created equal as far as health, mental abilities and certain other factors go. I believe we are all created equal before God, but we are not cookie-cutter images of each other in any way. We should be equals before the law as well--until we actually commit a crime. Women and men must have a sensitivity towards others, but women most of all. Women with "power" kicking and kneeing prisoners, e.g., for me and most people is a horrible image. Let's all show kindness and at least some empathy towards others, not just at Christmas but throughout the year.

Re: Double Cross (10:00pm December 22, 2010):

Definitely a lovely idea. Where do I sign on? I'm another worrier.

Merry Christmas to all!

Re: The Irish Warrior (1:30am December 21, 2010):

Yep, I'm a reader, though I'm sorry to say, I still haven't read anything of yours. I'd love to read your intriguing books, but I still have a big TBR pile. I hope to get to one of yours soon.

Re: The Heir (12:46pm December 16, 2010):

As a kid--and an adult--I've never been fond of horror or psychologically frightening books. Nor do I watch any program with blood and gore, even medical shows. So whenever I kept the light on after no longer sharing a room with my little brother, it was only ever because I was reading, sometimes with the lamp under my bed covers, but I've sometimes been frightened by unexplained noises, like what my landlord described as gurgling in the water heating system, and I kept saying were mice. It actually turned out to be rats, which nibbled on numerous books of mine and destroyed some of them completely. Of course, I got no restitution.

I love history and historical novels and romances. This one sounds like a winner.

Re: Like Clockwork (3:48pm December 14, 2010):

I'm not quite sure what steampunk is, but the premise sounds like fun, and I can always read anything that sounds even vaguely historical, even if turns out to be alternate history. At present I've got a book named INCA waiting for me. It's about the Inca not being conquered by the Spanish. Unfortunately, I missed the day this week at eHarlequin where I could have got your book free.

Re: Gemini Night (9:30pm November 27, 2010):

What an interesting post! It took me a while (I was also watching the news on TV) till I tumbled to what you meant by "killing." And I have another one: pet phrases, e.g., a clutch of minutes, which may have been used 200 years ago, but just annoy now since "Clutch" is used for a group of chickens, not time. For me "arguably" is another. After all, we can argue about anything and therefore the word has no real meaning. Words like possibly, maybe, perhaps, etc.--at least these are words that I would use--have a long history in language. Just because a word is new does not mean it is better.

It's true we all have our phrases in which we communicate. For writers it is perhaps more important to have a different voice for every book.

Re: An Amish Christmas (7:08pm November 27, 2010):

When I saw the title AN AMISH CHRISTMAS, I was immediately reminded of my mother. She lived through Christmases in wartime Germany. People said those must have been horrible Christmases. She'd say, "Oh no. They were the best ones of our lives. We really discovered what Christmas meant: the gift of God's son, his love and protection. Very simple things became treasures: the ability to make even the meanest little cake and to be thankful for the fact that close family members were still alive." My parents tried to instill these values in us children. Our gifts were never lavish and consisted mostly of things we needed. How different today's generation is. Everybody needs a cellphone, an iPod, a computer. And you're right, most people believe it is their "right" to have these everything they want, no matter the expense. I think many have reached the point where they have nothing more to hope for, to look forward to, and constantly look for more and more outrageous and dangerous things to do. But they forget that millions in this world have no clean water and not enough food to sustain life. Do they not deserve this right as well?

Re: A Dog Named Slugger (1:21am November 22, 2010):

About 20 years ago, I saw a TV show about the use of dogs in helping physically and otherwise challenged people with all kinds of conditions and was instantly enthralled and amazed by them. Those animals were trained by women in prison. I'm so glad that you have your loyal companions to help you out. One of my neighbors also such an illness, but she is still able to function without a companion. She rides a bike wherever she goes, even when there is snow on the ground. She makes it a point to get out every day, and goes to exercise regularly at the Y. I'd certainly love to read your book about Slugger. I've also observed dogs on the bus who've accompanied challenged individuals. I can somewhat relate to your problems because I've had repeated periods--even a year at university when I could no longer function in class--when I could no longer work. The response from others is very discouraging when I'm called lazy or pretending. I think for me it was very much a learning experience too, so that I would not judge others by what I can do when they can't do the same things. God bless you and yours.

Re: The Taming Of The Wolf (12:50pm November 22, 2010):

Maybe I've just become used to werewolves. I certainly prefer them to vampires. But maybe I just find it more natural for a wolf to take a chunk out of me--if the going gets rough--than for a human to do so. Werewolves in human form don't bite and drink your blood, do they? At least the ones I've read about don't.

Re: Angel in My Arms (12:29pm November 22, 2010):

I love female spies, after all they've been around for centuries. There's even one in the Bible, Rahab, a prostitute who helped Israelite spies in Jericho to conquer the city.

And there are certainly accounts of female spies who did a great service to their countries. I always appreciate a book even more if it's based at least partially on fact or if it's an actual biography.

Re: Deadly Intent (10:04pm November 15, 2010):

One of my favorite characters comes from the 7 Williamsburg Novels by Elswyth Thane, the main female character Tibby Day. I read the books in the 1950s, with a refresher about 20 years later, but I've never forgotten her. Another is the title character of Gwen Bristow's of her CELIA GARTH, with about the same history for me.

And then, yes, there's Scout, though lately the portrayal of her has been colored by the movie version which I've seen 4 or 5 time in the last few years.

I guess other characters have been somewhat drowned in the deluge of books I've read since then.

Re: Falling Home (9:41pm November 15, 2010):

Okay, I admit it. I'm a nerd too. Yep, I was and still am. Going to school and learning something new has always been paramount for me--even in books. I guess that's why I love historical novels rather than historical romance; I love the actual historic setting with real-life characters, e.g., THE EVERLASTING COVENANT by Robyn Carr, which takes place between 1460 and 1485. Though even the historical characters have dialogue written for them by the authors, its probably based on what the character might have said. I learned a lot of history this way. The dialogue is easily forgotten, but the general history sticks. Ergo, I'm learning history, or at least, firming my knowledge.

Re: The Forever Queen (11:32pm November 11, 2010):

You've definitely whetted my appetite for this book. I am a reader who prefers historical novels to historical novels. History has always been one of my great loves, second only to my love for languages. I'm certainly going to be looking for this book, as well as your others, not matter who is their subject.

Re: Highland Hellcat (12:30pm October 16, 2010):

I had to laugh when I read about your cupboard filled with all kinds of tea. That's what I have, too. However, in my case there has been virtually no change there withing 15 years or more. I prefer tea to coffee and most other drinks, but...I can't stand drinking anything hot or even warm. Almost everything I drink is cold, but without ice: juices, water, and carbonated drinks.

Re: A Trace Of Smoke (6:53pm October 15, 2010):

I'm so pleased that some writers are actually beginning to set their stories in Germany. I've been reading for close to 60 years, and the only books set there were ones written by Germans in German. Few of them have ever been translated. Now within less than a month, I have become ware of 2 novels set there: Renee Ryan's Love Inspired Historical, Dangerous Allies and your today your Hannah Vogel book. I've often wanted to be able to view my parents' world from a novel's perspective--both grew up in Berlin--and this will be a great chance. For most writers it seems to be impossible to see beyond the Hitler era to see what Germans were like before that and are today. It has often bothered me. There have long been novels set in Japan and other formerly combatant nations like Italy, but not Germany. My family and I emigrated to Canada almost 60 years ago. But we had a lot of roots in Germany.

I'll definitely be looking for your books.

Re: Stolen Son (5:38pm September 11, 2010):

What a wonderful description of heroes. It's certainly not what is generally described as heroic these days. Yes, people who overcome their own limitations to do something special for someone else may still have their moment in the spotlight, but movie stars, singers, sports icons are constantly noted as heroes when I believe only a few of them are even worthy to be called role models, never mind heroes. I think the celebrity cult has gone way too far overboard.

Re: Warrior (5:25pm September 11, 2010):

I definitely prefer to be able to write out both my names for signings. In fact, I have to spell them out anywhere it's needed. When there's a book signing at our main library, the staff gives sticky notes on which you can write the name and any note you wish. It goes much faster that way. The last autographed book I got was SOMEONE KNOWS MY NAME (U.S. title) by Lawrence Hill. I had asked to have it noted as a birthday present (to myself) although that was the day after. I also asked him about writer's cramp. It's an historic novel well worth reading. His brother is a singer-songwriter, Dan Hill.

Re: Seduced by the Wolf (4:06am August 25, 2010):

Since I've always liked the big dogs like shepherds, labradors, etc., I find that wolves definitely fit into that category as well. I enjoy Kelley Armstrong's wolf-pack books and this sounds like a great series as well. You may also notice that I have a German name though my first name is more Scandinavian than German.

Re: Whisper Kiss (4:19am August 20, 2010):

I read KISS OF FIRE earlier this year and quite enjoyed the dragon friends. Since then I haven't had the chance to read another but hope to soon. What I particularly liked about the first book was being able to imagine myself in the area of MI in which the action takes place. I don't live all that far from there. I'd like to get to read the other books but I've been too caught up in the necessities of life for the last year.
Will you write only about the dragons that you introduced in KoF, or are they joined by more brethern. At least your dragons don't seem intent on guzzling blood. I refuse to read about vampires. Sorry.

Re: Rule's Bride (4:27pm August 16, 2010):

I'm currently in the process of reading 4 different series of books. I just love being able to catch up on what previous lead characters--or minor ones--are doing. I really enjoy seeing characters in a greater context than just their little world, although that, on occasion, can also be wonderful. Though I agree about the stand-alone part. Most often I'll go looking for other books in a series, but they are not always available. I do want each book to be complete in itself, unless it's something like Tolstoy's WAR AND PEACE which is such a long story and heavy book that you want to have it in volumes.

Re: The Smuggler And The Society Bride (1:56am August 5, 2010):

My biggest interests are history and languages. That's one reason I love historical fiction and romances, especially if they are also set in non-English-speaking countries. For whichever country the action takes place in, I take out my trusty maps and follow the locales. (For this I really don't find the Internet as useful.) But give me a romance or at least love-interest any time. I like seeing how the romance develops.

Re: The Goddess of Fried Okra (6:02am August 4, 2010):

Hmm, I'm not sure that I believe in reincarnation. I have a hard time, for instance, believing that, as my uncle insiseted, my cousin was an Egyptian princess who had a bad encounter with fish. That's why fish made her ill in her present life. Too many people were once royalty to let me believe that they were reincarnated as non-royal, pedestrian people.

As for strong women: I believe that my mother was one of them. She was the one who gave us more of our moral underpinning than anyone else. She taught us to love people regardless of race, creed, color, poverty or any other criteria. My father definitely agreed with her, but was never vocal about it. Two young African women, one in the Cameroons, and one here in Canada were names specifically for her to honor her for her kindness and love.

Re: Monster in Miniature (10:27am July 30, 2010):

P.S. I can spend more than an hour just looking at a small shelf of books. I'd hate to have all that huge choice at once. So I guess I'm the odd one out here.

Re: Monster in Miniature (10:23am July 30, 2010):

I'd help with the reshelving too if the now-known and more-or-less-understood categories didn't make the search for something an authorless--i.e. one I'm not specifically looking for by author--somewhat shorter.

Re: The Ark (7:27pm July 29, 2010):

Congratulations on your first book and I wish you a lot of success. This sounds like a winner to me, too.

I keep forgetting that a novel takes so long to write and have published. Sometimes we do see other books come out when they could be ripped from the headlines. Are you sure you aren't clairvoyant?

Re: Barely A Lady (7:18pm July 29, 2010):

Personally, I can't think of a good villain at the moment, probably because I don't really focus on the villain. It's true that I find some of them very tedious and just villainous. The book I'm reading just now, one by Jo Bev. has a hero who needs to be a villain in order to accomplish the task he has set himself. In the last few pages I read, however, the real villain has been revealed as being a very clever, motivated person. I'm eager to see how the action continues.

I'm also eager to read your first historical romance. I already have it, but the library wants some of its books back before I can relax with it.

Re: Todos Santos (5:50am July 26, 2010):

When I was 7, I moved to a new country with my parents and younger brother. The only other person I knew here was an older man who had visited our family in our homeland. I also had to learn a completely new language, English. Eleven years later, I went to France for a year. At the time I'd only taken four years of French. I was catapulted as an au pair into a family with 7 children. Yes, I've had several cultural shocks in my life, but I love traveling and learning about new countries and people. I do hope I can find your book here. It definitely sounds intriguing. I wish you all the very best with this book and the next one as you write it.

Re: The Millionaire Meets His Match (5:32am July 26, 2010):

I think he needs a good wife for the mornings, to start it off right if he has to go to work early or to have someone to cuddle with--other than a cat or dog--if he has a late day.
The books sounds like great fun.

Re: To Conquer a Highlander (1:47am July 19, 2010):

I collect books, books and more books, maps, postcards, travel booklets, stamps, art cards, oh and I'm sure I've forgotten at least 2 more.

Re: Ice Cold (10:35pm July 18, 2010):

These are certainly two of my favorite authors too. I've been reading Lisa's since I read her second Alicia Scott title WAKING NIGHTMARE when it came out in 1992. I came to Tess's a little later when HARVEST came out. What an eyeopener regarding living organ thefts.

I've never met either of these authors, though I would love to. Lynsay Sands lives closest to me and Kelley Armstrong lives just down the highway about 50 mi. I've met Kelley at two book-signings. I've met Suzanne Brockmann most often: 3 times and the rest were at an RT convention. Talking to authors is truly very interesting, especially since I know I could never do such a thing. Whenever I needed to write something "creative" at school, I had to go to my mother for inspiration. Ask me to write on a non-fiction subject and I had no problems.

Re: Ice Cold (7:45pm July 15, 2010):

What scares me most is psychological thrillers a la Gaslight. I can actually feel myself going "nuts" when I read or see such crimes. Nor do I like bloody, gory descriptions of crimes. I'm badly blood-phobic. That goes back to when I was less than 8 years old when I saw a blood-covered man coming toward me. My parents said it couldn't have happened; I must have dreamed it, but no dream-image has ever stayed with me this long. Fortunately, since I live alone, I am able to care for bloody wounds of my own. I'm not sure I could help anyone else. I had to give up with my little sister's bleeding foot.
I'm looking forward to the TV show, too. So far I've read almost all your books though sometimes I have to read fast through some of the more icky parts.

Re: Murder in the Abstract (6:45pm July 15, 2010):

One of the appeals of the bad boy is finding what makes him act the way he does. Usually it's a deep hurt. For the heroine strong enough to take him on, the reward is finding and healing the hurt. Life will not necessarily be a rose garden after that. However, it can lay the groundwork of a lasting relationship.

Re: Fortunate Harbor (6:38pm July 15, 2010):

Lately I've discovered more than ever how important friendships are. I'll certainly be looking for both of these books.

Re: Money, Honey (4:41pm July 8, 2010):

Well, I might wonder how someone can write a romance book purely because I could never do it myself. But I've been reading romances since my early teens when I was able to buy a used romance book for 10c. I tried "real" literature but they never satisfied me. So I just decided to go with my type of reading material, with kudos to everyone who manages to actually get one published. So kudos and great success to you, Susan.

Re: The Wild Irish Sea (4:32pm July 8, 2010):

Your 10 things have definitely whetted my appetite for this book. I'm not a huge paranormal fan, at least not of the vampire kind which are just too gory for me. But I do enjoy the fey kind, or people sensing things that I can't. Both my mother and a friend had this type of, not precognition, but rather that something had happened to a loved one. I'm entirely too logical, I think, to be able to have this kind of sensitivity.

Re: Crush On You (11:13pm July 6, 2010):

For me too, friends to lovers stories are a big attraction. I have not been in such a situation myself, but I know someone who was. She first got to know her future husband while she had a crush on someone else. He was best friends with her crush's younger brother. All three of the younger group became very good friends before my friend and her husband "took" to each other.

Re: Home is Where the Bark is (3:49pm July 4, 2010):

I love books which have pets among their characters. I've just finished one in which a three-legged dog "Lucky" has an important role. He's a small dynamo in spite of his handicap: among other things he's a champion Frisbee catcher and the winner of a lonely little girl's heart.

I noticed that in the contest this month your previous book is misnamed Love Is a Four Letter [sic] instead of, Four Legged Word.

Re: A Fierce Radiance (5:42pm July 3, 2010):

It's really the first time that I've read about either book. My reading love originally was, and still is if I can get them, historical novels. As a teen I learned a lot about general history just by reading these novels usually written by men. I'm certainly going to try to find these books, especially since Buffalo is only 2-3 hours from where I live on the other side of the border. I hope you'll continue writing this kind of book--and no, the romance element doesn't hurt a bit.

Re: Her Sheik Protector (4:54am July 3, 2010):

Since I don't have the book available, I can't quote one of the first opening sentences that really alerted me to their importance and impact. It was in one of Jayne Ann Krentz's Stephanie James Silhouette Desire books and went something like this.

"She looked down on the soldiers and cannons lined up under Napoleon's command pointing toward the enemy forces of the Duke of Wellington."

It was a memorable sentence in a supposedly contemporary story and made me think, "Huh? What's this all about? I thought this was a contemporary not historical romance." A great opening and very attention-grabbing. She wrote many similar ones to get the reader immediately involved in her story.

NB: Any resemblance of this sentence to the actual one is mostly coincidental.

Re: Sworn To Protect (7:30pm June 26, 2010):

I prefer a strong woman as heroine--as long as she isn't portrayed as perfect. She has to be able to show her womanly traits. It sounds as if this is the case in this book.

Re: Hidden Wives (7:02pm June 26, 2010):

Congratulations on getting the muse back.

It's extremely rare that I can't find a book to read. I may have a glance at up to a dozen--I always have a pile of unread books around--but eventually I'll find a taker. Last night I came upon that great rarity, a book that just didn't work for me. It only happens about once in 5-10 years.

Re: Fatal Affair (1:13pm June 24, 2010):

Anybody, especially a man, who can admit when he's wrong and apologize is in my "unforgettable" book. I also like men who don't take themselves too seriously. I guess that goes with being able to apologize.

Re: Tempting a Proper Lady (6:38pm June 23, 2010):

Oddly enough there are very few "romantic" movies that I like. I always find them a little cheesy. I much prefer books. Why? I really don't know. Perhaps it's that in a book I can use my own imagination and it is never realized in a film.

I first read romances because I was able to get them at my neighborhood used book store for 10 cents. I liked the feeling of being "adult" enough to read them and the books portrayed the kind of courting and marriage that I wanted for myself. Those parameters have changed in some contemporary books, but the ones I prefer still meet them. And yes, I read them to experience emotions that I never have in life. But the books also contain history, suspense, places, etc. unknown to me. In short, I want to experience more than my life offers.

Re: Summer Sanctuary (2:49pm June 21, 2010):

I knew that a few of these books had been banned, but not some of the more recent ones--well, banned for young people at least. The ones mentioned here that I've read over the years may not be among my "favorites" but they had a powerful impact on me. And yes, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is definitely one of my all-time favorites. I too think that sometimes you have to get out of your reading rut. However, it does take me some time to get to those books. Sometimes my mind is open only for dessert, not food for thought.

Re: Smooth Talking Stranger (4:55pm June 20, 2010):

My father passed away after a long illness in early 1983, so I haven't celebrated Father's Day for a long time. I was just thinking yesterday that intellectually and psychologically I was closer to my father; while emotionally and philosophically I was closer to my mother (d 2003). I had never thought of that dichotomy. I do wish that I still had both of them.

Re: The Lies We Told (2:41pm June 19, 2010):

Just recently I was thinking much along the lines that this book seems to go while telling a story about my father. I learned about it from my mother since my father never talked about it to us children. I suddenly thought that I might have been embellishing it too much. And what we think about others and even ourselves can be twisted or incomplete. I've often thought, "I could never do this or that," but if I'm faced with the situation? Who knows.

The trailer is moving very good.

Re: Dragon Unmasked (6:01pm June 17, 2010):

I'm actually reading more than I have for quite a time, though I always have a book handy even in the droughts--just in case.

Re: Royal Captive (9:23pm June 15, 2010):

This sounds like an interesting series. Please enter me.

Re: Hidden Wives (12:40pm June 14, 2010):

Sadly, this is a topic that seems to be ever topical. It's good to explore it in a novel.

Re: Seducing the Knight (12:31pm June 14, 2010):

I've always loved the area, though I've never been there, that the book covers in the Middle East. I can remember how enthralled I was when I first heard about the city of Petra. It's certainly one place that I still want to see. I'd love to read this book.

Re: Crush On You (9:28pm June 10, 2010):

I don't know yet, since I'm not married--yet. Maybe I can get some tips here.

Re: Desire Me (10:20am June 8, 2010):

Though I've never had a chance to take part in a real scavenger hunt, what I've heard of them always intrigued me. Like others here, I think this and similar entertainments where the brain and body actually come into play, would be a much better alternative for young and old alike to while away time.

Re: Guardian (9:22pm June 7, 2010):

I have most of MMs, but I haven't read many because I like reading them in order and am still having problems with that. I've looked up the order on your site, but after a few minutes, I become completely confused trying to sort out the order. Do you have a list, numbered from 1 to the last, of only the MMs? It would be much appreciated. I love getting absorbed in such a world. So kudos on the new Saga.

Re: Blown Away (11:52pm June 6, 2010):

Sorry, forgot to mention the titles of Danticat's two books: ANACAONA: GOLDEN FLOWER and BROTHER, I AM DYING.
Another book worth mentioning because it is also new is Iris Johansen's EIGHT DAYS TO LIVE, the latest of her books featuring Eve Duncan. It's a nailbiter and it presented a good story, but some of the scenes were a wee bit gruesome for my tender soul. In all I read 15 books and 6 short stories.

Re: Blown Away (11:23pm June 6, 2010):

I didn't participate your challenge because I'm doing several over at RT. I started last year in an attempt to get to some of the other books I own but have in storage, rather than concentrating solely on my favorite authors.
Last month I read last 3 Bedwyn books by Mary Balogh: SLIGHTLY TEMPTED, SL. SINFUL & SL. DANGEROUS. I really enjoyed them, like all of her books. I also read A MATTER OF CLASS, her latest book before the May release of A SECRET AFFAIR, the last of the Huxtable series. AMoC has a great little twist in it, so don't read the ending before you actually get to it. For once I refrained and loved it.
Two books that were different from my usual reading were by Edwidge Danticat, a Haitian American. One was part of the Royal Diaries by Scholastic books about the last cacica or ruler of the native Haitians when Columbus arrived. It's a remarkably different point of view from the one we know about. The other was a book that really gripped me. It was part of the author's own story in Haiti and the U.S. There were parts that were heartrending, both in Haiti and in the U.S. I think this, or a book like it, should be required reading for all non-immigrants in Canada and the U.S. to really assimilate why people come here to get away from their homelands.

Re: The Making Of A Duchess (5:46pm June 2, 2010):

I've never truly pretended to be anyone else except when I was 11 and a friend and I played being the wives of famous TV characters. I can remember it was kinda fun. However, I think that is one reason I've always loved spy stories; they've got a cover and a different identity and have to make sure they're not "un"covered.
I think the joy of reading such books is that you try to pick out instances where the characters are giving themselves away. In reality that is what we would fear.
In the book I'm reading right now, Karyn Monk's THE WEDDING ESCAPE, the heroine is an American heiress who runs away from her wedding to a duke. She is rescued by a former thief and thus has the reverse problem of being a poor girl after growing up with wealth, as well as needing to disguise herself to evade being captured for a large reward.

Re: Strange Neighbors (5:25pm June 1, 2010):

Kudos to your group. It must be wonderful to have supportive friends who are there to cheer each other up when the going gets tough. I am full of admiration for the accident survivor (I was going to write "victim" but couldn't so demean her.) I'll be praying for her recovery and strength. And I am filled with awe for writer who sit hours at a time put their hearts and imagination; maybe more than most since I KNOW I could never do the like, certainly not in anything that resembles an interesting story. On a non-fiction topic, I might.

Re: Blown Away (11:16pm May 30, 2010):

I've started several trilogies or multi-book series. One is Dreamlight Trilogy by Jayne Ann Krentz, starting with 1. RUNNING HOT as JAK, 2. BURNING LAMP by Amanda Quick, 3. MIDNIGHT CRYSTAL by Jayne Castle.

Another is the Final Prophecy quintet by Jessica Andersen, 1. NIGHTKEEPERS, 2. DAWNKEEPERS, 3. SKYKEEPERS, 4. DEMONKEEPERS, 5. BLOODSPELLS. I've only read the first in each set, but by tomorrow I'll have the 2nd book in each series and hope to get to read them soon.

A lot of series, including Diana Gabaldon's I've left to read when the series is finished. Hah, for DG, she herself doesn't know when, if ever, she'll be finished with the lot.

Re: Dead in the Family (12:17pm May 30, 2010):

I was at a reading and book signing with Kelley Armstrong in 2007 where she read part of THE RECKONING. It doesn't seem that long ago.

Re: Dead in the Family (11:44pm May 29, 2010):

Historical novels/romances are my first reading choice, but I also like romantic suspense and contemporaries. At least a hint of comedy is also welcome, but I'll read anything but vampire or demon stories.

Re: Die Twice (11:55pm May 27, 2010):

Unfortunately, I've only ever been traveling through Chicago, stopping only at the bus depot when I was 14. Much has changed since then; the traffic has certainly become much worse. Maybe one of these days I might actually be able to visit and see Chicago. But then, I guess I do prefer books to food. I definitely eat to live rather than live to eat. But a nice, flavorful meal can always be appreciated. I've read the first 3 of Tasha's books; I became interested in them on this very blog.

Re: His At Night (5:30pm May 26, 2010):

I love this article...and history, though I may be one of the few who also enjoys the "political" part of it. I can't remember any particular pearls of wisdom I gained from novels--they may be somewhat mixed up with visits to historical sites in Europe or North America anyway--but I know I was often amazed at how older generations were so inventive at dealing with problems for which we need our need our beloved technology.

Re: Band Of Angels (11:42pm May 24, 2010):

The fist time our family "bolted" was when we left Germany to come to Canada. Of course, here we had to get to know the new continent, and when I was 13, my father took his mother and 2 eldest children, (I'm no.1) on a sightseeing trip of over 1000 miles to Yellowstone Park. After I finished high school, I went to France and Germany for a year each, but not before our whole family, parents and 4 kids, took a tour from the prairies to California with stops in between. I bolted any number of times in France and Germany to investigate ruins and furnished castles. Then I returned to Canada and...

Well, I think you might get the picture. I just love traveling. Some I did solo, some with friends or family. I was never disappointed and hope to travel some more soon. I've always loved to learn more about other cultures and places, and books helped me do that as well. And I love hearing about other people's travels.

Re: Beautiful People (1:35am April 24, 2010):

Hmm, certainly my type of humor, which depends mostly on the use of language to show something strange or funny, rather than pratfalls and other slapstick humor. I've never found much humor in the latter.

Re: Demonkeepers (2:27am April 19, 2010):

I just wanted to add that I first found out about this series on this blog, the second time I found a new author to read.

Re: Silent Truth (2:21am April 19, 2010):

I'm retired too but reading has been my major, lifelong passion. Closely allied to this is history. My first adult books were historical novels and history books, before historical romances came on the scene. But from my reading, I also developed a passion for the English language: grammar, vocabulary, syntax, etc. and led to my studying English with a view to teaching it in Germany. Actually, English is my second language, too. I also loved learning other languages. I have one outdoor passion: geology, esp. fossils and rock formations. When some people have moved some of my boxes, they jokingly say, "Man, these are heavy. It feels like rocks in here." I can sweetly say, "Yes, you're right. The box is full of rocks." Geology and archaeology would have been some other job choices. Now my passion for these, and history, is mainly restricted to TV documentaries and the odd book.

Re: Building Iphone Apps With Html, CSS, And Javascript (12:30pm April 18, 2010):

I'll read anything from astronomy to theology and in between. Sorry, no zoology. Generally, I don't have problems finishing a book once I've read about 10 or 20% of it, though there recently was one about genocide in the 20th C which I finally dropped. And sometimes it takes me a while to pick up a new one, just because I'm not in the mood for a certain type of book. But this is rare. My mood can also determine how much I like a book. Like Jamie, anything with history will most easily ring my chimes. Historical novels were my first adult reads, not historical romances, and learning history is still my favorite--fiction or non-fiction. Skimming? Of the 1000s of books I've read, there are at most 2 dozen where I've done that. That's why correct grammar and vocabulary are so important to me. I love the logic in all things and get very irritated if sentences don't make sense.

Re: The Firefighter's Secret Baby (5:30pm April 16, 2010):

This is the type of "hero" I think deserves that name, not sports or movie stars. It's people who choose to put their lives on the line, but are often underappreciated. I'll certainly be looking for this one--if I don't win it.

Re: Shadow Games (11:40pm April 15, 2010):

Yesterday on the Internet I saw a question about the young actress in the new movie Kick-Ass. The question was whether she was too young for the part, that it may affect her. In the light of the Nietzsche quote I wonder even more. Though I have never much liked "horror" movies, I am generally more at ease with books--unless they are too bloody and gruesome. I can't even bear to watch hospital shows.

Re: Demonkeepers (12:51pm April 15, 2010):

Oops! before the first comment actually posted, I had several attempts with failure alerts. So somehow it doubled the entry.

Re: Demonkeepers (8:47pm April 14, 2010):

I've read NIGHTKEEPERS, mainly because of the Mayan connection. I've always been interested in their culture. And I really enjoyed the book and got caught up in the characters and their stories. I've got DAWNKEEPERS from the library on my TBR pile. Hope to get to it soon.

Re: Demonkeepers (8:46pm April 14, 2010):

I've read NIGHTKEEPERS, mainly because of the Mayan connection. I've always been interested in their culture. And I really enjoyed the book and caught up in the characters and their stories. I've got DAWNKEEPERS from the library on my TBR pile. Hope to get to it soon.

Re: Big Bad Wolf (7:14pm April 12, 2010):

I get cranky if I can't read books in order. Some authors do hop all over or add a book that follows book 2 after they've written book 6. But it's been rare for the authors I've been reading. Once in a while I have read books out of order, e.g., one series that I read recently #2, #3, #1. I had a few moments of "huh?" but on the whole it wasn't really upsetting. I think it really depends on the series.

Re: The Mage In Black (5:36pm April 12, 2010):

Oops, I also meant to say that I loved reading books that had history in them, and still do. Then I'd go to check which places, characters and events were actually historic and read up on those in our encyclopedia. And thus was born my love of history and geography.

Re: The Mage In Black (5:33pm April 12, 2010):

I've been reading books for as long as I can remember, first in German, then in English, then in French and other languages. Most of these books, 1000s of them, are still in my library and I can't bear to part with them. I had a school year during which I missed 4 full months and a month each half days before I was able to go back full time. Just lying in bed and reading drove me crazy eventually so that I added to my woes by getting my right arm caught in one of the old wringer washing machines and a hammer dropped on my nose from the railing above as I was going up the stairs. My doctor was not pleased by these antics. Even now I try to ease my backaches by lying down and reading--though that's probably not the most recommended remedies. grin

Re: If I Were Your Woman (12:35pm April 10, 2010):

Sometimes I find it very hard to read a book with a "touchy" subject. However, when I do, I feel it gives me a welcome insight, the author's, into a subject that I might never encounter in real life. Thanks for sticking to your guns and insisting on getting these touchy books published. May they open the readers' eyes. I'll be looking for your books.

Re: Reunion (12:20pm April 10, 2010):

Though I've been collecting the WARRIORS OF THE LIGHT books, I haven't yet had a chance to read them. I'm waiting to get the last ones so that I can read them one after the other.

Re: On Shadow Beach (11:56pm April 6, 2010):

For my part, I've never been a great fan of the comic cover, probably because I'm mostly a serious kind of person. The humor I like is also more subtle--certainly not the slapstick kind. That doesn't mean that I don't have any comic covers on books by authors that I particularly like. But I do prefer the landscape or more "real person" kind of covers. With those, you can hide a multitude of plots. Of course then the synopsis of the cover should indicate that the plot is about a gruesome murder. But then, I always buy by author and I'll even try a gruesome murder plot by one of my favorites.

Re: The Darcy Cousins (9:18pm April 5, 2010):

I also wanted to mention that your books sound intriguing and I'd like to read more about the Darcy family. This is the first I've heard of your books.

Re: The Darcy Cousins (9:14pm April 5, 2010):

Almost the only thing I've ever written had to do with facts. So no, I've never had this experience, but I've heard from other writers whose characters went rogue and got completely out of hand.

However, especially since you speak of an "authoritarian god," I'm reminded of the Biblical God who wants the best for his children. Yet he too has given us free will to decide whether to follow his precepts, follow those of others or just follow our own inclinations.

I hope my adding this does not offend anyone, but to me this analogy just seemed to "cry out"--especially at this Easter season.

Re: The Highest Stakes (3:10pm April 1, 2010):

Lately I've become more intrigued by the so-called Thoroughbreds and have wondered how it all came about. A fascinating TV show ended up featuring the Lippizan breed and I wondered if the producers had also delved into the past of the others: Arabians and the like. It seems certain that you have laid at least some of the groundwork for the Thoroughbreds. I'm looking forward to your book.

Re: An Earl to Enchant (5:02pm March 31, 2010):

Oh, no! I can't remember any outstanding lines by myself (ditto for jokes) although I recognize them when I hear them. That shows how my mind works. It was rediscovered when I was playing Taboo with family the other day. You have to guess a certain word without having used 5 or 6 taboo words. I wasn't bad at recognizing words when my partner in the game tried to prompt me. However, I, a former teacher, was totally tongue-tied when I had to give the explanations myself. We two lost, of course, much to my partner's chagrin.

Re: A Certain Wolfish Charm (3:01pm March 31, 2010):

I'd say that you have a pretty good HEA recipe here. Werewolves are one of the few types of paranormal creatures I can empathize with. Definitely no vampires for me. And combine this with an aunt and guardian love story--what fun.

Re: Small Change (3:13am March 26, 2010):

Ah, and don't we all need this reminder every once in a while? I'm usually fairly good at not buying things that are on sale because I just don't have the money--I do have to eat--but sometimes a bargain does look so tempting for a maybe good reason, although you wonder if it now sells for 20% of its original price, how come so few people wanted it at any higher price.

Re: Almost Home (7:27pm March 24, 2010):

Like others here, I'm on a very tight budget, but I also have too little space. That means that my shelves have to be set so that they will just accommodate regular paperbacks. I'll often read a book in hardcover when it first comes out and then get a keeper paperback. In addition I have problems with my hands and a paperback is lighter to hold.

Re: On The Steamy Side (11:45pm March 23, 2010):

Most authors who feature do a pretty good job of it. However, sometimes a two-year-old talks and acts like a kid who's 5, or vice versa. That definitely annoys me more than the actual behavior. After all, kids do come with all kinds of weird behavior.

Re: Big Girl (10:20pm March 21, 2010):

Actually, I don't have any books or authors that I'm "ashamed" of reading. I guess one by Noel B. Gerson was the first touching upon adult subjects. I started reading authors like Frank Yerby, Frank G. Slaughter, Anya Seton, Elswyth Thane, Thomas B. Costain and his daughter Molly Costain Haycraft. Yep, more men than women, but in those days even they were hardly "guilty pleasure." I tried PALOMINO by Danielle Steele but found it disappointing when compared to books by the authors above and the Harlequin Books I'd been reading for about 20 years. And I have dropped some of my early favorite authors although they are still writing, but that's because I've found authors that I like better.

Re: The Cowboy From Christmas Past (10:40pm March 18, 2010):

Unfortunately, my maternal grandmothers passed away when I was five. The other wasn't able to relate to us grandkids very well. The only way she found was to buy things for us. I really missed having a story-telling grandmother. It was my mother who told us the stories of her life when she was young. My father never did.

Re: The Highlander's Sword (10:09pm March 18, 2010):

Can't say no to a Highlander!

Re: Forget Me Not (12:48pm March 17, 2010):

Because of the way I was raised and the life I've led, whimsy comes hard to me--other than losing myself in a book for a while. I'm looking forward to reading FORGET ME NOT. It may not be full of whimsy, but faith and that's even better.
The forget-me-not is a little whimsical, a frail-looking flower, but it manages to last and proliferate.

Re: The Stolen Crown (1:27am March 16, 2010):

Ah, I've often wondered about Elizabeth Woodville, especially since I saw her name again just recently. In essence, I'm more a history and historical fiction than h.r. buff and I know this book will suit me.

Re: Montana Magic (9:59pm March 12, 2010):

I'm a person who's avoided "conflict" as much as possible. But conflict in all books? That was a hard thing to swallow at first. But I finally did, especially the internal conflict--maybe because I go through a lot of that myself. So thanks for explaining it so well here.

Re: The Scarlet Lion (11:49pm March 11, 2010):

I know of several writers who like to write to their own soundtrack. I find that intriguing, especially since for the last 15 years or so I've been very "noise" sensitive and sadly that includes music of any kind. I used to love listening to classical music, i.e., composers like Beethoven, Brahms and Tchaikovsky, not classical pop or rock and roll. I keep hoping that I'll get back my love or music, but I haven't yet clicked again.

Of course, medieval music would go best with the books of yours that I have.

Re: The Wild Marquis (1:27am March 11, 2010):

P.S. I've put a "hold" on one of the library books.

Re: The Wild Marquis (1:25am March 11, 2010):

I don't really pay that much attention to the family of the characters in books unless it really impacts the story. In the one I'm currently reading, the heroine seems to have parents she loves but is not unduly attached to, but her brother has been recently killed. The hero has been an orphan since he was 9, but he has been raised by a guardian who knew his parents.

I may have been somewhat irritated with my 3 younger siblings when I was young, but I became a second "mother" to the two youngest and have never really regretted that. And my parents were generally kind and supportive. I think I'll be paying better attention to family matters from now on.

Re: Plaster And Poison (12:45pm March 7, 2010):

That definitely is chilling. I've never had that kind of experience, but lately I've had several weird things happen to me especially concerning reading. Without conscious thought, at least, I've read 3 books with the word "pursuit" in the title this past year, 2 in one week; 2 books that I read one after the other had characters with the same somewhat obscure profession; and 2 others I read one after the other had almost exactly the same plot line. Not chilling exactly, but still weird. Maybe I've just never been conscious of these coincidences before.

Re: Naked Edge (11:10pm March 6, 2010):

I think that couples have to share some core values. Other than that the minor likes and dislikes don't really matter. But then, I'm not married; I can only tell by the rest of my family. grin

Re: SEALed with a Ring (2:22pm March 5, 2010):

Hmm, this book sounds hot! I've got two left feet and no rhythm, so dancing has been pretty well out for me. But I love watching other people do it. And a SEAL, a wounded, recovering one at that? Great.

Re: Truly, Madly (12:05pm March 4, 2010):

Though it hasn't happened to me, I do believe that instant attraction can lead to true love, and yes, being soul mates, but the circumstances have to be right as well.

Re: The Edge of Winter (1:51am February 22, 2010):

We'll be having some snow coming tomorrow, though not enough to keep us housebound. I've looked up my book list and found over 100 seasonal titles. Some authors have written a whole year of novels. Denise Domning wrote "The Graistan Series" (1194-1196) in order: WINTER'S HEAT, SUMMER'S STORM, SPRING'S FURY, AUTUMN'S FLAME and A LOVE FOR ALL SEASONS. I love historical novels but haven't read these yet.

Autumn seems to be the least favorite season to write about, but I came up with THE AUTUMN COUNTESS, aka THE COUNTESS by Catherine Coulter, AUTUMN'S FURY by Emma Merritt, and AUTUMN RAIN by Anita Mills. I haven't read Merritt's book yet, but I loved the other 2.

Spring: SPRING FIRES by Cynthia Wright, SPRING FANCY by LaVyrle Spencer

Summer: DARK SUMMER, a romantic suspense novel by Iris Johansen; LADY OF SUMMER by Merritt; MIDSUMMER MOON by Laura Kinsale, one of my favorites; ONE SUMMER, SUMMER GAMES, and SUMMER DESSERTS by Nora Roberts; SPRING FROST, SUMMER FIRE by Maura Seger; SUMMER IN ECLIPSE BAY, from one of my favorite series, by Jayne Ann Krentz; SUMMER ISLAND by Kristin Hannah; and SUMMER OF THE DRAGON by Elizabeth Peters.

Winter: A WINTER BALLAD by Barbara Samuel; ALL THE WINTERS THAT HAVE BEEN by Evan Maxwell (husband of Elizabeth Lowell); A ROSE IN WINTER by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss; and 2 books titled FIRES OF WINTER, one by Johanna Lindsey, the other by Roberta Gellis, two more oldies but goodies.

Re: The Betrayal Of The Blood Lily (12:00pm February 21, 2010):

Most snow doesn't faze me too badly--unless I need to go out and can't: I grew up in Winnipeg, MB which many people lovingly misname "Winterpeg."

As for the books you've mentioned, I'll definitely pass on the Vampires, but the historicals, especially Lauren Willig's are always on my immediate to-read list. Yes, the Asian locations for books is growing again. They used to be more common in the 1940s to early 1960s and I, for one, am very happy to travel to all the other countries out in the world.

Re: Kayla's Daddy (9:50pm February 19, 2010):

I guess this was good luck for us romance aficionados. I don't mind some suspense in my books, but, uh, bludgeonings, slashings, etc. are definitely not on my list of favorite things. My heart or my stomach is too tender. (grin)

Re: Lights, Camera...Kiss The Boss (7:59pm February 18, 2010):

Congratulations on your first published book. I'll be looking forward to reading more about Australia. Since I have a cousin and his family in the Blue Mountains, I've been yearning to visit "Down Under" for many years. I hope to still make it sometime.

Re: Ordinary World (4:47pm February 15, 2010):

Once when a few readers were blogging about weird things written in books, I wrote about one from a twin's point of view, "Since she and her brother were identical twins, it was not surprising that they were able to communicate so well." Some of the bloggers just seemed occupied with the grammar of the sentence until one of them wrote, "How can a brother and sister be identical?" BTW the quote is paraphrased to protect the guilty.

On the other hand, my sister-in-law is the eldest of four children. The youngest ones were twins. The two older ones were girls. When the twins were born, the first were another girl. This was back in 1962 so there were few or no ultrasounds. The father badly wanted a son-- would this be one or another disappointment?--and out came a boy. His family exactly duplicated the father's own: two older single sisters first, then a set of twins with first a girl, then a boy.
His twin sister had 8 children, I believe, with 2 sets of twins. The pattern has not been replicated in this generation.

Re: Hot Stuff (2:14am February 15, 2010):

I think I'm a romantic, but that doesn't make Valentine's Day any more important for me than any other day. I'd rather show my love to my loved ones as a surprise to them on a day when I feel especially like doing so or when it's special or important to the relationship in some way. Valentine's Day seems to me like a command performance, if you will; it's become too regimented, just like Christmas. Or get something for my loved ones on a day when I see something special for an individual.

Re: Promise Me Tonight (12:46pm February 13, 2010):

I love the theme of the boy or girl next door. Sometimes you just don't realize what you already have.

Re: The Dead Travel Fast (8:24pm February 12, 2010):

I guess you're lucky that your titles were accepted as you submitted them. I always think the "quote" kind of title is the best. It gives the book a more literary appeal. You definitely have chosen very good and memorable ones.

Re: Fantasy in Death (12:39pm February 12, 2010):

I was an ardent follower of Eve Dallas's exploits until beginning 2002 my mother became seriously ill. While I was caring for her, I couldn't concentrate on most books and got far behind in my reading. For the last few years I've been trying to make that up, including continuing to read the Eve and Roarke books in order. I'm slowly catching up; there are just too many books in my TBR pile, i.e. boxes full.

Re: Island Of The Swans (1:56pm February 8, 2010):

Thanks so much for putting us on the trail to finding the theme. In some books the basic theme is quite evident if we only look at it as such. I've just finished a book which embodies several of the themes that you brought up: redemption, greed and lust with love conquering all.

Re: The Phoenix Charm (1:05am February 8, 2010):

I love the Celtic music both vocal and instrumental. I'd also love to learn some more about the history of the Celts and of Ireland. The only time I was able to visit Eire was on my way back from a 10-year stay in Germany on my return home to Canada. I visited some friends from university in Dublin and they showed me around the countryside a little while I explored the centre of Dublin on my own one day. The time was definitely too short, but I'm so glad I was able to go there at all. I've yet to see either of your books here. Perhaps I can also get the city library to get a few copies of them. All the best to you.

Re: Triumph in Arms (4:30am February 7, 2010):

This age-old complaint probably stems from the fact that men used to--and often still do--have the say over what gets published. Their wishes always have to be considered. After all, they're usually clueless about romance, aren't they? At least we can understand some of the appeal of a shoot 'em up book.

Re: Legend Of The White Wolf (3:20am February 7, 2010):

I sort of like wolves, as well as werewolves, though I am definitely not a vampire enthusiast. Kelley Armstrong's series about werewolves is one I've followed from the beginning and only some of the "gore" of the latest book put me off a little. I'm a real wimp about anyone's blood but my own if it's described or shown anywhere--fiction or reality.

Re: Viking in Love (12:46pm February 5, 2010):

Speaking of glomming: yes, I've glommed a number of Sandra Hill books until I came up against a title I couldn't find anywhere close. I'll definitely be glomming more of yours.
My latest "object" is Mary Balogh. I don't like to read books of a series too far apart. I finished all the Huxtable series published so far with another to come in the next few months. Right now it's the Bedwyns' "Slightly..." series. Who knows what will be next.

BTW, my first name is Nordic (one of the Valhalla maidens, so I've discovered)though I am of German heritage. One of my teachers in Winnipeg, MB came from Gimli, a predominantly Icelandic town north of us. I wonder if Christine came from there. Schultz/Schulz is a Germanic name.

Re: Catch Of A Lifetime (8:37pm February 2, 2010):

Congratulations on your success. This sounds like a fun series. I certain like puns. I'll have to try to find the books.

Re: The Secret Of Joy (9:56pm January 28, 2010):

This sounds like a very intriguing book. I've never had anyone tell me that I have a half-sister. However, about 15 years ago I learned from my uncle, my mother's youngest brother, that their father had a daughter with another woman. When I mentioned this too my mother, she just said that she was never interested in this child never interested her. I know she was always very protective of my grandmother. But I certainly would have been interested. It feels kind of odd to have, or have had, another aunt.

I hope you and your half-sister found much common ground and joy in each other.

Re: Down River (10:52pm January 26, 2010):

I haven't yet tried any of your contemporary novels, but I certainly enjoyed MISTRESS SHAKESPEARE and the first 3 or 4 Elizabethan series. I've never been to Alaska. In my mind I picture the cold, snowy, winter weather of Manitoba and the mountains of the Alps. I certainly hope I'll be able to go to Alaska sometime.

Re: Hold On Tight (2:00pm January 26, 2010):

You're speaking from my heart, Stephanie. I've been an inveterate "looker upper" my whole life and then it usually doesn't stop with that word alone: I'll read at least a few of the terms close to it, or anything else that catches my eye. It's never unfamiliar words that really pull me out of a story. It's bad grammar or syntax.
WTG.

Re: Down By The River (9:37pm January 24, 2010):

I've been a series junkie since I read my first BLACK STALLION book over 50 years ago. Not long after, I picked up the first book of Elswyth Thane's 7-book Williamsburg Series. Those began my love of reading and collecting series of novels and I haven't stopped since.

Re: A Bolt From The Blue (8:01pm January 19, 2010):

Thanks so much. This is a question I've sometimes thought about myself: do authors find any use for old scenes they thought good enough to work into another story. That is definitely something I'd probably do. I've been a "recycler" ever since I can remember. Some people will identify me as a pack rat. If something might still useful, why throw it away? It worked for my family during World War II.

Re: Sleep No More (5:43pm January 15, 2010):

I've never before thought of sleep this way, although I've seen movies or TV shows that use this theme. As far as I'm aware, nobody I know is a sleepwalker. However, I know that "living" with your character for the length of the book will make me feel as though I do. At the moment I have "Seeing Red" on my immediate TBR pile and hope to get "Sleep No More" soon.

Re: The Keepers Of Sulbreth (5:36pm January 15, 2010):

I, too, agree with Susan Driskill. I like it when names are used in a meaningful, but subdued way. BTW, "Aragon" really is named after that area in Spain in a roundabout way. After all, her father was king of Aragon and that's how she got her name.

Re: Forget Me Not (4:21pm January 13, 2010):

Many blessings to you, Vicki. Like the reader above, my faith has kept me going when there was nothing else to keep me going. I've often wondered why I had to go through the trials and pain I have, but I came to the conclusion, too, that it was to teach me more compassion for others.

Re: Come Hell Or High Water (8:21pm January 10, 2010):

A really nice day is one on which I read a fascinating book without realizing the passage of time and therefore, feeling no guilt at wasting time--not even eating. At least part of this day has been like this. I hope the rest of it will be, too. Ciao!

Re: Not My Daughter (7:57pm January 10, 2010):

I'm happy to see your report here, Ms. Delinsky. I've been reading your books for decades. One thing that I always want to do when reading is broadening my horizons. I can do that with writers like you who don't write only romance but always put in other issues as well, like running races, legal items, etc. and now in more recent ones I've read: why a white-skinned couple should have a black-skinned child. For me, those things are as important as, say, the "love" story or affirmation of any kind.

Thanks so much for the delightful books you've written over the years and still write.

Re: My Dearest Mr. Darcy (11:52pm January 7, 2010):

Great scene. Never having had a child of my own, I have no idea what a pregnancy is like. One of my friends told me just after her first child was born, "Everything you've heard about the pain of delivery is true and worse, but I'd go through another one in a heartbeat." She had three more.

Re: Deadtown (11:38pm January 6, 2010):

I guess a certain amount of "world"-building is needed in every novel. However, I can certainly see that fantasies and futuristics need a lot more. I am always amazed at how much imagination some authors have.

Re: Dangerous Highlander (12:44pm January 5, 2010):

Ah, yes, those titles and covers. I've seen a lot of authors I read post their laments about them. Recently I read a book whose title makes no sense at all for the contents--and that wasn't the first one. I guess we all just have to put up with publishers' whims.

Re: Deadly Liaisons (5:51pm December 31, 2009):

Since I definitely am averse to seeing blood--makes me go green and...--I don't like vampire tales, since blood-letting seems to be obligatory in those. I don't mind werewolf stories as long as they're not too gory. Even vivid descriptions of crime scenes, as well as operating-room scenes, real or fake--make me avert my head. So no CSI dramas either, I don't know why I'm such a chicken, but it may go back to when I was about 6 and "saw" a man covered in blood from where it came from his head coming towards me just outside our house. My parents have always tried to convince me it was a dream. Was it???

Re: Angel Lane (9:16pm December 30, 2009):

I haven't bothered with resolutions for a number of years now. Daily resolutions don't seem to work, so why would yearly ones.

Someone recently said that "don't do..." ones are smarter and easier to handle. I can't see the logic of that. lol

Re: Twenties Girl (12:35pm December 29, 2009):

Since I love both traveling and history, I'm so glad that U.S. authors have been branching out to include more exotic places and times. Of course, I'd love to read more about places abroad that I already have some knowledge of--I like to be able to follow the characters' moves in my mind--but those that I know nothing about yet are even more exciting. And no, I don't like crowded places either and am very glad that I was able to see some of nature's and man-made beautiful areas before the current travel frenzy found them.

Re: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings (4:49pm December 19, 2009):

Seeing that I don't know Dumbledore at all (I must be one of the few people who have not read the Harry Potter books) and I know Gandalf only through the movies (books: same as HP), I can only go with Gandalf while admitting that I'm neither impartial nor totally informed.

Re: Mennonite Community Cookbook (4:42pm December 19, 2009):

Well, I can't say that I have any particular traditions in "making" dishes, but my "eating" tradition is fairly close to that of the Mennonites. Ours is a German family and I spent a total of 18 years living there before and after we immigrated to Canada. My mother almost always cooked German dishes which I still find more nutritional than a lot of meals here. We rarely ate out and I still don't. However, now my meals come from cans or the freezer: I grew to hate cooking when I was in Grade 7 and have never recovered, lol.

Re: Divorced, Desperate and Deceived (12:07pm December 17, 2009):

This was fun. I'm against all "gutter" language, lol, and those oh-so-glib lies are not something I'd like to hear from my hero.

Re: Wild Heart (1:24am December 15, 2009):

P.S. One of my favorite authors wrote the story of one hero who was "drop-dead gorgeous." When she saw the cover, she was totally knocked over; her hero looked as if he had mumps. Those who ordered an autographed book from her got a Smiley face on the cover over the offending face. Recently the book was reprinted. I hope it had the cover she originally expected.

Re: Wild Heart (1:20am December 15, 2009):

Frankly, I'm glad I'm not an author--not that I really ever could have been. I've been reading about things like those that you've described going on for a long time, but all authors, including best-selling ones, are having the same problems. Actually, the posting of a story might work in your favor. If the word gets out by our reading it and posting about it on different sites and telling other readers about it, it will spur interest in your book when it comes out.

Thanks for the gift of the novella and I sincerely wish you all the best in your endeavor to succeed as a published author.

Re: Rainwater (2:18am December 14, 2009):

I suppose I have a much broader--or narrower, as the perception may be--of what is contemporary or historical.

Contemporary, for me, is anything that is written at the time that it takes place. Historical is anything that takes place with an actual date before the publication of a book. I even count quite a bit of the 20th C. as "historical." Our times are changing so rapidly and knowledge and technology have changed so drastically that the 1950s, for example, seem very long ago. Many, many changes have come since then.

The strictest sense of "historical" for me means before the time that I know anyone who is still living. That would be starting with World War I.

I also make a distinction between historical novels and historical romances. The "novels" are those that feature actual people and events that can be found in history and do not focus mainly on a love story. This is the type I first read before the historical "romances" became so popular in the late 1970s and 1980s. Historical accuracy in manners, dress, and to a certain extent, language are a necessity. I'm just reading a book set in 1193 in which "spiel" is used. I'm trying to find out when this word was first used in English to mean "a glib plausible style of talk." (The Free Dictionary on-line) It comes from German via Yiddish and is centuries old (noun - a game, verb - to play), but not with the meaning it now has in English and Yiddish. It struck me as an anachronism this book.

Re: Sex Drive (1:55pm December 2, 2009):

I've been reading series for almost 50 years. I began with the "Williamsburg series" by Elswyth Thane as a teen, and I loved reading about recurring characters as they aged and had children. It covered more than 150 years from the Revolution to 1950 and pleased me on 2 levels: history and family.

Re: Snow Angels (9:46pm November 30, 2009):

I've been on a Susan Elizabeth Phillips streak. I've finished the Chicago Stars/Bonner brothers series and am now reading Fancy Pants, one of her earliest books. So far, I haven't really got into it yet.

Re: Over My Dead Body (12:12pm November 28, 2009):

My mother was my emotional mainstay throughout most of my life. Since she passed away, her place has been taken by my sister. She has been supporting me financially as well throughout a time of illness. I would love to be able to do something for her, even if it is only for her to buy some books for her grandchildren.

Re: Captive of Sin (5:04pm November 27, 2009):

In my book, there cannot be a dishonorable hero. To me, that's an oxymoron. Some non-heroes may perform heroic deeds, but only an honorable man will be a real hero. Some can find the way to honor as they do something heroic and should be ever changed by that act.

Re: The Accidental Werewolf (11:29pm November 17, 2009):

I'm no longer actively looking for new authors and books to read; I've got far too big a TBR pile. However, some of the authors blogging here have piqued my interest and there is at least one of them that I was able to find at the library. I've read the first of the series and will probably read more of them.

Re: Over My Dead Body (8:33pm November 16, 2009):

I've always wished I had "grandma" stories like this one. I really only had close contact with one of them before I can remember, from birth to about 2 and a half. The time was definitely of very little food: the last year and a half in warn-torn Germany. She died about 3 years later during surgery.

I have no memory of my paternal grandmother's ever behaving as you describe. Like me, she rarely seems to have cooked, especially after she lost my grandfather when I was 11. However, she did bring us goodies from bakeries, candy stores and the like, and took us out to eat from time to time: she had more money than my parents did.

However, I have fond memories of visiting my maternal grandfather and his second wife. She always made delicious meals and like your grandmother, was always able to make something tasty from from a few ingredients.

Now our Thanksgivings (CAN) are usually pot-luck, too.

Re: The Monuments Men (1:45am November 13, 2009):

I just saw a very interesting show last night on the art treasures looted by the Nazis in Poland and France, specifically Paris. Many in Paris were "appropriated" from Jewish families living there. Only a small fraction have been recovered. The book looks very interesting, though I'm not sure if I still qualify.

As for the veterans, all of them should be cared for, even if they had no visible wounds from the war. I know from my own father how deeply he was influenced by his years of service.

Re: The Monuments Men (1:45am November 13, 2009):

I just saw a very interesting show last night on the art treasures looted by the Nazis in Poland and France, specifically Paris. Many in Paris were "appropriated" from Jewish families living there. Only a small fraction have been recovered. The book looks very interesting, though I'm not sure if I still qualify.

As for the veterans, all of them should be cared for, even if they had no visible wounds from the war. I know from my own father how deeply he was influenced by his service.

Re: Rainwater (11:36pm November 7, 2009):

I mainly watch trailers for books that I intend to read anyway, like this one. If I watched more, I'd just end up buying too many books. I very much enjoyed this one and find it interesting that the book has a basis in fact. I had wondered why 2 of your books were coming out so close together and I now realize why. Good luck.

Re: Frostbitten (1:39am November 5, 2009):

I don't mind reading long-winded, explanatory passages as long as they serve a purpose. Often I actually need to see inside characters' minds to see why they act or react the way they do in a story.

Actually I'm really glad that I found this blog entry: I was unaware that there was another story about Elena and Clay. I went to one of her book signings about 2 years ago and at that time she was doubtful whether there would be another story about them. Thanks for the heads up.

Re: Santa Honey (5:25pm October 23, 2009):

Sigh, it's already hard enough to find some of "my" authors and/or particular books. I venture to say, though, that maybe there are too many books out there, some with a nice story but, unfortunately, very poorly written--which definitely puts me off.

How do we know that a site has pirated books? Are they e-books only? I don't have an e-book reader, though I really wish I had one for ease of moving my 1000s of real books around.

Too bad. The outlook does seem to be pretty dismal. On the whole I think I'll be all right since I still have lots of TBR boxes, and still can't stop buying new ones. However, I pity those book addicts who are still to come. I can't imagine a time when there will be as few books as there were in the 1970s.

Re: The Hunt (12:33pm October 13, 2009):

WTG. Sometimes we do have to make a change in direction and I'm glad you found a satisfying avenue. It sounds like an exciting book.

Re: Out Of The Darkness (5:49pm October 11, 2009):

I certainly love series, because I usually want to know what happened to the characters after "their" book is finished. It's a good thing that you discovered your love of writing this one at least. lol

Re: The Promise (5:29pm October 11, 2009):

I'm certainly still reading books I bought more than 30 years ago. If I find that I am no longer interested in the stories or type of writing, I'd just give them away. However, so far that hasn't happened and there are other books from back then that I'c still like to get. I found my comfort zone many years ago and vampire, erotic, grisly murders and most paranormal are not among them. I've found some new compatible authors, but on the whole, I'm very satisfied with the same books I enjoyed before.

Re: In Love with Losers (1:12am October 11, 2009):

I feel that the best books are those that can touch my heart, that bring tears to my eyes and heart, that make me wish I could change things. I've not yet seen or read THE KITE RUNNER, though it's been on my list for quite a while. I just feel I haven't had the necessary patience for this kind of "deeper" book in the last few years. I hope I soon will. I'll also try to find yours and the other book you mentioned. Thanks for your entry here.

Re: A Hollywood Ending (7:56pm October 10, 2009):

I've had S.E.P.'s books for a long time but read my first one only last week, "It Had to Be You." I certainly enjoyed it very much. I'm looking forward to reading the next Chicago Stars book soon. I enjoy Nora Roberts's books as well and used to read them avidly, but she has written so many that if I read all of hers, I'd scarcely have time for any other writers.

I especially enjoy Jayne Ann Krentz in her various guises. Probably her understated humor is what I like the most as well as her inventiveness. I've been reading and collecting her books since 1981. Elizabeth Lowell is another oldie that I really like. A somewhat newer author is Susan Grant. Her imagination knows few limits. I'm mostly staying away from newer authors because I have too many other books to read, but I have been getting Michelle Moran's historical books about Egypt. They are fascinating.

Re: The Lute And The Liar (12:15pm October 9, 2009):

A very interesting thought. I had never applied it to speculative fiction, probably because I'm not a writer and have problems with ideas outside my realm of logic. I like reading books about subjects that are unknown to me: about different countries and people that are different from me. This applies to books about both foreign countries and imagined ones. I enjoy all of them.

Re: Love You To Death (4:35pm October 4, 2009):

LOVE YOU TO DEATH certainly sounds interesting. I'll try to find it to read. We don't always get all of them. Nice of you to chat about your writing.

Re: A Dark Love (2:39pm September 30, 2009):

Sounds like an interesting book. I think I may have an overly-developed "Spidey" sense: anybody who hurts others, including animals in any way is on my mental on-guard list. Maybe that explains why I don't like vampire stories and why I'm still single. lol But that's also why I need to know how this kind of woman feels. I'm able to sympathize with them but so far not really empathize, just as Dawn says.

Re: Bluegrass Christmas (7:27pm September 28, 2009):

You're right as you describe the difference between quirky and odd. I think the biggest character flaws are those that allow people to hurt, humiliate or frighten others.

Re: Shades of Twilight (1:58am September 27, 2009):

Sean, I live in London, ON. Who's your wife's author friend?

Re: Shades of Twilight (1:52am September 27, 2009):

Sara, I spent the 70s in Germany, 6 years close to a U.S. army base--actually where they had some of the Pershing missiles in the 80s. When I went home to Canada for a visit in 1976, I went to a used book store--as I'd been wont to do when I lived in here--and saw some of the great new historical romances. Thereafter, I got special permission to buy books at the bookstore beside the PX at the base; after all I was an English teacher.

Re: Shades of Twilight (8:35pm September 26, 2009):

BTW, I'm a big Elswyth Thane fan myself. I read the whole Williamsburg series while I was in high school. Little by little I managed to collect them until only THE LIGHT HEART was left. I looked for it everywhere I went and did so again on a trip to visit friends in the DC area. I went to Williamsburg and looked even harder here. On my drive to see Jamestown, I discovered a used book store and to my great surprise, they had 2 copies (strange, isn't it.) One of them had the name Mrs. William Beebe on the inside cover with a date. I've never been able to verify if this was truly Elswyth Thane's autograph because I've never been able to find a copy of her handwriting--but as some will know, this was her legal name. I also have about a dozen of her other books.

Re: Shades of Twilight (2:08pm September 26, 2009):

I can't remember exactly how many signings I've been to--up to a dozen, I guess. The biggest was at an RT convention (similar to one shown.) All the authors were very kind, as far as I can remember. I spoke a little more with Heather Graham/Shannon Drake. She had just brought out her first vampire book, and so I told her that I didn't like vampires and didn't want to buy the book, although I had bought all her other books up to then. She agreed that not every book was for every reader and was very amiable about the whole matter. I can't remember if I bought that book or not. At any rate, I had brought along some authors' books to have signed and one may have been hers. I had to travel farther for this one too, but we've had a few single author signings here in our city--notably 2 by Diana Gabaldon which I attended. It was a reading as well, and her sense of humor as she related some of her experiences as a teacher and read from her latest book had us all in stitches. Our local university and public library has put these on. Since she now has a new book out, I'm hoping there will be another signing soon.

A virtual signing is when, under an author's direction, you pay for a new book before it's released at a certain bookstore and the author signs it there for you. You have to pay for the postage as well. Quite a number of authors now do this instead of traveling around. Two who do this are Suzanne Brockmann and Jayne Ann Krentz, aka Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick. Go to your favorite authors' websites and see if they do such signings. If you sign up for their newsletters, they will notify you when a new book is available, and if you can have it signed virtually.

Re: Lakeshore Christmas (11:22pm September 25, 2009):

I tried to get all the books by one author signed. To that end, I drove between 2 and 3 hours to 3 different places. I was pretty lucky that she came to these places close to me while I still had a car--well, I had to rent a car for part of the way for one trip. At that time, there were no prizes--that I was aware of. I must admit I always was a bit on the late side and once drove with radial nerve palsy in my right hand. After that she was never close enough to me again. But it was fun talking to her and her entourage and other fans in person. I was very grateful to her for making this possible for me and other readers.

Re: Killer Dolls (12:45pm September 25, 2009):

This is one reason why I enjoy most books: I find new ways of seeing people through a writer's eyes and mind. I find that I, myself, am much too logical to be intuitive enough to figure out what others may think or feel. It's definitely a skill I lack.

Re: The Accidental Family (12:11pm September 23, 2009):

Congratulations on the new baby. I've never had one myself but I had young siblings and often babysat babies. Even my heart did a lot of "melting" when I took care of them. When I see babies when I'm shopping, I love to have a closer look at them. I'd dearly have loved to have one of my own.

But yes, life does go on while you have them to take care of. I wish you much joy and blessings.

Re: A Christmas Ball (1:31am September 22, 2009):

Since I've already mentioned my fondest Christmas memory in other years elsewhere, I'll mention when I first "knew" that Santa Claus was a fiction. I was still living in Germany where we have the equivalent of Sankt Nikolaus.

I was my aunt's 3-year-old flower girl at her wedding a few days before Christmas. At the festivities, they also had something for us youngsters. We played Ring around a Rosie and other games. Finally, Saint Nick was announced wearing a beard and a long brown coat, as he does in Germany. Apparently I took one look at him and said, "That's not St. Nick, that's my uncle Max."

Re: What I Did For Love (8:17pm September 19, 2009):

I guess my ritual isn't as involved as yours--in fact, I can't really call it a ritual, except for keeping something to drink (mostly nonalcoholic) close by. However, for most of my life, I have been unable to fall asleep unless I read a few pages, at least, before I turn out the light. With advancing age (lol), the number of pages have definitely grown. I also take a book with me wherever I go when I leave the house. If I forget, I feel "naked."

Re: Guardian (11:18pm September 15, 2009):

Hi, Deborah, I've noticed that you are very good at getting the right words and the correct spelling. This is one of my bugaboos when reading anything written. If I find too many mistakes in spelling, grammar, etc., I'm very disinclined to continue reading any more of that writer's work, no matter how good the stories. I just find that the flow of the story is always disrupted for me, and this definitely annoys me. This is probably a reaction of any English teacher, especially those who like me taught it to non-English speakers. Ive just read a book where the words 'reeked' and 'wreaked' were confused, among other problems. 'Lie' and 'lay' are seldom used correctly, as are 'it's' and 'its.' Every writer should have a grammar and dictionary handy. Just don't drop the attention once you have a published book. I read the first book by one writer with great pleasure, because there were almost no mistakes. The next book was a disaster--probably because of time constraints--but I have not read a book by her since.

Re: Cleopatra's Daughter (2:54pm September 14, 2009):

We just had a documentary on jellyfish on TV otherwise I wouldn't have known what a problem they are. Anyway, how fascinating a dive to these ruins must have been.

BTW, I wrote you an e-mail about 2 weeks ago outlining a problem I have. I'll send it again today.

Re: Loving Mr. Darcy (4:17pm September 11, 2009):

I can't remember whether I ever went to any part of Derbyshire. I went through some parts of GB with a tour bus organized by a German company. But as usual, whenever I read a book taking place where I have been, I love to arm myself with a map and my memories to try to retrace where I might have been.

Re: The Splendor Falls (4:06pm September 11, 2009):

I'd rather "eat" books than food. So I can't really tell you about any special food in books. However, the famous "Tom Jones" film eating-seduction scene definitely came to my mind. I read the book, too, but can't remember if this delectable meal was portrayed by Henry Fielding, or if the director or screenwriter thought it up.

And cheesecake is my absolutely favorite dessert or treat for any time, anywhere.

Re: Table Manners (4:45pm September 7, 2009):

While I was writing my little bit yesterday, I had just woken up. I confused yesterday with today, but what I said still pertains to today. We're supposed to have thunderstorms, but so far we've had none.

Re: The Trouble With J.J. (4:43pm September 7, 2009):

For me, the best fantasy is to pair a straight-laced heroine with a somewhat wilder man on the assumption that they'll meet somewhere in the middle. I also like strong, silent types though I'm not sure I'd fit with one: I'm too silent myself. lol What I don't like are the really tough-talking people whose every second word starts with f-. I can hear that anytime I go out or even at night from my bedroom when people are shouting outside.

Re: Table Manners (11:05pm September 6, 2009):

It's Labour Day in Canada (our official spelling) and I did nothing special, and hadn't planned. But it was moving day at the university dorms, especially for over 5000 first-year students, not far from where I live.

Re: Tie Me Down (3:50pm September 4, 2009):

I've been wanting to see New Orleans since I was in my teens, but unfortunately, that dream has never been realized. Life and distance got in the way. I was devastated when so much of the city was destroyed by Katrina, because I knew the city would never be the same. That may have been good in some ways, but I still grieve for all the people who are still suffering there. Maybe, if I'm really lucky, I'll still get to see some of the places you wrote about here.

Re: Highland Rebel (12:38pm September 4, 2009):

I always marvel at how an author's, or probably any creative, mind is different from my own. Even my mother, who was definitely more creative than I, had a whole different way of thinking than I do. It sounds so fascinating--a whole story in itself.

Re: Tears Of Pearl (5:31pm September 2, 2009):

P.S. Your books sound so fascinating that I'm making an exception and "taking on" a new-to-me author. I've already put a hold on Emily Ashton #1 at the library.

Re: Tears Of Pearl (5:23pm September 2, 2009):

A fascinating expose. Thanks so much for it. One of my favorite books is "A Gift for the Sultan" by Olga Stringfellow, a novel which was supposedly based on the life of a British woman sold into slavery. Instead she became the favorite wife of the Moroccan sultan and bore him a son who was made sultan upon his father's death. She too advised her son and helped him, especially during the French Revolution. I also have another book, this one more of a biography of a woman from the harem who reached influence in the Ottoman Empire. I believe her name was Aimee and may be one of the ones you've mentioned.

BTW, some of my friends were horrified that I travelled alone to Washington, D.C. some 20 years ago and before that throughout Europe, though I never did get around to Turkey.lol

Re: Within Striking Distance (2:37pm September 1, 2009):

Hi, loved the comparison between the drug commercials and writing a book. Every time I see such a commercial--it's not often because we don't have drug commercials on our Canadian stations--I get more caught up by the possible side-effects than by the supposed benefits. Now, I don't even pretend to write books, but I seem to get the same effects from sitting at the computer doing other things.

Re: The Sari Shop Widow (2:28pm September 1, 2009):

I recently read more about you and your books after you participated in Sue's clues. I would love to read some of your books and intend to suggest that our library in London, Ontario acquire some. I also have some friends from India, Sikhs who were our former neighbors. We learned quite a bit from them about their customs, food, and religion and I would definitely like to learn more about the Hindu way of life. I think it's also brave of you to point out the devaluation of women as you attempt to give them simple human rights. Thanks so much for sharing.

Re: Red Hot Lies (3:13pm August 30, 2009):

I wonder why readers don't like first-person books. Any type of book can be well or poorly written, though there are certain limits in a first-person account.

Re: The Treasures Of Venice (10:16am August 27, 2009):

Ah, Venice, what a lovely spot for romance and adventure. I'd love to read it and remember the time I spent in Venice.

I hope you thoroughly celebrate the anniversary of your getting "the call." Congratulations.

Re: Air Time (9:58am August 27, 2009):

I'm still waiting, but I certainly loved your story. Congratulations to all of you who've had a happy ending.

Re: The Fixer Upper (3:04pm August 24, 2009):

I've always had to defend my reading choices to my family--except to my father, whose historical novels were the books that brought me to love history and thus historical romances--though I admit that I generally get more out of the novels than the romances in the way of history. One sister-in-law disdains the feel-good of romances in favor of "family" books like sagas. I rarely raise my reading choices with friends anymore. I just keep reading what I like. Oh yes, I've also ended up with some very weird books as gifts from my other sister-in-law, usually books that were on sale and featured vampires and the like, a category that I eschew since seeing a biography of Vlad the Impaler, a model for Dracula. Definitely "yuck" material in my book.

Re: In the Master's Bed (1:48pm August 24, 2009):

I always loved going back to school, to learning new things, to exploring more of the world.

Since I have no children, I've never had to experienced the reverse of the coin--of having my children head back to school. However, I used to be a teacher and the going back to work at school was always both an exciting and daunting experience.

I'd definitely love to read a book about an early female scholar. I'd probably have been one too if I'd lived during that time.

Re: Gordath Wood (4:47pm August 22, 2009):

Yuck, forgot to proofread again and I did make mistakes. Oh, well, what else is new? Currently I just have a short attention span, I guess.

Re: Gordath Wood (4:44pm August 22, 2009):

Since I rarely remember my dreams, I'm not to sure whether I actually dream about a book's characters and their goings-on. But I have to admit that just this week I had characters follow me into to twilight zone between reading and falling asleep. It's actually the first time in a very long time--if ever--that this has happened. (I've been reading for more than 50 years and really can't remember back to the beginning.lol)

Re: Skykeepers (12:37pm August 22, 2009):

Since up not up to date on current film stars, I'll refrain from answering this question. However, I've always been interested in the Mayans and the book definitely sounds intriguing.

Re: Smash Cut (11:48pm August 16, 2009):

When the number of books available was still relatively limited, I used to do a lot of rereading--and still do that for some books, though it might just be the "good" parts.

I have assembled a huge library as a result. I list all my books and discovered recently that I've read about 40% of the ones listed. This also includes books that I've borrowed from libraries and friends. So I have about 60% left to read.

I'm really not sure why I'm such a book hoarder, except that I qualify as a pack rat of all sorts of things which might be of "historical" interest for me or others.

Maybe the books are my substitute for the family that I don't have. lol

Re: Trust Me (7:34pm August 15, 2009):

Argh, I forgot to proofread my own writing. Please, forgive the many mistakes. Yuck.

Re: Trust Me (7:33pm August 15, 2009):

I'm so thankful I'm not a writer, (grin.) I guess what strikes me most about books is if the grammar is poor--yeah, I'm one of those word for word readers and a language teacher.

However, I'm hesitant to blame the writer because of the experiences related to me by published authors.

In the first case I "nudged" one author, saying that I a German expression she'd used was incorrect. "Oh, I know which one you mean. I wrote it correctly and my editor 'corrected' it to read incorrectly. When I went corrected the expression, it came back incorrect again and I just gave up."

I guess some people just have to be correct even if they aren't.

Another writer recalled in a blog how she was asked to rewrite some scenes in her first book. She did extensive rewrites and sent them in to her publisher. When she got her copy of the book, she was horrified to realize that it was the first draft.

After these two stories, I'm to give the writers the benefit of the doubt and blame the editors or proofreaders instead--unless I read another book and the same mistakes recur in other books.

Re: Red Seas Under Red Skies (7:11pm August 15, 2009):

I haven't gone to as many as I would like, mainly because I live off the beaten track, but I've loved going to cons of almost any kind.

Just like anywhere you are or go, you can learn interesting things that broaden your horizons at museums, libraries, and, yes, cons.

Re: Whispers of the Dead (10:05am August 13, 2009):

I've been photographed in a graveyard. But it wasn't at dusk, nor in the rain. Above all, I wasn't posing for a publicity photo. lol And I never feel photogenic. I look at some recent family photos and can only say, "Yuck, get me out of here."

Do we get to see finished product? Which German publication was the photo for? The German translation of your books?

Re: Breaking Loose (1:56am August 13, 2009):

I love romances, but I never could have written one: I just don't have the necessary creative juices. My mind is too logical and goes more along the lines of sentence structure, grammar and vocabulary. And, yes, I'm a word for word reader because I love words and their meanings. No touching on a few words in a sentence to get the main points of the sentence.

Re: Since the Surrender (4:37pm August 10, 2009):

Hmm, too bad I didn't see this book at the bookstore today. It sounds very intriguing, like all your books, Julie. I'll have to see if I can get back there soon to get it. Sometimes Chapters is a little behind in getting books.

Re: The Perfect Couple (1:20pm August 9, 2009):

Susan Anderson is one of the authors that affects me. And I also know other authors that haven't had a publisher for a while. Publishing does seem to be a cut-throat business and that saddens me.

However, for me, the fact that some favorite authors aren't presently publishing new books gives me time to catch up a little on my TBR pile. That's the bright side for me since I can save some money--though I still seem to find interesting new authors as well. lol

As for authors' graduating to hardcover, that's been a whole other story

Re: Hot Pursuit (12:37pm August 3, 2009):

I've been unable to buy Suz's hardcover books for quite a while now because of illness and not being able to work, and hers were the only hc I got. I usually end up reading a library copy and then getting the pb. editions when they come out.

Our city has just one library system with 16 branches. In general, they get at least 1 copy for each branch and for authors like Brockmann, Roberts, and other popular authors, they get up to 20 Quick-pick copies that you can keep for only 7 days (others 3 weeks.) They haven't changed that yet because of the recession. I'm just wondering when they will.

And yes, sometimes we have waiting lists in the 100s as well; with one book I'm at 280 something.

Re: It Happened One Night (2:06pm July 31, 2009):

I certainly like "meaty" books and anything to do with geology of any type, including galactic. And I prefer wildflowers to most garden ones.

I guess, like others, I've been amazed by the weather this year, especially as it pertains to Canada: heat of previously unknown proportions in the west and north, and rain and cold in the east and most southern parts, where I and the majority of Canadians live. What's going on?

Re: Seduce Me (3:53pm July 29, 2009):

I like to have the love scenes flow from the emotions of the two protagonists as you describe. I got very tired of reading sexy scenes which were in books just because the author felt there had to be one or two or... If the emotions aren't involved beyond the purely physical, I'd rather not have an "obligatory love scene." That just doesn't work for me.

I'm glad you are one of the authors who really pays attention to this.

Re: Seeing Red (11:02pm July 27, 2009):

I was also born in a small town, by default, since my mother, like all pregnant women, and my grandmother were evacuated from Berlin because of the danger. However, I grew up in a series of cities. It wasn't until 1995 that I was able to return to the town of my birth and by then it had grown by quite a bit. I think in some ways I would have preferred living there, but the circumstances didn't permit it. I certainly would not have liked growing up in East Germany. I'm so glad that I grew up in a city in Canada instead where my father had more opportunity to get a job.

Thanks, Susan, for the many enjoyable books about small-town life you've written to date. I hope you write many more.

Re: Mackenzie's Legacy (4:37pm July 26, 2009):

Ach! Strike "the deaths of" at the end of the first line of the second paragraph.

Re: Mackenzie's Legacy (4:32pm July 26, 2009):

Two that I would like to know about are Elswyth Thane's Day family whom I followed from the Revolution to World War I or II and the Guinness Gang, five siblings who featured in five books by Lisa Gardner that she wrote as Alicia Scott. Those are just two that I'd like to know about that haven't already been mentioned.

The main character from the first book of Thane's Williamsburg series died in one of the later books at age 90 and the deaths of other beloved characters from the series died as a natural part of the aging process. I certainly was sad and it felt as if I had lost a family member. But as in such cases in real life, you do move on as the stories do and look forward to what comes next.

What I find much harder is the death of a character, especially of a child, that we've come to know even just a little bit in a book. Or when a character like Eve Duncan in the Iris Johansen mysteries keeps trying to find out what actually happened to her young kidnapped daughter as long as she doesn't have closure.

Re: The Plight Of The Darcy Brothers (12:25pm July 25, 2009):

The books certainly sound intriguing and since I love anything historical, I wouldn't at all mind being able to read them. So far, this is the first I've heard about this series and I wish you great success.

Re: Bending The Rules (9:40pm July 20, 2009):

I'm not really good at arguing with people--unless there's an important principle to defend. And one thing I never have is a smart comeback.

Re: Swimsuit (6:13pm July 17, 2009):

I think that collaborations can be very fruitful, as you've proved with James Patterson. I can imagine that it requires a great deal of mutual respect and tolerance--something like a successful marriage, . I know I could never write alone and that's why I don't.

Re: Bluegrass Blessings (10:11pm July 16, 2009):

Like most other commentators here, I really need the "laugh" or at least a smile right now. But I also need to find some sort of affirmation and that may make me shed a tear. And with a faith-based book, I know I'll get what I need.

Re: Mr. Perfect (11:56pm July 13, 2009):

On the whole, I don't go by big hype anymore--not since I found that I have a TBR pile longer than by expected lifespan. lol. So Twilight, Harry Potter and other books by newer authors are not on my horizon. That doesn't mean I won't read a newly published book as long as it's by one of my favored authors like, e.g., Linda Howard.

Re: The Beach House (5:19pm July 11, 2009):

Almost every book I read gives a somewhat different perspective on life and on myself. There many moments of "I've never thought of it that way before." And tht besides all I've learned about history, geography and different peoples of the world.

Re: Loving a Lost Lord (4:00pm July 6, 2009):

Some of the first "adult" books I read were historical novels, mostly written by men. So I've always had a penchant for history and learned a lot from these novels. When I discovered historical romances in the mid-1970s, I was thrilled to be able to combine history and romance. Though I like reading contemporary romances, especially the ones with suspense elements, anything historical usually trumps those.

I also loved THE WILD CHILD, but I was disappointed with the rewrites of THE RAKE AND THE REFORMER (THE RAKE) and THE ROGUE AND THE RUNAWAY (ANGEL ROGUE) It meant more to me when the heroes decided not to make love in the original books, meaning: presumably not before the wedding.

But that's just my opinion. I know most readers live for the love scenes, but I like to know that sometimes the heroes can be morally strong enough to wait for sexual fulfillment. *grin*

I'm certainly looking forward to the newest ones.

Re: Everywhere She Turns (8:59pm July 4, 2009):

I had to learn to save for a rainy day when I became unable to work. Mind you, I have always been a careful spender, something "inbred" in me when my parents, brother and I first came to Canada. But I'd buy a book, chocolate bar or an ice-cream cone whenever I felt like it. I certainly can't do that anymore. I've run out of room and money for books and and out of health and money for sweets.

The other problem with independence and freedom is: when does our freedom end up conflicting with another person's. Is our freedom then more important? ;)

Re: Happiness Key (6:37pm July 4, 2009):

I find it interesting that you find a title first since other authors seem to have a lot of problems with them--at least, the publisher often does and sometimes the author asks readers to come up with one.

I've often wondered how to define "happiness," and especially how we can pursue it. For many of us, life is good when we have moments of happiness with a general feeling of contentment. I'm eager to read your thoughts on that in this book.

Re: Redemption (3:31pm June 26, 2009):

Just look at those of us who never made it a first time. But I can also see that writing a book "to order" would be difficult if you don't have another story for such a series right off the bat. Kudos to you for your first novel and successfully writing the second. Best wishes for the success of this one.

Re: Queen Takes King (5:51pm June 25, 2009):

It's always nice to hear about new historical books. It's the type I was raised on, because my father read them too--both true and fictional--the same as I do. Novels can truly bring life to bygone eras.

Re: The Scot And I (5:45pm June 25, 2009):

How come I never had the tourists vanish on any of my visits to historical venue? I would have loved to see into the past. But then, I'm not a writer and never could have been. So I'm glad, and thankful, that you have all these "visions" and are so gifted in transforming them into a wonderful story.

Re: Seducing an Angel (12:36pm June 24, 2009):

Thanks so much, Mary, for the meaningful explanation of what love is and how it differs from romance. I've always believed that there is a big difference between the two but have never been able to put it into words. Unfortunately, I believe that many people confuse the two concepts and that that is the reason we have so many divorces. We are in love with romance instead of really loving and accepting someone, including ourselves--warts and all--and wanting only what is best for them.

I'm truly grateful that you have chosen to write love stories and not just romances.

Re: A Thread Of Truth (2:33pm June 21, 2009):

There is no such thing as a perfect book. I agree with Mary Perry because I wonder why the editing is so bad--or non-existent. I'm glad to see that others find it annoying, too. Real typos don't bother me but frequent mistakes in word usage and grammar definitely detract from my enjoyment of a book. I wonder if books are being published without going through a proofreading stage because of the cost, which really should be minimal. We are definitely our own worst proofreaders so the writers can't really be held responsible. I have a "gift" for language but none at all for creative writing. However, I must say that I'm reluctant to read a third book by any author whose books are consistently poorly or not at all edited. I guess, though, that's because I have too much reading material.

Re: Deep Down (12:59pm June 14, 2009):

I thought I'd let you know how much I enjoyed "Mistress Shakespeare." It was a very interesting take and tale on the missing years in 'Will's' life. I almost felt as if I were there myself.

Re: Spotlight On Desire (12:56pm June 14, 2009):

It's really interesting what you say about the differences in the writing you were able to do before and the demands of the romance now. I was just thinking along the same lines after rereading the "Stephanie James" title "Fabulous Beast" by Jayne Ann Krentz. The heroine was very interested in medieval bestiaries, and as a result, I was able to learn new very intriguing snippets of information about the subject. I also felt sad that there are few books like that anymore.

I am also usually very conscious of the language used and find that there has really been a dearth of good writing in a lot of the books now being published. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned, but I really prefer a little more meat in my books--even if they do take me longer to read.

Have you always written as Anita Bunkley?

As for titles, I used to mark (very lightly) where in the book the meaning of the title was revealed. That was so much more interesting than reading a book called "The Billionaire Arabian Prince's Twin-Carrying Mistress." lol

Re: A Bride For His Convenience (11:08pm June 4, 2009):

I'm sorry to hear about this writer's passing. I've enjoyed many a book by her and will miss her.

Re: Master Of Craving (4:27am May 29, 2009):

As for energy to burn: I don't have any. lol Unfortunately, I can hardly do my most necessary chores.
Sorry about the former entries. Things seemed to be "frozen" and so I tried the "Post..." key.

Re: Master Of Craving (4:24am May 29, 2009):

Re: Master Of Craving (4:17am May 29, 2009):

As I've said elsewhere, a romance novel certainly beats reading any of the so-called classics about the "human condition." After all, what can be more human than romance?

Re: The Accidental Lawman (7:03pm May 24, 2009):

I'm glad you're writing more inspirational books, historicals have always been a favorite of mine, novel or romance.

Re: Killer Cuts (6:33pm May 15, 2009):

What a great lot of books coming out soon, both favorite authors like Mary Balogh and Catherine Mann, as well as exciting books by new-to-me authors.

Re: Taking Flight (6:03pm May 15, 2009):

Ever since I started reading romances over 50 years ago, I've had to "defend" my choices, especially for "light, meaningless" reading. I struggled through "meaningful" classics like Madame Bovary, tried to read Alice in Wonderland as a child and stopped reading most of their like unless I was forced to read them for university courses. Not all of the classics are hard to get through or not enjoyable and I still enjoy the occasional one. But certainly, to forget problems or otherwise enjoy a different world, give me a good historical romance, or even novel, or romantic suspense.