What About Those Alpha Guys?

From Tarzan to Blade to Indiana Jones...
Alpha heroes have always been popular.

But deep down, who are those hunky, take-charge guys so often referenced in romance novels? Depending on whom you ask, an Alpha male might be likened to the biggest jerk imaginable.

I read a lot of comments from readers remarking on a like or dislike of Alpha heroes usually based on a skewed perception of what an Alpha really is.

So let me tell you - if you read a book where the hero was an obnoxious jerk, then he was just that, an obnoxious jerk.

If you read a book where the hero was wonderful and protective and determined to save the world, well, there you go. Hunky hero.

Alphas, like everyone else, come in different personalities. But please know, an Alpha does not automatically mean a know-it-all, bullying, SOB.

Just the opposite, in fact!

Dictionary.com describes "Alpha" as being "the highest ranked or most dominant individual of one's sex."

Please note, it does not say “being a jerk.”

It doesn’t say “cruel and conscienceless.”
It says dominant, which according to the dictionary is "Exercising the most influence or control."
Ah ha!

Control.

Yep, yep, I’d say Alpha Heroes are very much in control, and controlling.

NOT because they want to take away from anyone around them, most especially the heroine, who they hold in high regard.

But because they’re more capable and possess more confidence based on experiences.

Have you ever watched 24? If not, oh honey, you need to!

Jack Bower epitomizes the Alpha male.

I keep telling my husband that if everyone else in that show would just trust Jack, and always do whatever Jack asks of them, the world (at least, the world according to 24) would be a safer place.
Does Jack make mistakes?

Course he does.

Alphas aren’t perfect. They’re human beings doing the best they can with the circumstances before them.

In Jack’s case, while saving the world and all the innocents in it, he errs with compassion, with honor, with a dedication to what he thinks is right and wrong, and with a deep, abiding love of his country.

If Jack needs to kill a man for the better good of his country or to save a hundred thousand other people, he’ll do it.

Then he'll sit in his car, all alone, and suffer greatly because of it.

So here I am, explaining - based on flimsy dictionary descriptions and a really awesome television series - what Alpha heroes aren’t.

Now I’ll tell you what I think they are.

Alpha heroes are, 1st and foremost, emotionally and mentally strong.
True Alphas don’t need to bully or belittle others to feel better about themselves, and in fact, they’d stop anyone else from meanness if it was in their power to do so.

An Alpha hero is a defender of the underdog. Anyone smaller or weaker than himself automatically gets his protection, which also makes him protective and pro-active.

An interesting side note on being pro-active...

I read this personality test (an intelligent one, not a silly one off the net) that showed one major difference between Alpha people, and the rest of us: Their need to act, regardless of what anyone else might think, or their own misgivings.

Did you know that if there’s a crowd of 10 people, and one person collapses, the odds are better that the remaining 9 people will wait to see what someone else plans to do before attempting to help?

It's the old, safe, "wait and see" attitude.

But if there’s an Alpha in the group, he’ll be the first one to his knees, administering whatever CPR he knows – even if he’s never had formal training.

Alphas don’t care what anyone else thinks because they’re so confident and secure in their own worth.

My male protagonist in Say No to Joe? is totally Alpha.

For those of you who read it, remember the tattoo on Joe’s behind?

It read, “I Love Lou.”
(Within the story, you learn why it's there - but I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't read the book.)

The female protagonist, Luna, is surprised that Joe hasn’t had it removed, and asks him if he worries what women think when they see it.
Joe’s response is that no woman would ever question his sexual orientation, especially once she had his pants off, which is the only way she’d see the tattoo.

Usually Alpha’s are physically strong because it would go against their nature to be weak or ineffectual in any way. But those Alphas without physical might will make up for it with mental superiority or good old-fashioned hard work.
One way or another, they’ll stand out as exceptional.

Because they don’t like relying on others, Alphas are independent.
Think Bruce Willis in Die Hard.

Almost single-handedly, his character as John McLane takes down a group of terrorists.

Not just once, but in the sequels as well.

And each time, he’s alone in his efforts, going against authorities to do it – not because John McLane is a law breaker, but because he trusts himself more than anyone else, and never once doubts his perception of the situation.

Naturally, his perception is the right one.

No matter what it is, an Alpha will be sure he can handle it, and handle it right.
That means an Alpha can...

Make love like a stallion. An Alpha’s ego would be enough to ensure he’ll learn what’s necessary because leaving a woman dissatisfied would be a personal insult, a chip to the ego, and no true Alpha would allow that.

For this one, think Mel Gibson as Sergeant Riggs, in Lethal Weapon 2.

Note: In Lethal Weapon, Sergeant Riggs is suicidal over the death of his beloved wife but, when needed, he puts his own suffering aside and kicks some major butt for the better good.

True Alpha behavior!

An Alpha would never cry ignorance at something as simple as laundry, cooking, or disposable diapers. And since changing diapers guarantees interaction with a baby, it proves that Alphas can be tender, too.

When I wrote The Buckhorn Brothers, for Harlequin, the premise sounded very strange in a synopsis.

Four grown brothers, from three different fathers, living together and lending a hand in raising the oldest brother’s son – who wasn’t actually his son at all.

See?

Sounds very odd, doesn’t it?

Yet that series: Sawyer, Morgan, Gabe, Jordan, and later, Casey, remains one of my most popular series with readers. I think it’s because they were the truest of Alphas.

Independent Alpha would never depend on someone else to complete a task that he can learn. He’s confident enough to share responsibilities, but for instance, if his wife/woman gets ill, he’ll insist on caring for her.
And if the Alpha happens to be rich, he might pay someone to do tasks for him, but not because he can’t do them himself, or is too lazy to do them.

That means an Alpha would never sit in front of the TV (day after day) drinking a beer while his wife worked tirelessly on house and food and kids.

(Everyone gets a day off, though, including the wife!)

In that regard, the Buckhorn brothers didn’t care what anyone thought of them living together. They willingly lent a hand to anyone in need. They loved Casey, regardless of his parentage, and not only did they divide the chores of laundry, cooking and grocery shopping, they reveled in everything concerning Casey, including bath time and diapers.

Let's don’t forget Denzel Washington, in Man on Fire.

Okay, Denzel's character doesn’t change diapers, but he relates to a young Dakota Fanning better than her own parents. He starts out as a burnt out, bitter man wasting his exceptional abilities, and through common sense and compassion, he not only loves Dakota’s character, but he allows her to change him for the better.

What a hero!

Some of my favorite Alphas today, which have inspired my current series of books such as Jude’s Law and Causing Havoc (not out until Feb 07) are from the Pride and UFC fighting circuit.

It’s such a striking contrast to watch men do battle with strength, wit and determination, and yet, win or lose, they show respect and friendship to one another.

Most of my favorite fighters are in committed relationships.

They're all in excellent shape with muscles on muscles.

And they're all courteous and considerate.

While holding a giant trophy, smiling around a mouthpiece, mottled with bruises and sometimes blood, they say hello to their mothers, blow kisses to their wives, or wave to their children. They say "sir" and "ma'am." They are grateful and sincere, and that, to me, is extremely sexy.

So who's my favorite?

I think Bas Rutten epitomizes STUD. He's married, has 3 daughters, does great commentary on the fights, was a champion when he still fought, and shows such an incredible respect to everyone, while being super funny and obviously smart. He's all that... he'd make a great hero in a book!

That's why he’ll be the inspiration for the next single title that I start.

(At least, I hope he will be. But if my editor has a problem wtih him being bald... well, I may need to reconsider that. )

Alphas are smart, and by being smart, they don’t show prejudice against anyone because of race or sex. Remember Tarzan, the original Alpha? He could barely speak English. I think "Ungawa" was one of his favorite words, though I'm not sure what it meant. I think it was a catch all to direct elephants, defeat tigers, and woo Jane.

However wild Tarzan might have been, he always tried to care for anyone smaller, weaker, or in a difficult situation.

(BTW, did you know the original Tarzan flicks were unrated, and therefore Jane was shown naked many times! Total, complete nudity! On TV.

My husband and I were watching old b/w shows one day and saw it. Shocked me, it did. But it was also very funny to see.)

Alphas trust in their own abilities a lot, but they don’t put their own worth above others.

Overall, Alphas are honorable, protective, kind, and yes, controlling.


Some of my favorite MOVIE Alpha Heroes are:
* Harrison Ford, in Indiana Jones
* Wesley Snipes, in Blade

* Bruce Willis, in Die Hard
* Denzel Washington, in Man On Fire
* Kiefer Sutherland, in 24

and yes

*Tarzan

Some of my favorite BOOK Alpha Heroes are:
* James Mallory, Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsey
* Anthony Mallory, Tender Rebel by Johanna Lindsey
* Knight Winthrop, Nightfire by Catherine Coulter
* Duncan of Wexton, Honor’s Splendor by Julie Garwood
* Dane Hollister, Dream Man by Linda Howard
* Wolf Mackenzie, Mackenzie’s Mountain by Linda Howard

Who are some of your favorite Alphas, either in movies, books, or in real life?

And lastly, would you be turned off by a hero with a shved head, ala the photo of Bas Rutten above? I really am curious about that one!

Weeeeellll.... that's it from me. A slight rant on what those super sexy Alpha hunks are really about.

And it's not meanness or cruelty.

I suppose because I love to write them, I feel compelled to explain them.

Have an awesome weekend everyone!
HUGS!

VIEW FROM ELIZABETH'S CHAIR

I’ve been musing upon desktops.

My desktop, to be specific.

There are reference books, notebooks, two cases for computer glasses (only have one pair), two shaving mugs filled with pens and pencils and markers, one mug filled with tea, a calendar open to the wrong month, a file of dated telephone numbers, a telephone, a cell phone, paperclips (loose and contained) loose pens, pencils and markers, sticky tape, sticky notes whose meaning I have forgotten, a small copier, two clipboards with plot/chapter progressions, the middle section of a manuscript, two music CD sleeves, staple remover, stapler, electronic cord for who-knows-what, memory stick for a new cell phone I haven’t programmed with new numbers because my friends haven’t sent them (ahem!), an eraser, a tin of mints, two sound sticks with James Blunt singing “Goodbye My Lover” to me, a stuffed, metallic scaled, multi-hued dragon perched on the corner of my primary computer screen, keyboard, swivel armrests, cordless mouse, flashdrive for backup, and an open laptop computer.

Oh, and a tide table.

How much of this stuff do I use?

All of it.

Every day. (Lose one case for my glasses, use other. Repeat as necessary. Dated telephone numbers? Better than nothing. Electronic cord? Increases my sense of wonder.)

What does your desktop look like? And how much of the stuff do you use?

STELLA CREEPS UP ON A LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP

On a summer's day when our three children were still small, my husband traveled weekly for business, and I had been doing something very dangerous--examining my life options--I told Jerry I intended to write a novel.

Going on an old theory that once we state something we intend to do--out loud, not just in a whispery voice in our minds--we're committed, I had decided to declare myself.

I sat beside a chest of drawers I had "antiqued" in a shade of bright yellow (garage sale chest--money wasn't plentiful) and a breeze billowed in sheer curtains at the windows. "I'm going to write a novel," I said, waiting for Jerry to look up from putting away toiletries from his latest trip. I waited and waited and finally repeated, "I'm going to write a novel." He smiled at me. My husband is a good and kind man and has always wanted the best for me. And he said, "Sure you are," with an even bigger smile.

Even the best of people sometimes humor others...

Everything changed for me that afternoon, everything. I was never the same person afterward and didn't want to be. Jerry's gauntlet rested on the floor at my feet, and I picked it up. In a drawer in my sewing cabinet rested a sixty page manuscript called KRINKLE, about one of Santa Clause's elves who wanted to be a doll and given to a real child. Krinkle, the youngest of the huge family of elves who were chocolate makers to Santa Clause, got his name because, as the youngest and smallest, his mean job was to make sure the colored foil papers wrapping Christmas chocolates were absolutely smooth. He wasn't well treated and even had to stay at home and keep stirring the heated chocolate while his entire family went to a fabulous holiday bash at Santa's castle.

Shades of Cinderella?

And so it went for sixty pages, and there it was in the sewing drawer. The story had the important stuff, a beginning a middle and an end. A rising and falling action. Heroes, heroines and villains. I knew nothing about the writing business but I set about finding out all I needed and I've been learning ever since. KRINKLE was my tricycle on the way to that racy two-wheeler I intended to ride.

Short stories followed, and novellas, a first novel that actually interested a few industry folks. And I spent hours at the library reading about agents and publishers in general then agents and publishers individually. I studied their credentials and researched the names of their clients/stable, and made sure I knew what those people wrote about.

Manila envelopes went out in the mail. Manila envelopes came back in the mail. And I had an important (to me) rule: Never open a rejection (yes, I had quickly figured out that the envelopes arriving back in my mailbox were not filled with contracts or checks), but never open a rejection until you finish your day's writing. This rule came from my occasional need to cry at reading those gentle words one more time, "We wish you luck placing your work elsewhere." In other words, what I'd submitted wasn't good enough--yet. But I never, ever, considered quitting.

The heading on this blog speaks to a love-hate relationship. For me, that describes any passion strong enough to snag a lifetime of faithful allegiance. No passion comes without a price. Sometimes the return is a dose of euphoria, happiness that seems as if it can't be beaten. On other occasions suffering is the best word I can come up with for the payback I get for my dedication!

"So," you say, "What's this all about, Stella?" The passion, of course. The payoff, off course. And how do we stay with the things (lovers, vocations, avocations, the list is long and I'll only attempt the first two) that sometimes cause unhappiness? With lovers the answer is as complicated as it is simple; we stay because we can't go, because the love is too strong to ignore, too strong to survive without. On vocations the answer is again, simple, but it is also mind-messingly complicated and worthy of a lifetime of unraveling.

Writing is a habit to many of us, an addiction we don't try to kick because we don't want to. We are sure we would, in some way, die without the words and the stories. And unlike some tasks that may eventually be perfected--really perfected so that they can't be improved--I cannot imagine thinking I had written a perfect piece. The only reality that saves me from discovering I'm still revising the first story I wrote is that old enemy/friend: the deadline.

I would be very remiss if I didn't write that Jerry Cameron (once I'd picked up that gauntlet) became and continues to be my most faithful cheering section--just as I hope I am his in his endeavors. And I wish each of you a champion worth loving. If there doesn't seem to be a cadidate readily available, let us know. We'll all cheer for you.

When I decided to write to you about this relationship so many of us are drawn to, I thought I might produce a funny little snippet we could laugh about together. We can laugh about all this because what we have in common, and in common with the written word is a knowing a comradeship where we share a bagful of insider jokes, sly nudges, the frequent giggles. But it seems we do well to tip our hats to the real power of passion, the power that makes us lifelong slaves who continually return to the source for fresh reminders about the strength of our addiction. Like writing, reading is an addiction. Painting, needlepoint, sailing, hang-gliding, and on and on runs the probably endless list of passionate addictions. Love of animals, children, a need to serve others. You see, the longer we think about these things, the more we'll identify.


NOTE: The gent at the top of this blog reminds me of the day when I, with only my sixty page story in the drawer of my sewing cabinet, said, "Publishing, here I come." The lady at the bottom (I can dream, can't I?) represents all of us when we accomplish our dreams.

What are your passions? How do you feel when you, the surfer, catch the big wave or you, the graduate student, get your next degree? Or you, the parent, get a hug from your child?

Jayne here, still out on the lanai

Still here in Hawaii, still doing a lot of reading out on the lanai. There is something so special about Hawaii. It's in the air. You feel it the instant you step off the plane. It is soothing to the soul and stimulating to the senses...and the palm trees are so, I dunno. Whatever.

And that is about as much of a description as you are going to get from me because, as a writer, description is my weak point.

When I hit a section of dialogue, I fly. The conversation on the page opens up the characters and the story and I can't wait to see what will happen next. But when I hit a passage wherein I have to actually slow down and describe something, I feel as though I am writing through molasses. Can't wait to get through it to get back to the fun stuff, the dialogue

I just finished Barry Eisler's THE LAST ASSASSIN. Eisler's story takes place in exotic locales like Tokyo and Barcelona. One of his skills is that he can make those locations come alive on the page; make you see them in dark and different ways. When he describes the hardware that his assassin character uses, I find myself actually reading those passages. Normally I skip over any paragraph in a book in which the word "gun" is accompanied by some numbers and dots as in .38 or .22. I generally find descriptions of weapons and cities boring. But I will read Eisler's descriptions because he is so very good at them.

I have come to the conclusion that writers -- at least the ones I know personally and the ones I read -- tend to fall into two camps: those who have a natural inclination and a talent for description and those who have a natural inclination and a talent for dialogue. Of course, to be successful, you have to pick up at least some skill in the thing you're not so good at. Still, I've got a hunch that the instinct for many if not most of us is to tell the story to ourselves first either through description or dialogue. We then share that story with the reader, filling in with the missing ingredient -- dialogue or description -- as needed.

Therefore, I would really appreciate it if those of you who read me would make it a point to slow down and read every word when you get to a descriptive passage in one of my books because you now know that I had to work very hard on that bit.

Who do you read for description and who do you read for dialogue? Or do you even think in those terms? Maybe it's just me.

Suzanne: June is Bustin' Out All Over

It's June and that means it's the good old summertime! On the morning I'm writing this the sky is clear blue, the sun is pouring in the windows at the back of our house, and the faceted crystals I have hanging in my kitchen are sending rainbows and magic everywhere. How appropriate for the first official day of summer!

I did a little research and, besides the perennial signs of summer here in the Midwest, I discovered some interesting tidbits about Jivin' June.

Did you know that June is National Fight the Filthy Fly Month? (It's also National Accordion Awareness Month and Turkey Lovers Month.)

Did you know that June 2nd is National Rocky Road Day? (Yep, folks, it's all about eating ice cream, specifically Rocky Road. Kind of glad I missed it this year since I'm on a low-carb diet.)

Did you know that June 6th is National Yo-Yo Day in honor of Donald F. Duncan, Sr., the man who introduced the yo-yo to the USA. In 1946, Duncan moved his company to Luck, Wisconsin, which quickly became known as the “Yo-Yo Capital of the World.” (The history of the yo-yo, however, dates back B.C.E. to China and Greece.)

Did you know that June 9th is Donald Duck Day in honor of Donald's cartoon debut on June 9, 1934?

Did you know that Disneyland opened on June 17, 1955?

Don't panic, but did you know June 18th is International Panic Day?

Did you know that June 19th is World Sauntering Day? (Sauntering is about my speed in life.:-)

Appropriately enough, June 19th is also Garfield's birthday. (That saunterin' cat is now 28 years old and hails from the pen of Jim Davis who lives about an hour down the road from me.)

June 21st is the Summer Solstice, of course, but did you know that the moon of midsummer (in pagan tradition) was called the "honey moon" from the mead made of fermented honey that was consumed after many marriage ceremonies held on the Summer Solstice? Hence, the term "honeymoon."

Did you know that June 22nd is Thumb Exercise Day? (Nope, neither did I!)

Did you know that June 23rd is National Pink Day? (Bet you figured out that the recommended color choice for this day is pink. Pink is also my signature color!)

Did you know that June 30th is Meteor Watch Day? (Attention all dinosaurs!)

June is truly a jivin' month. Do you have any interesting tidbits about the month of June you'd like to share with us? What is your favorite part of summer?

Aloha from Jayne

So I'm here in Hawaii again (pretty much our most favorite spot on earth) and until a few minutes ago when I came back into the hotel room to write this blog I was sitting out on the lanai reading a good book (Barry Eisler's The Last Assassin. Great story, but that's another story). Anyhow, it occurred to me as I was lounging out there, reading, that, when considered as a bit of technology, the book is just about perfect. It is thousands of years old and very little has been needed in the way of upgrades.

Oh, sure, there has been some experimentation with materials: clay and wax tablets, papyrus, parchment, etc. But somewhere on a wall in Pompeii there's a picture of a woman holding a book called a codex. The codex in her hand is about the same size and shape as the copy of Eisler's book waiting for me out on the lanai. I wonder if it has any love scenes in it? Eisler does a lot of love scenes, which is really interesting given that his hero is a contract killer who gets rid of people in some pretty gruesome ways...But I digress.

There's been a lot of talk about what will replace the book as we know it. Sure, we've got e-books now and everyone is predicting that, in one form or another, they represent the beginning of the end of the book. But I've gotta tell you, I can see the hotel pool from my lanai and no one down there is reading an e-book. They're reading regular books.

As a former (never ex) librarian, I take the long historical view of technological change when it comes to books. See, back when I was a little whippersnapper in library school there was a lot of talk about what would replace the book. Some folks believed that books would be converted into handy-dandy sheets of plastic called microfiche that you could take with you everywhere and that hardly weighed anything. All you needed was a handy-dandy microfiche reader in order to read the fiche. Never did see anyone reaching microfiche at poolside.

Sure microfiche and, now, modern computers make great places to store books and the information they contain. But what's the first thing most people want to do when they discover that they're going to have to read more than twenty pages on a screen? They crank up the printer and start printing out the material. In other words, they make a book out of it - their own little codex.

I guess it is a form-follows-function thing. Books are convenient. It does not require a second kind of technology in order to access one. You just open up the sucker and start reading. You could probably read that codex that the girl on the wall in Pompeii has in her hand, provided you knew Latin. If you don't know Latin you could learn it --from another book.

Books are also comfortable for the human eye (except in the case of paperbacks that are printed in itty-bitty fonts -- blame that on the publisher). And there is something about the eye-hand coordination thing one engages in when reading a book that makes it comfortable for the human brain to absorb the information in the text. Say, if I wanted to go back and re-read one of the love scenes in Eisler's novel, all I have to do is flip back a few pages. I know how to flip pages. It's an eye-hand coordination thing. Sort of like walking and chewing gum at the same time. No special technology required.

And books are attractive. They are pleasing to the human senses on many subtle levels. I love the feel of a new book. I like the fresh crisp pages. When it comes to very old books, I love the fine leatherwork on the covers and I am fascinated with the old paper inside. The cover art on a modern book has a huge impact on me, sometimes negative as in the case of hunk covers, but more often positive. I like the weight of a hardcover in my hand. I like the convenience of a paperback. I like all the information about the book that is printed on the outside -- the title, the name of the author, etc. In short, the format of a book has an appeal that adds greatly to the reading experience.

I'm guessing that, although there will be lots of new technologies coming down the pike designed to store the information contained in books (new kinds of libraries, as it were), it will be a while yet before we actually replace books themselves.

My question to you before I head back out to the lanai is, what do you think the book of the future will look like?

When Readers and Writers Unite!

Since I forgot to put my name on my last blog, please note, this is LORI trying to find something worthy of a Quill blog ...
- and not having much luck.

I had planned to discuss Alpha males, and what I consider some major misconceptions. But alas, I'm behind on... everything. My book ( due today!) and appointments, which I've rescheduled twice, and life, which is getting away from me - all have me crunched for time. So Alphas will have to wait until next time.

Instead, I've decided to do a recap of a great weekend spent with readers and authors at my and Dianne Castell's annual event.
Maybe y'all can give me some ideas for next year, and you might even consider joining us in 07!

On Friday June 9th through Sunday June 11th, readers and writers came together for the 2nd annual Lori Foster & Dianne Castell "Reader & Author Get Together." (Catchy name, right?) I'm still exhausted, but wow, what a great time we all had!




















In case you're unfamiliar with the incomparable Dianne Castell, this is her with her snazzy pink promo hat, inspired by her newest novella in the "Texas Bad Boys" anthology.
Dianne passed out the hats to a lot of people, which made for a colorful weekend.

Dianne and I host the event here in Ohio as a hearty THANK YOU.
It's our small way to give a little back to the readers who have given us and other writers so much support, friendship and enjoyment. Our annual Get Together launched in 05. When Dianne and I planned that first event, we kept thinking that if we got 20 readers to show up, we'd be happy.

We got 100 - and were thrilled!
For the 06 event, we grew a little... by 50 people!

The photo below is of a portion of the attendees, probably during a raffle.



We joined together in the Marriott in West Chester, Ohio to talk, talk, talk. (Dianne and I are a wee bit chatty.)

Our focus for this event is to keep it fun, to provide a casual atomosphere where readers and authors can get to know each other better, where we can put faces to online names, and share the love of reading. Attendees wear jeans (or whatever they're most comfortable in) and it's all very unstructured for the most part, providing more time for everyone to mingle.

We had a rotating author lunch where authors switched tables every 10 minutes so readers had a chance to chat with them all.
We had a wonderful volunteer who read Taro cards - and told me some very interesting things! We had field trips, photo ops, critiques, prizes, an editor and an agent, and a bookfair hosted by B&N and one of my best, long-time friends, Linda Keller.

All for a registration fee of $35 - to cover the costs of meals.



This part cracks me up, but we also had James Denton's travelling pants! Until last weekend, I'd never heard of it, but apparently a radio DJ won James Denton's pants in an auction. She had them framed and now loans them out to groups. LuAnn McLane brought them, and showed me how the back of the frame has a little spot open so you can "feel" the jeans.



Here we are, paying appropriate tribute to the famous pants.

The donated author, reader and publisher baskets were the highlight of the event. Proceeds from the event go to the local Battered Women's Shelter. This year, we made over $2500 on raffles alone, with more $ coming from the bookfair!



That's Christy above, our official registration volunteer, helping out with the raffle. Christy and her mom, Cheryl, keep everything in line and moving smoothly. We'd be lost without them.

The gal below is none other than LadyB, our lovely volunteer in charge of organizing and distributing raffle prizes. LadyB makes the raffling of the baskets feel more like a Las Vegas show!



This year, 45 authors showed up offering critiques for new or unpublished authors, amazing raffle baskets, fun promo items, lots of smiles, and an enthusiastic desire to show the readers just how appreciated they are!



Dianne and I flew in an agent and editor. The agent was Emily Sylvan Kim (but my photo of her didn't turn out - bummer). The editor is Cindy Hwang, of Berkley.



To the left is amazing author Erin McCarthy, with Cindy Hwang next, and that's me grinning like a fool on the end.

Did you note my shirt? Each year we have items - T-shirts of all styles, mugs, mouse pads, calendars, journals, etc... specially made for the event with images of attending authors' bookcovers on the front and urls on the back. The itms are very affordable (available at www.cafepress.com/lorifoster ), and proceeds from the sales go to the Battered Women's Shelter.

My husband wore a shirt that said, "I sleep with a famous author." But he's a real joker, so whenever someone commented on it, he mentioned Stephen King, not me.



This is the dear husband standing between Johnny Depp and Alan Jackson.

Below: Dianne and I schmoozed with Johnny and Alan too!



Many of my "Bookjunkie" friends attended.
(My yahoo email loop is LoriFosterBookjunkies)



Saturday night, authors Dianne Castell and LuAnn McLane organized a fieldtrip to a local nightclub for some line dancing. I, being an old fuddy duddy, headed home to bed so I could be back bright and early Sunday morning for breakfast with everyone.

But the brave ventured out - and reported a rompin' good time!



Above - whoopin' it up!

Below - my sedate (and tired) group after a delish breakfast the next morning.

Dianne and I hope to have the event every year and we'd love suggestions from everyone.

If you were to attend our event, what would you most like to do there?

So many of the readers commented on how nice and "down to earth" the authors are, and the authors raved over how friendly and happy the readers are. Sort of a big "love and respect" fest, huh?

Have you been to any events where you met an author, and were surprised at how much you had in common?

For the raffle baskets I donated, I included a foreign copy of "Say No To Joe?" (showing Joe nekkid on the cover!) and some arcs of my upcoming single title, "Murphy's Law." What would you most like to find your favorite author's basket? An out of print book, or a not-yet-released title?

If you could get your photo taken with any author, who would it be?

My husband's shirt was such a hit, we're planning a whole section of shirts for husbands, so we can we make even more in proceeds for our charities. Upcoming sayings will be: "I am the inspiration," "Not on the cover, but between the pages," "Wanna do some research?" and a few others.

Can you think of a really catchy saying to go on a writer's or reader's shirt?

(One of the shirts I wore said: "Be careful or I'll kill you in a book.")

It really was a wonderful time, and I'm already looking forward to next year. We made the Battered Women's Shelter our main focus, but we also collected for a special project of mine, "Eyes for Josh," and for the troops. Everyone was generous beyond belief.

If it weren't for the incredible volunteers - too many to name - Dianne and I would never be able to do this. A big THANK YOU to them all, and a special hearty THANK YOU to Linda Keller who organized the bookfair of 47 authors. Amazing women, all of them.

That's it from me. I have to finish my book now. Thank God for email and an editor who doesn't mind technology, saving me the extra days it would have taken to snail mail this puppy!

Have an awesome weekend everyone!

STELLA ASKS SECOND OLDEST QUESTION IN WRITING UNIVERSE

STELLA: Sheesh, Elizabeth, I've got finger-cramps from turning the pages so fast. I have a sneaky feeling you've got an inside edge when you write a cling-to-your-seat story like THE WRONG HOSTAGE. Listen up! Quit cleaning the Glock (I already swiped the clip) and gimme some straight answers. I know you, and I know Evan was a crime reporter for years. Just how much of THE WRONG HOSTAGE is real?

ELIZABETH: Well, Evan and I have never had a child kidnapped, thank God. But if you’re asking about the book’s backdrop, it’s all quite real. Even though it has been a long time since Evan traded in his journalistic hat for that of a novelist, we still follow doings along the border with Mexico. Our information on what’s really happening (as opposed to what major media outlets call news) comes from many sources, including people “on the ground.”

STELLA: I knew it, insider information. In THE WRONG HOSTAGE the tunnel under the border plays a big part in the plot. It's real, isn't it? Come on, you can tell me.

ELIZABETH. The earliest tunnel I ever heard about was from Don Quick, then with the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration). We roasted cabrito and nopales over a campfire, he taught me how to use his hand gun, and pronounced me good enough to hit a man at twenty feet.

Then he showed Evan and me a lonely little house on the desert, just on the California side of the border. In the 19th century, when the contraband was Chinese immigrants and ten-tael tins of opium, a tunnel ran from beneath the house to a cave on the Mexican side. Quick knew about it because his father had been a Customs agent who rode horseback through the desert in search of bootleggers from Mexico.

The fact that the tunnel Evan and I imagined for THE WRONG HOSTAGE was actually discovered a few months ago—in the precise place we imagined it would be!—just proves that truth is at least as strange as fiction.

STELLA: Don Quick? Of course, Amanda's dad. What about St. Kilda Consulting? Is that real?

ELIZABETH: (groan....no relation at all!) St. Kilda is our creation, but it’s based on what’s happening in the real world. One of the FBI agents who once worked with Evan left the FBI and started his own kidnap/ransom insurance business, because he saw how difficult it was for American corporations to protect their employees outside the U.S.

Other people Evan worked with have gone on to think tanks, started their own advice/security businesses, etc. In the Post Cold War world, gigantic just doesn’t get most jobs done. Many non-combat jobs in war zones go to private contractors, from feeding soldiers, to electronics maintenance (and operation) of high-tech weapons, and even the training of Iraqi policemen. Some companies are run by former special forces personnel. Many are run by former government employees from the military services to the CIA, FBI, and any other agency that requires expertise in the shifting reality of geopolitics and transnational crime.

I certainly wouldn’t be surprised to find that one or more private businesses such as St. Kilda exists. Whether we know it or not, we need them.

STELLA: No arguments from me. And the love story grips in all the right ways--just as I would expect. Joe Faroe is a classic Lowell hero--strong and vulnerable, smart and yet dumb as only a guy can be about women, and sexy. Did I mention sexy?

ELIZABETH: What can I say? No love, no story. Not for this woman. Faroe demanded a special heroine, one who could go toe-to-toe with him, yet touch him with her own vulnerability, her own needs. Grace Silva is a great match for Faroe—even if neither one wants to admit it!

STELLA: THE WRONG HOSTAGE is for sale tomorrow 6/13. If you break a toe running an errand (to the bookstore) and have to take a couple of days off to recover, we'll all understand. Buy a copy for your doctor in exchange for a letter of excuse to your boss--you need quality reading time!

WELCOME KATHERINE STONE AND HER WRITING PARTNER...WENDY!

Greetings! And how lovely to be a guest on this fabulous blog run by these amazing authors (and -- more importantly -- wonderful human beings.)

It's honest, informative and fun. What could be better than that?

I'm intrigued by the Quill Quickies (who knew Jayne's favorite TV shows were Monk and Food Channel?), am tempted by every delicious recipe, love the comments from visitors, and, as a writer, appreciate the sharing of experiences.

Lori's "Writer's Family Life" resonated big time (of course!)

My dear friend Stella, who so graciously invited me to do this, said -- in response to my "I'd love to! But what would I say?" -- that it was fine to do a what-am-I-up-to report.

So, here goes...

I'm in that heady, hopeful place where the new book (Caroline's Journal) is out of my hands. I've given it my all, and, even as I type, it's at the printer in anticipation of hitting the bookshelves in August.

I'm not even thinking (ha!) of all the potential glitches (out-of-order pages, upside down or wrong covers, etc, etc.)

I've learned in publishing (as in life), you do your best, control what little you can, and surrender as cheerfully as possible to what you can't.

Of course, learning that philosophy and living it -- cheerfully! -- aren't always the same .

Which is where Wendy, my cocker spaniel, comes in. Those of you who've visited my website know her well. She has no worries, and is relentless in her determination to share her tail-wagging joy.

With Wendy's help, I'm happily clearing the clutter that accumulated while I was immersed in the book (though, arguably, since the Christmas decorations would be coming out in four months or so, should I really even bother putting them away now? )

I'm a multitasker from way back -- as we all are -- except when I'm writing.

I'm emotionally multitasking then, I guess, throwing obstacles in my characters' paths, figuring out how I'm going to get them out of the dilemmas I've created, and worrying around the clock about their issues (and clutter)...to the exclusion of my own.

Don't even talk to me about dieting whilst I'm writing!
Or while I'm in this heady, hopeful book-at-printer time.

Or if it's Monday, or Tuesday, or I'm wishing everyone who's reading this blog the happiest of summers ...which I am!

and joy to your and yours,

Katherine and Wendy

PS. My favorite TV shows:
1. The entire Law and Order franchise (especially SVU). (And, not surprisingly, before Law and Order, it was Columbo and Murder She Wrote.)
2. Many Lifetime network movies.
3. I got totally hooked on American Idol this season. (Once they were down to the final 12.) I was a Chris & Elliot devotee. I may watch So You Think You Can Dance at the final grouping stage. I have no interest in watching people's dreams get dashed -- but figure everyone in the final 12 has a very good shot at dreams coming true whether or not they win.