The Power Of Love...

The Power of Love
The power of women helping women.

That's our theme for the new anthology due out any day now (might already be on shelves in your area) with a release date of June 3rd. I picked that date on purpose, so it'd coincide with my and Dianne Castell's annual READER AND AUTHOR GET TOGETHER. This year the event is June 6th -8th, and we hope we sell a LOT of copies of the book, because ALL agent and author proceeds are going to benefit the Hamilton Co. YWCA Battered Women's Shelter.

At the GET TOGETHER, we raise money for many causes, including the troops and my favorite no-kill animal shelter, the ANIMAL ADOPTION FOUNDATION.

In the past, all the money we made from our big raffle of donated gift baskets went to the Battered Women's Shelter. But we wanted to do more. Thanks to Berkley, who is publishing the book (and others for good causes) we now have THE POWER OF LOVE.

Twelve authors.
Twelve different stories.
All of them are romances, and all of them are about empowering women and the healing difference that love can make to a woman's life.

Domestic abuse is not the stuff of romance novels. Unfortunately, it isn’t fiction either. With this anthology, we hope to raise both awareness and money to help end the sad epidemic of domestic violence.

In 2001, more than half a million American women were victims of nonfatal violence committed by an intimate partner, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. And, in a national survey of more than 6,000 American families, 50 percent of men who frequently assaulted their wives also often abused their children.

Horrifying statistics, so... How can we NOT help? With the way book proceeds are paid, this anthology will be the gift that keeps on giving.

When I asked other authors to take part in this project, they all said YES without a moment's hesitation. I made it clear that they'd make no money off their work, and they were still happy to get involved.

The authors are:
Lori Foster, Dianne Castell
Toni Blake, Karen Kelley
Rosemary Laurey, Erin McCarthy
Janice Maynard, LuAnn McLane
Lucy Monroe, Patricia Sargeant,
Kay Stockham and J.C. Wilder.

They've each contributed a never-before-published romance novella.

Each story explores the resilient woman and her quest for self, for fulfillment, for empowerment, and for an enriching new appreciation for what love really means and why it matters.

One of the best things about THE POWER OF LOVE is the diversity. Some of the stories are sexy, some more serious, some fun. Each author was free to write in her own style, time period and subgenre.

Reviews have been pouring in, and we couldn't be happier with the results!

Coffee Time Romance Reviews said:
This is definitely one of the best anthologies I have ever read. The authors who came together on this project are some of my favorites, and each story showcases their skills wonderfully. I especially like Unpredictable for its humor, Dance the Fandango for its originality, and Sweet Dreams for its sultry hot characters. The stories are all about overcoming adversity, and taking life by the horns. I greatly encourage you to purchase this book, not only for yourself but for anyone in your life who needs a little encouragement. The Power of Love is a must buy for any romance lover.

Romance Reviews Today said:
The twelve tales in THE POWER OF LOVE are all winning examples of the power of women. Romance and overcoming problems tie the stories together nicely. Each tale is short enough that readers can have a fast full story experience and is perfect for vacationers and commuters. That the book's proceeds will go to a battered women’s shelter deserves a special hurrah to the authors.

From www.theromancereader.com:
Twelve original stories from some of today's acclaimed and beloved authors are introduced in this lovely anthology. In this compilation, there's something for everyone - beloved pets, daring rescues, sexy hot love scenes, sexy cops, sexy fireman, sexy CEOs, sexy preachers, angels, a little physic ability, young lovers, old lovers, daring trysts in the pool, on the desk, on the sofa, loads of kisses, women breaking free of abusive relationships and learning to trust and love again and romance abounds! To top it all off, the authors and their agents have agreed to donate all of their proceeds to the Hamilton County YWCA Battered Women's Shelter.

From Kwips and Kritiques:
THE POWER OF LOVE is a strong anthology as all of the stories are both powerful and well written. I will admit to having a soft spot for books that are written to benefit charities but THE POWER OF LOVE exceeds all expectations. Each one of the authors contributes a story exemplifying the feminine experience. The added touch of including the multitude of social issues addressing women today in the various stories is nothing short of genius. Kudos to all these phenomenal authors, both for their talent and for their willingness to donate to a worthy cause. THE POWER OF LOVE is highly recommended!

Romantic Times gave us 4 stars and said:
This fine collection of short stories truly exemplifies the power of love. Each story is short enough to finish in one sitting but long enough that reading it is worth your while.

Because we have the book this year, and a generous advance has already been paid to the Battered Women's shelter, we'll be donating our raffle proceeds to another worthy cause: THE CONDUCTIVE LEARNING CENTER OF GREATER CINCINNATI, a school for children with spina bifida and cerebal palsy.

I'll also do a very special raffle basket for the ANIMAL ADOPTION FOUNDATION, to continue raising money for animals in need. In additon to the basket, and tying in with THE POWER OF LOVE anthology, two wonderful readers, Ashley Elizabeth and Shana Schwer, are undertaking a special project. They'll both be at the READER AND AUTHOR GET TOGETHER, and they'll be getting 10 copies of THE POWER OF LOVE autographed by ALL the authors. Those autographed copies will be auctioned off on Ebay with proceeds to benefit THE ANIMAL ADOPTION FOUNDATION.

Here are the details:

One copy auctioned every week for 10 weeks.
The EBay ID is Daisysattic2006

The schedule is:

June 14th 2008
June 22nd 2008
June 30th 2008
July 8th 2008
July 16th 2008
July 24th 2008
August 1st 2008
August 9th 2008
August 17th 2008
August 25th 2008

If you have any questions about the Ebay auctions (Ebay is a mystery to me!) please feel free to email Ashley at Kountrymusikchik@yahoo.com. Just put EBay Power of Love in the Subject Line.

And if you're curious about the READER AND AUTHOR GET TOGETHER, you can find out more at my website, at: http://lorifoster.com/community/readergettogthr.htm
This year we have around 270 people registered, including authors, agents, editors, publishers, industry professionals, and of course, READERS!
We'll be having a lot of fun on June 6th, 7th and 8th.

And hopefully, we'll sell lots of copies of THE POWER OF LOVE.
But if you're not attending the event, you can still get your copy at any bookstore!

Together, we can make a difference.
Women helping women... it's what the romance community is all about.

If you have any questions for any of the authors involved, please feel free to ask! They'll be dropping in to visit.

Thanks everyone!

LORI

Title: ELIZABETH GOES TO SEA

As you read this, I'll be on our boat, the St. Kilda, halfway up Canada's Inside Passage. I've been running around like crazy to get everything ready, including house and plant sitters. Getting a 4-6 week cruise together is hectic, but I can't wait. It's something Evan and I have worked toward for many years.

I won't be "connected" very often--if at all--so I won't be able to answer any posts. :-(

Meanwhile, here's an excerpt from BLUE SMOKE AND MURDER, which will be in stores on May 27th.

-------------------------

Manhattan: 1 A.M.

Dwayne Taylor picked up the "hot" phone before the first ring ended. "St. Kilda Consulting. Who or what do you need?"

"This is Jillian Breck. Joe Faroe told me to call this number if I was ever in trouble."

"Are you in danger at this moment?"

"My car is cut to pieces. Someone put a note under the windshield that said go away or die."

"Where are you now?" Dwayne asked.

"I'm in the Eureka Hotel, outside Mesquite, Nevada, in the casino. I figured it was safest here. Lots of guards."

"Do you have a room?"

"Yes."

"Number, please."

Jill hesitated.

Dwayne waited for her to realize the obvious—if she didn't trust St. Kilda Consulting, why was she calling?

"Four-three-five," she said.

"Ask a guard to escort you to your room. Make sure the drapes are shut before he leaves. Lock the door, both deadbolt and chain. Joe Faroe will call you within fifteen minutes."

"Wait. I'm okay, just scared and mad. No need to wake him up. I'll just—"

"Get escorted to your room," Dwayne cut in firmly. "Fifteen minutes, Ms. Breck. If your room phone doesn't answer, Faroe will--" have a shit-fit "--be very concerned."

Silence.

"Ms. Breck? Are you all right?"

"I'm on my way to the elevator."

"With a guard?"

"A bellman. I waved a ten and he appeared."

Not used to following orders, Dwayne thought. Should make life interesting for whichever operative is assigned to her.

* * *

Zach Balfour knocked smartly on the door of 435, then stepped back so that he was clearly visible in the room door's peephole. Not that a view of his four-day stubble would be reassuring, but he didn't give a damn. He was supposed to be on vacation, not catching imaginary bullets for another bimbo.

"Who is it?" asked a woman.

The voice was low, slightly husky without being at all breathless.

"Zach Balfour, St. Kilda Consulting."

"Slide your card under the door."

It wasn't a request.

His dark eyebrows climbed, but Zach dug out a St. Kilda card and pushed it as far as he could under the hotel room door.

A few moments later, the bolt clicked, the chain rattled, and the door opened. Zach stepped into the room and watched while Jillian Breck closed, bolted, and chained the door again.

She wasn't what he'd expected. She wore jeans, a Ray Troll T-shirt, and beat-up river sandals. She had unpolished fingernails, minimal if any makeup, hair a casual auburn cap, nice breasts, trim butt, and a body that was both fit and unmistakably female. Pale green eyes, steady and clear.

Slowly Zach began to feel less homicidal toward St. Kilda Consulting. He held out his hand and said, "Pleased to meet you, Ms. Breck."

"Jill."

"Call me Zach. Have you had any more trouble since you first called St. Kilda?"

She blinked. "Well, that's blunt."

"Saves time."

She tilted her head and looked up, then down the long, lean man who stood in front of her. She'd worked with enough men on the river not to underestimate the power in his rangy body and wide shoulders, or the penetrating intelligence of his whiskey-colored eyes.

A crop of black stubble did nothing to soften the hard planes of his face. He had equally black hair that was too rough to be well-groomed, and too clean to be a collar-length gesture of contempt aimed at the civilized world. His clothes looked like he'd slept in them after a long day of hiking. Maybe several days.

"You're not what I expected," she said.

"No tuxedo, pistol, and martini, shaken not stirred?"

She smiled. "Sorry, I'm very new to this."

"Don't feel bad. Damn few people are used to death threats."

Her smile vanished. Tight, pale lines appeared around the mouth that had been a soft, deep rose.

Nice going, Zach told himself with a sigh. Turn the client into a net of twanging nerves with a few badly chosen words.

Angels on Earth - Nurses

Hey everyone!

Yeah, it's me again. Still uber busy. Still totally nuts.

But ya know, I'm feeling soooo thankful right now that I don't want this post to sound like a complaint - even though it probably will.

There will be a few complaints peppered in. But overall, life is pretty darned sweet.

So first off... most of you already know that my sis was in a very bad car accident.

Head on collision.

Not her fault.

She was close to St. Elizabeth's when it happened, and an EMT just happened to be a few cars back, thank God, because Monica racked up 9 broken ribs, a broken sternum, a broken nose (that'll leave a permanent kink) and a badly fractured eye socket.

Oddly enough, the worst of the injuries - or the injury giving her the most pain - is a horrific hematoma caused by the seatbelt. It swelled so badly that it broke the skin, and an infection set in. She now has cellulitis on the left side of her chest, and it's bad. That half of her body, from hip to shoulder, is the color of a ripe plum, swollen and rock hard.
I'm saying lots of prayers that the antibotics do their job.

The seatbelt and airbags are what saved her life.

Every window in her car shattered, and none of the doors would open. A good Samaritan in the car behind her called 911 and then ran up to help her. My sister couldn't breathe, couldn't speak.

The EMT, also close behind, reached through the broken window to give her oxygen, which Monica says now is the only thing that gave her any relief.

The good Samaritan located her cell phone in the wreckage and looked through it until he found a programed number. It happened to be her middle son. He stayed on the phone with him until she was moved to an ambulance (after the jaws of life got her out of the car) and then told her son where she'd be.

I got the call about 11:30 pm and got to the hospital just behind her 3 sons.

Initial x-rays showed damage to the vertebre of her neck, too, so she was transported to UC's level 1 trauma unit.

This is where the complaints come in.

She was hit at around 10:30 pm Friday night.

The trauma unit, from the moment she was brought in, was a nightmare of the worst proportions.

Well, let me restate that. The nurses were absolute angels on earth. If it hadn't been for them, I don't know what I would have done. You can imagine how we all felt, seeing Monica with blood everywhere, a broken nose, her poor left eye... It was difficult to look at her and imagine her pain.

The doctors... Some things I just don't understand.

They had Monica on morphine, which made her throw up until she had only dry heaves. I sat beside her, little pan in hand, and tried to make her as comfortable as I could under the circumstances. But throwing up with all those breaks was just excruciating.

Her oxygen level was low, her blood count off - and the lead doctor of the trauma unit wanted to send her home.

She couldn't move without getting dizzy and sick.

She had so many breaks that at the time, I lost count. Her left eye was grotesquely swollen shut, about 20 shades of purple, and her nose was a mess.

But as soon as they decided her neck was okay, they wanted her gone. It was as if the rest of her injuries didn't matter.

I had NO idea how I'd take care of her in that situation. You'd have to see photos to understand, truly, but she's 51, and with all those broken ribs and the broken sternum, she could barely breathe. The morphine made her violently ill, so they gave her fengegrin (sp?) and that put her almost to sleep.

She couldn't stand.

She could barely keep her eye (right eye) open even while heaving.

And that doctor kept telling me she had to go.

(I'm shaking again just typing this.)

Her sons were panicked.

I was panicked.

I asked if I could pay for an ambulance to take her to another hospital, and the very kind nurses, who kept insisting that they would NOT allow her to be sent home, told me that it wouldn't work because she needed to be at level 1 trauma, so any other hospital would just send her back to them - where this jovial, obnoxious fellow kept slapping her on the thigh and asking if she was ready to go.

Not crying was difficult. It's still difficult when I think of how battered and bloody and sick she looked.

Understand that my sister is a real trooper. She never complains about ailments, so I KNEW if she said she couldn't breathe, she couldn't breathe.

What ensued was an open battle between the deliberately rude doctors and the loving, caring nurses. We heard it all - and I kept praying the nurses would win.
Finally, from what I understand, the ER doctor managed to admit her through an alternate route (sort of bypassing the trauma doctors) and at 6pm on Saturday she was taken to a room.

It took several people to lift her from the one bed to the bed in the room. They didn't want her to stand up and move to the bed - but that one doctor wanted to send her home.

Every day thereafter the trauma doctors stopped in to try to get her out.

It sounds bizarre, and it was. I've yet to come up with an explanation, but I did write a letter to the health alliance. So far, I haven't heard back.

The nurses told me that Monica would need to see an opthamologist before she could leave, because of the fracture in her eye socket - which turns out to be a hole in the floor of her orbital socket, not a mere fracture.

They told us she did NOT have a broken nose. (But you could visually see it was broken, even without the x-rays.)

One trauma unit doctor told us they'd been "lenient" letting her stay there for a few days.

My husband asked if we could just pay for her to have a room there (outright pay, no insurance, cash in hand) until she could at least eat and walk, and the doctor said, "You can rent her a room at the Knightsbridge Inn."

I just stared at him wondering what had happened to the bedside manner.

We are NOT a troublesome lot.

We all have excellent health insurance. (Not that an uninsured patient should be treated so badly either, but Monica has VERY good health insurance.)

We go out of our way to not bother doctors and nurses, and to be kind to everyone.

We had NEVER had such a negative experience in a hospital before.

But those doctors treated my sister like she was faking every time she got dizzy or sick.

So on Tuesday, we checked her out at 5pm.

The hospital said she had an appointment with the opthamologist (all the way back at the very hospital ejecting her) early the next morning.

They also said she had an appointment with her family doctor on Friday.

They said her "very bad" hematoma was fine, but she might want to put some antibiotic ointment on it.

They said her nose wasn't broken.

I made the hour long drive with her (broken ribs and sternum protesting the ride, with her dizzy from the fractured eye socket) the next morning, where we waited to be seen for almost 2 1/2 hours. Trust me, for her to sit in a hard office chair that long was painful to witness. And then we realized the doctors had sent her to a clinic.

The doc seeing her overheard us discussing her insurance, and she said, "You have insurance?"

My sister said, "I have excellent insurance."

The doctor said, "Then why in God's name did they send you here? This is a clinic. You need a specilialist."

:::Sigh:::

I went home, cancelled all the appointments the hospital had made, and called her family doctor - who had NOT been informed of her injuries, even though the hospital said they had called, and said on the discharge papers that they had set an appointment for her.

I got her in right away, and that wonderful doctor took over her care.

Monica does, of course, have a broken nose. It's easy enough to see without x-rays, which UC hadn't done, but now it's too late to repair the damage without plastic surgery, which she's not even considering, not with everything else going on.

Her "very bad" hematoma has turned to a very bad case of cellulits, requiring some heavy antibiotics that the hospital never even considered before "booting" her out.

And her eye socket is a lot more than a simple fracture. She'll have surgery on Wednesday so that they can put an implant into the floor of her orbital socket. You see, there's a hole there that's acting as a trap door, and her eye is literally sinking into it.
Scary, huh?
I looked up the surgery proceedure for this. Egads. I hope my sister doesn't do the same! It's not something you'd want to see prior to having it done.

And through all this, my sister keeps saying how thrilled she is to be alive.

Last Monday we celebrated her 51st birthday. She was all smiles. And black eyes. And a unicorn-horn-type-knot on her head that is almost comical in its dimensions.

She's moving pretty slowly with all those breaks, and she has to sleep sitting up in a chair in my living room because lying down is too painful. But also because with her eye fracture/break the doctor doesn't want her reclining until the surgery. He doesn't even want her bending over.
But of course, that's not UC's problem.

She and I both give thanks to the wonderful nurses of the world. They were true blessings as I dealt with this fiasco. I have no idea what I would have done without them.

The trauma doctors? Well, I've already sent a letter to the health alliance, but I haven't heard back. Yet. Maybe never?
I hope something is done - to them, against them.

Honestly, I wouldn't mind if they lost their medical license, though I know that won't happen. But it was THAT bad.

So now that I've gotten that off my chest...

What about you?

Had any really good or really bad experiences with hospitals?

With doctors?

With nurses?

Ever had a really bad car wreck?

I haven't, thank God.

But I tell you, it gives you new worries any time someone gets into a car.

If you have had a wreck, did it take you a long time to be comfortable behind the wheel of a car again?
I think Monica will have some problems. She's so upbeat and cheerful - until she has to recite the details of the wreck. She cries every time. Not sobbing because that's not her style. But she tears up and laughs at herself and feels self conscious.
Breaks my heart.

Share some of your near misses, and let's all vent on the craziness of SOME drivers, and how an automobile can become a dangerous weapon when things go wrong.

Hugs to all of you!

Drive carefully!

LORI

SHOULD I JUST LET THEM DIE?

Put the tissues away. I haven't let anyone die . . . yet.

Stuff happens to me. Right before my eyes when I'm minding my own business, running an errand, walking my dog, checking plants around the building. Right there, someone does something dangerous and I can't seem to shrug and walk away.

But should I?

A woman let her corgi run out of a building, without a leash on, then stood talking to someone while the pooch literally took off to the sidewalk (busy street), shot up several flights of stairs to the street behind the building, and trotted along the middle of the road.

Stella to the rescue. I chased that dog with my heart thumping and finally caught her about five minutes later. I was lucky, and so was she. But that's when trouble really started. The boss grabbed the dog's collar from me (visualize S-the-tall bent double to tow the little one) as if I was trying to abduct her pet. She was probably frightened she'd lost the corgi or that it had been hurt, but she got nasty.

Then, oh dear, I got nasty and told her off as if she were a particularly stupid eight-year-old. Shouldn't have done that but couldn't seem to stop after she gave me the mean-eye.

One day recently I was having my nails hacked off and the door of the salon stood open. Warm day. I hate having anything like that done so I gaze around and forget to move my hands or respond to the cues that tell me what I should do next.

That day I got involved watching three children of maybe 5 to 7 run around the parking lot outside. A truck pulled in and had to screech to a stop to miss one of the kids. They continued their game as if nothing had happened and when the girl headed into the path of an oncoming car, I levitated. (Pity the nail person.)

After tracking these kids, who were only playing, I know, into a shop where their moms were engrossed in shopping, I said, with a smile this time, "The children are in danger in the parking lot."
This time I got smiles back and the children were told to stay in the shop.

Late at night, walking my dog again, I felt another presence in the dark. I jumped and turned around to see an old man standing by a tree trunk, just standing there looking lost. He was lost, and probably suffering from Alzheimer's. I didn't know what to do. It scared me to approach him, and horrified me to think of just leaving him like that. Soooo, naturally, I picked up my fierce 6lb dog for protection and went back to see if I could help.

Let's shorten this. I called the police and they were able to find identification on the man. He was a sweet guy and so confused. The cops told me they thought they'd dealt with him before and took him off in their car.

First, I have no idea why I have this urge to save everyone and everything, regardless of whether they want to be saved. That said, what do you do in these situations? Do you carry on, worry a bit, but not take on another person's issue? Or do you try to help?

I'm setting everyone free to give me advice:)

Cheers, Stella

Susan. A study in poetry in motion

You ever have one of those days? Last Friday, I was walking with my friend Joey, minding my own business, laughing about something she said and enjoying what's been a very rare occurrence in Seattle lately--a sunny morning.

Then I caught my toe on a piece of raised sidewalk and my sistahs, my upper body lurched so far ahead of my lower there wasn't a hope in you-know-where of catching my balance. One minute I'm on my feet. The next I'm sprawled out on the sidewalk, whimpering Hurts, hurts. Hurtshurtshurts.

Not that my injuries were all that serious--I smacked one knee hard enough to eventually turn a dense purple, but not break anything, and mildly abraded the other. I had a minor scrape on my right palm and a bigger, nastier, but still inconsequential one on my left forearm. But there's a wicked shock factor to a spill, so I was shaken. And my left hand, which I'd thrown out unthinkingly to catch myself, was kind of a mess. My landing took a nickle-sized flap several layers deep out of the skin over my wrist bone. It bled like a sonofagun, but I'd dragged my butt out of bed early to meet Joey, we were barely a mile into our walk and I didn't have to be to the salon to get my hair cut until 11. So I slapped a leaf on it and we continued on. I had a vague plan in the back of my mind of getting a band-aid when we reached civilization (Tullys ).

The bums didn't have any.

Okay, no problem. They had plenty of napkins.

When we set off again, we climbed a steep hill until we spotted a long street that angled back down toward the beach where we'd left our cars. Since we were now several miles from where we'd parked and I did have that 11 o'clock appointment, we checked to be sure it wasn't a dead end (lots of those in Seattle) then headed down the road. It was kind of cool. I'd never been on this street before and it hosted some really pretty homes and a killer view.

But maybe a half mile down, it petered out. And a woman whose yard we considered cutting across said the street in front of her house didn't go through, either.

Okay, no problem. If we walked reasonably fast--and trust me, Joey can move!--I could still make my appointment. I had to take my fleece jacket off a couple times because hiking uphill in the sun is HOT work, but we visited as we cut through a neighborhood that was fun in its unfamiliarity. And, hey, it looked like I was going to get to the salon on time. (which, considering how badly I needed a cut, was a Very Good Thing)

But as we were steaming down the final hill and my car was in sight, I reached into my jacket pocket and. . .

Problem. No keys. Arrgh! Joey said wouldn't you know she didn't have her cell with her today or we could've at least called the salon to let them know what happened. Hey, I said. I've got mine. In my purse. . .

Which is under the seat in the car. Sigh.

She drove us back to the area where I'd taken my spill but we didn't find the keys. And given how many times I'd taken off and put back on my hoodie, which has kinda shallow pockets, they could have dropped out anywhere. So she drove me to the salon to see if it was too late to still get in. It was, which was just as well as I couldn't pay them until I got into my car, which wouldn't have been a problem as I've gone there for years. But I would have had to hoof it the two or so miles home afterward and I was pretty much hoofed out.

So J drove me home and later Mimi took me down to retrieve my car with my spare set of keys. Joey could have done it when she dropped me off but we were both so frazzled by then it didn't occur to either of us until she sent me an email later in the day to say, Duh!

When I was making lunch later, I knocked a jar of Pepita seeds off the counter and they went everywhere. When I went to get the broom, I brushed a cat food dish with the side of my foot. Oh, goodie. Another (smaller) mess to clean up. Sigh. I finally decided there was only one thing to do.

I grabbed one of my cats and took a nap on the couch .

So have you ever had one of those days?

Elizabeth G.: BFF and Beyond

Since Mother's Day was just this past weekend, I was originally going to call this blog "Mama said . . ." It was going to be filled with words of wisdom and sage advice I remember getting from my mother through the years. But a quick sampling of those long-ago tidbits (posted below) convinced me I needed to go in a slightly different direction.

Those maternal words included:

"Stand up tall, Suzy. Be proud to be tall." (As you know, my maiden name is Suzanne Simmons. I also passed my mother in height when I was eleven years old.)

"It would look odd for a tall girl to have small feet. Your feet are perfect for your height." (I wore a 9 AAA shoe by the age of twelve.)

"You're smart and talented and beautiful." (Words only a mother can get away with when you feel like you're a bungling and gawky teenager who hasn't grown into her own skin yet in any way, shape or form.)

Still, I miss hearing those sweet words of wisdom from my mother, even if they were mostly hooey at the time. That's where my BFF come into the picture. (Best Friends Forever.) We've recently blogged here at RWQ about the people we whine to, the people we can count on when the going gets rough/tough, and the friendships we consider priceless. I also believe as life goes on we women tend to "mother" each other with words of wisdom and encouragement, sound advice, and, yes, with love.

Last night at bedtime I watched a couple of minutes of an entertainment "news" show. I was simultaneously dumbfounded, amused, and horrified. Apparently Paris Hilton is going to launch a new reality show in which she searches for/interviews young women in the hopes of finding a new BFF. (I admit I laughed out loud and then turned the channel to Charlie Rose. :)

My BFF either married into the family (my sister-in-law), or was my neighbor four cities/corporate moves ago, or are writers I met through other writers or at conferences. And, yes, they offer advice and words of wisdom. Here's a sampling:

"Drink a glass of red wine in the evening. It may lower your blood pressure."

"That scene was brilliant." (One BFF's reaction when I read a few paragraphs to her over the telephone.)

"If it doesn't work, cut the damned scene, Sue." (LOLOLOL Okay, this wasn't a recent bit of imparted wisdom, but one a certain Quill has given me numerous times over the years.)

"I love you as a blonde."

"You look thinner. Have you lost weight?" (One of my personal favorites.)

"You don't look a day older than when I met you twenty years ago. (Also, a personal favorite.)

Which all goes to prove what great "mother substitutes" BFF can be! My love and thanks to each and every one of them!

What words of wisdom/sage advice, true or not, do you hear from or give to your BFF?

Have a merry month of May,
EG

Jayne gets out of the house

I did a signing on Saturday with three other writers who also happen to live in the Seattle area: Stella Cameron, Cherry Adair and Yasmine Galenorn. The event was at Barnes & Noble at Southcenter. (Okay, technically speaking the address is 300 Andover Park West in Tukwila but if you live around here you know it as the Southcenter B&N, right?). The store did an absolutely fabulous job and we all had great fun chatting with readers.

By the way, after the event each of us signed a lot of books for the store. Those signed books are now available at the B&N in Southcenter so if you live in the area and couldn't make the event you can drop by the store and pick up an actual signed book by Yasmine, Stella, Cherry or myself.

But what I really wanted to blog about is how wonderful it was to get together with the other writers before the event. Stella, Cherry, Yasmine and I hung out in the cafe, drank coffee and just talked. I dunno. Maybe we don't get out enough. We're writers, after all. But it just felt so good to sit down with friends in the business and chat.

As writers we necessarily do a lot of our work in isolation. We don't have those traditional water cooler conversations. We rarely have coffee or lunch together. So at times like this when we have an excuse to get out of the house and meet with other writers we tend to get a little excited. Add caffeine to the mix and I'm sure you get the idea. Okay, we probably got a little loud. But the cafe staff was very understanding.

What did we talk about? Well, Yasmine and I showed off our latest cover art. Cherry brought her computer and demonstrated her amazing new website (www.cherryadair.com). Stella told us about her delicious new psychic romance series which will be set in New Orleans. And, of course, we did a little whining. Trust me, no one can whine like an author. It's a gift.

We didn't talk about anything we couldn't have talked about on the phone or via email, of course. That really wasn't the point. It was just really, really cool to get together. Made me realize yet again that writers need each other the same way people in other professions need to talk to folks in the same field. And sometimes you need to do that in person.

What about you? With whom do you whine?

And the winner is.....

PJ!

Congratulations, PJ. Watch your mailbox, because your prizes are about to start trickling in. Enjoy!

small print: Please contact susan@susanandersen.com with your mailing address

This, That, and Every Other Thing

I'm so zoned these days, I don't have it in me to come up with a creative blog. Sorry.

So I'm just going to list the busy-ness of my life and hope y'all will forgive me for being boring.

I've included lots of photos to make for lack of creative content.

So first...

OUR CONTEST!

Don't forget that you get entered into the contest to win all the fabulous prizes above just by posting a reply to the blogs up to Sunday, Mother's Day.

At that time, we'll draw a random winner from all the posts in all the blogs!
Good luck!

Order of the day.

I'm going to go through the busy-ness of the last month or so, just for the :::cough::: fun of it, to show why I'm a wee bit zoned!


Clarification:
First, a clarification.

After my RT blog, I got a phone call from the RT conference coordinator, Jo Carol, and 2 calls from Carol Stacy, who runs the magazine. Both ladies were very gracious. They wanted me to know that, regardless of what the hotel told me, THEY did not cancel my reservation, the hotel did.

Given that the hotel was a real pit, and these ladies are both wonderful, I believe it. So I wanted to correct that part of my blog.
(BTW, they said they were told repeatedly that the construction would be done in time for the event, and when they realized it wouldn't, it really was too late to try to get 1200 attendees set up in a different spot.)

As to the rest of my blog, they were unaware of many of the less-professional happenings and were earnest in their desire to make the conference comfortable for everyone.

Spotlights:

I had a busy month of traveling here and there and everywhere. After RT, I had a smaller speaking engagement at our local college, Miami Hamilton, which was wonderful!

Next week I fly to GreenBay for a conference.

Last weekend, I got do a bookclub meeting with local radio host "Queen Janeen" at a Kroger store!
She and her husband Chris do the morning show for 103.5 WGRR.

I listen every morning.

Janeen is a hoot, and the bookclub ladies were fabulous!

Here I am with Janeen, and below is with the entire bookclub group!

Day to day:
The busiest part of my life is the day to day stuff.

You think writers write? Well we do, but there's SO much more involved.

Right now, I'm writing like a fiend to make the June 1st deadline for my current romance contemporary, featuring Michael "Mallet" Manchester in MY MAN, MICHAEL, due out in February 09.

But in the middle of long days writing, I also got galleys for SERVANT: THE ACCEPTANCE.

Galleys are the last time I'll get to see this book before it's published, so I need to read it very carefully for errors, which means I go from romantic comedy of sorts to more gruesome urban fantasy/horror.

Big brain switches!

Luckily, I have my trusty and invaluable assistant Whitney Price, who will also read the galleys to give me a fresh pair of eyes. Whitney has been a godsend, here when I need her, but not for 8 hour days.

And she read the first Servant book, which came out around her birthday, so she's boned up on the story.

The same day that the galleys arrived, my publisher asked me to write a reader letter for their newsletter, talking about the inspiration behind the THE POWER OF LOVE. This is a very special book because all 12 authors and their agents are donating all proceeds to my local Battered Women's Shelter.

The book will hit stands early June, deliberately timed to coincide with my and Dianne's annual READER & AUTHOR event.

I wanted the letter to really convey how important this project is to us. I'd like to do a benefit anthology every year, with proceeds going to different organizations.

The anthology that Stella is in, so far titled LOVE TAILS, will be out next year, with proceeds benefiting my local no-kill animal shelter.

These anthologies will be the gift that keeps on giving throughout the life of the book.

May the books have long lives!

I also got an email my editor asking if I could tell her what the next Servant book, tentatively titled SERVANT: THE KINSHIP, will be about. Well, I sort of know. I always sort of know about 8 books ahead of writing them. But to put it down in coherent words? Yeah... uh, no.

So I need to work on that as soon as I finish the galleys, and then finish the manuscript that's due.

Boy, having things-to-do on my plate always frazzles me!

While doing all this, I'm also finishing up mega big details for the 4th annual June READER & AUTHOR event. It happens June 6th-8th and I'm so excited!

(Note: Registration for the event is only $35 and is open till May 19th.)

We had MAJOR growth this year, which tells me that people are enjoying themselves. We went from around 160 people to 250! 107 of those are authors.

We also have a great representation of editors, publishers, agents and industry professionals.

One of the highlights of the event is our raffle. Tickets are sold throughout the event for donated raffle baskets. As you can see, last year we were able to make a very nice donaton to the Hamilton Co. YWCA Battered Women's shelter. (My grandson was along for the ride on that check delivery.) In the beautiful blue is my best friend, Dianne Castell.

This year, because the book proceeds will go to the Battered Women's Shelter, we'll be donating raffle money to the Conductive School of Learning for children with spina bifida and cerebral palsy.

That same day, I stopped by my local, very wonderful no-kill animal shelter to drop off a check for them too. I always do a special basket to raise money for the animal shelter. I could tell you some stories, but it'd make me cry, so let's just say, they are truly incredible with the care they give to needy pets.

Animals:
And speaking of pets!

You've all heard already how my husband and I trapped 6 feral cats, got them all neutered or spayed, got their shots, and then turned them loose again.

They forgave us for disrupting them by returning to our house for cozy shelter on our porch, and a constant fresh supply of food and water.

Well, not too long ago a new "kitten" showed up who was unfamiliar to us. She's truly beautiful with long black hair and one beige foot. I tried, I really did, but she's as skittish as they come and wouldn't let me get anywhere near her. She just wanted to eat, sleep, and be left alone.

Then a few days ago my husband said, "That kitten is looking kind of fat."

Uh oh.

Sure enough, the very next morning she'd dropped a litter in an animal carrier we have on the side porch to let the feral cats get out of the weather. In the photo, you can just barely see the babies. I didn't want to get so close that I spooked her, causing her to move them.

She has two black kittens, two yellow kittens, and one white kitten. Adorable!

But now I have to figure out how to keep her around long enough to get them ALL fixed. Six more cats to deal with. Oy.

But I'd prefer to get them taken care of rather than know they're running loose, maybe breeding more.

To make matters a little more difficult, a wily raccoon decided to take up residence on the porch, too. He's curled up there in the bottom space of that cat habitat, only a few feet from the carrier to the left, where the mommy cat and kittens are.

He crawls out early evening to eat, drink, and make a mess, then wanders off, only to return the next morning.

We have a cage to catch him in, but I don't want to leave it out overnight for fear the mommy cat will end up caught in there, leaving her babies unattended.

So far, he's not crawling into the cage before our bedtime, so we'll have to keep trying.

If anyone has any suggestions, let me know! I won't kill the raccoon, but I'd just as soon he hit the road.

Movies:
So you want to know what I do to unwind after all day marathons of writing and fending off raccoons and planning an event?

I hit the movies! Yay. LOVE sitting in a theater and watching a flick while eating popcorn and slurping cola.

Usually we go to matinees, but since I've spent all my days writing, we've had to go early evening when it's busier. Not idea, but at least I can kick the plot out of my head for a bit.

Movies I've seen recently are:

THE RUINS - scary, unique and fun! I enjoyed it, and laughed at the most inappropriate times. I guess I have a twisted sense of humor.

PENELOPE - Oooooh, I LOVED this romantic comedy. Just fabulous. A real feel-good movie.

PROM NIGHT - typical slasher movie. We were the only people in the theater over 15 I think.

21 - A Vegas card playing movie. Slow in spots, but once it got going, it was pretty good.

LIONS FOR LAMBS (a rental) - Typical news media crap. The actors were great, the message not so much so.

FORGETTING SARAH MARSHAL - HILARIOUS! I loved this movie. I was laughing out loud through most of it.

KING OF THE STREETS - Keanu Reeves gets better looking with time! He did a fabulous job in this action packed, twisting and turning, movie.

BABY MOMMA - Ridiculous and funny and it had some of the best "make you roar with laugher" lines I've ever heard.

88 MINUTES - Al Pacino is too old to have college students falling in love with him, but other than that gag-factor, I thought it was a good suspense flick.

IRON MAN - Oh wow. The best of the best! Can't wait for the next one. Even my friend, Dianne Castell, enjoyed it, when she usually only sees chick-flicks. Fun stuff!

LEATHERHEADS - Interesting only in that it was based on facts that formed the current football mandates. Otherwise... it sort of fell flat a lot.

So what about you? What's been happening in your lives lately? Seen any good movies? Read any good books?

Had any confusion?

After my long dish, you can surely tell us what's up with you!

Big hugs,

Name that dog, that dog, and that cat...

But first, don't forget our absolutely, humongous, splendiferous, staggeringly beneficent, overwhelmingly bounteous, outrageously munificent, unstintingly sumptuous. . . (half a mo', out of breath) MOTHER'S DAY CONTEST! Get your entries in by Mother's Day, then we'll make a random drawing for a winner. You lucky people!


-~~~-


Fluffy won't do it.

Rover is out.

For my love story--A KNOTTY TAIL--in which two dogs and a cat play major supportive roles, I need just the right names for my four-footed reprobates.



Two runts from a litter of Labradoodles, a boy and a girl, and a very svelte tabby lady of indeterminate but obviously upper crust beginnings (she told me so) are unwilling conspirators in A KNOTTY TAIL.




Devious, dastardly and downright cunning, this trio works to manipulate another pair of natural enemies: The Male and The Female.



You'll have to wait for TAILS OF LOVE to find out more of the story. Berkley and Lori Foster, with a little help from a few others including moi, are putting this anthology together to aid animal adoption.



You can help out by coming up with some fabulous names. Any ideas?



Cheers, Stella

Mother's Day Blowout!

Have we got a contest for you!! Well, actually, it's not so much a contest as it is a drawing. But the Quill Sisters are in the mood to talk Mums-- and I'm not talking flowers here. So from now until Mother's Day everyone who posts in response to our posts will be entered for a chance to win. And wouldja...lookit...

All
That
Loot!!!

Yes, my pretties, everything you see here can be yours. Why, you'll think it's Christmas, Momma's Day and your birthday all rolled into one when these babies start rolling in. (The mailman is gonna LUV you. Or maybe hate you--there's a lot of stuff, it could go either way) We've got books, books, a bag to carry them in, more books, a tee to wear while reading them, books and...did I mention books? All personally inscribed to you, natch.

So come on out of lurkdom and join the fun. You might be very glad you did.

Susan's sweet baby boy and strawberry waffles

Oddly enough, this isn't a story of my mother but about me. (And yes, I can hear those of you who know me well saying, yeah, yeah, isn't it always?) But becoming a mom was a very big deal for me. It took me several years to get pregnant. We went through a battery of tests, ingested fertility drugs, took temperatures on a Basal thermometer and had sex on a schedule. (sucks the joy right out of the act, lemme tell you) When my OB-GYN ran out of procedures and ideas, he sent me to the University of Washington's Fertility clinic.

The doctor who did the original workup was on an Endocrinology Fellowship from Ireland. So when he found a lump in my throat, everything fertility related came to a screeching halt. Turned out I had a cancerous growth on my thyroid. That was in December and I went home pissed off and discouraged. Which pretty much shows how young I was (25) because I wasn't as concerned with the fact that I probably had cancer as I was that they hadn't finished the tests. I decided then and there that I didn't need a baby, that we had each other, Steve was back in college, we had a mortgage and a dog and I was looking at weeks, if not months of tests, surgery and recovery --and that was more than enough.

You can see this one coming, right? Because having decided this, the next month I began waking up sicker 'n a dog and, yep, I was pregnant. So the Mother's day before our sweet baby boy was even born, the soulmate made me strawberry waffles for breakfast--a tradition that endures to this day.

(I love this pic. It was taken the day we brought our baby home from the hospital, then discovered 27 years later when we took the mantle off the fireplace. It's usually pinned to my bulletin board in my office)

We aren't talking Eggos--he makes his own waffles, combines fresh and frozen strawberries and whips up the highest fat cream in the universe. And, oh, mama, it is to die for. (Our son is a chef--I think he got his abilities more from his dad than from me) In the thirty-three years since that first Mother's Day breakfast, we've only missed our time-honored strawberry waffles once--and that was because the soulmate was on a three month start up on Ascension Island in the middle of the Atlantic and my son had to work.

So how about you? Have any Mother's Day traditions?