Welcome to my daily blog. If this is your first time, I'm a romance writer and a misplaced city girl currently living in the wild Sierras. I tend to have a lot of I-Love-Lucy moments that I share here but sometimes we talk about books, TV, and our favorite cookies. Okay, my favorite cookies. In any case, please feel free to comment by clicking on the Comments at the bottom of any entry. If you're too shy, that's okay, just know I love having you.

March 30, 2010 | Filed under: Stuff

So I was very busy plotting out my next novel, which involves a lot of lying on the deck with my eyes closed, the sun gently warming me, the scent of spring drifting over me . . . seriously, this plotting is hard work . . . when I hear squeals from the kids.

Squeals, for those of you without kids, means there is trouble brewing. The louder the squeals, the more trouble they’re likely in. It’s a direct ratio thing.

Anyway, I get up from all that hard plotting and find them squatting in front of a patch of wild flowers in the woods.

“Whatcha doing?” I asked.

“Watching ladybugs have sex,” answered Youngest.

Picture me swallowing my own tongue. “Um—“

“Look, Mom.”

Yep. That’s two ladybugs doing their thang, teaching my kids the facts of life. Turns out you don’t need TV to warp a kid’s mind, you just need a warm, spring day . . .

March 28, 2010 | Filed under: Stuff

This is the sign I put on my sink on Friday, shortly after a PMS-fueled meltdown of epic proportions.

To my shock, it has worked. Not a single dish has been left in the sink all weekend. Of course the counter is another thing entirely …

In the meantime. Wild Man, aka Jake is stealing hearts left and right. We still haven’t figured out the mystery of why he always puts his butt high in the air …

One thing about Mountain Barbie, she was a sweetheart, and a great dog, but if she’d been a person, she’d have been the quintessential mountain bum, laid-back and easy-going. In Mountain Barbie’s world, there was never a reason to run when you could walk, or use unnecessary energy when you could be napping.

Wild Man is … well, wild. If he was a person, he’d be a frat boy. A real party guy. There’s always a good time to be had in Jake’s world. He’s doubled in size since we rescued him a two weeks ago. He’s no longer so skinny you can count his every rib. His nose isn’t running anymore. And he always, ALWAYS, wants to be in the center of it all.

He’s the most adorable thing we’ve ever seen.

But constantly looking for that good time …

March 26, 2010 | Filed under: Stuff

Not too long ago a friend gave me one of the best gifts I’ve ever received. A Sony ereader. At the time I had been going through a dry reading spell, nothing was pleasing me and I would restlessly shift from book to book in my towering TBR pile.

And then (cue the gospel choir) along came the ereader.

Life will never be the same.

No longer do I have five books in my car and another five in my purse and another five scattered across the couch because I never know what I’ll feel like reading. They’re all in one single place, in one cute little brown leather case.

It’s really ever so pretty. We’re in love, actually, me and my ereader. I twittered earlier in the week that I’d marry it and have its babies if I could. Except with four teenagers in the house, sometimes five, and two dogs and a cat and a husband, I really really REALLY don’t need any more babies ever.

Ahem. Back to the ereader. In the past few weeks, I’ve read Victoria Dahl, Julie James, Pamela Clare, JD Robb … and have loved everything. I’m so happy with my new lover, the sexy Sony ereader.

So. Tell me about you. Are you reading paper books, or with an ereader, and if so, what kind? And also, what have you been reading? Inquiring minds want to know.

Oh and a big p.s. — I was nominated for a RITA for INSTANT ATTRACTION. Both very exciting and bittersweet, as Kate Duffy, my editor, would have loved this. But I suspect she’s up in heaven on a comfy couch with her own ereader, smiling down on me.

March 25, 2010 | Filed under: Stuff

Update: SORRY I took so long to pick the winners, shame on me!!! Random.org says #3, 14 and 54. Email me with a few book choices and your snailmail.

So it was one of those days. You know, lost my keys, puppy peed on the rug, ran out of milk, and used salt instead of sugar in my iced tea.

Ugh.

Could use a little happy. So here’s an excerpt from one of my books. Name it and I’ll draw names from the correct guesses. Winners get their choice of book from my back list.

Excerpt:

Her plan was to swim past him, out as far as she could get, hopefully ridding herself of as much of her restless energy as possible, and only when she could be sure to keep in control, would she turn back.

She got maybe a stroke past him when she felt a big, warm hand close around her ankle. She kicked, but he was far stronger than she, and pulled her back against him.

She fought, but he merely wrapped two long, hard arms around her and lifted her to the surface for air.

The air was shimmering hot, the water icy cold, his body a perfect mix of hard sinew and warm skin. A paradox, because her instincts were at odds.

Fight him.

Hold onto him.

Kiss him.

Splash him.

God. She wanted to do all of it, and all that heated, strong, sleek flesh was pressed up against hers. In fact, staring into his stark green eyes, eyes that didn’t attempt to hide a thing from her, she was having a hard time remembering that she was supposed to be fighting him at all, or why she even wanted to.

Then he smiled; a soft, sweet, sexy smile, and she was lost. She smiled back, and let her fingers play in his hair. Just for a minute, she told herself. Then he dipped his head close to hers, kissing her cheek, then letting his mouth skim the edge of her jaw, and she sighed in pleasure, closing her eyes, melting into him, all resistance gone, and—

And he dunked her.

Think you know it? Post the title. Also feel free to post how to house train a stubborn but adorable puppy, your favorite tea, and the secret to NOT wanting to strangle your wayward teenager. ‘Kay, thanks.

March 24, 2010 | Filed under: Stuff

Me:
Where are my sunglasses?

(Six people in this house and not a single response.)

Me:
WHERE ARE MY SUNGLASSES?

Youngest:
You mean the ones on your head?

Me (reaching up and indeed finding my sunglasses on my head):
Okay, good. Good observant skills. Keep that up. How about my Sony ereader?

Youngest:
Plugged into your computer.

(Wow. She is good…)

Me:
You wouldn’t by any chance know the secret to peace on earth?

Youngest:
More cookies.

A girl after my own heart …

March 22, 2010 | Filed under: Stuff

Hi. My name is Jake. I’m new here. I’m told you like to hear the news from the trenches, so let me give you a full report.

The days in the Shalvis household are very busy. Today I spent about twenty million hours watching the old lady Ashes chew on a stick that I wanted.

She wasn’t in a sharing mood.

Staring at her is hard work. So to recover, I spent a lot of time doing this:

But my favorite thing to do is pee on the living room floor collect stuff that smells like my new family. The things they put on their feet are especially yummy, and smell delicious. Speaking of which, I have a lot more collecting and chewing and hiding to do, so I need to sign out.

Tune in again real soon for the adventures of me, The Wild Boy, and Satan Sadie the evil sweet cat. Sweet as in she is going to taste real good I can’t wait to kiss her face all over. If she ever let’s me get close enough.

Love, Jake