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.

September 19, 2009 | Filed under: Stuff

Oldest sent me this one, this poor puppy who can’t get over onto his feet. So adorably pathetically sad, lol!

September 18, 2009 | Filed under: Stuff

I was in the car with Middle waiting for Youngest to get out of school when suddenly she looked over my shoulder and gasped in horror.

The kind of gasp that signifies either crazy stalker with a sharp knife or SPIDER.

So I calmly looked over my shoulder.

Okay, not really. I screamed and nearly killed myself climbing over the console to get into her lap, certain that there was a mutant spider on my window about to leap on me.

Middle took a beat to stare at me, then laughed her tushie off for about five minutes. Which is when I smacked her upside the back of the head because there was no mutant spider anywhere.

Then I saw it. I saw what she’d been looking at.

I think it’s the hair that makes him so absolutely adorable. And since he came with a very cute thirty-ish owner, I took a few minutes to enjoy the overall view. When they’d walked away, I smiled at Middle. “He was adorable.”

“Who, the old guy, or the dog?”

“Are you saying 30 is old?”

“Duh.”

Duh.

September 17, 2009 | Filed under: Stuff

When Alpha Man dragged our sorry asses out of bed at five in the morning, it was still dark, dammit, and the air was cold.

But then the sun started to come up and the view was breath-taking, and all was forgiven.

Of course I didn’t get in the water. As we dropped Middle and Youngest off at school on the way home from the early morning impromtu wakeboard run, they were shivering but grinning from ear to ear.

Sometimes getting up early is worth it.

Especially for me, since one, I didn’t have to go to school, and two, I got McDonalds on the way home.

September 16, 2009 | Filed under: Stuff

1. When a teenager gets their tonsils taken out, why does only the teenager get the pain meds? I really think the percocet should have been prescribed for me.

2. Why am I the only one who finds herself in the bathroom with no toilet paper? I’m sorry, it happens every single time, so this CAN’T BE A COINCIDENCE.

3. And in that same vein, why am I the one who pours her cereal and then goes for the milk only to find ONE tablespoon left in the container?

4. Also, when a kid is sick, why does she cry for “MOM!” and not dad?

5. Why does the dog come to me when she has to go out? There are usually at least six people in this house. By sheer odds, I should be summoned only every sixth time and yet the dog comes to me and only me.

6. Why when I get in the car is it always on empty?

7. And lastly, where does the phone always vanish to? Because when it rings, it’s never in it’s cradle, forcing me to run through the house like a crazed person trying to get to it in four rings. Which, by the way, never happens. And if by some miracle, I do find it in time, you can bet it’s not charged.

So that’s all. My questions for the universe. How about you?

September 15, 2009 | Filed under: Stuff

Hey, all. I just read the final pass pages on Slow Heat (2/10) and thought I’d share an excerpt with you. First, a reminder of the cover:

Not a bad view, really. Anyway, here’s a little slice of life from the baseball hottie Wade O’Riley:

Excerpt:

Samantha picked up the phone, dialing housekeeping for a roll away bed. While the phone was ringing in her ear, two big, warm hands settled on her shoulders and started kneading, and before she could stop herself, she’d let out a low, heartfelt moan.

“You’ve got an entire rock quarry in here,” Wade murmured, going right for her tight, tension knots and digging in as his mouth settled on the nape of her neck.

Oh God, she was melting. “Stop. I can’t talk when you do that—“

“Then don’t.” Reaching around her, he took the phone from her fingers and hung it up.

“I was trying to get a roll-away bed.”

“Roll-aways are pieces of shit.”

“But—“

“Shhh.”

His fingers were long and strong and firm, and knew exactly where to press to turn her limbs into overcooked noodles. Unable to stop herself, she sank to the chair, closing her eyes at his soft, knowing laugh.

“I make you weak in the knees,” he said silkily.

“No, your hands make me weak in the knees.”

He laughed again. “I might be buzzed, but not too buzzed to know that you are such a liar.”

And then he pulled his hands free.

She nearly cried at the loss, but got herself together. When she turned to look at him, he was headed for the bathroom, unbuttoning his shirt, which he shrugged off halfway there.

She told herself not to stare but he truly had the most glorious physique. His back was all sleek, smooth bronzed flesh, sinew rippling as he moved– “Hey!” she said as his pants dropped. He kicked free and kept walking, in nothing but black knit boxers. “What are you doing?” she squeaked, even as her gaze soaked up the fact that he had a tan line, and that the waistband of his boxers had slipped past it, revealing a tantalizing strip of paler, smooth, tight skin. “We’re not doing this, Wade O’Riley. Do you hear me? This is all pretend, remember?”

“I remember. The question is, do you?” He sent her a cheeky grin over his shoulder.

“Put your clothes back on!”

“Taking a shower.”

And then he dropped his boxers.

Oh, sweet baby Jesus. “Don’t drown,” she murmured, watching the most excellent ass in all the land vanish behind the door. She heard the shower go on and leaned back in the chair, letting out a long, shaky breath.

She was in big trouble.

All the way around.

I know it’s a long time before the book comes out, but thought you’d like the peek. You can pre-order here, if you’re so inclined.

Assuming you’ve read Double Play:

You have, right? Because I’m trying to fund my South Pacific vacay …

Kiddin’. There is no vacation. I’ve got five teenagers eating me out of house and home, literally. And if they’re not eating me out of house and home, they’re asking for help with homework. Holy smokes, have any of you had to do AP US History lately? Chemistry? You know, I already survived high school, I really shouldn’t have to survive it again …

September 14, 2009 | Filed under: Stuff

Never say to a friend who’s in better shape than you are that you want to try a challenging hike. She might take you here.

And tell you that you’re going to climb to the top. I was all, “um, what?” And then knowing me all too well, she distracted me with cool things to take pics of.

And this downed tree, whose trunk was TALLER than me. Not that that’s too hard, given I’m maybe 5′3″. With my shoes on.

Okay, fine! I”m 5′2″. Jeez.

About an hour in, I started to whine. And we still had this far to go …

And sheer rocks to climb …

Now if you don’t think I wasn’t bitchin’ and bitchin’ … But I had a bag of cookies hidden in my backpack. I was torn between eating them and leaving crumbs for Alpha Man to come find my body. Except I was afraid that the bears might follow the crumbs.

So I ate the cookies.

Getting closer …

Hi, Jill’s Shadow! Hi, Laura’s Shadow!

Have your legs ever felt like jello? I mean REALLY like they couldn’t possibly hold you up? I’ve used that term before but trust me when I say, my legs have never really wobbled until I finished this climb.

More cookies helped. And while it was nice to push myself out of my comfort zone — hell, I was so far out of my comfort zone, I couldn’t even SEE my comfort zone — I’m over it. For me, there’s no place like home.

There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home … (Picture me clicking my hiking boots together three times. )

So. When’s the last time you pushed yourself outside your comfort zone?