September 2004 Newsletter

September 2004

Dear Friends,

Okay, my dear readers, you can stop holding your breath. 44 CRANBERRY POINT, the fourth book in my ongoing Cedar Cove series, should be in a bookstore near you. If it isn’t, I want to know why not!

As you might have guessed, I love continuing characters. It started back in the early 1990s when I first penned the Midnight Sons series set in Alaska, followed by the Promise, Texas series, set in—you guessed it—Texas. Then there came the Dakota series. Shirley, Goodness and Mercy continue to turn up every now and again, too. (No promises, but I have the feeling they’re about to make a return visit.) It’s been ten years since my first series books were published, and I continue to get mail every week asking about those characters. My readers wanted more. One day I decided to get smart. That was when I came up with the idea for Cedar Cove, which is really my home town of Port Orchard, Washington. This series will continue as long as there are stories to tell, and that should be for a very long time. In case you’re wondering, I’m currently plotting book six.

Each book in the Cedar Cove series contains a little romance, a little mystery and a few laughs along the way. Everyone in town is waiting to update you on what’s been happening. I promise you’ll enjoy your visit. And speaking of visiting, if you drop in at www.debbiemacomber.com, you’ll be able to read an excerpt of 44 CRANBERRY POINT, and there’s a surprise there for you, too – a crisscross Cedar Cove puzzle. Prizes are in store for those who complete it accurately. In order to do so, you’ll need to have read all four Cedar Cove books!

Have a wonderful September.

Debbie Macomber

Carol Finch http://www.romanceauthorspage.com/carolfinch/

---

  Howdy, y'all, from down on the farm,

We had roundup this morning and brought 200 head of cattle into the corral so we can move them to another pasture. They weren't cooperative. Livestock, I believe, were created to test your patience. They did, sure 'nuff. We're hoping for a little more rain because it's almost time to plant wheat, but it's been a great summer so we can't complain too much. It's the first time in 5 years that our 7 ponds have been full of water.

As for writing, Texas Bride came out in July. If you had trouble locating it, try direct or online or write to Harlequin to order. My next book is an anthology--One Starry Christmas "Home for Christmas" will be out in October and the next historical The Last Honest Outlaw will be out in December. I'm just finishing up the second book on the 3-book contract and hope to take a month off before diving into the next one. Hope you'll enjoy all the new books this year!

Happy Reading, Carol Finch, Connie Feddersen, Gina Robins, Debra Falcon, Connie Drake

---

Jill Marie Landis http://www.jillmarielandis.com

---

  It’s Tiki Time for Jill Marie Landis

All things Tiki and Hawaii were happening at a big Tiki Festival near Jill Marie’s digs in Long Beach on the beach recently – craft booths, music, food and art. Jill Marie resisted dancing the hula with a ukulele band until they played "Hanalei Moon.” At that point she jumped up out of her seat (sort of like Gene Kelly’s "Gotta Dance!"), leapt onto the stage and proceeded to hula before the crowd, having a grand time. That evening Steve played Slack Key guitar while the beach luau was getting underway. Even in California, Jill and Steve can track down lots of Aloha!

Aside from speaking appearances for an exclusive bookclub that meets on the beach and the Alamitos Bay Garden Club, Jill Marie has been nose to the keyboard. A "secret" project is almost finished and will soon be in the mail to her agent. Hopefully, in a couple of months, Jill will be ready to tell the world what she's working on. In the meantime, things are hush hush around the Landis compound in Long Beach.

Meanwhile, Jill has posted a new contest on www.jillmarielandis.com. Be sure to drop by and sign her guestbook for a chance to win her “Tropical Heat Wave Contest.”

---

Sharon Sala http://www.romanceauthorspage.com/sharonsala

---

 Hello to everyone from the Lvmhe Ranch,

FYI, that's pronounced Lumhee, and it's the Muscokee/Creek Indian word for Eagle, which is Bobby's Indian name. Now, that's all probably more than you wanted or needed to know, but since I'm sharing the news, I'm doing it my way.

We FINALLY has the last foal born for the year. Have mercy, didn't think it would ever happen. It was a little filly paint (still a registered quarterhorse) and as yet unnamed, but I'm inclined to call her Tardy because she was late. We had around 20 this spring and they, along with the entire herd which now numbers 80, keeps Bobby and Stoney (the ranch manager) hopping.

I turned in a manuscript recently called BLOODLINES, that will be out next year from Mira Books, and under my Dinah McCall pen name. I'm working on one now called LAZARUS RISING which will be a Sala book.

Also, looking forward to the imminent release of THE AMEN TRAIL, which is the sequel to WHIPPOORWILL, which was released this past July from Harlequin Historicals. I've had great feedback and am so happy that my readers got as much fun out of reading it as I did writing it. THE AMEN TRAIL is the continuation of Eulis Potter and Letty Murphy's misadventures
in the Kansas territory, but before the book is over, they have moved on to Colorado, given up preaching, and are looking for gold.

My granddaughter, Chelsea, turned 13 this year and is going to school dances. Have mercy. What was so funny to me was that when she left with her girlfriend to attend the dance, her two little sisters, ages 8 and 7, were so caught up in the hoopla that they went to their rooms, changed their play clothes for dresses and dress shoes, then went to the kitchen and ate pudding. I don't quite know how that figured out in their little minds, but it made their mom and dad laugh.

My grandson, Daniel, who will be three at the end of September, gets to go to what amounts to a pre-school for two hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It's a state of the art program affiliated with the University of Oklahoma's college of education, and all Early Childhood Education majors have to intern there for a semester. Needless to say, the waiting list for children is long because it's so well-run, and Daniel is fortunate to get to go. However, the funny thing is, that he's heard his mother and daddy talk about the "Institute" at OU for so long that if you ask him where he's going to school, he says, OU. That's a hoot. A three year old in college.

We had wonderful news last week, and sad news last week, and both along the same lines. My dear dear friend and colleague, Cheryl Ann Porter, a marvelous writer in her early fifties, lost her battle with liver cancer. And at the same time, my Aunt Lorraine, who is 80, and has, for the past 3 1/2 years, been battling breast cancer, 3 bouts of colon cancer that spread into her liver, too, was told last Tuesday that her cancer is in remission. And this after four complete rounds of chemo over a period of almost two years.

I was so happy for my Auntie, and so sad for Cheryl Ann. I will so miss her funny stories and marvelous laugh.

Take care and much love
Sharon Sala aka Dinah McCall
 

MORE FREE AUTOGRAPHED BOOKS TO GIVE AWAY THIS MONTH! TWO MISS PRUITT'S PRIVATE LIFE AND TWO SUMMER IN SAVANNAH--check them out on my site. I've just contacted my hat box winners and I'll be putting together a fall basket to give away. I'll get a picture up on my site in the next couple of weeks and post my winners, too.

Summer is finally turning the corner and I can't wait for autumn! Fall is my favorite time of the year (when it's spring, that's my favorite time of year) Though it stays pretty hot here in California through October, there is a change in the air that's invigorating. That's when I love to get my winter garden in and just sit back and enjoy my garden. My turtles and fish are doing well, too. I'll try to get a picture of them and post it, but the turtles are camera shy!

I'm home from a week in Vegas--had a great time. It was mostly vacation, but did some plotting with Debbi Rawlins, Terry Southwick, Jo Leigh and Barbara Ankrum--a very talented and clever group of ladies! I won a little money on some slot machines and just enjoyed the warm, but not too hot weather. It felt good to relax after finishing my last book BLACKHAWK LEGACY, which is a single title coming out in December. This book is Dillon Blackhawk's book, which is connected to my SECRETS! books in Silhouette Desire. So many of you have asked me about him, and I'm so happy to say his story will finally be told. I'll keep you updated as the release date comes closer.

Miss Pruitt's Private Life Silhouette Books July 2004 ISBN 0-373-76593-2 Read an excerpt

Thanks to all of you who read MISS PRUITT'S PRIVATE LIFE, my July Desire and wrote to tell me how much you enjoyed it. If you missed it and would still like to buy it, try www.eharlequin.com or www.amazon.com. It was such a fun book to write! Marcy and Evan were part of my continuing SECRETS! books.

I love hearing from everyone! Please keep those notes coming in. If you've already signed my guest book, you can e-mail me direct. A big thank you to everyone who has taken the time to say hello!

Best Wishes,
Barbara

That's All for this month,
Kristen Price
kristen@romanceauthorspage.com