Number Two

Number Three

This one is going to make a good jack-o-lantern, don't you think? Hope it's not ready too early. A couple other big ones are already orange.

I'm exhausted from the weekend and don't feel as though I accomplished anything. Trimmed rosebushes and pulled a few weeds this afternoon. And it's time for a new week! Yikes!

I'm finally making progress on my current story, THE PERFECT WIFE. (working title) I had written an entire scene from the wrong character's point of view, knew something was wrong, but couldn't see it. Once I figured it out and changed it, the whole story opened up and moved forward. I think it's the hero who's being difficult, and I realized something else--belatedly. I almost always have a photo of my hero over my desk, but I don't have a pic of Benjamin.

First task tomorrow a.m.: find Benjamin's picture.
Got any ideas? He's Ellie's younger brother from THE DOCTOR'S WIFE all grown up. He's a veterinarian and he's all about CONTROL. I had described him in that book as having fair hair, but it may have darkened as hair tends to do when males move past adolescence. It wouldn't be dark brown or black by any means.

List of Cheryl St.John's Books

Books by Cheryl St.John

The Perfect Wife
Harlequin Historical ~ 2007 ~ TBA

The Lawman’s Bride
Harlequin Historical ~ 2/07 ISBN #0-373-29435-0

Wed Under Western Skies
Anthology Novella: “Almost A Bride”
Harlequin Historical ~ 7/06 ISBN #0-373-29399-2

The Bounty Hunter
Montana Mavericks Historical ~ 9/05 ISBN #0-373-81121-7

His Secondhand Wife
Harlequin Historical ~ 7/05 ~ISBN #0-373-29360-7

Million-Dollar Makeover
Silhouette Montana Mavericks ~ 6/05 ~ ISBN #0-373-24688-9

Prairie Wife
Harlequin Historical ~ 2/05 ~ ISBN #0-373-29339-9

Child of Her Heart
Silhouette Logan’s Legacy ~ 12/04 ~ ISBN #0-373-61390-3

Charlie’s Angels
Silhouette Special Edition ~ 8/04 ~ ISBN #0-373-61390-3

The Tenderfoot Bride
Harlequin Historical ~ 11/03 ~ ISBN #0-373-29279-1

Marry Me…Again
Silhouette Special Edition ~ 8/03 ~ ISBN #0-373-24558-0

Christmas Gold
Anthology Novella: “Colorado Wife”
Harlequin Historical ~ 10/02 ~ ISBN #0-373-29227-9

Nick All Night
Silhouette Special Edition ~ 6/02 ~ ISBN #0-373-24475

The Gunslinger’s Bride
Harlequin Historical Montana Mavericks
Single Title 9/01 ~ ISBN #0-373-29177-9

The Magnificent Seven
Silhouette Montana Mavericks, Wed In Whitehorn
3/01 ~ ISBN #0-373-65055-8

Sweet Annie
Harlequin Historical ~ 2/01 ~ ISBN #0-373-29148-5

Big Sky Brides
Anthology Novella: “Isabelle”
Silhouette’s Montana Mavericks ~ 3/00 ~ ISBN #0-373-48381-3

The Doctor’s Wife
Harlequin Historical ~ 10/99 ~ ISBN #0-373-29081-0

Joe’s Wife
Harlequin Historical ~ 4/99 ~ ISBN #0-373-29051-9

For This Week I Thee Wed
Harlequin Duets ~ 7/99 ~ ISBN #-373-44072-3


The Mistaken Widow
Harlequin Historical ~ 9/98 ~ ISBN #0-373-29029-2


The Truth About Toby
Silhouette Intimate Moments #810 ~ 9/97 ~ ISBN#0-373-07810-2

A Husband By Any Other Name
Silhouette Intimate Moments #756 ~ 12/96 ~ ISBN#0-373-07756-4

Badlands Bride
Harlequin Historical Single Title ~ 7/96 ~ ISBN#0-373-28927-8

Saint or Sinner
Harlequin Historical ~ 10/95 ~ ISBN#0-373-28888-3

Land of Dreams
Harlequin Historical ~ 4/95 ~ ISBN#0-373-28865-4

Heaven Can Wait
Harlequin Historical ~ 10/94 ~ ISBN#0-373-28840-9

Rain Shadow
Harlequin Historical ~ 3/94 ~ ISBN#0-373-28812-3

Ryan's First Day in 7th Grade

Not only is Ryan a seventh grade hunk, he's an awesome student. He loves to motorbike, 4-wheel, swim and fish. He just got braces off, too, and you can't see his smile here, but it's a killer.

First day junior year

Erin didn't want her picture taken on her way out the door, thus the impatient expression. It's her first day as a junior! I'm going to send her a link to my blog, and if she doesn't appreciate the picture, perhaps she'll pose with a smile for a new one. LOL

Harvest!

The small variety pumkins that Alexis planted (she brought a plant home in a cup from school last Spring) are ripe. The others, Elijah's jack-o-lantern variety, are still ripening on the vine and are SO pretty! Here's Kristin cutting pumpkins today.

Fabulous Firsts: first day - first grade

Today is day #1 for the first my the little darlin's to head back to school. More first days to come in the next couple of weeks. This is Elijah.

my brown-eyed girl

My daughter and her family are here this weekend. It's her class reunion, I'd rather not mention which one, thank you, and they've been in and out, off to events. They're at the dance tonight, so the kids and I went to see Ant Bully. Darling! I loved Ants, and it has the same animation. Awesome animation and funny characters with great voices. We all picked up some funny lines we'll be using on each other for some time to come I'm sure.

Good night. Sleep tight. Don't let the bedbugs bite.
And don't let 'em creep into your ear and lay eggs on your brain.

found another

the beauty of nature

How cool is this? Look what I spotted on my butterfly bushes when I went out for the mail just now.

Updated Montana Mavericks List

Theresa mentioned she was collecting all the Montana Mavericks. I own every single one of these. Many are out of print and can only be found used. I filled in my set by buying "lots" on ebay and then giving away the doubles.

I never found a complete list, and even Harlequin couldn't help me, so after much digging, I finally put together my own. I think it's the only complete list on the Web.

MONTANA MAVERICKS

Montana Mavericks:

Rogue Stallion by Diana Palmer
The Widow and the Rodeo Man by Jackie Merritt
Sleeping with the Enemy by Myrna Temte
The Once and Future Wife by Laurie Paige
The Rancher Takes a Wife by Jackie Merritt
Outlaw Lovers by Pat Warren
Way of the Wolf by Rebecca Daniels
The Law is no Lady by Helen R Myers
Father Found by Laurie Paige
Baby Wanted by Cathie Linz
Man with a Past by Celeste Hamilton
Cowboy Cop by Rachel Lee


Return to Whitehorn:

Letter to a Lonesome Cowboy by Jackie Merritt
Wife Most Wanted by Joan Elliott Pickart
A Father’s Vow by Myrna Temte
A Hero’s Homecoming by Laurie Paige
Montana Mavericks Weddings – Anthology:
The Bride Who was Stolen in the Night by Diana Palmer
Bride, Baby and All by Ann Major
Cowgirl Bride by Susan Mallory
Cinderella’s Big Sky Groom by Christine Rimmer
A Montana Mavericks Christmas
Married in Whitehorn by Susan Mallory
Born in Whitehorn by Karen Hughes
A Family Homecoming by Laurie Paige
Montana Mavericks Big Sky Brides – Anthology:
Suzanna by Christine Rimmer
Diana by Jennifer Green
Isabelle by Cheryl St.John



Wed in Whitehorn:

The Kincaid Bride by Jackie Merritt
Lone Stallion’s Lady by Lisa Jackson
Cheyenne Bride by Laurie Paige
You Belong to Me by Jennifer Greene
The Marriage Bargain by Victoria Pade
Big Sky Lawman by Marilyn Pappano
The Baby Quest by Pat Warren
It Happened One Wedding Night by Karen Hughes
The Birth Mother by Pamela Toth
Rich, Rugged… Ruthless by Jennifer Mikels
The Magnificent Seven by Cheryl St.John
Outlaw Marriage by Laurie Paige
Nighthawk’s Child by Linda Turner

The book club list, later released as 2-in-1s:
The Marriage Maker by Christie Ridgway
And the Winner – Weds by Robin Wells
Just Pretending by Myrna Mackenzie
Storming Whitehorn by Christine Scott


Christmas in Whitehorn:

Christmas in Whitehorn by Susan Mallory
In Love with her Boss by Christie Ridgway
Marked for Marriage by Jackie Merritt


Rumor:

Her Montana Man by Laurie Paige
Big Sky Cowboy by Jennifer Mikels
Montana Lawman by Allison Leigh
Under Western Skies – Anthology:
One Baby to Go, Please by Laurie Paige
Marriage on the Menu by Linda Turner
Daddy Takes the Cake by Allison Leigh


The Kingsleys:

Double Destiny:
First Love by Crystal Green
Second Chance by Judy Duarte
Moon Over Montana by Jackie Merritt
Marry Me… Again by Cheryl St.John
Big Sky Baby by Judy Duarte
The Rancher’s Daughter by Jodi O’Donnell
Her Montana Millionaire by Crystal Green
Sweet Talk by Jackie Merritt


Gold Rush Grooms:

Stranded with the Groom by Christine Rimmer
All He Ever Wanted by Allison Leigh
Prescription: Love by Pamela Toth
Their Unexpected Family by Judy Duarte
Cabin Fever by Karen Rose Smith
Million-Dollar Makeover by Cheryl St.John


Montana Mavericks Historicals:

Wild West Wife by Susan Mallory
Montana Mavericks Big Sky Grooms – Anthology:
Spirit of the Wolf by Susan Mallory
As Good as Gold by Bronwyn Williams
The Gamble by Carolyn Davidson
The Gunslinger’s Bride by Cheryl St.John
Whitefeather’s Woman by Deborah Hale
A Convenient Wife by Carolyn Davidson
Big Sky Rancher by Carolyn Davidson
The Guardian by Elizabeth Lane
The Bounty Hunter by Cheryl St.John
The Tracker by Mary Burton

Color Me Creative

Am I the only one who is drawn to new boxes of Crayolas? I bought TWO boxes from the back-to-school displays, just because I love new crayons! That smell takes me right back to my childhood and those hours of enjoyment.

Since attending a Sharon Sala (Dinah McCall) workshop some years back, I always have a few crayons lying on my desktop. She passed out three crayons and a page from a coloring book as people entered the room. We were told to color as people got settled and she began. Into the program, she asked people to hold up their pages. She asked how difficult it had been to color without all the correct colors. Some people hadn't colored their picture at all.

The whole point was to do something different; to make Daffy Duck green and purple for example, and to be okay wuth that. Put a twist to your story, don't do the predictable. Take chances and color outside the lines. Numerous beloved kids have tried to take those three special crayons (orange, denim and fuscia) from my desk, but they never get far. Those crayons are my reminder to think outside the box.

Crayola brand crayons were the first kids crayons ever made, invented by cousins, Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith. The brand's first box of eight Crayola crayons made its debut in 1903. The crayons were sold for a nickel and the colors were black, brown, blue, red, purple, orange, yellow, and green. The word Crayola was created by Alice Stead Binney (wife of Edwin Binney) who took the French words for chalk (craie) and oily (oleaginous) and combined them.

My favorite Sharon Sala books is Out of The Dark. What's yours?

especially for Minna: MY GRANDMA'S BANANA BREAD

One loaf:

1 3/4 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. olive oil
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
at least 2 bananas, mashed leaving chunks
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg


Three loaves:

5 1/4 c. flour
6 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp salt
1 c. olive oil
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
6 eggs, beaten
at least 6 bananas, mashed, leaving chunks
1-2 tsp. cinnamon
1-2 tsp. nutmeg
walnuts or pecans

I often add craisins and chocolate chips, imagine that!
Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.
Great recipe for mini loaves, too. Reduce baking time.

Wrap while warm to keep moist.

Chocolate Carrot Cake

We had a special event at church last night, and this cake was a hit! I only got a taste, so I'm making it again this week. *lizzie Starr gave me the cookbook for my birthday and so far every cake I've tried has been awesome. But then they're all chocolate, so where could I go wrong?

Chocolate Carrot Cake
with pineapple cream cheese frosting
from Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn

Serves 20

2/3 cup pineapple juice
5 - 6 shredded carrots (3 cups)
1 package German chocolate cake mix with pudding
½ cup oil
3 large eggs
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup raisins
½ cup chopped walnuts

Please rack in center of oven and preheat to 350. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan.
Blend cake mix, oil, eggs, cinnamon and pineapple juice in large mixing bowl with electric mixer on low for one minute. Scrape sides, beat at medium speed for two minutes. Fold in carrots, raisins and walnuts. Pour batter into pan, smooth.

Bake 40-45 minutes until top springs back. Cool 20 minutes on rack.

Frosting:
1/3 to 1 cup drained crushed pineapple
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter, room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Blend butter and cream cheese. Sift in one cup of powdered sugar at a time, blending on low until well mixed. Add pineapple, increase mixer speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy. (another minute)

Frost top of sheet cake.
I sprinkled chopped walnuts and grated orange peel on top to make the cake pretty.

Store tightly covered in refrigerator for up to one week. (It will never last that long!)

Next time I’m going to try adding pineapple to the cake mix as well. There is a lot of pineapple left over from this recipe, but just enough juice from a 15 oz can.

August Drawing!

I got my (stingy) three copies of the UK release of THE MISTAKEN WIDOW and it is gorgeous! One special copy is set aside for one of my blogger buddies. Each comment to my blog between now and Wed Aug 30th is an entry. On Friday Sept 1st I will mail your gift out to you if you're the lucky winner.

And here's the prize. I went shopping yesterday to sweeten the pot. Such a sacrifice, I know. To go with the book I picked up a sterling silver necklace with a mother of pearl pendant and a fresh bottle of my favorite summer OPI color, Dutch Tulips. I discovered this color at the nail salon and have worn it nearly all summer.



So start leaving comments, asking questions and referring friends over!

do you aspire to be a writer?

On Easter Sunday many years ago, my brother, a writer, brought me an article from the newspaper. He laid it on my dining room table and said, “You’ve got to call these people -- you’re working in a vacuum.”

I knew he was right. I’d been writing stories and submitting for a few years without any feedback or success. The year before my mother had given me a clipping about a local author, but I’d never called. Somehow reading about those published authors and their support group just didn’t sound like anything I was qualified for.

Several times in the weeks that followed, I read through that article about a romance author who was a semi-finalist in a national contest sponsored by Romance Writers of America: The Golden Heart. I’d never even heard of RWA before. The aspiring writer featured was president of an auspicious local chapter. She had a master’s degree in criminal justice and taught at a college! Each time I went to the phone to call the number printed in the article, I got cold feet and thought, “Who do I think I am?”

What do I think I’m doing? I don’t know anything about writing! I’d never taken a single writing class, never even met a real author besides my brother, and since he was my brother, he didn’t count. Who was I to even IMAGINE myself among a group of “real writers”?

Well, I finally swallowed the queasies, dialed the number, and -- wouldn’t you know -- I got an answering machine! Now you’ll have to realize that not a lot of people had answering machines in their homes at that time. Not like today when everyone has one.

I knew THEN -- when I got that recording -- that this woman was a professional. LOL
I did what any insecure beginner would do. I hung up.

A week later, I garnered my courage and called again, hoping for a real voice. No such luck. I learned afterward that this was her business line and she NEVER answered that line. I could have tried till I was blue and never heard a live voice.

But this time I left a message. Low and behold she called me back. And she sounded just like a real person! She explained the chapter and the meeting date and place and actually sounded quite glad to hear from me. Before we hung up I asked hesitantly, “Is everyone there a professional? I mean, I’m not a teacher or a college graduate or anything.” She assured me they were all people just like me.

And you know what? They were.

Since then I’ve served many positions in the chapter. And one of my favorites was president, because I’d get so many calls from hopeful writers who were asking themselves, “Who do I think I am?”

I love to meet and talk with beginners. I get letters from readers who’ve read my books and are themselves writing. I enjoy new blood in the chapter and in our critique groups. The uncertainties the new writers express are so familiar to me.

I understand those feelings because I’ve felt them all so deeply myself. With my first efforts I wanted so badly for someone to just TELL me if I could DO this thing or not. Just tell me that I don’t have a snowball’s chance in Hades of being a writer. Just tell me and then I’ll quit banging my head against a wall. The frustrating part is that nobody can tell you whether or not you can do this.
“Can I do this?” is not really the question to be asking anyway. “AM I WILLING?” Is the real question.

If you’re actually writing, putting words on paper, you’re already a storyteller. The techniques can be learned. But -- are you willing to make the sacrifices?

want to be a writer? part 2

There’s a legion of uninformed people in the world, and as a writer, you will probably meet them all sooner or later. These people think that being a writer is sitting spending an hour or two writing down the first thing that comes to mind and then getting paid huge amounts of money.

Writing takes study, hard work, discipline, sacrifice, a thick skin, and a sense of humor. Not necessarily in that order.

“Who do I think I am?”

“What do I think I’m doing?”

“How will I ever remember all this?”

If you’re honest with yourself, you’ll admit to having those same feelings in inadequacy. Who are you? Well, you’re probably the next treasurer or secretary or president of your chapter. You’re the next delegate to the national conference. You’re the next published author in your critique group. You’re the next Golden Heart recipient. Or the next RITA winner. You could be the next Avon star or Berkley star or whichever house snaps you up.

If you didn’t believe that, why would you be here?

How do you make those things happen? Sixteen years ago I was taking care of my first grandchild while my daughter worked. I was still raising two children at home, and working 40 plus hours a week at my “job” job. I purposed in my heart that I would not be a sign maker for the rest of my life. I became determined to get myself out of that position and make enough money writing to support my family.

Now, I’m not telling you this, to tell you how good I am. I’m telling you this to show you what determination can do. When I look back, I can’t imagine how I managed it, but I did.

I wrote every available minute. When I was writing Rain Shadow, I was working some pretty crazy hours, but whenever I wasn’t at work, I was in front of my computer. My children took turns fixing supper, and they learned to leave me alone while I was working. MY son learned to do his own laundry on Sunday nights.

My husband, who’d never turned on the washer in his life, learned to do laundry. I wasn’t always happy with the results, but hey, he did it. He did the grocery shopping for the first time in our married life. For nearly a year, I barely attended any family gatherings. My husband took the kids and left me home, undisturbed, to work.

Think being a SINGLE parent is tough? You’re right. But that writer I mentioned last blog whom the newspaper article was about? She was the single parent of three children. She held two jobs, and she believed a spouse is more inhibiting than being single. So it can be done.

You have good examples and bad examples all around you. Learn from them. I had a friend who sold two books after eight years of writing. She went through a divorce, and hasn’t written a thing since. Am I saying a divorce isn’t a trauma? Certainly not. But everything depends on your reaction and how you handle it.

Another friend caught her husband cheating on her while she was “bed-ridden sick” pregnant. She went through a divorce and wrote while in bed—she doggedly kept at it and continued to sell books. She’s happily remarried, writing in a new genre and a lead author now, by the way.

This publication thing doesn’t just happen. It didn’t fall into my lap like a winning lottery ticket. I earned it. I did my time like everyone else.

But how much time do I have to do? you ask. Granted, some do more than others.

You do as much time as it takes.

and the winner is.......

RITA Awards went to:

Best Traditional Romance
Princess of Convenience by Marion Lennox
Harlequin Books; Sheila Hodgson, editor

Best Short Contemporary Romance
The Marriage Miracle by Liz Fielding
Harlequin Mills & Boon; Emma Dunford, editor

Best Long Contemporary Romance
Worth Every Risk by Dianna Love Snell
Silhouette Books; Allison Lyons, editor

Best Paranormal Romance
Gabriel’s Ghost by Linnea Sinclair
Bantam Books; Anna Groell, editor

Best Inspirational Romance
Heavens to Betsy by Beth Pattillo
WaterBrook Press; Dudley Delffs, editor

Best Romantic Novella
“The Naked Truth about Guys” in The Naked Truth by Alesia Holliday
Berkley Books; Cindy Hwang, editor

Best First Book
Show Her the Money by Stephanie Feagan
Silhouette Books; Natashya Wilson, editor

Best Regency Romance
A Reputable Rake by Diane Gaston
Harlequin Mills & Boon; Linda Fildew, editor

Best Short Historical Romance
The Texan’s Reward by Jody Thomas
Berkley Books; Christine Zika, editor

Best Long Historical Romance
The Devil to Pay by Liz Carlyle
Pocket Books; Lauren McKenna, editor

Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements
Lady Luck’s Map of Vegas by Barbara Samuel
Ballantine Books; Linda Morrow, editor

Best Romantic Suspense
Survivor in Death by J.D. Robb
Penguin Putnam; Leslie Gelbman, editor

Best Contemporary Single Title
Lakeside Cottage by Susan Wiggs
MIRA Books; Margaret Marbury and Dianne Moggy, editors

truth be told..........

I am a fair weather gardener. My hubby worked outside over the weekend, but not I.

Saturday we toured the Street of Dreams. Perhaps your city has a similar event. Builders participate and build luxurious homes which are furnished and decorated by participating companies who pay to have their products used and advertised. Admission fees go to architectural scholorships. We found our new home -- only 1.4 million -- unfurnished. It was an incredible turn of the century style, and we decided we could live very comfortably there. Now all we need to do is win the lottery. LOL

Went to see Pirates of the Carribean, Dead Man's Chest yesterday. It was as much fun as all the hype predicted. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Then I movie binged. Failure to Launch, Nanny McPhee, What a Girl Wants, Rumor Has It and Just Like Heaven. I think Just Like Heaven was my favorite of those.

It was 104 degrees here today! What do you think I did? I stayed inside and worked on my story, of course. One quick run to the post office was enough exposure for me. There are heat advisories in effect. They are like tornado warnings or storm alerts, for those of you who don't have heat like this. Charitable organizations take bottled water downtown to the homeless, the Salvation Army opens their offices for people to come in and get cool and watch DVDs in the afternoon. People are encouraged to check on the elderly and keep their dogs indoors.

Weatherman predicts one more day of this heat before it cools off. Some cities are rationing water for lawns. Lemonade anyone?

Monday's flowers

It seems there is something new and prettier every day in a garden. I took these upon waking this morning.

A Story is Feelings

Bring to mind your favorite book. Take a minute. I know there are many favorites, but think about the one that made you FEEL the most. The one you can remember where you were when you read it, how the character's plight made you feel, and how much you hated for the story to end. The one that when you finished it, you closed the book with a sigh and thought about the characters for a week. It's on your keeper shelf, so go get it.

Without opening it, make a few notes and come up with your overall impression of the book. What are the impressions you recall? Heat? Cold? Sexual tension? Yearning? Longing? Loneliness? Familial warmth? Secrets? Desire for something?

An overall TONE is something you can't always find adequate words to explain. But if, when you think about the book, you remember the FEELING you got from reading it, it was a tone that made an impression. And it was in your mind when I asked you to select a favorite book.

As a writer, it's my job to put those feelings into each book. If I haven't written a story that made you feel, then I haven't written a keeper. And I always aim to write a keeper.

So, with those feelings in mind, what's your all-time favorite book?

every bloomin' thing

Remember my favorite lily? These blooms opened yesterday. There's a tad of shade for them beneath a fledgling tree, so I think that has helped the plant survive the summer heat. Most everything is past it's summer prime because of the intense sun and minimal rain, and my garden isn't the only one that looks this way. I could make my own calendar, couldn't I?

I am guest blogging at a writer's blog this week. Drop by to ask questions about writing or just to say hi.
http://www.vrpublishing.blogspot.com/

Puppers

This is my youngest daughter's dog. Puppers is half Chihuahua and half toy poodle. We call him a Chi-oodle. His talent is chasing his tail.

and the winner is.....

http://161.58.67.252/RITAFinalists.htm#SH


Here's a link to the RWA site where the finalists are listed.
How many of the books have you read?

In the past there's been live internet coverage of the awards ceremony, but I haven't found anything so far this year.

flowers for Bernadette

I was in a picture-taking mood this morning

One of my favorite lilies

My summer garden is just past its prime with the intense heat we've been having, but here is a picture I took this morning. It's one of my favorite hybrid daylilies.

Blog Spam

This morning I had to go through and delete 36 spam posts left in the comments sections here. I don't have the verification feature turned on, because I want to keep this blog as easy and friendly for you as I can. And most of the time it's not a problem. These were all made by the same person, probably electroncially generated, because many of the same posts with poor grammar were repeated over and over, like someone who doesn't speak English very well. "Greets to you" and things like that. And they leave a link to their site.

Do you post in blogs where you have to post the verification (enter some wavy numbers in a box to make sure you're a real person reading and posting) and if so, how inconvenient is that for you?

Think you'll go see it?

This opens July 21st. I always like M. Night Shyamalan's movies. How about you?

This fantastical new film, adapted from a bedtime tale he used to tell his children, features Bryce Dallas Howard as Story, a water nymph who inhabits the swimming pool of an apartment complex. When the building superintendent, Cleveland Heep (Paul Giamatti), discovers her presence, he learns that everyone in the surrounding apartments has a role to play in her fate -- whether they know it or not.

Why kids shouldn't be left alone

This was just too funny not to share.

what to say?

My agent will be accepting my RITA award for me, and I promised to send her a few words for the acceptance speech. Boy, is this tough! I've sat through enough award ceremonies to know it's an extreme kindness to keep it short. So it will be short.

Nothing sounds adequate. Everything sounds corny and repetitive.

Suggestions?

Heat Wave

It reached 104 degrees here today. Needless to say, I made as few trips out as possible. Thank God for air conditioning!

Harlequin Movies

Isabel Swift, VP, Author & Asset Development is interested in knowing which Harlequin/Silhouette books you'd like to see made into movies. Readers, here's your chance to voice your ideas and opinions to the Powers That Be!

http://community.eharlequin.com/webx?50@252.vouna10kSlQ.16@.4a83820f

The first story I ever wrote was called The Pink Dress. I stapled the pages into a book and drew a cover. I don’t remember how old I was. Many years later, I wrote a short story, submitted it, and received a rejection from Redbook magazine. I was fourteen and I still have the story and the rejection slip, and I still remember the feeling of rejection and disappointment when I received it.

My first novel length manuscript was titled The Rebel. I’m actually too embarrassed to tell you what it was about, but the title would have sold well to Silhouette, don’t you think? In fact it probably has. I was sixteen when I wrote it.

I wrote in notebooks for years when my children were growing up, and started a couple of books that way, but I didn’t get serious until my youngest daughter went to first grade. I was lost without her, but instead of having another baby or embarking on a real career :::LOL::: I decided that was the time to write the book I’d always wanted to write.

All The Tender Tomorrows. Great title, eh? Ambitious undertaking. Great characters. No plot. Passive, passive, passive writing. A totally unsaleable time period. It was typed on an old manual Smith-Corona, with an “A” that struck half a line below all the other letters, and it underwent at least three or four complete rewrites. I didn’t know it was passively written. I didn’t know it was a time period no one would buy. I thought it had a great plot -- I was involved! I sent it to many, many publishers. Most major historical publishers. What they should have said in their rejection letters was: “This doesn’t fit our present needs, and if it ever does, we’ll shoot ourselves.” But they didn’t.

I didn't receive constructive rejections; I got vague, form rejections. But I did learn to persevere. I wrote the whole thing from beginning to end and rewrote it as many times and as many ways as I knew how. And if one of those publishers had told me how to change it to make it better, I’d have done that, too.

I still just might sell that story someday.

Mia and her Binky

Mia is my son & daughter-in-law's ShihTzu. She's just a few months old. Here she is with one of her favorite toys - her Binky. Mia's very sweet-natured and calm. She accompanies the family on visits to my house.

original and foreign covers compared

UK Release in August

Here is The Mistaken Widow, an August MIlls & Boon release in the United Kingdom. I adore this cover. It is so gorgeous! What I also love is how it mirrors the details of the original theme cover.

Can't wait to have one in my hands.

Cheryl St.John's tips on collecting and displaying your favorite things

There are so many ways to collect today, from flea markets and antique malls to online shopping like ebay. Some people like owning only new things, others want pieces with history. We collect the things that appeal and intrigue and inspire. You can tell a lot about people by the things you see in their homes. Collecting is personal, and it’s about living with the things you love. Collections are as various as people. I’ve even seen a woman who collects lint and turns it into art.

THE RULE OF THREE
If you have three, you have a collection. If you have two, you have two.
Always display things in groups of at least three.
We want our homes to reflect our personalities, and that’s what the things we collect reveal. We don’t want our homes to look cluttered. Even if you have many collections and display a large amount of them, your surroundings don’t have to look disorganized.

Color sets the mood of your room. You can change the appeal and focus of a room without painting or reupholstering by simply switching out your colorful collectables. They have punch and their mobility makes them a decorator’s dream.

SHELVES
Group items according to light or dark.
Use horizontal stacks as well as vertical rows of books.
Create a focal point for each shelf by grouping like objects. The bigger the object, the more impact. Too many small items create clutter.
Display small items in separate display boxes, shadow boxes or frames.
Use containers like baskets or glass bowls to hold things like buttons, marbles, matchbooks.
To arrange shelves, start with the biggest heaviest objects to anchor the space.
Add height and color. Finish with filler, smaller items to bridge gaps. Stacks of bowls or books are one item. Use interesting shapes.
Keep items from the same collection of theme together.
If you display photos in frames, confine them to one shelf to avoid clutter. The observer’s focus needs to fix on one group or shelf at a time, and not be drawn a dozen directions at once.
Turn things the same way and unify them by silhouette, for example teapots with spouts, pitchers and cups with handles

BOOKSHELVES
Remove the paper jackets and group hardbacks according to color and size.
A hodgepodge is confusing to the eye, where blocks of color and size keep the eye focused.
Paperbacks are less attractive and should be kept in another room or discreetly hidden in baskets.

CHINA CABINETS
Cardinal rule: Open shelving and china cabinets are for display, not storage.
Jam-packed cabinets lack a focal point.
You should be calling attention to the most attractive items.

1 adhere to a theme or color palette
2 use balance, but don’t be predictable
3 use a platter, soup tureen, or pitcher as a focal points (your anchors)
4 stacks and rows are more restful to the eye
5 stacking teacups on saucers rather than on each other maintains neat lines

Consider the backgrounds for your displays. If the inside of your china hutch is dark, paint it white or a pale color. If your display items are white, paint your shelves black or red.
Two colors with a strong contrast will make your collection pop.
The same principle applies to shiny verses matte finishes.

CURIO CABINETS
Curio cabinets can become a jumble. Create small bleacher-like steps with several layers for your displays. Make your own with painted or stained wood or fabric-covered cardboard. Choose a color that blends in with the cabinet.
You can use cup hooks on the underside of shelves to hang small treasures.
Small boxes can become shadow boxes. Heart-shaped candy boxes will hold miniatures or use picture frames or flat items like Valentines, stamps, paper fans or handkerchiefs.
There are also memory boxes to hold three dimensional displays.

TABLESCAPES
Think of tables as pedestals. They can be casual or formal, whatever your style.
The same rules apply when displaying objects on a table, dresser or cabinet top. The bigger & heavier the table, the bolder the objects should be.
Have a theme in mind. Use one or two recurring colors.
Have a focal point.
Start with large objects like lamps and statuary and work to smaller. Think of a physical landscape with mountain peaks and smaller hills at the outer edges.
A live or silk plant is always a great addition for color and atmosphere.
Plants add warmth and hominess.
Lighting is as important as the items you’re displaying.
A table lamp with a three way bulb can add the sparkle you want.

A tray can be a tabletop, too, and you would arrange it the same. It’s actually a frame of sorts. The benefit is, it’s portable.
Remember that what you set on a coffee table must be able to withstand admirers and everyday traffic.

Change displays as often as you like, seasonally, or as the whim strikes. You can move the things you love from room to room to create variety. It’s always a good idea to pack away collections you’re not displaying and then bring them out another time. They’ll be new all over again, and you won’t get tired of them. Keep a collection flexible by changing out part and rearranging.

PICTURE FRAMES
Either on the wall, tabletop or shelf, unify by single material, color, shape, texture or size.

MANTLES
Mantels used to be where the family displayed their crests, sabers and hunting trophies and this area often signified the family’s status. Today mantles are less formal, less symmetrical. It’s more about what you like than in adhering to design rules.

The mantle is a good place for more fragile, extraordinary or expensive things, because there’s less traffic. A mirror, clock, painting, flag or quilt is a good anchor. You should have a unifying element. It’s good to remember that a mantle is the bottom part of a picture frame. What flanks the mantle is equally important as what’s on it. Remember to tie in the items on your hearth and the adjoining wall.

MIRRORS & LIGHTING
Use mirrors. Place them flat and set items on top or hang them and reflect your room or your collection. Glass and bottles are best displayed in front of a window or with backlighting. Consider rope lights above or below shelves for effect.

Some collections are kept hidden away: Jewelry, watches, coins. If you want to take your jewelry out of the drawer it can be displayed as curtain tiebacks or in a glass dish.

If you collect something valuable and want to make sure you’re buying the real deal when you’re at a fleamarket, study up. Buying guides, websites and books will help you know your stuff.
Not everything has to be perfect. If you love it, it’s beautiful. Chips and dings can add character. Mismatched teacups or plates are delightful additions to a shelf.
If you love a particular textile or texture, you can purchase imperfect pieces and use them as mats for frames, throw pillows, tiebacks.

FLEAMARKET & GARAGE SALE TIPS
So much stuff can be overwhelming. Make one quick sweep to skim, then start over and spend time looking over the things you collect. Just seeing booths at an antique mall will give you ideas on how to display. Ask questions about the items and always ask for their best price. It’s usually 10% off, so don’t insult them by asking them to take less.
Garage sales don’t adhere to that rule. If they want to get rid of their junk, they’ll go lower.

CARE
Learn how to care for things like vintage linens, wood, glass & ceramics, brass, copper & silver, because moth and rust will destroy our earthly treasures.

If you like to collect marbles, shells, twigs etc., find creative uses for them by trimming lampshades, picture frames, by making wreathes or by filling clear glass lamp bases.

Many collectables are useful, for example: pots & planters, dishes, linens & silverware.

Nearly everyone collects something for Christmas, from snowmen, Santas and angels to glass tree toppers and Shiny Brite ornaments, there’s something for everyone at Christmastime. It’s a good idea to store like items or combinations together for easy retrieval and use. It’s fun to display a Christmas themed collection year round, if it suits you.

It’s been said that a collector is a curious, passionate person, and the more passionate one is, the greater is the collection. I remind my husband of this when he calls my collecting obsessive.

New feature!

Please notice the cluster map at the bottom of this page, which WDMCuz was kind and smart enough to figure out how to add for me. Thanks, Cuz! This is so cool! I never imagined there were so many hits - and international visitors - in just one day! It's going to be fun to see where people are visiting from. (Wish they were all posting.)

By clicking on the map you can enlarge it to get a better look.

By Request

Okay. What I did on the 4th. My hubby and I had an opportunity to go salvage at an abandoned farm. The house was off limits because it will be moved, but the yards and barn and outbuildings were fair game. We removed and took home half barn doors (not the big rolling kind). They are so cool. Not sure what we'll do with them, but the possibilities are endless for nuts such as we. We found all the old woodwork taken from the house during a remodel stored in the rafters in the wash house. And we dug up plants. I even found a patch of foxglove. It's so pretty, and did great in the transplant. We used big galvanized tubs to bring all the plants home, including mature day and tiger lilies. I'm sure our neighbors think we're the Beverly Hillbillies every time they see the old truck pull up full of bricks, wood, fencing, etc.. We just love the cottage garden look.

The rest of the day was spent finding places to store wood and doors and getting the flowers in the ground. We were able to fill out some of our beds. They're almost all filled with perennials now. The ground has been worked and is in excellent condition. So nice to work in. Next Spring will be a snap to just rearrange a few things and add here and there, add a few annuals for summer color.

Boy were we pooped at the end of the day.

so...is anyone going to the movies on Friday?

Streeeeeeeeeetching

Stretching keeps us from growing bored with ourselves and prevents from our writing from growing stagnant--both with words on paper and in our attitudes toward those words.

The thing that occurred to me this past week was how easy it is to fall back into what we've always done. It takes a determined effort to change. Have you ever gone to the salon for a makeover - a new do - and you get a cut and style and you feel like a whole new person? How fun and refreshing is that? But then -- you have to wash and fix your own hair the next day - and it ends up looking the same way it always does. Why is that? Because you went right back to fixing it the same way you always did, instead of changing up. You probably needed a new product, a different curling iron - or a changed method.

We do the same thing when we're critiqued by someone and want to employ the technique they suggested or when we hear a fabulous workshop or a market tidbit. We have great intentions, but we don't change tools - we go right back to the way we did it before.

In order to implement recent changes, I made myself simple bulleted lists (I love bulleted lists!) and printed out one to hang over my PC and one for the front page of my project binder. That way each time I sit down to work I look at the list and remind myself of the scope I want to achieve with this project.

As for Independence Day: we declined invitations and hints to invite ... and salvaged an abandoned farm for barn doors and garden plants. Our finds took two pickup loads, and then we spent the rest of the day planting and finding places to store stuff. In the PM some of our kids brought food and grilled for us, then we watched the local fireworks displays. I think our neighbors are in the fireworks business. Everyone up and down our block sets out their lawn chairs to watch. This is the third year they've done it since we've been here, and we haven't been disappointed yet.

Who is on your Keeper Shelves?

Is there enough web space for this topic? LOL

These are the authors on my keeper shelves. How many do we share?

LaVyrle Spencer
Lisa Gregory/Candace Camp/Kristin James
Theresa Weir/Anne Frasier
Janet Evanovich
Kristin Hannah
Jude Devereaux
Megan Chance
Catherine Anderson
Laura Kinsale
Linda Howard
Pam Crooks
Susan Fox
Holly Jakobs
Pamela Morsi
Maureen McKade
Jill Marie Landis
Maggie Osborne
Alexis Harrington
Sharon Sala
Laura Lee Ghurke
Eloisa James
Penelope Williamson
Linda Castle
Paula Detmer Riggs
Emile Richards
Cheryl Reavis
Curtis Ann Matlock
Robyn Carr
Jane Goodger
Rachel Nelson
Stephen King
Dean Koontz
Erin St.Claire (old Sandra Brown)
Suzanna Davis

series I collect on shelves:
Montana Mavericks (I have them ALL!)
Logan's Legacy
Ann of Greene Gables
Stephanie Plum (Janet Evanovich)
Sons & Daughters
Delta Jutice
Born in the USA

and there's a Paula Detmer Riggs series I'm going to be looking for--
Maternity Row?

Broken Trail

Broken Trail - The Official Website
http://brokentrail.amctv.com/

There's quite a buzz about the new AMC movie, a western which I MISSED! The encore presentation is July 6th, so I won't miss it then. I've already downloaded my gorgeous wallpaper.

Wallpaper

This is my current wallpaper. I can just sit and gaze at this house with the fence and cozy-looking porch. Isn't it welcoming?

What does your TBR pile look like?

I just read a couple of books. I read Blackberry Winter, a Next by Cheryl Reavis and Blind Curve by Annie Solomon. It's a joke to read only one or two books when I assess the pile beside my bed and another on a shelf in my office--all to be read. Like a drop in the proverbial bucket. Only my bucket is more like an ocean. I have the best intentions. I used to have an entire tall video cabinet full of TBR books as well as boxes stashed in a closet. I have improved greatly over that situation. I always think I'll have more time to read--when summer gets here, when this book is finished....

When I am old, I will read all those books, but I won't wear purple.

Oh, Johnny, oh!

Is anyone besides me counting the days until this one is out??

German Reprint

Here's the German edition of Million-Dollar Makeover. I love foreign sales. My books are printed and released all over the world without any extra work on my part--how cool is that? Sometimes I question the covers. Stock photos? The heroine in this story has a pair of Golden Retrievers. Maybe if you squint and hold the book at a certain angle....

me and my darlin's

taken the day of my dad's birthday party

Tuesday

I haven't posted for a few days. My dad passed away last Wednesday, so things have been a little busy around here. We just celebrated his 84th birthday a week ago, and a few days later he was gone. The hospice caregivers said that often happens after a birthday or Christmas when the person has seen all their family. It's like that releases them to go.



Here's a picture of him as a young man many many years ago, and a picture taken on his birthday. With him is one grandchild and the rest are great-grandchildren. We made a DVD slide show for the funeral service and the music was Glen Miller's In The Mood. Dad played drums in supper club orchestras for years in his younger days.

Winner of ARE YOU AFRAID?

It's Friday! The name drawn from the fishbowl is JENNIFER Y.

Congratulations, Jennifer! Please send me your address at SaintJohn@aol.com and I'll mail the book out to you.

Have a great weekend.

another Carol -- welcome!

Carol T visited for the first time. She asked what my family thinks about my collecting. Well, Carol....

My husband has developed an appreciation for some of the things I collect and has a few quirks of his own. He loves old things in the garden; he has an old push mower and a rusty tricycle, birdhouses and wagons, etc..

My children are used to me. They rarely ADD to my collections. A couple of them appreciate heirlooms, and I have pointed all of those out as well as which items are valuable. I have most heirlooms marked with the source, so they will know what came from whom. Also things that were gifts, I've dated and marked where possible.

Daughters #1 and #2 are minimalists. Their homes are decorated beautifully, but with no extras. When they're finished with a look or a color, out go those accessories and they change decor. My son has a few collections, like presidential campaign buttons and coins. He's into aquariums -- has at least have a dozen that are really huge and beautiful. My daughter-in-law likes things plain and simple. Last time I moved, it was in the middle of a deadline, and I didn't have time to paint much or unpack things, and I was getting depressed without color or my things around me. She liked the look--thought it was calming.

Our youngest daughter used to collect quite a bit herself. When she was small she always latched onto everything the older girls were getting rid of. During her last move she thinned out her books and her bunnies and got rid of her wolves.

One of my grandsons, Adam is a postcard collector in a BIG way. It started as a school project in first grade. Just this past school year a friend of mine (writer Barb Andrews/Jennifer Drew) who collects postcards and writes an article for the Antique Trader put a picture of my two grandsons in the magazine along with their school address. The boys got boxes and envelopes of postcards, some vintage and very collectible from collectors all over! It was amazing. Some people are still sending them postcards. Adam keeps his first ones in an album, but actually likes to have the rest all loose in shoeboxes so he can look through and sort. He spends hours pouring over them. He especially likes bridges. I have a picture somewhere.

Our kids really don't like it when we move, so we try not to do that often. LOL We have some good friends who helped us move last time, and not long after, we were having a discussion about our funerals. You know how you get on a weird subject? We are all on the same worship team and flow well together. I told them I wanted a praise service with singing and dancing. My friend Carla said she'd play the keyboard for the service, but she wouldn't help my kids move my stuff again!! Too funny.

Most people who see our home are interested in looking at everything. The women always say, "I wouldn't want to dust it." LOL

Monday, Monday

Anyone remember the Mamas and the Papas? We have a radio station that plays all 50s, 60s and 70s music, and it's my channel of choice.

We had a birthday party for my 84 year-old dad yesterday. He is in a care facility which has a very nice community room we reserved for the day. There is a lovely large park area right out back, so there was plenty of room for the kids to play. My brother's 10 year-old daughter and 6 year-old grandson were there, too, so there were 11 kids. (I can't really count my oldest granddaughter as a "kid" anymore, because she's sixteen, but she's one of "my kids.") I will have pictures to post after I meet #2 daughter at the Kodak machine. She's the one with the great camera.

I cheat every other Sunday, so I ate chips and sandwiches and TWO PIECES of chocolate cake! I ordered the cake from Walmart because it was on the way and convenient to pick up on a Sunday: 1/2 white, 1/2 chocolate with buttercreme icing, and do they ever make a great cake! I usually order from Target or HyVee, but I think I have a new favorite bakery. I have a favorite HyVee where the decorators will put anything I want on a cake and are quite talented, so I've always used that one for showers and special events.

I know some of you don't shop at Walmart on principle, so please don't throw rocks. Cookies maybe?

I had the idea of popping off the worn-off keys from my keyboard and switching them out for the ones off another one, but they didn't snap on the same way. Darn. I switched out my keyboard to the last one I used before I got a new PC, because the letters were finally all gone, but this one doesn't have the light touch I like. My fingernails click on the keys too much. Are we spoiled and picky people, or what? LOL I guess I'm going to break down and go keyboard shopping. I'll ask for the 30,000 mile warranty on letters.

some of my darlin's

For Mother's Day, the only thing my #2 daughter wanted was for her kids to put on the shirts she bought them and pose for pictures.

This is my favorite.

more of my collections

Hopefully, you'll be able to see some of my roosters and spice tins, etc.. This is one corner of my kitchen.

Free Stuff

http://walmart.triaddigital.com/Free-Samples.aspx

Since you guys like free stuff so much, here's the link to Walmart's samples. Order before they run out.

Visit the Hussies

http://historicalauthors.home.att.net

This is the hub site where you can find all the Harlequin Historical authors in one place. We call ourselves The Hussies. Some authors have posted pictures of their workspaces, and that's fun to see. There's also a recipe collection, called DEADLINE DELIGHTS, and you can try some of the quick and yummy dishes we cook up when we're in the middle of a plot breakthrough or experiencing deadline dimensia.

these are a few of my favorite things....

Order a free bracelet - $1 will be donated to cancer research

http://www.maketheconnection.org/
https://www.maketheconnection.org/order_beadkit/default.asp

Order a free bracelet kit and $1 is donated to cancer research.
It's easy. Just fill in the form, and they send you your bead kit.

Visit this website for a free bracelet kit - $1 donated to research

http://www.maketheconnection.org/
https://www.maketheconnection.org/order_beadkit/default.asp

Order a free bracelet kit and $1 is donated to cancer research.
It's easy. Just fill out the form, and they mail the bracelet kit to you.

NEW CONTEST! Are You Afraid?

Thought it was time to liven up things with a new contest.
Each comment here between now and next Friday is one entry.
The winner drawn from the fish bowl receives an autographed copy of Carla Cassidy's book: ARE YOU AFRAID?

Cool huh?

more stuff

These are shelves my hubby made me over the stairs headng from my kitchen down to the family room. This was before I added more stuff, but you get the idea.

Here's the postcard Mel sent me from Florida

Thanks, Mel!

Guess who's a whole size smaller? Yep!

After an exhausting day of yard work on Saturday, I decided to take a Sunday afternoon trip to the mall. I spent a couple of hours just going through the stores trying on clothes in a smaller size! That made the past few weeks all worthwhile. And then I realized that one size just wasn't good enough -- I chose not to buy anything until I drop one more size. Then I'll knock myself out! So I bought a purse, a charm, a pair of pale yellow and lavender jammies and some fuzzy soft slipper socks to match. I had a J.C. Penny $10 off coupon and some 20% off Younkers coupons. Those get me every time. I always find the best purses at Penny's. Did I mention I live right by a gigantic mall AND a new shopping center?

So anyhoo, the front is finished except for the stairs. (that one itty bitty thing) I transplanted and planted and mulched and mulched and mulched some more. Then it rained last night, so the timing was perfect. Today I fertilized my roses.

My hubby built an arbor/trellis for the cucumbers to grow up and over. It's really cool. We keep saying that we'll be able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labors soon. Maybe we keep saying it because we're not convinced. LOL

Summer Freedom

I'm enjoying the freedom from the regular TV shows. What does that tell me? I deliberately didn't choose any summer shows to get involved in, and don't care what they're showing. Lately I've even been missing the news because we're not letting any daylight hours go to waste.

Some friends stopped by last night so the guy could help my hubby figure out supplies he needs to build the front stairs, and she told me my front yard could be a magazine picture! Whoo hoo! We're getting there!

Next year will be even better after all the new perennials are established. I made it a point to plant no annuals except seeds I collected last year. I did a lot of flowering bushes and am doing climbers now. We're going for a cottage garden look with fences and arbors and vignettes. (Some of those fences still need to be built.)

One gardening book I was reading the other day said not to get overwhelmed trying to do everything in one season, because it's impossible, and that is so true. Truly established and beautiful gardens take years to establish. I'm just such an impatient person.