MALE ON MONDAY: GARRETT HEDLUND

Elle Kennedy brings Garrett Hedlund to the Male On Monday party... and she's got a giveaway too!



Oh, Garrett Hedlund. Where do I begin? His chiseled good looks? The smoking hot body? His talent as an actor?


No.

For me, it's his voice. If you've seen Country Strong (and if you haven't, you really must) you probably know what I'm talking about. He can carry a tune like nobody's business. And that deep, sexy voice....LORD.

I have never heard anything like it.

And, okay, the looks don't hurt. I mean, I always thought he was a good looking guy, but it wasn't until I heard him sing that I really swooned.

What is it about a man with a guitar?


Clearly, he likes the beach.

And the beach likes him.

A lot.


Even in these ridiculous leopard pants, I still find him attractive.

You might also know the 27 year old actor from movies such as Troy, Four Brothers or Tron. That's right. He's versatile too. You'll also be able to catch him in the upcoming film, On the Road.

Tall, rugged, handsome, talented, with a voice that makes you weak-in-the-knees. That's Garrett Hedlund. And that's why I've selected him for this week's Male on Monday.


So tell me what you think of Mr. Hedlund and you'll be entered in a draw to win a copy of my latest book, Missing Mother-To-Be!

WILDCARD WEEKEND: Susan Meier

Susan Meier joins the Pink Heart Society with a reminder to count our blessings...

Wildcard weekend! That means I can blog about anything I want to.

Oh, the power…the freedom!

Truth be told, I feel really silly this morning. Almost giddy. My husband and sons are totally remodeling my kitchen. Yes, there are parts I have to do…like stain the cupboards, since getting them unpainted was how we got them so cheaply. But for the most part I’m a spectator to this spectacle. And sometimes I won’t even spectate. I’ll be at Starbucks, in the peace and quiet of a small city coffee shop, writing…but I digress.

I lost a friend this year to cancer. I’ve seen my kids struggle with keeping their jobs in a bad economy. My book sales have gone down, due in part, I believe to e-sales, which don’t net an author as much money as print sales. Several aunts and uncles died -- several. I gained even more post menopausal weight. My disabled son continues to have small seizures. My sister’s mother-in-law is dying. I’m about two years behind in my to-be-read pile. My retired husband is now frequently under foot.

Still, I’m giddy over a new kitchen.

Why? Because sometimes you have to find something to be giddy about.

The Bible says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” I couldn’t agree more. Norman Cousins did experiments a few decades ago, before anybody started talking about the connection between positive attitudes and health and well being, and he more or less proved that out.

Plus, sulking, worrying, and in general being miserable never helps.

But sometimes a good attitude does. Once when one of my writing friends was chosen over me for a very specific assignment for a publisher, I emailed and congratulated them on their good choice, and was assigned the next opening in the series.

Double plus, I volunteer at the local hospice and I see things that sometimes make me stop and thank God that my life is as simple as it is. My family has never stood at the foot of the bed of a thirty-something niece, weeping as she dies from breast cancer. We’ve never suffered the loss of one of our children. In 28 nieces and nephews, we’ve never gotten the call that one of them was in a fatal accident. We are well and truly blessed.

And I think that’s the real bottom line to joy. The understanding that no matter what your situation, you are blessed.

My husband loves me and I love him.

I have children I love and who love me.

I have a roof over my head…and soon a new kitchen. LOL

My huntress/warrior cat is a hoot and a half.

I have talent.

I have opportunities. Especially with the new rules of the road in publishing!

One of the things I miss most about my friend, Denise, who died this summer, is the reminder that she gave me at least weekly that no matter how poor we were or how much we struggled to stay published in an industry that was changing every day…we were blessed.

Being average, or ordinary, she would tell me, was a blessing because we didn’t have to worry that anybody would marry us/befriend us only for our money. Being average was a blessing because we had only the responsibilities in front of us. We weren’t in charge of the world. (Thank God!) And being average meant we had time to stop and smell the roses, to get to know our kids, to care for our neighbors.

So, today, if you’re average, count your blessings.

And that sort of takes me to the book I have out at the end of the month, KISSES ON HER CHRISTMAS LIST. The heroine, Shannon Raleigh, was dumped by her husband when it was discovered she couldn’t have kids. In her darkest hour, the man she always believed she could count on left her. Now, this was a woman who deserved to be depressed and feel sorry for herself. Instead, she pulled herself together and went on.

So when Rory Wallace and his daughter are stranded in a winter storm and forced to spend a weekend with her, she doesn’t wallow in self-pity that fate has put a child in front of her, almost taunting her with what she can’t have. She decides to use the weekend to see if she has what it takes to adopt, and be a single mom.

Shannon is a wonderful uplifting person, just what divorced and desperate single dad Rory needs. He doesn’t expect that they’ll fall in love. In fact, after his bitter divorce, he doesn’t want to

fall in love. But he can’t deny that he needs help with his daughter Finley.

With the backdrop of a small city department store at Christmas, little-girl high jinx and two people reluctantly drawn into a relationship that could be their salvation or their greatest heartbreak, KISSES ON HER CHRISTMAS LIST quickly turned itself into one of my favorite books to write!

If you’re looking for something warm and fuzzy, reading about Shannon Raleigh and Rory Wallace should really put you in the mood for hot cocoa and Christmas carols!

But it should also remind you to count your blessings!

So what about you? Is there something in your life that has you particularly grateful this year? Was there something that made you giddy with joy…Maybe even something you forgot about?

I’d love to hear!

A one-time legal secretary and director of a charitable foundation, Susan Meier found her bliss when she became a full-time novelist for Harlequin. She’s visited ski lodges and candy factories for “research” and works in her pajamas.

But the real joy of her job is creating stories about women for women. In her 47 published novels, she tackles issues like infertility, losing a child and becoming widowed, and works through them with her characters.

This year she had a series out in April, May and June, The Baby Project, Second Chance Baby and Baby on the Ranch. Her Christmas book, Kisses on Her Christmas List, will be released in November.

Her popular website susanmeier.com has recipes, workshops for writers and short stories featuring the characters in previous books.

Fill the Well Friday: Meet With Like-Minded People

Michelle Styles explains about one of the great ways to refill the well -- meeting like minded people.

Writing is a solitary business. Often it is you and the blank computer screen. It is easy to forget that there are thousands of other writers -- some published and others unpublished out there. Many of whom suffer from the same doubt demons and nagging little voices.
If you are published or unpublished, one of the great ways to connect is through the various professional organisations such as the Romance Writers of America, Romantic Novelists Association or Romance Writers of Australia. There are often local chapters and online groups where published and unpublished authors meet. However, nothing quite beats face to face time.
For that, the professional organisations do run various conferences. Last summer I was lucky enough to go to the RWA National Conference which was held in New York. I went somewhat jaded and returned brimming with ideas.
However, one of my favourite author meetings is the annual Association of Mills and Boon Author Lunch and Toast to Authors that was held last Friday. Every year, authors who are edited out of London get together to chat, listen to senior management talk and generally socialise. It is one of the few times that I get to be a glamorous author instead of a mother in sweats writing.
The first time I went, I had recently sold and suddenly I was in this room with real live editors and authors whose books I had loved for years. And I was late. Luckily, Harlequin authors are some of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet and everyone was very kind. My senior editor took another author and me out for a cup of tea after the lunch and we just talked.
This year, in between the lunch and the toast, I had the great pleasure of taking tea with Kate Hardy, Caroline Anderson, and new medical author Annie Claydon. Light bulbs kept clicking in my head.
The photo is courtesy of Kate Hardy and is from the Author's Toast.

There is something about talking to an author who gets what you do for a living (or would like to do for living), who understands about characters who won't cooperate or how you thought things were on the page but obviously weren't because your editor has just sent several long thoughts through...
I always come back from these things tired but utterly raring to go on whatever project I happen to be working on.
The big news from Harlequin continues to be the Digital Revolution.  Harlequin with more than 14,000 ebooks is one of the world's largest publisher of ebooks. But the thing you have to get your head around is that eboo

ks is just another distribution channel, another way of reading the great content that Harlequin provides. Harlequin are determined to be available -- wherever, whenever and however a reader wants to read the books.  And as an author it is great to know that my publisher is investing in research and development for whatever new device happens along.

So if you are feeling a bit jaded, make some time for having a face to face with another author. You come away refreshed. I know I did!

Michelle Styles writes warm, witty and intimate historical romance for Harlequin Historical. Her latest To Marry A Matchmaker was out in the UK in July 2011. Her next book will be out in the UK and the US in August 2012. You can read more about Michelle's books on her website www.michellestyles.co.uk.

Talk Time with ...Lynne Raye Harris

Lynne Raye Harris Explains about The Notorious Wolfes – a Family Saga

Last year, I was asked to participate in my first ever continuity – this is when the editors brainstorm a series of books with an overarching theme and then pick the authors to write the individual stories. The Notorious Wolfes are a family of seven brothers and one sister. They are each damaged in some way, scarred by a father who was indifferent, cruel, and physically violent. They haven’t really been a family in years, so when the eldest brother returns home and decides to repair the family estate and their damaged relationships, he’s bound to meet some resistance.

You can’t fix what’s wrong overnight, that’s for sure. Each book in the series tells the story of a different brother (and the sister). Family secrets are revealed—and family relationships are, eventually, healed.

I love family sagas. I always have, from way back when I first read THE THORNBIRDS as an impressionable teen. Talk about drama and angst! That’s a story that had it all. The Wolfes have it too, but unlike the sad tale of Meggie Cleary and Father Ralph, these stories have their happy endings.

My story, out this month, is THE MAN WITH THE MONEY. Jack Wolfe is the man with the money. He’s a loner, a financial whiz kid, and a man who refuses to let anyone inside the life he’s constructed for himself. Jack is empty and he doesn’t know how to fill the emptiness.

Until a chance high-stakes card game lands Cara Taylor in his lap. Cara is strong, independent, and determined to help her family through the financial difficulty they are still suffering after Hurricane Katrina.

When Jack and Cara are forced to flee across Europe together, the sparks fly. And when they finally reach London, where their adventure is supposed to end, they can’t quite end it just yet.

If you love family sagas, the Notorious Wolfes is for you! And if you love a romance full of drama, emotion, and sizzling passion, then THE MAN WITH THE MONEY will fill that bill!

RT Book Reviews gave the book 4 Stars and said the story has “intense emotional turmoil, a tortured hero and toe-curling intimate encounters.”

I hope you enjoy!

Jack…Red-Hot. Renegade. Restless.

Notorious gambler Jack no longer gets a buzz from the risks he takes at the card table. In fact it bores him. Until one night he wins more than he ever bargained for…

His prize is stunning Cara Taylor – she might be down on her luck but she certainly doesn’t need rescuing by a card-shark like Jack! Now she’s stuck with him she doesn’t know whether to love him or loathe him.

For more information, including an excerpt, please visit my website at this link: http://www.lynnrayeharris.com/books/the-man-with-the-money/

***

Lynn Raye Harris is a USA Today bestselling author who writes glamorous, sexy romance for Harlequin Presents. You can learn more about Lynn and her books at http://www.lynnrayeharris.com/. You can also follow Lynn on Twitter @LynnRayeHarris or visit her author page on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/AuthorLynnRayeHarris

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Gail Barrett

Harlequin Romantic Suspense author Gail Barrett steps into the spotlight...and she's got a giveaway too!


Author bio
Award-winning and Rita-finaling author Gail Barrett is thrilled to announce the launch of her new Stealth Knights miniseries about semi-reformed bad boys who work for the greater good. The first book in the series, HIGH-RISK REUNION, is out now with Harlequin Romantic Suspense. The second book, HIGH-STAKES AFFAIR, will be out in March 2012. For more information visit her website: www.gailbarrett.com.

Tell us a little about your latest story? What inspired it?
HIGH-RISK REUNION is the first book in my new Stealth Knights miniseries. I wanted to do something different with this series and write about unconventional heroes, not the typical soldiers or warriors, but rather men who work under the radar, slightly shady characters who use their less-than-legal skills to do something good. These are reluctant heroes with honorable hearts.

Gail you've definitely got my attention now. I love those unconventional heroes with just hint of bad boy. Let's have a look at the blurb.

Redemption is but a step away for reformed jewel thief Rafael Navarro. The price? One last, dangerous heist. But when things turn deadly and an innocent is accused, his only way out is to trust the woman who once betrayed him.

Eons ago, heiress Gabrielle Ferrer had broken Rafael’s heart to save his life. Now that her covert quest for revenge against a ruthless criminal has taken a lethal turn, they are forced to work together to clear their names of murder. Old attractions and new desires flare -- yet the secrets of their dark pasts may lead to a fatal future...
Stealth Knights: Powerful, passionate heroes with their own code of law.

What’s in your TBR pile and why?
My TBR pile is wildly out of control. I have stacks of books piled on the floor and dresser beside my bed. Some are classics I want to reread (Jane Austen, Daphne du Maurier). Others are non-fiction books I’m reading for research. In addition, I have a more than a dozen Nora Robert books I need to catch up on, the current releases by my fellow HRS authors, and scads of other books I’ve picked up at conferences and book swaps.

When the writing is done, how do you kick back to relax?
Strangely enough, the first thing I do is clean the house. While I’m in the last stages of a book and my deadline is looming, I’ve generally stopped doing anything except writing, so once it’s done I go on a cleaning binge. That helps clear my head and gets me ready to tackle the next book.

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
When I was researching TO PROTECT A PRINCESS I spent a week working as a translator for some medical missionaries in the high mountain villages of Peru. Even though I had a bad case of altitude sickness, it was an amazing, life-changing experience. It really jolted me out of my comfort zone and made me appreciate the luxuries I have in my life.

Describe your perfect romantic evening?
My ideal romantic evening would be sitting at an outdoor café in a medieval village in Spain with my husband, eating tapas and drinking wine.

Was there a defining moment when you decided to pursue writing as a career?
I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but as the years wore on I was always too busy earning a living and raising my children to do much about pursuing that goal. Then one day I started reading a young adult novel I’d selected for the middle school class I was teaching. The book was so powerful and so beautifully written that it reminded me of why I wanted to write. I decided right then that if I was ever going to do it, I couldn’t keep putting it off. So I buckled down and got to work.

When pursuing that first sale, what line did you target?
When I finally got serious about writing, the first thing I did was analyze what I liked to read. I realized I liked the romantic elements in books as well as the mysteries, so I started reading romantic suspense novels to see where I might find my niche. Fate led me to my first Silhouette Intimate Moments book, and I was hooked.

Plot or Pants?
I’m definitely a plotter. I don’t have to know every detail, but I need to know who my characters are, what they are going to learn, and what will pull them apart before I can begin to write.

What’s the best piece of advice you have to offer to an aspiring author?
Persevere. There are always reasons to stop writing. To succeed in this business you have to want it desperately, and you have to keep plugging along despite the obstacles that come your way.

How would you describe what writing is to you? (Habit, hobby, outlet, obsession, sanity savor…?)
Writing is more than an obsession with me; it’s who I am. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do. Even if I never sold another book, I would continue to write. It’s just too much a part of me to give it up.

Gail, thank you so much for joining us today!

Gail will be giving away a copy of HIGH-RISK REUNION to one lucky commenter, so don't forget to say hello! (US only, winner will be announced in comments of this post)

Contact information:
Email: gail@gailbarrett.com
Website: www.gailbarrett.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gail-Barrett-Fan-Page/125454837470067
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/GailEBarrett

Deadline Recipes :: Conference Chicken

At every conference there is one dish that everyone laughs at -- conference chicken! The Pink Heart Society editor Jenna Bayley-Burke is back from The Emerald City Writers Conference to talk about...food!

It's impossible to make everyone happy all the time, and so conference chicken was invented. It takes many forms, but it's something you can count on. Kind of like frizzy hair in humidity. At a conference there will always be chicken, otherwise, how would we break the ice with the strangers at the table?


It's simple enough...chicken, a starch, and overcooked vegetables. Kind of like you made for your second dinner party (after learning a lesson from the lasagna soup that was supposed to be a casserole).

You can't judge a conference by it's conference chicken, but it does give you something to chat up your tablemates about. Is this chicken better than the conference chicken at Nationals? Everyone has an opinion.
There are two rules for conference chicken -- it must be chicken breast and you must overcook the vegetables. After that...the world is wide open.
In fact, after a conference I am always inspired to serve conference chicken for dinner. I think the key is to make dinner an hour ahead and hold it in the over until the chicken is dry.

I have all these opinions...and then a conference throws a monkeywrench in my expertise. What if you don't serve conference chicken in the usual way? What if it's a cobb salad? Well darn, that's just tasty!

Conference Cobb Salad
Mesculn
carrot, shredded
avocado
bacon, crumbled
blue cheese, crumbled
grilled chicken breast
sherry herb vinaigrette (sherry vinegar, olice oil, parsley, pepper, salt, thyme)

On a bed of mesculn, compose the other elements of the salad. Dress before serving.

Jenna's juggling soccer practice, taikwondo, Cub Scouts, chess club, ballet, and oh yeah...writing. She's starting NaNoWriMo, which brings on another fun adventure. In the meantime, be sure to check out her latest. Private Scandal is ripe with secrets, sass, and sensational sex. Keep up with Jenna's spin on things on her website & blog