St. Patrick's Day Party On the Ninth

Erin Go Braugh, y’all! Here at Nine Naughty Novelists, we’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day a bit early as part of out monthly Party On the Ninth. We’ve got books to give away and leprechauns to chase. And a few hunky Irishmen (and one Irish American) to stir your souls. So let the games begin!
Our March prize is a choice between a couple of Irish-themed books from two of the Naughty Nine: P.G. Forte’s Iron and Kelly Jamieson’s Irish Sex Fairy (love that title!). To enter, just give us a comment—tell us what you’d do with the leprechan swag or tell us your favorite Irish actor or just tell us you love us since we love to hear from you.
Our question for this month? What three things would you do or buy if a leprechaun gave you his pot of gold. And leading us off--
Erin Nicholas
With my pot of gold I’d buy
1. A beach house in the virgin islands!
2. Six months living and touring in Europe with my family
3. A shopping spree for my kids a the toy store!!
Kelly Jamieson
Leprechaun’s are great practical jokers, so I’d be worried that it’s not real gold. What do you think a pot of gold is worth these days? Would it be enough to rebuild Haiti and help the people in Chile? Probably not huh? Would it be enough for me to quit my day job and write full time? No? Then I guess I would buy shoes. Like these ones. These shoes would make me happy.

Kinsey Holley
With my pot of gold I’d
1. Buy land on a lake and build a compound for my family, my sister's family, and my BIL/SIL's families (we're all connected).
2. Quit my job to travel/write.
3. Donate to various children's aid organizations.
Skylar Kade
A huge pot of gold, huh? Well, first there'd be a fight between the angel and demon on my shoulder. The angel would win Round 1, so I'd invest a third of it... and buy something awesome with the earnings. The next would inevitably go to the devil because she's vicious when it comes to revenge. Since she's been nagging me to buy one, I'd get a new TV system -- flat panel, HDTV, DVR, and a PS3 with all the Blue-Ray movies and games she could want. And, not that I wouldn't be happy with their choices, but I'd flick them off my shoulders and pick the last purchase without their nagging and fighting. And I think a vacation to the Caribbean is in store. White sand beaches, alcoholic drinks in frilly glasses served by shirtless men, and no work. Sounds like heaven.
Meg Benjamin
With my pot of gold I’d buy
1. A cruise around the world for the hubs and me, maybe with the kids joining us for Italy (younger son lived in Florence for several months).
2. The year’s budget for the Jefferson County Library System—hey these guys keep me supplied with books, the least I can do is supply them with gold!
3. A remodeled basement so I don’t feel like I’m in the subway whenever I use the treadmill.
PG Forte
A pot of gold...that's a difficult question to answer if you don't know the size. Leprechauns are pretty small, after all. But I'm guessing even a not-too-big pot should hold about 5000 ounces. At approximately $1000 an ounce, that'd be $500,000. Enough to indulge in my favorite fantasy--a private cruise for all my favorite author/friends and their fans (okay, maybe not all their fans, but a healthy chunk). Maybe toss in a handful of cover models, while we're at it. If there's anything left over after that, I think Kelly's got the right idea with the shoes. Shoes are always good. Or, you know, getting "the works" at the Calistoga Spa Hot Springs http://calistogaspa.com/spa (mud bath, mineral bath, steam bath, blanket wrap, full body massage and 'happy feet') that would do very nicely. That would make for a very happy Saint Patrick's Day...or any day, come to think of it.
Kate Davies
With my pot of gold I’d buy
1. A housekeeper!
2. Sponsor a big meet-up for all my online friends. I would love to hang out with everyone in real life, so I'd spring for the airfare and accommodations for a fun weekend getaway.
3. A personal assistant to handle the paperwork for my day job – no, wait, pay off all the bills so I can say goodbye to my day job and write full time!
D. McEntire
Ahhh, a pot of gold. With the price of gold these days that should bring in a pretty penny. The first thing I’d do is pay off all debts. The second thing I’d do is run like hell! Long lost relatives and those who claim to have touched the ground I’ve walked during my lifetime would come out of the woodwork with their hands out. Seriously, though. The second thing I’d do is what I’ve always dreamed of doing visiting Scotland. I just love the lilt. I could sit all day and listen. Wouldn’t matter the conversation. One time a man came to my place of employment for a presentation. Couldn’t tell you even a smidgen of what he talked about. I just listened to his voice. The last thing I would like to do is move. I enjoy living in the quiet, slow pace of the country, but worry about the future. Our land is mostly clear and needs bush hogging and mowing often. Hey, guess I’d have the means to pay someone to do it, wouldn’t I? But, then again I’d like a lot of wooded land. Horseback riding, ATV riding…ah…to dream. I’ve had my dream home in my head for quite awhile. It would be a total open floor plan, except for the bed and bathrooms, of course. There would be a second floor, totally open, with a balcony around the entire floor. Sky lights and lots of light. I’d put my office on the second floor at one end and have a game room up there and sitting areas.
*sigh* Hey, where is that little man in green, anyway?

Sydney Somers

With my pot of gold I would

1. Take a trip alone with my husband, some place warm and sunny. Sadly our last trip real together I was pregnant, suffering from morning sickness and had the flu as we drove the windy Cabot trail in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Not a great combination. LOL

2. New clothes would be a must. Being in mommy mode most of the time usually means that the last person I buy new clothes for is myself.

3. I'd say hire a housekeeper, but I'm going to assume it's a big-ass pot of gold so my husband could quit his job. Then HE could clean the house once and a while why I write. :)

No Pain, No Gain

I was talking the other day with a friend about our German soap opera and one of the couples on the show. They've been together now for about six months, which is eons in soap opera time, and there's stirrings of trouble on the horizon.

Some fans are complaining bitterly about it, saying that they'll stop watching if there is any conflict for these two. They have so much invested in the characters being together and happy that they won't be able to watch any drama or angst in their storyline.

But if that's the case, what's left for the characters to do? Snuggle on the couch and look cute together? Yawn. Play agony aunts for the characters who actually have something to do onscreen? Please.

The reason their couple status is so wonderful is because of the struggle they went through to get there. It was months of pain, misunderstandings, emotional turmoil, premature declarations of love, dealing with fallout from their past relationship, and miscommunication. They had to fight past all of that to earn their happy ending. But since I'd rather not have them leave the show (the only other option, after new conflict or background filler), I'm gearing up for another round. I'm trusting the actors, directors, and writers to do it right.

Because as much as I love to see this couple together and happy, I also want the actors to have a good, meaty storyline to sink their teeth into. And as much as we want relationships to be happy and stable in real life, in fiction, happy and stable is (shhh!) boring.

And honestly, that's one of the reasons I love romance. People who don't read the genre think that romance is all about the hearts and flowers and happy ever after, but what they don't get is that the best romances are nothing like that until the very end. It's the journey, the angst, the struggle, that makes the HEA worthwhile.

I'm there for the pain, baby.

The fact is, I love books that torture their characters. I love reading stories where I honestly can't see a way out of the conflict to the happy ending. I adore a storyline that makes the characters confront their inner demons, the insurmountable odds that stand in the way of making a relationship work. I want the h/h to fight for their happy ending. I want it to mean something.

And I'm not just talking about dark, painful, angsty romances. Even a good romantic comedy can dig into the characters' psyches and throw conflict in their path. If the conflict is too easily resolved, if the characters don't have to fight for their relationship, I feel a little cheated.

So what do you think? Do you read romance for the HEA, the journey to get there, or a combination of the two?

True love and flossing

I watched the Marriage Ref last night. It’s a new TV show on NBC. Anybody else see it? It definitely had some moments.

The premise is a couple who has a conflict comes to the Marriage Ref and presents their opposing sides. For instance, in one case the wife wanted to keep the formal dining room formal. She kept the tablecloth, china, silver, etc. set up in place year round. They only used the table at Thanksgiving. The husband wanted to use the table to play cards with his friends. She had a fit. So the “expert panel” (three celebrities—this week was Tina Fey, Eva Longoria Parker and Jerry Seinfeld, but apparently they change each week) discuss the issue, crack jokes and then vote for who should win the argument.

Okay, you didn’t all tune in here today to get a TV Guide version of my night (I watched The Office too in case you were wondering). But there was an interesting topic brought up. In this case, the wife liked to floss her teeth in bed and it grossed her husband out. He maintained that there should simply be some things that are always done in private. She argued that if you are close to someone (she even used the term soul mates) then you should share everything and nothing should gross you out.

Um, I vehemently disagree.

Love the husband. Don’t love watching him, say, spit toothpaste. I am on the side of the “let’s shut the door between us once in awhile” here. I don’t have to share every little thing with him.

I do not want to cuddle on the couch and watch his entire collection of The Shield, don’t want to jam out to The Best of Metallica, don’t want a big hug after he gets off the treadmill, and don’t want to see him clip his toenails. It goes both ways. I don’t want him to see me tweeze my eyebrows, do sit ups or watch me try on clothes.

We’re very happy. We’re just sometimes happy apart.

Which side are you on? Do you share absolutely everything? Does true love mean it’s okay to floss in bed?

Get to know the girls...

...the girls in our stories, that is! For the last few weeks, we've interviewed our heroes, but this week we're talking to the girls. First up:

Docia Kent Toleffson, Venus In Blue Jeans, by Meg Benjamin.




My DH, Cal, had his chance a couple of weeks ago, so now I get to give you my version. Revenge is sweet, Calthorpe!

1. Favorite way to escape after a hard day at work?


(Laughs) Go drinking with my husband! Seriously, we met at this really dumpy bar in downtown Konigsburg, Texas—the Dew Drop Inn. It’s so dumpy only locals go there, but you get to see your friends and, in my case, your lover. After a crappy day in the book trade, I love to grab a big table at the Dew Drop with Cal beside me and see who shows up. Most of my brothers-in-law drop by, usually with their wives who are also my friends. My friend Allie shows up with her fiancé Wonder Dentist. And my friend Morgan, who has the hots for my brother-in-law Erik. Believe me, Erik really needs somebody in his life. And after we have a few beers or glasses of wine, we can wander down the street to the best restaurant in town, Brenner’s, run by my friends Lee Contreras and Ken Crowder. Konigsburg, gotta love it!

2. What do you do for a living and how did you get into that?


I own Kent’s Hill Country Books in downtown Konigsburg and I run it with my friend (and sister-in-law) Janie Dupree Toleffson. How did I get into it? Well, I had this (ahem) bad experience with a jerky guy in Dallas, so I decided to get away from everything and move to the Texas Hill Country. I’ve always loved Konigsburg, and it was far enough away from my parents (in Dallas and San Antonio) that I figured they wouldn’t be intruding in my life. That hasn’t been entirely true, but they’ve stayed out of my business more than they used to. Of course, I had a few problems when a rare book dealer decided to hide some of his merchandise in my store without telling me, but thanks to Cal everything worked out okay.

3. What’s the first thing you noticed about Cal Toleffson?

Oh my, my, my—you mean besides the fact that he’s drop-dead gorgeous? Okay, his height. All the Toleffson brothers are over six feet. I’m six feet exactly and I’ve spent my life looked down at the top of guys’ heads when we danced. With Cal, even if I strap on three-inch heels, I can still look up to him, although four-inchers bring us closer to eye-to-eye. And, of course, the rest of him is in proportion. Oh my god, I can’t believe I said that!


Keara Callaghan from Irish Sex Fairy, by Kelly Jamieson:



1. Favorite way to escape after a hard day at work?

Now I'm managing the Kilkenny branch of Palladium Bank, I work a lot less hours than I did when I lived in Los Angeles. I love going home to Shane after work and cooking dinner with him and then doing things around the house – Shane apparently inherited a love of gardening from his dad and is obsessed with planting all kinds of things in our back yard, but I enjoy working out there too. Shane also seems to have inherited his parents’ love of parties and we often end up with a houseful of people. And sometimes I go visit my Aunt Maeve or help her out in her store (and come home with some new toys!)

2. What do you do for a living and how did you get into that?

As I said, I’m the new manager of Palladium Bank in Kilkenny. It’s a very small branch compared to the one I managed in Los Angeles, and I’m not on the fast track to an executive position any more, but that’s okay. My dad was CEO of Palladium years ago. My mom was a vice president at Ezron Savings and Loan. They both wanted me to follow in their footsteps. They helped me take the best courses in college and encouraged me. I was just starting my career at the bank when they were both killed in a car accident. After that I wanted to do my best to make them proud, but I probably worked too hard. Okay, Shane says not “probably”, I definitely worked too hard!

3. First thing you noticed about Shane Dunstan?

I met Shane when I was 17 and spending summer vacation with Aunt Maeve. I don’t even remember for sure what I first noticed about him, but I do remember how he made me feel – all warm and fluttery inside. It was the whole package of him – tall, dark and handsome. Actually, it might have been his eyes – he has the most gorgeous blue eyes with long dark eyelashes and when he looked at me, my heart started pounding and my hands stared shaking. (Sigh of pleasure).


Lucy Greco Cavanaugh from A Taste of Honey by PG Forte:

 

1. Favorite way to escape after a hard day at work?

Cooking dinner for my family. What? You think that’s work? Don’t be silly. Cooking is one of life’s essential pleasures. It’s nurturing. Plus I’m good at it. Well, I am. Ask anyone. But, you know, a hot bath, a good book and a pint of lavender ice cream—that isn’t a bad way to go either.

2. What do you do for a living and how did you get into that?

I help my husband run one of the family’s nurseries. I went to work at Cavanaugh’s right out of high school. I liked it there—they always let me do things my own way, if you know what I mean—so I stayed on. Then I met my husband, Dan Cavanaugh, and the rest is history.

Lately I’ve been branching out a bit. I now produce my own line of herb-infused soaps and massage oils, as well as organic honey, beeswax candles…well, you get the idea. Dan hates the bees, but he sure does love the honey.

3. First thing you noticed about Dan?

First thing I noticed? Wow—that’s tough. I mean, what’s not to notice? My husband is a very noticeable man. You can ask anyone about that, too.

I guess the very first thing I noticed was his size—and don’t go taking that the wrong way, all right? All I mean is he’s a big guy and when we met…well, I’d never tell him this, but the truth is he scared the crap out of me. See, I didn’t know who he was or what he was doing hanging around in one of the greenhouses after everyone else had gone home for the night.

I thought maybe he’d broken in and was there to rob the place. So, yeah, the fact that he’s tall, broad and brutally hot—that was definitely the first thing I noticed.

Oh, and, by the way, if you’re interested in reading Dan’s version of how we met, you can find that HERE.

The Perils of Housework

Sorry about the late post, folks...between an internet connection that works 98% of the time and being a major lightweight when I comes to pain meds.

I've been nursing a pair or ribs since Sunday evening. What happened? Well, a quick and dirty answer makes for interesting conversation as I found from my Facebook post on the topic. When one posts something along the lines of "I think I broke a rib hanging over the headboard," you can expect some wild replies. But, that's basically what happened. I was leaning over the headboard when I felt something give and it hurt like hell.

Does anyone get a vision of an Austin Powers routine? Or is that just the pain meds talking?

"So, you were leaning over the headboard of your bed when you felt something give?"

"Yeah, I felt something roll underneath me and a sharp pain. It was so bad, I almost dropped the reacher."

But, truth be known, I was in the process of trying to retrieve items that had fallen behind the bed by bending over the headboard with a reacher. Yep, the innuendos just kept coming from my post even after I'd fessed up to what I had really been up to. "What items pray-tell had fallen behind the bed?"

Guess now I have an excuse. Cleaning can be dangerous.

To help me feel better, and at the expense of someone else's pain, I'm sure many of you have a story to tell of how a good intention had gone painfully wrong. Not trying to unearth some haunting memories here, just something you find yourself able to laugh about now.

I'll check back on comments in between pain med comas.

This is romance author, D. (Diane) McEntire signing off for now in search of that money tree to hire a maid. Let's watch her face the perils of housework.

http://www.dmcentire.com/

The Watchers Series

Samhain Publishing

Guest Blogger Erica Ridley Q & A

Breaking News: TOO WICKED TO KISS has been selected as a March book
clubpick for Barnes and Noble! Erica will be at the
book club forum all month long, so please stop by to say hi or to talk about
the book! Here's the link: http://bit.ly/bOPvn4

###

What do you do when you're not writing?

Everything! I love to go out to eat, out dancing, to the beach, to amusement
parks, to festivals, to concerts, to the movies, to the park, to museums,
hiking, rollerblading, camping, sitting at home reading, or--my personal
favorite--picking up my laptop and heading off to explore a new corner of
the world.

What's the farthest you've ever been from home?

Hmmm... I'm not sure. The farthest east I've been is either Poland or Greece
(I'm not sure which is technically farther from Florida.) And the farthest
south I've been is Costa Rica. As much as I love Europe and Latin America, I
admit there's still much of the world I would like to see someday. Among a
list of many, I'm absolutely dying to visit Asia, Australia, and New
Zealand.

Is your publisher sending you on a book tour?

Um... no. From what I understand, it's a huge expense and even the
superstars rarely go on big tours. There's nothing to stop the author from
striking out on her own (well, okay, there's that pesky Visa card limit) and
I actually do have a few signings set up. I'm doing two this month in Tampa,
the first being my launch party and the second being a group signing with a
bunch of fabulous authors: Virginia Henley, Betina Krahn, Roxanne St.
Claire, C.L. Wilson, Jeanie London, Kathy Carmichael, Ann Jacobs, Susan
Kearney, and Joan Johnston. Next month I'm going to the Readers' Luncheon in
Portland (home of my critique partner Darcy Burke)
and the Spring Fling in Chicago, where I also have friends and family. It
still feels surreal, but very exciting!

What was the trick to getting published?

Hahahaha! The trick was to write, read, study, network, revise, pitch,
query, then start all over again. The first year I decided to take writing
seriously, I wrote two complete books. I joined Romance Writers of America,
found a few critique groups, finaled in a couple contests, and earned my
first handful of rejections from literary agents. I kept writing and
attending workshops and meeting people who knew a lot more about the
industry than I did, and got as far as having an editor request a full
manuscript. The fourth complete book garnered me an agent at a top-notch
literary agency. And although that manuscript ultimately did not sell, the
fifth one (or the second agented one, if you're counting from that point)
did--and that book debuts today!

The Karen Rose cover quote says "Gothic Mystery and Steamy Romance". Do you
agree?

That is exactly the combination I was trying to evoke, so I certainly hope
that is the feel most readers get from reading Too Wicked To Kiss! The
hero, Gavin Lioncroft, is dark, dangerous, suspected of murder--and candidly
admits he's not above resorting to violence if the situation warrants. The
heroine, Evangeline Pemberton, has her own dark secrets, and is on the run
from someone who wants to enslave her and exploit her--and unfortunately has
the legal right to do so. The setting is Blackberry Manor, a foreboding old
mansion whose architecture contains literal Gothic elements, from the arches
in the walls to the secret passageways between. But nothing can hide the
unbidden attraction between them that blossoms from sensual encounters into
true love...
###

HIS TOUCH HOLDS HER CAPTIVE...

From the ravens circling its spires to the gargoyles adorning its roof,
Blackberry Manor looms ominously over its rambling grounds. And behind its
doors, amid the flickering shadows and secret passageways, danger lies in
wait.

TO HIS EVERY DARK DESIRE...

Evangeline Pemberton has been invited to a party at the sprawling estate of
reclusive Gavin Lioncroft, who is rumored to have murdered his parents.
Initially, Gavin's towering presence and brusque manner instill fear in
Evangeline...until his rakish features and seductive attentions profoundly
arouse her. But when a guest is murdered, Evangeline is torn. Could the man
to whom she is so powerfully drawn, also be a ruthless killer?

TOO WICKED TO KISS

###


Where to find Erica:

Author Website: http://www.ericaridley.com

Book Bonus Features: http://www.2wicked2kiss.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EricaRidleyFans

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/EricaRidley

Getting to know me better

Okay, I have to admit that I nearly forgot it was my day to blog. Apparently having a note posted on my calendar to remind me only works when I'm actually home to see it. Go figure. Since I tend to blog a lot about writing, I figured I go with something different today. So here are five things you probably didn't know about me. :)

1. Perfect by Judith McNaught was the book that made me fall in love with the romance genre. Though I have to admit I'm afraid to go back and reread it. A lot of the conflict in McNaught's books, especially her earlier ones, rely heavily on "big-misunderstandings" which are a much tougher sell for me these days.

2. I HATE the feeling of flour on my fingers. It makes me shudder the same way some people do over nails dragged down a chalkboard. It wouldn't be that big of a problem except I actually like to bake.

3. In high school I competed in YTV's (Canadian Channel) Improv Games. Our team didn't make the televised finals, but the trip to Ottawa and beating out 75 other teams to get there was a fantastic experience.

4. The fastest first draft I've ever written was for a novella I wrote a few years ago. Eighteen thousand words in five days. I'm still not sure how I managed that with two kids under the age of three, though it probably had a lot to do with little sleep and loads of caffeine.

5. I LOVE kickass heroines (okay this might not come as a surprise if you read my books LOL). But you might not know that my first favorite kickass heroine was Wonder Woman. When I was five there wasn't anything I loved more than pulling on my red rubber boots (wishing they went as high as Wonder Woman's) looping my trusty yellow skipping rope through my belt and zooming around our house in my invisible airship.

Your turn. What's something few people know about you?