…Fangs, Fur, & Fey today!
Also, free books!!
It’s Vivi Anna’s birthday tomorrow, so she’s having a birthday party on her blog where she gives the presents — copies of her Oct. 1st Nocturne release DARK LIES!!
Head on over and see if you’ll be lucky enough to win Book 2 in the Valorian Chronicles!
Some folks have been nice enough to email me and ask about my upcoming releases. Others have commented about them here. Thought now might be a good time to highlight what books you’ll see from me in 2008.
*March ‘08 - RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW: Note the fabulous cover and cover copy on my Coming Soon page. For those who don’t feel like clicking through, this is a single title contemporary romance about people who lie for a living…and have no idea how to tell each other the truth. The book starts with the hero breaking up with the heroine with the ‘ole “it’s not you, it’s me” line. Things unravel from there.
*July ‘08 - Anthology: Three novellas all by me. No title, cover or copy yet, but the book is done and in. It is a follow-up to my first novella ever, HARDHATS AND SILK STOCKINGS, from the WHEN GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO BAD BOYS anthology with Lori Foster and Erin McCarthy. This one centers on a house rehab project. Cole and Adam from HARDHATS get their own stories here, along with Ray. Ray is young, hot, attracted to an older woman and, like Cole and Adam, totally cool. For those who liked Whit, the hero in HARDHATS, you’ll see him again here.
*October ‘08 - Holiday Anthology: I’m so excited about this! Being in a book with two amazing Brava authors is a special thrill for me. Haven’t written my novella yet, but I’m thinking a girl, a guy and a videotape. Uh-huh.
*November ‘08 - Single Title: Again, no title or cover yet (it’s a bit early for that), but the book is done. This one is the second in my Kauai, Hawaii series of connecting books. The hero and heroine are new, but Josh (from YOUR MOUTH DRIVES ME CRAZY) is back and causing trouble.
The book I am working on right now is an early ‘09 single title release. I’ll fill you in on the details when it’s done and the release date gets nailed down. Also, many of you have asked for Josh’s story. I’m hoping to write that one next.
What a weekend!
The Mini Run was most excellent. Most fun I’ve had in ages. No pictures, unfortunately, as I was too busy driving like a maniac!! I kept up pretty well for a newbie. Can’t wait to do the next one.
The Steelers won in pre-season — again!, and the US Open tennis tournament starts today. Not bad!
Now, if only the fall television season would kick into gear. I can’t believe we’re stuck with the dredge remains of what’s left of Big Brother, and Top Chef. At least Top Chef is still interesting.
So, I am scraping the very bottom of a slimy reality barrel for this week’s SHaQ Attack contest question.
Who is going home on Big Brother this week? Amber and Zach are on the block, but anyone else can be substitued depending on who wins the Power of Veto. You have until 8pm EST Thursday night to send in your vote (and even if you don’t watch, and really, why would you, these people are horrid, you can send in a guess.) Your choices are:
Amber, Zach, Jameka, Eric, Daniele, or Dick. (Jessica can’t go home this week as she is Head of Household.)
Send your votes to donna@donnakauffman.com with “Hamster, Go Home” in the subject line.
Good luck! (And good riddance to any of the remaining hammies!)
I don’t know about you. But summer always goes too fast for me. You wouldn’t think that it would be any different than any other time of the year. The kids are out of school, but between soccer, social engagements and summer jobs, I hardly see them any more than I do during the year. And my job isn’t tied to the calendar—just the deadline!!! I work all year round and take my breaks (brief though they are) whenever I’m between projects.
And besides, I’m not a beach person, don’t love the heat, and don’t have time to work in my garden.
Right now, I’m on my “gotta get it done” schedule. Up at 6:00. Coffee and the NY Times crossword puzzle and I’m at the keyboard by 6:30. I’m working on a new series that is really exciting about four very special women each with a penchant for excitement and dangerous men. The first book takes place in summer. Thought that would give me a double whammy of warm weather and sunny days. (Plus it’s easier to write love scenes when you’re not dealing with coats, gloves and snow boots.)
But I still feel the days tumbling toward fall. Which is a good thing. I love fall. The leaves and the smells, and all that other good stuff, like pumpkin picking and hot apple cider. Plus the crisp clear air makes me feel really creative.
Which reminds me. I love winter, too. Oh yeah, and spring, too. So I guess I’m glad one season turns into another after all.
What about you? Which season is your favorite?
Okay, the fire is contained. Middle daughter is healthy. There are no immediate emergencies demanding my attention.
Which means I need a new diversion. And I have it! The new TV season is almost here, the new TV season is almost here!!!!
THE NEW TV SEASON IS ALMOST HERE!
I cant wait for my old faves like Greys Anatomy, House, Heroes . . . but there are some new shows Im looking forward to, like The Bionic Woman, for starters.
What are you looking forward to?
First, if you’re taking part in the Seventy Days of Sweat Challenge, go over to Larissa’s blog and soak up a bit of inspiration and then check in with your word count.
Quite a few book covers on MySpace caught my attention this week. The first, To Hell With Love by Sherri Erwin, has an intriguing premise in that I think the hero is the devil…yeah, that one. Not the easiest idea to pull off. I’m intrigued. Here’s the cover copy:
“You like to sin, Kate?”
When Boston interior designer Kate Markham meets real estate mogul Owen Glendower at a dinner party, sparks fly. Not only is Owen GQ-cover, drop-dead sexy and filthy rich, he has a maddeningly seductive way of knowing intimate details about her. Details that send heat rushing to her cheeks not to mention certain other parts of her body. Swept deliciously off her feet, Kate lets herself fall into a breathtakingly sensual journey she hopes will never end, even when Owen reveals his little secret: he happens to be Hades, ruler of the underworld and the devil himself!
Caught in the fiery-sweet grip of a desire so consuming, Kate must choose between her business, her family, her life on Earth, and spending eternity in Hell with Owen. Then, out of the blue, family tragedy strikes, shaking her out of a rapturous trance to face the decision of a lifetime. Will she spend eternity with this devil of her dreams or follow her conscience back to earthly reality?
The second book travels in the other direction. It sound like the ultimate out-of-body experience. The book is You Had Me At Halo by Amanda Ashby.
The publisher describes it like this:
Holly Evans has just seen her own body laid to rest. Now she would like to move onto the afterlife. But apparently she has some mortal baggage to unload first, starting with the matter of how she died. Her heavenly shrink isn’t buying that she didn’t kill herself- and says she must return to earth to straighten things out. The thing is, she needs to borrow the body of computer geek Vince Murphy to do it. Oh, and although Vince was supposed to have vacated the premises, he apparently never got the memo.
Now, Holly has forty-eight hours to resolve her issues while sharing arms, legs, and…other things…with a guy she barely noticed while she was alive. But the real surprise is what life has to offer when you have only two days to live it.
What do you think of these? Any interest?
Four jobs I’ve had or currently have in my life:
1. Writer
2. Russian linguist for U.S. Army
3. parking lot attendant at Knott’s Berry Farm
4. hotel front desk clerk
Four countries I’ve been to:
1. Japan
2. Jamaica
3. Germany
4. Mexico
Four places I’d rather be right now:
1. Jamaica
2. in bed
3. on a rollercoaster
4. in a pool
Four foods I like to eat:
1. curry – all kinds
2. gourmet salad
3. ice cream
4. bran muffins
Four personal heroes, past or present:
1. my sister
2. my mom
3. my mother-in-law
4. my friends
Four books you’ve read or are currently reading:
1. Working for the Devil by Lilith Saintcrow
2. The Bad Place by Dean Koontz
3. The Leopard Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
4. The Broker by John Grisham
Four words or phrases you would like to see used more often:
1. Thank you.
2. I’m happy for you.
3. How can I help?
4. I was thinking of you.
Four reasons for ending a friendship:
1. S/he feels too competitive
2. S/he backstabs me
3. S/he proves unreliable
4. we grew apart
Four smells that make you feel good about the world:
1. my kids, fresh out the bath
2. vanilla
3. rain
4. cake batter
My question: Four favorite activities you did as a kid:
1. rollerskating
2. reading
3. assembling things
4. travel
I’m tagging Stacy ~, Jessica, and Tammi.
To the surprise of absolutely no one, Jen goes home on Big Brother. I can’t figure these people out. It’s uncomfortable watching them and I’m kinda wishing I’d left them on my TiFaux unseen. Ah well…if they could just get rid of Dick now, it might be more interesting to watch. Except, you know, not really. Yuck. I want my dance shows baaaaaack! (Rumors abound on who is going to be on the next season of Dancing With the Stars…I’m hearing everything from Gisele Bundchen to Wayne Newton!)
Enough whining…on to some winning!
The SHaQ Attack question this week was to name an animal, other than a dog, who has appeared in one of my books. You call came through with a huge list – everything from Elvis the Iguana to Cleopatra the three legged alligator, to Ringer, the shape shifting pet in Royal Hunter. The winning Blog Babe this week? Is Darla Ray! Woo hoo, Darla!!!
I am participating in my first MINI Cooper run tomorrow – should be a fun day. I hope everyone has a great weekend!
Tune in next week for more SHaQ Attack fun!
I got this from my oldest daughter, and I have to admit, as a mother of THREE teenage girls, I found it very amusing:
A Mother passing by her son’s bedroom was astonished to see that his bed was nicely made and everything was picked up.
Then she saw an envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow that was addressed to “Mom” With the worst premonition she opened the envelope with trembling hands and read the letter.
Dear Mom,:
It is with great regret and sorrow that I’m writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Dad and you. I have been finding real passion with Stacy and she is so nice. But I knew you would not approve of her because of all her piercings, tattoos, tight motorcycle clothes and the fact that she is much older than I am. But it’s not only the passion…Mom she’s pregnant. Stacy said that we will be very happy. She owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. We share a dream of having many more children.
Stacy has opened my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn’t really hurt anyone.We’ll be growing it for ourselves and trading it with the other people that live nearby for cocaine and ecstasy. In the meantime we will pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Stacy can get better. She deserves it. Don’t worry Mom. I’m 15 and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I’m sure that we will be back to visit so that you can get to know your grandchildren.
Love,
Your Son Jon
P.S. Mom, none of the above is true. I’m over at Tommy’s house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than the report card that’s in my center desk drawer.
I love you.
Call me when it’s safe to come home
My daughter ate her snack today! 
I was with her for lunch, but she was on her own for snack. I got so excited that she’s determined to do it again.
I got over the “hump” in my book, the part of the book you have to write to get the part you want to write. Writing a book is like driving over hilly terrain for me. The uphill parts are slow going and wear me out. The downhill parts are the sections that made me want to write the book to begin with. Those scenes are different with every book, but I love them. That’s when I hit the zone and the pages just flow. Days like today are the ones that make me worship my job. I’m a lucky gal to get paid to do what I love. 
TGIF tomorrow! Yay! We don’t have any special plans and I work just as much on the weekends as I do on the weekdays, but still… There’s something special about Friday, isn’t there? I hope yours is a good one. ((hugs))
