Move over, Oprah! I've got my own list of favorite things to share with folks this holiday season. And my things don't cost a lot, either... 1. Hot chocolate with whipped cream. Not the fake watery stuff, but the real deal. Cocoa made with *gasp* whole milk and topped with homemade whipped...
At this time of year, in the face of twinkling lights and trees and ribbons, we all revert to little kids. Our hearts speed up whenever we hit upon that great gift idea, or plan a surprise for a loved one. Our spirit may soar at the sound of a favorite holiday song, whether it be a classic or...
With Halloween in the rearview mirror, some of the most beloved holidays of the year are staring us all in the face: Thanksgiving, Christmas/Hanukah, and New Year’s Eve. Most would agree that Christmas and Valentine’s Day are more romantic than, say, Easter. Other holidays, like Halloween and New...
There's a reason why the hero and heroine in my debut, In the Cards, each undergo a significant journey of self-discovery before they fall in love. Why? Because I don't believe you can truly love others until you know and love yourself. But people change, you argue. True. Sometimes those...
Given my “day” job, it’s no surprise I spend a lot of time thinking about heroes, heroines, and the chemistry that makes a couple work for a reader. To some degree, that’s a subjective call. If you like a tough, snarky heroine, you might not be too excited about the hero falling for a more shy,...
Take the high road. It’s far less crowded.~ Charlie Munger I’ve got a love-hate relationship with this quote. I love the message, but hate the fact that it’s true. The high road is less crowded, and that doesn’t speak well for the future of our society. I don’t want to get priggish or preachy...
As someone with a passion for psychology, one of my favorite aspects of writing fiction is doing the research for new characters. For example, in my upcoming debut, my hero’s mother abandoned him when he was nine. Having no personal experience with that situation, I read many articles about the...
During the past two weeks, two interesting articles have been written about the romance genre being reviled. A wonderful author, Barbara O’Neal, first raised the question in her article, The Perplexing Problem of Romance. This week another writer, Porter Anderson, sought to get answers to Ms....
