Billionaire Booty!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the other day to say hello and talk about Moms, billionaires, and books. :-)

The random winner of the first two Duke Brothers books, THE MILLIONAIRE MEETS HIS MATCH and SWEET SURRENDER, BABY SURPRISE, is . . . [drum roll!!] . . .

DEB!!!!!

Congratulations, Deb!

Please send your snail mail address to me at katecarlisle99@yahoo.com and I'll ship your books out ASAP!

Cheers!

How to Seduce a Billionaire

By Kate

Today I'm showing off the cover of my upcoming Harlequin Desire, HOW TO SEDUCE A BILLIONAIRE! This is Brandon Duke's story, the third book in my Duke Brothers trilogy, and I'm thrilled that RT Book Reviews gave it 4-1/2 stars, saying: "Laugh-out-loud funny in spots and a consistently entertaining read, the unexpected romance of Brandon Duke and Kelly Meredith will give readers a wholly warm and joyful feeling."

Now, even though HOW TO SEDUCE A BILLIONAIRE won’t be on the shelves for another few weeks, I’m talking about it today because my mother has been on my mind a lot.

Now, you might be asking yourself what my mother has to do with seducing billionaires. My mother is definitely asking herself that question! (Hi, Mom!) So I’ll tell you why.

Beyond the powerful heroes, the beautiful settings, and the hot romances, one of the constants in my Duke Brothers trilogy is their delightful matchmaking mother, Sally. I enjoyed writing about her so much. She’s smart and funny and charming, and she loves her three adopted sons unconditionally. Lately, she’s made it clear that she wants grandchildren and to make that happen, she needs her sons need to hurry up and fall in love and get married. Having overheard Sally talking to a friend about lining up eligible women for them, the three Duke men (who have no interest in marriage, naturally!) realize they now must be on their guard at all times.

I grew up with four brothers. They each had dozens of friends who hung out at our house, and my mother was the person they all went to whenever they had problems with girls, with school, with their own parents. It’s not that my mom was particularly cool or overly permissive—trust me, she wasn’t! But she was friendly and smart and always willing to listen. I based Sally Duke on my own mother, which makes Sally one of my favorite characters ever.

I hope you fall in love with Sally, along with Brandon Duke and Kelly Meredith, my hero and heroine in HOW TO SEDUCE A BILLIONAIRE. You can read an excerpt or buy the book right now (at a reduced price!) on the Harlequin website or find it on bookstore shelves two or three weeks from now.

When you were growing up, was there one mother in your circle of friends who was the “cool mom,” the one who always listened to everyone’s problems and gave common sense advice? Did your mom pressure you and your siblings to marry, or did she have a more hands-off approach? Do any of your friends have a matchmaking mama?

In anticipation of the third book in the Dukes trilogy, I’m giving away a copy of my first two Duke Brothers books, THE MILLIONAIRE MEETS HIS MATCH and SWEET SURRENDER, BABY SURPRISE, to one random commenter today!

From Deadline Hell to Conference Madness

by Kate Carlisle

I did it! I met my deadline for ONE BOOK IN THE GRAVE, the next Bibliophile Mystery. Pretty good, considering that I’ve been working in the midst of a total kitchen remodel and my family visiting. When I reached the final sentence of the final scene, I paused, took a deep breath to savor the moment, and then slowly typed: T. H. E. E. N. D.

Moment savored, moment gone… and instant panic set in.

The Romance Writers of America conference is mere days away, and I have done nothing – nothing! – to prepare. I have nothing to wear. My nails have suffered the double mutilation of hammering away at the keyboard and of being gnawed at while I tried to work my way out of plotting quagmires. My scalp has little bald spots from me tearing out my hair, trying to get the book done in time.

Okay, that’s a slight exaggeration. If you’re going to conference, promise me you won’t look for bald spots!

The truth is, I have a lot of work to do to get pretty enough for conference. Because you know that we all want to look good for each other. It doesn’t matter that 98% of the attendees are female. It’s soooo not about the men. We want to look fresh and relaxed so that when we reunite with friends we haven’t seen for a year, they’ll tell us how great we look, and we’ll be able to believe that they’re not just being polite.

(Yeah, I dream big.)

We also want to look professional so that when we see our editors and agents and other industry professionals, they will get the impression that we easily handle the stresses of this writing life. In the hopes, of course, that they’ll pile on more stresses by giving us more, bigger, and better contracts.

(I do actually dream big.)

Which means, of course, that I must go shopping. And I can’t rely on the internet this time. There’s no time to have clothes shipped to me, try them on, realize I ordered the wrong size, return them, and get a second outfit to try on in the comfort of my own home. No, I will have to brave the harsh light of the dressing room.

And don’t get me started on shoes. Ack.

I can’t possibly visit the clothing stores until I get a mani/pedi. Otherwise the sales clerks won’t take me seriously. Getting a manicure is an exercise in patience for me. It’s hard to sit still long enough for the polish to dry. Almost invariably, I end up with at least one ding. So I repair the ding by adding a glop of polish, which leaves a little raised bump on my nail that looks like I have some sort of medical condition.

If you’re going to conference, promise me you won’t look for deformities on my fingernails!

My hope is that all the panic and craziness I’m going through now will pay off in the end. That I’ll arrive at conference looking polished and chic precisely because I am worried about it now. Which means at conference, I’ll be able to relax and enjoy the experience without giving a second thought to how I look.

That is, perhaps, the biggest dream of all.

The RWA conference is part professional networking event, part high school reunion. When is the last time you attended a big conference or reunion? Did you stress about what to wear, how your hair looked, how your nails looked, whether your shoes were scuffed… ? When you look back on that event, what sticks out most strongly in your memory?

The Most Comfortable Bed in the World

by Kate Carlisle

Please don’t think I’m bragging when I tell you this. I’ve traveled a lot, and through my travels I have discovered that The Most Comfortable Bed in the World is at my house. In my bedroom. I don’t mean to rub it in or make you jealous. I’m simply stating proven, scientific fact.

As you all know, I was on book tour recently, promoting MURDER UNDER COVER. I traveled to Maryland, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and North Carolina, and I had an amazing time. I even got some face-to-face with a couple of Banditas and Buddies. (*waving wildly at Caren and Nancy and Deb*)

I’m a social person and an adventurer, so I love getting out of the house, hitting the road, going places I’ve never been and meeting people I’ve never met. It’s fun, frantic, and exhausting. When the tour is done, I’m thrilled to come home to The Most Comfortable Bed in the World.

You probably wouldn’t recognize it as such if you saw it. It’s not a massive sleigh bed with mattresses you’d need a ladder to climb into. It’s not a four-poster draped with a luxurious canopy of fabrics. It’s just a bed… but it’s my bed. Well, mine and my husband’s, but the fact that he’s in it is part of what makes it The Most Comfortable Bed in the World.

It has exactly the right number of blankets. It’s firm but not too firm, and if there are any lumps, they’re me-shaped lumps. The lamp on my nightstand is precisely an arm-length away, as measured by my arm. And I always have a stack of books waiting to be read.



The sheets – oh, the sheets! Sighhhhhhhhhhhh. Climbing into those sheets instantly releases the tension of the day. If you take only one thing away from this post, let it be this: indulge yourself in the best sheets you can afford. You can get great deals on quality sheets when stores have sales. It makes such a difference to lay your cheek against a soft, tightly woven pillowcase. And my pillow? Oh, my. That’s a whole ‘nuther blog post altogether.



I’ve stayed in some really wonderful hotels while on tour, but no hotel can hope to compete with The Most Comfortable Bed in the World.

It’s good to be home.




Do you think your bed could compete with mine for the title of Most Comfortable Bed in the World? What do you do to make your bedroom comfortable? What do you miss the most when you’re away from home?

Say Cheese!!

By Kate

I'm excited to welcome back to the Lair my friend Avery Aames! Not only does Avery have a new Cheese Shop Mystery out (LOST AND FONDUE -- don't you just love her titles?), but she just won the prestigious Agatha Award for Best First Book for THE LONG QUICHE GOODBYE!! Please join me in welcoming Avery!

Sexy is as Sexy does

Do you think cheese is sexy? I do. It has sensual textures, aromatic scents, and luscious flavors. Ooh, la, la! It tastes good with beer, wine, champagne. You can pair cheese with fruit, jam, honey, nuts and chocolate. Ah, chocolate. But that’s another subject to be discussed at a later time…or maybe in just a moment. Cheese tastes great alone, but it also tastes fabulous in entrees, side dishes, salads, grated on pasta, on rice, on potatoes, on soup.

What doesn’t cheese taste good on…with…beside? Some might say ice cream, but I would beg to differ. I made a delicious Parmesan ice cream that was salty and fun. I added chocolate, and the dessert was sassy, and yes, sexy bordering on decadent.

Did I say yet that I love sexy? And sensual? Delicious words, don’t you think?

But back to cheese. Other than those who can’t eat cheese for allergy reasons, do you know anyone who doesn’t like cheese? Do you know anyone who doesn’t make a beeline to the cheese platter at a party?

So why do I rave about cheese? Because I write A Cheese Shop Mystery series (the first, THE LONG QUICHE GOODBYE is a national bestseller and an Agatha award nominee, I’m happy to say). While doing research, I’ve fallen in lust with cheese. That’s right, lust. I’ve tasted, I’ve baked, I’ve shared. With family, with friends, with strangers. I’m caught in its clutches and I can’t get away. (Please don’t tell more than five of your friends.)

Did you ever see the movie Like Water For Chocolate? Talk about sensual! The movie is based on the debut novel by Laura Esquivel. Each chapter begins with a recipe. The story follows a young girl, Tita, who longs to marry Pedro, but she cannot because her mother’s family tradition says the youngest daughter may not marry until the day her mother dies. Tita, in the only way she can, expresses herself when she cooks. In quite erotic detail. In one scene, after a rich meal of quail in rose petal sauce (flavored with Tita’s sensual thoughts), Tita’s older sister becomes lustful and flees to make love with a revolutionary soldier. Need I say more? Sadly, the heat of Tita’s passion for Pedro ultimately consumes them.

I’m hoping this will not happen to me during my love affair with cheese. (I pray I have more self-control than that. No running away with a Roquefort. Time will tell.)

However, to honor this blossoming relationship, I’d like to share a cheese platter that I created at Valentine’s Day. I’ve named it: Like Cheddar for Chocolate. (Okay, so it’s not that unique a title, but it says what it is.) The question is, where did I come up with the combination. I knew I could use chocolate in cheesecake and in cookies, but I didn’t know that chocolate on its own would taste great paired with a bite of cheese. So I wanted to test my theory. Talk about sensual. The result was dessert and appetizer rolled into one.

I’m giving away three signed books today to commenters: your choice of either THE LONG QUICHE GOODBYE or LOST AND FONDUE. So answer me this. Do you prefer dessert to appetizers? Do you like to dine in or out? What is the most sensual meal you can remember…ever? And if you’d like to share, with whom did you dine? I won’t tell more than five of my friends. LOL

Say cheese!

Thanks for visiting today, Avery! Banditas, if you'd like Avery's delectable recipe for Parmesan ice cream, click here!

Avery Aames is the Agatha Award winning author of A Cheese Shop Mystery series. The first, The Long Quiche Goodbye, is a national bestseller. Avery blogs at Mystery Lovers Kitchen, a blog for foodies who love mysteries, and some of her characters show up on the Killer Characters blog.

Kate Carlisle: LAUNCH PARTY!!!!!

Launch party!!!! Launch party!!!! Bring on the cabana boys and the margaritas! The caterer is taking special requests, so shout them out!

MURDER UNDER COVER, the fourth book of my Bibliophile Mysteries series, is out tomorrow, and you know what that means: sudden, overwhelming panic about my hair. I’m going on book tour, and I must have fabulous hair.

I haven’t had great luck communicating my needs to hair stylists in the past. I go in early, thinking that I can flip through their books to find the style I want. The problem is, many of their books are either outdated or way too avant garde. I just don’t think I’d look good in a blue Mohawk. Although… it would make my blue eyes pop.

This year, I decided to do my searching in advance, and I want your help deciding which is the right look for me. Since I’m releasing a mystery novel, I’m going to limit my search to hairstyles found on my favorite mystery shows on TV. I am convinced that having mystery show hair will send a subliminal message to book buyers that they will love my book as much as they love the show. I’ll do anything to sell my book. Extensions, color, cut, even – gasp! – a perm (as a last resort).

So here goes… whose hair looks best on me?

Kyra Sedgwick from The Closer:

Either of the blondes on Psych:

Maybe I should go dark. I love Mariska Hargitay… but should I do Season 1?

Or the shorter years?

I have to say, Elliot does not look impressed with the dark hair/blonde bangs look in either picture. And honestly, I want to impress him even more than I want to sell copies of MURDER UNDER COVER.

Finally, from another favorite show, NCIS, I could totally rock Pauley’s hair, don’t you think?

What do you think? Which ‘do should I do? Or do you have a better suggestion for whose hair I should try? What’s your favorite mystery show hairstyle?

Thank you for celebrating the release of MURDER UNDER COVER with me! I hope you’ll rush out tomorrow to get your copy! You can get a sneak peek at Chapter 1 on my website: http://katecarlisle.com/murder-under-cover.php

Jennifer Lyon's Back in The Lair!!

Posted By Kate

It's a total thrill for me to welcome Jennifer Lyon back to the Lair today! I absolutely love her hot, sexy Wing Slayer Hunters series, which means I'm in heaven right now because the third book in the series, NIGHT MAGIC, came out last month, and SINFUL MAGIC debuts in just a few weeks. Back-to-back Wing Slayer Hunters! You've got to love that! Take it away, Jen!

Thank you to Kate and the Banditas for having me today!

I’m here with a dilemma, and I know the gullar sahir and readers will be able to help me out. You see, I’m having trouble with my assistant. Meet Bailey.

I hired him because he’s cute, and he works for dog treats. I can actually afford dog treats, so it’s a win-win right?

Not so much. You see Bailey hardly ever shows up for work. He claims the reason is because he lives with my son in another town and can’t drive. Frankly, I think that’s a poor excuse. I mean come on, how far did Lassie travel to save Timmy? Sigh.

Another problem is that Bailey can’t type or answer phones. And he has a weird fascination with squeaky toys. Plus, he often insists on lying in my lap while I work. That makes typing a bit of a challenge.

I think I may have to reconsider Bailey as my assistant. So I’ve been looking around for other candidates and found this one:

Notice, he comes with his own transportation. That’s an obvious bonus right there! Plus he looks a lot like my hero in the third book from my Wing Slayer Hunter series, Phoenix. The book, NIGHT MAGIC was just released on March 22nd. The back cover blurb says about Phoenix: Wing Slayer Hunter Phoenix Torq is sworn to protect earth witches, but he is shaken by Ailish’s fierce independence—and his own forbidden cravings. Dark, impulsive, and haunted by his troubled past… Don’t you think that fits this guy? He could help me promote NIGHT MAGIC!

And then I found this guy:

If we tattooed a dragon on his chest, this man would look just like Key DeMicca from my next book, SINFUL MAGIC, that is coming out May 31st. Key looks like a good looking surfer, but beneath that lurks…well here’s the description from the back cover blur: Wing Slayer Hunter Kieran “Key” DeMicca channels the dark violence that lives inside him into a popular comic book series about an ancient dragon named Dyfyr, but only Key knows that Dyfyr is real. Not only could he help me promote SINFUL MAGIC, but if I sent him out to hand-sell the book, I’m betting female readers would buy more than one copy!

Two really solid candidates! But then I saw this guy:

And I thought; that’s Linc! Or Lincoln Dillinger, another Wing Slayer Hunter whose story I’m just beginning to write. Linc is a charming, sophisticated, and an obscenely rich high-stakes gambler who obviously doesn’t mind getting a little dirty now and again. Talk about inspiration to write!

I don’t know what to do! Who should I chose to be my new assistant? What do you think? Give me your opinion and you’ll be entered into a contest to win a signed copy of the first two books in the Wing Slayer Hunter series; BLOOD MAGIC and SOUL MAGIC.

Jennifer Lyon always wanted to be a witch. When her witch-powers didn't materialize, she turned to creating magic in her books. NIGHT MAGIC and SINFUL MAGIC are the third and fourth books in an enchanting, passionate and supernatural series. Jen also has a super secret alter ego known as Jennifer Apodaca, the author of the award winning Samantha Shaw Mystery Series. Visit Jen at http://www.jenniferlyonbooks.com/ or click here to visit the Wing Slayer Hunter Lair on Facebook.

Susan Mallery: To App or Not to App

Hosted by Kate Please give another warm, Bandita welcome to my good friend, Susan Mallery, who just happens to be one of my favorite writers, too! I asked Susan to come back today to tell us about her new iPhone and Android app. It's the coolest thing--and I should know because I raced to download it onto my Droid! She’s the only person I know who has her own app!!! Go Susan, go Susan! Take it away!

Thank you, Kate! I’m thrilled that you invited me back to visit the gullar sahir. Yes, it’s true. People around the world can go to the iTunes App Store or the Android Market, search for my name, and presto! there I’ll be, Susan Mallery in app form. And did I mention that it’s free?

Why did I decide to get an app? The shallow but honest answer is that I wanted an app because apps are new and shiny and having my own makes me feel fancy. The deeper, more professional truth is that our online world is becoming more mobile, and I want readers to be able to find me wherever they look.

I will admit, though, that it’s disconcerting to turn on my phone and see my own face staring up at me.

Virtual Tour of the Free Susan Mallery App

When you click the Books button, the first thing you see is ALREADY HOME, my latest release! After clicking the cover, you can read a free excerpt, reviews, a description of the book, and you can find links to buy the book. The links are for paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats, so whatever you’re looking for, it’s here.

Under the News button, you’ll find all my latest news alerts, Dear Reader letters, recipes, Fool’s Gold between-the-books updates, and you can even tap into my tweet stream. Don’t ask me how it all gets there. I don’t know, and I don’t need to know. But isn’t it fun that it’s right there at your fingertips?!

Within the app, you can watch videos, listen to podcasts, and even see the massive wardrobe of my toy poodle, Nikki. Every time I have new media available, you’ll be able to find it on my app and in the Members Only section of my website, http://www.susanmallery.com/.

There’s a second page of buttons on the app, which is where you’ll find the fan Chat Wall, and one really funky button that had me really confused. The QR scanner. Do you know about this? QR codes are like barcodes for apps. I saw a QR code on a home for sale in my neighborhood recently, so I whipped out my phone, opened the free Susan Mallery app, and scanned the QR code. Voila! I went on a virtual tour of my neighbor’s house while standing outside holding my phone in my hand! How cool is that?

Do you have an iPhone, iPod Touch, or an Android? If so, what apps have you downloaded so far? What else would you like to see inside the free Susan Mallery app? If I added a tip calculator, would you use it? If I added a Playlist of some of my favorite songs, would you be interested in that? If you don’t have an iPhone or Android, how do you prefer to connect with the authors you love?

Formula for Booty!!

Thanks to everyone who came to visit with my guest, Diana Orgain. The winner of a signed copy of FORMULA FOR MURDER, Diana's latest book in her Maternal Instincts mysteries, is ...

Gillian Layne!!!

Congratulations, Gillian!

Please send your snail mail address to me at katecarlisle99@yahoo.com and I'll have Diana forward her book to you as soon as possible!!!

Welcome Mystery Author Diana Orgain!

By Kate

Please join me in welcoming my mystery pal Diana Orgain to the Lair for the very first time! Take it away, Diana!

Thanks so much to Kate and the Romance Bandit for having me here today. I’m the author of the Maternal Instincts Mysteries Series. The first in the series is BUNDLE OF TROUBLE, followed by MOTHERHOOD IS MURDER and most recently FORMULA FOR MURDER.

The series is about a new mom, who doesn’t want to return to the corporate world after having her baby. Instead, she decides to start her own business as a PI – only, you guessed it, it’s not as easy as she thinks.

I’m a busy mother of three (ages 7, 3 and 2) and the question I get asked most often is how I find the time to write! For those aspiring writers - below are my top three tips.

3 Steps to getting started on your own novel:

1. Make the time to write: You have to put aside time (ideally daily) to write. Don't wait to FIND the time. That will never happen. Something will always take the time - remember Nature hates a void. So don't wait. Schedule the time to write and do it.

2. Get feedback: Take a class or join a critique group (there are tons of writer's organizations – even virtual). You can join your local chapter and create your own critique group. Getting unbiased feedback is critical to moving ahead. You have to learn how to polish your work and a class or group can help you move ahead faster.

3. Make a habit of finishing: Don't leave your draft unfinished, whether it is a short story, poem, play, novel - doesn't matter. You must finish. As creative people we are always lured to the next idea. It's fresher, funnier, better in some way but this is a temptation that must be avoided. After all, the new idea will need to be completed also and if you never get to the end of a project then you won't know how to finish. This step alone is the single most important piece of the creative process.

For more information on me or my books – you can pop over to my website at http://www.dianaorgain.com/ or listen to the first chapter of BUNDLE OF TROUBLE at http://dianaorgain.com/bundle-of-trouble-podcast/bundle-of-trouble-chapter-one/

Now it’s your turn, tell me one of your favorite tips (doesn’t have to be writing related) in the comments and I’ll enter you for a chance to win a signed copy of my latest book FORMULA FOR MURDER. And if you’re feeling lucky I’m running a contest on my webpage for a beautiful LibraKnits baby cap – you can see the details at http://dianaorgain.com/contests/

Thanks for visiting today, Diana! And good luck, everyone!

Coming Attractions for April

Posted By Kate

It's April Fool's Day in the Lair! But we're not fooling around! We've got an absolutely fabulous line-up for you this month and you won't want to miss out on one single moment of fun, prizes and general raucous behavior! Here are some of the highlights:

On April 2, Lair favourite, the fabulous Kate Walker, returns for another fun-filled visit to celebrate the release of her latest book, The Proud Wife, and to share some really great news about one of her 2010 releases.

On April 3, Diana Orgain visits us for the first time to chat about the latest book in her Maternal Instincts mystery series, Formula for Murder. As a busy mother of three, she's got some great tips for aspiring writers who can't find the time to write.

April 4 finds Kay Thomas back in the Lair, along with her newest Bulletproof book, Bulletproof Hearts, from Harlequin Intrigue.

On April 6th, Jules Bennett will return to the lair to talk about her April Harlequin Desire release, Her Innocence, His Conquest.

And on April 7, Cheryl Ann Smith talks to Donna about her journey to publication and shares an excerpt from her debut historical, School for Brides. RT Bookreviews says Smith “makes a dazzling entrance to the romance community with a charming, sexy, innovative tale that sparks the imagination.”

Don't miss the fun on April 8! Joan hosts the wonderful Kristan Higgins AND the hero and heroine of her new Harlequin release My One and Only as they play 20 questions.

On April 12, Jeanne interviews Maureen Batita from the popular blog, Romance Writers Revenge. She'll discuss her ebook, The Kraken's Mirror. Yo ho, yo ho!

And on April 19, Dianna Love will join us in the lair to talk about keeping dreams alive, and why she's sponsoring a national art contest based on the book, Blood Trinity.

On April 21, Patricia Rice returns to chat with Nancy about her first direct-to-electronic release, Evil Genius.

On April 25, our favorite witch, Jennifer Lyon, visits to talk about her two new books in the electrifying Wing Slayer Hunter series, Night Magic and Sinful Magic.

Kathleen O'Reilly returns to the Lair on April 26 to chat with Bandita Nancy about her new Blaze, Just Surrender.

There will be a night of scandal and mayhem in the lair when the paparazzi crash the ball celebrating the launch of Midnight's Wild Passion, Anna Campbell’s latest historical romance from Avon. Mark your calendars for hijinks and giveaways on Wednesday, 27th April! You can read the blurb and an excerpt here: http://www.annacampbell.info/wildpassion.html.

And Anna's holding a Midnight Madness contest on her website to celebrate the release of her latest historical romance MIDNIGHT’S WILD PASSION on Tuesday, 26th April. All you have to do is read the excerpt from MWP on her Books page http://www.annacampbell.info/wildpassion.html and tell her what color Ranelaw’s hair is. Email your answer to anna@annacampbell.info The contest closes 30th April 2011. For more details, please visit http://www.annacampbell.info/contest.html.

One more April happening: The RT Book Lovers Convention comes to Los Angeles April 6-10. Are you going? What are you wearing? Tell us everything! And even if you're not going, we can pretend. What fabulous fantasy costume would you wear to the Fairy Ball?