Saturday, November 29, 2008

Reflections


If you've followed my blogs, you've read that this year was a very tumultuous year for me. I had expectations of myself I didn't meet and I had expectations that I exceeded past my wildest expectations. I took a sabbatical from the day job during which I suspected to write a book--but instead I sold 2 books and signed with a new agent. Then a return to the day job plunged me into chaos that I don't think I've yet recovered from. It's been nuts.


But I still find myself over flowing with gratitude that I had such a crazy year. I proved to myself that I am stronger than my circumstances. That hard work does pay off. That I am loved and blessed. That I am surrounded by people I love in return. That the future is to be embraced and not feared.


And that creativity is not something to be taken for granted. It is a muscle to flex and stretch and push beyond its endurance. It is a gift that should be honored and never forgotten.


On those sage words :-) I am off to exercise my creativity.....

Friday, November 28, 2008

As so it begins....


Can you believe we are already in the final days of November? That the holiday season is firmly upon us and ready to take us away? I'm having a hard time believing it. I have vowed to take things slower though and really enjoy what is going on around me. Yesterday I cooked Thanksgiving dinner and had my parents and best friends sitting at the table with me, my husband and my daughters and I thought I was a very lucky woman. I have many blessings, but my friends and family are the ones I cherish most.


Hope you all had time to reflect on your good fortune and the blessings in your life.


Erin

Friday, November 14, 2008

The start of a great day


So I've had a week from hell. The day job is killing me, the hours I'm devoting to everything but my writing are really weighing me down, and I fell back asleep this morning and so started late. But the good news is that after I staggered out, poured some coffee--fed the dogs, because lord knows my yellow lab would starve to death if she ate an hour later than she's used to--and then logged in, there was something good waiting for me in my inbox. A book quote from USA Today bestselling author, RITA award winner Jennifer Ashley. Not just a generic quote, either, but praise that had me sniffling in my coffee. Here's what she says:



"Haunting Beauty is an intriguing, highly absorbing book that sucked me in and didn't let me go until its amazing conclusion. I was completely swept away by the mystery surrounding Sean and Danni, the magical ambience, the vivid setting, and the chilling and original plot. A highly recommended must-read!"


Yay for me. I'm so happy I think I'll actually try to write today. Woo woo. (And mucho thanks, Jennifer Ashley!)




Sunday, November 9, 2008

That was fun!

Thanks to everyone who commented on the interview with Calista Fox. Calista is one of my favorite people so I'm really glad you all had fun with the interview and her Oh-So-Clever answers.

November has unfolded much as September and October did--crazy busy. I keep thinking one of these days it will slow down, but so far, no such luck! But I continue to hope.

Yesterday I was honored to be invited to the Queen Creek Library Grand Opening celebration as one of the authors autographing my books. What a beautiful facility! It was a fun day and I met lots of readers. I really wanted to take some pictures, but my kid made off with my camera and I left me without. sigh. And yes, she does have her own camera--she just couldn't find it.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Welcome Calista Fox


This month I am featuring Calista Fox on my website. If you haven't read Calista yet, you are in for a treat. Her heroes are honestly the sexiest men alive. (okay, I know they aren't REALLY alive but hey, it could happen.) I had the opportunity to interview Calista recently. Here's what she had to say:

Erin: First off, welcome and thanks for taking the time to stop by. You already know I'm a huge fan. I'm so honored and excited to be an advanced reader of your single title (due out in July of 2009) OBJECT OF DESIRE. I just started it last night and I'm already hooked.

So on to my deep and meaningful interview questions.


If you could have your choice, what super hero would you like to date?

Calista: Oh, yummy! Good question! Let’s see… I’d have to say Superman from the Smallville series, starring Tom Welling. He’s just too hot for words. Aside from that, he’s also strong, powerful, a humanitarian and, um, did I mention super-hot? ;-) I could go on… *sigh*

Erin: Hmmm, interesting. (Wondering if the cape plays a part in any of her fantasies. Note to self: ply Calista with alcoholic beverages and find out more about her Superman thing . . . )

What would we find you doing on a rainy Sunday afternoon?

Calista: *eg* Rainy Sunday afternoons inspire me to do two things.
One is write.
The other? I’m sure you can guess!
Shop, of course! LOL

Erin: Okay, you had me there. I once won my husband a golf trip with a local celebrity by sending in a letter on why my husband should win. I wrote: “Dear Dave (because I thought it would be more personal than calling him local celebrity, ha ha), There are only two things my husband loves to do. I am exhausted. Please take him golfing.”

But I digress. On to the next question . . . .

Boxers or briefs?

Calista: I prefer the boxer/brief hybrid—you know, the tight-fitting boxer-type shorts? In black. Or dark blue. Or red. Or… Hmm. I guess color doesn’t matter. ;-)

Erin: To that point, perhaps the boxers and briefs don’t matter either. It’s all about . . . . (oops, digression again)

What is your most embarrassing moment?

Calista: Oh good Lord. I have one every week. I think I’ve given up on being embarrassed. Life’s too short and THANKFULLY so are my friends’ memories!

Erin: Note to self, second time I’ve asked this question (last month asked Allyson James) and both times askee has gracefully skirted question. Me thinks there is a lesson here. Next time I’m asked, do not blurt out that embarrassing moment. Evade . . . .

Weirdest place you ever “did it?”

Calista: Oh, Erin… *wg* You would have to ask me this! Hmm… The back seat of a ’78 Buick Regal with baby blue crushed velvet seats, when I was 18. Or the top of a lighthouse in Cabo San Lucas when I was 28. It’s a toss-up.

Erin: More notes to self. Definitely ply Calista with drinks and get the scoop on this one!

Who would be on your “safe list” for sex? (Meaning, even though you’re married, you could still have sex with this one famous person if the opportunity ever arose.)

Calista: Ooh, an easy one! I’m cleared for Eddie Van Halen, Jon Bon Jovi and, well, just about every other 80s rock star with big hair!

Erin: LOL! Now that’s funny.

Do you like them big and bulky or deceptively sleek and cut? (talking about muscles on your men, girlfriend. Get your mind out of the gutter, you’re crowding me)

Calista: I thought it was feeling a little cramped in here! To be honest, I like them both ways. Some men carry big and bulky better than others. (Hulk Hogan and Arnie are NOT my type!) Given the list in the previous question, I’d have to say I lean more toward the deceptively sleek and cut.

Erin: Yes, I definitely picture you with a James Bond type of hero. Sleek, tailored, wealthy and oh, so sophisticated. Perhaps he might break into a spontaneous bought of “Hungry like the wolf” whilst popping the cork on a bottle of Dom . . . .

Holding hands and walking on the beach or snuggling by the fire in the mountains?

Calista
: I’m a snuggler! ;-)

Erin: Yep, me too. I wish we had more cold days. Snuggling in 110 isn’t quite as fun as one might think.

Oh, and a book question—favorite hero you’ve ever written. Why?


Calista: Ah, the toughest question of all! Of course, I love all of my heroes! At the moment, I’m particularly fond of Christian St. James from FOREVER MY LOVE in Secrets Volume 23, which just came out in July. He’s an ultra-sexy vampire who is tormented to within an inch of his sanity. The raw intensity of this man alone turns me on…. But did I mention he’s also ultra-sexy? LOL

And then there’s Josh Kensington—quite the bad boy!—in SECRET RENDEZVOUS, which is featured in Secrets Volume 26 and will be out in December. He’s the direct opposite of Christian, with blonde hair and ice-blue eyes. Very Smith Jared from SEX IN THE CITY. He really knows how to walk on the wild side!

Erin: Don’t forget Jake in UNTIL JAKE (Ellora’s Cave). Oh my, I was ready to toss my domestic please and hit the streets looking for another like him.

Tell us about your next release and why YOU think we’ll love it.

I have two coming up in December. The first is PROMISE OF FOREVER, which is a special Christmas release by eRedSage Presents (http://www.eredsage.com/). I launched Red Sage’s e-pub venture last November with ONE WISH, and it has been really exciting writing for them this past year. I’ve tried to make my Presents stories different from my Secrets stories (same publisher, but Secrets is the print line and Presents is the e-book line). PROMISE OF FOREVER is a steamy romance, but I think what readers will really like about it is that it deals with a highly emotional issue and the two characters, Celia and Ben, have to face some big challenges and overcome a lot of emotional obstacles in order to make their way back to each other. I cried when I wrote the book. I cried when I edited the book. If you don’t cry, there’s something wrong with you. LOL Just teasing. But I will warn you to keep tissue close at hand! Plus, it’s set in London at Christmastime, so the imagery is really cool!

Erin: Note to self, check tissue supply before reading PROMISE OF FOREVER


Calista: The second book coming out in December is Secrets Volume 26! Yay! I love July and December because that’s when my print books hit the bookshelves in all the major bookstores! This volume is my fifth Secrets anthology in three years. I love the variety in these books, so even if you don’t like my story (though I’m sure you will! J), there are three others of different genres to choose from! The one thing they all have in common is that they are scorching-hot! Here’s a little bit about my story, SECRET RENDEZVOUS, which is the third story in the RENDEZVOUS trilogy I wrote for Secrets, along with two reviews!


COCKTAIL REVIEWS GIVES SECRET RENDEZVOUS 4.5 CHAMPAGNE FLUTES!
“In Secret Rendezvous by Calista Fox, McCarthy Portman works for a dating agency, Rendezvous. Despite her success in finding men for the women on her books, McCarthy is single. She’s getting desperate, so she runs her own name through the computer – and is matched with Josh Kensington, the hot bad-boy owner of trendy nightclub The Rage.
McCarthy can’t believe it. Josh is sexier than hell but not her type at all – or is he? Josh’s cousin Cass owns Rendezvous and often says she wishes Josh would settle down with a nice girl. But Josh doesn’t do nice girls – or at least, not until McCarthy crosses his path…
This [story] is, as McCarthy thinks at one point, ‘shameless, naughty fun’. The good-girl-ensnares-bad-boy plot is always a winning combination for me, and Ms Fox manages this seamlessly and stylishly. I liked both Josh and McCarthy: Josh is super-sexy and honest with his emotions in every way, and McCarthy is sweet and confident, surprising herself when it comes to flirting and seduction. I loved the sense of humour behind this novella – several moments made me giggle.

Also, this one had such a great line: The last vestiges of prudence lay scattered at her feet, sexual road kill.

Loved it!

Another strong collection from Red Sage, with something for everyone.”
--Reviewer Singapore Sling

ROMANTIC TIMES BOOKCLUB GIVES SECRETS VOLUME 26 4 STARS!!
“Four very different couples in different times are all dealing with a similar problem – how to find love along with passion. Fans of all genres will adore this sexy collection.”
P.S.—We have a beautiful two-page spread in the December issue of Romantic Times Bookclub magazine!
Erin: Wow, can’t wait. Lots of great reading in my future. You know I’m a huge fan! For those of you just discovering Calista, you’ll be happy to know that in addition to all the titles mentioned above, Calista Fox has many other titles available. Once you start reading her, I guarantee you’ll be hooked!

Calista: Thanks so much for having me, Erin! Readers can check out my website at http://www.calistafox.com/ and my Myspace page at www.myspace.com/calistafox to learn more about my books. And I’m giving away A LOT of books this month!!
Happy Holidays to you all! Calista

Erin: Calista, it’s always a pleasure talking to you. We are definitely going to have to do another night like we did in San Francisco. From what I remember of it, we had a blast. Way more fun than the night we played quarters in New York.

Check out my website for more information and to enter my November contest: http://www.erinquinn.info/