New Cover Alert!

I was going to hold off on the grand unveiling until THE CHIEF hit stores, but since the cover is already up on Amazon, I figured I better not wait!

So . . . ta-da! Here it is, the cover for book #2 of the Highland Guard series, THE HAWK. The hero is Erik MacSorley, the best seafarer and swimmer in the Highlands (basically, he's my Navy SEAL). I'll be posting a blurb on my website soon.

I'm thrilled with how it turned out. Strapping lad in plaid, sword, cool lion rampant emblem, ship in the background . . . perfect!

But I do want to know how they keep coming up with different poses! LOL.

What do you think?

Olympic Fever

Are you guys as caught up as I am in the Olympics? I *love* the winter olympics--especially the skiing and skating. My favorite events are the moguls and ice-dancing, but really just about any skiing or skating event will have me glued to the TV. I was thrilled to see Bode get the bronze yesterday, and very exciting to see the women's moguls have two American finalists. I even turn into a snowboarding fan around the Olympics, LOL.

My one complaint: the delayed and extremely LATE coverage of the main events. I really don't get it. Why can't NBC start at 6 or 7 and end by 11. Last night the skating didn't end until midnight!

What about you...are you watching the Olympics? What are your favorite events? Are you a summer or winter fan?

Too Much Reality

Last night my husband and I were watching one of our guilty pleasure shows, the Millionaire Matchmaker. Patti just cracks me up. But I have to say last night's episode really bothered me.

Here's the summary, but you can get the gist from the video. Patti (the Matchmaker) brought a woman millionaire back from last season to try again. Shauna is a 42 year old (same age as me, BTW) millionaire business woman (I think she owns hair salons) who likes to date younger men. Cougar is a frequently used term on the show. I usually don't like the term, but Shauna fits. Patti tried to get her to date older guys last season, but Shauna of the too-much-botox wouldn't do it. She was back this season to allegedly give it a try after dating a younger guy who wanted her to pay for everything (shocking!). Personally, I don't get the younger guy thing. A couple of years on either side works for me--although I'd make an exception for Alexander Skaarsgard.

So in last night's episode Patti gives Shauna some older (and younger) guys to choose from. Shauna eventually picks a fifty plus year old guy who was INCREDIBLY good looking. Very rugged masculine type with chiseled face. My husband and I both thought he was way too good for the unappealing Shauna. The guy arrives at the hotel to pick her up for her date, after sending her a gorgeous dress (that she made fun of), and arriving in a limo to take her to Spago. What does Shauna do? She takes one look at him and goes running back into the hotel, screaming like a madwoman that she won't date someone who looks like her grandfather.

I was appalled. This is where reality TV really bothers me. I didn't need to see that. It was beyond cruel to the guy and utterly unwarranted. We were forced to watch the poor guy eat alone at Spago while he wondered what the heck had happened. It was VERY uncomfortable. Shauna would have been lucky to go out with this guy, I hope he finds someone wonderful soon. I guess I think the show went a little too far. Kind of like when the TV crews stick the camera in the face of some guy who just lost a big game and is really emotional. I don't need to see it.

If you can't watch the video the show shots are here.

I don't watch nearly as much reality TV as I used to, and I think this is why. Now that the newness of reality shows has worn off, the producers are looking for ways to push the envelope and don't seem to know where to draw the line.

So what about you. Do you still watch reality TV? Have you had an experience like mine where you get a little disgusted with the show for going too far?

Naughty Words

I was reading a book by a popular historical romance novelist recently and was struck by the abundant (or for me overabundant) use of "naughty" words. The "c" word for male genitalia and the "f" work in particular. It got me thinking whether in our effort to "write sexy," we romance novelists are over-relying on naughty words and what readers think about them. I realized that for me at some point the balance tips from "sexy" to definitely "not sexy."

I'll state up front that I use these both of these words in my novels. The "f" word very infrequently (maybe a couple times in six novels), the other fairly often. To me the "c" word is the best of not a lot of great choices, and when used appropriately, the sexiest of the bunch. When I started writing in 2001-2002, the "c" word wasn't used nearly as much. When I sold in late 2004 I remember asking my then editor whether it was okay for Random House (the copy editor at the time kept trying to change it). Now I think it's entered the romance vernacular, and I'm wondering whether I really need to cut back on it. "C" this and "c" that really started to bother me in the book I mentioned. But the problem is what else to use.

I'll admit to an immature, middle-school-age-kid squeamishness for the word "penis." Don't like it, never will. Not sure why, maybe it sounds too clinical? Other clinical words I don't like: clitoris, vagina, scrotum, etc. Non-clinical "naughty" words that give me the ick factor: juice, "c" word for women, quim, and the "p" word for women. When I read these words in a romance novel, they COMPLETELY stop me and take me out of the sexy moment. Some more than others. IMO the word juice and dripping should never be used in the same sentence, LOL.

On the other side are the euphemisms. Euphemisms for male genitalia in particular are often the source of many of the jokes made at romance writer's expense. When someone uses something like "man root" or "magic love stick," it's not hard to see why. :) Some authors abhor all euphemisms for genitalia. Catherine Coulter has a really good workshop on this that I've seen a couple times. For the most part I agree with her, but there are a few I don't mind in historicals (i.e. "staff" is fine).

I love when I come across an author who can write really sexy, intense love scenes (and create great sexual tension) without the graphic descriptive words. Linda Howard and Tara Janzen comes to mind, but I'll try to think of some others. Victoria Dahl and Shannon McKenna are a couple of authors that do use more graphic language, but IMO do so to maximum effect, writing some of the hottest, sexiest love scenes out there.

So I thought I'd see what you guys think. Do naughty or graphic words in love scenes bother you? Do you think romances are overusing some of these words? What hits the "ick" button for you?

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

I know California needs the water (we've been in a drought for three years), but after four big storms with more to go, I've had enough! No singing in the rain for me.

I think I've definitely hit the winter doldrums (and I'm sure I'm getting absolutely NO sympathy from those of you in Seattle or the midwest). Admittedly, it's nothing like the below freezing winters we spent in Minnesota, but the dark mornings really seem to mess up my internal clock, and the past few days I've been really dragging.

I'm taking a mini-vaca this weekend to Disneyland for my son's birthday, but I think it's supposed to rain a little down there, too. Sigh. Hawaii is calling my name . . .

How do you guys beat the winter blues?

Rejuvenation

Alas, this is not about my going on a spa vacation, but is the term I just coined for the part of the writing process that is probably the most important (and most fun) for me. Basically, it's the time between sending in my last book and starting the new one. It's the time when "the world is my oyster," and I'm thinking about all the possibilities for the characters and plot for the next story.

During this time--in addition to catching up on all the home stuff that has been ignored, i.e. cleaning closets--I tend to read a lot, pick up a craft book or two that I've wanted to read, and review historical information to keep it fresh in my mind. This time around I read SAVE THE CAT. It's one of those craft books I've heard so many wonderful things about, but never picked up. Craft books tend to fall into two groups for me: those I love (small number) and those that psyche me out (the vast majority), so I'm often hesitant to read them--especially when writing. I LOVED STC. If you are a writer and haven't checked it out, I highly recommend it.

Unfortunately, with tight deadlines I don't have as much time as I'd like for rejuvenation, and I have to force myself to take at least a week to "do nothing" other than maybe make notes about different ideas I have.

I usually have about a month between the due date of my previous book and turning in the synopsis for the next. Sounds like a lot of time, but it really isn't. Revisions also have to be done in that period so if they are big (cross your fingers they aren't), this can get very tight. I need at least a solid week to do the synopsis, assuming I have the characters and big turning points already worked out. It's tempting to sit down at the computer and start working on the next story right away, but I don't give in. For me, thinking time (consciously and sub-consciously) is more important at this stage than getting something on the page. I need to give the ideas need time to macerate.

Contrary to my "type A" personality (LOL), I am not an outliner. Nor am I a "pantser." For those unfamiliar with the terms, outliners are writers who write from outlines and pantsers are writers who "write by the seat of the pants" (i.e. with nothing). I fall in between. I like to have a flight plan to know where I'm going, but don't want all the details filled in. Because I have to turn in a synopsis for my contract, that has pretty much become the flight plan. But basically, I like to have the characters nailed down and the big "turning points" worked out--although sometimes even those change.

Anyway, it works for me. But process is always changing, and I'm always thinking of ways to make it better (i.e. the magic bullet). I started using SCRIVENER for my last book and absolutely love it. It's a writer's program specifically for Macs (not available to PC users). After reading SAVE THE CAT, I went out and bought myself a bulletin board (actually cork strips that attach to the inside of a cabinet) to pin notecards to. As the late Mr. Snyder so brilliantly points out, it's a great way to waste time. :) (Although he also points out, wasting time is really thinking time). I keep telling myself that . . .

So that's my brief foray into this writer's process. I'll try to take some pictures of my office (and spanking new bulletin board strips) UPDATED: here they are. Ready for a peek inside my lair?

I've only put up one cork strip, but you get the idea
Mr. Cooper at work. As you can tell, the window seat cushion is still a work in progress (Mom, are you listening???)
The filing cabinets look so orderly, but inside is a different story. :) The roses are from my local RWA chapter. We get a rose for every sale.
My main working area (I use two monitors--the "portrait" monitor on the left is perfect for one page blown up to 150%).

On a different note, I ventured back into the movie theater this weekend to see LEAP YEAR. Loved it. Amy Adams, Ireland, Sexy Irishman, what's not to love?

Happy New Year!

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. Can you believe it's 2010 already? Seems like just yesterday we were worrying about Y2K problems and celebrating the millennium.

Ah, well, I guess the good thing is that I'll have three HIGHLAND GUARD novels for you this year. THE CHIEF is only about 2 1/2 months away (March 23rd), THE HAWK at the end of summer (August 31st) and THE RANGER just in time for the new year (December 29th). It's going to be a busy year! I really hope to be able to mix in a trip to Scotland this year, I have to keep that website up to date. :)

On a very sad note, I came back from Tahoe on Sunday to the horrible news that a friend of mine, fellow Scottish romance writer Kathleen Givens, had passed away unexpectedly. Kath was the very first author I met after joining RWA. I was a huge fan and introduced myself to her at a book signing at the Orange Country RWA conference in 2002 or 2003. Her incredible generosity had a huge impact on me. From day one, she took me under her wing, giving a newbie not only encouragement, but going out of her way to introduce me to industry people (including her editor, booksellers, etc.). We tried to get together at conference every year, and it's so sad to think that I won't see her this July to catch up. My heart goes out to her family and friends.

If you haven't had a chance to read her before, you really can't go wrong with any of her books.

On a happier note, I just turned in THE HAWK to my editor today! Very exciting. It will be my 8th published book, but it is actually the 10th manuscript I've finished since I started writing in 2002. I have two regency historicals that I've never really tried to sell. I ended up selling my first two books (which were both Scottish) and didn't want to muddy the waters. Maybe some day . . .

I'm looking forward to a week of spring cleaning while I wait for my revisions and starting thinking about THE RANGER. With another tight deadline, I'm not going to have much of a break.

No New Year's resolutions for me, what about you? Any projects you are starting or wanting to get done?

Merry Christmas! (in Gaelic)

Just a quick note to wish everyone a very Happy Holidays. I'm still burning the midnight oil, but am happy to report that the end is in sight. I'm off for some last minute Christmas shopping today, more cookies tonight, and then addressing Christmas cards tomorrow, so it's a busy weekend.

"See" you in the new year!

Holiday Traditions

Last weekend I took a day off from deadlines and spent most of Sunday making a gingerbread house with my ten year old daughter. Alas, ours didn't turn out quite as well as the one above, but for only our second time it wasn't too bad. We celebrate Christmas, so Sunday was also tree trimming day.

I think I mentioned last year that the past few years have been somewhat "bah humbug" for me when it comes to the holidays. I'm not exactly sure why, but I think it's mostly the stress of trying to buy gifts, go to party's and kid's winter shows, decorate the house, get out Christmas cards, and oh yea, work. Well this year it really hit me just how fast time is going by. My kids, as the cliche goes, are growing up fast. Knowing that "Santa" won't always be here, I decided to make a concerted effort this year to be in a better Christmas mood--thus, the gingerbread house.

But a gingerbread house is really a new take on my favorite holiday tradition: making gingerbread cookies. This tradition started probably about the time I was my daughter's age (when my mom pulled out the old Betty Crocker cookbook) and has continued virtually uninterrupted to this day.

I'm not much of a desert eater, but I LOVE these cookies and can't really imagine a Christmas without them. I know there are some of you out there thinking: gingerbread cookies are okay, but not my favorite. I beg to change your mind. Here is the recipe, give it a shot and become a believer. :)

A couple of pointers: I try not to use extra flour and roll between plastic, baking on parchment until they are still slightly sticky on bottom and soft indent on top. You must decorate with royal icing, and they last forever stored in tins.

So what's your favorite holiday tradition?

Sadly, I'm back!

This was the view from our lanai. Is there any wonder that I didn't want to leave? Sigh. We had one of the best vacations ever, but after a week in paradise it's hard to adjust to "real" life. Hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving. I think I put a crimp in that diet total of mine and am hesitant to step back on the scale!

We're all pretty exhausted but are going to rally for the last Stanford home game of the season today (v. Notre Dame). It's a bit of a let down, however, after last week's horrible loss in the big game to Cal. I was glad I wasn't here.

I planned to catch up on my reading while I was gone, but barely managed to crack a book. I did manage, however, to read through book #2, The Hawk, which is about 3/4+ complete. I have a January 1st deadline which means December is going to be crazy.

Make sure to check my website after Dec. 1st--I'll be posting a "sneak peak" excerpt from The Chief.

Also, I just got some fabulous new bookmarks for the new series. If you want one, send me an email with your snail mail addy in the next week or so, and I'll pop one in the mail.

Are you ready for December? Not me, I think it's going to be a crazy month. I have no idea how I'm going to finish a book and get all my shopping done. As always, I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to get my parents.

Favorite Thanksgiving Food

Okay, so admittedly, dungeness crab probably isn't on the top of your traditional Thanksgiving meal list, but it is on mine. I live in the San Francisco bay area and the dungeness crab season just happens to hit full throttle right around Turkey day. Since I was little, there have been many Thanksgivings where my dad has gone across the bridge to Fisherman's warf and picked up fresh crab for us to enjoy at lunch on Thanksgiving. It's followed by a typical Thanksgiving dinner, but the crab has always been the best part for me. Only in California, right? LOL.

But seriously, when I was trying to come up with my favorite Thanksgiving food it was either crab or brussel sprouts. I'm a weirdo, I know. It drives my family (i.e. husband) crazy that I don't love Thanksgiving dinner. I could seriously do with just the crab and sourdough bread.

So what about you...

Do you have a favorite thing you cook/like to eat for Thanksgiving? (Traditional or untraditional?) What's your favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal?

Five Things You Didn't Know About Me

1. I was a Star Wars maniac. I've seen the original film over 100 times. I used to have a mad crush on Mark Hamill (including pictures of him in my school locker). Apparently I never outgrew this "trekkie" type of personality quirk because I did the same thing with Lord of the Rings (including midnight showings to all three movies).
2. I don't like casseroles. "Cream of [fill in the blank]" makes me want to . . . enough said. This amuses one of my CPs greatly. She's always threatening to invite me over to dinner for casserole night.
3. I played piano for almost 10 years and danced ballet for over 12 years. I was only passably talented at both.
4. I was a huge Elvis fan. I still remember the day my Dad came home and told me he'd died, I was crushed. I've seen every movie, read tons of books, own most of his music, and visited Graceland. Oh yea, I'm the same age as Lisa Marie, too. :)
5. I've lived in (at least) 9 different states and the District of Columbia: California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Florida, Missouri, Kansas, Massachusetts, and Minnesota.

Yes, I took this idea from a tabloid magazine.

What about you. . . want to tell me one thing I don't know about you?

Mini-Update

Can you believe the holiday season is almost upon us? We've been planning an island vacation over Thanksgiving for months, I can't believe it's almost here. I thought I'd do a little mini-update on some of my recent blogs.

1. Are you a Sparrow or an Apple? I forgot to mention the other recent trend towards crazy spellings. My husband and I have been watching the world series (shocking!) and I noticed the spelling of one of the guys: "Jayson." Now tell me, what is wrong with Jason? LOL.
   
   
2. I'm So Excited I Need to Share: If you didn't win a cover flat you can now read the back of the book blurb here.
   
   

1. When it Rains it Pours: You are not going to believe this. Last week our water heater went out! Turns out it needed a new heating element. I am not asking what else could go wrong, because I don't want to know!
   
   
2. Back to School . . . Only two more tailgates left. Sigh. I wish football season was longer. Although after 'SCs loss last weekend, I may need a break.
   
   
3. Looking for Something to Read: I re-read a few of Susan Elizabeth's books YET AGAIN. I never re-read books so this is something of a rarity for me. I was still struggling to find something to read and decided to go back to some of my old favorites. I picked up a Nelson Demille that I hadn't read and fell in love with him all over again. Such a great writer.
   
   
4. Monica's Scary Movie: I still haven't been back to a theater. Seriously. I may have developed a phobia.
   
   
5. The Freshman Twenty at Forty: Well it's taken me over three months, but I've lost almost 15 pounds! I must admit, I'm pretty proud of myself. It wasn't easy. I used a meal replacement service for the first three weeks that really helped. Let's hope I can keep it off!
   
   

So what have you been up to, lately? I'm plugging away on book #2, not looking forward to a January 1st deadline. Ugh.

Are you a Sparrow or an Apple?

Above is a clip from one of my favorite Seinfeld episodes called "The Seven," when George tells some friends that they should name their new baby "Soda" or "Seven" (after Mickey Mantle). I bet they never imagined that they tongue-in-cheek roasting of the trend toward "unusual" (for lack of a better word) baby names was only just beginning. I think I'd rather be named Seven than Sparrow, LOL.

Picking names isn't easy--even for characters. I get to cheat a little because most of the time my characters are based on "real" historical figures. But this also creates some challenges. In medieval/Stewart Scotland if you want to stay true to the period the choices are, shall we say, extremely limited. I've just about exhausted them all. Seriously. I've had: Rory, Alex, Lachlan, Jamie, Patrick, and Duncan for heroes, and numerous Callums, Colins, etc, for secondary characters. Women's names are just as difficult. I'm going to be repeating a couple in the next series (Lachlan and Alex).

What if you could pick your name, what would it be? I'm not a big Monica fan (especially after the Clinton thing). I'd probably choose something traditional like Katherine and go by Katie.

WINNERS!

The winners are:

Jane

Lexi

Diane W.

B.E.

Samantha

And what the heck, PJ and Natalie, you guys too. :)

Please send your snail mail addy to the email on my website!

I'm So Excited, I need to Share!

I just received my coverflats for THE CHIEF and they are amazing. Ballantine really outdid themselves--the cover is absolutely gorgeous. This is definitely my favorite yet. (Ing, if you are reading this, yes, I think it is even better than Rory's arm, LOL).

A coverflat is basically the front and back cover without the book inside. Unlike the JPEG above, it's got the fancy embossed metallic writing, the matte finish, a subtle plaid on the spine and back, and a book blurb (not yet posted, BTW).

So as a reward for the faithful, I want to give some of these babies away.

I will send ONE signed coverflat to each of the first FIVE eligible commenters who comment on this blog. To be eligible you must have commented on at least of of my three previous blogs (Oct. 3, Sept. 26 or Sept. 15). It would be helpful if you indicate which blog in your response (so I can check it faster). Once I post the winners, you will need to send your snail mail addy to the email on my website.

Can't wait for you guys to see these in the stores!

WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS

We lived in a condo for a number of years before our kids were born, and right now that is sounding really good. I've had a couple of bad homeowner weeks. We have a little family joke around here about how I sometimes wish I were married to Norm Abraham (above) or Bob Villa. My hubby might be able to hit a baseball out of the park, but let's just say (nicely) handyman he is not. His motto: if it can't be fixed with a hammer, it can't be fixed. Seriously. Isn't there some law out there that guys are supposed to be good at this stuff? In my book: A man who knows how to use tools = uber sexy.

Especially right now.

People always say bad things come in threes...not. Try five. The past couple of weeks we have had: an electrical wire burn in our attic causing one circuit to go out, a cracked pipe in the kitchen sink, a cracked sprinkler pipe, a broken sprinkler pipe (different one) that leaked into the basement, and a broken clothes dryer that needed to be replaced. I should have married a plumber.

What I've learned: I do not handle this kind of stress well. I just hope I get a break for a while.

So what about you...what's your worst housing nightmare? Are you lucky enough to have someone handy in your life? Can I have their number? :)

P.S. I'm in RT this month. If you don't subscribe you can see it here.

Also, author Kelly L Stone recently interviewed me for her second book for aspiring writers. The book is called Thinking Write: The Secret to Freeing Your Creative Mind, and it's about how to use the power of your subconscious mind to maximize your creative output and attain all of your writing aspirations. I'm looking forward to reading how my comments came out. :)

Back to School, Football, Tailgating, the World Series and Halloween: It Doesn't Get Much Better Than That!

Just a few of the reasons I LOVE the fall. Today marks the first day of Stanford Football Tailgating for the McCarty family (we missed the first game last weekend), and we can't wait. IMO Stanford has one of the best tailgating experiences around. It's called "The Farm" but it's actually more like the woods--plenty of space to park beneath the giant trees and set up chairs, tables, whatever. Mom and Dad listen to music and drink a few adult beverages while the kids run around in the trees and toss the football around. Usually we have friends stop by which makes it even better. My two CPs Bella Andre and Jami Alden both went to Stanford undergrad so we've tried to make it a time to get the families together. A few friends from Law School are still around, too. I grew up tailgating with my family at Raiders games so maybe it's in the blood. :)

We've been Stanford Football season ticket holders for the past few years, and it has become one (if not the) favorite thing we do together as a family. September and October are probably the best weather months in California. Clear warm days and cold crisp nights--perfect! I have dreams each year about doing something more lavish with the food, but it's usually chips, dips, sandwiches, burritos or sushi and plenty of Coors Light. I do want one of those Margherita machines though . . .

So what about you . . . are you a tailgater? What is your favorite time of year? Do you have a favorite thing you do together as a family?

Mini-Break

Other than a last minute, late summer trip to Tahoe this summer, we pretty much stayed put. But this weekend we'll be taking a little "mini-break" and heading down to the world's happiest place, a.k.a. Disneyland.

If you'd told me before I had kids that I'd be going to Disneyland multiple times a year, I would have said, "You're nuts!" Sigh, what a difference a couple of little ones can make. We've been taking the kids to Disneyland since they were toddlers (my daughter was only 6 months!)--mostly because we were down there so much when my hubby was playing baseball. He mostly played for American League teams and Anaheim is a quick trip form Nor Cal. Most of the past 10 years we've been annual passholders. Not sure whether I should be proud of that or not? :)

The kids are ride fans so Disneyland (where you can go back and forth between the parks easily) is more enjoyable for them than Disneyworld (where everything is spread out). Both kids love the "thrill" rides: California Screamer, Grizzly Run, and Tower of Terror. I like those, too, but I think my favorite is Soarin' Over California.

As a funny aside: I'm deep into book #2 now with my "SEAL"/seafarer and I can't even tell you how many times I've wanted to use the rollercoaster analogy for all those wild rides on the boat, LOL.

So what about you...have a favorite amusement park? Ever been to Disney? Do you like roller-coasters?

Looking for Something to Read . . .

With the kids back at school (insert Monica doing a jig here), I'm looking to reward myself with a little reading time. Something that has seriously been lacking in the past few months.

I was pretty parsimonious this year at conference, and I've already managed to read through most of the books I picked up. I also did a little book clean out recently. I think my TBR pile is the lowest it's been in years. In part it's because I've started putting aside books that I'm not enjoying. It used to be that I read through the entire book no matter what. But my reading time is so limited nowadays, I've become much more cutthroat.

There are a couple of books I'm really looking forward to at the end of the month (new Lisa Kleypas and Liz Carlyle anyone?), but do you have any recommendations to tide me over until then? How about new authors?

I read historical (of course), suspense, and some contemporary (SEP, Rachel Gibson, Jennie Crusie, Christie Ridgeway... stuff like that). I don't read paranormal usually unless it's time travel.