Smart Snow Dog
So what about all that snow the east coast got socked with huh? Just what we didn’t need and the dear twins are supposed to head for Paris today with their French group. I sure hope all goes off on time and well. Please send good bloggy vibes their way.
Yesterday the family headed out to brave the snow and do some shoveling and cleaning of the cars.
Jack wasn’t all that thrilled with the idea and had to seriously consider stepping off the porch.
Once he did he got into the swing of things for a bit, that is until the DH opened the car door for a moment and like a shot Jack was gone.
Into the sanctuary of the warm car. Leaving us outside to clean up on our own. Smart dog.
Best,
KwanaP.S. There is still time to enter the Cara Elliot Sin with a Scoundrel giveaway from yesterday’s post below.
Sinning with a Scoundrel and a Giveaway!
So are you snowed in? Raise your hands if you are?Lucky me! The mail gods and ARC gods have been smiling and in a recent book shipment I received a copy of To Sin With A Scoundrel by Cara Elliot, the first book in the Circle of Sin series. Now once again I was duped buy the old author name change switcharoo. I was like, “where have I heard that name before.” You all know me. Between the Teen Twins and Jack I can’t remember two days ago and surely not when a friend goes and writes under a pseudonym. Foul!
Cara got me with this on twitter too. I was like, “who is this Cara all over the place.” Turns out it’s my friend and bestselling author, Andrea. Duh! I really gotta get it together. Maybe ginkgo biloba, but I do vaguely remember hearing about a study saying that that doesn’t even work. Sigh. Oh well, back to today’s joy…I got To Sin With A Scoundrel, read it, totally enjoyed it and then saw the lovely Cara/Andrea at Lady Jane’s Salon recently and she ever so kindly agreed to do a short interview with me (even though I’m a ninny that can’t remember her very famous pseudonym).Now onto the interview:
Hello Cara thanks so much for taking some time out of your busy schedule to pop over her for a bit at Kwana Writes!
Thanks for inviting me, Kwana. You’re such a wonderful voice for the romance genre—it’s an honor to be here!
First off can you tell us a little about your background? Have you always wanted to be a romance writer or is this something that you happened on later? Do you have some fab story of “overnight success”?Actually, I wrote my first book when I was five years old. It was a Western, complete with meticulously colored pictures of horses and cowboys. (I’ve since moved on to Regency England . . . I must have a thing for Men in Boots!) So I guess that storytelling has always been a passion of mine. However, I also loved art and ended up majoring in graphic design, which took me on a different career path for a number of years, So to make a long story short, I remained an avid reader, but didn’t return to writing until later in life. One day, about ten years ago, I decided to plunk my derriere in a chair and try my hand at writing again. And that was it—I was hooked, though I hadn’t the first clue on what I was going to do with the finished manuscript.
Getting published was a serendipitous quirk of fate. A friend introduced me to an agent and I pitched him a contemporary thriller I had written. (It’s still in a desk drawer for good reason.) He nodded politely throughout the interview and said he would take a look at it. Then, as we got up, I mentioned as an afterthought,” Oh, I also have a Regency romance, but that probably doesn’t interest you.” Well, at that his eyes lit up, and he said,” Oh, the people at the Signet Regency line are good friends. Let me show it to them.” Three days later I got the call that they had bought my book!What’s your writing process like? Are you a plotter or a pantser? What’s a typical writing day like for you?Oh, total set-of-the-panser! I can’t tell you how many times I finish a chapter and sit back saying, “Whoa, I didn’t know they were going to do that!”
I’m also a slow writer. On my writing days, I get up early and pretty much keep at it for 10 or12 hours (Okay, okay, with bathroom and chocolate breaks. Chocolate is an essential item on a writer’s desk. One never knows when The Muse might need a little bribe!) If I end up with 8 or 10 pages, that’s a very good day. The good news is, they are pretty clean pages. I’m not someone who writes three or four drafts.Now I know your schedule is extremely busy since you are currently teaching a class at Yale (yes folks, that Yale) called “Reading the Historical Romance Novel” along with New York Times bestselling author Lauren Willing. Can you tell me a little on how this came about?Mix two romance writers with several glasses of chardonnay . . .
Lauren and I are both Yale grads, and one evening at Lady Jane’s Salon in NYC we started talking about how romance should be treated as a serious genre of literature, and how we would structure a class. Laughing, we both said, “Oh, wouldn’t it be fun to teach a seminar at Yale on the subject.” But the laughter quickly died away as a simultaneous spark lit in our eyes . . and so we decided to submit a proposal. After months of drafting a detailed syllabus, complete with critical readings, and being interviewed by a committee of students and professors in New Haven, our idea was accepted! We started teaching in January, and are really enjoying the experience.It’s actually great to see that we are part of a growing movement to focus attention on the fact that great authors are writing great stories in the romance genre. Now, we readers have always known that, but it’s heartening to see the rest of the literary world, as well as the academic community, start to sit up and take notice!Now onto To Sin With A Scoundrel which as I said I thoroughly enjoyed. Lady Ciara Sheffield is not your typical Regency heroine. She’s been married and has a child and is an intellectual. What made you decide on this type of heroine and the Circle of Sin as an idea for a series?I’ve always liked creating unconventional heroines . . . maybe because I’ve always been a little quirky myself. So I tend to write stories with characters who dare to be different and who challenge the rules of their Society. It allows me to explore an emotional complexity, which I feel allows me to add depth and texture.The Circle of Sin is a group of brilliant, beautiful female scholars who meet each week to share their knowledge and their friendship. They are all scientists—now, don’t ask me why! I was absolutely hopeless in math or science in school. (But hey, that’s part of the fun of fiction, and I did do my homework studying up on the basics so as not to make a fool of myself.) That said, I really enjoyed playing with the “chemistry” of pairing each of the three brainy heroines with heroes who were, on the surface, their opposites. Lady Ciara Sheffield, who stars in the first book of the new trilogy, is wary of men, however she has no choice but to accept help from a rakish rogue in order to save herself from scandal . . . and they both learn some unexpected lessons on love.What was your inspiration for the dashing and sexy Lord Hadley?Oh, I have a real soft spot for Lucas, who is one of my favorite heroes. He’s a charming rake who cheerfully admits to having no interest in anything but sybaritic pleasure. But at heart, he’s far more sensitive than he cares to admit, and as his best friend Jack says, he simply needs a challenge to bring out his better nature. As for inspiration, well, don’t we all dream of turning our scoundrels into noble heroes!
I can’t wait for the next book To Surrender A Rogue and Alessandra and Jack’s story. The sparks fly with these two from page one. Tell us a bit about them.
Oh yes, things get a little hot between Alessandra and Jack in To Sin With A Scoundrel. Having been burned in the past, she’s mistrustful of the handsome devil who tries to ride to her rescue—especially when Jack ends up tying her young daughter to a tree. (Note: he has an excellent reason for doing it, but still, what mother would not be a tad upset at such heavy-handed measures!)
So in To Surrender To A Rogue, when they find themselves working at the same archeological excavation of Roman ruins in Bath, they are none too happy about it. But when fellow member of the expedition threatens to dig up a dark secret from Alessandra’s past, she finds herself in desperate need of a hero . . . I hope you enjoy their story! (Oh, and then there’s free-spirited Kate, the botany expert, whose story will be told in To Tempt A Rake.)Thanks so much for being here today. I can’t wait to see you at the next Lady Jane’s.
Thanks for having me, Kwana! See you at the Salon in March.
Folks you can check out Cara’s website hereAnd if you are in New York on Monday March 1st don’t miss Lady Jane’s Salon where Cara will be reading from To Sin With A Scoundrel. Check out the site here.Oh and one lucky commenter will win a signed ARC (advanced reader copy) of To Sin With A Scoundrel from Cara. So please leave your comments. The only rule is you must be a follower of ye old blog kwanawrites. Oh and please leave your email so I can get back to ya and enter by midnight Thursday. Thanks.Best,
KwanaLittle House
This sweet little house that is on a neighbor’s front yard is just coming out from under the snow and it looks like we’re in for a bunch more come tonight. Sigh.
I hope the forecast is wrong since I’m as busy as all get out getting the dear twins ready for a school trip to Paris later in the week. Yep, that Paris. I’m trying to keep myself sane and not worry too much since they have never been out of the country or on vacation without me so yes, I wish I were going too to keep an eye out and hey, It’s Paris. Why wouldn’t I want to go?What are you up to? Is it snow are sun in your forecast?Best,KwanaSuper Romance
What’s Jack up to? Jack is full and content though a bit sad after a lovely weekend visit from Nana where he was spoiled silly. He really does love her like crazy and she is just nuts for him. It’s too cute.
How was your weekend? Did you watch the Superbowl on Sunday? I watched quite a bit, that is until the last installment of Emma came on PBS at 9 then I was off. Though I know the story it was much more exciting than the Superbowl for me.
Did you watch? If you didn’t you can watch it online here.
Or at least take the: Bachelors of Highbury Quiz. I scored with Mr. Knightley. My Mr. Knightly!
Best,KwanaP.S.Congrats Saints! I wonder will Kim get her ring now?Game On
So I hear there’s some big game happening this weekend. A Superbowl or something? Now I’ll admit, I have never been a football fan. I’m sorry, there I’ve said it. And since The J-E-T-S didn’t make it I really don’t have any stake in the game. Now the DH will surely be watching and cheering,loudly. And I think he’ll be going for The Saints. Who Dat!
Should I have my fingers crossed for a win so Kim can get a ring? So sad. Give the girl a ring Reggie win or not!
If anything I’ll only be watching for the commercials if at all. In a preview I came across this too funny one that finaled in a Doritos contest. Now I know it may promote bad behavior in kids but it cracked me up. You can vote on it here.Now as per the DH’s request I’ve got some Chili to make.
Best,
KwanaEverything’s Better With Bacon
What’s Jack up to? Jack’s doing good, hanging, doing his usual Jack thing full of vim and vigor that is until about 9:00 when his sleepy kicks in. Then all bets are off and nobody better mess with him when he’s trying to get his sleep on. Zzzzzzzz…..
So, I’m sure many of you have heard the saying, “everything taste better with bacon.” Well, one of my knitting buddies, T went and proved it yesterday when she brought this for the group to sample. that’s right bacon flavored chocolate. To it’s credit she didn’t tell us the secret ingredient and the bacon wasn’t overpowering so we were all guessing for quite a while. I got very close when I said something smoked. It combined sweet and salty perfectly. Have you ever?
Sadly, I have. You should have seen the faces when I fessed up to having potato chips with my chocolate ice cream. Yum.Tell me what odd treats do you like to have on the sly?
If you’d like to try the bacon flavored chocolate you can get it from Vosges here.
Best,
KwanaA Dog’s Life-Wordless Wednesday
Let’s all take a lesson from Jack today shall we and schedule a little chill time today. It does a mind and body good.
Happy Wednesday! For more Wordless Wednesday posts go to 5 Minutes for Mom.
Best,
KwanaSurrender
Surrender : transitive verb 1 a : to yield to the power, control, or possession of another upon compulsion or demandb : to give up completely or agree to forgo especially in favor of another 2 a : to give (oneself) up into the power of another especially as a prisoner b : to give (oneself) over to something (as an influence)Some days you just want to throw your hands up and not in a joyful way, but in a way of frustration, in an act of defeat. The day can be going along smoothly and all it takes is one thing, a rock in the road to trip you up and take you off course, causing you to take your eyes off the horizon and your ultimate joy and you want to surrender. To give up, to say fine I’m done, have at it world, take all I’ve got.
But then you realize that there are some things you can’t do that with. Some instances where you can’t surrender or your stubborn mother’s heart just won’t let you. Because when it comes to your children is there really ever any surrender? Not as long as there is hope, love, fight and breath.So you grit your teeth and hang in for the fight. Throwing up your hands and clinching them into fists at the rest of the world if you have to because the only act of Surrender when it comes to your children, in your heart and mind, is the Surrendering to the will of God. Nothing less will do.Best,
Kwana3rd Times a Charm?
So… I just couldn’t leave well enough alone. Thanks so much for all your comment on my post with the pic of me in my new glasses here. After that post and halfway through your kind comments on how nice I looked, I promptly got my butt in gear and made my way to yet another eyeglass store in the handy chain that has the fab 30 day no questions asked guarantee. Sigh.When I went into the new store I told the employees my story about just feeling blah about my new glasses and asked their opinion. They agreed the glasses were a tad too big for my face and that I should be happy with them so I spent a good hour there mulling over frames until I found these that are very close to my pair that broke and I loved. And one hour after that I had my 3rd pair of new glasses.
Let’s hope 3rd times the charm. I sure think so! Lesson here? It really doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks about how you look. It’s how you feel about how you look that counts.Or maybe what Frieda Kahlo thinks. She looks happy to me.
Best,KwanaAn Interview, A Giveaway and a Scandal
Oh fun! Today my interview with Amanda McCabe is up over at the Risky Regencies blog to launch her new book Countess of Scandal as Laurel McKee. She’s giving away a copy of her book to a lucky commenter so please stop on by and check out the interview here.
And it just so happens that my review of Countess of Scandal is up on Booksquawk so later you can stop on by there and check that out. You’ll see I really enjoyed all the scandal. It was a great read.Once again. Happy Saturday!Best,Kwana
