Midwest Fiction Writers, the Twin Cities-based chapter of The Romance Writers of America, had a stellar contest showing this year, with two members (Helen Brenna and Kathleen Eagle) being nominated for RITAs, and five – count ‘em, FIVE – members being named as Golden Heart finalists.

Four-time Golden Heart nominee Greta MacEachern, nominated in the Romantic Suspense category for Dangerous Summer, couldn’t be with us today (hi, Greta!), but Minnesota’s other four Unsinkables are here for a round table chat! (more…)

Do you watch the show 30 Rock? What do you think of Liz Lemon and her “That’s a dealbreaker, ladies” gag? You know, “If your man is over thirty and still wears a nametag to work…that’s a dealbreaker, ladies.” Cracks me up. And got me thinking about deal breakers for readers. (more…)

Thank you for the wonderful welcome and for this opportunity to chat a bit on your Free-For-All-Friday.  The warmth and fellowship of the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood is one of the terrific surprises that came with being a Golden Heart Finalist this year.

Before I jump to today’s discussion topic, I thought I’d briefly introduce myself.  I write contemporary and historical tales, and have recently completed The Perfect Adventure, a medieval paranormal romance for which I’m eagerly seeking a publisher.

When I’m not writing or earning my keep as a busy executive assistant, I travel as much as budget and time will allow, snap photographic masterpieces prominently displayed in my mother’s home, and read a multitude of steamy romance novels.  My loves in life include living in Manhattan, my two precocious cats, tall black boots, dangly earrings, cabs on rainy days, eggs Benedict drenched in hollandaise, and rich velvety dark chocolate. (more…)

Jen’s  To Do List for Today

1. 2. Prep notes for a.m. meeting with supervisor

2. 3. Review documentation for new offshore vendor

3. 4. Call vet

**10 5.1. Buy new coffee maker

5. Try on clothes for Nationals (note to self: GH finalists should not dress like they don’t own a mirror!)

6. Pick up Rx from pharmacy

7. Finish final edits for Trail of the Tudor Blue

8. Update website

9. Prep tomorrow’s To Do list

****1.  10. Write ****

Oh, and somewhere in there I need to get some laundry done. And pay my Lord and Taylor bill.

(more…)

Today’s Top Ten List

Hi Rubies and fellow Unsinkables. It’s a huge treat to be guest blogging at the Sisterhood today. I really do love this site, so I thank you for the invitation.

The cliché topic we’ve been asked to address as new Golden Heart® finalists is how the experience has affected us. I’ve avoided that subject until, recently, I got to wondering how we GHers are perceived by the rest of the world, and what lessons I’ve learned from the things they see. So, in homage to a famous late night talk show host, Hi-ho Girls and Boy!—here in my hand is today’s top ten list:  The Top Ten ways you know your neighbor (or friend) has been named a Golden Heart® finalist.

(more…)

Young adult author Erica O’Rourke reads anything she can get her hands on – including cereal boxes and train schedules. But she writes what she loves: dark urban fantasy about girls who fall for boys they shouldn’t, learn to use their loud voices, and take control of their fate.  She likes the Oxford comma, anything ginger-flavored, driving stick shift, and flawed characters. Whenever possible, she avoids iceberg lettuce, live fish, algebra, and emoticons. Erica lives outside of Chicago with her husband, three daughters, and two very, very bad cats. To learn more about her, including her quest to create the perfect fish taco, you can visit her website, www.ericaorourke.com or follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Erica_ORourke.

Erica’s Golden Heart manuscript, UNCHOSEN, is a finalist in the Young Adult category.

(more…)

Our guest blogger today is New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries.  In the last 11 years, Sabrina has penned 18 Regency romances and four novellas — becoming a regular on both the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists and winning more than a dozen industry awards in the process.  Writing about 19th-century English life comes naturally for her.  Not only is she a lifelong Jane Austen fan, but she has a doctorate in English lit from Tulane and a specialty in Early Modern British literature. Today, she has more than 4.5 million Sabrina Jeffries books in print.  She writes at her home in Cary, N.C., where she lives with husband, Rene, and their son, Nick.  When not answering e-mails as she logs miles on her treadmill or doing jigsaw puzzles (“my reward for finishing a book”), Jeffries can be found championing the cause of autistic children in the name of her son.

(more…)

Welcome to Free-For-All Friday!  I am also one of The 2010 Unsinkables as well as a 2009 Ruby Sister.  <Laurie waving to all of The Unsinkables who are visiting>

Since almost everyone here knows me and the RWA National conference is only 2 ½ weeks away, I thought this would be a good time for us to share recommendations and tips about Walt Disney World.  That way, if you have time before or after the conference (or if you simply want to escape for a while during the week), you can consider checking out some of the parks, shopping, and entertainment.  Here’s the link to the official Disney website:  http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/ And if you’re looking for someplace to dine:  http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining.htm

I confess, I’m one of those Disney fanatics who visits WDW about every other year.  My husband and I aren’t lovers of thrill rides (not that there aren’t plenty of them in WDW), so we’re more likely to ride the bench at traditional amusement parks and attend the shows.  At WDW, there’s something for everyone and so many different things to do.  We never get tired of it.  I’ll start off our Free-For-All by listing some of my favorites in WDW.

EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) is the Disney park I enjoy the most, so it’s very difficult to choose a favorite attraction there.  One I never miss, however, is The American Experience in the World Showcase half of the park.  It never fails to leave me feeling Proud to be an American.  One of the things I’m planning to make time for while I’m in EPCOT this year is the summer concert right outside the American pavilion,  Beginnings – A Tribute to CHICAGO.  The show times are 5:45 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 8:15 p.m.  The Illuminations laser/fireworks show at 9:00 is also a must see.

If you’ve never attended Fantasmic  (presented only on Sunday, Tuesday, & Thursday evenings) at Disney Hollywood Studios (formerly Disney MGM), you’ve missed a great experience.  The Indiana Jone’s Epic Stunt Spectacular and Lights, Motors, Action Extreme Stunt Show are also incredible.  Hollywood Studios is a great place to go if you enjoy becoming part of the show.

The main thing I love about the Magic Kingdom is that, although the park isn’t just for kids, it lets me feel like one again.  One of my favorite attractions in the MK is also one of the oldest.  The Carousel of Progress, which has been updated over the years, was originally presented by General Electric at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York.  I attended that fair and saw the attraction as a little girl, so it’s extremely nostalgic for me. (Yes, I was VERY young.)  I also never miss The Haunted Mansion or The Pirates of the Caribbean.  These two rides were so popular, Disney made movies with those titles many years after the rides were created.

The Animal Kingdom is my least favorite of the four parks, although it’s still lots of fun.  If you love animals, this is the place to go.  The attraction I always head to first is the 3-D movie, It’s Tough to be a Bug, in the Tree of Life, which is extremely interesting all by itself.  The Finding Nemo and Lion King stage shows are also wonderful.  This year, I’m going to summon up the courage to try the ‘thrill ride’ Dinosaur.  I’m told it isn’t too wild but lots of fun.

If you’re looking for an awesome, but not budget friendly, dining experience ($30.99 per person, but that includes everything from beverages to dessert.) try dinner at O’Hana in the Polynesian Resort.  They serve a parade of delicious grilled offerings from skewers.  If you make a reservation for around 9:30 p.m., just before the Magic Kingdom’s 10 p.m. fireworks display, the pyrotechnic show over Cinderella’s castle can be seen from the restaurant’s windows.  Be sure to ask the maitre d’ for a table with that view.

So how about you?  Do you have any favorites you’d like to recommend or tips for making a visit to WDW more enjoyable?  If you have any questions about Disney World or the conference hotel, please post them.  I or one of the other Ruby Sisters will try to answer it.

Getting the Golden Heart News – Office Style

Normally, I don’t check voice mail between meetings, but it was GH notification day.  I had critiqued Linda Lovely’s GH entry and knew my friend had a real shot at being a finalist, so when the flashing light beckoned, I suspected she had great news and keyed in my passcode.

“This is Sharon Sala…”

My “YIPPPPEEE” probably woke the bats in the Carlsbad Caverns.  I mean, Sharon is one of my favorite authors, so I was entitled to act like a teenager at a Springsteen concert, right?

(Did the Springsteen reference reveal my age?  Eh….I meant at an Usher concert.)

In the process of doing pirouettes in my office chair, I knocked over my coffee cup.  And tie-dyed my favorite blazer with brown caffeine.  Fortunately, I didn’t scorch any body parts because the stale Java had cooled while I’d tried to stay awake in meeting number one. Unfortunately, my jacket was a pale ecru.  I completed my new look by running fingers through my hair, and dislodging the casual topknot I’d spent a half-hour arranging.

(more…)

Going for Gold

What was your reaction when you found out you were a Golden Heart finalist?

Friday, 26th March 2010 is a day I’ll always remember. It was the day I almost hung up on the woman from RWA who rang to tell me I was a Golden Heart finalist. Yep, I’d been milliseconds from regret, heartache and idiocy. (more…)