Before you feel misled, no. I am not pregnant. We did, however, decide to add a furry member to our family. Question was, cat or dog. I’m a cat person. Hubby likes both. Our daughter couldn’t decide. So last Saturday, we visited our local animal shelter after seeing some cats and dogs we liked on their website. When we walked in the door, the first face that greeted us made our hearts melt. She stood up in her enclosure, looked right at us and meowed. I tapped on the glass and she nuzzled her nose against it. Needless to say, we were hooked.

We brought her home, and my daughter named her Hermione, after the clever witch who is one of Harry Potter’s best friends. She’s settled in to home life beautifully. She’s gentle and fun and wants constant attention. She’s very indulgent of my daughter picking her up in weird ways and carrying her across the house.

Now, it had been some years since I had a cat. I’d forgotten the little things that interest them. Dangling mouse cords and keyboard cords are prime candidates. She’s already learned that when she wants attention, she should climb up on my desk, plant herself right in front of my monitor and meow. She’s got the “Queen Sheba” look down already. She’s fascinated by walking across the keyboard. She sees me typing away and thinks her paws need to get in on the action as well. She’s already a master at finding odd little places to hide in the house. She purrs so loud when she sits on my shoulder that, if I’m also on the phone, the person on the other end can hear.

So if I’ve been MIA lately, between company, my hubby being in NYC (I’m jealous!) and our new kitty–not to mention continuing to write stories I hope you’ll love–I’ve been one busy puppy. Um, make that kitty *g*

Shelley

Well, everyone. For better or worse, here’s the September installment of my hubby’s “centerfold”. It’s not exactly a centerfold since it’s past the middle of the month (blame that gremlin procrastination–the man could teach lessons), but here’s the latest in witty from the male point of view:
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When I sat down to write this “centerfold”, I was struck by a certain comparison. I’ve finally found the perfect example of what it’s like being married to a romance writer: Rock Star.

Now, you may ask yourself, how do I draw such a comparison? Well, first of all, it’s the “groupies”. Shelley will say they are fans, which is great, but when I’m the one filtering out the occasional mail from folks behind bars, I say “warning.”

Secondly, I have an issue with this thing she calls “writers’ conventions”. No matter what time I call to speak with her, these “road trips” inevitably find Shelley in a bar and getting less than 3 hours of sleep per night. Another warning!

Lastly, I thought we might be able to miss out on all the “glam” and the entourage associated with romance/rock fame. Alas, it was not meant to be. Not only does she have a “super agent” but we now have the term I have dreaded… A publicist. What’s next, her own talk show?

Okay, okay, I give up. I’m now appointing myself “chief roadie”. After all, if you can’t beat `em, join `em!

Okay, I confess. I’ve been dithering for the better part of a week tying to think of something to say that will be sparkling and entertaining and interesting. No pressure there *g*.

Some people tell me to write about what’s going on in my life. Hmm. It just isn’t glamorous to say that I’m behind on my laundry, my house is a tad messier than I’d like it to be, my daughter has more homework than I think is age appropriate and my poor husband is stressed with his job. So I’m supposed to find some way to catch up, clean up, play tutor and confidante while starting in my sexiest book yet in the middle of insomnia and babysitting an 8 month old for a friend from 5 to 7 in the morning. Isn’t the image of the writer who has hunks fanning her with palm fronds while effortlessly brilliant words fall from her fingertips to the computer screen much more exciting? Yes. Sorry to disappoint you all. I’ve spent days trying to get back on top of everything so I can get to (hopefully) that effortless brilliance, though some days coherent is about as good as it gets. And the hunks fanning me with palm fronds…not gonna happen. Seriously, there’s just not enough hours in the day…though I have to confess that I did take time to watch Survivor: Guatemala last night. A girl’s gotta have some fun.

Other people tell me to blog about my characters and what they’re doing. Well, they seem to be as dazed as I am at the moment, so I’m sure I’m reflecting on them. No reason that a hunk like Jack and a woman as curious as Morgan should look at each other and think now what? Duh, you two! I try not to let my state bleed into my characters, but sometimes it happens. To compound matters, two characters from STRIP SEARCH have been tugging on me, him in particular. They started this sort of growling flirtation…with a tender moment or two along the way. Now, I’m hearing things like “You’re just going to leave us like this???” Until January, yes. You can’t explain to entities in your head that the sooner they shut up, the sooner you can finish what’s currently on your plate, and the sooner you can get them their own story. Gosh, that sounds schizoid. But I’ve said for a long time that fiction writing is the only occupation where you can openly discuss the voices in your head and not be mistaken for someone who needs padded rooms and major sedation *g*.

I’ve rambled enough and can’t think of any other way to avoid having to reacquaint Jack and Morgan with the birds and the bees so they’ll get on with it. For now, I’ll push aside the laundry, hope that Friday is better on the rest of my family, resolve to sleep in tomorrow now that my babysitting gig is at an end. If you all prefer the glamorous image, feel free to insert hunks with palm fronds. I really don’t mind. Um, can you make them shirtless, please?

With a heavy heart, I mourn the passing of a dear friend, romance reviewer and avid reader, Elizabeth Benway. She was killed in a car accident last Tuesday, along with her youngest daughter, Michelle, who was just 17.

I found out just yesterday, and I was completely stunned. She did so much for the genre and authors she loved. Her website was full of tributes to great authors, locations, themes, cover models. She wrote to me often about the quirky, the interesting, the poignant things in her life. She was awaiting her first grandchild, due in about 2 months. I’m sad Lizzy was taken from us. I’m so sad for her that she’ll never see that grandchild, that her oldest daughter will never get to share the joy of motherhood with her own mother. I’m so sorry that Lizzy’s and Michelle’s lives were cut so short. I’m sad that romance has lost such a wonderful advocate and friend.

I never met Lizzy in person. I’ll always regret that. But I’ll never forget her.

Gang,

Someone was kind enough to pass all this on to me, and asked that I pass this on to. If this is one small step gets anyone the help they need, I’ll be thrilled!

Registered nurses – The Baton Rouge General, which has campuses at 3600 Florida Blvd., and 8585 Picardy Ave., needs registered nurses due to the large influx of hurricane victims and evacuated patients. These are paid nursing assignments. Call (225) 381-6464 or visit www.brnurse.com or www.brgeneral.org.

Baton Rouge Area Foundation relief funds – The Hurricane Katrina Displaced Residents Fund will help residents and The Hurricane Katrina New Orleans Recovery Fund will focus on rebuilding infrastructure. Tax deductible donations are being accepted online at www.brac.org. Donations by check should be made out to the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and mailed or delivered to 402 N. Fourth St., Baton Rouge, La., 70802.

Operation Blessing – To help those impacted by Hurricane Katrina, tax deductible contributions can be made to Operation Blessing’s Disaster Relief Fund by call 1 (800) 730-2537. This organization is a Salvation Army partner. Internet users can make a secure online credit card donation by visiting www.ob.org

American Red Cross – Volunteer packets are available at www.batonrouge.redcross.org. Volunteers unable to get through to busy phones lines can go to the office at 10201 Mayfair Drive, Baton Rouge, La., 70809. Donations also can be mailed to that address or made online at www.batonrouge.redcross.org.

To donate or find out information about volunteering, log onto www.salvationarmyUSA.org or call 1 (800) SAL-ARMY. To find out about loved ones, log onto www.satern.org.

Volunteer! Baton Rouge – For information on area organizations seeking volunteers for hurricane relief, call (225) 343-8270.

To donate money for relief efforts or to volunteer, call:

America’s Second Harvest 1 (800) 344-8070

Adventist Community Services 1 (800) 381-7171

Catholic Charities USA (703) 549-1390

For more information, on volunteering, donations and all Red Cross information, call 1-866-GET-INFO or 1-800-HELP NOW. Food and clothing not accepted at this time.

Praying the news is happier next week and that the Gulf coast rebuilds better than ever!

Shelley

On the one hand, I want to put on my happy author face and say this week has been mostly blessings for me. My editor read STRIP SEARCH and asked me to clarify 2 things, which took me 2 hours. I sent the book back to her, and she said she was thrilled. It’s a book that was a joy and a challenge and a pain in my backside to write. And I loved every minute of it. This hero… I hope everyone who reads him will understand the road paved with anger and fear people must travel after a betrayal of monumental proportions–and love his recovery. I hope every woman who’s ever made choices that didn’t thrill her loved ones will appreciate this heroine’s guts and applaud her for staying true to herself. And of course, I hope you’ll all enjoy the sexy push-pull between these two tough, strong-willed people. I did.

But on the other hand, it’s hard to feel like celebrating in the wake of tragedy. New Orleans is a city I’ve been to several times. I always felt its slow, drawled charm…which seemed to mask a glittering danger. It lured you in with sexy promise, even as you knew it had a dark underside. I never knew why the city made me feel that way until I really looked at a map and realized that a storm of that magnitude was going to wreak utter devastation. I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach on Sunday night as I watched the news with my family over dinner. Like most, though, I never imagined anything quite this bad. My heart, thoughts and donations go out to the people who have lost family members and friends, houses, pets and their livelihoods in New Orleans, as well as Mississippi and Alabama.

Like the days after 9/11, it’s hard to want to write in the middle of all this. But as other writers have pointed out, and I, too, realized, stories of hope and fantasy and love–the glue that holds our souls together–are important in trying times. So I’m going to do my part to spread those things. Nothing I write today will make it to a bookshelf in time to uplift anyone suffering in the next few weeks. But I will be thinking that, as people survive and begin to rebuild, I will be there, as will other writers. While I will do what I can through donation and prayer to help right now, I will continue to tell the stories of commitment and joy that last a lifetime so we can hopefully focus on a better tomorrow.