Steaming up a bookshelf near you!
I hope everyone is having a great holiday season. I’m also hoping to make it a bit better with some good news: If you were waiting for the January 3 release date to grab your copy of BOUND AND DETERMINED, the wait is officially over! Copies have been spotted in Borders stores across the country and Barnes and Noble.com indicates the book now ships within 24 hours! I’m really excited about the early release and hope you’ll be Bound and Determined to ring in a hot new year with me.

Advance Reviews:
“This fast paced romantic adventure will take you on the hottest ride of your life.”
– Coffee Time Romance Reviews

GOLD STAR AWARD! “You simply won’t want to put Bound and Determined down once you turn over the first page. Ms. Bradley simply shines… A fabulous book I’m not likely to forget in a hurry.”
– Just Erotic Romance Reviews

Chat with Shelley:
I’ll be chatting at the popular online romance reader’s site Fallen Angels on Tuesday, January 3rd at 9pm Eastern/6pm Pacific. To join me, click here or visit www.fallenangelreviews.com/home.shtml. I’ll be dishing the dirt on BOUND AND DETERMINED and other upcoming titles, as well as discussing writing, life or anything else that’s interesting. Stop by–it’s free and fun!

Get your signed copy of BOUND AND DETERMINED!
A wonderful bookseller in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area has convinced me to leave my writing cave for a day so she can throw me a birthday party! There will be cake and punch–the works. I won’t admit how old I am, but I’ll be celebrating by signing books just for you. If you’ll be in the area, you’re cordially invited to attend on Saturday, January 21st from 2pm to 4 pm at:

Barnes & Noble Booksellers
2325 S Stemmons Frwy, Suite 401
Lewisvillle, TX
972-315-7966

But I want more information now!
If this is true for you, I’ve got you covered. Recently, I began a Publishing Survivor blog series that details the day-to-day trials and triumphs of my quest to successfully launch BOUND AND DETERMINED. Will I be Dancing with the Stars or become the Biggest Loser? Read along to hear one neurotic writer’s journey during the last handful of days prior to publication and during the hectic holiday season. Or comment to join in the fun! What has to be done? How do I get the word about this book out? Am I actually getting any sleep? Click here to get the scoop!

Final Thoughts:
I sincerely hope you’ll steam up your winter nights with BOUND AND DETERMINED and join me for my other scheduled fun and festivities. Let’s ring in a hot New Year!

Shelley Bradley

I have received emails from some of you wondering how I could just leave you hanging with Publishing Survivor. Well, like networks sometimes change a show’s day and time, I’ve moved to a new location as well. It’s cooler and more hip, with pics and other fun stuff (because I have help now and I’m too techno challenged to insert such neat images myself). Days 5 and 6 are already up. Days 7 and 8 are in queue. So… please visit the new location. It’s a blast!

http://publishingsurvivor.blogspot.com/

Hope everyone had a great holiday. Happy New Year!

Shelley

Monday, December 12

Back to work. I’ve been dreading it because there’s a lot of upheaval going on there. Why do corporations choose the holidays to do a bunch of restructuring (i.e., so you have to worry if you have a job anymore) and make announcements about reductions in benefits? Ho, ho, ho to you, too! This year my work group is having a Bah Humbug potluck, since that seems to perfectly describe how so many of us feel. And to top it off, one big project is winding down, so it’s chaos getting everything together from all team members. Another project is ramping up. And it’s a monster project. We really need about 4-6 months to make it right. We have about 4 weeks. Corporate America is just so much fun. Hubby is going through much the same junk. Blech!

I’m looking at my calendar and contemplating the next few months. I still have half a book to finish and 2 proposals to write, preferably by February. Maybe I should consider giving up sleep since I’m not sure where all the hours in the day will come from. These are all books I’m really passionate about writing, so not having enough time is like sandpaper on silk–just rubbing me the wrong way.

I thought I’d feel a lot better with the dinner party behind me and focus on writing, but the holiday stuff is creeping in. That ticking clock reminds me that I’ve got to get stuff wrapped, gifts and cards mailed, baking completed, etc. This year, hubby has grudgingly said he will take over the Christmas cards. He grumbles (yet again) about why we send Christmas cards. What’s the point? See me rolling my eyes. My mother comes from this HUGE family, most of whom live in Arizona. We don’t live there. So the cards are often my only contact with great aunts and uncles, second cousins, etc. I love getting cards from them, so I send cards as well. Hubby comes from a small family, most of whom he hasn’t seen in 20+ years or have already passed on. And he’s not big on socializing voluntarily. Socializing is my department. I lovingly call him my House Hermit. So he doesn’t have a mountain of friends he sends cards to, as I do. But he still volunteered to do them so I don’t have to. For all his grousing about it, he’s wonderful to take the task from me. I just can’t this year. He’s a rock, and I don’t know where I’d be without him.

Damn! It’s December 12… Which means it’s my parents’ wedding anniversary. I forgot until just now. After I beat my head against the wall, I wonder why I just can’t seem to remember birthdays and anniversaries until the day they arrive. I’ve tried setting up a calendar system, but it didn’t seem to improve my card and gift delivery any. My family knows I love them and that I’m usually a bit late with such things. Mom usually smiles, since her life is every bit as crazy as mine. I call the folks to wish them a happy anniversary. Mom is busy (surprise…not) being the real estate mogul of Tucson. So I talk to Dad. He thanks me for calling about their anniversary, then changes the subject to talk about my child and football–his two favorite subjects. My daughter calls him Grumpy instead of grandpa or the like. He’s all bristly on the outside, but like liquid goo in the inside. But shh! Don’t tell him I told you that. He’ll only deny it…

Okay, since I can’t get voted off this island and I don’t want to be the Biggest Loser, I gotta figure all this out. Deep breath. Soon (I hope) the hectic pace will slow and I can get back into the swing of life. For now, here’s today’s schedule:
5:45 am – Up and getting ready for another sparkling day in the office.

7:15 am – Drive in is actually pleasant. I ponder some ideas for the proposals swirling in my head as I listen to my CDs. If I ever gave up my corporate job, I’d still have to find time for these drives. So many of my idea come when it’s just me, the music and the rush hour traffic.

7:45 am – Arrive at the office in one piece and begin deluge of work to be done.

12:15 pm – Look at the clock. Oh, that explains why I’m hungry. I open mini-fridge here and pull out frozen lunch. Not exciting, but it gets the job done. And saves time so I can write during my lunch break.

1:20 pm – CHALLENGE # 1 RESULTS: Wow!!! It’s fabulous that I managed to get 4 pages done in an hour, despite interruptions of ringing phones and people stopping by. Over the years, I’ve learned to work like that. Not my preference, but it can be done in a pinch. And this time of year, time is always pinched, right?

4:45 pm – Whew! Completed project within deadline and began reviewing the other team members’ work, since I’m editor-in-chief for this one. But now it’s time to go.

5:30 pm – CHALLENGE RESULT # 2: Make it home with the child. Time for homework! Yeah, not a popular proclamation, but it gets done. I dive into emails. I continue to arrange for promotion for upcoming book and reviewers who have ARCs.

7:00 pm – CHALLENGE RESULT # 3: After a rushed dinner (gotta love pizza delivery) while watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition that’s been on our Tivo for a few weeks, I head for the gym. This instructor is very nice, and she announces that she’s leaving. Rats! I looked forward to seeing her every Monday night because she was so much fun. Hopefully, her replacement will be as engaging…but that’s rare. Still, try to be optimistic and not think that the Grinch must be trying to steal all my fun this holiday season, as this is just another thing in a list of annoyances.

9 pm – Back home. Child bathed and tucked in. Time to get down to work! I clean up the chapter I just finished and email it off to buddies who will read for me. I probably owe them hazard pay or something *g* I spend some time IMing with another writer friend. Her WIP is utter dreck, according to her, and her editor will hate it and her for it. I keep assuring her it’s hot and I wanted to read more. I think it’s one of her better works, and she better hurry up and finish it or I’m going to be very put out. She left me hanging! We talk through a few plot things. Then she asks me when my WIP will be finished. I laugh. February–if I’m lucky. It’s not due until April 1. She whines that I left her hanging. LOL

11:00 pm – It’s been a busy, but relatively dull day so I’m going to bed. Won’t bore you with further dissertation about it.

Yesterday’s challenges were all met. I’m feeling invincible. Not true. I’m feeling pretty good. I’m hoping the rest of the week holds. And since my reward was a book to read, Amazon’s timely email telling me that a book I ordered a while back has finally shipped ought to allow me to indulge.

Tomorrow Challenges:
1) Write 3 pages on WIP
2) Write next installment of Publishing Survivor
3) Get to grocery store to buy items for office potluck on Thursday

I’m not sure how I’ll reward myself if I succeed. I’m thinking more writing time. I really want to keep working during this insane Santa-laden season!

Sunday, December 11, 2005
The best laid plans… You know how they go. You start out with such great intentions, then poof! The day is gone and you’re wondering what happened to all those hours. Grrr!

On the other hand, I did have some quiet moments earlier in the day. Nothing like obsessing about your Amazon ranking before the sun comes up. Or wondering if you should call the Ingram’s line again. I refrained from the latter, at least. I think I learned my first time around that you can only do so much once you’ve turned in the book. But knowing that and being okay with it are two different things.

Sometimes it’s weird when you try to explain the publishing business to “civilians.” Last night someone said, “So you wrote the book and your name goes on the cover and it’s your name at stake once it hits the shelves, but you get very little input on the cover and the blurb on the back?” Yeah. Put that way, it does sound somewhat back-asswards. But I told this person, while reminding myself, that the publisher writes the checks, so if they want to put a two-headed Godzilla in a wedding dress on the cover…I’d think they were totally out of their ever-lovin’ minds, but I couldn’t do much.

Speaking of covers, when I spoke to my editor last Friday about the pending cover for my July release, STRIP SEARCH, she said it was definitely in progress. She said my heroine was wearing a sizzling red dress. That’s the good news. But…that so doesn’t tell me what I want to know. Um, hello? Is the hero on the cover hot? Trust me, it’s all about him. As long as she’s not wearing a burlap sack, I’m happy. But this hero… Let’s just say that I have a pic of the guy I envisioned in this role. Virtually everyone I’ve shared it with has drooled in a big way. I’m pretty sure he’s the most beautiful man on the planet–or in the top 2 at least. I’d share, but I’d probably be violating major copyright laws :-( Anyway, I really hope the hero on this cover is hot. The hero on the cover of BOUND AND DETERMINED was fairly easy on the eyes. But Rafe’s not a smiley sort of guy. And he would never wear that loud shirt… I really hope readers don’t avoid the book over that shirt. The rest of the cover is lovely, so maybe no one will notice.

It also occurred to me during the wee hours that I should be getting more reviews soon, especially from Romantic Times. I’ve had some wonderful ones for this book already, 10 of 10 from Romance Designs, a Gold Star award from Just Erotic Romance Reviews, 5 of 5 from A Romance Review. But, like any author trying to pull herself up from her bootstraps and convince herself that publishing all over again in a new genre is a good idea, I want more. It’s painful to hear the not-so-nice comments. If they have constructive criticism, great. I’m also aware not book suits everyone. My book is no exception. And not everyone wants to read super sexy romances. Again, fine. That just leaves more books for those of us who do *g*.

Okay, misdirection aside, yes, I get nervous. I think a lot of people do. But less than perfect reviews aren’t the end of the world. I’ve survived before. If they come with this book, I’ll survive again. I’ll wail and want to eat pounds of chocolate probably, but I will survive. Gloria Gaynor has nothing on me!

My 70′s moment aside, here’s today’s Schedule:
6:27 am – I’m awake. Wow, 50 minutes later than yesterday. Shocking! Again, I’m the first one up, so I’ll see what I can do with the time.

7:00 am – In my home office chair and been through all my emails, ever trusty Diet Coke slowly perking up my drooping eyelids. I’m working furiously on the chapter I started yesterday and can see the end in sight. But hark, what’s that I hear calling my name? It’s the damn laundry. Ugh!

8:15 am – Hubby is awake. Sunday morning is paper-reading day for him. Front to back. Don’t talk to, play with, cajole, feed or otherwise breathe in his space until the paper is finished. Stick that hand in his direction and you might draw back a nub. Oh, well. At least I’ve got the first load of laundry going. Goal #2 is looking good.

9:20 am – Leave for gym to attending morning beating. Oops–make that my step aerobics/lift class. I see lots of people I know. Favorite instructor is there, so I feel happy now. Sweaty, but happy. And get good ideas for finishing current chapter on my way home, so double bonus! Good ideas and extra calories spent so I can eat a few of those white chocolate truffles my wonderful, evil neighbor brought me for playing party hostess last night.

11:30 am – Showered and cleaned up again. Feeling human but hungry. Hard to write with low blood sugar. And the laundry is calling again.

2:00 pm – CHALLENGE RESULT # 1 & 3: A little more writing (3 pages!), a little more arranging for promotion for my upcoming book. More angsting about whether I’m doing the right thing to launch the “new me.” I have a freaking marketing degree. Gosh, they taught me how to come up with a slogan for Tide or monitor the life cycle of a widget. I’m not equipped for this! I have a plan here. Well, a spreadsheet. Oh heck, when it’s you and your book and your career, being objective just isn’t easy. To take my mind off my angst and cross another item off my list, I also order a Christmas gift online for my grandmother and have it shipped to her. I love online shopping. Anytime I can buy gifts still wearing my little pink slippers, I’m happy!

3:00 pm – Friends drop by to watch Dallas Cowboys play the Kansas City Chiefs and help us eat leftovers from yesterday’s party. Had fun taking a break from grind. Still folding laundry in the middle of it all, but it’s a great game. Though WHY do they all have to have high drama up to the expiration of the game clock? Gosh, give me a heart attack, why don’t you? But the Cowboys won, so we celebrate! Mexican food all around.

6:15 pm – CHALLENGE #2 RESULT: Yeah, laundry is done! We sit around and talk about outcome of game and gear up for the Survivor finale. But our friends’ 11 month old gets cranky because she’s cutting molars. They head home. We clean up the house and give our child a quick bath.

7:22 pm – FINALLY, Survivor starts. Couldn’t they cut 60 Minutes short so we could start watching the show we’ve been waiting on all season? I mean the stuff about the sharks is interesting, but any idiot who gets in a cage to see a shark up close and personal has some sort of death wish. Can you tell I’m not an adrenaline junkie?

9:30 pm – Dang it, Steph didn’t win. I’m pouting. The jury members are predictably bitter. The game is called Survivor. Outwit, Outplay, Outlast. Not Friendliest, Hardest working, Most honest. Seriously, the show is designed for players to stab each other in the back. You may not think a lot of them as people, but some of these players know how others think and work and can figure out their angle. No one liked Brian Heidik, who won in Thailand. The dude was a used car salesman (with a soft porn background, as whispers have it…), but he understood people. He knew it wasn’t a popularity contest, but a strategic one. He’s still my fave. One smooth operator… Oh well, Danni was nice enough and did exhibit some strategy late in the game. Next season they are in Panama. Don’t know when it starts, but since CBS is done with their version of the show for now, you’ll have mine for the rest of the month.

10:30 pm – Put clean sheets on the bed. Run a sinfully hot tub of water in my one indulgence, my Jacuzzi tub. Big hugs for hubby for being so much help this weekend. Avoid thinking that, tomorrow it’s back to the grind. I didn’t get in time for that manicure and pedicure. Maybe next weekend…

So… for tomorrow’s Reward Challenge, I must:
1) Write at least 3 pages on current manuscript
2) Help child with homework
3) Go to the gym.

What do I get if I succeed? Hmm, how about a new book to read this coming weekend? Looking forward to that!

Tune in tomorrow for my results!

Saturday, December 10, 2005

I thought weekends were supposed to be days of rest. If so, someone never sent the memo this way. Geez! While doing the preparation for this progressive dinner party I told you about yesterday, I was reminded why I prefer catering. This is a lot of work! Not only was I reminded by the work…but by my husband, who helped me out in that department–repeatedly. Yeah, okay. I got it Mr. Broken Record. You hate doing dishes. I tried to tell him that I was just giving him a chance to show off doing something he’s good at. That didn’t fly. Then I told him that watching him do dishes really…did something to me. The stare he sent me couldn’t have sliced a tomato any better than a Ginsu. Hmmm. Guess flattery and suggestion aren’t what they used to be.

The good news is, the party turned out well. We have a mountain of food leftover. The folks who hosted appetizers for this progressive clearly overfed the guests because by the time they came here, everyone had a delicate appetite. Before you think it’s my cooking, think again. Two of my neighbors assisted with the cooking. And no one at much dessert at the next house either. Oh well, the good news is that dinner tomorrow is already prepared and only needs to be reheated.

One thing that was funny… So at dessert, all the men stood around the hostess’ kitchen island. The ladies were all seated at the table (around the food. Not smart on my part…), so we weren’t more than a few feet apart. Well, we got on the subject of kids and what they see on TV and the Internet, etc. One lady at the table has pre-teenage boys and was not happy with the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show (that, to her, doubled as a slut fest). Well, all of us had been around long enough to remember when Victoria’s Secret still carried some soft, cuddly, halfway practical things, rather than bras that sounded like a physics experiment. I was asking someone who still shopped there why some of the D and DD cup bras had padding. What’s up with that? Anyway, we looked up and realized that all of the men, who had previously been discussing their golf game and admitting to having a man crush on Lance Armstrong, were suddenly very quiet. Just proves that in any century, in any setting, guys are still guys. Mention unmentionables and it gets attention :-)

Once the party got underway, we had a great time. Nice to visit neighbors you just don’t get to see frequently, given everyone’s hectic lives. Uncomfortable moments here and again, though. My hubby, who is the treasurer for our homeowners association, has apparently told everyone what I write. So I got lots of questions, ranging from how I work and juggle my life, to verbal ponderings of the similarities between my work an porn. Oh, please. Gotta pen? I’ll make you a list of the differences, sweetie. Gotta love living in the Bible belt…

Enough ramblings for the day. Here’s today’s Schedule:
5:37 am – I’m awake…again. I hate insomnia! But as long as I’m awake, may as well make good use of the time.

6:30 am – In my home office chair and been through all my emails. I’m ready to write. Want to finish a particularly juicy scene. Nothing like sneaking in a little solo oral sex while the spouse is still asleep. On the page, people! I’m in decent shape, but not a contortionist or so inclined. Geez! But wait, I can’t write this now. My child is in my office reading Disney Adventure Stories aloud, spelling me the longer words and asking, “Mom, what’s this?” The cat is perched on my desk, furry butt parked in front of my monitor, wailing one meow after the other in-between pointless attempts to catch my cursor. I love my family, but everyone wants attention this morning. I thought getting up early would buy me time to write. I run off to find a Diet Coke and come up with Plan B.

7:15 am – Hubby is awake, so he rescues me from playing reading teacher and pet sitter. Normally, I don’t mind at all, but since we have so much to do today, this will be my only time to write. I let him take the “kids” downstairs and sink back into Fictionland.

9:00 am – CHALLENGE #1 RESULT: Oh, what a rush! Not only did I write the 5 pages I said I would, I wrote 8. I’ll put 3 in the bank toward tomorrow’s total. I’m really on a good track. Chapter 10 should be finished tomorrow or Monday, and I’m feeling good about it.

9:15 am – Time to goof off. We sit down as a family to eat and scroll the shows we Tivo’d during the week. Lots of “Dog, Bounty Hunter.” My husband and child are happy. The cat doesn’t seem to care. Then we watched Abbamania again. My child must the only one in the under 10 crowd who’s well versed in Abba songs.

10:30 am – Time to start cleaning up and getting ready. There’s just no interesting way to spin cleaning, so I won’t try.

12:30 pm – After preliminary work is done, we shower up and leave to run errands for the party. Husband is still grumbling. Did you honestly think I didn’t know how you felt? Put a lid on it!

1:00 pm – Is there a reason the post office has to be closed in the middle of the day 2 weeks before Christmas? What gives? There’s a kiosk to assist. I think they call it an Automated Postal Machine or some such. All I know was it felt like the post office was open… but only one window accepting packages. I waited over 20 minutes to use it. Not my idea of a good time!

2:00 pm – Lunch. After a few more errands, my stomach is beginning to think my throat has been cut. We stop by our neighborhood Wendy’s to get a nutritious lunch . Okay, so we stopped by to chow down. It worked.

5:00 pm – A quick trip through the grocery store later, and we’re on our way home. We start fixing up everything necessary for the party. Hubby still acts as if he’s not happy. I tune him out by walking through the next scene of my book in my head. Much more fun. I do have to give hubby credit, though. He honestly did a HUGE amount of the work necessary to pull this off. It would never have happened without him. Extra hugs and kisses for him.

6:15 pm – CHALLENGE #2 RESULT: Guests arrive. Showtime! Actually turns out really nice, as the folks at our table turn out to be a hoot. We talk about kids, cats, travel abroad and great places to get recipes. Oh, and my books. Everyone thinks I must be really interesting and worldly. Wonder what gives them that impression? Anyway, Christmas music in the background, and it’s a nice time. See pic of my dining room table.

7:30 pm – Time to head to the neighbor’s for dessert. Wow, their house is decorated so beautifully. It’s like Ty Pennington came into their house and just went for it. I’m getting lots of new ideas. Hubby reminds me that the only ideas I’m allowed to have are for books. Since I’ve got deadlines, he’s got a point .

9:30 pm – Back home and time for clean-up. Again, because there’s nothing fun or interesting about this, I’ll pass on the description. Except to say that the switch in music from Country Christmas to 80′s metal did get a raised brow out of him. What? C’mon. Sing along. Pour some sugar on me…

10:45 pm – CHALLENGE #3 RESULT: Time to dig into daily post re: Publishing Survivor. I’m even more brain dead today at this time than yesterday. Gee, I hope this rambling makes any sense… But either way, I get it done.

11:15 pm – Okay, exhausted beyond knowing my own name, so I’m going to bed. Cat, who is currently curled up in my lap as I sit at my desk won’t be happy. Sorry, Hermione!

We’re closing in on 11:15. I’m off to collapse. I’m so not a night owl… But the good news is, I successfully completed all phases of my Reward Challenge, so tomorrow, I’m hoping to squeeze in a manicure. I may even toss in a pedicure if I’m extra good.

So… for tomorrow’s Reward Challenge, I must:
1) Write at least 2 pages (preferably 5) on current manuscript
2) Finish the laundry
3) But a Christmas gift for my grandmother and get it in the mail.

What do I get if I succeed? Oh, an evening with my TV so I can watch the Survivor finale. Go Steph!

Tune in tomorrow to see if I can succeed and make it 2 for 2!

Friday, December 9, 2005

Today, Deidre Knight, my lovely agent (hmm, has it really been six years?) asked me if I’d like to come on down and be the first contestant on her version of reality TV, Publishing Survivor. In trying to grasp this concept, she suggested I keep you filled in about each day in the life of a romance writer waiting for a book to come out. In my case, the 10th…but my first since September 2002. After a soul search, a genre switch and a publisher change, I’m baaaaccck. And for those who follow along, you’ll get an up close and probably too personal (not to mention over the top) look at what happens during the countdown to publication for this full-time corporate employee, mother, author and way-stressed-out Gen X insomniac. As you follow along, you can judge for yourself… Will I be Dancing with the Stars or a candidate for the Biggest Loser?

Each day, I’ll post my schedule, my thoughts, grouses, grumbles, smiles, giggles, odd thoughts and anything else that comes to mind. I’ll catch you up on my progress on the Reward Challenge I set myself on the previous day and tell you what tomorrow’s Reward Challenge will be.

What will I win if I successfully complete the Reward Challenge? My sanity? Oops, too late. I probably never had any. Which explains why I wear as many hats as I do each day and juggle more than anyone from Barnum and Bailey ever thought of. So I settled instead on finding small ways to reward myself. For instance, today’s challenge was to finish the first Publishing Survivor entry before collapse. It’s nearing 10:15 p.m., and I’m semi-awake and confident I’ll finish. So I’ll be rewarding myself with a manicure tomorrow. My nails naturally grow at a rate that would likely alarm scientists (would that I could get my hair to jump on the bandwagon…).

I was hoping there was an Immunity Challenge in all this. But apparently, I can’t get voted off the island. It’s my life, my second career, my second stab at publishing. My motto: Never do anything halfway (along with, why cook when there are so many wonderful restaurants around, but I digress…). So, I’m throwing my all into this. I’m game. Are you?

Here’s today’s Schedule:
5:45 am – I’m awake…why? Oh, because I have another stunning day in Corporate America to attend to. Besides, I couldn’t sleep. I just learned a few hours before that my next book, the one I thought was out in February actually comes out in January. That’s a few short weeks away. I’m still panicking after a tossy-turny night.

6:30 am – I’m frantically dashing off emails to everyone I can think of to help me spread the word about the change in my publication date.

8:00 am – I’m at my desk in my cubicle, Diet Coke in hand. No, I don’t drink coffee, and yes, I’m actually a real human. If you want to understand the corporate part of my existence, read Dilbert. He’s really accurate.

9:00 am – First meeting to discuss project that’s so amazingly ridiculous on so many levels, we all laugh our butts off for fifteen minutes before fighting back the tears as we realize it still has to be done.

11:30 am – Finally out of meeting. It’s safe to say that, when we left, no one attending was a bright ray of sunshine.

12:00 pm – Lunch. Sort of. Chicken tortilla soup and a few chips at my desk while I read a love scene written by a student from a class I gave in October on Creating Love Scenes with Emotional Punch. Gee, I hope no one comes by to read over my shoulder…

1:00 pm – In the midst of so many meetings, it’s easy to forget there’s actual work to do. Anyone want to guess what I do by day? Certainly it won’t be any sort of shock when I tell you I write for this living, too. If anyone was going to say stripper, mortician or insurance actuary. Buzz–you’re all wrong. My extra-fair skin would scare folks if I decided to wear nothing but strategically-placed tassels. Unlike the kid in The Sixth Sense, I don’t see dead people. An actuary? Are you kidding me? I got almost no sleep last night. With a job like that, I fear I’d catch up at my desk and get fired.

3:00 pm – Chocolate, anyone? No. Dang it, who invented this damn low carb diet all my co-workers are on? Someone into torture… Ah, and there’s a writer friend on the phone asking me if I’ve heard some gossip about her publisher. Yes, a week ago. I would have shared, but I thought she knew… Oops!

4:00 pm – A call from my editor. Hmm. It’s late in NYC. But she’s very nice. We talk about what’s going on with the release of BOUND AND DETERMINED, now that it’s just weeks away. Berkley is going to feature me on the Berkley/Jove website. Awesome! But damn cold as I stand outside and talk on my cell phone. Geez, it’s a balmy 38 degrees here today. I’m dying. My co-worker originally from Fargo laughs as I whine.

5:00 pm – I’m outta here!

6:30 pm – Yummy dinner with family at restaurant where you can throw peanut shells on the floor. Gratifying to do that when you don’t have to clean it up!

7:30 pm – Shopping at local membership club/bulk buying warehouse. More on why later. Somewhere between the Tide and the Charmin I’m thinking, isn’t the life of a romance writer so glamorous?

8:00 pm – Call my mom for advice on handling the last part of tomorrow’s challenge. She’s so good at this stuff – a cross between Martha Stewart and Bree VanDeKamp. My eyes glaze over. This is so not my thing…

8:30 pm – Back home and picking up the house. Am I the only one who notices that there’s like a month’s worth of mail sitting on the kitchen counter. A little help here… I have work to do!

9:30 pm – Confer with another writer friend who got her backcover copy for her next book. It’s good copy, and she’s pleased, so smiles all around. We discuss my shifting publication date, and she provides suggestions for getting the word out. Very helpful. We’ve been buddies for a long time. She pouts about the fact she’s having a hard time finding a publicist. I console. She leaves to finish her laundry. See, we aren’t such glamorous creatures? Anyone who thought our lives were all about boas and Bon-bons…didn’t we have you fooled?

10:00 pm – Sit down to write my first entry for Publishing Survivor. Stare at the screen a requisite ten minutes, wondering what the hell I’m doing. Empty screens and me have a bad history. We go way back… There’s got to be a name or something for this particular disorder. Blankophobia? Cursor Blinkitis?

We’re closing in on 11. I’ll read the emails that have been flying in my inbox as I wrote this, answer the necessary ones (aren’t the all, except those asking me if I’d like to have a larger penis or would be willing to use my bank account to help someone whose funds are trapped in an African bank account after a loved one’s death), then collapse into bed.

So… for tomorrow’s Reward Challenge, I must:
1) Write at least 5 pages on current manuscript
2) Complete tomorrow’s Publishing Survivor entry
3) Successfully manage to give a neighborhood dinner party for 16 (hence the reason I was at the bulk warehouse) without tearing my hair out.

What do I get if I succeed? I’ll steal an hour to watch either the latest Trading Spaces or read the book tucked beside my bathtub. Ah, heaven.

Tune in tomorrow to see if I can make it!

In a very guy sort of attempt to make up for the fact he flubbed up November (i.e., never got around to it), my dh (which could be darling or damn husband…depending on my mood) has provided me with December’s centerfold a few days early.

Enjoy the dry, acerbic holiday wit of Mr. Bradley.
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Well, its nearly mid-December and time for my holiday message. Now if you ask Shelley, my demeanor this time of year varies between The Grinch and Scrooge McDuck. Don’t get me wrong; I enjoy the Christmas holidays just as much as the next guy. My only problem is I’m expected to be “in the spirit” as soon as the local retailer puts up its first Christmas ornaments. And that normally occurs sometime in late August when it’s about 100 degrees!!!

Shelley does her best to get me in the spirit. She begrudgingly assigns me to such lovely holiday hats as greeting card creator/distributor, standing in cheerful post office lines man and, of course, the ever popular outside light engineer.

As if that’s not enough, just last week, Shelley recently announced a new deadline has “just come up.” And, call me psychic, but I quickly realized that means I’ve inherited new and exciting roles, the kind I could have happily lived my whole life without doing. These include laundry attendant, chief cook/bottle washer and, my old favorite, “Blogger Extraordinaire.”

So, that’s the life of a romance writer’s husband at the holidays. Instead of saying “Ho, ho, ho,” I’m asking, “Honey, when is the next writing check coming in so I can pay for all these presents?”

If you’re having trouble getting into the Christmas spirit, trust me, you’re not the only one.

Here’s another steamy read by a great writer (and friend) to warm up your winter nights!

Kiss of the Night
Book 2 in the Dangerous series
The sequel to MISLED
ISBN: 1-4199-0436-1

Special Task Force agent Alexei Night has had a crush on Interstellar Council Representative Briana Michaels ever since the first time he saw her on the vid comm. But their lives are worlds apart. He’s a vampire. She’s not. There’s no possibility of a relationship between them. Yet he still dreams of her…

When Briana’s unpopular position supporting vampiric rights threatens her family, Alex leaps at the chance to protect her and be with her. It’s a two-week journey to her homeworld, and he’ll spend it making love with the woman he can’t keep, trying to get enough of her to last an eternity. Their erotic connection is easily established but their bond doesn’t overshadow the danger surrounding Briana.

A hopeless romance with a woman whose mortal life is threatened… Things can’t get any worse for Alex.

And then somehow…they do.

Enjoy!