Book Releases

Holding On (Colorado High Country #6) —
The Colorado High Country series returns with Conrad and Kenzie's story.

A hero barely holding on…

Harrison Conrad returned to Scarlet Springs from Nepal, the sole survivor of a freak accident on Mt. Everest. Shattered and grieving for his friends, he vows never to climb again and retreats into a bottle of whiskey—until Kenzie Morgan shows up at his door with a tiny puppy asking for his help. He’s the last person in the world she should ask to foster this little furball. He’s barely capable of managing his own life right now, let alone caring for a helpless, adorable, fluffy puppy. But Conrad has always had a thing for Kenzie with her bright smile and sweet curves. One look into her pleading blue eyes, and he can’t say no.

The woman who won’t let him fall…

Kenzie Morgan’s life went to the dogs years ago. A successful search dog trainer and kennel owner, she gets her fill of adventure volunteering for the Rocky Mountain Search & Rescue Team. The only thing missing from her busy life is love. It’s not easy finding Mr. Right in a small mountain town, especially when she’s unwilling to date climbers. She long ago swore never again to fall for a guy who might one day leave her for a rock. When Conrad returns from a climbing trip haunted by the catastrophe that killed his best friend, Kenzie can see he’s hurting and wants to help. She just might have the perfect way to bring him back to the world of the living. But friendship quickly turns into something more—and now she’s risking her heart to heal his.

In ebook and soon in print!


About Me

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I grew up in Colorado at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, then lived in Denmark and traveled throughout Europe before coming back to Colorado. I have two adult sons, whom I cherish. I started my writing career as a columnist and investigative reporter and eventually became the first woman editor of two different papers. Along the way, my team and I won numerous state and several national awards, including the National Journalism Award for Public Service. In 2011, I was awarded the Keeper of the Flame Lifetime Achievement Award for Journalism. Now I write historical romance and contemporary romantic suspense.

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Seductive Musings

Saturday, June 23, 2007

A rose by any other name


A perfect rose... A new bloom on Louise Odier, a Bourbon rose.

Thank you all for your supportive emails and messages. I feel so lucky to know you all and to have the chance to share my stories with you. I am feeling much better. I just needed to have a good cry and get the emotion out of my system. Now I'm anxiously awaiting word from my agent and from my editor in New York that the book is acceptable. It's really long...

In the meantime, my rose garden is in high bloom. I have two rose gardens, one in the front yard which takes up most of the yard, and the fairy garden in the back. Both have exploded with blossoms that smell so wonderful. I went out early this morning and took photos with my cell phone, but I'm hoping to have better photos later this weekend. These are all rebloomers, so the blossom-fest lasts most of the summer, though it's never this intense. The first round of blooming is always the most floriforous.


This shows two bushes — Anne Boleyn, the best-smelling rose in the world, next to Heritage, which is taller and is the other best-smelling rose in the world. The blossoms on Heritage are perfect pink cups. Both are old English roses.

This is the time of year I go around sniffing constantly. I plant all kinds of herbs and other flowers between the roses, including lavendar, so that I can just walk and sniff the whole time. Everything blooms, so there are layers upon layers of flowers — tiny ones, big ones, pink, purple, blue, red, white, yellow. And they're all mixed up. The photo above shows lavendar in the foreground.


This is a view of Heritage and Anne Boleyn with a King Arther giant delphinium in the foreground. I think these look magical!

So, yes, I am a flower 'ho'. No man could ever give me too many flowers. Ever.


This shows Carefree Beauty, another wonderfully scented rose, in front of a climbing rose that has perhaps 200 white blossoms on it.

The photo above is hard to see, but there's a climbing rose that's making an arch over our wooden fence. It is covered in tiny white roses, perhaps 200 to 300 of them. They have a very sweet, apple-y rose smell.

This isn't even a third of my bushes. And it doesn't show the fairy garden either. But it gives you a blurry sense of what I'm enjoying these days.

This weekend I'm going to shop for a glitter gown for the RITAs (only three weeks away!) and a suit for the more business-y aspects of the convention and, yes, shoes. I'm going to wish you were all here to help with this. I'm not much of a savvy shopper.

I also plan to plot my next contemporary and write a proposal for that. It will be Kat's story. She's going to fall in love with a mountain parks ranger, who saves her life when she falls while out hiking. (Does that sound vaguely familiar to anyone?) The names I'm toying with for the hero (and feel free to cast your vote) include: Gabriel (Gabe), Chase, Cole, Malachi. I kinda feel like I can't use Cole because I used it in Sweet Release. I'm leaning toward Gabriel and Malachi.

It's so nice to feel like the pressure is off for a while. After I get the proposal for my next RS written, I'm going to dive headfirst into Morgan's story. I left him at death's door a year a go and need to revive him. At the same time, I'm going to try to write my first erotic novel. Stay tuned for that...

Have a great weekend, everyone! And thanks again for being the greatest!

17 comments:

Debbie H said...

I am so with you on the flowers. I bought myself 2 doz roses last Tuesday.

You're right, you do have to purge yourself of the grief of letting brfore you can move on.

You garden is amazing, I could almost smell the roses.

It's so funny, I had picked Gabriel and Malachi before I read the rest of the paragraph. Malachi is what my DS and DIL had chosen for a boys name. When you say Kat and Malachi out loud, it has flow to it.

I can't wait for the next books including the erotica!

Enjoy the garden and shopping.

See you in a few weeks!

Leiha said...

Girl, I had no idea you were so into gardening. I would love to see more of your garden. Take more pics! I remember we used to live in a house that had these big beautiful rose bushes in front one year and I loved cutting them all summer and putting them in the house. I think your roses are stunning.

As for the dress shopping. I think you should take a cam, pick your 3 favorite and let us vote like the do on the entertainment shows! Yes, I know it means 2 trips but it would be so much fun! I am planing to wear my long fuschia dress to the Harlequin party that we're going to crash, LOL.

Bo said...

Gabriel!!!GABRIEL GABRIEL GABRIEL!!! Okay,so maybe my preference has to do with the fact that I think Gabriel Byrne is a great actor,and handsome in an odd sort of way.I don't know if you've ever seen the movie End of Days,where he gets posessed,but the scene in the restaurant,where he does a total grab,grope,and fondle of the blond woman he was dining with,right in front of her hubs and the whole restaurant,well,I was jealous,LOL! I wanted that to be me! Yes,I am a strange child sometimes *G*

I know nothing about flowers,but roses are beautiful & I LOVE how intense the purple is on that one plant.Please don't you & Aimee throw a gardening book at me,LOL!
Your yard sounds like a beautiful,peaceful place.My Mom would never want to leave-she is a flower ho too,LOL.

You need Lina & Tinda there to help with the shopping,they are fashion gurus.*G*

I'm excited that Morgan's revival is imminent,and the thought of an erotic novel from you,WOW!!!

zinreads said...

*standing up* I, too, am a flower ho. I love flowers -- I love to give them and I love to get them. *g*

I like both Gabriel and Malachi. *g*

Ann

Hi, Debbie,

Good for you for buying yourself some roses! I wish you were here to see mine. Funny that you liked the same names I like. They're sexy, aren't they?

Leiha, I should have more pics soon! It's so beautiful right now I wish I could just spend the entire day out there, wandering and sniffing. And what a good idea! I could post photos of the dresses. I'd have to acquire a camera. My cell might not be adequate. LOL! Can't wait to be freakin' on the dance floor at the Harlequin party. That party rocks, doesn't it?

So, Bo, you're saying you like the name Gabriel? LOL! It's pretty sexy. I like Gabriel Bryne, too, but I wasn't thinking of him. I was just thinking of the sound. Bring your mom to visit and we'll be flower sluts together. :-)

You're right -- having Tinda here would be a HUGH help.

And I do mean it literally, you know. Morgan was at the point of death...

Hugs, all.

Hey, Ann! Great to see you. Another flower ho! YAY!

You it just occurs to me that flower hos are happy whether they get a lay or a lei.

OK, that's lame. LOL!

Update on Marc & Sophie... I just heard from my agent. She read all 438 pages of the manuscript and says she loved it. She said it made her cry and that she thinks that it might be my best book yet. She said she didn't think I could top Julian, but for her Marc does that. (Aimee, you can write her a letter and explain otherwise. LOL!)

WHAT A RELIEF!!!!! I never feel like a book is really done till I hear from my agent and editor that it doesn't suck.

I'm BBQing with the boys tonight to celebrate. Grilled brats and burgers and corn on the cob and veggies kabobs with strawberry shortcake for dessert.

Ronlyn said...

YAY for your agent loving the book. I know you were worried but I had no doubts. I can't wait to get my grubby mits on it!
Your roses are gorgeous!! Sammy and I are very excited that the flowers we planted last month are starting to take off. I was concerned that we planted them too late for any blooms this year, but it looks like I'll be proved otherwise. YAY! The veggies are also starting to sprout so it's going to be a very productive gardening season for us.
I love flowers. The only time I don't is when they are bought for me in an effort to curb my temper. I told Scott that early in our relationship and he's always remembered. He buys me flowers reguarly and chocolates when I'm upset. ;)
Alex is proving to be stubborn. We were all ready for him to make his appearance this weekend and he's stalled out. I have another appointment on Monday so we'll see what they say then. I'm on the way (3 cm & 60% effaced as of Thursday) but the contractions have stopped. *sigh*
Enjoy your BBQ with your boys!!

Ronlyn said...

Oh, and I vote for Gabe/Gabriel.
:)

Debbie H said...

I am so glad your agent loved the book! But we all knew she would! Everyone will! Enjoy your BBQ with the boys and smell some roses for me!

Leiha said...

I can't believe I forgot to cast my vote. I vote for Gabriel also. One of my favorite books is Saving Grace and his name was Gabriel, the patron saint of women and children, have loved the name ever since because I loved the hero.

You can borrow a cam because a cam phone just wont do. You could be on stage with a RITA very soon and you must be dressed at your very best!

I loved that party! One of the highlights of the trip, I was sad I was too full to eat there, won't make that mistake again, EG!

Congrats on your book! I bet you love hearing those words, "your best book yet!"

Mmm, your dinner sounds wonderful! I heated up cold pizza last night, not quite as good!

Ronlyn, it sounds like you're in for a fast right when your labor really kicks in. If you want an epidural, you won't want to stay at home for too long! I started both of my labors dilated 0 and 0 effaced. Not sure why...

I'm glad you and Sammy are going to reap the benefits of your hard work together. I think gardening is really good for kids. Not only is it the most natural thing for human beings to do, it also teaches patience and healthy expectations and connects rewards with hard work. Benjy used to be my garden buddy. That's what I called him -- "garden buddy."

And good for you for explaining to Scott that flowers don't make up for crappy man behavior. LOL!

Debbie — Thanks! I wasn't sure she would, but then I seem to be completely unable to see my own writing. When I told her I was afraid she'd get bored, she said, "Are you INSANE?" LOL!

The BBQ went well. We ate a bit late, but the food was nummy. This morning we're having eggs benedict. Mmmm.

Leiha, I will do my best to borrow a camera. I hope to go out to Macy's in a little while. And, OMG, when you put it like that — onstage at the RITAs — I can barely breathe! Sorry about the cold pizza. But stay hungry Friday night. Not only is there lots of scrumptious food, but the booze will hit you harder. LOL! We'll have to see if you can hook up with your old dance partner, Nora Roberts. (She was my dance partner, too, but that's the cool thing -- we don't have trouble sharing. We shared Su pretty well, didn't we?)

DUH! That should say, "FAST RIDE," Ronlyn. I can't type...

Off to water roses...

P.C.

Nes said...

Those flowers are gorgeous!

I LOVE your flowers, but whoa, that delphinium is especially stunning!

How do you find the time to care for them?! I hope if I make it there this summer that they are still blooming for me to drool on LOL

I have to say this about the book,

I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!!

You need to listen to me better :-P

I pick Gabe for the new hero!

I can't wait to see what you choose for a dress, I wish I was going to be there...

OH! I forgot to say "YAY"! about your doing erotic stories, I SO cannot WAIT for that! Will it be Holly's story? Something totally new? wOOt!!!!

Hi, Aims!

I meant to answer you yesterday...

The person who does all the hard work in the garden is Benjy. He used to be my garden buddy. I'd slather him with sunscreen, give him his own little shovel and gloves and then take him out with me. I told him he was a brave knight vanquishing the evil weeds. And boy did he get into it!

I taught him what I knew about growing veggies and flowers. But after I started writing full time (that's on top of the full-time job), I found I couldn't keep up with it. And my brave knight rode to the rescue.

He knows as much if not more about roses than I do at this point, because he read and studied a lot about it last year when he really took over for real.

And, yes, I love the delphinium! The dark royal blue is such an amazing contrast to the pink roses. The ones in the back are as tall as I am (5-10). Butterfly blue delphinium and rose mallow will bloom soon, too.

So, another vote for Gabe for the hero's name.

I bought a couple of cocktail dresses that I love! Can't wait to show them off.

As for the erotica — this is going to be something completely different. I'm still hoping to do Holly's story as a full-length contemp RS as part of that same series. She meets a jaded rock star, you know...

Today is kind of a sucky day. Ben has stomach flu, and I had to work. I just got home a while ago and I need to get some work done, but I'd rather go to bed!

Debbie H said...

Poor Benj and Poor Pamela. I hope Benj gets to feeling better. And you take time to rest, OK?

Can't wait to see the dresses you picked out. I hate picking out clothes at my current weight, but I love the way you feel in dressy clothes, especially black dresses.

Hugs,

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Favorite Writing Quotes


"I am an artist. I am here to live out loud."
—Emile Zola

"I am tomorrow, or some future day, what I establish today. I am today what I established yesterday or some previous day."
—James Joyce

"Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery."
—Jane Austen

"Writers are those for whom writing is more difficult that it is for others."
—Ernest Hemingway

"When I write, I feel like an armless, legless man with a crayon in his mouth."
—Kurt Vonnegut

"The ability of writers to imagine what is not the self, to familiarize the strange and mystify the familiar is the test of their power."
—Toni Morrison

"No tears in the author, no tears in the reader."
—Robert Frost.

"I'm a writer. I give the truth scope."
—the character of Chaucer in
A Knight's Tale