Sourcebooks Casablanca Romance Authors

Yes, it’s a bit of an odd blog title but the resent Oscars have me thinking about the lengths we often go to when dressing for public events. As a historical writer, I often describe the gowns worn at various royal courts. These dresses were ornate, cumbersome and very often, the key to being noticed. Career courtiers often went into financial crisis just to outfit themselves. Walter Raleigh, one of Elizabeth Tudors favorites was rumored to never be seen in the same outfit twice. Considering there were no sewing machines, this entailed a huge amount of expense. So much so, he was adopted as a full grown man so that someone else might pay his tailor bills. But being noticed was the most important thing. I adore my historical gowns but there is an art to wearing them. To the left is a picture of me dancing in one styled after a painting from 1560. You might notice my hand position. Girls were schooled from very early age on how to appear in public. The dress weights about thirty five ...

It is official. I have signed up to do Tough Mudder when it comes to Perth later this year. For those of you who don’t know what it is here’s a clip. My friends’ reactions have ranged from “OMG you’re crazy” to “I’m doing it with you.” It’s so nice to have friends who’ll do a 15+km obstacle course with you :)…and hopefully we’ll still be friends afterwards. When I first heard about the event I thought it sounded fun—as in the do it once in your life type fun (you know how some people jump out of a plane etc). And I’m sure I’ll get something useful out of it for my writing. I’m thinking it will probably involve pain and pushing past it…maybe trying to ignore my fear of heights too. And please let there be no snakes/spiders/other poisonous wildlife (this is Oz after all). On the plus side the idea of entering got me running last year. I can now run 5km and I’m fitter than have been since having kids (seriously where did that decade go?). Has anybody done the course? Any tips?...

Just...lazy? Want to procrastinate when work needs to be done? I'll think of it tomorrow mentality? I'll do something about it next week. And then all of a sudden the time has come and you're like what happened to the time? Do you have stuff you like to do and so that gets priority over the stuff you don't like to do? Or don't want to do? Taxes come to mind....every year I say I'll get better organized, and every year it's the same old thing. :) Though I have to admit part of it is that statements don't come in on time like they're supposed to. I did have the urge to do them one day, but didn't have all my statements in. You know what? That makes us human. See, the guy in the tree, he can afford to do what he wants because he doesn't have to do anything else. Procrastination can lead to stress and more problems--so I'm not advocating to do it--hint to self: Get to work on taxes. But on the other hand, give yoursel...

  There will soon be 62 books published written by Carolyn Brown or Abby Gray (my pen name on the first four)  so you’d think I would be used to the whole process, right? But here I am chewing my fingernails (thank goodness they don’t have calories or fat grams), waiting eleven more days until my first woman’s fiction book hits the book stores. I’ve got a virtual launch party all ready and the blog dates are set. The cover is awesome. Everything has been completed. Nothing left to chance. So what on earth do I have to worry about? REVIEWS!! I remember my first review very well.  The review was one of those downright nasty, folks! I still shudder just thinking about it. The machete the reviewer used to cut up the story and the author who wrote it was covered plumb up in red sticky stuff and it didn’t smell like cherries or strawberries. No editor was ever going to buy another book from me. I was doomed to be a has-been when I'd barely gotten a g...

OK...I know, heck of a blog post title, but in case those of you are fans of any of those big events coming up, I thought I'd throw them in there. I can't wait for Spring--ever! Same thing happens every year, I'm not a big winter person, but will admit to enjoying the sight of snow (2" or less) blanketing the g round. The quiet while it is snowing is so utterly peaceful. I am a HUGE NASCAR fan and my driver 's chances of getting into the Chase again this year are excellent. So far, I'm not impressed with the way the Gen6 cars race, but hey, they're new so it's a learning curve for everyone. ..but the Chevy's look amazing! I'm supposed to be working on said edits for book 3 right now, but am writing a blog instead...I'm definitely sensing a pattern here. Life happens, I react and then life happens again... LOL! Maybe I should think of it as rolling with the punches. I'm delighted to have edits to work on and a wip! Then there ar...

I am on serious deadline and my four boys are home this week on February break. Awesome. To make it even more interesting, my oldest boy is leaving for England on Wednesday as part of a 10 day student exchange program for select seniors. I'm excited for him but moderately terrified as well. He's been diabetic since he was 2 1/2 and this is the first time he's really going away. Needless to say, this week I'm on major overload so instead of a loooonnnnggg wordy post, how about some videos and a giveaway? I'm giving away this 2013 wall poster.  To be entered to win all you have to do is leave a comment and tell me which video you liked the best. Post by Sunday, February 25th at 11:59pm to qualify. I made all of the video trailers for my books and had a blast doing it. Enjoy! Amoveo Legend Series Tall, Dark, & Vampire  (Book 1 Dead in the City) Dream on....

By Samantha Grace I t’s not often I hear couples say they never have a disagreement, but when I do I wonder how that’s possible. I can’t even agree with myself all the time. But let’s say there really are couples that always have the same ideas, the same opinions, the same likes. I’m sure they exist. I just don’t want to be the other half of a Brain Twin Couple. I mean, I like myself, but why would I want to marry my clone? My husband and I like a lot of the same things. Neither of us ever have a clue who’s playing in the Super bowl or the World Series year to year. He’s content to forego hunting to help me find a great pair of boots. We have the same goofy sense of humor. And we’re equally enthusiastic about the newest Star Trek movie coming to a theater near us soon. (He couldn’t believe I liked Star Trek, The Next Generation when we started dating. He’d hit the jackpot, but so did I. Any man willing to devote his Saturday to helping me find homes for the kittens...

Like many millions of other people, I spent at least some of the day in front of the television on Super Bowl Sunday. Yeah, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a huge football fan. I'm more about The Puppy Bowl (Eli pooped on the field, bringing a new definition to the word "Foul!"), the halftime show (Destiny's Child reunion! Didn't Kelly Rowland look fierce ?) and yes, the commercials. Critical opinion for several of the commercials was pretty unanimous. On the positive side, a baby Clydesdale ? **squee** ovaries explode **  AWESOME. Overwhelmingly panned was the commercial in which supermodel Bar Rafaeli very audibly kissed GoDaddy's website guru, Walter. Some commercials received mixed reviews, and have catalyzed some unexpected and interesting online discussions. Consider the following commercial, for Audi:   Is this commercial cute and sexy, or is it sexist? Did she consent to the kiss, or not? Is the kiss romantic, or is it sexual ...

Next month Sourcebooks will be re-releasing the second book in the Relics of Merlin series, Double Enchantment. It will be thrilling to see the new, gorgeous cover on the bookshelves! For a bit of fun, I’ve compiled a list of reasons you might want to read this historical fantasy romance story. Top Ten Reasons to Read DOUBLE ENCHANTMENT  Reason Number 10: You enjoy historical romances sent in the Victorian era, and are looking for a bit of a magical twist on Merry Old England. Reason Number 9: You enjoyed fairy tales as a child. Now it’s time to enjoy one written especially for grown-ups. Reason Number 8: You’ve always longed to let the bad girl inside of you loose! And if not, you can at least enjoy the antics of the bad girl in my heroine. Reason Number 7: You’ve always wondered what it would be like to live with a gnome. No? Well, now that I mention it, you just might be curious… ...

by Danielle Jackson Happy Valentine’s Day! I thought I'd share some quotes about love from one of our favorite authors, Jane Austen! Be sure to read through to the end, enjoying the passages, and to enter our giveaway! Sense and Sensibility – when Elinor finds out Edward isn’t married, and she can’t keep her emotions hidden any longer. Elinor could sit it no longer. She almost ran out of the room, and as soon as the door was closed, burst into tears of joy, which at first she thought would never cease. Edward, who had till then looked any where, rather than at her, saw her hurry away, and perhaps saw—or even heard—her emotion; for immediately afterwards he fell into a reverie, which no remarks, no inquiries, no affectionate address of Mrs. Dashwood could penetrate, and at last, without saying a word, quitted the room, and walked out towards the village, leaving the others in the greatest astonishment and perplexity on a change in his situati...