Sourcebooks Casablanca Romance Authors

The Sourcebooks authors share their favorite Halloween traditions and memories. Shana Galen This year we planned to dress up our new dog Sparky, but she ended up having surgery a few weeks ago, so we'll have to wait until next year. Here are a few cute dog costumes I found for 2016. Dog Vader Too perfect! Can't stop laughing at this one! Do you dress up your pets? I bet Terry does! Terry Spear This is the first year that my puppies have been with me for Halloween.  They're Havanese, and I I wasn't sure they would stand for it. Every year, I try to get together with my daughter and SIL for Halloween. Their corgi was dressed in a shark costume. We make fun treats and watch Halloween kind of movies, and this year, all of the dogs will be dressed for the fun. She has another corgi. Now, getting them all to sit for pictures is another story! Max is worn out after all that costume business. Tanner was posing for the camera like a good little pirate! ...

Many of us in the writing profession take our imaginations for granted, me included. I’ve always had it and these thoughts are as much a part of me as the beat of my heart.  Without imagination my stories would be as riveting as a plumber’s manual. But what is imagination?  Where does it come from?  Are we simply born with it? Writers take a seed of thought and fabricate a story around it. The events and people we create could happen exactly as we portray them. Take Jules Verne’s submarine in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea ? Or his novel, Paris in the Twentieth Century where he describes subways, gas stations, fax machine? What about any number of other authors who accurately portray things far before their time? I don't want to be in a world without imagination. It can take you to exciting, amazing places. One very respected 18 th century philosopher acknowledged that nothing is more free than the human imagination. “Our minds hav...

The Romantic Times (RT) convention this year will be in Las Vegas. VEGAS! You know, subtle, low key, modest, relaxing Vegas. Since I grew up in California, Vegas is a day’s drive. So with routine visits, I’ve witnessed its transformation over the years. For Vegas newbies, there are two main parts to Vegas. The original downtown centered around Fremont Street and the newer, glitzier Strip. In the 60’s, I remember the Strip with two story buildings and sand around the driveways. Now it’s the main center of the action. So while romance readers will descend to Vegas en masse , I highly recommend you take a few days and experience some of the delights that Vegas offers. I’m ignorant about the rollercoasters and club scene (my days of discos, mirrored balled dance floors, and big print polyester dresses are long gone—and deservedly so). But Vegas can offer some unforgettable delightful and/or really unusual experiences. Some you cannot have anywhere else in the world. Here are...

My head is spinning just a little bit. I’ve been doing lots of promo for not one, but two, book releases. (Shameless plug time: His Kind of Trouble drops November 3. Woot!)  I really enjoy being on social media, chatting with readers, and dropping little snippets of my book like breadcrumbs. It’s fun, but I love it when I can meet readers in person, which I don’t get to do nearly often enough.Here I am with the fabulous Niki Rayven ( Niki Rayven's Niche shout out). At a recent book signing, I met people that I’d connected with only on social media, so it was a real treat to interact with them face to face. I had an absolute blast. A big thanks to the Barnes and Noble team.  And my new nephew-in-law, Mario, had me sign his bicep. I told him he doesn't win any points until the ink's permanent.  And I even got to meet some new-to-me authors. Hello, Amy Engel ! More delicious books to buy? Yes, please! So here’s my snippet for His Kind o...