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Where Jane talks about everything on her mind…and yes, as usual, there is quite a lot on her mind.

Not Fit for a King out soon in UK

November 13, 2011 – 2:19 pm

Not Fit for a King? UK editionI am enroute to Seattle from Dallas, buckled tightly into my seat due to extreme turbulence.  Its not easy typing as we dip and drop and bounce but its kind of exciting, too. Makes flying feel even more adventurous.

After four great days in Texas, its back home, and back to writing in the morning.  Back to those goals I mentioned last Monday, too.  If you’d asked me how well I met my goals you’d hear me confess that I maybe only met half.  But I’m not discouraged.  I’ll just try again tomorrow, one little goal at a time. And those goals do add up.  I have proof—another new Harlequin out in the UK in just a couple weeks!

Not Fit for a King? hits stores in the UK December 2nd and its the first of a new Princess duo about two princess sisters separated at birth and they meet as adults, unaware that they are sisters, and briefly switch places with disastrous results.

Sound familiar?  It should. Not Fit for a King? was inspired by one of my all-time favorite movies as a little girl, The Parent Trap.  Well, maybe Prince and the Pauper crossed with The Parent Trap.  In my duo, one sister is a true blue royal princess and the other was raised on a Texas dude ranch.  The princess is the world’s most glamorous royal, while Hannah Smith, the heroine in Not Fit for a King? is a secretary and personal assistant to a powerful sheikh.

The new princess duo will come out in the US this summer, back to back in June and July and I can’t wait to hear what my readers think.  My UK readers can preorder it now on Amazon.   Fingers crossed that you’ll enjoy the story as much as I loved writing it!!

 

By Jane | Posted in Book Talk, Publicity | Comments (26)

Smart Puppy

November 7, 2011 – 11:02 am

It’s November 7th and I’m still trying to get settled back into a productive routine and it hasn’t happened yet but I’m not giving up.  I vowed last Friday that starting Monday morning, every morning M-F I will get into my garage and do twenty minutes cardio.  Every morning, 20 mins minimum.  If I want to go longer, great.  If I only want to do 20, wonderful.  But I have a bike out there and a treadmill and workout DVDs and I have to do 20 mins of true cardio exercise.  And I did it today.  It didn’t happen at 8 or 8:30 but by 8:45 I’d climbed on the bike and put in my 22 minutes.  It wasn’t an easy little cycle but it chilled me out and met my goal.

Time to meet goal #2:  writing 10 pages today, and every day M-F, so by the end of the week, I have 50 solid pages for Kit’s book, the second book in my Brennan Sisters trilogy.  I tried several times last week but got distracted and frustrated and side tracked into easier things.  But no more easy.  Time to put on my battle gear and be disciplined and smart and get stuff–the important stuff like writing new pages–done.

Speaking of smart, one of my readers in Kirkland, WA has a very smart puppy.   The thirteen week old mini dachshund has excellent taste in books…nibbling on Odd Mom Out in his free time.  Good dog!

 

I have a third goal, too…and that’s to lose some weight.   I  had to buy all new clothes for the honeymoon since I spent the summer and Fall sitting and writing and not exercising.  The honeymoon didn’t help in the weight department, either, so no more Halloween candy, time to go healthy.  Time to remember how delicious vegetables are.  Hmmm.  I will one day, won’t I?

Do you have any goals?  Want to accomplish anything?  Share with me!  I have a special Cozy Fall prize for one of you…a soft fleecy pink robe, a special Pacific Northwest teapot, books by the fabulous Megan Crane/Caitlin Crews, Trish Morey, and me, and more great goodies.  Talk and you’re entered.  Contest ends Friday and winner will be announced on Saturday.  Have a great week.  I’m off to write!

By Jane | Posted in Mom World, Promo & Contests, Writing Life | Comments (89)

Home for Halloween!

October 30, 2011 – 6:42 am

Returned home yesterday evening and have just slept for 10 hours and am feeling human again.  Its great to be back.  We had a fantastic trip but started missing the kids terribly about five days ago.  Ten days is a long time to be away from them, especially the two younger ones.

Ten days just made Mac grow up even more and he’s talking nonstop about everything, but his favorite topic right now is Halloween.  He’s so excited about Halloween and attended a Halloween party while we were gone, and has been wearing his costume every chance he can.  I’ll share photos of him in his costume on Halloween but love this one below of my two toddler ‘babies’ at the Halloween store.  You didn’t know I had twins, did you?

I’m off to make coffee and deal with email but wanted to say hello, good morning, and its great to be home.  I have a special contest prize for one of you to say Happy Halloween.  Just bring me up to date on what’s going on in your life in the comment section on my blog below and you’re entered!   Contest runs through Monday night and I’ll announce the winner on Tuesday, November 1st.  Take care and more soon!

By Jane | Posted in Mom World, Promo & Contests, Travel Girl | Comments (73)

Daddy, Mommy, Baby

October 17, 2011 – 4:02 pm

Love the way 2 1/2 year olds look at the world.  Mac had visited a pumpkin patch earlier in the day with Jamette, his ‘other mother’, and an amazing part of our family, and at dinner when he was in his high chair he spotted the three pumpkins sitting on the kitchen counter and cried, “Oh, Daddy, Mommy, Baaaabbbby!  A family!” and I loved it.  Love how he thinks and associates and all the funny things he says.

Tomorrow Ty and I fly out to London and then overnight in Windsor, grab a fly Thursday morning to Venice, and then on Sunday grab another flight to Dublin, and then one more flight to London for a few days before coming home.  Lots of flying about but travel is huge for me.  It’s how I unplug and fill that creative well.  I will be returning to my desk November 1st to work on the second book in my Brennan Sisters trilogy (as well as tackling any and all necessary revisions on book 1) and so I need to chill while I can because I’ve lots of work to do when I get home.

So glad though that Meg’s book is done and in.  Now I just need to finish packing!  I’ll try to check in from the road but if I can’t, have a great ten days and sending you lots of love!

By Jane | Posted in Mom World, Travel Girl, Writing Life | Comments (38)

Homestretch

October 10, 2011 – 4:04 pm

Book is due Friday.  A week from tomorrow Ty and I go on our honeymoon.  Kids have wildly different needs but I am all tunnel vision now.  It’s writing from 8 am until 8 pm or later.  No TV, no hanging out, no chatting, chilling or anything but getting words on page and tackling the final edit.

In some ways this is a good place to be with the book.  Its almost easy now–not the writing, because the brain is really tired–but the schedule and the choices.  I don’t go anywhere, don’t wear real clothes, don’t answer the phone.  I just write.  And take a couple baths a day.  Baths help me unwind a little, relax, get the kinks out while I try to figure out what I’m going to write next.

And in between baths and protein bars and cups of tea, I think about how fun it’ll be to get on this British Airways flight and head to Heathrow with Ty.  I’ve got a stack of books to take.  I haven’t read a novel in weeks and weeks and am pining away without reading, but can’t read until my book is done.

I hope you are all well.  I’d love to get an update on you.  How are you?  What are you busy with at the moment?  Anything you can share?  I’m going to be sending out 5 Halloween treats to those of you who post a comment on this blog this week by Thursday night.  Remember, you need to comment below, on this actual blog.  I’ll draw 5 names Friday morning.  Talk to me because you are the only contact I’ll get this week!

By Jane | Posted in Promo & Contests, Writing Life | Comments (104)

Mamacation 2011

October 7, 2011 – 7:10 am

Can’t believe my book is due a week from today.  And I still have 200+ pages to go.  This is going to be a week of extreme writing!  I might even half to check into a hotel for 48 hours to write round the clock…haven’t done that since I was newly divorced and trying to figure life out and didn’t even know which end was up!

However, once I do make my deadline, I’ve got something really fun to look forward to on Saturday, October 15th.  Best of all, I don’t have to travel for it.  It’s taking place right here in Seattle.  It’s….Mama-ca-tion!  I’m going, and if you feel like you need a little time to yourself, then maybe you need to come, too!

Mamacation 2011 is hosted by Hip Travel Mama and it’s a weekend of rest, relaxation, inspiration, great food, wonderful shopping (girls have to be able to shop) and more all at the stunning Four Seasons Hotel on Seattle’s waterfront.  This amazing girls weekend is a week away but there is still time to sign up for a weekend of spa, wine, food, Luxe Style Boutique shopping, style advice, inspirational speakers, workshops and more.

 

Check out the Agenda for the weekend and it’d be brilliant to see you there!!

By Jane | Posted in Mom World, Promo & Contests | Comments (16)