Category Archives: Hawaii

Mac Makes Friends

July 3, 2010 · 69 comments

It’s the 4th of July weekend and I’m finishing my chapter 2 today of my new Harlequin, an intense ‘secret baby’ story set in Sicily.  I’ve spent the past week working on chapter 2, tearing it apart, putting it back together, editing, tweaking, and just couldn’t figure out what was wrong until I realized that the stakes still need to be higher to rachet up the tension to breathless Presents pace.  Harlequin Presents aren’t like any other Harlequin novel.  They’re not just sensual stories with explosive love scenes, the tension, plot, and pacing is also explosive.  A wonderful Presents grabs you from page one til the very last page but it’s not an easy thing to do as a writer!  It means … Continue reading Mac Makes Friends →

Home In Hawaii

June 30, 2010 · 89 comments

Mac has become very busy. Extremely busy. He loves to walk and run, explore and pull things apart. He loves to push things closed, too, including all doors, and sometimes his fingers are in between. I’ve been trying to keep Mac out of trouble by letting him help me whenever he can. There are some ‘jobs’ he can do. Like pick up stuff off the floor. Wipe counters with a cloth. Push the dust mop around. And uh, load the dishwasher, and that’s what Mac is doing below. Putting silverware in the caddy… along with his little black croc shoe. Tomorrow it’ll be two weeks since we arrived and time is passing quickly. I’ve been so happy here–happier than I’ve … Continue reading Home In Hawaii →

An Afternoon With The Girls

June 23, 2010 · 78 comments

I’ve been in Hawaii a week today, but before I left Bellevue last week, I had the chance to spend part of the afternoon with some very smart, very literate young ladies who attend Seattle’s French-American School together.  I’d met one of the moms at a fundraiser back in April (at least I think it was April….) and she invited me to join the mother-daughter bookclub for an afternoon discussion of books, writing tips, and insights into the writing life. The girls shared with me some of their favorite authors (Rick Riordan and JK Rowling) and I shared some of mine from when I was little (Louisa May Alcott and Laura Ingalls Wilder).  Most of the girls had read the … Continue reading An Afternoon With The Girls →

Fittings

June 3, 2010 · 44 comments

I leave in two weeks for Hawaii for the summer. It sounds fabulous but is also kind of wrenching as my two oldest sons will be with their dad for the first month and then come to me for the second–and I’ll be away for one of those weeks they’re with me attending Romance Writers of America’s national conference in Orlando. I’ve never been away from Mac for more than a night and flying thirteen hours away from him for 6 nights of business makes my heart hurt. I think I’d be better with the week away if that were my only week away from the boys, but that’s just the beginning of three months of frequent, and sometimes hard, … Continue reading Fittings →

Our Hawaii Get-Away for Brenda’s Auction!

April 23, 2010 · 15 comments

So very excited….Brenda Novak’s amazing annual auction to raise money for diabetes research is almost here!  The auction kicks off May 1st and is going to be spectacular.  I’ve been browsing the list of items available and have ear marked several things I want to bid on–and win! As most of you know, I always donate something to the auction and I’ve put together a couple things for her auction again this year, including a week stay at the Ty Gurney Surf & Stay Beach House.  It’s a fun, fantastic package, perfect for a writer’s retreat, romance, or a girl friend getaway. I’ll post links to all the items I’m donating next week just before the auction goes live, but in … Continue reading Our Hawaii Get-Away for Brenda’s Auction! →

Surf Shop Party

April 15, 2010 · 83 comments

Well, I promised the pics from the party and here they are!  You can find a ton more on Ty’s surf school facebook page as well as various other places, but I wanted to share a few of my favorites here.  It was a great party—although on the hot (sweltering?) side–but so fun to see all of Ty’s friends there.     Also as promised–a fun contest for those of you who don’t live in Hawaii.  I’ve got two of the swag bags from the opening night celebration, plus chocolate macadamia nuts, plus coffee, plus more good stuff that I know you’ll love.  How to win?  Just post a comment and tell me how you’re doing or what you’re reading and that’s it–you’re entered!  Contest will run through … Continue reading Surf Shop Party →

Mac

April 10, 2010 · 35 comments

It’s Saturday and Mac and I just spent the afternoon hanging out in his dad’s board shop in Waikiki.  Mac loves to be anywhere his dad is and the surf shop is especially exciting with all the surf instructors, music, visitors and activity.  Gracie, James’ bulldog, hangs out at the shop most days which makes Mac very happy, too. The shop’s grand opening went great Thursday night.  Big turn out, lots of cool folks came by, lots of great food and drink and Ty was simply stoked.   I was so happy to see him so happy and thank all of you for your good wishes and support.     I’ve got a fun contest planned giving away some of Ty’s shop’s surf gear and party … Continue reading Mac →

Ty’s Board Shop Grand Opening

April 6, 2010 · 37 comments

I woke up at 5:30 am here in Hawaii this morning and thought–Ty’s Surf Shop party is in just two days. I have lots to do! Need to buy beer and wine and order appetizers. Need to find a linen table cloth and fun platters in case the caterers platters are ugly. Need to pull my books together and the swag bags for my readers. It’s going to be fun and a crush because the shop isn’t big but hey, who cares, as long as we’re all together! If you’re in Waikiki on Thursday the 8th, do drop by Ty’s new Surf School & Board Shop and say hello. I’m going to be on hand and so will Ty and … Continue reading Ty’s Board Shop Grand Opening →

Easter Celebration

April 4, 2010 · 84 comments

I grew up in the Episcopal Church, attending St. Paul’s in Visalia, and then the odd Bible Camp, crusade or revival when I could find one. I spent years doing correspondence bible courses after attending a Billy Graham crusade, and then at UCLA was rebaptized Easter Sunday my sophomore year at Santa Monica Beach in the Pacific Ocean because I worried that infant baptisms didn’t count. I carried my Bible around UCLA. Wouldn’t dream of going on a date without it. Was I the most popular girl at UCLA? Probably not. For all my religious fervor, my family didn’t often attend church on Easter Sunday as we were rarely home Easter Sunday. Our Spring Break was usually at our ranch outside Paso … Continue reading Easter Celebration →

Odd Mom on Vacation

February 17, 2010 · 45 comments

I love the picture below. It’s one of my readers on vacation with Odd Mom Out as her reading. My readers really are fantastic and I’ve been so grateful for all the emails lately and all the wonderful birthday wishes, too. Yes, today’s my birthday and I’m now 32. My eleven year old keeps looking at me and saying, “Really?” and my heading towards 15 year old laughs hysterically.  Fortunately the baby doesn’t know and doesn’t care. Surfer Ty  has planned a fun day for all of us. He’s taken today off work and we’re heading out to snorkel and have beach fun and lunch in Kailua at the Original Buzz’s Steakhouse. I’m just really glad to be with all … Continue reading Odd Mom on Vacation →