Extras Type: From the Story

Miracle on Chance Avenue Playlist

A playlist is crucial for me to have when I dive into a story and the one I put together for Miracle on Chance Avenue turned out to be a particular favorite. I listened to these songs on repeat the entire time I was writing their story and wanted to share them with you.

Hope you enjoy!

Hurt – Johnny Cash UNEARTHED
What About Us – Pink BEAUTIFUL TRAUMA
Speed of Sound – Noah Mac (from The Voice)
Barbies – Pink BEAUTIFUL TRAUMA
Just Breathe – Willie Nelson HEROES
City of Silver Dreams – Sugarland GOLD AND GREEN
Christmas Eve – Gwen Stefani YOU MAKE IT FEEL LIKE CHRISTMAS
Angels – Susan Boyle A WONDERFUL WORLD
What a Wonderful World – Susan Boyle A WONDERFUL WORLD
You Make it Feel Like Christmas – Gwen Stefani duet w Blake Shelton YOU MAKE IT FEEL LIKE CHRISTMAS

Holiday spirit = activated. 🎄 We can’t get enough of @blakeshelton and @gwenstefani’s festive performance of “You Make It Feel Like Christmas.” #VoiceTop10 https://t.co/yyvyn4JDcf

— The Voice (@NBCTheVoice) December 5, 2017

Mrs Perfect – A Chat with Marta, Taylor and Girls

A Chat with Marta, Taylor, and Girls

I’ve brought together today two sets of mothers and daughters in Bellevue, Washington to discuss current issues in Points Elementary School.

Bellevue, a city of one hundred thousand, lies six miles across the 520 bridge from downtown Seattle and is the home to the original Microsoft billionaires, the founders of Amazon, and the father of wireless technology. It’s a place where wealth is still referred to as new and old money and you’re never quite sure who has what due to a rather bizarre mix of Hummers, bling bling and Land’s End flannel.

Our panel includes single parent and graphic artist Marta Zinsser and her nine year old daughter, Eva who have recently returned to the Pacific Northwest from Manhattan; Taylor Young, wife of Nathan Taylor, and a full-time Bellevue mother very active in the school and community, as well as Taylor’s nine year old daughter, Jemma, who is undeniably the most popular 4th grade girl at Points Elementary.

Jane Porter: “Marta, let’s start with you. How has the move been?”

Marta: “Bellevue, Washington summed up in two words? PTA Moms. Women in Bellevue have way too much time on their hands. Not that they think they do. But pilates, play dates, and school auction committee meetings dominate their days leading to near nervous breakdowns and comparisons of who ought to be Mother of the Year. I know I’ll never be Mother of the Year. Just ask my nine year old daughter, Eva, who has recently informed me that I’m not a real mom, not like the other moms, and all she wants is for me to be everybody else. But here’s the crazy part: I worked hard to become who I am. I fought the peer pressure, ignored the criticism, and I followed the beat of my own drummer. And this is one of the reasons I had the confidence and courage to became a single mom—I thought I knew what mattered in life.

JP: “Eva, are you unhappy with your mom?”

Eva: “I love my mom, but we’re not in New York anymore. This is Bellevue and moms here are don’t wear boots and army jackets and ride motorcycles. They’re well… like Mrs. Young and they volunteer at school and help out a lot.

JP: “So Eva, you wish your mother was more like Mrs. Taylor?”

Eva: “Yes. Sorry, Mom.”

JP: “Taylor, you’ve lived here for approximately fourteen years now. How would you describe Bellevue?”

Taylor: “As a great perfect place to raise a family. We have some of the best schools, libraries and parks anywhere. With ski slopes just forty-five minutes away, and professional sports teams and all the arts in downtown Seattle, we have everything anyone could want. But it is expensive, and stressful. My life is all about my three girls, and I feel the pressure. There are days I can barely drag myself to my pilates—but I do, because the kids need me. Being a full-time mother is a full-time job and it’s by far the hardest job I’ve ever had to do.

Frankly, it’d be so much easier to have an outside job. To just get up and go to work and feel appreciated. But I’m a mom, and this isn’t about my ego, it’s about putting the kids first. And that’s why I volunteer at school, serve on the PTA board, assist in the classroom, and co-chair this year’s school auction. The kids need the best education possible. It’s a competitive world and unless we make our kids competitive, they won’t have all the opportunities they deserve.

JP: “Jemma, you must be proud of your mom.”

Jemma: “Yeah, she works really hard. She has meetings almost every night. Sometimes we don’t see her because she’s always rushing to another meeting.

JP: “Jemma, you and Eva must be good friends. You’re both in the same class at school.”

Jemma: “Um, not really. We have different friends.”

JP: “Do you ever talk?”

Jemma: “We don’t have anything to talk about.”

JP: “I see. And Eva, who are your friends?”

Eva: “Mmm, well, I don’t have anyone I really do stuff with right now but I hope pretty soon Jemma and I will be friends. I like her a lot. But everybody does.”

Marta: “That’s one of the reasons I’m getting involved at school. I work a lot and haven’t really spent enough time getting to know the kids in Eva’s class. I’m hoping by becoming a room mom that I’ll be able to help Eva meet more kids, and arrange more play dates.”

JP: “Taylor, you look like you’re dying to say something.”

Taylor: “I think it’s great that Mrs. Zinsser wants to help in the classroom, but she’s never even sent cupcakes in before. Why does she think she’s qualified to be Head Room Mom?”

Marta: “I didn’t ask to be head, but I’m happy to do what I can—“

Taylor: “You do know about the class auction projects, don’t you? The school’s live auction is the biggest fundraiser of the year and the class projects are a big money maker. (turns to JP) With the quarter million we raise every year at our annual live auction we’re able to bring in math experts, buy the newest in technology, purchase new books for the library. The PTA is invaluable. We make a huge difference for the school.”

JP: “Do all schools in Bellevue have an auction?”

Taylor: “All the good ones do—“

Marta: “Maybe we should be raising money for kids in East Bellevue, for those that come from immigrant families or impoverished families instead of our kids that already have so much.”

Taylor: “If our kids want to go to college, and we want them to go to college, then they need a competitive education.”

Marta: “And the kids across town don’t want to go to college?”

Taylor: “They can have their own auction.”

Marta: “Do you know how ignorant that is?”

Taylor: “If you don’t like The Points—“

Marta: “I never said I disliked The Points. My problem is with people who can’t see what’s beyond their nose.”

Taylor: “And what’s beyond my nose?”

Marta: “Nothing, apparently.”

Eva: “Mom!” (She reaches across the table, grabs Marta’s hand.)

Marta looks at her daughter then back at Taylor.

Marta: “We need to go.”

Taylor: “Don’t let the door hit you on your way out.”

JP: “I think that went well, don’t you? Thank you Youngs and Zinssers. For more on Marta and Eva pick up a copy of Odd Mom Out and then in May, read Taylor’s point of view in Mrs. Perfect.

40 Flirty Things

The countdown is complete… In honor of Jane’s Hawaii-themed book, Flirting With Forty, she posts 40 FLIRTY THINGS you could be doing in Hawaii right now!

1. Bonfire on beach
2. Sunset Catamaran Sail on the Outrigger
3. Surf lesson with Ty Gurney Surf School
4. Dinner at Duke’s
5. Kiss at Kaneohe Bay
6. North Shore Tour
7. Lunch at Haleiwa Joe’s in Haleiwa Town
8. Tour Bishop’s Museum’s royal Hawaiian exhibit
9. Play at Sealife Park
10. Picnic on Sandy’s Beach
11. Hike Diamond Head
12. Snorkel Shark’s Cove
13. Photograph Halona Blowhole
14. Kitschy cocktails at La Mariana Restaurant
15. Explore historic Honolulu
16. Art Fest in Kapiolani Park
17. See sea dragons at Waikiki Aquarium
18. Afternoon Tea at the Waioli Tea Room
19. Ride the Waikiki Trolley
20. Hawaiian BBQ at Rainbow Drive-Inn
21. Take the Hawaii Ghost Tour
22. Antique shop in downtown Kailua
23. Spend a day at the Polynesian Cultural Center
24. Make out at Manoa Falls
25. Parasail over Waikiki
26. Feast at at Buzz’s Original Steakhouse
27. Wade to Goat Island’s seabird sanctuary
28. Self-guided tour of Kahuku Sugar Mill
29. Garlic shrimp at Shrimp Shack
30. Watch the surf action at Pipeline
31. Get lost in the Del Monte Pineapple Maze
32. Check out Robert Louis
33. Enjoy a show at the Shell
34. See Don Ho
35. Happy Hour at Lulu’s
36. Swim with dolphins at Kahala Mandarin
37. Breakfast buffet at the Halekulani
38. Savor a sunset at Sunset Beach
39. Attend a traditional luau
40. Try Lippert’s Macadamia Nut Ice Cream

The Role of Music in It’s You

It’s You is a story of two women and two very different love stories, set in present day Napa and WWII Germany. Both women — 30-year-old Dr. Ali McAdams and 94-year-old Edie Stephens — have loved and lost.

It’s You is told in alternating points of view between the two women, and they are very different women. Ali is a pragmatic, no-nonsense dentist. As a young woman, Edie was a fiercely passionate and idealistic musician. On the surface these women have nothing in common, and so while writing the book, I created three different playlists, one for Ali, one for Edie and then a 3^rd playlist, a classical playlist for when I was working on Edie’s diary which covers 1939 to 1944.

Because Edie was studying music—composition & counterpoint—in Germany in the late 1930’s at the outbreak of WWII, it was imperative I get Edie’s world right. I spent months reading and researching the great German composers, German music schools, and the time period itself.

The Classical Playlist

The classical playlist was heavy on the Great German composers like Bach, Beethoven, & Mozart—particularly the piano concertos and sonatas as Edie was an accomplished pianist and she used music to distract herself when interned with the other American staff from the US embassy at Bad Nauheim.

Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G – Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F Major – Bach
Violin Concerto No 2 in E – Bach
Piano Concerto No. 19 in F Major – Mozart
Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major – Mozart
Piano Concerto No. 5 in E Flat Major – Beethoven
Piano Concerto No. 2 in B Flat Major – Beethoven
Piano Sonatas No 1-11 – Beethoven

Edie’s Playlist:

Mad World – Gary Jules
Glitter in the Air – Pink
Like a Prayer – Madonna
Lift Me Up – Christina Aguilera
Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour) – Jay-Z, Bono, The Edge & Rhianna
Skyfall – Adele
Wild Horses
Not Ready to Make Nice – Dixie Chicks
And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going – Jennifer Hudson

Ali’s Playlist

Skinny Love – Bon Iver
Where I Stood – Missy Higgins
Someone Like You – Adele
Only You – Sinead O’Connor
Without You – David Guetta & Usher
Invisible Ink – Aimee Mann
The Other Side – David Gray
Love is Everything – k.d. lang
Bittersweet Symphony – The Verve

To me its very telling, these playlists. While in Germany, Edie fell in love with a young Nazi officer. She was supposed to leave Germany once America declared war on Germany. But she didn’t. Which is why Edie’s playlist is filled with songs like Skyfall, Wild Horses, Not Ready to Make Nice, And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going. These are songs of a strong woman, an independent woman, and that is who Edie was, and still is. She is very flawed, but fierce, which makes her the perfect foil for Ali who needs to find herself again.

At the beginning of It’s You, Ali McAdams is lost. She’s angry, empty, and confused. Her playlist is softer, evocative, filled with aching poignancy. Her playlist, with songs such as Someone Like You, Without You, The Other Side, and Love is Everything, reflect Ali’s love for Andrew, and her profound grief that he is gone.

I can’t speak for all writers, but I find playlists hugely helpful in the creative process. They allow the mind and imagination to go deeper, accessing ideas, words and images that I might not get if I wasn’t responding emotionally to music.

And Edie is the same. My wonderfully prickly 94 year old Edie Stephens would have never been herself without her music.

I think Edie sums it best in this diary entry from January 15, 1942:

I played Beethoven’s Sonata 14, closing my eyes, closing my mind and heart to everything but the music and my love for Mother and Father and how they always dreamed of more for me.

They wanted to give me the world. Indeed they did. Am I not here in Germany? Did I not come for my music? So here I am, here I am…

I play for my mother who wanted to be a composer and conductor.

I play for my father who wanted to be more than a consular.

I play for my sister who is young and dreams of being a great writer.

I play for my F. who know how much I love my music and yet music is not enough if one has no freedom, much less freedom of expression.

I play for all those caught in the chaos and war.

I play because it is all I can do.

An It’s You Q & A

When and how did you get the idea for It’s You?

I was already writing the story—telling Allie’s story—when I went to Berlin for the German Love Letter Convention in Berlin in May 2014. I hadn’t been back to Berlin since the late 70’s when the wall still divided the city so my memories of Berlin were of a city divided, and Check Point Charlie. But the Berlin I discovered was altogether different, and new….and old. It was a city reborn. Old and new. Battered. Scarred. Beautiful. As you can tell, I was profoundly moved by the vibrant culture and the vigorous growth and rebirth of Berlin. I felt the city and its history within me and from there, Edie and her love for Berlin was born.

Why did you choose to set the story into this historic context?

My father was a professor and his area of expertise was WWII. He wrote a play based on the Trials at Nuremburg and as many of my readers know, my family lived outside of Nuremburg in the late 70’s, and we traveled extensively throughout Germany, with visits to Berlin, too. I also have many German relatives, most from Bavaria, and grew up listening to my grandmother talk about her parents who were both German immigrants. You can’t help but have be sensitive to history, when one is so immersed in place and story.

Did you research, or just use family stories?

Family memories, university history courses, and my own travel laid a foundation, but then I had to really dig into the story. Fortunately, I love research. I am the daughter of a professor, my great-grandfather was a professor, my brother is a professor, numerous cousins hold doctorates, so academia is king and research is the backbone of everything, and the best place to begin one’s research is with source documents. After my Berlin trip, I spent months just reading, reading, reading, adding layers to what I knew, giving my story more depth and breadth. I wasn’t able to use 90% of what I learned in the story, but it was important to me to have that 90% available to make sure I was capturing as much the facts as the emotional/psychological truth.

What were those source documents?

I am a big believer in going straight to first person accounts whenever possible. I have always written this way and search out diaries, memoirs, newspaper articles, radio/podcasts, magazine articles, cookbooks, travel journals…anything that gives me a sense of people, place and time.

Several of the most amazing books I read on Berlin during the war years were from my father’s collection: Berlin Diaries by Marie Vassiltchikov, Berlin Diary by William Shirer, Berlin Embassy by William Russell. And then I added to the collection with dozens of noteworthy accounts I found, including, Stauffenberg by Peter Hoffman, The Power of Solitude by Marion Yorck von Wartenburg, A Good German: A biography of Adam von Trott zu Solz by Giles MacDonogh, When I Was a German by Christabel Bielenberg, and An American Island in Hitler’s Reich: The Bad Nauheim Internment by Charles Burdick.

There are many more, too, which you can find in the Recommended Reading List for interested readers.

WARNING: The following questions and answers contain spoilers for those who haven’t yet finished the book!

How did Elizabeth and Torsten meet for the first time? How did they become a couple? I remember a jump in the plot: Elizabeth studied at the Hoch, then suddenly was in Berlin, working for the embassy.

There is a deliberate vagueness to some things in the story since readers are learning via bits of diary and conversation, and internal monologue. It is left to the reader to understand how Edie and Torsten met….an embassy function? Drinks at the Adlon? Perhaps at the opera? I personally know, but I’ve learned that after the book is finished, I can’t go back in and fill in details for readers. It creates problems. I must now leave it to the reader. How and where do you think they met?

Andrew’s death: In the beginning, the mysterious circumstances of Andrew’s suicide were the dominant question for the reader. Did he have a bipolar disorder? Was there any hint / former conversation between him and his father (or Alison), that could have let to finally committing suicide?

I can’t tell you why Andrew is gone. He didn’t leave a letter, or a diary, or emails. He didn’t leave a clue. His family was baffled. Allie was baffled. Those in his world were left confused. They don’t have his point of view, so we readers do not have it, either. Yes, it would be more satisfying as reader to know why…but we don’t. And that is true in life. We don’t always know why. We don’t get the answers. Instead we must somehow cope with things we don’t understand. We are forced to adapt, accept, adjust. And then move forward.

Looking ahead, will you write more books with a historical context?

I’m just starting a new book now, and it too, has a historical framework but I’m not sure how much will show up on the page. I make those decisions as I do the deep writing, but in general historicals are very comfortable for me. My MA project was a historical novel, set in the Middle Ages. I’ve always loved history. My father was a history professor. I was an American Studies major at UCLA earning a degree in American Lit & American History, so mixing literature and history is the most natural way of writing for me. Even my contemporary women’s fiction books are still modern historicals…telling women’s story in the current culture and place and time, but being very true to what is real ‘now’.

An It’s You Suggested Reading List

It's You Reading List

Berlin Diaries 1940-1945 by Marie Vassiltchikov
Berlin Diary by William L. Shirer
Berlin Embassy by William Russell.
The Power of Solitude by Marion Yorck von Wartenburg
A Good German: A biography of Adam von Trott zu Solz by Giles MacDonogh
When I Was a German by Christabel Bielenberg
The Past is Myself by Christabel Bielenberg
An American Island in Hitler’s Reich: The Bad Nauheim Internment by Charles B. Burdick
Stauffenberg by Peter Hoffman
Into the Darkness: An Uncensored Report from Inside the Third Reich at War by Lothrop Stoddard
Hotel Adlon: The Life and Death of a Great Hotel by Hedda Adlon

Trilogy of Tiaras & Royal News Sources

Back when I first released the Princess Brides Trilogy in 2004, I searched through lots of images of tiaras until I found three that perfectly fit my characters, the three sisters in my Princess Brides trilogy. Pictured below, they embody the style each Princess would wear. Left to right below, the tiaras for Princess Chantal (the oldest sister, The Greek’s Royal Mistress), Princess Nicollette (the middle sister, The Sultan’s Bought Bride), and Princess Joelle (the youngest sister, The Italian’s Virgin Princess).

JanePorter_princess-brides-tiaras

If anyone can identify these exquisite pieces (or the talented photographer, we’ve lost the sourcing), please let us know!

For real royal news and gossip, these three have been around since the trilogy first released and can always be counted on for a good dose of royalty.

HELLO! monarchy main page

The Guardian’s monarchy main page

Royalty.nu Royal News

The Art of Henna

disobedient-henna-finished When I was doing my research for The Sheikh’s Disobedient Bride I found myself fascinated with Middle Eastern tradition of henna-decorating. I had a lot of fun writing the scene where Tally gets her hands decorated with Henna during her stay at Tair’s Bur Juman palace.

Traditionally used in wedding ceremonies during ancient times, Henna (also known as Mehndi) is a natural botanical used throughout the world as a harmless, non-toxic body-dye. Even today, in India, Pakistan, Africa and other Middle Eastern countries, brides have their hands and feet decorated a couple of days before their wedding. Sometimes it’s a normal design while, as it was done for Tally, other designs incorporate the name of the husband on a bride’s palm – a romantic gesture of love and happiness.

disobedient-henna1 All women and children attending a wedding are encouraged to have their hands decorated – it’s a fun and festive tradition.

There are other uses for Henna too. Some maturing men and women use it as a hair dye to hide their gray strands while others use it simply as a means of cooling off, especially in the hot summer months. Henna applied to the soles of your feet or in your hair is an old means of cooling body temperature.

You can find many prepared Henna kits in the market today but these can be expensive so if you’d like to have some fun and still keep your costs low, check for Middle Eastern or Indian grocery stores in your area and buy powdered Henna from there.

Be sure you get the right type of Henna for decorating. You want ‘mehndi’ Henna intended for use in body art. The Henna used for the hair is coarser and not fine powder as required for body art.

Recipe for Henna

2 heaped tablespoons of pure henna powder (always sift this powder before use)

Juice of 2 limes, strained to remove pulp (you can use lemons but limes are better)

Brewed coffee or tea

Add the lime juice to the Henna powder a little at a time, stirring until it resembles the consistency of mashed potatoes. Cover and leave overnight.

In the morning, stir a little coffee or tea into the paste until the paste is lump-free and softer then toothpaste in consistency. Cover and let it sit for 10 – 12 hours.

Test paste consistency by making patterns with a toothpick or a plastic cone on a paper towel. If it’s too thick, add a little more coffee or tea. If it’s too thin, add a little more Henna powder.

Henna body art lasts for several weeks and gradually fades over time. If you mess up with your design, just remove the excess paste with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. You can use a toothpick or a matchstick to apply the designs but I find a disposable pastry piping tube or a sandwich zipper bag will work just as well if you snip off a tiny bit of one corner.

After you apply the design, allow the Henna to dry for at least one to three hours. As it dries, the paste will harden, start flaking and fall off. Remove the dried Henna by applying oil (almond or olive oil helps enrich the color) into the skin and gently scrape off the paste with fingernails or the wrong side of a spoon.
Henna is fun to try out with friends on a girls night in or even on your own. I hope you try it and get creative!

Spanish Endearments, a Glossary

None of the Galvàn men would call their loves “Sweetie” or “Hon”. These are alpha male men of strong South American and Spanish descent. When writing The Latin Lover’s Secret Child and The Spaniard’s Passion I let them speak as they would. Here is a glossary cheat sheet to help non-Spanish speaking readers get the full sense of how these characters speak.

Endearments:

negrita/negrito > feminine and masculine form, slang, special friend, pal
flaca/flaco > feminine and masculine form, slang, buddy or friend, literal is “skinny”
carida > darling
chica > slang, little girl, girlfriend
mi amor > my love
mi mujer > “my woman” (modern day women don’t like this one very much!)
carnino > dear, what a woman would say to a man

Souqs

Every time I write a Sheikh book for the Presents line, my favorite part is the time spent researching the Arab culture, their countries and their traditions. When I wrote Zayed’s book, I spent a long time learning a lot about the souqs.

Souqs are concentrated, traditional Arab markets selling indigenous products and a huge tourist attraction. They’ve been around for centuries and are more often than not, very crowded. They can be outdoor markets or housed indoors but they are equally fascinating. Rents for a souq stall/shop are much lower and a customer always gets a lot more variety and value for their money. My favorites include the gold souq and the spice souq.

The Gold Souq

It’s hard not to be fascinated by the allure of the gold souq. Unlike US jewelry stores, the gold souqs of the Middle East specialize in 22 karat gold. 18 karat gold, which is the norm here, is not as popular overseas. Most of the gold jewelry is all hand-made and each piece is intricate and unique. A patron can also order a custom piece with their choice of precious stones and pearls and can even elect to ‘watch’ which they design it in front of you.

souqs

The glamour of the 22 karat jewelry lies not only in the customized and ethnic designs but also in the rich matte gold color. Each piece has a beautiful warmth and the variety of options is almost endless. The only drawback – if you want to call it that – for the non-ethnic population that shops for 22 karat jewelry in a gold souk is that this jewelry is heavier, softer and more malleable. Which means it can be dented or damaged more easily. Pierced earrings are made with a thicker stalk which makes them a little difficult to wear. But if gold is your passion, it’s a small price to pay!

The Spice Souq

Just as fascinating as the gold souq, the spice market of the Middle East has its own pull for the tourist. Almost every kind of spice imaginable is available for sale in large sacks at wholesale prices. It’s a visually stunning sight! Fragrant seasonings available include cumin, paprika, saffron, sumach, thyme and frankincense. One can even buy ‘oud’, a fragrant type of wood. There are herbs and spices, dried lemons and chillies and nuts and pulses galore.

You’ll find shelves full of henna powder, incense and burners, rose water, charcoal, pumice stones and sandalwood. Most exotic spices are available are very reasonable prices. The ethnic flavor is strongly evident in local color and customs. Women draped in Arab garb and western dress mingling easily and bargaining for a good deal is the norm.

Arabs are also keen on dry fruit and you’re likely to see sacks or buckets full of almonds, walnuts, apricots, pistachios and sultanas for sale too. It’s not uncommon to find sweets and local delicacies for sale.

I’ve collected a few Arabic recipes for readers: Umm Ali, Date Cakes, and Mouhalabiye with Pistachios. I’ve found easy to pull together for a yummy treat for my family. Enjoy!

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