Nebraska Finishes Strong at the WNFR!

Well, the 2008 WNFR is in the history books. I watched as much as ESPN would allow while nursing a cold from you know where. I’m proud to say the Nebraska cowboys and cowgirls did pretty darn good, too. First off, my congratulations go out to Kristin Schott, Miss Rodeo Nebraska, for finishing in the Top 10 of the Miss Rodeo America pageant. That’s no small feat, let me tell ya. Way to go, Kristin.

Also, a big congratulations goes out to Steven Dent. Steven not only finished second in the Bareback Riding at the WNFR, but it looks like he’s finishing the year in second place for the All-Around title as well. Yee-Haw! Dean Gorsuch also finished second in the Steer Wrestling, and Todd Suhn finished ninth. Wow! Again, no small feet. These cowboys are the best of the best. Long Live Those Nebraska Cowboys! Check out www.prorodeo.com for all the final results and some great pix as well.

As a writer I’m always on the look out for inspiration and I can certainly find it at prorodeo.com. Well, and mix in a few pix of George Strait, Dierks Bentley and Elvis Presley and I’m set. Speaking of inspiration, now that I have it for the morning, I’d better put it to good use writing. I have two manuscripts I need to finish by January 15th. Can I do it? You bet I can! I hope. ;)

Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Underway!

I'm in Heaven! The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo kicked off yesterday in Las Vegas, and since I love Cowboys, I'm excited. And hats off to Nebraska Cowboy, Steven Dent! Steven finshed second in the first go-round of the Bareback riding last night. And to further toot Steven's horn, he's currently leading the World in Bareback, and is second in the All-Around! Yee-Haw, Steven!

Also, a big good luck to Kristin Schott, Miss Rodeo Nebraska, during this week's Miss Rodeo America competition. MRA 2009 will be crowned on Saturday, Dec. 6th. I'm pullin' for ya, Kristin!

I just wish I could have made the trip to Vegas to enjoy all the excitment of the 50th Anniversary of the National Finals. Oh, well. Maybe next year. Right now I have books to finish! BTW, my lifelong love of rodeo, the western way of life, and hours spent in the saddle are what helps me write those steamy cowboy books for you all. Keep a sharp eye out for Eight Seconds coming soon from Ellora's Cave. If you love bull riders, you'll love Devlin McCord in Eight Seconds.

And don't worry, if you enjoyed Cowboy Fling, the sequel, Country Fling, is close to being done. I hope to have it into my editor very soon.

So, if you're a lover of cowboy/western romances, contemporary or historical, what is it about this sub-genre that you love so? Yes, there is just something majorly sexy about a man in a cowboy hat, a nice fittin' pair of jeans and chaps, but that's just the surface. What else attracts you to the cowboy? Is he a man of mystery for you? Is he forbidden? Untamable? Is it his code of honor? Let me hear from you!

Thanksgiving Blog Blitz Winner!

I have a Blog Blitz Winner! Congratulations go out to Tami C. She is the winner of an autographed copy of Studs for Hire: Woman on Top! Tami, please e-mail me privately at sherryjames@hamilton.net with your snail mail address and I'll get your book out to you.

Thank you all for stopping by last week and posting. It was fun. Keep stopping by for more news about Eight Seconds, coming soon from Ellora's Cave, and other future releases and contests.

What Are You Thankful For?

Since Thanksgiving is now less than a week away, I thought on this final day of my Blog Blitz we’d talk about what we’re thankful for. First of all I’m thankful for all of you faithful bloggers who have taken the time to stop by this past week. Thank you. I appreciate your support.

This past year has been a rough one. After losing both of my parents in a ten-month time span, I’ve come to realize even more how precious life is. But as difficult as this loss is, I’m thankful I was blessed to have two such wonderful and caring people for parents. My mom and dad were firm but fair, and taught me to respect others and to lend a helping hand. They didn’t just give us kids everything we wanted, but instead taught us that working hard and being patient can reap great rewards. That in turn taught us four kids valuable lessons in respect and appreciation. I am forever grateful. And I miss them both terribly. My life is forever changed by their passing, but I am who I am today because of them.

I am also thankful for my wonderful, supportive husband. And yes he has many of the hero qualities we talked about yesterday—including a bit of the domestic side. He’s a great cook and if I had my way, he’d be doing the cooking seven days a week! I’m also thankful for my two beautiful children, my health, my wonderful in-laws, my brothers, and their families. I’m also thankful I live in a country where we are free, and thankful for the men and women who put on uniforms every day to keep us that way. Thank You! And God Bless You! If you have a family member or friend who has ties to the military, past or present, please also extend my thanks to them and wish them a Happy Thanksgiving.

As Mama Bear in the Berenstain Bears and the Prize Pumpkin so aptly put it, “Thanksgiving isn’t about contests or prizes. It’s about giving thanks. And it seems to me we have a lot to be thankful for.” And yes we do. Even in this turbulant economic time, we still do.

So, tell me what you’re thankful for, and remember, every time you post a comment to any of my Thanksgiving posts for the week your name will go into the drawing for an autographed copy of Studs for Hire: Woman on Top. Chances to win close at midnight tonight and I will draw the winner some time this weekend. Good Luck!

Here's an old recipe my family brought over from Germany. It's a little bit of work to prepare, but it's delicious and was always a family tradition at holidays.

Big Dumpling
½ Cup of Lard or Shortening
½ Cup Sugar
1 Tsp. Salt
3 Eggs Beaten
1 Cup Milk
3 Cups Flour
2 Tsp. Baking Powder

Cream together lard, salt & sugar. Add beaten eggs. Sift flour with baking powder. Add to first mixture alternately with milk. Mix well. Pour into well greased coffee tin and cover with foil. Set tin into a larger kettle of boiling water. Cover with lid. Steam for 2 hours. Tooth pick should come out clean when tested. Serve with a fruit sauce of raisins, prunes, apricots, or cranberries.

Hero Qualities

I’m thrilled to say that I’ll have a novella, Eight Seconds, coming out next year in one of the Caveman anthologies, Flavors of Ecstasy, from Ellora’s Cave. I don’t know which volume yet, or what other EC authors I’ll be paired up with, but I’ll share as soon as I hear.

Eight Seconds is the story of rancher, romance writer Taylor Westfall, and professional bull rider Devlin McCord. I love cowboys! And I loved writing this story. It was great therapy for me after losing my mom, and it was nice to immerse myself in something positive and fun. Plus, I had a deadline to meet which is always great motivation.

Eight Seconds takes place one snowy weekend before Thanksgiving. I’ve always wanted to write a holiday connected story, and although this one only mentions Thanksgiving, the time of year and the snow reiterate her loneliness and the isolation she faces on her ranch. And, she’s in much need of some sexual inspiration for her writing. She’s bound and determined not to spend another harsh winter all by herself. Cowboy Devlin McCord is sexy, hot and just what she needs to get the creative juices flowing again! Hey, I wouldn’t mind spending more than eight seconds with this guy. Too bad I can’t make my fictional characters come to life in the flesh. Oops! Don’t tell my husband I said that!

Besides being good-looking and sexy, Devlin is honest, caring, and loyal to the bone. All qualities my heros must have, even if they don’t realize they have them. And yes, the hunk in the photo is George Strait, a true American cowboy who inspires this writer's work all the time! What are your favorite must-have hero qualities?

What's in your Autumn TBR Pile?

Hey, fellow bloggers! Sorry I’m so late getting my Wednesday entry up. It’s been one of those days. I’ve been busy getting my lap top PC all set up again after my darling daughter crashed the hard drive on it the other week. Then, our well decided to go on the fritz late last night, so we were without water for a good portion of today. Fortunately our nice repair man, Mark, made it here in good time and got us taken care of. Thanks, Mark!

While I was outside visiting with Mark, we both commented on how nice the weather was today for November 19th. I love Autumn. It’s a beautiful time of year, and here in the Midwest we can experience weather ranging from sunny days in the low to mid 70's, to below freezing temps with a mixture of freezing rain and snow to make driving life interesting. But on those days when the sun is shining and the temps are fair, it’s fun to get outside and enjoy Nature’s palette of golds and reds, hear the leaves crunching beneath your feet and listen to the few remaining crickets singing their songs. The cooler, dry days of Autumn are such a relief after the hot, humidity packed days of summer we have here, too.

Ever since I was a kid I’ve loved fall. I think it’s the beginning of a magical time of year with all the fun things we did at school, and the anticipation of the many holidays ahead of us. The vibrant colors of fall are a delight for the eyes, and the days get shorter, giving us permission to take more time to squirrel away with those books we have stacked on our TBR piles.

Speaking of which, I have more than one TBR pile. I need to get busy! Some of the books stacked in those piles for this Autumn are Julie Miller’s Brotherhood of the Badge series from Harlequin Temptation. I just picked up the fourth and final book, Kansas City Christmas, the other day, but it has to wait until I read the first three. I also have Picture of Perfection by Kristin Gabriel, Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich, and Alien Overnight by Robin L. Rotham, to name a few. I can’t wait to read all of those wonderful authors. Those books are my rewards for getting my own writing done. Who needs chocolate?! Well . . . okay, I admit it. I DO! But no books or chocolate for me until I get my work done. Right now I’m working on revisions for Eight Seconds which will be released by Ellora’s Cave next year in one of the Caveman Anthologies. I’ll share more details about Eight Seconds in tomorrow’s post. If you love cowboys, I hope you’ll like Eight Seconds.

So, tell me what titles do you have in your TBR piles for this fall and winter? I’m always on the look out for new books and authors to add to my stash!

Thanksgiving Movies & TV Specials

Welcome to day two of my Thanksgiving Blog Blitz! Today I thought we’d talk about our favorite Thanksgiving movies or TV specials. Although there aren’t as many centered around this holiday, there are a few. For me, one of my favorites is A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. I watched it again for the umpteenth time last night, (I splurged and bought the deluxe edition DVD three pack, for the kids, of course!) but it was the first time for my two kids to see this special. They laughed, and laughed even harder when Snoopy had his altercations with the ping pong table and the lawn chair. Classic!

But what I love so much about the Peanuts specials is that through the genius of Charles Schulz they teach the true meanings of the seasons without being preachy. I think one of the reasons the shows do this so successfully is because those lessons are shared through the innocent wisdom of children, and we all know how kids can say the most profound and amazing things without even realizing it. They don’t intentionally set out to teach us adults a lesson, but they just manage to do it. In addition, I love the brilliance of Vince Guaraldi and the music he created for Charlie Brown and his friends beginning with A Charlie Brown Christmas. You can’t listen to Vince’s music and not think of the Peanuts gang. I also love the fact they used children to voice the characters. I think those amateur, sometimes singsong voices add a core of truth and sincerity to the shows, taking me back to the innocence and wonder of my own childhood. Oh, how we so looked forward to watching all of those TV specials during the holidays. You had one shot per year to see them and you just prayed Rudolph, Charlie, Frosty, or the Grinch weren’t scheduled to air on the night of your school program. Oops! I'm dating myself.

Another Thanksgiving movie I’d love to see is The Thanksgiving Treasure starring Jason Robards and Lisa Lucas. I absolutely loved The House Without a Christmas Tree and have always wanted to see the other three movies in the series. Have you seen The Thanksgiving Treasure? If so, did you like it? And do you have a favorite Thanksgiving movie or TV show you'd like to share?

Remember, every time you post a comment to my blog this week, your name will go into the drawing for an autographed copy of Studs for Hire: Woman on Top. Even if you already own a copy, Christmas is coming and autographed books make great gifts, so get entered!

Thanksgiving Blog Blitz Starts Today!

Okay, readers. It’s time to get my Thanksgiving Blog Blitz rolling! I’m not only celebrating the Thanksgiving Holiday, but the recent sale of my fourth book! Yee-Haw! Eight Seconds is a novella and will be released in 2009 in one of the Ellora’s Cave, Flavors of Ecstasy anthologies. I’m not sure which volume yet, but I’ll keep you posted. Eight Seconds does take place in November and mentions Thanksgiving, so I’ll be blogging about it later in the week. Here we go!

Thanksgiving marks the official start of the holiday season, and since I love history, I’m starting the week with some Turkey Day Trivia. See how much you remember from history class.

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621.

But, it wasn’t declared an official holiday until 1789 by President George Washington.

Many states observed Thanksgiving, but not all, and on different days. President Abraham Lincoln, faced with the trials and tribulations of the Civil War, was looking for a way to unite the nation and gave his Thanksgiving proclamation in October 1863. Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November would be observed as a day of Thanksgiving.

During the midst of WWII, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, looking for a way to give a boost to the shopping season, moved the holiday to the third Thursday for the years 1939, 1940, and 1941. The idea didn’t go over so well and Congress passed a resolution in 1941 decreeing Thanksgiving would always fall on the fourth Thursday.

So, ever since then our nation has been setting aside a day for us to give thanks by indulging in way too much food, taking a nap, and watching football on a weekday afternoon. Sounds like a perfect day. Well, maybe. For most women it means even more stress, work in the kitchen, a house full of relatives, and a mountain of dishes. Oh, how many Thanksgivings my dear mom worked to put a magnificent meal on the table. Bless her. She did so in style by not only preparing mouth-watering food, but by adding touches of the Autumn season with candles and fall silks to decorate the house and table.

One of my fondest memories of Thanksgiving is of my mom and her festive holiday apron. She’d get up bright and early that morning and with the apron officially tied in place, she’d get that bird in the oven. For the day, whether it matched or not, that handsewn apron, with its horse and sleigh print, was a part of her outfit. And you know, that trusted, well-worn kitchen helper wouldn’t leave her waist until the last dish had been washed and put away that evening. Did she complain? Nope. She did it out of a profound love for her family. Seeing her hustle around the kitchen with that faded, old apron is one thing I will miss big time this year. What I wouldn’t give for one more day. Maybe it’s time for me to pull that apron out of the drawer and carry on the tradition. By golly, I think I’ll do that. For mom.

So, what fond memories do you have of Thanksgiving? I’d love to hear them. Remember, every time you post a comment to my blog this week, your name will go into the drawing for an autographed copy of Studs for Hire: Woman on Top! Good Luck!

Thanksgiving Blog Blitz Contest Coming Soon!

Hey! Sorry I'm a little slower than I anticipated in posting about the contest I promised. Where does the time go? Anyway, I'll be hosting a five day Thanksgiving Blog Blitz November 17 - 21. Stop by and leave a comment to one of my daily Thanksgiving posts during those five days and you'll be entered in the drawing for an autographed copy of Studs for Hire: Woman on Top! Each time you comment during those five days, I'll throw your name into the drawing, so visit every day and comment every day. Heck, comment twice a day or more if you're feeling the Thanksgiving spirit. Get ready for virtual turkey and pumpkin pie!

Happy Fall!

It's now fall and Halloween is just around the corner. Once again it's been a while since I last posted. I apologize for being absent so much, but my dear mom passed away on Sept. 3rd, so I've had a major life change. It hasn't been easy, and I miss her more than I can say. In a case like this, there are simply no words to describe what I feel. But, I'm plugging along and managing to get some writing done. I completed a novella, More Than Eight Seconds, and it's with my publisher now. I hope to have more news to share with you soon about this story. I loved writing it, and I love my hero Devlin McCord. He's a hot, sexy professional bull rider, so hold onto your chaps!

Right now I'm working on finishing up the sequel to Cowboy Fling. Hopefully you'll see Country Fling in print soon. It's taken me longer than I anticipated to get this story done, but if you've read any of my previous posts, you can understand why. Life really can be a bowl of pits sometimes.

At any rate, I hope to get back to a regular blogging schedule starting November 1. And, I'm thinking I might host some kind of contest to kick things off again. I'm not sure what, but I'll do something. Keep watching.

Life

Okay. I admit it! I've been a very bad blogger for the last few months. I apologize for not updating since June. Bad me! But, in my defense, I have to say I've had a lot going on in my personal life this past year. After my dad passed away last November, I was so in hopes that life would settle down and every one in my family would be happy and healthy. Unfortunately that wasn't meant to be. Two of my oldest brothers both ended up in the hospital at different times, (one with a broken bone, the other with Rocky Mountain Spotted fever) we had major water issues in our basement this past spring, my third brother is still struggling through a divorce, and and if all of that isn't enough, my mom was diagnosed with cancer at the end of July. That, let me tell you, was a major blow to all of us. She's hardly been sick a day in her life. At the moment she is doing realtively well and I say my prayers for her every day. After a couple of stays in the hospital we had to move her from the farm to a nursing home so she could get the proper care she needs. I now oversee all her financial needs, and we are in the process of getting the farm cleaned up and ready to be sold next spring. Major life changes for all of us. And not one I ever, ever looked forward to. That was always some day in the distant future. But unfortunately someday is here. The years fly by so fast. Heck, seems like I was in second grade just yesterday. Where did the time go?

Around all of life's chaos I am managing to still write, although at a slower pace than I like. I hope to have news of a new book soon. I'll keep you posted the best I can. But if I'm absent from this blog again for a while, please understand.

On a positive note, it's time to start thinking about fall and all the great books coming out we'll be able to snuggle up with soon. Now, that is something to look forward to!

A Triple Crown Winner in 2008?

Secretariat, circa 1973


Okay, I have to admit it. My heart is lodged in my throat and it will stay there until the Belmont Stakes, the final race in the Triple Crown, is in the history books. Those who know me know that I’m a big horse racing fan, and in honor of Big Brown’s run for the Crown I just had to blog about it.

It’s been thirty years since Affirmed and Alydar battled each other in all three legs of the Triple Crown, and I watched every second with my nose pretty much pressed against the TV screen. You couldn’t drag me away. I had to watch it down to the wire and see Affirmed become only the 11th horse in history to win the Triple Crown. And ok, I had a huge crush on Affirmed’s jockey, Steve Cauthen, but that’s not what this is about. Those races were thrilling, exciting, and fantastic to watch. They still make my heart race today when I go back and watch them. To me there is just something about these magnificent animals stretching all out, hooves thundering, battling each other for the lead and ultimately the win.
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But have you ever had the privilege of watching the great horse Secretariat run the 1973 Triple Crown races? I watched them again this morning on YouTube, mainly to see how Big Brown’s first two wins stack up in comparison to Secretariat’s wins in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, and thought, hmm… Maybe?

But I also found myself, once again, watching in utter amazement and cheering on a horse who’d raced his heart out 35 years ago. By the time Secretariat had made racing history and winning the Belmont by an astounding, unheard of 31 lengths, I had tears streaming down my face. I know it sounds crazy to get so emotional about a horse race, but well, those races were incredible. Secretariat was incredible.

I’ve watched Big Brown run the first two legs, and win handily both times, and I just haven’t been able to stop wondering if we’re watching a horse here that is reminiscent of Secretariat. Granted, there will only be one Secretariat. No horse will ever fill his horseshoes. But it looks like to me that Big Brown does have the potential to place his own pair of shoes into the annuals of racing history. He is big, he’s bold, you can see he has heart, and he loves to run. And he loves to come from behind, take the lead, and then command it down to the wire. Looks very familiar.

But will it happen? Can Big Brown really do it? Ten horses in the past 30 years have won both of the first two legs of the Triple Crown only to lose the glory in the Belmont. At a mile-and-a-half, the Belmont is a long, grueling race. Sure, Big Brown has it all, but does he have enough of it all to make the trip and be first across the wire? If he does, not only will his stud fee take a huge increase, but he will firmly lock those special shoes of his in the records of not only horse racing history, but American history. Wow. It really makes me want to get cracking on the series of horse racing romances I’ve been wanting to write.

What do you think? Will Big Brown win the Triple Crown? Or will 2008 be one more year of almost, but not quite?

SOS Mixer Contest Winner--Is it You?

I'm proud to be one of the sponsoring authors of the Romantic Times SOS Military Mixer held each year at the RT Convention. I wasn't able to attend this year in Pittsburg, so fellow SOS sponsor, Julie Miller, joined forces with me to do a little something extra. We hosted a special SOS Mixer Military Contest that all attendees could enter.

And we have our winner! Woo-Hoo! We would like to congratulate SGT John Cashenfs of the U.S. Army! John will be receiving a care package of goodies from us. "Keep on rolling," John!

If you look closely at the picture, you'll see that handsome man is none other than the King of romance novel covers, and "I can't Believe It's Not Butter" fame, Fabio! Fabio made it a speical point to attend the Mixer this year, and now I'm really bummed I couldn't go!

But I have to say it truly is an honor and a privilage for me to give back what I can to our troops. After all, they give and sacrifice so much for us and our Country. God Bless them all!

Romantic Times SOS Military Mixer Contest, April 19- May 3rd

For the second year in a row I'm one of the sponsoring authors of the Romantic Times BOOKlovers Convention SOS Military Mixer held April 19th in Pittsburg, PA. I feel it's very important to support and thank our men and women who have worked hard, and sacrificed so much, to keep the good ol' USA safe for all of us. So if you are in the Military, have served in the past, or have a loved one who has served, you were welcome to join the event! Saturday, April, 19th, 4 -5 PM, Hilton Pittsburgh, 600 Commonwealth Place.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend in person this year, so I've teamed up with good pal and critique partner, Julie Miller, to bring you a special little SOS contest. If you attended, I hope you were amongst the lucky ones to receive a red, white or blue goody bag from me, or one of Julie's books, in your BIG goody bag. In that bag/book you will find a card with information about the SOS contest and the code you need to enter. Email me with that code, and Julie and I will put your name into the hat for a very special Military Care Package. Deadline to enter is April 30th.

Thank You for your service to our Country. God Bless You!

Sherry

Looking for help from Readers

Readers, I need your help! I am doing research for an article I am writing about the promotional value of authors hosting their own contests for the September issue of the Romance Writers Report. If you’ve ever read a book, entered a readers’ contest or thought about entering one, I’d love to have some feedback from you. You may answer any or all of the questions, or just share what you think.

1. Have you ever entered an author-sponsored contest?

2. If so, why? The prize? Getting to know a new author? Keeping tabs on a favorite author? Contest junkie? etc.?

3. What prizes draw you to a contest? Free book(s)? New releases? Backlist titles? Pampering gifts like chocolate or lotions? A unique gift? etc.?

4. If/when you enter the contest, do you take some time to explore the author’s website?

5. Has entering or winning a contest ever led you to discovering a new author whose books you will read, check out and/or purchase in the future?

6. Does a repeat regularity of an author’s contest (monthly/seasonally/with each book/etc.) get you into the habit of coming back to check his/her website on a regular basis? Or does the frequency of a contest make it lose its luster for you?

7. Any particular perks or peeves about author-sponsored contests you’d like to share?

Thanks for your help!

Sherry James

Pot O' Gold Contest & More!

My Pot O' Gold contest is offically over. My thanks to all of you who entered. I have drawn two winners this time, and they will each get to choose between Studs for Hire: Woman on Top, or Studs for Hire: Woman in Charge, in e-format.

Drum Roll!!!!

Congratulations to Sue Ahn, and Cynthya Petzen! Woo-Hoo! Contact me and tell me your book preference.

I'll be hosting another contest sometime this summer, so keep a look out for that. But in the meantime, I'm interested in what you'd like to see for my next contest. This is going to be a readers's choice contest. You tell me what you'd like to see for a prize, (within reason, sorry no cars, money or diamonds etc., hey, I'm a starving author!) I'm looking more for prize ideas like book choice, chocolates, coffee, etc. I'd also like you'd to tell me how you want to play the contest. Do you want to read an excerpt and answer a question? Go on another scavenger hunt? Simply enter your name in the drawing? Or do you have another fun, fabulous idea? I'm all ears. Please share. I want to hear from you, the readers!

Sherry

Pot O' Gold Contest

It's contest time again. To celebrate St. Patrick's Day and the arrival of Spring, I'm giving away two e-books (your choice) to two lucky readers. You can choose from my romantic comedy series Studs for Hire: Woman on Top, or Studs for Hire Woman in Charge from Black Velvet Seductions! All you have to do is visit my website, www.sherryjames.com, and find the 3 pots of gold hidden around the site. Email me your answer and you'll be entered! That's it! Deadline to enter is March 31, 2008.
May the luck of the Irish be with you!
Sherry

I'm a Wanted Author!

Wow! What can I say? I'm a Wanted Author. No, I didn't commit any crime, unless you count writing as a crime, but I'm wanted because of my last name. Yep. The good 'ol name of James has gotten my face plastered on a Wanted Poster. Even though I'm not related to the infamous Jesse James, at least not that I know of, I am now a member of the Wanted Poster Club. Well, in a good way. Fellow romance author Marcia James came up with the cute idea of the James Gang. Each month she interviews fellow authors who have James in their names. I'm pleased to be her guest for the month of March. Check out the interview at her web site at http://www.marciajames.net/James_gang.html

Marcia is quite a lady. She is fun and dynamic. I had a blast sitting next to her at the Romantic Times BOOKlovers convention book fair last April in Houston, TX. I don't know how many pairs of thumb cuffs she gave away while signing copies of her book At Her Command from Cerridwen Press, but it was a bunch!

If you could be wanted for something, hopefully good ;-), what would be? A great mom? A good neighbor? A sex symbol? For me, it's a great mom/spouse/friend, a great writer, and a as a compassionate friend of animals. Let me hear from you! I'm always looking for great ideas for characters.

Sherry James

Chatting on Saturday

It's Friday! And that means I will be chatting off and on all day tomorrow, Saturday, March 1st, at Beth Wylde's e-mail group during the Black Velvet Seductions Publisher spotlight day. You do have to join the group to chat, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bethwylde/ , but it'll be a fun day of Q & A, excerpts, and prizes. Be sure to check in and you just might win a free book!

I hope to see you there!
Sherry

5 Hearts for Studs for Hire: Woman in Charge

Golly. The reviews for my Studs for Hire books have been slow in coming but they certainly have been worth the wait. I’ve just received a review on Woman in Charge from the Romance Studio and I’m thrilled.

“Ms. Sherry James has written a marvelously entertaining, fast-paced book which was almost impossible to put down. I love her writing style—she introduces alpha males, but does not minimize the abilities and strengths of the women she pairs the men with. Her characters are dynamic and confident in their abilities to perform. The characters are believable and compliment the sub characters in her stories. . . . I loved this book and anxiously await the release of the third book. I highly recommend it to all.”---Brenda Talley, The Romance Studio

To read the complete review, visit http://theromancestudio.com:80/reviews/reviews/studsforhirejames.htm

I’m so happy Brenda commented that she felt Woman in Charge is a fast-paced book. I love to read fast-paced books and I love to write them, too. It’s nice to know that in her opinion I succeeded. Since writing a book can take weeks, or even months, it doesn’t always seem like the book is meeting that fast-paced goal. In fact, it can often seem like it’s slugging along at a snail’s pace. But, to me that is one positive sign that I am writing a good book. The harder to write, usually the better the book turns out to be.

Do you have any fast-paced favorites? Some of mine are Lois Grieman’s UN Mystery series: Unzipped, Unplugged, Unscrewed, and Unmanned. Julie Miller also does a good job of delivering a fast-paced read in all of her books. Janet Evanovich also delivers an awesome fast-paced read in her Stephanie Plum books.

So what are yours? Do mine make your list? Come on, share! I’m always on the look out for good books.

Sherry

Five Red Roses for Studs for Hire: Woman on Top!

Hey, everyone! I’ve just received another review on Studs for Hire: Woman on Top! I’m thrilled that Red Roses for Authors gave Woman on Top 5 Red Roses.

“Do not be mislead by the title! It is a clever pun. This is sassy, fun and sensual. I loved this romance by an author new to me.” Five Red Roses, Linda.

To read the complete review, go to http://redrosesforauthors.blogspot.com/2008/02/studs-for-hirewoman-on-top.html

Whew. I tell ya, writing a book is hard work. You pour out your heart and soul into every page, every paragraph, and even every word. It’s nice for us authors to be acknowledged by our peers and review sites to give our fragile egos a boost!

I’m curious. Do you use reviews to help you to decide to give a book a try or not? If so, do you only read 4 & 5 Star books, or do the 1 Star books pique your curiosity because you're dying to know what’s so wrong with it to warrant such a low rating? Have you ever read a book and totally disagreed with the rating it's been given?

Happy Hearts Day!
Sherry

Another Recommended Read

Another book I just recently read was Spirited Away by Cindy Miles. This was Cindy's first book, but it's just delightful! And very well written. I discovered this great book by receiving one of her bookmarks at a writers' retreat this past fall. Since I've always been a fan of ghost romances, this one instantly caught my eye. I'm so glad I got that bookmark! I was a big fan of author Angie Ray's when she was writing her ghost romances back in the 1990's. I've missed them. But Cindy is filling the void for me.

Spirited Away is a fun, tender romance that keeps you wondering if Andie Monroe, a forensic archaeologist, will ever be able to really touch her knight in shining armour, Tristan de Barre, who has been haunting the halls of his castle since 1292. The sexual tension in this novel just sizzles off the page. And Andi and Tristan are joined by some wonderful secondary characters--like Tristan's band of brave and ghostly knights, and Jameson, the staunch but tender-hearted butler.

I loved everything about this book. I couldn't put it down. Bravo, Cindy. I'm looking forward to reading Into Thin Air. Visit Cindy's web site at www.cindy-miles.com

Do you like romances with a ghostly character, either as one of the main characters, or a secondary character? If so, why? I've always thought it'd be cool to have a friendship with a ghost. Just think of the unique conversations you could have with someone who experienced history first hand?

Recommended Read

I just finished AT YOUR COMMAND by Harlequin author, Julie Miller. Wow! This is a great book. Julie not only delivers one yummy hero in Marine Zachariah Clark, but she gives the reader insight into what it's like to watch a loved one be deployed for military duty. AT YOUR COMMAND is hot, tender, action-packed and emotional. I loved the chemistry between Zach and Becky, plus the camaraderie and respect between Zach and the men serving under his command. Zachariah Clark is a true romance hero to steal your heart. AT YOUR COMMAND is a Romantic Times BOOKreviews Top Pick, 4 1/2 Stars, and I can see why! And that's one sizzling cover! I wouldn't mind taking a turn at helping him with that pesky shirt!

Have you read AT YOUR COMMAND ? If so, what did you like about the book? Or do you have another Julie Miller book you'd recommend?

Country Fling

Hey, ya'll! I'm hard at work on the second book in my Fling Duo! Country Fling is coming to life and I hope to have it done soon. If you read and liked Cowboy Fling, I hope you're looking forward to Dorie's story. I'm not sure when it will be available, but I'll keep you posted as things progress.

I'm excited about Country Fling because I love my hero, Vin Sheridan. He's 100% cowboy, but he's a cowboy who's heart has been hardened by some tough times. Hmm. I wonder if Dorie Holister has what it takes to soften his heart and help him love again? Guess I'll have to finish writing the story to find out! I guess you could say this is kind of a Beauty and the Beast story, only cowboy style.

In the meantime, I'd love hear what you liked, or didn't like, about Cowboy Fling. Did you have a favorite scene? A favorite character? Just let me know!

Sherry

Happy Birthday Elvis!

Wow! It's hard to believe if Elvis were still with us he'd be 73 today. Where does the time go?

I hope by now some of you have had a chance to read Studs for Hire: Woman in Charge. If so, I'd love to hear from you. Please share with me what your favorite scene was in the book, and why.

Sherry