Happy St. Patrick's Day!

May the Luck of the Irish be with you today! I'm not Irish, but I do love this holiday. Not only is it an excuse to just have some fun ;-), yes, it's true, I've been known to drink a green beer or two, but the day is also a sure sign that Spring is just around the corner. And after the long winter we've had, I'm really ready for Spring. I also happen to love Shamrocks. I think they are so cute, and so green!

Again, I have to apologize for being absent from my blog. Shame on me. But, I have been busy working on a the sequel to Cowboy Fling. Yep, that's right. Country Fling is close to being done and I hope to have some news to share regarding that book soon. I've also been very busy doing a lot of web site work, and have joined forces with five other authors to bring you a new site with all kinds of exciting things. I'll tell you more about Authors By Moonlight very soon.

In the meantime, here is a little Irish verse for you to enjoy today!

May good luck be with you
Wherever you go,
And your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow.

So, how about you? Do you like having a little fun on St. Patrick's Day? If so, what do you like to do? Drink that green beer I mentioned? Eat corned beef? Kiss the Blarney Stone?

Have a Happy & Safe one!

Black Velvet Seductions Holiday Party!

Hey, all! I wanted to let you know that on December 12, 13, and 14th, my one publisher, Black Velvet Seductions, will be hosting a 3 day holiday party potluck and pitch in on the Black Velvet Seductions Blog.

All readers who post during this three day holiday party will be entered in the drawing for the BVS Pick Your Own Prize Contest...where you can choose from a wide array of prizes, including Kindles, Nooks, Sony Readers, and gift cards...for a total prize package of $260. BVS will announce the winners on Valentines Day! There are two ways to get your name in the hat for the big prize! One--Subscribe to the BVS readers newsletter. And two--Post a comment on the blog. Simple!

So be sure to stop by this weekend and visit with us BVS authors. There will be all kinds of good stuff going on to celebrate the season!

Hope to see you there!
Sherry

Vacation Blog Contest Winner!

It's time to announce the winner of my Vacation Blog Contest! But first, my thanks to all of you who stopped in and followed me on my travels. I'm, for the most, recovered, although I feel way behind on everything now. But it was so worth it! I hope you enjoyed traveling with me as much as I enjoyed having you along! It was fun to share my adventures.

Now for the winner!

Congratulations to Estella! Estella had posted nine times giving her nine chances to win. And it paid off. My son picked one of your numbers from the hat. Woo-Hoo!

Estella, please e-mail me privately at sherryjames@hamilton.net with your name and address and I'll get your T-shirt out to you.

Again, my thanks to all of you who visited, and posted comments. Keep on stopping by my blog, you never know what I'll be doing next!

Chatting Tonight!

Hey, Readers!
I just wanted to let you all know that I and my fellow Black Velvet Seductions authors will be chatting tonight at the Author Island Yahoo group. You will need to subscribe to the list to participate. The link is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AuthorIslandChat/

But everyone, and I mean EVERYONE who stops by for the chat will receive a free e-book of their choice from my publisher, Black Velvet Seductions! How awesome is that?! It's a great way to add to your summer reading list.

So, stop on by for some fun. We'll be posting excerpts and answering all your burning questions, plus you'll get a FREE book of your choice! I hope to see you there.

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!

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!

Off to See Stephanie Bond!

Hey, bloggers!

I'm sorry I've been absent for a few days, but my father has been ill and in the hospital. I am just now catching up on a few things and getting back to some normal "writer stuff"! I'm excited that this weekend I'm going to get the chance to attend a two day writer's retreat featuring author Stephanie Bond! I have heard Stephanie speak many times on tape from the RWA conferences, but I've never had the chance to hear her in person. She does some great talks on not only the craft of writing, but the business side as well. This Saturday she'll be talking about the difference between a good book and a great book, self-editing, and minding your writing business. Look out Stephanie! I have a few questions for you.

I'm also looking forward to a girl's night out with two of my writing pals, Margaret and Noelle. I'm sure we'll do a lot of brainstorming and share a ton of laughs. Ah, this means no cooking, and no wrangling the kids! Woo-hoo! But I'm sure very little sleep. ;-)

So, are you a Stephanie Bond fan? If so, tell me which books of hers are your favorites. I personally can't wait to get signed copies of her two Voodoo books---In Deep Voodoo, and Finding Your Mojo. Right now I'm in the process of reading Got Your Number!

And just a quick heads-up. I have a new contest coming to my website, http://www.sherryjames.com, in November. Be sure to check in to see how you can win a signed copy of Studs for Hire: Woman in Charge and other goodies!

Sherry

Author Sponsored Contests Poll

The upcoming release of my third book, Studs for Hire: Woman in Charge, means that I'm gearing up for a new contest! Yes, that's right, you could be the winner of some great prizes this coming November. But first, I wanted to find out exactly just how much work readers are willing to go to win a prize. Please take the poll on the right. And if you feel compelled to give me more input by posting comments here, that would be fantastic. I'd love to hear what you all think. Are you willing to go the extra mile to enter? If yes, what prompts you to do so? The fun of it? The chance to win something marvelous? And if not, let me know that too. Is your computer time limited? No patience for that kind of stuff? Be honest. Where do you typically hear about contests? Author's web site, friends, review sites, author's e-newsletter? For all of you who post a comment here on my blog, I'll put your name in the hat for a fun Halloween Goodie Bag full of tricks & treats! Don't dally though. The poll closes on October 8, 2007. I can't wait to hear from you!

Office View

I think it's always kind of fun to discover where fellow writers create their amazing stories. Many love coffee shops, but since I'm not a coffee drinker that holds no appeal for me. I prefer the solitfude of my own home. These days I mainly write my books on my lap top so I can be portable. With small kids, being portable is very important! I need to be near where the action is. But when I can, I go to the quiet of my office, carting the lap top with me. This is where my desk top computer sits waiting for me, too. I handle the majority of the business side of writing on my desk top. I like keeping that precious lap top as clutter free as possible! Plus there's something mental about keeping the lap top for writing only. I try not to play there. That's reserved for my main computer. My desk top computer also handles all of the email I receive, is the holding cell for all the web sites I maintain, and dutifully stores all the photos I take, plus is the home of my book covers, pub photos and all that good stuff.

One of the things I love about my office is the view I have. Especially this time of the year. It might not be a mountain top dusted with snow, or a lake dotted with sparkling gems courtesy of the sun, but to me, it's just as beautiful. It's a corn field. Yes, that's right. A corn field. I get to look over a vast field of corn and watch its progress throughout the growing season. I get to witness the first sprouts of spring, the first touches of yellow as the tassels emerge, and watch the deep, rich green of the leaves transform to a sea of gold that puts me in the mood for scarecrows and pumpkins. I love to watch the late afternoon/evening sun highlight the west side of the trees and throw shadows to the east and across the road. On days the weather cooperates, I love to open the window and be serenaded by a chorus of crickets chirping. They are usually accompanied by a little wind rustling through those drying corn stalks, making a beautiful autumn song. An extra bonus is the feel of the cooler breezes sneaking in and wrapping around me. Add a little music, a favorite candle, and I'm ready to write my fingers to the bone!

Do you have a favorite view that inspires you?

The Fun of Book Trailers

Okay, I'm finally getting back to actually posting on my blog. I've spent the last week tweaking, searching for just the right look that reflects me. I think I've found it. Anyway, today I'm excited to talk about book trailers. They are the newest, hottest trend in promoting books. They are basically like a movie trailer and are designed to give you a brief, but exciting synopsis of the book that it will, hopefully, intrigue you so much you can't live unless you read that story!

Being the creative soul that I am, I couldn't resist the temptation to do my own book trailers. I've done one so far for my first Ellora's Cave release, Cowboy Fling. After a lot of trial and error, I (for the most part) figured out the software and managed to create a trailer that reflects the book really well. It's short, snappy and fun. The biggest challenge was figuring out how to convert the trailer to the proper file formats for the various sights like Google video, Yahoo video, and You Tube, which I still haven't mastered. I think my choice of software has something to do with my troubles with You Tube. But I'll keep hunting and pecking in my software and hopefully will find a way.

Now that I have a cover for my new Studs for Hire book, Woman in Charge, I'm going to be creating a trailer for the Stud series. Keep your eyes open! My challenge so far with that trailer is finding just the right music. I did find one, but sorry, I have a hard time paying sixty bucks for 30 seconds worth of music. Guess I didn't like the tune THAT much! So, it's back to searching.

So, tell me what you like about book trailers? Live action? Still photos? Dramatic or upbeat music? Do you have a favorite book trailer? If so, tell me about it. Inquiring minds want to know! And enjoy Cowboy Fling!

Sherry