Books by Heather

The Cat Love

2012-02-27T23:28:00.000-05:00

Okay, come on. How adorable is this commercial?

Love, love, love.

The Little Things

2012-02-24T08:50:00.000-05:00

Found myself absurdly happy last night for two reasons.

1) Sixteen-year-old Baby Girl was using crayons to color a science paper.

2) That we actually still had crayons in the house.

Small things, yes, but as this sign says, sometimes small things are big things. In this case I caught a glimpse of her as a little girl again--and it brought back happy memories of her coloring for hours on end. And I hope, really hope, that she always has a box of crayons at hand no matter how old she is.

Amused

2012-02-22T08:49:00.000-05:00

Saw this on Facebook and laughed. I cook dinner almost every night, which I actually prefer, but there are some nights that this is so true.

The Hibernation Continues

2012-02-20T16:21:00.000-05:00

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you already know that I'm still in hibernation, as I've been pretty much a no-show. As I write (and write and write), I keep repeating the mantra "I will not do this to myself again, I will not do this to myself again."

By "do this" I mean procrastinate on my deadline so that I'm a crazy woman two weeks before my book is due.

But, as I adopt that mantra with just about every book I write (because I do this to myself every single time), I know that I will in fact do this again. It's just the way I do things. But I do hold out hope I will someday change my ways, and that I will finish a book two full months before it's due like a nice, sane author (I'm looking at you Avery Aames and Denise Swanson).

I still have the hankering to clean out the front closet, but I have refrained. I have not refrained from drinking an alarming amount of Dr Pepper or eating my weight in Dove caramels. I should also mention I have not been on the DreadTread in over a week.

I will not do this to myself again, I will not do this to myself again...

Oh, but look what I found. Perfect, don't you think? It also might explain the caramels.

The Crunch

2012-02-13T21:46:00.000-05:00

I have to confess...I'm totally stressed out. It's deadline crunch time--and I'm SO far behind. Plus I have edits due. And for some crazy reason, I suddenly want to clean out the front closet.

I might need a therapist when all this is done.

Or a Top Chef marathon or something.

Either will work.

I hope.

Going back into hibernation now...

--

PS: Right now I'm working on edits and watching the Voice. Cee Lo's cat is cracking me up. See, reality TV can be theraputic. Laughter keeps the crazies at bay. For now. (Mwa-ha-ha)

The Blame Game

2012-02-10T08:04:00.000-05:00

Today I'm blaming Winnie the Pooh.

Yeah, that cute little bear.

See why over at the Cozy Chicks:

www.cozychicks.com

The True Fact

2012-02-09T05:11:00.003-05:00

Sometimes when I'm in the shower and run out of girly shaving gel, I borrow Mr. W's shaving cream.

Then I smell like Old Spice all day.

And I kind of like it. True fact. Strange, but true.

DreadTread: 2 miles, 27 minutes

The Thief?

2012-02-06T17:23:00.000-05:00

I had to stop this morning and gas up the car. It was early. And cold. And I don't particularly enjoy either of those things, but some things just need to get done, and filling up the tank is one of them. Especially when you're about to get on a traffic-filled highway. But that's a story for another day.

So, there I am at the gas station. I swipe my credit card and wait. And wait. Authorization is taking forever (which should have been my first warning), but finally (!!!!) it goes through. I stick the nozzle in the car and wait (not-so-patiently) while the car fills. I may (cough) have snuck back into the car at one point--because did I mention it was freezing?--even though I know that's a big no-no. Anyway, the nozzle clicks, I put it away, tighten my gas cap till I hear the appropriate clicking, then check the screen on the pump.

Do I want a receipt? Nope. I push the button.

One moment please.

So, I wait. And wait. And wait some more. I turn on the car, get back out, and check the screen. Still waiting. Finally, I just click "cancel."

Transaction terminated.

What? What transaction? I only wanted to make sure the screen was clear before I drove off so the next person who came along wouldn't get a free tank of gas on my card...

So I did what any reasonable, impatient, freezing person would do. I left.

And I really didn't think anything of it until I was stuck in traffic ten minutes later.

Did I actually pay for that gas? Am I a gas-stealer? Are the police going to come knocking any minute now?

Ugh. I don't look very good in stripes...

The Pinterest

2012-02-01T06:02:00.001-05:00

Okay, I've been hearing a lot about Pinterest lately. But I really don't know what it is. At first glance, it looks like something that can suck me in for days on end. Which, LOL, isn't necessarily a bad thing. You know how I like to procrastinate.

What do you think? To join or not to join?

Btw, I did see this picture on Pinterest, so there's already a point in its favor. You also know how I feel about OTTERS! Love. Big love. Huge.

DreadTread: 2 miles, 27 min.

The Perfect Way to Keep Calm

2012-01-31T07:22:00.001-05:00

DreadTread: 2 miles, 29 minutes

The Opposites Attract

2012-01-30T06:17:00.001-05:00

This past weekend, Mr. W and I attended a band event for Baby Girl. It's called the Solo & Ensemble contest, and basically a student plays their instrument (either, appropriately, as a soloist or in an ensemble or both) before a judge and gets a score.

Anyhoo, Mr. W and I were waiting in a stuffy room, around lunch-time, for an ensemble to start. We were sitting right next to the judge, who had a small plate of snacks in front of him. Two chocolate-chip cookies and some carrot and celery sticks.

Me (whispering to Mr. W): I really want to steal a cookie.
Him (whispering to me): I was eyeing the celery sticks.

Yeah. There's a reason we call Mr. W "Wild Oat Man" around here.

The moral of this story? If you're a chocolate chip kind of girl married to a Wild Oat kind of man, then at least there's no competition for the cookies.

Which snack would you have taken?

The It's So True

2012-01-27T07:43:00.002-05:00

Saw this on Facebook and thought I'd share because it cracked me up. Since I don't drink alcohol, I'd have to sub "wine" for oh, "ice cream" or "banana cream pie" but the thought's the same!

Click to enlarge.

DreadTread: A big 0. Tomorrow is another day...

The Field Trip

2012-01-26T06:28:00.016-05:00

Years and years ago (2003 to be exact), I went to my very first RWA (Romance Writers of America) conference in New York City. At this point in my career, I'd written a couple of historical romances for a small publisher, and I was thisclose to getting my Nina Quinn series published. An exciting time, for sure.

This conference represented a lot of things for me. The first time I was away from my family, my first professional conference, the first trip with my critique partners (we shared a room to save on costs--which we continued to do over the years because it was just plain fun). We were all pretty new to the business and went with eagerness and a good dose of anxiety.

While there, we became aware that Janet Evanovich was having a local book signing. As she was a favorite of all of ours, we decided to venture out into the city and see her in person. It was quite the experience! And we all loved every minute of it. My signed copy of To the Nines sits proudly on my keeper shelf. That little field trip away from the conference is something I'll never forget.

So, in honor of how long our little group has been together, and in honor of Janet, we're taking another field trip tomorrow to see One for the Money, which is based on Janet's first book in the Stephanie Plum series. We're all looking forward to the show--and to the popcorn--and just being together. Can't wait! I hope the movie lives up to the book--truly one of the funniest things I've ever read.

Are you planning to see the movie?

PS: On that trip I also got food poisoning and rode in a limo with a hooker. You just can't make this stuff up.

--
DreadTread: 2.0 miles, 32 painful minutes

The Instant Deletion

2012-01-25T08:26:00.002-05:00

My daughter, a high school junior, is in the thick of college prep. She's taken the ACT (did great), and is scheduled to take the SAT soon. We're planning college visits, and she's trying to figure out the best courses to take her senior year in high school.

This also must be the time schools are in the thick of luring potential students to their colleges. Dozens of emails a day. The mail brings more and more postcards and fliers and brochures.

It's interesting to see what attracts her to a school, what inspires her to learn more about it. But I have to confess there are some emails she doesn't see.

Because I instantly delete them when they come in. Yeah, I admit it.

Like today. When a Seattle school sent something. Delete.

Why? Because Seattle is WAY too far away.

And before you think I'm a completely selfish mom (which, ahem, I am), I know Baby Girl doesn't want to go more than four hours away. I'm pretty sure a Seattle school would be an instant no from her, too. (Don't get me started on my thinking that four hours away might be too far, LOL.)

And okay, if she *really* wanted to go far away, I'd support that decision. After all, I want her to be happy. Thank goodness, so far, she has zero interest. She wants to be close to home (alleluia).

I am going to do my best to make this last year and a half with her at home go as slowly as possible--and to enjoy it as much as possible. But I'm also excited for what the future holds for her.

Ah, the joys of parenthood...

---

DreadTread: 28 long minutes, 1.5 miles

Barnes & Noble

2012-01-24T10:50:00.001-05:00

I'm thrilled to be the featured author this week at the Barnes & Noble mystery boards. Tons of information about me and my books. And I'm taking questions--so I hope you'll come over and visit. All you need is a B&N account to post (and we all have one of those, don't we???).

Here's the link: http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Mystery/Please-Welcome-Author-HEATHER-BLAKE/td-p/1277255

Hope to see you there!

The Dread Tread

2012-01-23T18:51:00.000-05:00

Picture by me on my ancient cell phone. Please excuse the quality.
I'm talking to you, Mr. W.

There it is. The dreaded treadmill. Henceforth known as the Dread Tread (DT for short). As you may recall, one of my New Year's resolutions was to actually use the treadmill for exercise.

So, as it's been, cough, cough, almost a month since that (stupid) resolution, this week my goals are to a) figure out how to get the dread tread out of its upright storage position b) relocate all the killer dust bunnies and c) actually use the DT.

This week.

Promise.

Pinky swear.

Will keep you posted...

The Anthem

2012-01-16T08:18:00.001-05:00

Was in the car a lot this past weekend with Baby Girl. She had a three-day concert band event that was a good hour, round trip, each day. Which meant lots of radio time.

Which meant lots of singing.

She sings beautifully, a nice a clear soprano.

Me? Let's just say I sing and leave it at that. (Thankfully, she doesn't seem to mind that I'm completely tone deaf--or is at least kind enough not to mention it.)

Anyway, there we were tooling down the highway when "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor came on the radio.

Baby Girl is 16. There's no way she should know the lyrics to this song, yet she knew every last one. She sang loudly, proudly, as if she had firsthand experience with the kind of lowlife ex Gloria's singing to. (She doesn't.)

It made me wonder if some songs are just in women's DNA. Threaded through those strands to stand the test of time. Or maybe they're simply passed down through families like treasured recipes. If either is the case, "I Will Survive" might be one of them (by the way, we also love Cake's version of the song). Another might be "It's Raining Men." I wish I'd had a video camera on Baby Girl the first time she heard that song. LOLOL. Now, she loves it. So funny.

Do you have any anthems--or treasured songs passed down through the family?

The Happiness!

2012-01-13T08:38:00.000-05:00

Found out yesterday that IT TAKES A WITCH hit the Barnes & Noble mass market mystery bestseller list and the Bookscan mass market mystery bestseller list as well.

So happy. And can't thank all of you who bought the book last week enough. Couldn't do it with out you.

(((group hug)))

The "Do They Know You At All?"

2012-01-12T06:31:00.004-05:00

That's what Baby Girl said to me last night as I flipped through a yoga catalog that was mailed to me.

By "they" she meant the yoga company.

And by "know you" she meant because I'm a sloth. She knows me well.

The catalog was something, let me tell you. The clothes were great (I'd lounge around in them in a hot second), but the poses those women were in. Ow, ow, and more ows. Look at this. Just look at it.

Doesn't it hurt to look at it? It hurts me. Thankfully, there were other poses in the catalog. Trendily-dressed, yoga-type women standing next to bicycles... Poses like that give me hope. I could totally do that! The pose above? No way on earth. But let me tell you, I'm mightily impressed with anyone who can even come close.

For now, I'm keeping the catalog. The company might not know what I sloth I am, but even sloths like to look cute when they sloth around...

The Eye-Opener

2012-01-11T08:41:00.000-05:00

So, remember my resolution to get more organized? I might want to start with this:

The color's awful (dark kitchen!), but that's my recipe box. Yeah. Ugh. The lid is actually supposed to, you know, close. The task is so daunting, though, that I keep putting it off. Plus, I think I need a bigger box.

How do you keep your recipes organized?

The New Addiction

2012-01-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Someone help me. Take the can and go. Run. Fast. Hurry.

Wait! Wait! Just a couple more chips before you go...

Do you have a favorite Pringles flavor?

--
PS: Great interview with me here. Research trips, disgusting scenes, and an embarrassing moment. Thanks, Diane Morasco!

Les Bonnes Nouvelles

2012-01-09T09:42:00.000-05:00

I think that says The Good News (where's Baby Girl when I need her???).

Anyway, the good news is that I just agreed to have Truly, Madly and Deeply, Desperately published in France! I'm so excited with all the foreign editions of these books. I can't wait to see titles (they usually change) and covers.

If you missed it, here's the cover for the German edition of Truly, Madly, which will be available in Germany in September. It's my first ever foreign edition, and I hope to get some author copies! I won't be able to read a word of it, but it'll be so fun to flip through it.

I hope all of you get some bonnes nouvelles this week, too. Happy Monday!

Pictures of the Day

2012-01-06T06:39:00.000-05:00

I originally posted these on Facebook during the Christmas break, documenting Baby Girl's progress, but I also wanted to post them here. Mainly because I like looking at them. :)

Baby Girl had an art class assignment to replicate an image from a movie using charcoals. Baby Girl chose one of her favorite scenes from Star Wars:

Do you think she can teach me how to draw like that?

The Culprit

2012-01-05T06:43:00.000-05:00

I'm totally blaming how hungry I've been lately on this:

It just smells so delicious. Nom, nom, nom.

What's your favorite candle scent?

The Back-Up Plan

2012-01-04T06:08:00.003-05:00

The other day Baby Girl and I were talking about her newly-single status (after a two-year relationship). It's been a few months since the break-up...

Me: Don't worry. There's another boy out there for you.

Her (giving me an arched eyebrow): Or I can just be one of those ladies with lots of cats.

LOL. Apparently, she's still not ready for another relationship. But I am glad she has a back-up plan in place. That's my girl.

---

PS: I'm at Books on the House this week. Check it out to learn how my fairy godmother series morphed into witches! http://booksonthehouse.com/

The Big Day

2012-01-03T06:14:00.005-05:00

Today's the day! So excited that IT TAKES A WITCH is officially released.

I really fell in love with these characters, with the Enchanted Village, with the magic. I hope you all will, too.

You can find reviews and other newsy stuff about the Wishcraft series over at www.heatherblakebooks.com.

Also lots of guest posts happening today.

Lori's Reading Corner-- An Interview with Darcy Merriweather
Dru's Book Musings -- A Day in the Life of Darcy Merriweather
Books on the House -- A glimpse into how I came up with this series... (update: this one doesn't seem to be up yet. Stay tuned!)

The Happy New Year

2012-01-02T06:23:00.003-05:00

I took a look back to see what my resolutions were for last year--and to see how I'd done with them. Let's just say not so good. LOL.

1) I will write more.

I did this! Hooray! I wrote tons last year, and plan to write tons this year. Feeling rather proud of myself. Smug, even.

2) I will find the time or make the time to READ more. And I also want to keep track of the books I read this year.

Well, there goes my smugness. Didn't read much at all. Which is just plain sad. And keeping track? That lasted about a month or so.

3) I will respond in a timely manner to emails. At least within 24 hours.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Next.

4) Go to the dentist.

I did this!!! So proud again. And, no cavities, thankyouverymuch.

5) Exercise more regularly.

Nope. Not even a little bit. Bad, bad, bad. There goes my pride again.

So, overall, 2 out of 5. That's not so good. Yet, I'm forever an optimist, so here are this year's resolutions:

1) Be more organized.
2) Limit exclamation points.

I have to confess, I've already blown the second one. It'll be baby steps with that resolution. I have a big fondness for that particular punctuation.

I'm going to also add:

3) Read more books.

Yesterday, I read Following Atticus, a non-fiction book I very much enjoyed so I'm already on a roll. Just need to keep it up this time!. (caught myself)

4) Exercise more.

This probably means evicting the dust bunnies from the treadmill. They're not gonna be happy. Nothing worse than a ticked-off dust bunny.

I do love a New Year, and all the possibilities. I have a bad habit of standing in my own way lots of times, but hopefully not this year. Wish me luck with those dust bunnies...I'm kind of terrified of them.

Killer Characters

2011-12-30T09:10:00.003-05:00

Just a quick note to let you know that Darcy Merriweather from It Takes a Witch is blogging today at Killer Characters. Hop on by! Click here.

The Big Thank You

2011-12-23T08:04:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to say a quick thank-you for all the great reviews TROUBLE UNDER THE TREE is getting. I'm really proud of this book, and had so much fun writing it. Am very happy that it seems like readers are enjoying it too. :)

Here's the latest review to come in. Thank you, Caryn!

http://www.mysteriesgalore.com/2011/12/22/trouble-under-the-tree-a-nina-quinn-mystery-kindle-edition-by-heather-webber/

The I Don't Think So

2011-12-19T17:40:00.000-05:00

I was driving down I75 the other day, and alongside the road was a billboard for Michigan.org. It showed a person ice-climbing and had some sort of slogan trying to convince me to visit.

I immediately thought, uh, no way. That pic does not convince me to visit Michigan. Ice-climbing and me? No way.

But this pic might sway me:

Taken by Mr. W in Grand Haven, Michigan

Beaches and I get along swimmingly (hahahaha--couldn't help myself). Anyhoo, who wouldn't want to visit this? Love beaches. Ice? Not so much.

Now, time to make some reservations...

The Lost Shine

2011-12-14T08:43:00.000-05:00

Hmmph. Have to admit that my love of reality TV has lost a little of its shine lately.

First, there was the whole Top Model debacle. What was up with that? Never mind the whole Angelea ordeal, but to choose Lisa over Allison? I don't think so.

Then, my all-time fave show, The Amazing Race, left me feeling disappointed. I suppose Ernie and Cindy deserved to win (it hurts to say that since I wasn't a big fan of theirs--out of the final three, I really hoped Marcus and Amani would pull it out), but I thought the last challenges could have been a lot tougher. I mean, really, it's the finale! Make them work for it. I also think racers shouldn't be allowed to Google or use cell phones on the race. Seems like cheating somehow.

Then, my favorite chef on the Next Iron Chef was eliminated. Not happy.

THEN, last night on the Biggest Loser finale...so NOT HAPPY with that result. Though I have huge admiration for all the contestants (not sure I could do what they did), but was really hoping either Ramon or Antone would win.

So...overall, am kinda grumpy with my Reality TV watching.

I'm not predicting a break-up yet, but maybe a trial separation.

Okay, that's crazy talk. You know how addicted I am.

There's still Survivor (actually watching this season) and Top Chef to go... I'd really like this downward spiral to turn around. If not, I might actually have to think about that separation. Gasp.

The Interviews

2011-12-13T06:03:00.003-05:00

Nina Quinn guest-blogs today over at Dru's Book Musings. What's a day in the life of Nina like? Let her tell you all about it. (Warning, it includes cookie dough, dead bodies, and kissing).

Sounds like fun!

AND

In case you missed them, two interviews with me are out this week:

Winter Holiday Fireside Chat (lots about me, my childhood, and my views on Christmas)

Cozy Mystery Book Review (what Christmas mysteries do I love? So many!)

As Professor Hinkle would say, "Busy, busy, busy!"

The Beginning

2011-12-12T12:34:00.000-05:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here. I stress beginning. The living room is a mess right now with storage bins full of Christmas stuff. Garland, stockings, kitsch, kitsch, and more kitsch.

Yesterday, Baby Girl said to me, "I'm glad we have a fun tree."

Me, too. It IS a fun tree. Colored lights, cheesy silver garland, big colorful ornaments, ranging from Pokemon to the Virgin Mary (Ha! How's that for diversity?). I love it.

Today is all about decorating the house. Prettying up the mantel and the banister. Putting out all the Santas and snowmen, the nativity scene (given to me years and years ago by my grandmother) and wooden reindeer. It's just a fun time, and even though I'm a little late this year, I'm finally feeling the Christmas spirit.

Cards will be mailed today, most of my packages are mailed, and a lot of my wrapping is done. Falalalalala. Feeling quite proud of myself.

What's your favorite part of the holiday season?

Happiness Is...

2011-12-08T09:38:00.000-05:00

The arrival of a box of books. Truly one of the best parts of being an author is seeing my book in print for the very first time. To hold it, touch it (there's embossing on the cover!), smelling it (don't you love the smell of a new book--or is that me?), reading the words and the knowing I did this. Very proud moment, and can't wait to share this story with everyone!

THREE AND A HALF MORE WEEKS!

The Rainy Morning

2011-12-05T08:10:00.001-05:00

It was a wild ride to bring Baby Girl to school this morning. First, it's pouring buckets. Buckets, I tell you. Then, it's pitch black. Never a good combo around here.

Needless to say, we saw accidents. Two major, two minor. The normal twenty minute (round trip) ride took about forty minutes. It's not pretty out there, but was so glad to make it home safe and sound. Even though traffic is a pain, I always try to remember to be grateful that I wasn't the one causing the traffic situation. One of my biggest fears is car accidents. Only because so often, they're out of our control.

Hopefully, once it lightens up a bit, the roads won't be as treacherous. If you're travelling in this mess, please be careful. And if you live somewhere warm and dry, please know I'm terribly jealous.

Have a great Monday!

---

PS: One bonus of the rain: It washed all the bird poop off my car. I swear, flocks are targeting me on purpose. The little buggers. Aren't they supposed to be down South by now?

The Quiet Sunday

2011-12-04T07:26:00.003-05:00

The temps are dropping again here in Ohio--lately it's been really mild. 50s and 60s, which has been wonderful. This morning, there's lots of charcoal gray clouds and a (finally) a feeling of Christmas in the air. I'm up early (can't seem to sleep past 7 anymore), and checking FB, Twitter, email, etc. Soon, I'll turn off the Internet (gasp) and start writing.

These are perfect mornings to write. It's so quiet in the house. Everything is peaceful. There's nowhere to go until tonight. Nothing pressing to do. Ideal conditions to let creativity flow. Which I hope it does. :) (See, now I've probably gone and jinxed myself.)

At some point this week, I have to think about Christmas. Seriously think about it. Start shopping (I have one or two little things). Decorate the tree. I think I've been putting it off because it'll be just the three of us. Me, Mr. W, and Baby Girl. A new normal, I suppose, but one that will take some adjusting to on my part.

It's time like these that I realize I'm not so fond of change. <g>

Last week was crazy busy, and the week ahead looks to be busy, too, but for today... Peace and quiet. I hope you all are enjoying it too.

The Picture of the Day

2011-12-02T06:02:00.000-05:00

I could watch these things all day. Truly transfixed. They mesmerize me. Love them. Even have an image of them as wallpaper on my AOL page, LOL.

taken by Mr. W

Mr. W took this when we went to Chicago this past fall. This wind farm is on I65 in Indiana. Miles and miles of turbines. Heaven. :)

The Early Present

2011-11-28T12:50:00.001-05:00

I've been working like a fiend, trying to get Trouble Under the Tree done before December 1st (when I kinda-sorta promised it). The problem was that this story was supposed to be a novella. Maybe 15,000- 25,000 words. No problem, right?

Yeah. Well. Let's just that after a three-and-a-half year hiatus, Nina had a lot to say. This novella became a short novel (52,000 words). Sometimes it's just hard to shut that Nina up.

Which has been a good thing. I LOVE this story. Love being in Nina's world again, with her wacky neighbors, her crazy yet lovable family, her employees... Oh, and her love life, too. It takes quite the interesting twist in this book.

I uploaded the book this morning, and it's already available on Amazon and Smashwords (something that usually takes a few days), so I'm doing a little happy dance here. Hopefully, Nook will have it soon.

This book has been a little present to myself--and I hope it will be for you, too. Happy reading!

The Love

2011-11-23T08:05:00.000-05:00

I love when my sixteen-year-old daughter says, "He's like the Rasputin of China."

And I have to look up Rasputin.

And when she's referring to a character in...Mulan.

LOL.

Love my kids. And Google.

The Letters

2011-11-21T15:18:00.000-05:00

As some of you know, my oldest (aka son #1) is currently at Army basic training in South Carolina. He'll graduate soon (hooray!), but it's been strange not talking to him on the phone and emailing. BUT one of the good things that has come out of this is the letters.

He's been writing (and complaining about not having spell-check). We've received many notes, and so have both sets of his grandparents, his brother and his sister. Real letters. Long. Hand-written (printed, not cursive--see my Cozy Chicks post last week). Wonderful letters that are full of information about his days.

And we've written back. A lot. Lots of cards and long notes and jokes and stories and football scores.

It made me realize how much I miss letters. How strange it is to see an envelope in the mailbox that's hand-written, not computer generated. I send a lot of cards, but I think I need to start sending more letters. Not sure to whom just yet, since son # 1 will be getting his computer back soon, but someone. :)

Do you send a lot of hand-written notes? Get many?

The Sticker

2011-11-14T15:16:00.000-05:00

Last week I was at the doc’s office and when I was checking out, I very sheepishly asked the receptionist if I could take a sticker from the basket sitting on the counter.

When she looked at me funny, I explained that I liked to put stickers on Mr. W’s lunch bags.

She said, “I think I might gag that’s so sweet.” Then she tipped her head, looked at me, and said, “I hope to have that some day.”

Which I found very sweet so I said, “I hope you do, too.”

Here’s hoping everyone has a gooey sweet day.

The New Cover

2011-11-11T05:19:00.004-05:00

Lookie! The new Nina Quinn cover! Isn't it so pretty?

Trouble Under the Tree, the sixth book in the Nina Quinn series, will be available Dec. 1st, as an ebook only. And a big thank you to the talented India Drummond for the cover design. :)

Happiness Is...

2011-11-09T06:25:00.001-05:00

The first bag of Dove Peppermint Bark of the season.

Nom, nom.

I will be stock-piling this year.

The Love Books

2011-11-07T07:37:00.000-05:00

I was at the Buckeye Bookfair this past Saturday, a wonderful event that brings together a 100 authors and illustrators and hundreds of readers--readers of all ages, from toddlers to grandmothers.

Inevitably, my colorful covers attract a younger crowd. The 10-12 age group. And while my books aren't over-the-top sexy, that age range is a tad bit young to be reading the Lucy books (I recommend 14+).

As the afternoon wore on, a young girl (about 12) came up to my table, her big brown eyes wide. She picked up Truly, Madly, read the back, put it down. She did the same for Deeply, Desperately and Absolutely, Positively, carefully reading the description of the books.

Then she ran off to get her mother and drag the woman to my table.
Her: Mom, I really like these books!
Mom (eyeing my books warily): Why?
Her: I really like those love books now.
Mom (winking at me): Love books?
Her: Can I get them?
Mom: No.

Lol. Though it was the right decision, I couldn't help but feel badly for the girl. It's hard to get excited about a book, only be told you can't get it. However, I don't think the girl was giving up so easily--she took a bookmark and clutched it to her chest as she wandered off. I have a feeling one day she will read my "love" books.

Meanwhile, the cookbook author sitting next to me asked why I chose to write romance. Technically, the Lucy books aren't romances--they're mysteries with a strong romantic theme. But my answer is the same, no matter what. I really like those love books, too. I love romance because I'm a sucker for a happy ending. And I love writing--and reading--those happy endings.

Do you like love books, too?
---
PS: I'm thrilled to announce that Absolutely, Positively has been nominated for an RT Reviewer's Choice award for Paranormal Fiction. Thank you, RT!!!

The Oops

2011-10-31T11:15:00.000-04:00

Picture this. Me, big chair, robe, blanket, crazy hair, typing away on Trouble under the Tree (Nina just saw a car rockin’ in a parking lot and went a’ knockin’ – which she immediately regretted), when WHAM! It hit me. It’s Monday. And I hadn’t blogged yet.

Oops.

Sometimes Mondays have a way of sneaking up on me. Which happens more frequently than I care to admit. Weekends have a way of flying by.

I had a great weekend—got to see some pics of Son #1 at boot camp (a treat), son # 2 was home for a quick visit, Baby Girl is always fun (esp. when she's teaching me about silverfish --you don't want to know, trust me), and I made it out of Target under $100 (you know that’s a miracle!). It was a nice, quiet, weekend, which have been few and far between the last couple of months—we’ve been traveling quite a bit.

I’m crazy busy writing. Working on the newest Nina and the third book in the Darcy series (working title: The Good, the Bad, the Witchy – what do you think?), writing a new proposal, and plotting the next Lucy Valentine novel. Hard work, all of it, but also fun. I love revisiting characters, which is one of the reason I love writing (and reading) series.

So, I hope your Monday didn’t sneak up on you like mine did, and I hope you have a Happy Halloween! I’m going to try and not eat all the candy before the trick or treaters get here. Must. Have. Willpower. For now, I’ve got to get back to Nina—she has a snowy stake-out to plan (I think one little fun-sized Snickers might help keep my creative juices flowing...).

The Random Observation

2011-10-28T05:57:00.002-04:00

I've decided.

Freshly laundered jeans are evil.

(This is not me.)

The Fact of the Matter

2011-10-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

The fact of the matter is...

When Mr. W and Baby Girl are talking about math terms like secant, cosecant, cotangent, tangent, cosine...

It gives me a headache.

Just sayin'.

Once upon a time, I was good at math. Had As in it and everything. Algebra, no problem. Trig? Breezed right through. Now? I get hives when faced with arithmetic security questions on certain websites. Adding large sums in my head? Not happening. Sometimes when I use a calculator, I mess up (the checkbook can attest to that).

Not sure what happened, other than maybe that old saying is true: If you don't use it, you lose it.

But that doesn't mean I want it back. :)

How're your math skills?

The Realization

2011-10-17T07:46:00.001-04:00

For years I've always said that I can't keep romance out of my mysteries, or mystery out of my romances. Which is why I love writing romantic mysteries (took me a while to learn that lesson).

But as I wrote the second book in the Darcy series (A Witch before Dying--out in Aug. 2012), I also realized something else. I can't keep Elvis out of my books, either. Not sure where this fixation comes from, but I'm going with it... After all, who doesn't love Elvis?

***
Today, I'm part of Lori's Reading Corner and Jenn's Crazy for Books' Halloween Spooktacular! My "Trick" or "Treat" posts can be found at: http://www.lorisreadingcorner.com
and http://crazy-for-books.com/ . You can win an advanced copy of IT TAKES A WITCH by filling out the raffle form, and you ALSO have a chance to be part of the third Darcy book. Hop over and check out the posts!

The LOL

2011-10-12T06:01:00.001-04:00

I saw this on Facebook last week and it made me laugh and laugh. Granted, I was really tired and might have been slaphappy, but I thought I'd share anyway.

The Disgustedness

2011-10-10T06:09:00.005-04:00

Ugh, ugh, ugh.

Some of you know how I feel about spitting. Yuckity, yuck, yuck. Shiver, shudder, eww.

So, let me tell you the place you should *never* go if you feel the same.

Where?

A college cross country race with 50 male teams, approximately 500 runners.

That's where.

Trust me on this.

Shudder.

Oh, and if you don't know what a "snot rocket" is, count your many blessings.

Double shudder.

The Random Observation

2011-10-05T06:26:00.000-04:00

I don't think I can suitably express how much I miss Bob Barker on The Price is Right.

Just sayin'.

The Oddity

2011-10-03T06:11:00.001-04:00

I've begun noticing something very strange about me lately. And yes, yes, I know--there are many strange things about me, but this is a new strange thing.

Well, at least it's new in the sense that I've finally realized it's happening. Maybe it's been there all along, and I just never noticed... (Hmm, let's not discuss my observation skills.)

Anyway, what I've noticed is that I wake up every morning (every single morning) with a song in my head. Not the same song. Different songs on different mornings. Last week I had Wouldn't it Be Loverly one morning, Moves Like Jagger the next, Rolling in the Deep on another... There's no telling what I'll wake up with. And they just play over and over in my head like they're on repeat. The only thing that makes the song stop is when I hear another song.

Strange, right? It makes me wonder what's really going on in that head of mine. It's a mad, mad world in there. Does this happen to any of you, by any chance?

The Picture of the Day

2011-09-28T06:26:00.000-04:00

Thankfully, even though fall has arrived, all our flowers are still blooming, including this beauty.

Taken by Mr. W

I'm not looking forward to our first hard freeze.

The Woo-Woo

2011-09-26T06:04:00.000-04:00

Lately, there's been a lot of woo-woo going on in my family. Not sure why, but it's getting freaky, so I kinda wish it would stop.

Grandfather Mountain in Boone, NC
Taken by Mr. W

Instance #1: About a week or so ago Mr. W and I had to divide parenting duties. I went to Florida to visit son #1 and my parents (I flew), and he went to Boone, North Carolina, to see son #2's college race (Mr. W drove). Boone isn't too easy to get to from the Cincinnati area. A seven hour drive, most of that along two-lane mountain highways. Even though it's good-sized town and a bit of a tourist area (though I'd never heard of it), it's most definitely in the middle of nowhere.

Fast forward to my flight, which is the day Mr. W left Boone. I'm on board the second leg of my trip (DC to West Palm Beach) and found myself reading the US Airways magazine. There, among the articles about the Caribbean, destination weddings, luggage, etc., is a huge spread on...Boone, NC--including a paragraph on the hike that Mr. W took. Very woo-woo.

Instant #2 involves Baby Girl and Son #2. Son #2 is a pre-nursing major who's trying to get into the BSN nursing program at his college. His biggest challenge is his anatomy lab class--it's just plain hard memorizing all those bones, etc. Anyhow, his first big test was this past Wednesday, around noontime. Afterward, he texted me that he thought it went well but he got a little confused with the phases of mitosis (I have *no* idea what that means.)

Fast forward to that night at dinner. I was telling Mr. W and Baby Girl what son # 2 has said, and she looked up and said, "That's strange--I was thinking about mitosis today." She explained that she had been doodling in her school planner around noontime (woo-woo!) and when she saw what she had drawn thought it looked like a mitosis phase (and yes, she's that smart that she would liken a drawing to mitosis). Mr. W asked her when the last time was that she had learned about mitosis... That would be two years ago, freshman biology. So, at the same time son #2 is stressing about mitosis, Baby Girl is randomly drawing mitosis (mitoses?). Coincidence? I think not. So woo-woo.

Strange things are happening around here... Any woo-woo in your life lately?

The Tell-Me-It-Ain't-So

2011-09-19T06:28:00.001-04:00

This past weekend, I looked at some old pictures. And, oh my gosh, (I can't believe I'm about to admit this), there might be photographic evidence that, as a teenager, I had a picture of (it's hard to be sure) Charlie Sheen taped to my wall.

And no, I won't share it.

Okay, you twisted my arm. Only because I need your help. Is it him? Isn't it?

What do you think? Is it him?

If so, please do not hold this against me. I was young. And clearly out of my mind.

Also, please ignore my hair. It was the 80s.

Also, please ignore the half-naked men on my wall. Or not. Depends on how you feel about half-naked men...

The Picture of the Day

2011-09-14T06:10:00.000-04:00

Taken by Mr. W

It's still summer. Barely, but I'll take it.

Don't you love those wings? So pretty. They kind of remind

me of a stained glass pattern.

The Title Decisions

2011-09-12T09:23:00.001-04:00

Oh, the decisions.

I'm still trying to figure out titles to upcoming books. One for Lucy Valentine's next adventure, and one for my Nina Quinn novella, which will hopefully be out by Christmas.

For Lucy, I *think* I've finally decided on Perfectly Matched. In addition to the whole matchmaking theme, the main plot revolves around an arsonist who leaves matches at the scenes of the crimes, so the "Matched" really plays two roles in the story. Now to just write the story...

I'm still up in the air about the Nina titles. The story takes place at Christmastime, and Nina has undertaken an indoor makeover at Christmastowne. And of course there's a murder. Mr. and Mrs. Claus are involved, and Riley's an elf, and it's been SO fun to revisit these characters. But I'm kind of stuck on that title. I'm torn between two (but am open to more suggestions if you have any!). Wreathed in Trouble and Trouble under the Tree. I'm really leaning toward Trouble under the Tree, since the body is found under a giant Christmas tree. Of course, it doesn't help at all that the Nina titles have to have the word "Trouble" and some sort of gardening/landscaping term with it--it's harder than it seems to come up a likable combination!

What do you think? Like one more than the other?

The Random Observation

2011-09-08T08:35:00.000-04:00

I had to dig myself out of my blanket burrow this morning. So. Cold. Lately.

The Happiness

2011-09-05T08:48:00.000-04:00

Happiness is:

1) Having son #2 home from college for the past two days.

2) Making plans to see son #1 before he leaves for basic training.

3)Volunteering at the local animal shelter with Baby Girl this weekend during the shelter's huge adoption sale. We got to see so many of our favorite pets find forever homes. Actually made me teary. Such a sap.

4) Getting lots of writing done.

5) Cooler weather.

6) Finding a gluten free bread I like.

7) It's almost boot weather. Love boots.

8) Watching all the bird activity in the backyard. It's like a scene from Nature out there.

9) Reading pass pages for It Takes a Witch and still loving this book!

10) A three day weekend.

Please share your happies, too! (Yes, I totally made up the word happies. It's that kind of morning.)

The Not-For-The-Squeamish

2011-08-31T06:14:00.000-04:00

Huh. Well, for some completely unknown reason one of my toenails fell off. Poof, gone.

Nope, doesn't hurt. Nope, no idea why. Nope, not sure what to do with the little piggy now. I can't put polish on it, but wearing a band-aid until the new nail grows in doesn't sound appealing either. This definitely messes with my flip-flop wearing. LOL--it's always the little things.

Weird, isn't it? But let's look at the silver lining--this might just call for some shoe shopping, closed-toe of course. Who's with me?

Lucy Valentine Needs Your Help!

2011-08-30T07:44:00.000-04:00

She explains everything today at Killer Characters: http://www.killercharacters.com/2011/08/fuzzy-wuzzy-was-bear.html

The Excitement

2011-08-29T06:21:00.000-04:00

Ooh, ooh! Over the weekend, the mailman delivered the Broadway Series season tickets I ordered for me and Baby Girl last winter!

They're gorgeous. Gor-geous. Each ticket has the show's image on it (unlike those Ticketmaster tix). They're nice and bright and colorful, which just makes me even more excited to see each of the shows this coming season.

The line-up:

*Beauty and the Beast - haven't seen it onstage and cannot wait!
*Wicked - LOVE it. My favorite musical. Cannot wait to see it again. (Soundtrack is currently playing in my car, and I have a little witch hat souvenir as a key chain.)
*Billy Elliot - never seen it but have heard raves
*West Side Story - saw the movie but haven't seen it onstage. Am slightly nervous about the snapping scenes (I hate the sound of snapping fingers! Might have to cover my ears...)
*The Addams Family - grew up watching the show and am betting this will be really fun. (Ditto my worry about the snapping fingers.)
*Les Mis - Baby Girl's favorite show! I've never seen it done onstage, but she has (local theater), and she's so excited to see Broadway's version.

All in all, a fun year ahead... Do you have a favorite musical?

And...

Just wanted to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Mr. W! Much love. Make a wish!

The Crazy Lady

2011-08-26T06:10:00.002-04:00

I'm pretty sure I agreed to do some painting this weekend.

Which I'm pretty sure I don't have time (hello, deadline!) to do.

What was I thinking???

The Speed Reader

2011-08-24T10:41:00.000-04:00

My daughter is currently speed-reading The Grapes of Wrath.

Which can only mean one thing. School starts tomorrow.

Gotta love summer reading.

Obviously, she's a bit of a procrastinator like me, but to her credit she did finish--and complete an essay--on her other two summer reading books, The Scarlet Letter and Adventures of Huck Finn, well ahead of time.

Summer reading brings back lots of memories for me. The dread of homework during summer (so not fair), but also the surprise of finding some real literary gems, like Rebecca and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (which remains one of my favorite A.C. novels).

Did you procrastinate doing summer reading? Any gems you remember?

The Inspiration, the Food Fight, and the Winner Is...

2011-08-22T07:50:00.001-04:00

The Inspiration

As a writer, I get my inspiration everywhere. Mostly, though, it comes from news stories (ripped from the headlines kind of things) that I twist to fit my quirky plots. But most recently I had the best idea for a plot while I was watching, wait for it, Jerseylicious. Go ahead, laugh. I'll wait. This show, on the Style channel, is such a guilty pleasure for me. And now it's inspiration. While watching last week, I had an aha moment. A plot was born. I'm not sharing my idea yet (I don't like jinxing things like that), but it's goooood.

The Food Fight

August always means lots of hummingbirds in our yard. We love watching them flit around, drinking out of the feeders, drinking out of the flowers (they love the hostas this year). As fun as they are to watch, they're also quite feisty. We have 3-4 regulars, and they're always trying to run each other off. Lots of fighting going on outside the window... Which begs the question, Can't they just get along?

The Winner Is...

Me! Whee! I left a comment on a post by Nora McFarland on Dru Ann's blog a couple of weeks ago, and it turns out that I was randomly chosen to win a book from Nora. I was going to forfeit and let a real "reader" win, but then I thought, Hey! I'm real reader. Plus, I never win anything. Plus, plus, the book looked really good. And because Nora is so darn nice, she sent me two books. Just the things I need to procrastinate as my deadline looms. Because you know I'm looking for reasons. Thank you, Nora and Dru Ann! It's nice to win once in a while.

The Pet Peeve, the New Cover, and the Random Observation

2011-08-15T06:14:00.001-04:00

The Pet Peeve

As you know, I love HGTV. One of my favorite shows is House Hunters. Basically, a buyer looks at three potential houses, then chooses one. It's fun to follow along, and then guess which they're going to pick. However, this show brings up several of my pet peeves. Like people who dismiss a great house because they don't like the paint. Or the wallpaper. Or the carpet. Those are such easy fixes. But my biggest pet peeve with this show is when a buyer will walk into someone's bedroom and LIE DOWN ON THE BED. With their shoes on. Hello, it's not your bed--it's not staying with the house! And get your dirty feet of the comforter. Sheesh. And don't get me started about when the potential buyer climbs into the bathtub...

The New Cover

Here's my cover for It Takes a Witch:

I love it and can't wait to see it on bookstore shelves. Whee!

The Random Observation

It seems that in those times when silence is needed, the harder I try to be quiet the louder I am. Go figure.

I'm reading:

Nothing right now (cue a trombone's wuh wuh wuhhh). Too busy writing. What're you reading? I'll take notes for when my deadline is over, and I actually have free time again (ha!).

The Pepe Picture

2011-08-12T06:32:00.000-04:00

In case you missed it on my Facebook page, my daughter drew a picture of Pepe, the mouse familiar, in It Takes a Witch. I love it! She captured him so well and brought him to life. Isn't he cute?

The Email Snafus

2011-08-10T07:30:00.000-04:00

Over the past couple of weeks, I've had some trouble with emails that have come in through my website email (heather@heatherwebber.com). Some emails aren't getting through, and some of my replies have been bouncing back to me--or the account tells me the email doesn't exist. I answer everything, so please, if you've written to me and have not heard back resend your note to booksbyheather@gmail.com.

The Stupid Question, the Extra Parts, and the No Vacancy

2011-08-08T06:17:00.007-04:00

The Stupid Question

I'm in love with Applebees's cherry limeades this summer. Madly in love. Head over heels. Now I'm looking for cherry limeades all over the place and discovered Sonic has them. Only one thing...I've never been to Sonic. So, stupid question time: do you have to stay in your car and order? Or can you walk in and order? LOL. Told you it was a stupid question.

The Extra Parts

Huh. When should I worry about too many extra parts when putting together a futon? I seem to have a lot of leftover screws and bolts for some reason. Am having visions of son #2 crashing to the floor his first time sitting on the futon in his dorm. Better make sure he packs his insurance card...

The No Vacancy

We have a full bird house in our pine tree. As far as we can tell, there are three wren babies, even though all you can see here is two mouths. Mouths that never seem to close! They're waiting for their mama (whose work never ends) to drop something tasty into their beaks. So cute.

The Scary Place, The Scarier Place, and the Scariest Place of All

2011-08-01T06:21:00.005-04:00

The Scary Place

I cleaned out my car last week. It had been (cough) a year or so since I last cleaned it out so I really got in there with the vacuum and multiple interior cleansers. And while it wasn't horrible at first glance, once I took out the car mats and got down to look under the seats... Whoa! There were things under there I didn't recognize. Plus various pens, money, socks, water bottles, an umbrella, six Gobstoppers, and pebbles galore. Amazing what could fit under there--and amazing that none of it was visible at first glance. I vow not to let it get that bad again. (We'll see how long that lasts!)

The Scarier Place

I paid a visit to son # 2's college bookstore (online) just to check and see how much his books are going to cost for the upcoming semester and nearly had myself a heart attack. Scary, scary, scary.

The Scariest Place of All

That would be my mind. I'm working on A Witch Before Dying (not sure they'll keep that title), and I have mentions of Dracula and Sasquatch in the same chapter...and it works, I swear. I'm telling you--scary.

The Awwwwwwww

2011-07-27T06:27:00.000-04:00

Starting my day with a goofy smile and thought I'd share.

The Patience of a Saint, the Fight, and the Pretty Mama

2011-07-25T06:24:00.003-04:00

The Patience of a Saint
I'm pretty sure that bacon was created just to test my patience. Why, oh why, does it take so long to cook? And the whole time it's cooking? It fills the house with its delicious, tempting aroma. Teasing me: Ha, ha, I'm raw! You'll get trichinosis if you even try to eat me before I'm done. Back off! But not too far off, because I need to be turned regularly. Bacon is spiteful like that. Instead, it makes me wait another 28 1/2 minutes before its done enough so I can eat it. Oh, and if I dare turn up the heat so it cooks just an eensy bit faster, what happens? It fights back. It spits. It burns. Yeah, it's not nice that way. Cooking bacon is fairly close to torture. But worth the wait. Sometimes (can you tell I'm still mad at it?).

The Fight

All I wanted was to get a spatula out of the overcrowded utensil drawer. That's all. It's not asking too much, was it? So I very nicely tried to open the drawer. It opened about a quarter of the way. If I wanted I could stick my fingers in (I have long fingers) and grab the measuring spoons. But I didn't want the measuring spoons (unfortunately), I wanted the spatula. So I tugged the drawer harder. It didn't budge. So I reached in and tried to figure out which of the unruly utensils was jamming it up. Aha! The culprit was the rolling pin. And so the fight began. Tugging and some minor cursing and skinned knuckles and a wounded innocent bystander (the whisk) later, and *finally* the drawer opened. It was an ugly fight, and I'd like to say I won, but I think the rolling pin got the last laugh when the spatula was in the dishwasher...

The Pretty Mama

Taken by Mr. W

This mama mourning dove is nesting in one of our pine trees. She actually has two babies, but one of them is hiding in this shot. They hatched last week, and they're already out and about. I can't believe how fast they grow! Pretty, isn't she?

The Vacation Pictures

2011-07-21T05:35:00.006-04:00

Me preparing a picnic next to the Swift River

Dipping my toes in. Water was COLD.

Swift River -- gorgeous isn't it?

Me and Baby Girl at the trail head leading to Sabbaday Falls

Sabbaday Falls

Son #2 headed down Mt. Adams. He and Mr. W hiked/climbed (4000 ft vertical) the second highest
peak in NH without me and Baby Girl. We went shopping instead.

Rafting on the Androscoggin River.
Having an absolute blast.

Nothing like a face full of water, eh?

Holding on for dear life (toes tucked into side of raft).

Me and Brandy, our fabulous guide.

Splash fight at the end of the second run with another raft.

Had an incredible vacation--wish I could go back tomorrow!

The Urges, the Scare, and the Broken Promises

2011-07-18T04:39:00.003-04:00

The Urges
I always know when I have a deadline on the very close horizon. Things I can usually ignore suddenly become chores of the utmost importance. Like cleaning out closets, tidying my office, organizing my recipe box. Yes, the recipe box. The second book in the witch series is due 9/1/11, and I'm way behind. But I know I can get it done. Rah, rah! (Any kind words of encouragement welcome!)

The Scare
I've mentioned the need we have for an exterminator, right? The invading centipedes alone are worth it. Then the flying ants arrived. Lately, all's been well (knock wood), but there I was cleaning the kitchen last week when I saw something on the counter. It was a black lump just sitting there, taunting me. I was torn between thwapping it with a rolled up newspaper or running screaming from the room when I realized it wasn't moving. I moved in, armed with the paper. Huh. It was a dried up raisin that had fallen out of the toaster. We can just keep this story to ourselves, right?

The Broken Promise
I have a problem. I just can't stop buying books. I promised myself that I wouldn't buy any more until I finished at least ten that I already owned. Yeah, well. You can see where this is going. I've probably bought six books in the last two weeks. How many read? Oh, one. There are some promises that just shouldn't be made.

Bonus pic

Backyard visitor
taken by Mr. W

How cute is he? He hangs out under our bird feeder and scavenges for leftover seeds. If only I can teach him to chase away those centipedes.

Pop in later in the week for some vacation pics. Long overdue, I know. Did I mention I was on deadline???

The Bribe Worked

2011-07-12T06:09:00.003-04:00

Nothing like bribing with cupcakes, eh? Julie came through with a pic of me and Dru Ann at the observation deck of the Empire State Building. Absolutely had a blast hanging out with Dru Ann during my trip to NYC. And she's really the best tour guide ever. :)

The Technical Difficulties, the Dreaded Resolution, and the Random Observation

2011-07-11T07:17:00.000-04:00

The Technical Difficulties

Having technical difficulties with some of the vacation pics. Hopefully will have some soon. I do have this one from when I was horseback riding last week. It's the top of Priscilla's head. I was seated in her saddle at the time. For once, I felt tall. LOL. Hey, I'll take it.

The Dreaded Resolution

Tomorrow I go to the dentist. As you might recall, this is one of my New Year's resolutions. Ugh. Ick. Ack. Not a fan of the dentist. But it's time. I do have one possible get-out-of-dental-chair free card, though. Jury duty. I suppose if my jury number is chosen tonight for a trial tomorrow, I'll just have to cancel my dentist appointment. Wouldn't that be a shame?

The Random Observation

As we were driving home from New Hampshire (17 looooong hours), I spotted a roadside BBQ eatery. I can't recall the name of it, just that it had huge fat smiling pigs plastered all over its sign. I find this disturbing. Very, very disturbing. Do you think so, too?

The Three Smiling Faces

2011-07-05T06:08:00.009-04:00

My good friend Shelley Shepard Gray (who has a new book out -- The Protector [it's wonderful]) took this picture last week when we were in NYC for the Romance Writers of America conference. Here I am with Julie Stone and Hilda Lindner Knepp in Times Square just after having dinner with the wonderful Dru Ann Love and Nora-Adrienne (who both live in the area).

Me, Julie, Hilda

Happily, Dru Ann was also able to meet up with Julie and me later in the week, too. We walked to the Empire State building and had a blast playing tourist. Dru Ann was a great tour guide. The views from the top of the Empire State building were stunning, and I geeked out on the way home as we walked past 34th Street and Macy's --you know how I feel about Miracle on 34th Street. And after we saw Dru Ann off to her train Julie and I stopped in for cupcakes (she has an addiction) at Crumbs Bake Shop-- gorgeous cupcakes. By the time we made it back to the hotel, I had some sore feet but it so worth it. Julie has some pictures--I need to see if I can get them from her (bribe her with more cupcakes?) so I can share them with you.

By the way, Hilda might look all sweet and innocent, but she was the only one of us four roommates who knew who the rapper Pitbull was on TV. I know, right? Who knew.

My Firecracker, the Long Ride, and My Fleeting Fame

2011-07-04T12:43:00.000-04:00

My Firecracker

Today is son #2's birthday, his 18th (don't get me started). He's my fourth of July firecracker, born almost two weeks early in the wee hours of the morning after I'd gone into labor while waiting to watch the fireworks with Mr. W and son #1. When he was little, he always thought the fireworks were for his birthday. We never set him straight. :)

The Long Ride

A sixteen hour drive does not make for a happy me, but being in the heart of the White Mountains does. We're on vacation this week in New Hampshire, soaking in the mountain air. Ahhhhh. We'll be hiking and shopping and rafting and maybe kayaking if we have time. So much to do before that sixteen hour ride home. Big thank you to M and P for house-sitting and taking care of Max (who's still swimming) and the fledgling tomatoes.

My Fleeting Fame

Just finished a round of mini-golf and (for once) I actually won (though Baby Girl came mighty close). And for a split second, I actually had the best score of the day. Then "Joe" came along and wiped me off the board with a "38." I might need another round...

I hope everyone has a happy and safe Fourth of July!

The Betrayal, the Carry-On, and the Watched Chicken

2011-06-27T06:16:00.000-04:00

The Betrayal

Taken by Mr. W

You may recognize these fellas from previous posts about our crazy scheme to feed the wild rabbits carrots so they’ll leave our plants alone.

Ha!

That idea worked for a few years. But now the wild bunnies outnumber the carrots (apparently) because my plants have become fair game. Several impatiens are gone. Completely gone, roots and all. Some salvia is history. A wave petunia. The flowers on several perennials are missing, leave the lonely stalks behind.

Next year...more bunny resistant plants. And maybe more carrots.

The Carry-On

I leave tomorrow for New York City for the national Romance Writer’s conference. I’m flying (shudder) and am going to really try and get everything into a carry-on. Stop laughing. I think I can do it. Well, I hope I can do it. We’ll see... Might pull down the big suitcase just in case.

The Watched Chicken

You know that adage “A watched pot never boils?” Well, I’m here to tell you that a watched chicken will not pop its little internal thermometer. Trust me on this. I learned it the hard way.

Currently Reading:

A Parfait Murder by Wendy Lyn Watson -- What are you reading?

The Goldfinch Mystery, The Thief, and the Picture of the Day

2011-06-20T07:48:00.000-04:00

The Goldfinch Mystery

Last week I was sitting on the window bench in the kitchen, sipping my coffee and gazing at the freshly planted flowers in the garden. It had just rained, so everything was bright and fresh and dewy. So pretty. As I was sitting there, a goldfinch came along and landed on the little shepherd's hook in the garden. His bright yellow feathers were gorgeous in the murky morning light. But it was what was on his ankle that caught my attention. A little metal band. How did he get it (on birdhouse arrest? Ha!), why did someone band him? Who did it? I did a quick internet search for banding projects in the area but didn't find anything. Very mysterious...

The Thief

In that same garden is our one and only blueberry bush. Freshly planted. And not long after we put it in, the blueberries started ripening. We were so excited! Fresh blueberries. Not many, but enough. Then, we noticed that as the blueberries just started turning that purplish red that they started disappearing. Every time. Haven't had a blueberry since. We've never actually seen the thief, but we suspect that one our feathered friends is the culprit as he likes to leave behind a clue in the form of his purple-colored calling card on the driveway (better there than on my head while I'm working outside). Scoundrel.

The Picture of the Day

With all that fluffage, I can't tell if this is our mysterious friend...

Goldfinch - taken by Mr. W

He's so pretty (handsome)! But a messy eater--do you see the thistle on his beak? Sloppy!

The Command, the Upcoming Trips, and the (High Maintenance) Garden

2011-06-13T06:14:00.002-04:00

The Command

I’ve been “commanded” to appear at jury duty in July. Once upon a time I’d have been hoping beyond hope not to be picked. But now? Pick me! Pick me! I’d love to see the inner workings of a courtroom. I’ve been called to the courthouse before for jury duty, but the cases had always plead out so no jurors were needed. And although the people watching there is worth the trip, this time I hope if I get picked that there’s actually a trial. Have you been on a jury? Want to be on one or avoid it like the plague?

The Upcoming Trips
I’m making lots of travel plans these days. I’m leaving for the Romance Writer’s of America conference at the end of the month. This year it’s in New York City, and should be tons of fun. The conference hotel is in Times Square, I’m rooming with a few of my critique partners, and I’m lucky enough to be on a panel this year, too. Hopefully I’ll get in some sight seeing and have plenty of time to hang out with good friend Dru Ann!

Not long after I get home from NYC, I leave again on a family vacation. I need one so bad! And cannot wait. We’re headed back East again this year—another long road trip—but that road trip is part of the fun, right? Am already thinking of road trip foods to pack. Gobstoppers are definitely on the list! Any other suggestions?

The Garden

Spent lots of time in the garden this weekend. Love the instant gratification of planting annuals, but am always reminded how much work gardens are! The constant watering, weeding, and maintenance. I’m still not done pulling weeds, but what’s done is looking really nice. My favorite flower this year is bright yellow zinnia. So happy! Let’s hope I don’t kill any of the new plants... I don’t have the best of luck with flowers. Don’t tell Nina Quinn, okay?

The Newly Enlisted, the New Graduate , and the Music of the Seventies

2011-06-06T06:09:00.001-04:00

(LOL--apparently this is the All About My Kids issue of my blog.)

The Newly Enlisted

Last week Son #1 officially enlisted in the Army. I'm really proud of him and this step he's taking in his life, yet at the same time I'm scared to death something might happen to him. Probably a reaction of most parents with kids in the military... I hope this fear will ebb eventually. Someone please tell me it will!

He reports to boot camp in September...

The New Graduate

Last Saturday, Son #2 graduated high school. For the event, we bought him grown-up clothes. Fancy pants, tie, shoes. Things he can keep for years (if he ever stops growing!). Suddenly I could see the man he was going to be. And I couldn't be prouder of him (and also a little scared to let him go be that man).

Me and Son # 2 (btw, I'm wearing 3" heels...)

Today and tomorrow he's at college orientation... Between him and Son #1, there's not enough chocolate in the world to deal with my emotions right now!

The Music of the Seventies
Last week I was driving Baby Girl to her last day of school (thank goodness she has two years left!!!), and we were seat-dancing in the car to some random 70's song that I can't even remember the title of, but it was very disco-y and peppy.

Baby Girl looks at me and says, "Sure, the 70's were full of government distrust and social turmoil, but they had good music!"

LOL!

I love my kids.

Happy Monday!

The Power Outage, the Edits, and the Holiday

2011-05-30T05:58:00.003-04:00

The Power Outage

As last week’s storms rolled through my neighborhood, one storm took out 1/3 of our mature pear tree (we’re waiting for the tree guy to visit to see if we can save the pear tree - please oh please), lots of little branches from the ash tree, knocked out our power, and revealed all kinds of issues we need to take care of ASAP. Like the fact that our gutters were clogged (no longer), that the broken spring on the garage door made it impossible to use during an outage--leaving cars stranded inside (also now fixed), and the fact that we need to get a battery-operated backup sump pump (still need to do). Poor Mr. W was bailing water for hours.

But one gift from the power outage was the quality family time we were able to spend together. There’s nothing quite like playing flashlight hangman! We had a blast and spent a lot of time laughing. So, if another storm comes through, I actually wouldn’t mind the power going out again—as long as we have that back-up sump pump in place!

Hangman by flashlight

The Edits

I’m working on the editorial edits of IT TAKES A WITCH. I’ve also seen the cover—will share as soon as I can. I love it. :) The edits are my first using the track changes program on word, so it’s taking a little getting used to... but as I go through the manuscript, I’m remembering how much I love this book. I can’t wait to share it with all of you.

The Holiday

Both Mr. W and I come from military families—our dads, our grandfathers, our great-grandfathers...lots of history there and some good stories that will be passed down through generations.

Wishing everyone a happy and safe Memorial Day, and a big thank you to all the members of the armed forces who keep our country safe!

This is a picture (circa 1981) of me with my great-grandfather, who served in World War I. I’m in my Girl Scout uniform and wearing his service hat—I think it was Veteran’s Day, and I’d just come from marching in the local parade. We're kind of cute, aren't we? :)

***
Today, Darcy Merriweather, the main character of It Takes a Witch is blogging at Killer Characters. I hope you'll come on over and say hi.

The Breakfast, the Good News, and the Big Mistake

2011-05-23T06:19:00.001-04:00

The Breakfast

Last week Baby Girl had to be at school an hour early to take a test, which meant that son # 2 would have to get to school an hour early as well, because it makes no sense whatsoever to drop BG off, then go home and get son #2 and drive him back (half hour round trip). SO...I thought this would be the perfect time to spend a little quality time with son #2 who has just four days left of high school and less than two weeks till graduation. We dropped off BG at school and went to breakfast. It was so nice that I wished I thought of doing this kind of thing with the kids a long time ago. I’m going to have to implement it with BG as she heads into her junior year (sob)—though soon enough she’ll be driving me around. This is an interesting time in my life. Kids flying the coop left and right. And though I’m so excited to see where they go in life, what they become, and the families they’ll have...my life is changing drastically. I’m trying to go with the flow, but I’ll be honest—I also want to grab onto them and hold tight.

The Good News

Hooray! All three Lucy Valentine books are going to be published in Turkey! How cool is that? I cannot wait to see how the foreign editions turn out (Germany and Indonesia are also pubbing Truly, Madly), and to see the covers, too. Fun! I received an email a couple of weeks ago from the woman who’s doing the German translation of Truly, Madly. She had a question about a certain passage in the book, and it made me realize just how wonky the English language can be—especially with dialogue. I couldn’t help but think what a great job she has, though. Something Baby Girl is very interested in pursuing someday—I think she’d do a great job with it, too. She loves languages... (But trying not to think of her being off on her own [see above]—OHHHMMM.)

The Big Mistake

Last week son #2 had a couple of track meets (two more this week, too). One of my favorite things (besides watching him run) at these meets is the concession stand. I love soft pretzels and nachos and snow cones and all the assorted junk food that comes along with these kinds of events. Well, last Friday I ordered the nachos. Absolutely delicious. The chips were fresh, the cheese hot. Then...an hour after eating them my stomach started to ache. And ache some more. Ugh. Ugh, ugh, ugh. Not fun. I might never eat nachos again... But if the meets this week have snow cones, I’m all over that. You’d think I’d learn my lesson, but noooo—we’re talking snow cones! Some stomach aches are just worth it.

*What’s your favorite concession food? And what’re you reading now?*

Currently reading: Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews

The Wow, the Goosebumps, and the Picture of the Day

2011-05-16T06:20:00.008-04:00

The Wow

I’m so thrilled to say that Absolutely, Positively is featured in the current issue (June 6) of First for women magazine (available at grocery checkouts + newsstands everywhere). It’s on the “6 paperbacks were reading now” page and was recommended by senior food editor, Krista Winston. Please considering picking up a copy—it’s the one with Mariska Hargitay on the cover—to take a peek. Part of the Krista's recommendation: "It was so jam-packed with endearing characters and suspense that I didn't want to set it down for a minute!"

Thanks, Krista. And thanks, First!

The Goose Bumps

This weird thing happens to me every time I sneeze. I get goose bumps. It happens just about every time, including when Wendy Watson and I were rooming together in Pittsburgh (not surprising considering how darn sick I was). I thought it was just one of those random weird things that only happen to me (and son #2), until Wendy hopped right on Google and went looking for an explanation for this strange reaction. For some reason it never occurred to me to look for a reason for it. LOL. Just thought I was...strange. Apparently there are lots of us out there who get goose bumps when we sneeze. The going theory is that the gust of air from sneezing cools something in the brain that shouldn’t be cooled and tricks the brain into thinking the body is cold which then triggers goose bumps—something the body uses to temporarily warm itself. Fascinating, no? Still strange, but fascinating nonetheless.

The Picture of the Day

Toddling

taken by Mr. W

Love this time of year and all the goslings around. They're too cute for words.

Currently reading: Carpe Bead'em by Tonya Kappes. So fun!

The Big Laugh and the New Website

2011-05-11T06:30:00.004-04:00

The Big Laugh

Let’s just say I’m easily amused, but rarely do I laugh so hard I have tears in my eyes. Well, at the Festival of Mystery, a conversation I had with a reader had me crying with laughter. Something about it just struck me as absurdly funny, and I couldn’t stop laughing.

The scene: Festival of Mystery. Huge crowds. A first-timer to the festival stops in front of me, browses my books. I give a little talk about them, explaining what they’re about, blah, blah, and she decides to buy one (YAY!).

Her: Which one should I start with?
Me: Well, I like to start at the beginning of the series...
Her: Oh, me too. It’s a job hazard.
Me: Are you a librarian?
(wait for it...)
Her: No, I’m a mental health professional.

I started laughing, she started laughing, then Wendy Watson (who was sitting next to me) started laughing. LOL. Still cracks me up. She chose Truly, Madly, and I really hope she likes it.

The New Website

My heatherwebber.com website has a new look! Have you seen it? I love it. I was originally going to go with a mystical starry design, but it didn’t feel right. So, I chose from the heart. I love dandelions (the puffy ones), and am especially fond of “blue” dandelions. Here’s the inspiration for my Blue Dandelion Press:

Taken by Mr. W

Anyway, check it out. What do you think? www.heatherwebber.com

The Conference, the Festival, and the Inheritance

2011-05-09T06:30:00.002-04:00

The Conference

Me and Louise Penny
Photo by Avery Aames

Despite being sick (sinus + ear infection), I had a blast at the Malice Domestic conference. So fun catching up with old friends, making new ones, and hanging out with people who love books as much as I do. I was up for an Agatha award this year (the wonderful Louise Penny won), so it was always nice to get random congrats in the elevator, and I can’t tell you how much it means when people go out of their way to tell me how much they love my books. There is no better motivator to keep me writing! I was able to meet with my agent and my new editor, spend some quality time with Wendy Watson, Dru Ann, and Aimee (three of my favorite people), buy a little glass bowl for my collection from one of the Malice dealers, and generally soak up a wonderful atmosphere. If you love mysteries, this is truly a conference you should consider attending. So worth it. A big thank you to the Malice board and all the volunteers who make it possible.

The Festival

Me and Wendy
Photo by Alan Orloff

The Festival of Mystery is one of my absolute favorite events every year. It’s sponsored by Mystery Lover’s Bookshop in Oakmont, PA (free shipping on orders over $10!) and is held in a huge hall. About 40-50 authors attend, and book lovers come in droves. I’ve been going so many years that I’m starting to recognize some of the locals. This year was really special for me.

First, longtime loyal reader Judi from Ohio came and brought my first three books ever –hard to find historical romances—for me to sign. These are kind of the forgotten books, and it was just so nice that she went out of her way to track them down. Then, a mom and two teen daughters made a return appearance from last year. They are the sweetest (hi Kiki and Alice!). The whole family read and loved Truly, Madly and one of the girls even wrote a book report on it. It doesn’t get much better as an author than that. Then I met Liz and Casey and Mandy, who are teachers in the area. They came to meet me. How cool is that? They’re aspiring writers, too, and I can see the passion they have for books. An absolute joy to meet them. Then of course, there’s Lisa D. Next year I’ve wheedled a promise from her to meet for dinner the night before the event. She’s just the nicest person ever (and shares a love of Little Debbies). And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Everyone who attends (hi Paula, Superfan Jen, and Doreen!) is so supportive, warm and welcoming to all the authors. Warm and fuzzies all around. And a huge thanks to Mary Alice, Richard, and the entire staff of MLB for putting together such a wonderful event.

The Inheritance

Baby Girl has been going through some medical testing, trying to find a diagnosis for symptoms that have been plaguing her for years. Finally we got an answer last Friday. I have to tell you, I almost cried right there in the doc’s office. From relief. You know how sometimes you just know something’s wrong but the docs just can’t figure it out? And they think you’re nuts for continuing to push for testing (the test she had done on Friday was at our suggestion, not his), and they kind of give you THAT look? It was so nice to finally have the diagnosis so now she can get better. And it was a little vindicating, too. Kind of an I-told-you-so moment (though Baby Girl says I’m not allowed to say that to the doc—she’s a better person than I am.)

Long story short, she has a condition that requires her to be on a strict sugar-free, gluten- free diet for the foreseeable future. It’s not a fun diet in any way, will be a learning curve for all of us, but hopefully she will start feeling better. And that's what truly counts.

The inheritance comes in the form of her Easter basket. I get everything left in it. (Silver lining? LOL.) Unfortunately, she’s already eaten all the pink jelly beans. Drat.

Moral of this story: You MUST be your own medical advocate and do not give up if you know something is wrong. That and sneak some pink jelly beans before they’re all gone. Just sayin’.

~~~

Currently reading: Glitter Baby by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (started it as an audio book for my road trip and then bought it for my Kindle so I could finish it).

The Picture of the Day

2011-05-02T06:18:00.000-04:00

Taken by Mr. Webber

What do you think he's saying?

The Great Hardboiled Easter Egg Experiment Results

2011-04-27T06:17:00.002-04:00

If you follow me on my Facebook page, you know that I sent out a plea on how to hardboil Easter eggs so that the shell comes off easily. Thankfully there were lots of responses, and surprisingly a lot of them held the same advice. Except one really stood out--one that guaranteed the shell wouldn't stick. I was all over that.

So here's what I did. I boiled eggs two ways. Traditional and what I called the "rolling boil method."

Ingredients:

12 eggs divided into two batches of six

cold water--enough to cover the eggs by one inch

lots of salt added to the boiling water

Traditional method:

Put eggs in pan, cover with cold water, add salt. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, let sit for 15 minutes. Then put eggs in ice cold water for 5 more minutes.

Rolling boil method:

Bring cold water to a rolling boil, add eggs carefully using a slotted spoon. Let boil for seven minutes. Remove from heat. For the sake of having similar controls, I also put these eggs in an ice bath for five minutes.

RESULTS:

Traditional method:

Pros: Eggs are cooked perfectly.

Con: That darn eggshell was still hard to get off. I mauled a few eggs trying.

Rolling boil method:

Pros: The shell came right off. Easy-peasy (much happiness here!!!)

Con: The yolk was only soft-cooked. Not appealing at all. Blech.

Soooooo...next time I hardboil eggs, I will do the rolling method and cook the eggs longer. Hopefully, that won't affect the eggshells coming off easily. I'll be sure to report back (I know you'll be waiting with bated breath! LOL.).

It's a stimulating life I lead, I tell ya.

~Heather

The New Look, The Upcoming Road Trip, and The Reality Check

2011-04-25T06:06:00.002-04:00

The New Look

This one's fairly obvious, no? I've been redecorating the blog. The major reason behind why (other than I like to do this from time to time) is that I wanted to combine my Heather Blake and Heather Webber blogs. It's too much to keep up both (as you may have noticed). So, Books By Heather blog is born. You can still get here through heatherwebber.blogspot.com but you can also get here through booksbyheather.net too. Fancy, huh? I'll be tweaking the look, incorporating both my writing personalities as I go along, but look for posts at least once a week (I'm planning on Mondays, but we'll see how that goes).

The Upcoming Road Trip

I hit the road on Thursday morning, headed to Malice Domestic in Bethesda, Maryland. I'm really looking forward to the conference and catching up with friends. It's about a nine hour drive, barring traffic situations, monsoons, and Dr Pepper consumed (pit stops galore). I've making my list of what to pack--Gobstoppers (yes, I'm still on a Gobstopper kick), Dr P, and some books on tape. Anyone listen to anything good lately? I like funny or romantic in the car--nothing too dark.

The Reality Check

So, some of you know son #2 runs cross-country and track. Well, recently the local paper did a big article on him (proud mom moment). Well, fast forward a week or two. Son # 2 and I are at the pediatrician for his allergy shots and as I'm signing him in, I hear, "Can I have your autograph?" So, of course I think they're talking to me. Some of the nurses know I write. And I think, "That's sweet--they bought one of my books." Yeah. Well. You see where this is going. LOL. They were talking to son #2. The nurses wanted him to sign his article. His first autograph. Very cute. And a very good way to keep me from getting any kind of swelled head.

How's your week looking? It's wet, wet, wet here.

~Heather

The Fruity, the Therapeutic, and the Potential to Frustrate Me Beyond Belief

2011-04-11T06:04:00.007-04:00

The Fruity

Calling Willy Wonky! I find myself addicted to Gobstoppers these days. It all started two weekends ago, when I went to see Baby Girl in Sweeney Todd (the H.S. spring musical). As an aside, Sweeney Todd was very good—I’d never seen it before but had heard enough about it to prepare myself for the gore. Wasn’t prepared for the humor—it was a nice surprise. Anyhoo, I ended up buying a box of Gobstoppers from the concession stand, and I’ve been hooked since. I might need an intervention.

The Therapeutic

I definitely have to kill off a doctor in one of my future books. One in particular comes to mind, and getting my irritation out on paper might be better than having a hissy fit of monumental proportions. Which might look bad to all the other patients... Therapeutical homicide is definitely a perk to being a writer. Hey, we take what we can get when we don’t have 401Ks.

The Potential to Frustrate Me Beyond Belief

I believe (and this has nothing to do with the doc from above) that I might have CHS. Crazy Hair Syndrome. Don’t worry—I don’t think it’s contagious. All of a sudden, my hair has gone psycho on me, sticking up all over the place. A can of hair spray might hold the strands down for a few seconds, but then sproing, up they pop again. The medical community should look into this phenomenon. Maybe NASA too. Some good should come out of what’s going on atop my head.

Mr. W’s Picture of the Day:

Will read this week: Heads You Lose by Lisa Lutz and David Hayward

What's everyone else reading this week?

The Good, the Amusing, and the Disturbing

2011-04-04T06:06:00.002-04:00

The Good
Start crossing those fingers—my latest proposal went to my editor last week. It’s another witch-themed book. This one is set in the South, written in third person (gasp), and I can’t tell you how much I love it. I adore these characters and really hope my editor wants it so I can finish the story. I think, maybe, I was a Southern Belle in a former life—that setting is so much fun to write.

The Amusing
A few weeks ago, if you might recall, I was a guest at Chick Lit and Chocolate. Another guest was a real-life aura-reading psychic. Lovely woman who seemed to nail the personalities of everyone who spoke to her. I wasn’t planning on asking anything too specific, but couldn’t help myself. If she’s correct, the witch books are going to do really well (I hope she’s right!). But when Judy Cross (from Foul Play Books) asked her if I was going to win the Agatha Award, the psychic looked thoughtful for a moment, then basically said no. LOL. She was very kind about letting me down easy. Hey, at least I don’t have to get a speech ready.

The Disturbing
Mr. W is a big fan of duck sauce with stir-fry and certain chicken dishes. That’s not the disturbing part. The disturbing part is the sauce we bought at Kroger (don’t judge) claimed to be authentic, blah, blah. Then, on closer inspection we discovered the sauce is made in...New Jersey. LOL. Just doesn’t seem right.

And just because...

A picture of the day. It’s an older shot, but it's one of my favorites.

Chick Lit and Chocolate

2011-03-14T05:10:00.001-04:00

This coming Saturday, I'll be the guest of the McConnell Arts Center in Worthington, OH. Check out the details for a fun, jam-packed day:

Date: Saturday March 19, 2011 - 12:00 – 6:00 pm

Location: McConnell Arts Center

Price: $35 per ticket

To buy tickets, click here

Chick Lit & Chocolate is back @ the MAC! Gather friends and family, book club members — and anyone else who wants a reprieve from late winter doldrums — and make plans to attend. You’ll enjoy an array of delectable chocolates, a fabulous vendor marketplace, an exhibition of mouth-watering food photography and an opportunity to meet author Heather Webber.

Heather has written the Lucy Valentine series of mystery romances (Truly, Madly; Deeply, Desperately and her newest release Absolutely, Positively) as well as the Nina Quinn mystery series and other standalone romance novels.

12:00 noon – 6:00 pm

Throughout the MAC

THE CHICK LIT MARKETPLACE

High-quality goods from select local artisans including THE CANDLE LAB aromatherapy and bath/body products • CHOPSTIX handbags and clutches • BETH EDWARDS jewelry • JENELL HASS knitted wonders • IGLOO LETTER PRESS hand-printed paper goods • MIKIE MCGILL Ridiculous Rum Cakes

12:00 noon – 6:00 pm

SCHOTT LOBBY EXHIBITION

Delicious photographs of desserts prepared and styled by LISA WEBER

12:00 noon – 6:00 pm

SCHOTT LOBBY

DESSERT & DELECTABLES BUFFET

All-you-can-eat chocolate, hors d’oeuvres, coffee/tea/water and TWO drink tickets are included. We’re featuring a pink champagne-based Valentine Punch. Wine available for sale.

12:00 noon – 4:30 pm

MAIN GALLERY

BLINGO!

Our now world-famous Blingo! board (every square’s a winner!) will be open until 4:30 (or until squares sell out). Only $10 a square buys a chance for prizes including handbags, jewelry, books and more. Prizes announced following author reading.

2:00 – 3:00 pm

MAIN GALLERY

BOOK SIGNING — MEET HEATHER WEBBER

Books available on-site, or bring your own!

3:30 – 4:30 pm

THE BRONWYNN THEATRE

AUTHOR READING, FOLLOWED BY Q&A

Heather will read from her latest Lucy Valentine book — Absolutely, Positively — and will answer your questions afterwards.

http://www.heatherwebber.com/

Many thanks to our sponsors:

Park National Bank • The Candle Lab • Igloo Letterpress • Chopstix

March 1st

2011-03-01T13:47:00.000-05:00

I remember when I was little and I used to whine (I whined a lot) to my mom about how long the school year was, and I remember her very clearly telling me how, when I’m older, time will fly by.

I didn’t believe her.

What I didn’t realize then is that moms are always right (kids, are you listening?).

I can’t believe it’s March already. Lots of stuff has been going on, so let’s get to it:

Truly, Madly has been nominated for an Agatha Award for best novel. How cool is that? The award will be given out in late April at the Malice Domestic conference, and I’m sure I’ll be a nervous wreck. Let’s not even talk about what I’m going to wear. I see a shopping trip in my future.

Happily, I sent off It Takes a Witch last night to my editor. It is done, done, done. So what happened this morning? I thought of something I should have added. Then I thought of another thing... Thank goodness I’ll have revisions soon. If I still want to keep those edits, I can add them in then. Darcy Merriweather is such a sweet character—similar to Lucy and Nina yet very different. Not as naive as Lucy or as sarcastic as Nina. And, of course, I’m in love with my secondary characters. So fun.

I’ve been getting lots of emails wondering if there’s going to be a fourth Lucy. The truth is, I have no idea. There may be a fourth, or I may take the series in another direction—stay tuned! When I have more information, I’ll let you know.

How fun is this? Truly, Madly will soon (well, the next couple of years!) be published in Indonesia! I can’t wait to see all these foreign covers—and at least try to read them.

I’ve also been getting a lot of email wondering about the future of Nina Quinn. I never really considered extending the series beyond its five books, but now... I think I’m going to attempt a Nina novella. Am looking for titles! Anything with “trouble” and gardening term (A Hoe Lot of Trouble, Trouble in Bloom, etc).

For now, I’m working on the outline for the next Darcy book, which is due in September... and am busy at home, too, with the kids. Oh, and I’m hitting the road: Heading to Chicago this weekend, and in two weeks, I’ll be in Columbus. Be sure to check the events link on the left.

Whew! Busy. Now it’s time to read a little bit. First up is A Deadly Cliché by Ellery Adams (out today!). And I’ll get Murder of a Bookstore Babe by Denise Swanson when I see her in Chicago. Kind of makes me giddy when I know I have lots of time to read. What are you reading these days?

Just a Reminder

2011-02-14T07:32:00.001-05:00

This blog is on hiatus until March 1st, when it will switch to a monthly format. See you then!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Picture of the Day

2011-02-11T07:21:00.000-05:00

Beautiful

credit: Mr. W

As much as we're all looking forward to spring (and we are, aren't we?), I have to admit I'm going to miss (a teeeeeesy bit) how gorgeous this time of year can be.

Decisions, Decisions

2011-02-10T08:46:00.001-05:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about my blogging and realized...it's just too much. This blog, the Heather Blake blog, the Cozy Chicks, the Naked Hero, Killer Characters, and various guest blogs.

I'd like to think I'm Superwoman or maybe Batgirl (she's very cool), but I'm just not. I can't (gasp) do it all anymore. Something's gotta give--at least for now.

So, after tomorrow's Picture of the Day, this blog (and possibly the HB blog) will switch to a monthly format, a newsy newsletter kind of thing on the 1st (and possibly 15th for the HB blog to spread them out a bit) of every month, starting March 1st.

But have no fear, I'll still be around, especially on Facebook (where you don't need an account to read my posts, but do need one to comment).

Heather Webber FB page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Heather-Webber/107003867409
Heather Blake FB page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Heather-Blake/172631256114416

And speaking of The Naked Hero, I'm there today, begging for some dinner help. Hope you'll come on by and offer up a recipe or two.

~Heather

Upcoming Events

2011-02-08T07:51:00.000-05:00

Feb. 12th, 2011

Barnes & Noble

Group Signing

1-3 PM

The Streets of Westchester

9455 Civic Centre Blvd

West Chester, OH 45069

513-755-2258

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Sunday, Feb. 13th

4:30 - 6:00 PM

Books & Co. at The Greene

350 East Stroop Road, Dayton, OH

Guest Speaker - "Putting Love in Your Writing--In Any Genre!"

Second Sunday Free Writers' Workshop

Did You Know?

2011-02-07T06:35:00.011-05:00

Did you know that Superbowl Sunday is the one day a year my family eats (as a whole family) dinner in the living room? We have our smogasbord of junk food at the ready--last night it was boneless buffalo wings, crispy chicken strips, loaded potato skins, potato chips, dip, pineapple and strawberries--and oh, cupcakes. Total gluttony--which also only happens once a year. Anyway, I digress. It's the one time we eat in the living room. The rest of the nights, we're at the kitchen table because Mr. W and I wholeheartedly love family dinners.

Did you know that I could totally relate to the "Reply All" commercial? I once sent a private email to a "reply all" and almost had myself a heart attack when I realized it. Thankfully a group moderator saved my bacon. Thank goodness.

Did you know that my family actually watched the end of the game? Most years, once dinner is done, and the Patriots aren't playing, then it's nighty-night time. This year, we waited it out. Then it was nighty-night. Well, for everyone else. Someone (cough, cough) had to stay up late and work. Procrastination stinks.

Did you have a favorite commercial last night? Did you even watch the game?

~Heather

Picture of the Day

2011-02-04T07:54:00.000-05:00

Remember When?

credit: Mr. Webber

You know it's cold when I'm looking at 101* and thinking that sounds just fine by me. Pic was taken last August.