Total Lunar Eclipse

The weather here in the Pacific Northwest cooperated last night, giving us a perfect view of the lunar eclipse as the moon rose in the early evening sky. Totality began around 7 pm and lasted nearly an hour. During that time we were treated to a reddish-brown moon that appeared much closer and more three-dimensional than it usually does.

We tried to take photos but as it turns out, we have neither the skill nor the right equipment for that kind of photography. If I find some great photos that were taken in my area, I’ll post them, or a link to them, later today.

Meanwhile, NASA’s website has a great diagram that explains how the eclipse took place, and everything else we might want to know about lunar eclipses. Can you tell I’m a bit of a science geek?

Lee

Trish Milburn and the American Title IV Contest!

Trish Milburn has made it to the final round of the American Title contest! That means it’s down to her and one other contestant, and the winner’s book will be published by Dorcheter Publishing.

This is it! To help Trish get her fabulous story in print, your votes are more important than ever! Click here to read the romantic scenes in this round, then vote for Trish by sending a blank email to votes@romantictimes.com with OUT OF SIGHT in the subject header. Only one vote person, so be sure have your family and friends to vote, too!

Voting ends March 2, so please vote now!

The winner will be announced on Friday, April 18, 2008 during the Awards Luncheon at the RT Booklovers Convention in Pittsburgh! On April 21, 2008, the winner's name will be posted at www.romantictimes.com.

Good luck, Trish!

Lee

Tuesday News—Back to Blogging

I have been neglecting this blog lately, partly because I haven’t had much to blog about and partly because I haven’t been up to blogging. In early January I had major surgery and most of my energy has gone into recuperating. According to my doctors, I should start to feel like my old self by the end of March. It’s been a long haul and I can hardly wait to get back to normal, but I think it’s time to start blogging again, at least occasionally.

While I was recovering it would have been great to be watching my favorite TV shows. That wasn’t to be but, now that the strike is over, some shows are back in production and we’ll be seeing new episodes by early April. Here’s what I’m looking forward to:

30 Rock - back April 10 with five episodes
Brothers and Sisters - five more episodes
Gossip Girl - five or six more episodes; should begin airing in April
Grey’s Anatomy - back in mid April with four or five new episodes
Men in Trees - eleven unaired episodes; begins February 27
NUMB3RS - back on April 4 with six episodes
October Road - two episodes left
Samantha Who? - not sure, but possibly six more episodes to air
The Office - back in production; six new episodes will begin April 10

I'll be back soon. I promise!

Lee

Tuesday News—American Title IV Contest

Congratulations to Trish Milburn, my friend and fellow Harlequin American Romance author, for making it to the fourth round of the American Title contest! Only four finalists remain, and the winner’s book will be published by Dorcheter Publishing.

To help Trish make it to the final round, your votes are more important than ever! Click here to read the dialogue scenes in this round. Then vote for Trish by sending a blank email to [votes@romantictimes.com] with OUT OF SIGHT in the subject header. Only one vote person, so be sure ask all your family and friends to vote, too!

Voting ends February 3, so please vote now!

Good luck, Trish!

Back soon,
Lee

A Year of Writing Tips from The Wet Noodle Posse

You can enter to win Barnes and Noble.com gift certificates by posting this news release on your blog or forwarding to a chapter/group e-mail loop or newsletter. To be eligible, e-mail the particulars of your forward/post to jillmonroe @ cox.net (no spaces) and post no later than January 20, 2008. A random drawing will determine the winner(s) of the gift certificates.

The Wet Noodle Posse had such a great time with our month of Golden Heart prep that we're giving away writing tips...one month at a time. In addition to book and critique giveaways, join Q&A sessions and read guest blogs from bestselling writers like Sherrilyn Kenyon and Gena Showalter.

Check out our line-up of topics!

January - Getting Started (goals, choosing story idea, focus, etc.)
February - Character Development (names, physical descriptions, backstory, etc.)
March - Plotting
April - Conflict
May - Research
June - Business side of Writing (market, marketing, promotion, etiquette)
July - Prepping for Conference (both for national and smaller conferences)
August - Inspiration (for stories and for keeping yourself going)
September - Writer Health (physical and mental)
October - GH Preparation
November - Writing Challenges (NaNo, BIAW, turning off the internal editor, etc.)
December - Editing/Revisions

Get great information in a fun community!
Visit http://wetnoodleposse.blogspot.com

The Man for Maggie is a Romantic Times 2007 Reviewers’ Choice nominee!

Imagine my surprise and excitement when I learned that my first book—The Man for Maggie—has been nominated for a Romantic Times Magazine 2007 Reviewer’s Choice Award. Twice! That's right. It’s nominated for Best Harlequin American Romance and for Best First Series Romance.

You’ll find the complete list of nominees here, and you can read RT’s review of The Man for Maggie here.

Congratulations to the other nominees, especially my fellow Harlequin American Romance Authors—Cathy Gillen Thacker, Jan Hudson and Mary Anne Wilson!

Holiday Wishes from My Home to Yours!

My favorite day of the year has arrived, and so did Santa, judging by the pile of gifts under the tree. In about an hour my parents will arrive for our gift opening and Christmas morning brunch, and then dinner preparations will begin.

I love Christmas dinner! Turkey with traditional bread stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy. We serve two kinds of cranberry sauce - the homemade kind made from fresh berries that my husband likes and the jellied version that my kids prefer. The latter is slid out of the can, sliced into rings and garnished with fresh parsley.

There will be carrots, buttered and parsleyed, and brussels sprouts because my mom likes those. Creamed corn for my dad, although almost everyone else turns up their nose at that. I made a jellied fruit salad, just like my grandmother's, and I'll serve it in the pink depression glass bowl I inherited from her. We'll also serve sliced buttered beets - those were one of my grandfather's favorites. Although my grandparents are no longer with us, I like to keep their traditions alive.

My son, who is a jazz musician and also works as a baker, has contributed dinner rolls and, as I post this blog, he's in the kitchen, baking a pie for dessert. Believe it or not, it's banana cream. That'll probably be the least traditional part of our meal, but it's hands down my father's absolute favorite.

For me, holiday celebrations are all about tradition, about bringing families together to share old memories and create new ones. I hope you and yours will have as happy a Christmas as mine.

With warmest wishes for the happiest of holidays,

Lee