More party pics from the Harlequin party
My dear friend and Superromance author Susan Gable SUSAN just sent me photos from the Harlequin party at the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco. My camera goes all wonky and sucks down battery power like its Kool-aid when I try to use it in poorly lighted situations. Susan, bless her heart, toted her “big” camera with all its bells and whistles and played paparazzi. Yeah, Susan!!! (And congrats on the upcoming book, A KID TO THE RESCUE (Feb. 09). Love the title. Can’t wait to read it.)
The dress! I told myself I wasn’t wearing black. This is so NOT black. Isn’t it pretty? And I think my contractor hubby cleans up pretty nice, too. 
The Harlequin party is THE most talked about publisher event at conference. And I always have a blast. Here’s a shot of me and Kathy Shay cutting loose on the dance floor. 
Yes, I actually do look that goofy when I’m dancing. Sigh. 
And here’s my favorite shot of all. Paul dropping a little “swoo” on Superromance editor Victoria Curran. (Swoo is a made-up word you’re going to see a lot in upcoming books. 
) 
Last but not least, here’s a shot of me and Susan. Thanks, my friend. You did good. 
Deb
Life needs more picnics
When’s the last time you went on a picnic?
Yesterday we took our maiden cruise in my hubby’s new toy…a 1961 Jaguar MKIX Saloon named Martin. Isn’t he a doll? The car, not my hubby. Although Paul’s pretty cute, too, I think.
Paul’s been working on the car for several months. I try not to listen too closely to the details of his frustration. Old cars don’t always run well. And they usually take lots of time and money to get them running at all. That’s part of the reason you buy them, right? 
But when they do run, it’s time to celebrate…and show off your pretty toy to other men. Here’s the requisite men-admiring-the-engine shot. 
What’s a picnic without friends? We took along pals Fred and Colleen and cruised to a nearby lake. The breeze coming off the water helped cool the August heat of the Central Valley. Our simple, but delicious lunch was also cooling. We almost forgot that a 1961 Jag doesn’t have air-conditioning. 
Here are a couple of tips to make your picnic less work and more fun:
1. K.I.S.S. - you all know what that means but I prefer the “Keep it Simple, Sweetie” version. 
Simple prep. Simple menu. Simple clean-up.
2. Be prepared. One of the best buys I ever made was an all-inclusive picnic bag. I purchased it as a Father’s Day gift for my hubby, but it was really for me. Ours is like a chunky purse that came stocked with plastic plates, glasses, dinnerware, glasses, a thermos…the works! I love this thing because I never have to hunt for paper plates or worry about broken glasses or if I remembered to pack a wine opener. Just remember to put everything back when you’re done.
3. Menu - think cool:
Chef Salad Deluxe
fruit salad with yogurt
croissants
chocolate of choice
pinot grigio or shiraz over ice or lemonade
You can’t get any easier than this: buy a regular bagged salad then doctor-it-up, as my mother would have said, by adding sliced, hard-boiled eggs, ham, cheese and toasted almonds. Ummm, yummy.
Colleen provided the fruit salad and it was delicious, but you can use any fruit you have on hand. Add frozen strawberries or blueberries if you’re out of fresh. Bring along a carton of yogurt as a topping. Greek Yogurt is really good.
Croissants look pretty on the plate and since you’re not wasting calories on a lot of meat, you can splurge with these fattening goodies.
Chocolate…this is going to need a post of it’s own. I found a decadent, ridiculously over-priced chocolate bar in San Francisco and brought it along to dazzle my friends, but I’m convinced any kind of chocolate would have worked just as well. Remember to keep in in the cooler until you’re ready to eat it.
Boxed wine over ice. Don’t freak out. It’s summer. More ice means you drink less, and the cold red wine is very refreshing. Plus, the little boxes they’re now offering are so easy to pack. And no bottle to haul back for recycling.
PS: wine is also dehydrating. Don’t forget to pack water, too.
Clean-up. Tuck a plastic bag in your picnic basket and you’ve got it made. Clean stuff stays clean, dirty stuff goes right in the dishwasher when you get home. Wine boxes are crushed and stuffed in the garbage. Chocolate wrappers are saved to include in your next blog.
One last picture of the happy picnic people. And Martin, the Jaguar. 
Have a great week. I’ll blog again on Friday, unless something interesting comes up during the week. I’m hard at work on Mac’s story. Wait til you meet his heroine. Gives new meaning to the saying “It’s a small world.”
Deb
8-08-08 what a great date
I love these numbers. Best wishes to all the people who are getting married today. And happy birthday to my friend Holly Jacobs Holly She’s so much fun to hang with at a party. And she’s an awesome writer, too.
And today is the opening of the Summer Olympics. It feels more real to me having visited Beijing, but, boy, am I glad I’m not there. The crowds must be unreal.
I thought you might like a few more China pics to get in the mood. 
This was the Olympic counter when I was there, situated right across from Tienneman Square. (Spelling…sorry. Too lazy to look up.)
Here’s a lion telling you to back up because you’re approaching the entrance to the Forbidden Palace. 
This is inside the Forbidden Palace. That bodiless tourist in the foreground is my sister. 
Isn’t this a peculiar mode of transportation? Very brave drivers jostle for position with hundreds of tour buses. 
It was cold and gray in Beijing in March, but our guide said it was going to be scalding and arid in August. Another reason to watch. These are super athletes in a very difficult setting. I’m pulling for them all.
Go, athletes of the world!!
Deb
An interesting title change
A reader on another thread just clued me in that LOVE, BY GEORGE was being released in the UK under a different title name.
Really?
What is it?
THEIR JOINED-UP FAMILY
You’re kidding.
Nope. Here’s the link. Superromance UK
Very interesting, I think. Maybe you’re not allowed to use the name of a past monarch in your romance novels. Especially when he’s a dog.
There you go. Insider information.
Deb
Post RWA photos
You were all right: I needed to go to RWA-San Francisco and I had a great time. And the air was clean and the sky was bright blue!!! That alone was heaven. 
And I got to hang out with my old friends!!! Here are two shots from breakfast one morning. The first includes Janice Kay Johnson, on the far left. She won the RITA last night for Best Contemporary series. SNOWBOUND. I’m headed to eHarlequin eHQ next to see if I can order it. I might have to break down and learn how to do ebooks. Sigh. (Just one of the many new tricks this old dog is going to have to learn to stay abreast of what’s happening in this business, I fear. More about that later.) Mega congrats to Janice. 
And the other Superromance authors you see are: Janice, Ginger Chambers, Roz Denny Fox and Kathy Shay.
Must add that although I don’t have a photo of her, Helen Brenna, also took home a Rita for her Superromance, TREASURE. Another book I need to buy. Yeah, Helen!!!
My camera needs to retire. It wasn’t cooperating most of the time–even with fresh batteries, so I don’t have a lot of photos to share but I do have another from this breakfast. And for those of us who walked past Lori Handleland without recognizing her at first, this is why: a new do. Very becoming, don’t you think? But she’s gorgeous no matter what. 
Squeezed between Kathy Shay and Lori is my Houston pal, Linda Barrett.
And the Friday night Harlequin Party was a blast. The music was way too loud and the dance floor was way too small, but somehow we all managed to have a fabulous time!!! Even when a paper mache tree toppled over on a couple of tables. Here’s a philosophy question you’ve never heard: If a tree falls in the middle of a Harlequin party and nobody stops dancing, did it make a sound? Watching the muscular waiters carry the tree limbs out was a bonus.
But BEFORE the party, my hubby and I were guests of my wonderful editor at a most elegant dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel. I had Snake River American Kobe beef. I was told these animals are had fed beer and massaged daily before they become dinner. Whatever the method, they meat was the most tender and delicious I’ve ever tasted. I had to try this–even though I now have to tell people I’m a non-practising vegetarian. 
But I’m going back to my vegetarian roots soon…to help lose the weight I put on in San Francisco. Sigh.
Here’s a photo of our group. Wanda, my editor, is in the middle with the black jacket. Linda Barrett and I both brought our husbands. Seated, from the left: Kay Stockham (who organized our Superromance Readers party, which was a tremendous success), Kathleen O’Brien, Wanda, Katherine Shay). 
BTW, I know you want to see my gorgeous dress, right? Fushia satin. I love this dress. Would you believe, my batteries failed before we got to the party? I’m assured my pal Susan Gable has a shot to share, so will post it soon. Sigh.
More later. I’m still unpacking.
The fresh air alone would have been worth the trip, but I also have sooo many wonderful memories. I promise not to complain too much next year when I have to go to Washington, DC, for the conference. 
Deb
fire update…and a new review
There was a big meeting in town last night to bring people up to speed on the Telegraph Fire. I”m bad with numbers but I think they said 30,000 acres have burned. 25 homes are gone and about the same number of barns and outbuildings. No lives have been lost. We need to remember that. But still the numbers are grim and the fire is only 30% contained. Other foothill communities are on alert. The air quality is still terrible.
Not be make light, but “Being able to breathe” has just moved into the Number #1 reason why I should be excited about going to San Francisco.
To cheer me up, two of my dear friends, Susan Crosby and Kimberly Van Meter, both sent me the Romantic Times BOOKreviews review of my September release, HIS BROTHER’S SECRET. 
Another wonderful 4.5-star review. That is so exciting! It truly did lift my heart. Here it is:
Guilt isn’t the only reason Hollywood producer and writer Shane Reynard hires small-town girl Jenna Murphy to help him pen the pilot for a TV show based in her hometown of Sentinel Pass. Shane’s been harboring an attraction for Jenna ever since college. When he finally tells her that it was his own brother who drugged and raped her back then, will she believe that it was her talent that landed her the job? His Brother’s Secret (4.5), by Debra Salonen, is wonderfully written. Salonen’s characters are as realistic as their problems. Shane is likable, and Jenna’s insecurities make her easy to relate to.
Now, if my review copies would just come so I could get them in the mail to other reviewers…
Deb
PS: Check out the link I provided in the last post to Beth Pratt’s blog if you want an update on her situation. Thankfully, it sounds like her house has been spared. Yeah!!!
Smoke and ash
For all who have emailed me asking about my safety, thank you so much for your concern. I’m sorry I haven’t blogged sooner, but we’ve had several power outages and my battery back-up died. But these are minor inconveniences compared to what the residents of Mariposa are going through. Again. This is the second big fire in as many months. It’s truly awful and all prayers are most welcome.
Here’s what a know. The town of Mariposa is covered in smoke and ash. We are 15-20 miles from the blazes but wake up each morning to a thick gray muck that makes your eyes water and burn. It’s unhealthy to walk or be outside for long, but as the day heats up and the wind shifts, the smoke will dissipate (at least it did yesterday). This gives one a false sense that the fire is under control, but the news report this morning said only 2% containment at the moment.
We have several friends who have been evacuated from the Midpines area. They don’t know if they will have a home to return to. Many others are packed up on stand-by, ready to leave at a moment’s notice. Here is a link to friend Beth Pratt’s blog. She has some amazing photos of the fire and you’ll hear first-hand about what it’s like to be told you have to flee to safety. FIRE
The area where the fire started is the Merced River canyon. Steep walls with difficult terrain. Although the highway leading into Yosemite is still open, the town of El Portal and the Yosemite Valley floor are without power to protect firefighters doing their jobs. I heard on the news that the major hotels are using generators to stay open.
One of my worries is that the Bear Creek Bison Ranch is right in the fire’s path. I interviewed Jerry, the owner, this spring and “met” his herd. Here’s a shot of the group. His beautiful log homes were certainly “defendable” if the firefighters could reach them in time. Please include these wonderful beasts in your prayers. 
(The buffalo are part of DADDY BY SURPRISE.)
On another–happier–note, I found a gorgeous dress for the Harlequin party. Will try to post a photo if the power stays on.
DEb
The Top 10, a summer photo and a link to prizes
In case you’re not one to cruise back through posts and replies, here’s my list ofr TOP TEN REASONS to be happy about going to the RWA in San Francisco:
Okay. My top ten reasons to be excited about going to San Francisco RWA are:
10. We can be Dancing Queens at the Harlequin Party. (Thanks, Ellen. My sis and I loved the movie, too.)
9. I can wear my lovely tiara in public without fear of getting laughed at or mugged.
8. Because I am open and receptive, I might very well make some new friends. Not sure about the keeping me awake all night part, Minna, but thanks for reminding of the first part.
7. I can eat and drink stuff I don’t have to prepare!!! Why did I forget this part? I love to try new restaurants. Thanks, Ellen.
6. Eventually, this, too, shall pass, and I’ll look back with fond memories–or at the very least–good stories to tell. Duh!!! I’m a writer. Everything is fodder for a future book and new places and faces are food for the writer’s soul. 
Judith, this earned you a prize. Email me to discuss what to send you.
5. The wine/whine party– a Superromance authors tradition. Did I forget to mention the chocolate> Margaret Watson brings the most delicious mint chocolate morsels in the world.
4. The eHarlequin Pajama Party — and a chance to wear my beautiful silk robe that I bought in China.
3. The Let’s Talk Superromance Reader party. (I’m bringing my new favorite pistachio chips. Yum.)
2. Meeting my editor.
1. Hanging with my friends.
Thanks for boosting my spirits, friends. I appreciate it. So much in fact, I’m going to brighten your day with this sweet picture I’m calling “Cousins”:
And, here’s a link to a small, fun, easy-to-follow thread at eHarlequin. There’s a trivia quiz going on and prizes abound. It’s fun, check it out. Party Time
I’m off to the last day of swim classes with the princesses. What fun!
Deb
A new Top Ten list. Help needed.
You know that adage “While the cat’s away…”? Well, my dear hubby is back in South Dakota and I have been burning the midnight oil. By reading. 
Oh, yeah. That’s me. Totally wild and crazy. staying up so late my eyes are all red and droopy the next day. I’ve been accused of having an hang over. 
I just finished two books: MY SISTER’S KEEPER by Jodi Picault. Sad, dramatic, powerful. I made my daughter cry just by telling her the book’s premise. And LAST DANCE AT THE JITTERBUG LOUNGE by Pamela Morsi. As usual, extremely good. A very different take on a marriage-in-jeopardy story.
Oh, and I finished my line edits of DADDY BY SURPRISE in two days and turned in a partial for my next book(Mac’s story but still untitled)–lest you think I’ve been a total slug.
Now, it’s time to prepare for the RWA National conference, which begins next week. Those of you who have been part of this blog over the years know that I have a love/hate relationship with these huge, annual gatherings. I love seeing my old friends and putting new faces to names I’ve met online, but the crowds, the lines, the worrying over clothes and wearing shoes that I don’t normally wear really zaps me.
Here’s where a good friend would bolster my flagging energy and try to pump me up. Waiting… Pl…ease. How ’bout if I include a bribe? Any uplifting comments will put you in the drawing for a book and one of my silly new promo items I ordered yesterday from Oriental Trading Company. You wouldn’t believe the kind of junk I had in my shopping basket until the reality of the grand total took my breath away and sanity returned. The only thing I really regret putting back was the flying frogs. But, really, how do they relate to my Spotlight on Sentinel Pass series? Sigh.
So, please, help me work on the Top Ten Reasons I Should Be Happy to Go To RWA National in San Francisco.
Deb
Where there’s fire, there’s smoke!
Sunrise this morning was just like yesterday–a small red ball in a gray haze. Odd, sorta pretty, but also eerie. An indicator of what the rest of the day will be for us living near one of the many California fires.
I’ve been getting lots of email from friends and family worried about our situation, so let me assure you we’re not close to the actual fires. A couple of thousand acres above us in the Ponderosa Basin have burned, though. That’s about thirty miles away. And the news reports from the west and southern parts of the state are equally discouraging. My heart goes out to the many, many people who have lost their homes. I read that, locally, 10 homes were evaculated but none have been lost to the fire. That’s good!
Our problem is the terrible air quality. My eyes are constantly watering and mucked up. My throat is dry and I’m constantly clearing it, even though I don’t have a cold. Sometimes I’ll have a sneezing fit for no apparent reason. Everyone around here–even the smokers–are suffering from these kind of complaints.
We’re staying indoors a lot. I’m working in my first-floor bedroom on my laptop because I have a great Nikken air filter in there. Instead of my daily walk, I’m riding a stationary bike. Early. (The dogs are really not liking that.) Did I mention we’re supposed to hit triple digits this weekend? Oh, joy.
Anyway, I just thought I’d give you an update. Stay cool and enjoy that fresh air where you live.
Now, back to work on the next proposal for book IV–Mac’s story. 
Another hunky hero for me to fall in love with.
Deb
