Farrah Rochon

Find me on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and Novel Spaces

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 20:12:00 +0000

I've been having some serious problems with the nasty spammers lately, which makes coming to this blog such a chore. Sad, I know.

And, to be honest, I haven't been keeping up with the blog as much as I'd like to. So I'm officially semi-closing down this blog and moving to another venue.

If you're looking for just a snapshot of what's going on in my world, find me on Twitter and Facebook.

For those things that require a bit more than 140 characters, jump over to my new page on Tumblr. Well, it's kind of new. I've actually been having it for well over a year, but never posted to it. I am now!

And if you still don't have enough of me, I'm still blogging twice a month at Novel Spaces. You can catch me there on the 1st and 17th of every month.

See you on the web!

My Great China Adventure: Terracotta Warriors

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 15:25:00 +0000

Okay, so I'm pretty sure by now they've unearthed another thousand of Emperor Qin's army of terracotta warriors, but life has been super busy lately. However, seeing the remake of The Karate Kid, a classic from my childhood, had me reminiscing about my fabulous trip to China, and I realized I still had not posted about one of my very favorite, and most anticipated parts of the trip.

Located just outside the city of Xi'an in China's Shaanix province, The Terracotta Army is simply one of the most amazing sights I've ever seen. It was one of the highlights of my trip.

Without further ado, the Terracotta Warriors:

This pit, Pit #1, is the largest of several that have been unearthed. So far, over 2000 warriors have been excavated, but there is an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 still buried in the enormous tomb of Emperor Qin. His actual burial place is over a mile away from where the Terracotta Army, which was built to guard him in the afterlife, was found.

My aunt and I took several trick camera shots with the warriors. I call this one "Good Little Soldier Boy." Brings back memories of junior high 4-H. I'm pretty sure someone would be shot on the spot if they tried to climb into the pit and touch the soldiers.

According to our tour guide, we were extremely lucky to visit the tomb on a day when the excavators were working. The tour guide had been to the site well over a hundred times, and this was his first time seeing the archeologists in action. The black you see is the ash from when the tomb was raided and burned several thousand years ago.

Several of the more complete statues are displayed in glass cases that allow visitors to really see the meticulousness that went into carving them. The detailing of these warriors is absolutely fascinating. Even more fascinating is that no two warriors are alike; every single one has different facial features.

The Kneeling Warrior is one of the most famous of the terracotta warriors. This particular warrior was well preserved and is one of the few that still has some of the color. Take a look at his armor; you'll see the traces of red. Before visiting the tomb, I had no idea the warriors were so elaborately painted.

You can see the detail of the warriors here. Check out the treads on the sole of the warrior's sandal. It's amazing to think of how long this took, especially when you think of the limited tools at the peoples' disposal at this time. It's estimated that around 700,000 people worked to build the tomb, and many were killed to protect the privacy of the emperor once it was done. Did I mention this emperor wasn't the nicest dude on the planet?

Something that isn't talked about much are the Bronze Charioteers. Several of these chariots were discovered in the caves as well. Again, the detailing was simply breathtaking.

Here's a close up of the charioteer. Unlike the life-sized terracotta warriors, the chariots are much smaller in size.

The highlight of my day was meeting and getting a picture with the farmer who discovered the pit in 1974 when drilling a well in search of water. He isn't always at the pit, so again, we were extremely lucky. Not only did I get a picture, but he also autographed the book I bought on the Terracotta Warriors.

When I decided to visit China, there were two things on my "must see" list: The Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors. Neither of these disappointed. I still get goosebumps just thinking about the time I spent here.

I eventually want to post about visiting China's Cave People, which was also in Xi'an, and at least one post of the city that I refer to as "New York on Steroids": Shanghai.

Until next time...

Ten things to do while waiting for your next book contract

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:32:00 +0000

I'm over at Novel Spaces again with a very tongue-and-cheek post about Ten Things to do While Waiting for Your Next Book Contract. I realize that one of them should be "update your personal blog more often."

I know, I know, if my blog were my child Social Services would be knocking at my door, but the neglect won't continue for long. I promise to carve out more time. In the meantime, do drop by at Novel Space ever so often or follow me on Twitter if you're really up for some inane babble (warning, it reaches a new level there).

Do Overs

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Thu, 20 May 2010 15:05:00 +0000

Yes, I know that I still haven't posted the rest of my China Adventures posts. There's no excuse other than life has been kicking my butt lately. I foolishly thought I'd have more time once I quit my day job.

In the mean time, hop on over to Novel Spaces where I'm blogging today about why I hate reading my own books once they've made it to actual book form. Here's a hint: once it becomes an actual book, I can't change anything! Grrr!

Let me know what things you'd like to "do over" if you had the chance!

Writing Conferences and Conventions

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Mon, 03 May 2010 14:11:00 +0000

I'm blogging over at Novel Spaces about conferences and conventions. Share some of your favorites with me. Let me know what you look forward to when it comes to writing conventions and all the great opportunities they provide!

P.S., I know I'm woefully behind on my China Adventure post, but real life has been crazy busy. Promise to get back to it.

My Great China Adventure: Xi'an

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:36:00 +0000

I know I promised the next blog post would be about the Terracotta Warriors, but I forgot that the itinerary was changed at the last minute. So, in staying true to the actual itinerary of the trip, I will continue on with what we accomplished the following day when we took an overnight train ride through the China countryside from Beijing to the fabulous city of Xi'an.

One of the reasons I wanted to visit China is because it is so very old and full of history. The oldest, most historic city we visited was Xi'an. Our fantastic tour guide, Chang Quay, told us that there is a saying: "If you want the last 500 years of China, go to Shanghai. If you want the last 1000 years, go to Beijing. If you want the last 5,000 years, go to Xi'an."

Xi'an was everything it promised to be. Rich in ancient culture and teeming with historical sites. It is the only major city in the entire country that is still fully surrounded by a city wall, which was still decorated for the country's Lantern Festival. Unfortunately none of the pictures I took of it came out. :( They were all from a moving bus, so yeah, they're not pretty.

However, I have tons of pictures of the famous Wild Goose Pagoda, which is where we went our first day in Xi'an. This structure is over 1300 years old, and has never had any restoration work done to it. Can you even wrap your head around something that old? The U.S. is less than 250 years old. Just this building is more than five times older than our country. Amazing!

Here I am in front of the Wild Goose Pagoda on what was a very gloomy day. It was fitting since we were visiting a holy place. That black tea kettle-looking thing in the background is actually an incense burner.

Here's a better picture of the pagoda without me blocking it. It truly was amazing.

Though a busy tourist attraction, the Wild Goose Pagoda is still a functioning temple. There were several people who came to worship while we were there.

This is inside the temple. We couldn't walk in it, of course, but we could take pictures from the outside. Like so many things I saw in China, photos just do not capture the beauty. All the gold you see here is 100% real. It was absolutely AMAZING! Something you have to see with your own eyes to really appreciate.

This was one of three murals made completely out of jade. No, it's not just green. The jade stone comes in a multitude of colors. The detail of these murals was simply magnificent. Again, you've got to see it in person.

We were extremely lucky during our trip to the pagoda. Not only did we get to see one of the Buddhist monks who lives there, but we got to see the second highest ranking monk. According to our tour guide, this was very rare, indeed.

During our first day in Xi'an we also visited the Shaanxi History Museum, where I got to see actual Ming vases from the Ming dynasty. Unfortunately, those pictures also were not that great. Guess you'll just have to take a trip to China to see them for yourself. :)

I'd be remiss not to mention the devastation of yesterday's earthquake. Even though it was more than 1,000 miles from where we visited, it still affected me more than it would have had I not just visited the country last month. My thoughts and prayers are with the people of China.

Stay tuned for the next installment with amazing pictures of the Terracotta Warriors and the Cave People!

My Great China Adventure: The Hutong District

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 11:00:00 +0000

The third day in Beijing was a "free" day for those who were brave enough to explore the city on their own, but for cowards, like me and my aunt Cathy, who were too intimidated by the language barrier, you could take advantage of an optional tour of Beijing's historic District and tour the Temple of Heaven.

The two previous days, we had driven just outside the cement walls of the Hutong district, but I wasn't sure what to expect once inside. It is basically a city within the city. It is the oldest part of Beijing, and even though it appeared "run down" in parts, we were told that the real estate is some of the most expensive in all of Beijing. Because if you own a piece of the Hutong District, you own history.

Before heading to China, I had no idea what a rickshaw was. But since I was going to be touring a part of the city in one, I decided to look it up. Here's a rickshaw. And, yes, I toured the "Old City", Beijing's Hutong District, in one of them.

Here we are with our rickshaw driver. Poor guy had to work hard on that bike.

This part of Beijing truly is a city within the city. There are clubs, restaurants, coffee shops, hotels, and even a lake hidden within the cement walls of the Hutong District.

The interesting thing is that you cannot tell that any of this is hidden behind the crumbling cement walls that conceal the Hutong District from the rest of Beijing. It is like a hidden treasure!

What made this day extra special was the chance to visit an actual home and have lunch prepared for us by a local woman and her family. She gave us a dumpling-making demonstration, and we were each allow to make a dumpling. As usual, this home-cooked meal was soooooo much better than any of the food we had in restaurants. It was the best meal in Beijing.

Our hostess spoke no English, but the language barrier didn't seem to come into play at all. She was so warm and inviting.

My dumpling left much to be desired. Thankfully, hers were much, much better.

When we left the Hutong District, we headed for the Temple of Heaven. If it's one thing the people of China cherish, it is community. The Temple of Heaven is a beautiful garden of sorts where people can come in and just be together. There was one group singing traditional Chinese songs, and another group of retired women dancing, and even karaoke. It was a great slice of everyday Chinese life.

Young and old people joined in the singing. I couldn't understand a word of it, of course, but you don't have to understand the words to feel the music. It was lovely.

The Chinese women tend to retire around age 50 (jealous!!!) and to stay in shape, many of them participate in daily dance as a form of exercise. Anyone is invited to join in. I'd never seen anything like it.

People played cards and instruments, and others just watched and listened.

The "Hall of Prayer and Good Harvest" is the largest structure in the Temple of Heaven, and according to Feng Shui, it is the exact point where heaven and Earth meets.

I have so many great memories of this day. While The Great Wall of China had been the thing I most looked forward to in Beijing, this day of touring the city's historic district and seeing its people go about everyday lives was, by far, the best part of Beijing.

As an extra special treat, I have a bit of video from our Rickshaw ride. It really is one of those you-just-have-to-do-it-for-yourself experiences, but hopefully you can get a feel for it.

Next, we move on to the ancient city of Xi'an (pronounced Shee-an) which is most famous for its Terracotta Warriors. One word: PHENOMENAL!!! You will not want to miss this!

My Great China Adventure: The Great Wall

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 12:36:00 +0000

I won't waste space with much commentary on this week's post because the pictures speak for themselves. On our second full day in Beijing, we awoke to a city covered in a thick dusting of snow. We were told by our tour guide that it was rare to have snow so late in the season. I have to believe God wanted to sprinkle a little magic upon our time at The Great Wall. It was hauntingly beautiful.

It has been estimated that over a million people died building this structure (some estimates go as high as three million). As I walked upon the bricks that were laid by those hands, I couldn't help but soak in the history.

This is my aunt Cathy and I standing on The Great Wall of China at Badaling.

China is still so very proud to have hosted the 2008 Olympic Games. You can still find the tagline "One World, One Dream" just about everywhere in Beijing.

This structure is one of the most magnificent things I have ever seen. To think that it goes on for over 3500 miles--that's equivalent to driving from New York to Los Angeles, then halfway back again!

I was able to capture so many postcard-worthy shots. I kept thinking to myself...if only I had a good camera.

Just another random shot made magical by the snow. This is actually the entrance to the Badaling portion of The Great Wall.

This is a picture I have wanted to take for years, my hands upon the Great Wall of China. I also have a couple showing my feet walking on The Wall.

Here is the official declaration naming The Great Wall of China one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. One down, six to go!

That's just a small portion of all the great photos from my time at The Great Wall. If you have ever even thought of visiting China, it is worth it just to visit this magnificent place.

Next up is Beijing's Hutong District, which turned out to be my favorite portion of the first leg of our three-city journey.

My Great China Adventure: Beijing's Imperial Treasures

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:23:00 +0000

I'm not sure when my fascination with China started. I've always been interested in eastern culture, but as someone who studied Japanese for three years in high school and college, you would think my deepest desire would be to head to Tokyo. Nope. For some reason, it has always been China. But I'd put the trip off for years, until this past Fall...

This past Fall, my family decided to send my little sister Jasmine on a European tour with the People to People ambassadorship program (you can check out her website: From Edgard to Europe). I was determine to travel abroad before that little teenager. My aunt, who had seen her children go to Egypt and Italy, also thought it was time she see a bit of the world. She called one morning and asked me if I still wanted to go to China (we both decided a few years ago while watching the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Games that China would be the first country abroad on our world tour). Two days later, our trip was booked, and a few months later, we were in China.

That's a bit of the background info on how this girl from Small Town, Louisiana landed on the other side of the world. The rest of my travel log will feature that breathtaking sights I encountered on my grand adventure of China's golden triangle: Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai.

On our first full day in China we toured Beijing's Imperial Treasures: Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, and The Summer Palace.

The only thing I knew about Tiananmen Square was the haunting image of the 1989 protest against the government. That powerful photo encompassed so much about the shift in China's political climate. Planting my feet in that very square--the largest public square in the world--was really something.

That would be my aunt Cathy with me. She turned out to be the best traveling partner.

Next, we entered The Forbidden City. Walking through The Gate of Heavenly Peace, under the famed portrait of Chairman Mao, it was absolutely awe-inspiring to enter into the 9,999-room compound and see the unbelievable architecture. Do you know why there are only 9,999 rooms and not 10,000? Let's see who can answer that? (If you don't know, ask Google. He'll tell you.)

If there's one thing you'll learn in China, it's that Chairman Mao is very important to the Chinese people--whether they want him to be, or not.

Did I mention it's pretty cold in China during the month of February? I was grateful the street vendors had these funny, but nice and warm, hats and gloves.

Take a look at the amazing detailing. It is unbelievable that the Forbidden Palace is hundreds of years old.

The last place on the agenda for our first day was The Summer Palace. It was built as a retreat for the imperial family during the hot summer months. But, in a way, it became infamous when an Empress Dowager used money that was meant to improve the Imperial Navy to build this huge marble boat. See, every country has a problem with pork belly projects. :)

One of the main structures in the Summer Palace is this beautiful Buddhists temple.

Another feature is The Long Corridor--the longest corridor in the world. What makes this 728-yard corridor even more amazing is that every beam is painted with a different scene from Chinese folklore.

Just look at the detail! It is an amazing sight to behold.

By the end of the first day, everyone was ready to drop. But it was worth it. In less than twelve hours I had witness such history. I knew day one was the start of something truly special.

I was right!

Next up is one of the new seven wonders of the world: The Great Wall of China!

My China Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:21:00 +0000

In my last post, I mentioned that I was leaving for China and would post pictures of my trip upon my return. By my second day in Beijing I knew one blog post would not be enough, so I've decided to turn my writing blog into a travel blog.

Over the next couple of weeks I'll talk about all the fabulous sites and post pictures from my great China adventure. Not only did I visit great historical sites like The Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, and the Terracotta Warriors, but our tour also included a slice of everyday life.

Come back over the course of the next few weeks to see the cave people (yes, there are still people who live in caves in China) and Beijing's Hutong District.

You won't want to miss it!

Books: Another way to see the world!

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:30:00 +0000

I'm at Novel Spaces again. Well, actually, I'm not "really" at Novel Spaces today, either. I'm actually touring China's Golden Triangle--Beijing, Xian, and Shanghai!

I love to travel, and that love was fostered by books I read as a child. At one time, books were the only way I could see the world.

Hop on over to Novel Spaces and let me know which books you used to "tour" the world. Or, better yet, which areas of the world would you like to read about in fiction? Maybe you'll give me some ideas for my next trip! :)

I promise to post pictures and share stories of my adventure when I return!

Find me at Love Musings Today

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:56:00 +0000

Fellow Austin RWA chapter member, Tracy Wolff has a fabulous contest going on at her blog for the next few months (yes, I said months!). And today's featured author is yours truly!

You can read an excerpt of my September release, HUDDLE WITH ME TONIGHT (the first excerpt ever posted!) and have a chance to win an autographed copy of my entire Holmes series!

Just hop on over to Tracy's blog for the Delicious Tease contest and tell us your favorite sport!

Sins of The Mother

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 14:30:00 +0000

Tomorrow, February 21st, is the premier of Sins of The Mother, the Lifetime network based on Carleen Brice's fabulous novel Orange Mint and Honey. This was one of my "stuck with me" books of 2009, and I am soooo hoping Lifetime Movie Network does it justice.

If you cannot watch tomorrow, Lifetime will reply the movie on both the 24th and the 27th. If it even comes close to the book, I can guarantee this is a movie you don't want to miss!

What makes a writer a writer?

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:13:00 +0000

Man, I've been neglecting my blog big time. I was supposed to post some pictures from my holiday cruise and, of course, they are still sitting on my camera's memory card. I promise share later this week (umm...anyone who is familiar with my blog should not that I'm horrible at keeping promises, but I will try!)

In the mean time, I'm over at Novel Spaces today asking the question What Makes a Writer a Writer? I have my own ideas. What are yours?

Thievery is the new black @ Novel Spaces

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:55:00 +0000

I'm over at Novel Spaces today blogging about the prevalence of internet piracy and how it is affecting numerous industries, especially publishing. It's disheartening to see how people many people consider it okay to just steal someone's work. In my opinion it will eventually cause a number of authors to give up on the business all together. The sacrifice of time away from family and the months of hard work that goes into writing a book should be rewarded with a reader willing to lay down the money to read it, not steal it.

I'm interested in your thoughts on the subject. Do you see it as being wrong or do you think it's okay to buy a pirated book? Have any of you out there ever bought one?

Go on over to Novel Spaces and let me know.

Guest Blogger Beverley Kendall: Why I love series!

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:00:00 +0000

It is my intense pleasure to welcome debut author Beverley Kendall to my blog. I picked up Beverley's debut novel, SINFUL SURRENDER, on a whim, and was absolutely blown away. She instantly jumped onto my very small auto-buy list. Today, Beverley is blogging about one of my favorite things: books in a series!

Without further ado...Beverley Kendall!

I am one of those readers who absolutely loves series. I mean really love them. So of course when I wrote SINFUL SURRENDER I wrote it as the first book in a series. Of how many books? Right now just three, but the possibilities are endless for there to be more. And even a couple novellas.

I like series probably the same reason so many other readers do. I love knowing that my hero and heroine didn’t just obtain this nebulous happily ever after, but something I get to see with my own eyes. In series you get to revisit former characters and find out how married life is treating them, how many kids they have. More importantly, you get to see them still loving each other. This assures us that their love didn’t fade the moment we put down their book.

In my Reformed Rakes series I have three delicious men who are very close friends. Each of the men get their own story and one by one they will fall…and fall hard. In SINFUL SURRENDER, the hero, James Rutherford, is fighting a losing battle trying to fend off the pursuit of his friend’s younger sister, Missy Armstrong. But I have to say James is putting up a helluva fight, unwilling to go easily into ‘that good night’. And James has his friend, Missy’s brother Thomas, acting as one of his primary motivators not to give in. Thomas is a very strong motivator.

Now, I don’t personally know any man who would ever want their innocent little sister to get together with their best buddy. Stuff like that just doesn’t work very often (at least not in real life). I mean what happens if they break up, get divorced, or he treats her badly. The friendship is bound to suffer. I love the inherent conflict in that kind of pairing.

In my second book, currently titled THE GAUNTLET (this title will change this year) which will come out January 2011, my hero, Thomas is saddled with (those are his words) Lady Amelia Bertram, who is probably the only woman not swooning at his feet. Actually, Amelia dislikes Thomas intensely. But she must reside with him, his mother, and his sisters while her father is off in America. Someone once compared it to Taming of the Shrew. I will state emphatically that Amelia cannot be tamed. LOL. I can say that sparks fly in this book.

My third book, currently titled AN HEIR OF DECEPTION, is the one closest to my heart, but has not yet been contracted. It’s definitely the darkest of the trio and adds more diversity to the cast of characters. I won’t say a lot about it except that there is a child and a five year separation. My hero, Alex Cartwright, and my heroine, Charlotte Rutherford, have much to overcome. Of course they do, but, yikes, the journey is something else.

My own love of series started with Johanna Lindsey’s Mallory clan. From that point on I was hooked. Brenda Joyce followed with the Braggs and then I believe Catherine Coutler’s Night Trilogy. And I don’t limit myself to historical. I adore Linda Howard’s Mackenzies and Sandra Brown’s Lucky/Chase/Sage books. My current favourite historical series has to be Lisa Kleypas’s Wallflowers and then I think Tracy Anne Warren’s current one with Avon, The Bryon’s of Braebourne. To me you just can’t go wrong with series (the concept, not the individual books). They represent love, life, friends and family. You can’t go wrong with that.

So what about you, what are some of your favourite series?

Visit Beverley at her website and join her fabulous group The Season! It's a must for any lover of historical romances.

One lucky commenter will win a copy of Beverley's debut. For the rest of you, if you want to read a stunning debut novel, buy your copy of SINFUL SURRENDER today! You won't regret it.

Neglecting My Responsiblities :-(

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:58:00 +0000

I had so many plans for the beginning of the year. I was going to start exercising (check), write a certain number of pages of my manuscript everyday (check), start blogging on a regular basis (che...umm...unchecked).

A few months ago I promised I would get back to my regularly scheduled blogging, but when life throws me curve balls, it seems my blog always takes the hit. I'm determined to do better. Just not today. I'm already a half-hour late for my morning writing session, and if I don't get the books written, there's no need for the blog.

If you're in the mood for something a little thought-provoking, jump on over to my post today at Novel Spaces, where I ask How Far Have We Come in terms of fulfilling Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream?

And come back in a few days when I host a special guest, new author Beverley Kendall, whose debut historical romance is making a huge splash in the romance world. I read it and immediately fell in love with the characters and Beverley's beautiful writing voice. You won't want to miss it!

What America's Next Top Model taught me about books

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:45:00 +0000

I'm blogging over at Novel Spaces today. My topic: What America's Next Top Model taught me about books.

It's not easy to find parallels between the modeling industry and publishing, but I found one. Check it out and let me know your thoughts.

Goodbye, 2009!

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:25:00 +0000

I’m a sucker for nostalgia, and every year around this time, I find myself thinking about all that has transpired over the past twelve months. While it seems as if I just popped open that bottle of champagne a co-worker gave me as a gift, and settled in to ring in 2009 with my then work-in-progress (No Ordinary Gift) and Dick Clark’s Rocking New Year’s Eve party muted on the TV, a lot has happened in the span of this year.

Here are just a few things that standout:

1. I saw two new titles published, the conclusion of my Holmes Brothers series, Rescue Me, and another holiday story, No Ordinary Gift, in the Holiday Brides anthology.

2. I accepted my first two-book deal from my dream publisher, Harlequin (first Kimani Press book comes out this year!)

3. I cried like a baby on Inauguration Day as President Obama took the Oath (Just so we’re clear, they were tears of joy. I know others cried tears of another kind. J)

4. I cheered on my little cousin Brian as he was chosen as the 36^th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

5. I welcomed a new nephew into the world. Brandon Michael was born on September 4^th.

6. With a heavy heart I said goodbye to several family members, including my dear friend, Andrea Taromina Pool, who gave breast cancer the big eff you after kicking its butt for two years.

7. I watched my New Orleans Saints sail to their best start ever, and am still cheering along with the Who Dat nation!

8. I made great strides in honing my writing craft and working toward achieving my ultimate goal, becoming a full-time writer.

I know this year was filled with tons more (the great vacations I took, the friendships I rekindled via Facebook, becoming obsessed with the TV show GLEE), and I’m optimistic about what the start of a new decade will bring. I’ve got ambitious writing goals, more fabulous travel plans (including my first trip abroad!), and the motivation to finally, finally get healthy! I’m determined to do it this time.

I hope you share some of your favorite, or not so favorite, memories of this year.

My Early Christmas Present: A New Cover!

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:53:00 +0000

I received a great early Christmas gift this year. I have the cover for my next book release, HUDDLE WITH ME TONIGHT! I was lucky enough to have the book included in Kimani's year-long "Kimani Hotties" promotion. Every month will feature a different "hottie." Torrian, the hero in HUDDLE WITH ME TONIGHT, is Mr. September.

Check out this eye candy!

Here's the back cover blurb:

All Paige Turner wants is to be taken seriously as a journalist. The entertainment columnist and blogger extraordinaire gets more notoriety than she planned when her scathing review of NFL superstar Torrian Smallwood's memoir sparks an online confrontation. But that's nothing compared to the sensual heat that tackles her when she meets teh heart-stoppingly sexy athlete face-to-face...

Torrian can't let Paige derail his dream of a new career as a restaurateur. Even if the sassy, sultry writer is making America's favorite wide receiver yearn to be on the receiving end of her desire. And with a reality TV cook-off propelling them into the spotlight, Torrian can no longer hide his passonate secret goal--to build a future with the woman who's making an end run around his heart...

HUDDLE WITH ME TONIGHT hits stores September 2010!

And as an extra Christmas treat, my latest release, HOLIDAY BRIDES, is being featured today at Romance B(u)y the Book! Come on over and discuss your favorite holiday-themed books and movies.

Happy holidays, all!

Top Book of 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Today I'm blogging over at Novel Spaces (well, actually, I'm enjoying my Christmas present to myself--a Carribean cruise), and I want to know what was your top book of 2009? Was it by one of your favorite authors, or did a brand new write step in and blow your mind? Hop on over to Novel Spaces and let me know!

National Buy a Book By A Black Author and Give It To Someone Not Black!

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:00:00 +0000

It's December! My favorite month of the year!

I've always loved December because I cherish the Christmas holiday. I now have another reason to love this month. It's National Buy a National Buy a Book By A Black Author and Give It To Someone Not Black month!

National Buy a Book By A Black Author and Give It To Someone Not Black month is the brainchild of author Carleen Brice. Her blog, White Readers Meet Black Authors, was started this last year to raise awareness of books by black authors and show readers that it's okay to venture into the black/African American section of the book store.

Make sure you check out her video on YouTube. It is hilarious.

As a special treat, I'm giving away a copy of Carleen's absolutely fabulous novel Orange Mint and Honey. I just read the book and was blown away. Shay, the book's main character, will fascinate you.

Orange Mint and Honey will make it's television premier on the Lifetime Movie Network on February 7, 2010. The movie, titled Sins of the Mother, features the extremely talented Jill Scott. I know she is going to be great as Nona. I cannot wait to see these characters brought to life. (A plea to LMN: Please do not mess up this book!)

To win your own copy of Orange Mint and Honey, simply recommend a black book you would give to someone not black.

When life gets in the way of life

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:29:00 +0000

You ever found yourself wondering just where in the heck two weeks went? That's how I felt tonight when I checked my own blog and realized it had been several weeks since I updated.

When I first started this blog I religiously posted every week. My blogging days were either Tuesday or Wednesday. Sometimes, I'd throw in a random post over the weekend, just to keep my readers on their toes. But over the past year, life (i.e. a full time job, two-book contract, tons of outside obligations) has gotten in the way of what was once my normal schedule. There is no such thing as a normal schedule anymore.

As I forge ahead into the busy holiday season I don't see things calming down all that much. Well, except for the week that I'll be on a cruise ship sailing around the Eastern Carribean. Things should be very calm that week, but you won't see me posting.

However, I plan to return to a regular posting schedule and I'm hoping to bring a different flavor to my blog. While I'll continue to talk shop--because, hey, I am a writer and writing is what I love to talk about--I also want to bring in the sights and sounds of the world around me. Prepare for more "vlogs" (that's video blogs), pictures of a few exciting places I plan to visit in the near future, and sights around Austin, this wonderful city I now call home.

Oh, and stay tuned for my next post. I'm planning to usher in National Buy A Book By A Black Author And Give It To Someone Not Black Month with a contest!

My Friend, the CIA Operative!

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:38:00 +0000

Okay, so I know this will sound like something out of a fiction novel, but believe me, I can't make this stuff up.

On September 20, 2009, I lost a very dear friend to breast cancer. I hate cancer. Despise it. Wish I could run it over with my car. But I digress...

I met my friend Andrea via a message board nearly a decade ago. She, along with a group of the coolest women in the world, became some of my closest friends in the world.

Several years ago Andrea moved from Texas to Washington D.C. and joined the State Department (or so everyone thought. The title of this post should tip you off to how this story will end). Andrea went to Iraq twice. Her first trip was interrupted by the breast cancer diagnosis. She came back to the States, kicked the cancer's butt, then went right back to Iraq. I remember thinking she was out of her mind to go back and do "administrative work for the State Department" in Iraq. Why couldn't she do it from a safe little office in D.C.?

Anyway, earlier this year, Drea (our name for her), was once again forced to leave Iraq due to cancer. This time the news wasn't so good. Stage Four cancer in various parts of her body. It was a crushing diagnoses, but she would not allow it to ruin her spirit. She fought harder than anyone I've ever seen with this disease. She was such an inspiration.

Several weeks ago at her memorial service on the campus of her beloved Texas A&M, the sixteen women from our group of friends who were able to make the service found out there was much more to our friend Andrea than any of us knew. That job with the "State Department" was actually with the Central Intelligence Agency. She was a covert operative who performed dangerous missions to gather intelligence for US Special Forces.

That's just cool, people. Seriously, seriously cool.

I still can't wrap my brain around it. For such a girly girl, it's so amazing to imagine her carrying weapons and infiltrating enemy sites. My friend, the CIA Operative.

Check out the picture of her with a rocket launcher! Yes, a rocket launcher! I'm so proud of our girl.

Here's a link to an article published today about Andrea: A CIA operative's fight against terrorism reaches Texas A&M

Rest in peace, Drea.

The Great NaNoWriMo Mistake

noreply@blogger.com (Farrah Rochon) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:10:00 +0000

This past Sunday I blogged about November being National Novel Writing Month, and my sudden desire to participate. After less than a week, I remembered why writing events such as NaNoWriMo are detrimental to my writing. I’ve been totally obsessed with word count!

This constant checking of my word count after every paragraph is driving my crazy. I don’t want to be a slave to word count. And I don’t want to compare myself to others who are churning out 4000 words a day. That’s not my natural writing rhythm, and usually I’m fine with it. It’s not until I join something like NaNoWriMo and start questioning why can’t I do that that it becomes a problem. I need to be okay with having a 700 word count day, because I know the 2000 day will come soon enough.

So after less than a week, I’m out of NaNoWriMo. Best of luck to those who are participating. For me, it’s back to one page, one paragraph, one word at a time. That’s good enough for me.