I’m thrilled and honored to report The Marriage Bargain is still holding on to the number one spot on Barnes and Noble Romance bestsellers, and the number 4 spot in All books.

The Hunger Games is one, two and three. To even stand in such company is simply ridiculous to me, so another thank you to everyone who has been emailing, twittering and facebooking me telling me they loved the book.

Next, I will be hopping around at some fabulous sites at the next few days. Here’s the schedule:

TUESDAY, FEBRURARY 28TH: Lush Book Reviews – http://lushbookreviewss.blogspot.com

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH: I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read – giveaway is planned! http://www.sithereandread.com

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29TH: Lisa Fox http://http://www.lisafoxromance.com

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29TH: Everyday Is An Adventure Http://everydayadventure11.blogspot.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 1ST: BOOK OF THE MONTH PICK! Maldivia Book Reviews!

http://www.maldiviabookreviewer.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 1ST: Reader Girls http://www.readergirls.blogspot.com/

FRIDAY, MARCH 2ND: Interview at Sharon Own http://sharonkowensimplycreating.wordpress.com/

Whew! There’s a nice mix of blogs, interviews, reviews and giveaways so please stop by!

Now, onward and upward to my topic this week. Reading. Specifically, on March 2nd, the event Read Across America is going on, and the schools are celebrating with inviting parents in to read to their children, and spotlighting different books that have made life long friends for our children. After all, it’s Dr. Seuss’s birthday!

We all know them. The classics. Books that changed us, guided us, made us cry and laugh and sometimes, made us a different person. Pretty powerful stuff. Some kids are not big into reading, but it only takes one story to transfix and transform, so always be on the lookout for something.

And if they won’t sit still? I love to tell my children stories about when they were little and growing up. I spin funny tales of temper tantrums, and silly words and events, and first milestones. I tell them their birth stories. I tell them mine and my husband’s, and it’s the first connection in their world that story is bigger than we all are. It is everywhere, in our footsteps, and when we are old and look back, those stories are our memories.

This week is a good time to look back. What have you read that transformed you as a child? As an adult? Something that has never left you – even if it is a piece of a sentence or clip of dialogue that stuck with you?

Read a book to your children this week. Read a book for yourself, or a short story, or try some new author on the horizon and take a chance on expanding boundaries. The words are all there for us, ready to pick up, splashed over a clean white page and ready to come alive.

Some of my all time favorites?

The Judy Blume books where I learned stuff my mom never told me

Shel Silvertstein Where The Sidewalk Ends – I carried it around for weeks, not wanting it to leave my side for even a minute of the day

Romance Novels – lots of them – too many authors to name. They made me dream, helped me believe in love, kept me a strong assertive woman, and gave me hope during my awkward, shy years.

Ann Lamott  and Julie Cameron – Their inspiring writing books pushed me to be better and seize the moment. Bird by Bird and The Artists Way are some of my favorites. I can’t forget Natalie Goldberg Writing Down the Bones either.

Stephen King and Dean Koontz – The masters of suspense and horror, yet bigger than their genre. For the entertainment value and some fantastic writing, they are classics.

Garth Stein – The Art of Racing in the Rain – I will never forget this book. Ever. Ever.

Laura Hildebrand – SeaBiscuit – another one that haunts me to this day.

Now, there are too many more to name, I just grabbed a few to tempt you.

Come drop by and share with me. What book changed you? Haunted you? What books do you love – as children or adults?

I wish you a wonderful week full of good things and good books.

Not just the normal, 24 hour annoyance I’m used to. Oh, no, this was a sick, no holds barred, colonoscopy prep gone horribly wrong virus. When you’re writhing around naked on the bathroom floor negotiating with God (yes I did that in labor, too and didn’t work then either!) suddenly life returns to simplicity again.

All you want is to feel normal. Even eating a Saltine and keeping down water was sheer frikkin bliss.

I crawled into bed and didn’t surface for two days. This was enough time to drive my husband nearly to the mental ward, cause all sorts of problems and chaos, and have my poor boys sadly stare at me from the doorway calling out, “Hi, Mommy! Can we come in NOW???”

On Monday morning, I shuffled to the computer, knowing my email had exploded, I was on a deadline, and I had major things to accomplish. My head spun, but I hung in and logged on.

Then found my twitter and email had exploded.

The Marriage Bargain reached number# 14 on the Barnes and Noble best seller list!

Tweets and messages flashed madly before me. Huh? My book had launched for the Lori Wilde Indulgence line at Entangled on Valentine’s Day, which wasn’t even a week ago. Was this possible? I confirmed with my editor later that yes, it was more than possible. It had happened. And not only that, but as the hours ticked by I steadily climbed up the list.

On Tuesday, the news was finalized.

The Marriage Bargain reached number #1  on the Barnes and Noble best seller list in Romance and ALL Nook books!

Now, I must admit, today is the first day I am literally back to normal and I’m still trying to process such a big event. I am beyond humbled, and amazed, and excited. But most of all, I am so happy readers are loving this book. Because I adored writing it – every last page – and it has been one of my highlights in my writing career. It has been a book I always believed in when many others hadn’t. Until Entangled.

So, I’m not posting this to brag. I’m posting to thank my wonderful Entangled editor and team for making it the best book it can be. I’m posting to give my gratitude to the long list of writers who keep me sane and keep me writing, but most of all, who are so incredibly generous in their ability to share in the joy of this success.

Writing is really hard work, and honestly, we beat ourselves up way too much. Much more than we celebrate. There are so many pitfalls in this career, that when a wonderful success comes our way, we need to learn to savor, breathe, and say thank you.

Thank you.

Catch Me is a 1NS story and if you’ve read any others in the series, you will agree they are absolutely AMAZING!

To celebrate, I’m blogging at CoffeeTime Romance today on the topic, Satisfying Your Inner Vixen

Look for my upcoming guest blog at Books-n-Kisses entitled The Lust Factor on Monday, February 20th.

Hmmm, do we have a theme going on for the month of love?

Stay tuned for more free book giveaways, free jewelry, and more FREE stuff (I love free). Hit the Books page, click on the cover, and there’s all the handy dandy links to buy. An excerpt is found at the Decadent Blog and Allromance links for a taste.

Also, I’ve finally added a super handy Subscribe to Me button for the blog. Click on the right, sign up and stay with me for more updates and fun.

Happy February everyone!

I have lots of funny tidbits and stories from Valentine’s day.

But it will all have to wait. Because I have news. Big news. (Nope…not pregnant. Why does everyone always ask that?)

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, Lori Wilde’s Indulgence line at Entangled Publishing is officially launched. Let’s talk great covers, fabulous authors, yummy plotlines, and fresh writing.

I am honored to be one of the launch authors for the series, and am here to announce The Marriage Bargain is offiically released!

Yummy cover, huh?

So treat yourself to a little indulgence…a lot of heart…and some great humor.  Here’s the blurb!

A marriage in name only…

To save her family home, impulsive bookstore owner, Alexa Maria
McKenzie, casts a love spell. But she never planned on conjuring up her best friend’s older brother—the powerful man who once shattered her heart.

Billionaire Nicholas Ryan doesn’t believe in marriage, but in order to inherit his father’s corporation, he needs a wife and needs one fast. When he discovers his sister’s childhood friend is in dire financial straits, he’s offers Alexa a bold proposition.

A marriage in name only with certain rules: Avoid entanglement. Keep things all business. Do not fall in love. The arrangement is only for a year so the rules shouldn’t be that hard to follow, right?

Thanks for letting me share..and look for upcoming blogs, giveaways, and hops all ready to celebrate!

Besides getting ready for three new releases, my boys celebrate their birthdays in February. Usually, it’s a mad rush of chaos with too many presents and too little room left in the house, excitement that rivals Christmas morning, ice cream cakes and birthday candles, migraines at ChuckECheese, and eyes shining with the thrill of life.

I have always believed birthdays are special – for everyone.

Tomorrow my oldest son turns 7 years old.

I wrote a letter to him I published on this blog two years ago on his first day of kindergarten. A road was being turned, and I knew things would change. They did. School forced him to grow up a lot. It also revealed a sharp mind and a quest for knowledge that humbled me. As days flew by in repetitive motions, it became easier to ignore his growth spurts or his startling questions about God and the universe, and his sudden demands for play dates and more social stimulation other than me and his brother.

When I walked him onto the bus today, I kissed him and told him to have the best day ever. I explained he would never be six again – and this day must be cherished, enjoyed, and savored. He skipped off, back into his own world, and I watched him through my tears as I waved from the driveway.

It seems as if a mother’s job in life becomes watching our children leave as more birthdays rack up. I don’t think it will ever get easier. I just think I may get more used to it.

Every evening before his birthday, I watch the video of his birth so I can remember that moment. I tell my children about their birth stories so they can claim them as their own. As a writer, family sagas are the first real stories a child begins to hear and identify with. I embellish and dramatize and tell the truth of each moment, while they watch with glee and pride.

I think more people need to stop in the mad dash to the goal and savor the final or beginning days of something. The first of the month or year. The last day before one turns a year older. The beginning of a new book, or the end of one.

I have a new release that came out February 1st and another one in a week.

I have my first blog tour with a stop at Books-N-Kisses today.

I have writing deadlines, proofing deadlines, and an explosive schedule pulsing with demands.

But right now, today, I am celebrating my son’s last day he is six years old. And that is enough.

Happy Birthday, my sweet boy. Thank you for changing my life for the better.

Mommy