I’m beginning the new year with a new release.  Tool Belt Defender is the final book in the Black Rock series and one that many of my readers asked for.  Brittany Grayson finally gets her own story! 

I hope you all enjoy it and I hope 2012 brings peace and joy to everyone!

Thanks for stopping!

Carla

Of course, the problem is I have no time to write the stories that speak in my head at the time that they appear.  Most nights before I go to sleep, I try to remember all the things that have been spoken to me during the day – unfortunately this resulted in a trip to the doctor for a magic sleeping pill to help me stop the voices in my head.

Before our last snow storm I was walking through KMart and found a nice sized cork board. I suddenly wondered if I actually committed those voices to bits of paper would they then leave me in peace?   So…

This is my new version of voices in my head.  It’s only just begin, but it’s working.   I still have a lot to add to it, but at least some of the chatter in my head has quieted!

Thanks for stopping by and keep reading!

Carla

It’s here!  The last of the Lawmen of Black Rock series!  Special Agent’s Surrender is on sale now and I love this hero!   I love this cover!      Is this guy hot, or what?!

And now a confession – I’m hooked on American Idol this season.  I haven’t watched much of it the last couple of seasons, but this time there seems to be so much amazing talent!   It’s an indulgence I’m giving to myself, one that I normally don’t because I discovered long ago that I can’t work to music. 

I do my best work while watching television.  The better the show, the better my writing goes, but music screws me up.  I think maybe part of it is because as a senstive writer type (okay, quit laughing) music speaks to something deep inside me and I find it pulls emotion that is often inappropriate for what I’m writing, so it’s a no-no.  Then there’s the problem that I am an entertainer at heart and I want to sing with every song that I know the words to.  I also can’t fall asleep at night listening to music for the same reason.  I either want to get up and belt out the tune or dance in the middle of the bed. 

Back to the writing life, I’m working up a synopsis for a new series and hope to get it sent off by the first of next week.    It’s cowboys and danger and love…what could be better?

Thanks for stopping by and keep reading!

Carla Cassidy

     I’ve written a lot of series for Harlequin, but few of them have generated the reader mail that I’ve received for the Lawmen of Black Rock series.

The Grayson family consists of a Sheriff, three deputies, and an FBI agent.  At the beginning of book one, Deputy Brittany Grayson has been kidnapped and the continuing thread of her dangerous situation has definitely struck a chord with readers.

Cowboy Deputy is Brittany’s brother, Benjamin’s story.  I’d like to think that it isn’t just Brittany’s kidnapping that has kept readers coming back to this series, but also the fact that the heroes I’ve created are strong, good men who protect not only their town, but also the women they love.

These are men who don’t have all the answers, but will go do whatever necessary to find them.  I want my readers to fall in love with my heroes and admire and like my heroines.  

Thank to all the readers who have responded so positively to the men of Black Rock.  Now, tell me what you like in your heroes and heroines!

Carla

I get rather maudlin at the end of each year, looking back on what I perceive as failures and cursing the opportunities I might have missed.   Christmas always goes by with a kind of meloncholy as I feel the rush of the wind of the year coming to a close.

But, I am an eternal optimist and so the New Year always starts with brimming possibilities.  Do I make resolutions?  Yes.  Do I stick with them?  Rarely.   But, I do enter the new era with the hope of peace and health and good things happening.

This is a new era for me also because three weeks ago my husband retired. (he’s much, much, MUCH older than me) <G>  So, I now have him home full time and we’re trying to find a schedule that works well for both of us.  I am blessed that he respects my work time and the need that a writer has to be alone. 

This is a year of tight writing deadlines for me, but I also intent to take time to write on some projects that are calling to me, things that aren’t under contract but whisper in my ear just before I close my eyes at night. 

I would like to be a better inspiration to the people in my writing chapter, people who supported me through the breast cancer and continue to support me not only as a writer, but as a person.

Oh, and we’ve booked another cruise for later this year.  I’ll work hard so that I can play hard when the time comes. 

Big plans for the New Year.  Here’s hoping it’s a great one for everybody!

Carla

     To make things even better my hubby booked us into a spa balcony room, giving me not only a place to drink my coffee in the morning but daily access to the spa.  So, I packed my work and a couple of books to read and off we went.

     When we arrived at the port, the ship was awesome!  We were sailing on the Norweigen Epic, the second largest cruise ship on the seas.   We’d heard about long lines and the tedious boarding process but to our surprise within fifteen minutes or so we were in our room.

       It was small but efficient and had everything we needed!  Then we were off to explore the ship.

This was the light fixture in the gorgeous lobby.  I wanted to take it down and wear it around my neck!

We had full access to the spa which was wonderful!

And this is hubby on our balcony.

I still don’t have the hang of inserting pictures in the right places with text, so I’m just going to post some pictures and let you know we had a marvelous time!

As crazy as it sounds, I don’t think I’ve ever known real grief before.  I’ve thought about it, written about it, but this was the first time I think I really experienced it.

Sabra had such personality that I didn’t realize how much she filled the house with her energy, how much she made my husband and I laugh and how addicted I’d become to her very presence in the house. 

It has been a quiet, sad house for the last week, but each day is a little better.   I never dreamed how the absence of a furry friend could be felt so deeply.  I now know grief.

Anyway, just wanted to get that off my chest.  In the next couple of days I’m planning on blogging about our first cruise!  We had so much fun we booked another!

Take care and happy reading!

Carla

I did manage to meet a few local celebrities.

And Pluto wasn’t the only one…

Me, Goofy and Silhouette Editor Keyren Gerlack.  Goofy is the one in the middle!

Finally there was Chip…or is he Dale? 

I also found out this morning that I’m a finalist in the Heart of Excellance Reader’s Choice Contest in two categories.  Last Gasp, a Signet Eclipse is a finalist in the romantic suspense category and Scene of the Crime: Bridgewater, is a finalist in the short and long contemporary category.  Needless to say I’m thrilled!

I also want to thank fellow chapter member Gretchen Jones who showed me how to upload pictures and who shared a bit of tipsy at the conference with me by shuffling off to Buffalo across the bar.

     He’d tried the bar scene and had even signed up to DammitMatch.com, but the women all left his stuffing cold.   One day he decided to head to his local bookstore to pick up the latest edition of  the DammitBabe Calendar. (he especially loved Miss July with her damn fine sparklers and firecracker eyes) 

     He noticed that an author was signing her latest release, The Lawman’s Nanny Op. ( hey, I’d be stupid not to work in a little self promo)   As he watched her sign a book for a customer, his stuffing stiffened and a rivulet of warmth shot around his stitching.   It was love at first sight and he knew Rosie Romance Author was the girl for him.  Who better to know about love than somebody who wrote it? 

     Rosie was beautiful. (okay, she was a bit overweight and he thought he spied some roots in her blond hair, but he was getting really desperate)  Alas, before he could get up his nerve to talk to her,  she left. 

     For weeks Dudley mourned the loss of his chance at true love.  All he could think about was Rosie.  She consumed his thoughts, his dreams at night.  He had to find her.  He had TO HAVE HER!

     Driven by need and a lust that was mind-blowing, he searched everywhere for her and finally caught up to her as she was traveling in the southwest.  He tried not to notice the Italian stud that drove her car as he followed behind.  Surely the man was just a paid employee and nothing more.   When she finally stopped  for gas, Dudley got as close to her as he could.

He was aching with the need to talk to her, hold her, but his shyness held him back.

    He watched as she got back into her car and the creep Italian drove off.  Dudley quickly followed, determined to possess her!   He didn’t realize that his desires were growing darker, transforming him into something he hardly recognized.

       He finally caught up with her again in Lake Havasu, Arizona and by that time he’d been changed from lovely Dudley Dammit to Stalker Son-of-a-Bitch!

 He suddenly realized he’d become a monster for love.  He was ashamed, especially when he learned that the Italian stud with the muffin belly was Rosie’s husband. 

     However, he was excited to learn that there was a conference in July with lots of romance authors.  Surely he could find love there.   He’d also heard that the Mid-America Romance Authors would be selling dammit dolls and maybe a few son-of-a-bitch dolls at the Moonlight and Madness sale.

      He was so excited.  He couldn’t wait to get to Florida, but before he went, he decided to check out the next installment of adventures for the Dammit dolls at Fran’s blog at   http://romancebooksrus.blogspot.com

This got me thinking about my reading habits.  I’ve often told people I don’t like futuristics or sci-fi, that historicals aren’t my cup of tea.  I was as closed off to the idea of something different as my husband had been about Chinese food. 

I atttended a retreat recently and part of the experience was an open critique where other members of my writing group read parts of their works in progress.  I was entralled by so many genres outside my comfort reading.

The next time I make a trip into a bookstore, I intend to not hone into the romantic suspense that I love, but also look at what else is available, what wonderful books I might be missing because I didn’t think I liked Chinese food!

That’s it from me for now.  Happy reading!

Carla