Characters make the story, and nothing is more important to a successful series than good characters. This is doubly important for a romantic suspense series. There are very few out there where the hero and heroine have a growing relationship over the course of several books. JD Robb’s IN DEATH series is perhaps the best known example. 32 books in (which doesn’t include numerous short stories and novellas!) and Eve Dallas and Roarke are still interesting characters who are working through their conflicts without losing sight of the fact that they love, admire and respect each other. All while battling… Read More

ADDED 12.28: Whoops! the tinyurl in the TWITTER contest link comes here, when it should be going to a description of LOVE ME TO DEATH! Bad me. Here’s the correct link: http://tinyurl.com/2wel7a5 We usually take a break blogging over the Christmas season, so the MSW gals have graciously allowed me to pretty much take over the blog this week because my new book comes out tomorrow. And because it’s the first book of a series, it’s particularly important to spread the word. Even more so because this week is a heavy week in publishing–a lot of big books are coming… Read More

I’m participating in the Book Club’s 31 Days of Giveaways. The guidelines/rules of the giveaway are simple. Answer the three questions below and post on Book Club’s blog here: http://crissi-b.blogspot.com Only these answers are eligible to win. If more than one person guesses the correct answer, then the winners are picked from a hat. 1) Santa has ? reindeer pulling his sleigh. List them in the order he calls them and include the newest last. 2) Some of us like to sit around the fire and drink this seasonal drink. 3) “Good tidings we bring to you and your kin;… Read More

I may get in trouble for this blog, but Random House is closed until January 3rd, so who would I ask? I’ll invoke the “forgiveness” doctrine–it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission 🙂 In five days, LOVE ME TO DEATH will be released. It’s also my anniversary as a published author. Five years ago to the day (almost) THE PREY was released. LOVE ME TO DEATH is my fifteenth novel. I’m as excited as I am nervous. The book market has changed dramatically between my last romantic suspense release (August 2009) and this book. More readers are buying e-books,… Read More

Or is it? This is the first year since I’ve been published that I don’t have a deadline in December. Deadlines can mean a lot of things. Turning in the manuscript, copyedits, page proofs, proposal — important things that need to be done, preferably on time. But this December, I don’t have a major deadlines. I have little things to do. Blogs to write–such as the Amazon Kindle piece I was working on yesterday for the release of LOVE IS MURDER, a novella to be released exclusively for the digital market. The blog I turned in last week for Borders… Read More

I was going to ask everyone to comment what they were thankful for, but as my daughter sarcastically said, “Oh, that’s so creative.” So instead, I’m going to ask for funny Thanksgiving stories. You know, something you were totally humiliated over or something so hilarious that even though it was awful you still laugh about it. For example, on my husband’s side, the time his chocolate lab ate the apple pie. Or more recently, when my husband humiliated me by posted a picture of my turkey on facebook. The turkey I thought the store had gyped me on because it… Read More

I am so excited to interview our own Debra Webb! It seems appropriate somehow that I’m interviewing Deb on Veterans Day. Her husband, Nonie, is a veteran (thank you Nonie!) who served in the U.S. Army. By the way, they have been married for 36 years. And no, she doesn’t look old enough to have been married for 36 years—they married when she was 16. They met at her father’s 50th birthday party when Nonie was guest of one of their farmhands. Deb saw him and said to herself, “That is the most handsome man I’ve ever laid eyes on.”… Read More

Next Tuesday is election day. You probably expect me to tell you to go out and vote. People fought and died for your right to vote. It is your duty and obligation to vote. But I’m not. One of my biggest pet peeves has been rubbed raw these last two weeks, and I apologize but you all are going to take the brunt of my rant. I have had to remove multiple posts on my facebook page from the “Just Go Vote” people. I’ve had to ignore numerous tweets about how important it is to vote. I’ve had it up… Read More

I’m neck deep in revisions for KISS ME, KILL ME — due in four days — so my creative energies are focused solely on rewriting the climax scenes. (And no, I’m not talking about sex!) Last time I was here, I posted a story my daughter wrote for a school project on ENDER’S GAME. It was amazing. Well, I just read her latest school writing project–a 1200 word short story. She wrote a ghost story that is amazing. But what is really hilarious, is that it’s not due for two weeks. What WAS due was a basic outline–character, conflict, theme,… Read More

Sighed Mayzie a lazy bird hatching an egg, “I’m tired! I’m bored! I’ve kinks in my leg From sitting–just sitting!–here day after day It’s work how I hate it, I’d much rather play. I’d take a vacation, fly off for a rest If I could find someone to sit on my nest If I could find someone, I’d fly away free . . . ” . . . then Horton the Elephant passed by her tree. HORTON HATCHES AN EGG is my favorite Dr. Seuss book. In fact, it’s one of my all-time favorite children’s books. That opening paragraph? I… Read More