A number of my friends have been on my mind a lot the last couple of weeks. One friend is going in for tests and probably surgery. Another is waiting to find out where they’re moving based on a job situation with her husband. Several friends are facing the fact that their children are graduating and moving away from home to start college life. And others are preparing for weddings and being the mother of the bride or groom. All the normal stages of life. Just easier to handle when there’s someone around to give you a hug.

I moved around a lot when I was growing up and while my friends and I planned to stay in contact after I moved away, we usually didn’t. No cell phones or email back then. We had to write letters and save our money to make a long-distance call. I liked to write so I would often send long, newsy letters about my new home. But then I wouldn’t hear back from a friend or I’d be busy with my new life and not reply to her letter and the relationship would end. Every now and again, a name will pop into my head and I’ll wonder what happened to her.

I’ve now lived in the same town since just before our youngest son’s birth. My friends and I have weathered all kinds of good and bad adventures together. We’ve watched our children start kindergarten and now they’re starting to graduate. We’ve attended ball games, parades, music programs, and school carnivals. We’ve enjoyed the same movies and books and spent time talking about life, our kids, our husbands, our futures.

Because I didn’t have long-term friends when I was growing up, I treasure even more these women who have enriched my life. Friends also tend to be an integral part of my books and stories. My heroines need these other women, even if sometimes they don’t always get along.  They have a connection and in the end, they’re able to overcome whatever pulled them apart.

So, how have friends impacted your life? And do you have any favorite fictional friends from books, TV shows, or movies?

Once again, the contest is being posted on Monday. I’d like to say that’s to shake it up a little and keep you on your toes. Reality is, life sometimes changes the best-laid plans. Thanks for being patient and please check every week, on either Sunday or Monday, for the next contest!!

And be sure to read Lois Winston’s post after this one about FUN!!

********May 12 - May 16 Contest********

Enter this week’s contest to win a book by Margaret Daley, a Steeple Hill’s Inspirational and romantic suspense line author who has sold more than sixty books. Margaret writes stories of “courage and love,” she says in her bio. As a teacher, she found that her focus in life was on family and children and those are themes that appear in her books. Check out Margaret’s website, read her most recent PASIC/2BeRead blog on May 1, and comment often for a chance to win one of her books. Happy Reading!

I’ve been invited to participate in something that could turn out to be really exciting (more on that at a later date if it actually pans out.) As a preliminary step, I have to fill out a questionnaire. I had no problems with the various questions until I got to the one that asked, “What do you do for fun?”

The question gave me pause. I thought about it for a long time. Exactly what did they mean by fun? There are many things I do that give me pleasure. I started to make a list (not in any particular order of importance):

· Spending time with friends

· Spending time with family (at least some members of my family)

· Going to Broadway shows

· Reading a good book

· Writing a good book (okay, that’s work, but when it all comes together, it gives me a LOT of pleasure)

· Having my books nominated for awards (Love, Lies and a Double Shot of Deception recently finaled in both the Golden Quill and the More Than Magic contests!)

· Going for a walk on a crisp Autumn day

· Going for a walk on a warm Spring day

· Taking a cruise

· Wandering around museums

· Watching a favorite movie or TV show

· Wandering around a bookstore while I sip a skinny vanilla latte

· Standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon

· Getting pampered (there’s nothing like a facial and a massage, right?)

· A candlelight dinner at a romantic restaurant

Okay, you get the idea. But is something that you enjoy doing, something that gives you pleasure, the same thing as having fun? Was the author of the questionnaire thinking more in terms of roller coaster rides? No thank you! (Read the bio on my website — www.loiswinston.com — to learn why.)

So I decided to consult Webster. One of the main definitions of fun as a noun in the dictionary is amusement. Amusement is defined as something that entertains. So I went back and looked at the list I’d compiled. My friends and family sometimes entertain me. I’m entertained when I go to the theater (Usually. I’ve seen some duds over the years that were far from entertaining.) I’m entertained by books, movies, TV shows, and to some extent, museum exhibits, although I don’t think Lois contemplating Aristotle Contemplating the Bust of Homer is what the questionnaire had in mind.

What do you do for fun? I’m still pondering the question. Luckily, I have some time yet before I have to hand in my answers. Meanwhile, what do you do to have fun? If you post a reply, you’ll be entered into the PASIC blog weekly drawing for a free book by one of our authors. So let’s hear from you!

Yeah, Dena!  You’re this week’s winner.  You mentioned you wanted to read more fantasy and now you can, with Gail’s book.  Contact Gail Dayton at her website to claim your prize.

Join us Sunday to find out another great contest.  Happy Reading!

So, I’ve been thinking all week what I might like to write on this blog post. After all, it’s “MY” week–the week where I’m donating the book for the prize. Which means I’d like for the blog to be deep, and profound, and generate lots of comments and discussion–but no flame wars. (Is there anything that can accomplish all that?)

I’ve been reading other blogs, looking for ideas, (and checking out the book reviews–there are some seriously good books coming out this month…) and lots of things have impinged on my thoughts, but none of them really stuck. Or if they stuck, I couldn’t seem to come up with anything to say about them that hadn’t already been said. Until I stumbled across this musing on the relationship between feminism, masculinity and the problem of chivalry.

I don’t really want to go in any of the directions Elizabeth Litchfield has gone in this. I just want to comment on one little bit where she’s paraphrasing something her boss often says:

“A guy sidles up and starts to hit on you. You’re not interested, you feel uncomfortable, and you tell him in some way to back off. Maybe he does, just as likely he doesn’t. Now your boyfriend/husband/friend/brother walks into the bar, sizes up the situation, and comes up to greet you. He puts his arm around you and gives the other guy that look. And what does that guy say? “Sorry, man, I didn’t know she was taken.””

In this instance, the quote seems to be saying “Even though he’s protecting you, he’s still possessing you, and this is bad.” And maybe it is.

It IS bad when men perceive a woman to be fair game if she isn’t “taken.” Or possessed. As if a woman cannot possess herself.

And yet… When one is in a relationship–isn’t the possessing a mutual thing?

My husband is “taken” just as surely as I am. He belongs to me, just as much as I belong to him. We belong together. I protect him, just as he protects me. Now maybe I protect him in different ways–by feeding him foods he’s not allergic to (he’s pretty much allergic to the universe) for instance–but it is there.

I think this mutuality in the relationships between men and women is something that some feminists miss. Men and women ARE different. It’s a biological fact, and I don’t think it’s a bad thing. I like the differences between us.

The differences are complementary. We’re meant to fit into each others’ gaps. Of course, the fit only works if there is mutual respect and trust, and most especially, love.

Which of course, is why I write romance novels. Okay, maybe my romance novels have magic and demons or clankety Jules-Verneish machine monsters, but they’re still about respect and trust and, most especially, love.

So what do you think? Does the idea of chivalry’s dark side surprise you? How bad do you like your bad boy heroes? (I have to admit, I tend to write good guys…) Do you think the bad boys can really be redeemed? Is there a dark side to chivalry? Or–any stray thought you might have on the topic–Share!!

You could win a book! ‘Cause, you know, the folks who comment get entered in the weekly contest.

We’ve all had something or another that we want to “do over.” Either we wish we could wipe the slate clean or we want to go forward in a different direction than we’ve taken in the past.

Reunions are one of my favorite romantic premises. There’s something so poignant about knowing someone deeply in one way and yet not knowing enough in other ways to make it work the first time around. Some of my favorite reunion stories are AGAIN THE MAGIC by Lisa Kleypas, TWO LITTLE LIES by Liz Carlyle, and–a bit off the romance path–Plum and Morelli. *g*

How about you? Do you love reunion stories, too? If so, what are some of your favorites?

The topic of second chances is a happy one for me on this day, because today marks the re-release of ASK FOR IT. Originally released in trade paperback in August 2006, it’s now available in mass market (for the much svelter price of $6.99). This creates a second chance for the story to find its way into the hands of readers who might love it. While trade paperbacks are most often sold only in traditional bookstores and online, the mass market version of ASK FOR IT was selected by WalMart and will be available in other retailers like Target and some of your local food and drug stores.

The story itself is about second chances. Elizabeth and Marcus were once deeply, passionately in love and engaged to be married. But they both carried baggage that eventually separated them. She bore emotional scars and fears, while Marcus lived a secret life. They could not have succeeded in love before, but suddenly they are given a second chance to be honest with each other and find happiness together.

To celebrate ASK FOR IT’s second go-round, I’m holding a special contest! No second chances here. Entrants get thirty chances to win!

There will be one grand prize winner and 29 second place winners. For a peek at the many, many contest prizes, check out my contest page. (that’s also where you’ll find the rules and entry form!) But don’t forget to comment here on the TBR blog for a chance to win a backlist book from Gail Dayton.

And… here’s a second chance to see the AFI trailer, in case you missed it the first time.

So what about you? Do you have a happy second chance story? Would you be willing to share it?

Happy Reading!
Sylvia

www.SylviaDay.com
www.SJDay.net

This week’s contest is being posted on Monday, along with Ann Roth’s post, so please be sure to scroll down and read her post!  Any comments listed with hers will also be entered in the May 5 - 9 contest.  Again, congrats to Jane for winning last week’s contest and happy reading!

******May 5-9 Contest******

Enter this week’s contest to win a backlist book from Gail Dayton.  She has written both contemporary and fantasy and the reviews are great — she was a RITA Award Finalist for Best First Book!  Check out her website, read her blog on Thursday, May 8th, and comment often to win.  Have a great week!   (Shown below are two of her book covers - if you win, you’ll contact her for the actual book you’ll receive.)

]]> http://toberead.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/new-contest-2/feed/ http://toberead.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/birdies-birdies-everywhere/ http://toberead.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/birdies-birdies-everywhere/#comments Mon, 05 May 2008 11:00:45 +0000 Ann Roth http://toberead.wordpress.com/?p=764

There’s a bird nest in our front porch light. I discovered this when I watered the impatience in the flower box beneath the light and mama bird flew off in a blur of wings. We’re trying to not use the front door for awhile, instead going in and out from the deck or the back yard.

The light bulb sits inside an iron frame with large cutouts to let the light through. The nest itself sits between the frame and the light bulb. Mama bird is quite smart—she chose a sheltered place that is protected from rain (our front porch is covered on top) and safe from kitties, crows and other predators.

My husband thought he saw the female’s mate on the deck railing. He found a photo in a bird book and believes our guests are house finches.

We’re honored that they family settled here and are excitedly waiting for the day when the eggs hatch and the babies begin their lives.

Does anyone have a special animal story to share?

Until next time,
Ann Roth
www.annroth.net

Congratulations, Jane!  You’re the winner of this week’s contest.  Contact Gail Barrett at her website.

Check back Sunday for our new contest!

Have you ever noticed that sometimes things just fall into place? Or you’re thinking about a friend you haven’t heard from in a while, wondering how they’re doing, and out of the blue, the phone rings? Call it coincidence, call it luck, but I prefer the term synchronicity.

My life has been filled with synchronistic events–from small to the earthshaking–and I’m always amazed. It happened again just recently.

The headphones I use on my MP3 player had the plastic coating over the wires separate right where they meet the earpiece. That left me with annoying, intermittent silence, and when I talked to one of my avionics engineers (I work for an airline in 757 Engineering), he said there’s no way to fix them, that I’d need to buy another headset.

To say this was a bad time to shop for these things was an understatement. I could choose the same brand I’d had, but since they’d broken once without that much wear and tear, I really didn’t want to do that. A new set meant research and probably hours worth of time I didn’t have.

I decided to wait. The problem with the headset was annoying, but not anything that couldn’t be lived with for a few months. But the universe had other ideas, and when I woke up the next morning, my issue was resolved.

You see, I found this site that has one deal every day, and that morning’s bargain was a pair of headphones!

I checked out one site for reviews, found they were generally positive and that the sale price was 1/3 of the regular cost, so I ordered. Without leaving my home, without wasting hours online, everything was solved.

This falls into the “Small Thing” category, but definitely a welcome small thing and I always think it’s cool to see the mysterious ways of the universe.

Has anyone else had a cool experience with synchronicity? Big or small, I love these types of stories!

Patti O’Shea
www.pattioshea.com

In Twilight’s Shadow - Jun 3, 2008