Mariposa's Musings

What inspired you to become a writer? After my son was born, Handsome and I were shopping in a Half Price bookstore and I told him I was looking for Dick Francis mysteries. He asked why I liked them so, and I blurted out, “Because I wish I could write like him.” But I didn’t try to write for a long time. A friend prompted me to do so. My mind had really expanded in writing and I love it! Who are your favorite romance characters (besides your own?) I’ve always been drawn to curious heroines, particularly those in mysteries. I cut my teeth on Nancy and Trixie. Oh how I wanted to be them and have their adventures. As a teenager, my mom lent me her Emilie Loring romances. The women where strong and looked for someone to match them. They were willing to try new things and go new places. Eventually, I discovered stories by Mary Stewart who weaved intriguing suspense into her romances. Tell me what inspired this story. (see question 1) My friend suggested writing the open...

"You go down the stairs to find these characters. It's not a place anyone can go, and sometimes it's not a place you want to go." Wes Craven A career that started with Last House on the Left  (1972) led horror fans through the dark neighborhoods of the soul.  33 titles as a writer, 28 titles as a director and 44 titles as a producer. All I can say is "Thanks for a memorable and terrifying journey."

One was the surprise hit of the 80's which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, the other featured Richard Gere in an American remake of a popular Japanese film. Today I'm chatting about two of my favorite dance films at  Isla's Grey's blog:  isla's inklings In case you're wondering, the song was "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" which also won a Golden Globe and a Grammy for Best Duet. Hope to see you there!

the Shucker's Booktique After her fiancé dumps her and her beloved Aunt Jenny goes missing, Willa Eklund travels to Lobster Cove with a broken heart to search for Jenny while running her bookstore. When a mysterious man visits the Shucker'sBooktique on a stormy night drenched in rain and covered in mud, Willa's heart melts under his stormy gaze. She wants Lon and the answers he may have, but he also has a secret. Can Willa trust him? Lon Devlin is a Tempest, a water sprite who can only take a human form during stormy nights. He rides the waves, lives by the tides, and nothing can hold him down, not even a beautiful woman. When he visits his mortal friend, he discovers she's missing and her intriguing niece has taken her place. He wants Willa, but he also wants answers. What happened to Jenny? What inspired you to become a writer? My mother and fellow author, Jo-Ann Carson , always encouraged me to write. I grew up in a very remote island off the west coas...

The Beast with Million Eyes (1955) "...because it will seem like I see your most secret acts, you will know me as the beast with a million eyes."  Alien  If you watch this flick expecting to see a multi-eyed creature you will be sorely disappointed. Yes, I know the movie poster and opening credit art hint at such a creature. The actual “beast” is an alien with the power to control animals (and eventually humans) to do its bidding.  The alien’s vision is expanded through the creatures it controls.  When the alien’s ship lands outside a remote date farm, the Kelley family is forced to get a grip on their various issues in order to fight the alien threat. The premise is promising but falls short in delivery.  While an all encompassing animal attack on humanity could be terrifying as in Hitchcock’s The Birds  or James Patterson’s Zoo  most of the attacks in this flick seem more silly than scary.  Maybe it is because a flock of churlish...

In celebration of the publication of Hot Flash , the production team shares their favorite hot stuff. These multi-talented ladies worked with me on “ Package Deal ” and I’m thrilled to work with them again. Stevie DeInk -Formatting In addition to formatting, Stevie also does graphic design. My Vampire Wedding  is one of her recent covers. If you're looking for a hot vacation spot, definitely check out Hawaii. Sand and sun are in no short supply. You can tour, take helicopter rides, attend luaus, and also check out your island of choice's array of restaurants. Not to mention the endless stretches of beach that you can lounge about on if you so choose. (And don't forget the swimming!) But be aware of the wind- it gets a bit wild at times. Harris Channing-Cover Design Besides doing cover design Harris is also a  romance author . Hot....a sunny summer day.  Hot...a steaming plate of food.  Hot...a beautiful person.  Hot...a raging fire... So...

“The heart of the romantic literary tradition is providing audiences with a world that is better than what is real—an idyllic world.”  Steve Wynn Recently, I had the good fortune to spend the night at one of Mr. Wynn’s resorts and I have to say the man knows a thing or two about idyllic settings.  The lobby of Wynn Las Vegas is a floral wonderland of whimsy.  Starting the morning with apricot brioche French toast in a sunlit atrium surrounded by lush turrets of fruit and succulents sure beats the usual cold cereal routine.  And yes, there was an impressive array of dry cereals available for those who can’t bear to be parted from their breakfast bran. The Buffet  at Wynn Las Vegas And while I thoroughly enjoyed the lush surroundings, I disagree with Wynn’s view of romantic literature.  Don’t get me wrong I like a good flight of fancy as much as the next girl. But the romances that have most stirred my heart were grounded in reality. E...