We finalled!

Hey, Christo here!

Did you hear about the RITA nomination Nat and Anne and I got? Cool, yes?

I didn't know anything about the RITA contest, and Anne didn't bother to mention it before she went off to New York. So when a very nice woman began leaving messages on the answering machine, I listened to them, but I didn't know what she was talking about.

It wasn't until Anne called home later that night that she told The Prof and he told me. Nat was in NYC with Anne and Nancy the Cat Slayer doing weddings and chocolate tours and whatnot. Girl stuff.

But what I want to know is, how could Anne just go off and not tell me something might happen? How could she FORGET?

Boggles the mind.

She and Nat are home now. Nat brought chocolate and tales of amazing places we need to go next time we're in New York City. We can do that, but we're also going to a baseball game or two or maybe a hockey game, depending on the season.

Anne, who is out running errands today, said to tell you that she's got the blog on the Pink Heart Society for April 1, so if you want to find out what she did in NYC, you should check it out.

She is giving away her favorite chocolate confection there, too. She and Nat brought a bunch home because they think they are the neatest funniest seasonal chocolates ever.

Check 'em out. Leave a comment. You might win your very own Chirp N Dale!

Watching out for a hero

Monday I am doing the coveted "Male on Monday" post over at The Pink Heart Society.

As it is already Monday in much of the world as I write this, my column about Raoul Bova is already up.

Stop by and ogle the pix. Celebrate the social conscience of a man who is more than just a pretty face. Drool, if you wish.

I sent his picture in with the art information for Demetrios in my upcoming The Virgin's Proposition. In fact, I used several pictures to get my brain in gear every morning.

Several of them I posted there. But this one -- which was the main one I used -- I'm posting here.

I still have others for inspiration. Somewhere over 1000 now -- Demetrios almost any way I can imagine him. And probably future heroes as well. George may even get a look in.

What can I say? I don't want to waste my effort, after all.

It's my job. I do my research.

All about Eyes

I am at the Pink Heart Society today/tomorrow depending on your particular place in the world writing a blog for Must Watch Friday.

My theory is that you ought to be watching Eyes.

This is not precisely easy unless you have Direct TV. If you do -- and you live in the US -- you can see it Tuesday evenings at 10 Eastern and 9 central. Check out the PHS and find out why you should be doing this.

If you have any questions, ask them there -- or here. If you need an incentive, see the pic to the right.

If you're already watching Eyes, congratulations! I totally approve.

Check out the Pink Heart

I'm blogging over at the Pink Heart Society at the moment, taking time from Demetrios to introduce you to -- or remind you about -- an excellent choice for a hero.

Lots more interesting stuff about Damian Lewis there. Here I'll just tempt you with a few pics and then I will disappear back to my manuscript, which presently resembles a bowl of spaghetti.

I'm glad my editor is in France. She won't have the time or interest to wonder what Demetrios is doing.

Kids and Babies

Deep in the throes of grandparenting, and getting not very much writing done, I decided that my post this weekend on The Pink Heart Society blog would have to be about babies and kids and their role in romance fiction.

Sometimes I feel personally responsible for the population explosion in our books because of my first Harlequin American (and first book published) back in 1985, Starstruck, which was about a heroine with five children -- and a rabbit. (See, all the livestock in Savas' Defiant Mistress had early precursors in my books).

So please drop by and let me know what you think about all the babies and kids in romance. You can read what I think while you're there. And if you have keepers that feature babies and kids, please let us know in the comments section here or there what the titles of your keeper books are.

Those of you who haven't entered my mothers and babies contest, it ends Saturday night at midnight my time (Mountain Daylight right now). So if you want to win some great books and other goodies, drop by the contest page and enter.

Watching Burn Notice?

Well, not at the moment because USA network's biggest hit, Burn Notice, is on hiatus until June 4th.

But I'm counting the days. And I've been thinking about it more this week because Friday is my day to write about a "must-watch" film or program for the Pink Heart Society blog.

Guess what I'm writing about.

It is my prelude to Kate Walker's "Alpha Heroes" topic which she's rounded up comments for to use on her blog. I sent her my comments earlier this week.

But as far as I'm concerned, you can start with Michael Westen (wonderfully played by Jeffrey Donovan) of Burn Notice. He may not be the stereotypical billionaire -- or even close -- but he's the guy I'd want to be on my side in a fire fight, or anywhere else for that matter.

Alphas are the ones who take care of their own. They are the protectors, the go-to guys, the ones who get the job done.

That would be Mike.

Stop over and check out my blog on Burn Notice at the Pink Heart. Let me know what you think about the program and about Michael Westen if you watch Burn Notice.

And if you don't, check out the DVD of season one. Season two will be coming in late June on DVD, and season three starts on USA network on June 4th.

Mark your calendar!

A Matter of Perspective

My new webmistress, Heather, tells me I need to work on my blog titles. I'm trying.

But there is just so much you can do with what I write about. And today's blog is a case in point.

I intended to write about writing because that's what I did at the Pink Heart Society where Wednesday's blog (which I wrote) is already up. I talked there about first chapters because when you're just starting a book, they are, um, pretty significant hurdles.

Almost every writer has qualms when she starts a book. For one thing, unless you've plotted the whole thing out ahead of time, you aren't quite sure precisely where the "beginning" is.

It's when things change, yes. But change can be abrupt or it can be subtle. If it's the former, well, you've got a point to begin at. If it's not, you need to do a bit more thinking. And even when you find it, what's the right way in?

And then there's the point of view.

Whose? Is it a given? Or is it a toss-up? See what I mean?

Every story, and the way you tell it, is a matter of perspective. Like life.

Which brings me to the other bit that I wanted to comment on today because it made me smile. I have a google alert for Hugh Jackman. Is that a big surprise?

Of course not. And I'm not the only one who finds him an "inspiration" for heroes in romance novels. So I never mind getting a daily dose of 'news' about Hugh.

Today my google alert on Hugh came, I skimmed over it and found the wonderful meme of "My 25 Things . . . or 15" written by Stephanie DePrez who writes for The Observer at Notre Dame and St Mary's Universities.

If you've blogged for any length of time at all, you've been tagged for that one, and it's making the rounds again.

I liked Stephanie a lot just from reading hers.

She made me smile. She made me remember conversations I've had with attentive squirrels, too. She made me remember college life.

She made me laugh -- especially when I read #6 on her list.

"I have crushes on old guys. Hugh Laurie, Nathan Fillion, Hugh Jackman, Sting. The young ones, eh. They do nothing for me."

Old guys.

Like Nathan Fillion. Like Hugh Jackman.

See? It's all a matter of perspective.

(I just went to IMDB and checked. Nathan Fillion is a year younger than my oldest son. Yikes.)

Frankly, though, I agree with Stephanie. I think Nathan is pretty impressive. As are Hugh One and Hugh Two.

I might give her Sting, but other than that, I'm right there with her on her choice in men.

Even if they are old guys.

One of the joys of writing romance, as I see it, is free license to appreciate guys -- old or young.

But it does make me wonder why all the good ones seem to be too one or too the other.

Is Harrison Ford the only hunk in my generation?

Temptations

It's blog time for me again over at the Pink Heart Society where I get to talk about temptations. At the moment, neck-deep in revisions, my biggest temptation is to be anywhere but at my desk.

And the greatest temptation drawing me away from my desk are several boxed sets of DVDs that I -- or lucky family members -- found under the Christmas tree.

For years we didn't have a television at all. We never had one before we got married and after the kids were born we deliberately didn't get one because it seemed like more trouble than it was worth. Certainly I know it saved a lot of arguments over the years about who wanted to watch what and how much time could they spend watching it.

I was always a low-maintenance kind of mother -- if confrontations could be avoided, I was all for that -- as long as they toed the line when it mattered. They did. And the tv wasn't around to be a temptation at all.

It wasn't until the youngest headed off to Wyoming at age 18 for school that we (no, I) succumbed. I bought a television. But I tend to forget to watch it. It doesn't tempt me because I have to rearrange my schedule to fit its schedule (we don't have Tivo).

But I love boxed sets. I can watch them when I want, however many I want, and I don't miss anything that way. For years I've been hoping that they would put Laramie, my favorite western from when I was a kid, on DVD and in a boxed set. For years no one did.

And now, my dear friend Jessica Douglass tells me, they are doing season 3. Season 3 happened about 1961, which was about the time I stopped watching because I got a life. So chances are I never saw any of those episodes. Umpteen hours of Robert Fuller just waiting for me . . . talk about temptation.

I don't know when they are expected to come out yet. Jessica didn't say. But I've put my name down to be notified. And I'm going to go get busy on revisions so I can watch the Foyle's War DVDs I already have so my TBV (to-be-viewed) pile is empty for when Laramie arrives.

Do you like boxed sets? Which ones? Has anyone seen Burn Notice?

I bought it for Kate Walker for Christmas on the basis of reviews. It's on my Netflix list, but I need to get the revisions done first. What do you think?

Yes, I know I should have asked before I bought it, but I couldn't because she reads this blog. Her cat Sidney reads this blog. There is no privacy in blogworld. That said however, if you have other recommendations for future gifts (like birthdays) send them along. I'd be grateful.

Gunnar's Choice

Gunnar the flatcoat, with his stalward treat-snarfing golden retriever apprentices, Micah and Mitch, has picked ArkieRN as the winner of the drawing held on the Pink Heart Society blog.

So, Arkie, if you're reading this here, go to my website and hit the "contact Anne" link and send me your address. Then we will package up your book and send it on to you.

Many thanks to everyone who posted comments here and on the Pink Heart. I found several new authors to check out -- and I hope you did, too.

Also, I enjoyed reading about all the books you've enjoyed reading aloud with the children in your lives. Thanks for sharing!

Blogging Around

While I am granddaughter-sitting, my blogs (written last week) are set to appear on Monday.

The Pink Heart Society has my Male on Monday choice -- Michael Vartan, And the lovely people at We Write Romance are featuring Presents this month and have my blog on the joys of writing for that line scheduled for Monday as well.

Please stop by and leave comments if you are inspired. Always glad to hear from you -- here, there and everywhere.

Also I'm happy to report that my good friend Anne Gracie has been invited to join the Word Wenches on their blog as a regular contributor. She will be writing at least one post a month there, and her first one is also featured on Monday. So please stop by and say hi to Anne.

I'm happy to say that Christo and Natalie appear to have their act together. They had a tough time on Saturday when I threw out a couple of thousand hard fought words, but now that they are sorted, I think some of the words might actually come back.

It's interesting having the end already figured out. It makes what they're doing clearer to me. Less possibility for them to go hieing off to prospect for gold in Alaska for one thing. (I hope).

Still no pix. Sorry about that. I would have loved to post more Michael pix as I have been collecting them for months in anticipation of this blog. But I'd never get this one up if I tried adding a picture.

Did you notice that we've had visitors from 100 countries now here on the blog? It happened during this past week. I'm not even sure which the 100th country was. Togo? Libya? One of those two I think. But they had passed off my neocounter before I was able to discover which it was.

I'm really excited that people from so many places all over the world have dropped in to visit. Keep on coming!

Catching Up

I apologize for the delay in posts. I have got the laundry done. I've sorted through the photocopies I made at the record office. I am just on my way out the door to pick up Gunnar's meds. And then, I hope, I will be able to do something with the photos I took and share a few with you.

I discovered when I got home that I have lots of other blog commitments in the next couple of weeks. I get the Friday slot this week at the Pink Heart Society to celebrate the long and stellar career of Paul Newman (so stop by and reminisce with me).

Next Monday I am at Tote Bags 'n' Blogs celebrating heroines in general and one in particular.

Next Wednesday I'm writing a "Presents" blog and will post the link closer to the time. And the following Monday, I get to go back to Pink Heart to write about a Male on Monday who made my heart beat faster on prime time television a couple of years ago.

So if you don't find me here, you can certainly find me there.

Not to mention that I am up to my eyeballs in Christo's story, which I have been working on again since I got home. I threw out 2000 words, which puts me a little behind where I want to be. But at least I have momentum back. For a while there it felt like the book was stuck in the literary version of Montana gumbo.

Also, I have just learned from my editor that Savas' Defiant Mistress is going to be an April Harlequin Presents, just three months after Antonides' Forbidden Wife is on the Presents schedule.

Will this make people think I can write a book in 3 months? Good grief, I hope not.

Though it would certainly be nice if I could. Back to work!

Meet Bruno!

Pink has chosen a winning name for his new pup from all the wonderful entries. He says his new buddy is going to be Bruno!

So, thank you, Avi J, for giving Bruno his name. Go to my website and click on the contact Anne tab and send me your snail address and I'll send you two of my books.

Thanks to everyone who entered the contest. There were so many great entries that Pink spent part of the morning telling me he needed more dogs! Frankly I think he would soon have had 11, like you do, Avi, if I'd let him.

But he only gets one -- Bruno.

Check The Pink Heart Society to see who else Pink is going to visit -- and what other great presents he's getting.

Happy Birthday, Pink!

Happy Birthday, Lil Pink Dancin' Guy

September is the anniversary month of The Pink Heart Society blog. The PHS mascot (besides Hugh Jackman) is the lil pink dancin' guy who is traveling around to a variety of blogs this month to celebrate.

He's stopping here on Monday (which will be in a couple of hours Greenwich Mean Time, which is PHS time) so I'm hauling out his birthday present to go with the cake he is getting.

I figured you needed a friend, Lil Pink, so I've got a pup for you to share your travels. Gunnar, Mitch and Micah, my own pups, helped me decide on the perfect friend.

So here's your present, Pink.

And for everyone else who stops by, you get to help Pink name him (or her) and enter to get a present, too.

Make a suggestion in the comments section, and if Pink chooses your suggested name for his new pup, you'll win two back list Anne McAllister titles.

Pink will be deciding before Tuesday because I have to get ready to head off across the pond.

Happy birthday, Lil Pink! And best wishes for many more.

Are We There Yet?

One of the things about armchair traveling is that you don't have anyone in the back seat saying, "Are we there yet?"

I blogged this weekend on The Pink Heart Society blog about the joys of glossy travel magazines.

And while you can bet I'd take a 'real' trip hands down almost anywhere, there are certain joys to pulling out a magazine, sitting down, putting my feet up and reading my way into the nightlife of Paris or the lure of a honeymoon in Fiji or an island getaway in the Seychelles.

I love reading about almost anything to do with travel. It's the next best thing to being there. And sometimes, given the hassles of getting anywhere today, it's better. Well, maybe not better, but less stressful.

One of my sons, who worked off-shore and overseas for a few years, says still, "I love being other places. I just don't much like getting there."

Amen.

Early on I counseled my kids -- and I continually remind myself -- that 'travel time' is like 'Dream time.' The real world as we know it -- and to some degree control it -- ceases to exist when we travel. We start at home and, until we get where we are going, we're simply at the mercy of forces larger than ourselves.

It pays to remember that when luggage gets lost, planes get delayed or sent to Detroit instead of Philadelphia. It helps when you're entertaining children for 16 hours in the Denver airport because Untied Airlines can't get you on the flight they said you'd be on. Did I misspell something there?

I love my glossy magazines. I love the places they take me that make me want to go buy guide books and book my reservations. I love the people who wander into my mind and say, "I could live there. And you could write a book about me. Let me tell you my story."

I'm doing that in Cannes in early October. Demetrios Savas (Tallie and Theo's brother) has a date with destiny in Cannes. The story -- and a terrific heroine who is going to give Demetrios a run for his money -- appeared when I was reading an article about the film festival there.

Who knew? I certainly didn't when I started out reading that evening.

I'm counting the days.
Every morning I wake up and think, "Are we there yet?"

Hugh!

There are exactly 15 minutes left of September 1st where I live.

So I'm not late. Really, I'm not.

Slow, maybe, but not late, to celebrate the 2nd anniversary of The Pink Heart Society blog and, of course, Kate Walker's and my very own Hugh-in-a-towel.

Because Hugh is the 'mascot' or inspiration of whatever you'd like for Pink Heart heroes -- and certainly plenty of mine -- every year we celebrate Hugh Jackman Day at the Pink Heart and on our own blogs today (or what's left of it).

So celebrate with me. And get ready to go see Hugh in Australia when it comes out in November.

Drop by the Pink Heart and check out the comments for other blogs celebrating Hugh's day.

Tell me who would be your inspiration for a hero and you might win a copy of In McGillivray's Bed -- which purely coincidentally has a hero named Hugh.








































Who needs a towel?

Happy Valentine's Day

Naturally, I'm late. Valentine's day has about an hour or so left where I live. But I couldn't get here to do anything before now.

So I hope you have all had a wonderful day with those you love.

I did.

A year ago I was sitting on the Mezzanine in Bewley's on Grafton Street in Dublin drinking tea and watching as an impressive number of Irish men bought flowers for their ladies. This morning I toasted them all with a cup of tea and a bowl of lovely Irish oatmeal and hoped that I would get back to Ireland someday.

The memories still make me smile.

Speaking of things that make me smile, I've got the Friday Film Night blog on The Pink Heart Society for this week -- which means that since it's already Friday in a good chunk of the world -- including GMT -- the piece is up now.

Stop by and check out my pick for this week.

• It starred Melanie Griffith and Harrison Ford
• Kevin Spacey had a bit part
• Alec Baldwin had a slightly bigger part
• It had a great Oscar-winning song
• It's still a fun film -- even after 20 years

Know what it is?

Of course you do -- it's Working Girl!

And because I promised them there that we were discussing heroes here, I'd like to toss out a question -- what is it that made Harrison Ford such a good hero in so many films?

He generally wasn't your traditional 'alpha' hero. Not really. I have my own theories, but I'd be delighted to hear yours.

Tomorrow it's back to the houseboat. Tell Seb he needs to get his act together. We have a book to write!

Mads on Monday

Over on the Pink Heart blog, I've got a Male on Monday slot today.

You know what that means: the onerous task of researching potential heroes.

Ah well, somebody's got to do it.

And ever since I saw him in Casino Royale, I've been looking for a hero to be Mads Mikkelsen (who was a great villain in CR). I haven't found one yet (I don't think). But I'm still looking.

And in the meantime, I decided to share him with the Pink Heart readers.



I already shared him with Michelle Styles who cast him in one of her Victorian historicals.

Which one, Michelle? And when is it coming out? I can hardly wait to read it.

Anyway, I promised the Pink Heart readers that I'd put up a few more photos over here. So that's why Mads is here (if he needed another reason).

Enjoy. Each pic is worth 1000 words, you know. Consider that I wrote a lot today. And even more on the Pink Heart blog. And there are a lot of good pix there.

Multi-tasking

Today I had a list as long as my arm (literally) of things that needed to be done, people who needed to be called, errands that needed to be accomplished. And I've crossed them all off but the last one -- figuring out the quarterly taxes.

Figuring out the quarterly taxes is about as enjoyable as going to the dentist, which is on the schedule for next week.

I don't know about you, but columns of numbers have always intimidated me. I was always good at math, but hated every minute of it. And the anxiety that comes with it is the sort of thing I draw on when I'm trying to create the experience of ghastly horror and depression in the mind of a fictional character.

I think, "What's the worst thing you can think of? Quarterly taxes. Yep, that'll do." And I draw on the well of negative emotion and pounding heart and sweaty palms that comes with it. And the sick stomach feeling.

Are you getting the idea that I really don't like doing this? Yeah, me, too. That's why I did everything else first.

I'll get it done, though. And then tomorrow I can celebrate Kate's new arrival (which she promises to tell you about then) and watch a film and read a book and go to the Pink Heart blog and read my blog there (I'm doing Friday night film night this Friday, which happens to be "today" in a good part of the world, so it's up already). Check it out.

Here's a sneak peek of the hero.

The Legend in a Towel

While Eamon is quickly becoming legend of sorts here, the first LEGEND I've been part of is the story of Kate Walker's and my talks at the RW New Zealand (they say RWNZed) and RWAustralia (they said RWA and pay no attention to the one across the sea) which were punctuated by the appearance of a certain man in a certain towel whenever we needed to make a point.

It's amazing how often we needed to make a point.

Hugh-in-a-towel's appearance at our talks became noteworthy. I'm fairly sure that if the Christchurch journalist who interviewed Kate and me had known about H-I-A-T, he would have been scandalized and even more dismayed than he already was. He thought we were "condescending" to write for "stupid women" and should be ashamed of ourselves for taking advantage of them.

I'm not quite sure how we were taking advantage or why these women were "stupid" (anyone who finds Hugh-in-a-towel appealing and believes in a happy ending is not stupid at all in my book!). And I am quite sure I've never ever condescended to anyone in my romance novels because I love writing them and love writing about relationships and I would write them even if no one published them or paid me (but you don't need to tell Harlequin that).

But I'm sure he would have Disapproved. Too bad.

I doubt Hugh would disapprove. And his being there -- albeit two-dimensionally -- made the talks more fun. Not to mention memorable -- as they are continuing to be a point of reference three years later.

Actually the talks aren't, but Hugh definitely is. And RNA (that's UK for RWUK. Well, not really, but there are similarities) have invited me to speak next year on the Myers-Briggs Temperament Indicator. That's what I talked about (theoretically) Down Under, so maybe they are hoping for an appearance of Hugh-in-a-towel as well.

Anyway, the point of this is to say that the Powers That Be at the Pink Heart asked me to write about the Legend of Hugh-in-a-towel -- how it began and what it all means -- and so I have. And it's up on the Pink Heart blog tomorrow (which is already today in Australia and UK so it's already up there, which is why I'm writing about it here now).

So if you have not yet had your fill of the Hugh-in-a-towel Legend, please drop by. Find out why a picture is worth a 1000 words -- and what those thousand words are.