Coming out of my shell :)

See? I said I'd be back on Monday, and here I am. So the first hurdle, showing up, is down. It can only get easier from here, don't you think?

Now...the big question... What to talk about? How do bloggers find witty, fun conversation topics each and every morning? Are their minds bottomless pits of humor and new topics to discuss? And if they are, how to I cultivate a mind filled with ideas to chat about? Any ideas on that one? Hmm?

All right, I guess I just start talking, right? About me? Well, all right. Eww. I hate talking about me but I guess you've already figured that one out. Yeah, I know you know I'm tongue-tied when it comes to talking about myself. It's not like I'm weird or anything. At least I don't think I'm weird. And I'm not some sort of socially inept idiot, either. I'm pretty well educated and can hold my own at parties. I mean, I don't wear the dip or dance with a lampshade on my head. Well, not often anyway!

Only kidding! I never did dance with a lampshade for a chapeau! That was only a rumor. Get it? A rumor, and an unsubstantiated one at that!

All kidding aside, I'm a (I think) normal adult woman with a day job, friends and family. I live in a nice house, mow my lawn and pay my bills on time. I wave to my neighbors, host barbeques in the summer and an annual Christmas party every December. Really, I'm as normal as they come.

But those neighbors? Not only do they not know I write hot romance stories but they're...uh, not so normal. Not all of them, anyway.

Keeping on track, though...we're here to talk about me, not the neighbors, right? Today anyway. Tomorrow? Who knows...

New Leaf

All right, so I'm trying to turn over a new leaf. I am so bad at blogging (like you haven't noticed that, right?!) but I'm going to really, really try and do better with it. Again. One of those try, try again things, okay?

So...how are you? Because really, I want to know. You, the reader, are what's important to me, the writer. You, and the story. But right there--that confession, that you and the story are the important bits to me--may be the whole reason I'm not so fabulous at this whole blogging deal. Get it? I'm not very good at talking about myself. You? I'm all ears. Talking through my characters? Love it. Talking about me? Ugh. Just ugh.

Huh. Now that I know why I'm bad at blogging maybe I can fix the broken bits. What do you think? Do you think a shy, introverted writer sort can become a bit more outgoing?

We'll see. Together. Because I'll be back. Soon.

Have a nice weekend. See you on Monday.

I promise.

Aphrodite's Charms

Still tossing around the idea of a sequel to Aphrodite's Charms. Since a reader asked about what happens next for Diana and Spyros, I've been asking myself that same question. What does happen?

Excerpt from Aphrodite's Charms, available from Linden Bay Romance:

A warm breeze met them as they stepped out onto the enormous stone terrace. Her heels clicked against the ancient stones as he led her to the ornate, wide carved stone railing. They leaned against it, comfortable on the conspicuous sturdiness of the railing. There was no question of safety on the terrace; it looked, even in the darkness, as if it had withstood the endless caresses of thousands of days and nights already and would withstand more for many lifetimes to come.

“Look at that sky,” breathed Diana, dropping her head back so that her face tilted up to meet the expanse of black above them. Dotted with glittering stars, it looked like a child’s painting of the night sky—total blackness with an excess of white stars. “So beautiful.”

His voice was tender, low and slow. “Yes, very beautiful.”

“I don’t recall any other sky looking quite the way it does here,” she said, not taking her eyes from the stars above them. “I remember the last time I was here; I fell in love with the sky on the very first night.”

“With your husband,” Spyros said. “You were here last with your husband, weren’t you?”

“Oh, so that’s one of the things that your investigation revealed? Parts of my personal life?” she asked as she dropped her eyes to meet his. “Is that all you’ve got to ‘show’ me—things I am already aware of about myself? Painfully aware of, in some cases?” Even to her own ears her voice sounded angry, cutting through the sounds of the night like a hot knife through ice cream. Diana turned, walking toward the glass doors, her heels sounding like gunshots on the tiles. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to go back to the inn now.”

Spyros reached out and grabbed her, spinning her around so rapidly that her body collided with his. He steadied her with his hands on her shoulders as she glared up at him.

“Let me go! Do you understand? Take your hands off of me!”

“This I cannot do,” he said, his voice quiet in comparison to hers. “I did not mean to intrude on your private pain, Diana. I only wanted to...to—”

Her body lay against his intimately. She could feel every strong, muscular plane of him, feel his thighs pressed against hers and feel the thudding of his heart against her breasts. His breath, hot and scented with the sweet wine, fell against her cheek. She felt him, too, in a more intimate spot. His prominent masculine bulge was against her hip and she felt him pressing against her more firmly with each movement she made.

From Coffee Time Romance:"Diana Boldt is a newly widowed woman who is still in love with her husband. It was so incredibly special and they shared such a deep love for one another that she never thought she would find another man that could appeal to her on that level.

Spyros Petronikos has arranged to meet with Diana for a business deal, but he quickly changes his mind to include her on a much more personal level if she will just let him into her heart.

Diana’s visit to the same exotic island that she and her husband shared their love leaves her feeling very alone. She is haunted by her past and her ghost lover, too afraid to reach out and touch what is right in front of her. When she finally does, and opens her heart, fate seems to intervene cruelly ripping them apart.

I lost myself in this entrancing story, set in an exotic and lush background, it sweeps you up from the first page. The relationship was realistic and developed at a nice pace. The secondary characters are as well developed as the primary characters The sex scenes are hot and the emotions run high. Kate Burns is a very gifted storyteller. If you want a romance that will touch your heart, I suggest you read Aphrodite’s Charms." -- Missy, Reviewer for Coffee Times Romance

Ooh, I love donuts!

You Are a Boston Creme Donut

You have a tough exterior. No one wants to mess with you. But on the inside, you're a total pushover and completely soft. You're a traditionalist, and you don't change easily. You're likely to eat the same doughnut every morning, and pout if it's sold out.

What Donut Are You?

Writing my tail off!

But I've got to admit, I'm not writing an erotic romance. It's not even a romance, to be completely truthful. It's a science fiction story. Really. I know you're surprised, maybe even shocked, but I had an idea that just wouldn't go away. So, I'm writing. And writing. And writing.

And loving every minute of it!

Anybody out there read science fiction? Have any advice for worldbuilding? I'm all ears!

How old is too old?

There are a bunch of older woman/younger man romances on the shelves at my local bookstore. I checked them out last week, and honestly I bought two. I've never read this type of Mrs. Robinson story before so I am not really sure what I'm going to think of them. But I've been giving it a lot of thought and wondering...just how old is too old? I mean, how much of an age gap do you think is appropriate? Or does it matter?

I know a couple where there are twenty five years between the spouses but the older of the two is the man, not the woman. I can't help but wonder how things would be if the wife was the eldest. Things must be pretty good between the pair; they've been married for a dozen years and seem set to stay married for a long, long time.

So I wonder...is age a state of mind rather than a physical issue? I've recently seen a 101-year-old woman on the news station, driving. Really, driving! She lives in Tallahassee, I think it was. Obviously she's not hung up on the age issue, and does whatever she feels able to do regardless of the number of her years.

Hmm...what do you think? Older woman/younger man? Older man/younger woman? Does it matter? Me, I'm going to delve into the books I've bought while I give this some thought. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Love Lessons

From Two Lips Reviews:

"Kate Burns definitely knows how to keep her readers entertained! This sexy short story is packed full of humor, likeable characters and sexy eroticism. I’d love to read an expanded version that included many, many, more lessons. Love Lessons is my first book by Kate Burns - but it will most definitely not be my last!"

Buy it from Phaze!

New Year's Resolutions?

Have you made any? I have. Just one. I'm going to work on a book that's been languishing half-finished in my files for a couple of years. When I began writing this book I was completely enamored with it, but that was, I see now, my biggest mistake. I fell in love with the book before it was written. Then, the writing came hard. So, like a relationship that didn't quite work, I walked away.

Now I see my lapse in judgement. Reviving the manuscript won't be easy, but it is my New Year's resolution, to see it through to its completion.

What about you? What are you tackling in '08?

Snow!

Ah, the life of a romance writer is so, so, soooo exciting, right? Sure, I know you think I lounge around all day long in a lace teddy, eating bon bons and shivering with anticipation as I swirl page after page of romantic escapades magically from the ends of my fingers. It is what you imagine, isn't it? Come on, you can tell me...

HA! Think again, my friend! Today I'll be wearing my snowpants, scarf, hat, down jacket, big boots and mittens. No lace teddy. I'll be gulping strong black coffee when I dash into the garage to refill the gas tank on the snowblower. And I'll not be swirling anything magical from my frozen fingertips. I'll be pushing the snowblower, dreaming of hot, sultry summer days.

Yeah, the life of a romance writer is often far from romantic!

Coming Together for the Cure!

Making Christmas Cookies today!

Thought I'd share the recipe for my favorites! Enjoy!!

Lemon Fingers

1 cup butter
3 ounces cream cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
yellow food coloring
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Blend butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and cream until fluffy. Combine egg, lemon juice, lemon rind and yellow food coloring. Add to butter mixture.

Sift the flour and baking powder and add to creamed mixture. Chill in refrigerator for about 10 minutes.

Use cookie press to shape dough into "fingers" or strips, about three inches long, onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Eppies Finalist!

Coming Together for the Cure has finaled in the Eppies! I have a story in that wonderful volume of stories!! The profits from this book go to Breast Cancer research, so I'm really very proud to have been included in this project.

No writing, only shopping!

Yep, I'm completely into holiday shopping. I actually have most of my family living very far from me so I've got to mail everything. And if it's going to get out in time, I've got to start early.
I'm having a blast shopping for everyone but I'm stuck on what to give Granny Harriet. Think she'd like a copy of Canyon's Call? Or maybe Aphrodite's Charms?

They'd liven things up in the nursing home, that's for sure! :)

Heating up the holidays!

Have you read HALFPIPE ROMANCE from Phaze Publishing?

It's getting awesome reviews!

From Zoe at Sensual Reads & Reviews:

"What Molly knows about snowboarding should have been enough to keep her far away from the winter sport. Despite her clumsy ineptness at any sport requiring a board she agrees to go snowboarding with her boyfriend...

Kate burns does a fantastic job at keeping the reader hooked through out the story. The frustrations and sexual tension could be felt in Halfpipe Romance. I found it to be a marvelous read."

Why not pick up your copy today? I know it'll heat up your holidays! Snowboarding, anyone?

Pretty woman

Isn't this just the prettiest picture?

Ever feel like this?

Canyon's Call in Print!

Carrie Reed, a highly respected genetic veterinary specialist, has it all, except for a man. So when Jake Canyon phones he commands her attention. His voice is sexy, his tone is hot and he insists there is a new species of animal roaming around on his River View Canyon Ranch. Would she come and identify it for him? What has she got to lose? She just may find a new animal on her trip. And even if there is no new species, she figures just seeing the man that belongs to the hotter-than-fire voice will be worth the journey.

Only $9 for a limited time! (Reg. $11)

http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Canyon%27s+Call+by+Kate+Burns

Harry Potter, anyone?

Just too beautiful for words...

Harry Potter sells big!

I love this morning's article about the autographed Harry Potter selling for nearly $41,000 at auction. What an incredible thing to have happen! I'll bet JK Rowling never figured that would happen when she put her John Hancock on the page of this book. How cool!

Read the entire article here. It gives all of us writers something to aspire to, doesn't it?