When You're A Writer, Vacations Must Wait

My husband has a stressful, overwhelming job. He regularly works 10-12 hour days. So when we go on vacation, I HOUND him to cut off all contact with work.  It doesn't always happen.  No, the interruptions aren't long, but he really needs the mental time off.  So I hound him some more.

The shoe was on the other foot this year when we went to the beach.  I'd slaved to pre-write two guest blog posts so I could take the week off (well, aside from finishing my beach caper book. But that counted as fun. And what better place to write it than at the beach?)

And then, sitting with my feet buried in the sand while dolphin-spotting, I got an email.  From RT Book Reviews.They'd just reviewed my latest book in their September issue, so I was flummoxed.  Turned out they wanted me to do a feature.  A Feature!!!!  And they wanted it in three days.

Yes, I had my computer.  No, I did not have Internet, except on my phone and by driving up to a bookstore cafe on Fenwick Island. My powers of concentration were also in hibernation from liberal quantities of sun, sand, chips and wine. Not to mention the TOTAL hypocracy of telling my husband to watch TV without me while I worked.

But I said yes.  Because it was a big honor just to be asked.  And if I'd said no, they might never ask again.  Free, awesome publicity for my new book. It would engender good relations with RT. This opportunity literally dropped into my lap, and only a fool would ignore it. My hubby watched a soccer game, I cranked out 600 words, and we went right back to doing...well, blissful amounts of nothing.

Point to the story?  Writers don't have 9-5 jobs with 2 weeks vacation and sick days. You can't blow off a scheduled blog appearance because you have the flu.  And most importantly, you have to snatch at every opportunity that comes your way.  Take your smart phone with you even on vacation.  You never know when unexpected goodness will flood your inbox.

Book Recommendation - Funny, Sexy Political Romance!

People read holiday romances at Christmas, and beach fling books, well, at the beach. So to kick off the final push to the election, I've got a terrific political romance for you to race through - In Bed with the Opposition by Stephanie Draven. Be sure you set aside a whole night, because once you start this book, you won't be able to put it down! Here's blurb to entice you.

Armed with a sassy haircut, a sharp wit, and a personal list of rules for all life's exigencies, Grace Santiago is a fiercely loyal Senate staffer who has everything under control. At least until famous political pundit Ethan Castle walks back into her life. Grace hasn't forgotten their disastrous affair in law school, but she can't resist his bad boy charm.

When Grace learns that Ethan has been hired as a political gunslinger for the other side, her loyalties—and her heart—are torn in two. Though their sexual chemistry can't be denied, they find themselves locked in political combat. Ethan believes that all is fair in love and war, but he won't throw the election—not even to win Grace's heart. So what can a good girl like Grace do, but learn to play dirty?

Two candidates. One election. May the best man—or woman—win!

Welcome To The Booby Trap - Hot New Book Release!

Welcome to the Booby Trap, a seedy bar in Everett, Mass. where waitresses' skirts are high, necklines are low, and customers show up for the eye candy. This is the setting for Anne Browning Walker’s provocative novel, The Booby Trap (Pixel Entertainment, September 2012) in which Harvard Ph.D. candidate Bambi Benson finds the waitresses prime research for her degree in women's studies, and embarks on a mission to go undercover and completely immerse herself in their world. All goes well until handsome local celebrity Trip Whitley enters the scene.

Hoping to ruffle the feathers of his well-connected family by dating someone 'beneath' him, Trip suggests that Bambi take on the role of his girlfriend, and receive compensation for her efforts. This fits in perfectly with the vision Bambi has for her dissertation: Trip will realize the error of his ways after she reveals her true identity, and teach him not to judge base on appearances.

Sounds like a great plan, but it's about to be foiled: Bambi might actually be falling for Trip.

A fun, absorbing read, The Booby Trap was written with a particular audience in mind: Walker's closest friends. "I wanted my heroine to reflect the many smart, savvy, thoughtful, and driven women in my life,"Walker says. “Bambi is a modern-day heroine who values ambition and success in her own career, and also makes time for love.”

 

ANNE BROWNING WALKER is a career writer and researcher. Currently living in Washington,

D.C. with her husband, Walker is a member of Romance Writers of America and is working on

her next romance novel. Learn more at annebrowningwalker.com. Order The Booby Trap at Amazon

Exciting Cover Reveal for New YA Series!

Ooh, I'm so excited to share this cover with you.  Not just because it is to a book written by my super talented friend Lea Nolan, but because it is unbelievably beautiful and evocative.  This amazing start to a new YA series will release in October.  Here's a blurb to entice you: 

About CONJURE: Be careful what you search for…

Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry--hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.

When a strange girl appears, bent on revenge; demon dogs become a threat; and Jack turns into a walking skeleton; Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends--are lost forever.

Lea is also running a giveaway alongside this cover reveal. The giveaway is for 5 digital copies of CONJURE which will be selected at random from among the participating blogs. CODE: a Rafflecopter giveaway

CONJURE on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13425130-conjure

Lea's website: http://www.leanolan.com/ 

Lea on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lea_Nolan

Summer Book Recommendation: Cork Boat-The Story of an Unbelievable Idea Made Real

In these lazy, sultry days of summer, sometimes serious memoirs are just too much work.  Luckily, people will write about anything - as witnessed in the book Cork Boat by former Clinton speechwriter John Pollack.

As unbelievable as it may seem, the title really does sum it all up.  Pollack decided to build a boat out of wine corks.  He made this decision while working on Capitol Hill, with a job many would kill for.  Instead, he quit to collect wine corks full time and piece them together into a boat that he ended up sailing down a river in Portugal.

The story is so unbelievable that it draws you in from the first page.  There are plenty of spots on his journey where you are positive the cork boat will never be realized.  Just trying to collect more than 165,000 wine corks is an enormous obstacle, let alone where to store them, how to rubber band them into a sea-worthy craft, and how not to lose all your friends in the process.

It is improbable, whimsical, and funny.  I read so many passages in the first two chapters out loud to my husband that he demanded I read him the entire book.  Great summer read!

A Funny, Sexy, Wedding-Themed New Release!

Today, my book recommendation is 100% personal.  My new book, Planning for Love, releases today.  It is the first in a Chicago wedding trilogy.  So once you fall in love with these characters, you've got two more books coming in which to enjoy them!  Here's a blurb to tell you what it's all about: 

Hopeless romantic Ivy Rhodesand
anti-Cupid Bennett Westcottrequest the pleasure of your company for
their disaster of a courtship

Wedding planner Ivy Rhodes is the best in the business, and she's not about to let a personal problem stop her from getting ahead. So when she's asked to star in the reality TV show Planning for Love, it doesn't matter that the show's videographer happens to be a recent--and heartbreaking--one-night stand.

Bennett Westcott admits he didn't handle his encounter with Ivy very well. But looking at her beautiful smile--and great body--through a camera lens every day? He can't be faulted for suggesting they have some no-strings fun.

The more time they spend together, the more Ben realizes Ivy isn't the wedding-crazed bridezilla he'd imagined. But if he doesn't trust himself to make a relationship last, how can he convince Ivy to give him another chance?

This book is funny, sexy, and sweet.  I promise!  And you don't have to take my word for it - Publisher's Weekly and RT Book Reviews have already raved about it.  So if you want to snap up a great beach read (or have something to pick up your spirits if you aren't headed to the beach), you can purchase the ebook at Carina Press or Amazon or Barnes & Noble .  You can even pick up the audio version over at Audbile.com  So please dig in, enjoy a few giggles, a few heart-stoppingly sexy scenes, and a lot of romance.  And please, tell everyone you know!