Pin this, pin that

So, I've recently jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon. And I have to be honest, I don't think I really understand it. But OK, I'll try and figure it out.

I do have to say, it's fun to get on there and look through the other "pins." I've found some really fun stuff. And it's also been kind of handy for me, looking for different pins related to New Orleans or Montana. Sometimes if I'm stuck, having a hard time with a scene and I browse Pinterest, I'll see something that will give me that spark I was looking for.

But, I'm not claiming to be pinner-extrodinaire, I'm still learning. As my boys like to remind me, sometimes I think I'm more "with it" than I am! But, hey, I'm giving it a shot. Check me out, follow me if you like!

Beach Season

It's that time, and I am soooo ready! I actually co-wrote a book titled exactly that last year and it was so much fun! My toes in the sand, BBQs on the back deck, cozying up by the fire at night, that's what beach season is for me, what does it mean for you?

I usually "officially" open my beach house again for the year around the Memorial Day weekend, but it's been so nice here these past few weeks, the house is now officially O.P.E.N!! Summertime is always a fun time for making memories, family and friends for long, lazy weekends, sand volleyball, I'm strictly a spectator! Sand castle building, seashell hunting, and don't forget the ice cream!

So, for me, it's beach season. Hooray!

YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW

 

Well, you might. YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW is still hanging on the lists and I couldn't be happier! Thanks to everyone who's gone out to grab a copy, it's because of you!! So thank you, thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart! I hope you're having as much fun with the book as I did writing it!

AND...... I'm gearing up for a fun-filled summer! I've got three, yep, THREE new books coming out this summer. The first, in June, is with my sister, and fellow author, Nancy Bush, and it's the next in our colony series, SOMETHING WICKED. Followed by TELL ME in July. And finally, in August, Pescoli and Alvarez are back in READY TO DIE. I've got some fun promotions in the works for these summer reads so find me on facebook or visit my website to learn more!

Hooray for Summer!

Ready to fall-in

Ok, Labor Day has come and gone for this year and you know what that means, autumn is on its way! Fall is absolutely my favorite time of year. The leaves turning, the air cooling, pumpkin-flavored anything, evenings by the fire. Oooooh, I get that cozy feeling just thinking about it.

I also love autumn because it's the best time for me to write. Like I said, a nice fire, something warm to drink, I can really get lost in the lives I'm writing about! Right now I'm just getting settled back into Grizzly Falls and hanging out with my girls, Alvarez and Pescoli. READY TO DIE will be the next in the "TO DIE" series, and I'm really excited about it!

Uh-Oh, here comes Jackie reminding me to get back to work!

If you can't stand the heat......

Ok, I'm convinced I could never live someplace like the southwest. Not that I was contemplating a move anytime soon! We've experienced some all-time high temperatures here in the northwest the last couple of weeks, and I'm so happy our "normal" weather has returned!

I suppose growing up and living my entire life in the northwest has conditioned my body to be less capable of handling those hot, hot temperatures. One plus though, I got TONS done on my next "TO DIE" book, I couldn't wait to visit Grizzly Falls and the snowfall!

I hope where ever you are, you're keeping cool and enjoying the tail end of summer!

YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW

TODAY'S THE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You DO Want to Know

Here’s a heads up!  YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW is available August 7^th!!! (Is it a sign that August 7^th was my mother’s birthday, and her mother’s as well?)  Check out an excerpt!

Jersey Boys Walk!

Wow.  I had a great time in New York City for Thrillerfest.  But, I didn’t work the whole time I was back East.  Aside from trying out some new restaurants, we went to a Broadway play, Jersey Boys and tripped down memory lane!  We did some other sight-seeing, dined in some new spots and tried to avoid the heat, to no avail!  It was a lot of fun as you can see from some of these shots!

Here Today, Where Tomorrow?

Whew, what a couple of weeks! My agent came out for a visit, and of course we discussed AFRAID TO DIE and what I'm currently working on, but also RWA (which I'll be attending) and numerous other appearances I've got scheduled for the tail end of summer. (Check out LisaJackson.com for updates and all the up-to-date details. I've been back and forth to the coast, managing a project there, a quick trip to California to visit my niece, oh, and I'm supposed to be writing in there somewhere too!

I guess I should mention I had some time in there to celebrate the incredible release of AFRAID TO DIE!! Thanks to you all, it's #2 on the NY Times and I just found out it's in the top spot on Publisher's Weekly bestseller list!! Who says Mondays are all bad?! Not me, not this week at least! Thanks to all of you who went out (or stayed in and got it on your e-reader) and picked up a copy. I hope you're all having as much fun reading it as I did writing it!

So now, I've got my diet Coke and Jackie at my feet, and I'm back in New Orleans with Bentz and Montoya. Cheers!

The Jackie O No Saga

Poor Jackie O No.  She’s been diagnosed with a chronic condition in which her eyes don’t produce enough tears to keep them moist.  For the past two months she (and I) have been struggling with a different series of drops and the hated Cone of Shame. Well, there might be light at the end of the tunnel!

Recently the vet told me that she was getting better with treatment and that the cone will soon be relegated to the closet.  (My prayers have been answered!)  She’s been a real trooper during the convalescent period, even coming when called for the drops, though her little curl of a tail usually flattens and her head lowers.  I can’t help it; I give her a treat after each application and if I don’t watch out, she’ll not only be battling eye problems but obesity as well….man, that girl loves to eat.  Anyway, I was thrilled she’s on the  mend and  I’m hoping that soon she’ll be back to her bouncing, happy, naughty self!

AFRAID TO DIE

Just in time for the hot summer sun, AFRAID TO DIE is about to hit book shelves (real and virtual) and it's sure to send a chill down your spine! It'll be out in less than a week, and is of course, available for pre-order now.

Detectives Pescoli and Alvarez are back and on the trail of a new serial killer. Interested? Read an excerpt here. These are two of my favorite characters, and I really had a blast writing this book. I also love to get back to Grizzly Falls, it feels a lot like home. I guess that's probably because I've (loosely) based it on the small town I grew up in.

AFRAID TO DIE is the fourth installment of the "To Die" Series and this one focuses on Selena Alvarez and the secrets of her past. The other books, in order are, LEFT TO DIE, CHOSEN TO DIE, BORN TO DIE and now AFRAID TO DIE. Next year (and already approved) will be READY TO DIE. I think these gals are here to stay!

BEACH SEASON

This month, BEACH SEASON is available, actually in just a few days.  This is an anthology of four stories from four different authors.  My story, THE BRASS RING, is a complete novel that was published a few years back.  The other stories are brand new and written by some talented authors, Cathy Lamb, Rosalind Noonan and Holly Chamberlin. 

 
BEACH SEASON is a light, fun read, and as the title implies, just right for a day relaxing in the sand, under an umbrella, cooling drink in hand, toes tickled by the waves! Each novel is a about love lost and love found. It's a great book to get you in "summer mode," you'll be feeling the heat!

Secrets and Lies

Good news, SECRETS AND LIES, my latest 2-books-in-1-volume novel from Harlequin, is now available!  The novels, HE’S A BAD BOY and HE’S JUST A COWBOY are the first two stories that surround the fictitious community of Whitefire Lake, California.  Another volume, CONFESSIONS will be on the stands at the end of the year and it will contain the last two books of the series, HE’S A RICH BOY and HE’S MY SOLDIER BOY.

The four original books were one of my first forays into writing a series, which I now love.  They are actually  the precursors to series like the Montoya/Bentz series set in New Orleans or the “To Die” series with Detectives Alvarez and Pescoli.

Recently, my son (who works for me) and I were trying to shorten a scene to add it to the “about the book” and “excerpt” section of LisaJackson.com.   So as he’s reading from the book and we’re discussing what section will actually go up as the excerpt, he looks over the top of the novel and says, “Wait a minute, Mom!  This scene sounds a lot like something that happened when I was in grade school and these two boys who are riding bikes and wrestling and yelling at each other, they seem a lot like my brother and me.  And the mom who’s expecting a call from the principal cuz one of the kids got in a "scuffle" on the playground, that’s you . . . right?”  He looked at me in shock and, yeah, a little bit of horror.  “You mean to tell me what’s in these books actually happened?  You used parts of our lives?”
Uh oh!  Busted!
I had no option but to ‘fess up.
So, it looks like, after twenty-plus years, the jig is definitely up!

On the Domestic Side

I used to love to cook.  The trouble is, I also love to eat.  So, you
guessed it, over the years the pounds added up and I realized I had to figure something out.  So now, I've decided to give a new kind of cooking a whirl and I'm pulling out some of  my old fave recipes and making them leaner: lasagna, spaghetti, crepes, tuna casserole, meat loaf, apple pie, you name
it, I intend to make the old recipes, new again. I haven't worked out all the details yet, it might end up being more like a new take on apple pie rather than your traditional apple pie.

This weekend my family is coming over and I'm using them as guinea pigs as I try out a new twist on crepes for breakfast, and goulash for dinner!  I'll let you know how they turn out and if they were edible! (The back-up plan is ordering pizza!)  Yeah, I know.

Not Your Typical 9 to 5

People ask me how many hours a day I spend writing and I never can give them
a straight answer.  Some days I sit at the computer for hours on end, just
creating the story.  (Usually this is when a deadline is looming.)

However, the truth of the matter is, I really hate to sit still for long
periods of time and I can find just about any distraction for getting out of
my chair.  "Oh, I need to walk the dog." Or, "I should do this laundry."
Or, "I think I'm out of vanilla."  Whatever.  It's just an excuse.

In my defense, whenever I'm doing those odd chores, I'm usually working out
a knot in my plot.  Even while driving or showering.  (So watch out when you
see me heading your way in my car!)

Hmmm . . . maybe this is why some of my recipes have turned out so strangely
lately.

Stormy Seas

I’m so glad to be cozied up next to the fire enjoying some mindless TV after a crazy trip to the coast. I’m talking thunder, lightening, hail, high winds, and side-ways rain.

I have to say though, as far as writing goes, it doesn’t get any better! Especially since my sister, Nancy Bush, and I were in the middle of plotting out our next book in the WICKED series. We were near the fictitious Deception Bay and Siren Song! We got a lot accomplished but made some time for Bailey’s and coffee too.

This evening, I finished revisions for YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW. Now, onto the next project. But, I think I may wait until next week to start that. Take the end of the week and the weekend to catch up on a few things around the house, take Jackie O No on a few nice, long walks and maybe even catch a movie?? I don’t even know what’s in theaters right now, any suggestions?

Giving myself the creeps!

Okay, so I do a lot of research on line and most of it is pretty straight forward, nothing all that creepy or scary.  I learn a lot about an area, the weather, a particular law, or social mores of an era--pretty dry stuff. Occasionally, though, I do come across something that weirds me out.

For example:

One time I(at night, of course!)  was researching serial killers and was clicking through links.  The sites really bothered me as some of them were dedicated to the promotion and love of serial killers--talk about sick.  But the worst of it was that I eventually landed in a space that asked me if I wanted to email a known and imprisoned serial killer who I recognized and remembered his crimes.  My blood ran cold and I hope that the suggestion was a sick joke.  I'll never know.

Another time I was contacted by a murderer who had killed two women in his family via a letter.  He thought we had something in common--I didn't!   But I checked him on the Internet and actually saw his face and footage of him.  It gave me a serious case of the creeps!

I've learned my lesson.  No more research at night, for starters!

The same, just different

I took a walk today and was struck with how much that simple activity has  changed since I was a kid.

Then, I threw on a pair of sneakers, flew out the door and took off.  The dog (a stray who claimed us) usually followed me as we ran across the fields, forded streams, and cut through the woods.  Often, shepherd at my heels, I walked along the country roads where I scared up pheasants, deer and grasshoppers. Cattle grazed, creeks babbled, and the smell of hay and scotch broom filled my nostrils.  I noticed hawks soaring overhead and far off, trains clattered on distant tracks.  I met no one.

Fast forward a few decades. (Ok, maybe more than a few)

Now, I throw on my rain jacket and hat, make sure I have my keys (a ring a janitor in a 50 story building would envy), a cell phone, my fitbit, some money (for coffee and a newspaper) and an iPod.  Then gear up the dog with her harness, leash and clean-up bags.  I walk on city streets between tall buildings and scare up squirrels in the park and rabbits in the hedgerows.  Obeying street signs and avoiding traffic, I notice the jets flying overhead.  Trains sound at nearby crossings.  I meet dozens of people, none of whom I know.

How different.  How the same.

Kinda weird.  The good news?  I still get to walk in the country when I want to and in the city when I can.  Not so bad, eh?

Three-Zero!!??

My good friend, Debbie Macomber, emailed me the other day to congratulate the both of us.  She said “Do you know it’s been thirty years since we both sold our first books?”

Seriously?  Thirty?  OMG—I thought about one of the first book signings I attended in the early 80’s when another young author, a man, upon learning I wrote romance novels, said, “Oh, you’re like the new Violet Winspear.”  I about died . . . I thought that Violet and the others of her generation, who had successfully written tons of romance novels, were ancient and moldy and totally unhip.

So—that was then.

Flash forward thirty years and, Oops.  Tuns out he was right.  Another generation of writers has appeared on the scene. (For quite a while now.)  Debbie and I along with the rest of our generation?  Yep, you guessed it:  We are the (not so new) Violet Winspears!

FE(Busy)RUARY

This year, February was a big month for me.  Not one, but two new books came out---okay, okay, DARK EMERALD was previously published, but early in February it was re-released with a brand new, and gorgeous cover and is finally available as an e-book, to go along with the other DARK JEWELS novels, DARK RUBY and DARK SAPPHIRE, all medieval stories about thirteenth century Wales, witchcraft, adventure and, yes, romance, which is what February is all about right, with Valentine’s Day and all.







At the end of the month DEVIOUS, the seventh book in the Bentz/Montoya New Orleans series is available as a paperback.  (It was released as a hardback with a different cover in 2011.) Detectives Bentz and Montoya are two of my most popular characters, so it’s good to see them solving crimes in the Crescent City again.




As for me, personally?  How did I celebrate Valentine’s Day?  Well, with the traditional clam chowder dinner, flowers and . . . oh, yes, and an  hour in the lazy boy watching Survivor with my favorite guy.  (We celebrated the day after, or as my father would have said, on “The MOST UN-Valentines Day.”  Sorry, Dad, it seemed to work!