Mandy's Musings

Happy 2012

2012-01-17T17:57:00.001-08:00

So, here we are in a New Year. I discovered a new TV show, thanks to my son - Hell on Wheels. It's a little raw for my taste, and they've said a few things and had a few scenes that made me cringe, but I love the show for several reasons - number one among them is Anson Mount. I've never heard of him before and never seen him in anything, as far as I know. But he is amazing, as is the rest of the cast.

He is my favorite kind of hero - tortured, rugged, tough on the outside, but with that little redeeming bit of goodness inside. I can't wait for season two.

Mandy

Sandy's Angel - Just in time for Christmas

2011-12-04T16:24:00.000-08:00

A woman doesn't find a near-naked man lying on the road every night, and especially not one who looks as good as this one. With a bump on his head and unable to remember much, he definitely needs her help.

Sandy already has her own problems – a failing ranch, hands leaving, and a note about to be called in by the bank. But she can't leave the poor man injured and unclothed.

Will taking him home prove to be a bad decision on her part? Or could he be her answer to a prayer?

Sandy's Angel is a short, short story, but the price is right - only 99 cents. You can download it at Smashwords or Amazon.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

DWTS

2011-11-15T21:36:00.000-08:00

So, Maks and Hope were eliminated. No surprise there!!!! I know this sounds like sour-grapes, but they got a bum rap from the judges practically every week. It was obvious who the judges liked and who they didn't.

So, now that Maks and Hope are gone, so am I. If Maks returns next year, so will I.

Maks, you'll always be #1 with me!

Thanks to all my friends and readers who voted for Maks and Hope. Maybe next year!!!!!

New Cover Copy

2011-11-11T13:34:00.000-08:00

It's always exciting to receive the back cover copy for an upcoming book. My editor emailed me the copy for my September 2012 book yesterday. Amazing, how far in advance they do these things!

Naturally, they hope the blurb will entice readers. So, does this work for you?

A VAMPIRE IN CHAINS
Held captive in a basement prison, wrapped in silver chains, the vampire Gideon is too weak to fight the monster who enslaves him. For years, she’s tapped his precious blood like a fountain of youth—sustaining him with human females she captures for his pleasure. But with the latest victim she brings him, he senses something intriguingly different. Something dangerous, yet oh so tempting.

Kay Alissano is no ordinary woman. Every full moon, she must answer the call of the wild—unleashing the wolf within. As daughter of the Shadow Pack’s Alpha, Kay is extremely powerful—and when she’s offered up to Gideon, she doesn’t surrender easily. In wolf form, she might be able unchain Gideon’s heart and set them both free—if only he can resist the urge to consume her, body and soul, before the next full moon…

“Ashley is a master storyteller.”
—Romantic Times

“A classic vampire tale of sensual, spine-tingling suspense.”
—Christine Feehan on Desire After Dark

Visit us at www.kensingtonbooks.com

I really like this story. It has everything - vampires, werewolves,and witches, both good and evil! You can read an excerpt on my web site at www.amandaashley.net

Mandy

Good News

2011-11-05T19:20:00.000-07:00

So, can you imagine my excitement when I learned that BOUND BY NIGHT is in the running for Romantic Times Best Book of the Year in the Paranormal/Urban Fantasy category? I'm also thrilled to be one of the authors nominated for a Career Achievement Award. Considering the other authors in this category, I think my chances are slim to none, but it's nice to be nominated. Quite an honor, in fact.

In the rant department, am I the only one who thinks the CW is running way too many commercials during THE VAMPIRE DIARIES? According to my calculations, they have 18 minutes of commercials in a 60 minute show. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure they didn't have this many commercials in the first season. They have so many breaks now, it's hard to keep track of what's happening. If I didn't love seeing Damon so much, I'd skip the show altogether and just wait for the DVD!!!!

Maybe a letter writing campaign is in order?

Mandy

Tidbits

2011-10-25T19:56:00.000-07:00

So, I had a nice surprise a few days ago. I entered a contest last year and forgot all about it. But on the 21st of this month, I was notified that EVERLASTING KISS won 1st place in the Ancient City Romance Authors Heart of Excellence contest. I was understandably delighted. My thanks to everyone at the ACRA who made this possible.

I received a proof for the cover of my June 2012 book, His Dark Embrace. Happy to say, I'm happy with it.

And happy with the book, too.

I'm pleased to report that BOUND BY NIGHT and BOUND BY BLOOD both made the USA Today Bestseller list. Always a good thing.

Hard to believe Halloween is just around the corner. Can Christmas be far behind?

Mandy

If you can't say something nice..........

2011-10-02T21:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, I've read a couple of unflattering reviews of my book, BOUND BY NIGHT, and since I've been told I shouldn't respond to such things, I'm venting here!

The main problem seems to be with my heroine because she isn’t aggressive, and because my vampire seems historical instead of contemporary because he lives in a rundown castle without electricity, etc. Also, the reviewers find it unbelievable that the vampires can keep people to feed on with no one knowing about it in this day and age.

To rebut - My heroine was raised by a strict uncle in a small town in Romania that is a little backward. She has scant knowledge of men or of life outside her home in a small village. Her parents are dead. Her aunt is dead. Her cousin is missing. She has little freedom to come and go because of her uncle.

My hero is a very old vampire, and he lives in an old, old castle that has not been modernized. Medieval castles didn’t come with electricity, modern indoor plumbing, forced air heat or air conditioning, etc. He has not added those things because he doesn’t live there all the time, and because he has no need for electricity, or heat, etc.

The people that the vampires keep to feed on have been born and raised inside the fortress where they live. They have no concept of life outside the fortress – no radio, no tv, no newspapers. They are treated well and educated, but they are not free. They are not allowed outside. They are kept by vampires who are hundreds of years old and cling to their old way of life.

I don’t write kick-ass heroines. I find them totally unbelievable. I don’t write heroines who sleep around. My people don’t swear often, they never use the “F” word.

I realize there are reviewers who don’t like heroines if they don't swear and kick ass and take names, nor do they care for heroines who happen to be virgins, but I have many, many loyal readers who like my heroines and my books, and they are the audience I wrote for.

Mandy

Vampire Diaries Rant

2011-09-16T15:48:00.000-07:00

Well, you all know I love the Vampire Diaries, but I have a terrible feeling it's going to go the way of Supernatural, and before long, I won't be watching it....It seems to be getting increasingly gory. And showing decapitated heads - I don't know, is that really necessary? I know they did it last year, too, and I wasn't crazy about it then. I'm also not a big fan of women parading around in their underwear. I think it's demeaning and just a ploy to get guys to watch a chick flick.

I used to love Supernatural, but then, they went way over the top as far as I'm concerned. Of course, maybe they want to appeal to the 18-40 guy crowd. I know it no longer appeals to me, Dean or no Dean. All that angel stuff just seemed a little blasphemous to me, and the blood and gore....sorry, I don't think that's entertaining.

I don't know why producers and directors can't leave well enough alone, but they always feel like they have to top whatever came before.

A good case in point is Pirates of the Caribbean. The first one was great! The next two were, in my opinion, awful. The last one was a little better. Less special effects, less story threads, more character-driven. Now that they seem to be back on track, I hope they make another one.

While we're at it, am I the only one who thinks the new TV season stinks? I mean, out of all the shows on TV and cable, I only watch a few -

The Middle
Warehouse 13
Hawaii Five-O
The Vampire Diaries
Dancing with the Stars (until Maks goes - then Mandy goes)

I still miss -

Moonlight
Invasion
Surface
V
The Gates (I think that's the name of the show)

Okay, I feel better now! Just had to get it off my chest.

Good news

2011-09-16T14:23:00.001-07:00

So, I'm thrilled to tell you that BOUND BY NIGHT was #33 on the New York Times list and #128 on the USA Today bestseller list. Considering the lists cover all books, not just romances, that ain't bad. I'm hoping BOUND BY BLOOD will do as well.

My anthology, TALES OF WESTERN ROMANCE, is now available in both print and eBook
on CreateSpace and Amazon. It contains 5 of my short stories, previously only available as eBooks. Never let it be said I don't listen to my fans - many of who (whom?) asked why they weren't available in print.

I was in our local Dollar Tree, looking for a gift bag, when I saw the book, The View from the Bridge - Memories of Star Trek and a Life in Hollywood. Since I'm a big Star Trek fan, and since I love behind-the-scenes stuff, and since the book was only a dollar, I bougt a copy. I'm glad I did. I love reading about how the 2nd Star Trek movie got made and insights into the stars and the writer/director, etc.

I'm happy to say our weather has cooled off a little the last few days. I am so ready for Fall.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Mandy

Sheesh!

2011-09-04T16:40:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it's September already? Hard to believe I'll be Christmas shopping soon! Assuming there are still stores to shop in, with the economy in the toilet.

On a happier note, my short story, Jessie's Girl, originally published in an anthology titled Paradise, is now available as an eBook. I went through it and updated it a little, since it was written quite a while ago. I love the new cover.

Counting the days until Breaking Dawn.

Mandy

New Books

2011-08-06T22:59:00.000-07:00

For my readers who asked me to please put my eBooks in print, never let it be said I don't listen.

My historical, IN THE SHADOW OF THE HILLS, is now available in print.

Four of my short stories - Catch the Lightning, Capture the Lightning, Passion's Promise, and Reckless Destiny - are being published in a print anthology titled
TALES OF WESTERN ROMANCE, which will be available soon. Reckless Destiny, 5th and final book in my Reckless series, will soon be available as an eBook.

Hard to believe summer is coming to an end and the kids will be in school next week. Can Christmas be far behind?

This-n-that

2011-07-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

So, it's almost the end of July..........

I'm working on a new book, which is due in December. Still need 50,000 words to wrap it up. Groan.

Anxiously waiting for BOUND BY NIGHT to come out, since I'm eager to see what my readers think of it. I was thrilled when it received a 4 1/2 Top Pick review from Romantic Times.

I'm hoping that book 2, BOUND BY BLOOD, will do as well.

I'm getting the rights back on my Reckless Series. They're been out of print for quite some time, and I hope to rectify that in the near future.

I also got the rights back to a short story titled "Jessie's Girl" that was published in an Elvis-themed anthology way back in 1999. I've updated it and done a little rewriting. It will soon be available as an eBook.

I think that's all the news for now.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Mandy

There's No Place Like Home

2011-07-03T23:10:00.001-07:00

We went to Zion last week. Living in the city, you forget how big the world really is. There's a lot of wide open country out there. Driving through Zion and other parts of Utah is like being in another world. For 8 days, we had no news, no tv, no malls, no smog, no computers.

We saw lots of cows and horses, even a herd of buffalo

We also saw some elk someone was raising, for meat or their antlers, I'm afraid. They were beautiful.

We went on a walk in Zion called the Narrows. It was a lovely place, with the friendliest squirrels I've ever seen. I'm used to having them run away from people, but they would come right up to you. It was kind of cool.

We also went to Bryce and walked along something called the Navajo Loop Trail. NEVER AGAIN! It wasn't so bad going down, but climbing back up, in 100 degree heat, at 8,000 feet, almost did me in.

The best thing about Utah? I found my missing Muse!

We had a great time, saw lots of beautiful country, met some interesting people, but as Dorothy so eloquently said, There's no place like home!

I love this poem

2011-05-18T18:57:00.001-07:00

You can't over-emphasize the power of a good example.

The Echo

Twas a sheep not a lamb
That strayed away in the parable
Jesus told.

A grown-up sheep that strayed away
From the ninety and nine in the fold.
And why for the sheep should we seek
and earnesty hope and pray?

Because there is danger when sheep
go wrong
They lead the lambs astray.

Lambs will follow the sheep, you know
Wherever the sheep may stray.
When sheep go wrong
It won't take long til the lambs are
as wrong as they.

And so with the sheep we earnestly
plead
For the sake of the lambs today.
For when the sheep are lost
What a terrible cost
The lambs will have to pay.

C. C. Miller

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T13:51:00.000-07:00

So, here it is, May already, and a time to remember and celebrate our mothers. If your mother is still with you, I hope you took the time to wish her a happy day and tell her how much you love her. This is a photo of my mom, her husband, and my first son.

My Mom had been gone for quite somem time, and while I always miss her, I miss her most on Mother's Day and wish she was here so I could tell her one more time how much I love her.

I had a wonderful Mom. I don't remember her ever yelling at me, only loving me. She was a fun mom and by the time I was a mother, she was my best friend. She was also a wonderful grandmother to my kids, and I've tried to be just like her. My mom had asthma really bad, but it didn't slow her down. She would be in the hospital one day, and taking me and my kids to Disneyland the next.

God bless you. I miss you.

Potpourri

2011-04-07T11:23:00.000-07:00

So, the publishing game is nothing if not interesting. I wrote a book titled BOUND BY NIGHT, which was to be published in February of this year, and a book tentatively titled His Dark Embrace, which was to be published in October of this year............

However, my published decided they would like to publish two of my books back-to-back, and they wanted them to be "connected books" so my editor asked if I could write a sequel to Bound by Night, which I did. The second book is titled BOUND BY BLOOD. The books will be published in September and October of this year.

HIS DARK EMBRACE is now scheduled for June of next year.

Life is good!

Piracy

2011-02-17T13:12:00.000-08:00

There's a lot of talk on writer loops these days about Internet piracy. As an author who is affected, I have to say up front that I am against it. It takes me a minimun of six months to write a book, which amounts to untold hours of sitting in front of my computer, then more hours making whatever changes my editor deems necessary, then reading galley pages, so you can imagine my chargin when I see people uploading my books and giving them away for free as if they had every right to do so, with no regard for the hours of hard work it took for me to write that book.

I know the lure of "something for nothing" is attractive, but people who give away that which they do not own are not only breaking the law, they are depriving others of their livlihood.

Losing a few thousand dollars in royalties may not mean much to mega-authors like Stephen King or Nora Roberts, who sell millions and millions of books a year, but it makes a big difference to me and to many other authors, many of whom have to work at a second job because writing doesn't pay enough to pay the bills.

In publishing, sales are everything. If an author's sales go down enough due to pirates stealing their work and giving it away, that author will soon find herself without a publisher.

I hope I haven't stepped on any toes here. I don't mean to offend, but this is a growing problem that effects nearly every author I know, and not in a good way.

For more info, you can read an excellent article published in the New York Times
Here.

Mandy

New Books for a New Year

2011-02-02T23:56:00.001-08:00

So, here we are in 2011. Kinda scary, how fast the years are going by. Busy time for writing, though. Several new books coming out - Bound by Night in September, Bound by Blood in October. Embrace the Night was reissued last month. My short story, Capture the Lightning will be out as an eBook in a few weeks.

I had a nice surprise. My eBook, Music of the Night, was voted one of the Top Ten books of 2010 by the readers of Preditors and Editors. They also voted the cover the Best Cover in its category.

Life is good!

Mandy

Farewell 2010

2010-12-28T00:38:00.000-08:00

Well, we here are, at the end of another year. Is it just me, or are they going by faster and faster? I think Father Time might be shaving a few hours here and there.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.

I have several books coming out in January, which is kind of cool.

Zebra is reissuing Night's Kiss;

Leisure is reissuing Embrace the Night,

and Dakota Dreams will be available as an eBook.

Under Apache Skies will be available as an eBook sometime in February.

Bound by Night will be published in September, and the sequel, Bound by Blood, will be available in October. My editor has read the first book and said she thinks it's one of my best. I think so, too.

Thank you for your comments and letters throughout the year. I hope 2011 is good to you and yours.

What a great month!

2010-11-19T22:41:00.000-08:00

I was surprised and pleased by the following:

My book, EVERLASTING DESIRE, won the 2010 Best Romance award in the National Best Book contest.

I've been nominated for a career achievement award from Romantic Times Magazine.

IMMORTAL SINS won 1st place in the paranormal category in the Volusia Romance Writers Laurel Wreath contest.

Yep, it's been a great month!!!!

Hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving.

Mandy

eBooks

2010-10-13T15:01:00.001-07:00

I've taken the plunge and decided to explore eBook publishing with a trio of very short stories that are too short to be called books

I didn't do this on my own, however, but through a relatively new eBook publisher. I'm really happy with the 3 covers they've done, and how quickly they got things rolling. I'm not expecting to make any money to speak of, the two really short stores are selling for 99 cents, but hey, at least they're not just sitting on my computer any more.

The first one - CATCH THE LIGHTNING, is available now through Kindle and Smashwords. Catch is a sequel to Chase the Lightning, which was published several years ago.

Still waiting for cool weather in Southern California! It's 94 today.

Mandy

Happy October

2010-10-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

Amazing. It's October. And still HOT. Thankfully, it cools off at night, but our days are still hot.

EVERLASTING DESIRE is in stores now. I remember, way back when, that whenever a new book came out, I used to buy a copy just for the thrill of it. I used to take pictures of my books on the shelf, too. Haven't done that for quite a while, but I did it last week.

Looks good, don't you think? I love this cover! And this book.

I've started a new story. Hope it flies!

Going to see Phantom of the Opera on the 9th. This will be my 29th time. Can't wait!

Mandy

This-n-That

2010-09-17T20:28:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally had to break down and buy a new mouse (for my computer, not a real one) today. For the last week or so, the old one has, from time to time, just stopped working for no reason that I can think of. Today, it died, so it was off to Staples for a new one. Bought a new cordless one. Works great. I love new toys!

Received my copies of the Recorded Books audio edition of EVERLASTING KISS. I listened to some of it last night. So strange, to hear my words read out loud. The narrator is very good.

Thought we were done with the hot weather, but it's been warm again the last few days.

17 days until EVERLASTING DESIRE hits store shelves. I can't wait. I love this book.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Audio Book

2010-08-26T23:54:00.001-07:00

Hi ~ I just learned today that EVERLASTING KISS is available on audio CD from Recorded Books. Naturally, I'm thrilled. And looking forward to May of next year, when Everlasting Desire will also be available on audio.

This is something I always dreamed of and didn't think would ever happen. Then, earlier this year, Leisure Books published Comanche Flame on audio CD. Comanche Flame was the first book I ever wrote so it's naturally been years since I read it. While listening to the audio CD, I sometimes found myself thinking, Wow, that's really good!
LOL

My contract with Recorded Books calls for three books after Everlasting Desire. I guess it's true - all things come to those who wait.

Mandy
Melting in sunny, really hot, Southern California

Book Trailer

2010-08-12T16:05:00.000-07:00

Hi ~ I had a book trailer made for my October book, EVERLASTING KISS, which will be in stores on September 28th. If you're so inclined, I hope you'll hop (or walk or run) over to YouTube and take a look.

Everlasting Desire

Mandy

Vacation

2010-07-21T18:45:00.001-07:00

No doubt about it, vacations are wonderful - except for packing and unpacking the camper!

We went up to Northern California to Lake Almanor. Beautiful country up there. Millions of trees, lots of rivers and streams and lakes, blue sky.

There was still snow on the group in the higher elevations. Amazing. It's 90 degrees and the kids are having snowball fights.

Nothing like camping to make you realize how wonderful home is. The things I missed most were: flush toilets, hot running water, my bathtub, sleeping in my own bed, and my computer.

But, as Dorothy said, there's no place like home. How true that is. And how big home looks after spending a week in the camper. Gave me a new appreciation for my dishwasher, washer and dryer, and....well, everything!!!!!

Stuff

2010-06-28T18:59:00.000-07:00

Went to see Knight and Day. Lots of action, lots of laughs. Try it, I think you'll like it.

Bought my tickets for Eclipse. Can't believe it's finally here!!!!

Everlasting Desire will be out in a few months. How the time flies. Already thinking about upcoming February book and wondering what the cover will look like.

Working on a new book. My editor loves what she's read, which is always good. My critique groups also like it and think it's my best so far. Hope my readers think so.

Hard to believe it's almost July. Don't forget to fly your flag. We need to remind people this is AMERICA and that we still love her.

Hope you're all having a wonderful summer!

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-02T21:18:00.000-07:00

THINGS I LEARNED FROM MY MOTHER..............

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE .
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
" Because I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC .
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about.."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS .
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA ..
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION .
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16.. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING .
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT .
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23.. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25.. My mother taught me about JUSTICE .
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you !"

Author Unknown

A Favor

2010-04-29T19:22:00.000-07:00

As you may, or may not, know, I'm a big fan of Maks on Dancing with the Stars. If you're so inclined, would you please go here here and vote for him. There are 24 days left, and you can vote every 20 minutes! He's currently in 4th place.

Thanks bunches!

GROAN

2010-04-11T14:58:00.000-07:00

I have to go to jury duty tomorrow. I have to say, I'm not too thrilled by the idea. I know people who are NEVER CALLED, yet I get called every year or two.
One time, when one of the lawyers was interviewing me, he asked what I did for a living. I told him I wrote historial romance novels, and he asked me if I knew the difference between reality and fiction. I so wanted to say, is this reality? But I didn't have the nerve!

Looks like rain here in sunny Southern California. We can always use more!

Hope all is well with you and yours and that the world is treating you kindly.

Speaking of New Covers

2010-04-05T13:01:00.000-07:00

I'd no sooner finished writing the last blog when, lo and behold, the new cover arrived in the mail. I love it. What do you think?

Happy Spring

2010-04-05T12:32:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are in April, and it's off to an interesting start.

There was a 7.2 earthquake on Easter Sunday. I'm happy to say I didn't know anything about it until it was over!

And the day after the earthquake, we have rain in sunny Southern California. Of course, rain is always welcome.

I'm awaiting the arrival of cover proofs for my October book, EVERLASTING DESIRE. It's always exciting to see a new cover!

I started a new story, which may become a book, or just another unfinished story on my computer, of which there are many. I can write beginnings all day long. Endings are easy. It's filling up those pages in the middle that come hard!

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Mandy

Ya Gotta Love Maxine

2010-03-22T18:45:00.000-07:00

"Let me get this straight. We're going to be gifted with a health care plan written by a committee whose chairman says he DOESN'T UNDERSTAND IT, passed by a CONGRESS THAT HASN'T READ IT but EXEMPTS themselves from it, to be SIGNED BY A PRESIDENT WHO ALSO HASN'T READ IT and who smokes, with FUNDING ADMINISTERED BY A TREASURY CHIEF WHO DIDN'T PAY HIS TAXES, to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and FINANCED BY A COUNTRY THAT'S BROKE. What the heck could POSSIBLY go wrong?"

"We have to pass the health care bill so we can find out what's in it."
Nancy Pelosi

Nice Surprise!

2010-03-15T20:37:00.001-07:00

I learned the other day that my book, Night's Pleasure, is a finalist in the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence Contest hosted by the Southern Magic Chapter of RWA. I was naturally delighted with this news, and even more surprised, since I entered the contest last December and forgot all about it!

Spring has arrived in sunny Southern California, but it feels like summer. It was in the 80s today, with more warm weather predicted for the rest of the week.

Hope life is being kind to you and yours.

This-n-that

2010-03-04T18:48:00.000-08:00

Can't believe it's March already. Sheesh! We've had a lot of rain here in So. CA, but that's ok, we really need it.

My Muse continues to be mostly AWOL. I did start a new story, but I have a number of ideas on my computer that are just sitting there, out of gas, so to speak. I'm hoping this one doesn't join them, but you never know.

I've been listening to the audio edition of COMANCHE FLAME, which is the first book I wrote. Hard to believe that was over 20 years ago. Talk about time going by! Anyway, it's an odd experience, listening to words I wrote being spoken. Even though I haven't read the book since I wrote it, I still remember certain words and phrases and know what the reader is going to say before she says it. And every now and then, I find myself thinking, wow, that's good! Or smiling at a particular passage.

If all goes well, some of my Amanda Ashley books may soon be available as audio books. I can't wait!

As for my current book, EVERLASTING KISS, I'm happy to say that it made the NYT list and spent 4 weeks on the USA Today Bestseller list.

And life is good.

Is it just me?

2010-02-20T22:58:00.000-08:00

I don't know if I'm just not in the mood to read or I'm buying the wrong books, but I've been really disappointed in the last few books I've read. They started out ok but then I just lost interest in them. The last one I didn't even finish. It really bothers me because the last two were by authors I usually like!

Am I the only one having this problem?????????

What a Nice Surprise

2010-02-10T19:40:00.000-08:00

I'm thrilled to say that my book is #84 on the USA Today Bestseller list and #29 on the NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST.

I know it's not right to brag, but I'm so thrilled I just had to share!

Hope good news comes your way!

Rain, rain, go away

2010-02-06T21:32:00.001-08:00

Actually, I love the rain, but enough is enough. It rained yesterday and all night and most of today. The sky was beautiful this afternoon when it stopped...blue with lots of gray and white clouds.

My book, Everlasting Kiss, is on the USA Today bestseller list! Color me HAPPY! Hope it stays awhile.

My editor is reading the sequel, Everlast Desire. She said she was enjoying it and that Rhys was "a fabulous hero". Always nice when your editor likes your work!

Hope you all have a blessed Sabbath.

It's Here

2010-01-25T23:22:00.000-08:00

I haven't seen it in stores yet, but I hear my new book, EVERLASTING KISS, has arrived on store shelves. So far, the letters I've received have been positive. Always a relief.

I recently finished the first draft of my latest vampire romance. So far, so good!

Wondering if we're in for another storm. We had rain, rain, rain, thunder, lightning and hail last week. The mountains are beautiful, all covered with snow.

Looking forward to seeing the cover for my October book, which is a sequel to
EVERLASTING KISS titled EVERLASTING DESIRE.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Farewell 2009

2009-12-29T19:59:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been an interesting year. Our country is deeper in debt than ever before, people I know are out of work and in danger of losing their homes. One can only hope that the next year will be better. Sadly, I'm afraid it will only get worse.

Nevertheless, I have much to be grateful for. I'm grateful that our family is doing okay. I'm grateful for my family, for their love and laughter.

I'm grateful for my friends, for their love and support, for being there to lend a listening ear when I needed it.

I'm grateful for the talent I've been blessed with and the readers who take the time to write me. Many of them have also become friends even though we've never met.

I'm grateful for the men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our nation - firemen, policemen, the men and women in the Armed Services.

I wish you all a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year, and hope you'll take a few minutes to pray for our Nation. We need all the help we can get.

God bless America in 2010.

Thankful

2009-11-22T22:02:00.000-08:00

Well, here it is, days before Thanksgiving. I know people say it all the time. I seem to say it every year, but WHERE DID THE YEAR GO? Christmas is NEXT MONTH, and next month is less than two weeks away. It's scary, how fast the days are going by. Almost as scary as the economy and the increasing lack of values in our country. I worry about what the world will be like when my grandkids grow up. Will anyone even remember the difference between right and wrong? Or even care?

Sorry, I was going to talk about the things I'm grateful for, and there are many:

My family, my friends, my puppy, my home, my car, this beautiful country we are blessed to live in, my good health and the health of my loved ones, the talent God has blessed me with and the people I've met because of it, hot running water, flush toilets, washers and dryers and dishwashers and microwaves, my computer, my new keyboard, movies and books and the freedom to worship as I please.

I hope you will join me this Thanksgiving in praying for our country. America needs our prayers as never before.

May God bless you and your loved ones this holiday season.

Mandy

The Month Before Christmas

2009-11-10T15:55:00.000-08:00

Twas the month before Christmas*
*When all through our land,*
*Not a Christian was praying*
*Nor taking a stand.*
*See the PC Police had taken away,*
*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*
*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things..*
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*
* December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.*
*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*
*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*
*Something was changing, something quite odd! *
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*
* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*
*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*
*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*
*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*
*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*
*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*
*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*
* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*
*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*
*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*
*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*
*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,
not Happy Holiday !*

Pirates

2009-10-22T15:29:00.000-07:00

The more I learn about Internet piracy, the angrier I get. I have to admit, I was happier when I was totally ignorant of the fact that there are tons of places on the web where you can illegally download books (among other copyrighted material) for free. I suppose this might sound great. Wow, free books! Free games. Free music!

In talking about this with someone else, I learned there is one author who figured that she had lost FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS due to illegal downloads.

I went to one site that had posted some of my books and added up how much I had lost on a few of them. When the number reached $800.00, I stopped counting because it was just too depressing.

I don't know, maybe these thieves think it's cool to post material that doesn't belong to them, and then give it away. The servers who post the links don't care. One of them, TorrentMatrix, knows what they're doing is illegal. They even have the guts to post the following warning on their site:

"Are you trying to download amanda ashley - immortal sins?
It can be dangerous and cause a copyright infringement notice, so you might be prosecuted (read our Lawsuits Cases section)".

And then they tell you how to get around it. "We would recommend you to use a special program TorrentPrivacy to avoid that. It allows you to be anonymous in bittorrent networks."

Isn't that nice of them to tell people how to break the law and get away with it?

So, instead of refusing to accept copyrighted material or refusing to let people download copyrighted material, they just tell you how to break the law without getting caught.

The people posting my books are stealing work that belongs to me and giving it away. How would you feel if you spent 6 months working on a project and then discovered people were just giving it away? Do you see why I'm upset? The sad part is, as soon as you get one server to remove the illegal links (and it isn't easy), they just show up somewhere else.

The worse part is, as I might have mentioned before, all these free downloads cut into my sales figures, which makes my publisher think my books aren't selling, which will make them wonder if they should renew my contract. A few thousand free copies may not mean anything to an author like Nora Roberts, who sells millions and millions of books a minute, but it makes a big difference to authors like me, especially in this economy, especially to authors who depend on their royalites for a living.

Whew!!!!! Sorry for the rant, but I just needed to get it off my chest!!!!!

Edward vs Jacob

2009-10-06T00:06:00.000-07:00

I’m re-reading New Moon and wondering why Bella loved Edward. She never really had any fun with him. Oh, sure, she thought he was the most gorgeous thing on the planet and she was fascinated by him, but they never had any fun together, not the way she did with Jake.

She didn’t want to go to the prom, but Edward made her.
She didn’t want a birthday party, but Edward insisted and she got hurt. And then, after she got hurt from something he wanted, he left her.
When he didn’t want her to see Jacob, he had Alice kidnap her.

On the other hand, Jake let Bella be Bella. He respected her feelings and her wishes, he didn’t patronize her, but, most of all, he made her laugh. She was at ease with Jacob, she felt at home with him and his family. He loved her in a much more positive, healthy, human way, whereas Edward is obsessive and controlling.

Edward’s lips are cold, his body is cold, his skin is hard.
Jacob is warm and cuddly, with human emotions.

With apologies to Team Edward, I think she would have been happier with Jacob. Besides, he's smokin' hot

It's Here

2009-10-03T21:26:00.001-07:00

Just a quick post to say that my new book, IMMORTAL SINS, is in stores now.

People who read it said:

Romantic Times Book Reviews said:
"An almost-evil vampire trapped in a painting by a vengeful wizard for deflowering his daughter? Ashley's latest is jam-packed with surprises. The abundance of plot devices, which should slow the story down, instead give it the momentum to become a fast-faced romp. Kudos to Ashley for another winner! Whitney Kate Sullivan."

*

I really enjoyed Jason and Kari’s journey! Karinna is your average contemporary woman who encounters a totally exciting paranormal experience and rolls with the situation with grace and determination. Jason Rourke is a sexy as all get-out alpha vampire who wins Kari’s heart and mine too.
I love my Urban Fantasy, but I also love a terrific Paranormal Romance and this book satisfies my need for an HEA. Amanda Ashley delivers, as always, a great love story filled with passion, danger, excitement, and colorful characters who jump off the page into my mind’s eye! Sidhe Vicious Reviews

*

As a long time fan of Amanda Ashley’s I think Immortal Sins is more supernaturally involved, and I liked it! She added in a wizard, people trapped in paintings, as well as quite a bit of history on Transylvania that she normally wouldn’t put in her books. I think this was a nice shake up for her stories, but she still had the devastatingly handsome vampire, and the woman that was perfect for him, along with a happily ever after that will make you feel complete once you finish that last page. Perfection and flawless as always, Ms. Ashley is still in my top five favorite authors! And, the cover art is smokin’ hot!!
5 Hearts
Crystal Adkins
www.bookreviewsbycrystal.blogspot.com

I hope you'll give it a try.

A sad day

2009-10-01T16:24:00.000-07:00

I was sorry to hear that my Zebra editor, Kate Duffy, passed away a few days ago. She was a terrific editor and I loved working with her. She was fun, had a wonderful sense of humor, great wit and wisdom. She was always supportive and enthusiastic about my books and always had time to chat.

My condolences to her family and to those she worked with at Kensington. I know she will be missed.

I miss her already.

Mandy

Remembering

2009-09-11T14:52:00.001-07:00

Where were you when the towers came down?

I remember I was in bed when my son called and said, "Mom, turn on the tv. A plane just crashed into the twin towers."

The world has never been the same.

I hope you'll take a minute to remember where you were that day, the disbelief, the horror of watching people jump out of windows.

I hope you'll say a prayer for those who are still grieving, and for those who are defending us today, and that you'll ask our Heavenly Father to bless and protect our nation.

Piracy

2009-09-06T23:30:00.000-07:00

You know, I just don't understand how people can copy my books, upload them to a website, and give them away without my permission! I mean, that's stealing. Just tonight, I found 2 websites that are giving my books away.

It takes me between 6 months and a year to write a book. That's a lot of hours spent at the computer. After the book is written, I spend a lot of hours going through copy edits and galley proofs.

Needless to say, it doesn't make me very happy when I see someone giving away a book that I spent months writing, something that's a part of me. Something that's mine!

Mandy

Sheesh

2009-08-26T18:23:00.000-07:00

Wow, I thought it was hot before, but it's worse now. Over 100 degrees and sticky. Did I mention I hate summer?

Believe it or not, I've received another new cover. This on is for LOVE'S SERENADE, which contains two of my previously published short stories - Loving Sarah and Loving Devlin. Back in 1994, Loving Devlin was voted Best Indian Historical by the Puget Sound Romance Readers.

I don't have a pub date for this book yet.

I hope to be going on vacation for a few days next month, hopefully to the beach to cool off!!!

Other than writing and trying to keep cool, there's not much going on here. Hope you're having fun, wherever you are.

Mandy

Melting...........

2009-08-05T16:24:00.000-07:00

Holy cow, is it hot! We've had a heat wave for the last three weeks, temps in the high 90s and low hundreds. I hate it! I'll bet hell isn't this hot!!!!

Received a cover proof for my February 2010 book, EVERLASTING KISS. I love this story, and its sequel, as yet untitled.

All of a sudden, I have a lot of books in the works.....

Shadows Through Time - August

Immortal Sins - October

The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance - December

Feather in the Wind reissue - January, 2010

Everlasting Kiss - February

Sequel to Everlasting Kiss - October

I have two other books coming out sometime in 2010, I think - Heart of the Hunter and Love's Serenade - from Cerridwen Press.

Hope life is being good to you and yours.

Mandy

Another New Cover

2009-07-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

Well, lately, it seems like every day bring a new cover!!!! I have to say, I love writing for Cerridwen Press. They emailed me the cover for my book, HEART OF THE HUNTER, and I just wasn't crazy about it. So, I wrote back and asked for a few changes and voila! they emailed the new improved cover, which I love.

Something similar happened with SHADOWS THROUGH TIME, although this time I only asked for one minor change. On the original cover, the hero had short hair and in the book, he has long hair, so I asked them to change it and, again, voila! my hero has long hair (although I have to admit I really liked it short!)

I hope you're having a wonderful (not-too-hot) summer!

Mandy

New Cover

2009-07-22T17:03:00.001-07:00

Just got the cover for THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF TIME TRAVEL ROMANCE and had to share it! The book will be out this December.

Mandy, still melting

Whew!

2009-07-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

Well, summer arrived with a vengeance here in sunny California. It's been in the high 90s to 100 for the last week and a half. I hate it!

Lots of things going on, publishing-wise:

I have a short story coming out in a new anthology titled The Mammoth Book of Time-Travel Romance. My story, Catch the Lightning, is a sequel to my book, Chase the Lightning.

My never-before-published time travel book, Shadows Through Time, will be out next month from Cerridwen Press, first as an eBook and then in paperback. Cerridwen is also publishing 3 of my old short stories. One of them, Heart of the Hunter, will be out as a single book. The other two stories, Loving Sarah and Loving Devlin, will be combined into one book titled Love's Serenade.

My next vampire romance, Immortal Sins, will be out in October, followed by EVERLASTING KISS in February and its sequel, which I just finished, hopefully in October.

I've started two new stories....will have to see which one "jells".

Mandy, melting in California

FYI

2009-06-16T21:57:00.000-07:00

Well, suggestions for my hero are still coming in. At the moment, I'm leaning heavily toward Logan or Jake. I used Logan for a western hero many years ago; I used Jake in a Silhouette romance. I know, there are many names I haven't used, and there have been many great suggestions, but, for one reason or another, they didn't work. Some remind me too much of heroes from other books or movies, some just don't conjure a vampire image for me.

Guess I need to make a decision soon....

Thanks, again!!!!!

Mandy

WOW!!!!!

2009-06-14T15:21:00.000-07:00

Well, I had a brilliant idea the other day. I discovered I needed to change the name of one of my characters in an upcoming book since I had already ued the name Jason twice - in "Masquerade" and "Immortal Sins" - and I decided using the same name 3 times was a bit much. So.... I sent out a newsletter asking for suggestions.

Oh, my, did I get suggestions! I've never received so much mail!!!! Of course, I want to thank all those who responded. You sent a lot of names I really liked but felt just didn't work for one reason or another. For instance:

Damien was suggested many times, but it reminds me of "The Omen" and that creeped me out.

Armand is a good name, but is too well-known in books by Anne Rice.

Nicolas has been used too many times in too many other books.

Of course, a lot of the names suggested were names I've already used in other books ~ Ethan, Gabriel, Rourke, Alexander, Jesse, Matthew, Luke, Rafael, Michael, Morgan, Caleb, Ryder, Grigori, Dominic, Antonio, Vince, Erik. And Rhys, which is my hero's name in my current work-in-progress.

At the moment, I'm leaning heavily toward Logan (I used it in a western, but that was many years ago).

Hope life is being good to you and yours.

Mandy

May the Force Be With You

2009-06-09T22:03:00.000-07:00

The Star Wars 501st Legion was in town last weekend. If you're a Star Wars fan and you get a chance to see them, you should go. Really fun! We went early in the day, but the line was so long, we left. I decided to go back later, right before they were scheduled to leave. Turned out to be a smart move. We were the last ones inside and we got to hang around a little after everyone else left.

The weather here is mostly cool and cloudy. I love it! It's perfect for walking Lady in the morning. She's kind of skittish out there in the big wide world. Not too sure about the big dogs that bark at her as we pass by, and definitely afraid of the horses! We've only had Lady a short time, but she's already part of the family and firmly entrenched in our hearts.

I'm almost finished with my current work-in-progress. Only 9,000 words to go, and still not sure how to tie it all up!

Hope life is being good to you!

Mandy

Life

2009-05-31T00:09:00.000-07:00

Life is so uncertain. You just never know what lies around the corner. One day you're at the birth of a baby and the next you're at a funeral.

On the 27th, our family welcomed a new baby girl. She's lovely and healthy and perfect. My best friend's family wasn't so lucky. They also had a beautiful baby girl born into their family, but the baby isn't expected to live more than a few days, a few weeks at most.

On the 28th, we went to a funeral for a young man that our sons grew up with, a boy I've known most of his life. He passed away unexpectedly. His family is still recovering from the loss of this young man's mother, who passed away only a month ago.

I don't have anything profound to say about this, no words of wisdom, no flash of insight as to why these things happen. I guess it's just life and you have to take it as it comes, the good with the bad, the happy with the sad.

Mandy

Unreal

2009-05-11T22:29:00.001-07:00

One of my readers mentioned some of my books were available in Kindle editions from Amazon, so I went to have a look, and while I was there, I clicked on a link for MIDNIGHT PLEASURES in hardback. Imagine my surprise when I saw 2 new copies listed for - are you ready? - $358.89!!!!! There were 7 used copies selling for $92.44.

Geez, if any of you are willing to pay $358.89 for this book, I'll sell you my copy, and I'll even autograph it for you!!!!

I found it highly amusing that they listed the authors as Amanda Shayne and Maggie Ashley.

Mandy

This-n-that

2009-05-02T21:17:00.001-07:00

Well, I'm totally in love with our new puppy. It didn't take her long to find a place in my heart. She's so cute and lovable, she always makes me smile.

We went to see STATE OF PLAY starring Russell Crowe, one of the best movies I've seen this year. Crowe was great in it, and while I'd rather see him looking sexy and buff, his acting in this movie was fabulous. I highly recommend it.

We also went to see EARTH. Amazing movie filled with beautiful vistas and views of our planet that are breathtaking. Of course, being from Disney, the animal scenes are also amazing.

I also saw the new WOLVERINE flick. It's much more intense than the first three. More violent, more profanity, and a nude (from a distance) Hugh Jackman! This is not a movie for kids.

17 Again was a delightful movie. Much better than I expected. A friend of mine saw it twice in one day!

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Mandy

New Puppy

2009-04-17T13:22:00.000-07:00

We have a new Pomeranian puppy. She's 3 months old and her name is Lady. Some might think we didn't wait long enough to get a new dog. My husband is one of them. He said he hoped I waited longer to replace him! But I'm not replacing Teddi. That's impossible. Still, the new puppy has helped to fill the hole in my heart. She's so cute and has such a funny personality, it's hard to be sad when she's around. She very curious, of course, like all puppies, and seems fascinated with the dishwasher.

Mandy

Farewell

2009-04-08T22:15:00.001-07:00

When told about my sweet Teddi's passing, a friend of mine wrote the following....

"April 6

. . .So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air and brought them to the man to see what he would call them.”

-and they called her Teddi-

This morning, I received an e-mail from a dear friend, telling me that her dog had made her transition. Teddi was a seventeen-year-old Pomeranian who looked very much like my little Zen Master, Punkie. She was a joy to her family and will be missed by them all.
Our precious pets enrich our lives, give us total, unconditional love and have even been known to lower our blood pressure.
In my home, I have a statue of St. Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of animals and all creation. Every animal has a purpose in the balance of our ecosystem, as well as being wonderful sources of enjoyment. Birds give us song, butterflies and lady bugs enrich the earth with color and squirrels can entertain us for hours.
Enjoy the creatures of the earth—love them.
Dance with the angels, dear Teddi, until we join you on the other side."

Thanks, Molly.

A sad day

2009-04-06T00:02:00.000-07:00

Today the world is sad and gray, our cherished Teddi passed away.
Hard to believe something so small could leave such a big hole in my life. I got Teddi when she was just 5 weeks old, a little tiny fluff of fur, the only dog I ever had that was cute when she was a puppy and stayed cute her whole life. She was 17 1/2 when she passed away.

I knew I would miss her when she was gone. Her passing wasn't unexpected; she'd been sick for several months. I just didn't realize how much I would miss her, and how empty our house would feel without her.

Mandy

Sea Gulls and Stimulus

2009-02-21T15:38:00.000-08:00

I read a story once about great flocks of sea gulls that were starving in the midst of plenty. Fishing was good in the town, but the gulls didn't know how to fish. For years, they had depended on the shrimp fleet to toss them scraps from their nets. Then the fishermen moved on.

The fishermen had created a welfare state for the sea gulls. The big birds never bothered to learn how to fish, or to teach their young to fish. Instead, they took the young gulls to the shrimp nets.

Sadly, the sea gulls, once fine free birds, were starving to death becasue they gave in to the lure of "something for nothing". They sacrificed their independence for a handout.

Sound familiar? If you think about it, a lot of people these days are like the sea gulls. They don't want to work, or pay their own way. Instead, they want Uncle Sam to toss them a bail-out here, a stimulus there, wihtout realizing they are giving up their freedom and their independence, never stopping to wonder what they're going to do when Uncle Sam runs out of money.

Mandy

A Night to Remember

2009-02-13T01:11:00.001-08:00

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a BIG fan of Phamtom of the Opera. So, when I saw it was playing at the Pantages, I had to go, and so, after spending 30 minutes on the phone with Ticketmaster, I secured good seats for February 10th.

Since this was a special occasion - after all, we hadn't seen the play since 1998 - we decided to rent a limo for the 8 of us. Oh my gosh, it was so much fun. I think I've only ridden in a limo once before, when my publisher hired one to take me to the Book Expo in L.A. It wasn't near as big or as nice as this one. My kids loved it and we had a great time.

As for the play - it was wonderful. I'd forgotten how powerful it is. The actor playing the Phantom was terrific. IMO, if the Phantom is a dud, the whole play is ruined, but John Cudia was awesome. On a scale of 1 to 10, with Davis Gaines being a 10, John was a 9 1/2. I'd love to see him again.

Sadly, it was over all too soon. Happily, it was as wonderful the 27th time as it was the first. No wonder it's Broadway's longest running play.

Mandy

New Contest

2009-02-09T14:39:00.000-08:00

Sidhe Vicious Reviews is having a contest. The winner will receive a signed copy of NIGHT'S PLEASURE, which, I'm happy to say, made the USA Today bestseller list. I'm also happy to say she enjoyed the book!

Mandy

Never make that mistake again

2009-01-26T00:17:00.000-08:00

IN August of last year, I had a new counter top installed, something called LG HI-MACS Acrylic Solid Surface. I was used to tile, which is practically indestructable. I could put hot stuff on it, let my kids sit on it, whatever...well, this new stuff isn't so durable. I forgot you're not supposed to put hot stuff - like a crock pot - directly on the countertop....and I did....and it cracked. Of course, it isn't covered under the warranty, so it's going to cost me $400 to have it repaired.

An expensive mistake....next time I replace a counter top (or a sink top, for that matter), I'll either get tile or granite, which I probably should have got in the first place!!!! If any of you are thinking of buying a new counter top, don't get any of those acrylic countertops...why they sell a product for kitchen use that you can't put a hot pot on is beyond me. Why I bought one is an even bigger mystery!!!!

Mandy
about to be $400 poorer

the kiss of death, that's me

2009-01-24T22:26:00.000-08:00

I guess there's no sense wondering or lamenting the loss of old TV shows, but...

I was watching reruns of Moonlight last night.....and Blood Ties tonight....and thinking how much I loved both shows. They both had great casts (and really sexy guys) and intriguing storylines, and they were both canceled after 1 season.

The same with Invasion.

The same with Surface.

The same with The Dresden Files.

And now they've taken Pushing Daisies and My Own Worst Enemy off the air.

I feel like the kiss of death. Every show I like gets the axe! Frasier seems to be the only exception. It ran for something like 10 years and is still in reruns.

Mandy
Night's Pleasure
in stores January 27th

Blogs

2009-01-16T22:48:00.000-08:00

"I suppose blogs are a good thing in many ways, but I read one recently that reviewed one of my books. The author of this blog hated my book, and said so, and then picked it apart from beginning to end. I know not everyone likes the way I write, and that's fine. I'm not the world's best author. Heck, I'm not even close. But you know, I do the best I can. I guess the thing that bothered me most was that it was so mean-spirited. I have to wonder if the people who write nasty reviews on Amazon and elsewhere realize how hurtful those reviews are to the authors who read them.

I was tempted to post a reply on Sheridan Sakura Carlotta's blog (yes, that's her name), and ask her to please take the knife out of my back when she was through trashing my book, but I decided against it after some good advice from a friend of mine who said:

"First of all, whoever wrote the review is so flip and impressed with her own wit that she can't stand it. She likes to see herself blog, if you know what I mean, the way some like to hear themselves talk. She's found an audience and gets perverse pleasure from it. I'm sure you know that you can't please all the people all the time---there will be many who don't like you, or don't get what you do. You can't worry about them, although I know it's hurtful. Bottom line, you have a great career and your own fan base who do love what you write."

So, thank you to my friend for helping me put things in perspective.

Mandy

Happy New Year

2009-01-03T18:05:00.000-08:00

Well, here we are, in 2009, and it's already the 3rd! Hope you had a wonderful holiday. Christmas was fun ~ lots of food and presents and laughs. New Year's Eve was pretty quiet, and downright boring on New Year's day! Some people may think writers live a wonderful, exciting life. Maybe some of them do, but I'm not one of them. The biggest excitement on New Year's day was taking down the Christmas tree, and I broke one of my favorite ornaments - a Beauty and the Beast one. Don't know how I'll replace it.

My new book, NIGHT'S PLEASURE, is scheduled for release on January 27th. This is the 4th book in the series - Night's Kiss, Night's Touch, Night's Master, Night's Pleasure. A 5th book, tentatively titled Night's Mistress, is due out next year.

There's a website running a contest where you can vote for the best cover. My book, Hawk's Woman, is in the running. If you've got a minute, and you're so inclined, you can vote for it here http://www.erinaislinn.com/BookCoveroftheMonth.htm I think all you do is click on the cover, which opens an email for you to send, which automatically enters you in a contest. The winner receives a copy of the winning book.

I'm hoping this year doesn't fly on by quite as fast as the last.

Wishing you a happy, healthy, properous New Year!!!!!

Mandy

This made me stop and think

2008-12-03T14:18:00.000-08:00

Someone somewhere once said something like, if we don't all hang together, we shall all hang separately, or words to that effect.

For the upcoming year, I would hope that Americans everywhere will put aside their petty differences and come together in a spirit of unity and peace.

I read the following in an email I received, and thought it was worth passing on:

"When they came for the gypsies, I said nothing, because I wasn't a gypsy. When they came for the homosexuals, I said nothing, because I wasn't a homosexual. When they came for the Jews, I said nothing, because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the Catholics, and I said nothing, because I wasn't a Catholic......then they came for me, and there was no one left to defend me."

I hope our country comes together for the greater good before it's too late.

Mandy

Fire, fire, everywhere

2008-11-15T19:14:00.000-08:00

If you've been watching the news, you know there are a number of fires burning in Southern California. Fires are burnikng in the cities of Sylmar, Montecito, Yorba Linda, Brea, and Corona. I can see a couple of them from my house. They're in the hills, far enough away not to be a threat, but scary just the same. Numerous homes and thousands of acres have been burned in the last two days. I feel so bad for the people who have lost everything. It must be devastating to see your house and all your belongings - things that can never be replaced - go up in smoke. My prayers are with them, and with the firefighters and police officers who are involved.

We took this photo from the street. Of course, you really can't tell how bad the fire is from this picture, which was taken with my cell phone. It also looks a lot closer than it is.

Same fire from a different angle.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Mandy

Trick or Treat

2008-10-19T21:30:00.000-07:00

Wow, can you believe it's almost Halloween? Of course, judging by the decorations in the stores, you'd think it was Christmas!!!

The third book in my Night series ~ Night's Master ~ is in stores now. I'm happy to say that it's been on the USA Today bestseller list for the last two weeks. Now, if I could just make the New York Times list...

My little sparrow is all grown up. He even grew a tail, although he still doesn't fly too high. He does fly up on my shoulder, though. I was told by a bird lady that, since I had hand-raised Tweety, he probably wouldn't survive if I turned him loose, which is just as well, cause I'd really miss him (or her).

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Mandy

bummed out

2008-10-06T21:58:00.000-07:00

Of all the stars that had to get hurt on Dancing with the Stars, it would have to be Maks's partner! Maks is the only reason I watch the show, although Cloris Leachman is really fun. It just ain't fair. I think they should have given Maks a new partner....

On the bright side, my new book, NIGHT'S MASTER, is in stores now!

Mandy

SUMMERTIME

2008-09-15T21:13:00.000-07:00

Well, we just got home from a week up in Northern California. When you live in the city, you forget how BIG the world really is. Driving along Hwy 395, we saw miles and miles of open country and acres and acres of farmland populated by cattle, horses, deer, llamas (yes, llamas)sheep, and goats.

We spent the week at Lake Almanor. There are no words to describe how lovely and peaceful it is up there. Nothing but trees and mountains, deer, chipmunks, and squirrels. Some of the deer are so tame, they'll eat out of your hand. One doe ever let us pet her.

Still, it's good to be home. A week in the camper is about all I can stand. I'm happy to be back in the land of flush toilets, bathtubs, and hot running water!!!

My book, NIGHT'S MASTER, should be out the end of this month!

Mandy

another new cover

2008-08-06T15:56:00.001-07:00

I really love the covers from Cerridwen Press....Here's the latest one that I received....

Cerridwen Press will be publishing a time travel I wrote a few years ago. I'm not sure of the pub date, but hopefully, it will be out soon.

I hope it's cooler where you are. It's 95 degrees and sticky here in southern CA. I'm ready for winter!

I can't believe I've been called for Jury Duty again! We've only lived in this house 4 years and I've been called 3 times. Doesn't anyone else live in the county?????
Enough is enough!

Okay, I feel better now. A little ranting always helps!

TTFN

Mandy

Things

2008-07-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

Things I'm happy about.....my new book covers from Cerridwen Press....

Things I'm angry about....the price of gas! It cost me $40 for 9 gallons!

Things I'm looking forward to....

WINTER, because I hate summer, and the publication of my new books:

THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF VAMPIRE ROMANCE (August)
APACHE FLAME (ebook (August)
NIGHT'S MASTER (October)

Mandy

Book Info

2008-06-21T21:30:00.001-07:00

Just had to share the cover for my book, NIGHT'S PLEASURE. I love it! NIGHT'S PLEASURE is the 3rd book in my Night series.

I've also seen the cover for HAWK'S WOMAN, which will be available as an eBook from Cerridwen Press on July 10th, and in print in September. HAWK'S WOMAN was originally published by Signet Books, but it's been out of print for quite some time.

My book, CHASE THE WIND, has been translated into Dutch. Has a really nice cover, too.

For those who have been asking when Madeline Baker will have a new book out, I'm delighted to announce that Cerridwen will be publishing my time travel, currently titled Shadows Through Time.

And that's all the news for now!

Mandy

My new baby

2008-06-21T21:26:00.000-07:00

I was out walking with my kids on Thursday when we found a baby bird in someone's driveway. Being soft-hearted, I couldn't just leave it lying there in the heat, so I took it home.

He (or she) is very tiny and very cute. I've found baby birds on several other occasions. None of them has ever survived more than a few days. I'm hoping this one will do better. He seems to be doing well, but with baby birds, you just never know.

Hope it's cool in your corner of the world. We're meling in Southern California!!!!!

REVIEW NIGHT'S MASTER

2008-06-09T15:30:00.000-07:00

I received my first review for NIGHT'S MASTER, and thought I'd share it. Online reviewer, Amanda Killgore, said:

"Almost immediately, Kathy McKenna and Rafe Cordova are drawn together, and not just because the lovely bookstore owner can sense paranormal beings, such as vampires, which is what Rafe is. Despite all the good common sense arguments against getting involved, the two fall in love at the worst possible time, in the midst of a war between vampires and shape shifters and just as after a lull of a quarter century, hunters are on the rise again and more sinister than ever. This time, not only are were creatures and vampires in danger from them, but so are ordinary humans whose deaths could be useful. Love is a battle when your heart belongs to the undead.

How can a book be charmingly sweet yet edgy at the same time? I don't know how, but Amanda Ashley invariably makes it happen and in a unique way that keeps me impatient for her next book. The family ties she forms that provide the foundations of her worlds make you care about them, whether it's the Cordova family, or Edward the hunter turned vampire, or any other set. Night's Master is almost impossible to put down, but is also gentle enough to be relaxing. I love how she conveys the sensual without being graphic and how Rafe respects his lady's morals. We need more of that in this world, in both reality and fiction. My hat is off to my fellow Amanda."

Yes, I'm happy!!!!

Mandy

Books and profanity....

2008-06-04T20:27:00.000-07:00

As an author, I would never tell another writer what to write. As a reader, I am appalled by the language used in some of the books I've read lately. Granted, I hate profanity and rarely use it in my books. I cringe when I read the Lord's name used as a swear word. I hate the F word. All arguments to the contrary, I don't think there's any place for that word in any book with "romance" on the spine.

Having said that, I read a book by a very popular author that used a word I NEVER thought I would see in any book written by a woman. Of course, I can't write it here, and wouldn't if I could. I thought of writing to the publisher and voicing my opinion, but I can't make myself type the word on my computer. It was vile and totally unnecessary.

Many authors argue that they have to use the F word for "reality". However, I don't know anyone who reads a romance for reality. I believe most readers, like myself, read for escape, and the F word isn't something I want to escape to.

As for that other word, the author that used it has lost me as a fan.

Mandy

Totally bummed out

2008-05-14T16:10:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that CBS has cancelled Moonlight, which is simply the best show on TV. I am so blue. All the shows I love end up being cancelled. It's just not fair!
The show has millions of fans, but apparently that's not enough. I guess being voted Best New Drama didn't help, either, nor did the fact that the star was voted Sexiest Sci-Fi guy.

All I can say is, I HATE CBS.

Mandy

Happy Mother's Day to Me.

2008-05-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Well, what a wake-up call I had this morning. My phone rang at 8:30 and when I answered it, I heard a man say he was calling from the Mark and Brian show and that my son, David, had told them that I write “some of those romance novels with Fabio on the cover”. I said is this for real? He said yes and that Fabio was there. Fabio said hi. I told Fabio I had met him in Orange County at a Romance Writers of America meeting, and at a department store when he was selling his cologne. Unfortunately, I couldn’t hear his response very well. And then Mark said they had to go and wished me a Happy Mother’s Day and Fabio wished me a Happy Mother’s Day. It was so cool. I called mu son and told him that was so fun and he wished me a Happy Mother’s Day.
What a great way to start the day!

Here's Fabio signing a copy of my book, Comanche Flame. He's on the cover.

The Latest News

2008-04-15T15:02:00.000-07:00

Well, lots of things going on in the publishing side of my life. I signed a contract to do a short story for THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF VAMPIRE ROMANCE.

I signed a contract with Cerridwen Publishing. They're going to publish four of my out-of-print titlles ~ APACHE FLAME, HAWK'S WOMAN, LAKOTA LOVE SONG and WOLF SHADOW.

Leisure Books will reissuing four of my books in May ~ APACHE RUNAWAY, CHASE THE WIND (sequel to Apache Runaway, LAKOTA RENEGADE, and CHASE THE LIGHTNING.

Zebra will be publishing NIGHT'S MASTER in October, and reissuing NIGHT'S KISS.

And now, on the lighter side, I received this and thought I'd pass it on...

Three Things to Ponder:

1. Cows

2. The Constitution

3. The Ten Commandments

C O W S
Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that during the mad cow epidemic our government could track a single cow, born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she slept in the state of Washington?
And, they tracked her calves to their stalls. But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around our country. Maybe we should give each of them a cow.

T H E C O N S T I T U T I O N
They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq . Why don't we just give them ours? It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it has worked for over 200 years, and we're not using it anymore.

T H E 10 C O M M A N DM E N T S
The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments posted in a courthouse is this:
You cannot post 'Thou Shalt Not Steal,' 'Thou Shalt Not
Commit Adultery,' and 'Thou Shall Not Lie' in a building
full of lawyers, judges and politicians...It creates a hostile work environment.

Hope life is being good to you.

Mandy

A happy ending...............

2008-03-20T18:13:00.001-07:00

Well, I knew there was something wrong with my computer. It took a long time to download anything, when I went from one page to another, the windows overlapped, when I typed in my Word program, the letters didn't appear until I STOPPED typing, but I put up with it because it's such a pain to remove the hutch from my desk, pull the desk out, and unhook the computer. Then, on Monday, I got a message saying I had a virus. I tried to remove the virus. It wouldn't let me. I tried to remove the program that contained the virus. It wouldn't lety me. So, I took the computer down to get it fixed, thinking it would take a week or so. They called me the next day and told me if was fixed. I considered it $129 well spent.

Hooked up the computer. Put my desk back together. Signed on. Everything was wonderful. Until I tried to sign off and got an error message. Repeatedly. I couldn't sign off. I couldn't restart the computer.

I called the repair place. They said bring it in.

I decided to call HP and see if they could help me over the phone. Yes, they could. For a one-time charge of $49, or a 1 year warranty for $99. With the promise that I could get a refund if the phone tech couldn't help me, I forked over the $99, and spent an hour and a half on the phone, while the guy from HP took over control of my computer. Well, that was an amazing thing, to sit back and watch my mouse move when I wasn't touching it.

To his credit, the HP tech fixed the problem I was having, along with a couple of other minor things I had discovered no longer worked after the computer was repaired.
Most surprising of all, the HP tech said he would call me back on Friday to make sure all my issues had been resolved. He was very nice, very patient with my questions, and very polite.

My computer is working fine. I am, again, a happy camper. Thank you, HP. It was worth the $99 not to have to unhook the computer and take my desk apart again.

Mandy

Nothing much to say

2008-02-17T15:54:00.001-08:00

Well, it's Sunday....kind of cool and cloudy in my corner of the world. My husband is out mowing the yard, something that takes a day or two. We have a lot of grass!

I'm hard at work on my fifth, and probably last, book in my Night series. Another 40,000 words and I can type "the end", and boy, will I be glad! This book has not been an easy one. Hopefully, it will be worth it!

My tortoise is growing. He (or she) is 3 years old, weighs about a pound, and is 6 inches long. I think he's cute. What do you think?

He's a great pet. Doesn't eat much. Doesn't bark. Doesn't take up much space. We used to have two, but one was always a little sickly, and it died when it was only a few months old.

We also have a mean cat and a spoiled Pomeranian.

Hope you're having a happy and blessed Sabbath.

Mandy

Winter Wonderland

2008-01-28T00:00:00.001-08:00

Not long ago, I read an article in the paper saying we were going to have a dry winter...boy, were they wrong! So far, in the L.A. area, we've had over 5 inches of snow since January 1st. Good thing, too, because we really need it. All that rain and cold has draped the mountains in a blanket of snow. I can see it from my kitchen window. It's a beautiful sight!

This isn't the view from my kitchen window, but these the mountains that I can see.

I hope you all had a wonderful day.

Mandy

Sunday, Sunday

2008-01-13T16:07:00.000-08:00

Well, it's a blustery day here in the Inland Empire. The wind started blowing early this morning and hasn't stopped since. I was almost afraid to put my Pom outside for fear she'd blow away!

Not a whole lot happening here. I got a breadmaker for Christmas and used it for the first time last week. I'm afraid I'll be gaining a lot of weight if I'm not careful. Fresh, hot bread, what could be better, except fresh warm chocolate chip cookies.

I'm anxiously awaiting the release of DEAD PERFECT in the next few weeks. So far, the reviews have been great. Here's the latest one....

DEAD PERFECT is a perfect combination of the best of true romance, the mystery of a paranormal and the fun of a contemporary trek from California to New York and back again. It is a thoroughly entertaining glimpse into the world of a romance writer and what she…or he…experiences in the world of marketing, promotion and book signings.

What stood out most for this reviewer in DEAD PERFECT, Amanda Ashley’s latest offering in her vampire tales, is that it is a wonderfully told love story. Ms. Ashley returns readers to sweet and innocent romance. No falling in love at first meeting, no diving into bed at the drop of a hat, but a gradual coming together of two people destined for each other. Ronan’s dilemma becomes the reader’s—how can these two be together if Ronan reveals his secret while at the same time, if he does, he will lose her.

DEAD PERFECT is a fun twist on the world of a romance writer. Becoming so involved in the story the rest of the world just passes on by coupled with the excitement of meeting readers and spice of a book signing. It is refreshing to see the world through Shannah’s eyes. At times she seems younger than her twenty-four years while at the same time Ronan seems much older than his thirty-something, his age at his turning. Ms. Ashley captures old world courtesies and allure through Ronan’s manner and way of life.

If you are looking for a read that combines romance, paranormal, compassion and just plain fun, DEAD PERFECT is…perfect."

Thanks, also, to Anna, for mentioned DEAD PERFECT on her blog at Anna's Book Blog

DEAD PERFECT was fun to write. Since my vampire was a romance writer, I used many of my own experiences in the telling.

Hope you're all having a wonderful Sabbath day.

Mandy

Happy New Year

2008-01-06T16:26:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's 2008! Where does the time go? Seems like only yesterday we were all worrying about the year 2000 and whether the world would end or if our computers would all blow up!

I'm looking forward to the publication of my February book, DEAD PERFECT. It's got good reviews, so far, thank goodness! Publishers Weekly said: "When Shannah, dying of an obscure, incurable disease, passes out on the stoop of Ronan, who is a vampire, two birds are killed with one stone: Ronan moonlights as a romance author and needs a woman to pretend to be him on tours (especially during the daylight hours); Shannah needs Ronan’s blood to stay alive. As he coaches her to impersonate him and feeds her, Ronan falls more and more in love. And with each passing day, Shannah’s body grows weaker, but she resists being turned into a vampire because she doesn’t want to lose her humanity entirely. It’s the age-old vampire-human dilemma, given a clever and funny turn by Night’s Touch author Ashley."

I love writing. It's a rather solitary profession, being a writer, just me and my computer, and yet it's very satisfying. I mean, where else can you create worlds and people? It's very satisfying in other ways, as well. I've met a lot of people in person and online that I would never have met otherwise, incluidng a lot of published authors. I met Dean Koontz and Stephen J. Cannell and, best of all, Fabio.

Yes, life is good.

I hope 2008 will be our best year yet, individually and as a nation.

God bless America in this new year.
Mandy

On a Happier Note

2007-12-03T16:28:00.000-08:00

I have a new book video. It's for my February 2008 release, DEAD PERFECT.

You can see it here:

You Tube

or Here:
MySpace

or Here:
Mandy's Madhouse

Hope you like it.

Mandy

I AM SO ANGRY

2007-12-03T16:20:00.000-08:00

I don't know who's in charge of programming or what idiots make the decisions these days, but another of my favorite programs is about to get the axe and it makes me so mad.

First the powers-that-be cancelled Invasion and Surface and Threshold and The Dresden Files, now they're about to cancel Blood Ties. I watch very little TV, so when they cancel a show I watch, it's really annoying. I'm beginning to think I'm the kiss of death. I like a show, the next thing you know, it's gone. It even happened with Beauty and the Beast. As soon as I started watching - BANG!, it's cancelled.

I can't believe the majority of people out there want to watch nothing but stupid reality shows and shallow, one-note comedies (and that note is sex, sex, sex).

I used to love Two and a Half Men, but it got so raunchy, I stopped watching. It will probably be on forever!

Mandy

Reviews for Dead Perfect

2007-11-30T19:57:00.001-08:00

The first reviews are in and I'm happy and relieved that they are positive. I think part of being a writer is being horribly insecure! I always think my books are terrific when I'm writing them, then I read the galleys and I think, oh, no, this is the worst thing I've ever written!

Amanda Ashley knows vampires! DEAD PERFECT touched my heart with its fragile heroine who exhibits extraordinary bravery. Faced with a terminal illness, Shannah makes and follows through with a decision that terrifies her. Ronan has spent centuries alone, yet he is comfortable with his life. However, after meeting Shannah, Ronan realizes exactly what has been missing, love in all its myriad aspects. Ashley writes a very sexy, sensual love story without the graphic sex scenes so prevalent in today’s romances. If you’re looking for a paranormal romance with a hero who is gallant and just a bit old-fashioned, look no further. DEAD PERFECT is perfectly suitable for all ages. Ashley’s talent truly shines in this wonderful book
Romance Junkies

* * *

Because she is dying, Shannah seeks out Ronan, a vampire, and asks for the Dark Trick, thinking to trade a death sentence for Undeath. Though he denies her request, Ronan does want to keep the tragic beauty in his life. He can preserve her with doses of his blood, while at the same time using her as a front for his alter ego, that of a female romance author. It was only supposed to be a job and perhaps an act of compassion, but of course, it becomes more. Yet, Ronan lives in a dangerous world and Shannah is on borrowed time. What future can they have?

Both poignant and at times, funny, this story once again affirms Ms. Ashley as truly adept at her craft. I love the concept of Ronan hiding behind Shannah to preserve his anonymity. This is a lovely, exciting tale you will fall in love with easily.
Amanda Killgore

Rant

2007-11-29T13:24:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that Melanie and Maks lost to that race car driver! It just proves that the best doesn't always win. I'm totally bummed out!

Mandy

Give Thanks

2007-11-19T20:01:00.000-08:00

Just stopping by to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you'll take a moment to give thanks for your blessings. And that you'll also take a moment to remember our servicemen and women who are far from home, and give thanks for their sacrifice and willingness to serve. I'm also grateful for the police officers and fire fighters who also put their lives on the line every single day.

First and foremost, of course, I'm grateful for my family and friends, and for the privilege of living in the best country in the whole wide world.

I hope you have a wonderful day and that you get to spend it with all your favorite people.

Mandy

Moonlight

2007-11-05T00:32:00.000-08:00

I love this TV show. Since no one seems to want to make any of my books into a movie, this is the next best thing. I think it's a terrific show! I just hope it lasts! Seems every time I find a show I like, it gets cancelled; so, if you love the show, or just want to do me a favor please write to CBS and tell them you want to see MORE....the address is CBS Entertainment, 7800 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036-2188. You can also send an email at CBS.com

I'm also crazy about BLOOD TIES.

In other news, I've started a new book, which, if it pans out, will be the 5th and, most likely, final book in my Night Series - Night's Kiss, Night's Touch, Night's Master (due 10/8) The fourth book only has my working title.

My next book, DEAD PERFECT, will be out in February. If you compare this photo to the earlier one, you'll see that they "tweaked" it a little to show more of the girl's face. I love this cover!

Mandy

Blustery Day

2007-10-21T14:43:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't know how it is where you are, but the wind is blowing here....30-35 miles an hour, with gusts around 80 miles per hour. It started last night and it's been blowing all day, hard enough to blow down our big tree....

We're only bothered by the wind here, but parts of Malibu are on fire, the flames being driven by the winds. Scary!

Mandy

Rain and Whales

2007-09-25T00:13:00.000-07:00

Well, we finally got some rain in Southern California and it was wonderful.

I've been fascinated with the continuing whale story...after the whale that washed up at Hobson while we were on vacation, two other blue whales have been found dead in the same area. Seems a shame, they are such magnificent creatures, and so few in number.

I've been scouring the Net, looking for news. Amazing, the number of news stories and videos (including some rather graphic video of researchers cutting up the third whale) that's available online.

Other than that, there's not much going on here. Still working on my third sequel to Night's Kiss. It's getting better all the time

A Whale of a Weekend

2007-09-17T19:02:00.000-07:00

We went to Ventura over the weekend. While we were there, a 72 foot female blue whale washed up on the beach. It was an awesome sight. I mean, they look big on TV and I've seen killer whales at Sea World, but I've never seen anything as big as this. It was an awesome sight, but also a sad one. Apparently, the whale had collided with a ship.

There are several videos and articles about it on the Web. If you're interested, just type Ventura Whale into your search engine. I continue to be amazed by the size of this creature. One of the articles estimated that it weighs between 100,000 and 140,000 pounds.

Seeing the whale close up was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Mandy

Is This Hell?

2007-09-03T21:04:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been an exciting month so far! We had a 4.7 earthquake Sunday morning, and that afternoon, we had a power blackout. Thank the good Lord for generators, so we at least could run a couple of fans, since it was 107 degrees!!!! I hate earthquakes. I hate summer. All I want is some cold weather and some rain. Is that too much to ask?

Mandy, Shaken and Stirred in Southern California

catching up...

2007-08-08T14:33:00.000-07:00

Well, the good news is that NIGHT'S TOUCH is doing well. The bad news is that my hard drive crashed. That really bummed me out, as you can imagine, and it was even worse when Best Buy's Geek Squad told me they didn't have a hard drive for my pute and it was going to take them THREE WEEKS to fix it. These guys are doing things the hard way (you'll pardon the expression). Instead of having a new hard drive sent to the store (which, it seems to me would have been a lot faster), they are sending my computer out to who-knows-where to have a hard drive installed.

Well, I couldn't go three weeks without a computer, so I went to Staples and bought a new one. When I asked the guy what the procedure was if my hard drive crashed, he said if it couldn't be fixed, they'd just give me a new computer. I think I might be buying all my new computers from Staples.

I heard that The Dresden Files, one of my favorite new shows, is being canceled. Why is it that all the shows I love bite the dust? They killed Surface and Invastion and the Night Stalker, and now The Dresden Files. It just ain't fair.

My editor sent me a cover proof for my upcoming book, DEAD PERFECT. I love it.

It will be out next February, followed in October by my sequel to NIGHT'S TOUCH.

Hope you're having a wonderful summer.

Mandy

Blood Ties

2007-07-23T13:25:00.000-07:00

HI ~ If you're a fan of Blood Ties, that wonderful show based on Tanya Huff's books, please write to Lifetime and tell them you love it and beg them to renew it! It's one of the few shows I actually watch.

Lifetime Entertainment Services
World Wide Plaza
309 West 49th Street
New York, NY 10019

Thanks, Mandy.