We’re entering that magical time of year: the RT Booklovers Convention. And you’d best believe we’re talking about big, big one-of-a-kind fun.

Being held in Kansas City, MO, at the Sheraton Hotel at Crown Center, May 1 - May 5, this year’s RT convention is going to have to go on without me. Although it boggles the mind, my guess is they’re going to be able to manage just fine.

But will I be able to manage without them? That is the question.

I didn’t attend last year, either. But for the three years prior I was on-hand and working hard throughout the conference. For me, as someone who showed up in order to assist writer clients with events and general PR efforts, I was on schedule and on task the entire time.

Still, the Booklovers Convention was always undeniably interesting and fun . . . truly a mind-boggling series of experiences not to be duplicated anywhere else.

I’m talking about things like the Faery Ball Costume Competition, in addition to other mixers, soirees and parties held morning, noon and night.

One new addition to the program since I’ve attended is the American Idol - Writer Edition Competition. Those who are participating in this second-annual competition had to submit at least three chapters of their work, which could be from any genre, for review by April 1, 2013.

In its first related workshop (Thursday, 2:45 - 3:45 pm) the panelists, industry professionals all, will offer advice on how authors can make their work stand out. After these presentations, workshop attendees, whether entered in the writing competition or not, can ask questions.

Finalists in the competition will be chosen prior to the convention but won’t be announced until the end of the first workshop.

During the second workshop (Friday, 5:00 - 6:00 pm) the panelists will read page one of each finalist’s submission. These will then be judged by the agents and editors on the panel. But, audience participants will also be able to vote for their favorites. Those submissions that receive the most audience votes will receive extra bonus points, which will be added to the judges’ tallies.

At the end of the second workshop all votes will be counted and the winner announced. The first-place winner will receive a one-year mentorship from two top-selling literary agenciess and automatic full consideration from Avon for possible publication in their Impulse line.

As for the conference in general, over 400 published authors will be present and convention attendees, along with the general public, will be welcome to attend two major book signing events. On Thursday, e-book, indie and graphic novelists and illustrators will hold a massive booksigning. Then on Saturday hundreds of published authors will be available to sign their books at the giant book fair.

A list of attending authors, along with other info about the convention, can be found at www.rtconvention.com.

So, if you’re at all close to Kansas City, MO, this week and have an interest in reading or writing or both, I definitely recommend that you consider attending one or more days of this intriguing event. You’re likely to learn a lot and to meet some fascinating folks.

HAVE YOU EVER ATTENDED THE RT BOOKLOVERS CONVENTION? DOES THE WRITERS COMPETITION SOUND LIKE SOMETHING YOU’D LIKE TO ATTEND? A FREE COPY OF MRS. GOODFELLER WILL BE RANDOMLY AWARDED TO ONE PERSON WHO LEAVES A COMMENT BELOW BEFORE THE NEXT WRITERSPACE BLOG IS POSTED.

Jaycie Cash blogs on a regular basis for Writerspace.com Her debut novel, Mrs. Goodfeller, is available through most major e-Book outlets, including Amazon and Barnes and Noble. She’d love for you to like her Facebook Author page.

Way back in the day I was one of the many millions who loved the epic novel Shogun by James Clavell. Like plenty of other folks, I also became caught up in the miniseries a few years later.

Nothing has tempted me back to that time and place since... until now.

Finally, through my addiction to audio books, I’ve stumbled across another book set in ancient Japan that I’ve found just as engrossing. Child of Vengeance, released March 12 by Doubleday and written by David Kirk, tells the story of Musashi Miyamoto, a real-life character. Miyamoto wrote the enduring and legendary samurai treatise, The Book of the Five Rings. A 17th-century swordsman, he also was eventually acknowledged as Japan’s greatest warrior.

However, the book starts long before he received any recognition or respect. Let’s just say his struggles were many and not in the least bit small.

Now, since I mentioned Shogun early on, there’s something I need to make very clear: Child of Vengeance is NOT a romance.

It is, however, a very well written novel (and an extremely well narrated audio book), that provides a fascinating glimpse into the mind-set, traditions and lifestyles of Japan four hundred years in the past.

This is not a tale for those who steer clear of violence or bloodshed. For, as Publisher’s Weekly noted in its review of Child, the book clearly shows "...feudal Japan as a complex culture in which cunning and poetry are indispensable, and death and vengeance unavoidable."

The author, David Kirk, is 27 and lives in Japan. He has clearly done his research, in between writing such children’s fare as the Miss Spider books and Oh So Tiny Bunny.

Talk about a writer being capable of telling the most diverse stories possible!

I bow to you, most honorable Kirk-san. You do all writers proud! Keep up the oh-so impressive work.

WERE YOU A FAN OF SHOGUN? WHAT BOOKS SET IN OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE YOU ENJOYED? ARE THERE ANY FOREIGN CULTURES YOU FIND FASCINATING? A FREE COPY OF MY DEBUT NOVEL, MRS. GOODFELLER WILL BE RANDOMLY AWARDED TO ONE PERSON WHO LEAVES A COMMENT BELOW BEFORE THE NEXT WRITERSPACE BLOG IS POSTED.

Jaycie Cash blogs on a regular basis for Writerspace.com. Her debut novel, Mrs. Goodfeller, is available through most major e-Book outlets, including Amazon and Barnes and Noble. She’d love for you to like her Facebook Author page.

I can’t help it, basically I’m lazy and just a tad bit slow (we’re talking mentally here, although in the interest of full disclosure the same is true when it comes to my physical self as well).

Essentially, when it comes to technology, I’m that person about whom other folks from the Southwest—especially my fellow Oklahomans—will say “. . . bless her heart.”

EXAMPLE: “That Jaycie Cash doesn’t know come here from sic ‘em when it comes to anything technical, bless her heart.”

See, around these parts when you bless somebody’s heart, you’re just trying to state the truth about that person without coming across as hateful. And Lord knows referring to me as technologically challenged is nothing but the absolute and total truth.

It’s not that I can’t figure techno stuff out. I just don’t want to. Meantime, I find it incredibly frustrating and resent the need to do so. So it takes me awhile. This is why I keep things two and three times longer than most of the other folks I know.

I’m not somebody who rushes out to buy the latest and greatest. Uh uh, I’m the one who keeps using what she’s got so she doesn’t have to learn how to use something new. If it ain’t broke, Jaycie’s not going to the store. Sadly, though, as I mentioned in a post a few weeks back, my ten-year-old TV recently bit the dust. So, this weekend I bought a new one, along with a BlueRay player with streaming video. I think eventually I’m going to like my new setup a lot.

But right now I’m in that ugly learning phase. I’m pouting and rolling my eyes a lot when what I should do with the remote control isn’t immediately apparent to me. Color me bratty.

I’m thinking about starting a whole new support group: remote control freaks anonymous. One problem: I don’t think I could stand to be around other people who act as badly as I do when they’re trying to learn something new.

Plus, I sure don’t wanna have to listen to them talk about their techie issues, bless their hearts.

HOW ABOUT YOU? ARE YOU QUICK TO GET NEW TECHNICAL STUFF OR DO YOU AVOID IT AS MUCH AS I DO? A FREE COPY OF MRS. GOODFELLER WILL BE RANDOMLY AWARDED TO ONE PERSON WHO LEAVES A COMMENT BELOW BEFORE THE NEXT WRITERSPACE BLOG IS POSTED.

Jaycie Cash blogs on a regular basis for Writerspace.com. Her debut novel, MRS. GOODFELLER, is available through most major e-Book outlets, including Amazon and Barnes and Noble. She’d love for you to like her Facebook Author page.

It’s springtime and that means some great new releases are sprouting all over the place. Glance below to find the veritable bouquet of fantastic reads awaiting you this month, all written by Writerspace Top Shelf authors.

A Wanted Man: A Stone Creek Novel
By Linda Lael Miller
Reprint edition
Mass Market Paperback
Harlequin HQN
Released March 26, 2013

Arizona ranger Sam O'Ballivan, from The Man from Stone Creek (2006), sends for Rowdy Rhodes to help hunt down a gang robbing trains. Now a lawman, Rowdy shows up in Stone Creek with his old dog, Pardner, even though he has a price on his head due to his family's train-robbery business. Rowdy finds his pa running a saloon and making plans for his youngest son, who never knew his family were notorious outlaws, to go to college. Lark, Stone Creek's new schoolteacher, is terrified when Rowdy turns up because she is hiding out from her ex, an abusive railway baron.

The Wanderer, A Thunder Point Novel #1
By Robyn Carr
Mass Market Paperback
Harlequin MIRA
Released March 26, 2013

From Robyn Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the popular Virgin River novels, comes Thunder Point - the highly anticipated new series that will make you laugh, make you sigh, and make you fall in love with a small town filled with people you'll never forget.

Nestled on the Oregon coast is a small town of rocky beaches and rugged charm. Locals love the land's unspoiled beauty. Developers see it as a potential gold mine. When newcomer Hank Cooper learns he's been left an old friend's entire beachfront property, he finds himself with a community's destiny in his hands.

Cooper has never been a man to settle in one place, and Thunder Point was supposed to be just another quick stop. But Cooper finds himself getting involved with the town. And with Sarah Dupre, a woman as complicated as she is beautiful.

With the whole town watching for his next move, Cooper has to choose between his old life and a place full of new possibilities. A place that just might be home.

Lady in Black
By Christina Dodd
Reissued from 1993
E-book format
Self-published
Released March 29, 2013

A straitlaced lady-butler, A powerful billionaire, And kidnapping, conflict, and steamy sex in the shower. New York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd brings you her classic full-length novel of cool suspense and hot romance...

Margaret Guarneri had found sanctuary managing the home of a rich, elderly man ... until the day he received a threat of kidnapping. Enter Reid Donovan, dynamic, wealthy in his own right, and suspicious of the gorgeous young widow who so diligently cares for his grandfather.

Distrust, extortion, and the shadows of the past drive Reid and Margaret apart. Wild, uninhibited passion brings them together. They must learn to trust each other before they can vanquish a killer...and in the process, they discover a passion more powerful than anything either of them could imagine. But has love come too late for the handsome billionaire and his lady in black?

LADY IN BLACK is a full-length novel of 70,000 words/300 pages, rewritten and updated for your reading pleasure. Readers of Nora Roberts and Jayne Ann Krentz will enjoy LADY IN BLACK.

Dreams, Parts 1 & 2
By Jayne Ann Krentz
Reissued from 1992
Purple Papaya LLC
Released March 13, 2013

Diana Prentice and Colby Savagar are overcome by dreams linked to the past, and their destined love for each other is soon used to fulfill the ancient prophecy of the Chained Lady.

Dangerous Refuge
By Elizabeth Lowell
Hardcover
William Morrow
Released April 9, 2013

Murder and mystery spark unexpected romance in this captivating new tale from the beloved New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Lowell
On the surface Shaye Townsend has little in common with Tanner. He's a hard-edged big city cop come home to the historic Davis family ranch to settle his uncle's estate. She's working for an environmental conservancy that acquires and protects old ranches - and she wants to preserve the Davis homestead.
When the suspicious death of Tanner's uncle at his ranch throws the two opposites together, tempers flare and sparks fly. While they have trouble seeing eye to eye, Shaye and Tanner agree on one thing: They need to uncover the truth.
Combining their unique skills - Shaye's low-key approach and local connections and Tanner's experience as a homicide detective - the unlikely pair share long nights in the pursuit of justice. Before they know it, the friction they generate turns to heat, igniting a love neither ever expected to find.
They believe passion this intense cannot last. But when Shaye becomes a killer's target, Tanner realizes he'd give up anything to protect her - including his life.

The Great Escape
By Susan Elizabeth Phillips
First time as Paperback
William Morrow
Released April 2, 2013

Perennial New York Times bestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips now provides her fans with The Great Escape from ordinary women’s romantic fiction.

One of today’s most beloved writers, the incomparable Phillips follows up her utterly beguiling hit, Call Me Irresistible ("Phillips at her very best. Romantic, funny, sexy, and poignant" - Kristin Hannah) with a sequel that’s equally impossible to resist.

Returning in The Great Escape are some of Phillips’s most adored characters, including headstrong, impetuous ex-president’s daughter, Lucy Jorik, who’s just abandoned her fiancé, Ted "Mr. Irresistible" Beaudine, at the altar. Now she’s looking for adventure-and perhaps a little romance-embarking on a wild and hilariously unpredictable road trip that begins on the back of a rather menacing-looking stranger’s motorcycle. The winner of more Favorite Book of the Year Awards than any other romance author, including Nora Roberts, Susan Elizabeth Phillips offers her fans an Escape to remember, and they’ll certainly want to come back for more!

Crystal Gardens "A Ladies of Lantern Street Novel #1"
By Amanda Quick
Reprint edition
First time in Mass Market Paperback
Jove
March 26, 2013

New York Times bestselling author Amanda Quick delivers "a promising start to a new Victorian-era series" (The Seattle Times) with the Ladies of Lantern Street"

Evangeline Ames has rented a country cottage far from the London streets where she was recently attacked. Fascinated by the paranormal energy of nearby Crystal Gardens, she finds pleasure in sneaking past the wall to explore the grounds. And when her life is threatened again, she instinctively goes to the gardens for safety.

Lucas Sebastian has never been one to ignore a lady in danger, even if she is trespassing on his property. Quickly disposing of her would-be assassin, he insists they keep the matter private. There are rumors enough already, about treasure buried under his garden and occult botanical experiments performed by his uncle-who died of mysterious causes. With Evangeline’s skill for detection, and Lucas’s sense of the criminal mind, they soon discover that they have a common enemy. And as the energy emanating from Crystal Gardens intensifies, they realize that to survive they must unearth what has been buried for too long.

Know the first rule of watching television? It’s that your two favorite programs will air at the same time on the same day.

This season I’m doing one better: I’ve got three shows I particularly like to watch on Tuesday nights and they’re all on at 9:00 p.m.: Justified, SMASH and The Millionaire Matchmaker.

Go ahead, say it, those are some wwwaaaayyyyy different shows. Still, there’s no denying, mama likee all three. I can think of no better way to explain this than the immortal (and in his case, creepy) words of Woody Allen: the heart wants what it wants.

So do my eyes.

I’m too budget challenged—or maybe just too cheap—to pay for a DVR any longer. So, I’m not set up to record anything while watching something else.

As a result, lucky for me, two of these three programs are on cable. That means those two are repeated ad nauseum throughout the night. Therefore, all I have to do is stay up long enough and I can see all three shows on the same night they originally air.

Sure, I may end up a little sleep light . . . but I’m definitely viewing happy when I finally crank my chocolate browns closed Tuesday nights . . . or early Wednesday mornings.

HOW ABOUT YOU, DO YOU SUFFER FROM CONFLICTING PROGRAMITIS? A FREE COPY OF MY DEBUT NOVEL, MRS. GOODFELLER WILL BE RANDOMLY AWARDED TO ONE PERSON WHO LEAVES A COMMENT BELOW BEFORE THE NEXT WRITERSPACE BLOG IS POSTED.

Jaycie Cash blogs on a regular basis for Writerspace.com. Her debut novel, MRS. GOODFELLER, is available through most major e-Book outlets, including Amazon and Barnes and Noble. She’d love for you to like her Facebook Author page.

I like to delve into books as I drive.

But don’t alert the Highway Patrol just yet, because I’m talking about listening to audio books. They really make the miles fly by.

Due to my work, I typically make three to four day-trips each week, and we’re talking anywhere from 200 to 400 miles per day. However, as long as the weather isn’t bad, I truly don’t mind a bit, because in between sales stops, more often than not, I’m caught up listening to an engrossing tale.

It’s a wonderful thing to be able to travel in my mind to Tahiti as I’m driving to Tishomingo.

My favorites are always stories that make me laugh. Though I’ve gotta admit I’ll listen to anything I consider well written and proficiently read.

The only problem with this habit is I’ve begun to find myself becoming a little too involved. I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, I’ve talked back. These stories have become a part of me.

This means I’ve also had to repair red eyes and tear-streaked cheeks just prior to a sales meeting. In a couple of instances I turned the CD player off until my business for the day was over and I was on my way home. In both cases emotional high points had been reached in the books I was listening to and I was afraid if I continued to listen I’d look irreparably distraught when I arrived for my appointments.

In my experience it’s best to not look like someone on the verge of an emotional breakdown when conducting a business meeting. Go figure.

So far, I haven’t noticed anyone from nearby cars staring as I actively listen to a book. But this might be because I spend a lot of time driving on two-lane country roads. When that’s the case, no one travels beside me long enough to catch my reactions.

Fair warning: my travel isn’t ALWAYS limited to one state or area. Therefore, if at some future point you find yourself driving beside a lone female who appears to be laughing, crying or making a fist pump in glee . . . step on the gas and get the heck out of there! Who knows what she—or I—might do next.

HOW ABOUT YOU, ARE YOU A FAN OF AUDIO BOOKS AS WELL? IF SO, WHEN DO YOU LIKE TO LISTEN? IF NOT, EVER THOUGHT ABOUT GIVING IT A TRY? A FREE COPY OF MY DEBUT NOVEL, MRS. GOODFELLER, WILL BE RANDOMLY AWARDED TO ONE PERSON WHO LEAVES A COMMENT BELOW BEFORE THE NEXT WRITERSPACE BLOG IS POSTED. Jaycie Cash blogs on a regular basis for Writerspace.com Her debut novel, Mrs. Goodfeller, is available through most major e-Book outlets, including Amazon and Barnes and Noble. She’d love for you to like her Facebook Author page.

My worst fears have been realized: my TV is on the blink.

For a week or so, every time I turned it on I had to click the POWER button twice. Otherwise, nothing happened.

Then, starting day before yesterday, it didn’t matter how many times I punched the POWER button, other than a clicking sound, nothing happened at all. A friend who works with electronic equipment a lot recommended I unplug it for a time, then plug it back in and see what happened.

So, that’s exactly what I did last night. And it worked like a charm! My beloved Sony was back to normal and all was working well . . . until I tried to turn it back on today. Again with the nada.

Even after I unplugged it and plugged it back in, nothing but a blank screen and clicking noises.

Sigh.

This is a catastrophe on several levels:

• I really, really don’t need to spend money on a new TV right now . . . mama needs a crown on her tooth and Lord knows I love to chew
• I fear there is a simple fix, but I’m just too dumb . . . er, uh, uninformed to know it
• My TV is ten years old, just old enough that I’m forced to question the advisability of putting money into fixing it instead of toward a new set . . . but then I don’t want to toss it if it can be saved at a relatively low price
• The darn thing literally weighs 100 pounds, no exaggeration, that means outside help will be needed to do anything with it

GRRRR

Oh well, I’ve been complaining about the lack of good programming lately. Maybe this is my chance to step away from the remote and make a real life for myself.

Yeah, like THAT’S going to happen. Ha!

HOW ABOUT YOU, HAVE YOU SURVIVED PROBLEMS WITH YOUR TELEVISION? ANY SUGGESTIONS AS TO WHETHER I SHOULD TRY TO GET MY TV FIXED OR JUST SEARCH OUT A NEW ONE? A FREE COPY OF MY DEBUT NOVEL, MRS. GOODFELLER, WILL BE RANDOMLY AWARDED TO ONE PERSON WHO LEAVES A COMMENT BELOW BEFORE THE NEXT WRITERSPACE BLOG IS POSTED.

Jaycie Cash blogs on a regular basis for Writerspace.com Her debut novel, MRS. GOODFELLER, is available through most major e-Book outlets, including Amazon and Barnes and Noble. She’d love for you to like her Facebook Author page.

Okay, I’m old.

This year my high school class is having its “How did any of us live this long” reunion and I genuinely have no desire to go. So I’m steering clear.

Please understand: I thoroughly enjoyed high school. I had plenty of friends, no horrifying experiences, and although I wasn’t at the top of the popularity chart, I got along with those who were and was basically as popular as I wanted to be.

Still, that was then and this is now. I’ve done high school and feel no need to relive or revisit it.

Guess you could say I’ve had closure on the whole experience.

Now I’m entrenched in this phase of my life and simply don’t see why people I knew in my teens, but haven’t seen since, should be of any greater interest to me than anyone else.

Don’t get me wrong, I wish everyone from my class well and hope all those who attend the reunion have a great time. They’re just going to do it without me. That’s all.

My lifelong friend, Suzi, has the exact opposite feeling. Although we attended different high schools, we graduated the same year.

Despite being held in the town where I live, I’m skipping my reunion. Suzi, however, has already made the plane reservations to travel almost 2,000 miles to attend hers this June.

She stayed with me five years ago for her last reunion and, I’m happy to say, is going to stay with me again for this one. I’m glad she’s coming and look forward to her visit. We’ve known each other so long she’s really more like a sister to me than a friend.

But those nights when she’s becoming reacquainted with folks from our youth, I’ll probably be happily dozing in my easy chair at home, with my dog in my lap and a tiny strand of drool dribbling down my cheek.

Now why would I give up all that, even for just one night, simply to stroll down Memory or any other lane?

HOW ABOUT YOU? WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THE INTEREST IN ATTENDING YOUR NEXT HIGH SCHOOL REUNION? PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT ABOUT WHETHR THAT INTERESTS YOU OR EXPERIENCES YOU’VE HAD AT PAST REUNIONS. A FREE COPY OF MY DEBUT NOVEL, MRS. GOODFELLER WILL BE RANDOMLY AWARDED TO ONE PERSON WHO LEAVES A COMMENT BELOW BEFORE THE NEXT WRITERSPACE BLOG IS POSTED.

Jaycie Cash blogs on a regular basis for Writerspace.com. Her debut novel, Mrs. Goodfeller, is available through most major e-Book outlets, including Amazon and Barnes and Noble. She’d love for you to like her Facebook Author page.

What’s the best pastime for any season or weather? Reading of course! So whether March comes in like a lion or a lamb doesn’t matter as much as having a good book on hand to keep you entertained. Glance below to discover the fantastic choices you’ll have at your disposal, since they’re being released this March by some of Writerspace’s Top Shelf authors.

Perfect Timing: A Harrison Family Novel
By Catherine Anderson
Mass Market Paperback
Published by Signet
Released February 26, 2013

In Catherine Anderson’s newest installment in the Harrigan family series, an unlikely couple is brought together under circumstances that defy all reason....

Tragedy has struck the Harrigans—Quincy’s beloved sister-in-law Loni is gravely ill and nearing death. Quincy, like his brothers, feels helpless to save her, and the clock is ticking. Then, with perfect timing, a winsome red-haired woman named Ceara O’Ceallaigh mysteriously appears on Quincy’s property and insists that Loni can be cured. Only Quincy, she says, as the sole remaining Harrigan bachelor, can make it happen—by marrying Ceara.

To Quincy, Ceara is a charming and quite likely deranged spinner of dreams who can’t prove she’s telling the truth. But how can he pass up any attempt to restore Loni to health? Against all better judgment, he decides to marry Ceara. Maybe he’s making the worst mistake of his life. Or maybe he’s opening himself up to possibilities that defy explanation...and will send him on a miraculous journey toward enough love to last forever.

Whispering Rock (Virgin River #3)
By Robyn Carr
Reissued from 2007
Mass Market Paperback
Published by Harlequin MIRA
Released February 26, 2013

Welcome back to Virgin River with the books that started it all…

Virgin River has sheltered more than a few lost souls over the years—and there's always room for more…

Virgin River became a safe haven for Sacramento prosecutor Brie Sheridan after she nearly lost her life at the hands of a crazed criminal. Though she still has fears she can't escape, she also has someone who wants to show her just what it means to trust again.

A decorated marine reservist, LAPD officer Mike Valenzuela was badly wounded in the line of duty. Twice divorced, he secretly longs for the kind of commitment and happiness his marine buddies have found—a woman who can tie up his heart forever.

Mike will do anything to help Brie free herself from painful memories. Passionate, strong and gentle, he vows to give back to her what she's so selflessly given him—her heart, and with it, a new beginning.

By Love Unveiled
By Sabrina Jeffries
Reissued from 1993 Topaz Historical
Mass Market Paperback
Published by Pocket Books, Reprint Edition
Released February 26, 2013

Adored for her charmingly sensual New York Times bestsellers, Sabrina Jeffries brings back a splendid historical romance, long out-of-print, that she penned as Deborah Martin. Readers will thrill to this unforgettable tale of passion and peril—now newly revised by the author!

Miss Marianne Winchilsea is running for her life from those whom she believes have attempted to kill the king. Forced to disguise herself, she trusts no one—especially not Garett Lockwood, the Earl of Falkham, who usurped her family home and who seems to be her most dangerous enemy.

And what Garett sees behind her masquerade is a beautiful half gypsy enrobed in mystery, deception, and burning secrets. A woman he should avoid at all costs.

In a world where treachery and betrayal reign, a sweet seduction rules their hearts—and dares them to risk their destinies on a passionate love that all the powerful forces of the world cannot defeat.

The Man from Stone Creek (Stone Creek Novel #1)
By Linda Lael Miller
Mass Market Paperback
Reissued from 2006 hardcover and 2007 Mass Market Paperback
Published by Harlequin HQN; Reprint Edition
Released February 26, 2013

#1 New York Times bestselling author Linda Lael Miller presents the Stone Creek story that started it all…

When trouble strikes in Haven, Arizona, Ranger Sam O'Ballivan is determined to sort it out. Badge and gun hidden, he arrives posing as the new schoolteacher, and discovers his first task: bringing the ranchers' children under control. So he starts with a call on Maddie Chancelor, the local postmistress and older sister of a boy in need of discipline.

But far from the spinster Sam expects, Maddie turns out to be a graceful woman whose prim and proper demeanor is belied by the fire in her eyes. Working undercover to capture rustlers and train robbers has always kept Sam isolated and his heart firmly in check—until now. But something about the spirited postmistress tempts him to start down a path he swore he'd never travel….

It’s February in Oklahoma . . . in other words, all bets are off and, quite literally, anything goes.

Last week we had a snowstorm of the biggest freaking flakes I’ve ever seen. I swear, they were something like three inches long. The weatherman on TV said this was because the temperature was just above freezing (around 33 degrees). As a result, the snow was filled with heavy, malleable moisture, instead of being frozen and solid.

The next day, like today, it was in the high 50s. We’re told that tomorrow night we might have sleet and snow again. Yesterday, there was an earthquake.

And you probably thought things were boring in Oklahoma.

Problem is, the truly rough weather won’t even start until mid-March. Then, we’ll most likely have to batten down the hatches and keep our eyes peeled for tornadoes.

Don’t even get me started on the ever-present danger of hail, which has led to me getting two new roofs on my house in the last five years. Such a common occurrence in these parts that there’s a new state law that insurance companies can charge over $4,000 deductible on damages caused by wind or hail, even when the deductible for any other damage is as low as $500.

I’m told that without this new law, no company would carry insurance on homes in our state any longer. Too many of them were on the verge of, or had declared, bankruptcy due to the cost of paying to repair property after the massive bad weather we’ve endured over the last few years.

But I’m not complaining.

No question folks in the Northeast have had it much, much worse this year than anyone around these parts. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you who live in that area. Between hurricanes and massive snowstorms, you’ve had so much more to deal with than anyone should.

Hang in there, friends. This too shall pass. Someday—and I hope it’s very soon for all of you—life will return to normal.

I guess we should all just be happy we weren’t vacationing on that Carnival cruise ship last week. Now THAT would be bad luck!

HOW ABOUT YOU, HAVE YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH HORRIBLE WEATHER THIS YEAR? DO YOU HAVE A HARROWING STORY ABOUT SURVIVING THE WRATH OF MOTHER NATURE OR DO YOU LIVE IN A SPOT WHERE BLUE SKIES CONTINUALLY SHINE ON YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORS? A FREE COPY OF MY DEBUT NOVEL, MRS. GOODFELLER, WILL BE RANDOMLY AWARDED TO ONE PERSON WHO LEAVES A COMMENT BELOW BEFORE THE NEXT WRITERSPACE BLOG IS POSTED.

Jaycie Cash blogs on a regular basis for Writerspace.com Her debut novel, MRS. GOODFELLER, is available through most major e-Book outlets, including Amazon and Barnes and Noble. She’d love for you to like her Facebook Author page.