#ThrowbackThursday The Very First Book Signing & Thanks

It’s not possible to talk about reaching the ONE MILLION BOOKS SOLD mark (still can’t get over it) without talking about the very first one as well as some people who have been so very very instrumental in giving me the opportunity to write for you!

First of all, a big thank you to the fabulous Fern Michaels who took the time to read my first works and put me in touch with her editor. Her advice and support was invaluable in my deciding I might actually be able to write.

Another big thank you to the late Gwynne Foster who I sat with at one meeting and basically told me, “What are you waiting for! Just send it to them!” I did and got a call just a few weeks later from my very first editor, Diane Stockwell. It was such a pleasure working with her on the Encanto line and if it wasn’t for her support (and buying my very first book).

Things don’t always go smoothly in the publishing world and when Encanto disappeared, it took me a few years to sell another book. This time it was to the awesome Stacy Boyd who always brought out the best in my writing and who has been a wonderful advocate at Harlequin. Thank you, Stacy.

There have been many many other people and I don’t want them to feel left out, but I’ll share more thanks in the future (since I really really really want to milk this moment – LOL!).

To end today’s Throwback Thursday, here is a photo from my very first signing in Menlo Park Mall.
samMeFirstsigning

Wicked Wednesday – Guest Blog & Contest

TEMPTATION CALLS vampire romanceOur Danger Women Writing Guest Blogs and Contests continue today with my wonderful editor, Stacy Boyd! Stacy will be chatting about the Harlequin Desire line and one lucky commenter will win copies of some of the books in THE CALLING VAMPIRE novels that Stacy and I have worked on together, namely, DANGER CALLS, TEMPTATION CALLS and FURY CALLS!

Please stop by and say hello to Stacy, but before you go, here’s a little known piece of trivia about the cover for TEMPTATION CALLS. A decision was made for the heroine to have a tattoo on the cover even though I made no mention of it in the book. When asked what would be the most likely tattoo she would have, it occurred to me that since the heroine – Samantha Turner – runs a home for abused women called the Artemis Shelter, the tattoo should be a representation of the goddess Artemis (Diana in Roman mythology – yes like Diana Reyes). Artemis was the Goddess of the Hunt and often depicted with a bow and arrow and so voila – the tattoo on the heroine’s leg is that of a female archer.