I’m going to make this one fast as the Sunday before Christmas is busy for everyone.

It’s Christmas and time for prezzies. Sooo, to get something I truly wanted, I bought myself a Christmas prezzie.

I have dish fettish. I looove pretty china. I’d probably have a set of dishes for every season and every holiday if I had the room to store the things.

When my hubby was here I tried to consider him in decorating so I have lighthouse dishes. That worked, I like lighthouses, he likes them, we sail. Even chartered on the Chesapeake and Lake Erie with some really great lighthouse.

But now it’s just me and the lighthouses are looking a little faded. I’ve had my eye on Villeroy and Boch dishes since forever. They cost the earth and lets face it a dish is a dish, you eat off it and it goes in the dishwasher. Done.

Except these are such beautiful dishes. The kind that make your heart sing in the morning when you pour out your coffee and eat your poptart. When I get tired of writing late at night I’d go to Macys online and visit my dishes. I think I need therapy.

Wanna see my dishes! J

http://www.bestwishes.net/villeroy-bochfrenchgardenfleurence.html

Anyway, Linens and Things is going out of business and had close-out prices on my dishes, the French Garden Collection. So, one night late I bought my dishes, some of them. Even at close-out prices they are a bit much.

I did it. For the first time I bought myself a Christmas present. Anyone else buy themselves a Christmas present this year? What was it??

And for your efforts and because you all are the best I’ll give away Star Quality and to one lucky winner I have Hunk Of The Year Calendar. It’s so neat. You’ll love it. Not as much as I love my dishes but it is sweet!

Merry Christmas!

Hugs, Dianne

DianneCastell.com

     I get good review and some not good reviews and sometimes great ones and sometimes ones that make me think I need to drop this computer out the window and give up the whole writing gig.

    ‘Course then I get over the bad reviews, thinking what the heck else would I do? I love to make up stories, been doing it for as long as I can remember. I can’t please all the readers all the time, even the big dogs like Nora can’t do that so here I am parked behind this computer…and loving it!

    But I do wonder just how much stock the readers put in reviews? On a personal note the worse review I got was one of my best selling books. When I sink to the dropping the computer out the window stage and following right behind it I try and remember that little fact. 

     And of course there are reviewers and reviewers. Some good, some not so much and some who trash everything. I honestly don’t consider them reviewers so much as entertainment writers, sort of like Saturday Night Live of the romance book set. After all…I say to myself…they’re trying to get reader to come to their site and that’s not going to happen if they keep things nicey-nicey just like people don’t tune in SNL to see how much they love everything going on in the world. 

    I read the reviews…which I shouldn’t because if they hate my book it messes with my head. I’ve been tempted to write the reviewers back but this is usually what they want, an audience at any cost, and I’m certainly not going to help them on that score. So I go eat a jar of peanut butter and get over it. But what about you?

    Are there some review sites you seek out and follow their recommendations? If they say this book sucks you wouldn’t read it if they were giving it away and if they loooove it you rush right out and buy. Some sites you go to for the entertainment factor? Some you go to because if they trash a book you know you’ll love it? Or do you go just to see who has what coming out and know the review isn’t worth the powder to blow it up? 

    Below is my review from RT for Hot and Bothered (Kensington BRAVA 4/08). Very nice. RT usually (except that once) likes my books! I’ll give away a Hot and Bothered T-shirt from the replies to your opinion on reviews. 

Thanks for chatting. 

Hugs, Dianne Castell

Hot and Bothered  April 08 DianneCastell.com

DianneCastell@hotmail.com 

RT **** reviewApril 2008

In this fast-paced, entertaining romance, Castell’s characters are, as usual, well crafted and deeply rooted in their Southern setting. Paranormal elements such as ghosts and seances contribute to the intrigue in Savannah, Ga., and relationships emerge, shift and grow throughout the story, which ends with a spine-tingling cliffhanger that alludes to a future book.

Summary: Charlotte Deshawn and Griffin Parish III have been flirting with each other for years. When he hires her to find a long-lost baby with whom he now shares an inheritance, their relationship escalates. Despite numerous threats on her life, Charlotte works around the clock to unravel the mystery as well as what’s behind her mysterious attraction to Griff. But when the identity of the baby hits closer to home than she ever could have imagined, her life is changed forever. (BRAVA, Apr., 288 pp., $14.00) HOT—Jennifer Madsen     

Hi, Everyone!

My daughter’s getting married. Great, you’ve all said. Wonderful. Congratulations. I really appreciate that but none of you warned me about the wedding! Holy cow!

When I got hitched I had a little wedding the kind where you set a date, go to the church and take sixty of your friends and family out for dinner. Done!

In my simple brain I figured my daughters would do the same. We’re a simple people, do simple things, eat meatloaf and drink Coke. But when it comes to this wedding I live in a fantasy world! And to top it all off we’re doing this all in three months. Yesterday I was so stressed out I couldn’t remember my own address. I swear it’s the truth. Had to look it up. Least I remembered my last name.

This all started out low key. Then Emily bought that demon from hell magazine…Bride. Suddenly it’s four bridesmaids, a long dress, flowers, caterers, three-tier cake, wine, open bar and a harp trio.

I tried the elope incentive accompanied with a nice fat check but instead she brought Wedding magazine. I’m doomed.

I thought bride-zilla was just a term to get laughs! Actually, Emily hasn’t been so much a zilla but the wedding is. It keeps growing and growing. So my question to you is…

What is the best, most fun, wedding you’ve ever been to? Your own? That’s my answer. I looooved my wedding. We ate, we toasted we talked to everyone and had fun. I think when this is all over Emily’s wedding will be wonderful. I just have to survive it. Now if I can just remember my phone number.

I’ll pick a name from the replies and send along an author copy of my new book, Hot and Bothered, that won’t be on the shelves till April.

Hugs, Dianne

DianneCastell.com

Hot and Bothered

Kensington BRAVA

April 2008

 

Are there some book themes that are auto buys for you? A topic that no matter who writes it or how crappie the cover you think ah-ha, it’s one of those and I have to have it now! And you start reading it while you’re still in the store.

I’m a sucker for love and laughter especially mixed with suspense. I’m okay with love and laughter on i’s own as long as it doesn’t drift into characters being stupid to get a laugh. Hate, hate, hate stupid character. They’re supposed to be heroes and heroines for Pete’s sake! Stupid doesn’t work.

And suspense by itself doesn’t work for me. So often it drifts into the gruesome or morbid or dark and I hate all those things. But I love a good mystery. So, if you put the two together it’s an auto buy for me.

And I love, love, love cowboy themes and Southern themes. Not always an auto buy but sure makes me look twice. ‘Course if there’s humor involved then it’s an auto buy and if there’s humor and suspense and in the South, well dang, girl!

And that brings us to what themes you won’t read no matter how many of your friends insist this is the best read ever! I cannot read horror no matter who writes it. Scares me to death, can’t sleep, double lock all the doors. After reading In Cold Blood I put heavy furniture in front of the back door for weeks! My husband and kids thought I was nuts…that’s because they didn’t read In Cold Blood!

And I can’t do vampires. I know, I know…there are lots of vamps out there that are humorous and have mystery but the neck biting thing just grosses me out no matter how gorgeous the neck-bitter is.

 http://www.romantictimes.com/books_themes.php

Here’s a link to RT’s theme page where they list the themes and the books that best represent the theme. They even talk about what is the appeal. Very fascinating stuff.

So, chickies, the question is… What is your fav theme that you auto buy and what is the one theme that makes you squirm when you just think about it? I’ll give away a Hot and Bothered tote from the answers.

Thanks for playing!

Dianne Castell

www.DianneCastell.com

DianneCastell@hotmail.com

I know we’ve talked about this before but things change, new stuff comes out online, new loops blogs etc. So, I’m asking it again…

When you want to find out what new romances are coming out, if they’re any good, who’s saying what… Where do you go?

I’m doing promo for Hot and Bothered, my April release and the eternal question is where to put my efforts and my money to get the word out. I do editor interviews for the RWR (Romance Writers Report) and one of the questions I ask editors is, How important is it that an author promotes his/her books? And without fail they all say oh, it’s mega important.

Okay, fine. The question is how? What does the most good?

And it’s not just the money but the time. Where do you go to find out about new books coming out? Fresh Fiction? Coffeetime? RomanceJunkies? Romantic Times message boards? Do you even look at RT’s ads to make your decision? Ask your bookseller. Tell your bookseller what’s good out there?

I know word of mouth is the very best way to get readers to pick up your book but somehow you have to get people talking. No matter how good your book is you have to get it in front of the readers.

So, any ideas, chickes??

And for your efforts in helping me in this mind-boggling quest, I’ll give away an ARC of Hot and Bothered that you will see on Fresh Fiction, Coffeetime, RT, RT newsletter, RomanceJunkies, blah blah blah

Thanks a bunch.

Dianne Castell

www.DianneCastell.com

I’ve always been one to reread a story and re-watch a movie.  My childhood books were reread often.  I remember replaying my Star Wars record (of the storybook) and reading the accompanying book over, and over again.  I also saw the original Star Wars in the theater five times (Original Release).

As a teen, I bought The Changeover, by Margaret Mahy.  I loved this story, and I can remember rereading it five times in a row.

There was another book that was very popular with my high school friends.  It was called Term Paper, by Ann Rinaldi.  This is a phenomenal book about a teenage girl, and her relationships with her much older brothers and father.  It was out of print when I tried to buy it, and I was thrilled when I found a copy as an adult.  To this day, whenever I come across my copy, I will sit and reread sections of the book.

When I met Romance Author Leigh Greenwood, I showed him the spine of my copy of Violet.  I told him that the crease on the spine was one of the highest compliments I could give him.  There is one other book that has met a similar fate – Games of Command by Linnea Sinclair.  I LOVE the hero!

When I am organizing my books, I enjoy looking at the books and remembering the stories.  It takes me a long time to finish, because I will just sit for awhile revisiting certain scenes.

Some people don’t understand rereading a book, but it really is no different than re-watching a movie.  Think about how many movie quotes are used in everyday language.  Say “May the Force Be With You” and very few will be uncertain as to its origins.

If I say “As You Wish”, a fan of another one of my favorite movies will immediately know what I am talking about.  We are the true fans, not a person who saw the movie once, thought it was good, and didn’t bother watching it again because they knew the story.  We are the ones who wish to visit with familiar characters, laugh, cry, and sigh at the end.

The same goes for rereading books.

So, I’ll pose this question to any reading the blog.

Do you re-read…or not?

Kathy Andrico

www.KathysReviewCorner.com