Gannon's Second Chance Winners

We did not hear from the winners of Gannon's boxes of books giveaway so she has drawn new names.  The new winners are:

deerdoe69

Jane

Karen H in NC

Congratulations, ladies!  Please send your full name and mailing address to us at 

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com to claim your books.

Last Call for Gannon's Winners

Last call for the following winners of Gannon's Book Giveaway 

DTCHYCAT

QUILT LADY

KATIE

Please send your full name and mailing address (with Gannon Giveaway Winner in the subject line) to us at theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com no later than April 20th to claim your prize.  After that date we will draw new winners.

Quilt Lady, you indicated in the comments of the first announcement that you had sent your info but we did not receive the email.  Would you please send it again?  Thanks!

Gannon's Book Giveaway Winners

The winners of my book giveaway are:

Dtchycat

Katie

Quilt Lady

Congratulations! Please send your full name and mailing address to me at

theromancedishATgmailDOTcom

with "Gannon's Book Giveaway" in the subject line. I will mail your boxes after I get back from vacation at the end of next week. Thanks to all of you for commenting and being such a special part of The Dish.

A New Chapter

I've always enjoyed the sense of anticipation that comes at the end of a chapter in an exciting book, knowing that the next chapter will bring something even better. And so it is with my life and the new chapter I have begun. As this new chapter unfolds, the previous one comes to a close. The Romance Dish will have on
e less dish, officially. ;-)

A little over three months ago, I started a business page on Facebook for my Reiki and intuitive healing business, which was, and still is, in it's infancy. Well, I have been truly blessed, and my page has taken off like a proverbial rocket. It has kept me incredibly busy---happily so---but I have discovered that I don't have as much time to devote to this blog, and reading romance, as I used to. And I have also discovered that my passion is now focused on helping and healing others. So after 46 years, I have finally found my life purpose, and I couldn't be happier.

Some of you may be wondering what Reiki is, so I will give you a brief explanation. The word Reiki comes from two Japanese words - Rei meaning "God's Wisdom or the Higher Power" and Ki which means "life force energy". So Reiki is actually "spiritually guided life force energy." It is an ancient hands on healing technique that uses this life force energy to balance energy in the body. Reiki can also be sent distantly, as energy is not bound by time or space. I have done distance healing sessions on clients as far away as Australia, and it works beautifully.

Part of my new path is working on simplifying my life, i.e. reducing the clutter in my home. Well, practically every room in my home runneth over with books, and while I have no intention of getting rid of all of them----there are way too many comfort books on my keeper shelves that I cannot part with---I have been paring down. I am boxing them up, and they will need a new home. So who's interested in "adopting" some books? I will randomly choose three people to send these romances to. But fear not, I will not be completely giving up books, nor will I completely disappear from The Dish. Hey, you can't get rid of me that easily. *g* Now I have a question for you.

If you could take a leap of faith and start a new career, project, etc., what would it be?

***Winners are limited to residents of the U.S. and Canada, in order to save my wallet.***

Tawny Weber Winner!

The winner of the signed copy of Sex, Lies and Valentines is

runner10

Congratulations! Please send your full name and mailing address to Tawny at

tawnyATtawnyweberDOTcom

and she will get your book in the mail as soon as possible.

Today's Special -- Tawny Weber

She's baaaack! *g* We're always happy to have Tawny Weber hanging out with us at The Romance Dish. Harlequin Blaze author, Romance Bandit, busy wife and mother, avid scrapbooker, shoe shopper, and lover of Johnny Depp....how does Tawny do it all?? Her latest, and third book, in her Undercover Operatives series, Sex, Lies and Valentines was released on January 24th. Check out my review here. Please say hello and welcome back to our friend Tawny Weber.

Valentine’s Yumminess

Do you feel it? That tingle in the air? The hint of anticipation. Maybe a smidge of apprehension, the worry about it not measuring up to expectations. Yep. It's that time again. The week before Valentine’s Day. I often think of this week as foreplay. You know, the buildup before the big event. And if it’s done right, the buildup is just as great as the event itself –which is also hopefully done right ;-)

I'm not sure what it says about me but I often associate romance and food. I'm sure there is some oral pleasure joke in there somewhere ;-). But so many ideas that come to mind for celebrating Valentine’s revolve around eating and/or drinking. Candlelight dinners. Candy - or even better, chocolate. Champagne. Tasty kisses (The chocolate kind. Really! Okay, not really.) Whipped cream swirled over chocolate dipped strawberries. Conversation hearts. Red hots. Whew... Is anyone else getting hungry?

So I started thinking about what fun we could have on the Romance Dish today and maybe it was food and Valentine’s on the mind, but I’d share my typical Valentine’s menu with you, and hear yours I case I can pick up any fun ideas (hey, new food, new tastes, new posit.... Um, no, sorry, won’t go there.)

We usually have lasagna --yeah the garlic is an issue but not if you both have it. I make a nummy vegetarian spinach lasagna that I serve with an green salad and garlic bread. No this isn't necessarily a romantic dinner per se but it's our favorite so that makes it romantic. Of course, if I were writing it in a book I'd make the meal all finger foods. Something with a lot of juice. Something they can feed each other then lick the juices from each other’s fingers. Or lips.

And then there’s dessert. Dessert has to be decadent. Rich. Intense. When it comes to dessert, I have no tradition. It’s all about whatever appeals at the time and makes my mouth water. One year I did make chocolate dipped strawberries and homemade whipped cream. Another I made a Black Forest Cake. One time it was peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, in heart shapes. I’m still undecided on what we’ll do for

dessert this year. But I might make the Four Layer Foreplay Chocolate Cake that was featured in each of my

Undercover Operatives books. It’s Pandora, from SEX, LIES AND Mistletoe’s recipe, but Maya in SEX, LIES AND MIDNIGHT uses it’s aphrodisiac qualities to keep things interesting. In SEX, LIES AND VALENTINES, Danita is trying to resist the delicious charms of the criminally hunky Gabriel so she’s not wanting anything to do with an aphrodisiac. She does agree to a nice, safe slice of apple pie, though. Little does she know...

So tell me, do you associate valentines and food? What foods make you think sexy holiday celebration? And do you have any suggestions for a wonderfully yummy Valentine’s dessert I can try this year?

***Tawny is giving away a signed copy of Sex, Lies and Valentines to one lucky commenter today.***

Tawny Weber has been writing sassy, sexy stories for Harlequin Blaze since her first book hit the shelves in 2007. When not obsessing over deadlines, she’s shopping for cute shoes, scrapbooking or hanging out on Facebook and Twitter. Come by and visit her on the web at www.tawnyweber.com

In December of 2011 Tawny launched her Undercover Ops series with SEX, LIES AND MISTLETOE. The

second book in the series, SEX, LIES & MIDNIGHT is on shelves in January 2012, quickly followed in February by SEX, LIES & VALENTINES. You can read the first chapter of SEX, LIES AND VALENTINES on her website, too! All you have to do is join the Reader Love-Fest!

Be sure to follow Tawny on her Holiday Survival Tour as she celebrates these three books with tons of fun and a chance for readers to win a $100 giftcard!

Review -- Sex, Lies and Valentines

Sex, Lies and Valentines

Undercover Operatives, Book 3

By Tawny Weber

Publisher: Harlequin Blaze

Release Date: January 24, 2012

My naughty valentine....

Con artist Gabriel Black just got busted. By a babe. Drool-worthy (and clearly sneaky) FBI agent Danita Cruz is forcing Gabriel to choose between hard time and scamming his own family for an undercover sting. Now he has to present Danita to his family as his girlfriend. And it's the perfect opportunity to get wickedly even with her....

But Danita has some tricks of her own, and Gabriel's control begins slipping away as raw sexual energy takes over. Their sham relationship starts feeling a lot like...well, the real deal. The Big Question is, will overwhelming desire be enough to make a liar go legit?

Gabriel Black is the one Black sibling who took after his father when it came to running a con. Handsome and charming, he's a chip of the ol' block, priding himself on never getting caught. Until now. The FBI brings him in and tells him he has can either agree to help them in an undercover sting which means he needs to con his family or he can serve time in prison. Not much of a choice. So he agrees to go home to Black Oak for his brother Caleb's wedding, and take FBI agent Danita Cruz with him, posing as his girlfriend. Gabriel begins to think having the delectable Danita close at hand may not be such a bad deal after all.

While Danita finds Gabriel incredibly attractive, her job is more important than anything else. Surely she can resist his ample charm long enough to uncover the mastermind behind the crime ring in Black Oak. Sharing a room with Gabriel, and get cozier than she anticipated is making her doubt herself---Gabriel is proving to be pretty irresistible. Soon their "pretend" relationship is becoming all too real, and she is in danger of losing her heart to this sexy con man.

Standing in her stockings, a scrap of lace, and boots, Danita waited. Nerves danced. Before they could take hold, though, she saw the look in his eyes. Hot appreciation, a healthy dose of lust, and something else. Something that made her heart melt.

Adoration.

Oh, God, she realized as her breath tangled in her chest. She was in so much trouble. She was so in love with him.

Sex, Lies and Valentines is a great conclusion to Tawny Weber's Undercover Operatives series. Gabriel is too delicious for words, and when he and Danita get together....well, let's just say you might need to break out your fan and grab a cool drink. Whew! If you're looking for something sweet, sexy, and spicy, too, look no further. This is the book for you. A perfect Valentine treat.

~ Gannon

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Coming Attractions!

February is upon us. The month of Valentine's Day---chocolate, flowers, and romance. *sigh* A favorite time of year for all of us romance lovers, but anytime is the perfect time for romance. We have another fun filled month here at The Romance Dish with guest authors, giveaways reviews, and of course, Buffie's Hot Dish to heat things up.







Join us on Wednesday, February 1st when Shana Galen will be our guest. Her newest book, The Rogue Pirate's Bride will be released February 7th.








It's time to get your paper and pens ready on Friday, February 3rd when Andrea tells us all about the New Releases for February.




Harlequin Blaze author Tawny Weber will be blogging with us Monday, February 6th, when she'll, no doubt, tell us all about her latest book, Sex, Lies and Valentines (released January 24th).










PJ will be interviewing New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Francis Ray on Tuesday, February 7th.








It's time to Make Your Reservations on Thursday, February 9th for the books we are looking
forward to in March.







Our own Trish Milburn will be here on Friday, February 10th to give us the scoop on the latest YA books and movies with her Teen Menu.










Stop by on Monday, February 13th for Andrea's interview with New York Times bestselling author Jillian Hunter. There will surely be talk of Jillian's latest release, The Duchess Diaries, which will be released on February 7th.









Are you needing a little warming up during the cold winter weather? Stop by on Wednesday, February 15th and check out who Buffie has chosen for this month's Hot Dish.





Elizabeth Bevarly will be blogging with us on Thursday, February 16th and chatting about her new book, The House on Butterfly Way, which will be released on February 7th.











Our friend, J.L. Saint, aka Jennifer St. Giles, will be our guest on Friday, February 17th.











We are crazy about debut authors, so we are thrilled to have Heather Snow blogging with us on Tuesday, February 21st. Her debut historical romance, Sweet Enemy, will be released on February 7th.










And no month would be complete without a Second Helping from Anna Campbell. Join us on Friday, February 24th to see what Anna is recommending for us to add to our TBR stack.

Tawny Weber Winner

The winner of a signed copy of Sex, Lies and Midnight by Tawny Weber is



runner10



Congratulations! Please send your full name and mailing address to Tawny at

tawnyATtawnyweberDOTcom

so she can get your signed copy in the mail to you ASAP.

Today's Special -- Tawny Weber

What a great way to start the New Year, welcoming Tawny Weber back to The Romance Dish. Tawny, one of the fabulous Romance Bandits and Harlequin Blaze author extraordinaire knows how to have fun, and we are happy she's here to share some with all of us. Her Undercover Ops series is smokin' hot! Sex, Lies, and Mistletoe kicked off the series with a bang. Read my review here. And book 2, Sex, Lies and Midnight is just as steamy. See my review here. Please join us and say a big hello to Tawny!

Oh, Those Resolutions!

Here we are, a little more than a week into the New Year! How’s it going for you? There’s something so energizing about the New Year. It might be that exhausted fog that fills our head after the craziness of the holidays, or maybe just the knowledge that the candy canes are all gone and the decorations tucked away. Or maybe it’s the idea of a clean slate – a brand new year with a chance to make things a little different. To change it up. To, you know, achieve the big goals.

Lose weight. Take time to relax. Quit this or that bad habit. Finish writing a book. Save money. Manage time better. Quit eating dessert (but why?!?) Otherwise known this time of year as resolutions. You know how those go. “I resolve to finally do that one thing I know I should do, that’s really good for me, but never quite manage. And I resolve that this is the year it’s going to happen.” Then we call up all our willpower and resolve, and make it happen. Or, well, not.

Resolutions are a funny thing. My heroine, Maya, in Sex, Lies and Midnight, resolved when she left the small town of Black Oak that she’d never return. She was so insistent that she was through with her old life—and never going back—that she even changed her last name to disassociate herself further from that life, and from her father. She had a really good reason for this resolution, and being a strong woman with a major stubborn streak, she was able to keep it. Now, just between us, it might have been anger rather than willpower that kept her going the first year or so, but by then her new life was established, so it was easier to keep on with it.

And she did manage to keep on with that resolution for quite a few years. She lived her new life, the one she thought she should live. She did the day in, day out thing quite successfully. And never was really happy. Then she had to make a choice. Did she go back home to save her father from what she was sure would be a miserable, humiliating experience? Or did she stick with her resolution and stay away? And what could make the entire situation easier? Hmm, maybe a boy toy distraction? *g* Enter Simon, with his own agenda and a whole lot of sexy hotness to help her make the decision. Now, I might be biased (after all, I had a hand in making Maya’s decision) but I think breaking her resolution to never go back to Black Oak was a fabulous choice. Sometimes, resolutions are made to be broke, right?

So here’s my question to you. Do you think resolutions are the things we want to do? Really really want to, because it’ll make us happy? Are they big things that will make a positive impact in our life, but that we have to work toward in small steps for a long (long long long) time. Or do you see resolutions as those things we think we should do. The ones that we know are good for us, that will have a positive effect on our life, but don’t necessarily excite us.

Did you set any New Year’s resolutions? Have you in the past and have you kept them? Or, like Maya, kept them for awhile, until life changed.

I’ll offer an autographed copy of SEX, LIES AND MIDNIGHT to one random commenter today – so please, hang out, share your resolutions and chat with me!

Tawny Weber has been writing sassy, sexy stories for Harlequin Blaze since her first book hit the shelves in 2007. When not obsessing over deadlines, she’s shopping for cute shoes, scrapbooking or hanging out on Facebook and Twitter. Come by and visit her on the web at www.tawnyweber.com

In December of 2011 Tawny launched her Undercover Ops series with SEX, LIES AND MISTLETOE. The second book in the series, SEX, LIES & MIDNIGHT is on shelves in January 2012, quickly followed in February by SEX, LIES & VALENTINES. You can read the first chapter of SEX, LIES & MIDNIGHT on her website, too – all you have to do is join the Reader LoveFest! Be sure to follow Tawny on her Holiday Survival Tour as she celebrates these three books with tons of fun and a chance for readers to win a $100 giftcard!

Review -- Sex, Lies, and Midnight

Sex, Lies, and Midnight
Undercover Operatives, Book 2
By Tawny Weber
Publisher: Harlequin Blaze
Release Date: December 20, 2011

He’s lying. She’s lying. And before long, they’re lying.
Together. In bed…

Born into a con artist family, Maya Black abandoned the grifting life to live on the straight and narrow (and somewhat dull) years ago. But when her family is threatened—and the swindlers are on the verge of becoming the swindled— Maya swings into action. All she needs is a stand-in boyfriend, and the charming, tasty-as-sin Simon Barton will do quite nicely, thanks.

But Simon has a little lie of his own. He’s FBI, and Maya is his inside track to her less-savory relations. It’s a mutual using, which quickly turns into a scorching mutual attraction. In fact, their naughty little sexcapades are the only thing they aren’t faking!

Maya hasn't been back home to Black Oak in years. Although she loves her family and would do anything for them, she can't handle any more disappointment and disillusionment when it comes to her con artist father, Tobias Black. A daddy's girl she may be, but Maya's heart can't handle any more. After a phone call from her older brother Caleb inviting her to come home for his engagement party, Maya doesn't think anything else can shock her. But when she gets another call from her former high school best friend who tells here that she and Tobias are on the verge of getting engaged, too, Maya sees red and is determined to head to Black Oak before all hell breaks loose. But first, she needs a man to pose as her boyfriend, so her family and the rest of the citizens of Black Oak don't think she can commit.

FBI agent Simon Barton has information that Tobias Black is running stolen weapons through his motorcycle shop in Black Oak. Simon knows that if he can bring Tobias down his career in the FBI is on the fast track. He can't help but be attracted to the sexy, sassy Maya Black, so when she asks him to pose as her boyfriend, he sees it as a win/win situation; he gets to spend time with Maya and he gets to possibly bust her old man. But the more he gets to see the real Maya---and see every inch of her!---Simon begins to feel more than a little guilty that she has no idea that he might be the one to finally bring Tobias Black down. So what should matter most to Simon, his career or the woman he's falling in love with?


Simon's body screamed in pleasure. Passion, way out of line for such a simple kiss, demanded release. His muscles tensed as he forced himself to not grab her and find a dark corner to explore just how good this could get.

Having to grab control before he went over the edge, he pulled his mouth from hers. Her eyes were closed, thick dark lashes curving over the tops of her cheeks. She took a deep breath and slowly lifted those lashes.

Absolutely crazy. Breathless, Simon stared into her deep, golden eyes and wondered if she was the answer to his prayers. Or the curse that would finally take him down.


Picking up where Sex, Lies and Mistletoe left off, Sex, Lies and Midnight continues to reveal more about the fascinating Black family and the people of Black Oak. A little intrigue, a dash of humor and a heaping helping of heat is what you get. Maya and Simon practically set the pages on fire! If you need to warm up on a cold winter's night, Sex, Lies and Midnight is just what the doctor ordered.

~ Gannon


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Stock Up Saturday Reviews

Wrangled and Tangled
Book 3, Blackstop Cowboys Series

by Lorelei James
Publisher: NAL Trade
Release Date: November 1, 2011


Wrangled and Tangled is two love stories in one novel. While in most cases it is difficult to have two couples be the star of one book, Ms. James does a fantastic job of keeping the reader interested in both couples.

Janie Fitzbugh and Abe Lawson married at an early age. Instead of growing together, the two grew apart. Janie’s hopes for her marriage were not the reality of their day to day life, so she packed up her stuff and left Muddy Gap, Wyoming. Eight years later, Janie has returned to the rural town to work in the new resort. When Abe and Janie see each other again, the sparks begin to fly and before long those warm, tender feelings resurface. Abe’s love for Janie never diminished over the years of her absence and now that Janie is back in town, Abe is hoping to convince her they need to be a lifetime couple only this time Abe is going to be tell her exactly what he wants … especially in the bedroom.

Renner Jackson has opened his own ranch and resort in Muddy Gap. As a part of his deal with an investor, Renner has agreed to have an onsite representative of the investor though Renner never thought it would be the rich investor’s daughter. Tierney Pratt has had it with her all-business father. After dear daddy passed Tierney over for a huge promotion, she took an on-site representative job to get away from Chicago and her father. But when rough and tough Renner goes head to head with accountant pencil pusher Tierney, their first meeting is not good. But as we all know, there is a fine line between love and hate and these two dance across that line quite well. I think the passion between these two is smokin’ hot. There is one scene with a desk, a chair, and an unwanted guest that will surprise you … in a good way.

If you are looking for a few hours of escape and would like to spend it with some sexy Montana cowboys, then this book is just for you!

~ Buffie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kiss of Frost
Mythos Academy, Book 2
By Jennifer Estep
Publisher: K-Teen (Kensington)
Release Date: December 1, 2011


At Mythos Academy, teen warriors in the making train to take up their roles protecting humankind. With her snarky, self-deprecating voice and strange gift of psychometry – the ability to know an object’s history just by touching it – Gwen Frost is an outsider both to the students of the Academy and the rest of the world. But now that she’s taking private tutoring with the Academy’s most notorious young Spartan, and has Nike’s own sword to protect her, she’s ready to make her mark…


Kiss of Frost picks up shortly after where Touch of Frost (Book 1) left off. (Read my review here if you need a little backstory). Gwen still feels incredibly out of place at Mythos Academy, amongst the pampered, rich teen warriors. She's just that "Gypsy girl" without any super cool strength and speed like the Spartans, Amazons, Valkyries, and Vikings that populate Mythos Academy. Talk about feeling awkward! Add to that the fact that she's crushing on Logan Quinn, the dark and sexy Spartan who's is training her in combat skills, and that she's the target of every Reaper of Chaos---Gwen has more angst and stress than your average teen.

The whole school is headed up in the mountains for Winter Carnival, a weekend of skiing, fun, frolic, and serious partying. Gwen really doesn't want to go, but her best friend (and Valkyrie), Daphne convinces her to go. Maybe a few days away from Mythos is a good idea. Surely the Reapers won't bother to follow her. Not only is someone still trying to kill Gwen, but there's also a killer Fenrir wolf all too eager to make her his afternoon snack. Even the very hunky new boy, Preston, that she meets can't make her forget all that. Looks like it's time to put her new fighting skills to the test. But will Gwen emerge the victor or die trying?

Jennifer Estep has created a world full of myth, action, a little romance, a lot of raging hormones. Gwen Frost is someone most of can relate to. Who hasn't felt a little awkward at some point during their teen years? But she knows who she is: smart, tough, loyal, and sweetly vulnerable. The Mythos Academy series is great young adult reading, but I'd recommend it for about 14 and up for some of the content. It is best to read the series in order, beginning with Touch of Frost---Jennifer also has a prequel, First Frost---so you can experience Gwen's time at Mythos Academy from day one. Dark Frost, book three in the series, is scheduled for release in June 2012. Young adult books aren't just for the young; I'd recommend them for the rest of us grown ups, too.

~ Gannon

Tawny Weber Winner!!

The winner of a copy of SEX, LIES AND MISTLETOE by Tawny Weber and a hand-crafted candle is


Na


Congratulations, Na! Please send your contact information to Tawny at

tawnyATtawnyweberDOTcom

Please put "Dish Winner" in the subject line, so Tawny can get your prizes in the mail ASAP. Thanks to everyone for stopping by and commenting.

Today's Special -- Tawny Weber

We're happy to welcome Tawny Weber back to The Romance Dish. In addition to writing her steamy stories for Harlequin Blaze, Tawny is a busy wife, mother, avid scrapbooker, and lover of fabulous shoes....and Johnny Depp. She's also one of the delightful Romance Bandits----we love those ladies! Tawny's newest Blaze, Sex, Lies, and Mistletoe (see my review here) is the first in her Undercover Operatives series. And boy is it ever hot, just the way we like it. *g* Please join me in giving Tawny a warm welcome.

Hey, Tawny. It's great having you with us today. I love your hot and steamy Blaze books---yowza! What gave you the idea for your Undercover Operatives?

Thanks, Gannon! I love visiting the Romance Dish. You are all so welcoming and fun here! And thanks, too for loving my Blazes! Hot and steamy are so fun, aren’t they? I sure hope readers find a lot of hot steam in the Undercover Operatives series. I actually came up with the idea for the second story, SEX, LIES AND MIDNIGHT, a year or so ago. I knew Maya had a falling out with her con-artist father and started wondering what it’d take to get her back home, and how her one-true-love would play into that scenario. From there, it sort of mushroomed (don’t they always?) Before I knew it, she had two brothers, and her for-once innocent father was deep in the middle of a series of criminal activities. I’d actually pitched the stories from the perspective of the con artists, but ended up focusing instead on the FBI task force instead. I’m hoping if the stories do well, I can write more from the perspective of Hunter and his Undercover FBI cases.

Did you always want to write category romance?

I was a late bloomer. All my life, I’ve been in awe of romance writers. I love the genre, and figured the authors had direct access to the Romance Gods, with regular visits from the Emotional Healing Fairy. When I first considered the scary idea of writing my own romance, I knew I’d want to go in one of two directions. Light paranormal or Temptation (the line that birthed Blaze). These were my absolute favorites to read, and I figured since I might be the only one reading my own work, I should make it easy on myself *g*. But after hitting the internet, joining RWA and a few writers groups, the word on the street was that paranormal was dead (let’s all pause to laugh now... silly rumors). Then I compared the publishing process between single title and category – and I’ll be honest, the pressure of sales numbers in a first book scared me a little *g* Harlequin offered such amazing support for starting writers through all the contests editors judged and through eHarlequin, that it seemed like an easy choice for me to veer toward Temptation. Then Temptation closed (pausing again to sob a little). The editor who’d been this close to buying me for Temptation suggested I try for Blaze. Luckily, my voice, smart ass style and tendency to focus on the sexual elements between the hero and heroine worked pretty well there.

I'm giggling at you being told that paranormal was dead. LOL Those crazy rumors! Since you gave some thought to writing light paranormal when you first started out, have you ever considered writing one now?

LOL well, light paranormal still isn’t setting the market on fire, so I supposed as far as my writing goes, paranormal is still dead (which always makes me think of vampires. Haha... get it? Dead? Okay, I’ll stop). I would love to write one someday, though. Or I should say write another one, as I have one I was starting to shop around when I sold to Blaze. But I (and my wise agent *g*) just don’t see the market being strong enough in that direction to be able to justify the time and focus. My writing deadlines are so tight already, it’s hard to find the time to sit down and write something not contracted. But someday, my light, clever, sexy witch stories will get written!!!

How long does it typically take you to finish a book? How many do you publish per year?

It takes me about 3 months to write a 60k Blaze and I’ll have 4 books out in 2012. I’ve written novellas in 6 weeks, and taken as long as 4 months on books when I’m juggling multiple edits and revisions on other stories, but yeah, 3 months seems to be my sweet spot. 

 

In your free time (*pausing for you to laugh*), who are some of favorite go-to authors?

LOL –I do have free time. It’s somewhere around 4am, just after I finish my writing session and before I crash for the night (morning?). My absolute fave authors are Nora Roberts, Vicki Lewis Thompson and Jennifer Crusie. Their books are what made me want to write. They’re my comfort reads.

I see we have the same taste in authors.  *g*  There's nothing like a good comfort read to make everything all better.  Speaking for myself, I'm glad you were inspired to write, because I love reading your books.  But if you could pick another career to have, what would it be?

  

We do have good taste, don’t we? ;-)  I love comfort reads. It’s so great to fall into a story and know that you’ll feel great when you get to the last page.  And thank you so much, I’m thrilled you love the books!!  There’s nothing more magical to an author than hearing those words.  If I wasn’t writing, I’d definitely still be working as an intuitive consultant.  I’m a certified hypnotherapist, Reiki Master and tarot reader.  I think the years of counseling and delving into deeper meanings through the cards is one of the things that helps me most as a writer, though.  It makes me look for deeper reasons for the characters actions and emotions.  

Obviously, you are one busy lady, so tell us what a typical Tawny Weber day is like?

Crazy.  :-D  Okay, not so crazy, but usually more on the hectic side than mellow.  We homeschool, so a typical day starts with that.  My daughter has her own desk in my office for school, so between lessons and while she’s working on her own, I try to get online and deal with emails and social networking, but that always depends on how school is going.  Afternoons she has activities, so that’s when I try to catch up on those emails, etc that I didn’t get to in the morning.  Between 4 and 9 is family time.  Housework, dinner, hanging out with my husband and all that. And then at 9 I get to work.  I’ll often write until 3am, although my husband has been known to get up for work at 5:30 and still find me at my desk.   

Thanks for all the fun, Tawny.  Now, I'm going to take a page out of your book and have you answer the "quick six".

Summer or Winter?  Summer, but only because I hate being cold.  Otherwise I love winter. It’s quieter, and more introspective. 

Alpha or Beta? Gamma :-)  I like a hero that has no issue with the heroine’s strength, but is strong and take charge. 

Beach or Mountains? Beach.  Anything by water is wonderful!

Pie or Cake?  Cake, preferably chocolate.

Dog or Cat?  Wince... (looking around to make sure my cats aren’t nearby, then whispering... ) Dogs.  I love cats, but love dogs just a little more.

Colin Firth or Matthew Macfadyen (as Mr. Darcy)?  Will I get in trouble if I say I haven’t watched either? (holding up a cute puppy to avoid anything anyone might throw at me over that confession).  But as a rule, I adore Colin Firth.  He’s just so cute.  

What question would you like to ask our readers?

I’d love to know your readers' thoughts on aphrodisiacs... Yummy or sneaky?  Do you believe they exist, or are they just the result of the power of suggestion?  

I’d like to thank the lovely ladies here at the Romance Dish for this awesome welcome and for letting me hang out here today.  I hope you, and all of your readers, have a fabulous holiday season!!  

***Tawny is giving away a copy of Sex, Lies and Mistletoe and a hand-crafted candle to a lucky commenter.***