Paradise Is Now Available Through Amazon Kindle
 and B&N Nook

Independent, career woman Roberta Miller wins a dream vacation – only it’s closer to a Jurassic Park nightmare: a camping trip, canoeing through the Okefenokee Swamp, dodging snapping alligators, mosquitoes the size of elephants and – “What do you mean there are no restrooms!”

Bad boy, Eddie McGraw chucked his successful Wall St. career to run the family camping business in his favorite place on earth. He’s through with races only the rats win and women obsessed with careers and designer shoes. He’s set his sights on settling down with a good old country girl, one who shares his passion for the simple life, that is, until he meets a very intriguing camper.

As I mentioned on my website, this story was previously published in 2006 but, never had a chance. After carefully researching which publishers to submit it to, it turns out I had not chosen wisely. The publisher declared bankruptcy, closed its doors, website and email and left its authors hanging. ::sigh::

Fortunately, we all eventually got our rights back but Robbie and Eddie were a bit shell-shocked by the whole experience and have spent the last few years hiding under my bed.

I figure they’ve had enough time to recover and have pushed them off in their canoe into the Okefenokee Swamp again. Bugs, gators, and things that go bump in the night all await these adventurous campers. If they happen to fall in love along the way, well, there are other things to do in a swamp besides listen to tree frogs.

I hope you enjoy their adventure!

ASIN: B0046H9ZCC
$3.99
173 pages

Buy Kindle Edition

Buy Nook Edition

My Top Ten Excuses for Not Writing Today

He has nothing to do with the topic, but sometimes I like to open my blogs with a hot guy. For my money, Jason Taylor is seriously hot.

:: sigh:: Back on task…

Excuses seem to be a big topic on a lot of loops recently so I thought I’d chime in with mine. Here we go…

1. The sun’s in my eyes.
2. My shoes are too tight.
3. I just washed my hair.

Oh…Wait…Those are my excuses for not exercising. My bad…
Hmm… excuses for not writing…Oh yeah.

10. I have to take down my jack-o’-lanterns and put up my pilgrims. Gosh, I’m already a week late.

9. There’s a sale on my favorite wine at the local shop and I have to get there before the only other two people in this city who like it buy up the entire stock.

8. Christmas shopping! OMG! It’s the 6th of November and I haven’t finished my Christmas shopping yet!

7. I have to clean my house. Nayh, let’s not get ridiculous.

6. The cats are fighting. I need to break it up. (Regrettably, this really is an all day job.)

5. I need to figure out what’s for dinner. Italian…Chinese…Mexican… So many take out menus so little time.

4. I have to do the Sudoku in today’s newspaper. Really, for me, a day without Sudoku is a day closer to Old Timer’s Disease.

3. Wisconsin is at Perdue and Minnesota is at Michigan State. I can’t possibly miss those. (That’s college football for those of you not addicted to the game.)

2. I sprained my wrist (No, really, I did last Wednesday. I am such a bobo-head.)

1. Oh, my Number One excuse for not writing today…I wrote this blog instead!

Almost Home

Day 28 of my sojourn up the East coast and almost the last day. I head out on Sunday and plan to be in the land of milk and honey - or rather gators and oranges - on Monday. This trip has been a fantastic event of researching sites (and sights) for future books. As of today I satisfied the last item on my ‘to do’ list with visiting a cemetery with my mom. (Yeah, I'm working on another Lite Paranormal) Now, I’ve been to several cemeteries during my visit - there is a fascinating one near Ocean City NJ with early 18th century graves and another one that overlooks a highway and the new “Stop and Shop” - and they had a sense of contentment and caring (based on the items left near the headstones) about them. But the one I visited today was one of the creepiest I‘ve ever been to. Obviously, I didn’t say a word to Mom. We were there to visit my grandparents and several of her friends. She was the first to mention how spooky and cold it was.


Row after row after row of headstones all the same height, a few different shapes, as far as you could see; few flowers and very impersonal, or so it seemed to us. Now, I’ve been to Arlington National Cemetery many times where every headstone is laid out in rows but it’s very peaceful and I’ve never been creeped out there. Both Mother and I didn’t want to be anywhere near this place after dark. (Her words not mine.)

Well this little odyssey of a month on the road to renew my Jersey roots has been fantastic but I’m now looking forward to returning to the Sunshine State and putting what I found into some new stories. I discovered a lot and can’t wait to weave some magic around it.

Sometimes getting away has a way of bringing you back home again.

On the Road Again

Day 19 of my journey up the East Coast. Today I thought I’d share some pictures of one of my favorite places in the world: The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City - The Met. I’ve been here dozens of times but I still get a thrill climbing the front stairs in anticipation. (And there are lots of stairs!)

And then, the minute I step through to the first gallery, I’m lost…literally. I can’t follow a map for anything. No matter how many times I ask directions, I don’t really listen. I hear part of what the guards are saying then think “Yeah, I know where that is” and I just don’t listen anymore. And so, of course I’m lost again after I make the first turn. But it really doesn’t matter. There’s always something wonderful and fascinating no matter where I am.

And so I spend the day aimlessly wandering and discovering until my feet need a beer and it’s time to leave. But before I do, I always head to my favorite gallery on the second floor to visit my three favorite paintings, which oddly enough are side by side by side. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Somehow, someway, they're going to land in a future story.

Springtime by Pierre-Auguste Cot

The Storm also by Pierre-Auguste Cot

Joan of Arc by Jules Bastien-Lepage

I will spend close to an hour staring and studying these marvelous works. There is just something in each of them that calls to me and I can’t look away.

That is, until my feet really become insistent about needing that beer. Last week, we headed to a great place on First and 86th called East End Bar and Grill. It took a few beers but my feet finally stopped shouting at me.

Have a great day!

Making A Commitment

Once again I’m on the road. This time in New Jersey, enjoying the beautiful Spring weather – actually, I’m freezing my behiney off – and visiting friends and family. Today I’m hitting Atlantic City.

The other night, I was watching TV with my sister and we began to list shows we watch on a semi-regular basis. I say semi-regular because I really can’t commit to being in front of a TV at the same time on the same day every week. It’s just too much pressure. Anyway here’s the list of TV shows I came up with.

The Big Bang Theory – What’s not to love about four guys who are the perfect stereotypes of the major geek groups? I went out with all of them in high school. (Yes, I even dated a Sheldon)

Two and A Half Men – Even though John Cryer is TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) on the show, I can’t help but root for him and hope that this time he gets the girl.

NCIS – Mark Harmon. Wow. Oh, and, regrettably if I were ever to meet the Tony DiNozzo character, I would feel obligated to stuff him down the nearest sewer for what he has done to poor Timmy McGee.

Jeopardy – I love playing but it’s become painfully obvious, I’m not Ken Jennings.

Castle – Hey, he’s hot, he’s witty and by his own admission, he is “ruggedly handsome” and best of all, he’s a writer!

Like I said, I can’t commit to watching a show every week. Can anybody? I mean, is there anyone who has seen every episode of 24 – in order? Or how about LOST? Has anyone seen every episode for six years?

 
Rick Castle...Yes, definitely “ruggedly handsome.”

Do you have a ‘Bucket List’?
I had such fun writing this blog for the Loose Id Authors Coffeetime Romance Retreat, I thought I'd recycle it here!


I’m asking this because I found mine while cleaning out the garage. (See the post on archeological digs.) Of course, when I wrote it, I called it Aims and Goals but since the movie everyone seems to know it as a Bucket List. Mine was written somewhere around my senior year in high school. I haven’t seen it for a long time, but I felt good that a lot of things were checked off.

What I found interesting was not what I had or had not accomplished (although I was able to update it with several things I’d done since I’d last seen it) The thing I really found interesting was what I considered noteworthy to spend my time and energy on in my future.

Yes, I did go to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade (Boy, talk about a crowd of people!)

Yes, I have been to the Grand Canyon. (Indescribable)

No, I’ve never made it to Mardi Gras.

Yes, I have read War and Peace. (Loooong but so worth it)

No, I’ve never made it to the Olympic Games

No, I’ve never been in Times Square on New Year’s Eve (And that’s probably a good thing)

Some of the items were a bit surprising. "To go camping in Canada." Now, I’ve been to Canada several times and loved every minute of it, but camping??? Like in a tent and sleeping on the ground??? I don’t think so. I love nature but at night I need a hotel with cable and a hot shower.

I’m thinking that it’s probably time to revise my list. Update it with things that mean more to me now, but ya know…I still want to see the Hoover Dam.

Anyone Else Doing An Archeological Dig?

I had such fun writing this blog for the Loose Id Authors Coffeetime Romance Retreat, I thought I'd recycle it here!

Last weekend we finally did it!
It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
In fact, it was downright fun.
It was so much fun, my husband and I are actually going to do it again!

Oh you silly! Not that!
We had a garage sale!

We had a wonderful time meeting people, complaining about the weather and handing off our discards to folks who thought they were treasures.

We actually got rid of enough stuff that we can get to the other side of the garage to the stuff we really want to get rid of. (Hence the thought about doing it again.)

We haven’t moved in a thousand years and things just piled up and piled up but they weren’t in the way so we had no incentive to do anything about it. Until my son moved back home after college…

It was hysterical some of the things we were saving. My husband had over 500 golf balls. (He’s not the greatest golfer in the world but he’s not THAT bad that he needs 500 gold balls.) I found my wedding album – from my first marriage. Somehow, I figure if I’ve been married for two decades to my second husband, I probably don’t need the pictures from the first. Right?

I found a tour guide pamphlet for Universal Studios in California. An adult admission price? $7.25! Children were $5.25! Today’s price? $69.00. I think I may hold onto this.

I have no idea why I'm saving most of this stuff. Somewhere along the line it must have been important to me but now, I think the only ones who might be remotely interested in it are archeologists looking to explore the last few decades in Surburbia.

Loose Id Unleashed

Join me beginning March 1st and

Discover Love Unleashed with your favorite Loose Id authors at

Coffee Time Romance Readers' Retreat

http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=1211

Contests, Give-Aways and all sorts of exciting things will be happening everyday through March 20th!

Hang out with your favorite Loose Id Authors and learn how they write, what’s in the works, who their favorite authors are, and much, much more!

I’ll be hosting March 2nd along with multi-published and incredibly talented Qwillia Rain!

Throughout the month these wonderful Loose Id Authors will be stopping by the Reader’s Retreat.

Drop by their websites and check them out!

Ali Katz    http://www.a-katz.com/

Amber Green    http://www.shapeshiftersinlust.com/

Belinda McBride http://www.belindamcbride.com/

Eliza Gayle http://elizagayle.net/

G.G. Royale http://www.ggroyale.com/

Gemini Judson http://www.gemjudson.com/

Lissa Matthews http://www.lissamatthews.com/

Mechele Armstrong http://www.mechelearmstrong.com/

Michelle Hasker http://www.michellehasker.com/

Nica Berry www.orossy.com/nicaberry

Qwillia Rain http://www.clubdiabloblanco.webs.com/

Rosalie Stanton http://rosalie-stanton.com/

S. W. Vaughn http://www.swvaughn.com/

Selena Illyria http://www.selenaillyria.com/

Suzanne Rock http://www.suzannerock.com/

Treva Harte http://www.trevaharte.com/

Come Join Me On February 9th!

I'll be guest blogging with Tracy Cooper Posey and her erotic romance alter ego, Teal Ceagh, on February 9th when my latest "Paranormal-Lite" novella, Waltz Me Through Time, is released by Ellora's Cave.

Come chat with me over at http://tracycooperposey.com/blog/ and you'll have a chance to win either a copy of Waltz Me Through Time or another one of my titles.  Hope to see you there!

Stanley Caldwell is ecstatic to finally locate his wife after losing her during a lively dance…but he’s not thrilled with what he finds!
     She doesn’t remember the dance.
     She doesn’t remember him.
     She doesn’t remember she belongs in 1902.

Cover For

Waltz Me Through Time

I've just received the cover for my next release with Ellora's Cave. I absolutely love it! It captures the spirit of the story and especially the hero in his way-too-sexy tux.

Waltz Me Through Time is one of Ellora's Cave's Dance of Desire series and will be released on February 9th. It's another of my "paranormal lites" and with this one we do a bit of time traveling. 

Juliana Douglas has a thriving antique shop and a boyfriend who is likely to propose any day. Everything is working out just as she wants it to…until a handsome stranger arrives from 1902 and claims she’s his wife.

What To Do On A Cold and Nasty Day

Okay, here's the scenario.
It's a cold and nasty day outside. You're off from work and spending the day at home...alone. Working on your Work In Progress isn't an option. So what do you do? (Oh, and we're going to keep this PG rated. )

Here is my list of top ten things to do on a nasty day:

1. A TV Marathon. Watching an entire season of Mad Men, True Blood, Castle, The Soprano's or Family Guy until the characters are coming out my ears! My other option here would be a Movie Marathon with the entire Lord of the Rings series or all the Lethal Weapon movies. Oh my gosh, I could follow that up with the Die Hards or Terminators! Or maybe a Chick Flick Fiesta would be a good choice!

2. Sorting through my TBR (To Be Read) shelf. It's embarrassing but I easily have over 5000 books and let's face it. I'm never going to read all of them. Perhaps this would be a good opportunity to pass a few along. (If you've been on my shelf and I haven't read you in 10 years, maybe we could find a better home for you.) WARNING: It's dangerous to thumb through any Keeper Books. That could put a quick end to "Sorting through the TBR shelf" and head straight into the next option...

3. Curling up with a good book. Nothing like meeting a to-die-for hero and watching as he and the heroine overcome their internal and external conflicts, make it past the Black Moment and arrive safely, if somewhat battered, at the HEA!

4.  Playing with the Wii, the X Box or whatever it is that I can't ever play with because everyone else in the family monopolizes it.

5. Shopping on the internet. Notice I didn't say "Buying on the internet". There is some really really odd stuff for sale out there and it's not all on the X-rated sites. (This can be done between games of Sipder Solitaire.)

6. Organizing my coupons. I religiously clip out coupons from the flyers that come with the Sunday newspaper. I toss them in a bin on the counter and leave them there until they expire. Perhaps this isn't the best use for them...

7. Figuring out how to work all the options and apps on my phone. I just got an iPhone and I will be 113 by the time I figure out how to work everything. (Somehow, I keep taking pictures of my floor.)

8. Doing a jigsaw puzzle. They really are fun. I'm exceptionally good at the ones with cardboard backing for ages 3 to 5. Speaking of puzzles, my all time favorites are the Sudoku number puzzles. I feel so clever when I solve one!

9. Turning off the phone, Turning on the wind machine and taking a nap. Naps are one of the incredibly under-rated joys of life and they just make everything better.

10. One day, I might try taking the laundry off the treadmill where it's been hanging for the last three years and give that machine a try. There really was another reason besides clothes storage that I bought it.

You'll notice I haven't included any of that clean out the linen closet/refrigerator/garage/attic stuff. The day is dreary and nasty already. Why make it worse?

TTFN

Hi!

I put up this blog a few weeks ago and then kinda let it go because I didn't really have anything to exciting to post. I don't lead the type of life that has the paparazzi chasing me and I didn't think anyone really wanted to read about how I spend my day avoiding housework and keeping tabs on the neighborhood. (My office faces the street and you'd be amazed what people do in public!)

Anyway, I had an absolutely marvelous time participating in a book signing with the First Coast Romance Writers yesterday at the local Borders bookstore. It was wonderful to see all the members who came out to support the group and the community involvement!

Here are some pictures of the event.

Yours truly

Nancy Haddock, author of Last Vampire Standing and La Vida Vampire

Merrillee Whren, Harlequin Love Inspired author with Alyssa Day NYT and USA Today Best Selling author of The Warriors of Poseidon series

Donna McAteer, author of the Bliss Society Series with Violet Rightmire, author of Dancing in Time

Lydia Hawke author of Firetrail and Perfect Disguise which have both been made into motion pictures chatting with Harlequin Intrigue author Tracy Montoya (center) and Anita Lourcey Tooke (right) author of Out of Her Dreams

Catherine Kean, author of A Knight's Temptation with Maggie Toussaint In for A Penny

Somehow in the excitement, I missed a few snapshots. Apologies to Cheryl Norman and Renee Ryan.

Shortly, I'm heading out to the airport - about 3 hours from here - to pick up my daughter who has been on a study abroad program in Russia. I should have some interesting pictures to share from that.

Thanks for stopping by!

Welcome to Eileen Ann Brennan's Blog

Contemporary and Historical Romance
with a
Tinge of
Mystery and Magic

Today, I’m taking my inspiration from Darragha Foster who blogged Saturday. (Hugs and good luck, Darragha!!) I thought I’d share a little about what’s happening in my life. Like her, I decided I was going to take control. I set out on a definitive course of action to do something about my inability to live the life I wanted. Let me digress…

Several months ago, I heard they were going to make a Bionic Woman movie and I decided I wanted the starring role! So I started making a few changes. Little by little, I knew I could change enough to grab that plum of a role.

I figured carpal tunnel syndrome had no place in a bionic woman’s life. How can I fire my super-secret laser gun if my fingers don’t move?. In just a few visits, Dr. Four-Foot-Needles took care of that problem.

But what about that rotator cuff injury I got playing backup quarterback for Peyton Manning in the Super Bowl? (Wasn’t I awesome?) How will I be able to throw rapid fire projectiles to bring down the fleeing bad guys?. This time, it took a visit to Dr. Close-Your-Eyes-And-Count-Back-From-Ten. Hey, no problem! Ten—
All fixed!

Now, what about the knee injury I received when I hurled myself in front of that goal David Beckham ALMOST got? How am I going to do all those snappy Kung-Fu kicks that are just soooo Bionic Woman? Another date with Dr. Close-Your-Eyes ought to fix this. This time, I didn’t even make it to ten.

Okay, I’m almost ready for my close up, Mr. DeMille, but that hip. The whole thing just isn’t working for me anymore. We really need to simply start all over and replace it. This time when Dr. Close-Your-Eyes showed up and his medical bag of tricks contained a hammer and saw, I didn’t need to count to anything. (YIKES!)

As you can imagine, my husband thinks I’m having an affair with Dr. Close-Your-Eyes, who also ‘did my toe’ (Now doesn’t that sound provocative?) last year. Trust me, if I were going to have an affair, I’d sure pick an easier cover than this.

With the help of my wonderful physical therapist, Diane-the-Mauler, who received her degree at the Marquis de Sade School of Therapy, my bionic body parts are almost all in working order. I’ve still got my cane (and top hat, of course) but it should go by the wayside in a few weeks. I figure I’m now a shoo-in for the starring part in the movie!

And that’s how I spent my summer – spring, winter and, hopefully, not fall — vacation. I’ve also spent the time dreaming up intriguing plots, devastating heroes and feisty heroines that I can’t get on paper – or computer – fast enough!

Okay, trivia time! Let me know if you remember the name of the original Bionic Woman and the actress who played her on TV (Don’t all google at once ). I’ll do a random drawing and send the winner a copy of CAPTURED, the second book in the Le Monte Dynasty series.

Thanks for blogging with me and have a great day!