- Do you have a teenager?

This may be a tricky issue, as some children may view parental advice with suspicion, but I've just experienced a major hand-shaking event with various friend's children & friends of theirs. 

I feel compelled to alert parents: in addition to the drug, alcohol and sex conversation, you need to tell/show/explain to your child how to shake some one's hand. Yes, I experienced a lot of 'dead fish,' 'limp noodle,' 'wet dishrag' and 'consumptive squeezes.'

I wondered if anyone had explained to them what a handshake was supposed to be--not that all adults are free of the aforementioned problem, but this seemed excessive, perhaps indicating cluelessness.

I don't want to go all Dale Carnegie on you, but he has a point. A handshake is a big first impression, and surely it's not too hard to offer a firm grip, a brief squeeze and release. You can even throw in eye contact for extra credit.

Maybe it's an issue of a child/young adult not feeling confident, but I don't care--act it, at least. Surprisingly, confidence will come and people will give you the benefit of the doubt for starters.

Reach out an touch someone...properly.

- Tell Harlequin.com - Online Reader panel

Here's information from a recent press release on a program Harlequin is launching to open the door to reader's comments and suggestions:

http://www.TellHarlequin.com/ gives readers the opportunity
to contribute to the future of romance reading.

Toronto, ON (August 18, 2008) – Harlequin Enterprises Limited, the global leader in series romance and one of the world’s leading publishers of women’s fiction, announced today the launch of Tell Harlequin (www.TellHarlequin.com)—an online advisory panel that allows readers input into the direction of future novels by voicing their opinions and sharing their book experiences directly with the publisher.

Tell Harlequin is an online advisory panel designed to enhance Harlequin’s relationship with its readers through an ongoing dialogue whose insights will help guide the evolution of the publisher’s business and allow Harlequin to publish the best in women’s fiction. Participants on the Tell Harlequin panel can make their voices heard on topics such as cover designs, new
miniseries ideas, new series concepts, new promotional ideas and more. The staff at Harlequin will then consider Tell Harlequin suggestions along with the publisher’s own plans as it develops editorial for the future. Contributors to Tell Harlequin receive free Harlequin novels and sneak peeks at upcoming books, participate in entertaining online surveys and exchange opinions and ideas with other readers.

For more information please go to http://www.TellHarlequin.com/.

- Are you my friend?

OK, I am somewhat anti-social as well as being older than 20something, but that hasn't protected me from getting sucked into a social network!

Here's my etiquette dilemma:

What do you do when you get a "friend" request from someone who you're not sure you know. Yes, you check out their lists of friends & you may find people in common, and that may jog your memory. But what do you do when, in the 'family' of the romance, there are a lot of people who might know of me, just as I might know of them, but we don't actually know each other, have never spoken or met.

Are they my...friend?

When I launched into the uncharted waters of virtual reality, I ran around & made all my friend's children 'friend' me (the 20somethings were everywhere). Then I discovered authors, and found good friends there. But for me there was a delicacy—I felt I had to actually know someone to friend them. I wasn't using the site to do business or reaching out to strangers to expand my circle. I was just trying to find my friends—people I knew, had worked with, had met—virtually or actually.

When I make a friend request, I try always to write a message saying Hi, often reintroducing myself and reminding them how we knew each other. That seemed, well, friendly. Like when you see someone at an actual event, you say 'Hello, I'm ... and we know each other from ....' Even if you know them well, you still say Hello! And if you don't know them, of course you introduce yourself.

But that's not the M.O. for most others.  I often just get queries with no message or greeting and I don't know whether they're someone I've connected with or not.  Perhaps their vision is to expand their network to include someone with shared interests.  And while that's a reasonable goal, it's not my direction at present.  

Which means I've actually ignored friend requests when I didn't know for certain that I knew the person personally (sorry), and it makes me feel so ungracious! All these requests are impersonal—no note, no greeting, just click here and you'll be added to my list—I don't even need to say Hello. And there's also no place on the sites to share your philosophy or to alert people of your feelings on friending.

I worry that I might actually know them, that I ought to have remembered them—I've met them at a conference, they're a Harlequin author, I took them out to dinner, they were kind enough to host me at an event, or may have read my blog (thank you!).

But just like at an event, if someone came up to you and said, 'You don't know me, but I'm a fan of your writing/met you briefly @ a conference/heard you speak...& would like to connect' you'd be happy to get to know them. They've reached out, shared something of themselves, we'd found common ground and become new friends, or a friendly acquaintance. Or just a business colleague who chats and hands you their card.

Seems to me the same framework could—should—apply in this virtual world. Friend is a word that means something, and that matters to me.

Many years when I was a 20something my older brother's buddies would complain bitterly that often the girls they were checking out & were interested in wouldn't "put out." My girlfriends noted that that was likely because they weren't "putting in"—actually reaching out & putting themselves on the line.

I'm not comfortable ignoring people, but I do think I'm not going to put out unless the requester 'puts in.'

The MacGregors are everywhere!

Look for Nora Roberts' The MacGregor Grooms, heading your way July, 2008--and you can still get The MacGregor Brides. Check out the cover connection--don't they belong together?

The MacGregors are everywhere--and here's my story. Took a trip to South Africa. Here are my phone photos to prove it. First some establishing shots:

This is the Cape of Good Hope. Doesn't this look like the very tip of Africa? While it's not the Southernmost tip, it is apparently the Southwesternmost end.

This is the actual Southernmost tip of Africa, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet (note sign). Not nearly as dramatic as the Cape!

At times driving around felt like Northern California, sea to one side, mountains on the other--but every once in a while something would wander by and remind you you really weren't in "Kansas" anymore!

So as mentioned, there we were, driving around in South Africa and what do we see? Yes, we were faced with an impossible choice--Robertson (Nora Roberts' family name) or Macgregor (a Nora Roberts family name). Which would you pick?

Luckily for me, I picked...Nora Roberts! Here we are at her summer event. Yes, my husband has stopped eating her potato salad long enough to take a special phone photo of us.

FYI in South Africa, we stayed in the charming town of Mcgregor at a lovely B&B, sleeping under a MacGregor tartan coverlet. At breakfast, the hostess explained about the Scottish immigrants that had originally settled there and I sent her a complete set of Nora's MacGregor series, of course!

So here's my pitch. This is a photo of me as a bridesmaid at my brother's wedding (yes, of course I cropped out my head, it was an art concept I was going for). Some time ago I'd given a copy of the cropped picture to the art director because I thought it would be a great concept for a cover.

Months (if not years) later, I see the Brides cover--pretty similar, eh? I think I was the inspiration. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Presenting...Harlequin Hungary (Photo) and Mary-Margaret Scrimger (Interview)

My conundrum: I had a photo, but no interview. An interview with no photo.

So I decided to combine them, though they have nothing to do with each other, except both represent contributors to the editorial team. Here's a picture of the wonderful Harlequin Hungary editorial team, with a note from their editorial manager, Dr. Imre TÉGLÁSY:



"In the background you can see the Picasso painting of the Harlequin child--of course!

"On your left side: Zsuzsanna GLAVINA, senior editor, Vicky SIMORÁDI, senior editor, Dr. Imre TÉGLÁSY, editorial manager, Iren BODA, secretary, Katalin KOLTAY, technical editor, Dora BAKAY, editor.

"Thank you. Köszönöm!"

Imre

Thank you very much--Köszönöm szepen--to the whole editorial team for taking Harlequin editorial to market in your country! (sorry, don't know how to print the proper accents).

I also am delighted to introduce Mary-Margaret, the next installment of the popular editorial interviews:

NAME:
Mary-Margaret Scrimger

TITLE:
Assistant Editor, MIRA Books and SPICE

ROLE:
"My responsibility is varied: I’m responsible for MIRA back covers and prelims; I read a lot of SPICE submissions, particularly SPICE Briefs right now; also, I also work with the Nora Roberts team on Nora Roberts' backlist.

WORK HISTORY:
"I’ve been with Harlequin for 3 years and have recently been promoted to Assistant Editor. Before Harlequin I had a variety of jobs but most of them were part-time or summer jobs to get through school.

WHY PUBLISHING?
"The most important thing for me with work is that I enjoy it and have motivation to do it. If I were working for a financial company or law firm then I don’t think I could get out of bed in the morning.

"Working in publishing is pretty amazing because I get paid to do what I do in my spare time – read. Plus, learning how a book is put together from the inside has given me a new perspective.

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD BOOK
"One of my strongest childhood memories is my Dad reciting Robert Service's poems to us as bedtime stories. Because of my Dad all of my sisters and I have The Cremation of Sam McGee memorized and it is my favorite childhood book.

STORIES THAT APPEAL TO ME NOW:
"I think any story can be interesting depending on the way it is told. I have no interest in brick laying but a few months ago I read a beautifully written story about a brick layer. The author had the skill to pull me into the story and show me a different side of brick laying that I had no idea existed! Those type of books appeal to me--ones that show me hidden secrets that we couldn’t even imagine.

FAVORITE FILMS:
"It really depends on when you ask the question! Right now I’m really into German movies. I bawled in THE LIVES OF OTHERS and GOODBYE LENIN. My all time favorite movie is probably a very unknown movie called SLC PUNK"

Thank you Mary-Margaret for taking the time to share. While I haven't memorized the whole of The Cremation of Sam MacGee (impressive) it is a favorite. And I often flash on the refrain during appropriately strange moments:

There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the men who moil for gold;
The Arctic trails have their secret tales
That would make your blood run cold;
The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,
But the queerest they ever did see
Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge
I cremated Sam McGee.

- Introducing...Leena Hyat

I met Lee in one of those virtual encounters that are commonplace now, but remain conceptually amazing to me: the links we forge from shared interests and common passions without ever actually meeting – or needing to!

The internet also allows us to virtually check each other out – so I visited one of Lee's blogs, Tote Bags 'n' Blogs (Join us for the latest news, views, and reviews from authors on authors...) and found a boatload of posts from authors I know & love. She has her finger in a lot of pies, with websites, reviews and a business but took the time to share her thoughts – though she noted she was more used to being on the publishing rather than the writing side of a post!

                                                          

One of the best jobs in the world…

When I was young, I wanted to be a writer and an artist. I wanted to create. I wanted to fill the world with color and beautiful words that touched the soul: words that inspired strong emotion and also made you smile; colors that evoked passion and shouted ‘Look at me! Here I am!’

My favorite places to hang out included the art room at school and the library. I could get lost in both. I didn’t have to worry about not being good at fractions or formulas… or conversation. 

But my roots belong in a conservative family where art and writing didn’t sound like promising careers and professions like medicine, law and business administration did. I held out for art college but then life happened and here I am today with a business administration background, a whole lot of color and lots of wonderful words to get lost in.

I’ve got one of the best jobs in the world. I work with some of the best, award-winning authors in the romance industry on administration, publicity, and promotion. My clients range from the newly published to the fully established, New York Times bestselling authors, and every day I’m surrounded by a lot of words… and a lot of gorgeous colors, too.  I’m doing everything I love to do most. It’s perfect and totally suits me.

I fell into this job quite by accident – it’s funny how life often leads us in a roundabout way to the path we were always intended to take. I’ve been an avid reader since forever, and several years ago, just after my husband and I moved to Washington state, I was looking for a fun hobby as a way of making some new friends. I happened across a website looking for reviewers. 

I still remember the first book they sent me to review. It was a 600 page eBook… Yikes! I didn’t think I’d get through it – 600 pages of reading at my computer?? Gah! But I did get through it. And I enjoyed it too. 

I guess I had a knack for reviewing because pretty soon I was reading and reviewing over 14 books a month and loving every minute. It was fun and it got me really interested in learning about writing and publishing industry.

It also made me start getting ideas about putting pen to paper for my own stories. But again, life happened. I reconnected with a then-category romance author at a book signing and like a typical aspiring writer, I got into an email correspondence with her over the next several months. 

She just happened to need some help with the business side of writing due to her packed schedule and time constraints and asked if I could help. It was only supposed to be for a short while because I wanted to get back to my own writing… but I fell in love with the job and word of mouth from my clients sealed the deal.

I still work on my own writing when I have time, but I’m not in any rush for now. I’m having way too much fun with my day job! I’ve got a small website and I deal with authors and readers every day. I get to do all the fun stuff like watch an idea for a story grow step by step and bloom in full color. I’m lucky enough to help with research, read chapters or brainstorm through difficult scenes, design bookmarks and flyers, set up contests and plan fun ways to publicize the book. 

As a team, the author and I get to work on different ways to keep her/their name in front of readers, even during months when there is no new book on the shelves. We come up with smart ideas to get the most bang for her buck and still make an impact on the reader in a strong way. It’s interesting and unpredictable in so many ways, it keeps me on my toes and keeps me smiling – in color!

So tell me, when you think back to your childhood hopes and dreams, did you ever think then that you’d end up in the profession you’re in today?

Lee

Presenting...Diana Ventimiglia

Name: Diana Ventimiglia

Title: Associate Editor, Desire

Born: Long Island

Lives: Astoria, Queens

What is the last book you bought? Between You and I (and yes it is actually spelled that way; I gasped too)

Last non-job related book you read?
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, currently reading
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.

Whose books are must-haves for you?
Anything Hemingway and Nick Hornby. I won't say I'm obsessed but I am.

If you were going to the Oscars, what color would you wear? Probably yellow or emerald green.

When you have a terrible day, what comfort food do you have to have?
Burgers and Cupcakes...there's actually a place that sells both and it is the best place on earth.

The movie you need to watch at least once a year:
About A Boy, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (that is certainly the gift that keeps on giving the whole year through), Super Troopers, and When Harry Met Sally...I could watch that movie everyday for a whole year.

What is your theme song?
Sex Bomb by Tom Jones (this could be because I want to go on a date with him) Walk the Dinosaur by Was not Wuz...if you haven't heard it check back to 1986 and you'll thank me.

Go to movies/netflix/buy?
Go.

When you’re not at work, what do you do?
Go to the gym, write, draw, hang out with friends, walk to Magnolia's to get cupcakes.

Where would you live/what would you do if you didn’t have to worry about working?
I think I would live everywhere...or at least try to visit as many places as possible...I'd also study some languages...Italian, French, Japanese.

Who is your longest friend that you still talk to weekly?
My friend Kevin that I've known since middle school.

What was your favorite class in school and why?
Art because there were so many things to experiment with and tools to express myself.

How would you like to become famous?
I'd like to win Project Runway...but first I'll need to learn how to sew....

What do you wish you had invented?
Hmm...cell phones, although I really hate them sometimes.

What other occupation would want?
I would love to be a photo journalist for National Geographic/Anything business... absolutely not want?
Traders, brokers, blah, blah. I don't think I could ever muster the energy to like it.

If you had the option of living one hundred years in the past or future, which would you choose and why?
I've always wanted to go back in the past and see what New York looked like, what my home town looked like, etc.

Which TV show/movie would you like to be on and which character would you play?
Dee from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia...because I have a girl crush on her and I love that show.

What is your least and most favorite household task? Oddly enough I like cleaning the bathroom...I hate doing dishes

What was your favorite childhood book? When did you last reread it? Norma Jean Jumping Bean!!! If anyone has ever heard of it or seen it please let me know!!! I haven’t read it in years!

What would other students have said about you way back when?
They would have said I was outgoing and had really big hair...I'm not kidding, I used to pick out my curly hair in middle school because I didn't know what to do with it.

Do you believe in ESP/magic/ghosts/aliens?
I totally believe in ghosts and they scare the bejesus out of me!

What’s something your colleagues don’t know about you?
I used to figure skate competitively.

What is your favorite sound?
The rain.

Do you have pets?
No, but would like to sneak one into my apartment!

Name one guilty pleasure:
Celebrity magazines--love them!

Who are your role models?
My mom and my friend Mara who has the biggest heart of anyone I know.

And, to paraphrase James Lipton from The Actor’s Studio, when you arrive at the pearly gates, what would you like God/Allah/Mohamed/Moses (insert any other deities here) to say to you?
That I was a kind person who cared about people...and that they have a Burgers and Cupcakes 2 blocks down that way.