It’s been one of those weeks. One of those two weeks, actually, when the business of writing kept interfering with the actual writing. E-mails back and forth, to and from agents (and yes, that’s plural; I have two, which can be interesting at times). E-mails to editors and publishers. Letters from publishers to agents. Conference calls with agents, then more e-mails to agents, publishers, editorial directors, and editor. Plans to be made, roads to be chosen. In the midst of this flurry of activity, there were website decisions to make, all which seem vastly important, but in the great scheme of world events (can we say war, continued Gulf Coast suffering, drought and babies dying in Africa?) they aren’t worth nearly the amount of time I’ve spent fussing over them.
Then three days ago memo-to-me began sending reminders that I was scheduled to blog today to announce that IMPULSE is now officially published. I say officially because according to reports from readers and my own sweetie, it started being scattered across the country last week. But all this business stuff had me drained. Forget about writing on my upcoming book. I had no idea what to blog. It seemed a little tacky just to tell people to BUY MY BOOK! NOW!
As of late yesterday afternoon I still had no idea what I was going to do. About anything, but I’m big on prioritizing and obviously blogging had just shot to the top of my to-do list. Then the UPS truck pulled up in my driveway. I order a lot of stuff on line – books, scrapbook paper, gifts for grandbabies and friends, etc. – so I waited for the driver to come to the front door. But instead he took the package to the garage, which – sigh 
– meant it must be for my sweetie, who, since he took way early retirement, has been hand-building wooden boats in two of the three stalls of our garage. Not model boats, either. But real ones. This is actually my fault for having sent him – just as a joke! – the plans for a pirogue I found while researching BLUE BAYOU. Well, he took it seriously. Which is okay because the grandbabies love riding in it whenever they come to visit. Next was a cedar strip canoe he auctioned off to raise money for the Tennessee School for the Deaf. Last year’s boat was a kayak. And this year he’s working on a yawl. Y’all. 
But I digress. . .
Anyway, needless to say, wood and Fiberglas and all sorts of special boat building material and tools are all the time arriving at our house. So, deciding that I wouldn’t get anything fun to open, I tried to go back to work. Actually I went back to web stuff to announce the contest winners for the IMPULSE publication countdown.
Then my boatbuilder came upstairs with the cartons of books that had just been delivered from Simon and Schuster. And my day/week/world changed. It was suddenly Christmas in May. With me warning him not to cut the dog’s nose, he carefully opened one of the cartons with his Swiss Army knife. There the books lay, in all their shiny blue splendor. I took one out. Admired it. Checked to make sure they had, indeed, changed the spine labeling from romance to romantic suspense, as I’d requested when I’d gotten the first run of covers.
Then, ignoring the dinging of my e-mail alert signaling yet more obnoxious business stuff, I began reading. And yes, I am one of those who enjoys reading my books. By the time they arrive, I can read more like a reader. Or at least as a writer who’s forgotten so much of the book I can be surprised. And occasionally, I’ll stop and go, “Wow. Did I write that? Not too shabby, girl.”
I’ve written 96 books. Named 192 heroes and heroines. (I ran out of original names a long time ago, but I figure if George Foreman can name all five of his sons George, I can have two Jacks. Or a couple Kates.) Twenty-three years ago, when the first box of books arrived, it seemed like a miracle. That I could actually be holding, in my very two hands, a story that had first been born in the swirling mists of my mind. A story that I could now share with the world. (Or at least the romance readers of the world.) Fortunately, enough people liked that story, and the ones that followed, that I’ve been able to build a very nice career on my Jacks and Kates and Nicks and Erins.
But every time that box shows up at my door, and my sweetie folds back the brown flaps, that old Madonna song starts singing in my head, because as I reach down and take out a copy, and run my fingertips over the foil, smell the aroma of freshly printed paper, I’m swept right back to 1983, and feel just like a publishing virgin. Touched for the very first time.
So, continuing the celebration, I’ll be choosing someone here to win an autographed copy of a hardcover — book club — edition of BLAZE. (What, you thought you might get IMPULSE? Did you not read the above comment about BUY MY BOOK! NOW! 
) And since I’m — yikes :!: — blogging late today, I’ll wait to choose names until May 25th to give everyone time to comment. 
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Oops. I seemed to have screwed up putting the cover in. But it is cool, isn’t it? :grin:
by JoAnn Ross
on May 23rd, 2006 at 2:43 pm
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Congratulations on “IMPULSE”.
Yes, I love the cover and I’m glad you included it, I now know what to look for at a glance when I go book shopping. I will be able to grab it on impulse.
by Tammy G.
on May 23rd, 2006 at 2:55 pm
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Tammy — if this was a contest for puns, you’d win.
by JoAnn Ross
on May 23rd, 2006 at 3:08 pm
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Hi JoAnn,
I just ordered my copy! Yay! I can’t wait to get it in my hands. Yes, I do love the cover as well. Congratulations on your publishing deflowerment or re-deflowerment rather.
by Zara
on May 23rd, 2006 at 3:18 pm
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Thanks Zara, I hope you enjoy Will and Faith’s story!
And you know, one problem, I’ve found, with that miraculous re-deflowerment is that I cannot :!: get that @#*#$ song out of my head!!
by JoAnn Ross
on May 23rd, 2006 at 3:24 pm
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WOW 96 books!!!
The book looks great! Congrats on the new release…adding it to my TBB list!
by Jennifer Y.
on May 23rd, 2006 at 3:31 pm
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I’m sorry JoAnn, I just couldn’t help myself. It was an ‘IMPULSE’ thing.
by Tammy G.
on May 23rd, 2006 at 3:47 pm
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Jennifer — Wow. Who knew people would actually follow my instructions? Thanks for adding my book to your TBB list and I hope you enjoy IMPULSE!
And Tammy - You’ve no idea how happy I am that we’re in the process of changing my early 2007 title from FALLEN, because my publisher doesn’t think it’s strong enough for a RS story. I can’t even begin to think what you could do with that title! :roll: I’ve just suggested, btw, if they want to stick with single word titles, SHATTERED. What do y’all think?
by JoAnn Ross
on May 23rd, 2006 at 3:56 pm
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LOL…well, it may be a while before I am able to get it though :oops:
Ooh…SHATTERED is good…I like FALLEN though too! Or BROKEN or COLLAPSE…sorry got carried away…LOL
by Jennifer Y.
on May 23rd, 2006 at 4:02 pm
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You guys are just too funny!
by JoAnn Ross
on May 23rd, 2006 at 4:15 pm
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I take that as a compliment! LOL
by Jennifer Y.
on May 23rd, 2006 at 4:19 pm
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congrats JoAnn; I can just imagine the feeling of seeing a book in print with your name of the cover-so exciting!!!!
by Robyn
on May 23rd, 2006 at 4:36 pm
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Jennifer — That’s exactly how I meant it. 
And Robyn — It is exciting. And you know, it’s a bit like childbirth. When I first hold that book, I immediately forget all the months of frustration and pain it took to bring it into the world.
by JoAnn Ross
on May 23rd, 2006 at 4:42 pm
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I really like SHATTERED! Then we could be saying how you have SHATTERED all previous sales records. Yeah, I know, keep my day job lol. I know what you mean about that song. I have been singing it just because you mentioned it. Even worse, I’ve gone into a Like a Virgin/Material Girl medley. Somebody stop me before I find some legwarmers and a miniskirt!
by Zara
on May 23rd, 2006 at 5:01 pm
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Congrats JoAnn!!!:razz: And for those of us who are big fans of your books, all you have to do is tell us that IMPULSE can be ordered and we are on the book website as quickly as you can say impulse:razz::razz: I’m excited to read Will and Faith’s story!!!
by Kathleen
on May 23rd, 2006 at 8:16 pm
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Congrats! It’s nice to know that it’s still such a thrill for you and not old hat. :grin:
by Joyce
on May 23rd, 2006 at 9:07 pm
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Wow I had no idea you’d written so many books - that’s amazing! I love the cover and can’t wait to get my copy. Just have to get to the bs….
by Stacy ~
on May 23rd, 2006 at 9:19 pm
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That does sound wonderful to get that first time excitement with each of your books. The cover for IMPULSE looks beautiful. Will put it on my list.
Was chuckling that your publisher wanted a stronger one word title than FALLEN…my mind immediately leapt to PLUMMET which is not as appealing as your choice and not something I would truly recommend as a title. As for SHATTERED as a title, sounds very good.
by little lamb lost
on May 23rd, 2006 at 11:00 pm
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Did not know you had written so many books. Will definitely putImpulse on my to buy list.
by Estella Kissell
on May 23rd, 2006 at 11:16 pm
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What a lovely cover! Can’t wait to read the book.:grin:
by Minna
on May 24th, 2006 at 7:45 am
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Congrats JoAnn! WOW, 96 books that’s wonderful. I love the cover to Impulse, too, and I’m looking forward to reading it. It’s on my TBB list! Don’t include me in the drawing. I won Blaze in from your last blog here and I will start reading it as soon as it arrives. Thanks again!
by Carol
on May 24th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
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Carol!!! You didn’t get your copy of BLAZE? Because we definitely sent it out from the actual post office! (I’ve given up counting on my mail carrier. :mad:)
My sweetie just got back from the post office today (where they, btw, could not find the correct zip code for Mira Loma, CA, which took me two seconds on google, sigh), but I’m sending him back tomorrow and we’ll try again. I’m sooo sorry!
And I’m still laughing over PLUMMET!:lol:
by JoAnn Ross
on May 24th, 2006 at 12:52 pm
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I truly enjoy it when an author who has written and published so many books (96??? hat is off!) is still as enthusiastic about his/her work today as when s/he started writing. It bodes well for the quality of their writing, IMO.
Oh and congratulations on a gorgeous cover!
by azteclady
on May 24th, 2006 at 1:12 pm
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Wow, 96 books published that is great! I love the cover for Impulse.
by Crystal B.
on May 24th, 2006 at 1:30 pm
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Thank you so much, JoAnn, for sending me another copy of Blaze! It’s certainly not your fault that the post office has once again lost a package being sent to me! It’s so nice of you to replace it. I’ll let you know as soon as it arrives.
by Carol
on May 24th, 2006 at 7:53 pm
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Hi JoAnn,
It’s so nice that your husband has found the time to do something that he obviously loves…designing and building different kinds of boats! ….A piroque, canoe and a kayak! What a interesting, time consuming challenge ! It’s a lot like your books…a new, baby boat every time! I’m sure the Tennessee School for the Deaf was thrilled with his canoe donation.
Congrats on “Impulse”! 96 BOOKS !! WOW!! Your talent boggles my brain …I’m totally lacking in imagination and creativity.
Now that you’ve mentioned Madonna’s song: “Like a Virgin”… I’ve sequed to… Moulon Rouge’s character the Duke singing it (The scene was so funny!)…which reminded me how long it has been since I listened to the whole soundtrack or rewatched the movie. I love Ewan and Nicole’s songs.
I’ll definitely look for “IMPULSE”. Cover’s great… blue is definitely my favorite color.
by Laurie G
on May 25th, 2006 at 6:24 am
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I can only imagine the thrill of having written 96 books being as I am so writing challenged! The cover of IMPULSE is really impressive.:cool: I’m looking forward to reading it.
by Susan
on May 25th, 2006 at 11:21 am
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Thanks everyone for the lovely words about the cover! It is cool, isn’t it? When I first came up with the story, I suggested blue — for the winter — but also red blood on white snow. Oh, well, at least I got one of the three colors.
And yes, Laura, the boats are super special. And gorgeous because they’re varnished so the natural wood shows through. (The cedar strip canoe has designs in the wood.) I’m thinking about posting pics on my website. Which is already growing to Godzilla size. I was recently kidding with my webmistress that by the time I get everyone done I want, she’ll be able to handle Wal-marts site!
Last time I blogged, my grandbabies were here visiting, so they chose the names. This time, we printed out the responses, glued them to poster board we put up in the garage/boatshop and my sweetie threw a dart from a set bought in a pub on one of our past trips to Ireland.
And, ta dah! the winner is — and I can’t believe this! — despite those groaner puns, Tammy G! Tammy, if you’ll just email your post office mailing address to novelsbyjoann@mac.com, we’ll get your hardcover copy of BLAZE, plus some bookmarks, an IMPULSE magnet, and covers for IMPULSE and BAD BOYS SOUTHERN STYLE right out to you!
by JoAnn Ross
on May 25th, 2006 at 1:16 pm
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oops. Make that “everything” done on the comment about my website. Not “everyone.” Where’s a copy editor when you need one? :roll:
by JoAnn Ross
on May 25th, 2006 at 1:17 pm
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wtg tg
by KIM H
on May 25th, 2006 at 3:11 pm
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Thank-you….
Must have been an ‘IMPULSE’
by Tammy G.
on May 25th, 2006 at 4:52 pm
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You just do NOT know when to stop, do you???:lol:
You’re very welcome and congratulations! I’ll get it packaged up and Boat Boy will take it to the post office either tomorrow or first thing Tuesday morning!
Have a grand holiday weekend everyone!
by JoAnn Ross
on May 25th, 2006 at 5:01 pm
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Congrats Tammy! Have a great weekend everyone!
by Carol
on May 26th, 2006 at 9:23 am
