We all love a reading fantasy, and I don’t suppose many of us would refuse a scene or two with the guy on this cover…

But-

If you were to receive the very best gift of all on Valentine’s Day, what would it be?

Or, have you ever had a Valentine’s Day that went badly wrong?

Share your laughter and smiles with us for the chance to win a prize chosen at random from everyone who posts here.

Or, and here’s another idea for you…

If you had to choose your fantasy read just from these covers alone, which one would you choose, and why?

I think we’ve got enough there to get the chatting started!

And I, for one, can’t wait to chat with you :razz:

Hugs around the world,

Susan

Hello, ladies, how good it is to be back with you!

I hope you had a fantastic holiday season with a little ‘down time’ just for you.

Going on my own experience of this hectic time of year, I’m guessing that was just a pipe dream for you too

But please allow me to take this opportunity to wish each of you a truly wonderful New Year, full of good things- health, happiness and plentiful success, both for you, and for those closest to you.

One of the questions I’m asked most frequently is: Where do you get your ideas?

Well, for my latest Harlequin Presents title, Bought: One Island, One Bride, that’s an easy question to answer.

I took a fab holiday in the Greek islands and had the opportunity to set sail with a passionate environmentalist who explained so much to me about the fragile underwater world.
Jamie (he) loathed the big white super-cruisers, whose very presence in those shallow waters threatened the delicate balance of life- Jamie scathingly called them ‘Water born caravans’.

That gave me the idea for my heroine (most definitely a she!) protecting her island from my hero (very much a he) from his veritable flotilla of water born caravans.

My second Harlequin title out in February with Harlequin, The Tycoon’s Virgin, is practically a mirror image of my own city girl introduction to life in the country (except I kept my knickers on) (sorry, I have to be naughty sometimes)

Now, this book used to be entitled, Dirty Weekend, so I don’t want any mix ups for those of you who bought it first time around- it was only a few months ago, after all

But here it is in all its glorious US colours- same book, different cover, different title…

(I just this second learned I won this!!!!)

Now we have the explanation for what drove me to write these books, but when I flesh out the stories the words just come to me- I don’t know how.

So, here’s our competition question for today: have you had any experiences like this to share with us? Ideas that come to you out of the blue, or any other spooky experiences you can think of??

I’ll pick out a winner completely at ramdom from all your posts- and something tells me, this is going to be an interesting chat.

And don’t forget to sign up for my Birthday Babies club on www.susanstephens.net to receive a gift, a special Birthday Day Babies button, and a birthday card on your special day- Bring a friend along and you get two chances to win a prize in our Birthday Babies competition- and there are other contests on the site for you too.

Looking forward to seeing you there :razz:

Can’t wait to chat- Get at it, girls!

All my very best to you,

Susanxxx

Important moments… By which I mean those moments we don’t realise will change our life when they happen…

Now I’m certainly not saying that being signed by Harlequin wasn’t an important moment for me-
I can still remember that feeling of utter disbelief and absolute elation-
Well, elation doesn’t quite cover it, to be honest with you!

(The Call found me curled up in a chair in the foetal position stuffing chocolate in my mouth while I waited for the promised call from my editor-
Unfortunately, when she rang I forgot to take the remaining chocolate out of my hand and smeared it all over the ‘phone - which never recovered!)

But however wonderful that moment was, what I didn’t realise at the time, was that the romance community- readers, authors, and other industry professionals, would become such an important part of my life, or that I would make so many wonderful new friends amongst this community.

So that leads to our chat topic for today…
What important moment in your life- and there must be many- have changed your life for the better without you realising it at the time?

Looking forward so much to chatting with you as always- and don’t forget, I’ll be choosing a winner at random from everyone who posts, to win a super prize…

Good luck everyone!

All my very best to you from the UK

Susanxx

I was just thinking about the brief I received for my book in the fab Niroli series, Expecting his Royal Baby.

My hero, Nico Fierezza was to have ‘Light, honey brown hair…’

Er, sorry? I beg your pardon? My hero is to have light, honey brown hair?

So Nico’s honey brown hair was transmogrified by Yours Truly into ‘Sun bleached, and cut aggressively short…’

Which led me on to thinking of a fun question for our chat today…

I guess we’d all like to change something about ourselves. Mmmm, where do I start?!

So, here’s the question- what would you like to change about yourself, and why?

And we’re not confined to appearance- maybe it’s a question of confidence, or tolerance, or some other ance/ence!

Get to it, ladies, and there will be a lovely gift for one of your comments picked out at random (though inevitably, it will inspire the rest of us in some way…)

:-)

Looking forward to chatting with you as I always do,

Yours- flawed, but happy!

Susanxx

I wonder, is finding balance in our lives one of the most testing things any of us has to do?

Family concerns always come first, but then self-realisation is necessary if we’re not to feel frustrated and eventually even perhaps a little bitter… So, we work and we nurture, and we do all the everyday things we have to do- but does anyone have that balance just right?

If you do, we’d love to hear from you!

And that’s our contest chat-theme for today.

Let us know how you achieve- or strive to achieve balance in your life.
Are you successful at achieving balance in your life?
Or are you still looking for that magical formula that you can share with us?

I gave up my daily writing diary recently, and I’m missing it already.
Not just that- I received so many mails regarding my intention to do this that I ended up wondering if it was selfish of me to give up chatting online… it was certainly taking more time to answer all those caring mails than it was to share a little of myself each day.

I’m now trying to think of a way to do everything and yet not feel buried- I guess you all know that feeling!

Upside of all this? If I’m ever tempted back into writing non fiction, ‘Finding Balance in Life’ is a good a title as any ;-)

How do you cope, ladies? I know I could do with some pointers.

Do share your thoughts with us, because I’m betting there’s not one of us reading this who couldn’t do with a little help, advice- or comfort.

As always, I’m looking forward hugely to chatting with you- and don’t forget you can always contact me directly at susan@susanstephens.net or visit my site where there are more contests for you to enter www.susanstephens.net

And as for that Writing Diary… Never say never ;-) I’m guessing it won’t be long before I’m back.

Love to all, and happy reading everyone!
Susanxx

Sometimes there’s just nothing better for me than curling up with a good book, or settling deep into my fantasy world in the writing cave…

Yep, this cover definitely induces a state of the Warm Fuzzies ;-)

But there are those moments- notably when I’ve just submitted a manuscipt and am ’slow cooking’ the next idea in my head- when all I really want to do is to curl up and watch a good film.

And yes- The Bourne Supremacy is definitely my choice at the moment for going out to see, but when it comes to those movies that induce a state of the Warm Fuzzies privately at home it has to be something vintage for me… I have the whole collection of Fred Astaire, movies, for instance, as well as Doris Day.

And that’s our chat point for today, with your chance to win a prize- as our winner will be chosen completely at random…

Which movie/movies do you recommend to the rest of us to bring on that longed-for state of the Warm Fuzzies???

We don’t mind a weepy- so long as it has a happy ending, or it could be something that makes us laugh/smile… but no violence or complicated plots… We just want to sit back with some comfy cushions at our back, some nice juice or soda at our side, and a extra large box of choccies on our lap.

***Don’t miss out on joining my Birthday Baby club, to receive a card and goodies on your special day… Details on the Fun page at www.susanstephens.net Sx :-)

Looking forward so much to hearing from you!

Susanxx

Yours Truly, disguised as Mother of the Groom…

I write about love and marriage all the time, but last Saturday was one of the best days of my life when my son married his beautiful French fiancee in Paris. Those of you who read my blog over at www.susanstephens.net are following the story of that incredible day… the pre-wedding party, the marriage ceremony, the reception at the chateau, followed by the party in the evening…

Just to whet your appetite, here’s the bride arriving with her father…

Solene made me so happy when she found time to pose for a photograph before her wedding with her new family- that was such a thrill for us.

I’ll be posting lots more photos of that wonderful day, and of course my theme for today’s competition just has to be wedding stories.
Do stop by and chat, and I will be picking out our winner at random over the weekend.

And there are more contests over at my Susan Stephens site- especially our new one for the month of August. I look forward so much to welcoming you there.

Those wedding stories can be funny, or poignant, or even a catalogue of mishaps you wouldn’t believe- a friend of mine told me about a marriage she attended where the marquee blew down, the wedding car, fortunately empty at the time, crashed (no one hurt, thank goodness!), and as the bride prepared to walk down the aisle the organ broke and when the organist panicked a member of the congregation had to rescue the situation by playing the bridal music on the piano!
But that too turned out to be the most wonderful wedding, because everyone pulled together to make sure the bride and groom had a day to remember.

I’m sure you’ve got some fantastic stories to share, and I can’t wait to hear them.

Happy reminiscing to you all!

Susanx