Samhain Publishing

I am not someone who enjoys exercise. I’m not one who is easily motivated, either, especially when it comes to, you know, getting off the couch.

But the coach at my elementary school bought a Wii for the students to use on “Fun Friday.” He bought Just Dance and let the children take turns playing, and I was intrigued. Then Best Buy had the Wii consoles on sale and I bought one…and I was hooked.

Okay, it takes some getting used to, holding the controller just right so you get credit for the moves. And you probably should have a little more room than the cramped little area I use. But it’s so much FUN! My goal is to dance to ten songs a day when I get home from work. Not only is it exercise, it’s good stress relief after teaching Many times, I end up dancing longer because I remember a particular song I like (“Wannabe”) or that is easy (“Kids in America”).

Then, when my right arm is a noodle from holding the controller, I switch over to Glee. Yes, Glee for Wii. I have the first two discs, and I swap with another teacher who has the third disc. Like Just Dance, it took some getting used to, matching the pitch of my voice to the game. And what makes it hard is that you’re singing along with Santana one minute and then the song switches to Rachel or someone else. But it is fun.

I bought Winter Games, but ended up giving it to my friend’s kids because it was too hard for me to maneuver. And I have the bowling game which I’ve played exactly once (but I got it used, so…)

The funny thing is, I never cared for video games before and now I’m hooked. Do you play video games? Do you have a favorite?

Since I’m music teacher this year, I get every student in the school through my classroom. The biggest challenge hasn’t been keeping Pre-K entertained or keeping 5th grade in line.

It’s been the names. There are some doozies.

I already knew Xiomara and Abcde. But Joshuel is a challenge, as is Navaeh (and there are TWO of those). Then there’s Zierlen, Areious (all the vowels in that one), Xenia (EX-enia) and Ezayliah. And Naydely, Siah and Anyssa.

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I’m having a love affair.
I’m in love with Twitter. To be honest, I’ve enjoyed it for a while. For the past couple of years, I have it on when I’m online (which is a lot.) I started sewing again because of Twitter. I reconnected with old friends and made new friends. I’ve discussed books and discovered new authors. I campaigned for the March Madness of #dabwaha.
But Friday morning I fell in love. Read More

My grandmother told me recently that she wished she’d never told anyone she liked cardinals, because now every gift she gets has a cardinal. I can see the downside.

But.

Eery time I see a cardinal, I think of my grandmother. Every time. That’s a good thing, right?

My friend Cindi mentioned that she has a favorite tree. Not a favorite type of tree, but a particular tree that she drives by to and from work every day. She loves it because it’s full and beautiful in the summer. It changes to a gorgeous red in the fall, and when it buds in the spring, it’s a lovely shade of green. Every time I drive by that tree, I think of Cindi.

I think it’s neat to have a totem, objects that make you think of someone, or to make someone think of you. Is there something that makes you think of someone special, or something that makes others think of you?

There were days when I thought I’d never finish this book, much less see it in print. This book went through revisions and reimaginings but it wouldn’t let me go. Now I’ve held it in my hands with its gorgeous cover, and it’s a 2011 Epic Finalist, a fact which makes me so proud. Three teachers bought the book from me this week and told me they stayed up into the wee hours reading it. What better compliment? See what you think:

Touching her crosses the line…and shoots his code of honor all to hell.

Sergeant Alex Shepard is all about getting the job done. That single-minded purpose helps him forget the fact he hates the jungle as he leads his Special Forces team in search of Honduran drug lord Santiago Saldana. His quarry eludes him, but the woman left behind in the compound is the next best thing. Saldana’s mistress—an American woman who clearly puts her own pleasure over right and wrong.

Isabella Canales has been Saldana’s prisoner for four long years. Worse, he’s taken away her most precious possession. Except Alex doesn’t believe a word of it. The clock is ticking, and she’s frantic to do anything to convince him to take her home. Even agree to serve as bait to draw Saldana out.

As they push through the tangled jungle dodging bullets and ambushes, Alex fights his growing respect for Isabella’s determination—and an attraction that’s impossible to resist, whatever she’s done. But Saldana never lets go of what’s his. And betrayal is his deadliest weapon…

Warning: An arrogant hero who meets his match in a sexy heroine who makes him look past her face and into his soul. Gunfights and explosions (in and out of the bedroom).

I started writing this book six years ago this summer, and now I’m holding it in my hands! Adrian is one of my favorite heroes—smart and sexy, though he has a pretty steep learning curve when it comes to love and getting his priorities straight!

When past and present meet, secrets lie beneath the surface.

In retrospect, perhaps archaeologist Mallory Reeves shouldn’t have delivered the divorce papers to her estranged husband mere weeks before her marriage to another man. She knew seeing Adrian again would stir up memories, but she didn’t expect so many of them to be good, not after the mess they both made three years ago.

She also didn’t expect to want to stay at the dig site on the Yucatan Peninsula. But the lure of the ancient ship and, yes, her sexy ex provide more of a draw than the white picket fence she thought she wanted.

Marine archaeologist Adrian Reeves has good reason to trust no one. His former partner—and former best friend—made off with his last archaeological find. And his wife left him, frustrated by his obsession for professional revenge.

Now both Mallory and his nemesis have returned, and it can’t be an accident that they’ve turned up in the middle of the most important excavation of his career. Seeing her again unearths old pain—and rekindles never-forgotten desire. Now he has to decide if he can trust Mallory again. More importantly, if he can trust himself with her.

Warning: Smokin’ hot archaeologists, painful memories, breathtaking underwater scenes and a passion that won’t die.

Excerpt:

Excerpt:

Adrian’s heart lurched when he saw Mallory walking down to the dock. Behind him, Toney slammed the ropes against the deck with more force than necessary, making his feelings known, but Adrian didn’t turn to look. He continued to stow gear into the boat. He wasn’t surprised she’d come—he knew her too well to disregard her natural curiosity—but the effect of seeing her surprised him, like a punch in the gut. She didn’t belong to him anymore.
He still considered himself married. The marriage had been over when he had walked out of their
house three years ago, but he’d never thought of himself as free. He never thought he’d have to move on.
She’d moved on without him. Why had he hoped she’d wait for him?
He straightened and approached to help her on board, bracing himself for the shock of her soft hand,
her bold ring. He reacted as if someone had reached down his throat and squeezed the breath out of him.
Bad enough she’d shown up on the first dig he’d led since Tunisia, in a camp where everything reminded
him of her and their past. But the sight of another man’s ring on her manicured hand ripped his heart out.
She wasn’t wearing the ring now. He touched the spot where it had been and looked up at her
questioningly.
“I didn’t want to drop it in the ocean.”
“Of course not.” It was a treasure, after all. He gritted his teeth against the resentment of the damn
thing, something he’d never even thought she would want or expect.
She tightened her grip on his wrist, just a bit, as she stretched her leg from the dock to the boat, and
released him once both feet were on the deck. She was too much of a pro to sway into him with the
resulting roll of the boat.
Damn it.
“We’re not going out alone, are we?”
He moved away to deal with the ropes, not caring for the skepticism in her tone. “The prof’s already on board.” He motioned to the pilothouse where the elderly doctor sat in the shade, under his trademark straw hat. “And Jacob and Toney are running the electronics. Linda will stay in camp.”
“Are you diving?” She walked over to check the tanks strapped securely to the pilothouse.
“Not this trip.”
“How long have you been out here?”
“A little less than a month.” He readied himself for accusations, for questions, but they didn’t come.
Leaning on the railing, she looked out over the ocean. “Have you found anything?”
He stopped to dig his beef jerky out of his pocket. He pulled a chunk out of the cellophane package
and offered her some. She considered it warily but shook her head.
“Nothing we can get our hands on till we get the hull uncovered,” he told her.
“So how did they wreck? Can you tell?”
“Not yet.” He shook some more jerky out of the pack. “High winds could have knocked them against the cliff, there may have been a sandbar or coral under there at some point. They may have already been at anchor and on land when it went down. We’re sending the robot down today.”
She stepped close to help him stow the ropes under the benches. The ease with which they fell into the rhythm of the task alarmed him. All his senses went on alert. She must have realized it too, because once the chore was completed, she darted to the far side of the Miss M, considered him a minute, then ducked into the pilothouse with Robert.
Damn, the Mallory he’d loved wouldn’t have bolted so easily.

As you’re reading this, I’m taking my first ever vacation alone. Okay, not completely alone—I’m in Minnesota with my dad and step-mom—but I got on an airplane by myself, and I only have myself to worry about while I’m here.

Now, some people may think it’s a little strange that a woman in her 40s has never done such a thing. But I’m a person who is adventurous only in the books I write. I’ve lived in the same city all my life, and my house is two exits from the house where I grew up. In 23 years of marriage, I can count the night my husband and I have spent apart on both hands. It was a direct flight and I had my Nook to keep me company, but by Wednesday I was pretty wound up about it and rethinking my decision.

But the lure of my little adventure was too late. Dad paid, we’re spending the weekend at his house on the lake with big windows, a big deck and a gorgeous view. I bought myself a netbook thinking it should be very inspirational, and my Nook is loaded with comfort reads.

So this is me being brave. Come on and make me fee bad—tell me the bravest thing you’ve ever done!

The talk around school this week has been, “What are you giving up for Lent?” I live in a predominantly Catholic city, but even non-Catholics get in on the Lenten sacrifice. So far my principal has given up Facebook (!), another teacher has given up breakfast tacos (she said she’ll fall off the wagon by Friday), another has given up her Red Bull and another sodas.

Every year my grandmother would give up candy, which was torture, because her very favorite candy was Easter candy—the Cadbury eggs, the Peeps, all of it. Heck, when it wasn’t Lent, she’d eat candy for lunch (and weight 90 pounds and lived to 92!). My brother gives up soda, which I tried one year but didn’t last a week.

One year I gave up hamburgers (my favorite thing next to sodas) and I was a terrible person to be around by Easter.

I’ve given up buying books (but I own like 400, so what’s the sacrifice there?) and plants. That CAN be a sacrifice, because Spring Break is always during Lent and I’m itching to get outside already.

But I figure the whole point is to improve yourself, right, so I’m giving up swearing. I’m BAD. And I’ve already slipped once. But maybe I can start a new habit.

Do you give up something for Lent?

My third book from Samhain releases today. Breaking Daylight is the story of an Army Ranger who has to overcome his own past to help a woman find what is most precious to her.

I thought I’d let Alex tell you a little about it. (For the other side of the story—Isabella’s side—check out the Samhellion blog!)

1) What did you think when you learned MJ was going to write your story?

Well, my story, hell, I liked that idea. But when I found out it was a romance, and that she planned to share my deepest darkest secrets, well, I’m trained to kill and I made sure she knew that. Didn’t stop her, though, so I made her life HELL for over a year. Would not cooperate. Damn, that woman’s stubborn.

2) What led you to a military career?

My foster dad. Well, he was my foster dad, and then he adopted me when I was fourteen. More power to him, because if you think I’m an ass now, you should have known me then. He was a Ranger and I thought becoming a Ranger would make him proud of me. Turns out he was proud of me already. Can I say hi? Hi, Dad.

3) What was your first impression of Isabella?

Trouble. Sexy, sexy, but oh, my God, trouble. Who knew someone so little could be such a pain in my ass?

4) Clearly that changed.

Yeah. Turns out she’s got a heart bigger than she is, and this capacity to love—I’ve only ever seen something like that in my foster parents. She’s—amazing. Not sure what my life would be like now without her.

5) What was your biggest challenge in this story?

You think you know what I’m going to say, that it was getting out of the jungle and hunting down Saldana, or even keeping my hands to myself. No, it was keeping my emotions in check. I usually have a good handle on that sh—that stuff, but with Bella, I don’t know. She worked some kind of magic or something. Made me say things, made me feel things, made me want things I didn’t know I wanted.

6) What’s your greatest fear?

Losing it all. Losing her. So I have to practice, you know, the not being an ass thing.

7) Any goals for the new year?

Well, the ass thing, and being a dad. We’re hoping to have a baby this year. I didn’t know my own dad, but I hope I’m half the man my foster dad is.

The other day at school I mentioned that I found some old friends on Facebook and another teacher asked me when I found the time. Another teacher asked me recently how I have time to watch so much TV. I’m not sure if I’m insulted or just curious—what do THESE people do with their time that they don’t have any?

I get up in the mornings around 4 AM, check email, Twitter, Google Reader (with a time limit) and edit before I get ready at 6. I go to work, occasionally skip lunch to write/edit or do schoolwork. I rarely bring anything home from school because I have a system there to get it all done. I get home around 4 PM, do social networking, make dinner, then write, yes, often in front of the TV. My goal is 1000 words a day.

I know I should exercise more, and I wouldn’t let my mother in the front door right now, but I’ve written 2 novels and 2 novellas in 10 months (okay, I had summer off, but I still worked every day. And the house was clean then AND I sewed a lot AND worked in the yard and exercised.)

What do normal people do with their time?