March Upcoming Attractions

Spring is almost here! To celebrate, we have a fabulous line-up of March guests. Here's our sneak peak:




March 2: Gerri Russell returns to the Lair to chat with Nancy about the ups and downs of an author's career.

March 3: Paranormal romance author Lori Handeland makes her Lair debut as Nancy's guest to chat about her new release, Moon Cursed.

March 4: USA Today bestselling author Julianne Maclean (http://juliannemaclean.com/) visits the lair to tell us about her fabulous new Scottish historical CAPTURED BY THE HIGHLANDER.

March 5: Mayhem breaks loose over at historical author Ashley March’s blog (http://www.ashleymarch.com/blog/) when the Bandits invade for the day as part of March Madness, a month-long party. There will be prizes--and did I mention mayhem? And look out for Ashley’s visit to the lair in September!

On March 7th, Jana DeLeon visits with Suz to talk about her first release with Harlequin Intrigue, The Secret of Cypriere Bayou. A steamy mystery set in the Louisiana Bayous, a place Jana know intimately.


March 16th brings NY best-selling author Brenda Novak back to the Lair as Jo's guest. She'll be talking about the fun and excitement of reader conventions, as well as her upcoming Bulletproof series.















March 22nd: The fabulous Julie James joins us to talk about her smart, sexy contemporary romances and her latest release "A Lot Like Love."

March 26: Ellis Flynn returns to the lair to talk about language and words with Nancy.

On May 30th, Misa Ramirez returns to the Lair as Jo's guest. She'll discuss her recent promotion and marketing book for writers -- THE TRICKED-OUT TOOLBOX and her romantic suspense release A DEADLY CURSE.

March 31: Love Regencies? Love paranormal? Now you can have both. Colleen Gleason will be on the blog March 31 to talk about her new vampire series launching this month. This author of the popular Gardella Vampire Chronicles has created a new world of the Regency Draculia. The Vampire Voss, out this month, launches three back-to-back titles that also include The Vampire Dimitri in April and The Vampire Narcise in May.

Contests!

Anna Campbell is celebrating the launch of her brand-new website by sharing some great prizes! SIX lucky readers will receive a luscious reading double! First up, your choice from Anna’s backlist (please check out her Books page http://www.annacampbell.info/books.html if you need help choosing). Each winner will also win a gorgeous hardcover Rhapsody Book Club edition of either Laura Lee Guhrke’s WEDDING OF THE SEASON or Madeline Hunter’s RAVISHING IN RED.

To be in the draw, just email Anna on anna@annacampbell.info with two pieces of information – your favorite romance read from 2010 and which book from her backlist you’d like to win. Good luck! For more information, please visit Anna’s contest page. http://www.annacampbell.info/contest.html And don’t forget to check out her great new website atwww.annacampbell.info, including the excerpt from her forthcoming release MIDNIGHT’S WILD PASSION. The contest closes 31^st March, 2011.

Pink and Green Abuse

Greetings from somewhere in the woods. I was home for about 36 hours before jetting off again...this time to a corporate retreat that is, shall we say, a bit more "rustic" than usual. Mission accomplished if you want your team to be sequestered and sans many options for distraction. The keynote opener this morning will take place in a converted barn. No, I'm not kidding and yes, I'm pleased as hell to be busier this coming month than I've been since we started our business in 1998.

Which brings me to my current state of blognesia. Not sure where it came from based on the three main causes of blognesia. I haven't suffered any physical trauma. I've not reduced my alcohol intake and I haven't had ECT. But I'm out of time and to some degree, out of inspiration for stories so who knows what the next chapter of this fun endeavor might look like. There are many out there...Hollister Hovey and Admiral Cod who I'm sure, spend only five to ten minutes posting a little quip in between longer, more substantive posits. I'm not sure where I land on that continuum and who knows, maybe I'll get a flurry ideas and inspiration from somewhere. Stay damn tuned. Shut up.

But for now let me say this about my buddy's dog. He greets me every time I walk in the toy soldier shop and LFG loves him to death. French Bulldogs are great little small apartment, townhouse or simply "city" dogs. But a male Frenchie need not be subjected to this level of abuse. Just look at him. He's saying to my buddy's wife ... "Mama, I don't care if this was my actual birth mama's sweater and you've put it on me out of respect for her. I loved and respected her but this is just damned absurd. Please mama, don't make me go outside in this girl sweater. I was kidding when I said I had to pee and I can wait till Wednesday to do the "other" thing. 

Alas, it was not to be. The Capitol Hill walk of shame began shortly thereafter. And to boot, Frenchies can't lick themselves. 

Onward. Thinly. ADG II

TRUE GRIT

by Suzanne

Since I write western historical romances, both erotic, (THE SURRENDER OF LACY MORGAN) and just plain sexy, (REFUGE), I loved getting to go see True Grit a while back. When my son and I walked out of the theater after watching this remake of the old classic, we talked about what we like about the movie. One of the things he said to me was, "Mom, the person who had the most grit in that movie, wasn't Rooster Cogburn. It was Mattie." And he was right.

Mattie Ross had true grit.When her father was murdered hundreds of miles from home, she took it upon herself not only to go collect his body and send him home to be buried, but to find someone to help her track down the low-down murdering sidewinder and see he was brought to justice.She weathered low opinions men of the time had for a slip of a girl, nearly drowning in a river, shooting her first man, tumbling down a huge pit and being bitten by a rattler. (I won't tell you how it ends, just in case you haven't had the time to go see this movie.)

As this is the last day of the AHA GO RED for Women month and the Bandits celebration of such, I thought we should look at other women who throughout history have shown true grit.

Queen Elizabeth I: Talk about someone walking into a pit of snakes...the human kind. She took over the English crown when the kingdom was broke, under threat of both the Spanish and French invading, not to mention some rowdy Scots to the north. But her country had just gone through some very bloody years at the hands of her sister. Her kingdom was writhe with spies and traitors, advisors who saw her as nothing more than a brood mare to provide a male heir to take her place.Yet she was able to rule with cunning and a strong will for 45 years. Her country and it's empire grew in land, strength and finances during her rein.

Elizabeth Blackwell: Growing up in England where she watched eight of her siblings and eight of her cousins die, Elizabeth decided to go to medical school after her family moved to America. Elizabeth was rejected by 16 medical schools but was finally accepted by Geneva (New York) Medical College. Despite the taunts of not only the other students, but the people in the college town, she graduated on January 23, 1849. While furthering her medical studies in Paris, she developed an eye infection that cost her sight in her left eye. Undaunted, she continued to study. She returned to America two years later and opened a school to help other women become doctors. She also raised money with her sister Emily and opened The New York Infirmary for Women and Children in 1857. Run by women doctors, it was the first of its kind anywhere in the world.

Marian Anderson: Despite many years of prejudicial treatment, even being refused entrance to a local musical school after graduating high school because of her color, Marian rose to be the first black opera singer to be a regular cast member of the New York Metropolitan Opera. She sang for Kings and Queens, many presidents, including FDR and JFK. She also quietly fought many of the segregation laws that were in place during the early part of her career, by insisting on "vertical seating" in segregated cities. This meant that black audience members would be slotted in seats on all levels of the auditoriums. For many, it was the first time they'd ever sat in orchestra level seats.

Sylvia and Cristobal Pankhurst and the Suffragettes: (doesn't that sound like a rock band?) At a time when women were little more than chattel, they literally fought for women's right to vote. So passionate about their beliefs they thought nothing of chaining themselves to public building railings, smashing windows, interrupting public debates and even setting off bombs. Many of their followers, including Cristobal herself, went to prison, where they conducted hunger strikes to get their message across. Finally, during World War I political changes were made to give limited voting rights to women in England. In 1920 American Women achieved the right to vote through the Nineteenth Ammendment to the Constitution and by 1928 full suffrage equal to those of men were granted to women in England.

These are some women who have grit to stick to their beliefs, dreams or goals throughout history. Do you have any favorites you look up to? Admire? Or just appreciate their grit?

Romance Writers of America and the American Heart Association have partnered to raise awareness of heart disease in women. Visit Go Red for Women to learn how to fight heart disease.
Sign up for the Go Red Better U Program and receive two free romance e-books. From Feb 1 through May 31, 2011, receive one free romance e-book when you sign up for the American Heart Association's Better U Program and one after you complete week six of the program. And look for the Eat Smart for Your Heart limited edition magazine (that features this offer) on newstands and in a grocery store near you.Go Red for Women is trademarked by the American Heart Association, Inc. Romance novel downloads provided by Belle Books. 

Here's your heart healty tip for today: Whether cooking or making dressings, use the oils that are lowest in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol – such as canola oil, corn oil, olive oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, soybean oil and sunflower oil – but use them sparingly, because they contain 120 calories per tablespoon. (I personally prefer to mix a small amount of butter with olive oil for most cooking, and vegetable oil for baking.) You can also cut back on sugars and oil in baking by adding applesauce to cake recipes!

As always this month, one commentor will receive a GO RED for Women pin and today I'll give that same winner a $10 gift card to Amazon.com. (Heck you might use it to buy a copy of THE SURRENDER OF LACY MORGAN or some other book to make your heart race!)

Valentine's Day

This post is a bit late, but for a couple of reasons.  I had a pretty kick-ace if, not belated Valentine's Day, but that's no one's fault save for slow mail going around the world.

Ana and I exchanged gifts for Valentine's Day. I sent her a bouquet of white roses (her favorite) and a canvas of photos from our trip to the Dominican North Coast, courtesy of Shutterfly, which she tells me loved, which makes me ecstatic!

For my gift Ana mailed me a pretty awesome care package.  In reality, it should have arrived just after Valentine's Day, but judging by the state of the box when it arrived, I'd be will to bet it spent a considerable amount of time in hands of a Russian customs agent. Oh well, I don't care! It arrived and it was SPLENDID!

Here's what she sent me:

3 Boxes of White Cheddar Cheese-Its, which she knows I absolutely love and are a serious snack food weakness of mine! (I'm trying to go through them slowly to savor them and truly enjoy them, but that plan isn't going as well as I was hoping)

A pack of new socks. Now this doesn't seem like much, especially if you were to consider the sheer amount of socks I originally brought with me to Russia (why I brought so many, I've no idea!), but Ana also knows I LOVE new socks and I wish I could wear a new pair everyday of my life! They feel amazing! Anyways, she got me a pack of six, part of which are specifically for me to wear when I leave Russia so I can stay fresh, which is incredibly sweet and why I've saved 3 pairs for exactly that reason.

Some books to read: Including her favorite poet (Poe) and some books in Spanish so that I can continue to practice and study Spanish on my own! I'm stoked about this! I'm currently using livemocha (check it out - it's like Rosetta stone, but free!), but that will run out long before I leave Russia so this is awesome!

She also got me a Guinness t-shirt, which is hands down my favorite beer and for all you beer drinkers out there, you should know it's hands down the best beer in the world, even if you do think it's a meal in a glass.  Anyways, the shirt is great and is a perfect fit! I love it!

Finally, the best thing she sent was a picture of us and a picture of her as well as a series of letters from her, which were very thoughtfully written and really made me smile! Also, there were some quotes from young kids (4-8) about what they thought love was. Here are a few of my favorites:

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love." - Girl, 8.

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other." Boy, 5

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget." Girl, 8

Even though, I'm quite a long ways away from her, it was far and away the best Valentine's Day I've ever had!  Thank you Ana! I love you!

But also, I spoke about Valentine's Day with my students and had them write letters to friends telling them why they're glad they are friends, what they mean to them, one thing they'd always wanted to tell them, etc. For my higher speaking class, I left the idea more open and got one very interesting response! Here it is (and pardon her English):

You are the best friend I’ve ever had. I’ll always remember every moment, every day, when we ride a bicycle, watched Gossip Girl, read Cecilia Ahern’s books.

I appreciate you in absolutely all thing.

You’re the Serena to my Blair, you are the Shiloh to my swei (fwei? I couldn't read this), you are the Kenzie to my Blondeau, you are the smile to my face, you are the Vob Populi (?) to my 30 Seconds to Mars, you are the “Look At Me” to my “P.S. I Love You”; you are the godmother to my child, you are the flash memory card to my 16mb, you are the South Korea to my China, you are the pain to my head and you are the rainbow to my life.

I'm not sure what a lot of those things are, but I loved the the bit about the flash memory/16mb and South Korea/China. Brilliant and hilarious at the same time!

Anyways, Dear Readers, here's to hoping your Valentine's Days were as amazing as mine!

Happiness In the Little Things

Here's a website that I recently discovered that does exactly what it's supposed to do. Make you a little bit happier.  It's called '1000 Awesome Things' (you can check it out here) and it's just that.  Neil Pasricha started this in 2008 and is working on completing 1,000 awesome things.  Most of these are just little things we take for granted, but actually really love.  Some are secret loves. And some, I don't agree with.  But this list is a seriously nice little pick me up for my time here in Russia where it seems like the little things can make or break you.  I hope to come up with a little list of my own little things that keep me happy here in Russia.

Here's a few of my favorites:

#345 When the Christmas tree gives the only light in the room
#378 Finally making it past whatever was causing traffic to slow down
#404 When someone’s leaving the bathroom at the same time as you so you don’t have to touch the door
#528 When your pet notices you’re in a bad mood and comes to see you
#953 When cashiers open up new check-out lanes at the grocery store

Anyways, check out this video of Neil.  His reason for starting the website is pretty valid, albeit sad, but I'm glad he did it because, for me, it's achieving its purpose. So, Dear Readers, here's to remembering all the little things in our lives that make and keep us happy.  

A Journey into Darkness

by Jo Robertson

Did I get your attention with that dramatic title? And the equally dramatic pictures above and below -- a three-way bypass heart and Jomama in the hospital sans makeup?

Good. Because today’s post isn’t light or romantic, and is only a bit funny.

December 22, 1999. This is me holding one of my four grandbabies born that year. Each one had problems that required extra hospitalization, and my mother had died in July, so I'd experienced stress I wasn't even consciously aware of.

Here's how it went down: I was at the dentist, tilted back in the chair nearly upside-down when I felt the unmistakable pressure in my chest that I knew from previous experience was angina.

I got out of there fast and drove home.

Ridiculous, right? Yes!

I should’ve gone straight to the hospital, but I didn't, knowing my mother-in-law, who’d just arrived from out of state, was mired in holiday preparations. I popped five aspirin, lay down on the bed, and promised myself I’d call 911 if the pressure didn’t subside.

See, this is the thing about heart attacks. You always think it isn’t THE ONE even while your logical brain screams, “Dial 911, you TSTL heroine in a badly written romance novel!”

The pressure remained steady, so I calmly told my mother-in- law that I wasn’t feeling well and was going to go to the emergency room.

Yes, I drove myself to the hospital while experiencing chest discomfort. To be fair, the hospital is less than five minutes from my house.

The cool thing about hospital emergency rooms – and maybe the only cool thing about them – is that if you even breathe the words “cardiac patient,” (I’d had a previous angioplasty), they scoop you up and buckle you down like Frankenstein’s monster.

They run tests, start IV’s, give you the good drugs if you wince even a wee bit. The tests were sketchy, (WOMEN OFTEN PRESENT ATYPICAL SYMPTOMS), but the cardiologist wanted to keep me overnight.

Just to be sure.

IT WAS CHRISTMAS!! Protesting heartily, I allowed myself to be admitted. By now I was feeling quite good from my five-aspirin cocktail high. The brain tricks you into believing no pain equals no danger.

Silly brain.

When my family descended en force and brought the holiday to me, I knew I wasn’t getting out of there unless I executed a prison break. They were far more worried than I, of course.

The angiogram showed five blocked arteries, each seriously narrowed.

Not good.

It was now December 24 and every sensible cardiac surgeon was celebrating with her own family. Dr. Fitzpatrick would not let me go home. I’d never celebrated Christmas without my family. We were all devastated. And the worse part was I felt fine!

No fair!

But all my wonderful new babies, sons and daughters in law, and other grandchildren serenaded me with Christmas carols. Nurses and patients alike stopped by to join in.

But here’s the "journey into darkness" part.

See, what they do in open-heart surgery, called a CABG, is incise your chest from the sternum to the middle of the stomach. They break the chest bone, pry apart the ribs, stop the heart and hook it up to a machine, cut your leg from crotch to knee and knee to ankle to pull out the veins like linked sausages. They use these veins as by-pass “arteries” to replace your blocked ones.

Snip, snip. Stitch, stitch. Luckily, you're way under the anesthesia for all this.

When they’re finished they jump start your heart, metal-clamp the breast bone and suture the flesh, and viola!

Then the fun starts. If anyone had told me all the above details beforehand, I’d have run like hell. After surgery you wake up looking like you’ve been in a street fight.

And lost the battle.

Everything swells horribly (see how fat my leg is above) – your face, eyes, and leg. The pain is enormous, and to add insult to injury, the nurse makes you sit up within an hour post-op and cough . . . and cough . . . and cough. It’s sheer torture. The Spanish Inquisition should’ve taken notes.

The preparation for the surgery was psychologically freaky. They remove everything from you, clothes, glasses, wedding ring, books. You feel stripped bare, naked in the same way you must’ve felt when you came into this world -- alone and abandoned.

I couldn’t read. I couldn’t sleep. The hours were excrutiatingly long until the nurse prepped me, made me scrub my body vigorously three times. I shivered uncontrollably. You know, that kind of shaking when you’re going into shock? You feel cold, but the room isn’t?

And of course you worry that something will go terribly wrong, and you're achingly aware of your family waiting the long hours in the waiting room for the results. Mine arrived at 6:00 a.m., babies and all, but didn't get word of the results until noon.

Trust me, you don’t want to go through open-heart surgery. It’s hell all the way around.

So – putting on teacher lecture mode now – exercise, damn it, even if it’s only two minutes on your stationary bike or a five-minute walk the long way to get your mail.

If you smoke, damn it, stop smoking. It raises your risk immeasurably and no one likes kissing an ash tray.

If you don’t eat veggies and fruit, give them a try – one new one a week, or a month; every little bit helps. If you eat lots and lots of red meat, switch to chicken and fish, even if it’s only one meal a week.

We care for our Banditas and Buddies, whose hearts are so big they deserve to be super healthy. Don’t make us come after you with a stick – or worse, Aunty Cindy’s whip.

So, what’s your worse injury or surgery? Are you one of the lucky ones who’ve gotten to this stage in life without a broken bone or a tonsillectomy? It’s nearly the end of Go Red for Women month, so let it all out. Everything's mum in the Lair.


We're giving away an AHA Go Red pin for one commenter today!

Romance Writers of America and the American Heart Association have partnered to raise awareness of heart disease in women. Visit Go Red for Women to learn how to fight heart disease.

Sign up for the Go Red Better U Program and receive two free romance e-books. From Feb 1 through May 31, 2011, receive one free romance e-book when you sign up for the American Heart Association's Better U Program and one after you complete week six of the program. And look for the Eat Smart for Your Heart limited edition magazine (that features this offer) on newstands and in a grocery store near you.Go Red for Women is trademarked by the American Heart Association, Inc. Romance novel downloads provided by Belle Books.

Healthy Heart Tip for Today: You can make many of your favorite recipes healthier by using lower-fat or no-fat ingredients. These healthy substitutions can help you cut down on saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol, while noticing little, if any, difference in taste.

Why the US Should Sell Idaho to Canada

Here is another post completely unrelated to Russia or anything I'm doing here, but one I kind of feel like writing.  This is an idea I've had in my back pocket for quite some time and decided I might as well start really fleshing out these ideas.  I've also been known to include North Dakota and Utah in this mix...for obvious reasons.  Anyways, here goes: 'Why the U.S. Should Sell Idaho to Canada'

1. Money - The US has a huge deficit right now and we need money.  I'm not sure how much Idaho is worth (not much to be sure...it is Idaho), but I think it could be a nice starting to point to launch some sort of new reform; money to be spent on jobs, education, something. Bottom line: The US needs money, it doesn't need Idaho.
2. Potatoes - I'm not sure if Idaho is still leading the nation in producing potatoes, but even if it isn't, it certainly has to be close.  Well, where do most Americans presumably eat potatoes? Fast food places. And if the US has to import more potatoes, it's possible the cost of importing might force fast food places to raise prices, making their meals slightly less affordable and thus forcing families to cook healthier meals at home and to become more creative and use ingredients they might not normally use (Jaime Oliver should LOVE this idea).

3. Landscape - As the song goes, America IS beautiful. We have extremely diverse ecosystems and landscapes from swamps in the South, low-lying mountains in the East, deserts in the American Southwest, towering, snow capped mountains in the West, a non-tropical rainforest, the Grand Canyon, gorgeous coastlines all around, Great Plains and I haven't even started on Alaska or Hawaii.  Point is, while Idaho does have some beautiful areas and landscapes, America has enough to more than make up for it.  Yes the Rocky Mountains pass through Idaho, but c'mon, let's face it. These are the crappier parts. Everyone knows the 'true' Rocky Mountains are in Colorado.  And is Canada going to care? No, they've got enough forests and mountains, a few more aren't going to hurt.  I mean I know Idaho is pretty. Lake Coeur d'Alene? Gorgeous. But I'd feel a lot better about going to Canada to see it instead of Idaho.  Also, if we want to go out and enjoy the terrain located within Idaho, then it's not like it's difficult for Americans to get into Canada. 

4.  Sarah Palin - She was born in Idaho and then eventually went to the University of Idaho. That's reason enough to get rid of this state.               

                                             

5.  Neo-Nazis - Anyone familiar with northern Idaho knows that there is a significant population of these neo-nazi d-bags roaming around, burning crosses, being racist and generally causing annoyance to everyone with half a brain.  Give them to Canada. They'll have less to complain about with fewer immigrant problems and people in the US won't have to worry about them as much.

6.  Borders - Let's face it. The central and western border between Canada and the US is pretty boring.  This bit of border is a man-made straight line. Lame. Who wants that? No one, that's who. We want some variety and if we throw Idaho into the mix, you'll really give it that variety.

      Then... Look at how much more exciting that border is now!!!!

7.  Vancouver, B.C. - It's possible (not likely, but possible) that by selling Idaho, Canada might be willing to part with Vancouver.  Sure, it's really their only Pacific port, but c'mon? What's Canada importing/exporting that it can't import/export to/from the US? Nothing, that's what.  So we lost Idaho, a boring state by all measures and gain Vancouver. An exceptionally beautiful city with lots of diversity and a generally fun and exciting place to be. We want Vancouver.

*Since Idaho is largely agrarian and Americans are fat and lazy and generally prefer to NOT do manual labor, such as farm work (and yes I include myself in all of that), we can assume that there is a large portion of immigrants, legal or otherwise, working on the farms in Idaho.  Therefore we could also assume that perhaps culturally, it might make more sense to sell Idaho to Mexico, however, I believe that this would escalate the illegal immigration problem and most certainly Mexico's serious and deadly drug wars, which would be regrettable indeed. So while it is an option, I still believe Canada is the better choice.

That, Dear Readers, is why we need to sell Idaho to Canada.

The Guys from Oz

by Nancy

Those of us who are, as the saying goes, "of a certain age" probably remember music's British Invasion of the 1960s--the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits (fronted by that cutie, Peter Noone)--with hordes of screaming girls outside hotels. Now we're in the midst of a quieter invasion, this time of Australian actors, who inspired today's topic of guys from Oz.

There are also prominent actresses from Australia, like Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman, and several up-and-comers, but I'm in the mood to discuss guys today, so that's the territory we're covering.

We're all familiar with that Lair favorite Hugh Jackman, right? Guy who turns up--sometimes sporting adamantium claws but usually in a tux--at every party we throw? I realize many of us would be happy if I just stuck up a bunch of pictures of Jackman. I'm sure we could all find a lot to say.

But wait!--as the informercials like to say--there's more! In fact, there are a lot more.

Of course there's Russell Crowe (born in New Zealand but residing in Australia), who has his own rooting section, especially when it comes to his role in Gladiator. Our gladiators get kind of huffy about that movie, but they'll just have to deal. And Crowe is a big star, albeit a little short for my personal taste. He also gets points for being able to wear a tunic and not look silly.

So we have Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe, not exactly a bad duo to start with. There's also Mel Gibson, maybe not as big a star as he once was and also a bit short for my personal taste but with a long and distinguished resume.

Brian Brown, who costarred with Jackman in Australia, was hot in Hollywood for a while in the 1970s or 1980s but then apparently went home. David Wenham, who also costarred in Australia, was fabulous as Faramir in LOTR, but that was filmed in New Zealand and so doesn't count as invading the US. Of course, there's also the fabulous Geoffrey Rush, but today we're focusing on romantic leading men--just 'cause that's what I'm in the mood to talk about.

Terminator Salvation featured Sam Worthington, who was wonderful as a terminator who believed he was human and clung to his humanity even after he had to accept that he was a machine. Worthington was also a hit in Avatar, but he was harder to recognize, being blue and all. He was again recognizable, and convincingly earnest, in the remade Clash of the Titans. He also gets points for not looking silly in a tunic.

As anyone who saw Trish's movie blog knows, Chris Hemsworth, another tall Australian, has stepped into the boots of Marvel Comics' Norse God of Thunder, The Mighty Thor. The movie will open in May. And he certainly does look the part.

I remember him from the opening sequence of Star Trek, when his portrayal of George Kirk sending his pregnant wife to safety while he drove his crippled ship to its doom brought tears to my eyes. I think Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, is in good hands.

I loved the Thor comic and am cautiously optimistic about the movie, though my favorite Thor love interest, the warrior goddess Sif, doesn't appear to have as big a role as I might like. I expect to see Thor (if you click on the link, wait after the hammer appears and the dust settles - the trailer will load) for Mothers Day or my birthday, and possibly several more times.

I recently learned (via a YouTube clip) that hunky Alex O'Loughlin, formerly vampire Mick St. John on Moonlight, was also Australian. He's now Steve McGarrett on the revived Hawaii Five-0, after a detour to play Jennifer Lopez's love interest in The Backup Plan.

I'm old enough to remember the late Jack Lord as Steve McGarrett, and with all due respect, I think O'Loughlin's portrayal will be warmer, perhaps because we no longer expect our police officers to be icemen. The old McGarrett didn't have many scenes trading punches with the bad guys, but the new one does that a lot.

I have a special soft spot for Hawaii Five-O (even though we usually watch Castle on Monday at 10 since it hooked us first) because, of course, I played the theme from Hawaii Five-O in marching band. Didn't every high school marching band in the country play that? In the version our band used, clarinets actually had a melody line along with the cornets and trumpets, unlike the version my college pep band used.

Anyway, off of memory lane and back to the topic at hand. We also have Simon Baker of The Mentalist. I remember him from The Devil Wore Prada, too. He has lots of fans in the Lair and among our buddies.

Less well known is Matt Passmore, star of A&E's quirky cop show The Glades. His character is a Chicago detective who didn't play so well with others and so departed for the quirkier climes of Florida. Near the Everglades. It's a fun show, a little offbeat and, well, quirky.

Liam McIntyre is taking over the role of Spartacus on the Starz network show because of original star Andy Whitfield's unfortunate health problems. Ryan Kwanten plays Sookie Stackhouse's lamebrained brother, Jason, on HBO's True Blood (which I find a lot more intense than the books).

I've noticed that Australian and British actors, like Battlestar Galactica's Jamie Bamber, the only non-Australian who gets a picture here today, seem to have no trouble with American accents while American actors often cannot sustain any other accent. (We won't even think about what they do to the Southern accent, also American but apparently incomprehensible to Hollywood.) I think the Australian proficiency with American accents is the reason I didn't realize some of these guys were Australian until I started researching.

I know there are others out there. I did do some research, as I said, but the list is so long as to be intimidating.

If you had to pick a date from among these guys or the characters they play, which would you choose, and why? If you were choosing one to be the hero of a book you've recently read, which would you choose, and why? Do you have a favorite actor who's not a U.S. native?

(The comment hook is below today's healthy heart tip and other info.)



The healthy heart tip for February 26 is: Snacking isn’t bad if done in moderation and eating a little throughout the day can actually keep you from overdoing it at meal times. Check out some of our heart-healthy snack ideas.

Romance Writers of America and the American Heart Association have partnered to raise awareness of heart disease. Visit http://www.goredforwomen.org/ to learn how to fight heart disease.

And just in case you missed it....

Sign Up for the Go Red BetterU Program and Receive Two Free Romance Novel E-Books

From Feb. 1 through May 31, 2011, receive one free romance novel e-book when you sign up for the American Heart Association's BetterU Program and one after you complete week six of the program. And look for the Eat Smart for Your Heart limited-edition magazine (that features this offer) on newsstands and in a grocery store near you.

To sign up for the BetterU program, visit http://www.goredforwomen.org/betteru/index.aspx.
(Go Red For Women is trademarked by the American Heart Association, Inc. Romance novel downloads provided by Belle Books.)

Apparel Arts 1938

Two more Apparel Arts came my way the other week…ten years without seeing one and now they are falling in my lap.

Ah…the 1938 Boatneck sweater…and one with a substantial waistband and sturdy cuffs. Some things shouldn’t change. Ever. 

And I’d put the Boatneck in that category. They’re scarce as hen’s teeth these days. As a matter of fact I’d have no idea where to find one today…especially a sturdy one unadorned. I think Rugby had one or two over the last several years but most of their stuff is too fuzzy even for me. Shut up.

I’ve written about this Boatneck before. It’s the oldest single piece of clothing I have. Sturdy and enduring and the veteran of unspeakable shenanigans.

My Boatneck and the Kilim Chaise…if they could talk it’d all be over for me. My Boatneck and the Kilim Chaise … the working title for my memoirs maybe?

Not sure what happened to my light yellow one. I was a hit in it twenty years ago.

So here’s to things that shouldn’t change. Including Weejuns. Two eyelet lace ups. With tassels. Fuzzy and rare. You’ll have more success finding a pair of original Wilton made Navy Blue Weejuns than a pair of these.

Onward. From Dallas and just about blogged out.

ADG II