Jo Banks has been seeing ghosts since she was six, sonormal was never really an option. Embracing the weird and shunning normalcy makes her the top Ghost Exterminator in her region. Then she meets Wyatt Haines, the uptight, materialistic and irritatingly sexy owner of a successful resort chain.

Wyatt’s new Victorian inn is extremely haunted and the Commando Barbie Ghost Exterminator is just the girl for the job. Except Wyatt doesn’t believe in ghosts, or Jo, or anything outside the norm. He’ll have to start believing fast, though, because Jo’s extermination goes awry and accidentally throws two prankster ghosts into Wyatt’s body to haunt him.

Every time he falls asleep, the mischievous ghosts take over, turning his perfectly ordered life into chaos. His waking hours are no less chaotic, with his thoughts possessed by Jo’s quirky appeal and Playmate physique.

Unfortunately, Jo’s ghost-exing mojo is on the fritz just when she needs it the most to unhaunt Wyatt and figure out why his inn is swarming with ghosts. Preferably before his spirit is permanently separated from his mouth-watering body.

And before her heart is permanently attached to the most sexy, frustrating, normal man she’s ever met.

I finished reading this novella today, and it was SO GOOD. I was a bit confuzzled when I began, because it starts with a 70-year old woman returning from the funeral of her husband. I told the dh and he said, "Maybe it's a time travel."

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Turns out yesterday WASN'T my day to blog at Romance Studio. It's Friday. DUH.

I went to bed before 8:30 last night! I was just tuckered. I woke at 3:45 or so, but that's okay, I need to write.

I had some crazy dreams. I dreamed my dad was coming to visit (the second time in a week I've dreamed this.) I dreamed I had a brand new classroom (same kids) and a new principal whose name I couldn't remember, and my cat Dukey (who IRL has to go to the vet today) was in the room. This room had three thermostats, which is funny because my current room doesn't even have one. I also dreamed that my brother and SIL moved into a beautiful brand new house, two stories with lots of windows, and an outdoor fireplace, but their neighbor's house was inches away.

I got another good review for Bull by the Horns. I've been so lucky!



I've been working on meeting my goal of promoting better and sent out two requests for interviews, one at I Do Not Want to Wait, I Want the Book Now! and the other at All Romance ebooks. I actually sold a number of copies of Hot Shot in December (maybe because of the Eppie final???) but had one returned. Weird, right? I didn't know you could return ebooks.

Okay, to work I go!

Like I mentioned Monday, I've known Janet all my RWA career. I read this book in manuscript form a few years ago and I read it again this weekend. It's just the most adorable Christmas story, with characters who really came to life for me and put me in the Christmas spirit! Remember, I'll send a copy to one lucky commenter, so you can enjoy this story, too!

Now, welcome Janet!

You've had a long road to publication, including some children's books (which I have in my class library.) What kept you going when the business got you down?

Getting the children's books published really kept me going. The first came out in 1998, the two reading resource books in 2001, then the sequel to the first book in 2005. In between, I kept writing romances, entering contests, sending Santa's Angels to agents and editors. Although, up til a couple of years ago, Santa's Angels was rejected, I kept getting positive feedback on the book. The "good" rejections and encouragement from other writers (like you!) gave me the courage to keep sending the manuscript out until it found a home.

What is your writing routine like?


You know, I gotta get me one of those. I'm a seat-of-the-pants writer, but a strict reviser. When I'm in the writing groove, I find I write a couple of hours every day--I estimated once I can complete about 4 pages an hour. After an hour, I need to get up and move around. I make handwritten notes in a spiral as new thoughts come to me, then work it in to the manuscript on the laptop next time I sit down with it. That way I reassure myself I'm still working on the novel even if I haven't opened my laptop in days.

What was your inspiration for Santa's Angels?

I used to be a teacher, and every year at Christmas, the staff would play Secret Santa, where we'd draw names and do fun stuff for each other in the weeks before Christmas Holidays. One year, the person whose name I drew said she liked reading "hot and steamy" stories. Being a writer, I figured I could come up with something, a story with a Secret Santa. It started as a short story, and ended as a novel--sweet, rather than "hot and steamy," but there's still a Mystery Santa.

You have other creative outlets - tell us about them!

I play keyboard in a band, The Seven Dutchmen Orchestra. My husband is the leader. At this time of year, we're playing a lot of Big Band music. We'll be playing on New Year's Eve. We play at some German festivals, including the Oktoberfest in Fredericksburg, TX and Wurstfest in New Braunfels, TX. I also like to crochet. I still write poetry and children's books. I l-o-v-e baking.

What has meant the most to you since your sale?

There is nothing like seeing my story as a book. The cover is lovely. I was surprised and delighted by my first fan letter! Especially since the book had been checked out from a library and recommended to the person who sent me the email.

Can you give us a quick blurb about your book?

No one knows the local celebrity who is playing Santa Claus at Filmore's Department Store in downtown Dallas, Texas. Not even Janie Langston, the "elf" who takes pictures of the kids with Santa knows--and she's falling in love with him!

Lastly, do you recommend reading this book with eggnog or hot chocolate?

Hot chocolate! With cinnamon and lots of marshmallows.

Here's where you can get this awesome book: Barnes and Noble

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When I joined SARA in 1997, Janet Kaderli was one of the first people who befriended me. We were both music teachers, both seeking publication. Janet found it with two children's books about Texas heritage, but she had this terrific story and publication eluded her. I read it at least once in manuscript form and thought it was adorable, perfect for Silhouette Romance, but alas, no. I suggested Avalon, and after a really really long time, this book is finally here.



I read it again over the weekend and all I can say is, this is going to be a new tradition for me, reading this book at Christmas time. It's a dual identity hero, a la You've Got Mail, where the heroine falls in love with him in one form and doesn't want anything to do with him in his other identity. All of this is set in a department store at Christmas, with a struggling single mom, an adorable little girl, and a man who wants to change who he is.

Janet will be here Wednesday to talk about her book, and I will give away a copy to one lucky commenter! So come back by Wednesday!

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I don't generally read Superromances but this month I picked up two. I know both authors - Beth finalled with me a couple of times in the GH and Cindi used to be in SARA. I read one in two days, started the other last night and am already a third of the way through.

The first was Beth Andrews's debut, NOT WITHOUT HER FAMILY. It's about a woman, Kelsey, trying to make amends with her estranged brother in a small town. Jack, the chief of police is suspicious of her and her brother, and when a crime is committed, Kelsey is committed to helping her brother, all the while falling for Jack, even though he's a cop.

Jack is an Ultimate Good Guy. He makes some mistakes, and has made some, but he's the kind of guy you want to lean on, the kind of guy Kelsey wants to lean on.

Kelsey is alone in the world and your heart breaks for her. She has a tough exterior to hide a tougher past and you absolutely root for Jack to break through.



The second book is A Soldier Comes Home by Cindi Myers. I read an excerpt of this book and immediately ordered it. It's about a war widow, Chrissie, who's ready to find love again, only she will not find it with a soldier, even the handsome one next door. Ray returned home from a tour in Iraq to find his wife wiped him out and left his three year old son with his parents. He's having to rebuild his life with his child while readjusting to civilian life. And after a misunderstanding with Chrissie, he's wondering if she can help him find that balance.



Both of these are SO GOOD.

I have to go back to WalMart today to get my glasses fixed, and I plan to get Stacey Kayne's newest, Beth Cornelison's newest (a firefighter!) and Jill Shalvis's newest (another firefighter!) Also buckling down to finish BD revisions. I don't see how it's going to make 85000 words, though....weird that my straight romance made 85000 easy and my action suspense romance didn't.

I had a dream about Helo from BSG last night but I don't remember it.

As of yesterday, we've had DOUBLE the rainfall of Seattle for the year here in San Antonio. Yesterday was bad bad bad. I hope today is better. During a break, I took the boy to get his hair cut. He looks very nice. He had a gig last night and wanted to impress. Hm.

I had the most delicious Sam dream last night. It was like an episode of Supernatural, but I was girl of the week (younger and thinner, but all through my eyes.) Maybe I'll work on the vamp book today....



I’ve been lucky to read 3 really good books the past two weeks. In fact, after Trish left last week, I spent 4 days reading (2 days for HP).

I started with MORE THAN FIENDS. I picked up this book at National because Maureen Child was signing it and said it was Gilmore Girls meets Buffy. (You think she saw my sign??)



Astoundingly, it WAS very Gilmore Girl-ish (which makes me feel better about my Ghost Hunter book). A mom of a teenaged girl turns 32 and learns she’s a Demon Duster. This is actually hilarious, because she owns a maid service and her weapon is a spray that identifies/burns demons AND cleans windows! She also has the worst birthday EVER, when her washer breaks, her daughter’s daddy shows up for the first time and some crazy lady tells her she needs to kill demons.

There are two potential heroes (it’s the first of a series) and I was surprised when she gave in to one of them, but DANG, it was sexy!

Then I read VIRGIN RIVER. Robyn Carr had come to talk to SARA, and some SARAs read her trilogy and loved it. If you like the show Men in Trees, you’ll like this. She had to have written it before, but even the hero’s name is Jack!



Virgin River is set in a teeny town in Northern CA, where the heroine flees to escape her grief after her husband’s death. The heroine, Mel, is a midwife/nurse practitioner who accepts a job, sight unseen, only to find out her escape is not well thought out, or anticipated. But she stays and learns to love the town.

The many characters in this book make the place so real I felt like I spent time in Virgin River. It’s just terrific – can’t wait to start Shelter Mountain.

After I finished Harry Potter, I started Stephanie Tyler’s first book, COMING UNDONE. (And yes, every time I picked up the book, I sang the Duran Duran song.)



This book is an amazing fantasy – former professional surfer Carly accidentally sends a faxed sexual fantasy to the Navy base, and who investigates but VERY hot Navy SEAL Jon Huntington (Hunt). His timing is impeccable – her parents are at her home urging her to bring a family friend as her date to her sister’s society wedding. Hunt steps in just in time. He agrees to be her date if she’ll teach him to surf. Only Carly has some serious scars when it comes to the water, and she bargains with acting out the fantasy.

I love the ease these two have with each other. Hunt has Savior issues, but they just make him that much sexier.

A really heavy twist comes in 2/3 of the way through the book, though, which explains Hunt’s issues. Can’t wait to get to Risking It All --- why must I sleep???

Look who's going to be in CBS's Viva Laughlin!



This looks good, too!

With grifters hanging from every branch of her family tree, Danni Ford was trying to do the impossible—play it straight. Until an undercover G-man played her with a few tricks of his own…
The tip-off should have been the way Eric's gaze met hers only when they talked dirty.

So Eric was using her to trap her shady relatives. He was still off-the-charts sexy - —why shouldn't she get something pleasurable from this con?

Danni's revenge is going to be very, very sweet and it will start with tying up her FBI agent boyfriend con man to get to the truth. Before he discovers her secrets first!



Not really here - came home to sleep, heading back to retreat in a few!