Writer at Random

Visit me today at "Romance Your Spouse"!

Need some ideas for inexpensive "couple time" with your sweetie? I'm blogging today at Romance Your Spouse. Everyone who comments on that post will be entered in a drawing for a copy of my debut novel, One Imperfect Christmas.

Hope to see you there!

The E-Word!

I'm blogging today in Seekerville about . . .

the dreaded E-WORD!!

And join me over at Romance Your Spouse on Thursday for more on this convicting subject!

Adventures in house painting

Is there anything remotely romantic about painting a room? Come find out and share your thoughts over at Romance Your Spouse, where I'm blogging today about "What Matters Most."

Looking for ideas to romance your spouse?

A great place to start is the new group blog, Romance Your Spouse, which debuted last week. The primary contributors are Denice Stewart, Lacy Williams, and Amy Loos, with romance authors Margaret Daley, Janet Lee Barton, and yours truly sharing our thoughts from the vantage point of a few (well, okay, several) more years of married life. The occasional male viewpoint adds extra spice!

And if you leave a comment by February 9 on this post, you'll have a chance to win a gift card to the major restaurant chain of your choice--a Valentine's Day special giveaway!

Please visit soon!

Empty Nesters Date #3

After several delays we finally made it on our third Empty Nesters Date. The assignment was to have a relaxing picnic somewhere and talk about . . . um . . . talking. Our communication styles. What we like to talk about. What we don’t like to talk about.

So last Monday we both took a day off from our usual work schedule and went to the zoo.  The weather was ideal--slightly overcast and comfortably warm. We walked around for a bit, then stopped in at the grill and picked up a couple of burgers.

After eating, we found a quiet bench over by a monkey cage and started our discussion. Interestingly we both tagged ourselves “withdrawers” rather than “pursuers” in conversation. I meant that I’m normally quiet and reserved, letting the other person take the lead. Jack meant that, even though he’s always talkative and friendly, he is a conflict avoider. If things get too sticky, he moves on to another topic or simply moves on.

Probably our date didn’t effect any miraculous changes in the way we communicate with each other, but we definitely enjoyed a day away from home and career pressures (and TV!) so we could just talk.

The cool thing about these date assignments is that each one provides a list of questions to think about ahead of time. We jot down our thoughts separately, then at some point during the date, we share our answers. Often what we’ve come up with turns out to be quite predictable. Occasionally we surprise each other.

Which is kind of nice after nearly 36 years of marriage, don’t you think? Any happy surprises in your relationship lately?

It's Friday . . .

Do you know what your date plans are?

Sorry, no guest Star Dater today. You’re stuck with me. And my “dating life” has been in kind of a rut. My sweetie and I had made a fairly good beginning with Dating for Empty-Nesters. Then a series of life events got us off track.

Funerals and writers conferences can do that to you.

The problem is, ruts can be terribly hard to break out of. We get into the habit of not dating, not practicing proactive romance behaviors, and we’re back to what I have come to call “cooperative cohabitation.” Not bad . . . just not great.

Suggestions, please. How do you and your sweetie recapture the romance when your marriage relationship gets stuck in low gear?

And the winner is . . .

Julie Lessman!

Congratulations, Julie! You are the winner in the drawing for one of Vickie McDonough's novels.

It was a real pleasure to have Vickie as my guest last Friday. I totally agree, sometimes the sweetest guys and very best husbands in every other way are just slightly shortchanged in the romance department. I should know--I'm married to one!

So, wives, has anyone else tried Vickie's tactic of stirring up the romance? Planned a surprise date? "Kidnapped" your sweetie? Let's hear your favorite ideas for igniting the flames in your romantically challenged hubbies!

Ken Raney: The Guy We Love to Hate!

Sorry, Deb, but your post Friday stirred up more than a few feelings of envy!

What Deb said in one of her responses is true, though--the grass always looks greener in someone else’s marriage, and we need to remind ourselves that God most likely chose our spouse for us specifically because of the traits we most needed in a mate.

Still . . . who (besides a newlywed) doesn’t long for the sweet return of real romance in marriage?

For Christmas, our daughter gave us the book 10 Great Dates for Empty Nesters, by David & Claudia Arp. We had the first date a couple of weeks ago, a romantic dinner during which we shared our thoughts on how far we’ve journeyed in our marriage, our strengths and weaknesses as a couple, and how we envision our future together.

It was fun to reminisce and to dream together. But perhaps even more important, the date required some planning, effort, and forethought. The older we get, the harder it becomes to dredge up the energy to be creative, especially where our relationship is concerned.

But, as we saw in Deb’s post, thoughtful creativity is the essence of romance. Just look at how many of us swooned at the sweetness of placing those “K + D” rocks in the special places the Raneys had visited. (And, yes, I too would like to know how Ken managed to replace those tiny slips of paper in Hershey’s Kisses!)

If Deb’s post inspired you to try something new and creative to spark your romance, share your ideas here . . . and stop back later to let us know the results!

In the meantime, the winner of Deb’s special giveaway will be announced right here tomorrow morning! You still have time to enter--just post a comment on Deb's guest post no later than midnight tonight!

Guess this week’s “Dating With the (Literary) Stars” guest blogger!

I have another really special guest lined up for this Friday, so (as I mentioned yesterday) it’s time for another guessing game. Send me your guess (via e-mail--DO NOT post it in a comment!) by midnight Thursday (CST) and if you guess correctly and have already entered my February contest, you’ll get one additional entry.

Okay, here are the clues:

1. One of her books has been made into a movie.
2. She’s won a slew of awards, including the coveted RWA Rita.
3. She loves to write outdoors with her kitties nearby.
4. She is often mistaken for ACFW member D’Ann Mateer.

Our guest has promised a fantastic giveaway of her own--details on Friday--so be sure to stop in. Everyone who leaves a comment on our guest’s post through midnight Monday, February 18, will automatically be entered in the drawing.

Star Dater: Zorro! (Oops, I mean DiAnn Mills!)

Welcome back my friend DiAnn Mills, the popular and prolific author whose readers can always "Expect an Adventure." Leave a comment here before midnight next Monday and you'll be entered in a drawing for a copy of DiAnn's exciting new adventure, Awaken My Heart.

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When I was a kid, I used to get spanked for lying. Now I get paid for it! Ah, such is the life of a fiction writer. Hi, I’m DiAnn Mills, and I’m excited about Awaken My Heart, my new historical novel published by Avon Inspire.

I live in Texas, the Lone Star State, where history and adventure are carved out of ordinary people and presented in novels and across the screen. Texas provides the perfect setting for tales of adventure. Here you can find cowboys and rodeos, deserts and mountains, bluebonnets and cactus, rattlesnakes and alligators, trail rides and space exploration. The romance and intrigue of those who helped build this State weave powerful stories. You name it, and Texas has it. But it’s the stories about the courageous people who stand tall and make this state what it is today that captures the readers’ attention.

Let me introduce you to my February release!

Awaken My Heart is set in 1803, when Texas was Tejas, a colony ruled by Spain. Indians, Mestizos (native-Spanish lineage), and the elite ruling class of the Spanish lived and died here. The priests living in the Catholic missions helped educate and train the people in various crafts and how to serve God. From this culture was born my story of forbidden love.

Which brings me to one of my greatest heroes—Zorro. Who can forget the handsome, daring masked man who championed the poor and fought the injustices of his people? His flashing sword, generous smile, and chivalry would bend the strongest woman’s resolve. It also helped Zorro’s cause to be portrayed by Antonio Bandera in The Mask of Zorro (1998) and The Legend of Zorro (2005).

Is it no wonder that I call Awaken My Heart my Zorro book? My hero, Armando Garcia, is passionate about the cause of his poverty-stricken people, but his passion also extends to Marianne Wharton, the daughter of a wealthy American rancher. The wealthy and the peasant. The Diablo and his angel. And her daddy ain’t happy. Oops! I mean Marianne’s father is out for blood.

This isn’t the first book I’ve written about historical Texas. The Texas Legacy Series was set in the period of the Old West when lawlessness and unscrupulous characters crawled out from under rocks and attempted to claim the state. I chose unlikely heroes and heroines who made a courageous stand for what they believed in.

Hop into the saddle and grab the reins. This ride will keep you up all night.

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Myra here. I remember when the dashing Guy Williams played Zorro on the original TV series, and I was infatuated even then. Who's your favorite swashbuckling hero? And why do you think we're so enamored with them?