Wrapping Up the San Antonio Bravos

There are nine SA Bravo stories in all.  Six are out on bookstands.  Three more are yet to be released.

And in terms of the writing...I'm on the second-to-last book.  It seems like only yesterday I sat down to write the story outline for The Stranger and Tessa Jones.  And now I'm almost finished telling all those stories.

Yesterday, I hit the midpoint in the writing of Marriage Bravo Style, which is Elena Cabrera's story.  Elena, BTW, is the illegitimate daughter of Davis Bravo, hardheaded patriarch of this branch of the family.  Elena first appeared in A Bravo's Honor, back in July of last year, when a big family secret blew wide open, with Elena's paternity in the center of the storm.

In the books that have followed, I've charted the arc of the Bravo/Cabrera connection.  It's been quite an arc and I have loved writing it.

So strange that half the books are still to come out, and I'm already thinking ahead to the next branch of the family. 

Blogalicious...

Today, the amazing RaeAnne Thayne , a fellow Special Edition author, interviews me about A BRIDE FOR JERICHO BRAVO at our Special Edition Author Blog on eHarlequn. Drop by if you get the chance, to say hi and/or get more information on this book.

Tomorrow, I'm blogging about Bad Boys and Big Bikes at the Pink Heart Society blog. Hope you'll drop in there if you have a moment.

Happy Friday to all!

Back Cover Copy...

Here's the back cover copy for Jericho's book:

“I’M NOT THE MARRYING KIND.”

After being jilted by her longtime boyfriend, Marnie Jones was on the move. But from the moment she rolled into Texas and clashed with sexy rebel Jericho Bravo, she was finding all sorts of reasons to stay put. Too bad the rugged loner couldn’t say the same....

Or could he? Because Jericho was making Marnie believe in second chances—that he
was the man she wanted to settle down with…forever. Was the proud, wary loner
willing to risk his heart? Because he already owned hers....

...And yes, I put the cover up again. Click on it to see a nice, big image that I got from the wonderful Maureen Stead who handles cover art for authors at Harlequin.

I really love this cover. So romantic. And he's a really big guy and she's--well, not petite. Petite makes her sound delicate. Marnie Jones is so not delicate. But she's a small woman, small and strong. And I think you get the sense of that in this cover. She looks like she's on tiptoe for the kiss.

Cover for A BRIDE FOR JERICHO BRAVO

Yes, the covers seem to be coming fast and furious lately.

Found this on Amazon this morning. I love it! This book is my March 2010 release. It's a Hill Country wedding scene. Jericho designs and builds custom choppers. And the heroine is Marnie Jones, who first appeared as a child in the third Jones Gang book, SWEETBRIAR SUMMIT.

What do you think?

First Chapters and a Back Cover Blurb...

Here's that back cover copy I promised for VALENTINE BRIDE:

FROM HOUSEKEEPER TO BLUSHING BRIDE?

Regal, reserved Irina Lukovic was the perfect live-in housekeeper. Until she found out she was being sent back to her war-torn homeland. So Caleb Bravo came up with the ideal solution…one where they’d still be living together on a more permanent basis.…The handsome bachelor proposed!

Irina couldn’t believe that the footloose mogul was giving up his freedom for her. But now that they were officially husband and wife, she suddenly yearned to belong to Caleb in more than name only. To be his wife...in every sense of the word...

And the first chapter is up on my website. Go here to have a look.

I also put up the first chapter for my March 2010 release, A BRIDE FOR JERICHO BRAVO. You can read that here.

My plan is to get up first chapters way ahead, so check my excerpt page now and then to see what's new!

And Happy Holidays!

Time Flies When You're...

...on a deadline. Finishing a book. Thinking about washing the windows.

Notice I said thinking. Hah.

Worried about the healthcare debate. Wishing you were in Vegas at plot group with your friends. Wishing the weather would change. Strange how when it's hot, I wish it were cooler--and when it's cooler...well, you get the picture.

News at Chez Christine is that I finished the Jericho Bravo book mentioned in my last post back in June. And it has a new title: A BRIDE FOR JERICHO BRAVO. Yeah, I loved the original THE REBEL AND MARNIE JONES. But the word Bride and the name Bravo both sell books. And well, you know, I like to eat.

Now I'm on to a new Montana Mavericks story with a sexy single dad hero--and a schoolteacher heroine. I'm thinking it will be fun. And so far, so good on the fun thing.

Also, recently signed a contract for six more Special Editions. Lots more Bravos coming your way. And somehow, 2010 is stacking up to be the Year of the Bride--title-wise, I mean. Four books coming out and three have "bride" in the title. Don't know how that happened, but it did!

Hoping to get a cover image for the upcoming December release soon. That one's called CHRISTMAS AT BRAVO RIDGE.

And that's my news for the third week of August. Keep cool, everyone!

Oh, and and here's a little hotness in a very good way....

Tom Jane. I really love Tom Jane.

Bad Boys and Big Bikes....

Motorcycles, I mean. Harleys. Choppers, particularly.

The book I'm writing now is about the bad boy of the San Antonio Bravos, sixth-born Jericho. Jericho has had a rocky past. He is also a genius. He designs and builds custom choppers of great coolness and beauty. Like the one at left, built by Thunderstruck Custom Bikes and named Paranoid. Totally fitting name, IMO. And what, specifically, is a chopper? Well, according to the Motorcyle Biker's Dictionary, it's "A style of motorcycle that appears deceptively light, has a greater angle on the front end than usually seen, and radical styling." The term is derived from former GI's back right after WWII "chopping" factory bikes to make them faster, removing all "superfluous" parts.

I'm using Gerard Butler as my hero image. Kind of handsome and thuggish at once. But I also kind of imagine Jesse James of West Coast Chopper fame in the mix, also.

Heroine is Marnie Jones. If you've been reading my books for a while, you first met Marnie when she was a tough, angry nine-year-old who swore like a sailor in SweetBriar Summit. Since then, Marnie has been tamed. She needs to rediscover her wild side.

I think Jericho is the one to help her with that...

I haven't done a biker guy (literarilly speaking, of course!) since The Midnight Rider Takes a Bride. That came out back in 1997. So I'm thinking it's about time...