Contest page

April 2013 — What do you think of practical jokes?

Because I was doing my website update on April 1, April Fool’s Day was on my mind so I asked people what they thought about practical jokes. Interestingly, very few people were into them: they didn’t do them, people didn’t play practical jokes on them, and in general they thought practical jokes weren’t very nice. However, if you’re looking for jokes to play on someone, here are a couple of relatively harmless ones mentioned by contest entrants: grease the toilet seat with Vaseline; use little balloons to make a birthday cake, ice over them, then invite the birthday person to cut their cake! Congratulations to Vickie M from MS, who won one of my books plus a necklace and earrings.

March 2013 — What’s your favorite thing about spring?

I love spring! I love everything about it, but the best thing is that winter is behind me and won’t come around for a long time. The thing most mentioned by those who responded to the poll is the sense of newness and freshness, of hope and zest of life. Lots of people mentioned the lovely weather, flowers and buds, and longer days. The fresh breeze and being able to sleep with your windows open. Gardening. Baseball season! The neighborhood comes alive! Congratulations to this month’s winner, Beth T from VA, who won one of my books and a silk heart pin.

February 2013 — What do you think of Canadians?

Because February was launch month for Northern Heat, a book that promises to dispel the myth that Canadians are as frigid as the northern climate, I asked people what they think of Canadians. Hockey and the RCMP were right up there, along with how we say “eh” at the end of a lot of sentences. And all of that’s true, eh. (And you’ll note that I have written a hockey player hero, in The Dirty Girls Book Club.) As for personality, people said Canadians are friendly, polite, open-minded, and “rock.” Thanks for that! I notice that no-one said we’re sexy, so you folks obviously need to read Northern Heat, autographed by me.

January 2013 — How do you express your creativity?

Wow, what a creative bunch you are! I’m so impressed. Here are some of the creative things that people do: write, paint or draw, cook, quilt, crochet, make jewelry, dance, write book reviews, sew, sing and make up songs, take photographs, and make cards. Others express their creativity through the way they decorate their home, the way they dress, or through acquiring body art like tattoos. What wonderful ways of brightening not only your lives but the lives of those around you. For me, obviously the main one is writing, but I also take photographs and make cards. This month’s prize is a set of cards made from my photos and an autographed copy of one of my books – and they go to Rita W from California.

December 2012 — Favorite holiday treat?

In December, people’s thoughts turn to many things, and among them is food! I asked people, “What’s your favorite holiday treat, and how do you savor it?” Some of the goodies mentioned were port wine trifle, egg nog, mulled wine, peppermint candy canes, spritz cookies, fruit cake, and green bean casserole (don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it!). Congratulations to my December winner, Brenda J from Pasadena, MD, who won an autographed copy of one of my books, plus a copy of The Heart of Cooking, a charity collection put together by dozens of romance authors (including me!).

November 2012 — What do you think of e-readers?

I admit to enjoying TV, especially as an accompaniment to a casual dinner, doing my stretches, autographing bookmarks, or knitting. For me, TV is most often pure escapist entertainment. I prefer scripted shows, maybe because I’m a writer myself. This month, I asked people what, if anything, they like to watch on TV. Turns out I’m not alone in liking scripted TV. That’s what the majority said, though everyone likes something different (top two named were “The Big Bang Theory” and “NCIS”). Next most popular was reality shows (especially “Dancing with the Stars”). And then of course there was a smattering of other things: news, documentaries, sports, house hunters, and so on. Congratulations to this month’s winner, Shelley M of MI. She wins a book and a tote bag from the Magnolia Bakery in NYC.

October 2012 — What do you think of e-readers?

I keep hearing how popular e-books are, and my royalty statements show increasing sales of that format. And I know book stores are closing, downsizing, choosing to buy bestselling authors rather than the rest of us, so fewer of my print books are getting out on the shelves. So I asked people what they think of e-readers. The huge majority of people said that they prefer print books. Lots of people have e-readers and use them occasionally, but still prefer the experience of reading a print book. Now, of course this isn’t any kind of scientific study, but I find it very interesting that people who are clearly internet-savvy, many of whom have tried out e-readers, still like the traditional experience of holding a print book and turning the pages. Machines have not yet taken over the world! LOL. Congratulations to this month’s winner, Anita Y from GA, who won an autographed book (yes, in print format!) and a lovely old-fashioned notebook.

September 2012 — What’s your favorite activity + drink pairing?

I love a cup of tea and a good book, a glass of wine while chatting to a good friend. This month I asked for people’s special drink + activity pairings. Reading was the most popular activity people listed, and the pair it with tea, coffee, iced tea, lemonade, wine, hot chocolate, Diet Coke, and Diet Dr. Pepper. We readers definitely have our preferences! Here are some other answers: picnic + iced tea or frozen strawberry colada; football on TV + beer or Coke Classic; fireplace + hot chocolate; dessert in romantic restaurant + champagne; exercise + water; chat in person/by phone/by email with friends + tea or coffee; hang out with family on holidays + White Russians. Did these give you any ideas? Congratulations to this month’s winner, Susan F from Langley, BC, who won an autographed copy of one of my books and a cute little spoon for stirring honey into tea, scooping up jam, or stirring that marshmallow into the hot chocolate.

August 2012 — What do you want to do this summer?

In the Pacific Northwest, summer came late and showed all signs of being short. It made me think of all the things I’d hoped to do, but not had time for. So I asked, “What’s the thing you most want to do in what remains of summer 2012.” As you’d expect, reading, travel, and visits to the beach ranked high. Here are a few of my favorite answers: meet an old friend for drinks and reminiscences on the deck of a restaurant by the lake; lose weight before the school reunion; take my elderly mom on a fun-filled day trip; travel somewhere exotic and enjoy every moment of my trip in complete bliss with my lover, experiencing new things, diving into new cultures and soaking up those rays. Thanks to everyone who shared their summer dreams – and I hope they come true for you! Congratulations to Joanne from NE, who wins an autographed “hot off the press” copy of my September release, The Dirty Girls Book Club.

July 2012 — Are you earth, air, or water?

Because July is such an outdoorsy, back-to-nature kind of month, it got me thinking that, while most of us enjoy earth, air, and water, we identify more with one. For me, it’s earth. I guess, even though (or perhaps because) I spin flights of fancy in my books, I like to be grounded. Actually, so do my characters. Anyhow, I asked people which they most identify with. Interestingly, the majority were with me, as earth people. It seems we really relate to the beautiful land on which we live. Congratulations to winner, Colleen C from Goodyear, AZ, who won a set of blank cards made with my photographs, and an autographed copy of one of my books.

June 2012 — Should schools have a 2-month summer holiday?

Though it's a long time since I was a kid in school, I still think of June as the month when school lets out for two glorious months of holiday. But, here in BC, that might all change. Schools may be moving to a different calendar, where breaks will occur throughout the year, rather than that solid two months in summer. I asked people whether they thought schools should stick with a 2-month summer holiday. The majority voted for sticking with the 2-month break, but a number of people saw pros and cons to each approach. Congratulations to winner Melinda from Woodstock, ON, who wins an autographed copy of one of my books and a pair of abalone earrings.

May 2012 — What's your favorite way “the lusty month”?

According to “Camelot”, the musical, May is the lusty month - the month of “yes you may”. I asked people, what’s your favorite way - proper or improper - to celebrate the month. You know what? Very few people confessed to anything particularly improper! Though I did particularly like the woman who said she'd be going for a walk in the woods - with a blanket and her man. Other than that, there was lots of outdoorsy stuff like cookouts, hanging out by the pool, gardening, reading by the lake, and there were also family celebrations, Cinco de Mayo, and Memorial Day. Congratulations to this month's winner, Barbara S from OH, who won an autographed copy of one of my books and a set of native Canadian coasters.

April 2012 — What's your favorite treat?

April is the month of Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies, so I asked about everyone's favorite treats. No big surprise - the most popular answer was chocolate. But oh, the varieties of chocolate! Such as: truffles, Hershey's chocolate-filled eggs, chocolate caramels, chocolate-covered cashews, brownies, and so on, and so on. Ice cream was second most popular - along with chocolate ice cream and chocolate sundaes.

And yum, here are some other goodies that were mentioned: strawberry shortcake, Rice Krispie treats, jelly beans, Heath Bars, cupcakes, cheesecake, baklava... Okay, you get the idea. The list went on and on. I think I gained weight just salivating over everyone's suggestions! Congratulations to Aline B from KS, who won an autographed copy of one of my books, and ice wine chocolates from British Columbia.

March 2012 — What's your favorite thing about spring?

In March, I asked people to tell me their favorite things about spring, and every answer made me smile. Warmer weather, of course, and flowers, lovely colors, the scent of flowers and fresh-cut grass, the end of daylight savings, Easter, getting out in the garden, the fresh smell in the air, the smell of freshly turned earth awaiting the planting of seeds, saving money on the heating bill, the feeling of renewal - in nature and in relationships and in life, baby birds and baby animals, the sun on your face, the end of the snow, mushroom hunting, birds singing, being outside, running, fishing, people smile more, being outside on my swing reading a book, ditching the winter clothes, baseball season, airing out the house. Now confess, you're smiling too, right?

Here's my favorite thing about spring: it'll be months and months and months before winter comes round again! Congratulations to this month's winner, Beth M from CA, who wins an autographed copy of one of my books and a teal-colored pashmina I bought from a street vendor in NYC.

February 2012 — What’s the most romantic story?

What lovely entries I received – and, best of all, the largest number were personal stories. In fact, many were about people’s parents’ romances. How very sweet, and touching. When it comes to fictional romance, the winner was Gone With The Wind (how interesting that it’s a romance with a sad ending, though of course most of us romantics believe that Rhett really did change his mind, “give a damn” again, and finally end up with Scarlett – and the two of them drove each other delightfully and passionately crazy for the rest of their lives!). The runner-up was The Notebook, the story of a timeless romance, but also one with a touch of sorrow, or at least poignancy. This month’s winner is Dena W from Bremerton, WA, and she wins an autographed copy of one of my books, plus a copy of Four Letter Word: Original Love Letters.

January 2012 — At the end of 2012, what would you like to say about the year?

In January, I always feel reflective. Rather than ask about New Year’s resolutions, I instead asked people to imagine themselves on December 31, 2012, looking back on the year. What would they like to be able to say about 2012? The answers of course included “the Mayans were wrong!,” peace, health, happiness, family, income, jobs, and also some less expected ones like cleaning up the house, getting the yard in shape, stopping smoking, and distressing and simplifying. Two of my favorites were to have done no harm, and that we all cared about each other and lived in tolerance. This month’s winner, Karen K from VA, wins one of my books and a set of my photo cards.

December – What should Santa bring you?

What can I say? In December, don’t we all turn into little kids and want to send those “Please, Santa” letters to the North Pole? So I asked what people would request in those letters. And the biggest response was books! I sure won’t argue with that one. The second most popular request was for an e-reader or iPad. Congratulations to the December contest winner Natalie K from RI, who wins a firefighter calendar and one of my books.

November – Tell me about firefighters!

Traditionally, November is the month I give away a firefighter calendar. I asked folks to tell me about firefighters, and mostly, of course, I heard about courage. Yes, we all think firefighters are heroes. Secondly, they’re hot! Here are a few comments: my son’s a firefighter and I’m proud; I live in NYC and I’m so grateful to them; Ladder 49 is my favorite movie; I love driving by the fire hall and watching them wash the engine, shirtless!; a friend’s firefighter husband gave mouth to snout resuscitation to a dog who was in a fire; they’re kind to kids; they do so much for their community; Kurt Russell was the best firefighter in a movie; their families are brave, too; my mom was a firefighter; I am in awe. Congratulations to Christy M from OH who wins a 2012 firefighter calendar.

October – What’s your favorite length of story?

Length was on my mind, as I was preparing a workshop on writing short stories, novellas, and novels. So I asked readers which they preferred. Of course each length has its benefits, and readers mentioned short stories and novellas particularly when they have busy lives and limited time. The majority preferred novels, because they like being totally immersed, getting to really know the characters, having an in-depth story, and getting everything resolved by the end. But a novel can’t be too long, so that the reader wonders when will it ever end! This month’s winner is Chris R from NY. She wins an autographed advance reader copy of the fourth and final Wild Ride to Love book, Yours, Unexpectedly.

September – What do you think of social media?

I asked this question because I know social media's such a hot thing right now. And yet, for me, my schedule's crazy and in my spare time I'd rather read a good book than visit people's blogs or Facebook pages, or follow their tweets. As for my friends, I like to get together in person for a glass or two of wine and a long chat. Guess I'm just an old-fashioned girl! But it turns out I'm not alone.

Way more than half the people who responded this month either don't care for social media, or use things like Facebook only to keep up with family and friends who are far away. They're not on Twitter following their favorite movie stars, politicians, and writers. In fact, they're often to be found doing the same things as me: curling up with a good book or sharing a face-to-face chat with someone they care about. Guess there's something to be said for old-fashioned after all! Congratulations to Chris from Florida, who won one of my books and a special gift from the Victoria Women's Show.

August – What's your favorite place to get books?

The publishing industry is changing in so many ways. Bookstores are closing or converting to gift/coffee shops. Digital publishing and e-readers are huge. And people's book-buying budgets are limited. In this changing landscape, I asked, "What's your favorite place to get books?" And wow, people get books from absolutely everywhere: grocery stores, gas stations, WalMart, airports, convenience stores, book clubs, publishers, friends and family, book clubs, publishers, used book stores, thrift stores – and of course, bricks and mortar stores and online ones.

The most popular source named was Barnes & Noble, followed relatively closely by Amazon, and then the library. A number of people mentioned hating to see their local Borders or independent store close, and many are still supporting their favorite independent store. Congratulations to this month's winner, Colleen C from AZ, who won one of my books plus Together Again by Mimi Barbour and No Longer Mine by Shiloh Walker.

July – How’s your summer going?

Because my summer was busy, busy, busy, without much time for R&R, I asked how everyone else’s summer is going. Most people who responded have been having a great time: the beach, the pool, travel, picnics with families and friends, ice cream, lots of good reading – and even a wedding! Not everyone is having a fabulous summer, though, and for those people, I sure hope things look up. The July winner is Cindy from MN, who won one of my books and a New York tote bag that I bought in NYC.

June – What’s your favorite live performance?

Because I was heading to New York for the RWA National Conference, my mind was on theatre, and performances in general. So I asked people about their favorite live performance that they’ve ever attended. The most popular in people’s memories and hearts was family performances, especially children and grandkids on stage. Second most popular was “big” theatre – with Phantom of the Opera and Wicked topping the list, followed by Les Miserables and Cats. Congratulations to Diane S. from NJ, this month’s winner. She receives one of my books plus a gift pack of NYC chocolate bars.