Hello Fishy Friends!
Today you’ve caught me in one of those hopelessly romantic moods. My 20th wedding anniversary just passed and now Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. I’ve got heart shaped boxes of candy stashed around the house to surprise my boys with on the big day. Cold Mountain is loaded on the DVR for my daily viewing pleasure. I’m reading the most romance I’ve ever read at once with contest entries to judge, fabulous friends with new releases out and Sherrilyn Kenyon’s latest to devour. I’m telling you, if someone stuck a pin in me right now, I’d probably ooze tiny little heart-shaped bits of confetti!
In all seriousness, I love being surrounded by romance. The community is a wonderful blend of people with big hearts and even bigger imaginations. We’re totally down with love at first sight, lust at first sight, all kinds of crazy mating rituals, sweet fantasies and wild ones alike. We celebrate history, suspense, zombies and goody two-shoes. And yes, we LOVE our princesses and our mermaids.
We also celebrate each other as writers and readers of the genre. And, we take it a step further and come together to recognize the people in our real lives who support us. By chance, I happened to be included in a new anthology that is out this month called Scribbling Women and the Real-Life Romance Heroes Who Love Them. Twenty-eight romance authors (one for each day in February) including Hope Tarr, Lisa Renee Jones, Elisabeth Staab and Leanna Renee Hieber (And me!), shared personal essays about their real love lives and all net proceeds are being donated to the organization Win (Women in Need) which assists homeless women and their children. I knew I wanted to be a part of it because my hubby goes way beyond in his love and support of me and always has. The man has read all four Twilight books at my request AND attended about 5,000 Casey James concerts with me last year alone. All because it has to do with the writing I love so dearly.
I don’t think it’s possible for me to feel any more romantic than I already do. But let’s see if we can squeeze at my heart strings just a little more. I’d love to hear about your romantic notions. Whether you’re in love with a real hero or a fictional one at the moment. Did someone do something extra sweet for you lately? How many heart shaped boxes of chocolate have you already bought and consumed? For the record, my number on that last one falls somewhere between 2 and 4.
Fishy Kisses!
Carlene Mermaid
And Happy Almost Valentine’s Day xoxoxoxo