I finished writing my fourteenth book this week.

I’m the first to admit that I’m shocked by that news. When I sat down and started writing my first book a little over four years ago, I never expected to finish that one, let alone another thirteen. Nor would I, in my wildest imagination, have thought I would have five books published so quickly. All the wonderful reviews have been a welcomed surprise. The cherry on top of this glorious sundae is to be represented by the brilliant and talented Maureen Walters.

So where do I go from here?

Hopefully onward and upward. Three of the four books in the Amazon urban fantasy series are complete. The fourth keeps poking at me when I’m in that state of mind to have time to ponder. I have a good start on another time travel story with a sprinkling of angels. And with the inspiration I received by reconnecting with so many old junior high school and high school friends, I have a nice chunk written on a reunion story much along the same lines as Turning Thirty-Twelve.

So many books; so little time. Ah, but as always, I will find the time I need to write.

Free Falling got the “Romantic Times” treatment in the April issue!

I’m thrilled to report that it received a beautiful four-star review! My thanks to Keitha Hart for the write-up and all the kind words!

Here’s what she had to say:

*****

FREE FALLING by Sandy James
RT Rating: 4 stars
Category: ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

Book two in the Damaged Heroes series is a suspenseful page-turner. The characters are fully developed and believable, making it easy to follow the protagonists’ adventure- filled relationship. The heroine has empathic abilities, which lend a fun paranormal twist to the story.
Summary: Stranded in a Montana blizzard, Ross Kennedy is rescued by psychologist Laurie Miller. During their few days of closeness, they realize there’s an attraction they want to explore further. However, upon their return to Chicago, fate conspires to keep them apart. The re-emergence of Laurie’s ex-boyfriend and old secrets strain their romance. Also, a mystery surrounding a 1920s diary they found in Montana brings peril from an unexpected source. (BOOKSTRAND, 2009, 302 pp., $15.99) HOT

—Keitha Hart

The Olympics are so motivating!

I’m not normally a sports fan. Jeff gave me a liking for hockey, but even growing up in Indiana didn’t make me a basketball fan. But come Olympic time, I love sports.

I love the stories of the athletes who have worked so hard for so very long to get to that medal platform. I find their lives and their performances to be very inspirational. Overcoming adversity such as physical injuries, lack of money, or a poor performance at an important event. Facing times where they feel like giving up. The sheer frustration of how high that mountain to success is to climb. Yet they climb it anyway.

Authors travel the same bumpy road. Rejections. Bad reviews. The intense difficulty of breaking into big publishing houses. We have to run on intrinsic motivation because we sure don’t find much in the way of extrinsic incentives. But most of us soldier on, hopes high, and hearts on our sleeves.

Albert Hammond and John Bettis wrote a song for the 1988 Seoul Olympics called “One Moment in Time.” I put it on my iPod to add to my other inspirational songs. I find their words comforting and uplifting at a time in my life where I desperately need a boost. Of all their beautiful lyrics, one verse shines for me like a beacon:

I’ve lived to be
the very best.
I want it all.
No time for less.
I’ve laid the plans,
now lay the chance
here in my hands…

All I want is a chance, just one chance, to show New York what I can do. Just like those Olympic athletes, I’ll continue working toward my goal. I’ll keep writing. And I’ll keep praying for the day I have my one moment in time.

I’m very pleased to announce that Turning Thirty-Twelve was named Best Book of the Year for 2009 at Long and Short Reviews! My thanks to everyone who took the time to vote!

I have a new fan page on Facebook!

I’ve always kept an active Facebook to keep in touch with my current and former students, and I’ve also networked with a lot of other authors. I finally got brave enough to set up a fan page. Much to my surprise, I already have over 600 fans!!

I’d love to see you there!

People who pirate ebooks are thieves.

I’ve never talked on my blog about pirating before, but then again, I haven’t seen my books pop up on too many pirate sites. That changed this morning when a Google alert led me to a very popular illegal download site that is “offering” my books for free.

Free? No. Every single time someone downloads from that site, it costs me and my publisher potential royalties.

I know some people might justify the “sharing” of ebooks as being the same as handing off a paperback to friends or selling it to a used book store. I can see the rationale behind that thinking, but there is one HUGE difference. Sharing a paperback with a friend who might share it with another friend will probably end up putting that book in maybe five sets of hands. A pirated download can put that book in hundreds of hands.

I commented on this quite a while ago on There Are No Rules, and my thoughts haven’t changed. My frustration has just grown.

Here’s my offer: Just go to Fictionwise. There’s a major sale right now, and you can get all of my books for under $4 each. Buying an ebook there also gives you the right to rate the story.

So please, buy it. Don’t steal it.

I’m pleased to be a part of the Siren-BookStrand Authors’ “Seven Day of Valentines.”

Tomorrow is put aside for contemporary romance authors. I’ll be joining Barbra Novac, Jan Bowles, and Karenna Colcroft on the Siren-BookStrand Readers’ Loop to answer questions and post excerpts. We’ll also be having several prize giveaways. If you’d like to join the loop, here’s the link: SirenBookstrandAuthors-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

If you’re not into Yahoo loops, you can still participate in my giveaway! Just take a moment to read the excerpts from Turning Thirty-Twelve on the BookStrand website. When you find out what nickname Jackie gives Mark, send that answer to sandys36 at yahoo.com At the end of the day Sunday, I’ll draw one of the winning entries at random. The winner will receive a signed trade paperback of Turning Thirty-Twelve.

Turning Thirty-Twelve has been such a surprising book. It was the first book I wrote around a title. I wrote it simply to please me, thinking I could exorcise a little bit of middle-aged angst. The reception it has received has been such a wonderful surprise. It was a finalist in the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, and it won the Best Contemporary Romance category of the Aspen Gold Readers’ Choice Contest. It’s in the running for Book of the Year at Long and Short Reviews. (And I could use a few more votes! Pretty please?)

I guess there are a few middle-aged ladies out there who enjoy reading a story with a heroine with which they can truly identify.

Turning Thirty-Twelve is up for Book of the Year at Long and Short Reviews!

Since it was given a “Best Book” rating, Turning Thirty-Twelve can compete for the honor of Book of the Year! I would really appreciate your vote!

Here’s the link!

If you missed the review, here’s what Violet had to say:

Jackie Delgado didn’t want a new man in her life until a dreaded blind date turns out to be more exciting than she’d ever imagined.

When her youngest son leaves for college, Jackie is hit hard by empty nest syndrome and pours herself into her work as a teacher. Bowing to pressure from friends, Jackie agrees to a blind date. But when Mark Brennan calls, she realizes the date won’t be “blind.” He’s the father of one of her students.

Widower Mark Brennan isn’t looking for love. After only a few dates with Jackie, he realizes he’s quickly forming deep feelings for her. Wracked with guilt that he’s “abandoning” his late wife, Mark resists the pull toward dynamic Jackie. When Mark’s daughter begins to date Jackie’s son, things become more complicated.

Can Jackie and Mark find the courage to leave the past behind and embrace a new love? And how will Mark’s daughter’s pregnancy affect all their lives?

Jackie had gone through a divorce that left her self esteem shattered and her best friends constantly trying to set her up on blind dates. Mark’s wife had died of cancer two years earlier and his friends were also hoping for a Cupid to strike up a relationship with the next woman of his dreams. Both Jackie and Mark have children from their previous relationships and now, my friends, it’s time to watch the fireworks.

Jackie was hilarious, captivating and had issues with trusting men. So many women, including me, can relate to Jackie’s character. Mark’s character was seductive at just the right moments, knew what to say and just when to say it. His overall character was stunning and very very real. The secondary characters in this book were sensational. The situations between David (the ex) and Jackie had me laughing till it hurt. They all added a very real element to the book with their emotions and the way situations were handled.

When Jackie and Mark’s character got around each other, it was electric and you could feel the sexual tension between the two. This was a very believable book and was written in such a way that during the tense moments, it ripped my heart out. During the happy moments, I found tears in my eyes.

Ms. James did an outstanding job writing Turning Thirty-Twelve. I most definitely did not see the twists and turns coming. This book grabbed a hold of my heart and did not let go until the very last page. I still find myself thinking of this book and the characters who made this book so special. I highly recommend Turning Thirty-Twelve to anyone who enjoys a laugh out loud, exceptionally written book that will keep you coming back for more. I would love to see this book either have a sequel or become a series so I can see where my favorite characters are today and how they are faring. Turning Thirty-Twelve was simply an amazing book that I would read many times over which is why I would like to give it the LASR Best Book Rating! I will most certainly be keeping my eye on Ms. James for any books she may have coming out.

What a fun day yesterday!!

I was home sick. Not a great way to start the day but… In the afternoon, I received a phone call from Jackie Fleming, paranormal category coordinator for the GOTCHA! contest. The Reluctant Amazon won! I was so very pleased because Maureen’s wonderful assistant Katie and I had just revamped the opening to tighten it up. Since GOTCHA! is supposed to be judged on how strong the hook is and how quickly a reader was pulled in, this win told me we were successful! Mega thanks to Katie! And mega thanks to the judges — three of which who gave me scores of 100, 99, and 98 out of 100! ***hugs***

Not done yet… Right before I turned in for the night, an email arrived that told me The Reluctant Amazon — the revised edition! — also won the Where the Magic Begins contest.

Sick or not, it was a helluva day!

I had a beautiful 5-cup review from Cherokee at CoffeeTime Romance today!

Thank you so much, Cherokee! And I’m thrilled you enjoyed the story so much!

Here’s what she had to say:

******

Joshua Miller is trying to get over the death of his dear wife. As an investigator reporter he is finding it difficult to write stories. His friends are concerned about his welfare.

Sarah Reid never thought being struck by lightning would change her life, enabling her to aid the sick and dying. After meeting a sympathetic journalist, her life takes on new meaning.

It has been a year since Josh lost his wife, and Ross, his good friend, needs his help. His sister, Cheryl has been taken advantage of by a faith healer and he wishes Josh to expose the woman as a fraud. Since Ross and Cheryl are good friends, Josh allows the journalist in him to come out. The moment he and Sarah meet, something clicks inside their hearts. At first Sarah refuses any interview feeling, tired of being exposed as a fraud, but moments with Josh prove him to be honest and caring. The more time spent together makes it difficult to find anyone to take Josh off her mind. With the fascination and love that he has found with Sarah, what will it do for them once the real story is told?

Faith of the Heart is an unforgettable poignant read. I love the way the story cements the two characters together. Both souls ache within their hearts as they reach out for the other. I enjoyed watching their relationship blossom as the concrete within their hearts slowly cracks and breaks away. I could relate to Josh in many ways. The ending captivated me. Sandy James creates in-depth characters that engage the reader. It was hard letting go once the story was finished. She captured the expressions of the players tremendously and I must admit, Josh and Sarah’s first kiss was melting in this precious read.

Cherokee
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More