Big Blog Tour Day 2

My thanks to Ju Dimello and everyone on her blog for their lovely warm welcome and great start to my Big Blog Tour   to celebrate the publication of The Return of the Stranger. I had a lovely time with you.
Today I'm moving on - and my next visit is to one of my regular guest blog spots - over on the We Write Romance blog where, in  a week that has had a very emotional significance as the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 came round with all its echoes of loss, sacrifice, heroism and sadness, I'm talking about a personal memory of loss - and the deep importance of trying for your dreams.  (So of course the big lanch of New Voices has to get a mention in there.)

I hope I'll see you there - and don't forget that each visit along the Big Blog Tour route can mean you're in the line for possible prizes!

Great Big Blog Party 44 - Day Leclaire

So who can follow Hunkthighs and Shoulderman into the Great Big Blog Party?

It's not an easy task but I have a brilliant writer who I think can live up to the challenge. Her name is Day Leclaire.

Those of you who've been reading for a while will remember that back in February I wrote about a Great Day For Romance - and I really can't do much better for my introduction here to copy from that post.

Here's what I said:

Ten years ago if you’d asked me to name my favourite category romance writers, one name would have been right there on the list without a moment’s hesitation. The name of an author who wrote truly magical romances with gorgeous, sexy heroes and bright, appealing and totally individual heroines. An author who’s ‘tag line’ is Books that leave you laughing through the tears! – and she certainly accomplished that. Her books always had that – well I’m going to use that word again – that magical quality that turned them into modern day fairytales – not fairy stories note - and yet still had such believable, vibrant real life elements that you totally believed they could exist in the modern world – and at the same time made you wish that the real world could be as magical as these books made them out to be.

Day wrote over 30 books the came out in Harlequin Romance , Special Releases, a Single Title and the Forrester Square continuity. She was nominated for a RITA award no less than 10 times and won numerous other awards for her writing. I loved her books, looked for each new one eagerly, snatched it off the shelf, devoured it in delight

But then real life intruded into Day’s writing. She became ill, diagnosed with breast cancer almost six and a half years ago. Anyone who was lucky enough to know her then knows that she faced the disease with a grace, courage and humour that for me at least was truly inspirational and frequently brought tears to my eyes. At the time the BM and I were going through some tough times but knowing that Day was going through worse, and still picking herself up and carrying on, helped me such a lot. She came through the illness, and although the treatment was successful, as she says in her blog, afterwards “ I found that my creativity had gone to sleep.” The writing dried up. The books stopped appearing and fans like me could only go back to their collection of ‘keepers’ and remember.


But then the great news was that Day was back – and back with a vengeance. I read her Royals Trilogy - OK – the word here is devoured. I devoured her Royals Trilogy with every bit of the enjoyment I remembered in reading a Day Leclaire story and I am so looking forward to her August and September releases. I know she’s been busy on revisions and other things so I’m specially happy that she’s find the time to come and join us at the Great Big Blog Party today.

So - welcome – Day Leclaire –


I think women, in particular, are outstanding at celebrating special moments. We women excel at recognizing not only our own achievements, but more often the achievements of those around us. And there's a reason for that. I believe women have an innate understanding of the importance of these fleeting peaks in our existence, and how they mark our progress through the transient joys of life. In real life, versus in the fictional worlds we writers create, those joys can sometimes be all too brief, all too infrequent, and often cut short. That makes them all the more important to celebrate...and celebrate well! So what a wonderful reason Kate Walker has offered us, so that we can all stand up and cheer her success!

Kate has created some of Harlequin Presents' most cherished stories, full of warmth and passion and intense conflict. Can anyone say, A Sicilian Husband? She's created a wonderful legacy...a body of work that is a treasure-trove of emotional journeys, overcoming adversity, and validating the existence of "true" love. That's quite an achievement. I can only hope that a few years down the road I'll be celebrating her 100th release with as much delight as I celebrate her 50th. Congratulations, Kate! Keep 'em coming!

Love, Day

Bio:

USA Today bestselling romance author, Day Leclaire, has published more than 40 books and has been nominated for Romance Writers of America's most prestigious award, the RITA, an impressive 10 times. She's described by Harlequin as "...one of our most popular authors ever!"

Old Flame, New Sparks, August 2007 Release, Harlequin/NASCAR books
The Billionaire's Baby Negotiation, September 2007 Release, Silhouette Desire

Web Address/Email:

http://www.dayleclaire.com/
Day@DayLeclaire.com

GIVEAWAY:

( From Kate: Day has been amazingly generous with her prize giveaway - I'm not sure whether this is all for one winner of if she's going to spread the prizes over a couple of you - but I can tell you one thing - you'll have to get in line behind me for The Billionaire's Baby Negotiation - I've already met Joc in the Royals Trilogy - and I want to read more!)

An autographed copy of Old Flame, New Sparks
An autographed copy of The Billionaire's Baby Negotiation (when released)
Autographed set of The Royals trilogy for one lucky winner.

GIVEAWAY QUESTION:

I suppose I liked books from an early age, but there was one, in particular, that cemented my love for the written word. We had a teacher who read books aloud to us and one of the books she chose to read was Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. I was utterly captivated, and more than anything I wanted to be able to read that book by myself. As soon as the teacher finished it, I went to the library and checked it out. I devoured every word. That was the true beginning of my love for books and reading. I returned to the library the next week and checked out a half dozen more books. After that, my nose was permanently glued to the pages. So here's my question...

What book inspired you to be a true reader and why?