But doesn’t it just go to show that as soon as you swear off something, the universe turns your plan on its head?

(Case in point, I met my husband the day after I’d sworn off dating.)

Anyway–the happy news, which must be blogged about, is:

Slow Dancing on Price’s Pier is a finalist for a RITA Award, which is pretty much the biggest award out there that it’s eligible for. It’s one of only eight books to be nominated in its genre!

Here’s the list of finalists announced today by Romance Writers of America:

At Hidden Falls by Barbara Freethy

Black Ties and Lullabies by Jane Graves

Boomerang Bride by Fiona Lowe

Heartstrings and Diamond Rings by Jane Graves

Silver Sparks by Starr Ambrose

Slow Dancing on Price’s Pier by Lisa Dale

Summer at Seaside Cove by Jacquie D’Alessandro

The Welcome Home Garden Club by Lori Wilde

The winners will be announced at the Romance Writers of America conference in July.

To have been nominated is very much a dream come true. I had entered my prior books in the RITA for a couple years now, and so it’s a thrill that Slow Dancing (my third) made it to the final round.

I’m delighted and dumbstruck, and also deeply humbled and deeply grateful–to the many judges who volunteered, to RWA, and every kind person who ever picked up one of my books.

Even if I don’t win, it’s a dazzling blessing to have been a finalist for such a fantastic award.

All good wishes,

Lisa Dale

I have news that is both sad and happy.

The happy news is that I have an exciting new book deal for two books that I am REALLY excited about.

The books are going to be released by Ballantine (Random House) starting next year. Oh man…these are shaping up to be my favorite projects yet!

The bad news is that I will need to take a hiatus from blogging for the time being. When I start blogging again, it will be on a brandy new website.

I may occasionally post news here but in general will need to focus my energy and attention on writing the best possible novels that a girl can conjure.

So…

There’s one last order of business here: Time to pick the last LOVE TO READERs prize winner.

And that’s: Karen Dooks.

Please email me lisa @ lisa dale books. com and choose your prize from my Love to Readers page.

Thanks to everyone for sticking with me so far. And thanks for understanding.

To write a book, especially a “big” book, takes massive emotional and physical resources, and lots of time. The books I’m working on now are what you’d call demanding. They’re asking a lot of me–and I’m eager to give.

I hope that in my very near future I’ll be in a position to blog regularly and accommodate these big stories that, frankly, feel like they’re burning to be written.

If you haven’t already, be sure to sign up for my mailing list so that I can share more about my exciting news as we get closer!

I don’t mean to be mysterious about it…but…let’s just say that with any luck, this will be news worth waiting for.

Your faithful writer,

Lisa Dale

JackieW

Jackie, please email your mailing addy to me (lisa @ lisa dale books . com).

Thanks again to Ellen for stopping by for an interview!

It’s also a new month (February, in case you didn’t know). And that means it’s also time to pick one random commentor from my January posts to win a prize of her choosing (aka my LOVE TO READERS prize).

The LOVE TO READERS winner is…Ginger Hinson.

Email me to let me know what prize you’d like (see above for address).

And now, for those of you who want to have a little fun and enter this month’s LOVE TO READERs contest, copy and paste the below into comments and plug in your answers.

We return soon to our regularly scheduled blog posting.

Last meal you ate:

Ketchup on eggs?:

Peanut butter and _____.

Website you are most likely to visit after this one:

What you’re reading now:

Which is better, Super Bowl or the commercials?

More soon!

Lisa

Happy News all!

I have Ellen Meister here today, and she’s giving away a copy of her book, The Other Life, to one US reader. I read this novel and I highly recommend it: It’s about a woman who discovers a portal into her “other life,” the life in which she made different decisions than in her real life. She can see the lines on which her life split and the very real consequences that her decisions had on herself and on the people around her.

For those of you who–like me–are intrigued with romance elements, Quinn is married in one life–in a steady relationship with a son and a baby on the way. And in her other life, she’s still with her unstable but intriguing former shock jock boyfriend. It’s fascinating, intense, and beautifully written.

So… read on! And then leave your comment for Ellen to win a copy of her book!

After we sat together on a women’s fiction panel at BooksNJ, I put THE OTHER LIFE on my TBR. I loved it! Tell us a little bit about where the initial spark of the idea came from!

Thanks so much, Lisa! It was an honor being on the panel with you, and I’m thrilled that you loved THE OTHER LIFE.

The idea for this book came to me when I was alone in the house, contemplating the notion that each day, after my husband left for work and the last of the three children headed off to school, I got to escape into this fantasy world I was creating with my fiction. For a moment, I wondered what would happen if a married woman like me had the ultimate escape–the ability to slip through a portal to the life she would have had if she hadn’t made the choice to get married and have children.

Almost immediately, I pictured a crack in the foundation of her home, a fissure she could slip through to her other life. I thought that was a deliciously literal interpretation of a metaphorical image. But I needed something concrete that could create havoc in my character’s emotional life, because I understood that it would take something monumental for a happily married woman with children to consider leaving her family, even temporarily.

I lived with the idea for quite a while before it all started coming together. However, it wasn’t until I realized that her mother was dead in one life and alive in the other that I knew I had a book.

In THE OTHER LIFE, much of the conflict is driven by family issues, and your website suggests that family is important in your life. Have any of your family members ever said, “Hey…that’s me you’re writing about?” Have they been supportive of your writing career.

My family members are much too boring to be characters in a book. Ha!

Seriously, I consider that a good thing, as my relatives are mostly well-behaved and don’t tend to run into any calamitous bits of misfortune that would play well in a novel. And so, while I work hard to reveal emotional truths in my work, my characters and their situations are quite fictional. Happy to note that  I’ve never been cornered with an awkward accusation at Thanksgiving dinner.

Best of all, my family is tremendously supportive of my writing career. From my husband and kids to my parents and extended family, I get loads of praise and encouragement. I wish all writers had this kind of support.

What do you hope readers will take away from one of your books?

Most of all, I hope for a sense of  connection—I want readers to feel that my work has touched them in some very personal and fundamental way. And of course, I always aim to entertain, so I hope a barrel of enjoyment comes along with that.

Where can readers find out more about you?

I love to hear from readers. Here’s where I can be found:

ellenmeister.com
ellenmeister.blogspot.com
facebook.com/EllenMeister.author
twitter.com/ellenmeister

I also maintain a Dorothy Parker page on Facebook at

facebook.com/DorothyParkerQuotes

Favorite ice cream:

Häagen-Dazs Belgian chocolate. Crazy delicious.

One New Year’s Resolution:

To wade through paperwork.

Favorite place to read:
Anywhere, really. I’m one of those people who usually has a book in her purse. God forbid I ever get stuck in line at the post office without something to read!

Pets:

None right now. We just lost our mini hamster, Dot. Hope to get a dog one day.

If I wasn’t a writer, I’d be:
Unfulfilled.

A TV show you regularly watch:
My entire list: Boardwalk Empire, Downton Abbey, House, Project Runway, Modern Family

Favorite season:

Spring, because it means I have the whole summer stretching out before me.

Leave your comment to be entered to win a copy of Ellen’s wonderful book! This is a MUST-READ!

Cleo's grumpy face. She has her "visor" of quills pulled down over her eyes.

Hi all!

Thanks for sharing your one-line jokes with me on my last post! There’s no joke I like better than a pun or a corny one-liner!

I thought you might like a little update on the baby hedgehog that we got a few months ago (she’s not such a baby any more!).

Cleo’s happily adjusted to life with me (or am I adjusted to life with her?). When I write, she snuggles on my lap, or runs around on my desk and sniffs things. Her favorite food is live meal worms.

I’m a vegetarian, you might know. So it’s says a lot about how much I love this little beastie that I feed squirmy little worms to her. They make her so happy.

One of her favorite things to do is dig like a madwoman in a blanket

She has sensitive skin, so in the video below it’s actually little red. But I’m on it. Or…she’s on it (it being mite medication).

I have to tell you–Cleo is nocturnal. So she wasn’t especially happy with me for waking her up to take a movie of her… She’s a bit of a diva. But oh my gosh, cute as a button even when she’s a grump.

Here’s the video of her: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzQTyQReU3M&feature=youtu.be

I tried to embed it, but that feature isn’t working at the moment for some reason. But the link should work. Be sure you have the sound up so you can hear the funny noise she makes.

And apologies in advance for my funny noises (God, do I really sound like that?).

As usual, leave a comment to be entered to win my LOVE TO READERS prize for January!

Careful! Slippery sentences ahead.

I’m not usually big on email forwards, but I got this one from my grandfather and I loved it.

The Q&A below is why I love language so much…it’s so slippery and inexact. The particular challenge of being a writer is saying what you mean (or at least, what you think you mean). And certainly the English language doesn’t make that very easy to do!

Plus, I just love one liners. If you knew me in high school, you might have known that my favorite joke was:

Why don’t seagulls fly over the bay?

Because then they’d be bagels.

It still cracks me up!

Q1. In which battle did Napoleon die?

* his last battle

Q2. Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?

* at the bottom of the page

Slippery

Q3. The Delaware flows in which state?
* liquid

Q4. What is the main reason for divorce?
* marriage

Q5. What is the main reason for failure?
* exams

Q6. What can you never eat for breakfast?
* Lunch & dinner

Q7. What looks like half an apple?
* The other half

Also slippery.

Q8. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what it will become?
* wet

Q9. How can a man go eight days without sleeping ??
* No problem, he sleeps at night.

Q10. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
* You will never find an elephant that has only one hand..

Q11. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in other hand, what would you have ?
* Very large hands

Q12. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it?
* No time at all, the wall is already built.

Q13. How can u drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?
*Concrete floors are very hard to crack.

*I can’t find the source material on this, so if you know where it originated please do let me know!

Enter my LOVE TO READERS Contest.

QUESTION: What’s your favorite short joke?

Happy New year!

First of all, thanks to everyone who shared their favorite books of 2011 with me! Particular thanks to those of you who listed my 2011 release, Slow Dancing on Price’s Pier, on your faves list. That made my day!

Lotsa winners in this post!

The winner of Sarah Blake’s The Postmistress, one of MY 2011 faves, is Cindy for her comment about Samantha James.

And now, I’ve got a fun new contest for you!

I’m celebrating this week because A Promise of Safekeeping is on the shelves at a bookstore near you!

To celebrate, I’ve cooked up a fun new giveaway.

The first prize winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card.

The second prize winner will get three signed copies of previous Lisa Dale books (you can give away your old ones!).

To enter, just head over to my Facebook page and post a photo of YOUR copy of A Promise of Safekeeping (or you can take a shot of your e-reader). Feel free to snap a quick photo with your cell, or get as artistic as you please!

Rules:

• Entry must be posted on my page, not my personal profile.
• US residents only.
• This promotion ends January 15.

No Facebook? No problem. Send your photo to lee@authorsoundrelations.com.

Thanks for celebrating the release of A PROMISE OF SAFEKEEPING with me! This contest is just a small way of expressing my endless gratitude for your support, enthusiasm, and good cheer!

Reviews For A Promise of Safekeeping

“Emotional and surprising…Many will wish the story would continue…Dale does a spectacular job of bringing it all together in the end.” – Publishers Weekly

“Masterful, just plain masterful.” – Escape With Dollycas

“A beautiful cast of characters that are hard not to love.” – Crazy Book Reviews

“A must read for any one who enjoys a charming, emotional story.” – My Book Addiction

Wishing you every blessing for the new year,
Lisa Dale

P.S. December’s LOVE TO READERS winner (for leaving a comment on my blog) is Gabrielle J. Visit the link then let me know what you’d like!

I’m giving away a copy of one of mine: Sarah Blake’s The Postmistress (US readers only). Yes, this is a bald bribe to get you to tell me what books you loved over the last twelve months (it’s okay if the pub date wasn’t in 2011, FYI).

Here are a (very) few of mine from this year.

The Postmistress, by Sarah Blake

THE STORY:
A gutsy female radio announcer travels to Germany to report on the little known condition of the Jews during the early days of WWII. Back in Massachusetts, a post mistress is the gatekeeper for news from soldiers and people overseas. Lives that seem light years apart collide in surprising ways.

WHY I LOVED IT:
This book knocked my socks off. A whirlwind of a story–big and heart-wrenching. Although the subject matter was dark, it was compelling and affecting. I read this one in the car; it made me look forward to every single drive.

Lessons in French, by Laura Kinsale

THE STORY (from Amazon): Trevelyan and Callie are childhood sweethearts with a taste for adventure, until the fateful day her father discovers them embracing in the carriage house and, in a furious frenzy, drives Trevelyan away in disgrace. Nine long, lonely years later, Trevelyan returns. Callie discovers that he can still make her blood race and fill her life with excitement, but he can’t give her the one thing she wants more than anything—himself.

WHY I LOVED IT:
I’m a sucker for childhood sweetheart stories. It’s not vintage Kinsale (not so tortured and gritty), but it’s a fantastic diversion. I learned myriad new words reading this book.

The House At Tyneford, by Natasha Solomons

THE STORY (from Amazon): It’s the spring of 1938 and no longer safe to be a Jew in Vienna. Nineteen-year-old Elise Landau is forced to leave her glittering life of parties and champagne to become a parlor maid in England. She arrives at Tyneford, the great house on the bay, where servants polish silver and serve drinks on the lawn. But war is coming, and the world is changing. When the master of Tyneford’s young son, Kit, returns home, he and Elise strike up an unlikely friendship that will transform Tyneford-and Elise-forever.

WHY I LOVED IT:
Has a very Bronte sisters feel.  And this book isn’t what I expected, because the character’s lives aren’t what they expected. I felt fully immersed in this world–and that’s what I love. When a book feels like a long, lazy dream. Lots of description, lots of sketching out charming scenes in an otherwise dire world. The main character was really likable too–maybe even a touch too accommodating given her circumstances. Still, a dreamy read.

Your turn! What was one of your favorite books that you read? Comment and you’ll be entered to win my LOVE TO READERS prize and my book giveaway!

Here’s to a warm, safe, happy, and healthy season filled with every good blessing. And peace on earth to people of all faiths, in all the far corners of the world.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

from Lisa, Matt, and Cleopatra

We bought it for $30 on sale five years ago; it’s so thin you can see through it. It’s probably  a fire hazard. It won’t die! But it’s starting to grow on me.

And it made me wonder if perhaps there is no such thing as an ugly Xmas tree…sort of like how there are no ugly puppies or kitties…

Well, as it turns out, there are ugly Christmas trees. Or at least, there are questionable trees! There are trees that…you just have to see them.

I admit…I kinda love them…

From http://treecontest.worldwidechristmas.com/

This one comes pre-lit (get it?)

*

Can you OD on cuteness?

*

One word: Demonic.

*

I love this tree! It's psychedelic!

*

This looks like a costume of a person dressed as a tree, and if it got up and walked around I wouldn't be surprised.

*

Click to enlarge...there is an OMG ornament...I would have adored this as a little girl!

*

Disemboweled tree.

*

I only wish the paper lanterns were disco balls!

*

Is this an umbrella?

*

I love this.

*

And finally, my ugly tree!

Speaks for itself.

Did you know that the 500-pound tree at Rockefeller Center has 5 miles of lights and 25,000 Swarovski crystals?

And did you know that my husband once managed to pack that same number of lights on the tree in my in-laws living room when he was younger? A strand on each branch?

I think NASA reported that they could see if from outer space…

Answer this question and enter to win my LOVE TO READERS prize: Which one of these trees is your favorite?

P.S. The winner of Karen White’s wonderful book The Beach Trees is….

JOYE

Please email me with your mailing address, Joye! (lisa at  lisa dale books dot com)