Guest Author, Lucy Monroe & Giveaway!
by sue on Jul.26, 2010, under Book Chat
Silver Anniversaries…who doesn’t love them? They’re such a wonderful symbol of longevity and commitment. Which is why I was so pleased to realize that “The Greek’s Pregnant Lover” would be my 25th release with Harlequin. It’s easy for an author (and talking to my friends and colleagues, I know I’m not alone) to get so caught up in the writing and the detritus of being an author that milestones pass by without so much as a speed-bump on the road to jar you into slowing down and noticing.
Because 2011 would be a year of several milestones for me (the long awaited release of my next Children of the Moon book, the release of an “issues” book that had personal significance for me (July HP - “The Shy Bride”), my 25th Harlequin release (Aug Presents), my 50th book - that comes in September, and hitting the USA Today national bestseller’s list for the 1st time), I committed early on to take time and enjoy. I’ll be having several give aways on my Facebook group page [http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lucy-Monroe-Fans/338069119152] and am planning some special time with family to celebrate both the USA Today landing and my “Silver” book with Harlequin. The fact my second grandchild is due any day adds to the excitement, let me tell you. 
Setting: “The Greek’s Pregnant Lover” is set primarily in Greece, though there is some time spent in Seattle, Washington as well. Greece is one of my favorite settings for my Presents, but I often mix it up with some time in the States, preferably in one of my favorite cities (Seattle, New York, Boston, Portland).
Subgenre: Contemporary Series Romance - Harlequin Presents
Hero: Zephyr Nikos (ex-patriot Greek who started his life on the streets of Athens and along with his best friend Neo Stamos, built a real-estate empire in the US worth billions)
Heroine: Piper Madison (American interior designer who specializes in commercial properties)
One sentence summary: Harlequin did it best with their tagline for the book cover: no strings fling…to a wedding ring?
Scene you like most and would never cut: When Piper tells Zephyr she may be preggers. He’s flummoxed, as is she and that makes for some dry humor - but the poingnancy as he shows a side he’s never let her see, the man who will *never* be like his own parents and abandon a child - brought me to tears too.
Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Dressing like a frump. This woman is aware of fashion and maintains her fasion sense (like my currently preggers youngest daughter) on a budget - she’s not tycoon like Zephyr - right through the watermelon-in-the-belly stage.
What celebrity is your hero like: Rodrigo Santoro (though Zephyr is Greek not Brazilian of course)
What celebrity is your heorine like: A blonde Sasha Alexander
What is your heroines occupation, or if unemployed, what should she be doing: Interior Designer
What is your heroes occupation, or if unemployed, what should he be doing: Real Estate Mogul
What you think readers will like best about this book: The gorgeous alpha hero with a tender heart under all that ruthlessness and the deep emotion.
The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet: I keep a list, seriously. I get a lot of reader letters asking for characters’ stories. Currently highest on the list is Roman Chernichenko (whose story comes out in September) closely followed by a couple that are already married in one of my earliest Harlequin Presents. I continue to get letters every year asking for their “pre-quel” though the book hasn’t been on the shelves for five-plus years.
What’s next: My 50th Book! Yep, I’m pretty jazzed about that fact. “Close Quarters” happens to release on the 7th anniversary of my first published novel too. It is the last book (for a while) in my Goddard Project series for Brava and introduces my new series, the Atrati (a mercenary group that does a lot of black-ops work for the federal government but is not officially under their aegis). The book is set in Africa (and the research was immense!) and was tons of fun to write, despite the emotional depth it took me to - or maybe because of it.
So, back to the “Silver” book…you all know I want to do something special with my family to celebrate. Any ideas, or suggestions? My brain is fuzzy from writing like a mad woman so I have some time to spend with my daughter when she “pops”. If not a suggestion, I’d love if you’d simply share your favorite way to celebrate milestones. From bubble baths with a good book to taking a trip, I want to hear it all.
And if you read someday about a heroine doing that very thing in one of my books…well, *everything* is research as my mentor Meg Chittenden always says. 
Hugs,
Lucy
Question of the day - What was your favorite anniversary? What made it special?
GIVEAWAY is from Harlequin to 3 randomly chosen winners
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Shape-shifter Dev Peltier thought he knew it all. But one night when a Dark-Hunter, who is also an official member of the Dogs of War, sashays into his bar, he realizes he might have met his match. But as old enemies and new move into New Orleans, Samia realizes that Dev just might be the only hope she and mankind have to save the world.
Friend Feed
August 8th, 2010 on 4:15 pm
Congrats on reaching this milestone.
August 1st, 2010 on 2:06 am
congrats on teh great anny and book cant wiat for more
July 31st, 2010 on 4:19 pm
Congratulations on your 25th anniversary. I myself have been married and divorced twice so I don’t have a great anniversary to talk about for me. However, my sister and her husband are getting ready to celebrate their 50th next week and are actually having a vow renewal a week from tomorrow. They’ve been together through the good and the bad and still going strong. I am incredibly happy for her and may they have many more.
July 30th, 2010 on 4:06 am
Congrats on your 25th book with Harlequin!
I myself don’t have any anniversaries that I celebrate.
July 29th, 2010 on 12:29 am
My parents just had their 20th anniversary. It was the most amazing and spectacular thing ever. ..And it was the day before my 21st birthday. : P So far, it’s my favorite.
July 28th, 2010 on 4:48 am
My hubby and I are very big on celebrating milestones - we always make a fuss over birthdays and anniversaries. As long as we are together they are always going to be pretty special, but a nice weekend away or a beach holiday is always a lovely way to celebrate!
I’ve got The Shy Bride on my reader ready to go and the Scorsellini Marriage Bargain is one of my favourite category reads ever. Congratulations on your anniversary Lucy!
July 28th, 2010 on 12:53 am
wow i think it would have to be our 10th. we have our ups and downs. but we love eachother and our kids:) Congrats on your 50th!
July 28th, 2010 on 12:09 am
Congratulations on all your milestones! What a wonderful year for you!
My favorite anniversary was our first because we found out that morning that we were expecting our first baby. It still brings a smile to my face just thinking about it even though 20 years have gone by.
July 27th, 2010 on 9:50 pm
Wow, congrats on your 50th book, what a great accomplishment! We are getting ready to celebrate our 15th this Aug. and I’m sure that this year will be the best - we are going on a family vacation!
July 27th, 2010 on 3:03 pm
Does my bday count? Lol
July 27th, 2010 on 12:27 pm
My goodness, 25 years and so many books. Congratulations.
I think I must have read and enjoyed most of them.
My favorite anniversary was the third since that is when we found out we were expecting.
July 26th, 2010 on 8:52 pm
My husband and my first wedding anniversary was the most special for us (so far!) Since we didn’t have enough money saved up to go on our honeymoon right away, we waited and did it for our one year anniversary. It was super special and so much fun to escape for a week!
July 26th, 2010 on 8:50 pm
Congratulations on your 25th Harlequin release.
I think you deserve to buy yourself something sparkly to celebrate. Maybe you would like to frame the book cover in a silver frame. That would be nice. I also think ordering some of those fancy special made M&M candies would be a sweet way to celebrate.
I have been married 26 years and the 7th anniversary stands out as a favorite. I was very pregnant with my second daughter and my husband bought me a lovely anniversary ring. Good thing he bought it a few days early. My daughter was born two days before my 7th anniversary.
July 26th, 2010 on 7:03 pm
Congrats! I am still waiting for my Prince Charming…once I find him I’m sure I would love celebrating my 1st Anniversary.
July 26th, 2010 on 6:59 pm
Congrats!!! I cant wait for Close Quarters, I have every Gooddard Project book and the Ready, Willing and Able trilogy before it… I cant wait!!!
July 26th, 2010 on 5:43 pm
Congratulations on your great success; 50 books…WOW.
I dont’ have a favorite anniversary but I look forward to my parent’s 50th anniversary in a few years. I plan a great party for them!
July 26th, 2010 on 4:49 pm
Congrats on your 50th book!
My favorite anniversary was my 10th. My husband gave a birthstone(yellow topaz) with a diamond on each side of it and a guard ring with my 4 children’s birthstones in it.
July 26th, 2010 on 3:18 pm
Congrats on your miles stone! I can’t say I ever had a favorite anniversary, maybe my first one was good we kind of went to the beach for a week and that was nice!
July 26th, 2010 on 2:50 pm
I just had my first annivery but I spent it alone so It not going to rank in favorites
meandi09@yahoo.com
July 26th, 2010 on 2:19 pm
Hi Lucy,
Congrats on your 25th release with Harlequin and your upcoming 50th book. I don’t have a favorite anniversary. We celebrate our birthdays and other anniversaries the same every year.
July 26th, 2010 on 1:36 pm
Hi, Lucy! Congratualions on all your wonderful news and anniversaries! I hope you think of the nicest thing that you could do for someone else and then do that very thing for yourself : )
My favorite anniversary would be my grandparents’ anniversary: 3/31/30–80 years ago! My mom and dad didn’t stay married very long, and mom and I always lived with her parents. They will always be the touchstones of my life!
July 26th, 2010 on 1:33 pm
Congrats Lucy!
My favourite anniversary was the town’s 50th anniversary festival.
July 26th, 2010 on 1:24 pm
Congratulations on all your upcoming milestones. I don’t really have any, perhaps my 10th year for the same employer in December 2011 (when I get 4 weeks vacation, yeah!!!!).
My parents just celebrated their 50th anniversary and it was special cause they made it that far. My mother just completed her second round of chemo for colon cancer (which is the 5th type of cancer she’s survived).
July 26th, 2010 on 11:50 am
What lovely news. COngratulations. My anniversary this year was memorable. 40 years.
July 26th, 2010 on 11:26 am
Congratulations on your anniversary!
I don’t have a particular anniversary that stands out over any other, but for my eldest son’s last birthday, I got him one of those gooey chocolate cakes from Godiva. He loved it! He is a real ‘chocoholic’.
Good luck to your daughter. Does she know the sex of the baby or does she want to be surprised?
July 26th, 2010 on 10:28 am
Congrats on all those milestones!! WOW….
I can’t pick one anniversary from all of them…they are all special to me!
Froggy
July 26th, 2010 on 9:45 am
Congratulations - 50 is a large milestone!! Dinner out with family is always a special treat since I usually do all the cooking. As to a big celebration - we took a cruise over 35 years ago and I would love to go on another one some day. Maybe for our 50th wedding anniversary - 9 more to go lol.
July 26th, 2010 on 9:07 am
How to celebrate? Hmmm…sitting in the shade of a tree, barefoot so you can wiggle your toes in the grass, and read or do a word search or a crossword or absolutely nothing. They best way - doing what you love but haven’t had too much time to do.
My best (and it wasn’t the anniversary it was the honeymoon) going to see the Cubs play and sitting in the row right behind the dugout. Now that was cool.
July 26th, 2010 on 8:46 am
Congratulations on reaching this milestone, Lucy! As for how to celebrate… I’m a big believer in the power of spa treatments. Pamper yourself. You deserve it!
July 26th, 2010 on 7:53 am
We usually just do the dinner out thing. That saying next year is our 15th and we are thinking about doing a trip.
July 26th, 2010 on 5:12 am
I’m not big on celebrating, although our 20th is next year and it seems like we should do something. Sad to see the end of Goddard (for awhile!), but the new series sounds exciting!!