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Tuesday, May 25, 2010

NASCAR Week at Harlequin.com - Barbara Dunlop


Starting May 24th, eHarlequin will be celebrating the 2010 NASCAR continuity series with a week-long feature on the Harlequin blog. I was fortunate to be a part of the novella series with my second NASCAR story, doubly lucky to be in a volume with my friend Dorien Kelly. My heroine Olivia was Dorien’s heroine Claire's best friend. Olivia has Claire to thank for getting her involved in the exciting and close-knit community of NASCAR drivers, crew and families.

I began watching NASCAR races because of my husband’s interest in motor sports, and I quickly learned to appreciate the choreography of pit stops and the skill and dedication of the crew. In Shades of Love: From The Outside (August 2010), my hero Caleb is a pit crew tire changer, and it takes psychologist Professor Olivia Eason quite a while to see past her prejudices against tradesmen. I had endless fun playing with social divide between these characters and watching Olivia learn about life beyond her ivory tower.

If you’re a fellow NASCAR fan, or if you’re simply a fan of a good romance, you might want to wander over to the Harlequin blog at http://harlequinblog.com/.  I’ll be hanging out there this week along with other authors from the 2010 NASCAR series. The editors are hosting a contest where posters can win books. Readers can also try free books, including one free NASCAR book, at http://www.tryharlequin.com/.

If anyone has a question or comment on From the Outside, or on my Montana Millionaires Desire series from this spring, or really on any other topic under the sun, feel free to jump in here. I’ll pick a winner from the posters for the three book Montana Millionaires series. Otherwise, I hope to see you all at eHarlequin. Good luck in the NASCAR contest!

Barbara Dunlop
http://www.barbaradunlop.com/


***Barbara's winner is Mary (miztik_rose)!!  Congratulations, Mary!  Please email me at totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing address and we'll get the books in the mail to you!  Thanks to everyone else who commented!***

19 comments:

Virginia C said...

Hi, Barbara! I am a longtime fan of yours--you've written so many wonderful titles in a variety of genres! I would absolutely love to win your "Montana Millionaires" series, which is definitely on my wish list : ) Each of the Ryders has an intriguing story, but Jared from "Seduction and the CEO" really piqued my interest!!!

Congratulations on the success of your NASCAR stories! Being from the South, I am also a great NASCAR fan. NASCAR is a way of life here--we're talking extreme super-fans : )

gcwhiskas at aol dot com

Anonymous said...

It's going to be good to read about a hero who normally gets overlooked since the driver is the one out front. Did you get to meet any pit crew members before you wrote Shades Of Love?

lenikaye@yahoo.com

Totebag Guest said...

Hi, Virginia
I'm delighted to hear that you enjoy my stories! And it's great that you're a NASCAR fan. When the idea first came up at Harlequin to write NASCAR themed books, one of the editors told me she wondered where they'd find writers interested in the sport. Turns out there were quite a few of us!
I think NASCAR is a fantastic world to set stories. There's the excitement of the sport, high stakes from all the money involved, plus the drama of the families. I'd do another one in a heartbeat.
Barbara

Totebag Guest said...

Hi, Leni

I agree that it's usually the drive who takes the spotlight. That's one of the reason I loved writing this particular hero. I have enormous respect for the skill and hard work of the pit crew members. Though I've never met a NASCAR pit crew member, I've met many others. My husband was involved in a bunch of different automotive sports, from long-distance off road racing to drag racing to ice racing. He's sometimes a driver, and he's often a pit crew member for his friends and colleagues. Pit guys rock!

Barbara

Jane said...

Congrats on the upcoming release, Barbara. I still remember my first Nascar story. It was Nancy Warren's "Speed Dating."

Totebag Guest said...

Thanks, Jane!

Nancy Warren is a good friend. I love her stories!

The Vancouver RWA chapter is having a mini conference this weekend, and Nancy is speaking. I'm SO sorry to miss it. I'd love to hang out with her.

Barbara

Mary Kirkland said...

I don't think I have ever read a romance book featuring Nascar and now that I think about it, it's about time I did. Me and my husband watch Nascar and my dad used to build the engines for the Funny Cars back in the 80's, so I've been to alot of car races.

You book sounds like alot of fun.

miztik_rose@yahoo.com

Pat Cochran said...

I never thought I would find myself
among the fans in the world of
racing. I had a slight knowledge of
racing and had watched some Indie races. Then my youngest daughter developed a major crush on a Nascar driver. I watched a couple of races with her and I was so totally drawn in.

I've read some of your books, some
Nascar and some not. I enjoyed all
of them! Would love to win the
Montana series!!

Pat Cochran

Laney4 said...

Hi!

I was about to take my blog out of the entries because I thought I had read these books, but then I realized I'd just read ABOUT them lately! Duh! I'm having one of my "brown hair with white highlights" moments (although others might refer to it as gray hair, LOL)! Jeez. Your books are on my to-buy list instead!

You said, "If anyone has a question or comment ... or really on any other topic under the sun...," so I thought I would comment on what's under the sun. I am in southern Ontario. Today it was 29C (84F) and the rest of the week should be around the 31C (88F) mark. Wow. I might have to put away my long-sleeved tops! (Nah. I'm always frozen, so now that our air conditioning has officially been turned on for the season, I'll be frozen yet again while my family thinks it's warm in the house. Go figure!)

In the meantime, I'm looking for excuses to curl up with a book from my TBR pile, not that I really need an excuse ... but I think reading a book out on the porch would be a good idea for tomorrow, right?

runner10 said...

NASCAR and romance books are a winning combination.

Totebag Guest said...

Hi, Mary

The NASCAR romances, at least mine, focus quite heavily on the romance, with NASCAR as an exciting backdrop. If you enjoy other romance novels, I'm sure you'll like these!

And if you're familiar with the camraderie of a racing team, you will totally get it!

Barbara

Totebag Guest said...

Thanks so much, Pat! I'm delighted to hear you enjoyed the stories.

I've never written a driver hero, but I can certainly understand the appeal. I can't help thinking that their wives must be very special people to cope with a life where so much time is spent on the road. Then again, if you're in love, you're in love.

Barbara

Totebag Guest said...

Hi, Laney4

Curling up with a good book tomorrow sounds like a marvelous idea! I wish I could join you. Will there be blender drinks?

The sun is still up here, but you've got us beat for temperature.

Have fun!

Barbara

Totebag Guest said...

Runner10,

Agreed!

Barbara

Silvia said...

Hi Barbara,

I recently tried Nancy Warren's Speed Dating. It was my first Nascar story and must admit that at first the setting didn't appeal to me. But I was proved wrong and thoroughly enjoyed the story. Now I'd definitely try another one, yours seems like fun too.

Best,
Silvia

Laurie G said...

I started watching NASCAR a few years back because my oldest son was a huge Matt Kenseth fan and that was the year he was the Champion.

The first NASCAR books I read where written by Pamela Britton . I believe I read around 6 of her NASCAR books. I enjoyed the behind the scenes glimpse of the sport.

I've enjoyed a few of your earlier works The Thunderbolt of Texas, High Stakes, Marriage Terms,Marriage Manhattan Style and Transformed into the Frenchman's Mistress.

I'd love to read your NASCAR book.
Thanks for the chanceto win it!

chey said...

Hi Barbara,
Congratulations on the upcoming release!
I haven't yet read any NASCAR books. I'm going to have to check them out!

Michele L. said...

I love NASCAR and watch it from time to time. My biggest thrill was actually going to the INDY time trials! Wow! Do they make a lot of noise! We got to actually walk up to the cars in th pit since we had tickets with the group we were with at the time. It was just awesome!

My congrats on your amazing books and upcoming release! I think that is amazing! High five! Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Mary Kirkland said...

Thanks so much! I emailed you my mailed info, can't wait to read these books.