Favorite Holiday Traditions ~ @AuthorKristina Knight

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope you're surrounded by friends, family, and great food today!

One of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions is decorating for the holidays. I know there are two very firm camps on this: those who decorate after Thanksgiving, and those who decorate before. I'm firmly in the Before Thanksgiving Decorators camp, not because I don't like Thanksgiving (I do like it. A lot!), but because Christmas decorations make me happy. The music makes me happy, the color makes me happy, and being happy makes me thankful...and being thankful is what Thanksgiving is all about, right?

So, every year, usually the day before Thanksgiving, we drag out the decorations and have ourselves

a pre-Thanksgiving decorating party. This year, we got everything out the Saturday before because the day before was packed with activities (bebe had swimming, RadioMan had a lunch, I had an afternoon meeting). So I've been enjoying the lights and the music for a few days now, and I have to say that I absolutely am loving it. I'm also bingeing on a few of my favorite Hallmark Holiday Movies.

This year, I have even more to be thankful for: my next Harlequin Superromance is releasing in just a few days!

I'm super excited for this book, it's my first 'official' Christmas-themed book, and it's my fifth Slippery Rock title...and it's my 7th Harlequin Superromance...but it's also bittersweet, because this is my last Superromance title. I'm still so sad that Harlequin has decided to close this line of rich, deep, thoughtful books, but I'm also feeling blessed that I've been able to write these books for the past three years. It has seriously been one of the best times in my life - I've learned a LOT from my editors, and I think I'm a better writer after it all. And Christmas won't be my last book - I've got more coming for you guys, and I can't wait to share that news!

For now, here's a little bit about Christmas in a Small Town:

Running out on her wedding was the best decision ever!

A cheating fiancé sends Camden Harris fleeing to her grandparents’ home in Missouri. When her ex follows, determined to win her back, Camden makes a deal with neighbor Levi Walters: they’ll pretend to be in love and she’ll support his plan to buy her grandparents’ land.

The boy from her childhood has grown up into an impressive man. His charm, good looks and sweet gestures make it difficult for Camden to remember this is fake. And Levi’s kisses only confuse her more.

Buy Christmas in a Small Town: Amazon  B&N  iBooks  Kobo  Harlequin/paperback  Harlequin/e-copy

Get Your Fall Fix from Falling for You #newrelease

If you're looking for a taste of small town fall, look no further! The Falling for You anthology - 10 brand new, fall-themed, small town romances - has released, and I couldn't be more excited about it!

First, because it's a series expansion, and second, because it has been such a joy working with the other authors in the set. We had envisioned the anthology as a spotlight for our line, Harlequin Superromance, but when we heard the line was closing, it became our send-off for the line (but don't stop buying Superromances, there will be new books out through 2018...and our backlist books will be on sale, too!).

The other thing I love about this anthology? All the stories are fall-themed --- so you'll get a peek into some small town, fall festivals, some great fall food, and if the weather is still hot in your neck of the woods, we'll transport you to a place with crisp fall breezes and falling leaves!

Do you have a favorite season?          ~Kristina Knight

Here's a bit about the anthology:

Foreword by Brenda Novak.

When the weather cools down, hearts heat up…

Bonfires aren't the only things warming up the night. Across the land, hearts are falling along with the leaves. Curl up with a pumpkin spice latte and warm your heart with ten tales of autumn love.

It Was You by Tara Taylor Quinn:
He has no problem respecting the fact that she is off limits…until the one night he does.

The Right Man by Heatherly Bell:
When one long planned dream day veers wildly off-course, she must decide between the perfect wedding or the right man.

Her Hometown Cowboy by Claire McEwen:
Falling for him wasn’t part of her plan.

Meet Me in the Middle by Jo McNally:
She’s used to playing it safe, but when her old crush comes cruising back into town, she might have to risk it all.

Outsider in a Small Town by Kristina Knight:
She may hold the keys to his heart…and his future.

If I Fall by Kris Fletcher:
What goes up must fall…in love.

Finding Harmony by Janet Lee Nye:
Jericho was the last place she wanted to be, but it was becoming the best place for her.

Perfect Fit by Angel Smits:
She never forgot her first love…and though he never measured up, neither did he.

Home to You by Dana Nussio:
Can a woman who ran from home and a man who never had it ever hope to discover that home really is a place for hearts?

Can’t Help Falling in Love by Lisa Dyson:
She’s career-oriented. and he’s the one who just broke her boss’s heart.

Buy Falling for You: Amazon   B&N   iBooks   KOBO   Google Play 

Read an excerpt from #RebelInASmallTown by @AuthorKristina Knight

Hi, everyone! I'm really excited about the upcoming release of the second book in my Slippery Rock series - Rebel in a Small Town! It's a reunion romance with a secret baby and a town scandal - three of my favorite things in fiction...so I thought I'd share a little excerpt with you today.

The gum-smacking teen pointed a broom handle at her as if she were under fire, and the bored clerk talked animatedly into the phone, waving her hands as she said something Mara couldn’t make out from her side of the thick-paned door.
She motioned to her bag and tried to shout above the racket of the beepers. “I’m with Cannon Security,” she said, but the teenager kept wielding the broom handle at her like it was a machete. “I’m on a security check,” she said, trying again, but neither of the employees seemed able to hear her. Maybe the two of them didn’t want to hear her.
Damn it. She checked her watch. She needed to be at the bed and breakfast in twenty minutes, and she didn’t see that happening. Crap, crap, crap. She never missed Zeke’s postnap snack. Never.
A crowd gathered behind the check stand, mostly middle-aged women wearing jeans and T-shirts and probably boots, just like their husbands would. A few had small children with them and pushed the kids behind their carts as if Mara might be dangerous. “Turn off the buzzers,” she yelled, putting her hands over her ears.
The checker hung up the phone and came over to the glass. She said something that sounded peculiarly like “Criminals deserve discomfort” before backing away to the safety of her check stand. As if Mara was about to draw a gun or something.
“Now I know what the goldfish at the office feels like,” she muttered, still holding her hands over her ears. She pushed one foot against the inner and outer doors, but neither budged.
Finally the beepers stopped and everything quieted. Mara took her hands from her ears and tried the doors again. They didn’t budge. She repeated her call through the thick glass.
“I’m here on a security check. I need to speak with Michael Mallard.” The clerk shot a glance behind her toward an area marked Employees Only. No one appeared. The crowd began to disperse, lessening the goldfish effect.
She tugged at her earlobe when a low siren began to wail. Was this some kind of second-tier warning system? The clerk crossed her arms over her chest as if in triumph. The wailing became louder, and it wasn’t coming from inside the store. Mara pressed her face against the outer door, looking left and then right.
“No, no, no. Please, no.”
The siren grew louder, and a few cars passing on the street pulled to the side.
“Let it be a fire. Let it be a fire.”
But it wasn’t a red fire truck that entered the parking lot. It was a big black SUV with Wall County Sheriff plastered along its side. She was definitely not making it to the B and B for snack time.
As the SUV came to a stop, she could make out the driver, a large man with brown hair and big aviator sunglasses over his eyes—eyes she knew would be the color of molten chocolate. This man had been interrupting her dreams since she’d hit puberty and began to figure out why male and female body parts were made so deliciously dissimilar.
“Crap, crappity crap.”

Rebel in a Small Town releases July 1 - but don't worry, you can pre-order now and it will auto-download at midnight on the first!

Amazon  B&N  iBooks  KOBO  Harlequin

Blurb for Rebel in a Small Town: 

He's not giving up his family without a fight

James Calhoun has never been able to resist Mara Tyler, or her knack for mischief. Her reputation as a reckless teenager drove Mara from their hometown. So Slippery Rock is the last place James ever expected to see her, and Mara's timing couldn't be worse. With the upcoming election for sheriff, she threatens the squeaky-clean image James needs to win. Because Mara has brought with her the result of their steamy affair: his two-year-old son, Zeke. After the initial shock, James is determined to have both his family and career. He just needs to convince Mara that her home is where it's always been. With him.

You can find out more the book and Kristina on her website, and feel free to stalk follow her on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. 

Your Giant Saturday Activity Book

By Joanne Rock

I am staring out at a rainy day today after being lost in a good book most of the day (The Good Girl by Mary Kubica). It occurred to me between thunderbolts and raindrops that I had a blog to write for the day and I'd forgotten completely.

So I decided to be your Giant Saturday Activity Book.  Do you remember things like this from your youth? Or maybe you buy them for your kids? I always liked things like this... tons of pages of puzzles, word games and connect the dots, with a few "find the hidden objects" games thrown in for good measure. Not only did I like all the activities, I also liked to make my own activity books. I would deconstruct drawings to make my own connect the dots. Create lopsided crossword puzzles because I was never one for rulers.

I guess I've always liked making books. Or trying to entertain people. Maybe I just like playing with words. But today, since I forgot about my blog, it occurred to me I could entertain you with a word game and a fun prize. So here's today's question, torn straight from your Saturday Activity Book-- what's your favorite word? The most beautiful word? A fun word to say?

I remember reading an article once that listed some of the so-called most beautiful words in the English language and they included things like- dawn, lullaby, mesmerize, butterfly.... I don't remember what else. But it's an interesting idea. What words appeal to you? Do you like words with a pretty sound (mesmerize is so fun to say) or does a word appeal to you because of it's meaning. Like... mother?

Share a word or two with me today and I'll give on random poster an advance copy of Whispers Under the Southern Sky along with Steena Holmes superb Saving Abby. Happy Saturday my friends!

Best of Both Worlds

 By Joanne Rock

My second title for Harlequin Desire is out this month, SECRET BABY SCANDAL, and I’m not sure how I’ll wait until my third Desire title is out in 2017. It turns out I’m having a whole lot of fun writing glitz and glamour. I’m also really enjoying the kinds of stories that Desire does best. Classic romances with secret babies, fake engagements, marriages of convenience, fairy tale elements, and stories about royalty, cowboys, billionaires….

It’s all pretty yummy. I think Desire allows readers (and writers!) to take a behind-the-scenes look at the kinds of lives we read about in Vanity Fair or People magazine. We can travel to Cannes, attend the Met Gala, hop aboard a private jet, or set sail on an opulent yacht. In the pages of a Desire, I can mingle with celebrities and spend an afternoon in the world’s elite spas. I don’t just imagine it either, I read all about these things in detail. I immerse myself in photos and reviews, and then I recreate it for you.

There are worse ways to spend a day, I assure you. I pick fashions on NetaPorter.com and have the runway delivered to my door. And as far as jewelry goes? The world is my oyster—or my exotic yellow diamond—with a billionaire paying the bills. I sample perfumes I could never afford and surround myself with every luxury. I might even hire personal staff.

But I’ve always found it interesting to mix up my writing a bit. The glamorous life of the Desire heroine is all the more exciting after I’ve just finished writing a Superromance heroine who might be returning home to wrestle the traumatic demons of her past. Then again? An everyday Tennessee heroine for a Superromance can have refreshing experiences—wading through a cool creek, kissing under a sky full of falling stars in a wide open meadow—after the jet-set time I spend globe-trotting. One enhances the other and makes me enjoy each so much.

That’s my real life, though. Well, not luxury yachts and yellow diamonds. I’m definitely more of a “wade through the cool creek” kind of girl. But I do savor the dichotomy of experiences. I’ve lived in a lot of places, and one thing I really enjoyed about Louisville, Kentucky, in particular, was the access to charm and sophistication in many aspects of the city from the Derby to all the art, music and ballet options the community supports, and the fantastic university where I attended school. But there’s also a very down to earth side to this spot on the southern bank of the Ohio River—a beer drinking, two-stepping, picnic in the backyard country side since rural communities abound just outside of the city. Both facets made me smile.

I do my best to show you the best of both those worlds too. So I guess, until it’s time to pack my designer bags and jet-set to my next Desire story, I’ll spend some time in the Tennessee countryside where I can help plan the fall Harvest Fest and do a little two-stepping of my own. I hope you’ll keep an eye out for Whispers Under a Southern Sky, book #4 in my Heartache, TN series.

***In the meantime, I’m giving away the best of both worlds! Share with me your favorite thing to do on the weekend and I'll send one random poster a copy of my Harlequin Desire, His Secretary's Surprise Fiance, and my Harlequin Superromance, Nights Under the Tennessee Stars. It's a win-win ;-).

It's Near Miss Day

I have a fascination with weird holidays. Christmas and New Year's, Valentine's and St. Patrick's Day - those are great holidays. Mainstream holidays. But, did you know that if you look around enough there are days that celebrate, for example, the chocolate chip, or the pecan, the chicken and even the invention of Coca-Cola...the best drink ever.

Let's reflect on Coca-Cola for a moment....

Oh, you're back already. Okay, let's carry on. Traditional holidays are great, but it's those non-traditional celebrations that are really, really interesting.

For example, did you know today is National Chip and Dip Day? It's also Melba Toast Day. Get thee forth to the grocery and pick up your favorite chips-and-dips or Melba toast for snack times!

March 23 is also Near Miss Day. On this day in 1989 an asteroid bigger than an aircraft carrier came within 500,000 miles of the Earth...scientists didn't notice the asteroid until about a week later. 500,000 miles might sound like a lot of space but in, ah, space terms, it's close. And because it was so close and no one knew about it, it was a wake-up call to astronomers, scientists and space agencies to pay more attention to the skies around us. After all, scientists are certain it was a large asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs...and we're a lot smaller than dinosaurs.

One of my favorite movies is Armageddon - I love the relationship between AJ and Harry, Harry and Grace and (of course) Grace and AJ. I'm not sure if that movie was inspired by the actual Near Miss Day, but I couldn't leave it out of a post about near misses and asteroids, could I? My favorite part of the movie isn't when Harry tells Grace goodbye, and it isn't when AJ sings Leaving on a Jet Plane to Grace. It's that moment in the meeting room when they're deciding who to bring on the mission. Harry brings up AJ, and Grace says, "I thought you said you couldn't trust him." Harry replies, "I thought you said I could?"

For me, that is a big moment between father and daughter - he's still uncertain, but he is willing to take a chance. Because of her. I love that moment. And now that I know there is such a thing as a Near Miss Day, I'd like to think it inspired the movie and even that moment.

What about you? Do you like weird holidays?

Kristina Knight's latest release, What the Bachelor Gets, is the first in her brand new

 
Billionaire Cowboys trilogy:

All Gage Reeves wants is to make a success of his new luxury shopping development on the Vegas Strip. Callie Holliday dreams of having the hottest day spa in Vegas. For these childhood friends, business is becoming decidedly personal...and it's risky business gambling on love.

Amazon  B&N  iBooks  KOBO  Crimson Romance

You can find out more the book and Kristina on her website, and feel free to stalk follow her on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. 

Style for Characters

By Joanne Rock

My small town series

You know the saying that a reader lives a thousand lives? Well, a writer writes a thousand lives, it seems. And there are a lot of fun perks to that. Not the least of which is dressing and housing my characters.

As a long time subscriber to magazines like InStyle and Southern Living, I’ve spent a lot of hours daydreaming over beautiful clothes, homes and landscaping. But no one person could possibly emulate all those styles of fashion or interior decorating. Much as I like Mexican Rustic furnishings, I don’t necessarily have a place to put pieces like that in my home. Lucky for me, every character is a blank slate for my stylist’s eye. Every home an opportunity to either Design on a Dime or pretend I’m decorating a Million Dollar Listing.

Dress your character!

One of my first inspirations for my characters’ wardrobes came from this adorable mini book called Fashion Astrology . I might not have any idea about the star sign of my heroine, but in thumbing through this book, I could choose a whole wardrobe aesthetic for her. Did her closet look like that of an uptown sophisticate? Or was she more of an eclectic, vintage store shopper? I dressed plenty of characters using this as a springboard and my most recent issue of InStyle for a specific outfit or two. I might not be able to afford some of those designers, but who’s to say my heroines were on the same budget? Or  maybe they were just better shoppers than me. Either way, I let them wear what they liked.

Bungalow in my Superromance

Houses were equally fun to dream up. From Central Park West apartments to California coast bungalows, it’s always fun to think about where a character might choose to live. And better still, how they might decorate. Some characters are Spartan, never acquiring too much. Others are collectors, with snippets of their past all around them. I like seeing what the surroundings tell me about their personality. Recently, I underscored my heroine Heather Finley’s backstory (from Dances Under the Harvest Moon) by having her live in a converted bungalow on her parents’ expansive farm property. Sure, she had some space between her and her mother. But she’d never left her hometown and her home reflected that. I did make it charming though, with a small porch for a swing and an airy loft bedroom.

Marchesa for Desire heroine

Recently I started writing for Harlequin’s Desire line, and this series allows me to really push the boundaries on wardrobes and decorating. There is no budget in the Desire world of wealth and privilege! Now, I can shop on Net a Porter and find gorgeous designer gowns to send my heroines to elegant charity fundraisers. I find it funny that after I “shop” for a while, my Facebook feed fills up with ads for other clothes I can’t afford, continually asking if I want that Marchesa gown or Louboutin shoes. Well… maybe not today. I already gave them to a lucky secretary swept off her feet by her wealthy boss.

***Are you addicted to HGTV or fashion magazines? Do you have a favorite store to browse through—online or in real life—looking at things you aren’t prepared to buy but just love to look at? Share with me in the comments and I’ll give one random poster a copy of my Harlequin Blaze, MY SECRET FANTASIES.

Bringing Romance to Life

by Joanne Rock

I'm looking forward to a new release from Harlequin Superromance this Thursday. Dances Under the Harvest Moon is my third book in my Heartache, TN series, and writing this one brought me as much joy as the first two in the series. Some of that, I realized recently, had to do with the beautiful titles for these stories. Call me crazy... how can a title shape my whole experience writing an eighty-thousand word story? But for me, it really does. Allow me to explain.

My October release

I find it hard to work on a story without a title. It doesn't matter if it's not the title that goes on the cover in the end. I need a working title before I can begin a single word of a synopsis or chapter. While I certainly have book ideas that begin with characters, plot concepts, conflicts, or themes, I never really have a story take shape in my head until I've attached some kind of title to the idea. Only then does a book really start to grow for me.

With the first Heartache, TN book, I really felt from the start that I wasn't just creating a story. I was creating a world. It seemed important for a small town romance that I be intimately acquainted with the town. For me, that meant collecting photos, creating a map and sketching out some of the town's key figures. But the town itself wasn't the story world. That didn't really crystallize for me until we called this one Promises Under the Peach Tree.

Such an evocative title! Now the world wasn't just a place... it was a place with heart. A place I could breath in and feel the grass under my feet. Not only did Heartache become real for me, it became a place I enjoyed visiting each time I returned to the manuscript. I knew these people. They were friends.

With each return to Heartache, the titles have helped solidify moods and feelings. Nights Under the Tennessee Stars brought to mind drive in movies, midnight tailgating parties and drinks on the back porch. And this most recent story, Dances Under the Harvest Moon, well that just oozes romance! Hearing the title and seeing that book cover takes me to a romantic dance in the moonlight. Anyone else a fan of the Neil Young song Harvest Moon?

Like any romance reader knows, of course, a romance book is not just full of moonlit dances. We read romance to see how real characters combat the same kinds of conflicts we face in our lives, and to root for love to conquer all. But it makes me happy to give my characters those beautiful moments in the course of their journey that help make the battle for love all the more worthwhile. And in this book, a slow dance in the driveway helped remind me why this was a romance worth fighting for.

We all need our own moonlit dances, or nights under the stars or peach tree promises to get us through our own romances, I think. Those memories within our relationships pull us through real life battles and make us smile through hard times. It never hurts to think up your title-- to give yourself that memory or the lens through which to view your love-- and let it shape how you think about your romance. Our words mean so much. They shape how we think and articulate how we feel. Use yours kindly and christen your own romance with something to make you smile, too.

A giveaway for you!

***When you need a good, happy memory to make you smile, do you envision a shared romantic memory or a shared laugh? The times I love my husband the most are when he makes me smile at the moments when I'm discouraged. When he's at his best, he can tease a smile from my worst mood, and that's a special gift! Share with me this week and I'll give one random poster a little everyday romance to make YOU smile! A copy of Promises Under the Peach Tree and some decadent bath products to bring back the scent of warm summer days.

Sniff... it's just something in my eye

by Joanne Rock

Truth- I can’t make it through the first stanza of Miranda Lambert’s The House that Built Me without getting tears in my eyes. I love Miranda’s music to pieces, but I skip over that gorgeous song sometimes because I don’t like being teary. I tend to avoid movies with weepy endings, missing children or domestic violence because they hit me hard. Give me laughter and romance, I’ve always said! There is a quote from Robert Frost that says, “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader” so I guess it’s telling that I usually opt to write stories that are more light-hearted than gut wrenching.

Tear in her dark eye
by Milad Gheisari, Flickr CC

But this is less true for me recently. My work with Harlequin Superromance has sent me deep into the emotional terrain of songs like The House that Built Me. My characters grapple with some truly heart-wrenching life experiences and sometimes they make me cry. Interestingly, I’ve chosen to send them back to the proverbial house that built them in order to heal. All the Finley family members have ghosts in the little town of Heartache, TN and they can’t move on without dealing with those issues. (Some of them don’t know it yet, but trust me, it’s so!)

My upcoming NIGHTS UNDER THE TENNESSEE STARS is book #2 in my Heartache series and I really enjoyed getting to know even more about this small town and the people who live there. Erin Finley goes back to Heartache to heal from a broken heart, only to meet a hero far more broken. What I learned as I wrote this couple is that the past doesn’t need to define them. Their story isn’t weepy… it’s touching. Emotional. And might make you teary when you least expect it. But that’s only because these characters are working so hard to overcome where they’ve been. I really wanted them to find a happy ending.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that a few tears are going to be allowed in a Joanne Rock book. I promise there will still be lighthearted moments. Sexy, steal-your-breath scenes. To-die-for heroes. But every now and then the emotions steal up on you and remind you how hard a Happily-Ever-After really is to achieve. It’s a lot of work. The price is sometimes exacted in tears and heartbreak. Yet deep, abiding love is worth every moment. I hope you’ll join me in Harlequin Superromance for a new kind of romantic journey!

***

What song is sure to make you tear up? Chime in and I’ll give one random poster a signed copy of PROMISES UNDER THE PEACH TREE so you can catch up on my Heartache series! 

Kristina Knight: Don't Forget To Move

Being a writer is the most amazing job in the world. No, I'm not curing cancer but I do get to help people find love, find themselves, and begin living happily. The people in my head are very real to me as I'm writing and my hope is always that something in my books (or any authors books) will connect with 'real' people and help them figure things out.

There is one drawback to all of this, however: I sit in a chair for long hours each day writing my words, editing sentences and some days just trying to figure out what to say. That sitting? Not great for the metabolism or the derriere. Plus, when things aren't going well, chocolate is involved.

Here's how I keep things together in the health department when I spend most of a given day on my ... well, you know:

3. Taking a walk. Wherever I am in the writing, if I'm stuck or just need to clear my head, I'll take a walk. Somedays it's a quick lap around the neighborhood with my book playlist going. Some days it's a longer sweat-inducing walk/jog program. Depends. But walking is a great way to get moving (literally and figuratively).

2. Getting in the water. Most of you know I teach deep water running at our local Y two nights each week. And I fill in as needed for other classes. And I've been known to hit the pool on my own when I need to clear my head. Water (whether its a beach or a pool) has always been an inspiring place for me.

1. Dance. The picture above is one of my favorite video games - it's sweaty, hard work (Yes, you have to get OFF the couch or office chair) with one massive benefit: if I trip over my clutzy feet no one will see me. I love Zumba - it's works the core, legs and arms. Plus, it's dance so it's over and you're hot, sweaty and feeling great before you even realize its work. The Just Dance games also now have a workout section, so thats another way to get moving and dancing away from the computer.

Okay, what's your favorite way to get moving? 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

Once upon a time, Kristina Knight spent her days running from car crash to fire to meetings with local police--no, she wasn't a troublemaker, she was a journalist. Her career took her all over the United States, writing about everything from a serial killer's capture to the National Finals Rodeo. Along the way she found her very own Knight in Shining Cowboy Boots and an abiding love for romance novels. And just like the characters from her favorite books, she's living her own happily ever after.

Kristina writes sassy contemporary romance novels; her books have appeared on Kindle Best Seller Lists. She loves hearing from readers, so drop her a line!   

A stupid famous thing? by Darlene Gardner

The Spanish Steps are a can't-miss attraction in Rome.

My daughter explained this repeatedly to her seventeen-year-old brother this summer as we walked the narrow streets of the old city, farther and farther from our hotel. Only the promise of gelato kept his grumbling at a manageable level. That and his inability to find his way back on his own.

Finally, we arrived at the Piazza di Spagna, which was lit up to give an excellent view of the one hundred thirty eight steps named after the Spanish embassy still located in the piazza.

My son gaped at the sight.

"This is without a doubt," he said, "the stupidest famous thing I've ever seen. It's a staircase!"

Below that long, wide staircase was a beautiful fountain. On that staircase sat hundreds of people being serenaded in Spanish by three young men dressed as troubadours. Many in the impromptu audience were drinking wine.

My daughter, who'd just finished a summer semester in Spain that fueled her with wanderlust, took off for the top of the steps. My son and I took a seat. We were immediately approached by a young man trying to press a rose into my hand. I knew he'd demand payment so I refused to take it. He thrust out his lower lip in a truly hilarious pout.

The troubadours headed up the steps, weaving their way through the crowds, playing their guitars and singing with infectious energy. Soon my son was smiling along with every one else in the crowd.

"Well?" I asked him when we left. "What did you think?"

"I already told you," he said. "It was just a bunch of steps."

Oh, but what steps.

So here's my question: What's the stupidest famous thing you've ever seen?

Darlene Gardner, author of THE SECRET SIN, third in the Return to Indigo Springs series from Harlequin Superromance

http://www.darlenegardner.com