THE FRIENDS INSIDE MY HEAD and a Giveaway by Charlene Sands

I know that’s a screwy title, but I was thinking about the mind of a writer and how we observe everything.  It gets me in trouble a lot, especially when dear hubby catches me eyeing a gorgeous man.  But what I am really calculating is his “hero-ness”.  Why is he appealing?  What physical traits does he have? How does he move?  How does he speak?  Is he cocky or arrogant and a real alpha, or the kind of Beta man who doesn’t realize his own appeal?

I do this with women too, but for some odd reason, hubby doesn't mind me noticing them.  It  doesn't register with him, so I get away with it a lot more.  But again, when I see a celebrity whether it be on TV or movie or even meet an interesting woman in real life, I’m wondering if she could be my heroine.  What traits does she have?   Does she bat her eyes or push her hair away from her face when she’s nervous?  Is her voice pitchy or do the sounds come out soft and smooth?  Is her smile infectious?  Is she a good friend? Does she own a business?  Is she a single mom, raising a child?  

When I create my characters, often I don’t know them really well until midway into the story.  As the pages turn, I learn and observe and I find motivation.  Usually, I have an idea of what my hero/heroine will do in a certain circumstance…but not always.  My characters often surprise me.  Which is weird in itself, because I’m the author, I’m designing the story and I am in control…or am I?

Friends from RWA- LARA Chapter 

Too many times my characters say or do something I didn’t know they would.  For instance, in The Cowboy Contract, when it was time for Trey and Maddie to consummate their relationship, there was a big whopping Texas storm brewing and Trey was anxious to get Maddie home to safety.  I had visions of them getting together by a crackling fire in the warmth of his home. The romantic mood would be set.   But Trey had other thoughts.  The storm brought out his baser needs as Trey began to recognize his strong feelings for Maddie.  With both trapped inside the cab of his truck, things sort of spiraled out of my control. Trey took over and the romantic scene I’d envisioned in my head, wound up being a hot, sensual love scene in the truck, rain pounding down all around them.  In this case, Trey knew better than I did.

On sale for the month of April for $.99. 

So why the title: The Friends Inside my Head?   Well, that’s because my characters are always with me.  All throughout the day, I’m thinking of them. What will they say? What will they do?  It’s a conscious and deliberate thing.  But there are times, when I hear someone speak a phrase or behave a certain way and it registers deep into my subconscious.  It’s stored away in there for the future, without me really even knowing it.  Then if there’s an opportunity for my hero or heroine to use it, I inadvertently summon it up and fit it into the scene. It’s odd how the brain works, isn't it? 

So I live my life with friends I adore. I have writer friends who get what loving the craft is all about, the obsession, the pitfalls, the amazing ups and devastating downs.  I have friends that I’ve known since grammar school. They are like family to me now and we have raised our children together.  I have friends in my neighborhood that have shared earthquakes and fires, births and deaths with me.  They are my cul-de-sac friends. 

And I have the friends inside my head.  My characters-- the people who populate my stories and who are my best friends and closest allies for the four months they live within me.  I adore them even when I have to make them do silly or inappropriate or shocking things.   The heroines are my girlfriends, people I’d love to spend time with; strong, feisty, kind women.  They are the type of woman a young girl would aspire to be.

The heroes are well…hot and hunky, alpha to an extreme, but they are amazingly tender and vulnerable too at times. They hide their soft spot until the heroine brings it out in them. They are men any woman would want to tame, adore, love. 

When I finish writing and polishing a story…I find myself missing my characters.  Why did that story have to end?  What’s next for them?  I go through a particular withdrawal wondering, who will be my next set of friends?  Will I love them as much? Will they have all the flaws and deep-seeded goodness to make them believable, lovable?

Yes, I have lots of friends and many of them…live inside my head.

Answer this one question and be entered to win either an ebook copy of The Cowboy Contract or the print copy of The Texas Renegade Returns.  If you could pick two celebrities to star in YOUR book, who would they be?  (Mine would be Chris Hemsworth and Emma Stone) 

Charlene Sands is a USA Today Bestselling author of series, contemporary and historical romance. She's the proud recepient of the National Readers’ Choice Award, the Bookseller’s Best Award and the Cataromance Reviewer’s Choice Award.  She is an active member of Romance Writers of America.   When not writing, she enjoys reading books from her favorite authors, sipping hot mocha cappuccinos, taking walks along the Pacific shores and date nights with her “hero” husband.  

Look for Charlene’s next Harlequin Desire, Redeeming the CEO Cowboy coming this August and be sure to sign up for her quarterly newsletter where she gives away prizes, and holds contests EXCLUSIVELY for her members at www.charlenesands.com  

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***Charlene's winner is Traci Wilcox!  Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing details!***

No longer an RT virgin

I totally forgot it was my day to blog until Leena sent me an email reminding me! Sorry, folks. Last week, I attended the RT Convention in Columbus, Ohio. It was my first RT ever -- and though I wasn't sure what to expect, I had a blast.

RT is tamer than I'd thought it would be. During the day, there are workshops for writers, readers, and booksellers. In fact, the writer workshops outnumbered the others by a wide margin. I sat on a panel about writing category romance, and I attended quite a few panels that I enjoyed very much.

In the evenings, there was the Vampire Ball, the Fairy Ball, and the Ellora's Cave party. I donned a cape for the VB, glitter for the FB, and a red dress for EC. At night, the staid convention atmosphere turned into a party -- and it was fun to see so many fairies and vampires roaming the halls of the Hyatt Regency! (The morticians who were having their own convention at the same time took the whole thing with great humor. Secret about morticians, btw: they sure can party in the hotel bar!)

I also did a video interview with Morgan Doremus, which will appear on the RT website in June or July. And speaking of June, my June release from Harlequin Presents, THE PRINCE'S ROYAL CONCUBINE, is an RT Top Pick! If you don't want to wait until next month to read it, you can purchase it right now on the eHarlequin website in both print and ebook formats. If you read CAVELLI'S LOST HEIR, this book features Princess Antonella Romanelli, the woman Nico Cavelli practically jilted at the altar in order to marry Lily Morgan.

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Prince Cristiano di Savaré hunts his prey by ruthless means. Tonight's pickings—Antonella Romanelli, crown princess of a rival country and part of a dynasty he has every reason to despise….

Antonella is rocked by Cristiano's unexpected magnetism. But there's ice in his wolfish smile…. She's far from the promiscuous, spoiled socialite he believes her to be, but Cristiano is here to persuade her into compliance. If bedding her is what it takes, then it will make his mission all the more pleasurable….

Is Your Glass Half Full?

Is your glass half full?



Mine is.
Okay, so I'm an optimist. I see things in a positive light mostly. I've learned long ago, not to force things. Let them come naturally. And that's what I do when writing my stories. I like things nice and neat. In fact I'm known for tying "happy bows", both literally and figuratively.


When I began writing my Suite Secrets Series, I set each book in a different location. The prequel, The Corporate Raider's Revenge was set in Los Angeles, Five-Star Cowboy in Arizona, Reserved for the Tycoon coming February 2009 was set in Hawaii and my upcoming November book Do Not Disturb Until Christmas was written to be set in Las Vegas.

Oh, lo and behold, my editor called to tell me I had to change that book's location. Books set in Las Vegas don't sell well.


Who knew?

But I needed a town full of flash and glitz and I'd thought it out thoroughly. I had planned for my pop singer Sarah Rose giving concerts in major casinos. I had planned on my hero, Code Landon, owner of a high-tech security corporation, overseeing new concepts in billion dollar hotels. When I received this news, I had to make a quick decision. Where else could I make this story work?

New Orleans came to mind. I've been there several times before Katrina. I love that city! It's got the flash and glitz I needed as well. But New Orleans had something more … something I hadn't put in the original version of my book. It had a population of people who had been tested, who had known the greatest devastation in the world. It was a city that had seen massive destruction and a tourist industry that many didn't believe could survive.


And a light bulb went off in my head. Of course, my heroine wouldn't be a pop singer at all. She'd be a southern girl who sang country music, a powerhouse singer with beauty, grace and talent like Martina McBride. She'd be wealthy in her own right, and in New Orleans at Christmastime to raise funds for Katrina victims through the Dream Foundation, a charity near and dear to her heart.


It not only worked, but it added more depth and impact to my heroine in the story. I chastised myself with a mental knock upside the head, for not coming up with the idea originally!

And not only did it help develop Sarah Rose, but having the story set in New Orleans added layers to my sexy, hunk of a hero, Code Landon. Code, a millionaire in his own right, ties into this Christmas tale when he offers to match Sarah's concert donations. Sarah can hardly refuse his generous offer, though Code is the last person on earth, her childhood beau and recent nemesis, she wants hanging around.

For me, even though I had moments of sheer panic and doubt, ultimately the change of location only made the story better. I see that as a positive thing. My glass is half full. How about yours?

Romantic Times Magazine
Top Pick! 4 1/2 Star

I hope you get a chance to stroll the streets of New Orleans, stop in at the famous Café du Monde for a warm yummy beignet and light up your holiday spirit with Code and Sarah in Do Not Disturb Until Christmas.
Suite Reading Everyone!