I Saw Him First!

When my editor sent me the cover for my first book, Flyboy, I just about fell off my chair. I don't think I've ever seen such a gorgeous guy, and despite my pleading with Harlequin to have him grace the cover of all my books, I have never seen him on any other cover. It's probably just as well, because I really don't want to share him!

I also love the cover of my February book, Able-Bodied and maybe it's wrong, but I consider this guy to be Delta Operator Ransom Bennett. My Ransom Bennett. My guy. He and I have a relationship, where I write his story and he lures my readers in with his sexy expression and killer abs. I don't mind that other women find him attractive, so long as they're admiring him on my cover.
So imagine my surprise when I picked up a copy of the March Uniformly Hot book, Always Ready by Joanne Rock, and who do I see on the cover? None other than my own hero! Realistically, I knew this might happen, but I never expected to find my guy cheating on me so soon! I mean, our relationship is technically still on-going. It's still February! How dare he show up on bookstore shelves, on the cover of another woman's book, while he should still be promoting my story! But I love Joanne Rock, so I will willingly share my guy with her.

Just remember, Joanne...I saw him first!

And the Winners Are...

Katie and Housemouse88!

Housemouse88, please drop me an email at karenefoley@comcast.net, and I'll pop a copy of Able-Bodied into the mail to you!

Congrats, and thanks for stopping by!

My Mid-Life Crisis

For the past nine years, I've driven an apple-green New Beetle. When I first bought it, my girls were three and six and fit perfectly into the back seats. I loved this car and said I would drive it into the ground, and then buy another one.

Well...I've definitely driven this baby into the ground, but I won't be purchasing another one. I'm actually very sad to be saying good-bye to my little green punch-buggy. I live in a tiny little town, and this car was instantly recognizable by just about everyone, especially the kids in town. But as much as I might want to buy another Beetle (a shiny red convertible would be my first choice), I have a mutiny on my hands. My girls say they absolutely refuse to be squashed into the back of another Beetle. Since my little one (now 12) is 5'9" tall, I guess I can't blame them too much.

So we spent the long weekend car shopping, and although my intention was to get a practical car, like a van or a smaller SUV, I spotted this car and had to have it:

Is it practical? Probably not. But the price was good and I told my husband that as far as mid-life crises go, I could do a lot worse. I have no interest in running off with a younger man, LOL! Or an older one, for that matter! And what better time to have a convertible than the beginning of Spring? And this car has the teenager Seal of Approval. They can both fit comfortably into the back seat, even with the top up.

So tomorrow we say good-bye to the punch-buggy and bring this car home. Have you ever had a car that you just hated to part with? Or bought a car that just made you want to drive around all day and night? Share your story, and I'll send out a B&N gift card to one randomly selected visitor.

Thanks for stopping by!

A Giveaway!

I went out today and bought myself a brand new, shiny, sleek laptop and I am so happy! I'd been putting it off for months, but it was something I really needed to do. My old laptop was getting, well, old. The "e" key was missing, it was very slow, and it didn't have enough memory for me to load the software required for my new printer/scanner. It would freeze up on me, or boot me off line, and there were more times than I care to remember when I nearly tossed out the nearest window.

So now I have a new laptop, and I find I'm inspired to begin working on my next manuscript, a story that will be part of a 2010 Harlequin Blaze summer anthology called Born on the Fourth of July...I guarantee it will be hot!

And now that I have a new laptop, I've also made a promise to myself to be better about updating my blog and keeping it current. More contests, more giveaways, and more fun. And since my third book, Able-Bodied, is on bookstores shelves right now, I'd love to give away two copies, accompanied by a box of luscious chocolate. Just drop me a note to be entered into the contest, and I'll choose a winner at the end of the week!

Four and a half stars!!

ABLE-BODIED gets four and a half stars from Romantic Times BookReviews!!

Here is the review:

ABLE-BODIED (4.5) by Karen Foley: In this meltingly hot story, Reiki healer and sensitive Hannah Hartwell flees Boston after a crooked police officer frames her when she won't sleep with him. She disappears in the night, accidentally taking some money with her. Setting up her new business in North Carolina, Hannah meets Ransom Bennett of Delta Force, a man wounded in both body and heart. She works to heal him even as the powerful erotic connection between them explodes. But danger lurks. Ransom is wonderful and sexy, a strong, silent hero who protects those he cares for. Hannah is appealing and sweet. This is a wonderful romance you won't be able to stop reading. —Page Traynor

This review is the best Christmas gift I could ask for, especially considering how difficult this book was to write. I distinctly recall having just a week left before my deadline, and having to travel to upstate New York for business for two weeks. I literally locked myself into my hotel room over the weekend, lit my creativity candle, set my energizing crystals on the table beside me, and wrote for two days. I barely ate, barely slept, and kept thinking, "How am I ever going to finish this book without compromising the characters I've come to love so much?" I mean that sincerely; I love the hero in this story so much. Ransom Bennett is abrasive and rude and completely intimidating, but the heroine sees past that to the tender heart he tries so hard to hide.

I'm so thrilled that this book received such a wonderful review, and I hope that my readers love the story, too!

Merry Christmas!

Robert Pattinson Photos

With nothing much to do tonight (I'm in a Dallas hotel for two weeks on business), I thought I'd just post some gorgeous photos of Rob Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. Enjoy!!

Love at First Bite

I can't believe this has happened to me; I've been bitten by the Twilight bug. In my own defense, I've only seen the movie twice, but mostly because I'm on business travel in Dallas for two weeks, am stuck in a hotel without a car, and not a theater in sight.

I read the first book when it came out, but confess that I found the story unforgettable. No disrespect to Ms. Meyer, but I found the writing a little on the insipid side and couldn't understand why Edward--the vampire hero--laughed, grinned, chuckled, and snickered his way through the story. I found his habit of sneaking into Bella's bedroom (our ordinary teenage heroine) to watch her sleep a little on the creepy side, and if the author had made one more reference to his "crooked smile," I was going to toss my lunch.

Ah...but then the movie came out.

I have two tweenie daughters, so we played hookey from school on the day the movie was released, had lunch at a nice restaurant and went to an early matinee. I sat, completely enthralled, for the entire two hours, wishing I could replay some of the scenes just to watch the expressions on Edward and Bella's faces. The music score was beautiful, the cinematography was breathtaking, and the emotion and chemistry between the two star-crossed lovers left my own heart beating faster and wishing I was, oh, about thirty years younger! I think Kristen Stewart did an amazing job, and she was absolutely luminous in her portrayal of Bella. I wasn't so sure I was going to like Rob Pattinson in the role of Edward, but he was perfect. I completely bought into the intensely smoldering looks he gave Bella, his barely-restrained passion, and his own tortured existence. And if I hadn't known he was British by birth, I'd have never guessed his American accent wasn't the real deal.

Here are some outtakes from a recent Vanity Fair shoot...I love these first two photos.

And here's a picture of Robert Pattinson that I really like...

A talented musician in real life, Rob Pattinson really played the piano in the movie.

Another VF outtake:

I'm thrilled that this movie is doing so well in theaters, and that a decision has been made to film the sequel, New Moon. I'm looking forward to seeing more of these two talented young actors.