Guess Who Knocked On My Door This Morning

Bright and early this morning, the DHL courier delivered the line edits for Rancher's Son, my fourth book for Harlequin American Romance.  My editor just shipped them out yesterday--from Canada--and here they are in Florida already.    

Her job with the Department of Children and Family Services has exposed Sarah Magarity to the worst side of parenting, so much so that the altruistic red-head has vowed never to have children of her own.  Fourth-generation cattleman Ty Parker looks into his childless future and wonders what will become of the ranch he’s worked so hard to preserve.  His answer might be a five-year-old boy abandoned on DCF’s doorstep, but only if the cowboy convinces the jaded social worker that he’s good father material on a two-week cattle drive through Florida’s version of the Old West.      

Rancher's Son was sooo much fun to write and now, with this morning's delivery, the book is another step closer to its December release date.  Stay tuned for more news about Rancher's Son.

And don't forget, Rodeo Daughter hits store shelves on June 6th!  This RT Book Reviews Top Pick for June delivers the laughs, tears and happily-ever-after we love to read. 

Rodeo Daughter An RT Top Pick!

A couple of weeks ago, when my good friend Elle Saint James returned from the awesome RT Convention, she brought with her several copies of RT Book Reviews.  Looking over this leading review source for all things romance, Elle and I oh’d and ah’d over her publisher’s full-page spread featuring a book in her latest series along with the writings of another good friend.  Then, we set the magazine aside and got to work.  She was writing the tenth book in a series.  I was working on a proposal for my next Harlequin American. 

At lunch that day, I picked up the May issue of RT Book Reviews again and flipped through it.  Hmmm, I noted.  Historical Reviews for June releases.  Then it hit me, this was the issue that would list my June release, Rodeo Daughter.  I paged to the Contemporary Series section and squealed! 

Rodeo Daughter had received a coveted 4 1/2 star review!   

“Turn the page,” said Elle.  “See if it’s a Top Pick.” 

I did and it was!  Much shouting and jubilation followed!

“Readers better hold on to the tissue box during Duncan’s heart-wrenching look at modern custody issues,” wrote reviewer Pat Cooper.  The heroine of Rodeo Daughter, Amanda Markette, rode her way to a gold buckle in Las Vegas before walking away from the professional rodeo circuit to earn a degree in family law.  After spending years performing in one arena after another, Amanda longed to put down roots.  She swore that, if and when she ever married, home and family would be her number one priority.

 His career is lead prosecutor Mitch Goodwin’s number one priority.  He stands on the brink of achieving all he’s ever wanted when the DA plans to name Mitch as his successor.  But the last person Mitch expects to represent his ex-wife in a custody suit for his adorably head-strong daughter is none other than Amanda Markette, the girl he fell head-over-heels for one summer at rodeo camp.  When a playground mishap forces Mitch and Amanda to spend time together, they walk an ethical tightrope as old feelings come to the surface again.  

I hope you’ll take a chance on Rodeo Daughter when it hits store shelves on June 5th.  If you're in the area, stop by the Barnes & Noble in Melbourne between 5 and 7 to pick up an autographed copy.  I'd love to see you there and hear from you after you've read the book.

Rodeo Daughter--It's All About the Cover!

A certain amount of nervousness accompanies the arrival of a new cover. Authors fret. We bite our nails. We worry over what boils down to three questions: Was someone I've never met able to capture the essence of my story in a single image? Will I love it? Even more important, will my readers?

This week, when I saw the email containing the cover for Rodeo Daughter, my June Harlequin American Romance, I was so nervous I fumbled the keys, dropped my Internet connection and had to reboot my computer. After waiting what seemed like eons for the mail server to reconnect, I pressed the button and...

I tip my cowboy hat to Harlequin's Art Department for designing the perfect cover for Rodeo Daughter. Love this one. Love, love, love it!

What do you think?

A Sweet Romance!

The return label on the box I found in my mail slot yesterday read Harlequin.

“Hmmmm,” I said. "What could it be?"

It was way too early to receive advance copies of my third Harlequin American Romance. Rodeo Daughter won’t hit store shelves until June.

Carefully, carefully, I split the tape and opened the box. Inside, a very welcome surprise—copies of the Mills and Boon release of The Daddy Catch. From Australia. Wow! I’m thrilled to write for Harlequin American Romance, but knowing one of my books has been published in another country is simply amazing.

And isn’t that cover beautiful!

Here’s a great big shout-out to all my new readers and friends in Australia and best wishes that you get hooked on the romance of The Daddy Catch.

Thanks, everyone, for the awesome title suggestions. I've bundled them up and sent them off to my editor at Harlequin American Romance. Hopefully, she'll choose one of your ideas for the title of my June release. I'll keep you posted!

In the meantime, the random number generator spit out the names of two lucky people who will win copies of The Officer's Girl and The Daddy Catch.

Those names are....drum roll, please....Marian Griffin and Karna Bodman. So, Marian and Karna, if you'll get in touch with me, please, I'll put those books in the mail to you.

Congratulations to our lucky winners and, again, thanks for pitching in with some great title suggestions

I Need A Title

Remember those “How I spent my summer” essays we had to write in grade school? If I had to turn one in today, it would consist of only one word: writing. With a deadline looming for my third Harlequin American, I spent July and August in a writing marathon with the extremely talented Roxanne St. Claire, author of the popular Guardian Angelino and Bullet Catcher series; Kristen Painter, whose awesome Blood Rights, hit store shelves this month; and one of Siren Bookstrand’s best-selling authors, Lara Santiago. With all that talent in one room, we had to be successful, didn’t we? And we were, each of us meeting tight deadlines in a summer of writing, writing, writing.

Now that Book Three is in the hands of my editor, it’s title time, and I’m afraid my creative well has run dry. So, I’m turning to you for help. Can you help me name my latest Harlequin American Romance? Here’s a little blurb about the story to get you started:

His childhood sweetheart is the last person single dad Mitch Goodwin expects to see when he walks into family court determined to retain custody of his four-year-old daughter. But the prosecuting attorney’s carefully structured world quickly crumples. Following a playground mishap, a bad-tempered judge permits the doting father only supervised visitation with his child…under the wary gaze of former rodeo star Amanda Markette, the one woman whose trust Mitch fears he’ll never win.

Having spent her formative years on the professional rodeo circuit, Amanda dreams of a home without wheels and a husband who makes family his first priority. That man is definitely not career-driven Mitch Goodwin, rumored to become the county’s next District Attorney. The lanky teen she fell in love with one long-ago summer has grown into a devilishly handsome man, but his demanding job has already cost him one marriage, and Amanda vows to keep her distance.

So, there you have it. Ideas, please?

Just keep in mind that Harlequin American titles are usually short—3 or 4 words, tops. And it’s strictly first-come, first-served. If two people suggest the same title, the first one to show up in the comments section of this blog gets the credit.

I haven’t submitted any ideas to my publisher yet, but these title suggestions have already been made:

His Rodeo Surprise
Rodeo Reunion
His Rodeo Girl
Dude Ranch Reunion
Lassoing His Rodeo Girl
Rodeo Star Reunion
Rodeo Daughter Reunion
A Rodeo Star for Hailey
Custody Courtship
The Prosecutor’s Pride
Cowgirl Princess

Of course, I don’t get the final say—that’s up to the editorial staff. But if your suggestion passes muster and Harlequin chooses it as the title of this book, I’ll send you an autographed copy of the book when it’s released next June.

As an added plus, all the names of those who comment on this blog with title suggestions for this new book between October 10th and October 15th, 2011 will go into a random drawing. I’ll pull two names out of the proverbial hat (aka random number generator). Those two winners will each receive one autographed copy of my current Harlequin American’s: The Officer’s Girl and The Daddy Catch. Shipping addresses must be US or Canadian only.

Note: Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

How I Spent My Summer

Summer in the Duncan household usually means vacation and time to put the boat in the water. But not this year when news of a two-book contract with Harlequin American Romance arrived in early July. Since my publisher wants both books for 2012 releases, I spent most of the summer writing, writing, writing. And now, RODEO DAUGHTER, the first of those two books, is in my editor's hands.

You're sure to love Mitch and Amanda's reunion story. He's a driven prosecuting attorney, a single dad with a mercurial four-year-old. She's a former barrel racing champion who never got over her teen-age crush on the boy she met at rodeo camp. What happens when these two meet again? Mitch's carefully structured world crumples, that's what. Especially when, following a playground mishap, a family court judge permits this doting father only supervised visitation...under the distrustful gaze of the woman he ditched at the end of rodeo camp.

RODEO DAUGHTER should hit store shelves next June. Before that, it'll need a new title and, hopefully, you'll help me find a great one. Any ideas?