I'm very excited today to have as my special guest, Emma Lai, published author with The Wild Rose Press. Here's some of what Emma sent me when I asked about her and her books. Her latest work - "His Ship, Her Fantasy" is due out this August 12. Watch for it from the Faery Rose Line. Thanks so much for joning me Emma! I hope everyone will check out Emma's blog as well.

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Emma says:

I’ve sampled many professions and industries in the last decade or so…administrative assistant, electrical engineer, software designer, and project manager. They’ve all been satisfying in their own way, but nothing has inspired me like writing.

One thought can spawn an entire story. What happens if a woman falls in love with a ship? This one question leads to many others. What is missing in her life that makes it possible for her to fall in love with an inanimate object? What if the object loves her back? How can an object love? If the object holds the spirit of a person, then how does that spirit manifest? Is the manifested spirit real or a hallucination? These are many of the thoughts that flew threw my head as I wrote and explored the characters of His Ship, Her Fantasy.

Blurb for His Ship, Her Fantasy coming 12 August from The Wild Rose Press!Ellie Woods is in love…with a ship. When an argument with the ship results in a bump on the head, she finds herself in the strong arms of Alastair. But, who is he, and where did he come from?Alastair has loved Ellie from afar for years, but duty has kept him from revealing himself to her. When a grave threat reveals his true identity, he hopes that Ellie will choose reality over fantasyVisit my website to read an excerpt and find details on my Release Party Contest!

I want to encourage aspiring authors to write down their ideas because you never know where they’ll take you. Mine led me down the path of the Mates of the Guardians. The second story, His Hope, Her Salvation, will be coming soon from The Wild Rose Press, and the third story, His Heart, Her Desire, has been submitted for consideration. I hope to finish His Light, Her Shadow and His Dream, Her Nightmare in the coming months.

Emma - that sounds fabulous! Best of everything to you and can't wait to read your latest work.

Thanks for being my special guest.

Roni

Fresh back from the RWA conference in DC and believe it or not I didn't take too many pictures. But this one actually was at the request of my mother. That's Debbie Macomber next to me in case you don't recognize her. My mother claims to be her biggest fan and I had to get an autograph and a picture. I like Debbie as well. I've read several of her books and we both love to write series - small towns, with a cast of characters that returns again and again. Its one of the things I really enjoy about her books.

The conference is always a huge motivator as a writer. Listening to wonderful keynote speeches by authors such as Linda Howard, Eloisa James and others makes every author and writer in the conference want to curl up with her laptop and just write. Talking with other authors, living the writing world for a few days is just plain good for your soul. There you are among 2000+ other romance writers - finally people who understand why you are the way you are. Its refreshing that's for sure.

Being in DC, what can I say? One of my favorite cities in the world. I love sightseeing, love the hustle and bustle and love the sheer beauty of the memorials and the buildings of our nation's capital. Doesn't matter to me who is in the White House; the important thing is the White House itself. That magnificent building stands for all we as Americans believe in and it still steals my breath every time I see it.

Next year RWA heads to Nashville. Be still my heart! As a country music fan from the cradle I can't think of anywhere I'd rather spend a few days. Whether its in the cards remains to be seen but after coming back from this national conference, I have to say that it refuels me, energizes me and helps me believe in my writing again. That's simply priceless.

If you can't get to a national conference this year, I sincerely hope you can get to a smaller local conference. Any time you can come together with other writers is good for your own writing. If you were at this year's conference or one another year - I'd love to hear your favorite parts of the conference or your fondest memory.

Roni

Simple pleasures. That's really what life is about and whether the thought of spending a weekend in a camper with your family makes you smile or cringe, its all a matter of taste. The way we camp today doesn't compare to the years in the tents truly roughing it, but today's camping trips are more about stealing away for a weekend then trying to live outdoors. As a writer, its my own private writing time where I don't feel guilty for hours pounding away on the laptop instead of doing housework or cooking or errands. For the family its a time to be together in one place and actually spend time with one another.

This year hasn't been an easy one for our family. Our middle son was deployed January 5 and won't be back until Thanksgiving. The Fourth of July, without him was rough. Thinking of him all those miles away in that incredible heat (118 on Saturday) was horrible. For the first time ever in my life I am wishing summer away and I hate that.

I often think ahead, what will next Fourth of July bring? What changes will have happened to all of us by then? Its those changes that make me cling to life's little moments. That's what really matters after all.