DOING BOOK IN A WEEK......

BECAUSE I'M DOING BIAW, THERE WON'T BE A DIABETES FACT TODAY. PLEASE GO TO WWW.BRENDANOVAK.COM TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP RAISE MONEY FOR DIABETES RESEARCH.

NEXT WEEK, I'LL TALK ABOUT SUGAR IN THE DIABETIC DIET.

KATHLEEN

DESERT DREAMS 2008 CONFERENCE

I'm thrilled to announce that I will be attending the Desert Dreams 2008 Conference April 4th through the 6th. Sherrilyn Kenyon will be keynote speaker and I can't wait to hear her presentation. She is one of my all time favorite authors.

This will be my first conference! In fact, while at the Desert Rose meeting on February 26th, I sat with KC Pape, Cassie Ryan, and Isabella Clayton and I joked that I was a conference "virgin". That one statement inspired Isabella's clever blog post on her blog, Butterscotch Martini Girls. Here is the link: (and because I'm such a non-tekkie, sometimes my links will link straight to the site if you hover your pointer over them and click on them. Most times, though, they don't and you have to copy and paste to your browser. Sorry. One of these days, I'll figure it out.)
http://www.butterscotchmartinigirls.com/conference-virgins-dont-throw-yourself-into-the-conference-volcano/27/

If you've never been to a conference, it is a great reference for us newbies. It gives you the "what to bring" and the "do's and don't's" of attending any conference.

While at the DR meeting this last Tuesday night, we stuffed the goody bags for all the attendees. There's a lot of great items in those bags, too! So, if you're going to the conference, you'll be off to a great start!

I'll be at the registration table between 2pm and 3pm with Kathryne Kennedy on April 4th. Also, I get the privelege of moderating for Brenda Novak.
Be sure to stop by and say hello!

MARCH ANATOMY QUIZ~DO YOU RECOGNIZE THESE EYES?

TIME IS RUNNING OUT! ONLY A FEW MORE DAYS LEFT OF THIS QUIZ...HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR FAVORITE HUNK'S GORGEOUS EYES????

OK! It's that time again! I thought it would be fun to see if you could recognize any of the eyeballs I posted above. There are eight sets of eyes and eight celebrity names. In the comments, tell me which set of eyes goes with the right name. The winner will receive a $10 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble. The contest will run until the 31st of this month.

I'll announce the winner on April Fools! No, joke! LOL.

GEORGE CLOONEY
NICK LACHEY
HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN
MATT DAMON
ORLANDO BLOOM
JENSON ACKLES
EWAN MCGREGOR
JESSE METCALFE

Good luck and have fun!

Kathleen

I AM SOOOOOO EXCITED!!!

A member of Heartland Writers Group, Published author Julie A. Carda is one of my online critique partners. She was kind enough to give me a pre-release review of my future release by The Wild Rose Press. Here is what she had to say. And when you've read her review, continue to scroll down to find out more about Julie's book, Portal To Love. Find out how you can get a free down load to Portal To Peace!

The Doctor’s Deception Kathleen Grieve
comments by Julie A. Carda (pre-release)

OMG, if chocolate is your thing, make sure you have a box as you read. The yummy hero, Dr. Stone Lassiter a heart surgeon, drips with the good stuff. And lucky for the readers, we get to live it vicariously through the heroine, Faith, a nurse he decides to pursue. The tête-à-tête tension between them is excellent, leaving the reader craving more.

Julie A. Carda,
Author of Portal to Love and Portal to Peace
http://www.JulieACarda.com
http://www.julieacarda.com/books.html (Free Book download)




Excerpt from Portal to Love
Langley climbed the outer stairs to Ivan’s apartment. If Ivan were Peter, he would be thinking she wanted more than a look at his archeology collection. How many women went home with someone they met over dinner—plenty? But this was not college anymore, and she was not experimenting with relationships. The Langley of the past would have had the “savvy” to handle this situation smoothly. However, letting go of her illusion of power three years ago had given her the opportunity to grow, but had also exposed to her her vulnerability to the world.

Right up front, she’d make sure he understood this wasn’t going to extend past friendship. The memories of Peter were still fearsome shadows preventing her from exploring the rugged terrain of intimate relationships. Based on her recent phone conversation with Wanda, Langley needed to do some deeper release work. As she gripped the banister, her fingers twitched. Uneasiness rolled over her. When her hand had touched Ivan’s this evening, the current running through her had suspended her in time. Even though the day had been long and she was tired, that particular moment had been real. She was too knowledgeable to deny the movement of energy.

Ivan opened the door and turned on the lights. Langley hesitated for a moment before she walked in. What did she have to lose?

Ivan gestured. “If you’ll have a seat here by the window I’ll go to the bedroom and get the piece.”

He disappeared down the dark hall. A few minutes later, he returned to present the small clay model to her. He cradled the piece as if it were a scepter inlaid with the finest jewels. She tilted her head and studied the writing on the side. Hmmm. From her limited expertise, some sort of early cuneiform sign. From her graduate studies in classics at the Sorbonne, she had limited exposure to Greek and Latin and nothing in ancient texts.

With her index finger, she pointed. “This side appears to have clear symbols, but the notation between symbols seems blurred or incomplete. What does the clear part say?”

Ivan traced the first symbol. “Some would say the cuneiform translates, ‘For love, power fails.’”
“And you would say…?”

He looked into her eyes with intensity. Then he blinked, breaking the connection.

With professional ease, he rotated the object. “That is how the early Egyptian and Sumerian scholars would decipher it. But notice these two configurations on the side that look like cracks? This particular configuration changes the phrase entirely. It’s not the language that it seems.”

Langley leaned forward. “But what does this mean here, between the symbols?”

He shook his head. “That’s the place where I had to stop. I’ve only seen this notation one other time and it was on a stone plaque found at the site.”

He went to retrieve his key ring, which had been placed on the kitchen table. Carrying both key ring and clay fragment, he walked back to her. He set the clay fragment on the coffee table and handed her the key ring with the metal disk attached. As her hand touched his, an electrical charge shot through her. She became immobilized in its refreshing warmth. Through a haze, she could see Ivan as if he were frozen before her. She forced her hand to take the item and pull away, breaking the energy flow. Her breath came in short gasps.

She looked at him. Had he noticed? He had a furrowed brow, his eyes lost in contemplation. The disk attached to the key chain had an etching identical to the fragment with the cuneiform on both sides. The metal, which didn’t appear to be silver, held an unusual vibration. Excitement and curiosity coursed through her blood. Her mind filled with questions. She bent forward and retrieved the clay fragment. With the disk in one hand and the pottery fragment in the other, she stood and moved closer to the lamp light.

An eerie fog descended in front of her and the center of her forehead vibrated, this time deep into the bone. The room was suddenly cool and dark with an earthy, moist smell. Like a cave or something with walls, but so expansive. Shadow moved toward her. Another human? Someone, reached out. A hand took her hand. The face. The eyes. If she could only see into the eyes. A hum. No, a voice. A soft familiar voice.

“So you’ve returned at last.”

“Langley, Langley, are you all right?”

The fog dissipated. She saw Ivan’s face and his familiar eyes just inches from hers. She blinked and stared at him.
She shivered. “I’m suddenly really cold. What happened?”

Ivan lifted the afghan from the couch and laid it gently over her. She looked at her exposed forearms and hands. Her fingers appeared translucent against the white of her arms.

Ivan fidgeted with the afghan. “You were about to stand, and then you closed your eyes and seemed faint. I laid you back on the couch. Everything happened so quickly.” He ran his hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. “Do you need anything?”

She closed her eyes, trying to remember something. “My purse.”

She removed a small amber bottle and with an eyedropper, squirted the liquid into her month. “Just give me a few minutes. I’ll be all right.”

Ivan hovered. “Can I get you something to drink? Some tea maybe?”

She nodded. He went to the kitchen. From the other room, water ran and cupboards opened and closed. Instantly, she could feel the drops Wanda had given her transform the energy. Her racing heart slowed to normal. A few minutes later Ivan walked in and set down the teapot.

She shifted, perched on the edge of the couch.

He sat next to her. “Can you tell me what this is about?”

Langley shook her head. “Do you believe in higher powers? Energy that can be used to find and understand the soul? Energy that is so pure that it transcends the universe?”

TO FIND OUT HOW TO ORDER PORTAL TO LOVE, VISIT JULIE'S WEBSITE AT
http://www.julieacarda.com/

TO ORDER YOUR FREE DOWNLOAD TO PORTAL TO PEACE COPY AND PASTE IN YOUR BROWSER:
http://www.julieacarda.com/docs/PortaltoPeaceByJulieACarda.pdf

A FEW WORDS ON THAT FIRST KISS....

If you are an author of Romance...how important is that first kiss between your hero and heroine. I'd say it is extremely important. There are even contests put on by RWA (Romance Writers of America) chapters. The First Kiss, Show Your Inner Vixen, and Show Me The Spark all come to mind.

What makes a first kiss in a novel so good that your reader will lean forward and think, "Oh, my!" Think about some of the romances you've read. What made the scene jump out at you?

Well, in my humble opinion, several things come into play. First is how well the author has built the anticipation of that first kiss between the H/H.

Next, do the author use the five senses? What do your characters taste, smell, see, touch, and hear while the kiss is going on? This is HUGE! Later in the book, the senses can trigger memories of that first kiss.

Why not use your creativity and imagination to place your characters in a quirky or unusual situation to make that first kiss a little bit more memorable.

Just for fun, why not see what famous movie kiss are you? Take the quiz below to find out. I took the quiz and my result is posted below. Remember that kiss from Spiderman? Probably one of the more sexy scenes out there.

Your Famous Movie Kiss is from Spiderman

"I have always been standing in your doorway. Isn't it about time somebody saved your life?"

What Famous Movie Kiss Are You?

INTRODUCING ROMANTIC SUSPENSE AUTHOR, BRENDA NOVAK

As many of you know, I have been posting something related to diabetes every monday for quite a few weeks in an attempt to raise awareness for Brenda Novak's online auction and raise money for diabetes research. For Diabetes Monday instead of a post about eating too much sugar on Easter, (which we all have probably overdosed on by now) I'm fortunate to be able to post a message from Brenda Novak herself.

When you stop by her website to check out all the fabulous details of the May, 2008 Auction, if you're an avid reader like me, don't hesitate to click on the first chapter excerpts of her STILLWATER TRILOGY. And don't forget to check out her May, 2008 release, TRUST ME.
I promise, if you love mystery and suspense, you won't be disappointed!

My name is Brenda Novak. Many know me as a published
author writing romantic suspense for MIRA Books and
contemporary series romance for Harlequin's
Superromance line. Many others know me for organizing
an online auction to benefit diabetes research in honor of my youngest son.

I'm currently recruiting donation items for my 4th
annual event that starts on May 1st and runs through
May 31st, 2008. This auction caters to readers and
writers alike with a wide variety of items from Big
Name Authors and networking opportunities. Would you
consider adding yourself to the list of donors? I wish
I had the time to personally ask each and every one of
you for a donation. Instead, please allow me to share
with you the highlights of donating to this auction:

If you are a published established author, this is a
great way to get national exposure through the
auction's advertisement in Writer's Digest,
Publisher's Weekly, RT Book Reviews Magazine, The
Sacramento Bee (newspaper), The Romance Writers Report
and many, many other print and on-line venues. In
addition, it will be featured in the May 12th issue of
Woman's World (they have 2.5 million readers!).

If you are a published new author, why not create a
gift basket with other up-and-coming authors as a way
to introduce yourself to the bidders? If you are still
working towards becoming published, we accept many
kinds of items. Please check out what has already been
donated for ideas
http://brendanovak. auctionanything. com/

If anyone is interested in donating an item to benefit
the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, here is the
direct link:
http://www.brendano vak.com/auction_ donate.php
If you would like to know more about the Juvenile
Diabetes Research Foundation, here is their website.
http://www.jdrf. org/

My goal is to expand the auction into all genres and
get more national media coverage to support it--I
think it will bring some fabulous attention to the
authors/publishers who donate and it will boost the
amount we raise by a very large margin. In May, I look
forward to seeing your bids at
http://brendanovak. auctionanything. com/

Thank you for your help to find a Cure for Diabetes!
Brenda Novak

Brenda Novak is a member of the Sacramento Valley Rose RWA Chapter

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

Here is wishing you and yours a lovely Easter Holiday!

INTERESTING HEART FACTS~~~~

Yoga~

Did you know practicing yoga on a regular basis can decrease blood pressure? I didn't, either. In fact, I was very surprised. But one study showed that the simple exercise can reduce your BP numbers. The top number (systolic blood pressure) by about 19 points and the bottom number (diastolic blood pressure) by about 13 points. This is what we hope to accomplish by administering medications to control blood pressure.

Think about that! If you actually perfomed yoga on a daily basis, you wouldn't have to take a medication for your blood pressure! Keep in mind, however, that you'd have to be closely monitored by your doctor when you chage anything in your medical regimen. There are other factors involved beside just the exercise and your need for medication may be linked to a risk factor that is beyond your control.

Whole Grain~
According to one study, if you eat whole grain cereals at least seven times a week, you have a 28% chance to lower your risk of heart failure. This is a very simple life-style change a person can make to help save his life. There is something to those Cheerios ads!

Energy Drinks~
Did you know that if you drink two energy drinks a day, it can increase blood pressure and heart rate levels? This is okay if you have a normal, healthy heart. But if you have high blood pressure and clogged arteries, the added stress on your heart can lead to big, big trouble--a severe heart attack or perhaps death related to heart disease. So be careful! Each patient is different, so if you aren't sure, check with your doctor to see what is right for you.

HEART DISEASE AND WOMEN~WHAT'S NEW?

Research is evolving. There are two major changes amongst cardiologists when it comes to treating heart disease in women. In the treatment of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart failure, not much is new. We do have better stents, stronger defibrillators, and fun pacemakers to play with. Add to that a belief that a more agressive approach to decreasing your bad cholesterol (LDL to less than 70mg/dl)with drugs is important.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We've heard all this before right? So, what is new?
Well, two things. First, hormone therapy. This is the use of oral meds to replace hormones lost when a woman reaches menopause. An example would be taking estrogen.

Recently, hormone therapy has fallen out of favor because research found it didn't actually protect women against heart disease and would increase a her chances of having a stroke. Well, who wants that to happen?

There is new evidence to suggest that when a woman uses hormone therapy, timing is extremely important. If hormone therapy is used ten to fifteen years after menopause, it increases a woman's risk of heart disease by actually accelerating a heart attack. Here is the catch, a woman needs to start hormone therapy at the time she begins menopause. This prevents clogged arteries. That is HUGE!

Another thing we start in the hospital after a patient suffers a heart attack which is not new, but effective, is Cardiac Rehab. A therapist works one on one with a patient with diet, exercise, stress reduction, screening for depression, and social support. It is extremely important for you to continue Cardiac Rehab once you are discharged from the hospital. Why? Because if you have suffered a heart attack, you have a 20 to 30 percent chance to lower your risk of death if you do. Repeated heart attacks is a blog for another day, but that number to me is HUGE!

So far, the best way to stay heart healthy is by eating right, exercise, and don't smoke. Those are the risk factors you can control. If you missed my post on risk factors for heart disease, check out my archived blogs.

VACATIONS....

Why is it, that when you go on vacation, it seems like getting home is a lot of work?
Then there is the unpacking, the laundry, sorting through ten days worth of mail.... Had bare cupboards and the kids moping around saying, "What is there to eat? I'm starving!" Had to add grocery shopping to the list of things to do.

WHEW! I'm glad that is all done. Back to work tomorrow night. Things will finally get back to normal around here.

Have a great blog lined up for Friday. See you all tomorrow! Night! I'm off to bed!

INTRODUCING ANOTHER FUN & SEXY READ

I'd like to introduce another fellow Wild Rose Press Author, Jenny Gilliam. Her book, THE WEDDING WAR, debuts this Friday. If you enjoy what you read below, stop by WWW.THEWILDROSEPRESS.COM to purchase your copy! Enjoy!


BACK COVER BLURB:

What happens when a fairytale-believing wedding planner and a jaded hot-rod builder who thinks love is nothing more than a chemical reaction end up on opposite sides of the aisle at the wedding of her best friend and his brother? A wedding war erupts.


Jake Ryan will do just about anything to keep his brother from making the same mistake he made. He’s convinced there won’t be a wedding because he’s out to stop it. Mia Briscoe’s determined this will be the most spectacular wedding she’s ever planned. And when she discovers the groom’s brother is out to break up the happy couple? The battle begins.


Jake and Mia have both suffered deep emotional wounds that prevent them from making lasting connections. And both are baffled by the intense feelings they bring out in each other. Can Mia teach Jake that love is something to cherish and not loathe? And if she can, will he be strong enough to bury his past so they can have a chance at a future together?

EXCERPT:

Oh, baby. Come to mama.

Mia Briscoe had never been one for flights of fancy, but the big, bruising man sprawled out in First Class seat 2B made her want to drop to her knees and thank nature for producing such a fine specimen.

If the long, muscular legs clad in soft denim were any indication, he had to be at least two or three inches over six feet. The jeans, worn in all the right places, drew her gaze to what promised to be an impressive package. His black T-shirt hugged thick, sinewy arms roped with muscle and stretched across a pair of well-defined pecs. A ball cap hid his face, but she sensed a firm, square jaw. He stared at a magazine that lay open in his lap, as his long, masculine fingers touched the page.

Mia told herself not to stare, but damn, how could she not when the man’s body was so...mouth watering? She whimpered. She actually whimpered.

She’d never been affected by a man like this before. Not even in high school, when other girls swooned over rock and movie stars. To have this reaction here, on an airplane, of all places seemed...strange. And wonderful.

It took her mind off the fact that the last time she’d boarded an airplane it’d been to sit at the deathbed of the woman who’d raised her after her parents died in a car accident. She’d been thirteen. Aunt Eva took her in, loved her and guided her to make the right choices in life. Eleven months later, her aunt’s absence still felt as raw as an open wound. Don’t think about it.

Mia gathered herself, realizing she stood in the middle of the aisle salivating over a piece of man-candy. She glanced down at the boarding pass in her hand. 2B. Her eyes flickered to the bulkhead.

Wait a minute. Mr. Studly is in my seat!

Wow, she must have managed to repay one hell of a karmic debt, because good fortune shone on her today.

A coiffed and polished flight attendant gave Mia a plastic smile as she passed by. Mia looked back down at Mr. Studly, still engrossed in his magazine.

She cleared her throat.

No response. She tried a more direct approach. “Excuse me. I think you’re in my seat.”

He finally glanced up and Mia’s heart all but stopped.

Oh, my.

Blue eyes, as deep as the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean, stared up at her, an unreadable expression on his face. Intelligence shone in those gorgeous depths, and his dark brows pulled into a frown as he gave her face and body a slow perusal. Mia felt his gaze as if he’d touched her with those tough, masculine hands. She suppressed a shiver.

She’d been right about that square jaw. At eleven in the morning it showed signs of a heavy beard. His strong chin boasted a faint cleft. She’d always had a weak spot for a man with a strong chin with a faint cleft.

He broke eye contact, returning his attention to his magazine. “I’m not moving.”

Huh?

“I beg your pardon?” Mia asked.

“You heard me,” he said, in a deep baritone.

“But…you’re in my seat.” She thrust her boarding pass under his nose. “See? It says right there. Seat 2B.”

“I can read, sweetheart,” he said, sending Mia’s blood near boiling point.

Is this guy for real? A hunk of studly man-love he might be, but he had the manners of a garden rock. Wishing he had just kept his mouth shut, she drew up to her full five feet nine inches. “Are you sure about that?” she asked sweetly.

“Lady, I’m not gonna sit here arguing with you all day. You better sit your pretty little ass down or you’re gonna be in for a rude awakening when we take off.”

Of all the pigheaded, misogynistic things to say! Mia’s blood pressure skyrocketed as a fine red mist gathered before her eyes.

Mia wasn’t one to stand by while people trampled over her in order to get their way. No, sir. She was no one’s doormat. And it infuriated her that this guy expected her to toe the line simply because he said so.

She planted her feet and propped a fist on her hip. “I’m not going anywhere. You’re the one who should move.”

He glanced at her and smirked. Why did the colossal jerk have to be so damn gorgeous? It wasn’t fair.

“Not gonna happen,” he drawled.

“The hell it’s not.”

One black brow lifted sardonically. “What are you gonna do? Tell on me?”

“You bet your ass I am.” Mia spun on her heel and smacked into the Barbie-doll flight attendant she’d seen moments ago.

“Is there a problem?” she asked Mia.

“As a matter of fact, there is. This…this person” —she infused plenty of meaning into the word so there was no mistaking what she thought of squatters, “is in my seat.” She shoved the boarding pass at the flight attendant, who stared at it as though Mia handed her a smelly sock. “It’s right there. 2B.” She whirled back on the interloper. “He’s in my seat.”

While it pleased her enormously to vent her frustration, Mia realized her behavior was a tad childish. True, the man occupying her seat had started this whole mess, but as an adult she should have risen above it. She ran a successful—okay, successful was stretching it—wedding planning business, for crying out loud. She dealt with disasters worse than this on a daily basis.

“Sir?” the flight attendant asked. “May I see your boarding pass?”

He smiled, the act transforming his entire face. Mia wasn’t going to fall for his charming act this time. Uh-uh. No way. However, Airline Barbie was a different story. She looked ready to climb on his lap and take him for a ride. While she perused his boarding pass, he flicked a glance at Mia. And smirked.

Bastard.

“Sir, it does say here you’re in 2A.” She seemed disappointed.

He turned that megawatt smile back on Airline Barbie. “It’s just I have this thing about planes,” he explained, speaking to the flight attendant as if Mia had ceased to exist. “I have a real hard time flying as it is, so it helps if I sit in the aisle. I thought I was getting an aisle seat, so I just sat here.”

“That’s the biggest load of crap I’ve ever heard. You are not seriously going to believe him, are you? He’s totally playing you.” Mia huffed and folded her arms under her breasts.

Airline Barbie turned on Mia. “Ma’am, you need to calm down right now or I’m going to have you removed from the aircraft.”

Mia’s mouth hung open. Outrage sang through her blood, but logic and reason, temporarily out to lunch, decided to make a comeback.

“If he would have said that to begin with, I would have gladly given up my seat.” There. She even managed to sound the teensiest bit contrite—though she spoke through clenched teeth. “He can have the stupid seat if he’s afraid of flying. Okay? It’s not that big a deal.”

Mia’s temper often landed her in situations such as this. However, had The Jerk explained his fear of flying in a calm and rational manner when she’d first spoken to him, she would have gladly traded seats. But, nooo, he had to be a big ol’ butthead about it.

Really, The Jerk deserved Mia’s ire.

Airline Barbie didn’t look convinced. In fact, she and The Jerk shared a commiserating glance, as if Mia had lost her mind. She knew she fought a losing battle. And the hell of it was, she had to sit next to him for the next five hours.

Her first time in First Class, paid for by her best friend, whose wedding she would be planning for the next two weeks, and it had been ruined by a misogynistic pig who, quite unfairly, resembled a dark, delicious and seriously yummy god.

Well, crap. It appeared her good fortune had turned into a curse.

DIABETES FACT #7~STARTLING FACTS

THE FACTS ABOUT DIABETES:
AMERICA’S SIXTH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH

How many Americans have diabetes?
• 20.8 million Americans have diabetes — 7.0 percent of the U.S. population. Of these, 6.2 million do not know they have the disease.
• Each year, about 1.5 million people ages 20 or older are diagnosed with diabetes.1
• The number of people diagnosed with diabetes has risen from 1.5 million in 1958 to 14.6 million in 2005, an increase of epidemic proportions.

What is the prevalence of diabetes by type?
• Type 1 (previously called insulin-dependent or juvenile-onset) diabetes accounts for 5 to 10 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes.
• Type 2 (previously called non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset) diabetes accounts for 90 to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes.1 Type 2 diabetes is increasingly being diagnosed in children and adolescents.

What is the prevalence of diabetes by gender?
• 10.9 million men have diabetes (10.5 percent of all men ages 20 years and older).
• 9.7 million women have diabetes (8.8 percent of all women ages 20 years and older).

What is the prevalence of diabetes by age?
• 20.6 million Americans ages 20 or older have diabetes — 9.6 percent of this age group.
• 10.3 million Americans ages 60 or older have diabetes — 20.9 percent of this age group.
• 176,500 people under age 20 have diabetes – 0.22 percent of this age group.

HOW MANY DEATHS ARE RELATED TO DIABETES?
• Diabetes was the 6th leading cause of death listed on U.S. death certificates in 2002.
• Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among people with diabetes — about 65 percent
die of heart disease or stroke.
• Overall risk for death among people with diabetes is about 2 times that of people without diabetes.

How much does diabetes cost the nation?
• Total health care and related costs for the treatment of diabetes run about $132 billion annually.
• Of this total, direct medical costs (e.g., hospitalizations, medical care, treatment supplies) account for about $92 billion.
• The other $40 billion covers indirect costs such as disability payments, time lost from work, and premature death.

The above information was taken from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. National Diabetes Statistics fact sheet: general information and national estimates on diabetes in the United States, 2005. Bethesda, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Health, 2005.
Updated November 2005



DON'T FORGET TO POP ON OVER TO WWW.BRENDANOVAK.COM TO SEE HOW YOU CAN HELP RAISE MONEY FOR DIABETES RESEARCH!

ANSWERS TO MUSIC & LYRICS QUIZ #2

Well? How'd you do? Did you know any of the answers to yesterday's Music & Lyric Quiz? They were hard ones, to be sure. Here are the answers:


#1 was TIME FOR ME TO FLY by REO Speedwagon
#2 was THERE IS NO EASY WAY by James Ingram
#3 was I HATE MYSELF FOR LOVING YOU by Joan Jett
#4 was THE CHAIN by Fleetwood Mac
#5 was WHAT IT TAKES by Aerosmith

Think about it, though. When you hear a certain song, do you remember a certain break up in your life?

MUSIC & LYRICS QUIZ #2~ BREAK-UP SONGS

After I'd posted the first Music & Lyrics Quiz, I told my husband about it. He is one of those people that remembers when a song came out, what he was doing at the time, and who sang the song. Needless to say, he was intrigued by the idea of my little quiz. Then he says, "You should do break-up songs, next."

My husband is a genius!

((*Oh, don't say that too loud!*))

Not only did he suggest the topic for this week's music quiz, he came up with the lyrics. Let's see if you can name that tune....

1)"...I've been around for you. Been up and down for you..."

2)"...When it all falls apart, there is no easy way to break somebody's heart..."

3)"....I think of you everyday. You took my heart and you took my pride away..."

4)"...And if you don't love me now, you will never love me again...."

5)"...used to feel your fire but now its cold inside....tell me what it takes to let you go....


I'll post the answers tomorrow. And don't forget to add your comment to MARCH'S ANATOMY QUIZ which I posted on March 4th, for your chance to win a $10 Barnes and Noble gift card!!

4 1/2 STARS BY ROMANTIC TIMES MAGAZINE

Check out this sexy cover! I'm honored to say I know Kim Louise personally. In fact, she did a FABULOUS workshop on HOW TO WRITE A LOVE SCENE last September at Heartland Writers Group's monthly meeting. What a lot of fun that was! Almost as fun as Fiction Idol. The month we do FI is still my favorite meetings!

Anyway, if you've received your ROMANTIC TIMES for March, you will see Kim's review. CONGRATS on a great review!

Kim 's book, SWEET LIKE HONEY, is an April Kimani Press release. I've posted a blurb below! Enjoy!

Honey Ambrose is a hot mess-literally. Her online sex-toy business has become a huge success, leaving her house overflowing with her ever-popular inventory. Honey's brother hires professional organizer Houston Pace to help her out, but when Houston arrogantly insists that anyone who needs gadgets doesn't know what they're doing in bed, Honey takes matters-and her toys-into her own hands.
He'll teach her all about love

Houston begins to fall in love, but Honey's fear of intimacy stalls their promising relationship. He is willing to patiently earn her trust, but when Honey's past-and her family-interferes, he'll have to step up to prove that real love is strong, true and oh so sweet.

WHAT ARE YOU READING?

It's that time of year again. Spring Break. Time for the kids to be off from school. So, we packed up the car, loaded the kids, and headed off on vacation. Time for me to squeeze in some reading/writing time. YES! My two favorite things, next to chocolate, that is.

While I'm lazing around, I wondered what everyone was reading right now. Below are two books I brought with me. Both really great reads with a lot to offer.




BLURB:

More innocent lives will be lost if Samantha Garrett, the DEA agent known as The Human Lie Detector, is unable to solve the mystery surrounding a secret formula that controls minds. Her career took a roller coaster ride after her last case went badly, but she still has a chance at the promotion dangling in front of her and she refuses to lose it now. While searching for the suspect that got away, she must fight her feelings for his brother and handle the repercussions from her last case, which haunts her still.

Kevin Brewster, a mild-mannered, dedicated doctor, has spent his life trying to make up for his father’s crimes. His work life revolves around a clinic helping those in great need with no resources to take care of themselves. To that end, he has become inventive and daring. In addition to his work there, he must now prove his brother’s innocence before the by-the-book DEA agent discovers their secret.

Read the first scene at www.suspensebytina.com

Order Liquid Hypnosis at
Amazon
ISBN# 1-60154-123-6



BLURB:
Running from the past . . .
Not willing to admit he is suffering the effects of posttraumatic stress, veteran firefighter, Carl Braun, opts for early retirement. Pursued by visions and flashbacks of the horrors he encountered on the streets of Chicago he moves to Las Vegas, seeking a new life.

Living for the present . . .
An avid poker player, he becomes a dealer in the most lavish casino on the strip. Just when he thinks his life is on track the trouble begins. He discovers a sophisticated cheating team and reports it to his supervisor. Before he realizes the full extent of what he has uncovered, Braun finds himself pursued by ruthless members of Russian organized crime.

Fighting for the future . . .
Shadows of his traumatic past become the least of Braun's worries as he struggles with the present and an evil determined to eliminate him and any hopes he has for a future.

Available at Barnes & Noble
Publisher: Echelon Press Publishing
Pub. Date: June 2007
ISBN-13: 9781590805121



What are you reading right now?

DIABETES MONDAY ~FACT #6

Did you know that even if you are not a diabetic, and you are a patient in my ICU, we're going to keep a close eye on your blood sugars? Why, you ask? Because clinical research has shown that people heal faster when their blood sugar is tightly controlled.

I have a lot of experience with recovering open heart surgeries. Before I left the hospital I worked at in Omaha for the sunny Southwest, our standard of practice was (and is still) to place all of our post open heart surgery patients on an insulin drip. (This is a continual infusion of insulin given via an IV--intravenous access) We wanted that blood sugar kept down. Makes sense right? Well, only if you've been following my blog, are a diabetic yourself, or a health care worker, maybe.

But here is the rationale. If your sugar is floating around in your blood stream, it is not able to be used as fuel for your cells to heal. Whether you are having an elective procedure, or become extremely ill does not matter. Your body's natural response to any changes will be to increase the blood sugar so it can be used for additional energy in your time of need. This happens to everyone-diabetics and non diabetics. The only difference is, a healthy pancreas can produce the insulin your body needs to drag that sugar into the cells where it can be used properly. Diabetics have a pancreas that has either lost its ability to produce insulin or the insulin it does make isn't recognized by the body.

So why the insulin drip? Remember that research I mentioned? Well, a normal blood sugar of say, 134 or 149 would be okay if you hadn't just had surgery. We want that sugar in those cells, right? We poke your finger for that precious drop of blood every hour (YES! I said every hour and you are understandably cranky after your fingers are sore after doing this for 72 hours) while you are on an insulin infusion. Depending on the result, we adjust the insulin infusion in an attempt to attain that magic number between 80 and 120.

The trend over the last couple of years has been to place ICU patients on insulin protocol. Severe illness and certain medications given while you are extremely sick will increase a patients blood sugar, as well. Although it is a drag for you patients having your fingers constantly pricked, the outcome is worth it. Morbidity and length of stays for patients in intensive care units across the nation have decreased.

This is a good thing! People are getting better faster.

So, next time I come in to check your blood sugar, smile and hand your finger over! *grin*



Don't forget to stop by BRENDANOVAK.COM to see what you can do to help raise money for diabetes research. Her online auction will be May 1-May 31. She has some wonderful prizes!

Kathleen

A HOT NEW SEXY READ

I would like to introduce fellow Wild Rose Press Author, Anita Philmar. Isn't the cover on her new book FABULOUS? Check out her latest release, BLACK DRAGON'S BLOOD. Definitely a must read!

EXCERPT:

She stood toe to toe with him, aware that his height gave the man a distinct advantage. His close proximity sent tingles of awareness racing over her skin. “But we’re not married.”

“We soon will be.”


His hands settled around her waist.Swallowing the wet need gathering on her tongue, she quickly tried to think of a way to work her way out of the current situation. “I don’t think you understand, William. I don’t want to marry you.”

“You will.”

His arrogant statement hit her in the gut. She had no recourse. The law wouldn’t protect her. After the last war, the government had granted men with dragon slayer ancestors any mate of their choosing, a prize for gaining the country its freedom. If he wanted her as his wife, she couldn’t turn him down. But she might be able to get him to rethink his plans.

“But why would you want to marry me?”

AVAILABLE NOW AT THE WILD ROSE PRESS

ISBN: 1- 60154 – 232 - 1
Author: Anita Philmar
Price: $4.50
At The Wild Rose Press http://www.thewildrosepress.com/wilderroses/index.php

Have a great day of fun-loving sex.
Anita PhilmarEmail: anitaphilmar@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.anitaphilmar.com/
Myspace: www.myspace.com/
anitaphilmarBlogspot: http://anitaphilmar.blogspot.com

GOT TEAMWORK?

In my job in the ICU, teamwork is extremely important. Doctors, nurses, techs, ancillary departments HAVE to work together~lives depend on it! If one person drops the ball the consequences could be fatal.

Take a look at the picture above. This patient (lost in the midst of all the IV's and medical equipment) is a typical patient in the intensive care. Imagine if he codes and I'm all by myself? I'd be in big trouble. But I know once I shout for help and slam my hand on the code button, the rest of my team will be there for me. Respiratory will take over ventilating the patient. One person will start chest compressions. One person will start giving medications through the IV. I'll give an update to the Intensivist as we do ACLS--advanced cardiac life support--measures. Radiology will come to do an x-ray. Lab shows up for any stat blood draws. Security shows up to make sure all is calm. Pastoral care is there for the family until a member of the medical team can sit down with them.

In my upcoming release, THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION, I portrayed my hero as a doctor who doesn't seem to fit in. Although his colleagues aren't aware of his reasons for his single-minded focus, he comes across rude and arrogant. No one wants to work with him, and comes down to the point where the nurses are threatening to quit or transfer departments rather than take his patients.

The scenario is extreme to be sure, not to mention, a lot of fun to create. But I wondered if anyone was ever forced to work with someone like this before? Did they ever change their ways? Did you feel compelled to get another job? What steps were available to you to take?

Then I thought about publishing and the process it takes to get a book in print or in e-book form.
Everyone works together to get that book pulled together for readers. Your editor reads through the material several times and then will send it back to the author for edits. Once accepted, then the pages go to production for a galley. A cover is produced. The entire thing goes back to the author for review, then it goes back to the publisher again. But you see the process? Give and take~Teamwork!

SOME FUN INFORMATION

DID YOU KNOW THAT..... Linda Richards became the first nurse to earn a nursing diploma in the United States in 1873.

According to a recent World Health Organization report, the United States spends more money, as a ratio of GNP, on health care than any country, followed closely by Lebanon and Zimbabwe.

“When we are well, we all have good advice for those who are ill.” Terence, from The Woman of Andros (166 B.C.)

Nursing is one of the fastest growing occupations in the U.S.

During the months that school is out emergency room visits from children under 14 years old rise by 18 percent.

“When we are well, we all have good advice for those who are ill.” Terence, from The Woman of Andros (166 B.C.)

One out of every four registered nurses works part time.

There are approximately 567,000 bicycle-related injuries each year that require emergency room attention.

“If you would live in health, be old early.” – a Spanish proverb.

Around nine million children visit emergency rooms in the U.S. each year due to injuries.

The fourth week of May is National Nurses Week.

Traumatic wounds account for around 11 million visits to the emergency room each year.

Anne L. Austin was a famous historian of nursing.

Florence Nightingale, the most famous nurse in modern history, was only a nurse for three years of her life.

AND HERE IS A LITTLE NURSING HUMOR:

You know you are a nurse when you find yourself complimenting a complete stranger on his veins.

You know you are in trouble when it’s your first night shift in three years—and there’s a full moon.

All the above fun facts and more can be found at: http://www.startanursestaffingagency.com/101nursingfunfacts.html

MARCH ANATOMY QUIZ~ DO YOU KNOW THESE EYES?

OK! It's that time again! I thought it would be fun to see if you could recognize any of the eyeballs I posted above. There are eight sets of eyes and eight celebrity names. In the comments, tell me which set of eyes goes with the right name. The winner will receive a $10 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble. The contest will run until the 31st of this month.

I'll announce the winner on April Fools! No, joke! LOL.

GEORGE CLOONEY
NICK LACHEY
HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN
MATT DAMON
ORLANDO BLOOM
JENSON ACKLES
EWAN MCGREGOR
JESSE METCALFE

Good luck and have fun!

Kathleen

DIABETES MONDAY~FACT #5~PARENTAL RESOURCES

If you are a parent overwhelmed with the new diagnosis of your child's diabetes, there is a lot of great information out there for you. These books are available on Amazon. Although I haven't read them personally, they all received great reviews.

Other resources for you would be The American Diabetes Association online at: http://www.diabetes.org/home.jsp .

Of course, don't forget your child's pediatrician. Besides having a list of community resources such as support groups, have him or her refer you to an endocrinolgist. That is a fancy name for a doctor who specializes in diabetes management.

Don't forget Mystery Suspense Author Brenda Novak's Online Auction for JDRF coming in May, 2008! Go to http://www.brendanovak.com/ for details on how you can help raise money for juvenile diabetes!