LAST CHANCE TO WIN SOMETHING FABULOUS!!

This is your last two days to get in on Brenda Novak's Online Auction for Diabetes Research. Don't miss this great opportunity to get in on a raffle item! There are three raffle items up for bid listed on www.brendanovak.com as follows:

FOR WRITERS:



This raffle item package is rife with opportunity for an aspiring writer. It includes:

1. A Triple Pass Deep Edit of 30 pages of your manuscript compliments of the amazing Margie Lawson.

2. An evaluation of your proposal (first three chapters & synopsis) by Agent Michelle Grajkowski of Three Seas Literary Agency--including a response within 24 hours!!

3. An evaluation of your proposal (first three chapters & synopsis) by Editor Kate Duffy of Kensington Books--inncluding a response within 24 hours!!

Have Margie help you get that submission ready, and then get in front of a talented agent and a savvy editor and maybe, just maybe, this will result in THE CALL!


FOR READERS:



This amazing raffle package includes an Amazon Kindle. These hot (as in "cool" not "stolen" LOL) new devices have really caused a buzz, and here's your chance to own one. A Kindle is a wireless portable reading device with instant access to more than 90,000 books, blogs, newspapers and magazines. Whether you're in bed or on the train, Kindle lets you think of a book and get it in less than a minute.

This raffle also includes autographed books from the following authors:

TRUST ME by Brenda Novak

THE APPEAL by John Grisham

THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE by Stephen R. Covey

Two Dark Hunter Books by Sherrilyn Kenyon

WORTH EVERY RISK by Dianna Love Snell

PHANTOM IN THE NIGHT by Dianna Love and Sherrilyn Kenyon

INVISIBLE RECRUIT by Mary Buckham

FOR EVERYONE:



This raffle includes:

A lovely John Atencio bracelet created from Sterling Silver and 18k Gold with diamonds. The retail price is $1695.00. Thank you to Rogers Jewelry for this fabulous donation.

A Golf Accessory Package Labor of Love Gift Pack just in time for Father's Day that includes: A Black nylon backpack, Golf Shirt (made from bamboo) in rusty orange (size XL), Leather Wallet, Sterling Silver Money Clip from Ballou Jewelers in Lincoln, RI (it has a crest in the middle with 2 golf clubs criss-crossed in the middle of the crest), 3 Top Flite Golf Balls, Tees and Ball Marker, and Cleaning Towel for Clubs.Thank you to DAD’s (Dollars Against Diabetes) Day Golf of the Diabetes Research Institute

A beautiful glass-bead necklace and bracelet set I bought in Venice, Italy when I visited this month.

Autographed copies of the first three books in my new series--TRUST ME, STOP ME, and WATCH ME, ,as well as entrance into my fan club, which will offer a lot of fun things over the next year.


WOW! I'm heading over to bid right now! How about you? Just sign in and bid over at www.brendanovak.com! Good Luck!

Kathleen

MY FIRST DAY OF SUMMER BEGINS....NOW!

I know, I know...the official first day of summer isn't until June, but I have four kids. The last day of school was yesterday. Even though I love my children, this is a TOTAL BUMMER! For all you parents out there you will understand what I'm talking about.

This is what no school for the next six weeks means for me:

**My grocery bill is going to go up because my kids will graze all day and still complain, "MOM! There's nothing to eat in this house!"

**I will be social event planner and even though there is plenty of things to do I will still hear, "I'm so bored!"

**I will be referee because as boredom hits, I'll have to break up more scuffles and arguments-especially when I'm trying to sleep.

Does any of this sound familiar to anyone out there? That said, we have a couple of trips planned for the summer. First, we're taking the kids white water rafting up near Fresno, CA in June. Then in July, we're going to take the kids to go visit my mom who has metastatic breast cancer. Her prognosis is poor and I want to spend as much time with her as I can.

What are your summer plans?

Take care,
Kathleen

NEW TRENDS IN MALE MODELS

Has anyone heard about this? I only caught part of the news clip, but apparently, there are male models out there starving themselves because it is "fashionable" for them to be very skinny. The newscaster said that "muscles & bulk" used to be in and now things have gone completely the opposite. They are calling it the "noodle look". I had a great chuckle over that one!

So, I'd like to start a debate. How do you like your male models?

Do you like this guy? He is sporting a pair of suspenders like one of my fantasy firemen!



Or would you like a guy like this? These men are a few of the male models on a catwalk in Milan, Italy:



In my opinion, SUSPENDER HUNK beats out SKINNY GUY any day of the week! He is what I imagine any hero in a romance book epitomizes. My first picture posted in this blog of a heartbeat symbolized how SUSPENDER HUNK gets my heart pumping! *g*

What do you think? Feel free to leave a comment!

And don't forget~ stop by www.brendanovak.com! Only about three more days to bid on all those TERRIFIC items to help raise $$$ for diabetes research!

I'm looking forward to all of your comments.

Take care!
Kathleen

A COUPLE OF NEW THINGS TO CHECK OUT TODAY!!

On my way home from work this morning, I heard Jordan Spark's song, "No Air". What a romatic song. I found the video of it and wanted to share it with you all here. There is maybe a 10 second ad in the beginning, but it is worth the wait. The words are frought with sexual tension and you can really feel this woman's love for her man. For those of you who've heard it, you definitely know what I mean!


Oh, and if you all have time, you might want to stop on over to my website WWW.KATHLEENGRIEVE.COM! It is finally up and ready for the world of ROMANCE! I want to thank my web designer Jason Williamson who did a fantastic job! *waving to him* "THANKS JASON!"



Take care,
Kathleen

DIABETES MONDAY~FACT #10

Wow! I can't believe we are up to ten facts already. Today I thought I'd talk a little bit about nutrition. Eating right is especially important if you have diabetes. Trying to keep level blood sugars is very important. Your blood sugar rises when you eat a meal high in protein and carbs. By eating well-balanced meals, you will be able to control your weight and manage your diabetes.

Let's review the four food groups:

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
WHOLE GRAINS
DAIRY PRODUCTS
MEAT PRODUCTS




Your doctor would have told you what calorie diet you should be on. An example would be 1800 ADA (American Diabetes Association) diet or 2200 ADA diet. Those are the most common two I see in the hospital. If you are not sure what your daily caloric intake should be, consult your doctor. He should have a nutritionist in his office or his nurse (like me) can sit with you and work out a diet plan that would be beneficial for you.

For diabetics, too much fat and cholesterol in their diets can be harmful. Fat and cholesterol clog arteries which put you at risk for heart disease and stroke. If you remember from a previous post about heart disease, diabetes itself is a risk factor. Adding a poor diet and little exercise increases that risk. So, choose what you put into your mouth wisely.

And speaking of exercise, did you know that exercise itself is a great way to control blood sugars? Exercise helps to lower blood sugars and makes insulin work better.

And I can't end a Diabetes Monday post without reminding you to stop by www.brendanovak.com! Only five days left to help her raise $$$ for diabetes research! Hop on over and bid bid bid! We want to prevent children and adults alike from having to inject themselves with insulin. Lets find that CURE!

Take care,
Kathleen

BOOK SIGNING IN OMAHA!!

This affair was put together by Dee Ann Williamson! If you have time and are in need of a TERRIFFIC read, stop by the BookWorm and see my friend, Kim Louise!



And also go to www.brendanovak.com to help her reach her goal of $300,000 for diabetes research! There is something for everyone!

WOW! THE POWER OF NETWORKING IN ACTION!

My husband has had a busy couple of weeks. No wonder he's been snoring so loud! LOL. But seriously, when it comes to art projects, he is the ABSOLUTE BOMB! My 9 year old daughter, Sydney had been studying the Rain Forest and had to do a report about an animal, complete with the construction of one! She picked a Cassowary. Here is what a Cassowary looks like:



And here is the one my husband helped my daughter build:



And here is Sydney at school during their Rain Forest Cafe where all the kids displayed their animals:



Not to be outdone, my twelve year old son, Mikey, has been working on a report about the United Kingdom. Being older, his has been a more in depth process. First, he was given guidelines to write a report. And although the Internet and libraries have a lot of research about the UK, he was still missing some key points he needed for his paper.

That is where networking and friendship came in! The contacts I've made as an author of romance have become invaluable! As many of you may know, Jane Richardson, fellow author from The Wild Rose Press, resides in the UK. I emailed her asked her a few questions. She was more than generous with her time so that Mikey's report would be accurate and complete. Here is Jane's latest release now available at www.thewildrosepress.com :



And remember all of the proceeds from Jane's book goes towards diabetes research! Make sure you pick yourself up a copy! Not only will you have a great read, but you'll be helping a lot of people that suffer from diabetes.

Now, back on topic. The next two pieces of Mikey's project was to create a landmark of his chosen country and cook something to share with his class that is native to that country. WHOA! Did that slip of paper that just came home said "cook"? Doesn't the teacher know I can't boil water in my own country much less cook a dish from another? Jeeze! This is where my husband comes in. "Oh, honey...."

Remember Sydney's Cassowary? Well, my husband is a GENIUS! Keep reading and you'll see why!

Again, Jane Richardson's help was invaluable. She sent us several landmarks off the beaten path, but after each one was studied, Mikey settled on The White Cliffs of Dover because he'd mentioned that in his report on the UK. Here is a picture of The White Cliffs of Dover:



And here is the one my husband and son made to take to school:





Isn't Mikey adorable?

Next, Jane had sent her grandmother's recipe for scones. YUM! Here is my husband and son hard at work creating them last night. These next couple of pics are with Mikey and Dad creating the scones, how the scones came out, and one of Sydney enjoying a scone! They were awfully tastey!





Thanks Jane! They were delicious!

And one last thing....hop on over to www.brendanovak.com to bid on all the wonderful items up for auction to help raise $$$ for diabetes research!

Take CARE!
Kathleen

I SHOULD'VE KNOWN BETTER!

I work so many night shifts that when I am home at night I sometimes forget how loud my husband snores! Exhausted after a day full of house hunting and writing, I fell into bed before him last night, only to be awakened by the eruption of MOUNT VESUVIUS at 2:30 this morning! UGH! I tossed and turned for nearly two hours before finally giving up my elusive quest for sleep.

Then the scenes I wrote yesterday started to crank around in my fogged brain and I realized that I needed more emotion in the love scene I'd written. So, here I am, posting my blog at 4:30 AM so I can go back and revise my chapter.

Jeeze, thanks honey!

One more thing before I go, I want to remind everyone to stop by www.brendanovak.com and bid, bid, bid on all the fabulous items being offered to raise money for diabetes research! If there isn't anything you'd like to bid on, you can always bid on the pics to make a one time cash donation!

Thanks for your continued support in Brenda's endeavor!

And just because I can still hear my husband's rumble from down the hall, I left you all with a computer generated image of what the eruption of Mount Vesuvius would have looked like! :)

THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION HAS BEEN REVIEWED!!

My first official review has been done over at WRITERS AND READERS OF DISTINCTIVE FICTION by Debbie Gould! I want to thank Ms. Gould for her time in reading and reviewing my book, THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION! I couldn't be more thrilled that she liked my book and recommened it to others.

To read the review copy and paste this link in your browser:
http://romancewriterandreader.ning.com/profile/WRDFReviews

My website www.kathleengrieve.com will launch soon. It is in the final stages of creation. To kick off the launch and to promote THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION, I'm going to offer up the same prize that my hero, Dr. Stone Lassiter, used to get back into my chocolate obsessed heroine's good graces--TWO POUNDS OF GODIVA CHOCOLATE!!! Want to know what that even looks like? Well, here's a sneak peak!



That is $105 of pure HEAVEN! All you'll need to do, is watch for when my website launches and sign up for my email list. It will be that easy! I'll draw a name out of a hat and TA DA! One of you lucky Ladies or Gents will be the winner!

Keep on a lookout for news that will be posted here on KEEPING A PULSE ON LIFE & ROMANCE or on my MYSPACE PAGE for my website launch! And don't forget, you can get your copy of THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION on June 25th, 2008 at www.thewildrosepress.com in both e-book and print formats!

Kathleen

DIABETES MONDAY~HALFWAY THERE!

I am so far behind this week! That is why this post is coming out so late tonight. I do need to let everyone know that Brenda is halfway to her goal of raising $300,000 for diabetes research! YES!

So let's keep the momentum going, shall we? Stop over to www.brendanovak.com and bid, bid, bid! There are still a lot of fabulous items up for bid and new ones hitting the auction on a daily basis!

Get on over there and BID! The login id and password setup takes about a minute to set up and is security protected. The TEA AND CHAMPAGNE for 4 guests at the The Phoenician I donated is just one of the great prizes out there! Here is a picture of the Phoenician Resort here in Scotsdale, Arizona:



What a wonderful atomosphere to just sit back and relax, huh?

MELODY'S SONG RELEASES TODAY!!

The third book to jj Keller's trilogy is HERE! It releases today! Stop on over at Cobblestone Press for your chance to win a copy! Enjoy the blurb below:


Have you ever experienced something so life altering, you lost all hope?

Melody Haney lost all hope in love when her son died of cancer. Going to a fortune teller, Mikhail Romanasky, (from Believe) she learns love can be recaptured. Hope does exist. Happiness and more children are in her future, she simply needs to go out and find it.

Melody has an angelic singing voice, but denies the gift. Out of obligation, when she is asked to sing to hospitalized children she agrees. Accused of stealing drugs from the oncology unit, she pushes away the one man who would stand by her.

Dr. Devon Siegal, pediatric oncologist, doesn’t believe in coincidences. Even when faced with evidence that could damn her, he continues to believe in Melody’s innocence. He has faith she will tell him everything and love will prevail.

Visit WWW.COBBLESTONE-PRESS.COM CHAT ROOM ON 5/16/08 THE RELEASE DATE FOR MELODY'S SONG AND WIN A COPY OF THIS FASCINATING NOVEL.

AND don't forget to stop by www.brendanovak.com and bid on all the wonderful prizes she has available! Help raise money for diabetes research and have fun doing it!

ALMOST HALFWAY DONE~

Need an ipod? A new laptop? How about an Amazon Kindle? All of those are available over at www.brendanovak.com. Stop by BRENDA NOVAK'S ONLINE AUCTION FOR DIABETES RESEARCH and bid, bid, bid...and even if you don't win anything, Brenda is offering a fantastic prize package to the person who bids the most!

If you're a writer, don't forget to bid on the opportunity to have your work looked at by an editor or agent. I believe that Scott Eagan over at Greyhaus Literary Agency offered to critique an extra three chapters at the end of Brenda's auction to the winner of his evaluation of a proposal. All you have to do is stop over and sign the guest book over on the Greyhaus website before you bid! It is rumored he gives a very thorough crit! So, don't miss out on this incredible opportunity!

Good Luck!

DIABETES MONDAY~HAVE YOU EVER WON ANYTHING?

Do you remember this moment? Did you ever think of the adrenaline rushing through Adrien Brody's veins when he ran up on the stage to accept his Oscar? WOW! What a moment!

Have you ever won anything? Well over at Brenda Novak's Online Auction for Diabetes Research you CAN WIN! But only if you BID! She announced over the weekend there were random drawings and those that bid, won some really fun prizes. Congrats to all those eager bidders!

Stop by www.brendanovak.com and start bidding!

WOW! CHECK THIS OUT!!!

Check out the blurb below and if you want to find out more about THE GHOST INSIDE or its author, jj keller, go to www.cobblestonepress.com to be released some time in 2008! I'll post the cover when it becomes available.

BLURB:
The Ames Mansion has been in Jacey Hewson’s family since 1825. Mysterious and foreboding, it’s believed to be haunted. Jacey intends to search, not for ghosts, but for antique swords rumored to be hidden somewhere on the estate and then SELL.
Griff Carpenter runs a tight construction business, but he needs cash to pay off a blackmailer. Griff takes the job to renovate the apocalypse estate. What he didn’t count on was his growing attraction for the new owner. Will Griff find a way to keep Jacey in Cyan? When and if Jacey finds the swords will she be able to tear herself away from Griff's comforting and sexy arms?

Sounds like a great read! And talking about great reads...did you know that Brenda Novak's Online Auction for Diabetic Research has a lot of great stuff for readers to bid on? Scoot on over to www.brendanovak.com and check out all the great gift baskets and books from all of your favorite authors!!

GUEST BLOGGING TODAY!!! STOP BY FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

Hop on over to FANTASY PAGES~ http://fantasy-pages.blogspot.com/ I'm guest blogging over there today...Actually Denyse posted the blog a little early last night while I was at work. I'll be popping in after I crawl out of bed later to check to see who's commented. Everyone who's commented gets his/her name thrown into a hat and I'll have my hubby draw a name out. The lucky winner will win a free-download of my upcoming release from THE WILD ROSE PRESS of THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION!

AND....Don't forget to stop by www.brendanovak.com and bid bid bid....The auction has raised up to $110,000 and I couldn't be more thrilled. Keep the greenbacks rolling on in for diabetes research while spending some of your hard earned cash on something you deserve!!

Talk to you over at Fantasy Pages~ I left you a picture of one of my favorite fantasies! Daniel Craig~my new favorite 007! "OH! JAMES!" LOL

WOW! $83,000 AND COUNTING...

First we'll do some buisness....I want to give a shout out to all who have been busy bidding on Brenda Novak's Online Auction for Diabetes Research. She has already raised $83,000! WHOO HOO! So, keep on going. There are 24 days left to get some FABULOUS PRIZES....and speaking of prizes....LOL...

Check out the 2008 May's Most Beautiful Man! Isn't he HOT? Sad, but he's not up for bid. But get on over to www.brendanovak.com and pick out something special for yourself! The bidding has been pretty competative. A couple of items I have bid on have gone way over my budget. But I haven't given up! There is so much to choose from. Not ony will I get something wonderful I can really use, but the money I'm spending is going for a great cause!

Kathleen

DIABETES MONDAY~CINCO DE MAYO AND DAY 5 OF BRENDA NOVAK'S ONLINE AUCTION FOR DIABETES RESEARCH

Need to get away? Why not Mexico? There are several "Once In A Life Time Experiences" available to bid on over at Brenda Novak's Online Auction For Diabetes Research.

Besides Mexico, there's Lake Tahoe, Hawaii, Wyoming, the Wine Country of Napa Valley, an African Safari....and many many more packages to choose from. So hop on over to www.brendanovak.com and start bidding on these amazing opportunities!

Here are the particulars for the Mexico Beach front package:




Three nights stay in a new Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco), Mexico condo at a resort called Las Palomas, which is right on the beach.

The condo is 1450 square feet with an additional 300 square foot deck overlooking the beach and pool area. It sleeps 7--king in master bedroom; queen in back backroom; single rollaway in back bedroom (can be moved anywhere in the unit) and queen sleeper couch in front room. The deck also has patio furniture and a table to sit outside and eat, read, etc. while listening to the waves. NO SMOKING and NO PETS.

The black out dates are holidays, fall break (1 week in October) and spring break (March). The Hoviks will work with you to reserve 3 nights that work for you and for them.

Retail Price $930 ($310/night on Fri-Sat and $235/night Sun-Thur).

It has beautiful tile throughout the unit; granite counters; floor to ceiling travertine tile in both bathrooms; walk-in showers; large tub in master; full kitchen with all appliances, cookware, dishes, blender, coffee maker, etc.

It also has its own full laundry room with washer/dryer; flat screen HD TV's with built-in DVD players in both bedrooms and the front room ( cable TV receives approximately 20 American channels, including all major networks, CNN, ESPN and some movie channels); a small DVD stereo system and high speed Internet access. The winners will also have maids come each day of their stay. They will take out garbage, make beds and bring clean towels.

The ameneties at the complex are as nice and more extensive than anywhere we have ever stayed. There are currently 4 large pools open, all of them overlooking the Sea of Cortez; 2 lazy rivers; a water slide; 4 large jacuzzis; hammocks; palapas with reclining chairs on the beach; two swim-up bars that also serve food; a first class restaurant; a convenience store; a very nice work-out facility (a second one will open in July); a first class spa (will open in July); and an award winning golf course on site (one of the golf magazines awarded it the international development of the year). And the best amenity of all is the beautiful private sandy beach the resort sits on. Also, unlike California, the Sea of Cortez is warm from April--October.

You can get more information from the Las Palomas website www.laspalomas-sgc.com

Thank you to Attorney Jeff Hovik & Family.

DAY #2~BRENDA NOVAK'S ONLINE AUCTION FOR DIABETES!!

Okay! Day #2 of Brenda Novak's Online Auction for Diabetes is up and running. Have you stopped by to bid? I registered yesterday and it took about a minute to submit my information and get my user id and password to start bidding. Brenda has worked very hard to find something for everyone. The text below is from her website~ www.brendanovak.com:

Do you love a bargain?
Do you get excited about unusual, one-of-a-kind items?
Are you a book lover? A philanthropist? An eBay junkie?
Help bestselling author Brenda Novakmake a difference
in the lives of her son andmillions of others like himwho
live with diabetes by shopping at her Fourth Annual Online
Auction to Benefit Diabetes Research. How does it work?
Just like eBay—except 100% of the proceeds help accelerate
progress in diabetes research!
Visit www.brendanovak.com May 1st –May 31st,
where you can bid on over 1000 items,many of which
can’t be found anywhere else, including:
• A 7 day trip to Hawaii for two, including airfare, hotel, andmore fromAuthor Jane Porter
• A two-night stay in NYTimes Bestselling Author SusanWigg’s guesthouse
• Original Artwork by talented artist Marilyn Sears Bourbon
• A Bookstore/Coffee Shop inMiniature by Anna Stewart
• Website Design and One Year of Hosting & Updates fromCoffee Time Romance & RaeMonet, Inc.
• Several Pieces of Vintage BlueWillow China fromBestselling Author Deborah Smith
• African Safari For Two: Six Romantic Days & Nights You’ll Never Forget
• Your name featured as a character in Brenda Novak’s next novel
• A special flying getaway to the destination of your choice with renowned writer,Margie Lawson

“Help me find a cure for this terrible disease and enjoy yourself while doing it!” – Brenda Novak
www.brendanovak.com

READY, SET....BID!!! GO TO WWW.BRENDANOVAK.COM

I can't believe it! After months of anticipation, Brenda Novak's online auction to raise money for diabetes research is finally here! The steps are so easy. Go to www.brendanovak.com and click on the bright red button that says, "View Auction and Start Bidding". It is that SIMPLE! Browse all the wonderful items that have been donated and find something for a sweet vacation or something that can help your dream of becoming published come true!

The auction runs from May first until May 31st. I have to high tail it over there right now to get my bid in for the prize I've been keeping my eye on. We'll talk more about what types of items are up for bid tomorrow!

Now go BID!