Saturday I leave for Miami to board a cruise ship for a week of fun & sun in the caribbean with three girlfriends. This will be my first foray into that corner of the world and my first time aboard a cruise ship.

Saturday: Fly to Miami
Sunday : Explore Miami
Monday: Set sail aboard the good ship lollipop Carnival Destiny
Tuesday: Nassau – Swim with Stingrays
Wednesday: Half Moon Cay – Snorkel by Boat
Thursday: Grand Turk – Horseback riding and swimming with horses
Friday: Sailing, sailing over the ocean blue
Saturday: fly home

Of course I’m looking for romance novels set in the Caribbean or aboard a cruise ship to take with me!

Can you recommend any of these?

1. BABY BONANZA by Maureen Child (Silhouette Desire, Sept 2008)
   Millionaire owner of cruise line discovers his mistress is pregnant with twins.
   Read ebook FREE for Harlequin 60 year anniversary!
   Recommended by the Book Binge
2. TREASURE by Helen Brenna (Harlequin SuperRomance, No 1408)
   Treasure hunter searches for spanish gold from legendary shipwreck, finds something even more valuable.
   2008 RITA winner best Contemporary Series Romance
3. ISLAND HEAT by Sarah Mayberry
   Former lovers hired to give culinary presentations aboard cruise ship stir up passion in the kitchen and the bedroom. (Mediterranean Nights series is set on cruise ships)
   Recommended by Sayuri (via twitter)
4. THEN YOU HIDE by Roxanne St. Claire
   Heroine searches for missing friend on a cruise ship and through the caribbean, is saved from killers by retired assassin with a secret she doesn’t want to hear. Bullet Catchers book.
   Recommended by Ciaralira
   
5. GOING OVERBOARD by Christina Skye
   Cruise ship photographer saved by undercover Navy SEAL from assassination attempt.
   Recommended by Writers Write
6. THE IRON ROSE by Marsha Canham
   “Gender-bending tale of pirates, spies, and love on the high seas” set in 1610s Caribbean
   Recommended by All About Romance.
7. DAY DREAMER by Jill Marie Landis
   Regency heroine with paranormal skill fakes identity, enters into marriage of convenience with Caribbean-located husband.
   Recommended by All About Romance.
8. NERDS LIKE IT HOT by Vicki Lewis Thompson
   Murder witness hides on single-nerd caribbean cruise and tries to resist a “titanic attraction” to her bodyguard.
   VLT spoke at RWA San Fran last summer, but I haven’t read any of her books.
9. CARIBBEAN CRUISING by Rachel Hawthorne (AKA Lorraine Heath)
   On a Caribbean cruise, eighteen-year-old Lindsay’s to-do list includes having a one night stand, but when her wealthy new stepfather introduces his gorgeous godson as her traveling buddy, things become complicated. (Young Adult)
10. A PIRATE OF HER OWN by Kinley MacGregor (AKA Sherrilyn Kenyon)
    American revolutionary buccaneer kidnaps rebellious virginal miss. Kenyon’s first novel!
    What better place to read about pirates than the Caribbean? (I’ve read it)
11. PRINCESS CHARMING by Jane Heller
    “What do you get when you put three divorced women and one desperate hit man on a ship bound for the aquamarine waters of the Caribbean?”
12. ONLY WITH YOUR LOVE by Lisa Kleypas
    A bodice-ripping pirate and the virgin who tames his wild heart.
    I read this one. It was very silly. I think I gave it three hearts.
13. MIDNIGHT MOON by Lori Handeland
    Grieving mother searches for Voodoo priest who can raise the dead in dangerous jungles of Haiti, discovers shape-shifters and monsters. (Nightcreatures Book 5)

First Impressions: A city of lights, of fast moving people and colorful umbrellas, active streetscapes and efficient mass transit. A relentlessly modern metropolis of towering office buildings. Tiny snatches of history tucked in convenient corners. A fashionable shopper’s paradise where my no-nonsense shoes and bright green gortex jacket stood out like a beacon of uncool among polished black boots and sleek black peacoats. Wet asphalt, cloudy skies and drizzle–just like home. In many ways it felt like New York to me, just as big and crowded and incomprehensible. Rushing, well-dressed people on cellphones packing into small boxcars to be whirled through space. Each alone in a crowd.

Unlike New York, Tokyo is clean. I could eat off the pavement. People are infinitely polite and welcoming despite my inability to communicate. How could I ever feel homesick in a city with so many Starbucks? By pointing I ordered my hot tall mocha with whipped cream, unable to say “short” or “non-fat,” but still comfortingly familiar.

Food, as usual, was a problem. I envy my husband’s ability to order the unknown. “What’s good?” he asks if he speaks the language. He points to a random item on the menu if he doesn’t and savors the adventure. I am a vegetarian. Ovo-lacto. No meat. No seafood. Perhaps with a time machine I would enjoy Tokyo cuisine in the 1800′s, before the carnivores overthrew the Buddhist vegetarians. Fish is a staple of the Japanese diet. Tofu became my constant companion. Boiled, steamed and fried. Freshly solidified silken soy that made me think of toothless babies and geriatrics.

Eventually I gave up and embraced the barbarians. Pizza is king.

But it was, as always, the experience that matters. Stepping outside my comfort zone. Trying new things. I don’t have to fall in love with traditional cuisine to have been stretched and strengthened by my time abroad.

Our trip began in the sleek Ebisu neighborhood, which rekindled my dormant city planning dreams. The walkable streets! The high density mixed use! The efficient, effective subway system! The vibrant urban landscape! I saw all the ideals of textbook Smart Growth brought to life. Not a blighted building or trash-strewn alley to be seen.

We visited the Tokyo National Museum‘s permanent exhibit on Japanese art through history. Ryan ogled the calligraphy, claiming that no other culture had such an art of lettering. I disagreed of course. Hasn’t he heard of the Book of Kells? I was more attracted to the samurai armor and wished to see more on Washi, the art of paper making. Ueno Park, where the National Museum and others are located on acres of tree-lines paths, would be beautiful to visit in the spring. Someday I hope to return to see the cherry blossums.

After a dinner of more Tofu than you could ever possibly eat, we took the subway to Shibuya. Often called “the Times Square of Tokyo,” Shibuya is known for it’s bright lights and rushing people. The busiest pedestrian intersection in the world is located here, with a Starbucks overlooking it. The photo is from a different busy intersection nearby.

Part I: more photos on facebook

Part II: Minakami

Part III: return to Tokyo

On Wednesday I leave for my first foray to Asia and a tantalizing taste of Japan. After two days in Tokyo, Mr. Wonderful and I will board a train into the mountains to the town of Minakami in Gunma-ken. We are staying in a traditional Japanese bed and breakfast (Ryokan) at a hot springs. No internet for four days! Returning to Tokyo, I will explore solo for a few days while Mr. Wonderful presents at a conference.

I would love suggestions on what to see and do and am looking for recommendations of romance novels set in Japan.

I enjoy reading romance novels set in the country to which I’m traveling, but in this instance I can hardly find any. Help! Yes, I’ve read Memoirs of a Geisha. Google has suggested the following. Has anyone read any of these?

Ice Blue by Anne Stuart

The Last Concubine by Lesley Downer

(From The Guardian, book nominated for Romantic Novel of the Year) The Last Concubine has been described as “Gone with the Wind set in Japan”. Through the tale of a concubine chosen by a young shogun who is rescued by a rebel warrior, Downer chronicles Japan’s extraordinary change from a medieval to a modern country over just a few years in the 19th century. It is Downer’s first novel although she has written a number of books about Japan and its culture.

According to Downer, “I grew up with Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice and hugely enjoyed creating a romantic world of my own. I found it utterly gripping to write about a society which has no concept of romantic love. It made it all the clearer what a powerful and primeval force love is.”

Anna and the King of Dragons by Karen Harbaugh

(from All About Romance) Fantasy Romance (1650s Japan): Anna Vanderzee is a Dutch woman, trained in the healing arts, who has been living in Japan for several years with her scholar parents. When they are suddenly killed in an accident, she finds herself almost penniless and alone in a country that doesn’t trust foreigners. Deep in the forest where she has gone to privately grieve, she meets a scholarly dragon who gives her gold coins in exchange for some of her father’s books. Leaving the forest, she is set upon by bandits and saved by a samurai, Nakagawa-sama, who becomes her friend and protector. As her relationship with both samurai and dragon deepens, she becomes more reluctant to return to the Netherlands, but is there a future for her in Japan?

Pure Silk by Susan Johnson

(from Barnes & Noble review) Disguise, intrigue, danger, and pleasure mingle dangerously in this sexy romance set in 19th-century Japan by New York Times–bestselling author Susan Johnson. The story begins as Tama, the princess of Otari, is forced to flee after her father is killed and his forces defeated. Disguised as a peasant boy, Tama hides in the city’s pleasure quarter, where she finds Captain Hugh Drummond, who agrees tol take her to Paris. In return for his assistance, Tama will pay him with the only currency she has — pleasure — but those sensual hours are eclipsed by Tama’s desperate need to escape her enemies. The developing romance between this most unlikely and spirited couple will delight Johnson’s many fans, and the exotic historical setting is a wonderful bonus.

Delightfully unusual, beautiful weather made for a weekend of great hiking on Mount Rainier, the fifth oldest National Park in the Nation. My family and I stayed in the historic Paradise Inn, built in 1917. Saturday, we hiked to Panorama Point and Sunday to Reflection Lake. Here are two of my favorite photos from the trip. Above is Mount Rainier and Reflection Lake. Usually photographers get up at dawn to take photos here when the pond is smooth. Dawn and I are not on speaking terms, so I hiked out in the middle of the day to snap a pic. The photo below is Paradise Inn with Mount Rainier in the background.

In other, romance-related news, I have more Desert Island Interviews to post from the Powell’s book signing, including video interviews with Lacy Danes and Meljean Brook and print interviews with Delilah Marvelle, Samantha James and Alexis Morgan. You can check out past interviews by clicking the category in the sidebar. A little background on the interviews (from Wikipedia):

Desert Island Discs is a long-running BBC Radio 4 programme. It was first broadcast on 29 January 1942 and is said by the Guinness Book of Records to be the longest-running music programme in the history of radio. Guests are invited to imagine themselves castaways on a desert island, and to choose eight pieces of music to take with them; discussion of their choices permits a review of their life. Aside from music, they are permitted one book, excluding the Bible or other religious work and the complete works of Shakespeare, which are already present on the island to force more original choices.

Here in Seattle the local radio station The Mountain (103.7 FM) continues this tradition by playing listeners’ 3 Desert Island Disks in a row. This is the impetus for asking authors what their top 6 books would be if they were stranded on a desert island. To paraphrase The Mountain:

You’re stranded on a deserted island. It’s just you, the surf, the sand and three CDs six books. Remember – you’ll be listening to reading these CD’s books (and pulling sand crabs from your trousers) for the rest of time. Which three six would you choose to have with you? Luckily you don’t have to be stranded on a desert island to participate, but it is encouraged…

I hope you enjoy reading/watching them as much as I enjoy conducting the interviews. Please check out the other place I blog, the cadre of witty and voracious romance readers at the Desert Island Keeper Ladies Rule!, for tons more author interviews, givaways and pictures of hawt heroes.

Colorado

Today I met Shannon and she toured me around her great city. We saw Millenium Park (a city planner’s dream!), drooled over the new romance novels at the Chicago Public Library (sooo many!!!), ate popcorn at Garretts (yum!), and ate lunch at the Chicago Diner (a vegi/vegan institution!). The grande finale: A trip to Shannon’s local used bookstore that is (sniff) going out of business. We left with armfuls of great, cheap finds. Whoot!

My treasure pile:

1. Naked in Death by J.D. Robb – In Death book #1: finally I’ll see for myself how fabulous Roarke is. My expectations are high. MaryKate snagged him first on the DIK hero round robin! KatieBabs lovely Haiku:
   Eve and Roarke have fun
   Having sex and solving crimes
   JD Robb is great!
2. Saving Grace by Julia Garwood (rec’d by Shannon)
3. Wolf at the Door by Christine Warren (the Others, book 1: rec’d by Bridget)
4. Tempting Danger by Eileen Wilks (Liked her short in On the Prowl)
5. Cover of Night by Linda Howard (Shannon has been pimping Linda Howard’s Mr. Perfect, but since they didn’t have that one, she rec’d this.)
6. Kitty and the Midnight Hour (pimped by Thea – read her review)
7. This Time Love by Elizabeth Lowell (secret babies!)
8. You Slay Me by Katie MacAlister (I already own this – so I bought one for a BLOG GIVAWAY!)

I also finally broke down and bought on this trip Twilight by Stephanie Meyers, because Naida listed it as one of her Desert Island Keepers. I have no idea why I’ve waited so long.

This week I’m in the Windy City, trying to make myself write while Mr. Wonderful is at a conference. I’m about to hit two big milestones: 200 pages and 60,000 words. Whoot! Tomorrow I’m going to meet my blogging friend Shannon, who blogs at What Women Read and DIK Ladies Rule!. She is going to give me a tour of Millennium Park, the delights of Chicago, and her favorite bookstore (Yay!). I’m really looking forward to gushing about our favorite books! Shannon stole Adam Hauptman from me in the DIK Hero Round Robin, so I’ve been sharpening my nails to steal him back. Watch out Shannon – I’m coming for him!

I read Nalini Singh‘s 2nd Psy/Changelings Book Visions of Heat (great!) on the airplane and brought two books set in Chicago with me.

Title: Storm Front
Author: Jim Butcher
Series: The Dresden Files, Book 1
Publisher: Roc, April 2000
Genre: Urban Fantasy

This will be my first full-length novel by Butcher. I enjoyed his short in My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon, which also featured Harry Dresden and his dog.

Synopsis: “The novels of the Dresden Files have become synonymous with action-packed urban fantasy and non-stop fun. Storm Front is Jim Butcher’s first novel and introduces his most famous and popular character-Harry Dresden, wizard for hire.

For his first case, Harry is called in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with the blackest of magic. At first, the less-than-solvent Harry’s eyes light up with dollar signs. But where there’s black magic, there’s a black mage. Now, that black mage knows Harry’s name. And things are about to get very…interesting.”

Or, in Haiku:

Cynical Wizard
solves magic crimes in Chi-town
with his awesome dog.

Title: It Had to be You
Author: Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Series: Chicago Stars, Book 1
Publisher: HarperCollins, March 2002
Genre: Contemporary Romance

I’ve read almost all of the Chicago Stars books (out of order, I know) and loved them. SEP is speaking at the RWA Conference in San Fran in July and my critique partner told me she’s not to be missed. What do you think of this cover??? I can’t think of another romance cover quite like it. Usually covers have pictures of half-nekid men.

Synopsis: “The Windy City isn’t quite ready for Phoebe Somerville — the outrageous, curvaceous New York knockout who has just inherited the Chicago Stars football team. And Phoebe is definitely not prepared for the Stars’ head coach Dan Celebow, a sexist jock taskmaster with a one-track mind. Celebow is everything Phoebe abhors.”

Or in Haiku:

Blond bimbo takes on
stubborn alpha football coach.
Opposites attract.

All About Romance has a search engine that allows one to search by location setting. Chicago turned out these books:

• The Firebrand by Susan Wiggs
• The Mistress by Susan Wiggs
• The Hostage by Susan Wiggs
• Wild at Heart by Patricia Gaffney
• The Savage Heart by Diana Palmer

Has anyone read any of these? What did you think?

County Kerry is “as close as you’ll get to the mythical Ireland,” according to the Lonely Planet Guidebook. An’ sure it is: a beautiful land of green fields, sheep and gorse, ancient rock walls, with purple mountains hovering in the distance. One can almost imagine behind the fog lie the shimmering gates of Tir na nog. The countryside is what I imagined Ireland would look like – rocky. It is an unforgiving land

Killarney is a lovely town, bustling with colorful shops and pubs, sure to be crawling with tourists in the summer. We enjoyed our stay, but will stay further off the beaten track on our next trip to the Emerald Isle. Our B&B, while the “best pick” of Lonely Planet, blared Enya through the hallways. One of the restaurants showed Riverdance on repeat. If I worked in Killarney, surely I would go mad.

Kerry is home of Killarney National Park, the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks, and the tallest mountain in the country Carrauntoohil. Our hiking guidebook is Carrauntoohil & MacGillycuddy’s Reeks: A Walking Guide to Ireland’s Highest Mountains by Jim Ryan. Our first day in Killarney we hiked part of walk #17: Caher from the Lack Road. With a hunk of good Dingle Cheddar and some crackers, we were good to go. It was steep, but we had pleasant weather and the sheep kept us company. The lambs are in abundance – just as cute as can be. Ryan had to ruin it by ordering lamb stew for dinner, but I, as a vegetarian, can coo all I want over the little fluff balls.

Thursday we hiked the Gap of Dunloe, along a tarmac road. The weather held off for the most part, but we never did find the path up the mountain. Some of the hiking trails are well marked and others are not. On an abandoned cottage I saw my name graffitied for the very first time – thrilling! The road took us over picturesque stone bridges and along blue mountain lakes. It was grand. Next time we will rent bikes in Killarney and bike through the Gap and take a boat ride along the lakes. A jaunting car (aka a horse-drawn buggy) can be hired to traverse the Gap as well.

Friday we climbed the highest mountain in Ireland via the Devil’s Ladder. The thing is appropriately named. I thought for sure if the rocks didn’t kill me, the wind would. It was cold. It was steep. It was intense. It was foggy at the top and the view was obscured. But the company was fine and I felt good having made the climb. Climb every mountain, and all that. Whoot! I even saw a green bunny. It’s Ireland, isn’t it, so why ever not? It matched the mossy grass exactly. I wouldn’t have seen it if I hadn’t almost stepped on the poor wee thing.