After a string of Death Valley Days in television programming, we hit the trifecta tonight with Survivor, Grey’s Anatomy AND Men in Trees. Woo hoo! If you haven’t given Men in Trees a shot, as a romance reader, I’m telling you, you are SO missing out. It’s a bit on the quirky side, which is part of its endearing charm, but the writers on this show are completely unapologetic about making it all about relationships. Funny, quirky, endearing, sweet, and did I mention hot and sexy? Yeah. Jack. You should really know Jack. Who needs Dr McDreamy or McSteamy when you have Jack? Even better, now you can get all of them on one night!

Don’t forget to vote in this week’s SHaQ Attack contest. Even if you don’t watch Survivor or Amazing Race, you can still guess from the list I posted on Wednesday’s blog. Both shows are coming waaaaaay too close to the end and then we’ll really be in Death Valley Days. I guess American Idol will begin, and every season I say that I’m just not into it, and I don’t watch all the horror auditions, and then, mostly due to there being nothing else on, I get sucked in. Sigh. I have a feeling this year will be no different. We’ll see.

In the meantime, I’m reading, reading, reading, catching up on that tottering To Be Read pile. Currently reading both Last Bite, a culinary love story written by Nancy Verde Barr, who used to be the executive food prep person for Julia Child, and British Bad Boys by Nancy Warren. On my Just Purchased Pile is A Wonderfully Sexy Life by Hope Tarr, which is the most recent Extreme Blaze and her first contemporary.

What are you reading? What’s on your Must Buy list? I’m MOST excited by the fact that Susan Elizabeth Phillips has a new hardcover coming out in Feburary! Woo hoo!!! This one featuring bad boy football star Dean Robillard as the hero. I just wrote a blog over on Brava recently about sports guy heroes. I am planning to do that myself and asked what kind of sports hero you’d like to see featured in a book. So tell me already! I’m still plotting that one.

Happy Thursday everyone…see you tomorrow for some Survivor MAC. Cannot WAIT to see how Aitu hangs in there tonight! Keep your fingers cross for my little tribe inside a tribe.

Tags: Writing by Donna
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Since this is a short SHaQ Attack Week, I’ll go easy on ya. We’ll play Who Goes Home This Week. You can send an email to donna@donnakauffman.com with Buh Bye! in the subject line and your guess on who gets voted off the island or Philiminated from the Raaaace in your note. I know some of ya don’t watch, so I’ve included a handy list for you to choose from. See below. You can send your guesses together or separately, but each one must be in to me before that show airs. Winner will be chosen from all correct entries and announced Monday morning.

So…on Survivor (which is Thursday night, 8pm EST) you can choose between:
Yul, Ozzy, Becky, Sundra, Jonathan, Candice, Adam, Parvati.

On Amazing Race, (which airs Sunday, 8pm EST) you can choose between:
Moddicts (Tyler/James), BQ’s (Dustin/Kandice), Romberly (Rob/Kimberly), *lyns (Karlyn/Lyn)

Good luck!

And for all who have won past books, the last batch is going in the mail today, so if by, say, next Monday, you still haven’t received a book you’ve won from me, please let me know so I can check my list and make sure you weren’t inadvertantly omitted.

I’m still going through Dance Withdrawal. But at least Men in Trees comes back tomorrow night! (After Grey’s Anatomy. What a twofer!) Definitely my most favorite show. Such a feel good series, and you get Jack. What’s not to love?

Happy Hump Day everyone!

Tags: Writing by Donna
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…a day late with my MAC. Sorry for the delay! But my DSL is up and running…and so are the teams on Amazing Raaace.

But first, a word about Phil’s Pants. The jeans? Wear them often, Phil. Or, you know, not at all.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled MAC.

With the Cho Bro’s leaving last week, we are down to our final four teams. Hard to believe, isn’t it? Where has the time gone anyway? Sniff.

So, the Moddicts, BQ’s, Romberly, and the *lyns all head toward Morocco and Casablanca. (I really like the places they’ve gone this season! Very different.) After some airport screwups, they all manage to get to their destination at the same time anyway. Everyone takes off, but not as fast as the BQ’s, who have become pros at hiring people to show them where to go. However, it is the Bama girls, who took the time to actually, you know, read a map while waiting for their flight, who know where to go and find the antique shop with the first clue before the rest of the teams.

You know, I thought they had a better race in them, and in that respect, I’m glad to see I’m right. But, unfortunately, Karlyn is such a sour puss of a person, with a seriously entitled attitude, that I just can’t find myself rooting for them. Lyn, I could root for, but ditch the teammate. So, they get the clue while everyone else circles what appears to be a not great part of town. Also bugging me? That the only remaining men on the race use the BQ’s to find where they’re going, but as soon as they look like they’re in trouble - and I mean real trouble as a gang of guys in the middle of the night descend on their car, they all take off. Seriously was not impressed with that. (Yes, I know the BQ’s had a cameraman with them, but still. They lose major guy points on that one. You don’t leave women anywhere who look like they’re about to be assaulted. Especially women you were just using to help you get ahead. I don’t care if it’s a race. What’s wrong with you?)

So, the *lyns have a huge lead and are off toward a movie studio set in the desert…and there is a yield coming up. Which Karlyn talks about incessantly, how she cannot WAIT to use this yield because they really really need any help they can get on this race. And she is particularly excited about the chance to use it on the BQ’s as payback for all her perceived wrongs at their hands during the race. No love loss between these teams.

Of course, Romberly and the Moddicts are also desiring to yield the BQ’s to get an edge. (Funny that the Moddicts automatically assumed when they saw a clue gone at the antique shop,that it was the BQ’s who’d gotten there first. Couldn’t possibly be the *lyns. But NO Moddicts, you left the BQ’s to get mauled, remember? So it couldn’t be them, could it?)

So….the *lyns are allllll excited to yield and they ran the best leg so far and if I were them, I’d yield the consistantly first place team, too….but no, the studios aren’t open until morning. Amazing Race producers? You’ve done an outstanding job this season, really, but you don’t put a yield behind an “hours of operation” location where instead of favoring teams who worked hard to gain an edge and therefore deserving of using the yield, you make it a footrace of the fittest when the location opens for business. Bad Racing Producers, Bad.

And, because the *lyns can’t run, the Moddicts and Romberly get to the yield first, where they both, completely inexplicably, do not do the *lyns dirty work for them and do not use the yield. Do not get that. So the BQ’s out footrace the *lyns…aaaaaand they yield them. Now, I know the *lyns have been perennially in the back of the pack, and it might seem to some that yielding the last place team doesn’t make any sense and is just done for spite, but A: the *lyns were in first place at that location, and B: with only 4 teams left and you’re in 3rd? You do whatever you have to, to widen your edge. It’s a RACE. But does Karlyn get that? Um, definitely not. After just spending a good hour chanting about karma being a bitch and how she couldn’t wait to yield the BQ’s, she is incensed, y’all, in-censed, that they would DARE to, you know, make this a race and do anything strategic like, oh, I don’t know, yield somebody.

To Karlyn, this is just plain mean-spirited and cruel, and completely unfair and boy, she sure hopes the BQ’s can sleep at night. (Pot? Hello, Pot?) Then she does something sure to make her children proud. You know, the children she is running this race for? Yeah. She flips the BQ’s off. To Lyn’s ever-loving credit, she chastises Karlyn and tells her that was “ugly.” Go, Lyn. Your partner is not a pleasant woman. In fact, she is the definition of buzz kill. I get the feeling that Lyn has always known that Karlyn isn’t the most pleasant person on the planet, but I’m guessing this race has really opened her eyes to just how small minded and mean spirited a person she really is. It has me, and I don’t even know her.

So…on to the Roadblock. Which is kind of cool, as one member of each team dons desert robes and headdresses and heads out onto the studio lot where movies like Cleopatra were filmed to go on a chariot race with some stunt people. One chariot falls apart, sending stuntmen flying, which makes our teams gasp and pray that won’t be their chariot. Oh, Race Producers, I do love you.

Team members grab flags as they race around the track and, one by one, as the *lyns watch from their yield mat, the teams complete the Roadblock. As they finish, the *lyns get on the course where a very pissed off Karlyn snatches those flags down, y’all. Snatches. Was it just me, or do you think she envisioned long blond hair attached to those things?

So, off the teams go, racing toward the next clue, which will get them to the Detour. The BQ’s, without anyone to hire to lead them places, actually have a very bad navigational race, starting all the way back at the first airport. It hasn’t hurt them yet, but the law of averages finally catches up to them and they lose major time by not reading maps or following directions.

Rob, on the other hand, proves there is no law of averages when it comes to having cars that constantly break down. Now, Karlyn makes a comment as they pass by that if the cars keep breaking down, maybe it’s the driver, but in this case, it’s a flat tire. Hardly the driver’s fault. Although…otherwise? She might have a point. (Hate to say.) Rob does seem to consistently have a LOT of problems driving cars. I don’t think he really can drive a stick. So they work on that as all the other teams pass by…and now, a flat tire has done more than a yield to change the order of the racers. (Delete. The. Yield. racing producers.)

The roadblock consists of two tasks - grind it, which is all about grinding olives and stuffing them in sacks. Or throw it, which is all about making pottery. Which excites James until he realizes they dont’ actually get to, you know, throw the pots. They have to make them. Oh. Not as exciting for James. Each task has three stations set up (with 4 teams racing) and it’s first come, first serve. And though teams initially set out for different tasks, everyone ends up grinding olives. Including a directionally challenged BQ team who gets there last, and rather than go throw pots, they wait. Not sure that was such a great idea.

From the olive grinding, it’s a race to Phil and the Amazing Bathmat of Philimination. The *lyns get there just behind the Moddicts, who have to race allll the way back to their car to get the amulet they were told to bring with them from the antique shop…but because the *lyns can’t run to save their lives (or win a million dollars) the Moddicts beat them back to the mat for another first place finish. The *lyns are in second - which, with starting in last AND having a yield? Is pretty damn impressive. And I am impressed. And reallllly wish I could root for them more whole heartedly. But Karlyn? You are a nasty piece of work. I just can’t get in your corner. Lyn? You have all my sympathy.

Romberly gets there third, which leaves the BQ’s shockingly in last place. I’m sure Karlyn is just overjoyed at how karma has Shown Them. BUT! Because Karma really is an amusing gal, the BQ’s get a Non Elimination speech from Phil and are now a Marked Team. (And if ever a marked team could make up time, it’s these two. One bad leg doesn’t diminish their strength as racers.)

But again, at the risk of really whining…what is the point of having a yield on a non-elimination leg? Pointless.

So! Next week? Lyn cracks and goes off on Karlyn as every man, woman, and beauty queen in America stands and cheers. I’ll tune in for that alone. But no, it’s a double header of screeching when Kimberly melts down completely. Of course, she’s being pelted with tomatoes by locals, so can you blame her? Why aren’t they throwing them at Karlyn?

It’s now a race for the final three….and I have no idea who I’m really rooting for now. I think that I kind of have to get behind the Moddicts. Not that they’re just this great team who I love, but they don’t race dirty, they’re usually helpful to others, they don’t say snarky things other than with obvious amusement, they get along with each other, treat each other pretty well, especially as it’s late in the race and that million dollars is Right. There. now, they seem to understand it’s a race and not take anything personally, and they seem to really be enjoying themselves and the adventure they’re on. Can’t say that 100% about the other teams. I have pros and cons for each of them. So, sort of by default, they deserve it. I guess. Sigh.

Oh! And in Other News….they have already started filming the next season of Amazing Race, which is to air in March. And? Its an All Star version! Hunh. We’ll see how that works out.

Who do you want to win this season?

SHaQ Attack contest begins tomorrow! Tune in then for the details.

Tags: Writing by Donna
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Technical difficulties here! Blog will resume tomorrow. Sorry!!

Tags: Writing by Donna
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Well, for the first time in my life, rather than be on the spending end of Black Friday, I will be on the other side of the counter working today. If I’m not blogging on Monday, you’ll know I didn’t survive it. In years past, I have been one of those five a.m. risers who go out and tackle the sales. It’s been fun, complete with middle of the night, fortifying breakfasts at IHOP to get in gear. But not this year. This year, however, not one, but both of my sons are out there as I type this morning, being the good friends and boyfriends that they are, doing the same thing I used to do. They have no idea what they’ve gotten themselves into. It both warms my heart and amuses me to no end.

As promised, I have a little Survivor MAC for ya this morning….and just how incredibly satisfying was last night’s episode, huh? Mighty dang satisfying if I do say so myself, and indeedy I do. My little Aitu Tribe That Could just kept on rollin’ along. I love it. Love. It.

So, at the reward challenge, they merge. (See, you stupid Candice and Jonathan, all you had to do was wait three stinkin’ days, but noooo…..instead you mutinied and created one of the strongest bonded tribes in Survivor history.) BUT, Raro is feeling all smug and powerful because, even with losing two last week, they are still one up in numbers coming into the merge at 5 to 4. So my little Pocket Sized Aitu is still the underdog. The difference is, they know it and immediately work to change things up. (Unlike Raro, who, even after losing how many challenges in a row, does nothing back at camp to try and change things up, despite being given a role model in Jonathan - of all people. I know.)

Yul, whose children I would gladly bear, and I’m so past that point in life, that is really saying something right there, realizes that his tribe’s only chance is if he wields the one piece of power he owns, the hidden immunity idol. (Terry from last season? THIS is how you use the idol as a strategic tool. No, I’m still not over your stupidity, Terry. I hope you are watching.) I was a little concerned when Ozzy renewed his friendship with the incredibly self important Nate, and Yul is still all believing that nothing can come between his bonded little tribe, but my fears were soon put to rest.

Yul tells his Mighty Mighty Aitu’s that he has the idol and plans to switch up the game by using it to bribe one of the Raro’s back over. Ozzy initially considers Nate, but Yul and Becky strategize and realize their best bet is Jonathan. (Scary when he is your best bet, but there it is.) Given his outsider status on Raro, even though he betrayed them once before, Yul believes he can force Jonathan to switch back to their side. Of course, this will alienate Jonathan from everyone on the island, but he’s already on borrowed time as it is, and he knows it. When Yul rightfully points out that he’ll be final two material as the most hated player, Jonathan realizes this might be his only chance at making any sizable bank. (Runner up gets 100K - not chump change and better than say, fifth place, which is where he’s headed now with his Raro tribe.) Of course, do I really think Yul would overthrow his tribemates and take Jonathan to the end? Prolly not. He’s very Cho Brothers like that, but the difference is, unlike the Chos, he actually, you know, raaaaaaaces in the meantime. Love Yul.

So…now we get to the Immunity Challenge and as soon as I see it’s a “cling to the pole the longest” challenge, I know Ozzy has it in the bag. Which proves to be true, although Candice does give him a run (and who knew she had madd pole clinging skillz?) Anyway - so now the Raro tribe, who were all about voting out Ozzy, switch their target to Yul.

In the meantime, Yul commits to swinging Jonathan as his only hope of keeping all four Aitu’s in the game another week, and just has to pray that J does the right thing. Or at least the more right thing, because someone gets betrayed no matter how he swings. Poor J, except, you know, you dug your own grave when you hopped after Candice, dude. Still, all kinds of credit to Jonathan for still even being in the game. The man is playing this game very hard. He should just do it a lot more silently than he does.

We are shown throughout the show how his Raro tribe continues to not so much as try to help themselves and his disgust with his own teammates, who are not looking like the brightest allies on the planet, or, in fact, the entire solar system, galaxies even, grows by leaps and bounds. Suddenly re-aligning with Aitu is looking better and better. Yul shows him the Immunity Idol and Jonathan bargains that, instead of voting for him as a backup plan (in case he doesn’t swing, then when Yul uses his idol, he’d go home as the person with the next highest number of votes) they vote out Nate instead. Instead of J or Adam, who J feels he owes at least a little to as he feels it was Adam (or Adumb as I like to call him) and Candice that he’s still there. Oh, J, I bet you are at home now feeling soooo silly for your allegiance to those two, who you now know were gunning for you from the moment you mutineed. Still, they were part of why he is still there, as opposed to say, Nate, who was gunning for Jonathan and is his biggest threat. So his request does make sense.

The scary thing for Aitu is they have to vote for Nate…and if J doesn’t swing, then they’ve inadvertantly saved him yet again. The deal is, 4 votes from Aitu for Nate, 5 votes for Yul from Raro. Yul plays his immunity idol, Nate goes home as the second highest vote getter, and Jonathan is on their side. Done this way, no one on Raro will think anyone has flipped, as all five voted in a pack for Yul. Only Aitu will know they have J on their side.

But, of course, this isn’t how it goes down, because Raro, not exactly rocket scientists, despite the fact that both Candice and Parvati apparently have brains given the degrees hanging on their walls, can’t even fathom that something else could happen. Aaaaaanyway (oh, and how cute was Yul’s discussion of mass while clinging to that pole? Sexiest geek ever, our Yul. Somehow I doubt he’ll be hurting for dates.) so before tribal, Jonathan is still struggling with his decision, so he decides to run a “scenario” by his tribe, who are all wanting to gun for Yul, now that Oz has the immunity necklace. Jonathan mentions that, hey, you know, what if he has the idol, maybe we should at least consider that, as a possible scenario, what would happen if he had the idol and consider voting Sundra or Becky instead.

Alas, not only will they not change their minds, they collectively refuse to even consider that Yul could possibly have the idol as he was only on Exile Island for one stinkin day. Whereas they’ve been there numerous times (because you keep LOSING…and maybe here’s the reason WHY) and never found it. Now, did they possibly consider that the reason they didn’t find it is because Yul, one of the first out there, found it right off? Sigh. No, of course not. Remember, this is the same brilliant guy talking about mass and elephants while pole clinging, and who you want to vote out because he is so freaking brilliant AND physically strong. But no, he couldn’t possibly have the idol, not Yul. Sigh. So, without being able to sway his tribe and realizing, perhaps, just how incredibly dim they truly are, Jonathan makes his decision.

But we don’t know this until tribal council. And neither does Aitu. It’s a nail biter! So, everyone votes…and Aitu keeps up its end of the deal, all 4 votes going to Nate. Raro does as narrow-mindedly planned, and all votes go to Yul. All but the final vote…which? Goes to Nate. 5-4 Nate goes home…and the immunity idol is still in Yul’s hand!

HA! Not ONLY did Aitu save themselves, AND recruit a switchvote, but they still have the idol? How can you not love this team? Oh my!

However, by casting his vote for Nate, Jonathan seals his doom with Raro, who know now that he betrayed them. Well, once a mutineer and all that. Of course, Jonathan is banking on aligning himself with the guy with the idol as his number 2, but that’s pretty much the only hope he has in this game at this point anyway. And don’t forget, Richard Hatch was evil and they all ended up voting for him, so I think J hopes he still has an outside chance at winning the whole thing based on superior game play. And…who knows. His team is dumb as a collective box of rocks, who knows who they’ll vote for.

Nate? Predictably Not Happy with his ouster, calling J all kinds of names in his very satisfying as-the-credits-roll rant. Satisfying for me anyway, as I laughed and laughed. Dumb Nate. (Who, mind you, just betrayed not one, but two of his very own alliance members in the last tribal council, whereas J only booted a guy who has been openly gunning for him since he joined his group. Yeah, pot? Meet a big ol kettle.) And it looks like there are a number of pot-kettle meetings on the schedule next week when Candice needs to buy a clue. And maybe Parvati needs to realize that she might want to consider, oh, I don’t know, playing the game for herself now that it’s 3 to freaking 5 against her. The looks on Adumb, Candice, and Parvati’s faces when Nate’s torch was snuffed? Best. Moment. Evah. HA!

I can’t remember when I’ve enjoyed a season more.

So…with that most satisfyin MAC, it’s time to award my own prize this week. Our SHaQ Attack this week was simple - everyone who replied to any blog had a shot this week, with the winner getting an advance copy of The Great Scot. And the winning blog babe is? Melissa! (MelJ) Woo hoo!!!!

Tune in Monday for a new SHaQ Attack…and if you’re out there braving the hoards, be safe and score the big deals! Me, I think I’m going to have some pumpkin pie for breakfast….

Tags: Writing by Donna
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I just wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving to all the Blog Babes out there and let you know that I am truly thankful for your enthusiasm, smiles, and support. I started this blog on January 1st of this year with no real idea of what shape it would take. I just let it evolve in whatever direction it naturally seemed to go, feeding off of your responses and interests. Who knew it would end up being MAC Central? Or that we’d have weekly SHaQ Attack contests? It’s been a blast for me. Thank you all so much for joining me in my little corner of the web each weekday. I’m looking forward to continuing our daily gabfest here.

Tune in tomorrow for some Survivor MAC….and the winner of this week’s SHaQ Attack for an advance copy of my Hot Scot.

Have a safe and tasty holiday!

(And for all my Canadian and worldwide Blog Babes who aren’t celebrating today, hey, have an extra scoop of ice cream and join us in spirit! I’m pretty sure it’s calorie free then.)

Tags: Writing by Donna
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Countdown to Turkey Day. 24 hours and counting, so I thought I’d give you guys a break. For a few minutes anyway. So back away from breaking up break crumbs or crushing cranberries, prop up your feet…and meet my Great Scot.

“How good are you at hiking?”

Erin looked down at her shoes, which were comfortable lace ups, but far from hiking boots. “Not much on traction,” she said, “and I’m kind of fond of these.” She glanced at him and smiled in the face of his obvious anticipation. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear he was maybe a little excited. Or nervous. Or something. It was that something that made her smile broaden. Whatever on earth could make the Great Scot nervous was something she had to see. “What the hell. I can always buy another pair if I trash these, right?”

He nodded in approval, then gestured for her to go in front of him.

“I don’t know where I’m going. Why don’t you lead?”

He pointed. “See that trail there, angling off by that split tree trunk? We’re headed that way.” He stepped up behind her, making her quite aware he was in her personal space again.

Just as she was quite aware she did nothing to move herself out of it, either.

“I’d go first,” he added, a teasing note clear in his tone this time, “but you have this alarming habit of stumbling about. Best I stay behind ye, in case you need catching.”

She shifted just enough to look up at him over her shoulder. His eyes were crinkling at the corners. Probably the sun. But maybe not.

“What?” he asked, making her realize she was staring.

“When was the last time you laughed? Really laughed?” The words were out of her mouth before the thought had even completed itself.

“Far too long ago, I’m certain. I’ve been busy.”

She turned to face him. “Since when did busy and laughter become mutually exclusive?”

“Good point. I have no idea.”

“Before, when you lived in the city, were you happier?”

The question seemed to surprise him. “Since when was happiness measured by laughter?”

“How would you measure it?”

“Fulfillment. Contentment.”

She nodded. “Valid. So, were you? Fulfilled and content?”

“At times. Never completely, but then that’s what provides the drive necessary to fight on, does it not? Are you?”

That gave her pause. She’d poked and prodded him almost since the moment they met. This was the first time she could recall him asking something about her. “No, not completely. But I am happy. Maybe I should have used the word joyful. Are you a such a serious man as all that? Or is it life circumstance that has made you so dour.”

“Dour? Dour am I now?”

She merely arched an eyebrow.

He shook his head. “Och, if true, that’s a sad state of affairs then. I’m no’ a dour man, Erin. But perhaps you have a point about me no’ finding much to be joyful about, not in the sense you mean. But my business has been serious of late. My new life is fulfilling in ways my old life never was. And there is peace in that, which is a good start. The rest will come in time.”

“So you’re saying you’re an optimist.”

“You think me the opposite?”

Now she smiled. “Honestly, I don’t know what to think of you. I guess that’s why I keep badgering you with questions. You aren’t easy to figure out, Dylan Chisholm.”

Amusement did shift into his eyes then, and the resulting gleam was no trick of the sun. She swallowed hard. Perhaps it would be wiser not to provoke the playful side of him after all.

And then he was lifting his hands, pushing back the errant strands of hair the car ride had likely blown into a complete rats nest around her face. Suddenly painfully aware of her looks, or lack thereof, and at the same time exquisitely aware of his touch, almost to the point of pain, she wanted to shrink away, pretend this moment wasn’t happening. Because whatever he was thinking behind those dancing gray eyes of his, no way could it be anything she found herself suddenly hoping, praying, it would be. She didn’t attract men like Dylan Chisholm.

Gorgeous, confident, successful men were typically attracted to beauty first, and brains a distant second. Erin was used to falling in the distant second category, okay with it even. When it came to men like the one touching her now, looking at her so intently, well…it simply didn’t happen. So it had hardly been a problem for her. It would be the epitome of foolishness to allow herself, even for a second, to think this was somehow different.

“I canno’ figure you out either, Erin MacGregor,” he said, his voice deeper, somewhat rougher, as if…as if he were perhaps at least a tiny bit affected by her. Then all rational thought fled, because he was lowering his head towards hers, pressing his fingers into the back of her neck, to tip her face upward to his.

“You badger me with yer questions, talk me into abandoning my own home…” He lowered his head further until his mouth was hovering just above her own.

He couldn’t be, wasn’t going to—

“You sneak into my dreams, haunt my waking hours. What’ve ye done to me, lass?”

She haunted his dreams? In a good way? “Dylan—”

He made a guttural noise at the sound of his name that had a little instinctive moan of her own escaping her lips.

“I havena felt a hunger such as this in a very long time. Will ye allow me the pleasure?”

He was asking permission? Did he not realize that a second or two more of his heated whisperings and he could have her naked on the hood of his Jag?

He brushed her lips with his. “Perhaps I havena been the most merry of fellows, but if there has been anything to cause me to want a bit of respite from the endless hours of work, it has been you.”

“I thought I made you crazy.”

And there it was. The smile she’d been waiting for. It was slow to happen, but as it stole across his face, his entire countenance changed, as if he was lit from within. There was fire there, passion. “Aye, that you do. You’re trouble, Erin, with a capital T. Ye plague me.”

“A plague am I,” she said, but the intended dry sarcasm was somewhat offset by the breathy quality of her voice.

Which served to widen his smile further. “You have refreshing candor, and a smart mouth. You don’t seem to care overly much what I think.”

She tipped her head back slightly, to look fully into his eyes. “And that’s attractive to you? Hard to believe I’m still single with those lovely attributes.”

He rubbed his thumbs along the corners of her mouth, making her shiver at the feel of his work-roughened fingers on her skin. “Hard.” Then he slipped his arms around her waist and brought her fully up against him. “Aye, ‘tis that.”

She barely had time to register the stunning truth of it, then he claimed her mouth with his own and any hope of rational thought fled completely.

Tags: Writing by Donna
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Pout! No sparring partners, no ridiculous music, no namby pamby judges scores! Whatever shall we do?

Yes, I’m going through Dancing with the Stars withdrawal. Sad, isn’t it? I need more chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream to help me through this trying time. (Okay, it sounded like a good reason. Do I need a reason?)

So, while we’re talking about food…It’s two days to Turkey Day!

As I collect the ingredients to make my annual round of pumpkin pie (which goes really well with ice cream, by the way. What? I was just sayin’.) I ponder…what is the one Must Have Dish you look forward to every year on Thanksgiving?

For me, it’s a baked cheese grits casserole. Mmmmmmm. Okay, and pumpkin pie. And mulled cider. And…. Well, now I’m hungry.

Okay, I heard that!

Happy Danceless Tuesday y’all!

Tags: Writing by Donna
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Happy Turkey Day week everyone!

A special SHaQ Attack this week for the holiday. I know, I know, I said we were going to skip a week over the holidays, but it just doesn’t seem right not to be SHaQ’n! So…since we all have either traveling, or cooking, or both to handle this week, I’m going easy on you. Everyone who responds or comments on the blogs this week (which will run every day but Thursday!) will be entered in the drawing. I will pick a name from the pile on Friday morning and that Blog Babe will win an advance copy of THE GREAT SCOT (yep, the one with that gorgeous new cover!)

So…to kick off the week, we’re starting with a little Amazing Race MAC.

First up, was Phil looking incredibly fine last night or WHAT? Not too many guys can pull off the white pants look, but that kiwi certainly can. (And yes, yes, I could make the pulling the pants off pun here, but…it’s too easy. If only Phil were also so…)

But I digress.

We get a recap leading up to last week’s To Be Continued and this week we pick up right where we left off, with the remaining racers facing that Angel Dive face first rappel straight down the side of the Olympic tower in Finland. This would be the tower that cost me a million dollars folks. I mean, the heights thing is bad enough, but to have to look down the whole time? Eeeek! I didn’t feel so bad about my apparent wimpitude when every single team was shaken up by the ordeal. Pretty wild stunt! (And man, Erwin…dude….doing the helmet grind all the way down. Shudder!)

The teams are exhausted at this point and none too happy to get their clue and instead of directions to the pit stop, it tells them to keep on racing! Poor tired racers. But fun for us!

They head to the Ukraine, Kiev to be exact (or Keev if you want to pronounce it like Rob and those who actually, you know, have a foreign accent.) Once in the Ukraine, (Donna inadvertantly deletes her entire MAC recap from this point onward. Sigh. I hate not having a “back” key while typing in this format. Sigh. From now on I’m typing this in Word and cutting and pasting. Arrrrrrrrrrgh!)

So, to continue….

Once in the Ukraine, they get the most awesome roadblock ever. Driving Soviet tanks through a training course in the mud and slop complete with shooting of guns by Russian guys in gun turrets. Fun!

The BQ’s and A(AM!) are out in front, as usual, but in this case, well deserved. They are really good racers and, I will say, laudable in terms of getting along with their race partners and really seeming to enjoy this incredible adventure they are on. As opposed to the teams who are so caught up in the competitive nature of the race they hardly take the time to notice what it is they’re getting to do. (Yes, Romberly, I’m looking at y0u. And the *lyns, though they do occasionally take a peek and sigh in awe.) The BQ’s occasionally annoy me with their smug entitlement stuff, but this leg they were quite tolerable. (Except girls…Chernobyl? Not the site of the atomic bomb drop. Sigh.)

Romberly finds the tank course next and Kim takes on the challenge. Tank chick! Which seems to really turn Rob on. This is a good thing. I think. I think these two would be better racers if Rob would mostly calm the hell down. I don’t mind them so much as they do seem to try and make things work, but they do get in their own way an awful lot. The Chos and *lyns are up on the course next. The Chos finish first and wait…for the*lyns. In a race. For a million dollars. Yeah, I know. Five teams left boys, and thus far, your big alliance has gotten one team creamed, and the other two of you perennially in the last slots. The alliance? She ain’t workin. Time to raaaaaaaace!

But no. So off they go together to find their way back to Kiev. And, FINALLY, after following Erwin and his endless need to confirm his directions, the *lyns strike out on their own. I could not blame them, even though it seemed to sadden Godwin. Godwin? Get over it. And raaaaaaace dangit! These two teams are their own worst enemies. If they could just get out of their own way, they might be even better racers. (And they are, at least, good racers, despite their silly alliance, as they are in the final 5.) Although Karlyn? How dare you, after following Erwin’s directions-asking behind for a million miles, complain for even ONE SECOND when they follow you. You wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for them. Sheesh.

Oh yeah, and Lyn in a tank? With her “Sunday driver” comment afterward? Pure gold!

We’re off to Kiev, where they have to find a certain apartment building where a, shall we say, intimidating local women in colorful Ukraine garb, meets them at the door to hand them their next clue. I wouldn’t want to wrestle her for it, but I’d hire her as my bodyguard. Or a bouncer.

Detour! The teams have to choose between rapping for their next clue, or doing a double needle-in-a-haystack at the conservatory. The BQ’s take the rap challenge while the boys head to the conservatory. While the girls are putting on their hilarious rap duds, the boys are looking amazingly fine in their tux and tails. Each sets about their task and both do very well. (Gee, maybe the BQ’s will rap during the talent portion of their next pageant. Ha!)

Romberly’s car breaks down, slowing them down from catching up with the lead pack, but they do make the disco and rap their little hearts out. Kimberly? Has more going on than you’d think. Golf rap clap.

The *lyns take the rap, the Chos take the conservatory (because they should also be seen in tails….and ymmmy.) Then it’s off to the pitstop!

The A(AM!) do beat out the BQ’s this leg and come in first, which was their goal. (And how cute was Phil telling them, yep, you did it! Very cute, I say.) I really enjoyed their friendly rivalry this leg. They push each other and are good spirited about it. It was fun to watch and they’re both good teams who deserve the lead they have.

The BQ’s are next and happy with second. Romberly is third and also happy to be still in the middle of the pack. But for a bit of bad luck and Rob needing to calm way the hell down more, they would be contenders with the leaders. Their temperament just doesn’t lend itself well to racing that hard. Whereas the BQ’s and A(AM!) seem to take it mostly in stride.

The *lyns hit the mat next, and are safe. The Chos hit the mat last, and are out. Which, you know, I love these guys, but dudes? You deserved it. I admire the whole integrity thing, but you could have run a better race than that and still been able to look yourself in the mirror. I just don’t think these boys are competitive enough to handle this. The *lyns remarked that they felt bad, but, after all, it was a race. And, uh, yeah. Exactly. I wonder if they’ll be better racers when they had no one to depend on but themselves. If Romberly doesn’t shape up, they could make final 3. But I’m not holding my breath. And, oh by the way….final four? Women outnumber the men 5-3. Ha!

Buh bye, Cho boys. Thank you for being you. And for looking so fine while doing so.

Next week? More merry mayhem! Chariot rides! Yields! Tensions mount! Phil smiles!

Happy Monday everyone!

Tags: Writing by Donna
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Okay, I’ve been teasing for days now. Not intentionally. It just took me a bit longer to get permission to share this with you as it was going through final approval.

So…you know how I’ve had the cover for my follow up to Bad Boys in Kilts, my upcoming March 07 release, The Great Scot, posted in that column to your right? Well, to be frank, I wasn’t all that enthused with it. (In my house it was called the Sound of Music cover as you just knew Julie Andrews was going to pop over that hill any second.) Cute, but not exactly what I had in mind for my Hot Scot. But you take the good covers with the not as wonderful ones and I graciously accepted the cute n cuddly.

However, in the 11th hour (which, I know it’s not due out till March, but I already had cover flats for this book) my publisher, bless their hearts, decided it just wasn’t All That enough. The cover for my August 07 book, The Black Sheep was so drool worthy, they thought my Hot Scot deserved the same treatment….and? They gave me an all new cover!! Squee!!

So, without further ado or teasing…I invite you to feast your eyes on the real GREAT SCOT

The back cover copy reads…

In Bad Boys in Kilts, USA Today bestselling author Donna Kauffman introduced the divinely sexy Chisholm brothers. Now, get ready for oldest brother Dylan, a man whose duty to his heritage will not be upended by anything—or anyone. But passion has a way of throwing everything off-kilter…

LOCH AND LOAD, BABY

Location coordinator Erin McGregor knows she’s finally found the perfect setting for her romance reality show, Your Prince Charming. The Chisholm clan stronghold in the Scottish Highlands has it all—romantic moors, windswept cliffs, misty lochs, a four-hundred-year-old castle, and possibly the most gorgeous man she’s ever laid eyes on in chieftain Dylan Chisholm. Nothing like a guy with a sexy accent and a big…turret to make a girl all wonky-kneed. Right. No time for wonky. Time to get over her fixation with the Hot Scot and get back to business. And Erin will…any minute now…

With his three youngest brothers spoken for, Dylan Chisholm is at the top of his village’s matchmaking list. Now they’ve sent some impish, forthright American lass up to tempt him into a devil’s bargain: He can let the Yanks use his castle to film their foolish romance show, and in exchange, he’ll get the money his village desperately needs. It took a tragic loss to get Dylan to embrace his heritage and his duty. He can’t turn away from such a promising offer. But keeping his thoughts off Erin McGregor is another matter. She’s everything he never wanted in a woman, and suddenly, she’s everything he craves in every way possible…

Whaddya think?

Now…on to the winner for this week’s SHaQ Attack contest. I asked you to send me the name of a family I’ve written more than one book about. You all came up with the Morgans, Chisholms, and Gannons. All correct! From the pile o’ correct entries, this week’s winner is…blog babe Amanda G!!!! Send me a few choices from my website bookshelf (link in the column to your right) in case I’m out of your first choice…and your address and it’ll head out with the huge pile o’ books I’m getting ready to ship.

Alert! All of you who won an advance copy of The Great Scot in my earlier contest, they’re in, they’re in! I hope to get everything shipped out by early next week at the latest. Thank you all for your patience.

Okay, so it’s Friday…and what would Friday be without at least a little Survivor MAC? Last week was SO satisfying. How did things go for our new AiTunes tribe this week? Did the merge happen?

But first? Yul? Is the new Maks. From now on, I’m just going to call him Yum. How cute was he at the tribal dance, huh? Yum-ME.

So, the AiTunes 4 up against the Raro7. Who wins reward? Yeah, baby, our 4 orphans (as they call themselves.) It was su-weeet. They get flown to a tribal feast which is a grand production that is something they will remember their whole lives. On the Raro side? Yeah, Candice back to Exile. She weeps. Waaah, my friends want to see me suffer. Yeah, well, I’m thinking they don’t feel all that friendly with you, seeing as you, you know, ditched them the first chance you had. Suck it up, mutineer.

Back to Yul. Because I can. Did I mention how cute he was dancing with the island babe? He looked so incredibly shy and embarrassed, but in a totally sweet way. And how lovely was Sundra, just drinking in the whole experience. Ozzy indulged and enjoyed, which was no surprise as he’s a pretty elemental guy. He even got a few pecks on the cheek from the local babes, much to the delight of the rest of the tribe. Even Becky loosened up, playing with the island tots. It was just a beautiful event. Felt pretty cool just getting to see it from an outsiders perspective. (Although I couldn’t help wondering what they must have thought about all the camera and production guys? I wonder how many they sent with them.)

Over on Raro (do I have to?) Jonathan becomes the fish provider in hopes his team will keep him around. He correctly assesses that his team has no idea how to work like a team, but other than work hard and provide, he doesn’t know how to teach them to work better together as he is still the outsider.

Immunity Challenge - involves naming islands and a whole lotta swimming. The best part ever? You got it - AiTunes wins again. It’s not as smashmouth as reward, but they had a good lead this time as well. (Especially as Raro lost their puzzle solver by voting him off last week. Not that they got that far…)

How incredibly satisfying is this? Group hug, group kisses. I am LOVING this. Yum alert. How great did Yum’s very manly arms look cradling that immunity idol? I know!

So, as Jeff described before the challenge began, the losing team (ahem, that would be you AGAIN, Raro) goes to tribal council, BUT another twist. He shows them a bottle with a note inside. They will take it back to camp, and bring it to tribal with them. After they vote, the note, which Jeff says contains important information, will be read and dealt with.

Oh yeah…and Brad is on the jury. So cool. I have no idea how the jury is going to work this season, as if they go by week, that would make a 10 person jury, and they usually have an odd number to avoid a tie. Also - usually the jury begins at merge, so this means Brad will sit in on a Raro-only tribal council. Interesting.

So, at tribal council, was I the only one who felt kind of sorry for Rebecca? Clearly she thought her tribe would stick with her and vote out one of the newbies. Her eyes got glassy as she realized they’d turned on her. I happen to think they did the right thing for the tribe, but still felt for her. She left with dignity, but without a word to her tribe. I can understand that. At least they seemed to feel badly about it. (Unlike, apparently when Brad came in to be the jury and it was all smiles and hey you!’s - from him, too. So I guess no hard feelings? It was kinda weird.)

Now it’s time to open the bottle. Jeff asks what they think it is, and they guess it’s a merge of some kind. I hope not, as with them still 6 to 4 advantage over Aitu, I don’t want to see Aitu get picked off at future tribals. (Yes, Yul as the idol, but that will only save them once and it’s still 5-4.) So he has Parvati open the bottle and read the clue. (And, you knw, they’ve been out there like 22 days now. You’d think Jeff could say her name right. It’s not POVerty, Jeff. It’s PARvati. Sheesh.)

I had no idea what I thought was going to happen, but it’s not what happened. (Which? Squee! More love.) The note reads that they just voted out one of their tribe onto the jury…now they must vote another tribesmember out. HA! The looks on their faces? Golden. (And makes me REALLY glad it wasn’t Aitu. They’d have lost half their tribe in one night. I’d have been devastated.) So….who is it going to be? There is deep division on who should go next. Jenny wants Jonathan or Candice gone. Adam and Candice want Jenny. Who knows what Nate thinks. (Or cares…) And Jonathan likely doesn’t have a solid plan either. All I can say is, thank god this tribe doesn’t have the idol. Oooh, rubbing hands in glee. (And how shocked will Rebecca be to see one of her betrayers hop into Sequesterville right behind her. I’d laugh and laugh if I were her. Double HA!)

Jonathan looks ill. Nate is shocked. Parvati is pissed. Jenny is contemplative. Adam is silently freaking out. Candice is trying to look invisible. Brad? Oh, he’s loving this. Hi Brad!! Jeff reminds them there has been zero sign of a merge (well, like there are signs) and that they might never merge. (Which I would love.) Even more I’d love it if they brought Rebecca back right now to witness the next vote. If it were me, I’d have a hard ass time not looking smug if it were me, though. HA! Alliance betrayers and mutineers. And you wonder why you can’t win a dang challenge. (22 days and they’ve won a total of 3. Yeah, why did you jump over there again, Candice? At least Jonathan admitted that he made a big mistake. And that was before losing two more in a row.)

So…who is it going to be next? I have NO idea. But I sure as hell am going to be happy whoever it is. (Is anybody rooting for this tribe?) This is awesome because they have no chance to strategize and Jeff doesnt’ give them much room for byplay. Man, who to vote for? What will each one reveal about who their allies really are by their vote? I think this is about the coolest twist ever. These guys are seriously squirming. I’m guessing it will be between Jonathan and Jenny. Just my guess. I’m thinking Jonathan got a whole lotta air time tonight….it’s probably him.

Oooooh, it was close, but it was Jenny!! And she is PISSED. Which is so hypocritical it’s rather funny. She was worried about an Adam/Candice alliance (rightfully so, I might add) but she just got done voting out one of her alliance mates over newbie turncoat Jonathan because it suited her needs. So hello? This suited their needs. HA! squared.

Dang, the mutineers came and in destroyed this tribe. Not that it was much of a tribe, but still! Two new ones in, three old ones out. That’s pretty damn amazing. (And tells you just how lousy this tribe was at forming real affiliations.) Can’t wait to here her little departing speech. I’d pay big money to see the look on Rebeccas’s face when she comes strolling in. (Did she just give them the finger over her head? Ahahahahahaha. )

Well, the one thing this did is probably unify Raro in that the ones who are left do have some what of a strong alliance from the earlier 4 tribe start. I just don’t know if they’ll actually work any better together in challenges. All five are strong, so they will be more evenly matched with Aitu in challenges now. And hey! Imagine Aitu’s glee when they see the newly decimated Raro! Fun!

Yep, Jenny, she’s mighty peeved. And poor Rebecca didn’t get her good-bye speech at all. Unfair! We want all the sour grapes!

Next week? Yul and Ozzy decide to turn the game around. (To where? You all are smokin hot? What’s to turn?) Jonathan gets tired of doing all the work. And Candice and Adam lock lips and further ignore, you know, actually playing the game.

Who goes home next? (I’m thinking, uh, Raro member? Just a wild guess.)

Have a great weekend everybody!!

PS - Oh yeah, GO WVU!!! They win the Backyard Brawl over Pitt 45-27. Rutgers? Look out, babies!)

Tags: Writing by Donna
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