Future Grandchild

I posted in the fall about my impending "grannydom." Well, we now know the bump in my oldest child's belly is a girl!!!! Both my daughter and son-in-law were hoping for a girl, as he comes from a family of three boys. This baby will be the first grandchild on both sides of the family, so she's destined to be cherished and spoiled rotten. I can hardly wait! :)

Oh, and this brought tears to my eyes.... Barbi (my daughter) and Nathan (son-in-law) will name their first child Annabella Debra. Yes, Debra after yours truly. I'm so honored and humbled I can barely stand it. Annabella Debra is a mouthful, so I asked the mom-and-dad-to-be what nickname they anticipate, and they both said, "Bella."

I warned them that I swore no one would call my Barbara Jean "Barbi," but I was the first one to do it, and it stuck. At least she doesn't spell it like the doll.... I anticipate little Bella being called Belly in a loving way, but I promised both her parents that I will do my very best to resist the urge.... :)

Oh, and I'm also anticipating a wee bit of revenge, since Barbi (born on Christmas Eve, 1981) was an 8 pound, seven ounce baby with a head like a bowling ball.... ;) The verb push was usually followed by another four-letter word that memorable day!

Happy reading, all!

Love,
Deb

New Year - New Website!

Isn't this cool? I pass the magic wand, so to speak, to a true professional, and she not only understands what I mean by creating a design that mimics a path into the "story realm," but she even makes my blog page look like my website. :) I've had a presence on the Internet since 1993, but have always maintained what has become a monster of a website myself. The original NovelTalk Chats began at my site in 1994 via mIRC, as I'm sure some of you recall. Those were the days when we thought the Internet was like Science Fiction. Now, those old programs are antiquated and almost laughable.

But isn't this artwork beautiful? Rae Monet is the designer, and I couldn't be more pleased with her work. When you get the chance, take a look around and kick the tires. Once I'm finished with The Gift -- which will be by 2/1/2009! -- I'll spend some time organizing of the old, dead links.

Happy New Year!

Love,
Deb

Happy New Year

I just returned from my--sort of--annual sojourn back to Wichita, Kansas for my dad's 77th birthday. Yes, my oldest daughter was born on Christmas Eve, and my father was born on New Year's Day. As a family, we work very hard to keep their birthdays separate and special from the holiday madness, because they are special.

My dad still lives in the same house in which I grew up, which is also strange. At my website, you'll find family photos dating back to my childhood--one taken of the family in 1964 when he first bought that house. We're all leaning against his Corvair, with me clutching a doll. I think it's Chatty Cathy. Talk about a time capsule....

At any rate, my dad is a real-life hero. My late husband was one as well. I always said it was no wonder I married one, since I was raised by one. I've listened to some friends who have happy marriages, as did I. We seem to have this in common--respect and admiration for our fathers. That doesn't mean every girl had to grow up with a perfect childhood to have a good marriage--far from it. However, that respect and admiration for our fathers seems to offer a good base from which to choose a husband. At least it did in my case.

Heroes are important to romance novelists and readers. They're important in real life, too. I hope our New Year is filled with real-life heroes for all of us, starting with our President-Elect, who has a gargantuan task ahead of him.

May 2009 offer each and every one of us peace, prosperity, love, good health, and many good books to read (including THE GIFT, which is almost finished and scheduled for November 2009).

Love,
Deb Stover