Have You Read__________________?

 NINA BANGS
My one regret in life? I wish I’d started writing sooner.
Nina's first love
Talk about misspent youth. What did I do during those lazy summer days of childhood when I could’ve been honing my writing skills? Nothing. Okay, so I spent a lot of time dreaming I was a cowgirl with a trusty black stallion. Oh, and I read every Walter Farley horse novel. I was an only child so I relied on my imagination to supply the excitement in my life.
By high school, I’d decided to trade in my lariat for a trench coat. I was into dark and dangerous. As an intrepid foreign correspondent, I’d stalk the mean streets of the world. Did I actually write anything? No, but I did read all of Agatha Christie’s mysteries.
I worked at a department store during college. My short stint in the accounting department taught me a lot about math. Three hundred-dollar shortages plus hysterical tears equaled instant move to gift-wrap. A career in math was not in my future. I didn’t care because I’d discovered “real” literature. I plowed through James Joyce’s Ulysses and Tolstoy’s War and Peace. If it didn’t make my eyes cross then it wasn’t worth reading. Yes, I admit it, I was a literary snob.
But there’s just so much “real” literature one person can take. I graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in English Literature and a determination to avoid books that induced eye crossing or had tragic endings. The only things I managed to write during those years were research papers.
I taught second grade for several years then spent two years in Dublin, Ireland. A friend and I supported ourselves by singing folk songs in Irish pubs. We weren’t great, but we were young, enthusiastic, and wore short skirts. It was obviously my destiny to be the next Judy Collins. I spent a lot of time poring through music books.
 Returning to New Jersey and reality, I taught elementary school until I grew restless again. My cross-country odyssey included stays in Arizona, California, and Texas. Along the way, I indulged my love of horses. No black stallions, but I did have several beautiful Arabian mares. I read tons of books on breeding and showing.
Somewhere between California and Texas I grew addicted to romance novels and cats. The cat’s independent attitude was exactly the quality I admired in my romance heroes. And once I decided to try writing my own romances, I made sure a cat crept into each story.
Texas is my permanent home. I’ve come full circle. Born in San Antonio, I spent most of my life in New Jersey. Maybe the Texas in my blood accounts for my attachment to strong men, fast horses, and wide-open spaces. My love of cats? Haven’t a clue.   Nina Bangs's books have bite!  This is a lady who inspires me.  She recently took the time to personally acknowledge, and support my writing efforts.  I have read a few of her books (wow, seeing the list on her site tells me I am a bit behind), and they give me lots of enjoyment.  Her writing allows me to escape into a whole other world.   She writes with a passion I hope to emulate.  Plus, and perhaps foremost, she shares my love of cats.  
You can find out more about Nina Bangs at:   http://www.ninabangs.com/   or   Purchase her books at:   AMAZON  or  B & NCANDACE HAVENSBestselling author Candace Havens has written six novels for Berkley including, Charmed & Dangerous, Charmed & Ready, Charmed & Deadly, Like A Charm, The Demon King and I and Dragons Prefer Blondes. Her new venture is writing for the Blaze line of Harlequin. Those books include Take Me If You Dare, and the upcoming releases She Who Dares, Wins, Triple Dare Ranch and The Model Marine.
Her books have received nominations for the RITA's, Holt Medallion and Write Touch Reader Awards. She is the author of the biography Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy and a contributor toseveral anthologies. She is also one of the nation's leading entertainment journalists and has interviewed countless celebrities including Tom Hanks, Nicolas Cage, Tom Cruise, George Clooney and many more.  
Her entertainment columns can be read in more than 600 newspapers across the country. Candace also runs a free online writing workshop for more than 1600 writers, and teaches comprehensive writing class. She does film reviews with the Dorsey Gang on The Big 96.3, and is the Vice President of the Television Critics Association.   The first book I read by Candace was Charmed and Dangerous.  She transported me into Bronwyn's world.  A witch after my own heart!  The situations that occur in Bronwyn's life sometimes create those laugh out loud moments which I love.  Candace Havens is a multi-talented woman who also inspires me to be the best me I can be.  You can discover more about Candace at:  http://www.candacehavens.com/  You can Purchase her books at B & N  or  AMAZON   Tell me what you think.  Have you read anything by these authors?  Become a part of the blog.  Are you an author that would like to be in this feature?  Let me know.  Leave a comment or Email me at amcgbb@gmail.com.  I want to hear from you!Momcat