Fellow moms and romance writers Shana Galen, Robyn DeHart, Maisey Yates, Emily McKay, Roni Loren, Kieran Kramer and Elise Rome have come together to save our sanity by talking about writing, parenthood, and pretty much anything in between. We’ll laugh, chat, get a little messy, post funny pictures, and show the world just how easy *ahem* it is to trade mommy and published author hats throughout the day.
The blogging will begin on March 2nd! But first, introductions are in order…
Shana Galen, Multitasker Mama
I’m Shana G
alen, AKA Multitasker Mama (and aren’t we all?). I’m a wife, mom to a two-year-old daughter I call Baby Galen, and an historical romance writer. My husband and I have been married almost six years. I suffered a miscarriage before I had my daughter, and I think that made me pretty worried all through my pregnancy. That’s one possibility for why my daughter is so high strung. Or perhaps she’s just naturally very dramatic. We have a lot of drama in the Galen household, it seems. Even something like brushing one’s teeth can be a reason for a meltdown. But my parenting motto is, “Keep moving. Don’t pass out. Don’t throw up.” Or maybe that’s my fitness motto? www.shanagalen.com
Robyn DeHart, Basket-Case Mama
I’m Robyn DeHart, AKA Basket-Case Mama, but not because I’m crazy (though really, what mom isn’t?) but because I have a slight obsession with baskets, well containers really. I’m a bit of an organization nut and I love to containerize stuff. And yes, I’m authorized to use words like that because I am also a writer. But back to the kids, so I’m mom to two ridiculously beautiful little girls and I can say that without bragging because I didn’t actually make them. Last year my husband, The Professor, and I adopted said little lovelies from the foster-care system here in Texas and now we’re a big happy forever family. Busybee is three and so full of joy it just oozes from her. Babybee is a walking-talking toddler who has a heck of a temper but is so cute, it almost keeps her out of trouble. Though neither of my girls are newborns, I’m fairly new to motherhood compared to the other peanut butter moms, but we’ve settled in as a family as if we’ve always been together. When I’m not trying to keep up with my two bundles of energy, you can usually find me on my laptop on Pinterest, no, that’s not right, um…you can find me writing, yes, that’s it, writing my latest historical romance. www.robyndehart.com
Maisey Yates, Manic Mama
I’m Maisey Yates, AKA Manic Mama because…well, I am. I have three kids. Two boys and a girl. I call them Drama (5), Danger (4), and Diva (2). I also have a truly wonderful husband who I’ve been married t
o for seven years. He cooks, he cleans, he changes diapers, he’s sexy and no you can’t have him. All kids present their own unique challenges, but we’ve had some special ones with our boys. Our oldest has struggled with delayed speech and some ADHD and our second son is on the autism spectrum and, at four, is mostly non-verbal. And then there’s our daughter, who is two, and undoubtedly the toughest thing in a dress for miles. A side effect of having two older brothers! All of this is made slightly more manic (and wonderful!) by the fact that I get have the best job in the world: writing sexy, emotionally charged, occasionally funny romances for Harlequin’s Presents line. And who can blame me if I let the water boil over or I forget to take the clothes out of the washing machine? I have sheikhs, private islands and Spanish billionaires in my head!*pants*
Oh, and there we are. Not glamorous but…real. 😉 www.maiseyyates.com
Emily McKay, Hippie Chick Mama
I’m Emily McKay, AKA Hippie Chick Mama. Why Hippie Chick? Well, ’cause I’m one of the those organic-veggie-eating, raw-milk-drinking, yoga-practicing … okay, you get the idea. I’ve got two kiddos. The McDaughter is in the first grade and the McSon just turned four. The McHubby travels a lot and works with robots and Legos. No, seriously, it’s a real job. I love to cook and bake. When I’m not cleaning up after kids or doing laundry, I write for Harlequin Desire, YA Romcoms under the name of Ivy Adams, and paranormal YA for Berkley. www.emilymckay.com
Roni Loren, No Drama Mama
I’m Roni Loren, or as I’ll be called ‘round these parts, No Drama Mama. I’ve been married for ten years and have a four-year old son, who has recently been diagnosed with high-functioning autism. My days are spent writing very sexy romances (my PC way of saying erotic), avoiding all things housework, and hanging out with a kidlet who I suspect is vastly smarter than I am. I secretly dream of having a life that looks like the pages of Real Simple magazine, but would settle for Sorta Decent if could get there. My daily goal is to keep the drama on the pages of my books and out of my life–I’m successful at least twenty percent of the time. www.roniloren.com
Kieran Kramer, Merry Mama
My oldest guy, Dragon, was diagnosed in kindergarten with Asperger’s syndrome, and now he’s a sophomore in college; his sister Indie Girl, who’s younger by 16 months, is a college freshman; and my youngest, Nighthawk, is in eighth grade. My kids are compassionate, smart, fun, and funny people–and they turned out that way even though I wasn’t June Cleaver. I lose my keys all the time. I stare into the fridge and wonder what’s for dinner in half an hour and then remember I have to cook it. I double-book things a lot because I have three ways to make appointments (phone, purse calendar, and kitchen calendar) and haven’t yet worked out a great system for streamlining them. I don’t know how I managed to write a book, much less five now. But for me and my kids, it’s about managing your weaknesses and wringing everything you can get out of your strengths. And along the way, finding joy.Elise Rome, Midnight Mama
I’m Elise Rome, AKA Midnight Mama because I’m usually burning the midnight oil. If SuperGirl (2, with a speech delay) and WonderGirl (1, my very own hip attachment) aren’t getting up in the middle of the night, then I’m busy working on writing and writing-
related business until early morning…usually 3-4 am or so. Both my husband and I stay home with the girls (he’s a writer, too! www.lukasholmes.com), but usually I’m focused on them throughout the day and only get started working until after 8pm when they’re both in bed. I’m a former Texan now living in Colorado who desperately misses no-snow winters, and my parenting goal is to raise my daughters to be strong, intelligent, and independent women…much like the heroines I write, as a matter of fact. I’m a recovering perfectionist, recovering procrastinator, and perpetually aspire to keep the house clean (because it never actually is). When I’m not chasing around my daughters or adoring my cooking/cleaning/diaper-changing husband of 8 years, I write historical romances about women who fascinate me and men who somehow always remind me of Rhett Butler, the first literary hero who captured my heart. www.eliserome.com
Thanks for visiting us! We look forward to chatting with you soon. For now, though, there are diapers to be changed, faces to be wiped, homework to help with, boo-boos to kiss…and, oh yeah, someone smeared peanut butter all over the keyboard. =)
peanut butter on the keyboard 
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