Following a recent blog I did on naming the hero and the heroine of my books, I have thought about the terms of endearment used to enhance the love between the main protagonists. The usual ones appeared to mind straight away. In my latest book SHACKLED BY THE COWBOY DRIFTER, the hero Zack Delaney often uses the term, baby. In other books I have written, such as LOVE LESSONS WITH THE TEXAS BILLIONAIRE, I used darlin’ and honey to further enhance the heroes character. In another book DARK SECRETS, I used the term sweetheart quite often to amplify the romance between the main characters. Where I live, the term duck is often used to convey feelings of affection. I couldn’t possibly imagine writing a romantic scene with that term. Other ones I noted are baby cakes, chicken, cutiepie, dumplin’, dearest, darling, honeybun, kitten, love, lover, lover boy, lamb chop, poppet, precious, pumpkin, sexy, sugar, sweet thing, sweetie, sweetie pie, the list goes on. What strange terms have you come across? Any you’d care to share? What is your favourite term of endearment?online surveysPlease leave a comment I’d love to know your thoughts. Jan x

Guess what, I was 50 a few days ago. So what do you think I had to mark that special milestone in my life? It is half a century after all.Perhaps some slippers? Or a book on how to look ten years younger? Maybe an eternity ring from my husband?No.I chose a belly piercing. WHAT? Little old me, who used to be the shy retiring girl? Well, I’ve news for you. I just found out life’s not a rehearsal. Time to grab it with both hands, before it’s too late.Am I making sense?So why the piercing? My heroine in DARK SECRETS has one, and so does the heroine in my WIP. I guess I thought why not. Why can’t I have one?My husband who bought it for me, is over the moon. He likes it. I mean he really likes it.So this got me to thinking. Do you think I’m too old? A sad case hankering after her youth? Or do you think I did the right thing? After all, when today’s youngsters get to my age, they’re hardly going to hang up their piercings.Now for the POLL. Feel free to vote as you feel. At the bottom of the…