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By Joyce Lamb, USA TODAY
Happy Mother's Day to all the awesome moms out there! You know who you are.
I asked romance authors to share what they love about their mom or what they love about being a mom, and, boy, did I get a response. This post is really long, so feel free to scroll through and find what your favorite authors have to say (might want to make sure you have some Kleenex handy). I'll start off with my own thoughts on my mom.
She's simply the best. Always supportive, always there, always warm and welcoming and loving. And she gives the best neck rubs. Love you, Mom!
And now Kate Brady kicks things off with her thoughts on being a mom (authors are listed with their most recent or upcoming release):
Kate Brady, Last to Die
Is it the way, as infants, they look up at you from the cradle as if you're the only thing in the world that matters?
Is it the way, as toddlers, they get up every morning excited about what the new day might offer?
Is it the way, as children, they approach even little things like Twinkies and field trips with utter joy and exuberance, and the way they believe in all the things adults say aren't real?
Is it the way, as pre-teens, they start to become young ladies and gentlemen, secretly getting interested in romance and sex and the issues of the world?
Is it the way, as teenagers, they grump at you in the mornings, moon over boyfriends/girlfriends, and assert that they are the ONLY kids in the WORLD who have a mother so mean/unreasonable/smothering/demanding/stupid as you, or the way they don't tell you their deepest secrets anymore, don't want to spend time with you anymore, and then drive off in the family car leaving you biting your nails with worry that they might have a wreck/do something stupid/ruin their lives, or the way they routinely show you — without even meaning to — all the things you've done/said/not done/not said all their lives that will surely translate to YEARS of therapy in their young adult years —
Oh, wait. In case you couldn't tell, teenager is as far as I can go.
Well, it's all of it. Honest. Even those last few things.
No character I could write is better than the ones I helped to make in real life. So the best thing, I guess, is the pride I feel in turning them loose into the world.
Eloisa James, Paris in Love
"Many of my clearest memories of my mother stem from the hours she spent reading aloud: how she cried when Charlotte dies at the end of Charlotte's Web, or the way she would growl ferociously when the Wild Things didn't want to let Max go because they 'loved him so.' My mother is gone now, but her love — and her love of books — stayed with all her children. As for Mother's Day, I think Maurice Sendak said it best: 'Oh please don't go ... we love you so!' But mothers do sail away to far, far places, and all we can do is miss them."
Kristan Higgins, Somebody to Love
"I love the way my mom laughs at herself. She has an endless capacity to find the funny in any situation, and that ability sure makes life fun. Love you, Mom!"
Sara Humphreys, Untouched
"My mother has the uncanny ability to know exactly what to say to me at exactly the right time. She's been the voice of reason in the midst of chaos, given me a shoulder to cry on when I needed comfort and is the shopping partner I want at my side — she'd never let me buy something that looks dreadful. She'll give me the truth even if it's going to hurt, but she manages to deliver it without too much of a sting. She's intelligent, witty and the most elegantly beautiful woman I've ever known. She's got moxie, too, and ya gotta love a chick with moxie. My mother provided her children with the greatest gift ... she showed us how to be good moms ... she's still showing me. I love you, Mom."
Tracey Devlyn, A Lady's Revenge
"What do I love best about my mom (-in-law)? My MIL Helene is 4-foot-9 of pure angel. She never fails to ask me how my writing is going and has celebrated every milestone with hugs and kisses. I love her more than words can say and even dedicated my second book to her."
Jill Shalvis, Lucky in Love (May 22)
"What I love best about being a mom is that I always have someone to make clean the house and cook when I'm on deadline. :) But I do also love having created these wonderfully individual creatures, who somehow in spite of all my faults, love me anyway."
Robyn Carr, Sunrise Point
"Sunrise Point is all about a young, single mother, Nora Crane, who will do whatever it takes to protect and care for her two small daughters and in that effort, goes to work for Tom Cavanaugh, a marine recently returned from a deployment in Afghanistan to run his family's apple orchard. To celebrate the families of our military men and women, on Mother's Day weekend I'll be signing books at Fort Hood, Texas, and visiting the Warrior and Family Support Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. I'll be handing out books, hugs, and thanks!"
Grace Burrowes, Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal
"Being a mother, and in particular an unwed mother, is what taught me the true definition of love. Love is tenacious, wily, determined, resourceful, unstoppable, unending, and the most important, joyous thing any person can bestow on another. I did not learn that from handsome swains or dashing fellows. I learned that from my daughter, one sleepless night, boo-boo, and bedtime story at a time."
Sharon Sala, The Boarding House
"At this stage of my life, the thing I love best about being a mother is seeing what great people my children have grown up to be. One has a son and is an elementary school teacher. The other has three daughters and works for a branch of the government that deals with farmers and crops, which makes sense since they both grew up on a farm. I also helped raise my niece when her mother (my only sister) died when she was only 5. She also has three daughters and is such a fun-loving, generous-hearted woman who adores her children. I always think of how proud my sister would be if she'd lived to see her child grow up and seen what a great mother she turned out to be. I love watching them all interact with their own children and how loving and understanding they are. This is not a kind world for children, and knowing that they are being loved and protected in the very best ways makes me feel like I did a good job — that I succeeded at motherhood — which was for me, the best job ever."
Catherine Maxwell, Lyon's Bride
"What I love best about my mother is that she is bloody honest. When I was younger, I wished she wasn't quite so honest. Now, I trust her opinion because I know it isn't sugar-coated."
Joanna Bourne, The Black Hawk
"Exciting career opportunity: Wipe noses. Stop fights. Read Goodnight Moon over and over again. Mop up spills. Coach soccer. Hang out with teens. (Must have working knowledge of Emo Version 2.3.) Cry at her wedding. Hold your first grandchild. Be loved beyond all reason by the most wonderful children in the world. Be a mom."
Victoria Alexander, My Wicked Little Lies
"My mom died when I was 22 so I never had a grown-up relationship with her. My kids are 24 and 27. They're brilliant and funny and drive me insane. But I love having an adult mother-child relationship with them. That's something I missed and I am constantly realizing how truly special it is."
Kathy Kulig, Spring Break
"My mom, Barbara Robinson, is my inspiration. At 76 years old, she's an adventurer. She travels with my step-dad all over the world. They just returned from France last week. And a few months before that they showed photos of the two of them parasailing and kayaking in the Caribbean. She exercises every day, volunteers at the hospital twice a week and she's a skier. Even though I know she's not crazy about my erotic romance stories and has only read one of my books, she is always supportive of me. She takes after my grandmother who passed away at 96. My grandmother traveled to Spain with my aunt at age 90!"
Erin Quinn, Haunting Beauty
"My girls are almost adults now and what I love best is the days they choose to spend with me — lunch, shopping, movies. It doesn't matter what we do but the fact that they want to spend it with me. When they were little, they didn't have much of a choice — I said get in the car and they did. But now it's a special gift because our time together is a mutual choice. I never thought I'd make a very good mother, but when I look at the amazing people my daughters have grown into, I think I must have done OK."
Pamela Clare, Skin Deep
"I tell my boys that I really had no idea what love was until the day they were born. I caught my first baby myself, and in the first hour of holding him, I was blown away by how powerfully and deeply I loved him. It was nothing like romantic love, which seemed and still seems completely trivial by comparison. It was bone-deep, absolutely visceral, ferocious. Watching these two boys I love grow from tiny helpless creatures to strong adult men has been the most amazing and wonderful experience of my life."
Julianne Donaldson, Edenbrooke
"What I love best about being a mom is that I get to be the rock in my children's lives. I feel so lucky that I can be there for them when they're hurt, or scared, or when they're feeling insecure. I love that when they need a refuge from the world, they come to me, and I get to be a safe harbor for them. I feel the importance of motherhood in those moments, and they are sweet and precious to me."
Shana Galen, The Rogue Pirate's Bride
"I love watching my daughter learn new things. Sitting, crawling, walking, talking — it's fascinating watching her grow and become her own little person. She's part me, part my husband, but she's also very much herself. I can't imagine anything more rewarding than having a front-row seat for this journey."
Lina Gardiner, Black Moon Awakening
"Being a mother is the most rewarding experience of my life — bar none. My children are grown and I'm very proud of them in every way. They enjoy life in a way we never did in our generation. Especially when it comes to travel and experiencing new things. I love hearing about their adventures. I'm sure some of them make their way into my stories."
Nancy Naigle, Out of Focus
"My mom is my biggest cheerleader and supporter. No matter what I take on, I know she's in my corner. When things don't go my way she knows how to help me regain perspective and balance. She taught me the importance of the little things and the glass-half-full perspective — is there a better foundation? Thank you, Mom. My mom is the best parts of all the wonderful women in my books."
Amanda Usen, Scrumptious
"Thank God my mom is so forgiving! I have three kids and by the time the first one was about 6 months old, I began babbling apologies to my mother every time I saw her. I can't believe she let me live when I was a wretched teenager after all the things she must have done for me when I was a baby. The woman is a saint and I love her to pieces!"
Nicola Marsh, Busted in Bollywood
"What do I love best about being a mom? The cuddles! There's nothing sweeter than having my boys clamber onto my lap, wrap their arms around my neck, and give me the biggest, squishiest hugs. Though I'm also partial to their gorgeous smiles. And infectious laughter, the best sound in the world!"
Mina Khan, A Tale of Two Djinns
"I love my mom's adventurous spirit and creativity in the kitchen. Since she recently moved in with me, I have been having a lot of fun cooking with her and learning from her. Not only that, she's been teaching my kids to make bread. Mmm, nothing like Mom's fresh-baked bread still warm from the oven!"
Carolyn Brown, One Hot Cowboy Wedding
"My mom passed two years ago. She was a single mom to three kids. She was tough as nails, but we knew we had her complete support and love! And since she did an awesome job of being both parents to us, I made sure I remembered her on Mother's Day AND Father's Day."
Desiree Holt, Out of Control
"When my kids were growing up I often wondered if we'd all survive until they reached what would pass for adulthood. Especially my twins, who seemed to get into every kind of trouble possible. But here we are, all grown up and I am so proud of the adults they've turned into it makes me cry. But the very best part is I am also friends with all my children. Last year they all gathered here for my birthday and we did some special things because, as they said, to them every day is Mother's Day. Does it get any better than that?"
J. Lynn, Tempting the Best Man
"What do I love most about my mom? Knowing that there is another person in the world, beside me, who knows how to load and start the dishwasher."
Marie Force, Hoping for Love
"What I love best about being a mom is how much I like the people my kids are becoming as they get older. Yes, the teenage years are fraught with peril and sassiness and all sorts of interesting issues, but at the end of the day, my kids are funny and kind and very, very cool. Just like their mother. Haha! Oh, how they would laugh at that!"
Avery Flynn, Seduction Creek
"What do I love best about being a mom? My 3-year-old's chubby-armed monkey hugs when he squeezes so hard I'm worried at times that I'll black out. My 6-year-old's make-believe skateboard that consists of a block of wood and a shortened 2-by-4, which he uses to perform cool tricks on the deck. My 9-year-old's flair for the dramatic and her stubborn streak that came from her father — obviously."
Sharla Lovelace, The Reason Is You
"When my mom was alive, I loved how she was always available for me. I never gave that the credit it was due when I should have, it was just always there, 24/7, and I took it for granted because I never knew any other way. It didn't matter if it was midday or midnight, she would drop anything to be whatever I needed. I didn't realize the entirety of that until she was gone. And now I can only pray that my daughter will one day be able to answer this question the same way. :-) I'll fall short. But I hope I can get close."
Katie Lane, Catch Me a Cowboy
"My mother gave the best hugs in the world. She'd pull you close and almost suffocate you against her big ol' boobs as she rocked from side to side. In my mama's arms, troubles melted away and life always looked much brighter."
Pamela Clare, Defiant (July)
"My mom wanted to be a stay-at-home mom and raise her four kids, but she didn't get that chance. She had to work. She is a registered nurse and spent her entire life until her recent retirement taking care of people, mostly in the intensive care unit, where she was head nurse for a time, and in cardiac rehab. Her skill as a nurse, her compassion for her patients, her professionalism — I admire these qualities so very much. My mother has quite literally saved people's lives. I'm not sure she would admit it, but her career is an essential part of who she is, and it had a big impact on me as a kid. I grew up knowing that I wanted to have a meaningful career, too."
Loralee Lillibridge, All That Matters
"I'm a mom! Married for 58 years to the guy who happily helped the parenting process, I'm 'Mom' to four amazing children who've made me a grandma nine times and a great-grandma three times. They all keep me young-at-heart and make me proud of the production we call 'Our Family.' They know I'm not perfect and love me anyway. Always there with loving support through good times and bad times, I'm so blessed to call them mine. And when they give me a hug and say, 'Love you, Mom,' I know their love is unconditional, and that makes me the luckiest mom in the world."
Heather Killough-Walden, The Phantom King (out today!)
"What I love best about my mother: the support. No matter what evidence she is presented with that might make her wiser to believe the contrary, she firmly trusts that I know what I am doing and that I'm going to make it big. LOL. That's an incredible boon, and she's a priceless person to have in my corner of the ring. :)"
Diana Cosby, Born to Bite
"What I love best about my mom is that she's an amazing role model who has blessed me with her love and taught me that hard work, belief in self and helping others is what truly matters."
Kate Brady, Where Angels Rest (November 2012)
"What do I love about my mom? Her CONSTANCY. Always there. Always wise. Always loving. Always strong. Always."
Cindy Gerard, Worth Dying For (August e-book)
"What's not to love about a mom who always offers encouragement, always greets you with a smile, always teaches you right from wrong and that kindness is an expectation, not a courtesy? My mom was all that and so much more. I lost her six years ago and will always miss her. I think she still had much to teach me."
Judith Arnold, Goodbye to All That
"As the author of more than 85 romance novels, I ought to be an expert on love. But I didn't really know what love was until I had my two sons. The love I feel for them is soul-deep, mind-altering, all-encompassing. It transcends the times I was angry with them (the ink on the sofa, the ketchup bottle that broke because they were playing football with it, the speeding tickets when they were teenagers ...). It transcends the times I was resentful (2 a.m. feedings, endless carpools, demands for attention when I had publisher deadlines hanging over my head ...). It is the most vast, most powerful, most humbling love I have ever known. My boys are both in their 20s now, living happy, productive lives. I'm proud of all the books I've written, but nothing will ever surpass the pride I take in the two wonderful men I am privileged to call my sons."
Elisabeth Naughton, Enraptured
"My mom is my biggest fan. She reads all my books, tells her friends about my books and has been a huge source of encouragement over the course of my career. She might not love everything I write, but she's always there cheering me along, and knowing she's proud of what I've accomplished means the world to me."
Deborah Grace Staley, Angel Ridge Series
"My mom raised me to believe I could do anything I wanted to, and I actually believed her! That's the main reason I thought I could write books and be published. My mom's name is Betty Grace. I love my mom!"
Kathryne Kennedy, The Lord of Illusion
"What I love most about my mom is that there are too many things I love about her to think of just one."
Teresa Medeiros, The Pleasure of Your Kiss
"If not for my mom, I wouldn't be a writer today. When I was a little girl, I rarely saw her without a book in her hand. Her favorites were those delicious first-person Gothics written by Victoria Holt and Phyllis A. Whitney. Just from watching her, I learned that books were treasures beyond price and reading was the magical key that unlocked them."
Alethea Kont