Heidi Betts - www.heidibetts.com

...but I'm feeling much better now

It's true. I'm still not happy that my book was on the Waldens list for a fourth week, then disappeared before anyone else could witness it, but I'm in a much more chipper mood today.

It was too darn hot yesterday to be in a huff for long, anyway, so I ended up sitting in front of the fan like a slug, just trying to keep my core body temperature down in the double digits. We got hit by a great big storm around dinner time, too, which was kind of fun. I'm not a fan of thunder & lightning, but I love the rain, & it was coming down in buckets. We even got a few hail stones hitting the windows. It truly was a beautiful sight.

I have also decided that since MR. AND MISTRESS was on that list, however briefly--it was there, I swear it was, & I have the printouts to prove it!!!!--that I can get away with claiming it was #1 for three & a half weeks. How does that sound? *g* It's totally believable, right? I mean, the list doesn't change until Monday or Tuesday, so it's entirely possible my book was still #1 until, like, 10am yesterday, which would make it three & a half weeks--almost four! (Go with me on this, all right? :-p)

On a completely different subject, I've been catching up on more television season finales...

CSI: Miami -- Okay, whatever. I kind of thought the episode where Marisol got shot & then died should have been the last of the season, so this episode was a bit anticlimactic. But what was with those subtitles at the bottom of the screen for a conversation where both characters were speaking English? Did you see that?!? It was too bizarre. I mean, I realize the one guy's Cuban (or whatever) accent was a little thick, but it wasn't that hard to understand. I could hear what he was saying just fine. And not only that, but the text got bigger & smaller & seemed to jump when something one of them said was being emphasized. I've never seen anything like it in my life...& hope I never do again.

Also, isn't it nice to know that you can marry Horatio & be murdered, but he'll still never show a single emotion? You cannot tell me that his expression during the last two episodes were any different than they were in any other show of the season. The man makes the same face whether he's burying his wife (of all of two minutes) or asking for cream in his coffee. (Snort.)

Desperate Housewives -- This was kind of another "okay, whatever" for me. I liked this show way better the first season, & now I watch it to keep up, but don't really care anymore. I am worried about Mike, tho. I mean, the least they could have done was show us whether he was still alive or not after getting hit by that car. Even if he just groaned a bit, it would have been better than seeing him get hit, then never seeing him again the rest of the episode.

Top Chef -- Harold won! Harold won! I am so glad. I couldn't stand that bitchy-bitch Tiffani, & after Dave was kicked off, I really worried she might win. But Harold totally deserved it more!

NCIS -- I saved the best for last, because that's what NCIS is--the best! I love this show. Yes, I waited until I had both hours taped, & then I put it off until after I'd watched just about everything else because...well, I was saving the best for last. :-) I'd read that someone was going to be leaving in the season ender & was worried they'd kill someone off again, the same way they did Kate last year. But I liked the way this one closed, with Gibbs leaving the team & going down to Mexico for a little R&R. Sure, we're supposed to think he's retired & gone for good, but no one really believes that. He'll be back. :-D

There are still a couple of shows to go, I think. Or at least one: The Apprentice. I'm rooting for Sean. (I can't help it; he is just too cute, & that adorable British accent could cause polar ice caps to melt in Antarctica.) How about you?

well, pfffffffffft

Did you ever have one of those days? I think I'm having one right now.

First thing this morning, I discovered a rather negative review of MR. AND MISTRESS on Amazon. (That'll teach me to go surfing before breakfast.) And, yes, I'm used to getting the occasional nasty review, but that doesn't mean they still don't hurt. And worst of all, this reviewer's 3 stars brought my previous 5-star rating down to 4 stars. Damn her! So if any of you feel compelled to go over there & post a glowing review of your own for MR. AND MISTRESS, now is the time. I'd certainly appreciate it. :-D

Then I checked the Waldens list, hoping against hope that MR. AND MISTRESS was still on there. I knew it wouldn't still be #1, but I thought it might land somewhere around #9 or #10. I was willing to take what I could get. :-) So I just about fell off my chair when I saw it was #1 again...for the fourth week in a row. Holy cow. Seriously, I think I blacked out for a minute.

Of course, I had to tell my editor & agent right away. Both were thrilled. My editor even said she thought that might be a record. I was so excited!!! But then, two seconds later, I get another note from her, telling me to check the list again--my book is gone.

Excuse me?!? So I race to check again. This is, by the way, after I'd already checked, double-checked, & triple-checked the date, & even printed copies to show everyone I know. But sure enough, when I bring the list up again, it's dominated by Harlequin Presents titles & MR. AND MISTRESS is nowhere to be seen.

I swear it was there! If only for a few moments, I swear the list looked different & that MR. AND MISTRESS was still at #1. I have printouts to prove it, damn it! But, alas, I guess someone made a mistake & posted the wrong list at first. So now MR. AND MISTRESS not only isn't #1 for a fourth week in a row, it's off the list completely. Waaaaaa!

Yeah, yeah. I know it's still good that it hit #1 at all, let alone for three weeks in a row. Believe me, I'm telling myself all that & more. But at the moment, I'm still just freaking depressed. :-( Somebody buy me a drink. A big one, with lots of vodka in it.

All right, I'm kidding. For the moment. It's too early to drink--altho it has to be Happy Hour somewhere, right? *g*--& I still have writing to do. Got 9 pages written yesterday, & am only another page or two from finishing chapter 11. After that, I'm pretty sure I'll only need to do chapter 12 & maybe an epilogue to finish the book. And, man, do I want to get this book done! I'm cutting it really close to the date my editor asked me to have it to her, if at all possible. Not my technical deadline, but the one that would make her life easiest, so I'm aiming for that. :-)

So I'm off to write...or drink heavily...or slit my wrists. I haven't really decided yet. :-/

happy memorial day!

Another holiday already. Boy, once the snow melts, they really start to roll in, don't they? *g*

But since I spent too much time this past weekend running around, I get to work thru Memorial Day. Thankfully, there's a Law & Order: Criminal Intent marathon on--yes, again--which is good TV to play in the background while I write. :-)

Saturday, we did go to see Over the Hedge, & it was cute. I loved little Hamilton, the hyperactive squirrel. But then, I love squirrels in general. A few things that happened during the movie were a bit over the top for my tastes, but it was funny & good for kids. I also love that kind of animated film, where you try to figure out whose voice is being used for which characters. Sometimes they're easy to identify, other times not so much.

Then last night, how could I resist watching both X-Men & X-Men 2: X-Men United when they played right in a row on FX? Lord, I'm going to have to watch them both about two million times to erase the horror of X3 from my brain. :-P

All right, there's no rest for the weary. :-) I'm off to write, write, write.

Have a happy holiday, everyone!

oh, Hugh, why hath thou forsaken me?

I didn't get home until about 1am last night, & had to run out this morning, so this is the first chance I've hat to turn on my computer & blog about X-Men: The Last Stand. Can you tell by the post title that I was not enamored of this latest installment in the X-Men saga?

I had such high hopes for this film. I have been dying to see it not just for the past three or four months since I found out when it was being released, but two or three years, since X2 came out. And even tho I'd heard it wasn't wonderful, I thought, "How bad can it be?" The first two were fabulous, so how far off the mark can the third one be?

Well, I am here to tell you, it was bad. Not good. Sad & pathetic, bordering on ridiculous.

Remember how great the first Matrix movie was, & how it blew everyone away? And then how truly hideous the next two were? Yeah, kind of like that. Not quite that bad, but it's a near thing. In fact, more than once I caught myself wondering why extras from The Matrix had been hired for X3, because there was this whole group of leather-wearing, underground-living mutants who looked like they'd just crawled away from Zion with Keanu Reeves.

But I digress. I'd really like to know what everyone else thought of X3, if they've seen it. Or when they see it, since I know it just opened. I can't be the only one who was disappointed.

And I am so disappointed, I'm on the verge of tears. I mean, how can they take something so good, that's been done so very, very well twice before, & screw it up so badly. I blame Bryan Singer. Damn him for leaving X-Men to go work on stupid Superman...which, for the record, doesn't look so hot; they played a preview before X3 & my friend & I both said, "Gee, I was planning to see that, but now maybe I won't bother." So maybe, instead of saying, "Oh, Hugh, why hath thou forsaken me?" I should be saying, "Oh, Bryan, why hath thou forsaken us?"

Am I glad I got another glimpse of Hugh as Wolverine? Yeah. Not thrilled, but glad. Let me tell you, the poor man did what he could. He did the best with what he was given. It was the script that was lacking, not to mention some of the other actors.

Soapbox #1: Halle Berry's complaint that she doesn't get enough screen time as Storm. In this film, they increased it a lot--but not, unfortunately, to the benefit of the movie. She got more face time, but it didn't make the movie one iota better. In fact, it might have made it worse. X-Men is not & has never been about Storm. She is a supporting character. She could be taken out completely & we'd barely miss her. X-Men is & always has been about Wolverine. And I say this as someone who has followed both the comic book & cartoon versions long before the films were made. So there.

Soapbox #2: What is with Wolverine's unhealthy obsession with Jean Grey? What does he even see in her? This is something I totally don't get. Never have, never will. I don't like the actress who plays Jean, but I never liked the animated character, either, so maybe that's why. But I mean, really. Ew. Did Wolverine not put that all behind him at the end of the last movie when Jean supposedly drowned? Did he not tell Scott that Jean had chosen him (meaning Scott, not Logan) & sort of come to terms with that whole sickening, ungodly attraction. And then this whole movie was like a Dr. Phil primetime special waiting to happen. Ick, ick, yuck, yuck. Hated it.

I do have more soapboxes & more complaints about X3, but I have to get ready to go out again. My mother & I have decided to go see Over the Hedge for Memorial Day...& to cleanse my palate of the distasteful experience that was X-Men: The Last Stand.

I'm undecided now as to whether I'll buy the movie when it comes out on DVD. A part of me wants to own them all & thinks I'd like to see it again, just for the few & far between decent scenes that were there...another part of me never wants to see it again as long as I live, or be reminded that something so good can go so horribly, horribly wrong.

But, yes, if they come out with a fourth movie--or especially a spin-off of just Wolverine--I will go see it. I'll have to, to see what happens. Sort of the way I felt compelled to see the third Matrix movie in the theatre, even after #2 was so bad & I knew #3 would be worse. Kind of like a car accident; I know it might be horrifying, yet I cannot look away. :-P

X3 is here!

Today is the day. X3 opens. I am showered & dressed, my hair is washed & curled. I am ready to go.

Of course, I don't actually leave for seven more hours, but who's counting? (Oh, that's right. I am! :-D)

Aside from getting way too excited about a movie, I've been catching up on more season finales...

Last night, I watched House, which I thought was really good. I was surprised he got shot at the very beginning instead of later on, & that most of the episode turned out to be a hallucination. But then, that's what I love about this show--how it keeps you guessing & throws in twists you never expect.

Then this morning, while I biked, I watched Medium. It was okay, but there was nothing about it that blew me away. I think I prefer the episodes that focus more on solving crimes than on Allison's personal life or otherworldly abilities. And I just about fell off my bike when I realized that woman still had bad hair, even in her alternate life. LOL Sorry, I know that's mean of me, but I swear it looked like they did a really wicked comb-over on her there for a while.

I also saw Two and a Half Men, which was funny, as always. I'm not sure why the end didn't surprise me quite as much as I think it was supposed to, but I don't watch that one for the plots, anyway, just for the laughs. :-)

And now, even tho I want to leave right now & camp out in front of the theatre until the movie starts, I really should try to get something productive done today. I'll fill you in on X3 tomorrow...or at least, I'll fill in anyone who's not racing out to see it tonight like I am. *vbg*

Wolverine rocks!

one more day till X-Men 3: The Last Stand

I must confess, I just got up from a nap. It wasn't a long enough one, though, because I'm still tired & I still have a headache. I actually woke up with the headache this morning, I think from sleeping funny, since I also have a kink in my neck. But it's not awful, & it hasn't kept me from being busy all day.

I had a bit of an early morning disappointment when I went online to possibly order a pair of earrings I fell in love with from a catalog. Damn these companies for sending pictures of their gorgeous jewelry straight to my door. Don't they know I'm a sucker for pretty, shiny things? Well, yes, I guess they do, thus their targeting of the proper audience. :-P

What I hate, tho, is paying the shipping & handling charges. How about you? It just astounds me that they can charge $6.95 to mail a pair of earrings that doesn't even weigh an ounce. Or that they charge by your order total, whether you're getting a light-as-a-feather ring or a heavy-as-an-ox desk lamp. Seriously, I have this major, major block against paying shipping & handling. I almost never pay it unless A.) I absolutely have to, or B.) the addition of S&H to my order still makes it a total I'd be willing to pay for the items. You know...like, you find something really cheap online, & even with S&H, it still ends up being cheaper than if you bought it at Sears. That sort of thing.

So, anyway, I checked online for these earrings I liked, half hoping they'd be on sale or that the company would be running a website sale. They do that sometimes. Instead, the earrings I wanted are out-of-stock, & the page didn't say if or when they expected to have more. So I guess I'm not getting those, huh? I'll have to make due with my four thousand other pairs of earrings. LOL

But then--to make up for my morning disappointment--I got a neat surprise in the afternoon mail...more foreign copies of my Desires. I swear, every time they arrive (& I can always tell what they're going to be by the distinct mailing label on the packages), it's like playing a round of "Wheel of Foreign Copies." Before I open them, I take a moment to try to guess which book & which language they might be. :-)

This time, it was the UK version of BOUGHT BY A MILLIONAIRE & Japanese version of BLAME IT ON THE BLACKOUT. Too cool! And the UK one is actually a 2-in-1 with Brenda Jackson's Jared's Counterfeit Fiancee. I didn't know Desires were released as 2-in-1s in the UK like they are in Australia. This one has my cover on it (the one for BOUGHT BY A MILLIONAIRE), but that only makes me wonder what it will be like to someday get a 2-in-1 with the other author's artwork. That sure will be strange. *g*

So that was the big excitement of the day. Otherwise, there isn't much going on except writing, writing, writing, & waiting very impatiently for the latest glimpse of Wolverine. Go X-Men! :-D

Currently listening to: "Accidentally in Love" by Counting Crows
Currently reading: Sanctuary by Meg Cabot & Kill the Messenger by Tami Hoag

season finales

It's that time of year again, when our favorite shows wrap up for the summer & usually leave us on the edge of our seats with their dramatic cliffhangers. And you know how much I love my line-up of television programs, so I've been doing my best to keep up. *g*

Here are my thoughts on the latest season & series finales:

The Amazing Race -- I really only watch this show with half an eye. (You know what I mean! :-p) I like to see where they go, what the challenges are, & who eventually wins, but I don't sit spellbound by the entire process. This year, tho, I was definitely rooting most of the time for "The Hippies," & was very happy when they won. What can I say? I just didn't like those Frat Boys & how snotty they were, & I thought the hippies were nice & friendly to everyone, even when they were playing as hard as they could. So, yay for them!

Close to Home -- I like this show. I know the ratings haven't been great, but it's a decent program, & is very good at creating twists within the storyline that keep you guessing. But I am really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, & may I add REALLY not happy about the way the season finale ended. I mean, are you kidding me? They killed off the sweet, sexy, supportive husband?!? What is wrong with them?!? Oh, it was definitely a shocker, if that's what they were going for, but it was also incredibly cruel & uncalled for. Everyone talks about what a great husband "Joe" is on Medium, but I think the husband on Close to Home had him beat hands-down. Plus, Annabelle (at least I think that's her name; I'm kind of drawing a blank at the moment) had just started to get past the whole baby thing & was able to concentrate on her job again, but now we're going to have to most of next season dealing with her grief over losing her husband. Unless, of course, the show comes back & everyone acts like nothing happened, in which case I will be even more annoyed. Why, oh, why do TV shows do these stupid, unnecessary things to us?

Law & Order: Criminal Intent -- The season ender of this one was pretty much like any other episode of CI, which was nice. The only big shocker was the captain resigning. And I was sorry to see this happen because I liked the guy & thought he worked well within the show. I'm kind of hoping that when the show comes back next season, tho, something happens & he ends up back on the job.

Will & Grace -- This was a sad one for me because I absolutely adore this show. It's kept me in stitches for--what?--nine years. I didn't love the direction this last season took, tho. I mean, what's the sense of having Debra Messing hide her real-life pregnancy, then two seconds later write in a fake one? That never makes sense to me. I also don't think it was the smartest move, storyline-wise, for the show to take. But, anyway. I thought the series finale was okay. Funny in places, sad in others. Not great, but not awful. Just okay. Even tho I didn't like that Will & Grace were separated & fighting for so long, I did enjoy how they covered such a wide span of time to show us what happened well into the future. You don't see that very often when shows comes to an end, which made it kind of memorable. But still, I'm going to miss this show. Thank God for syndication & repeats. *g*

Cold Case -- This one was good. Nothing too surprising or traumatic, but I liked that Lily started to hook up with that guy at the end. She needs to start seeing people, so I was happy to see this happen, & will be interested in seeing how things play out next season.

CSI -- Another good one. I'm upset that Brass got shot, but at least he didn't die, & I'm hopeful that he'll make a full recovery next season. Still not enough of Nick Stokes for my tastes, but what can you do?

Conviction -- I like this show. I won't say it's fabulous, & I don't even know most of the characters' names, but it keeps me interested while I bike in the mornings. :-) Surprisingly, tho, I really, really enjoyed the season ender. It definitely kept me on the edge of my seat...& that's not easy to do on an exercise bike. *g* (It doesn't feel very good, either. :-p) My favorite part was near the end where the guy with the little goatee admitted his feelings for the red-headed girl. (See, I don't know their names!) It was so sweet--& about time! I've been waiting for them to figure that out all season! But then last night, while reading thru the latest TV Guide, I read that this show has been cancelled. Along with two others I really enjoy, Hope & Faith & Less Than Perfect. Damn it! I hate it when people mess with my television viewing habits. These are decent shows & should be allowed to come back. How am I ever going to find out what happens between the goatee guy & the red-headed woman if Conviction is cancelled? Hmph.

I still have a few season finales to get thru--NCIS (which I've purposely been putting off watching because I love this show & kinda want to save the best for last :-)), Medium, Desperate Housewives, etc. I hope they're good & don't do anything to annoy me.

Are there any season enders you've been watching & enjoying? Or hating, as the case may be. :-) Let me know! If I missed something, maybe I can catch it when it repeats before the start of the new season.

whoopee!

Well, I had a dentist appointment today, which is why I didn't post earlier.

But how excited was I to come home & find out that MR. AND MISTRESS is #1 on the Waldenbooks Series Romance Bestseller List AGAIN, for the third week in a row?!?!?

Holy cow, you could have knocked me over with a feather. You could still knock me over with a feather, if you wanted to. :-p Seriously, I'm completely shocked. I was thrilled it hit #1 at all, ecstatic when it stayed there for a second week, but to hit a third time...? Yep, I'm plotzing. It totally makes getting my teeth scraped & cleaned worth it. *vbg*

And I'm too jazzed to think of much else to say, so I'll just say goodnight. Goodnight! :-)

is it Monday morning again?!?

I don't know where the time is going, but I'm not very happy about it. And the weekends definitely seem to be getting shorter. :-P As I mentioned, I spent much of mine in front of the television. But, hey, it was raining, & I was writing (& sometimes reading), & there was a Criminal Intent marathon on. You can't fight Fate. *g*

Late Sunday afternoon, tho, I did go out to mow the grass. I was all ready to go, dressed in my mowing gear...I had my sunglasses, gloves, earplugs (the mower is loud, okay?), & my big straw hat. Yeah, I pretty much look like an extra from Hee-haw when I mow. And I hum the theme to Green Acres almost the entire time I'm out there--so sue me. :-P I even remembered to check the gas level--which is something I sometimes forget until I'm out there, the engine starts sputtering, & I'm stranded in the middle of the yard. But when I tried to start the mower, can you believe the battery was dead? Okay, so it's not really that surprising. I mean, the darn thing has just been sitting there all winter. But it's never died before, so it's not something I thought to check ahead of time. (You know, before I did the whole overalls & hat thing.)

Since adding gas & turning the key is about the extent of my mechanical know-how, I'm going to have to ask the neighbor to check it out for me. But until then...I get to put off mowing even longer! LOL I'm telling you, the universe definitely wants me to have tall grass this year! *g*

So now it's Monday again, & time to get back to work. I'm supposed to pick a winner for my latest website contest, then get the next contest posted. I'm kind of putting that off because getting all the info together is a pain in the butt, but I'll try to get it done by the end of the day.

I'm also waiting rather anxiously to hear back from my editors on the beach novella synopsis. Yes, I finally came up with names--I'm going with Mike & Abby, at least for now--& put the thing together late last week. Then I sent it off to the two editors I'm working with (my regular Desire editor & a special projects editor who's in charge of the anthology) even though it was Friday. I know I probably won't hear back right away, but that doesn't mean I can't spend every minute until I do on pins & needles. :-)

Personally, I really like the story idea. I can't wait to get started, even though I have two Desires to turn in yet before I can. I'm calling it--also tentatively--"Good Girl Gone Wild," & the hero is going to be majorly sexy, as is the entire novella in general. But you never know what an editor will think until you actually hear back from them, & they may spot problems I didn't.

Now that that's done & out of the way--for the time being, anyway--I can focus more fully on BLACKMAILED INTO BED. I'd really like to get it finished & turned in over the next couple of weeks. I'm nearing the end; it's just a matter of pulling everything together & making sure I don't miss anything. But even though it sounds simple in theory, there's no telling how long it will actually take.

So I'm off to work on that. Wish me luck. :-)

quote of the day

I've been spending my weekend writing & reading...& thanking God for sending all the rain so I didn't have to mow the yard the way I'd planned. LOL And now I'm going to watch the Law & Order: Criminal Intent marathon on USA while I try to finish another chapter of BLACKMAILED INTO BED.

But before I do, I'll leave you with this quote from one of my favorite (& now gone--boo-hoo) television shows...

"Twenty-four hours in a day, twenty-four beers in a case--you figure it out."
--"Karen Walker" on Will & Grace

What can I say? Karen cracks me up. I pretty much want to be her when I grow up. :-P

seen any good movies lately?

Since we've been talking a lot this week about what we've been watching...or not watching...I thought I'd list some of the movies I've seen over the past few months. And, yes, as usual, I'm well behind the curve. But bear with me. :-)

Wrong Turn -- Okay, this one just gives the hills of West Virginia a bad name. And I just came from there! But I sure don't remember running into any freaky, inbred hillbillies during my trip. I like this kind of movie, so I enjoyed this one. It reminded me a lot of that "Peacock Brothers" episode of The X-Files, though, which also freaked me out at the time. LOL

Bad Santa -- Does getting a kick out of this one make me a bad person? LOL I like this kind of movie, too; it cracked me up. And I'm still chuckling about the candy corn in the Advent calendar. :-P

Ray -- I didn't even intend to watch this one at first...not my cup of tea. But since it's gotten so much buzz (& didn't Jamie Foxx even win an Oscar for it?) I thought, What the heck. And it was very good. I'm glad I saw it.

Le Divorce, The Banger Sisters, & Million Dollar Baby -- Okay, I realize the three have absolutely nothing to do with one another, but I'm still lumping them together in the category of "what was the point?" & as being pretty much a waste of time. Blah. Million Dollar Baby was maybe the only one that was half-decent, but I still didn't like it. (Am I the only one who's almost always disappointed by the films that get all the Oscar buzz? That happens to me all the time!) The other two...yech. Horrid. Can I get those four hours of my life back, please?

Raising Helen & Shall We Dance? -- I liked these. I'm not racing out to buy the DVDs, but I thought they were funny & sweet--if a little sad at times--& not half bad.

Gothika, Hide and Seek, & Blade: Trinity -- I liked these, too. These are my kinds of movies. I'm only a moderate fan of Blade, but I thought this was actually the best of the three films so far. (So sue me, I like Ryan Reynolds & thought his sense of humor was just what this franchise needed.) Hide was a good suspense, & it definitely kept me guessing. The "whodunnit" at the end came as a complete surprise, but I also ended up thinking it was a little lame because I'm not sure I believe something like that could really happy. And Gothika was probably my favorite of all. I thought it started out awfully slow, & I almost did get bored at one point, but once the suspense stuff really started to pick up, I was hooked. And I loved, loved, loved the freaky way it turned out. Too cool! I'm trying to get my mother to watch this one, but she's afraid; ever since I convinced her to watch What Lies Beneath, she doesn't trust me anymore. LOL

The Italian Job -- another one I really liked & have seen a couple times since it's been playing on FX. I like this kind of movie, with all the twists & turns, & just a touch of romance. :-) Dare I say it? It was like Ocean's Eleven, only better. Altho, Ocean's Eleven was decent; Ocean's Twelve was not. :-p

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous & Charlie and the Chocolate Factory -- Neither of these was as good as the originals, but I still thought they were fun. Miss Congeniality (the first one) is one of my favorite movies, & even tho the sequel wasn't as good, I still thought it had some cute & funny stuff in it. Same goes for the remake of Charlie. I thought it was a little strange in places, & I will probably forever be a devotee to the Gene Wilder version, but the remake was still worth watching. My favorite lines: "If I go with you, does that mean I have to leave my family?" "Yes, but just consider that a bonus." ROTF

Okay, that's about it for my recent movie viewing. I still have quite a few to go, but I'm working on it.

If you've seen any of these & want to chat, I'll be here. :-)

it *is* just me!

I was reading through the TV Guide last night & spotted a "Jeer of the Week" for the episode of My Name is Earl that was on while I was at my conference in West Virginia.

Now, I don't usually watch My Name is Earl. Don't know why, but it just never grabbed me, even though I do think the concept is a cute one. But the cable at the hotel where I was staying wasn't great, so I did end up watching this particular episode.

And here's the thing--I thought it was really funny. I'd never seen it before, & was suddenly feeling kind of guilty about not watching because the show had me laughing out loud. But now the TV Guide is panning that episode as one of the worst ever.

What is with that?!? It was not a bad episode; I actually quite enjoyed it. Of course, I haven't watched Earl since, so I don't know how fabulous the show is normally, but still...

Did anyone see it? (It was the one where Earl & his friends stole shoes at the bowling alley, & ended up swiping a cop's badge. See, clever. Very clever!) And is it just me, or was that actually a decent show? Somebody tell me I haven't fallen into a parallel universe where nobody knows what good TV is anymore. (And that person could be me! Aaack!)

has CSI: Miami totally redeemed itself?

Before I get started talking about this week's episode of CSI: Miami, I wanted to let Ana Carolina know she's the winner of the sexy shoe notepad. Only two people "entered" by leaving comments, but I still typed out the names, closed my eyes, & drew out of a hat. (Okay, it was a mixing bowl, but it still counts. *g*) Ana Carolina, if you e-mail me with your mailing address, I'll try to get the notepad out to you as soon as possible. Thanks!

So now on to CSI: Miami... I've been complaining about this show a lot lately, as you all know. Frankly, I was getting pretty fed up with it. Horatio's monotone dialogue & single facial expression... Marisol's terminal illness that kept her looking healthier than most people you meet on the street... The marriage between Horatio & Marisol, where we were supposed to believe they'd really fallen in love, but neither of them looked like they even recognized the other...

And how about some of those plot points that were introduced, then forgotten? Like Wolf's vision problems after getting popped in the eye socket with a nail gun. Okay, that still makes me cringe, but am I the only one who's spent half the season wondering, "Can he see? Can he not see? What's the deal?" Or the "mole" thing, where someone in the crime lab is apparently passing along private information & trying to get other CSIs in trouble. That only comes up now & then, when they seem to need a so-called riveting scene.

Needless to say, CSI: Miami has been getting on my nerves this year. It was to the point, just last week, that I was actually thinking, "Oh, my God, I'm so bored with this show. Why do I waste my time?" And I really was beginning to consider not recording or watching it anymore. I figured I'd give it until the end of the season...another week or two, right?...then maybe not bother watching it at all next season.

Then I watched this past Monday's episode. And I kinda liked. :-) I won't say it was oh, my god, so fabulous. But it held my interest. And, yes, I was sort of hoping that annoying Marisol would croak. (Does that make me a bad person? *vbg*)

Here's what I liked about the episode, tho: I liked the twist of not knowing whether it was the gang or Eric's psycho girlfriend who had shot him & his sister. Granted, I don't remember him ever dating this woman to begin with, or ever having trouble with a nut-job ex before, but then, we've already established that I haven't been paying very close attention this season. Still, I thought it was really interesting that everyone was having trouble with the gang, so they automatically thought they were responsible...but the viewer kind of suspected it was the psycho ex...then it turned out to be a gang member, after all.

Yeah, it was a tad convenient & more than a bit of a coincidence that both the ex-girlfriend & a gang member were both taking aim at Eric & Marisol at the same time, but I'm willing to overlook that because this is the first episode of Miami that's held my interest all year. :-p

What do you think? Have you been watching? Are you just as enamored of the show as you were in the very beginning, or are you starting to feel a little disenchanted?

Maybe one of these days, we should even discuss CSI: NY. As much as I love Gary Sinese, I do not watch that one, but I've never told anyone why. :-)

Welcome to the World of Continuities

Okay, picture me jumping up & down & squealing, which is pretty much what I've been doing ever since I found out that MR. AND MISTRESS is #1 on the Waldenbooks Series Romance Bestseller List for the second week in a row!!! Yippee!

And now that I'm really & truly sure MR. AND MISTRESS is out there, I can post an article I wrote, but have been hanging on to. It's about being involved in a continuity series such as "The Elliotts," & I hope you enjoy!

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF CONTIUITIES
by Heidi Betts

I've always been a fan of continuity stories. I don't always read them in order, but I still enjoy them, so it was a real thrill for me to be asked to write one of the stories in this year's Silhouette Desire continuity series, "The Elliotts."

Of course, I was also nervous. I'd never participated in a continuity before, and really didn't know what would be involved. Fortunately, there were a lot of very friendly authors out there to help me along, and I learned the ins and outs rather quickly.

So what is a continuity? Well, it's a series of books written by different authors, revolving around a particular family or place or storyline. They usually take place all within one category line (such as Silhouette Desire or Harlequin American), although sometimes they do cross lines or will even occur independently, out-of-line. ("Hotel Marchand" or "Code Red," for example.) And they tend to come out one per month for a set number of months. Continuity series are also "by invitation only." Meaning that editors concoct the ideas, then decide which authors would best suit the individual storylines and ask them to participate.

Once an author agrees to be a part of the series, she's sent what's called a "bible." The bible contains summaries of each individual story, as well as plot and setting details that will run throughout the entire series, and a short blurb about each character who will make an appearance. Sometimes we even get blueprints of what a family estate or office building looks like.

"The Elliotts" (my personal favorite so far, when it comes to continuities...not that I'm biased or anything *g*) is a twelve-book continuity, with the first having been released in January 2006 and the last being released in December 2006, about a wealthy New York family running its own magazine empire. Each book contains its own hero and heroine--one or the other being a member of that illustrious Elliott dynasty--and its own independent storyline...but each book is also connected to the one before and the one after by threads and details that run throughout the entire series. At times, one of the stories will even allude to something that is going to happen a few books down the road.

Each book also tends to span a one month period of time, and that month is whichever month the book will be released. My contribution to "The Elliotts," MR. AND MISTRESS, will be out in May, so the entire story (with the exception of a brief prologue) took place in May. Whatever else was going on, and no matter where my characters were...I got to bop back and forth a bit between Manhattan and Las Vegas...I had to make sure that the weather suited the month I was working with. No getting stuck in a snow storm or suffering a heat wave for me. :-)

As you can imagine, when it comes to continuities, the authors involved often work very closely with each other to make sure their characters' personalities and overlapping scenes mesh. It's fun to see your characters come to life in another author's book, or appear in scenes you aren't actually writing yourself. MR. AND MISTRESS, for example, is about Cullen Elliott, Director of Sales for Snap Magazine, and who also happens to be a bit of a playboy. Cullen is keeping a secret mistress out in Las Vegas--former showgirl, Mitsy Vale--but in my story, I also got to write a little about Cullen's brother, Bryan; his cousins, Bridget and Scarlet; his parents, Daniel and Amanda; his grandfather, Patrick; and his friend, John Harlan--most of whom are main characters for some of the other books in this series.

I won't say that my first continuity experience wasn't scary at times, or even more complicated than I'd expected. But it was also a lot of fun. Which is why, when my editor called to ask if I'd like to participate in another continuity for 2007, I jumped at the opportunity. Not everyone enjoys the world of continuities, but I'm learning that I like to write them almost as much as I like to read them.

is it just me...

This is for those of you who write...

Is it just me, or do you have to have character names & a working title for a story before you can really begin to work on it?

At the moment, I'm supposed to be plotting out my beach novella. I even have the whole idea sort of mapped out in my head. But darned if I can seem to get started on it until I have names for my hero and heroine.

I also needed to come up with a working title before things started to gel for me. Even if it's only a working title, & I know (or strongly suspect) it will be changed later, I need it. A title & character names are the two--or should that be three?--things I have to have figured out before I can sit down to plot a new project or start a synopsis. I think it helps me to feel more in touch with the story & who the characters are.

So that's where I am now, trying to come up with the perfect names. And I'm wondering how other writers work. Can you jump into a project without knowing any of that type of stuff, & fill in the blanks later? Or do you need to know your characters' names so you can begin to really know their personalities? Or maybe you're even one of those who has the title &/or character names come to them first, then builds a story around them.

Let me know. In the meantime, I'll be skimming through my many baby name books, trying to come up with the perfect names for these new characters. :-)

happy mother's day!

In case I don't get to the computer tomorrow, I just wanted to take a minute to wish everyone a very happy Mother's Day! And that includes those of you who are mamas to four-legged babies of any kind. :-D

Take it easy, do something fun...& if those kiddos don't shower you with gifts of an appropriate nature, you have my permission to give them up for adoption. (The two-legged kind, not the four-legged kind. For the four-legged ones, just don't give them any treats for a day or two. *vbg*)

Have a great day!

modern day chastity belts

I was on the run again today. (In an errand-running way, not a being-chased-by-hired-killers way. Thank goodness for small favors. *g*)

And while I was out & about, I came to this conclusion: there are, indeed, chastity belts in circulation today, & I apparently own several.

Of course, the manufacturers can't come right out & call them chastity belts. Oh, no! That sounds much too medieval. So what do they call them instead? Capri pants.

I wore a new pair of capri pants today. Really cute ones with lime & turquoise flowers. And I didn't think much of it when I put them on. But then, as the day wore on, I came to think of these particular slacks--& many pants like them--as medieval torture devices. Or perhaps a secret weapon meant to keep women virtuous.

Why? I'm so glad you asked, because I'm going to tell you!

Because I've worked combination locks that are easier to get into. I've solved the Rubik's Cube in less time than it took me to unbutton & unzip these pants just to go to the bathroom today, I swear to God. They have an inside, "hidden" button. (I have never understood the point of a "hidden" button, anyway, have you?) And then two larger buttons on the outside. (Like one wouldn't have done the job just as well.) Plus a zipper, which was actually the easiest part of the whole contraption to work.

Except! Except that both the dual buttons & zipper are on the left instead of the right. This might be cause for celebration for Southpaws, but it just drives me crazy. I swear, every time I went to the bathroom, people must have thought I fell in. But, no, I was just standing there, fiddling with buttons & left-handed zippers. It felt like I was trying to break into Fort Knox :-p

Of course, I'm not willing to give up on the pants just yet. They're too cute & just perfect for summer. But from now on, I do think I'll refrain from drinking any liquids while wearing them. I mean, who wants to be bothered? :-P

that'll teach me to leave the house

I had some doctor appointments yesterday, so I actually got dressed & left the house. Didn't think much of it, since not a lot happens when I'm home, anyway. I went to my appointments, did lunch, did a bit of shopping...

Then, a little after 5pm, I was actually standing in the bookstore, signing copies of MR. AND MISTRESS, when my phone rang. The Caller ID said it was my agent, & I got really excited because I've never gotten a call from my agent on my cell phone before. It's always been a tiny dream of mine, to have either my agent or editor call me on my cell phone--preferably with some fabulous piece of news. :-) Although, technically, my agent has called me on the cell before...it just happened to be a time when the darn thing wasn't turned on, so it didn't count.

Anyway, it turns out he'd both e-mailed & called me at home earlier in the day, trying to reach me because he needed something ASAP. Well, that was going to be a little tough, since I was almost an hour from home. And it was already after business hours. As soon as I got home, though, I did send him the stuff he needed.

But like I said, that'll teach me to leave the house! :-P

While I was out, however, I found the cutest notepads shaped like little dresses & sexy shoes. I bought every one they had. :-D I also thought I'd give one away here on my blog.

Since I know there are quite a few people lurking who don't necessarily post comments, I'm going to give it a couple of days & then draw a name from all those who do post comments to this post. (Come on, Oh, Quiet Ones. Now is the time to put aside your shyness & get talking! *g*) Doesn't matter what you say...you can say "I wanna win!" or "yep, that will teach you to leave the house"--it all counts. (Except nasty or pornographic stuff, of course, but hopefully we won't get any of that.) I also don't care where you live. Inside the U.S. or out, I'll mail the notepad wherever.

And speaking of lurkers, I got the nicest e-mail yesterday from a woman named Ana Carolina, who lives in Rio de Janeiro. She read my post about the Portugese copies of BOUGHT BY A MILLIONAIRE I just received, & explained that while Portugese & Spanish are very similar in many ways, Brazil is the only country that speaks Portugese. She added that "very few people know that." And she's right--I certainly didn't! But, Ana Carolina, you should really come out of lurk mode & post that sort of thing when you think of it. I'm sure everyone would have been interested in hearing the difference between Harlequin Deseo & Harlequin Desejo. I know I was. :-)

All right, time to get to work. I have writing to catch up on from yesterday, & also the line edits of my November Desire, BEDDED THEN WED, to get through. Forgot to mention that was another surprise that arrived in Monday's mail. Of course, it's a surprise that requires work. :-P

hip-hip hooray!

Okay, now I'm really excited. I just found out that MR. AND MISTRESS is #1 on the Waldenbooks Series Romance Bestseller List this week! Wha-hoo! (And look at me, playing with font colors. I'm such a rebel! LOL)

This definitely requires a celebration of some sort, even if it means getting dressed & leaving the house. Or...maybe not. I can celebrate by myself, in my pajamas, right? Or how about this--I'll put off celebrating for a couple of weeks, then do it with your favorite action hero & mine, Hugh Jackman. I mean, "Wolverine." (Hubba-hubba. I am absolutely rabid for X3 to come out, how about the rest of you?)

In addition to the contest finals & the Waldens list (still doing the Snoopy Dance), yesterday was a good mail day. I received the contracts for my "Sexy Summer Beach Read" novella, which (for some reason) I expected to be different from my regular contracts in at least a few small ways. Surprisingly, it was almost identical, making it easy for me to read over & sign with confidence. :-) I was afraid I'd have to call up a couple friends who have done way more anthologies than I have & say, "What does this mean?" half a dozen times.

I also got a few copies of BOUGHT BY A MILLIONAIRE in Portugese. Very unexpected. And then quite the surprise when I saw them & thought, "Hm, that's odd. Why am I getting more copies of the Spanish edition?" But when I looked more closely, there are subtle differences...for instance, instead of Deseo, the spelling of the line is Desejo. I guess this is the difference between the Spanish-Spanish version & the Latin America Spanish version. So...neat! I'm published in yet another language I can't read or speak. *vbg*

All right, I'm going back to my happy dance now. (And, yes, there's a little song that goes with it...I'm sure you can guess what it is. :-D)

hooray!

What great news for a Monday morning!

I just found out that BOUGHT BY A MILLIONAIRE & WHEN THE LIGHTS GO DOWN are both nominated for Phoenix Desert Rose Romance Writers' "Golden Quill" Award. Too cool!

I don't think I've ever been a double finalist in anything, so that

's a real treat. And, okay, yes, I admit that I'm a bit relieved one of my books other than WHEN THE LIGHTS GO DOWN has finally gotten a nod for something. I was starting to get a complex. :-p The fact that LIGHTS finaled in addition to MILLIONAIRE is just icing on the cake.

Now if I can just win one of these things. I won't hold my breath, just in case, but it would be nice. LOL

baby bird update

Well, this is quite a surprising turn of events. The mama bird stayed on the nest all Friday night, but was gone Saturday. When I sneaked out to check on the babies...they were gone.

All three of them, vanished. And they hadn't been pushed out, as far as I could tell. I had a blanket down to break their fall, just in case, but I also got down on the ground on my hands & knees to look. Nothing. The nest is empty & the mother robin hasn't been back.

I hope this means the babies were okay & the mother moved them to a safer place. But I really do suspect one or two of them didn't make it, so she might have taken them off & done something else with them.

Ew. Okay, I don't like to think about that sort of thing. The point is, mama & babies are all gone, which means they're no longer my responsibility. But I brought the nest inside, anyway, to keep any other birds from taking up residence. (My mother will love to use it for one of her educational units, & I really don't think that's the safest place for birds to be raising babies.)

define "irony"

Irony is the fact that I sprayed a small spot on a summer top that wasn't even dirty so I could wear it soon, then hung it on the line to dry...where a bird promptly sh*t on it in three places.

Honestly!

Now the darn thing really is dirty & I'll have to spray & wash it all over again. (I should have just spot cleaned it & thrown it over the shower rod to dry. :-p)

the emergency du jour

God forbid a day pass without some sort of crisis, right? LOL Today, it was a baby bird emergency.

A mother robin built a nest over the back porch light. To keep from disturbing her, I haven't even been using the back door. If I need to fill the bird feeders int eh back yard or hang clothes, I go out the front & all the way around the house. (See how nice I am!)

But today, when I went outside, I happened to notice the nest wasn't there anymore. Odd, since even after birds leave, the nests tend to remain, right? Then I noticed that it had fallen...& worse, the baby robins had fallen out.

Oh, lord, it was horrible. The poor little things have no feathers, their eyes aren't open, they aren't even old enough to peep yet. And there they were--three of them--lying on the ground. One was still alive...I'm sure of it because it was trying to cry, even though it wasn't making any noise. The other two...I'm not so confident about.

I quick scooped them up & tried to keep them warm, & thankfully I have a friend who does wildlife rehab, so I immediately called her to find out what to do. (I've been known to bring birds & mice & bunnies & all kinds of things into the house to take care of until they can be released, but these baby birds were just a little too young for my know-how.) She said to put them back in the nest, put the nest back where it had been, & see if the mama bird came back. If it didn't return in an hour, then I should bring the babies to her & she'd put them in the incubator to see what could be done.

So that's what I did. And the mother did come back, almost right away. Whew. Sigh of relief, right? Well, we'll see. I'm really worried about them. I don't know how hurt they were by the fall, if the mother bird will reject them because she either smells me on them or senses that they're hurt, etc. But I sure hope they all make it!

Right now, I'm leaving them completely alone. The mother is out there, so she's at least keeping them warm. My friend said she'd stop by later--around dusk, when the mother should take off to feed before coming back to sit with the babies all night long--& she'll check on them. If any of them are dead, they'll need to be taken out before...well, you know. But I really, really hope they're all okay. I do not want to deal with dead baby birds. :-((((((

I'll keep you posted.

conference recap

Okay, I admit it--there won't be much to this. The conference I attended last weekend happens to be one of those really relaxed, laid-back events, so I don't have a whole lot to report. I didn't even have to wear panythose!

I participated in the multi-author signing at Turn the Page Bookstore Cafe again this year. That was held Friday morning from 11:30am to 2pm. Well, it was supposed to be over at 2pm, but it actually ran much closer to 3pm. Or maybe even longer; I honestly don't remember even looking at my watch! But these signings are always so much fun, it never really feels that long. As usual, the turnout was incredible. The line just went on & on & on. And I was lucky enough to be sitting between romantic suspense author Karen Rose and Regency historical author Sally MacKenzie, so I was in good company. :-)

After the signing, we all headed for the conference hotel to begin our weekend, & I was delighted to run into my little group of friends almost immediately. We hugged & laughed, then found a corner where we could sit & talk for a few hours. I also got to spend time over the weekend with authors like MaryJanice Davidson, Carly Phillips, Sabrina Jeffries, Nora Roberts, & several others...not necessarily in that order. :-)

I don't remember specifics from any of the days. There were workshops, of course...some that I attended, others I didn't. I remember really enjoying Sabrina Jeffries's keynote speech, & the fact that when I introduced myself to her by saying, "Hi, Sabrina, I've really been looking forward to meeting you," she replied with, "I've been looking forward to meeting you." (I'm still grinning over that one. :-D)

When Sunday rolled around, I didn't want to leave...I think I'd live down there if I could. But, alas, I'm home now & playing the usual game of catch-up. I don't even want to think about how long it will take me to unpack. :-P

Oh, & as always, the conference wrapped up with a Chinese drawing. It's fun, but I hardly ever win anything. This year, though, I won a giant frog basket. Very, very exciting, since I happen to be a frog nut! I now have three more stuffed frogs (three more than any grown woman needs, I admit, but one is dressed like a jester & just too cute), an adorable ceramic frog for my porch, & a bunch of other green or frog goodies that I'm having fun playing with & finding places for. Nora walked away with the frog planter I was lusting after, which I will hold against her forever, but at least I came home with something. Ribbet!

is it just me...

Second television gripe of the week...

Is it just me, or are you not buying the relationship between Horatio & Marisol on CSI: Miami at all?

I mean, come on! First she's sick, then she's not sick. (Or she's still sick, but she looks pretty damn healthy.) They barely know each other, then he goes with her to one chemo treatment & now they're getting married? On next week's episode, it looks like.

I'm sorry, I must have blinked & missed the amazing attraction between these two people. Did anyone see sparks? Did anyone see anything?

Is it just me, or are you starting to get kind of annoyed with this show?

is it just me...

...or is the Sci-Fi Channel becoming a bit liberal in what they consider "science-fiction"?

I just saw a commercial advertising episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit that are going to be on the Sci-Fi Channel later this week.

Really? Are they serious? I know SVU can sometimes be kinky or weird, but I definitely wouldn't categorize it as "otherworldly."

And how about the fact that they've been playing the soap opera Passions every day? I just about fell off my chair when I noticed that. I mean exsqueezeme? Is that really the sort of thing we paranormal geeks are clamoring for? (In case you couldn't figure it out on your own, the answer is no.)

Shouldn't the Sci-Fi Channel stick to things that are actually sci-fi? Shows like Serenity, Kindred: The Embraced, Highlander, The X-Files...anything like that. They all qualify as being sci-fi enough for the Sci-Fi Channel. I would actually love to see them bring back some of those. They should tack on Space Rangers & the "new" Dark Shadows (with Adrian Paul--hubba hubba) while they're at it.

But Law & Order: SVU? Who are they trying to kid?

(P.S. Be sure to drop by again tomorrow...I feel a gripe about CSI: Miami coming on. :-P)

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