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Monday, July 31, 2006
I'm home!
Hi, all! I'm back from sultry Atlanta, Georgia. ("Sultry" is the polite way of saying it was stinking hot & humid, btw. *g*) Lots to report, but I'm exhausted & my cats are needy, needy, needy, so I'm going to crash for tonight. As soon as I have the energy to unpack & find some of the notes I took, I'll post some of the fun--& not so fun--stuff that happened. :-D
Monday, July 24, 2006
don't have too much fun while I'm gone!
As most of you know, I'm off to the Romance Writers of America National Conference in Atlanta, GA, tomorrow. In fact, Mary-Theresa Hussey, the Executive Director of Silhouette Books just called about ten minutes ago to invite me to have dinner with her and a couple other authors while we're there. Since my editor isn't attending this year, she didn't want me to feel orphaned. *vbg* I'm almost completely packed & ready to go--I think--but won't be able to post again until early next week. Yes, I know some authors get online at the hotel & report up-to-the-minute happenings, but that's just not me. I can barely remember to jot down paper-&-pencil notes while I'm sitting right there. Sorry. :-p But I will try to take at least mental notes as the week progresses & will report in as soon as I get home. And if anything exciting happens on your end, please do the same. Until I return...happy reading! :-D
Sunday, July 23, 2006
I should be packing, but I've been watching movies instead
And, okay, I am. Really I am. Dug out my suitcases yesterday & started filling them with several of the items on my list. I still have quite a bit to go, though. I've also been getting a little writing done--which is amazing, considering I keep jumping up every few minutes to grab something else I think I might need. And I've been watching movies. Partly because it's something I can do while being distracted by other things, & partly because I need to clear enough space off of the DVRs to allow stuff to record all while I'm gone. This wouldn't be quite as necessary if I didn't insist on recording every episode of Simon & Simon, The Big Valley, & Diagnosis Murder, in addition to a bunch of other stuff, but just because I'm not here doesn't mean I should miss my favorite shows, right?!? Last night, I watched Saw. Started it early, but didn't finish until just before bed. Not such a good idea, since I ended up having kind of disturbing dreams. :-( But it was actually a really good movie. I expected it to be simply a gory, blood-soaked horror fest, with no real rhyme or reason, but it turned out to have an actual story & plot. A couple of things were left unanswered for me, but the end was definitely spooky. I also watched Sky High while on the exercise bike, & thought that was really good, too. Cute & creative. And National Treasure, which is my kind of movie--I love the action-adventure stuff when it has a really solid storyline. And though I didn't watch them recently, I've been trying to catch up on other stuff, so I've also seen Birth, The Forgotten, The Village, Before Sunset, & The Good Girl--all of which were boring & just plain stupid.
The Village was semi-decent, but I got to the end & though, "Excuse me?" with the way it turned out. I mean, huh? M. Night Shymalan went from The Sixth Sense to this? Birth was completely pointless...it was slow & stupid, but if it had at least had a plot or a reason for this boy saying he was the dead husband, then I would have liked it more. I mean, couldn't the dead husband have come back to warn her about something...what a creep the new fiance was or that someone was trying to kill her? Anything! Same goes for The Forgotten. I almost got it there for a minute, then it ended up with no explanation of what was going on & no point, really. I hate it when movies do that! The Good Girl--boring. Why was there so much hubbub about this snoozer? Before Sunset--yap, yap, yap, boring. All they did was wander around talking. It was kind of like Open Water, but without the intrigue of circling sharks. :-P A few better movies I've seen were... Cellular -- Very good. Way better than I ever expected. In fact, so good that I'm watching it again right now. :-) I just love it when films keep you riveted & are completely plausible to boot. I also liked that even though Kim Basinger's character was trapped in an attic most of the time, when there was finally something she could do to help herself & her family, she did it. She didn't fall into the trap of so many women-in-jeopardy heroines & either fall apart or make matters worse. Pirates of the Carribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl -- (That is right, right? Black Pearl was the first one, Chest is the second, correct?) Yes, the sequel is out & I just got around to watching the first one, but I'm always behind on my movie viewing. For some reason, I didn't think I would like it very much, but it turned out to be really, really good. Maybe even buy-on-DVD-good. :-) And I would dearly love to see the second one, but it will have to wait until after I get back from RWA. Or maybe until it comes on TV or out on DVD. LOL The Spongebob Squarepants Movie -- What can I say? I'm a fan. This one was just like the much shorter cartoons on Nickelodeon, but I liked it. And last but definitely not least, Team America: World Police -- I love South Park, so I thought this movie would be amusing, but I wasn't in a huge hurry to see it because I just couldn't wrap myself around the idea of spending two hours watching marionette dolls in action. But I was delighted to discover that this movie--puppets & all--is freaking hilarious!!! The songs, the jokes, the irreverent humor, even the dead eyes of the marionette dolls. For mature audiences only, to say the least, but a total laugh riot! I think I have enough space on my DVRs to handle the coming week's recordings, but I'd better watch a few more just to be safe. *g* Currently watching Cellular
Currently reading Kill the Competition by Stephanie Bond
Friday, July 21, 2006
guest blogger strikes again!
 Darlene Gardner here. I'm back to tell you about something very cool that happened to me yesterday while taking a guided tour of the Kennedy Center with my sister and her family. For those of you who haven't been there, that's the very impressive performing arts center in Washington, D.C. When we stepped from the concert hall into the grand foyer, I realized that I was taking the same path as my characters had in my current book! A TIME TO FORGIVE features two scenes at the Kennedy Center, and I'd forgotten that until halfway through the tour when I saw the three-ton bust of JFK. Publishing moves very slowly. Even though my book is on the shelves now, I've written another book and started yet another since I finished it. I'd been to the Kennedy Center numerous times before, but never on a tour. When I wrote the scenes, I refreshed my memory by taking the virtual tour available on the center's website. The coolest part was when the tour guide, who'd overheard me remark to my sister that I'd set scenes in my book in the Kennedy Center, asked me for the book title so she could read it. Sure hope I got everything right!
Thursday, July 20, 2006
this is just wrong on so many levels
I read about this site in Entertainment Weekly & couldn't resist passing it along. Like I said, it's wrong on so many levels...but funny, very funny. Cats That Look Like Hitler: www.catsthatlooklikehitler.comCurrently watching Bewitched (the movie, not the television series)
Currently reading Countdown by Iris Johansen
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
I look like a big grape popsicle
Blogger was acting really weird this morning, so this is the first I've been able to post. And, yes, it's true, I do look like a big grape popsicle. Had my hair done yesterday for RWA, but instead of the bright, copper-ish red I wanted, I ended up with bright, purple-ish brown. Pretty much like a glass of Concord grape juice. When I washed it this morning, the water in the tub really did look like a box of grape popsicles had melted. LOL I can't blame my hairdresser, though, because we were trying to match a color I had once before but isn't available anymore & we just sort of missed the boat. I'm hoping we can do better next time. You know--if I'm brave enough to make another stab at it. Still, what I ended up with isn't bad... Not what I was going for, & not at all what I wanted for this particular conference, but not bad. It's actually starting to grow on me. (No pun intended. :-)) I just hope it doesn't clash terribly with any of the outfits I have laid out to wear. And I think my cat, Angel, would probably be quick to point out that even purple hair is better than what I've been doing to him. Every time he falls asleep in a convenient location, I sneak up on him & start shaving whatever parts of his fur I can reach. He's my only long-haired kitty, & even though he actually went to the vet to be shaved earlier this summer, already the fur is starting to grow back. And because it's so hot & his fur gets matted on a regular basis, anyway, I want to try to keep his hair short. So I'm trying to do it myself, & of course, he's trying to stop me. He'll sit still for a little while, but then he gets tired of it & runs away. I'm guessing I'll get him completely trimmed by winter. :-P
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
heeeeere's Darlene!
Just when I thought it was safe to accept Heidi's blogging invitation and come out to play...revisions of a book-to-be arrived. In true Drama Queen fashion, I panicked. Didn't matter that my editor deemed the changes "minor." They seemed major to me. Until last night, when I realized I was needlessly overreacting and the changes were minor after all. So here I am, ready to rock, rumble and blog on the site of a favorite author/friend. As Heidi already told you, I write for Superromance and have a release on the shelves this month titled A TIME TO FORGIVE. It's as much about hate as it is love. Ten years before the story begins, the heroine's teenage brother murders the hero's teen brother. Now the murderer is due up for parole and emotions are running high. I've always been fascinated by the different ways people deal with tragedy. Some people forgive even the most heinous acts. Others live the rest of their lives with hate in their hearts. My book explores some of those issues. And, of course, the power of love. Now...back to those revisions. As soon as I cart some teenage boys to the gym. And pick up my daughter from basketball camp. And stop at the store for some things we're running low on... Are you getting an idea of what my life is like?
Monday, July 17, 2006
stranded at mile 50 of the 100 mile yard sale
Hi, all! Contrary to popular belief, I did not fall off the face of the earth. It's just been a very busy weekend. Friday, my mom & made our annual pilgrammage to the Hundred Mile Yard Sale that's held in this area every summer. I was really looking forward to it, & it was the one thing I was willing to spend a day doing other than writing or getting ready for RWA, which is really saying something. *g* And we had fun. The morning was great because it was still fairly cool & we found some neat stuff. But then, about 50 miles into the 100 Mile Yard Sale, disaster struck. For one thing, it was starting to get HOT, but then we stopped at this one house, & when we went to leave, the car wouldn't start. Not just "not start," but nothing happened when we turned the key. The car was well & truly dead. The man who lived at the house where we were stuck tried to give us a jump start because we suspected the battery was dead, but his jumper cables wouldn't connect to the battery. (Who knew they had two different kinds...one that attaches at the top & one that attaches at the side.) So we called Triple A. Thank God for AAA. LOL We had to wait longer than if we'd been able to get a jump start from the other guy, but that's okay. We both had books with us-- of course!--& sat in the shade under a tree reading & eating apples until the tow truck came. And I guess the battery was really dead because it took about six tries...I kid you not...to get the car to start & stay running. And I guess the yard sale was a real killer for cars in general, because the tow truck driver said they'd had twenty-eight calls already that day (it was only a little after noon), starting before 6am. Yikes! And he still had something like eleven calls to go. So he got us going, but didn't tow or follow us. Since the car was not to be trusted, we came straight home. But we'd only gotten about halfway through the yard sale route, so we got a different car & headed back out. :-D Unfortunately, it was really hot by then & we never quite recaptured the fun we'd been having earlier. We never really found anything else fabulous, either. That is, until we reached Benezette, where we had a delicious dinner--our first real food of the day--& ran into some friends we hadn't seen in a while. They were with a couple of family members, one of whom loves romance. So we chatted for quite a while about books. & I ended up giving her a copy of BOUGHT BY A MILLIONAIRE that I had in the car. I hope she likes it! By the time we got home, it was late & we were exhausted. I took a shower & fell straight into bed. I spent the rest of the weekend going through my closet & drawers looking for clothes to wear to the RWA conference. It wasn't pretty, let me tell you. My constant battle is coordination. I have a million pairs of pants & a million tops, but I can never find items that actually go together. Grr. I did find a nice dress for the Harlequin party, though, & enough outfits for the rest of the week--I think. I hope. Next I need to start packing, which I'm also not looking forward to. Blah! But for now, I'm going to get back to the writing & see if I can catch up a little from the time I lost over the weekend. And Darlene will be here soon to chat about A Time to Forgive. :-D Currently watching Intervention
Currently reading See Jane Die by Erica Spindler
Thursday, July 13, 2006
the new Desire guidelines in action
As many of you may already know, the Silhouette Desire line is in the process of moving in a new direction. Nothing major, not a complete overhaul, but instead of stories that encompass a lot of different types of characters and storylines, we're now trying to be a little more fixed on rich, powerful Alpha heroes and stories that have a bit more of a glamorous slant to them. Well, I just got the back cover copy for my November Silhouette Desire, BEDDED THEN WED, & chuckled when I read it. It was one thing to hear about the changes taking place & even make the changes within my own writing, but it took this blurb for them to really sink in. *g* Here it is: WHAT'S THE BRIDE WORTH?
Wealthy rancher Mitch Ramsey had never given much of a second look to his neighbor, Emma Davis, until an unexpected encounter led to a night of unbridled passion. Mitch figured their affair could be a discreet diversion, one they had both gone into with eyes wide open.
Then Emma's father made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Marry Emma and Mitch would inherit what he had always coveted--the entire Davis ranch. But Emma was never to know...It's fairly accurate, plot-wise, but it's also a bit of a stretch for how things really happen in the book. For instance, the hero isn't that wealthy...or maybe he is, I don't even think I mention how well off he is...& he hasn't exactly been coveting the heroine's father's land. I get why they wrote it that way, though. I even wish I'd set up the story more along those lines from the beginning. But this was a book that had already been approved & I was already in the middle of writing when the new guidelines came about, so I was told to keep doing what I was doing & simply try to implement certain aspects of the new guidelines whenever possible. Thus the extra-Alpha hero. :-D I don't think anyone who reads this blurb & then reads the book will be upset or feel they were misled, but knowing the story the way I do, I find the wording amusing. Now I just need to get a peek at the cover art, which should be ready soon. I can't wait!
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
guest blogger coming soon
For a change of pace, a friend is going to drop by next week to blog about her upcoming book. Her name is Darlene Gardner, she's a fabulous author, & her second SuperRomance is being released from Harlequin later this month. To whet your appetites, I thought I'd post the cover & back cover blurb, then she can tell you more about the story when she visits. :-) A TIME TO FORGIVE Darlene Gardner Harlequin SuperRomance #1360 July 2006
Every moment counts...When Connor Smith has to unexpectedly care for his nine-year-old niece, he isn't prepared. In fact, he's overwhelmed. Blending their lives poses one problem after another, until Jaye's violin teacher throws them a lifeline.
Abby Reed not only knows how to get through to his niece, she also makes an impression on him. Soon their time together means everything to Connor--and the tragedy his family faced a decade ago begins to have less power over him. Then he discovers Abby's family's connection to his own...
Can their love survive Connor's bitterness and Abby's insistence that her brother isn't the awful person he's been branded?
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
I'm in German again!
 I haven't seen the parakeet yet this morning, so I'm hoping it found its way home. (Better than thinking something might have happened to it, huh?) In the mail today, I received both my invitation to the Harlequin party, being held during the RWA conference in Atlanta & some German copies of WHEN THE LIGHTS GO DOWN. The German copies of LIGHTS are gorgeous, aren't they? I love the purple & the artwork, which is completely different from the cover of the American version. But I'm okay with it! :-D And the theme of the Harlequin party is "Puttin' on the Ritz" because it's being held at the Ritz-Carlton. That means it's going to be pretty snazzy...but it also means I'll probably have to dress up more than I intended. :-P That's all right, I'm sure I have a fancy black dress somewhere. Sadly, I also discovered yesterday that I have to completely rewrite chapter 3 of FORTUNE'S FORBIDDEN WOMAN from the beginning. Not so much because I was heading in the wrong direction, but because in order to let the heroine reveal something in introspection, I think it needs to be set up a bit differently. I was using a few of the other continuity characters in the scene, but I think it will be better if I just throw them all in, include a bit of a recap of their lives, & let the heroine come to her conclusion that way. Yeah, I know--you're all thinking huh?!? But it makes sense to me, & you'll just have to trust that I know what I'm doing. You know, now. *vbg* Of course, this little revamp means added work & is going to set me back a few days, but if it makes the story stronger, then it will be worth it. Currently watching Touched by an Angel & Will & Grace
Currently reading See Jane Die by Erica Spindler
Monday, July 10, 2006
call National Geographic, my house is turning into Wild Kingdom
Seriously, the is one of the most bizarre weeks I've ever lived through, at least where animals are concerned. First there was the skunk, right? Haven't seen him again, but he was definitely here the one night. Then the puppies, brought home just to remind me of how little work cats are. :-) And now...you'll never believe it...a bright yellow parakeet has started visiting my bird feeders. It's the most beautiful thing, but it looks really out of place amongst all the brown & gray sparrows & mourning doves (& sometimes a chippy or two). I don't know if it got loose from its cage or if someone got tired of it & set it free-- not a good idea, for the record, but I know it happens. A friend who rehabilitates wildlife & works with birds a lot said it should be okay on its own, which is a good thing since it won't let me get anywhere near it. :-) But I swear, my house & yard are starting to look like some crazy Discovery Channel special...or an impromptu animal shelter. LOL
Saturday, July 08, 2006
puppypalooza
 Look at those faces. Look at them! Aren't they the most adorable little things you've ever seen in your life?!? And they were almost mine. :-( My mother did the craziest thing yesterday--she showed up after hitting a few yard sales with these adorable little darlings. A family had been giving them away, & even though she's been telling me for years that I don't need a dog (even though I've been wanting one for years), she said she just had to show them to me. She didn't agree to keep them, but the people told her she could take them to show me & even keep them overnight if she wanted...or keep them forever, if we couldn't help ourselves. Well, the minute I saw them, I fell head over heels in love. How could I not? If you think they're cute in photographs, you should see them in person. Oh. My. God. And they're so tiny. Only six weeks old, which I think is a little young to be giving them away, but apparently the mother won't let them nurse anymore so they thought it would be okay. So immediately, I decided I was a brand new dog owner. Or I at least really, really wanted to be. I'm a sucker for animals, but especially the teeny-tiny baby variety. And even though my brain was telling me I didn't need any added responsibilities, my heart was saying, "But look at them!" I decided to keep them overnight, since we'd been given permission. Got a little box together, bought a can of moist puppy food, & even introduced them to the cats. (There was wariness & curiousity, but at least not outright hostility.) And for most of the evening, they were as good as gold; I think they'd been exhausted by playing around all day & having so many people holding & petting them, because they just slept. It was after I went to bed around 11pm that things got rocky. I got zero sleep. Literally didn't sleep a wink until about 7am because they were up so often, needing food, water, attention, & potty breaks. And like I said, I think they're still a little too young to be taken from their mother, because they really seemed to need that bonding, litter-huddle thing. They were absolutely adorable every time I picked them up, but somewhere around 4am, I realized there was no way I could give them the attention they would need--not to mention the diligence top properly housebreak them--right now. Maybe if I didn't have two books due in the time I'm usually given to write one... Maybe if RWA National weren't coming up in two weeks & I wouldn't be forced to abandon them or find someone to watch them just when I was starting to make progress with the training... I have no problem with devoting a ton of time & energy to new pets...lord knows I've done it dozens of times in the past...but right now is just not a good time & I knew I wasn't capable of it. So around 8am, I gave a little sniffle & let my mom take them back. I do miss them, but I'm hoping they find happy homes with someone else. Or maybe a small part of m  e is hoping they don't, & that after the RWA conference is over, I can take a drive past the house & change my mind. *g* Sigh. That was the beginning of my weekend, in a nutshell. I didn't have puppies, then I had puppies, & now I don't have puppies anymore. ( Waaaaaa!) One of these days, though... One of these days, I'm going to bring a puppy home & keep it. Currently watching Monsters, Inc.
Currently reading Blue Moon by Laurell K. Hamilton
Friday, July 07, 2006
my new (& somewhat stinky) little friend
I'm fighting a doozy of a headache today. I've done everything I can think of to get rid of it, but it was actually much worse yesterday before the chiropractor adjusted me, so I guess I should be grateful. Yesterday, it was a sharp, stabbing pain just above my left eye...I thought my brain was going to have a meltdown & start dripping out my ears. LOL Now, it's more of a low, all-over throb. I also had a surprise visitor drop by last night. I was going around closing windows because it was starting to get chilly, when I happened to look down at one of the bird feeders I have set up outside. And darned if the cutest skunk wasn't prowling around picking up dropped seeds & nuts. I suspected something like this would happen, since I've seen critters like that at the feeders farther down in the yard, but I decided to risk it. And this little guy was adorable. It was just about the fluffiest thing I've ever seen & wasn't so much black with white stripes as white with black stripes. He actually looked more like a puppy dog than a skunk. :-) I sneaked downstairs to get a closer look...as did the cats *g*...& as long as he didn't spray, I was fine with him nosing around. He only stayed about ten more minutes, then waddled off. I didn't even see where he went; one minute he was there, the next he was out of sight & I couldn't find him again. All right, now it's time to get down to the business of writing. Have a good weekend, everyone! Currently watching Will & Grace
Currently reading I Think I Love You by Stephanie Bond
Thursday, July 06, 2006
I'm going to shave my legs for this
I've fallen a bit behind--sorry about that. Yesterday, the Sears repairman was supposed to come again...to fix the exercise bike this time. The parts he needed had arrived, so all I had to do was stay off the phone until he called & said he was on his way. Thus the not being able to get online to blog. *g* And replacing the pedal on the bike took all of about 5 minutes, so I am back in business. Yay! I used it this morning for a full hour & it ran beautifully. While I was waiting for him & couldn't use the phone or internet--I really need a second phone line, don't I?--I decided to sort & organize a few more piles of books. It's official, my little reading habit (i.e. addiction) is completely out of control. It wouldn't be so bad if I were a faster reader, but I'm so slow, things really start to pile up. And what's worse, all the books look so good! I want to sit down & read them all right now. But I can't spend all my time reading...as much as I might like to. I've got to write, write, write. Thankfully, that's been going pretty well. I have to go back & insert some information into the last chapter, but I had to double-check the info with the other authors in the "Dakota Fortunes" continuity first. And I left spots open & places highlighted so it would be an easy fix once I had the proper details. I'm liking the characters & story, which is always a plus, & I don't think my editor will have any complaints about my hero not being Alpha enough for the new Desire guidelines. Believe me, he's got Alpha coming out of his pores. LOL That's about all from this corner of the woods. I've got a chiropractor appointment later today, & while I'm in town, I'm going to see if I can buy some carpet remanants to line the cats' new ramp. Oh, see, there's a bit of news. The friend of one of my neighbors built a really nice, solid wooden ramp for my cats to climb up & down from a window in the basement. I've been wanting one for a while, since a couple of the kitties aren't as agile as they used to be. And until now, they were using a lawn chair & a stack of litter buckets to get up & down. LOL It wasn't very sturdy or attractive, let me tell you. The wood of the new ramp is a bit slick, tho, & even tho they do have claws, they still have trouble using it. It was actually kind of comical to watch, like sliding down a sliding board. (Don't worry, I was right there to catch them before they fell off. :-)) But putting a bit of carpet down to add traction will fix the problem & make the ramp absolutely perfect. They're gonna love it! Gotta run. Can't let the chiropractor adjust my knee until I've shaved my legs. (I don't want to scare the poor fellow right out of his profession! LOL)
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
happy 4th of July!
I hope you're all enjoying your holiday, maybe having a cookout or picnic & later enjoying a fireworks display. You know, the kind put on by professionals who know how to do it without losing a thumb. *g* I don't actually have any plans for today, other than writing, writing, writing. I've been making pretty good progress on FORTUNE'S FORBIDDEN WOMAN, though I have run into a few slow spots where I need to double check my continuity information & consult with the other participating authors to make sure I've got my details right & I'm not stepping on any toes. The line edits for my February 2007 Silhouette Desire, BLACKMAILED INTO BED, also arrived yesterday, so I should probably sit down soon & go over those. I was really surprised, since I just turned the book in at the beginning of June, & it usually takes quite a while longer to reach this stage. But I'd just as soon get them done & out of the way now. From just fanning through the pages, they actually look fairly clean & light, so I'm not anticipating running into any big problems. Oh, there is a Simon & Simon marathon on the Sleuth Channel today, which I'm watching. Fun, fun. I always loved this show, & am so glad it's back on somewhere. It will be fun to catch up & see if the episodes are as good as I remember. :-) Currently watching Simon & Simon
Currently reading Blue Moon by Laurell K. Hamilton
Sunday, July 02, 2006
July? already?!?
Haven't been doing much this weekend except writing. But that's a good thing, of course. I can't believe it's July already! Where the heck does the time go? The RWA conference is only a few weeks away now, & I'm really, really not ready for it. :-( And even though the Fourth of July isn't until Tuesday, a few people in the neighborhood have already started setting off fireworks. I swear, I'm just an old curmudgeon, because I just think they're loud & annoying. They scare the cats, too, which annoys me all the more. I don't mind the pretty, colorful ones at night, but I don't understand the need to set off the ones that only make noise during the day. Then again, when I was a kid, my favorites were those little ash snakes that didn't do anything but get longer. See--an old curmudgeon! So there you go. That's how I've been spending my weekend: writing, worrying about RWA, & grumbling about fireworks-related holidays. Hope everyone else is having more fun than I am! LOL Currently watching Finding Neverland
Currently reading Countdown by Iris Johansen
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