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Sunday, December 31, 2006
happy new year!
Happy New Year, everyone! It won't be long now...at least not here on the East Coast. :-)
I am, of course, wishing you all a happy, safe, & prosperous New Year. And I hope you're all doing something fun tonight to ring in 2007. (Aack! Can you believe it's 2007 already? I remember when it was still 1999 & everyone was frantic over the Y2K disaster that never quite happened. LOL)
Around here, we're doing the German thing, which basically means eating saurkraut, pork roast, hot dogs, & other assorted meats in casings. (Ick. Okay, so I only do the first two or three things, even though I'm probably risking a full year of bad luck by cutting corners on the traditional New Year's Eve dinner preparations. Guess I'm just not that German. :-P)
I am also wearing red underwear & a yellow shirt... Don't ask me exactly why. My mother, the research librarian, got it into her head to research good luck New Year's traditions from around the world, & that's what she came up with. I wasn't listening closely enough to remember which countries do what, but I'm afraid I'll bring bad luck upon myself in the New Year if I don't do some of these things. (And I have to do something to make up for not eating all those meats in casings, don't I?)
There are also some New Year's traditions that have to do with pine cones, bagels, a bucket of dirty water, grapes...sheesh, I can't remember them all. But I've got my red underwear, yellow shirt (Spongebob counts, right?!?), & I choked down a bite of saurkraut.
What more do you want from me? :-P
Saturday, December 30, 2006
I got it, I got it, I got it!
Okay, I know this may seem like a silly thing to be so excited about, but I finally found one of those Mutts shirts that says, "Saving the world one kitty at a time!" in my size. Two of them, actually. :-DDDD
Yesterday was my big "after Christmas sales" shopping day. Don't you just love those?!? I love all the Christmas stuff that's 50% off...stocking up on wrapping paper & bows & all that fun stuff. And also seeing what else might be on sale that wasn't before the holidays. You just never know what you're going to find. Wee!
And during my post-holiday sale safari, I pretty much stumbled upon a rack with these shirts on them. The ironic thing is that I found the "kitty" shirts at the exact same store where I couldn't find them in my size the first time I mentioned them. Sheesh. Don't ask me how that happened--either I missed them, or they had extras in the back, or someone got them for Christmas & returned them... I don't even care. All I care about is that I got one, I got one, I got one. Well, two. :-p
Okay, so they're slightly too large, by maybe one size, but close the hell enough. *g* Since they're 100% cotton, I figure I can shrink them a bit & they'll be just fine. At the very least, I can wear them as pajamas or around the house in the summer.
I'm telling you, I don't think I've ever been so excited to find a top in my life. I even bypassed some Pooh shirts for these. The Pooh sweatshirts were cute, but not cute enough. (They said "honey" & had a picture of Pooh, but as any Pooh-o-phile can tell you, that's a misspelling; Pooh only ever spells it "hunny.") And they were on sale, but not on sale enough. I'd much rather have the kitty cat ones. :-D
All right, enough about the shirts. LOL Since I played hooky to go shopping yesterday, I've got some catching up to do today. And New Year's is right around the corner. Aack!
Currently watching Failure to Launch Currently reading Bubbles A Broad by Sarah Strohmeyer
Thursday, December 28, 2006
what did you get for xmas?
So how was everyone's Christmas? Did you all have fun & get lots of great gifts?
I got a lot of little things, nothing spectacular, but my favorite...which is semi-spectacular, actually *g*...is a Winnie the Pooh toaster that I got from my mom. It's adorable. It has a picture of Pooh & Tigger on one side, Eeyore & Piglet on the other; the handle to push the toast down is a bee; if you toast two slices of bread at the same time, then you get an imprint of Pooh on one & Tigger on the other...if you only toast once slice of bread, you've got to choose--aack! *vbg*; & when your toast pops, it sings the Winnie the Pooh theme song. Ohmigosh, I love it! I've made toast a couple of times just to play with it, but I'm trying not to use it too much for fear it won't last. You know how novelty stuff is...not always made for heavy usage.
I also got some slipper socks (Pooh & Friends, of course *g*), some chapsticks in cola flavors (Cherry Coke, Barq's Root Beer, etc.--very cool!), a snowman notepad...yadda, yadda, yadda. You know, stocking stuffer-type stuff. And the cats got their gigantic tree, of course, plus a couple packs of those balls that have the bells in them. (Ever notice how you can buy a million of those things, & they either get stepped on or go missing under appliances & such?) They also got to play with balled up pieces of wrapping paper, which they loved. :-)
Ironically, I don't think I got any of my two favorite things--DVDs & books. Probably because I buy enough of those for myself throughout the year & most folks are afraid to try to buy them for me for fear I'll already have whichever titles they pick. But for those folks, I have only two words: gift card. Git me a gift card, then I can go buy my own books & movies. *vbg*
How about the rest of you? Did you find anything super exciting under the tree, or was Santa a little stingy this year?
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
anatomically correct gingerbread couple 2006
Well, I told you my mother was up to no good again this year, so here is the latest version of "The Anatomically Correct Gingerbread Couple" that she came up with:  Personally, I think it would be cuter if the female's pasties were red or orange or something. The male is obviously a wild & crazy guy, though. You can't see it on this picture, but he's got a tattoo on one of his doodles. (Yep, you guessed it, the letter M. *vbg*) So which version do you like best? The ones from this year or the ones from last? (From my perspective, they both tasted great. :-D)
Monday, December 25, 2006
merry christmas!
Merry Christmas to family, friends, & all my faithful readers!
I hope you have a lovely day, filled with all the things that makes this holiday so special. And when you start dipping into the eggnog, lift a glass for me. :-D
Friday, December 22, 2006
how does it feel to be BLACKMAILED?!?
 Pretty darn good, actually. *g* My author copies for BLACKMAILED INTO BED (February, Silhouette Desire #1779) just arrived & they are absolutely gorgeous. I mean really, really beautiful. As good as this cover looks on the computer screen, the actual book is about ten times more fabulous. Not that I'm biased or anything. :-P This is how attuned I am to deliveries...I heard the UPS truck's brakes squeak out front & immediately knew they were pulling up in front of my house. Weeee! I had a pretty good idea of what they were delivering, too, so I went racing for the front door. I was there well before the new delivery gal started up the walk, but when she saw me, she said, "Oh, this isn't for you." Well, crap. Then she laughed & said, "I'm sorry, I'm kidding. You just looked so excited, I couldn't help myself." Whew. She had me going there for a minute, but I think I'm going to like her. LOL And once I opened the box, I of course had to ooh & ahh over it for a while, then I even sat down & skimmed through a copy. People ask me all the time if I ever read my own stories once they're published, & my answer is always no. I don't. For one thing, I don't have time...if I sat around reading my own books when they came out, just think of all the other books that wouldn't get read. (And I have plenty enough panic attacks about that now, thankyouverymuch.) For another, I don't want to know what mistakes may have been made during the copy editing or printing process, or what mistakes might have slipped past my radar. If there's a typo, I don't want to know. If I used the same word fifteen times on one page without realizing it, I don't want to know. If a scene was supposed to be changed, but the draft version ended up getting into the book instead...I do not want to know! But the first day a new book arrives, I do tend to carry it around the house with me, admiring the cover, re-reading the reader letter & dedication, glancing through to refresh my memory on the details of the story. And with this one, I can even consider that behavior research, because I'm about to start the sister's story, & a refresher course on her character can only be a good thing. :-D Currently watching RobotsCurrently reading Chill Factor by Sandra Brown (thanks to you guys! *g*)
Thursday, December 21, 2006
what should I read next?
  I finished The Greek's Christmas Baby last night, so now I'm on the prowl for what to read next. I should read something with a holiday theme, but darned if I don't feel like it. Which of course means that I'll likely end up reading a few Christmas stories in June or something. :-P Instead, I'm staring at Black Ice by Anne Stuart and Chill Factor by Sandra Brown. They both look so good, though, that I can't decide which I should start! That's why I'm going to let you guys help me choose. You gotta hurry & put in your vote before I get desperate & start reading whichever book my hand lands on first, but I'd love to hear your input. :-)
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
back by popular demand
Since this is one of the most-visited posts from my blog to date, & it is the holidays, I thought I'd post an encore of your favorite & mine...
The Anatomically Correct Gingerbread Couple
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
for your consideration...
My website has just been updated, in case anyone is interested. There's a new home page letter, & the cover for BLACKMAILED INTO BED is finally up. There's also an excerpt of BLACKMAILED--yay!
I added the BLACKMAILED cover to my Blogger profile, too, so you'll get to see it quite often from now on. Good thing it's gorgeous, huh? I swear, the more I see that cover, the more I love it. :-)
I got my synopsis for CHRISTMAS IN HIS ROYAL BED approved yesterday. That's a good thing, though there are some tweaks I'll still need to keep in mind as I write, & I haven't quite figured out yet whether I should make the hero of this story the Crown Prince or merely one of the younger prince sons. When I plotted it out, I intended for this hero to be the royal heir, but my editor & I are talking about possibly spinning this story into a mini-series of three other royal books, & if I do that, then she wants the last book in the trilogy to be about the Crown Prince of the family. So... Technically, I got the okay, but I'm going to have to rethink a few things & wrap my mind around a different type of hero for this book before I can really get started on the writing.
On the reading front, I've started The Greek's Christmas Baby by Lucy Monroe. This is a Presents from last year, & my very first theme-related book of the season. I'm not sure how many holiday stories I'll get around to this year, but it will be nice to know I've read at least one. LOL I'm also thinking of pulling out my all-time favorite Christmas story: Surrender by Lisa Kleypas. It's been a couple of years since I've read it, but one of my favorite holiday traditions is to curl up with that story on Christmas Eve, & this year I feel like I might really be in the mood.
Currently watching Kicking & Screaming Currently reading Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
Monday, December 18, 2006
question of the week
Since I'm obviously brimming with all things Christmas at the moment, it seems only natural for this question to follow the one from last week...
What is your favorite holiday song?
I've got a ton of favorites, & of course they range from traditional to hokey. :-) For instance, one of my favorite traditional Christmas carols is O Holy Night. But two seconds later, I can get a huge kick out of Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer. (That's one of the songs I downloaded from iTunes yesterday, because I only had it as a cassette single & want it to be part of my giant CD of all the greatest holiday tunes. *g*)
I also downloaded The Chipmunk Song, The Chanukah Song, The Twelve Pains of Christmas (this one cracks me up & is so much better than the traditional version LOL), The Chimney Song (another one that makes me snicker the whole way through), Milk and Cookies ('Til Santa's Gone), Silver and Gold, Second Week of Deercamp (okay, it's not a holiday song, but I had to have it once I discovered it was available; you can catch me singing this one all year long *g*), When You Give it Away, We Three Kings, & Baby, It's Cold Outside.
Of course, once you decide what your favorite holiday tunes are, the question then becomes, Which version by which artist is your favorites? But we'd probably be at that until after New Year's. :-P
Okay, you're turn. What are your faves & what am I missing? :-)
Sunday, December 17, 2006
it's my weekend, I'll waste it if I want to
I'm supposed to be working on my synopsis for CHRISTMAS IN HIS ROYAL BED today. I sent a bare bones sketch of the idea to my editor at the end of last week & she wanted a few changes, so I need to figure out a way to implement those before I do the actual synopsis writing. I'm hoping I can get all of that done today so I can turn the final version in tomorrow. I'm not holding my breath, but I'm hoping. :-p
I am also on a Christmas mission to figure out what all of my favorite holiday songs are, then to find them on iTunes. I have a few Christmas albums, of course, but you know how that goes...you rarely like every single song or don't want to buy a whole album for just one song you like. And then I also have this tape from the days when I used to sit by the radio & quickly try to record my favorites when they came on. (Oh, man, do you remember doing that? We've come a long way, baby--thank God.) So I listened to that & jotted down all the titles I could figure out. The happy news is that I actually did find the majority of them at iTunes. Once I think I've found them all, I'll download them, then burn an all-holiday CD. Fun, fun.
Yesterday, I ended up watching Red Eye. Hadn't planned on it, but I got a one-day offer from Columbia House to buy the DVD for only $7. I thought that was a pretty good price, if I wanted to buy the darn thing. But since I hadn't seen it yet, I didn't know if I did or not. So I hurried to watch it, & even though I thought it was a good film, I decided I didn't need to add it to my collection. And I have to admit, rather balefully, that I spent the first half hour of the darn thing very confused. I thought Red Eye was a horror flick...you know, a Snakes on a Plane-type thing, only with a virus or crazy killer on the loose. Instead, it ended up being a straight thriller...which is fine, but I kept waiting for people to start bleeding from their eyes or something. LOL And now all I can wonder is how the heck I got the idea it was a horror movie to begin with. Any ideas? :-P
I also finished The Vampire Who Loved Me & have started...drum roll, please...Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince. I fully expect it to take the rest of my natural life to get through this book, & of course I can't remember a darn thing from the last one. Sigh. But it's so big, & it's been sitting there, taunting me, for months now. Maybe even years. And I thought it was time to bite the bullet & just read it already!
So that's a general recap of my weekend. How about yours?
Oh, & I'm wearing another brand new pair of Eeyore pajamas. :-) (Amazing what you find when you clean your closet, huh? *g*)
Friday, December 15, 2006
quote of the day
Nice to know I'm not the only one... *g*
"Put me in Paradise and I will focus on the one thing that will make me angry. I am wired on some deep level to seek out something to be worried and obsessed about." ~Chuck Lorre (creator of such television sitcoms as Two and a Half Men & Dharma and Greg)
Thursday, December 14, 2006
question of the week
Speaking of the holidays...
What is your favorite movie this time of year? (Movie, television special, whatever.)
My favorite holiday movie used to be Scrooged, but now I think that one may be tied with Elf. They are both just too funny & I try to catch them every time they're on TV. (As well as owning them both on DVD, of course...because sometimes you just need to see a Christmas movie in the middle of the year. *g*)
I also adore Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, &--don't know if you've ever seen this one--'Twas the Night Before Christmas. I record all three the first time they're on each year so I can watch them repeatedly throughout the season. :-)
So what about you? What movie or TV special do you have to watch before the holidays really start feeling special?
Currently watching The Incredibles Currently reading Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
the holiday rush begins
"Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort." ~Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Yeah, easy for him to say. :-P
Actually, my synopsis for CHRISTMAS IN HIS ROYAL BED is finally starting to come together, so I am having a moderately creative & achievable day. :-) And just so you know, I liked a lot of the suggestions you made for names in this story, but I ended up using several of Jennifer's ideas, so she'll be receiving an autographed copy of this book when it comes out late next year. Thanks, Jennifer!
I also had to take a quick trip over to the vet's on Monday with Tigger. Nothing was wrong, really, but when we took the little guy in, he had a nasty case of ear mites. They dosed him with medication while he was there being neutered & getting all his shots, so I thought that was taken care of. But then I thought I might have messed things up because about a week after he came home, I cleaned his ears with a Q-tip in an attempt to get all that icky gunk out of there. But a week after that, when I cleaned them again, they seemed to be even worse. (See! I thought I screwed up the medication by cleaning his ears too soon & not giving the drops time to do their job.) So I called the vet & asked about it, & they said the medication should have had time to work, but maybe the mites weren't entirely gone or he could have an infection. And you know me...when it comes to my critters, it's better safe than sorry.
Tigger did not like the car ride; he cried almost all the way over. I think he thought we might be dumping him off somewhere. Yeah, like that's going to happen. :-p Either that, or he was having flashbacks of his last visit when they cut his you-know-whats off. LOL But he did really well & it turns out he doesn't have mites or an infection...he's just maybe going to be a dirty-eared boy. *g*
After that, I ended up over at the neighbors, playing with little Camden for nearly two hours. He's such an adorable kid. I held him & goofed around with him for a while, then I even got to give him his bottle & put him down for his nap. No easy feat, that--he's way too interested in staying awake & watching the world, even when he can barely keep his eyes open. But I got him to nod off, then came home to start back on my synopsis, which is what I should have been doing the entire time. Ah, well, they're only babies for a little while, right? :-D
And last but not least, I just got a note from my agent, thanking me for the Hannukah-shaped sugar cookies I sent him for the holidays. He loved them, & was really surprised I'd managed to find dreidle, mennorah, & Star of David-shaped cookie cutters. But, see, I love surprising people & finding things that I don't think they will have seen or been given before. It's getting harder & harder to keep up with myself, but I do get a kick out of it when I manage to pull off something special.
Next out the door will be the gifts for my editor, since I want to make sure she gets them before her office closes for the holiday break. I've got something cute going on there, too, but of course I can't say what it is or it might ruin the surprise. :-D
Have fun with your own gift-giving & cookie-baking plans!
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
the most awesome adopted pet contest
I realize this is, like, the fiftieth pet-related post in the last four or five days, but these things keep cropping up. This one is right up my alley...& maybe up yours. (Up your alley, that is, not, you know..."up yours." :-p) Super-talented, bestselling author Linda Lael Miller and Harlequin Books have joined with The Humane Society of the United States to find "The Most Awesome Adoped Pet." Such a cool concept! Here's the write-up for the contest: So strong is Linda's belief in the importance of protecting and nurturing animals, she has joined with her publisher and The Humane Society of the United States to create a contest to find "The Most Awesome Adopted Pet" in America. To be eligible, entrants must write--in 100 words or fewer--how adopting a pet has bettered their lives, and how their pet has become a most treasured companion and friend. Each submission must include a photo of the entrant with their nominated pet as well as the name and adress of the shelter where the pet was adopted.And here's the link: The Most Awesome Adopted Pet ContestI could certainly come up with a hundred words about how fabulous my pets are...five times over. :-) But since I'm employed by Harlequin, I doubt I'm eligible. Plus, I've never had the chance to adopt a pet from a shelter, as most of mine simply show up & knock at the front door. The difference between "rescued" & "adopted," I guess. Still, this is a great, great contest & a great way to draw attention to the importance of animal shelters & adopting a shelter pet. So spread the word. And if you end up entering yourself, please let me know. I'll want to root for you to win. :-D
Monday, December 11, 2006
Heidi's cat house...
Now open for business twenty-four hours a day. Accepting all major credit cards. *vbg* This is the giant cat tree I got for the cats for Christmas. And I sort of had to give it to them early because it's A.) gigantic & B.) heavy as heck. I even had to ask my neighbor's fiance to carry it into the house for me because there was no way I could get it inside myself. Even with help from the folks at the store where I bought it, I'm still not sure how we managed to get it into the car. :-p I already warned the cats that since they got their big gift early, they'll probably only get some small stuff Christmas day...like catnip or maybe the bows off other presents. :-) The new little guy, Tigger, loves it & did almost from the very beginning. He hides in the round cubby at the bottom to ambush the other cats, & climbs the tree like a monkey if I leave a bit of yarn dangling for him. The older cats took a little longer to discover the tree's charms. For the first couple of weeks, they pretty much ignored it. Even when I picked them up & set them on one of the shelves, they'd stay for a couple minutes, then jump down & go on their merry way. But just a few days ago, something seemed to happen. Suddenly, they love it & are all over it. Almost any time I walk through the dining room, someone is on it. Sometimes multiple someones, either napping or doing battle. *g* It's great fun to watch. And in case you couldn't tell, I have officially given up on trying to deny that my house is, indeed, turning into a cat house. LOL In fact, I saw a light blue pajama top at Wal-Mart the other day that I just loved. I was from that comic strip Mutts (Have you read it? It's adorable!) & had a picture of the two main characters--one dog, one cat--sitting on top of the Earth saying, "Saving the world--one kitty at a time." That's me! :-D I'm totally bummed that they didn't have the shirt in my size, though, or I'd have probably bought all of them. As it is, I'm thinking of searching every Wal-Mart in a hundred mile radius to see if I can find one that would fit. And if you see any in your local Wal-Mart, please let me know! Currently watching Chicken LittleCurrently reading Bubbles A Broad by Sarah Strohmeyer
Sunday, December 10, 2006
quote of the day
Can you tell I got a cat quote calendar for my birthday? *g*
A house without either a cat or a dog is the house of a scoundrel.
~Portuguese proverb
Saturday, December 09, 2006
quote of the day
"Cats keep you from taking yourself too seriously. They are also good judges of literature. If a cat won't sit on a freshly typed page it's not worth much."
~Rita Mae Brown, Starting from Scratch
Friday, December 08, 2006
just for fun
Some authors over at Harlequin/Silhouette have started trying to think of all the romance novels that have been made into movies--either for television or the big screen...or even some that went straight to video.
And I thought it would be fun to see how many we can come up with over here.
I already have a handful in mind, but I'll wait & see what you guys come up with before tossing my titles/authors in the ring. :-D
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
what are you reading?
 Yesterday's discussion of reading preferences made me curious to know what y'all are reading at the moment. I'm still working on The Vampire Who Loved Me by Teresa Medeiros & Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich, & am about fifty pages from finishing Bubbles Ablaze by Sarah Strohmeyer. :-) 
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
what is your favorite genre of romance?
As you know, I just finished reading Killer Takes All by Erica Spindler, a romantic suspense that was just fabulous. A little lighter on the romance than I prefer, but it had just enough to satisfy me. *g* Really enjoyed it.
Of course, as soon as I finish any book, I immediately start trying to decide what to read next. (I cannot be bookless; not for a moment, & not even with a couple other books already started throughout the house. :-)) And as you also know, I ended up grabbing The Vampire Who Loved Me by Teresa Medeiros. There were a few tense moments deciding between that & Sandra Brown's Chill Factor, though. (Which I will probably end up reading next, unless something else distracts me.)
But what I realized while weighing my options is that I don't gravitate toward historical romances nearly as much as I used to. I'm not sure why; there are tons of historicals I've loved over the years & tons of historical romance authors I adore. I still buy them...just maybe not as much as before. And I still read them...though definitely not as often, & it seems like other books easily take precedence when I go looking for what to read next.
So why is that?
I think one of the reasons may be that I'm writing contemporary romance myself now instead of historical. It must be a mood & mindset thing. Because when I was writing historical, I'm pretty sure I read historicals more often.
Another reason--which may be connected to the mood & mindset thing--is that I really like romantic suspense & lighter contemporary, so when I'm weighing my options, I tend to lean in those directions.
And maybe, just a tad, it's because when I look at a historical these days, I don't seem to have that feeling in my gut that says, "Ooh, this looks good." Maybe I subconsciously think that it will be just another story with a duke or earl or marquis...or a lord & lady. I honestly don't know. And even if that's the case, I realize consciously that it's a silly reason not to be reading them as much as before, because some of my favorite books have been Regencies or Medievals, with lords & ladies & earls & dukes, etc.
In fact, having started The Vampire Who Loved Me, that's exactly what I'm reminded of. Setting aside the vampire/paranormal aspect of the story & thinking of it only as a historical, I'm enjoying it as much as anything else I've picked up. I've been drawn immediately back into that world, & even though I don't seem to gravitate to historicals as often as in the past, I haven't had any trouble starting it, sticking with it, getting grounded in the historical setting & feel of the story.
So maybe it is just a phase, & one of these days I'll suddenly get on a giant historical kick again. Actually, I'm kind of hoping. :-)
But what about you? Do you tend to read one type of romance more than another--contemporary, historical, paranormal? And if so, why is that? Is it because the market is flooded right now with one type of story over another? (I'm thinking of paranormals, which are huge right now, but weren't always...& may not be down the road.)
Or do you read across the board & mix it up on a regular basis?
Is there anything you don't read? I read a little bit of everything, but I do know people who only read historical or only read category. And if that's the case, why do you only read that one small portion of the genre?
No matter what your answer is, no one is going to throw snowballs at you. :-) I'm just curious & wondering if I'm the only one who's reading habits are following this type of pattern these days.
Monday, December 04, 2006
help me write my next book!
My next Desire...tentatively scheduled for October 2007...is going to be called CHRISTMAS IN HIS ROYAL BED. This will be Alandra's story--Alandra being the sister of Elena, the heroine in my February 2007 Desire, BLACKMAILED INTO BED. She's Mexican-American (last name Sanchez) & since her family has always had money, she's become a bit of a fundraiser/philanthropist, organizing events & helping to raise money for every worthy cause you can imagine. (You'll read all about that in BLACKMAILED. :-))
The hero of CHRISTMAS IN HIS ROYAL BED is going to be--of course--royalty. I'm thinking a Prince. Nah, I know I want him to be a Prince. :-) Tall, dark, handsome...very strong, powerful, & slightly intimidating.
So, anyway, I thought you guys might like to help me come up with some of the details of his background before I actually get started on the book.
For instance...I need a name for his Province or island kingdom. (Yeah, I don't know why, but I'm picturing the country where he rules as being an island off the coast of some larger country. Either that or a province at the coastal tip of a major country so I can put them near the ocean. Don't ask me why, I just like that idea. *g*)
I'll also need names for the Prince hero himself, as well as a few of his family members...his parents, the King & Queen, a sister, maybe a couple brothers.
As you can probaby tell, I haven't made up my mind where this great monarchy will be located yet, so I'm open to just about anything. I've got a lot of wiggle room on that, & can set the story pretty much anywhere I want. So if you like the idea of a French or Greek or Tazmanian *g* hero, give me something that sounds good--very rich & royal.
I'll be wracking my brain, too, but if I end up using any of your suggestions...for characters or the country/province where they reside...I'll reward the person who thought up the name(s) with an autographed copy of CHRISTMAS IN HIS ROYAL BED when it comes out. Yes, this means waiting a while for your prize--almost a year, aack!--but I promise to write down all your contact information & send the book(s) off as soon as I get copies of my own.
All right, put your thinking caps on & let the creativity flow! Hope you guys come up with something better than I have so far. :-D
Currently watching Cold Case Currently reading The Vampire Who Loved Me by Teresa Medeiros
Sunday, December 03, 2006
quote of the day
What can I say? This one made me chuckle...
"I love you all so much. We really need to come up with a new name for 'fans.' How about really good friends who can't come over to my house." ~singer and songwriter John Mayer
Friday, December 01, 2006
the weather outside is frightful
You should hear the wind positively howling outside the house. If the roof doesn't blow off at some point tonight, I'm guessing it never will. *g*
And since I knew the weather was going to get bad, I dressed extra warm for my doctor's appointment today--in a big, wooly winter sweater, & I took my winter coat, gloves, scarf, & earmuffs along just in case.
Well, ha! The weather man said it was supposed to start getting much colder around 3pm. I waited. I watched the clock. I watched my watch. It did start to get very windy around 3pm, but I wouldn't say it's any colder than it was earlier this morning. So, of course I roasted inside my big, wooly winter sweater...with Eeyore in the front. :-)
Sigh.
And the good news from the doctor is that I am in excellent health. He should know, considering how thorough he was in his exam. *g* But the bad news is that the CT scan of my sinuses showed absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing to medicate or extricate or send a roto-rooter in for. (And believe me, after 10+ months of this &^%! stuff, I was really hoping for the roto-rooter.) The even worse news is that he thinks it may be something I've developed for whatever reason & may be stuck with.
Oh, joy! Oh, rapture! He gave me some nasal sinus/allergy spray to use every day for at least two weeks, & told me to pick up some over the counter sinus pills to take if the spray doesn't seem to be helping, or on those days that the symptoms are more annoying than usual. We'll see if it's any better after that or even if it's at least manageable. But if you knew how much I hate being on medication...or even having to remember to spritz my nose once a day...you'd know how unhappy I am.
That said, however, it could always be worse, right? I definitely believe that, & I'd much rather have a little bit of sinus drainage going on at the back of my throat than any of the much ickier, much more debilitating things that are floating around out there.
So that was the bulk of my day. The wind blew me home around dinnertime, & I'm looking forward to a nice weekend spent cocooned inside. It's supposed to turn really cold sometime this evening, which means I'll probably be pulling out my super-warm winter pajamas soon. And I have some plotting to do for my next Desire, but I may also snuggle in & try to finish Killer Takes All. Really good book! :-)
I hope it doesn't get too cold this weekend, though, because I'm sort of doggie sitting for a neighbor while she's away at a wedding. Great dog (a giant, very friendly Saint Bernard LOL) & very easy to look after...I pretty much just have to run over every few hours & let her out to tinkle...but it still means getting dressed & going out, so the higher the temperatures can be until my neighbor gets back, the better. *g*
Have a great weekend, everyone! And if you're anywhere near the east or midwest, where storms seem to be a-brewing, try to stay warm!
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