Something Free….Something Fun…Friday’s Just Begun!

 

In celebrating their 60^th Anniversary, Harlequin is going all out.  This week they announced that they are offering 16 free ebook downloads (which is worth about $60).  They are making it super easy to choose a format that works for each reader.  Check out this special offer at:

http://www.eharlequin.com/store.html?cid=1317

 

While I’m basking in the Harlequin spirit this morning, I also want to point out that they are conducting another editor pitch — this time for Silhouette Special Edition!  To enter you need to send a 1 page synopsis of your manuscript by March 4^th.  As a former participant/winner of a SuperRomance pitch I can tell you it is an awesome opportunity to get your work in front of an acquiring editor at Harlequin. If you’re interested here’s the link:

 http://community.eharlequin.com/forums/write-stuff/editor-pitch-silhouette-special-edition

 

Since I’m pimping this morning — I also wanted to point out that one of my favorite Samhain authors, Dee Tenorio, has a new book coming out on February 3rd.  She has a trailer on her blog which gives you the 411 on Love Me Tomorrow.  Here’s a link to the You Tube trailer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlafQAlezBo

Weird Word…or is it Just Me?

Some words just seem funny.  The way they look.  The way they sound.  The word meme — always makes me smile.  This word pops up frequently on blogs, as people tend to share insights into their own lives.  Here’s how Merriam-Webster defines the term:

 

meme

Pronunciation:

\ˈmēm\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

alteration of mimeme, from mim- (as in mimesis) + -eme

Date:

1976

: an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture

 

Here’s my meme for today!

 

1. What was the last book you bought?  Attack of the Tyrannosaurus by Rex Stone (Scholastic Book Fair)  &  Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole
2. Name a book that you have read more than once:  I read most books more than once, sometimes several times.  Recent rereads include Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin (I had mixed emotions about the characters and needed to read it a second time to really flesh out my reaction) and Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh (I really enjoy post WWII stories)
3. How do you choose a book?  I consider the cover, blurb, review site recommendations and previous experience with a particular author.
4. Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?  The majority of my reading tends to be fiction but I do enjoy political and biographical books, as well.
5. What’s more important in a story – beautiful writing or gripping plot?  I’m a plot person and can forgive poor writing if the story keeps me well immersed in the pages.
6. Most loved/memorable character?  Zsadist from JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
7. What book is presently on my nightstand?  The Amazing Spongebobini (a favorite of my four-year old) & my Kindle (which has about 4 unread downloads on it right now).
8. What was the last book you read?  If You Dare by Kresley Cole
9. Have you ever given up on a book mid-story?  All the time.  If it doesn’t capture my interest by page 50, I usually put it on my bookshelf.  Sometimes it’s my mood and sometimes it’s the story itself.  Typically I give it some distance and try again later.  

I’d love to hear your answers, if you want to share J

A Little Bit of Links…

If you browse industry blogs as obsessively as I do you may have noticed that author Gemma Halliday has organized an auction to benefit a young homeless woman and her mother.  The cause is certainly a worthy one and many wonderful individuals within the writing community have donated some  pretty great items.  I’ve got my eye on a few — so if you see my name please try and outbid me (anything to raise more $$$).  Here’s the link:     http://romanticinks.com/auction/

When I’m bored there is nothing I enjoy more than making goofy avatars.  I just added a more seasonal look to my own avatar.  If you’ve never created your own, give it a try:  http://avatars.yahoo.com/   

If you’re into animals and love cool pictures check out:  http://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/   

There are tons (tons and tons) of great sites for aspiring writers.  Whenever I find my motivational level slipping I know there is one place that I can go where I will always get a cyber nudge.  IMHO the Harlequin on line community is a great resource to hear about the highs and lows of published and unpublished authors.  Even if you are not targeting Har/Sil the atmosphere is pretty inspirational.  http://community.eharlequin.com/

Hmm, must go check on the kids and dh.  Everyone is suffering under the weight of tremendous germs this weekend.  YUCKADOCIOUS!  I’m almost out of disinfectant!!!!

The Sun is Shining…which is weird for this time of year!

A conversation with a family member a few weeks back stirred up some dormant thoughts about things we place on the backburner of our want to do list.  For that person it involved taking a particular course that had long held his interest (you go, Gus).  Of course being the person that I am — I hung up the phone feeling slightly jealous and more than a bit curious as to whether I had the confidence to do the same. 

 

See, I have a secret list of things I would love to try.  Since I tend to be an introvert there are literally a million reasons why I never follow through.  As I rundown the list — I realize they are all ridiculously simple.

 

v     Sign up for Home Depot’s Weekend Clinics:  Tiling floors and walls, Learn How to Hang Drywall, Closet Reorganization.  I’m enough of a realist to know that I’ll never be a genius when it comes to home repair/upgrade, but I really would love to learn some of the basics. 

v     Attend local wine seminars:  As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’m surrounded by dozens of fabulous wineries in Western, NY.  One within walking distance of my home offers a slew of programs that instruct you on the process of creating Rieslings, Merlots, Chardonnays, Ice Wines, etc. 

v     Volunteer at the local Humane Society:  This one is dicey for a few obvious reasons.  I truly respect the enormous effort my local shelter puts forth to provide a comfortable home for hundreds of animals.  They rely on dozens of volunteers to help with basic care – dog walking, kennel cleaning, adoption processing, etc.  Next fall when my youngest enters full day kindergarten I will have more time than I want on my hands.  If (and this is a big if), I can donate my time without begging my husband every week to adopt another dog — I’ll sign up as a volunteer.

v     Stop reading newspapers: In many ways this might be the toughest thing on my list.  I’ve had a three-paper-a-day addiction since fourth grade (seriously).  As everyone knows circulation numbers have been declining across the board.  Frankly, I’m not sure I take any pleasure in reading them anymore.  Beyond the enjoyment factor, I’m not sure that I find them to be even a basic educational tool. This is not a recent development but something that has been smoldering for years.  For two weeks I have been strong – neatly stacking the papers on the kitchen table for my husband to read.  (EVEN THE SPORTS PAGE IS BEING IGNORED).  We’ll keep having them delivered because I want my kids to be exposed…I’ll just refrain from perusing their pages.  This should keep my blood pressure out of the stroke zone.

 

Hmm, off to enjoy some unexpectedly balmy weather.  It’s already in the upper 20’s with projections that it might hit mid-thirties.  Yahoo!!!!!

A Quiet Day…

Today, as I look out my living room window there is a gently falling snow blanketing my neighborhood.   It’s peaceful…which is a balm for my somewhat battered soul.  See this weekend I fell into a very old, very tired pattern – bitter disappointment when others failed to live up to my expectations.  The good thing is it didn’t involve family or friends, but rather peripheral figures in my life.  Despite my husband’s advance warnings, I let my head and my heart get tangled up, even knowing it was a futile cause.  So, today I’m going to focus on five great things from the long weekend  (because being angry is a time and energy suck):

1.  My editor at Samhain announced a fun February contest which will include all of her authors.  You can check on the details on her blog  http://editortera.wordpress.com/

2.  My husband and I took our boys to see Mall Cop.  Yes, it is a very silly movie…but I love Kevin James.  He makes me laugh without even opening his mouth!

3.  My inlaws treated us to a lovely afternoon at Disney On Ice.  Great seats.  Popcorn.  Amazing figure skaters.  Beautiful costumes.  Overpriced trinkets.  FUN!

4.  Football playoffs.  Although my first love is baseball, I still love kicking back on Sunday afternoon to watch the NFL, especially late season action.

5. NCIS Marathon.  My husband and I are total addicts.  Over the course of the three day weekend we watched over a dozen episodes. 

Today, I’m turning off the radio and the television.  Why?  Lately I’ve been skipping reading in favor of everything else.   I’ve picked out a favorite paperback and an ancient book of poetry that I’ve been carting around since college.  I’ll leave you with the words of Emily Dickinson:

LOOK back on time with kindly eyes,

He doubtless did his best;

How softly sinks his trembling sun

In human nature’s west!

If You’re Happy and You Know It…

Things that made me smile in the past twenty-four hours:

 

v     My four year old running into my bedroom at three o’clock in the morning yelling, “I can’t find my pants.  Do you know what happened to my pants, mom?”  Since he fell asleep on the couch in his corduroys last night I simply slipped them off and tucked him into bed under a thick down comforter.  Apparently having underwear but no pants or pj’s on in the middle of the night is cause for major concern. 

 

v     My middle dog, Sox, struggling to get used to the brand new floor in our den.  In the first fifteen minutes he came running in from the snowy backyard and slid fifteen feet across the floor, landing in a heap against the wall.  Now he is attempting to tip toe inside clearly afraid he is going to pull another head banger against the wall.

 

v     My younger son dragged me aside yesterday and asked about the red mark he noticed on someone’s face.  I explained that it was a port wine stain that the person had been born with….His response?  Did God give him any special marks like that at birth?  When all I could come up with was freckles, he walked away shaking his head in disappointment.

v     Watching dozens of people hanging off the wings of a US Air jet in the Hudson River.  What a miracle!  What a pilot!

v     Changed the title of my current WIP.  Every time I used to open the WORD document I cringed because the title was lame…I’m not sure I love the new title but it is definitely a step up.

v     I started to take the plunge – and almost booked a hotel reservation for RWA nationals down in DC.  My husband is insisting that this year I follow through.  Anyway, I made it as far as finding a cool 4 ½ star boutique hotel near the conference site.  (I kind of want to have a separate place to go; away from the craziness of overcrowded elevators).  This hotel had awesome reviews and fabulous rates.  I’m still not convinced that I should go but at least I took one more step than I did last year. J

I’m Lost This Week…

Virgo  -  Weekly Horoscope

You’re lost this week, Virgo, with your ruling planet, Mercury, retrograde in your sector of daily activities. You’re a very organized and efficient soul, but when Mercury turns retrograde you feel the effects very intensely.

Thank goodness planetary alignment can be blamed for my current state of mental disarray.   For two days I’ve been __________:

A.    Indecisive

B.    Clueless

C.    Living with bad hair

D.   Loitering in Home Depot

E.    Struggling to correct my son’s homework

F.     All of the above

 

Writing hasn’t happened at all in about a week.  When my brain feels antsy I tend to read haphazardly, start but not finish laundry, and fret over everything.  Yesterday I spent way too much time reading blogs (Dear Author, in particular).  The state of publishing appears fragile.  Major publishing houses, along with bookstores, are tightening their belts.  This is to be expected.  My stomach did turn a little when it came to a discussion of an e-publishing leader.  It’s not a company I purchase from or would ever submit a manuscript to, but it is considered by many to be top tier.  Based on the discussion, it seems likely that there is trouble brewing.  Again.  I hope – that if chaos does ensue in the near future – it does not reflect poorly on other epublishers.  People tend to use broad brush strokes when they discuss this industry.  I’m not an expert, but I will say that Samhain Publishing does it right.  Ethical.  Professional.  Dynamic.  Sharp.  Even if I never have another book published there (I’m enough of a realist to accept that it is a competitive market that is only going to get tighter over time), I will always look to them first when it comes to meeting my needs as a reader.

 

The bad hair is with me for the foreseeable future.  I’m sick of short and you’re probably sick of hearing me talk about it.  But it looks awful – even if my husband tells me differently.  He tends to be kind about my appearance, probably out of fear. 

 

After much discussion (four different final decisions), my dh and I have settled on new flooring for our dog’s den.  We decided durability would trump aesthetics.   Thursday, our friend Bruce (contractor extraordinaire) will be here clearing out the old and putting down the new.  THANK Goodness.  Chewed carpet is very passé.  Perhaps I can now go a whole week without hitting Home Depot.

 

It would seem that correcting homework for a first grader would require little effort.  Hmm…think again.  I made a mistake with fast facts on my little one’s math homework.  He hasn’t let me forget it since…now I double check my own work each night. That looks even more pathetic in writing.  His father will need to take over these responsibilities once my oldest hits fourth grade.

 

On a positive note, I received two free books in the mail last night from Harlequin.  A few months back I agreed to answer questions for an online panel.  Now the generous folks at Harlequin have been sending me things.  At the end of December I received a really cool retro calendar (each month featured an old book cover from the 40’s and 50’s).  When I finish the two Intrigue books I just received, I will have to answer an on-line survey.  Pretty cool, huh?  At least it doesn’t involve subtraction:-)

 

Monday, Monday…

Ooh, I have an advertisement for The Catcher and the Lie on one of my favorite sites.  You can take a look over at:

http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/

Here’s hoping it adds a few new sales!

If you’re feeling the Monday blues you might want to check out the following.  The other night I spent an hour surfing You Tube with my boys.  Had a fabulous time singing and dancing to old music (old, old stuff).  For some reason they enjoy these songs more than they like what currently plays on the radio. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-L0NpaErkk     The Night Chicago Died

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfm-17pu6SQ     Seasons in the Sun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnqkaH_EP_o   Rock Me Gently

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3SfcANH-9A    Delta Dawn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUXoFGopZnQ   Knock Three Times

I’m almost willing to bet that any of the above will put a smile on your face.  Of course, you may be rolling your eyes at the same time!   Enjoy!!!!

I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar…

                       

I am woman, hear me roar…Watch me break down my front door.  If you were loitering in my neighborhood last night you would have had an opportunity to see me in action.  After dropping my son off for his first sleepover, I returned home to find my garage door opener MIA.  Hmmm, I had it when I left – which meant it was likely in some snow bank near the home where I dropped off my son.

 

With my four year old at my side, I trudged up my walkway, intending to use the front door.  Oops – small problem.  After releasing the main lock and the deadbolt, the door won’t budge.  Now my son is cold (the temperature was hovering around 15 degrees), anxious to watch a rented movie, and wondering why I’m starting to mutter under my breath.  I push.  Push again.  Push harder.  Until finally I hear wood splintering.  Crapadocious – I pulled the molding off all around the door because an eye hook was still latched (an added security measure for when the kids were small and fascinated with opening doors).   Bummer.  Especially since the door still won’t open far enough to let me unhook the darn latch on top.  My three dogs, no doubt unsettled by the strange noises, let out blood curdling howls

 

Back to the car (mainly to get warm again).  At this point I know that someday I’ll look back at this and it will all seem funny.  But now I’m mad; my kiddo’s sad, and my hubby (reached by cell phone) says to throw in a little more hip action.  Yeah…okay, but I give him fair warning that the entryway is going to need an extreme HGTV makeover when I’m done.

Sadly it worked…which gives you an idea of my ample hip size.  Home.  Safe. Warm.  With a door that looks like it came from Sanford & Son’s backyard. 

 

An hour later I come to find out that my garage door opener accidentally landed in one of my son’s overnight bags.  By that point I was too embarrassed to admit that I had to do my impersonation of the Incredible Hulk just to gain entry back into my home.   And, how has your weekend been going??????

  

 

 

 

 

 

Red, Red Wine…

Actually this is not a post about red wine.  Although I tend to discuss alcohol on a rather frequent basis I’m not a big drinker.  In fact other than an occassional glass of wine or a sip or two of Bailey’s, I’m not much for slamming them down.  I digress.  Presently, I reside near the Finger Lakes of New York, which is known as wine country.  This week my husband brought home an award winning bottle of Ice Wine.   Casa Larga, a local vineyard, is considered one of the top makers of Ice Wine (best described as a dessert wine).  It was different; sweet but in a nice way.  Anyway, if you’re in the market for something new this weekend, it might be worth checking out.  (I had a glass while eating a Devil Dog.  This may not have been what they had in mind when they said dessert…Next time I’m going to indulge after a big piece of Chocolate Ganache Cake).  YUMMY!