Getting ready for my appointment with the dentist. And, yes my stomach feels sick. I’m trying to decide which of the canines above most closely resembles yours truly. Please feel free to cast your vote in the comment section.
June 30, 2009
June 29, 2009
Monday Meme…Uno, Dos, Tres!
I’m gearing up for a busy week.
- The Good – first trip this summer to Cape Cod
- The Bad – my to do list includes cleaning the house, packing the suitcases, and meeting word count goals on my WIP
- The UGLY – teeth get pulled tomorrow
To get my mind off of the dentist (if that’s possible), I thought I’d think about all sorts of things that make me smile!
Three TV Shows That I Love: NCIS, Penguins of Madagascar, General Hospital
Three Favorite Foods: Chocolate, Buttercream Frosting, Hot Veggie Wraps
Three Places that I Have Lived: Sarasota, Philadelphia, Reston VA
Three Places I Have Vacationed: Nassau, St. Thomas, Paris
Three Places I Want to Visit: Venice, Nova Scotia, the locker room at Fenway Park (when everyone is fully dressed)
Three Movies I Love to Watch: Midnight Run, On the Waterfront, Gaslight (yes, I like older movies better than new releases)
Three Favorite Ice Cream Flavors: Watermellon Sherbert, Cookies and Cream (hold the cream), Peppermint Stick
Okay, no more play time. I must leave the house if I hope to avoid my cleaning list. Fingers crossed I don’t lose any brain cells when my teeth get yanked!!!!
June 25, 2009
What they are saying about my latest story….
Over the course of the past few weeks several reviews have come in for, Ready to Take a Chance Again. To be honest I’m a bit of a review-phobe. It takes minutes, sometimes hours, for me to even click the link at a particular site when I know I’m going to see my name with a certain number of stars next to it. Pathetic? Yes!!! Anyway — I thought I’d share with you some of the things that are being said about my second release. (And, no I do not know these individuals — so there has been no bribery or coercion).
Reviews for Ready to Take a Chance Again
5 Books
I started this book thinking I would read a couple of chapters before going to bed and I sat up until three in the morning finishing this beautiful romance evolve between Grace and Jake. It’s a book everyone should read!”
-Tulip, Long and Short Reviews
http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2009/06/ready-to-take-chance-again-by-rita.html
4 Stars (A Page Turner)
I loved the way that it was the heroine this time who didn’t want anything to do with love, well at first. Great book by Rita and can’t wait for more of her stories.
-Melinda, Night Owl Romance
http://www.nightowlromance.com/nightowlromance/reviews/Review.asp?ReviewId=3806
4 Stars
Rita writes for today’s audience with characters that are real with normal
jobs and lives. It is nice to see a female lead that is a career woman
who isn’t relying on a man in the traditional sense. Many readers will
relate to her book and delight in the romance surrounding the main
characters.
-Debra Gaynor, ReviewYourBook.com
Needless to say, I’m excited and extremely appreciative that these individuals took the time to both read and review my book. Thank you, ladies 
June 22, 2009
You might want to close your eyes….
File: Nature at its wildest
A pack of dogs attack gator in Florida. Okay this post is not for the squeamish. We all know that nature can be cruel, but there is also beauty and justice within the animal kingdom. The alligator, one of the oldest and most fearsome predators, can still fall victim to a normally docile opponent. In this case a tight-knit pack of canines have found a way to outsmart their victim.
Note that the alpha dog has a muzzle hold on the gator — preventing it from breathing. While another dog has a hold on its tail to keep it from thrashing. Finally, a third dog attacks the soft underbelly of the gator.
Okay, now is the time to close your eyes if this is not to your taste or if you just finished breakfast.
Wait for it….
Oops, probably should suggest that this is PG-13 viewing. Small children might get upset…
June 17, 2009
Summer’s Coming…
No more pencils….
no more books…
No more teacher’s dirty looks!
Out for summer!
out till fall,
We might not come back at all…(Alice Cooper)
Summer’s Top Ten List
- The Ice Cream Man — ding a ling - @ 4:30 in the afternoon you will find my boys and me chasing down our neighborhood Ice Cream Truck. So far we’ve had Strawberry Shortcake, Spiderman, Italian Ice and Sponge Bob popsicles.
- Visits to the Ocean – not to be confused with a lake, pond or puddle. Where I reside we have access to many different bodies of water…just not the ocean. There’s a difference. A big one.
- Mini Golf – love that you get to pick your favorite color golf ball; I always try to snag cobalt blue. So, keep your paws off if you’re playing with me!
- Pasta Salad – I’m not a huge fan of cooking, so nothing beats the ability to make a huge container of pasta or potato salad that can be used to accompany a meal for several nights. Yum Yum.
- Baseball games at night – when school is out we can take the kids to either minor or major league games without worrying about bedtime.
- Sleeping in Late – Not me, but the children. It’s a true blessing letting them wake up when they want and not at 6:15 in the morning. Yahoo!!!!
- Roasting marshmallows in the fire pit; no elaboration needed.
- Running through the sprinkler; already picked up a crazy new rotating one that shoots water about thirty feet into the air. Our neighbors think we’re a bit daffy.
- Flip flops – Putting the winter boots away (which you can really only safely do between April and September in Western New York). Crocs, sandals and flip flops mean the children don’t have to struggle with tying their laces.
- Kite flying – nothing better than flying kites on the beaches of Cape Cod. If you haven’t had a chance to do this…put it on your list. Seriously! Bring a bottle of bubbles, as well. It’ll put a smile on your face!!!
So, what am I missing? Name a favorite thing you like to do….
June 14, 2009
Chatting today at ….
Today I’m chatting at 3:00 – 4:00pm over at Joyfully Reviewed. Stop by and say ‘hi’ if you get the chance!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chatting_with_Joyfully_Reviewed/
June 13, 2009
Many Reasons to Smile…
Yesterday I received a fabulously kind review for, Ready to Take a Chance Again, from Tulip at Long and Short Reviews. Here are a few things that she had to say about this story:
“Oberlies delivers an explosive plot, captivating and memorable characters, and a very healthy dose of passion. I started this book thinking I would read a couple of chapters before going to bed and I sat up until three in the morning finishing this beautiful romance…”
Click here to read her entire review: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2009/06/ready-to-take-chance-again-by-rita.html
Of course, that alone was enough to warm my heart and bring a smile to my face. But wait it gets better. Based on her review, Ready to Take a Chance Again, is now up for book of the week at LASR. If you are interested you can cast your vote (for me or any of the top choices this week) at the link below:
http://www.longandshortreviews.com/LASR/recentrev.htm
Since begging is so unappealing I’m not going to mention how happy I would be to take top honors for the week! Just kidding….VOTING ENDS THIS WEEKEND! See no pressure.
Oh, tomorrow I’m going to be chatting over at Joyfully Reviewed from 3:00 – 4:00 EST. I’ll post the link on Sunday!
June 11, 2009
Great advice…but can it work for me?
I’m opinionated. Quite opinionated, in fact. Within my circle of family and friends we often joke about my hot button topics….those things that will set me off like a firecracker. I won’t bore you with the details. Anyway, this morning I was on the phone with someone who tends to share this same trait. Between the two of us we are convinced the world would be much better off if it would just listen to us.
Today this individual shocked me…she’s turning over a new leaf. No more stressing/hand-wringing over those things that are beyond her ability to control. (For some reason this picture came to mind when she dropped her bombshell this morning.)
Now I didn’t want to burst her bubble by crying foul…but really, can anyone just opt out? Don’t worry, Be happy makes a great postcard but can anyone truly live that life. Maybe I’m jealous. Maybe I’m just cynical. Or maybe I’m just confused. Can I hit the delete button on that portion of my personality? Because, seriously, it might be a good idea if I could. Hmm, I’m going to hold off on joining her journey for inner peace (minimal indigestion) until I see how things pan out for her!!!
In the meantime, I am chucking a completed manuscript that I’ve been revising forever. IT’S NOT WORKING. I like it, but I don’t love it. It doesn’t feel exactly right. So, I’m starting from scratch. This is not something I have done before. Keeping the same characters but reshaping everything else has been both frustrating and refreshing. You’ll hear some ughs in here as the weeks go by. I’m hoping this is a prudent decision in the long run. Time will tell
June 8, 2009
Color Me Happy…
Today is a good day! A very good day. After a seven day visit to Club Med (er…I mean the local hospital) one of my nearest and dearest finally got their discharge papers last night. Can you hear my sigh of relief? No matter what the reason a hospital stay is never a joy filled event. People walk in and out of your room at all hours. Even if you’re absolutely famished the food still isn’t worth eating. EVER. Chances are you’re dirty….(if this is just me, allow me to remain ignorant) because a shower involves more stamina than a hospital patient often has… and really do you want a stranger helping with your basic hygiene needs? Eeeew
Overall, just a yucky-ducky experience. So yippee! I’m glad my friend is now home, resting comfortably. In a few days he may be well enough to read my blog again!!!
June 6, 2009
Risk Aversion…
When it comes to reading I have a tendency to revert to risk aversion behavior after one or two disappointing book purchases. Right now I’m struggling with this affliction. Typically I buy an average of 3 to 4 new books a week (whether on my Kindle or at Borders). It’s probably been a solid two weeks since I’ve invested the time to even look at what’s out there.
Instead, I am rolling through old stories that I’ve read dozens of times. Why? Because I know the payoff is there. If a book is still sitting on a shelf in my home, I know it was at least a decent read. Books that make me bang my head against the wall immediately end up in the trash or a donation bin.
Come to think of it, my last three purchases from Amazon were for other people. Two highly recommended reads (which I am interested in) were selected for my mother. I think of her as my beta reader. If she gives a story a thumbs up then I figure it’s safe from major disappointment. The other book was for my husband…but it will also be placed in my TBR pile if it meets his expectations.
Anyone have a great recent reading experience? Something that you couldn’t put down? If you read this post I would love for you to share…c’mon you can do it!!!
