It is spring in Montana. Kinda. I did just see a couple of snowflakes. But the weatherman has promised 75 degrees on Sunday and the other day I rode my bike in sandals. I was freezing but hey, it's spring in Montana. I grew up in West Yellowstone where spring meant a river of water running from out of the snowbanks on each side of the street. We would walk down the middle of the street wearing shorts and t-shirts no matter the temperature outside if the sun was shining. I lived out on the lake and the water temp never got over 55 degrees. We called that summer. The problem with spring is that I don't want to write. I LOVE writing. It's my job if I want to eat and I do like to eat. :) But this time of year is really hard. I make all kinds of excuses. I just cleaned out all the drawers and cupboards in my house and now I'm helping my husband paint. I HATE cleaning and as for painting, that's how I worked my way through college so I REALLY hate painting. I know I need to get back to the computer. I can hear it calling me, something about a deadline? So now you know the truth about at least one writer. Sometimes we really don't want to write. Especially in the spring when my muse takes a powder to play outside -- even if it is about to snow.
Posted by B.J. Daniels, author of Matchmaking With a Mission on 4/11/2008
I hear you on the Spring. We had a snowstorm blow through here yesterday. I woke up to snow coming down real hard, roads were trecherous, but only in the City, once you got outside of Calgary toward High River or Banff or anywhere else the weather was beautiful. Then the sun came out in the afternoon, melted the record snowfall we had and it looked pleasant, But by early evening we had thunder and more snow. Crazy weather all day long. Today the sun is shining, I am so ready for Spring. Hope that your muse comes inside soon to write, so we as readers have more stories.........LOL.....enjoy your day.
Everyone needs a break every once in a while, but I do want to let you know, that you have some fans here at my library that appreciate and love your work!
We have had warm weather all week in the 70's but that is changing tonight it is going to be cold this weekend. I think if I could stay away from this computer I would get a whole lot more done.
Great to hear I have fans waiting. :) Tomorrow, it's back to work although I do plan to take my Alpha Smart out to the deck and enjoy the sun. They're staying 65 tomorrow. Sounds good to me. Record snowfall to the northeast of us, huh? Yikes. It rained here finally, but the sun is shining right now. Here's wishing us all a little spring weather!
I'm addicted to sunshine, so writing in the spring is especially hard. After a long winter, I sooo want to be out there. And my flower garden is calling.
I tried to write outside before, but I have a PC and dragging that out is not an option. Writing by hand then typing it up seems like a waste of a lot of time. So one time I figured out that editing is the perfect writerly job to do outside on the patio in the sun. I printed the ms, took it out. The first gust of wind blew it all over my neighborhood, explicit love scenes and all. I was soooo embarrassed!!!!!!!! I was running around to catch them. Didn't want some young impressionable child finding it among their boxwood bushes or something. That pretty much ended my 'al fresco' writing phase.
Sorry I'm late posting today. My car and I limped into the dealership this morning with two nearly flat tires and an alleged transmission fluid leak, and I just got back. Ugh.
Long story short, during my last oil change, the dudes at a Certain Oil Change Chain (*cough*Texaco*cough*) tried to get me to pay $100 or so because my transmission fluid was low. I'm not the greatest with cars, but I tend to have a decent idea about what's going on with mine, and I thought that sounded crazy. So I politely declined and decided to take it to the dealer. It's still under warranty, so the dealer wasn't going to try to sell me a transmission repair if one wasn't needed, because it would have been free. Anyhoo, the transmission was fine, and the oil change guys were just trying to squeeze another bit of cash out of a gullible woman driver.
Jerks.
Women are often socialized to always be polite, to trust authority figures or experts, to never shout or get REALLY angry in public. And sometimes, particularly at unscrupulous Oil Change Chains (*cough*Texaco*cough*), the mere idea that women are less likely to challenge authority or get all up in one's face backfires on us. (Which may be why I love writing for Intrigue so much--you can't push an Intrigue heroine around.)
Fortunately, I didn't fall for the chain's dastardly schemes. And if I ever go back to that accursed Oil Change Chain, I am totally going all ajuma on them. What's an ajuma? Let me explain....
Not too long ago, I lived in Seoul, Korea for two years with my Naval officer husband (or former Naval officer--he just retired after 20 years on March 1--WHOO!). I loved the experience (although I hated the fact that I was a complete brick about learning the language), and what I found really fascinating were the cultural differences. (Lest you think I'm stereotyping, these were all corroborated by Korean friends AND by a book I read by a Korean called Culture Shock Korea):
It's rude in Korea to use your left hand to give something to someone else. Rather like Regency-period Europe, it's rude to just start talking to someone (who is not providing customer service) unless you have been properly introduced by a third party. (This is not an iron-clad rule, especially among young people. But it is present.) It's not really considered rude to stare.
And it's rude to be really loud or overtly emotional in public. Of course, it happens--remember when those two men in the Korean Senate were in the news because they started WRESTLING in the middle of the Senate floor? But I could go on the subway or sit in a coffee shop or go to a store, and I rarely ran into someone who was yakking so loud on their cell phone, they seemed to be shouting inside my head.
This was particularly true with the women--younger women were especially soft-spoken and generally extremely polite. They are extremely careful with their diets--the average Korean woman is a size two, I read in a local Seoul magazine. My beautiful and toned hairdresser in Seoul told me her friends tell her she's fat--and she's all of a size six. On Korean Air, we noticed that the female flight attendants had their hair pulled back the same way and wore heeled shoes of varying heights, so they all ended up being roughly the same height. It was like riding on Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love" plane, but in Korea.
But then, around age 50 or 60, many Korean women apparently say to heck with all that and become what is known as an "ajuma" (ah-juh-ma). Technically, the word means elder or married woman. But according to several Seoul residents I met, it's gotten a slightly pejorative connotation in Korea that unfortunately makes it more akin to "crazy old bag." Once a woman has decided she's entered the age of the ajuma, she often cuts her hair short and perms it (A phenomenon one Korean website describes as sending the message that "I am married; please don't try to pick me up."), dresses in horrible polyester pants, gains weight. And then comes the attitude--ajumas will bust in front of you in line without a backward glance. They will literally shove you out of their way. They will get in your face if they think you have an opinion or a mannerism that needs changing. They are not quiet and soft-spoken, and they are not gentle and nurturing. They are women, hear them roar.
They're fabulous. I loved the gentle, soft-spoken women I befriended in Korea, but I also secretly loved that in a few years, they'd go all ajuma and become strong, outspoken, and magnificent. (And yes, I met some younger women who were already strong and outspoken, but were perm-free. I'm talking patterns here--not absolutes.)
That's not to say that I never ended up on the wrong end of an ajuma. We had one as a landlady our first year there, and she would literally peer into my windows to see how high I'd turned up the thermostat in the winter. If it was too high, she'd barge in and turn it down--or lecture me about turning it down, complete with grand gestures because my Korean sucked. And occasionally, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and would end up shoved against a wall while an ajuma barreled by.
But all in all, the ajumas gave me great joy. My grandmother on my dad's side has always had a bit of ajuma about her. A couple of years ago, she got a speeding ticket, and instead of just mailing in the payment, she showed up at the police station and told them to just put her in jail until they considered her debt to society paid. The police officer on duty ended up spending the better part of his day begging her to just pay the thing, because he really didn't want to put a nearly 90-year-old woman behind bars. She tells this story often and with a considerable amount of glee. I have no doubt that she didn't intend to spend one minute in jail--she just wanted to see if she could get out of paying the ticket. And, I think, she might have been a little bored that day and just wanted to mess with someone.
OK, it's not about writing or reading Intrigues, really, but this all has been on my mind lately. Hope you don't mind the randomness.
Anyone get in touch with their inner ajuma lately?
Posted by Tracy Montoya, author of I'll Be Watching You on 4/10/2008
I love the post! I hate men who think just because you're a woman you don't know anything about a car. I was repairing my own car before most of these youngsters were born.
Thanks, Estella. And good for you for repairing your own car! I really need to get much better at that one of these days. I can change a tire in record time, though.
My dad told me that before I could drive a car I had to be able to fix it or at least know what needed fixing. It has paid off any number of times. As far as being an ajuma -- you better believe I fit the category. May be because I grew up with two brothers or learned how to take care of mechanical things myself (or at least know when it needed taking care of) or because I taught teenagers for 35 years.
Ellen, good for you. I'm really good at most mechanical things, but I need instructions or a hands-on tutorial. Hence the not being really great with cars. I keep meaning to sign myself up for a class one of these days.... And hello, Jane! They'll only get you in Korea.
I haven't lately, but in the past I have gave a whole lot of businesses a hard way to go. Car dealer or salesmen are the one that really get it from me. I bugs me for anyone to try to get something over on me, and I don't let them.
Yay, Virginia! I once went shopping for a car with my husband, and the salesman would ONLY talk to him and ignored me. He called the house afterward, and I told him that the car was for me, and since he refused to acknowledge my existence, I was buying from the dealership across town. And I did. Fortunately, my last car-buying experience was just fine--I think the salesMEN are more enlightened now.
Great, great post, Tracy! I love the idea of becoming an older woman and wearing purple or other bright colors. I do think, though, that I'm not sure American woman of my generation and younger have all that far to go in becoming ajuma. Still, a life aspiration of becoming a "crazy old bag" appeals to me.
I love your post, Tracy! I'm going ajuma. LOL Minus the perm.
I've had those experiences when salesmen would only talk to my husband. Can they not see the steam coming out of my ears?
Dana
I just loved your post. I hate it when they think you don't know anything about a car, and insist on wanting to do things that don't need doing. And people who only want to talk to my husband or son and not to me - because they are males just choke me. But for some reason there are people out there that think women cannot think for themselves. Oh well, their loss. I too am curious at what the policeman did about the ticket.........LOL
Hey, I'm so sorry it took me so long to get to these last comments! I had to bolt for a conference in Seattle (sadly, not the one the Dalai Lama was at, but it was still a good time). Anyway ... so glad you liked the post, Margaret! I'm Gen. X, and I think we've come a long way since pre-Gloria Steinem days. But what's up with those T-shirts and underwear marketed to 20-somethines today that say things like, "Property of Bob?" Feh. No ajuma would be caught dead in stuff like that! ... Oh, and Grandma eventually paid the ticket, once she'd had enough fun messing with the cop's mind.
Thanks, Dana! And yeah, SO not doing the perm or the polyester pants. And thanks, Cryna! Those men who think that are just showing their colossal ignorance, I think. See the above comment to Margaret--Grandma paid the ticket. : )
My blog today is all about author-sponsored contests. First, I want to let everyone know that my spring book giveaway contest is going on right now at my website at http://www.juliemiller.org. Follow the directions at the site. You can read a teaser scene from my upcoming The Precinct: Brotherhood of the Badge mini-series, too!
Secondly, (and some of you have helped me with this already--thanks!) I'm helping my friend and CP, Sherry James, do research for an article she's writing about the promotional value of authors hosting their own contests for the Romance Writers Report. If you've ever read a book, entered a readers' contest or thought about entering one, I'd love to have some feedback from you on a few questions. Your information will remain anonymous, of course, when I pass it on to Sherry. You may answer any or all of the questions, or just share what you think.
1. Have you ever entered an author-sponsored contest?
2. If so, why? The prize? Getting to know a new author? Keeping tabs on a favorite author? Contest junkie? etc.?
3. What prizes draw you to a contest? Free book(s)? New releases? Backlist titles? Pampering gifts like chocolate or lotions? A unique gift? etc.?
4. If/when you enter the contest, do you take some time to explore the author's website?
5. Has entering or winning a contest ever led you to discovering a new author whose books you will read, check out and/or purchase in the future?
6. Does a repeat regularity of an author's contest (monthly/seasonally/with each book/etc.) get you into the habit of coming back to check his/her website on a regular basis? Or does the frequency of a contest make it lose its luster for you?
7. Any particular perks or peeves about author-sponsored contests you'd like to share?
Thanks for your help! And please don't feel obligated to answer the questions AND enter my contest (though you're welcome and encouraged to do both!).
Take care,
Julie
Posted by Julie Miller, author of Protective Instincts on 4/8/2008
1. Yes.
2. For fun and for the prizes.
3. All of the above. I think ARCs and gift certificates are the most popular.
4. Yes.
5. Yes.
6. I think the regularity of contests keep me coming back more often.
7. I think most people like simple contests.
Hi Julie - interesting survey. I thought I would try and give you some of my answers.
1. Yes I have entered an author - sponsored contest.
2. The reason I have entered is sometime because I am at the site, looking it over and see that the contest is there. The prize is something that will entice me to enter a contest, as well as that there are no restrictions to sending outside of the USA - to Canada - since we are classified as International.
3. I love to get books, and if a new release is up that entices me to enter - because usually is a book that I was planning on buying and so the interest is already there. Back issues are good as well, although if it is an author that I follow all the time, I will most likely have their backlist. But it is still nice to get autographed books. Unique gifts are nice as well. Chocolate and lotions are hard to send to someone outside of the USA.
4. When I have entered a contest I have arrived at the author's site looking for a particular book, series, etc. I also have arrived there because I am making up my list for books I want to purchase and plan on what months to look for them.
5. Yes by entering a contest I have found an author that I may not have read before, and have really liked their writing so have bought more books.
6.In all honesty sometimes I do not go back to an author site on a regular basis and if I do it is not with contests in mind. It is to make sure I am not missing any new things. Frequency of contests really have nothing to do with what I enter.
7. Okay my biggest peeve about author-sponsored contests are that there is a lot of times restraints about who can enter. I understand these restraints because of what is being offerred and also the postage costs but as a reader and a follower of an author this disappoints me. It is just not author sites that do it but also some of the bigger sites do it as well. Sometimes it would be nice if there was a stipulation that if it was an out of USA participant then there would be a gift card or something available for them to Amazon or B & N.
I hope this is the feedback that you are looking for. If not feel free to email me offline.
1. Yes
2. The prize, usually.
3. Free books. Chocolate's nice. Mostly I like to win.
4. Sometimes...but I don't spend much time on author websites.
5. Yes - I now read authors from the Intrigue authors blog, or new authors I've found on Cigars.
6. Not really...
7. Nope!
Ellen--the first five questions are the same as what I asked on eHarlequin, but there are two new ones at the end. Thanks for checking!
Cryna--wow! Thanks for the very thorough answers. Yes, I've had that concern voiced in a few emails from readers about whether or not they're eligible to win a prize if they live outside of the U.S. I've selected winners over the years from Australia, Canada, Pakistan, Egypt, Great Britain and a few other places. It can get pricey to ship books. The gift certificate to an online bookstore is a great alternative suggestion. I'm going to file that one away.
Margaret--hmm, I sense a competitive streak. It is a rush for the ego to win stuff. I've been psyched to win a bottle of Pepsi in the ring toss at our church carnival :)
Noelle--great to see you here! Thanks for the input.
Jane--good to see you here. Thanks for answering the questions. All the responses are interesting for me to read, and I know Sherry will be pleased to see such thoughtful responses.
1. Have you ever entered an author-sponsored contest? Yes
2. If so, why? The prize? Getting to know a new author? Keeping tabs on a favorite author? Contest junkie? etc.? all of the above, I get to try different authors this way and different types of books.
3. What prizes draw you to a contest? Free book(s)? New releases? Backlist titles? Pampering gifts like chocolate or lotions? A unique gift? etc.? all of the above
4. If/when you enter the contest, do you take some time to explore the author's website? oh yes also read reviews.
5. Has entering or winning a contest ever led you to discovering a new author whose books you will read, check out and/or purchase in the future? oh yes several times i will go out and buy their books.
6. Does a repeat regularity of an author's contest (monthly/seasonally/with each book/etc.) get you into the habit of coming back to check his/her website on a regular basis? Or does the frequency of a contest make it lose its luster for you? I just about always go back and check their website on a regular basis.
7. Any particular perks or peeves about author-sponsored contests you'd like to share? I just enjoy trying new authors.
OK to answer your last two questions --
6. not really a regular contest schedule will not necessarily get me back to an authors website. I do a regular read of some authors websites/blogs on a frequent basis any way.
7. if I have to hunt for the winner by reading a whole bunch of comments it kinda bugs me a little. I like the winner announcement to be obvious
1. Yes.
2. It depends. Sometimes it's the prize. Sometimes it's because I'm at the author's site and I see the contest. Sometimes it's that I have too few books on my tbr and not enough $$ in the bank for the books I want.
3. Free books, Amazon giftcards or bath products and candles
4. It depends. If I entered from the author's site, usually. If I entered from some place like freshfiction, not always. I do always read the blurb on freshfiction and I've bought quite a few books based on those blurbs.
5. Yes.
6. I rarely enter on author sites, but I always enter freshfiction and I often enter the Friday PlotMonkeys contest.
7. Nope.
I like to enter author contests to win books. On a limited book budget, I find myself spending my $ on authors books that I have already read. The winning of a book by an author I have yet to read introduces me to that author and I can add or not her name to my TBR list.
I go often to authors sites so I can see what is new and to read reviews.
I like the contests where you have to answer a question by reading the excerpt at the website. I have added alot of books to my list by reading the excerpts. Contests I don't like are those where you have to read the book for the answers and then the prize is the book you read. It would be alright if the prize was a different book. And I really like to get a gift certificate to Amazon.com to purchase books. And chocolte doesn't get overlooked either.
1. yes
2. a combination of getting to know author and getting one of their books
3.the draw, hmmmm, I think its a combination of getting one of your favorite authors books AND getting to know an author that you enjoy reading
4. yes
5. yes
6. no, usually it is the authors work itself that brings me back
7. one peeve, some require a yahoo email address which I do not use that particular package, then I cannot enter that particular contest. A real bummer if it is one of my favs.
I loved your precinct series and parts of your others. I always look forward to one of your works. You have lots of fans here in Western Maryland.
Talking about movies... I was at the IMAX theatre this weekend and saw the Buenos Aires U2 concert in 3D. It was fantastic! And yet, in a way, a little disappointing. Nobody was jumping up and down and screaming the songs at the top of their lungs. Watching a concert in a movie theatre is very different from being at a concert. LOL. The 3D thing was great, though. I felt right on the stage with the band. Could have reached out and touched them.
I kept thinking how one of the guitar players would make a great hero in a romance. He was very low key and looked pretty easy going, but you could tell that this guy could get tough in a hurry if the occasion called for it. (Nice tattoos, too.) I should probably know his name, but I don't. I love all kinds of music, but don't get into the knowing everything about the band thing. For me, the music is about the music and not the people.
But he got me thinking about heroes in anycase. And then the previous blog post got me thinking about heroes some more. I'm definitely going to watch the Indinana Jones movie because of the hero. Are there movies/books that you go back to just for the hero?
Dana
P.S. The first of my red tulips are out. Yay! Now if only it would stop raining and I could get out to garden. I think the weeds are organizing. They are forming a battle plan to take me down and take over the garden. Ha! I'm an Intrigue writer. I have all kinds of resources to mount an offensive :-)
Posted by Dana Marton, author of 72 HOURS on 4/7/2008
My tulips are blooming, too. Only, the temperature keeps dropping today, and tonight we're supposed to have snow. Sheesh! I'm beginning to think spring is never going to come--and stick!--here in Nebraska.
Probably one of my favorite heroes ever--and I go back and read the book once a year or so because of it--is Ian in Rachel Lee's Silhouette Shadows IMMINENT THUNDER. He's a military man. Has a paranormal power. He's a "beast" in both brawn and personality. The sexual tension is intense. He's the heroine's reluctant protector--but the only thing that can save her. She, in turn, is the only one who can save him from his torment. It's all there for me.
I like to revisit Lucy Monroe's Mercenary Trilogy, because I just love the heroes. I had to smile at your comment of the weeds organizing against you...you can just visualize them doing that. We are still getting cold weather here and snow, which doesn't last but still is snow. The idea of your tulips out already is a good one.
Oh, I'd go back to Diana Gabaldon's Outlander for Jamie Fraser! And I find myself going back all the time for Jason Bourne. (Big sigh here.) And Connor MacLeod of Highlander. Daniel Day Lewis's character in Last of the Mohicans (sp?), the PBS series Monarch of the Glen for the heroes in that...I could go on and on all night!
Summer is just around the corner, and that means lots of high budget movies will hit the theaters. Here's a list of the ones that are supposed to be the biggies. Hmmm. Not all look like biggies to me, but what do you think?
Iron Man - May 2nd
Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, May 16th
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, May 22nd
Sex and the City: The Movie May 30th
The Incredible Hulk - June 13th
The Happening - June 13th (M. Night Shyamalan movie)
Get Smart - June 20th
Wanted - June 27th (Angelina Jolie)
The Dark Knight July 18th (Heath Ledger's movie)
The X-Files 2 July 25th
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor August 1st
So, which of any of these do you want to see?
Posted by Delores Fossen, author of The Horseman on 4/5/2008
Although I am not much of a movie goer, I generally wait for the DVD to be released, the one I want to go see is Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. I have waited a long time for another Indiana Jones movie and will go to the movies to see it.
Indiana Jones, The X-Files and The Mummy.
I didn't know about the new mummy movie. Woo Hoo. I might go see The Dark Knight too. Undecided right now. I don't want to be sad. :-(
Yep, I'll definitely see Indiana Jones. Probably the new Mummy movie too. Another possibility is The Happening. I keep hoping that M. Night Shyamalan will make something as great as The Sixth Sense or Signs. Loved both of those.
I'm still not sure about The Dark Knight. I love Heath Ledger, but you're right--it might end up being sad because he's no longer with us. :(
Ooh! We're big movie-goers, especially when school is out. Plus, my son is an assistant manager at a theater, so we get the current scoop.
I'm definitely looking forward to Indy, Narnia and The Mummy (back with Brendan Fraser, right?). I'll skip the X-Files (the first one disappointed me) and probably The Dark Knight. I think it might bother me to watch Heath Ledger now. Which is a shame, because I think Christian Bale is the best Batman yet.
I forgot. We plan to go see Iron Man, too. I think Robert Downey, Jr. is an interesting choice to play him. But I think I'm going to like the intelligence and dry humor he can convey.
I want to see all the movies on the list, especially "The Dark Knight" and "X-files 2." Christian Bale is my favorite Batman. I've been waiting for the X-files movies for a while now.
Hi everyone! Movies, movies, movies. I love most of them. My husband loves them, usually the ones I don't. We have movie dates just about every week. I'm impatiently awaiting Chronicles of Narnia, Indiana Jones, Get Smart. My husband would include Iron Man and The Incredible Hunk for sure. The others we will "discuss".
May I share something very exciting to me? This weekend, Dallas (DARA) held it's annual conference "Dreamin' in Dallas". Even if I wasn't a member, I must say DARA put on an excellant conference. Well ran, informative workshops and enjoyable speakers. My own personal giddy happiness stems from Agent Pam Strickler's workshop, who was critiquing ouery letters that had been previously submitted. My query was in the huge pile she had and she only was able to do maybe six? Anyhow, My query was picked up and she was so animated in reading it. Someone described her reaction as: she wasn't just excited about it, she was dancing. Well, She seemed to like everything except the "fluff" in the last paragraph. I did not have an appointment with her, so after the workshop I approached her and explained which was my query letter and asked if she'd accepted my business card (with the book title written on it) and she not only accepted it, she requested I send in the normal submission. That's so cool. Word got around quickly how much she seemed to enjoy my letter. Later, at my actual appointment to Holly Root - I'd already sent the submission earlier so she said she'd be sure to pull it up and her "old stumping grounds" was my parents home in KY - such a small world.
To say I had a good day is an understatement. Thanks for letting me blurt out here! - Phyllis
Phyllis, how exciting!!!!! That's fantastic. I've heard so many wonderful things about the Dara conference, but it was nice to hear that it led to such great contacts for you. Wow. Fingers crossed that one of the agents is for you.
As for the movies--yep, my husband and I tend to like different ones as well. Basically, if it's a war or horror movie, he'll go see it. I love the thrillers and the action-packed movies like Indiana Jones.
Phyllis, how wonderful about your DARA experience! Good luck to you!
As for movies, I'm excited to see the Indiana movie. I'll probably see the The Dark Knight BECAUSE it's a Heath Ledger movie. Although I'm not wild about it, I'll probably see the Sex & the City one as well. Last year when I was recovering from surgery I watched a bunch of Sex & the City DVDs. I got burned out on them then, but now I think I'd like to see the movie.
Lexie, I do that too--I'll watch DVDs of a show and get burned out on it. I nearly did that with Lost when I watched the entire first season in two days. :o
I just spent the last four weeks either in a pickup truck or a tent with my husband. I know, I know, most of you are thinking why would a sane woman do something like that? Well, for us it is our perfect vacation. Really. We hook onto the boat and head from Montana to Florida every March 1. We even like the road trip south. Part of that is because of the food. Montana isn't known for its food. I miss good Mexican food, real barbecue and southern cooking. Once we hit Florida we set up the tent. I call it the circus tent. It's not quite that large or bright-colored, but it holds our queen-sized blow-up bed, two comfortable chairs, a cooler and our Rubbermaid boxes/end tables. We love waking up under the palm trees to the sound of the wind in the fronds. We also love to boat, eat, hike, eat and read. We take a bunch of books we've been dying to read and end up buying a bunch more over the month. That's probably our favorite part of the perfect vacation: reading without any interruptions (like work). I read Pillars of the Earth in just a few days. That would never have happened at home. I love talking about books with my husband when we finish them and losing myself in book after book. People say we should get a condo. Or at least buy a trailer with a TV dish on top. No way. We're on vacation!
So what's your favorite vacation?
Posted by B.J. Daniels, author of Matchmaking With a Mission on 4/4/2008
I love visiting the majestic wonders of our National Parks. I would absolutely love to get back to Glacier and see what I missed the last time. I want someone else to drive the "Going to the Sun" road so I can look!
I could spend hours just walking the beach, too, Elle. The problem is I tend to pick up the shells. You can't believe how many shells I have. :) I had to laugh at your comment, Ellen. My family got caught in a storm on Going to the Sun highway when I was little and we had to spend the night beside the road. That was back in the day when you could pull your travel trailer over the highway. It was pretty scary parked on the edge of the road that night in a blizzard inside our little trailer. My favorite park is Yellowstone, just because I grew up around it. My dad did the rock work at Canyon so we lived in Yellowstone for a couple of summers. That was very fun.
Oh, good question! My favorite vacation is visiting my relatives in Nova Scotia. They pamper us with delicious food and wonderful accomodations, we're out of cell phone range so no one bothers us, ocean, skies, more ocean, pine trees, nowhere to be, nothing to do, and did I mention the great food? ;)
Ocean City, NJ. either before or after tourist season. Love it when we are the only people on the beach. The sounds of the ocean act like a tranquilizer for me. Pure bliss.
I would love to take a trip to the Maritimes, specfically Nova Scotia and take in all the places that my parents talk about and see where I was born. My favourite vacation that I have taken was when we toured down along the Oregeon coastline, that was so pretty. Another was when we were in Yellowstone Park, with all the natural geysers. There are so many places that I would love to go and see.......
Ellen, we call that "Going to Hell" highway because my mom was driving and the drop down terrified her, which in turn terrified me as her passenger! I offered to switch places and drive, but she couldn't pull her hands off the steering wheel.
As for vacation, for me there's no place better than Scotland! Great question!
I'd love to have breakfast in N.Y. I'd love to do just about anything in N.Y. I'm so jealous of Patricia and Rebecca for going to NINC. Maybe next year... When I'm good, I have a banana for breakfast. When I'm bad, I have EVERYTHING (including chocolate). There's still way too much Easter candy in the house. I wish there was a place to donate sweets. Otherwise, I'll end up eating it all.
I've been hiding in the deadline cave for a while, but I finally submitted TALL, DARK & LETHAL. Yay. Wouldn't have minded to spend another week on editing, but then again, that's usually the case. I always get a ton of great ideas that could make the book better, the day it's due. Right when it's way too late to do anything about it.
Now a day or two to promote 72 HOURS online. Which is my current release, a fast-paced thriller about an embassy crisis. It's a reunion story. I'm fascinated by how people change over the years and how old hurts can be mended, how old loves are hard to forget. And while I'm promoting, I also need to get started on DESERT ICE DADDY, another sheik novel.
I'm dying to get to the IMAX theatre to see the U2 concert 3D. This will be the last weekend to do it before they switch to the next feature. And I absolutely must weed the garden. An early spring meant early weeds for us :-( But beautiful flowers, too :-) So as usual, it's busy, busy, busy here.
What is everyone up to these days? What does spring look like where you live?
Dana
Posted by Dana Marton, author of 72 HOURS on 4/3/2008
Hi, Dana - spring looks pretty cool and rainy here in Nebraska. It's creeping up on us this year, rather than arriving with a big bang of sunshine, warm temps, and flowers. That said, the daffodils are poking through the wood chips under my office window, the robins and common grackles are back, and if it's not snow and 5 degrees above zero, I'll take whatever weather comes my way!
Congrats on your new book, it looks good!
Spring here in KY is rainy. Temps are in the 50's and 60's. We have lots of rain today and tomorrow, then will get some sun shin so they say. It is really pretty when the sun is shinning. I love to take long walks when it is pretty.
I blinked and missed spring here. Actually just when all the trees were blooming (at least those that bloom (like my red bud tree) we had up to 50 mph winds and the blooms blew off (along with a ton of branches). Temperatures have been in the high 80°s for the last couple of weeks. At the moment it's noon and 80° and the wind is blowing 30+mph
Sunshine--62 degrees.
Tulips, forsythia, narcissis,and hyacinths in bloom. The hostas are peeking thru the ground and the daylilies are about 6 inches tall.
CONGRATULATIONS on your release. Spring here I thought had come because our snow had melted and it was looking good out. But we got snow again a couple nights ago, and yesterday the wind was so cold you would have thought we were headed toward winter and not summer. The winds have been so bad and drying things out so that we have a fire ban on and it is only March. Not a stellar start to the coming months.
Thank you for the spring update! I really enjoyed it. My spring is like Estella's. Daffodils blooming, daylillies at about 6 inches. Tulips ready to go any day now :-)
There's an English TV show, Spring Around the World, where a guy travels around the world, always staying in spring and showing how it's different on different continents and in different climates. African flowers are completely different than ours for example... I thought that would be a neat job. To have a year or two of just spring after spring to experience.
Dana, I picked up your book yesterday because it just sounded right up my alley. The woman at the store had nothing but great things to say about you too!
Novelists, Inc., an organization of multi-published popular fiction writers, just had its annual conference in New York City this last weekend. I attended, caught up with a lot of writing friends, and met industry professionals, including my new Del Rey editor.
Having been in this business for a lo-o-ong time, I don't usually learn too much that is new. But one evening we did round tables that had to do with technology -- blogging, podcasts, My Space, book trailers. Interesting how many authors are very accomplished. Okay, they're geeks. And others were ready to have a nervous breakdown.
As always at conferences, I look forward to finding some new great restaurants. And eating too much. We, of course, succeeded--at a steak house, an upscale Indian restaurant and a fun Mexican restaurant. The most unusual restaurant experience, however, was breakfast our last morning in New York at Norma's in Le Parker Meridian, recommended by a friend of roommate Sherrill Bodine.
As I scanned the menu for all the unusual breakfast treats, one item jumped out at me: The Zillion Dollar Lobster Frittata for $1,000. Yep, you read that correctly. It was served with 10 oz. of cavier. Most items were a bit more affordable, however, and spectacular. Sherrill got the seared lobster and asparagus omelet. I got the ham and brie cheese crepes. There were so many spectacular things on the menu, I thought you might like to check it out:
http://www.normasnyc.com/PDF/BreakfastNormasNY.pdf (sorry to make you cut and paste but I couldn't get the link right!!!)
Sherrill and I were glad to have such a filling breakfast since we gathered our bags and left for the airport only to find our flight and most flights to Chicago had been cancelled. We had to take another airline to Boston and then get back to our own airline to Chicago. And wait and wait and wait. No food. Thank goodness for the best breakfast in New York.
So take a look at Norma's menu. Anything appeal to you? They do say breakfast is the most important meal. What's your favorite?
I think I will just stick to the regular breakfast that I fix here at home or go to Shoney's for their breakfast bar. I don't think I would pay $1000 for breakfast.
Wow, there was a variety to choose from, but I think that my choice would be: Super Cheesy French Toast With Applewood Smoked Bacon and coffee. Lots and Lots of coffee. But there was some interesting things on the menu although not sure I would want to try them for breakfast.
Estelle -- nothing wrong with veggie omelets -- there's a spinach and cheese one I really like.
Virginia -- I wouldn't pay $1,000 for breakfast either. My ham and brie crepes were $20 -- a bit expensive, but then they were really special and the cost was pretty par for midtown Manhattan.
Patricia
Well, I'm married to Mr. Restaurant. Dh loves to go out to fancy meals. But even he wouldn't pay that much for an omlette. On the other hand, he would have enjoyed a lot of the breakfast selections. As you know, he and I went to the steak house, the Indian restaurant and the Mexican restaurant with you and Sherrill. All great food. But the thing I keep thinking about is the Mack and Cheese at the steak house. It was a side dish, and it was wonderful. And best of all, I could have a good-sized taste of it and not have to feel guilty about eating a lot of it. Next best? Maybe the lamb chops at the Indian restaurant. I brought some home to the hotel refrigerator. And since we had an ice chest with us and were driving, I brought two lamb chops home and had them for dinner the next day! While you were having lunch with your Del Rey writing partner, I went with a group to an Irish pub and had loaded potato skins and onion soup for lunch. Also really good. And now, I am fighting not to go eat until dinner. I gained a couple of pounds in NY and have to lose them. Dinner, btw, is chili, dh's favorite. I made it very wet. More like chili soup, so I can fill up on the liquid part. Rebecca
Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day but I don't eat it very often. When I do eat breakfast I like omelets of almost any variety or French toast with lots of syrup on it (not the best thing for me) I certainly would not eat a $1,000 omelet no matter what was on it!!
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Posted by Jan Hambright, author of AROUND-THE-CLOCK PROTECTOR on 4/1/2008
Oh my, this is a surprise! Thank you very much! I don't get the chance to check in very much, but enjoy the blog everytime I peek in. Since my 55th Birthday was March 27th, this is a wonderful gift!
Heroes have been a popular topic on the Intrigue blog over the last few months, but how about Intrigue heroines? For me, they've always been one of the biggest draws of the line, especially compared to many other romantic suspense books.
From the very first Intrigues I read, the heroines weren't just passive victims or targets in need of saving, but equal participants with an active role in their own story. Which is as it should be, as she tends to be the one with something on the line. There's not much appeal in somebody willing to sit back and do nothing when faced with a dangerous situation. Instead, the Intrigue heroine is a woman with courage and strength that make her not just a worthy opponent for the villain, but a good match for the hero as well. Because not only is it annoying to have to read about some whiny wimp who she can't do a thing for herself (or worse, is just plain stupid), but it also doesn't say much for a man who finds helplessness appealing. But a man who can appreciate a strong woman? Ah, that's more like it.
The heroine of my first Intrigue, STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT, has been on the run for more than a year by the time the hero enters the picture. There's no way she would have survived that long if she didn't have plenty of guts and a quick mind, as the hero soon discovers. Those are just some of the qualities that make her the kind of heroine I love reading--and writing--about.
What are you looking for in a heroine, especially an Intrigue heroine?
Posted by Kerry Connor, author of Strangers in the Night on 3/31/2008
I too like a strong heroine who can at least keep up with the hero. I don't like reading about wimpy heroines who sit around going "woe is me".Sure women need help sometimes but they better be able to help themselves if they want my sympathy.
I like heroines that have sass, and smarts. Ones that can give the heroes a hard time, but yet can be counted on to be by his side as equal. Also that is fully capable of figuring out something to help them both should the need arise. I guess that is why I love Intrigues so much.
Oh, good question! I like heroines who are really acting to handle their situations, not just reacting to what happens to them. I also like it when they don't passively sit back and let the hero handle whatever's coming up. But...I don't like it when she does something totally rash and stupid to get herself into more trouble and has to be rescued. You're right about a man who appreciates a strong woman, too. I like that in a hero!
I think it's exactly what you say. She has to be an active participant in the intrigue, whatever that happens to be. She can't just be a woman in danger. She has to be willing to take care of business. :-)
Recently, I had a reader say that she could tell I was a Texan because of the way I handled the Texas settings in my books. I considered it a very high compliment indeed because I work hard to make the setting feel authentic without having it intrude on the story. Sometimes, that's a hard balance to find.
So, what about you? Does setting matter? Will you read a book set anywhere, or are there places than just turn you off?
Posted by Delores Fossen, author of The Horseman's Son on 3/29/2008
I'll read a book set anywhere but.... If I am familiar with the setting it had better be accurate or I get irritated. There are a lot of places I am NOT familiar with but if it is set in Texas watch out. And yes you do an excellent job with settings in Texas.
I'm pretty open to settings. The only one so far that I can't get into is New Orleans. I don't know why, but anytime I start a book set in New Orleans, I end up giving it away before I finish.
I like a book in most settings, but I if I know the area in which the book is set then I really like for the facts to be accurate. I don't have any area where a book has turned me off because of a setting. If I get turned off on a book, it has not been from the setting but with something else that has caused me to lose interest.
I'm connecting back to Ann's blog about thrillers here. For me, thrillers are stories with a faster pace and more action than the average suspense. There are many types of thrillers: legal thriller, medical thriller, high-tech thriller, FBI thriller, etc. I like action-adventure thrillers the most. (Which is why I write them.) I love Clive Cussler, Dan Brown, etc. I love those old Steven Segal movies, Under Siege, Executive Decision, and the rest. Those over the top action scenes are fantastic. Having a hero in a closed environment (train, submarine, airliner, etc.) alone with a ton of enemies, relying on his wits and training to save the world.
I have a thriller out right now, 72 HOURS, that is similar in setup. The hero and heroine are trapped in an embassy in Paris (along with a lot of other innocent people). The building is rigged with biological weapons. The clock is ticking. They must fight insurmountable odds (not the mention the ghosts of their past relationship) to save as many people as possible. Their fight grows more desperate when the terrorists begin executing hostages... [Excerpt at www.danamarton.com ]
What are your favorite thrillers?
Dana
Posted by Dana Marton, author of 72 HOURS on 3/27/2008
I like reading the faster action packed thrillers that the Intrigues deliver. I have 72 HOURS in the mail somewhere, so will be able to read it as soon as it arrives. But to pick a favourite would be hard - each book has its own merits - but I do tend to lean toward the mercenary ones.
I recently watched The Gift again. It's one of my favorite movies. Directed by the underrated Sam Raimi and written by Billy Boy Thornton and Tom Epperson, this superb thriller, set in the Deep South, stars Cate Blanchett (brilliant), Giovanni Ribisi, Keanu Reeves, Greg Kinnear and Hillary Swank. What a cast!
For those of you who haven’t seen it, here is the IMDB synopsis: When a local woman disappears and the police can't seem to find any leads, her father turns to a poor young woman with psychic powers. Slowly she starts having visions of the woman chained and in a pond. Her visions lead to the body and the arrest of an abusive husband, but did he really do it?
What sets The Gift apart from other thrillers for me (and this kind of piggybacks on Patricia's post yesterday) is the influence it’s had on my writing. I saw it around the time I started to contemplate my first single title, and I knew immediately that this was the kind of story I wanted to tell. Macabre. Moody. Atmospheric. And so southern. I call my MIRA books creepy, southern thrillers, but lately I’ve been thinking more in terms of a ‘chiller’—the blending of reality with just a touch of the supernatural. Dark suspense that stays within the realm of believability.
For the writers out there, is there one movie that’s influenced, not just a book, but the direction of your writing?
And for all of us readers, is there a movie that epitomizes the type of story/character/atmosphere/plot that you love to read?
Posted by amanda stevens, author of The Devil on 3/26/2008
I LOVED The Gift. Gotta tell you, I'm on vacation in Florida but I read The Devil's Footprints and I LOVED it! It was a great read. You really kept me guessing. Nice surprise ending as well. I highly recommend it!
While I have an Intrigue out this month--In Name Only?--number 8 in The McKenna Legacy series, I just got the cover to the left for my upcoming June release and had to show it off. The Last Vampire, the first book in the Annals of Alchemy and Blood, is a change of pace for me. First, I had a writing partner, Marc Paoletti. He wrote the hero's and villain's scenes (the vampire is the villain) and I wrote the heroine's and villainess's scenes. Rather than being romantic suspense, it's a romantic action thriller set in an urban fantasy world.
Some people ask why I chose to write something so different. I liked the challenge. And the change of pace really made me enjoy writing more than I had in a while. I think exploring new areas keeps a writer fresh. And The Last Vampire still has a romance and is a thriller. It's a little of everything--crossover fiction as the editors call it. I think it will appeal to anyone who read Wolf Moon, my December Intrigue.
As a reader, do you challenge yourself and try different types of books? What kind?
I like to read and do try to read different types of books. I know that I have tried the darker paranormals - but have found they are not quite for me. I like the paranormals but more on the lighter side. Your new cover is great, I would certainly give it another look on the shelves at a book store.
I have read a little bit of everything. Some of the new types I've read I never read another one. But some of the new types sent me back to that type. I don't read too many paranormals or erotic but I love most Intrigue, Suspense, Mystery, Romance books.
Lately I’ve been asked a lot about what I think makes a thriller. You see, my March Intrigue, WYOMING MANHUNT is the first of four novels in the new “Thriller” miniseries for Intrigue. And one thing I’ve learned in my quest to define the term “thriller” is that the term can have different meanings. To some, thrillers must be about a hero racing to save the world. To others, it can have a more personal tone, such as a heroine racing to save a loved one. Or it can be a thrilling mix all its own. Different things thrill different people. So I have another little quiz for all of you.
WHAT THRILLS YOU?
Reading a book OR watching a movie?
Exploring Italy OR relaxing on a beach in the Bahamas?
A hike in Manhattan OR through the mountains of Wyoming?
A day alone OR a fabulous party?
Karate OR yoga OR ___(fill in blank)?
Listening to music OR visiting an art gallery OR a night dancing?
The thought that sumer is almost here!!!!
I usually like reading more than watching movies.
The beach and Italy tie. I love the beach, but I've never been to Italy. I'm going this summer and can't wait.
Manhattan is one of my favorite places.
A day alone makes me happy, but I like fabulous parties too, as long as I know people there.
Karate's fun to watch, I like the way I breathe during yoga, but actually doing yoga...OUCH!
Music, art and dancing all make me happy.
It'll be interesting to read the thriller Intrigues. The last Tracy Montoya was definitely what I'd call a thriller.
Reading a book OR watching a movie? reading a book
Exploring Italy OR relaxing on a beach in the Bahamas?relaxing ob a beach in the Bahamas
A hike in Manhattan OR through the mountains of Wyoming? through the mountains on Wyoming
A day alone OR a fabulous party? a day alone
Karate OR yoga OR walking___(fill in blank)?
Listening to music OR visiting an art gallery OR a night dancing? a night of dancing
What thrills me???
reading a book
relaxing on a beach in the Bahamas
through the mountains of Wyoming (assuming I could hike them)
a day alone
yoga
visiting an art gallery
I love to read a book over a movie. Would love to explore Italy I think it has so much culture to offer. The mountains of Wyoming sounds great, but I would also like to do Manhatten. And I forever have the radio turned on listening to my country music - or have a CD popped into the player.
My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys...Well, sort of
Meet Dylan Greer, the hero of my latest Intrigue, The Horseman's Son. Dylan's a rich cowboy, a single father and, well, he's hot. He's also willing to risk his life for his son and the heroine, so that makes him a true hero for me.
Here's a list of other heroes that I got from the American Film Institute's list of Top 100 Greatest Heroes.
1. Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird)
2. Indiana Jones
3. James Bond (Sean Connery)
4. Rick Blaine (Casablanca)
5. Will Kane (High Noon)
6. Clarice Starling (Silence of the Lambs)
7. Rocky Balboa
8. Ellen Ripley (Alien movies)
9. George Bailey (It's a Wonderful Life)
10. T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia
Hmmm. I'd add Hawkeye/Nathaniel in Last of the Mohicans. Or what about William Wallace in Braveheart, Batman, The Gladiator, Jason Bourne, Luke Skywalker or Aragorn?
How about you? Who's your favorite fictional hero in a movie or book?
Remember anyone who posts will automatically be entered into a drawing to win a book this month. Good luck!
Delores
Posted by Delores Fossen, author of The Horseman's Son on 3/21/2008
Ooh! I love this topic! Books AND movies AND heroes! I'd say Atticus Finch is my favorite fictional hero of all time. He embodies character and what being a man is all about--plus he's a good father. Total hero. (in fact, I named the hero in my July book, ARMED AND DEVASTATING, Atticus Kincaid in a bit of homage to Harper Lee)
In the movies, I'd have to say Maximus (Russell Crowe) in GLADIATOR is up there as real hero material. And Indiana Jones is an all-time favorite. I think Matt Damon's performances as Jason Bourne make him an ideal Intrigue hero. When I watch the movies, my imagination keeps beefing up the romantic elements ;) I think Sigourney Weaver in ALIENS really broke ground as a kick-butt action heroine. Strong and smart, flawed yet caring. I'd add the Fellowship of the Ring cast to your list. While I drool over Sean Bean in just about anything he does (he was so human, but ultimately true to the cause), I have to give kudos to Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin). Simple man. Maybe not the brightest, but he embodied loyalty. Frodo couldn't have survived without him.
Julie, I forgot all about Sam and Sean Bean. Yes, definite heroes. LOL about trying to beef up the romantic elements in the Bourne movies. I do that, too.
My absolute favorite fictional hero is Jason Bourne! I actually like Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) from the movie Shooter. He's awesome too!
Delores, I'm looking forward to Dylan!
I think that my hero would be the Indiana Jones and Quinn Harris in Six Days, Seven Nights - but then when I look at the two heroes they come back to one actor Harrison Ford.......LOL Might be a pattern. And in books there seems to be a new fictional hero in so many of the books I have read - that would be a hard choice.
Atticus is certainly a top hero. I love all of SEPs heroes, but Bobby Tom Denton is my favorite. I think one of the reasons for that is his heroine--Gracie Snow. Together they make an awesome book!
Cryna, I agree. Harrison Ford still has "it." I loved him in Blade Runner, and I can't wait for the new Indiana Jones movie.
Mary Beth, yes!!! Tom Denton is a great choice. :)
Delores
Robin Hood, of course. And then there was Superman, James Bond, and John Wayne.
And in books I've read there was Kathleen Woodiwiss' Ruark Beauchamp/Rosemary Rogers' Steve Morgan/and Janet Evanovich's Ranger and Morelli
My own personal hero is my husband who has slayed alot of dragons for me
My parents are visiting this week, and I TOTALLY forgot it was my turn to blog, until a little nagging birdie started whispering in my head this morning. We're off to take my dad to the World Golf Village Hall of Fame (Huzzah. Not. Obviously, I adore my father.), so I'm adapting an old entry I posted on my personal blog awhile back.
I just got my new cover for I'll Be Watching You, which is quite pretty, although it's always jarring to see how an artist interprets the guy who is so vividly living in my head. Anyhoo, it started me thinking about cover models in general, and I thought I'd share an amusing story from last year's Romantic Times BookLovers Convention. If any of you are going to this year's RT convention, perhaps you can take a little of the advice at the end of this entry.
So I'm sitting at lunch last year at the convention with Caridad Pineiro and this year's Best Kimani Romance winner Shirley Hailstock, when lo and behold, a cover model plunks his zero-body-fat self across from us. Now I know some women like their cover models, but they scare me. Most of the time, they either cringe away from you because they've been pinched and Tailhooked by too many way too many Women Who Can't Contain Themselves, or they're flirting outrageously--and can I just say unconvincingly?--because they want to win the $10,000 Mr. Romance prize RT offers and they Need Your Support.
So anyway, said cover model sits down and, as Shirley and Caridad were otherwise occupied, started talking to me. So I made small talk with him, telling him about the model who graced the cover of my first romance--Isabela's Dreams--who sent me a very sweet email to let me know, as did his mother. (He went on to star as half of the Hillside Strangler in a TV film and probably has several more acting credits by now.) That led to my discovery that the cover model I met this year had a brief walk-on performance in one of my favorite shows, Ugly Betty. (I'm Latina--I think it's mandatory that we must all love this show. But I have to say, my love is genuine and uncoerced by my loyalty to la raza.)
I must've looked a little too impressed by this news, because, apparently feeling he was on a roll toward securing my Mr. Romance vote, he then whipped out a calendar and dropped it open with a flourish, revealing a giant color photo of himself in the centerfold--stark naked and cropped JUST at the point of no return. (You know, as swimswuit season approaches, I can't help but think I should've asked him for waxing tips....)
While a guy generally needs at least a few brain cells for my hormones to kick in, I, of course, don't MIND a nice-looking picture. But the LAST thing I want to do is ogle a nearly naked photo of some random dude while said dude is WATCHING me ogle him.
While my first reaction was to do my best impersonation of Bela Lugosi exposed to sunlight ("Blaaaarrrgggh! My retinas are burning! My retinas are burning!"), I did manage to remain calm, rewarding him only with a cool "Huh. OK, then."
I was saved from not-so-cool further embarrassment when a couple of women he knew zoomed in on either side.
One, a healthy size ten or twelve with a shirt cut down to South America, proceeded to do the Hippy-Hippy Shake in her seat, apparently aimed at affording the poor man a dizzying variety of perspectives on "the girls." (Here they are ... And there they go. Here they are ... And there they go.)
I spent much of the rest of the luncheon either stuffing my face (did that a lot--be forewarned), or talking to the other people not involved in this spectacle. But I did catch a few interesting snippets of their conversation, which seemed to be about how monogamy is overrated, and everyone should have a lover when they're married, like the Italians (allegedly) do, at least, according to the prow-of-a-ship sitting across from me.
While the aforementioned events were all highly amusing for an observant, people-watching writer, it also prompted me to come up with the following ...
Cover Models: 7 Rules for Engagement.
1) You are married. Contain yourself.
2) If you are married to a deployed soldier and acting like that, let me just introduce you to my new and free service, the Smack-O-Gram. God bless America.
3) If it would be considered sexual harassment if he were ugly, dumb, and doing it to you, then stop. For the love of humanity, stop.
4) Yeah, they're pretty. That's no reason to force all of your brain cells to abandon ship while you act like Marcia Brady the first time she talks to Doug Simpson, Big Man on Campus. My inner feminist is donning sackcloth and ashes just watching you.
5) If he's flirting with you and there's a $10,000 cash prize at stake, you are probably not the love of his life. I'm just saying.
6) If you do not work out in a gym for eight hours a day or at least LOOK like you work out in a gym eight hours a day, chances are you will not have much in common with a guy who has zero body fat, anyway. I'm sure there are exceptions to this rule (i.e. Robert Smith, former running back for the Minnesota Vikings, both worked out for eight hours a day and had a Ph.D. in physics), but seriously....
7) Rolling your eyes and pushing the bread and cake at lunch away while declaring that you don't eat bread or cake is idiotic when you are faaaaaaar from a size two. Your spontaneous attack of anorexia is not going to impress a man who works out eight hours a day. Just eat the bread and cake, and enjoy your curves.
That is all.
Anyone have any good cover model stories? Or how about covers in general--do you like the models on the Intrigue covers, especially the sexier, hotter, generally shirtless model poses Intrigue is now experimenting with? Or would you rather have your books have more generic, not-so-romancey covers?
Posted by Tracy Montoya, author of I'll Be Watching You on 3/20/2008
Bwwwahhhaaaaahhhhaaaa! That is all, indeed. No good cover model stories here, but I do like the sexier covers. The rainy ones, like Paula's series, really appeal to me.
No cover model stories here, but I've heard LOTS from RT. One of my friends said they just treated them like brothers when they could and the guys started hanging around them when they needed a break from the women pinching their butts. :-)
Margaret, I love Paula's, too. She's definitely been blessed by the cover fairy. Mary Beth, that happened at my first RT, where one of the models who was there for the first time was hiding in a corner with a few of us, because we weren't groping him. He looked so scared, poor thing!
I'm not a big fan of the shirtless hero covers. I usually won't buy them. I may know it's a great story, but the average reader may look at the hottie shirtless covers and get (or perpetuate) a negative opinion of romance writers. But that's just my 2 cents.
No cover model stories here either. I do like some of the book covers with the shirt off heroes, but you know the covers with the guys shirts open and their chests showing some do just as much for me as the ones stripped to their waist, in fact they leave more to the imagination.......and to me that is sexier.
Ha, Estella! : ) Lexi, I understand that feeling--I've never been a fan of clinch covers and know some high school girls who initially started reading Intrigues because they don't have "that embarrassing romance-y look." I'll be interested to see what this new direction does for sales. Virginia, you make me feel better about the prospects for my own shirtless guy--thanks! :) Cryna, I know what you mean--I always find the action-oriented hero a little sexier, but I know readers who feel the opposite, of course! Happy Easter, to those of you who celebrate it!
I’m celebrating today. And I have three reasons why. First I finished a book. And I have a rule about celebrating when I finish a book. There aren’t very many things one can control in the publishing business. We can’t force our editors to buy a book from us. We can’t control what is on the cover, and we can’t order readers to actually plunk down their money once our book reaches store shelves. But the writing of a book is totally up to us. And therefore instead of celebrating things we can’t control, I believe in celebrating the things we can. Namely, writing the book. And I'm going to celebrate by driving to area bookstores to autograph WYOMING MANHUNT, which is on the shelves.
The second thing I’m celebrating is the career of Brett Favre. I’ve been a huge Green Bay Packer fan since I was about 6 years old. I was too young to remember the Lombardi years, but I cheered for the Pack through wins and...okay, through mostly losses. My fandom was tested by some pretty bad seasons, but I stuck with my Packers and proved my loyalty. And then Brett Favre became the quarterback and my fortunes as a fan changed. But it’s not just the wins that make Favre great. It’s the fun he had playing the game. He loved football and gave it his all. And that’s what I want to do, in my career and in my life. I could mope around and mourn his retirement, but instead I choose to celebrate the wonderful years I had watching him play. Thank you, Brett!
The third and biggest thing I am celebrating today is the guy in the picture. His name is Mick. He’s my border collie. And he turned fourteen years old on Sunday. He enjoys watching sports and animals on television, rounding up stray squirrels and singing to “The Banana Boat Song” (it’s the only song that makes him sing). If you are familiar with border collies, you know that they’re scary-smart and more human than a lot of humans. And Mick is all that and then some. I’m grateful for every year I’ve had Mickey as my pal.
So tell me, what are you going to celebrate today? And do you have any special pets at home?
Congratulations on finishing the book, Ann!! Definitely cause for celebration. And congrats to Mick, too!! I'm a huge dog lover. 14 years means he's enjoying a wonderful, healthy, stimulating life. Heck with singing and herding squirrels and being so clearly loved, he's a lucky pup!
My baby is Maxie. She'll be 12 this year. She's a German Shepherd/Terrier mix, smart as a whip, and my constant writing companion. She's starting to slow down a little bit, but can still run down any small rodent who strays into her yard. By 'slow down' I mean she's not climbing the trees anymore to continue the pursuit ;). Can't say I'm a big Green Bay fan, but I do admire Brett Favre's career, and his character both on and off the field. He's a great role model. Enjoy yourself!!
I celebrate every day that I wake up.
I have 5 cats. Nico(19 yrs), Callie(18 yrs), Purrs-A-Lot( 18 yrs), Tara (11 yrs) and Bobbi (11 Yrs). They are all special to me. I have had them all since they were kittens.
It sounds like you've got a lot to celebrate! Congrats on finishing your book. I TOTALLY agree that we should celebrate every positive we can in this business.
As for me, I'm celebrating being halfway through my work week (Short school week this week). I'm celebrating the awesome new ideas I've been getting today for my next manuscript.
Today's a pretty average day for me...I'm celebrating a day without a trip to the ER. Monday morning my son had an accident and wound up with four stitches in his chin. But I'll celebrate the end of a book, Brett Favre, and a cool dog with you!
I have no pets at the house here. I think you have three good things to celebrate today, and anytime that an Author finishes a story its time for readers to celebrate as well, because we benefit from it.
