Merry Christmas, Everyone!

Merry Christmas to all! I hope that everyone has a terrific day with lots of fun, love, food and family!

Happy Vladurday!The Christmas Edition

no way would I skip it because it's Christmas!

WTF happened to my loosely knit plot line?!

yeah, I am having some of those moments. they're mainly about my wip. suddenly it is going in another direction. I guess that's the chance you take when you don't have an outline. I was cranking out a super scene and then the end didn't seem to fit. it was anti climactic. the story wants to go another way and I'm not sure how I feel about that except for WTF. I had no idea that was going to happen. damn you compelling characters and interesting action! I had to send it off to a reader to see how she felt about the ending. she's a pretty good with feeling that stuff out. I'll keep writing on the track it's on. maybe it will work out.

Welcome Kristie Cook author of Promise and Purpose!

Thank you so much, Alison, for having me here! I’m really excited to be visiting your blog and sharing a copy of Purpose.

Tell us about Purpose.

Purpose is the second book in the Soul Savers series that picks up in present day (Promise started 9 years ago). Alexis is going through some pretty rough times and in an unstable state of mind. Much is going on that only exacerbates her condition and she’s faced with a tough decision. Hoping to clear her head and find the answers she needs, she takes off on her own to the Florida Keys, and ends up as the center of another battle between good and evil that requires her to face real-life demons, her own demonic blood…and the worst opponent imaginable.

Was it easier writing a sequel than the first?

Heh, I didn’t exactly write a sequel. I’d originally written Promise and Purpose together as one book. It took a year with many revisions to finally realize that I had two major plotlines. Once I separated the two, Purpose was left as about 2/3 of a book, so I did have to make some new additions. In a way, it was easier because I knew where the story was going and even what happens in book three, so I knew what to add. It was also more difficult because I had to add those new layers within an existing framework, trying not to mess up what was already there.

Your journey to publication is inspiring and different. What led you to that decision?

When it was all one book, the original Purpose, I sent out queries and received some requests for partials. I had already started researching self/indie publication, but wanted to give the traditional route a try. The more I learned about publishing, however, the more frustrated I became. I heard over and over that publishers don’t like college-age main characters. Although readers were still screaming for more vampires, more angels, more paranormal romance, agents were sick of them and wanted something new. My stories are definitely unique, but I could never get that across to agents. Part of the problem was trying to query something that had two different plotlines going on. Then partial responses came back, with most of them saying, “I just can’t market this.” And the number of reports of fewer debut authors being taken on at virtually non-existent advances increased every day, along with publishers saying they expected authors to take on the majority of marketing. eBooks were taking off and the publishing industry, already suffering from the economy, became even more volatile. Finally, I just couldn’t believe how much everyone else gets from a book sale and how little authors are paid. The whole system just seems backwards to me. Add in the facts that I’m an entrepreneur by nature and that I already had a fantastic business partner in another business, we decided to see if we could turn the industry chaos into our advantage. About that same time, I realized the book needed to be split in two. So I never queried what are now Promise and Purpose. Now I have two books released, receiving fabulous reviews and sales numbers growing daily, when they might still be in the querying or submission stages if I’d stuck with the traditional route. I like the idea of earning a bigger share, when the story is the main product and the author has to do the majority of their own marketing anyway. I think authors are sadly taken advantage of and are left powerless to do anything about it – except publish on their own. Finally, I LOVE the idea that readers get to choose what books they want to read – not agents and publishers choosing what they THINK readers want.

Promise is award winning!Congrats! Do you have the same expectations for Purpose?

Thank you! Promise’s award was a surprise to me. I submitted for the award just to see how it would do and to get feedback on the story. I really didn’t expect it to take first place. I don’t know about having the same expectations for Purpose, but I can say that I think it’s a better story, better writing, better everything. So far, reviewers and readers agree. So we’ll see if we enter it in any contests and then see how it does.

Your fan base is remarkable for an indie book. What do you attribute that to?

My background is in marketing. A long time ago, I wrote resumes for a living, which is basically personal marketing. At that time, I had to coach my clients that they MUST learn to sell themselves. I had to drill into their heads that they can’t be afraid to discuss what they’re good at and toot their own horn about their accomplishments. Because no one else will. Promoting your own book is kind of the same way and I had to take my own advice. Authors can’t be afraid to promote and market their books. We can’t be afraid to talk about them. We can’t be afraid to be excited about an award or good review and share it with others. It’s not bragging. It’s marketing. Once your book is going to be published, it becomes a business and all businesses need marketing. So, I reached out to others – other writers, reader sites, book bloggers – and asked them to give my book a chance. Fortunately, the vast majority loved Promise and shared it with their family, friends and followers. So that’s the other key – having a book people enjoy and want to talk about.

If your series was made into a movie who would you cast in the leads?

Don’t be disappointed, but I won’t go here. For one, I’ve searched and searched and can’t find anyone who quite embodies Tristan. He’s just too otherworldly. But, more importantly, I don’t want to give readers a preconceived idea about the characters. I want them to imagine their own version of what “Mr. Beautiful” looks like and form their own idea of the main character that draws them into the story. That’s what reading is all about, why it’s more engaging and more personal than TV or movies – being able to take the parameters the author has given us and using our own imagination to fill in the blanks. Of course, I won’t complain if a movie is ever made and I hope to have say in the selection of the cast. But until then (as if it’ll ever happen), I’ll let you read the books and make up your own cast. It’d probably be different than mine and everyone else’s.

Thanks again, Alison, for having me!! Good luck to everyone who enters the giveaway!

Thank you Kristie! Okay everyone! I'm throwing in a copy of Promise too so there you go! I'm also giving away a $10 iTunes gift card. The give away is as follows:

leave a comment anytime this week on this interview and receive +3 entries

link my giveaway +2

tweet it +2

if you are a follower+5 ((you don't have to be but I sure would love it!)

do the math for me(you know why) +3

REMEMBER!!!YOU CAN ENTER ALL WEEK!!! previous winners and overseas followers are eligible. I'll draw the winner on december 26th.

And now...the winners

since I don't have a drum for a drum roll I'll just go WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
the winners of the signed book by Alex Bledsoe are:
Aik and Alicia Gregoire! congrats ladies! I will email you to get your addresses and then Alex will sign your book!
the sauce winner is:
Steve Bossenberger (I love his name almost as much as his blog.It makes me think of an epic hamburger) I'll email you to get your address and the sauces will be on their way to you.
just so you know I used the wonderful random selector tools at random.org to choose. there was no fix or whatever in the contest. cheating is bad.
come back tomorrow for an interview with Kristie Cook, author of Promise and Purpose. I'll be giving away a signed copy of each of her books and a iTunes gift card on 12/26 (I get Christmas off) you can enter all week, not just the day that I post the interview! former winners are welcome too.

Happy Vladurday!

epic bad guys are freakin me out but in a good way

so I'm plugging away on the follow up to Life in Moonlight, Blood of New Beginnings and I have introduced a few new characters as well as further developed the old familiar ones. one of the new characters is a historically well know evil doer. it isn't Darth Vader but the above pic is pretty funny. this guy makes anyone in the Empire look like a sweetheart. I haven't revealed this character to anyone but a trusted beta reader and friend because this character is icky. however, as the story progresses he becomes attractive because let's face it...the bad guys are cool. I'm left with mixed feelings about this and I certainly sympathize for my character who has to endure him. I've done quite a bit of research about said evil doer so I could have a base to build his fictional life on. that's a good thing and a bad thing because in doing this research I have gotten creeped out several times. like I have wanted to remove him from the story. I haven't done it and I won't because it is such an interesting plot element. so I'll endure the icky feelings because they are thought provoking. He says some interesting and intriguing things and that makes for fun reading.

Interview with Alex Bledsoe author of Blood Groove and The Girls with Games of Blood PLUS!!!!!!!!

y'all I'm so excited to have Alex Bledsoe with me today!I love love LOVED his vampire books! so without further ado...

Alison: Your world building in BLOOD GROOVE and THE GIRLS WITH GAMES OF BLOOD was amazing. The reader really feels the atmosphere. Were those areas in the books areas you were personally familiar with or did you research?
Alex: There was some research, but I was 12 years old in 1975 and grew up an hour north of Memphis, so I have a pretty good memory for what it was like on the ground in that time. There is one glaring, deliberate anachronism in BLOOD GROOVE but since no one's spotted it yet, I'm not going to reveal it here.

Alison:  The vampires in your books are sort of anti heroes. They're fringe elements but you really feel for them. Was that intentional or did they turn into that?
Alex: It was deliberate in the sense that I spent a lot of time thinking about how a vampire would truly interact with his or her world after a hundred years or so. Nihlism became the guiding principle: after all, if these characters were divorced of any of the consequences society deals out for bad behavior, why should they continue to worry about it? The obverse of that is they grow extremely paranoid (especially Zginski) about attracting attention because they understand it's the only thing that truly leaves them vulnerable. So they both ignore society and hide from it. And I think that's a key to making them sympathetic despite their horrendous deeds: underneath it all, they are entirely motivated by fear.

Alison: These were your crack at vampire fiction. Was it easier to write about vampires as opposed to fantasy?
Alex: The challenges were different. Vampires may be fantasy, but they exist in a "real", historical world that if it is not done right, will take the reader right out of the moment. What's interesting is how many readers and reviewers mention the books' Seventies "cliches". I'm embarrassed to say that we did dress, talk , and act like that. Some of it  *is* cringe-inducing and has become a cliche over time, but calling someone a "jive-turkey" was as au currant then as using "OMFG" is now. You have to accept the reality of the moment, not the future's perspective on it.

Alison: If your books could be made into movies, do you have any casting ideas?
Alex: I've always pictured Robert Carlyle as Zginski. Recently a fan mentioned Cillian Murphy and that would be good casting as well.

Alison: What's next for you?
Alex: My third Eddie LaCrosse novel DARK JENNY comes out in the spring and next fall my "rural fantasy" (as opposed to urban fantasy) THE HUM AND THE SHIVER will be released. I'd like to do a third Memphis vampire novel, to tie up loose ends, but that depends on sales of the first two.

Wow, thanks again for being with us and sharing. We appreciate it soo much!
Alex has kindly agreed to sign a copy of each of his Memphis vampire books for two lucky readers. You get your choice of Blood Groove or The Girls with the Games of Blood. Another lucky winner will win a gift pack of Memphis barbeque sauces. Yummy.
To win, leave a comment on this entry with your name and email in the usual at and dot format.
Bonus entries for following my blog +5
Linking to my contest +3
Tweeting it+2
Doing the math(you know I HATE it) and totaling up your points +3

Don't miss a chance to win! Spread the word!

A WINNER everytime!

okie dokie the big winner of a signed copy of Scott M Baker's  The Vampire Hunters (as determined by Random.org) is... Ashley!!! I'll email you later today so you can provide me with your details so Scott can get your book to you.

the winners of the $10 dollar Border's gift cards are Kim and Kitty!! ditto on emailing you.

Congrats to everyone and thank you Scott! You all are awesome!

 tomorrow is my interview and giveaway with Alex Bledsoe so don't forget to come back. winning is soooooooo easy. all you have to do is comment to be entered!!! this includes all my wonderful overseas followers!!

Happy Vladurday!

christmas card fun

look at those cards. orange and blue gators making up a Christmas tree. why now THAT'S art. no not really but I wish I had those. today I did my Christmas cards. they weren't gator cards they were a mix of cards that I had accumulated over the years. well, I had set up a system for addressing stamping stuffing and then sealing the cards. all went well until I noticed that several of my cards (older ones) had been "written" on by Maddy when she was two or so. there were scribbles on the inside. no doubt I had given them to her to do while I was trying to get mine done back then and then just put them in the box and forgotten about them. so I ended up with a bunch of stamped and addressed envelopes with no cards. I found some that would fit but you can clearly tell that they don't go with the envelopes. and this year I was trying to be more orderly and together. so much for that. instead some people are getting the "it'll be alright" version of my Christmas card. hopefully they will read this and understand. I suppose I could have sent the ones Maddy wrote six years ago concocted some story about it but I just did my best. hey, it's the thought that counts.
next year, I'm getting those Gator cards.

HEY! don't forget tomorrow is the drawing for the giveaway for The Vampire Hunters. don't forget to enter! tell your friends. sunday I will be interviewing Alex Bledsoe author of Blood Groove and The Girls with Games of Blood. there will also be some nifty giveaways with that interview as well!

I interrupt my blog for

yes I wanna talk about this because I am a ginormogantuan Gator fan. our head coach Urban Meyer is leaving. I don't know where he's going all I know is he's going. and that's bad. I have Gator coach abandonment issues. I was not happy when my favorite coach Steve Spurrier left in...whenever. I was pregnant with Maddy so it was 01 or 02 (I rooted for him this season when they played UF. He SO deserved it). then his replacement left. and now Urban Meyer is leaving. I don't think I'll be as upset at this leaving as I was when the Old Ball Coach left because I feel like Coach Meyer gave up on the Gators. that's my opinion only but I do. it seems like he felt that they couldn't win so he gave up. and I admit it has been a season of average. there was no Made of AWESOME Timmy and that left the team without a leader and a motivator and things just didn't go well. maybe the coach didn't know how to deal with that. I don't know. but I do know that leaves a team with a crappy problem before finals and before a bowl game. poor Gators. poor kids. maybe it's karma punching the Gators in the face for all the obnoxious fans and so on but dang. there's no joy in the Gator Nation today. or for a bunch of days.
okay, back to my normal foolishness. make sure you comment to be entered in the giveaway with author Scott M Baker. good stuff being given away!!

Interview with Scott M. Baker author of The Vampire Hunters plus a GIVEAWAY!

This is the first of my author interview/ giveaways this month and I'm so pleased to have with me today Scott M. Baker author of The Vampire Hunters. Scott, thanks for being here. Let's get started.

Alison: I know you describe yourself as a monster kid. If you could be a monster, what would you be?
Scott: If I had to choose, I'd be a vampire. If I'm going to be evil, I might as well be immortal, powerful and sexually uninhibited.

Alison: Do you "write what you know"?
Scott: Yes, as much as I can. I'm a firm believer that the only way to write a truly  compelling story is to pour some of your heart and soul into it.
The underlying theme of the The Vampire Hunters is the war on terror, or more precisely how those who fight it come to terms with the never ending nature of the conflict. The comparisons between vampires and terrorists are obvious so I won't belay the point. Neither shows remorse or compassion. They attack their victims indiscriminately and for every terrorist or vampire destroyed, several more take their place.
The hunters take up stakes to combat evil and fight the good fight but they don't have the same level of commitment. Drake Matthews is the dedicated, gung ho leader of the group that wants to fight until every last vampire is wiped out, even if such an outcome takes years. Alison Monroe is a realist; she joined with Drake out of loyalty but after a while comes to the realization that this war will never end and wants to move on and start a life of her own. And finally, there's James Delmarco, the engineering student drafted into the cause. He does whatever it takes but is biding his time until his tour of duty is up.

Alison: Did you always know that you wanted to be a writer?
Scott: As far back as I can remember. When I was about ten, my father brought home an old typewriter from work and I set up an "office" in the family room where I typed out a weekly monster magazine.  I was a writer, editor, art director and publisher. Granted it only had a circulation of one- my mother. But it planted the writer bug in me and I never looked back. Of course, I hope the quality of my writing has improved by now.

Alison: First book in print...initial reaction when you found out it was going to happen?
Scott: Signing the contract was awesome. It was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. However, the real excitement came the day my copies of the book showed up at the front door. Sure I had already approved the artwork and read the proofs so I had an idea what it would look like but nothing compared to opening that box and seeing the finished book staring back up at me.That was a thrill ten years in the making.

Alison: Any hints about what's next for you as a writer?
Scott: I'm shopping around a finished novel titled Rotter World about vampires and humans trying to survive a zombie apocalypse. I'm currently working on a novel about something monstrous stalking the deserts of northwest New Mexico. Future works include a sequel to Rotter World and a possible series about OSS officers combating demons summoned by Nazis dabbling in the occult.

Alison: People say vampires are done, do you agree?
Scott: Hell no.True because of the craze for vampires, publishers and movie studios have pumped out an endless stream of titles that have saturated the market, most of which no one will remember in a few years. But there is still plenty of quality vampire fiction. The Anita Blake series is still popular. True Blood is one of the highest rated shows on HBO. Hollywood is reimaging classics such as Fright Night and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. There are still a lot of die hard fans who keep the genre thriving and will continue to do so for years.

Alison: If they made your novel into a movie, who do you see playing the leads?
Scott: I can see Nathan Fillian of Serenity playing the lead character Drake Matthews. If Hollywood wanrted to go campier then Bruce Campbell would be perfect. For the part of Alison Monroe, I've envisioned either Ali Larter or Christa Campbell.

Thanks again for stopping by, Scott! We appreciate it. Good luck with The Vampire Hunters!

And now, I'm giving away some swell swag. Scott has generously agreed to sign copy of The Vampires Hunters for one lucky reader. Also, two other readers will win 1 ten dollar gift card to Borders each.
Here are the rules...
Leave a comment about what kind of monster you would like to be in the comments section along with your name and email address. Don't put the at sign in. Put the word "at" instead. + 1 entry
You can also get more chances at winning by linking the interview back from your blog. + 2 entries
Tweet about the interview and giveaway + 2 entries.
Follow my blog and get +5 entries.
Do the tedious math for me +3 entries (man I HATE math)

That's it! Easy! I'll draw the winners saturday afternoon and post them then.

Happy Vladurday!

what if I gave you 1 million dollars for one night with your wife?

so I'm sitting there watching the movie Indecent Proposal, which I stinkin LOVE, and I started pondering the deeper issues. This was brought on probably by reading a blog post about Gilligan's Island being some kind of existential allegory for hell and the 7 deadly sins. yeah. it worked. go check out El Blog de Steve and see for yourself. thanks Steve.JK.
 I started to wonder about would I really do it. take the million bucks. in the movie it's a no brainer. the guy is rich, charming, awesome. but is that enough? are you selling your soul to the proverbial devil? (thanks again Steve) do you ever recover from it? Or is it really a problem?
as writers we get the wonderful opportunity to ponder these questions and their countless outcomes. I like that. no I love it because we can do the things that we wouldn't normally do through our characters. we get to take the money or not. and we get to have a good time or not.

Go check it out!! Talli Rolland's Blogsplash!

y'all let's help out fellow blogger and super awesome Brit Chick Talli Roland's, debut novel THE HATING GAME hit the Kindle bestseller list at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk? it's uber simple. all you have to do is spread the word today! a few sales in a short period of time on Amazon will help push the book up the rankings, making it more visible to other readers.


it's a great read!!one that you could dive into to escape from holiday craziness or enjoy while snarfing holiday cookies!

and even if you don't have a Kindle, you can download a free app at Amazon for Mac, iPhone, PC, Android and more!

a schedule I can keep!

even though NaNo for me is over, I am still writing on schedule. I managed to get in quite a few words today. that is such a great feeling. I really think I will meet my goal of having a first draft done by Christmas. yay me! writing seems to be a thing I have control of these days so I am taking full advantage of that. oh well, it's a huge learning experience for me so it's okay. and in true buddhist wannabe form, I know nothing lasts forever.
on the waiting front... I am dying to get edits back! I know I'll be sorry I asked for it but I am anxious. I know it will probably be after the new year but I am yearning.

I love this show!

check out Gabriel Byrne. I love this guy. Remember him as the devil in End of Days?SWEET! anyway, I am hooked on In Treatment. I started watching it to research my character of Anthony Wilson the psychiatrist in love with Lauryl but I quickly tuned in just because it is a fabulous show. I love the marathons on the weekend. I get to catch up because I miss the shows during the week. this show is so great because you see that even therapists are human and flawed. and that is amazing. I feel so much for his character. he spends his days trying to help people. by trying to steer them to more sane ways of living while dealing with his own mountain of crap and wall of shame. wow. and he does it well, despite his feelings of being the world's crapiest psychologist and a failure.THAT is a complex character. Gabriel Byrne does such a phenomenal job bringing him to life. if you haven't seen this show, tune in. it is incredible!

Happy Vladurday!!

Here you go. Happy Vladurday. Thought I'd amuse myself since the Gators are losing.

I DID IT!

this morning a little before 2 I finished. yes, I crossed the finish line of NaNoWriMo with 50022 words verified. my word count was 2 words different but who is quibbling over 2 words. it was a fun month. I wrote everyday except for the days I was sick with rotavirus of death. my characters talked to me and did all sorts of romantic, funny frightening and evil things. I was in heaven. now all I need to do is finish my ms and my follow up to Life in Moonlight will be complete. or at least the first draft. so YAY! I'll definitely do it again next year. it's kind of like the triathlon bug. you train, you do it and then you have the bug!
I want to celebrate my experience. in  December I am having two fantastic author interviews and giveaways. The first starts next sunday so stay tuned.it is going to be fun and the swag is great. plus you get to find out about some terrific authors!!

anytime there are vintage animals riding in vegetable cars, it's a win. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope you all have a great day full of happiness and fellowship. take a moment out to think about what you are truly thankful for and all the blessings you've received no matter how small they were. even though I have had a rough past month, I am truly grateful for the experience of it. if you know me personally you know what I am dealing with. but this has taught me humility,patience,the importance of friends and family and to be thankful for each day and what you have because you might not have it too long. yes, I'm thankful for a rotten patch because it makes me appreciate the good times and the just meh times. if that isn't a blessing, I don't know what is.
on the dinner front, I'm cooking and we are having southern thanksgiving. turkey, cornbread dressing, turnip greens, field peas etc. I've seasoned them the redneck way with lots of ham hocks and neck bones. ugg you might say but it's good. I love southern cooking. it's how I learned to cook although I can cook just about anything you ask for. the southern cooking makes me think of my family so it is special to me. it's been passed down through the generations straight from the farms and countryside where my family lived and still lives. I live on acreage and LOVE it. although we no longer fit one of the you might be a redneck jokes of "if directions to your house include turn off the paved road" I miss living on a dirt road. now we only live near a dirt road. we moved onto the hard road.
anyway, enough rambling. enjoy your day! back to cooking and back to NaNo. I'm almost done!!I'm thankful for that too!

and then it hit me

look at this sexy mo fo. so there I was watching Legion with this dude, Paul Bettany, and it was like a light went off in my head. a big flashing red light that said wowza. there he is. my mc. this dude with the mannerisms and smooth factor of AR and Sam. I went right back to writing and wrote some of the sexy bits that I had been skipping over. yep, it's always better with inspiration.
and now a public service announcement... this on behalf of super awesome writer and funny as hell chick Allison Pang. apparently some prick was selling an ARC of her soon to be released novel A Brush of Darkness on eBay. this is a BIG BIG BIG GIANT NO NO. ARCs are labeled not for sale and that means sales of all varieties. if you are lucky enough to get an ARC, please respect the author and don't sell it. it's wrong and it's piracy. those kinds of pirates are not cool.

Borrowing Heaven, Subletting Hell is Allison's blog btw. check it out!

more Putin than you can shake a stick at

so speaking of taking over the world...one of my characters is dreaming of that. what a fatal dream. people who have that dream always meet their doom. kind of says dream big but not tooo big. anyway, I was writing a scene tonight and had to rely on good ol' google maps and google earth. I was checking routes and city layouts for a city I haven't lived in for MANY years. thank goodness for things like those nifty tools. otherwise readers in that city would be like man, she's way off. I love weaving fictional things into real places. it gives readers a connection to a city they might not ever have been to or readers who actually live there a feeling of hey, that's right near me! all this sounds really dumb but perhaps it's because my mind is tired from writing and staring at those damn google maps.

now under 20k words to go!

is this pic related?no but it's funny as hell. anyway,I am now over 30k words in my NANO word count. this is going very well. I fixed my plot hole. a new character stepped up and took care of it just as nice as you please. but one thing, my ms has gone from a paranormal romance to more of an urban fantasy with strong romantic elements. and my bad guy(who is a frickin evil dude from real life) is yearning to become likeable for his own nefarious reasons. I hate to kill him. he's creepy though. can someone be evil, I mean really evil but try and show that he has another side? it's weirding me out. I didn't think he would go this direction when I decided to put him in but he did. crazy characters. doing things that are out of character for them! 11 days to go on my journey. how is anyone else's NANO journey going?

I'm caught up but now I'm SCREWED

this is a pic of THE dracula in my opinion when he was older. not quite as awesome but still. well, so I wrote most of my ass off and managed to get my word count caught up for nanowrimo but I came to a horrible realization. I have a MAJOR FRIGGING PLOT  HOLE. yeah. I have everything set up. everyone in place. the inciting incidents happened and now I have no stinking idea how to get them to the epic showdown and resolution. it's like everyone got an invitation to a swell shin dig but they don't have a ride. this is a problem. I've got everything after that figured out so it's not like it is a total gooch. it's a transportation thing. now I'm going to have to write around it  and hope that the characters can figure it out for themselves. this is when Greek drama was awesome with the old Deus Ex Machina trick would come in handy. it would blow for the reader but for the frustrated author it would be great. has anyone else ever done this?

lifting my head up from week 2 of nanowrimo

so it's the end of week 2 of nanowrimo and true to my style, I'm a bit behind. I was struck with frigging rotavirus and that made me useless for 3 days so there you go. I've only written 21thousand  and change words so I am going to have to hit it hard next week. I always seem to do better in situations like this anyway. when I was a theatre student, we would be finishing costumes sometimes right up until first call so I can deal with the added pressure of a few hundred extra words a day. the little stats bar says I have to write 1811 words a day to finish on time. that's doable. my characters are talking to me and doing crazy things so it should be a snap. but stay tuned. last minute finishes are ALWAYS interesting. how is anyone else's nano experience going?

Lyrics, I Know Him So Well Lyrics >>

Lyrics, I Know Him So Well Lyrics >>

almost a week down for nanowrimo

well, the first week of nanowrimo is almost on the books.hahahaha. okay. I actually have been doing quite well. I need to add like another thousand words by tomorrow to stay on schedule. let me just tell you this is harder than training for the triathlon. when training for a triathlon, people can see that you are doing something. you are biking or jogging or swimming or complaining about those three but still you are doing something for people to see. writing sometimes doesn't get the same respect of tri training either. when I am writing, it looks like I am just chillin. I am usually relaxing with my netbook in my lap with either music or a movie on in the background. so on superficial inspection, I'm goofing off.  HA! if only. to the doubting general population, I AM hard at work. My brain is spinning with plot details, grammar, dialog, intrigues and frickin deep pov. it ain't easy despite its chillaxed appearance. I get tons of interruptions, another thing I don't get while training, and that makes keeping my thoughts flowing smoothly almost impossible. I have pads of paper to write down "creative flows" when I'm interrupted because I had a rather dramatic tirade the last time someone obstructed my writing progress.
like I said, I need another k of words by tomorrow evening. I know I'll get it done. even if it does look like I'm just goofing off.

ps. love that pic of Sam Neill in The Hunt For Red October. that's what I'm watching right now.

a break from the evil sexy genius type for...the sweet awesome dude

okay so I am always going on and on about sexy, alpha, mostly bad guys but today I'm going to let you in on my kryptonite...the sweet unassuming dude who treats his girl like gold. this type never gets his fair share of press and praise. oh well maybe Tim Awesome Tebow but usually the sweetie stands in the shadow of sexy bad guy and big muscular hero type(bleah) this is somehow unfair. I have to admit some of my most favorite and sexy scenes from True Blood this past season were the Hoyt Jessica saga, played by Jim Parrack and Deborah Ann Woll. they could have full episodes of those two and I'd freakin love it. it just makes my lil heart go pitter pat when he a Jessica are together. it even earns a SQUEE!
I am a sucker for the evil genius,sexy world dominator but the sweet guy is the one I should have my eye on. a few years ago, I discovered that when I was in high school several guys fitting this profile liked me. at the time I didn't notice them but now in my older and wiser years, I see that the sweet guys would have been better. but like most girls, my head was always turned by something not good for me.
so here's to the sweet good guy who loves his girl! you guys are awesome and not because you bring us cookies when the AR and Sam types leave us to try and take over the world.
I now resume my usual public lusting.(but now you know who the type who I secretly dig)

day one and I am already easily distracted

yes that's right. day one of nanowrimo and I am already easily distracted. today's incident was related to this smexy mofo. I was looking for a movie to have on in the background while I write. I do this often. Race For Witch Mountain came on in which Mr. Ciaran Hinds (see above) plays a menacing CIA type villain. that lead me on the quest to find my copy of Jane Eyre where he plays Mr. Rochester. I LOVE this version. when I read Sherri Browning Erwin's Jane Slayre, I pictured Ciaran Hinds as Mr Rochester. he would be an awesome...well I don't want to give away one of the twists of Jane Slayre. read it if you haven't. it's AWESOME. again I am getting off track. anyway so I am looking all over to find my VHS (I know) copy of of JE. I finally find it and when I take the cassette out, IT IS NOT IN THERE. so then I am all over the internet looking for a dvd of it. found and ordered. but still. I went right on off the track on day one.
however it was a yummy detour because I just love Ciaran Hinds. He's a great actor and a delight to look at. plays a kick ass alpha/ bad guy. LOVED him as Caesar in HBO's Rome. anyway...back to writing.

my favorite day

well here it is...my favorite day/holiday of the year. I just love Halloween. I would keep Halloween decorations up all year but my sanity might get called into question. even more so than it does now. yeah, I'm an eccentric and I love it but I digress. again. I'm a bit peeved because this year my dim witted town elders decided to move the celebrations to last night because Halloween fell on sunday. But I know what the true day is.
Halloween is such a fun holiday. I'm not real nuts about super scary modern stuff. I like the deep rooted superstitions and festitivities. my favorite traditions and decorations are those from the turn of the 19th to 20th century. I collect the postcards like the one above and I make reproductions of the decorations complete with tinsel, crepe and german glitter glass. Once of the traditions I especially love is the one about how if a single woman looks in the mirror at the stroke of midnight brushing her hair and eating an apple by candlelight, she will see her true love reflected in the mirror. that's a lot of stuff to do to see a dude but I love it. there are tons of old postcards portraying this.
colonial traditions and early american traditions are fun as well. I swear I could totally do a master's dissertation on the history and traditions of Halloween. I love it.
however you celebrate Halloween, enjoy!

Awesome

Awesome

HAPPY HALLOWEENIE!!!

apparently I love food

so here are some of the things I made this week. the cupcakes were a repeat they were so good. the bottom one was our tailgate at home party spread. I cooked for like 3 hours. wings, crab dip, gator bites, deviled eggs, guacamole, shrimp, dip and veggies. oh and beer. good old beer. beer beer beer. I love it. watched the Gator game and then took Maddy trick or treating. I missed the end of the game because our town decided to move trick or treating to saturday instead of sunday. I know. don't get me going. anyway, she had fun and scored some candy. no baby ruth candy bars though. crud.

judging a book by its cover

pretty aren't they? I still keep thinking about the cover art for Life in Moonlight and this keeps coming back to me. now if these shoes were stepping on the man shoes like in the poster I love, this would be perfect. remember this poster? I love it. it is p;erfect. make the pointe shoes red or wash the pic in red and bam!it's perfect. I really worry about the cover of my book. I know it's normal for all authors to worry. after all, this is your baby and now you are trusting someone else to interpret your vision in artwork. I completely trust the art director but I still can worry.

no tricks just treats...Sam Neill

here he is...lovely Sam. I just love him. I picture my MC Eamon like Sam. Or maybe a Sam/AR combo. mainly Sam now that I think of it. just one sexy mo fo. a thinking girl's sex symbol. he'd give you the look and that smile and bam you'd pretty much do anything.
btw, today in my week long Halloween treat fest, I made pumpkin cookies. not pumpkin flavored but pumpkin shaped. cute!

behold! vampire bite cupcakes!!

look what I've been doing!not these in particular  but cupcakes that look like these!aren't they great? I wish october lasted 3 months. I just love it. pumpkins and scarecrows and spooky stories!! although in Florida it looks like every other month. it's all in the the frame of mind, you see. but everyday this week I am making a spooky creepy goody to celebrate my fave month. sunday night I plan on cooking a theme dinner for my family. we are trick or treating on saturday(which interferes with the florida georgia football game) so I will have all of the day of halloween to celebrate!

the dracula appreciation society

so today I watched the original (and in my opinion the best one) version of Dracula with my main vamp dude Bela Lugosi. the version I watched had a new score written by Phillip Glass and performed by the Kronos Quartet. I was in heaven. so then I decided to watch all my Draculas. I was a one woman Dracula appreciation society. maybe I should have shirts made. I watched the Frank Langella version(LOVE his voice), a Christopher Lee version (again the voice) the Francis Ford Coppola version, the Gerard Butler version and am now watching sort of a version, Nosferatu directed by F.W. Murnau. after this one, I'll watch Shadow of the Vampire, a movie about making Nosferatu with John Malkovich and Willem Dafoe. very awesome.
I wish I could watch the Dracula TV series that was on in the late eighties early nineties. that was campy but awesome. it had a very young Mia Kirschner in it. Google the series. if anything it's worth the campy laugh.

cupcakes and character conversations

today I became aware of the fact that I have a cupcake related nick name which I embrace. although I can't reveal it. not because it's raunchy but because identities could be compromised. stan smith knows the name and digs it. I dig it. the person who gave me the name probably doesn't dig it. alas.
speaking of stan smith...I got stan smith II back from the Super Cool Bike Store today. yes that is its epic name and they are indeed epic. I can't wait to ride stan. hopefully when I am on stan I'll be able to come up with some interesting ideas for my mss. today on the interstate I got quite a few. two characters had an entire conversation and a scene played out. that was awesome. what wasn't so awesome was I was driving and had to try and recall it when I got home. that's the down side when those things happen. if you are in an inconvenient place you had better remember it or it's gone.

I've got scissors and I'm runnin' with 'em

well, I've decided to embrace my inner me. the runs with scissors me. I've been that way so long and being anything else is just crap. so there you go. just sayin'.
good news though.I've been writing like crazy. on two different mss. AND I have idea for another. which makes me feel great.

Bite Club: VampBash 2010

Bite Club: VampBash 2010: "VampBash 2010 begins next week over at VampChix, with a different author featured every day! And let's not forget the contests. So mark you..."

only a few days left

that's right kids!only a few more days before the kick off of NANWRIMO! this is the first year I'm participating and I'm excited. I think I can do it!hell, if I can train for a triathlon I can crank out 50k words. and writing is a very cheap for of therapy. if you are still waffling about participating, check out their website. or if you aren't participating, be sure and cheer on the participants. I have a feeling they will need it as the days move on. I'll probably be pretty neurotic(even more so) by the end of november myself.