February 21, 2008
I’m not sure about the stores but you can now get your copy of COMING SOON, the latest book to take place at Hush Hotel from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. As a reminder:
February 17, 2008
Laurie Gold tagged me….
The rules are:
1. Link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six unimportant things about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your blog entry.
5. Let the tagged people know by leaving a comment on their blogs.
Six Unimportant Facts About Me
1. I would rather be in water than almost anywhere.
2. The older I get, the more I cry over stupid things.
3. My preference is to go to sleep to the sound of the TV, but so soft I can’t distinguish the words.
4. Although I have nothing in my universe that speaks of fashionable trends or fashion at all, I’m secretly (well, I guess not any more) addicted to Project Runway.
5. I always feel as if I’m facing North.
6. I rather like being tagged for memes and such, but I feel too guilty about tagging others and therefore, I rarely participate in memes. Which leads to…
I won’t tag anyone, but if you want to do this lovely meme, please let me know. :)
February 8, 2008
You are The Devil
Materiality. Material Force. Material temptation; sometimes obsession
The Devil is often a great card for business success; hard work and ambition.
Perhaps the most misunderstood of all the major arcana, the Devil is not really "Satan" at all, but Pan the half-goat nature god and/or Dionysius. These are gods of pleasure and abandon, of wild behavior and unbridled desires. This is a card about ambitions; it is also synonymous with temptation and addiction. On the flip side, however, the card can be a warning to someone who is too restrained, someone who never allows themselves to get passionate or messy or wild - or ambitious. This, too, is a form of enslavement. As a person, the Devil can stand for a man of money or erotic power, aggressive, controlling, or just persuasive. This is not to say a bad man, but certainly a powerful man who is hard to resist. The important thing is to remember that any chain is freely worn. In most cases, you are enslaved only because you allow it.
What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.
February 5, 2008
This month, Turner Classic Movies is having their annual 31 days of Oscar, which means a bounty of fabulous films for these writers-strike days. I went to the monthly schedule and sat down with my DVR and programmed a whole slew of old favorites like Topper, I Married a Witch, the original Born Yesterday with Judy Holliday, The Awful Truth, A Thousand Clowns, My Favorite Wife….well, you get the picture.
I still haven’t finished all my RITA books yet, but some are very good. Then of course I have a book due end of Feb, and wouldn’t you know, that’s kind of occupying most of whatever brain cells that I have left. Oddly on this one, I seem to be in a weird pattern of writing the chapter, then dreaming revisions that night, then re-writing the chapter, and moving on to do the same thing with the next chapter. Usually I don’t dream my revisions (I actually don’t think it’s fully dreaming. It’s that space where I’m not completely asleep but not really awake) until I’m at the very end. Hm.
How’s it going with you guys?
January 31, 2008
I was missing from here for a bit while we went there, but now we’re here again. :) Went to the movies a bit - tried to watch Beowulf, but sadly it wasn’t something I could get into. I left, in fact, and went to the next-door theater and watched August Rush. The writing was execrable but the music was good, so there’s that. Then on another night, I saw Sweeney again, and this time, I sang. Softly, but I did my sing-along as there were only a few people in the theater. I was so glad I went again.
Interesting experience - I’ve been having difficulty with the tone on the WIP. I want it to be sarcastic and funny and hot, but it just isn’t clicking. So I dug out a copy of an older Temptation of mine called HOT AND BOTHERED. It was as if I was reading someone else’s book. I have almost no recollection of writing the words. It was a good thing to do as it has exactly the tone I’m after, so we’ll see if I can still write like that. Oh, and how very much I wanted to do another edit, even though I’m pretty pleased with how the book read. It’s hard to read older stuff.
Now it’s crunch time on the book, so I’m going to be setting timers and meeting page counts and deeply immersing myself in the world of the page. I’ve still got three RITA books left to read, so I need to finish those.
And I got new glasses. I adore them. They’re different. And kind of purple.
January 23, 2008
January 20, 2008
First, before anything else, I had a wonderful birthday yesterday and I thank all of you who wished me well! Dotes got me a gorgeous 3-D card and a simply wonderful painting of a green garden. It’s done in ceramic, like a big tile, and it’s stunning. It’s hung in the bedroom, and I love it. :)
Okay, on to Sweeney:
I feel so much better now. Months of anticipation. Listening to the original Broadway recording over and over again. Deep, ugly jealousy just knowing others had already seen Sweeney, while I had to sit on my heels and wait. Finally, I saw it. Uh, I mean we saw it.
I loved, loved, loved it. Not to say I didn’t have some quibbles (cough: helena bonham-carter’s voice) but mostly it was thrilling and wonderful and yes, I missed my chorus of ghosts and happy meat-pie customers, but mostly I was simply thrilled. The moment the score began on those big speakers, I actually shivered.
I didn’t even sing. Not out loud, at least. But I did mouth every syllable except for dialog that was not on the original cast CD, and in my head I was singing quite loudly. On the ride home I bored Dotes to the point of tears with my second-by-second analysis (I couldn’t help myself). I thought Depp did a masterful job. Truly awesome. I would have made some different musical decisions (alas, although I was at the ready to talk to Mr. Burton before and during the filming, he didn’t call) it was true enough to the original show that I was transported.
The minute we got home, I not only listened to the CD, but this time I did sing, quite loudly, and only then was I able to relax for the evening.
I have to admit that perhaps the truest mark of my admiration for the film is the fact that I didn’t finish my popcorn. Whoa.
January 13, 2008
Add me to the growing list of Chelsea Cain fans. Her book, HEARTSICK, was a terrific read. Original, smart, creepy, intricate. All the things I want in a book. A true sign I loved everything about it was the first thing I said to Dotes after I finished it - “I wish I’d written that.”
I’m not all that keen on serial killers these days (although I’ve read and enjoyed tons of them) but this was very compelling. For those of you who like this kind of book, I highly recommend it. :)
I’ve just order THE SPYMASTER’S LADY by Joanna Bourne after reading so many excellent reviews. It’s not my typical read - I usually read contemporary books, but sometimes it’s wonderful to dip my toes in other waters.
But now I have to read something else, because I don’t have Bourne’s book in hand. I’m thinking of TURNING ANGEL by Greg Iles. It’s a big, thick, juicy looking book that’s been highly recommended. On the other hand, I’ve got THE BESTSELLER by Olivia Goldsmith that’s been tempting me. Hmmm.
Oh, I was underwhelmed by MOUNT DRAGON by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Just, well, meh.
Oh, and for those of you keeping up with Sweeney Watch, 2008, the movie isn’t due here until the 18th, despite them telling me it would be here on the 11th. So we’re going to see it on the 19th (my birthday). I have already decided to find the emptiest space in the theater as I intend to sing along. Ha.
January 4, 2008
A couple of things:
I’m here today. Even if you’re not doing the Sven challenge, you’re welcome to stop by. Lots of inspiration and good stuff to be found on the site.
I’ve been nominated for a Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times. :)
I’ve updated my web page and have a new excerpt from COMING SOON!
January 2, 2008
We had a safe, uneventful holiday season, and I have to admit, I’m really glad it’s over. I don’t like the disruptions, which makes me rather a scrooge, I know. I just wasn’t into the season this year. I’m also very, very cranky about the tv strike and I’m going to pout until it’s put right. That’ll show ‘em. :)
I finished the last Harry Potter. I loved it. I keep thinking about it. Rowling is brilliant.
We also went to see Charlie Wilson’s War, which I loved. I was engaged every minute, and I think Phillip Seymour Hoffman should get an Oscar for his performance. I’m also totally buying the soundtrack.
Only 9 more days till Sweeney comes near! Whoo Hoo!
And I’ve been struggling like mad to come up with what my hero sounds like in this new book, and today in the shower it hit me. Yay!!! I simply can’t write until I hear them. Now, I can.
News? Presents you loved? Movies I should catch? Soundtracks to rec?
