This year is my 5 personal year in numerology. Fives are great for change, variety, socializing, writing & communication (5 years are ruled by Mercury, which rules my sun sign, Gemini). It seems that CHANGE is the theme of this year.
Some of these changes are things I instigated--joining my local RWA board, turning my 30K novella into a full-length novel, doing the Romance Diva's mentorship program, and changing my eating habits to get back into shape. However, other changes are ones that have been thrust upon me--my company laid someone off and now I am being pushed into the new position and having to learn a lot of new tasks in a short time, my mom bought me a dog without consulting me, and there's health issue that I'm working to resolve.
So, the long and the short of it is, I'm busy. Busy. Busy. And, a little stressed. Stressed. Stressed.
I thought Five years were supposed to be fun! I'm looking forward to the FUN part.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Books I'm looking forward to in 2009
I've been waiting on pins and needles for a few books to come out. I got so distracted by the new year that I forgot to run to the bookstore last week to buy these two highly anticipated reads: Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole and Witch Heart by Anya Bast. Both are obviously paranormal romance/urban fantasy.
I started reading Kresley Cole back in August, when I read Dark Needs at Night's Edge. From that point on, I was hooked. I read the first four books really fast. I've had Dark Deeds at Dusk (the 5th book) for a few months, but I was waiting to read it until Kiss of a Demon King was out. Which is NOW! Color me excited. The two books actually go together as they are about the Woede demon brothers, Cadeon and Rydstrom. Super hot with horns pretty much sums it up. I figured I wouldn't want to read one brother's story and not have the other one handy, so I've made myself wait. But, on Sunday, you can bet I'll be at B&N picking up this sexy gem:
My other anticipated read is Witch Heart, the third book in the Elemental Witch series. The Witch books are fun, sexy reads which feature a clan of witches fighting off evil demons and warlocks. Each of the witches has an affinity with an element: earth, air, fire, and water. Some of the powers are pretty cool--being able to use air/wind to hear conversations miles away, for example. The previous books were Witch Fire and Witch Blood.
After that, I don't know what I'll do with myself. Break out the Shakespeare?
Or, continue with my new Netflix addiction...
I started reading Kresley Cole back in August, when I read Dark Needs at Night's Edge. From that point on, I was hooked. I read the first four books really fast. I've had Dark Deeds at Dusk (the 5th book) for a few months, but I was waiting to read it until Kiss of a Demon King was out. Which is NOW! Color me excited. The two books actually go together as they are about the Woede demon brothers, Cadeon and Rydstrom. Super hot with horns pretty much sums it up. I figured I wouldn't want to read one brother's story and not have the other one handy, so I've made myself wait. But, on Sunday, you can bet I'll be at B&N picking up this sexy gem:
My other anticipated read is Witch Heart, the third book in the Elemental Witch series. The Witch books are fun, sexy reads which feature a clan of witches fighting off evil demons and warlocks. Each of the witches has an affinity with an element: earth, air, fire, and water. Some of the powers are pretty cool--being able to use air/wind to hear conversations miles away, for example. The previous books were Witch Fire and Witch Blood.
After that, I don't know what I'll do with myself. Break out the Shakespeare?
Or, continue with my new Netflix addiction...
Friday, January 2, 2009
Happy New Year!
2009 is officially here! I'm grateful for a new year and new opportunities. Though I didn't accomplish every goal, this was a productive year for my writing career.
A few things I was able to do this year:
1.Finish a solid draft of Secrets Uncovered and send it out to 4 publishers.
2.Enter Secrets into several contests. I won 2nd Place in the Reveal Your Inner Vixen contest.
3.I joined my local RWA chapter (I'd been a national member, but hadn't joined my local group)
4.I volunteered for the 2009 Board of Directors for my chapter.
5.I entered the Romance Divas mentoring program last April and worked with Madelyne Ellis for three months to polish my manuscript & improve my writing.
This year, my goal is to sell a novella or novel. To that end, my next goal is to finish another story, preferably by the end of April. I'm planning to go to RT (Romantic Times conference) on April 22nd. My other personal goal is to move to a new apartment, hopefully in the same timeline.
I generally don't make New Year's resolutions because I find I generally don't keep them. I like to make goals for myself, but keep them a bit flexible.
One of my favorite quotes is this: "The greatest miracle is life itself. You are that miracle and you can create anything you want, which is another great miracle. There is no limit to what you can have, only what you can ask for, picture, and receive." Sanaya Roman & Duane Packer in Creating Money.
I wish you joy, contentment, creativity, prosperity, and love immeasurable.
Happy 2009!
As a side note, I created a section of Twilight and Romance Writing T-Shirts on Cafe Press to earn some extra cash toward my goals (moving and RT): http://www.cafepress.com/vromancewriter
There are tote bags, t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, and more. Most of them have a paranormal theme (Twilight, Buffy, Heroes), but I also have gifts for "Romance Writing Addicts".
Until next time...
A few things I was able to do this year:
1.Finish a solid draft of Secrets Uncovered and send it out to 4 publishers.
2.Enter Secrets into several contests. I won 2nd Place in the Reveal Your Inner Vixen contest.
3.I joined my local RWA chapter (I'd been a national member, but hadn't joined my local group)
4.I volunteered for the 2009 Board of Directors for my chapter.
5.I entered the Romance Divas mentoring program last April and worked with Madelyne Ellis for three months to polish my manuscript & improve my writing.
This year, my goal is to sell a novella or novel. To that end, my next goal is to finish another story, preferably by the end of April. I'm planning to go to RT (Romantic Times conference) on April 22nd. My other personal goal is to move to a new apartment, hopefully in the same timeline.
I generally don't make New Year's resolutions because I find I generally don't keep them. I like to make goals for myself, but keep them a bit flexible.
One of my favorite quotes is this: "The greatest miracle is life itself. You are that miracle and you can create anything you want, which is another great miracle. There is no limit to what you can have, only what you can ask for, picture, and receive." Sanaya Roman & Duane Packer in Creating Money.
I wish you joy, contentment, creativity, prosperity, and love immeasurable.
Happy 2009!
As a side note, I created a section of Twilight and Romance Writing T-Shirts on Cafe Press to earn some extra cash toward my goals (moving and RT): http://www.cafepress.com/vromancewriter
There are tote bags, t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, and more. Most of them have a paranormal theme (Twilight, Buffy, Heroes), but I also have gifts for "Romance Writing Addicts".
Until next time...
Saturday, December 6, 2008
A Night of Debauchery (A Diva Get Together)
So, Thursday night, Eden Bradley's best friend, Lilli Fiesty, came to town for a visit. A few of us met at a restaurant in Sherman Oaks. Now, keep in mind that you have 6 erotica authors all together at once and at least two of them are crazy and up for anything. The rest of us will go along with just about anything.
I wish I could thoroughly explain the hilarity of the evening. Here are the highlights: wine and Indian food; a camera who had a little too much vodka; ice in the restaurant toilet; ruined underwear--going commando; toying with a player via text message; the robot stripper dance; two lap dances (one professional, one courtesy of Ms. Fiesty); a strip club with nude dancers; a bar with 4 fascinated table neighbors (three men and one woman) who were enamored with Eden Bradley and the fact that there are six erotica writers at the table next to them; a man under the delusion that Eden was his wife and they've got two kids at home; Fiesty and Lisa reenacting the lipstick scene from Breakfast Club, and plans for a trip to Vegas where I'll get my first lap dance at a male revue... Actually, that would be my first lap dance ever. Sadly, I was not the recipient of Fiesty's lap dance (though she did bury her head in my boob for a picture).
LOL!
I didn't have a camera, so I can only rely on the pics that KB sent me. There are more pics, but I have not received them yet. Unfortunately, the funny picture we took with our table neighbors came out really blurry or I would post it here.
Here's a teaser...
This is what happens when a group of Romance Divas get together!
I wish I could thoroughly explain the hilarity of the evening. Here are the highlights: wine and Indian food; a camera who had a little too much vodka; ice in the restaurant toilet; ruined underwear--going commando; toying with a player via text message; the robot stripper dance; two lap dances (one professional, one courtesy of Ms. Fiesty); a strip club with nude dancers; a bar with 4 fascinated table neighbors (three men and one woman) who were enamored with Eden Bradley and the fact that there are six erotica writers at the table next to them; a man under the delusion that Eden was his wife and they've got two kids at home; Fiesty and Lisa reenacting the lipstick scene from Breakfast Club, and plans for a trip to Vegas where I'll get my first lap dance at a male revue... Actually, that would be my first lap dance ever. Sadly, I was not the recipient of Fiesty's lap dance (though she did bury her head in my boob for a picture).
LOL!
I didn't have a camera, so I can only rely on the pics that KB sent me. There are more pics, but I have not received them yet. Unfortunately, the funny picture we took with our table neighbors came out really blurry or I would post it here.
Here's a teaser...
This is what happens when a group of Romance Divas get together!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
I've Been Inked
Okay, so not really. But, I'm developing an uncharacteristic fondness for tattoos. Not on me--I don't do tats--but on the right man...
If you happened to see yesterday's post, you'll know I've become addicted to more videos on YouTube. Specifically, General Hospital music videos featuring Greg Vaughan and Kelly Monaco (Lucky & Sam). So, back to Greg's tattoo. So now I totally have a tattoo fetish, if only for one tattoo. Here's a pic:
I have to say that the pic does not nearly do it justice. So, I'm posting a sexy slow motion scene of Greg Vaughan in a hot tub. At the end, you can see Greg's tattoo. It's a Native American eagle. I just want to run my hands over it. Of course, it doesn't hurt that it's attached to Greg!
Recently, there were two other tattoos that kind of struck my fancy. I saw this picture of The Rock with his tribal tattoo and it's pretty hot:
And, I bought Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld books because I first saw this picture from Darkest Night:
If I am honest, I must also admit to my crush on Daegus MacKeltar from Karen Marie Moning's Highlander series. And, since Cian (Kee-yan) is my second favorite Highlander Hottie, there must be something more to this closet tattoo fetish. It doesn't hurt that they both have that redeemable bad boy thing going on.
So, I confess. I'm in the early stages of HMWTA (Hot Man With Tattoo Addiction). What are the 12 steps?
If you happened to see yesterday's post, you'll know I've become addicted to more videos on YouTube. Specifically, General Hospital music videos featuring Greg Vaughan and Kelly Monaco (Lucky & Sam). So, back to Greg's tattoo. So now I totally have a tattoo fetish, if only for one tattoo. Here's a pic:
I have to say that the pic does not nearly do it justice. So, I'm posting a sexy slow motion scene of Greg Vaughan in a hot tub. At the end, you can see Greg's tattoo. It's a Native American eagle. I just want to run my hands over it. Of course, it doesn't hurt that it's attached to Greg!
Recently, there were two other tattoos that kind of struck my fancy. I saw this picture of The Rock with his tribal tattoo and it's pretty hot:
And, I bought Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld books because I first saw this picture from Darkest Night:
If I am honest, I must also admit to my crush on Daegus MacKeltar from Karen Marie Moning's Highlander series. And, since Cian (Kee-yan) is my second favorite Highlander Hottie, there must be something more to this closet tattoo fetish. It doesn't hurt that they both have that redeemable bad boy thing going on.
So, I confess. I'm in the early stages of HMWTA (Hot Man With Tattoo Addiction). What are the 12 steps?
Saturday, November 29, 2008
How I Get Inspired (Distracted) While Meaning to Write....Or, Twilight and GH on YouTube
So, I'm working on a new paranormal story idea. It's taking a while to flesh together as this is a series and is more detailed than writing a novella or single title.
When I'm supposed to be writing, I'm finding myself on YouTube looking up mvids of General Hospital. Sad, but true. I was browsing for pics of Kelly Monaco (who plays Sam) and I saw one of her and Greg Vaughan (who plays Lucky). I'd been having trouble finding a face for my hero and when I saw the pic of Greg/Lucky, I knew I had a winner! So, I stumbled upon these really good music videos of the LuSam romance and I got hooked. I look at them when I'm getting ready to write and it's totally amusing because I never even watched GH during the time they got together. Side note for GH fans: the whole Sam and baby Jake storyline and the JaSam breakup was just annoying beyond belief, so I boycotted the show. Jason is my favorite character and I liked Sam, so I just couldn't get with the craziness...
So, back to my LuSam obsession. Those videos are muy caliente! That's some hot stuff. And, I just LOVE the clips of Lucky when he gets into the hot tub in his jeans and no shirt on. I'm not a girl for tats, but Greg has this beautiful Native American Eagle tattoo on his back that is OMG sexy!
Here's one of the videos on my LuSam playlist. If you skip to about 1:41 on the time, you'll see the sexy hot tub scene... Just sayin'.
And, this one is my favorite. It's more sweet than sexy:
Edited to add: I found a clip of just the hot tub scene, in slow motion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGeXoCCkM0A
Twighlight
My other obsession lately is the Twilight series. I know people have been talking about these books for a while, but I was slow to jump on the bandwagon. So, a good friend of mine started reading them and then got me to read the first one before we went to see the movie. I'm now on the third book, Eclipse. Well, more than half-way done.
So, I went Twi--I mean--Christmas shopping from my computer yesterday and bought several of my friends Twighlight stuff. Apparently we're all hooked on Sparkly Vampires. I'll show you some of the cool things I got:
http://homedecor.cafepress.com/item/twilight-sparkly-vampires-throw-pillow/331066054 I didn't actually buy the pillow, but I did buy something with this logo.
This one is my Twilight gift to myself: http://t-shirts.cafepress.com/item/team-edward-jacob-womens-dark-tshirt/329774475
Because I am switzerland. I refuse to be affected by territorial disputes between mythical creatures. A hot wolf AND a cool vampire, now there's a girl's dream come true!
And, for my friend who is NOT neutral territory...
http://bags.cafepress.com/item/team-edward-better-tote-bag/331168061
I do have to admit, there is something quite sexy about a sparkly, protective, velvet voiced vampire named Edward...
With any luck, my Greg Vaughan lookalike and paranormal hero, Connall O'Neill, will turn out to be just as sexy. Though my vamps do not sparkle. :)
My new addictions are inspiring, but terrible distractions. Last night, I spent 5 hours watching old episodes of GH on YouTube. This morning, I spent about 4 hours reading Eclipse.
So what are your distractions?
When I'm supposed to be writing, I'm finding myself on YouTube looking up mvids of General Hospital. Sad, but true. I was browsing for pics of Kelly Monaco (who plays Sam) and I saw one of her and Greg Vaughan (who plays Lucky). I'd been having trouble finding a face for my hero and when I saw the pic of Greg/Lucky, I knew I had a winner! So, I stumbled upon these really good music videos of the LuSam romance and I got hooked. I look at them when I'm getting ready to write and it's totally amusing because I never even watched GH during the time they got together. Side note for GH fans: the whole Sam and baby Jake storyline and the JaSam breakup was just annoying beyond belief, so I boycotted the show. Jason is my favorite character and I liked Sam, so I just couldn't get with the craziness...
So, back to my LuSam obsession. Those videos are muy caliente! That's some hot stuff. And, I just LOVE the clips of Lucky when he gets into the hot tub in his jeans and no shirt on. I'm not a girl for tats, but Greg has this beautiful Native American Eagle tattoo on his back that is OMG sexy!
Here's one of the videos on my LuSam playlist. If you skip to about 1:41 on the time, you'll see the sexy hot tub scene... Just sayin'.
And, this one is my favorite. It's more sweet than sexy:
Edited to add: I found a clip of just the hot tub scene, in slow motion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGeXoCCkM0A
Twighlight
My other obsession lately is the Twilight series. I know people have been talking about these books for a while, but I was slow to jump on the bandwagon. So, a good friend of mine started reading them and then got me to read the first one before we went to see the movie. I'm now on the third book, Eclipse. Well, more than half-way done.
So, I went Twi--I mean--Christmas shopping from my computer yesterday and bought several of my friends Twighlight stuff. Apparently we're all hooked on Sparkly Vampires. I'll show you some of the cool things I got:
http://homedecor.cafepress.com/item/twilight-sparkly-vampires-throw-pillow/331066054 I didn't actually buy the pillow, but I did buy something with this logo.
This one is my Twilight gift to myself: http://t-shirts.cafepress.com/item/team-edward-jacob-womens-dark-tshirt/329774475
Because I am switzerland. I refuse to be affected by territorial disputes between mythical creatures. A hot wolf AND a cool vampire, now there's a girl's dream come true!
And, for my friend who is NOT neutral territory...
http://bags.cafepress.com/item/team-edward-better-tote-bag/331168061
I do have to admit, there is something quite sexy about a sparkly, protective, velvet voiced vampire named Edward...
With any luck, my Greg Vaughan lookalike and paranormal hero, Connall O'Neill, will turn out to be just as sexy. Though my vamps do not sparkle. :)
My new addictions are inspiring, but terrible distractions. Last night, I spent 5 hours watching old episodes of GH on YouTube. This morning, I spent about 4 hours reading Eclipse.
So what are your distractions?
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Reading Frenzy
Lately, I've been on a book-buying binge. Not sure if it's stress or just exciting gems every time I pass by the bookstore or the online bookstore...
Recently, I'd become obsessed with the Kresley Cole Immortals After Dark Series. I love those books! I got one for free or maybe it was 50 cents at my local RWA chapter. We have book exchanges and raffles. One day, I got some books both in the book exchange and I won a goodie bag in a raffle. At first, I was dismayed by the quirky title: Dark Needs at Night's Edge. Who thinks up these things?
But, then I got to reading. And, I got to liking. And, I realized there was a whole series...So, from that point on, I was a goner. I read them all except for book #5--which I am postponing because I don't want to wait a long time for book #6 to come out.
A week ago, I got an email from Amazon saying that there was a 4 for the price of 3 romance novel sale. Temptation got the best of me. I saw a Christine Warren book in the promotion and I'd already read She's No Faerie Princess, so I was excited. I thought, why not just buy the rest of the series since I'm brainstorming a paranormal right now. So, I bought 5 books!
And, my friend Eden Bradley's book Forbidden Fruit came out and I was at the bookstore last weekend and had to buy it. A few weeks ago, my RWA chapter had a fundraiser at Barnes & Noble and I just had to buy something in support.
Is it time to check me into book-rehab? Or some kind of obssessive compulsive support group? Book Buyer's Anonymous?
Recently, I'd become obsessed with the Kresley Cole Immortals After Dark Series. I love those books! I got one for free or maybe it was 50 cents at my local RWA chapter. We have book exchanges and raffles. One day, I got some books both in the book exchange and I won a goodie bag in a raffle. At first, I was dismayed by the quirky title: Dark Needs at Night's Edge. Who thinks up these things?
But, then I got to reading. And, I got to liking. And, I realized there was a whole series...So, from that point on, I was a goner. I read them all except for book #5--which I am postponing because I don't want to wait a long time for book #6 to come out.
A week ago, I got an email from Amazon saying that there was a 4 for the price of 3 romance novel sale. Temptation got the best of me. I saw a Christine Warren book in the promotion and I'd already read She's No Faerie Princess, so I was excited. I thought, why not just buy the rest of the series since I'm brainstorming a paranormal right now. So, I bought 5 books!
And, my friend Eden Bradley's book Forbidden Fruit came out and I was at the bookstore last weekend and had to buy it. A few weeks ago, my RWA chapter had a fundraiser at Barnes & Noble and I just had to buy something in support.
Is it time to check me into book-rehab? Or some kind of obssessive compulsive support group? Book Buyer's Anonymous?
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