Wake me in September

I'm not normally a superstitious person but there is one thing I dread. August. Not only is it a major hurricane month but bad things seem to happen to people I care about in August. My mother died in August 2001. My step-father had quintuple by-pass surgery (he was going in for a roto-blading that he was told would kill him if he had it done and the by-pass surgery was scheduled in place of that) in August 2003. And my very dear friend died, at the age of 46, in August 2005.

Augusts 2002, 2004 and 2006 passed without tragedy. That just seems to happen in the odd numbered years.

So, as the title of this blog says. . . Wake me in September.

The thing about reviews

Several chapters I know of (including RWAOL) have instituted a program wherein published authors have their books read by someone in the chapter and that person writes a review of the book and posts it at amazon and Barnes and Noble's websites.

Okay, so I'm partnered with Kasey Michaels. I absolutely love her books. She is wonderful with bringing her characters to life. Thing is, she has nine books out this year. Nine! And I want the reviews to be original, like the books. I don't want anyone reading the reviews thinking I've just switched book and character names. But you know, it's not easy because the characters are what pull me into her stories and how many ways can you say that.

Anyway, I finished reading one of her upcoming releases (a re-release actually) last night and felt an inspiration this morning and wrote up the review rather quickly. Normally I have someone review it before I send it to Kasey but this morning I sent it straight to Kasey for review and comment. I haven't heard back from her but here's what I sent her.

When Christian St. Clair talks, people listen. Whether it be on fashion, people or politics, St. Clair has the ear of the ton. Only his support of the Peacock have given them pause.

Gabrielle Laurence’s only hope of saving her home is to marry a wealthy man. Having no dowry - her father has gambled away all their money - she has no choice but to allow Christian St. Clair’s championing of her, raising her to the status of belle of the season.

In public, Christian is a dandy, one whose main interest is in fashion. Simple, but revered. In private, he is the Peacock, fighting to right wrongs against those who cannot stand up for themselves. So different are that personas that no one suspects he is the Peacock, and he intends to keep it that way.

Although Gabrielle appreciates what Christian’s support has done for her, she also resents it. Resents him. She knows that one word from him can destroy her chances of a good match. As such, she forms a plan that will allow her to remain is society’s good graces while removing the need to be pleasant to Christian. She will unmask the Peacock.

As Christian fights to keep his identity a secret and Gabrielle is intent on discovering the identity of the Peacock, they find that it is a fine line between love and hate. Will it be too late for them when Gabrielle, unable to ascertain with any certainty who the Peacock really is, sets in motion her plan to bring Christian down, revealing him as the Peacock?

Kasey Michaels has a knack for writing characters that leap from the page and into your heart. This re-release of The Secrets of the Heart is a perfect example of why, when Kasey Michaels writes, people read.

I'm a Believer!

I had intended to include this information in my last post but forgot. It's really for Ellen that I'm confessing this and I've advised her to get ready with her "I told you so". With that in mind, here's what happened. . .

Last Saturday I went to the library to return the audio book Dear John. I thought since I was there already, I'd check out the other audio books, since I said I might give it another try before I wrote it off forever. Anyway, they had a larger supply of audio books than they did when I was there before National. Good books even.

Well, even though I had the "not for me" thought in my head, I selected three books. Dirty Blonde by Lisa Scottoline, Shopgirl by Steve Martin and The Devil in the Junior League by Linda Fracis Lee.

So Sunday, after I got home from the movie, I decided to start listening to Dirty Blonde, while I cleaned house (I'd picked up a CD player the day before at WalMart). And later I was kicking myself for not listening to it sooner! I will say, though, that while the reader was better than the Dear John reader, I had a little issue. It was like I was sitting down with my girlfriend and she was telling me this story. It was comfortable and all, but the thing was, she was apparently telling me the story in a restaurant and was eating, and/or drinking and/or taking drags off of cigarettes (I couldn't figure out exactly what it was she was doing) from time to time. Other than that, she was great. I finished listening to it Tuesday night.

Wednesday I popped in Shopgirl (even though I need to finish Kasey Michaels' book so I can write a review! Argh!) and listened to the whole thing. Steve Martin did the reading and I have to say, he could have a whole new career reading books. He was fabulous! The story itself was a bit strange but the reading could not have been better - really.

All the while I'm listening to these books, I'm cleaning house.

I went to work today and was telling someone about it and told him that I'm LOVING audio books and think I'm spoiled now - may not ever be able to sit down and actually read a book. They're great.

Meanwhile, my house has never looked better.


And Ellen says, "I told you so." LOL

One Hundred Words

Jessica Trapp has this thing going on called One Hundred Words a Day for One Hundred Days. The purpose of it is to get you writing, setting doable goals. Mind you, you can write more than one hundred words a day - you just have to write one hundred words, a day. If you miss a day, you have to start all over again at day one.

She's been doing this for a while now but I decided to join June 1st. So, I went to the yahoo group to sign up, only to see that it was closed to new members. I sent Jessica an email, asking her if it was truly closed to new members because I really wanted to join.

Well, I got an email invitation to a second group that she decided to open up. I think I got that invitation on June 3 - the day my computer crashed for the first time. As you may recall, my computer wasn't stable for a couple of weeks and then it died for good, leaving me without a computer for another couple of weeks.

By that time I was giving very serious consideration to going to Dallas - where I knew I wouldn't write, so why start beforehand, right? I mean, I had been reading the posts (you have to account for writing each day on the loop - although no bragging is allowed, just a post saying you accomplished the one hundred words for the day) where people were saying they were writing their one hundred words long-hand. I was so impressed that people were writing four manuscript pages long-hand.

Now, I know what you're thinking but we aren't quite there yet - but we will get there.

So, I'm really impressed by these folks, thinking I must not be as dedicated as they are that I won't even attempt to write four pages out long-hand. But I did plan to start writing as soon as I got back from Dallas.

Then I get an email with a link to an interview with Jessica where she talks about the one hundred words a day. She's going on and on about how it's a doable goal and it's not that much (and really four pages a day isn't that much if you're really dedicated, right?) - only like ten lines.

Huh?

Just what kind of big-ass font is she using that ten lines equals four pages??? I wondered.

And then it hit me. It's a HUNDRED words - NOT a thousand. Even I could have written that out long-hand! Geez! I'm telling you, numbers and I are no longer friends - we ended our close relationship my senior year of high school I think and this is just evidence of that fact.

Anyway, I finally started writing last Wednesday. But then last night I had a bit of excitement around here and kind of lost my motivation. I had resolved to starting on day one again tonight.

Fortunately though, I couldn't sleep because of the excitement (and the adrenalin rush that came with it) so at about 11:00 p.m. last night, I pounded out my hundred words and post my "did it" email.

I just completed day seven and already have at least day eight mapped out in my head.

So I'm using the hundred words a day motivation to write and it seems to be working. What motivation tactic do you use, and how's it working for you?

Hairspray

I went to see Hairspray this afternoon and absolutely loved it. It's one I'll probably have to buy when it comes out on DVD. The lead, Nikki Blonsky, was great, as was John Travolta as her mother. It was a fun, upbeat movie. And it had a message! It was better than I expected it to be. Always a good thing. :o)

So, what movies have you seen lately?

What's in a Name?

Over on the Deadline Divas' blog, Rhoda recently posted a picture she used for inspiration and I absolutely loved it. In fact, it inspired me too! Several years ago I was inspired to write this story. In my head I saw it on stage rather than in a book. Not sure why but that's what I was seeing. And having less of a clue of how to write a screenplay than I do a book, the idea got shoved to the further most recesses of story idea queue in my mind. Well, plus, the idea wasn't fully formed - I basically only knew the concept.

Fast forward to this picture of inspiration and suddenly the concept is fully formed. I know the beginning, the middle and well, I don't know the exact ending but I do know it is a happily ever after one. I even have a title for the story.

The only thing I don't have is the character's names. I never get fully invested in the names so they might change a gazillion times in the process. And I hate that.

One exception to that is a story idea that I have but it's based on someone I actually know and so I only see that person's name for my character. But, should it be published and should my friend actually read my book, I wouldn't want her (or a jury) to know (beyond a shadow of a doubt) that I based the character on her - or at least one of my initial impressions of her. (I should point out here that it is a person I adore and have the utmost respect for but this particular aspect may not seem "flattering" and I don't want to hurt any feelings.)

Anyway, I've told you all this to ask this - how do you come up with your character's names? Do they just come to you? Do they grow into them?

I just had this flashback to when I got my dog Harley and I called him something different every day until I took him to the vet and was forced to decide on a name. I don't know that I can do that with my characters.

Again, anyway, how do you work these details out? Inquiring minds want to know. :o)

On the Road Again

As promised, I'm going to comment on my virgin audio book experience. As you may recall, I was listening to Nicholas Sparks' (who, after talking to several people at the conference, is definitely off my "list") Dear John.

I was skeptical for a couple of reasons. One being that I didn't think I had the attention span to follow a story being read. Another being that I was so disappointed in the last book of his I read that I wasn't sure if I wanted to read/hear another.

So, okay, I put it on as soon as I dropped off the boys at the kennel Wednesday morning. The reader initially had a thick southern accent that I wasn't fond of (but I also think I may have been looking for things to not like). And I never did get comfortable with the "voices" he did for the people. I couldn't quite put my finger on it at first but, several hours out, I realized that one thing that was bugging me was that the heroine of the story sounded EXACTLY like Dustin Hoffman in his role of Tootsie. Exactly like it! So I couldn't quite get the image out of my head that the heroine was a drag queen as I listened. Not to mention that the southern accent he attributed to the characters made them all come off sounding dumber than dirt - which I think is a misconception about southerners, but that's another story.

But, I plowed on anyway. The story was okay - definitely not my favorite of his books (but also not my least favorite - that honor goes to the last one I read) and there were a couple of places that I cried (which wasn't necessarily a good thing, considering I was behind the wheel of a car at the time). And there were a few places where my mind wandered off enough that I knew I had missed something - but I didn't really care so I didn't go back and replay anything.

In the end though, I might try another audio book but what I was telling my roommate was that what I think part of the problem for me was, was that I read in my own voice. The intonation and inflection I would have given would have been different I think. I think I might have enjoyed it more reading it than I did having it read "to me". And part of that might be because the story was told in first person, I don't know.

Anyway, as I said, I might try another audio book but I'm still kind of leaning towards thinking it's not really for me.

Lucy does Dallas

I'm noticing a bit of a theme - everyone is titling their posts " (name here) does Dallas", so why not me too? (And no - before you ask - if everyone else was jumping off a bridge, I wouldn't do that too. . . I don't think... ;o) )

Anyway, my stay in Dallas was a short one, not being registered and all so I'm already home. I had a lot of fun though and even have pictures this year to prove it! (I may have mentioned that I've depended on the kindness of others in years past and never saw the pictures so I made sure to take matters into my own hands this year.)


I arrived Wednesday afternoon after driving in from Houston (the drive made longer by a serious accident in Houston and my inability to navigate downtown Dallas streets, but that's a whole other story). I had called my roommate a couple of times from the road and she indicated that she was out and about in the hotel but that check-in should be a breeze for me, as she'd added my name to the reservation (it was a breeze, by the way). So I arrived and checked in, went to the room, dropped my stuff off and immediately went in search of water.


On my way up to the room, someone got on the elevator with a take-out box and someone else on the elevator asked her where she'd gotten it and she said there was food on the second floor. So when I went out in search of water, I went to the second floor first. Which is where I ran into the person I always see first at the conferences - Pamela Hathaway. She told me that Mel, Maria and The Pam were at the bar, so off I went.


Mel was walking away from the table so I went up and said hello to her. Turns out she wasn't feeling great so she was going for some water and then heading back to the room (she told me the water was on the first floor). We said our good-byes and I headed over to talk to Maria. We visited for a few minutes when Louisa showed up and the three of us visited.


Then I went over to say hello to The Pam and her first words were "How's Harley? That's what I want to know!" Gotta love a woman (man, person - anyone) who loves animals like that. I told her I had pictures on my camera that I'd show her later. We visited for 20 or 30 minutes and I headed out for the water that I'd originally left my room for, which I now knew was on the first floor (thanks Mel!).


I get my water and decide that I'll just scope out the hotel and find out where the signing was going to be later that evening. I go down one more level and see a line formed outside of this one room. One quick look confirmed that it was a line forming for the literacy signing - only two hours before the event officially started!


After a moment or two of thought, I decided to join the line - after I went up to my room to get the new Julia Quinn book I'd brought for signing (I figure I can read it while I wait too!). So I head back to my room (which, for the record, was as far away from the elevator as the hotel could get it). I grab the book and leave the water, thinking I don't want to bother with carrying two things around (doing mental eye roll here). I head back to the elevator and decide, you know, I DO want to have my water with me after all - it's a long wait before the doors open. I go back to the room, grab the water and head back out again. I'm almost to the elevator again when I remember that I want my camera, so back I go to the room. I head out once more and realize, I must've put the book down because I only have the water and camera. It only took one more visit to the room before I was good to go.


The line that had been coming straight out from the ballroom doors was now up against the wall. It hadn't grown much while I was gone but I wasn't as close as you might think, for being there an hour and a half early. Everyone around me had stacks of books for signing - 90% of which were Sherilyn Kenyon books. I didn't get a lot of reading done because everyone was visiting. I met some really neat people in line (which I have each year that I've waited in lines) and it was kind of fun.


The crowds started coming more regularly and they roped off the area so that the line would go in a maze sort of thing (if you know what I mean) and the hotel staff was working furiously to keep up with the incoming crowd. Below is a picture (what I could get of it) of the line that was already in place an hour before the event started.

The event started a few minutes late because some of the authors were late but all-in-all, it was all good. More details to come tomorrow. . .

Books We Love

I'm driving up to Dallas on Wednesday (Nationals, in case you didn't know) and I decided this would be the perfect opportunity for me to try out audio books. I've never done that before but lots of people love it (I've always been concerned that it wouldn't hold my attention - my mind tends to wander and drown out the background noises.) so I thought I'd give it a try. So I went to the library the other day to check out their audio selection. (And by the way, I guess I've used my library card more recently than I realized because they actually had my current phone number on it! But I digress.)

Well, let's start with, I didn't know where the audio books were (kinda goes with the "never having listened to one before), so I had to ask. Then I get over there and they have a very limited selection. Someone else was on the aisle so I kept looking around her and then we started talking about what was where and all. (She said they were in alphabetical order but if they were, I need to relearn my ABCs, that's all I'm saying.)

I was specifically looking for SEP's Natural Born Charmer and/or Janet Evanovich's Lean Mean Thirteen, which, of course, I never found. (But they did have every Danielle Steele book ever written - in cassette tape, of course.) I really didn't find anything that made me think this is the one so I finally settled on Dear John by Nicholas Sparks.

I used to be a huge fan of Nicholas Sparks. He was one of my auto-buy authors - I would even buy in hardback until this happened. Since then I haven't read anything of his. Haven't been motivated to attempt to read anything of his. So the fact that I picked one of his for my first audio book should say something about the lack of choices. So that will be what I'm listening to (maybe) on the way to Dallas.

But, while I was at the library, talking to this lady, I noticed that she had a book copy (as opposed to an audio copy) of Evanovich's Two for the Dough. I made a comment and she was saying that she loves the series and reads them over and over again.

You know, I love reading and I keep all my books (unless they are dreadfully awful, then I can manage to part with them - if I must) but there are few, if any books that I would read over and over again. It was about a year ago that I read Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice for the first time. I loved it and was so awed by it, it made me want to read all of Ms. Austen's books but I haven't felt the desire to re-read - at least not yet. But maybe I'm alone in this.

Are there books that you love and re-read over and over. And if so, what are those books?